Author: Hal Hollister Ministry

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable (unfathomable) are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33

God recently used the word “unfathomable” to describe Himself to me. The definition of “unfathomable” is incapable of being fully explored or understood. This fits God to the tee.

How can anyone figure out God? The answer is don’t even try! You and I are human beings and we think and act differently than God.

God is holy, perfect in His ways, and cannot be questioned for His judgments. They are above your ability to understand.

You have to develop the attitude “Let God be God” and accept Him for who He is. All you can really do is worship God in Spirit and Truth and draw near to Him through your praise, prayer, and His Word.

God wants you to have a living relationship with Jesus Christ and come into oneness with Him through the Holy Spirit. He wants you to get to know Him personally!

God will choose when to open the door to His glory and let you have a glimpse of His greatness and power. And, He will teach you about Himself in His perfect timing.

To keep this as simple as possible, learn to fear and respect the Lord and have a heart desire to walk in His ways.

God will judge you by your faithfulness to His Word. This is His benchmark in evaluating you. Are you trusting God for your every need and building your life around Him?

You can throw religion, works, and sacrifices out the window! He just wants you to live by faith believing in His promises!

Thought for the day:

“You cannot understand My ways or actions. You have to accept Me for who I am and come under My authority. Most people can’t grasp that I gave up My life to give you an abundant and prosperous life. Come to Me by faith and I will show you My greatness! I am above all things!”

“Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty (splendor) of holiness! Tremble before Him all the earth.” Psalm 96:9

Today, I believe God wants you and I to worship Him in the splendor of His holiness. Come to God with fear and respect for who He is and present your body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to Him.

Praise Him all day long with your thoughts, and words. This is a recognition of how great God is and that He is your only hope in this life.

I will go in the strength of the Lord and commit my works to Him. My thoughts will be on the greatness of God. He is my rock and my fortress. There is no one like Him.

He can do for me what I cannot do for myself! My strength rests in God. I will meditate on His promises and seek Him out through prayer, music, and His Spirit.

I can do all things through Christ Jesus. He is my redeemer and the light of my life.

God, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. My hope rests in you. You alone are worthy and deserving of my praise.

Thought for the day:

“I am the Lord God almighty and deserving of your praise. I am the first and last God! There is no other God. I am invincible and your only hope. Come to Me with a heart filled with love and respect and I will show you My greatness.”

“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.” Psalm 71:1-2

(Mount Sinai)

In this Psalm, David is acknowledging God as his refuge and only hope and is asking for protection and vindication from his enemies.

The spiritual significance of this Psalm is in the words “In your righteousness”. This how David approaches God!

David comes to God through the righteousness of God and understands he cannot petition God based on his own works or righteousness. They are of no value with God.

David knows that God alone is worthy and he is an impoverished and empty soul. David’s hope springs entirely from the righteousness of God. David praises God for His everlasting love, mercies, and forgiveness.

Jesus taught that your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Pharisees were pious people who approached God through laws, sacrifices, and offerings.

You cannot justify yourself with God except through His righteousness! So come before God and praise Him for who He is while openly admit your shortcomings and failures.

This attitude will resonate in the heart of God because you are seeking Him from a position of a weak, sinful, and needy person and acknowledging the greatness and glory of God.

Thought for the day:

“Come unto Me with a contrite heart recognizing that you are a broken person and I will make you whole. Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor and do belong to Me.”

 

She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” 2 Kings 4:6

Walking with God is living through different seasons. There are times when your cup is virtually empty and you have to struggle to make ends meet. And there are times when your cup is overflowing!

This story is about a woman facing a desperate situation. She has lost her husband who was a prophet of God, she has no money, and creditors are coming to take her two sons as slaves.

She cries out to Elisha and he asks her what of value do you have in your house? The woman responds she has nothing except a small jar of olive oil. Elisha tells her to go to her neighbors and ask for empty jars. And get many jars!

Then Elisha told the woman to take the jar of olive oil and pour some into each of the empty jars. The oil continued to pour out until every jar was filled. She was amazed at the goodness of God and how He abundantly filled her cup.

You and I need to reach out to God when facing a drought or a near empty cup. God is the only source who can fill your cup.

Ask God by faith with no lingering doubt! Then watch the power and majesty of God perform a miracle for you!

Thought for the day:

“I am a miracle worker. I will never leave you desolate or lacking. Come to Me by faith and nourish yourself on My faithfulness.”

 

 

 

“Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:11-12

This Psalm was attributed to Moses and reflects the personality of God and His attitude toward believers. Moses understood the anger of God and the importance to walk in His ways.

God is very jealous and His jealousy is like a consuming fire. He becomes aroused with anger and jealousy when you and I worship other gods or idols.

He is the Creator and has power and authority over all things. He wants you to worship Him alone and have no other gods or idols before Him. God wants you to turn to Him in time of trouble and rely on him for your every need.

Jesus uses the analogy of little children to explain how to enter the kingdom of God. Like a young child, you learn to be submissive to your Father, teachable, and willing to change your ways.

God does not want to share you with anyone else. He wants all of you. He does not want an off and on relationship. He died so you can live with Him.

When you turn away from God and reject His precepts you are inviting destruction and misery to come into your life.

God wants you to fear Him for who He is and live with respect and honor for His name. You must be sensitive to the power of His anger and recognize that He is a God of retribution. He blesses and He curses!

Life is like a vapor trail! God desires to fill your heart with wisdom and lead you under His canopy all the remaining days of your life.

There is no one like Him!

Thought for the day:

“My desire is for you to love Me with all your heart and walk in My ways. Come unto Me like a little child to his father and I will teach you about Myself and pour out My Spirit upon you.”

