The world has become so noisy and full of distraction that even those of us with the best intentions, can find it really difficult to find that quiet space.  The space inside ourselves where we can best lean into God…and listen.

It’s almost as if listening has become a lost art.  Or maybe I should say…hearing.  Many listen, but don’t truly hear.  Have you ever been guilty of listening to someone speak and instead of pondering what they are saying and considering it fully, you only wait with your next point or argument formed and on the tip of your tongue?  As if, nothing they could say would possibly be important enough to actually hear anyway…

I think all of us have been guilty of this…some more than others.  I know I’ve done this many times. 

I have been training myself to stop and truly hear people.  I make a specific point to talk to God while I am in conversation with others, and I ask Him to let me see everything He is wanting to show me while the person is speaking.  This has served me well.  It makes those that I engage feel much more valued.

I ask you, how often do you truly listen in order to hear?

This concept also extends to our time with God.  How often does your quiet time consist of a checklist of activities that you do in order to feel like a good person?  How often are your prayers so full of your own voice that God doesn’t even have a chance to interact with you? 

Hearing is a skill.  It’s a decision.  A constant choice.

So, faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. Romans 10:17

I know that world is noisy.  It’s truly harder than ever to find quiet space.  We must hear.  That hearing requires us to create quiet within ourselves. 

“How do I create quiet within myself?” you may be asking.  When I begin thinking about this, I always consider this verse first.

My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.  Psalm 131:1-2

When I ponder those verses, I am always provoked.  I desire to not be proud or haughty…this means I need to know what’s mine to consider, and what isn’t.  it means I admit that I don’t, and will never, know everything.  Next, I see that calming and quieting myself is a skill and it’s my own responsibility.  I can’t blame others for the noise inside my heart and mind.  I am responsible for grounding myself in the Lord to such a degree that I am always found in His peace.  If I feel I’m losing my peace, then it’s up to me to stop and re-engage with it.

Today, I encourage you to lean in and listen.  To truly hear.  Ask God to center your spirit and open your ears.  Look around and pay attention.  Don’t be so inwardly focused that you can’t even see others.  Ask God what He’d like you to notice today. 

The key to a more fulfilled life is realizing that it isn’t all about us…it’s always been all about Him.

Today, I was reflecting on several broken relationships that I have been experiencing.  Lifelong relationships that are a consistent source of pain and grief, often leaving me feeling inadequate, misunderstood, and broken.  As I pondered these things, I suddenly saw my heart.  It leapt out at me very unexpectedly.

I saw it first as a ball.  It opened and I saw roads and landscape within it.  Then I saw my actual heart and all the different valves where things should be moving freely…but some were obstructed.  It was a visual representation of what happens to us when we have foundational relationships that are damaged, unhealthy, or broken…or if we have relationships later in life that are unhealthy for long amounts of time.  These things create clogged arteries, if you will.  Blockages.  Places where it’s difficult to feel love.

Many of us have these obstructions in our hearts, and if they are left unattended, they eventually cause greater problems, like bitterness.  Dealing with them is a must if we truly want to live free and full lives.

The hardest part about broken relationship is that we undoubtedly have affection for the one or ones who are hurting us.  That fact makes things so much more complicated…especially if those people are family.  Still, if we want to move in the fullness of God’s desires for our lives, we must face the hard things.

Again, I say, hard does not equal bad.  Hard is simply hard…and most of the time dealing with hard things equals growth.

Are you ready to face the heart blockages in your life?

Today is the day to inquire of God…to ask if you have clogged places that are making it difficult to grow and build new relationships with others.  Do you have some places that need movement so that bitterness doesn’t begin to root in?  Walking out forgiveness is exponentially harder when your heart is out of order.  Now is the time to allow God to do heart surgery.  Now is the time to allow Him to see the pain you’ve been hiding from Him.  He has been waiting for this very moment, to set you free.                

Let’s pray…

God, I hand my heart to You now.  Would You please show me any places within it that are hindered from freely flowing.  Lord, remove all blockages of hurt, resentment, bitterness, pain, etc. that obstruct me from giving and receiving love and forgiveness.  I surrender to Your hand of justice and forfeit my own.  You are my Protector.  You are the Truth I seek.  Rewire my brain in these places so I can think clearly and hear Your voice accurately.  Forgive me for any time I have caused another’s heart to be obstructed.  Help those people whom I have hurt to be healed and restored fully.  Now, lead us all into fullness.  Help us to receive Your goodness.  Thank You for Your loving kindness.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  Psalm 51:10-12

This morning as I sat in the presence of God, I saw seasoning being shaken over me and I heard God say, “I season you as you sit in My presence”.  Immediately, I thought of the following verse.

