Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

God’s Promises

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/2co.1.20.mev

I don’t make resolutions, but this year I think that I need more encouragement than normal, so I have decided to keep a notebook of God’s promises and the attributes of Jesus as I read my Bible this year. This is the first one. ALL of God’s promises are “yes.” If He has promised it, He will bring it to pass. In these days that seem to be a forerunner of the end times of Revelations, it is good to remember that God wins in the end. That’s a promise! Plus, his promises are “amen” meaning a resounding “so be it.” If God says something, He will bring it to pass. I have been known to forget promises, only to be reminded by my children, “Mom, remember that you promised that we could go to the pool after dinner tonight?” I learned not to make promises that I could not keep. God didn’t have to learn that. He knows exactly what His plans are and works to fulfill them, making and keeping promises in our lives. I’m really looking forward to rediscovering more of God’s promises this year so that at the end of the year, I have a notebook filled with them. It will be a tangible piece of the Bible that I can hold on to when I need that small word from Him that gives me the peace that I need in my soul. I hope and pray that each of you will hold steadfast to the promises of God, whether you write them down or not. God is always good, always on time and always sovereign. Bless you, my friends!

“Sinvy” and the Elder Son

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/23588/day/5

I will just leave this here for you to think about. Sadly, I am a lot like the elder son and need to spend some time before the Lord repenting for my own self-righteousness. I hope that each of you will take a good look at your hearts. Are you like the prodigal son, the one whose sin was so evident? Or maybe you are like the elder son, suffering from what Mark Hall calls “sinvy”? Blessings to each of you for a day filled with love, kindness and introspection.

On a side note, if you happen to be on Twitter, please go on the site of our gracious First Lady and read her post today. Without getting political, I just want to say that Melania Trump has been a shining example of what a First Lady should be. In spite of all of the constant criticism of her husband, she has maintained a calm and loving demeanor. I pray for her and Barron (and the President) as they leave the White House and pursue a private life. I wish them all the best that God has to offer because of all of their sacrifices and hardships for the last four years.

Don’t Give Up

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/heb.12.3.mev

Never, never give up! Jesus faced hostility on every hand, up to and including death on the cross. Yet He never stopped ministering to the needy and speaking truth to the people who desperately needed to hear it. We say that we are living in hard times. Well, so were the Israelites as they were under the mighty and ruthless hand of the Roman government. Who has it tougher? That’s not a question we can answer because those living during a particular time only have the viewpoint of their own timeline in which they are living. I’m sure that the Israelites thought that they had it tougher and I’m equally sure that the “man on the street” whom you ask would reply that today is tougher. Nevertheless, Jesus ministered. He walked the walk and talked the talk. He said that what He spoke and did was what His Father in Heaven had told Him to say and do. Can we do any less? We need to spend time in prayer, ask God what He wants us to do and say and then do it and say it. We cannot grow weary just because things are hard. Following Jesus’s lead, we should never give up. There are souls who need to hear the Gospel and for whom we are the hands and feet of Jesus. Let’s move, Army of God! We have our orders and they don’t say to sit and wait passively for His coming! Our orders say to work and to go! God bless you as you complete your mission.

Why God Loves Us

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/luk.15.32.mev

In my devotional this morning, the speaker, Mark Hall from Casting Crowns, said something so simple and yet so profound. He said, “God doesn’t love me because I’m good. He loves me because He is good.” That was a “wow” moment for me. Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t consider myself self-righteous and/or good. In fact, I have always been in the camp that believes that I can never be good enough to earn salvation. After all, it is a free gift from God. We just celebrated Christmas, the time when we rejoice in the free gift that God sent to the earth, His Only Son. Why did God send Jesus? Because of His love for us. Because God is good. Yes, I already knew that, and so did you. However, today, this word got into the deep parts of my soul, creeping into the places where there has been doubt and fear. He loves me. He is good. Nothing will happen today that I can’t handle because God is on my side. Almost fifty years ago, I stopped running from God and accepted His free gift of salvation. The road since then has been rocky and twisted. I’d like to think that I have never doubted God’s love for me, but if I am honest, that is not true. When I was feeling all alone in yet another new place, I can remember having pity parties for myself instead of turning to God and His love. In the middle of those parties, God would reach down, pluck me out and tell me what He wanted me to do so that I would feel better. That was His love, continually reaching out for me. In less than two weeks, many in the U.S. will be celebrating the inauguration of a new President. I am already mourning this new government because it means change. I don’t like change; I have never liked change because it is…well, different, unexpected and frightening. But God keeps telling me that He is in control. I have been “lost” in my fear and God spoke to me clearly this morning that He knows what is going on with me, why I cannot stand to watch a news broadcast or hear the sound of the voice of the incoming President. He knows my heart, the heart that He created. He has spoken to that heart that He loves me and I’m going to be okay. That won’t be because the new administration promises hope and prosperity. It will be because God offers that hope, in His Word as I study it daily. I pray that you realize today just how much God loves you, not because you are good and deserve His love. No, He loves you because He is good and will always want what is best for you. God is good, all the time. Blessings, my friends, for a day filled with love, joy and laughter, knowing that the King of the Universe loves Y-O-U!

When Do We Trust God?

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/psa.62.8.mev

The answer to the question that I have posed is in the Scripture–ALL the time! When things are going well, when things are going badly, when you’re well, when you’re ill, basically always. When you pray, it’s okay to tell God that you are having problems with faith. In fact, I prayed this morning for God to help my unbelief. It’s not that I doubt the existence of God, but that just sometimes like many of you, I get discouraged. The pain in my body was overwhelming this morning; there were not enough ice packs to take care of all of it. Nevertheless, I arose, thanked God for a new day, and here I am with this Scripture verse that God gave me in my devotional this morning. Perhaps this verse is only for me, but I’m sharing it here just in case someone else out there in the blogosphere needs it. It’s okay to tell God exactly how you’re feeling because He already knows and provides a shelter for us in His loving arms. God is good…all the time. I repeat that mantra to myself frequently, sometimes to remind myself and sometimes as a praise to Him. I hope that you remember that God wants what is best for you, all the time. He is always there to answer, even when you may be like me and suffering and grumpy. It’s amazing to me that God never gets grumpy with me! Blessings, my friends, for a day that is filled with God’s goodness and a day of trust and amazement at God’s goodness to you!

Are You Faithful?

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/psa.4.3.mev

I remember a math class that I took many years ago. As a logical person who wants everything in its place, I didn’t really understand much of that geometry class, but I did understand the conditional statements. You remember them, too, I’m sure. They are the “if…then” statements. For example, you may say, “If it’s sunny today, then we will go to the beach.” The ‘if” clause has to be true for the then clause to kick in. Well, this Scripture is like a conditional statement. IF you are faithful, then God sets you apart and hears when you call on Him. I think that is is awesome that the God of the Universe takes time to listen to me! Are you faithful? Then He hears you. Blessings, my friends for a day filled with the awesome power of God touching your life and drawing you closer to Him. Choose to be faithful!

Making Resolutions

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/isa.43.19.mev

Instead of making resolutions for the New Year and asking God to bless them, my plan is to ask God what the “new thing” is that He wants to do in my life and to follow His path. I have made so many resolutions, but I hardly ever kept them. So, my new thing to do is to wait for God’s “new thing” and to expect Him to act miraculously on my behalf throughout the year. I’m almost seven decades old, almost forty-eight years with the Lord as my Savior, and He hasn’t ever failed me. Hardships? Yes, of course. That is a part of life. Disappointments? Too many to name. But not one time have I ever been abandoned by the Lord and left alone in a wilderness. So, my word for this year is “obey.” I want to obey where and when the Lord leads me and know that He is the light for my path and the river in my wasteland. This is the Scripture that I will use as my theme this year. In a new year, I’m expecting new things from the Lord. He never disappoints. After all, He is the Creator!

End the Year with Praise

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

www.bible.com/1171/psa.150.1-6.mev

This is the best way that I can think of to end this remarkably strange year. Let’s praise the Lord together, remembering that nothing that happened this year has caught Him by surprise. Our God who loves us is still on His throne and in total control. Bless His Holy Name! I pray for God’s blessing on each of you as you enter a new year, with its challenges and its answered prayers. Remember to keep track of the answers! There is always so much to praise God for, isn’t there? See you in 2021!