Browsing Tag

Humility

Still Small Voice

Stay Down

March 6, 2024
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hen you’re done, I come. When you come to the end of your rope, I come. Stay low, stay down. That’s when I come. Don’t move, don’t perform. I will work a mighty work when I come charging towards you. I will come through every obstacle to get to you as you lay low. I will rescue you when you’re done, when you’re hurt, when you’re empty, and weary. When you’re down, you can come. Come to me right where you are. You come when your tears of desperation call to me. You come when you yield your will to me and let me show you the way I have for you. When you’re exhausted with all the doing, and fall down to your knees and surrender, I come. Stay low, stay down, and I will come with all that you need. Lay it all down, and I will come with all my love.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. —Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬

From the bottom of the pit, O Lord, I cried out to you, And when I begged you to listen to my cry, you heard. You answered me and told me not to be afraid. “You came to my rescue, Lord, and saved my life. —‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭55‬-‭58‬ ‭GNT‬‬

So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. —Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭20‬ ‭NASB

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uando hayas terminado, vengo. Cuando llegues al final de tu cuerda, vengo yo. Mantente agachada, mantente agachada. Ahí es cuando vengo. No te muevas, no actúes. Haré una obra poderosa cuando venga a rescatarte. Superaré todos los obstáculos para llegar a ti mientras estás escondida. Te rescataré cuando hayas terminado, cuando estés herida, cuando estés vacía y cansada. Cuando estés deprimida, puedes venir. Ven a mí justo donde estás. Vienes cuando tus lágrimas de desesperación me llaman. Vienes cuando me cedes tu voluntad y me dejas mostrarte el camino que tengo para ti. Cuando estés exhausta por todo lo que has hecho y caigas de rodillas y te rindas, yo vengo. Mantente agachada, mantente agachada y vendré con todo lo que necesites. Déjalo todo y vendré con todo mi amor.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

Los justos claman, y el Señor los escucha y los libra de todas sus angustias. —Salmos 34:17 NVI

Desde el fondo del abismo, oh Señor, a ti clamé, y cuando te rogué que escucharas mi clamor, me escuchaste. Me respondiste y me dijiste que no tuviera miedo. “Tú viniste a rescatarme, Señor, y salvaste mi vida. —Lamentaciones 3:55-58 NVI

Entonces partió y vino donde su padre. Pero cuando aún estaba lejos, su padre lo vio y sintió compasión de él, y corrió, lo abrazó y lo besó. —Lucas 15:20 LBLA

Still Small Voice

Downpour for Expansion

December 29, 2023
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ownpour is coming. I will rain down my wisdom and knowledge to all who are seeking me and not their own ways. Strategic blueprints have been prepared for all those who are committed to my heart and to my ways. Come to me in humility and I will open up the windows of heaven. You will have access to strategies for success —my way. Earthly success ends with you. My success is eternal. Divine assignments come from me. Seek the wisdom that guides your steps and leads you down the road of my plans for you. Line up with the goodness I have in store for you. Seek me with an undivided heart and I will restore your soul. The old must pass to make room for the new thing I am doing in you and through you. Make room for me and I will expand your vision and your territory.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. —Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A person may have many ideas concerning God’s plan for his life, but only the designs of God’s purpose will succeed in the end. —Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. —Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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e acerca el aguacero. Haré llover mi sabiduría y conocimiento a todos los que me buscan a mí y no a sus propios caminos. Se han preparado planos estratégicos para todos aquellos que están comprometidos con mi corazón y mis caminos. Vengan a mí con humildad y les abriré las ventanas de los cielos. Tendrás acceso a estrategias para el éxito, a mi manera. El éxito terrenal termina contigo. Mi éxito es eterno. Las asignaciones divinas provienen de mí. Busca la sabiduría que guíe tus pasos y te conduzca por el camino de mis planes para ti. Alineate con las bondades que tengo guardadas para ti. Búscame con todo el corazón y restauraré tu alma. Lo viejo debe pasar para dejar espacio a lo nuevo que estoy haciendo en ti y a través de ti. Hazme espacio y ampliaré tu visión y tu territorio.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

