He's Coming

Titus 2:11-14 (NIV) ¹¹For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹²It teaches us ... to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Chirst, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

2 Peter 3:13 (NIV) ¹³But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:3-5 and 22:20 (NIV) ^21:3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ... ^22:20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Isaiah 65:17 (NIV) See, I will create a new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

I believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was crucified and died, who was buried, but who was resurrected and now sits at the side of God the Father. Jesus awaits God’s command to gather His faithful servants. I do not believe in billions of resurrections, only in Christ’s resurrection as the first fruits (c.f., 1 Corinthians 15:20-23). I believe death is the cessation of life; no breathing, no thinking, no life signs discernable (c.f., Ecclesiastes 9:10; 12:7; Psalm 146:4). I believe all the faithful who have died, from all the generations past and present, are peacefully asleep in God’s loving care (c.f., John 11:11-15; Psalm 116:15 NLT). God does not forget his own, nor does he forget their DNA, and just as we were created in our mother’s womb, so we will also be created anew and our perishable will put on the imperishable bodies at the last trumpet (c.f., 1 Corinthians 15:51-57). It matters not where our bodies remain until Christ’s return, whether lost at sea, on the top of a mountain, buried in a mudslide, or in the neighborhood cemetery. The Blessed Hope of all Christians is this: Christ was resurrected, so shall all God’s faithful be resurrected on the Day when Christ returns!

He’s Coming (author unknown, ca 1800s)

How sweet are the tidings that greet the pilgrim’s ear, As he wanders in exile from home; Soon, soon will the Savior in glory appear, and soon will the kingdom come.

The mossy old graves where the pilgrims sleep, shall be opened as wide as before, and the millions that sleep in the mighty deep, shall live on this earth once more.

There we’ll meet ne’er to part in our happy Eden home, Sweet songs of redemption we’ll sing: from the North, from the South, all the ransomed shall come, and worship our heav;nly King.

Hallelujah, amen! Hallelujah again! Soon, if faithful, we all shall be there; O, be watchful, be hopeful, be joyful till then, and a crown of bright glory we’ll wear.

He’s coming, coming, coming soon I know! Coming back to this earth again; and the weary pilgrims will to glory go, when the Savior comes to reign.

 

Lord God, our Father,

Thank you for the promised Blessed Hope of resurrection for all those who believe. Thank you for the peace and reassurance that when we close our eyes in death it is just a temporary sleep – a peaceful rest from pain, suffering, and trials – until on that great triumphant Day when you call our names to come forth. Whether we sleep for a while in death, or whether we remain living and active, one thing is certain – You will come again! Until then may we be found watchful, hopeful, and joyful for your promise.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  He’s Coming appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Advent Christian Hymnal, ACGC, 1952.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Matthew 26:36-46 is the familiar story of Gethsemane. Today, I challenge you to dig out your Bible and read the text for yourself. Use your preferred translation, but try to avoid paraphrases.

Following the Last Supper, Jesus knew the time was at hand. His heart was overwhelmed with sorrow (v. 38) and I have to imagine that it wasn’t just for the task Jesus faced – abuse, beatings, death on the cross – but also the heartbreak of knowing there would still be generations of people who would die in their disbelief. Much of his grief was on our behalf and not his own!

His last request? Stay with me (v. 36). Keep watch with me (v. 38). Pray with me (v. 41). Sadly, we know the response of the disciples. Yet do we fare any better today? Can we spend more than a few hurried moments in prayer before our mind wanders, or before we tire, or become distracted? Is prayer a priority of our day, or something tacked on in haste before we go to bed?

One of my favorite old hymns was first written as a poem by William W. Walford, dated sometime prior to 1842. Interestingly, William Walford shared something in common with another renown hymn writer, Fanny Crosby – they were both blind. Some of Walford’s poetry was written down by Thomas Salmon, a pastor, who left for the United States in 1842, and it was then that Walford’s poetry was published and later set to music by William B. Bradbury. Most likely Walford never knew his poetry had become a favored traditional hymn.

One additional note of interest, the word ‘sweet’ originally carried the connotation of respected. For William Walford, clearly spending time in prayer was considered esteemed and held in high honor; for there, although living in darkness without eyesight, he could glimpse the face of his Redeemer. Indeed, what an honor it is to spend time, communicating from our heart, sharing personally with God, our Father and Lord.

