Tag Archives: Assurance

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Heart Check: Hope Rightly Focused

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“But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” (Psalms 146:5 NLT)

Take a minute for a heart check, Beloved. Where is your Hope? If we are not careful, our hope can slip away from God and onto our own ability to have faith. People unrighteously accuse, “Well, it hasn’t happened because your faith is not strong enough.” Jesus said, “with a mustard seed of faith, you can move a mountain.” The smallest seed of a faith planted in the right soil where it is capable of growth is all it takes. That soil is totally rested on God trusting Him.

Hope can slip to land on our idea of what the best outcome should look like. More still is that hope can truly be settled on our own strengths and abilities; or on that of someone or something else we see as hope’s solution.

True hope in God rests on Him with understanding of His care. It trusts His sovereignty. Trust’s hope does not put God in a box made up of our expectations and ability to dream.

God’s Word says that He, by His power that is at work within us, “is able to carry out His purpose and do SUPERABUNDANTLY, FAR OVER and ABOVE ALL that we dare ask or think, INFINITELY BEYOND our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams” (Ephesians 3:20 AMPC).

We cannot even begin to think of the great things of God. When we limit our hope to our expectations, we can miss what God is doing. Because our eyes are set to see what we think will be, we can fail to follow God to the abundance He truly has for us. We essentially box Him into our finite thought, and when we refuse the path of His leading as a result, we put a lid on the glory to be seen.

So, where is your hope, Beloved. Because of God’s grace, “Rethink Possible” (ATnT commercial).

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Soul-Dance

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“Make glad the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalms 86:4 NASB)

Soul: our mind with it’s thought-life, beliefs, and comprehensive understanding; our wills, going after what we want in disciplined fervor; and our emotions, too often dictated by our raging hormones and the rush of our bodily chemistry. God desires us to love Him, live for Him and serve Him with ALL OF OUR SOULS. Yet, sadly, many people frown and put down those who let the surge of emotions soar free for the Lord.

God gave us emotions so we can “feel” His Presence and worship Him with exuberance: meeting with Him in the truth of all that we are, overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval. We see it in David, when his joy over the ark of God’s Presence caused him to dance the streets in worship, dressed only in a loin cloth. It took hold of Miriam, who took timbrel in hand and led the women in the excited dance of worship to the Lord, for He delivered them from Pharaoh’s grasp.

God wants our all involved in worshiping Him. He is not ashamed of our dance when done in wholehearted sincerity and in trueness to who we are as an individual. A quiet person, in their quiet, private self, worshipping in silence with whole heart is precious to the Father, Who meets them in the quiet. An emotionally, exuberant person is just as precious to the Lord, and He meets them in the dance flowing from the true of heart.

Beloved, true fellowship with the Father, flowing freely out of sincerity to the true inner person He created us to be is a must in worship. Fearlessly giving our all in love to God is a biblical mandate (Mark 12:29-30 NASB).

“Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Psalms 86:11 NASB)

Here David asks the Lord to teach him truly, asking Him to unite his heart in fear’s reverence toward Him. In verse 4, the word in original Hebrew that is translated “soul” is lebab. It means: inner man, the mind, the will, and the heart (the essence of the person that includes one’s emotions). The word used in verse 11, translated “heart” is nephesh. It means “a soul, living being, person, with all their desires, passions, appetites, and emotions.”

The soul. It is the sum of what makes us who we are, and God wants us to use all of it to His glory, even – and I believe especially- our “feelings” – emotions. Like David and Miriam, we’re not to fear getting excitedly emotional over the joy of the Lord and His work in our midst. God loves our exuberance for Him.

So, Beloved, if you are emotionally exuberant in your worship, FROM A TRUE HEART, let no judgmentalism from mankind shame you into silence. And if you, being just as emotional in your quiet way, worship God with your all, let no one make you ashamed of your quietness. However, and here comes the warning for us who are exuberant, be careful that you rule your emotional outbursts.

David marched in the procession, worshipping God WITH OTHERS. Miriam led the PROCESSION of worshiping dancers, with song, everyone joining in with her. These were all worshiping together in timely fashion. There is an appropriate time for exuberance, dancing, and loud merrymaking.

However, we are not to be controlled by our emotions. We must control our emotions, knowing when to express them and when to control the expression. Running around, whooping and hollering while the pastor is trying to preach WILL be used of the enemy to distract the heart of man for the purpose of keeping some from hearing and receiving the Word.

