Tag: Savior

God Redeems

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/9114/day/3

As a child, I constantly felt rejected, by my mother and my friends. I felt rejected by my mother because she really didn’t like me and told me so constantly. She verbalized how ugly I was and how I needed to study hard because no man would ever be able to love me. I was rejected by my friends because I couldn’t run and play as they did, and they were not happy to just sit and play board games or jacks with me inside. So, in my loneliness, I turned to books. It sounds silly now, but I often went into what we called the “big bathroom” because it was the main bathroom with a tub and a shower, and I would sit on the toilet with a book and while silent tears rolled down my cheeks and sing “Jesus Loves Me.” A sweet and caring neighbor invited me to Sunday school and church and I had learned that song and its truth. I was probably around twelve years old when this was happening, so I really feel foolish now as I write these words, but that song gave me comfort for many years, long before I knew Jesus as my Savior.

I am absolutely amazed that Leah, the rejected one, is in the lineage of our Savior because she is the wife who gave birth to Judah. Jacob preferred Rachel, but God showed favor to Leah and seemed to make up to her the fact that Jacob obviously preferred Rachel. Judah’s name indicates that Leah had accepted Jacob’s rejection and was clinging to a relationship with God.

We have all been rejected in some way at some time by someone. We each have to come to the place where we realize we have been redeemed by a Savior who is bigger, better, more powerful and more loving than we could possibly ever imagine. I am who I am today because of some of the traumas of my childhood, but also mostly because God has redeemed me and given me a husband, children and grandchildren who accept and love me just the way I am. That’s the love that God has for me, too, a love that is hard to understand but so wonderful to know!

Good News

On By vickleaIn YouVersion App1 Comment

When you get a raise or a promotion or a new baby arrives, you cannot wait to share the good news with everyone you know and even some strangers you may meet. The really good news that we should be sharing is the new life made possible because of the arrival of Jesus. On this Christmas Eve, take time to share the reason you are joyous and celebrating. Take time to tell others about your hope, your peace and your Savior!

Is God Silent?

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

The answer to my question is a resounding “no”! But sometimes, in the light of the daily headlines and the evil we see all around us, I wonder why God is holding back His judgment. Then He speaks quietly into my heart that He is watching and waiting for more to turn to Him.

Habakkuk was a very bold prayer warrior, not hesitating to ask God if he is being silent and knowing that God cannot stand the sight of evil. I have to wonder what Habakkuk would say about the evil that is rampant today? Is one generation’s evil worse than another’s? I think not. Evil is evil. Sin is sin. And God will not just watch us self-destruct forever. He has sent us as His messengers to warn the world of the judgment to come. They scoff and do not seem to listen, but God works on hearts. That is the thing…But, God…He is not winking or silent. He is pure and holy and will not withhold His righteous judgment forever. Man sins and laughs in God’s face. God doesn’t strut around and say, “Gotcha.” I think He is sad for our world and its desperate trust in the worldly powers. I know that I am sad each time I read a new headline glorifying sin. God, who sent His Only Son into the world to save us, must be heartbroken over mankind’s choices. But, He is not silent. He is working in the background to draw people to Him so that as many as possible may be saved before His wrath begins. But God…

Not Good Enough

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song6 Comments

Part of our message in church yesterday was that we cannot be good enough to save ourselves from eternity in hell. Before I became a Bible-believing, Jesus-confessing Christian, I thought that I was a pretty good person. I didn’t do too many bad things and I generally felt bad and apologized quickly when I did offend someone. I didn’t kill or steal or destroy things, so I thought I was okay. Then, one night when I was alone and reading the Book of John, I was convicted that I am a sinner, saved by grace and that God had to send His Son into the world for die because of my sins. Well, really the whole world’s sins, but He died for me! I discovered almost fifty years ago that I would never be good enough to have a relationship with God without Jesus as my Intercessor.

No matter how much we think that we are doing right, even when we are doing things that we think are for God, we are not good enough to have a relationship with Him without Jesus forming the bridge between us. God established His plan of salvation from the beginning of the world. I am not wise enough to understand how God knew from creation that he would need to send His Son to save us all from our sins, but Genesis 3:15 is called the proto-evangelical verse because in it God says, speaking to the serpent in the garden: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” (MEV) On the day of Jesus’s crucifixion, part of this Scripture came to pass, when Jesus was nailed to the cross. Satan thought he had finally won the war, but Jesus rose again and showed to Satan and all of mankind that the ultimate victory is His. God knew we need a Savior, yet so many are still lost in their sins, thinking that they are good enough and they just want to live their own lives without any “interference” from God. God doesn’t want to interfere in your life, my friends. He wants to bless it beyond what you can ever imagine. Furthermore, He wants to spend eternity with you. But, as the old saying goes, the ball is in your court now. You have to choose to believe that you are not good enough and that you need a Savior to be saved from your sin. Your eternal destiny depends on your own choice, so choose wisely!

God So Loved by We The Kingdom

Have a blessed day and remember to make choices that promote God’s kingdom, not your own.

Praising God in the Hard Times

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/psa.42.11.mev

Months have gone by without being able to travel and see our grandchildren, with our regular visits every quarter. Today is our youngest granddaughter’s third birthday, and I have to say that I started the day with sadness over not being with her to hug her and celebrate her life with her. After all, in a few short months, she will have a baby brother, so a lot in her life is changing. Instead of rejoicing as I should have been, I threw myself a wee pity party this morning.

Then I read my devotional, and here was this verse. It was already highlighted for me since I read through the Bible annually and this verse has spoken to me before. But never have these words spoken so directly to my heart as this morning. So many small things have been going wrong lately…my phone stopped working and I have to set up its replacement today, for example. Not a big thing for the techies out there, but I am not one and the thought of having to set it up, even with tech help on the line helping me is daunting. Nevertheless, I will persevere.

My problems are so small compared to that of others. My daughter’s friend has spine cancer and is suffering through two different kinds of chemo in order to hold in in check. She has children who love and depend on her and a husband who loves her dearly. Please say a prayer for A. Neighbors had a recent tragedy last week, losing a loved one suddenly. Please pray for them. Finally, a dear friend from church had open heart surgery and is still building his strength back from that ordeal. So, I would appreciate those of you who pray to keep him in your prayers. So many problems, large and small, have been weighing on my mind lately and affecting my heart.

Then, today, God spoke to that heart and basically told me that my hope is in God. How could I forget that, even for a moment? We just went through the Easter season and had a phenomenal service at our new church. And yet, I walked away still discouraged and crestfallen. No real reason for it…just so many months of bad news. But Jesus brought the Good News. He brought the hope! I have only to reach out to Him and tell Him what is troubling me and my load is lightened, just in the sharing. In writing this blog this morning, I am not asking you to join me in my pity party. No, I want you to join in my celebration of the hope that lives in me because of Jesus. Yes, sometimes I get discouraged. But God doesn’t let me stay that way for long…He reminds me of who I am and what I am supposed to be doing. I am His child and I am supposed to tell others about His love, grace and mercy. Others will not listen if I am being an “Eeyore” because they will not see a reason for hope. Thus, I am now smiling, knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me, forgives me and wants me to have hope.

I pray that today will be a good day for you in all ways, that you will see a reason for hope and for smiling. Smile at a stranger today and let them know that you see them. Oh, yes, you say, but you have a mask on. How will they know that you are smiling? Did you know that if you are really smiling, your eyes shine in a special way? So smile and let the world and God know that you still have hope. I do. He is my Savior and my God, and yours, too, if you will allow Him to be.