Where's The Backdrop?

Imagine spending twenty dollars on a ticket to see a play. You get there, excited to see what entertainment is in store for you. The curtain opens, the opening lines begin, but you soon realize that there’s no backdrop, no set, and the actors and actresses are in street clothes...no costumes…it’s just a story, a raw script. If the acting is phenomenal, you might get what you paid for, but it’s really difficult to enjoy and understand without the proper setting. Oftentimes the backdrop and costumes help explain the story, the characters, etc. It would lengthen a play significantly if the actors had to explain everything to the audience without these tools.

In some ways, the same can be true of God’s Word, though it will NEVER return to us empty or void. This great treasure is given to us. We open it and read a wonderful verse, maybe a common one that gives us reassurance or peace. Or maybe we've been encouraged to look up a particular verse. We read it and are given insight, but often we miss the full blessing and effect of it because we don’t understand the setting or the characters. Let us take a common passage and explore this idea together:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:28-31

Every time I read this verse, I am humbled, comforted and blessed. However, when I read some of the notes in my study Bible and went back to the beginning of the chapter, I was even more so. By the time I got to this verse, I was truly enlighted and invigorated. The cool thing is that it didn't even matter that I don't have a theology degree. If I were to listen to a Bible teacher instruct on this verse, I’m sure I would learn a ton; however, I’m talking about reading the Bible through my brain, and I’m an every day person with limited education on the background of His Word. That said, with only a few extra minutes, this is what God taught me about this very special passage in Isaiah.

In the notes of my Study Bible it explains the historical context of the chapters that precede this one. I’m not going to go into that, because one fact would lead to another, but the gist of it is that God has allowed “His people” to go through much hardship…war, battles, death, illness…in chapter 40, he allowed Isaiah to provide comfort to them by reminding them of these three things: 1. Who we are, 2. Who God is, & 3. What God gives to those He loves.

Verse 6 of chapter 20 says that “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.” What a beautiful setting to this story!

It goes on, (vs 7 & 8) “The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.” Now we know who we are in light of who God is---the ornamental kind, but grass nonetheless. I can picture Him reaching down His hand gently, picking me up in all my “grassiness,” and whisping me where He wants me to go next.

Then it continues to give us a picture of who God is: (vs.13 & 14) "Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? (vs.18) To whom, then, will you compare God? (vs. 25 & 26) To whom will you compare Me? Or who is My equal? says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? (It is) He who brings out the starry host, one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

Isn’t this an amazing backdrop for us to see? Throughout all of Scripture, since it is said to be “God-breathed,” He is that backdrop indeed!

This picture of who we are in light of who God is sets us up for the popular passage in verses 28 through 31. Just as we begin to get a grasp on the story, the grand finale of this marvelous play full of beautiful scenery, imagery and interesting characters is revealed to us. We get to see what God, this incredible, One and Only Deity, gives to those He loves, even though we are likened to the grass that withers and fades. Only God would love and comfort us in our smallness, you know?

Doesn’t all that background give a fresh and fuller meaning to the familiar verses we started with?

HE is the everlasting God.
HE is the Creator of the ends of the earth.
HE never tires, never runs out of energy.
No one can fathom what HE understands.
Only HE can give strength to the weary and power to the weak.
When we hope in HIM, the One who never stumbles, we will have renewed strength.
HE will make us part of the scenery as we soar on wings as eagles.
HE will make us part of His drama as we draw on His energy, walking without becoming faint.

Now that’s a play I’d like to pay my twenty dollars to see acted out on stage. I challenge you when you hear a beautiful verse or feel conviction about a passage of Scripture to dive in and research the background, the context, the history, the setting. Let God help you grasp the fullness of His Word through the power of His Spirit which searches even the mind the God.

Let's ask Him to open our eyes, sharpen our minds and help us to hear all that He would have for us to know. He will reveal to us what insight we can handle at the time, because He knows what we need more than we even know ourselves. I pray that each time we read His Word we can visualize Him as the magnificent Backdrop of every story and teaching, the Breath behind the characters, and the One worthy of all the applause and glory.

Open the curtains now, Lord. We’re ready to get a glimpse of You.

What Comes DOWN Down down, must go up Up UP!

Romans 11:36 (NLT)
For everything comes from Him and exists by His power
and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.

As I read this passage, it jumpstarted my heart. He read it to me piece by piece, and it was powerful.

For ___________ comes from Him—

Fill in the blank. For (blank) comes from Him.

Think of a gift, a talent, a provision, a privilege or a blessing. Put it in the blank.

and exists by His power…

Whatever you put in the blank—not only does it come from Him, it exists by His power. That means that it is still there because of His power to give, sustain and take away. Whatever you have been given and still have is nothing short of His choice for you to have it.

and is intended for His glory…

This thing, do I really use it for His glory? Am I proud of the gift itself or am I proudly proclaiming the Gift-Giver? The word intended kind of caught me off guard. He, the Maker, the Giver, and the powerful Sustainer didn’t intend for us to use our fill-in-the-blank for our own egos…but for His glory. Period.

All glory to him forever!

All that we have, all that we are, all our hopes and dreams…they are to be for His glory. The forever part makes this so.

Want a promotion in your job? Only if it is for My glory, Child.

Are you using a special talent for Him? Please care more about My fame and renown than your own, Dear One.

Have you been given wisdom and faith? Let your motive be to draw others closer to me.

May the very life we have been given be used for His glory. This is something we must ask from Him, because it will not come naturally for us. It very well may be a trait that is grown little by little in us as we submit to Him each day. Let’s pray to earnestly desire for Him to be our glory forever and ever…

Lord God, I am blown away by the power of Your Word. So impacting. The same Word that has been there from the beginning of time—in its power—in its perfect timing—has convicted me once again. May it do the same in my brothers and sisters as You choose, and may we constantly remind each other of all the glorious things You have done in our lives. I pray from the bottom of my heart that You would help me to learn how to use all my stuff for Your purposes…that I would come to You with empty hands, an undistracted mind and an open heart. Lord, for all of us, when we see each others’ gifts and talents and blessings, may we see only You—and You alone. And then give You the glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“For in HIM we live and move and have our being.”
Acts 17:28a

Who is He?

"Who is He, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
He is the King of glory.
Selah"
Psalm 24:10

Now this is a question over which to pause, ponder & praise: "Who is He, this King of glory?"

He's "The LORD Almighty"!

But who is He? So many great resources exist on the names of God and the attributes of God. One of my favorites is "The Names of God" by Ken Kemphill. Before you read any other book (other than the Bible), I'd encourage you to grab this one or another that focuses on who God is & what He does.

As you read your Bible, and you see a character trait of God, underline it, circle it, highlight it, journal it, whatever. The more you know HIM, the less you need to understand yourself. The more you know what HE does, the less you need to strive yourself.

One of God's promises that gave me incredible comfort and encouragement in my youth is 

"You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." 

Psalm 10:17-18

The fact that He hears, He listens, He encourages, He defends...that stays with me each and every day when I feel lonely or defensive or downcast or negative.

I love the Lord, that He has an answer for every problem, be it big or small. He has a promise to grab & run with each day. He is my King of glory. I could go on and on, but I'd love to hear from you. 

What promise, what fact, what characteristic, what action from The Lord Almighty, your King of glory gives you reason to pause, ponder & praise Him today?

Pause and Ponder Your King--only Praise Will Follow

I've seen this over a dozen times, and it still has the same effect on me. About 5 minutes of your time will cause You to worship the King all day long:

A video set to the famous sermon of Dr. S.M Lockridge

Is HE your King?

Big Deal, Down the Road

I was watching my eight-year-old daughter as we were driving down the freeway one day. Her eyes were busily occupied with all the scenes around her. It took me back to the memory of looking out the car window myself as a kid. Even though I lived in rural Illinois, the world seemed so big when I was looking out the window. Every car, every person, even the corn fields…BIG!

Now when I’m driving, I see lots of cars with little people in them holding hazy objects up to their ears. I used to study the expressions on the faces of people as they would pull up next to me….now I see a shadow out of the corner of my eye. I used to notice big buildings and distinctive landmarks. Now I’m lucky if I notice a speed limit sign or a curb (my SUV needs an alignment, go figure). Weird how I’ve just grown used to my surroundings.

