Knowing Ahead of Time

I have told you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens, you will believe. John 14:29 (New Century Version)

Jesus’ words to His disciples came while He was telling them of His departure. Numerous times He told them of what lay ahead…His arrest, crucifixion, and subsequent resurrection. He wanted them to know that things would change but this wasn’t meant to scare them. It was meant to help them live in truth. Jesus understood how easily people can be led into false sources of security and permanence. He knew their perception was one that He would remain with them in a physical body and proceed to establish His kingdom here on earth. To allow them to continue to live with such a view would not be acting out of love. It would set them up for a huge amount of disappointment when the end would come of what they knew. At the time, it was hard for them to take in all that He was telling them but that did not stop Him from saying what they needed to hear.

I have known the tragic result of thinking something was permanent when it wasn’t. Of looking at a relationship through rose colored glasses with the belief that it would never go through changes much less end. My purpose was never to do without significant this individual. My purpose was to continue to live under the safe canopy of her encouraging words, giving heart, and well of wisdom. It was where I was at and where I wanted to stay. Oh, the devastation that awaits us when we refuse to see the truth. When change did come to the relationship I feasted on, I took it as rejection and abandonment, instead of God directed and God purposed change. It has been a long and arduous road out of my valley of grief and heartache.

How different a present relationship is. I am aware of the tentative nature of this relationship. I am aware of a time coming when the scope, purpose, and necessity of this relationship will cease to be. Not the entire relationship but this aspect of it. I am aware of it because we have talked about it and it was presented to me in such a way that I could understand. My desire is no longer to continually live under the watchful care of the one God is presently using. My desire is to know God in such a way that when the time comes for change I will walk prepared and ready for that change. I can so easily go into the mode of one who hunkers down and waits for an approaching storm but that is merely self-preparation. In prayer, last night, God let me know the preparations of my heart are from Him. As I walk in obedience and openness to Him, He will get me ready for upcoming transitions.

Father, You don’t always tell me the things that lie ahead, but this time You knew that I needed to know. I will forever be grateful for such knowledge. Amen.

My Life is in Your Hands - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlmYxZAgrGI

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

Crossroads

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation)

The difference between God’s Word being in me and God’s Word impacting me is whether or not I apply it to my every day life. I can take in the truth of what God is saying quite easily and I can speak or write that truth to others just as easily. The difficulty comes when I am faced with the decision to implement it into my life and see it make a difference. God’s Word is certainly alive and powerful but I often don’t reap the benefits of that because I stop short of doing what it says….especially in regards to taking my thoughts captive and living out the practical truth of today’s verse.

Many have been the times when my perceptions would take over and I would opt to let them. I told a friend this past weekend that it is like I come to a crossroads in my mind and I fail to move forward in the right direction. Rather than thinking on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable I continue to think on the wrong things. I get a picture in my mind of what I think a situation is or what I perceive another person is thinking and I stay there. While I know it is a choice I make I don’t always know why I make it.

My ray of hope for change came when God let me see this process as a crossroads. A crossroads to me is a place in my mind whereby I can choose to stay where I am at emotionally or mentally or I can choose to step into the realm of truth. It takes mere seconds but I have recently experienced the freedom that comes from crossing over into right thinking. It requires three simple steps. Recognizing when a shift in my mood or feelings has transpired, realizing I am at a crossroads in my mind, and making a conscious decision to take that necessary step toward truth. For now, this is not a daily event…it is an hourly moment by moment necessity. Of the dozen or more times that I have chosen to do this in the last 24 hours it never failed to work…not once!

Being a prisoner of ones thoughts and perceptions is living life at its worst. I rejoice in God who saw my plight and offered me a way out. His Words are not only commands but vital options He will help me to take.

Father, I marvel at the power of Your Word and Spirit working in me. They both serve as my support each time I choose to move ahead at the crossroads. Amen.

Can't Live a Day Without You - Avalon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGCQnwn2hIQ&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

What He Wants Me to Know

I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you. Isaiah 46:3,4 (New Century Version)

If there is one thing I have learned about God it is that He has special purposes for pin-pointing areas in our life. Although it can be uncomfortable at times to have the light of truth shine on the very things we want to hide or run from, God’s purpose is to show us where we need His touch and transformation. It took me a long time to begin to see that He wasn’t condemning me but rather showing me where He wanted to work.

A couple days ago, I squirmed at the fact that I saw how easily I look to people to take care of me. Being under someone else’s care can make me feel safe and loved. But God wants me to see it is a false sense of safety and a counterfeit source of security. Temporary and inadequate at best. How He longs for me to see Him as the One who is really able to take care of me in every area of my life. I am still not sure why I am so convinced at times that I could be content otherwise. Not sure why people seem like such good sources. In time, He will let me know…of that I am sure.

For now, He is allowing His words through Isaiah to speak to me in a personal way. Most translations will use the word “carry” through out this passage. Last night I came across the New Century Version and the phrase “I will take care of you” was what I needed to hear God saying to me….all three times! It was like He was saying, “You want to be cared for. I will do that for you. Let Me care for you in a way you have never known on a human level. My ways are not only higher than your ways but also higher than their ways. Trust Me. Rely on Me. Rest in Me. Learn to be cared for by Me.”

