Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

God’s Gift of the Ordinary

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The cousins visiting a life-size replica of Noah’s ark at The Ark Encounter https://arkencounter.com

People seem to thrive on adventure. The thrill of new experiences and drama often give us a high. But there is something to say about the everyday, normal activity of life. You could even say it is God’s gift of the ordinary.

God’s Perfect World

God created a perfect world. Everything and everyone worked in harmony with the other. One day a tragedy occurred. Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command. Sin entered the creation and from then on a downward spiral pulled our beautiful world and everything in it into an undertow of devastation.

Over time the effects of sin became so bad that God looked down on His creation with disgust. He saw that every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart were continually evil. This saddened Him and He decided to destroy the world He had created. But there was Noah, one man who found grace in the sight of the Lord.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time. God revealed to Noah what He planned to do and gave him directions to build a large boat, which would serve as protection from the great flood He was going to send on the earth.

God Sends A Flood

For 400 years Noah and his sons worked on the boat, all the while preaching to their neighbors and asking them to repent of their sins. Sadly, the people only jeered at this obedient family. When the boat was ready God told Noah and his family to take a male and a female of every kind of animal, plus sevens of the sacrificial animals, into the boat. Then He shut the door and sent rain upon the earth for forty days and nights.

In that month the water covered the earth and drowned out all living things, but Noah and his family were safe within the boat. After a year or so God dried up the earth and allowed Noah’s family to exit the boat. They and all the animals stepped out onto dry land to begin a new life.

We are so familiar with this story that we often tend to forget the emotional impact this tragedy must have had on Noah and his family. They were uprooted from their home knowing that all of their friends and family were being destroyed because they would not repent. They, along with the life they had known, vanished into the deepest ocean ever created.

When this family timidly stepped out of the boat and drew in the fresh air of their new home, the first thing Noah did was to build an altar and make a sacrifice to the Lord. In response God made some promises. He said He would never again destroy every living thing with another flood, and that:

“While the earth remains

Seedtime and harvest

And cold and heat,

And summer and winter,

And day and night

Shall not cease.”

Genesis 8:22

God’s Ordinary Gift

After all the drama of this worldwide flood, God gave Noah and his family a gift of the ordinary. Year after year they would experience the natural cycle of earthly events. Seedtime would yield harvests. The seasons and varying temperatures would rotate throughout the year. And the sun would rise and set on every new day. What a blessing to be able to rely on predictable events no matter how ordinary.

While our culture seems to thrive on excitement and drama, we all need the ordinary seasons of life to keep us healthy and strong. The adrenaline rush that God has given us to meet threats and even pleasurable excitement can take a toll on our body. We need the gift of the ordinary to get the rest we need.

I am sure Noah and his family were so happy when life settled down into a new routine. The cycles of life must have been a great comfort after all they had experienced. We, too, need this downtime in our busy world. Many are addicted to the speed and excitement of the life we live, but take it from Noah: God’s gift of the ordinary is an incredible blessing for which we should all be grateful!

Love,

Mama

Outsmarting Your Dog and Your Sin Nature

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“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.’”

 

My Sneaky Puppy

“You need to be smarter than your dog!” A friend and mentor encouraged me with these words the other day. She was right! This important lesson applies to more than just your puppy. You also need to be smarter than another type of mongrel that longs to get the best of you – your sin nature!

“She will not get the best of me this time,” I vowed as I led Apache out to her kennel before leaving for work. The previous morning I had mistakenly left the kennel door open and after filling her water bucket, preparing her food, loading her up with toys, including a peanut butter filled Kong, and giving her a daily treat, I turned to leave. Before I could stop her she darted out of the kennel and was running free through the yard. All of my enticing words were met with an indifferent look as she enjoyed her free reign of our property! Ugh!!!! I was late to work!

But this time I would be smarter! I led Apache out as usual, shut the kennel door, prepared the pen, and turned to leave. Very carefully I opened the gate just enough to slip through when from out of nowhere a flash of brown and white lightning whizzed by my legs and shot through the open space like a desperate criminal after her last chance at freedom! Exasperated with her antics, I was sure I detected a smirk as she taunted me with her cocked head and playful stance! Another day late to work!

