Category: Admonition

Ready to Fight

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture3 Comments

At any given moment, we may be expected to defend our faith to others. I have generally found that when someone is asking me a question about my faith, it is not usually because of their genuine curiosity, but rather in order to mock or deride my beliefs. Nevertheless, God wants us prepared because we never know whose heart and lives may be touched by our answer.

One thing that keeps returning to my mind as I go out into the world each day (and I consider the whole world a battleground these days) is that the victory is God’s, not mine. I am a tool in His hands, not the only tool He uses and probably not the best one, but a tool, if I am only willing.

When Joshua was getting ready to go into Jericho and defeat it for the Lord, He met up with a spiritual being.

The commander of the army of the Lord is right there with Joshua. He would not have noticed him if he had not looked up. He didn’t immediately recognize him as friend or foe, but once the man identified himself, Joshua bowed in reverence and asked for the message that God had for him. How often have we faced insurmountable odds or people who present themselves as enemies and we forget to look up and recognize that the commander of God’s army is right beside us? We never go into battle alone!

God is the One who fights for us and He is the One who brings victory. We are expected to show up for battle, ready, with the sword of His spirit as our stalwart weapon. But we can know in advance that God goes with us, before us, beside us and behind us. He fights the battle as we, in obedience, go into a world that is increasingly anti-Christian. We don’t need to fear what the enemy can do to us; rather, we need to be praying for the souls of those we encounter because God will not always be mocked before He takes final action against them.

Our “horses” are ready when we have prayed, hidden God’s Word in our hearts and received the command from our Commander-in-Chief to “go.” His Word goes with us, His victory is assured. After all, the Lord’s army surrounds us, if we will only open our eyes to see.

Keep Practicing

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, testimony, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Daily Refresh, YouVersion Bible App, 3-07-25

When someone is training for a job—any job—they must eventually make the shift from studying to practicing.

The apostle Paul knew how important such a transition was, which is why—even while confined to a Roman prison—he recorded the following words for the believers in Philippi, Greece:

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬

Paul had taught them. Paul had trained them. Paul had loved them. And that’s why, from the isolation of a jail cell, Paul empowered them to live out what they’d learned.

Jesus, too, was passionate about His followers not just trying to look good or to sound good, but to do good—with a heart that genuinely wanted to glorify God. James, the half brother of Jesus, also wrote about not just listening to the Word, but doing what it says.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 
James 1:22-24 ESV

It’s one thing to know about something, but it’s an entirely different thing to put that knowledge into practice. 

The peace of God is a gift that He gives us. It’s something we experience as we draw near to Him by living in a way that honors Him. If we know His will but don’t do anything about it—that shows that we don’t really want to honor God. But if we do His will, then our actions illustrate that our identity is rooted in Christ. And our closeness to Christ allows us to experience His peace. 

Doing the will of God—not just learning about the will of God—unleashes the peace of God. 

So today, study what Paul taught and modeled (which is ultimately what Jesus taught and modeled). And then, ask yourself: “What is God teaching me about Himself, myself, and other people? How can I apply His teachings to my life?”

My Thoughts

I was never one to practice sports since I have had asthma my entire life. So, I didn’t practice any kind of ball or cycling or anything in order to perfect it. However, I did practice teaching for over thirty years. I still say I was practicing at my profession because I kept learning new ways to reach students. I saw through the years that not two students were exactly the same and all of them had unique strengths that I had to discover and help them to use wisely.

When I started my teaching career, there was a part of it called “practice teaching” or “student teaching.” In this part of my college program, I was supposed to be under the mentorship of an experienced teacher who would show me through her skills and techniques how to be a good, effective teacher. I had finished all of my coursework early and was eager to start my new career, so I signed up to do my student teaching during summer school in northern Virginia. The only problem with that scenario is that instead of having a mentor, the school system put me by myself into the classroom, no guidance, no hand-holding, none of what was supposed to be happening. My “mentor” was teaching French down the hall and I was alone teaching Spanish to first year students who had failed the class during the regular school year but were somehow supposed to learn enough to pass a year’s worth of work in a few months. I learned by doing, that’s for sure! My college professor/supervisor came to speak with me regularly. He was normally supposed to come every few weeks but he was arriving several times a week, knowing that I was on my own and might be having some problems. I don’t recall having a lot of difficulty, just a lot of questions that by the time we sat down to talk about what was going on, I was too overwhelmed to ask anything. I got stellar reviews and a great grade on my student teaching performance and the school system got a free summer school teacher. This is not what practice teaching is supposed to be like, and I don’t recommend it, but I did survive it.

