What's on Heaven's Bookshelf?

Where does God keep His books? No, I’m not being facetious, for it is a fact that the Almighty has books in heaven. Who looks after them is not mentioned, or where they are stored, but they are there. I believe God was the original author and we have the privilege of following His lead. Maybe the reason for our overstocked bookcases can be attributed the sharing in this interest of God too.

How the psalmist knew of this he doesn’t say. This is what he records: ‘Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.’ Psalm 139:16.

I wonder what God wrote beside each day the psalmist lived? Do I wonder what He writes in the columns of my days? Sometimes!

Books are mentioned a few times in Revelation. The one in chapter 5 caused John to weep loudly and feel deeply for it appeared no one could open it. That was until the Lamb stepped forward. It opened up issues people have been discussing ever since. Does that book relate to the book sealed in Daniel 12? In that chapter God made what was written an intriguing mystery. The account doesn’t say how Daniel felt but as he had been privileged with other future events I think he would have shed a tear or two also.

In Revelation 20 there are two, maybe three books highlighted. They are judicial books which will strike fear into those called before the throne. The book of life mentioned in both Testaments, (Exodus32:32-33.Psalm 69:28) a record of personal works seeking salvation through them. How sad will the verdict be as by such works no one can reach the standard required without Jesus as Lord and Saviour! Only by faith in Him can a person be recorded in another book titled ‘The Lambs book of Life.’ (Revelation 13:8). A person’s name though foreknown comes alight when that individual calls out to Jesus the crucified and risen Lord.

I have to admit I’m intrigued by a small scroll in Revelation 10:8-10. John had to take it and eat it. Was this a special and one off, limited edition? Sweet to the mouth, bitter to the stomach it had to be ‘regurgitated’ by John through his pen. None of us should have an idea that our writings are divinely inspired, but there is a principle shown here. What is it? What we receive from the Lord is pleasing to our taste. However when we share it with others they reject it. The result, we feel a sense of the bitterness of the moment, for the person and their loss which is ultimately sourness to their soul.

The final book I find on Heaven’s bookshelf is mentioned in Malachi 3:16. It is called ‘a book of remembrance.’ The name of those inscribed was because the revered the Lord and encouraged one another. They did this in troublesome times and the Lord was so pleased He underwrote their names with ‘They shall be mine. My special possession.’ Is this a one off book? Could it also be applied to Hebrews 10:23-25? There we read of a Church facing persecution. How did they rise about the pain, shame and loss? They held fast their faith. They believed in the faithfulness of the One who promised. They provoked each other to love [each other and their persecutors] and good deeds. They met together for mutual encouragement and may I add, to remember the Lord in teaching and communion.

That’s a book I’d like my name to be etched in. It is, however, Heaven’s book of those in hostile places who stand true to Christ and each other. Should you or I be facing such situations may, by God’s grace we stand true.

©Ray Hawkins September 2016.

The Warrior Lord's Sword is my latest 31 day Devotional. Scripture has a lot to say about itself. This centres around Hebrews 4:12.

DEVOTION: What God Sees ~ Donna Pyle

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 
Psalm 139:23-24

Music has the inherent ability to communicate in powerful ways that which is lost in the spoken or written word. Throughout the generations, God has inspired melody lines, harmonies and beautiful lyrics that have moved us to great joy and even tears.

I was raised in a very musical family, so music is my soul’s language. Dad played the stand-up bass and Mom loved to sing. Between my three sisters and I, two of us play flute and two play clarinet. And we can all carry a vocal tune. Music has always been an important part of my life. Now, I use that love for music by serving in the worship ministry at my home congregation. Joy!

But the music that God intended for beauty and praise, our worldly culture tarnishes with offensive lyrics and lewd behavior. However, countless artists still seek to praise and honor God through music. It’s the age-old battle of good vs. evil.

When God sees your heart, what lyrics does he observe? Let’s see what Scripture says:“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come -—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” Mark 7:21-22

God’s search of our hearts is not for His benefit. It’s so we can come clean before God and surrender to Him any offensive ways that might stifle His work in your life.

Regardless of whether or not we confess our offenses, God still sees them. Our first reaction is to reach for the nearest fig leaf, figuratively speaking. However, David sets an amazing example in Psalm 139 by basically saying to God, “God, I realize that You see my secret offenses, but I’m just letting You know that I need You to see them so that we can deal with them and move on.” David knew something that we could learn much from: it takes far more strength and faith to fall on our knees and submit to a sovereign God than to stand and fight our endless battles for significance.

When Michelangelo was asked how he carved his famous angel statue, he responded, “I saw the statue hidden in the marble and I carved until I set it free.” That’s a vivid word picture of God’s work on our hearts! The difference? What is hidden in our hearts is not beautiful (Gen. 8:21; Romans 3:10-18). God lovingly carves you and I until we are molded and shaped into the likeness of His Son – inside and out. God composes our songs and invites us to be in His choir.

Ask God today to reveal to you what He sees in your heart.


What kinds of thoughts, feelings or motives do you believe might stifle God’s work in your life?

DONNA PYLE is a speaker, author, Bible teacher and worship leader with a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Since launching Artesian Ministries in 2007, she has authored 20 full-length Bible studies, as well as numerous smaller Bible studies, devotions, and magazine articles. She has released two DVD-based Bible study series and a small-group based Bible study book, The God of All Comfort, through Concordia Publishing House on August 15, 2012. She regularly travels throughout the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, conventions, women’s retreats, prayer luncheons, and special events. Read more about Donna at her website.

DEVOTION: Search My Heart, O God ~ Donna Pyle

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 
Psalm 139:23-24

Eighteen years ago, I visited Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. As an adventurous person, naturally I signed up for cave exploration and eagerly looked forward to it.

On the appointed day, the tour guide gathered our group and carefully led us 250 feet below the earth’s surface by way of steep steps, narrow crevices, and general spookiness.

By the time I reached the cave bottom, my legs shook from exertion. We found ourselves in a large, cavernous space lit by electricity. Once the tour guide ensured that we had all descended safely—and after issuing the proper warning—he turned off the lights.

Few words can adequately describe the absolute blackness that engulfed us. The thick darkness felt physically oppressive. I almost couldn’t breathe. And frankly, it was downright scary.

Despite knowing that I was surrounded by people, I felt completely lost and alone. After a couple of minutes when our eyes adjusted to the blackness, the tour guide struck a solitary match.

The effect was astonishing.

I could clearly see each person, the cave walls and even the high ceiling. That small light completely expelled the cavernous darkness.

That experience left an indelible impression on me. It illustrated better than any words where the blackness of sin would have taken mankind had Jesus not freely offered His light in the place of our darkness.

The darkness of sin is ugly, engulfing, oppressive and hopeless. It causes us to feel completely lost and alone. Do we really want our holy God searching and finding that in us? You bet we do! Only when God shines His light into that darkness do we have any hope of recognizing, overcoming and expelling it through His power.

By sending Jesus as the Light of the world, God determined that we should not be trapped in oppressive caves of darkness.

He desires for us to live abundantly in the refining fire of His truth. “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.” John 3:21

Thank God today for the amazing gift of His forgiveness.

Have you ever experienced that sort of darkness, like I did in the Mammoth cave? Like to tell us about it?

DONNA PYLE is a speaker, author, Bible teacher and worship leader with a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Since launching Artesian Ministries in 2007, she has authored 20 full-length Bible studies, as well as numerous smaller Bible studies, devotions, and magazine articles. She has released two DVD-based Bible study series and a small-group based Bible study book, The God of All Comfort, through Concordia Publishing House on August 15, 2012. She regularly travels throughout the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, conventions, women’s retreats, prayer luncheons, and special events. Read more about Donna at her website.

DEVOTION: God's Test ~ Donna Pyle

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 
Psalm 139:23-24

Why do tests unnerve us? We tend to think that failure lurks in the corner. And we don’t like failure. In life, sometimes we project outward images suggesting we have it all together. That we’re in on the latest. I don’t know about you, but I rarely have it all together.

God tests us. Period. His tests cause us to realize how much we still need to learn. Just as in a classroom,

God’s examination of a believer’s heart isn’t for the Teacher, but for the student. It brings to light the hidden agendas, thoughts and motives of our hearts. Scripture clearly points to three reasons (among others) which help us answer: “Why does God test us?”

1) So that our faith may be proved genuine. [1 Peter 1:7]

Many times throughout Jesus’ early ministry, He reminded those whom He healed that it was accomplished according to their faith. When we experience times of trial, our steadfast faith in God’s promises is key. How we handle the stress and pressure teach us volumes about how much we rely on God in faith. When we allow God to work in and through us during tough times, our faith strengthens and we are drawn closer to Him.

2) To refine us. [Jer. 9:7; Zech. 13:9; Mal 3:2-3]

God tests His children so that He can refine us. These tests of faith are often blessings in disguise.

Remember Job? Job’s trials had nothing to do with Job - it was a battle in the heavenly realm between God and Satan. But because Job continued to follow God regardless of hard circumstances, God blessed him outrageously when the time of testing was completed.

3) To know what is in our heart. [Deut. 8:2; 2 Chr 32:31] Embracing and learning from God’s heart searches brings our hidden agendas and secrets to His healing light. When we study Scripture and hide His Word in our hearts, He prepares us to face His holy scrutiny.

We have a tendency to feel vulnerable or anxious when we undergo God’s testing. Oftentimes the reason we’re being tested simply isn’t clear. But God reassures us, “Do not be anxious about anything,but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” [Phil. 4:6]

Even though at times God’s testing may seem prolonged, maintaining a strong faith that God has a specific purpose in mind (whether revealed to us or not) strengthens us through the toughest times. His promise to deliver us from evil helps us to stay on course to receive His abundant blessings.

Thank God today for testing our faith to prove it genuine.
Have you experienced God's testing recently in your life? How did you do?

DONNA PYLE is a speaker, author, Bible teacher and worship leader with a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Since launching Artesian Ministries in 2007, she has authored 20 full-length Bible studies, as well as numerous smaller Bible studies, devotions, and magazine articles. She has released two DVD-based Bible study series and a small-group based Bible study book, The God of All Comfort, through Concordia Publishing House on August 15, 2012. She regularly travels throughout the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, conventions, women’s retreats, prayer luncheons, and special events. Read more about Donna at her website. 

DEVOTION: God's Search Warrant by Donna Pyle

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

“Police! We have a search warrant. Open up!” Have those words ever been hurled in your direction? Most likely not. For the vast majority of us, those scenes only happen on television.

But when we look at our spiritual lives, we continuously have Someone who issues and carries out search warrants − whether we realize or not. God, our Creator, does not need permission to search the created. He has full authority to conduct repeated, thorough, exhaustive, and painstaking investigations of our hearts.

Why does God search our hearts? In Biblical language, the heart is the center of the human spirit where thoughts, emotions, motivations, courage and actions generate.

But wait, don’t thoughts generate from our brain? Our brain reacts to feelings that we experience in our heart. When we feel hurt, our brain generates angry thoughts or actions. When homicide detectives investigate a residential murder, who do they normally interview first? The family. Our emotional connections with those we love plays out in our actions − both good and bad.

It takes a strong Christian to embrace God’s scrutiny of our hearts. Welcoming heart searches is a necessary step to spiritual growth and maturity.

We see in Psalm 139 that David embraced and faced God’s examination with eager expectation. There’s an important distinction between verses 1 and 23. In verse 1, David acknowledges that God has searched him. In verse 23 (above), David invites God to continue to do so!

That takes courage because we hide ugly things in our heart. Just think over your thoughts and motivations over the past few days. How many would you not want to be made public?

We tend to hide those ugly thoughts and feelings in rooms within our heart and lock the door. But just like a smoking section in a restaurant, those ugly thoughts and feelings seep into the rest of our heart. Especially if we’ve experienced a deep hurt.

Is there a specific part of your heart where you are deliberately shutting out God?

David acknowledged and took refuge in the fact that God’s sight is infinitely clearer than his own. When we expose the dark recesses of our heart to God, He cleanses and heals us from the inside out. When was the last time you willingly asked God to search your heart? Now is as good a time as any.

DONNA PYLE is a speaker, author, Bible teacher and worship leader with a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Since launching Artesian Ministries in 2007, she has authored 20 full-length Bible studies, as well as numerous smaller Bible studies, devotions, and magazine articles. She has released two DVD-based Bible study series and a small-group based Bible study book, The God of All Comfort, through Concordia Publishing House on August 15, 2012. She regularly travels throughout the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, conventions, women’s retreats, prayer luncheons, and special events. Read more about Donna at her website.

DEVOTION: Allowing God to Lead ~ Donna Pyle

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 
Psalm 139:23-24

As a child, I hated the game "Simon Says". My competitive streak focused so hard on mentally jumping ahead to anticipate what Simon would say or do next, that I invariably missed the instructions. I usually ended up being one of the first ones knocked out of the game for moving without Simon’s permission.

Losing on a consistent basis at such a simple game drove me bats. Simple Simon wasn’t so simple to me. Consequently, learning to listen carefully to discern God’s leading took a substantial amount of focus and discipline on my part.

Blaise Pascal, a 15th century French mathematician, physicist and philosopher, once said: “We only consult the ear because the heart is wanting.” As God’s children, our hearts long for our Father. He created in us a void that only He can fill. He gave us two ears but only one mouth for a reason. 

God’s vision for our lives is much more than you or I could ever imagine or visualize. If we attempt to jump ahead or anticipate what God will do, we will miss the boat entirely. Listening carefully for God’s guidance allows us to realize the full potential that He has planned for us.

Psalm 139:23-24 is one of the most needed prayers in the whole Bible. King David, a leader of leaders with great vision, asks God through that prayer to be his vision and leader. As a leader and visionary, David understood a vital concept: those you lead must be able to grasp the destination.

David clearly understood that in order to properly discern and wholeheartedly follow God’s leading, he needed an intimate relationship with God.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, the American author and poet, penned these immortal words: “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” As Christians our compass points directly to God. We can move toward Him with confidence. He will never lead us astray. He promises to lead you and I in the way everlasting.

We can cling to that promise with every fiber of our being. No guesswork. No playing Simon Says. No games.

Ask God now where He is leading you to follow Him.

How do you spend time with the Lord in your daily routine to honor and nurture that intimate

relationship? Please share with us in the comment section below.

DONNA PYLE is a speaker, author, Bible teacher and worship leader with a passion for studying and teaching God’s Word. Since launching Artesian Ministries in 2007, she has authored 20 full-length Bible studies, as well as numerous smaller Bible studies, devotions, and magazine articles. She has released two DVD-based Bible study series and a small-group based Bible study book, The God of All Comfort, through Concordia Publishing House on August 15, 2012. She regularly travels throughout the U.S. and internationally, speaking at conferences, conventions, women’s retreats, prayer luncheons, and special events. Read more about Donna at her website. 

Three "Demned Ds" by Rita Stella Galieh

I'll name them. Discouragement, Disappointment, & Depression.

I guess everyone who has ever lived has experienced their awful see-saw effect in their lives. Often it's when circumstances or grief overwhelms us. Or when things we hoped and planned for never eventuate. Maybe it's the downside of creeping depression. Perhaps the weight of disappointment dragging at us. Sometimes it's hormonal. Whatever. Each has the ability to crush us, body, soul, and spirit.

You just want to curl up and go to sleep. Or eat fast food or chocolate - a quick hit. Or wish for a dream holiday to escape reality for a time. This is when you need someone you can trust. Someone who won't think you're wallowing in self pity. Someone who understands perfectly, even before you can get the words out. And most of all, someone who won't judge.

If you have a friend like that, cherish them. But are they on call every hour of the day?

Oh, friends, you do have someone. Maybe someone you've been holding at arm's length for too long. Check this out for yourself. And if, after reading Psalm 139, your heart doesn't respond, read it again until it sinks in. Then believe it and hold onto this wonderful truth for all its worth.

Who else could know you better then you know yourself?

I have several booklet titles on Discouragement & Depression, and Loneliness. Perhaps you have a friend needing some encouragement, if so, leave a request in your comment & I'll post them to you gratis. May God bless you.

www.ritastellagalieh.com