"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." (Psalm 96:9)

Private and public worship is something that stirs my heart today. Do we understand the longings of our Father as it pertains to worship . . . do we consider His desires as a priority as opposed to what makes 'us' feel good or what is most convenient for us?

It occurs to me that much money is spent on creating a beautiful physical sanctuary or temple where God's people congregate for the purpose of worship. But God finds beauty in holiness - in a heart submitted to Him, a heart following hard after Him, a heart that is steadfast and eagerly seeking Him day after day, night after night, even in the midnight hour!

How is it possible to worship Him in the beauty of holiness if we only worship God in public? Have we not turned the physical sanctuary or temple into the place where God dwells? But then, can we expect flames of our worship of God to burn brightly in the physical temple when our hearts are cold and indifferent, barely warming the embers in private and secret worship the other six days of the week?

Let's ask ourselves another question: Does our private and secret worship - in the beauty of holiness - satisfy us? Better yet, does it satisfy God's longing for intimacy with us? Geoffrey Thomas, a Welsh Baptist, made a profound statement that will never outdate itself: "There is no way that those who neglect secret worship can know communion with God in the public services of the Lords Day."

So let's take a temperature reading of the flames of our worship on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Are the flames burning hot or have the embers died since last Sunday's encounter with the Most High God? Are you satisfied to worship only once a week in a man-made sanctuary or are you worshipping in the beauty of holiness . . . in a place where God dwells, with a heart following hard after Him?

Father, how can I neglect the flaming of the embers in private and secret worship? I ask myself this but yet I know I must ask Your forgiveness for not pursuing an encounter with You in the beauty of holiness every day of every week, every moment of every day. Father, I long to be in Your presence and to worship You . . . teach me to heed the call of the Spirit and meet you in the secret place where You can be worshipped in the beauty of holiness. I long to worship You and give You all the glory due Your name! Amen and Amen!

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

We certainly have a lot to be thankful for . . . a lot to rejoice about . . . a lot to make us joyful! When we think of what has been provided for us, the garments and clothing that have been purchased for us; we should be overwhelmed with the fragrance of His love for us!

Have you ever considered why He "clothes" us? Clothing is put on for all to see . . . garments cover up our imperfections and physical flaws!

By clothing us with the garments of salvation . . . when He looks upon us, all He sees is that we're clothed with salvation! We're clothed with the Blood of the Lamb that bought us our salvation! The Accuser of the Brethren may attempt to accuse us of past sins, but when the Father looks upon us all He sees is that garment of salvation . . . the Accuser fails. The world sees a saved person . . . the new creation! The old man is dead and unseen by anyone because we're wearing our garment of salvation!

By covering us with the robe of righteousness . . . we bear a close resemblance to the Righteous One himself, Jesus Christ! A covenant has been cut and an exchange has taken place . . . He took our sins, we received His righteousness.

The garments with which we have been clothed are durable clothing, able to withstand the fiery darts of the enemy, able to withstand any storm, able to protect us from the heat of the day and the cool of the evening . . . these garments will never, ever grow old or wear out!

This by itself should be enough to make us all greatly rejoice and to be joyful in Him . . . but as a further explanation of His love toward us, He affirms that He has prepared Himself as our Bridegroom, and we, His bride, are humbly adorned with the brilliant, magnificent jewels of God's amazing grace!

Oh Lord, I do rejoice . . . I am joyful! What more could I possibly want out of life than to be adorned with Your robe of righteousness and be clothed with the garments of salvation! What a privilege to wear the clothing of Heavenly Royalty! Father, help me to remember that the garments with which You have adorned me were paid for with an awesome price and given to me as a gift to be worn for all the world to see! I pray that my life would always point to You as . . .

King of all kings and Lord of all lords
The One and Only Most High God
Ruler of the Universe
The Only Door to Eternal Life
The Resurrected Victor
The Omnipotent Ruler Over All
The Eternal One!

Lord, I am so overwhelmed by You and Who You are . . . I rejoice that I am found worthy to be Your child! Lord, I love you more every day! Amen!

"Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness." (2 Chronicles 6:41)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." (Song of Solomon 2:1)

The Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valleys . . . to remind us of the beauty and sweetness we find in His relationship with us. The rose . . . fragrance sweeter than honey, chief of flowers. The lily . . . preferred by our Christ as clothing even above that of Solomon in all his glory.

