"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." (Isaiah 40:29)

There is a place in God where we can find increased strength . . . strength to live a holy life according to His will for us. It seems ironic that what we call "surrender" is actually the means to the most powerful place found in God.

A soldier in wartime dreads the moment when he is cornered on all sides by the enemy and forced to surrender . . . he willingly gives up all his personal rights, leaving him totally vulnerable to his captor. But with God, this is exactly what He desires for us, to totally surrender to Him . . . to willingly give up all our personal rights and become totally vulnerable to Him. He wants to "captivate" us totally through our surrender to Him.

"To them that have no might he increaseth strength." When our might and our strength to do things our own way are surrendered to Him, we lay down our will to the Father enabling Him to increase His strength in us; He is able to empower us for service . . . He is then able to provide everything we need that pertains to life and godliness.

"We must decrease that He may increase" . . . "to them that have no might he increaseth strength"!

Have you totally surrendered? Have you decreased that He may increase? Is the strength in your life His strength or are you living on your own might? Examine yourself today and make a decision to totally surrender to Him so His strength will be increased in you so He will be seen in all you do, everywhere you go, and in whatever you set your hand to. Glorify Him today through total surrender . . . it's our highest calling.

Father, I long to be totally surrendered to You. It is a place I desire more than anything . . . not for the empowerment, not for the blessings, not for any other reason other than to glorify You. Father, I recognize total surrender as my highest calling, but I'm calling upon You for help as I fall so short of the mark so many times. Help me surrender to you totally; help me decrease that You may increase. Help me walk in my highest calling—total surrender to You, amen!

© Jan Ross
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"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)

The simplicity that is in Christ! That's a profound statement to me as I consider how difficult we make our walk with the Lord. Man's doctrines are enough to choke the life out of some of the strongest Christians.

The simplicity that is in Christ was summed up by Jesus when He was asked which was the greatest commandment: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind . . . Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matt 22:37-39) The simplicity that is in Christ is summed up in two commandments that cover both our relationship with God and our relationship with each other.

I love this! The Lord covers every one of the commandments in two simple statements. However, if we use those are our guideline for life, we won't have to worry about maintaining a proper relationship with God or with man!

We can be so easily beguiled through the subtlety of the enemy. He has led many to believe that the way to victory is difficult, burdensome, restricting, and weighty. He continually hurls guilt and condemnation at us and we quickly buy into his accusations. He even quotes scripture to us to convince us that we're not saved or we're not walking in the fullness of Christ . . . "All have fallen short of the glory of God!" or "There is none righteous, no not one!" We also deal with the mixture of philosophy and man's doctrines and it is there that we lose sight of the simplicity that is in Christ.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30) The simplicity that is in Christ!

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9) The simplicity that is in Christ!

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) The simplicity that is in Christ!

"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." (Psalm 91:15-16) The simplicity that is in Christ!

Listen to the words of Truth today . . . don't let your mind be "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ!"

Love Him, obey Him, and live for Him-it's that simple!

Father, I confess that I get weighed down with things concerning You that separate me from You rather than draw me toward You. Lord, the subtlety of the enemy is real . . . I need discernment. I need to focus on You, devoting my every waking hour to my pursuit of You in simplicity. Father, teach me how to love You, obey You, and live You a life devoted and consecrated to You. Break the chains that hold me, Lord, and set me free to serve You to the fullest as I walk in the simplicity that is in Christ. In Jesus' name, for His glory, and by His blood, amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
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"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." (Revelation 21:6)

As I read this scripture, it seems to have special significance to me. As you may recall, I've had the privilege of being in a remote village in Kenya when a well sponsored by Heart of God International Ministries was dedicated-a well that gave an entire tribal community access to clean water. The faces of the children seem permanently imprinted in my mind . . . the excitement they showed at tasting cold, clear, clean water for the first time. We can't fathom it - most if not all of us have always had access to clean water running freely from the faucet! We never thought about having to walk miles to get water that was unfit for human consumption but still necessary for survival, knowing that if you give it to your children they will likely get sick.

