Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

A Hidden Display of Impeccable Character

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2 Peter 1:5-7 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” 

Dear Kids:

A True Test of Character

John Wooden, one time head coach at UCLA, said, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are . . . the true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”

I pulled up to the drive-through window at the bank, opened my window and slid my deposits into the plastic tube. That’s when I noticed her. Sitting in a sedan in the next lane sat a woman who looked to be in her 60s. She was waiting for the teller to send her banking paperwork back through the tunnel system to her car. While most people sit and wait quietly, this lady was very obviously listening to her favorite tunes. Though I couldn’t hear the music I could tell because her head was bobbing and her mouth was moving. Every once in a while she would break out into a car-sitting dance move. I couldn’t help but chuckle as I wondered if this young at heart grandma had any idea someone was watching!

The kinds of things you do when no one else is around are the very things that paint the real picture of who you are. Some look over their shoulder before scrolling through pornography on the web. Others may take something that is not theirs or cheat on a test or their taxes. Yet there are many who pick up trash because it needs to be done or who help someone in need without any thought for reward.

Diligent Faith Promotes Moral Character

Peter explains that those who belong to Christ have everything necessary – namely the very nature of God Himself – to escape the corruption of the world. Diligent faith promotes moral excellence, which leads to knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. These character qualities continue to increase as one grows in the knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Living in light of these, even when no one is watching, keeps one free from stumbling and sin.

Most people don’t do certain things when they think others are watching – singing and car-dancing while waiting at the bank drive-through might be some of these behaviors. But how you respond in all areas of life when you are alone really is the true test of your character. And it may also be an indicator of whether or not you truly are one of God’s children.

Love,
Mama

Small Answers, Big Faith

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1 Chronicles 29:10b-11 “Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.”

Photo by Mark Jefferson Paraan on Unsplash

Faith is the key that unlocks the answers to our prayers. We must be so acquainted with the God of the universe that we genuinely believe who He is, understand His heart, and are confident that He rewards those who genuinely seek Him. When we desire to expand the boundaries of our faith in God, He often uses small answers to prayer to move us forward.

Saturday evening found me on the way to the grocery store. It was a stormy night but there were a few things I needed to purchase that couldn’t wait. The weather held until I arrived at the store, but while walking the aisles the torrent let loose. Thunder reverberated through the walls and a driving rain pelted the roof like machine gun fire. I waited in line with my loaded cart wondering how I was going to unload everything into the truck and make it home in a timely manner. The weather app didn’t offer much hope that the storm would clear away soon, but my feet were aching. I just wanted to go home and sit in front of the fire.

Earlier that morning I had read the beginning of King David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles. The descriptions of our great God had intrigued me. “Yours, O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth . . .” It came to me – as I stood dreading the next moments of running through the storm with a loaded cart while everything in the heavens rained down on my world – that my God even had power over the forces of nature.

“Lord,” I prayed, “I know that getting soaking wet is not a major disaster, but my feet hurt and I just want to go home. Please stop the rain – just until I load the packages and help me get home as quickly as possible!”

I paid for my things and went to the door. The rain continued to pour and I prepared myself with some excuse why God hadn’t seen fit to answer this pitiful request. As I got ready to run, a young man wearing a yellow rain poncho approached me and asked if he could watch my cart while I brought my car around. I thankfully took him up on the offer, darted to the truck and brought it under the protection of the store’s awning where the young man even helped me load. I gratefully thanked him, told him he was an answer to prayer (really!) and headed home.

I pondered the events at the store and became even bolder. “Lord, thank you for your answer, even better than I had hoped, but we don’t have a garage and I still have to get the items into the house. No one is home and I won’t have anyone to help me there. You know I have been trying to grow in faith, to believe that I will receive when I ask, so won’t you please stop the rain when I get home?”

