When I was a child, I loved listening to Patch the Pirate. One of my favorite songs was “Rejoice in the Lord.” The chorus of the song ends with the words, “And when I am tried and purified, I shall come forth as gold.” This statement comes from Job’s words in Job 23:10, But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

I have heard sermons and lessons in the past that were based on this verse. Often, I have found this promise as a comfort when I was facing a difficult time; however, as I was reading this verse a few days ago, I was struck by the two verses that come right before it. Job said in Job 23:8-9, Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: Just before stating that famous verse, Job said, “I can’t find God.”

Many years ago when I was a child, I once decided to leave a store a different way than my mom did. I was planning to end up at the same door as her, but I was going to take a shortcut by walking through the clothes section. I got turned around a little in the clothes, and I could not find my mom. I walked back to where I had left her, and she was not there. I went toward the door and did not see her there. It was then that I began to panic! I finally did find her, and when I did, she was not worried at all. She had known where I was even when I did not know where she was.

In a similar fashion, Job was looking for God as he was facing the greatest trial of his life. He had lost his family, his wealth, and his health. His wife literally told him in Job 2:9 to …curse God, and die. His friends, who supposedly had come to comfort him, sat with him and told him all the things he must have done wrong to incur God’s wrath. Job looked to God for comfort, but he could not find Him. He said, “I looked everywhere for Him.” The Bible tells us that Job covered all the likely places to find God. Job himself recounted, …I go forward,…and backward,… On the left hand,…on the right hand,… He seemed to have done his best to find God, but he could not.

I am sure most of us, if not all of us, can relate to Job. Sometimes, it may seem that we cannot find God in our darkest times. We face trials and cannot find the words to pray. We experience seasons in which we feel as though He is distant from us.

I love that Job did not stop at verse 9, though. In verse 10 he said, But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. He said, “I cannot find God, but He knows where I am! He knows exactly what is going on in my life. I can take comfort in the fact that even when I feel as though God does not know what I am facing, He in fact knows everything!”

These verses remind me of the poem “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson. The last two stanzas question where God was during the difficult times and then reveal the answer:

“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Even when it seems that God is hiding, He is always there. He has promised us in Hebrews 13:5, …I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. We can take comfort in knowing that even when we feel as though we cannot find Him, He always knows exactly where we are!

by Vicki Voorhis

My husband and I have the privilege of working regularly with the King’s Kids and junior church classes at our church. Over the past year or so, I have found that the Lord often uses the simplest moments with these children to teach me something about my own walk with Him.

One of those moments happened during a class outing to a trampoline park. The place was full of laughter, tumbling bodies, and the determined efforts of both kids and adults trying to conquer the obstacle courses. The foam pit was especially entertaining—large blocks of foam swallowing up anyone brave enough to jump into it. As I watched, my attention settled on a tiny girl—no more than four or five years old—who was not part of our group. She stood at the edge, completely unfazed by the older kids running wildly around her to launch themselves into the foam pit. With all the confidence in the world, she was prepared to dive in.

Her dad, however, noticed her at the same moment I did. With gentle urgency, he called her over and told her they were heading to a different area. What struck me most was her response. She did not pout, argue, or cling to the “fun” she thought she was missing. She simply ran to him, jumped into his arms, and went wherever he led. It was not that her dad did not want her to enjoy herself. He simply saw what she did not—the danger the older kids posed, even unintentionally. He knew what was best for her in that moment, and she trusted him enough to obey without hesitation.

As I watched them walk away together, the Lord nudged my heart. How often does He call me away from something that seems harmless—or even enjoyable—because He sees what I cannot? How often do I hesitate, question, or cling to what I think I want instead of trusting His wisdom and care?

Scripture reminds us of this truth in Proverbs 1:33: But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Just like that little girl, we are safest when we listen to our Father’s voice. His guidance is not meant to rob us of joy but to protect, redirect, and lead us toward what is truly good. May we learn to run to Him quickly, trust Him fully, and rest in the safety of His arms.

by Melissa Caperton

Editor’s Note: This writer approached me recently concerning her desire to spend time in the presence of seasoned Christians in order to glean their wisdom and to put these interactions into article form for Christian Ladies Fellowship. This is the fifth of several interviews that she has written with the intent to help and motivate a younger generation of Christian ladies to examine how much more of their lives can they give to God. I know each reader will be encouraged through these unique interviews by Abigail Medford. On October 14, 2024, Mrs. Dendy went home to be with the Lord. How wonderful it is that Abigail was able to capture a bit of her wisdom!

