Trust in God

"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" -Isaiah 2:22 NIV


We all look to celebrities, to our families, to talk show personalities for answers to our problems. When a tragedy strikes a nation or a calamity occurs we turn on our television and see what the television personality says or call our family for answers. While people can offer advice that will satisfy our immediate needs, we can always find ourselves still in need of answers.

Instead of looking to man and trusting in man's pursuits, let us pursue God for His answers to the fears and worries of the world.


©2012 MLMichaels

"I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: 'O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands...." --Daniel 9:4

We found part of this verse from Daniel in our devotion from Monday from the book of Nehemiah. Daniel quotes this verse from Nehemiah as a part of his prayer to God. Daniel was telling God how awesome He is through his prayers, later asking for forgiveness for his sins and the sins of his people.

When Daniel was finished with his prayer, the verse says that Gabriel, the same Gabriel that stood before Mary to give her good news and Zechariah to give him news of Elizabeth's pregnancy, came to him and told him in the 9th chapter, 22nd verse of Daniel,  "I have now come to give you insight and understanding."

It is interesting that for Daniel when he prayed this way about God, the steps were put in motion for Him to receive an answer from God.



© 2012MLMichaels

Awesome is the Lord!

"How awesome is the Lord most High, the great King over all the earth!" --Psalm 47:2 NIV

"The Lord Most High is awesome beyond words, but this didn't keep Bible writers from trying to describe Him."1

It is interesting that as I try to write about God, I do just that, try. I find that the words I use are the same. The words are trying to describe an awesome, awe inspiring, terrific, tremendous God. Yet, even those words seem small compared to who God truly is.

Even the choicest vocabulary words with all of there deep meanings do not compare to who God is.


1-Life Application Bible. (1984). Study Notes. (1991) Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Wheaton, Ill.

© 2012MLMichaels

Great and Awesome!

"Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God."--Deuteronomy 7:21 NIV


In the midst of suffering and fear we have a tendency to shrink back from life. We are afraid of the giants in the land who appear to be large and overwhelming.1  When faced with a large problem or a large fear, let us turn from looking at the problem or the fear and place our eyes on our awesome God.


1-Jeremiah, David. Dr. (2009). "Slaying the Giants in Your Life: You Can Win the Battle and Live Victoriously." Study Guide. Turning Point for God. San Diego, CA.

© 2012MLMichaels

God of gods!

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes." --Deut. 10:17 NIV


I love listening to the song "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever".1 There is something about the words of this song that displays the majesty and awesome ways of God. It is wonderful to know that the Lord we serve is Lord above other lords, and God above other gods. He is "great, mighty, and awesome". 2

Lift you head today from the pain and anguish of the burden you carry and see the kind of God that you serve! Awesome!

1-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y7aus-UL_4&feature=related. Retrieved Feb. 5, 2011.
2- Life Application Bible. (1984). Verses. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, MI.

© 2012MLMichaels

An Awesome God

"O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands." --Nehemiah 1:5 NIV


I like to stand in our backyard and look out on the night sky, sometimes, and see all of the constellations in the sky. On a clear night the stars are so bright and so many that I am in awe. At times I wonder about how God created such beauty and such awesomeness. That kind of "awesomeness" could only come from an awesome God, one that inspires awe.1

When we think of all that God can do in the universe and how He created such great things, we can begin to realize that what we go through, although very wounding, is very small in comparison. I believe God loves us with such a fervent, real love that His awesomeness helps us put everything into perspective.

When life is overwhelming remember that life and all its problems are not so big in comparison to a great and awesome God.

1-http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome. Retrieved Feb. 5, 2012.

© 2012MLMichaels

Direct Your Hearts

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance." -II Thessalonians 3:5

We've already discovered that the character of God is love and Christ's character is perseverance. When we are submitted to the Lord and to His timing in our lives, through the difficult times, He will direct our hearts in order to become more like God and like Christ demonstrating characteristics of the Father and Son. 1

1-Life Application Bible. (1984). Notes and Commentaries. Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Wheaton, Ill.

