Who Has the Real Power?

“…I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms… I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the Lord…”
Ezekiel 30:23-25; read Vv. 21-26

Do we really understand the sovereignty of God? Do we not understand that all powers are subject to God’s control? Do we not know that at any given moment, God can cause one nation to rise, and another to fall?

Ezekiel has been assigned many tasks by God. And one of those tasks was to make certain judgments against varying nations (Ezekiel 25-32), including, but not limited to, Egypt.

God has spoken to him about a great power switch. The one who thought they were strong, impenetrable, and would stand as a “superpower” forever, will be broken and fall.

This is a story that has recurred throughout history. Think of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2). In it, we see powerful nation after powerful nation eventually succumb to the prophecy spoken over it: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Daniel 2:44-45).

Did you catch that last line? “The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.” Everything that God has pronounced for or against a nation or people has come to pass already through the course of history, or is waiting for a future, final fulfillment.

Nations may boast of power, but God is the Supreme Ruler. Psalm 75:6-7 assures us, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

Friends, sometimes life and circumstances can make us feel powerless. But when we truly understand the sovereignty and power of our God, we can understand better why Paul was able to say, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

God is our strong defense. He is like a mighty wall that stands between all opposition and us.

Yes, there are things that will come against us, but as Job’s story reminds us (Job 1), it must go through Him first. And even in that, we are assured that God remains in control and completely sovereign over all.

That is why the psalmist declared, The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6). Mankind can have plans, but God has the final say.

It is His power that created the world we see and live in. He is the one who lifts nations and makes another fall. There is nothing in your life that is too hard or impossible for God.

He is the real power. God is sovereign King over all. Keep the faith!

“The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.” Psalm 99:1

“For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.” Psalm 47:2

“All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” Isaiah 40:17

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Enjoy the Moments of Today

 

As hard as it is at times, we must strive to be attentive to the moments of today. What is currently before you? Who is around you? What do they need from you?

Moments say, you are important to me, and I choose to share my life and my time with you right now.

Carefully watching moments will tell you what or who is a priority in your life. Through its quiet invitation, they speak, “I love you,” without ever saying a word. In those moments, the heart reveals that the people before you truly matter. They are really something special.

Sometimes, the chaos of schedules and the demands of daily life cause us to miss out on some of the sweetest moments the Lord affords us. Perhaps it is not only the stormy waves that need to be spoken against, “Peace, be still (Mark 4:39). Rather, anything that crashes on the space of our days, eating away at this priceless time that will pass in the blink of an eye when compared to the timeline of eternity.

Perhaps even more importantly, we must choose for ourselves to be still and take in the precious moments before us. We can dash about as Marth did, allowing the cares of this life to consume her (Luke 10:38-42). Or, we can be still and experience the power of quieting our hearts at His feet in restfulness of spirit, and just enjoy the moment of this occasion.

Many moments will come. The ones we choose to rest in and allow ourselves to experience fully will show who or what really matters.

With the Lord, we will have moments. Enjoy them. Rest in them. Cherish them.

In meaningful relationships with others, we will have moments. Enjoy them. Rest in them. Cherish them.

Through many days and seasons, we will have moments. Enjoy them. Rest in them. Cherish them.

One day, these moments will cease. Be still, and enjoy the moments of today: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

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Be Kingdom-Minded

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of  Heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

Who better to teach us this lesson than our Lord Jesus Christ?  We celebrate and remember the major aspects of His life:  His birth, death, resurrection, ascension, miracles, healings, and such, but we forget the ministry of His mission.  We take for granted all the times He walked up and down the shores of Galilee, or from town to town, drawing to man’s attention the main reason for His visit to planet earth: the kingdom of Heaven and His great desire to see each of us there one day.

All of those major events are rightly to be celebrated because every one of them is tied to the same purpose – to give us a chance to be a member of that great kingdom one day.  Our Christian life seems so one-sided, but Jesus often encouraged us to be more mindful of life on the other side of eternity.  Sometimes, we flush that out of the process and lose focus on the destination we want to reach when that day comes.

My previous pastor always used to tell us that nobody preached more hell-fire than Jesus.  He continually put in contrast the rewards of one who was on the right path to gain entrance to that kingdom and one who was not: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 5:19).

Sometimes, I can imagine Jesus sitting upon that Mount, teaching the crowds. Or, the daily walks He would take through the cities, while once in a while, turning to His disciples to pass on a tidbit of information for that glorious kingdom.  We would do well to remember throughout our days that everything we do or don’t do will either gain us entrance or prohibit us from entering that kingdom.

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should come short of it,” (Hebrews 4:1).  This is why I believe it is important for us to remain kingdom-minded.  When we take our eyes off the prize, so to speak, we lose focus of our ultimate goal.  And nowhere does that ring more true than in the dealings with our eternal destination.