Sharon is probably where the best roses grew and in most plenty . . . some have termed it the "rose of the field" depicting the gospel of salvation for all . . . a common salvation, that whosoever will may come and gather the rose-buds of privileges, comforts, sweetness, fragrance, that grow in the covenant of grace.

He is not a show rose, not one to be locked up in a garden, but one that all may come and find comfort in Him.

He is a lily for the whiteness, and a lily of the valleys for sweetness . . . for when we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, His fragrance will linger and lead us to His protection, comfort and strength.

He is the lily of the valleys, or low places, in His humiliation and "crushing" experienced on the cross of Calvary.

As you walk through your valleys (notice the plural . . . we're promised there will be more than one), take heed of His fragrance . . . it will be there! As you hit the low points in your life, remember that He is a rose that has been bruised and crushed and His fragrance is become sweeter and stronger . . . look for Him there also! In the darkest of days and the longest of nights, you will find Him . . . The fragrance of His love will lead you through and remind you that He is in your midst regardless of where you are. He loves you, He yearns for you, He's bidding you to come into His chamber where He can lavish His love upon you . . . from now throughout eternity!

Dearest Lord, I am overwhelmed at the thought of your awesome love toward me . . . how you have presented Yourself to me as the lover of my soul! I can almost hear You say, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." (Song of Solomon 2:10) Lord, I will follow you wherever You lead . . . I will respond to Your passion for me with an ever-growing passion for You! May my heart melt at Your call . . . may my love for You draw me closer to You than ever before. Lord, I love you . . . and I will stop and seek out Your sweet fragrance in the flourishing fields as well as the dark valleys, and in whatever circumstance or situation I find myself I will know beyond a shadow of doubt that You, my precious Lord, have not left me but rather are in my midst. Amen!

"I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon." (Hosea 14:5-6)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Turn on the television and what do you hear? Wars and rumors of wars! Fear, the enemy of our faith, is knocking on the door of your heart in its attempt to kill, steal, and destroy your confidence in Your protection!

Recently, I've had an opportunity to learn first-hand the difference between fear and faith. They are direct opposites . . . one cannot live in fear and in faith at the same time, just as it cannot be night and day at the same time. You either live and move and have your being in fear or in faith!

Fear erodes the foundation of faith, quickly and thoroughly if not soon recognized and dealt with. During these uncertain times, it would be so easy for us to fall prey to fear, causing our focus to turn from God to the uncertainty of the future. But . . . our future IS certain, whether in the flesh or in the spirit! We KNOW whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep us, in peace and in war, in sickness and in health, in plenty or in want. God is fully able!

So, it is easy to understand why the prophet Isaiah wrote as led by the Spirit of God in Isaiah 41:10-13, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

Dear friends . . . don't allow the enemy to cause your heart to be filled with fear in the time of war. Let peace reign on the throne of your heart . . . the peace that passes all understanding, the peace that will tell of God's great goodness and tender mercy even in this hour of war. You are the bearers of peace . . . the Peacemaker has made His abode in you. Allow the peace that is found securely in the presence of the King to comfort you today and every day!

Father, many around me are fearing what tomorrow may bring. The threats of evil men have caused many to fear the unknown. Help me, Lord, to remain firm in faith, believing and knowing that You are indeed my help, my protector, my comfort, and my peace. Father, as I cling to the hope I have found in You, help me to share the Source of my hope with those whose hearts have been gripped with fear. Use me, Lord, to be an instrument of Your peace in the earth today. In Jesus' precious name, amen and amen!

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." (Isaiah 41:13)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
(2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

If you look at today's verse, it is talking about incense. The original idea Paul is drawing from is the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle or Temple . . . that we are an incense unto God.

A history lesson gives us a better understanding. In the days when Paul was writing, and certainly in the ancient history of man, it was a very common occurrence especially among Roman rulers, that when they had taken their army and had overcome the enemy, they would come back to their own village or community in a parade . . . a processional. The watchman on the wall could see them coming for miles. The commander in chief would be on a horse, a white horse specifically, and leading this processional in front of his army. Behind him would follow all the captives from the conquered city. His soldiers would gather beside them to keep them in line and several of them would roll huge vessels of incense that would be burning as the parade would go through town.

