by Shannon Tillman | Oct 22, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
Have you ever hidden from someone? One time I jumped into an aisle at a grocery store to avoid being seen by a person that had hurt me tremendously. Unfortunately, I let my guard down and he found me later on in the dairy section. I need better ninja skills.
People are not all I avoid. I hide from the Lord as well. I am the opposite of Moses who let his guard down completely whenever he was in front of God.
Exodus 34:29, 32-35
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord…Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.
Moses took the veil off in front of the Lord. Nothing was between the two of them as they talked. What an amazing friendship they had! Sometimes, though, I put up a guard with God. I often lower my expectations to prayers being answered in order to “guard” my hope. I have sidestepped conversations with Him to “guard” against having accountability in having to follow His plan instead of mine. I “guard” against sharing my dreams, afraid that I am asking for is “too big” or feeling I will never receive the answers. I have even put a “guard” on my anger or disappointment with the Lord as if He did not know what I truly thought or felt.
What guard do you put up?
What if every veil was removed? What if there was nothing, not even a “thin something” between God and ourselves? What if ever hindrance was put away? Maybe the hindrance is not feeling worthy of this relationship. But I believe that what the Lord offered to Moses is available to all of us, if we would so choose.
Exodus 33:11a
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Friend to friend, no barriers, no guards, no veils.
The Lord wants to be our friend. How marvelous is that! The proximity of relationship depends on us. We can choose to unveil our hearts to him today and become true friends, a friend of God.
by Shannon Tillman | Oct 1, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
Plants die under my care. I forget to water them. Only rain inside my house could potentially reverse my neglect. I would not be the one assigned over a garden, for a seed could hardly grow much less produce anything useful when I am in charge. Water is necessary for growth, for vegetation, for food. That is why rain is celebrated in agriculture.
Joel 2:23
Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
It is interesting that the phrase “autumn rains” can also be translated “teacher for righteousness”. So, it would read in verse 23 “Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the teacher for righteousness…”
God gives on a physical and spiritual level. Rain is necessary for agriculture. The Teacher for Righteousness is necessary for life. The Lord desires to help us with our perceived needs, but He also wants to intersect our lives with more, with Himself, with what we truly need even when we do not realize it.
I have opinions on what I think would make my life better. I ask for “rain” on certain situations so they will be transformed. But what if the dry ground is for me to desire the “Teacher for Righteousness” to intersect those wilderness areas with Himself? What if I saw beyond the physical, circumstantial, financial, relational need to the opportunity of receiving God Himself into my life because of those situations? We desire a change in circumstances, God desires for us to be changed by our circumstances. The Teacher for Righteousness wants to guide me through those difficulties, training me to be more like Him because of what I am going through, not by the absence of hardship. His Presence is the gift in the situation, a better answer than what I desire.
God is faithful. He gives the rain. God is faithful. He gives Himself. We are called to rejoice in the gift of answered prayer but more importantly in the gift of the relationship with the Lord, the Teacher for Righteousness.
by Shannon Tillman | Sep 24, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
My husband is chatty. Sometimes, he can miss another person’s attempts to say something in the conversation. I have been known to kick him under the table when I think he needs to stop talking and just listen. I wonder if Sarah should have used this strategy when Abraham’s words got them both in a lot of trouble.
Genesis 20:1-2
Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
Sarah is brought into a king’s harem because Abraham lied and said she was his sister. His words stemmed from fear of being killed because of her beauty. He was willing to sacrifice her integrity for his well-being. Sarah was taken from Abraham without a fight, not even an explanation of the truth. Thankfully, God intervened.
Genesis 20:3-7
But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
Abraham was a prophet who lied. Abraham was a prayer warrior who made a decision to not trust God but live in fear. Abraham’s sin led to potential sin for Abimelek. Abraham allowed his beloved wife to be taken from him without a fight.
Sarah was held captive in a foreigner’s house, knowing she could be violated at any moment. She was forced to live amongst pagan worshippers who most likely did not speak her language. Sarah had no one, not even her husband, willing to help her. How lonely and frightening the situation must have been.
God saw Sarah’s abandonment and chose to rescue her. God revealed the truth to Abimelek by telling him who Sarah really was. Abraham had hidden Sarah’s true identity. The Lord spoke the truth about the relationship.
God does the same for us. Others may have called you false names, marred your identity, created a false narrative, spread lies, and enjoyed the gossip. That is not the truth. The Lord reveals to us our true identity in Him. God rescues us and validates us from the enemy’s plans and sets us again in the place of our destiny.
Genesis 20:8-13
Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?” Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
Abraham was a manipulator. He slyly told others Sarah was his sister and had her join in on the ruse, due to a technicality. He told part of the truth, while hiding the rest. All of this was to protect himself which put Sarah in danger. Abraham did nothing to free her from the situation that he himself caused. God intervened. The Lord not only rescued Sarah, he had the enemy vindicate her.
Genesis 20:14-16
Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.” To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
I love how Abimelek spoke to Sarah. Women were not addressed at this time, much less publicly honored in such a way. But this enemy king showed respect to Sarah while humiliating Abraham calling him her “brother”. The sarcasm is evident in the exchange. And Sarah, the wife abandoned by her husband’s lie, is now validated by the enemy telling the truth. Her honor disregarded privately by Abraham was esteemed publicly by Abimelek.
Genesis 20:17-18
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
Sarah must have been in this difficult situation for awhile since there was enough time to realize that women were not conceiving in Abimelek’s household. Now, the family was healed. Sarah was vindicated. Abraham prospered with a thousand pieces of silver. God worked this all for good, despite what Abraham had done.
Sarah’s suffering and subsequent deliverance benefited those around her. A pagan king received a divine revelation from the Lord. Plus, Abimelek’s household was healed after prayer, testifying to the true God. A lying husband received a huge sum of money as well as freedom to settle in the land. Both her husband and an unbelieving king experienced God’s goodness in the wake of her difficult situation. Even those who harm us can benefit from God’s goodness to us. In whatever hardship you may be in, wait on the Lord. His deliverance will not only rescue you and validate you but will also be a testimony of His goodness to those around you.
by Kevin Tillman | Sep 17, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
The accusation was ridiculous. It did not even remotely tie into my character. (I do a lot of things wrong, but this particular lie was not one of my many sin issues.) The lie tied into cruel behavior unleashed against me. My heart was shattered into seemingly a billion unrepairable pieces. The devastation crushed my soul causing physical issues as well. I thought I could do nothing. But it was in the nothing that answers were found.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
What has come against you? Accusation, gossip, lies, demotion, brokenness…the list could go on. Where have others, inspired by the enemy, seem to have won against you? Think of that situation. How do you want to respond? Vindication, justification control, planning, yelling, revenge…the list could go on. Yet, God gives us the response: be still and wait patiently.
It looks like the enemy won. Be still and wait patiently. It looks like others, even our friends, have taken their side. Be still and wait patiently. It looks like we will never recover from all this. Be still and wait patiently. It looks like prayers will never be answered. Be still and wait patiently. It looks like it is becoming worse. Be still and wait patiently.
Being still and waiting patiently seem to be the opposite of appropriate responses. However, the Lord calls us to this because we are waiting on Him. We are not waiting aimlessly but waiting on the only intervention that will make an impact. God alone knows how to respond in a way that supersedes the situation. God alone knows all the underlying pieces and motivations behind what is going on. God alone knows the demonic playbook and how to turn what seemingly seems like an assured enemy victory into a crushing defeat. God alone knows how to use what the enemy used for evil to make it good not only for you but for others as well.
Be still and wait patiently. How do you know if you are following this command?
Psalm 37:8
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
The absence of anger, wrath, and worry prove a heart that is still before God and waiting on Him. If any of these are in the heart, ask forgiveness and repent. We do not want the enemy who is working evil against us to entice us to our own evil choices. Instead, we must settle the war within and choose the way of God: Be still and wait patiently. Eventually, we will see the Lord’s intervention.
Psalm 37:9
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Answers will come, situations will turn, what was lost will be restored. Until then, be still and wait patiently on the Lord.
by Shannon Tillman | Aug 27, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
I was frustrated in my prayer time. I reviewed the promises of God. Many of them started with the basic premise of “The Lord will….”. They were in future tense. I asked the Lord when His promises would become present tense, that I would finally experience the answers. Even better, when would the promises become past tense so that they are shared as a testimony to others. I was reminded again that the eternal God does not have to give me a time frame for answers. (even though each day I hope He does!) Although there is not a time given, there is a guarantee of the end result.
Proverbs 10:28
The hope of the righteous is joy…
Another version translates the verse this way:
Proverbs 10:28
The prospect of the righteous is joy…
At some point, the hope we have in the Lord to answer our prayer requests will lead to joy. It is a guarantee. I am reminded of Sarah and Abraham. They waited twenty-five years for a child of their own. The child was named Isaac which means laughter. They finally had their bundle of joy. The hope, the prospect of each of our prayers is the joy of the Lord. The promise is a guarantee, the answer is wrapped in joy, the results are beyond what we had hoped.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Your promise is a guaranteed future of joy. On those days that seem to drag on in time, hold onto the hope of what is to come. Joy!
by Shannon Tillman | Aug 20, 2026 | Bible Study, Blog, Thoughts
While on vacation, I decided to not put limits on myself in any way when it came to junk food. I gorged on ice cream, french fries, chips, soft pretzels, milkshakes, custard, and anything else that looked appetizing. Since coming home, all I want to eat is sugar and carbs. An apple was an enjoyment the week before my trip, now it looks like poison. My desires changed quickly and they are fighting against what I know I should eat but do not want at this moment. Munching on the good food is giving me a bad attitude.
I realize that spiritually there can be drastic changes in desire as well. How do we come back from a lack of passion for the things of God? I think it begins with acknowledgment. Too often, we go through the motions, keeping up pretenses instead of being honest with what is lacking within us. After we do recognize the dullness in our heart, we can begin taking steps toward the Lord again. Psalm 63 gives some insights on how to proceed.
Psalm 63:1
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
First, acknowledge the relationship: “You are my God”. You are going beyond a formula or program to attach to the Lord, but recognizing that you are in a relationship with Him. Then, seek Him. This takes time and effort. It is prioritizing finding what seems lost. In reality, the Lord never leaves us but due to our own choices a distance may be felt. Seeking Him is choosing to set aside time just with the Lord, removing distractions and focusing on Him.
The seeking of God leads to the revelation of self. The psalmist, in this case David, uses the imagery of being thirsty for God. When we seek the Lord, we realize our need for Him and what is lacking in our lives. Too often, we have filled our time and energy with the “junk food” of the world: media, worry, shopping, hobbies, control, self-absorbed thinking, etc. But when we seek God, we realize that He is truly what we need and all the other desires are making us spiritually dehydrated. The things we thought were filling us are only part of the desert of this world and we need to be rescued.
Psalm 63:2
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Reminders of the spiritual experiences in our past, help us to regain the desire for connection now. Then, our hearts can once again connect. We are no longer going through the motions but engaging in a present tense relationship.
Psalm 63:4-5
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
The connection has been established. The healing of the heart is reflected by the words of praise on the lips. Outward demonstrations of spiritual connection are apparent, no longer going through the motions but actively engaging in worship.
Psalm 63:5
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
No more junk food here! Worship testifies that the soul is now feasting again on the ways of the Lord instead of being sickened by the things of this world. It all began with a moment of choice. Just like a physical diet starts with a decision so does a spiritual one. The choice must be made, to starve on the world or to feast on the Lord.