The same is true of my view of God as a kid. He was larger than anyone I could ever imagine. He was somewhere way up high with really humongous ears and eyes. He was pulling the clouds with a string, and He was keeping all the events of the whole world in motion. “He’s got the whole world in His hands…..” was a regular melody inside my head. He was a great big God…..the BIGGEST!!!!

I still believe God is big, but sometimes I allow Him to be too common. I pass Him by as if He were another building or a blurry person in the car next to me. I get used to my surroundings, my way of life, my bubble.

When did this perspective change? And why? I don’t remember….the windows of my mind are blurry on the subject. I think maybe, though, on my journey to have a more personal relationship with Him, instead of Him becoming familiar in an awe-filled way, sometimes I’ve allowed Him to be familiar in a take-for-granted way. Yuck, hate to admit this stuff.

I don’t want to be a kid again. I don’t want to see God as the grand Puppeteer. However, I sincerely pray that my Best Friend, The Savior of my heart and the Lover of my soul would never become just another face to me. I pray that I can love Him as much as He loves me; all the while, remembering that NO ONE can love with that huge kind of love.

HE is my omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent OMNI-Friend. He’s a big deal to me.

"This new plan I'm making with Israel 

isn't going to be written on paper, 

isn't going to be chiseled in stone; 

This time I'm writing out the plan in them, 

carving it on the lining of their hearts. 

I'll be their God, 

they'll be my people. 

They won't go to school to learn about me, 

or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. 

They'll all get to know me firsthand, 

the little and the big, the small and the great. 

They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, 

with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean."

Hebrews 8:10-12, The Message

Backward Praise, Down the Road a Bit

I was a kids' worship leader for almost 20 years--long enough that it became incredibly natural and easy for me to do. In the last five years of that ministry, God laid it on my heart to raise up youth to lead the younger kids in the same way. So I began leading from the stage less and directing from the floor more. As a result, I had to learn all the motions backwards. (Yes, I'm in a very contemporary church where we do lots of ACTIVE hand motions and choreography to our songs).

If I hadn't shown the motions backwards, the youth leading on the stage would've been all confused, hands and flip-flops flying every which direction. It took intense concentration and EXtremely intentional thinking for me to be able to do the motions both ways. It may sound easy, but...NOT!


This emulates my 'daily living' worship as well. It is so easy for me to spend time in the Word, soaking it up, applying it, teaching it, writing it. It's quite another to mirror the Word to others. It takes extreme focus on my part, as well as intentional surrender to the Holy Spirit. Sounds so simple when I'm reading it and praying it, but...NOT!

James 1:22-25 (NIV) 

Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. 

Do what is says. 

Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says

is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, 

after looking at himself, 

goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 

But the man who looks intently into the perfect Law 

that gives freedom, and continues to do this, 

not forgetting what he has heard but doing it-

-he will be blessed in what he does.

My friends, pause & ponder this: Are you living a life of backward praise?

Lay Down Your Lovies

One morning, my nine-year-old daughter caught me in the middle of my quiet time when she woke up. She laid down her lovies and crawled onto my lap with open arms. The way our snuggle was positioned, I could feel her heart beating against my chest. She nestled there perfectly content and quiet for at least five minutes. Then as she let go and looked straight into my eyes with pure admiration, she leaned close in and gave me an Eskimo kiss, then looked at me again and gave me a butterfly kiss. She went back to the clench hug and said, “I love you, Mommy.” They were moments to be branded on my heart forever.

About a half hour later, my seven-year-old daughter (at the time), came down the stairs and found me in the same position (still trying to finish my alone time with the Lord). She hopped up on my lap with a bunch of stuffed Webkinz lovies in her arms and hugged me.

“Sweetie, why don’t you put your stuff down, so Mommy can give you a real hug,” I suggested.

She replied, “That’s okay, I’m all warm and comfy.” 

We had our bulky snuggle time for a few minutes, she got down, gave me a quick, wet smack on the cheek and said, “Love you, Mom,” as she went on her merry way to begin her day.

~

This tangible experience became a spiritual example for me. When I go to my Heavenly Father, do I lay all my “stuff” at His feet so that my whole heart and mind can cling to Him? OR do I hold on to the things that make me feel warm and comfy inside, halfway embracing our relationship? Both of these scenarios are in contact with Him, both illustrations communicate my love for Him, but the first is deeper and fuller and will produce the fruit of the Spirit in the ripest and richest way.

“Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul
and with ALL your mind and with ALL your strength.”
Mark 12:30

The idea of this sounds beautiful, but how can it work practically? 

When I look at any verse of worship or devotion to the Lord, I try to put hands and feet on it to help me out. Let’s sort through the following Love The Lords:

• WITH ALL MY HEART ~~~ My heart is what gives life to my body. It is the place where the things I love to do, the people I love, the situations in my day and the passions I have are turned into emotion.

• WITH ALL MY SOUL ~~~ My soul is the whole me, that which identifies me and makes me feel whole.

• WITH ALL MY MIND ~~~ My mind is where the main battle occurs, where the choices are decided, where the output of what is in the heart and soul is processed.

• WITH ALL MY STRENGTH ~~~ My strength is my efforts, and it is a direct result of what comes out of the mind.

To have the fullest abiding relationship with the Lord, we must lay down our lovies and fully cling to Him. Is there anything or anyone we love more than Him? Is there anything or anyone we love as much as Him? Is there anything or anyone that distracts us from fully loving Him? Lay it down. He wants every part of us…there’s nothing He desires for us to keep to ourselves--

-NOTHING. 

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.”
ACTS 17:28a

Father God, You have loved us with a gigantic, perfect, whole, unconditional, 

surrendered love. We are so thankful. Work in us that kind of love today, LORD, 

through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

Oh, that I could say this prayer and mean it...

It fills my heart with passion.

Pause. Ponder. Praise...

"I AM A PART OF the fellowship of the unashamed.

I have Holy Spirit power.

The Dye has been cast.

I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, 

back away or be still.
My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure.

I am finished and done with low living,
side walking, small planning,
smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame vision,
worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotion, plaudence or popularity.
I don't have to be right, tops, recognized,
praised, regarded or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience.
I am uplifted by prayer, labor by power,
my pace is set, my gait is fast,
my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow,
my way is rough, my companions are few,
my guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I can't be bought, compromised, detoured,
lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of adversary,
negotioate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity,
or meander at the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up,
until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up,
paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ:

I am a disciple of Jesus,
I must go 'til He comes,
give 'til I drop,
preach 'til I know,
and wait 'til He counts me.

For when He comes for His own,
He will have no problems recognizing me.
My banner will be clear."

~ Author: An unknown pastor from Zimbabwe

1 Peter 4:14-19 (The Message)

If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. 

It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you 

that brought you to the notice of others. 

If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, 

that's a different matter. 

But if it's because you're a Christian, 

don't give it a second thought. 

Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!

It's judgment time for God's own family. We're first in line. 

If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like 

for those who refuse God's Message! 

If good people barely make it, 

What's in store for the bad?

So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, 

take it in stride. Trust him. 

He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

The ONLY Way to Freedom

I just love a Wednesday that is Word-Filled!

No matter who you are...

Or what you think you know...

The Truth is...

that..

JESUS Christ, the Son of God, is the ONLY name by which you can be saved.The name of FREEDOM.

If you haven't put your faith in the One true way to salvation,

Pause...

ask forgiveness for your sins...

ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Now is the time.

If you have His salvation in your heart 

and are looking for anything other than Him to satisfy your needs,

Pause.

If you have HIs salvation in your heart

 and think that you can do anything to make Him love you more,

Pause.

And look to the only One who can fill the 

God-sized hole in your heart.

Now is the time.

No matter who you are...

Or what you think you know...

Jesus is your One and ONLY way to freedom.

Would you like to see more Truth-filled Scripture pictures? Then hike on over to:

Beside Myself

The Christian life is not a constant high.

I have my moments of deep discouragement.

I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes,

and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'

Billy Graham

I have to say a HUGE “Amen” to Mr. Graham here. I also have seasons of deep discouragement. And when that happens, I get a little bit beside myself.

But beside myself is exactly where I need to be. It reminds me of my smallness, my inability to inspire myself and to find pleasure in anything this life has to offer.

