God Hears When We Seek Him - Daily Devotional November 1st 2009

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 30, Daniel 10, Acts 10

God Hears When We Seek Him

I was impressed that two of the chapters in today's Bible reading talk about visions. Although I have had God speak to me many, many times (usually through his Word), I have never had a vision. If the Lord gives a vision to a person there is always a purpose behind it. It is not just to tickle our spiritual phenomenon fantasies. Joel 2:28 says, "I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." God is moving by his Spirit throughout the world and touching hearts of those who are hungry for Him.

Daniel had been fasting and praying for three weeks when the vision was given to him. It was a message of encouragement that God had heard his prayer from the first day he began to pray. The scripture says God heard his words. I find that extremely encouraging. Based on God's word we can be confident that he hears our words. Psa. 4:3 says "the Lord will hear when I call to him." We don't always "feel" that, but God's word is much more reliable than our feelings. The messenger told Daniel that "the Prince of Persia" had resisted him for 21 days. We aren't always aware of the spiritual battle going on, but Eph. 6:12 says "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." There is a battle constantly ongoing but greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Thank the Lord that he has made us more than conquerors!!!

Peter was also in prayer when the Lord taught him a lesson through the vision he had of a sheet filled with animals that were deemed unclean by the Jewish law. He was told to "kill and eat." Peter was aghast. He had never eaten an unclean animal in his whole life. The Lord showed this vision to him three times. (Maybe he didn't get it??) While he was still pondering the vision men from Cornelius, a gentile centurion, came looking for him. Cornelius also had had a vision while he was praying. An angel told him to send for Peter so they could hear what he would have to say. Cornelius had his house filled with relatives and friends. He was expecting something!!! As Peter spoke to them about Jesus he realized the interpretation of the vision. "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Acts 10:34. And I especially like this. While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down and fill them all. It was out of Peter's hands. God stepped in and filled hungry hearts.

In 2 Chronicles 30 Hezekiah had it in his heart to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. They had not celebrated the Passover for a long time and even though it was the wrong month for the festival, they had a heart to seek the Lord. Hezekiah prayed, "May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God -- the Lord the God of his fathers -- even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people." Verses 18-19.

These scriptures should encourage us to be diligent in prayer, have a heart that is hungry after God and be confident that the Lord does hear us. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked says, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Psa. 24:15, "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry."

God does not lie (Num. 23?19). If God says something, he will do it. "Your word, Oh Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." Psa. 119:89.

God does hear when we seek him. Seek him today.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - 2 Chronicles 31, Daniel 11, Acts 11-12

God is good all the time,

Naomi Brinkman