An Interview with Arlene Dendy

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

In our recent conversation, Mrs. Arlene Dendy quoted the above passage to me when I asked her if she had a life verse. Her life, she feels certain, was divinely-ordered by God, and she has seen the fruit of trusting Him as she follows that path He has set for her. Her life and testimony are evidence of some important truths about the paths of our lives.

God will give you a unique path.

Mrs. Dendy grew up in Pennsylvania. Here is her salvation testimony, in her own words:

“I was saved when I was 23. It was around Easter, and I had been searching…For about a month, I went to the Catholic Church early Sunday morning, and then after that I attended a Southern Baptist Church for Sunday School and church with my aunt and uncle. One evening, I watched an Easter movie on TV and was shocked [by] what Jesus went through so my sins could be forgiven and I could have a home in Heaven. I came under conviction, knelt, and asked Jesus to save me. I decided the next Sunday I would again attend the Catholic church and the Baptist church, but after that, I would just attend the Catholic church. God knew better. I was surprised to find myself walking down the aisle, making my salvation public, getting baptized, and joining the Baptist church. Needless to say, I never went to the Catholic church again.”

After Mrs. Dendy and her husband moved to Florida in 1988, they joined what is now Immanuel Baptist Church, becoming faithful, hardworking church members. Around 2001, the Dendys were asked to teach a Sunday School class for adults with special needs called the God’s Special People Class. Mrs. Dendy has taught that class with aplomb ever since.

While teaching Sunday School is certainly part of it, this class requires many more unique aspects of its leadership. Here are some of the many ways she has served her class: weekly transporting her attendees to and from church and its activities, taking them to doctor’s appointments, working out their insurance coverages, being consistently available to answer the phone when they need her, allowing them to spend nights at her house, organizing class trips out of town, planning birthday parties for them, and acting in many ways as a surrogate parent. God provided Bro. and Mrs. Dendy with the perfect array of talents, schedules, and abilities in order to thrive on the unique path that He had planned for them.

He will provide strength and grace for that path.

Mrs. Dendy explained that she used to spend a lot of time worrying over problems, concerns, and “what ifs,” but she learned that, “He never gives us the strength and grace for the ‘what ifs’ but supplies our needs abundantly when things actually happen and we need the strength, grace and peace that passes understanding that only He can provide.” When her husband passed away last year, she was faced with her biggest fear. She testified to me that, especially in this trial, God has still been faithful to her. Her class’s reaction to Bro. Dendy’s death allowed her an opportunity to see God’s comfort in action. Most of her class mourned with her, even passing her tissues in church whenever she needed. In contrast, one of her class members named Billy was unable to understand her heartache because, as he confidently told her, Bro. Dendy was in Heaven now, so she did not need to be sad. Instead, she needed to begin planning his birthday party, which was coming up in a few months! Through God’s help, she was able to continue to teach her class and meet their needs, even throwing Billy the birthday party he so greatly desired.

He will send others to meet you on that path.

Two of Mrs. Dendy’s class members, Renee and Shelley, grew up in Pennsylvania, just like Bro. and Mrs. Dendy. All four, of course, ended up in the Jacksonville area, and Mrs. Dendy firmly believes that God planned for them to meet. Renee and Shelley are twins, but they live in different group homes and have no family that is willing to care for them. For several years, Bro. and Mrs. Dendy have arranged for the sisters to meet and spend time together. Because Renee lives about an hour away now, Mrs. Dendy picks her up for a long weekend once a month to stay at her house and go to church. If the Dendys had not moved to Florida, started attending Immanuel Baptist, or committed when asked to teach the God’s Special People Class, these twin ladies would never get to see each other. The other members of Mrs. Dendy’s class are also a blessing to her: comforting her during hard times, encouraging her with their faithfulness, making her laugh, and helping her to see the best in people. Mrs. Dendy stated several times that she feels that God added the members of her class to her family.

He will work miracles for you on that path.

