God is Never Caught Off Guard

Rest Assured God Is Never Caught Off Guard

Have you ever been caught off guard?

I’m talking about one of those memorable yet awkward moments when the unexpected happens.

Usually, there are plenty of people around to laugh at your predicament.

It happened to me when I was in a community theater production of “My Fair Lady.”

caught off guard

During one of the big musical numbers, my character was right out there in front, dancing and singing along with the rest of the cast.

It was opening night and I’d invited a bunch of people to attend.

After a big dance number, the cast and I froze in position on stage to wait for the applause and closing of the curtain.

Out of the side of my eyes I saw the heavy curtain closing . . . but it was closing behind me!

For some goofy reason, I was too far forward on the stage.

The curtain closed.

There I was all by my lonesome and cringing as it was just me facing the audience.

What did I do?

The only thing I could think of.

I made up a few little dance steps and then sidestepped off the stage.

So embarrassing, but the audience got a good laugh!

The next night, believe me, I was prepared.

No more being caught off guard in front of all those people.

Without a doubt, it’s impossible to be prepared for everything.

We will all get caught off guard at one time or another and sometimes, in way more serious situations than others.

Aren’t you thankful that we have a Sovereign God who is never caught off guard?

God is Never Taken by Surprise

God is our ultimate authority.

In His greatness and wisdom, everything is working out according to His perfect plan.

The evils of sin that we see around us? God allows it.

So that people may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
That there is no one besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no one else,
7 The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing well-being and creating disaster;
I am the Lord who does all these things.Isaiah 45:6-7, (NASB).1

Through all of the hardships and sufferings that man’s sin has brought on the world, by our strong faith and perseverance, God is preparing us for His church – the eternal Kingdom of God.

We need men so possessed by the Spirit of God that God can think His thoughts through our minds, that He can plan His will through our actions, that He can direct His strategy of world evangelization through His Church. – Alan Redpath, Christian pastor, author and theologian.2

God Already Knows 

Discouraging news of our day

If you look at the world today, it’s easy to get discouraged.

Even so, God is never taken by surprise.

Recently, I heard an excellent sermon from one of my favorite pastors. The topic was God’s Ultimate Authority.

After acknowledging the widespread evil in our day, he said to remember this:

“God is in control of those who are in control.”

Think about that.

The headlines are daunting:

Our nation turning its back on God

Protests

The breakdown of families

Horrific crimes increasing, including against children

Every evil we can imagine

As a result, we have become a lawless nation that has turned its back on God.

It’s all very hard to watch.

Take Comfort In God’s Divine Omniscience

God is never caught off guard

This is an election year, as you already know.

The political vitriol will only heat up as we get closer to the date.

We should expect it, and pray.

Therefore, we must seek His guidance and wisdom during the challenging days ahead.

Hold onto the truth that God is not surprised, no matter what the outcome.

Here’s some encouraging words we can remember going forward.

Nothing has ever just occurred to God. Nothing has ever dawned on God. God is never caught by surprise. He is in charge every second of the way . . . up to Jesus Christ’s return. Take comfort in the fact that God’s got this, even if it doesn’t look like it. What appears to be falling apart for us is falling together for God. – Pastor Jack Wellman.

Remember, “God is in control of those who are in control.”

Let His peace that surpasses all understanding wash over you during the worst of times.

And, during those seasons of uncertainty, may you find comfort from the One who loves you unconditionally.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from Alan Redpath (1907-1989), former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, as quoted from Christian quotes.info.

Quotation from whatchristianswanttoknow.com, from “Why America and Other Nations Have Had Such Bad Leadership?” n.d., para. 5. Web. Accessed May 3, 2024.  https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/why-america-and-other-nations-have-had-such-bad-leadership/

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True Grit Christianity

Do You Have True Grit Christianity?

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the words, “True Grit”?

Probably the movie by the same name, right?

In my opinion, no film “remake” can beat the 1969 original movie which starred the one and only John Wayne.

John Wayne movie

In his Oscar-winning performance, Wayne was the cantankerous U.S Marshall, “Rooster” Cogburn.  In the film, a determined teenage girl hires Rooster to track down the heartless outlaw that killed her father.

As to whether the “true grit” description applied to her, or to the John Wayne character, it’s up for debate.  I think it can apply to both.

And it also applies to us as Christians.

Do you have “true grit Christianity”?

The Odds Are Stacked But . . .

Without a doubt, these are troubling times we’re living in.

With many Christians across the country still not attending indoor church due to virus concerns, the lack of fellowship and corporate worship has taken a toll.

And Satan is loving every minute of this.

This is not the time to give up on God.

In fact, it’s never the time to give up on God’s promises, despite what Satan might be whispering in your ear.

