Tag: salvation

Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty

May those who dwell in the shelter of the most High meditate on these words in Psalm 91, and find peace in God’s love and faithfulness. I am so thankful the Lord is faithful to watch over us and protect us during these perilous times. Have a blessed day.

Psalm 91 NIV

1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,my God, in whom I trust.”

3Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

12they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Photo by: Engin Akyurt

If I Perish, I Perish

Esther 4:15-16 NIV, “15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

For the last five weeks, I’ve been attending a Wednesday night Bible study on the book of Esther. These words spoken by Esther, “If I perish, I perish” are very well known. We’re about half way through the study, but as we have been going through this book of the Bible, it never ceases to amaze me how the struggles that people had with sin, even in ancient Bible times, are so similar to many of the struggles we have today as people.

Esther was just an ordinary person, yet God used her to do something extraordinary. She had a choice, and she chose to be courageous and allow herself to be used by God. After becoming Queen, she was willing to give up her crown, and her life, to follow God’s will.

Photo by: Markus Spiske of Germany 🇩🇪

We may not be tasked with saving a whole group of people like Esther, but we are called to choose Jesus every day by living a life that proclaims His great Name to the world. We are called to die to ourselves daily, so that Christ will live through us. The same fervor that Esther had, is the same fervor that we should have. God has chosen us to help deliver His gift of salvation to the lost through our words and our actions. Esther was willing to perish for the sake of saving her people. God’s Son Jesus did perish on Calvary so that we may live eternally, and thank God He didn’t just die, but He also rose again!

Esther’s words have been resonating with me this week, “If I perish, I perish.” Her words remind me to submit myself to Jesus in all I do. There is so much joy in knowing that no matter what we must endure, when we take our final breath here on Earth, we will live eternally with Jesus in heaven.

This week I came across a post by Hattush at Daughter of the Light. Her and her family recently celebrated Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates how God used Esther and Mordecai to stop Haman’s plot to kill the Jewish people. I really enjoyed reading her post. Check it out here: 2020 – Happy Purim

Remember Esther’s words, “ If I Perish, I perish”, as you die to yourself daily and continue to live for the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

The Lord Is Good…Thank You

Psalm 34:8 NKJV, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

The Lord is good. I know that is something that we say a lot, but it will never grow old. The fact that the Lord is good to us, is a truth that will never cease. Reaching out and “tasting of the Lord” can really stretch us, however in the process of being stretched, our hearts go to a new level of faith and maturity in Him. Having the privilege to experience God’s goodness and giving ourselves permission to do so, will lead to blessings that we can’t even begin to imagine.

When we trust in God, we are blessed, not just with material blessings, but more importantly with spiritual blessings. He has a way of filling our lives with good things, often in unexpected ways (Psalm 103:5). The only requirement to experience the Lord’s goodness, is just to simply “taste and see” for yourself. Jesus opened the door for us to do that. He lovingly gave His life so that we would have eternal access to God’s goodness.

Photo by: Pixabay

I want to thank everyone for your prayers and support. God has supplied my need for employment, and I’ll be starting my new job in a couple of weeks. Many of you kept checking on me and encouraging me. Your care and concern meant a lot to me during my move back to Virginia. I’m delighted to be back with my mom and other family members. The Lord has blessed me in a special way. I’ll forever be thankful for your love, words of affirmation and prayers. God heard your prayers and He answered.

Our God is good. His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6). Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are those who trusts in Him.

I pray that you experience God’s blessings in unexpected ways as you continue to put your trust in Him. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Name Of Jesus

Philippians 2:9-11 NIV, “9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The name of Jesus is the name that saves. It is the name that is above every name. There is hope and victory in His name. We can call on the name of Jesus anytime of day or night. These verses are such a comfort. They bring joy in the midst of pain and struggle. Even if you are persecuted, or ridiculed for your faith, remain steadfast and know that a day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Meditate on this truth and let it continue to spur you on toward love and good deeds, as you serve Jesus Christ and continue to share His light and hope with those around you.

