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Seeking God and Knowing God

SEEKING AND KNOWING GOD

Seeking God is looking for and searching for Him. It’s trying to identify Him and His work in our lives and around our lives. In order to be able to identify Him, though, we have to know Him. Otherwise, how do we know it’s Him and not something or someone else? Part of knowing God is knowing His attributes or characteristics. It’s also about knowing His Word.

Let’s be real here and face it: if we are not in His Word, we do not know Him. If we do not know Him, how can we seek Him?

(Image credit for top image: Microsoft images online 2008-2014.)

I Want to Seek God

Seeking God:

A Godly Vision Bible Study Journey

I WANT TO SEEK GOD

I want to seek God.

I want to seek Him where I am, doing what I am doing, not just during my quiet moments. And not just when I read the Bible and do Bible study.

I want to seek God and find where all He is working all around me, in me, through me, and in the lives of others. God is always present and is in me and is without (meaning around me). I want to seek Him and see Him in every moment. After all, every moment I am alive, He is there. He is here. And, He is in you, and with you, and is working and present around you.

So, yes. I want to seek God and find Him here--and there. And, I want to join Him in the work, and in the being, He has planned for me. How about you?

When I think of how God is always here and there, and how few times I've actually searched and looked for Him in the moment, it makes me sad and frustrated. How can I miss Him so often? So, I want to live with purpose and intentionality and seek Him in every moment. I want to be mindful of Him. Hence, I want to seek Him and to constantly be seeking God.

The Bible tells us to pray 24/7/365. It also says to thank Him always. It also says to meditate or ruminate on the Bible every night and day. If we are in the Word, are praying, and are counting our blessings, then wouldn't we be seeking Him all the time?

Care to join me in seeking God? That is what this Bible study journey is all about. Let's see the glory of God all around us and recognize it day and night—and stop missing Him. Let's seek God and continually do so.

This is Seeking God.

(Image credits of top picture: Stacy Duplease. Sunrise at Virginia Beach 2014.)

Updated on Apr/29/2014/815 a.m.

Making Space for God: A Simple, Still, Silent Faith

Making Space for God: A Simple, Still, Silent Faith

God is bigger. 

He will meet us where we are at any time. 

All we need to do is open your hearts and minds to Him and He will meet us there.

Be receptive to Him and listen. 

Spend far more time listening thank talking. 

Do this every moment of every day and night. 

Be open.

Keep your faith simple.

Whatever you are doing, be receptive to Him being with you and You being with Him.

That's 'A Simple, Still, Silent Faith.'

Does He Know You or Just of You?

Does He Know You or Just of You?

1
Matthew 7:21-23 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’  
--  HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.  

What a pointed passage of Scripture. 

Can you imagine Jesus not knowing you?

Lord, I cannot. This is troubling to think.

The people He talked about were those who had the check-mark faith. They did, did, did. But, they didn't be with Him. They didn't really know Him either. They did stuff to pat themselves on the back, and make sure others notice. They even filled their schedules with being busy in the name of the Lord. 

But, did they really know You, Lord?

Jesus didn't know them.

Talk about an in your face, eye-opening, life--transforming passage in the Word of God. What a wake-up call.

I want, Jesus Christ, the One who was brutally murdered on my behalf to not just know of me, but to know me. I want to spend the rest of my life ensuring this every moment. This is where a simple, still, silent faith comes to play.

I like to look at multiple versions of Scripture in order to gain the best, deepest, and broad understanding of what is trying to be conveyed. Hence, I try to look up several versions of the Bible. This is no different.

2
Matthew 7:21-23 / Expanded Bible (EXB)
21 “Not all those who say [to me] ·‘You are our Lord’ [‘Lord! Lord!’] will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do ·what my Father in heaven wants [the will of my Father in heaven]. 22 On ·the last day [judgment day; that day] many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ·we spoke for you [Did we not prophesy in your name…?], and ·through you we forced out demons [cast out demons in your name…?] and did many ·miracles [mighty works in your name…?].’ 23 Then I will ·tell them clearly [declare to them; publicly announce to them], ‘I never knew you. ·Get away [Depart] from me, you who ·do evil [break God’s law; practice lawlessness; Ps. 6:8].’ 
--  EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

3
Matthew 7:21-23 / The Message (MSG)
21-23 “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’ 
--   MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

4
Matthew 7:21-23 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them publicly, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.’ 
--   GW: Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.  

