Category Archives: Holy Habitation

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: The Cleansing Power of Light

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“… if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7 NASB)

Before pressing on from this passage, we must take a moment to acknowledge the cleansing power of walking with God in the Light of fellowship. When we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with God and with God’s people. In this place, the cleansing of Christ in us is made evident. And the continual cleansing of Christ in us becomes part of our everyday walk with God, who takes us deeper into Him with each spiritual step forward, placing in us the freedom from sin Christ bought for us to possess through Him.

Fellowship with God is one proof of cleansing, because God, who is Light and is Good, cannot mix with darkness – or evil. Light DISPELS (banishes, eliminates, or pushes away) the darkness (evil).

There is a statement made of the disciples that I believe fits here. It always grabs me and leads me to pray it for my life.

“Now as THEY observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS HAVING BEEN WITH JESUS.” (Acts 4:13 NASB)

When we live in the Light as God is in the light, our relationship with Jesus is evident. Our lives reveal us to be a person after God’s own heart, in Christlike personality, choices, and purposes. The way we talk and behave becomes evidence of our close walk with Him.

None of us will draw in close enough to see God’s face on this side of Glory. As long as we are in these flesh bodies, the spirit of flesh will have its stubborn battles, contending against the Spirit of God. But I believe that the Father will never stop wooing us deeper into the Light of His Presence, where freedom from sin increases to us through Christ our Lord.

Freedom from sin and sins effect on our lives is vital for our health and wellbeing, and to our witness and effective service. Come into the Light of fellowship with Father, in the power of the Spirit through Christ our Lord, and be free.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: The Ray of Fellowship

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“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, WE LIE AND DO NOT PRACTICE THE TRUTH; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7 NASB

Returning to 1 John, the next ray or visible proof of God’s Light is fellowship: fellowship with God; and fellowship with the Family of God in Christ.

Fellowship: When we walk in the Light as God is in the Light, we know the presence of God. But more than that, we have a relationship with Him, for fellowship requires relationship.

First off, when we possess true fellowship with Father, there is clarity because HE IS THE LIGHT. When we are in the Light AS He is, we are in Him who is Light. He flows Light to and through us, not only empowering us to possess clear comprehension of Him – His revealed person, purpose, and will, but also making us to be His Light to each other. There, we find power that enables true relationship, true fellowship with God.

Relationship is two way. Relational fellowship is more than me talking to Him with hope He is listening. When we truly fellowship, there is evidence that brings ASSURANCE that as one speaks, the other hears with understanding. Fellowship with God includes Him speaking to me and me hearing with comprehensive understanding.

I’m not talking audible words from God, though He has done it before and I have no doubt that He can do so again if He wills to. There is a spiritual communication that happens when we truly fellowship with God. His instruction to us is made clear to our understanding: that is proof of Light.

There’s a teaching in our day that believes God no longer “speaks” to us today. That makes me sad, for such belief hinders fellowship. We know when God is communicating with us: He makes it clear to us. That is vital to fellowship. When I am sure of what God is telling my heart, as far as I’m concerned, God has spoken and I better listen with willing obedience.

When each of God’s people possess this glorious fellowship with the Father, we recognize each other as having been with God, and there is relational connection that takes place between us. Even just meeting for the first time, we find a deep, abiding fellowship; a belonging that is real and binding. People who have close relationship with the Father cannot help but discover common ground with each other. We are rooted together in the same vine.

Fellowship, it is vital to unity, unifying us with God – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and through Them, unity comes to the Body of Believers.

FELLOWSHIP: It does the Body good!

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: Walking LIGHT

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“…Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD; walk as children of Light….” Ephesians 5:6-10 NASB

This passage proof texts the pondering from yesterday. God is LIGHT. Our relationship with Him revives His image, set in humankind at creation and revived in us through Christ as God abides in us and us in Him. Thus, He who is Light shines in us and makes us light as He is LIGHT. But what does that look like?

Beginning with today’s passage and pressing on for as many days as I find scriptural descriptions to follow, we will answer this question. I started here in Ephesians instead of continuing with the blueprints found in 1 John, because, to me, this is the clearest picture of the light God is, the Light Jesus portrayed, and the Light we are in Him. Ephesians 5:6-10 is always first in my memory when I consider our call to be His Light.

“…walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

In our relationship with God, as we grow to know and understand what pleases Him, we begin to bear the fruit of our growing union with Him. The rays of His Light, alive and growing in us, shine goodness, righteousness, and truth. Note these things, Beloved:

GOODNESS

First thing to remember is that “God, alone, is good.” (The words of JESUS when someone called Him good. Mark 10:18) Good or goodness is another attribute of God. Just as true love and pure light only resides in Him, so real goodness is His attribute alone. We can only be good as He bears that fruit into our lives. Goodness is another attribute found in the image of God, and goodness is part of what we see when God reveals His glory (Exodus 33:18-19 NASB).

