"'Hear this! The days are coming' - this is the declaration of the Lord God - 'when I will send a famine through the land: not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.'" Amos 8:11 One way God communicates is through silence. The Israelites blatantly ignored and rejected God's Word to them, and God responded by sending a famine. This famine was far more severe than a shortage of food and water. Instead, they were deprived of His words of life. God's silence may be hardly noticeable at first. You may still remember times when God spoke to you, but you gradually realize you've not heard His voice for a long time. If you realize you are in a "drought", immediately seek God and ask Him what adjustments your life requires so you can once again enjoy fellowship with Him. it may be that you disobeyed His last instructions to you and that He is waiting on your obedience before giving you a new direction. It may be that there is unconfessed sin in your life or that you have a damaged relationship ( Isa. 1:15; 1 Pet. 3:7). It is possible that you have done too much talking in your prayer times and He wants you to listen. God's silence can be powerful times for Him to communicate with you. God is God! Because He is God, when He speaks He expects a listening ear and an eager response. He will not be mocked(Gal. 6:7)! When we ignore Him, He may withhold His voice until we repent and get right with Him. The prophet Isaiah assured King Asa, "The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you" (2 Chron. 15:20). "Experiencing God day by day devotional" by Henry and Richard Blackaby grammar: drought = dryness

"The Israelites did just as Joshua had commanded them. The 12 men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just as the Lord had told Joshua." Joshua 4:8 Spiritual memory is crucial in the Christian life. It would be tragic if, in your haste to advance in your Christian faith, you neglected to leave spiritual markers at the key crossroads of your life. Without the help of these markers, you will lose your spiritual bearings. The Israelites experienced a tumultuous pilgrimage. Their doubt that God was powerful enough to give them victory cost them forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then God miraculously parted the waters of the Jordan River so they could pass over and continue their conquest. God knew that at times the Israelites would face intimidating enemies and would need a reminder that He was powerful enough to protect them. The Israelites might be tempted to think they made a mistake entering Canaan. For this reason God instructed them to build a monument on the banks of the Jordan River. Whenever they returned to this spot, they would see the monument and be reminded of God's awesome power. This marker would give them confidence to meet the new challenges they faced. A spiritual marker identifies a time of decision when you clearly know that God guided you. Were there specific times when He called you to His ways of living? Can you point to times when He guided you in a decision or spoke powerfully to you about a commitment you should make? Keep track of these important moments! This will help you understand God's activity in your life and give you a sense of direction as you face future decisions. "Experiencing God day by day devotional" by Henry and Richard Blackaby grammar: haste=rush

I know some of you are still in the early months of following God. If that’s you, I need to share something important. There’s a season that almost everyone goes through in their walk with God — and the sooner you know about it, the better prepared you’ll be. This new video breaks it down clearly so you don’t get caught off guard. If you want to stay strong and avoid unnecessary struggles, watch it now." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypy_sSB3BNQ

"And he killed James. John's brother, with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to arrest Peter too." Acts 12:2-3a Can you accept God's will when His answer is no? If you are praying in God's will, He will always answer you when you pray ( Jer. 33:3). However, sometimes His answer will be no. King Herod arrested Peter and prepared to have him executed. During the night, as his church prayed, Peter's life was spared when an angel freed him. God miraculously answered the prayers of His people that night. Yet not long before, James, too, had been arrested by Herod. James, however, was executed. Surely the church had prayed for James as fervently as they did for Peter, yet that time God's answer had been no. Did God love Peter more than James? Of course not. James had been one of Jesus' closest friends. Yet God allowed James to die while He continued to use Peter in His service. The church in Jerusalem did not become bitter toward God. They accepted His answer because they trusted His love and wisdom. There are times when God wants us to persist in our praying until He has completed His work in us ( Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-6). However, when God's answer is no, it is futile to continue pleading for a yes. Some refuse to take no for an answer, God will ultimately grant any request you make. It is an affront to your Lord to continue pleading with Him when He has clearly said no. The purpose of prayer is not to conform God to our will but to adjust our will to God. We must learn to trust God so that if He says no, we accept that His will is best. "Experiencing God day by day devotional" by Henry and Richard Blackaby grammar: affront = insult/outrage futile = useless

"'You're crazy!' they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, 'It's his angel!''' Acts 12:15 You can say prayers in your mind but doubt in your heart. At times God will answer such prayers as He did when Peter was in prison, scheduled for execution. The believers in Jerusalem were powerless to free him, so they prayed. When God released Peter, their reaction revealed the doubt in their heats. They argued that Peter could not possibly be free, even as he stood outside knocking on the door! Is it possible to be a "person of prayer" and yet not have faith? Is it possible to fool yourself into believing that because you ask God for help, you have faith in His ability to meet your needs? Is your faith so weak that you are surprised when God answers your prayer? As a child of God, you ought to expect God to answer your prayers. Do you ask God to do something without adjusting your life to what you are praying? If you are praying for revival, how are you preparing for its coming? If you are praying for forgiveness, are you still living with guilt? If you have asked God to provide for your needs, do you remain worried and anxious? Ask God to increase your faith, and then begin living a life that reflects absolute trust in Him. Out of His grace, God may choose to respond to your request despite your lack of faith, but you will miss the joy of praying in faith. "Experiencing God day by day devotional" by Henri and Richard Blackaby