From Memory?

June 5th, 2012 dsisler

I am in a skit every day this week for Vacation Bible School at my church. We are stranded on a deserted island…hoping to get home by the end of the week.
My character recites Bible verses. Lots of Bible verses. Under most circumstances, it would be great. The problem is that the director wants me to quote these verses from the New International Readers Version.
I know them ALL by the King James Version or the New American Standard Version!

So instead of “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” I’m supposed to say, “Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.”

The one verse that I really like in the New International Readers Version is 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It says, “God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.”
So, “God’s Word is useful for teaching us what is true.” Knowing God’s truth helps us to determine how to distinguish between truth and falsehood in our world. Satan tries so hard to keep us from knowing right from wrong. Learning God’s truth will always lead us in the right direction.
“God’s Word is useful for correcting our mistakes.” Knowing what God’s Word says about His commands helps us to stick to doing things correctly. Mistakes happen. God’s Word shows us how to make things right and how to continue to work at following His commands.
“God’s Word is useful for making our lives whole again.” Oh how God wants this in our lives. He created us to desire Him and Him alone. Without God, we are empty. With God, we are complete. Filled. Whole.
“God’s Word is useful for training us to do what is right.”Again, when we know God’s commands and do our best to follow them, we can live our lives doing what is right.
The last section of this passage says, “By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.” Yes! Just by learning, memorizing, and implementing God’s Word into my life, I am prepared to do good things for God’s Kingdom.
Memorizing Scripture has never been easy for me and maybe the verses I quote this week will be a little of each version, plus some paraphrasing on my part. I pray that God’s message will be clear through each skit and that He receives all the glory for the week.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Psst!

June 4th, 2012 dsisler

I have a special way to call my granddaughter Joy. When she hears “psst,” she knows I want to talk to her.
My grandson Percy has learned that when I say “psst, psst,” I want to get his attention.
It doesn’t matter where Joy or Percy are in the house, they seem to hear my voice and they stop what they are doing to see what I want.
I found a passage of Scripture that tells us about God’s voice. Let’s see what Psalm 29 (NIRV) describes.
Praise
The first section of this Psalm tells us that we are to praise God. We are to worship the Lord because of His beauty and holiness.
“Praise the Lord, you mighty angels.
Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.”
Praise is more than just singing worship songs on Sunday mornings. We are to praise God with our entire lives. With everything that we do. With each word that we speak. With each thought we think.
God’s Voice
The second section of this Psalm gives a description of God’s voice. Notice how powerful and mighty it is.
“The voice of the Lord is heard over the waters.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful.
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees.
The Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon into pieces.
He makes the mountains of Lebanon skip like a calf.
He makes Mount Hermon jump like a young wild ox.”
The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert.
The Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oak trees.
It strips the forests bare.
And in his temple everyone cries out, “Glory!”

I’ve never done a study on the voice of God. I’ve studied His names. I’ve studied His attributes. I’ve studied His commands. What I do know is that we are to know God’s voice. When we hear His voice we are to respond. Respond with repentance, resistance to temptation, obedience, a good deed, or being still to name a few.
This section clearly shows the power in God’s voice. Like that of a thunderstorm with bolts of lightning. Storm chasers run toward thunderous weather. That’s how we should approach God’s voice. Run toward it. Embrace it. Understand it. Know it.
The Lord
Finally this passage concludes with what the Lord does. What His role in His creation is.
“The Lord on his throne rules over the flood.
The Lord rules from his throne as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people.
The Lord blesses his people with peace.”
The Lord. Not just the Lord of the world or the universe, but the Lord of my life is described above. When He is King forever in my heart, He rules, He gives strength, and He blesses me with peace. Why wouldn’t I want God to be my Lord? That is exactly what I need when I face trials and temptations.
I am amazed that Joy and Percy respond to my voice the way they do. My quiet “psst” breaks through all the noise. It breaks through the concentration on a game or activity. It breaks through a television program.
Do you hear God’s voice? He’s saying, “psst?”
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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In a Fog

June 3rd, 2012 dsisler

There is a section of highway that nearly always has fog in the morning. Sometimes it extends a bit further, but mostly it is contained in this particular location.
The issue is that I have to go through this area to get to the church I attend. When I worked for the church, it was a daily trip and there were many days when I dealt with this fog.
But since I don’t work for the church any longer, I only pass that way a couple times a week.
A few months back, I was headed to church for Women’s Bible Study and the fog was especially thick. It extended much further than usual and it was difficult to see.
The drive was slow going. The road difficult to see. Traffic was heavy. It took great concentration to make this short distance without major difficulty.
Then suddenly, I drove out of the fog and into a clear sunny sky. It was as if someone had drawn or raised a curtain, for everything was quickly very clear.
And beautiful!
The view of the mountains at that moment was stunning. There had been a fresh coating of snow over the Twin Peaks and foothills. The sun was bright and the mountains glistened. It was a perfect picture.
Jesus had a few things to say about coming out of the fog or darkness of our spiritual lives. When we walk in this manner, we cannot expect to see Jesus clearly. We cannot expect to understand all that He has to share with us. So let’s see what Jesus has to say.
In Matthew 4:16 (NIV), Jesus quotes from the book of Isaiah, “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Jesus was and is the light. He displaced darkness in their lives and in ours as well.
Jesus also taught “the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light with you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23 – NIV) Our spiritual eyes must be good and free of fog or darkness in order to full of light. Learning from God’s Word will bring our eyes to full potential.
On a couple of occasions, Jesus taught while healing blind men. In Luke 18:41 (NIV), Jesus asked a blind man what he wanted and the blind man said, “Lord, I want to see!” I wonder if this blind man knew all that Jesus wanted him to see. Not just physically, but spiritually as well.
Then again, in Mark 8:22-26 (NIV), we see Jesus healing a blind man. But He healed in stages. Jesus was clearly teaching in this moment. Jesus healed this man completely. “Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” He saw more than his world clearly, he saw Jesus clearly.
The greatest change in eyesight we find in Scripture was the Apostle Paul. In Acts 9 (NIV), Saul saw a great light and was blinded. Jesus spoke to Saul. Saul heard the message of salvation from Ananias. Saul’s eyes were opened and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. After a short while, Paul (once known as Saul) began to preach the Gospel fervently. His eyes were fully opened to all that Jesus taught throughout His ministry.
We may have better vision than those living before Jesus, but we still are not able to see everything as clearly as we will once we are in heaven. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” What a day that will be when we know as we are known. Fully. Completely. That’s what I am living for!
I praised God for the remainder of my journey. He had shown me such beauty that morning. He had proved to me that He could make everything beautiful in His time. He gave me a gift that I’ll not soon forget. He opened my eyes so that I might see more clearly.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Water

June 2nd, 2012 dsisler

One of my favorite elements in our backyard is the water fall. I enjoy sitting on the deck in the morning, drinking a cup of coffee, listening to the birds, watching the sunrise, and hearing the sound of water flowing.
Early last winter, the water froze, the pump stopped, and Mason unplugged it. This happens most winters, but it was very early and we didn’t realize it had stopped, so we weren’t sure the pump was going to work come spring. To be honest, we weren’t surprised when it didn’t start when we plugged it in a month or so ago.
Mason did a little work on it, and then found out it was still under warranty. We received a brand new pump. The water fall is flowing smoothly now.
This made me very happy, because the sound of a water fall is very soothing to me. It brings joy to my heart when I wake up in the night and hear it. There’s just something about water that brings a smile to my face.
I guess it’ only natural that the Living Water brings a smile to my soul. That Jesus can also bring joy to my heart when I awake in the night. And He soothes the pressures of this life with His refreshing presence.
Isaiah alludes to the future hope found in Jesus in Isaiah 12:3 (NIV). “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Through Jesus, the Water, we gain salvation from this deep well.
Isaiah also tells us in Isaiah 55:1a (NIV), “Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” Those who are spiritually thirsty are to come to the waters. For the folks living in the Old Testament age, those waters were God. For those living during the New Testament time and later, it would be Jesus.
Jesus also called the spiritually thirsty to come to Him. In John 4:13-14 (NIV), Jesus says to the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
And in John 7:37 (NIV), “on the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.’”
And this concept is reiterated one last time in Revelation 22:17 (NIV). “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
Jesus knew exactly how to relate this concept to people. Our desire to have our thirst quenched is essential. Both physically and spiritually.
Jesus offers grace to anyone who asks. He is so willing to give us “living water.” (John 4:10 – NIV)
So have you asked the Giver of Living Water for this gift? If not, why not? The soothing refreshment of this gift is like nothing you’ve ever known. Come! Take the free gift of the water of life.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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How Shall I Live?

June 1st, 2012 dsisler

One of my Grandpa Rich’s favorite programs was the Gaither Gospel Hour. It meant so much to him since he grew up in a musical family.
I must admit, I enjoy watching an episode or two of this same show. The musical talent combined on the stage of each program is staggering. And of course, the music they sing brings joy to my soul, because they are about my loving Father, my gracious Savior, and my guide, the Holy Spirit.
Last evening was no different. The program was titled “Amazing Grace.” They began with a beautiful arrangement of Amazing Grace and ended with I Then Shall Live.
I was captured by the lyrics of the last verse of I Then Shall Live.
Your kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed name, oh may I bear with honor;
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O’ may I share with honor;
And may You feed a hungry world through me.[i]
Wow! Those are words to live by. Living a life in which God’s Kingdom is visible. Living a life of honor. Living a life so that others might see God within me and desire the same.
Oh, I know I don’t live like this all the time. And to be honest, I couldn’t live as I do without God’s Spirit leading me. Without God’s Words resonating within my heart and head daily. Without knowing that Jesus was willing to take my sin and pay my debt.
I believe it all comes down to a willingness to allow God to work in me. If I continually choose to be drawn into sin, I couldn’t possibly hope to live a life described in this song. If I continually choose to put my needs and desires above God’s, I would never be able to read these lyrics with honesty. If I continually choose to turn my back on those in need, my words would be gibberish without meaning.
I’m convicted by the lyrics. I’m pressed to see what is missing in my life. I must be willing to make the necessary changes to live a life of honor.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) tells me how to do this. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I must crucify myself and all that goes along with that. My selfishness, my pride, my earthly nature, my busyness…me.
I pray that you’ll be encouraged by these words. I may not be where I need to be, but I am in a better place than when I started this journey. May I live an honorable life. May others see Jesus in me. May God’s Kingdom receive all the glory. Amen.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i] I Then Shall Live (Finlandia), Composer Jean Sibeius (1899), Copyright: Music © Breitkopf & Härtel; Lyricist Gloria Gaither (1981), Copyright:Words © 1981 Gaither Music Company.
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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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