During those times, I’ve learned that the first place I need to go is to my Papa. I need to make Him the first one to wipe my tears and to comfort me. I need to ask for His direction. Sometimes He frees me up to phone or text a friend, or put out a few emails or even a public plea for help to ministry supporters. Often, He leads me to keep it just between the two of us.

But come to Him first, I must.

Psalm 42:1-8, The Message

A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek;

I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.

I'm thirsty for God-alive.

I wonder, "Will I ever make it—arrive and drink in God's presence?"

I'm on a diet of tears—tears for breakfast, tears for supper.

All day long people knock at my door, pestering,

"Where is this God of yours?"

These are the things I go over and over,

emptying out the pockets of my life.

I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,

right out in front, leading them all,

eager to arrive and worship,

Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—

celebrating, all of us, God's feast!

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?

Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God—soon I'll be praising again.

He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you,

From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar.

Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids.

Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me.

Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night!

My life is God's prayer.

Why go to Him first? Because HE is the only One who can forgive my sins, who can heal my dysfunction and brokenness, who can deliver me from my strongholds, who can encourage me in my inmost being (read Psalm 103). He’s the only One who can see into the locked broom closets of my soul.

Furthermore, He already knows me. He doesn’t see my hurts and pains as a reason to judge me. He doesn’t see my weakness the way humans do. He is completely forgiving and sees the absolute best in me.

So this is why I give Him my all, and first. These past few months, my Papa has seen the worst in me, and He has seen His best in me. I’ve been beside myself, while He has been my everything. And I love Him all the more, even though He couldn’t possibly love me any less.

“My life is God’s prayer.”

“And the God of all grace,

who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,

after you have suffered a little while,

will Himself restore you and make you

strong, firm and steadfast.”

1 Peter 5:10

Time-out

It's Word-Filled Wednesday!!!

I have a noisy life at present. Lots of voices. Tons of influences. All of this is physically, emotionally and spiritually-seeking. Sometimes it's so difficult to remember to put on my earphones--the ones that hear His one and only tune. 

But when the world seems smaller, the tv seems louder and the walls seem closer together than ever before, a timeout with my Papa is what I need the most. When I do this, He restores my soul, guides me to Godly decisions, and shines through me, for His' name's sake.

For His Name's sake, I choose to listen to His voice amidst the hubbub and have-to-dos-and-bes today.

Help me, Father, I pray...in each relationship and with every choice I make. May I trust YOU fully, Lord. You are the One who raised Your Son from the dead. And You are the only One who can restore my soul. Thank You, Lord, that all I have to do is rest in Your power, working like a mighty wind through me. For Your Name and in Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

For more Truth-filled Scripture pictures, hike on over to:

Picture-Perfect Pause

Happy Word-Filled Wednesday!

If you could paint a picture-perfect place to take a "selah," what would it look like? By "selah" I mean a place to stop and reflect on your faith walk.

For me, it would look much like this picture my friend Peter let me borrow, which serves as the background for this week's WFW.  


Truth be told, when I ponder a picture-perfect pause, it almost always has this sort of scene associated with it. To lay reclined against that grassy hill, looking out over the blue waters reading my Bible, praying with my eyes open wide would be the ultimate Selah experience for this visual worshipper.

But oh, what I truly desire--is picture-perfect fellowship with my Savior. Nothing compares to that scene. To lay reclined in His strong arms, looking out over whatever situation I need to face, having Him speak His Word to me as I seek Him with my heart's eyes open wide...THAT is the daily Selah experience for this visual worshipper. And it is a glorious one when I choose it.

I'm going to dive more into what "Selah" means in the days to come. I used to think it meant "to pause," but it is sooooo much more than that. I'm wondering if I were to "Selah" each and every one of the Scriptures I read today, what a difference it would make in my life. Something to ponder...

For more Truth-filled Scripture pictures, hike on over to:

Wholly Holy/At the Internet Cafe

I am a visual worshipper, so a trip to somewhere grandeous is all it takes for me to get perspective of how awesome God is. It is truly amazing after being a Christian for all these years that I can make GOD such a casual name in my vocabulary. As if He were the mailman delivering Good News…..or the maintenance man, making repairs in my life….an entertainer, performing music inside my heart and mind.