God doesn’t exist

There is no absolute truth

When you hear lies like that, as Barney Fife used to say, “Nip it! Nip it in the bud.”

You have the option to stand your ground and be prepared for a heated debate, or you can walk away and talk about the good news to someone else who desperately wants to hear about Jesus.

Keep reading your Bible, and get back to a biblical church as fast as you possibly can.

True Grit Christianity

true grit Christianity

As Christians in today’s world, we are facing giant-sized obstacles that can keep us separated and also roadblock our mission to share the gospel with others.

True grit is holding onto faith despite those roadblocks.

As more time passes, the world will try and tell you to denounce your faith in God. That’s what secular humanists do.

We can expect it.

Will the bad news all go away if I just turn off the mainstream media?

Hardly.

We must be prepared – through prayer, reading God’s Word, and trusting our Savior.

I know you’ve heard it said before that “God is in control.” 

I love that reminder because it brings everything (even the bad things we see going on) into a godly perspective. 

Unlike the plans of men, God’s plans are eternal, they serve a purpose, and they will bring Him glory.

The “true grit” Christian trusts God’s will and sovereignty.

Anything under God’s control is never out of control.Chuck Swindoll, Christian pastor and author. 

# # # 


1 John Wayne photo, courtesy of The searchers Ford Trailer screenshot 29, 2018, January 16. Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Accessed and retrieved April 5, 2021. 

2 Chuck Swindoll Quotation, influential Christian pastor and author, courtesy of AZquotes.com.

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God In The Midst Of A Storm

God in the midst of a storm

My husband and I laugh whenever we think of how our puppy acted during a severe storm we had a few years ago.

Tornadoes are nothing to take lightly so when the meteorologist predicted a big one was heading our way, we took cover at our house.

God in the midst of a storm

We gathered in our safe room with our dogs.

Our youngest one loved every minute of it.

I’m not kidding!

We could hear the tornadic winds racing outside and large hail pounding the roof.

Intense rain pelted all our windows.

It was loud and scary at the same time.

Mr. Contentment

Our puppy, however, liked this new “game.”

We reassured both our dogs over and over that we would be okay.

Our puppy’s look of contentment was priceless.

“I don’t know what we’re doing here, but I like this.”

He was so cute.

I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck and doing some serious praying until it was over.

Even in the Storm God is There

When the storms of life hit, whether it’s a literal tornado barrelling through or something else like a health concern, “contentment” is not a first reaction.

But, once the initial shock has faded a little, do we let stress completely take over?

I do know that no matter what kind of storm you’re facing, God is there with you.

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

Do you remember hearing on the news about the ferocious winter storm that ravaged much of the Midwest back in late February?

Freelance writer, Lupe Riley, was in that storm.

I’ll let her describe for you the emotions she experienced as the strong winter blast roared through her state.

I hope her encouraging words give you comfort the next time that you face an overwhelming storm, or “storm of life.”

PEACE BE STILL

by Lupie Riley

03/20/19
Thought: Colorado was hit recently with what the weatherman called a bomb cyclone with 100 mile an hour winds, rain and snow. It caught many people unprepared for the damage it left behind. I was one of those off guard people. I live on 40 acres out in the country. I found myself alone without power and heat for two days, running out of water, a propane oven that didn’t work and three minutes of power left on my cell phone. In the meantime 85-90 mile an hour winds were howling outside my windows. The next morning I found myself blocked in with 7′ drifts along my driveway.
I can imagine how the apostle Paul felt on his 14 day journey through a northeaster on a ship that eventual fell apart as they neared the island shore of Malta. However, his faith was secure in the Lord and he ended up saving the lives of everyone on board. How do we face the storms that come in our lives? It could be the loss of a loved one, our children making bad decision, loss of income or divorce and any one of many things. Do we seek the Lord for comfort, wisdom and peace?
It reminds me of the story when Jesus was on the boat with his disciples asleep on a pillow. A sudden, violent storm came up. The disciples were beside themselves with fear as the waves grew higher then the boat. They awoke Jesus and he spoke three words “PEACE, BE STILL” and a calm settled upon the waters. He rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. Little did they realize they had the creator of those waters on board who had the power to calm them.
When we pray in times of a crises do we really realize who were praying to? He is the God of all creation, the great I AM, who dwells in eternity and see’s the picture of our life completed. He knows the future and how it all will end, GOD IS IN CONTROL. I came through the storm without any major damage because the Lord was with me and I claimed the promise that he would never leave me alone. He is my strength, my shield and my heart will trust in him. Maranatha

Prayer:

Father God thank you for the calm you gave my spirit as I went through the storm. It was a threatening situation but I knew in my heart that no matter what the outcome your strength would see me through it. I praise you Jesus for this confidence I have in you. Amen.

