Spending Time With God is More Important Than You Think

time with God

Okay, it’s true confession time.

I hate to admit it, but here goes.

There have been a few days when my schedule has been so jam-packed that I’ve neglected to read my Bible.

I’ve always regretted it later that night when I’m tucked into bed and saying my prayers.

There’s no doubt, our lives can get so busy that we miss out on spending time with God.

Even so, He is always ready and waiting to hear from us.

Missing a few days of Bible reading is understandable – but, it’s our loss.

We miss out on so much when we don’t have that precious time alone with our Savior.

Why should we read the Bible?

We should read God’s Word in order to know Him more.

Do you remember when you were first saved?

Like me, I’m sure your spiritual thirst went through the roof.

I never want to lose that joyful feeling that I am His child and He knows my name.

The Bible is the portrait of Jesus Christ.
– John Stott, Christian pastor (1921-2011.)

Reflections on the Busyness of Life

Distractions of all kinds can get in the way of what’s really important in our lives – spending time with God.

With that in mind, I wrote the following poem as a reminder.

Convict My Heart

Please don’t be mad, Lord
that I didn’t pray.
There were so many things I had to do today.

Please don’t be mad, Lord
I’ve got so much work.
My job’s real important, and the boss is a jerk.

Please don’t be mad, Lord
my Bible’s in a drawer.
I’ve been meaning to read it,
but someone’s at the door.

Please don’t be mad, Lord
I’ll just worship later.
I’m still looking for a church
where the music’s much greater.

Please don’t be mad, Lord.
My devotions weren’t read.
Just one more post on Facebook
then it’s time for bed.

I’ve put You behind
other things in my life.
I have no excuse,
it must cut like a knife.

Tomorrow’s the day
for a brand new start.
My precious Lord and Savior, please convict my heart.

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²John Stott quotation, as quoted from Christian quotes.info

Our Exceptional God

The Lord Wants Us To Be Prepared Not Scared

Has 2020 been a disaster or what?

It certainly feels like the world is going, to borrow an old expression, to “hell in a handbasket.”

heartbreaking world events None of this craziness is a surprise to God, though.

So, what next?

Can we pull ourselves out of this mire – where the world is drowning in perversion, hatred, idolatry, and anti-God rhetoric?

No – not alone we can’t.

The fact is we can’t pull ourselves out of any of this spiritual backslide.

Our help comes only from the Lord, in His timing.

The verse below is a lovely reminder, and a great one to memorize.

Psalm 121:1-2

Our help (whether it’s looking towards the hills of Jerusalem like the Psalmist, or out our own front door) comes from the Lord.

We see evidence of His grace everywhere.

Our problems become smaller when we think about how big the love of God is.

Can I get an Amen!!

Be Prepared Not Scared

No matter what happens next in this crazy world, we should be prepared not scared because He promised to never leave us.

be prepared not scared

When the headlines about the rioting and violence cause alarm, take a moment, stop and pray.

There’s comfort in knowing that your prayers will reach all the way up to Heaven – quicker than you can blink your eyes.

When I look at the world with all its problems, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed when I pray. And it certainly is overwhelming, until we look to the greatness of our God and realize that with Him, nothing is impossible. By His grace we can see this nation turned around, healed both of its plagues and the sin that plagues all of us. – Ray Comfort, Evangelist, founder of Living Waters Publications. ²

I know it looks scary out there. I’ve seen the headlines too, and watched incredulously as foul-mouthed bullies try to take over Christian Facebook pages.

The godless may win some battles, but folks – they will lose the war.

The Spiritual Battle Rages On

This is a spiritual battle between Good and Evil.

Now’s not the time to back down and keep our mouths shut because of fear.

Now is the time to share the hope that we have through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have a responsibility to shine His light in this present darkness.

I know that there are some who’d rather not bother: I hate getting involved in politics and I’m not going to vote. Can’t we just keep quiet?

No, we can’t.

America is in trouble.

Socialism is a godless, ugly, ideology lurking right on our doorstep, and it’s up to all of us to exercise our right to vote.

We must be prepared not scared to take a bold, courageous stand for Jesus Christ and godly values.

We as Bible-believing evangelical Christians are locked in a battle. This is not a friendly gentleman’s discussion. It is a life and death conflict between spiritual hosts of wickedness and those who claim the name of Christ. Where is the clear voice speaking to the crucial issues of the day with distinctly biblical answers? We must be the voice of reason. May we not sin through silence. – Francis Schaefer. well-known theologian and apologist.

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² Quotation from Pastor Ray Comfort, “Revival Amid Riot.” Courtesy of Living Waters. [blog post]. May 29, 2020, para. 7. Web. Accessed September 30, 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.livingwaters.com/revival-amid-riot/

³Francis August Schaeffer, (1912-1984), evangelical Christian and theologian. Schaeffer quotation, courtesy of Dobson Digital Library. [blog post]. “Socialism: The Enemy of Christianity.” n.d., para. 3. Web. Accessed October 5, 2020.