Having said all that, I want to make sure you understand that you can learn by jumping headlong into things without practicing with someone wiser and more knowledgeable, but I don’t suggest it. There were a lot of gaps I found missing as I got into the profession itself, gaps that should have been covered when I was practicing. God doesn’t want us to have gaps in our walk with Jesus. He wants us to know exactly the road He wants us on and how to travel it, by reading His Word and following His example. Watch, listen and learn. Then do…that is what practice is. And when you get really good at it, you can then teach others what you have learned by being a good Christian example for them to follow.

Follow the Leader

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture3 Comments

Most of us have at one time played the childhood game of “Follow the Leader.” We did all kinds of crazy things because that’s what the leader was doing. Did you know that we are still following a leader? We have to be in tune with the Spirit of God to know where He is leading us, but He will always be there to guide us if we let Him.

When the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness, they encamped or moved based on what the Lord was telling them to do with His presence. When He moved, they moved. But if He did not move, they stayed right where they were for however long He stayed there. I think sometimes we get ahead of God. He is supposed to be leading but we get tired of waiting and move ahead of Him. That’s when we can get into real trouble!

If we get ahead of God, we are stepping into the realm of the flesh. We are going by our feelings, our own desires or our impatience to get things moving along. God warns us to be in tune with His Spirit so we don’t fall into the trap of the flesh. I cannot tell you the number of times that I thought God was delayed and needed my help in carrying something out. This is not a new thing. Remember Sarah “helping God” by giving Abraham her maidservant Hagar to have a child? There are many examples in the Bible of people not waiting for God but trying to lead instead of following.

The words “keep in step” really stood out to me here. I am not supposed to walk ahead of the Spirit, acting like the leader I am not supposed to be. Nor should I fall so far behind Him that I cannot see the way He is leading me. I am to keep in step with Him, creating a rhythm together of moving closer to God and His plan for my life.

Share the Hope of Jesus

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

YouVersion Bible App: Daily Refresh

The Mission of the Church

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he spent 40 days on earth ministering to people and preparing His disciples for life without Him. Jesus planned on leaving earth and ascending to heaven, but before doing so, He gave His disciples a mission found in Matthew 28:19-20. We often call this mission The Great Commission.

The Great Commission begins with getting up and going to places where people need to hear about the good news of Jesus. This doesn’t mean you have to leave your country—there are people in your own neighborhood and workplace that need to hear the hope of Jesus.

The ultimate goal of the Great Commission is to make followers of Jesus. So as we go about sharing the good news of Jesus with people, we’re to show people how Jesus has changed our lives, and invite them to discover Jesus for themselves.

Jesus also instructs us to baptize new believers. Baptism is a symbol of someone’s incorporation into the family of God. It is their public display of their new faith in Jesus. Baptism is such an important part of the Christian life that Jesus made sure to include it in our mission.

It can be easy to think that making disciples and baptizing believers is the responsibility of our church pastors and ministry leaders. While those things certainly are part of every church’s mission, Jesus intended for every believer to be making disciples.

So take a moment to think about someone in your own life who helped you grow spiritually. Ask God to bring to mind someone you can help and disciple. Then, allow God to give you the courage to share the hope of Jesus with those around you.

My Thoughts

Chances are good that you did not just decide one day to become a Christian. Someone (a neighbor, a friend or a relative, or even a total stranger) sowed a seed in your life and God brought it to fruition. Where would you be today without Jesus in your life? I don’t even want to think about that possibility and I am so thankful for a new neighbor who made it her mission to tell as many people as possible about the saving power of the Lord. I was one of those people whose lives Verna touched for eternity. When you give money or food to the poor, that will help them for a little while. But when you sow a seed for Jesus, you could me affecting their forever destination. God didn’t ask us to make sure that everyone is saved. He just told us to go and tell. Is there someone you can tell today about what Jesus did and is still doing in your life? Pray and tell. Pray that the seeds you sow will fall on fallow ground. The salvation Jesus provides is not meant to be a well-kept secret…go and tell so that others may know.

God Is Worthy

On By vickleaIn Admonition, promises, Scripture2 Comments

Each of us is a special creation by God, made uniquely for a purpose that only we can fulfill. The people in my life are not the same as those in yours. The places I go are not the same either. Thus, the lives I touch with the message of God’s great love and forgiveness are different than yours. God gave us a great task to complete, to tell all about His Son. He will carry out His purpose in the world with or without our cooperation, but if we get in step with God’s plan, we are showing God that we trust His plan and that we want to be a part of it. I need to pray daily about what God wants me to do that day to fulfill the reason He created me. Some days, it’s a simple act of kindness. Other days, He puts specific people on my mind that I should pray for or contact. Every day, I have to be open to hear His direction, or as I call them, my daily marching orders.

