Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

Ringing In The New Year and Filling Gaps

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Hebrews 10:24 “…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” 

The older I get the more I realize how much people need each other. This is true in all sorts of ways and particularly when it comes to growing spiritually. God has created us to live in relationship with Him and others and it is crucial for our health and well-being.

Many celebrations have occurred in the past week. Friends and families gathered together to celebrate the advent of the New Year. Our family’s activities were a bit laid back but nevertheless enjoyable and fun. After eating delicious calzones prepared by Luke and Brianna we settled in for a night of Rocky.

As we viewed the first installment of the epic motion picture series, I was struck by one line. As the hero, played by Sylvester Stallone, explained his love for Adrian to those who were questioning his attraction, he said, “She has gaps and I have gaps. Together we fill gaps.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcqos-b3jDo

What a true statement! All of us have areas of strengths and areas of weakness. But through love and encouragement we can help fill in each other’s gaps. This should be a goal of all Christians, not only because we want to, but because God tells us to. We must commit to meeting together regularly so we can stimulate each other to grow in love and good deeds. This encouragement is so important especially as time goes on and the world grows farther and farther from God.

As we gathered at church on New Year’s Day, Pastor Craig also pointed out this truth. While sharing the importance of developing a plan for Bible reading and prayer in the New Year, he admitted the difficulty of being consistent in this discipline. Our busy lives often derail the best of intentions. But one way to keep these crucial priorities intact is to connect with others for the purpose of accountability. By admitting our gaps and embracing others who also have gaps, we can together remain strong in our resolutions.

As we enter the new year, why not consider how we can encourage each other to remain strong in the Lord? After all, I have gaps and you have gaps. But together we can fill gaps.

Love,

Mama

Learning to Pray from the Creator

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Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name.’”

stained-glassPrayer is part of a conversation with God. We speak to God through prayer and He speaks to us, in part, through His word. This is why it is good to use the Bible to guide our communication with our heavenly Father.

One day while Jesus was praying one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus took the opportunity to instruct His followers in the appropriate way to communicate with God.

He reminded them to have a proper attitude. They should not be like the hypocrites who pray for attention from others. These haughty ones would often stand on a corner or public place where they were most visible and pray out loud for all to hear. Instead, Jesus told His disciples to pray in a secret place where they would not be tempted with pride. God would hear their requests and reward their humbleness with His presence and listening ear.

Jesus also instructed His followers to speak naturally. There was no need to recite meaningless repetitions as many unbelievers do. Instead they should talk to their Father in heaven as a dearly loved child. He then gave them a pattern to follow, which has become well known as “The Lord’s Prayer.”

The prayer begins in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name.

Instead of launching into a grocery list of requests it is important to start by recognizing who God is and praising Him for His greatness and attributes.

Though I understood why praising God first for Who He is would be appropriate in starting a conversation with Him, I recently realized there was another reason to begin our prayers this way. As we focus our mind on the greatness of our Heavenly Father it prepares us to share with Him all our needs. Many things that are troubling our hearts and minds are large and can cause us great worry. When we focus our attention on our heavenly Father first instead of barreling right into our concerns, the severity and impossibility of our requests start to fade away in the presence of His greatness.

When we recognize Him as the supreme and sovereign ruler of the whole world and universe, the giver of our daily bread, forgiver of all our sins, and protector against the evil one, we gain confidence that He hears us and has the power to answer just as He said He would.

Prayer is conversation with God. He hears His child who prays with a humble heart. We do not need to be afraid that we will say the wrong thing or that He will misunderstand. He knows what we are trying to say even before we say it. But, oh, how He loves to hear us praise Him – not just because it pleases Him, but also because it reminds us of His power and willingness to answer.

So when you pray, do it the way Jesus taught. Pray with no thought for human attention. Speak with your own normal words. And give Your Father praise and adoration first. In this way you will be so awed by the greatness of your heavenly Father that your worries will start to fade in comparison.

Love,

Mama

BIG WORLD, BIGGER GOD

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1 Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

img_3346The world is a big place! It is made up of many nations and peoples with numerous languages, customs, and physical characteristics. Most of the time we get caught up in our own little personal world and we forget about the bigness of God’s creation. But when you take the time to think about it, the fact is overwhelming!

