A Choir of Trees Sing Praise

"Let's hear it from Sky, with Earth joining in, and a huge round of applause from Sea. Let Wilderness turn cartwheels. Animals, come dance. Put every tree of the forest in the choir - an extravaganza before God as He comes, as He comes to set everything right on earth." ~ Psalm 96:11-13, The Message

Blue and I were ambling along the country road that curls like a ribbon past our house. We followed its leading up the hill through a grove of trees that clasped their fingertips over us. Popcorn clouds drifted against shades of periwinkle blue; a meadowlark whistled a song of praise to his Maker.

And an oak tree, graced with age, stopped me in my tracks.

Blue jerked on his leash, anxious to investigate the rustling in the nearby underbrush, but I didn't surrender to his impulse. I couldn't, for I was mesmerized by the Master's painting before me.

To my left, rooted against a rocky ledge, stood an oak tree set ablaze with crimson leaves. Their brilliance captured the sunlight streaming in from beyond the grove. As I stood still in this holy moment, I thought I heard the leaves trumpet, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord". The crimson branches waved in the soft breeze, drawing me closer. Again, this time, a divine whisper, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord."

My eyes opened to behold the forest crowned in jewels of orange and gold against a sapphire sky. Rubies of crimson dotted the landscape. The wind blew more briskly now, announcing its presence through the whooshing sound swirling about me. Whoosh. Hush. Whoosh. Hush.

"Hush, my child. Be still and know that I am God. Stand strong and know that I am coming to judge the earth with righteousness. Stand ablaze in my glory for all to see. Trumpet the sound, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord.' And listen for my Holy Spirit swirling about you, sending a holy hush that My voice might be heard. Proclaim My love. Sing My praise. Testify that I AM the Lord, the One True God."

Beloved, listen to the cry of His voice for the time is at hand. The fields are ripe unto harvest. We must cry out, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"



Father, we praise You! We bow in worship at the mention of Your Name. Open our eyes to see a lost and hurting world. Anoint us with boldness to proclaim Your name to the nations, Your salvation to the lost. Be magnified Lord. You alone are worthy of our praise.

Choices

"So the Lord must wait for you to come to Him so He can show you His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for His help. O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries." ~ Isaiah 30:18,19, NLT

Choices.

Do I feed the flesh or do I feed the spirit? Do I run to the Father or do I take my time wandering along twirling blades of grass, picking up every stone and watching every anthill like a child who doesn't want to come in from play? You know the child. Momma calls for supper and the little darling suddenly has selective hearing.

Choices.

Isaiah promises that God will wait for us. In fact, the scripture says He MUST wait for us. Why? Because God is not a man that He should lie. By His very nature He is longsuffering and merciful. Through His Covenant He has promised to be faithful to His children. So He waits. He waits because He longs to slather us with His unfailing love. He longs to lift us up above the fray. He longs to immerse us in His peace.

Choices.

Will you run to Him today? He is waiting with outstretched hands that bear the scars of our sin. His love conquers all. But the choice is ours.



Father, Your grace, Your faithfulness, Your mercy and love are astounding and so undeserved. Turn our eyes upon You. Focus our attention on Your love. It is so comforting to know that You wait for us - that You MUST wait for us - because of Your Word. May we be a blessing to You, Lord. May we glorify You in all things. And may we never take You for granted. Stir up a hunger and thirst within us that only You can satisfy. We run to You Lord and fall at Your feet in adoration. We love You, Lord.
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Hallelu-Yah!

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength." ~ Isaiah 26:3,4, NKJV

Isn't this the perfect scripture to begin your day with? Life is pretty tough for most folks these days and yet, as children of the Most High God, we do not go it alone. Amen? God, our Father is with us, leading us, cheering us on and surrounding us with His love.

In Hebrew, "perfect peace" is expressed as shalom, shalom. Repeating the same word twice is the Hebrew method of emphasizing how powerful this expression is. This passage of scripture is telling us that the Lord will keep us in everything the word shalom implies: health, happiness, well-being, and peace IF we keep our mind on Him. According to the commentary in my Spirit Filled Life Study Bible, "the Hebrew word for mind is actually a word meaning "creative imagination". Isaiah's thought is that he whose creative imagination, the seat of plans and ideas, is firmly founded on the eternal Lord, will enjoy shalom in all its implications." That's a fancy way of saying that when we commit our way to the Lord and acknowledge Him in all things, He will direct our paths, He will embrace us with His love, He will pour out His grace upon us and He will lift us high upon the Rock far away from the enemy's snare.

I love this next discovery...

