Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

Social Distancing and a Friend Who Sticks Closer Than a Brother

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Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Dear Kids,

Isolation really stinks! Who would have ever dreamed a year ago that this Easter season we would be hunkered down in our houses avoiding contact with those we love? Today’s proverb takes on new meaning in light of COVID-19. Wisdom for today says, “Those who meet with any of their companions may come to ruin . . . but thank the Lord there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Social Distancing Creates Times of Loneliness

We have all experienced times of loneliness. Certain seasons of life lend themselves to disconnection and lack of close companionship. These past weeks have been one of those times. While it is a blessing to have social media, Zoom meetings, and FaceTime, nothing can really take the place of face-to-face physical interaction. You can’t give a big hug to your grandchildren over the airwaves or feel the affirmation of a warm and understanding squeeze through the phone. But for the sake of protection we choose to discontinue any regular meetings, communicate through windows to elderly family members in care facilities, wave from a distance when spying a friend in a local store, and avoid the neighbor when taking a walk. It’s helpful to slow the spread of germs, but it really stinks!

Yet no matter how bad this 2020 pandemic gets we never have to be in complete and total isolation. There is a friend who can override the 6-9 foot rule. This friend sticks closer than a brother even when you even need to quarantine from other family members. He is never affected by the coronavirus or any other results of sin, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. This friend is Jesus.

Jesus is a Friend Who Sticks Closer Than a Brother

In John 15 Jesus called His obedient disciples His friends and made known to them all He heard from His Father. And He still shares the secret of the Lord with those who fear Him while continually keeping His covenant of faithfulness. After all, He laid down His life for us so we can be sure He will not forsake us now.

Are you feeling alone and isolated? Then reach out to the best friend you will ever have. Listen to His secrets as He speaks through the Bible. Talk to Him in prayer while taking your daily walks. Memorize His words as you sit eating your meals. Stretch your hands upward as you praise Him for His constant faithfulness. Soon you will experience His gentle touch as He makes you aware of His very real presence.

Isolation really stinks! But maybe during this time of social distancing we will discover a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Maybe the coronavirus will reintroduce us to Jesus!

Love,

Mama

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Hearing God’s Voice in the Storm

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Acts 27:25 “So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.”

Dear Kids:

Photo courtesy of www.wallpapersbuzz.com

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could control everyone around us? Unfortunately there are times we are forced into difficult situations because of decisions made by someone else. While we may know the right thing to do we are powerless to act. Instead we are left at the mercy of another’s lack of wisdom. These circumstances may be frustrating, but we are not left alone as helpless victims of another’s insanity. God is still in control, and we can fully trust Him to accomplish His purposes.

Paul’s Stormy Trip to Rome

Paul was en route to Rome although he had warned the ship’s captain  it was too late in the season to set out to sea. The decision was made against Paul’s will. Now he, along with the rest of the crew, was in danger of losing his life.

The angry winds howled around the battered ship with fierce malice. The reeling vessel was barely held in place by a lone anchor dangling beneath the churning waves. On deck the captain and crew frantically tried to hold the ship together in the face of the hurricane by passing ropes underneath the straining hull. Thick darkness surrounded them and reached out inky fingers which tightened around the men’s terrified hearts, squeezing out their last ounces of courage. The crew had thrown all the supplies overboard to lighten the ship’s load. They, weakened by lack of food, were beginning to lose hope of survival.

God’s Voice in the Storm

Suddenly out of the gloom and darkness Paul heard a comforting voice. “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” Paul recognized that despite the captain’s bad decision, God’s plan could not be thwarted. He repeated these words of comfort to the fearful men, and their courage returned. God stepped into the storm, delivered the crew, and Paul finished the task that God had for him.

Many times in life we are placed in difficult situations against our will. The bad decisions of others force us into places we never wanted to be, and we feel helpless to change the course of our life. Take courage! God’s perfect plan will never be thwarted by anything or anyone. If you listen, in the midst of the storm, you, like Paul, can hear His voice saying, “Keep up your courage, my loved one! Trust Me!”

