Tag: inspiration

Christian

Hope in Troubled Times

Cindy Dawson

“GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN MAKE THE VALLEY OF TROUBLE A DOOR OF HOPE.”

CATHERINE MARSHALL

Hopelessness is the cruelest emotion. I felt hopeless once. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Hopelessness is like being in a dark hole. You don’t know how to get out and you don’t care.

If you have ever experienced hopelessness, and you’re still around to tell about it, you understand the inextricable need of all human beings to have HOPE.

Simply by our proximity to Jesus, we can bring hope and life to people and places trapped in discouragement and despair.” 

Pastor Louie Giglio

What greater motivation could there be for devoting time each day to God alone? My prayer is that because I seek Him, others will see Him and take hold of that hope that anchors my soul.

“We are never without hope, because we are never without Him.”

Sarah Rodriguez Rhodes

Sarah writes about the day, shortly after her husband’s death, when doctors told her there was no hope for the life of her two week old baby girl. But Sarah says, “We are never without hope, because we are never without Him.” You can read her testimony of God’s faithfulness here. Sarah’s Story

“…Christ Jesus (is) our HOPE…” 1 Timothy 1:1

A Christian’s hope isn’t an escape or wishful thinking, but something that a Christian is meant to do.

C.S. Lewis

“When you go through deep waters I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2 NIV

“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.” Romans 15:13 NIV

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25

“I don’t know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.”

Ralph Abernathy

What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.

Rick Warren

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is fullsizeoutput_576.jpeg

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  


Christian, Daily Scripture

Friday's Verse, 4/3/20

Cindy Dawson

“The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations
    and thwarts all their schemes.
But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
    his intentions can never be shaken.” Psalm33:10-11 NLT

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by JD Rincs on Unsplash

Christian

Thursday's Verse, 4/2/20

Cindy Dawson

“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.” Psalm 65:8 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian, Daily Scripture

Tuesday's Verse, 3/31/20

Cindy Dawson

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

Christian, Daily Scripture

Sunday's Verse, 3/29/20

Cindy Dawson

“Solomon, my son, get to know the God of your fathers. Worship and serve him with a clean heart and a willing mind, for the Lord sees every heart and understands and knows every thought. If you seek him, you will find him; but if you forsake him, he will permanently throw you aside.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 TLB

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Nelson Santos Jr on Unsplash

Christian, Daily Scripture

Friday's Verses, 3/27/20

Cindy Dawson

12 …we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel … 15 He said: “Listen! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. …

21 … Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army … 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against (the enemies) who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (from 2 Chronicles 20:12-22 NIV) Read the whole passage here:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+chronicles+20%3A12-22&version=NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by NATHAN MULLET on Unsplash

Christian, Daily Scripture

Thursday's Verse, 3/26/20

Cindy Dawson

“The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Jad Limcaco on Unsplash

Christian, Daily Scripture

Tuesday's Verse, 3/24/20

Cindy Dawson

“Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NKJV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Oklahoma Academy Publishing on Unsplash

Daily Scripture

A Verse for Sunday, 3/22/20

Cindy Dawson

“Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Jaka Škrlep on Unsplash

Christian

Don’t Let Satan Stop the Work!

Cindy Dawson

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 you to give up!

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 the attack of the enemy.

“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

My Bible reading today was Nehemiah, chapters 4 through 6. Nehemiah had led the exiles back to Jerusalem where they were obeying God and rebuilding the demolished walls of the city. You can read it here. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=nehemiah+4-6&version=NIV

These chapters reveal 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.

Satan’s plan is to make you give up. 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, “What 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 rubble—burned as they are?” Nehemiah 6:19 NIV

“Tobiah the Ammonite (also an enemy), who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” Nehemiah 4:1-3 NIV

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 you to give up!

2. Stirring Up Trouble

“They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.” Nehemiah 4:8 NIV

Has trouble come against your ministry in any way? Have problems cropped up you didn’t expect? It could come in many forms: extra bills, lack of resources, lack of workers, etc. Satan wants you to give up!

3. Trouble From Within

“Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.  Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain. Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” 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 you to give up!

4. Lies

Sanballat sent a message to Nehemiah:

“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that 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: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”

 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” Nehemiah 6:5-8 NIV

Sometimes lies may be circulated about you. Satan wants you to give up!

5. Fear

“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”

Fear brings on fatigue. Enthusiasm brings on high energy. Satan wants you to give up!

THE END OF THE STORY:

Even though the enemy fought hard to defeat the Jews and stop them from rebuilding the wall, he failed. Why? Nehemiah says,

“We prayed to our God.”

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.” Nehemiah 6:15 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.”

Psalm 122:6 NASB

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog