When It Is Not of God

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)

There have been many times when the fear I was experiencing was definitely not of God. It was not a reverential trust in Him. It also was not a safe guard against danger. It was an emotion that could keep me frozen in my tracks and unable to experience life as God meant it to be experienced. Many were the times I feared taking a step in a certain direction because I believed by doing so would guarantee a consequence in which I wanted no part. I never questioned the source of my fear or the possibility that the fear was unfounded. I simply allowed it to be a stop sign to me and a hindrance to any movement.

There have been times in the past when I have decided to move a “stop sign” out of the way and step out uninhibited by speculative thinking. That which I feared would happen didn’t! Did this mean I should have acted sooner? Maybe not….I don’t know. What I do know is that testing the waters proved to be a good and necessary thing at the time. It gave me the freedom to test the validity of a fear that had kept me from actually walking in power, love, and a sound mind. Each time the experience would serve me well in future situations.

Often times, walking by faith will entail risks. I run the risk of being wrong, of being hurt, of being adversely affected, or of being thrown for a loop. When that happens I know Who to turn to for comfort, counsel, and further direction. I am not helpless or hopeless even when I face unpleasant consequences. I am human but my Father is God and He will see me through any wrong turns. As He does, I will come away all the wiser for it. As my pastor once said, “Even our sinful choices can teach us life lessons if we are willing to learn.”

On the same token, if I don’t take some steps of faith, I run the risk of missing out on intended blessings, spiritual growth, godly insight, and adventures intended for me to experience. I, for one, do not want that to be the predominant theme of my life.

It will take many trial and error moments to gain the insight and discernment I need for this journey. I would rather make and recover from some mistakes because of risk taking than continue to live life with a fearful stance whereby I miss out on the aspects of the abundant life God continually offers me.

Father, that which I fear happening does not always take place and I am so glad! Take me further on this journey than I have ever been before. In both victory and failure I will praise You. Lead on O King Eternal. Amen.

Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Based on What?

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 2 Corinthians 5:9 (King James Version)

At first glance, this verse appears to be saying that God’s acceptance of me is based on my works for Him. I can look back to over 30 years of my Christian life whereby I thought that God’s acceptance of me was based on my performance and good deeds. If I did well, I felt acceptable to Him. If I failed, I felt unacceptable to Him. Understand, I did not base my salvation on my works. I knew Christ paid the penalty for my sin on Calvary and hence my salvation was not something I could earn. I knew I would spend eternity in Heaven with Him because of His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Yet, I lived with an uneasiness as to how He viewed me as His child. Toleration at best and dislike at worst. It was the foundational lie upon which I built my legalistic faith walk. When that is the case, there is no peace, no joy, no rest.

It is imperative that we see the meaning of the words we read in the Bible. It helps to take key words and see what they mean in the original language. The Greek word for accepted is euarestos and it means well pleasing and acceptable. With that in mind, look at how this verse reads in the New Living Translation: “So our aim is to please him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body.” When I see it worded that way, I am made aware of the fact that my actions are to please God, which is far removed from thinking I have to work for God’s acceptance and approval.

When it comes to God’s view of me, I must remember to separate His view of me and His view of my actions, motives, attitudes, thoughts, and words. I am accepted through Christ, my Savior (John 1:12). My behavior is either pleasing or displeasing to Him depending on whether or not it is aligned with His desire and will. Because of Christ, I will always be accepted by God. When my actions displease Him, it is necessary for me to confess and repent the wrong and move forward in obedience. It is for His pleasure not His acceptance.

This is a pivotal truth for me as it helps me to see that I really am accepted by God. His view of me is one of approval and affirmation. While He is not always pleased with what I do, He delights in me as His daughter and in that I am free to live life to the fullest!

Father, Your view of me is becoming clearer to me and is replacing the distortions of the faulty belief system I can easily embrace if I am not careful. I joy in what I am seeing! Amen.

Friend of God - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMnMN08sv4k

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.
　

His Word to Me

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 (New International Version)

Battles leave me drained and in need of refreshment. They bring me to a point of desiring truth to once again make its way into my thoughts, life, and situation. Last night, I drifted off to sleep with one phrase running through my mind: “Is anything too hard for God?” Each time the question was asked, the resounding answer was “No!” It gave me assurance to know that my personal struggles, weaknesses, and failures are no match for God’s power and work in my life. How precious that today’s verse was waiting to great me when I woke this morning.

Although I have recently come off a bout with sinus infection, I don’t often suffer in the physical sense. Persecution by the government does not mark my path either. I have a job, a family, a roof over my head, food in my pantry, dependable automobiles in my driveway, clothes in my closet, a precious church family, and friends who stick with me through thick and thin. For each I am thankful! At the same time, I live in a fallen world, possess a sin nature, have an enemy of my soul who is intent on distracting, discouraging, and destroying me, and too often fall victim to spiraling moods, emotional over loads, and insecurities. Yet, by the grace of God, I am given many promises.

My Father, the Creator of the Universe and sustainer of His creation, will restore me and make me strong, firm, and steadfast….not just in eternity but in my everyday battles. He is fully aware and fully present in each hour of need and He wants me to know that each incident is NOT the end of my story. He promises that I will get up again after each stumble. I will regain my composure after each fall. Each doubt will be answered by truth. Each moment of weakness will be followed by His power and strength.

My journey with Him is a process of learning, growing, and gaining. Is it a task that is too hard for God? Am I a person that is too much for Him to work with? Absolutely not! Who better to rely upon and rest in than the One who sees it all, knows it all, and can handle it all?

Father, I long to walk in victory but when I don’t, You promise restoration, rejuvenation, and renewal. Make me strong, firm, and steadfast as I look to You. Amen.

Sing for Joy - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jjb1wOUt4I

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Filling the Cavern

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" John 7:38 (New American Standard Bible)

My innermost being. That place in me that is like a cavern of hunger and thirst. That part of me that I long to have filled. Jesus offers me (and you) a river of living water that flows in the depths of my internal world. That place was not made empty by my past experiences of life. It was in me before I took my first breath. Created in me by God to be filled by Him alone. That place in me that hungers and thirsts for significance, identity, love, acceptance, affirmation, and approval.

