When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. (Psalm 126:1-3) This scripture is describing a group of jubilant exiles returning to their land after decades of captivity. This is a new season for the Israelites. Ezra, a key person, led this group from thoughts of fighting enemy armies into focusing on fighting […]
Archive | Spiritual Growth
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Sabbath Day
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words ….then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58: 13,14) A Challenge I am setting forth a challenge […]
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Persevering Through Trials
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12) Trials pure joy? James was bold and direct in his letter. I believe we all choked a little when we first read…consider facing trials as pure joy?! Trials have us in a heightened sense of self. How are we going to respond? We would be happier sliding into the background, considering 10 other people who we would rather see in our place. Unless we developed Christian maturity […]
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Jesus is Willing
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus. He called out, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net to the right side of the boat and you will find some.” (John 21:4-6) Motivating Monday! A day with endless opportunities! Today is a chance to set our course for the week evaluating and adjusting how to make this better than last week. Oh! You very well may have had the best week ever…last week! Let’s keep it going!! We will see empty nets We […]
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Taste the Sweetness
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. (Psalm 34:8,9) Are you willing to taste? Many of us are saying…Yes! right now!! Maybe you are not one of us? The voice of hate is growing louder and louder in our Nation. Long lost are the days when most disagreements were kept quiet to our own neighborhoods. Where families went to church because it was Sunday. Honestly, when the only churches here were the ones who believed God […]
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God is our Shelter
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:9,10 NIV) After reading this verse, a weight can be lifted off your shoulders. I personally felt like a balloon would be losing its air, slowly releasing all the pressure. The Lord is our refuge. A refuge, is a shelter protecting us from danger. He is our shelter when a situation causes oppression, when strongholds attempt and sometimes consume us. Oppression is not a soft term. […]
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Power of God for All Believers
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first the Jews, then the Gentiles. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from the first to the last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16,17) A name change…A change of desire. Once Paul left his life of Saul, he became a passionate servant of Christ. These verses were part of his letter longing to visit Rome. We have a world all the way down […]
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Who Receives More Temptations?
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”. (1Corinthians 10:13 NIV) I have written beside this verse in my bible, “We can choose to leave the temptation!” Yes! On our spiritual journey we have choices to make! First, the Holy Spirit will nudge us to leave. This nudge is like an immediate red flag striking our minds. It will be a tug in our hearts. Will we immediately walk […]
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Unexpected Light, Overwhelming Darkness
What is Satan trying to keep you or someone you know bound in? Satan likes to play harsh. He spins a large sticky web to catch all the victims he can. Many times we are blinded walking into the web. A trap designed by Satan. One step in and we could be stuck, wrapped in darkness. Have you ever seen an insect caught in a spider’s web? The sole purpose of the insect is to be devoured by the spider. Satan wants to devour as many as he can. This web is going to be like glue, very hard to move. The enemy is speaking […]
Vicki is a bold proclaimer of truth that will set people free from deception. Her topics include, "Breaking a Spirit of Fear," "Rebuilding a child's broken spirit," and "Christian maturity, experiencing more of God."