Psalm 51:10 NIV – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Being alone in our thoughts is only good if we don’t let those thoughts take control. Sometimes we need to ask God to renew those thoughts and lift our spirits. Our bodies as God’s temple, house the Holy Spirit. Periodically cleaning our houses by taking inventory of our thoughts is important. Just like we can hold onto too many earthly things that will not last, we can hold onto thoughts that won’t create a renewed steadfast spirit. 

I love it when God wakes me up before the alarm goes off so that I can get my thoughts under control before I start my day. Like Ray’s staircase photo, our thoughts can spiral out of control. If this ever happens to you, I encourage you to use that time for prayer.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for Your listening ear. I surrender the thoughts that are battling my mind today. I surrender all the scenarios that are keeping me from living in the moment. I surrender all the “what ifs,” all the “would haves,” “could haves,” “should haves.” Create in me a pure heart with pure thoughts. Renew a steadfast spirit within me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 32:7 NIV – You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

I have shared with you before that we have been working on creating a backyard bird sanctuary. First, we hung several bluebird houses along our fence. Next, we put out a bird feeder. Lastly, we hung a bird bath. We quickly gained a family of bluebirds. It is a beautiful thing to see them return each year. Often in the summer I sit outside for my devotion as I am doing today. You could say it is my sanctuary and my sacred place. 

What is a sanctuary? According to Merriam–Webster it can be a building or room for religious worship. It can be a place that provides safety or protection. It can be a wildlife sanctuary. It can also be protection from a difficult situation that is provided by a safe place. Where is your sanctuary? Where do you run first when you need to rest in God’s presence? 

In our key verse, we are protected and surrounded with songs of deliverance. In our sanctuaries, we can be free to worship without worldly distractions. Just like Ray’s photo, it is our private sacred place. As you sit in your sanctuary, I encourage you to watch and listen to “Who’s Gonna Stop The King” by Crowder. Alleluia, our God reigns! 

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for my sanctuary that I can sit and worship You without worldly distractions. I am so blessed to be reminded today that no one can stop You from Your protection and deliverance.

Psalm‬ ‭65‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬ – Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, All through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, Dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing!

Change is inevitable. It may be unwanted or desired. I love the quote by Walt Disney: “If nothing changed, there’d be no butterflies”. On this Transformation Tuesday how will you handle change? I encourage us all to pray and ask God to equip us to handle the changes because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! 

We can’t always fathom the grand plan but we can choose how we handle it as it unfolds. Notice Ray’s photo looks like a field of dry grass. Along the horizon, you see lush greenery. In our key verse, there is a lot of change. The Psalmist says that creation was made for this. As God’s creation, we too are made for change.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for the butterflies to remind me that I was created for change. Equip me for the changes that today will bring! I can do all things through You oh Lord, who strengthens me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬ – Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

We tend to compare ourselves to others but God made us each unique. We must change our mindset and accept how God made us because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The message version says; “marvelously made”. If you tend to struggle with comparison, just take a moment to remember who made you.

I hope Ray’s photo makes you laugh. Just as we all need to wash our hands, we must cleanse our minds. The Psalmist says we are all sculpted from nothing to something. What is your mindset today? If you are struggling with your thoughts, cleanse your mind in God’s word and truth.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for all of creation. I worship You in adoration. Help me not to compare myself to others. Help me to appreciate how You wonderfully, fearfully, and marvelously made me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 104:12 NIV – The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.

One day while sitting on the front porch with my Mom, we watched the mockingbirds fly in and out of the trees. Mom informed me that mockingbirds sing 200 songs because they mock other birds. So of course I had to google this fun fact. According to the National Wildlife Federation, Northern Mockingbirds do learn up to 200 songs in their lifetime. Not only do they mimic other birds but they also mimic dog barks, musical instruments, and sirens. 

Take a moment to re-read today’s key verse. The birds nest by the waters. With God as our living water, do we nest by Him so that we can sing high among the branches? We tend to mimic what we are surrounded by. If we are nested next to God, we can mimic God’s word in our lives. The words we share can sing His praises.

As you go to your places of worship today, take in all the sounds of worship. Really sit and nest in God’s word so that it can overflow from you this week. Sing loud so that Mocking birds may hear your joyful noise. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for Your word that I can nestle into. I long to mimic Your word through my day and my week so that I can shine Your glory. I sing Your praises! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

1 Thessalonians 3: 1-4 NIV – So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

Click here and join me for See You Staurday as we talk about Tribulations.

I encourage you to listen to the song; “Hallelujah For Every Broken Heart” by Crowder.

Let’s pray through 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬. Dear God, May You make our love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as Your love does for us. May You strengthen our hearts so that we will be blameless and holy in Your presence until the day of Your return. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Mark‬ ‭6:31‬ ‭NIV‬ – Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Have you noticed every day this week there has been an action? Sunday we stepped into the Potter’s Hands. Monday we asked God to lift us out of our pit. Tuesday we turned North. Wednesday we asked God to awaken us. Thursday we had new thoughts. Today we rest with God. 

We never have to worry about receiving an invitation when it comes to our relationship with God. We don’t have to wonder, will we make the list? Will we get an invite? Our social status is nonexistent. There is always a place we can retreat with God. Are we accepting the invite to retreat with God? Are we choosing to follow God? Are we choosing rest? 

I encourage you to look over your calendar today and see if you can be honest with yourself. Over the past few weeks have you taken time to rest with God? Sometimes we are forced to rest because of sickness or a change in plans. I am talking about true and intentional rest. One of my favorite quotes by Mark Batterson is: 

“Change of PACE + change of PLACE = Change of PERSPECTIVE”. 

Notice today’s photo collage. Each photo represents a time when either Deborah, Ray, or I changed our pace and place. The opportunity to sit and rest with God just may be the rest our perspective needs. I hope we can all lean into God today and accept His invitation. Now I encourage you to look at next week’s schedule and carve out some time to rest with God.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for Your invitation to rest. As I look through my calendar, help me to find opportunities to change my place and pace to sit with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.