Where To Begin

Hopefully the title didn't scare you into thinking ...."OH NO a long story is about to start!"

I read some verses a few days ago that brought me back a few years and started me thinking about the start of each day and my devotion time, quiet time, what ever you call that special, precious time you set aside to spend with God.  OR as we now call it...Coffee Time With A Dear Friend!

There was a season of time when I would start my quiet time with a couple of verses in particular....

Search me, God, and know my heart;    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.    Psalm 139:23-24

I wanted God to show me what in my heart might keep me from focusing on Him, I wanted nothing to be offensive to Him!

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesian 4:31-32...NKJV
When my emotions were all in a tangle they would distract me, and they would become the focus of my time with God.  I wanted all that GONE!  I would ask for Him to get rid of all that garbage!
and then ask.....
 Create in me a pure heart, O God,    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.     Psalm 51:10-12

That is where I would start my time with Him.....emptying of myself so that He could fill me.

No matter what scripture you use....what time of the day you do it....the process needs to include empting ....if we don't start with an empty vessel then God has no room to fill you with Himself!

And that is what we want to be FULL of HIM!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:9-12

AMEN!