Sweet Hour of Prayer (William W. Walford, 1842)

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my Father’s throne make all my wants and wishes known; in seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief, and oft escaped the tempter’s snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, thy wings shall my petition bear, to Him whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless: and since He bids me seek His face, believe His word and trust His grace, I’ll cast on Him my every care, and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! The joys I feel, the bliss I share, of those whose anxious spirits burn, with strong desire for thy return! With such I hasten to the place where God my Savior shows his face, and gladly take my station there, and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

 

Lord God, our Father,

Forgive us for the times when we take the ability to communicate personally with you for granted. Forgive us when we take it lightly, or put prayer along with Band-Aids in the ‘for emergencies’ tool kit. Prayer is precious. Prayer is a sacred gift you give us to talk with you. Our words don’t have to be practiced or eloquent, we just simply have to share our heart with you. Thank you. Teach us to be a people of prayer.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Sweet Hour of Prayer appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Special courtesy ‘Thank You’ to Alison Brown for her wonderful piano accompaniment on Sunday’s worship service, particularly the arrangement for Sweet Hour of Prayer.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Advent Christian Hymnal, ACGC, 1952.

The Hymn Story (history) posted at

 https://www.hymnsofchristianworship.com/sweet-hour-of-prayer.html

Let the Lower Lights Be Burning

Luke 1:76-79 (NIV) ⁷⁶And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, ⁷⁷to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, ⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun [Christ] will come to us from heaven ⁷⁹to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

John 1:4-9 (NIV) ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ⁶There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

The first scripture text today, our passage from Luke, is the song of Zechariah in praise and thanksgiving for the birth of his son, John – more familiarly known to us as John the Baptist. John was not the True Light promised from God as the gift of salvation; but John was the one to bear witness to all that the True Light was soon coming.

The second scripture text today, our passage from John, clarifies that Jesus Christ, sent from God, is the True Light and the only way to salvation to all who would believe. This passage clarifies that John was not the True Light, but the one to bear witness that Christ was the True Light.

More than 2,000 years later, do we have a place in this story? What were the words of Jesus on this topic?

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Many years ago my husband and I were blessed to take a trip with my brother and his wife up along the coastline of Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, then returning to the mainland. We called it ‘The Lighthouse’ tour because all along the way we visited the various lighthouses along the coast. The lighthouses were spectacular and each held a wonderful history. Yet there was something else; smaller lights, lesser lights, all lighting up the rocky coast the entire trip. Perhaps we haven’t been called to be a ‘lighthouse’, perhaps our purpose is to be a smaller light along the shore. Christ says, we are the light of the world and we have a purpose to shine whatever light we have... for our sakes? Hardly. Our purpose is that others may see the light and glorify God.

 

Let the Lower Lights Be Burning (Phillip P. Bliss, 1871)

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore, But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar; Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother; some poor sailor tempest tossed, trying now to reach the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting, struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save.

 

Lord God, our Father,

Sometimes we get the idea that because we aren’t one of the more spectacular lights that our witness isn’t as important as someone more gifted, more talented, more popular than we. Forgive our short-sightedness; for you have called each and every one of us to be a light that leads others to you. Open our minds and hearts to the opportunities you give us to shine forth your light.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

The devotional  Let the Lower Lights Be Burning appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Advent Christian Hymnal, ACGC, 1952.

Be with My Heart

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) ²³Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 6:20-21a (NIV) ²¹My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. ^21aBind them always on your heart...

Proverbs 17:22a (NIV) ^22aA cheerful heart is good medicine...

Proverbs 27:19 (NIV) ¹⁹As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NIV) ⁹The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ¹⁰“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) ²³Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 51:10, 17 (NIV) ¹⁰Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ... ¹⁷My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

The Bible is first and foremost a book about God. God’s heart is pure. God’s heart is clean. God’s heart never waivers. God’s heart yearns for his people. In fact, God so loved the people he created that he sacrificed his only begotten Son to save the people God so loved (c.f., John 3:16).

We have an expression... ‘get to the heart of the matter’ which means get down to the root of the topic. Why? Because the heart is the very center, the very foundation. And so it is with our daily lives. The things we carry in our hearts are those things most dear, most special, most important to us – the things we treasure. Is that where God resides? Do we treasure him the most of all those things in our heart? If we do; then our life reflects the God we love and treasure.

