Having the Right View

For the Lord hears the poor and needy and despises not His prisoners (His miserable and wounded ones). Psalm 69:33 (Amplified Bible)

Healing of our soul, mind, and emotions often times needs to begin with a healing of our view of God. As long as we see God as distant and tolerant of us at best, we will be hesitant to bring to Him the very things of which we need to be healed. If we view Him with closed ears and considering us worthless and despicable because of our weaknesses and wounds, then He will not be the one we run to or turn our attention toward. Those areas in my life that bring me shame and disappointment are usually the last areas that I bring out in the open with God. God is once again showing me the reason behind my hesitancy. It is because my experience with people has clouded the truth about Him. I have put countless faces on God that were not His.

People are human and God is divine. If I don’t keep that thought at the forefront of my thinking then I am in for some storms. It doesn’t take much for me to assume someone is disinterested or distant and when that seed becomes embedded in my thinking I know it is time to rethink my relationship with them. It is at that point that I doubt myself and I doubt them. Their friendship is no longer a place of joy or safety for me. Conversations are limited and strained at best. For one who enjoys friendships as much as I do, this harsh reality of life is daunting.

Part of the problem is that I don’t really know another person’s heart. What I am thinking may or may not be true. That is just a fact of life. It is one of the main reasons relationships involve risk. When I entrust my heart to another person I run the risk of being accepted or rejected. I can think of no greater pain than to realize rejection was the outcome.

But the beauty and freedom of God is that He is very clear in showing us His heart in Scripture. If I have a wrong view of Him, I can know it is a lie. I don’t have to wonder whether or not my thoughts are accurate. What lines up with Scripture is true and what does not line up with Scripture is false. I can think of no better revelation of God’s heart than in the book of Psalms. David’s roller coaster of emotions are always settled and grounded by reviewing what he knows to be true about his Father. He knew the power of acknowledging this as well as voicing it.

I don’t have all the answers when it comes to relationships. At present there are many who concern and confuse me. But I am finding comfort and confidence in the truths about God. As I look to Him, the answers will come.

Father, You never tire of showing me the most basic truths about Yourself. I am in need of this review. Amen.

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

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.

Supplying What I Need

Now may the God of peace ….Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it). Hebrews 13:19-21 (Amplified Bible)

Two weeks ago, truths were coming alive to me at a rate that took my breath away. That which had confused and eluded me for months seemed to clear up and I began feeling better than I had felt in a long time. At times, I thought, “This is too easy!” It was all clicking and I couldn’t have been happier. A trip north crossed my path with several friends who shared in my excitement over what God was doing. Freedom and joy was marking my day as well as my conversations. I felt strong physically, emotionally, and spiritually. What I failed to realize though was this time of celebration was to soon lead into a time whereby all would come to a screeching halt.

I am not one who battles sickness very often, so I was unprepared for the draining affect of the flu. Although it lasted a mere four days and was followed by three additional days of back spasms, that was long enough to exhaust my physical and spiritual reserve. I found myself without the energy to do my normal reading and spending time in God’s Word. All was set aside for the purpose of resting and regaining. Yesterday, I took in God’s truths to simply feed my spirit. I had nothing to bring to others in the way of a devotional. I felt I was relearning the very things that seemed to come so easily a while ago. There were no battles fought when I was sick, but they reappeared as my health returned.

Today, my Father has been quick to let me know of His involvement in my growth process. He is assuring me of how available He is to strengthen, equip, and work in me. What I ought to be is exactly what He is molding me to be. My own whispers, as well as those of the enemy, are being drowned out by His words of truth and life. At times, I feel internally shaky, but the Solid Rock I stand on and in is secure and immovable. It doesn’t all rest on my shoulders. I don’t have to try and figure out how God is going to accomplish all that He needs to accomplish in me. I simply need to trust Him and cooperated with Him in this moment. I need to let my own weaknesses become my daily reminders of how much I need Him.

Father, You know what You are going to do with me and that is what I am taking with me into this day. 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

That Which Evokes Praise

And Mary said: “ My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. Luke 1:46-49 (New King James Version)

These were the first words out of Mary’s mouth when she learned she was to give birth to the Son of God….Jesus. Her spirit and her mouth were exploding with praise and adoration for God which came out of the realization that He had intersected her world in a powerful way.

As a believer, I know that Mary’s words can be my words as well, for truly on a daily basis, God regards my lowly state and He does great things for me. Praise is forthcoming when I identify His loving acts on my behalf. Thanksgiving is expressed as I acknowledge the ways He has patiently worked to develop in me the qualities that are imperative if I am to bear the image of His Son. Rejoicing is my response when I review the ways He has intersected my world for His honor and glory.