RIGHTEOUSNESS

Scripture teaches that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. His Righteousness comes alive in us as we bear the light of His image. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB)

TRUTH

Jesus pointed to the lies portrayed and lived by the Pharisees, telling them that they were bearing the fruit of their father, the devil; then he points out that He is of His Father. Jesus is The Way, THE TRUTH, and The Life. He was the Light of the Father when He was here; and He left us to be His Light, Representing Him through our lives.

The Light of God through us, Beloved: Goodness, Righteousness, Truth. That is who we are, proving ourselves to be His children. Believe it. Receive it. POSSESS it. Walk it.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 KJV

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: God IS Light

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“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NASB‬‬

God is light. YES! That’s exciting! And it’s worth repeating, Beloved. God is LIGHT. There is no darkness in Him because LIGHT is what HE IS. Try pulling God to the dark side and all you do is brighten up the place, because He IS Light. Wherever He goes, there is Light. So God said, “Let there be light,” and there was because God entered creation and Light had to arise.

I know: a little writers flair there, but you get the point, right? God is light, so wherever He is, there is light. Light proves God’s presence and work in a thing. Darkness cannot remain where Light is because Light dispels the dark. Thus, Beloved, if we have God, proof will reveal itself as Light fills the space called “me”.

Here’s the thing. When we get God, the image of God placed in all mankind at creation and killed in the fall, is REVIVED. Therefore, we, His image bearers, not only receive His Light, but by the power of our union, we become LIGHT! As we abide in Him, He abides in us, and wherever He is, LIGHT! Thus, wherever we go, the Sonshine dispels the dark around us.

Repeat after me, Beloved, “In the name of Jesus, let there BE LIGHT!” Thus we begin our journey to The Light.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Finding Our Independence Day

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“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14-15 NASB

Forgiveness is very important to me. Since the day God showed me that my choosing to forgive another is for my own sake, just as we see Him choose to forgive Israel in Isaiah 43:25, He has called me to be a voice, encouraging true forgiveness. Choosing to forgive protects who we are, preventing our becoming something we don’t want to be, and it secures the course of our life for the good we are set to achieve.

Today, as I read this passage, Father brings to mind the movie, Independence Day. In it, we find a character portraying a military veteran who is believed crazy because of his story about once being kidnapped by aliens.

In the movie, our veteran is the hero who gives up his life to bring down the alien enemy. Before that, what we see is a man who is eat up by his experience. Drunken most of the time, he loses work, becomes the laughing stock of the town, and is near to losing his eldest son who is embarrassed and fed up with his dad’s drunken inadequacies.

When it comes time and opportunity for our hero to prepare to be part of the fighting force against the alien attack, we discover the true reason for the man’s drunken failure, as he announces that, since his kidnapping, he’s been looking for opportunity to delve out some payback. This fictitious character is a perfect example of why it is important to forgive “for my own sake,” which truly works for the sake of everyone around us.

Unforgiveness does great harm to our ability to have good relationships. It can hinder our ability to be the people of worth God desires for us. It can and will destroy our effectiveness in life, making us of little use to a God of Love. Unforgiveness can cut our life short in our pursuit of some sense of retribution. And, the thing I learned from God is that choosing to forgive protects us from falling short of loving others in sacrificial ways.

In our story found in the Independence Day movie, the thing that led our hero to sacrifice His life was less the want of payback he professed desire for and spent many drunken days looking for. Sobering up so he could do the job required of him, in those final moments, it is not desire for payback that leads to his decisive sacrifice. Instead he found the desire to protect the lives of those he loved.

That is what I discern in the proclamation of God found in Isaiah 43:25. He forgave for His own sake so that He would stay the course of protecting the people out of which His Christ would come. For the sake of fulfilling His purpose in providing saving grace for the world, He chose, for His own sake, to forgive Israel, even though their sin against Him begged for payback.

God may get us to the right motive for our last breath effort to love others, but what a waste that comes from the moment we choose unforgiveness to the detriment of our character, hindering our path to the fulfillment of the purpose of our life. Don’t let unforgiveness steel your in-between opportunity for a life worth living. Choose the love that forgives for one’s own sake, and find in that your Independence Day victory over bitterness, anger, drunkenness, etc.

Devotional Series, Health, Holy Habitation

Soul Cleansing

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The following is a teaching done by my friend, Sara. It is powerful and freeing. You will need about an hour for it, so bookmark the page where you can find it when time permits. You will not feel the hour a loss. BLESSings, Beloved.

Soul Cleansing

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Awestruck and Set Free!

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“When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.” Luke‬ ‭5:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ (Read Luke 5:1-11 NLT)

This passage, along with others, like Isaiah 6, reveal to us two things that happen when a person experiences the very PRESENCE of God. One is that we are AWESTRUCK by His glory. The other is that we are brought to repentance by the contrast in character we realize when we draw near to God.

When we draw near to God, we are humbled before Him, thus, we bow down. When we experience His essence, we want more of Him and less of “me”. When we draw near to God, we automatically resist the devil and all that is not God, finding in that surrender the Victory of Christ and the burning coal of freedom from sin.

“Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”” Isaiah 6:5-7 NLT

Be in awe of the Father. Let the burning coal of the altar of Christ touch you for cleansing. Be sanctified and, set apart in Christ, go forth into the purpose of God for you, filled with and empowered by His Spirit Flame.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

FREELY!

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“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” Matthew‬ ‭10:8‬ ‭NASB‬‬

This passage is talking about the tangible evidences of God’s BLESSings to us, how we are not to hoard those things God freely gives, but share them – FREELY.

Thinking on this, my marriage comes to mind. You have probably heard that marriage is a 50/50 proposition or partnership. I found that belief often leads to discontent in marriage, feeling we’re not getting our fair share. I find 100/0 a better mindset for me.

Every blessing I have comes freely from the Father, including my marriage. I have found God faithful when I give 100% into my marriage while trusting God for any return. I am never disappointed.

When my eyes are set on what God will do, I more readily see His hand in every return for the good I do. And I am well pleased that most of that return comes through the obvious love, care, and support of my husband.

Give all, freely, trusting God, and get ready for a harvest that thrills and amazes.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

God’s WORD: Empowered to Save Souls

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“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” James‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus came to give us Life: Life, more abundant and full. He gave His life to deliver us from sin’s death.

Jesus also came as the Living Word, sent by God to correct the false understanding plaguing His people. Father and Son left for us the living, life giving Word, compiled and presented to us in the form of our Holy Bible, as written and inspired by God in the power of the Spirit.

As I read this scripture in James today, I realize anew that, when we surrender to Jesus as Lord, Jesus saves us from eternal death – separation from God – and gives us eternal Life, granting us the Spirit of God as our Teacher and as a seal of our union with God. All that God IS, is with us, from that instant to forevermore, never to be separated again from Him who promises to never leave us.

Jesus saves fully and completely. Yet this Word we consider today tells us that God’s Word, left for us, prepared to assist us in our search of the greater depths of God, is EMPOWERED to SAVE our SOULS.

Paul tells us that our fleshly, little-s spirit wars against the Spirit of God, bringing a struggle in our flesh, the purpose of which is to hinder our progress in maturing as a Christ follower and image bearer of God (I.e., Romans 6-8). Our flesh still wants to rule us and fights to control us, making us a slave to our flesh. The spirit of man does not want to give up the false freedom it believes real and true.

When we seek the Teacher to grant us understanding and ability to receive the Truth found in God’s Word, the Spirit empowers that Word to heal our soul. The soul of man (as in humankind) is his fleshly mind, will, and emotions. The fleshly soul is seen in us as the mind of man with it’s earthbound thoughts; the will of man with it’s self-focused desires; and the emotional state of man, unchecked and unleashed to possess the man and rule the day.

When the Spirit increases our understanding of the Word and Truth of God, empowering that Word to save our soul, we find our mind renewed, as God brings to life in us the mind of Christ, dictated by the Truth of God, healing us through His right thoughts within us. His Word reveals the deception of our hearts that dictate our will, our desires in life, and brings healing through aligning our desires and motives with the Fathers. The healing of our mind and will empowers us to possess His Healing Word in us to such a degree that we can now rule and control our emotions. God’s Word often empowers our mind and will to discern the emotional state we are in and align it with the Father’s emotional stability.

Jesus possessed and controlled His body and soul because He IS the Living Word of God. That power for healing the soul of man that the Word of God possesses was in Jesus to the point that The Word IS His WHO. He possessed the Word, lived the Word, and portrayed the very Word of God.

Beloved, we are to do the same. We are to seek the healing power of God’s Word so that it INDWELLS us and makes us the very image of The Father in Christlikeness. Without The Word of God, Living actively and effectively in us, we will continue to struggle as our fleshly spirit fights against the Holy.

Thus we see the reason it is vital for us to feast ourselves on His Word every day, even throughout the day, meditating on its application to our daily living. We must seek to devour it and pick every kernel of truth from it. Beloved, The Word is like the Manna of God, renewed every morning. Only God can give it, and we will never deplete the nourishment found there on this side of Glory. There is always a new, deeper kernel of Truth there for us who truly seek Him with all we are.

May you be healed today, Beloved, and find The Word fully alive and well in your very soul.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Going Home

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Listening to the song “Home”, by Chris Tomlin, got me to thinking about our journey to get there. The life we are living right now is that journey. We’re on the road, and God’s Word is the map.

Every step, every breath, every heartbeat, every thought, every word and deed: each one puts foot on the next brick in our path. Our choices in each step determines whether we walk with God in each moment, and the type of deposits to our eternal treasury.

The cool thing about life with God is His provision for us when we miss step, make bad decisions, and get off track with Him. My husband has a saying for times when a wrong turn or a missed exit finds us lost or looking for the way back. He says, “It’s okay. All roads lead home.”

