Drawing Closer to Christ

The Lord Is There

Psalm 16:11 NKJV, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

At the start of the year, I shared that my phrase for 2026 was, “Choose Jesus, Embrace Joy” and that Psalm 16:11 is the scripture that inspired my phrase. I mentioned that I was looking forward to learning more about choosing Jesus and embracing the joy that comes from abiding in His Presence.

In my personal Bible study, I just finished reading through the book of Leviticus, and Leviticus is a book that will certainly remind us of the gift that Jesus is. When I think of the presence of God and the freedom we have through Jesus Christ to enter into His presence and abide in Him, my heart overflows with thanksgiving and joy. The truth that a holy God would choose to live within us through His Spirit is mindblowing (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). These things are proof that God desires to be intimate with us. We never have to be without Him. He wants to commune with us daily and reveal Himself to us as we seek Him. He is not a far away distant God, but He is always with us, fully present. He is Jehovah Shammah, which means “The Lord is There.”

As God has been teaching me more about His presence, He has been showing me that when I spend time in His presence, He gives me exactly what I need. His presence is greater than my greatest needs, desires or worries. Who He is surpasses anything or anyone. His presence is not just where we go to petition for blessings, He himself is the blessing. There is no end to what God can do when we spend time with Him. His presence restores us, comforts us, delivers us from fear, protects us, teaches us, convicts us and changes us. When we spend time in the presence of Almighty God, we learn that He is more than enough. He gives us the fullness of joy we need to continue our journey here on Earth, no matter the circumstances.

I have had times where I anxiously entered God’s presence, full of cares or worries, feeling drained from life, with a list of prayer requests. But as I enter, I can feel Him gently reminding me to just be still and take time to enjoy His presence and the blessings it alone can bring. Of course, God wants to hear what’s on our hearts and He tells us to make our requests known with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) but He also wants us to remember that His presence is our greatest need. He is our refuge and strength.

I pray you find great comfort in knowing that God is with you. Below are some verses for reflection. God bless you.

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Ps 37:7 NLT

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Ps 46:10 ESV

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Ps 91:1-2 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Ezekiel 48:35 NKJV

…The Lord is there.

8 Lessons from the Life of Joseph

Joseph is someone that many of us are familiar with. His story is found in Genesis 37-50. His story inspires us by reminding us of the providence and faithfulness of God, even in the face of dire circumstances. God is always able to accomplish His purposes in our lives. Below are some of the lessons from Joseph’s journey that remind us to keep our eyes on Jesus because He loves us and is always working in our lives.

Walking in the ways of Jesus requires determination, even in the face of temptation. We must be willing to stand for what is right, and acknowledge when sin is knocking on our door. When faced with temptation, Joseph said, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Joseph was not willing to betray God to satisfy the desires of others or himself. (Genesis 39:9)
Obedience to God will sometimes put you in uncomfortable situations. Joseph ended up in jail because of His determination to honor God, resist the devil and flee. But even though he was stuck in jail, God showed Him kindness and he was eventually promoted and put in charge of everything (Genesis 39:21-22). So even when you feel stuck in a bad situation, God has a purpose. We just need to trust Him and keep our hearts open to the opportunities He wants to bring our way.
Be aware of others because showing empathy shows God’s love. In spite of all Joseph was going through, he took time to notice that two of his fellow prisoners, the king of Egypt’s chief cupbearer and chief baker, looked distraught and he asked them, “Why do you look so sad today?” (Genesis 40:5-7) This shows that even while in jail, Joseph had grown close to God because he was showing concern for others. God will give us discernment and wisdom so that we can be a blessing to those around us. We must be willing to pay attention to the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit and obey. Joseph’s concern for these two men, and the opportunity God gave him to interpret their dreams also ended up playing a significant role in his eventual release from prison.
When you sacrifice and give to others but feel forgotten by them, God still sees you. The chief cupbearer forgot to tell Pharaoh about the dreams that Joseph interpreted as he said he would. This caused Joseph to spend an extra two years in jail before the chief cupbearer finally remembered to mention Joseph’s name to Pharaoh and what he had done for him when he interpreted dreams for him and the baker. But in reality, it was part of God’s plan and timing because now it gave Joseph the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams so Pharaoh could experience Joseph’s gift firsthand (Genesis 41:1-36).
Always give God glory for your accomplishments. Joseph did not take credit for his ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, instead He boldly proclaimed to Pharaoh, that “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:16). It is God’s power working in us that enables us to do what we do.
Favor and promotion in life come from God in His timing. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph was exalted and became second in command to Pharaoh over the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:37-45). This was a long way from the young boy who was betrayed and sold by his brothers (Genesis 37:18-36).
Pay attention to a person’s character. Once Joseph was reunited with his brothers, he still used wisdom and tested them several times to see if their hearts had changed (Genesis 44). We need God’s wisdom to navigate relationships. Remember, a person’s actions reveal their character.
Love and forgiveness always win. Joseph could have had animosity towards his brothers but instead He showed them love and forgiveness (Genesis 45). Although forgiveness doesn’t always lead to reconciliation with those who hurt us, like it did for Joseph, it does free us from the toxicity that the sin of unforgiveness can cause. As always, Jesus is our greatest example of love and forgiveness.