©2012 MLMichaels

Love Perseveres

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." - I Corinthians 13:6-7

A love that perseveres is the kind of love that is out of this world. God is love and He helps us to love others who are unlovable or are difficult to love.

We love each other without the delight of evil and walk in love, showing the character God is building in us that protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. 1

1-Life Application Bible. (1984). Notes and Commentary. Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Wheaton, Ill.

©2012 MLMichaels

Rejoice

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." -- Romans 5:3 NIV

Sometimes it is a harsh word spoken against you or gossip and lies that are truly false that make us wonder why suffering is necessary. God uses difficult times in our lives to produce perseverance. But through perseverance the Lord wants to build character in us. We are -through time- becoming more like Christ.

Psalm 33:4 describes His character saying "For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does."

As we are building a strong character, it will help us to have hope for the future even when the future doesn't seem very bright.1

"Life Application Study Bible. (1984). Application Notes. Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Wheaton, Ill.

©2012 MLMichaels

Stay Strong

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." -- James 1:12

When we go to school we have to take lots of tests. We must prove that we have gained knowledge of the course subject.

In life we are asked to go through tests and trials. We must practice and prepare for our tests and when we have stood through our tests we will receive a prize. The crown of life. God has promised us that if we continue on and stand firm we will be rewarded.

I pray for you and I will ask you to pray for me -- that we all will stand firm through our trials and tribulations. God Bless you.

©2012 MLMichaels

Selah

Take a moment to pause ...

Let him sing

... Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. --James 5:13

Fresh Water... Salty Tongue

"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" --James 3:10-11

I often wonder how all of us have the power for life and death in our tongue. The words we say can heal and they can hurt. If we have both salt water and fresh water coming out of our months, how do we know that our real identity is? 1 As we throw off the old man, we also throw off the old speech. We begin to say things to others to edify instead of tear down.

Let us forgive those who have said salty things and become more like Christ with our words- to each other- inside and outside the church.


1- Commentary Notes. (1986) as sited by Life Application Study Bible, NIV. (1984). Tyndale Publisher. Wheaton, Ill.

Everytime it rains ... Wisdom from Heaven

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

"For every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven.... You'll find you're fortune falling all over town, be sure that your umbrella is upside down."-- (Song) Pennies From Heaven

The song "Pennies from Heaven," written by Johnny Burke and Arthur Johnston for the movie Pennies From Heaven, was originally recorded in 1936 by Bing Crosby.  The upbeat song talking about your fortune falling from heaven, is a sweet song. 1

Maybe the writer knew something we know too. That wisdom comes from heaven. I think the kind of wisdom that falls from heaven is also a description of who God is as God. And the wisdom that we collect all over town through bible study, meditation, praise, worship, and prayer helps us to become more like the one whom wisdom comes from, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


1- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennies_from_Heaven_(song). (retrieved 1/21/11)


© 2012 MLMichaels

Pure Joy

" Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." --James 1:2-3

I was speaking with a family member the other day talking to them about how my life has been going for the past couple of years. Truly the changes that have happened have taken me aback. Before I had everything I would ever need, but inside I felt insecure and anxious. Now I am limited with resources, yet inside I am certain and joyous in the midst of my need.

I depend moment to moment on God, whereas before I would count on Him only when my feathers were rumpled and I wasn't getting what I wanted.

Trials are going to come. The verse didn't say one trial, but many kinds of trials. Trials can leave us with the feeling that we have been left or forgotten by God. But that isn't true. God allows trials in order to help us grow to become more like Him.

