Category: Bible Teaching

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Hearing From God (Your Inheritance)

Did you know that you can hear from God?

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. -John 10:27

It took me a long time to realize that as a child of God, a part of my familial benefits included the ability to hear his voice.

This incredible gift of hearing from our heavenly Father is not just for a select few. It is for everyone, including you. You are a beloved of your Father in Heaven. He wants to speak to you as any good father would want to communicate with his child.

I wrote about this topic in the new anthology book, The Runaway Bride of Christ.

May my testimony encourage and uplift you in your faith!

A Transforming Relationship

“Christianity that isn’t supernatural is superficial.” -Unknown

“I promised you my love and entered the covenant of marriage with you. I, God, the Master, gave my word. You became mine. I gave you a good bath, washing off all that old blood, and anointed you with aromatic oils. I dressed you in a colorful gown and put leather sandals on your feet. I gave you linen blouses and a fashionable wardrobe of expensive clothing. I adorned you with jewelry: I placed bracelets on your wrists, fitted you out with a necklace, emerald rings, sapphire earrings, and a diamond tiara.” -Ezekiel 16:9-12 (MSG)

I began to sense the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I was guided to create a spiritual mind calendar where I put down purposefully things to do every day that would help me abide in Christ. Most of these things included prayer and Bible reading. I began by studying the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5, and I limited my television watching. Please keep in mind, I felt led by the Holy Spirit to do these things. No one from the outside instructed me in this, so it wasn’t “legalistic.” 

I prayed to Jesus to wake me up early to spend time with him before I did anything else. The very next morning, I woke up at 5 am, feeling an invisible hand on my arm. I even felt the fingers of this invisible hand. I opened my eyes and discerned the message of the Lord, “It’s prayer and study time.” For the next year, I would wake up almost every morning to be alone with Jesus. I read through the entire Bible. 

The Holy Spirit led me through a process of sanctification. I began to sense what pleased God and what displeased him. I fully gave myself to Him, treasuring Him above all others. 

As I dwelt in his presence, my heart began to heal. I was supernaturally delivered from a demon of anger that was sitting on the hurt in my soul. Now that the hurt was gone, the demon had left. I’m not sure if God kicked it out or if it left on its own. I literally felt an empty space in me where the anger usually was. I gave up my old life and accepted that I was a new creation in Christ. I no longer tended to give in to sinful anger. I began to overlook offenses and become a peacemaker. I no longer gave curt answers that cut my family. I now offered gentle words that turned away wrath (see Proverbs 15:1, NIV). The insecurities that once crippled much of my life began peeling away. As I received the love of God, I began to love myself and take care of my body. Within a year, I was at a balanced weight.

Not only did I love myself, but I liked myself. As a result, I gave that gracious love to others. My mind was slowly becoming a beautiful garden. I no longer had dark thoughts. Divinely inspired images began filling my mind, and I started having “visions” of the kingdom of heaven. I journaled some of these down in my book, Visions of Celestial Love. 

“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. -John 14:15-16 (AMP)

The Lord began stressing the importance of my obedience. The first relationship God repaired was with my father. God taught me that no matter how I didn’t want to do what my father asked, I was commanded in the Bible to honor him. It was hard at first, but as I died to pride, I began walking in joyful obedience. My father and I developed a closer relationship. He began buying me presents at random and taking me on father- daughter dates. I went from a begrudgingly obedient child to a willfully obedient child. The Lord would inspire me to cook dinner for my family, clean the garage (although I hated doing so, especially since there were spiders), and serve them with my whole heart. 

One night my eldest sister told me to not sleep on the couch. I liked sleeping on the couch because I could see the stars through the large windows. As I was drifting off to sleep on the couch again, the Lord reminded me of Ashanti’s words. I frowned but spread a blanket on the floor and slept. In the morning Ashanti asked me why I was snoozing on the floor. I responded, “Because you told me not to sleep on the couch.” She gave me a pleased smile and then said, “You can sleep on the couch (from now on).” God was showing me what it was like to grow in, “wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” like Jesus who willingly obeyed his parents as a teenager (see Luke 2:51-52, NIV, emphasis added).  

Miracles began happening in my life. I think it’s important to note that I didn’t chase miracles. I pursued knowing God. Miracles are a result of the presence of God. One morning after spending time with God, I proceeded to politely excuse myself., “Father, I’m hungry and I think I will watch TV.” After making breakfast I tried to watch TV on two different televisions, and nothing was working. I checked the plugs and connections, and everything was set up right. There was no reason for the televisions to be showing static. I went to the family computer and tried to watch shows on YouTube, but the internet wasn’t “working.” Then I got a small impression from the Holy Spirit to visit a ministry website by one of the ministers I enjoyed listening to. It worked immediately! It was like God was saying, “I’m enjoying your company. I want to spend more time with you.”

One day, I was taking a shower and as it was ending, I realized I had left my drying towel on the sink counter which was past the commode. I didn’t want to drip water on the floor, so I thought to lean on the towel railing and reach for my towel. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me, “Don’t do that. The railing is unstable.” I disregarded his impression, unsure if I had heard from Him and leaned on it anyway. It gave way and I began falling fast. I could have seriously gotten hurt, but I felt an invisible presence catch me and slowly lower my body down to the floor! I still don’t know it if was an angel or the Lord who caught me. I recall thanking the Lord multiple times for keeping me safe.  

One night I heard the voice of God. It was so clear, my ears picked it up, but his voice wasn’t projecting from the outside. His voice came from inside my heart! He told me, “Ashley, your rabbit is going to get sick and die.” For years I had prayed for the health of my family (spiritual, mental, emotional and physical). I would include prayers for my rabbit, Floppy’s, health as well. I patted my chest where I heard his voice and stood frozen in wonder. I had never heard God so clearly! At this point in my walk, Christ was dwelling in my heart by faith (see Ephesians 3:17, AMP). The Holy Spirit had done a beautiful job of making my heart a nice home for Jesus. At that time, Floppy was showing no signs of illness, but I began spending more time with her as I believed Jesus had spoken to me. I took her to the park a lot; I videotaped her and gave her extra kisses. 

Sometime later, she began to show symptoms of sickness. She stopped eating and would make small painful noises. We took her to the vet only to find out that cancer had spread throughout her body and there was nothing the vet could do. My mom decided it would be merciful for us to allow the vet to put her out of her misery. I was the last one to hold Floppy and I remember her licking me on my nose as I reluctantly gave her to one of the assistants. I cried loudly as I left the veterinarian. As dejected and sad as I felt, I realized Jesus had warned me ahead of time so I wouldn’t be shocked by her passing. He also did this so I could spend more purposeful time with her and have cherished times together. He cared enough about me to warn me so I wouldn’t be devastated…

~I hope you enjoyed this brief snippet of my testimony. If you’d like to purchase a physical copy of the book, The Runaway Bride of Christ, click here (please allow 2-3 weeks before delivery). You may also purchase a kindle version on amazon by clicking here.

~For a novella full of the voice of God, check out my book, Romantic Rendezvous for the Soul, by clicking here.

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Free Autumn Devotional

What a sweet blessing it was for me to be a part of Anchored Magazine’s cozy Fall edition 🍂✨🍁🕯😍!

Snuggle up with a warm blanket, a hot cup of coffee and be embraced by encouraging words full of grace ☕🥰!

🌈

Click here to read 😊:

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New Anthology: The Runaway Bride of Christ

I feel incredibly honored to be the featured author in this new heartfelt anthology compiled by Dr. Sherley.

Writing my chapters brought back a rekindling of first love fire for Jesus (Revelation 2:4). I pray the Holy Spirit will use this book as part of the eternal song in drawing the Bride of Christ back to her heavenly Bridegroom. You are the King’s beloved. 💍👑

There will be a joyous wedding feast in Heaven (Revelation 19:6-9). ✨🍷🍞🕯

His love is real. His healing is a promise. 🕊

Have you ever experienced hurt in the church?

I believe most of us have.

All worthwhile, long-term relationships inevitably come with painful offenses, sorrows, high joy, fierce love, developing trust, and a copious amount of forgiveness. No ongoing relationship is free of these things.

The Runaway Bride of Christ: Overcoming Church Hurt Anthology, is composed of powerful teaching, inspiring testimonies and empowering scriptures and prayers. Our hope is that this book will bring healing, encouragement, revelation and a renewed sense of faith to those who need it most.

Book Synopsis 📚:

In The Runaway Bride of Christ: Overcoming Church Hurt, Visionary Dr. Sherley Lefevre, along with contributing authors Ashley Thompson, Dr. Ebony Michelle Collins, Leah Clement and Lillie B. Randle courageously confront a topic often silenced within the sacred walls of churches: the profound pain of church hurt. This book isn’t just a recounting of past events; it’s a raw and vivid exploration of betrayal, abuse, and exclusion that permeate modern faith communities.

Through powerful storytelling and biblical wisdom, Dr. Lefevre and the contributing authors take readers on an emotional journey from the depths of despair to the heights of redemption. Each page in the testimony section of the book is filled with personal experiences and testimonies of those who have endured unimaginable pain within the church but have emerged stronger, finding healing and purpose through God’s grace.

The Runaway Bride of Christ serves as both a beacon of hope and a rallying cry for change. It challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths, reclaim the purity of their faith, and create spaces of genuine love and acceptance within their communities. For those who have suffered in silence, this book offers a lifeline—a guide to overcoming church hurt and transforming scars into badges of honor.

Whether you’ve personally experienced church hurt or are seeking to support others on their healing journey, this powerful anthology will inspire you to find strength, hope, and resilience in the face of adversity. This is more than just a book; it’s a transformative journey toward healing and a call to action for all believers…

Sample Chapter

Please enjoy a sample of my teaching chapter, False Spirits verses The Holy Spirit.

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance, to seek him the greatest adventure, to find him, the greatest human achievement.” -St. Augustine of Hippo

The Lord gave me another message. He said, “Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says: “I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness… This is what the Lord says: “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me? They worshiped worthless idols only to become worthless themselves. – Jeremiah 2:1-2, 5 NLT.

The Bride of Christ is the most precious, beautiful, and valuable treasure Jesus owns. His church is His bride. To touch the natural wife of a king evokes severe punishment, for her stature is elevated by the love of her king. She is guarded by the power and authority of her kingly husband. If men throughout history were punished because they touched a king’s spouse, can you imagine the consequences of those who willfully harm, defile, or seduce the Beloved of Christ? To touch the bride of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Ruler of heaven and earth, is infinitely more dangerous. For our King is eternally devoted and sacrificially given over to His bride. You are a part of the precious Bride of Christ.

This great and mighty King acts justly and has a heart perfumed with sweet mercy. This glorious King is, “chief among ten thousand” (Song of Solomon 5:10 NKJV). He is perfect in beauty, grace, wisdom, power and holiness. He walks on a street of “pure gold, like transparent glass” and His gates are “made of a single pearl” (Revelation 21:21 ESV). He is worshiped and adored by majestic angels and creation heralds His praises. He is incomparable and everything the bride could ever want. As omnipotent as He is, He doesn’t force himself on his Beloved even though He created her for Himself. He has given her one of the loftiest gifts—free will. He asks His Bride to respond to His call for a covenantal relationship and leaves it up to her to say “yes.” He has everything prepared, everything she needs “for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3 TPT) He loves His Bride with an undying, selflessness that is wholehearted. But this King has an enemy His Bride is unfamiliar with.

Now, picture a husband on his wedding day, dressed up in finery, as he watches the aisle anxiously to see his lover. I’ve seen husbands so overcome at weddings that they cry or almost jolt back in surprise when they see their beautiful bride. Some men jump with joy or break out into a spontaneous little dance. There’s always a special kind of smile on their faces, a smile reserved only for their future wife. Now, what would you suppose would happen if some murderer came running down the aisle and grabbed the bride’s arm and attempted to drag her away? I bet the groom would start swinging his fists, giving that criminal a good beating until he released her. I imagine Jesus has more protective instincts for His Bride than a natural husband who would readily defend his fiancé. Unfortunately, the enemy of the Bride of Christ is a lot cleverer than that. He doesn’t often use physical force…

I pray the testimonies written in here will be a tremendous blessing to you!

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The Shepherd’s Arms

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. -Isaiah 40:11

The Shepherd’s Arms

Where do you go for shelter? There is nothing like the embrace of Jesus. In his arms, we find healing peace, wholesome serenity, unconditional love, powerful joy, and unmatched security.

When I was a little girl, I went to my mother for comfort, and I went to my dad for protection. I found that I needed their arms for different reasons. Today, I go to my husband’s arms when I want to experience unconditional love.

No matter where I go, no one has ever held me like Jesus. He often flows through the people in my life to touch me, but there have been times, where I’ve experienced a personal embrace from him, and it is like nothing on earth!

You can run to Jesus’ arms for everything. If you need comfort, run to him. If you need peace, run to him. If you need joy, run to him. If you just want to be held, run to him. He is your Good Shepherd. He laid down his life for you, his sheep. He longs to hold you close to his heart.

Prayer

“Father, I thank you for your tender embrace through your son Jesus. Thank You for loving me in a way that is personal and that comes with all the meticulous care of a shepherd watching over his sheep. Lord, I lean into You for an embrace. I pray that You will show me how much You love me. Help me to trust You fully with every detail of my life. I invite your presence and Lordship in every aspect of my life. Fill my life with your tangible arms. Maneuver things around in my world until the fullness of your Shepherding care is complete. May your embrace in my life be tangible not only to me, but to others who witness how my life is going. May your glory, love, pleasure, and will be accomplished. I trust myself completely to your shepherding care. I open my heart, mind, and soul completely to you. Lead me, direct me, speak to me, and hold me. In Jesus name, amen.”

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The Beauty of Submission

For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear. -1 Peter 3:5-6

My Testimony:

For years self-preservation has caused a soulish rift of fear between my spouse and me. It has taken place nowhere but in my own mind. The ungodly influences of the world’s view on marriage have also been a separation factor. Right now, God is both lovingly and firmly correcting me concerning my relationship with Stephen. It has been hard for me to not “conform to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.” Sadly, I have rebelled against the Word of God in many ways by not honoring my husband in the way God designed me to as a royal daughter of the King.

While the world says a wife should not have to honor her husband, God says a godly wife is to honor her spouse. Colloquial statements from wives like, “I have two kids including my husband,” and “happy wife equals happy life,” or “if mama isn’t happy then nobody is happy” are evidence of an ungodly cultural mindset. I have often laughed at these statements, but I don’t believe Jesus laughed with me. They are not trifle slogans. They are often the visible sprouting of a much deeper issue. There is no place in God’s kingdom for rebellion.

The Kingdom of Heaven is always near to us, but it requires repentance (a changing of mind). For me, God has asked me to learn what it means to be a “help meet” to my husband and to use my free will to have a submissive heart. God will not force this upon me. I have a God-honoring husband who would never force it upon me as well. The kingdom of Heaven has an order, and this order doesn’t change with culture. It is timeless. There are set laws and principles that scripture lays out in marriage. For wives, this includes submitting ourselves to our husbands. This also includes honoring our husbands. God means for our lives to be governed by his Word.

 For many years, I have unknowingly disrespected my husband. I have also competed with him instead of learning what it means to be his helper in the same way the Holy Spirit was the “Helper” of Jesus. Jesus patiently showed me how “fear” played a huge role in my stiff-necked refusal to wholeheartedly support my husband in having leadership authority in our marriage.

1 Peter 3:5 says that the godly women of old put their hope in God. This helped me as I realized that these precious women were empowered by their hope in God. I realized I could only ever submit myself to my husband if I put my hope in the surety of God’s character and his power to cover my family even if my husband made a mistake. Verse six says that we will be their daughters if we “refuse to give in to fear.” I realized that I was afraid of Stephen blowing it. I was also afraid if I submitted to him, he would take advantage of me. I was afraid he wouldn’t care for me the way I wanted to be cared for. I was afraid of financial depletion. I was afraid of being bossed around. I was afraid of so many things. Jesus helped me see that underneath my fear was my true heart. My truest heart wanted to fully believe God and obey his Word.

Thankfully, my truest heart is finally beginning to win.

I have truly begun to walk in purposeful repentance that results in godly fruit. I have a wonderful husband. He’s not perfect, but he is God-honoring, and he loves me more than anyone, other than Jesus. If you’re a wife in a similar or different circumstance, I can’t tell you how God will lead you in your marriage relationship. Only be sure that he will never lead you to disobey his Word. Also, be comforted with this; he will guide you in a way that is loving and personal to you.

If you’re a wife in an abusive relationship, I am so very sorry! Please know God’s Word does not condone violence. God’s Word says that the Lord hates the one who “covers his wife with violence.” -Malachi 2:16 AMPC. 1 Peter 3:7 says that if a man doesn’t act considerately toward his wife (like a delicate vessel) or honor her as a fellow heir, his prayers may be “hindered.”

God cares deeply for his daughters. God cares deeply for his sons. The ideal marriage is when both spouses love Jesus more than anything or anyone because Jesus will always, always, always lead them to love each other much more than they could without him.

Lastly, always remember that you are the beloved bride of the Prince of Peace, and he wants to woo your heart and give you an abundant life. You can trust his rules. You can trust his leadership. You can trust his heart.

-For a beautiful song on Christ as our Bridegroom, click the video (enjoy!):

I don’t own any rights to the music.

-For my book on the divine bridegroom love of Jesus, click here.

Beautiful!

This book was so beautiful! Reading this book felt like the Lord was drawing me to dance with Him. The more I read the book the closer I felt Him pulling me closer. If you read this book you will see the Lord’s heart to romance you, and it will draw you into a deeper place in His heart.

Saleena B. Bible teacher in France

Just Breathtaking

This was the most captivating, read I had in a while. It warmed my heart, made me feel loved, and gave me a desire to want a more intimate relationship.

Starlyn

This Book is a Blessing!

Such an intimate encounter with our Lord and savior. I was blessed to read this book, it has changed my relationship with Christ.


Alicia. D

A Book for your Heart

Ashley has a very talented gift of weaving words together that display tenderness, compassion and purity. Each story reveals the heart of Jesus towards His children. As you read each one you can see past the characters and feel the depth of Jesus’ heart, as well as the longing for a deeper relationship with Jesus inside yours.

Everesta H.

Romantic Rendezvous

Romantic Rendezvous is a beautiful invitation into intimacy with Jesus! Ashley has done a masterful job of creating stories that depict the heart of the Father. I have truly been blessed by this book! As I read each story, I felt the closeness of Jesus and had continual reminders of how deep the Fathers love is for me. From the very first chapter, I felt the flame of my heart be rekindled with God’s goodness and love. This book is a must read!

Jessica Leon, teacher.

Must Read

Wow that was an amazing book! I just finished it! I read it in increments and it really ministered to me at the times I was reading it. I totally felt the presence of God and was like wow this really ministers to me at certain situations I am going through in life !!!!! The way you portray Jesus is so beautiful and is what our soul yearns for. It is possible to be soo intimate with God. Thank you so much for writing it and sharing it with me! New York Times Best Seller.

Kristina Esber

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Three Great Loves

I don’t think we yet know what it’s like to be loved by a king entirely apart from our efforts and works.

And not just a king but the King of Kings.

And not just a high and lofty king, but the King who sits enthroned in the heavens, being worshiped by angels so magnificent and glorious they could kill us from their presence.

We are entirely loved, and this love is fierce toward fear, because fear cannot exist when it is entirely accepted.

I don’t think we yet know how much the Trinity cares deeply for us.

He has provided us with every essential relationship for emotional happiness and stability.

Think about it.

We have a perfect Father who owns everything!

His love rears us in loving tenderness and in merciful wisdom.

We have a perfect spouse.

Jesus is the ultimate Husband.

He laid down His life for us when we rejected Him.

Like the kindest Husband, He patiently woos us to Himself, romances us with His Presence, Word, creation, and an inexhaustible list of other things.

He forgives us always and desires us more than anything else.

We have the perfect Friend.

The Holy Spirit sticks more closely than a brother.

He loves us more deeply than father or mother, and like a good friend He has only our best interest at heart.

He brings us peace when we are afraid. He heals us when we are sick. He teaches us humbly if we are willing to learn. He guides us in all things. He empowers us when we are weak.

He is our ever-faithful companion.

The Trinity had provided for our every need. He provides the three great loves every heart craves and was made for.

May He, constantly cause you to realize more just how deeply you are loved.

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Soul Satisfaction

For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good. -Psalm 107:9

Soul Satisfaction

How many people do you know who are satisfied inside? Are you satisfied? Our society is teeming with advertisements that promise to fulfill the desires of our hearts. The problem is, God has set eternity in our hearts and nothing earthly can truly ever fulfill us in such a way that we will feel complete without God (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Solomon was the richest and wisest man on earth during his time. He was so wealthy that silver was as common as stones in his kingdom (1 Kings 10:27). He was surrounded by such glamor and spoke so intelligently that a visiting queen was struck by his wealth and captivated by his words. To impress a common person is good enough, but to render a queen awestruck is another matter entirely. Yet despite acquiring all his soul- could desire Solomon cried out in Ecclesiastes “everything is meaningless!”

Aristotle once wrote, “it is the nature of desire not to be satisfied and most men live only for the gratification of it.” While this is true without God, we have the promise of scripture that those who come to Jesus and drink of the water he gives will “thirst no more.”  This is the same promise king David sang about in Psalm 23, “the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

David had a close, abiding relationship with God, and through that relationship, he discovered that his soul was satisfied to the point where all his wants were fulfilled. It’s not material wealth and acquisition that fulfills us, although God promises to provide us with what we need, and he is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above what we can ask for. It is only a relationship with God that satisfies.

Prayer

“Father, I pray that you will help me to draw near to you in a fulfilling way. I pray that you will reveal yourself to me daily as my good shepherd. Open my heart, mind, and soul to your goodness and presence in a way that satisfies me. I pray that you will be the treasure of my heart and the desire of my eyes. I pray for a love relationship with you that is divinely beautiful, wholesome, holy, and powerful. Help me to place my soulish desires in your hands from a place of trust and peace. I thank you for never withholding good from me. You are the most giving father (James 1:17). Create a paradise in me. Make my soul a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11). May I walk with you in the cool of the day as Adam and Eve did in Eden before the fall. I love you Lord and I praise you forever. In Jesus name, amen.”

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The Power of Trust

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. -Psalm 147:10-11

Trust is Our Strength

God never meant for us to live by the power of our own strength. Trying to live by our own power is the expression of a lack of faith in him. He calls us to trust fully in his strength and power because we know that he is full of love, mercy, and righteousness. Scripture is filled with this message of God’s strengthening grace.

It took me awhile to understand that God wasn’t impressed by my natural talents, abilities, or endurance. While the world prizes this, especially in famous people, God doesn’t take delight in it. Rather, God takes delight in those who are captivated by his beauty, goodness, mercy, ability, power, and love. In essence, God is pleased with those who place their trust in him and not in themselves apart from him.

The miracle of the Gospel and the revelation of the power of God’s kingdom by his Spirit through his Son’s sacrifice is revealed by trust. When we leave the realm of self-trust to God trust, the supernatural power of God is activated and miracles, signs and wonders follow. Think of all the miracles of old: the parting of the red sea, the slaying of Goliath, the walls of Jericho crumbling None of these wonders happened by the strength and power of man (their legs), it happened by the power of God through those who allowed him to be their strength. To those who trusted in His mercy. May we “fear” (worship and honor) him enough to let him be God in our lives and follow His plans.

Prayer

Father God, I come before You in Jesus name and I acknowledge You as my power, my strength, my God, and the source of my life. Father, I pray that You will lead me to levels of deeper trust in your mercy and your goodness to care for me. By faith, I allow You to be my strength. I humble myself before You in childlike trust because You are a loving Father. Cause me to hope in your mercy in a way that displays the power of your Gospel and honors Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, flow through my life and fill me with peace and the knowledge of God’s will for my life. In Jesus name, amen.

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Beautiful Character

The Lord is [rigidly] righteous in all His ways and gracious and merciful in all His works. -Psalm 145: 17

Beautiful Character

David understood the character of God and his intimate knowledge of God helped him to trust the Lord in the worst of circumstances. This personal knowledge of the One who is trustworthy also helped David accomplish great feats, walk in integrity, make wise decisions, and establish a kingdom full of righteousness, peace, prosperity, and worship. David operated as a brave king and he was frequently filled by the Holy Spirit to even slip into priestly roles in leading worship, prophesying, and drawing hearts to the Lord.

I still remember the day I first began to understand Psalm 145:17. The term “the Lord” represents a ruler. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. His position requires respect, honor, and willing servitude. David goes on to say that our great Lord is “rigidly righteous in all His ways.” This means that the Lord is always right. Everything thing he does is purely good, like crystal. All his judgements are perfect. Nothing he decides is wrong. Whether we know it or not, we crave a leader like this. Because his ways are true and just, we can trust him to always do what is right. He is holy.

Later, David says that our Lord is “gracious and merciful in all his works.” We are the work of his hands according to Isaiah 64:8. While God is perfect and holy, he extends grace and mercy in all that he does. This means that his holiness (rigid righteousness) has a core of love. He pours out grace. He is merciful in his dealings with you.

It is a great and beautiful mystery to have a God who is rigid in righteousness and yet gracious and merciful toward the work of his hands. God is the perfect Father. He is full of love and compassion toward you as his child, and all his decisions regarding your life can be trusted because all his decisions are right. You can trust him to lead and guide your life. He wants only good things for you! Another analogy that might be helpful is to imagine the holiness of God as the sun. While the sun is so bright we cannot touch it or look upon it without special glasses that shield our eyes, the light and warmth that pours from the sun gives light and life to everything on earth. This is an example of how beautiful God’s holiness and love are combined.

Prayer

Father God, I pray that you would open the eyes of my heart to see your righteousness as truly beautiful. I pray that you will help me trust that you only emit true goodness, mercy, grace, and righteousness in all your works. Help me to understand that I am the work of your hands and that you are my good Father. Lord, help me to know you deeply in a way that transforms my life and our relationship. May others bask in the light and warmth of your righteousness and grace that fill my life. In Jesus name, amen.

If you enjoyed this short devotional, you would likely find refreshment in my devotional book, Visions of Celestial Love (An Invitation into Healing Intimacy).

“Come, all you are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat wha tis good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” – Isaiah 55:1-2 NIV

Are you ready to taste of the sweet delicacies of God in a deeply reviving and personal way? For those who want to drink, for those who want to eat and be refreshed and renewed, Visions of Celestial Love is a feast between you and the King of Heaven, who loves you more than anyone else. He invites you to dine on wholesome, good, savory food and delicious, zesty, fruitful drink. He awaits you with a sparkle in His eye. He is ready for your company. He delights to have you as a guest.

“Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love.” – Song of Songs 5:1 NIV

“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel

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Intimacy: A Tribute to My Husband

“The joy and beauty of marriage are divinely designed. Nothing in human imagination could have created such an intimate, wonderful relational unmasking of self. There is a sweet security and a vulnerable nakedness that is wholesome and liberating.”

Stephen,

You are one of the biggest blessings God has ever given me. Thank you for loving me past the fear. Thank you for loving me first. I can truly say I am in covenant with you because you loved me first… I can only say that with one other Person…Jesus Christ. He loved me past my greatest fears and did everything to mend the breach between myself and Father’s love.

Every now and again I get asked this question (from mostly younger women), “when did you know you were in love with Stephen?” The truth is I don’t know…I can’t name a day or time. It was truly as if my heart for him was like a large thanksgiving cooking pot of cold water… and someone put my heart on the stove on low heat. Funny thing about cooking that way is the part of the pot closets to the fire is the deepest water. It’s not heat from the top down but the down up. It was a deeply spiritual and soulful heating/stirring of love…one that has enriched my life in every way. 

I’ve learned something about cooking and that’s if you patiently blend totally different spices together on low for a long time, they merge into something savory. This is like God’s command for two to become one. Two souls in the furnace of God’s heart blending together. I often wondered what scripture meant when it said Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed. In my youthful (unmarried) thinking I supposed it was only physical. It wasn’t until Sunday night when I looked into your eyes that I truly experienced the blessedness of that verse. Your eyes weren’t shuttered in any way. They were open pools of blue that I had dived in many times. They were open flames of a heart that was swung wide for me (as if your soul was a living room with a rocking chair built for me). They were unconditional love that I had now received as a resting place…that I now considered home. And I was unashamed to look back and to take in your affections. Not in kisses and passion…but in soul connection. 

There once would have been a day where I would have glanced away in fear. Fear and love are two powerful forces that cannot coexist, but perfect love always casts out fear. I once heard the word intimacy described as, “into me, you see.” I’ve looked into many eyes…parents, siblings…other brothers and sisters in Christ…but no set of eyes ever felt so transparent and so one with my own soul like yours did a few nights ago. I’ve never been one with anyone except Jesus (and I’ve seen His eyes before in visions. And in those pictures, I’ve found myself looking away for how consuming, captivating, intense and fiery His heart showed through His eyes…like a light I couldn’t behold for fear of going blind). 

Our marriage is a growing picture of Christ & the Church…something I prayed for many years ago. A sonnet written in a lush garden and golden palace like Songs of Solomon. A spiritual connection like Jesus and the Holy Spirit (who is the Helper like a wife is to be a helpmeet to her husband. God is still teaching me about that one). I’ll never forget the morning God showed me that scripture in a new light. The one in psalms 133:2 where it says, “how wonderful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like oil dripping down the beard of Aaron the high priest.” It describes this oil running down his garments. The one thing about oil is that once it’s on your skin or clothes it absorbs into you and the fabric…scenting everything with itself. He revealed to me that Christ is our High Priest now/forever and that oil always represented the Holy Spirit/anointing/strength. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit… and every believer who has the Holy Spirit (which is everyone who accepts Jesus) is marked/sealed according to Ephesians 1:13 as belonging to God/Christ.  And we are to be one with Him like a husband and wife are to be one. The Holy Spirit has probably been my #1 advocate in training me how to be one with you.

 I’ll never forget the 1st year of our marriage whenever the enemy would tempt me to even think the slightest negative thought about you The Holy Spirit would ask me, “why are you thinking this against yourself?” I would reply, “I’m not being tempted to think this about myself but about my husband.” And He would always remind me, “but you and him are one.” This happened several times until I realized in God’s eyes, we really are united as one. Our unity has become a foundational stone in the building of all that I am… and all I will be. My connection with you is second only to Christ and I know this blessing of marriage as God designed it to be as the greatest experience of heaven on earth, I’ve had…except in my own quarters when I’m alone with Christ…my heavenly Bridegroom. 

There are no words that I can pen that could describe our unity by God. No signature could define this elation, bliss, and merriment of being naked and unashamed. It’s as if we are taken back to the garden of Eden (our daughter’s name now) to experience what Adam and Eve had before the fall. Life as God meant it… unified to Him and each other.