Month: June 2023

Thankful for Grace

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture2 Comments

There isn’t much in this life that is free. I get excited when I win a prize from an author that gives me a free book. But once I read that book the excitement is gone and I look forward to the next one, even if I have to pay for it. God’s grace is free all the time, ready and waiting for us to accept it. His unmerited favor is right there…like a gift that keeps on giving every day if we just reach out to God, stay connected to Him and accept His free gift.

We have nothing that we can do to save ourselves. God did all of the work on the cross through His Son Jesus. We just have to accept that gift and its magnificent benefits and then use that grace that we have to bless others.

The knowledge and understanding that we need is readily available to us these days though various sources. I have multiple copies of different versions of the Bible to read. I also have the YouVersion Bible App, technology that makes it possible to have all kinds of versions at my fingertips on my computer. The real knowledge and understanding come from a relationship with God. He loves us, we love Him and that love overflows to others. That is the foundation of our understanding God. He is love, pure love, poured out for us and on us so that we can pour out that love to a lost and dying world that needs to know Him and His grace.

Hope and Rescue

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

If we are traveling the road of life, which all of us are, we will encounter sin and evil. Nevertheless, God’s Word tells us to stay on the path to life and He will honor us. One day, the wicked will be totally destroyed. That is our hope and our assurance. Not that we want to see the wicked destroyed, of course, What we really want is for them to repent and come to God. But God promises that one day we will not have to endure their wickedness, their plots and schemes against God and His people will be gone forever.

In the meantime, as we face the trouble here during our earthly journey, we can depend on God to rescue us and to provide a shelter for us. He is our stronghold, our fortress, the One on whom we can always depend.

The wicked think that they are winning the battle. What they don’t know is that they have already lost the entire war. The final victory belongs to God!

God Will Arise

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

While we Christians sometimes despair at all of the wickedness in the world, let me assure you that God is not dismayed. He knows, and we should know, that God will not forever put up with all of this foolishness. Pride month? We know what God’s Word says about pride, right?

So our heartfelt and faithful prayer should be for God to rise up.

And to that prayer, I can only say: Amen!

Answers and Waiting

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

I like how this verse encourages us to be brave and courageous as we wait for the Lord. We can depend on Him to answer at just the right time and with our good always at the center of His answer.

God answers with good things and then gives the answer in front of all, even the doubters. God’s answers to prayers for us are a living testament to His goodness and grace. We are a walking testimony every day, if we will but share the good news of all He has done for us.

After months of testing, I can share my testimony that God has restored my health and is continuing to strengthen me. I am not as young as I once was and don’t have all of the abilities that I once had, but I am strong enough to do what God blesses me to do, and that is enough. Praise His Name for the answers to prayers that all of the tests showed nothing remarkable and the fainting is simply a reaction to my heart medicine!

No Favoritism

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

As a parent, I had to work at not showing favoritism because, of course, one child was easier to manage and more compliant. But as a Christian parent, God showed me clearly that showing favoritism would create wounds that would be difficult or almost impossible to heal. Thus, I was ever aware of making sure that each child felt equally loved and my hope is that I was successful.

More importantly, God has no favorites, not among people as individuals or nations. Like me, He probably finds some more compliant and easier to get along with. Yet He still treats us all equally and give us all the same opportunity to come to salvation through His Son.

I love the words in this Scripture verse that say in every nation. Not one group of people is omitted. The Good News is for all! God set the standard for reaching out to every people group and it is our responsibility to do the same. There may be some who are easier to approach or talk to, but all are the same in the eyes of God. Everyone needs a Savior; thus, God provided Jesus for each and every individual on the face of the earth, regardless of nationality, personality, background or any other factor. He is One God for all.

Pleasing God

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

I am currently spending time with family and it’s important to me that God answer this prayer as I share Bible truths and stories from His Word with my young grandchildren. Curious by nature, one of the children has been asking repeatedly about stories from the Bible. I have told her the stories of David and Goliath, Abraham and Isaac, Gideon and his fleece, Saul on the road to Damascus and creation. My prayer before our visit was to help me make a difference in the lives of the children. So, as I continue to share, pray and speak about Jesus and His saving power, may my words please the Lord who has given me the opportunity to be with these precious little ones.

Lacking Fear of the Lord

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

As I listen to snippets of the news (I can never stand to watch an entire broadcast because the reports are so negative) and receive blurbs about what’s happening around the world, I am struck by one common theme. People around the world have lost their fear of God. They don’t reverence Him nor are they awed by His power. Mankind in general has become a god unto themselves. They are their own idols, and in setting themselves up for their own narcissistic worship, they deny the reality of God and the fact that one day He will reign and every knee will bow before Him.

