“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26, NKJV) Friends are a funny thing. No two are alike. I have my book-loving friends. We share titles of books and names of authors we enjoy. My food-loving friends and I swap recipes or recommend favorite restaurants. My adventure-loving friends are eager to enjoy a new challenge. Then there’s my good advice friends who share wise words. Some are also my “I’m here whenever you need me” friends. I can call them anytime day or night. Friends make this journey called…
“Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.” Genesis 24:15 In this story, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham didn’t want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman, so he sent his servant to his homeland to find a wife there. The servant seems a little unsure of this task, so to be sure he makes the right decision, he prays a very specific prayer when he arrives. He asks for success first, then prays that the woman to be Isaac’s wife would offer him a drink, and then also offer water to his camels. Before he had finished his prayer, he saw Rebekah. God was already working it out for her to be the answer to his prayer before the prayer was completed. God is always working on our behalf. I’m thankful to serve a very much alive God who fights for me, protects me, and is my Provider. Even when we don’t see him, he’s working and when we don’t feel him,…
“Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God.” Leviticus 19:14 MSG According to Dictionary.com, to be conscientious is to be governed by conscience, controlled by or done according to one’s inner sense of what is right; principled. When I read the above scripture, I noticed how it says not to curse someone who is deaf, and to not put a stumbling block in front of the blind. Both of these obstacles could go unnoticed by either party but ultimately could cause them harm, emotionally, and physically. Something that might trip up another person may not affect me the way it does them, and vice versa, but we should always be aware of our words, choices, and actions and their possible consequences. In moments of doubt, it’s important to pause, pray then proceed. We must make the required effort to avoid feelings being hurt, and relationships damaged. We must be conscientious of one another, always striving to put others first. If our foundation is based upon Christ and His Word, our character will reflect His. We must show empathy and compassion always. We don’t always see the load that people…
“But you, God, break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I’m watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” Psalms 59:8-10 MSG In moments of suffering and struggle, it can be so challenging to declare that we see God working it out – but that is exactly what faith requires of us. Trusting in God won’t always feel like we are on the mountaintop, admiring the view of victory. Rather, it is more often than not us trudging through the…
“But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” Daniel 6:10 NLT The king during this season of Daniel’s life was King Darius. To be sure that his government was being run properly, King Darius put three other officials in charge of the governors. Daniel becomes one of these men, along with two others, and because he was a hard worker, he is eventually promoted. You probably can guess what happens next. The other two officials were not happy about this and decided to try and find something wrong with Daniel and his work. Coming up empty, they decide to attack his religion and beliefs. King Darius is persuaded to put a new law in place that requires everyone to worship only him for 30 days, and if someone breaks the law, they must be thrown into a pit of lions. Daniel hears about the law and does not appear to be fazed, intimidated, or frightened by it at all. He simply carries on as…
“The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalms 27:1 It seems as though the world is getting darker and darker each day. Horrors that hid in the shadows for far too long are now being brought to light again, and it can be devastating to see the brokenness of humanity. Humanity as a whole appeared to be sleepwalking for so long, and are only now becoming aware of the chaos that surrounds us. We are broken and lost. So when we become overwhelmed by all the devastation, we must know where to turn, and that is to God’s Word. Today we are reminded that God is our light – so we don’t have to fear the darkness closing in around us. He is our salvation and our Savior. He is our fortress, where we can find refuge, safety, and protection. We don’t have to tremble with fear at what is happening around us. If you have placed yourself under the shadow of His wings, you will be okay. It is only natural to have moments of doubt, worry, and…