Grateful for you!

 

Grateful for You!

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer

of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,

because of your partnership in the gospel

from the first day until now.

Philippians 1:3-5 (ESV)

Who are you thankful for because they partner with you in the sharing of the gospel?

I immediately think of my husband who allows me time to write about God's love.

I'm also thankful for my Word Weaver's group who have joined together to create, not one, but five devotional books that have gone to individuals in other countries like Japan and Vietnam.

The Jesus Girls at my church pop to mind. They gather together once a month to encourage and lift one another up in the Lord. They pray together and dive into God's Word. 

Plus, I am thankful for the organizations my family supports that take the Gospel to the homeless and orphaned in our state. These organizations work to meet the needs of the local people, our neighbors.

My gratitude for these who partner with me for the sake of the gospel cannot be expressed in mere words. I must remember to pray for them, to be ready in out of season for the reason of my hope, and to continue to partner with them, so that God's love can change lives through His Son, Jesus.

Father,

Thank You that we, as your children, never walk alone. I am grateful for all the individuals and groups you use to spread the message of redemption, here and around the world. Move me to share Your message of Jesus, everywhere I go.

In Jesus' name, amen. 

 

How to Beat Fear

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by name, thou art mine." 

Isaiah 43: 1-3 (KJV)

In today's culture, it is easy to fall into fear and worry. We tend to wear these emotions like an old pair of slippers, tattered and worn. We've become so used to them being a part of our wardrobe that we unintentionally allow them to replace the full armor of God.

We fret about the culture and where it is headed. What will the world be like when our children are older, and heaven help us, what about our grandkids? It's true. There is cause for concern. I'm not advocating an ostrich mentality, but as followers of Christ, there is a better way.

So, here are three actions we can take as Christ-bearers found in Ephesians 6:10-18. 

• Search out the promises of God, looking for those that speak to your situation. Then, commend them to memory for God's Word is the sword of the Spirit.  "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."   Psalms 119:11

• Pray over the situation and talk to God about the fear and the worry. Let Him clothe you in His full armor. Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil."

• Then stand firm! Know that if God is for you, who can be against you. With the full armor of God in place, you are ready to do more than wring your hands or pacing the floors. You are ready for battle.

As God's Word tells us, we do not wrestle against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers of the unseen world. And these are our weapons. 

Father,

Thank you that you equip us for the task. I give you the fear and worry that plague me at times. Let me remember to run to you first. Teach me to put on the whole armor and how to use each piece well. You are my rock and my fortress. In you, I place my trust.

In Jesus' name, amen.  

A Contented Heart

 

A Contented Heart

Contentment can seem so elusive, like a slippery bar of soap popping from a toddler’s hand. We strive as believers to place our trust in the Lord, but some circumstances can hinder our growth and keep our emotions in a tangled mess.

The Bible tells us that contentment is being satisfied and at peace with what we have or with our current circumstances. Contentment grows in us when our hearts and minds are not monopolized by the external world but are focused more on God’s promises. We must trust that God knows what is best and will provide for our needs.

Trust, Faith, and Peace intertwine to produce the contentment we seek. Don’t give up hope on that slippery bar of soap, God can create a contented heart in us if we only ask. Below are some Scripture verses to help focus our minds and hearts on Him.

Five Verses on Contentment:

1 Timothy 6:6-7 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

Hebrews 13: 5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Proverbs 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.

Psalm 37: 3-4 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Matthew 6: 25-26 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

May the God of Peace guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

 

 

Live Again

"I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land."

Ezekiel 37:14 (NLT)

Ezekiel chapter thirty-seven talks about the Valley of Dry Bones. In this chapter, God asks Ezekiel an impossible question, “Can these bones become living people again?”

Ezekiel answers with a great response. “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know the answer to that.”

God acts to bring the bones back to life and promises to bring Israel back to life by putting His spirit in them.

As a Christ follower, I experience seasons of dry bones where everything seems to have lost its zest, but God is faithful to me in those seasons. He fills me with His spirit reviving me. He stirs the flames, and a new burning for His Word and presence ignites inside me.

If you are experiencing a “dry bones” season, call out to Father God and ask Him to revive your heart by filling you up with His Holy Spirit. Then lift your heart in praise and sing to the One who can bring the dead back to life.

He will meet your needs even in the season of dry bones and will cause you to live again!

 

Father,

Meet me in my dry season. Your Word tells me that you never leave me nor forsake me. So, I know You are with me every step of the way. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and revive my fainting heart, so that I may soar on wings like an eagle. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Time is Precious

 

So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Ephesians 5:15-17

Time is a precious commodity - one, once spent, we do not get back.

Now, that I'm drawing closer to sixty, I'm re-evaluating how I'm spending these last years. I'm not thinking so much about retirement activities though my hubby and I do love a good adventure. 

My focus is more on the day to day activities that eat up so many of my hours. 

Are they worth my precious limited time? Are they God honoring? Or do they compromise my beliefs, or worst yet, waste the hours I've been given?

I've heard it said, "The years are long, but the days are short." I believe there is some truth in that.

My battle has always been with practicing moderation and making good choices, especially when it comes to my biggest time waster, the television. It's been a long struggle a true love-hate relationship. Now, with a plethora of streaming services, I allow compromise where I never would with books or music.

This industry used to monitor and rate what it produced, but now, it seems as if the ratings differ from service to service. And what at one time would have been considered unsuitable for a sixteen-year-old is now permissible.

So, this spring as the weather warms and the birds sing, I'm going to exercise my ability to choose and my prowess for moderation. I know these attributes aren't popular, but my time is limited. And if I am to do all that the Lord has for me, I must have open ears and available time.

Our Father, Creator of Time,

Thank you for all the days You have given me. I know I can rest in Your plan for my life. Help me to walk wisely each day and to make good decisions about how to use my time based on Your Word and direction. Let me practice moderation, so that no one thing becomes bigger in my life than You.

In Jesus' name, amen.