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Sweet Devotion

As I write this week, I am reminded there is beauty everywhere, even in hard places.

On this very day, this very hour, a longtime family friend is laying her husband to rest. At the same time, two of my relatives are preparing to meet our Maker as they near their final days on earth.

And there is more I cannot share.

Yet, God is with them all, and with me and with you.

His Presence is Love, Peace, Joy and Glory.

Undeniably so.

Beyond our understanding.

Our reach for Him is always sweet devotion to His heart.

I am reminded of the prophet and widow, Anna, in Luke 2:36-38, who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day” (NIV). Anna, thanked God for baby Jesus to whom she was drawn. She spoke about Him “to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

She spoke to hope and new life.

Anna encouraged a nation’s redemption.

Anna understood that “God-devotion makes a country strong;” and that “God-avoidance leaves people weak” (Pr 14:34).

Anna understood intimacy and purpose in the precept of 1 Chronicles 16:11 AMPC, which is to “Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!”

No matter what the circumstances, even in one’s latter years.

Other Bible characters knew this as well, such as King David, Daniel, Joseph and so many other disciples.

They all had a sense of identity and their role in God’s command in Acts 13:47 TPT, which says, “I have destined you to become a beacon light for the nations and release salvation to the ends of the earth!”

This blessing, this gift, this calling, the working out of victory-salvation in the hopeful hearts of the truly devoted will never be dashed.

Devotion means “constantly attendant” from sitting near (Strong’s # 2138a). It means “compliant” and “ready to obey” (Strong’s # 2138). It means yielded.

Devotion means “well-persuaded,” already inclined, i.e. already willing (pre-disposed, favorable to); easy to come to terms with” (HELPS Word-studies).

Song of Songs 4:1 TPT says, “…What devotion I see each time I gaze upon you. You are like a sacrifice ready to be offered.”

This kind of devotion our Lord desires is:

Undivided (Pr 3:7 TPT).

Single-hearted (1 Co 11:3 TPT).

Undistracted (1 Co 7:35 TPT).

Loyal (Lk 16:13 TPT).

Obedient (Pr 1:7 TPT).

Lavish (Ma 26:6 TPT).

Passionate (2 Co 8:7).

Extreme (Mk 14:3 TPT).

Undying (So 6:5 TPT).

Let’s also remember the benefits of devotion (Ps 103:2):

We are enriched by our devotion to God (Col 2:7).

“We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God…” (Pr 1:7 TPT).

Wisdom comes when our devotion to Him is undivided and when we avoid all wrongdoing (Pr 3:7 TPT).

As she put God first and worshipped Him alone, Anna was the picture of James 3:17 MSG, which says, “Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”

Anna’s intimate Redeemer, no doubt brought comfort, value and purpose to her in her widowed status. Therefore, it was easy for her to share about Him with those waiting in hope.

She was fearless in her devotion to God. She appears to regard Him as not only a Heavenly Father, but also a Heavenly Husband as in Isaiah 54:5 ESV, which says, “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.”

Anna’s attitude appears to be like David’s in Psalm 27:4 TPT, which says, “Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to contemplate in his temple.”

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your devotion to me. Thank You for watching over my family, my work, my community and my nation. I invite You to awaken my heart to You as I come near to You. I choose to yield myself to Your spirit. My soul and body. You will always be my first, my center, my Heavenly Husband—the source for all my needs. Nothing else compares to You or completes me as You do. As I offer myself to You, may You see perfect, obedient devotion each time You gaze upon me (SS 4:1 TPT).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Promised Outlook

You can see it in your mind’s eye. It’s right in front of you. The promise of God as He revealed it to you.

You carry the vision.

He carries the burden.

And He leads you by His Spirit.

Suddenly, all the pressing resistance feels far behind. You’ve been restored to joy in your work. The diligence you held to is paying off now, as The Spirit of Grace empowers you to complete the project you began with Him.