Why is this so important for me to get? Because when the Bible speaks of God caring for us it means to look after, care for, pay attention to, attend to, take charge of, and watch over. Those are the exact things I have looked to people to do for me. God knows that and is intent on helping me see that only He can fill such a role in my life. Only He can be that watchful and attentive.


Father, let the truth of Your care impact my life in such a way that my desire to be cared for is finally directed toward You. Amen.

Be Still
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMaIEmliQt0&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Living By Kingdom Principles

And again He said, ”To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Luke 13:20,21 (New American Standard Bible)


There are kingdom principles throughout Scripture that we need to familiarize ourselves with. They are ways for God to teach us how He works and how the Christian life is suppose to operate. If we do not know His kingdom principles for our every day life we will flounder at taking truth and allowing it to work in us. God has set up His rule and reign in our life in order for us to live life to the fullest.

The kingdom principle of this passage is that God’s work is an internal work that has an effect on my whole person. I love word pictures and Jesus used many of them to explain concepts and truths that are often hard to grasp. Here He is taking a simple concept of adding yeast to flour in order to see God’s principle at work. God’s work in us is such that He affects change for us from the inside out.

I found it interesting to see how yeast actually works. This explanation I found on the web fascinated me….The yeast's function in baking is to ferment sugars present in the flour or added to the dough. This fermentation gives off carbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide is trapped within tiny bubbles and results in the dough expanding, or rising. In other words it is a process of growth, multiplication, and change. You are not able to add yeast to dough and not see a change in the dough. The change is profound and evident!

Too many of us live with the concept that if we just change the way we act it will somehow produce inward change. That is backward to God’s kingdom principles. His intent is for us to be changed internally through taking in Scripture, the working of His Spirit in us, and our cooperation with Him. It is not something we do but rather something we allow to be done in us. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” The KJV says it is “both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” I need that reminder often lest I begin to once again live my Christian life out of self effort, behavior modification, and performance. I want my heart to be like the flour mentioned in today’s verse. It simply becomes the breeding ground for the yeast to do its work just as my heart becomes the breeding ground for God's Word and Spirit to do their work.

Father, keep reminding me that it is YOUR work in me that I need. You will do in me what You want to do through me. Amen.

Word of God Speak ~ Mercy Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

Ready to Learn How to Live

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:18-20 (New American Standard Bible)

What are the things I need to be instructed in and taught? That which does not come naturally to me. I often think about the ones God has sent into my life to instruct me and what it was He wanted them to teach me. If I was open to their words I was the richer for it, but if not, I remained unaware of how to take hold of life! I am well aware of the result of living in a Proverbs 5:13 mode of not listening “to the voice of my teachers nor inclining my ear to my instructors.” The lessons they desired to teach me fell on closed ears and an unreceptive heart. The tools for living they so lovingly wanted to place in my hands remained unnoticed and unused. It wasn’t that they didn’t instruct me. It was that I wasn’t allowing myself to be their student. I was too busy beating myself up over the things I didn’t know when all the while they were saying, “Let me teach you!”

Last night, a friend remarked during a study, that we have to be taught to do the right things. Living right does not come naturally to any of us. I had no trouble knowing where to apply her words to my life. What comes naturally to me is to live by my perceptions, opinions, and judgments of others. What I need to learn is how to know the truth, believe the truth, and walk in the truth. My perceptions are counter productive and destructive. Truth will set me free and allow me to take hold of life in a richer way. I have to learn the difference between my perceived truth and actual truth.

This is going to require some help. Just as I would no more perform surgery on myself (even if I were able to perform surgery) I cannot be my own instructor. I must be willing to sit at the feet of those God has called to teach me, just as He called Timothy to teach others. It will not only be individuals who will stand in as my instructors, it will also be the circumstances of life. Life’s lessons are not limited to one individual or one classroom. Jesus taught through various settings and used a variety of visual aides. He has not changed. If I truly see Him as my Instructor I will allow Him to use whatever means or whoever He chooses to teach me.

Father, I am ready to learn that which You have desired to teach me for quite some time. My ears are open, my heart is receptive, and my eyes are on You. Use whatever method or individual You deem best. Amen.

The Potter's Hand - A Capella Christian Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2fEr8S4vj8&feature=related

I am honored and privileged to share these devotional thoughts with you each day. Feel free to forward them on to those whom you think would benefit from them. Also feel free to copy them for your personal files or notebooks. May God individualize each one for you.

A New Song in Me

He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3 (New King James Version)

I love it when God puts something new in any part of me…my mind, my mouth, my heart, my ears, my hands, my life! Several days ago, He gave me a tune for a song and the words have been formulating ever since. It capsules the truth of my journey thus far and exemplifies the praise I have for what He continues to do. Songs have a way of capturing our stories in a special way. Is it any wonder many are drawn toward the Psalms…David’s hymnal? No matter what I am going through, God has graciously allowed songs to be written and sung that speak powerfully to my heart and situation. I marvel each time that happens. May God encourage you through the words that flow from my heart to His ears!

I Turn to You

I turn to You,
When a precious one lies buried
and I know my life will never be the same.
I turn to You,
When the hands that I held on to
were called by You to simply walk away,
I turn to You with all my questions
When I don’t understand.
I turn to You with all the heartache
that my mind can’t comprehend.
I turn to You for my future
For I know it’s in Your hands.
I turn to You.


