Delight Yourself in the Lord: A Reminder of His Intentionality

Last Sunday, my pastor shared a story that really resonated with me. He talked about seeing a camera that he desired to own. However, because it was quite expensive, he decided to let it go. Over time, he completely forgot about it. Then, the week before, his cousin returned from Germany and said, "I got something for you." When his cousin brought it out, it was the exact camera my pastor had admired and forgotten about.

This story beautifully illustrates the truth of Psalm 37:4:
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4, NIV)

This was a clear reminder of God’s intentionality in giving us the desires of our hearts—even when we don’t specifically pray for them. As we dedicate ourselves to God and serve Him, He rewards us. We come to God with a desire to know Him more and grow in our relationship with Him. And when we pray, He doesn’t just answer our requests; He blesses us in ways we may not expect. These blessings can even include things we’ve desired but haven’t asked for, perhaps because we feel that our prayers need to be more serious or specific.

The truth is, God is concerned about every detail of our lives—even the small things, like the amount of water we drink each day. When we allow Him to shape and mold us according to His will, He works in ways we can’t always see, but always for our good. This process of transformation happens when we delight ourselves in the Lord.

What does it mean to delight in the Lord? It means we take pleasure in His presence, we desire to know Him more through His Word, and we align our desires with His will. We trust Him to lead us, knowing He won’t leave us stranded. We live a life of total surrender, cultivating an attitude of gratitude for His constant faithfulness.

God is intentional about us. He provides everything we need, at just the right time—even when we don’t specifically pray for it. One of the ways I pass time is by window shopping for electronics. I often find myself admiring various items. Last week, I was looking at a particular electronic I liked and thought to myself, "It would be nice if I had that." I didn’t make a serious request or prayer about it, but I simply said it in passing. Because it was expensive, I convinced myself that I didn’t need it.

Then, just yesterday, I was asked to pick a paper from a raffle draw. As I reached in and pulled out a slip, it turned out to be the exact item I had desired only a few days before. I was overjoyed! It was a clear reminder that God is intentional about fulfilling the desires of our hearts.

Isaiah 59:1 says, "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear." (Isaiah 59:1, NIV)

God hears us, even when we don’t articulate our desires in prayer. And when we delight ourselves in Him, we experience His goodness and faithfulness in ways we may not expect but always appreciate.

A Judge for God's People

 

The book of Judges is a collection of adventures and activities of men and women who did one thing: refocused the children of Israel back to God. It was not about their legitimacy status, wisdom, strength, sight, grace, or courage, but about God's ability. They stood as a constant reminder to the children of Israel that it is God who has always kept them.

Whenever the judges were alive, they served God, but whenever they weren't, the Israelites went back to worshiping other gods and neglected the God who had kept them.

Judges 2:16 (AMP) states, "But the Lord raised up judges, who delivered them out of the hands of those who robbed them." Was this God's original intention - to have people who only come to Him for rescue? No! People who only contemplate God as an option in times of battle and war? No! But it was the option the Israelites constantly chose each day.

The judges symbolized and represented God's strength and ability, displayed in simple people to achieve greatness.

While growing up, and even until recently, I struggled with the fear of the unknown. When I kept praying to God about it, I began reading the book of Judges. I desired the courage that each of these individuals had. When their past or the hours before their victory are examined, we notice that it was not their courage or victory that the Bible depicted, but entirely their dependence on God's ability to give them victory.

You too can live a victorious life. God took every kind of man and woman and made them into judges for His people, and He still does so for His people.

I desire the courage and fearlessness the judges had. What about you? What do you think about when you hear the story of the judges? There are still many battles and victories to be won, and God's people are still in need of judges to point them to Jesus.

Would you take up that mantle and say yes to the call? God still chooses His judges from willing vessels.

Stay Revived!

GOD LOVES ME; I LOVE HIM TOO

What do you think about God? 

When approaching Him, what thoughts race through your mind? 

Is He your first option, last resort, or something in between? Why did you choose God? It's not wrong to start with Him as a last resort, as the Bible says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

I chose God because, growing up, I felt He was my safest option. I believed that by choosing Him, my life would be free from storms, crises, losses, delays, setbacks, hurts, and failures. However, as I grew older and became an adult, I began to see the reality of life. I started questioning God's mercy and goodness.

But God doesn't abandon His own; He has no record of doing so. As long as we stick with Him, He remains faithful. God wants to be more than just a means to an end; He wants to be our ultimate goal. I've learned that it's not just about what God can do for us, but about loving Him back.

God desires genuine love, not just lip service. He wants us to acknowledge His emotions and reciprocate His love. When we do, He draws closer to us. As beings created in God's image, we reflect His love and traits.

He wants us to sincerely say to him each day I love you, lord, irrespective of our present circumstances or situations 

If God's Love for us could conquer the gate of hell what about when we consciously love him also? 

We will be able to achieve exploits and gain completeness. 

In those moments when we love him we fulfil the scriptures in " For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). 

Do you believe in His love? It's a love that makes us feel alive, and the ultimate reward is eternal life – the God-kind of life.

Stay revived!

By Guest Writer.

Embracing God's Timing: The cruciality of timing in fulfillment of God's Agenda.

Have you ever felt rushed to fulfill God’s calling, only to be stopped in your tracks? What if the key to fulfilling your purpose is learning to wait?

In our fast-paced world, it can be difficult to accept that sometimes the best thing we can do is wait.

A few years ago, the Lord placed a word in my spirit to start a prayer chain network. During that time, I tried every possible way to begin, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see myself making it happen. So, I let the idea go. Then, last year, the Holy Spirit spoke to me again concerning something else, saying, "Start a blog" I was surprised because I had never once considered doing such a thing. If someone had told me I would do this, I would have said, "It can't be me."

When I received the word, I acted on it immediately. I know myself well enough to recognize that when I procrastinate on instructions, I often fail to follow through. So, as soon as I received the word, I began the blog. Since then, the Lord has continually given me instructions about what He wants me to share. Some days, it feels like He’s simply watching, waiting to see if I will post. But I’ve realized that as I write, it often feels as though the words aren’t coming from me.

For every instruction the Lord gives, He also provides the ability, the enablement, and the resources needed to fulfill it.

Romans 8:30 (NIV)
"And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."

Yes, He has predestined you for the task He has assigned you, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right time to start. In God’s plan, timing is crucial. When we rush ahead of His timing, it can lead to setbacks, and in those moments, we may even question whether we truly heard from God.

You should never feel pressured to act outside of God’s timing. In the journey we are on, we must wait. During these moments of waiting, the Lord sharpens us, justifies us, and strengthens us. We should not be in a hurry to start, because when we do, God may take His hand off our efforts and simply watch us.

During the waiting time, God works on our hearts, our character, and our entire being. He builds and equips us spiritually, ensuring that we are ready and prepared for His use. God doesn’t just raise anyone; He doesn’t pour out His gifts on us for us to rush forward like a tornado, only to stop halfway or fall short.

Many of us have abandoned our assignments halfway because we started before God’s timing. Most of us weren’t patient enough to be fully equipped for what lay ahead. Friend, our assignments are unique to each of us, and only God determines when we are truly ready. You cannot compare your timing with anyone else’s. In His perfect time, He will make it happen. And when that time comes, you will start with ease because you will be fully equipped for what He has set before you.

It’s time to return to our Creator, ask for His forgiveness and help, and seek grace to wait in the Potter's furnace until we are equipped and ready for His use.

Stay revived!