“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 AMP
These words of Jesus are from the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew, chapters 5-7. Read the entire sermon for insight into these two verses.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
“I would like to introduce the eagle’s egg. Is whatever that is inside that egg a clump of cells? It can’t be an eagle can it? You may know that destroying an eagle’s egg is against the law in the U.S. Why is that? As it turns out, eagles are an endangered species. So, as unbelievable as it seems, if one were to destroy an eagle’s egg, he would be destroying an eagle. Stunning reality, isn’t it? Why can’t people understand that “clump of cells” in a woman’s womb is a baby? It is astounding that people use that as a reason to kill innocent children. Dark times.”
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
FACT: An estimated 1,126,000 babies were murdered by US clinicians in 2025.
What can we do? I support Pregnancy Help Centers, such as Preborn!, that show expectant mothers an ultrasound of their baby. PreBorn! exists to meet abortion-vulnerable women before it’s too late with life-saving ultrasounds, compassionate care, practical support, and the hope of the gospel.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
We don’t really know how strong our faith is until it’s tested. And it’s hard to be joyful about our testing, but the Bible says,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2 NIV
My faith has been tested. It was so hard not to give in to fear and worry. Once, my daughter went to Kenya to help in a children’s hospital. Another time was when my son had to undergo back surgery. (You can read these stories at the links below.)
As mothers, it’s really hard not to worry about our children, even when they’re adults! So I had to ask myself, Will I choose faith or fear? It can’t be both.
I didn’t want my faith tested again. I didn’t care if it would make me mature and complete. I didn’t say it to God, but He knows what we’re thinking.
I knew I had to choose to trust God in both of these situations. It wasn’t easy because if I was worried and afraid, I wasn’t trusting God. But I was determined to not be afraid. I wrote out every Scripture that encouraged me to trust the Lord and to be unafraid. God’s Word strengthened me as I read these verses every day.
You have to CHOOSE faith! Refuse to be fearful. Pray and ask the Lord to help you.
This post was inspired by Alan Kearns’ post, Unshakable Faith on Devotional Treasures.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
“If God has called you, do not spend time looking over your shoulder to see who is following you.” Corrie ten Boom*
Why do we blog? Why do we write? As Christian writers, we say it’s to tell people about Jesus and His love. But we must be careful that our ultimate desire is to follow Him, not to be followed. He has promised to guide us by His Word.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105
This is especially true for those of us who want people to follow our blog, Facebook, or Instagram. Although we are encouraged when readers decide to follow us, that cannot be our guiding force.
What good is it if millions of people follow your blog, but God isn’t in it? When we follow Him, God can use us to encourage and bring hope to others.
The Apostle Paul taught “from house to house”. (Acts 20:20)
Did you notice that he did not consider himself too important to reach out to a small number of people?
When we fix our eyes on Jesus and follow Him, He will accomplishHis purpose in our lives and in our writing.
Should we develop our skills and study our craft to be the best writers we can be? Absolutely! The Bible says,
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…” Colossians 3:23
I am convinced that the closer we follow Him, the more He will use us for His purposes. We must not despise the day of small beginnings. (Zechariah 4:10) If only one person is encouraged by what you wrote, God has used you! God cares about individual people.
Nothing thrills me more than when a reader tells me, “I needed this!” or “This spoke to me.” Then I know that God has used me.
May we always follow Him with our whole heart and pray as Jesus taught us:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
*Corrie ten Boom is a Holocaust survivor and author of The Hiding Place.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3 NLT
My Thoughts: This is King David’s testimony, but it is also my testimony. Is it yours?
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 8:10-11 NIV
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
“The content of all true prayer originates in the heart of God. So it is He who inspires the prayer in the heart of man.” Paul E. Billheimer
Prayer is not about convincing God, but about the desire to pray according to God’s will and trusting Him to guide you.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
After the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, they began to grumble againstMoses and Aaron. They said,
“If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Exodus 16:3
Moses told them,
“Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.” Exodus 16:8
As I read this, I was convicted about my own complaining. I realized that when I complain, I am really complaining (grumbling) against the Lord. (Thank you, Moses, for pointing this out.)
Read what the Apostle Paul had to say about this very same event,
“And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…” 1 Corinthians 10:11
As Christians, we have followed Christ out of Egypt (slavery to sin). Let us trust Him to lead us.
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing,so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Philippians 2:14-15
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
Do you feel obligated to read your Bible? New Christians may need to discipline themselves to study their Bible, at least for a while. If you do that, you will begin to understand its value. You will understand that the Bible is a gift from God. Why?
God’s Word will guide you into all Truth.
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17
God’s Word will protect you from the devil’s schemes.
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes … Take the … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:11 &17
Studying the Bible will enable you to hear the Holy Spirit reminding you of what God has said in His Word.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13
God’s Word will encourage you and give you hope.
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
Ultimately, you will begin to treasure God’s Word for what it is: not an obligation, but a gift from God!
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, … “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you…” Genesis 17:7 (emphasis mine)