I come to You,
When the road I’m called to walk on
Gets lonely and I feel so out of place.
I come to You,
When my weaknesses and failures
Are once again in need of all Your grace.
I come to You for compassion
When my eyes are filled tears.
I come to You for forgiveness
When I’ve wasted all the years.
I come to You for assurance
When my heart is filled with fears.
I come to You.


I hear You, Lord,
When You speak Your Word so gently
To me, Your child, the one that You adore.
I hear You, Lord,
When You say that You forgive me
For the things I’ve hid behind my own heart’s door.
I hear You, Lord,
When You are speaking the words I need to hear.
I hear You, Lord,
When You answer in ways I count so dear.
I hear You, Lord,
When You tell me You want me to draw near.
I hear You, Lord.


I thank You Lord,
For the ways You choose to test me,
To show me what is really in my heart.
I thank You, Lord,
For the promise that You gave me,
That You and I will never have to part.
I thank You, Lord,
That with the sunshine You also send the rain.
I thank You, Lord,
For the comfort that follows all the pain.
I thank You, Lord,
For the healing that I will see again.
I thank You, Lord.
I thank You, Lord!

Pam Shattuck
December 22, 2008

sing for joy - Don Moen
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3MJ4VqfCRZI

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

His Word to Me

He said, If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you. Exodus 15:26 (New International Version)

There are certain nuggets of truth that I need to allow God to engrave on the tablets of my heart and impress upon the walls of my mind. One of those nuggets is His title of Healer. Not just the Healer of nations and the Healer of another person’s life, but my Healer as well. I need to embrace this when I become over whelmed with places in me that still need healing. I need to verbalize this when I am tempted to give up. I need to repeat this to myself when there seem to be no other options than to just accept defeat.

This phrase, “I am the LORD who heals you” is a life line to me this morning. It is meant to anchor me with stability and safety. It is meant to keep my head above the waves on the sea of life. It is meant to be the reality I cling to in the midst of thoughts, feelings, and what my five senses experience. It is meant to assure me that He can do what I am unable to do.

One thing I have learned about healing of any kind….God will bring it about and it will take time. Maybe moments of time, decades, or a life time, but it will come. My part? Keep my ears open to His voice. Pay close attention to His daily directives. Walk in obedience to His direction and guidance. Failure to do so hinders my own progress and healing. Yet, I have come to realize that even in these areas I need His help. I need Him to develop in me listening ears, an attentive heart, and willing obedience.

I would love to say I get it right all the time but I know otherwise as do those who know me best. As does my heavenly Father. I drink in His words at a time when failure, floundering, and falling have been apparent. When my own weaknesses are blatantly apparent. When fears abound and hopelessness threatens to darken my path. In the midst of it all, He persists with His loving reminder that He is my Healer. He is my Helper. He is my All.

Father, You give me hope when I am hopeless, strength when I am weak, and clarity when I am confused. Remold this broken vessel into a masterpiece of beauty and dignity. Amen.

You Are My All in All - Michael W. Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVVW5EakyEc&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Seeing Truth in Disappointment

To You they cried out and were delivered; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. Psalm 22:5 (New American Standard Bible)

Where we turn in our moments of disappointment is a matter of life and deliverance. I don’t like to be disappointed. Does anyone? Yet, disappointment marks not only our life but our daily path. Setting our heart on something and not having it happen when we want it to happen can result in the feeling of disappointment. I often cringe at that aspect of myself. I want to be at the place where something can happen and I fully accept it with joy. God is letting me know I am once again viewing the feelings of disappointment as wrong. In His gentle way He is letting me know that disappointment is an acceptable emotion to the let downs of life, just as bleeding is a normal result of being cut. Feeling disappointed is NOT the problem. The problem is what I begin to think and believe about myself and others when the disappointment comes.

There use to be a whole list of lies that I would dwell on and believe. Lies like, I don’t matter, it wasn’t a priority for them, no one cares, others are more important, nothing good ever comes of expectations, and so forth. It was a time of self loathing as well as condemnation of others. It would lead me to draw the conclusion that if I stopped expecting anything then I would be able to safe guard myself from ever experiencing disappointment again. I am here to tell you, THAT is no way to live.

God has a better way for me to respond to the times when relationships change, plans change, opportunities close, or things just don’t work out the way I want them to. He invites me to embrace the truth of His sovereignty. He wants me to see His hand in all of the happenings of my life. His timing is perfect. His plans are fulfilled. His ways come about. My disappointments are His appointments. It is not a matter of just thinking happy thoughts. It is the necessity of knowing, seeing, and living out of the truth of God’s involvement in my life.

When the disappointments of life happen, sadness is acceptable, tears may fall, and a quietness may settle over me. But in the midst of it all I must allow Him to once again speak truth to my heart. I must see and believe the truth of what is happening instead of allowing me or the enemy to come up with a list of lies and distortions. Peace comes when I see every detail of my life as important to God. Joy comes as I allow God to develop in me a childlike trust in Him. To see a change of plans as His way of surprising me with other options and opportunities.

Many times, what I am disappointed in will happen eventually, but even if it doesn’t He is still in control, still on the throne, and still acting out of a heart of love. I live in that truth today.

