Devotional Christian Poetry

Heart Talk  . . . How's your inbuilt referee? Blowing the whistle to get your attention? The self corrector works if we listen to hear . . . Did you hear that? Every situation it monitors giving readouts. How wonderfully it works impartially keeping its eye on . . . highlighting specks and logs, and blind spots we need to see. Such a wonderful protector guiding us on journeys of discovery. Listen to your Heart . . . It Won't Let You Down. Reflection If you suffer from any type of heart disease, managing it involves regular Dr's visits and pills. Your physical activities are hindered and no matter how good your fitness levels are, these conditions monitor your daily life. Spiritually, the subject of heart dis-ease is an issue we all suffer from, though probably, don't want to admit to. It will manifest in different ways and times depending upon the circumstances which test it. I recently asked God if I had forgiven a person who had done me wrong and God assured me I had, but, I had closed my heart. I thought I was over that whole situation because I had forgiven but found there was more work to be done. It's amazing how science has produced tools to monitor our Heart rate, blood pressure, sugar levels, cholesterol and the information collected goes on record with our Dr. Medical records! The status of our spiritual heart is often measured by what proceeds from our mouth or our responses to the tests of everyday life. Those present for the test see or hear the results and it goes on record in their memory. For us we get an instant readout and if we are listening to hear, we identify trends of behaviour identifying a certain heart condition. The great thing is our referee is impartial and just reports the facts, good or bad, without emotion. We can become emotional about the facts we have to face and so can the recipients of our behaviours, but facts are facts. When a certain response continues to manifest, it reveals something is wrong and needs our attention. This is the time we need some Heart-Searchery. This is best done with the Holy Spirit doing the work. I John 3:19‭-‬21 NKJV And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. Our heart is our inbuilt referee of life and is on duty 24/7! Here's the thing, when the referee blows the whistle to alert us, will it fall on deaf ears? Heart-Searchery is the ability to have ears to hear what it's saying and not just to hear but take action. Referring back to my story about forgiving and finding out my heart was closed, the next question is to find out how to open it again. We are all in this boat together and having the heart to share with each other, the process and progress we are making is one of the most encouraging things we can do. Questions # - Can you identify your referee and have you developed your listening ears which hear? Are you Journaling your progress? # - Heart-Searchery, do you do it and treat it like weeding the garden? What do you do with the weeds? # - Have you evaluated the segments of your heart and have you defined them? Here's some amazing help for you; https://heartsyncministries.org/ [https://heartsyncministries.org/]

Searched . . . Truths light searches my heart chambers as thoroughly as I allow. The living lamp flushing deep crevasses as the Words read me as I read them . . . a reciprocal phenomenon! Revelation and light lift my feet. They quicken my step to tread new paths. Words are the lamp . . . Lighting My Pathway. Reflection I remember a conversation I had with a friend, years ago, about reading scripture. We discussed the reading plans we were using, the meaningful habit we both were doing and the revelations we received. It was a healthy discussion and very insightful. I don't know what prompted me to make the following statement but it was unrehearsed and was almost nonchalantly said. I said that "I  have discovered that I don't read the Bible, it reads me!" We both laughed at the time, then started to take a deeper look at what was said. The ensuing discussion was very revealing because it challenged the purpose and habit of our reading plans. Sometimes an objective look at what we habitually do is a very healthy exercise. The wonderful outcome of this discussion, which took some weeks to complete, was that we became far more aware and awake to ourselves and these words on the page. When I say the words read me, it's like they search my motives and heart and the ways I react or respond to what I am reading at the time. I start to relate to how these words make me feel because these words affect my heart. They cause me to dig deeper and ask questions of myself. For example, when God quickens a verse related to what you are presently reading, often it moves the reader to a new experience. I enjoy it when God invites me to a deeper experience with Him because I know there is always more to experience in Him. Imagine reading a chapter of text which becomes very personal as you identify with the message. The words can convey an invitation to you which actually sets you on an investigatory path to discover more. Something I have started doing this year is reading a different translation during my devotional times. I have chosen the Passion Translation, and am amazed by the accurate way Brian Simmons has so beautifully translated the original text. He has put it into relatable language and I find it causes me to search into deeper understanding, thus really drawing me into God's heart. If there is one simple message for us all it's that God wants a one on one relationship with each of us individually. Here's His invitation. This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers. 1 Corinthians 2:9 TPT Questions # - What do you think about the statement "I don't read the Bible the words read me"? Give it some deeper thought. # - I don't intend to be offensive but are you stuck in one translation of the Bible and can't read any other one, if so why? # - How deeply do you allow the light of truth to search your innermost heart? Do you respond to the leading to the new path? Some Verses The spirit God breathed into man is like a living lamp, a shining light searching into the innermost chamber of our being. Proverbs 20:27 TPT Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your Word makes my pathway clear. Psalms 119:105 TPT

