Deut 4:24
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. “
Living in San Diego, and having survived the second round of fires from also four years ago it was an amazing experience to go through it again last week. We were fortunate to not be affected by the fires but there were many that were.
Our hearts and our prayers go out to the fire victims who lost their homes and their animals and during this time we are praying for God’s comfort and provision to be poured out upon them.
What makes it ironic is that the day the fires started my husband who is a pastor preached on God being a consuming fire, and how when the winds join that fire it is unstoppable.
He was teaching on the day of Pentecost how the bible says in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit came down like a wind and fire and brought up his experience of the fires four years ago as a Red Cross Chaplain.
On the following Saturday evening when the fires had died down, we were able to relax a bit and ponder what just happened. My husband was preparing for his sermon the next day and asked me what did I personally get out of what happened with the fires.
He was continuing on in his passage in Acts regarding the wind and the fire but also wanted to address how God also uses real life situations to speak to us. I had been thinking about that since the fires began, asking my self and the Lord, what was God speaking to me about this very thing. The scripture I kept hearing was, “Your God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the Lord your god is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
I was moved and touched by the passage. My husband and I discussed the passage and then he shared five more passages that he looked up that same morning for his men’s discipleship study. It was amazing how they intertwined together. Here they are:
Isaiah 54:5 “ For your Maker is your husband — the Lord Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. “NIV
Jeremiah 3:14-16 "Return, faithless people," declares the Lord, "for I am your husband. I will choose you — one from a town and two from a clan — and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.”
Ezekiel 16:8 "'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine. “NIV
2 Corinthians 11:2 “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” NIV
Ephesians 5:25-29 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” NIV
In these passages I will share how they have comforted me and hope to encourage you and bring you comfort also.
When we go through life trying to live the best way we can, doing our best to stay above water, raise our kids, pay our bills, be good stewards, be good examples of light and salt and in the midst of all our efforts we can easily forget why we are doing it in the first place. We tend to focus on things that really don’t matter instead of the one question evacuees were having to ask themselves “What do we take with us?” For them it came down to what really mattered most. What was irreplaceable and what were, items such as photo albums, special mementos and id and insurance papers. They had only a few minutes to make those decisions and again it brought them down to what really mattered most.
It is unfortunate that it takes a fire to wake us up to this reality. We forget why we came to Christ in the first place and why we pledged our heart to Him, that is until real life situations make us stop and remember God, His love for us, that we are His betrothed bride, that he clothed our nakedness and shame, that he raised us up and cared for us and fought our battles, took away our sins, and gave us a comforter the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts, by faith.
I was also touched because I was changed and transformed because of His love for me. I was 17 and at the end of my rope, thinking this world had nothing for me, until the day that Jesus came into my life and offered me his love and affection. He took me out of the miry pit and placed my feet upon a rock and took care of me, healing my wounds of the past with his savvy and washing me to cleanse me of my sins. I was never the same and was so in love with God that nothing else mattered. My life was in his hands and I was completely changed from that day forward.
He was my first love and I loved him deeply. I needed to be reminded that His love for me still burns with passion, that He is a jealous God who will not stand for a bride who loves another. That anything else that I put before him is a false idol and needs to be removed. I was also reminded of this passage:
Revelations 2:4-5 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
If these passages have spoken to you as they did me, please pray and ask God to show you where you are with Him. Have you forsaken your first love? Do you need to return to Him and repent? If you said yes then I encourage you to do as it says here in Revelations to return and repent and do the things you did at first. Remember where you have fallen and return to Christ your betrothed bridegroom and fall back in love with Jesus again. Spend intimate time with Him getting to know Him better and meditate on His Word and allow Him to speak to you, love you and encourage you.
His love is a consuming fire and when your filled with His love it will spread like a wild fire into everything and everyone in your life and you no longer have to try to live this life but your life will be lived out through Him.
Turn or return to Him today for tomorrow is not promised
Special Quote:
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery but Today is a Gift and that is why they call it the Present.” Author Unknown
Monday, October 29, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Pray For San Diego - What To Take If Evacuated?
Today our children stayed home from school because of the air quality from the fires. We have some fires up north of us and one fires down south. Right now we are in no danger but praying.
We are located in San Diego, CA. We don't have fires that often but when we do, they can be vicious and last for days. There are currently over 6,000 people that have been evacuated. At Qualcomm Stadium we have over 4,500 people staying in that one location alone out of 19 total temporary shelters that have been put up all around San Diego County.
San Diego and the Red Cross have done an amazing job organizing the shelters and support for the evacuees and we're happy that many neighbors are coming out and donating a lot of food and supplies. My husband is also a Red Cross Chaplain and is waiting for his orders to be sent out to the sites.
Please pray for everyone involved. We are praying for those people who were evacuated from their homes, those who lost their homes and also those who lost their animals. Pray for the Fire Fighters and staff members that are in real need of sleep and rest and those that are in the hospital for burns. May the Lord bring comfort, healing and protection upon them all.
One question I had to ask myself having to consider being evacuated myself is what would I take with me if evacuated today. It is a simple question but takes some real thought not a lot of thought but real thought meaning no fluff just what really matters most.
It caused me to think about how in a situation like this, "things or stuff" really don't matter. Here's what I thought to take:
1. Important Identification papers
2. Insurance papers
3. Bibles
4. Pictures and Photo Albums
5. Necessary Clothing to last a few days.
6. Special or sentimental items.
7. Blankets and Pillows
8. Personal Hygiene Products
9. Air Mattresses or Cots
10. Tents if you have them
11. Bottled Water
12. Flash Lights and Batteries
13. Warm Jackets, Hats and Gloves
I put this list together today but thought I would share it with you to give you an idea of what I thought of. It made me think that it's better to be prepared and know exactly what you will need than to try to figure it out on the cuff.