I want to see God.  I want to see Him on His throne.  I want to witness the glories of heaven.  I want to see the multitudes gathered together without a care.  The only purpose left will be enjoying His presence and praising His holy name!  Can you really imagine what it may be like over there?  Boy, if we could only peel back the curtain of what our natural eyes currently see to view the glorious – Awesome!

Thankfully, we have been left with visions of that splendor by people like John, saying, “I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” (Revelation 21:2).  Ezekiel also said, “. . . that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God,” (Ezekiel 1:1).  And Daniel left us with this description: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion in an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Wow!

The call to be kingdom-minded has gone out.  One should not take lightly all that the Lord has prepared for us.  I don’t want to miss the “promise of entering into his rest” (Hebrews 4:1).  May the manner of our lives today be a deposit for the eternal glory that is to come.

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Be Thankful!

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,” Luke 17:15

“Lord, I just want to thank You!”  It’s more than an exclamation of gratefulness.  It is the life song that every Christian should continually sing.  The voice of our praise should rise to heaven in utter adoration for all that the Lord has done in our lives.

Leprosy, during the Bible era, was one of the most detrimental diseases a person could have.  It not only riddled the body with sores and pain, but socially speaking, it marked an individual as being unclean.  They had to be separated from everyone else for fear of spreading the disease and making other persons unclean, also.

To be healed of this disease is life-renewing.  It gives one a chance to come out of isolation and be restored to fellowship with others again.  It restores them to the state of being considered clean, of being good enough to rejoin the community and have close conversations, once more.

The former lepers know what life was like to meet people and to have to call out to everyone what was wrong in their lives.  But now that healing has taken place, they are not sentenced to that stigma and forced to live alone.  Rather, they can enjoy the hug of a child or a kiss from a spouse, which can be experienced again.

They are no longer an outcast.

They are no longer viewed by the blemishes that marked their skin.

Jesus released them.  Jesus did the impossible for them.  This goes beyond healing – it is total restoration.  Everything that was once lost can now be regained, thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ.  Fortunately for us, there is a greater disease than leprosy that the Lord can deliver us from: the disease of sin.

Sin has ravaged humanity since the Fall in the Garden of Eden.  It has marred us from the inside out.  It has marked mankind as being unclean and has sentenced him to a life of isolation.  It has prevented him from fellowshiping with God as he was originally designed to do.  It is the one disease in which every single human on the face of this earth needs to be healed from.  NO EXCEPTIONS!  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Isn’t it wonderful to know that just as Jesus did not leave the ten lepers in their destitute condition, He did not leave us in that pitiful state either.  When one turns to Him, He stands at the ready to intercede and to save.  To be saved means to be delivered, and I, for one, am glad to be delivered!

When I look back on my own life and see the dreadful state I was once in, I rejoice in the Lord for cleansing me.  I thank God for healing the sin-diseased soul I once had and for letting me experience a brand new life in Him.

In the muddling of our daily lives, concerns for this and that tend to overshadow the thankfulness we should be expressing.  But, “Lord, I thank You!”  As the one leper, I come back and “glorify God!”  His deliverance has not only given me a new lease on life here on this earth, but I have gained something far more precious in the world to come.

I know my former state: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).  It isolated us!  “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we are all the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8).  We have been restored!  We have been remade!  And, I am THANKFUL!

Now, I have a future to rejoice in: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9).  I’m talking about eternity, y’all!  And, I am THANKFUL!  I know where I was.  I know where He’s taking me.  That’s enough for me to declare, “Today, I want to be THANKFUL!”

Text-Free Photo by:  Guillaume de Germain

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The Hero’s Help

The scene opens. The hero is chasing the bad guy. Throughout most of the movie, he seems to have the upper hand. Through ingenuity, skill, and a healthy dose of luck, he overcomes his adversaries and comes out on top.

But if we take stock of all the hero went through to come out on top, we will see those scenes when they didn’t do it all by themselves. There was a moment of trouble where the hero could have lost it all, but out of nowhere came a somewhat insignificant character who snuck up behind the bad guy while contending with the hero and knocked him out with a heavy object. Or a bystander who stuck their foot out to trip and hinder the progress of the nefarious one, and so on.

If we pay attention, we will see they never really do it all on their own. To achieve the victory in the end, at some point in their story, they were aided by another.

As much as that is true in the movies, it is even more so in real life. This is especially true when it comes to our Christian journey.

There will always be times when we need the help of others. After all, that is the purpose of coming together as the body of Christ.

The writer of Hebrews encourages us in this, saying, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24, 25).

When we come together, we become the strength and inspiration one another needs to continue through whatever contention or adversity they face. This increases our chances of coming out of our struggles in victory.