"...for in YAH the Lord, is everlasting strength." Yah is a shorter form of the Lord's name, Yahweh, or Jehovah. This name is found many times in the Old Testament, especially the Psalms. (Are you ready for the thriller?) Frequently in the Psalms it is part of a compound word Hallelu-Yah! Translated, this means "Praise the Lord", but literally it means "You must all praise Yah!" I love this! How many times have I proclaimed hallelujah and not realized that part of the word is the Lord's Name? I will forevermore speak this beautiful expression will clearer understanding.

As we go about our day, let's purpose in our hearts to focus on Jesus and Him alone. When your eye catches a glimpse of that pile of unpaid bills, remind yourself of Jehovah Jireh - the Lord Who provides. When you feel like you are swirling in a whirlwind of confusion, think of Jehovah-raah - The Lord your Shepherd. Are you feeling hurt by a friend, betrayed by loved ones? Think of El Roi - the God Who sees. Dear One, you are not alone in your struggles. We can trust the Lord with all things, but we must make Him the center of our little world.

I love how The Message puts it: "People with their minds set on You, You keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. Depend on GOD and keep at it because in the LORD GOD you have a sure thing."

May I pray for you?

Father, I lift up my precious readers to You, the God of all things, Maker of heaven and earth. Lord, there is nothing too difficult for You - NOTHING! I stand amazed at Your faithfulness, Lord. Fill my friends with overflowing peace and contentment as they focus on You in the midst of their difficulties. Reveal yourself to them in a very special and tangible way. Let them feel the tenderness of Your love, the embrace of Your acceptance. Father, speak life into the dark places of their hearts. Shower them with the knowledge of their worth to You. You are awesome God. There is no God like You. You, alone, are the One True God and we worship You and praise You with our whole being. Hallelujah!



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God Rewrote the Text of My Life

"But me He caught - reached all the way from sky to sea; He pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me. He stood me upon a wide-open field; I stood there saved - surprised to be loved! God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him. When I cleaned up my act, He gave me a fresh start. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes." ~ 2 Samuel 22:17-21,25, The Message

It was one of those days. You know the kind...discouragement lurks in every shadow, the mirror screams that you will never measure up, fiery darts assail your mind like a ticker-tape parade raining accusations of fat, gross and ugly.

Fat. Gross. Ugly.
My constant companions.

Do you know what I mean? Most women can surely relate to this battle at least on occasion. Well, my occasional had become a drowning in the sea of self-loathing. Not pretty, I know. This might even surprise you about me, but I know I'm not the only one to feel this way. I am choosing to stand naked before you in the hope that it will help someone else.

I had succumbed to the enemy's lies! I was listening to every single syllable and, rather that fight him, I agreed with him and even offered a few ugly details he hadn't thought of...

But then, guess what happened. "God reached all the way from the sky to the sea; He pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning." And guess how he did it? He used my son, the one who is not walking with the Lord right now. Yep, God used my prodigal to save me.

Matt could read my countenance - he knew something was going on with me. I shared my heart with him. I told him how God was opening amazing doors for me, how thankful and excited I am about that. And I shared my fears of the unknown. And...I began to cry.

"Mom, what's wrong?" he said.
"I don't measure up Matt. Look at me. I've gained so much weight. I've got circles under my eyes, my hair is a mess, nothing fits..." On and on I went, playing a game of fiery darts with the enemy of my soul.

Matt sat quietly for a moment, then with the wisdom of a sage he poured life back into me. He said, "Mom, when people look at you I don't think they see the physical you. I think they see your spirit, a beautiful, powerful spirit that captivates them. When they look into your eyes people see how much God loves them. I think you're beautiful, Mom."

Tears trickled down my cheeks. The Lord used Matt to let me see how HE sees me. I've got a ways to go yet, but I am no longer drowning. God is helping me, kissing the wounds from the darts, patching up the painful blows to my mind.

"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes."



Father, I hear Your whispers of love, I feel Your tender mercies. Thank You for loving me in spite of me. Heal me Lord. Free me from these destructive thoughts. I pray for the others reading this that face the same battle. Show Yourself strong in our lives, Lord. Open our eyes to see ourselves the way You see us. Help us to love ourselves the way You love us. Your mercy is great, Your grace is abundant. We love You, Lord. Help us to walk in the freedom of that love.
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Who is This King of Glory?

"Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in." ~ Psalm 23:7-9, NKJV

Who is this King of Glory?

"Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns. A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a wine-press. On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords." ~ Revelation 19:13-16

Who is this King of Glory?

He is the Word of God made flesh. He is the One who set me free, who clothed me in His righteousness, pursued me with His love.

Who is this King of Glory?

