She Believes 3
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Marico Early

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Fruit of the Spirit

WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING ON TO?

WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING ON TO?

 Recently I had a conversation with a lady, who shared that she had been deeply hurt by someone in her family over thirty years ago.   As she talked about how this person disappointed her, I could hear in her voice that she was still very angry.  I had also noticed that she never has anything positive to say in regard to this person.  It’s almost always a negative comment when she mentions their name.  In my opinion, her unresolved anger has turned into bitterness.

The interesting thing about all of this is, the person that she is so angry with, does not have a clue that she is upset because she never shared with them, how they made her feel. So many times, this is the case, and unless we are willing to swallow our pride and open up about our feelings, most people will walk away from us not even knowing that they just hurt our feelings.

If you have been hurt or even betrayed by someone, I have 10 tips of advice for you.

  1. Don’t walk around angry and bitter. Pray and ask God to help you to forgive the person that offended you.  Try to release any ill feelings and resentment that          you may have towards that person.
  2. Don’t allow your past to hold your future hostage. Move on, let it go!
  3. Be patient with those who offend you.  Remember that hurting people, hurt people.
  4. Don’t talk about the person that offended you.  (A sexual offense is different, however.)  If you are being sexually offended, by all means talk to someone ASAP)

Set up a time to talk directly with the person that offended you. (Unless it’s a sexual offense, in which case you will want to have a professional course  involved as a mediator). Pray and ask God to give you the right words for this difficult conversation, so that things go smoothly.

  1. Even though you may not agree, be willing to listen to the other person’s point of view.
  2. Seek God’s will on the correct timing to have the conversation.

Know that if God has forgiven the person that offended you, you can too.   At some point you will probably offend someone. Forgive the way you will want to be forgiven.

  1. Pray for your offender.
  2. Remember that unresolved anger can affect your health.  It can raise your blood pressure, cause stress as well as anxiety in your body.  It can also drain you of your energy. Our bodies were not meant to be containers for anger but love.
  3. Read your scriptures regarding anger and bitterness.  Know what God says about anger.

    11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
    Colossians 3:8
    8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
    Proverbs 16:32
    32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
    Matthew 5:22
    22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[a][b] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[c] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
    Proverbs 14:29
    29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
    Ephesians 4:26-27
    26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
    Ephesians 4:31-32
    31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
    Hebrews 12:14-15
    14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
    Colossians 3:13
    13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
    Romans 12:19
    19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
    Matthew 6:14-15
    14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

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Free Indeed

Free Indeed

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

On yesterday our country celebrated another July 4th Anniversary, or some would call it Independence Day.  This marked another year of our country living in freedom, which is one of the reasons it is considered to be the greatest country in the world to live in.

While thinking about this, I thought of the freedoms that we have in Christ.  Oh what a blessing to be free of the eternal death sentence that comes as a consequence of our sins. This is a yoke that Christ stepped in and chose to bear on our behalf.

As Christians we are also free of the guilt and shame of our sins, when we confess and repent of them.

Freedom in Christ means that we no longer have to fear dying, because we will have an eternal home with God.  This freedom also means that we can boldly approach God’s throne of grace and ask for His divine help for any situation we encounter.

Freedom in Christ means that we can move through life freely and without reservation or fear, knowing that God’s hand of protection is over us.  Freedom in Christ means that we can pursue our God given calling, knowing that God has already gone before us and opened any closed doors.

Because we are children, we are free!    Now that’s something to celebrate!

What Does God’s Word Say About Our Freedom

Galatians 5:1
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
2 Corinthians 3:17
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Acts 13:38-39
38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
Ephesians 3:12
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Psalms 119:45
45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
1 Peter 2:116 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
Galatians 5:3-14
3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b

John 8:32
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Romans 8:1-4
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 6:2
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
1 Corinthians 7:22
22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave
Isaiah 6:1
6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Hebrews 2:14-15
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

 

 

 

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Why Confession Is So Important

Why Confession Is So Important

  1. 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
    “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
    8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
    Nehemiah 9:1-4
    9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. 4 Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God.
    1 John 1:9
    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

I recently did a Bible Study on the book of Nehemiah.  I was thoroughly impressed with Nehemiah’s prayer life, and how he confessed not only his sins but the sins of his ancestors.

Nehemiah understood that he was serving a holy and perfect God. He also understood that in order for him to hear from God the way that he needed to, the first order of business was to confess his sins to God.  This would put him back in right standing and fellowship with God.

Today I would like to ask you some rather personal questions.  First, how is your prayer life?  My second question is do you take a few moments to actually examine yourself and confess your sins to God during your prayer time?  I cannot stress enough to you how important confession is to your spiritual well-being.

Confession is to simply acknowledge that you have done wrong.  It is to come into agreement with God that you have sinned. I want to also encourage you to confess your sins quickly, when you know you have done wrong.  This way you won’t be as prone to fall into bondage and sin entrapment.

Confession will not eliminate the consequences of our sins, but it will put us back into fellowship with God.  A great example of this is shown in David’s life.
(2nd Samuel 12:9-23)
Repentance is also important in this process.  Repentance is simply to turn away from the sin that is causing distance between you and God. It is to stop engaging in the thing that you are doing that is offensive to God.  Bottom line, if you want to hear from heaven and have your prayers answered confess your sins and repent of them.  God responds to a broken and contrite heart. (Psalms 34:18).

 The Benefits Of Confessing Our Sins
  1. Confession cleanses our soul.
  2. Confession thwarts the enemy from having a foothold in our lives and causing us to live in bondage.
  3. Confession heals our broken relationship with God and others.
  4. Confession causes us to look inward and honestly examine ourselves.
  5. Confession helps to humble ourselves before God.
  6. Confession reminds us that only God is perfect.
  7. Confession frees us of guilt from the burden and weight of our sin.
  8. Confession gives us a fresh start and a clean slate.
  9. Confession opens the door for us to hear from God.
  10. Confession deepens our relationship with God.

    9 Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

    11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

    13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

    Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for[a] the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
    15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth[b] on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

    18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

    19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
    “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

    20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
    21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
    22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

     

     

     

     

 

 

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When They Are All Grown Up

When They Are All Grown Up

Last month we celebrated Mother’s Day.  I have been really busy the past few months, so for this special occasion to interrupt my normal routine was wonderful!
Usually, we only celebrate on Mother’s Day.  However, this year my daughter took charge.  She had the most wonderful surprises planned for each day. Starting that Friday evening all the way through that Sunday.  We had fun new restaurants to experience, as well as I got to go and take in a movie that I had been wanting to see. It was really a fun weekend!

It’s times like these that make me reflect on the yesteryears, when I was a new mom and trying so hard to get it right.  I feel like I was constantly stressed out, because I watched over our daughter like a momma hawk. I did not want her out of my sight. I knew that I was supposed to protect her, and I took my job seriously.  I now know that it would have been ok to relax a bit more and trust that God would protect her.

My days were super busy as a mom, as they are for every mom that I know.

There were days when I was so tired that I didn’t know what to do, and it didn’t really matter because I had to keep going anyway.  I remember the times that I would go to the kitchen to prepare dinner, and I honestly didn’t know if I had the strength to do it.  I was totally exhausted!  There have been many times that I just prayed and asked God to give me the strength to get through it, and He did.

There were basketball games constantly and piano lessons, Children’s Choir and Church.   And let’s not even talk about the occasions when my daughter was ill and had to pull an all-nighter.  And because I loved her and I loved being her mom I would choose to do all of this over and over again.

Let’s face it, motherhood is hard work and it requires lots of sacrifices, but it is worth every step of the journey.   Motherhood will also teach you more about yourself than you ever thought possible.

When you look at your adult children all grown up and living a life that honors you as a parent, and most importantly honors God, you can’t help but be proud, as well as thankful to God for his guidance and protection.

So to all of you moms with young children, hang in there!  It really does get better.  Continue to lift your children up to God in prayer and continue to ask God to bless you with strength and wisdom for the journey.  One day you will get to witness the fruit of your years of labor.   Your children truly are a blessing from the Lord!  And no one on this planet will ever love them like their momma!

Be blessed and be encouraged, your work is not in vain.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
Proverbs 17:6
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,  and parents are the pride of their children.
Psalm 127:3
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
Proverbs 31:31
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

 

 

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Faith

The Gift Of Peace

The Gift Of Peace
In my younger years, I spent a lot of sleepless nights tossing and turning in bed, worrying over one thing or another.  Whether it was how I was going to pay my bills or something else, it seemed that there was always something to worry about.
As I have grown older and closer to God, I have noticed that the things that I used to spend countless hours worrying about, don’t even register on my worry radar anymore.

I have decided, that there is absolutely no need to stress or worry over anything.  Our Father is the God of the entire universe. What is it that He cannot do for us?  When we worry we forfeit God’s precious gift of peace.

Prayer and patience is what is required instead of worry. We must also have absolute trust in God and be fully aware that he will not abandon us.  He told us that he would never leave or forsake us, and we must trust that His words are true.

God has always provided for me and He has always been there for me through every circumstance that I have ever encountered.  He has proven His love for me over and over again without fail.  How can I not trust Him?  He has even been there when others have walked away.
So you see my friends, to live in perfect peace we must put total confidence in the One who holds our future. To live free of worry is to live in peace.

You may ask, how does one start this journey?  One way to start on this journey of peace is to have gratitude.  When we focus on all that God has already done for us, we become more and more confident that He will continue to bless us according to His will.  Even when very hard or difficult things happen, trust that He will give you a peace that will pass all understanding, and the strength to carry on.  Trust that one way or another, He will get you through your hard season.

The gift of peace is always there for us to experience and enjoy.  We simply have to accept it.

Isaiah 26:3
3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.
Psalm 29:11
11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1 Peter 5:7
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 119:165
165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Philippians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:12
12 Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Matthew 11:28
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Psalm 4:8
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

 

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Faith

IN THE MIDST OF FEAR

Have you ever been consumed with fear? I certainly have and what I have come to realize, is that only our God can quail the anxiety that comes with this level of fear.

In 2020 I was not only dealing with the fear of Covid like the rest of the world, but I was also dealing with a very scary diagnosis regarding my health.  Had it not been for God so graciously leading me to the best of doctors and blessing me with the support of my family and church I probably would not be here today.

As I read my Bible each morning during that year, I started to notice that every day I was being led to a passage of scripture that had the words ” Don’t Be Afraid ” in it.  I know that only God could orchestrate the timing of this.

While on this journey, one day I went into a medical facility for some testing. My anxiety level was really high to say the least.  As I was about to get into the testing machine, God whispered “Don’t Be Afraid”.  It immediately calmed all of my anxieties.  It reminded me of a child who needs to hear a soothing word from their parents when they are afraid.

It just so happened that before all of this took place, I was already in the process of reading through the Bible in a year.   For years I had made it a habit to read a few scriptures each morning before I started my day, and each night before I went to bed.  I had never read completely through the entire Bible cover to cover though.  In all of the reading that I have done, I have seen Don’t Be Afraid many times over the years, but not consecutively every day.  At least I was not as aware of it as I was during this time.  It was as though God revealed it to me when I needed to see it most.
I found it so comforting to come across these passages of scriptures that said “Don’t Be Afraid”.

I am sharing this today to encourage you to just trust God, if you are currently living in the midst of fear.   Remember as a child of God we are covered by His love, His blood, His grace and mercy and most importantly His strong protective hand.   His timing is perfect, and He always has a plan for our lives that is rooted in kingdom purpose.  Only what God allows can ever penetrate and enter the walls of your life.  So if something not so good is happening in your life today, Don’t Be Afraid.  God can work good from the worst of disasters. Whatever you are going through may just be happening for you instead of to you so again, Don’t Be Afraid!

Luke 12:7

7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Psalm 23:4
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,  for you are with me; your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.
Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High  will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;  his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you  to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;  you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;  I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 46[a]
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]

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HOW TO HOLD ON DURING A DIFFICULT SEASON

HOW TO HOLD ON DURING A DIFFICULT SEASON

I don’t know what you are going through at this present moment.  Perhaps this is a wonderful season of life for you, and everything that you are hoping for is falling right into place.  For some of you life may be very hard right now, and you are barely hanging on by a thread.

We all go through seasons, and some seasons are much harder than others. I have heard many times that it’s not what we go through, but how we choose to respond to what we are going through that matters.

If this is a tough season for you right now, I want to first encourage you to hang in there, and don’t allow the enemy to take any more ground than he has already taken.  Stand firm in your faith in God.  Trust that he will bring you through, in his perfect timing and in the way that is ultimately best for you.
Sometimes in hard seasons it’s easy to drift away from God, instead of turning towards God.  Let me encourage you to not walk, but run towards God during your difficult season.  When life seems like an unending tornado, he is your safe place.

Also, remember when it seems like it’s taking God forever to answer your prayers, there are always things going on behind the scenes that we are not aware of.  God is working it out. Be patient, his timing is different from our timing.   Because he has a plan for each of our lives, and he can see our future, the sequence of events that we encounter will be perfectly timed.

How To Hold On During A Difficult Season
  1. Pray, Pray, Pray!  Pray without ceasing.   Prayer will get you through.
  2. Stay close to God by staying close to his Word.  Read your Bible daily and he will guide you on important decisions that you may need to make.
  3. If you are in a Community Group through your Church ask them to keep you and your family lifted up in prayer.  If you are not in a Community Group ask   your Christian friends to pray for you.  There is much power where two or more are gathered in prayer.
  4. Journal your prayers.  Journaling your prayers is like pounding on the door of heaven.  I highly recommend it.  It also is a great way to process your thoughts  and feelings about what you are going through.
  5. Never ever give up on God or yourself.  Stay hopeful, keep trusting in God, and keep believing for your miraculous breakthrough, because it is coming, so hold     on!
    Scriptures:
    Psalm 55:22
    22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
    Psalm 56:3-4
    3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
    4     In God, whose word I praise—in God, I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
    Psalm 62:8
    8 Trust in him at all times, you people;  pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
    Isaiah 41:10
    10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
    Hebrews 13:6
    6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”[a]
    Psalm 121:1-8
    1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
    2 My help comes from the Lord,  the Maker of heaven and earth.
    3 He will not let your foot slip—  he who watches over you will not slumber;
    4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
    5 The Lord watches over you—   the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
    6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
    7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—  he will watch over your life;
    8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
    Psalm 9:9
    9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,  a stronghold in times of trouble.
    Psalm 32:7
    7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
    Psalm 27:5
    5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
    Psalm 18:2
    2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress , and my deliverer;  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,  my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.
    Psalm 119:114
    114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
    Psalm 91
    1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
    2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
    3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
    4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
    5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
    6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
    7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
    8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked
    9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
    10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
    11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
    12 they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
    13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
    14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
    15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
    16 With long life I will satisfy him  and show him my salvation.”
    Psalm 23
    1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
    2     He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
    3     he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
    4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
    5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
    You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
    6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
    and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
        forever. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

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God’s Waiting Room
Fruit of the Spirit

Can Others Tell That You Have Been In The Presence Of God

Earlier this week I was reading in Exodus 34:29.  This passage of scripture was regarding the time when Moses came down from Mount Sinai.   After being in God’s presence, his face had a radiance that he was not aware of.

 I know that we are not able to come face to face with God, however we definitely can be in his presence each day.  My question for you today is; can others tell that you have been in God’s presence?
One of the best ways to assess this is by looking at the fruit that we are bearing.  We can’t just show up on Sunday mornings for church, and think that we will bear the kind of fruit that will make our character resemble that of Jesus.  It takes spending time in His word on a daily basis.  It also requires praying and quietly listening for His gentle still voice, in order to bear fruit that resembles His character.
When we visit Galatians 5:22-23 we find the Fruit of the Spirit listed here.  They are Love, Joy. Peace, Long Suffering / Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,  Gentleness, Self Control.  When we master these, others will know that we are truly living each day in God’s presence, because our character will reveal it and that my friends will give us our God Glow.  We will be as radiant at that point as humanly possible on this side of eternity.
LOVE
1st Corinthians 13:1-13
13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
 LOVE
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1 John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
John 14:15
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
JOY
Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Nehemiah 8:10
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Jeremiah 15:16
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name,
 Lord God Almighty.
PEACE
Psalm 119:165
165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Isaiah 26:12
Lord, you establish peace for us;  all that we have accomplished you have done for us
LONG SUFFERING / PATIENCE
Romans 12:12
12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Ephesians 4:2
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love
KINDNESS
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
GOODNESS
Psalm 145:9
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Matthew 19:17
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Roman 12:9
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
2nd Peter 1:3-8
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
FAITHFULNESS
Proverbs 3:3-4
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;  bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name  in the sight of God and man.
1st Samuel 12:24
24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one
GENTLENESS
Philippians 4:5
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Titus 3:1-23
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
SELF CONTROL
1 Corinthians 10:131
3 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
2nd Timothy 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Romans 12:1-2
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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Christ’s Resurrection, Our Eternal Life

Christ’s Resurrection, Our Eternal Life

For Christians all over the world, this week is quite significant, because it is considered Holy Week.  Holy Week is the week leading up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.

This week as we meditate on the scriptures that lay out so clearly the sequence of the events leading up to Christ’s resurrection, we can only be grateful for the hope that we have in Christ.  No sacrifice has ever, and will ever match the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf.

As you prepare to spend time with your family and friends this Easter Sunday don’t forget to put God first in your celebrations.  In other words, make it about Him, and your gratitude for what He has done for you.  If you are tempted to put Him on the backburner that day, just ask yourself who else has died for me lately?

This should reel you back in pretty quickly.

Have a glorious Easter as you worship our King!

CHRIST DEATH
Mark 15:37-39
37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39 When the Roman officer[a] who stood facing him[b] saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
CHRIST BURIAL
Mark 15:46-47
46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
CHRIST RESURRECTION
Romans 6:8-11
8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Mark 16:5-7 ESV
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
Luke 24:6-7 NIV
6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”
Luke 24: 38-40
38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
OUR ETERNAL LIFE
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[a] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
Romans 10:9
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Revelation 1:5-6
5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!   All praises to Christ our King, for He has risen!!!.

 

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Faith

What A Spring Break

9 We can make our plans,  but the Lord determines our steps.
Psalm 46:10
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! ……..
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For months my family and I anticipated Spring Break.  My husband is a teacher and traditionally I try to take a few days off during Spring Break, so that we can do something together.  This year our daughter even arranged her vacation time, around our Spring Break time so we could all be together.

My daughter and I had some things planned that we wanted to do. We wanted to visit some nearby towns that we don’t typically get to visit.  We even had shopping included in our activities.  As planned, to kick off our Spring Break activities, our family took a quick two-day trip last weekend to visit my mother and my sister.   We had an absolutely wonderful time.  Little did we know that would pretty much be the end of the fun for our Spring Break.

On Sunday morning of our weekend trip, I remember feeling super tired and just not feeling well at all as I was getting dressed.  I pushed through and the next day as we were packing to leave, I really started to feel worse.

The next morning after arriving back in town, I asked my husband if he could drive me to the doctor.  My suspicions were correct. I was sick.    When the doctor came back into the room, she announced that I had tested positive for Covid.  This was not what I wanted to hear at all.  I immediately called my daughter and suggested that she get tested, and she received that same news that I did.  She had Covid also.   What a Spring Break!    The good news is that my husband tested negative, so we were thankful for that.

Although this threw some rain on our little parade, and clouds over our plans, I can honestly say that as always, God knew what He was doing. His timing was perfect.  There was definitely a silver lining in our failed plans.  What better time to get sick than when you have no commitments for the week.  We were able to just rest, and my daughter definitely needed some R&R.   No one had to feel bad because they were taking off from work due to sickness.  We were able to simply rest and take care of ourselves.

Although my husband did not have Covid, he too was overdue for some much-needed rest.  So, our God planned Staycation was exactly what we needed, and He knew long before we did that, we would need it.

We still hope at some point to follow through on our initial plans, but clearly it will be in God’s timing not ours.
What I have learned over the years when things haven’t gone as I planned or hoped, is that God is still in control.

Sometimes He is redirecting me.  Sometimes He is simply saying rest, and sometimes He is protecting me.  And through it all I have learned to be content with His will for my life, because I know that He will only allow and do what’s best for me.

My hope for you, is that you too will also learn to be content even during times of disappointment, knowing that He knows what’s best for you. His blessings far outweigh our disappointments, so hang in there and be ever hopeful something good is always headed your way when you are a child of God!

 

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