Father, keep showing me where the problems really lie. Use every circumstance of life to teach me valuable lessons about You and me. Amen.

Kathy Troccoli sings "My Life Is In Your Hands"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlmYxZAgrGI

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

Restoring What Has Been Damaged

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25 (King James Version)

One of my favorite Bible tools is the dictionary because it helps to shed light on a word I may not have a full picture of. Such was the case with the word restore. It means “to put or bring back into existence or use; to bring back to or put back into a former or original state; and to put again in possession of something.” None of that is necessary unless something has been damaged, lost, taken, or injured.

God is ready, willing, and able to show us what needs to be restored in our life. To show us what has been “eaten” by the locust of circumstances or people. Understand that behind it all is the enemy of our souls for he is the one who comes to destroy and devour us at every turn. We often times can only see the tools and individuals he is using but it is imperative that we realize his hand is in the ruin and havoc.

This morning I am thinking of the things that need to be restored, not only in my life but in the lives of those who will read this devotional. It could be the locust of our life has eaten our sense of something that use to come so easily for us. Those who have had their homes broken into often say along with the possessions the person took my sense of feeling safe in my own home. Those who were sexually violated or exploited live with the loss of feeling pure or clean. Acts of betrayal, rejection, or sabotage have left some with the inability to trust others in future relationships. Those who have been ridiculed or slandered may no longer possess a sense of confidence and strength. Those who felt the pain of failure or loss may no longer have a desire to venture out into the unknown. Whatever the case may be, if there is a sense of loss or the feeling that what has been destroyed will never mark my path again, God will show me where that incident took place, what affect it had on me, and the promise that He will restore it.

I cling to that promise today, for I am fully aware of what the locust has eaten in my own life and the result of it. Now I open my arms and my heart to the restoration that only God can bring about.

Father, restore that which has been shattered in my life, so that it no longer affects my relationships. The end of my story is still be written by You. Amen.

Fearless Heart - Point of Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DljiOolx3j0&feature=related

There are now over 800 previous devotionals housed on this blog site. Read them according to date, theme or book of the Bible. Copy them for a personal notebook. Share them with others. Enjoy!

How to Change the View

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Matthew 7:18 (New American Standard Bible)

For years, I could only read Scripture with a limited range of what it was saying. In today’s verse, Jesus was speaking of the false prophets of His day and giving people a way of protecting themselves from the influence of such. That is necessary for us today as well. It is vital that we sit under those who know and speak the truth about God. If that is the only thing I take from this verse I am the wiser for it, but God’s Word is not meant to only be interpreted as such. It is also meant to come alive and meet us where we are at in the moment.

This morning, today’s verse speaks volumes to me when it comes to my thoughts….particularly my perceptions of others and how I “think” they view me. If my thoughts are filled with suspicion toward them and tainted by my own insecurities the result of those thoughts will not be good. I will misread their facial expressions, misinterpret what they say or don’t say, and draw conclusions that lead to an uneasy spirit within myself. What normally would be lively, fun filled moments quickly become uncomfortable and strained at best. From that point on, everything they say or do becomes “proof” of what I believe to be true. I can tell the exact moment peace and joy have left and darkness has entered. It is a vicious cycle that has actually become a stronghold in my life. This morning, God is letting me know once again how to demolish it! Change my thoughts! Derive the good fruit that can come from giving others the benefit of the doubt and walking in an attitude of love, forgiveness, and freedom.

I see that so clearly right now, sitting in the quietness of my home with just me, God, and His Word. The truth of what God is saying is getting into my heart. Yet the test of how it will affect me is going to be the next time I am face to face with someone and perceptions begin to make their way into my mental gallery of thoughts. When distorted portraits begin to be displayed on the walls of my mind will I believe what I “see” or will I remove them with a rebuke and live in the freedom of uncluttered thinking? I have a choice in the matter and too often I dust and straighten the pictures instead of removing them. The longer I dwell upon what is false the stronger its grip will be. The pull of that grip can also be weakened and that is the realization and hope God wants me to embrace.

Father, how You must ache to see me lose battles that don’t have to be lost. Help me to fight when I so easily want to yield. Amen.

All to Jesus I Surrender
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x2IpLSfqp8&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Created and Recreated

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1:26 (New American Standard Bible)

One of the aspects of being created in God’s image is that we are triune in nature. That means we are made up of three parts…body (physical), soul (emotional), and spirit (spiritual). Along with those components we were created for a purpose. We struggle to fully live out that purpose when one or all of our being is not whole and healthy.

A little over a year ago, I was in trouble in all three areas of my life. Physically I was obese with a life style of making unhealthy food choices. Emotionally I was dependent upon a significant person and bottomed out when all ties were severed. Spiritually I was more in tune to listening to what others said about God than what God was saying to me. Although I could write devotionals with ease, internally I was on shaky ground. Over the course of this past year, God has graciously worked on all three areas.

My physical transformation began when I joined Weight Watchers five months ago. I learned not only what to eat but how to properly view food. One benefit that came from that was a loss of 50 pounds. I feel better than I have felt in decades.

My emotional transformation began when my pastor’s wife saw my struggles and offered to be in an accountability partnership with me. Her listening ear, discerning spirit, wise words, and desire to see me emotionally free have been God’s primary means of healing for me. As we presently do a study through a book on emotional wholeness the fog is beginning to clear and the emotional strength is coming.