“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:13-16

It is in taking time to soak in His presence that we remain salty……

Lord, I want to be seasoned well.  I want to remain a salt-lick….someone who carries Your Presence so heavily that when others interact with me they leave having tasted the salt of Heaven.  I love You, Lord.  You are worth it all.

Yet again I had a vision and this time I saw myself near the water.  Initially, I thought the Lord wanted me to dive in and drown in His Presence.  I have met the Lord in the water this way many times before.  Imagine my surprise when I heard Him ask me to walk on the water.  He wanted me to walk to Him. 

As I took my first step, I heard Him say that He wanted me to be salty.  Salty enough to walk on the water. 

As my gaze remained upon Him, I felt so sure.  I knew for certain, that I would remain stable.  When I started to look around, He called my eyes back to His.  “Remain focused on Me and you will be steady on the water.”

When a certain theme keeps recurring, I know it’s worth mentioning.

In this season on the earth, many have lost their saltiness.  So much compromise has been happening within the body of Christ, that the gospel has been diluted in so many ways.  God wants His people to be salty.  To remain salty.  To allow that saltiness to keep us above circumstances on the earth.

Are you salty?

Have you felt that saltiness strengthening, or have you felt it being diluted?  Either way, today is a great day to invite God to pour His shaker of salt over you once again and restore your saltiness or increase it.

Don’t be mistaken, God doesn’t change.  We will never evolve to a place where He needs to change to be relevant to us.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  If your version of the gospel requires God to change, then I question it.  We are to be consistently transformed into His likeness.  It’s a process that will continue until we meet Him face to Face in eternity.  Don’t be fooled by current cultural demands or criticisms…the gospel was always meant to offend.  Change requires confrontation.  Growth requires discomfort.  Some things don’t “feel good” in the way we’d like them to, but that doesn’t mean they are bad.  Life is difficult, that fact will never change…it wasn’t made to be easy…it was designed to lead us to the Father.  All of creation points to the Creator. 

For the body of Christ to be resurrected in this moment, and take its place of authority on the earth, we must look past denomination, popularity, nuances of belief and into the eyes of Jesus.  The One we all serve.  It is through Christ that we will find unity as believers. 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.  Ephesians 4:1-6

We must remember that God wasn’t interested in us making our own disciples.  If everyone is capable of hearing God’s voice and if we desire that all have a personal relationship with Jesus, then we simply make ourselves devoted to leading others into His presence and then allowing them to connect with Him on their own.  Isn’t that the ultimate goal…Equipping others to know Him and follow Him?

At this I fell at his feet to worship him.  But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God!  For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.     Revelation 19:10

We have never been poor in “leaders” …in fact, it seems sometimes that every single person is desperate to lead and have a title.

What if we instead became ushers. 

Usher: a person who shows people to their seats especially in a theater or at a wedding.  An assistant teacher.  Show or guide.  Cause or mark the start of something new.

What if we remembered that it is all about Jesus.  All should point toward Him.  He is the essence of everything good.

For too long the body of Christ has become obsessed with offices and positions, at the high cost of losing focus on the One true thing.  Our first Love.  Jesus.

It’s so easy to become self-centered.  It’s easy to get puffed up with people’s praise.  Becoming a celebrity Christian is so common, that instead of pursuing Jesus, many are pursuing that…celebrity status.

We must remember that Jesus came to serve, not be served.  He was born in a manger.  He wasn’t forged in glamour.  He was already God, yet chose to come to earth as a man…as a baby…and to humbly pave the way for us.  He came to understand and to lead.  I honestly can’t think of a single of leader who has acted in such selfless ways.  None of us can attain the humility He displayed. 

We would be wise to remember all of this. 

When we see others walking out their salvation in ways we don’t understand, the question is, Is it really any of our business?

My walk with God and toward being transformed into His likeness has often times looked like the opposite.  But now, on this side of things I can see His transformational hand on every moment, even those moments when I was willfully choosing sin.  I’m not proud of the times I willfully sin, but I am very grateful that God remains steady and gently leads me back to His heart. He is confident enough to allow it.  He’s so humble. He doesn’t rant and rage and demand.  Thankfully, He just continually invites. 

We don’t need many leaders…in fact, we only need One.

Next time you feel compelled to be the leader because “nobody can do it but you”, just remember, that’s absolutely untrue.  There is One Who is always there, ready to lead all who will follow…if we will simply get out of the way.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15

I keep having this thought…

Jesus paid it all…is that enough for you?

