Month: April 2026

Undaunted! | Your Monday Motivation to Keep Moving Forward

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“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

Everyone has an end goal in mind when it comes to life. That goal can include anything from a higher education sought and achieved, career positions and successes, working toward optimal health for one’s individual plans and needs, familial relationships being the best that they can be, adventures to be had worldwide, and more.

But there is a robber of these goals and achievements. They come in the form of doubt and discouragement when things don’t go as planned, or some unforeseen thing comes and sidetracks us or knocks us totally off course.

When that happens repeatedly, it gets hard to believe that we can do this. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We can be and achieve.

Sadder still is when someone feels that way about their walk of faith.

But we do not have to succumb to discouragement, fear, and intimidation.

We can push forward successfully, even when it is hard. And with God’s Word filling our tanks of hope, we can be undaunted in the face of what we see and feel and believe that we can!

We can direct our hearts with the same tenacity the Apostle Paul had when he said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” Acts 20:24.

You have a course!

You have a ministry!

You have gifts!

You have something the world needs!

Now is not the time to quit!

Keep going and be undaunted as you continue to move forward.

My prayer is that the verses below will fill the places where encouragement may need to be strengthened and to stand in the gap between your heart and what you are believing for because God’s Word declares it to be so!

Blessings!

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.” Hebrews 10:23

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:8

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Psalm 22:29

“The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”
Psalm 29:11

“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.” Psalm 18:33

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Colossians 3:23

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

David Trusted God and Why You Can, Too!

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Years ago, I bought one of those at-home exercise kits that included resistance bands. Those bands acted in place of weights and provided tension for the exercises I was doing so that I could get the most out of each movement.

Outside of exercising, those words “weight” and “tension” don’t seem very beneficial to us. In fact, they are words that are synonymous with unpleasant things such as stress, worry, and anxiety. And when they show up, they make life even more difficult instead of being helpful.

Troubles, unfortunately, are a part of our human existence. But the stress they bring do not impact or erase who God is in our lives.

While the Bible is chock-full of encouragement in dealing with difficulties, telling us to “cast our cares” (1 Peter 5:7), and not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34), it also tells us the reason we can have confidence in the midst of life’s storms, and that reason, my friend, is God.

Stress, and what the Bible calls the “cares of this world” (Mark 4:19), try to choke out the word of truth of who God is in our lives. But David, opening in Psalm 16:1, pointed to God as the source of his trust, saying, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.”

Whatever and whomever have gained our hearts to become our “source” in life, they will be the foundation we stand upon and turn to every single time. But here’s the kicker that some get wrong: any foundation outside of God is fallible and it will fail and fall eventually. This is especially true when it is exposed to undue stress and tension.

Think of a rubber band that has been stretched too far, a bridge that snapped because of tension, or any number of things that could not endure the weight or the stretch that was being demanded from it, and it gave way under pressure.

Then, we have God. Infinitely wonderful, from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2), who cannot be stretched beyond comfort, who is not looking for a backup plan for your life and mine, who knows all things perfectly and does all things well. He is the one Proverbs tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). And that is because He is the only one who is in the position to uphold us and every one of His promises, to see us completely through, never forsaking us, without fail.

So, David says He is the one I put my trust in.

David knew enough about God to know that no matter what stresses or troubles he was facing, they could never overwhelm Him, conquer Him, discourage Him, or trip Him up.

Friends, we can have that same confidence today when we realize beyond a shadow of doubt who our God is, and we take what David knew about God and apply it to our lives.

Firstly, He is our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:9). Although Jesse was David’s biological father, in his relationship with God, David saw Him as his heavenly Father. God made a covenant with David, one that included this beautiful title for him and his descendants that came after him (2 Samuel 7:14), where they would proclaim, “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26). That relationship is available to us today through our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:4-7).

“The Bible tells us, ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,’ (1 John 4:4).   As we are going about life we are to know in whom we belong.  ‘You are of God!’ the Word tells us.  Therefore, because of our holy lineage, because of how we are wired through the blood of Jesus Christ, you and I are to instinctively operate like the ‘greater’ is in you.” (Instinctively His!)

Aside from that, David, during his life span, notes that, as opposed to the ways and sources of the wicked, God is faithful, saying, “Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds” (Psalm 36:5).

Previously, I shared these words with you: “Circumstances, unsettling things, and unknown situations will periodically appear in our lives. And while that is true, we must remember that our God is not a ‘periodical’ God. He doesn’t just show up in times of happenstance. He doesn’t make His rounds to see who or what He wants to attend to and deal with at that moment.

No. But He is forever faithful. Never let what you’re dealing with shatter that wonderful truth: GOD IS FOREVER FAITHFUL!” (No Matter What It Looks Like, God is Faithful). David knew it to be true, and so can you!

In his battle against Goliath, Daivd knew God to be the power and strength he leaned upon which would never fail, saying, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).

What David knew was that God would not and could not shrink in power before any force. He would always win: “God’s track record doesn’t have marks on it to say that He wasn’t able to accomplish this task or that.  As a matter of fact, the Bible states that He is, ‘able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,’ (Ephesians 3:20).”

My friend, when you go with God you will never lose, regardless of what the circumstances look like right now.

Lastly, what David also knew was the personal love of God. He, as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), knew what it felt like to be loved by God from His heart. To the point of proclaiming His “lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). “While human love can and will be fickle, God said, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you,’ (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV).”