One idea to go even further is to write down a list of detailed items just for evacuation purposes. It's always better to be prepared because if or when that day comes it's easy for our thoughts to be scattered and our sound judgment to be clouded by fear and with well prepared lists it alleviates us having to think too much and can focus on the main important part which is to get your family to safety.
Take a moment to think if you were evacuated tomorrow what you would need to take and keep in mind that you may need to go for a few days.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Will the Real Rich Man Please Stand Up
Luke 16:19-23
"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. but there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell* from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Right from the very beginning Jesus tells this story making a distinction between a certain rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus. It was clear that Jesus knew both these men but the difference was, one knew Jesus and the other did not.
Lazarus at this time was physically ill, full of sores, and could no longer stand. He was left with nothing to relieve the pain except medicine that came from the licking of stray dogs. It is a well known fact that dogs and other animals produce antibiotic micro-organisms in their tongues that naturally heal wounds.
How amazing that God can provide for our weaknesses and illnesses in unconventional ways we don't understand. Never the less Lazarus suffered greatly in this world.
There must have been many a day that Lazarus laid watching outside the gate, feeling cold, sick and hungry as grand officials, dignitaries and the like entered the rich man's estate; as they fine dined, had lavish parties and celebrations and the whole time unaware of his presence.
But now his grief and agony was finally over and upon his death he was carried away by angels to Abraham's bosom. What a great experience that must have been for Lazarus to be transported to heaven first class Angel style.
But much more than that was who was waiting for him. Abraham received Lazarus at his bosom, (the front area of the chest) which we all know is where the most intimate embraces of love and comfort are made, perhaps because this position is closest to the heart.
What an honor that was given to Lazarus for Abraham himself to be waiting to receive him. It reminds me of the Beatitude in Matthew Ch. 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." Although Lazarus may not have felt comforted in his lifetime he was definitely comforted in heaven.
Another observation about Abraham's embrace is that in order to be embraced at someone's bosom both parties are most likely standing. Imagine Lazarus no longer lying ill but standing perfect and upright in Abraham's arms.
What a great comfort this is to also be reminded that we will not only receive an inheritance and great reward in heaven but also our illnesses and our sorrows will be taken away. No longer to fear, suffer or grieve but rejoice in the Lord's great mercy and love.
It's so easy for us as Christians to see the wicked prosper and wonder why we are not prospering as they are. During those times it is important for us to remember that our rewards are in heaven and that the temporal pleasures we see now do not compare to the eternal rewards we will receive in heaven. As we put our trust in God and continue to focus on Christ and press forward, we will be blessed beyond what we can imagine or think, as we persevere by faith.
As it is written:
Phil 3:13-14
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." NIV
So who really was the rich man here? The bible says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. If we truly want to be blessed here on earth we have to learn to view life, our situation and people through God's eyes and not our own and measure success using God's Word and not the World. The bible says that this world and it's passions are temporary and passing away.
If you are struggling in your life today, feeling beat up, physically, financially, or experiencing grief, I hope this devotion will be a comfort to you as it was for me, that not only are we rich in Christ Jesus but that our reward is waiting in heaven for us.
If you don't know Jesus personally, I want to encourage you to receive Him in your heart today and receive salvation and all the precious promises that He gives you by the power of the Holy Spirit and through His Word the Bible.
Today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is not promised, I encourage you to please receive him today. If you need more information on salvation please contact me through my website.
Personal Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the illustration you gave us in Lazarus, that although he had nothing in this world to give that your plan had everything for him to receive in love, comfort and eternal life. Help us to remember that our treasure is in heaven and not of this world and that temporal pleasures on earth do not compare to the eternal blessings you have waiting for us in heaven. We give you all the praise and the glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
God Bless you!
"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. but there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell* from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Right from the very beginning Jesus tells this story making a distinction between a certain rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus. It was clear that Jesus knew both these men but the difference was, one knew Jesus and the other did not.
Lazarus at this time was physically ill, full of sores, and could no longer stand. He was left with nothing to relieve the pain except medicine that came from the licking of stray dogs. It is a well known fact that dogs and other animals produce antibiotic micro-organisms in their tongues that naturally heal wounds.
How amazing that God can provide for our weaknesses and illnesses in unconventional ways we don't understand. Never the less Lazarus suffered greatly in this world.
There must have been many a day that Lazarus laid watching outside the gate, feeling cold, sick and hungry as grand officials, dignitaries and the like entered the rich man's estate; as they fine dined, had lavish parties and celebrations and the whole time unaware of his presence.
But now his grief and agony was finally over and upon his death he was carried away by angels to Abraham's bosom. What a great experience that must have been for Lazarus to be transported to heaven first class Angel style.
But much more than that was who was waiting for him. Abraham received Lazarus at his bosom, (the front area of the chest) which we all know is where the most intimate embraces of love and comfort are made, perhaps because this position is closest to the heart.
What an honor that was given to Lazarus for Abraham himself to be waiting to receive him. It reminds me of the Beatitude in Matthew Ch. 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." Although Lazarus may not have felt comforted in his lifetime he was definitely comforted in heaven.
Another observation about Abraham's embrace is that in order to be embraced at someone's bosom both parties are most likely standing. Imagine Lazarus no longer lying ill but standing perfect and upright in Abraham's arms.
