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One Step at a Time

earth2marsh / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

 

“One step at a time, Sister. That’s the only way you’re going to make it. Take it easy.”

Those were the wise words I overheard as I was climbing up the stairs to go to a prayer meeting the other day. I couldn’t help but turn around to see who was speaking. A man was encouraging an older lady who perhaps had a foot injury. She was slowly making her way up the staircase, step by step.

Even though the comment wasn’t directed at me, it stuck with me.

Yes, that’s how I’ll get to where God is taking me. Not all at once, but little by little. One step of faith after another.

If you are anything like me, you may be tempted to run up the stairs. Or better yet, to tackle two or three steps at a time. But friends, have you noticed that God is not in a hurry?

We may not understand His divine timetable, but there’s no use fighting Him on it. His timing is perfect.

In order to make it to the top step, we must keep climbing. Keep persevering. And like the woman behind me who must have eventually made it to the final step, we just have to keep moving forward.

Take a short rest if you must. Take it slowly if you need to. But don’t get overwhelmed by the journey. Keep walking, knowing that the Lord is with you. His grace truly is enough, and His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.

You will make it!

If the journey has you winded in anyway right now, remember to keep leaning on Jesus. Do you hear Him? He’s saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment and to hit “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Protected

knowhimonline / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

 

The other day I got into work and read a flurry of e-mails that had gone out the night before alerting the staff that the computer server had problems, and the guys in the IT department were doing their best to get everything back on track. The e-mails continued early the following morning. Each one alerting us about the status of the problem.

The last message went out saying the problem had been resolved. Great!

What struck me was that because the trouble had started after I had left work the night before and it was solved by the time I had gotten into the office the following morning, I was blissfully unaware of everything that was going on.

The issue had been taken care of without me having to fret about it or having to lift a finger. Sweet.

Now this was a computer problem we experienced, but I immediately started thinking of the spiritual applications.

There is a spiritual battle going on all around us, as you may know. While sometimes it’s on our radar and we can feel the fiery darts attacking us from all sides, other times we are oblivious to what’s going on around us. Why?

One reason is because our Heavenly Father is fighting the battle for us!

Just like the IT department was working feverishly to correct the problem at hand, the Lord and His army are fighting battles that we may never, ever know about.

Doesn’t it feel wonderful to know that God Almighty, yes Jesus who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, is fighting for us! Amazing!

I’m not sure what battles you’re facing, but let me encourage you fellow believer. Jesus is fighting on your behalf. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

I’m reminded of the story of Elisha and his servant when they were in the city of Dothan. The king of Aram was enraged with the prophet Elisha so he sent his troops to hunt him down. It looked like the prophet and his servant were doomed, but Elisha didn’t panic.

“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. (2 Kings: 15-18)

I love this story because it shows that we are not alone. God is there fighting for us.

And the Bible says that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

No wonder the Bible says over and over again to Fear Not! We can’t lose with God on our side! Praise God!

So keep reading, studying, mediating, believing, proclaiming, obeying and living out what you read in the Bible! Trust that God is there fighting for you, and that you are protected.

I hope this encouraged you. If so, please feel free to leave a comment or to hit “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Perfect Timing

sign - Copy

I saw this sign the other day, and it just spoke to me.

Ever have that feeling that something good was right around the corner? Like something that you have been hoping for was on it’s way.

It’s a great feeling, right?

I can’t place my finger on it, but I’m just sensing something really good is on it’s way!

Perhaps it’s that whole idea of “after obedience, comes the blessing.” The idea that there is a time to sow and water and plant and then there is harvest time where you get to reap your rewards!

Maybe it’s because God just blew all my expectations out of the water during my recent short-term missions trip! All I can say is that God answers prayers, He is working, and His timing is perfect!

As the Word says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Are you in a dry season or valley right now? HOLD ON! It gets better! The best is yet to come!

Below are some verses to help encourage you that God does show up and when He does, it’s in a BIG WAY!  It’s in a way where you can only say, “That was totally all God!”

  • “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
  • “… weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
  • “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)
  • “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36)

God is Faithful! If He has spoken to you about something, TRUST that He will bring it to pass! And when it happens, come back and tell me! Blessings!

Did this encourage you? If so, please feel free to leave a comment below or to hit “Like”.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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P.U.S.H.

sign

I was walking past a church a few weeks ago when the sign for one of their upcoming sermons caught my attention.  It spoke to me so much that I had to take the photo that’s included above.

“Pray & Never Give Up!”  I love how they even added an exclamation point at the end of the statement.

It reminds me of the acronym P.U.S.H which stands for Pray Until Something Happens!

I honestly believe that once we understand how much power there is in prayer, we’ll be praying non-stop morning, noon, and night! It won’t feel like a chore or duty. It really is a conversation with our Heavenly Father.

And it includes the whole trinity! We have access to the Father through the name of His Son Jesus (Ephesians 2:18), and the Holy Spirit helps us pray according to God’s will. Glory!

There’s nothing super fancy about how and when you should pray. Just be honest and tell God what’s on your heart. He already knows, but He wants you to spend time with Him.

Below are just a few Bible verses about prayer to help jump-start your prayer life.

When should we pray? The Bible says we are to pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

What should we pray about? “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”  (Ephesians 6:18)

What should our attitude be like when praying? “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

We can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness because of Jesus.  “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:17-16)

Remember, Jesus is interceding for us! “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Hebrews 8:34)

Not sure what to say? Let the Holy Spirit help! “… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)

Yes, God is sovereign so we can’t boss Him around and twist His arm to do what we’d like, but He does hear His children!  He hears us when we cry out to Him and call on the name of Jesus!

Just think of all those times you whispered, shouted or ran through prayers in your mind. Think of how you received answers to those prayers. Seriously, think about that mess He got you through, that loved one He healed or that bill that got paid right before the deadline. Think of that door that closed because something better was coming, that accident you avoided or that unexpected surprise that could only have come from God Almighty!

Yes, God answers prayers! His answers are either yes, no or wait.

So what have you been praying about? Are you thinking of quitting? May I encourage you to P.U.S.H.!

Our Heavenly Father loves to hear you pray. As the sign above says, Pray and Never Give Up!

Not sure where to start? Let’s pray right now:

Father, I thank you that you love us and hear us. I thank you that you have a Great Plan and Purpose for our lives. Help us in our time of need and forgive us when we say or do things that aren’t pleasing to you. Thank you that you have promised to never leave us nor forsake. Give us the grace we need to face any trial that comes our way knowing that your Grace is Sufficient! We ask this in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen!

I hope this encouraged you. If so, feel free to leave a comment below.

If you’re just starting your walk with the Lord, congratulations! Please feel free to click here to learn more. 

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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The Trust Factor

adamentmeat / Foter.com / CC BY

 

I recently wrapped up my second tour of jury duty. While there’s no convenient time to be picked for a case, I didn’t really mind completing my latest civic duty. I’m thankful that America still gives people fair trials!

As I entered the courtroom for the first time, I was delighted to see the following words in big, gold letters right above where the judge presides, “In God We Trust.”

I was comforted to see that God still has a place in courtrooms!

One of the afternoons, while we were waiting for a witness to load a Powerpoint presentation to share with the courtroom, I sat there staring at the sign.  As I looked at the words, I felt the Lord ask me, “Do you trust me? Then Relax.”

That’s just like God to want to calm my anxious thoughts for that day. It was the perfect reminder that walking with God means handing our cares, worries, doubts and fears over to Him.

“In God We Trust” needs to be more than a nice plaque on the wall or words on our currency. It needs to be our lifestyle.

We need to trust God for our daily provision, our protection, for guidance, etc…

It’s definitely much easier to say than do, no?  As my Pastor likes to point out, if you know how much God loves you, you can trust Him!

I find that when I take my eyes off of Jesus and focus on my problems, I forget who it is that I am trusting in.  If you need a reminder of who God Almighty is, here’s a list of some of my favorite names for God that are found in the Bible. They help me remember all of His wonderful attributes:

Alpha and Omega – “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8)

Faithful and True – “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” (Revelation 19:11)

Jehovah Jireh (Provider) – “So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'” (Genesis 22:14)

Jehovah Rophe (Healer) – “He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.'” (Exodus 15:26)

I AM – “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

Immanuel – “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:23)

Our Redeemer – “Our Redeemer—the Lord Almighty is his name— is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 47:4)

Whenever you start losing focus, I pray that you will remember how wonderful and powerful and mighty our Sovereign God is! Remember, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with God!

I hope this encouraged you! It sure did encourage me! Feel free to share a comment below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Worship While You Wait

jDevaun / Music Photos / CC BY-ND

 

During my recent trip to visit my sister and her family, I agreed to download a free game app on my phone for my then 7-year-old nephew. He was super excited that he was going to get to play the new game.

However, my phone was really slow so it was taking a long time for the game to download.

Thankfully, instead of getting impatient or complaining about the delay my nephew simply said, “Let’s sing a song while we wait.”

I was so impressed by his great attitude. I was also a bit convicted.

How many times have I had to wait on God for something and have not kept the right attitude?  Sometimes the last thing I think about doing is singing!

Anyone else find it easier to complain, lament, doubt, get angry, frustrated, impatient, worry or become fearful, etc…Go ahead, be honest.

And yet lately, God has been impressing on my spirit that He wants me to rejoice even while waiting. In fact, in a sermon I heard recently the Pastor encouraged the congregation to “Praise Him through the process!”

Right! Why didn’t I think of that! There is so much power when you praise God despite what your circumstances look like! By faith, you can thank Him even before you see the victory.

There are so many instances in the Bible where the praise came before the win. I’m reminded of King Jehoshaphat. He had a vast army advancing towards him. After He fasted and sought the Lord, God assured Jehoshaphat that He would fight for him and His people.

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

How did Jehoshaphat respond?  He and the people bowed down and worshiped God and the next morning, “After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21)

Notice, the worshipers went out ahead of the soldiers! As they began to praise and sing to the Lord, God sent ambushes against their enemies. (2 Chronicles 20:22)

I’m also reminded of Paul and Silas who were stripped, beaten with rods, flogged and shackled in prison. They had every reason to have a supreme venting session, pity party or to be downright depressed. What were they doing while they were waiting?

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:25-26)

There’s no telling what God will do as a result of hearing you praise Him!

So next time you find yourself waiting, I hope you will remember to sing songs unto the Lord, keep reading the Word and count your blessings, etc.. If you’re having trouble, ask God to help you be patient and grateful.

Keep your heart right and before you know it, you will be enjoying the fruit of your patience!

Let the rejoicing begin!

If this encouraged you, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Divine Design

majamarko / Butterfly Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

 

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ve asked my Mom to share some encouraging thoughts with you.  Blessings!

I have always loved butterflies! The last time I visited the Bronx Zoo, I was amazed at seeing all the beautiful butterflies in the Butterfly Garden. Each one had its own unique design and colors. No two looked alike.

How wonderful God is that He would take His time to design each and every butterfly.

God has taken great care to create each and every one of us as well. He has patience with us as we transform from ordinary caterpillars into exquisite and unique butterflies! We are all precious in His sight!

Remember that you are special to God and that you are created in His image. He loves you more than you can imagine!

 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14)

If this encouraged you, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Pretty Pleeease

juni xu / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

 

The other day during lunch, I swung by McDonald’s for a quick bite (no judging please). As I started to walk to my seat, I noticed a girl glued to the display case where that week’s toys were showcased. The girl, probably around the age of 7 or so, was mesmerized by all the dolls smiling at her.

After staring down the toys, she went straight to her dad who was on the line and began declaring, “A Happy Meal. I want a Happy Meal. Pleeease. I want a Happy Meal. Pleeease.”

Her dad calmly said yes, but she was so busy begging that she didn’t hear him. She made one final plea, “Pleeease, a Happy Meal.”  Then it must have dawned on her that he had already agreed to her request. Finally, there was silence.

It’s easy for us to feel aghast over how she reacted, but if we’re really honest aren’t we all guilty of sometimes acting that way with our Heavenly Father?  We get enthralled by something and get fixated on it. We go to God and in essence whine just like that little girl. “Pleeease God. I waaant, this…. Pleeease…”

It’s ok to say, “Ouch,” and then, “Amen.”

Yes, I’m thankful that we can go to God with any request we have.  And I’m so thankful that He is patient with us. But next time we’re obsessing over our petitions and laying out suggestions (or demands) for how we think God should answer our prayers, let’s stop and remember to worship the Giver and not the gifts!

Our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we even ask. And He knows how to give good gifts.  Next time you catch yourself focused just on that “Happy Meal” and perhaps whining like a little kid,  I hope you’ll take a moment to stop begging and start thanking and praising God instead.

Who knows, if we stop and listen to what God is saying to us we might be surprised to hear that He’s already said, “Yes,” to our request.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:13-15)

 I hope you were encouraged. Feel free to leave a comment below.

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Seasons do Change

A Rose Revisited

The rose I wrote about in A Picture of Perseverance never ceases to amaze me. If you recall, the stunning rose stood by itself last year in all its beauty.

The picture in the middle is what the rose looked like earlier this year. Yes, the rose survived the winter, but it had lost all its leaves. It looked completely dead and devoid of any future. It was sad to see it so bare, but we all know what happens after a rough winter…

Spring comes and new life begins! The photo on the right is of the rose just last Wednesday. Look at all those leaves that have already grown back!

Isn’t that how our life seems sometimes?

There are times when we think that’s it. It’s over. There’s NO WAY we can survive whatever it is we’re going through. All we can see is loss all around us. But after much trials, tears, tests, etc…we wake up one day and realize we’re still standing. The future may look bleak ….

But God! He promises to give us a crown of beauty for ashes. (Isaiah 61:3)

Even after the coldest, darkest, loneliest winters, He can bring hope and love and joy and peace.

What is that rose doing today? Still shining. Still fighting. And still having the audacity to bring forth life!

Friend, if you are tempted to give up those hopes, dreams, plans or visions that God has given you, don’t you dare quit!  God works in seasons. Be like that rose that just keeps on blooming no matter what!

God will bring you through with a new song in your heart and a praise in your mouth!

He will restore the years the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25) He will turn your tears into dancing!  (Ecclesiastes 3:4 and Psalm 30:11) That’s His Word to us believers.

It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. Before you know it, you’ll see new life springing up in your situation as well! Go ahead, start thanking God even now!

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.”

(Isaiah 61:1-3)

I pray this encouraged you!  Feel free to leave a comment below.

 

 

 

 

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Untouchable

 

*BlueMoon / Love Photos / CC BY-NC

 

The other day I was minding my business while walking to the train station to go to work. It was an ordinary Thursday morning. I saw this lady coming towards me with her dog, but I thought nothing of it. I grew up with dogs, so normally I’m not afraid of them at all.

But as the Rottweiler got closer, it barked right at me. No biggie. I kinda laughed it off, but when the beast lunged at me that was a whole other story! My laugh instantly turned into some nervous sound that I can only describe as a yelp. In that moment, I knew that if Cujo wanted me for breakfast there was no way his petite owner could stop him.

Thankfully, he couldn’t quite reach me because of his leash. He immediately lost interest in me. The owner quickly apologized. I just stayed silent and continued down the block.

When I got to the corner and was out of harms way, I started laughing at my reaction. I also started wondering what that was all about. I knew there had to be some reason for this incident. Something more than just being mindful and not sleepwalking on my way to work in the morning. I had walked this way hundreds of times and had never seen this dog before.

What was this all about?

The lesson soon came into focus. I felt like the Lord was showing me that that is how the enemy works. He can bark, and snarl, and lunge at us believers and take his best swipes and throw fiery dart after fiery dart at us, but in the end he is allowed to get only so close to us because God is there to protect us! The enemy still has to bow down to the name of Jesus. What a Mighty Savior we have!

I don’t know what kind of battles you’re facing today, but I’m here to remind you that the enemy is a liar and he is defeated!

Don’t just take my word for it. The verse that comes to mind is “… no weapon forged against you will prevail..” (Isaiah 54:17)

If you think of Job, remember that the enemy had to abide by the guidelines that God gave him. (Job 1:12, 2:6)

No matter what you are going through today, know that God is still on the throne and still very much in Control! He is with you and will fight for you!

Let’s remember to always put on the full armor of God:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

(Ephesians 6:10-18)

I hope this helped encourage you! Feel free to leave a comment below.

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