Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

Jesus Is With Us

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

There Was Jesus: When I Couldn’t See It

“Hindsight is 20/20!”

How many times have I said that to myself after something happens or after a lesson I’ve learned? Many times. When things feel chaotic, uncertain or scary, we often act on impulse in the hope of controlling a situation; we can lash out, run away or do any number of things in the midst of a crisis. That’s very normal but it can result in some sad things. We live in a skeptical world and it feels like lately, it’s harder and harder to feel Jesus’ presence. Jesus is with us at all times, even in the moments where we can’t blatantly see His work. Oftentimes, when we come out on the other side of a crisis, we look back and see that Jesus was with us the whole time, and that He used the situation for His good — that’s a ‘Hindsight is 20/20” moment. We need to start trusting and believing that Jesus is with us while experiencing something chaotic, uncertain or scary. We can remind ourselves that Jesus is with us by looking at His Word.  Joshua 1:9 tells us to be “strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Another way to feel His presence is to give thanks. When everything is crashing around us, that is really, really hard. With every inhale and exhale we take, we have something to give thanks for ⁠— breath in our lungs ⁠—  so cling to that when you can’t see Jesus working in a moment to be reminded He’s with you. 

My Thoughts

I don’t know about you, but my tendency when the going gets rough is to hide away, cry, read and sometimes argue with God about the circumstances. I am learning to sit still, read my Bible, recall Scriptures that I have memorized and use those verses to remind myself that Jesus is right there with me. We aren’t Thomas the disciple who doubted until He actually saw Jesus. If we look, we can see Him working in our lives every day. It’s just that we get so busy that we don’t take time to look. And then when a crisis comes, we try to handle things ourselves first and then, in utter desperation, we turn to God. I am trying to train myself to turn to God first. Medical issues? Talk to God. Scary things I have to do? Talk to God. Lonely and missing my children? Talk to God.

My memory verse for this week is helping me to remember that Jesus gave us a Helper, one who reminds us of His teachings and His presence with us.

I was challenged by our Sunday school teacher to start memorizing a verse a week. I am on week 5, and so far, so good. My first reaction was that I am too old to put anything else into my brain. I mean, I go into the kitchen and have to look around to try to remember why I’m there. But, the Caleb, our teacher, encouraged us, and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and told me He would help me. And He has! I found that I can put my verses on a notecard and take them with me as we travel to our various appointments. I say them first thing in the morning and last thing before bed at night. And since I am a visual learner, writing the verses out several times helps, as well as having the verse with an image as portrayed here.

I say all of that about memory verses to let you know that these verses are helping me to remember to stay calm and focused on God. I don’t like change, of any kind, at all, ever! So, yesterday, when appointments had to be shuffled, my physical response was to have a soaring blood pressure. Then, I paused, did some nice deep breathing and focused on God. I told myself that God was with me and recited some of my verses. My heart stopped pounding and slowly my head stopped hurting, too. All good news for a stroke survivor! And a reason to be thankful, which I agree is a way to stay focused on God and His power in your life.

If you need help with staying focused on the Lord, I strongly recommend memorizing Scriptures. God’s Word is a constant source of strength, even when the world seems to be spinning the wrong way.

Waiting

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

There Was Jesus: In the Waiting (You Version Devotional, “There Was Jesus” by Zach Williams)

One of the things we all can agree on is that, as a culture, we’re not good at waiting;  we’ve invented so many ways to get out of waiting in lines, waiting on food to cook and waiting for paint to dry. I’ll admit, I’ve been conditioned to expect things quickly and right when I ask. When I read a verse like Isaiah 40:31, where it lists out the wonderful things that can happen when we wait on God, it’s challenging to follow through, especially when times are tough. I believe our impatience comes from our need to remain in control. It’s scary and goes against what we naturally want to do in most situations; hold tight and only trust ourselves. God has given us guidance on the best way to live, and sometimes, the best way to allow God to have control of a situation is to wait on Him. It requires existing in a space that feels unknown, trusting in His process, and believing that He has a plan for our lives. Easier said than done, right? What should we be doing during the waiting? Romans 12:12 tells us to be “constant in prayer.” While we’re waiting on God’s timing, prayer helps connect us to Him and helps us to focus our faith. Ephesians 4:2 tells us that we should spend our time loving others, being gentle with each other, and to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Basically, God has asked us to trust Him with the timing, but to walk along with Him in the meantime.

Waiting on God doesn’t mean we’re separated from Him. He’s always right alongside us. Exodus 14:14 tells us, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” He’s fighting for us and with us in the waiting and the searching, every minute and every moment. 

My Thoughts

I don’t know about you, but waiting is hard for me. I am not so much “in an instant”as in my own timing. I don’t like to wait because, as the author of the devotional wrote, it means I have to relinquish my control over something. Change and waiting throws me, every time. I try to be in prayer and wait, but I get anxious, and my blood pressure soars. I try not to be anxious, but that doesn’t work because in trying not be anxious, I get more anxious. It’s like I am on a Ferris wheel, stuck on the top and unable to get off or to make the thing move and get me back down to the ground. So, I am working on learning to calm my thoughts and think about Jesus walking beside me, or even sitting in that Ferris wheel next to me, holding my hand and asking me to tell Him about my day. I’m glad that He is patiently still working on me.

This morning, I got up early and got ready for my appointment with my neurologist. Every year since my stroke, I have to go in to get a Doppler on my carotid artery. The procedure isn’t painful so it’s not a big deal. That is, until an hour and a half before I am supposed to leave, the doctor’s office calls, says there is a problem with today’s schedule and wants me to come in tomorrow. You would think that I would roll with the punches, as they say, just write down the new time and move on. Well, instead, I had to juggle another appointment to take my car in for brake work and there were two changes to the schedule this week already. Not bad, right? Unless you have my body and my mind which has its own way of dealing with change and waiting…my blood pressure soared and I had to take my extra pill that is only for such occasions as this. As my husband says, I am not conditioned for change because change in my home growing up meant my mom would get angry and I would be the target. I have basically spent my whole life trying to avoid change, but then along comes God who wants me to get accustomed to it so He can teach me that change is not a bad thing. I am now putting myself into His capable and loving hands and praying for my BP to regulate so my head will stop pounding. I am doing my deep breathing exercises and reading my Bible while I also pray. There is no magic formula for me to de-stress when change happens, but believe it or not, I am getting better at accepting the waiting part of change. My body still reacts physically, but my heart is calmer, knowing that the Lord is right beside me. He is waiting, too, for me to be calm enough to listen. So, appointment tomorrow…no problem! Car on Wednesday, not a big deal. God’s got this and me, in His hands and He is molding me to be more like him. After all, that is what I have been praying for. And if this change and waiting stuff is what it takes, then I am ready to fight that stress battle with the Lord holding my hand and speaking in my ear!

What to Put On

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion App3 Comments

Cultivate What Matters Most (You Version Bible App, Daily Devotional, 11-09-24)

Imagine putting on shirts of compassion, patience and forgiveness. That might seem ridiculous, but Colossians 3:12 tells us to “clothe ourselves” in traits that match our identity in Christ. In other words, we need to cover ourselves in actions and attitudes that result in us looking more like Jesus every day. 

So, how do we do this? One way to get started is by thinking of the struggles that keep you from living more like Jesus, and then start to replace them with their opposite action.

  • If your communication leans sarcastic and cutting, choose to say something kind instead.
  • If you tend to come across as harsh, choose to do something that requires gentleness.
  • If you’re holding a grudge, choose to extend forgiveness.

As you go about doing that, choose to take part in activities that build you up spiritually. This could look like connecting with friends who will keep you accountable, memorizing Scripture that you can apply to your life, or cultivating compassion by serving in your community. The more you intentionally pursue actions that lead to humility, compassion, and kindness, the more those traits will become a natural part of your life. 

And as you pursue the qualities mentioned in Colossians 3:12, the changes this produces will be most evident in the way you treat other people. The apostle John said that we can’t claim to love Jesus if we hate each other (1 John 4:20), so a life that reflects Jesus is going to embody love. And according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is “patient and kind. … It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. … Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 

A life marked by God’s love is going to display the very things the apostle Paul talks about in Colossians 3:12. 