What a great comfort this is to also be reminded that we will not only receive an inheritance and great reward in heaven but also our illnesses and our sorrows will be taken away. No longer to fear, suffer or grieve but rejoice in the Lord's great mercy and love.
It's so easy for us as Christians to see the wicked prosper and wonder why we are not prospering as they are. During those times it is important for us to remember that our rewards are in heaven and that the temporal pleasures we see now do not compare to the eternal rewards we will receive in heaven. As we put our trust in God and continue to focus on Christ and press forward, we will be blessed beyond what we can imagine or think, as we persevere by faith.
As it is written:
Phil 3:13-14
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." NIV
So who really was the rich man here? The bible says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. If we truly want to be blessed here on earth we have to learn to view life, our situation and people through God's eyes and not our own and measure success using God's Word and not the World. The bible says that this world and it's passions are temporary and passing away.
If you are struggling in your life today, feeling beat up, physically, financially, or experiencing grief, I hope this devotion will be a comfort to you as it was for me, that not only are we rich in Christ Jesus but that our reward is waiting in heaven for us.
If you don't know Jesus personally, I want to encourage you to receive Him in your heart today and receive salvation and all the precious promises that He gives you by the power of the Holy Spirit and through His Word the Bible.
Today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is not promised, I encourage you to please receive him today. If you need more information on salvation please contact me through my website.
Personal Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the illustration you gave us in Lazarus, that although he had nothing in this world to give that your plan had everything for him to receive in love, comfort and eternal life. Help us to remember that our treasure is in heaven and not of this world and that temporal pleasures on earth do not compare to the eternal blessings you have waiting for us in heaven. We give you all the praise and the glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
God Bless you!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
"Don't Call Me Naomi"
Ruth 1:20-21
"Don't call me Naomi, " she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted e me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
As she entered the city there was already a stir of Naomi’s tragic situation and seeing Naomi and Ruth, the women exclaimed in the prior verse, “Can this be Naomi?” not recognizing her by her change of disposition.
Naomi’s name means “Pleasant and joyful” and perhaps at one time she wore that name proudly and was well known among the city as that. But upon her return she could not bear to carry her own name, but called herself bitter because that’s what she was. She goes on to tell those women that she left full but came back empty and that the Lord has afflicted her and brought her misfortune.
It is understandable how Naomi must have felt at that time. It was hard enough to lose her husband but to lose both her sons was just a devastation and to have no grand children to carry on her family name must have made her feel abandoned by God. As it was traditionally in those days, being barren and having misfortune was known as God’s favor was not upon you and your household and because of this, she grew in resentment and that resentment turned into bitterness.
Little did she know that God was not only going to show mercy and compassion upon her household but bring forth His only begotten son through the line of Boaz, her husband’s kinsmen redeemer.
If you have read the story of Ruth you know that this story is one of the most romantic stories in the bible between Ruth and Boaz. It was a prophetic visual symbol of love between Christ and the church; Boaz representing Christ who is our kinsmen redeemer and the church as Ruth who was once barren but now was full and blessed beyond what she could imagine or think.
This story personally gives me comfort and hope, that although God allows His children to go through trials that He never leaves us nor forsakes us and will use whatever we are going through for His Glory. Undoubtedly, it does hurt at the time and is painful, but we can turn to the God of all comfort who comforts us and come boldly to His throne of grace in our hour and time of need because He loves us and cares for us deeply.
At the end of the story Naomi’s family was going to live on through her kinsmen redeemer, and she was no longer barren but made full. From that day forward Naomi was able to live once again as “Pleasant and Joyful”.
If you are going through a trial or have experienced a loss, I hope the story of Ruth and Naomi has given you some comfort and hope that although God may feel far away, He is right there with you, you are not alone and you can turn to Him as your comfort. Allow Him to restore you that once again you can experience the joy of your salvation in God’s perfect time. May God bless you and encourage you today with His love.
Personal Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the story of Ruth and Naomi that gives us comfort and hope that no matter what we are going through that you are with us and that you understand. Help us to trust you in the midst of our trials and cling to you as our God of all comfort and our kinsmen redeemer. We need you and we love you. In Jesus name Amen.
Dealing With Worry and Stress
Have you been worried or stressed over something that is starting to affect you in more ways than one? There are many reasons we can easily be stressed or worried such as our finances, our relationships, our work; you name it and the worse part is it never seems to go away.
You are not alone, life in itself has enough worries of it's own, even in Matthew chapter 6 it says not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough worries for itself. I want to encourage you that there is hope for your situation and that your worries can be turned into peace if you will heed God's word about this very normal and common dilemma. Let's look at what God's word says about this:
1. Do not worry = Telling someone not to worry is easier said than done. Take comfort in that Jesus understands what you are going through and shares in Matthew that we should not worry because our Heavenly Father is faithful to provide for His children. (Read Matthew 6:25-30)
2. Pray your Petitions to God = Taking our worries and concerns to God can be the best thing you could ever do. The bible says to come to Him and make your requests known to God with assurance that He hears the cries of His children. (Read Phillipians 4;6-7)
3. Come to Jesus = When we are at our worst God is at His best, come to Christ and allow Him to take your burdens and lighten your load. You can be honest with God in prayer, vent to Him, cry to Him and then ask God to take your burdens and believe that He is faithful and He will do it.(Read Matthew Read 11:28-30 )
4. Cast Your Cares Upon Him = Cast means to cast off or take off and in this passage it means to cast off your cares to Him, give them over to God and allow him to take them from you, because He cares for you. (Read 1 Peter 5:7)
5. Stay Focused on Him = As you are giving your burdens over to God you can now re=focus your mind and heart back onto Him and off of your troubles, trusting that God is going to take care of you. When you do you will receive His peace in return. (Read Isaiah 26; 3)
6. Trust Him = Remember that the bible says that Jesus is our peace, and we can put our trust in Him to not only take our burdens but to carry them. Once you give them over to God be sure that you don't take them back. Put it in His capable hands and leave it there!
