ettingerwriting.wordpress.com/2025/07/25/mary-is-not-an-intercessor/
Please go to the original post and follow David. His insight into Biblical truths is worth your time and I think you will be blessed by it.
Author: vicklea
I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!
What Do You Love?
Saying you love something is part of the vernacular today. I hear people say that they love ice cream, chocolate, a sunny day, the sound of birds singing. So, what do you say that you love? A new perspective on this comes when you read what God loves. I recommend you read all of Psalm 33, and I will share a few verses here to get you started.
This is verse 5 but I will begin here since it states clearly what the Lord loves. He loves righteousness and justice. He loves those who are in right standing with Him, a creation that is performing as He created it. He loves justice, even when the world seems evil and dark. God loves justice, a standard that never changes. And look at the last line. His love never fails; the earth is full of His unfailing love. That’s why we can say we love things, people, places, because of all of the love with which God surrounds us.
I am overjoyed that we can trust everything God does and know that all of His Word is true. People may disappoint us, but God never will.
When we usually think of fear, it comes along with monsters or things that go bump in the night. But fear of God is an awe, a reverence for Who He is and What He has done for all of the earth. Revere is the action verb for the word reverence. Take a minute just to think about what revering God means in your life. Pause and picture yourself before His throne. How do you feel? What is your posture?
God watches all that we do, say and He sees all that we are. Now, go back to the verse above. He knows all, sees all and perhaps in spite of that, His love never fails.
I read this verse and turned it into a prayer for my morning. It definitely lends itself to saying it aloud to our Lord and Maker, the One who shows unfailing love and who loves righteousness and justice. Amen and amen.
Calling the Roll
I am an old school teacher, so I always kept a roster of my students in an attendance book and daily checked to see who was present. At the beginning of each school year, I had to call out each name and match it to the face, but by the end of the year, the process was much faster since I recognized who was there and who was missing just by looking around. Being a high school teacher, I often taught over 150 students a day, so the process was somewhat time consuming, class after class. But it was necessary since I was responsible for the location and safety of each child who was supposed to be in my class during each period.
That memory brings me to the scriptures today. One day, we will stand before the throne of God and a Book of Life will be opened. The roll will be called and we really want our names to be there; God is accounting for our presence, for our being where we are supposed to be.
It is cause for great rejoicing to have our names written in heaven because that means eternal life with the Holy One who loves us so much that He provided a way for us to be accepted there.
When Jesus acknowledges our names before the Father, we will be welcomed into our eternal home. That roll call is the one I want to be present and accounted for! Jesus paid the price, and we get the benefits.
There’s an old hymn that my grandmother used to sing that I hope you enjoy as well.
When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder-Alan Jackson
1 When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
—
Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
—
2 On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of his resurrection share;
When his chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]
—
3 Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun;
Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]
Our Battle
I hear a lot these days about the “culture wars” and I want to explore that idea today. According to Wikipedia (not a source I generally use, but it does have a better than adequate definition):
A culture war is a form of cultural conflict (metaphorical “war“) between different social groups who struggle to politically impose their own ideology (moral beliefs, humane virtues, and religious practices) upon mainstream society. Wikipedia
So, the social groups that are in conflict, in my opinion, are those who believe in Biblical moral values and those who do not. This is not a war that we can win with armchair politics and by always insisting that we are the ones on the right side. The right side, of course, is God’s side, but we win over others by being loving and kind, not by being vocally obnoxious.
Remember who our fight is against, and it’s not against other people or even what they believe. It is against Satan who has influenced them to remove God from their lives and be free of His restrictions. We end up pushing people away because what we usually expound on are the restrictions that they absolutely, positively must adhere to if they want to be a Christian. Pause and think about that. Did God meet you where you are or did He want you all cleaned up and totally presentable before He saved you?
We try to impose a standard on others that God did not impose on us. We want to see change first, but that comes gradually as one accepts the truth of salvation being a free gift. If change came immediately, we would all be perfect right after salvation and we know that’s not true! So, why do we expect others to change their social beliefs before they can become a Christian? Why do we strive to change the outward when God wants the heart and will work on the rest once He has it?
Dr. Denison had a great article in his forum today about the cancellation of Colbert’s show. Basically, he is spot on about the fact that we are each drawn to the media that supports the beliefs we already have. If I watch news shows (rarely), I tune to Newsmax or Jesse Watters on Fox. My husband prefers to watch BBC and CNN, both liberal channels because he wants to hear “what the other side is saying.” Dr. Denison has a point about the great divide between us all and I want everyone to think about who is causing that great divide. Hint: It’s NOT God!
Denison Forum-Colbert-July 22, 2025
I hope that I have given you food for thought and perhaps a desire to approach those who think differently than you in a whole new way. We are all sinners…some of us have been saved by grace while others still need to come to the Lord. But we are all sinners who should not be battling against each other but against the true enemy of our souls whose main purpose is destruction, not life.