Some try to fill their voids with success, wealth, notoriety, accomplishments, possessions, positions, or education. Some, like myself, seek to fill the void with significant people. What we find in the end is that whatever amount of life’s “fill dirt” we shovel in, it never seems to reach the bottom or last long. I find that even the effects of the most special times and conversations begin to wane moments after they have taken place. My answer is to then go on a search for more and in the end my search is both futile and disappointing.

Jesus tells me that I am significant, loved, and valued because I am His. He speaks those words over and into my life, even though I have sought for it in other sources. This morning He is showing me how much of a bondage this is for me. Bondage to my needs. Bondage to my thoughts. Bondage to my search. At the same time He is reminding me that He came to set the captive free! I am that captive and I am in need of the freedom He offers.

Acknowledging the problem and seeing the root of that problem is only the first of many steps I am beginning to take. Recently, friends have told me I am persistent in my quest to find God’s love sufficient and to live out of that love. They are right. Of all the things I long for in this life, that is the ultimate desire of my heart. What encourages me the most is that I know it is God’s desire for me as well.

Father, my search has accomplished one thing…..it has pointed me to You. Show me how to let You fill up my innermost being with Your living water and presence. I am in need and I bring that need to You. Amen.

He Knows My Name - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.
　
　

When the Brook Dries Up

It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him. 1 Kings 17:7 (New American Standard Bible)

If we misunderstand the purpose and tentative nature of our God-given places of spiritual refreshment and sustenance we can be in for a time of great confusion and discouragement. One of the biggest and yet most difficult lessons for me to learn in my Christian life has been the temporary nature of the very things God provides me with for a time. The first time the brook of relationship dried up for me it sent me reeling. It shook the false foundation of security I was standing on and I was sent back to the very basics of my faith.

It was a time when the temptation ran strong to never again open my heart to a meaningful, significant relationship. The option that played in my mind was to distance myself from ever again experiencing the pain of loss. I feared I could not trust myself to not repeat the same mistakes if I were to cross paths with another caring and nurturing person. I bought into the lie of the enemy that there would never be change and never be freedom for me in this area. God knew better and now I do as well. It has taken nearly two years but I am finally living out of the truth of God’s intentions.

First, I had to see God’s purposeful gift of friendships to me. There are things He wants to teach and show me through other believers. I cannot read Scripture and not see the power of relationship that God means for each of His children. Every significant person that God has ever crossed my path with has left a profound mark on my life and I would not be the person I am today were it not for God’s use of them in my life.

Second, I had to see that although God was using them in mighty ways the focus still had to be on Him. He was the One pouring the very things through them that I needed. While they were the vessels, He was the Source. Their words of encouragement and life were coming from Him.

Third, I had to come to a peaceful resolve that none of them were meant to be a permanent part of my life….at least not in such a hands on and personal way. Once the purpose for their involvement was fulfilled there would be a shift of access and activity. They would no longer be the ones I took questions to or from whom I sought advice. It wasn’t rejection or abandonment. It was a drying up and leading on. There would be new directions we both would go and yet never without God’s continued watch care and voice.

I originally wrote this devotional in October of 2008. I read it now for refreshment and needed review. Since the first writing, God has allowed me the precious experience of new significant relationships and I praise Him for allowing me to live out the truth of what He showed me a year and a half ago.

Father, I have sat beside the dried beds of friendship and struggled to move forward. Thank you that the steps are finally being taken to enter the new places You have for me. Amen.

For Good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzrGFQysfYU

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

What Stands in the Way?

Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." Exodus 4:10 (New American Standard Bible)

When God called Moses to go to Egypt as His spokesperson and to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, Moses had two responses that he felt stood in the way of God’s plan working. First, he pointed to the possibility that the people would not listen to him or believe God had really spoken to him. God’s response? Moses was given three miraculous signs to give as proof that God had spoken to him. Second, he presented his limitation of a speech impediment. He did not see himself as a great orator and believed that would stand in the way of the message he was to deliver. God’s response? I made the mouth and I know what I am doing. While Moses could see the problems he was missing the power that came from God alone.

Am I not guilty of the same thing every time I allow my thoughts and fears to stand in the way when it comes to sharing my faith? I can so easily focus on how I think others will respond and how I might not say things just right. I can then allow those fears to stop me from even opening my mouth. When that happens, I miss the truth of what God is able to do. The results of witnessing must always be left up to Him. He alone can open the ears, eyes, and hearts of individuals to receive truth about the gospel. He chooses to use us with all our weaknesses and limitations as sharers of the good news! Rather than be a hindrance to God, our inabilities showcase His power and might.

Just as in the case of Moses, God knows what He is doing and who He wants to use to do it. The more the weaknesses the more profoundly it is seen that the results are coming from Him. We are the ones who deem ourselves unqualified and unusable, NOT God! God wants us to see that He can use our experiences, failures, weaknesses, personalities, deficiencies, and handicaps as we share His Word to keep us dependent on Him. Will everyone listen to and accept what we tell them? No, just like Pharaoh and the Egyptians did not listen to Moses. That was not due to Moses’ lack of skill but rather their heart condition.

We often mistakenly think if people do not accept God’s message then we have failed at presenting it in the right way. Not true! We have only failed if we have failed to share!

Father, may my confidence to witness to others be found in You. May I begin opening my mouth and then trust You to work and accomplish things in ways that only You can. Amen.

People Need the Lord - Steve Green
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AibBR6j2g54

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

When in Doubt

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all. Exodus 5:23 (New King James Version)

Moses did not start out as a man of faith and God knew this when He called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses’ first words back to God at the burning bush voiced his doubts. He doubted the people would listen to or believe him. He doubted his ability to be God’s spokesman to Israel or Pharaoh. He doubted that God would do what He said He would do. He looked at others, himself, and his circumstances and each gave him enough “proof” to doubt the very words of God. He doubted God’s call, God’s pledge, God’s power, and God’s nature. In essence, he was saying, “This is not turning out the way I thought it would, therefore, You are not keeping Your end of the bargain up, God.”