Our Exceptional God

Asking For Trouble

January 29, 2020 Gracie

Asking For Trouble

Have you ever regretted something you did as a child?

I have.

When I was in 5^th grade, I remember going to a slumber party with a bunch of friends from my junior girl scout troop.

Besides staying up late until the wee hours of the morning, part of our “fun” included one of the girls pulling out a ouija board.

You’ve probably heard of them.

Each person asks the board questions and, supposedly, you’ll get answers from an unseen force.

At that young age, we didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

I’d call that inviting the devil in.

Talk about asking for trouble.

dark shadows

Now, as a Christian adult, I know better.

We were just stupid kids then, influenced by what we saw in the world around us, and doing what we’d seen other kids do.

I’ve already asked, and God has forgiven me.

Someone might think it’s silly for me to apologize to God for something I took part in as a child.

And, that’s okay.

I’m more interested in what God thinks.

Invoking the Spirit Realm

Fast forward to modern times.

Did you ever think you’d see a demonic tribute displayed for all to see, like the giant ouija board that was in Salem last year?

It makes my heart sad.

Did you know there are still people out there who don’t believe there’s a devil, or that evil actually exists?

Much, much worse, they don’t believe God exists, AND that He is a righteous judge.

They’ll find out someday.

A Wonderful Trip With One Exception

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went on an amazing vacation in the mountains.

Absolutely everything was perfect about our trip, except for one thing – a so-called “immersive experience” that came highly recommended on one of the travel sites.

My husband and I read nothing in the reviews that tripped our radars. We had no idea that this place would be so disturbing.

The outside of the building for the “experience” looked a little weird, but we decided to go in anyway.

We started walking through the dark rooms full of lights and bizarre artwork. There were strange writings everywhere – on the tables, on the walls, etc. The whole place was noisy with unintelligible sounds coming from who knows where, and it smelled bad.

What in the world?

We looked closer at the written letters on the tables and the drawings and paintings on the walls – clearly demonic.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what demonic symbols look like.

And they were everywhere.

This “experience” was not a haunted house…it was described as a popular “attraction” with, God forbid, plans to expand to other states.

It wasn’t amusing, or tongue-in-cheek.

Here’s another thing that was really unsettling.

There were young kids running around.

It made me sick watching young people in there taking selfies, laughing, and soaking it all in. I watched one teenager close his eyes, breath in a deep breath, and say out loud, “Freedom.”

Huh?

I just shook my head.

Young people are encouraged to play here and “immerse” themselves in this very dark place.

What Do We Stand For?

I’ve heard some Christians talk excitedly about TV shows and movies, like “Twilight” and “Game of Thrones.”

Anything goes now in the entertainment world, ever-increasing numbers of shows glorifying violence, or satanic acts and meaningless se xual encounters.

Why aren’t more Christians speaking up and out against this kind of thing?

I do more often than not, and it gets me into trouble sometimes.

But, I have a right to my opinion just like the next person.

Who are we trying to please? God or man?

“Were Satan to strike the children of God with great force at one time, they would know exactly how to resist the enemy since they would immediately recognize his work. He uses the method of gradualism to wear down the people of God.” – Watchman Nee – Christian minister, Bible teacher. (1903 – 1972).¹

I’ve never felt so out of place than at the attraction we went to. I walked right up to one of the posted demonic symbols and started singing the Doxology silently in my head.

I can’t believe people pay money to see this kind of thing except, maybe like us, other Christians entered the building simply going off of misleading reviews.

This is garbage. Let’s leave.

And so, we walked out. We got inside our rental car, stunned at what we’d just witnessed, and prayed about it and against it.

Art? Really?

People can call that kind of thing “art” all they want.

If it’s celebrating the devil, the illuminati, or globalism – no thanks.

I don’t care what the Hollywood machine wants to promote – I’d rather see, or hear, or read something uplifting – especially if it glorifies God.

You?

Philippians 4:8

# # #

¹Watchman Nee quotation, courtesy of https://www.christianquotes.info/. Accessed 26 January, 2020.
² Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our Exceptional God

Be Still And Know

January 7, 2020 Gracie

What Does It Mean to “Be Still and Know?”

Be still and know

We can find the answer in Psalm 46.

YHWH speaks through His Word to His covenant people throughout the ages.

With Christ as Our Savior and, by His death and resurrection, we are now His covenant people.

Here’s just a portion of this beautiful psalm of peace and praise written for the younger sons of Korah.

Psalm 46

We can have peace knowing that God is our fortress and that He is “with us.”

The God who moves mountains

Who created the smallest and the largest living organisms

The God who created you and me

No problem, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, is too big for our God. If we will learn to take refuge in Him and lean on Him alone for strength, then with the psalmist we can face the most extreme crises with quiet confidence, because God is with us and He is sufficient. – Steven J. Cole, author and theologian.²

God allows troubles, frustrations, and hardships in our lives.

Don't lose heart

Minor molehills to sky-high mountains.

But we have to trust and take our refuge in Him.

