His Presence As I Write
One of my faith mentors told me he takes his shoes off when he writes – he feels that he is on holy ground. My writing has nowhere near the impact that his has, but I can relate.
When I receive a topic for a devotional series, I receive it as a blank page. I try not to assume I know anything about the passage – even though I’ve been a believer and a student of the Bible for many decades. Often when I do a first reading of the passage I’m to develop, I really am blank. I have no idea where to go with it.
But even though I may be befuddled at the beginning, I also have confidence that God’s Holy Spirit will speak to my heart; and because He has done it many times, I trust Him.
By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us His [Holy] Spirit. (1 John 4:13, AMP)
Another of my spiritual mentors told me that as he nods off to sleep at night, he asks God a question for which he needs an answer. Not always, but more often than you might think, he awakens with a thought or an answer that could only have come from God’s Spirit speaking to him.
That’s the way I approach my writing. Before I turn out the light, I read over my assigned Scripture passage in several translations; and as I turn out the light and close my eyes, I ask God: “What have I missed? What have I not noticed?” I repeat this process night after night until I sense an answer – or in my case, an idea.
When I finally sit at my computer to write, I close out all distractions (and the door to my office), take off my shoes, and prayerfully compose what thought God’s Holy Spirit has unveiled.
Before I release what I’ve written, I ask a couple of questions:
As we anticipate and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit in our acts of service, we can readily release the sense of burden and “serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2) and in the power of His Holy Spirit.
By Judy Shrout
When I receive a topic for a devotional series, I receive it as a blank page. I try not to assume I know anything about the passage – even though I’ve been a believer and a student of the Bible for many decades. Often when I do a first reading of the passage I’m to develop, I really am blank. I have no idea where to go with it.
But even though I may be befuddled at the beginning, I also have confidence that God’s Holy Spirit will speak to my heart; and because He has done it many times, I trust Him.
By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us His [Holy] Spirit. (1 John 4:13, AMP)
Another of my spiritual mentors told me that as he nods off to sleep at night, he asks God a question for which he needs an answer. Not always, but more often than you might think, he awakens with a thought or an answer that could only have come from God’s Spirit speaking to him.
That’s the way I approach my writing. Before I turn out the light, I read over my assigned Scripture passage in several translations; and as I turn out the light and close my eyes, I ask God: “What have I missed? What have I not noticed?” I repeat this process night after night until I sense an answer – or in my case, an idea.
When I finally sit at my computer to write, I close out all distractions (and the door to my office), take off my shoes, and prayerfully compose what thought God’s Holy Spirit has unveiled.
Before I release what I’ve written, I ask a couple of questions:
- Am I trusting God’s Holy Spirit to convey through my words a spiritual truth someone needs to hear?
- Do I trust God’s Holy Spirit to be just as active in the reader as He is in the writer?
As we anticipate and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit in our acts of service, we can readily release the sense of burden and “serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2) and in the power of His Holy Spirit.
By Judy Shrout
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2022
January
New Year's Day 2022All Things NewA New NormalA Renewed MindA New MissionA New BeginningSpring is Coming...God's Not DeadHis Presence As I Pray With Other BelieversHis Presence As I Fill My Heart and Mind with His WordHis Presence As I WorshipHis Presence As I WriteHim AloneGoodbyesOur Friend and So Much MoreTrust Your Gut...The Flooding of the Holy SpritLiving By the SpiritDon't Just Stand ThereThe Futility of Human EffortThe Will of God for YouThe Internal Battle for ControlEvery Good Tree Bears Good FruitAchieving Victory Over SinIlluminating Properties of SnowSearching
February
MapsThe AdvocatesPainting the PictureThree In OneFebruary Scripture Memory VerseWelcome to the Book of Acts!A Growing HeartThere's Something You Need to Understand!Let's Flip a Coin - Or Do You Have a Better Idea?Are We There Yet?Growing in the ChallengesA Day to RememberA Historical RealityA Life TransformedA Message that Convicts and SavesA Gospel that GathersPain with a PurposeThe Early Church - AccountableThe Early Church - God Living In UsThe Early Church - BoldnessThe Early Church - GenerosityThe Early Church - ServingThe IntroductionThe Starting Lineup
March
On the DefenseNot in My House!We Have a Barn Burner!Drop the Rock!Scripture Memory Verse for MarchThe Glory of God's RedemptionSalvation Comes from GodEncountering ChristChanged Hearts and LivesCompleting the Unfinished WorkPsalm 131Something Came UpUnoffendableSpeaking Our LanguageTo Love or Not to LoveShake It UpPsalm 131Sola GratiaFreed by GraceAmazed by GraceScandalous GraceEvidence of GraceWhat God Has GivenThe Travel PlannerWhat Makes You Curious?Strengthened by Other BelieversImposters Exposed
April
A Farewell to EphesusScripture Memory Verse for AprilHappy EndingsSomething You Need to Know About PaulAlmostBlank PageSuper ChristianThe Prince of PeaceA Special CrossMore Than an Empty TombTwo Things to RememberResurrection LifeWhat We Wear MattersA New LifeProgress ReportGospel GrowthPraying for the Global ChurchA Powerful Prayer GuideDelivered from Darkness