(Isaiah 26:4 )
Trust in Him that He is faithful and that He will do it. Release it to God and then praise Him and thank Him for being so good to you. God is sovereign, He is still on the throne and in total control. Allow Him to be on the throne of your heart and He will give you much peace in return and so much more.
Personal Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
When I am worried or stressed, help me to take my eyes off of my situation and re-focus back on you. Help me to trust you and give you my burdens and not take them up again and fill me with your peace that transcends all understanding so that I can rest again and be refreshed. Thank you Lord for hearing my prayers because you care for me. Amen
You are not alone, life in itself has enough worries of it's own, even in Matthew chapter 6 it says not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough worries for itself. I want to encourage you that there is hope for your situation and that your worries can be turned into peace if you will heed God's word about this very normal and common dilemma. Let's look at what God's word says about this:
1. Do not worry = Telling someone not to worry is easier said than done. Take comfort in that Jesus understands what you are going through and shares in Matthew that we should not worry because our Heavenly Father is faithful to provide for His children. (Read Matthew 6:25-30)
2. Pray your Petitions to God = Taking our worries and concerns to God can be the best thing you could ever do. The bible says to come to Him and make your requests known to God with assurance that He hears the cries of His children. (Read Phillipians 4;6-7)
3. Come to Jesus = When we are at our worst God is at His best, come to Christ and allow Him to take your burdens and lighten your load. You can be honest with God in prayer, vent to Him, cry to Him and then ask God to take your burdens and believe that He is faithful and He will do it.(Read Matthew Read 11:28-30 )
4. Cast Your Cares Upon Him = Cast means to cast off or take off and in this passage it means to cast off your cares to Him, give them over to God and allow him to take them from you, because He cares for you. (Read 1 Peter 5:7)
5. Stay Focused on Him = As you are giving your burdens over to God you can now re=focus your mind and heart back onto Him and off of your troubles, trusting that God is going to take care of you. When you do you will receive His peace in return. (Read Isaiah 26; 3)
6. Trust Him = Remember that the bible says that Jesus is our peace, and we can put our trust in Him to not only take our burdens but to carry them. Once you give them over to God be sure that you don't take them back. Put it in His capable hands and leave it there!
(Isaiah 26:4 )
Trust in Him that He is faithful and that He will do it. Release it to God and then praise Him and thank Him for being so good to you. God is sovereign, He is still on the throne and in total control. Allow Him to be on the throne of your heart and He will give you much peace in return and so much more.
Personal Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
When I am worried or stressed, help me to take my eyes off of my situation and re-focus back on you. Help me to trust you and give you my burdens and not take them up again and fill me with your peace that transcends all understanding so that I can rest again and be refreshed. Thank you Lord for hearing my prayers because you care for me. Amen
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Personal Blog
Hello,
I decided that in between my devotionals and counseling helps I will write a personal blog about me and what's the latest. Right now I am focusing on family, supporting my husband with our church and writing. My goal is to finish and publish my lay counseling handbook which is almost finished but I need to edit and polish it and perhaps make more revisions. I've been working on it for almost three years; something I would work on every time I had the chance. Our family and ministry keep us pretty active and I'm thrilled to see our church plant is growing.
What's in the Mind of a Pastor's Wife
Before I became a pastor's wife I used to wonder what went on in the minds of Pastor's wives. I knew that I could never truly understand but wanted the inside scoop of how they felt. So incase you might be wondering, you may not care, but I will share with you a little of what goes on in my mind:
I decided that in between my devotionals and counseling helps I will write a personal blog about me and what's the latest. Right now I am focusing on family, supporting my husband with our church and writing. My goal is to finish and publish my lay counseling handbook which is almost finished but I need to edit and polish it and perhaps make more revisions. I've been working on it for almost three years; something I would work on every time I had the chance. Our family and ministry keep us pretty active and I'm thrilled to see our church plant is growing.
What's in the Mind of a Pastor's Wife
Before I became a pastor's wife I used to wonder what went on in the minds of Pastor's wives. I knew that I could never truly understand but wanted the inside scoop of how they felt. So incase you might be wondering, you may not care, but I will share with you a little of what goes on in my mind:
- I have a strong faith in God's faithfulness because he is faithful inspite of me not because of me.
- I have a strong purpose to hold up my husband's arms and be his support especially when no one is looking
- I feel a strong call to my family remembering that my first and foremost ministry is my husband and children.
- I feel a strong obligation to God to be blameless that no man or woman would stumble because of me.
- I feel a strong call to rightly divide the Word of God that I would not be ashamed or shame my Jesus.
- I feel a strong sense of community, that within our church and outside people matter to God and people matter to us.
- I have a strong focus that in the midst of pressures and other peoples expectations that I have to be myself and focus on Christ and be pleasing to Him.
- I have a strong call to minister to the orphan, the widow, the poor and the needy because the bible says that this is true religion.
- I have a strong sense of belonging, that I am not just a pastor's wife but a daughter of the Most High God, who has a Heavenly Father that loves me unconditionally and has forgiven me and gave me a new life as a new creation.
- I have a strong obligation to share that good news with the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that who should ever believe in him (Jesus) would not perish but have ever lasting life.
These are just some things that I have learned, processed and felt compelled to do and live as a woman married to a pastor and as a child of God.
The most important lesson I have learned as a pastor's wife is that I'm not perfect and that I can't do it on my own I need Jesus. The bible says that apart from Him we can do nothing. In the midst of my imperfections He is perfect and so I look to Him for my strength, protection and my perfection.
I hope this gives you a better idea of what goes on in the mind of pastor's wives and if you attend a church I want to encourage you to hold up your pastors and their wives arms because they need your support and they pray for you daily.
Seek Him First
Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you."
In life we are tempted to seek after many things, with so many distractions and interruptions that can easily take us away from the things that really matter. What does Jesus say here in Matthew 6:33? To seek first the kingdom of God. The word "seek" in the Hebrew means "to search for as in searching for silver or gold."
The bible says that where our treasure is our heart will be also. What is your treasure today? Are you spending time with God? If not I want to encourage you to remember Christ as your first love and return to Him and go back to doing the things you did at first.
Anything that we put before God is considered an idol and apart from Him we can do nothing. What does Jesus say will happen if we seek the Kingdom of God first? That all these things will be added or given to us.
I encourage you to make a decision today to do as Mary did; she chose to sit at the Lord's feet rather than be "busy" for God, and Jesus said that Mary made the better choice and it will never be taken away from her. When we choose to seek Him first ,He gives us more than we can imagine or think in return which is Christ Himself and what more could we possibly want?
Personal Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is so easy for me to be busy. Please help me to slow down, sit at your feet and spend time with you that I can make you my number one priority and return to you as my first love. Please forgive me if I have strayed and refresh my heart and make me new again. Thank you Jesus for loving me and hearing my prayers. Amen
Filoiann Wiedenhoff
In life we are tempted to seek after many things, with so many distractions and interruptions that can easily take us away from the things that really matter. What does Jesus say here in Matthew 6:33? To seek first the kingdom of God. The word "seek" in the Hebrew means "to search for as in searching for silver or gold."
The bible says that where our treasure is our heart will be also. What is your treasure today? Are you spending time with God? If not I want to encourage you to remember Christ as your first love and return to Him and go back to doing the things you did at first.
Anything that we put before God is considered an idol and apart from Him we can do nothing. What does Jesus say will happen if we seek the Kingdom of God first? That all these things will be added or given to us.
I encourage you to make a decision today to do as Mary did; she chose to sit at the Lord's feet rather than be "busy" for God, and Jesus said that Mary made the better choice and it will never be taken away from her. When we choose to seek Him first ,He gives us more than we can imagine or think in return which is Christ Himself and what more could we possibly want?
Personal Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is so easy for me to be busy. Please help me to slow down, sit at your feet and spend time with you that I can make you my number one priority and return to you as my first love. Please forgive me if I have strayed and refresh my heart and make me new again. Thank you Jesus for loving me and hearing my prayers. Amen
Filoiann Wiedenhoff
Monday, October 15, 2007
8 Spiritual Principles in Writing a Devotional Part II
In Part one, I addressed the technical side of writing a devotional, how to pick your scripture, find your overall theme, do your research, draw your conclusion, personal application, write it out and Edit it. In this article I want to address the spiritual side of writing a devotional that deals mainly with preparing your heart and your mind when writing your devotional and the value that devotionals carry.
I put together eight principles to spiritually prepare your heart and mind for writing a devotional:
1. Pray: Before you write a devotional you must first pray before during and after and ask God to not only speak to you about the passage you will be writing about but also prepare your own heart to receive it. The majority of devotionals you will write are meant for you first. Prayer also helps you to be more led by the Holy Spirit and enables you to have spiritual understanding of the passages and themes you are writing about.
2. Ponder: Pray for God to help you ponder it for a few minutes so that you can see something you’ve never seen before in the passage or through your research or possibly receive something you already know but need to digest to fully to understand it for your self. It’s one thing to think or assume that we know something but it’s another to really understand fully what something means.
3. Piece: As you are in prayer ask God to help you piece it together and see the bigger picture, this will help you have a smooth flow from introduction to conclusion. When you are able to see the big picture from beginning to end, it is much easier to communicate it on paper.
4. Practical: In writing devotionals that speak not only to you but to others; another important principle is to keep it practical. Over-spiritualizing by talking in platitudes although it may sound nice and spiritual it does not help the average person apply it practically to their own life today. Keep it simple, make it practical and applicable to every day life and you will find it is more affective..
5. Personalize: We’ve already talked about personal application but personalizing your devotional means to include personal information about you which is okay as long as the focus stays on the overall theme and the scripture passage. Personalizing is optional but for the record I have personalized devotionals and they are great in showing that the writer is a real person that experiences the same issues as anyone else but like I said, you must make sure you stay on point and not make it more about you than the passage you are writing about.
6. Point: No matter what the overall theme is it should always, always point to Jesus! I can’t stress this enough. You can stress your theme for example “Having Faith through Life Storms” using faith as your focus but make sure that Christ, our Heavenly Father and/or His Word is weaved throughout the text. This creates a wholesome dependence on Christ and not on the writer or on the action but on the person who gives us everything we need, Jesus Christ Himself. In doing this we are pointing them to the one who is our healer, our provider and our portion.
