new<\/em> NAPA store! I actually said it out loud. \u201cI\u2019m going to the new NAPA store!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
I then laughed at myself and headed to the NAPA store.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I am a NASCAR fan. Love to watch the races. Enjoy rooting for my driver and his team. And it just so happens, my favorite driver drove the NAPA car for years. I even made a Ukrainian Egg that looks like his race car with NAPA on the side.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Now you know why this was a big deal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I got to the new NAPA store and couldn\u2019t believe how nice it was. Race drivers on the front door. Big open area inside. It was the nicest auto parts store I\u2019ve ever been in!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, they didn\u2019t have the part, so I left empty handed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After that experience, my mind wandered to the fact that there are days when I\u2019m not that excited to study God\u2019s Word. Or maybe go to a church service. Or spend just a few minutes in prayer with God.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ouch!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I want desperately to be as excited to be with God as I am with other areas in my life. I want to run to His Word and say, \u201cI am going to study and learn what God has to say to me today!\u201d But some days it\u2019s just not as exciting as I desire it to be.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So how do I put the excitement back into my study time, my prayer time, my devotional time?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I look with fresh eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\nJust as we need regular eye exams, we need to examine our spiritual eyes to see if they align with God\u2019s Word. David knew how important this was when he penned these words. \u201cOpen my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.\u201d<\/em> (Psalm 119:18 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The writer of Hebrews tells us where our eyes should be. \u201cLet us ix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…\u201d <\/em>(Hebrews 12:2a \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
By looking at my time with God with a new perspective, God\u2019s perspective, my desire to do so will increase. I will not be able to wait for our next time together.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I listen with open ears.<\/strong><\/p>\nIsn\u2019t it easy to tune out noise? I\u2019ve heard of people who live in the path of an airline runway not hear the planes taking off after a while. Now that is tuning out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What if we do the same thing when it comes to listening to God? Not ignoring Him because it\u2019s what we want to do, but because we\u2019ve heard it so many times before.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I believe Solomon knew the possibility and wrote these words for us to consider.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding\u2026\u201d<\/em> (Proverbs 2:2 \u2013 NIV) We must continually turn our ear to God\u2019s voice and words.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Isaiah was thrilled with the prospect of being awakened by God daily. \u201cThe Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.\u201d <\/em>(Isaiah 50:4 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Oh, how I want Isaiah\u2019s thoughts to be my thoughts. To say, \u201cWaken me Lord, to listen to what you have in store for me today.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I approach with a teachable mind.<\/strong><\/p>\nI believe I join God in Bible study some days and think I know it all. But I know nothing when compared to God\u2019s infinite wisdom. If I am not open to learning from Him continually, I may as well shut the Bible now and never open it again. I must be teachable. Always.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Paul tells the Roman church, \u201cDo not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God\u2019s will is\u2014his good, pleasing and perfect will.\u201d <\/em>(Romans 12:2 \u2013 NIV) We cannot think the way the world thinks. Our minds need to be renewed by God. It is only then that His will becomes clear.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
When we are teachable, God\u2019s peace will flood our souls. His perfect peace will be with us. \u201cYou will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.\u201d<\/em> (Isaiah 26:3 \u2013 NIV) Now that is worthwhile!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
I rest with a renewed heart.<\/strong><\/p>\nWhen all the looking, hearing, and teaching moments have occurred, if my heart is not changed, it is for nothing. My heart must rest in God\u2019s love and Word. When I\u2019ve found that place, I can repeat the words of David.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cCreate in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.\u201d<\/em> (Psalm 51:10 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
When my heart is at rest, \u201cI seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.\u201d <\/em>(Psalm 119:10-11 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Storing up precious Words from God\u2026now that is heart changing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
My words today are not just for your benefit, they are for mine as well. I don\u2019t want to take God for granted and with the words written today, I will run into God\u2019s arms daily. I pray that you will do the same.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Donna<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you’d like to leave me a comment, please click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Through the month of April, I am blogging through the alphabet. Each day of the month corresponds with a letter of the alphabet, but on Sunday\u2019s, there is a reprieve from this structure. We are able to write anything we like. So each Sunday through April, I will share a post from the past. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"yes","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,296,15,11,17,19,30],"tags":[518,517,519,521,520],"class_list":["post-1401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-discovering-god","category-experiencing-god","category-knowing-god","category-loving-god","category-obeying-god","category-thanking-god","category-worshiping-god","tag-fresh-eyes","tag-napa","tag-open-ears","tag-renewed-heart","tag-teachable-mind"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1401"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1409,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions\/1409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/NAPA.jpg\" "\\"NAPA\\"")
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