She Believes 3
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She Believes 3 Devotion

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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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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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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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She Believes 3 Devotion

God Did It For Gideon

God Did It For Gideon

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain[a] and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.
Judges 7:22
22 When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

Have you ever noticed that whenever you are trying to accomplish something great or go to the next level in your life, the enemy does his best to distract or discourage you.  He has many tactics that he can pull out of his toolbox, but these are two of his most common ones and they are accomplished by the convincing lies that he whispers.

Earlier this week I almost fell prey to Satan’s tactics.  You see he went into his little toolbox and pulled out doubt.  I was starting to doubt that I could accomplish a goal that I had set.  Achieving this goal would take me to the next level in my career and it would be a great blessing for my family.

I took my eyes off of the mighty God that I serve and and I started to question my ability to get this done, forgetting that it could only be done with God’s help.  Fear and doubt started to set in the more I thought about it.

Lately, I was standing in my kitchen making breakfast and thinking about what I have heard over the years that it would require statistically to meet this qualification. Most people that have accomplished this goal have at least seventy-five team members, and I currently have sixty-six.

As I was standing there deep in thought God whispered, “I did it for Gideon”.   When I tell you that God always has ways of encouraging me just when I need it, please believe me.  Those five words, I did it for Gideon, was all I needed to get me up and running again.  I am so thankful that I serve a God who knows just what I need at all times. He is truly Amazing!

God didn’t want me to throw in the towel and to give up.  He wanted me to trust in Him and to believe that He could and would work mightily on my behalf.

When everything that I was focused on said that it couldn’t be done, He would receive the glory for doing the impossible in spite of all the odds that I faced.

So, here’s what learned from this experience:

  1. God goes ahead of us.  He does not give us a dream or desire that He has not already provided, a way for it to be fully achieved through His power.
  2. Gideon’s initial army was twenty-two thousand strong and God had him whittle it down to a mere three hundred men.  God can take a little and do a lot.

Another example is the Fishes and the Loaves.

  1. What He calls us to He will bring us through.  Our job is to move and work in faith.  He takes care of the How!
  2. God is always watching.  He knows our every need.  He is a loving caring Father, and because He is we will always have exactly what we need when we need it.
  3.  God is just waiting to show up mighty in our lives.  He wants to do the impossible for us, but we have to activate this divine blessing by first believing that He is able to do it, and that He will do it.  When we have faith, we are giving Him a reason to bless us. Don’t Miss Your Blessing!!!
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Relationships

What Can We Learn From Lydia

WHO WAS LYDIA?

Lydia was a Godly business woman who sold luxurious purple cloth.  She was originally from Thyatira located in Asia Minor.  At the time that we read about her in Acts chapter 16, she had moved to Phillipi where she had started her business.

There is no mention in scripture of her being married.  Some have speculated that she may have been a widow.  Others think that she may just have been single. She was however in charge of a household. It is not clear who lived with her. In those days it was pretty common for servants to be considered part of the household as well as relatives.

Lydia was considered to be quite an affluent business woman, due to the wealthy clients that she did business with.  Only the very wealthy could afford purple cloth and furnishings that had been dyed purple.  This dye was made from the murex sea snails called a mollusk.  It typically took 10-12,000 of these small creatures to produce just a gram of this exotic purple dye, causing it to be extremely expensive to purchase.  There is no doubt that she probably had friends who were affluent as well.

Lydia and other women would go to the bank of the river to pray and worship.  This is actually where she first met Paul and Silas.  Paul shared the gospel with her.  God opened her heart and she believed, and was baptized. The scriptures say that her entire household was also baptized. She was the very first convert in all of Europe.

Lydia persuaded Paul and Silas as well as those with them to stay at her home.  So, from this we see that she was also very hospitable.

Eventually as the numbers started to grow, her home became the church where they would meet.  I feel sure that meals were provided as well. .  Clearly she loved God and wanted to support those who carried His Word.  Lydia was a great example of someone who was very generous in sharing her wealth to further the spreading of the Gospel.

LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM LYDIA

  1. Worshipping God should be a priority.   Lydia was a worshipper.
  2.  We should work in a way that others in your community or even in your line of work have heard about you?  Lydia worked at a level of excellence.  She was a successful business woman and she was known throughout the land for her trade.
  3.  We should  strive to be influential in our quest to bring others to Christ.  Lydia was influential.      Because   those in her household trusted and respected her, she was able to influence them to accept    Christ and be baptized.
  4. We should keep our homes in such a manner that at a moment’s notice  we are prepared to welcome someone in need of a bed or a meal.  Lydia was hospitable .   Lydia showed great hospitality by inviting perfect strangers into her home.
  5. We should always have something set aside to share with others.  Lydia was very generous.  Undoubtedly, having people live with her was  an added  expense.  Although she was a woman of means she still prioritized.  She was kind and generous with her wealth.  Lydia supported the mission of spreading the Gospel.  She welcomed all who came to listen to Paul’s messages.
  6. Lydia used what God had blessed her with, to bless others.  Will you do the same?

 

 

 

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Fruit of the Spirit

Tips For Success For The Christian Business Woman

Tips For Success For The Christian Business Woman

  1. Decide that God will be the CEO of your organization.  Remember He is not your business partner, you are His business partner.
  2. Don’t tell God your plans for your business.  Ask Him what His plans are for your business, and get into alignment with Him.  Remember success and promotion comes as a result of obedience.
  3. Pray, pray and pray!  Through prayer, God will give you a vision for your business.  After you receive this vision and you are clear on what God is leading you to do, write it down.  I would even suggest that you write out a Mission Statement also.
  4. Assess what your right now passionate goal is, then create a plan on how you are going to achieve it.  Break it down into small wins.  Have a daily, weekly, biweekly and monthly goal.  Be sure that you have a completion date on all of your goals.
  5. Have goal posters or vision boards up everywhere as constant reminders of your goal.  Also create tracking boards to track your progress.
  6. Have an accountability partner.  Who do you know that will keep it real with you and be totally honest?  That’s who you need to partner up with.
  7. Get great at managing your emotions.
  8. Get great at managing your time.  Make a schedule and create some structure in your life if you don’t already have some structure in place.
  9. Get great at managing your finances.  Be smart with your money.
  10. If you are in Sales, by Friday of each week, have several appointments on your books for the upcoming week.  Book at least three times the number of appointments that you actually want to hold.
  11. Make it a habit to share info regarding your business with everyone that you come in contact with.   Your job is to always be promoting your business.
  12. Only share your goals and dreams with friends, and family members who are positive and who genuinely support you.   Don’t share with people who are negative.
  13. Remember success is not convenient.  Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Success is also not an accident, it’s a planned event.
  14. Feed your brain with great books and listen to great messages.  Leaders are readers.
  15. Whatever it is that God has given you the vision to do, He will work through you for His kingdom purposes.  Stay open to His leading.  It will not just be a business or career opportunity, or a means to get rich.  Even though wealth can certainly come from your success, what it truly is, is a kingdom assignment.

When your success comes it is important that you acknowledge God from whom all of our blessings flow.

Proverbs 16:3
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Proverbs 31:8
8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Colossians 3:23
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Proverbs 12:24
24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

Proverbs 14:23
23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

 

 

 

 

 

 

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