No matter how lost we get, a series of correct turns (right choices) will get us where we need to be. It’s the same with God. As soon as we realize that we walked away from Him on our journey home, repentance includes making right choices that get us back on course with Him.

We all get off track from time to time. Thankfully, God does not allow baggage in heaven’s gates. All the wood, hay, and stubble will be burned away. We can’t take it with us, Beloved. But the closer we stay to Him, the more treasure we will find waiting there for us. Every day is a day to sing glorious traveling songs by a life lived well, as we are going Home.

https://youtu.be/YIb4NC5ikYo

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

The WHOLE EARTH is FULL of God’s GLORY

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“And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”” Isaiah‬ ‭6:3‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Think about what this says, Beloved. “The WHOLE EARTH is FULL of GOD’s GLORY.”

Is that true? Do we believe it? Then we have to realize that all the ugly we see is set by God’s enemy to hide from us His GLORY.

Look hard. Look deep. Find the glimmer of THE GLORY. Focus on that. Rejoice in every sighting. Pray for that glimmer to come forth in agreement with truth. Watch the Glory WIN. Watch the ugly turn to glorious beauty. Watch ‘that person’, trapped in the ugly, surrender to the GLORY.

If it’s true, the Glory is there. Trust God for it. Watch with earnest expectation and hope. Shout it with faith: “GLORY! Reveal Your GLORY.” Amen?

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Fruit Bearing Truth

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“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NASB

Throughout my life, this passage has brought teaching on the fact that we cannot bear eternal fruit apart from our union with Christ. This is a very true teaching that is vital to understand. But as I look at this today, my mind settles on the promise of this verse.

The one who abides in Christ and he in the one, that one bears much fruit! Period. The end.

If we truly are in Christ and Him in us, there will be eternal fruit evidenced in our lives. If there is no fruit – the ever growing and glowing image of God shining forth from us as born out of the Spirit – there is reason to question our true alliance.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

God’s Parameters of Protection

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I hear people all the time saying “God works all things together for good,” and they stop there. These often get a deer in the headlights look when the parameters for God’s good work is pointed out.

Don’t miss the “to those” of this promise. God works good in all things “to those who love God”; and, “to those” who are walking out His purposes according to His calling. If we go outside of God’s calling and purpose, or if we act without love for God, we step outside of this hedge of His protection.

With most of God’s promises there is a parameter, a hedge that sets the boundaries for remaining in His field of promise. Step outside of that, we face consequences God’s hedge is set to spare us from suffering. Don’t get caught in the headlights of danger, Dear. Watch for the parameters set by our loving Father.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

The Surrendered Mind

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“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a DOUBLE-MINDED man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8 NASB

One with thoughts being tossed by the wind, causing one to struggle with doubt and fear, is said to be “double minded”. This struggle of faith to follow the wisdom God sends for our need comes when our fleshly mind argues against the very mind of Christ indwelling us.

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 NASB

The mind of flesh is haughty, daring even to argue with God. The mind of Christ receives and surrenders to the higher thoughts of the wisdom of The Father-head. The mind of Christ ALWAYS cries out, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Like 21:42

The mind of Christ in us empowers our surrendered living. Bow down, Beloved.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Trust

Only Fear Falling Short of Rest

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“…Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.” Hebrews 3:18-19, 4:1 NASB

Entering God’s rest: it is a vital posture for us to obtain if we are to move safely through the harsh environs of this world. Two things hinder us from entering the rest God has for us to possess:

One is disobedience. When we fail to obey God, we are constantly fretting because of the hurt and turmoil that comes as a consequence of sin.

The second hindrance to entering God’s rest is failure to truly trust God; which, in itself, is sin. Symptoms that tell all we are not truly trusting God include:

⁃ An ungodly fear, that denies the goodness of God’s Sovereignty and unfathomable wisdom, failing to acknowledge His vision for things we can’t know or truly understand. Fearing the unknown, instead of trusting the God who knows all.

⁃ Anger, as in a temper tantrum over not getting our way: thinking we know best how a situation should go and not trusting God’s better judgment from His station of all knowing wisdom.

⁃ A hopelessness that says we or the situation are beyond God’s power to help, protect or to work good in it.

⁃ Depression that traps us in said hopelessness.

⁃ Trying to fix what we feel God failed to accomplish, as if we know better than He what is good, right, and needful for eternal purpose.

These are but a few symptoms of failure to truly trust, thus failing to enter God’s rest.

The greatest hindrance to entering God’s rest is failure to believe His promises and the truth of His self-revelation to us found in His Word.

By God’s Word, I know that God is good, He works for my good, and He is always faithful. I know that truth about Him, but when I fail to believe and trust these truths, I go my own way and try to fix things I only think I fully see and know the truth of.

Taking God at His Word and trusting His promises are vital to our obedience and trust. Without these foundational blocks seated firmly under our feet, we stumble and fall more readily into the things that keep us from His rest.

Faith that God can do what needs done often sees what we believe is the best solution or what we desire most to happen and seeks Him for that. There is nothing wrong with seeking God in this way. The only wrong is when we do so without complete trust in Him.

