Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey of exploring the Gift of Emmanuel.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we examined chosen and desperate needs. This week we will explore the meaning of Emmanuel. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you and feel you with me.”

PROMISE: Matthew 1:23 Amplified

²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.”

From the extraordinary immaculate conception of Jesus to  His resurrection, Jesus’ life fulfills God’s promises. In fact, His very name is a promise of God. The name of Emmanuel was given to Jesus as a reminder that God is always with us in happiness, heart aches, and hopelessness.

PSALM: Angels from the Realms of Glory by James Montgomery.

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant Light

For James Montgomery writing was his God-given gift and poetry was a tool he used to remind himself and others of God’s presence.  At the age of twelve when he lost both his parents, he used the tool of poetry to express and heal his grief. Though an orphan to the world, he knew he was a child of God and that God was with him. He was empowered through God to publish eleven volumes of controversial poetry and progressively publish over four hundred hymns. On Christmas Eve in 1816 Montgomery used his writing platform as editor of the paper to publicly proclaim the gift of the birth of Jesus through printing the Christmas carol Angels from the Realms of Glory in the Sheffield Iris Newspaper.

Even hundreds of years after this Advent hymn was first written, Montgomery’s poetry reminds us that from His birth, Jesus was and is the Light of the World that shines of the truth that He is our mediator, He is God and He is man, and He is our access to God. Montgomery’s lyrics still reminds us that Jesus is God’s sign to us that God is with us, God is in us, and God is for us!

PARABLE: Christmas carols are still a holiday tradition. Another tradition is gift giving. One of our family Christmas traditions when our children were young is that all but one gift had to fit in a Christmas Stocking.  The stocking was to be filled with practical gifts that did not cost over $25. This was not popular as most of our children’s friends were getting the electronics on the “children’s most wanted list.” Not to mention that over time $25 did not buy as many small gifts. However, the ONE gift that did not fit in the stocking usually made up for the disappointment they may have experienced by not having an abundance of gifts under the tree.

Christmas is usually a time of joy and gift giving. However, when you are unable to give gifts, it can be disappointing and parents can feel helpless. One year when our youngest son was about seven years old and our daughter was almost a teenager, we had major car trouble which exhausted our funds and we were unable to buy the one big gift. Within our children’s Christmas stocking we placed a card with an “I Owe You” note that said they could redeem the coupon for money to purchase their own one big gift after Christmas. I felt disappointed, shamed, and helpless that we were unable to provide the one big gift to our children. The holiday passed, another pay date came, and as promised they redeemed their coupons for cash after Christmas. They were able to purchase more than what they would have received from us because of the after Christmas sales. The next year when we asked our son and daughter what they wanted for Christmas as their big gift, our son asked, “May we have an I owe you like you gave us last year?” My heart melted. The shame I felt from not providing them with a Christmas gift was unnecessary. It had not impacted our children. In fact, they saw  the promise of the gift as a greater value than the gift. This life lesson was so important to us that it became our new tradition.Our children understood the present of a promise and eagerly claimed the unsettled debt.

The birth of Jesus has a great value to us! Because of His birth, we are entitled to God’s promises.  In the hymn lyrics, Montgomery reminds us that Jesus, who settled our debt, IS THE PROMISE. Montgomery is illuminating to us that the birth of Jesus– whose name means God with us– presents us with the greatest gift we will EVER receive–GOD WITH US. As the shepherds, we are invited to celebrate that His Presence is a Present that does not stop giving nor does it expire.

In all of the holiday traditions and gift giving, how often do we GIVE a gift that tells of the greatest gift? Let’s start a new tradition.

PONDER and WANDER:  During this season of giving, how can we give a gift that tells of the greatest gift? I wonder what would happen if we chose to give one gift this year that provides an opportunity to reflect on the gift of the birth of Jesus. What if we gave a gift that tells of the promise that Jesus–our Wonderful, Counselor, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace–is our reminder that God is with us. 

Ponder the question: How can I shine attention on the promises of  Jesus, the LIGHT of the World, this Christmas?

The Bible contains many promises that help us to recall that God is with us.

