The Israelites had just been delivered from the hand of Pharaoh, the relentless ruler whose heart was hardened toward them. God had a plan for His people , a plan that would take time - His time.

God visibly led the children of Israel on their journey with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He could easily have led them to their destination in a very short time; however, they would not have been prepared for the battle that awaited them. The children of Israel, during their time of captivity, had been laborers not warriors. Their spirits were broken because of life's circumstances while in captivity.

"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt" (Exodus 13:17)

It amazes me to think that God, when we were delivered from bondage by the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, could have led us directly to the fulfillment of His promises to us. But, like the children of Israel, He knew we wouldn't be ready for the giants we would encounter without a time of learning and growing and building up of our faith . . . without a time in the wilderness.

God knows our frame and He understands our weaknesses. As He leads us away from our former captivity, God limits our trials according to our strength, not allowing us to face more than what He has enabled and equipped us to face. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

While the children of Israel went about their journey out of bondage into the Promised Land for forty long years, it was a time of testing and preparation for the giants they would encounter when they arrived.

God is preparing us one day at a time to face the giants found in our tomorrows. We need not worry about not being able to deal with what our future may bring for God has proven Himself faithful time and time and time again. Just as He brought the children of Israel out of bondage, the Lord brought us out of bondage strengthening and preparing us for journey toward our destiny.

Take a moment and thank the Lord for His abundant love, a love that causes Him to lead us every moment of every day and night. He has a plan that will prepare us for what tomorrow brings while He gives us the strength to walk through today. In other words, He's got us covered.

Lord, You amaze me! Thank You for loving me enough to purchase my freedom from the "captor" and to lead me through this life's journey to my destiny. Father, thank You--it's obvious that You've got me covered. By the blood of Jesus and in His name I pray, amen and amen!

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

© Jan Ross
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One of the hardest things in life is to cast down pride and a self-serving attitude to concentrate on being a servant to others.

In today's world, everywhere we look we're enticed to consider ourselves before anyone else. Abortion serves self, homosexuality serves self, drug and alcohol abuse serve self; even divorce in most instances serves self in one way or another.

Jesus, through His example of love and humility, challenged us to consider others more highly than ourselves through service. John F. Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." This easily applies to us as Christians..."Ask not what others can do for you, but ask what you can do for others."

If we could only learn to focus on others' needs, to serve them with an unselfish heart, our needs would be met as well. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed" (James 5:16a). In other words, focus on the needs of others and God will make sure our needs are met as well.

To have a "servant's heart" allows God to use us as His instruments to minister to all those around us.

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:14-17).

Oh, that we would all learn to have such selfless compassion!

Lord, help me to remember that being a servant, having a servant's heart, and serving others is what pleases you. Help me to follow your example of love, humility, and selflessness, becoming less aware of self and more aware of others. Because of Your love and in Your precious Name I pray, amen!

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another" (Romans 12:10).

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

One of the hardest things in life is to cast down pride and a self-serving attitude to concentrate on being a servant to others.

In today's world, everywhere we look we're enticed to consider ourselves before anyone else. Abortion serves self, homosexuality serves self, drug and alcohol abuse serve self; even divorce in most instances serves self.

Jesus, through His example of love and humility, challenged us to consider others more highly than ourselves through service. John F. Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." This easily applies to us as Christians..."Ask not what others can do for you, but ask what you can do for others."

If we could only learn to focus on others' needs, to serve them with an unselfish heart, our needs would be met as well. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed" (James 5:16a). In other words, focus on the needs of others and God will make sure our needs are met as well.

To have a "servant's heart" allows God to use us as His instruments to minister to all those around us.

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:14-17).

Oh, that we would all learn to have such selfless compassion!

Lord, help me to remember that being a servant, having a servant's heart, and serving others is what pleases you. Help me to follow your example of love, humility, and selflessness, becoming less aware of self and more aware of others. Because of Your love and in Your precious Name I pray, amen!

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another" (Romans 12:10).

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

The Lord on high…He is an immovable anchor cast in the storm. The Lord does more wondrous things than the noise of many waters. They cannot disturb His rest or rule. They cannot defeat His designs and purposes.

God is mighty to preserve His people from being ruined by these many waters and His people's spirits from being terrified by the noise of them. He can, when He pleases, command peace in our lives. The unlimited sovereignty and unrelenting power of the awesome God we serve encourages His people, even in the midst of the most difficult storms of life.

Who is mightier than the waves of any trial in our lives? The Lord on High!

Who can calm the raging storms in our lives? The Lord on High!

Whose love knows no end? The Lord on High!

Who is mightier than the mighty waves of the sea? The Lord on High!

Who is the soon coming King? The Lord on High!

The Psalmist summed it up perfectly … "The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." (Psalm 93:4)

Hallelujah to the Lord on High!

Lord, You ARE mightier than the waves of any trial in my life for You ARE the Lord on High. There is none like You in all the earth or in the heavens above the earth. You are the immovable anchor in the midst of my storms. Help me remember when the waves billow out their deafening sound in my soul that You will be there to calm the sea for Your voice is mightier than the noise of many waters. Thank You for such an awesome assurance, amen.

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

He makes "grass to grow upon the mountains" . . . meditate on that for just a moment.

A while back as I listened to a guest pastor share the Word of God at our local church, my heart suddenly leapt within me. God opened my eyes to an important truth through his simple sharing. Although he used this illustration in a slightly different context, today's verse brought life to it as God stirred within my heart.

"Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." (Psalm 147:8)

Having been from South Carolina, this pastor's family often traveled through the Blue Ridge Mountains to his home. His wife and daughter were usually in the car saying things like, "Ahhhhhhhh.....such beauty! Look at the flowers! Look at the river rustling as it leaps over the rocks! Look at the sun peeping through the towering trees."

In fact, they usually very audibly and descriptively enjoyed the picturesque testimony of God's greatness that was so prominent along the way. But, while in the driver's seat, all he could see was the mountain ahead as together they ascended on the long and winding road to the top of one mountain only to descend and repeat the ups and downs over and over again until they reached their final destination.

The difference between the passengers and the driver was the focal point. This begs the question: In our journey through life, what is OUR focal point? Do we focus on the beauty of life's "scenery" as we journey along the way? Or, is our focus on the arduous task of climbing the mountain that seems to never end?

Our choice of focal points will frame our attitudes, bringing us either sheer delight in seeing God in every step we take or dismay as we contemplate the hard climb ahead. It's purely a matter of perspective.

Through every mountain there are joys. We just have to take our eyes off the mountainous road ahead of us and enjoy the scenery displayed each step of the way. God is everywhere! He's with us, manifesting His blessings, sharing His beauty, and giving us joy along the way as we make our way up and down each mountain. And, never forget He's even in the valley between the mountains. It's all in our perspective.

Psalm 148:7-9 says, "Praise the LORD from the earth . . . mountains, and all hills . . ."

Let's join in praise to Him who not only created the mountains but who also is in our very midst as we climb, showing us His glory each step along the way. If we don't praise Him in the midst of our mountains, the rocks and the mountains themselves will proclaim praise in our stead for our God WILL be praised!

Father, it is in realizing that You have created the mountains that I can learn to praise you for them while going up and while going down. Help me to stop along the way, admiring the beauty of Your majesty as I behold Your presence with each step I take. Teach me to look for You every day in all places, both the easy and the hard, the steep and the level, the mountains and the valleys. Thank You, Lord, for the grass upon the mountains—the evidence of Your Hand along the way. I offer my praise to You, oh Lord, amen!

"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." (Psalm 72:19)

© Jan Ross
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There are few if any significant events in our lives that would surpass our wedding day. The bride in her white gown and the groom eagerly waiting the moment their eyes meet as they enter into a covenant with each other and with God. Preparation for the wedding took a lot of time and careful planning, paying attention to each detail so as to not overlook anything. The bride takes special care to prepare herself for her new husband. Her hair has to be just right; her nails groomed perfectly, her dress without wrinkle or spot, her veil carefully positioned to express her innocence and purity. All in all, the wedding day is one that is long anticipated, and its memory is one that lasts throughout a lifetime.

"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Revelation 19:8)

The Bride of Christ can be similarly compared, however. Her dress is not one purchased by her; it is one that is GRANTED to her because she has made herself ready. The fine linen garment is a gift from the Bridegroom Himself, lavished upon His bride. It is fitting that the garment is linen as it represents the righteousness of the saints. We need to realize, however, that the garment is NOT hers by personal merit or gain; it actually belongs to her Groom as His righteousness is her covering. It is the gracious bestowment of the Lord; the reference here must be to that righteousness which is obtained by faith, the righteousness that results from justification through the merits of the Redeemer.

Have you made yourself ready? Are you positioned to be granted the garment made of fine linen, clean and white? Are you clothed with His righteousness?

These questions are the most important you could ever ask yourself. Set your sights upon Him as you begin your preparation for the day you will hear the blowing of the shofar and the message proclaimed, "Behold the Bridegroom Cometh . . . prepare ye the way of the Lord!"

Lord, what a beautiful picture of Your bride! Lord, help me remember that being granted the privilege of wearing the robe of white linen has nothing to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with You. Your righteousness is given freely to those who bear Your name and are walking in Your light. Lord, I long for the day when I will hear, "Behold the Bridegroom Cometh . . . prepare ye the way of the Lord!" Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen and Amen!

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

We have something new and exciting we'd like to share with you!  It's the new Heart of God International Ministries toolbar – once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Heart of God International Ministries – at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!).  The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Heart of God International Ministries.  http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/heart-of-god-international-ministries

The prophet Isaiah said, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:2-3).

If God is truly our salvation, we must trust, and not be afraid. The God we trust in will never fail us. Is the Lord Jehovah our salvation? Then he will be our strength and our song. He surely will strengthen us with all might by His Spirit for He is our strength. We can depend upon him to comfort us in all our tribulations for He is our song! He will put a song in our hearts even in the darkest hours we walk through.

We all experience those dark hours when God seems so far away. But, it's comforting to know that it's all in our perception. God hasn't moved away from us...if anyone has done the moving, it's us. When we feel our weakest, He is His strongest in our lives. When we feel so far away, He is His closest to us. When we feel so very all alone in life, He is there in the midst of us. When we want to run and hide, He's there with His arms open wide.

He is our salvation. He is the One in whom we place our trust. He is our strength. He is the song in our heart. He causes joy to spring forth from the midst of us. He is everything we need. He is our very life. He is our All in All.

"Out of the wells of salvation," God's favor shall flow forth to you. With pleasure, satisfaction and JOY, let us draw water out of the wells of salvation. Aren't you glad you are walking in His favor? I know I am!

Father, I rejoice in the precious gift of salvation You have given me. I choose today to trust and not to fear, knowing that You are my strength. There is a song in my heart today because of You, there's a song TO YOU bubbling up in my soul for great is your salvation and your favor toward me. Help me to draw from the wells of salvation every day of my life so my life will be a continuous praise unto You. Amen.

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Today is our Wedding Anniversary! On February 12, 1972 we were united in marriage having entered into a covenant with one another and with God making a formal and public commitment to love, honor, and cherish each other in the good times and in the bad. And believe me, having raised six children has given us the opportunity to experience both the good times and bad! We praise God for His faithfulness through it all.

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." (Ephesians 5:31)

Since that memorable day our lives have been woven together time and time again to the extent that although we are uniquely individual, we are also uniquely one. It's a mystery how this happens. Paul said in Ephesians 5:32 that the mystery is akin to the relationship between Christ and the church. During the course of our marriage, we have taken on attributes and characteristics that belong to each other. We think alike, we act alike, we respond alike, and more so as time passes.

I can remember as a young girl, there was a family two houses up the street from us. They were unusual just like our family—they had adopted children. Our mothers would occasionally get together for coffee while we played together. The families stayed close all through my childhood until I married and moved away. The mothers would often share their stories of people who didn't know that we were all adopted would comment on how much we looked like our mothers. I can remember them laughing to the point of tears at times; they would get so tickled.

When I was about eight years old my mother took me to our dentist for a regular check-up. He had been the family dentist for many years and knew the family well...at least he thought he did. After my check-up, he turned to my mother and told her that he felt so sorry for me—my teeth were just like hers. He went on to explain how often he could tell immediately which parent passed down the genetic code for teeth, their shape, size, color, etc. Being the wise woman she was, she just let him talk. On the way back home, she laughed and laughed. The dentist never even knew I was adopted. I was my mother's daughter and he thought he could prove it by the characteristics he witnessed.

This is the same mystery with the church. The more we spend time with the Lord, the more closely we will resemble Him, being woven together as one, intertwined, and inseparable.

Take some time today to examine your life. Do you bear a family resemblance to your "Betrothed"? Is your life more like Christ than like your old nature? Can He be seen in every aspect of your life? Are people convinced by your behavior that you belong to Him?

Father, I want to be more like You; I long to have people see You in me as my flesh fades in the glory of Your presence that surrounds me and dwells within me. Lord, just as I take on some of the attributes and character of those with whom I am close, my desire is to be like You and even more so with each new passing day. Father, let Your character, Your integrity, Your love, Your compassion, Your mercy...let Your life be seen in me so that all will know that I am part of Your family as they see You in me. In Jesus' name, amen!

"And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19:5-6)

No matter where we are, no matter how far we are from home, we can cry to the Lord for help and He'll hear our cry. Wherever we are, we have access to the throne of grace where we will find help in the time of need. That's a promise, one that will lead us to the Rock every time there's a need. One commentator said, "That which separates us from our other comforts should drive us so much the nearer to God, the fountain of all comfort."

No matter how overwhelmed our heart may feel at times, it must be lifted up to God in prayer. There is no other solution for life's problems, and He's always there with arms opened wide; many times He's waiting for us just to ask for His help.

The next time you're at the end of your rope, or your circumstances seem to be swallowing you up, or problems are overwhelming you, be sure to run to Him in prayer. No amount of wishing and hoping and positive thinking will rescue you like the arm of the Most High reaching down and guiding you to the path of deliverance from your situation.

Remember, if He leads you to the Rock (and He will), you will be on top of your problems and see your circumstances from a far different perspective. This Rock is Christ, and we are safe if we are in Him.

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2)

Father, thank You for reminding me that You are always near, that I can, at any moment, reach out to You and You will concern Yourself about my business. Father, I must confess that many times I am overwhelmed, but I thank You and praise You for the assurance that there is a Rock that is higher than I. It is Your desire to meet my every need regardless of where I am, what the situation is, and how difficult the circumstances are. Lord, thank You for all You've done, amen!

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." (Psalm 18:2)

©Jan Ross
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