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Wholesome and Clean

December 1, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals, Devotional Links, Devotions For Teens, Family Devotions, Inspirational Bible Verses

Ezekiel 37:23b – I will wash away their sin and make them clean, and I will protect them from everything that makes them unclean. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (CEV)

There is a major house renovation going on close to where we live. Actually, it has been in progress for weeks and weeks – new roof, insulation, siding, windows, doors, sunroom and storage addition – a complete overhaul! I don’t know, because I have not seen inside, but I have to assume that there is a great deal of updating, repair and cleaning being addressed inside the home too: and I assume this due to the time it is taking to complete the work.

I recall when my husband and I, were looking for a home in this park, that we viewed one particular unit that was in a beautiful location, the price was amazing (it would have left a great deal of ‘spare’ cash for renovations) but the condition inside was nothing short of ‘disgusting’: how anyone could have lived in the home in the condition it was in, was beyond our comprehension.

We had agreed that we were willing to move into a house of our choice and do work while living there, but the filth and the updates needed in that particular house, were way too bad for us to even consider moving in and living there in – there was far too much to do to make it habitable.

When some people are challenged to give their lives to God and invite Jesus into their hearts, they recognize the truth that they have sinned before God. As a result, they want to clean up their lives before they issue an invitation to Jesus. They don’t yet understand that God comes into our lives to clean us up, precisely because we can’t do it for ourselves.

Isaiah 64:6a – But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. (NKJV)

The good news is that God loves us just as we are. So when we become willing to accept God into our lives, thankfully, He does not shun our dirty lives like we rejected that dirty home. He welcomes us and cleanses us. He does not leave us as we are, with our disparaging thoughts, our criticism of others, our idolatry of all things material, and all our major and minor sinful ways. This process is called “sanctification”.

 Isaiah 1:16 – Wash yourselves clean! I am disgusted with your filthy deeds. Stop doing wrong. (CEV)

Just as the house we viewed had much to clean up before being habitable, so God needs to clean up our lives, thoughts, and actions, so that we become a true reflection of His Son, Jesus, in our hearts, minds, and spirits.

James 4:8 – Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you people who can’t make up your mind. (CEV)

Prayer: Abba, make us aware of all that is in our lives, our thoughts, and our deeds, that is unworthy of Your presence within us. Wash us clean, and renew our spirits and hearts so that we are wholesome, presentable, and welcoming to all who look at us and the ways that we live. We want to be acceptable to You and winsome to them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

http://pepeprays.wordpress.com

 

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I Don’t Know How You Feel

July 12, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

We cannot know for certain how another person feels–the depth of their pain…their emptiness, loss or fear. We may think we know how a person feels when we see them under fire, trial, or difficulty. We may have had some similar situation in which we felt a specific heartache or crisis. However, unless we are the other person, we cannot know the loneliness, the grief, the anxiety, or doubt another has.  We cannot know their brokenness or experience their suffering.

Likewise we cannot know how deep their faith is based on their tears or depression. They may be trusting in God and clinging to Him with all that is within them in order to keep from totally falling apart. We cannot know what ”falling apart” looks like–the end of another’s rope to us may be the knots the LORD has tied around their wrists to keep them from slipping in the mire of circumstance. We cannot know another’s heart.

That’s why sometimes our impulsive words like “you just need to trust in the Lord”, sound so hollow and trite.

Yes…we all know we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”, but we do not all know when Christ designates the strength to meet the problem or trial we face. We who care would do well to exercise discernment and restraint when we seek to comfort or minister, or advise another in need.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

Words that have helped me in trying times are:

“I am so sorry. I wish I had answers.”

“I don’t know how you feel right now, but I care that you hurt.”

“I can’t know the confusion and betrayal you feel right now, but I will pray for you during this time. Please hang on to that.”

“I can’t imagine how hard it is for you to deal with this, but please know that I care and will be here if you need someone to just sit with you. No need to talk. No explanations needed. Just someone in the room.”

“Do you care if I pray for you?”

Sometimes just a hug, and pat on the arm, or squeeze of an elbow is all a person needs to know someone cares and feels their pain. The best cards are blank cards with appropriate pictures and a handwritten, “I care” inside with a phone number.

PRAYER:  LORD, give us wisdom to discern the words another needs to hear as a soothing balm. Help us be sensitive to another’s pain and heartache so we treat others with kindness, love and gentleness. And, if there is someone in need of comfort, direction, or peace who read these words today, I pray You have mercy upon them and pour out Your abundant grace that they may know You are God and that You care for them. 

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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A Clear Conscience With Man

July 4, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

A loud fog-horn blared behind me and joined a police officer’s flashing lights. His cruiser was nearly touching my bumper. He angrily motioned for me to get over. With a car ahead of me, and other cars on my right, I had no place to go. My heart bolted and fear crammed its way into my mind. I frantically pulled over into the grass and the officer whizzed right on by me, screaming at me as he passed. A few seconds later I saw him get out of his vehicle, jerk on a vest with a orange florescent tape and begin calmly talking to another officer at the intersection. He was in a big hurry to assist the other officer direct traffic at a stop-light that motorists were treating like a 4-way stop. There was no emergency. Though relief flooded my mind, my heart still pounded in my chest. I’d done nothing wrong, but my mind replayed the scene over and over.

For me, it is a scary thing to see flashing lights in my rearview mirror. It’s scary because I don’t expect to see them. I try my best to obey the laws of the road. So when an officer blasts a siren or horn behind me, I immediately question what I’ve done.

“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” Acts 24:16

What does it mean “to have a conscience void of offence”? You can think of nothing wrong between you and God. There is nothing wrong between you and anyone else. You are not angry and no one is angry at you. You hold no grudges and no one holds a grudge towards you. You have no guilt. You have lived up to your word; kept your commitments–been truthful and honest.

In Psalm 51:3, David knew the hounding of a bad conscience when he said, “My sin is ever before me.” The bondage of guilt consumed him; it can consume us. Guilt holds us tighter than any shackles of iron. No torture the poets describe can match the fierce unutterable pain of a bad conscience. We know we’ve sinned and yet we do nothing about it. We hold onto it and let it strangle us and keep us imprisoned, unable to move forward.

As Christians, we are made free in Christ. Through Christ we are released from the guilt of our sin. We are given a clear conscience for the sin in our life because Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin. He took our place for the punishment we deserve. When we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God’s mercy and grace gives us fresh starts–it justifies us. The trials of life are easier to face when you have a clear conscience.

Then when Satan, and life blares angry horns of accusation, you can know that you are free in Christ. The criticisms are easier to face. Paul wrote that he exercised himself to have a clear conscience. He knew he was free even though he was chained to guards, even though he was surrounded by prison walls. He held onto that conscience–void of offence as he lived out his ministry. He also lived in a way that kept his conscience clear toward man.

PRAYER: LORD, assure us in our times of guilt that You want us to live in the freedom of Christ’s love and forgiveness. Remind us wherein we may fail that You have won the victory for us. Help us right our wrongs and move forward in Your grace without condemnation and guilt.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Plans and Agendas

May 31, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:9. It says, “ In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

I love it so much because that’s how life is. I have an agenda; an intended course for my life. It often includes my wishes, dreams, and wants for my life. Of course I want to be a blessing to others along the way, but still….it’s mostly about me.

I often don’t trust my own judgment. I don’t want to go down a certain path in life and say that “It must be God’s will” when it certainly wasn’t. So this verse speaks for my heart and truly it says what my heart intends all along…that I don’t want to step outside of God’s will.

I want the Lord to determine my steps in life regardless of my own plans. Of course I’m hoping they will intersect or coincide at some point, but if I’m way off track – I’d rather defer to God’s plans because I know if I pursue my own without His blessing that it will be all wrong.

The thing is… God WILL determine our steps. Whether we ask Him to or not. He loves us and wants what’s best for us. I’d much rather work with Him than against Him along the way! I’d much rather learn the easy way than the hard way about just what it is and where it is that He desires to take me. That being said, remember that God knows your heart. He often will use and direct you to things in which you are gifted at or where your natural personality leans. He just may “tweak” how you get there!

Life is about agendas. We all have them. We all pursue them.

God knows our hearts and He certainly knows our mind and what we are thinking. Give your plans over to Him and seek Him in your quest to fulfill your life’s dreams and longings. Ask Him to direct your steps.