He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. He is the Bridegroom preparing to come to receive His Bride as His own.

Who is this King of Glory?

His name is Jesus and He is everything to me.



Father, we give You praise! Open our eyes to behold our King. Open our hearts to receive His love, to recognize His coming. Lord, we stand ready at the gate to let You enter and truly become Lord of our lives. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts to see You in all of Your majesty and power. We wait with great anticipation for the soon and coming King - OUR King of Glory - Jesus. We bless You, Lord and glorify Your Holy Name.

Love That Knows No Bounds

"The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than any other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, King of Egypt." ~ Deuteronomy 7:7,8

I am brought to my knees by the knowledge of God's love. I look towards the snowcapped mountains and try to imagine how high His love reaches. I gaze into my grandson's startling blue eyes and try to imagine the depth of God's love. But it is impossible to contain the Father's love within human understanding.

God loves us unconditionally. He chose us as His special treasure, not because we are special, but merely because of His love. His love delivered us from the clutches of our enemies. His love lifted us up out of the miry clay and set our feet on solid ground. His love redeemed us from the bondage of sin. We have been set free!

But, how easily we forget. It is easy to walk in the glory of redemption when life is good, but where is redemption when we are bruised and battered by life's heartbreaks? Where is our redemption when the baby needs diapers and the bank account reads $1.50? Are we still God's special treasure when our attitude is tarnished with frustration?

The simple answer is yes. God's love knows no bounds. He has set us free from the chains that bind us. It is God who restores the bruised and battered life. It is God who makes a way when there seems to be no way. It is God who hides us under the shadow of His wing until the storm passes by. I have learned that His redemption remains, regardless of how I feel. Why? Because He loves us. Always. I've had to learn to hold fast to the knowledge of my redemption. No longer am I chained to anxiety. No longer am I chained to low self-esteem. No longer am I chained to my sins, unless I forget my redemption. It is in my forgetting that Satan assails my vulnerabilities with doubt.

The chains of my past dangle before me, accusing me - threatening me. But, my Lord says, "Child, I have redeemed you. You are Mine. You have been set free by the Blood of the Lamb."



Father, what would we do without Your grace and mercy? Thank You for Your redeeming love. Help us walk in the freedom You have given us and to never forget that we are Your children. You have paid a great price for us and for that we give You praise. Make us aware of Your Presence, especially in our pain, in our struggles and in our dark days. You are wonderful Lord. We love You.
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Today's Morning Glory is an excerpt from my devotional Let It Rain: A Journey to Know His Presence Through the Storm that is presently being considered for publication.
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Lord, I Am Coming

"My heart has heard You say, 'Come and talk with me.' And my heart responds, 'Lord, I am coming.'" ~ Psalm 27:8, NLT

Life had become a whirlwind. Overwhelming fatigue set in, papers piled high on my desk, emails sat unattended in an overcrowded inbox. I felt pulled in every direction, dislocated between my body, mind and spirit.

I felt the internal shift - I knew the moment it occurred. You know the one. It screams condemnation for not doing enough. It thrusts you into the sea of frustration and drowns you beneath waves of pride that spout self-sufficiency, not God-dependence. It's actually very ugly. I believe it's called sin. Yep, sin. And I believe the Lord says it is a stench in His nostrils. Ewww...

I wallowed deeper and deeper until I had dug quite a pit for myself. Beneath me was a quagmire of self-doubt, disillusionment, and irritation. I pouted as I wallowed. I wallowed as I pouted. And then I looked up - up to the heavens, up to the beautiful face of my God.

He was waiting for me.
My heart heard Him say, "Come and talk with me."
I replied, "I'm coming, Lord! I'm coming."

I fell to my knees, right then, right there in the middle of my study. "God, forgive me for being so obstinate. I am so sorry that I categorized you into a compartment that looked like all the rest of my to-dos. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Fill me with Your peace. It is not by my might, Lord, nor by my power, but by Your Spirit and Your Spirit alone that I can accomplish all that You have given me to do. Set me free from these chains that hold me back."

I knelt quietly before Him. His Presence washed over me and captured me with His love. His forgiveness permeated my soul and carried me to a place of peace.



Father, we often put You on a shelf when life becomes crazy. The spot we select for You is a place of honor, but it is removed from the core of our being. You become a to-do instead of the object of our affection. Forgive us, Lord. forgive us for surrendering to the spirit of complacency or for bowing to the god of busyness. You alone are God. You alone are the great King over all the earth. You know us by name. Even when we wreak of sin You still call to us to come and talk with You. Your love is amazing. We give You honor and glory and praise.
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There is None Like Our God

"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to GOD, giving voice together:

"I'm singing my heart out to GOD - What a victory! He pitched horse and rider into the sea. GOD is my strength. GOD is my song, and yes! GOD is my salvation. This is the kind of GOD I have and I'm telling the world! This is the God of my father - I'm spreading the news far and wide! GOD is a fighter pure GOD, through and through.