What does God do with our doubts? The same thing He did with Moses’ doubts. He restates the truth about Himself and His promises. He did not condemn Moses for what he said….actually God welcomes our honesty. He knows our thoughts even before the words come out of our mouth. What followed Moses’ statements was God’s proclamation of who He was and what He was going to do. He said, “I am the LORD. I will bring you out from under Egypt’s burden. I will free you from Egypt’s bondage. I will rescue you. I will take you to myself. I will be your God. I will bring you to the land I promised to your forefathers.” God was letting Moses know that no amount of difficulties, no lapse of time, no opposition can thwart His plans and purposes. Moses had to see that God’s truth always trumps his own problems and perspectives.

So what is it I must carry away with me this morning? That which I know to be true concerning God and what He has promised. In the face of anything this life throws at me, I must stand in and speak the truth. God is God. He is all powerful, all present, and all knowing. He will not leave me. He will finish the work He started in me. He will deliver me from strongholds. He will bring about His plans and purposes for my life. He will guide my steps. He will direct my path. He will bring about His ending to my story. His is my God. He is my Rock. He is my Fortress. He is faithful, trustworthy, and unchanging. He has me inscribed on the palms of His hands, keeps me under the shadow of His wings, tells me I am the apple of His eye, and holds me with His right hand. Will I face difficulties? Yes. Will circumstances get hard? Absolutely. Will there be tests of my faith and character? Definitely. Will I go through things that are uncomfortable and troublesome? Without a doubt. But none of that changes the truth statements about God. None of it!

Father, strengthen my eyes of faith. Let Your truth stand out dramatically above all that I think, see, feel, and experience. Help me to be a woman of faith. Amen.

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

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

In the Midst of Present Life

The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. Genesis 39:23 (New American Standard Bible)

I could write a book on the treasures found in Genesis 39. As I read it, my mind races from scene to scene trying to grasp all the nuances of truth that flow from each verse. Joseph, in the midst of captivity and imprisonment, experiences the presence of God, privilege, position, prosperity, favor, and trust (first as a slave then as a prisoner). Whether it was Potipher’s house or Pharoah’s prison, his captor’s saw that God was with him and caused whatever he did to prosper. They both put Joseph in charge of everything they owned. Who, but God, knew these places of imprisonment were training grounds for when Joseph would later be in charge of Egypt?

If I read this aspect of Joseph’s life and come away thinking how nice that was for Joseph, but fail to see personal application for myself, I have reduced my time in Scripture to mere reading and historical fact finding. God wants more for me and so do I! He wants me to embrace the truth that when life is hard or unfair, He is with me. When I am in the midst of my own places of bondage, He is with me. When my present circumstances are dark and the light of my future looks dim, He is with me. When the people in my life seem to hold control over my life, He is with me. When the freedom to be what I want, do what I want, and go where I want is limited for the time being, He is with me. When I am living with the painful consequences of choices made by me or others, He is with me. When I am separated from the ones I love, He is with me. When I don’t understand what is happening, He is with me. When I don’t experience change in my situation, He is with me. His presence rather than my problem or “prison” must be the ruling factor of my life!

I also want to begin living with an awareness of how God prospers the things I do. Asking Him to open my eyes to the moments of promotion, favor, and positions He affords to me now and the preparation being done in me for what lies ahead. Joseph’s time of preparation and training was approximately 13 years not counting his pre-Egypt days. Mine has been 6. When I stand in the place He is right now preparing me for, I want to exclaim with passion, “I KNEW You could do this, God!” rather than gasp with amazement, “I had no idea!”

Father, fill me with the wonder of Your presence in my life and the adventure of Your work in me! Lead me out of my own thoughts of mediocrity and insignificance into the very essence and preciousness of being Your cherished daughter! Amen.

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

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Place With No Food

Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their children. There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. Genesis 47:12-13 (New International Version)

For seven years, under the leadership of Joseph, food was stored up to prepare for a coming famine which would also last for seven years. When the famine hit, the food was available in abundance but one had to go to where the food was present. Joseph’s family came to him and he graciously provided nourishment for them. Outside of those stored up food parameters was a wasting away.

There is a parallel of spiritual truth for me that I am seeing in this passage. God offers me what I need in the way of significance, worth, value, and identity in abundance. All I could desire. All I could hope for. All I could receive. If I go to Him, I am in a position to receive. If I turn to other places, where the supply is not present, I will waste away and languish.

So where are the places of famine I find myself returning to time and time again? Where are the regions of deprivation and starvation? Relationships. Not all relationships. Some are rich, pleasurable, and balanced. In those, I am free to encourage and be encouraged. Free to interact without being entangled in emotional dependency. Free to spend time without desiring to never leave or fearing being left. Yet, what God means for good can sometimes become twisted, distorted, and out of place.

Rather than remain a healthy friendship the relationship becomes one in which I begin looking to the other person to give me what only God can provide….worth, value, significance, identity, security, a real sense of being loved, and an ability to love in return. Emotions vacillate between expectations and disappointments until the realization that I am putting this person in God’s place in my life flashes like neon lights.

It use to be if one such relationship ended I immediately looked for another to replace it. How futile the search has been! Only now, as I find the necessity to back away from one I’ve grown dependent on in an unhealthy way, am I realizing a desire to turn where the “food” is. To seek God as I have sought people. To learn how to be nourished by Him, sustained by Him, and fed by Him. Only now.

Father, the years of scrounging for food in places of famine have taken their toll on me. I am hungry (famished) and I come to You…my Bread of Life. Amen.

By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJODOpe_M8E&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

His Work and His Time

I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. Exodus 23:30 (New American Standard Bible)

God gave the children of Israel insight into the way He would lead them into the promised land and how He would bring them to the place of possessing that promised land. As they walked in obedience with Him, He would drive out their enemies and cause His people to be fruitful and to acquire the land of promise. Their inheritance and territory! It would not be a quick and easy process. It would take years. God would work according to His wisdom and His timetable.

