Happy Summer, Sweet Sisters! Sorry I have been off line for a bit. Here is our July reading plan.
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Indeed! Christ is Risen! Amen!
Happy early Easter, Sweet Friends! Here is our Scripture plan for this month. April Reading Plan 1st - Acts 18 2nd - Acts 19 3rd- Acts 20 4th - Acts 21 5th - Acts 22 6th - Acts 23 7th - Acts 24 "And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " ~ Acts 20:35 8th- Acts 25 9th - Acts 26 10th - Acts 27 11th - Acts 28 12th - Amos 1 13th - Amos 2 14th - Amos 3 "From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins." ~ Amos 3:2 15th - Amos 4 16th - Amos 5 17th - Amos 6 18th - Amos 7 19th - Amos 8 20th - Amos 9 21st - Obadiah 1 "Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." Amos 5:24 22nd - Jonah 1 23rd - Jonah 2 24th - Jonah 3 25th - Jonah 4 26th - I Peter 1 27th - I Peter 2 28th - I Peter 3 "You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God." ~I Peter 4:2 29th - I Peter 4 30th - I Peter 5 I'm praying for you this month, Sweet Sisters. Rest assured in the hope of JESUS! He is alive, my friends! He is risen, indeed! Keep reading God's Word. Joyfully His, Andrea It's hard to embrace the concept of "putting others before yourself" in this world, where self-love is so prevalent. Every where we look, we are receiving the message of what we need to make ourselves happy. As believers, we shouldn't be surprised. The Bible tells us this is going to happen.
"For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" II Timothy 3:2-5 As I have been studying Titus 2:3-5 through this journey of Biblical womanhood, I realized why it's a hard passage to follow. Titus 2 is all about serving others. Putting others above yourself. Looking to the good of others. Humbling yourself. These things are contrary to the way our world works. My generation (and now all subsequent generations) have been taught since birth to: follow the path in life that brings you joy, do whatever makes you happy, its your life and you deserve to do all that you want to do, Unfortunately, these things are even taught among Christians and even in the church. But....this type of thinking is not what God has called us to. In fact, Scripture reminds us consistently, that we are to live for Christ, die to ourselves, and serve others in love. Ladies, the world will tell you to look out for yourself first, but that is not God's way. Yes, we are to take care of our bodies spiritually, physically, and mentally, for our bodies belong to God and they are His temple (I Corinthians 6:19-20). We are to be good stewards of all He has given us, but we are not to be caught up into this "self-love" mentality. Self-love indulgence is not godly, as we see clearly, in II Timothy 3. We must guard ourselves from this type of behavior. We do not want to become vulnerable to this type of teaching. "They are the kind that work their way into people's homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)" ~II Timothy 3:6-7 Before we dive deeper into Titus 2 and it's description of godly womanhood, let's prepare ourselves for living a life of putting others before ourselves. Our families are our first ministry. We must serve them and love them well. It is not always easy to deny ourselves, but the blessings of putting others first, are abundant. I am personally, challenging myself to study and memorize these verses, and asking God to help me live according to His word and seek Him first while serving, loving, and caring for those He has given me. "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." ~ Ephesians 4:2-3 "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." ~ Philippians 2:3-4 " For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another." ~ Galatians 5:13-15 "Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others." ~ I Corinthians 10:24 "Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will bless you for it." ~ I Peter 3:8-9 Let us not fall into the trap of self-indulgence. Instead, let us follow God and His word. It won't be the easy path, but God's ways are always perfect. I'm praying for you! Keep reading God's word! Joyfully His, Andrea Happy March!
Spring is coming, Ladies, and I am looking forward to it! Sunshine, warm air, new life, and more time outside. Here is our Scripture plan for this month. March Reading Plan 1st- Hosea 5 2nd - Hosea 6 3rd- Hosea 7 4th -Hosea 8 5th - Hosea 9 6th - Hosea 10 7th - Hosea 11 "So now come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on Him." ~ Hosea 12:6 8th - Hosea 12 9th - Hosea 13 10th - Hosea 14 11th - Joel 1 12th - Joel 2 13th - Joel 3 14th - Philemon 1 "Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead! Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish." ~ Joel 2:13 15th - Acts 1 16th - Acts 2 17th -Acts 3 18th - Acts 4 19th - Acts 5 20th - Acts 6 21st - Acts 7 "He replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' " ~Acts 1:7-8 22nd - Acts 8 23rd - Acts 9 24th - Acts 10 25th - Acts 11 26th - Acts 12 27th - Acts 13 28th - Acts 14 "The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers." ~ Acts 9:31 29th - Acts 15 30th - Acts 16 31st - Acts 17 I'm praying for each of you this month. Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Happy February, Sweet Sisters!
This year, I plan to post our Bible reading schedule at the beginning of each month. We follow an easy to read plan, one chapter per day. If you aren't already following a Scripture reading schedule, or you are looking for an easy plan to help meet your goal of daily Bible reading: this is for you! February Bible Reading Plan 1st- Luke 1 2nd - Luke 2 3rd - Luke 3 4th - Luke 4 5th - Luke 5 6th - Luke 6 7th - Luke 7 "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." ~ Luke 6:45 8th - Luke 8 9th- Luke 9 10th - Luke 10 11th - Luke 11 12th - Luke 12 13th - Luke 13 14th - Luke 14 "Jesus replied, 'But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.' " ~Luke 11:28 15th - Luke 15 16th - Luke 16 17th - Luke 17 18th - Luke 18 19th - Luke 19 20th - Luke 20 21st - Luke 21 "Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:36 22nd - Luke 22 23rd - Luke 23 24th - Luke 24 25th - Hosea 1 26th - Hosea 2 27th - Hosea 3 28th - Hosea 4 "Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting His hands to heaven, He blessed them." ~ Luke 24:50 Let's dig into the Word! Joyfully His, Andrea A new year brings new beginnings. It gives us all an opportunity to reset our hearts, minds, lives and focus. Over the past twelve months- life as we knew it- completely changed. Life looks different for most of us, the world looks different, people are different. So much has changed: the way we think, the way we shop, the way we interact with others. It has all changed. But one thing has remained the same: JESUS! He is and forever will be, our only hope.
"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.' " ~ John 14:6 Whatever your life looks like right now, good or bad, Jesus is the key. We can not be consumed by the uncertainty, the fear, the turmoil, the "what ifs". We must be consumed with Jesus only. "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." ~ John 14:1 As I consider all the negative that has occurred this past year, I've realized one thing: It's time for us, believers in Christ, to make a change. And that change has to be: ourselves. We need to get back to the basics of our faith: the Bible. All we need is the Word of God. We must read it, we must know it, we must live it out loud in our own personal lives. If we are going to make a difference for Christ, we must live for Christ. We have to be obedient to God's Word and live accordingly. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work." ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 This year, my goal is to strengthen my faith. To read the Bible even more. To strive to live according to God's Word, even when it is hard and socially unaccepted. My goal is to get back to the basics of my faith by trusting God, reading and knowing and living out His word, praying more, and fearing less. I also hope to be an encouragement to you, my Sisters in Christ, who are striving to live for Him. Here at Redeeming Elegance, we will be focusing on Titus 2:3-5, as this is a clear direction of God's instruction for godly women, both young and old. "Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or by heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God." ~ Titus 2:3-5 Older women, the younger wives and mothers are watching you, looking for a godly example to help guide them through being a wife and mom. Does your life portray these qualities? Are you training the young women in your life with these Biblical directions? Do your daughters, daughter-in-laws, nieces, granddaughters, the young women in your community and church, see you as a Titus 2 woman with godly wisdom, love, and understanding? Younger women, taking care of a family and running a household is not easy. But Scripture gives us clear directions on how to do these things well. Your husband, children, and home are your ministry. Make them a priority. Seek out older women ,who live according to these Scriptures, for wise council. Do not conform to this world, live simply, and focus on your family. The difference we make in this world begins in our homes. May we glorify God in how we take care of our families. May we strive to follow God's word, not the world around us. May we live according to God's commands and not the standards of society. May we let God use our obedience to Him to bring others to Christ. May we be a living sacrifice to God. "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him." ~ Romans 12:1 Will you join me on this journey of Biblical Womanhood? I'm praying for each of you as we draw closer to God in the days ahead. Keep reading God's word. Joyfully His, Andrea Hello, Sweet Sisters!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group! I am so thankful for each of you who are joining together with me as we kneel before God in prayer for our country, our communities and our families. I am praying for each of you, that God is protecting your families and that you are being blessed with health, safety, and joy during these days of uncertainty! Our prayer focus thus far..... 1. Pray for healing and restoration of our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (I Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) (Proverbs 15:22) 4. Pray to overcome the temptation of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) (Isaiah 41:10) (Deuteronomy 31:6) ( Joshua 1:9) (Psalm 27:1) (Isaiah 43:2) 5. Pray for our thoughts to be filled with things worthy of praise, not worry. (Philippians 4:4-8) 6. Pray for protection over our own families. (Psalm 91) Today, our prayer is for God's will to be done on this earth. "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (I John 14-15) NASB Our biggest prayer, should be for God's will to be done through this virus and pandemic. Yes, we each have many desires, needs and requests at this time, but we must remember that God is in control, even now. He allowed this to happen and He will use it for His purpose and glory. As we make our requests known to God, in the name of Jesus, let us seek God's will for those answers. "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. " (Romans 8:26-28) As we are praying for God's healing, protection, and restoration over the next few months, let's remember to pray for God's will to be done. May His promises be fulfilled. He will answer our prayers. "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." ~ Hebrews 4:16 Heavenly Father, Thank you for the promises You have given us in your Word. Our world is consumed with the coronavirus and our hearts are heavy, and our minds are scared. None of this surprises You. May Your will be done through this crisis, O Lord. May a revival begin. May hearts be turned back to You. May souls be saved, bodies healed, and families restored. May Your children be drawn back to Your Word and Your commands. May our desire be to follow You, trust You, lean on You, and obey You. May our marriages become closer. May our families become stronger. May we spend more time together thanking You and serving You, than trying to serve only ourselves. May we turn from our sins and begin living for You each day. May the fruits of Your Spirit begin pouring from our mouths, hearts, and actions. May we bring You glory in this crisis, and may You alone, be praised. In Jesus' precious name, amen. I'm praying for each of you! Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Ladies of Prayer!
Thank you so much for joining me through this prayer series! My prayer is that each of you have been blessed, strengthened, encouraged, and filled with peace as we have come together to pray for our nation during this coronavirus pandemic. Each day, the news of the virus seems to get a bit worse, but we have the promise of God that He is in control and He has already overcome this thing! Praise God! Please feel free to share this series with ALL the ladies you know. It is so important for us to come together in prayer, lifting our hearts to God in unity. If you are just joining us, welcome, we are so glad you are here. :) Please subscribe to the RSS feed in the sidebar to receive notification of future posts. Let's jump into prayer! Our prayer focus thus far... 1. Pray for healing and restoration of our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) (Proverbs 15:22) 4. Pray to overcome the temptation of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) (Isaiah 41:10) (Deuteronomy 31:6) (Joshua 1:9) (Psalm 27:1) (Isaiah 43:2) 5. Pray for our thoughts to be filled with things worthy of praise, not worry. (Philippians 4:4-8) Today's prayer focus is on our own families. As a parent, I fear the most for the safety and health of my children. I want to protect them, shelter them, and keep them from all harm. This is also difficult for me as our oldest son lives out of state and is working and I'm not able to be with him right now. As a wife, I want my husband to be healthy, protected and safe as he has to go out into the world and still work (I'm also very thankful, he has that option right now). As a daughter, I worry a lot about my parents. They definitely fit the high risk category as both of them are above the age of 65 and both have under lying health issues. They also live out of state, so I can't be with them, all I can do is pray for them and call them each day to check on them. I'm sure most of you are concerned and worried about your own families during this crisis. After all, this virus is serious. It is contagious, and it is moving rapidly across our country, our states, our cities, and our own communities. But, we do not need to fear as God is protecting us and our families, even now. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God and I trust Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation,' " ~ Psalm 91 We have been claiming this Scripture over our family for weeks now. I try to pray it over my family each morning. It is fitting for the crisis that we are all facing. And God's promises to those of us who trust Him, are very clear in His word. I love to pray scripture back to the Lord. His word is our guidance, our commands, our love letters from Him. It is so important to read His word, know it, remember it, and use it on a daily basis. If you aren't already, begin praying this chapter over your family each day. Make this prayer personal for the needs of your family at this time. God's word always proves true! Heavenly Father, I live in the shelter of the Most High and find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I declare this about You, Lord: You alone are my refuge, my place of safety. You are my God, and I trust You. You will rescue my family from every trap and protect us from deadly disease. You will cover us with your feathers. You will shelter us with your wings. Your faithful promises are our armor and protection. We will not be afraid of the terrors of the night, or the arrows that fly in the day. We will not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, or the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand may fall at our side, though ten thousand are dying around us, these evils will not touch us. We will open our eyes to see how the wicked are punished. We will make You, our Lord: our refuge. We will make You, the Most High: our shelter, so that no evil will conquer us, no plague will come near our home. For You will order your angels to protect us wherever we go, and they will hold us up with their hands so we won't hurt our foot on a stone. We will trample upon lions and cobras and crush them under our feet. Lord, You say that You will rescue those who love You. You will protect those who trust in Your name. When we call on You, You will answer, You will be with us in trouble. You will rescue and honor us, and you will reward us with a long life and give us Your salvation. We love You, Lord. We trust in Your name, and we will call upon You. In Jesus' precious name we pray and claim these promises, amen. Let's cover our families with prayer and pour God's word over them. I am praying for each of you. Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group! I'm so glad you have joined me here to pray for our nation and it's healing. I hope this has also been a time of faith strengthening in your personal life as well. For the past week, we have been looking at Scriptures on the power of prayer and we have lifted prayers to God on behalf of our country and our families during this crisis. If you are just now joining us, welcome, I am so glad you are here! And for those who are interested, you can subscribe to the RSS feed on the side bar to receive notification when a new post is available. Okay, let's jump right in! Our prayer focus thus far.... 1. Pray for healing and restoration of our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) ( Proverbs 15:22) 4. Pray to overcome the temptation of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) (Isaiah 41:10) (Deuteronomy 31:6) (Joshua 1:9) (Psalm 27:1) (Isaiah 43:2) "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." ~ Philippians 4:4-8 There is much to worry about and consume our thoughts during this pandemic: our health, our safety, our provisions, and our future. But God has already given us the antidote for such worries, right here, in this passage of His word. "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" The first step is to be joyful. We have much to be joyful about. We woke up this morning, we have families and friends to love, a shelter from the outer elements, food for our bodies, this technology to communicate with others, God's word to feed our souls, and Jesus- our only hope, salvation, and refuge from ALL storms. BE JOYFUL TODAY! Smile. Praise God first, before uttering a complaint or worry. After praising Him, you may not feel the need to speak the worry out loud. "Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." I have been homeschooling now for over 14 years. Being home full time is the norm for our family (except for my husband who usually works outside the home). When asked how and why we homeschool, I've always tried to answer with our motto: "We are blessed to be ALL together, ALL the time!" Now is that time for all of us. Most of our country is now in a state of lock-down: a time to stay home. I know first hand, that this can be challenging. When everyone is under the same roof all the time - differences clash, frustrations can rise, and feelings can get hurt. It happens. But, remember, you have been given this opportunity to be at home with your family: the very ones who love you the most. Don't waste this time. Enjoy it! Even when things are hard, remember as the woman of the house, you have the power to build your home or tear it down with your own hands (Proverbs 14:1). Be considerate in all you do, have a gentle spirit, be patient, encourage your husband and children during this time. And when all else fails; smile, laugh and praise the Lord! Remember, He is coming soon, no matter what is going on around us. "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything." Well, here it is: the kicker. The hardest thing to do right now, in these uncertain times. How can we possibly not worry? Because we're not supposed to. If we believe God is who He says He is, we know He is in total control. And if we know He is in total control, then we have no need to worry. God is not surprised by the coronavirus. In fact, He already knows the outcome. So, what do we do instead of worry? Pray about everything. I mean EVERYTHING. When worry comes to mind: STOP and immediately pray. Don't waste your time worrying, spend your time talking to God. It will strengthen your faith, fill you with joy and give you peace. "Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." This verse needs no explanation. If you have a need, no matter how big or small it may be, tell God. And while you are waiting for God to provide for you, thank Him for all He has