My spiritual transformation has been in learning to hear God’s voice more clearly through His Word, prayer, music, and the every day happenings of life. The mutual communication, contact, and connection that we share is both profound and powerful.

Although there is still much to be done in me, I am NOT the same person I was last year at this time. I can see the differences and I am living life more fully out of those differences. To God be the glory!

Father, I doubted I would ever see days like this. What You have done in the last year leaves me in wonder and amazement of You. I look forward to Your continued touch in the coming new year. Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

The Preservation of My Spirit

You have granted me life and loving kindness; and Your care has preserved my spirit. Job 10:12 (New American Standard Bible)

One of the aspects of God’s loving kindness and watch care over us as His children is the preservation our spirit. To guard it, protect it, and keep it safe. In the midst of hurt, disappointment, troubles, or loss…when the bottom of life seems to fall out from underneath our feet….when life’s worst circumstances make their way into our once peaceful abode, He is faithfully and lovingly keeping our spirit alive and intact. That part of us that seeks after God, that desires fellowship with God, and that longs to know Him continues to pulsate with life even when our heart is breaking or our mind is in turmoil. It is as constant as the beating of our heart.

So how can we tell our spirit is being preserved? We are still open to God and His ways. Turning our back on Him and walking away is not our intent or experience. We are looking to Him for direction and comfort. We continue to stand on the foundational truths of His Word. We remain teachable to the things He wants us to know and learn. Over time we see the growth in our life that has come about by the very thing we thought would do us in.

Often though, we mistakenly think that because we shed tears, ask why, experience a full range of emotions, feel internally at odds, and walk with a heavy heart and mind that our spirit has not been preserved. That is not the case! Just as we will bleed if we are cut, the problems and difficulties of life will hurt. God is not surprised by our pain. He knows how deeply it hurts or scares us but He also knows what He will use to bring us out on to the other side of whatever we are walking through. He is holding on to us even when our own grip is weakening.

My heart’s desire is to come away from whatever God’s causes or allows in my life with more knowledge of Him, more trust in Him, more awareness of Him, and more love for Him than I had before the storm broke. That is a part of the preservation of my spirit. Who but God could do such a thing? Who but God would even think of it?

I don’t always get it right but He does. He is passionate about bringing me through this life molded into the image of His Son…complete, whole, and mature in Him. I trust Him for the process, timing, and accomplishment of it all.

Father, You keep astounding me at every turn. Amen.

You're Still God - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvclzwpAMxg

There are now over 800 previous devotionals housed on this blog site. Read them according to date, theme or book of the Bible. Copy them for a personal notebook. Share them with others. Enjoy!

The One Who Teaches Me

I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say…and I, even I, will be with your mouth … and I will teach you what you are to do. Exodus 4:12, 15 (New American Standard Bible)

Moses’ sense and belief of inadequacy, inability, and insecurity made for an interesting response to God’s choosing of him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. God offered Himself as Moses’ personal Teacher so he could learn the things necessary to carry out the responsibilities that lay before him. God knew that Moses’ words and actions would be important aspects of his leadership and He was ready and willing to invest Himself in the development of both.

It is no different for each child of His today. Just like with Moses, God promises to teach us what to say and what to do in any and all circumstances and situations. I, for one, need His help! If left on my own, I say and do the wrong things. What are the things God is teaching me to say and do?

As far as my words are concerned, He is teaching me the necessity of truthfulness. Speaking what is true rather than what is perceived and believed. Those misperceptions and lies can be huge walls and doors that keep out the very things that are meant to be said. They affect the way I think, feel, and act. They limit the freedom God desires that I walk in and (like Moses) they cause me to believe I can’t do the things God calls me to do. One litmus test I am learning to use for determining the truthfulness or falsehood of my words, is to speak them to those who know me. They will usually be able to tell if what I am saying is really true or not. When my perceptions have clouded my view they help to clear the sky of my mind. It is then up to me to take the steps necessary to align myself with what is true and then speak it.

As far as my actions are concerned they must stem from a life of obedience derived from open ears and an open heart to God‘s voice, will, and ways. I can either choose to walk parallel with God or I can choose to walk opposed to Him. Both have huge consequences. The first brings about unity, power, and peace. The second brings turmoil and unnecessary hardships. The first is based on faith while the second is based on fear and self preservation.

How important are my words and actions? Important enough for God to step in and personally instruct me in the way I should speak and the way I should go.

Father, help me to say and do that which You are teaching me. I don’t just want to hear You. I want to walk in agreement with You. Let Your words to me affect my words and actions in profound ways. Amen.

In The Potters Hand - Hillsong (HQ sound)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6beNoG0H0E0&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

When I Don't See It

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (New American Standard Bible)

If I live out of only what I can see, feel, and experience, than I will lack the joy that comes from living with anticipation and expectation of what I believe God is able and willing to do in my life. Faith is as much a necessity for my spiritual life as eating and breathing is for my physical life. It propels me to move forward in the midst of difficulty. It comforts me in the midst of sadness and heartache. It cheers me on in the midst of failure and weakness. It sustains me in the midst of tiredness. It guides me in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. It brings forth the impossible in the midst of impossibility. Not faith for faith’s sake, but faith that is grounded and based upon God’s Word and in God Himself.

