Tag: bible

Rising and Shining

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, marriage, obedienceLeave a comment

I thought I would be writing about Psalm 118 today.

Instead, I was pulled rather firmly back to Isaiah.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1

There’s something sacred about that first word — arise.

It’s not whispered. It’s a call to stand up. To lift your head when everything around you feels heavy. To step out of the ashes, the waiting, or the weariness you’ve been sitting in. The Hebrew word means to be established — to take your rightful place. It’s resurrection language. It’s God saying, “Get up, my child. I’m doing something new.”

And then comes shine.

Not perform. Not prove. Just shine. The light isn’t something you have to generate — it’s something you reflect. Like the moon catches the sun, you simply mirror the glory that’s already rising on you. The glory of the Lord doesn’t demand effort — it simply asks for availability. When His presence fills you, you can’t help but radiate Him.

And then — this line that always stills my heart — “For your light has come.” Not will come. Not might come someday when you’ve finally got it all together.

It’s already here. The dawn has already broken. The Light has come — His name is Jesus — and His presence in you is proof that the darkness doesn’t get the final word.

Isaiah wrote those words to a people coming out of devastation — exiles returning to ruins. It was God saying, My presence is returning. My favor hasn’t forgotten you. My glory still chooses you. And it still speaks today.

Because when His glory rises upon you, it changes everything. The Hebrew word for “glory” — kabod — means weight, substance, presence. This isn’t just a glow; it’s His very being resting on you. And when that happens, you can’t stay in the same place. You can’t stay silent. You can’t stay small.

And then Isaiah 60:2–3 continues, “Darkness shall cover the earth… but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. Nations will come to your light.”

That’s the part that wrecks me every time.

Because your rising isn’t just for you. It’s for someone else’s breakthrough.

When you get up, someone else finds their way.

When you shine, someone else sees hope again.

When you let His glory rest on you, the world around you starts to believe light is still possible.

So if you’re tired, if the weight of the world has kept you low — hear it again with your spirit:

Arise. Shine. Your light has already come.

The glory of the Lord is resting on you right now.

Thank you, Jesus. 💜✝️💜

Singing Savior

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, music, obedienceLeave a comment

Wowza! Our Savior singing in Matthew 26:30 — “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

It hit me like I’d never seen it before. After sharing the Passover meal — breaking bread, offering the cup, and speaking words of covenant love — Jesus sang a hymn with His disciples:

When I dug deeper, I realized that hymn would have been the Hallel Psalms (115–118) — songs of praise and deliverance. That means, on the very night He was betrayed, He was singing, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

That just rocks my world tonight — to imagine Jesus singing Psalms 115-118 before walking to Gethsemane. I pray you think about Jesus singing the next time you are reading those Psalms. 💜✝️💜

Psalm 115 – He gives glory to the Father.

Psalm 116 – He accepts the cup of suffering.

Psalm 117 – He looks to the nations who will be saved.

Psalm 118 – He declares resurrection victory and cornerstone destiny.

He sang His own prophecy before walking to the cross. Every verse a step toward Calvary — every word an offering of trust. What love the Father has for us to send his only son to die for our sin.

I am really stuck on all kinds of hymns recently. I should not be surprised Father God gave me another “new song” today.

Happy Tears

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedience, prayerLeave a comment

Once again, I am being drawn deeply into the sacred place He so often meets me. Today has been such a spirit-filled day off from work.

How amazing it was to spend a solid four hours in The Word after my hubby went to open the shop! So many lessons at His Footstool. The day began with nine people God used who were non-believers and navigated wooing, discipleship, Gods Timing and a big lesson about Revelation 6.

For now, I must confess I was not always such a prayer and praise warrior. In fact, He has transformed me to someone who no longer worries about the words He places on my tongue when praying over others. How grateful am I to have this relationship with the great I AM!

Early in my walk with Jesus, I suffered with the notion that I didn’t pray “well enough” to pray out loud over others. In recent years, that stronghold has been defeated, praise God.

So, my prayers are not always neat or polished. They come with groans, cries, and sometimes with streams of tears. Scripture assures us that these tears are not wasted—they are precious to God.

Again, I am reminded of the vision of a shot glass of useless tears and a raging stream of “good tears”.

David knew this well, too. In Psalm 55, he confesses, “I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily… Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (vv. 2, 17 NKJV). His pain was not hidden; he let it pour out in raw prayer. The Lord did not turn away from his brokenness but leaned in close.

Even more tender is the picture in Psalm 56:8 (NKJV):

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

What a thought—that God counts our steps when we wander in grief and collects every tear as a treasure. Each one matters to Him.

