My Advocate

{Daily Selah}

An ADVOCATE is a person who stands in support of another, who recommends that person publicly and who speaks in favor of that person. 

This week, there were situations in which I needed to advocate for my elderly parents and also was very thankful that when something happened at work yesterday, my boss became my advocate. 

Yesterday evening, I was thanking the Lord for allowing me to have an opportunity to be there when my parents need me and thanking Him for placing my boss there when I needed her. 

As I was praising the Father for His goodness, the passage in the graphic came to mind, which got me thinking about His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, MY ADVOCATE.

...we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus is not my Advocate because I deserve His support. He is not my Advocate because I have earned His recommendation. He is not my Advocate because I am worthy to have Him speak favorably of me. 

I am an undeserving, unworthy sinner, just like you, and could never earn His support. So why did He become my Advocate?

The answer is found in Galatians 2:20.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Jesus is my Advocate because He loves me and gave Himself for me. He stands with me, recommends me to the Father, and speaks highly of me because His atoning sacrifice, His propitiation for my sin, makes it possible! When the Father looks at me, He sees His Son and what He did, not what I have done! 

Here's just a small sampling of what my Advocate does for me:

• When the enemy accuses me of my past, saying, "Hey, I saw what you did back there", my Advocate says, "Stop right there. I paid for all of Ann-Louise's sin and I remember it no more. She is Mine and she is clothed in My righteousness." 
  



• When the enemy tries to get me to doubt my Savior's love, saying, "Jesus doesn't really care about you," My Advocate says, "Stop right there. I love Ann-Louise and I proved it by giving My life for her."
  



• When the enemy whispers, "You're not good enough. God can't use you," my Advocate says, "Stop right there. Ann-Louise can do all things through Me because I give her My strength."

If you know Jesus as your Savior, He is your Advocate too! Go back and read those 3 bullet points, but read it with your own name instead of mine. 

Can you say with me, "JESUS IS MY ADVOCATE"?

If you can, hallelujah!

If not, please go to peacewithgod.net to find out what Jesus will do for you. 


Father, thank You so much for sending Your Son to be the propitiation for my sin. I thank You that He is my Advocate before you, before the accuser of the brethren and before the world. Thank You for such great love. In Jesus' wonderful Name, amen. 


{Daily Selah} is an mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live. 

Leave the "Giraffes" Behind

{Daily Selah}

Strange title for a devotional, right? Let me explain...

Yesterday morning, I was blessed with an amazing view of the wonders of God's creation. 

Picture this... 

Wisconsin's rolling hills on either side, basking in a glorious morning sun filtered by hues of amber, scarlet and gold emblazoned on every tree and shrub. Worship music was playing loudly from the car stereo as I was praising the Lord for His goodness. Are you getting an idea of what I saw and felt in that moment? 

Then, all of a sudden, A GIRAFFE!!!   No kidding!!!

No, giraffes are not native to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin. 

This one was larger than life, grinning at me from the back of a truck. 

Parents in the USA know him as Geoffrey, the face of a well-known toy store that teaches children to write the letter "R" backwards. 

So, I was driving along, enjoying the beautiful scene laid out before and beside me and this giraffe disrupts my moment of awe and praise. Needless to say, I switched lanes and left that giraffe behind. 

That giraffe was a momentary distraction for me, but every believer deals with "giraffes" of distraction at times.

What is distracting you from your Savior right at this moment? That's where our focus must be. Where should we be looking?

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). 

Is there a "giraffe" you need to leave behind? 

You know what it is that is blocking your view of your Savior. He does, too. 

David dealt with "giraffes" of distraction in his life, too. Bathsheba was a big "giraffe" that blocked his view of his Lord. If David had left that "giraffe" behind, he would have avoided a lot of heartache. But, at some point, David did learn to fix his attention solely on God. In Psalm 57:7, he said, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise."

Is your heart fixed on your God today? 

Are you looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith? 

Leave the "giraffes" behind. 



Father, thank You for the beautiful and amazing grace You have so freely given us. Help us to fix our attention on You alone and look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Keep us free of all distractions so we may live for Your glory alone. In Jesus' wonderful Name I pray, amen.

Determined to know HIM

What are you determined to do right now, tomorrow, next week or with the rest of your life? 

Our determination is a direct result of our desires. 

What kind of desires do you think motivate a person who is determined to make a name for themselves? Or, person who is determined to be wealthy?  