Finally on the other side of town they would put the captives in a prison or jail to keep them there and the soldiers would perhaps go home to their families to celebrate the victory. The parade was over. But, there was still a lingering scent in the air of the incense that had come through town along with the processional celebrating victory.

The reason why they rolled the huge vessels of incense was that they wanted a reminder to that people that there had been victory. That smell lingered in the air; it was a very thick aromatic and sweet smell. All day long through the street the reminder lingered that there had been victory. The incense represented the reminder that there has been victory.

We are to be the aroma of Christ, that's why we're here. The question is, is your life evidence of His victory? That's our calling! We are called to be the lingering fragrance of victory. Our scripture today tells us that He always leads us into triumphal procession, but the question is, "Do we always follow where He leads?" In other words, we are guaranteed victory if we follow Him. There is no other path that guarantees victory!

Regardless of what you are facing in your life, there is victory for you. It has been set aside for you. You do not have inevitable defeat in front of you. Defeat is not of God! He is incapable of leading you to defeat. Christ only marches in victory . . . He only marches where He wins because He is the Sovereign Victorious. It is our responsibility to find where He's marching and get in behind Him . . . we were created to be in His shadow!

Our lives are to be evidence that He has overcome the world . . . the lingering aroma of His victory!

Dear Father, so many times my life is more of a "stench" in your nostrils rather than a "sweet aroma". Forgive me! Oh, Lord . . . forgive me for not always following You as You lead me in triumphal procession! Forgive me for finding my own path which oftentimes leads to everything but victory! Forgive me for not reminding everyone of Your victory through my life. Help me, Oh Lord, to be the aroma of Your victory in the earth today. Help me, oh Lord, to reflect Your presence wherever I go and in whatever I do. Help me, oh Lord, to follow hard after You, to carefully follow You as You lead me down the path of triumphal procession! May Your victory be witnessed in my life bringing glory to You . . . always! In Jesus' Name and in His Victory I pray, Amen and Amen!

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1 Corinthians 15:57)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

"Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)

His lovingkindness is evident everywhere we look, every time of the day! But so often we allow our circumstances to tell us otherwise! We go through situations where we don't "feel" His lovingkindness surrounding us and going with us, but that never changes the fact that it does.

Our vision of His love and work in our lives is so limited . . . we can't see beyond our own "world".

Because of His lovingkindness toward us all the day long, His song should be with us during the night. Not just the evening of the day, but when our circumstances hurl us into a time of darkness . . . a "night" so to speak.

We are in the midst of a "night" in this world today . . . wars, rumors of wars, terrorism, etc. But it is during this time . . . during the night . . . that His song remains a constant reminder of His love and great mercy toward us!

As we pray and seek His face during the day, during the night, in the good times and in the hard times, the evidence of His lovingkindness toward us will become remarkably visible and the song we sing to Him in the night will ring loud and clear!

Lord, teach me to be aware of Your lovingkindness in every area of my life, at all times, and in all things. As I fix my gaze on You, let your song be ever in my heart and my prayer continually offered to You, oh God of my life. Why You love me so, Lord, I shall never know, but I'm so thankful that You do for Your lovingkindness is greater than life itself! Amen and Amen!

"Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalm 63:3-4)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations." (Psalm 79:13)

The Lord has been good to us . . . so very good! All that we ever need, He's been there to supply. He washed our sins away . . . He turned our darkness into day . . . He has abundantly blessed us!

Many people have memories they hold dear to their hearts about their grandparent(s) holding them on their laps and telling them stories. These dear elders took every opportunity afforded them to pass on family history, telling of the days past. Very often they would include in their story line the rich heritage of God's love which abounded in their home as they were growing up. They would plant a seed of hunger for the things of God into the life of that precious youngster sitting in their lap. Now, however, many of us who were once that youngster have children and grandchildren of our own. It is so important that we take every opportunity afforded us to plant those same seeds into our children and grandchildren . . . the heritage of God's love and goodness is undoubtedly the most valuable gift you could ever give a child who is so eager to learn!

Make a point to spend some special time with those small children in your life and share with them the love of God. It will be seed planted in fertile soil and it will create special memories that will cling to them throughout their lives. You will be blessed by doing so . . . they will never, ever forget you . . . and you will have enriched their lives beyond measure!

Show forth His praise to all generations!

