Category: Scripture

From the Holy Bible

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.

Redemption is the Goal

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App1 Comment

I know without a doubt that God takes sin seriously. After all, He sent His Son to die because of our sin. But God’s passion is redemption, When we think of “passion” we usually think of Jesus’s great love for us and His death on the cross. We should also be thinking of the Father’s great love and absolute determination to redeem us. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses, not because I think that it applies to me or to our world today, because it was actually written to the Israelites in exile as a promise of hope for the future. But in this verse, I see that God is still working out His plan for all people everywhere. Sin is still around, but so is redemption and that is God’s ultimate purpose for our lives. God desires our best, and that is eternity with Him, not a relatively short life on a planet corrupted by sin. Redemption has always been and always will be God’s goal for each of us. I cling to that when times are hard…I am passing through this world for a brief time but it is not my final destination.

The Best Plans

Jeremiah 29:11 is a popular verse that’s often slapped onto journals, etched into coffee mugs, and printed on t-shirts.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And God does have a plan for you.
God does want to bless you.
God does want to give you hope and a future. 

But—we should also pay attention to the original context …

In this case, God was speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah—people who’d recently been exiled to Babylon for 70 years. 

The Jewish people were banished to a foreign land because of their insatiable appetite for sin. In fact, for 23 years Jeremiah had been warning them to stop rebelling against God or prepare to face the consequences.

God is patient, but He is also just. In the preceding chapters, God made a case against His beloved people:

They’d exploited foreigners, orphans, and widows. They’d denied the rights of the poor. They’d refused to stand up for truth or obey God’s instructions. They’d murdered the innocent and committed adultery. They’d rejoiced in doing evil and their lives were ruled by greed. They’d even built pagan shrines, sacrificing their sons and daughters in the fires. It was a dark time. And yet, somehow, God’s mercy always extends to the darkest places on earth.

That’s why, just a few verses later, God said they could seek Him and find Him, and He’d bring them back from captivity (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13‬-14).

That’s why he encouraged them—while in exile—to build houses, plant gardens, get married, have children, and work for the peace and prosperity of their temporary home (Jeremiah 29:5-7).

He wanted them to know: He hadn’t forgotten them. He still wanted good for them. He still had plans to restore them.

God is serious about sin, but He’s just as passionate about redemption.

Though Jeremiah 29:11 was meant for a specific people at a specific time, God’s heart for the restoration of broken people is generationally timeless. 

Even when we feel stuck in the process, God still has a plan. 
We can put our trust in the God whose goal is always redemption.

Where Is Your Faith?

On By vickleaIn praise, Scripture, Video3 Comments

First, I must admit that the days before an election have found me anxious and fearful for the future of our nation. Over and over again, God has spoken quietly to my heart and told me to have peace, that He is sovereign and in control and nothing is impossible for Him. But it was not until this morning that I had a real breakthrough.

After the strong storm came up and Jesus awakened and calmed the storm, Jesus’s words to His disciples, those who had been following Him and seeing all of His miracles, were, “Where is your faith?” That is what He asked me this morning. If my faith is in a man to lead this nation and help us to become more moral again, then my faith is in the wrong thing. If my faith is in a party or a church leader or anything or anyone that is not God, then my faith is misplaced. The same God who commands the winds and waves commands the whole world and He can take care of the United States or judge it or whatever He want to do. Whatever God chooses to do is part of His ultimate plan and I can neither change His mind or divert Him from His plan. So, instead of being afraid in the rocking boat, I am choosing to do as Jesus did, to be at peace and to rest, trusting that the Father has it all under control.

As a side note, another interesting thing I got from my devotional this morning is the times Jesus healed and told the person not to tell others. Jesus wants us to focus on the majesty of God, on His glory, grace and mercy, not on the miracles He does for us. Yes, they are numerous and they happen every day. Sometimes we aren’t even aware of what God has done for us in any given day. But the focus of our lives should not only be on what God has done for us, although gratitude is important. Our focus should on our response to what God has done. Are we truly in awe of Him and His power and actions for us? Are we honestly thankful or do we just take Him and His work for granted? Do we tell others the testimony of how He has changed our lives and we are not the same? Or do we only talk about miraculous healing? I am not saying that miracles are not important; they are, but they are not the reason we seek God, or at least I hope that isn’t the reason. God wants a relationship with us, not for what He can do for us, but just because He loves us and wants us to love Him because He is our God. God is not our personal genie (I said the same thing in a previous post long ago.) There is no magic bottle that we can rub and summon the Lord God. He is always there, right beside us, listening to us and waiting for us to come into a right relationship with Him, one of respect and genuine amazement at who He is, yet He still notices us and all the little details of our lives. Our God is truly an awesome God!

Our God Is An Awesome God-Michael W. Smith

Friendship with God

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture, Video1 Comment

Who is your best friend, the one you talk to all the time and tell that person everything that is happening in your life? You tell them how you really feel, the good things and the bad things and everything in between. I think my very best friend is my husband. We have grown together over the last fifty plus years and I can be honest with him without fearing his reaction. But the best friend that I have ever had or ever will have is God.

