May 2017 – Praying Pint

Encouragement

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”

”Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”

Psalms 69:3o I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

Psalms 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

Psalms 118:21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

Psalms 118:28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalms 25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Psalms 34:2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

Isaiah 61:1-3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

John 16:22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

In place of sorrow there will be rejoicing. Sometimes I do not understand the affliction and trials others bear and how they seem to rise above them and give God praise. It is inspiring to see those who bear the affliction and those who love them walk in a way that does not complain but rather continues to seek God and His love and mercy. It is inspiring to see them quote promises of God and hold fast to Him. It is encouraging to see their faith in action – God is able but even if He chooses not to act in this matter we hold fast to Him. Holding on and trusting God is possible when our walk with Him is lived out and His word is in our heart. Seek Him today and hold fast to His promises. He is certainly able to do more than we ask and much more than we can think.

My Helper

“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

“Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life”

Psalms 69:29 But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

Psalms 40:17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Psalms 109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.

Psalms 70:5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!

Psalms 109:31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

1 Peter 2:23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Understanding our circumstance and condition gives us ground to seek God for help and strength. It is easy, when things have gone south, to seek God in a humble attitude. Why does it seem God is closest during times of trials and trouble? Could it be because we are seeking Him with our whole heart, mind and soul? Could it be because we have given up on trying to handle it on our own? Could it be because we are in a state of mind that now allows God’s word to be heard in our heart and mind? Could it be our somewhat hardened heart has softened to the point of yielding to laying those trials and issues at His feet? Could it be our focus has changed from things of this world to promises of God? But what about times when things are going smooth and our lives are without issue or much concern? What is our desire then???? Is God even a thought throughout the day? Training, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of God and things of God requires commitment, effort, and dedication. Train your heart, eyes, mind, and ears to focus on God and His purpose for you life at all times. Don’t waste a single day without humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him. Soon things of this world will grow much dimmer and He will shine much brighter in all you think, see, say and do.

Draw near to God

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”

“ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

“ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Psalms 69:10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

Psalms 55:16 But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

Matthew 26:38 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

Daniel 3:15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever

Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

These scriptures capture the heart of man who trusts in God. Note these specifically: “At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me” – “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden” – “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” – ” your will be done.” Waiting for and trusting in God fully gives us courage and confidence for whatever is before us. Having a heart desire to be close and walk close to God has an effect on what we think say and do. He gave us scriptures to teach us, lead us, build us up, give us hope, reminding us of His promises, power, might and love. Desire to be near Him and from this foundation all else finds stability and we can face whatever comes our way today.

Sinking

Psalms 69:1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.

Lamentations 3:54 water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’

Psalms 69:14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me.

Jonah 2:3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Can you hear the cry in David’s words. The anguish and heart ache. Yet in this notice his want to continually honor God. “Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,” Through the trails he faced he did not want others to bare shame or dishonor because of him. David trusted God with his whole heart, mind and soul. It would have been easier to think only about himself. On this side of eternity we will face many things beyond our control and at the consequence of others actions. We will also face things as a consequence of our own actions. Coming to God, crying out to Him, is our hope, our refuge, our fortress, our power and strength to face what is before us. We stand on His promises and we wait for His perfect purpose and timing. Commit to spending time in His word for the purpose of knowing Him and how to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

Content in all things

“but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Psalms 68:28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.

Psalms 68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Psalms 42:8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalms 71:3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Being content in the hands of God is both hard and easy. It depends on our choice to have faith in Him, to wait on Him, to trust in Him, and to believe in Him and His purpose for our lives. We must believe He is sovereign and in control of all there is. And then patiently wait for His mighty and awesome timing. Sometimes it is immediate and other times it is not. In our culture our access is almost unlimited to anything we are seeking. I wonder if this doesn’t play a part in our lack of seeking God and His purpose. When problems arise we run ahead on our own without giving second thought to Him. Other times we are so blessed we even forget that these blessings come from Him. I recently heard a man tell of great success he was having in training dogs. He said at one point he just thought it was too easy. Then God showed him it was not easy and gave him a time of trials in this training. He said he was humbled by God and knows all success is at the hands of God. If we listen, God will speak to our heart and lead us on paths where we continually see His sovereignty. Commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

Be sure of your destiny

Psalms 68:21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.

Psalms 7:6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.

Psalms 78:65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man shouting because of wine. And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.

Psalms 110:6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses;

Psalms 55:23 But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,

Luke 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

I have copied a few selections out of Johnathan Edwards sermon “In the Hands of an Angry God” which seemed appropriate today.

the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies. God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subjects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.

So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.

Living for God

Psalms 68:1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!

Numbers 10:35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.”

2 Chronicles 6:41 “And now arise, O LORD God, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. Let your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in your goodness.