Fear not, Beloved, the expression of true and sincere worship. But do fear getting in God’s way through uncontrolled, emotional outbursts. Tongues is an excellent example. God’s Word says, in the absence of an interpreter, keep the tongue between you and Him (1 Corinthians 14). From my understanding, those who believe they have no control over their audible prayer-tongue are mistaken. It is not to be a constant, loud raucous that can be used by the enemy of God to rob Seed from the heart of others who are deafened by the distraction.

God frees us to be who we are, but He also blesses us with the fruit of self-control. Use your freedom liberally in the controlling power and wisdom of the Spirit of God, and bear much good fruit to His the glory of His awesome, praiseworthy Name.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Kingdom Currency

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“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23 NASB)

This verse compares the “weightier provisions” of God’s Law with the currency of the tithe. I am struck by the NASB’s wording regarding these weightier things, calling them God’s provision for us. The combination of wording and the object of comparison makes one think that the currency of God’s Kingdom is the weightier things of God’s Law: justice, mercy, faithfulness, love, righteousness, grace, goodness, etc.

The actions of the faith lay up treasures in heaven for us, Beloved. God has given these to us for our use. These are not to be hoarded, but produce the greatest treasure when liberally spent / applied to life.

Where do you need to overcome fleshly tendencies and spend a little Kingdom currency today? Hear that! The register of the Father, chiming heavenly sounds of rejoicing with each deposit to your account.

“”Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NASB)

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: The Qualified Heir

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“… joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. …” (Colossians 1:9-14 NASB)

Here’s the Good News, Beloved. If you and I are sincerely and wholeheartedly walking with God in His Light as brought to us in Christ, we are saints in Light, and through that walk, we are qualified as joint heirs with Christ – qualified to receive our part of the inheritance that is set up for the children of God.

Often, we as mere mortals hear the word “inheritance,” and we think possessions and position. That is part of it, Scripture tells us so. Jesus has gone before us to prepare for us a place in which to dwell forever more. There we will have no more darkness. The gold, silver, and precious stones we value highly now will pave the streets and make up the walls and doorways. We will no longer hunger, thirst, get sick, cry sad tears, or die. We will dawn the riches of God and rule with Christ. That’s an inheritance beyond belief. But our inheritance is MORE THAN THAT. It is “PERSON” – PRESENCE.

God is our first, most vital need and necessity. We were made for Him to love and enjoy forever; and we were made to love and enjoy Him. In Him we are perfected, made complete as our person and purpose are fulfilled, finished, made whole in the fulfillment of His desired end. So our greatest inheritance is our forever union with the Triune: made One, complete in Him.

What is it that God says we can’t see or have in this life? We’ve covered it before: probably many times. In Exodus 33, Moses asked God to show him His glory. God agreed, telling him what to watch for: His goodness, His Names proclaimed before him, His graciousness and compassions, all of these reveal His Glory. Then He allows Moses to see His haunches once He passed by him, while he was carefully tucked into a crevice behind the Master’s hand, for he could not look Him face to face and live.

I believe that, for us to see God’s face is to see Him as He is, full strength, and our flesh senses would be overwhelmed by His pure, full-on glory. Seeing God as He is in our flesh bodies would cause such a rush of adrenaline, it would overwhelm our delicate chemistry, killing us instantly. Thus God holds us back until we are as He is, enabling us to handle that excitement.

Right now, we see God as if “in a mirror, dimly” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NASB). We know Him from afar with a finite mind that struggles to comprehend the incomprehensible. But one day, Father will lift His Holy hand, and we will see Him face to face, just as He is. That is the inheritance I look forward too.

Beloved, God is our fulfillment. All we long for is realized in Him. Hungry for love? No need to look for it in all the wrong places. God is Love. Draw near to Him with all that longing, and see your need met as never before – and know we see but a fraction, imperfectly in this life. The full, comprehensive, understanding of His love awaits the heirs arrival Home.

“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time-He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and DWELLS IN UNAPPROACHABLE LIGHT, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:13-16 NASB)

Feel impoverished and in need. God is our greatest riches, and we are heir. If we have Him, we have our NEED. One day, that unapproachable Light will open up to us who are practicing now to be children of Light -children of righteousness.