Nothing thrills me more than to finally “get” a concept in such a way as to bring about a needed change in my life. That thrill drives me to worship because I know my Creator God is at work in me. Recently, the concept I have finally understood is that I can ask for God’s help. To some, that would seem more simple than profound, but to me it is huge! It comes after years of thinking I must muster up change on my own, whether in word, deed, or thought. In the area of thoughts, I walked in more defeat than victory. My problem many times was that I WANTED to dwell on the negative aspects of life. I was good at harboring feelings of hurt, unforgiveness, and self condemnation….until I learned I could ask God to help me WANT to think on the right things. You see, once I am in the mode of wanting to do something, I will do it. I just had to learn that God is more than willing (delighted even) to give me the “want to”. He knows that outside of His help I am helpless to help myself. Therefore, when I see victory over previous areas of defeat, I have no trouble knowing Who gets the credit. This gives me hope for every area of my life. It allows me to see that nothing, absolutely nothing, is out of the realm of God’s redemption and restoration.

What a joy to start each day with the fresh awareness that God holds rule and reign over my life, and is always ready and willing to come to my aid.

Father, I use to not know how to ask for Your help, but that is no longer the case. I freely acknowledge that with me it is impossible but in Christ I can do all things! Amen.

Who Am I? - Point of Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDZwfMBerxo

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 Power and Purpose of a Rebuke

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:14 (New International Version)

That which the Lord strongly disapproves of is the very thing He will express in a rebuke. It happened to His disciples on numerous occasions and always pinpointed heart issues and actions that needed to be exposed, admitted, and changed. He still does the same today. His rebuke is conveyed through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. Growth and change come when I receive the rebuke, acknowledge the truth of my own heart, and by His grace do an about face in cooperation with Him. Denial and hardness of heart are the recipes for disaster in the Christian life.

I know what it is like to be in bondage to an attitude or action and I know what it is like to taste freedom in an area by hearing and heeding God’s rebukes. It requires operating in the truth rather than making excuses, accepting the status quo, laying claim to do as I want, and experiencing enough discomfort to take the necessary steps for action.

Rebukes do not feel good and for that reason they often make me cower and run for cover. Having something unacceptable exposed in me was and still is a difficult pill to swallow. My nature is such that I want others to see me at my best. I want to exhibit strength and maturity as a believer. Under it all though, God is bringing to the surface the imperfections of my heart. The wrong motives, the moments of self-pity, the desire for attention, the hunger for sympathy, and the perceived need to be under the nurturing care of people. He is letting me know those are the things that keep me from experiencing the abundant life He offers.

As I have come to see that truth, I have begun to hunger for it. That which use to taste so sweet has now soured in my mouth and I want the change God desires for me. Out of love and graciousness, He is honoring that desire and giving me the steps to take in order to see my own transformation. For me, the first steps have been to admit the truth to myself and to one other individual. Those are the necessary doors I must go through in order to leave the places that have become comfortable and confining for me and to enter the open spaces of freedom. It will take time and will entail uncomfortable moments but in the end it will be worth it.

Father, keep exposing that which keeps me from walking in freedom and joy. I trust Your heart and Your words. Amen.

Change My Heart Oh God by Eddie Espinosa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEtsHWFE6-w

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.

Taken the Wrong Way

Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. 1 Samuel 18:8,9 (New American Standard Bible)

A hero’s welcome for David ignited a spirit of suspicion, jealousy, and hatred in King Saul that eventually led him to a strong desire to see David dead. He never saw the truth of his own heart and therefore never dealt with the very thing that became his ruin. Ruled by his own sense of insecurity, loneliness, and self centeredness, Saul spent his life playing the comparison game. When women greeted David with songs of acclamation for his victories in war, they meant it as a celebration but Saul took it as a personal insult to himself.

There are times when God uses the weaknesses of others in Scripture to pinpoint and highlight areas of concern in my own life. I wish I could read this account of Saul and not have any idea where he was coming from but that just isn’t the case. I relate all too well with not only his thoughts and feelings but with his actions as well. Although I would never seek the life of an individual, I have entertained the worst of thoughts toward them. I have played out scenarios in my mind and embraced them as truth. The effects of doing so have brought about painful consequences.

This morning, God and I are delving into the undercurrent of taking things personal. It happens every time I attach a negative reason, motive, or agenda to another person’s actions or lack of actions. I presume to know what they are thinking and respond to that perception. What makes it so difficult is that what I am thinking is actually feasible….the enemy makes sure I know that. Once I have an idea embedded in my mind everything else seems to go out the window and I am on my way to the bedrock of my flesh.