Throughout our discussion, Mrs. Dendy brought up miracle after miracle that God has given her. God gave her husband twenty more years of life after a serious open heart surgery. God allowed them to tutor Billy in his reading skills, and now he is on his fifth read-through of the Bible. God gave her a health miracle of her own. When our church moved locations, the setup of the new facilities seemed impossible to navigate with her chronic health condition. She and her husband considered finding a new church, but prayed and decided to step out in faith and try one Sunday. Her disease has been in remission ever since. Mrs. Dendy stated that these miracles only came because she has allowed God to direct her path.

Have you considered your path recently? Perhaps you, like me, are often focused on the cares and chaos of the small moments in life. Another load of laundry, another spreadsheet at work, another clean up after dinner, another diaper changed, and another ride to church. I ask you today to take a moment to zoom out until you can see the full, God-directed path of your life. Your life’s path may be vastly different from Arlene Dendy’s, but I do know that it is a God-given path for which He has provided grace and strength for each step. I also know that He has ordained people for you to meet and to help on that path. Best of all, if you by faith will stay on it, He will work miracles for you, just like He has all these years for Arlene Dendy.

by Abigail Medford

I have a list in the Notes app on my phone called “I can forgive because…” I add reasons to this note when I think of them. The list is long and full of painful truths. I did not start this list because I was having a hard time forgiving. I started it as a writing idea, but it has somewhat turned into a resource for when I may have a hard time forgiving in the future. My first thought (because I have much pride) is, “I do not have a problem with forgiveness,” but my next thought is usually, “Or do I?” The fact is that we all have a problem with forgiveness in the sense that we can say the words “I forgive you,” but in our hearts, we still hold on to that hurt for a long, long time. We hold back from being close to others when we have been wronged. We go out of our way to avoid people who have hurt us, even those who may not know that they have.

I have been wronged. On the other side of the coin, I have wronged. Maybe I have not always known it, but in my forty-one years of life, I cannot say I have always been in the right when it came to disagreements and proper treatment of others. Of course, my pride desires to argue with that fact, and that is my flesh trying to overcome the Spirit. I wish I could say I have said “sorry” to those I have hurt, but I am sure there are some people who I did not realize I had wronged.

When I was a Bible college’s Dean of Women, part of my job was to administer discipline. Just as the boss sometimes becomes the bad guy for enforcing rules, I was sometimes the bad guy. I know I was not “liked” by some rule offenders. Did I always handle each situation correctly? It is likely that at times I did not, for I am far from perfect. I even know that these many years later, there are grown women who still hold grudges against me for giving them demerits when they were eighteen and could not keep their rooms clean. Guess what is hard about that? There have been times when I have found it difficult to forgive their unforgiveness! How is that for a spin?!

All in all, we have each been there and/or will be there. We are emotional creatures with sin natures. The Devil wants us to hold grudges and keep that unforgiveness close to our hearts. If we hold on to it, who is hurt the most? It is not the one whom we cannot forgive. It is, sadly, our own selves.

Psalm 66:18 says, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Our unforgiveness creates a rift between us and our Saviour. I can go to God every day, but when I hold on to unforgiveness, He cannot hear my prayers. He will not hear when I ask for Him to care for my children. He will not hear when I ask Him to help me be the right kind of wife. He will not hear when I beg for the health of a friend in pain. He will not hear even when I praise Him. Oh, how devastating it would be to know that God could not hear me because I could not forgive! Imagine the unknown blessings I would be forfeiting because I was too selfish to let go of my resentment.

Being wronged is painful. Being falsely accused or even rightfully accused hurts. Being treated badly by others can create emotional turmoil. However, we must forgive in our hearts, and sometimes daily, so the way can stay clear between us and our Heavenly Father. We cannot afford to lose the ear of God at the cheap expense of holding a grudge or garnering resentment. Unforgiveness can lead to bitterness, and bitterness is a deep, dark pit that requires an arduous climb to escape.

Let us start each day with a clean heart and mind by forgiving the wrongs our flesh refuses to release. Our peace depends on our forgiving. Our relationships with others depend on our forgiving. Most of all, having the ear of our Saviour depends on our forgiving of others.

Forgive generously so that peace can be yours today.

by Tracie S. Burns

Happy Monday. It is so hard to believe we are in the last days before the beginning of another year.

