Category: God’s blessings

God Always Has a Plan

On By vickleaIn Admonition, God’s blessings, promises, Scripture, YouVersion App3 Comments

The Best Plans (Daily Refresh, YouVersion, 11-06-25)

Jeremiah 29:11 is a popular verse that’s often slapped onto journals, etched into coffee mugs, and printed on t-shirts.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And God does have a plan for you.
God does want to bless you.
God does want to give you hope and a future. 

But, we should also pay attention to the original context …

In this case, God was speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah—people who’d recently been exiled to Babylon for 70 years. 

The Jewish people were banished to a foreign land because of their insatiable appetite for sin. In fact, for 23 years Jeremiah had been warning them to stop rebelling against God or prepare to face the consequences.

God is patient, but He is also just. 

In other words, the Jews were sent to timeout. And as you can read in the preceding chapters, God made a case against His beloved people …

They’d exploited foreigners, orphans, and widows. They’d denied the rights of the poor. They’d refused to stand up for truth or obey God’s instructions. They’d murdered the innocent and committed adultery. They’d rejoiced in doing evil and their lives were ruled by greed. They’d even built pagan shrines, sacrificing their sons and daughters in the fires. It was a dark time. And yet, somehow, God’s mercy always extends to the darkest places on earth.

That’s why, just a few verses later, God said they could seek Him and find Him, and He would bring them back from captivity (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13‬-14).

That’s why he encouraged them—while in exile—to build houses, plant gardens, get married, have babies, and work for the peace and prosperity of their temporary home (Jeremiah 29:5-7).

He wanted them to know: He hadn’t forgotten them. He still wanted good for them. He still had plans to restore them.

God is serious about sin, but He’s just as passionate about redemption.

Though Jeremiah 29:11 was meant for a specific people at a specific time, God’s heart for the restoration of broken people is generationally timeless. 

Even when we feel stuck in the process, God still has a plan. 
We can put our trust in the God whose goal is always redemption.

My Thoughts

For many years, I took this verse out of context and applied it to my life personally. Then a good friend online who is also a Bible scholar corrected my assumptions and I stopped referring to this verse as one that points to God’s coming blessings. I appreciate this devotional because it gives the context and the fact that God does have a plan for each of us and that plan is our eternal redemption.

God is not planning to give us big houses, nice cars, and other worldly goods. After all, we cannot take those with us when we depart this life anyway. What He is planning for us is a new heart, one made of flesh and one that yearns to be close to Him. That is our hope and our future. The worldly things that we desire are fleeting. God’s plans for us are forever.

I’m thankful that God did not give up on Judah and He hasn’t given up on us either. As I read through their list of sins, I recognized that there are many that apply to people today. Many don’t stand up for truth because they deny that the Bible is the standard for all truth. They murder the innocent babies and call it “reproductive rights” and they commit adultery and call it “trying out marriage.” When I got to the part about pagan shrines, I almost stopped and said to myself that doesn’t apply. But doesn’t it? People today “worship” at the shrine of Apple, the latest electronic gadgets, a fancy Tesla or any other new and shiny purchase about which they can boast. I think our pagan shrine today is a worship of self and satisfying all of one’s desires, without regard to others who have little or nothing and need help just to eat every day. So, are we wicked? Yes, in every way. But God hasn’t turned His back on us and destroyed us…yet. Repentance is needed. We all need to turn and look to God for His plan of redemption and not for our plan of self-gratification. Nothing we give ourselves on earth is worth giving up eternity with God. Let’s put our hope in Him and count on a future with Him, forever.

God’s Will Be Done

On By vickleaIn Admonition, God’s blessings, Scripture, YouVersion App4 Comments

The Ultimate Guide (Daily Refresh, 11-05-25)

Have you ever faced something unexpected? Maybe it was a good surprise that brought you joy, or a heartbreaking tragedy that deeply affected your life. All of us experience moments in life that we don’t anticipate.

