Category: Faith

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Stand Strong

Stand strong this morning – yesterday may have been filled with frustration, unexpected delays, disappointments or even physical/financial set back-ups but today is a new day!

The Lord promises that His mercies are new every morning. Draw strength from God’s unfailing love and His infinite mercy.

Just like a solider who goes out to battle, you have been equipped with armour to sustain you and bring you through victoriously.

“To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. 13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. 15 On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. 16 And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. 17 Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up.” Ephesians 6:10-18 ERV

Get up, face the world and know that the Lord has chosen your armor and as you follow Him you will finish the fight standing victoriously!

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“The Lord Calms Our Fears”

Dave and I had an amazing weekend at the Grand Canyon. The beauty of the Lord’s creation is breath taking. It definitely reveals God’s greatness.

This morning, we will go back to Judges 6 and look at how the Lord revealed His greatness to Gideon.

 “Gideon,” the Lord answered, ‘you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man.’

17 Gideon said, ‘It’s hard to believe that I’m actually talking to the Lord. Please do something so I’ll know that you really are the Lord. 18 And wait here until I bring you an offering.’

‘All right, I’ll wait,’ the Lord answered.” Judges 6:16-18 CEV

Gideon was sincere in his questions to the Lord. The Lord was patient and reassured Gideon that He would be his help.

Gideon went to make a meal for the Lord. He killed a goat, boiled it, made bread, baked it, then brought a bowl of broth, goat’s meat and a cake to offer to the Lord. I don’t know how long all this took but there was no microwave oven or air fryer so it took a while and the Lord waited.

When Gideon returned with the meal an angel had him put it on a rock and then the angel touched it with a staff and fire consumed it.

“Gideon realized that he had seen one of the Lord’s angels. ‘Oh!” he moaned. ‘Now I’m going to die.’ 23 ‘Calm down!’ the Lord told Gideon. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re not going to die.’” Judges 6:22-23 CEV

Gideon was face to face with the Lord and saw His greatness. Remember, this is the same man who was threshing the wheat in a pit so he wouldn’t be seen by the Midianites who had been raiding his village. Fear was his middle name.

His people had been serving Baal and other gods for years. They had been rebellious, self-willed and had ignored God’s instructions. And now, the Lord had chosen this village, this man with his low self-esteem to be their delivered.

As the Lord’s instruction, Gideon went out that night with ten servants and his father’s second best bull and destroyed the altar of Baal. He used the wood to reconstruct an altar on the highest hill in town and then sacrificed the bull to the Lord.

“Gideon chose ten of his servants to help him, and they did everything God had said. But since Gideon was afraid of his family and the other people in Ophrah, he did it all at night.” verse 27 CEV

The next morning the town’s people and his father saw what he had done. The town’s people wanted to kill him, but his father stopped them by saying that Baal could defend himself if he really was a god. Gideon’s father changed his son’s name to Jerubbaal.

“That same day, Joash changed Gideon’s name to Jerubbaal, explaining, “He tore down Baal’s altar, so let Baal take revenge himself.” verse 32

Gideon’s story is one of conversion. His encounter with the Lord took him from serving Baal to honoring and obeying the Lord. The Lord’s words, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.” are also for us today.

When we depend on the Lord we will hear Him, “Fear not, I am with you”. Claim this day to be fear-free and trust in the Lord.

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A Word for the Wise

This morning, I was reading in I Kings. The book begins like this, “ King David was now an old man”.

David knows his life is ending. He has a son who wants to steal the throne from his brother Solomon. David’s advisors tell him what is being planned and David thwarts that plan by having Solomon immediately anointed king.

What a way to live your final days? David needed to prepare his son for life as the ruler of Israel. He gave Solomon this instruction.

“My son, I will soon die, as everyone must. But I want you to be strong and brave. 3 Do what the Lord your God commands and follow his teachings. Obey everything written in the Law of Moses. Then you will be a success, no matter what you do or where you go. 4 You and your descendants must always faithfully obey the Lord. If you do, he will keep the solemn promise he made to me that someone from our family will always be king of Israel.” I Kings 2:2-4 CEV

Do these words sound familiar? They did to me.

The Lord gave these words to Joshua many years before this.

“Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land. 9 I’ve commanded you to” be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 CEV

Joshua led the Jewish people as the conquered the Promised Land. David ruled the nation of Israel and made it a great nation that honored and served the Lord. Now Solomon was given the place of leadership – a passing of the torch or the mantle of leadership.

A few days back I showed you Solomon’s prayer when his father died. He asked for wisdom to be a good leader and the Lord not only blessed him with wisdom but also with great favor and wealth.

Now, look at the words of wisdom Solomon gives in the first few chapters of Proverbs.

“My son, do not forget my teaching. Let your heart keep my words. 2 For they will add to you many days and years of life and peace. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you. Tie them around your neck. Write them upon your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. 6 Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from what is sinful. 8 It will be healing to your body and medicine to your bones.” Proverbs 3:1-8 NLV

Why read the Bible? Why study God’s word?

I know of no other place to find true wisdom, for these are the words of life!

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Make A List

I sit here thinking about eternity…eternity! That’s a very long time, I said to myself with a smile.

But what I thought about the most was those who will be in the Father’s eternal heaven. Think about this for a moment. Make a list of twenty people who you would want to join you on an island retreat – not like survivor – but a nice retreat. There would be no TV, internet or computers. Just good old-fashioned conversation and friendship. Being with them for a week or two is one thing but what about eternity.

Now think about God and the fact that He has invited us to spend eternity with Him. (Let that sink in.)

Eternity.

His perfect love – mercy – grace, perfect God invited us to live in His presence for eternity.

He made His list and it included all of our names. We’ve been invited but sadly, not everyone will accept His invitation. Some will reject His invitation, but He has made it open ended.

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV

“Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:2 CEV

King David thought about this when he wrote:

“ You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. 6 For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.” Psalm 23:5-6 NLV

Jesus said to the thief who was on the cross next to His:

“Jesus said to him, “For sure, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 NLV

God the Father made His list of those He would like to spend eternity with and all of our names were on it.

“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” Romans 8:29-30 NLT

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” Ephesians 1:4-6 NLT

Some of you who are reading this I have never met before, but I am excited to think that I will get to spend time in eternity getting to know you.

I’m so glad the Father put us on His list!

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In God We Trust

This morning, I was unable to access my website. Not the most pleasant experience but after some research and following the correct prompts, I was able to recover everything.

Because of that, this morning’s blog is a re-share from several years back.

I often hear folks say, “I wish I had more faith or I wish my faith was bigger or stronger”. This morning I would like to share a couple of thoughts on “Faith” and “Unbelief”. Imagine you are holding a coin in your hand right now. One side of the coin is faith and one side is unbelief. The outcome in the situations of your life are directly affected by the side of the coin that you are looking at.

There are many Scriptures when Jesus addressed “Unbelief” in the hearts and minds of those that he was ministering too.

In Matthew 13 it says that Jesus couldn’t do any mighty works in his own hometown because of their unbelief. In Mark 9 the man who had a demon possessed son brought him to Jesus for healing. Jesus answered if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth and the father responded Lord, I believe – help thou my unbelief. After Jesus set the boy free his disciples came and asked:

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:19-21

Jesus didn’t say that it was because of their “little” faith or even lack of faith but because of unbelief. He then goes on to say that with faith as little as a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible to them. And as a side note when Jesus said “this kind” goes not out but by prayer and fasting, He was talking about the unbelief not the demon.

Faith simply put is our belief that God not only can do but will do those things that He has promised. Abraham is our walking example of this. He had a lifetime of evidence to support his unbelief. Barrenness for both he and Sarah. If they had gone to the fertility clinic, everyone would have laughed at them and sent them home. But thank God, Abraham didn’t listen to all the unbelief (his own or that of others) he was strong in faith.

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” Romans 4:19-21

When we give our life to Christ and are born again, we are given faith as a part of our new nature. Romans 12 says that God has given ll of us “the” measure of faith and then in Galatians 5, Paul tells us again that faith is a fruit of the Spirit.

We can all agree it takes faith to get saved. “For by grace are ye saved through faith”. Faith, believing that God will do what He says He will do, and grace, God giving us what we don’t deserve and can’t earn on our own. This was the time in our life that our faith in God was the smallest and yet it was enough to create the greatest miracle – our salvation.

What situation has you focused on unbelief. Go to God’s word, find His answer, feed your faith (Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God) and it will cause your unbelief to shrink.

“Mustard Seed” faith is more than enough to move mountains once unbelief is removed and we place our trust in God.

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Bountiful Harvest

Last night a friend and I sat and talked about how much we love God’s word. We can read a chapter, or a few verses and God touches our hearts with His words and our lives are changed.

The Word of God is incorruptible seed. It brings a harvest of God’s goodness into our lives.

“ You have been given a new birth. It was from a seed that cannot die. This new life is from the Word of God which lives forever. ” I Peter 1:23 NLV

I heard tell, truth or myth I do not know, that seeds were discovered in the tombs of the pyramids and when they were planted, they grew. Now, that’s a seed that didn’t die.

Farmers and home gardeners know that to have a successful garden you protect the seed. Many home gardeners have gone to starting seedlings inside so that the plants grow strong before they face the elements. Farmers aren’t afforded that opportunity but they do research which seeds produce the best yield and are well suited for their climate and soil.

Jesus was using these principles when he spoke to his followers about seed.

” Now listen to the meaning of the story about the farmer: 19 The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom, but don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the message from their hearts. 20 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it right away. 21 But they don’t have deep roots, and they don’t last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.

22 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. 23 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message. They produce as much as a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was planted.” Matthew 13:18-23 CEV

Although the seeds of God’s word may lie dormant for a while they will produce a crop. When watered by prayer, tended by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the weeds of worry and doubt removed we will gather a harvest.

The first crop that is produced is salvation and then forgiveness, peace, love, joy, faith and other fruits grow.

Our heart is the soil, God’s word is the seed. Happy Harvest.

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Legacy

Thank you to the many mothers and grandmothers out there who have taught their children to love the Lord and to serve others. You are true blessings to the world.

” I always remember you in my prayers day and night. And in these prayers I thank God for you. He is the God my ancestors served, and I have always served him with a clear conscience. 4 I remember that you cried for me. I want very much to see you so that I can be filled with joy. 5 I remember your true faith. That kind of faith first belonged to your grandmother Lois and to your mother Eunice. I know you now have that same faith. 6 That is why I want you to remember the gift God gave you. God gave you that gift when I laid my hands on you. Now I want you to use that gift and let it grow more and more, like a small flame grows into a fire. 7 The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 1:3-7 ERV

I was blessed to have grown up with a praying grandmother and mother.

My grandmother would spend hours each day praying for all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mom did too. That’s who they were.

Moms you may not have great wealth and earthly possessions to give your children but don’t be discouraged. What you have is your time, your love, your understanding and your prayers. These are the gifts of inheritance that matter the most.

“a woman who honors the Lord deserves to be praised.” Proverbs 31-30 CEV

Giving praise to the mothers and grandmothers today who have given us a godly legacy!

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Promised Peace

Yesterday a friend and I began a time of Bible study. The Lord led me to begin a verse by verse study of Colossians. I love that book!

I honestly know that there isn’t a wasted word in the Bible. All scripture is God inspired and given to help us grow, to correct and instruct us so that we will be thoroughly furnished for every good work.

I spent a lot of time just on verse 2.

“To the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father.” Colossians 1:2 ERV

This is not a generic “hi, how ya doing” greeting. Paul wanted this message to permeate all he was about to say. He was under house arrest in Rome. He was no longer able to meet with these young believers personally. He wanted their lives to be guided by peace and filled with grace.

God wants that for every believer. Grace – the forgiveness and restitution of our lives to relationship with the Father. Peace – the absence of fear, doubt and stress.

We spent a good deal of time right there. God gives us promised peace. Jesus said to his disciples:

“I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.” John 14:27 ERV

He said knowing He would be crucified in the next few hours. If ever there was a time for peace it was then. Jesus was reassuring them that everything would be ok. That promise is good for us too.

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. 4 So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah you have a place of safety forever.” Isaiah 26:3-4 ERV

Slow down enough to let that sink in. God gives true peace to those who trust Him – so trust Him always! That’s how we live in peace – trusting the Lord. He is our place of safety.