Another Sneaky Mongrel

“Be smarter than your dog!” This doesn’t only apply to a free-spirited puppy. Every person must learn to be smarter than his or her sin nature! In the book of Genesis God warned Cain about the sneaky mongrel of sin and the consequences of not keeping it under control.

Cain and Abel, the first two children of Adam and Eve, were born with a sin nature. They inherited this animal because of Adam & Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. It wasn’t long before the effects of this unruly mutt began to rear its ugly head. One day each of the brothers brought God a sacrifice: Cain a basket of fruit from his garden and Abel a lamb from his flock. God was pleased with Abel’s gift, which was given in faith, but did not accept the gift of Cain.

This rebuke did not sit too well with Cain and anger started boiling in his heart. God saw the threatening signs of evil and warned the bitter brother to be smarter than his sin! “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.’” I am sorry to say that sin had its way with Cain. Anger overtook this young man and he murdered his brother out in an open field. What a tragedy, and this was only the beginning of much pain and grief for the family and generations to come!

How to Outsmart Your Sin Nature

How can someone be smarter than sin? First, you must realize and accept that Jesus has already beaten it by offering Himself as the payment for its consequences on the cross. Then you must listen carefully to God’s instructions in the Bible and ask for help in obeying. When you feel the warning signs of a wrong attitude or bitter anger filling your thoughts and energizing your body, immediately stop and ask God for help. Think carefully before taking any action and rely on God’s power to tame the wild beast within you. He promises that He can make a way to escape from any of the temptations that are common to man.

I am going to have to think a little harder and be a little smarter when it comes to Apache. She is a pretty smart little gal! But the biggest concern that we all must watch out for is our sin nature. This sneaky mongrel is ready to escape at the smallest crack of our gate. So trust in Jesus, ask for help, and always be aware. Sin is crouching at the door – but with God’s help you can master it!

Love,

Mama

Avoiding Devastating Distractions

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1 Chronicles 21:1 “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” 

Distractions

Some distractions are annoying and others are devastating!

Distractions are a part of life. Sometimes distractions can be pleasant if they are enjoyable. Other times they are annoying because they keep us from finishing a project. But every once in a while distractions can be devastating!

First Chronicles gives a history of the most famous kings of Israel. David the shepherd boy rose from the lowest position in his family to one of the most powerful monarchs of the nation. God chose David to lead His people and was pleased with David’s devotion to following His commands. David was not a perfect man and made many mistakes, but throughout his life he sought to do what God asked. His devotion and love for the Almighty gained him the title “A man after God’s own heart.” God blessed this king, gave him some special promises, and spread his fame throughout the surrounding lands.

A Devastating Distraction

The Chronicler chose to overlook some of the more sordid details of David’s life and yet he did record a certain unplanned distraction that threw the king for a loop. Two little words – “THEN SATAN” – precipitated the turning point for a scenario change. After a great victory celebration over Philistine giants, Satan distracted David from his God-focus by planting the idea to number the people of Israel in his mind. We do not know exactly why this census was a bad idea, but likely David had turned his eyes away from God’s power and become focused on his own might in numbers.

Joab, the captain of the army tried to dissuade the king from making this grave mistake, but David was determined and went ahead with his plan. This distraction greatly displeased God who stepped in to show David the error of his ways and to shift David’s focus where it belonged. He struck Israel, causing David to recognize his actions as sin and repent. God gave the king three choices: three years of famine; three months of warfare, or three days of pestilence. David chose the pestilence in light of God’s merciful nature, reasoning that God would be kinder than men would be.

Seventy thousand men fell as a result of the pestilence, but when the angel of the Lord reached the city of Jerusalem, God had mercy and stayed his hand. At the Lord’s command David purchased the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite and built an altar there. The King offered sacrifices and God accepted them with fire from heaven. The plague was removed.

David’s distraction in falling to Satan’s ploy caused seventy thousand men of Israel to die. What a price to pay for a loss of focus! Yet, the very place where David repented and God demonstrated mercy ultimately became the building site for the temple, the center of worship for the nation.