The driving rain continued to batter the windshield and the wipers faithfully swept back and forth clearing my view of the road. Each time I wondered how to get my many packages down the long sidewalk and into the house I pushed the thoughts aside. I had asked the Lord to stop the rain and I was going to believe that He would. After all He had provided for me at the store, so surely He would finish the job.

The rain continued to push me along our road, but when I made the turn into our lane it suddenly stopped. I pulled into our puddling parking spot and carried all the bags along the sidewalk and into the kitchen. I was dry. The bags were dry. And I was home.

Getting home through a storm. Carrying groceries into the house. Why did God answer these insignificant prayers? I believe it is because He cares and even more than keeping me dry He wanted to expand the boundaries of my faith for the even bigger requests for which I am praying. Faith is the key that unlocks the answers to our prayers – and even that faith comes from Him! Sometimes our God answers the smallest of prayers in surprising ways in order to help us trust Him even more!

Love,

Mama

Believe In Order To See

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Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

IMG_2365“The world says that ‘seeing is believing,’ but God wants us to believe in order to see.”

I read this quote yesterday in L.B. Cowman’s devotional, Streams in the Desert, and it really struck me because it highlights one of many huge differences between God and the world.

God’s way of doing things is often opposite of our way of doing things. We say, “Make it happen;” He says, “Wait.” We say, “Stay;” He says, “Go.” We say, “Worry;” He says, “Trust me.” We say, “Forge your own way;” He says, “Let Me guide your path.” Following Him is often counterintuitive to our nature, but it is always best. Faith is what pleases God.

Hebrews 11 lists a number of men and women who believed, and because of their faith were able to see what God had in store.

Abraham was called to go to an unknown place. He obeyed, living as a stranger in a foreign land. By faith he saw a city whose architect and builder was God.

Joseph, when he was dying, believed that God would bring his children out of Egypt and he gave orders that his bones would be taken with them.

Moses believed that God would deliver the children of Israel from the cruel and mighty Pharoah. By faith he led the nation out and saw God make a way through the Red Sea, providing all they needed.

Joshua led the nation around the city of Jericho believing God would give them the city. He shouted with joy as the walls fell down.

There are so many more stories of faith-filled people who saw because they believed.

Saint Augustine said, “Faith is believing what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe.”

What about us? Are we waiting to see so we can believe? If so we will miss the blessing. Instead, put all your faith in the Almighty God. He wants you to believe Him so that you can see.

Love,

Mama

 

A Bend in the River

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Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

There are times in a person’s life when the way forward is unclear. We often think we understand where God is leading us, but then we reach a bend in the river. Doors that we thought were wide open slam shut and we are left out in the cold. What then?

Even when we do not know what to do next, the Lord does. All of our ways are established by Him. He is not confused in the least. In fact, He delights in revealing His plan for us little by little. Often He knows it is best that we do not know the future, so He chooses to reveal the way one bend at a time. All we need to do is trust and follow.

F. B. Meyer, in his book Paul, A Servant of Jesus Christ, illustrated this truth beautifully. 

“Be not afraid to trust God utterly. As you go down the long corridor you may find that He has preceded you, and locked many doors which you would fain have entered; but be sure that beyond these there is one which He has left unlocked. Open it and enter, and you will find yourself face to face with a bend of the river of opportunity, broader and deeper than anything you had dared to imagine in your sunniest dreams. Launch forth on it; it conducts to the open sea.”


When you reach a bend in the river and the way forward seems unclear, relax. Trust in God Who has established every step you are to take. 

Love, 
Mama

A Leap of Faith

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Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
What exactly is faith anyway?

Often today we throw around sayings like “just have faith,” “let faith be bigger than your fears,” or “just believe and everything will be fine.” Is faith some kind of mystical feeling that we can conjure up in huge portions so that it will overcome whatever obstacle is in our path?
Your Grandpa Henderson and me c. 1969.

If that is the case, some may ask why things  do not always turn out fine? Why do I still sometimes experience the icy grip of terror squeeze my heart when the unexpected happens? What exactly is faith and where do I get it??!? The answer is found in a person, not in an elusive feeling.

Friday nights were always exciting for me growing up. It was the start of the  weekend, of course, but also because every Friday night my family would drive to a local elementary school in North Arlington, New Jersey, where we would attend Bible Club. For one hour I would sit enthralled singing songs, participating in quizzes, learning Bible verses, and listening to a Bible story.

One week when I was about four years old Grandpa asked me if I would like to be part of the lesson. He blindfolded me and stood me up on a table. In front of all the other children he asked me to jump from the table, promising to catch me.  At that moment I did not muster up all the positive sentiments I could find deep within myself. I didn’t tell myself to let that feeling be bigger than my fears of falling. I just jumped!

I jumped because I trusted that my dad would not let me fall. I knew him well enough and believed that he would catch me like he said he would. My faith was not focused on the outcome, it was focused on my dad.

True faith is confidence in the fact that God is Who He says He is.

True faith rests in God’s words, knowing that He will do what He says He will do and that He will reveal Himself to those who seek Him.

True faith says “It is enough that God said it, and if the statement should contradict every one of the five senses and all the conclusions of logic as well . . . [I will still believe].” (AW Tozer)

True faith hangs onto a loving and faithful God, even if everything doesn’t seem to turn out the way the world says it should – it is believing that God’s ways are always loving and faithful.

True faith rests confidently in a person and not a feeling!

Later that night when Grandpa was putting me to bed I decided to put my faith for my whole life in the person of Jesus and His death and resurrection as payment for my sins. I asked Him to forgive me and make me fit for heaven.

For 44 years now I have rested in His promise that by believing and receiving Jesus Christ as my Savior He would make me a child of God –  the child of a perfect heavenly Father to be trusted above and beyond even the best earthly father (John 1:12).

What exactly is faith anyway? It’s a leap into the loving arms of a faithful God Who is Who He says He is and Who reveals Himself to all who seek Him.

Love,
Mama

Trusting Brown: Faith Wrapped in a Package

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 1 Peter 5:7.  Cast all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you.


I heard the rumble coming down the lane and turned my head towards the window. I caught a fast glimpse of brown before the door opened and our smiling UPS delivery man stepped into the office. He handed me my package and we exchanged brief pleasantries while I signed the electronic device he always carried with him. Upon my handing him the machine, he waved and in a flash he was gone, leaving me to listen to the rumble of the truck as it retreated back down the drive. 

I looked down at the package he had delivered and suddenly a bothersome thought struck me. I have a lot of faith in the United Parcel Service. Regularly when accepting absentee bids at our auctions I will take the expensive purchases to the UPS Store and hand them over. Often I am nervous when carrying the items in my car for fear that they might get damaged or stolen. But as soon as I hand them over the counter, I relax and never think about it again. I just trust that the items will arrive at the correct destination, undamaged and in a timely manner. The niggling question that jarred me was – Do I trust the nameless man in brown more than I do my heavenly Father?


God tells us that we should cast our “care packages” on Him and regularly I do just that. Unfortunately, after spending time in prayer, I continue to go back over and over just to make sure that He really heard me, understood the gravity of the situation, and placed it on the “high” priority list. Can you imagine if I called the UPS store that many times just to check up on my shipment? They would think I was crazy. God doesn’t mind our coming to Him again and again, but often my continual “checking in” about the same thing is really a lack of faith.
If only we could understand how much God cares for us, we would cast our burdens on Him, walk away, and leave them there. In doing so we would experience a much more relaxing and peaceful life brought on by a confident trust in His ability and desire to help us.
Next time you accept or hand over a box to the United Postal Service, give yourself a faith check-up. Remember Who loves you more than ever and trust Him with all your “care packages.” He always delivers them on time and in good condition.
Love,
Mama

A Prayer Inspiration

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Good Morning,

The verse of the day is James 5:16b. “…The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”


George Mueller is a hero of mine. From the time I was a young girl I was impressed with the faith of this man of God and loved any story I heard about his prayers and the answers he received. The other day I read yet another story in L. B. E.  Cowman’s Streams in the Desert that thrilled me. I want to share it as written in the devotional.