Trust in God recognizes His Sovereignty, with faith in Him to work a good I may not understand in the moment. Trust knows God is faithful, loving, caring, and working our destiny for eternal purpose. Even when things don’t go the way we hoped, trust remains strong in the Lord, and His rest is our waiting room while we watch with earnest expectation and hope of seeing His good bring all into His glory.

Trust rests in God being God and working His good, not in our idea of what “good” should look like. No one and no thing can disturb the rest of one whose trust is securely set in God and His righteousness.

Enter His rest, Beloved, and be at peace beyond the comprehension of a world in turmoil. Like Paul, May our only fear be in failure to please God, thus missing the rest He has for us.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Worship

PRAISE FOR THE ONE

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Praise tells the cosmos that God is sovereign, almighty, worthy, victorious, right, good, and on the throne of the heart of the one who praises Him alone as God. Praise increases hope, enters His help, dawns His glory Lives His story, and fills His worshipers with Himself, His power, His authority, His surity, bringing the unity of ONEness with Him in the Christ who bridges and the Spirit who teaches, bringing all into the Divine Will.

Oh how beautiful the Glory that makes ONE as God continues His Life story through those who believe, receive, and become His worshipers. How BLESSed we are to be His worshipers, Beloved.

Go forth in the Spirit of Truth and Shine, with every breath, every step, every move, every desire honoring our Father as Sovereign in us, giving way to the Spirit of the Triune, who alone can empower true worship in us and who alone can protect that peace-filled abundance, undisturbed by any thief who would dare to steal, kill, or destroy the voice of True Worship.

(c) Darlene Davis

6/22/18

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Surefooted

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“The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19 NLT

Wow! I am so excited for this Promise from God. What a glorious Word for us who desire more than anything to please our God.

Think about it. Scripture teaches that though we make our plans, it is God who directs our steps (1). His Word instructs us to know that He assures our heart (2). Then this verse assures us that our God makes us “SUREFOOTED”!

~ Surefooted – unlikely to stumble or slip. CONFIDENT and COMPETENT. ~

Wow. Through faith in God, who directs our path and assures our hearts, we can press forward with surefooted fervor, confident and competent to accomplish the glory of God in the path of His choosing.

Through faith’s assurance, we can press on in Christ, despite the accuser who would cause us doubt and fear, whether demon or those who work as Satan’s advocate. Beloved, from experience, I know this assurance of heart that comes when my foot is where God wants it. So can you. Seek Him in faith today, then press forward in trust to do the good He inspires in you.

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” (Hymn – Trust and Obey, written by John H. Sammis)

1. Proverbs 16:9 AMPC

2. Romans 8:28; Colossians 4:12; Hebrews 10:19-22; 11:1-2; 1 John 3:18-22

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Place of Refreshing

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“so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:32‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Good morning, Beloved.

One of our greatest privileges as a part of the Christian fellowship is for each of us to be a place of refreshing for others. It can be a challenge to achieve that, but it is a goal worth striving for.

I see this as our being a safe place where godly love and acceptance is found; where people can be real with us while knowing they can find encouragement, rest, and wise counsel. Even as I type this out, I know that I still have some work to accomplish in being this for those I love and spend time with. How about you?

Father, grant us wisdom and Spirt-power to be found in Christ, knowing how and when love produces a safe place of refreshing, and when love needs to flip tables.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Build the Walls

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“…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.” Psalms 51:17-19 NASB

As I read this passage, I am captivated by a seeming switch in thought as David prays for cleansing and freedom from sin, and for the sin offering to be acceptable. Meditating on it, I realize it is not a change in focus to pray for God’s goodness to Zion and the building of the walls for Jerusalem. What I believe He is saying is for God to protect and establish their resistance to sin so that the offering comes from hearts that are right with God, thus making the sacrifice a delight to Him, worthy of His grace.

Father, though Jesus made the perfect sacrifice, fully delivering us from the eternal penalty due our sinfulness, we still need You, by Your favor, to do good to us and build up our walls of resistance to sin, that we may please You in all our ways. This I pray for myself, my family, and for all reading this post in agreement now. In Jesus and for His glory, make it so.

Read Psalms 51:1-19 NASB

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 8

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“…All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:12-17

The Truth of God’s Word, rightly known and understood, makes us adequate and equips us for good works. Since even our greatest good is as filthy rags apart from the work of God in us, the work of the Spirit in bringing truth of the Word to life in us, transforms our filthy rags to good works that honor God as Lord, fulfilling His purpose in and through us.

Dig in Beloved and feast yourself on The Word of God, seeking the Teacher for understanding. Be made new through the inspired Word of God that is profitable for training in righteousness.

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them….” 2 Timothy 3:12-17 NASB

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 7

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Beloved, there is a True Faith in the One True God that taps into His True Power, and that relationship is necessary for the Liberating Transformation we desire. Without this Power at work in us, we cannot progress to a true transformation that lasts.