Distractions For Today

Today distractions are still a huge problem. All sorts of things can tap us on the shoulder and shift our focus away from the One Who needs to be the center of our life. We may be seeking to follow God but – THEN SATAN – tempts us to rely on our personal strengths or character traits. Believing our ticket to success depends more on our talents than on God’s power we strive to improve ourselves and calculate our net worth based on human standards. This is always a grave mistake!

All of us will experience a periodic distraction from time to time. It is just part of life. But make sure you don’t lose your focus. Don’t get so caught up in celebrating personal victories that you forget how the battles were won. They were not by your incredible talents, personal strengths, or great numbers, but only through the power of the One who needs to stay at the center of your life. Keep your focus on the Lord. This is the way to avoid devastating distractions!

Love,

Mama

Prayer – The Preparation For God’s Presence

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1 Chronicles 7:1 “Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house.”

God’s Presence Experienced Through Prayer

Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

Picture from Kenneth Anderson’s “The Bible in Pictures For Little Eyes”

God’s presence is with His children at all times. But sometimes He makes His presence known in glorious ways. More often than not this show of His glory and power follows some preparation. Today, as always, this preparation is usually prayer!

Friday our family spent a pleasant evening attending a number of enjoyable events. For dinner we gathered with the agricultural community of our area at Cedarville University’s  “Farmer’s Night.” After a delicious dinner we attended a bluegrass concert presented by Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers. What a joy! Our stomachs, ears, and hearts rejoiced with all the evening held.

Attending an event like this one feels so effortless. You show up! You enjoy! You leave full!

But countless preparation filled the weeks, days, and hours before the event.  A large crew of people (including our own Aunt Julie) drafted checklists, made calls, chose menus, prepared food, gathered decorations, practiced music, and completed numerous other jobs before we could enjoy the evening. The night’s successes were a direct result of the intensive preparation for it.

King David’s Preparation For the Temple

David, the king of Israel, deeply desired that his nation experience God’s presence. For years Israel had been away from God under the leadership of King Saul, and David wanted this terrible mistake rectified. He had brought the Ark of the Covenant, God’s special dwelling place since the time of Moses, back into the center of his kingdom. Now He wanted to do more. He desperately desired to build a beautiful house in which to worship the Almighty God.

God understood David’s heart but instructed that the king would not be the one to build the temple. Solomon, David’s son, would have this privilege. David, though disappointed, determined to make all the preparations he could to see this project through. He recognized that Solomon was young and inexperienced, not only in construction projects, but also in his relationship with the Lord. So he spent the remaining years of his life gathering the supplies, and training his son to complete the task.

1 Chronicles 22:5 “’My son Solomon is young and inexperienced and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.’ So David made ample preparations before his death.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

Many years later the fabulous temple was finished. Solomon dedicated the magnificent building to God with a beautiful prayer of praise, thanksgiving, and commitment. When Solomon finished praying, a great fire came down from the heavens and consumed all of the sacrifices that had been made that day. God’s glory filled the house so powerfully that even the priests could not enter. Everyone bowed to the ground and worshipped their good and loving God.

Did God randomly decide to show up on this memorable day? I would suggest not! Preparation for this mighty show of His presence and power began years before as King David poured out his heart in prayerful desire, gave of his resources to supply the materials, shared his wisdom, and displayed his example of dedication to the one true God. Solomon took up the torch, built the temple, and dedicated it with all the people present. God honored this and showed up mightily!

Experiencing God’s Presence Today

Do you want to experience God’s presence in your life and in the lives of those around you? Then you must do some preparation. Farmer’s Night didn’t happen without preparation! The temple wasn’t built without preparation! And God’s presence wasn’t experienced without preparation!

Seek God passionately through prayer. Obey His every command. And wait patiently. He will show up and every fiber of your being will rejoice! Just wait and see!!

Love,

Mama

Kingdom Work – Put Your Hand on the Bucket

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Kingdom Work

Photo by Catherine Meekins

1 Chronicles 17:25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You.”

“Daddy, can I help?”

Many young children have uttered these words throughout the years. What good father has ignored a son or daughter who desired to contribute to the work at hand?