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. HE HAS ENABLED YOU TO SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE THAT BELONGS TO HIS PEOPLE, WHO LIVE IN THE LIGHT. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,” (Colossians 1:9-13 NLT)

Thus concludes our study on this subject. I pray we each go forth and prosper in the Kingdom of His true, pure, and glorious Light.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: Let There Be Light

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“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. GOD SAW THAT THE LIGHT WAS GOOD; and GOD SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.” (Genesis 1:1-4 NASB)

The physical creation of all that we know begins with God, The Triune One Who is Light, creating light in the physical realm. He sees light as good, knowing that light allows visual acuity. We can see in the light better than in the night.

The next thing God did after creating light and pronouncing it to be good, was to make a CLEAR DISTINCTION between light and dark.

All through scripture we find things in creation and in life that are a picture of God and His ways, set to aid our understanding of Him. As we study “Light” this Genesis Scripture is a powerful representation of today’s truth: God makes a clear distinction between Light and dark.

There is NO GRAY between black and white. It’s either true, or it’s a lie.

There are continuums all through scripture that define this separation. For example, we know, having seen thus far in this series, that God is light and His light has no relationship or harmony with dark. God is the Father of Truth _______ lies are fathered by Satan. God is good _______ evil is Satan. God is Love _______ hate is Satan. I’m sure you can think of others. We each fall somewhere on these continuums in our practice of life. The goal and desire of God for our lives, is for all to come to repentance (drawing into Light) _______ perishing (falling to eternal darkness) not.

Beloved, The closer to God we walk, the more pure the light we possess and walk out into life. Knowledge of God’s true Light is vital, for the warning of Scripture is that Satan is so good at lying, that he can fool even the Christian elect with his false light (Matthew 24:24 NASB; 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 NASB).

The greatest desire of false light is to put a veil of hindrance between us and true salvation found only in Christ. Jesus alone is the way, the Truth, and the life. The flesh of man always asks, “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” Our pride and arrogance makes it hard for us to accept that we can do nothing worthy of the debt we owe. Thus God provided the propitiation (full payment) through Christ. The only thing we can and must do is to receive His gracious gift through repentance (acknowledging our need of Him, aligning self with His estimations), denying our own arrogance, thus, receiving His salvation. In so doing, we acknowledge our need of Him, bowing down to His Lordship as The true Christ, thus choosing to walk with Him into the Light. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6 NASB)

Jesus paid it all and invites us to journey with Him to the Light-end of every continuum we travel. He makes our every need of Him clear, aligning us with His Light.

“But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.” (Ephesians 5:13 NASB)

Also see: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NASB; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NASB.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

A Focus On Light: The Holy Lamp

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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)

One final, extremely vital point from this 1 John 1:5-7 passage that links with today’s Matthew 6:22-23 passage: God has no partnership with darkness.

When we receive Christ as Savior, committing to follow Him as Lord, the Spirit brings the Light of God’s Presence to live in us. We become the Temple of the Living God, sanctified and set apart to Him. There, the Spirit Light dispels the dark within us, making us fully righteous: the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Eternally, this happens instantly, but mortally, there can be and usually are areas of our lives that take longer than others giving way to the Light. This scripture teaches that our journey to the Kingdom takes us through fire that burns away wood, hay, and stubble, leaving the precious unsinged. (I.e.: our impatience will give way to the godly fruit of patience, but may have to take us through the fires of testing to get there.) God patiently works with us in these areas, but His work requires our cooperation. That cooperation begins with recognition of the entry point darkness uses to gain access to our lives.

“”The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23 NASB)

Our eyes are the entry point for light and dark. Scripture tells us that the world caters to our lustful desires, seeking entry into our lives with its darkness.

“…all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ….” (1 John 2:15-17 NASB)

The darkness of this world gains place in us because of our flesh, eyes, and pride, but the access point is the eyes. We see something appealing, our flesh immediately wants it and our pride has to have it. The desire enters through our physical and spiritual eyes.

At times, our fleshly mind will think of some desire as seen by our internal eyes, and our physical eyes will start looking for it, while our pride eggs it on. (I’ve got to have it! I deserve it!)

To clarify our eyes, clearing them of lustful desires, we must seek first the righteousness of God and His Kingdom purpose. Trading our desires in so we can possess His protects us from every lust.

Now note Matthew 6:23.

“If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

This reminds us to beware the false light. Our flesh, eyes, and pride can be tricked into believing a lie to be true. Thus, we see that it is vital for us to draw near to God, so that His Light in us can reveal and dispel the dark that is disguised as something that looks right and good, but falls short of God. God can and will grant us discernment so we can know the difference, but we must get our eyes on Him and draw near.