I have often watched with fascination the programs which show the make-over of homes. One show demolishes an entire house and rebuilds it beautifully in one weekend! While it is possible to do that with a house, God is letting me know that is not the way growth and victory in the Christian life comes about. His words to Israel are His words to me and His words to you. I am in need of His reminder each morning. I need to hear Him say He is transforming and remaking me little by little.

His process is usually one that exposes my thought patterns, mindsets, weaknesses, and areas of need in order to show me what needs to go and what needs to be embraced. God is faithfully “driving out” those things in me that would hinder me from flourishing and acquiring all that He offers. It is a word that means to divorce. To allow Him to divorce me from how I have come to think, act, and speak. To allow Him to teach me the truth about myself, the way the enemy works, the things He has equipped me with, the power of prayer and speaking His words over my life and circumstances, the authority of the believer, the balance of looking to Him and receiving encouragement through the body of Christ, and many more things. There are days His revelations to me are profound and immediate change is forthcoming. But there are many more days when the steps are small and the progress seems slow. Either way, God is the one who sets the pace for this journey. He is the one who drives things out of my life little by little. I rejoice in the tiniest work and the hugest manifestations of His operations.

Father, You are as present and meticulous with me as You were with the entire nation of Israel in Old Testament times. You know where You are leading me and how You will get me there. I choose to watch You, listen to You, and follow Your lead. Not in my flesh but by Your Spirit. I delight in all You are doing! Amen.

Potter's Hand - Darlene Zshech (Hillsong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAITgJXO1I&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

The Choice is Mine

Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. Psalm 25:12 (New American Standard Bible)

God’s instructions to me in the way I should choose is contingent upon my fearing Him….standing in awe and trust of Him. Once those instructions are given it is imperative that I follow them. When I do, life is lived the way He intended. When I don’t, heartache and trouble follow. I often limit God’s leading to employment, actions, and decisions that need to be made. I don’t want to make mistakes that will have painful consequences. I, like you, want to make wise choices and head in the right direction. This morning, God is broadening my picture of being guided by His instructions.

I make many choices throughout my day: what I will eat, what I will read, what I will wear, what I will do, what I will not do, etc… Most choices take little time or thought on my part. I just choose! Yet there is one area of my life in which I consistently feel I have no choice. I live more as a victim than a victor. That is in the area of my thought life. For many reasons, I have come to believe that if a thought comes to mind I must dwell on it. If a perception makes its way into my thinking I must believe it. To push it aside and think on something else seems like denial of “truth” and deep down inside the dangerous thinking lurks and taunts, until it eventually comes to the forefront again and wreaks havoc with my emotions, feelings, and actions.

When caring people in my life try to tell me, “Pam, you can choose what you are thinking on. You MUST choose what you will think on.” I struggle to accept that truth and responsibility. Like a deer with the headlights in her eyes, I blink back a look of confusion. Yet, their words are true. They are based on Scripture which will never mislead me. Philippians 4:8 says I am to think on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good report, excellent, and worthy of praise. What I am coming to see is that in order to do that I must first CHOOSE to do it. I must choose to reject certain thoughts and embrace right thinking. I must choose to think on other things and allow right thinking to take up residence in my mind. If I don’t do so, I will continue to live my life cycling from one pit dwelling thought to the next.

This is God’s guidance for me today and every day. I can see the truth and express the truth with ease at this point. But I know that real change and transformation is not going to be mine until I apply the truth of what I have written this morning. Will I do what is necessary the next time a wrong thought enters my mind? I pray so!

Father, help me to live what I so easily write about in devotionals. Help me to cooperate with You and choose correctly! Amen.

Power of Your Love - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4narr2wyE&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Living Words

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Genesis 1:3 (New American Standard Bible)

Three verses into the Bible and we see the first of many fulfillments of God’s Word. What He speaks, He does….every time! His Word never returns void or unfulfilled. A read-through of the Old Testament will disclose many instances whereby God spoke specific words to His prophets and those words always came to pass. They weren’t usually fulfilled that day or even that decade but they were fulfilled.

I have been reading through the Old Testament and I am struck by the times God tells a prophet something and years later it happens exactly as He said it would. Elijah was told to anoint Jehu as king of Israel and years later Elisha has a person do just that. Jehu is told to annihilate the descendents of Ahab for all the innocent blood that was shed at his hands, and Jehu is God’s instrument of judgment. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold centuries before it all happened and yet it all happened as it was foretold.

These thoughts encourage me today. Because while God does not give me step by step specific instructions for my daily walk with Him, His Word is filled with precious promises I can count on! He has promised to never leave me, to finish what He has begun in me, to forgive my sin, to work everything out for good, to give me ways of escape from every temptation, to strengthen me in my inward person, to direct my steps, to give me sufficient grace at all times, to keep His eye and hand on me at all times, and to one day take me to Heaven to live with Him for all eternity. The list is endless! I don’t have to try and figure out if He meant what He said or if His words are applicable to me today. His words are sure and trustworthy.

As I come across situations today, I want to be able to recall His words that will fit every one of them. I want to anticipate the fulfillment of His spoken words to me. When I am tempted to give up on myself and assume desired change will never be realized, I want to hear Him say, “I am with you and I will complete my work in you.” When I am upset over something that is out of my control, I want to embrace His, “Peace I give you. Let not your heart be troubled.” When I desire to crawl under the security of another person, I want to be reminded that He is my shelter and refuge. I serve a risen Savior and His Word is alive as well!

Father, if left on my own I do not do well. If the only voices I hear are those of people, that will not be enough to carry me or transform me. Speak Your words to me through out today. For they are my life as well as my life line. Amen.

Word of God Speak - Mercy Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Word of Correction

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Romans 7:15, 18(New American Standard Bible)

I wonder if Paul’s words in the book of Romans surprised those who looked up to him. Was he being a fatalist and just beating himself up over his own weaknesses and propensity toward sin? No! He was being authentic and admitting the truth about his personal life and heart condition. It was moment of truth not a time of condemnation and shame.