I promise that you can trust Him with the task.
~ Dionna Sanchez

madetomom@yahoo.com

 

 

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When You Are Troubled by Doubt

May 31, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Faced with a troubling situation?  Is anxiety building from some crisis in your life?  I felt that way this weekend.  The situation was beyond my control.  Nothing I could do but watch.  And wait.  And wonder.

I felt lonely in the midst of people surrounding me at church.  I felt alone though family sat next to me.  My mind was not with them; it was overshadowed by anxiety within my mind.  The foreboding, the shadows of doubt tore at the peace I tried to hold in my grasp.  I could no more hold the peace than I could grasp the shadow from the sun on a sweltering day.  With every shadow of doubt, I called out to God to keep me in that moment.  I prayed that He arrest my fears, my doubts, and fill my heart with more of Himself to give me calm–to give me insight and understanding.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

Today, the troubling “situation” is still there.  But today I do not doubt the outcome.  Once again I went to the Father and asked for assurance.  And once again, He showed me that I already have His assurance.  I have everything I need in Him.  He has not changed because some problem clouds my vision with shadows of doubt.  He is in control and will bring about His good, His perfect plan.  He loves my loved one far more than I do.  His love is trustworthy for them.  His watchcare certain.

There is no shadow of turning from our heavenly Father.  His Light is constant–far more reliable than the sun above.  Shadows we face in life are of the world.  Sometimes obstacles.  Sometimes, opportunities.  Some shadows are waiting periods…waiting for the cloud to pass over–times to trust in the ever-present love of God and His power. 

When we face shadows of uncertainty, we have the assurance that the Light of the World is with us and unchanging.  He dispels darkness.  He destroys fear and restores confidence.  He outnumbers our enemies. In Him there is victory.  We can walk with confidence through the shadows of life and death.  He is with us.  Always.  We need only thank Him for His gifts.

PRAYER:  O LORD, Most High, thank you.  Thank you for Your everpresent love.  For Your watchcare and hope in the times I question circumstances in my life.  Thank You.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Why Must We Suffer

May 20, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Suffering is something we all want to avoid.  None of us invite pain.  We tend to seek comfort and pleasure; it’s the way we are.  We rebel against discomfort.  We have innate defenses against that which hurts us or can bring harm.  We buy things to eliminate pain.  We invent things, we construct things, we work for things, we purchase things to bring us more comfort, more ease, more time to spend at ease.  So when we face a season of suffering, our first reaction is to fix the situation–not accept it.  We question why?  Quite often, if we sit awhile and consider our discomfort–we can see our suffering is far, far less in comparison to another’s.

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

We have conditioned ourselves to believe we should not suffer, be inconvenienced, or deal with pain.  Yet, the Apostle Peter tells us to look beyond the temporary “grief in all kinds of trials”.  They come to prove the ”genuineness” of our faith.  Anyone can suffer and whine.  It takes a person full of faith, and a hope beyond the temporary difficulties of life, to bring glory and honor to God.  Such is our joy.  Our endurance through the suffering, our steadfast faith in God amid the trials–these bring refinement which results in praise and honor and glory.

Does this mean we should keep our suffering to ourselves–stay silent when heartache, discouragements, and grief press upon us?  I don’t think so.  I think when we suffer we have a great opportunity to show the grace of God.  We may hurt.  We may mourn.  But we show the greatest honor to God as we stand firm in our faith in the midst of our suffering.  It’s not easy.  It’s not easy to smile…to laugh, or sing.  Our Lord knows that.  He suffered the cross to bring glory to the Father.  He suffered alone.  He does not want us to suffer alone.  He left His Spirit to comfort us.  He gives us one another to help carry our load.  Knowing this, may we each find our voice to sing praises to Him for the victory He has set before us.

PRAYER:  LORD, gives us voices to raise in praise to You in times we find most unbearable.  Keep us ever close to You as we go through trials meant to strengthen our faith, and bring light of Your goodness to a lost world.  We can all praise You on the brighter days, LORD.  Give us Your Light to shine on those days which seem darkest before the dawn.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Set Free

April 19, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

He could not sleep.  He had no solutions.  He felt overcome with anguish and brokenness.  He did all he knew to do.  Ideas eluded him as much as sleep.  His mind was tired.  His body was exhausted.  He felt as though every fiber of his being was being pulled in a dozen directions.  He felt like the walls were closing in around him, the ceiling pressing down upon him.