It simply blows me away to be relegated to awestruck silence.

When we stand in the gap for others—praying for prodigals, interceding for healing, crying out for a nation—the tears often flow freely. Those tears are not a sign of weakness but of deep love and Spirit-led burden. Paul reminds us that “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26 NKJV). Sometimes our tears are part of that Spirit-filled intercession.

And here’s the promise: tears sown in prayer lead to joy. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5 NKJV). God not only gathers our tears but transforms them into a harvest of rejoicing.

So I don’t hold back the tears when praying for others. Heaven is listening. Heaven is collecting. Heaven is preparing joy on the other side. I pray this blesses whoever may read these words. 💜✝️💜

Sister Pam

On By mygodroomIn blessings, prayer, WooLeave a comment

On July 4th, Pam Bacani shared on Facebook that she had been baptized again—ten years after her first baptism. She went to a Kayla Gabbard “Meet Me in the Water” event and I caught her post. Her testimony of growth resonated with me on a deep level. While out of my fleshly comfort zone, I messaged her privately and extended an open invitation to be our guest in Tennessee.

More than two months later, she replied and offered to send me two books she had written. It was such a an unexpected offer and I was at peace giving her our home address.

Arriving home last night, I was tickled to see a box with her return address. When I opened the books, she had written: “May He woo you to Himself and hold you close as you seek to rest…”

The word WOO stopped me in my tracks—because just the day before, I had written about the many ways God woos us. I sent her a note and shared that post. This morning, I woke to a lovely voice message which served as “double confirmation” that confirmation works both ways!

God promises, “I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams ron the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring” (Isaiah 44:3). And Paul reminds us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5).

It reminded me of Genesis 8:4–5, when after the flood, the ark came to rest, and three months later the mountain tops appeared as the waters abated.

Since May 8, it has felt like a flood—God pouring so much through me at once, overwhelming and unstoppable. But now, the waters are receding, the peaks are coming into view, and I can see more of where He is leading.

What God has done here is remarkable: in His timing, He not only pours out but also draws us in, wooing us closer, and letting us glimpse the mountaintops beyond the flood.

In and Out: Pouring

On By mygodroomIn blessings, marriageLeave a comment

Scriptures on Pouring Out

These passages emphasize our response to God—offering ourselves, our prayers, or our lives as an outpouring.

Philippians 2:17 – “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.”

2 Timothy 4:6 – “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.”

Psalm 62:8 – “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

Lamentations 2:19 – “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!”

1 Samuel 1:15 – Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.”

Scriptures on God Drawing In and Pouring Into Us

These show God’s initiative—His drawing us to Himself and pouring His Spirit, love, or blessings into us.

Jeremiah 31:3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. I will draw you in.”

John 6:44 – “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Isaiah 44:3 – “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

Joel 2:28 – “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…”

Romans 5:5 – “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Titus 3:5–6 – “…he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

This list is brought to you by a nudge to remember what my husband said about “five by five” during our first visit to Creekmont.

Perhaps someday, I will search all “pouring out” scriptures posted in MyGodRoom. Today is not that day.

Today, I am praying for clarity on how to share two books sent to me as a blessing. In the midst of that God-directed task, this was the pause.

I love how He works so closely with me when I am isolated and alone, like today at home. Thank you, Jesus!

Nine is Divine

On By mygodroomIn Josiah, obedience, PaganLeave a comment

In recent weeks, I have written about Daniel, Cyrus, Esther and more. This morning, my husband flipped my Bible to 2 Chronicles 35 The study notes grabbed my attention. Thank you, Father God.

The Bible is full of moments when God’s voice breaks through in unexpected places—not just through prophets and priests, but through kings, pagans, even enemies. Over and over, He reminds us that His sovereignty is not bound by human categories.

Pharaoh Neco warned Josiah not to meddle, and the chronicler tells us his words were “from the mouth of God” (2 Chronicles 35:20–24). Josiah refused, and it cost him his life. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon received dreams of empires and of his own humbling (Daniel 2; Daniel 4), showing God’s rule over all nations. Abimelech, a Philistine king, was warned in a dream to protect Sarah, convicting Abraham himself (Genesis 20). Balaam, a pagan diviner, opened his mouth to curse but could only bless (Numbers 22–24). Cyrus of Persia was stirred to send Israel home and rebuild the temple (Isaiah 45:1; Ezra 1:1–4), though he never knew Yahweh personally.

