Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

Secure in God

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, Song1 Comment

I was reading in Genesis today about Noah and the ark, and I once again noted that God closed the door of the ark, sealing out the floods that were to destroy the earth.

Just as God separated Noah from the judgment that was about to take place on the earth, He calls us to be separate from sin in our lives so that we aren’t not judged unworthy on the great Judgment Day.

Jesus is our door to eternity with God and when God executes judgment on all of mankind, the time for making the right choice is over. The door is shut so that the evil of the world is not welcome in the new heaven and the new earth.

Many people are enjoying prosperity today, the kind that the world gives…fame, riches, and all the trappings that accompany it. But where will they run on the Day of Judgment, the day when it will be too late for them to declare their loyalty to the One True God? What will happen to all of their riches then? Jesus said repeatedly that we need to leave the things of this world behind and concentrate on our walk with God. There will be a day of reckoning, and God will not want to know how much money you made or how successful you were in your own eyes. He wants to see you clothed in the righteousness of His Son, and if you are not, then the judgment of His wrath that He had been holding back will become your new reality.

Are Christians the ones who are wailing? I think we will be the ones around the throne singing a new song of rejoicing, but those who have not accepted the Lord as Savior will be wailing for their destruction is absolute and certain.

There were many in the days of Noah who ridiculed him for building the ark. They drowned in the flood of judgment that God sent. Don’t let the ridicule of the world keep you away from making the choice that will keep you safe in God’s arms for all eternity. Choose life…choose Jesus! He is the only secure place in a world that is overrun with evil. He is the only door to the Father, and He has invited everyone to come in before it is too late.

The Old Rugged Cross-Alan Jackson

Come to Jesus-Sidewalk Prophets

God Is Holy

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

This morning in my devotional, I read several scriptures about God’s holiness. Thus, I was enticed to dig in and find out more about what that means to me as a Christian.

The characteristic of holiness is ascribed to God repeatedly. In fact, one source I consulted (see footnote) reports that the word “holy” is used 431 times in the Old Testament in Hebrew and 180 times in the New Testament in Greek. When we think about God’s attributes, we generally think of His mercy, grace and love. Holiness seems to be a part of God that I don’t think about too much, but perhaps I should. God is holy because He is separate from His creation; in fact, the Bible says no one can look at God and live. Moses got to see the back of God from a cleft in a rock, but He did not see God face to face. That marvelous privilege will happen when we live with Him in a new heaven and new earth, where He is the ruler forever and ever.

But why does the Scripture constantly admonish us to be holy? Is that something that happens as soon as we become Christians? No, rather we are “becoming” holy…we will not be complete until we are in His presence.

I cannot imagine the entire earth being filled with God’s glory, but I am excited about it. The angels called God holy, and God tells us to be holy as He is. We are supposed to be separated from the sinful world and sacred to Him, our Creator and Redeemer.

Our God is holy and we can be like him but we cannot be Him. He is the Creator and the One worthy of all of our praise and adoration.

Is Jesus called “holy”? Of course, because He is the Son and has always been with the Father from the beginning. But Jesus doesn’t make us holy; He shows us the way to holiness by living according to the standards he set forth in His words to His disciples. The resource I used stated that even our best efforts cannot make us holy. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that “holy” is part of the name of the third person of the Trinity. He is the One who continually works within us to help us to be holy. That still small voice that reminds you of commitments to God and things you should be doing, wise choices you should make? That’s the Holy Spirit that resides in each of us once we have become adopted into the family of God as His children. God doesn’t just say, “be holy.” He sends a helper to aid us in our quest to be more like Him. (John 14:26)

I have not arrived at holiness yet, and I don’t know anyone who has. I think that Enoch, the man who walked with God and never died, must have reached that goal, but I don’t know for sure. I am on a quest to be better today, closer to Him, more “holy” if you will, than I was yesterday. Will I fail sometimes? Yes, more than I want to, but I am still striving to the goal of holiness because God says to be holy. He didn’t wave a magic wand and say, “Okay. You’re holy now.” We have to make wise choices every day, every hour and every minute in order to move towards the holiness that God wants to see in us. Does that mean that we are not righteous before God? No, I may be wrong, but I think righteousness is different than holiness. Righteousness is the right standing with God that Jesus gave us by dying for us on the cross. Holiness is what we strive towards in our daily walk with the Lord.

I am not sure I am making sense here to anyone but me, but I hope that this post has made you think about holiness and how God is holy all the time and He doesn’t have to work at it. He just is holy! Praise His Name!

**Source: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-is-the-biblical-definition-of-holy/

Holy Forever-Chris Tomlin

Holy Is the Lord God Almighty-Chris Tomlin

Banished/Driven Out/Cast Out

On By vickleaIn Admonition, ScriptureLeave a comment

These verses are very sad, aren’t they? Adam and Eve were living in a perfect world, in total harmony with God and nature. Then, they sinned and God banished them from the Garden of Eden that He had created for them. Not only that, God put cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life. God, who made man in His image, casts him away from the closeness that he had enjoyed since creation. The hopelessness and despair must have been overwhelming.

Lest we decide to blame Adam and Eve for all of mankind’s problems, the Bible is filled with reminders that we are ALL sinners. Not one of us would have been allowed to stay in the Garden of Eden! We can now stop pointing that finger at Adam and Eve and point it back at ourselves. We are sinners. We are the reason that Christ had to die for the sins of mankind.

Aha! Hope follows despair if we know that Jesus is our Lord and that He died for us. God didn’t just send man out of the garden. He already had a plan for the redemption of mankind, if man would only believe and accept His free gift of salvation.

Like many of you, I have been watching with horror as a great swath of Los Angeles burns. I have been praying for the people there and for the firefighters and rescuers. But I have also been praying that no one has to suffer the eternal fires of hell. These fires in L.A. look hot and unrelenting. Imagine if you can the torment of eternity in a fire created by God for those who choose to go there. Yes, that’s right. If we don’t repent and ask Jesus to be our Savior, we are choosing to spend eternity separated from God and in the eternal fire of damnation.

As you sit mesmerized in front of your screen, please pray for all the people in L.A. But, more importantly, pray for the souls of all those who have not yet come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let’s pray together that they come to salvation before Judgment Day.

Marriage Ordained by God

On By vickleaIn marriage, Scripture6 Comments

My husband Harry and I have been married 51 years. When we had our fiftieth anniversary, we had a trip planned to travel by train and see the western part of the United States. Unfortunately, my health had other plans for me. Nevertheless, we celebrated quietly together. No one knows except the two of us all of the struggles we have had to overcome to stay together. Our adversity started before we were even married since my mom didn’t approve of Harry and did everything she could to dissuade me from marrying him.

Then, the military kept us separated for years. We moved, I stayed in new housing and Harry was deployed, sometimes for nine or ten months at a time. We figured out that we had actually been together physically a little over half the time that we have been married.

We persevered through it all, especially the disagreements that we had over how to live, where to live and other daily decisions. I had gotten used to doing everything and when Harry retired from the military, he wanted to take over and I just wasn’t ready to give up control. So, yeah, lots of problems.

Still, we stayed together, in spite of all of our difficulties and hard times. Why bother? After all, I was alone most of the time anyway and had learned to lean on God and not my absentee husband. The answer lies in the scripture above. God brought the woman to man; God ordained the union. We both believe that God brought us together (meeting on a bus, no less) and that He has been with us through everything…three children born in three different states, twenty five moves and eleven different states plus D.C. and now ten grandchildren. He has never forsaken either of us. We are companions for life because that is what God made us. He gave me to Harry, but He also gave Harry to me.

Devotion is most evident when you least expect it. Like when I had a massive stroke and was in ICU for several days. The doctors told Harry that there was nothing he could do, he should go home and rest. Instead, he settled down on the floor with a pillow and slept next to me. There was no chair or other place he could sit since ICU visits were supposed to be short. But he refused to leave me, telling them that hospitals scared me and he was not going to leave me alone there. He also quit his job so he could be at home with me, taking social security early.

God knows we have needed each other. When Harry was floundering for a new career after leaving the military, I was his encourager and his help for online job searches. I am still his tech support, in spite of my lack of a lot of knowledge.

God ordained marriage, one man and one woman for life. That is what Harry and I believe and we are committed to our vows before God and to each other “until death do us part.”

The God of Creation

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song5 Comments

Today is the day after Epiphany, the day I take the Christmas decorations off the tree and put all of the Christmas things away. It is usually a sad day for me, a day to miss all of the pretty decorations and the fun times that we had as a family together. But this year, I am in a more reflective mood. I took everything down and put it away and then I sat in my chair to do my devotional. Outside the window next to me, I can see the birds hopping around in the snow, eating the birdseed that my husband scattered for them yesterday. They remind me of how much God loves all of His creation.

I really don’t like snow because it’s so cold and so slippery. But it is a beautiful part of God’s creation and from inside my warm home, I can look out at the light reflecting on the white surfaces everywhere and marvel at God’s ability to create such beauty from nothing. What are you looking at in nature today that shows you God’s wonderful creation?

This verse was my memory verse a couple of weeks ago, and it is a favorite of mine. The same God who created all of the world that I know sees me, and nothing is too hard for Him. When I think I have reached the end of my rope, God lets a little more out for me to hold on to and He always reminds me that He is the One holding the other end.

I have not been doing a lot of suffering lately, but I do have friends and family who have been going through some rough times. If we are suffering according to God’s will, we can be assured that the faithful Creator is aware of what we are going through and is right there with us. When I think that I am in a wilderness and no one else is going through what I am enduring, God reminds me that His Son suffered and endured so much more than I ever could or will. He also reminds me that I am going THROUGH the wilderness; I am not supposed to camp there and have a pity party.

God of Wonders-Paul Baloche

Happy Epiphany!

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song5 Comments

Contrary to popular belief and most Nativity sets, the wise men were not at the birth of Jesus. In fact, since it probably took them a couple of years to travel to see Him, He was likely a toddler when they arrived. Nevertheless, they left whatever they were doing in their own homelands and traveled far away, not knowing where they were going, but following a star to the place of the Messiah.

My big takeaway from the visit of the Magi is that they were willing to leave things behind and press forward towards where God was leading them. They didn’t make excuses or try to find a replacement, they just went and did what God called them to do. How often do I drop what I am doing and listen to God’s voice and immediately obey? I would guess that my answer would have to be almost never. First of all, I do not hear God’s audible voice very often and when I do, it is usually for wisdom or comfort, not instructions to do something. I would like to think that if God told me specifically to do something, I would, but I just don’t know and I don’t exactly trust myself to act quickly when God says to. Thus, I really admire the Magi who did act quickly, perhaps even spontaneously, to follow God’s plan.

My word for this year is “listen” and I am hoping and praying to hear more from God this year. My busy life has settled into a routine of household chores, reading and reviewing books along with daily devotional time. But I am willing and ready to hear from God. I would like to hear from my readers, too. Has God ever told you to do something and you acted on it? How did it turn out for you? After all, we all have a purpose and are part of God’s plan, so we need to be attentive for when He is calling on us to help carry out the plan.

We Three KIngs-Reawaken Hymns

Encourage Each Other

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture3 Comments

Do you know what the people in the world do endlessly? They tear others down so that they look better. If you don’t believe me, just spend five minutes on social media and you will see that it’s all about how great they are compared to others. Or sit in a restaurant and watch how the customers treat their server. Some snap at the server for slow service or demand extra attention or amenities. Or go to a store and listen to what people say to the cashiers or the employees throughout the store. Impatience and rudeness seems to be a part of today’s culture.

I don’t want to be one of those who tear others down, but rather I want to build up others. I can only do that if I am confident in my place in the Lord, letting others know that they can have the same peace, the same patience and the same love that Jesus showed to others. They just have to surrender their lives to Him.

Some of the least likely people need encouragement. Pastors, teachers, evangelists…those serving the Lord daily and pouring out their hearts and lives for Him. How long has it been since you said an encouraging word to your pastor? Don’t just conjure up a word because I said to do so…pray about it and say it from your heart.

The regular people that we meet or come in contact with every day are hurting and need our encouraging words. It can be a simple smile, a heartfelt “thank you” or a sincere, “you’re doing a good job.” I seldom go out shopping anymore. It’s so much more convenient to shop online, have boxes delivered and move on to the next thing on my list. But I do come in contact with people, some deliberately and some just an accidental encounter. I know that I am responsible for each word that I speak to each person I meet, so I want each word to be purposeful and uplifting. I hope I am not, but I may be the only positive person that they come across that day.

No matter how we are encountering people, online or in person, we can be encouraging. I want to be known as a “Positive Polly” not a “Negative Nellie.” So, give everyone the benefit of the doubt and let them know that you appreciate their efforts to help you, serve you, talk to you, whatever it is that others do to interact with you. Let’s be the kind ones, the ones who truly set out to make a difference in a world that has become increasingly impersonal and self-absorbed.

Come into the Ark

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture2 Comments

In order for Noah to have an ark to go into for safety, he had to obey God and build it. God didn’t make the ark and tell him, “Here you go! Your safe space is ready for you!” Instead, Noah had to pick up his tools and work hard at building a huge boat for which he was ridiculed. Think about it. You’re doing what God tells you to do and everyone else is making fun of you. Hmm. Sounds somewhat familiar at times, doesn’t it?

When Noah finished building the ark (after about a hundred years), God told him it was time to go into it. It’s a good thing that Noah was tuned in to God’s instructions. We need to have that same mindset…just do what God says to do and the reason may/may not be told to us later, but it will be a good one.

Why was Noah called into the ark? Because God saw him as righteous before Him. The world was a wicked place, kind of like our world today. The only way we can be righteous before God is to accept His Son as our Lord and Savior. When we have done that and become the Christians that He desires us to be, adopted into His family, then we are invited into the ark. The ark is not a physical boat of safety. Rather, it is the place we can always turn to in order to be safe from the world’s temptation and sin. We are invited to go in, but we have to take the steps to get there. God will not shove us into a place of safety; rather, He woos us with love and patience, reassuring us constantly that He knows what is best for us.

There is a lot we can learn from Noah…obedience, listening for God to speak and doing what God says when He says it. We have a shelter provided from all of the storms of life. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be storms, just that we won’t suffer all of the consequences that we would without an ark to take refuge in.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God