Love,

Mama

 

Sharing God’s Blessings

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1 Timothy 5:5 “Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.”

food-pantryThanksgiving is a time to consider our blessings. This should be our attitude all year long, but since 1863 our country has celebrated this holiday in response to a proclamation made by President Abraham Lincoln. He declared a national holiday to be held on the last Thursday of November to “praise our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Every good and perfect gift we have received has come from the Father of lights. He gives us life. He gives us family and friends. He gives us homes, clothing, and food to eat. He provides for us physically and emotionally. And He has made a way for us to have a relationship with Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the midst of counting all our blessings, God also expects us to think of others. Throughout the Bible He shows His concern for those who are suffering and struggling with difficulty. I am grateful for God’s great compassion, as we will all have times of distress, but when we are in times of blessing and rejoicing we will please God if we use our resources to help others.

Paul left careful instructions to the church about how to care for people in times of need. He specifically mentions older widows – women who had lost their husbands and were financially struggling. He reminds the young Timothy that these ladies who have been left alone without a family to support them have no recourse but to fix their hope on God. He hears their desperate prayers and often uses other believers to provide for them. What a blessing to be part of God’s provision for those in need. And what a comfort to be assured that He hears us in our time of need and will provide.

There have been times when our family has been strapped financially, but God has always been faithful. He cared for us by different means and through the help of caring people. I am grateful to be able to share this blessing with others.

Saturday morning Dad and I spent a few hours at the town’s food pantry. We were so blessed to help, along with other families & college students, to distribute Thanksgiving baskets, groceries, and toiletries to over 100 families who are entering this holiday season in great need. The joy of giving was just as great as the joy of receiving.

As you enter this Thanksgiving season count your many blessings and pray about how you can share your wealth with those who are in need. Someday the tables may be turned and you might be on the receiving end of such a blessing. But there is no need to fear. When all you can do is fix your hope on God, He will be faithful to provide. And He often uses His children to do it!

Love,

Mama

 

Are you a thrifty shopper… or not?

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1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

IMG_2749There is nothing worse than working hard to accomplish something and finding out in the end it was all a waste.

When Dad and I first got married I was excited about setting up our housekeeping. I had all sorts of new kitchen stuff from bridal showers and gifts. I organized the closets and searched the local newspapers for ways to save money while stocking the pantry. After clipping all sorts of great coupons I grabbed my list and headed to the store.

My heart swelled with pride as I dropped groceries in the cart and thought about all the cash I would be keeping in my pocket. Dad was going to be thrilled. Finally I plunked all the items onto the register belt, and humbly averted my eyes as the dinging of the register announced each item and corresponding coupon to the people around me. Don’t they wish they could be as thrifty as I was?

It wasn’t until I got home and started unloading the car that a devastating thought struck me. Though the register tape said I saved a large amount of cash, in actuality I spent more than I originally planned on. I saved 25 cents on numerous two-dollar items that I really didn’t need and wouldn’t have normally bought. I mean, how much Pepto-Bismol is necessary to keep in your medicine chest? 25 years later and that bottle may still be in the closet! ☺

I can laugh at my experience now and there was really no harm done. I gained a valuable lesson, and over the years have learned to consider carefully if any savings I might receive from a fantastic coupon is really worth my investment. But there are other mistakes that have greater consequences.

There are many people who feel very confident in their relationship with God. They believe they know all the right answers and have done all the right things. If you were to ask them, they would assure you that they have fellowship with the God of the universe, but someday they will find out they were mistaken. What a tragedy that will be!

How can you be sure you are right with God? John gives us the answer.

Only those who walk in the light of God’s presence and have allowed the blood of Jesus to cleanse them from all sin have true fellowship with God. Those who say they are right with God but habitually walk in the darkness of sin are lying to themselves and not practicing the truth. But for the one who confesses his or her sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. These believers who choose to walk daily in God’s light, will not only have restored fellowship with God but with other believers as well.

It is important to think carefully about spending money even when you have a great coupon. But if you come home with a few extra bottles of unneeded Pepto Bismol it won’t be a major castrophe. On the other hand, when it comes to your relationship with God it is crucial to get it right. Do you really have fellowship with God . . . or do you only think you do? Your answer is a matter of eternal life or death.

Love,
Mama

Do you want to be sure you have fellowship with God? See God’s Free Gift.

God’s Promises Give Hope

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Psalm 119:49 “Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.”