Psalm 138:8 TPT extolls God as your supreme promise keeper by proclaiming, “You keep every promise you’ve ever made to me! Since your love for me is constant and endless, I ask you, Lord, to finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me!”

You remember Proverbs 3:6 TPT, which says, “Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.”

You know God’s promises are rock solid and that He is near to guide you.

Holy Spirit reminds you of Proverbs 16:9 TPT, which says, “Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.”

So, here you are—crossing over into all you’ve waited for.

All He has promised.

This final process and this time has converged into a streamlined path that leads you to new, abundant life (Matt 7:14).

Even though it narrows, you are content.

Content with Him as all that matters most.

With each new moment, you know you are arriving together.

You trust Him implicitly on your journey now.

You came to learn that it had to be God’s way (Ro 8:5-8 MSG).

You came to understand that “…the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift…” (Ro 4:16 MSG).

You learned to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure,” a child “‘of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’” You knew that then you would “shine among them like stars in the sky as you” held “firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-15 NIV).

So, you came into agreement with Him, your mind renewed, even in your other relationships (Philippians 2:5).

And you believed His special promise to you—His summons, His announcement for assent, His assurance of good—was fitting and guaranteed by Him (Strong’s #1860).

Victory was your beginning and is your ending.

New wine awaits. The best wine that has been held in reserve for you.

You’ve been the faithful watchman and worker (1 Pe 5:8, Is 21:6). Now, it’s near time to be presented as His faithful witness (Ac 1:8).

As God watches over you, He extends peace and invitation to blossom—the first stage of fruitfulness.

And you know you will make it as you stay His course for you—all the way to the mature end.

Beauty is here.

You know your promise of identity and that you are on assignment with a divine purpose (Ro 9:6 MSG).

You know you are His princess, who operates in His truth.

You know you “…were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit” (Ep 1:13 AMPC).

And that you are a partaker “…of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ep 3:6 ESV).

You remember Galatians 3:29 NLT, which says, “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”

You’ve proven out His law in your heart by your obedience (Ro 8:14-16 MSG).

And you will continue to do so as you diligently and victoriously prospect the mysteries of Christ into your future (Ep 3:6).

Your special promise from God, for which you’ve been set apart, for which you’ve worked and waited, is about to be made manifest, complete, in person. God will bring greater wholeness of life, a great measure of fruitfulness. As He faithfully perfects—by His Spirit of Grace—you will reach your finish line with Him (and the great cloud of witnesses) cheering you on.

Because when God is in it, a promised outlook, with the mind of Christ, will produce a fulfilled outcome and a celebration of victory.

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for adopting me into Your Kingdom and for giving me fresh eyes with which to see Your vision forward—eyes that honor, build and glorify You. Thank You for the new wine You stored up for me and for unlocking Your destiny in me. Thank You that Your promises bring life to me and motivate me (2 Ti 1:1). Thank You for walking with me, guiding me and watching over me. Thank You for fulfilling all Your promises to me. Now, help me broadcast Your “…glorious wonders throughout the world” in even greater measure (1 Pe 2:9 TPT).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Speak To Me

One of my favorite Christian songs during quiet moments with God has become Kari Jobe’s Speak To Me. As the lyrics go, she sings, “Speak to me. I’m listening.”

I’ve noticed, as I incline my ear to God in moments of solitude, He reveals glimpses of how He’s working on my behalf. He gives me revelation, highlights a scripture and shows me signs all around.

How about you?

One evening, very recently, as I drove out of the church parking lot, I noticed the sky. It was mostly clear but partly cloudy. The setting sun was still streaming through the few clouds. One particular cloud was dark. It was small and in the distance. Rain poured from it. I thanked God for His amazing beauty, then I drove down the hill toward home.

When I exited off the interstate onto a street a few blocks away from where I live, God met me with a big beautiful rainbow. I was awestruck! What was also special to my heart was that He showed me an end of the rainbow. There it was, reaching all the way down below the treetops onto level ground along the roadside. From there, it peaked up into the clouds. Then, as I turned the corner toward home, I could easily see the other side, which reached over and above where I currently live.