The apostle Paul said he had a determined purpose. What was it and what desires motivated his determination?  Let's take a look...

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death (Philippians 3:10 AMP).

Paul's determined purpose was to know the Lord Jesus Christ.  

What desires motivated his determination?

Paul said he wanted to "become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly..." 

Why?  Look at the verse again.

Paul wanted to know resurrection power in his life and to be made more like Jesus, even in His death.

In Galatians 2:20, Paul expounds on this experience of becoming, as the KJV says, "conformable unto His death."

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Living dead to our selfish, fleshly desires is the only way to "come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection."

"The same power that conquered the grave lives in me," the song below says.  That's true for every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but its only as we know Jesus more and more, allowing Him to make us more like Him, and dying to our fleshly desires that His resurrection power will become evident in our lives. 

There are areas of my life that need to be molded more and more in the image of Christ. The same is true of every believer - if we're honest. We have to remember that Jesus shed His blood to purchase our redemption AND our victory! 

Paul's determined purpose was to know Jesus - to know the wonders of His Person, the wonders of His power, and the wonders of that power expressed in and through his own life to the glory of God the Father. 


Determined to know HIM.


Father, thank you so much that "the same power that conquered the grave lives in me." Lord, give me a  greater desire to live in resurrection power and a greater determination to know Jesus and the wonders of His person.  In Jesus' Name, amen. 

{Daily Selah} is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live. 

Peace, be still

Something happened earlier today that really disturbed my personal peace. The situation is still very difficult and will be for some time, but I'm so grateful the Lord didn't leave me in that place of shaken peace very long.

You know, the world is looking for peace, but peace, for many people, can be an elusive thing. They go through life, trying to find the thing they lack in a relationships, career, other pursuits and sometimes through addictions. And yet there is always something missing. The emptiness they feel is the result being unable to find peace. 


The only source of real, lasting peace is the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. He Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). His peace is not a temporary fix that fades away like the world's peace. His peace is real, lasting and complete. 

So, how do we claim this peace? 

How do we live in the calm assurance of His peace, day by day, moment by moment?

The Prince of Peace, who is the living Word of God has given us the answer in His written Word. 

 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 

whose mind is stayed on thee:

because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3).

That verse reveals the way to find peace and the way to remain in this blessed state of real and lasting, eternal peace. 

It starts in our thinking. When we dwell on all the chaos and noise around us, we will feel the turmoil within. But, when we re-focus upon the Prince of Peace, placing our faith in Him, He floods our hearts with peace.

A mind that is stayed on the Lord Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace is not shaken, distressed or disturbed by the mess life can take on at times. 

Peace is the assurance of His presence, His love and His power at work in our lives. 

Real peace doesn't mean the absence of trouble. Real peace is our rock and shelter in the midst of the storm, just like Jesus Himself is. 

One day, Jesus was out in a boat with His friends and had fallen asleep. Check out what happened next...

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39)

Jesus has the power to calm the storm in my life and in yours and to say to us in the midst of the turmoil, the chaos and the strife, "Peace, be still." 

The storm may not go away immediately, but we can still have great calm, safe and secure in the presence of the Prince of Peace. 

HE IS OUR PEACE.

Whatever storm is brewing or crashing down over our lives right now, we must remember the Prince of Peace is right there beside me and right there beside you.

He says to us right now, in this moment, "Peace be still."

A World Filled with Hopelessness

(Disclaimer: this post is NOT about politics. Please read to the end before commenting.)

Want some free advice? 
Don't check out the news right before you go to bed! 

So I read, got disturbed by what I read, and then tried to go to sleep, still thinking about what I had read. Remind me not to do that again, please. After 3 hours of laying there unable to fall asleep, I got up and wrote this post. 


Let me share with you what disturbed me so much. 

Both President Obama and  Ban Ki-Moon addressed the U.N. general assembly today (I guess that would be yesterday now). 

In President Obama's speech, he claimed the current murderous rampage (my choice of wording, not his) going on in the Middle East has nothing to do with religion. 

Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N. secretary-general, saw it differently. 

Ban decried the "new depths of barbarity" and called for decisive action to stop "atrocity crimes." But he also said "we must not let the smoke from today's fires blind us to longer-term challenges and opportunities" and address "the danger posed by religiously motivated fanatics." Source: foxnews.com

I also have to disagree with President Obama's claims. It has everything to do with religion. A religion is based on human reasoning. True faith is based on God's reasoning. See the difference? 


