"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me."  (Song of Solomon 7:10)

Some of the most intimate conversations we have with our spouses occur while we lay in bed, in a darkened room, quiet, and nestled in the warmth of the covers.  The children are asleep, the phone is done ringing for the day, the television is quieted, and the house is at peace. 

Intimacy in today's world is immediately equated with sex.  However, true intimacy can more easily be related to communion and communication with unguarded truthfulness.  More simply put, pillow talk!

The Father wants intimate moments with us, times of communion and communication with unguarded truthfulness.  He wants to hear from us our most private thoughts, our concerns, our joys, our fears, our victories, our praise, our disappointments, and our loving words of intimate worship.  Yet, we so thoughtlessly neglect this awesome privilege as we get caught up in our daily lives.

When was the last time you enjoyed "pillow talk" with the Father?  When was the last time you snuggled up close to him, nestled in the warmth of His presence, and shared the most private thoughts and intents of your heart?  Don't you think it's time for a good, intimate conversation with Him?

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me."  Yes, His desire is toward you so make time for your "pillow talk" now.  Don't wait until you're too tired to talk, don't wait till you're too tired to listen.  Intimacy with the Father is not an option, it's a privilege we dare not take for granted!

Father, I'm ready to spend some "intimate" time with you. But first, Lord, please forgive me for not desiring You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  You ARE my First Love, You ARE the Lover of my Soul, You ARE the One I long for, You ARE all I need.  Father, put a hunger deep in my soul for intimacy with You; help me never to neglect our time together. Help me to realize just how much Your desire is toward me.  Father, I commit myself to You once more; I'm ready for "pillow talk" with You.  Amen!

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3)

© Jan Ross
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"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."  (Psalm 46:10)

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me. Tell me, Preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply--something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked.

The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. "Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "so we will move closer to hear Him." 

This time the young man heard and he understood. We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problems. But God's is the still, small voice—the gentle whisper.

Perhaps there's a reason. Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God.

Father, help me to be still and listen intently by moving in closer to You. Lord, my relationship with You is more important to me than anything. Help me to stay at Your feet, learning of You, listening to You, worshipping You. Remind me, Lord, that there is no place I'd rather be than at Your feet, in Your presence, snuggled in close to You for it is in that place of intimacy that I'll hear Your still, small voice guiding me and directing me in the path You have prepared for me. Father, I love You . . . forever.  Amen.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27)

© Jan Ross
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"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all."  (1 Chronicles 29:11)

There are some times when our hearts just cry out, "Worship Him!" Today is one of those days.

You don't feel like worshipping Him? Well take a minute and consider: MERCY, FORGIVENESS, SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE, FAITHFULNESS, etc. Now, do you feel a little more like worshipping Him?

Good!

Take a look at the verse for today again . . . "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all."

Here's a picture of God's greatness . . . unspeakable, unfathomable, unmatchable! He is more than we could ever expect Him to be. He is greater than great, higher than high, holier than holy, mightier than mighty. He is sovereign over all, totally in control of everything. Nothing is too small for His care; nothing too big for Him to handle.

Are you facing some particularly big difficulties right now? Put on the garment of praise and shed that spirit of heaviness, lift up your eyes to God, and worship Him with all that is within you. Before long, the size of your problem will be nothing compared to the greatness of the Most High God!

Father, there is none like You in all the earth. You are mighty, You are holy. You are wonderful, You are glorious. You alone are God; there are none other. I ascribe greatness to Your name, O Lord. All power and glory; all honor and praise are Yours for You are the author of life itself and nothing can compare to You. Father, I worship You with all that is within me. Be exalted, O God, in the heavens, on the earth, and in my life. I love You. Amen!

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness." (Psalm 48:1)

© Jan Ross
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"For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations." (Psalm 22:28)

God is in control in our nation, our cities, our jobs, our school systems. Although the economy is not good, our family and friends are losing their jobs, the prices are rising, we serve a God who is "governor among the nations." No matter how things look in the natural, God is in control. He and He alone.

There is no power in heaven or on earth that can match the power of God. No principality or power can usurp His might and His sovereignty over all. There is no reason to fear … our God is THE "governor among the nations." He and He alone.

Wickedness may abound, yet God is in control. Unemployment may rise, yet God is in control. Prices of food and necessities may increase exponentially, yet God is in control. Family and friends may rise up and curse God, yet God is in control. Governments and committees and councils may fail, yet our God, the "governor among the nations" is in control. He and He alone.

Regardless what we face—disease, financial crises, family problems, loss of income, abandonment, rejection, pain, emotional turmoil, persecution, or whatever else may be going on in your life, our God is the "governor among the nations" and He is in control. He and He alone.

Do you live in fear? Are you afraid of the future? Do you see evil in the days growing worse and worse? There is no one or nothing out of God's governing power. Rest in the fact that the end of history is already written and the Kingdom of God prevails because the King Himself has won the victory.

Let the peace of God reign in your heart—the peace that passes all human understanding. There is nothing God cannot do; He is the "governor among the nations" and there is nothing too difficult for Him. God is in control…He and He alone!

