WhisperArt Devotions: Volume 1

By Ethan W. Moses

Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” and He has certainly made good on that promise for the past thirty years. During this time, Jesus has walked with me while providing insights and realizations based on Godly principles that have molded me into who and what I am today. It is my hope that, as you read each devotional in this book, you get a sense of how God goes about His business of molding and shaping us into the image of His precious Son.

I once heard a story about how Michelangelo created the statue of David. He simply removed everything that wasn’t David. And so it is with us. God keeps chipping away, removing everything that prevents us from being what He created us to be, and from doing the things he created us to do. I have a long way to go, but I am excited about what God has done and is doing in my life. I look forward to, one day, looking into a mirror and seeing, for the first time, the masterpiece God creates from a life that was once so ugly and covered in sin. Praise the holy name of Jesus!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781643002651

Book preview

WhisperArt Devotions

Volume 1

Ethan W. Moses

ISBN 978-1-64300-264-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64300-265-1 (Digital)

Copyright © 2018 Ethan W. Moses

All rights reserved

First Edition

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from biblegateway.com, New International Version.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

WhisperArt, is art that whispers to the heart that seeks to enlighten, encourage, and empower.

Introduction

My name is Ethan W. Moses and I invited Christ into my heart approximately thirty years ago. My wife, Pamela, invited Christ into her heart shortly after I did. We have never looked back, and we have no regrets. We have had many setbacks and have experienced many trials and heartaches. Now that I am sixty-one years old, I think it is time to look back and determine the single most important lesson I have learned over these past many years.

When I look back over the years, I am convinced that the most valuable truth that sticks out in my mind is exactly what the Bible states in Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Like I said, my wife and I have experienced many setbacks and trials over the years, but because of God’s love, mercy, and provision, we, like the Apostle Paul, have found that it is indeed possible to experience true peace, joy, and contentment in all situations.

Through the years, as God patiently and arduously undertook the process of making me more Christ-like, I have documented my responses using poetry, songs, and devotionals that I share with you now. It is my hope that this book helps to strengthen your own faith and confirm that God wants the very best for you and that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. So I think you must agree that if God has used all these events to mold me more into the likeness of Christ, then He has indeed used all these things for my good.

I still have a long way to go and I am reminded of the saying that states, I’m not yet what I should be, but praise God I’m not what I used to be! The New Year is quickly approaching and because of the hope I have in Christ Jesus, I am excited about what the future holds. My main desire for the future is to be a pencil in God’s own hand. As you read the devotionals and poetry in this book, you must decide how much is of me, and how much is of God. My goal continues to be that everything I write contains less and less of me and more and more of God. Praise the holy name of Jesus!

Acknowledgments

I would, most of all, like to thank God for striving with me over the years, and providing the many insights and realizations that made this book possible.

I would also like to thank my wife, Pam, for being my biggest supporter and encourager. She has been, and continues to be, a tremendous source of inspiration.

I would also like to acknowledge the godly pastors that God sent into my life who not only preached the Word of God but also set a godly example by living what they preached.

I would also like to thank my friend, Paul, for his willingness to share his wonderful understanding of Scripture and Bible principles.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my colleague, Karen, for the many hours she spent proofreading and editing the manuscript. May God richly bless all these people and because of all their efforts and contributions, may this book also be a blessing to you.

But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

—Ephesians 4:20–24

It’s New Year’s Day, and millions of people have made resolutions for the New Year to become a better person and to live a happier life. Most of these resolutions are doomed to failure, if the outcome depends on bettering ourselves in their own strength. To be fully renewed, you need Jesus in your heart through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who will then guide you into all truth. So like the verses referenced above indicate, we need to resolve to take off the old and put on the new.

