When you can’t find God

On November 21, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn prayerLeave a comment

Those little churches

On November 20, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, church, discouragement, faith, Inspirational, judging, patience, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 21 (11/21), is Acts 11:21 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.”

What had just happened? Some Christians in Phoenecia (today’s Lebanon), Cyprus (the Mediterranean Island), and Cyrene (in today’s North Africa) went to Antioch, a major city in Northern Syria near the southern border of today’s Turkey. There they established a congregation.

This little congregation ended up being the home congregation of Paul and Barnabas for many years. It started small; we don’t know the size it grew to. Regardless of the size, it had foresight and Eventually, did great things.

Perhaps you live in a town full of churches, but you’ve compared them with the New Testament, and none of them follows the original pattern. Perhaps you have even given up going to church because of this problem. What is stopping you from beginning a little congregation after the New Testament pattern in your home?

New Testament churches were simple ~ not elaborate like those mega-churches out there. And those simple churches have always been dynamic in their simplicity. Who knows but that your new little congregation will someday produce a Paul or a Barnabas….

PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE traveled thousands of miles over 20+ years preaching to people who didn’t want preached to, establishing congregations where pagan temples prevails, offering his already-shredded back to the whips of religious leaders. One man after reading this historical novel said, “Wow! Oh, Wow!” To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-2-paul-the-unstoppable/

Never give up

On November 19, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, faith, family, healing, Inspirational, love, patience, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 20 (11/20), is Hebrews 11:20ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons….By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.”

Do you have children that were loving and good when they were young, but when they became older, they changed? Do you sometimes wonder, “How could I have gone so wrong with my children?” True, they have free will. But do you feel like a failure because your children did not turn out the way you had hoped and prayed?

Have faith ~ the faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Isaac blessed his sons with his land, even though he did not yet own the land. Jacob blessed his sons with power, even though they did yet not have power. Joseph blessed his sons and his brothers’ sons with the land, yet they no longer lived there.

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all blessed their children with something they believed would happen someday, even though they did not have those things yet. Why? Because they had faith in their children? Actually, it was mostly because they had faith in God. They had faith in what God would do someday for their children.

Don’t give up. Keep trusting God. Never stop having faith in what God (even after we die) will (not can, but will) do for your children.

STEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR. In this novel, Stephen starts out as a 17-year-old coward. Eleven years, he boldly walked in the Sanhedrin’s chambers and preached to them such truths that they killed him for it. What happened to change him so drastically? To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/StephenUnlikelyMartyr

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When life passes you by, look up

On November 19, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn prayerLeave a comment

Until you give me laughter and peace again

On November 18, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, discouragement, faith, healing, patience, rest, worshipLeave a comment

Lord, I am like the sheep that walk around afraid to drink from troubled waters, so you lead me to where the waters are calm and peaceful. When I cannot see you, I am afraid to follow a stranger, so you keep me confined so I am safe until your return. Though I walk around with no concern for possible dangers, you are right there with me to make sure I do not fall into that danger. Sometimes I become restless and fearful if I sense a storm is coming close. Then, Lord, I hear your heart singing to my heart, it calms me, and I lie down and rest in you.

The sun is shining, the frost is heavy, it is very cold out there, but I am inside warm, snuggled up, thinking, meditating and watching for the birds to discover the corn I put out for them. Ah, my Lord, I am tired these days and a little depressed. But I thank you for these times when I stop everything, back off, and contemplate. I know it is often at such times that we take a good look at ourselves selves, try to see ourselves as others do, and make changes for the better. So, I thank you for this little bit of unhappy time when I can learn better who I am and how to be more and more like you. And then, may I wait patiently until once again you give me laughter and peace again.

JOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER is a novel in the INTREPID MEN OF GOD series. Joseph is finally happy. He and Mary are betrothed. What could possibly go wrong? But that something did happen. Had she betrayed him? Joseph’s depression was devastating. Then he learned the truth and spent the rest of his life awed at his responsibilities of being the human father of the Son of God. But he rose top the challenge — most of the time. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/The-Other-Father

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-5-joseph-the-other-father/

Take a deep breath and keep going

On November 17, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, ego, faith, Heaven, judging, love, patience, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

Ah, my Lord, you are the friend of the world. No better friend could we have. But so many snub you out of arrogance, Satan telling them they can be their own god. They see you as their enemy, they fight you and twist your motives. Sometimes I do it myself because no one is immune to the influence of Satan. I know how often you must weep as we break your heart. You are only trying to save us from our enemy, Satan. You are only trying to bring us into the refuge of your home so we will be forever safe. How ungrateful and arrogant we are. Some believe you will have no choice but to take them into your home when they die, forgetting you have a door, a gate into your home and do not allow just anyone into your home for the same reason we have doors into our homes. But you love all of us anyway. You are so patient. None of us deserve you. Despite my sins, I do praise you and magnify you in my heart. Of every being in the world, you are most deserving of all honor, respect, and love.

Father, there are lonely people in nursing homes and prisons, in the military and just confined to home. I forget about them because I do not see them. Forgive my neglect Lord and make me reach out to the ones I can find.

Lord, it is getting really cold outside but I am warm and cozy inside. Thank you for what I sometimes take for granted. And thank you for the hope of heaven. Sometimes I am tired and want to rest. Then I think of all the lost souls who think you are their enemy, or who think they can get to heaven ~ your home, not theirs ~ their own way. Today, may I take a deep breath and keep going.

COME FLY WITH ME is the last novel in THEY MET JESUS. Witness the agony of loss and the ecstasy or resurrection. Then a final goodbye and a final forever reunion in heaven. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://bit.ly/FLY-WITH-ME

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-8-come-fly-with-me-adults-childs-versions/

When you are angry, do not sin

On November 17, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn prayerLeave a comment

Changeable, Enchanting and Delightful

On November 17, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, Inspirational, joy, judging, praise, prayer, rest, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

My Lord, you think of everything ~ four seasons and different climates for a serendipity off change. Trees without their leaves show me their shear strength ~ tall and bold, standing strong after storms, holding snow on their shoulders, even when it turns to ice. Reaching toward a gray sky from a stark earth, undaunted, sometimes for centuries. The trees I see out my window were seen by people before the invention of automobiles and airplanes and pre-prepared food and washing machines. Standing sentry. Standing strong with a heart to live yet longer. Lord, you are that way and more. Even when you seem stark to some people, you are strong and have a heart to live forever. I praise you for all you are.

It is mid-November. We had a big rain yesterday, and suddenly there are no leaves on the trees. Before the rain they had leaves. So now they are going to sleep as the trees rest a while. I thank you for periods of rest. And for color indoors from paint and dye and the food harvested last month. And the warmth of the indoors to keep me until summer blossoms returns. How interesting and exciting you made our enchanting, delightful, changeable world. Thank you.

FUN WITH BIBLE NUMBERS has 525 arithmetic problems covering every book of the Bible. Great for adult or child pastime, bulletin fillers, class openings, homeschoolers, grandparents to keep around for when grandchildren visit, or even the local newspaper. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://bit.ly/FunWith-BibleNumbers

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/links-to-some-of-my-fun-bible-stuff/fun-with-bible-numbers/

The real Thomas

On November 16, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, discouragement, Enemies, Fear, Inspirational, judging, persecution, sacrifice, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 16 (11/16), is John 11:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Then Thomas…said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go that we may die with him.’ “

Have you ever been falsely accused? This apostle is most often and wrongly called “Doubting Thomas.” We’ve all heard the story about Thomas being absent when Jesus appeared to the other apostles, then later said he wouldn’t believe Jesus was alive again unless he could touch him. Well, the other apostles hadn’t believed until they saw him either.

After returning to life, Jesus first appeared to the women. Then, “when they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others…But they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:9-11).

Now let’s look at our scripture for today. In the months before Jesus’ death, he had been traveling everywhere except to Judea, where Jerusalem and the religious leaders were. Those leaders had plans to kill Jesus, and everyone knew it. Then Lazarus got sick just six miles from Jerusalem, and his sisters begged Jesus to come heal him. It was dangerous for Jesus to go there. He didn’t go, and Lazarus died.

John 11:7-8 says, “Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’ ‘But Rabbi,’ they said, ‘a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?’ “

After explaining that he needed to get to Lazarus, it was Thomas who bravely spoke up and said, “Let us also go that we may die with him!”

Later, when Thomas did finally see Jesus, he was the first to call him “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). It took Thomas to lead the charge.

Doubting Thomas? Far from it! Brave Thomas. Devoted Thomas. Thomas, who was willing to follow his Lord to the death. Thomas, who was the first to call him God. That was the real Thomas.

SHADOW OF DEATH IS BOOK 7 IN THEY MET JESUS. Actually, stories of Jesus beginning with the last supper, progressing through all the interrogations and beatings, then the crucifixion, the burial, the resurrection, and appearing to everyone takes three books — PROMISE KEEPER (#6), SHADOW OF DEATH (#7) COME FLY WITH ME (#8). To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this. https://bit.ly/ShadowOfDeath-7