"Pharaoh's chariots and army He dumped in the sea. The elite of his officers He drowned in the Red Sea. Wild ocean waters poured over them; They sank like a rock in the deep blue sea. Your strong right hand, GOD, shimmers with power; Your strong right hand shatters the enemy. In Your majesty You smash Your upstart enemies. You loose Your hot anger and burn them to a crisp. At a blast from Your nostrils the waters piled up; Tumbling streams dammed up, wild oceans curdled into a swamp. The enemy spoke, 'I'll pursue, I'll hunt them down, I'll divide up the plunder, I'll glut myself on them; I'll pull out my sword, my fist will send them reeling.' But You, GOD, blew with all Your might and the sea covered them. They sank like a lead weight into the majestic waters.

"Who compares with you among gods, O GOD? Who compares with You in power, in Holy majesty, in awesome praises, wonder-working God? You stretched out Your right hand and the earth swallowed up the enemy. But the people You redeemed, You led in merciful love; You guided them under Your protection to Your holy pasture." ~ Exodus 15:1-13, The Message

Dear one, are your enemies in hot pursuit? Does it feel like they are gaining ground, about to overtake you? Then remember this: You are a child of the Most High God. You have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, consumed by His love, transformed by His Holy Spirit. Your enemy has no authority over you. He can chase all he wants, but just when he thinks he's gotcha, God, in an awesome display of His power, will blast from His nostrils and send him reeling.

Who compares with our God? None. No, not one.

So, like Moses, sing your heart out to God, for He is your strength. He is your song, and yes! He is your salvation.

SELAH. Pause and think about it.



Father, What an awesome God You are, mighty in power, merciful in love. Nothing is too difficult for You. You promise Your children that when the enemy comes in like a flood, You Yourself will hold up a standard against him. Thank You Lord. I lift up my friends to You, those who are overwhelmed, those who are facing a financial crisis, a broken heart, those who are severely depressed or have given into bitterness. Lord, You know their hearts. You know their struggles. You see their pain. Open their eyes to see the graphic description of You parting the Red Sea so that Your children could pass to the other side, while the enemy drowned in his pursuit. We rejoice in Your love and in Your faithfulness. Fill us with Your hope and Your assurance today. Bless You, Father.
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I Am Yours, Lord

"The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: 'The One who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on the new grass after the rain.'" ~ 2 Samuel 23:3,4. NLT

A few nights ago I couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning throughout the hours of darkness, I rose, found my slippers and draped my robe around my shoulders. I quietly slipped out onto the porch and settled on the swing. The sky was dusted in midnight blue with just the slightest tinge of coral blush coming up over the mountain.

I rocked in the swing, feeling my Father's embrace. The crisp breeze chilled my cheeks. I snuggled deeper into my robe and set my gaze on the heavens. Coral blush melted into fuchsia and shades of deep purple. The morning star shone brilliantly, declaring the glory of my Redeemer.

My Redeemer. My Sovereign Lord. Elohim, the Creator of the Universe.

I know Him. I mean, really know Him. And He knows me. He knows me so well that He was fully aware of my sleepless night long before I turned my attention to Him. He knows me so well that He drew me by His Holy Spirit to meet with Him on my porch swing so we could share the morning masterpiece. He knows me so well that He knew that His gift of this sunrise would bring peace to my restless spirit. God is like that, you know.

Do you know Him? I mean, really know Him. There is nothing special about me - God is no respecter of persons. He doesn't play favorites. The love and the relationship He has with me is what He desires to have with you. What is your need today? Do you need to know in your knower that you are loved beyond words by an all-powerful, all-knowing Sovereign Lord? Do you need to know that He sees your pain, knows your fears and is not the least bit threatened by your doubts? Precious one, open your heart to receive His love. Sit quietly - be still - and listen to His gentle whispers. He is with you, surrounding you, guiding you, comforting you.

Jesus is like the light of morning at sunrise. His Spirit calls to us out of the darkness and beckons us to come. Follow His love.



Father, Thank you for loving us so completely. Thank You for calling us by name to come and be still before You. Teach us to listen, Lord. Teach us to recognize Your voice. You told us clearly in Your Word that we would know Your voice. Help us to walk in this knowledge. You are the Mighty God, maker of heaven and earth and yet You know us. Thank You, Lord. Teach us to come.
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