But not only did we provide fresh, clean, clear, cold water to these precious children, we provided Living Water - the kind that flows from the Fountain of Life freely to all who would drink . . . young and old, man and woman, everyone. It does little good to offer life-sustaining water to someone who will, without the Living Water, spend his eternity separated from God. But, give someone the life-sustaining water and along with it offer him the Water of Life, he will gladly drink of the natural and spiritual water - freely.

When was the last time you truly "thirsted" for the Living Water? When were you so driven to "drink of the Fountain of the Water of Life"? When was the last time you felt the desperate need to study the Word, to spend time with the Fountain of Life, and to drink until you were satisfied?

Isn't it time to pray that your heart would be stirred until you developed such a hunger and thirst for His Word, His Righteousness, and Fellowship with Him - a hunger and thirst that cannot be satisfied in any other way?

The people we met in Kenya knew there was no other way to satisfy their physical thirst than by drinking water. They prayed for water and when it came, they rejoiced. And, now they drink the water freely. If we can simply pray and ask for God to supply the need to satisfy us with Living Water, God will meet the need and bring satisfaction to our souls!

We're good about praying and giving thanks for our food . . . let's pray and give thanks for the hunger and thirst to satisfy the deepest longing in our soul - for the Water of Life which flows freely from the Fountain.

Father, I long to hunger and thirst after You with desperation! Fill me with the Living Water flowing from the Fountain! I pray that I would be satisfied with nothing less than my daily portion of Manna from Heaven and the Water of Life that sustains me and strengthens me. Lord, I pray that I would never be satisfied with anything less than that which comes from You! Stir my heart, Lord, an ignite a fire in me that burns with passion for Your Word, for relationship with You, for worship, for being a vessel You can flow through! Lord, prepare me to be all that You have called me to be and let me be satisfied with nothing less! In Jesus' name, amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
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Note: If you are interested in sponsoring a well in Uganda, a team is being formed to oversee this project during the June 2010 Uganda Outreach. Even if you cannot go, you can pray and support this endeavor to provide clean, life-sustaining water in a village where there is no access to fresh water. Contact Denise at dmatthews@heartofgodinternational.org for more information.

The name of Jesus is above every name, whether on earth, in heaven, or under the earth! There is no name like the name of "Jesus"!

The name of Jesus reflects His person . . . He's Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Rose of Sharon, Light of the World, Saviour, Redeemer, Bread of Life, Shepherd, Messiah . . . and much, much more!

The name of Jesus reflects His passion . . . "we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Hebrews 4:15)! In the name of Jesus we find love for the unlovely, joy for the downcast soul, peace for the fearful, longsuffering for the anxious, gentleness for the hurting, goodness for those in need, faith for the targets of the enemy's attacks, meekness for the humble, temperance for those who are struggling . . . oh yes, Jesus, the Name above all names, the very essence of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

The name of Jesus reflects His power . . . the power to forgive sins, to heal the sick, and to raise the dead. The power to move mountains, to cast out devils, to create worlds, to bless us with all spiritual blessings. Oh yes, the name of Jesus, full of power, full of might, full of authority.

The name of Jesus reflects His promise . . . He's promised never to leave us nor forsake us and He's promised to come back for His Bride, to take her home to be with Him forever!

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Hebrews 13:15)

Make it a conscious effort to offer up to Him praise . . . and let it be the fruit of your lips CONTINUALLY. All it takes is to briefly reflect on His Name – His person, His passion, His power, and His promise. Praise Him . . . it's so easy when you stop to think about the Name, the wonderful, blessed name that is above every other name, the name of Jesus.

Father, as I meditate on the person, the passion, power and the promise all reflected in Your name, help me have a greater revelation of Who You are as revealed in the Word of God. Lord, may my mouth be filled with Your praise . . . may my lips speak forth Your praise . . . CONTINUALLY! Amen!

© Jan Ross
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"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2)

Matthew Henry brings greater understanding to today's verse:

The people will have cause to rejoice or mourn according as their rulers are righteous or wicked; for, if the righteous be in authority, sin will be punished and restrained, religion and virtue will be supported and kept in reputation; but, if the wicked get power in their hands, wickedness will abound, religion and religious people will be persecuted, and so the ends of government will be perverted.