I was convicted as I sat, hiked and biked in the beautiful mountains of Colorado last summer that His name had become too ordinary to me. Don’t get me wrong, I uttered His name as "holy" in my prayers and in my worship, but in everyday living, I had not exalted Him to His proper place. I've been grappling with this ever since. Even today, I struggle with finding the balance between reverence and relevance, though I know it is His desire that I am both at the same time. This culture is full of Twittering "omg"s and variants of His name as an interjection to the most common of subjects. Yes, even among Christians. I've done it myself. But ever since the Holy of Holies opened my eyes to His view, I've wholly reconsidered.

Will you please join me for the rest of this devo at the Internet Cafe? So many women are ministered to each day at the Cafe, and your comments, input and testimonies deepen and personalize the impact of the message each day.
Click here to dive into what the Word has to say on the subject. Thank you so much!

In the Key of HE,

Undivided Time in 2009

It's Word-Filled Wednesday!

My goal this year is to remember that everything I see, say, read, do, touch and write needs to be in line with His Truth. I don't want my heart sliced into pieces like pie, leaving only the leftovers for my Lord. I want each fraction of the seconds in my life to match up with whatever is true, praiseworthy and right. I want to honor Him and have appropriate awe for His glorious name.

I pray that anything that divides me from a pure heart for the Lord will be tossed out, whether it be wasted time or entertainment or worry or ministry or self-promotion or interests or talents or relationships or...  If the Lord can use any of these for His glory, I pray I will pursue them with full force, running fast 'n hard with the strength He provides. As He teaches me, and as I submit, I'll know what to do by the leading of the Holy Spirit in me.

My personal verse for 2009:

Father God, I long to have an undivided heart. Just as Jesus showed single-mindedness in Your will for Him, I want to be solely devoted to You as well. I long to worship You and live for you with no duplicity in my heart or from my lips. And I want to want it every single day. Lord, help me to fear You and love You with all that is within me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday and for visual inspiration from Scripture, hike on over to:






In the Key of HE,

Stop! Say What?

We were watching a movie with a heavy script. The music in the background was booming, but the words were muffled. “What did they just say?” We clicked backwards so that we could listen to it again. This happened several times throughout the movie, but we kept rewinding. After all, it wouldn’t be a complete movie experience if we couldn’t process the words….

While reading Psalm 143 the next morning, I had a similar occurrence.

(vs 5 & 6) “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all Your works and consider what Your hands have done. I spread out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land.” Selah

STOP! SAY WHAT? Selah….“

“Pause,” “Reflect….think about it,” “Selah”—Say what? Say-lah! STOP! REWIND! Listen again. Soak it in!

“You won’t have an effective personal experience with Me today if you don’t process My words,” the Lord reminded me in my spirit.

The word “Selah” is found over 70 times in Psalms, and most commentators believe that the songwriters placed it there to pause in the singing and bring in the instruments, thus giving “sink in time” to the words previously uttered. This comes to mind when a musical interlude comes in the middle of a worship song. I think, “Selah. Stop! What did I just sing? Did I really mean the compliment I just gave to Jesus? What commitment did I make? Wait! Which sins did I just confess?” The same attitude can be applied when we’re asked to push the pause button of our minds while reading the Word.

Let’s take a Selah right now and meditate on the Scripture above: “I remember the days of long ago;” Reflect on the “God stuff” in those days instead of the circumstantial things. What did the Lord do in your life? What were you like before you were saved?

“I meditate on all Your works and consider what Your hands have done.” Remember times of protection, instruments of change, people who were Jesus to you. If you could roll back the tapes in the spiritual world, how many times could you see God’s hand at work?

”I spread out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land.” As you take the time to do what the Psalm writer intended for you to do, your parched soul, your tired self will begin to thirst again for the Lord to have His way with you today. Selah.

Continue on….(vs 8-10)

“Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in You.
Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in You.
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God;
may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

This is the beginning of a complete experience with the Lord, friends: A Selah moment of pausing, then reflecting—then committing to go the rest of the way for an ongoing personal relationship with our Lord through the presence of the Spirit, praising Him as the “play” button of our lives continues, sometimes even in fast forward mode.

Stop! Take a Selah.

To be continued….

In the Key of HE,

Merry Word-Filled, Light-Filled Christmas Eve!!!!