We proclaim, “Jesus, You are more than enough for me.”  We sing that He is all we need.  We wear the t-shirts and say, “God is all I need.”  But do we really mean it?  Is it just something we think sounds good and makes us look like good people? 

We say God is enough, then when tragedy strikes, we turn to the One we once held in esteem and scream, blame, and accuse Him of doing this bad thing to us…

Often, we hold death against God.  We accuse Him of taking our loved ones.  We hold a grudge. We pout and shout and pull away from God as we stand accusing Him of “doing” this to us.  The line between love and hate is so very thin.

It’s funny how much easier it is for people to believe that God is responsible for bad things, than it is for them to believe that He is blessing them.  Most people are quicker to accuse God than they are to believe that He is working something for good in their lives.  Isn’t that crazy?  Why are we so quick to believe bad things about our Father and all to slow to believe He wants to bless us?

If we believe Jesus paid it all, then don’t we see death as a beginning…not an end?  Doesn’t death become a gift not a punishment? 

I often remember this scripture…

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Philippians 1:21

In light of this verse, how does your perspective of losing loved ones adjust?  How can we bemoan God for giving and taking away?

And in consideration of your own life…do you fear death?  Do you live life in such a way to simply protect yourself at all costs, and in all situations?

No matter where you currently lie on this issue…you can always ask God for the grace to release the fear of death and instead embrace the fullness of life. If we fear death, then we cannot truly live. His grace is sufficient. 

It’s time to resurrect a life lived to the full!

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives in his train and gave gifts to me.”  (What does “He ascended” mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions?  He who descended is the very one Who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)  Ephesians 4:7-10

He descended to ascend and create victory.  Victory over death and the grave…and while we are here…we have been given grace from Christ, in proportion to our need.  What a wonderful God we serve!

Thank You, God for the gift of life! I repent of all my fears and ask that You teach me how to fully live. I lay down offense and ask for contentment with Your decisions. Help me to trust You more every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In order to truly live…we must first die.

I know it seems crazy, but it’s true.  First, we die to our sin nature as we receive Jesus as Savior of our lives.  Then, we must die to our own selfish desires.  We die to the opinion of others.  We die to our own agenda.  We die to self-centeredness.  We die to our dreams, each and every one.   

Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it.  Luke 9:23-24

I have died a thousand deaths in my walk with Jesus.   Each one has led to a deeper place in His heart, a maturing of my heart and mind, a myriad of good things.  Each death has resulted in more life.  Real life.  Fruitful life.  Freedom in life.

We must die to truly live.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  Galatians 2:20-21

I wonder, is there anything in your life that you refuse to let die?  It’s impossible to be fruitful in places where we refuse to allow things to go to seed.  Multiplication only comes through the process of allowing things to go to seed.  The plant must die, go to seed, then as it falls on fertile soil it produces an exponential growth.  From one plant comes many.

Imagine yourself holding out your hand.  Do you see any seeds in it? 

If you do, then I encourage you to extend that hand to the Lord and allow the seeds to fall at His feet.  There is no more fertile soil than at the feet of Jesus.  Say to Jesus, “I release all of these seeds to You, and I ask that only seeds from You would come to life again.”

It’s so fascinating to me that our entire existence seems to be about death and resurrection.

Jesus died and was resurrected and it changed everything.  Now, His resurrection power flows through our lives and brings what was once dead, to life.  Life abundant.  When we place ourselves in a position to be fully dependent upon His breath of life, then and only then, do we discover what it is to truly live.

Wouldn’t you rather live one life fully infused with the Breath of Life, than a million lives half lived? 

The breath of Life is the only way.

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.  Genesis 2:7

Can you see it?  Can you feel the stirring?

I feel the earth trembling and power surging all around…with wonder, I look ahead…

In the distance, I see an empty grave.  As I walk closer, I see the tomb, whose entrance was once covered, now has the boulder rolled away.  Suddenly, I can feel the stirring of life all around me.  Can you feel it too?

He is alive!!  By His power we are coming alive too!!

The Resurrection power of God is releasing across the earth.  He is stirring the dry bones.  He is bringing what we once thought to be lifeless and hopeless, back to life!  Not just life, but life abundant.

This is the season.  The season to come alive in the dead places.  This is the season to receive restoration and returning of stolen years.  This is the time to take back your promises and war with them…using them as a sword to strike down all the enemy’s advances. 

It’s time to prophesy to our own dry and weary places, “Come alive dry bones!  Come alive!”  Oh, what a wonder to feel fully alive again!  No matter what life has looked like for you, no matter what struggles have plagued you…He whispers over you…” Come alive!”