O Sovereign Lord, help me to put my trust in Your governorship over all that concerns me. Remind me moment by moment that there is nothing too difficult for You; that You are Lord, the "governor among the nations." You and You alone! Help me to find peace in knowing You are in control. Because of Jesus and in His name I pray, amen and amen.

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14 KJV)

© Jan Ross
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"Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you."  (1 Samuel 12:24)

The MERCY of God is one attribute that everyone finds easy to live with. If we're honest with ourselves, we often think, "God is merciful, He'll understand" when trying to ease our conscience when faced with a difficult decision. Even those that have not made Jesus Lord of their lives count on God's mercy thinking that He is too "good" to allow them to be eternally separated from Him because they never made a commitment to Him.

The FEAR of God, however, is another story. Our relationship with the Lord is nothing to be taken lightly. It is a serious duty we are called to time and time again throughout scripture. To fear Him is to honor Him, to reverence Him, to count Him worthy of our undivided love and adoration. We must be filled with truth and sincerity, godly conversation, true worship . . . not in show only or in meaningless empty words, but in everything we are, everything we say, and everything we do.

We cannot afford to present ourselves as being divided; as the world looks on they need to see single-mindedness, direction, integrity, love, devotion . . . all attributes that will point them to the Source of our entire being.

Let the world see that we are bound to Him in SERVICE because of all the wonderful things He's done for us . . . we could never hope to repay him through our works, but we are compelled to work for Him because of our love and gratitude.

Fear Him in truth with all your heart.

Father, let me never take for granted Your mercy which You have extended to me through your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me never forget Your benefits. Put a guard over my mouth, Lord, that nothing be said that would rob You of the glory and reverence due Your name. Be with me today, Lord, and help me fear You with every word, act, and deed, with every fiber of my being . . . all honor and glory is yours oh Lord, because of Who You are . . . my God and my King. Amen.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalm 111:10)

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"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."  (John 9:3)

The thing we desire the most—to please our Heavenly Father, to live a life which stands out as being contrary to the ways of the world. Just as the moon has no light in and of itself, we cannot truly "shine" without reflecting the glory of the Lord in all we say and do. We have no ability to shine on our own; we only reflect the light of the Sun.

The blind man was not responsible for his situation because of any sin in his life. His parents were not held accountable, nor his grandparents, etc. He was blind so the Father could be glorified in his life.

Ask yourself a question: Why am I the way I am? The answer is simple: So the Lord might be glorified through our lives. God, the Creator, in His omniscience, knew exactly what you needed to be in order to complete His plans for all of creation.

The next time you look in the mirror, be sure to understand that God made you to be who you are. Praise Him because you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the likeness of His image so He might be glorified in you.

Father, my desire is that You would be glorified in my life, that I would become content in who You made me so I could fulfill Your purposes in my life. Lord, help me to appreciate my uniqueness and to use every one of my shortcomings to bring glory to You in some way. Thank you, Lord, for making me special, after Your image, for Your glory! Amen!

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (John 15:4)

©Jan Ross
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"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  (Philippians 2:9-11)

Sometimes less is more. Today's thought may be few in words, but the words used hold more than all the words mankind has ever uttered or even thought of! There truly is no MORE—no greater name than the Name of Jesus.

There is no other name by which a sin-sick soul is healed.

There is no other name by which we can be saved!

The Name of Jesus . . . there is no other Name which evokes such authority yet imparts such unspeakable love and mercy!

The Name of Jesus . . . above all other names, above all principalities and above all powers!

The Name of Jesus, that precious Name, will forever be our banner . . . in battle, in victory, in sweet retreat, in triumph!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus . . . there IS something about that Name!

When doubt or fear overwhelms you, just begin to speak the Name that is above every name . . . the Name of Jesus!

When we think of Jesus our thoughts should be enormous, without boundary, inexhaustible, incomprehensible, unmatchable, and unfathomable.

May today's few words be the richest words you've ever read … the name of Jesus is more than enough! Amen!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there is something special about Your name. As my lips speak forth Your Name, my heart is overjoyed at the awareness of Your presence. Oh, how I love the Name of Jesus; it is as honey on my lips, sweet, pure, and nourishing to my soul. May my mouth ever show forth Thy praise and my heart sing of Thy goodness today and every day, Jesus. Amen!

"By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." (Acts 3:16 NIV)

© Jan Ross
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"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27)

Please forgive me for my obvious passion for the unborn . . . but with the anniversary for the landmark court decision popularly known as Roe v. Wade this week, I can't think of a better time to explore the value of mankind in the eyes of a Holy and Righteous God.

God created man in His own image. God values human life so much that He made us as the image of Himself. What does that mean? Go look in the mirror. What do you see? You see the image of who you are. You see the image of your person reflecting back at you. This is what God did when He created man—He made man as a reflection of Himself. Before the fall, before sin entered the world, man was the express image of God reflecting Himself. Man was perfect, sinless, and he walked daily with the Lord in the garden. There was nothing separating God from man. Go look in the mirror again – there is nothing separating you from your image. What you see is the exact image of who you are; this is the value God placed on man!