• There is no where we can go that He is not present (Psalm 139:7-12)
• He is always with us (Matthew 28:20)
• We cannot be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39)

CHRISTmas is an opportunity to ponder God’s promises, remember God’s presence, and to emphasize that Emmanuel is the greatest gift given.

Soul care training exercise: Take a few minutes to breath in and out. As you invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate your spiritual senses:

Chose one of the above scriptures as your focus to become aware of God’s presence with us at all times.

Recall that you are in God’s presence.

Next, draw a Christmas stocking.

Then Ask the Holy Spirit to show you an image or give you the name of the object that represents the promise that God is with us.

Next Think about what  you will give as a gift that will relay the sign that God is with us.

Now, decide who you will give it to.

Finally, consider making this a new tradition.

We can be instruments in helping others remember the CHRIST of CHRISTmas and that Jesus, the light of the world is the greatest gift we have ever been given.

PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for being the light of truth and making it accessible to all. Even in the midst of shopping, gift wrapping, opening and returning I can choose to adore you by sharing your promises. This year, help me to select gifts that intentionally guide others to the Present of your Presence. Brighten my light to shine on the CHRIST of Christmas. Light of the world, unwrap the presents of your promises of your presence, peace, and truth to shine in and through me. In the name of the Prince of Peace, who is the Christ of CHRISTmas I pray, amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for His Presence!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with the assurance that God is with us, God is in us, and God is for us!

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

PERSONAL BONUS: If you choose, take another five minutes to read about my experience with seeing a shepherd while in Rwanda.

Montgomery’s writes of Shepherds in the field abiding. While traveling in Rwanda our route was disrupted by a shepherd herding cattle. Cattle are of high importance in Rwanda. In Rwanda a cow is one of the greatest gifts you can receive because it represents wealth, nutrition, and sustainability. Before the genocide, when Rwanda was first settled, people who lived there raised cattle. Those who owned the most cattle were called “Tutsi” and everyone else was called “Hutu.” You could change your category by gaining more cattle. The genocide changed things and the labels of Tutsi and Hutu were used as a racial divide. Yet cattle remain a symbol of wealth and are valued and considered the best wealth a person can possess. A shepherd who is responsible for the safety and welfare of the cattle is assigned an important task because of the importance of a cow in Rwanda. Each cattle is unique yet each one represents the same promise of wealth, nutrition, and sustainability.

As Believers of Christ we may not be shepherds in the physical sense. However, we are responsible for the safety and welfare of sharing God’s promises with others. Jesus, His promise of salvation, and so many other promises are the best wealth a person can possess. Each promise is unique yet each one represents the same promise of spiritual abundance, spiritual nutrition, and spiritual well-being. How are you caring for His promises? Are you gathering them in your heart and sharing their wealth with others or are you herding and hording them for yourself?

The post God With Us appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
Emmanuel: Google images
God with us:  https://pixabay.com/photos/christmas-stocking-tree-xmas-1479700 with added text
Shepherd and cattle: Photograph by Mary Shortreed

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey of exploring our need of God.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we asked the Holy Spirit to teach us the will of God and to fulfill His promises. This week we will explore a chosen and a desperate need. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: Phillipians 4:19 Amplified

¹⁹ And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

At times I tend to prioritize and compartmentalize my needs into chosen needs and desperate needs. I prioritize my longings and choose to trust myself to take care of my physical, social, emotional, financial, and mental needs. Until a crisis arises and I need extra money or I gain extra weight and cannot fit my clothing or stress takes over, THEN I admit that I need God to step in and fix what I thought I could do.  When I’ve depleted my might, I examine which void I was attempting to meet, pray, and desperately trust God to meet my needs. No matter the initial focus, I always come back to the same result, I am spiritually deficient. This approach is redundant, reactive, and unnecessary. The truth is that God WILL supply- to capacity-ALL my (spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, social, and financial) needs if I seek and chose to rely upon Him FIRST.

PSALM: I Need Thee Every Hour written by Annie Sherwood Hawks.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

Annie Sherwood Hawks was a mother of three when she wrote the hymn I Need Thee Every Hour. Her heart song developed when in the midst of completing ordinary chores she felt overwhelmed by the Presence of God. The hymn includes the psalmist’s confession of her constant need for God in every day – in every way – in everything. The thought of an every day and every way need includes inviting God to direct us in ALL areas of our lives. Not prioritizing my spiritual needs keeps me spiritually depleted and from acknowledging that I need God everyday in every way.  When was the last time you acknowledged that you need God everyday in every way? 

