CONVERSATIONS
WITH GOD
Surrendered: Poor in Spirit
Archived Conversations with God
Day 1
Getting Started
Check out this devotional on being poor in spirit:
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/blessed-are-the-poor-in-spirit-who-mourn
What parts of this did you agree with? What parts did you disagree with? What parts of this devotional would be hardest for a person from our culture to accept? Is self-esteem culture good for people or bad for people? Does it rely on truth and accurate self-assessment? Can something not based on truth be good? What is the answer from scripture?
Verses: Matthew 5:3, Isaiah 66:2, Psalm 51:17
Prayer Topics: Humility, Helplessness, Hope
Day 2
Meekness
Check out this article on the quality of meekness:
https://www.desiringgod.org/solid-joys/what-is-meekness
How does this relate to strength being under control? What is the fruit of your strength being placed under the control of God? What usually controls people's strength? What does that lead to? What are the challenges or obstacles to your strength being placed under the control of God? How will you begin the process of being meek?
Verses: James 3:13, Matthew 11:29, Psalm 25:9
Prayer Topics: Trust, Confidence, Peace
Day 3
Blessed are Those Who Mourn
Check out this article on mourning:
https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/blessed-are-those-who-mourn
When we think of mourning, we usually think of loss. What kinds of loss make you mourn? Many people mourn when they experience personal loss, in fact, many people convicted of serious crimes committed those crimes over a sense of loss. What separates this type of mourning from the kind this beatitude is describing? What is necessary for us to be true mourners? What makes mourners become bitter? How does this bitterness get in the way of the type of mourning the bible is speaking of? What needs to happen in your life for you to become a true mourner who receives blessings?
Verses: Psalm 34:17-20, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Revelation 21:4
Prayer Topics: Loss, Perspective, Being Comforted
Day 4
Greatness
My grandson Mason struggles with learning disabilities. He tries very hard, but some things are just very challenging for him to master. Mason is homeschooled with his little sister Ella, and she catches on to things much faster. Ella loves her brother, so whenever she can she passes him the answers for questions he is struggling to grasp. The other day, she was confronted about this behavior in the presence of Mason, who had just received an answer from her. Mason could have responded to this situation with embarrassment, with independence telling Ella he didn't need her help, or with evasion, pretending he didn't get the answer from his sister but came up with it himself. Instead, Mason responded to this situation of his sister being confronted for helping him by blowing her an exaggerated kiss right in front of the Mom who was scolding her. There was no pride, no evasion, just gratitude. It is important for us to understand that humility allows our greatness, for the simple reason that our greatness is a gift, and gifts can only be accepted by those who acknowledge their lack. Since our greatness comes from union with Christ, anything that hinders that union is hindering our blessing, our glory, and our greatness. Ironically, our greatness comes from a complete embracing of our lack of greatness. The most humble among us will be the most glorious. What is getting in the way of your greatness? What needs to happen in your life to make perfect and complete the union between you and Christ Jesus? Spend some time in prayer and meditation today, so that you can receive glory tomorrow.
Verses: John 17:22, Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 3:3
Prayer Topics: Grace, Gratitude, Joy
Day 5
Thanks to Sylvester Warsaw, Jr for our devotional today
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth,” Ecclesiastes 7:4. It’s in the house of mourning God allows us to experience Him on a deeper level by allowing us to feel His heart thereby teaching us a deeper understanding of His love that makes us more like Jesus. Mourning is rooted in God’s unconditional love, therefore, giving hope while strengthening our heart through faith. We mourn because God teaches His children how to hate evil and the only way to overcome evil is being in relationship with Him through Christ Jesus the ultimate act of love. Even in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples Matthew 6:13 and the prayer He prayed in John 17:15 He asked God to protect His children from the evil one. Evil is real and its existence doesn’t depend on whether you believe it or not. Evil is God’s enemy because evil’s intent is to separate people from God and God didn’t create man to be separated from Him even giving man freedom of choice. Evil thrives when people who claim to love God become complacent and complacency is sin. Complacency is an enemy of God because complacency doesn’t reveal God’s glory in our lives and the world. Complacency says I’m not my brother's keeper. Complacency prevents you from being hospitable, having table fellowship being approachable. Jesus was always accused by Pharisees and Sadducees of eating and associating with those they deemed worthless whereas Jesus saw worth the soul of man and our need for salvation. It’s true Jesus had boundaries, however, He was approachable so much so that many people believed that it was enough just to touch the hem of His garment to be healed, Matthew 14:36. God teaches us that it’s in mourning that we truly learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves wanting what’s best for our neighbor and that’s redemption that’s only in Christ Jesus.