7. Personal Prayer: After you end your devotional with a conclusion you can add a personal prayer where you take the conclusion and turn it into a prayer by rewriting it in a way that is personal. For example: If the conclusion is to trust God through life’s storms, my prayer may sound like this: “Dear Lord, no matter what I’m going through I know that you are faithful and will see me through this. Help me to trust you even when I don’t understand and help me to cling to you even when I don’t feel like it. Thank you Lord for loving me and hearing my prayers. Amen”
8. Precious: Remember in the end that writing devotionals is personal between you and God and whether others read it or not, it is precious because it comes from your heart and that makes it precious to God also. David wrote the Psalms with love and devotion and God called him a man after his own heart. Isn’t that all you really want in the end? I know that I do.
I hope these spiritual principles will help give you more to work with when writing your devotionals. The most important principle is to have fun and enjoy writing them. May the Lord bless your devotional endeavors!
Blessings,
I put together eight principles to spiritually prepare your heart and mind for writing a devotional:
1. Pray: Before you write a devotional you must first pray before during and after and ask God to not only speak to you about the passage you will be writing about but also prepare your own heart to receive it. The majority of devotionals you will write are meant for you first. Prayer also helps you to be more led by the Holy Spirit and enables you to have spiritual understanding of the passages and themes you are writing about.
2. Ponder: Pray for God to help you ponder it for a few minutes so that you can see something you’ve never seen before in the passage or through your research or possibly receive something you already know but need to digest to fully to understand it for your self. It’s one thing to think or assume that we know something but it’s another to really understand fully what something means.
3. Piece: As you are in prayer ask God to help you piece it together and see the bigger picture, this will help you have a smooth flow from introduction to conclusion. When you are able to see the big picture from beginning to end, it is much easier to communicate it on paper.
4. Practical: In writing devotionals that speak not only to you but to others; another important principle is to keep it practical. Over-spiritualizing by talking in platitudes although it may sound nice and spiritual it does not help the average person apply it practically to their own life today. Keep it simple, make it practical and applicable to every day life and you will find it is more affective..
5. Personalize: We’ve already talked about personal application but personalizing your devotional means to include personal information about you which is okay as long as the focus stays on the overall theme and the scripture passage. Personalizing is optional but for the record I have personalized devotionals and they are great in showing that the writer is a real person that experiences the same issues as anyone else but like I said, you must make sure you stay on point and not make it more about you than the passage you are writing about.
6. Point: No matter what the overall theme is it should always, always point to Jesus! I can’t stress this enough. You can stress your theme for example “Having Faith through Life Storms” using faith as your focus but make sure that Christ, our Heavenly Father and/or His Word is weaved throughout the text. This creates a wholesome dependence on Christ and not on the writer or on the action but on the person who gives us everything we need, Jesus Christ Himself. In doing this we are pointing them to the one who is our healer, our provider and our portion.
7. Personal Prayer: After you end your devotional with a conclusion you can add a personal prayer where you take the conclusion and turn it into a prayer by rewriting it in a way that is personal. For example: If the conclusion is to trust God through life’s storms, my prayer may sound like this: “Dear Lord, no matter what I’m going through I know that you are faithful and will see me through this. Help me to trust you even when I don’t understand and help me to cling to you even when I don’t feel like it. Thank you Lord for loving me and hearing my prayers. Amen”
8. Precious: Remember in the end that writing devotionals is personal between you and God and whether others read it or not, it is precious because it comes from your heart and that makes it precious to God also. David wrote the Psalms with love and devotion and God called him a man after his own heart. Isn’t that all you really want in the end? I know that I do.
I hope these spiritual principles will help give you more to work with when writing your devotionals. The most important principle is to have fun and enjoy writing them. May the Lord bless your devotional endeavors!
Blessings,
8 Simple Steps to Writing a Devotional Part I
Have you ever wanted to write your own devotional but thought you weren’t “Spiritual” enough? You read big name Christian authors and speakers devotionals and think to your self you could never write like they do? If you have had similar thoughts this article is for you.
I want to start off by saying that big named Christian authors and speakers didn’t start out writing professionally until they have had years of practice. One important element to keep in mind when considering writing devotionals is if you are a born again believer and you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you then have also been given the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit Christ who lives in your heart by faith, works and wills in you to accomplish His good purpose.
It is the Holy Spirit that enables you to accomplish His good work to which the bible says gives us understanding, wisdom, gentleness, kindness, love and all the fruits of the spirit. With that said, that also enables you to write inspirational, encouraging, and affirming devotionals that speaks to the mind, body and the soul.
The second most important element when writing devotionals is to write it for your self first. The inspiration or encouragement you receive is what you will use to encourage others. Simply writing for someone else is usually not as affective because the tone and language of the devotional may come off as a lecture or preaching at someone rather than to someone. Self application is a must to write heartfelt and sincere devotionals that touches the heart.
My advice is to write from the heart and write with a Holy fear that you are simply relaying God’s words but with your own personal touch. I have put together 8 simple steps to writing a devotional and encourage you to practice, practice and practice some more, but as you do you will be blessed more than you can imagine or think. Over the years my greatest healing came through writing personal scripture devotionals that changed my life and it will change yours as you make the time and effort to spend with God and allow Him to speak to you. God is faithful and He will do it!.
Here they are as follows:
1. Pick your Scripture: In your daily quiet time with God, pick out the scripture that speak most to your heart. God speaks to us through His Word and when we take note of the particular passages and dig a little deeper God will speak volumes.