Keeping our eyes on God as our top priority and first, most vital need and necessity, is vital to our possession of His Light. This requires that we remember that we are the Temple of God, Holy and set apart as His place of residence. Every time we give in to sin, refusing God and His Light, we treat the holy as inconsequential. (“…the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:17)

Through our eye that sees the Holy as insignificant, a darkness enters that can quench the Spirit of God. We can push the Spirit back, out of the way, to have our will. It’s called “choice”, the right of which is a gift from God. We are free to choose good or evil, blessing or curse, His Light and Truth, or the world’s dark and falsehood.

It is vital in this moment, and with every breath hereafter, that we learn to seek God for His true Light, so we can see clearly to evaluate the light that is in us, knowing that if the light in us is dark, proving to be false, that light is indeed dark. I believe the reason for this is because a truth is more difficult to receive when a falsehood must first be rejected and cast away. Pride and flesh will fight it. Therefore we must be diligent and determined.

A few questions to aid our evaluation of the Light that is is in us: What is your eye set on? Does that stir the fires of your flesh, or the Spirit of God within you? Is your pride lifted up and made haughty? Or are you awestruck and humbled before The Father? Do the work, Beloved, and SHINE!

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.”

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: 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

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 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

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, Prayer

Protection in the Night

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The long night: it’s hard for me to see myself as being in a Long Night. I’ve been in a night of true darkness, but in this one, though I know the darkness threatening to overwhelm me, the Light is very near and dear. At the same time, I know of little more difficult than the threat to the life of a mate, except maybe the loss of a child. And being in a place to trust God while not knowing which way His healing will take gets long and can bring a deep weariness we don’t fully know how to handle. So God leads my heart in prayer today through song.

Today, as I cried out to God, needing His clear touch, He led me to Jericho my town while listening to my favorite worship playlist. Hitting the mix option, each song came in perfect order to minister to my heart and form my prayer in this night-watch. Now I thought God was changing the preplanned focus for today, but He isn’t.

Beloved, in the Dark Night Season, when we struggle to find the light God illumines all around that darkness, that is when we are most vulnerable to the lies and misdirection of the enemy that hides out in dark, waterless places. We can believe we are useless to God here. We can beat ourselves up for every flaw our deceived heart points to. We can blame self for every evil we see in our sphere of influence. We can forget that God is with us. Such struggles as these and more can make the dark, darker still. Today we pray for those in dark places to know the truth and be protected from the false.

Songs to pray through:

Still, by Hillary Scott

Glow in the Dark, by Jason Gray

Hope in Front of Me, by Danny Gokey

Scripture in context: 1 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-10‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Prayer

Possess Hope

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Good morning, Beloved. This verse came this morning in a daily verse email. Job, in His darkest hour, points his hope at The Savior. The story of God’s work in the life of a man called Job, in the oldest book in our scriptures, from my understanding, during one of the harshest recorded night seasons, remembers his greatest hope. In the midst of pointing fingers trying to shame him unrighteously, he remembers and points his friends to his redeemer and the assurance of His coming to us.

Job’s heartbroken wife, on the other hand, shows us the anger and bitterness that can grasp us in the midst of such horror when we lose or fail to possess that eternal perspective. “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”” Job‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Going through a night season is difficult enough without adding to it the loss of hope, along with the anger, bitterness, and anguish of hopelessness that makes a dark time darker still. Today we pray for those in a long night to cling to their hope, and for those around them to have the wisdom and ability to help them do that.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Love Wins!

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When Fear Steps in the Ring……. LOVE WINS!

We have battles in this life of some sort every stinking day, Beloved. Our minds – emotions- tongues – are a battlefield. When we are heading to do something important to King and Kingdom, you better believe the devil is going to toss a wrench. So if we aren’t battling our flesh, we are battling demonic and worldly influences.

Beloved, when we are in a long night (an impossible situation only God can fix), such battles are fierce, and fear readily climbs into the ring of life. Scripture tells us that perfect love casts fear out (1 John 4). What is perfect love? Here’s what I believe.

Babe, God IS Love. That is His nature. God is perfect Love and His Love is working it’s perfection when it is received, possessed, and made full use of by us. I believe He created us as a place for Love. He desires for His Love to meet our need of it.

Fear most often comes to rob of trust in God’s Love. We are made to feel like we have to earn Love by being good enough for Him. Fear constantly tells us we can’t be good enough. And you know what, if it’s true His Love is earned, the devil is correct, we can’t be good enough. But – OH, THANK GOD! – that is not truth!