Actually, two of my heroes!

I
went to America some years ago with the captain of a steamer, who was a very
devoted Christian. When off the coast of Newfoundland he said to me, “The last
time I crossed here, five weeks ago, something happened which revolutionized
the whole of my Christian life. We had George Mueller of Bristol on board. I
had been on the bridge twenty-four hours and never left it. George Mueller came
to me, and said, “Captain, I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec
Saturday afternoon.” “It is impossible,” I said. “Very well, if your ship
cannot take me , God will find some other way. I have never broken an
engagement for fifty-seven years. Let us go down into the chartroom and pray.”
I looked at that man of God, and thought to myself, what lunatic asylum can
that man have come from? I never heard of such a thing as this. “Mr. Mueller,”
I said, “do you know how dense this fog is?” “No,” he replied, “my eye is not
on the density of the fog, but on the living God, who controls every
circumstance of my life.” He knelt down and prayed one of the most simple
prayers, and when he had finished I was going to pray: but he put his
hand on my shoulder, and told me not to pray. “First, you do not believe He
will answer; and second I BELIEVE HE HAS, and there is no need whatever for you
to pray about it.” I looked at him, and he said , “Captain, I have known my
Lord for fifty-seven years, and there has never been a single day that I have
failed to get audience with the King. Get up, Captain and open the door, and
you will find the fog gone.” I got up, and the fog was indeed gone. On Saturday
afternoon George Mueller was in Quebec for his engagement. SELECTED

Cowman, L. B. E. (2010-01-13). Contemporary Classic/Streams in the Desert (p.
247). Zondervan. 
One of the reasons I am always thrilled to read these stories is because I know that George Mueller was no different than you or me. He was a normal person who had an extraordinary faith in God’s ability and desire to answer prayer. His God is the same God Who longs to hear and answer prayers today. Come to Him in faith with your requests, trusting that He will answer in the way that will be best for you and for God’s glory. When our hearts are right with God then our prayers will be effective and accomplish much, too. You can be a prayer inspiration also. I can’t wait to hear your stories!
Love,
Mama

Faith Sprouting Underground

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Good Morning,

The verse of the day is 2 Corinthians 5:7. “We live by faith, not by sight.”

Have you ever prayed long and hard for something and not seen what you consider an answer? Maybe you are praying about a decision that you need to make, a loved one who needs to come to Jesus, or a relationship that has gone bad. When praying for difficult things we look and look for God’s answer. When it seems that nothing tangible has changed in our situation it is easy to start thinking that God hasn’t heard us, doesn’t care, or maybe we are just asking for the wrong thing. It is tempting to give up and only pray for “easy” things. This is not what God wants from us.

God desires us to trust Him and continue to have faith even when things seem grim. It is easy to have faith when we see answers, but how strong is your faith when you can’t see any change? Faith believes that God is working even when we can’t see what is happening. Some answers do not come immediately, but are a process especially when it comes to working in people’s hearts.

Every year we plant a garden. We till up the earth, make a furrow and plant the seeds. We then cover all the little grains up with the dirt and wait. We can no longer see the seeds but we have faith that something is happening under the ground. A week or so after planting there is usually still no sight of any sprouts but we continue to patiently wait, never giving up hope. Sometimes Dad will go out and carefully remove the dirt to see what is going on under the surface and there will often be a sprout growing out of the seed – it is there and growing even though it can’t be seen yet.

This is the way it is with our trust in God. Faith believes that God is working in answer to our prayers even when we can’t see anything yet. In the soil of hidden lives and circumstances He is causing a sprout to grow. Though it may take many years for us to see any fruit, under the surface the seed is germinating and will eventually blossom. Though His answers may not always be exactly what we thought they would be, we can trust that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.