Merry Word-Filled Christmas Eve! May all who see and know us find His light shining brightly through us!

Lord, I am so humbled by your gift of life and light this Christmas. You constantly pierce through the deepest and darkest corners of my heart and expose what I've tried to hide there. May Your light in me reveal Your love and Truth to others, dear Lord. This Christmas, may no darkness be found in me. Thank You for Jesus. I worship, admire and awe over Him today. In His name I pray, Amen.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday and for visual inspiration from Scripture, hike on over to:






In the Key of HE,

Fragrant Gifts

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany…
Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor…
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume;
she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair.
And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
John 12:1-3

Talk about your extravagant gift. How I would love to be in Mary’s skin during this act of worship to Jesus, to be able to express my love for Him in person so elaborately. I can only daydream!

I wonder, though. Would I really have traded places with her? She poured a perfume worth a year’s wages on His head. Then she proceeded to coat His feet with it in front of all those people...with her hair! Would I have shown Jesus I adore Him with that much abandon?

The most precious thing I have to offer Him is myself. The gifts that came first from His hand--my spiritual gifts--are as valuable as that fine perfume if they are offered from a pure and humble heart. After all, using them is my “spiritual act of worship.”

Yet I miss the point of this more often than not. I’ve been guilty of leaving my “bottle of perfume” on the shelf, afraid of what others will think of its scent. Fear, Insecurity and Laziness are familiar culprits of my flesh that work to give my gifts a long shelf life.

Of course, I am also guilty sometimes of spraying it on only when I can assure it will smell good to others. In the name of peace, I don’t want to offend anyone. Or worse, I might be ridiculed.

The worst mistake of all is when I use my spiritual gifts to my own benefit. I saturate myself in them so that others cannot help but be attracted to the “Good Smell Contest Winner"—ME! “Hi, Mom!”

Each day, I have opportunities to use the gifts God has given me, and each day, I make a choice. When I turn to the Word, it stirs my soul to live the Mary way.

I have no excuse to be lazy when I read, “Do not neglect your gift,” and “fan into flame the gift of God.” Clearly, I am to exercise my spiritual gift muscles in order to strengthen the Body of Christ as a whole.

And how can I use my gifts only when it feels good, knowing that God did not give me “a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline”? Did Mary run away when Judas rebuked her?

Furthermore, when I scream out “Look at me! See how great I am with my precious gift,” have I forgotten Who gave it to me in the first place? Even if I replace the exclamation point with a period or a question mark, I am totally missing the mark that Mary left behind as an example. She showed that gifts are given so that Jesus will smell good to others.

Am I alone in my struggle, or can you relate? The admonishments in Scripture are for each of us as believers. “The end of all things is near,” we are reminded. Shouldn’t that lead us to use our spiritual giftedness for the glory of Jesus Christ?

If the Holy Spirit has gifted us with hospitality, we should do so without prejudice and "without grumbling." Our wide open doors will hopefully lead to wide open hearts for Christ.

If we are led to encourage, instead of crossing the line to flattery, we should do it as “one speaking the very words of God.” Our deliberate words will hopefully lead toward decisions for Christ.

If and when any of us serve with WHATEVER gift He has given us, we “should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

Let’s break open our valuable jars today and fill the room with His aroma--in humility, in authenticity—with no duplicity of heart or mind, fully knowing that it is “Christ in us” who can accomplish great and mighty things according to His will.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.”
2 Corinthians 2:14

To HIM be the glory and the power forever. Amen.

NIV Scripture references: Romans 12, 1st Timothy 4, 2nd Timothy 1, 1st Peter 4


In the Key of HE,

Out of Order

Recently, I began to feel pretty flat spiritually. Okay, really flat. With little inspiration to write, to read or even to pray, it was all I could do to keep from sinking into depression. When the Lord led me to search my soul about it, an unsuspecting thought surfaced.

No, THAT is not the problem. Next thought, Lord.

No matter how much I tried to deny it, the Holy Spirit kept bringing the same subject up in my heart and mind--through devotions I would read, sermons I would hear, songs that left a thick lump in my throat, and through conversations with my friends and family.

You haven’t been putting Me first.

That’s the thought that kept coming. I asked Him to show me what I was doing out of order, and He began the process of revealing it to me. I feel led to share one moment in particular with you...