Even though unexpected things will happen, we still make plans and dreams for our lives. We make plans for our future—education, family, community, career, or specific relationships. But we can never fully plan for the unexpected, since we cannot know the future. We don’t even know what might happen in the next few minutes.

We learn in Scripture that God is all-knowing, which means He knows everything that will happen everywhere in the world. He has complete knowledge of every event and action that happens. More than that, He is also sovereign, which means He has ultimate authority and control in this world.

That means that even though we make our own plans, God is ultimately the one who directs our steps. He has the power to change the direction of our lives, to orchestrate details we can’t even fathom, and to guide us into what is best for us.

Take some time to think about the dreams and plans that you have for your life. Have you ever submitted those plans to God in prayer? This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make plans for your life, but rather, whatever you plan should not come before God’s plans for your life.

Take a moment to ask God to direct your steps. Ask Him to reveal any desires or plans that aren’t from Him. Submit your plans to God so that you’ll be open to following Him wherever He leads.

My Thoughts

One of the things that I used to say frequently was to not get too wrapped up in your plans because “we make plans and God laughs.” I have since changed my mind and decided that God doesn’t laugh at our plans. Rather, He gently rebukes us if we are headed in the wrong direction and then He turns us around. Sometimes, it feels as though all is going the wrong way, the way we did not plan for at all, but we have to remember that God is always, always in control.

The results of the election are a case in point. Why would God not allow a Christian woman who served honorably in the Marine Corps to be elected governor of Virginia? Why did we end up with someone who claims to be moderate but is actually so far left she is a proponent of making our state California East, with mandates about electric cars, gun control, transgenders and murder (also called abortion)? Why? The simple answer is “I don’t know.” To expound on that answer, I would add, “But God does.” He knows the future and if this election is a way to get our attention back on Him and to call attention to how ungodly we have become, how self-sufficient we are and how independent we want to be from God, then He has my attention, and I hope He has the attention of all of the God-fearing people in our nation. What other state elected to the office of attorney general a man who said he would murder someone and his children? New York City elected a socialist, someone who openly admits he is socialist and, in my opinion, lies about his respect for the Jewish people. So, all of that just points to God’s sovereignty. I never thought that Winsome Sears would be an easy winner. I voted, I prayed and then I left things up to God. Some say that God isn’t involved in politics. I am of the opinion that God is involved in everything in our lives and that includes who leads us.

The best advice in the devotional today was to go ahead and make plans, but then submit them to God. That requires a pause. We can’t make plans and then rush headlong into them, hoping that as we go God will bless them. First, we pause. That means wait for God to tell us is it’s a “go” or a “full stop” or a “not yet.” If we make plans without consulting the Lord, then we are destined for disappointment and/or failure. Yes, God in His love and mercy, allows us to carry out some of our half-baked ideas, but if they are not what is best for us, in that same love and mercy, He allows them to fail so we can turn around and go in the right direction. Our loving Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, but He also knows what is best for others and how our choices will affect them. We are not the only one in the Universe with whom God is concerned, much to our own consternation sometimes. We need to accept the fact that God sees everything, knows everything and our plans are better with His blessing beforehand rather than His reluctant permission afterwards. We may be able to steamroll past human obstacles to our plans, but God is not movable. We can’t steamroll Him or talk Him into things that aren’t good for us or even just choose to ignore Him. One way or another, He will get our attention when He wants it and we may not like the way that happens, especially if we are rebelling against His will for us.

That being said, just remember that God is not waiting to zap you and your plans so that they never come about. He just wants you to submit them to Him. Let Him add to your blueprints and see how much better the end product will be.

Mastering Fear

On By vickleaIn God’s blessings, prayer, Scripture, trust, YouVersion App4 Comments

I want you to notice a very important word that begins this verse, the conjunction “when.” The verse doesn’t say “if” but “when.” God knows that we will be afraid at some time in our lives and David encouraged us in this Psalm to put our trust in God when it happens. I liked what my devotional on the YouVersion told me this morning. Instead of letting fear become a master in your life, let it be a messenger to remind you to run to God.