Think of the butterfly. It starts as larva, having the mere potential of life. In the natural, before the larva becomes a butterfly, it crawls the earth in a worm state. It’s course leads it to cocoon. The cocoon state is where the worm meets True Power that works transformation, turning the caterpillar into the beauty of the butterfly.

Beloved, the cry we lift to Father now and in tomorrow’s day of focused prayer is a call to cocoon with God for the experience of His True Power to work amazing change in us.

Read the following passage carefully, Beloved, and, seeking truth of your own heart in Christ, realize that if you fall into any of these things spoken of by Paul’s warning to Timothy, they warn of reliance on a false faith in a false idea of who God is and how He works. It is a signal of a cause for sin that can only be addressed in sincere faith in the True God by the True Power He provides. If you find yourself or those you pray for in these verses, transformation begins now, on knees of repentance with a heart ready to do business with The One True God.

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.”

2 Timothy 3:1-9 NASB

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 6

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“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

I don’t know about you, Beloved, but I believe that the goal of life on earth for the Christian should be to be this “vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” According to the scripture, attaining that goal requires we be “cleansed of these things.”

Paul begins in verse 14 with the charge for Timothy to remind those he is ministering to of the truths found in verses 1-13. I recommend reviewing those encouraging words. Then verse 14 begins a list of specifics we must seek God’s cleansing from, things that determine whether we are vessels for honor or dishonor.

1. Don’t wrangle about words. Some beliefs in the Christian faith are not worth fighting about, only serving to cause dissension and separation in the Family of God, leading “to the ruin of the hearers”. (I.e.: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and Romans 14) Instead we are to behave in a manner approved by God, accurately handling His Word.

2. Next we are warned to “avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,” which spreads like gangrene. A hot topic I believe fits here is to speak against our national leaders, as if God had nothing to do with their appointment, having no purpose for their appointment. We go against God when we assault their character and purpose, as it is God who raises up one and brings down another for His purpose. Such rhetoric can upset the faith of the immature in Christ, causing them to stumble or fall away.

3. Then Paul advises that “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” Wickedness is any word or deed that goes against God, refusing His Lordship, or setting a bad example, thus defaming His Name through rebellion against His will and way.

4. Paul concludes chapter 2 with the encouragement to “flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.“ We are to “refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.”

The goal of the vessel of honor is to be filled up with and to spill out the Spirit of God, so that God may grant to those receiving our witness repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. The hope is that others “may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

Beloved, our own freedom from sin and liberty in righteousness frees others who watch with desire for the same. “Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. …”

2 Timothy 2:14-26 NASB

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 5

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As we seek the transforming power our Father desires for us, we began where all healing begins, by seeking a right relationship with God, making sure we walk, live, and breathe with a clear conscience. While doing that, we must do a faith check, making certain we are walking in Christ with sincere faith. Third is our need to realize our part in kindling afresh the gift God placed in us for His purpose and glory. With that, we must realize, receive, possess, and fully live out the grace of God in us. Next we must understand the Word of God and know how to apply it’s truths to our daily life.

“Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” 2 Timothy 2:7 NASB

When we first begin to grow, we learn a lot through the teaching of others. But for every child of God, there comes a time when He expects us to grow in our ability to learn from and through the Spirit of God in us.

The Spirit, in all His fullness, is given to each individual in Christ. The full work of the Spirit lives and breathes in us: from convincing us of right vs. wrong, to comforting, teaching, and empowering us, the Spirit does His work. And this work of the Spirit thrives in the soil of a surrendered heart that seeks God, with a whole heart that is pliable, and ready to grow in Christ.

This truth is vital in a world where false teachers and false teaching is its destiny. We must be like the men of Berea, who did not just receive the word spoken to them, but they searched out the scripture for themselves, confirming the message before receiving it as truth (Acts 17:10-12).

If we truly desire the transforming power of God in our lives, we must be people of the Word of God, able to receive the teaching of the Spirit and discern truth for ourselves. And we must pray the word for those we desire to see transformed.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 4

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BE STRONG IN THE GRACE that is in Christ Jesus.

Wow. Chillin’ over that! God’s mercy and His grace makes me excited.

Mercy!

Mercy covers us, a blanket of Jesus’s blood flowing over every part, parcel, nook, and cranny. Jesus paid the price we owed and the blood that flowed covers us who believe and receive Him, covering the ugly of sin so God the Father can look on us and we can have a relationship with Him. God’s mercy through Christ makes us the righteousness of God in Christ.

Grace!

Grace is the power of God. That power flows to us through Christ, granting us strength and ability to do righteousness. With that defining parameter, note Ephesians 2:8-10.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB

God sent his grace to empower us with faith to believe, so that by the faith powered by Him, we might receive the free gift of mercy in Christ. It is not something we can boast about obtaining, for it is all powered and provided by God, who has a work to accomplish through us as recipients of grace.