Dear Lord, my heart is overwhelmed with love and thanksgiving for all You have done for me, yet many times I forget to stop and say, "Thank You, Lord!" so I'm saying it right now! I pray, Lord, that my life will testify of your goodness even to the generations to come as I plant seeds in the lives of my children and grandchildren. Lord, as I plant these seeds, I pray that you water them and cause them to grow so they, too, will one day be able to sit down with their children and grandchildren and pass on the heritage of the goodness which You have shown! Lord, I will give thanks to You forever! May You be blessed by Your people . . . Your sheep . . . forever and ever! Amen!

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29)

© Jan Ross 2008
All Rights Reserved

"Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified." (Psalm 40:16)

After they had gotten the ark situated and the tabernacle built, the Levites assumed their work was done and began to walk off. David immediately stopped them, telling them that their work had only just begun. You can hear the Levites complaining to David . . . "But, David! We just walked miles with the ark on our shoulders; we've prepared and sacrificed thousands of animals to the Lord. Aren't we done yet? And besides, there's no veil or Holy of Holies!"

David told them, "No. I didn't restore the Levitical office only to have the ark abandoned here like it was abandoned in Shiloh. Put your ephods back on. Get out your psalteries and harps again. Some of you can go eat lunch, but the rest of you are staying right here!" The Levites, stunned at his command responded, "Well, who are we staying here for, King David? Do you want to listen to us play again? You hear us play all the time! We're tired and we've done enough!"

David turned to them with a passion not understood by his Levites and said, "No, no, you're not playing for me - it's for God, an audience of One. He wants us to worship Him continually! There will never be a time when we've done it enough!"

David appointed psalmists to tend to the ark day and night with musical praise, worship, and celebration.

We are so used to coming into the presence of the Lord . . . we feel His presence, acknowledge it with a few tears and words of praise, and we simply say, "Gotta go!" and we're on our way! Too often we want just enough of God to make us feel good or to give us the tingles or chill bumps up our spine! But He is asking, "Will you stay . . . will you spend time with me?"

Worship . . . an audience of One! It's not about us, our time schedules, our distractions, our energy level! It's not even about whether we worship him 5 minutes or 5 hours without ceasing.

God's passion is to be with us . . . He desires for us to have that same passion to be with Him! He doesn't want temporary visitation rights! Use David as your example and pursue the same passion for worship that David had and don't settle for less!

Father, please forgive me for being in a hurry, for not taking the time to linger in Your presence, for not seeking Your face with a passionate desire! Lord, forgive me for taking You for granted and for forgetting that my praise and my worship is for none other than You! Lord, You are my audience . . . my "Audience of One"! Father, be blessed and exalted by my lifestyle of worship. In Jesus' name, Amen!

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Those of us who are parents may have a bit of insight into today's verse that may be helpful to those who don't yet have "little blessings"! There is hardly anything more pleasing than to tell a youngster to do something and to have them obey without question. Very often, if you ask the child why he did what he did, his answer would be, "Because I love you!"

Have you even given thought to how your obedience pleases the Father? Obedience is an act of love . . . it's an act of submission . . . it's an act of humility! An obedient child doesn't try to find the "easy way out", or attempt to "cut corners", or even to "procrastinate".

Abraham was given a task to do . . . his obedience was called "worship" (see Genesis 22:5) . . . "worship" is the purest expression of love. Do you love Him today? "If you love me, keep my commandments"!

Father, I love You, yet so often I fall short . . . not taking care to be obedient to Your commands. Help me, Father, to walk in Your ways, to follow in Your path, to obey Your Word! Help me to express my love to You through my obedience. You are worthy of all my love . . . You are worthy of my obedience! I love you, Lord! Amen!

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

"Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah." (Psalm 77:9)

We've all been there . . . perhaps you're there right now. You feel that God has removed Himself from you, that He has shut up His bowels of mercy toward you . . . or at the very least, just not responded to your pleas for help. Nothing can overwhelm us more than life's circumstances . . . family, job, friends, health, money, decisions, ministry . . . the list goes on!

Please be assured . . . God has NOT shut up His bowels of compassion toward you, He has not removed His presence from your life, AND He hears your cries for help! He has never left, He has never forgotten to be gracious! God's presence is with us always; He's omnipresent . . . present everywhere, every time, in everything!