The plain and simple fact is, we need each other. There is not one person who will always be, on their own, 100% at the top of their game or capable of enduring without the support of togetherness. The blows of difficulties we face can often be softened when another comes alongside to help shoulder the load.

For years, I have taught, preached on, and written about what I call “The One Another Concept.” This reminds people of the importance of shedding the self-serving nature this world heavily promotes and to look to the needs of others, especially those in the body of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Galatians 5:13; 6:2).

While we are grateful for all the virtual ways people can be reached, there is nothing like worshiping hand in hand and heart to heart. Coming together with one heart and one mind, to not only lift the name of Jesus, but to lift, encourage, and edify one another as well.

And as with the hero, our chances of achieving victory in the face of adversity are tremendously increased when we are helped by one another.

No one has to journey alone. Is it time for you to reconnect with church fellowship so that you, too, can be strengthened in the fight?

Does someone else need the support that you can offer them?

Remember: “Two are better than one”:

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

The Power That Never Goes Out!

When I woke up this morning, the clock was blinking at 4:40 am. It didn’t make sense because the sun was shining through my bedroom window. Confused, I grabbed my phone and realized the clock was off by several hours. At some time during the night, a transformer blew in our area, and the power went out.

We didn’t know anything had happened until we woke in the morning. While sleeping, we were oblivious to anything that was going on.

Although nothing dramatic came from it, this truth leapt in my heart: God’s power never goes out!

Whether we are lying down at night or walking throughout our day, are we ever truly cognizant of how many times God’s power has kept us, protected us, preceded before us, and provided for us?

How many seen and unseen things could have happened but were halted? How many schemes were made to cease? Dangers averted? Plans revealed?

While our clocks can be blinking the wrong time, God is always on the clock and always on time. The Bible assures us that He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4). There is never a moment when He is unaware of anything, and with that, we can rest assured that His power is always engaged.

Oh, what confidence we find in this truth! In our times of frailty and lapse, God is completely steady. When we are unconscious of our ways, He is very intentional. When we are asleep, He is vigilant.

And let’s be sure that I am not merely referring to our physical awareness and sleep. God is God at all times. He can never change who He is. His power is as infinite as He is. It cannot be stopped or muted. And it most certainly can never go out.

Dear one, rest your heart and still your mind in the confidence of that truth. When we don’t have it all together, God does. There is nothing that can happen in this world or in our lives that shakes, rattles, or dismisses the power of God! Therefore, in Him, we can trust.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:7

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10

“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8

“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:5

 

The Review

Reviews. We see them everywhere and on anything. They help make decisions about products or services. They have become very valuable, especially in the world of online shopping, when we can’t touch, handle, or see the product or place firsthand.

These star reviews or individual critiques tell us what someone liked or didn’t like. I, personally, read reviews, but I have only left very few: some for likes and one for a dislike. The one negative review I left was simply to let a company know about an off product.

One thing about reviews that people forget is that, outside of visible or physical damage of a product or from a service, the review is based solely on one’s opinion. What they write is their personal commentary. Where one may give five stars, another may only give one because it was not to their taste or a good product, in their opinion.

But I find in life we “review” people in the same way. We have our opinions of a person based on what we perceive to be right or wrong, favorable or not. And often, when we share our review with others, it tends to be geared more toward the negative than the positive.

Paul teaches in Titus 3:2, “To speak evil of no man…”

How well do we practice that? Or do we have select preferences of persons we believe are deserving to receive a less-than-favorable review from us?

We do not need to fan the flames of negativity over another’s life, regardless of how we view them. The Bible tells us, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). Our “review” of a person should not become the constant topic of conversation, especially if it is promoting negativity.

James agrees, saying, Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity…” (James 3:5, 6a). 

As Christians, we have experienced the gift of grace in our lives beyond the measure of our understanding. God is the one who changed us, cleaned us, saved us, and gave us a new life. Something none of us deserved, and nothing we can boast of (Ephesians 2:8,9). How we view others should be nothing short of that same grace received.

Our minds and our mouths can be trained in how we view or respond to people. As water drops that flow from your roof, wherever they land, that’s where they will pool and cut a path through your yard. The same is true for both negative and positive views. The one you lean toward the most is cutting a pathway in your thinking and speech.

Our negative reviews are not helpful to us or needed by others. May the story of our redemption (Titus 3:3-5) help us to extend grace to others right where they are.

While reviews can range from agreeable to disagreeable, may our speech always be agreeably grace-filled.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

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sun above the clouds, encouraging God is forever faithful, Hebrews 13:5

Above the Clouds

This morning, when I drew back my curtains, the day wasn’t as sunny as before. Although there is no rain in the forecast, the clouds sit heavy in the sky. At a time of day when the sun is usually shining its brightest,  the heaviness of the clouds makes the atmosphere feel dull and dreary.

