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Category: Scripture
From the Holy Bible
God Is in Control
In my daily struggles with moving around and just living, I find myself talking myself into doing things. I’m sure you know what that is like. I say to myself, ”Self, it’s only a few steps so you can do it. You just have to balance yourself and move forward.” I also find myself talking to God and asking Him to help me remain upright. Before my feet touch the floor in the morning, I am already expressing my dependence on God to help me get up and moving.
I go to a lot of different specialists, but never have I entertained the thought that they are the answer to all of my problems. They PRACTICE medicine, but God IS our help. He made me and He can fix me, and if He doesn’t, then He will help me keep on keeping on in this earthly frame. I appreciate the doctors and their attention to details and their advice, but ultimately, God is my source of strength and healing.
The battle is always the Lord’s, whether it is in your marriage, for your children, in your neighborhood or for the world. I think sometimes that I am fighting this battle all alone, but then God reminds me of the scriptures where angels were all around, just not visible to the servant until God showed them to him. As the Bible says, “we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.” Can you imagine their jubilation when we make the right choices and persevere instead of turning away in frustration?
This is the lesson that God is bringing to my mind frequently these days. I just need to be still. God will give the doctors wisdom and give me peace. God will fight the battles. God is my help, all the time and in every situation.
I am sure many of you are facing temptations, battles and maybe even an uncooperative body as I am. God is all we need during this time. Praying friends help. But they aren’t the answer. Attending church and hearing the wise words of the pastor and leaders help, but that is not the answer. All of these things contribute to our waiting, but they don’t provide the source of life that we need to press into. Only God has the final answer…He always gets the final word in our lives if we are just still and waiting. I’m not going to pretend that waiting is easy because it isn’t. But I have found through decades of serving the Lord that waiting for God’s answer is worth it since His answer is the only one that will actually help and carry me through to the end.
May God bless and keep you close to Him as you persevere and wait.
The Cost of Inflation and Free to All
I must first confess that I took two economics courses in college, neither of which I understood very well or enjoyed at all. But I am watching gas prices rise and paying more for groceries, so I know that prices have increased but my retirement pay has not. That means I have to be a much more aware shopper and buy things on sale or look for bargains in different stores. Here is what I found online about prices:
Please don’t ask me to expound on any of these diagrams because I just don’t have the knowledge to do so. I can tell that these charts indicate an upward trend, with some falling somewhat but perhaps prices not being passed on to the consumers (us). This kind of information can be mind-boggling and somewhat discouraging at times. But, you know what price has never changed?
SALVATION!!!
Jesus paid the price for our salvation once and for all and his sacrifice is not affected by oil prices, the stock market or even wars. It has always been free for those who accept it.
Free!
If you were driving by a gas station and saw the word FREE on the marquee, you would probably drive right in and get in line for your free tank of gas. So, why do we hesitate to accept the free gift of salvation from a God who only wants our best and loves us so much? I don’t know why, but I do know that today is the day to accept the free gift of God’s grace and mercy and there is no line to wait in, no interest to be charged and the cost is the same today as it was yesterday and even years ago. The cost is your willingness to confess your sins and accept Jesus as the Savior who gave His all so that you could have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. No gimmicks, tricks or sleight of hand. Free with Jesus is exactly what it says…free!
So, the next time you are driving by a gas station and gasp at the price or rolling a cart around a grocery store carefully choosing items that are in your budget, remember to thank Jesus that He never has and never will raise the cost you pay for eternal salvation. Free to you and to me and to all who call upon His name! Good news, isn’t it?
Near to God
I have been pressing into God lately, mostly because of life changes but also because I want a closer relationship with Him. I have had some physical challenges lately that have let me know that I need to depend on God or I just won’t make it through all of this.
This scripture is comforting to me…He is already near me when I call. He is not a distant God that I have to yell to be heard. He is right there all the time whenever I want to talk to Him.
Talking to God is like second nature to me. The doctor says my spine might collapse so I can’t lift over five pounds. I talked to God. The same doctor says that I have a better than average chance of breaking my hip in the next year, especially if I fall. So, before I get up to walk around, I talk to God and ask Him to keep me upright and stable. My neurologist is sending me to a neurosurgeon because he says that I need spine surgery. You better believe I am talking to God about this one! In fact, I think God and I have a constant conversation going and instead of this being odd or new, it is actually commonplace. I used to talk to Him a lot about our children and their needs and my problems disciplining them. They are all grown, and now I am older, so most of my conversations deal with medical issues that God knows about but that I need to address the issue to the only One who can truly help me persevere.
