Help! Desperate for prayer..

[aliveforjesus 0]

Hi- I am struggling so much today, and have been since we have moved..(a few months now)..I am lonely and really haven't made any friends since we have moved here..I am an extrovert by nature, so this is hard on me...We haven't joined a church yet, so that avenue of potential friendships hasn't been visited. My husband is not making the money we are accustomed to yet (he is in sales and is establising his territory out here) so we have financial strain. I am a stay at home mother so I am not contributing to the income and am trying to come up with ideas to make money out of the home...(to no avail even though we have had a few ideas and have advertised on craigslist..) But, the thing that breaks my heart the most is how the Lord's voice is alien to me..I know He lives in me, and I beg that He lives through me and makes his voice KNOWN to me, yet daily I am so frustrated and depressed because I simply do not recognize the Spirit's promtings or guidance...I am buying books (Jeanne Guyon, Brother Lawrence, Gene Edwards etc.) and they explain to hear Him we are to purposefully enter His presence by soaking for at least 30 minutes, and I do this, but STILL I feel power but no voice or relational communication..After all, Jesus is about RELATIONSHIP, and if I cannot maintain or begin a relationship with Him, what am I doing wrong? This is so depressing and frustrating to me!! I really need prayer, I feel so discouraged in many areas and this one is the saddest of them all......
Thank you!

[Cholette 0]

I will be praying for you throughout the day today my friend because I know where you are. Let me say this to you. Not hearing God's voice during certain seasons is not foreign to most people. We all have those moments. I will say this...you have to get into the Word of God because reading it IS HEARING His voice. He will cause scriptures to pop off the page to you and they will minister to your heart. The Word of God is amazing because it does things inside of you without you knowing it. There have been times when I loathed opening up the Bible because it seemd like just words and nothing was happening, but as I continued, despite how I felt, I developed a LOVE for it. Now I can't put it down.

The lonliness you are experiencing will disappear without you even realizing it. You will find a connection with God that will only make sense to you. I will say this as well, because it's happening to me right now. With this connection, your needs will be taken care of out of the blue. I'm not saying that you HAVE TO read the Word in order to receive from God because that is called "trying to earn" from Him and we don't have to do that. Things just manifest because you are seeking the Source and he just does things like that. I haven't worked in over three months and the way my bills are being paid and money is being placed in my hands you would think I had a job...NO LIE!!!

I'm all for books...I really am, but I don't think they should EVER take the place of God's word. There are so many people who write things based on their interpretation and it's not necessarily scriptural. You won't know that unless you are in the Word yourself. I love to read books and I read EVERYDAY, but I always balance it with God's Word because it is my priority.

Relationship begins when you connect with God through his word...that's my prayer for you. It will be okay, I promise you. Just open up the Bible and begin in Psalms or Proverbs and make your way to the Gospels and the Epistles and learn about your inheritence in the Lord. It will make you happy to know that you are RICH through Christ and your struggles have been nailed to the cross...it's just a matter of you changing your perspective and see yourself and situation the way GOD sees it.

Let me know if I can be of more help to you. I am available and will walk this journey with you, if you like!

[aliveforjesus 0]

Cholette- THANK YOU..I am going to open up the word this afternoon and READ..I do do that every morning, but I think I have been looking to hear from Him in other ways throughout the day, and that has been where my frustration and sadness comes from...I would love to walk this with you, and ck in with you daily, if that would be okay...You have wisdom and a fantastic heart and would like to return prayer for your needs as well..Thank you so much for this help..Would you suggest a certain amount of time in the Word or just meditating upon one or two scriptures? I have done both and am wondering if just a systematic approach is best..I have gone the other non-legalistic way as well- just opening the bible randomly and believing that that is the Lord's way of talking with me..:) Kind of crazy, I know, but I am an all or nothing type of gal! I would love to ck in with you when you can..Thanks so much for your help and love...It means the world to me!

[Virtuous 0]

I'm all for books...I really am, but I don't think they should EVER take the place of God's word. There are so many people who write things based on their interpretation and it's not necessarily scriptural. You won't know that unless you are in the Word yourself.

BINGO! This is exactly what came up in my spirit when I read how you have been buying books searching for what is FREEly given in the Word of God. I love reading books as well, but I totally agree with Cholette on her analysis.

When you read the Word, do you read it out loud or do you read silently in your mind? If you're not already doing so, when you read, read aloud that you may hear what you're reading.

[Cholette 0]

Reading out loud is VERY good, especially when your mind is boggled down with the cares of the world. Like V said, it causes you to HEAR what you are reading and understanding seems to come faster because you can hear words that you may have missed, reading it silently.

When I read the Word of God, I don't set out to read a certain amount of chapters or an amount of time. I read until something strikes me. When it hits me, I keep it in my heart and think about it through out the day. The Holy Spirit seems to squeeze whatever nutrients I need out of it for my life at that time. I don't let it go until I have a desire to go back for more. I found that after awhile, I find myself on a search in the Bible for whatever He has revealed to me and I'm learning as I go.

It's not easy in the beginning, but things turn around as ministry begins to come through the Holy Spirit.

I PM'd you my email address. I'm here for you girly!!!!! Love ya!!!