When Jesus was getting ready to leave His disciples and ascend to Heaven, he commissioned them to go and make disciples of others. One of the last things He said to them was that He would always be with them. That verse is one that I have clung to for many years, especially when troubling times come. I remind myself that I am not alone, that Jesus is right there with me. When my husband was deployed with the military and I was working a full-time job and taking care of three children alone, Jesus was right there. He helped me cope, balance the budget, pay the bills, take children to various activities and appointments and generally keep me sane. I trusted Him to be there for me and He was. Did I have some difficult times? Yes, that is part of life, but Jesus’s presence made all the difference. I was alone, but I wasn’t lonely. I knew then and I know now that Jesus is my friend, the One I can count on to not leave me, ever.

“I Am a Friend of God”

Not the End of the Story

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

Anyone who knows me knows that I really enjoy reading. I read for pleasure and for knowledge. I read because it takes me away to places I will never be able to go and visit with people I would like to get to know in real life. Sometimes, the books I read have an ending that leave me surprised with a revelation that I didn’t see coming. Other times, I cry at the bitter sweetness of an ending where all did not live “happily ever after.” Did you know that God is writing our story, day by day? And we can already know the ending if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our lives are barreling quickly towards our ultimate destiny…death. But that is not the end of the story. Our story has an epilogue that makes this life worth living. Our epilogue is that after death we have eternal life to look forward to, a new Heaven, a new earth and being with God forever. The end of our story is not meant to be a sad or bitter one full of regrets that we have to leave the earth behind. It is one of hope and promise that what we are going toward is so much better than what we leave behind. So, while I read for pleasure, I live for God, because He is writing my story and He has planned a glorious future for me with Him!

The Truth About Death

No matter what part of this planet you live on, how well you take care of your body, or how much money is in your bank account, there is no escaping death. 

Sound a little depressing? Sure. But there’s still good news! Really, really good news.

For those who belong to Christ, we have a hope that’s beyond this world…

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Death is the greatest tool of our enemy, which is why Jesus came to defeat it. That’s why He became human, took the ultimate punishment, and put death in its rightful place—under the authority and dominion of God. 

Yes, life is fleeting, but death is only temporary. And the Spirit of God can do what no human can—give life to the lifeless and redeem what has been lost. 

The truth about death is that it’s not the end of the story.

Soon, God will wipe away every tear and make all things new. Just as a baby is given the miraculous and mysterious breath of life, His Spirit will revive the seemingly perished and bring the dead back to life.

Death is not the end of the story. For all who belong to Christ, that is the really, really good news.

Be an Active Listener

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

I am absolutely the world’s worst at listening, but God is prodding me to work on that skill, so I will share with you what I am learning so far. First, in order to actively listen, you have to really pay attention to what the other person is saying and look at their facial expressions. I have found myself frequently doing other things when someone (especially my husband) thinks that I am listening, and I really am not. I read, fidget, look at texts, check my calendar, etc. I do a lot of other things instead of listening actively and I need to stop that. Second, I need to practice not interrupting. Who knows what the other person might have said if I had not decided to put in my two cents before it was time? I will never know because I interrupted. I think part of that is because as I age, my thoughts are fleeting and I want to say them before they go away permanently. God is reminding me that if it is important enough for me to say, it can wait and He will remind me of it if I forget. The third thing is to respond appropriately. That is much easier to do if you are being an active listener. I have found myself responding to a question that wasn’t even asked because it was what was in my mind to say, regardless of whether it made sense in the conversation. The respectful thing to do is to listen actively, respond appropriately and don’t interrupt. The whole kindness thing that God tells us to practice in the Bible can be applied to listening, too. I am getting better, but I am not there yet. Stop…look…listen. That’s a good thing to remember, not just for crossing the street, but for being an active listener. Stop whatever you are doing. Look at the person talking. And listen…really listen. You might hear something important to you, to the other person and to God.

Bless the Lord

On By vickleaIn praise, Scripture, Video1 Comment

Think about what it means to bless the Lord at ALL times. When we are on the mountaintop looking down at all of our past troubles, I think it’s easier for us to bless the Lord. What about when we are in the middle of the valley experience and the top of the mountain seems far away or even unattainable? Do we still bless the Lord then? Are we still praising Him when we walk through the dark forest of our lives, not knowing where our next step might lead but aware of danger or circumstances beyond our control all around us? Note that this verse starts with a choice…I will. We choose to bless God at all times, to never let praise be far from us. With the praise of God continually coming from our lips, the situations we face won’t seem so daunting or scary. We know He is right there with us, in that valley and those dark woods.

I wish I could say that I have arrived at the place where I always make the right choice to praise God in spite of circumstances. But, that wouldn’t be true. I am a work in progress and sometimes the Spirit has to remind me to stop whining and to praise. That’s where the joy is found…right where God is. The Bible consistently exhorts God’s people to praise. So, if you need God right where you are, choose to praise.

I Will Bless The Lord-Josue Avila

Have a blessed Sunday…go to church and worship and bless His Holy Name!