It is the fear of the Lord that gives life because in fearing our Lord, we are ready to submit to Him and His desires for us. The escape from death comes when we recognize Jesus as Savior and Lord so that one day we can live eternally with Him. Those in the world today are living for today with no thought for the eternal consequences of their actions. That is why it is imperative for those of us who know the truth to be good ambassadors and share the Gospel, even when others don’t want to hear it. We have to fulfill our responsibility before the Lord, giving Him the respect and awe He deserves and then step back and let Him work in that person’s heart. One person at at time is how change happens, and the Lord knows that change certainly needs to happen in our world today. I think it starts with a healthy fear (respect) of God.

Pray and Give Thanks

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, Video6 Comments

I think that this verse has been a theme in my life for the last three or four months. Undergoing one medical test after another, I must say that anxiety fluttered within me and tried to take hold. I kept repeating verses to myself about casting my burdens on the Lord and that He was with me no matter what I faced.

My last medical test was on Monday, an MRA, which I was told means Magnetic Resonance Angiograpy. In other words, they were taking pictures of the blood vessels inside my brain to see if anything was amiss there. (This followed an episode with blurred vision and severe vertigo.) Anyway, I would be lying if I did not confess my anxiety that hit strongly as my husband drove me to the hospital for the test. He prayed for me, I went in and tried to read as I waited to be called. The test itself wasn’t so bad, just a helmet like thing fit over my head and face and into the tight quarters of the MRI machine I went. I prayed while I was in there, and I gave thanks for all of the good reports so far. None of the multitude of tests had shown anything significant, so I was very grateful that all kinds of medical issues had been ruled out.

I got the results sent to me via message from the hospital later that evening. Of course, I couldn’t understand the medical terms but I did notice that the MRA picked up on the fact that part of my brain doesn’t get blood anymore. That would be where I had my stroke, of course. So, I waited for my neurologist to call to interpret the results. He called after I was in bed (he is one of the hardest working, most dedicated doctors I know, working long after office hours) and left the message with my husband.

“The results are normal!” That was the doctor’s pronouncement.

My husband let me know once he got off the phone and I was exultant that God came through for me again. As I prayed, I asked God why so many tests and then normal results. Now, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t want a bad report. I was just surprised that I had so many symptoms and the test results were all fine. God spoke to my heart and told me that He used the tests to draw me closer to Him and the healing came from Him.

Arising this morning to a new day without any new tests or specialists to see, I immediately turned to praise. As I took my shower, I sang “1000 Hallelujas” quietly to myself. As I read my devotionals, I played Chris Tomlin’s “Holy Forever” over and over again, worshipping the Lord for His power, grace, mercy and love for me.

I accept God’s sovereignty in my life and His magnificent way of getting my full attention. I am thankful that He loves me enough to take the time to work on me.

Holy Forever-Chris Tomlin

Forgiveness

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

You would think that I am asking for the sun, moon and stars when I ask that my siblings try to get along with each other. But there is this thing called forgiveness that is the obstacle. For many years, I have been the only sibling talking to everyone. As a second child of five, that is a somewhat precarious position for me at times and often stressful. I have talked to each sibling, explaining to them that the cost of forgiveness is not to the person that they aren’t forgiving but to themselves, but my pleas are to no avail. The offenses seem petty but I am sure that they are not to the one offended. Nevertheless, I still keep trying to get everyone together. I keep telling them that it’s going to be really sad for the first time for them to see and talk to each other in decades may be at my funeral and I won’t be there to see it.

People in today’s world don’t understand that holding a grudge, no matter how small, affects you physically, mentally and emotionally. God knew that and used Paul to instruct us to forgive. After all, God forgave us so who are we to hold a grudge against anyone? Give people grace…that’s what God gives us. Allow them to make mistakes and then forgive and move on. The burden of not forgiving is heavy and the price may never be known. So, go to bed each night with forgiveness on your lips and in your heart. Let God carry the burden to carrying out justice if it is needed. That’s not my monkey or my circus, so I personally refuse to demand that God let me do His job. What a presumptuous thing that would be!

Not Destroyed

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

I have been reading the Book of Job and have discovered many spiritual nuggets there that are profound in their simplicity. Although Job’s friends missed the mark in their advice, sometimes what they say has a tiny little sliver of truth that can be extrapolated and is certainly useful to hold onto. I think of the friends who gave Job unsolicited advice, Elihu is my favorite. Here is one of the things he says:

Read that verse several times as I did. It is absolutely awe-inspiring to realize how powerful God is. He made the earth and all that is in it, sustains life on earth, sends storms, keeps the seas within its boundaries, and even numbers the hairs on our heads. Through all that we do to show that we desire our independence from God, He continues to be just and righteous and does not just wipe us out with one word. He could, but He doesn’t because His love is more powerful than His anger at our sin. A day is coming when this earth will be destroyed and all that is in it, and God will be totally justified in His wrath-filled judgment. In the meantime, He gives us His Word, with verses like this to remind us of His grace and mercy.