Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

Strong Character

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

The character that we all want to have is to be more like Jesus. That is only possible by spending more time with Him in His Word and in prayer. I want to not only act as Jesus would act but to react the same way He would react, too. I am a work in progress, knowing that God is helping me daily to be more like Him.

From the YouVersion: Building Strong Character

How to Build Strong Character Paul, the author of the letter to the Church in Rome, frequently encouraged the believers in Rome amidst the persecution and adversity they were experiencing. The first half of Paul’s letter corrects some of their thinking, while the second half is focused on their character and actions. In Romans 12, Paul is encouraging the believers to let love be the primary motivation for everything they do. When love is the foundation of who they are, then God can renew and transform every area of life. When they allow God to transform their character, that’s when they’re able to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Christians have a unique hope in Jesus–we know that Jesus is victorious over evil and will one day return to make everything right. This means we can have hope in the midst of suffering or difficult times. Paul knew that affliction produces steadfast character within us. When we choose to endure through suffering, Jesus forms strength and confidence within us that we couldn’t attain otherwise. But perseverance through affliction also requires constant communication with the One who transforms us through His love. Prayer is a vital part of this. It is the primary way we communicate with God, and it’s also part of how the Holy Spirit strengthens us for following Jesus. These three things create within us a stronger character in life. They mold us into the image of Jesus who was joyful in hope, patient in suffering, and faithful in prayer. So today, take some time to think of a few ways that you can become more like Jesus in these areas.

Setback or Setup?

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

When we are having a hard time with life, those of us who are Christians may look to God and be a little confused or even angry. What we should be doing instead is looking towards when that difficult period will end and we will be able to move forward with the Lord, looking back on the lessons we learned and recognizing the grace He showed us in the middle of the deep waters we went through. I am one of those who just doesn’t want to go through trials and who prefers the calm waters and peace. But I am also coming to see as I age that trials and problems are just a part of this fallen world. So, I try, although I confess that I am not always successful, to see the trial as passing, not the place where I will abide forever. In fact, I often pray for God to help me get through whatever it is without losing my temper or my patience with those around me. Trials are a time to press into God as David did and to remember His faithfulness. He hasn’t failed me yet, and He won’t ever leave me alone. Holding on to God’s promises of His faithfulness helps me to get to the other side of the valley and be willing to start climbing that mountain with Him right next to me.

Enduring Setbacks

As a teenager, David was anointed as the next king of Israel. But instead of ascending to the throne in a blaze of glory, he spent years running from Israel’s current king (his father-in-law) who repeatedly tried to kill him.  During this time, David laments to God: he has honest conversations about his situation while holding onto the hope that God can—and will—restore him. Psalm 59 is the result of one of those conversations.   David’s laments allowed him to express his grief, cry out for justice, and remember God’s faithfulness. Focusing on God’s faithfulness reminded David of God’s character, and knowing God’s character helped him hold onto hope. That’s why he could say, “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16 NIV) Talking honestly with God helped David recognize that even though his current situation wasn’t good, God was still good, and still worthy of being worshiped. David believed that God was still in control, and that he would one day see the fulfillment of God’s promises. And one day, God’s promises did come to pass. But God didn’t waste the years David spent as a fugitive: instead, He used them to help David become the leader and warrior Israel needed. The setbacks David endured actually strengthened his character and prepared him for his future purpose. Although his circumstances were painful, God was faithful.  And God can—and will—be faithful with your life.  When you place your hope in Jesus, you never grieve in vain because the God who is now is also the God who will be forever. And He is constantly advocating and acting on your behalf. That’s why, no matter what you face, you can hold onto this hope: Jesus can turn your setbacks and sorrows into setups for your good and His glory.  God can take your pain and use it for His purposes. He can make a way through your desert seasons. He is your source of strength and your refuge in times of trouble. Nothing is impossible for God.  So today, continue to draw closer to Him, and look for evidence of His faithfulness. As you intentionally pursue God, look for ways to worship Him like David did.