One of the reasons for Scripture is for correction. If I allow it, God’s word will help me to see lies I am believing and the truth that is meant to replace the lies and allow me to walk in freedom. Today’s passage is doing exactly that! While the people of Paul’s day were set straight on any false notion that Paul had arrived, stood in perfection, and never battled with being human, his words are finding a home in my heart as well and urging me to release my own false notions about other believers. While I don’t hold this view toward all people, I am aware of the times I can look at a significant person and feel she never has a bad day, never walks with insecurity, never gives in to temptation, handles each crisis with ease, never struggles, never sins, never doubts God, and basically doesn’t bleed when she is cut or feel pain when she is hurt. And this morning, God is telling me to put her name and every one else’s name into this passage. Not to condemn but rather to see the truth about others and the truth about myself. For He knows that as long as I believe someone is above the battle, then I believe I can reach that state of perfection on this earth. And when I fail to do so, I cringe at the realization of my weaknesses, I come to believe other people cringe at the realization of my weaknesses, and I live with the belief that God cringes at my weaknesses. I then fall into a life style of posturing, pretending, and hiding.

God says, “I have a better way for you to live. Admit you are human and still deeply loved by Me! See that this is a journey of progress and I am your personal Guide. Open your heart up to the truth that My love and acceptance of you is not based on what you do and who you are but rather on Me. My arms are not folded, My face does not wear a scowl, I do not groan in my Spirit when you approach Me, and I am not disappointed in the fact that you are still imperfect. I love you and I embrace you!” I rest in His words to me.

Father, You have seen the comparisons I have made to others and the wrong conclusions I have drawn. Thank you that You are working to instill truth in me and anticipating with joy the freedom I will find in that truth! Amen.

Mercy Said No - CeCe Winans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_SjhKJgqGg&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

The Exposing of Disbelief

Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. Genesis 32:11(New American Standard Bible)

Twenty years had separated Jacob and Esau’s past and future. Jacob left home with a brother who was angry enough to kill him. No contact had been made between them in all that time. As far as Jacob was concerned, Esau was still seething with rage. He feared the worst…complete annihilation of himself and his family. Yet, this verse which houses his words of fear is sandwiched between his recollection of God’s promise to prosper him and his descendents. Jacob did what we so often can find ourselves doing…he voiced truth without embracing it. Fear rather than faith was what ruled him and fueled his actions.

As I read further in this passage, I see Jacob planning and plotting his own story of redemption (Genesis 32:20). His actions reveal to me his core belief: God needs my help to insure my safety. He cannot be trusted to do what He promised. It is up to me to defend myself. Jacob had learned early on to take matters into his own hands rather than place those matters into the hands of God and trust Him to do what is best. He proclaimed truth, prayed for deliverance, and then moved full speed ahead with his own agenda.

I am learning to listen to the conflicting statements I and others can make when referring to God and His ways. Whether spoken out loud or whispered in our heart, we can proclaim a truth about God and then follow it with thoughts and feelings that contradict what we just said. On the surface we believe God is loving, kind, and in control. Deep down inside we fear He is disinterested, angry, absent, and uninvolved. That we are low on His priority list. We do not see the big picture therefore we limit God and either begin to scheme or live with a sense of despair and hopelessness. Why do I say this? Because until I admit what is really going on in my heart and mind I will not be free to move beyond that way of living my Christian life….and neither will you.

God knows my insecurities and doubts. He knows what turns my trust to mush. He knows what disheartens and discourages me. He knows it all and He is using the hard places of this life to help me to see what to do with all of it. He longs to bring me to the place where what I say I believe is what I really believe. It is what I really live. Is it hard? Absolutely! I don’t like to see how far from life changing faith I am but God loves me too much to allow me to live any longer with deception. He is after my heart and desiring that I live in intimate relationship with Him. In order for that to happen, He has to expose and dismantle the falsehoods of my perceived faith. Authentic faith is the goal and He is the One who will get me to that point.

Father, keep showing me where my faith and my feelings collide. My steps are tenuous on this journey but I praise You when each one is taken. Amen.

Do I Trust You Lord - Twila Paris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV1ZY7AWNdY

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Asking the Right Question

And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:25-27 (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus’ question has always intrigued me and at times confused me. In the midst of a storm which produced waves big enough to cover the ship they were in, He is awoken by disciples who are sure they are going to die! He does not ask what the problem is (He already knows). Instead He gets to the heart of the problem….their fear and amount of faith. The fear was bigger than their faith. Jesus was not denying the reality of the storm but rather, He was helping them see that they had a bigger problem than the storm….their perception of what that storm would do to them and their belief that Jesus was unaware of their plight. Both produced a tremendous amount of fear. Their greatest fear was death even though the Giver and Sustainer of life was in their midst!

I am learning to ask myself questions that get to the heart of the problem as well. When life gets messy and my internal world shifts into a storm of emotions, it is time for me to reevaluate my thought process. If I am sad, there is a reason. If I feel hopeless, there is a reason. If I feel frustrated, there is a reason. I am responding to circumstances and drawing faulty conclusions based more on my emotions and feelings than on faith and truth. I am good at it too!

I will give the disciples credit, they went to Jesus with their fear….they had no other choice. I am learning how to do that. Learning to see truth in the light of Scripture and allowing that truth to rule me instead of the emotions. It may be as simple as being reminded that God has not abandoned me, that I am cared for, that His plans and purposes for my life will be fulfilled. It may be as simple as admitting I really don’t know what others are thinking or what the end of the story is for me. It may be as simple as voicing the truth out loud in order to silence the voices within. The moment I do so, the calming of the “storm” happens and like the disciples, I am AMAZED! Amazed that it works. Amazed that it has taken me so many years to learn. Amazed that truth is more powerful than my perceptions. Amazed that this is changing the way I live my life…..all areas of my life.