Recently, I was thinking about prayer. God wants us to pray all kinds of requests for all kinds of people. This is a good and acceptable practice to Him. Though there are millions throughout the world who have not heard the name of Jesus Christ and many more who have heard and rejected Him, there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The nations will be His inheritance and the very ends of the earth His possession as He comes to reign in His heavenly Kingdom. We should ask for this to happen.

I am good at praying for the things that are within my little sphere of life. But I knew I needed to expand my reach. Through listening to a sermon online I was introduced to a book that helps guide personal prayers for the whole world. So I searched Amazon, found the book along with a world map, and immediately ordered them. Within days Operation World by Jason Mandryk and InterVarsity Press came to my mailbox.

Fascinated by all the information within the pages, I excitedly began my quest to pray for the world. I turned to the appropriate page organized by date and began to read the needs and requests for that day’s country. Within minutes panic gripped my heart. This was too much!!! How could I possibly make a difference in such a large expanse amongst millions of lost people with so many great needs?

As I choked back my overwhelmed feelings, I suddenly remembered Paul’s glorious statement in 1 Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

I realized that though the world was HUGE to me and I had not even heard of some of the nations that fill it, nothing was too big for God. He knows each of the nations – He created them! Not only that, but He knows all the people who live in these nations by name. He knows their needs, their feelings, their struggles, and even how many hairs they have on their head. There is nothing I can pray that He doesn’t already know, but He gives me the opportunity to participate in the building of His kingdom through prayer.

I breathed a sigh of relief and my heart filled with praise. This really is a big world! But we have an even bigger God!

I bowed my head to continue my prayers and I thought I heard the Lord chuckling as He said, “Girl, I’m glad your view of me has expanded, but you haven’t seen anything yet!”

Love,
Mama

 

There’s Something In Our House!

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2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

There is SOMETHING in our house!

IMG_3224Of course, there is furniture, appliances, decorations, and people, but I mean SOMETHING else that shouldn’t be here. No one would know about it because it hides itself very well during the day, but at night this SOMETHING does its dirty work.

The past few mornings I have come down to the kitchen to be greeted by a mess. Over in the plant corner, potting soil and leaves are scattered all over the floor and the plants have holes exposing their roots like the SOMETHING has been digging around.

I have wracked my brain to figure out what the SOMETHING is. Could it be a mouse? Do mice dig in plants? Could it be a toad that snuck through an open door? But there is no toad hiding in the soil. (See An Unpleasant Intruder for more on this possibility!) Could it be a bat that found it’s way down from the attic? I really don’t know, but it is freaking me out! All I really know is we need to catch the SOMETHING and get it out of here!

I have no qualms with these kinds of mysteries happening outside in the yard. Wildlife abounds and is part of country living. But to happen inside the house is unacceptable.

We live in a world that is infested with all sorts of false beliefs and evil influences. Satan, the father of lies, has used deception from the beginning of time to turn people away from God. The deceiver disguises himself as an angel of light and smoothly twists the truth to ensnare the world and put it in bondage.

As Christians we are surrounded by ungodly influences. We can’t escape them. That’s part of living in a fallen world. But, oh, what a mess, when believers allow Satan’s falsehoods to penetrate their own hearts. Children of God can let down their guard and develop unhealthy relationships. They can get busy and stop seeking the truth daily. They can believe they are beyond falling to the enemy’s schemes. And before they know it the SOMETHING opposed to God enters their own dwelling and starts digging holes in their faith, threatening their spiritual health.

The victim may not even know the enemy has entered until tragedy strikes. By then the SOMETHING has done his evil deeds. The believer is weakened by her lusts, lacking in her faith, and struggling to survive. What a mess!

How do we ensure that this devastation does not happen to us?

  • We must seek to walk closely to God on a daily basis through prayer and Bible study.
  • We must develop Godly friendships with those who will challenge and keep you accountable to the truth.
  • We must pray that God will reveal any personal weaknesses the enemy could use to infiltrate your mind and heart.
  • We must always be on the alert for signs of any dangerous thought patterns or unhealthy activity that could lead to trouble, and immediately take care of the problem by calling on God for wisdom and strength.