Love Those Who Are Unloving

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

I bet that as you read this title, you blinked and probably thought, “Who am I supposed to love?” Well, the answer according to Scriptures is everyone, of course, but when you dig deeper, you are supposed to love those for whom you don’t naturally feel love. It’s easy to love those who love you in kind. It’s much more difficult to love those people who seem to stand in the way of your success or who hinder your happiness in some way, those whom you see as an “enemy” but God sees them as a person who needs Him. When we love that person, that one who is unkind to us or who deliberately gets on our last nerve, then we are opening a door to their heart to see Jesus and His love in action through us. It’s not easy…I have no doubt that it wasn’t easy for Jesus to forgive everyone who put Him on that cross (which is all of us), but He did anyway. You know, we were once enemies of God before we became Christians, but He loved us before we even repented and came to Him for forgiveness. God is love and to be like Jesus, we are expected to show love to everyone, even the unloving. Maybe especially to the unloving because they need God’s love, too!

From the YouVersion today:

Pray for Who? All throughout Jesus’ ministry, He constantly turned things upside down for those listening. The religious leaders at the time had grown distant from following the laws of God. Jesus’ teaching helped bring them back to the heart of the law, but He often did so through surprising ways. Most of us probably think we do a great job at loving other people. But if we’re being honest, most of us probably spend our time loving those who also love us back. It’s a lot easier to love the people who we’re friends with. When there’s trust built over time and common ground, it’s easy to love. Jesus says that loving those who love you is not enough. In Luke 6:28, He challenges us to bless those who speak negatively about us, and to pray for those who mistreat us. If you’ve ever been mistreated by someone, or had someone speak negatively about you, then you know how hard it can be to love that person. It is hard to love unloving people. And yet, Jesus did exactly that. When we were at our worst, He still loved us. If you find it hard to bless those who mistreat you, begin with prayer. Between you and God in prayer, ask Him to help soften your heart. Ask Him for justice in a specific situation, but also for there to be restoration. Every person who exists is a person Jesus wants to love. And when we make steps to love those who are unloving, we’re showing the love of Jesus to someone who needs it. As we take steps to pray for those who mistreat us, we become more like Jesus. Take a few minutes right now to pray. Ask God to help you grow in love towards those around you. If there is someone who has hurt you, ask God to begin healing your heart. Say a prayer for that person as well. Ask God to be with them, to help them, and to make a way for their heart to be softened as well. Thank Jesus that He loved us even when we were unloving.

From Broken to Whole

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

I remember well when our children would run to me crying about a broken toy and expect me to fix it for them. Sometimes I could and other times, I would have to tell them that it could not be repaired and they would be very disappointed in my inability. There is One who takes each of us, broken as we are, and who “fixes” us completely and makes us whole. Our sin and the darkness all around us that accompany that sin are changed to light and an indescribable feeling of being whole. I think that it because the God who made us is able to have a relationship with us due to the sacrifice of His Son. We are no longer broken by sin but made whole by His grace. Thanks be to God for His plan that makes us whole! God never turns anyone away and says we are too broken to be repaired; there is no such thing as “too broken” with God. We can all be made whole in the name of Jesus. This is “Amazing Grace”!

Healed by His Wounds

Brokenness. We see it all around us. We experience it ourselves: in our relationships, in our dreams, in our bodies. And yet, something happened over two thousand years ago that still has the power to heal that brokenness.  
 
1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 

Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, took the weight of our sins upon Himself. He carried them to the cross, giving up His life not because of His own wrongdoing, but because of ours. This is the essence of the Gospel. Through His sacrifice, He offered us a path out of darkness and into His light—a life transformed by His grace. 

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we’ve been given a profound healing of our spirits; new life taking the place of sins and darkness that separate us from God. Through His wounds, we are offered forgiveness and a new relationship with God, healed and whole.  

Understanding His sacrifice transforms us. We can’t live in darkness anymore. Brokenness may surround us, but it is no longer within us. His righteousness washes over us. His healing wells up within us. Our entire life shifts as a response to the profound love and sacrifice Jesus showed us, and the healing that He alone can provide.

Deepen Your Faith Roots

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/50032/day/1

I invite you to join me in this Bible study and devotional plan. I am trying to “build my faith muscle” with this short six day devotional and can’t wait to delve into God’s Word. It is only through His Word that I can have a closer relationship with the Lord. And in moving closer to God, my faith becomes stronger. That is how God helps us through the hard times.

