Whole Heart Devotion

God has blessed my husband and I with dear friends who are also in the ministry. We regularly get together to relax, to fellowship, to share funny "preacher stories," but my favorite part of our gathering is when we huddle up and pray for each other. We pray for each others churches, for God's guidance in our homes, and for God to guide and direct our lives and ministries. I believe that the time that we spend intimately praying together has kept our friendship strong. Last week I shared with you that my heart was burdened with the spiritual discipline of prayer.  I specifically dealt with the matter of intercessory prayer in " How Can I Pray For You? ".  I shared how I have felt the prayers of my fellow believers on my behalf, and how I now have the privilege of interceding on behalf of others who are hurting. As powerful as I feel that my personal prayers are, there is incomparable power in the prayers of multiple believers gathered together in prayer. 

The other day was a very normal day around our house.  We finished school without any unplanned distractions, had some time playing outside on the gorgeous day that we had been blessed with, and then the inevitable happened.  A practically perfect day very quickly got tainted with a little scuffle between siblings. Camron very emphatically pointed out to Savannah that she was using his headphones to listen to her iPod and not hers.  After several moments of heated conversation, my typically sweet Savannah very frustratingly yanked the cord out of her iPod and slung the headphones on the couch and stomped back to her bedroom. Camron's response to her behavior was what shocked me.  He very innocently looked at me and asked a poignant question.  He asked: "Do I ever act like that?" I was proud of my ten-year old, rather non-reflective little boy for taking a moment to ponder whether his reaction to adverse circumstances are as unappealing as his sister's were. 

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."  1 Peter 3:15b Perhaps it's a southern expression, but whenever a newborn baby begins to make those sweet 'coo-ing' sounds, you'll often hear someone say, "They've found their voice!"  Now, if you're a parent, you know for a fact that they found their voice long before that by the ear piercing cries they can sometimes bellow out!  However, I suppose the expression is used to point out that the baby has learned to make happy noises with their voice, which will one day turn into words, which turn into sentences and questions.  And then one day, you're longing for those quiet coos as opposed to the barrage of questions that parents many times are faced with! Well, our dog has recently "found his voice."  For the first twelve years of our dog's very boring life, he rarely made a peep.  He was the most low-maintenanc

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth."  James 3:14 There was a country music song written back in the early 1990s entitled "Cleopatra, Queen of Denial."  It was sung from the vantage point of a woman who lived in denial about the depressing state of her relationship with her boyfriend.  She gullibly believed the lies he told her and she refused to see the truth that was right in front of her face.  The mantra of the song was, "Just call me Cleopatra, 'cause I'm the Queen of Denial!".  Don't we all live in denial to an extent?  We might not necessarily deny the truth about the actions of others like the country song, but we'll very quickly deny the implications of our own actions.  I sugar-coat the effects of my actions and in my mind, they're never as bad as they truly are.  My denial has caused me to be blinded to the truth. I deny the truth that my harsh word

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, as we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  2 Cor. 10:5 The other night my husband and I stumbled across a program on television that was chronicling the stories of people who have been held as prisoners in another country.  This program was specifically recounting the stories of John McCain and Ernie Brace and their horrific days of imprisonment during the Vietnam War. Oh, it was just devastating what those men ( and all other POW's ) endured at the hand of their captors and out of their uncompromising allegiance to our country.  Probably the most horrific part of the program was when Ernie Brace was telling of the time he tried to escape from the "cage" that he had been imprisoned in and was caught by his ruthless guards.  His punishment was to be buried in a pit while standing straight up leaving only his head above the ground.  He was left

Every so often a specific subject or spiritual discipline will seem to place itself front and center on my mind.  I'll think about it multiple times throughout the day and it seems to occupy much of my conversation with my husband, who is my God-given sounding board for all of my heart's obsessions! Recently, the subject that's been on the forefront of my heart is prayer.  It's been so strong that I've even contemplated writing a more in-depth Bible Study where I could delve in the discipline of prayer in a greater fashion, but for now I'll tackle the subject right here! The specific aspect of prayer that I want us to ponder today is intercession.  If you're new to the faith or if this is a word that you've never heard before, let me explain it for you.  Intercession is the opportunity in your prayer life when you get the privilege of lifting the needs or concerns of someone else before God's throne. Perhaps this aspect of prayer seems to be he