So if we want to live like Jesus, then we need to receive the new life He’s given to us and accept His unconditional love. Only then can we begin to reflect His love to others by showing people compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

My Thoughts

Now is not the time to run around and brag about the victory of your favorite candidate. Now is the time to be kind and patient and tender-hearted. I remember how depressed and anxious I felt four years ago when Biden was elected. I was dismayed and in total denial. Now, I can apply that to family members and friends who supported Harris. They need to vent, and I need to be willing to listen. Pointing out the ungodly policies of their candidate will not help them. They are afraid because the MSM told them that Trump will destroy everything. So, instead of using words to point out facts, words that they cannot hear right now, I am choosing to be kind and compassionate and just listen. If they have a question, I will answer without being snarky. I want to show them the kindness that I would want shown to me if the other candidate had won.

This verse is perfect for right now and for every day. I am retired so my choice of attire in the mornings after I shower is warm pj’s or cool ones, depending on the weather. Sometimes, on appointment or meeting days, I even get dressed. But my outward appearance isn’t what matters to other people or to God. They want to see how I will treat them, even if they believe differently than I do. If we want to be like Jesus, we have to be willing to meet people right where they are and to just listen to what they need from us. Sometimes, it’s just kindness and compassionate understanding. Sometimes, we are called to act, like providing a person breakfast or a hot drink. Whatever we can do to be more like Jesus, then we need to choose to do it. It may not be comfortable for us like wearing pj’s all day, but stepping out and helping others know that Jesus is real and loves them is our mission in life. There is nothing more important that showing someone you love them so that they, in turn, can believe in the love of Jesus.

Kindness-Steven Curtis Chapman

Selfishness and Conceit

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Selfish to Selfless (YouVersion Bible App, Daily Devotional, 11-08-24)

Our default setting is selfishness.

Don’t believe it? Try hanging out with a toddler for a day.

Toddlers want what they want, and they want it now. Toddlers will fight (and sometimes bite) to maintain dominion over their prized possessions. Toddlers have little concern for schedules, agendas, or perfectly white walls.

The good news about toddlers—and people in general—is that they have the capacity to change into selfless people as they grow. But, if toddlers aren’t lovingly redirected and taught how to consider others, that selfishness will continue.

So if we’re naturally self-centered humans, how do we train our minds not to default to selfishness?

The Bible encourages us to model our lives after Jesus…

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:3‬-5 ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus didn’t leverage His authority for personal advantage—power, pleasure, control, or comfort—but took on the nature of a servant.

Jesus spent His time investing in others.
Jesus focused His attention on helping others.
Jesus gave up His own life for others.

If you find yourself becoming self-obsessed, self-indulgent, or even a little self-righteous, consider asking God for His help.

  • Ask Him to help you see people the way He does.
  • Ask Him to use any knowledge you gain to love Him and serve others. 
  • Ask Him to put opportunities in your path to lead others toward Him.
    ‬‬
    The Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and relationships with other believers are what refines our hearts. And with God’s help, we can change our tendency from living selfishly into living selflessly.

My Thoughts

I thought that when the election was over, things would calm down, but apparently, there are some hard feelings in my family over the fact that I would dare to vote for Trump. Anyway, there is a division brewing and I am heartbroken over the harsh words that are being directed towards me. Nevertheless, I feel as if I can continue to value others as friends and family members, in spite of our differences. And I covet your prayers during this hard time. I want to show others that I value their friendship and our relationship and that politics is not the most important thing in my life. God is! And that is why I voted the way I did. I had to choose the candidate who most represented Biblical truths…not perfectly, but better than the one who thinks abortion and transgenderism are values to be touted. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. We could all do to read and heed this verse daily. It reminds me that He is everything and without Him, I am nothing.

In the Realm of “Already”

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

Present Your Requests to God (YouVersion Bible App, Max Lucado: “Anxious for Nothing”

In Luke 18:1–8, Jesus told a parable about a persistent widow who went before an unjust judge. The woman so pestered the judge that he finally agreed to her request just to get her to go away. Jesus ended the parable by saying, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (verse 8 NIV).

What are you to make of this parable? Is God a reluctant judge? Are you the marginalized widow? Is prayer a matter of pestering God until he breaks down and gives you what you want? No, this is a parable of contrast, not comparison. God is not like the judge in the story. He is not reluctant in answering the prayers of his people. As a child of the King, you can turn to him at any moment. He never places you on hold or tells you to call again later. God loves the sound of your voice. Always. He doesn’t hide when you call. He hears your prayers.

But why present your requests to him at all? What’s the purpose when he already knows what you are going to ask? Prayer is actually for your benefit. It allows you to act in faith on what you know about his character. When you pray in specific ways—for the particulars of your problems—and you see God respond in specific ways, your faith grows. You come to trust that God will always be there for you, even in the midst of the most anxiety-producing moments.

Prayer is simply a conversation with your heavenly Father. You place your anxieties in his hands and remind him—and yourself—of the promises he has made in his Word. You find a promise that fits your problem and build your prayer around it. These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven. Miracles are set into motion. You experience less consternation; more supplication. Fewer anxious thoughts, more prayer-filled thoughts.

Thanksgiving is the means God uses to help you take the focus off yourself and onto him. Gratitude is a powerful weapon in the arsenal against anxiety because it leads you out of the land “if only” and into the realm of “already.” The anxious heart says, “Lord, if only I had this, that, or the other, I’d be okay.” The grateful heart says, “Lord, you’ve already given me this, that, and the other thing. Thank you for your blessings, God.”

Christ-based contentment will turn you into a strong person. It helps you realize that since no one can take your Christ, no one can take your joy. Failure can’t steal your joy, because Jesus is greater than your sin. Disappointments can’t steal your joy, because even though your plans may not work out, God’s plans always will. Not even death can steal your joy, because Jesus has even conquered death itself.

What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have. You have God, who is crazy about you, and the forces of heaven to monitor and protect you. You have the living presence of Jesus within you. In Christ you have everything. So anchor your heart to the character of God. Treat each anxious thought with a grateful one, and prepare yourself for a new day of joy.

Respond

Do you ever feel like you are pestering God when you pray? How does knowing God is eager to hear from you affect your desire to talk to him?

What attitude do you tend to have when you pray? How would your prayers change if you focused on what God has already done in your life?

What anxious thoughts will you pray for specifically today? How will you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past as you pray specifically for these needs?

My Thoughts

One of the pages that I follow on Facebook is called “Cowboyisms.” Yes, there are horses, cowboys and gorgeous sunsets. But I follow the page because there is a lot of godly wisdom on the graphics the participants post. One such post was this morning, and it said, “You don’t pray to inform God. You pray to involve God.” Isn’t that the truth? God already knows all that we are going through, so we don’t tell Him what is going on in our lives because He needs information. We are telling Him so that we are asking Him to get intimately involved in the circumstances of our life.

I really like what today’s devotional has to say about being in the realm of “already.” When we take time to recognize what God has already done for us, then our faith increases and our doubt flees.

Whenever my husband goes out to run errands, as soon as he comes into the house again, I am eager to share what has happened in the few hours he has been gone. I want to tell him about what I read in the Bible, what I heard from my news blurbs online and any interesting blogs I read that day. I want to tell him about phone calls and prayer requests that I am praying for. You see, he actually wasn’t there when I was going through these events.

But God was…He is always there! So, when I tell Him about my day and the things I am grateful for and the help that I need from Him, He already knows. But as my loving Father, He wants me to set aside time just to talk to Him, to have the relationship with Him that strengthens me for my day. That is what my prayers with God are like. It’s not a sonorous pulpit-like prayer, but rather a conversation with the One who knows me best and loves me most. I don’t want to sound sacrilegious, but I talk to God as I would talk to my husband who just walked into the door and is interested in what has been happening. God, who is always there, wants to know what is on my heart and mind and takes the time to listen. And, I have found, if I will sit quietly, He will also respond with words that I need to hear, mostly from His Word but sometimes timely words of advice just for me in a given situation. Talking to God relieves my anxiety and helps me recall all that He has already done for me.

Do you talk to God daily? I talk to Him all day long…prayer in the morning and then I just keep the conversation going as I seek His wisdom and His input on current issues. He never shuts the door in my face or tells me He’s just too busy to listen right now, that I should come back later. I call His name and I am assured that He is listening and ready to be there for me, whatever I need. If I need to vent because I am angry about something, He listens and calms me down. If I need to cry because I am sad, He listens, without judging that the thing I am upset about is a small thing. I am so thankful that He is always ready to hear me when I call out to Him, He is never impatient with me, and He always has an answer for me. No, the answer may not come right away, but I know, because I know Him, that He is working on solutions that are best for me and others, and the answer will come at just the right time.