I have faith that God is going to complete the work He has started in me. I long for the completion of that work and stand in full awareness that there are areas of my life that are incomplete. One thing I do to nurture that faith is look at things God has fully worked out in me and take those as my guarantee that He will do the same else where. This is especially true for me in the area of addictions.

I have seen God work wonders with one addiction that use to control and bind me and what He has done helps me to see that freedom is possible in regards to other addictions. It paints for me a picture of what the freedom will look like and keeps me fully aware of when I am not experiencing it yet. When I am free of something it no longer has a pull on me. It no longer consumes my thoughts. It no longer becomes a requirement for me to have in order to feel satisfied, fulfilled, or significant. It no longer takes me on an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows. I can honestly take it or leave it. I am fully free of its power and meaning in my life even when it is in my presence.

I am experiencing that in one area of my life, but when I am not experiencing and seeing that in other areas that is when my faith in God’s ability is essential and life giving. That is when I have to stand on His Word and His promises to help me, uphold me, and guide me. That is when I have to see with my spirit eyes instead of with my physical eyes. The changes are coming. The freedom will be mine without a doubt. When that happens I will fully know it. I will fully embrace it. More importantly I will fully share it with others as a way of giving them hope for what they themselves long for.


Father, I still feel the pull of the addiction that only You can break. In the midst of it all, let me feel the pull of Your hand on me as well. Amen.

Word of God Speak ~ Mercy Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

A Perfect Fit

It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 (New American Standard Bible)

I cannot tell you the number of times I have asked God a question or brought a problem to Him and He would give me the answer within the written words of His children. Sometimes these words were written many years ago and at other times they were recently penned. My point is that long before I asked He was already nudging someone to write out the very thing I needed to hear. This morning has been no different. As I read a devotional book entitled Jesus Calling I was struck by the exact nature of the words being the very thing I had talked with God about yesterday.

Yesterday was a day when my own weaknesses and searching surfaced. Frustration grew as I knew I still had tendencies to try and get needs met through relationships. There came a point when I wanted God to fix me in such a way that the needs would not be apparent to me and therefore I would not seek the meeting of those needs through others. I not only saw my “sources” as a problem, I saw the actual needs as a problem. Little did I realize that God intended to clear up my thinking in regards to this ongoing issue. What I was missing yesterday was shown to me in a precious way through the words of Sarah Young who wrote them four years ago! I share them with you now. Keep in mind that she writes as if Jesus is doing the talking.

Your needs and My riches are a perfect fit. I never meant for you to be self-sufficient. Instead, I designed you to need Me not only for daily bread but also for fulfillment of deep yearnings. I carefully crafted your longings and feelings of incompleteness, to point you to Me. Therefore, do not try to bury or deny these feelings. Beware also of trying to pacify these longings with lesser gods: people, possessions, power.

Come to Me in all your neediness, with defenses down and with desire to be blessed. As you spend time in My Presence, your deepest longings are fulfilled. Rejoice in your neediness, which enables you to find intimate completion in Me.

I am reminded once again of how lovingly and graciously God works to prepare answers for me long before I ask, so that when I ask I have no trouble hearing the answer. For years, I missed this aspect of Him and now I delight in it time and time again.

Father, my journey is filled with moments of Your perfect timing. I find pleasure in the times when my questions and Your answers come together with such unity and completion. Amen.

Will Lift My Eyes - Bebo Norman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAjrNqEsoM&feature=related

When Others are in Need

To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3 (New International Version)

I have known what it was like to choose ashes, mourning, and despair over beauty, gladness, and praise. Those were not times of joy and delight for me or those close to me. Consumed with feelings of hopelessness and sorrow left me with little ability to see the light at the end of my tunnel as anything but an on coming train! The exchange of my crown, oil, and garment came through God’s work in my life and He often used books, music, and significant people. One person in particular saw my struggles and knew the truth of what God could do. She patiently and persistently reminded me of that truth until it made its way into my mind and heart. Do I still have days where the old ways of thinking and acting are evident? Absolutely! But those days are fewer and farther between and their duration is definitely shorter. It is still a journey and process of growth.

Now I am finding myself on the other end of the scenario as a person in my life is struggling with a propensity toward negativity and despair. He cannot see the hand of God in his life and squirms under the weight of his present circumstances. What I know to be true is that while he doesn’t have a choice in where he is at or why he is there, he does have a choice in how he views it all and what attitude he will carry throughout his days. My responsibility is not to change his heart, alter his circumstances, or allow his mindset to become mine. I in no way am to become a fellow pit dweller with him. That would benefit neither one of us. What I am to do, however, is pray Scripture over his life, speak truth to him when he wants to talk things out, and keep directing his attention back toward the One who views him as precious in His sight. In order to do that I must be daily reviewing truth myself, connecting with God, and choosing God’s view of things over my own.

I cannot give to this person anything I do not first possess for myself and I will not possess those things through any other source but God Himself. I have been ministered to in powerful ways and now I am poised to do the same for another in need. With that in mind, I anticipate with joy the way God is going to work in mighty ways. He will show us that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own. In that I delight!

Father, I look to You to help the one who is struggling. He is Your son and the clay upon Your potter’s wheel. I entrust his heart, mind, and life to You. Amen.