The message we share with the world is a simple one. God showed, God sent, we live.

Have a blessed and fruitful day!

Helping the Poor

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture1 Comment

What Does the Bible Say About Poverty?

What does the Bible say about faith in the context of giving? About God’s heart for the poor?

The Bible is rich in wisdom about God’s love for people living in poverty — and about our responsibility to help. We love the way Jesus showed us how to care for vulnerable and marginalized people. Reflect on these Bible verses about giving and pray for children, families, and communities in need. Here’s what the Bible says about poverty.

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIV)

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)

“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
Proverbs 22:9 (NIV)

“And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Isaiah 58:10 (NIV)

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14:13–14 (NIV)

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6–7 (NIV)

In reflecting on what the Bible says about faith, let these Scriptures on giving guide our actions and hearts toward compassion and generosity.

My Thoughts

I prefer to give the poor a “hand up” instead of a “handout.” I am firmly ensconced in the middle class and have been in this social position for most of my life. I have never had to go without necessities, nor have any of our children. But I have seen poverty up close and it is not a pretty sight. When my husband and I were gifted with money from my deceased aunt, we used it to take the trip I had dreamed about since I was a teen and we went to Spain. Part of the tour we were in had an excursion to Morocco. There on a hill overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen was a huge palace, spread out on several city blocks and a gleaming white that seemed to say, “look at me.” But just outside of the palace there were so many poor people, dressed in rags and begging for whatever you could give them. I was struck by the great disparity in wealth here that was so prominent that no one could miss it. The king enriched himself and seemed to have built a showcase home to boast about himself. I was outraged that such poverty like this could even exist in a county that has the kind of riches displayed by the king. But I should not have been surprised since I saw the same kind of poverty in Guatemala when I went on a missions trip there as well as in every large city I have visited. I wish that there were a solution to poverty, but the only solution I know is when God lifted up poor Lazarus and condemned the rich man who did not help him. We need to have the Lord’s eyes for the poor and see them as people just like ourselves who may have made some wrong choices and as a result they are homeless, impoverished and without hope. The hope that we can offer is not just monetary; we offer them a hope for eternity if we will just speak up and truly give them a “hand up” towards heaven.

You Version Daily Devotional, The Power of Stillness

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

The Power of Stillness

We’re busy people.

Between work and home, family and friends, full schedules and unending tasks, it’s tempting to hurry through our days without even stopping to look up. 

But, speaking through the psalmist, God said: 

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

When was the last time you were intentionally still (and not just when you were sleeping)? When was your body and mind quiet enough to acknowledge that God is God? 

Regardless of the past, what will you choose today? You can close this app, check “time with God” off your to-do list, and continue on with business as usual. Or, you can allow the knowledge and truth of God to bring peace to your restless heart.

There’s something about stillness that compels us beyond ourselves. There’s something about stillness that heightens our awareness of and need for God. 

It’s one thing to acknowledge God with our words, but another to put Him above every other good, bad, and distracting thing in our lives—to live in a way that honors and magnifies Him.

There will come a day when, ready or not, God will reveal Himself fully. There will come a day when, willing or not, every secret will come to light. There will come a day when, like it or not, He will be exalted above the nations and honored throughout the world. 

But you don’t have to wait to worship Him. You don’t have to wait to call Him your God. You don’t have to wait to make Him the Lord and King of your life.

You can be still —right now—and know that He is God.

My Thoughts

When I listened to the daily refresh this morning, the lady speaking said something that really spoke to me. She said that being still isn’t just a passive action, waiting for God to move. Rather, it is active, trusting that He will act. For me, it is knowing that God’s answer is just exactly what I will need, although it may not be what I wanted. God, our Creator, sees everything about our lives and answers according to what we truly need, not just for the present but for the future that we face. It gives me hope and comfort to know how totally trustworthy God is.

Imitating God

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, testimony1 Comment

I used to watch the people that I admired closely so that I could be more like them. One particular person comes to mind immediately. My high school Spanish teacher was Sra. Mary Smith. She was my teacher for four years and I learned some important lessons by watching her. I learned to look for the good things students were doing and praising them for that before I offered any criticism or instruction. I learned to smile no matter how challenging a day was, with a smile that I hoped others would see sparkling from my eyes. And I learned that the louder students got, the softer I should speak. Those were important lessons for me to learn, especially since Sra. Smith is the teacher who encouraged me to study languages and I became a Spanish teacher for over thirty years myself.

These days my focus is more about wanting to be more Christ-like, so I am learning to imitate God. How do I do that?

I try to do good for others, as much as I can. I want other people to see proof that God lives inside me. I may be the only representative of God they see that day. Children imitate what they see and hear. Go to a grocery store, for example, and listen to the words children say. If a bunch of expletives come out of a small child’s mouth, it is imitation of what they have heard. The child needs to be corrected (not by a stranger, of course), but the behavior doesn’t change unless the source that they are imitating changes. Whether they are imitating words from the TV or from the parents, they are saying what they have heard repeatedly.

As Christians we are being trained daily to speak and act as the Father does. The only way to do that is to spend time with Him, praying, worshipping and reading and studying His Word. We don’t become more like Christ by watching TV or (alas!) by reading books that are not the Bible. My priority time each day is spent with God. Am I succeeding? Well, some days more than others, to be honest. But I am trying every day and God rewards my efforts with a peace that I can’t explain and by answering prayers that may seem small to others, but they are big to me because they show how faithful to details God is if we are watching for His hand at work in our lives.

My prayer for each of my readers is that you will strive to imitate Christ because even if we are not aware of it, others are watching us and may want to be more like us. Let’s be the good example for them to follow and let’s lead them to be more like Christ, not more like our worldly selves.

Growing or Withering

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture2 Comments

Many of us who are Christians have come to the realization that the process of being more like Christ is one that takes time, a daily choice to follow Him and to be more like Him. In a world of instant oatmeal, coffee and fast food places on every block, a relationship with Jesus is not something we can just pick up one day and say it’s done. Like a baby plant, it has to be watered, nurtured and coaxed to flower.

We grow by feeding ourselves from God’s word and by spending time with Him daily, praying and worshiping.

We also grow by establishing relationships with other Christians in church. I am glad today is church day. I have been awake since 3:30 a.m. and I am tired, but I am excited about seeing my brothers and sisters in Christ, sharing words of encouragement with them and helping one another to grow. Fellowship is an important part of growing as we hold each other up and don’t allow one another to wither.

I hope you have a blessed Sunday and take time to grow closer to God today.

🌷

Leading or Being Led?

On By vickleaIn Admonition, promises, Scripture1 Comment

Throughout life, we make choices. One of the most important ones, of course, is to accept the free gift of salvation and enter into the promise of eternal salvation. But God doesn’t save us and immediately take us to Heaven. Instead, we are left here on earth to do the work of He who died for us and to follow Him where He leads.

I have been reading the story of the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. A lot of things have caused me to ponder but none more than the fact that God led them. They didn’t tell God, “Yeh, we have the map. We know where we’re going, so follow us.” God led them, on a circuitous route to be certain, but on the way He wanted them to go so that they could learn the lessons He needed them to learn.

God does the same for us. He will lead us as surely as He led the Israelites, away from sin and closer to our Promised Land, closer to Him. We have a tendency to get impatient and want to strike out on our own. Like an untamed horse, we don’t want a bridle or reins to guide us. Or like a toddler, we say to God, “I can do it myself.” But when we try and fail, we end up turning back to the place where we started and starting again. God is the leader, and we are not.

How do you know where God is leading you? You train yourself to listen and to hear His voice. He is as close as our next prayer, waiting for us to be still enough to hear Him. Instead, we have the television on or the music blaring from our device. The ads tell us we need a certain product, so we either rush to buy it or put it on our list of things to look for. Who’s leading us in these times of overwhelming noise? God is the leader, if we will listen for His voice to tell us the direction to go in.

I am short and getting shorter, and my stride has never been long. Often, I accuse my husband of not even realizing I am fallen far behind him because his stride is longer and his pace is brisk. I tell him that if I fall, he won’t even know it unless I shout out because he stays so far ahead of me. I like this verse because it reminds me that the Holy Spirit never walks too fast for me; rather, He walks with me every step of the way. He is there to help me to follow the Father, the leader of my life.

I am sure everyone reading this remembers playing the childhood game of “Follow the Leader.” The position of leader was held in esteem because they were the one who had us crawling on the ground, going down slides and swinging from monkey bars. God is the leader of our lives, always, if we give up the position of wanting to lead for ourselves or letting other people lead us. We can go astray; others may lead us astray. But God leads us in the way He wants us to go so that we will learn the lessons He needs us to learn. I am being led by a loving Father who knows what is best for me, and I hope that you are, too. This is not a once and done choice but a choice I make daily, to be still before God and find out His marching orders for me for that day.