The Prayer-Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli

Contagious Calm

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Let Your Gentleness Be Evident to All (YouVersion Devotional by Max Lucado: “Anxious for Nothing”)

Unchecked anxiety can unleash an Enola Gay of angry outbursts, rash accusations, and fiery retaliations against those in your path who are unfortunate to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. How many people have been wounded as a result of such unbridled stress? On the other hand, how many disasters have been averted because one person decided to be calm?

It is this composure Paul is referring to when he states, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5 NIV). The Greek word translated as gentlenessdescribes a temperament that is seasoned and mature. It envisions an attitude that is fitting to the occasion, levelheaded and tempered. The gentle reaction is one of steadiness, evenhandedness, and fairness.

Jesus promised that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). It is as inevitable as the sun rising on a new day—as waves crashing on the shores of a beach. But what you also need to remember is that Jesus has promised to be with you in the midst of those troubles. Before Jesus departed this earth, he said to his disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NIV).

In fact, throughout the Bible, God repeatedly pledged to be present with his people. He was with Abram as he traveled to a new land. He was with Hagar when she fled into the wilderness, and with Isaac when he was forced to move from place to place. He was with Joshua when he faced the Canaanites, and with David when he faced the Philistines. He was with Peter in prison, and with Paul whenever and wherever he found himself in dire circumstances.

God was never watching from a distance. In fact, his very name is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He became flesh. He became sin. He defeated the grave. And he is still with you.

Maybe you’re fighting today to keep a family together, a business afloat, or a school from going under. How you handle that fight will reveal where your trust ultimately lies. If you trust in Jesus and believe he is always with you, the byproduct of releasing the control to him will be a contagious calm that surrounds your life. This calm will allow you to see how God is working in your situation—and others will notice there is something different about you. It will bring healing to your anxiety, mature your faith, and show others that God is always faithful.

Anxiety management is like pulling stumps out of the ground. Some of your worries have deep root systems, and extracting them is hard work. But you don’t have to do it alone. Present the challenge to your Father and ask for help.

Will he solve the issue? Yes, he will. Will he solve it immediately? Maybe. Or maybe part of the test is an advanced course in patience. This much is sure: contagious calm will happen to the degree that you turn to him.

Respond

Who in your life is most impacted by the way you respond to stressful situations?

How would you define the word gentleness? Would you say your responses to others in stressful situations tend to be gentle? Why or why not?

How can knowing that God is always present in your circumstances help you to maintain a sense of contagious calm?

My Thoughts

On Election Day, I spent most of the day alone as my husband is a poll watcher. When he came home a little before eight, he was tired, but in a good way, and we talked a little while about what was going on in the election. I had been praying all day for God’s mercy and as the evening wore on and the results were coming slowly, I decided to go ahead and go to bed. I thought that I would not be able to sleep, but in my prayer, I asked God for peace and His response to my heart was, “Trust.” I woke up about three a.m. as my husband was coming to bed. It looked like President Trump would win, but I didn’t trust the Democrats not to pull a switch or find more ballots. My anxiety kicked in again, and again, God spoke to my heart, “Trust.”

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my word for this year has been trust. I have had to trust God for some hard things, at least hard things for me. I had to drive my husband in heavy traffic back and forth to his appointments for his eye surgery. It sounds easy and normal, but not for me. I have little peripheral vision after my stroke and as a result, I have not driven much for the last ten years. But, God whispered the word “trust” to me and so I just did what I needed to do.

So many times, I have surprised myself and probably others around me with my calm spirit when inwardly I was seething with anxiety. God’s message to me has been the same in every situation, “Just trust.” I have not arrived at the place where I can say that I am not anxious about anything, but I can testify that I am calmer in situations that used to make me so anxious that I would hide from others or explode at them. So, progress, right? God is still working on me, and I am thankful that He never gives up.

Never Give Up-Josh Bates

God Is On His Throne

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

From the YouVersion Bible App: Devotional by Max Lucado, “Anxious for Nothing”

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Anxiety is a meteor shower of what-ifs. What if I don’t close the sale? What if we can’t afford braces for the kids? What if my kids have crooked teeth? What if crooked teeth keep them from having friends . . . a career . . . a spouse? Anxiety is living life in a minor key with major concerns.

Is your heart weighed down with worry? Could you use some calm? If so, you aren’t alone. Conquering anxiety and worry requires some work on your part, but it is not God’s will that you lead a life of perpetual anxiety. God loves his children. He oversees your world. He monitors your life.

