Come be the fire inside of me

Lord, I've invited the world to read my devotionals. This is for Your glory, God, not for anyone else to approve of them, or that I spend time writing them purely for the "publish".  This is my time with You, God.  I cherish this time, and I love the way You lead me from scripture to scripture to direct, convict, and affirm.  Lord, my prayer is that others would pick up on this "line" to hear You, and open up to You in new and increasing ways.  You put it on my heart to reflect the light Your shining on me to others....  And then you made a way of accountability this past weekend at the "Big Ladies Club" conference.  Thank You for calling me out.  Whew!!  This is me and You, God.  I trust You!  By the blood of your Son I draw near today to hear your heart for me and write it so that others might believe for themselves.  I love you Lord, I love your Word, thank you for Holy Spirit's guidance and presence this morning, and thank you for Jesus's intercession on my part.  It's in His precious name I pray, Amen.

This is my 5 am that He faithfully meets me and pours into me.  This is the overflow that He told me He wants me to share.  I hope that you would read every verse that I post in your own Bible.  Read it in context.  Chase your own "rabbit trails:" where God leads you to explain to you what He wants you to know about His desire for you in this season of your life.  Highlight, underline and make notes in your Bible, journal, and write yourself scripture notes.  Pray before, during and after your time in the Word, and pray throughout the day.  His Word will become life to you too!  He loves you!

Much of what I write, God has put on my heart to go into a book.  There will be many books to follow, as He leads.  My desire is born in wanting to know Him more, knowing I need this time more than I need food, and a passion to pursue what He calls me to.  Is it easy for me?  No, I have to fight off all the fears, lies of the enemy, and desires to please man.  But God put a desire in my heart to fight that off, to get back up when I've fallen, and to ultimately recognize He has won every battle for me and He holds me at the highest value.  He is unshakable in His love for me and His mercies and grace never ends.  If He calls me to it, He has made a way, and I will only end up miserable if I avoid His call.  I've gone into the depths of depression and anxiety, I'm done with that.  This is the ambition that pumps through me: to know Him more and impact those around me for His Kingdom.  Is it a scoreboard:  more for the Kingdom points?  No, it is the most beautiful circle of love: those who know Him becoming one with Him and each other.  It is coming into agreement with Jesus's prayer in John 17:6-26.

Psalm 61, "Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.  From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.  I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.  For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.  Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations.  May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint Your love and faithfulness to protect him.  Then will I ever sing praise to Your name and fulfill my vows day after day."

Yahweh- our Heavenly Father- desires to share His heart's desire with us, invoking wisdom upon us that will relieve all anxiety.  When we get wisdom, we no longer worry about the needs of today or tomorrow, or the approval of others.  When I have the peace (Shalom) of God- it is His presence is acknowledgement that transcends everything: past, present or future.  Threats are mere distractions or detours, but no longer have the power to stop me!  

2 Peter 1:3-11, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.  For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

This is our encouragement, this is His desire!  Psalm 23 is His offer, and can be our response!  Verse 4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."  Though we walk in the valley of the shadow of death we have no fear: it is only a shadow.  It has no power over me!  A shadow can do nothing; though it may look threatening, even "warn me of something to come", it has no force that can overcome me.  His rod directs me to His protective presence, and His staff lets me know He is there.  

The other day little Elizabeth (16 months) and Nathaniel (13) were playing chase around the house.  She wielded a toy gun.  As Nathaniel "screamed" and hid around a corner, we could see the shadow of a gun coming towards him.  He screamed and ran again as she turned the corner with a squeal of delight and took after him again.  Had we not known, a gun coming towards us is highly threatening.  The shadow was a warning, but the shadow in itself had no power or ability to hurt us.  Because God is always with us, He renders the threats around us as useless as a toy gun when we are in His presence.  We can choose to panic for the shadows, or trust that He is with us in every valley and that there is no weapon formed against us that will prosper. (Psalm 27:3, Isaiah 54:17)

God knows me because He is my creator, and because He did not leave me at conception.  He has continued to walk with me and guide me, not as I led, but as I submitted to Him for His leading.  And what a glorious (though seemingly treacherous) hike it has been!

Hebrews 12:2, I go where He leads, believing that no matter what may come, no matter how threatening it may look, He is with me.  Even Jesus, enduring the cross, could go with the comfort and ambition that there was a joy to come for His obedience, submission and sacrifice.  Whatever He calls me to, I can know, that if Jesus's "even" held joy, my "even" can too.  No matter what may come, He is with me, so, "I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  So I will, "wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:13-14)  I look for the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living:  it is today!  He wants me to see His glory all around me today.  He is for me and for my children and for the generations to come.  Read 2 Samuel 7:11-16, it is for you and for me when we are walking in His ways.

Read Isaiah 25:6-9, we have rewards in heaven and on earth for our obedience. He has laid a feast before us, even in the midst of our enemies we have His protection and can be assured enough to enjoy what He has laid before us.  Does that look like today?  Behold, this is our God, He is with us, He is for us!  Give up your own ways and seek him.  Wait, be in His presence, for His ways are for our rejoicing.  Psalm 84:10, I am at the thresh-hold of His house when I am serving Him with my life:  so close it is like I am on His front porch, under the protection of His house, while I proclaim who He is. 

I close, praying with the writer of Hebrews 13:20-21, "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything food for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen."