Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

Don’t Bet Against God

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Do you recall when you were young and your siblings and friends would taunt you with a challenge that would start something like this: “I betcha can’t…” And you would strive to prove them wrong by accepting the challenge.

God always, always always is ready to meet you right where you are and accept the challenge of convincing you that He loves you with an everlasting love and that He will keep His promises. As humans, we make half-hearted token promises that we may or may not keep depending on how hard they are for us to carry out and sometimes to whom we make them. God doesn’t worry about difficulty levels and He treats all people the same. If He put it in His Word, He keeps it.

Promises God Has Kept

  1. He led the Israelite people to the promised land, keeping His covenant promise with Abraham.
  2. He provided a Savior, just as he said He would in Genesis 3:15.
  3. He promised Noah to never again destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow is our sign that He remembers and is keeping His promise.
  4. He promised that David would always have someone on the throne. Jesus is in the lineage of King David and He reigns eternally.
  5. He promised to send the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us and remind us of everything that Jesus taught. The Holy Spirit resides inside us if we are Christians and is always right there to help us make right choices and to remember what a right choice looks like.

You see where I am going with this? God keeps His promises, every time. There are no days when we cannot depend on Him. What are some promises that you can think of that God has made real to you in your personal life?

My favorite promise is that Jesus said He would return, and we can count on the fact that He will so we need to be prepared.

These are scripture verses that remind me of God’s faithfulness, even in the hard times. Maybe I should say, especially in the hard times.

When I saw my neurologist yesterday for my EMG (a rough and terribly painful test), he said I would likely need surgery on my spine and the EMG showed some nerve damage from my spine being compressed. I told the doctor that my body is not in rebellion. Instead, it is holding a revolution. He chuckled at that. Then, I told him that I believed God would take care of me even though, as I said, “my warranty has expired.” I told Dr. Smith that I had prayed about my health issues with God and my “expired warranty” and He told me that He was with me until the end. The only way to renew my warranty is to go to see God. Well, I am ready when God is, but meanwhile, I am not betting against God. He always keeps His promises and He has promised to take care of me. Will life be easy? No, there are no promises for an “easy road” in life. The promise is that He will be right there, never leaving, always beside, before and behind us.

One of my favorite verses that I have memorized this year.

I hope that you are standing on God’s promises and not choosing to follow your own plans. Remember that when you bet against God, you cannot win. But when you stand with God, you cannot lose.

Wednesday Whimsy

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

First, I will explain to you what the definition of “whimsy” is so that you understand the title of my post. Whimsy according to the online dictionary means:

“Whimsy is behavior that is unusual, playful, and unpredictable, rather than having any serious reason or purpose behind it.” (Source: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/whimsy)

Yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from my neurologist about the results of my MRI. You know how an IPhone transcribes voice messages? This is a screenshot of what I saw when I checked my voicemail.

I laughed out loud that “Duck Smith” had called me. And even better the MRI was a game. Who knew?

I love to laugh and joke around a lot, so this tickled my funny bone and helped me to laugh even though the diagnosis wasn’t so great. Apparently, I need to see a surgeon (which I already knew and have an appointment for) since I have five herniated discs in my spine and lots of compression of nerves going on. Now, back to whimsy.

If you read the headlines of the newspapers, you will probably get stressed. If you listen to news all the time, you will probably get stressed. Instead, I choose to read my Bible, starting the day with God’s Word. Sometimes, I find humor in what God says because it’s like He’s shouting at the people, “You aren’t listening to me!” And indeed, they didn’t listen, just as we sometimes don’t listen. God says “go” and we sit and wait for Him to tell us more loudly, or perhaps to dump us out of our chair and onto the floor just to get our attention.

I also enjoy reading fiction, much to the dismay of my husband who only reads (besides the news) non-fiction like biographies, memoirs and other educational things that he can then expound upon and debate. Debating is one of his favorite things, but it’s not mine, so I just listen, comment rarely and he moves on to the next topic. Anyway, I read a lot of clean fiction that amuses me, inspires me and entertains me. I find it a lot better than most of the TV shows that are prevalent today.

I do like PureFlix and its choices of shows. Last week, before my daughter and her family arrived, I was tired of reading so I decided to watch a show on PureFlix. But I couldn’t get signed in. So, I called customer service. One hour and thirty-five minutes later, a nice, heavily accented voice answered. At last! A person! Another forty-five minutes later, she had my PureFlix account working again…shut down, remove the app, install the app, shut off the internet, turn it on again. The directions seemed endless. I thanked her for her help and her patience, but by then, it was too late for me to want to watch a show. So the next day, I turned on PureFlix. Uh-oh! It wouldn’t start up again. Not wanting to call and remain in a queue for over an hour again, I tried to remember the steps the nice lady had told me (Who knew that I should have been taking notes?) and got it on again within a few minutes. This was whimsical to me because my being able to get an electronic gadget to work without my son right there next to me is an unusual occurrence. But it happened!

I joke with my family that my body parts are deciding to rebel and they have recently joined together in a revolution. I could whine, moan and complain but that doesn’t help me or anyone else. Yes, the pain is there. So? It’s part of aging. Accept it and move on. Shoulder pain? Yep! Back pain? Yep! Surgery? Nope! Not if I can help it. I like surgeons. They are genuinely nice people with great skills, but I don’t like the idea of being asleep while someone digs around inside of me and tries to fix things. I feel like an old car where the mechanic looks inside and says, “Well, I can fix it, but it’s going to cost you.” The cost is not always monetary either when it’s your body. I have had more than one physician tell me that I don’t need to worry about cost because my insurance will pay. That’s true…because of my husband’s military insurance, we are well covered. But just because the insurance will pay for it doesn’t mean that I want to have the surgery. Surgery is unpredictable, the outcome is uncertain and I prefer not to have it unless there is no other alternative and only then if God gives me the green light.

I like things that are whimsical, like a flower growing in a field of weeds and a child smiling as though they have a secret that they will never share. I don’t pick the flower because I want others to enjoy it. And I don’t demand that the child tell me the truth because I want that smiling light to continue to shine in their eyes. I want the child to trust me and talk to me when they are ready.

You know, that brings me to the end of my discourse on whimsy. God is like that to us. He knows what we need, He sees what we need and He wants us to spend time with Him talking to Him about what we think we need. It’s okay to talk to God without being all serious and speaking in a stern voice. When I talk to God, I talk to Him as though He is a friend and a Father. I laugh with Him, cry with Him, rant about my issues and then sit quietly and wait for Him to speak to me or reassure me that He is right there, going through whatever the current problem is right alongside me. God is One who is big enough to handle my swinging emotions and understands that sometimes I need to vent and sometimes I need to laugh. Today was a day to laugh a little and enjoy the new day that God has given me.

Tuesday Testimony

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

Yesterday started as an Eeyore kind of day. You know what I mean, right? Eeyore is Pooh’s friend who can’t see any good in anything. You see, yesterday was the last day our daughter and younger grandkids would be here since they left early this morning. I was looking forward to a day filled with fun and activities with them: games, an outing to a park, maybe a Christian movie together and definitely spending time with them. Then, the bug hit me.

Instead of time with the granddaughters, I spent the day in bed and in the bathroom. Neither of those were part of my plan for the day.

But you know what? I had my bedroom door ajar so my cat could come and go freely. From my bed, I could see the girls enjoying a fast game of Spicy Uno (Uno with some additional rules, like no one can speak when a 7 is played until another 7 is played.) The four of them were laughing together and having a great time as sisters do. Then, I watched Tinslea teach the youngest one some dance moves that she had made up. The patience and love she showed her little sister amazed me! I also watched Teya, the oldest sister and the one who is living with us until August, make each of the girls some lunch and they sat and ate together, chatting about their plans for the day and about Teya’s wedding in August. After that it was time for our daughter Hope to take Teryn back to college. Big hugs were spontaneously shared and I waved goodbye from my bed, telling Teagan to give Teryn a big hug from me.

Yes, I would have enjoyed all that I had planned, but I found that I also enjoyed watching the girls interact and care for each other, sharing good times that they have missed for the last few months. I don’t think God made me ill but I do think that He redeemed the time for our granddaughters to have some special time together before they went their separate ways again. God always has a plan and it’s always a good one.

So, even though, I am still feeling slightly under the weather, I am so thankful that I had time with our daughter and her girls. We went to church together on Easter Sunday, enjoyed our own times of playing games and watching a movie and chatting. Yesterday was just for the sisters, and I am grateful that God gave them that precious time together.

Why Prayer Doesn’t Work

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

I know that you are reading the title and thinking, “Okay. Now her brain is going bonkers because I was sure she believed in prayer.” Why, yes, I do. That is why I was pleasantly surprised to find an email this morning from an author named Heather Taber. She is new to me, but based on her philosophy about prayer, I know that I would enjoy her books since her thoughts are refreshingly honest.

Here is the link to her substack post about prayer:

https://open.substack.com/pub/heathertabers/p/why-prayer-doesnt-work?selection=d3f6090e-23f0-4d80-99c1-0b92c48a9304&r=8f2gn&utm_medium=ios

Pondering her conclusions, I decided that she is right. Prayer doesn’t work because it isn’t meant to “work.” It is a conversation with God, not a way for me to talk God into doing exactly what I want when I want it. Once the relationship with God is established, then my will becomes more aligned with His and my prayers become what they are meant to be, a way to tell my Father what is going on in my life and to ask for His help in solving problems. Read the post from Heather and let me know what you think. Honestly, I had never thought of it this way. I have often said to myself and others that God is not a genie in a bottle that we take out and talk to when we feel desperate or have lost hope in everything else. Heather says things in a way that is understandable and that I could definitely relate to.

Having said that, let me tell you about another answered prayer. I had my MRI on my back yesterday. I was understandably nervous since I knew I had to lie down in a supine position and was told that the test could take up to an hour. An hour in what I call the thumping machine? Well, we went to the afternoon service at church (with our daughter and granddaughters, which was a real blessing) and then Harry and I headed to the hospital for my MRI. The technicians could not have been more compassionate or caring. From the time they loaded me into the wheelchair in the ER to take me to the MRI suite, they treated me as valuable and worth their time, even though it was Easter and they were not with loved ones. The test itself was the easiest one I have ever undergone. I went into the machine feet first, so the usual claustrophobic feeling wasn’t there since my head was barely in the tube. The test only took about fifteen minutes and done! I had prayed for nice technicians…answered. I had prayed that I wouldn’t be claustrophobic and panic in the machine for so long…answered times two since the test was much shorter than expected. And I had prayed that I would feel God close beside me as I was tested. We sang a song in church right before we went to the hospital and the chorus was “The Lord is with me.” I kept singing that to myself in the chamber…answer number three in a totally unexpected way. God has a way of surprising us with answers that we didn’t expect at all. I am not sure what I expected but answers were not it. I was just kind of “along for the ride” and hoping that God was driving. He heard and He answered; after all, the most important part of prayer is establishing a relationship before you really, really need an answer, right?

I hope that my testimony has stimulated your faith to ask for the small things and then expect them to happen, in God’s way and in His timing. God will surprise you with His great love for you and His desire that you trust Him.

One of my memory verses this month and one I turn to often for reassurance. It was also one that I was quoting to myself in the MRI tube. I call it “hiding God’s word in my heart.”

Faith Is Our Comfort

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

Many of us have raised children and we well remember the days of making sure that special stuffed animal is with us when we travelled and planned to stay overnight. Not too long ago, one of our beloved granddaughters lost her stuffed tiger. She looked everywhere, even at school before she returned home disconsolate because Tigey was nowhere to be found. That night, her mom was looking through recent photos and saw one of Evie holding Tigey at the play place in the mall. That was the last place they saw him, so the next day she went to the mall, checked the Lost and Found desk and there was Tigey. Evie’s face when she got her tiger back was precious.

Some of us as adults have items similar to Evie’s tiger that we turn to for comfort. Maybe a ring, a bracelet, a necklace or something that we can hold on to when we face difficult situations. I have a wooden cross, not on a necklace, just solo and made out of olive wood. A friend who visited Israel brought it back for me and it stays in my purse where I can just touch it if I think I need to. It’s not magical or anything like that, but to me it reminds me that my faith is in Jesus, not the doctors or the other drivers on the highway or even in myself and my own abilities.

Tomorrow, I go to have a lumbar MRI, a test that requires that I lie on my back (ouch!) for up to an hour. (I actually hope it’s faster, but that remains to be seen.) Am I concerned? Yes, but I am resting in the One who is always with me and comforts me. My faith is in the One who hung on the cross for me and who walks with me daily through the hard things. I cannot take anything with me into the MRI thumping machine, but I know who will be with me the entire time. I just had an MRI on my shoulder less than two months ago and I sang praises to myself, recited scriptures and just talked to God. So, I have an appointment with God tomorrow at 6 p.m. It will take place at the hospital in the radiology department, but I am happy to have the time set aside to be with my Father who loves me and cares about all the stuff I have been going through.

Here is a devotional that I got today from Grant Fishbook. Check it out as it is the basis for my own meanderings today on this page.

Grant Fishbook Devotional, April 4, 2026

I really like this line from the devotional:

“To live faith-filled lives, we must bank our lives on His words and nothing else.”

Have a blessed day and enjoy your time with God today and every day!

Preparing for Easter

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Jesus sent His disciples to get ready for Passover and everything was just as He said it would be. A local homeowner in Jerusalem had an upper room that Jesus and the disciples used for the Lord’s Last Supper. All was ready for them.

Our daughter just called on Sunday to let us know that she was planning to come this week to spend Easter with us. She is bringing the two youngest girls (14 and 11) and her oldest daughter is the one who has been living with us since September. I am really looking forward to seeing them again. They came down for Christmas, too. Hope is very intuitive and knows that travel is hard for me now and that I miss seeing the grandchildren. She called when I was feeling particularly low because our youngest son’s birthday as well as his daughter’s birthday is next week. We usually make the trip to Maryland to see them in April, but this month is filled with medical appointments and tests instead. So when Hope called to say she is coming, I was thrilled!

Then, I looked around at the house. I haven’t been able to clean properly (or really much at all) because of my shoulder. The dust everywhere is the first clue. Harry helps when he can but cleaning is not his thing to do since he doesn’t even see the dust, much less think it needs to be removed. Anyway, I started stressing about getting ready and how I would do it with an arm that doesn’t cooperate and a back that is in constant pain along with my leg that is numb most of the time, making me a fall risk.

Then, I read today’s devotional that included this verse. The disciples didn’t run around frantically preparing. They simply followed what the Lord told them to do and all was ready for them. Thus, I am resting in the Lord, knowing that the house will not be clean but we will be welcoming and loving. The groceries are ordered and Harry will pick them up today. Then, there will be plenty of helpers on Sunday to make the Easter meal before I have to head to the hospital for my MRI. Prepared? Yes, in my heart, I am prepared to welcome family and to serve the Lord with gladness on this Resurrection Day. Jesus wants my heart prepared for Him and for me not to suffer regrets because of what I physically cannot do. I know in my heart that He wants me to have peace and to enjoy time with the children and grandchildren, so that is what I am focused on today. Dirty house? Yes, but a clean and expectant heart! Our daughter is on the way and will be here by noon. I am looking forward to the visit and the rest that comes in knowing that God knows just what I need and just when I need it. A touch and reassurance from Him and a hug from family!

May your Easter preparations start in your heart and reach deeply into your soul. My prayer for you is peace and the assurance that God will give you rest.

Run With Endurance and Focus

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

Finish Well (Daily Refresh, 04-01-26)

One of the most important parts of running a race is keeping your eyes on the finish line. If you happen to look at the other competitors, it can ruin your focus, causing you to slip up. Staying focused is crucial. 

The writer of the letter of Hebrews uses this same idea when talking about our own spiritual lives. The writer encourages his readers to keep their eyes focused on Jesus while running the race of life.

When we keep our eyes on Jesus and our thoughts focused on Him, we are reminded of His great love and goodness. Keeping our eyes on Jesus helps us to not grow discouraged.

When we take our eyes off Jesus, we can lose focus on what really matters. We can become fixated on the priorities of the world around us rather than the mission of God. We can also lose our sense of value and worth if we lose sight of the love of God.

One of the reasons the author encourages his readers to focus their eyes on Jesus is because Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the reason we have faith, but He is also the one who continues to sanctify our hearts and strengthen our faith.

Jesus endured the pain of the cross with joy because He kept His own eyes on the finish line—sitting in a place of authority next to God the Father, and achieving salvation for His followers. We now experience the benefit of salvation because of His endurance.

Jesus’ example allows us to run the race of life with endurance and focus. So if you find yourself tired and wanting to give up, take some time to pray and think about Jesus who gave everything for you. Ask God for endurance so that you can continue to grow in your faith, and finish well.

My Thoughts

It has been easy for me lately to focus on the circumstances, with one unexpected medical report after another. But I am learning (and was already trying to practice before today’s devotional) to keep my eyes on the Lord. In the MRI thumping machine, during the EMG that sends shocks through me, my focus will be on the Lord. I had an MRI less than two months ago on my shoulder and I found myself quoting scripture verses to myself and singing praise songs inside my head. The thumping continued without my noticing the passage of time because I was focused on the Lord. That is what I pray will be the same this time. Jesus isn’t leaving me out on the race course of life and telling me to be strong. He is right there beside me, running the race with me and encouraging me as we go down the track. Like a good coach, Jesus doesn’t assume that I will be fine without Him. He knows that I need the constant assurance and encouragement that His presence brings. So, as I endure more tests and the results that follow, I am staying focused on the Lord and expecting Him to give the doctors wisdom and me grace and mercy.

If you are in a season where your race seems harder and more challenging, do what I am doing and what the Bible encourages us to do. Keep our focus on Jesus. Don’t be like Peter who was walking on water just fine until he took his eyes off the Lord. Keep your eyes on the only One who can make a difference in everything in your life.

May God bless and keep you as you focus on Him and may you run your race with endurance and faith in Him.

Holy Week: The Lamb of God

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

The Lamb of God

Have you ever waited a really long time for something important? Maybe you spent weeks waiting to see an old friend, for news about a medical diagnosis, or for someone to respond to a message you sent them.

In the first century, the people of God had waited hundreds and hundreds of years for the coming of a Savior. John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner of that coming Savior. God planned for John to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival, and call them back to repentance.

John waited his whole life for Jesus. He spent his days in eager anticipation of the coming of a Savior who would save his people. And on that day when Jesus did arrive, John the Baptist cried out in excitement.

John calls Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In the old covenant, lambs were sacrificed on behalf of the sins of the people. Their sacrifices were a temporary means to restore a person’s relationship with God.

But Jesus’ coming heralds a new covenant between God and His people.

Jesus’ death is a sacrifice on our behalf, but one that’s permanent and complete. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection pave a path for us to enjoy a restored relationship with God, and to live in freedom from sin. This is the new covenant that John the Baptist is describing when He says that Jesus takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Take a moment this morning to thank God for the amazing gift that Jesus offers to each and every one of us. Because of Jesus’ faithfulness, we can walk in new life and enjoy a restored relationship with God. 

Think of one small step you can take to share this good news with someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus. This free gift is great news for every single person, and we are given the privilege of sharing it with everyone.

My Thoughts

We all wait for something: a phone call, an email, a letter, a package, a visit from a loved one, and ultimately an answer from God about something we have been praying for. I have prayed almost a year for a job for our grandson Isaac. No answer yet, but I am sure that God is preparing just the right job for him, one in which he can thrive physically, emotionally and spiritually. So, I wait, sometimes anxiously, sometimes almost demanding in my prayer time, but always with the same answer from God: wait.

I cannot imagine John’s excitement when he sees Jesus walking toward him and knows that this is the Lamb of God for whom he has been waiting. His whole purpose in life is to be a forerunner, a prophet of Jesus. And here He is! John doesn’t run and hide or say, “Look at me! Now my purpose in life is fulfilled.” No, he says, “Behold, the lamb of God!”

So often when God sends the answer, as He did when He sent Jesus as the final sacrifice for our sins, we don’t recognize that the answer is right there in front of us. Since it isn’t the answer we were expecting, we continue to look for another one. May the Lord make us aware of the answer when it comes so that, like John, we recognize it and give God the glory.

Sunday Worship

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, Video2 Comments

Today is Palm Sunday, the day the crowds welcomed Jesus with all kinds of accolades before they then joined the mob that called for His crucifixion. Before you start thinking what awful people those were, I would like to remind you that we were part of that crowd and then the mob. We might not have been there physically, but can you honestly say that if you had lived during that time, you would have reacted differently? The tendency is to follow the crowd. That’s one of the reasons the Bible admonishes us to be careful with whom we associate.

That all being said, I love the traditions of Palm Sunday and the fact that all of the praise goes to the Lord, who is indeed worthy and should have never fallen out of favor with the Pharisees who were supposed to recognize the Messiah. Since Jesus’s death was prophesied and orchestrated by God, and since each of us benefit from the salvation that comes from the flowing of His life’s blood, we can do no less than offer Him a sacrifice of praise.

We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise-Maranatha! Music

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus-Dust and Grace

To God Be the Glory-Faithful Worship

Have a blessed Palm Sunday, filled with thanksgiving and praise for all the Lord has done!

God’s Throne

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that I put God into a box and expect Him to stay there until I need Him to appear and magically make my problems disappear. But a verse in my devotional today showed me clearly that I am not really putting God anywhere; I am just not staying focused on the correct things and with the correct attitude.

God is great, powerful, and glorious. Everything in heaven and on earth belongs to him. We sometimes deify leaders, thinking that they are more powerful than what they really are. God, the One true God, put them in a position of power and He can remove them at any time. He is head over all the kings, presidents, prime ministers and governors. We need to acknowledge God’s dominion and quit giving it to humans who would have no power unless He allows it.

For me, I am really not able to comprehend God’s awesome power and majesty. But I am in total awe that He is who He says He is and He decided to make me. I see myself as “less than,” a flawed part of God’s creation, with lungs that don’t work properly, a single kidney, bones that are weak and parts of me that are torn. God sees my heart, and I pray that He sees how much I truly love and depend on Him to carry me through each day. He created me to be just the way I am and I pray that He will use me to tell others about His grace, mercy and deep love for them. God’s purpose is to love, and my purpose is to be like Him, while understanding that I cannot control or manipulate God. He is always in control, even when I am not aware of how close He is and how He is watching over me.

This scripture verse gives me a sense of total wonder. God, the Creator of the Universe, the One who is the head of all things, notices me and cares about me and all the things that are part of my life.

Majesty-Maranatha! Music

Awesome God-Josh Groban

Be Still and Know That I Am God-Josh Groban