 

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

You have to personally encounter the Living God and experience His power and glory to have a passion to follow Him. When you come face to face with God you realize how great He is and how insignificant you are. He becomes your everything!

You develop a passion to get to know God because you recognize in the deepest part of your heart He is your only hope for life. He offers you strength, wisdom, and protection that you can’t find anywhere else.

God offers you an endless fountain of love, mercy, and compassion. These qualities come from Heaven and are untainted by the world. He is a God of unconditional love and forgives all your sins. You stumble and He picks you up. There is no one like Him!

The reality of God is unlike anything in the world. He wants to do for you what you can’t do for yourself. He is the source of an abundant life.

You develop a passion for God when you seek Him out above all things. You have to let go completely and become willing to live for Him. You place your faith in the Living God and rely on Him for your every need.

You seek His presence in every aspect of your life. You ask Him to dwell in your mind, your emotions, and all your actions.

God wants all of you!

Thought for the day:

“You will meet the Living God when you come to My Son and accept Him into your heart by faith. Your unwavering faith in Jesus will bring My glory and power into your life. Seek Me above all things and I will give you a burning passion and desire to know Me.”

 

 

 

 

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” John 17:21

Oneness with God is not about religion, works, or sacrifices.

Oneness is resting in the work of the cross and living with unwavering faith in the Son of God.

Oneness is a personal and intimate relationship with the Living God.

Oneness is living united with the Holy Spirit. It is coming to Him to hear His thoughts and asking Him to fill you with the essence of the life of Jesus.

Oneness is seeking God out through His Word which is alive, powerful, and life changing.

Oneness is praising God for His greatness and power.

Oneness is an open heart to God. It is giving God permission to search your heart and correct your ways.

Oneness is obedience to the voice of God.

Oneness is a bold confidence in the promises of God!

Oneness is Living Water flowing out of your heart touching those around you.

Thought for the day:

“I live in you. Come into communion with Me through My Spirit. My Words are Truth and Life. I will never leave you. My purposes are eternal and life changing!”

“But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21

You and I have both sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is impossible to escape sin. Many times, it is our actions before coming to Jesus that create the deep hurt and feelings of remorse. You cry out “If only I could relive this part of my life”.

God is loving and merciful and has forgiven all your sins but the imprint of your actions are still alive in your heart and soul. Your past lives with you through your thoughts and feelings.

Where sin abounds grace abounds more. God not only forgives sin but He desires to heal you from the consequences of your actions. At times, this can be heart wrenching and painful but allow God to have His way with you. He wants to make you whole!

All things work for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes. So let the Father of Light penetrate the depth of your being. You cannot see the deep purposes of God but have faith that He is doing a precious work to restore you to Himself.

Thought for the day:

“I know you better than you know yourself. I am a compassionate and loving God and will heal all your wounds. Come unto Me and seek healing through My powerful Spirit. I am with you always.”

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6

To live with God you must be born of the Spirit!

At the moment you make a decision for Jesus, you are given the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a living person and He dwells inside of you. He is the essence of God and speaks for Jesus. He is your life line to God!

The Holy Spirit will baptize you into a new creature in Christ Jesus and fill you with the life of Jesus. You cannot understand God or be His witness to the world without the action of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will give you the ability to be spiritually discerned and see life through the eyes of Jesus. You will be able to judge all things but be judged by no one. This is because the Spirit has given you the mind of Christ who will instruct you and lead you into the pathways of God.

If you are a believer, the Holy Spirit lives in you. The question is have you asked Him to fill you with the life of Jesus and be your guide and instructor through life. He is your source of power, life, and truth.

If you don’t turn on the switch, you will live a lackluster life and go through the motions of a believer. Don’t be misled by religion or compromise the veracity of the Holy Spirit. You can do nothing without Him!

This prayer will change you life forever: ( Pray in your own words with praise to God.)

Dear God, Thank you for giving Me yourself in the form of the Holy Spirit. I ask you Holy Spirit to come into my mind, my emotions, and the essence of my being. I invite you to live through me each day and fill me with your wisdom and strength. I pray you will make me alive with Jesus and empower me to be your witness to the world.”

Thought for the day:

 

“My Spirit is how you can come into oneness with Me. He will teach you about Me and show you My reality. I live so you can live!”

 

“Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
 renew our days as of old.” Lamentations 5:21

Getting off track with God!

This happens to everyone. You get off track when things just don’t go your way and you tend to lose interest or faith in God. Or, Satan steps into your life and entices you with the forbidden fruit.

This symptom can often be described as “spiritual malaise”. You feel unsettled or discontented with God. If you encounter this condition do not take on condemnation, blame yourself or blame God. It happens to everyone!

Sometimes God takes many years to manifest Himself in your life and lead you into His purposes. And at times, God will just leave you alone and let you figure out things on your own. He lives in you and just wants you to walk by faith and enjoy what you have in your life today.

God is a mighty restorer and delights in returning people to Himself. Regardless of how far you fall away or what you have done, God wants you to come back to Him and He welcomes you with arms extended and a heart filled with love and mercy.

The Israelites were God’s chosen people and they fell into a continual cycle of promising to follow God, falling into unbelief, facing the punishment of God, and then returning to Him. Time and again God restored the Israelites to Himself.

Today you and I need to ask God to come into our lives and restore us to Himself.

Whatever your need is at this very moment, turn to the Great Physician and pray for His resurrected power to bring restoration into your life. God is a miracle worker. He offers powerful healing from physical conditions, deep emotional hurts, and spiritual testing. God delights in healing marriages, relationships with others, and restoring your financial condition. No problem is too big for God!

Thought for the day:

“I am a God of restoration and delight in healing those who return to Me. I welcome you back with unconditional love, unspeakable joy, and a desire to celebrate My life with you just like the prodigal son who returned to his father.”