In Philippians 4:4, Paul offers what could be considered a “prescription” for anxiety and worries. Interestingly, this prescription begins with a call to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Paul used every tool in the box on this verse to get his readers’ attention. First, he uses a verb tense so they would hear, “continually, habitually rejoice!” And if the verb tense wasn’t enough, he removed the expiration date: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” And if that wasn’t enough, he repeated the command: “Again I will say, rejoice!”

But how do you obey this command? By recognizing the sovereignty of God. The most stressed-out people are control freaks. The more they try to control the world, the more they realize they cannot. Life becomes a cycle of anxiety, failure; anxiety, failure; anxiety, failure. But when you recognize heaven has an occupied throne, you allow the Lord to be in control. God then calms your fears not by removing the problem, but by revealing his divine power and presence. Your anxiety decreases as your understanding of God, your Father, increases.

The next time you fear the future, rejoice in the Lord’s sovereignty. Rejoice in what he has accomplished. Rejoice that he is able to do what you cannot do. Fill your mind with thoughts of him. Where others see the problems of the world and wring their hands, see those problems and bend your knees. Intentionally lift up your mind to thoughts about your king. Don’t get lost in your troubles. Dare to believe that good things will happen. Examine what sustains your belief, and make sure your belief in God is founded in trusting that he is in control.

Also realize that God has freed you from the guilt and quagmire of regret that may be causing you anxiety. Unresolved guilt can turn you into a person who is hiding, running, denying, and pretending. Guilt can suck the life out of your soul. But grace restores that life and allows you to trust God’s forgiveness. The result is the ability to rejoice unhindered, confident in God’s sovereignty. 

Your Father’s hands are open, so place yourself entirely in his care. As you do, you will find it is possible—yes, possible!—to be anxious for nothing.

Respond

How is rejoicing a choice? What does rejoicing in the Lord look like to you?

How would you describe your confidence in God’s control over your life? What are some ways you have seen God’s sovereign hand at work in your life?

How can spending time each day in God’s presence help you rejoice in the Lord always?

My Thoughts

I need to read this devotional every day, along with God’s Word that tells me not to worry. I wake up every morning and say thank you to God and then I proceed to worry. I worry about small things (an earache just beginning) and big things (car repairs). But God says He is on His throne and I need to let go. So, I am working on it. As a Type A Control Freak, this is not easy for me, but since it is a command, I will call on God to help me to do better about not being anxious. I am spending more time with God every day and that is helping. Do you have any secrets to letting go of worry? I don’t think that there is a “magic bullet” but I do know that there is a powerful God who is watching over me.

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Come Together with Our Differences

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Striving Toward Unity (You Version Daily Devotional)

Almost every successful company or group in history has shared something in common: they all had a unifying mission.

As Christians, we all share the same mission. We are unified in following Christ. We’re saved by His blood (Romans 5:9) and we’re all called to make disciples in His name (Matthew 28:19).

And yet, even among Christians, there is so much division and disunity.

In Psalm 133:1, Psalmist reflects on how good it is when the people of God live together in unity. There is something powerful that happens among Christians when we are unified. 

Unity is not putting away our differences, because there would be no need to be unified if we were all the same. No, unity is coming together with our differences and striving to make much of Jesus together.

We can accomplish so much more for God’s kingdom together than we can alone. But, we must strive for unity to make that happen. Life’s better when we work together.

Take a moment to consider the people in your life who might be different from you. What steps can you take today to build a greater sense of unity with those around you? Consider a few ways that you can make Jesus famous in your life through the relationships and communities that you’re in.

My Thoughts

Well, it is finally here…the great division between the donkeys and the elephants! We went to Bible study last night and one lady commented that she could not understand how a Christian could possibly vote for Kamala, considering all she stands for that is ungodly. Without getting too deep into that topic, I agreed with her. But then I thought about it as we drove home in the heavy darkness, with only a sliver of a moon in the sky. The reason is darkness. If you choose to cloak yourself in darkness, you do not welcome light, nor can you see it. I am not saying that the other candidate is light…far from it. But I support him because his values more closely align with my Biblical worldview.