We live in a deceived world. Evil influences are dwelling all around us. But for heaven’s sake keep alert. Take wise precautions or “your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” The SOMETHING opposed to God may enter your house undetected and you will find yourself in a big mess!

Love,

Mama

Any Time, Anywhere – The Reason We Can Pray

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Matthew 6:9 “Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”

Have you ever wondered how a cell phone works?

IMG_20160602_183154531Most of us never even think about the mechanics behind our phone calls or texts. We just punch in the numbers and expect the person we’ve called to be on the other end. The younger generation has no understanding of the days before you could reach someone anytime, anywhere. But we all teake for granted the expertise and work that inventors put into making our life easier and helping us stay connected to those we love.

Recently, while taking my morning walk, I prayed the Lord’s Prayer. As I addressed, “Our Father Who art in heaven” I thought about the privilege of speaking with God. How often do we pour out our hearts to our Father in heaven without considering why this communication works?

God wants us to come to Him with large and small requests. He wants us to speak to Him throughout the day sharing our feelings and concerns, our joys and worries. We can reach Him any time and anywhere. There are never any dead spots or static, and He understands what we want to say even when we don’t have the words to express ourselves.

But how is it possible for a sinful human to speak to the holy Almighty God?

Communication with the Creator of the universe is available because of what Jesus Christ did. The perfect Son of God came to earth and took our sins onto Himself. He suffered and died on a rugged cross, rising from the grave three days later to cleanse those who would believe in Him. Now He is in heaven interceding for us; opening a way for communication with God. All that Jesus did has provided the way for us to become God’s children and to have continual access to our heavenly Father through prayer.

As I mulled this gift over in my head, I thanked Jesus for all He suffered to give me the huge privilege of having access to God at all times. What a blessing!

Even though I have no idea how a cell phone works, and probably never will, I am thankful for the men and women who invented this wonderful device that gives me access to the people I need no matter where they are.

But I am much more thankful for the opportunity and privilege of speaking to my heavenly Father all throughout the day – any time, anywhere. I never want to take that for granted. It is only possible through Jesus.

And I don’t even need a cell phone to do it!

Love,

Mama

 

Crushed Barn Doors and God’s Peace

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Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

IMG_2919 Sometimes there are weeks, or even months, where every day holds some type of crisis. Large or small, it seems necessary to be on the alert and constantly solve problems. As the issues stack up it is easy to fall into a pattern of worry. It is at times like these I am reminded of what Great-Grandma’s favorite preacher, J. Vernon McGee, once said.

Worry about nothing; pray about everything. Prayer is the secret of power.

Things were going well this weekend. Nathan graduated from high school on Saturday night and we were enjoying all the festivities for his friends. We returned home after continuous party hopping feeling full of food and friendship.

Suddenly, the sun disappeared and gray clouds swept the sky. A wild wind picked up and soon driving rain was pelting the windows. I ran to the porch to batten down the hatches. I rescued the hanging petunias destined for a crash, pulled the rocking chair to the safety of the dining room, and sat down to ride out the sudden storm.

Finally things settled down, and except for a few tree limbs it seemed we had escaped the worst – until I ventured out the kitchen door. Much to my chagrin one of the sliding barn doors had not been locked and was now wrapped up over the roof. The gaping hole and mangled metal made my stomach curdle. This, along with all the other large and small annoyances of the past week, threatened to crush me with worry. It was just one more thing to add to my list of concerns.

Reviewing my ever growing mental list of frustrations, the tension became overpowering. But then I remembered, “Worry about nothing: pray about everything. Prayer is the secret of power.” I breathed a prayer of desperation and suddenly a calm feeling soothed my anxious spirit.

I am so glad that God tells us to bring EVERYTHING to Him in prayer. There is nothing too big and nothing too small. In fact, to God, everything is small. The One Who created the whole universe and keeps the planets and stars in space has no problem with a lost credit card, a desperate time crunch, or even a heavy sliding door wrapped over a barn roof. They are nothing to Him. He is so powerful that the things that seem overwhelming or impossible to us are a piece of cake for Him. What a comfort this reminder can be!