2. Read in Context: Once you have picked a passage it’s important to understand the scripture in context. Simply put; read what the passage means in it’s own chapter. Read above and below to get the full meaning of why the passage was said and what it means. If necessary read cross references or bible summaries.
3. Find Overall Theme: To find the theme, once you read the context of the passage along with a particular message look for what the Holy Spirit may be showing you through the passage such as; forgiveness, love, holiness, anger, etc…Take that as your overall theme and build your devotional around that theme.
4. Do Your Research: Find keywords within the passage, especially your theme words and look them up in bible dictionaries, Webster dictionaries, do cross references on your main passage and topical scriptures, you can also add a familiar story or bible story that sums up the theme and last look up bible commentaries to expand your understanding on the passage itself and also confirm your own thoughts and conclusions.
5. Draw your Conclusion: After you have done all your research findings you can then draw your conclusion of what the theme or topic’s real message you believe God want’s to say to you personally and through you. Write it down.
6. Personal Application: Once you have done a thorough study on the passage or theme topic then spend time pondering this lesson and ask God to help you receive this for yourself and then begin applying it by putting it into action in your own life. You can also write that down.
7. Write it Out: Next begin to write it out in format. The most common formula is: 1. Title 2. Introduction 3. Body 4. Conclusion. Here is the part where you put all your research, your writing, thoughts and personal experience and/or revelation into a readable devotional format. Organize your thoughts first then condense all of your writings into a brief and to the point summary of your findings that is clear, concise and to the point, a devotional format that is simple for anyone to understand.
8. Edit, Edit, Edit: The definition for Edit simply means to refine to conform to a standard or purpose. Go over all of your writing, checking for spelling, errors and grammar and make sure your devotional stays on point. Editing is also another important element to writing devotionals, articles, papers etc... If you think you need to brush up on your grammar, there are grammar handbooks available online or at your local library.
Once you start writing devotionals you will grow and improve in your writing abilities and skills but more importantly your relationship with Christ will grow and be more intimate as you spend more thoughtful time in His Word. I hope these tips will encourage you that anyone can write devotionals as long as they come from the heart and glorify God!
Blessings to you,
Filoiann M.Wiedenhoff
I want to start off by saying that big named Christian authors and speakers didn’t start out writing professionally until they have had years of practice. One important element to keep in mind when considering writing devotionals is if you are a born again believer and you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you then have also been given the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit Christ who lives in your heart by faith, works and wills in you to accomplish His good purpose.
It is the Holy Spirit that enables you to accomplish His good work to which the bible says gives us understanding, wisdom, gentleness, kindness, love and all the fruits of the spirit. With that said, that also enables you to write inspirational, encouraging, and affirming devotionals that speaks to the mind, body and the soul.
The second most important element when writing devotionals is to write it for your self first. The inspiration or encouragement you receive is what you will use to encourage others. Simply writing for someone else is usually not as affective because the tone and language of the devotional may come off as a lecture or preaching at someone rather than to someone. Self application is a must to write heartfelt and sincere devotionals that touches the heart.
My advice is to write from the heart and write with a Holy fear that you are simply relaying God’s words but with your own personal touch. I have put together 8 simple steps to writing a devotional and encourage you to practice, practice and practice some more, but as you do you will be blessed more than you can imagine or think. Over the years my greatest healing came through writing personal scripture devotionals that changed my life and it will change yours as you make the time and effort to spend with God and allow Him to speak to you. God is faithful and He will do it!.
Here they are as follows:
1. Pick your Scripture: In your daily quiet time with God, pick out the scripture that speak most to your heart. God speaks to us through His Word and when we take note of the particular passages and dig a little deeper God will speak volumes.
2. Read in Context: Once you have picked a passage it’s important to understand the scripture in context. Simply put; read what the passage means in it’s own chapter. Read above and below to get the full meaning of why the passage was said and what it means. If necessary read cross references or bible summaries.
3. Find Overall Theme: To find the theme, once you read the context of the passage along with a particular message look for what the Holy Spirit may be showing you through the passage such as; forgiveness, love, holiness, anger, etc…Take that as your overall theme and build your devotional around that theme.
4. Do Your Research: Find keywords within the passage, especially your theme words and look them up in bible dictionaries, Webster dictionaries, do cross references on your main passage and topical scriptures, you can also add a familiar story or bible story that sums up the theme and last look up bible commentaries to expand your understanding on the passage itself and also confirm your own thoughts and conclusions.
5. Draw your Conclusion: After you have done all your research findings you can then draw your conclusion of what the theme or topic’s real message you believe God want’s to say to you personally and through you. Write it down.
6. Personal Application: Once you have done a thorough study on the passage or theme topic then spend time pondering this lesson and ask God to help you receive this for yourself and then begin applying it by putting it into action in your own life. You can also write that down.
7. Write it Out: Next begin to write it out in format. The most common formula is: 1. Title 2. Introduction 3. Body 4. Conclusion. Here is the part where you put all your research, your writing, thoughts and personal experience and/or revelation into a readable devotional format. Organize your thoughts first then condense all of your writings into a brief and to the point summary of your findings that is clear, concise and to the point, a devotional format that is simple for anyone to understand.
8. Edit, Edit, Edit: The definition for Edit simply means to refine to conform to a standard or purpose. Go over all of your writing, checking for spelling, errors and grammar and make sure your devotional stays on point. Editing is also another important element to writing devotionals, articles, papers etc... If you think you need to brush up on your grammar, there are grammar handbooks available online or at your local library.