How to Live

I have come to realize in the last twenty-four hours that every single time I use the word, 'I,' I also need to think of and/or mention You. The purpose of my life is found in You alone. My plans don't matter. Your plans and purposes alone matter for me and my life. It is all about You and not about me one iota. My life is Yours. 

Every moment of every day, I want to focus on You God and live Your will alone. I want to listen to You every moment for Your guidance. Help me to learn to live in this manner, moment by moment, for the rest of my life. 

How simple this is to live. It can be at the same time as I do everything else in my life. I will try to sneak in one-on-one moments, though, of just You and me all day and night long.

John 5:19 / New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. 
--  NASB: Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.  

I have not lived in this manner much in my life. I have fallen terribly short, including lately--until Sunday or Monday. This is a way of living. It's how to live. Could anything have a more profound influence on me and in my life?

It's about living an intentional life where I focus and open myself and my life on the will of God each moment, at least once every thirty minutes for the next year, then every fifteen minutes, then I strive to do this every minute. When I sleep, it will be as I fall asleep and every time I wake up,even to roll over. I will accept the times I am awake longer than a minute or two to spend with You, God. 

I shall call this way of living, 'the silent, simple, still faith.' The S-cubed faith. The triple S faith. 
It is a sweet surrender of me and my life to You, Lord. After all, You know far better than I how I should live and be. You know Your will for every single moment of my life. Hence, what a sweet surrender, as I allow You to work in me, through me,and around me--and as I join You in Your work. 

It is all about You, Your will, and Your glory and is not about me.

Galatians 5:16 / The Message (MSG)
16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?  
-- MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.   

Romans 8:5-8 / The Message (MSG) / 5-8 Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.   

I choose to live Your way. I will continue to choose each and every minute of my life. I surrender to Your will. 

How easy it is to do this when I reflect on my life and realize how much I have stepped off Your path for my life, how I have fallen and stumbled, and how missed the mark far more than I ever hit it. Yes. I deserve death. But, it's all good. 

Isaiah 1:18 / New American Standard Bible (NASB)
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool. 
--   NASB: Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.    

Jesus Christ died so I am forgiven and my missteps are wiped away. 

Therefore, I want to live a life, moment by moment, surrendered to You and Your will, my Redeemer and Savior. You have already forgiven me. It's the absolute least I can do and I know how much it will be to bring You glory. 

(Image Credit: Miscrosoft Images Online 2008-2014.) 

 What is a simple, still, silent faith? 

It's one that consists of intentionally (that's the doing) being with God (which is the being). 

Intentionality requires purpose and drive. It requires focus and effort all day and night long. 

This simple, still, silent faith consists of being with God and in His Word, the Bible. It's hanging out and being in the presence of. It's enjoying the company of God and His Word.

There are two spiritual disciplines we are to do at all times as we live a simple, still, silent faith. It's being in the Word of God and in prayer. To keep a simple, still, silent faith, combine them both in one. Pray the Word. That's it. Pray the Word night and day. Keep bringing your attention to God and His Word. 

Moreover, this simple, still, silent faith listens far more to God than it ever speaks to Him.  This is the silence part.

The still part is every day at one point or another, we still ourselves and spend a longer time of just being with God and not doing something else. However, we can also still the chaos in our lives, as we are busy, by focusing on God and bringing Him and His Word to our attention throughout the day and night.

All of that sounds quite complicated, if you ask me. But, it isn't. Notice, not one program was mentioned previously. There is nothing to do and no checklist to follow.  This simple, still, silent faith is just about being with God intentionally all day and night through focusing your thoughts on Him and His Word as you carry on with life as normal. 

Human beings are made to do think about more than one thing and do more than one thing at once. We can focus on God as we work, drive, wait, talk with others, clean the house, exercise, plan, read, and so on. Everything we do in life, we can do as we focus on God and on His Word. 

That's it.

This is a simple, still, silent faith. 

Would you care to join me in learning how to apply this to our lives? 

Would you like to simplify your life over the next year? 

More to the point, would you like to learn how to live a simple, still, silent faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

What is a simple faith?

It is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am.

I know I have eternal life. Do I take it for granted? I try not to do so, but it happens. 

I am a sinner and deserve death, but Jesus died so I can have eternal life. Jesus died so the sins I make now are forgiven. I do everything I can to avoid sin, but it occurs. When I realize it, I do everything I can to turn and not repeat it again. I also do what I can to avoid temptation. A simple faith keeps this in mind at all times and lives this as truth. 