Restoration from God
God Will Restore You (You Version Daily Refresh, 7-21-25)
Have you ever walked through a desert or been in a desolate area? If you’ve spent much time there, then you know how it feels to begin to grow weary or thirsty in an empty, overwhelming land.
The people of Israel often found themselves in the desert. They found themselves within seasons of desolation and abandonment. Over many years of being in the desert, they became exhausted and tired.
In the midst of one of those seasons, God began to speak promises to them through the prophets. God spoke prophecies about the future. He promised them that He would refresh them and satisfy them in the midst of dry and difficult seasons.
While we may not be Israelites walking through the wilderness, we still follow and walk with the same God who walked with them. And if we’re being honest, our spiritual lives can sometimes feel like walking through a dry desert. Some seasons of life are exhausting and difficult to persevere through.
But in the midst of those seasons, God continues to refresh and satisfy His people. He continues to uphold us when we are tired. He does these things for us because His character never changes. He is the same God who continually refreshes His people.
So if you currently feel tired and exhausted, take a moment today to sit with God in prayer. Tell Him exactly how you feel and what is going on in your life. Ask Him to refresh your soul and satisfy you if you feel weary and weak. Allow Him to refresh you and give you rest, and continue to build a habit of talking with God each and every day.
My Thoughts
When I first read the devotional today and the accompanying verse, Jeremiah 31:25, I pictured in my mind a very old table that my mother paid to have restored. Its original state was dinged, dented, scratched and scarred. It was not a table that my mom would ever have anyone sit down around because of its appearance. I saw the way it left the house and the way it returned was remarkable. The mahogany wood gleamed and the table looked brand new, not just restored. That, I feel, is what God does for me when I spend time with Him being refreshed. He takes all of my dings, dents, scratches and scars and smoothes them over with His love and tender care. Never have I gone before the Lord and honestly told him about my latest ding that He didn’t immediately comfort and give me wisdom about how to keep moving forward. He is restoring me daily with His Word and He will do the same for all who come to Him.
5 Minutes of Hope from dougdial
5minutesofhope.com/2025/07/20/are-you-a-longer/
Please to the original post and follow the author. He is a gifted poet and a daily encouragement.
The God Who Sees
Part of my blog today is from my devotional, “The Bible in One Year, 2025 by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel” from the You Version:
All this is by grace (vv.15,17,20–21). Allow these truths to sink deep into your heart. See yourself as God sees you – as righteous in his sight – and believe that, because of what Jesus has done for you, when God looks at you he is pleased with you.
Lord, thank you so much for the death of Jesus on my behalf. Thank you that although I deserve judgment and condemnation, you have made it possible for me to be justified and to receive the righteousness from God by grace as a gift.
God sees us as righteous, forgiven, loved by Him beyond anything we can comprehend.
Hagar was ready to just admit defeat for herself and her small son Ishmael. But God was right there and saw her and had a different plan.
How often are we ready to just give up, to admit that we cannot face the challenges of life any longer? I had a week like that. I don’t talk about it, but my husband is a hoarder which almost drives me crazy since I am an organizer bunny. I was getting ready this week for family to visit, and I do try very hard not to go into the back bedroom, the site of my husband’s “treasures” but I had to dust. I was so dismayed to find that he had decided to “clean out the closet” and other spaces by stacking things under the mattress of the bed. The bed now sits about three feet higher than the frame and I think it looks ridiculous, not to mention, slightly unsafe since it’s uneven. We had an argument about it and neither of us is happy with each other. I want the family members coming to be safe but also to not be overwhelmed by the sheer outrageousness of my husband’s collections. Newspapers, boxes, video tapes, plastic containers, etc. There is no reason for all of it…it just is. The whole hoarding thing has gotten worse since retirement and I have no solution. I cannot face it, but God can. He sees my frustration and discouragement. And he also sees my husband’s mental problems that cause the problem to begin with. So, what to do? I choose to submit to God, knowing that He sees me just the way I am and will help me once again get through this situation that seems to have no answer. I generally end up backing off and my husband has his way about everything, but I am so tired of that posture. I really want God to intervene, but His intervention may be that I change and not my husband. In the meantime, I feel somewhat like Hagar, in the wrong place at the wrong time and with no one to help me. But then, there is Jehovah Roi, the God who sees. I am blessed beyond measure by God who sees all and continues to love me.
The Power of the Gospel and the Need for Persuasion
Please go to the original post and follow. You will find lots to like about this thought-provoking blog that is frequently a call to action for Christians.
Unapologetically Pro-life
I am part of a family that swings both ways on the pro-life issue. Our daughter is pro-life as I am. Our oldest son is kind of, sort of pro-life, but with a multitude of exceptions that make him actually pro-choice. And our youngest son is unequivocally pro-choice, believing that the mother has the choice to terminate the pregnancy whenever she feels like it. Personally, I see no difference in abortion from sacrificing children to the pagan god Molech. No matter how you want to paint it to make it more acceptable, it’s still murder, in my opinion.
That being said, Dr. Denison had a good article about the topic today, so I am sharing it with you. I had no idea that the basics of reproduction were no longer being taught in schools, especially biology classes. I am thankful for those who are standing up for this small inroad into the large and wealth-producing abortion industry. Here is the link to the article, and if you scroll down in the article, there are additional links to pursue if you are interested.
How about you? I don’t understand how Christians who read their Bibles can be pro-choice, but there are many who profess that is their exact stance. Here is a second lengthy article about what the Bible says about abortion. This one made me really think about why I believe the way I do.
What the Bible Says About Abortion
I hate to say it, but I think I agree with former President Bill Clinton in that if abortion is absolutely necessary, it should be rare. In my opinion, abortion is a death and should be a reason to grieve, not to celebrate as some of its advocates do.
Excerpt from the second article:
Would abortion be a moral choice when a family is very, very poor—when they have fourteen children and another on the way?
That child was John Wesley.
What about a father who is ill and a mother with tuberculosis? Their first child is blind, the second is deceased, the third is deaf, and the fourth has tuberculosis. Now she is pregnant again.
Her son would be called Beethoven.
A white man rapes a thirteen-year-old black girl, and she becomes pregnant.
Her child is Ethel Waters.
A teenage girl is pregnant, but her fiancée is not the father of the baby.
Her baby is Jesus.
Also from this article is a quotation from Mother Teresa: “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”
My Final Thoughts
While I condemn abortion as murder, I do not say that those who have had an abortion are condemned without hope. Just like the rest of us, they can be sinners saved by grace. When we are discussing abortion, we need to be aware that there is a lot of pain involved in the lives of individuals who had walked down that road. Knowing that, we need to speak with love and show the same grace and mercy that our Father extends to us.
Review: Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard
About the Book
ISBN-13:9780800746155 Publisher:Baker Publishing Group Publication date:07/15/2025 Series:Hidden Bay , #2 Pages:352
Three years after her mother’s suspicious death, forensic artist Jo Cattrel is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder—and becomes a target.
More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect her—none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother’s death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.
As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide before the truth can be revealed.
My Thoughts
Forensic artist Jo Catrell has been in hiding since her mother’s sudden death. Now her biological father whom she calls “Pops” has warned her that she needs to disappear again, leaving Hidden Bay behind and finding a new place to hide. In her quest to find her dad and talk to him about her situation and why she is in danger, she immerses herself into even more danger when she witnesses a murder. Targeted and running from an unknown assailant, Jo is surprised that the man who teams up with her is her former boyfriend, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. When Cole disappeared from her life before, she never expected to see him again, but there he is, just in the nick of time and rescuing her from certain death. The danger is real, the secrets are buried deep, and together Jo and Cole set out to discover who wants her dead and why. The plot is complex, a web of lies and deceit that carried me along on the waves of total entertainment as I got wrapped up in riding that wave to the truth. I enjoyed the interactions between Cole and Jo as they discover a second chance at love, if she can just survive. The plot held me completely captivated as one layer after another about the past that killed Jo’s mom is exposed, with some surprising and tantalizing twists. This book kept me engaged in the story, cheering for the characters and really wanting to know who the villains were and what in the world they could want with a forensic artist who was totally ignorant of her past roots and the troubles that her parents unknowingly led to her safe place in Hidden Bay. The scene is perfect for the encroaching threats, with a wild and stormy sea along with a threatening storm all around Jo. The tone was one of intense danger and the need to know before her ignorance gets her killed. I especially enjoyed the characters from Storm Warning appearing in this book to offer assistance to Jo and Cole. It was good to read more about Remi and Hawk and the progression of their relationship. This book is compelling suspense, taut and unpredictable, but also enticing as the clues were laid out methodically by the hand of a master storyteller. With crisp writing, escalating tension and high drama, this book hooked me with the believable characters and the creeping dread that seemed to follow Jo everywhere. Perilous Tides can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the series in order and really enjoying the rich, descriptive details of Hidden Bay.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
About the Author
Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and two-time Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at https://elizabethgoddard.com/
Purchase Links
bit.ly/3HUt5M2 (Baker Book House)
bit.ly/40NSayD (Christian Book)
bit.ly/4nHA0Z8 (Amazon)
bit.ly/44mPdr7 (Barnes and Noble)
bit.ly/4eHPZm8 (Target)
bit.ly/4li9Fzl (Books-a-Million)
bit.ly/4kGkTNe (Audible)
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 