Abortion, the procedure that kills untold millions of unborn children each year, destroys the image of God. Let me say that again . . . abortion destroys the image of God. Abortion says, "The image of God is meaningless to me!" Abortion says, "The image of God is a problem that must be dealt with!" Abortion says, "The image of God is inconvenient and I have no room in my life for the image of God!"

In this country we have an ongoing battle on behalf of the unborn versus those who consider the unborn nothing but a "product of conception". In other countries, things are so much worse. For instance, in Romania 7 out of 8 babies are killed before they are born. In China, a family is allowed only one child and abortion is all too common. A medical missionary to China states that it's not uncommon to find women who have had upwards of thirty abortions because it's being used as birth control.

Cain slew Able and the voice of innocent blood cried out to God (Genesis 4:10). Can you imagine the deafening roar of the blood of the innocents as it cries out from the earth to the Creator? It's a horrible sound that reaches the Throneroom of a Righteous and Just God.

Take some time today. Write your legislators, call your pregnancy center and volunteer, make a plan to somehow make a difference. Get your family involved; teach your children the value of human life. Minister God's love and forgiveness to those who bear the scars of abortion. We can't just sit by and allow this atrocity to continue without stirring up some passion in us to be part of the solution to this worldwide problem. Pray and ask what you can do and then do it.

Father, give me a burden to pray for the unborn like never before. Teach me how to teach my children and loved ones about the value You place on human life. Help me to put action into my passion and use me for Your glory. Give me the opportunity to minister Your forgiveness, love, and mercy to those who bear post-abortion scars. Let me feel Your passion, Father, and give me the courage to get involved. Protect the unborn, Lord, and reveal Your purpose and passion for human life to us all. In Jesus' name and by the power of His might I pray, amen.

"… for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:6b) 

© Jan Ross
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"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works."  (Psalm 73:28)

Draw nigh to God, put our trust in the Lord, that we may declare His works. Interesting verse.

God's divine order would have it that we first and foremost cultivate our relationship with Him, for without it there is no foundation for trust and there is no passion for the testimony of His works. It is a good thing for man to carefully pursue and secure a relationship with God, above all things. As God draws near to us, we must run to meet Him, thus drawing near to Him. It is not only our duty; it should be our desire to have an ongoing and ongrowing relationship with Him.

The next step, however is putting our trust in the Lord. By putting our trust in the Lord, we proclaim that we will never seek after other gods, we will never prostitute our faith by allowing generic gods to infiltrate our spiritual life. Whom do we serve? Whom do we trust? Whom do we acknowledge in all things? The King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Lord God Almighty. Trust Him with all that is within you and your heart will remain steadfast, never wavering, never seeking after false gods.

Finally, when we have drawn near to Him and placed our trust and faith in Him, a bold declaration of His wondrous works becomes second nature to us. It becomes easy to speak of His goodness and His mercy when we personally have a firm grip on Him.

Next time you feel the urge to testify of God's goodness, go ahead. Boldly witness. Be confident that God will use your testimony to produce fruit in the life (lives) of those with whom you are sharing. Don't hesitate. God is glorified when we declare His works with the boldness that comes from drawing near and putting our trust in Him.

Father, as I consider today's verse, I find that many times I'm distracted and don't take the time to draw near to You as I should. Forgive me, Lord, and help me to change my ways. Help me to build my faith and trust in You so that I can boldly declare Your works to all I come in contact with. Father, I truly want to praise Your name through my words, my deeds, my life . . . that You alone would be glorified! Amen and Amen!

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:8-10)

© Jan Ross
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"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me."  (Psalm 139:1)

Many people have the fear that if they ever revealed to someone what they were really like, that person would reject them. There are many people who go through life thinking there is no way anyone could ever know them intimately and still love them. However, God knows us, better than we know ourselves. And, He loves us more than we could ever imagine!

God is omniscient . . . He is all knowing. And He knows all things about everything, and He knows them perfectly. He knows what we need before we pray. He knows and understands our suffering. He never misunderstands us or anything. We stand naked and open before Him. There is nothing He doesn't know.

Because He is omniscient, we have to remember that His ways are better than our ways. We must trust Him and be obedient to His Word because He knows what is best for us. All that is required of us is total trust and obedience.

Take a few moments today and consider the things that you have hidden away hoping that you won't have to deal with them ever again. God already knows they are there and He wants you to know it's okay; you don't have to hide anything away in the secret recesses of your heart. He has already made a way for you to deal with them. If it is sin, it's under the blood; if it is shame, He's already dealt with it.

If you're hiding shortcomings, He knows all about them. After all, He made you who you are and the way you are—you are fearfully and wonderfully made, by His hands and for His glory.

Are you hiding FROM Him or are you hidden IN Him? Search your heart today.

Pray with me: Father, sometimes it is so hard to comprehend the love You have for us. It's hard for me to understand how You could love me after everything I've done. I stand before You right now and ask You to forgive me for limiting Your power in my life by not acknowledging Your omniscience. Forgive me for hiding from You; help me to live a life hidden IN You. Father, help me to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:18-19) Amen and Amen!

"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." (1 Cor 3:18-20)

©Jan Ross
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