Traigan su diezmo al tesoro del templo, y así habrá alimentos en mi casa. Pónganme a prueba en eso, a ver si no les abro las ventanas del cielo para vaciar sobre ustedes la más rica bendición. —Malaquías‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭DHH

El hombre hace muchos planes, pero solo se realiza el propósito divino. —Proverbios‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭DHH

El Señor me contestó: «Escribe en tablas de barro lo que te voy a mostrar, de modo que pueda leerse de corrido. Aún no ha llegado el momento de que esta visión se cumpla; pero no dejará de cumplirse. Tú espera, aunque parezca tardar, pues llegará en el momento preciso. —Habacuc‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭DHH

Still Small Voice

Seek Godly Wisdom

December 25, 2023
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invite you to let your cares fade away and come with me. Immerse yourself in our relationship. Let the past stories of your life be a fuel not a fire of destruction to your soul. Let’s process your experiences together. I will give you the perspective you need to move forward. Failures are teachers. Let yourself acquire the wisdom you need for life with me. Don’t be distracted with worldly wisdom that seeks its own. My wisdom draws you to my heart and to the cares of others. Honor the time you’ve been given and invest it in what endures. Spend your days in awe, humility, and searching with all your heart and mind. You will find all that you’re searching for, that you never knew you needed, in me.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. —Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. —James‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. —1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭35‬ ‭NASB

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e invito a que dejes que tus preocupaciones se desvanezcan y vengas conmigo. Sumérgete en nuestra relación. Deja que las historias pasadas de tu vida sean un combustible, no un fuego de destrucción para tu alma. Procesemos tus experiencias juntos. Te daré la perspectiva que necesitas para seguir adelante. Los fracasos son maestros. Permítete adquirir la sabiduría que necesitas para vivir conmigo. No te distraigas con la sabiduría mundana que busca lo suyo. Mi sabiduría te atrae a mi corazón y a las necesidades de los demás. Honra el tiempo que se te ha dado e inviértelo en lo que perdura. Pasa tus días con asombro, humildad y búsqueda con todo tu corazón y mente. Encontrarás en mí todo lo que estás buscando, lo que nunca supiste que necesitabas.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

No os acordéis de las cosas pasadas, ni consideréis las cosas pasadas. He aquí, haré algo nuevo, ahora brotará; ¿No lo sabrás? Y haré camino en el desierto y ríos en el desierto. —Isaías 43:18-19 NVI

¿Quién es sabio y entendido entre vosotros? Que lo demuestren con su buena vida, con obras realizadas con la humildad que proviene de la sabiduría. —Santiago 3:13 NVI

Digo esto para vuestro propio beneficio, no para poneros freno, sino para promover lo que es apropiado y asegurar una devoción sin distracciones al Señor.—1 Corintios 7:35 LBLA

Still Small Voice

Live Low

December 13, 2023
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ow to me, and I will lift you up. I will lift you up on eagles' wings —higher than you can imagine. I want you near me, close to my bosom. Your humility will take you higher and deeper into me. The proud have erected their towers and have lifted themselves high, but pride will be brought down low. Humility brings you as high as I want you to reach. Live low in all your ways. Posture your heart toward me. Seek me for all your dealings and my counsel above the knowledge of this world. My wisdom, knowledge, and understanding will give you a well-rounded knowing. Hidden wisdom is sought by the humble of heart, and they will be rewarded greatly. Come to me, and I will be the lifter of your head and heart.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” —Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. —I Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. —Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT

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nclínate ante mí y te levantaré. Te levantaré con alas de águila, más alto de lo que puedas imaginar. Te quiero cerca de mí, cerca de mi seno. Tu humildad te llevará más alto y más profundamente dentro de mí. Los soberbios han erigido sus torres y se han enaltecido, pero el orgullo será abatido. La humildad te lleva tan alto como quiero que llegues. Vive bajo en todos tus caminos. Postura tu corazón hacia mí. Búscame para todos tus tratos y mi consejo por encima del conocimiento de este mundo. Mi sabiduría, conocimiento y comprensión te darán un conocimiento completo. Los humildes de corazón buscan la sabiduría oculta, y serán recompensados ​​grandemente. Venid a mí, y seré el que sostenga tu cabeza y vuestro corazón.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