Psalms 7:6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.

Isaiah 42:13 The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant.

Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?

Psalms 78:66 And he put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting shame.

Jeremiah 23:40 And I will bring upon you everlasting reproach and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’

Enemies of God, those who reject Him, have a place reserved. A place of everlasting reproach and perpetual shame. What is important for us to know is that there is also a place for those who believe, trust, and hope in Him. These are called children of God. They have chosen and committed to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him. They have been promised peace, love, hope, joy, rest, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead and guide them this side of eternity. Children of God have been promised a future place in eternity where there is no more death, no more pain, no more sickness. Do you wonder how a child of God should live? What would their life look like from the outside? There should be a difference that is visible. Their actions should be such that honor is given to God. When our eyes are on Him and our heart’s desire is to hear His whispers of guidance and we obey His leading, there is a difference in attitude, speech, thoughts, and actions. Live your life to bring honor to Him every moment of every day. This is our full and only purpose this side of eternity.

Requested Blessings

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”

Psalms 67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Psalms 28:9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Psalms 4:6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!”

Psalms 80:3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Psalms 119:135 Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

Psalms 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Acts 13:26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.

Acts 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

“God bless us. Shine Your light upon us. Let light shine out of darkness. Be our shepherd. Give Your peace.” These are all positive requests from men of the past who were asking for God’s blessing for mankind. These men believed in God and His sovereignty over all. It is in His hands alone to bless, lead, and correct the actions of man and nations. When our heart’s desire is to know God, to honor, follow and obey we seem to see life through a different lens. This lens allows us to pray for others. It allows us to pray for nations because our God is awesome in power and might. He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we think. How often do we want to the person who makes the change in people? Our efforts sometime do nothing to bring others closer to God. Yet if we pray for God to bless them and to change their heart our thoughts about that person change from one of condemning to one of hope and love for them. Keeping our eyes on Him and patiently waiting for His perfect plan to take place in the lives of those we pray for is so much better than fretting, stewing, and being angered by others.

He listens to those who listen

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”

Psalms 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Proverbs 28:9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen;

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Job 35:12 There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

Jeremiah 11:11 Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.

Micah 3:4 Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.

Zechariah 7:13 “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts,

James 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

“As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts. There is so much to say about desiring, seeking, and listening to God. Scripture is clear and full of wonderful promises to those who live for Him standing firm in Him alone. Yet life happens and time in scripture becomes less and less important while the world grabs more and more of our attention. It seems to be able take our eyes off of God. The very scripture that brought to light the the need for God is now nothing but second thought. Time away from His word closes our heart and ears to His leading. We make our own path in life, self seeking. We were redeemed at a great cost by the very hand of God’s love, grace, and mercy. God is not to be a second thought or in second place in our heart and mind. He is to be first and first alone at all times. I am so aware of how hard this is when we try to play both sides. Trying to get the best of this world and the best of God’s blessings. A christian life is not to be this way. He want’s all of our heart, mind and soul. Not just part of it when it is convenient or when we need something that only He can supply. Look into your heart and mind, see how much of it is consumed by things of this world compared to how much is spent living for God. Living for God is a commitment with purpose of humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him. Commit to Him today. Spend more time in His word.

Come, Listen to me

“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Psalms 66:5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

Psa 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.

Psalms 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Psalms 126:1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.

Psalms 34:2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

Psalms 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.

1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Psalms 22:23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found

“Come and see”, “Come and hear”, and “Come behold”, His works, awesome deeds and what He has done for my soul. These are invitations to us from God’s word. It is an offer that must be accepted or rejected/turned down. An invitation does not force us to accept it. There are consequences either way. There are visible actions in the lives of those who choose one or the other. “Great are His works and studied by those who delight in them”. His works are studied by those who delight in them. One outcome here would be reading His word and thinking about what has been read. Another outcome would be to believe in Him and having a desire to see His handiwork in creation. Other outcomes would be; humble service, listening for His whispers of guidance, wanting to be lead by Him, learning what honors and glorifies Him, praying to Him, telling others of Him and His what He has done not only historically but what He is currently doing in their life, looking forward to eternity with Him, praising Him, etc….. On the other hand, for those who reject these invitations we see; little to no time spent in His word, no speaking of Him, not hearing His whispers of guidance, not seeking to be led by Him, self satisfaction, not looking at His handiwork in creation, no thought of eternity, no speaking to others about Him. Commit to accept His invitation and spend time in His word learning of His steadfast love, power, grace, mercy, and might. Be aware of the consequences of accepting or rejecting His invitation. “Behold I stand at the door and knock” Can you hear Him knocking at your hearts door? Choose to open your heart’s door to Him and commit to humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him.