Staggering beyond comprehension

0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Medium-NewYou are the fountain of all things, the cause of all things, the manifestation, the life-giver and mover of all things. The thought of you is staggering and beyond my comprehension.  Still you reveal yourself and leave it up to me to understand what I can. That understanding is just a shadow, a whisper in this vast cosmos. Someday I will understand ~ well, maybe. Will it ever be possible? I am only human. Still, on that Someday, I will comprehend and praise you more than I ever imagined.

If I stayed to myself and minded my own business instead of encouraging others, I would not be opening myself up to insults. That’s just being a coward. Help me open myself up to taunts. Help me share in the suffering of Jesus.

Your Bible is such a blessing. It is not confusion. It is not chaos in its wondering about this and that. It is not madness in careless guessing. It is order and harmony, peace and tranquility, it is ultimate truth. There it is just waiting for me to discover it. You open your mind and heart to me in your Bible, along with your plans, your movings, your yearnings for me. A love letter from God it is. When I read, it is as though I am in a mist and seeing you afar. Thank you for your Bible.

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0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Thumbnail-NewFLOOD GATES is biblical historical novel #5 in the series THEY MET JESUS.  By now, Jesus has turned the world upside down.  More and more people want to make him their king.  Free medical care so they wouldn’t have to rely on doctors.  Free food so they wouldn’t have to work.  What could be better? To the Temple leadership, it is a nightmare. Some are moving their money to banks in other countries. Others are making arrangements to flee on a moment’s notice.  Jesus has opened the flood gates.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/2XsOXDS

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-5-flood-gates-adults-childs-versions/

Go and conquer anyway

The scripture for today, January 9 (1/9), is Joshua 1:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Fear can paralyze. Just ask Joshua. He had just been given the job of conquering horrible people who practiced prostitution as a religion, self-mutilation, and sacrificing their children to the fire god.  Plus, his spies said those bad people were like giants and his army was made up of the children of former slaves with no experience.

Guess what God said.  “Go anyway. Conquer anyway.”

What do you fear?  A few people fear spiders and night time and heights and such. A lot more of us fear changing a bad habit that has us in its claws and won’t let us go. Even more serious, do you fear telling a neighbor, someone in a club, a relative about Jesus’ willingness to save them from hell and get them ,entrance into heaven?  To all this, God says, “Go anyway.”

Some of you reading this live in countries where it is dangerous to be a Christian. Do you fear being arrested, tortured, killed for your faith?  God tells you, “Be strong!  Be courageous!  Do not be terrified!”  Why. Because “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

What keeps the fear under control?  “Perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4:18).  Love yourself, love your neighbor, love God.

Today, whatever it is holding you back, “Go anyway, Conquer anyway.”

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0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailTHE HOLY SPIRIT:  592 VERSES EXAMINED.  This book does not cater to any fad of beliefs about the Holy Spirit, regardless of how big an important the religious leaders are who declare them. No opinions are inserted.  It is a word study of every verse in the Bible with the word Holy Spirit or God’s Spirit in it.  Concise and clear.  A real eye-opener.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/376695S

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Wellspring of hope

The scripture for today, January 5 (1/5), is Colossians 1:5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Inside-COVER-lg thumbnail“…the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the Word of Truth, the gospel.”

Does your faith have its ups and downs? Is it strong sometimes and weak sometimes? When things sometimes go so wrong you have trouble having faith in God, you can still hope. Do you grow angry at God sometimes?  You can still hope. During such low times when faith does not come easy, you can still hope. Hope is the springboard of faith.

And stay close to the Word of Truth, for John 14:17 says the Comforter is the Spirit of Truth, and John 17:17 says Truth is the Word of God. Read when you don’t feel like it. Ephesians is what I go to. David tells of his own faith problems in Psalm 42.

When your emotions are pulling you down and you feel only the darkness of confusion inside, rely for a little while on your logic, your intellect, until your emotions heal. Read things proving God exists. Read things about other people’s love for God Do not drop out of the church; you need your Christian friends. It may be hard for you to believe right now but someday you will heal.

So, keep on hoping ~ the springboard. Eventually, along the way, your hope will return to faith.

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INSIDE THE HEARTS OF BIBLE WOMEN tells the stories of twelve women in their normal state, suddenly being hit with a problem, and their efforts to get out of it.  Thought questions at the end of each chapter.  The whole set includes an ADVERTISING MANUAL, a LEADER’S GUIDE, and AUDIO.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://bit.ly/HeartsBibleWomen

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/1107-2/my-book-inside-the-hearts-of-bible-women/

The Triumph of Survival

The scripture for today, January 4 (1/4), is Philippians 1:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-hero-alone-cover-kindle-medium“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”

Are you sad about something? Do your prayers consist mostly of give me this, help me with that? Begin today to keep an on-going list of your prayer requests for the year, and another one of thanksgiving for when those prayers are answered. Begin today to tell God, “Thank you.”