Go Light Your World - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVSHCbolJew&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

His View of Me

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Jeremiah 18:4 (New King James Version)

There are times when I so regret decisions I have made and things I have done. The worst of them is when I feel I have spoiled, corrupted, ruined, or injured God’s plans for me and hence His thoughts of me. In the spring of 2004, God placed me on a journey with Himself that continues to this day. The starting point of that journey was in realizing that His love was not dependent upon what I was doing. My perception that He was tolerating me more than loving me had to give way to the truth of His unconditional and unchanging love. It was a truth that flipped my Christian life upside down and forever changed my view of God.

Last night, God brought to light another truth that was just as profound and He used today’s verse to do it. While my view of God had been through a change, I needed to realize something about His view of me. I thought He viewed me as a marred vessel in His hands and that I would continue to be seen as such. I couldn’t see that I was anything but a disappointment to Him because of the failures that still weighed heavy on my mind and heart. I couldn’t get beyond the shame of the issues that arose from my own struggles with emotional dependency. It had a three-fold effect on me…how I viewed myself, how I felt others view me, and how I felt God viewed me. I felt I had let myself, others, and God down and the opinions that resulted from it would forever be my weight to carry. How far from the truth I was living!

What God so graciously showed me was that He views me as one whom He is remaking in a way that seems good to Him. He is presently forming me into another vessel which will be different from the former vessel. In His eyes, I am not ruined but rather in process of being changed. He is not finished yet but what changes have taken place so far are just a glimpse of what is yet to come.

Once again I am reminded of the words I first heard from author and speaker, Lisa Bevere. “My past does not define me or my future!” When God looks at me, He does not see the person I was a year or two ago. That person is gone as far as He is concerned and He wants it to be the same for me. My question needs to be, “Who am I now and who will I be in the future?” My past along with my sins have been buried in His sea of forgetfulness. May I no longer don their garments again.

Father, knowing Your view of me is changing the view I have of myself. The view I have of myself will change the way I think others view me. I rest in Your hands as a marred vessel no longer. Amen.

Heal the Wound - Point of Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g_dhYDQIdg

Perhaps this devotional has been forwarded to you by a friend. If what you are reading is touching your spirit and increasing your thirst for God then you are one of the reasons I write them. I want to extend a personal invitation to you to join my email devotional family and allow me to send them to you directly! Simply send an email to shattuck7@sbcglobal.net and request to be added to my devotional list. It would be my honor and privilege to do so.

In Need of His Help

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Isaiah 53:3 (New International Version)

It is not a pleasant picture to see the words which describe the “reception” Jesus received when He walked among the very ones He not only created but the ones He came to die for and redeem. Despised, rejected, sorrow, suffering, and not esteemed. I am trying to picture my reaction if I were treated in such a way. It doesn’t have to be that extreme for my instincts to kick in. Just the perception that I am being rejected, disliked, or merely tolerated is enough to cause me to back away from the source. Yet, Jesus never backed away but continued to initiate relationships.

True initiators don’t consider the response of the one they are reaching out to. They don’t limit their actions to the actions of others. They see a need and they take the first step to meet it even if that step is never appreciated, acknowledged, or wanted. They don’t wait for the other person to “get their act together.” They don’t avoid risk. They don’t stay away from uncomfortable scenarios. They reach out and then reach out some more. That is so like God and so unlike me.

I am reminded once again how necessary God’s intervention is in my life. Becoming an initiator will take a supernatural work in me. To step away from how something will make me feel and focus on how it will meet the needs of others and bring pleasure to God will require a lot of help from God.

Who better to teach me than the One today’s verse refers to. After all, He knows why I hesitate to make others feel welcome when I am feeling unwelcome. Why I won’t risk reaching out to any who might reject me. Why feeling unwanted or unnoticed makes me withdraw rather than spurs me on to actions of love. While I am so far from His example I am within reach of His help and I am asking for that help.

Part of the answer is quick in coming. It means living my life less controlled by my perceptions and feelings and more empowered by His Spirit. I know what it is like to try and fix things on my own and it is not working. My answers and solutions are faulty at best. It is time to allow God to create in me a clean heart out of which will flow the right words and actions.

Father, take me farther. Amen.

His Strength is Perfect ~ Steven Curtis Chapman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC_lld_vUCY

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

The Targeted Place of Attack

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11 (New American Standard Bible)

The truth I must realize and embrace is that my unhealthy lusts, desires, passions, impulses, and longings can have an effect on my soul. My soul is that which houses my mind, will, and emotions. I am an emotional person. So much of what I do and think about is driven by my emotions. Once those emotions are ignited, the heat and flames are actually coming against my soul which is as much a real part of me as my skin and bones. What I think about, determine to do, and strongly feel are all birthed out of my soul. Affect my soul and you affect those three components of my soul.

The enemy knows this. God’s Word is clear that my daily battles are more against him than against my flesh or anyone else’s flesh and his target is my soul. He can’t reach my spirit because my spirit is already seated at the right hand of God in Christ. My spirit is alive in Christ and connected to Christ. It is not a place the enemy can touch but my soul is another story all together. If he is able to gain some ground in that area, he is able to effectively bring about some painful consequences and sinful behavior.

This is a more serious problem than whether or not something bothers me or my feelings get hurt. So often, those consumes my attention and energy. God is inviting me to see the bigger picture. It is the attack upon my soul that robs me of peace, joy, and contentment. It is the attack upon my soul that spirals me into pits of darkness. It is the attack upon my soul that causes me to withdraw into places of pain and back away from God given sources of encouragement. Most importantly, it is the attack upon my soul that makes me unproductive and limited within God’s kingdom work.

So how do I counter the attacks? First, I stand on the premise that the battle belongs to the Lord. That includes the fighting of that battle and the outcome. Second, I ready myself with the armor of Ephesians 6:13-18. Third, I stand in truth and resist the lies. Fourth, I connect daily to God and God’s people. Fifth, I renew my thinking with truthful thoughts. Sixth, I place my dependency and focus upon God more than upon myself and others.

It is going to be a busy day as God and I stand guard over my soul. When I come to the end of this day and retire for the evening I want to hear Him whisper to me, “Well, done, my good and faithful servant!”

Father, the puzzle piece of truth You gave to me this morning is a powerful one. Keep teaching me and showing me the truths that will protect me and set me free. Amen.

The Battle Belongs to The Lord - Spiritual Warfare
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DMZ8D6nTKhg

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

The Promise of Accomplishment

The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8 (New American Standard Bible)

There are times I mistakenly think the accomplishing of things in my life is left up to me. With enough grit, with enough determination, with enough self control, with enough discipline I can do it…or so I tell myself. But I have had to learn that the Christian life is not about self improvement. It is about God’s accomplishments in me. He is the One developing my character. He is the One molding me into the image of His Son. He is the One weakening and demolishing the strongholds of my heart. While I certainly must cooperate with Him, I must never forget He is the One doing the completing of my transformation.

He accomplishes His work in me through two avenues….His loving kindness and His persistence. Although His techniques may seem harsh at times, they are always driven by a heart of love. Though I may at times throw up my hands in despair and discouragement, He remains an ever present Help. Though the areas of change in my life may seem impossible to comprehend or realize, He knows the beginning from the end. He knows what He will use to change me and how long it will take. While I may continually realize, “I am not there yet,” God’s answer is always, “I am not finished yet.”

Last night, I met with a study group and we ended our study with a discussion about addictions and deliverance. I had one example of deliverance in my life I could attest to and it was a deliverance from the addiction to junk food. It wasn’t a matter of self control on my part but rather a transformation of my thinking and God setting me free from something that controlled me from youth up.

At the same time, I had to admit there are still areas in my life wherein I seek deliverance. I live with an internal frustration that those areas of weakness and addiction are still very much a part of me no matter how much I detest them. What I know is this. The same principles of deliverance in the area of eating are necessary for my other areas. Deliverance will come through the avenue of renewed thinking, acknowledging of the truth, and the over all work of God in my life. I cannot change myself but I can experience change as I go through the steps of metamorphosis that God designed for me. Today is not the end of my story. There is still much for God to redeem, renew, and restore in me. His potter’s wheel and His gentle hands still move to the beat of His own heart.

Father, I have grown impatient with the process and timing of Your work in me. Forgive me for doubting that You will indeed accomplish that which concerns me. I know in the end it will be astounding. Amen.

Kathy Troccoli sings "My Life Is In Your Hands"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlmYxZAgrGI

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

Eyes Fixed On Him

O our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (New American Standard Bible)

When the children of Israel journeyed through the wilderness they kept their eyes on the cloud during the day and on the pillar of fire at night. These signs assured them of two things: God's presence and God's direction in their life. There are many instances in Scripture when God would display a physical manifestation as a way for His children to be reminded of who He was. The rainbow after the flood reminded them that God keeps His promises. The bronze serpent on the pole reminded them that He is a God who heals.

This morning God wants me to see what it is I need to remember about Him. The times when I feel powerless to withstand the storms of life I am reminded that He is my protector and provider. When I have no idea what to do, He can give me direction. All the things that overwhelm or confuse me are opportunities for me to keep my eyes on Him.

How intently am I watching Him? Like an orchestra who watches and follows the conductor, like a well trained dog who watches his master's every move I don't want to miss the slightest movement of His hand or smallest inflection of His voice. It is so easy to try and come up with my own plans and my own sources of security. But when I learn to fix my gaze on Him and tune my ear to hear what He has to say to me, then I am poised for His direction and enablement.

The Christian life is not meant to be a solo journey lived out in my own strength and wisdom. It is a cooperative effort between God and me. He has so much to teach and show me. Any attention I place on Him is not wasted or in vain. He delights when I depend on Him, wait on Him, listen to Him, obey Him, look to Him, confide in Him, follow Him, and trust Him.

I have no trouble knowing when my eyes are directed on to someone or something other than God. Those are the times when hurt, disappointment, and discontentment mark my mind and path more than peace, joy, and delight. While I may not always be able to avoid a shift in my focus, I definitely can choose to redirect my attention back toward God at any time. He is aware of the times I fail in this area and He is also aware of the times I get it right and do it right. Today is a day to ask for His anointing and touch on my eyes to keep them directed toward Him. To allow Him to be my focus.

Father, You have my attention. May I hear and see what you have for me today. Amen.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Newsboys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQzAYQE-U4Q

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.