Deeper Still
By Jodi A Woody
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About this ebook
All Christians are on a journey with the Lord. Sometimes we walk away from Him, sometimes we stumble and bumble our way, and sometimes we stay on the path that He has set before us.
The important thing about our walk is not that we have made mistakes or have seemingly failed at times, but that we can always get back on the right path.
The pages of this devotional come from just such a journey.
Jodi A Woody
I've always loved the written word. I enjoy writing almost as much as reading. My tastes run from science fiction and fantasy, steampunk and westerns, to historical and romance. The only genres I don't read, ever, is horror, (Life is scary enough, why add to that?) And Erotica. My all time favorite stories are fairy tales! Especially ones that have been re-written for adults. Now that my children are now grown, I have started to write again. The ideas are coming faster than my fingers and brain can keep up with. I live in Wisconsin with my husband of thirty three years. We have raised three children of our own and had others in our home off and on over the years, through fostering and just helping those that we 'adopted'. I have nine grandchildren and am blessed to have two with me on a daily basis. Though I plan on writing some Christian fiction, I am first of all a Christian, I do plan on writing some that are purely for entertainment without any kind of "Christian message". My goal is to make some characters come alive and to provide a small place of escape for my readers.
Read more from Jodi A Woody
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Deeper Still - Jodi A Woody
Deeper Still
Jodi Woody
Copyright 2014 by Jodi Woody
Smashwords Edition
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DEEPER STILL: DEVOTIONS FROM A WALK WITH GOD
Introduction
I have been a Christian for 44 years. But I haven’t always walked with God. Some of those years I walked away, some I stumbled and bumbled my way, and some I stayed on the path. I like to think that I learned from all of it.
What you are reading now is the second book of devotions that has come out of that journey. Some were written as blogs, some I used as teachings in a ladies Bible study, and some I taught in my local church. Some are short and some a tad lengthy. But I think that they would work nicely for a daily reading. I have included some prayers in the back and there are a few poems I have written scattered throughout.
I have learned along the way that our walk with God is all about choices, some small and some huge. One choice we have to make is to stay where we are in our relationship with Him, or to draw closer yet. Another is to stay shallow or to go deeper still. If you chose to press in and dig deeper, then you will enjoy this book.
1
Deeper Still
I love the way You love me,
I treasure the time we share.
I wonder why You chose me,
How You can know me and yet still care.
So I will choose to find You,
To know Your ways and Your will.
To leave the shallow waters,
To swim the calm depths, deeper still.
I Corinthians 2:6-12 (NLT), Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
2
Choose Your Way
What looks like the easy way, the way out, the way up, isn’t always the right way. That path strewn with flowers, smooth as a baby’s behind, you know the one that looks sunny and bright, may not be the path that you need to take. In fact most often, in the long run, it isn’t easy at all.
The paths we choose can’t be based on what they look like. We can never rely on our natural senses. The roughest looking road may be exactly the one God would have us walk. I often use the analogy out of the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.
There is a place where Bell’s father is faced with two paths. One looks lovely and the other is shrouded in darkness, there is an evil looking mist, and some scary looking trees. The horse is the only one who seems to have any sense, and in our hearts we are screaming take the sunny path!
However, if we watch the scene through, the path he took was the right path to lead us to our happy ending. It is the same with us. Be led by God, not by our fears, anxiety, or laziness.
So why would God want us to take the road that is less traveled? Is it because He wants us to suffer and fight every step of the way? No. Those pits, road blocks, speed bumps, and glare ice have all been put there by our enemy. He wants to stop us from advancing. That’s how we know we are on the right road. Why would Satan hinder our path to Hell? He hinders our walk to the Abundant Life, the road that leads us into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our enemy doesn’t just try to impede our way, he also tries to distract us from the path. If he can get us to step off of the path, to try an easier
way, or to completely suck us in by that sunny little path that leads straight to that beautiful oasis. You know, the one that leads to the sunny beach with a life of ease. Don’t be fooled, that life is a mirage! All that glitters is not gold!
So why doesn’t God just sweep our paths clear? After all, He is all powerful. Because He knows what is best for us. He sees what’s up ahead. He knows the people we will influence, the trust and strength we will gain. Simply put, He wants us to be led by His Spirit, to learn to trust and rely on Him. In reality, we will never know how many obstacles He has removed! I know that He has protected me so many times. I put myself in some pretty dangerous situations when I wasn’t living for Him, and He brought me through them all. How much more protection do you think I have now that I have committed my way to Him? There are angels guarding around me at all times. I am confident that they have carried me up an over many pits and snares. God knows we need His strength. That’s why Jesus promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Matthew 28:20 (God’s Word Translation), Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.
There were many times in my life when I was tempted to take the easy way.