There is a place of maturity each one of us needs to attain. On that road to maturity, there are times when we may feel all alone, when life's circumstances seem to overwhelm us. These times are given to us for a purpose . . . to allow His will for us to be perfected in us. We can't be on a spiritual "high" every day of our lives. We have to learn to "maintain" while walking through those dark areas on the road to maturity! We need to learn to trust Him when we "feel" Him and when we don't! It all boils down to FAITH . . . like Abraham, for instance. He went years and never saw the manifestation of God's promise in his life, yet He believed God . . . he believed His promise to him . . . and it was imputed to him for righteousness!

Exercise the arm of faith while in the midst of your difficult time. Trust God that He knows exactly what He's doing in your life and that it will bring about fruit that is mature and pleasing in His sight!

Father, help me to trust You even when You seem so far away . . . help me to hold on to You even when the doors of heaven seem shut as I pray. Lord, I thank You that Your mercies are never-ending, that Your love is steadfast and never ceases, and that Your faithfulness toward me is great! Amen!

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

It is ALWAYS the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us that we give thanks in every thing! We don't have to wait for Thanksgiving or any special holiday to make a way for us to "Give Thanks!"

We are so often reminded that we are "kings and priests" . . . "ambassadors" . . . "joint heirs" . . . and so on. These are all true and accurately assess the position of the believer. There is a balance, however, that is hard to maintain and yet so necessary. It is called "Humility"! Humility is a virtue that expresses itself in thankfulness, lowliness, and servitude! The will of God for us is to walk with the assurance of our position in Christ with humility of heart . . . a rare mixture that will produce a "peculiar" creature indeed! Perhaps that's why we're referred to as a "peculiar people"!

While maintaining your busy schedule, be sure to keep in mind that no gift will ever be received as well as that which is given with a humble, thankful heart. Remember that the greatest possible gift you could ever give is love. It is more costly than gold, more precious than diamonds, and more meaningful than anything money could buy!

Be a bearer of love, giving thanks in all things . . . this truly is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you! Give Thanks!

Lord, I have a song on my heart that expresses my prayer today . . . "Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son! I give thanks!" And, Lord, when I am weak, because of You I can be strong . . . when I am poor, because of You I am rich . . . all because of what You've done for me . . . and I give thanks to You! With a humble heart I bow before You and give thanks . . . not only because it's your will, but because it is my heart's cry today to let you know how grateful I am! Amen!

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15)

If there ever was a crooked and perverse nation, we are living in one . . . no matter where you live! The times in which we are living attest to this day after day as mankind imposes its evil deeds on anyone and everyone without regret . . . without conscience!

If there was ever a time when our light should shine, it is now. Light shines the brightest in the midst of the greatest darkness. As darkness surrounds us, we must take care to nurture our relationship with the Lord as the children of God, being found blameless and harmless only because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord! But it is by His blood that we can shine as beacons in the darkest night!

How is your light . . . is it burning bright with fervent heat or is it a tender flicker that will go out with the slightest touch? Today is the day to make a commitment to yourself and to the Lord to allow your light to shine brightly so as to let the whole world know that Jesus is Lord and He's coming very, very soon to receive His Bride unto Himself!

Are you ready?

Father, being one of Your children is indeed a privilege that carries with it an awesome responsibility to let our light shine even in the midst of the darkest night. Lord, shine through me and let the world know that You are coming soon . . . very, very soon! Amen!

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Chocolate Donuts

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (James 1:12 KJV)

Ok, I admit I need help! Chocolate donuts with my coffee in the morning is about as good as it comes. The combination of flavors absolutely tickles my taste buds. But, tell me, why is it that the things which bring us so much pleasure are so bad for us? Obviously, there's something wrong with me. Normal women don't indulge in such fattening, artery-clogging fancies in the morning. It's not like I do this every morning, but when a chocolate donut graces my kitchen counter, it calls out to me, "Come and dine!" I'm powerless to resist.

The Bibles tells me to "resist the chocolate donut and it will flee" [TJV-The Jan Version].  But have you ever seen a donut flee? I mean, does it suddenly grow little legs and scamper off into some hidden place where it won't be a temptation to me? Surely, the little round fellow would leave a trail of chocolate, I'd simply follow it to its hiding place, consume it, and that would be the end of it. Actually, the thrill of the hunt may make the prize even sweeter, so wouldn't it be better just to eat it before it gets even sweeter? After all, it's already packed full of sugar and calories without the added sweet thrill of victory!