Truth is that God Loves us because He is Love. His love for us has nothing to do with our “do”, and everything to do with His “Who”. When we allow Him, who is Love, to abide in us with confidence that nothing we do will lose His Love, our battle with fear is finished, and we are strengthened to fight the true war: the good fight of faith that allows all He is to fill us and seep out our every pore to make all we are to possess the image of all He created us to be. Jesus in “me”, alive and well.

Read 1 John‬ ‭4:7-21‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Battles: The Afters

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Prayer

Surrounded

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A Day of Prayer in April post

PRAISE THE LORD, BELOVED! We are coming against the strongholds of long night stressors that challenge our faith, working with the intent of preventing us knowing, trusting, and following our God as a people at rest in His hands, even in the darkest, most fierce storms.

This song, “Surrounded,” by Michael W. Smith, is the perfect starting place for our battle against the long night in our lives and the lives of those we love. The prayer thoughts for this song include:

⁃ the importance of praise.

Praising Father God, our Triune Deity, is our first, most vital weapon in any battle. God is enthroned upon the praises of His people. Praise expresses understanding of His sovereignty, His might, His greatness, and our recognition of our dire need of Him: our love for and reliance on Him. We are more apt to rest the need in His capable hands – surrendering all to Him, from a position of worship.

⁃ the importance of trusting His Presence.

Remembering God’s faithfulness to His promises that tell us He is always with us, fighting for us, and He will never – NO NEVER – leave nor forsake us, this is our second, most vital weapon in the long night season. Our strength, courage, and perseverance flow out of this trust.

⁃ the importance of realizing where He is standing.

We acknowledge that, though we feel the pressure of the enemy around us, we are first and foremost surrounded by God, even though we may not see Him. He promises to be beside us, grabbing us by the hand to protect and empower us. But also, like Elisha’s servant, we need eyes to see the army of God that surrounds the enemy surrounding us (2 Kings 6).

Think about this position, Beloved, us being in the center with God, Who is also surrounding us with His hedge of protection, as well as Him standing with His army to surround the enemy attacking us. That enemy is trapped between our faith in God and His faithfulness to us. An enemy cannot escape their loss that comes from this glorious combination: faith in God’s faithfulness. I believe that’s the reason Elisha prayed his servant’s eyes open: to strengthen his faith in the battle, that the barricade of faith not be weakened by unbelief and fear.

Thus we begin…

Surrounded: Michael W. Smith

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Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

Be Strong and Courageous

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“Be strong and courageous…” Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB

Good morning! I don’t know if you’re like me, Beloved, but when I read passages or verses like today’s power thought, I often find myself thinking, “Ok, I must be strong today and walk in strength with courage.” That puts it all on me to accomplish the call I perceive, and I too often falter and fail, so I start shaking in my proverbial boots at the very thought of the challenge before me. I fail to consider the main point that signals my true need.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”” Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB

The true need in this call to strength with courage is CONFIDENCE. As I remember with confident faith the promise part, that God is with me, and that HE WILL NOT fail or forsake me, strength and courage flow freely out of that confident faith.

So press forward, Mighty Warrior. God brought you to this day with a purpose. He is with you to complete it; and He will not fail or forsake you. Trust His lead. Make sure you’re cooperating with His will and way so you don’t inadvertently walk away from Him, and you will get through the challenges of this day victoriously, whatever that brings your way.

delight, Devotional Series, Holy Habitation

The River of God’s Delights

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“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.” Psalms 36:7-8 NASB

Wow! Last night God pointed me to this passage for us to consider this morning, and as I looked at it again, seeking Him with my, “What?” – all I can say is “WOW!”

If we could live by faith under the wings of God, trusting His desire for us without getting all wrapped up in our own wants, what would “drinking from the RIVER of His delight” look like on us? I can’t even fathom the richness of the things that delight God. I can’t even fathom the joy of such a discovery, but, WOW! …to discover the beauty of drinking from His delights. …to KNOW Him more by learning to receive it. Wow.

Father, bless us today to begin this journey of crawling in under Your wings, drinking our fill of Your abundance, and receiving with comprehension Your supply from the flowing river of Your delights. In Jesus, amen.

Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Trust

Better to Go Willingly

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Today is Missy’s bath day. She is too big to bathe in the sink, and too heavy for me, getting her out of the tub: plus, my knees don’t handle that well any more, so off she goes to the vet for a spa day every 2 weeks.

