a heart to heart

When someone has a "heart to heart" talk, there is honesty given.  This is what happens with me everyday when I talk with God.  Sometimes it's easy to receive, sometimes not, sometimes you agree and sometimes you're not sure where He's taking you.  Sometimes you don't get it at all but you talk it out until there is understanding.  There is no shame in that.  He gets you, He created you. 

I love the words of Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest:
"Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not  mean that I will listen to everything He says.  I show God my lack of love and respect of Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says.  If I love my friend (being honest), I will instinctively understand what he wants.  And Jesus said, "You are My friends...(John 15:14).. But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don't even hear Him.  He might as well never have spoken to us."

A very honest statement!  I study the children of Israel I'm so baffled!  I try so intently to learn from their mistakes....It says in Psalms 78 that He was giving them opportunity after opportunity to listen and obey His ways.  It says they flattered Him with their mouth (think about that one a minute...) but it says their heart was not steadfast with Him....yet He, being full of compassion forgave them.  But it also says....He gave them over to their own desires.  He could not compete with their carved images (think about that one too....I'm honestly going to preach on that soon). 

So here's my heart to heart....bottom line, "they did not remember His power" (vs 42)  You must keep every element of prayer (your talk with Him) strong in your daily life or you too will forget.  You won't hear the voice of the Good Shepherd or if you do, you won't try to understand and obey.  It sounds very elementary yet the most fundamental. 
1. Praise, you've got to be a thankful people. 
2. Repent, You've got to be willing to see sin and be convicted
3. Request, You've got to be specific with your needs and it needs to be lined up with the word
4. Interceed, You've got to be a people who see's the bigger picture.  The needs around you.
5. Meditate, You've got to stop talking in order to hear His voice. 
6. Worship, You've got to exalt Him for His benefit, but also for you. This will help you never forget!

Israel missed God's best for them.  Let Him not say of our generation "So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsel" (81:12)   Instead, we will be a generation that is Blessed! Psalm 89:15-16
"Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!  They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.  In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted."

May He show me confirmation this week that I'm hearing His voice! 

-The Mrs. Pastor