Después dijeron: «Vengan, vamos a construir una ciudad y una torre que llegue hasta el cielo. De este modo nos haremos famosos y no tendremos que dispersarnos por toda la tierra.» —Génesis‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬ ‭DHH

De la misma manera, ustedes los jóvenes sométanse a la autoridad de los ancianos. Todos deben someterse unos a otros con humildad, porque: «Dios se opone a los orgullosos, pero ayuda con su bondad a los humildes.» Humíllense, pues, bajo la poderosa mano de Dios, para que él los enaltezca a su debido tiempo. —1 Pedro‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭DHH

No hagan nada por rivalidad o por orgullo, sino con humildad, y que cada uno considere a los demás como mejores que él mismo. Ninguno busque únicamente su propio bien, sino también el bien de los otros. —Filipenses‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭DHH

Still Small Voice

Wildflower

October 12, 2023
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ildflower, I pick you over and over. You are not like the rest of the bunch. You are free and lovely in your own way. You are overlooked and on the outskirts, but your soul is not tainted by this world. You grow where the wind of My spirit takes you. You may be hidden from many, but My eyes see your beauty. I have made you this way. You are hidden away for a time. But I find you every time I look for you. Because you stay planted. You have not been plucked up. You do not sit in other waters and display yourself or sell yourself for profit. You will not be merchandised. You are My possession. You are hidden in My heart. I see your natural beauty because your seed came from My heart. You are a chosen flower in My garden.

BIBLE VERSES TO STUDY

"Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." — Luke 12:27-28 NIV

"I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the LORD your God." — Amos 9:15 ESV

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lor silvestre, te elijo una y otra vez. No eres como el resto del grupo. Eres libre y encantadora a tu manera. Estás ignorado y en las afueras, pero tu alma no está contaminada por este mundo. Creces donde te lleva el viento de Mi Espíritu. Puede que estés escondida de muchos, pero Mis ojos ven tu belleza. Yo te he hecho de esta manera. Estás escondida por un tiempo. Pero te encuentro cada vez que te busco. Porque te quedas plantada. No te han levantado. No te sientas en otras aguas ni te exhibes ni te vendes para obtener ganancias. No serás comercializada. Eres Mi posesión. Estás escondida en Mi corazón. Veo tu belleza natural porque tu semilla vino de Mi corazón. Eres una flor elegida en Mi jardín.

VERSÍCULOS DE LA BIBLIA PARA ESTUDIAR

"Aprendan de las flores del campo: no trabajan para hacerse sus vestidos y, sin embargo, les aseguro que ni el rey Salomón, con todas sus riquezas, se vistió tan bien como ellas." — Lucas 12:27-28 TLA

"Yo mismo los plantaré en su tierra, y nadie volverá a arrancarlos de la tierra que les di. Yo soy su Dios, y les juro que así lo haré." — Amos 9:15 TLA

Bible Study, Devotional

Secrets of the Redwood Forest (Tall Tales)

October 8, 2022
Redwoods along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway in Northern California. Photo / Ibelisse Sanchez (2022)

 

the tallest trees in the world

The redwood forest is a fairytale to visit. It has centuries of secrets throughout its cinnamon-red bark tree groves, whispered like fireflies ready to be caught. Some of the massive trees in the forest are as old as 2000 plus years; mere saplings destined to scrape the skies in the Northern Hemisphere when Jesus walked this earth.

Redwoods can grow to 350 feet tall. There’s much happening between the ground and the crown of the redwood. Simply standing next to these giants is quite humbling. We can’t help to look up at these tall trees in admiration. They hover over us as nature’s guardians.

I can only imagine the Earth’s quake when they fall. That was their great peril many moons ago when logging was rampant in Humboldt County of Northern California. Chopping down a redwood tree wasn’t an easy task in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before electric saws were invented, this was done with axes and hand saws, which took days to complete.

