“Wash your face and seek Mine,” He said to me. “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:8b)

My son, if you receive My words, and treasure My commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths – so you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. (Proverbs 2:1-15,20-22)

Lately, there is a particular grief in my spirit because I’m sensing the one true God of the universe wants to be known by His people…. truly KNOWN.

Do we KNOW Him? Have we ever really had a correct concept of who He is? How much of our understanding of God came from religious tradition and man’s opinions instead of the pure unadulterated Word of God Himself?

A few months ago, I was experiencing this same type of grief. At that time, He put the word “REVERENCE” in my mind, with an understanding that we the people of God are not REVERENCING Him the way He deserves.

This grief which keeps surfacing has me continuously feeling a desperate hunger for time in His presence, to know Him more and to hear what He has to say.

People of God, who or what is occupying our time and attention?

Do we not comprehend the impending darkness, or understand the day of the LORD fast approaches?

The Bride of Christ MUST prepare herself for persecution and suffering! God’s Word warns us of this! There is comfort though, in understanding that after this, our Bridegroom is returning! The night is fast approaching, but soon morning will come, and we will see our Savior face to face!

What shall we do then, in light of this?

SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR. LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY, AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN HIS THOUGHTS; LET HIM RETURN TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL HAVE MERCY ON HIM; AND TO OUR GOD, FOR HE WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON. “FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NOR ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS,” SAYS THE LORD. “FOR AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS, AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS. FOR AS THE RAIN COMES DOWN, AND THE SNOW FROM HEAVEN, AND DO NOT RETURN THERE, BUT WATER THE EARTH, AND MAKE IT BRING FORTH AND BUD, THAT IT MAY GIVE SEED TO THE SOWER AND BREAD TO THE EATER, SO SHALL MY WORD BE THAT GOES FORTH FROM MY MOUTH; IT SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME VOID, BUT IT SHALL PROSPER IN THE THING FOR WHICH I SENT IT.” (Isaiah 55:6-11)

“IS NOT MY WORD LIKE A FIRE?” SAYS THE LORD, “AND LIKE A HAMMER THAT BREAKS THE ROCK IN PIECES?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

We need to be broken, people of God. The hard places of self which still remain must be crushed by God in order for His Holy Spirit to rule and reign completely, and for His rivers of living water to flow fully and freely in and through us!

What this world needs is God, not opinionated people labeled “christian” walking with no power!

For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance…. (I Thessalonians 1:5)

For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

That one thing you think no one sees…. God sees. Down deep, are you truly the person you tell people you are? Are you a Christ-follower, or are you just “talking the talk” without “walking the walk?”

Each one of us must think about these things and ask ourselves these questions. There is no more time to waste on useless trifles. The time is now. We must get right with God, or we will perish in the end.

…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. (Joshua 24:15b)

Who is sufficient for these things? None of us are sufficient, that’s for sure. The only One who ever was and ever will be sufficient is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He is our perfect example and forerunner. We must look to Him for how to even know God and how to walk in His ways.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in our souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. (Hebrews 12:1-8)

Until we feel the chastening of the LORD, we cannot be His. We cannot simply add Jesus Christ to a selfish, self-driven life. We must burn ourselves out, become fed up with our own ways, truly come to the end of ourselves, and recognize our complete inability to live and breathe without the LORD’s mercy.

There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:10-18)

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the LORD our God will call.” (Acts 2:37-39)

At the point of true surrender, God shows up. He takes our understanding that we must truly die, and our decision to be buried once and for all with Christ, and He takes over, raises us to new life, and produces in and through us the life He ordained for us to live.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5a,8b)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

We were not created to live for ourselves. We were not made for the kingdom of this earth, to build something for ourselves here. We were created for the Kingdom of God, to be His ambassadors, for Him to build His Kingdom through us! The kingdom of the earth will burn up. His Kingdom will last for eternity!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15)

It is not a mistake you are reading this. God has been calling you deeper. Will you respond to Him? You may not even know how, but when we humble ourselves and obey Him, He promises to equip us and to help us live the way He’s called us to live!

For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. (II Chronicles 20:12b)

I have chosen you. You are Mine. “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.” (Psalm 46:10)

Be still – cease, forsake all else, draw toward, be mended/cured/healed/thoroughly made whole

and KNOW – recognize, acknowledge, comprehend with certainty, regard with understanding

that I – (only)

am – (from eternity past to eternity future)

God – exceedingly, very great in strength and power, almighty One

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It all comes down to acknowledging God for who He really is. “FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER; I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE ME.” (Isaiah 46:9b-10a)