Do you believe God hears your prayers only when you experience immediate answers? Or do you live with a faith that knows God is working even when you can’t see? I still don’t see many sprouts in the garden, but I know that in a few weeks the outcome of our faith will break through the soil and we will reap a harvest. I can’t wait!

Love,
Mama

Water into Wine

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Good Morning,
The verse of the day is John 2:5. His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

What had started out as a joyous day was near disaster. The bride and groom had waited excitedly for the celebration of their marriage. The invitations had been sent out, the feast prepared and the crowd had gathered for the festivities. As the unsuspecting guests danced the night away, Mary, the mother of Jesus, realized with horror that they had run out of wine. She understood immediately that, in this culture, the current predicament was a terrible faux pas. Such a miscalculation would be a great humiliation for the newly married couple.
Mary went directly to her Son and told Him the problem. Jesus responded, “Dear Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come?” Instead of being daunted by this response, Mary, turned to the servants and said, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Do you ever feel like you are praying about things that don’t seem to get the immediate answers that you want? I have. In some cases, I have even been praying for years.  It is easy to wonder if you should just give up on “that one.” Maybe God’s time hasn’t come or maybe it is not important enough. Those are not thoughts of faith.
Photo:Morey Milbradt/Getty Images
Mary, though I don’t believe that she knew how Jesus would answer her request, believed that He would. She told the servants to do exactly what He told them to. In response to Jesus’s strange directions the attendants filled six stone water pots with water. They then drew some out and took it to the headwaiter to taste.
When the headwaiter took his first sip his eyes got big and his dejected face brightened. This was the best wine he had ever tasted. Though the servants knew where this wine came from he did not, so he ran to the bridegroom. “Sir, every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Mary’s faith in her son’s ability and willingness to help changed a difficult situation into one that brought God glory. This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus would do to manifest His glory. As a result even His disciples believed in Him.
What about us? Let’s not give up on our requests. Let’s go to God in faith, looking expectantly for His answer. He may not answer in the way we expect – but He might just turn our water into wine!
Love,
Mama

Lessons From an Auction Clerk

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Good Morning,
The verse of the day is Hebrews 12:2. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith…
The bright sun danced in my eyes as I zipped my
jacket and headed out of the barn into the crisp morning air. I threaded my way
through the crowds of Carhart-clad men and women who had gathered for the farm
machinery auction. I followed the sound of the auctioneer’s chant to the place
where our clerking cart was located and exchanged places with the clerk on
duty. Without speaking I immediately gave all my attention to what was
happening before me. As the auctioneer called bids, my fingers flew over the
computer keys recording the description, the price, and the bidder number for
each item sold. Moving through the line of green and yellow riding mowers, I
inched through the pressing crowd to keep the auctioneer and the items in view.
As I moved my cart forward I realized that my
antenna was having trouble transmitting to our main computer in the metal barn.
I wheeled the cart back until I had better reception, all the while continuing
to type, and positioned myself in a place where I could clearly hear the
auctioneer’s chant through our speaker. The crowd moved forward and I focused
my hearing on the voice coming through the PA system, completely putting my
trust in what the auctioneer was saying. I now needed to rely on him fully to
give me the correct information because I could no longer see what was going
on.
This is much like our lives. We follow God
along the path of life until something gets in our way. An interruption breaks
into our comfortable situation and we feel left behind as the world moves on.
There may be an illness, a death, or a financial situation that causes despair
and suddenly we feel as if we have lost contact with Him. We lose sight of God
through our frustration and pain and the voices of life swirl around us causing
us to feel confused. These are the times when we need to tune out the crowd’s
noise and with every ounce of our concentration fix our eyes on Christ. Hang
onto God’s words for they will never fail. Even when we cannot see what is
going on, God is still in control. 
It takes training and practice to block the
distractions around me when clerking an auction. Similarly, it takes a lot of
determination to fix our eyes on Jesus in a world of distractions. But when we
do we will experience God’s perfect peace and we’ll never miss a bid!
Love,
Mama