In this life, I will not reach a point whereby the storms of life do not have an effect on me…no more than I will reach a point whereby I could be cut and not bleed. What amazes me is that the effect no longer has to last!

Father, I am in awe of You and Your ways. May You never cease to amaze me and may I never cease to praise You! Amen.

The Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaVg0cWkgAw

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Known and Unknown Appointed Times

“Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Genesis 18:14 (New American Standard Bible)

Abraham was given specifics about Sarah having a baby…the time frame as well as the gender! Their waiting would soon be over, their family dynamics would be different, and their desire (which they had given up hoping for) would be fulfilled. They were given the specifics, but many of our Bible ancestors were not. Many waited and wondered, thinking maybe their situations would never change…their desires would never be realized. Yet the day came when God seemed to suddenly change everything for them. Moses went from shepherding sheep to shepherding God’s people out of Egypt. Joseph went from prison to the palace. David went from years of running to sitting on the throne of Israel. Ruth went from gleaning in the fields as a means of survival to marrying the owner of the field and being a generational link in the line of Christ. Saul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel of Christ to all he could and writing many of the books of the New Testament. The list goes on and as it does my heart is encouraged!

I work in an education warehouse and absolutely love my job. It is a far cry from my days as an elementary school teacher in a Christian school but it allows me the opportunity to use my God given gifts and abilities which are needed as an inventory control clerk. Yet, I will admit there are days that I wonder, “Is there anything beyond this for me?”

I have spent the past four years writing and sending out email devotionals. I am convinced this is exactly what I am meant to do. Very few things in life give me the pleasure derived from seeing truths, sharing truths, and hearing that others were encouraged by those truths. Without really knowing how many read the devotionals I rest in the fact that God brings them across the computer screens of those who need their message. Yet, once again, I will admit there are days that I wonder, “Is this the extent of the writings?”

If I am not careful, I will allow my thinking to lead to despair and hopelessness. Feelings of insignificance will rule me. So what do I do when I long for more but am not sure what is in the future for me? I hold on to the truths that I know. God is faithful and will fulfill all of His desires for me. For the present I am to simply remain faithful in what He calls me to do. If a change does come, He already has an appointed time for that change even though He has not made it known to me. My significance is found in Him rather than in what I do for Him. It is by these truths that I can then live passionately and confidently from day to day.

Father, You know what I would choose to do if I could write the script of my life. Yet Your ways and thoughts are higher than my own so I choose to live in anticipation of Your will for me unfolding in Your time. Amen.

In His Time - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo-rGzx2OZk&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

When I Am Afraid

What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. Psalm 56:3 (Amplified Bible)

Fear can be for a moment or a life time. It can cause us to freeze in our tracks or get completely off track. It can appear to be real and substantial. Even if we know in our heads it is from the enemy it can still affect and defect us. Like the tongue, it can be a small piece of our life with huge ramifications.

God’s answer? David’s answer? Our answer? Place our confidence, trust, reliance and hope in the One who created us, cares for us, and sustains us. He is dependable…our thoughts and emotions are not. He is reliable…our perceptions are not. He is trustworthy….our hearts and minds are not.

True faith is based not on how I feel, what I think, or how I see things. It is based on who God is and what His Word says about Him. It is based on His knowledge of any given situation. It is based on His ability, character, and heart.

So when I am afraid of failure…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid of losing the people closest to me…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid of making a wrong turn or wrong choice…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid of the unknown…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid of honest disclosure…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid I will never break free of the persistent stronghold of wrong perceptions….I will trust in Him. When I am afraid that I am too convinced of lies to embrace the truth…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid that I will always struggle with relationships…I will trust in Him. When the enemy of my soul has me convinced otherwise…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid that God will remove the things or people I am sure I cannot live without…I will trust in Him. When I am afraid that I am back on square one with God…I will trust in Him.

I know this, when what I will to do is aligned with God’s will it is sure to succeed. Every time I say I will trust in God, I am making a decision to choose Him and His ways. I am not always good at that and not always sure of myself, but He is faithful. He is with me. He is mine.

Father, Your presence alone is what will dispel the fear that can so easily encase me in its grip. Hold me and help me to trust You more. Amen.

Spirit Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWEDBaFy0SI

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.


　

When I Do Not Understand

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” John 13:7 (New King James Version)

I like Peter. He asks the questions every one else is pondering. Today’s verse is in response to his questioning of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet just hours before He would be arrested and later die on the cross. Jesus’ actions made no sense to Peter or the other disciples. Many are the times we question what God is doing and Jesus’ answer to Peter becomes our answer as well. “You do not understand now what I am doing but you will later on.”

Often times our ability to perceive what God is doing and why God is doing it is limited. For one, we are unable to see the full picture and we misunderstand God’s time frame. We attempt to figure it all out but in the end we don’t have a clue and when we try to ‘force’ our own interpretation into the situation we become like a little child trying to force a puzzle piece into the wrong place. Frustration and even anger can mark our path when we strain at God‘s un-understandable ways.

I look back at Bible characters and take note that they rarely understood what God was doing in their life. Joseph in prison for years. Ruth gleaning in the fields. Moses tending sheep in the wilderness. Mary and Martha at the funeral of their brother, Lazarus. Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth enduring years of infertility. In each case, they were being prepared and poised for a miracle! Joseph to be Prime Minister of Egypt. Ruth to marry Boaz and be part of the lineage of Christ. Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Mary and Martha to see Lazarus’ resurrection. Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth to give birth to significant children….Abraham, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Their lack of understanding in no way rendered God powerless.

I have like the song by Twila Paris called “A Heart That Knows You.” A phrase stands out to me that references not understanding. "It may be for my sake just to help me grow. Maybe for Your kingdom, Lord. I don’t have to know." When I can voice those words back to Him it will evidence a heart that really does know Him even when I don’t understand.

Father, my understanding of what You are doing will not be complete until I see You face to face. Thank you for the grace to trust even when I don’t comprehend. I rest in the knowledge of You. Amen.

