Faith

Faith January 24, 2026

But Even Now!

¹⁷On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸Now Bethany was less than two miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰When 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. ²²But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
²³Jesus 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
³⁸Jesus, 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.”

⁴⁰Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I 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.”
⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The 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.”

Faith December 22, 2025

The Birth Of The Holy One

This past week our family was full of excitement, and great anticipation as we awaited the birth of my grandnephew. When the time of his birth drew near, several of my family members started making phone calls and sending text messages. We all wanted to get updates regarding his delivery. It has been a while since a new little one has been born into our family, so the excitement was quite high. Although this birth was a blessing, and our excitement was high, please don’t get it twisted, it does not compare to the divine birth of the Holy One, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

We are told that an angel of the Lord appeared to Shepherds the same night that Jesus was born, and he told them exactly where they could find Jesus. The 3 Wise men guided by a star may have traveled from the East for up to two years after the birth of Jesus to bring gifts and to greet Him.

All of creation awaited His birth. Even the stars had a part to play, and the heavenly host filled the sky. This was no ordinary birth. This was the Messiah being ushered in, as the Savior of the world. This was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This was the Son of God who because of His love for you and me, stepped away from His royal heavenly throne, wrapped Himself in flesh and came to this sinful world to save all of humanity. Oh, this was definitely no ordinary birth, this was God at HIs finest revealing His plan to save us when we couldn’t save ourselves. You see grace, mercy, truth, love and forgiveness were born that special night. Oh, Holy night is my favorite Christmas song and this my friends, was indeed a Holy night!
Luke 1:26-38
²⁶In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Matthew 2:1-2
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:9-11
⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Faith July 28, 2025

What Are You Holding On To?

³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Mark 11:25
²⁵And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Matthew 6:14-15
¹⁴For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Are you holding on to an offense from years past? Maybe it was an unkind word that was spoken, or a promise that was broken, or the offense could have been something that was even more serious.

If you have revisited this offense over and over in your mind, you have probably not forgiven the offender. Maybe it’s time to forgive so that the person who offended you no longer takes up real estate in your mind. By forgiving the offender you will set your own self free.

Even if you feel like you are ok, ask yourself, am I holding on to something from my past that is affecting my ability to move forward? You see unforgiveness is about living in the past, and when you see people struggling to move forward, many times they are living in unforgiveness.

Sometimes we just need to let things go and when we do, they let us go as well. Until we come to that place mentally, we are held captive by our past hurts.

God commands us in Mark 11: 25-26 that if we have anything against anyone, when we stand to pray, forgive them. I realize that this is a lot easier said than done, and that could be for a couple of reasons. It could have to do with the magnitude of the offense, or because of the relationship of the offender to you.

The important thing to remember in all of this is, how God forgives us is contingent on how we forgive others. I don’t know about you, but I personally want to be forgiven for my transgressions, so my plan is to forgive even when it still hurts and even when it doesn’t make sense to do so. I will allow God to fight my battles.

As Christians we have to be willing to extend grace and forgiveness to others, just as Christ has done for each of us. Let’s represent Christ well by doing what He has commanded us to do. Let’s forgive those who have wronged us.

Tips On How To Forgive And Release What You Are Holding On To:

1.Pray, and ask God for the strength to do the right thing.

2. If it is possible and if it is safe, arrange a meeting with your offender and share your honest feelings.

3. Pray for the person that offended you.

4. Journal, get your feelings out of you and on paper.

5. Depending on the depth of the offense you may want to get counseling. I strongly suggest that you seek Christian counseling.

Tips On What Not To Do If You Have Been Offended

1. Don’t talk ugly about the person who offended you to other people.

2. Don’t stop praying for the person until this situation is resolved.

3. Don’t live in shame.

4. Don’t blame yourself for what someone else did.

5. Don’t stop living your life.

6. Don’t let it rob you of your joy.

7. Don’t put others in the same category as the person that offended you, it will cause you to have trust issues.

Matthew 18:21-22
²¹Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
²²Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a]

Faith June 29, 2025

The Refiner’s Fire

²⁴Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
²⁵He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
²⁶Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire
Psalm 66:10
¹⁰For you, God, tested us;  you refined us like silver.
Zechariah 13:9
⁹This third I will put into the fire;
  I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
They will call on my name and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
Isaiah 48:10
¹⁰See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
  I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Proverbs 17:3
³The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
Isaiah 43:2
²When you pass through the waters,  I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,  you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Have you ever wondered why life can be so hard at times? Maybe you feel like you have had more than your fair share of trials and tribulations. Some of you may feel like life just keeps on dealing you a bad hand.

Well today I am here to encourage you. When we go through trials it is for purpose. God uses trials and difficult circumstances to refine us and to grow our faith in His ability to get us through any and everything that life throws our way. He also uses the trials we go through to encourage those who are watching our journey.

Trials are difficult because, we don’t want the pressure and uncertainties that come with them. You may ask what uncertainties? The main one is how long? We don’t want to be uncomfortable or to suffer any longer than we have to. We want to get out of the refiner’s fire as quickly as possible.

God is our personal refiner. A refiner is a person that removes unwanted impurities to improve the quality of that which he is working on, and to make it more suitable for use.

Guess what? When God keeps us in the fire of trials and frustration, He is making us more suitable for His use and for His kingdom purposes.

The good news is that we never enter the fire alone. He goes before us and He is in the fire with us. He is our fourth man in the fire. (Daniel 3:24-26)

We are not consumed by the fiery flames of trials and tribulations. At the perfect time He will remove us from the fire and our likeness will be more like His and at that moment we will look back and see that it will have been worth it all. To be more like God should always be our goal.

Faith June 16, 2025

Chemo Day

Chemo Day

Psalm 25:5
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Hello Sweet Friends

Today is my chemo day.
As I am sitting here I started to think about all of the things that God has taught me while I have been on this incredible journey. If it’s ok I would like share just a few of them with you.

1. God is in control. I may make plans, but it is truly God who orders my steps.
Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
2. The Lord is my Shepherd and I am a sheep in His pasture. He has led me and guided me each step of the way. He is faithful.
Psalm 100:3
Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his.^[a]We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
3. God is my protector. He has protected me and placed me in the hands of the best physicians for this disease that I am fighting. I truly trust His judgement for my life. He makes no mistakes.
2nd Thessalonians 3:3
³But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.^[a]
4. When I go through my storms and trials, God goes before me. He has people in place to support me and help me through the difficult times.
Deuteronomy 31:8
⁸Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
5. I should never take my family and friends for granted. They love me and they will be there for me when no one else will. I am so thankful for my support group.
6. Each and every day of life is a divine gift from God. Don’t even think about wasting it. So many didn’t get to see this day.
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
7. Living my life with gratitude has helped me to see God in everything that I have gone through. Gratitude shuts the door to complaining. I could have it so much worse. I must remain grateful.
1st Thessalonians 5:18
¹⁸Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
8. God has blessed me to extend my ministry about His kingdom to doctor’s offices, Oncology Centers, hospitals, and even family and friends. In my most difficult time, God has used me in my weakness to experience and reflect His strength working through me. He has given me an opportunity to share Him with so many. My pain has purpose, but I have to stay close to Him for my purpose to continue to be revealed to me. Also there are facets of His character that I would not have ever seen or experienced had I not been on this journey.
9. I can be smart and do as my doctors suggest, but I don’t have to accept the diagnosis as my final outcome. I choose to not only to have faith that God can heal me but that I am already healed.
God said by His stripes I am healed and I choose to believe I am healed.
Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded^[a] for our transgressions, He was ^[b]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes^[c] we are healed.
10. I must work and live my life each day with excitement and positive energy. I refuse to allow negative thoughts or negative people to cloud my judgement or cause me to doubt what God has already told me to be true.
11. I must continue to set goals and run the race that He has set before me. Because the battle is His and what a sweet victory it will be when my goals are achieved and more women’s lives are enriched.
12. I must be transparent with my story. If not who will grow from my testimony and my experience? And when I stand to tell my story trust me, God and only God will receive All of the glory.
Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
13. God has given me the strength for each new day. Thank you Lord! Only God could carry me through the unimaginable.
2nd Corinthians 12:9
⁹Each 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.
14. God is a Master Encourager. He has gently whispered to me many times during this journey “Don’t be afraid”. Oh how soothing and comforting those words have been to me.
Genesis 15:1
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,^[a] your very great reward.^[b]”
15. God’s timing is perfect. I have seen it over and over through my journey. He is always right on time.
Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
16. He holds me in the very palm of His hands. He carries me through the storm. He’s got me. He will never leave or forsake me. Praise God!
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
17. Prayer works! God hears every single prayer. I have learned to give Him time to respond. His delay is not my denial. Prayer changes things, most importantly it has changed me. Thank you Lord!
James 5:13-15
¹³Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. ¹⁴Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
18. I am so grateful for the days years ago that I worked my business even when I didn’t feel like it. I am thankful for every sacrifice I made years ago and for every woman that said yes. and even those who said no. I grateful for the times that God gently whispered keep going. I am thankful that He encouraged me to push through. I am thankful that I obeyed. Who knew back then that my life’s journey would go this direction? I certainly didn’t. He was preparing me for the unseen.
Ladies work while you are healthy, strong and able. We don’t know what’s around the next curve. Most importantly
He has blessed me with an amazing group of women who have been there for me and cheered me on. I am truly blessed!
19. To have a wonderful Church Family is everything! Oh how I have been showered with prayers, Get Well cards, gift cards and food. I absolutely love my Church Family.
20. I trust God! I pray that when you encounter your trials that you will remember just how much God loves you, and that God is Always good whether you are on the mountain top or in the valley. His character is not changed by our circumstances Trust Him no matter what it looks like. Just know He has not forgotten you. He is faithful!

Love you and immensely grateful for you,
Marico

Faith March 24, 2025

Deep Faith

11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:6
⁶And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

After hearing someone’s story, have you ever thought that they had an incredible amount of faith? Maybe you feel that you are not as courageous or as patient at enduring hardships as others are. But whatever the case, you are in the right place at the right time. All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed to turn your life around, and when this happens your faith muscles will start to get stronger and stronger. When we exercise faith for small victories, we get more and more opportunities to have faith for larger victories.

Faith however is not just about believing, it’s about moving forward on what we believe. Obedience is a key element to our faith being productive.

We are exercising faith when we do what God asks us to do. When we are obedient, we trust that God is who he says he is, and that he can do what he says that he can do.

The definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 is “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Having faith also means that we are believing God for what we see in our mind’s eye, even though we may not know how it’s going to happen or when. We simply know in our heart that it will happen.

Walking by faith and not by sight can be a very difficult journey at times. We are people who love to know details and outcomes. I am sure that the Children of Israel at times wanted to know how long their journey in the wilderness would take. God in his wisdom knew there was no way they would have been able to handle it, if he had revealed to them that it was going to be a forty year journey.

Some of you may be going through your wilderness right now. I want to encourage you to have faith for a hopeful future, and trust God with your whole being. He will never leave nor forsake you. See this season of your life as an opportunity to grow closer to God. And as you grow closer to God, your faith in him and his ability to meet your every need, no matter the need, will deepen.

This very thing was what the children of Israel struggled with and their lack of faith and trust in God, caused them to wander for forty years on a journey that should have taken about eleven days. Their murmuring and complaining was proof that they were not at peace.

The goal of every child of God should be to trust his love for them without question, and to exercise immeasurable faith no matter how dark the day looks. When our love for God deepens, so will our faith. With God’s help we are all capable of deep faith.

When the rest of the world thought that Noah was crazy, he built an ark. There was no evidence of rain but he trusted God, and because he trusted and acted in faith, he and his family were spared. Sometimes when we exercise deep faith, we may be ridiculed by others and that’s ok. There is only one voice that real faith listens to, and that’s the voice of God.

My prayer for you is that your journey will be blessed by the hand of God leading and guiding you every step of the way. And that when you get weary from your journey you will trust the One who knows your way. Then you will know that your faith has truly deepened.

⁷It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:17-19
¹⁷It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, ¹⁸even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”[a] ¹⁹Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
Hebrews 11:30
³⁰It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

Faith March 8, 2025

When Two or More Agree

Have you ever been in a situation where you could feel others praying for you? Well I certainly have, and I can tell you it is the most comforting feeling to know that others are praying on your behalf. I am blessed to have some sisters in Christ who will storm the gates of heaven on my behalf, and they know that I will do the same for them.

What I really love about these sisters is, if they tell me that they are going to pray on my behalf not only do they do so, but they will call me back and check to see if my prayer has been answered and if so how.

God knew exactly how much we would need others to be His hands and feet to stand in the gap for Him. If you don’t have someone that you can freely ask to pray for you, or a church family praying for you, I strongly suggest that you get plugged into a family of believers who will be happy to lift you up in prayer. When life starts to throw those inevitable curve balls you will have the support that you need to carry you through your difficult season.

I also suggest that your personal prayer life be strong and frequent, like daily. This way you are not only prepared to talk with God on your own behalf, but for others also in their time of need. The power of prayer is an amazing thing. Praying to God is also an amazing blessing we get to experience as Christians.

Never underestimate what God can do with the simplest of heartfelt prayers. Oh how blessed we are that He hears every single one of our prayers!

¹⁹“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰For where two or three gather together as my followers,^[a] I am there among them.”
James 5:14-16
¹⁴Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Romans 15:5-6
⁵May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. ⁶Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:1
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.[a]
Acts 1:14
¹⁴They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

Faith February 24, 2025

The Power Resides Within You

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the POWER of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Ephesians 3:16
That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with POWER through his Spirit in your inner being.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that we ask or imagine, according to his POWER that is at work within us.

Acts 1:8 you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God DWELLS IN YOU. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

John 14:26 But the HELPER, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have to you.

Have you ever been in a difficult situation, and you just didn’t know how you would make it through it? Maybe you are one of the thousands that are stressed to the max and you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. There are circumstances in life that can make you feel overwhelmed and powerless. Today I want to assure you that you have the power to be victorious over anything that life throws your way, and that power resides within you.

From this day forward with God’s help we can choose to be victorious women of God and not hopeless victims of the enemy. Please read the scriptures below and see what God’s Word says about the power that we possess within us, as well as the help that He has provided for us through the Holy Spirit. By the time you finish reading these scriptures my prayer is that you will know God’s provision for you in times of Spiritual Warfare and that you will truly feel POWERED UP for the battle.

Ephesians 3:20
²⁰Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
2 Peter 1:3
³By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
Luke 10:19
¹⁹Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
Ephesians 2:10
¹⁰For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
2 Corinthians 12:9
⁹Each 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.
Philippians 4:13
¹³For I can do everything through Christ,^[a] who gives me strength.
Ephesians 3:16
¹⁶I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Isaiah 41:10
¹⁰Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
1 Chronicles 16:11
¹¹Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
John 14:12
¹²“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
2 Peter 1:3-4
³By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Matthew 19:26
²⁶Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Psalm 28:7
⁷The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Faith February 13, 2025

Happy Valentines

Who Is Love?

1^st John 4:8
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
John 4:16
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

How Does God Love Us?

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 15:13
13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
John 4:7-10
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

How Are We Commanded To Love?

Matthew 22:37-40

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have a love for one another.”
John 15:12-14
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

How Should We Love One Another?

Philippians 2:1-11

2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others.

1 Corinthians 13

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicings in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
1 John 3:14-24
14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother[a] abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in the tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know[b] that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us[c] commandment.
1 John 5:1-3
5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

How Should Husbands and Wives Love One Another

Ephesians 5:21-33

21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.[a]
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body,[b] of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:38-48
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[c] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren[d] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors[e] do so?48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Romans 12:14
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Faith December 26, 2024

Yield Not To Temptation

Have you ever gone through the process of psyching yourself up to start a new diet? Well I have, and it seems that the moment that I decided to start my new food plan, every commercial on TV is about the most mouth-watering cheeseburgers or the best-looking pizza you have ever seen. That also seems to be the time that my husband decides to surprise me with a brand-new carton of my favorite Butter Pecan ice cream.

Temptations are all around us at every turn. Food may not be the thing that gets to you, it may be something else, but what I do know for sure is that we all have weaknesses, and Satan preys on those weaknesses. For some it may be overeating, others may deal with alcohol, drugs, or sexual temptations. There are some that may deal with issues of greed, gossiping, or even lying. Whatever the case, in order to overcome the constant temptation to participate in these sinful acts, and live a life of holiness that God calls us to, we must use the greatest weapon that we have and that weapon is prayer.

Each morning when you arise, ask God to give you the power and strength to resist the wiles of Satan. Also, it’s important that you don’t set yourself up to be tempted. Stay away from people, places, and things that trigger you to fall into temptation. With God’s help, you can overcome any temptation.

Remember, Satan even tried to tempt Jesus, but Jesus resisted his temptation. As Christians, we must do the same. Tap into this power to resist sin by maintaining a healthy prayer life. My sisters get prayed up and stay prayed up. Prayer is the catalyst to transform your life and have the strength to say no to the enemy.

Yield not to temptation!

⁴⁰There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple ⁶and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

⁷Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”

¹¹Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

¹⁸For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 4:1
4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
¹³No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
James 4:7
⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.