God allows difficult seasons to instill discipline, build our character and teach us to trust Him. Joseph went from being a young immature boy who was betrayed by his brothers to being a faithful and godly ruler who was second in command over all of Egypt. This shows us that our perseverance in our faith in God is not without reward.

Hebrews 11:6 NIV, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

When God gives you a dream, promise or vision for your life, He is the only one who can bring it to past. Our job is to trust Him and obey His instructions. He will work in and through you, in and through people, and He will work in the midst of your tough circumstances. So never limit God’s work in your life; with Him all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26)

Scripture & Prayer: Do Not Be Anxious, Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that we can bring all of our requests to you, with thankful hearts. We are thankful that you are good and that you will always be faithful in any situation we face. You are concerned about every worry, every concern, and every circumstance, good or bad. The details of our lives matter to you.

Teach us to be quick to pray whenever we feel anxious. We can be completely honest with you because you love us and know us better than we know ourselves. And you desire to be intimately involved in our lives.

As we give you our anxious thoughts, you promised to give us your peace in return. You have promised us that your peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and go beyond our understanding. And we are thankful that the love and peace you give far outweigh any hurt we feel or any issues we face.

Lord, I pray for each person reading this prayer right now, that they would make their specific requests known to you, with thanksgiving.

I pray that they would joyfully receive the peace that you promised as they continue to wait on you with expectation and trust, knowing that you are at work in their hearts and lives.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Remember to Rest

Mark 6:30-31 NLT: 30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Jesus was encouraging the apostles to rest. He saw how busy they had all been and that they needed to rest and eat. He feels the same about us when we are overworked without sufficient rest. I remember a time about five years ago, while I was in graduate school that God started speaking to me about the importance of rest. I always say that being in school is like a part time job, because for me, it required at least an extra 20 hours a week of work, outside of the full time job I already had. So I would diligently work 7 days a week trying to stay on top of my many projects and assignments.

When I felt God leading me to take time to rest, I thought it was odd that he would call me to work less at a time I felt pressured to work more. And interestingly enough, the semester I was in had one of the most difficult classes, with the most difficult professor in my whole program. I was spending long hours trying to complete his long homework assignments and he never wanted to answer your questions. One time, he told me I should be able to answer my own question. Another time, after asking for clarification on one of the questions on a quiz he had already graded, he told me he discovered something else I did wrong and deducted another five points! He was so difficult and unkind that one of my fellow classmates decided to go to the dean to complain. She said the classes cost way too much for us not to get the quality instruction we deserved, and I, along with many other students, agreed.

But in spite of all of this, God was calling me to lay down my extra study hours and rest. So I begin taking Sundays off from school work. At first I felt nervous because I was concerned about not getting my work done on time. However, I knew it was God speaking to my heart and I knew I needed to obey Him and rest. After a couple of weeks, I started really looking forward to my Sundays off from school work. I felt relief knowing I could rest mentally and physically from sitting at the computer trying to get more school work done. Plus, it gave me extra time to spend with my mom, who was still living at the time.

Miraculously, even after taking my day of rest, I still always completed my assignments and projects on time and I felt much more energized when it was time to start the new work week. Praise God, I was able to pass that difficult class with an A. I felt shocked because I had struggled through most of the class. Even though it was an accounting class, which is the field I have worked in for over twenty years now, it was extremely hard. But God is faithful. He is faithful to be who He is and faithful to bless us when we decide to be who He has called us to be. Our acts of obedience never go unrewarded by God, the rewards just sometimes look different from what we expected.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Remember to rest. We all need it. In Jesus Christ, we have spiritual rest through His death and resurrection, but we also have physical rest when we choose to trust Him and honor Him with our bodies. My greatest times of rest come when I spend time in God’s presence, allowing Him to refresh me, speak to me, and give me the strength I need to live another day. I can’t do without Him because He is my Daily Bread.