Warrior is a Child/ Do I Trust You - Twila Paris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pzu-jWpcdw

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Point of Truth

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1,2 (New American Standard Bible)

David describes a longing of the heart. Every expectation. Every desire. Every pursuit. All directed toward God and found in God. I admire people like that. Those who have not only learned to place their hopes and expectations in God but live it daily. They reap the reward of finding their identity, security, and meaning of life in Christ. God is truly their source and center. They look to Him passionately, abide in Him joyfully, and pursue Him vigorously.

God has brought me to a point of truth within the past few hours. It followed an exercise whereby I was listing my expectations, disappointments, belief system, ruling passions, and subsequent behavior in regards to the relationships I have or desire to have with significant people. It took writing out my thoughts on several sheets of notebook paper for the truth to finally make its way into my heart. I have known bits and pieces of that truth for quite some time but the full impact hit me with force.

The truth I have come to acknowledge is that my expectations and longings have always been directed toward people. Thirty-six years ago, I sought God for the salvation of my soul and knew Heaven would be my eventual home. In that time I have learned much about God and even been excited about the things I learned. Yet my desires have often been more directed toward people. Looking to them to help me, heal me, and fix me. Looking to them to fill the voids of my life. Flesh and blood always seemed more tangible to me than turning to God for the same thing. I have lived most of my adult life in a cycling mode….look to people, expect certain things from them, live with disappointment at their inability to fulfill my expectations, and resume the search for one who could. All the while not knowing how to direct that search toward God Himself. Not knowing how to allow Him to be to me what I wanted people to be.

As beautiful as David’s words are in today’s passage, they remained foreign to me. I had yet to experience the reality of them in my own life. Tears mingled with joy as I expressed that to God with a longing and desire for Him. To finally be dependent on Him. To finally open my heart to receive all that He has been offering and longing to give me. This is new for me. I have had slight tastes of it before but never a full blown meal!

Six years ago I came to see that God’s love was not dependent on what I was doing. Today, I begin to live in that love! To be changed by it, impacted by it, and refreshed by it. It is starting with releasing others from my unrealistic expectations of them and placing those expectations on God.

Father, I am beside myself with anticipation, hope, and delight. I have finally learned to let You into the places I kept reserving for others. Forgive me for such resistance. My longings are toward You now. Amen.

All I Once Held Dear - Robin Mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGbuz8QuhmE

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Be My Helper

"Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper." Psalm 30:10 (New American Standard Bible)

There are times when no one in your life can help you but God. Even if someone asked you to explain and share your deepest thoughts the words would remain stuck inside of you. There are times when the emotional roller coasters don’t seem to stop long enough for you to catch your breath before the ride starts all over again.

I am a talker by nature and enjoy laughter. I grew up in a household that was filled with both. But all that talking and all that laughter lacked the sharing of true feelings, needs, emotions, and hurts. At a very young age I learned to keep much of my thoughts and feelings to myself. Something told me people either wouldn’t be interested in what I had to say or they would respond negatively toward it. I can count on one hand the number of times I remember showing tears to anyone in my family. Tears were meant to be hidden and shed in secret. It was safer that way.

What I have come to realize as an adult is when our emotions and feelings are buried as a child we can often struggle to be open and honest with those around us. The simple question of “how are you?” is always answered with “fine” even when inside we are in turmoil. The question persists as to whether or not we should take the risk and share how we are really feeling with those closest to us. And when we do share we eventually wonder if we have shared too much. We ponder whether the person we are talking to is slowly getting a picture of us that will one day cause them to walk away. I have heard it said that the greatest fears a person can have are abandonment and rejection. I have to ask myself at what age was that seed of fear implanted in me. When did I lose the ability to trust? When did I allow perceptions to dominate my thinking and wreak havoc in my relationships?

I don’t have the answers to those questions but I know the One who does. I know He intends more for me than I am experiencing. I know He is moving Heaven and Earth to develop in me a childlike trust in Himself and those He has brought into my life. I know it will be worth it when it finally happens. I also know I strain at the process and grieve at my own lack of cooperation. In moments like this the unchanging and unconditional love of God is what I find comforting and amazing. He holds all the answers and He holds me. At this moment, I find solace in Him.

Father, when I struggle with my thoughts, only You can calm the storm. Only You. Amen.

Help Me God - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSSWHO8ueA

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Mental Rehearsals Gone Awry

As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you." Genesis 12:11-13 (New International Version)

Due to a famine in the land of Canaan, Abram took his wife and household into the land of Egypt, but before he even stepped foot on the soil of that land, his mind was already playing out a scenario and he decided on actions to counter that scenario. I call it ‘mental rehearsing’ and it is as dangerous for me as it was for Abram. Why? Because although the things he feared were plausible and possible they were not based on truth, faith, or trust.

Abram had already been told by God that his would be a life of blessing and within that blessing was a promise of protection and care, “I will make a great nation of you. I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you.” Abram had no need to fear the worst because God had already promised His best. When faced with the unknown it is imperative that we review the truths and promises of Scripture in order to counter all the “what ifs” that our minds can manufacture.

This speaks volumes to me in the early hours of this day. I know what it is like to picture scenes in my mind and react to them as if they are predetermined truth. I not only picture actual rooms and the people in those rooms, but I mentally rehearse what I anticipate those people will think, say, feel, and do. I either brace myself for the worse case scenario or allow myself to imagine the better than life possibilities. This can play itself out for a visit, a phone call, and even an email. Either way is dangerous as they simply lead to unnecessary emotional battles of anticipated rejection or vast amounts of disappointment.

How much better it would be to admit to myself and God that I don’t know what lies ahead but He does. Admit that I am not a mind or heart reader but He is. Rest in the fact that if He leads me to a certain place or situation He will take care of me. Walk with a confidence that He has my back, my heart, my hand, and my life in His hands. How much better it would be if I would bring others and myself to God in prayer rather than spend my energies watching unfounded scenes dance across the walls of my mind.

As I read of Abram’s experience I can sense God saying, “Learn from his mistake and trust Me. Know that I alone know what lies ahead. You don’t have to be held captive by your mental rehearsals any longer.”