What was left behind in that early period of logging the coastal redwoods was a forest floor filled with headstones of old-growth tree stumps. The cut stumps revealed the secret of how long the trees had lived. The top of a tree stump has concentric rings, with light-colored rings representing growth occurring in the spring and early summer, and dark rings representing wood that grows in the late summer and fall. The combination of one light ring plus one dark ring would equal one year of life for the tree. In the mid-1850s, redwood forests covered 2,000,000 acres of the California coast. By 1910, conservation efforts began to preserve the remaining redwood trees. By 1968, 90% of the trees that stood the test of time had been logged. Today, these old-growth redwoods comprise only 39,000 acres, located in the Redwood National and State Parks.

a king, a dream, and a tall tree

Trees are quite predominant in nature and in the Bible. Around 2500 years ago Nebuchadnezzar was king over the Neo-Babylonian Empire (605 – 562 B.C.); a pagan warrior-ruler-builder who wreaked havoc on his enemies. He destroyed the Kingdom of Judah, Solomon’s temple, and led its people into captivity to Babylonia. Among the exiles was Daniel, a young Jew from Jerusalem taken captive who proved to be quite useful to the king with the interpretation of dreams (when the king wasn’t throwing him into a fiery furnace for refusing to serve other gods or worship the golden image the king had set up).

One night, Nebuchadnezzar saw terrifying images and visions while lying in bed and none of the wise men of the land could interpret the dream. Sorcerers and soothsayers, diviners, and Chaldeans came to him and couldn’t reveal its meaning.

The king dreamt of a tree that grew strong, and its height reached the heavens above and could be seen all over the earth. Then an angelic watcher, a holy one come from heaven appeared and shouted:

“Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit;
Let the animals flee from under it
And the birds from its branches.
Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
But with a band of iron and bronze around it
In the new grass of the field;
And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
And let him share with the animals in the grass of the earth.
Let his mind change from that of a human
And let an animal’s mind be given to him,
And let seven periods of time pass over him.
This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers,
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
And He grants it to whomever He wishes
And sets over it the lowliest of people.”

Daniel 4:14-17

Nebuchadnezzar is a color monotype print with additions in ink and watercolor portraying the Babylonian king by English poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake (1757-1827). Photo / Tate Gallery in Great Britain

Daniel interpreted the dream and gave the king a decree. He revealed to Nebuchadnezzar that he was the tree that became great and strong, whose dominion reached far and wide. He was the tree to be chopped down to the stump, to be driven from his people, to live among wild animals, to be given the mind of an animal, and eat grass like an ox, for 7 years. But Daniel also advised him to renounce his sins and wickedness by doing what was right and kind.

King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t heed Daniel’s wise counsel and a year later he was walking on the roof of his royal palace and prideful words leaped from his heart and rolled off his tongue.

“Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you.”

The frightful dream was fulfilled.

And at the end of 7 long years, King Nebuchadnezzar looked up to the heavens and his sanity was restored and he praised the Most High. The restoration of his honor, his splendor, and his throne followed suit. Daniel 4 not only includes the king’s dream, but a testimony of his pride, God’s glorious and miraculous power and reign, and his merciful restoration.

tall tale takeaways for spiritual growth and freedom

In working with formerly incarcerated clients, I’ve found a common denominator: self-serving decision-making without regard to God or others will lead to bondage, both physically (sometimes with a prison sentence) and spiritually. The latter is much worse than the former, with the possibility of lasting an eternity without true repentance. Below are a few keys to freedom that will lead to a life set apart for God, His ways, His plans, and His glory.

1) Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, not your own.

Nebuchadnezzar was focused on building his own kingdom and exalting his own name. And in his chase after the things of this world, he neglected the oppressed. After interpreting the dream of the tree to the king, Daniel earnestly advised him to repent of his sins and help the oppressed and he failed to do that, causing the gavel of justice to come down. This incessant striving to build and exalt our own kingdom is rampant in this technological age and has become a spiritual pandemic. John Calvin once said that it is the task of the church to make the invisible kingdom visible. That should be our sole desire and pursuit. God promised that He would take care of the rest.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.

(Matthew 6:3, NASB)

2) Pride leads to insanity and destruction, humility to peace and prosperity.

While the Kingdom of God includes His supreme reign over all, it innately also includes His thoughts and ways of being, which are naturally not our thoughts and ways. In seeking God’s kingdom, we are also in pursuit of aligning with His heart and mind. Prideful, self-aggrandizing thoughts and subsequent behaviors can lead to mental health and emotional issues. Our minds are literally lost in the world of self and are unable to hear or see anything else. This leads to an inflated sense of power and corrodes personal and social relationships. This is what King Nebuchadnezzar experienced. God wisely counsels us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, so that He will lift us up in due time.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18, NLT)

Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward. (Proverbs 16:18, TPT)

3) God is merciful and sovereign; therefore, judge not.