God also spoke through Pharaoh’s dreams of famine, leading to Joseph’s rise (Genesis 41). At Christ’s trial, Pilate’s wife was disturbed in a dream about “that righteous man” (Matthew 27:19). Wise men from the East followed a star and bowed before the newborn King (Matthew 2:1–12). Even Haman’s own household in Esther saw the writing on the wall: to oppose God’s people is to fall (Esther 6:13).

These stories differ in time and place, but together they form a striking pattern: God can and will use anyone. Kings and peasants, men and women, believers and unbelievers alike—none are beyond His reach. His purposes move through dreams, warnings, foreign decrees, even reluctant lips.

The question is not whether God can speak through outsiders. The question is: will we have the humility to recognize His voice, no matter the source?

The Old Rugged Cross

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, marriage, music, prayerLeave a comment

Yesterday, I posted “Woo Hoo”, all about how God woos us and draws us in to refine us. Today, when I arrived at the Smyrna shop, the devotional for yesterday made me *squee* a pinch. Very exciting.

Also exciting was sweet Godversation with Miss Karen, without having met her in person yet. Thank you, Jesus.

As for writing about church yesterday, I am not being directed to detail it. Mark had a great one-on-one with Thomas and I met Thomas’ wife amd daughter. For now, I must let some spiritual processing continue and ai will share about one of the songs we sang yesterday.

Rather helpful, as I posted the following to Facebook yesterday, while writing about wooing here:

George Bennard performed The Old Rugged Cross on June 7, 1913, after meditating on John 3:16 and needing to express his understanding in song. I will link a full story behind the hymn HERE.

We sang the hymn today at Creekmont Church. I was nudged when we sang:

“A wondrous beauty I see; For ‘twas on that old cross—Jesus suffered and died—To pardon and sanctify me.”

The nudge was a response to the word ‘sanctify’, calling back to Jesus’ prayer from John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

Yessir! The Word of God and the work of the cross are inseparable to me. Together, they are how God sanctifies us—how He takes us from brokenness to holiness, from wandering to belonging with Him.

Considering this morning began with a lesson on how the Master of the Universe woos us, I consider myself most appropriately wooed. 💜✝️💜

Woo Hoo!

On By mygodroomIn obedienceLeave a comment

I woke up this morning feeling wooed. That word has been echoing in my heart, and it’s exactly what Job 36:16 says:

The Hebrew word here is סוּת (sut), which means to incite, entice, or draw out. The image is not of God forcing or driving us, but of Him gently, persistently pulling us out of trouble and into freedom. He woos us—away from the jaws of distress and toward a wide-open place of life.

Wooed Through the Fire

This connects deeply with the image of fire, dross, and refining. When silver or gold is heated, the impurities rise and are removed as dross. leaving what is pure. Sometimes all we see is the soot and dross—the blackened remains of what was burned away. But those ashes testify that the Holy Spirit’s refining fire has passed through.

To be wooed is to be invited into that process: God is not scolding or condemning us; He is drawing us, lovingly, into the fire that purifies. What feels like burning is actually refining, preparing us for what remains.

Where Else Does God Woo Us?

This idea of God “wooing” or “drawing out” is found throughout Scripture:

Hosea 2:14 — “Therefore, I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.” (Here the verb is פָּתָה, patah—to entice, allure. Another wooing word.)

Jeremiah 31:3 — “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn (mashak) you with unfailing kindness.”

Psalm 18:19 — “He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”

Song of Solomon 1:4 — “Draw me after you; let us run.” John 6:44 — “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them…”

Revelation 3:20 — “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”

Each of these passages echoes the same heartbeat: God draws us, not by compulsion but by love.

Why I Feel Wooed

This morning, I felt overtly wooed. Not the heavy hand of judgment, but the gentle pull of love. He is drawing me out of what confines, away from the soot (sut #ISWYDT) and the dross, and into His spacious place.

The cross sanctifies me, and the Word—“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17)—reminds me that sanctification is both fire and “water-wooing”.

Holy fire removes the dross and Holy Water woos us into His cleansing. The Spirit does both, perfectly.

I want to let myself be drawn into deeper waters with Him. Somewhere in My God Room, I have written it’s always safe to snorkel with Jesus.

I will find that old post another time. I will also share about today’s service, message and more on a separate post. Given the message and how I was nudged singing The Old Rugged Cross, it deserves a separate post.

Oh, sweet Jesus, how I love you. Help me love you better each day. Thank you for reminding me how to find this old post from August 7, 2016. More than nine years ago, you planted this vividly on my heart and entrenched it into the spirit you have given me. I love you.

A Little Judas

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, Judas, obedienceLeave a comment

Betrayal comes in many forms . Praise God, I was blessed with a call from Miss Futina this morning. I heard how she was betrayed and my heart was cracked open. Answered prayer, especially before we close this store at the end of October.