In all seriousness, I rarely indulge but when I do, I live with regrets. I know I've opened the door to guilt and shame because I've allowed myself to yield to temptation. Actually, the chocolate donut is a silly example of how we allow sinful thoughts to lead to sinful actions. Our eyes fix on the forbidden fruit, we cannot resist, we make excuses and justify our sin, and we partake only to find ourselves plagued with guilt and shame after the fact.

James 4:7-8 officially says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (NIV) We have a remedy for temptation that's been tried and proven over and over and over throughout the centuries. The power is not in resisting temptation; rather, the power is in submitting ourselves to God.

When we position ourselves near to God with submitted hearts, we find strength to resist temptation, even if it's a luscious chocolate donut with morning coffee. James tells us if we come near to God, He will come near to us. We have to make the first move toward Him to find that place of strength in the face of such great temptations.

Although my taste buds may disagree, there's nothing sweeter and more satisfying than being close to the Lord, sheltered under His wings, and infused with power to resist temptation. So, today I'll let those little chocolate donuts sit there on the counter ... I've found the place of true guilt-free pleasure and shame-free satisfaction in Christ.

Tomorrow, well, Lord help me stay strong!

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 62:11 NIV)

© Jan Ross 2008
All Rights Reserved

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8)

"Ye were sometimes darkness." What a beautiful expression of the contrast between our past and our present! All of us were in darkness before we came to know the Lord! We walked in darkness . . . there was no light in us!

"But now are ye light in the Lord." A reminder that in and of ourselves there is no light, any light that we have is in the Lord!

"Walk as children of light." The point of the verse . . . we once were in darkness, now we're in light. So, "Walk as children of light." The responsibility of the light bearer is to make sure the light always shines!

We cannot walk as children of light if we're not following in His footsteps, if we're not on the straight and narrow path. Our will must be His will . . . our desires, His desires!

Is your light shining brightly or is it dimmed by a lifestyle that does not glorify the Lord? It is so important to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk"! Walk as children of light . . . let your light shine . . . you will ultimately glorify the Lord and draw others to Him!

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)

Father, the darkness of my past is something I never want to return to . . . I'm walking in Your light now and that's what I'm determined to do for the rest of my life! Lord, help me to let my light shine . . . not only just a little bit, but brighter and brighter as the days go on. Lord I long to glorify You in my life and through my life . . . I love You . . . shine through me! Amen!

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted" (Psalm 104:16)

The trees of the Lord are full of sap, saturated and abundantly supplied with that which is necessary to their growth! There is no want, no lack, of that which is needful to them. The trees of the Lord—the cedars of Lebanon are the loftiest and most magnificent of trees on the face of the earth! The trees being so lofty and large, it seems as if one none of them could be planted except by the Lord God Almighty Himself!

The "trees of the Lord" would remind us of the "trees of righteousness" which are the planting of the Lord, planted in his vineyard. They are full of sap, for what God plants he will water, and those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13).

We have to ask ourselves this question . . . "Are we full of sap?" This verse indicates that we have been given ample supply to cause us to grow into high and lofty trees, a glory to the earth in which they are planted! Are we growing? Are our roots digging down deeper and deeper as time goes on? Or, are we not doing anything with our "sap"? Are we bearing fruit?

It is a sad thing to meet people who are not doing anything with what God has invested in them! Matthew 21:19 talks of a certain fig tree which was bearing no fruit; Jesus cursed the tree and it withered away. To be a lavish, fruit-bearing tree is important to God, almost like a return on His investment!

We have been blessed with an abundance of life-giving, life-sustaining, life-changing "sap". Be careful to draw on that sap to grow your roots deep into His Word and love for you thus fulfilling His plans for your life!

Father, help me to be like the Cedars of Lebanon . . . firm, sound, unmoveable, unchangeable, having roots that run deep, an abundance of sap to sustain me, and bearing much fruit. Father, take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee! As you care for the beast of the field, for the fish in the sea, and for all of creation, Help me, Lord, to use what you have invested in me, bearing much fruit, for Your glory! Amen!

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalm 1:3)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

What does it mean to "dwell in the secret place of the Most High?" 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!