We can recall Romans 5:3-5:

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. "

© 2012 MLMichaels

When we can't press on

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." --Hebrews 10:23

We've heard the saying "I'm at the end of my rope." Lately everything around us makes us feel like we've been at the end of several ropes. The rope, quite frankly, is fraying and coming apart. When we've cried our last tear for answers from God and we feel like there is nothing left to do, lift your hands in praise to your Heavenly father. Sing from your broken heart the praises of the King. Stormie Omartian writes in her book, The Prayer That Changes Everything, " praising and worshiping God doesn't guarantee that our prayers will be answered exactly the way we pray them."  She goes on to say that " praising Him helps us to rest [in God's timing.]1

Let us pray for each other and hold on in prayer and praise.


© 2012 ML Michaels

1-Omartian, Stormie. (2004). The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God. Harvest House Publishiers. Eugene Oregon.

You Will Answer Me

" In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me." -- Psalm 86:7

Walking through my neighborhood, I looked to the sky and saw ominous clouds ahead of me. To the right were dark clouds and to the left were dark clouds. Every where I looked were dark clouds except when I looked up. Above me, when I looked straight up was a beautiful blue sky and sunshine. There were troubling skies all around me, but when I looked up the sky was in perfect peace.

Sometimes when trouble seems to be all about us and there seems to be no light ahead there may be nothing else that we can do but look up.

God will answer our prayers, according to His timing and according to His will. It may not be today or tomorrow, but He will answer us.

© 2012 ML Michaels

Press On by Selah

I chose a video devotional today to represent what a lot of us may need to hear about pressing on in times of trouble.

God Bless you as you press on in the name of the Lord.

The Cleansing of Soap

"Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me." -Isaiah 2: 22

Sin is a serious thing for everyone, including me. Sin can only be washed away by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Soap and Soda, Shampoo and Conditioner will not wash away the stain that has forced its was through to the skin of our soul. The stain is like a giant bruise, pooled by years of neglect. As Christians, when we neglect our sin we risk not being in right relationship with God.

If we haven't accepted Christ as our Savior then our sin -we should know- has not been wiped away and we are not in any standing with God.

Trust in Jesus Christ to wipe away your sins and get back on track with the lover of your soul.

If you've never trusted Christ why don't you do so...  Click here to find out more.

© 2012 ML Michaels

A Reason to Love

"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." --Jeremiah 2:13


Would you prefer a freshly prepared meal by one of the top chefs in the world or would you prefer something you prepared for yourself that you prepared from month old food.  We all would want the fresh food by a top chef.

In the verse God is trying to get the Israelites and us today to see that we are settling for less than what God has prepared for us.

He provides all that we need, yet we continously desire more and more of what the world has to offer. In the end, what the world has and what we strive for can't hold water to the true and living water who is God through Jesus Christ.

Turn your heart away from the world and toward God.

©2012 MLMichaels

Close with God

"Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel. This is what the Lord says: 'What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They did not ask, 'Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives.?" -Jeremiah 2:4-6

The Lord speaks to Israel. He knows their history. He is reminding them of their faithfulness, to not forget God's love for them, and to remind them of their once closeness to God. 1

God always wants us to be close with Him. He knows us and the sinful past we have come from. The Lord has always been faithful to us, though we  have strayed away seeking other idols. We can confuse idols as giant statues, but they dont have to be. They can be money, relationships, television programs... anything that takes the place in our hearts that should be reserved for God.

If God is speaking to your heart to return to Him and recommit your life, dont delay. Remember the good things the Lord has done for you and forget not that Lord has brought all of us out of our sinful past. Return to Him and the closeness you once knew with your Lord and Savior. Give Him the praise, glory, and commitment that He deserves.


1- The Life Application Bible, New International Version. (1984.) Commentary. Tyndale. Wheaton, Ill.

© 2012 MLMichaels

Show Me Your Ways

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths." --Psalm 25:5

Asking God to show His ways is the beginning of learning how to be a great writer. I have been guilty of paying more attention to the world and forgetting to keep my eyes on the Lord.
There isn't a movie or book that I have seen recently that couldn't have been written by a Christian writer. The story lines are very worldly in scope, yet what makes them worldly is there is a worldly moral lesson. Every movie has a moral ending, it just depends if the moral is Christian or secular.