Also begin today to look around at your circumstances ~ whatever they may be ~ with joy. There can be some kind of joy in every situation if you look at it through eyes of joy.

The above quotation is from a letter to Philippi in northern Greece bordering today’s Bulgaria.  Here, a majority of the citizens were barbarian-looking warrior Thracians. But these rough semi-professional warriors also brought the world joy with their beautiful sculptures.

Philippians is a book about peace and joy. This is the book that says, “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7)

This is also the book that says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (4:13).

From now on, tell God, “Thank you,” and in the process rediscover your joy.

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00-hero-alone-cover-kindle-lgthumbnailYOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE:  SURVIVAL STORIES FOR THE COURAGEOUS ISOLATED CHRISTIAN can be used as a class book or a personal study book.  Each story covers someone in the Bible who had to stand alone or who was isolated from the world in some way.  Our God is a God of small beginnings. From a grain of sand he can build a mountain. From a drop of water he can create an ocean.  With one isolated Christian he can create a multitude of Christians.  To BUY NOW click a book cover or paste this……….  https://bit.ly/354h5R8

 

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/1107-2/you-can-be-a-hero-alone-survival-stories-for-the-isolated-christian/

 

Running and Running

The scripture for today, January 3 (1/3), is Jonah 1:3a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

09-Jonah-KindleMedium“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.”

Do you spend your life running away from the Lord? Do you do it with busy-ness, with resentments toward people, with anger that God does not make people stop being bad to you, with boredom at the thought of worshipping him, with refusal to believe he even exists?

Is it even possible to run away from the Lord? Eventually, it is. But for a long time, the Lord runs after you just as he did by causing a storm at sea where Jonah was on board his escape ship.  He does things to get your attention too.

Perhaps there are storms in your life. Have you ever thought of them as God trying to get your attention?  Perhaps you run here and there day after day, too busy to even think about God. But when disaster hits, do you suddenly remember God so you can blame him for your hardships?

Yes, perhaps you sometimes do blame God, but at least you’re thinking of him. Perhaps it’s been years since you have thought seriously about God.

He has big shoulders. Go ahead and blame him for a while, then remember how he loves you and just wants you back.

But don’t wait too long. God only runs after you for so long. Eventually, he gives up. Don’t wait so long that God gives up on you and treats you the way you have been treating him.

“God, I’m coming back. Help me.”

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09-Jonah-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES:  JONAH.  Jonah a hero?  Yes, he ran away. Yes, he reluctantly did his duty and preached to his sworn enemies.  But he did it.  He did not refuse forever.  He returned to God.  It was hard at first.  But, he had been a successful prophet in the past.  He could be again.  Even Jesus tried to run from the cross until the Father turned him around and he did what he had to do.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://bit.ly/3b78DVE

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The Glimmering Door

The scripture for today, December 31 (12/31), is Luke 12:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Medium-New“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

The kingdom is already here (Luke 9:27; Colossians 1:13), but heaven is not. That is the final destination of the kingdom. Do you actively seek God’s kingdom? Or do you drift and think God should feel obligated to take you into his heaven? Do you feel like you’re “not so bad,” so God would be bad to not take you into his heaven?

Heaven is God’s home, not yours. God has a door into his home, just like you have a door into your home. God is not required to open his door to just anyone, just like you are not required to open your door to just anyone.  You cannot just show up at the door and smile and assume he will let you in, any more than people who knock on our door and smile can assume you will let them in.

You let people into your home who you have gotten to know and whose motives you trust. Have you given God a chance to get to know you and trust your motives? Are your daily motives to enter heaven, God’s home? Do you even like God?

This life you live on earth is not your permanent life or residence. This is the testing place to see how you handle problems and to see how much your spiritual muscles will grow. God has plans for Christians in heaven we do not know about. What we do know is that he is not a God of idleness. Do you live like the earth is all there is? Do you fear hell?  Do you prefer heaven, where people will worship all the time? Does that sound boring to you?

You are about to enter a brand-new year. Today, decide to start over fresh and set your new goal: To step through the glimmering door, enter God’s home his way and live with him.  Forever.

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0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-NewCOME FLY WITH ME is novel 8 in the THEY MET JESUS series.  It begins with despondency after the untimely death of Jesus and ends with exhilaration as apostle John, no old, sees Jesus once again and tours 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/

Enduring Honor

Applied ChristianityThe scripture for today, December 26 (12/26), is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Ah, Lord Jesus. We claim we understand how humble you were, then build great cathedrals which we claim are to your glory but which are really to our glory. We organize great musical performances which we claim are to your glory, but which are really to our glory.

Just where was Jesus when he was on earth saying this?  In a posh hotel in Jerusalem? Did he have great musicians performing in the background? Did he stand on a podium and declare this to multitudes? Who are you fooling when you declare you are his servant.

Who or what are you really a servant to? