âWe would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.â Harry A. Ironside
“Although Harry had discontinued his formal education after the eighth grade, his organic curiosity, passion for reading, sharp memory, and never-ending study of history, literature, philosophy, theology, and the Scriptures drove him to academic heights. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Wheaton College and Bob Jones University.” GotQuestions.org
“Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.” Psalm 47:6
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”
Psalm 122:6NASB
All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4 NIV
“A mother bird spreads her wings over her fledglings to protect them from storm and predator. She will allow herself to be wounded to protect them.” (Jeremiah Study Bible notes)
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: âMay they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:6 NIV Read full chapter
To affirm transgenderism or homosexual behavior is not love. Sin brings pain and heartache. It always does. Thatâs why God warns us against it.
Pastor David Jeremiah says, âThis is the way sin works: it comes covered in an attractive veneer that hides its evil and hideous consequences.â
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth … ” Romans 1:18 See Romans 1:18-32.
The following video describes the painful experience of a 12-year-old girl who was encouraged to undergo trans surgery and immediately regretted it. If you know of a child who is considering doing this, watch this video.
“Fight for your pastor by praying for him, acknowledging that âthe person who is under more satanic attack than anyone else you know is your pastor. The person whose faith Satan wants to derail the most is your pastor. The person whose marriage Satan would most like to wreck, whose kids he most wants to cause to rebel, whom he most wants to discourage is your pastor. You need to fight in prayer for your pastor.â
Peter Orr, from his book, Fight For Your Pastor
In his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul repeatedly asked for prayer.
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” Romans 15:30
âI have concluded based on my years of experience that sheep are stupid. Not just stupid but mind-numbingly stupidâ sometimes I wonder how they manage to breathe and eat.â Glenn Brunkow, Rancher
And this is the animal God chose to represent humans?! But when you examine their relationship with the Shepherd, you will understand why.
Our brother in Christ, Alan Kearns, posted the movie below on his excellent blog, Devotional Treasure. For those of you who have not seen it, you are in for a real treat!
This amazing movie will give you a deeper understanding of the Great Shepherd, and it will touch your heart. You will be glad you took the time to watch it. I promise!
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6NASB
“The last bastion of truth is and will be the remnant of God’s people who remain curious and dedicated truth seekers.” Jack Hibbs, from his book, LIVING IN THE DAZE OF DECEPTION
There is an onslaught of lies assaulting the world today. Many people believe the lies that promote the evils of abortion, transgender surgery, and more. Even the Church is under attack by false teachers disguised as sheep.
Jesus said, “He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
Truth is under attack from the one who is the Father of lies.
The last bastion is the final stronghold that defends something that is under threat, acting as a final defense against overwhelming opposition.
Be a truth seeker!
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6NASB
As I read the book of Acts, I noticed that Satan is using the same schemes today that he used against the Apostle Paul!
Do you want to know how Satan operates? Just look in your Bible. Satan uses the same tactics, schemes, and traps today that he used 2,000 years ago.
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9
After a certain age, you realize this is true because you’ve lived long enough to observe it for yourself.
SATAN IS BEHIND MURDER
“Some Jews formed a conspiracy to murder Paul.” (See Acts 23:12-13)
Today, all over the world, antisemites want to murder Jews just because they are Jewish. Extremists wish to murder anyone who disagrees with their ideology.
SATAN IS THE ACCUSER
Paul is falsely accused of “being a troublemaker and stirring up riots” (Acts 24:5)
But it isn’t Paul who instigated the riots. Rather, it was his accusers. Rioters blame those they hate for the riots when it is the rioters themselves who are responsible.
SATAN IS A LIAR
“Other Jews joined in the accusations, asserting that these things were true.” Acts 24:9
They were all lying. We see this today. Lies, lies, lies! They accuse their “enemy” of what they do themselves. (e.g., they say Israel is guilty of genocide. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is the enemies of Israel who pursue genocide of the Jews.)
Jesus told Paul, “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God…” Acts 26:17-18
Those who are evil and fight against the Truth are under the power of Satan, the father of lies.
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”
Psalm 122:6NASB
All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.
“By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” Proverbs 22:4 (NKJV)
From Enduring Word Bible Commentary – By humility and fear of the LORD: These two qualities are connected. Humility is a proper view of self; fear of the LORD is a proper view of God. The person who has these two qualities is well on their way on the path to wisdom.
I was feeling discouraged, tired, and weak. But my daily Bible reading fell in the book of Nehemiah. It was just what I needed! Nehemiah is packed with encouragement and reveals the sneaky tactics of the enemy. Once I realized that my negative feelings were really an attack of Satan, they lost their power over me!
If this is happening to you, congratulations! The devil is afraid of you, and he wants to stop your work for the Lord.
Satanic attacks are often disguised as your own feelings and thoughts. The enemy loves to attack our mind (our thinking). Those doubts, fears, frustrations, distractions, and even fatigue are an attack of the enemy.
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpentâs cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray … ” 2 Corinthians 11:3
“…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,” 2 Corinthians 4:4
These chapters are an example for us of how the enemy tries to stop the work God has given us to do. Whether it is writing a blog, teaching a Bible Study, going to the mission field, pastoring a church, or building a wall, the enemy’s plan is first and foremost to STOP THE WORK.
How does he do this?
(Parenthesis and underlining mine.)
1. Intimidation
“When Sanballat (the enemy) heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, âWhat are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubbleâburned as they are?â Nehemiah 6:19
“Tobiah the Ammonite (also an enemy), who was at his side, said, âWhat they are buildingâeven a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!â Nehemiah 4:1-3
When you are feeling intimidated (which includes feelings of failure or lack of expertise, and you start second-guessing your calling), know this: Satan is attacking your mind because he’s angry! He wants to stop the work!
2. Stirring Up Trouble
“They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.” Nehemiah 4:8
Has trouble come against your ministry in any way? Have problems cropped up that you didn’t expect? It could come in many forms: extra bills, lack of resources, lack of workers, etc. Satan wants to stop the work!
3. Trouble From Within
“Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, âWe and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.Others were saying, âWe are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.â Nehemiah 5:1-3
Jews who were more prosperous were taking advantage of their fellow Jews by charging them interest on loans, taking their children as slaves, and taking their property. Is there trouble within? Satan wants to stop the work!
4. Lies
Sanballat sent a message to Nehemiah:
âIt is reported among the nationsâand Geshem says it is trueâthat you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: âThere is a king in Judah!â Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.â
I sent him this reply: âNothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.â Nehemiah 6:5-8
Sometimes lies may be circulated about you. Satan wants to stop the work!
5. Fear
“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, âTheir hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.â
Fear brings on fatigue. Enthusiasm brings on high energy. Satan wants to stop the work!
THE REST OF THE STORY:
Even though the enemy strategized many different ways to stop the work, he failed. Why? Nehemiah says,
“But we prayed to our God.” Nehemiah 4:9
“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.” Nehemiah 6:15
Remember this:
“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”
Psalm 122:6NASB
All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.
Over twenty years ago, I became a special education teacher. I quickly realized that I couldn’t make a difference in every student’s life. But the Lord planted in me the idea that if I could make a difference in just one student’s life, I had accomplished something wonderful.
That’s when I learned the Story of the Starfish. It made such a huge impression on me that I hung a dried starfish on my desk lamp as a reminder.
The Starfish Story – Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley
A young girl was walking along a beach where thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, âLittle girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You canât save all these starfish. You canât begin to make a difference!â
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, âWell, I made a difference to that one!â
This is the same idea the Lord spoke to my heart about my blog: Don’t pay attention to numbers. Write for individual people. If just one person is encouraged, that’s something wonderful.
Look around for your starfish – someone you can encourage, or maybe even introduce to Jesus. Now that’s something wonderful!
âA new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV
In His Love, Cindy
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”
Real Christian Women 