This is why I say a simple faith is one which meets me where I am, as I am, and how I am. It really is that simple. 

Day 1: A New Year or a New Beginning: A Parable of the Life of a Tree and Its Leaves

Isaiah 43:18 * Expanded Bible (EXB)

18 The Lord says, “Forget what happened before,

   and do not ·think about [consider; dwell on] the past.

-- EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


A PARABLE ABOUT THE NEW YEAR AND A NEW BEGINNING
Every person is a tree.
Every tree, every life has leaves, roots, and fruit.
God grows and fertilizes the tree and its fruit. That is His responsibility, not ours. He is the one who helps us to bear much fruit. He even helps grow leaves and roots.
But, where do we come into the picture, besides as a tree?
Every year, trees lose their leaves in the Fall and regrow them in the Spring, if they are of that variety of tree. These are the tree only trees, by the way.
But, then there are the person trees whose lives are symbolized by the trees. They have leaves year round and are given additional leaves at the beginning of each new year. The question is what we are going to do with each leaf, which each represents a new day. Are we going to made different shapes with that leaf and color it in bright, new ways? Or, are we going to neglect it and not do much with it? Or, worse yet, are we going to live this day, this leaf, as if it's our own and completely ignore the Gardener, God?
In 2014, let us take each new leaf of a new day and make it God's day, not our own. Let us live smack-dab in the middle of His will and His path, not in the one we choose. May we be in the Word, in thanksgiving, and in prayer as we help teach others about the New Life in Him.
So, how will you choose this day to color your leaf?
At the end of the year, will you have a bright, bold, colorful tree? Or will it be full of dark brown or black leaves? And, how much fruit will you allow God to bear through you and your life?

MORAL OF THE STORY
Every New Year is a New Beginning.
And, every new beginning is a new year.
At any moment, we can stop and say, "Let's try again" or "Let's start a new page." That's the beauty about life and what Jesus Christ did for us. He came so that our sins could be forgiven, so we are constantly allowed a new beginning. When we slip, we can start again and try again.
What relief.
What joy.
What a blessing.
If we have strayed from His path and gone our way, we can start all over again.
Let's not abuse it, but take advantage of the new beginning we are about to have. For, each day is His, not ours. Let's make each day bold, beautiful, and colorful in Him, in his Word, in thanksgiving, and in prayer.

Abiding

Journaling is how I abide in the Lord and in his Word..

Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper & Author

* My Storykeeper Odyssey in 2013: Journaling & Memoir

* The Journaling & Storykeeping Encyclopedia of 2013

Confession and Running To: My Personal Journaling

I have a confession. I need to run to today (not runaway from). I need to run as fast as I can to my Lord who can bring me comfort and tell me that everything is going to be okay. I need to rejuvenate in him and seek some healing.

I have a million things that need to come first. My to do list is long as can be. But, it will wait.

However, there are times when we have to deal with something head on--or it will deal with us. I think the time is now for me. I need to acknowledge some feelings and thoughts that I try to push down. You know... Act strong. 

I trust God and his timing. He knows best. He sees things through divine eyes and I only see through my small, scarred, limited, sinful, and human eyes. 

But, that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't feel beaten. That doesn't mean I don't feel low and yucky. That doesn't mean I have a lack of faith. It's just that after four+ years, it can be difficult to wait... To be patient... To not know when my prayers will be answered.

And, have you noticed that when other people's same prayers are answered, and yours hasn't been... It can hurt? And, you feel guilty for feeling that way? That's where I am at today.

The truth is in four years, I haven't cried once about this. I've remained strong. I've held to my faith. I've trusted. I have tried to do everything I can to push through, to keep moving forward, to not feel sorry for myself, and to know that God has bigger, better, perfect plans. 

He promised me this prayer will be a yes answer. But, it's in his timing, not mine. I know he is preparing me and my husband for this. I know he is preparing everyone else for it, too. 

But, sometimes, it's hard to remain forever strong and faithful.

Sometimes, I just want a hug by God. A reminder he hasn't forgotten. A reminder that it just isn't time yet--that it will happen--and he is proud of the race I've run so far. 

It hurts.

So, today, I am going to take some time and not be so strong and sort through everything I've dealt with for over four years. It's time. 

I am running to--deal with it. Not runaway from and avoid having to do so. 

I am running to God and want to see if he has anything to say. I sure could use a word from him. That is for sure. 

~ Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper 

Journaling as a Sacred, Spiritual Act: A journaling Exercise or Prompt

JOURNALING EXERCISE:
How is journaling a sacred, spiritual act in your opinion? What makes journaling sacred? How does it connect you with God? How does it fulfill a spiritual need?

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease.)

Worship on One of Those Days

Today is one of those days I will hurt beagle's, cat's and turtle's ears--by listening to praise and worship music all day a little louder than normal. (It's not really that loud, fyi.)

The turtles love it when I sing at the top of my voice (or quietly), so today will be a day they enjoy.

Music soothes the savage beast inside when things haven't gone the way you wanted, so you are worried and disturbed. Anxious and grieving. Confused and grasping at straws.

Worship is always to be our response. 

God is greater.

God's got this. 

Now, more than ever, I feel the call to ceaseless prayer for the USA.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Thriller Historical Fiction Writer

The Storykeeper of Roanoke: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book #1

Email: familytreezusa@gmail.com

NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/familytreezetc

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

God is bigger

God is bigger and has a bigger, better, perfect picture.

This is the hope I have.

The sun came up in the morning.

God is still God.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease

God is bigger

God is bigger and has a bigger, better, perfect picture.

This is the hope I have.

The sun came up in the morning.

God is still God.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease

Blame

In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve ate the fruit and after God confronted them, Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the sneaky snake. They did not accept responsibility.

If they had, God would have forgiven them.

The most important thing to remember is that blaming anyone and everyone else for our own personal wrongdoing is sin. It is wrong.

Accept responsibility.

Remember he is a God of grace.
 

(Photo Credit: Microsoft Imagines Online.)

-- Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
Sent from my cell.

Problem with Daily Bible Reading (Tell me I am not the only one!), But Reading Anyway

PROBLEM WITH DAILY BIBLE READING AND DAILY BIBLE STUDY

I have a major problem with Daily Bible Reading. I rarely can finish my daily reading so on day 7, I have to read ten chapters or so.

The problem I have is the same problem I have with personal Bible study. The reason is not what you might think. 

It's rather funny because both my Bible reading and my studying suffered yesterday, and today so far, for the same reason. It's because I get stuck. But, again, it's probably not why would might think. 

I get stuck because I get so blown away and awestruck by the verse that I have to stop and allow it to settle in my mind. It sweeps me away and I can ponder the verse, or a few words from the verse, for a week. So, if I want to do Daily Bible reading and finish reading the Bible in a year, it gets tricky. I need to be realistic here. I can be swept away by most of what I read in the Bible and can pray that Word, meditate, and ponder it for days, weeks, months, and in a few cases...years. 

CHECKLIST FAITH IS WRONG

Boy am I glad a checklist faith is actually wrong. It has the wrong motives at heart and actually turns faith into a requirement rather than into a relationship. 

HOW?

That being said... I really want to finish reading the Bible in less than a year for 2012. So... How do I go about doing it?

TIP

I make sure to read some Old Testament AND some New Testament readings each week. It's typically the New Testament I could ponder the longest. It's hard to ponder all the family lineages and numbers of tribes and thou shall not's of the Old Testament.

(Photo is Microsoft Clipart)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful Writer
USAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

Bold Enough?

Are your prayers bold enough?

Or do you limit what God can do?

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

God ALWAYS Answers Your Prayers

God always answers your prayers. every single one of them. Without fail.

He may not answer when you would prefer.

He may not answer in the manner you would desire.

But, he always answers. He will always do what is best for you and will bring glory to him through you and the answering of your prayer.

(Photo is from Microsoft Clipart)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction 

5 Days Until Christmas: Remember

It's the countdown for Christmas (as you are more than aware).

What are the things you are grateful for this year that the Lord has done in your life? 

I use Christmas as a time, not for gifts, but for remembrance. Therefore, my countdown for Christmas is generally spent trying to draw ever closer to the Lord. I try to remember everything the Lord and I went through the previous year. That's the tradition I hang my stocking on and cherish most. 

Then, the week before New Years is a week of preparation and planning for the next year. 

What have you and God experienced this year as a team? 

What has he done in your life? What about in the lives of your loved ones? 

That's the meaning of Christmas.

(Photo is from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/)

Stacy Duplease
Prayer Warrior and Faithful WriterUSAGC 2026

Email: usagc2026@gmail.com
Blog for USAGC 2026: http://usagc2026.blogspot.com
Find my books at/store: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction