The Challenges We Face

Here comes the New Year…again.

As we look ahead to the future, some of us have set some goals, others planned vacation, and maybe some are thinking about moving either to a new home or job. But as you think ahead, considering your plans do you see hope in that?

The hope we see is that maybe this year could be better than last year, hey maybe it was a great year, but when we look back did we see the challenges we faced?

Sometimes the challenges were fierce and hard to deal with, others were spiritual challenges with hard lessons about ourself or others. Maybe some of you had or are having physical challenges and you think no one truly understands or cares.

Hard to see but the challenges we face are very healthy for our soul, teaching us strength and endurance. Facing each challenge we can look back and see how God has worked in it. He may have brought you closer to Him or someone you know and or love. It may have taught, things aren’t always what they seem to be, having to learn patience and understand that we should look at what’s going on as a bigger picture, challenging us to look outward and not inwardly.

No doubt this year there will be challenges, some easier than others, some could be triumphs and some traumatizing but remember this, God is and will be with you, just put it in His hands and as you depend on Him more, the results and outcome will amaze you. Stop trying to figure it out all the time or control it. Trust God and His purpose for your life, look to Him for all your needs.

May you live in peace and good health during the year with God’s blessings, Nancy

2 Corinthians 13:11

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

 

 

 

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Pride Just Holds You Hostage

There is nothing like going through difficulty in any circumstance that kicks us in the butt more than our own pride. Pride holds us hostage to it, we hold on to something we just don’t want to give up. Sadly many relationships have been destroyed because someone didn’t let go of some pride or judgment they were holding.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Pride destroys opportunities, you may have something amazing in your sights, ready to grasp, but there’s something that you just can’t get from it that you feel you should. Then you may grumble because it’s not what you thought it should be.

Pride can prevent a person from making a positive, life changing experience.

That’s pride showing up just to flatten out what could have been something great.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18
“Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 

When sitting in pride others can feel it thus not opening their hearts to what could be a meaningful relationship, or making false assumptions about someone or something, as…

Pride can hold you back from loving or forgiving someone.

 Proverbs 13:10

Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Pride overtakes your soul and makes your heart hard

Psalm 59:12

For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter,

Human pride makes you step out before you should, instead of allowing God to work it through.

Proverbs 11:12

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

 Pride makes a great presence but falls hard to destruction

Proverbs 16:8

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

 

How does God view pride?

Psalm 10:4

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Pride keeps you from knowing God is right and you are not.

 Pride creeps it’s way into the mind of men, thus making them seemingly above others

Isaiah 2:11

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

 Simply put pride just holds you hostage from seeing the bigger picture

In our love of others and sometimes disdain,

Where do you see pride holding you back from something or someone?

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

#Pride #God #arrogant #Lord

 

 

Horoscopes, Fortune Tellers & Cults

If you are one of those people that enjoy alittle unsuspecting encouragement in your day through what you think is a harmless horoscope reading. or maybe you went to a psychic, or a card reader that gave you some answers that encouraged you and maybe trusted on those words as truth.

Let me lead you into some godly truth, it’s false teaching to entice you to want more, to be caught up in some words that do not come from God but from satan.

You see satan knows your weaknesses, he knows you will get caught up in it and he will do anything to take your eyes off God, even if it sounds true. Trusting in something or someone isn’t focused on God is false.

Here are some ways that you will know its false:

You put hope in what you read

Someone will ask for a free will devotion or fee

They seem to be telling you the truth, but it just doesn’t seem right

They put fear in you, you believe them

You leave in hope of what they told you and then it never happens or,

What they say does happen but doesn’t have a good outcome or you sit and wait for it to happen (no one knows your future, only God does)

You are continuing to want more

You may start to separate yourself from people you have always had relationships with either by resentment, misunderstanding or unforgiveness

They tell you to pray to false gods/things/people (crystals, preachers, false teaching, etc.) Deuteronomy 18:10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,

Their motives are selfish

They can’t really help you and you feel lost.

Praying to Saints

Worshipping the church, it’s activities/leaders/rituals

They just lead you away from God

Exodus 20:3

“You shall have no other gods before me. (one of God’s 10 Commandments to us)

 

Here are some ways that you will know truth through God:

Spend time in prayer, listen for His voice

He does not separate you from the people that love or care about you

He doesn’t ask you to give away your money to get a reading or a teaching

He gently calls you and wants to speak into your life

He guides you into truth, through His word (the Bible)

He prepares you for eternity with Him

You do not have to pray to saints, teachers or anything but right to Jesus as our great intercessor

You come freely to Him at any time.

Jesus sends you the Holy Spirit for truth

Make no mistake, worshiping yourself, idols; things that aren’t God are a sin. Trusting in anything that isn’t God is a sin.

1 Samuel 15:23

 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

So my word to you today is this:

What are you worshipping that isn’t the one true God who has created you for a purpose? Whose plans are great for you? Who gives you bread everyday

Are you willing to step out and trust Him instead of the things of this world?

No one of this world died to cover your sins, why trust in anything else but Jesus who shed His blood to cover your sins? Trust Jesus.

 

Shalom, Nancy

#trustJesus #horoscopesfortunetellers&cults