Never Give Up!

The first time I thought of the subject for this month’s blog post was about 2 months ago. Actually, this post should have been completed in February, but it’s almost a whole week into March and I’m very behind my self-imposed schedule. It’s not because I gave up though!

I'm telling you this because 2 months ago, I had no clue that I’d feel the way I do now. I didn’t feel as though I needed to give up on anything then! I was actually feeling very good because I had not given up, and I believed that God had finally answered my prayer. That was then.

This is now. I am feeling defeated. I feel like giving up. I may spend some time in self-pity, but I can’t stay there. I seek to try to figure it out. Where did I go wrong? Did I go wrong? 

Maybe that was not the plan! I believe I may have taken the wrong path thinking that it was the right one. That can happen sometimes, too, especially when we jump into something just because we’ve been waiting for it for so long.

Just because I was praying when it happened doesn’t necessarily mean that it was the correct answer to my prayer. Things had drastically changed. I didn’t pause to pray. I didn’t verify it with God. Was it the correct path or not? I know that it was not the correct path now.

As difficulties came, several friends had recently and specifically told me: “Don’t give up!” I thought to myself, I’m not giving up! Now that would be so much easier to just give up and stop trying. Yet, I pressed on to win the race, as the Bible tells us to do.

So, I took a little time going along that road, and it was bumpy and difficult. It also had some excitement and wonder. It was different and somewhat encouraging, but then it began to become very discouraging with a few steep hills and a few very deep valleys. I started to want to give up. Then, what I thought I had gained was quickly snatched away from me.

I know I’m being evasive and not specific about what happened to me. Many times I share intimate details of my own life to help you with yours. This time I will refrain from sharing the details.

Within a very short time, suddenly, everything quickly changed! Any thing can change in the blink of an eye! Suddenly can be good news and suddenly can be bad news. This was suddenly bad news.

Yet, should we ever give up? No matter what came suddenly, we need to move forward. We need to keep trying. We need to stay close to God.

Are you giving up on your God-given dream? He gave you the extraordinary talent to perform some kind of creative thing and the ability to make that dream into a reality.

My Bible study teacher pointed something out to me. Not only is God the Creator of the world and the creator of every human being, but we were created in His image. As such, we were each given something special to create, too.

Furthermore, God will give us what we need, but we must make the effort. We must utilize the talents and fuel the ideas he has given to us. We must implement these ideas and make them a reality. Don't just dream it, do it!

Do you give up on eating for the fuel you need to live and move? No, of course not! Do you give up on getting out of bed each day? Maybe you do at times. But why does one stay in bed? Disappointments, failures, lack of belief in yourself, or lack of hope? Probably even more because of the lack of communion with God and seeking His direction first.

We all start questioning God. We tell Him, “If you loved me, then you’d answer my prayers.” If He doesn’t answer our prayer or doesn’t answer quite the way we expect, we seem to collapse. Why is it that God does not always answer our prayers? Or why doesn't the answer come with an affirmation in our favor?

Maybe we need to learn something. Maybe we need to learn how to be strong in the face of failure and disappointments.

Don't allow the enemy, the devil, who prowls around to kill and destroy to get you down. Just stop it!

I’d suggest you read the Biblical account of the widow who was seeking justice from the judge. That judge didn’t fear God or care about others. However, with righteous persistence and without giving up, the widow was able to receive her due justice.

With that account, “... Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” (Luke 18:1 [added bold is my emphasis)

“Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this new way,” [to see beyond the veil] “we never give up.” (2 Corinthians 4:1 — my emphasis in red and bold).

If you don’t understand my words in brackets: “to see beyond the veil,” maybe you can let me know by joining the site as a follower of my blog and posting a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Here are several more Biblical scriptures about not giving up:

“So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.”(Galations 6:9)

“... Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, ‘My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you.’ ” (Hebrews 12:5)

“But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.” (Judges 2:19)

“Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.” (Job 2:4)

“If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver! Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to Him. You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.” (Job 22:24-30)

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16)

“Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.” (Isaiah 1:16)

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Luke 9:24)

In the last three Bible verses, three different disciples (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are all telling us God’s Word in nearly the same way.

Do you believe it? I sure hope so, and I'm praying for you and for me, too. Then we won’t give up. We will keep trying. We will move forward. We will use our God-given talents to create something wonderful and beautiful that will count for eternity.

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God’s Word for Today: “Think of all the hostility He [Jesus Christ] endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.” (Hebrews 12:3)

Copyright © 2016 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics.

Are You Listening?

What do you hear? As the popular Christmas song goes, the lyrics are:

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?”

You may not be hearing any sleigh bells, but I really wonder who it is that you’re listening to these days. Is it God? He does speak to our hearts. He even speaks audibly to some. He wants to guide us. We may not seem to think so because oftentimes He is silent. Yet, many times, He is speaking and guiding, but I believe we’re just not listening. We need to be attentive.

In many parts of the world, as it is here in mine, did you hear the countdown to the New Year? It’s 2016! People shout it out: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!

Are you listening? What do you hear?

When you attended school, you were supposed to be listening to the teacher. You were told to be quiet. If you weren’t listening, you were talking when you shouldn’t have been or you were listening to someone else. Or maybe you just got lost in your own thoughts.

We are lost without our Savior, who is the Great Shepherd. He leads us where we need to go. We need to hear Him to be able to follow Him. However, if we’re not listening, we won’t hear Him, and we won’t be guided onto the right path.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

In the Bible, in Revelation, the following is stated repeatedly when this reference is made to each of the churches: “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

When Jesus Christ walked the earth, He said: “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)

To pass from death into life while already alive means we have died to our sins and our old “flesh” has been buried with our sins. Then we get baptized and our sins are washed away. Now we live in our spirit, so that we can please God and follow Him in obedience. Sometimes, we slip and fail, but He never lets us fall away completely, as long as we don’t turn away from Him.

We are warned: “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God.” (John 8:47)

We live in a time in which the following scripture clearly states what has now happened. The time is here:

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Titus 4:3)

This is the reason why we must be even more attentive to listening to God.

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)

In fact, we are told: “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!” (Hebrews 12:25)

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19)

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.” (James 1:22-23)

So, I will ask you again: Are you listening? Who are you listening to now? What do you hear? Are you staying quiet at all, so that you can hear?

In 1 Kings 19, we learn that Elijah heard the voice of God, and His voice was not like the strong wind or the earthquake. Elijah heard God’s “still, small voice.” We may need to be silent before God, listening to hear Him clearly. Our future depends on it.

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself, and may you be attentive to hear His call and His guidance. 

God’s Word for Today: “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.” (Deuteronomy 11:6); “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) 

Copyright © 2016 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics.

The Christmas Stockings

Verbal abuse is horrible and usually explosive! Sometimes it's just the words that come barreling out of a mouth that can take on a different meaning than the way they were intended. Someone always gets hurt. The pain may be unintentional, but it stings nevertheless.

The Bible tells us that the tongue can be a very poisonous member of our body (see James 3:8). Do we choose our words and our actions carefully? Do we speak, but do so without thinking first? Do we always act impulsively?

I'm sure that we have all said things we regretted after it was too late. Speaking without forethought and taking action without contemplation can result in terrible abuses.

Alcohol and drugs can have a detrimental effect on the body and the mind. Often the abusers are also physical. There is great pain and scars left behind upon others in the their path.

Why can't we be more like the Holy Spirit? If we are saved by God, then God is within us, and we are to be gentle, kind, and loving with self-control. If we are not saved, then we need to find our salvation through God's holy, loving grace.

"... The Holy Spirit produced this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23)

When abuses occur, we must seek God. We need to lean on the Rock and truly only the Rock, who holds the foundation of the earth together. He keeps us from sinking sand. The Rock is Jesus Christ. He is also God, our Heavenly Father.

"My God is my Rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my Savior, the One who saves me from violence." (2 Samuel 22:3)

By now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with Christmas stockings. A few years ago, I saw a post on Facebook about a knitting group that knits slippers for children and their mothers who have been through domestic violence.

Just reading about this group and what they have been doing really touched my heart. Furthermore, slippers caused me to think about stockings. I prayed to God, as my thoughts developed into an idea, and then a plan was formed.

I approached my church through the pastor's daughter about the idea of doing something similar for a local shelter of domestic violence for mothers and their children, that is, if I could find one in time. Instead of knitting slippers, I'd purchase some Christmas stockings and we could ask the women of the church to donate items to fill them. The pastor agreed that if I could organize this plan quickly, then we could do it. Christmas was fast approaching.

The idea grew from there, as we decided to host a Women's Ministry meeting through the church at my home. We could then fill all the stockings for the children while praying for children and their parents that would be in the shelter that year during Christmas.

Surprisingly, I was able to quickly find a shelter in time and make all the arrangements. When God has a plan that he plants in your heart, miracles occur, and the plans came together with ease.

The pastor announced the plan to the church, and we passed out fliers that I had typed up, asking the women for donations and inviting them to join the Women's Ministry event.

The shelter provided me with a list of how many girls and boys were presently at the shelter, along with their ages, and the total number of moms. We had already begun collecting a few stocking stuffers the first week after the announcement.

Then the pastor announced that we were going to "go big" and ask the whole church to get involved (the men, too). As small as the church was at the time (with an average of about 50 people), we collected a huge amount of donations.

I began to get a little concerned because the collections were more big gifts than they were stocking stuffers! That's when I realized that I was beginning to worry. I had to stop and trust God through prayer.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." (Philippians 4:6)

God answered our prayers, of course, by having more than enough of everything! We had plenty of stocking stuffers and gifts galore! We had lots of items for both the kids and the moms. In fact, we had so many donations that we were able to touch the hearts beyond those in the shelter.

As Christmas Day approached, there would be more families that would be affected by domestic violence each year. These kids and their moms would be housed in the emergency hotel/motel program funded by the shelter program. Those kids and their moms, who weren't even there yet, had gifts awaiting their arrival!

A friend who saw the pictures (below) said it looked just like "the fishes and the loaves of bread that Jesus miraculously multiplied." Thanks be to our God!

For those who experience the horrible abuses, God tells us that it doesn't go without something good coming from it.

"But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God's Word for Today: I pray this will be said of everything I do for God in my life, as I want to glorify Him and help others know how much He loves each and every one of us. "As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!"

Copyright © 2015 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it bold or italics.

There were even more donations than these pictures reveal, such as a stroller and clothes. I was amazed at all the generous donations.

Give Thanks to the Lord!

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness.
Let the whole world know what He has done.”
(1 Chronicles 16:8)

If you've been keeping up with my blog posts, you know that a few months ago, I mentioned that work has been a bit slow. Self-employment has its ups and downs, but this time I was looking for a career in which someone else would be my employer. I was hoping for something stable in this very unstable world we live in today.

God has graciously allowed me to know in advance that He has granted a full-time career position. I have received my prayer request just in time for Thanksgiving!

God has blessed me in a way that exceeds my prayer requests and my expectations just in time to be very grateful for His plan to be revealed. I give Him all the glory and honor and praise during this time of Thanksgiving. Not that I wouldn't always give Him the praise at any time, but this causes me to have a heart overflowing with thanks even more!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
(Ephesians 3:20 -- bold my emphasis)

Through God, I was able to thank Him before the news. I prayed that no matter what my circumstances would be now, whether He would bless me with this new job or not, through faith and trust in Him, I would still be thankful.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”
(Colossians 4:2)

Pray for others and pray for yourself, too.

God is love and He is so very good all the time!

Ultimately, we should keep in mind that Heaven is our home if we have received the salvation of God. As I already mentioned, this world is unstable and the earth will shake, but the coming Kingdom of Heaven will be unshakable. Therefore, keep this Bible verse in mind as we anticipate our home someday in Heaven:

“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28)

If you don't have a confidence in your salvation, knowing that your home is in the Kingdom of Heaven, then please go back to the beginning blog posts and start reading them. I will pray for you, as I have already done so, and I will continue to keep you in my prayers. God loves you and He would be so pleased to have your love in return. He wants to save you from this world for His kingdom above. Please open your heart today. Then you will be more thankful than you have ever been about anything else in your life when you receive Christ Jesus as your Savior! Praise God!

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you!

Please sign up as a follower on this blog today. I would be ever so grateful and full of thanks for more followers! Thanking you in advance, and as always:

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God’s Word for Today: “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:7)

Copyright © 2015 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics.

Defending the Faith!

How many of us who call ourselves Christians are defending our faith? If you call yourself a Christian, are you defending your faith? 

You cannot defend something that you don’t believe in or honor, but even more than this, you cannot defend something that you don’t know enough about or understand to really express it to others. Thus, we must become well versed in the Word of God, the Bible, and be in close relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ to defend our faith.

There have been many times in my life when I felt led to speak up and defend my faith and I have even when I may be mocked or criticized. I am a Christian, saved by the blood of Christ, baptized, and born again. God has gifted me in various ways. He will do all of the same for you if you are willing to accept His gracious love and merciful forgiveness.

Just recently among several women, some of which I had never met before, the subject of gay marriage and the law clerk refusing to marry gays and the like arose. I had to speak up and say that if we are believers in God, Christians, and agree with the new law to allow the legality of marriage for anyone other than 1 man with 1 woman, then we are not following God’s law. I spoke in defense of God’s Word and explained that we must have a Godly standard if we are Christians. We cannot allow the world to dictate the ways of God. We must stand up and defend our faith or we are living just like the world. Then there is no distinction between a Christian and a nonbeliever.

“God is love” (1 John 4:8 and 1 John 4:16), and “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)

I created “ God’s Word for Today” blog to present the truth of God to others as God gifted me to write and I wanted to and was led to write for Him. I began the blog to guide others into God’s truth and love, praying for my readers to know God intimately and to love Him and be saved in the only way He has provided: through Jesus Christ! I also write this blog to encourage believers. I am encouraging us to have the power, which we were given when we received the Holy Spirit to DEFEND OUR FAITH!

“... In your hearts, you must honor and worship Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, always being prepared to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15) 

If you have no knowledge and wisdom of God and of Jesus Christ, then you have no defense. You need the weapons of warfare, which are spiritual.

How do we prepare as the Bible states in 1 Peter above? We must be filled with the Spirit of God. We must read the Bible and learn the ways of God and be obedient to Him through our knowledge of Him. This is how we are able to defend our faith. 

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

In fact, someday, we who are faithful in our obedience to God, if alive on this earth, will see the coming Kingdom when Jesus Christ returns and His justice will prevail. In the meantime, we are to show others the right way to live, teaching and living the Word of God out in our lives for our light to shine in the dark and evil world developing around us.

“I charge you in the presence of God and Jesus Christ, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up His kingdom: Preach the word of God; be ready in season and out of season. Patiently correct, rebuke, and exhort [or encourage] people with good teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but will having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will reject the truth and chase after myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering for the Lord, work at telling others the Good News, and fulfill the ministry God has given you.” (2 Timothy 4:1-22) 

In defending the Christian faith, we must do our best not to argue, but share the Gospel in love with everyone, being patient and gentle, yet bold in our opposition. Then, we may be the vessel by which our testimony may be the answer to another soul being led to the Lord through the truth and the knowledge of God. 

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)

Are you ashamed of the Gospel? Why? We must stand on the Word and be faithful in our beliefs, our words, and our actions, and be willing to share the truth in season and out of season.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

If we do “our part,” God will do His in anointing us with the courage and the strength to have great faith as a sheep among wolves. Why? The following scripture explains:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We are to share the Word of God in defense with pure motives. God has given every individual free will.

But: “Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?” (Psalm 94:16)

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.“ (Ephesians 5:11)

We must stand strong against evil. We much stand strong in God’s love.

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.” (Psalm 119:41-42)

The Word of God is our sword! It is our defense. “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 — added bold and color)

Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.

God’s Word for Today: “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:3-4)

Copyright © 2015 by Patricia Shehan

All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set it italics.