Day 4

Reminder, anyone that wants to follow along with this book or have a copy of your own here is the link for it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Speak-My-Heart-God-Moment/dp/0736907734/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357781471&sr=8-1&keywords=speak+to+my+heart+God

When You Are Dealing With What-Ifs

"Are you prepared to see Jesus?"

Suppose, just suppose, that you knew the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was near.
Suppose that you had inside information that your time "to occupy until He comes" was about over.
Suppose, just suppose, you knew for certain that by this time next year you would be standing - as an individual- before your God and your Lord, having to give an account of how you have lived as His child (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Would it make a difference in the way you live today? Next month? During the coming year?
We, we don't know about next year, but we do know that the Lord Jesus Christ will return someday- "in the twinking of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52).
And from all that God's Word has to say about the end times...from all that we see going on in our world...and from the prompting of the Spirit of God, we feel that we need to order our days before our God accordingly.
God has told us to redeem the time because the days are evil and to live as if His coming is imminent. And He has told us that we will be held accountable to Him for the way we live as His children.
Let me share with you just some of the things for which God's Word tells us we shall be held accountable.
We shall be held accountable for...
       *what we have been given (Matthew 25:1-30)
       *what we know (Luke 12:4-48)
       *our stewardship of God's Word (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)
       *what we teach others (James 3:1; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
       *our giving (Philippians 4:14-17)
       *our words (Matthew 12:36-37)
       *our leadership (Hebrew 13:17)

Now, follow this five-step plan as you look at the days ahead.
First, go through this list, look up the Scriptures, and ask God to search your heart in each area in the light of His Word.
Second, set some specific goals for your life. For instance, since you are accountable to God for knowing His will and for doing it, you need to plan how you are going to make the time to be alone with Him in His Word so that He can speak to you.
Third, as you set these goals, formulate definite plans to reach them. For instance, to follow through on the example used above (making time to be alone with God), schedule your day to allow yourself uninterrupted time to be alone with Him.
Fourth, once you have your goals and your plans, you need to begin. It has been said that it takes twenty-one days of repetition to form a habit. Therefore, determine that for the next twenty-one consecutive days you are going to take time to be alone with God, in His Word, prayerfully listening to the thoughts He will put into your heart and mind. As you spend this time, tell God you want only His thoughts and ask Him to make you aware of anything that is not truly from Him. Test everything by seeing if it is in agreement with the whole counsel of the Word of God.
And, fifth, begin examining every aspect of your life in the light of His coming. According to 1 John 3:2-3, our anticipation of the coming of the Lord acts as a purifying hope in our lives. Therefore, the days ahead should become days of cleansing as we put away those things- sins, habits, weights, possessions, activities, excesses- that keep us from pursuing His holiness (Hebrews 12:1-2, 14).
Suppose our time is shorter than we think...
Someday- and it could be tomorrow or next year- the suppositions will be over. Jesus will appear. Then our opportunity to live the life of faith will be over.
Someday will come like a thief in the night. Don't be caught unaware.
Be ready...begin now. The discipline will pay eternal dividends.

"My beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Arnold, 2002, pp 24-26

It truly is amazing how once you get started, God really does start speaking to you. This is only day 4 of my "consecutive 21 days" in order to make this a habit, and already I hear Him loud and clear! There are so many areas of my life that could use a good scrubbing. As life has become more and more full (children seem to do that) so much dust has collected in areas which were once squeeky clean (like my language!). Yet, this is not to discourage me, but to make me aware that I need to tend to these areas and once again use a bit of spit shine. We are all fallen beings and always in need of improvement. I think where this message is leading is to tell us to constantly be working at it and to not grow complacent. I'm always going to stumble and trip (those that know me know this literally happens alot!), but its only when I stay down and accept my fate that I fall into God's displeasure. As long as I'm still picking myself up and saying, "I'm trying" those things listed above will be obtainable. I don't believe that He expects us to come to Him saying, "I've perfected all the things on your list!" Instead I think He wants us to always be saying, "I'm giving it my very best Lord."