Yes, there will be weeks, months, or even years when every day seems to hold a crisis. Sometimes they will be small andsometimes they will be huge. But we don’t need to be anxious about anything! Bring all our concerns to God. Thank Him for hearing and answering in the way that He knows is best. And by doing this we will experience an unexplainable peace.

The barn door is still on the roof begging to be fixed, but somehow I feel confident that all is well. I have prayed and given it, along with all my other worries, to God, and I know He will take care of things.

Now if I can only remember this tomorrow when the next crisis hits!!!

Love,

Mama

You’re Too Busy Not To Pray!

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Mark 1:35 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

You’re too busy not to pray!

DSC00497Communicating with God through prayer is crucial to our spiritual condition for many reasons. Along with reading the Bible, prayer connects us with God. It is how we talk to Him and relinquish our cares and worries. It is how we ask for guidance and for help. Prayer is a weapon to be used in spiritual battles and the way we release God’s power in our lives. Why then do we have so many excuses for not doing it?

Many would say they don’t know how to pray. Others feel they are not good enough. But often the excuse is lack of time. We live in a busy world that claws at our availability. So many things need to be accomplished and time is of the essence. Here and there we may throw out a few words to heaven, but much of the time it is in passing as we run to the next activity.

We make light of this omission with the thought that God will understand our busy lifestyles. Yet we miss an important point. We need God the most when we are the busiest.

It was Martin Luther who said,

I have so much to do that I will spend the first three hours in prayer.

This great hero of the Reformation and of our faith recognized that he was too busy not to pray!

Luther was not the first to recognize the importance of committing a busy day to God. Jesus Himself made this His practice.

After visiting the home of Simon and healing his mother-in-law, the town heard of Jesus’ presence. When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. It was a busy night as Jesus healed and cast out the forces of evil.

For many of us an action packed and late evening would be the perfect excuse for skipping our time of prayer, but not so with Jesus.

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place to pray. Humanly speaking Jesus must have been physically exhausted. He had just spent many hours dealing with people and problems. He had enraged the wicked spiritual world by casting out demons. No one would have blamed Him if He had just stayed in bed a little longer. Yet we see His perfect example. He made the effort to speak to His Father about all that was going on. I wonder what they conversed about?

This was a great encouragement and example for me. Instead of using our busy lifestyles as an excuse for skipping a regular prayer time, we must use it to push us towards even more time with the One Who can help us correctly navigate all the pressures that life brings. This is the way that we can get life in perspective and bring God glory.

Do you have a busy week coming up? It will be worth the time and effort if you follow Jesus’ example. After all . . .

You’re too busy not to pray!

Love,

Mama

 

 

 

Impossible Things Are Happening Every Day!

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Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

IMG_2606

Photo courtesy of Chris Anderson

High School plays are the best!! I looove to watch all of our talented and hard-working students perform. This year was a special treat since Cinderella is one of my favorite stories. Who doesn’t cheer for the sweet and lovable, but mistreated, Ella to meet and marry the prince (Josiah Winey)? It seemed impossible for this “country bumpkin” to catch the eye of the heir to the throne, but as in all fairy tales it became a reality with the help of the magical, blue fairy godmother (Sarah Pitts).

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Photo Courtesy of Scott Huck

One of my favorite songs (next to “Now is the Time,” which Nathan sang) was “In My Own Little Corner.” Cinderella (played so beautifully by Kylie Beste) was kept from doing all the fun things that her stepsisters (Sara Beste & Kate Belliveau) were allowed to do. But she found comfort in her own little corner, in her own little chair. From this secluded spot our hero could imagine she was anything and make the impossible happen.

So many of us longingly relate to this sentiment. The desire to be noticed or to do something great has made a nest deep within our hearts. When we feel overlooked and helpless to really make a difference we resort to sitting in our own little corner, dreaming of what we wish we could do.

But Cinderella was on to something! There is a corner and a chair that can make all the difference in the world. It is a place where impossible things become possible. It is a place where the Prince of Peace waits eagerly for even those whom the world considers nobodies to come to Him. In this spot you are never overlooked and all the power of the Almighty is at your disposal.