When God decreed Nebuchadnezzar’s 7-year sentence for having a prideful heart, he didn’t completely destroy him or his kingdom. He simply humbled him because he would not humble himself. Leaving the stump and its roots imprisoned in a band of iron and bronze, represented God’s mercy toward him. In nature, trees can grow back from a cut stump. If the root system has enough remaining nutrients, then the impossible becomes possible. For some of my formerly incarcerated clients, the prison was their saving grace. Everything they pridefully pursued was stripped from them, and like a cut tree stump, they waited behind bars, sought the Lord, and were freed spiritually before they were freed physically.

In the Bible, we learn that the ‘Year of Jubilee’ released those from debts and all kinds of bondage; prisoners, captives, and all slaves were released, debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. This occurred after seven cycles of seven years, or after 49 years. King Nebuchadnezzar was completely restored after 7 years. And as He works with us and through and for us in our weakness, we too can shout, “Grace, grace,” like the prophet Zechariah, as God lays the capstone Jesus Christ in our new heart-temple.

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and will show clemency on whom I will show clemency. (Exodus 33:19, Jubilee Bible 2000)

Devotional

10 Keys to Spiritual Creativity

January 9, 2017

Many of us think that being a ‘creative’ is about self-expression. I’m here to ruffle a few feathers and challenge that long held view. Over the years I’ve come to believe that living a truly creative life isn’t at all about us. Unless we’re willing to take our ‘selves’ out of the equation, the path of pure creativity cannot flow through us.

Creativity is a spiritual process. Thoughts, inspirations, and dreams find their way into our inner being. But how do they get there? I believe creative ideas come from one of two places in the spiritual realm. The source and motive behind them is what distinguishes life-giving creativity from corrupting creativity.

God is the first and unsurpassed ‘creative.’ Our creative pursuits should always spring from Him not ourselves or other sources. We are spiritual vessels to be used by God for His purposes. If God has a purpose for each of our lives, He also has a unique and creative plan tailored just for us. He alone knows how our life journey will also weave into someone else’s path.

The creativity given us should uplift humanity in some way; build it up, not tear it down. It should cause us to seek higher spiritual pursuits and not temporal pleasures. If what we create causes another to live an ordinary or shackled life, then our contribution is of no value. Freeing the human soul from the clutches of carnality should be our highest creative aim. And we have to trust that God has a storehouse of imaginative ways to reach each individual.

When I was in art school some of the exercises we did entailed drawing or painting whatever came to us. We used our hands and brushes as physical tools of deliberate expression. Writers do it too with free writing. God wants to use us the same way, special tools in His hand to create majestic works of art that transform the human spirit for eternity. But we have to be willing to let go and allow the Spirit of creativity to direct us.

We have to let go of what we think we know in order to be filled with what we don’t know. We have to drain our soul of our ‘selves’ and ‘our’ ideas about God to be filled with deeper revelations of God’s heart and His desires for us.

Some years ago God questioned the motivation behind what I did. Why do you do what you do? If we want our creative pursuits to matter, we have to be willing to question our motives. We have to be willing to lay down our desire for self-expression just for the sake of expression, the desire for fame or validation, and the desire for fortune. Those motives stain the purity of spiritual creativity.

Revelation 3:8 contains a message to the church in Philadelphia, which in Greek means ‘brotherly love’.

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Over the years I’ve thought about creativity, God, and our unique purposes while living our one life on this earth. I’ve collected a few spiritual keys to a creative life that honor God and uplift our fellow sojourners.