Once you start writing devotionals you will grow and improve in your writing abilities and skills but more importantly your relationship with Christ will grow and be more intimate as you spend more thoughtful time in His Word. I hope these tips will encourage you that anyone can write devotionals as long as they come from the heart and glorify God!
Blessings to you,
Filoiann M.Wiedenhoff
What Motivates You?
Ps 91:14-16"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.He will call upon me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."NIV
There’s an old story I heard when was a little girl, about a woman who was in a car accident. The car rolled over twice and her child was stuck underneath. The mom saw that her child was about to be crushed under the car and without thinking she miraculously lifted up the car high enough to set her child free. Some people believe this is just another Urban Myth, but most people believe this story to be true.
It’s a well known fact that people can do amazing things when they are scared or in a life or death situation. Why is this? They are motivated….some may not even realize what they are doing but for the most part they are driven by a motivation whether it is fear, anger, bitterness or love. With this woman she was motivated by the pure love of a mother.
Let's take a look back at Psalm 91;14-16 and see what motivates God and look at the list of promises that God will give to us:
1. I will Rescue him
2. I will protect him
3.I will answer him
4. I will be with him in trouble
5. I will deliver him
6. I will honor him
7. I will give him long life.
8. I will satisfy him.
9. I will show him my salvation.
I don’t know about you but every time I read this passage I’m blessed to be reminded that He is our rescuer, our protector, our deliverer, our provider. The one who gives us life, and His salvation. He lists nine amazing promises that He will do for us. How comforting is this to read?
Now let’s look at what He asks of us in return:
1. We love Him
2. We acknowledges His name
3. We call upon Him
There’s no comparison. We cannot even come close to doing what God is willing to do for us. Let’s now look at His motivation, the first part of verse 14 says it is “because he loves me”. He gives us His answer right at the very beginning of this particular passage, that His motivation is love. It appears that His motivation is our love for Him but in reality it is His love for us. The bible says that He loves us as our Heavenly Father. The bible also says that He has drawn us with cords of loving kindness (Hosea 11:4) and also that we love because He loved us first (1 John 4;19). God’s sole motivation in everything He does is love.
My question for you is what is your motivation for all that you do? Are you motivated by love, God’s love? If it isn’t love, then what is it? Take a moment to ponder these questions and also ponder this list of promises that God proves His love over and over again by first dying for us, and now living for us. The apostle Paul wrote that Christ love compels us (2 Cor. 5;14). What compels you? What moves you to do what you do? I encourage you today to be compelled by God’s love and allow his love for you to motivate you to love Him, acknowledge His name and call upon Him. Call upon Him while He is near, today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is not promised. Let love motivate you to love Him today and move you to draw near to Him and seek Him with your whole heart.
Last question: What obstacle or hindrance is so great that would keep you from a God and love like this?
Personal Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank you for loving me the way that you do and all the precious promises you provide for me. Please help me to receive and comprehend the depth and the width of your love for me that I may be compelled and motivated to love you more and live for you. I love you Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
There’s an old story I heard when was a little girl, about a woman who was in a car accident. The car rolled over twice and her child was stuck underneath. The mom saw that her child was about to be crushed under the car and without thinking she miraculously lifted up the car high enough to set her child free. Some people believe this is just another Urban Myth, but most people believe this story to be true.
It’s a well known fact that people can do amazing things when they are scared or in a life or death situation. Why is this? They are motivated….some may not even realize what they are doing but for the most part they are driven by a motivation whether it is fear, anger, bitterness or love. With this woman she was motivated by the pure love of a mother.
Let's take a look back at Psalm 91;14-16 and see what motivates God and look at the list of promises that God will give to us:
1. I will Rescue him
2. I will protect him
3.I will answer him
4. I will be with him in trouble
5. I will deliver him
6. I will honor him
7. I will give him long life.
8. I will satisfy him.
9. I will show him my salvation.
I don’t know about you but every time I read this passage I’m blessed to be reminded that He is our rescuer, our protector, our deliverer, our provider. The one who gives us life, and His salvation. He lists nine amazing promises that He will do for us. How comforting is this to read?
Now let’s look at what He asks of us in return:
1. We love Him
2. We acknowledges His name
3. We call upon Him
There’s no comparison. We cannot even come close to doing what God is willing to do for us. Let’s now look at His motivation, the first part of verse 14 says it is “because he loves me”. He gives us His answer right at the very beginning of this particular passage, that His motivation is love. It appears that His motivation is our love for Him but in reality it is His love for us. The bible says that He loves us as our Heavenly Father. The bible also says that He has drawn us with cords of loving kindness (Hosea 11:4) and also that we love because He loved us first (1 John 4;19). God’s sole motivation in everything He does is love.
My question for you is what is your motivation for all that you do? Are you motivated by love, God’s love? If it isn’t love, then what is it? Take a moment to ponder these questions and also ponder this list of promises that God proves His love over and over again by first dying for us, and now living for us. The apostle Paul wrote that Christ love compels us (2 Cor. 5;14). What compels you? What moves you to do what you do? I encourage you today to be compelled by God’s love and allow his love for you to motivate you to love Him, acknowledge His name and call upon Him. Call upon Him while He is near, today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is not promised. Let love motivate you to love Him today and move you to draw near to Him and seek Him with your whole heart.
Last question: What obstacle or hindrance is so great that would keep you from a God and love like this?
Personal Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank you for loving me the way that you do and all the precious promises you provide for me. Please help me to receive and comprehend the depth and the width of your love for me that I may be compelled and motivated to love you more and live for you. I love you Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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