I hope and pray that you have daily conversations with God, all day long, just as if your best friend were there in the room with you. He is God and He is to be adored and praised and lifted up. But He is also the friend who is close by and also available when I call out to Him for wisdom, relief from pain or safety as I walk from room to room. I really enjoy talking to God because I can be honest with Him and tell Him anything, including that I am unhappy with the situation, even as I ask Him for His grace to get through it. Tell God what you’re thinking and then step out of His way so He can work in your life. He is as close as your next breath and He desires to bless you and to let you know how much He loves you.
Sunday Worship
Postscript for moms
Have a blessed and Happy Mother’s Day!
Is God Your Crisis Manager?
We were called to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father, but some of us treat Him as though He is our personal and sometimes effective crisis manager. What is a crisis manager anyway? That’s the person within a business structure who prepares for and makes “quick and informed decisions” in order to mitigate damages during an unforeseen crisis. (Wikipedia) This person is paid for his skills in managing crises in order to keep the unexpected event from affecting the business in a damaging way. In treating God like a crisis manager, I think many wait until the unexpected thing happens in their lives and then expect God to stop whatever He is currently doing and immediately address their issue in a way that would have a satisfactory outcome for them. In other words, they want to tell God what to do and when to do it in order to fulfill their expectations of what and who God is supposed to be in their lives.
I have said it before and I will say it again. God is NOT a genie in a box at our beck and call for when we decide we need Him. He is our Heavenly Father who desires an everyday, in every way, relationship with Him. Having a good day? Tell Him and praise Him. Having a so-so day? Tell Him, talk to Him about what is making it not so great and praise Him. Having a bad day? Tell Him you need His help making it through the day and praise Him. God helps in crises, but His primary focus is being with us all the time, whether we are calling on Him constantly or not. If the only time I spoke to my husband was when there is something that I want him to fix right away, we would not have a relationship but a business contract or something similar. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to enter a business contract with God. I am in a covenant relationship with Him instead and that is so much better. We limit God when we try to make Him our crisis manager. We only want Him to come around when bad things are happening and we want His intervention. God is omnipresent, always there. He is omniscient, all knowing, and He is always loving and faithful. He wants what is best for us whether we agree with Him about what is best or not.
I appeal to you all that you form an ongoing relationship with God, one in which He is your “all in all” and that includes your crisis manager because you have established a relationship with Him. So, is God your crisis manager? I hope so, but He is so much more if you will allow Him to be your Father who created you and loves you more than you can ever understand.
Not An Exclusive Club
Calling Out for Rescue (Daily Refresh, 5-07-26)
Do you remember a moment—maybe dramatic, maybe quiet—when you realized you needed help? Not just a little assistance, but rescue?
Romans 10:13 gives us this promise: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
These words were written by the apostle Paul to the people in Rome, explaining how anyone can begin a relationship with God. Just before this verse, Paul describes trusting in Jesus—believing in Him and calling out to Him. There are no prerequisites, no religious background, no good behavior, nothing else required. It is about turning to God and asking Him to save.
At its heart, this verse is about calling out for help—admitting a deep need, a need you cannot solve yourself. And it’s about trusting that God hears and responds.
This promise is for every person.
In God’s eyes, there are no insiders or outsiders, and no one is too far gone. There is a Rescuer available to all—and His name is Jesus.
Maybe you can look back and see a time in your life when you called out to God, and He answered. But so often, there is more to the story. God loves to use people to accomplish His will. Did someone share God’s hope with you, or encourage you? Did someone show you kindness or point the way forward?
There are so many who don’t yet know about this wonderful promise of God. They don’t know that there is a Rescuer, offering salvation and new life.
This message of hope is meant to be shared. You can be the one to share it. And it can be as simple as saying: There is someone who cares and is able to save you. This promise is real. And it is for you.
Who in your life might be one step away from calling out for help? Will you take a step of faith today and share the hope you’ve found in Jesus?
My Thoughts
I used to think that being a Christian was an exclusive club for those who were “good enough” to be accepted by God. Then, my neighbor shared with me the truth of the gospel message, gave me a NLT Bible to read and shortly after reading the book of John, I prayed and gave my life to the Lord. I remember being on the floor in the bedroom of my small apartment. I didn’t know what to say or how to talk to God, but I just told Him that I needed Him in my life and wanted to accept His free gift of salvation. The next morning when I saw Verna (my neighbor), I shared with her what had happened. She hugged me, prayed with me and invited me to church. Thus began a lifetime of praying and talking to my Heavenly Father.
But life with God is a journey and a commitment. When I accepted His mercy and grace, I also committed to be a soldier on the battlefield of life, to help others to recognize the truth that I had found. I try every day to share a word from God on my social media pages. I give encouragement and tell others that God is in control. I don’t think I am doing enough, but I am doing something.
I would love for you to share your testimony with me, the person or people who introduced you to Jesus as your Savior, whatever you want to share. In addition, please think of several people with whom you can share that testimony personally and make a difference in how they see God. Someone cared enough about you to sow a seed in your life. May you go forth in joy sowing seeds in the lives of others. Being a Christian isn’t an exclusive club…it’s for everyone!
An Urgent Call
Imagine that you are enjoying a relaxing evening at home when your phone disrupts the silence and your good mood. The call comes up as “Unknown” but you are curious about who would be calling after nine at night, so you answer. It’s the hospital calling. Your beloved grandmother has been admitted and is being diagnosed with a probable stroke. The nurse on the other line says that it’s imperative that you come quickly if you want to talk to her because her condition is critical. What do you do? I have to believe that you rush to get ready and go to the hospital as soon as possible. After all, your grandmother is precious to you and you want to see her, tell her you love her, perhaps spend her last minutes on earth with her.
Now, imagine the same scenario but this time it’s Jesus calling you. He tells you about someone, a stranger to you, who really needs to know Him as Savior before He is called home. The Lord tells you exactly where to go and that the need is urgent for you to go quickly. When you protest that you don’t know what to say, the Lord tells you that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say, but you need to go quickly. Do you think it’s a prank call and hang up, or do you follow the instructions, get ready to go and head to talk to a stranger about Jesus and His gift of salvation?
We all think that we know what we would do, but do we really? Are we answering the call daily to tell someone about the Lord? Every person is just as precious to the Lord as your loved ones are to you. Every. Single. Person.
The stranger to you may be a seeker to the Lord, the person who is unsure to whom to turn to find the answers, but he wants to know who can help him out of the mess he has made of his life. Maybe the person Jesus sends you to is a neighbor, a friend, a coworker or a boss. The need is no less urgent because you know them. How many people do we see every day, assume that they are okay and pass out of their lives and onto our busy routine? My guess is dozens, perhaps more. Which of those people will you share the gospel with?
As I look around at all that is happening in the world, I cannot help but think that Jesus must surely be coming soon. I am not prophesying, and I don’t know when He will come. I do know that we are always supposed to be ready. And one of the ways we get ready is to take as many people with us as we can by sharing the message that Jesus has given us to share. We are called. We have a choice to hang up and continue as though the call never happened or we can answer it and heed what Jesus says to do. The call for reaching out to the lost is an urgent one. Jesus loves…He gave everything. Can you take a few minutes of your time, step out of your comfort zone and share the gospel with someone that the Lord puts on your heart this week?
A New Heart
A New Heart (Daily Refresh, 5-02-26)
When someone needs a physical heart transplant, it’s desperately serious. Their heart is failing and, left on their own, that person will physically die.
But there is hope—the possibility of a new heart. However, in order to get a new heart, a good and capable surgeon is essential. More importantly, in order for that person to live, somebody else must die. The failing heart is then replaced with a thriving heart, and abundant life is once again possible.
In the same way, when someone needs a spiritual heart transplant, it’s desperately serious. The heart is failing and, left on their own, that person will spiritually die.
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Ezekiel 36:26 NLTGod is our good surgeon, and Jesus gave His life for yours. He takes your insufficient efforts and replaces them with something better. But to receive His abundant life, you must humbly ask for His help. You must allow Him to do surgery on your heart. You must surrender what is dying and trust Him with your life.
Maybe the thing that needs to die is a habit that’s impacting your life. Maybe it’s an unhealthy relationship, or guilt and regret over your past. Maybe it’s an attitude of pride or insecurity.
Whatever it is, Jesus wants to take the broken and failing parts of your heart and replace them with something completely new and life-giving.
As you process today’s verse and what God is capable of doing, ask yourself:
Do I trust Him—really trust Him—with the details of my life? Am I willing to let Him do “surgery” on my heart and show me a better way to live?
My Thoughts
Several years ago when I had to change to a new nephrologist because my former doctor retired, I met with the doctor for the first time and he was very kind, telling me the CKD stage I was in (3A) and telling me that we might have to talk about dialysis and a transplant sometime “down the road.” I told him then and I have the same opinion now. I don’t want to go on the transplant list because I am elderly and I have lived a good life, so I want someone young with a lot of years ahead of them to receive an organ that becomes available.
Then I read today’s devotional and I am happy to report that God is the surgeon for ALL who desire a transplant of a new heart. There is no list, no waiting, and the One who died for us already offered that sacrifice for everyone who trusts Him and accepts it. God did surgery on my heart many years ago. He continues to work on me, opening a valve up here and there that has been closed off because of my stubbornness or unwillingness to change. He wants me to be whole, with a new heart and a peace and trust in Him that never waivers. God’s transplant is for everyone, just as John 3:16-17 says.
I am thankful that there is no list and God doesn’t pick and choose who will be saved. The invitation is for everyone. Everyone…including you!
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 