Devos: {Biblical} Musings of an English Teacher

While bringing us a challenging message about Moses and his surrender to God's will, my pastor mentioned a verse in passing. "...I am that I am..." {Ex 3:14}  When Moses asked the Lord under whose authority he should tell the children of Israel he had come, God simply says to tell them I AM had sent him.

My English teacher brain began to dissect this verse, and I noticed something I hadn't before.  The section of the verse "that I am" is a noun clause. I is the subject, is is the linking verb linking the subject to the noun clause.  This noun clause is acting as the predicate nominative that has the job of renaming the subject.  So I am is being renamed by I am. How interesting.

This noun clause is the equivalent of the word God in the statement, "I am God" or the word Creator in "I am the Creator." The Lord makes a strikingly clear description of Himself when He says that HE IS!

"Who are You, Lord?"
"I am."
"What are You, Lord?"
"I am."

Wow! Only the Lord could come up with a description like that.  It's somewhat of a writer's dream to be able to characterize something so strongly in such a few number of words.

All that is holy, good, strong, righteous, just, kind, loving, and so much more, GOD IS!!

Hope this blesses your heart like it blessed mine.

Let Me Introduce You: author Marshele Waddell {Hope for the Homefront}

A few years ago, the Lord laid on my sister-in-law's heart to start a Bible study with some of her friends. It was neat how the Lord worked things out.  When Dawnielle began planning it, we realized it was all military wives who would be coming.  We had a time of fellowship as well as a time of study and really enjoyed chatting about the trials and joys experienced as military wives (and as wives in general).

In addition to another study source, Dawnielle introduced to us Hope for the Homefront by Marshele Waddell.  We read it together "book club" style and laughed about how much we could relate to the Marshele's experiences.  As cliche as it sounds, I laughed and cried while reading that book.  I have to confess that I had never read any military "help" books before although there are so many great resources out there.  I just didn't think I'd read anything that wouldn't be something I'd already heard or experienced myself.  Marshele's stories WEREN'T new, and that's what was so great...I could relate!

A couple of summers ago, I lent my copy to a fellow military wife whose husband was deployed.  She was having a pretty tough time, and I thought that Hope for the Homefront would show her the more lighthearted side of a deployment.  It did! She finished it in just a couple of days and told me that it was an incredible blessing.

This book is not exclusively for military wives but for anyone who has to be separated from a loved one for any amount of time.  It is tremendously difficult to stay positive when you can't be with someone you love.

The Lord and His Word are my number one source of comfort when my husband is away, but books like these are a refreshment and a blessing.

Visit Hope for the Homefront to read information about the book Hope for the Homefront and other books written by Marshele.

Jesus Had Unanswered Prayer?

Our Lord Jesus was 100% God and 100% man.  Although that isn't easy for our minds to wrap around, it is truth.  Being 100% man made Jesus a perfect candidate for every type of trial and temptation that we face today.  They may not have come in the same package, but they were just as difficult and real as trials and temptations are to us.

Hebrews 4:15
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

While reading through the Gospels over the last few months, there has been something that keeps jumping out at me that I had never noticed before.  Jesus actually had a prayer that was UNANSWERED!! He was 100% God, yet as a man, he experienced a definite NO from His heavenly Father.

Matthew 26:39
"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Jesus begged the Lord that the cup of death and sin would pass from Him.  He did not want to face and become sin.  What was God's answer to this prayer? It was, "No." Our Savior, the all-powerful, all-knowing Son of the Most High received a NO from His Father.

If Jesus' prayer had been answered by a "yes," we would have no hope for Heaven today.  Because of that "no," we can now experience salvation and saving grace.

Have you ever been through an experience that only made sense to those who had also been through the same thing? But think about this...when you pray, the Lord hears your prayers and knows just how you feel whether the answer is "yes" or "no."

Hebrews 4:16
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

The Shadow of the {Almighty}

I can't count the number of times these verses have been a great comfort.  What a wonderful place to be...under the shadow of the Almighty. But there's a stipulation...to dwell in the secret place of the most High.  Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you!!


Psalm 91:1-16
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.


2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 


3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 


4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 


5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;


6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.


7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.


8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 


9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 


10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 


11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 


12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 


13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet . 


14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high , because he hath known my name. 


15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 


16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

A Wonderful Thing To Know {Devos}

"For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name." Luke 1:49

Every time I sit down to read my Bible, I ask the Lord to reveal something to me that I can take with me throughout my day.  Did He ever answer that prayer this morning! 

It is human nature to focus on those things that are negative in our lives.  Dwelling on small things like early mornings and grocery shopping {I don't enjoy either} can really put us in a bad mood. As Christians and particularly women, we know how our thoughts are the driving force behind our words and actions.  Negative thoughts = negative words and actions.  So these negative thoughts have NO rightful place in our minds...or do they. 

This verse above was spoken by Mary the mother of Jesus. At this point in time, she has just found out that she is with child.  She is visiting her cousin Elisabeth who also has experienced a miracle in that the Lord has allowed her to conceive in her old age.  The women begin to rejoice together over what the Lord has done for them.   

Let's look at Mary's situation for a moment.  She has found out she is with child, yet she has never known a man.  Imagine yourself in this position.  What do YOU suppose others would think about this? Is this a negative in her life?  She could look at it in that way.  But in such a greater way, it is a positive.  

As an example, I'm going to address my "negatives" in this light for.  Waking up early in the morning.  I DO NOT enjoy this.  I'm not a morning person and never have been.  If I wake up and all I can do is dwell on the fact that it's early and I'm tired, that's going to affect my attitude and my day.  So I'll just forget about the fact that I'm up early, right? Wrong! Instead, let me think about the fact that I was ABLE to get out of bed this morning, that I have warm water for a shower, that the birds are waking up and singing a song, that I woke up with my husband beside me, that I have the ability to move, that I have a roof over my head..... I could go on with an endless list of POSITIVES.  

Don't just push your negatives out the window.  Dwell on them but in a positive light.  Mary said that "he hath done to me great things;"   One of those great things was at the same time a negative.  Only God could pull that one off! Holy is his name!!