Have you ever been really afraid? Since I spent a lot of time alone with my husband deployed, I was afraid a lot. Afraid of new places, afraid of being alone at night in a brand new home, afraid that I wouldn’t be able to handle taking care of the kids by myself. God addressed my fears by always, always, always being there for me. I think my greatest fear was when I had a stroke and was on my way to the hospital, strapped to a gurney in an ambulance with the paramedics talking to me and inserting various needles and other medical devices on me and in me. My husband wasn’t with me because the nurse hadn’t been able to contact him yet. So, I was afraid. I couldn’t move or speak, but I could pray. I couldn’t say words, but I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit praying for me and with me. In fact, one of the paramedics noticed my lips moving but no sounds were coming out and he told the other one that he thought I was praying. He was right! I was afraid and God knew it and was right there.

We can panic when we are afraid and try to distract ourselves with other activities or in ways that are not good for us. Or we can run to our Heavenly Father, knowing that He is right there and He is trustworthy. Let Him speak words of comfort and love when you are afraid. I know it sounds other-worldly to say that, but I have experienced God’s presence and His words of assurance more times than I can remember. That’s why I can tell you that He is real, He is concerned about you and your fears. He doesn’t say that He requires that we be fearless. Rather, He says WHEN we are afraid, we can put our trust in Him, the only one who is always there for us, who never leaves us and who knows what is best for us.

From the YouVersion Daily Refresh, 11-02-25

Infused with Faith, Grace and Mercy

On By vickleaIn Admonition, encouragement, God’s blessings, Scripture2 Comments

In the last decade, one of my specialists decided that since my bones are so thin, I needed a special medication to be infused into my system every six months. To obtain this “miracle medicine” as he called it, I had to get the insurance to approve it and then show up at the infusion center in his office, where I spent a half hour or so with an IV in my arm while I sat in a comfortable recliner. I followed that procedure for about five years. But my bone density test showed no improvement, my kidney kept declining and the medication was no longer safe or effective for me to use. So, the doctor told me that I need to be very careful not to break bones because they are so thin and I am so much at risk. Bottom line, the infusion of the “miracle drug” did not work in my body.

I have a niece who is diabetic and has been diagnosed since she was in primary school. She had to do finger pricks and insulin injections regularly until just last year when she got a fancy glucose monitor that checks her glucose levels and automatically administers the correct dose of insulin. I have no idea how it works, but I do know that she is much happier and more stable health wise with the monitor than her own personal checks.

My point with these illustrations is that if we allow ourselves to be, we can be hooked up to God twenty-four hours a day and receive all of the faith, grace and mercy we need all the time. Our responsibility is to stay “infused” with His presence so that we receive from Him what we need when we need it. We don’t receive too little or too much, but just the right amount to function with each day’s challenges.

How do we stay so connected to God? I’m glad you are still reading and want to know the answer. It’s actually very simple. Through His Word! God gives us all that we need every day, all day in His Word. Need encouragement? It can be found in His Word. Need wisdom to make a decision? Call on God and read His Word for the answers you need. Need comfort? Peace? Love? Everything we need is right there waiting for us, but we need to pick up our Bibles and use it. It is our infusion center, the place where we are most connected to God and from which we venture into praying to Him and seeking Him more in our lives. Like me going to the infusion center, I had to do my part and show up. The nurses then hooked me up to the IV and the medicine flowed in. Likewise, we have to do our part and show up daily to spend time with God. Then God, through the Holy Spirit, does His part and infuses us with the faith, grace, mercy and whatever other power we need that day to make it to the end of the day. One more analogy and then I will let you get back to the Word yourself. You don’t pull up to the gas tank at the service station, sit in your car and talk on your phone and then pull away from the tank without filling up. Your tank is still empty. You can’t go before God and just sit there. You need to be actively engaged in reading His Word and listening for His voice to speak through it. Infusion from God comes from those who are willing to allow God to work in our lives, not those who pull away because what is happening may be uncomfortable (truth often is). Stay there, fill up and then move into your day ready for whatever happens. After all, that is part of putting on the armor of God that I addressed in a previous post. (See Ephesians 6.) Since all things come from God and we live through Him, let’s start our day with an infusion of His power and presence.