“Out of my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free and in a large place.” Psalm 118:5

Sometimes it is out of complete and utter exhaustion we come to the point of crying out to the Lord.  Sometimes we are so comfortable doing things our way that the Lord introduces specific difficulties which we cannot handle.  We have problems we cannot solve.  We have questions we cannot answer.  Our body, soul, and spirit are simply empty.  When we reach this point, we turn to God and let Him know we need Him.  We cannot deal with life another moment without His divine intervention.  The mountain is too high.  The water is too deep.  We feel smothered, closed in and surrounded by our trials.  Out of that distress, we cry out to the Lord.

He answers us and sets us free from the bondage of self-sufficiency and stress.  He puts us in a spacious place where we can breathe again.

I don’t like close places.  I’m not claustrophobic, but I don’t like small spaces all that much.  I like it when elevator doors open.  I want to drive in front of an eighteen-wheeler and not behind it.  I cringe when aisles in stores are cluttered with stock waiting to be placed on shelves.  I love to drive in wide-open spaces of Oklahoma.  I love to see horizons far away, to look down from Mt. Scott and stare at the vast lakes, ponds, roads, and distant mountain peaks.  Spaciousness.  It’s so liberating.

I can understand how David felt in his struggle in this Psalm.  When God frees us from the burdens we carry, it indeed feels like He has placed us in a large spacious place.  We can finally breathe, deep cleansing breaths.  It’s then I am compelled to praise Him for His glory, for His presence, for His power, and His grace which sets us upon His solid rock of mercy and compassion.

Are you feeling crushed?  Distressed?  Pressured by the world’s demands?  Take a walk, or ride.  Find your open space…lie on the ground and stare into the sky through tree branches.  Thank God for His freedom and deliverance.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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Who Do You Trust?

March 29, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

It troubles some people when others do not share their mistakes and how God helped them deal with the aftermath.  Many people find it difficult to open up and share problems they have, or the struggles they face as a result of a poor choice or impulsive decision.  They are basically afraid to trust others with their burdens.  Yet, the Lord tells us to share our burdens so we will be able to comfort and encourage one another.

Unfortunately, for some, residue of betrayal compounds the issues surrounding trust and burden-sharing.  Jacob had a hard time with that after he betrayed his brother and father.

Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.” Genesis 27:21

A wife betrays her husband and her son Esau.  Jacob betrayed his brother and father.  In this account, Isaac relied upon his feelings–the touch of hair upon the arms of his son, but still wasn’t convinced.  Minutes later, he queries Jacob again, “Are you really my son, Esau?”  Isaac dismissed what he sensed as duplicity when he smelled wild game on Jacob when they embraced.  He was fooled. 

How do we know how to trust another? When to trust?  It varies.  I’m usually an open book; I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I try to think the best of people.  I look for the good in them.  Even when I see flaws or find aspects of a person’s personality suspect, I keep giving the benefit of the doubt.  I choose to believe.  Just like Isaac believed Jacob, even though he did not sound like his son Esau.

It’s doesn’t make any sense that a person we care about would betray our confidences.  But it happens.  I suppose for me, I am far more likely to open up and trust someone who opens up and trusts me.  However that is not the best litmus test.  Some people talk your head off just to get you to reveal something about yourself so they can go share it with the first person they run into.

I reserve my innermost trials for a select few who have proven faithful and loyal.  I rely on those who never share what another says to them.  I find their interest in me, and concern for me, as a safe space for sharing.  God brings them into my life in a time of need.  They comfort and encourage; they pray and console.  I can also trust my pastor and his wife with anything.  I can trust my husband completely.  

When I am betrayed, I plunge into a world of retreat and isolation.  Back, back, back I go, into the arms of God.  To Whom I know I can trust completely.  Without reserve or fear.

PRAYER:  Always, Lord; we can trust You.  You are our refuge, the cleft of the rock.  We know we can come to You with everything and You will strengthen us, comfort us, and assure us. 

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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