This call to be strong in God’s grace is two fold. We are to be strong recipients of His grace, strong in our personal relationship with Him, which is by grace. And we are to be strong in the work God desires to accomplish through us as His witnesses, His ambassadors, His bond-servants.

“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB

Realizing our need of God, we surrender to Him who grants grace to empower our righteous deeds and actions.

“”I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5 NASB

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Prayer

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 3

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Kindle afresh the gift of God within you. Apparently, according to 2 Timothy 1:6, when the exuberance of our ministry and the gift of God in us is dulled, there is something we must do to rekindle that fire: that zeal. To even begin to understand what Paul is speaking of, we need to see the context of this verse.

“I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith, the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness, a faith that first lived permanently in the heart of your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am fully persuaded, dwells in you also. That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the gracious gift of God, the inner fire that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands with those of the elders at your ordination. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but with me take your share of the suffering to which the preaching of the Gospel may expose you, and do it in the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:5-8 AMPC

Apparently seeing Paul’s experience of suffering for the faith, I’m sure coupled with his own experience of persecution, raised up a spirit of fear in Timothy that caused his faith to wax and wane, thus hindering the work of God’s Spirit in Him. We cannot tap into the power of God when fear and doubt get a grip.

Today, Beloved, we evaluate our ministry in Christ, our zeal of service and the fire of our gifting. Are we serving in the fullness God has for us, or has some fear, some hardship, or some worldly desire robbed our faith, our trust, our belief, thus dulling the work of the Spirit in us? Take time today to renew your commitment and flex those faith muscles that trust God for each step and every breath. Kindle afresh the gift of faith within you, the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” (Vs. 7)

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Seven Healing Balms for Exhaustion – 4

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Healing for the exhausted begins with a life surrendered to Him as Lord. It requires an adequate diet that feeds the body its need rather than feeding its fleshly indulgence that is set to steal, kill, and destroy an effective life of surrender. And the body needs to move. Exercise aides ones ability to truly rest. Today, as we continue our look at the seven healing balms to heal the exhausted, we see our need of restful sleep.

Sleep! Oh how it seems to elude us when we need it most. It sounds weird, but exhaustion can actually hinder ones ability to sleep. One, it makes us feel like we can’t sleep, our mind being unable to relax. And exhaustion messes up the body’s chemistry, truly robbing our ability to sleep. Two, exhaustion robs our desire to cook or to eat in healthy ways, causing bodily issues that hinder sleep. And three, it robs of energy to move, causing us to sit too much, which makes our bodies ache, and robs our ability to enter the type of sleep cycle that aids restoration.

Sleep is important, and the lack of it makes one dysfunctional. I don’t know of much worse than being so tired, I can’t function, and I am that a lot these days. Like with food, the right type of sleep fuels the body’s needs. During sleep is when everything from cells to organs, go through a time of recuperation, rejuvenation; the old goes out, behold, new things come.

With Johnny’s schedule (working 8 or 9 AM to 9 or 10 PM, Monday through Thursday), coupled with his health issues that threaten his life, leaving us to desire to spend as much of our precious time together as possible, we go to bed late and get up early. However, sleep is necessary for health and healing, and the type of sleep needed begins with entering God’s rest.

God calls us to His rest, which is necessary for health and healing. We sleep best when we are good at entering that rest. Entering God’s rest requires two things of us (see Hebrews 1-4): the first necessary thing on our part is faith that flows out of trusting belief in God. Second is our obedience to Him that flows out of our love for and faith in Him. When we fail to enter this rest, that is when we most frequently fall prey to an uneasy conscience, worry, fretting, questioning, plotting, and planning that robs of restful sleep.

We must be still and know that God is God. Then we must go to bed. Father is showing me my need to not allow myself to be the cause of our staying up later than is necessary. When it is necessary to be up late, a nap the next day is a good habit to follow.

Sleep is necessary, and the right type of sleep that cycles normally through all the stages of sleep is vital to healing rest. Our body cycles through wakefulness, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movements), where dreams occur. All that we have covered thus far aids and fuels that healthy cycle: a surrendered life that enters his rest protects the mind so it can sleep. Right foods that feed the body its need protects from discomfort that hinders sleep. And moving the body through exercise and rewarding work heightens our body’s ability to enter a restorative rest cycle. All we have covered thus far works together as allies to restful, restorative sleep; and sleep may well be the greatest, most needful healing balm for the exhausted mind, body, and soul.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 2

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“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you….” 2 Timothy 1:5 NASB

Today God calls us to be mindful of our SINCERE faith. We know that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11), but do we realize the need of sincerity of faith?

Beloved, we can’t just say, “I believe” and that be good enough when there is no truth to it or when belief is aimed at the wrong target. God desires truth with Him, and that requires truth with self, for without truth with self, their can be no true repentance.

Jesus honored the one who said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). The man realized he had a degree of sincere faith to believe, but it was shaky and insufficient with the doubt that floated around inside, hindering full trust to believe. Like him, it is better for us to be honest with God and open to His transforming help, than to lie to self trying to make ourselves believe when true trust in Him is missing. Note here that faith, belief, and trust are intertwined. True, sincere faith, believes God and trusts His will.