I pray for each of you to be infused with so many good things from God that you can’t hold it in so it has to overflow to others! We are blessed to be a blessing!

Rising Above

On By vickleaIn encouragement, God’s blessings, Scripture, Song, worship1 Comment

Have you ever been on top of a mountain and stopped at an overlook? We don’t do that much anymore, but my husband and I and our children would pause from a long trip and just take in the view. It was refreshing to be out in the nice clean air and look at the clear sky above us and the beautiful farmland and houses scattered in the valley below us. From that perspective we didn’t see the troubles people were having, the traffic snarls or the billboards that interrupted God’s creation. We saw the beauty, the peace and the stillness that comes from rising above all of it and looking down. A totally new perspective! We would linger a few minutes, do some stretches and head back to the car to continue our journey. Our mood is better because we got to take a break from the stress of the long trip.

I think all of us need to take some time at various intervals in our lives just to rise above the circumstances that are plaguing our lives and get a new perspective. God isn’t bothered by the cacophony all around us, but we are. We need to rise above it and rest with Him, seeing things from the protection of His comforting arms and love.

What we oftentimes see as a disaster about to disrupt our entire lives ends up being a small thing instead. As I write this, I am thinking about the looming storm heading towards Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. They indeed have a disaster about to happen. I am praying that the people there will take refuge in God and that God will have mercy on them. I would like to hope that the storm will turn and go out to sea, but the prognosticators say this storm will hit the island directly and cause massive damage. I am saddened by the plight of this nation, but I know that this storm will pass as so many others have before it. It will leave destruction behind, or that is the expectation of a Cat 5 storm and helpers will appear to offer assistance and hope.

Meanwhile, we are safe in our homes, with gray skies perhaps and a storm raging in our hearts because of the circumstances in our lives. We may not have a hurricane barreling towards us, but there is always a storm somewhere waiting for a period of time when we leave the shelter of God’s protection and venture out on our own to find out what is happening in our world. My answer to that is “nothing good” so it is better to keep our eyes focused on God and stay sheltered by Him. Let the storms find us in the shadow of His wings, not running around looking for troubles. May God help us learn a lesson from the storms that others face and endure!

The lesson that I am still learning after weathering various storms in my life is that I cannot change the direction of the storm so that it changes the direction of its course, but I can change my attitude. It is in praise that I find my peace and security in God. If I look at the circumstances when I am in the middle of the storm in my life, I lose hope and begin to focus on the solutions that I can come up with in my finite mind. But when I focus on God, I have a new perspective. I rise above the storm and see things in a different way that I never expected to see. My attitude is changed from one of hopeless surrender to one of victorious expectation.

God is and always has been faithful. We change, wavering with the winds that blow into our lives. What we forget is that the winds will die down, but God will still be there, right there beside us, waiting for us to take shelter in Him. For many, that means quietly waiting before Him for an answer. For others, like me, it means singing through the storm and repeating scripture verses to help remind us of God’s faithfulness. God doesn’t change just because our circumstances do. He is always the same—always loving, always present, always ready to help us if we just try to rise above the circumstances and take time to be with Him instead of wallowing in our problems.

I was guided to a new-to-me song in my devotional this morning. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. It seems to be based on Psalm 57 and spoke to my heart about taking shelter in God and not in man-made, temporary solutions.

Shadow of Your Wings-Thrive Worship

May God bless you and keep you as you seek to rise above!

Believe

On By vickleaIn Characteristics of God, God’s blessings, Scripture1 Comment

The word “believe” is an action verb that means (according the the New Oxford American Dictionary) to accept something as true. I believe that the sky is blue and look up and can see that it is, at least when it isn’t raining. It is easier to believe in things we see, touch, and can hear. But what about the spiritual things? How do we get to the place where we can believe without doubting?