PARABLE:  The reality is that whether or not we choose to acknowledge that we need God does not negate the fact that we  need God. A desperate need is when we find ourselves feeling as though we have no options and we turn to God to intervene immediately. A chosen need is when we do not wait for a desperate situation to trigger our acknowledgement of our need for God. I want to choose to come to God to fulfill the spiritual potholes within my soul BEFORE a life obstruction.

How do we develop the pro-active practice of choosing to need God in all areas of our lives?

• We come to understand that our needs can only be met through a relationship with Jesus Christ that will lead us to trust and depend on God (Proverbs 3:5).
• We prioritize and actively attend to our spiritual need for God by coming to God FIRST and trusting Him to meet everything else (Matthew 6:33).
• We surrender the illusion that anyone but God is meeting our needs (Phillipians 4:19).

What are our spiritual needs?  Spiritual needs are God-given deep desires rooted in core longings that only God can meet. Core longings of the soul are love, safety, understanding, purpose, significance, and belonging. All of our needs: spiritual (love), mental (purpose), emotional (understanding), physical (safety), social (belonging), and financial (significance) are all established in our core longings.Our longings trigger us to go to God. Out of His love for us, God designed us to long for Him to meet our needs that only He can fulfill.God has given His promise and His oath of provision. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

PONDER and WANDER: When we come to God to meet our spiritual need first, we are able to enjoy His blessings and provisions of love, safety, understanding, purpose, significance, and belonging. Providing for our needs is not something that God does, it is WHO HE IS: Jehovah Jireh, the trusted God who provides. We have to take time to discover the impact of core longings and our responses to them so that we can train our hearts and souls to ask God to meet them.

If you choose, Ponder these questions with Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you notice the responses. Then, you can surrender these areas to Jesus and CHOOSE to need God!

• Soul care training exercise: We will spend our energy trying to meet the need of what we most desire. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the longing you spend most of your time trying to meet. Is it safety, understanding, purpose, significance, belonging, or love?
• Once you figure out what you desire, think about what you do to meet that need. As it comes to your mind notice is the need ever truly met?
• Now, decide where you need to acknowledge and choose to need God.

Please know that soul training is not a one time experiential. If we want to choose to need God in every area of our life, we will have to continue to notice when the priority of our needs have shifted away from FIRST addressing our spiritual need for God. Making our spiritual needs a priority sets the direction of our heart to recognize what we need most is the love of God, it develops the habit of seeking God first, and trusting Him to meet every need and core longing.

PRAYER: God I choose to desperately need you every day in every way! I repent for acting as though it is me who meets my needs.When the core longings within me are activated, help me to come to you first and to resist the temptation to depend on what I think I can do or what I think I know. A songwriter once said, “like the desert needs the rain, I need you. Like the morning needs the sun, I need you. Like the ocean needs the rain, I need you. Every day in every way, LORD I need you.” I agree with these words. I am desperate for you because I choose to be.  In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen. 

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for providing your every need!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with the assurance that our God will supply your every need according to His riches in glory.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

PERSONAL BONUS: If you choose, take another five minutes to read about the teachable moment where God showed me what it looks like to choose to come to God to meet every need.

While serving at the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission (NWHCM) I participated in Meals on Heals ( similar to our Meals on Wheels Program). Several times a week families most at risk for starvation receive a few bowls of rice and beans to decrease their hunger. As the team serving walked within the community and distributed bowls of rice and beans out of an empty paint bucket, my perspective of prioritizing my needs changed. While the cement homes were filled with 10-15 people and they needed the donated rice and beans to meet their physical need to escape starvation, it was not their priority. Several of the families had joy. They greeted us with smiles of thanksgiving, shared their testimonies of answered prayer, and invited us to pray with them. In an impoverished country where several natural disasters destroyed the little they had, villagers longed for God’s presence and love.  They chose to need God not out of desperation but out of living Proverbs 3:5 and relying totally on God to meet ALL their needs.  Notice the ten children sitting outside of this one room cement house. Notice the bare feet in the picture. These same feet walk to worship service to praise God for sufficiently and abundantly meeting all of their needs. During my time in Haiti, I received much more than I gave. I found hope. I experienced true teachable lessons of what it looks like to make seeking God first a priority and trusting Him to meet ALL needs. I am hopeful that I too can practice this type of dependence. In the United States, God abundantly meets even our basic needs. I appreciate the provisions of food assistance and food banks, homeless shelters, public housing, and so many resources that God has provided for the United States. Even in desperation, He is meeting all our needs. I experienced true teachable lessons of what a chosen need  looks like. 