A Biblical description of this process is given by Jesus in Matthew 13:24-26. In the parable, good people had a good field growing good seed. However, an enemy came in and planted bad among the good, thus contaminating the entire field. What afforded the enemy such an opportunity? The stark answer is found in verse 24: "While the good men slept, the enemy came in." Jesus never faulted the enemy for doing what he did, for it was his task and purpose to destroy; Jesus placed the fault on the good men who went to sleep, thus allowing the enemy to do what he did. Very bluntly what has occurred in America happened first because the church went to sleep, and then because the enemy came in and caused the damage.

What can we do? "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for [leaders] and for all that are in authority." (1 Timothy 2:1) Prayer is the key! Remember always the words of Abraham Lincoln in his statement:

The truth announced in the Holy Scripture, and proven by all history [is] that, "Those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord."

Now is NOT the time to be silent, but rather now IS the time to join our testimony with Paul's in saying, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"! (Romans 1:16)

"Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34) Simply put, if a nation stands for righteousness, God will exalt it. However, if the nation's choice is sin, it will be a reproach in the nostrils of a holy God and bear the consequences! The same principle holds true in our personal lives . . . righteousness exalts us (makes us pleasing in His sight), yet sin in our lives is a reproach to the One who loves us most.

Let's pray . . .

Father, we lift up all men in authority and we pray that righteousness would be birthed in their hearts. Father, we ask You to draw them to repentance, to a heart that is sensitive to the basis for moral justice. Father, hinder the work of the enemy to kill, steal, and destroy through the hands and hearts of evil men. Father, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Thank You, Father, for Your prevailing love and sovereign justice over all. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.

© Jan Ross
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What would you do? How would you react? Have you given any thought to how you would react if you were commanded not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus?

"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." (Acts 4:18)

It's not a contemporary problem … the apostles faced this dilemma during the birth of the church and many across the globe today live under the same laws.

Surely by listening to the news, discerning the time in which we live is not too difficult. An attempt to silence the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has already been seen in many nations and it's going to get worse. Untold numbers of worshippers have to meet in secret, whispering, hiding, and closely disguising their lives so they can continue to gather as the Body to worship the Lord of lord and King of kings. It's hard to fathom.

What would be your response if a law was passed that prohibited you from speaking about the Lord, mentioning the name of Jesus, and preaching the Christ of Calvary? Would your motivation be fear, causing you to go into hiding and never let it be known that you are a Christian? Or, would your motivation be faith, with wisdom and care leading your life in a way that the light of the Christ you serve shines through you without ever speaking a word?

Regardless of your eschatological views, we all must admit that this is a very real possibility even in our own lifetimes.

Do you have enough of the Word of God hidden in your heart to carry you through a time that you might be commanded not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus?

Ps 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Ps 119:16
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Ps 119:38
Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

Ps 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Ps 119:114
Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Ps 119:133
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Acts 4:29
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Consider your own "Word-Level". Are you running low or are you well prepared? You don't have to go into battle with an unloaded gun. Open the pages of the precious Word of God and begin loading your weapon. And, if your weapon is already "loaded", make sure your ammunition isn't old and outdated. Keep it fresh daily. Remember, the weapons of our warfare aren't carnal (flesh and blood), but they're mighty through God. His Word is our most priceless possession, but it's not worth a red cent unless we read it, receive it, and recycle it daily.

Father, it's hard for me to fathom not being able to speak the name of Jesus or to teach openly the truth found in Your Word. Forgive me for taking this right and privilege for granted when there are, right now in our world, people who suffer great persecution for gathering together to worship You. Father, help me to be that one who has studied and shown to be approved, the workman that doesn't need to be ashamed but who rightly divides the Word of Truth. Teach me, Lord, and I will obey. Open my heart and I will receive. Open Your Word to me and I will hide it in my heart. In Jesus' name, amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
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Psalm 91 is one of the most-often read of all the psalms. It is also one of the least understood as many don't take the time to truly think about what it means to "dwell in the secret place of the Most High."