Getting her ready to go is not a problem. She hears her leash come off it’s hook, and the excitement is on. She loves a good road trip and pulls me readily to the car. Seated happily in Johnny’s lap, she eyes every site and takes in all the smells.

This morning, as I pull into a parking spot, she starts sniffing the air vent like crazy. Obvious recognition in her eyes, her happy face drooping with every breath, she glares at me, “I don’t like where you parked!” I know that’s what she said.

Getting her reluctant body out of the car, I sit her down and the battle is on. She wants back in the car immediately! When that doesn’t happen, her goal becomes that of getting me to change course. Fighting her over the threshold, she wearily follows me to the desk. While I take care of business, she stands like a pointer, leash taught, making sure I know where the door is and begging, “Please! Help me.” Little does she know that she stinks, and my nose keeps me pointed toward her bath.

This morning, as our ritual dance at the desk plays out, she suddenly grabs my attention with some extra exuberant tugs on the line. Looking back, she points intently at the door. A woman, just stepping to the door, reaches the handle and pulls. Missy’s excited eyes and joyful tug scream, “Hurry! The door is open. Now’s our chance.” 😂

Missy is a lot of laughs for us. She is so expressive and so smart. But there are times when we know what is best for her, so we fight to get her where she needs to be. It is the same with God and us mere mortals. We so often tug against something God is leading us to, not liking the discomfort of getting there. I wonder if He laughs at us like we do Missy.

Jeremiah 29:10-11 “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'”

I don’t know if you have ever read Jeremiah. It is worth the read, if not. In it, God calls His people to willingly go into captivity, promising those who do will find His faithful presence and provision while going through a designated timeout from their destiny because of corporate sin. Many, the prophet Daniel being one, went willingly and found God’s faithfulness. Others, like the King of the day, refused to willingly follow God’s path. Most of them lost their lives. The King lost his eyes, his freedom, and his throne. Kicking against goads God sets in our path only hurts our feet. And, as Missy will tell you, fighting the Master’s pull only chokes us down. Better we go willingly into the Father’s plan.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

That’s a promise. God is faithful to His Word. Question is, do we believe and trust Him, even when the road gets rough? If we choose faith and a willingness to walk His way, we will find ourselves shining like gold and smelling like a rose on the other side of the difficulty we dread.

delight, Devotional Series, Holy Habitation, Trust

Delight: the Secret Pathway of Perfecting Grace

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“Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord…. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4 AMPC

To delight is to take great pleasure or joy in something. God wants to be our greatest delight. That’s hard to do if we fail to realize and experience Him in our day by day, moment by moment. Thus, I believe verse 3 is vital to our ability to delight in God to any degree of His desire for our delight; and verse 3 is best expressed in the AMPC Bible’s defining parameters for Trust being to lean on, rely on, and be confident in Him who is our delight.

When we truly trust in the Lord it is easier to know Him in our day. Trusting in Him as He desires means we LEAN on Him as our greatest support for all challenges faced in life, beginning with each breath we breathe. We RELY on Him, not only for supply of every resource and energy need, but for the very timing of His provision, knowing that He will increase perseverance to us as we await His provision with hopes assurance. And that perseverance flows out of our CONFIDENCE in Him, knowing that He will not fail us, but as we patiently wait with trust in Him, He often does above and beyond our ability to desire, or even to discern the need. In times of waiting, He is working a growth in us that increases our discernment of Him and His ways, so faith grows stronger and relationship more sure.

This growing, vital relationship of delight works completion in us. We were made for this vital, love relationship with God and we are incomplete apart from Him. Not only that, but scripture teaches that God’s Power is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9 AMPC). That does not mean that God is somehow weakened without us. I believe that it means our God has chosen us for vital union: that He desires to delight in us as we delight in Him, being made complete together. He chooses that our relationship add strength to both He and each individual one of us as our union becomes all He planned from the concept of time.

I see God’s Power being perfected in us to be like flexing muscles. God’s Power is perfect because He is perfect in Himself. But power that sets doing nothing is useless. The strength of His Power defines and fulfills itself when in use. So as we delight in Him above all else, fully choosing to act on our great need of Him, trusting in, leaning on, relying on, and being confident in Him, our need completes His provision as He completes us, thus accomplishing perfection in the actualization of His eternal plan for a relationship with us, His people.

When we feel like there is something missing, Love, and the desires of our heart go unsatisfied, the first place we must look is to check the source of our greatest delight. Delight in God trusts Him with a fervent surrender to our need of Him that leads to perfection.