The post Chosen Need appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
All my needs: Belovedwomen.org with added text
Choose to trust God to meet your needs: Pixabay with added text
Every day in every way: Belovedwomen.org with added text
I need you like the sun: Pixabay with added text

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the teach me journey.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we examined temptations and enticements. This week we will explore teach me your will and promises. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: John 14:26 and John 16:13 Amplified 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH …” (John 16:13)

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Guide. He will teach us the value of needing God and He will guide us to live a life that brings God glory and reflects the truth of God’s promises.

PSALM: I Need Thee Every Hour written by Annie Sherwood Hawks.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

If we quiet our minds, we can listen in on an interesting heart song conversation between the psalmist and God.  It is as though the song writer asked, “God what is your will for my life?”  and God responded, “That you know Me and believe My promises.”  The psalmist responds, “Please teach me your promises in such a way that they are fulfilled within me.” The songwriter recognizes her need for God’s instruction. She first asks to be taught, then asks God to fulfill. Following the request of the psalmist, today’s Wandering is a lesson plan that includes a question, an answer, and an assignment. So grab your pen and paper in case you want to complete the homework.

How do we prepare our hearts to receive God’s will and live in such a way that His promises are fulfilled in our lives?

PARABLE: Have you ever asked Jesus the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” The response of Jesus is found in John 17:3.

Jesus states: “I want you to know my Father and that He sent me to give you eternal life and bring Him glory with your life.”

Knowing God is discovered through heart knowledge. Heart knowledge is taught through an experiential, intimate personal relationship, quality time spent in God’s presence, and through meditating on His rich and truthful promises. God’s promises are found in The Bible, the personal instructional guide that helps you to know God!

Reading God’s Word will help us to know His Will (Romans 12:2), His Plan (Jeremiah 29:11), and the power of His RICH Promises (Hebrews 4:12). However, contemplating God’s Word will help us to receive it within our heart and live out the personal experiences of His promises in a way that brings Him glory (Jeremiah 31:33-34). How do we contemplate God’s word? I’ll share with you my practice.

Lectio Divina is a traditional contemplative monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase our knowledge of God’s living word. Over the years I have adapted the Lectio Divina template in my spiritual discipline practices. I call them the R’s of  Knowing God and His Promises. I will invite you in the ponder and wander section to practice these steps.

Steps of the R’s of Knowing God and His Promises

Select and Read a scripture verse slowly and get an idea of what it is saying. As you read, notice any words or phrases that stand out to you, and listen in your heart.

Recognize the words God is pointing out to you. Read the passage again, slowly. As you pause to notice the words or phrases that stand out to you, take time to consider what the word, phrase, or passage means in your life.

Release any interfering thoughts you have that will keep you from receiving God’s truth. Consider how God has spoken to you in this passage and how the passage is asking you to act differently.

Receive God’s instruction. Accept the promise of the scripture. Take some time to remain in the presence of God.

Respond with admiration to His promise by living in such a way that gives God glory.

PONDER and WANDER: Now that you have the format of the R’s, Ponder the question: What scripture would God like to use for me to KNOW Him better?

Soul care training exercise: If you chose, allow the Holy Spirit to give you a scripture and use it to practice the R’s of Knowing God and His Promises. Perhaps it is a verse you read today, your favorite scripture, the scripture text from a sermon you heard, or a scripture from one of the Psalms. If you are in need of a scripture, you may visit the website 365 Promises and find the scripture for November 13, 2019. Whatever the scripture, walk through the steps and journal as God illuminates His promise that He desires to teach you and use to guide your life. If you don’t have time today, you can come back to the practice whenever you are ready.