Perhaps some are saying, “Good riddance!” Maybe for some it has been one of those years filled with delight. We each are looking at a blank page on which to write another part of our “story.” Psalm 90:9b says, …we spend our years as a tale that is told. Although it may be a somber thought, we each should ask ourselves, “What will that tale tell of us?”

Quoting from the book The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews, “You have been created in order that you might make a difference…The very beating of your heart has meaning and purpose…your life and what you do with it today…MATTERS FOREVER.”

What a challenging thought this is!

Let us decide that this new year will be a year of thoughtfully wise choices based on the leadership of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. We have the ability to touch someone each day who may need it desperately.

Heartprints

Whatever our hands touch—

We leave fingerprints!

On walls, on furniture,

On doorknobs, dishes, books,

As we touch we leave our identity.

Oh please where ever I go today,

Help me leave heartprints!

Heartprints of compassion

Of understanding and love.

Heartprints of kindness

and genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbor

Or a runaway daughter,

Or an anxious mother,

Or an abandoned animal,

Or, perhaps, a dear friend!

I shall go out today

To leave heartprints,

And if someone should say

“I felt your touch,”

May that one sense be…YOUR LOVE

Touching through ME.

– Author Unknown

 by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

Over the years, I have heard many parents give their children advice before they leave home and go away to college. Most of the advice is something similar to this: “Follow your heart,” “Go after your dreams,” or “Do what makes you happy.” It is now my turn to take one of my children to college, but my advice is just the opposite. It may be shocking, but I do not want my daughter to do any of those things. Instead, I want her to follow, seek, and please the Lord.

Follow the Lord

Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:… I do not want my daughter to follow her heart; I want her to follow the Lord. John 8:12 says, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Jesus said if we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness. I do not want my daughter to stumble through life, wandering in the darkness. I want her path to be illuminated, so my advice to her is to follow the Lord, not her heart.

Seek God’s Will

It is not necessarily a bad thing to have goals, dreams, and aspirations, but if they do not align with God’s will for her life, she will never be truly happy because she will never have all the wonderful things that God has planned for her. Matthew 6:33 says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. What are all these things that will be added unto us? If we were to look in the preceding verses, we would find that these things include earthly treasures (money and relationships) and provisions (food and clothes). Everything that we need, as well as some things that bring happiness on earth, will be added to those who put God first and do His will.

Please God

I do not want my daughter to do what makes her happy. The desires of the flesh are contrary to the desires of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:17) Her greatest desire should be to please the Lord. If she pleases the Lord, everything else will work out just fine. It is possible to have favor with both God and man (Proverbs 3:4); however, if we seek our own pleasure or happiness alone, we will not please the Lord. We are reminded of this truth in Romans 8:8 which says, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

I also want to remind my daughter that she can make sure she is following the Lord, seeking His will, and pleasing Him by validating her decisions with prayer, searching the Scriptures, and seeking godly counsel. She must not fall prey to the Devil’s lies when he whispers and tells her that she is old enough and smart enough to make decisions on her own.

I have done my part to raise her for the Lord, to train her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and to instruct her in the paths of righteousness. It is now her turn to apply what she has been taught. As I leave her at college, may my advice to always follow, seek, and please the Lord (not her flesh) resonate within her mind.

by Crystal Collingsworth

I love Christmas music! I am not one of those people who wait until Thanksgiving to start listening. I will listen to Christmas music in July, when it is cold in the house, or on any day of the year that feels joyful and triumphant. Now that I have admitted my early Christmas music listening habits, please do not “tune” me out. (See what I did there?) A classic Christmas song that recently popped up on my playlist gave me such a comforting thought, as well as a challenging reminder.

The song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” recently showed up on my Christmas playlist, and I thought of how God sees, hears, and knows us. Each verse of that song follows the theme of Exodus 3:7 when God tells Moses that He wants him to lead the children of Israel out of captivity: And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

A Comforting Thought

The first verse of the song contains the question, “Do you see what I see?” In Exodus 3:7, God tells us He sees us: …I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,… When we are struggling to make a sparsely filled shopping cart feed our family, He sees us. When our days feel long and our patience feels short, He sees us.

The second verse asks another question, “Do you hear what I hear?” In Exodus 3:7, God also tells us He hears us: …and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters;… When we stop and give Him thanks for that parking spot near the front of the death zone that is Walmart parking lot, He hears us. When our prayers for our family go up toward Heaven, He hears us.

The third verse brings a shift in tone with the question, “Do you know what I know?” Exodus 3:7 reminds us that God knows us: …for I know their sorrows; When we think God does not know what we are going through, He reminds us that He does. When we think we have no strength, God knows how to carry us through.

The final verse of the song says, “Listen to what I say.” This verse brings us to Exodus 3:8, which reads, And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land…

What a comforting thought! God says He sees us, He hears us, and He, of course, knows us. Beyond all that, God does not leave us. He tells us to listen to Him because He has plans for us: plans of deliverance, plans of freedom, and more good plans. We cannot begin to understand the mind of God, but we can take comfort in the fact that He has a plan for us, just as He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

A Challenging Reminder

As comforting as I found these verses and this song, I also felt the challenge contained within the words. Do I see what He sees? Do I see things as God sees them, or do I see things based on how I am feeling that day? Do I hear what He hears? Do I hear those who come to me with their needs, or do I brush them off because I am too preoccupied with my own problems?

Do I know what He knows? Do I know that God has saved my soul and that I can live with the joy of Christ, or do I allow my circumstances to steal my joy? Do I listen to what He says? God has given me such a wonderful present this Christmas in the gift of His Son and the treasure trove of promises in His Word.

Am I listening to what He has to say today? As these verses provide comfort in Who God is, may we all take up the challenge to do as God does in all we see, hear, and know this Christmas.

by Beth Payton

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: – Philippians 1:6

We have been blessed to live in our home for many years now. When we purchased our home, it was in foreclosure and had been sitting vacant for a year and a half. We knew much work would be ahead of us. Right away, we replaced the carpets, added fresh paint to the walls, and replaced all 150 light switch covers! I am exaggerating about the light covers, but it certainly seemed as though we replaced that many covers. Throughout the years, we have made repairs and updates to our home. Some repairs were necessary while others helped to update our home and make it look less like something from the 1990s.

I can recall one year that our overworked air conditioner completely died. It was not just a compressor that had quit, as it had been the previous few times, but the entire unit. I just so happened to be thirty-eight weeks pregnant with my youngest son, and it was 95 degrees in the house. It was the middle of July in Florida. I was not a happy wife and was willing to pay anything to get our air conditioning replaced. That was a necessary repair.

We have replaced our windows, siding, roof, and fences and have even knocked down a wall. This was not done all at one time, thankfully, but throughout the years. I could list more repairs that were needed, but those are the bigger repairs that were done. Having a home is work. Eventually, repairs are needed. Some of the repairs were done by my wonderful husband who apparently knows how to repair most things, but there have been times when we have called the professionals to complete the repairs needed.

Just as a home needs repairs and maintenance, our hearts do as well. Once we are saved, the Holy Spirit begins to work on us, and He sees what needs to be repaired and updated. We have a choice to make: either we can try to fix ourselves, or we can let Him work in our hearts to change us into something beautiful that He can use. When we make a statement under our breaths that we later regret, He is still working on us. When we make a mistake and act by emotion instead of principle, He is still working on us. When we think we have had a bad day and are not sure how we are going to get through tomorrow, He is still working on us.

During those home repairs, there were many times when we grew tired and wanted to give up. Some things seemed difficult to mend. God never wants to stop His job; He continues to work on us and make us into what He wants. Just because we fail does not mean God stops working. Just because we give up on ourselves does not mean God stops working. The above verse says, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: We will never be perfect until we get to Heaven. The work He starts as soon as we get saved will continue until we are in Heaven with Him. In good times and in tough times, God is working on us continuously.

As a child, I would sing a particular Sunday school song while thinking its meaning was silly and only for children. That song which may be familiar to most says, “He’s still working on me…” Now that I am older, those words are more real to me and are so very true. Our Saviour is never done molding, repairing, and improving us because we are His precious children. He is still working on us!

by Mandy Harper

This morning, as I got ready to do my devotions, I was talking to God for a minute before starting my Bible reading, sharing some of my thoughts and frustrations with Him. I had had a “Murphy’s Law” kind-of-day yesterday, where basically everything that could go wrong did. Actually, I had been having that kind of week.  I looked on our church’s app for the daily Bible reading schedule, and I started, as always, reading Psalms. Today’s was Psalm 93. The first three words of this Psalm are The Lord reigneth… What an amazing reminder that God is in control! When my life feels out of control, He has it covered. When I have a sick kid and cannot seem to get answers, He reigns. Psalms 93:1 goes on to say, …he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world is also stablished, that it cannot be moved.

Then, I turned over to Proverbs to read that corresponding day, Proverbs 18, but accidentally opened to Proverbs 21. The first verse of Proverbs 21 says, The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. I was reminded once again that God has it under control. While I should pray for my country, my family, and the situations that God brings into my life, I have no reason to worry or fret about them because God is still on the throne. Today, I can just sing this song to myself and leave it all in God’s hands.

“He’s still on the throne,

So what could be wrong.

It is well with my soul.

Let the stormy winds blow.

I’m reminded today

Thank God I am saved.

Salvation’s sweet song

While ages roll on,

He’s still on the throne.”

~ from “He’s Still on the Throne” by Kyla Rowland

by Vicki Voorhis

Happy Monday. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. – Matthew 10:30

Today in my garage sits a brand-new, metallic grey car. It is pretty, runs smoothly, and—yes—has the “new car” smell. There is a story about how it got there. I was not looking for a new car, nor did I even want one. My old car had been my comfortable mode of transportation for seven years. It still looked nice and ran sufficiently.

However, I kept thinking about my husband’s rule that he made for me. He wished for me to get a new car every three or four years for safety and to avoid car issues or major maintenance. For a while, I prayed that God would show me His thoughts. No bolt of lightning hit. I heard not even a whisper.

One day, Becky and her husband, Tim, took me to a car dealership to look. I forgot to follow the most important rule: don’t look if you don’t want to buy! Without receiving the divine revelation I thought I needed, I discovered that the right car was waiting and also that I indeed was ready for a new car!

On the day my new car was to be delivered, I ran errands in my old “friend,” then hurried home to await the new one. Delivery was made and paperwork was completed. I attempted to back out of my garage to make room for the new car. My old car would not start. I turned the key and received not even a grunt! I think I saw my car wink at me. I think it might have said, “I’m the bolt of lightning you’ve been looking for!” As my car of seven years was towed away, I thanked God for the care He has for all of the details of my life!

I hope you get the point of me telling this story. He cares for you! You might not need a new car or a new anything else, but you are breathing His air and living the life He has given you. The Bible says that you are of more value to God than many sparrows.

Do not hesitate to go to the Father with all of the needs you have, no matter how mundane they may seem. God wants to give us so many blessings and to provide our “daily bread.”

He cares for you, He cares for you,

He ever loves and cares for you;

He’ll do what no one else can do

For Jesus cares for you.

He died for you, He died for you,

He shed His blood and died for you;

He’ll do what no one else can do,

For Jesus died for you.

He lives for you, He lives for you,

He conquered death and lives for you;

He’ll do what no one else can do,

For Jesus lives for you.

He pleads for you, He pleads for you,

At God’s right hand He pleads for you;

He’ll do what no one else can do,

For Jesus pleads for you.

He’ll come for you, He’ll come for you,

Some day from heav’n He’ll come for you;

He’ll do what no one else can do,

When Jesus comes for you.

– Frank Garlock

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

In Genesis 13, we find the well-known account of Lot’s decision to move away from Abraham and eventually immerse his family in a godless society. Why was this decision made? It was made because he allowed his gaze to rest upon that which was pleasant to the eye.

Genesis 13:10 – And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

Lot saw beauty, ease, and a more comfortable life in that fateful valley. He believed it was a good move for his family. He had no visions of the death of his older daughters and their families in the fires of judgment, the loss of his wife, or the degradation of morals in his younger girls.

How careful we must be to not make decisions for our families based on our earthly visions! How many hurtful words have been spoken because someone believed it was their duty to defend their children or themselves? How many men have stopped serving God because their wives felt it would be better for their families? How many children have been placed in schools under unsaved leadership because their parents truly believed it would be more profitable for their futures? I could continue to describe similar scenarios.

The problem is not that we are uninterested in what is best for our families or for those around us. The problem is that we are looking through the blurred vision of our earthly eyes. Satan is a master at blinding the human eye. We only need to read three chapters into the Bible to find him encouraging Eve to make the most catastrophic decision in the history of mankind. He used the temptation that her eyes would be opened (Genesis 3:5).

When she saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasant to the eye (Genesis 3:6), the decision was made, and mankind was plunged into sin. Earthly vision is not 20/20. We cannot make decisions for our lives based on what looks good to us.

Let us acquire the correct prescription from the Word of God and face the decisions of this life with a clear, Spirit-filled vision.

We must discipline ourselves and our children to look at the “forbidden” of this world through the lenses of God’s Word.

The wrong will always seem beautiful. Whether the temptation be gossip, retaliation to being hurt, the lowering of standards, the desire for comfort, or the assuming of authority when it is not our roles, Satan will always convince us that we are right. We must look at each situation from God’s perspective.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

In Matthew 4, we find a prime example of Satan’s inability to continue his temptation when God’s Word is brought into the situation. Jesus did not reason or logic; He just answered with Scripture, and the matter was settled. God’s Word will peel back the facade and show the reality of the decisions we are tempted to make.

We must physically and mentally turn away from that which is wrong.

Isaiah 33:15-16 —He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

As a small girl, I was taught to turn my head away when we passed the liquor aisle in the grocery store. Why? Liquor is evil. Many can scoff at strict standards, but if every child were raised to not even look at alcohol there would be no drinking in this world. Adding a decade or two to our age does not exempt us from being drawn to the wrong. If the Bible says certain behavior is wrong, let us turn our physical and mental eyes away from that which could eventually do us much harm.

Proverbs 4:19-25 —The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

My husband has extremely bad eyesight. It is so bad to the extent that if he is not wearing contacts or glasses, he cannot see anything more than just a few feet ahead of him. The first thing that he must do each morning is to put on his glasses or the rest of the day he will do nothing but stumble. Our earthly vision is not 20/20. Why do we walk blind through this life making decisions that are causing hurt to ourselves and our loved ones when we have the solution of the Scripture at our fingertips?

May we daily put on our spiritual lenses to avoid the snares that Satan has laid in our paths.

by Esther Peterson

In Matthew 2, we read the story of the Wise Men who, following the star in the east, went to Herod to find out where Jesus would be born. Herod called in the chief priests and scribes to ask where Christ was prophesied to be born. These men told him, quoting the Old Testament prophecy, that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Then, Herod sent the Wise Men on their way to find the Christ Child.

One thing I noticed was that Herod’s chief priests and scribes did not go with the Wise Men. They had just been told that the sign of the Messiah, the star, had appeared. They gave directions regarding where to find Jesus, but they did not follow. We do not know these men’s circumstances or why they stayed in Jerusalem. Perhaps they were under Herod’s command as advisors like Daniel was in the Old Testament. Maybe they were waiting for confirmation of the Messiah’s arrival, assuming the Wise Men would return if He had indeed come, and they would go later. They could have just been preoccupied with their daily lives and, after being interrupted with this request, were just eager to get back to the day’s tasks. However, the fact remains that they stayed behind and did not go to look for the Christ Child.

Sadly, we are like these Jewish leaders many times. We know where God is, but we do not go to Him. While this could be applied to those who know they must trust Christ for salvation and would rather just pray later, it is also true of us as Christians when we neglect God in our daily lives. We know God wants to meet and fellowship with us, but we allow our day to become filled with all the other necessary tasks, neglecting the most needful task. We know God is able to meet our needs but then fail to go and ask Him to provide. God is able to comfort us, strengthen us, and give us the wisdom we so desperately need, and we may even point others to Him, but we often fail to go to Him ourselves.

I wonder how different Israel’s history might have been had those first leaders gone to see Jesus for themselves! Their expertise allowed them to chart the course for the Wise Men, yet their spiritual laziness caused them to miss the most significant event in history. Their knowledge was wasted because they chose to point instead of pursue. Let their inaction be a stark warning: We, too, must guard against the tragedy of knowing where God is but failing to go to Him. Our peace, our strength, and our spiritual fulfillment are not found in citing the address to Bethlehem but in taking the journey ourselves. How different and wonderfully rich our lives can be when we lay aside our preoccupations and simply go to Him!

by Vicki Voorhis