My Cravings

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

I have a lot of cravings, like chocolate (which I eat in moderation), cold water and cheesecake. I can satisfy those cravings easily enough with a trip to the store. But I have a deep craving in my heart to know more about God and to be more like Him. That one desire means that I have to expend some effort in order to satisfy my craving. A few minutes here and there and once in a while just aren’t working for me anymore. I’m not sure if it’s because of my age or the many hours in solitude because our children are grown and gone, but whatever the reason, in the quiet space of my heart, I crave to be with the Lord. I want to spend more time discovering new things about Him. It seems that every time I pick up my Bible, I find something new that I never saw before even though I have read those exact same verses multiple times. A trip to the store will satisfy my physical cravings, but only time dedicated to the Lord and His presence will satisfy my soul’s longing for fellowship with my Maker.

Every day, multiple times a day, little alarms are triggered inside your brain. They make your stomach growl, your mouth water, or your mind become fixed on that which you crave.

God gave us physical needs that mirror our spiritual needs, too. Needs that must be met to stay healthy and alive. Needs that must be satisfied over and over again. In fact, food is often used in the Bible as a metaphor for our spiritual needs (it’s called “our daily bread” in Matthew and the “pure milk” of the Word in 1 Peter, to name a couple.)

In the fourth beatitude, which are a series of promises Jesus made about God’s Kingdom, Jesus said this:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6 NIV

Do you long for righteousness and justice? Do you desire the ways of God? Do you yearn for His kingdom to come? Do you want to be someone who chases after that which can never truly satisfy, or someone who hungers and thirsts after God?

In this upside-down kingdom where Jesus is Lord, the poor can be rich, the weak can be strong, and the empty can be filled.

Jesus Christ not only holds the keys to “living water,” but He is the “Bread of Life.” So, when you feel Him prompting your heart—to fight for justice, to love the unloved, to stand up for what’s right (even when it’s not popular)—pay attention.

He stands ready to fill you with everything you need.

What Is Man?

On By vickleaIn praise, Scripture, VideoLeave a comment

We are the culmination of God’s creative work. When the Lord God created earth and everything on it, mankind was His last and ultimate creation. About man, God said, “It is very good.”

On Monday night at Bible study, as our group waited for the lesson to begin, this photo was the view from the picture window. Isn’t is amazing? God’s creation never ceases to amaze me with its stunning display of color and how everything flows together beautifully. When I see a sunset like this, I am reminded of how very much God loves each of us. We are all special to Him, uniquely created to fulfill a purpose in His plan. I don’t know about you, but my reaction is one of awe and gratitude that the God of the Universe, the One who made this gorgeous sky for us to enjoy, knows me by name and loves me. And He loves you the same way!

“Goodness of God” by Cece Winans

Live What You Have Learned

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

I am a lifelong learner. I enjoy learning new things and then using what I have learned. In fact, I know from experience that if you don’t use what you have learned, you forget it. I was a Spanish teacher for years, but teaching in the classroom was not the same as when I went on the missions field as a translator and used it or when I translated for a new couple from Guatemala who started attending our church. Using what I had learned helped me to remember the language and it also helped me feel more comfortable with it.

The same thing applies with what God is teaching us from His Word. He doesn’t want us to just read His Word. Rather, He wants us to be a walking model of what is in His Word. Love, peace, joy, long suffering, patience, forgiveness….live it, don’t just read about it. In today’s world, there is a lot of room for mercy and grace because there are a lot of people who do not agree with my conservative viewpoint. But that’s okay. I can still love them, even those living in sin, and show them grace and mercy. They aren’t going to hell because I say so and they don’t stand a chance of going to heaven if someone doesn’t extend God’s love to them and show them a better way.

Living what you have learned is not just for your benefit. It is for those all around you who are watching to see what kind of person you really are. If you practice the Christian lifestyle no matter where you are, you are fulfilling God’s Word to “do the Word.”

Keep Practicing

When someone is training for a job—any job—they must eventually make the shift from studying to practicing.

The apostle Paul knew how important such a transition was, which is why—even while confined to a Roman prison—he recorded the following words for the believers in Philippi, Greece:

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬

Paul had taught them. Paul had trained them. Paul had loved them. And that’s why, from the isolation of a jail cell, Paul empowered them to live out what they’d learned.

Jesus, too, was passionate about His followers not just trying to look good or to sound good, but to do good—with a heart that genuinely wanted to glorify God. James, the half brother of Jesus, also wrote about not just listening to the Word, but doing what it says.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 
James 1:22-24 ESV

It’s one thing to know about something, but it’s an entirely different thing to put that knowledge into practice. 

The peace of God is a gift that He gives us. It’s something we experience as we draw near to Him by living in a way that honors Him. If we know His will but don’t do anything about it—that shows that we don’t really want to honor God. But if we do His will, then our actions illustrate that our identity is rooted in Christ. And our closeness to Christ allows us to experience His peace. 

Doing the will of God—not just learning about the will of God—unleashes the peace of God. 

So today, study what Paul taught and modeled (which is ultimately what Jesus taught and modeled). And then, ask yourself: “What is God teaching me about Himself, myself, and other people? How can I apply His teachings to my life?”

God Is Right There

On By vickleaIn Scripture, testimony2 Comments

Over forty years ago, something so totally unexpected happened in my life that not only was I not prepared for it, I still look back on it and ponder how in the world I survived the events. One day, I was a young mom celebrating with my husband that our baby was about to turn a year old. Then, the phone call came. In the middle of the night, of course. My grandmother in Virginia called and said my entire family was packing up and leaving Virginia and if I wanted to tell them good-bye, I needed to get to Virginia right away. Well, I didn’t understand what was happening, but I told my husband and he helped me to calm down enough to pack our things and get ready for the seven hour drive to my hometown. Unfortunately, when I got there, my family was gone. My mom, my dad and my three younger siblings…gone. I was greeted by the sheriff’s department who were investigating my father and told that I could get personal items out of the house, but nothing else. The home I had lived in most of my life before marriage was going to be auctioned. I was in a cloud of confusion and despair, hoping to hear from my parents that they were just on a trip and would straighten everything out soon. My husband had just separated from the military as we prepared to attend Youth With a Mission in New Jersey, and we had a few months before our school started. So we spent that time first staying with my grandparents and then in a long-stay motel while we waited for our new life in NJ to begin. Meanwhile, I was dealing with the grief of losing my family, the overwhelming grief of my grandparents who had always had my mom in the same town with them, and a change in life’s circumstances that meant we had no viable income but were depending on God. Everything was changing, and I am not one who likes any change at all, much less change that turned my world upside down. But God was right there with me and He had a plan. The experience with YWAM was not one I would want to repeat, mostly because they were not set up for young families, even though there were half a dozen of us attending this session. I had to relinquish my young daughter to their daycare early every morning and did not see her again until after evening classes, sometime around dinner. It was breaking my mamma’s heart not to be with Hope, but I dutifully did what the leaders said to do, attending classes, working a job off campus to pay off bills to the school and studying God’s Word diligently. It was in burying myself in His Word that I found the comfort that I needed. After all, it had only been a few short months since my family disappeared and now I was in a new state, living in one room, eating barely recognizable food (we had chicken fly soup a lot…because we said the chicken flew over it but never stayed there), and expected to do the menial labor of cleaning houses for just enough money to pay to do our laundry. I was desolate and felt abandoned by all but God. My husband was preparing to go on a missions trip and I was working extra to help pay for that adventure for him. He, by the way, was all in for YWAM, and I was the reluctant participant. I saw my husband less than I saw our daughter, but that was okay at the time because God was with me. Every spare minute I had was spent in God’s Word, praying for my family and desperate to hear from them. The only people I heard from was the FBI…no, really, the FBI was involved and kept trying to get me to tell them where my parents were. Thanks goodness, I honestly did not know! Anyway, in the darkest, bleakest days of my life, God was right there. He held me in the long nights as I cried out my grief and despair. He comforted me with His Word and reassured me that He was right there with me.

We completed our classes at YWAM and my husband and I decided that since I was pregnant again (in spite of using birth control), he would go back into the military to support our small family. After two years, I unexpectedly got a letter from my mom. The family was in FL and was safe but I couldn’t tell anyone where they were. Eventually, a couple of years later, I was able to visit them because daddy did some kind of deal with the authorities and they knew where he was then. Two years without knowing where they were…two more years before seeing them again. My five year old sister was nine, my brothers were almost grown. In fact, one had quit college and given up a full scholarship to go with my parents when they fled Virginia. They were working and barely surviving, but they were alive! My grandparents, by the way, never got to see them again. They were too frail to travel to FL and my parents could not return to VA (or wouldn’t…I’m not sure). They did talk on the phone, but that was before technology allowed for video calls, so it wasn’t the same as having them less than fifteen minutes away. Anyway, that’s how I know that the more you need God, the more present He is in your life. I would not recommend YWAM to any young family, but for me, at that time and under those circumstances, it was the best place for me. I was filled daily with God’s Word which was the exact nourishment I needed to face each uncertain day.