  1. FAITH: It all starts with believing in God’s majestic grandeur – His omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience. His infinite creative power and imagination is beyond our comprehension. God’s thoughts are higher than our wildest dreams. If he deposits an idea in us and we try to flesh it out without His help, it’ll probably remain stagnant. If we put our trust in His dynamic ability to reveal His deep reservoir of creativity, He’ll gift us with unique ways of expressing His truths.
  2. FOLLOW: When we consistently follow the Word of God, our life will be created. We are to be followers of Jesus – the Word of God. Without Him we can do nothing and with Him all things are possible. Jesus created us and everything we see and everything we don’t. When we truly follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He offers us the gifts of His divine fullness. He is everything we need and even more than we could ever imagine.
  3. FELLOWSHIP: Who but the Spirit of God is able to reveal the secret things of God? Let us fully surrender to the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a person, not some energy or force. He is our ally, our teacher, and our comforter. Let us become one in spirit and the shadow of the Holy Spirit. Say what He says and do what He tells us to do. But we have to take the time to fellowship with the Spirit and listen to that still small voice that searches the deep things of God and reveals them to those who are in pursuit.
  4. LOVE: Putting others first is the essence of love. When we die to self it opens the door to creativity because we’re willing to lose in order to gain. You can only fill an empty container. When our hearts are aligned with God’s, then our life’s purpose will undoubtedly include serving others. Our creative endeavors should always lean toward depositing life into another and always naming that life ‘God.’
  5. GRATITUDE: Being thankful opens the heart and hand of God to His endless bounty. God so loves it when we are grateful for all that He is and all He has done for us. Greed just fills us with corruptible things, leaving no room for the eternal. When we loose our grip on earthly things, we open our hearts and minds to receive God’s treasures.
  6. INTEGRITY: We must be the same person when we’re around others and when no one is looking. That’s the mark of a person of integrity. God needs to be able to trust us with the gems of His heart and to carry through to completion the purpose He’s planned for us.
  7. HUMILITY: Having a teachable spirit opens us up to God’s endless imaginings. If you think you know it all then you’re not being receptive to the enchanting thoughts of God. Acknowledge your weakness before God and His strength and He will send dreams, stories, songs, paintings and all sorts of goodies to your heart.
  8. PURSUE: Being a truth-seeker will lead you to God’s wisdom. Those who seek do find. Those who ask are given. And to those who knock, doors will be opened. Wisdom is saying or doing or not saying and not doing the best thing at the right time. Without God’s wisdom creativity loses its strength to transform.
  9. FORGIVE: Without letting go and forgiving those that have wronged us, we cannot plant seeds of inspiration in our spirits. We need to be a garden ready for God’s perfect ponderings not a field of bitter roots. Forgiveness is at the heart of God’s ways. It’s not enough to be like-minded, we must be like-hearted to be co-creators.
  10. RECYCLE: Surrendered souls have stories that God can use. We must be willing for God to use our suffering for the benefit of another. God can recycle our pain and birth a purpose out of it. Nothing we have experienced in our lives is wasted with God. He heals our wounds, comforts our hearts, and strengthens us to be a soothing balm for others. We must tell the story together, sing the song together, and display His goodness and loving-kindness together.

It is my desire that our creative journey will take us straight to the chamber of God’s heart. It is there that we will find the unique ways of expressing His love for the world. It was His love that created us for good works and I know He longs to embrace us and release His dreams into our spirit like a breath of life for us all.

Devotional

Deep is the Mystery of Intimacy

January 7, 2017

There is an endless cacophony of noise and voices entering our minds and hearts on a daily basis influencing us. Much of that is out of our control. But what if we deliberately chose to sit and hear from God himself.

My spirit has been yearning to enter into an even deeper intimacy with Jesus. I want to hear more of what His Spirit wants to share. But I know I’ll need to do some specific things for our relationship to flourish. It’s going to take time, focus and surrender. And I know I will have to sacrifice some things but what I expect to get in return will be worth the sacrifice.

When our spirit is silent and expectant our hearts are shaken to life. Sometimes I stretch forth my physical hands and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I get on my knees and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I pace around the room and sometimes I just stand still. It’s more a posture of the heart that God notices. He’s looking for someone that’s humbled in His presence, ready to listen and receive rather than quick to speak.

This intimacy is still such a mystery to me. And I believe it’s hard for some because it requires us to let go and trust.

But I truly believe the Spirit of God wants to whisper secrets from the heart of Jesus. On New Year’s Eve I received a gentle whisper that had my heart fluttering and my imagination dancing. It gave me a sneak peek of what we can expect from a deeper relationship with Jesus.

A Midnight Whisper from the Spirit

Wedding bells are ringing, wooing the bride of Christ.

At the midnight hour her heart is being prepared.

She will meet Him at dawn to begin a divine romance.

He will sweep her off her feet into the heavenlies.

Her first dance of true love with the Father will have the angels in awe.

The Son will then take His bride and show her His mansions.

Each day they will discover a hidden treasure together.

They will open new doors together;

enter into deeper rooms of revelations.

His heart will unlock rooms holding mysteries so deep,

her breath will be taken away.

There will be a library of books filled with words of love for His bride.

They will eat fruit baskets of grace and truth.

And He will take her to the throne room of mercy – a room of never-ending love and intimacy.

These are a couple of books I recommend that aided my intimacy journey with Jesus:

Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge

Desperately Deep by Lana Vawser

Devotional

Breaches

June 27, 2016

Abandoned homes are a sore sight – boarded windows, overgrown grass, missing doors. And when a home is abandoned it becomes susceptible to breaches. Obviously this happens because the house is not maintained and looked after. Certain areas become weak over time and simply fall apart, forming entryways for unwanted guests and pests. The damage can be costly and devastating.

Sometimes the damage can be repaired and sometimes it can’t and the only option is to tear down and rebuild. If only someone had taken the time for maintenance. Most likely the damage could have been prevented.

This can be the case with our lives and our relationships.

According to good ole’ Webster, a breach is …

  1. infraction or violation of a law, obligation, tie, or standard
  2. (a) a broken, ruptured, or torn condition or area; (b) a gap (as in a wall) made by battering
  3. (a) a break in accustomed friendly relations; (b) a temporary gap in continuity: hiatus
  4. a leap especially of a whale out of water

I believe that we are walking temples that need constant care in body, soul, and spirit. And all to often we experience signs of spiritual dehydration due to our wanton wandering. We’ve walked away from truth, from God, from covenants, from our callings, and from the destiny of our true selves.

If we fail to pause, reflect, and choose new thoughts and behaviors, not only will we suffer but those around us will as well. Taking care of our temple, what’s inside, and what it surrounds itself with is not only our right but our duty.

Breaches affect our identities, our spiritual, physical, and mental health, our relationships, our churches, our cities, and our nations. Whether we’re trying to avoid or repair a breach the following four power points can help put some focus on the areas to work on.

To avoid breaches we need upkeep.

Good maintenance demands nutrition, rest, and prayer. The first two can be understood from a physical and a spiritual perspective. If we don’t take care of ourselves physically through diet, exercise, and sleep, we will not function at our optimal best and at worst, can become ill. And if we don’t take care of ourselves spiritually through an intimate relationship with God we’re setting ourselves up for a breakdown that can affect the soul (mind, will, and emotions) and the body.

To avoid breaches we need integrity.

God requires truth in the inward parts. Embracing truth keeps you sound. Lies cause division and confusion. Without truth it’s impossible to have integrity. Our integrity is guided by moral principles. And for integrity to take root we need to be consistent in godly thoughts and behaviors when we are around people and when we are by ourselves. Being a man or woman of integrity gains trust and builds and maintains solid relationships.

To avoid breaches we need security.

Someone or something is constantly influencing our minds and hearts. Either we take charge or we’ll be taking in whatever the world throws at us. Choosing what are five senses will be allowed to entertain is crucial. What we focus on will form us. Knowing what we stand for and what we want our life to be about is key. If it doesn’t line up with our principles and life goals let’s shut the door. If we are not proactive with the life we want to live, others will most definitely determine it for us. That includes our beliefs, our for-life partners, our friendships, and our callings.

To avoid breaches we need humility.

Humble hearts have followed their Master, leaned their head against His shoulder, and washed His feet with their tears. We need to humble ourselves before God and each other in a spirit of peace and forgiveness. This is the doozy because it goes straight against the human ego to be right, to be in control of our lives, and to feel a sense of superiority. Having a teachable spirit is a major key to receiving God’s wisdom.

Abandoned dwellings are a waste. But if they’re still standing there’s always hope for repair, for rebuilding, for disposing and replacing. There’s also hope for those who have breaches in their personal lives and relationships. Isaiah 61:4 says, And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the former cities, desolations of many generations.

It’s time to repair the breaches and rebuild our lives!