already done. Thank Him for everything, the big and the small. "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Are you hungry for peace today? Follow these commands. The promise is peace, when we live this way in Christ Jesus. "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." And when those times of fret and worry do hit us, immediately turn your thoughts to things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. My husband often says, "I'm not sure about anything, but Jesus!" That thought alone, is enough to bring us peace. Jesus is our rock, our redeemer, our strength, our hope and our peace. Think about Him, today! Let's join together and pray that we will not be consumed by worry today, but instead, we will trust God during these trials and be full of joy in Him! Heavenly Father, I know that today is the day that you have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Help me Lord, not to be consumed by worry of the consequences of this virus, but instead, help me to pray about all my thoughts and my needs. Thank You, Lord, for ALL You have done for me. Fill my thoughts with things that are excellent and worthy to be praised. And overwhelm me with Your peace today. I love you. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen. Share your prayer requests and praises in the comments. I love to hear from my sisters in Christ! I'm praying for each of you. Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group! I hope you all are getting a glimpse of this beautiful sunshine that is pouring through my window this morning! It has been so rainy and dreary here lately, that this sun is such a blessing to see today! I pray that God has showered each of you with peace, health, and joy during these crazy days. I'm so thankful to be able to pray together with each of you. Our prayer focus thus far.... 1. Pray for healing and restoration or our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) (Proverbs 15:22) Fear. How often are we led by our fears? How many of us are consumed by fear, right now, during this pandemic? Fear of the unknown, fear of the uncertainty, fear of the what ifs, fear of the virus itself, fear of the consequences of this outbreak. There is an unexhausted list of things to fear at this time. Believe me, I've made a list myself! But, I know I can't live by that fear. The TRUTH is: fear is not of God. And as believers, we are to live trusting Him, not fearing the world around us. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 Fear does not come from God.....at all. It comes from our lack of faith and trust in Him. We must overcome the temptation of fear if we want to live fully in the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that God has given us. Today, I want to encourage you, to NOT fall into the depths of fear. May these Scriptures about fear encourage you to step out in faith and seek strength from God alone. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." ~ Isaiah 41:10 "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you." ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. " ~ Joshua 1:9 "The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?" ~ Psalm 27:1 "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." ~Isaiah 43:2 Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your love, mercy, protection, and provision. Lord, most of us are consumed with fear right now. It has overwhelmed us. Help us, O Lord, to trust You completely. To stand in faith knowing You are in complete control of what goes on in this world. Help us to move forward with Your spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Give us strength, courage, and the power to overcome the temptations of fear. May we stand strong and not be discouraged during these trying times, but know that You are with us, holding us, protecting us, and guiding us through these deep waters. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' precious name, amen. Stand strong, Ladies! God is in control! I am praying for each of you and your families. Joyfully His, Andrea |
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. " AuthorHi! I'm Andrea, wife to my handsome hubby, homeschooling mama to my 7 amazing blessings, and daughter of the King of kings. I am so glad you have stopped by my little piece of the web. My prayer is that the Lord will use this blog to encourage you in your personal, daily walk with Christ. Archives
October 2021
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Photos from John Beans, Noel Feans, Noel F., wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), kinglear55, It's No Game, faktor1komma5, Noel F., Ted Rabbitts, Lisa Zins, irio.jyske, James Brennan Hawaii, Evim@ge, polipao, mysterykatt123, deziluzija, The Sleep Judge, Tony Armstrong-Sly, John Brighenti, ikarusmedia, Pavel K, amy32080, Matthew Paul Argall, Bennilover, Maria Eklind, kennethkonica, eye of einstein, kinglear55, Bennilover, Tony Webster, mothernaturebeauty, ForestWander.com, GoToVan, wuestenigel, Kenneth Vetter, greenoid, verchmarco, i threw a guitar at him., Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon, verchmarco, r.nial.bradshaw, Noel Feans, Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon, Schneidersphotography, sagesolar, flickr./com/photos/amanda_munoz