The president also "urged the leaders to address the failure to confront forcefully enough 'the intolerance, sectarianism, and hopelessness that feeds violent extremism in too many parts of the globe.'" Source: foxnews.com


Obama was right about one thing. The world is indeed in a hopeless state. As I read his comments, I was reminded of Ephesians 2:12-13.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

The majority of people in this world are alienated from God's promises and therefore, have no hope. This hopeless spiritual condition is made much worse in the Middle East.

The cross, the symbol of hope, promise and salvation is hated, feared and distrusted in that part of the world. Why?

Another murderous religious conquest which took place across much of the Middle East back in the middle ages was carried out under the banner of the cross. Just as is happening now, the perpetrators of atrocity followed human reasoning. They did not have true faith in the One, True God.

The holocaust was also carried out under the banner of another cross and many of those guilty of atrocity in that time and during the middle ages attended churches filled with all shapes and sizes of crosses and other religious memorabilia. 

But, explaining the difference to those who remember is difficult. They see the crosses in our churches and the very real feelings of hate, fear and distrust dictate their response to us as believers and to the message of hope in Christ we share. 

Honestly, I don't have the answers to the problems of the world today but I do know the underlying cause. It is because people simply have no hope.

But, praise God, He has the answer. He provided hope in the form of His Son. He went to the cross to bear the sin, and the hopelessness of the world. 

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.(1 Corinthians 1:18)

God "is not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). The cross still holds as much power today as it did the day my Savior cried, "It is finished" and the curtain in the temple was torn in two, granting access to the Father's throne of grace for all who will believe. 

The cross is still, more than 2,000 years later, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to others.

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

The answer for a world filled with hopelessness is not found in coalitions of nations. The answer is not found in political correctness, or in dividing lands or in embracing the enemy in our midst.

The only answer for a world filled with hopelessness is the power of the cross. 

Romans 10:13 gives the world an awesome and eternal promise.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But...

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)

I'm certainly not suggesting we should pack up and go somewhere dangerous. 

But, is the power of the cross evident in your life?

Your neighbor, your friend and your co-worker all need to hear of the hope found in the power of the cross.

That hope needs to be shared with a world filled with hopelessness.



Want to know more about the difference between true faith and religion?  
Check out peacewithgod.net

Name above all names

Jesus. 

If you want to know who He is and what He is like, pay attention to the Names the Father gave Him.


Each one of His names describes some aspect of His person, His work, His love and His power. 

Open Up the Doors

Daily Selah 

Open up, ancient gates! 

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter. 

-Psalm 24:7 NLT

Open up the doors. He's knocking. Who is knocking? Jesus, the King of glory! In Revelation 3:20 He says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

That verse tends to be used a lot in gospel presentations and it does have an evangelistic message but Jesus is knocking on the doors of the world. That includes believers, too. He knocking right now and wants to come in and have fellowship with you. I'm so thankful the God we serve doesn't keep us at a distance. We are indeed unworthy to approach Him on our own, but Jesus shed His blood so we can "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Hebrews 10:22). 

The song in the video looks at this concept of opening up the doors a bit differently, but take at look the lyrics. 

"Open up the doors, Let the music play, Let the streets resound with singing." 

Open up the doors, rejoice and let the King of glory in!

Father, thank You so much for sending Your Son to die in our place so we could be forgiven and draw near to You. Help us to open up the doors and let the King of glory come in so we will know Him more and become more like Him, for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

Jesus, I Need YOU

It is such an encouragement to me to know that, no matter what I'm going through, Jesus knows. He understands. He's been there. That's why He can give us grace to help in time of need. He knows exactly what we need and gives us just what we need.

It's Happening Now

In the last few weeks, I have posted twice about the signs of the times. The first was titled, Very Soon and the second was Don't Be Deceived.

False teachers seem to be everywhere, which is one of the signs Jesus told us to look for to herald His coming.

A female preacher in Virginia recently made the following remarks from the pulpit in reference to the events in Ferguson. Pay close attention to the underlined words below.

Very often, when deception comes into a church, there's just enough truth thrown in to confuse and divide.

“Jesus asks his disciples who people say he is. Peter gets the answer right – the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” 

The part above - that's truth. Next, we have a bit more truth.

“He is a living God, who loved us so much and was so grieved by our inability to love him and one another, that he was willing to become human."

Sounds okay so far but are you ready for a shock?  Here it comes...

“He became Michael Brown. He became the victim of our sin, so we wouldn't have to sacrifice each other any more. His sacrifice should have been the last. His sacrifice was enough for us.” Read more at WND

God became Michael Brown???

