Faith

Faith March 29, 2023

Is Anything Too Hard For God?

I was recently reading the story of the promise that God made to Abraham and Sarah. God promised Abraham that his wife Sarah would have a son. Sarah happened to hear the promise being made, and laughed at the possibility of bearing a child. You see they both very old, and it didn’t seem possible that she could conceive in her old age. Oh, but she forgot that what is impossible for man, is totally possible with God.

Reading this made me wonder how many times God has given us a dream, promise or vision for our lives and we laughed like Sarah did, due to our unbelief or our feelings of inadequacy.

Sarah laughed because she was looking at things from a human perspective, but the promise that God made to her was from a spiritual perspective. We tend to forget that God’s thoughts and ways, are higher than our thoughts and ways. We also tend to forget that all power in heaven and on earth are in His hands. Therefore with God all things are possible.

God healed a ninety year old woman’s womb, so that it would function as though she were in her twenties. Because He can do more than we can ask or imagine she was able to carry and give birth to a healthy bouncing baby boy. If God can do this, He can do anything. What are you currently believing God for? When you start to doubt whether or not it will happen, ask yourself Is there anything too hard for God? Let me assure you, the answer is No! Believe in His promises because they are true! All things are possible with God!

Genesis 18:14
¹⁴Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Matthew 19:26
²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Jeremiah 32:27
²⁷“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Luke 1:37
³⁷For no word from God will ever fail.”
Mark 10:27
²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Job 42:2
²“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Faith February 12, 2023

Happy Valentines, “GODS LOVE US”

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 23, 2022

Jesus A Gift To The World

Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign: The virgin[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and[c] will call him Immanuel.[d]
Matthew 1:23
23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[a] (which means “God with us”).
Luke 2:7
7 and 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.
John 1:14
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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.
Luke 1: 30-35
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He 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, 33 and 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?”35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.
Luke 2:13-14
13 Suddenly 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.”
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.

This morning as I look out of my bedroom window, I can see snowflakes gently falling to the ground. There are only three days left until Christmas, and basically, the entire town has come to a silent halt. For days now, the weather stations have been predicting, that the temperatures would plunge to very low and dangerous levels and that we would see snow. It was also predicted that this would be one of the coldest Christmases on record, across forty-five states.

That being said, isn’t amazing how God chooses to slow things down. I consider this a huge blessing, especially this close to Christmas. What a great opportunity to enjoy spending time with God, focusing on His birth and His sacrificial stay here on earth. This is a wonderful time to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea and spend hours reading, journaling, and studying His word. It is also a great time to refamiliarize yourself with the story of the birth of Christ.

Also, take a moment and think about all that Mary and Joseph went through in preparation for Jesus’s entry into this cruel world in the form of flesh. I encourage you to put yourself in Mary’s shoes for a minute. How would you have responded to the Angel that brought Mary the excellent news, that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus? How would you feel knowing that you were indeed carrying the Savior of the world? How would feel knowing that you were bringing a child into this world, knowing that He would be crucified? You see even though she understood the purpose for His coming, He was still her son.

It may be a little difficult for you to focus on all that I am asking you to do If you have not finished your Christmas shopping. You are probably going into panic mode right about now, wondering when the streets will be cleared enough for you to finish your Christmas shopping. I want to encourage you to take some time to release yourself from the commercial side of Christmas, relax, and just for a few minutes simply bask in the spiritual side of Christmas. After all, it is what truly matters. Everything else will work out one way or the other. I know that when you do, you will feel a sense of peace and you will be blessed for being in God’s presence. You will also be focusing on what Christmas is really about and that is Jesus! May you and your family be blessed with a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Faith September 10, 2022

God Cares About The Little Things

Luke 12:7
⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Earlier this week I had to go to a doctor’s appointment that required me to receive two shots. The nurse that was going to give me the shots, informed me that I would have to wait for one hour after I had received the injections before I could leave the facility. I was not expecting to be there that long at all. It was a super busy day for me, and I was in charge of a meeting later that evening, that I had not finished preparing for.

That morning right before I left home, I put some things in my bag that I needed to get in the mail. I had fully planned to drive to the post office after my doctor’s appointment, sit in the car and work on all of the things that I needed to mail.

After hearing how long I would have to wait after my shot, I told the nurse that I had brought some things with me that I needed to work on. I asked her if I could just stay in one of the empty rooms, off to the side, and work while waiting for my hour to pass by. She told me no that I would not be able to, in case they needed the room for someone else.

She then pointed to a seat out in an open area where everyone else was seated and told me that she could bring me a table and I could work there. I really didn’t like the idea of setting up my little makeshift office right where everyone would be passing by me, and probably wondered why I was setting up an office in the doctor’s office. I totally understood her reason for saying no and I calmly accepted it.

Before she went to get my medication that the pharmacy had sent up, I asked her for directions to the ladies’ room. Now, this is where I saw God show up. By the time she got back with my medication, and I showed back up from the ladies’ room, every seat had been taken by other patients. They had come in during the brief time that we were away.

She looked at me after she glanced around the room and said, I guess you will have to wait in one of the private rooms, which was exactly what I had asked for in the beginning. There was already a small table there for me to work on, and a big comfy recliner that I could sit in, and they even brought me some refreshments to have while I waited. All I could think was Look At God!

Ladies He truly cares about everything that matters to us, no matter how small or large. My question for you today, is do you see Him in the little things, or do you just look for Him in the big things because you don’t want to bother Him with smaller things?

Please know that He cares when it’s pouring down rain, and you need a closer parking space, He cares when you can’t find your car keys, or when you don’t have the funds to pay your bills. He cares about every detail of our lives so much so, that He has counted and knows the number of hairs on our heads. Today I want to encourage you never ever to think, that there is anything too small to consult God about. Remember, He loves us and He loves blessing us!

1st Peter 5:7
⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Matthew 6:8
⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Philippians 4:6
⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Lamentations 3:25-26
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
²⁶it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Faith July 14, 2022

Will You Trust God ?

⁷They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Job 13:15
¹⁵Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;  I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.
Proverbs 3:5
⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Psalm 9:10
¹⁰Those who know your name trust in you,  for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Isaiah 55:8-9
⁸“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
⁹“As the heavens are higher than the earth,  so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Today as I sit to write, I do so with a broken heart. You see in the past seven days, two couples that my husband and I consider dear friends, have each lost a child. I cannot express how hard it has been these past seven days, knowing that our friends were suffering through such unimaginable grief.

I have found myself praying for them numerous times, throughout the days and nights since I heard this sad news. I know that there are no words that I can say to them, that will really help at this time. So I have chosen to simply pray, and ask God to give them strength, comfort and peace during this difficult time.

When things like this happen, it is really hard for us to wrap our heads around it. Our human minds want to understand it. We want to know why? Tragedies are always a challenge for us to accept, especially something like an unexpected death of a child. It reveals to us that no matter how much we think we are in control, we really aren’t.

During times like this, we can choose to trust that our God is sovereign, and that He is still in control. We can also choose to believe that He is the same loving Father that He has always been, and that whatever He does is with purpose and for purpose.

Our other option is that we can choose to become angry and bitter and turn away from God, because we resent what He has allowed to happen to us or to others. Some may choose to change their view on who God is, but be clear He has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is loving and compassionate and faithful. And no matter what you or those that you love are going through, He really does still love you.

Today as I deal with these sudden losses, I choose to encourage myself with the word of God. I also choose to trust Him remembering that His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than mine. My question for you today is; Will you trust God no matter what? Remember no matter how hard it gets, He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.

I choose to trust God, will you?

Faith September 28, 2021

Savor Every Moment

⁹Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. ¹⁰Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave,^[a] there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Savor Every Moment
Yesterday my daughter drove me to a doctor’s appointment. As I rode in the car the sunshine was beaming through the windows on my face, and it felt absolutely wonderful. The weather was perfect! It was about 78 degrees out, and it was just a glorious day. Even though the air conditioner was on, I took a moment and rolled down my window just to breathe in the fresh air. I wanted to take it all in. I didn’t want to miss a single thing about yesterday. A few of the trees have started to change colors here, and the timing is perfect because it was also the first day of Fall. Fall is absolutely by far, my favorite time of year. I was careful to look at the gorgeous trees and the beautiful clear blue sky, as we drove by. I enjoyed looking at what the Master Artist was creating. When I see days like yesterday where the weather is just absolutely perfect, I see it totally as a gift from God. Of course, we know that every day is a gift from God, but I think days like that, are considered a special gift from God.

So after getting back from the doctor’s office and taking a short nap, I decided to continue my self-care time by resting in my comfy chair. While sitting there, I decided to scroll through Facebook to see what was going on. And that’s when my day took a turn. I saw that a friend that I had not spoken to within about three years, had passed away from pneumonia at only 46 years of age. Needless to say, I was totally shocked! Her husband is now left to raise their only child who is about 8 years of age.

Last night as I thought of her, and how she enjoyed traveling, decorating her home beautifully, going to concerts, riding motorcycles with her husband, and oh let’s not forget shopping for the most gorgeous of clothes for she and her daughter, I was happy that she had lived a very full life in her short 46 years. I was happy that she had not put a thing on hold. She absolutely loved being a mom and a wife. She loved cooking from scratch and trying new recipes. She struggled with some health issues, so she always prepared very healthy meals, for her and her family. Her husband absolutely adored her, and the feeling was so mutual.

I thought of her most of the night. I remember hearing that death is for the living, and I can truly say that an unexpected death gets our attention like nothing else. It causes us to go deep in thought and to reflect. Last night as I laid in bed, I remember thanking God for my day. After hearing such sad news about my friend, I was so glad that going to the doctor was not just another ride in the car, but I was truly glad that I had savored every moment of my ride. Going forward I want to really be present and alert as I go through my day. I don’t want to just go through the motions, I want to enjoy each day that God gives me. I want to thank Him for allowing me to open my eyes to each new day. I want to savor every experience. I want to be present in every moment. Ladies I don’t want to miss a thing!

We all know that we will leave this earth one day. What we don’t know is when or how, and that’s one of the mysteries of death. But be clear, death is certain! So I encourage you to live a full life starting today. Don’t put the things that you want to do on hold. Figure out a way to do the things that are important to you or that you are passionate about. Don’t assume that you have time. As you start this process, start with time with God each and every day. Pray for His divine favor over your life. Ask Him to remind you to slow down and savor every moment. Even when life is hard, and those days will come, trust God and try to savor your day anyway. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy. Remember there is a blessing in every day, even the hard days.

Faith June 2, 2021

Fresh Eggs

Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Philippians 4:19
¹⁹And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 49:15
¹⁵“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Lamentations 3:25-26
²⁵The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
²⁶So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
Psalm 34:10
¹⁰The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

One morning about two weeks ago, I got a signal on my phone, letting me know that someone was at my front door. When I looked at my phone I did not see anyone, so I decided to continue on with what I was already doing.

Shortly after that, my daughter was about to make breakfast when she realized that we were running low on eggs. She asked me how many eggs did I want for breakfast, and I told her to just get what she wanted and I would take whatever was left in the carton. When I finally got around to making my breakfast, I opened the egg carton and cracked the last 2 eggs in the house. I remembered thinking that I needed to text my husband and ask him to bring some eggs home after work.

After I finished my breakfast I was about to return to my work when the Holy Spirit prompted me to check my front door. I had already looked it out once on my phone, so I didn’t see the need to check it again. As I continued on my course, again the Holy Spirit prompted me, to check the front door. Hesitantly, I went and opened my door, and initially, I saw nothing. As I was about to close the door, I happened to look to the left of my porch, and tucked in a corner were three dozen eggs. I remember saying God you are amazing!

About a week and a half prior to that, I was on the phone with a friend that sells eggs. She said that she had an abundance of them, and wanted to know if I could use some. She said that she would be happy to bring some by.
However, several days had gone by after that, and I had not heard back from her. I did not get concerned, because I knew that she had a lot going on at the time, and was super busy. I figured that she would come by whenever things slowed down for her. What I didn’t count on was God’s amazing timing. I also didn’t count on, was God prompting her to bring the eggs by, on the same day that I would be running out of eggs.
I do believe that God used this egg blessing to reveal to me that His timing is perfect. I don’t know what you are praying for that God has not answered yet,
but what I do know is that He has not forgotten you so keep trusting.

Luke 12:24
²⁴Consider 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 7:11
¹¹If 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!
Philippians 4:6
⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Psalm 37:25
²⁵I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
Matthew 6:31-32
³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Faith November 27, 2014

Take a Minute

Psalm 95:2(KJV)
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Psalm 100:4 (KJV)
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Faith October 27, 2014

Mirage

A few weeks ago I was asked to speak at an annual event that our Church family sponsors called the “Ruth Rally”.

This year’s theme was “MIRAGE” and our theme scripture was Colossians 2:8

Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.

Faith July 19, 2014

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)