Lord, you have all my praise and thanksgiving, please send a few more of my “stranger angels “ back into the store before we close up shop here and return solely to our original store. Hugging them would bless me. In Jesus name, amen.

Driving to work, I heard a song for the first time. I should not be surprised it’s five years old, or from Hill Song . The Lord has been clear with me on NAR and other musical nonsense. When He gives me a song, I am listening intently. This was used beautifully and my husband loved it, too.

Living means different things to different people. I am only living because of my relationship with Jesus. Modeling my life after His makes PERFECT sense to me.

This morning, moved by the Spirit through Futina’s call and “This is Living”, I posted scripture and a sentence on Facebook.

I have been praying for Father God to reveal the next piece of dross which must be removed from me. It seems to be related to Judas, which is both biblical and a necessary reminder.

We all have a little bit of Judas in us, since none of us are perfect.

Where is “my Judas” trait? For that answer, just like every other question under the sun, I go to scripture.

Scripture told us long before Jesus came that the Savior would be betrayed. “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). Judas sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, just as Zechariah foresaw (Zechariah 11:12–13). The Psalms even prayed, “May another take his office” (Psalm 109:8), fulfilled when Matthias replaced Judas in Acts 1.

But Judas is not just a figure in history—he is a mirror for our hearts. Every time we love money more than Christ, every time we complain about how someone else worships, every time we choose self over surrender, we let a little bit of Judas creep back in. That’s why Proverbs says, “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel” (Proverbs 25:4). The Lord, like a refiner’s fire (Malachi 3:2–3), keeps burning away the greed, envy, and pride that would betray Him.

We must face the truth: there is a Judas streak in all of us. But the good news is that God never stops refining. He promises, “I will remove the heart of stone… and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Daily, He calls us to let Him skim away the dross, until the only thing left is His love shining pure in us.

Let YOUR LIGHT shine, Lord. More Jesus and less Carol is always the best equation. 💜✝️💜

Knowing, Guarding & Forgiving

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedienceLeave a comment

Last night I was compelled to post John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”

This morning I opened my Bible and landed on Matthew 18, and immediately my mind went back to my friend Julie’s post and the comment section.

God is weaving things together for me in a new way. The ultimate and absolute Dream Weaver is Father God. I am convinced Gary Wright knows how God directs our dreams based on the stories behind his song.

My Matthew 18 pages are filled with tons of notes and notations. Today, I was nudged to write “Julie Mauck 9/20/25” . I was not nudged to put “Luke 17:2”, likely because there is a printed corresponding scripture beginning Luke 17:1.

Dated notes from October 2017, January and February 2023, May 8, 2024, July 13, 2025 and today. Three key notes struck me hard. The notes about being His Child, honoring is greater than wallowing and “confirmation is Biblical (Matt 18:16) stood out to me.

.

As I sat with it, I realized how John 17 and Matthew 18 fit together. Well, my John 17 pages are all kinds of noted, as well, with a big YADA YADA. Divine Humor, once again! 💜✝️💜

In Matthew 18, Jesus calls us to humility like children and warns us not to cause “little ones” to stumble. Jesus says it would be better to wear a millstone around our necks than to mislead them and the millstone takes me back to Hebrew dreams last winter. He goes on to show that forgiveness must flow endlessly — seventy times seven.

In John 17, Jesus defines eternal life: “that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (v.3). The Hebrew word yada — to know — means deep, intimate relationship, not casual acquaintance. I had even scribbled in my margin a reminder that yada yada (so often a throwaway phrase in our culture) actually calls me back to the seriousness of truly knowing God and His Son.

No big shocker. I just wrote about Daniel 9 and seventies and sevens the other day. Every single detail is intricately woven to another.

Put side by side, the message is clear:

To truly know God and Jesus (John 17) is to live in humility, to guard the vulnerable, and to walk in radical forgiveness (Matthew 18). His prayer for unity in John 17 comes alive only when we practice the hard, daily work of forgiveness in Matthew 18.

And I’m reminded — unity in the Body isn’t a theory; it’s built every time I choose to forgive, every time I guard someone’s faith instead of wounding it, every time I walk humbly like a child

So today, I’m holding these together:

Intimacy with God (John 17)

Protection of the vulnerable (Matthew 18:6)

Unity through forgiveness (Matthew 18:21–35)

That’s the kind of community Jesus prayed for. That’s the kind of life I want to live.

Oh, and I used technology to make Julie and all Biblical Warriors an accurate hoodie. Thank you, Jesus, for all good inspiration ! 😇