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.  He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  I said, “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know.”  Then He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!’ Ezekiel 37:1-4

Just as Ezekiel began to prophesy life back into those bones, are you ready to do the same over the boneyard of your own life?  Prophesy life to those dry bones!!

This year, we will reach into the places that we once believed were dead and gone, and we will prophesy!  We will call them alive, with the Word of the Lord. 

In true and faithful fashion, it was our Savior, Jesus Who showed us this resurrection power Himself.  Oh, what a Savior we have. 

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.  The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified.  He is not here, He has risen, just as He said.  Come and see the place where He lay.  Then go quickly and tell His disciples.  ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see Him.’  Now I have told you.”  So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.  Suddenly Jesus met them.  “Greetings,” He said.  They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.  Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”  Matthew 28:1-10

Every time I finish one devotional I never know if I’ll write another.  To be honest, I’m usually exhausted by the end and ready for a much needed break.  Thus, the reason that I only do them every other year…I don’t think I…or my family could handle this without a year of rest in between.

Don’t get me wrong though, writing these devotionals is a joy and pleasure.  I absolutely love doing it. 

Last week when I was talking to God about finishing the Fountain, and I wondered if I would ever write another one again…I immediately had a vision of a tomb.  A tomb with a large stone rolled to the side…I knew it had been Jesus’ tomb.  Then I heard the title of the devotionals I will write in 2024

I truly hope that you will join me on January 1, 2024, for…

365 Days in the Presence:  Resurrection

Here we are…returning to the fountain. 

It’s been an interesting year, full of ups and downs…but lots of growth.  We’ve met with God, learned new things, remembered old promises, evaluated our lives, and received healing in our hearts.  It’s been a good year.

As we close out one year and open the door for another, let’s first take a moment to stop, reflect, and say, “Thank You” to God.  He’s done so many things. 

Look at the fountain.  Do you see? 

The waters are stirring.  The fountain is inviting you in with its ripples and warmth.  As you step in, you see something shining in the water.  Bend down and pick it up.  When you lift it from the depths you notice it’s a pearl.  The pearl of great price.  It is your pearl…spent wisely this year in the fountain. 

We took our very best to the Father this year, and He has returned to us so much. 

I will forever be grateful for the year spent searching the waters in the fountain.

Imagine, if you will, that you’re still standing in the fountain.  Walk toward the center.  Can you see?  It’s deeper than you realized…and God is inviting you to dive in…

Are you ready?

He’s inviting us all to the next level.  It’s time to fully dive into the waters and explore the deeper places within the fountain on your own. 

I truly hope that you don’t leave this year without embarking on another journey into His heart…dive deep into the Fountain and see what He has in store. 

Lord, lead me to deeper places within Your heart.  I long to know more about You.  I want to learn You.  To know You so well that I can know Your heart with ease.  Teach me.  Lead me.  Draw me into Yourself.  I belong to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water.  A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.”  Joel 3:18

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.  Psalm 36:9

For some reason, I can’t get past the idea of perseverance right now.  It seems to be heavy on God’s heart.  I don’t believe it’s a word just for me…I believe it’s for all of us.

It’s a Biblical principle that perseverance carries a reward.

“Because you have obeyed My command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.  I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.  All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of My God, and they will never have to leave it.  And I will write on them the name of My God, and they will be citizens in the city of My God- the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God.  And I will also write on them My new name. “  “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.”                      Revelation 3:10-13

If we persevere, He will protect us from the time of great testing.  Oh Lord, yes, protect me and mine. 

If that is a reward of perseverance, then I believe it’s fully worth it, don’t you?

Giving up is the same as forgetting why you are persevering…it’s for Him.  Here we are again at the concept and reality that our eyes must remain faithfully on Jesus.  In Him we find all we need to persevere…and He is our prize. 

Praise the Lord!

So, simply persevere and during this time of darkness and conflict, you will remain protected.  Persevere when life hands you a surprising blow of disappointment.  Persevere when you are questioned, provoked, or attacked for your faith.  Persevere because you know that Jesus did, so you can too.

Come Lord Jesus, fill our hearts with resilience.  Establish us all in Your Spirit.  Give us the grace to hold fast and persevere.  Bless our path.  Give us strength to stand for You.  You are our only Hope, but that’s such a good thing.  Pulse into our hearts and be our life blood.  Let Your heart beat over us so fiercely that we feel calm in all things.  Steady in all things.  Hopeful in all things.  Loved in all things.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.  Romans 8:18-21