United in Truth

© 2005, 2023 Michele Vidor Krile

Let us as Believers, remain in His truth
So to not give the devil a place
Let us live in unity, even with varied views

“I am the neck, you are the head
Together we turn to God, by Truth we are led”

“I am the ear, you, my friend, are the eye
Together we appreciate and discover creation
From the depths of the sea to beyond the sky”

“I am the wrist, you are the hand
Together we serve others, together we can”

“I am the lungs, you are the heart
No one better, just living our God-given part”

“I am the ankle, you are the foot
Surely, you have me, for your step to put”


We live to serve God with all of our might
The lost will be drawn to Him
As we love others, and the Body of Christ

In this world, but not of, 
proof is how we share his love

In that we shall be one, 
just as Jesus and the Father are,
For then the world will believe 
that God sent his Son!

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As many are about to celebrate Valentine’s day, I would like to focus on the only love that is true and whole, One that the world is blind to. 

First, I apologize that I haven't fully figured out how to format in WordPress, so my blogs are not pretty or well formatted. Next, this is by far my most quirky poem, but, you get the point 🙂 . Ok, now the devotion...

The world has a warped idea of love because it is devoid of Him. Worldly songs, poems, movies and relationships all demonstrate this. Let us show the world the Love worth living for!

Recorded in John 17, Jesus, as fully human and fully divine, prayed the most humble, gracious, and intimate prayer to the Father.  

He asked that his disciples and all Believers be united in His truth, in order to glorify the Father. He prayed that we be sanctified, prayed for our safety from the evil one, and that we might have his joy.

What really stands out is his desire that we become one as They are one. Wow! Can we actually be that unified? Yes! But only through him. I believe this is what distinguishes a true Believer. 

Let us daily seek and follow Jesus’ example! We can only fully represent Him when we all love and serve one another as he did. In this, the world will know that we are His and that in Him is the Hope from the Devil's lies and schemes. In Him is real love.

Ready to go more in depth?


In Context…

John 17 (New King James Version) 

Jesus Prays for Himself 

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 
2 As You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He [a]should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 

3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 
4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together [b]with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. 


Jesus Prays for His Disciples 

6 “I have [c] manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 
7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 

8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 
10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 

11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep[d] through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 
12 While I was with them [e]in the world, I kept them in [f]Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is [g] lost except the son of [h] perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
 
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 

15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 
17 Sanctify[i] them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 
19 And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 


Jesus Prays for All Believers 

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who [j]will believe in Me through their word; 
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 

24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 

25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 
26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” 

<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 
My prayer...

Lord, while on earth, your sweet, humble prayer to your Heavenly Father, to Whom your are one with, is such a wonderful peek into the relationship within the glorious Trinity. 

As I read your prayer, I sense your strong love for us. The Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is quite a mystery to us Lord. Please continue to give us glimpses into Your amazing and holy nature. Keep us in your truth and in unity. In your glorious Name, amen.

S3, Devotion #3- Guard Your Heart!

Guard Your Heart!

© 2013, 2022 Michele Vidor Krile

Guard your heart, Oh Believer! Guard your heart
From all form of darkness glorified,
That mysteriousness and bewitching haze,
That gives only emptiness and lies
That sneaks the dabbler into a daze

But say just once, you drop your guard,
Thinking, for the sake of fun, There is no harm,
I’m mature enough. Then, without a thought
Even evil will seem good

Quiet your soul, my dear friend
Read and hear the Word of God
Reach out to a fellow Believer for prayer
Truth will guard, and break you free!
With discernment you’ll truly see,
That only God fully satisfies

So if you gave into deceptive schemes,
So give Christ, instead, your eyes
Surrender to Him your ears and your time
Submit to Christ your mouth and mind
Throw no motive to the wind
Guard your efforts in service to Him!

Guard those entrusted to your care
For deceit is in Satan’s every intent,
He promises sweet things, Yet seeks to defile the innocent
Please judge content before it’s offered to our young,
They are so easily caught up in deceptive fun.
Gloss not over silly lies or make no light of evil
Rather, teach His Word and exemplify the Son

Let us show the Truth and Grace to those who’ve fallen
Salvation belongs to those who faithfully believe
So, fiercely guard in brotherly love,
Lift each other up in sisterly care.
Yes, hearts guarded by the Holy Spirit are joyfully free!

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Hi there, I am so delighted you have come to visit! I pray that my expressions are a blessing to you.

I have revised both my poem and the devotion several times, while I’m also still figuring how to format on WordPress. And it occurred to me that all 4 or so revisions might have been emailed to you. I’m not the most tech savvy. Ooops, lol.

We must remain on guard in what we intentionally look at and listen to, in how we dress, even in how we spend our time, our finances and efforts. How do you know when something you are doing is wrong? Anything that is pulling you away from God. Guard your heart from anything that keeps you from fully serving God with all your being.  How can we serve and represent a holy God when we live by the desires of the flesh? No Christian wants to fall prey to Satan’s schemes.

Proverb 4:23 cautions us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Keep reading for a more in-depth devotion…

My friend, if we are not diligently guarding our hearts with God’s Word and in prayer, we can get easily trapped by even the smallest of things. One of Satan’s biggest lies is, “Oh, you are mature, you can handle that.”  Nope. Over the months and years, things that used to shock us start to feel and look normal to us. Witchcraft, “white” magic, nudity, lustful novels or movies, swearing, you name it. Jesus teaches that when we hear the Truth, we are to go and sin no more. If something grieves God, it should grieve us also. So when you hear that still voice, put up your Godly guard!

Fellow sojourners, let’s be careful in everything. We must guard our hearts, guard our time, guard our children and guard our spouse (yes!). How? By filling our selves and our children with God’s Word, by praying for them. By imitating Jesus. By holding up and onto God’s holy standard even when others around us choose not to. Not by our own power, or the power of force but by the power of the Word and the power of prayer.

We need to be able to discern what is healthy and unhealthy, both on and off the internet. Are we reaching out to the people around us if we are able? Are we paying attention to our priorities- God, spouse (if we have one) kids. Are we learning about and giving ourselves and our family proper nutrition and exercise? Are we managing our time properly? Are we serving and glorifying God in all that we do? If not, then something is “off.” Can we learn to manage it? To discipline ourselves? If it is controlling us we need to just plain turn it off!

Paul said this in I Corinthians 6:12 (Amplified® Bible), “Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything {or} be brought under its power.” I firmly believe that God’s wisdom is relevant for any generation, even in the computer age!

The apostle Paul pleads…
I Cor 6:19 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,
20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God {and} bring glory to Him in your body.    (Amplified Bible)

‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’ ‘=’

Scripture in Context
Proverbs 4:20 My son, give attention to my words ; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your sight ; Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left ; Turn your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:20-27 (New American Standard)
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Prayer for You
Lord, we surrender to you our eyes, ears, body, our eating habits, time, finances, our lifestyle, our family and loved ones, our efforts, and all that you have given to us to serve You with. Keep us focused on you so that we might serve you and others without unnecessary distractions or giving into sin. In your precious name, Amen.

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 Are you enjoying my devotional blog?  God loves you wherever you are at right now in your life! I appreciate you and hope my poetry and devotions benefit all who read them. Let me know if you or someone you know is in need of prayer. Don’t hesitate to comment, subscribe and share. Please keep comments kind and relevant.

Blessings,
Michele Krile

NOTE: WordPress shows ads in non-upgraded blogs. But I don’t know what they will show, so I apologize. (WordPress says, “If you see an inappropriate ad, please report it to support@wordpress.com. Please include the address of the site (e.g., http://example.wordpress.com), the date/time the ad appeared, and a screenshot of the ad.”)

ON THIS NEW DAY

ON THIS NEW DAY

© 2018 Michele Krile

It’s not just another day, starting fresh from here
I embark eagerly upon this New Year!
So I wonder, Lord, how to make tomorrow even brighter?
You know where I’ve succeeded, and the mistakes needed to get there
You see my regrets and how I want to learn an even better way
Not just for myself, but for those whom I love and care

I reminisce upon those glorious instances
That impressed joy and peace upon my heart
Lovely times I’ve offered to another, a part of myself
When a two-way blessing burst within ourselves
I breathe in the sweet air of helping and giving
And keep in mind how You, Jesus are our Hope in living!

You, Lord are my inspiration and reason to wake
Thank You for the blessing of family and friends
Remind me to love for not mine but Your name sake
Lest my heart be incomplete, full of pride and conceit
Each day this year I ask you Lord,
Keep me humble, yet confident in who I am in You

This year will be so full of opportunities!
Thinking of me, I’m prone to wanting my own will
Then, Lord, I sense You tugging at my heart
I breathe deep, Your voice indescribably still,
Reminding me to wait, to contemplate,
To consult with You first, as God of the universe

Shhh, listen, Can you also hear Him say…

Come away with me, make My will your priority
And I will envelope you in My love and peace
My glory will be your protection.
When you seek My direction,
On this new day, my Light will guide your way

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Hi, friends! I am excited to start up my weekly blog again. I took a break when I became pregnant with Aaron, our third child. Please bear with me, as I try to find my momentum again. If you have not yet, please enjoy the previous seasons of blogs. Don’t be afraid to comment and share 🙂 . For this blog entry, please forgive me for meshing a couple topics into one.

Wow, can you believe how quickly 2017 zipped away? Replaced with many possibilities for 2018! I like to remain flexible with goals, so I do not make New Year’s resolutions in the traditional sense. (More on this next week)  I do anchor my hope in Jesus, in who He made me to be and function within His marvelous plan. I do not pretend that I can do absolutely everything, as I respect that there are limits. However, who am I to establish those limits?  God will stretch my “limits” as I let Him.

The Bible teaches us to “…number our days, so that we will grow in wisdom.”  Psalm 90:12. Numbering our days = using God’s wisdom. This does not limit us in the quality of our life, though our days are limited.  God’s wisdom helps us to make the most of the days we have! So, how does one get God’s wisdom? The Bible also says to seek [wisdom] and you will find it and “whoever lacks wisdom, ask…” We will get more into the subject of God’s wisdom in upcoming posts. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

To reach our potential in different areas of our lives, we need to use wisdom to know when to be persistent in action, and when to be patient before acting. Did you ever think, though, that patience can be an action? Active in praying, in giving of ourselves and in being positive until we know when to move in a certain direction. Waiting on God never is passive, nor a waste of time!

Quite a few years ago I worked in retail management.  In my daily interaction with customers, coworkers and employees, I enjoyed encouraging people and just letting them know that I cared. So often I heard negative reactions to “Have a good day.” and “How is your day going?” I felt we all take what happens to us so passively. “I have no choice.” I’ve been dealt a bad hand” “They gave me a raw deal” I know life is hard. But I got to thinking… I decided to change how I asked people about their day, to help them think differently, to get out of the rut, and not take a “victim of life” mindset (that is not to discount true victims, just the mentality). Psa 37:3

So instead of “Have a good day,” How about, “Make today a good one!”  Instead of, “How is your day treating you?” Try, “How are you treating your day?” As difficult as it may be, you can choose your attitude, and how you respond, no matter what is going on around you!  Col 3:23

If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you have given your life over to God, then you, my friend are victorious! Even when things are tough. The past, present and future belongs to God, as do you. He plans the best for you, which is not always the easiest way. Take heart, with our heavenly Father’s help and guidance, you can make the most of every day in this New Year!  Make this year a good one!  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength…

  –  Prayer  –

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for a New Year! Help me to learn from last year. I ask for Your knowledge to guide my thoughts, your love to guide my heart, your strength to guide my body, and your wisdom to guide my life.

Scroll down for full Bible passages

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Bible passages for your Understanding

–> As always, I encourage reading the whole chapter to understand the context.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

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Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

IN CONTEXT –  4:10-13 NKJV    6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

 

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (Look for a full devotional on this in an upcoming blog post)

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James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

IN CONTEXT  –  JAMES 1:5-8  

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

​To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:  ​Greetings.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

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Psalm 90:12-14 (NKJV)

¹² So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

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Psalm 37:1-7

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 (

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If you are interested in delving deeper into the Word of God, the Bible, I encourage you to use some of the helpful study tools that I love:

ONLINE / APPS:  http://www.BlueletterBible.org ,  http://www.Biblegateway.com ,  http://www.biblestudytools.com ,  and                                                              

Being a Steward of God’s Blessings

Being a Steward of God’s Blessings… And a Neighborly Suggestion 🙂

Poetry Devotional by Michele

This Human Temple
A prayer toward holiness and wholeness

© 2000, 2014 Michele Vidor Krile

Lord, thank You for the privilege
Of being Your dwelling place
So to represent Your very essence
Help me daily to seek Your presence
And continually walk in Your grace

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
God of holy passion, joy and love
This temple’s light at times burns too dim
Stoke this fire you ignited some time ago
Oh Lord of my heart, my eternal glow

There’s a corner in this temple
That’s still a bit hidden
This corner of my heart, please
Bring complete healing from within

There’s a part of this temple
You and I are working to rebuild
Teach me to feed my body right
And learn to be satisfied

When I find it not so simple
To discipline this temple
Remind me of Your truth
I am not my own…

View original post 1,087 more words

Being a Steward of God’s Blessings

This Human Temple
A prayer toward holiness and wholeness

© 2000, 2014 Michele Vidor Krile

Lord, thank You for the privilege
Of being Your dwelling place
So to represent Your very essence
Help me daily to seek Your presence
And continually walk in Your grace

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
God of holy passion, joy and love
This temple’s light at times burns too dim
Stoke this fire you ignited some time ago
Oh Lord of my heart, my eternal glow

There’s a corner in this temple
That’s still a bit hidden
This corner of my heart, please
Bring complete healing from within

There’s a part of this temple
You and I are working to rebuild
Teach me to feed my body right
And learn to be satisfied

When I find it not so simple
To discipline this temple
Remind me of Your truth
I am not my own, I belong to You
””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

All of you who read my blog might by now realize my passion for frankly bringing out the scripture truths alongside my poems that either encourage and (hopefully) also challenge you. Another one of my passions has long been learning how to take care of my health and later my family’s (as this is Biblical), and to pass the knowledge to others. Do any of you struggle with how to eat well? How to keep your family’s immunity up? With health issues*? With trying to balance a healthy weight and also getting the proper nutrients out of the foods you eat? I’m praying what I say here and my poems (*For What Shall I Hope? is at the bottom of this post) encourages you to be a steward of your health.

Becoming a steward of the body and mind God gave you is important, because God gave you but one body and mind! In Mark 12:29 Jesus told us to … love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ This can only be fully done with the help of the Holy Spirit. But, part of loving God is taking care of what He has given to us; to take care of our mind and our body so we have strength in our body and clarity of mind.

Going to the Bible-Mark 12:28 NLT, One day a man came to Jesus and asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus responded,

“The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (verse 29, NLT)

Jesus essentially summed up the Ten Commandments: To make the Lord number One in your life. So, this would include in everything you do, including serving Him in how you eat and care for yourself and your family.

But what if you have no idea how to properly care for your health, or for your family’s? Take some time to learn! Then after learning, you’ll find it such joy to take good care of your family! Then teach your children what you have learned. Part of your spiritual legacy is teaching your children or family and friends,helping others to be wise stewards of their body God gave them!!

There are so many good books and articles out there on real nutrition; safe fitness; health giving recipes; safe, nontoxic and affordable home remedies or personal care recipes.  But, how to know which are really helpful?

I have never written on my blog anything other than my poetry and devotions. But there is a great spiritual application here, so please read on if you are interested in bettering your health, or learning more on many health topics. (If not, just scroll down to read my other poem) Well, I have one great suggestion… The Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle … the most awesome and helpful ebooks, eCourses and bonus certificates. And a very wonderful part of this deal? You won’t be having to get a new bookshelf to hold all these books. These ebooks and eCourses are downloads! I will not try to sell you on it, as I am not receiving a commission. I am just excited to read mine and use the bonuses. You decide for yourself, but hurry, because this is the last day (I have been out of state for 4 days and regret haven’t had a chance to tell you about this exciting bundle before now.) Some of my favorite Christian bloggers as well as health and mommy  bloggers are authors on here. Find out how ebooks, eCourses and bonus certificates you get in this bundle:  http://ultimate-bundles.com/healthy-living-bundle-2014/?affiliate=40

The spiritual application is very simple: This Bundle can help you to be both a steward of the body and the money God gave you, as it offers you over $1000 worth of healthy goodness for a small price. Because of so many hits, Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle website crashed, and they have even extended this year’s deadline from Mon, 11:59pm to 12 noon PST/3 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 16. (What a good example of ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 🙂  You can purchase the bundle here now:  http://ultimate-bundles.com/healthy-living-bundle-2014/?affiliate=40 (affiliate is from one of my favorite Christian family blogger, moneysavingmom.com )

So whether or not you choose to get this affordable, helpful Bundle, don’t worry, my devotional blog is still a poetry devotional blog. 🙂  I might mention the next bundle when it becomes available, just because I feel you would benefit greatly, as it will be the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle!

Honor God with your body and mind: Take care of yourself!

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For What Shall I Hope?
a modern day psalm
© 2005, 2008, 2011 Michele Vidor Krile

Oh Lord, you know my struggles and meditations
You hear my cries and frustrations
As I strive to be a steward of the body you gave me
Healing seems so far away, yet close to my soul You will be

When I cannot sleep
For what shall I dream?
I search for and long for health,
Yet even this will eventually fade away

You are my Oasis, my Sustenance
You align my will with Yours, such goodness!
This is where my weakness meets Your strength!

For what shall I hope?
Oh how Your mercy exceeds
All my desires and needs

How can I not be content
in the hope of heaven,
in the hope of seeing Your face,
of glorifying You with loved ones for eternity?

For Whom shall I hope?
In Whom shall I trust and obey?
Who will I serve and worship?
To Whom will I give glory and praise?

How can I want more than Your Grace?
I deserve less than all that I’m blessed
How dare I not be thankful for what I’ve got?
Though my flesh seeks a touch of youth
All healing comes from You!

You refresh my body and my soul
In the newness of your Word
And you lead me to the knowledge I need
To be the steward of all you have given me!

Lord, in everything I say and do
Let me die to self, lest I cry and mope
Keep my heart and mind focused on You,
My Salvation, my Healer, my Hope

S4, Mysteries that Seasons Send -Revised w/ New Devotional

Mysteries that Seasons Send
© 1999, 2014 Michele Vidor Krile

What will become of Summer’s end?
Oh, the mysteries that seasons send!

Can Wisdom follow the Autumn change,
Then without fear, in your heart remain?

Though in the chill of Winter you may wonder
Still, dreariness can be put asunder

God will surely meet you where you are
As you entrust to Him each season of your heart

To our Creator, all mysteries are clearly known
Give to Him total control; He’ll calm your anxious soul

Each day Jesus will walk with you, as Savior, as friend
He will give you strength so you may live as He intends

The Holy Spirit intercedes for you in ways that you cannot
As you seek discernment, He’ll guide you in the will of God

As you wait upon the Lord, Who births Spring anew
At last, His Hope and Joy can truly bloom inside of you!

Ah, those moments and prayers around the bend
Shed light on the mysteries that seasons send!
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Job 11:7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?”

Eph 1:9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.

I like to share this poem near the end of summer. I wrote it for a crying stranger in a church I was visiting in my early adulthood. I have expanded it since then. In turn, It has blessed me and many others through the years.

Need encouragement and clarity for what lies ahead? Ask God for His discernment when you are unsure what is around the bend. Ask Him for His strength in times of challenge or comfort in times of sadness. Ask for peace in times of chaos and frustration. Ask Him for a grateful heart, for He loves you so much to include you in His marvelous mysteries, in the Big plan! Thank Him that He reveals only what you need to know in order for you to learn to trust and obey! Ask Him to place joy in your heart where there might be negativity…  Passion where there is complacency. Praise Him through everything (Yes, sometimes that happens in hindsight.) Ask him for other godly Christians to pray with and support you in your faith journey! Then as God prompts you, give back to others in however He has gifted you to share the Good News of the truth, to support and help others understand the mysteries and life challenges! And as Remember, Jesus is always with those who believe, but we need to spend time with the Lord! Keep talking with Him, reading the Word, keeping open your heart, quieting your thoughts, slowing down and listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit!

For more supporting Bible passages, continue on…

IN CONTEXT:
Eph 1:4-10 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, 5) he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6) to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8) that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9) And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10) to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Other relevant verses:
Prov. 4:11, Philippians 4:6-7, 12-13, Romans 8:26-27

If you have enjoyed reading, please comment and share this post/my blog with others! Prayer requests welcome! Need a faith challenge? Continue reading some of my other posts… And remember to subscribe 🙂

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Please respect copyright and share this poem in its entirety. Contact me for printable version and frameable poems.

An Invitation from God to you…

Here is a love letter to you from God…

Step into My Heart!

© 1996 Michele Vidor Krile

 Step out from your own world

Step away from your fears

Step out of the old you

Into My Presence, where its clear

Step by step, closer to the Truth!

Step into grace and forgiveness

Into My mercy that heals

Step into My light that

Through you can be revealed

Step into more, I give no less!

Open your heart to My Holiness

Step right into compassion

Step into purposeful life, the best

Step right into the passion

From which I gave you breath!

Step into the Hope only I can give

Skip to the joy of learning who I am

In step with Me, know how to live

Step up to freedom, into Who I AM

One step more, come step into My heart!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are loved. God gave you fresh flowers. God gave you the moon! God showed you many rainbows and the beauty of nature. God placed many people in your life to befriend and love you and to help shape you into who you are still becoming. But most of all, we know that He demonstrated his love by sending His son Jesus, to redeem you with the blood he shed on the cross. Aren’t you glad He didn’t stop there? For He demonstrated His power and authority over sin by raising Jesus again to life. He demonstrates his passion by giving to you spiritual life everlasting with Him. God loves you fiercely, but He gave everyone a choice. Have you accepted this great love? Awesome!  Do you yearn for more of God? Have you come out of those comfort zones? You know, we all have them in different areas of our life. These comfort zones are also called shades and walls that we build between us and God. It keeps us feeling like we are ok ’cause we know God a little bit. But God longs for more. And, He put in every soul a deep longing to get to know Him. Listen to Him wooing you closer. Step out from behind those shades / walls and step into His heart!

Just for fun, for those of you who enjoy the creative process, here is the new version also…

Step into My Heart!

© 1996, 2013 Michele Vidor Krile

You’ve stepped out from your comfort zone

Stepped out of the old you, into trusting Me

Now step away from your fears

More into My presence, where it is clear

Step with Me, you are never alone

 

Step further into grace and forgiveness

Into My tender mercy that heals

Step into My light that

Through you can be revealed

Step into more, I give no less!

 

Step up to My cleansing Holiness

That is full of compassion

Step into meaningful life, the best

Step deeply into My passion

From which I gave you breath!

 

Keep following the Hope only I give

Skip to the joy of daily learning who I am

In step with Me, this is how to live

Step up to freedom in Me, this is who you are!

One step more; humbly, boldly, step into My heart!

Celebrate Jesus!

However you celebrate Jesus, blessings to you and yours now and into the New Year!
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O n e * B i g * G i f t
© 2013 Michele Vidor Krile

God as Three in One, is a love so strong
So in the flesh, did the Father send His only Son

One small birth for all the world
One big love for every boy and girl

One small twinkle to lead the way
Three wise men who longed to obey

One humble life, yearning to serve
This big world, so undeserved

To one big cross my Jesus was nailed
Risen in three days; Love’s power never fails

One big gift for my small heart
One big God, his grace and peace to impart

One small choice we need to make
One big Truth we accept in our sin state

Through One big mercy to save the soul
One big Gift to make us eternally whole!

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What is your focus during this time of the year? Christmas cards? Gifts? Making food? Eating food?  Spending time with family? Spending time with God? Let us Celebrate Jesus undistracted. Please take time out of your busy day to worship your Savior!

 

 

 

 

your d

 

PL

 

 

S3, #2 Dedicated to You

Dedicated To You
© 2001, 2013 Michele Vidor Krile

To you who has felt by life tossed
Been confused or totally lost,

To you who has been hurt and used
Whose will has been badly bruised,

Even to you who denies and betrays
For you, I continually do pray,

Oh to you who Love and hope do pursue
To you will be revealed the Truth,

To you who seeks God’s Kingdom first
And after His righteousness thirst,

To you who won the struggles by giving God your best
You are now with Him and have eternal peace and rest,

To You, my God, Who propels my spiritual progression
From You, my Lord, comes this humble expression

To you who has happened upon these words
To you who has read this simple verse,

To you my fellow poet, my fellow writer
May your expressions make the world brighter,

To you who became this poem’s inspiration
To you, my friend, I write this dedication

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It is true: I usually write with my audience in mind. I write for my God. I write for my fellow Believers. And I yearningly write for seekers, those who are on the fence with God or are searching for truth. I share my poems readily, joyfully. The last year or so, my daughter, Leanna, has been joining me in this Spirit-led evangelistic endeavor. I couldn’t count how many of my poems have gone out all over town and out of town in restaurants, stores and other public places. But I am human, so I am not always this dedicated.

Now, how is it that I am usually in prayer mode while I write, yet when I go about the rest of the day, I often forget and live by the flesh? I talk to my kids. I talk to my husband and I use sharp words or get impatient. Shouldn’t my dedication to the Lord propel me to be selfless with my family? Isn’t that true dedication? Can you relate? Even a tiny bit? I need to pray to be more dedicated to biting my tongue when I feel like yelling at my kids or criticizing my husband. Dedicated to cleaning the bathroom when I’d rather take a nap. Am I alone in this? (Perhaps I’m living on the wrong planet, then!) I must spend more time in prayer. And you also.

Why? Because as soon as we serve the Lord and others in true dedication, our resolve to be continually dedicated to the Lord will be tested. And we will fail, when we do things in our own strength and knowledge. Then God will pick us up, wisen us up, strengthen us and remind us to rely on Him. We can help each other in our dedication. Let’s be devoted to one another in prayer… to spur one another onto good works…

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PRAYER
Lord, I pray for less of me and more of You. Less flesh and more spirit. Help us Walk in the spirit. Help us Worship You in Spirit and in truth. Teach us to be dedicated to You in everything we do. In your Name, amen.
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SCRIPTURE TO GUIDE YOU
John 4:23 NIV Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

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NOTE: Are you enjoying the beginning of the third season of my devotional blog? Please comment. I appreciate all of you and hope to bless all who read it. And please let me know if you read it in your email or on my blog page. I have been thinking of working on the interior decor of my page; however, if most of my readers don’t actually visit the blog page, then perhaps the time it takes to learn to redesign it might not be worthwhile until next summer when I’ll have more time.
This devotion was a bit off schedule. Thank you for your patience!

Have a nice restful rest of the weekend and a great next week!
Your sister in Christ,
Michele Krile

S3, Mysteries and Change

Mysteries That Seasons Send

©  Michele Vidor Krile

What will become of Summer’s end? 
Oh, the mysteries that seasons send! 

Can wisdom follow the Autumn change, 
Then without fear, in hearts remain? 

Though in the chill of Winter we may wonder, 
Still, dreariness can be put asunder 

God will surely meet you where you are, 
As you entrust to Him each season of your heart 

Daily, Jesus walks with us, as Savior, as friend 
He gives us strength so we may live as God intends 

At last, our Hope and Joy, Who makes the Spring anew
Will truly bloom inside of you!

Ah, time with God and prayers around the bend 
Shed light on the mysteries that seasons send!

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I love to see the process of the leaves changing throughout Autumn. Don’t you? Fall is my hubby’s favorite time of the year. God loves to wow us with His unlimited creativity! But I don’t like the impending cold and don’t always like change in my life. Or some of the mysteries of the future.

Mysteries. Surprises. Hopes. Change. Flexibility. Trust. God has given us seasons for two opposite reasons: constancy and change. Only God can jam those two things together! To be able to serve God to our fullest potential, we must allow Him to change us to the likeness of His Son, Jesus. Jesus has a constant, consistent character. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Our life journey brings many challenges, and many blessings, and lots of change from season to season and within each season of our lives. Problems happen when we resist the good change that God wills for us. We get frustrated when we demand our will over God’s, or expect Him to adjust His plan to ours. We develop unhealthy fears when we don’t fully trust in God’s plan. God the Father loves us, His believing children, so much, that he disciplines us. He knows us and knows our tendency to stray. To become proudful. To fear. To stagnate. To falter. To become discouraged when we face struggles. No one is exempt.

But take heart, my friend, Jesus is right there with you in each season of your life. Through the good. Through what we see as bad. Then as we trust Him fully, we can fully appreciate how God turns what the enemy meant for bad, into good! God is our hope, our strength, our all. When we pray, He is our connection. Things we don’t understand, are all in God’s hand. Give every unknown, every sorrow to God, and he’ll turn it into hope and joy as you serve him! For the glory of God!  Change is good as long as it glorifies God!

Happy Autumn. Happy godly changes!

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Prayer

Lord, thank you for displaying Your magnificence in the seasons that You have created for us and for your glory. Thank you for positive change, even when we don’t like it. I pray that I and all who read this will put in Your hands our fears and doubts of the future; our frustrations, weaknesses and  false inadequacies. Lord, we know you want to lavish on your Children your wisdom, peace and joy, but you will not force it upon us. Open our hearts and minds as You will to work change in our lives. May we be continually available to serve You, our spouse and children, and everywhere we go; so that Your Truth and encouragement will flow to others in every season of our lives! In Jesus’ precious Name, amen.

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Scripture To Guide You

Hebrews 13:7-8 7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.…

 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations (For the sake of context, God showed Paul many visions and revelations.), there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

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