So what does that have to do with unity? We are one body…all sheep, protected and watched over by the Good Shepherd. So my prayer for today is that at the end of the day, we can all be “One Nation, Under God” not a divided nation as we have been for decades. No matter who wins the election, we all have the same purpose if we are Christ’s followers. We are to glorify Him and to pray for the people in leadership. Things will never be perfect on earth; it’s not meant to be. But we can help make things better by uniting with other believers to make the world a better place for everyone.

Unity

On By vickleaIn prayer, Scripture, YouVersion App4 Comments

This is my prayer, not just for believers but for our nation. Please enjoy this devotional from the YouVersion and join me in praying for our nation today, for unity in spite of our differences of opinion about candidates.

And without adding it to the Scripture, because that would be wrong, let me add the comment there is neither Republican nor Democrat. We believers are called to be one!

Christ Calls You to Unity and Fellowship

Key Verse

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

In his letter to the Galatian church, the Apostle Paul offers a glimpse of the demographics of heaven. And it looks like paradise. If there were a census in heaven, it would ask only one question: Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Everything else is incidental.

But Paul is not necessarily talking about heaven in Galatians 3. He’s talking about the church—Christ’s followers in this world. The unity of our shared purpose far outweighs any differences in race, gender, or background. In 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, Paul uses the human body as an analogy for the church. Within the body, various parts have different features, different functions, and different ways of working. But they share a common goal—one that unites them profoundly and overrides their differences. Like the parts of the human body, Christ’s followers work together and depend on one another to accomplish Christ’s work.

The unity to which Christ calls us can serve as an example to the world. It can inspire and give hope to people who know little about Christ. Learning to embrace—and celebrate—the unique set of cultural mores, personal experiences, and God-given gifts and sensibilities that every believer brings to the work of Christ is one of the most powerful forms of outreach the church has to offer.

A lack of unity within a church can have a devastating effect on its outreach. If people look to the church and see fractious relationships, backbiting, and internal warfare, they will likely, and justifiably, chalk it up to hypocrisy. For many, it will confirm their worst suspicions about Christianity. If they see there’s nothing special about the way Christ’s followers interact with one another, they may question Christ’s ability to change lives. If, on the other hand, people see loving concern, cooperation, encouragement, accountability, and “iron-sharpening iron,” they may be inspired to investigate Christ further.

Romans 12:18 gets to the heart of the matter: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” You may be surprised by how much doesdepend on you—that is, how much unity you can inspire simply by developing a Christlike heart for others.

The walls that separate us are much more fragile than they seem. If you take the time, effort, and risk to reach out to other believers, especially those who are different from you, you’ll find that those walls can be toppled in no time.

(Note: I added the emphasis on those two sentences.)

At 6 p.m. tonight, the night before the election, all believers everywhere are being asked to pray for the election, our nation and that we may be unified afterwards in a miraculous way. Please join me in prayer tonight, no matter what time zone you are in.

May God bless America!

Undeserved: You Version Daily Devotional

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Undeserved

When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…

They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.

They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.

And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:

“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬

Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)

God’s ways might not always be easy, but they can always be trusted. 

When we choose unforgiveness, hate and anxiety and bitterness will likely take root. But when we choose forgiveness (even though we might need to consider new boundaries), love and peace and reconciliation can flourish.

So, what about you? Have you ever been mean? Have you been selfish? Talked behind someone’s back? Broke a vital promise? Lied, criticized, or ignored? Have you ever decided to give up and walk away?

In our unique-to-us ways, we’ve all let someone down. We’ve disregarded God’s instructions and, instead, created our own instructions. We’ve messed up.

We deserve God’s wrath but, instead, He’s offered us His unconditional love. 

Because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, we didn’t get what we deserve. And even while hanging on that cross, breathing His last earthly breaths, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus repaid our evil with extreme mercy, leaving us free to conquer evil with good. So today, let’s honor His sacrifice by treating others the way He treated us.

My Thoughts

All of us have sought ways to “get back” at someone who has hurt us, or even worse to do something to someone else before they can do something mean to us. That is part of our sin nature, but it isn’t attractive and it certainly doesn’t show people the Jesus living inside you. I have spent years now trying to get control of my anger against others and letting go of the hurts and bitterness that follow that quest for revenge. God is a God of love, mercy and forgiveness, not revenge. Yes, He metes out justice…but HE metes out justice. That is not my monkey, not my circus.