God and I are looking over the list of offenses and disappointments that I have been harboring just in the last week. The discomfort of how that is effecting me is what is causing me to cry out to Him for answers. He has shown me the problem and now I look to Him to show me the solution. It will necessitate a heart change and a transformed way of thinking and those come only through His work in me and my cooperation with Him. I have been on this journey long enough to know that when God reveals an area of weakness to me it is to show me what He intends to work on rather than to condemn me. I rest in that thought.

Father, at times I do well in fighting the battles. At other times I drop all resistance and live in defeat. You have better plans for me and I look to you for the necessary change needed. Amen.

Praise You With the Dance - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RjNcOqwpRk&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.

Hearing the Word

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, this is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 (New King James Version)

Several years ago I began writing and sending out email devotionals. From the first moment that I jotted down a paragraph of thoughts in a notebook to what I am writing this morning I have experienced God’s guidance and voice. He has let me know when changes needed to be made and when items needed to be added. He has changed my view and reasoning for why the devotionals are even shared. I have come to trust His heart as well as His leading.

From time to time, I have been asked by individuals whether or not I would consider getting a devotional book published. The desire has been there but so has the hesitancy. My greatest fear has been with the publishing world itself. I have the impression that publishers only consider the works of those who have a “name” as well as an established ministry. Because I have no public platform the impossibility of it all has kept me frozen in my tracks.

Once again, I have heard His word to me and I now know what it is He wants me to do. He wants me to venture into a world I know little of and take steps of faith I have never taken before. It requires leaving my comfort zone of what I have done so far, and simply taking this one step of obedience. All He is telling me to do is contact publishers with a book proposal. That’s it! Does it mean a book will be published? I don’t know. That is up to God. What it does mean is that I must do what He is leading me to do and I must leave the results with Him. It doesn’t matter if all I get back are rejection letters. That may or may not happen. What matters is that my faith in Him is developed and my spiritual muscles are strengthened.

As with any area of life, God is often after something that needs to be changed or developed in us. Discouragement and confusion set in when we misunderstand what He is saying and where He is leading. This is not about a book. This is about my relationship with Him. He wants me to see Him as one who can be trusted and safely followed. He wants to show me how much of an adventure a walk of faith can be. I don’t have to know the future or the end of the story. I just need to know Him.

Father, I don’t know what You have in mind for me but I know what it is You want me to do. You have spoken. I have heard. I will obey. By Your grace, amen.

God Will Make a Way - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hOjYR8UZT8&NR=1

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

There Is No Mark

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (New King James Version)

It has taken me years to see it but I finally see it and admit it. I am a perfectionist. Not the kind that keeps my socks in order or alphabetizes my canned goods. I am a perfectionist when it comes to living up to the standards and expectations I have of myself and what I believe God has for me. The rub comes when I fail. There is a part of me that struggles to let go of past sins, failures, and mistakes. Recently I was told by a friend that although I have confessed an area to God and He has forgiven me, I have not forgiven myself and therefore continue to live under condemnation, shame, and regret. Forgiving myself simply means to accept God’s forgiveness and live out of that gracious act. She was right and God has been helping me to see how to do that.

My problem was in understanding exactly what happens when God forgives me. When I admit my sin and agree with Him about that sin, He lets go of the offense. He no longer regards it, discusses it, keeps it, or holds on to it. He abandons it! Those in themselves are powerful statements for me to digest. But God wants me to know the full picture. His forgiveness also entails a cleansing!

For too long I have felt that although I was forgiven there remained a black mark or stain on my record and life. That “mark” is what hung as a banner of condemnation and guilt over me. Always present. Always taunting. What I failed to see is there is no mark, stain, or spot. God removed it completely when He forgave me, just as a person would cleanse a physical stain on clothing or carpet. Just as Jesus cleansed the lepers. God’s cleansing frees me from the defilement of sin and clears my record of faults. In His eyes, I am untarnished and untainted by my past actions.

What does this say to me? My sins are not a life sentence. Each and every time I confess things to God I am given a complete and thorough pardon. A fresh start and a clean slate! For a perfectionist like myself, this is a huge freedom truth to embrace. It clears the way for me to live by God’s love, grace, and mercy rather than by a sense of guilt and shame. I have blown it many times but God declares me clean and I want to allow that to be my life defining declaration from now on!


Father, I no longer see the stains. In that I rejoice and dance! Amen.

What Sin? By Morgan Cryar
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIeOKQVDs&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.