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

Ask yourself these questions: Are you at home in God, at rest in Him? Are you acquainted with Him throughout your whole being? Is your heart-work the service of God? Do you worship within the veil, loving to be alone with Him and converse with Him in solitude?

Marriage between a man and woman has two faces—one that is seen in public and one that is perceived only in private between the husband and wife. A married couple holding hands, walking arm-in-arm, exchanging winks or touches . . . all these are "public" faces of a marriage relationship; all these are good and necessary but superficial and not intimate by definition. But, that which takes place in the "secret place" need not be spoken of, but the fruit of the intimate relationship can be seen without any word of public testimony.

Have you found that place of true intimacy with the Lord? Do you love being alone with Him, conversing with Him, sharing with Him, learning from Him? Have you learned to set aside some quiet, alone time to be in His presence where an intimate relationship can develop and grow?

Don't take your time with Him lightly, but nurture it and allow it to grow deeper and deeper day after day for if we DWELL in that "secret place" of the Most High, we will ABIDE under the shadow of His wing. No safer place can be found in all of creation!

Father, although our relationship has grown and blossomed since I first met You, I long for a deeper, more intimate relationship with You! I long to find that "secret place" where I can dwell and find my safety under the shadow of Your wing! Lord, help me love You more, know You more, serve You more! Lord, help me surrender to You more and more each day, that our relationship can be seen and perceived by all who meet me without ever having to say a word! Father, be glorified in our relationship today and every day! Amen!

© Jan Ross
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Have you ever tried to pick up something that was too heavy? What was your immediate reaction? Most likely you cried out in pain and dropped it, or kept silent and suffered for it later. Regardless of your reaction, you reacted.

The burden of bitterness is too heavy for anyone to carry. In fact, if we pick it up and attempt to carry it, it will weigh us down and eventually crush us to the point that we will be unable to function. Yet, day after day we pick up bitterness and try to walk around with it strapped on our back.

Can you imagine someone walking around with a huge block of cement on their back, weighing them down while they're singing in the choir or tending the nursery? What if this burdened one is teaching children's church or is an usher at the church? First thing everyone would notice is that they've got a load that they don't need to be carrying. People would immediately be distracted by that huge block of cement on their back before they heard a word that person uttered. They can wear a big smile, beautiful clothing, expensive perfume, but the all attention will be drawn to that burden they're carrying. Preach the best sermon, but the burden shows. Sing the best song but because of the burden, no one hears.

Bitterness does the same thing . . . do you see it? The burden of bitterness is too heavy for us to carry.

What is bitterness? The dictionary defines it as proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity marked by resentment or cynicism. Interestingly, the Greek word for bitterness has its root in a word meaning "tent" or "pitch". In other words, bitterness plans to stay around for a while – it intends to pitch a tent and take up residency!

• Bitterness divides . . . Jesus prayed that we would all "become one". (John 17:11)
  
• Bitterness pollutes . . . we are to love one another with a pure heart! (1 Peter 1:22)
  
• Bitterness destroys . . . our words are to be as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
  
• Bitterness offends . . . we are to hold our peace. (Proverbs 11:12)
  
• Bitterness is of the flesh . . . we are to live by the Spirit and reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)
  

The list obviously could go on and on but it's not necessary. If you are carrying a burden of bitterness, drop it and let it go. Don't entertain it any longer. Don't let it control your life and rob you of abundant life in the Lord Jesus Christ. If someone has wronged you, forgive them. If you feel cheated, misunderstood, used, abused, or hated, drop that burden of bitterness and go on. Carrying the burden of bitterness will keep you from picking up the freedom bought with the precious and priceless blood of the Lamb. Don't allow bitterness to destroy you and destroy your relationship with the Lord and with others. The burden is too heavy to carry and you weren't created to bear it. Don't take another step without dropping it and walking away. Do it for yourself and do it for those you love!

"Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?" (James 3:9-11)

Father, I do have bitterness in my heart toward [fill in the blank] and because of [fill in the blank]. I knew it was there but didn't really consider it to be a burden too difficult to carry . . . I thought I was handling it but I see now that I'm not. Lord, with Your help I'm going to drop this burden right now and leave it at your feet. Father, help me to forgive totally and to go on and not look back. Help me to draw on Your strength as it is made perfect in my weakness. Forgive me for carrying this burden much too long . . . give me the courage to go on so that You will be glorified in me and through me. In Jesus' name, by His blood which sets me free, and for His glory which is so deserved . . . amen and amen!

© Jan Ross
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Although the major election year is passed and today's devotion is not about politics, the verse may lead you you to think otherwise.

"Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)

Actually, this verse has much more to do with living a life sanctified and set apart for the Master's use. It's about living above the base lusts of the flesh and conducting our lives in a fashion that is pleasing and acceptable in the eyes of God. After all, that's what He's commanded us to do.

Leviticus 20:7 says, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God." But, what does "sanctify yourselves" really mean? One commentator says, "We must cleanse ourselves from all the pollutions of sin, consecrate ourselves to the service and honor of God, and conform ourselves in everything to His holy will and image: this is to sanctify ourselves."

We are to keep ourselves from sin . . . make informed decisions in every area of our lives, think before we act, weigh our choices and then make the choice that is right according to the Word of God. Every temptation that comes our way brings with it a choice—one way will lead to destruction, the other way to abundant life.

According to 1 Peter 1:15-16, we are called to be holy in all manner of conversation. All our fellowship and interaction with others MUST have its basis in holiness. Anything less will rob the testimony—the visible witness of the glory of the Redeemer which God is building throughout the earth today … through His people.

Father, my heart's desire is to live a life sanctified unto You. Help me to consider my choices in all I do, then act on the right choice as a way of bringing glory to Your Name. Lord, teach me Your ways through Your Word. Be a shield all around me, O Lord, as I journey along life's path. Give me strength to choose righteousness and to disdain sin using the Word of God as my pattern. Lord, I love You; thank You for Your presence and direction in my life. Where would I be without You, Lord?

"And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken." (Deuteronomy 26:19)

© Jan Ross
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The fall of the year is my favorite season, by far. I love the cooler temperatures and the smell of fall. To me, there is nothing quite like it. It's no wonder an evening not so long ago was so incredible.

Gracie, our 13-month old cockapoo, had to go outside. It had been a dreary cloud-covered day with leaves blowing in the wind. The cornfield across the road is ready for harvest, the beans in the field behind us have been picked and winter wheat sown. The beauty of this season absolutely astounds me.

I grabbed Gracie's leash and we stepped out onto the front porch. She began to walk into the yard as I looked up. I literally gasped! I mean, I audibly gasped. The beauty of what I beheld with my own eyes was indescribable.

The sun was low in the western sky and brilliantly peering through small breaks in the cloud cover. The rays lit the top of the trees bordering the family property like they were on fire—oranges and yellows and reds vibrantly aglow against the darkness of approaching nightfall.

Gracie finished her business and I went back inside and grabbed my camera. My camera couldn't even hope to capture such an extraordinary scene. But my heart did as I thought about it throughout the evening.

Darkness was dispelled by the brilliance of the sun's rays reflecting on the treetops. Just like God does in our lives—He uses the backdrop of darkness to expose the light of His presence.

When our world is darkened by difficulties and challenges, God never fails to shine His light and reveal His presence. We simply have to look for it.

The brilliance of the fall sky I witnessed would never have impacted me if I hadn't taken the time to look. And that's the key … we must SEEK Him—LOOK for the evidence of God's presence in our circumstances.

"Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." (Exodus 13:22 NIV)

God's presence never left its place in front of the children of Israel as He led them through the wilderness. In like manner, His presence will never leave its place in front of us as he leads us through difficult and challenging days.

Father, help me to see Your light shining in my darkness when I am overcome with life's challenges. Lord, Your word tells me if I seek You, You will be found by me. Help me to seek You—let me see the light of Your presence against the backdrop of the darkness of this world. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

© Jan Ross
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