Father, I have rehearsed countless scenes in my mind for most of my life. How that practice has robbed me of the joy of living with abandon and trust in You. Thank you for the change that You can and will bring about for me. Amen.

Trust His Heart - Babbie Mason
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9743PE3GXE&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Strength Received

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:11 (New King James Version)

Oh, the variety and depth of Scripture! I have come to know the benefit of slipping my name into a particular verse and experiencing the birthing of hope over a situation or circumstance. Today’s verse is one such treasure. “By faith _______ herself also received strength to _________________, because she judged Him faithful.” What is it you desire and need strength to do? What is the one thing you want to write on the line above?

Realize that ‘strength’ implies ability and power…divine power. It is the same power exhibited in the performance of miracles as well as what we see demonstrated in vast armies. The faith that receives that kind of strength is a conviction of the truth about God and our relationship to Him. It includes a trust in the ability and availability of God as all knowing, all powerful, and ever present.

Often times the thought of God bringing about what is impossible or difficult for us to manufacture on our own, is blocked because of wrong beliefs or views about God. Know this, God reveals the truth about Himself to us in specific ways through His Word and through the experiences He fashions for our life. The Bible must be my primary source for learning the true nature and character of God. Many are the passages that show God’s faithfulness, longsuffering, power, and passion. I began to see those things the day I asked God to show me His heart in Scripture. My experience with His Word was forever changed as a result of that prayer.

Along with that, I have come to know Him as well through daily experiences that He uses to show Himself to me. As I wade through issues and questions I see Him as my comforter, counselor, and companion. I hear His invitations to draw whatever I need from Him. This in turn leads me to recognize His involvement and interest in my life. The thought that I am just ‘one of many’ to Him or a ‘lost face in the crowd’ begins to be replaced with being His treasure and delight. Hence, my trust that He would give me needed strength and ability grows. Just as in the case of Sarah and Abraham, it may take years to see what I desire brought to fruition, but if it is His desire and will, it will come. In the mean time, I continue to allow God to help me develop a walk of intimacy with Himself.

Father, thank you that Scripture is meant for us today. How You must joy when we place our name and life within its pages. Amen.

In Christ Alone - Travis Cottrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvnpcKUrCo4

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.

Knowing Yourself

But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also. Mark 14:29-31 (New American Standard Bible)

One of the many dangerous pitfalls in the Christian life is to not know yourself. Although Jesus spelled it out plainly to Peter, he refused to accept the truth about himself. Refused to see the weaknesses that resided within him. Refusing to see them did not make them go away, but instead, kept him unprepared for the surfacing of those weaknesses. Peter was in denial even in the physical presence of Jesus. How imperative it is for each of us to be willing to know ourselves and admit the truth.

So what is it I must know and admit about myself? I must know where my wounds are for they are the very things the enemy will use against me. I must know those things to avoid because of how easily they will pull me in the wrong direction. I must know my own tendencies to attach myself to the wrong sources. I must know the basis and birthing of faulty reasoning and perceptions. I must know the truth about my flesh…that it will always be weak and will perpetually stand in opposition to what God wants for me. I must know which direction my thoughts will lead me and resist the ones that are directed toward pits of self pity, discouragement, and hopelessness. I must know in which areas I am mistakenly and prematurely assuming victory. I must know that in this life and in this body I have a sin nature and it is persistent.

It is just as necessary that I know the full truth. While I possess a sin nature, I also possess a new nature in Christ. I am defined by what God says about me. My worth, value, and significance are derived from Him and my relationship with Him. My weaknesses are the very opportunities for His strength to be displayed. I possess God’s spirit, God’s nature, and God’s Word. I am never alone and I am never out of His watch care. His purposes and callings on my life will be fulfilled. I am a work in progress and that progress is made one step and one lesson at a time.

Self examination and seeing the truth about myself is not meant to be a time of beating myself up or delving into the trap of self loathing. It is meant to be a reality check that ends in a climax of praise and thanksgiving to the One who knows me best and loves me most!

Father, with You I am safe to see the truth, admit the truth, and live out of the truth. Amen.

The Motions - Matthew West
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Right to the Heart

For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2:10 (New American Standard Bible)

I often mistakenly think that truth has a way of getting into my mind and must somehow be worked into my heart. Just last week I shared with a friend how I have a lot more things stored up in my head than in my heart. It seemed I knew more than I was living. This morning, God is opening my spiritual eyes to a precious truth to take into the new year. When He gives me wisdom it enters my heart! Actually, when comparing different versions I began to see that heart and mind are interchangeable words. Rather than being two separate places in me they are the same.

I take delight in this concept. It gives me hope. It helps me to see where my energies need to be directed. It is not a matter of getting knowledge from my head to my heart. It is a matter of seeing my need to obey and cooperate with God in the areas He has shown me. It is a matter of applying the truths that have entered into me, not only this morning, but in the decades of my Christian life. They are all in me, not just in a part of me. My obedience and His empowerment will be what makes the difference.

That wisdom, truth, and knowledge that I speak of is received from many different avenues. Primarily it comes through His Word but secondarily it also comes through friends, books, music, experiences, His Spirit, and a host of other options God freely chooses and uses. Whichever means by which God desires to bring wisdom to my heart is up to Him. He is perfectly creative and ingenious.

So what has been the wisdom that has entered my heart this morning? I get to put the failures and mistakes of last year behind me. I no longer have to live under the banner of my past. I enter this new year a new person with a fresh start. I can view relationships in a different light because they have changed but not ended. My interaction with individuals will be different this year because the reasons for the places in each others lives are different. I am free to embrace all that God offers me in this new year because some chains of bondage fell of during 2009 and more are to fall in 2010. Things that did not make sense to me last year may very well come through loud and clear this year.

Father, I joy in You and the hope You have given me. I choose today, with Your help, to live out of the wisdom that has entered my heart! Amen.

Shout to the Lord - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I71XhjqoHvs&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.