What David knew, was God’s greatness cannot be condensed to a small list of adjectives that try to describe everything He is and wants to be in our lives. He is just so much more.

And as that, He more than qualifies to be our trust even during the most difficult of days.

Nobody promised us this road would be without bumps and turns that we don’t like. But as long as we are traveling through this life with God as our source, we will never be without everything that He is.

While weights are good for physical exercise and endurance; other types of weights can hinder our growth and our Christian journey, and we are encouraged to lay them aside (Hebrews 12:1). The best way to do that is to trust in God as David did. And when we do, we will find in Him everything we need, and so much more, getting the most out of our Christian journey.

Blessings~

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

Beauty in Vulnerability

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When I was growing up, I had a picking problem. Picking at sores, that is. I would start on the outer edge and just keep fiddling with that thing until the whole scab eventually came off, leaving the fragile, tender skin underneath exposed.

Some days, we feel like that tender skin underneath, vulnerable, open, and exposed with very raw feelings hanging out all over the place, and that can be, for the most part, unnerving and uncomfortable. But what if I told you that vulnerability that you feel can also be beautiful?

To feel vulnerable means, we have some areas of our lives where we are not as confident or as strong as we would like to be. With these feelings, we must admit that we have some weaknesses, (something many struggle with).

But what it also shows is that we are still learning. Still growing. We have not arrived yet (compare Philippians 3:13).

Have you ever had those days when you feel like you are barely holding back the tears? Your emotions feel very raw and if one more person says something to you in the wrong way, then the floodgates of all that brewing inside are going to burst and let her release flow.

While feeling so open for attack in our weakened state, we are humbly reminded that we have very strong arms to run to for safety. The Bible speaks this encouragement to those battered hearts, saying, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

When we experience those uncomfortable moments of vulnerability, it reminds us of the beauty of security that we experience in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It reminds us that He has always been and always will be our never-ending refuge, even when we feel as though our world is falling apart.

So, when we cry, and are hurt, and feel exposed, we have His promises that will never fail. And we can then say as the apostle, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

We may not like or understand every aspect of this uncomfortable season we face, but with Christ, and in Christ, and for Christ, we are strengthened by the power of His Spirit within us. We are upheld by the hand of grace to walk in faith and finish the course that is before each of us.

Being vulnerable may not seem lovely to some, but what it does do is highlight the power of God working in us.

We know that we have weaknesses. Our human nature has cracks in it. But those cracks allow for the things we don’t need such as pride, self-reliance, and the like to seep out, giving even more room for His grace, beauty, perfection, holiness, power, and strength fill us up and make us whole.

And when we are whole in Him, we are completely beautiful despite our vulnerabilities.

Blessings~

Text-Free Image by Vilius Kukanauskas from Pixabay

Where to Find Truth?

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Scams, deception, and counterfeits are part of our modern-day vernacular, and finding truth has become harder than ever.

Although false practices have existed since the beginning of time, the rise of AI and other means of making things look authentic when they are not has made it very difficult to distinguish what is fake and what is real.

The prophet Jeremiah had the tough job of warning God’s people against the convincing deceptions of his day and leading them to the truth. The deceptions he fought against took place in the form of idols.  The worship of these false deities gave the illusion that something else was better for the people than the God they were currently following.

But illusions are just that, illusions.

So, God used Jeremiah to question the people about their unfaithfulness and the direction they were inwardly traveling.

One question He asked was, “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, followed idols, and have become idolaters?” (Jer. 2:5, NKJV). In other words, what has God done wrong that caused them to turn away to these false ways? And the answer is, nothing at all.

At another point, God charged them of “Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ But in the time of trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us.’” (Jer. 2:27), giving accolades to “resources” and images that had no bearing on any part of their lives.

And that’s not far from what we see in our world today. The items of idolization and undue attention some look to may not be stones and trees, but there are still illusions and falsehoods receiving undeserved homage.

But the good news is that when truth is found, it destroys the illusion!

Jesus spoke this promise, saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Jesus’ life is the only life that was perfectly lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19), and the only one who fulfilled hundreds of prophecies, not missing a beat, hundreds of years after they were originally spoken (Luke 24:44; John 1:45; Acts 26:22, 23). (Without getting too complicated, for reference sake, at the very least compare Psalm 22 with the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ.)

He was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 22, 23) to save mankind from sin (Mark 10:45; John 3:16). Sin is that ugly three-lettered word that separates us from God. Holiness is God’s standard. Sin steps in and taints the relationship God wants with His people, causing a division He never desired.

Jesus willingly succumbed to death to be the atonement (the means of removing the sin from wayward people and restoring our relationship with God). He became the way for us to escape the judgment that should have been ours to bear (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8), saying, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

And He rose from the dead, not only gaining victory over death, but showing us the promise of new life we have through Him: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

Fulfilling all, He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11), and now we are awaiting His return.

The Gospel presents a clear claim: that Jesus is the way to salvation and to have everlasting life (John 3:16; 6:47; 10:28). According to Scripture, there is no other source of lasting salvation and peace.

While many voices and influences can project illusion, seeking to draw our attention away from God, God is still calling us all, in love, toward His Truth.

As He did with Jeremiah, the call is still going out for people to repent and turn to the God who desires this unbroken relationship with them.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Note: True repentance means more than saying or feeling sorry. It is more than being remorseful. It is turning away from sin and its ways in mind, body, and soul, and turning to God, giving Him your life from the inside out.

Blessings~

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.