PRAYER: Father, there is not a second of a minute or a minute of an hour that I do not need you! Holy Spirit, I need you to teach and guide me in the truth of God’s promises. Father, Let me grow close to you and know you! Let me receive each promise and manifest Your Word into a lifestyle that brings you Glory. In the name of Jehovah Jireh, my Provider I pray. Amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for His every Word being a promise He will fulfill in your life!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with the assurance that God is faithful to help you. Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Teach Me first appeared first on Resonant 7.

PERSONAL BONUS: This is the part of Wednesday Wanderings where I share part of my transformational journey. If you chose, you may take another five minutes and share my transformational journal experience of the R’s of Knowing God and His Promises.

In Mind Battles I shared that the way to win a battle of the mind is to speak God’s Word to the lies. There was a time when anxiety and worry overwhelmed me because I was the only light in a very dark environment. The forces of evil intentionally taunted me and waited for me fail. The lie of my anxious mind told me that the enemy would win and that I needed to retaliate. Of course, it was a lie. The truth was I only needed God’s Word, to stand on His promises, and to let Him fight my battle.  During that time, the scripture which I contemplated was Psalm 3:3. I completed the R’s exercise and searched for additional scriptures to further contemplate. I have shared below my journal process and the RICH promises the Holy Spirit taught me and used to guide me on the path to truth and victory.

• Read the scripture verse. Psalm 3:3 is the scripture I read.
  • But you, God, shield me on all sides;
    You ground my feet, you lift my head high.
• Recognize the promise God is making to you. I recognized:
  • The word that stands out to me is shield.
  • God, you are my protective shield, blocking the enemy of darkness from all around me. There are times that I am slipping into depression. You place your hands upon my face and lift my head towards Your bright and hopeful Presence and Your glory, power, authority, and wisdom.
• Release any beliefs you have that will keep you from receiving God’s truth. My release:
  • The lie I struggle with is that I am in control. I am not. You hold my life in your hand.
  • Even though anxiety and worry are my enemies and often try to encamp me, I release the belief that they have any control over my life. I stand on the truth that You are my stronghold. You are mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17) me from a bowed down head, and fill me with strength, joy, and deliverance (Psalm 28:7).
• Receive His promise. God’s promise for me:
  • God you promise that YOU are the Lifter of my Head.  You are letting me know that whenever I cry out, you will hear me and come to my rescue (Psalm 120:1).
• Respond with admiration. My response:
  • Thank you for lifting my head when the enemy sought to wipe me out! When my tears overtook me, you dried them with the pages of Your Word (Psalm 56:8). You Lord, are my glory, you lift my head (Psalm 3:3)!

This journal entry includes several scriptures that I later also contemplated. Using the R’s to contemplate and pray the scriptures an ongoing practice that helps me to know God and refreshes  my mind, body, and soul. I also invite you to use this tool as a spiritual discipline.

Father, touch the one reading today who can resonate with the fact that anxiety and worry are our enemies. Shield them from every angle, shower them with your glorious Presence, and set their head upright towards You. Replenish their mind, body and soul with your strength, joy, peace and hope.  In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Image attributions:

Lifter of my Head: Beloved.org with text added
That they know you: https://pixabay.com/photos/adult-alone-bible-denim-pants-1869621/ with added text
Teach and Fulfill:  https://pixabay.com/photos/teach-education-school-class-1968076/ with added text

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the journey of understanding enticements and temptations.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we examined Heart Songs. This week we will explore enticements and temptations. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: 1 Corinthians 10:13 Amplified 

No temptation (regardless of its source) has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience (nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance); but God is faithful (to His Word-He is compassionate and trustworthy) and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability (to resist), but along with the temptation He (has in the past and is now and) will (always) provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it (without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy).

Temptation and enticement are a common part of our flesh. BUT…God promises that He will always provide us with a way of escape. Is there a temptation in your life that God is providing you a way of escape that you are not taking?

PSALM: I Need Thee Every Hour written by Annie Sherwood Hawks.

I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power,
When Thou art nigh.
Hawks transparently shares that she is being taunted by alluring enticements. However, she has experienced that staying near to Jesus helps her to resist temptations of the flesh, temptations of power, and temptations of devotion. Individually crafted temptations and enticements will come to us all but God will always provide us an escape that leads us to His will.