Consider the areas of your own life that desperately need the transforming power of God to work there. Consider your faith in God for that area of concern. Is your faith sincere, being focused on His ability to do what is needed, or is your faith focused on the need of faith in getting God to do what you want? Is your faith merely a mustard seed that hasn’t been planted yet, much less sprout to grow? A small amount of faith that trusts God’s faithfulness and knows He can is better than great faith in ones need of faith.

I pray what I’m trying to say makes sense to you, Beloved, because this is important. Faith focuses fully on God. It believes God can and trusts His will for us, knowing He will do what is best for all concerned. Small faith of this kind is a seed that can grow, and God loves growing it. Being truthful with self and God opens us up for His work to empower our faith, increasing faith to us, while cleansing us of any doubt.

Faith that is misplaced or that is falsely motivated, focusing on self’s ability to have faith instead of on God’s faithfulness, is NO FAITH AT ALL. Test your faith, Beloved, and pray for self and for the faith of those for whom you seek God’s transforming power.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Transforming Trip Through 2 Timothy – Part 1

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Reading through 2 Timothy, I keep sensing there is something there for me to see and understand. Today I finally get it.

In preparing us for the day of prayer coming up on the 24th, 2 Timothy has many truths we need to possess in preparation to pray for and to receive God’s liberating transformation in our personal areas of need. The first need is this:

“I thank God, whom I SERVE WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,” 2 Timothy‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Beloved, our first need in ministry, including in the ministry of prayer for self and others, is for a clear conscience. This clear conscience is twofold:

First, a clear conscience surrenders all sin. We must seek the Father to reveal through His Spirit in us all areas of personal sin in need of repentance. Sin in us will hinder our prayers for self and others. It will hinder our own liberating transformation. So we must cleanse our own spiritual house and clear our conscience.

Second, a clear conscience is one that holds to the truth known. What we know of God; the things we know true of our relationship with Him and our service to Him; all we know true of His gifts in us and our fruit bearing in Christ: our full assurance of conscience in these things is vital for our journey forward.

So, today – and for as many days as it takes – confess and repent of sins; and confess, profess, and possess the truths you hold firm within you.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Trust God’s Promises

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“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” Psalms‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭NASB‬‬

I posted this beautiful promise of God to friends today. One expressed gratitude for the truth of Father’s faithfulness to direct our path and asked us to pray for Him to direct her path in a decision she is facing. I started to reply agreement when this question hit my heart, “Why do we ask God for what He promises to do?”

It hit me that the need is not for God to do what He does; it is for us to have ears to hear, eyes to see, a mind to know with understanding, a heart to trust His faithfulness, and a willing spirit of obedience that believes His timely provision.

I noted a Scripture the other day that tells us to remind God of His promises. I asked, “Why, Lord? It’s not like You forget.” It dawns on me that the practice of reminding Him, reciting to Him what we know of Him, is not for His sake, but our own: strengthening our faith, solidifying our belief, lifting the muscle building weights of comprehensive understanding.

Got a need? Recite God’s promises with grateful heart, Beloved, and request your need so you can hear, possess, and walk out His directives with faith’s hope.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Seven Healing Balms for Exhaustion Part 3

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Exercise

Sometimes our “tired” is due to sitting too much. This happens to me. When I’m I’m stressed or depressed, and overly tired, I tend to sit too much, desiring to meet my need of rest. The thing is, sitting too much can actually hinder the body’s ability to rest well or to sleep well, and it increases depression. Thus, the encouragement of God’s Spirit to give focus to exercise is good wisdom.

Beginning with prayer and worship:

Prayer and the worship of the Triune God is a spiritual exercise that works wonders in a tired, body, mind, heart, spirit, and soul. Leaving issues at God’s feet lifts weight off of weighed down shoulders and stressed knees. Praise and worship strengthens the heart, lifts and eases the mind, and brings renewed vitality to life.

Work that body:

God made our bodies to move, lift, walk, bend, stoop, and work. When we fail to do that, a sundry of disease processes move in: inflammatory diseases, bone and joint maladies, heart, lung, and vascular disease, to name a few. Then we can add to that depression, appetite issues, insomnia, and more. And let’s not forget the excess weight, increased fat stores beyond the need of a healthy body, and decreased muscle mass and tone.

Exercise works our bodies, putting a good stress on it that strengthens function. A good work out and frequent movement increases endorphins that lifts mood, curbs hunger, and increases energy. Thus it makes sense that the Spirit of God would instruct me to get serious about this area of my health journey in this difficult season of life.

I cannot tell you the number of times hunger and out-of-control appetite has quieted or completely stilled with a good, brisk walk. Exercise actually increases energy levels and aids sleep. So, exhausted friend, let’s “Keep it moving!” (Deron Buboltz, Grow Young Fitness Motto)

13 Unexpected Benefits of Exercise