Romans 5:12 tells us that, Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— This verse shows us how death came to be part of our everyday lives. The following verse, however, gives us a glimpse of the hope God has provided that will someday make this thing called death a thing of the past for those who love Him. Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When it comes to experiencing God’s gift of eternal life, I heard about a method called The Roman Road. It is a series of Bible verses that can be used to lead someone through the process. The Bibles verses are: Romans 3:10, As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; Romans 5:12, which appears above. Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. And Romans 10:9, If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

So on this New Year’s Day, resolve to be renewed by putting on the new self, invite Jesus Christ into your heart, resolve to serve Him, and allow Him to live His life through you. Then experience the peace, joy, and contentment that is only possible through a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Praise the holy name of Jesus!

The Roman Road

God created a perfect world,

In all its splendor and majesty.

Then God gave man supremacy,

Over all in the air, land and sea.

In short order man messed it up,

And into the world death entered in.

Man was not satisfied with the status-quo.

He traded God’s paradise for his sin.

Because of God’s overwhelming love,

He sent Jesus to pay the debt for man.

That He would die on a Roman cross,

Was all a part of God’s great plan.

Eternal life to all who believe,

That Jesus died and rose again.

Call upon His holy name,

And He will save you from your sin.

Notes/Date Read

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Jesus gave them this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

—John 5:19–20

Yes, we can see from the verses referenced above that Jesus imitated his Father, and like it or not, dads, your children will also imitate you. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase Like father, like son or Like mother, like daughter. Fathers need to set a good example for their children to follow just like God the Father set the example for Jesus the Son.

Fathers have an awesome responsibility in the lives and spiritual growth of their children. My father was not the ideal role model, and as a result, in my younger days, I made many mistakes and I am suffering the consequences of some of those mistakes even today. I was not raised in a Christian home and did not accept Christ into my heart until I was in my mid-thirties. By that time, the damage had already been done. I can see why Jesus coined the phrase rebirth.

When I became a Christian, God had to start from square one, like I had just been born again, and teach me those things my father should have taught me from the beginning. It has been a very slow and painful process up to this point, and it has been very difficult to shake all those old attitudes and habits I learned from my father. If you feel inadequate as a role model for your children, then simply let Jesus do it for you. Surrender your life completely to Christ and let him live his life through you. In no time at all, you will see your children imitating Jesus, himself, who only does the things he sees God the Father doing. This is the type of role model your children need and deserve. Try it, and by God’s grace, they will not be so easily ensnared by Satan’s lies and they will live happier, healthier, and more productive lives. Praise the holy name of Jesus!

Imitate Jesus

Surrender it all to Jesus,

Let him live his life through you.

He is the perfect role model,

For you and your kids too.

Listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit,

In your prayer time when all is still.

He will speak to your heart,

And move you to do God’s will.

It might take some practice,

But persevere and don’t give up.

Commit to staying on your knees,

Until God fills your cup.

God will give you insights,

And realizations too.

He’ll answer all your questions,

And show you what to do.

Notes/Date Read

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For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

—Hebrews 4:15–16

About a year ago, my wife and I experienced a life changing event. After thirty years of marriage, my wife went into a nursing home. It was the toughest decision we ever had to make. As for me, the toughest aspect of the situation to overcome was the loneliness. So the question is, where did I go to get my needs met? I could have gone to the bars, to the casinos, or invested my time on online activities, but instead I approached God’s throne of grace. As a result, I received encouragement, compassion, and mercy from God himself. As Christians, we are not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. God helped and is helping in my time of need. If he will help me, he will help you, regardless of what you are going through. God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Praise the holy name of Jesus!

Adversity

Adversity has a way of weakening our stride,

And it even gets us down perhaps.

That’s when we need to look deep within,

And pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.

Adversity will surely come to us all,

It always has and always will.

It robs us of our inner peace,

And dictates how we act and feel.

There is something we can do,

To cause the pain of adversity to cease.

We can turn to the light within,

And ask God to restore our inner peace.

With God’s help we can endure,

All adversity pain and strife.

We can face each day with a smile,

And live a happy joyful life.

Notes/Date Read

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And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

—Matthew 4:18–20

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