Thoughts from an old lady

[Betty52]

February 9, 2023

Happy Wednesday.



Trust In God





Promise #40:

Trust in Me with all your heart and I will guide you.



Proverbs 3:5-6 (WEB)

5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.



When we put complete trust in God, we can lay aside fear of the unknown. There are many challenges ahead but we can live in peace knowing that God will always be with us.



We also need to lay our doubts and fears at the feet of Jesus and trust Him to comfort and sustain us.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 10, 2023

Happy Friday,



Keep Loving



Above all keep loving one another earnestly. 1Peter 4:8



We live in a world where the masses proclaim their love for everyone and hate anyone who disagrees with them. The devil would like for Christians to react in kind.



We are to hate sin and love the sinner. Having a loving heart does not mean that we condone sin nor should we try to make people feel better about their sin.



If our neighbor’s house was on fire, we would not go over and have a tea party in the middle of the fire. We would do everything we could to get them out of the burning house.



With sin, it is a little more complicated. We can not force people to turn away from their sins and turn to Jesus. We share the truth and pray that they accept the truth. Sadly, there are times when someone will tell us that they do not want to hear about salvation anymore.



There were people in Jesus' day that did not want to hear the truth. Jesus told the Disciples this:



Matthew 10:14

New King James Version

14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.



There comes a time when you realize your words mean nothing to a person. That they are so blinded by the pleasures of this world that they refuse to see the consequences of refusing salvation. This is when you move on but continue to pray for them.



The world will condemn us but remember we were not called to serve this world but to serve our Heavenly Father.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 11, 2023

Happy Saturday,



Cry Out To, God





Promise #42:

Call on Me when you are in trouble and I will rescue you.



Psalm 91:15 (WEB)

He will call on me, and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble.

I will deliver him, and honor him.



I was raised to keep my problems to myself and as I have gotten old, I am more inclined to close into myself on bad days. There are many of us that worry about being a bother to others.



We must be careful that we do not withdraw from God when we are having bad times. These are the times we should cry out to God and seek Him more than ever. We will never arrive at perfection on this earth. We will always have problems. Let us lean more on God and seek His help more than ever.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 12, 2023

Blessed Sunday,



He Will Fight For Us



“In Exodus 14:14 the Bible says... The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. (NLT)”



We spend so much time-fighting battles on our own and that is a shame. We often forget that God wants us to call out to Him for help. He wants to walk with us down every road we walk the good and the bad. We can trust God to sustain us to carry us when we are too exhausted to walk on our own.



As we walk with God we should be communicating with Him with our petitions and our praise. As we praise God we will find ourselves strengthen in our weaknesses, encourages in our despair, and uplifted when we feel defeated.

Betty



Philippians 4:6 ESV / 143 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Romans 15:13 ESV / 136 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV / 136 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Psalm 31:24 ESV / 129 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV / 126 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 117 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Psalm 32:8 ESV / 116 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Matthew 11:28 ESV / 107 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 106 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV / 103 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV / 99 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

[Betty52]

February 13, 2023

Happy Monday,



God Gave Us A Way of Escape



Psalm 51:5

King James Version

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.



Every person since Adam and Eve have been born into sin. Adam and Eve’s sin has stained the human race. God could have chose to scrape Adam and Eve, but in spite of their rebellion against Him, He still loved them.



1 Peter 1:3-5

King James Version

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.



God chose to send His only Son to die for our sins. Jesus chose to suffer and die so we could receive redemption. If we go to hell it will be our choice of choosing sin over redemption.



Jesus is coming soon. The Church Age is coming to an. It will soon be too late for most people to be saved.



2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

King James Version

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.



Praise God who provided us a way to escape the horrors of hell. God help us to cherish our salvation, it is a precious gift, bought with the precious blood of our Savior and Lord, Jesus.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 14, 2023

Happy Valentine's Day,



Love is Complicated



The first Marriage Ceremony was officiated by God. Even with God providing a mate for Adam it does not mean their marriage was perfect. There is no perfect marriage. Marriage takes commitment and hard work.



Everyone goes through troubles and heartache. A mate works with us and helps us to keep walking through the desert heat and the winter storms. There are times when our mate is the problem. This is when we seek God’s help to heal our marriage.



We can succeed when we trust God in every area of our lives. He made us and He knows how to put us back together.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 15, 2023

Happy Wednesday,



Live As The Lord Does

Daily Prayer for February 15 CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH BLUMHARDT For this is what the high and exalted One says - he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that even in need and misery we may feel and know that you are with the weak, for you are mighty in helping your children. You give the weak strength to serve you in spite of all their faults and weaknesses. Make us glad at heart for everything we are allowed to do and experience, because it serves you, your glory, and your kingdom until the day when others also are given eyes to see. Amen

In Heaven God is surrounded with angels who praise His name 24/7 and 24 hours a day and yet He sends His Holy Spirit to surround the brokenhearted, to comfort and sustain them.



As our bodies begin to fail us and our minds weaken, also the Holy Spirit will not abandon nor forsake us. As we become more childlike, the Holy Spirit will reach us at our level.