Photo by: Ben White (from Michigan 🇺🇸)

Acts 4:11-12 NIV, 11 Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Merry Christmas

Luke 22:41-42 KJV, ”…Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may we always remember His words,

“…nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

These words should be the cry of our hearts too. To do the will of our Father in heaven, should be our life’s purpose. It should be our top priority every day. The story of Christmas, was part of God’s magnificent plan to redeem mankind and give us the free gift of salvation. Free to us, only because of the price Jesus already paid. Jesus died so that we could live, free from sin and shame. He died so that we could live with Him in eternity.

I pray that the reality of God’s love, and the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, would be your foundation today and always. May His presence anchor your soul in comfort and peace. May your heart be filled with joy as you reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. He was born and He lived so that He could die for our sins. The sweet baby in the manger endured unimaginable pain and agony, all because of His great love for us. He was obedient to the Father’s will because of love. May we love and live like Jesus, our Savior.

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄 ❤️🎄

Photo by: Dana Tentis

Store Up Treasures In Heaven

Matthew 6:20 NIV, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Yesterday I was driving home from the store, and as I was driving, I started thinking about all I hadn’t yet done, and all I didn’t yet have. In those few moments, I managed to convince myself that I should be further along in life by now. I mentally started compiling a list of things I wish I had. Of course more money was at the top of my list. I reasoned that if I had more money, I could do more things, have more things, and be more successful. There is a pretty high standard in society today to achieve more. More money. More houses. More degrees. More status. More vacations. More of this! More of that! More, more, more! Then all of sudden, in the midst of it all, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Store up treasures in heaven.” Immediately the discouraging thoughts came to a halt and there was a sense of relief. I felt at peace.

I’m thankful that in my moments of self pity, God reminded me of my true purpose in Jesus Christ, and the reality that Earth is not my final home. As Christians, our greatest rewards and our greatest fulfillment await us in heaven. It’s a blessing when we are successful, but nothing we ever achieve in this world will be greater than the ecstasy of eternity with Jesus. The most important legacy we can ever leave behind, is one that points others to Him.

Photo by: Sindre Strøm

Sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ with a dying world, through our words and actions will bring life. I pray that as Christians, we will never be blinded by the temporary pleasures of this world. Instead may we find joy in storing up treasures in heaven. When our hearts are in tune with the Spirit of God, we are able to stay focused on what matters most. I’m thankful for the assurance He gives us during times of doubt. He assures us that, the “more” we are looking for is found in Him…

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

God does want us to be successful and enjoy life, but above all else we are to seek Him. He will guide our steps and put us in position to receive the right opportunities. Keep storing up treasures in heaven, and trust God to bring the “more” you truly need as you continue to serve Him.

Photo by: Min An

I Choose Jesus

I was watching a movie the other day, and in the movie the main character decided that she needed to find her “true self”. So along with that, she decided she no longer wanted to be married. After her divorce, she set out on a journey of traveling, exploring life and other cultures, and various forms of spirituality. One of her struggles was learning to forgive herself for ending her marriage. Since her husband loved her, and never wanted their marriage to end, forgiving herself was difficult. In some ways, I could identify with the lady in the movie. I too had to learn to forgive myself for divorce and other unfortunate things that have happened in the past.

At some point during the movie, the words “I choose Jesus”, came to my mind. As I watched the main character try to figure things out, and try to find peace by finally being able to forgive herself, I again realized how valuable it is to have the love and forgiveness of our Savior. By choosing Him, we choose healing, peace, restoration, and forgiveness. Any struggles we face, even forgiveness towards ourselves, we can turn over to Him. We can choose Jesus to handle our hurts, pains, and sins. Our freedom comes from Him, not our ability to find peace within ourselves based on our own actions. He is our peace.

I’m thankful we have the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to help us choose Jesus. When our trust in Him overrides our own understanding, we position ourselves to experience the victory that comes when we choose His will over our own. We choose Jesus when we accept Him into our hearts and lives. However, everyday we have to choose to live for Him by letting His Spirit guide our actions and decisions. When you choose Jesus, it changes your life.

Photo by: Artem Saranin