Verse: Mark 4:39 “And he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, PEACE, BE STILL. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

# # #


*Faithwriters article shared courtesy url: https://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=185177

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The Stealing Of Innocence

The Stealing of Innocence

stealing of innocenceInnocence lost.

A glance at the headlines and there’s no question that our country is in a huge heap of trouble. It’s not like we didn’t know this was eventually coming to America, (Biblical prophesies always come true), it just grieves my soul to actually see it in my lifetime and know that some people still don’t think it concerns them.

Did you know there’s a primary school in Maine where the teacher is reading a book with a transgender storyline to 5 year olds?

Children, aged five.

Let that sink in. Please tell me this is just some sort of sick joke. So instead of focusing on the fundamentals of reading, writing, and math skills, these innocent children are being bombarded with sexual information they have no business hearing about at this age. In at least one state, a parent can face jail time if they remove their young child from this “educational” lesson.

And this is in America.

Wake up, parents! Do you talk to your kids when they get home from school? Did you ask what they learned?

what kids are learning in schoolLeave the Children Alone

I was flipping channels recently and came across a reality show with a well-known family shouting obscenities at each other in front of their young children.

That’s considered okay? Not any kind of people I would ever want to be around.

I want to ask those celebrity parents, if you want to call them that, a question. Is the money you’re making for acting that way really worth the terrible lesson of disrespect that you’re teaching your children?

This is all just a part of the stealing of innocence of the next generation.

It’s sad how quickly some people will sell out for their 15 minutes of fame…at any cost.

protecting our childrenDevastating Statistics

Sexual trafficking is on the rise in the United States.

Young, innocent girls and boys are stolen from the homes they once knew and forced to become prostitutes. I’m sure you heard about evidence of this at the Super Bowl.

There are demonic forces behind all of it.

There’s another article out about an assistant professor at a New Jersey university who claimed pedophilia is not criminal behavior.

I have no words. Shaking my head in disbelief.

This is out of control.

Let’s not forget about the abortion holocaust, the killing of millions of babies in the womb. Some political candidates proudly hawk their pro-abortion stance, meaning they support the cold-blooded murder of millions of unborn children.

To them I say, “they’re babies, NOT a clump of cells. ”

It seems the pro-abortion supporters believe that every life is expendable, of course, except their own. They believe they have the right to deny a life story to someone else…and many people are just letting this happen without speaking out against it.

let kids be kidsI’m so disgusted with all of this it makes me break down in tears.

The new “tolerance crowd” continues to berate Christians on TV and in social media. I see it all the time.

Interesting that the “tolerance crowd” will name-call and throw out obscenities right and left, but a television show that shows a family saying grace before a meal is ridiculed.

We should all be able to freely speak God’s truths in love in our free country. And yet, the attacks continue and now a very aggressive group wants the government to shut down all Christian churches.

I Cry for the Next Generation

The more Christians who cower from speaking up for God’s truth in love, the more this sinister garbage takes hold in the American landscape and it becomes closer to mainstream and/or acceptable.

I saw a promo recently for the offensive new television show, “The Royals.” I guess this show is supposed to be funny? The promo showed one of the main characters gleefully saying to another character: “Who fondled you as a child?”

If someone is laughing at that, seriously, they need to seek help.

Slipping those references into mainstream television, under the guise of humor, can eventually make people numb to it.

Some People Say, “But it doesn’t affect me.”

It will, if it hasn’t already.

For some ludicrous reason, if something is Hollywood-produced, the actors figure they can play a perverted role because they’re “just acting,” right? Follow the money with no conscience. I find it sad that there aren’t more Christian actors and producers in Hollywood.

You ask little girls what they want to be when they grow up (and I have) and many want to become reality TV stars.

What happened to becoming a doctor? A scientist? A pro-athlete? A stay at home mom?

Don’t Just Let This Happen

If you turn away from Christ, you’re opening yourself up to the mass of delusions that are continuing to seep into this world.

“Those who do not stand for something will fall for anything.”
J. Vernon McGee

The new “tolerance crowd” want to berate and bully you into shutting up for good. If you decide not to buy from a certain store because the company supports liberal causes you don’t believe in, you’re mocked and belittled for your boycott. I’ve read the nasty and vile comments directed towards good moms who simply care about their families and what their children are exposed to. Really sad that someone would take to social media just to curse out a mother protecting her children.

I applaud these moms and dads for every petition they initiate to bring about positive change in media. I used to work in media and I’ve seen a lot, but I’m aghast at what is being dished out on a daily basis in our electronic-obsessed nation.

Misinterpretations of the Verse, “Do Not Judge”

The new “tolerance crowd” like to throw out a biblical verse “Do not judge” every chance they get without even understanding what it means. Sadly, even some pastors deny the authority of Scripture and will not preach about sin and forgiveness.

They want us to leave Jesus out of it.

Interesting the double standard. We’re bombarded by harmful ideologies and yet the “tolerance crowd” demands we should not be able to express our faith, wear a cross, or share an inspirational verse from the Bible.

No.

Simply that, NO.

We can speak out, we can sign petitions, and we can profess our faith if an opportunity presents itself.

“Do not judge” actually means do not condemn another person to hell. We are not God, but we do know His truths as outlined in Scripture.

None of us truly know what is in another person’s heart when their time comes. Only God knows. Everyone has the gift of grace and salvation through Christ Jesus. That’s why we should be able to peacefully talk about Him if an opportunity arises.

We’re All Sinners

If your child is about to touch a hot stove, you warn him or her, right?

The “tolerance crowd” will accuse you of being a bully for saying the popular “anything goes” mentality is harmful – like getting drunk, having an affair, cursing God, having multiple wives, etc. And many (not all) television shows and movies glamorize bad behavior. Unfortunately, that will never change.

Liberals will twist Scripture verses to fit their causes. I find that interesting since many claim they don’t believe in God. Or, they’ll produce viral videos to circulate about how bad and unloving Christians are. I want to ask those video producers – have you read the headlines or are you just ignoring them?

We’re not the haters we’re portrayed to be. We’re commanded to love others, even our enemies, but we’re not to condone sin and/or bad behavior. Calling out sinful behavior is not judging, but simply exposing their sin as God’s Word defines it.

“Do not judge” means do not condemn them to hell. It is not your place. Only God can judge the eternal soul.

Christians – Prepare for What’s Coming

Everything in America that we once held dear is under attack, including the institution of marriage.

AmericaYou must be prepared to peacefully give the reason for your faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus warned us in the Bible that the world would hate us because it first hated Him.

If someone calls you one of those labels the tolerant crowd likes to shame you with like:

“You’re a hater. Close-minded bigot! You’re intolerant.”

Ask them WHY they’re calling you that. What is their definition of intolerance and hate? Aren’t they doing the same thing they’re accusing you of?

Their attacks are hypocritical.

You’re standing up for God’s design for marriage between a man and a woman.

Ask them who is really being intolerant. Who is doing the hating here? We can’t live peacefully and have respectful debates. The anti-God folk want mind control and they’re starting with our nation’s children.

Respectful Discussions, But Don’t Back Down

I get frustrated with believers (and especially pastors) who back down and cower to society to blend in.

Good grief – do they know what they’re doing?

This is ultimately a battle between Good and Evil and we’re watching it played out right in front of our eyes.

whats in the heart

We Can’t Hide Our Heads In The Sand

I knew that once the Constitution and the institution of marriage were attacked, every perversion-promoting group is standing in line for their so-called rights.

And they are.

I ask you. Which group is next in line?

I know, do you?

*Please pray for our country. God is in control, but His Word tells us that judgment is coming.

*Please vote in the elections. No political candidate is perfect, but please vote for the ones who most closely represent the Judeo-Christian values our great country was founded upon.

*Please get involved in your child’s school so you can have a better grasp on what is taught. Bullying is wrong. So is bullying against Christians. There’s a double standard going on here that is deliberate. You can’t wear a cross around your neck or pray in some schools, but you can ask a member of the same sex to a prom. Is that fair? No, it’s not.

The new tolerance? It’s a double standard and many parents don’t even care. This liberal agenda has been going on in elementary, middle schools, high schools, and universities for quite some time.

I highly recommend David Kupelian’s book, “The Marketing of Evil,” if you want to read for yourself. He has a book full of research and quotes from the liberal left and the plans they have to change the very moral compass of this country. We’re living in a time where God’s standards of evil are called good, and anything good is considered evil.

The stealing of innocence

Hope and Pray

Please remember that God is in control. Don’t let this darkness steal your joy. This world is not final. As much as the sickening headlines and agendas are crammed down our throats by politicians and Hollywood producers every day, we still have a God who sits on a heavenly throne. No one can change that. We can pray for His mercy and that the eyes of the leaders of this country will be opened to the self-destructive behaviors that are celebrated and destroying families.

Please pray for a spiritual revival in our country. It can happen if we pray and God has mercy on us. It happened in Nineveh and it can happen again.

God sees absolutely everything that is going on. God is more powerful than any movement, agenda, lobby, political leader, CEO, Hollywood producer – any of them. One day, all of us will come to judgment.

Would you defend your faith in God if asked? It could come to that here and, possibly, under persecution. It is happening all around the world. Christians are dying in other countries and some folks here think it ultimately does not affect them.

This is all crossing a spiritual boundary and only God can bring us His peace and restoration.

I pray you will be strong and courageous during these dangerous times.

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