My parents are both dead now. My siblings have their own families, two in Fl and one in CO. We are all close to each other, clinging to the relationship we have together and all with a faith that one day, we will get to see our parents again in heaven. Whatever the future brings, I have full confidence that God and I can handle it together. My saying to myself and others who wonder at my strength during tragedy is,” Nothing will happen today that God and I cannot handle together.”

Closer Than You Think

In one unsuspecting moment, everything can change.

A relationship can shatter, a dream can suddenly end. Your heart can break for a million different reasons: grief, rejection, loneliness, uncertainty, tragedy, betrayal.

When something terrible happens and the world makes zero sense…

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 
Psalm 34:18 NLT

David, the writer of Psalm 34, preached what he lived. He experienced some intense highs and fierce lows, but he recognized God’s presence in the midst of his circumstances. He knew that God was near, and God could change any situation in an instant.

Is your heart broken? Is your spirit crushed?

God is near.
He hasn’t left you to fight for yourself.
He sees you in your heartbreak.
He meets you where you are.
He has not forgotten you.
He has not abandoned you.

This doesn’t mean you won’t face hard things. But even when your mind races and your heart doubts, God offers a peace and an intimacy that cannot be fully explained.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we now have constant access to God’s presence through His Holy Spirit. There are many places in the Bible where the Holy Spirit is described as the Comforter—ready to soothe, guide, counsel, and encourage. 

The comfort we receive from God is a gift from His Spirit who is always with us. So if your heart is breaking and your spirit is crushed, know that you are in good hands. God is near, and He will not abandon you.

Today, take a few moments to name anything that has crushed your spirit. Then, give yourself permission to just sit in God’s presence for a few moments. When you’re ready, consider memorizing today’s verse and meditate on it throughout your day.

God’s Promises

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture2 Comments

Have you ever promised someone something that you fully intended to do, but then life got in the way and you couldn’t keep your promise? If that has happened to you, as it has to me, then you know that the person to whom you made the promise is disappointed and so are you. I have learned from experience to tell people that I can’t make a promise, but I will do my best to fulfill a commitment.

God keeps all of His promises, a statement that is hard for us to comprehend. The God of the Universe doesn’t make promises He cannot keep, so we can trust Him to follow His own Word.

There are many studies online about God’s promises. There are books written about God’s promises. There are testimonies of God’s keeping His promises and churches built because of a promise that God made to a group of people. You can just type God’s promises into a search engine and multiple results will follow.

Examples from Online Search Engine:

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-are-god-s-promises-in-the-bible.html

https://www.gotquestions.org/promises-of-God.html

https://www.openbible.info/topics/gods_promises

As helpful as search engines are, I prefer to go to the source and search out the promises of God myself. I have found in clinging to the promises of God, it is helpful to memorize them so that when the hard times come, they are hidden in my heart and I can remind myself of what God has said about my situation. Nothing in my life catches God by surprise, and He has already provided an answer for me in His Word. I just have to know it in order to be able to lean into the power of His promises.

Read verse 20 for the context of this verse. The “he” is Abraham, the one with whom God made a covenant that He kept in spite of Abraham’s humanity and mistakes. You don’t think Abraham made mistakes? Check out his journey and the two times he pretended Sarah was not his wife. In spite of Abraham’s failings, God kept His promise to him and made a great nation from him.

And in spite of our failings, God will keep His promises to us. I don’t want anyone to think that this is a “name it and claim it” post. I personally don’t believe in that philosophy. What I do believe in is God’s power and trustworthiness. When I need Him to comfort me or give me strength, He is right there, because His Word says He will be. When I am anxious, He speaks peace to me through His Word. How can I depend on a God whom I cannot see? Because He has shown me in His Word and throughout my life that He is with me and will be with me to the end. God is a promise keeper and if I want to be more like Him, I need to keep my promises. That is a commitment I plan to keep…to be careful about what I promise because the God of the Universe is listening in an watching what I will do to keep my word, just as He always keeps His.