PARABLE:   Be aware: Just as Satan tempted Jesus, he will approach us with temptations of the flesh (Matthew 4:1-4); temptations of power (Matthew 4:6-7); and temptations of devotion (Matthew 4:8-11). BUT God”s Word is the buckle of hope-giving truth we can tighten around our waist to resist temptations.

Hope-Giving Truths about Temptations

1. No temptation (regardless of the source) has overtaken you that is not common to man. You are not the only one who has been tempted (1 Corinthians 10:11).
2. God is Faithful. He will strengthen you and protect and guard you from the evil one (2  Thess 3:3).
3. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you’re able. His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
4. With the temptation He will also provide a way of escape. His Word will light the way (Psalm 119:105).
5. You will be able to endure it. There is written proof that others survived (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Knowing God and the truths of His Word tightens our belts of faith, empowers us to resist temptations and live Godly lives, and binds us closer to Him where temptations lose their power.

PONDER and WANDER: Temptations of Satan are individualized crafted roadblocks (social media, shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, pornography, lust, sports, material things, isolation, medicine, ambition, status, work, religion, judgement, people pleasing, perfectionism, or performance, rage, envy, and/or gossip, to name a few) to God’s Presence.  My temptations don’t look like yours and your temptations don’t look like mine. The commonality is that we all experience these lustful illusions of temporary satisfaction that can distract our minds, our bodies, and our souls from our need for God. BUT…God has promised to provide us His way of escape that directs us away from the enticements toward His Presence where temptations are powerless.

Have you taken the time to examine the temptations in your life and notice the way of escape God has provided? If you choose to disempower the traps Satan is using to lure you away from God, Take a moment to sit with Jesus and ponder the question:   In what areas of my life am I most tempted? By the needs of the flesh, by a need for power, or by my devotion?

• Take time to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the area where Satan most tempts you.
• Next, consider what has yielding to this desire cost you?
• Allow the Holy Spirit to notice where God has provided an exit from this temptation.
• Acknowledge that you need God to resist the enticements.
• Then choose if you will take God’s way of escape.

PRAYER: Father, I need thee!  I need you to lead me to the wondrous upward temptations of producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I need you to help me resist the downward temptations of my accuser. Draw me near to you where temptations lose their power. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for providing a way of escape from enticements and temptations!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with the assurance that God is faithful to help you. Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

The post Enticements and Temptations appeared first on Resonant 7.

Image attributions:
He will provide a way out: Pixabay with text
I need thee: Beloved.org with text
Lead me Holy Spirit: Pixabay with text added
Tighten your belt: Pixabay with text added

Wednesday Wanderings with Dr. Sherri is a time we set aside to wander in the Presence of Jesus and ponder His truths. When you are ready, prepare your mind, body, and soul to have a transformational encounter with Jesus.

Watch the Wednesday Wanderings Welcome for this week.

Now that we have cleared our minds of the clutter, we can wander on the  journey of exploring the heart song of the soul.

PREPARATION: In our last Wandering we examined the reckless love and radical forgiveness of God. This week we will continue by exploring the soul’s response to God’s love. When you are ready, you may begin the dialogue with Jesus and state: “Jesus, I invite you to help me to leisurely wander into your Presence. Prepare my heart to receive and illuminate my spiritual senses to encounter you.”

PROMISE: 1 Corinthians 14:15 New King James Version 

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 

The conclusion is that our Beautiful God is wondrous and showers us with His reckless love and radical forgiveness. When we understand Who God is and respond to What He has done, our soul will respond with a prayer of thanksgiving. The words our spirit sings will  resonate with our understanding of God’s wondrous works.

PSALM: How Great Thou Art 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

The inspiration for the song came after Boberg witnessed a forceful storm with thunder and lightening. Moments later the sky was calm and a rainbow appeared. While the symbol of the rainbow has been used for various things, to the believer of Christ the rainbow represents the promise of God’s awesome wonder. Nature has a way of bringing our attention to God’s greatness. The stars sparkle and dance. The birds sing. The night chirps. Nature’s soul innately praises God.  Has the greatness of God ever caused you to sing a heart song?

