Tag Archives: Difficulties

I Will Give You Rest

In this passage in Jeremiah, you are given God’s assurance that He loves you and He will do all the heavy lifting. Trust in Him.

Finances, family drama, drugs, alcohol, bullying, sex, jealousy, abuse, illness, physical challenges, mental challenges. All the things which burden you, don’t burden Him. Fixing these might take some time while He gets all the players and pieces lined up. It might involve earthly helpers like doctors or lawyers or accountants or friends. If we wait for His perfect timing, He will work all things to our good. Why? Because He created us. He loves us. He wants you to rely on Him for everything. He wants you to come to Him about everything.

What you eat, what you wear, where you go, who you trust. All these things are provided by the God who made you. He wants you to lean on Him, even in the small stuff. He doesn’t think of you as a pest. He thinks of you as His child. Yes, YOU are a child of God! Isn’t that amazing?!

Going to the Resurrection

Through the Cross to the Resurrection

“God Is Not a Slot Machine”

“God Is Not a Slot Machine”

Bible Passage

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Proverbs 4:6

Devotion

“While it’s true the Bible says you get the desires of your heart through prayer and supplication, that does not mean you get what you want. If you read the entire chapter, Proverbs 4, it says you first have to align your heart with God. Once we do that, it changes the desires of your heart. When you’re aligned with God, your heart desires what God desires for you. God teaches us that He will “While it’s true the Bible says you get the desires of your heart through prayer and supplication, that does not mean you get what you want. If you read the entire passage (Proverbs 4), it says you first have to align your heart with God. Once we do that, it changes the desires of your heart. When you’re aligned with God, your heart desires what God desires for you. God’s Word tells you that He will ” supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Proverbs 4:19)

This is a hard concept to understand. You may have heard God referred to as a Sculptor. He forms you from clay, just as He formed Adam. When you pray for God to direct your path, you are inviting Him to teach you the things He wants you to know, and to do the things He wants you to do. It’s an invitation for God to change your heart. What you want becomes less important. At the same time, what God wants for you becomes all-important.

Yes, sometimes it hurts. There will be times when you fall to the ground in despair. There will also be times when you are so happy you openly weep tears of overflowing joy. As you grow and mature spiritually, the times of deep despair lessen. It’s not because your challenges vanish. It’s because you are more confident that God is with you and will see you through whatever it is.

Prayer Focus

Those struggling in their faith.

Prayer

Dearest Father, Maker of all things, Sculptor of my life, thank you for always being there with me in all things life throws at me. Strengthen me. Mold me. Help me to be more like Your Son, Jesus. Give me what I need to be what You made me to be, so I may bring You glory. Make me into a loving child who makes You happy. In the name of Jesus Christ, my God and Savior. Amen.

Final Thoughts

If I ask, God will bring my heart into alignment with Him.

Worry Cancels Prayer

Worry Cancels Prayer

Bible Passage

31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Devotion

I grabbed these wonderful words of wisdom from Joyce Meyer’s repeat broadcast this morning.

If I’m gonna pray about something and worry about it, too, then my worry cancels out my prayer. The act of prayer says, “God I trust You,” and worry says, “God I don’t trust You.” Worry chokes the Word and keeps it from being fruitful, according to Matthew 13. “Some seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.” [verse 7]

Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life – Worry and Anxiety (4 Aug 2021)

Worry is one of the hardest things to give up. As part of growing up we learn to take control of our circumstances. We learn about responsibility. We learn about consequences.

Many of us learn, at some level, about prayer. We learn thankfulness. We learn to pray for others. We learn to pray for outcomes. We learn to pray before meals. We learn to pray at bedtime.

Some of us learn how to pray in conversation with God. We learn to talk to Him like a friend standing beside us, going through our day and continually discussing it with Him.

Very few people learn how to handle the part after the ‘Amen.’ Prayer means we are giving our worries to Jesus. He already knows what’s on your heart. He’s waiting for you to hand him the reins, LET GO, and let Him take care of those things.

One of the hardest things to learn is to hand our worries and fears to God and let it go. Once we learn to let go, we give God permission to fix it. Until then, because He created us to have free will, He is waiting for your permission. He wants to heal you, fix you, take care of you, and prosper you. Give Him permission to do what He does best. Show Him how much you love and trust Him. When you do, He will show you how much He loves and trusts you!

Prayer Focus

Letting go of fear, doubt, and worry

Prayer

Almighty God, He who bears our burdens for us, help us to rely on You more and to give You our heavy hearts, tortured minds, and burdened souls. Help us to keep our focus where it belongs, on You. Thank You for loving us so much! Amen.

Final Thought

Freedom lies in the path of the Lord. Give Him all your doubts, worries, and fears. He will make your path straight, your burdens light, your mind free, and your heart full of joy!

One Good Thing Each Day

One Good Thing Each Day

God’s Might and Mercy

Glory, Glory, Alleluia!

Photo by @claybanks on @unsplash.

God is Great! God is Awesome! God is Mighty! God is Amazing! “With God, all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26) Praise be to our God, who will never let us drown! He will always reach out to us in times of trouble. He pulls us out of the stormy sea. He allows us to endure difficult circumstances so He can teach us things He wants us to know.

For months, I have been given one message: Persevere. Now, finally, I have been told to let loose and share my joy in Christ at a more personal level than ever before. Here is a taste of what’s been going on in the physical world for me.

I’ve been playing chicken with Satan! So far, I haven’t blinked (flinched a couple times, though). It is now a matter of hours before “my things” are gone and I am evicted. Praise be to the Almighty Father!

Photo by Delaney Dawson @delaneykate_ on @unsplash

God put this ministry in my heart. I wrote a book on the Ten Commandments, available on Amazon, and am working on a second book (on the Beatitudes). I blog and post inspirational messages. I am also writing various materials for workshops, study groups, retreats, and conferences. I donate to worthy causes, tithe, do for others what is asked. Jesus told me to persevere. I have tried very hard to be as faithful to the Lord as He is to me.

Photo by Alex Alvarez @a2_foto on @unsplash

As I approach the countdown to this physical meltdown, I have finally been given the go-ahead to share what I have endured. I believe I was green-flagged so I will have witnesses to my miracle when it arrives.

I took care of my dad around the clock, so I have no job. My bank account is currently overdrawn. I’m behind on rent and expenses. I’m even out of dog food and toilet paper! Roughly $5000 all told so far.

Photo by Joe Caione @joeyc on @unsplash

My dad’s estate, out-of-state, has to be probated, and will probably cost around $2000-3000. There are also several outstanding medical bills I haven’t yet sorted out. His mortgage keeps threatening to go into foreclosure, but his credit card has been put on hold, thankfully, until the property has settled.

This ministry requires money, in order to be taken seriously. I need up front money plus an advisory board willing to help me take this ministry to the next level and beyond. I need to draft a vision statement and a business plan. That’s at least another $2000.

I constantly keep in mind that on the other side of great obstacles are great works. I believe great things will happen as a result of this ministry as long as I persevere! Therefore, I rebuke Satan and I refuse to blink.

Glory to God! Praise Him! Shout His goodness and mercy to all corners of the land! I will sing my love for Him with my last breath on this earth! God is Great and Good! Best of all, He loves me and He loves you! Please pray for me and my miracle. THANK YOU! I will post an update when it comes.

MY REQUEST: I need witnesses for my miracle, in whatever form it takes. Please hit the LIKE button if you have read this post and are willing to pray and be a witness. It would be awesome if you’d SHARE with others, too. The more witnesses to a miracle, the greater God’s glory will be revealed when it arrives!

Help Wanted Near You

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Bible Passages

Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 (CEB)

Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.

Proverbs 19:17 (CEB)

Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.

Hebrews 13:16 (CEB)

Devotion

This ministry needs your help. I need your help. At this point, I am a one-person army. As much fun as it is, I can’t reach everyone who needs help. This is a worldwide ministry, after all. But, there are even needs in my own neighborhood I am having trouble fulfilling. Here are some of the people I visit in my small 55+ community. Of course, these are not their real names.

Mable lives alone. She is very frail. She has a lung condition that requires she give herself oxygen treatments every few hours. Like all of us, she has things she needs done around her house, including yardwork and mowing. I watched her walk from her kitchen to her living room, not very far at all, the other day. It took her more than a couple of minutes. There is no way she can do much for herself. Her son helps some, but he is not young and lives too far away to run over every time she needs help.

One neighbor, Sarah, moved in with another neighbor, Beverly, to take care of her as best she can. Beverly is also on oxygen, and I have never seen her without hoses in her nose. Sarah can’t drive anymore, so Beverly does the driving when they go shopping, run errands, or go to doctor appointments. Both ladies know this is not a very safe situation. Their primary need is for a driver, and help with grocery shopping and errands.

Violet is a shut-in, and needs someone to talk to, and to check in on her. She doesn’t leave her house. The only other person she sees is her caregiver, who came in on a Monday and found Violet had fallen on Saturday and badly injured herself. Worse, she was still where and how she fell, with nothing to eat or drink all weekend.

Theresa has scoliosis. Her house has some basic handyman needs. There is a soft spot in her floor at the entryway. She has a wiring problem she seems to think is minor, but needs to be fixed. There is an inside door that sticks, and when it does she has to walk all through the house to go the twenty feet from her kitchen to her living room.

I’m sure your neighborhood has a Beverly, a Mable, a Violet, a Sarah, or a Theresa. Look around. Do you have neighbors you have never seen, who are perhaps shut-ins? Would it hurt to just knock on the door occasionally to see if they are okay? Is there something you can do to help make their isolation a little less depressing and solitary? Even if they greet you gruffly and with suspicion, keep going by. One day, they will realize you are trying to be a friend. After all, it took time for them to build those barriers between them and their neighbors. It will take time to break them down.

Keep trying and keep praying. The rewards are well worth the effort! Join me, and we will conquer the world with love, one neighbor at at time.

Prayer Focus

Neighbors in need

Prayer

Lord, lead me to someone who needs my help. Show me how to reach out to them and connect with them. Let me be a blessing to them. Amen.

Final Thought

Join us!