Rooted in my mind are many fond memories of our family laboring in our yard. Ten acres and numerous farm animals create a lot of work and as a family we spent many weeknights and Saturdays working together to keep up with the chores. Mowing grass, raking leaves, mucking stalls, hauling buckets of water, and toting bales of hay kept us busy and strong. We gave  appropriate chores to each of you children, and even the youngest of you wanted to get into the act.

Often the smallest would ask the question, “Daddy, can I help?” Dad would comply by scooping them into the wheelbarrow or by placing a pudgy hand on the handle of a 10-gallon bucket so he or she could “help” carry it. Of course, these jobs were much too big for a small boy or girl but by walking with their father they felt like they were contributing though Dad was the one who actually carried the weight.

God Builds David’s Kingdom

David, the Shepherd King of Israel, desired to build a house in which God’s glory could reside. He loved the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and mind and wanted to make His fame known in Israel and throughout the world. But the prophet Nathan reported God’s message to the enthusiastic king: David wouldn’t be the one to build this glorious temple. He had been a man of war. Instead the honor would belong to his son, Solomon.

Not to be deterred, David decided to do everything he could to be part of this grand undertaking. He wanted to have his “hand on the bucket,” so he spent the rest of his days preparing for the construction of God’s house. He gathered tons of iron, bronze, stones, cedar logs, gold, and silver, along with workmen, artisans, masons, and carpenters. David prepared much of what Solomon would need for the work to begin. David did what he could and God blessed him. Instead of building the house for God, God did what David could never have done and built a royal house for David. Many years later the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, was born through King David’s descendants.

Kingdom Work Today

Over the years many of God’s children have wanted to be part of God’s kingdom work. They see the great things God is doing and want to participate. But realizing their weakness all they can do is cry, “Daddy, can I help?”

Our gracious Father hears these pleas and answers. He tenderly allows us to contribute to what He is doing as we surrender ourselves to Him, obey His commands, and wait patiently in faith. In this way even the smallest of God’s children are able to participate in His great and mighty deeds.

There is still much kingdom work to be done. Do you want to help? Even if you feel small and weak, ask what you can do, and place your “hand on the bucket.” Let your Heavenly Father do the heavy lifting. And you will smile when you see what great things God accomplishes.

Love,
Mama

Blue Bloods

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Psalm 139:7 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”

Our family has found a new pastime. After a busy day of school and work Dad, Abigail, and I will often plop down in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn to watch an episode of the television show called Blue Bloods. For generations the colorful Reagan family has served the metropolis of New York City through the police department. Together with a number of other skilled participants this family participates in seeking out perpetrators of various crimes committed in the city that never sleeps.

The show usually begins with a scenario where a crime is committed – a victim is often attacked or found dead. The Reagans must then go to work to put together all the clues in order to find and prosecute the killer. The rest of the hour is spent examining evidence, interrogating suspects, searching computer websites and more, while trying to beat time limits needed to prosecute. The Blue Bloods usually get their man by the end of the hour, but it is often a close call.

Even the best of detectives can struggle to find out who is behind a crime. By nature a criminal takes great pains to keep his identity unknown. He believes that by staying under cover he may get away with his plan, and sometimes he does. But there is Someone Who never misses a beat!

There is nowhere anyone can go where God does not see them. He may try to hide in a dark alley. He may be dressed as an executive in a large bank. He may be invisible to the world behind the screen of a computer hacking into another business’s files, or posing as a student in an unsuspecting school. But he is known!

Our God is aware of every move and every thought. He doesn’t need to interrogate witnesses or dig through stacks of files to find the answers. He is everywhere all the time, and His light shines in even the darkest corners. There is nowhere a person can hide from His Spirit or escape His presence!

It is always gratifying when the Reagans finally bring a criminal to justice. But there is a day coming when complete justice will be done and even those who thought they got away with their crimes will be found out. The Reagans won’t be needed to uncover those mysteries. The One Who is everywhere all the time will be there to reveal the truth!

Love,

Mama

Learning to “Heel” – Puppy Training and People Training

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1 Chronicles 13:10 “The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.”

Teaching Apache to Heel!

Teaching Apache to Heel!