Our God is willing and ready to help us organize our lives. The world will keep us busy, but God will keep us busy with what matters most, while helping us to get the rest we need. I’ve heard it said that, “Everything that is good, is not good for us.” In other words, an overcrowded schedule filled with an abundance of good things may not be good for you when it steals your rest and peace of mind.

Proper rest is essential for us to fulfill our God given callings and live out our purposes here on earth. Proper rest is essential for us to be able to display the fruit of the Spirit as we interact with others. Proper rest is essential for us to be able to hear God’s voice and obey. May we open our hearts to receive God’s rest.

Father,

Thank you for the rest we have in you through Jesus Christ. Help us to honor you with our bodies, as we invite you into our daily lives. Teach us to pray about everything and trust you to give us the direction and balance we need as we plan our days. May we surrender every detail big and small to you. May you be glorified through us as we seek to honor you with proper rest. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Psalm 116:7 NIV, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.”

God Sees Our Hearts

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of joining a church in a time of fasting and prayer, something many churches do at the start of a new year. Although a fast is challenging, it is also exciting to spend extra time with God in prayer and let His presence replace some of the daily foods I consume and activities that take up my time.

It’s also a time of anticipation, as I anticipate growing closer to the Lord, hearing His voice more clearly, and learning whatever He wants to teach me through His Word.

During my time of fasting and praying, God strongly impressed upon my heart how much He loves His church, the community of believers, who confess Jesus Christ, His Son, as Savior and Lord. He showed me how His heart breaks when our hearts drift away from Him.

He revealed that one of His greatest desires for those in the body of Christ, who have drifted away from Him, is for them to repent and return their hearts to Him. I could sense God’s urgency, so this caused me to examine my own heart and repent of the ways I have knowingly or unknowingly allowed my heart to drift away from Him.

Acts 3:19-20 NIV

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

Through this time of fasting and praying, God also impressed upon me that He desires to be our main Source for provision, protection, value and acceptance. Many have turned from Him and now search for these things in the world, but He is the supplier of our needs.

He is our Provider, our Protector, and the One who accepts us and loves us unconditionally. Our value does not come from worldly accomplishments. Our value does not come from the opinions of others. We are valuable because we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27).

The world offers us many options apart from God, but He is beckoning us to choose what is best, to choose Him, above all else. He loves us more than we even know and cares for us in ways we do not always understand.

God illuminated to me how far above this world His Kingdom is. His kingdom exceeds anything this world could ever offer us. Yet many times as His children, we get caught up in the temporary satisfaction this world has to offer.

Psalm 145:16-17 NIV

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.

We can return our hearts to God daily, through the time we spend with Him in prayer and His Word, and through the choices we make that show our love for Him and our allegiance to His kingdom.

One thing we can always be sure of, is that God always wants our hearts to be fully surrendered to Him. 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us that, “…People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We can be confident that the God we serve sees our heart, which encourages us to come to Him about anything. We don’t have to hide, because God sees all, but still chooses to love us unconditionally.

How blessed we are to belong to Him and be part of His kingdom. May God continue to bless and keep you as you abide in Him daily.

John 15:4 NKJV

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Scripture & Prayer: Meditate on God’s Word, Psalm 1:1-2

Psalm 1:1-2 NIV

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Your Word declares that we are blessed when we choose to not follow the ways of those who reject you. It is you who makes our paths straight and keeps our way pure. Help us to stay clear of sin and choose to walk in the righteousness that we have received through the blood and body of Jesus Christ. When we struggle with sin, help us to turn to you, repent, and receive the strength and courage we need to change.

May we walk in the Spirit of self discipline that you have given us and choose to meditate on Your Word day and night so that we can know and understand your truth, hide it in our hearts, and be doers of your Word. For your Word is flawless and it will always stand.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Happy Easter

The lyrics* to a song called, “Jesus Be Jesus in Me,” came to my mind recently…

Jesus, be Jesus in me
No longer me but Thee
Resurrection power
Fill me this hour
Jesus, be Jesus in me

I pray that the resurrection power of Jesus Christ would fill our hearts, as we reflect on the beautiful sacrifice He made when He gave His life for us. And then He rose again so we can know God the Father and live an abundant life.

Jesus said in John 10:10 ESV,“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

He also said in John 14:6 ESV,“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Thank you Jesus, for being the way!

Wishing you and your family a happy and blessed Easter! He is risen!

*Lyrics by: Eddie Carswell, Gary & Shawn Mcspadden

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