This isn't merely false teaching. It's bare faced blasphemy!

And, it is another sign of the times in which we live.

It's happening now. So, what should we do?

• It's time to wake up to what is happening in the world.
• It's time to sit up and listen to what God is saying.
• It's time to stand up for righteousness.
• And, it's time to rise up to declare truth in our neighborhoods, cities and countries. 

Don't Be Deceived. Jesus is coming VERY SOON!

Good News!

Good News! Check it out! 

Hold On!

Most people have their own idea of a dream ride. What's yours?

My 3 boys that think a 4x4 pickup truck is where it's at.

Um, I beg to differ. My idea of a dream ride is much more beautiful...

A Jaguar - now that's a dream ride! Luxurious British tan leather interior, a powerful, whisper quiet V12 engine, racing down the highway, with its sleek lines and great styling, what more could you want from a vehicle?

(Just so you know... I work in a medical office, not at a car dealership. LOL.)

It's unlikely that I would ever own a beautiful Jaguar, but a girl can dream, right? :)

Hold on tight while I put the pedal to the metal!

You may want to hold on when certain people are driving, especially in a fast car.

Did you know Jesus tells us to hold on?

You may have noticed several posts here recently about the time of Jesus' return. He said no one knows when but only the Father knows (Mt 24:36).

I'm not a prophet, by any stretch of the imagination, but Jesus did give us signs to look for (Matthew 24).

With everything that's going on in the world today, I believe He could come back very soon.


No matter what you are facing in this moment, or what all Christians may face in the future, we have hope and we have something and Someone to hold on to. The Someone we can hold on to is Jesus and the something we can hold on to is His promise.

One day, very soon, "we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

He also said, "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast..." (Revelation 3:11) 

Revelation 2 and 3 are the messages Jesus delivered through John to the 7 churches. He commended some and chastised others. Right before Jesus said, "Behold, I come quickly," He praised the church of Philadelphia saying, "... you kept my Word in passionate patience" (Revelation 3:10 MSG).

What are we to hold on to while we wait for Jesus to return and meet us in the air?
His Word, His truth and His promises to us.

In 1 Corinthians 6:13, were told, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

In other words, "Hold on to the truth. Hold on to Jesus. Hold on to His Word."

Jesus is coming very soon. Hold on!

The Year of Release

Jonathan Cahn has recently released another book called, "The Mystery of the Shemitah."  I must confess I have not yet read it, so please be aware this is neither an endorsement or critique.

An  advertisement got me to thinking about the year of release God commanded the Israelites to observe, known in Hebrew as the Shemitah.

The Shemitah (year of release), observed every 7 years (Deuteronomy 15) is not the same as the year of jubilee (see Leviticus 25). According to Leviticus 25,they were to mark off 7 Shemitahs, then celebrate the jubilee the following year. 

So, what is this year of release all about?

3 types of release were commanded by God:

1.) Release from creditors

"Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord's release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release" (Deut 15:2-3).

2.) Release from farming

"Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard" (Lev 25:3-4).

3.) Release from distraction

"Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store" (Lev 25:21-22).

It is interesting that not only does God tell His people to set aside one day each week to focus on Him, one year in every 7 is also set aside for this purpose. Our daily toil, whatever form that may take, is a distraction at times from our relationship with the LORD.

Can you imagine an entire year where very little work was needed and that extra time could be spent in God's presence and allowing Him to speak directly to your heart through His Word?

In today's society, we often take vacations to "get away from it all."

How about a vacation to "get away from it all" and get with God?

The next Shemitah year is fast approaching. According to the Jewish calendar, it begins at Rosh Hashanah this year. In 2014, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins Wednesday September 24 at sundown.

The New Year celebration takes place over 2 days. The sound of a shofar is heard 100 times on each of those days. If you remember, in the days of Moses and the young nation of Israel, the shofar was used as a declaration of praise to the LORD and as a means of calling the people together.

During the Jewish New Year celebration, Jewish people often greet one another with, "L'shana tovah tikatev v'etahetem," meaning, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

Not only is the New Year approaching, this year is very special. It is the Shemitah, the year of release. I recently marked my 47th birthday. Next year will be the year of jubilee, probably the only one I will experience in my lifetime, since the next will be 50 years from now.

Let me ask you something. What would you like to be released from? The Shemitah, the year of release, is not just something unique to Judaism. The year has been set aside by God for a purpose. Whether you are Jew or Gentile, God wants to release you from whatever chains are holding you.