Writing doesn't have to be all about a pure Utopian world. We don't live in that kind of world. Christians encounter horrible circumstances, and as writers we can create circumstances for our characters to live through. It is how the character(s) learn who they are from a Christian point of view that makes the Christian book pointedly Christian.

©2010 MLMichaels/2012 MLMichaels
 

Limitless Praise

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell you all your wonder. Psalm 9:1 NIV

Eventually a heart full of praise must burst with celebration.
A praising heart is a grateful hear, thankful for its salvation.
Ever knowing emblems of crying up to the sky,
Seeking only what in faith has given us eternal life.

Gently we go turning, but facing we must again;
To the God and Savior waiting to engross and begin.
Day by every passing day, the images reoccurring;
To once anew we find the quill in our hand enduring.

Oh Praise, Of Praise, Of Praise we sing;
from life's dexterity.
Till we return slumbering this eve;
dreaming in writer's glee.

©2010 MLMichaels/2012 ML Michaels

Write to Exalt Christ

"Write to exalt Christ. That I may publish with the voice of Thanksgiving and tell of They wondrous works." Psalm 26:7

What are your goals for this year? Have you spent time in prayer uncovering the desires of God's heart for your writing this year?

I encourage you this year, either to begin the journey or to continue walking on the writing path.

A friend of mine who has spent several years plugging along in the writing industry told me that they have found that there is no secret to writing and publishing. Writing takes time and good writing, well, takes even more time. But I don't want to sound under-whelming here.

Finishing your novel may have been your goal for last year. You may have found yourself saddened because you didn't reach your goal. Or that you never began at all.

Let this new year allow you to put a fresh perspective on your writing by just beginning, again.

©2011 MLMichaels/2012 MLMichaels

The Word of the Lord is Flawless

"As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless."-- Psalm 18:30

Writing is a daunting task. There are many words to consider when creating a story, poem, or song. Each word is a creative measure of who you are as a writer. The words you use reflect inner peace, outer anxiety, or a dimension of both. You own individuality makes the words you use and the stories you create a part of the Christian life story that continues on day by day.

When we look to write for the Lord, let everything that you write be to the best of your ability, even flawless. Not that you or your writing should be perfect, but that you writing is a reflection of the One who is flawless working in you.

©2011 MLMichaels/2012 MLMichaels

Dwell in the House of the Lord

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." -- Psalm 27:4 NIV

How simple is this request from David? I want to dwell in your house Lord. I want to be with you. This seemingly simple request is tremendous. I want you Jesus. I want you!
Crying out to the Lord with a desire that will certainly be given to him because it is what Jesus put in David's heart.

Writing Prompt:
What desires have been put on your heart by God? Write those desires down during your devotion time. Create a poem, song, or devotion around those desires. Lift up the name of the Lord because of the things He has put on your heart.

©2011 MLMichaels/ 2012 MLMichaels

Come

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters...." Isaiah 55:1 NIV

When was the last time you sat down and wrote something worth-while? Did you remember your King while you wrote? In times when your writing appears dry and dull and needs a fresh in-filling of the Holy Spirit to revive your quill, take time to remember Christ and let Him refill you.

Taking time to let Him refill you means going to Him in prayerful expectation that He will do what He has promise to you.

Reading the Word of God and letting a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit surround your thoughts to help your writing be fresh and clean like water.


©2011 MLMichaels/2012 MLMichaels   

Finding Rest in God

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. -Psalm 62:5

One of my favorite things to do is rest on the weekend. After a long week of going and coming, trying and doing, I just want to put my feet up. But what happens when we can't enjoy our time because our mind is still racing and our soul is still pacing through thoughts and to do lists. What do we do when we haven't slowed down in years and life is so overwhelming because of the enormous weight of everything that bogs us down?

The Lord gives us instructions for this... to find rest in God alone. Surrendering our hectic life for peace and rest may mean we have to cut away some useless things from our lives.

Allow the Lord this day to speak to your heart to provide rest for your soul.