Lord God Almighty, my Heavenly Father;

I carry many things in my heart, but some things I need to yield to you. I bring you my broken and contrite heart, and ask that you create within me a pure heart – one that treasures and values You above all else. Help me to reorganize my priorities.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Be with My Heart appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be with My Feet

Proverbs 4:14-15 (NIV) ¹⁴Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. ¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.

Proverbs 4:26-27 (NIV) ²⁶Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. ²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV) ²³The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; ²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

I have no personal experience with counseling or rehabilitation services; but I know from the experiences of more than one friend that a major component of rehabilitation is to vary your routine pathways. For example, if a certain bar or pub was your favorite stop, choose a different road that does not drive past it. Find a different route from work back home to avoid temptation of old routines. For many people, this method works to help avoid temptations.

This advice isn’t new, it can be found in Scripture! Don’t follow the path of those who would lead you away from your Christian ethics – who would lead you away from what you know is the right thing. Remain steadfast. And when you stumble, as we all do in life, remember that it is the LORD who holds your hand.

Lord God Almighty, my Heavenly Father;

Be with my feet and the paths I take. Keep my feet steadfast on the path that pleases you. Help me avoid those things that would tempt me to drift away.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Be with My Feet appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be with My Mouth

Proverbs 29:20 (NIV) ²⁰Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Proverbs 17:27a (NIV) ^27aThe one who has knowledge uses words with restraint...

Proverbs 4:24 ²⁴Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Ephesians 5:4 (NIV) ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

It isn’t always pleasant to realize that we need reminders about our speech; some of us more frequently than others. Guarding our words, especially in a heated or difficult moment isn’t easy; but it is part of living a Christian life that shows the world the love of Christ. Fortunately, the Bible does not only contain warnings, it also contains positive goals about what our mouths should be producing.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) ²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Job 13:5 (NIV) ⁵If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

Matthew 5:37 (NIV) ³⁷All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Colossians 4:6 (NIV) ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

The verses I have provided above are by no means an exhaustive list. I am quite confident that you have your own favorite ‘go to’ verses for both warnings and positive guidance. However, there is one additional thought I would like to explore. We understand that the Bible is not a book about us. Although we find excellent examples for Christian living, ultimately, the Bible is a book about God, our Heavenly Father, the LORD God Almighty. If we follow that line of thought; what do we know about how God uses speech? Does He ever speak in haste? Does He ever use coarse joking or teasing? Indeed NOT! God says what He means, and He means what He says! Furthermore, sometimes His silence speaks volumes!

Psalm 141:3 (NIV) ³Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Psalm 19:14 (NIV) ¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Lord God Almighty, my Heavenly Father;

Be with my mouth and what it speaks.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Be with My Mouth appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Out with the New - In with the Old

If you just read the title correctly, then you realize it is flipped backwards from what is the usual idiomatic expression. That is for a reason as we will explore in a moment.

Psalm 100:1-3 (NLT) ¹Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! ²Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. ³Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3 (KJV) ¹Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. ²Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. ³Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Typically we are trained to get rid of anything that is old, worn, or outdated in favor of replacing it with new, shiny, sturdy, or better quality. For most things in general that may be good advice. However, God’s Word is never old or outdated; unfortunately for most of us it also shows little evidence of being well-worn. In fact, if you have your Bible on a Kindle or eReader you don’t even have to ‘turn’ pages anymore. But that’s a bit of a bunny trail for now. Be patient with me; I’ll get my thoughts back on track.

Many people have placed their King James Version Bibles on the shelf in favor of newer translations and the ease of reading more modern languages. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that, in fact there may be benefits especially if it gets you to open the pages of your Bible more often! Yet sometimes, I enjoy the wording of the good ole fashioned KJV. There is a rhythm and cadence not found in modern translations. The ‘thee’ ‘thou’ and ‘ye’ do not bother me because I know it means ‘you’ (directed toward ‘me’).  Just for something interesting, let’s look at three verses from Psalms and make a little new-old thought comparison.

Psalm 100:1  [Read verse one of both translations.] Not many of us shout with joy unless we are at a stadium or watching a ball game on tv. And I’m not certain it would be appropriate in worship services – unless you go to a church with songs that are repetitiously shouted and screamed under the guise of ‘worship’. I’ve often wondered about that worship strategy because I seriously doubt God is deaf or ever has trouble ‘hearing’ us. However, making a joyful noise unto the LORD is something we can all do anytime, anywhere, even within our hearts. It’s about the LORD and not about ourselves. It expresses joy for what He has done in our lives, and for the beauty of his creation all around us.