The Eyes Of . . . God’s eyes search to show Himself strong on behalf of . . . Have you ever mused about what He's looking for? His favorite search is for Hearts . . . Ones loyal to Him. The ones who above all seek to do His will. He will fortify and come to their aid. Strengthening them . . . To Conquer! Reflection I am always searching for the wonderful clues God leaves us in His word. When He shares a clue, it always seems to have confirming scriptures and testimonies of how He backs up those who put these clues into action. I am always challenged by the litmus tests of my heart as I respond or react to life's curveballs. When faced with any challenge, it's great to know how our responses reveal our hearts. Responding in the flesh or spirit is immediately revealed to us as we go through these situations. In the above poem, which was written from the passage in II Chronicles 16:9 NKJV, we read how God searches and backs up those whose hearts are loyal to Him. God knows us completely in every way and responds to our heart's whispers and thoughts in unique and unusual ways. There have been times when I have imagined something which only God could cause to happen and I just imagined it and didn't pray and ask Him about it. A couple of weeks later the thing I imagined happened! I was God-smacked with what happened and couldn't stop smiling about the entire event. Other people have shared similar experiences with me. This sort of occurrence really underscores the words in Ephesians 3:20 Amplified version Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, God searches for hearts and when we read through Psalms, we read about the emotional roller-coaster of a man whose heart is recorded in scripture; God raised up David to be king, for God said of him, ‘I have found in David, son of Jesse, a man who always pursues my heart and will accomplish all that I have destined him to do.’ Acts 13:22 TPT This is an amazing verse when you consider the documented journey about David. It gives us great comfort to read between the lines that we can identify with David and his transparency about his life. 2022 I believe is a year for us as believers to draw closer to God Himself with our relationship to personalize it in a far deeper way. Don't fear Him searching your heart, instead, open it wide for Him. Questions # - Have ever spent time meditating on what God looks for and is seeking IN US not from us? Can you list scripture that highlights this? # - Can you identify times when you have imagined  …… only to have it happen soon after? # - Do you draw comfort from the life of David as expressed in the Psalms as you identify with his responses and reactions?

The Quest . . . Born again into  . . . Discovering the ultimate relationship of mystery and wonder. To KNOW You, as we dance with the music and rhythm of life. Your intricate nuances we experience as You reveal Yourselves. Three parts of ONE, each unique and complimentary. You hold us to your heart, and we discover the Oneness You desire as we . . . Hide Ourselves In You! Reflection Welcome to the new year of 2022. It's a new year in the journey of eternity and also a new challenge to explore and experience deeper levels of relationship with God. Have you ever really identified what you were Born Again into? Was it to a new belief systemically broken up into different theologies or doctrinal flavors, or did you meet the person of God? Here's the thing, most of us meet the person of God and then learn how to walk with a system or a doctrinal vision. I remember when I was first Born Again and one morning as I walked across the paddock to bring the cows in for milking, God spoke to me. He made this statement, "Now you have the choice to either walk with Me or walk with the church". I was only about 4 weeks old in my faith and had no idea what He meant. As an exuberant young believer I responded with a question, "What does THAT MEAN", because I had not been introduced to all the hoops I had to jump through. God then said something I have never forgotten. "If you walk with Me you will have trouble with the church and if you walk with the church you will have trouble with Me!" Unfortunately, because of my personal insecurities of needing to be accepted, I learned how to do both. The more we discover God and His many nuances, the fire inside of us is ignited to know Him more. The relationship we personally have with Him is enhanced by His word and our experience of Him grows. Have you ever immersed yourself in the scriptures and really asked God to make them a reality to you? Have you experienced verses like Eph 3:20 as is written in the amplified version? Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 AMP I love the words "dare ask or think" because it's almost like we are too timid to ask and prove God at His word. Ultimately, as believers, we grow to a place where we desire more and more of Him. The experience of knowing Him becomes deeper and we become dissatisfied and empty, engaging in religious activities that have proven to be shallow. When Paul was writing to the Philippian church, in verse 9+10 he writes and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, Philippians 3:9‭-‬10 NKJV A word study of the word to Know, is the Greek word Ginosko which means having a personal experience, i.e., to personally, intimately, and experientially know something. We aren’t called to understand God, and if you try to understand God you will go mad. Instead, we are called to Ginosko Him (to experience Him in a personal and intimate way). When reading through the above 2 verses, Paul is being transparent with them and explaining the deeper relationship he personally is longing for and encourages us to do the same. This letter to the Philippian church is one of encouragement to experience God one on one. There are some challenging words in verse 10, I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. These words, the fellowship of His sufferings, are the poignant reminder of the feelings of God. Have you ever considered God's feelings? We receive brief hints and invitations all the way through scripture. We also hear the yearning of His heart for us to Know Him. We then discover that His ways and thoughts are much higher than ours. Here is one of those invitations tucked into the Psalms. But many blessings are waiting for all who turn aside to hide themselves in him!” Psalms 2:12 Passion Translation: Questions # - What were you Born Again into and have you truly analyzed who you are walking with? # - Explain to yourself what it means to "hide yourself in Him" and write it down as a reference for the future. # - What does Philippians 3:9+10 look like for you and is your desire to Know God in a deeper way in 2022? Write this in your diary as well.

Here is a testimony today of a Poem God asked me to write. He dictated it to me and, as you listen, you will hear the consequences of what happened. It never ceases to amaze me What God does and how His love reaches out to us no matter what our circumstances or state of heart we are in. Enjoy.