I went through things that weren’t easy. My teen years were some of the worst. I struggled with self worth, anxiety, and alcohol and drugs. Several times I almost gave into that voice telling me to end it all.
Though I had left the path God had chosen for me at the time, He still kept me safe. My marriage is another example. We both came into it with issues and at many different times we wanted to call it quits.
But, we stuck it out. (Granted sometimes in fear or stubbornness, but God turns it all around for our good.) We found some Godly counsel, many times over the years, and finally went through some deliverance. For years we both lived in a messy marriage, but we knew that God’s best for us and our children was to stay together. This summer it will be thirty years since we said our vows. For about the last ten, they have been better than we ever dreamed of! It was all worth it!
Sometimes the way gets rough. We can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have been known to say, enough already
and really?
Those both directed at God. At times in anger, and other times joking with my Father. Thankfully He is patient and forgiving, and He has a sense of humor. Do we always know why we have to walk such a spooky looking path? No. But can we be confident that God is good and He has our back? Yes.
The more we know Him, the more we know His word, the easier this walk gets. Are all the obstacles removed? No, but His word is a light unto our path. We can see them way ahead of time, so we can be built up and strong in the Lord. Whatever you do, keep walking forward. No turning to the left or the right, and for Heaven’s sake, don’t sit down! Never set up camp in a rough spot. Go through! Let His praises be on your lips. Let your heart be full of His joy. That’s where our strength comes from.
Holy Spirit, I trust You to lead me on the right path. I will not be distracted. I will not give up or back away, but will move forward.
3
What Qualifies Us?
What can we do in ourselves to become worthy? What work can we do to justify His love and favor? What is it that makes us deserving of our call, gifts and talents?
There is only one thing that can ever give us worth, favor, love and make us sure of our callings-surrendering to Jesus. We have to throw up our hands and say, Lord, It’s not in me alone, I can’t do it. All my righteousness is just dirty rags. All my attempts, in my own strength, are just wood, hay and stubble. I need you.
He alone makes us right with God. He alone gives us worth. Because He first loved us. Because He created us with a plan for our future, our calling is sure. It’s His plan, His finished work, His redemption, that makes us successful in our calling. He doesn’t make mistakes-ever. If He called you-He’ll equip you and you are the right person for the job.
It seems more and more, as we draw closer to the final curtain, that there are two mindsets. One is that as long as we look like a Christian and talk like a Christian, we can play church
without any kind of real commitment to Christ. Without investing in our relationship with Him, fellow believers or those who need our help. The other mind set seems to be a lack of security in our calling. A belief that we aren’t good enough, smart enough, strong enough, etc. to do what God asks or to fulfill our call. Time is too short for either of these ungodly thoughts.
We have to stop playing games. We need to do what God has called His church to do. Use those gifts and talents to further His kingdom. We need to admit our need for Him and the authority He has given us. It’s time to recognize that it isn’t anything we can do that qualifies us. It is Him. Period. It is His love, strength, forgiveness, and redemption. He made us worthy. Our worth is in Him.
II Corinthians 5:21 (NIV), God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
God sees us as worthy because of the work of Jesus. God looks at us with love and pride. Then He looks at those who don’t know Him with love and compassion. He longs for them-those lost sheep. Our jobs are to stop looking at ourselves, negatively or too highly, and look at them. See their need for a savior. If we are so caught up in our own inadequacies and failings, we won’t ever step out and help those that are lost and dying. If we look on them with contempt, we won’t reach out, we will leave them in the dark and never bring them into the light.
No, my flesh is not worthy. But my spirit is His and my soul is being redeemed. If God can use murderers, adulterers, harlots, stubborn-uneducated fisherman, tax-collectors, liars and even a donkey, He can (and will) use me. If I let Him. No more excuses! This isn’t a dress rehearsal
, this is the real deal. Get your focus off yourself and fix your eyes on Jesus. He’ll bypass your faults and our greatest so-called-strengths, and He’ll use us to save a lost and dying world.
Pretty awesome isn’t it?
God, I give all my shortcomings to You today. Give me Your strength and Your peace to do what You need me to do.
4
Don’t Leave Him In The Manger
I love the Nativity Story. Not only at Christmas time. Even some non-Christians get all teary eyed hearing the Christmas story. There is something about God in the form of a helpless baby, born in a barn and cradled in a feed trough that can touch even the hardest heart. Immanuel, God with us, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. The Word made flesh, born to a virgin, come to save the world.
A powerful story. But only the first chapter. There is so much more. We cannot leave Him in the manger.
Hollywood loves to mock Christians. One way they have done this is showing less-than-spiritual, half-crazy characters praying to and praising baby Jesus.
Myself, I find that rather offensive. Not humorous. I pray and praise not that small bundle of hope that brought God’s love to earth so long ago, but to a risen Savior who defeated death, hell and the grave. I have fellowship with and am