I would love for you to read the rest at the Internet Cafe today by clicking here: Out of Order at the Cafe This is very new and close to my heart, so I hope it ministers to you in some way...

In the Key of HE,

Blind Service

Happy Word-filled Wednesday!

The Lord brought a thought to my heart and mind recently:

Why do I sometimes serve Him without first acknowledging Him?

Then the Holy Spirit brought up a Word hid in my heart (Hosea 6:6):
"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."

The Message says it this way:
"I'm after love that lasts, not more religion.
I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings."

Why do I sometimes serve Him without wholly acknowledging Him?

I have no idea.

How many times does He come to me, and I miss Him entirely?

Praise the Lord for convicting me of this, and praise Him even more for His mercy when I've failed.

He is good! He is God!!!

Father God, You are holy and perfect and the one thing that's fully right in my life. Help me to see You, to thirst for You, to worship You with no duplicity of heart or mind. Forgive me for sometimes serving You or writing about You or counseling others in You without first spending time with You myself. When You appear, Lord, I want to know You and recognize Your voice. I pray You would make my heart long for that more than it longs to serve. I know in doing so, I can serve You in the way You have planned for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.


For more Word-Filled Wednesday and for visual inspiration from Scripture, hike on over to:






And if you have time tomorrow, I'd love for you to hear something close to my heart. I'll be over at the Internet Cafe to share. It was so important to me, I changed my original devo which was going to be on overspending at Christmas. God must have a special purpose for it...

In the Key of HE,

Having a Mary Christmas

Our host for "At the Well" this week is Tracy from Thirsty for Him. She has chosen the topic of: Having a "Mary" Christmas: Keeping "Christ" in Christmas with Practical Ideas.

She asks us the following questions:
Do you find yourself stressed each Christmas, trying to "DO" all of the activities of the holiday, only finding yourself depleted and wondering if your family celebrated the true meaning of Christmas? What are practical tips and ideas you can share that celebrate Christ and simplifies Christmas?

It has taken me many years, but I can honestly say that I have been set free from being overly stressed at Christmas. Well, as far as the busyness of Christmas is concerned anyway. Certain things in life go on no matter what the season, and my stress load with life in general is a whole 'nother subject. ;)

Two insights I have to participate in this subject, because I'm terrible at traditions. Wish I weren't, but I really am. (sigh)

The first is to take time to worship God alone.

Mark 1:35 (New International Version)
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

This may mean turning off the music or walking away from the computer or other distractions...and getting alone with God--focusing on His character, His Word. It's so difficult for moms with little children and little to no support from their spouses, but it can be done. (Just not for long unfortunately).

Honestly, I don't know how anyone keeps the Christ in Christmas without taking the time to focus on the Christ OF Christmas.

I simply cannot. After you've done this, then you can take the time to meditate on the Word and pray with the rest of your family. This, I promise, will make a significant difference in your attitude this December...it's more than listening to Christmas sermons and reading other's devotions...it's TRULY spending time in magnificent wonder and awe of your Savior King. Listening. Telling. Turning. Living.

Second, be intentional about living worship.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (New International Version)
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

It sounds so simple and so basic, but the small things speak Christ into others in the midst of a hectic, complicated, frustrating time for many. We try to tip extra when we can, put coins in the Salvation Army bucket. The kids and I not only put our grocery cart away, but we look for stray ones to put away too. We are friendly in lines at the checkout counter and try not to honk at the person who switches three lanes. Imagine a honk-free Christmas...now wouldn't that be something? (Bear in mind I live in the city).

I always pray that our family would not be out to impress the Santa who knows when you've been bad or good, but that we would be about giving our all to the Savior who knows our thoughts and motives. When I choose to turn a conversation from gossip to praise at a Christmas party, it makes a difference. When I seek out someone who looks left out and sit with them at the Christmas program, it makes a difference.

I could go on and on, but TRULY, the way we live out our faith during this time, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in us, the more peace that comes at Christmas, the internal kind anyway. Together, let's reflect on Him and live as though He is our "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6b)

Mary Christmas! Sooooooo many other thoughts, practical insights and sweet conversation await at Tracy's place. I hope you'll head on over.


In the Key of HE,