I have been trying to teach Apache to “heel.” It is not a simple process. She is learning to walk on a leash, and part of that process is to teach her to stay right at my left heel.

The other day I tried numerous times to show her how to walk at my side and let me lead, but she wasn’t quite getting it. Rather than follow me, she tends to want to run ahead. But when she does this the leash pulls and constricts her collar causing some discomfort. It’s like a tug of war! If she could just understand that when she backs off and falls in at my heel things go much better.

Apache is learning a skill that many Christians need to learn. Many a committed Christian with a heart for serving God has forgotten the importance of letting God lead. We often become so excited about an opportunity that we leap right into it without seeking God’s guidance.

We serve a holy God; it is not enough to forge our own path of service and worship to Him. Success comes only as we do things His prescribed way.

A Bible Example of Learning to “Heel”

King David learned the lesson of carefully following God’s lead the hard way. Israel had been in a spiritual drought for some years under the reign of King Saul. The newly crowned monarch, King David, desired to bring God back into the center of the nation, so he called all of the people together to participate in bringing the ark of the covenant back into the center of the Israelite life. He made glorious plans to transport this special, gold-gilded chest that housed the Lord’s very presence to his headquarters.

His heart was right, but unfortunately, in all the excitement, David and his men had not followed God’s strict instructions to Moses regarding the handling and transportation of the ark. Instead of carrying the ark by poles on the shoulders of the priests, the men placed the ark on a cart drawn by oxen. Along the way the oxen stumbled and Uzzah, without realizing the ark could not be touched, had the misfortune of reaching out to steady it. Immediately he fell dead.

The King’s first reaction was anger, but this soon turned to fear. David realized that day the importance of carefully following God’s instructions and not recklessly forging ahead. In the months and years to come King David submitted to God and sought his guidance before taking any action. He learned to follow, and God blessed him with a powerful kingdom.

Learning to “heel” is an important part of puppy training, but it’s an important part of people training, too. We serve a holy God and our best bet at success is to fall in line behind Him. Seek His guidance, do things His prescribed way, and your walk with God will not be a tug of war – your heeling will make for a pleasant stroll!

Love,

Mama

Scams and Other Damaging Deceptions

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Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

I don’t know of anyone who truly loves to be scammed. Even the smallest of deceptions can be annoying. But when it’s something big, real problems can set in.

Recently while preparing for a mother/daughter trip, I searched online for a hotel in which Emily and I could stay for two nights. I quickly located what I thought was the appropriate website, called the number, and proceeded to set up a reservation. Unfortunately, the next day I realized that I needed to change my reservation and called the number back to rearrange things. I was greeted by a voice with an unfamiliar accent and the disturbing news that my reservation was non-refundable.

I tried to explain that I was still going to stay at the hotel but needed to make some minor changes. Again, the voice insisted I could not and my money was forfeited. The conversation escalated and after suggesting my concern that the attendant was not legitimate, I heard a click on the other end of the phone, and my stomach dropped. I could hardly believe I had been foolish enough to be scammed. Conversations with the credit card company and the bank finally resolved things, and thankfully I got my money back. But it was a hard lesson to learn and one which will cause me to be much more careful when purchasing online.

Scams are a great danger in this day and age, but there are other kinds of deceptions that can sneak up on us unawares. When we are not careful we can trick ourselves into believing certain things are okay when they are not. How many times have we been watching a TV show or a movie that contained questionable content, but told ourselves that if we keep watching it will get better? Or rationalized that this particular movie isn’t as bad as some?

What about when someone is sharing a juicy piece of gossip and we convince ourselves that we want to help or maybe pray for the person? Illicit relationships with the opposite sex can be “opportunities” to share the Gospel some may say. Damaging bursts of anger may be considered self-defense in a difficult situation. Over time we become desensitized to these tricks of the mind and our heart becomes calloused to sinful behavior. We begin to believe that everything is okay when it isn’t.

This is the ultimate scam of our enemy, the devil, and why God’s word tells us to watch over our hearts with all diligence. Our whole life – physical, emotional, and spiritual – will be affected by the decisions we make for from our heart flows the wellspring of life.