I knew this to be God’s sign of promise to me, showing me that it extended well beyond where I was.

I knew our Lord was encouraging me forward along my journey.

So, how is God encouraging you, comforting you and building you up, as in 1 Corinthians 14:3?

Sometimes, as we work in our daily routines, we just need to come away and look up to see signs that God is moving us beyond where we are. We need a fresh reminder that He’s faithfully advancing us in ways that align with His destiny for us. We need to see that He’s still pleased with us and that He has far more for us as He ends some current assignments.

Sometimes, we need to look up and realize that, as we have faithfully co-labored with Him, He has brought us into agreement with Him and His provision even more.

We need to see that He has grown us and that He still has us on His track.

We need to be encouraged that He is still working out everything according to His plan, despite how we feel sometimes, especially halfway through an assignment or toward the end.

Sometimes, we just need a sign, a symbol, a Word, a moment of connection that ignites fresh hope in our hearts.

As we release that which our Lord has led us to let go of, we long to be assured that we will experience a Joseph ending, while walking through a Ruth transition.

In Ruth 3:18 ESV, Naomi said to Ruth, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

God’s strategy of wisdom, spoken through Naomi, was Ruth’s rainbow, uplifting her heart to see beyond where she was actively engaged to an even bigger engagement. I wonder if Ruth ever saw any actual rainbows while she worked to glean the very field she would soon own. Nonetheless, Ruth believed and was encouraged to set her expectations accordingly to receive God’s promise.

Interestingly, in this verse, Naomi says to wait; but in the same sentence, she says the matter will be settled “today.” So, we see here that God is doing a swift work on Ruth’s behalf.

Friends, where are you in your current assignments? Are you toward the middle or the end of its timeline? Do you feel you’ve been running for a while and need a fresh infilling from our Spirit of Grace?

God’s Word says we will receive that which we believe and that which we decide, according to His will (Ma 21:21, Jo 22:28, 1 Sa 9:6).

Job 22:28 NLT says, “You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.”

So, in light of all this, maybe it’s a good time to come away with our Lord and receive an encouragement. Share your heart with Him, and let Him bring it in a way that amazes you. He loves you and longs to do so.

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the assignments You have given me. Thank You for encouraging me along the way to completion. Open my eyes to see beyond where I am in this moment. Give me an undeniable sign of Your promise to me. Spirit of Grace, fill me with fresh hope that will lift my heart, mind and body above weariness as I work and wait with You. Enable me to believe and receive, in my soul, all the joy you have for me. Thank You for alone time with You and for Your angels on assignment that help me (Ps 91:11). Thank you for freeing me from that which once dogged me and for filling me with awestruck wonder (2 Pe 2:22). Thank You for a closer connection with You that proves strong and victorious above all else.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Time For A Change – Part 2

God has not only shifted us into new alignments and assignments in this new season, He is now working through us to bring swift change beyond us. He is bringing darkness to light, sweeping out ungodly attitudes and even gatekeepers from positions in business.

I have witnessed our Lord, who sees it all, weeding gardens and cleaning houses in businesses; while He strengthens and continues to prosper those committed to working His way. 

This is John 10:10 playing out to the point of harvest on both sides, revealing life and lack.

God is purging evil workers (Phil 3:2). And we are instrumental.

Giants will fall. 

Jezebels will be thrown down.

False kings (like Saul) will come to the end of themselves.

It’s time for the Davids and Esthers and Josephs to ascend in position by God’s prevailing spirit of victory-salvation.

Friends, this is jailbreak time, where the light of truth gets laid bare on the table to be dealt with (Acts 5:19-21, 16:26, 16:37).

1 Corinthians 4:5 TPT says, “…he will bring all that is hidden in darkness to light and unveil every secret motive of everyone’s heart. Then, when the whole truth is known, each will receive praise from God.”

It’s time for greater manifest victory, and God is behind it, in it and on it. So, do your part, and watch the hand of our Lord move mightily through you. 

Get ready to see the greater boldness He instilled in you during past times of consecration to now roar like never before! Be on guard, ready to cross over from lack into provision, to be birthed into more of the manifest value of your identity and inheritance—in multiple areas over time.

As God’s instrument, the initial provoke that comes to you will be an alert that you are on task and on mission for higher breakthrough. Remember to tread carefully, led by Holy Spirit. As God intervenes through you, you will receive your reward that has been stored up, waiting for you, while those with unyielded hearts will receive what God has stored up for them (Ro 2:5). 

When Holy conviction invites you into a turning point for the better, stand up and speak truth to improve your situations and surroundings (Is 45:19 TPT). Be the breakthrough instrument God uses for your benefit and that of others. 

Romans 2:6 says, “For: He will give to each one in return for what he has done.” Verse 16 says that God will judge “the hidden secrets of people’s hearts. And their response to the gospel…will be the standard of judgment used in that day.”

In other words, God will allow the standard that evildoers set to produce the harvest they chose in their lives. And He is moving swiftly.

We are in a harvest of the manifest fruit of the heart. Therefore, those who lived by their own standards above God’s will now reap the consequences they chose. While others, who grew higher with our Lord, will reap and enjoy His Holy rewards.

Both have the opportunity to process their circumstances God’s way.

For God’s people, it’s time to come out on top! 

God’s appointed time of light has come, and it’s just the beginning. Our Lord revealed to me that we can expect to see even bolder manifestations of big shifts over the next three years.

We are living out these pivotal moments of truth right now and forward. God is turning situations in our favor as we step up, speak up and do the work in His strength, led by His Spirit. 

So, don’t hold back, and don’t back down. Stand firm, rise and witness God move on your behalf. Be awed and amazed as you see swift results, which is our new normal. 

He will do it. 

He will break those long-standing strongholds and end our longsuffering. Because it’s time to emerge boldly from the consecration, while remaining deeply rooted in Him as He takes us higher. 

We will emerge stronger in our Lord, empowered as an elevated force to go and do the work before us by His Spirit on new levels. 

We will come to know Him and His blessings even more. 

We will see this freedom extended even throughout our physical bodies. What the enemy tried to hide and work in darkness is now being exposed, uprooted and chains broken, as we receive God’s revealed ways of gracious healing.

Our secret scriptures to hold onto is Isaiah 45:5-6 TPT, which say, “…I will strengthen you for victory, even though you do not intimately know who I am. Yet through you everyone will know who I really am…”

“In that day, Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, will be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty for the remnant of his people. He will be a Spirit of justice for judges to render right decisions. And he will be strength and bravery for those who turn back the battle at the gate” (Is 28:5-6 TPT).

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You that “in You I find righteousness and strength…” In You, I “will triumph and shine” (Is 45:24-25 TPT)! You are not a God of chaos, so come and reconcile the pretty prose of 1 Corinthians 13 in our petty mess of today. Lord of our breakthrough, I trust Your spirit to break the chain reactions that have bound me, as I declare victory-salvation over every place in my life (Is 28:21). I thank You for helping me live out the benefits of Isaiah 45:19 TPT, which says, “…speak the truth and declare to you what is right!” Lord, You say in Isaiah 45:23 TPT that in Your “…own name, this word sent from my mouth in righteousness will not return unfulfilled…” So, my expectation is that You will do what You say and deliver Your people accordingly. Help me to get my part right as I partner with You to enter into new places. Thank You for ordering my steps and for rescuing us all for Your glory. 

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. 

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Time For A Change – Part 1

One of the ways God speaks to me is by giving me a revelatory nugget here and there over time that ultimately converges into a clarified message—a bigger picture of what He’s doing (Pr 20:24 TPT). I think of it as trail mix on a treasure hunt that leads to a prize—the realization of His transforming and eternal love in my life and in others’ (1 Co 13:13).

