I love quality time conversations. There is nothing superficial about them. They are not just passing the time. It is not a discussion about the weather or current events. No, they have depth because they involve the communion between two hearts. It is a precious time for sharing back and forth about our hopes and dreams. We each are listening from our heart. It is eye to eye contact that says, ‘I care about what is in your heart.’

Psalm 92:5 says, “O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep.”​ The Lord is never superficial. He knows our heart’s thoughts. He knows the motives behind every thought. Therefore all His communion with us is deep. He loves to impart His wisdom, open His word to us, share His desires, and give us revelational insights. 

Job 26:14 says, “Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” C. S. Lewis said: God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

I love to think about Romans 11:33. It says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” We will never plumb the depths of God’s ways, character, attributes, or wisdom. However, He delights in unfolding as much as we can handle. We are finite, but He is infinite. Infinite means that it is impossible to measure.

Colossians 2:3 says, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Note the word ‘all’ because it means everything without exception. The world system has no wisdom for us, because He has it all. We do not have His wisdom unless He imparts it to us. He knows we need His wisdom and He says to ask. James 1:5 says that if we need wisdom to navigate through our trials, all we have to do is ask. He gives liberally, abundantly, profusely, and like manna, just as much as we gather.

Here are two of my favorite verses about His depth from the Amplified. 1 Corinthians 2:10 says, “Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the (Holy) Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny).”

Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.” 

He uses our meditating in His word to draw us to Himself. He unfolds, expands, and opens our understanding so we can drink in the depth of His wisdom. He lavishes us with previously hidden truths when we seek Him with our heart. He delights to reveal Himself to those who come to dine. Intimate communion is not piecemeal, it is partaking of His sumptuous word-banquet. He is our True Satisfyer.  

Yesterday I started reading the book of Psalms. I like to read them according to the date and add 30. Yesterday I read: Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, 121. I love this set.

As I read Psalm 1, I thought about roots. Verse 3 revealed the fruit of one who meditates in God’s word day and night. It says, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

Think now about the words: water, season, wither, and prosper. My yard plants are a great illustration. The wind blows in weed seeds. Those seeds fall down into the rocks and send out roots.

Up come the weeds with no work on my part. What happens though when the season of rain is over? They wither and die. That is great for weeds, but not great for hearts. Our hearts can only thrive with drinking water from the well of our salvation.

I have other plants that are faithfully watered every day with my drip system. My succulents have shallow roots. My manzanita has a great root system. My roses? They are in an abundant season of blooms that fill the air with their fragrance.

Our faith-roots are watered as we read God’s word daily. They grow and are established by roots that are nourished through our intimate communion with the Lord. Did you note in Psalm 1:3 that fruit is seasonal? God created plant life in cyclical seasons. Only the tree of life in Revelation 22:2 bears fruit continually.

Are you in a dormant season? That should not cause you concern. Our roots are always gathering nutrients from the soil through our relationship with the Lord. Neither seasons, circumstances, fiery trials, nor hardships take away: they abundantly add benefits we previously lacked. Remember that in God’s economy nothing is in vain. He redeems it all.

Daniel 2:20-21 reminds us of an essential truth that empowers us to endure. It says, “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And HE changes the times and the seasons…”

Like God’s provision of manna was to the children of Israel, we also gather our daily manna. He supplies nutrients that are just the right amount, the right quality, and exactly what we need as we read His word, and abide in Him. Abiding is the soil that will produce fruit in its season. Abundant fruit glorifies Him.

God’s plan for salvation was established before He created man in His own image. Genesis 3:15 says to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

This verse reminds me of the scene in the Passion of Christ. Jesus stopped on the head of the snake. Paul wrote to the Romans. Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly…” We all were captives of satan. Luke 4:18 Amplified says, “…He sent Me to announce release to the captives…to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity).”

Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

We wage war through our knowledge of the Lord. We learn about His ways and His character as we read His word and put it into practice. Print on a page is just that. We have to inculcate it into our hearts. It will then, and only then, become the fabric of truth woven into every thought. Every thought has a motive behind it. May our motive be to glorify the Lord in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Colossians 1:10 is a great summary of how our walk should look. It says, “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

2 Peter 1:3 is the activation of His power in our lives. It says, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him…”

He displays His power in our lives in myriad ways as we read His word and follow it. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Divine revelation. Rich insights. Intimate communion. Don’t let anything rival your relationship with Him.

Jeremiah 30:16 says, “Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; and all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall become plunder, and all who prey upon you I will make a prey.”

That verse was God’s word through Jeremiah to the children of Israel. I’m standing in it for our nation! God appointed the Chaldeans to plunder His people. It was His judgment because they turned away from Him.

Yet watch, because this is a warning to us. The Chaldeans angered God. Jeremiah 50:11 says of them, “Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, you destroyers of My heritage, because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain, and you bellow like bulls.”

Right now our nation is being held captive. Our freedoms are compromised. Isaiah 5:13 says, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…”

Here is another warning for us. The devil is seeking those he might devour. Our defense is Truth within. Our eyes and ears are being bombarded with enemy propaganda. We must keep our focus on Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 says, “In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

Our attitude comes from our thoughts. Let’s be very diligent to display the character of Christ, and not our flesh through complaining. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray. We do well to do the same.

Moab was in a rut. Jeremiah 48:11 says, “Moab has been at ease from his youth; he has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed.”

Ruts can become heart idols. Here is a test. What happens when your routine-rut is disturbed? Are you flexible or rigid? Does your flesh react when that routine-rut is interrupted?

I have an early morning routine. This morning it is interrupted because I have a blood draw at 6:30. That is why this post is late. When I first moved in with my folks to care for them, I quickly discovered that they had a rigid routine. I had to learn it because it was their compass. Certain breakfast on a certain day. When they smelled it cooking, they knew what day it was.

Do you have activities that are non negotiable in your life? Our highest priority should be our relationship with the Lord. Everything flows out of that. It is not a rut or a routine, it is our heart communing with His heart. Worship is a lifestyle. No matter what our circumstances are, we can worship Him.

Let me remind you of Richard Wurmbrand. He was a pastor in Romania. He was imprisoned multiple times for his faith. He bore scars from his tormentors. One time they had drugged him and beaten him mercilessly, then threw him into his cold cement floor cell.

He said that he could not even form words to pray. His mind was drugged, but his heart rose up to say, “Jesus I love You.” Richard had been taken into captivity. He was poured from vessel to vessel. His fragrant heart-worship was only made richer. Pure worship comes from a pure heart.

Our hard trials bring change. They intercept and disrupt every aspect of our lives. Yet, through them the character of Christ is formed in us. Fiery trials cause hidden dross to rise so He can skim it off. It leaves pure gold that allows Him to see His reflection in us.

Have you ever had a red light come on your car dash? What did you do? In my case, decades ago, I kept going and burned up my motor. I was on a causeway that said, ‘Do Not Stop At Any Time.’ I obeyed.

Consider negative thoughts as the red light on your dash. Let them be a warning to stop the thought right there. It is when we dialogue with it, that it brings inner damage.

When I repurpose something, I find another use for it. We repurpose negative thoughts in this way. They are a signal, a warning, and a spoiler alert that we need to instantly heed.

Isaiah 54:16 says, “…I have created the spoiler to destroy.” Hmm. Let’s consider truth as the spoiler in our case. The second we have a negative thought, we use the truth of God’s word to destroy it.

God’s word is sharper than a two-edged sword. William Brewster was the instigator of the Mayflower expedition. He was hated. One day Brewster was walking into his cottage. An excellent swordsman was hiding inside. As Brewster came in the door, this man jumped out with his sword to kill Brewster.

Brewster whipped out his sword and the battle began. Brewster eventually knocked the other’s sword out of his hand and stabbed him in the stomach and slid the sword up. The man only had time for a surprised look on his face and then he died and fell over.

That is the power of God’s word hidden in our heart. The second a negative thought arises, we wield our mighty weapon. We use a truth from His word to slit the life right out of it. It is a militant maneuver that destroys the spoiler-thought.

Nahum 2:1 says, “He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.” This verse is our strategic wisdom for hiding God’s word in our heart. Let us be diligent warriors!

The first step in obedience is to listen attentively. We need to incline our ear, which means to listen favorably. Isaiah 55:3 says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…”

Numerous times the Lord gave Jeremiah a word for the children of Israel. They would not listen. King Zedekiah was warned by God. If he would submit to the king of Babylon he would live. He would not listen. His disobedience cost many lives. All of his sons were killed before his eyes, and then they put out his eyes. Then he was bound with bronze fetters and carried off to Babylon.

In 1975 the Lord gave me specific instructions of what not to do. However, a seemingly great opportunity just fell into my lap and I disobeyed. I reaped that disobedience TEN years.

Why don’t we obey? There are hidden pockets of rebellion in our hearts. They come from unresolved issues. We failed to guard our heart and they took up residence.

Listening attentively is the first step. Then we need to engage our heart. Our heart is our belief center. Doubt, fear, or unbelief can reside in our heart. Romans 10:10 says that it is with our heart that we believe.

Our heart is designed to be a reservoir of God’s word. The enemy of our soul does everything he can to fill it with empty things that do not profit. He desires to thwart God’s purpose in our lives.

A heart that obeys, is lined with a foundation of truth. When the lie comes through a fiery dart, the truth within rises as a sentinel to block it from penetrating. Truth within causes the dart to veer off course.

In 1975 I had verses memorized, but they were not actively applied. At that time I did not understand how a hidden desire could align with the enticement of a temptation (James 1:14-15).

Obeying from our heart is a decision to please the Lord above all else. When His truth lines our heart, our thoughts will come from that hidden truth. They will rise to give honor and glory to the Lord first and foremost in every circumstance of our lives.

Decades ago I taught my Sunday School class about Jeremiah in the dungeon. I made him out of purple pipe stem cleaners. I used strips of cloth for the rags. I still remember it whether any of them do or not. Jeremiah’s helplessness was very real.

Jeremiah was let down into a dungeon with ropes. He sank into the mire. One of the king’s eunuchs heard about it, and he went to the king. Here are the king’s words. Jeremiah 38:10 says, “Take thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies.”

Here is how they did it. Verse 11 says that they took old clothes and old rags and made ropes. Verse 12 they instructed Jeremiah to, “…Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes…” They lifted him out of the mire.

Think back when we were in the dungeon-mire of impossibility. We were alienated from God, our hearts were dark, and our thoughts were futile. No hope. Remember the song: Love Lifted Me? It starts out, “I was sinking deep in sin…” Oh glorious day when He lifted us from our sin’s miry pit!

Our thoughts can be like ropes that lower us down into the mire of despair when we face an impossibility. Yet, like Jeremiah, we must recognize that we are absolutely dependent on God. Our impossibility helps us recognize a truth that is often forgotten: we are unequivocally, in every aspect of our lives, dependent on the Lord. This is where absolute trust operates the fullest that will bring Him glory.

(I lost it. I went to copy what I had just typed and it disappeared! This must be important for someone)

Salvation begins with trust. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”

Trust is a heart decision to obey no matter what the Lord has asked. It is an attitude of trust that does not waver. It is steadfast faith in God’s faithfulness. Mark 11:22 says, “…Have faith in God.”

Let’s look at the example of Abram. Genesis 12:1 says, “Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.”

Verse 4 says, “So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him…And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

I was 57 years old when the Lord told me to resign my job. I had no clue why at that moment. That night my dad asked me to move in with them to care for them 24/7. Like Abram, I began an incredible journey into uncharted territory. I left my city, job, friends, and my church of 21 years. I sold my 1400 square foot mobile, and moved into one bedroom.

Let’s look at the children of Israel for another example. Moses had died and their new leader was Joshua. They were facing the Jordan River that was overflowing its banks. The promised land was on the other side.

Joshua had just instructed them to follow the ark. Joshua 3:4 says, “…Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

That is the power of trust. The Lord has gone before us to prepare the way. He removes anything that would cause us to derail or our faith to fail. All we have to do is follow Him.

Psalm 85:13 says, “Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 23:3 says, “…He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

When we follow God’s pre-charted course, we are in the center of His will. Trust will allow Him to intentionally place our feet every step of the way. Trust is an attitude that bears abundant fruit which glorifies Him.

There was a very interesting situation in Jeremiah’s life. Jerusalem was under siege. The Lord had told them that they would be carried away to Babylon. Then the Lord told Jeremiah to buy a field. Jeremiah did as the Lord instructed, though he did not understand.

He obeyed because he trusted the Lord. Yet he was perplexed so he prayed. Great example for us. He began his prayer by acknowledging God’s power. Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” At the end of his prayer he asked his question.

Verse 25 says, “And You have said to me, O Lord God, Buy the field for money, and take witnesses!–yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” The Lord then explained exactly what He was going to do.

1 Samuel 15:22 says, “…Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” An obedient heart is His delight.

Obedience is a heart response of absolute trust. The path of obedience is strewn with grace. When we have no clue of the ‘why’ God has told us to do something, our instant thought reveals our heart. Do we humble our heart by acknowledging He is God, or do we question why?

James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Obedience is a singular mindset. It is a heart set on God first. Like Daniel, we purpose ahead of time to obey. David wrote Psalm 85. I love verse 11 and use it as a prayer. It says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”

Let us echo David’s words for an undivided heart. The Lord is our Master and Divine Orchestrator. We can explicitly trust Him. He will never instruct us to do something without having prepared it in advance.