Still... God Whispers: A Book of Days

STILL… GOD

WHISPERS:

A Book of Days

by

Sue Piper and Sandy Petty

Copyright © 2012 by Sue Piper and Sandy Petty

Smashwords Edition

Still… God Whispers: A Book of Days

Sue Piper and Sandy Petty

Copyright © 2012 by Sue Piper and Sandy Petty

Smashwords Edition

Cover photo copyright © 2010 by SandPiper

Photo taken at Cook Forest State Park, Clarion, Pennsylvania

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or any other – except for brief quotations in critical reviews of articles, without the prior written permission of the authors.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV™ are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TNIV are taken from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International Version™, TNIV® Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved worldwide.

Dedicated to the God who whispers

and His people who listen expectantly

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

DEAR READERS

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

PREFACE

My whispers are as bars of gold and bracelets of silver; they bring wealth to your life and adornment to your every pursuit. Bind yourself to them as you would bind a velvet belt filled with money to your torso. Place your hand frequently on them; they are yours, your precious gift that you may carry with you, should carry with you wherever you go. Protect them as they are a renewable source of strength, encouragement, wisdom, and grace for your life. The ravages of life are fierce; its fangs grasp and tear, rip and shake, many times leaving you broken and bleeding, shards of pain embedded into flesh and bone, heart and head. My Word, inspired by Holy heart and spoken to sages of old, is a firm foundation. My whispers breathed in the hearts of My servants carry with them the essence of My Holy Word; breathe them in; allow them to be the balm to your weary heart and shattered life.

Your Abba Father

January 13, 2012

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Our heartfelt thanks to those in the body of Christ, near and far, both those we know and love and those we only know through the sharing of their stories of how God Whispers has impacted their lives. You have all encouraged us to keep listening to His still, small whispers and to continue sharing the words we hear.

Once again we extend our unending gratitude to our dear friend, Karin Nethery, who for a second time voluntarily and graciously took on the huge task of editing these writings.

INTRODUCTION

Since God Whispers was printed we have heard story after story of how God has used His whispers in people's lives. Dozens of times we have been told, So often I pick up the book and that day's entry speaks directly to ME!!! or, I hear God speaking to me in a new way in the words. And we too wonder - how CAN God speak perfectly and individually to multiple people in different situations, different cultures, and even on different continents, through the same words? We don't have clue one, but that doesn't seem to matter; He does it anyway! Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be the glory!

As with God Whispers, we pray that this new devotional would be His, not ours. That He would push us out of the way so that each of you, as readers, would hear and see and feel only Him. We pray that His voice would be clear and that His grace and His love would pursue you across the pages and the days.

Be still … God Whispers

… in the pain, in the darkness, in the confusion, even in the joy … Still … God Whispers!

Additional copies of this book may be purchased directly from the authors or from www.amazon.com. (Quantity discounts are available through the authors.) Various eBook formats are available through the authors as well as from www.smashwords.com and www.amazon.com.

If you would like to contact us, please feel free to email us at SandPiper1122@gmail.com.

DEAR READERS …

If, as you read the words in this devotional, your heart stirs; if you hear God’s gentle whisper in your spirit; if you’d like to have a personal relationship with God, but you can’t figure out how to begin or what to say, we share a short prayer of reflection, repentance, and redemption with you.  It’s not the words that matter; it’s your heart’s yearning to draw close to God and accept the grace and love that He offers through His Son Jesus Christ.  What God desires most from you is a sincere heart and an unflinching honesty about where you are and what you need from Him. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that in my lifetime I’ve done a lot of wrong things toward others, toward myself, and toward You. I’ve made a mess of much of my life, and I’m tired of being in charge.  Father, I ask forgiveness for my sins and I ask you, Jesus, to come into my heart and be Lord over it all. Only You, Father, have the ability and the willingness to take all that I am, and all that I’m not, and turn it around. Thank You for saving me; thank You for loving me; thank You for reaching out for me.

We encourage you to get a copy of The Bible that you can read and understand. (The Message Bible is a great place to start if you’ve never read The Bible.) Also needed for your growth and emotional well-being is a good church with people that are willing to reach out to you and come along side you in this journey of life with Him.

If you’ve made a commitment to Christ or you have more questions, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us at: SandPiper1122@gmail.com

JANUARY

January 1

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand? Job 26:14 (NKJV)

I whisper, in the darkness, in the quiet, in the realm of the seen and the unseen. I whisper victoriously, triumphantly, without fear, without restraint, in a continuous flow of glory to the Father. Hide not in the shadows of your circumstance, but perk your spirit ears for My quiet presence. I whisper, but not obscurely, not without clarity. The riotous noise you hear in your head and heart is the enemy of your life seeking to rattle your senses. He seeks to cause you to throw up your hands in despair and give in to the chaos of his malevolent voice. Child, come in your chaos to My mercy seat; ask Me to bind and gag the strongman, and imagine Me doing so. See My strong arms and fearless face as I take The Liar in hand. Then child, relax; be still; quiet yourself in the presence of your defeated enemy and your triumphant Lord. Be still … I whisper, in all your pain, in all your darkness … still, I whisper.

January 2

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2

You walk through your life as if it were you who are called to be strong. In fact, in such reasoning you miss the mark. I am your Strong Tower. I am your High Place, where strength and protection rest. I am your Shield and your Buckler. Your strength comes from Me, and in Me your protection lies. I do not make you strong or fashion you as a fortress that can stand against your enemies. Rather, I am your strength; I am your protector. Know Me as your Faithful One who guards you. I rescue you; I provide you refuge. Such provision is the job of your Heavenly Father, and I take on the task willingly, even eagerly. I long to show Myself strong on your behalf, but you must get out of the way. Like a child, take off your plastic helmet, lay down your wooden sword, and rest in My shadow. I will be strong and

mighty on your behalf. Test Me in this; see if I will not do it.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

January 3

I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

Psalm 52:8

Feel My heartbeat for you, its slow drumbeat of love. Like the ocean waves, relentless and rhythmic, My love and My peace cover the shores of your life, sweep in, and wash the flotsam and the enemy’s footprints away. Again. And again. And again. There is nothing that stops this ocean flow, nothing that prevents it from reaching the beaches of your heart. Feel the power that lives in the midst of the gentle lapping. Tune your heartbeat to the cadence of My love’s steady march on your shores. Rest in its endlessness, in the promise of its longevity and continuity. Whether your beach is rocky or smooth with silken sand grains, My waves ride forth undeterred. My waters will not be stopped. Nor will My love for you.

January 4

A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12

My Spirit is not in the storm or in the whirlwind. I am to be found in the still small voice that whispers within you. Come out of the rain, away from the gale force winds that swirl around you. Neither fire nor the earth’s moving is where I am found, for I whisper to you and neither roar nor rage. I will meet you; I am always near, but you must calm your soul and step close. Quiet your heart. Silence the clanging noisemakers that your enemy tries to pass off as God speakers. Breathe deeply the air of My peace, and My whisper will silence the voices of the foe and the avenger.

January 5

I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 6:1 (NKJV)

Be seated at the foot of My throne. Know your place, as with trembling you dare to look up and see My face high above you. I am a God of justice and I mete out truth and strength. I judge all the peoples of My world on My own scale of righteousness. I hold My own staff in My hand. It is not yours to evaluate My ways, not even yours to seek to understand. Know that My justice is right and fair, for I am the great I AM, from the beginning the standard by which all is measured. You must not cower in My presence, for My love dwells there too, but you should always find yourself looking up to Me, for I am high and lifted up. Exalt Me that you might know your place in and through Me.

January 6

And then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (MSG)

I will give you veins like iron that you may stand and be counted for Me and My ways. I will strengthen your weak knees; I will forge you in My fires until your backbone is like steel. I will give you strength precisely where you acknowledge that you have none. I will show myself mighty in the same measure as you admit your own insufficiency. I have called you to offer to Me your life’s sheaves that the chaff might be separated, and that which is useless, that which is not of Me, might be blown away by My Holy Spirit breath. My strength made perfect in your weakness will be both your calling and your life’s motto.

January 7

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

You need not know My ways in order to trust My ways.  What I see may well be invisible to you, but it does not make it out of My sight.  Do not let what your mind can hold set the boundaries for My creatings, My knowledge, or My grace.  Your fleshly limits, your finite imaginings, your limited understandings are your earthly boundaries, not Mine.  Mine, child, are the heavens and the earth.  Mine are the starry hosts, the angel beings, and the earth upon which you live.  All that has been created is MY creation.  There is nothing that is, that is not Mine; nothing that happens that I do not know.  Nothing that transpires that I do not orchestrate, and use, and bring inside the confines of My plans and My purposes.  What happens that you cannot trust, you can still trust the God of those happenings.  What occurs that you do not understand, you can trust the I AM who is in it.  Take the limits off what you allow to be handled by and held securely in My loving hands.

January 8

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

I am the God of impossible situations. There is nothing too difficult for Me, nothing that My right hand cannot conquer. Your enemy taunts you by making you think that the battles that you face are yours to win, when in truth they are My battles and can only be won by My power. Your job is to stand firm in the trusting faith that I call you to. Do not waver in your expectation; do not lose hope in your God. The power is Mine, the obedience yours. Know that I will never leave nor forsake you. Sink your soul into the constancy of My promises and the surety of My love. Watch and see all that I will do as we travel together. Submit your will and your ways, and you will see My hand upon you and the victories that will be wrought in My name.

January 9

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34

I come as the storm to rock your boat in the calm that is not of Me. Not all that seems to be peace is of Me, or from Me. I come with a sword to divide you from that which is the kingdom of the world, not My Kingdom. Comfort is not always from Me, My child, so do not deceive yourself. You grow too accustomed to the world and its ways and your place in it. Your familiarity with it does not make it Mine. I have come to draw a dividing line between truth and falsehood, between that which is of My Spirit and that which is of the fleshly spirit. Warrior arise! Called and chosen one come forth! Leave the lands of ease where you have grown too comfortable with the landscape, where you have forgotten the promises and the callings of My Kingdom and My heart for you. Meet Me in the storm; find Me in the turbulent depths; allow Me to mine My treasures in the deep, dark places. The storm wreckage will reveal a new shoreline for your life – My shoreline.

January 10

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2

Child you are. Not yet grown. Not yet mature in your ways. Your mind understands some things but not all things. Your heart dabbles in self-sacrifice but mostly just wants its own way. I love you as the child you are, and I call that childishness to Me. I will grow you up. I will train you in the way that you should go that you might walk in it. I will be your Father as well as your Lord. I will be the lifter of your head when you stumble and fall and when tears come. I will guide you when you feel lost, when you cannot find your way. I will feed you My Bread of Life and quench your thirst with My Living Water. I will supply all your needs. There is no shame in your childishness, for it is only the Holy Spirit who can turn My child into My warrior. Your task is not to try to act all grown up, but to surrender, to submit to My loving Father hand in your life as I teach and train and grow you more into My likeness.

January 11

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Let your heart be clear about your fallenness, about your inability to be anything that resembles Me without My hand of purpose in your life. All that you count as your best, your most selfless, your most holy, is but dung in the face of holy expectations for My created ones. When you consider yourself strong, that is when you are the weakest; when you examine what you presume to be your great wealth, that is when your extreme poverty is revealed. When you are most satisfied with the state of your soul, that is when My spirit finds you most guilty of sin. It is only when you fall, stricken in the face of your insufficiency, of what you have not and what you are not, that I can raise you up by My power and begin to set My mark upon you and make you into what I would have you be: willing child of the Great King.

January 12

And Elisha prayed, Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see. Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

I am God of the Angel Armies. I plant My triune feet against the foe and the avenger. I bring forth My heavenly forces on your behalf. Part of My creation is invisible to you, and yet I move through it. My Angel Armies accompany you on your quests; they ride forth before you leading the way to My victories on your behalf. They compass round about you, standing vigilant as you too make forays into enemy territory to do My bidding; they go after you to guard against what you do not see and do not know. Legions are gathered by My hand, strong forces, mighty to save, as they go forth in My name. In your times of desperation, of darkness when all seems hopeless and lost, ask for My eyes that you might see the invisible alliances of all My heavenly forces gathered on your behalf. Solitary though your battles and your going forth alone sometimes seem, you are never alone; you are never without My aid, and you are never without Me.

January 13

The Lord appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3 (AMP)

You have no idea, child, no idea. You have read My stories, heard My voice, and still you do not know how much I love My people and how much I love you. You assume that there are limits to My love for you and somehow imagine that I, like you, live in the confines of flesh and sinew that weave selfish and self-protective into the midst of pure and holy. But no, child, I am not like you. You are like Me, but I am not like you. You think you understand because you know of My cross, know that My blood was spilt, and know that I did not shirk or pull back but walked to the limit of worldly possibility and held nothing back for your sake. But still you do not know, do not believe, how much I love you. Holy God, Omnipotent Creator, Righteous I AM, I love you to the ends of yourself, to the places that are farthest from righteousness, to the limits of eternity. I pursue you like a lover who will not take no for an answer, who will not falter in My quest to woo and claim you, to protect you. Nothing can stop Me; nothing can stop My love for you. Not the demons of hell and not even yourself and your garments of disbelief. Accept the hope; accept the gift; accept Me.

January 14

Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Be wise, My child, for the enemy prowls, seeking those whom he can overcome. Be alert. Be bold for Me, yet cautious in how you handle yourself in the face of his foils and his ploys. I am your frontguard and your rearguard, but it is up to you to see Me as such. Without such sight, and such knowing, he comes upon you like a sitting duck, like an unguarded treasure trove. Be mindful of his ways, of Me, and of yourself. Do not be caught napping with your sword far from your hand and your helmet on the table instead of by your side. You will need the armor that I provide for you, and you will need My Spirit. Think not that he sleeps or that he gets tired of the fight, for he does neither. Yet be not alarmed, for I am the Overcomer, and with Me lies your eternal safety.

January 15

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Proverbs 4:23 (MSG)

Give Me your heartstrings. Surrender to Me all the ties that bind you. Allow Me to cut those that are not of Me. Cast off the layers of your heart’s cloak that keep you from Me. The enemy will use the cries of your heart to enslave you to himself. He would take the natural and make it unnatural; He would take the forbidden and make it acceptable. Listen