From your own little corner in your own little chair the effective prayer of a righteous man or woman accomplishes much. The great preacher and theologian Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, “Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of the omnipotent.”

Photo courtesy of Scott Huck.

Photo courtesy of Scott Huck.

Our God has given barren women babies, healed the sick, given sight to the blind, set captives free, and raised the dead. In response to prayer He has made the sun stand still, stopped the rain for years, sent fire from heaven, and shut lions’ mouths.

Persistent prayer and a faith that could move mountains brought about all these things. Our God, with Whom nothing is impossible, listens for the cry of His children praying in the name of Jesus. He hears and answers.

Are you an ordinary nobody? Do you wish you could make a difference in your world? Then take a lesson from Cinderella! Go to your own little corner and sit in your own little chair. Pray fervently to the God of the Impossible. The Prince of Peace loves you so much that He has moved heaven and earth to bring you to Himself. Close your eyes, pour out your heart, and then watch for His answers.

Impossible things are happening every day!

Love,

Mama

Letters in the Attic – Some things must be kept!

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Malachi 3:16 “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.”

IMG_2540Some things must be kept! Whether or not you are a purger or a packrat, there are certain items that just shouldn’t be discarded.

I am a purger. I regularly go through my belongings and get rid of things. It is not that I love to throw perfectly good items away, but those who know me best understand that I don’t think well when surrounded by clutter. My mind can’t seem to focus when overwhelmed with stuff that doesn’t have a place.

But even so, there are certain items that will never see the trash pail. Up in the attic sits a box containing a Miami University sweatshirt that Dad gave me when we were dating, a stuffed dog (named Sheridan) that slept on my bed when we were states away, and a shoebox full of love letters.

I have not looked at these things in years, but I know right where they are and will keep them as long as I live. Special mementos and tender words from decades ago are worthy of remembering.

The Bible is God’s words of love to us. But did you know that God keeps a record of our words of love to Him?

The nation of Israel had turned away from the Lord. Most people worshipped idols and spoke falsehoods with regard to His name. Even the religious leaders taught perverted doctrines that caused many to stumble. And when taking offerings they robbed the Lord of what was rightfully His. But there were others who still loved the Lord and feared Him. These met to talk with each other about His majesty, to encourage each other to submit to His authority, and to openly express their love for Him.

The Lord listened in on their gracious conversations and heard what they were saying. He was pleased and had a scroll of remembrance written in His presence concerning those who feared Him and honored His name.

It is not that the Lord was afraid He would forget. After all, His memory is perfect. I think He was pleased with the praise-filled words of His children in a nation that had forgotten Him and He wanted to keep the words for eternity.

Have you had any conversations about the Lord lately? Have you told your friends how much you love Him? He is listening with pen poised to record your conversation – because there are some things, like letters in the attic, that must always be kept!

Love,

Mama

Fighting Words

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Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Satan is a crafty enemy who uses many tactics to shut down those who are Christ followers. One successful approach is to convince God’s children that they are helpless and unable to do what they are called to do. I know this because this is something the enemy has used on me.

I have never been a very confident person. Though I can come across as very self-assured, I have always struggled with a feeling deep inside that says I am not good enough. These feelings became so strong at one point that I came to a place where I really started to believe that I was not good enough to do even the simplest of tasks. When asked to clean a house for someone, I panicked thinking that I did not have what it would take to accomplish the job well. 

Thank the Lord I finally realized where these paralyzing thoughts were originating. They were vicious lies whispered in my ear by an enemy who desired to shut me down. He knew that I am a child of God and have the power of the Holy Spirit available to me and he decided to attack me where I was weak. 

Through Bible study and prayer I recognized that I needed to combat these feelings with truth, so I memorized today’s verse. From that day on I have quoted this promise every time I have felt the vicious, self-degrading words slipping back into my mind. I now know that I have the ability to do all that God has given me to do. He will supply whatever I lack to help me to accomplish His will.

How about you? Has Satan ever used this tactic to try to keep you from trusting God and doing what He has planned for you? If so, then memorize this truth. And the next time you hear the enemy’s fighting words whispering, “You are not good enough to do this,” stand tall and fight back with the truth of God’s Word – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me!”

Love,
Mama