Does He speak to you like this, too?

I believe one of His purposes in doing so is to prompt us to dig deeper in prayer and Word for the fullness of His revelation—the unique and complete experience of a particular promise to us. Also, to gently lead us into the manifestation of His new and higher place for us without overwhelming us, especially where ungodly strongholds have been intact for what feels like a long time. 

For months, God has been highlighting Wilson Phillips’ song, Release Me. Then, for weeks, He highlighted the folk-pop hit, California Dreamin’, written and recorded by John and Michelle Phillips, Chynna Phillips’ parents. (Chynna is the lead singer of Wilson Phillips.)

All the while, Holy Spirit was highlighting darkness-to-light scriptures as well as messages about His anointing being hindered by adverse attitudes of the heart. 

I soon began to realize He was showcasing something about the area of family. Namely, that He is bringing change for the better and that it is time to see the impossible manifest.

God is answering prayers, especially concerning breakthrough restoration of our closest relationships. He is setting our souls free from toxic entanglements as we have intertwined ourselves increasingly with Him. 

God is manifesting what He has been helping us work through all along. We will experience the desires of our hearts in this area—more of His gift of love as seen in our closest relationships, even some of the ones God completely separated us from and others with whom we’ve had to set strong boundaries for a season.

If there is someone in our lives we have forgiven and for whom we have prayed, someone we have resolved in our hearts as much as we feel we can, someone with whom we have been patient beyond what we thought we could, know that God is giving us increased breakthrough with this person and that we will surely see Him do it.

God is unshackling us from the mockery of prideful legalism into His lovely grace so we can experience Him in this power we’ve never known on this level in this area. God will reveal Himself as our Spirit of Grace, who can and will do much to make up for times past as we continue to submit to Him.

Over time, as we have released hard-heartedness to God and have been made stronger in Him and His ways, He has delivered us and is now manifesting divine health in our relationships by His transforming love. 

God is the only One who can cleanse hearts and re-set these relationships. 

We need only to follow Him.

In so doing, we will see honor restored, respect for one another. 

As God has healed and matured us, we will come to know others in a new way. As past pain is swept away by our Lord, it will be replaced by His peace that surpasses understanding. 

No more will longtime festering wounds control these long-term relationships. 

Where God has been in the messy middle, we will witness Him having worked it out well in the end for a new beginning. We will come into a new understanding, with God and the others, as we submit to His authority in stewarding these relationships His way. 

We will discover it was part of His plan all along.

Love, which is ongoing and everlasting, will prove strong as God has aligned us to experience Love’s breakthrough and deep roots over time. Love will take us higher and broader over time as it now has freedom to grow in this area. 

It’s time to celebrate these beautiful (timely) changes (Ro 12:15-16). Yes, even in these beginning stages. For it is surely happening. We can praise God as He continues to complete the work in us and bring us together in a new and greater light.

You have stayed the course. Now, it’s time to experience the manifest victory in this area. It’s time to see and know the reflections of His creative, transforming love, where He makes all things beautiful in their time. 

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for getting me to higher ground. Thank You that Your unfailing love delivers me from cycles of defeat. You know all the intimate details of my relationships. You have been with me through it all. Thank You that You protected me, that pain is not my portion and that You have now made a way for new beginnings. Thank You for restoring hope, confidence and trust as I remained on the righteous path with You (Job 8:13-14 ESV). Thank You for replacing roots of fear with Your perfect love. Thank You for softened hearts and shifting cycles of un-resolve into redemption. Thank You for helping me to rebound with honor. Thank You for giving me fresh vision and expressions of Your love as I continue to run Your race for me. Thank You for helping me to see others as You do and know You even more. Thank You for continuing to lead me into greater new beginnings in my relationships. For all this, I am grateful and look forward to moving on with them under Your guidance.  

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.