IMG_2676When going through a difficult experience, there is nothing better than to find one of God’s promises to cling to. Knowing that the Lord is always faithful to His word, it is comforting to remind yourself continually of His pledge.

Recently I came across a great quote from the famous theologian and preacher Charles H. Spurgeon. Speaking about prayer he said

“Remember the word unto thy servant, on which thou hast caused me to hope,” is most prevalent pleading. It is a double argument: It is Thy Word. Wilt Thou not keep it? Why hast Thou spoken of it, if Thou wilt not make it good? Thou hast caused me to hope in it; wilt Thou disappoint the hope which Thou hast Thyself begotten in me?”

I have not been able to stop thinking about this. There are times when life seems confusing and there is nothing to do but search God’s word for one of His many promises that you can keep close to your heart.

It is important to make sure when you find a verse that it is one that is meant for you. Some promises in the Bible are only for specific people, for specific times. But other verses are universal and available for any believer in Jesus to claim.

Ask God to lead you to a promise that relates to your circumstance and then put all your hope in it. God always keeps His promises. He can never lie and He will do what He says He will do. Those who keep their minds stayed on Christ will experience perfect peace.

I have a whole list of Bible promises that I have collected over time. I have written them in my prayer notebook and read over them regularly. When toe-to-toe with an impossible situation it is encouraging to read the apropos verse over and over. Sometimes I write it on a card and post it over the sink or take it with me to work.

Though God doesn’t need our reminders, it is helpful for us to express His promises back to Him, telling Him that all our hopes rest there. He has brought the words to our mind and He will never disappoint us.

I am so glad that God has given us so many great and precious promises. Go search out a few today and keep them close to your heart. You never know when you might need them.

Love,
Mama

Resetting Your Thankful Meter

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Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”
 
Norman Rockwell’s Freedom from Want

This is the time of year that should cause us to reset our thankful meter. Thankfulness is a mindset we should have all year round, but often in the business of life we forget to stop and think about all the blessings that we enjoy on a regular basis. Every day, not just Thanksgiving, we should enter God’s presence with gratefulness praising Him for all He has done. So if your thankful meter has become sluggish consider what Psalm 100 has to say.

How should we give thanks? 
Often we tend to think of anything to do with God as very solemn and quiet – like a monastery where you are afraid to make noise or disturb the silence. Though quietness is often helpful in bringing grateful thoughts to our minds when we discover them, it is OK to shout with joy. God loves to hear our voices and wants us to share loudly what He has done with others.

Another way to show our thanks is to serve Him with gladness. Don’t you just want to do things for someone whom you love? After considering all that God has given, it is natural to want to give back by way of service. This kind of motivation is not done begrudgingly or out of duty. It is a sheer joy!

Why should we give thanks?

Among the many reasons to give thanks, Psalm 100 gives three important ones. First, we should remember that our Lord is God. He is the powerful creator of all the universe. He has complete charge of all the workings of nature as well as being sovereign over everything that takes place in all the earth below and the heavens above.

Second, we must remember that this great God has made us. We are not self-made as our culture would like to boast. All the abilities and faculties that are ours to enjoy have been given to us as gifts of our Creator.

Thirdly, because He is our Creator, we belong to Him. He has the right to do with us what He wants. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

What should we be thankful for?
He is good. Acknowledging that we belong to a powerful God could be a scary thought. But with our God there is nothing to fear because He is good. He showers us with good food, homes, families, friends, and material blessings that are beyond what we deserve. Even in times of difficulty, when friends disappoint, health declines, or bank accounts dwindle, our good God promises to provide all that we need. He will work ALL things together for the good of those who belong to Him.

Our God is characterized by lovingkindness. His love and loyalty to His children are everlasting and do not depend on how lovable we are. As a good Father He works to mature us and patiently corrects and teaches. We never need to fear that He will abandon us. His mercy and kindness follow us wherever we go.

 
God is consistently faithful. He is completely reliable and will always come through for us. We do not need to fear that He will change His mind because what He says He will do. He has always kept His promises in the past and will continue to do so throughout all generations.

Think about these things this week as you get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. You belong to a great God who is good, loving, and faithful. Reset your thankful meter today and loudly SHOUT praise to the Lord, not only on Thursday, but all year round.

Love,
Mama

 

God’s Clock is a Mystery Clock

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2 Peter 3:8 “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”
A Mystery Clock
I am fascinated with clocks. When Great Grandma passed away I was thrilled to inherit her grandfather clock. I remember visiting her when I was little and listening to the chimes of the old clock striking every quarter hour.  There was something intriguing about the consistent ticking and the slowly moving hands making their rounds. 

This past week we sold a number of beautiful and unusual clocks for a family that obviously loved these old time pieces as well. Their grandfather clock would have hit most ceilings at 9’7″ tall. There were numerous wall clocks, banjo clocks, and a really neat Dickory Dickory Dock clock where the little mouse from the nursery rhyme moved upwards as the time passed. But the clocks that interested me the most were the “Mystery Clocks.” They were different from most and get their name because it is a mystery how they kept time. 

9’7″ Grandfather Clock
Why all this fuss about clocks? Besides the beauty of the timepieces and their wide variety of unique construction, the time that these clocks keep governs our lives. Each strike of the hour reminds us that we live in 24-hour intervals. All our activity revolves around those sweeps of the clocks’ hands. When we are young time seems to pass slowly. But as we grow older the insistent ticking reminds us of how short life is and the urgency of completing our tasks. 

God is different than we are. He does not live within the confines of time. To Him one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. As we scurry around, trying to complete all that needs to be done, we can often become frustrated when God seems to delay. His way of doing things can often be a mystery. Many times He doesn’t answer our prayers according to our time table. 

Another interesting clock
As we seek answers for why the ungodly prosper, it may seem that these unbelievers are getting away with their sin. They mock the promise that the Lord will come back, yet God does not seem to respond.  But God will do what He says in His Word even if it is not according to our time table. His delays reveal His patience by giving all the world opportunities to repent and turn to Him. In His time He will bring to pass all that He has promised.

God does not need a clock to regulate His activity. But if there is a timepiece in heaven, I think it is a mystery clock. Why? Because He works and acts beyond the confines of time as we know it. What is a thousand years to us may only be one day to Him. But like the mystery clock, though we may not understand the inner workings, we can trust Him to accomplish His will at the perfect time. He will never be late or early – He is always right on time.

Oh dear, Great Grandma’s clock is now chiming the hour. Another day is almost done!

Love,

Mama

Chain Reaction Thoughts that Lead to Heaven

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I Thessalonians 4: 16-18 “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

It’s crazy how our mind can formulate chain reaction thoughts. You see or hear something and soon your subconscious has started you on a journey. One thought leads to another and before you know it two completely unconnected ideas have dropped you off at a place you haven’t been for a while. 

That happened yesterday at our personal property auction. I stood for an hour and clerked the sales of old Lionel and American Flyer railroad items. There were numerous engines, cars, and tracks, along with an assortment of accessories such as street lamps and miniature trees. 

As I typed the description of a small railway station sporting tiny signs and benches, my mind started a journey into the past. I was a little girl again sitting in a line of chairs at Kearny Gospel Chapel where we were singing a Sunday School song, We’re Going to a Mansion on the Happy Day Express.

This childish song spoke of a train headed to heaven where all would be happy. The letters on the engine spelled J-E-S-U-S because believing in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is the only way to enter the train. As the guard called ALL FOR HEAVEN, we children gladly answered YES! 

Such a funny song, but such a real desire. The Lord Himself truly is coming back someday for those who belong to Him. He will not be coming on a train, but will come down from heaven on the clouds.  There will be the loud shout of an archangel accompanied by the trumpet of God, which will summon all those who have died knowing Christ as Savior. They will rise from the dead first. Then those of us  believers in Jesus who are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and from then on we will forever be with the Lord.

How encouraging these thoughts are as here on earth our longings for perfection are never realized.  All that is wrong in the world can be too much to handle sometimes. But someday all things will be made right and, for those who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, it truly will be a happy day.

The auctioneer’s final call jogged me out of the past and back down to earth. I typed the price and bidder number for the little railroad station. Someone will enjoy these novelty toys, but the way to a mansion in the sky is not on the Happy Day Express. It is only through Jesus – no one gets to the Father but through Him. 