[aliveforjesus 0]

Oh thank you Dear Cholette- I just started and felt His power..I will email you with what I received and questions I have..Thank you so much- Your friendship is a precious jewel to me..I will email you tonight..xoxox

[Virtuous 0]

When I read the Word of God, I don't set out to read a certain amount of chapters or an amount of time.

Cholette, I am SOOOOOOO glad you brought this out! I believe this where a lot of us (including myself) make one of the biggest mistakes. I got frustated and depressed doing this because I felt like I "HAD" to already know what to read and how much of it to read. Doing this, your focus is not on hearing and receiving from God, but on how much time you have left and if you're going to find what YOU'RE looking for before the bell rings (time is up). Then I learned to just read until the words jumped off of the page at me and meditate/study that. I stay on that verse (s) of scripture until I feel a release.

For me, sometimes God will give me just one word. He gave me "require" for a long time. Then He gave me "obedience". I found scriptures on what God says about those words. I've also found out that there is a scripture for every situation we face. aliveforjesus, find a scripture (s) for how it is that you're feeling. Find a scripture for what you're longing for in God. Meditate on it. Let it become life to you and live it.

And just like Cholette said...Learn as you go - that's what we all have to do.

[Cholette 0]

Praise God!!! V, the church has put people in bondage to the word. It's like they make you feel that if you don't do it this way or that way then you are not spiritual...WRONG!!! God deals with us each differently. I can't just sit and read and get an immediate illumination like some people claim they can. It takes me to study and study and study before I get it. The Lord spoke to me one day and said "quality MORE THAN quanitity". I KNEW what he was saying immediately.

It's not a contest to who knows the most scriptures...it's a way of life because they word can't be stuck in our heads, it needs to be in our hearts to create a change in our lives. The Bible says we will be transformed when our minds are renewed. It's not our HEAD that needs to be renewed, it's the mind...which is the heart. Whatever we think about ourselves..that place deep within us, that is who will be. If we think struggle, then struggle will be. When we think rich through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then rich we will be. It's simple, but we have to BELIEVE it, not in word, but in our HEARTS!!!

Gotta love it!

AliveforJesus, I look forward to your email!

[aliveforjesus 0]

thank you Virtuous! so helpful- I am excited about this journey..I have been one who has always been a reader, and have read so many "Christian" books, that I have been confused, depressed and frustrated because I havent been able to hear Him!! Cholette- more tonight- !! Thank you!

[Guest Guest]

Do not dismay
God see you throught and He is there right know with you..
while they were in the desert a colum of fire and a cloud guided the Israelites in the desert..
the surroundings were different to the ones they were used to..
Also a desert is a monotony and boring place with limited resources
but one day the fire and they Cloud were not there..
And God Spoke to Moises and told him ...raise your tents ..you had dwelt too long on this mountain...Go and take possesion. cross the last barrier the physical one that was the Jordan River and posses..
but even when the visible signs were not present all along Was God working on behalf his people .
changing their future while guiding them "blindly"throught the last step of the journey..but all along His eyes and ears were upon them..
Trust the Lord with all your heart..When all seems hopeless
salvation from the Lord is at hand..You had found him and soon He will let you know this..
You are entering into another realm and also ready to receive soon a major blessing..
God is at work..Pray and Do not cease,,God is Spirit and you will find him always where he dwells...
With a sign or without...
The Lord is in Control...Jehovah Reigns!
He will never leave you or forsake you..
God is Alive!
and your frustrations and hardships soon will be over..
Blessed be the Name of our Lord Jesus!

Blessed be Jehovah of the Armies..Glory to his name,
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You

[aliveforjesus 0]

MB- Your post brought tears to my eyes and encouraged me so much! Thank you for your wisdom and allowing God to use you to help me...I will re-read your post again and again...The Lord is so amazing answering prayer..He does it through His children, His saints, to help one another..Thank you MB- You are blessed!

[HisLightbeam 0]

Just cheering on these fantastic replies.

[butterfly 0]

[aliveforjesus 0]

Your prayers and wisdom mean the world to me! Thank you so much!!

[Dove-Solutions 0]

Let me just say that I cannot agree with you all more. Reading the word of God should be the time you talk to the Lord also. I read the word but I pray for understanding and knowledge that I may share the word to those who are searching. Wisdom that I may use it for my own life that I may be a good witness for the kingdom of God. How can we know Jesus if we do not know the word. We must soak his word into our spirit man so that he may reveal himself to us through his Holy Spirit and his Written word. It is so exciting when he reveals himself that way. I hold onto every word like there would never be another. I wish I could express how much he loves it when we do this. This is how we develop our relationship with Jesus. When I first started reading the word I was like a sponge.......soaking in every word I could get...I mean for like 6 months I would read and read and read. All day every chance through the day. I wanted to drink it. Now that I am a bit more seasoned in the Lord I read everyday and I have a plan I follow but I still have the desire to drink it into my spirit. The Lord wants our faithfulness. He wants us to seek him. We seek him in the word because that is where we ask the questions. When we ask the question he supplies the answers therefore revealing himself to us. This is how we learn his character and his desires for us. This is how I hear from the Lord the most. Through reading his word. It is totally awesome.

I pray this is of help.

Love in Jesus,

Connie