“Quiet confidence”

“Be still”

That’s hard sometimes, isn’t it?

In our quiet moments of prayer, we want everything fixed in our timing.

We may seek out Christian friends, perhaps a Christian counselor – all of whom can be helpful and supportive through the rocky journeys we may be experiencing, but ultimately, God is our strength.

Don’t Lose Heart – We Will See Eternal Restoration

Referencing Isaiah 40, Pastor Mike Fabarez reminds us that some day, at the appointed time, the Glory of the Lord will be revealed. He is the Restorer of all things.

Keeper of promises

No matter where in the world we are at that time, we will all see it.

That should give us confidence that our Lord is a keeper of promises and everything wrong going on will be made right.

Count on Him!

“Have you read the news? Things are not as they ought to be – in the world, in the country, in our state, in our county, probably not in your home and certainly not in our lives. It’s broken and it’s painful and it’s frustrating, and I recognize that. But, as Christians, we don’t lose heart because the mouth of the Lord has spoken, and we understand what He says and we believe what He says and we have confidence in what He says and He’s proved that He can do what He has promised. As a matter of fact, when we study the gospels, we recognize that Jesus assures us of an absolute permanent fix to all things, an eternal restoration of all things.”– Dr. Mike Fabarez, pastor and teaching minister.³

Be Still and Know That I Am God

If you haven’t yet heard Steven Curtis Chapman sing “Be Still and Know”, you’re in for a real treat.

It’s simply beautiful.

This is the song I listen to before I start my Bible study every day.

I hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me.

# # #

²Steven J. Cole quotation, courtesy of bible.org, from the series “Psalms.” n.d. 1993. para. 9. Web. Accessed 3 January, 2020. Retrieved from https://bible.org/seriespage/psalm-46-our-sufficient-god.

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A Spiritual Treadmill

May 15, 2019 Gracie

Exercising Your Faith

Do any of these criticisms sound familiar?

Christians think they’re so perfect

Hypocrites!

God is aware of our suffering and trials

Verbal slams like these are often blurted out in high volume and, let’s face it, are purposely meant to be an insult.

Why do people say those things?

It’s emotionally exhausting and you may feel all alone, or like you’ve failed in your spiritual walk.

Christian, you are not alone.

God is aware of our suffering and trials.

Please never forget that.

True Christians know they are not perfect and that it’s only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ that we will be redeemed.

The Bible warns us that we would be mocked for our faith. We can’t act like we didn’t know.

So how, then, can we persevere in this upside-down world?

A recent podcast from Pastor Mike Fabarez encourages us all to continue pressing on, no matter what.

And I tell you what, no matter how you’re losing in your life right now, because you’ve stood up and maintained what the sermons have said week after week, that Right is Right and Good is Good and Bad is Bad and Sin is Sin.

When you maintain that in the world and you lose because of it, it’s not uncommon. The world is an upside-down place.

Just remember this – God says when they mess with you, when they set you back, when they ridicule you, persecute you, they’re messing with Me. There’s some comfort in that.¹ – Pastor Mike Fabarez, Focal Point Ministries

Don’t throw in the towel because being a Christian in this world of darkness is too hard.

Persevere anyway.

We have an assurance that the world doesn’t have.

spiritual treadmill

Pray For Your Enemies

Christians search the internet all the time to find out how to pray for their enemies. I see the search results every week.

Why do we have to pray for our enemies?

It seems unnatural and that’s because it is.

Only God can give us the supernatural strength that we need, in the midst of our emotional pain, to pray for our persecutors.

We must ask Him for strength.

No one said it’s going to be easy.

We are in a spiritual war with a deadly foe tracking us every hour of the day. We need to be in the best shape possible to cope with the darts and arrows he hurls our way. Flabby, overindulged, pampered Christians just don’t have the stamina to fight this battle. Thus, the Lord puts us on a spiritual treadmill every now and then to keep us in good fighting condition.²– Dr. James Dobson. [Newsletter, April 2019].

A Spiritual Treadmill

We’re on a “spiritual treadmill” – I like that analogy.

At the end of the day, even if it feels like a horrible day, remember to Whom you belong.

Keep on pressing forward, and pray for God to guide your steps.

You are who God says you are, not who your persecutor says you are.

It can help to memorize what John told the believers in 1 John 3:1, ESV. –

the reason why the world does not know us

Child of God, have courage!

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¹ From Fabarez, Pastor Mike, host. “Why is There Evil in the World.” Podcast, [20:19]. One Place Ministries, May 10, 2019. www.oneplace.com/2019/ https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/focal-point/listen/.

² From Dr. James Dobson, Family Talk. [Newsletter]. Retrieved from https://drjamesdobson.org/about/april-newsletter-2019?sc=FEM&mc=FEM0419NL&utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_campaign=20190404%20Newsletter%20(FEM0419NL)%20(3)&spMailingID=21287810&spUserID=MzA5NTY5NTAzNDUS1&spJobID=1480209475&spReportId=MTQ4MDIwOTQ3NQS2 /April 10, 2019).

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