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." (Psalm 57:1)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 89:1)

Praise . . . not much will put a song in your heart and a spring in your step like praising the Lord all the day long!

A song stirring in your heart can dictate the mood of your day when it's a song of praise that's welling up within you! You can be working in the worst of circumstances, but no one can take that song out of your heart! You can be facing the worst circumstances in life, but when there's a song of praise in your heart, you can face anything!

Nehemiah said, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Thankfully, praise keeps us in touch with the joy of the Lord, which continually gives us the strength we need to face our problems.

What better way to praise the Lord than to sing of His mercies! After all, it is His mercy that bought our deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. It is His mercy that gives us hope!

And, finally, what better way to give hope to your children and your children's children than to teach them to sing of the mercies of the Lord . . . and to make known His faithfulness to ALL generations!

Father, my mind is bombarded with thoughts that would consume me and silence the song of praise in my heart! Help me to recognize those attacks quickly and to take hold of the reins of my mind and cast down all thoughts that prevent me from singing of your mercies continually! Father, teach me to keep that fire burning – the fire that consumes all the wood, hay and stubble but that purifies all that is precious to you! Let a new song spring forth from my heart declaring your mercies and proclaiming your goodness to all generations! I love You, Lord, and I give you all my Praise! Amen!

"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. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13:15-16)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39)

Peace . . . a precious gift! We all desire it, yet we all find ourselves in the midst of storms, sometimes one right after the other! But have you noticed that when the Master speaks into your situation, peace is not far off?

The disciples were busy, frantically fighting the storm while the precious Saviour slept peacefully. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until the disciples woke Him up being overcome with fear and doubt and uncertainty about the future that He arose and spoke "Peace" into the situation! This is a wonderful example of how we spend our lives. We are at rest with the Saviour during the "calm" . . . yet when a storm arises we struggle and struggle trying to control the situation ourselves. Yet every time, without fail, when we finally run to Him asking for intervention, He speaks "Peace" and the storm comes under His control and we're once again living in the PEACE that only He can give!

Are you walking through a storm right now? Have you struggled long enough on your own to control the situation? It's time to call upon the "Peace Speaker" and ask Him to take control. Then, submit to His will in the situation and you will find that long, sought-after PEACE!

Father, forgive me for the struggles I endure on my own because of my stubbornness. Help me to be quick to seek Your face when the storm arises . . . help me to find PEACE early rather than waiting until the storm seems to overwhelm me. Father, I want to live a disciplined life before you even when the storm clouds aren't in sight . . . I need to know You more, I need to love You more! You're the greatest thing in all my life . . . You are my all in all! Amen!

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20)

God's grace . . . what a gift! In these last days we're seeing sin abound . . . some even say that the state of this world would make Sodom & Gomorra blush. Whether or not that's the case, it still remains that this generation has surpassed previous ones in its ability to perpetrate evil in unthinkable ways without conscience!

The good news is, however, that as sin increases, so does the Grace of God!

Greater measures of God's grace can be found in:

Grace to Endure . . . When the sinfulness of those around us seems to have increased, we can praise God that His grace has also increased our ability to endure persecution.

Grace to Shine . . . When it seems like there's nothing to be happy about, God's grace gives us the ability to keep smiling, to keep praise on our lips and a song in our heart . . . not because of the condition of this world, but because of Who He is!

Grace to Evangelize . . . An increased measure to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being found in the hearts of believers today. It seems the more we see God's goodness and grace in our lives, the more we want all those around to share in His amazing love!

Grace to Go Through What's Happening In the World Today . . . persecution, trials, tribulations . . . an extra measure of God's grace enables us to face whatever comes our way!

Grace Inwardly and Outwardly . . . God gives us a supernatural ability to resist sin and temptation by His Grace.

When you feel evil all around you . . . when you feel the weight of oppression bearing down on your life, look up . . . God's Grace has made a way for you to endure whatever you're facing. His Grace is absolutely and unquestionably sufficient!

Father, thank you for your Grace . . . when I'm in need, when things around me seem to be falling apart, when I'm weighed down with oppression, when I feel that I can't go on any longer, your Grace becomes my way through. What a wonderful expression of Your love toward us . . . toward me -- Your Grace so completely sufficient! Amen!

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." (James 4:6-8)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved