She Believes 3
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She Believes 3 Devotion

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PSALMS THAT BRING ME COMFORT

Psalms That Bring Me Comfort

During my lifetime I have gone through several difficult seasons.  What I know for sure, is that anytime that I have gone to the book of Psalms I have found comfort there. I have left feeling like God Himself, has sat me on His lap and given me a big hug.  And, that he has said: It will be ok my child, just trust me.  I leave encouraged and full of hope.  So today I thought that I would share a few of the Psalms that have blessed and encouraged me over the years.  My prayer is that they will do the same for you.

Psalms of Protection
Psalm 3:1-8
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”[b]
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
7 Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
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 4:8
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord,  make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not [a]want.
2 He makes me to lie down in [b]green pastures;
He leads me beside the [c]still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
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 runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will [d]dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalms For Direction
Psalm 25:4-5
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:9-10
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Psalm 25:12
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall [a]He teach in the way He chooses.
Psalms For My Waiting Season
Psalm 27:13-14
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.
14 Wait[a] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 37:7
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.
Psalm 62:5
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;  my hope comes from him.
Psalm 130:6
6 My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
Psalm 39:7
7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.
Psalms That Give Me Strength
Psalm 28:8
8 The Lord is [a]their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His [b]anointed.
Psalm 46:1-3
46 God is our refuge and strength,
A[a] very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the [b]midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
Psalms For When I Need Healing
Psalm 107:20
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 34:19-20
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
Psalm 6:2
2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
Psalms For Praise
Psalm 109:30
30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;
Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
Psalm 100
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, [a]all you lands!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and [b]not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 95
 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
4 [a]In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
5 The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep [b]of His hand.
Today, if you will hear His voice:
8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the [c]rebellion,
As in the day of [d]trial in the wilderness,
9 When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
10 For forty years I was [e]grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
Psalm 7:17
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

 

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Spread Some Love

Spread Some Love
1 John 4:10-12
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

This past Friday my husband and I went to our local Oncology Center and passed out hand creams and foot creams to the cancer patients.  It was such a joy to see their expressions when they realized that we were giving them gifts.  Some were actually sitting in their recliners receiving their infusion at the time. They may have been expecting it to be another routine day at chemo, but it wouldn’t be.

You see they were about to experience what it felt like to be loved and thought of by perfect strangers and boy did they love it!  It gave my husband and I pure joy to see their faces light up like Christmas trees.  One gentleman stood to his feet and shook my hand in a moment of gratitude. Everyone that received a gift was so appreciative.

What I realized from this experience is the more gifts that we passed out the happier we became also.  Not only did we bless them, but we were blessed by the experience as well.  The memory of their twinkling eyes and their broad smiles will be etched in our memory forever.  It truly is more blessed to give than to receive.

35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Are You Doubting The Assignment

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Ephesians 3:20
20 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,
John 15:5
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Colossians 1:29
29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
2 Corinthians 3:5
5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
2 Corinthians 12:9
9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Has God ever given you an assignment that you thought was way too big for you to accomplish?  I can certainly say yes to that one!  There are times when God will ask us to do something, and it’s so big that it becomes downright scary.   There are other times when He may ask you to do something that’s not so scary, but grueling.

Some of you may love the challenge of a new assignment or venture, and you can see yourself accomplishing the goal.  However, the process from excitement to completion can sometimes turn out to be a long winding road that was not initially anticipated.  You may start to feel like you are on a forty-year journey to the Promised Land.

Things started out great but somehow you got stuck in the wilderness. And that my friend is when doubt and fear usually start to creep in.  This is when you will need to exercise the greatest amount of faith.

Know that when God has given you a big assignment there will be attacks and possibly some setbacks.  Things will go wrong and life will keep happening.  Don’t stress, don’t worry, and don’t fear just keep going!  Just because things appear to be headed in the wrong direction, does not necessarily mean that they are.   The enemy will throw things in your direction in hopes that you will doubt that God has really given you the assignment.  Don’t allow Him the satisfaction of tricking you.  If you heard God clearly initially, stick with what you know in your heart that He has asked you to do.  Don’t waiver, just trust and obey.

If you continue to work within the guidelines of the assignment, things will start to turn in your favor. It may take a little time, but just remember, God is not in the business of setting His children up to fail.  If you give up just when things start to get a little tough, you may never know what further plans God had for you, that were contingent on you completing your assignment.

Trust the One who gave you the assignment.  Then the next step you will need to take, is to trust and know that you are simply the vessel in which the means for accomplishing the assignment will flow.   God is the accomplisher; we are simply His vessels.  My question for you today is, are you willing to yield your will to His will, and become the vessel that you were created to be?

If your answer is yes, then go complete your assignment.  Remember you were created with purpose and for purpose, and your assignment is especially hand crafted by God just for you!
Hebrews 13:20
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

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She Believes 3 Devotion

MORE REST, LESS STRESS

19 Do you not know that your bodie are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
3 John 2
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
Ephesians 5:29
29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—

Have you ever felt like you were on a hamster wheel, and you could not find an off ramp?   Well, I finally realized that the only way to find the off ramp is to just jump off.  The constant running and rushing through life, like our hair is on fire is not what I believe that God intended for our lives to be like.

Somehow, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the craziness. And although we keep rushing our way through life at a hundred and twenty miles per hour, deep down inside I truly believe that we know it’s not healthy for us.  The toll that it takes on us mentally, physically and emotionally is simply not worth it.  Nor is it worth the stress that we put on those that we love and care about.  So, by now I am sure that you are thinking, well ok, but what’s the solution?  To be honest I don’t have all of the answers, and I am still trying to figure it out also, but here’s what I have decided:

1.  REST
I have decided to get more rest. I have been running for years on only five to six hours of sleep each night. I don’t know about you, but I am easier to get along with when I have had a good night of sleep. My goal is to get an hour to two more each night. As I am getting older, I realize that my body needs more rest. I also think when I am rested I have more clarity of mind and I make better decisions.
2.EXERCISE
I plan to get more exercise.  When I am rushing around it’s easy to put my health on the back burner. I plan to put myself on the schedule. If I schedule it, it will get done. Hopefully!
3. EAT HEALTHY
I have really cut a lot of sugar out of my life.  It’s not been easy, but I see significant changes in my health because of it.  I am not suggesting that you do this, I am simply sharing the choices that I am choosing to make.  Also, I want to eat more leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables, in other words more foods that grow from the ground. I am definitely pulling back from processed foods and choosing to make water the drink of my choice with a twist of lemon or lime.
4. QUIET TIME:  BIBLE READING, PRAYER AND MEDITATION
No more rushing through Quiet Time!  It must be a planned event.  For me, preferably, early morning before the rest of the world wakes up and starts making phone calls and sending text messages works best.
5. JOURNAL
Journaling is one of the healthiest things that you can do for your mental and emotional health. I have been journaling for decades, and I plan to continue to do so.
6. VACATIONS
For years I have neglected to stop and plan a nice vacation. We have taken short weekend trips, but nothing that would be considered a real vacation. So I plan to explore some new places to travel to and just enjoy making some great memories.
7. FRIENDSHIPS
Wow! where would we be without great friends?  I have been blessed with some of the best friends in the world, and I thank God for them.  If you are struggling to make friends, I will share that my strongest and most lasting friendships have come from people that I met who were in my church family. Let me say, there is nothing like getting up with friends and just relaxing and enjoying a great meal together or a relaxing conversation. However, this will require that you slow down.

Rest is self-care. Why not make a commitment today to give all of your burdens and cares to God and take some time to just breathe. It’s important for your mental, spiritual and physical health.

You can be a greater blessing to those that you love when you are well rested and not stressed.

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 17:22
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

 

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Happy Resurrection Day

Happy Resurrection Day

The week before Easter has traditionally been referred to as Holy Week.  We are actually right in the middle of Holy Week as I write to you..
Today let’s focus our attention on the significance of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us. His sacrificial death is meaningful to us, because apart from it ,we would have no hope of eternal life. 
Today I have created an acronym using the word Easter.  Through the reading of scriptures you will see why Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection provided hope for a sin-filled world.
Christ’s resurrection is the very bed rock on which our Christianity stands.  Christ proved His power and authority over death, and over all that is evil.  Because death has no power over Him, we as Christians are able to look forward to an eternal life with Christ, an eternal life that only He could provide.   His precious blood has atoned for our sins.  His blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, so that we may stand before God and be in right standing.

Can you say hallelujah, hallelujah, and hallelujah and praise God!

E- Empty Tomb
Mark 16:1-8
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, 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, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.[a

A- Assurance Of Our Salvation
   1st John 5:11-13
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
S- Savior Of The World
John 4:42
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:14
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Acts 4:12
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
2nd Timothy 1:10
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
T-Triumphant Over Death
  Romans 6:4
4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Revelation 1:18
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
E- Eternal Life
  John 10: 28-30
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:36
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
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.
R- Risen He Is Risen!   The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  Matthew 28:1-9
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshiped him.
 1st Corinthians 15:20
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
 Mark 16:9
9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
 Acts 4:33
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
 Acts 13:37
37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
 Romans 6:9
9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Happy Easter!!!

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HE IS ALL WE NEED

Today, I want to share scriptures with you that you can have readily available when you need to be encouraged. These scriptures will reassure you that God is who He says that He is, and that He can do what He says that He can do.  My hope is that you will read them daily until your faith in who He is and what He can do and be in your life has increased.  When you really start to believe these scriptures, you will no longer walk in fear and doubt.   You will start to be courageous and bold to act on what He is calling you to do, because you will become fully aware of the power that resides within you.

GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR 

Isaiah 54:17
17     no weapon forged against you will prevail,  and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
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.”
Psalms 34:7
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
Psalm 32:7
You are my hiding place;  you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalm 91
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.”
GOD IS OUR PROVIDER
Philippians 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23:1-6
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.
Luke 12:24
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:26
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 7:11
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Genesis 22:13-14
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Psalm 145:15-16
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

GOD IS OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Psalm 118:14
The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];   he has become my salvation.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—  of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 37:39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
Isaiah 41:10
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.
Psalm 46:1-3
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]
Psalm 22:19
But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense[a]; he has become my salvation.” 

GOD IS MY SOURCE OF JOY
John 16:24
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Galatians 5:22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Romans 15:13
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
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.”
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.
Psalm 30:5
 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night,
GOD IS MY SOURCE OF PEACE
 2 Thessalonians 3:16
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
Colossians 3:15
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions  he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him,  and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Do You Doubt That God Will Come Through For You ?

John 6: 1-21

 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Jeremiah 32:27
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Genesis 18:14
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Jeremiah 32:17
17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Matthew 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things;  no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Are you doubting that God will come through for you?  Maybe you have been praying and praying for something and you see no signs or evidence that God is going to come through for you this time.  Well, I want to encourage you with something that encouraged me today.
The passage of scripture that was in my Bible Study this morning was John 6:1-21. It is a very familiar passage for most of us, but for some reason I had a light bulb moment this morning when I was reading it again. Don’t you just love how God highlights what we need to see, just when we need to see it.
In this passage a large crowd of thousands had gathered around Jesus.   Jesus knew that they had to be hungry, so He asked his disciples about food to feed them.  They clearly were not prepared to feed this many people.  Andrew, one of His disciples, told Jesus that there was a young boy there with five small barley loaves of bread and two fish. From their perspective I am sure that this looked impossible.  But Jesus took the five loaves of bread and those two fish and fed thousands.  This was truly a miracle being performed right before their very eyes in real time.
Ladies, from your perspective do things look impossible for you right now?   What God reminded me of this morning, is that what looks impossible to me, is totally possible with Him.  If He can provide nourishment for over five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish, surely he is capable of working a miracle for me also. I just have to believe and not doubt.
 Also remember this is the same Man that parted the Red Sea so Moses and the Israelites could walk across on dry land.  It is also the same God that created the Universe from nothing and raised Lazarus from the dead. So what on earth are we worried about? I think that it is absolutely safe to say that He can handle whatever we bring before Him today. He’s got us!   Keep doing what you already know that He has called you to do and trust Him for what you cannot see yet.
Blessings for a super powerful day,  full of His grace, love and provision.
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She Believes 3 Devotion

The Answers To Our Country’s Problem

The Answers To Our Country’s Problem

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Philippians 2:1-52 
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
1 John 4:20
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Matthew 25:35-40
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
I don’t know about you, but I am deeply concerned about the things that I see going on in our country these days.  Our Christian values seem to be on the line more so than ever.  It seems that it has become popular to use social media as a platform to vent, to bully, and to be as cruel as possible to those who don’t share our same political point of view. This can be dangerous in that it causes divisiveness.

Whatever happened to love and respect? In God’s word, we are commanded to love one another as well as to respect one another.  John 13 34-35 states,   “A new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

We are also commanded in 1st Peter 2:17 to respect one another. ” Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God…..”.

And yes, there are even instructions in the Bible on how we are to treat foreigners.  Leviticus 24:22 states. “You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.”  Leviticus 19:33-34  When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.  The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.  Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.  I am the Lord God.

Everything that is causing divisiveness in our country today is addressed in God’s Word. Our hearts have been hardened to truth, and to righteousness therefore, we have not been willing to listen to God’s voice in all of the chaos.  We have to not only be willing to listen to God, but also to listen to one another.

Maybe if we spent less time on social media and more time in God’s Word, and in prayer that would shut down some of the hatred that has been spewing out all over the place.

In 2nd Chronicles 7:14 God gives us a promise; ” If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.  Let’s agree that going forward, we will be part of the solution and not the problem.  We are so much better than what’s currently on display to the rest of the world.
Let’s do better and let’s be better!

 

 

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She Believes 3 Devotion

Prepare For What’s To Come

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

This week the breaking news on every channel was the big winter storm that would hit half of the country.  According to the weathermen, whether snow, sleet or ice, almost every state in the south as well as states on the east coast would be impacted by this big storm.

25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

With this news came sheer panic.  The grocery stores could not keep up with the demands of their customers.  The shelves in the grocery stores became bare very quickly.  My husband went to a couple of large grocery stores and there were so many people shopping that there were no shopping carts available in the parking lots.  I guess the thought of running out of food after three to four days made everyone panic. Generators, flash lights, batteries, candles, matches, chargers, water, toilet paper and anything else that you can think of, were flying off the shelves.  All of this was in preparation for what was to come.
I couldn’t help but think of another main event that is to occur at some point in time.   And that event is the return of Christ.  Wouldn’t it be great if in preparation for this event that the Christian Bookstores would sell out of Bibles like the grocery stores sold out of food and supplies?  Wouldn’t it be great if the churches were packed out with people every Sunday morning like they were in the grocery store lines?  And it would really be great if we would share the Gospel the way we shared the weather report.  Maybe more people would be able to join us in heaven.

So if you don’t mind, may I ask if you are ready for the all time main event?  Nothing will be greater than this one and yes, preparation is required.  To prepare you must accept the One who is to return.  Believe in your heart and confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord, and as an outward declaration of your decision to become a child of God, go down into the watery grave of baptism and with that you are now prepared to spend eternity with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Now that’s the best when it comes to breaking news!  May God bless you as you choose to serve him now and always.

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[a]  and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;  and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[b]
So shall it be! Amen.

 

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Faith

But Even Now!

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
I am currently in a Bible Study on the book of John and wow, what a powerful book it is!  This week as I was reading chapter 11 on the death of Lazarus, I came across something that really caught my attention. It was when Martha was speaking to Jesus in verse 22-23 and said to Him, “But even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Though I have read the book of John several times, this passage hit me differently this time.  One of the many things that I love about the Word of God is that no matter how many times you read it, it is always fresh, alive and active.

When I read the words “But even now” it meant to me, no matter the circumstance, no matter the hour, my God is still able.  We serve a God who is not restrained by time or circumstances.  He sits outside of time and He can give life even to the dead if He so desires.  For Martha to say this to Jesus, it meant she truly believed that God could do absolutely anything.

My question for you today is where is your faith on the Belief Meter?   Do you believe that God can do absolutely anything?  Can you say without hesitation, but even now, and truly mean it?  If your answer is no or I am not sure, I want to encourage you to pray and ask God to bless you with a, but even now type of unwavering faith. Trust that His promises are true.  The same God that raised Lazarus from the dead now resides inside each of us.  We have no need to doubt or fear, because not only is He with us, He is also for us.
John 11:38-44
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

 

 

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