Remember the message of the angels as they announced the birth of Christ?

“Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please him.” Luke 2:14 ERV

Peace on earth came through Jesus. This was God’s plan from the beginning. He wanted the relationship He had with Adam and Eve in the garden to be restored. Jesus came to fulfill that plan.

“And through him, God was happy to bring all things back to himself again— things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using the blood sacrifice of his Son on the cross.” Colossians 1:20 ERV

God has promised us peace. Emotional peace, internal peace and spiritual peace. I am certain of this when God makes a promise, He keeps it. Peace comes to those who trust so…trust Him always!

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Love is Spelled P-R-A-Y-E-R

With Mother’s Day almost here I imagine most of us are thinking of our mothers and our children. We’re remembering times with both. The joy and laughter, the heartache and the sadness. Some have lost children and others have lost their mothers. The memories come rolling in like a flood.

Most of us didn’t have a manual on how to raise loving, well-adjusted children but we did have prayer, the Word of God and advice from other loving mothers. We weren’t perfect – oh, far from it! But we loved!

This picture is my Mom in the days before disposal diapers. She was changing a diaper and realized she had pinned it to her finger and not the cloth. This picture always makes me smile and remember how loving she was.

At times our hearts ached with an indescribable pain but most of the time we were kissing little knees and elbows, making cookies for classroom parties, taking long walks and listening to dreams and ambitions.

And praying! Praying that our children would grow to love the Lord; praying that they would find love and praying that they would be protected from the cruelties of life.

Hannah, Samuel’s mother, is an example to us all. She prayed desperately for a child and then she gave her son to the Lord for His service.

“When the boy was old enough to eat solid food, Hannah took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh. She also took a bull that was three years old, 20 pounds of flour, and a bottle of wine.

25 They went before the Lord. Elkanah killed the bull as a sacrifice to the Lord as he usually did. Then Hannah gave the boy to Eli. 26 She said to him, ‘Pardon me, sir. I am the same woman who stood near you praying to the Lord. I promise that I am telling the truth. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord answered my prayer. He gave me this child. 28 And now I give this child to the Lord. He will serve the Lord all his life.’ Then Hannah left the boy there and worshiped the Lord.” I Samuel 1:24-28 ERV

And she left the boy there…this morning those of us with children need to make that decision, whether they are small or grown, we need to take them to the Father and leave them there. At His throne, in His care, is the safest place we can leave them and then we must worship the Lord because He is able to keep them!

Thank you Father for the wonderful life of being a mother!

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Don’t Be Uprooted

The other night Dave and I were sitting in the house and we heard a crash out on the porch. We both jumped up and went to the sliding glass door.

There at the bottom of the steps one of my flowerpots had been knocked over and the flowers were uprooted. The culprit who had inflicted this damage stood just a few feet away. A javelina!

It had eaten some of the blooms and must have tugged at the plant, pulling the pot off the step and onto the concrete. The pot wasn’t broken but potting soil was scattered about with pieces of half-eaten petunia in the mix.

Life can be like that.

An unexpected intruder, fear, comes in to uproot our faith.

“The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. 21 But they don’t have deep roots, and they don’t last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.

22 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything.” Matthew 13:20-22 CEV

Jesus gave this teaching on the Word of God being planted in our lives. It’s like seed that grows and brings a harvest of God’s truth. But we must be on guard to keep from being uprooted.

“ God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers 17 and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love.” Ephesians 3:16-17 CEV

The deeper a plant’s roots go down into the earth, the harder it is to uproot it. These verses in Ephesians go on to say:

” I pray that you and all God’s people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep.19 I want you to know all about Christ’s love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is.” Ephesians 3:18-19 CEV

God wants us to know the depth of His love. He wants us filled with all that He is! Our confidence comes from being rooted in Him and knowing that He will never lie to us. He will never break His word.

“ You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. 22 But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. 23 But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news. It was preached to everyone on earth, and I myself have become a servant of this message.” Colossians 1:21-23 CEV

Maybe you feel that you’ve been knocked off the step and you’ve been uprooted. Take heart. I know a Master Gardner that will pick you up, tend to your leaves and repot you in the soil of His love so that you can be deeply rooted and firmly planted in Him!

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