PARABLE: 

The song writer begins the chorus with the word then. THEN implies that the song comes after something. After the storm and rainbow, nature called Boberg’s attention to the wondrous works of God. Boberg’s heart song came after he understood WHO God was, WHAT wondrous works God completed, and HOW God was always present.

Isaiah 42:10a invites us to sing unto the Lord a new song, sing His praises all over the world. The new song of The Lord comes from our heart. It comes when we turn our attention toward God. When our soul sings it is not associated with the rigor or logic of our mind. It is not concerned with proper grammar, pitch, rhythm or measures, cord progression, tempo, or stanzas. Our soul sings in response to the love of God. It freely renders an unrestrained sound to God. The sound is written from the pen of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. The lyrics are written with the ink of Jesus encounters. Our soul begins by pondering the goodness of God. Then our soul erupts with a natural melody of the Word of God hidden within our hearts.

Our Holy Spirit led soul sings:

1. With an understanding of Who God is to you (1 Corinthians 14:15).
2. About His wondrous acts (Psalm 105:2).
3. With joy to the trustworthy, secure rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1).
4. In suffering when we are held captive by our situation (Acts 16:25).

PONDER and WANDER: Ponder the question:   What is my heart song? 

Ephesians 5:19 encourages us to make melodies in our heart to the Lord. Psalms 96:1 advocates for us to sing a new song unto the Lord.  Have you ever surrendered to your soul’s desire to sing a new and spontaneous song heart song unto the Lord? If not, I encourage you to take time to allow the Holy Spirit to birth a melody unto God that reflects your understanding of WHO He is, WHAT wondrous works He has done in your life, and encompasses your appreciation for His gracious and merciful presence in your life. Don’t be concerned about how it sounds, you are singing to an audience of One, God your Father!

PRAYER: Lord God, I desire my soul to sing even when my mind can’t find the words. Help me to focus on your loving kindness and mercy that meets me with each new day. THEN I will surrender to the longing of my spirit to sing a heart song of praise. THEN I will invite the Holy Spirit to sing on my behalf. THEN I will sing with understanding. THEN I will know that everything you touch is a song.

PRAISE: Now that you have emptied your mind of the clutter and wandered with Jesus, take a closing moment to thank God for His wondrous works!  Let the work of your wandering fill you with the desire to sing unto God the praise He is worthy to receive.

Then take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes of wandering into the next ones and beyond.

Until next time, be Resonant.

PERSONAL BONUS: Heart songs don’t always come in joy. At times, like with Paul and Silas, they come in suffering. If you would like, you may take another five minutes to read about and hear one of my spontaneous heart songs.

At the age of 40 years young, on June 7, 2017, my baby sister Christine Renee Code took her last breath and went to her eternal home with Jesus. My ongoing journey with grief began. Grief is a normal process and for people experiencing normal grief, there is a time of bereavement. Gradually the feelings begin to ease and they learn to live with the loss. For me, my grief became debilitating. I could not articulate the sorrow. I could not easily recover and resume my life. Grief became my constant companion. Some days she rode quietly as a passenger of my life and allowed me to decide when I would stop to cautiously experience the sadness. Other days she took over the wheel and drove with an audacious speed toward depression. On one of those days when I was spent and consumed with sorrow, my mind, body and spirit checked into the Complicated Grief Inn. I requested a double bed, and I crawled with tears streaming down my face into the arms of Jesus. It was THEN that my soul began to sing a prayer of rescue to God.

Listen to my heart song entitled Rescue Me. 

Only the heart can sing what your mind cannot conceive and your mouth cannot say. As the Holy Spirit uttered my heart song, Jesus came to my rescue. Many other songs evolved from my surrender to my heart song. My prayer for you is that you invite Jesus into your heart and that through the power of the Holy Spirit your heart make melodies unto our Lord in joy, in sorrow, and in hope. For every thing touched by Jesus is a song.

Image attributions:
My Savior My God my Soul Sings: Photo from Pixabay with added text
How great thou art https://pixabay.com/photos/worship-singing-inspiration-church-4088561/ with added text
My soul sings of your wondrous works: https://pixabay.com/photos/concert-singer-singing-stage-2566002/ with added text
Everything you touch is a song: Photo from Beloved.org with added text