I have to admit, though, seeing all those railroad accessories yesterday triggered chain reaction thoughts that led my mind to a better place, and I can’t wait to get there! Make sure when you hear the angel’s voice and the trumpet of God you are trusting in Jesus. Then we can all respond to the call, ALL FOR HEAVEN, with the glad answer YES! 

Love,
Mama

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A Fully Executed Contract

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Romans 4:20-21 “Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.”

God’s promises never fail! Even when faced with the impossible this is a God-Fact you can rely on.

Recently, while attending a real estate continuing education course, I listened to a lecture on contracts. In our business we deal with contracts all the time. There are listing contracts, purchase contracts, and auction contracts, to name a few. In order for these contracts to be valid, both parties to the contract must agree to the terms and sign their names showing that they intend to uphold their side of the deal. These are called bilateral contracts.

A unilateral contract is different. In this case one party (the offeror) makes an express promise to do something in exchange for a specific action by another party (the offeree.) Once the action is completed by the offeree, then there is only one promise that needs to be kept. 
Abraham comes to mind as I consider the unilateral contract. In Genesis 12 God called Abraham to leave his country, his people, and father’s household to go to a land that He would show him. God then made a promise to him that 1) He would make him into a great nation; 2) He would make his name great; 3) He would bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him; and 4) that through him all the peoples of the earth would be blessed.
So Abraham in faith acted on God’s offer. He left his hometown and set out with his wife and nephew on a journey directed by God. The action was accomplished and from then on the execution of the unilateral contract was up to God.
Years passed and the childless couple waited for God to give them the son they so hoped for. But the ticking of the biological clock changes the human body. Abraham and Sarah grew old and there was no longer any possible human way for them to give birth to this long dreamed of child.
Most couples would have packed away their desires along with the baby clothes and toys in a chest, deposited it in the attic and tried to move on with life. But Abraham, against all hope, believed that God would make good on their contract and that he would become the father of many nations.“He did not waver through unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised.” 

God credited Abraham’s faith to him as righteousness, and in due time God fulfilled His promise. A tiny baby born was born to this infertile, elderly couple. Over time their descendants multiplied more than the stars in the sky, and from Abraham’s family tree the Savior, Jesus Christ, was born – the Son of God Who brought salvation to the world.

Ours is a God Who keeps His word no matter how impossible the circumstances. When you face a difficult trial and it seems that all hope has died, hang onto the promises of God. Memorize a Bible verse that applies to your situation, recite it daily, and hope against hope – because when God signs a contract He always comes through.

Love,
Mama

Get the Humidifier, Quick!

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Isaiah 41:18 “I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water.”

Winter in the Sheridan household brings about a struggle with dry skin. The beautiful and toasty fire from our wood burning stove comes with a price. The dry heat is very warm and toasty, but it sucks all the moisture out of the air and everything in the near vicinity. 
I didn’t realize how much of a problem this dry heat was becoming until one day soon after we purchased our Amish-made dining room table. One day while dusting I noticed that a huge crack was beginning to split the beautiful oak wood. The incessant heat had dried out the glue used to join the wood pieces and an ugly, jagged crack had formed. 
The humidifier made all the difference!
I was, of course, pretty upset and immediately looked into a solution for this problem. Dad and I quickly purchased a humidifier, which helps to regulate the moisture level in the room and corrects it when it becomes too dry by blowing a mist of water into the air. This new machine made all the difference in the furniture and our skin. I wish I had thought of that sooner.
There are times when more than our skin can feel dry. Sometimes the heat of difficult experiences and trials reaches deep into one’s heart and soul. The pressures and problems that life sometimes brings can threaten to cause the glue that holds everything together to crack. Even those with the strongest faith can experience the fiery darts of the evil one penetrating the tenderest parts of their being. 
The book of Isaiah prophesies about a time when Israel would experience terrible times. Foreign nations would conquer them and take the people into exile, and yet God promised that He would help them. He said, “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”

What an encouragement it is to know that God will provide everything His people need. Keep that in mind when you feel the heat of your circumstances threatening to dry out the glue that usually holds you together. Seek Him through the humidifier of His Word when you believe you are going to crack. He will be faithful to open up a river that will flow into your dry soul and revive your wilting spirit.
Love,
Mama