We do not have to worry about our tomorrow knowing our Heavenly Father will always be with us. Trust In God and rejoice in the knowledge that He will always be with us.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 17, 2023

Happy Friday,



Put On Your Garment Of Love





1 Peter 4:8

New King James Version

8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”



Love one another just as your Heavenly Father loved you so much that he died for your sins.



Colossians 3:14

New King James Version

14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.



How can we allow God‘s light to shine forth to the world when we are wearing a garment of anger and resentment? How can others see Jesus in us when we are wearing of garment of bitterness?



Before we go out and face the world we must seek God and ask for forgiveness of our sins. When we hide our sins we open up our heart to all kinds of sins.



The world hates Christianity but at the same time, they do not want to hang around bitter angry people. When we through the help of the Holy Spirit we put on the garment of love, then the world can see Jesus living in us. Our prayer should be that others can see Jesus living in us.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 18, 2023

Happy Saturday,



Build Up, One Another



"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)



Building up one another in the body of Christ is a Ministry. When we see a brother or sister in Christ struggling, pray for them. Pray for opportunities to encourage them. As we encourage one another, God will encourage us.



Often it is the little things that encourage us. We met Sarah and Savannah yesterday and watched Savannah at gym class. This encouraged hubby and me. Sarah is very good to include us in Savannnah’s life and I appreciate that.



Let us pray for opportunities to encourage each other. When we see a young mom struggling look for opportunities to help and of course pray for the family. May it be said of us that we loved, much.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 20, 2023

Happy Monday,



Change Without Pain



When I was younger, I remember sitting around with my friends and talking about weight. You would usually hear someone say how they wished they could wake up 25-plus pounds lighter. The thing is losing that much weight at once would not be good for our hearts.



We can be that way, too about our spiritual health, too! We pray and ask God to make us the person that He wants us to be. Then God takes us through the fire and we start screaming to get out. We are shocked when God tells us that He is only doing what we asked Him to do.



To purify gold or diamonds, you must use fire. You only see the beautiful product after the time in the fire when the imperfections are burned off. The same can be said of us. It often takes the fire of suffering to remove jealousy, envy, and slander from our hearts.



Our love for God should make us want to be what God wants us to be. Remember just as God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire and He will be with us, as well. We want to live our best life for God so that He will be proud of us.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 21, 2023

Happy Tuesday,



Dealing With Issues



We all have issues we have to deal with. Hubby and I both are declining in physical and mental health. This morning I was trying to figure out what will need to be done in the future. There is quite a bit of challenging things that will have to be dealt with. The biggest issue is the proper timing for making certain decisions and then it came to me that if I trust God, He will guide me.



We do not have to live in fear when we trust God to guide us. He already knows what lies ahead and He will be with us every step of the way. We, Christians, spend way too much time fearing the future when we can leave it all in God’s hands.



We were blessed to be with our daughter and son-in-law, Sunday. Being with them was refreshing. Let us be thankful for God-giving moments of joy.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 22, 2023

Happy Wednesday,



Test Everything By God’s Word



We live in a world, where everything that is being taught by Religious leaders is not of God. We need not be led blindly into every ‘new’ thing that comes along. We can ask the Holy Spirit to guides us as we search the Word of God to see if what is being said of God.



God does not want us to be ignorant and He warns us in His Holy Word to test the spirits. To live the way God wants us to live, we must know God’s Word. We cannot depend on Sunday morning preaching alone to lead us into a life of holiness.



Read God’s Word daily and pray earnestly throughout each day seeking guidance and help from our Heavenly Father. Pray for one another. God’s help is there for the asking. The question is are we asking?

Betty





1 John 4

New King James Version

Love for God and One Another

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

 

[Betty52]

February 23, 2023

Happy Thursday,



“His Will”



Promise #54:

I hear you when you ask for anything according to My will.



1 John 5:14 (WEB)

This is the boldness which we have toward him, that,

if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.



We often say to God “Your Will, not mine”. What if God's will is different than ours? I can tell you that it can cause pain that never completely goes away.



When a mother loses a child or a young mother loses her husband there is a big hole left in their lives. Just when you think you are starting to heal something happens and the wound is torn open again.



We know God knows best but we wish that God would explain the reason to us. This is when we must rely on faith.





Hebrews 11:1

New King James Version

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.



True faith is trusting God when we do not understand. It is trusting God when He chooses not to explain. One day all will be made known to us, until then we love God and trust Him that He will always do what is right.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 24, 2023

Happy Friday,



The World Is Full of Trouble



If you do not believe the heading, just watch the news, read the paper, or go on the internet. Yet, we can stay strong in our faith by asking God to refresh us daily. We can do this through prayer and reading the Bible.



The Bible warned us about these days but He told us that these are signs that His coming is closer than ever. Our Redeemer is coming soon for His children. While we continue to work for the Kingdom of God we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that we are leaving this world soon for the glories of Heaven.



Knowing the times we should be talking to God more than ever. Praying for our loved ones and friends and others who are lost. Every time we hear about someone getting saved, let us rejoice with the Angels of Heaven.

Betty



Colossians 3:2

New King James Version

2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

[Betty52]

February 26, 2023

Happy Saturday,



Is my Goal To Please, Mankind or God?



“In the words of Paul, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). That is some straightforward language.”



We live in this world and we deal with people almost every day. It is easy to fall into the temptation of not making waves, not upsetting people, and keeping quiet, when we should speak.



When the unsaved or judged at the White Throne of Judgement, many will point to Christians they had known and condemn them for not telling them the truth.



It is true that many times when we speak the truth, not only is it not accepted but, the response is often one of anger. It is far better to face the anger now than the shame later when we realize we kept quiet and did nothing to save those we cared for from an eternity in hell.



There is too much on the line to allow people’s feelings to cause us to keep quiet. Preachers and teachers who refuse to preach on sin and hell have blood on their hands. We will too when we are given the opportunity to share the Gospel and only fear or pride to keep us quiet. Speak up for God while we still have the chance. The age of grace is coming to an end.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 26, 2023

Blessed Sunday,



We Have A Glorious Future



“Promise #57:

When your body fails, you have an eternal home waiting for you.



2 Corinthians 5:1 (WEB)

For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved,

we have a building from God, a house not made with hands,

eternal, in the heavens.”



If you are blessed to live long enough, you will find that your health will decline. Your body will not work as it did when you were younger. We need not fret and become depressed. Although this body may wear out, we have a glorious future in Heaven.



A Heaven where there is no sickness or death will ever enter its gates. Where joy will abound. Most of all, we will be able to look into the eyes of our precious Savior.



God will help us make it through these hard days and comfort us when sorrow overtakes us. It is easy to think these days of pain will never end, but that is a lie from the devil.



Friends, this is not our home. We have an eternal home with God in Heaven. Encourage yourself in the Lord. Our hope is in the Creator of all things. Press onward to the prize of Heaven.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 27, 2023

Happy Monday,



Serving God For His Glory





1 Peter 4:7-11

New King James Version



Serving for God’s Glory

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the [a]oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.



As we come to the end of the Church Age, it is very important that what we do be for the glory of God and not for self-recognition. Remember the praises of mankind is temporary. The world is fickle. They love a person one day and despise them the next. Even in the Church people forget easily and move on to admire someone new.



What is important is to seek to please our Heavenly Father! Working for God does not always please others. The family of the Pastor who married me and my hubby unfriended me on Facebook because they were offended by my posts on sin.



It is very important that our motivation be to please God and not mankind. If you work for God very long, you will offend someone and often it is not the sinner but a fellow Christian. We must be willing to do what God tells us even when others are offended.



Do your work for God in love and allow God to deal with the consequences. Trust in God and seek comfort from Him when your feelings are hurt. God will sustain us through all situations.



Victory is ahead! Our home in Heaven awaits us. Do not give up. Heaven will be worth it all.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

February 28, 2023

Happy Tuesday,



God’s Love For Us

Daily Prayer for February 28 CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH BLUMHARDT For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:10-11, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that you have always been gracious to us, revealing your great goodness and power in ages past and in the present. In this revelation we live, O Lord our God. You are the almighty One, who works wonders on earth and who rules the heavens so that we can be blest and helped on our earthly paths. Let your goodness and your justice be revealed throughout all the world. Arise, O Lord our God. Let your light shine in us who believe in you. Let your light shine into the whole world. Let your name be glorified. You are indeed our Father, both in heaven and on earth. You give our lives security now and in eternity. Amen

God is a loving, merciful, and just God. Loving, that He provided a way of salvation. He is just on that He will punish those who rejected salvation.

He is merciful to those who fall and cry out to Him for help.



As children of God, we owe God praise, honor, and worship. We should serve God, not because of duty but out of love. What a mighty God we serve! We will be so much happier when we put our trust in God and honor Him in all our ways.



Pray for the soon return of Jesus to take His children Home.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

March 1, 2023

Happy Wednesday,



“Come To Me!”





Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28



Everybody gets tired and weary. We all have our burdens to carry. Often instead of going to the true source of peace and rest we choose worldly solutions.



We can find perfect peace in God. We can also rest in Him. It is okay to rest our bodies and minds when we are overextended. When we have rested we can start again, but with a refreshed body and mind.

Betty

 

[Betty52]

March 2, 2023

Happy Thursday,



“Believe In Yourself”



Jeremiah 17:9

King James Version

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?



I have been seeing on Facebook and getting emails saying believe in yourself. That you have everything you need to make it, inside you. Unless you are a Christian and the Holy Spirit lives in you, you cannot trust your heart to guide you.



The Bible warns us that our hearts can deceive us and be desperately wicked. Our hearts can lead us into sin. Another popular believe is that my choice must be right because I am at peace about my decision. If you commit sin long enough, your conscious will become seared and you will no longer be bothered by your conscious.



Our guide must be God’s Holy Word over all things. Paul warned us that even if an angel tells us something different than God’s Word not to listen to the angel. It is a lie that God has changed His mind about sin. Believe in God and His Holy Word and you will not be led astray.

Betty