So take a lesson from me! Everyone is at risk of being deceived! If you do not guard your heart carefully you will very likely face dire consequences . . . consequences that are even greater and more devestating than the ones you will face if deceived by a hotel scam.

Love,

Mama

Confession and Cleaning Out the Grease Trap

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For the Christian, confession must be a daily habit.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Everybody has a “to do” list. These are the things that we must get done. If you are like me there are certain assignments that keep falling to the bottom of the list. These are the things that are unpleasant or hard to do. I regularly skip over these, despite the fact that completing them creates peace of mind.

One of those unpleasant “to do” things is on my list right now. Every day  my computer program flashes reminders for tasks needing to be done. Cleaning out our Event Center grease trap has been on the list for a while. If you have never had opportunity to do this job, then count yourself blessed.

A grease trap is a box which catches all of the sludge from our big commercial sinks. When a caterer washes dishes, all the grease and food particles that go down the drain are trapped in this plastic gray box. This is a mechanism which prevents the sewer system from being clogged. All restaurants have one of these, and it is important to remove the cover and empty the sludge on a regular basis. Trust me, this is not a fun job, But the alternative is even less pleasant. We know from experience that if the box becomes too full, the sewage smell will become unbearable, permeating the whole building.

Most people don’t have a grease trap in their kitchen to worry about, but everyone has another place where sludge can build up. All of humanity was born with a sin nature, and within every human heart there is the potential to make bad decisions. My being in the wrong place at the wrong time can be just the conditions needed for sinful choices to rise to the forefront. Unpleasant circumstances can create feelings that, left alone, can clog our ability to think clearly. If we don’t deal with these matters immediately, it is only a matter of time until the stench that sin always brings will threaten to send you and many others running for cover.

God’s answer for this problem is clear. 

He tells us that “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Every person is called to do this, but opening ourself up before God to see what’s really inside is not pleasant. We like to think of ourselves as good, so we often allow confession of our sins to fall to the bottom of our “to do” list.

This action is a foolish one. First of all, I know the contents of the grease trap before I even open the cover. Likewise God knows what is in my heart. Nothing can be hidden from Him. Letting it all out through confession benefits us greatly. Take the lid off, clean out the sludge, and allow God to forgive and cleanse our hearts from all unrighteousness. If we make confession a priority and do it regularly, we will never be bothered by the repercussions of an overflowing grease trap. Our hearts will be clean and our minds at peace. God is faithful to do it and that is the best way to live a blessed life!

So get ready, grease trap, here I come! You are moving up on the “to do” list! It’s about time you had a good cleaning!

Love,

Mama

Faith-Filled Soldiers, Faithful God

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Sometimes even the strongest of faith-filled soldiers need help.

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

1 Chronicles 5:20 “They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in him.” 

1 Chronicles tells of a battle fought by some of the tribes of Israel. The fighting men, trained for war, were strong and skilled in combat. Yet in the midst of the battle they cried out to God for help. The Lord heard their cry of faith, intervened, and handed the enemy over to them.

We are all fighting some kind of battle today. Some suffer with a sickness that is getting the best of them. Others are financially insecure. Relationship struggles, employment issues, disappointments, difficult decisions . . . all of these circumstances can discourage the strongest of God’s children. But there is a way to get through the physical and emotional fray.

Just as the Israelite soldiers cried out to God for help in their distress we, too, can call upon our God to save us. To Him alone belongs wisdom and power. Counsel and understanding are His (Job 12:13). His knowledge encompasses all the intimate details of every circumstance. His wisdom extends beyond the borders of our understanding. His love is inexhaustible and His power is limitless. When we call out in faith He promises to come to our aid.

With His help the mighty Israelite warriors seized all of the enemies’ livestock and took one hundred thousand people captive. The battle was won, but not because of the soldiers’ brains and brawn. These men were beneficiaries of a victory that belonged to the Lord because they trusted Him and looked to Him for aid.

For those who are weak and for those who are strong, God’s message is the same. Turn to Him in every circumstance and in every battle. His ear is open and His hand is ready. Call out today in faith. The victory belongs to Him.

Love,
Mama