When Jairus came to Jesus for healing for his daughter, others came and told Jairus not to keep bothering Jesus since she had already died. Jesus’s reply was to “just have faith.”

An important part of believing in the Lord and His promises is to have faith. In the world where everything is instantly provided, or so it seems, we don’t like to wait. And faith is a hard thing sometimes when we persistently ask God for an answer and we haven’t seen one yet after weeks, months, even years. So, what do we do when we don’t get the answer we want when we want it? We continue to believe.

How do we do that? I don’t know what works in your life, but for me, I reflect on all that God has already done and keep repeating his promises. I remind myself that God doesn’t lie and if He said it, He will do it. It’s hard sometimes to stop whining and start praising, but that is exactly what we need to do. It builds our own faith and helps others to see Jesus in us. Instead of talking to God about what you don’t have yet, thank Him for what He has already done for you. Remember the song “Count Your Blessings” and do that!

We haven’t seen death yet and don’t know what happens when we die. Yet we who are Christians believe in life after death. Why do we believe in what we cannot see? Because God said it, He promised it and He fulfills His promises. In our lifetime, we see many changes, some good and some bad. Life is like a roller coaster ride of curves, twists and hills to climb. But God is right there with us, knowing that we can make it to the end of our race because He and the heavenly host are cheering us on. They believe in us…so we should also believe in the Father to do exactly as He has said. Again, how do we believe? And again, I say, count the promises that God has made to you in your life and already brought to pass. Build your faith on the firm foundation of His Word and His actions for you in the past. Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life.” He didn’t say that He was the resurrection for former believers, the heroes of the faith only and then stopped reaching out to people. No, He uses the present tense. Every day, we are saved from our sins. We were saved (when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior), we are being saved (as we walk with Him daily and believe His promises) and one day we will be saved to a new life, to live with Him eternally. Promises made, promises kept! (Politicians use this slogan to point out how good they are to the people, but the only One good who has kept all of His promises is God.)

Do you let God speak to you daily from His word? That’s where His promises are and that’s what helps you to believe. You can feed your faith by centering yourself on God’s word or you can feed your doubt by looking around at your world and all that is not right with it. Notice that the person in this scripture says he believes. What does he do just after his proclamation of belief? He worships. We need to spend time just adoring God for who He is, not just thanking Him for all He has done for us. He is the Creator of the Universe, yet He considered each of us important enough to send His Son to die for us. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, powerful and holy. Spend some time thinking about who God is…and believe that He wants what is best for you.

Little children believe in Santa and are sad to find out that he isn’t real. Some believe in false gods and one day will face the real God who will judge them for their folly. We have the greatest gift of all…God’s love, His gift of salvation and all of His promises. So, let’s believe together that God will do what He says. He may not answer our prayer with a “yes” but He will answer with what is best for us because He is our Father who loves us. Only believe!

Is Your Receiver Working?

On By vickleaIn Admonition, God’s blessings, promises, Scripture3 Comments

I got the idea for this post from the Bible Study I attended last night that focused on the first two chapters of I John.

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, but even more, His presence in us creates a line of communication to our Heavenly Father whereby we can understand better what He has taught and learn how to apply it to our own lives. The speaker in last night’s Bible study presented a good analogy. It’s like having the satellite receiver on your television all set up, turned on and you get a signal, a clear picture and the words to go with it. The Holy Spirit is like our receiver, but we have to be tuned in and have our receiver turned on. What makes it go off? We do, when we focus on everything in the world and not on what God is trying to tell us or show us.

We need God’s Spirit to truly worship Him and to understand Who He is and why we worship. We are His creation and He has gifted us with a part of Him, His Holy Spirit, so that we can always be in touch with Him and be guided to choose to do right and to share His truth as He leads us.

When I think of anointing, I think of the oil being poured on David as he was recognized as king. God had chosen him for a special position and made it clear to all who saw him that he was the anointed king of Israel. It is mind-boggling to think that we all who have accepted Christ as our Savior have also received an anointing, one that doesn’t get washed away with the next shampoo, but one that is there forever. God anointed us so that we could be taught the things of God, the spiritual things that we would have difficulty understanding otherwise.

I confess that I do not understand all things about the Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit. But I do know that when I pray and ask for understanding as I read the Bible, if I will sit quietly and wait, the word will become clear to me. I think that is the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life. When I see a stranger and I am prodded to give them a word of encouragement, I think that is the Holy Spirit in my life. The anointing is always there. The receiver is always present. I have to turn it on and leave it on and be willing to wait instead of rushing to do my own thing. God moves in His time and in His way. And through His Holy Spirit, He is teaching me to move with Him and for Him.

Being Content

On By vickleaIn Admonition, God’s blessings, promises, Scripture4 Comments

Life changes so quickly that sometimes it is hard for me to keep up with all of it. A month ago, our granddaughter came to live with us in order to pursue her Master’s Degree. We had agreed that she could live here for the two years that this degree would take and have been delighted to have her here. She is such a blessing to have around!

Then on Saturday morning as Josh (Teya’s boyfriend) and Teya were getting ready to go out to breakfast, Josh followed me to the laundry room to tell me in a hushed whisper that he was proposing that day. And that Teya’s friends from Pennsylvania were coming to set up a picnic in the backyard. The gist of it was, Teya was surprised that her friends had driven over eight hours and that Josh had planned everything: friends, food, surprise and ring! So, Teya’s life will definitely be changing, just not right away. She plans to get married next year, probably in August, but nothing is really set in stone yet. She is just starting her new life and has plans to continue her Master’s degree with Josh by her side.

Paul, the man who was beaten, imprisoned and tortured for his faith, wrote these verses. He said that he had learned the secret of being content in all situations. I think I am still learning this contentment thing. I am not one who likes change, whether it’s expected or a surprise. I plan and organize and expect things to follow my plan, but then, they just don’t. Why not? Because change and unexpected events are part of life.

Teya’s engagement is a good thing and I am thrilled for her. Some things are not as pleasant or welcome. Isaac, our grandson, is still looking for a job after almost five months since graduation. He is discouraged at times which is understandable. He has a good degree in math and computer science, but he keeps saying that he is falling into the black hole of non-responsive employers. What happened to the bright future he had planned? I think it is still on the way, but it’s hard to be content in the waiting. If you have ever waited for something and expected a happy ending quickly, then you know exactly what I mean.

God has a timing for everything and His timing is not always ours. In my human impatience, I want to rush some things in life and slow down others. I want a rush on Isaac’s job situation so he will be settled and more confident. But I want to slow down time with Teya as she shows us things through the eyes of youth and excitement about life, and we have been loving that experience.

Just as we cannot slow things down, we cannot rush them either. That is why we need to learn to be content right where we are. I think of my broken foot and say to myself, “Uh-huh. I am supposed to be content with this painful cement block on the end of my leg?” Yes. Yes, I am. When I started to whine today, I got a news blurb about the release of the hostages. Over 250 were taken by the evil Hamas. Only 20 were returned, starved, tortured and unimaginably damaged mentally and emotionally. Just the images stopped my thoughts on my foot and turned them to the families and the hostages. I am blessed beyond measure and need to accept the things that happen instead of being upset about them. How did these brave people survive for so long in captivity? I like to think that they were like Paul, pressing on and keeping their faith. I pray that many of them have come to know their Lord and Savior in a real way or that they will do so.

