1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Cross Lot devotional. We're glad to have 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 2: you listening with us. Today's topic is about how God 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 2: will never leave us to face life alone. Will we 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 2: turn with the devotional after a message from our sponsors, 6 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 2: Where is God? Written and read by Alexis a Gorg 7 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 2: Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I 8 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: have given you, and be sure of this. 9 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: I am with you always, even to the end of 10 00:00:58,240 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: the age. 11 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: Matthew, Chapter twenty eight, Verse twenty l t Where are 12 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 2: you God? If there was a consistent question I asked 13 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 2: God last year, that was it. Little did I know 14 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 2: that by the start of this year God would answer 15 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 2: my question in profound ways. 16 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: That proved he hears my ebbe prayer and He is 17 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: always here with us. It started with simple things that 18 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: were concerning me. Then it snowballed into many other issues. 19 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: The situations that were troubling my heart and keeping me 20 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: awake at night. Sleepless nights were the norm for me 21 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: that year. 22 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: I tried praying my way through it, but at times 23 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 2: I was too tired to pray. Have you ever been 24 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: so discouraged that you can barely talk to God about it? However, 25 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: God taught me that he knows our heart, and he 26 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: hears even the prayers we don't have the energy or 27 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: capacity to pray. He even considers the tears that roll 28 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: down our face when we cry as silent prayers, and 29 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: He understands pain before we have words to give voice 30 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 2: to it. If you're looking for someone who knows you 31 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: better than you know yourself, your maker. 32 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: God fits that bill perfectly. 33 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: Because we live in a world that is negatively affected 34 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: by sin, we all may face situations in life that 35 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: cause us to ask God, where are you. It is 36 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: then that we are attempted by the enemy to believe 37 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: that God has forsaken us. But in those moments we 38 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: need to believe what the Bible says. God will never 39 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: leave us nor forsake us Deuteronomy, chapter thirty one, verse eight. 40 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: When you feel far away from God, draw near to him, 41 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: and He will draw near to you. 42 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 1: James had to four verse eight. 43 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 2: If you're having trouble seeking him, ask God to help 44 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 2: you fill his presence and experience his peace. Remember, He's 45 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: always been pursuing a relationship with you before you realize 46 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: you needed him and. 47 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: Started seeking him. 48 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 2: Now there is the fact that God is invisible first 49 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: time with the chapter one, verse seventeen. But the truth 50 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: is that He is real Psalm chapter fourteen, verse one. 51 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 2: Don't let his invisibility become a barrier to your seeking Him. 52 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 2: Over the years, I've heard people debate that since we 53 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: cannot see God, that must mean he does not exist. 54 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: Well to that, I say, we cannot see the air 55 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 2: we read, but we know that if we don't have air, 56 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: we be dead. Seen with God, we cannot see him, 57 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 2: but we need him to live. 58 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: When we are in paying so deep. 59 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: That we can barely get out of bed in the 60 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: morning and start going about our day, it is important 61 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 2: to remember that God is with us in our pain 62 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: suit us. 63 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: In the start of this year, God showed me that 64 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: he hurt my prayers and questions. Last year. 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: He did this by inspiring a Christian author to ask 66 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: me if I wanted to read an early copy of 67 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 2: her book that is releasing in January twenty twenty six. 68 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: After seeing a title of this book is God, where 69 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: are You? I knew that this was encouragement from God 70 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 2: for me. He recommended a whole book in addition to 71 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: the Bible to answer the right question. I agreed to 72 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 2: read her book and was blessed by it. The author's 73 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: name is Dominique Young. The full title of her book 74 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 2: is God, Where Are You? A Masking her pain, Uncovering 75 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: His Presence. This book is advertised by Amazon as a 76 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: safe place for your deepest questions and your hidden pain. 77 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: This book is for people who have been silently suffering 78 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: under the heavy weight of anxiety, grief, depression, shame, and 79 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 2: spiritual doubt they're this book, the author helps the reader 80 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: discover how near God is with them through their toughest 81 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: trials in life. God does abandon you in the valley lows. 82 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 2: He's with you through it all, and he can heal 83 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 2: our brokenness. The author advises the reader to stop pretending 84 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: they're okay when they are not, Face the pain you've 85 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 2: been hiding and learn how you were seen by the 86 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 2: Almighty God as one he deeply loves. Dominique encourages the 87 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 2: reader to remember that even when God is silent, he 88 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 2: is near and will not leave you. After reading the 89 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: first few pages of Dominie's book, I thanked God for 90 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: and three my prayers of this topic because it was 91 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 2: like He was speaking to me through her messages. 92 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: That were supported with scripture. 93 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 2: I am grateful God used this author's debut book to 94 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: encourage me and my faith walk. I believe this book 95 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: will encourage you too if you read it. And closing, 96 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 2: I like for you to listen to three songs that 97 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 2: remind us God is here with us and he's going 98 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 2: to stay with us until the end of the world. 99 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: Song of Reflection number one, God is with us by 100 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: the afters. Song of reflection number two, I Know You're 101 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: there by casting Crowns. Songa reflection number three when you 102 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: walk through the Water by Alison Durham, intersecting faith in life, 103 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 2: How does it feel to know that God is right 104 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: here with you and He's not going anywhere? Further reading, 105 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: Isaiah tapped to forty one verse head. Isaiah tapped to 106 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: forty three, verse two. Diteronomy chapter thirty one, verse six, 107 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 2: Psalm chapter twenty three, verse four, zeph Andayah chapter three, 108 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 2: verse seventeen. 109 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 110 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 111 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 112 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 113 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts. 114 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: Visit us at lifeaudio dot com.