© 2012 MLMichaels

Seek Him First

But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."--Matthew 6:33


When problems come into our lives do we run around looking for ways to solve our problems instead of looking to God. When God is our priority, we seek Him first for all of our concerns and make His greatness the main priority in our life.

When we make God number one, our problems begin to order and line up behind the throne of God.

© 2012 ML Michaels

Trusting God in All Circumstances...

"Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son." --1 Kings 17:13

Are you afraid that in your current circumstances God will not provide for you? When the widow of Zarephath was instructed by God to take care of Elijah, she might have been concerned too. When Elijah arrived the widow was gathering sticks to make a meal for herself and her son. Elijah asked her to bring him some water. When she had left to get it, he asked her for a little cake, also.

Because she only had a little bit of flour and a little bit of oil, the widow was aware of her limited resources. But Elijah asked her for the cake and gave her a word from the Lord.

"The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land." -- 1Kings 17:14

She did as Elijah said and made the cake for him first in spite of her limited resources.

Giving of her resources first, allowed God to work in her life. She had flour and oil  everyday and the resources didn't run dry.

The Lord promises us that if we give to him first, He will provide for our needs.

© 2012 ML Michaels

Give Ear To My Words

"Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. " Psalm 5:1 NIV

A writer is given an extraordinary talent, especially those who write about Jesus Christ. More is required of Christian writers, because as we write we appear to be limited to only a few kinds of stories and ways of writing. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Working within our relationship with Jesus Christ and closed to worldly ways and thoughts, we are given a plethora of ways to praise Jesus Christ through words.

Take a look through the bible and see the kinds of stories the Lord wrote about in the bible. The worldly community uses the same kind of stories, but they forget one extraordinary thing. They forget to infuse their writing with the name or likeness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Another area Christian writer could tackle is the perfection angle. We Christian writers often write as if perfection is all that there is in the world. We create perfect scenarios and characters that are unidentifiable to the daily life of the reader. Some of the characters are not challenged by the horrors of a sin filled world. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ we will learn that perfection is far from our daily lives. And perfection will be far from our characters lives too.

© 2012 ML Michaels

Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. -- Psalm 136:1

God is good to us even when we think He isn't working. Many have been struggling since the economy crashed in 2008. Every year "things" have been getting worse and worse.

We know that God brought the Israelites out of bondage; He will do the same for us.
We know that God took the Israelites through the desert; He will do the same for us.
We know that God brought the Israelites to the promised land; He will do the same for us.

Knowing that God had, has, and will have a purpose for our lives is comforting even if the reasoning isn't apparent right now.

© 2012 ML Michaels

The Message of the Cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. -- I Corinthians 1:18

Recently we heard of the death of a prominent atheist who promoted his books and teachings about the irrelvancy of religion and also the lack of proof of God or any god for that matter.

God is real. He is living and alive today. He is truth and He is love.

The message of the cross is that Jesus Christ was made sin for us so that we could be in right relationship with the true and living God.

And daily we are being saved through the washing of the word and the forgiveness of sins.


© 2012 MLMichaels

January 1

The ticking clock struck the hour for a new year to begin.
Each second was a memory from the months, the minute running thin.
The chimming, clanging bursting sound the new second of the annals in time.
Kissed by the one -married to while the year past runs through her mind.

The future is now we're stepping into - the great by and by.
What will be the answer this year, she says with a sigh.
Thumbing through God's bestseller, the prescription for a weary mind;
Are the words for every thirsting bosom-- captured and defined.

The great spirit-sweet lingers with her in the fresh midnight dew;
Raising worried gray matter from the depths to colors fresh and new.
And yet, it is the day has come and she is but the same;
so she resolves not to make a resolution once again.

But to sit in her lowly tavern drinking the words of Psalm.
And barely aware of the mysteries that are bringing her along.
Because the steps she will make are already made for her in time
by the One whose infinite wisdom moves within her renewed mind.


© 2012 ML Michaels