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."  Romans 1:20 I don't consider myself a tree hugger.  However, our family recycles, we don't litter, and we are trying to do our part to leave our planet in better shape than when we found it.  As everyone is reminded of the beauty of the earth on this Earth Day and the need to take proper care of it, I encourage you as a Christian to remember the divine implications of Earth Day. As a believer, we should have an even greater understanding of the importance of caring for our planet, not merely out of the conviction of being a good citizen, but because the earth stands for more than just oxygen to breathe and clean oceans.  The earth declares the majesty and glory of God! Paul was no doubt a devout Jew who knew the beautiful verse in Psalms which states: &q

"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matt. 6:20-21 I love music.  I love old hymns.  I love the new contemporary praise songs.  At one time, you could have found me singing pop songs from the 90's or twangy country songs to the top of my lungs!  I love quiet instrumental music as well as big band music.  I just love good music!  One of America's best Gospel singers finally got to go home to be with the Lord yesterday after a hundred and four years on this earth, the majority of them spent belting out hymns for masses of crowds all over the world.  George Beverly Shea traveled with Billy Graham to his numerous crusades and presented the message of the Gospel beautifully and distinctly through song. He's probably most well known for his rich, baritone voice singing "How Great Thou Art" at the crusades

"Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out."  Prov. 17:14 One of my occasional guilty pleasures is plopping in front of the television and watching back to back episodes of "Judge Judy".  I enjoy her quick wit and her keen ability to sniff out a lie in the midst of a dramatic feud.  Many times you'll see a tenant taking a landlord to court or a neighbor suing a neighbor because their child or dog damaged their property.  However, there are certain episodes that truly make me sad.  I hate turning the program on and finding a parent suing a child, or a niece suing an aunt, or a sibling suing another sibling.  There is nothing more disheartening than seeing family members get to the point in a dispute where they feel it is unable to be resolved without the help of a judge.  I'm sure many of you are reading this and thinking to yourself, "There's no way I could ever take a member of my family to cou

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked."  Prov. 10:11 Once again, our nation was brought to its knees by a senseless act of violence.  Never do you hear the word "prayer" used in greater proportions than after such an event as we saw yesterday with the bombings at the Boston Marathon.  My Facebook and Twitter feeds were filled with promises of prayer for the city and for those directly affected by the tragedy. I truly hope that all who have claimed prayer for the situation has truly stopped and bowed their head to the One True God who is capable of bringing hope to the hopeless and who can shine light in the midst of darkness.  Perhaps if we would all pray just a little more for our nation in the absence of times like these, rather than just in the midst of them, then maybe they'd be a little less frequent, but we'll talk about that another day. It is truly during times like this that the lost

"Give everyone what you owe him:  If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."  Romans 13:7 A few weeks ago our son asked my husband and I about what it meant to pay taxes.  He's familiar with paying sales tax because we taught him at a very young age that the sticker price is never the final price for an item in a store.  However, he wasn't sure what income taxes were. We tried to break it down for him terms that a ten year old could understand and explained to him that whenever someone has a job, then a portion of the money they get paid has to go back to the government.  We shared with him some of the things the government (both state and federal) does with the income tax money they receive. I told him the age old adage about there being only two things in life that you HAVE to do:  pay taxes and die!  I shared that with him because I wanted him to realize that he didn't have a choice when it come

Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."  Ephesians 4:24 In addition to the smell of freshly turned dirt and purple petunias, there's another attribute of spring that I highly look forward to every year.  I look forward to boxing up my fall and winter clothes and replacing them with the spring and summer clothes that have been patiently waiting in the attic to be put back into circulation.  Little did I know that this particular practice was a foreign concept to men folk, but I learned that very quickly after getting married! There's something about pulling out clothes that have been in hiding for six months that makes me excited!  Although I have a particular fondness for the warmer months, I even find myself looking forward to the fall time whenever I get to participate in this ritual all over again, but in reverse. It's almost as if the boxing up of the previous seasons clothes allows me to mentally step away from the th

"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it.  He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown."  Matt. 13:23 I love this time of the year.  I love the the smell of fresh dirt being turned over as the local farmers plow their rows.  I love looking out practically any window of my house and seeing new life spring up in the fields that surround our home.  I gladly welcome all that springtime has to offer . . . pollen and all! I love to see the farmers in our area produce a bountiful crop.  I love it when God provides the right amounts of rain at just the right times and then their crops flourish.  I so admire the diligence of a farmer to do whatever it takes to bring forth a crop that he can be proud of. For most of us, we have seeds sown into us many times a week.  Based on how often your participate in corporate worship, small group Bible studies, or in personal quiet times in the