Psalm 100:2  [Read verse two of both translations.] It is clear that we are to come before the LORD our God with gladness of heart; but the old 1965 Webster’s on my desk offers new insight to consider: [e.g., causing pleasure, making happy, willing: as in ‘I’m glad to do it]. Do we go to church so that we can feel happy and glad, and come away feeling like we’ve been adequately entertained? OR are we happy and glad to go to church where we gather with others for the purpose of praising the LORD God Almighty? Are we glad to do it? Is the focus of our worship on God or on how we might benefit?

Psalm 100:3  [Read verse three of both translations.] One can acknowledge (i.e., admit, recognize) God but there is another depth to knowing God; (i.e., understanding through study, learning through experience, pursue depth of knowledge). The next portion of verse three also needs the attention of our thoughts. He made us is clear, and while yes, we are his; let us never forget that we did not make ourselves! The world would have us to believe that we are our own creation, that what we do and how we function should be pleasing to us personally without regard to other persons. The world teaches the philosophy of self. The Bible is all about God; not us. We did not make us; God made us, both collectively as humans and individually as you and I. There is not another ‘you’ who can do what God has purposed for ‘you’ to do. We are His people and yes, a bit like aimless sheep who definitely need a shepherd.

Whether you choose to use a new translation like New Living Translation (NLT), New International Version (NIV), New English Translation (NET) or another authentic translation (not paraphrase); I challenge you to once in a while get out your old King James Version (KJV) sitting on the shelf and dig a little deeper. While some newer translations may provide clarity, there is still a rhythm and cadence of the old English text that may spur your thoughts to a deeper praise and worship of the LORD, the Almighty God and our Father.

Lord God Almighty, our Father;

Forgive us for being content with merely skimming the surface of your Word. Forgive us for wanting easy explanations without expending any effort on our part to dig deeper. Teach us to come before you with joyful hearts and honest praise for who you are and what you have done.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Out with the New – In with the Old appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version (cum privilegio), undated, Cambridge University Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The First Gleam of Dawn

Recently I have started walking again and morning is my preferred time. Our southwestern sunsets are beautiful – but nothing compares to the vibrant colors and the glory of the sunrises. This morning, twice I had to just stop and thank the Lord for the beauty of his creation.

Although I had some tentative plans for what to write this week; plans changed, as they often do when I ‘Write From My Heart’. This week we will take a stroll through some familiar verses in Proverbs. We’ve read them before, but perhaps this week we will find some fresh thoughts and new motivations. My prayer is that we will allow our Heavenly Father to speak to us, guide us and direct us in cleaning out the cobwebs of our hearts and minds; to set us on the right path anew.

Proverbs 4:18-19 (NLT) ¹⁸The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. ¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

When was the last time you took the time to see the first gleam of sunrise? Or do you see early mornings so often that they have become routine and you no longer notice them? Do you get up at night and stumble around in the darkness? Or is your home peppered with nightlights?

For humans, we depend on light and darkness as signals of activity or rest. The crow of roosters at dawn awakens the farmers, who then work until it is too dark to see. Of course, now with electricity and tractors with headlamps – that is all antiquated talk. For humans, the lines of light and darkness are blurred. We easily go from one to the other with the literal ‘flip of a switch’.

Here comes a thought to ponder. Since our text uses light and darkness as metaphors for righteousness and wickedness... do we not also ‘flip a switch’ from one to the other? Do we walk in light on Sundays, and stumble around in darkness during the week? In what metaphorical room of our minds and hearts are we keeping dark but using the dim glow of nightlights to move around – just enough dim light to skate by, but not enough to lose the darkness we prefer?

1 John 1:5-7 (NLT) ⁵God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. ⁶So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. ⁷But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Lord God Almighty, our Father;

Thank your for the glory of your sunrises and the brightness of each day. Thank you for the inspiration you give through your written word that you are light and there is no darkness in your at all. You know our weaknesses, you know the darkness we think we are hiding from you... yet all is known to you, whether it is our darkest moments or dimly lit areas we have not fully yielded to you. We ask forgiveness. Show us each area of our lives that need your light.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  The First Gleam of Dawn appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unseen - Yet Omnipresent

John 1:18 (NIV) ¹⁸No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV) ¹⁵The Son is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation.

Part of the mystery of faith in God and walking in His Will and Way is the acceptance that God is real, that he is One triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the realization that although God is ‘unseen’ He is Omnipresent – all places, all times, concurrently. It is also the same realization of the Psalmist when he spoke confidently of the omnipresence of God.