But then a beautiful reminder dropped in my heart: above the clouds, the sun is still shining. Though we cannot see one ray breaking through, it does not change that truth. Even when there is no evidence to speak against what you see, the sun is still there doing its thing. It has not changed or stopped being the sun.

And neither has God changed or stopped being who He is. Life’s circumstances can sometimes speak contrary to that beautiful truth, making us believe something different. Regardless of the heaviness of clouds we may face in life, our Heavenly Father is still faithfully on His throne, being the great and wonderful God that He is.

Even if we cannot see one ray of evidence, hold on, dear friend, to the faithfulness of our God who said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

It’s not what it looks like. The clouds may be there, but they will never overcome or overshadow who God is in our lives. He is faithfully our Heavenly Father who can never be dulled or dismayed. The times may speak contrary, but He still is there, above the clouds of life, forever shining for you and me.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.” Psalm 27:1-6

Blessings~

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The Truth About Comparison

 

Recently, I attended a large shredding event in our area. This particular event is held every year. It allows us to declutter and safely get rid of old documents and sensitive papers.

This shredding event is quite large. To put it into perspective, I was in line for an hour and forty-two minutes before I was relieved of my boxes of clutter.

Coming in, there were approximately 8-12 lanes (or more, I couldn’t count) of vehicles lined up side-by-side. These lanes funneled into a single lane that would shortly open again into two alternating lanes. Those lanes would then take us to the trucks on either side that would shred our personal belongings for us.

The car in front of me turned to the right, and I went to the left.

I was happy with how my lane was moving, and after about another twenty to thirty minutes, I tried to assess my progress. I did this by looking for the car that was previously in front of me. I remembered passing it some time ago and wondered how far back it was now.

Looking in my side mirrors and the rearview mirror, I could no longer see it. I thought to myself that there was no way I could be that far ahead of them.

And I wasn’t. I finally spotted the car I was searching for. While I was paying attention to other things, that car had actually advanced several spaces in front of me.

Interesting, is what I thought. I wasn’t upset or put out over this, but took it as the lesson that it was.

But I cannot say that I have been untouched by the act of comparison. More times than I care to count, I have paid attention to what others were doing or their lives instead of focusing on my own.

And you know what that does? It steals your joy. You and I can be completely happy where we are in life until we look in the next lane to see where another person may be.

When that happens, we start comparing our lives against theirs, as if we are all on some giant scale to be measured by one another and weighed in the balances.

But that is a divine seat none of us are qualified to sit in. Perhaps that is why the Bible speaks against those who “measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves,” calling them “not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

Mentors and godly examples to pattern our lives after are good (1 Corinthians 11:1). But when we use other people as our yardstick to be measured by, we sell ourselves short.

Why?

Because the truth is, each of us is a unique person with our own unique plans for our lives designed by the Father. But when we fixate on others in life, or on shows, books, videos, and social media, who try to convince us that this is what our lives should look like, that comparison can sometimes cause discontent because of the feeling of not measuring up to their standards.

Individuals, families, lives, marriages, careers, cares, wants, and needs are as different as our DNA. The complexities of our human nature are as diverse as the complexity of molecules that make us, us. It is as diverse as the many cultures, peoples, and nations that inhabit this land we call Earth.

With such a wide range of beautiful diversity, why try to squeeze yourself into another’s box?

God knows the plans He has for your life (Jeremiah 29:11). His design is perfectly beautiful for you. He knows where you are best needed, and He knows what you are truly called to be and do, and it is not to mimic them.

1 Corinthians 4:5 challenges us to look at things differently, saying, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

We are not God, but we can trust God as the Potter who is molding us into this beautiful creation He needs us to be.

We cannot rely on what we see on the outside of any given situation. To properly assess another’s circumstance, we must know their whole behind-the-scenes story, their heart, reasons, motives, and hopes they have for their outcome.

Only an everlasting God can know all of that. Since we are unqualified to make assumptions about others, our focus should remain in our lane and where God has us driving.

We have our own course. Our Heavenly Father has a plan that fits us perfectly. If we continue to focus on others, we will miss our assignment.

But when we live as He wants us to, and fulfill our God-given destinies, we please our Father, and it’s His praises we can look forward to in the end.

Today, in what area can we learn to stop comparing and enjoy the beautiful life God has designed for each of us? 

Father God, help us keep our eyes and our hearts focused on You and the plans that You have for our lives. This world can be distracting at times, causing us to shift our gaze toward what is not profitable for us. We are praying for steadfast hearts and minds to go forward in faith in the lanes You have lovingly designed for us. We want to live for Your glory and for Your praise. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, AMEN!

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Undaunted! | Your Monday Motivation to Keep Moving Forward

“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.