You see, what really matters in this life is not this life. It is what comes after this life is done. Thus we can be content with changes and minor inconveniences like a broken foot because we know that this life is not everything there is. God has a plan and He is working to fulfill it. I can choose to be content while He is working out His plan or I can choose to rebel against it. I choose contentment. I don’t think for one minute that God “caused” me to have a broken foot (although He could, of course). No, it just happened as part of my life. His plan is working itself in my life as I deal with this problem. How will I react on a daily basis? What coping strategies can I learn from it? How close can I draw to God in the middle of the night when the throbbing and burning begin? We can all learn something from whatever changes that come, whether we consider them good or bad. Our perspective on it is what determines whether we are content or not. God is still in His throne. He hasn’t moved or abdicated and one day all will be made new. That truth is settled in my heart, so I can choose to be content, knowing that this issue will last for a season, but not for eternity.

I leave you with a prayer request to pray for the hostages who were returned, for their peace and salvation and for them to be comforted. And pray for the families of those who will never come back because Hamas murdered them. Pray that they can forgive and have a relationship with God their Maker that supersedes all their suffering. Pray for contentment.

To Whom Do You Run?

On By vickleaIn Admonition, God’s blessings, promises, Scripture4 Comments

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.91.1-16.NIV

I included all of Psalm 91 in my post today because I think it’s important that we see what the psalmist saw as the enemies coming against him. Note the bold print: the fowler’s snare, deadly pestilence, night terror, arrows, and a plague. I dare to state that none of us have faced any of these, much less all of them. But all of us have faced difficult times, challenges, things that really try our faith and let us know with a certainty in whom we place our trust.

Some face financial ruin and run to the bank or other lenders to help them out of the hole they dug themselves into. Some face the temptation to take drugs and run to the nearest corner to go ahead and buy some to take away that edge they feel from withdrawal. Some face loneliness and turn to mindless television shows or alcohol. To whom do you run?

The only One who can truly be counted on is the Lord. People will disappoint you. The government won’t keep its promises. Banks may fail or turn you down when you seek help. But God never disappoints, always keeps His promises and will never fail or turn away from you. He is the One we can all count on when everything seems to be topsy-turvy in our world. He will either set it back right side up or He will let us see the world as He sees it so that we know we are safe with Him in spite of the circumstances.

Hold on to the promises of God, my friends. And just a gentle reminder that you cannot hold on to something about which you are not aware. So hide His word in your hearts and minds so when the hard times come, no matter what it is, you will remember the words of Psalm 91 and other promises throughout the scripture.

What Jesus Said about Fear and Anxiety

On By vickleaIn A Miracle a Day, Admonition, God’s blessings, Scripture1 Comment

Once again, I am sharing a devotional that came into my inbox this morning.

Jesus.net

This article really spoke to my heart right where I am right now. You see, the orthopedist told me that my foot may never heal. So, each morning as I get up and slip on my slippers, one of which is too tight due to the swelling, I look at my left foot and am dismayed to discover that a month after the injury, not much has changed. So, what do I do? I can’t just ignore it since it’s painful, but I can give the problem to God. Towards the end of this wonderful piece on peace, there is practical advice about what to do with all the fear or anxiety we have been carrying around. The first thing to do is acknowledge it. Going around with a smile and falsely claiming healing doesn’t work. I absolutely have to admit that there is a problem. But I also have to remember that God is in charge, He is the Great Physician and I can trust Him to take care of me no matter what happens.

This article is filled with scripture, but here is my favorite from it.

Jesus didn’t tell the woman to quit bothering Him. Instead, he told her to “Go in peace…” And so I begin my day. My foot still hurts, as well as other parts of my body that are trying to compensate, but my heart and head are filled with peace. Last night, I dreamed that I was walking without my walker and I was pain free. I hope the dream becomes a reality, but if it doesn’t I plan to be at peace with God, knowing that His plan will work everything out in the end.

The original devotional reminded me to throw down my anxiety before the Lord instead of carrying it with me. Writing it on paper or on a note on my phone works well. Then, I give it to God. Here is the original devotional from Grant if you would like to read it or subscribe to “A Miracle a Day.”

Grant’s Message Today

Today is National Mental Health Day. Let’s be aware of those around us who need a good word of encouragement and offer it freely.