You might be thinking, "Well, I'm saved. I've been forgiven. There's no chains holding me."  Are you sure about that? We all have hurts, habits and hang-ups. You know yours. I know mine. Do you carry around unforgiveness, bitterness or pride? Are there some past hurts or past sins you just can't seem to shake?

Let's walk in the freedom Christ purchased for us at the cross.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Gal 5:1). 

I pray that this Shemitah, beginning September 24th at sundown, is truly a year of release for me and for you.



If you don't know Jesus yet, find out about Him and what He has done for you right now. Don't wait. Visit peacewithgod.net to find out more. 

It will come, but...

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

If you have watched the news lately, you know of the dire circumstances many parts of the world are facing right now. Persecution has risen to new heights and new levels of barbarism. 

Many news commentators think this will happen in western countries and especially America very soon. Some of the latest reports can be very disturbing as we see the violence done to Christians and others. 

We can either take an ostrich-like stance, bury our heads in the sand and hope it will all go away or face the reality that God has said in His Word these things will come. 

For those who don't know Christ, the days in which we live can be a very frightening time. Thankfully, we know that He has already overcome this world. He defeated sin and death and hell when He died and rose again. The victory is already won! (Do I hear a "hallelujah!"?)

We can be at peace, knowing we will overcome by the blood of the Lamb because He already overcame all for us! 


Father, thank You for giving us the peace that passes all understanding. Thank You that Jesus has already won the victory for us. As the days get darker, we know His return is very close. We look forward to that day when we will meet Him in the air and fall down and worship at our Savior's feet. Give us courage, strength and peace in the days ahead, I pray. Give us boldness to speak Your truth in these last days, for Your glory alone. In Jesus' wonderful Name, Amen. 

Want Bigger? Get Smaller!

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.


         Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
                    it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. -John 12:24 ESV

Why a ruler to illustrate a grain of wheat?
Keep reading for the answer :)

     After reading this passage, I was thinking about a grain of wheat and decided to do a bit of research. When Jesus used wheat as His illustration, He was portraying a deeper truth than we might realize. 





Did you know that a grain of wheat consists of 3 main parts? Bran is the first and hardest layer. The second layer, used primarily to make white flour, is the heaviest part of the grain and the core, known as the germ or embryo, contains the most nutrients. 

When a grain of wheat is removed from the plant, it dies. Then, it is planted (buried). The hard outer shell falls away and the inner part produces new life: a new wheat plant. 

Not only do you and I have 3 main parts like the grain of wheat (body, soul and spirit), our spiritual life cycle is also very similar to its physical life cycle. Take a look at Romans 6:1-4 (ESV).

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

According to the experts, grains of wheat average between 5 and 8 millimeters in length. 5 millimeters is less than a quarter of an inch, smaller than the spotlighted area in the picture above.

The wheat grain gets even smaller as it sheds it hard outer layers in preparation for producing a new wheat plant. Only when it is at its smallest can it produce big things.

John the Baptist beheld and introduced the Lamb of God, and declared, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

In order for us to grow and to "walk in newness of life," we have to get smaller. The hard outer layers of our flesh must be peeled away so we can bear much fruit.

Want bigger things? Get smaller.

• Want bigger faith? Get smaller. 

• Want bigger victory? Get smaller.   

• Want bigger growth? Get smaller.  

• Want bigger ministry? Get smaller. 

 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
                    it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. -John 12:24 ESV



Father, help us to get smaller so that Jesus will be bigger in our lives. Help me and help each of us Lord to shed those hardened outer layers so that we will die to self and walk in newness of life as we allow Your Son to live through us, for Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

What's Up?

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

The expression, "What's up?" has several meanings in the English language. It can mean, "Hello," "How are ya?" or "What's on your mind?"

Today, I'd like to ask you - yes, YOU reading right now - 


"What's up? What's on your mind?"


We all have burdens we carry around sometimes. I don't know what you're facing right now, but Jesus does, and He cares. 

He is saying to you right now, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]" (Matthew 11:28 AMP)

Whatever you're burdened with right in this moment, give it to Jesus. 

Let Him ease your burden, give you rest and refresh your soul. 



Father, thank You for Your Word that tells us Jesus knows everything we go through because He's been there and He's always here with us. Help us to give all our burdens over to Him so we will have peace and refreshing in our souls. In Jesus' wonderful Name, Amen.