Psalm 139:1-3, 7-12 (NIV) ¹You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. ²You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. ... ⁷Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” ¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (c.f., Rev. 22:15)

Perhaps Satan’s most devious ploy is to plant the World’s seed of doubt into our minds from the earliest age. How many children have asked, “What does God look like?” How many teens and adults have asked, “If you can’t see Him, how do you know He’s real?” How many false religions have created wooden, brass, stone objects of worship to visualize an invisible god, when the one true God demands, “You must not have any other god but me” (Ex. 20:2, NLT); “You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you” (Ex. 34:14, NLT); “Do not make any idols” (Ex. 34:17, NIV). Are we any better than Thomas who wanted visual proof?

John 20:29 (NIV) ²⁹Then Jesus told him [Thomas], “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

1 Timothy 6:15b-16 (NIV) ^15b...God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) ¹⁸So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Do you want visual proof?

Romans 1:20 (NIV) ²⁰For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Psalm 8:3-4, 9 (NLT) ³When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place – ⁴what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? ... O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT) ¹The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. ²Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. ³They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. ⁴Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.

Psalm 104:24 (NLT) ²⁴O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of you creatures.

Do you still want visual proof? Look around you! Observe the changing seasons, the migration of butterflies, the kettle [i.e., swirl] of turkey vultures, the flash of lightening with the roar of thunder, the gentle breeze, the starry skies, the vibrant colors of sunsets and sunrises, the fluffy clouds. Contemplate the design of giraffes and camels, ostriches and mosquitoes, the variety of layers of rock and earth, the water cycle, the planetary orbits, microscopic molecules, the solar system and beyond, the very fact that you are alive today with respiratory system, circulatory system, brain waves & central nervous system. Visual proof? Find a mirror. Here you are, right now, in the midst of His Glory for He is omnipresent.

Lord God Almighty, our Father;

We do not and cannot see you with our human eyes... but your creation says all we need to know, and much more than our minds can fathom. We pray for those who are looking for other answers; may their eyes be opened to You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Unseen – Yet Omnipresent appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Special courtesy thank you to Dr. Joe Barnett for providing the idea for today's title.

Helpless - But not Hopeless

Psalm 73:21-22 (NLT) ²¹Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant – I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.

Psalm 142:4 (NLT) ⁴I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

Psalm 143:4 (NLT) ⁴I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. ... ⁷Come quickly, LORD, and answer me, for my depression deepens.

First, allow me to be clear; I realize that using verses in isolation of their context is never wise, but the Psalmist David definitely knew what it felt like to be ‘helpless’. In modern times, I consider myself to be ‘helpless’ on all things technological. I am desperately dependent upon my husband and two sons for assistance. Yet our theme for today digs deeper than just the need for technological assistance.

Our accumulated birthdays bring seemingly insurmountable challenges, our heart is weary, our health is weak, our mind is tired of processing thoughts... we feel an overwhelming depth of helplessness.  Yet there is hope – there is always hope – we are not left hopeless!

Psalm 142:5 (NLT) ⁵Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.”

Psalm 73:23-26 (NLT) ²³Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. ²⁶My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Hebrews 10:23 (NLT) ²³Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Lamentations 3:21-24 (NLT) ²¹Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: ²²The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. ²³Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. ²⁴I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

My dear Friends & Readers, I do not know what level of helplessness you are feeling today – whether it is related to situations beyond your control, health issues, feeling helpless as you watch friends and loved ones battle life’s challenges, or just the aging effects of accumulated birthdays that seem to affect us all in varying degrees. But I know this; you may carry a sense helplessness, but you are not left hopeless for your hope is firmly grounded in the God of ALL HOPE. He will never fail. He can be trusted to keep his promise. God walks with you through every adversity and sees you safely until the Blessed Hope of Christ’s coming.

Titus 2:13 (KJV) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!

Lord God Almighty, our Father;

You know us. You see us. You know each trial, struggle, or adversity we face. You know when we are weak or weary and when helplessness overwhelms us. Yet you are always ready to provide the strength and comfort we need. You not only provide hope, but You ARE our Hope, now and forever more. With humble and grateful hearts we trust Your Will and Way.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Helpless – But not Hopeless appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com  

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version (cum privilegio), undated, Cambridge University Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Special courtesy thank you to Dr. Joe Barnett for providing the idea for today's title.