My close friends and family know what a Krispy Kreme Hot Light does for me.  Everyone has their guilty pleasure that they can't resist and mine is a hot doughnut!  There is nothing like watching the very doughnut that you are going to devour swim its way through the pool of oil and then under the beautiful waterfall of sugary glaze.  It makes me happy right now just thinking about it! Well, since my sweet husband has learned that we brake for ALL (and I mean A-L-L ) Krispy Kreme Hot Lights, there was no question that we would be making an impromptu stop along the interstate when we recently read the most beautiful billboard ever made.  Are you ready?  The billboard read: "Hot Light on 24 Hours a Day . . . Next Exit" Oh my goodness!  An eternal Hot Light!  This Hot Light had everlasting life . . . OK, I know that's going a little far, but never before had I seen such a wonderful phenomenon!  The only thing more beautiful than the Hot Light itself is when tha

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  Ephesians 4:32 Over the course of my life, I've heard so many quotes or sayings about forgiveness (or the lack of forgiveness).  Here are a few of my favorites: "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." ~ Lewis B. Smedes “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” ~ Nelson Mandela “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ~ C.S. Lewis “To err is human, to forgive, divine.”  ~ Alexander Pope “To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.” ~ Confucius As good as those are, the Bible is full of beautiful verses on forgiveness.  It not only tells us what forgiveness is, it shows us a vivid picture of what it looks like. The Christian world has recently spent time reflecting on the cross.  We were reminde

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.  In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling."  Exodus 15:13 If you have ever had the misfortune of being stuck in traffic that is moving along at a snail's pace and where the interstate looks more like a never ending parking lot than a freeway, then you can relate to the emotions that my husband and I recently felt.  He and I had just experienced some time of relaxation and renewal, only to be welcomed back to reality by a horrendous day on the busiest highway in the southeastern United States! We felt as if the speed limit signs which read "70 MPH" were mischievously laughing at us as we observed our pitiful speedometer which was barely topping out at 6 MPH!  This unfortunate state lasted for several hours.  We disapprovingly watched as the "Arrival Time" on our GPS gradually ticked further and further beyond its original prediction.  Traveling fifteen miles in

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Prov. 1:7 I recently read a sign that said: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad.” There’s a lot of truth there, huh? That sign practically shows you the difference between knowledge and wisdom without even having to spell it out point blankly. As a teenager, I learned in Sunday School the difference between knowledge and wisdom. I was taught that knowledge is knowing facts, but wisdom is knowing what to do with those facts and how to put them into practice. The whole book of Proverbs revolves around this concept of how to acquire knowledge and then live wisely.   Far above being knowledgeable about every theological concept known to man, above the knowledge of early church history, and above possessing the knowledge of the Hebrew or Greek languages, the author of Proverbs would tell us that there is a piece of kno

"I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  John 10:10 About a year ago my husband and I had our first opportunity to go to an IKEA store while visiting some friends in Atlanta.  I had heard all about how unique and wonderful these stores were so I was extremely excited to see what the fuss was all about! After about five minutes in the store, I very quickly realized that this was my kind of place!  The only way I could describe it for those who have never been to one is that it's basically a Swedish Wal-Mart!  It's loaded with all kinds of reasonably priced gadgets, home goods, furniture, a restaurant, and a place for your kids to play while you shop. While strolling through the store (which is so big you need a map to navigate it), I would periodically hear an advertisement for something on sale in the store and the ad would always end with, "IKEA:  The Life Improvement Store.". I sort of chuckled the firs

"The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"  He said, "Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you."  Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."  John 21:17 Normally whenever I have to ask my children a question more than once, it's because I didn't believe their first answer!  For instance, "Savannah/Camron, did you clean your room?"   "Yes, Mama." "Are you sure you cleaned all of your room?" "Yes, Mama."  "Did you clean it the way Mama and Daddy would clean it?" "Ummm . . . let me go check again!" I'm not sure if such dialogue is common in your house, but repetitive questioning seems to take place quite frequently in ours!  There's just something about asking a question multiple times that really makes the person stop and determine whether or not they'r

"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"  Luke 24:32 Do you remember that moment when you first experienced the Lord's presence?  Maybe you felt a pounding in your heart, or a chill up your spine, or maybe you just felt a sense of peace.  Our experiences with the Lord today are no different than the people who had the privilege of being with Jesus in the New Testament. If you had the luxury of growing up in a home where Jesus was like another member of the family, then you probably have a lot more in common with the people in the New Testament than you realize.  See, they were regularly exposed to Jesus and many of them knew of Him, especially after His crucifixion.  Yet, there came a moment in the lives of two of His acquaintances when Jesus became more than just the man they saw on the cross. It was on the road to Emmaus for these two.  Emmaus was about seven miles away from Jerusalem and followin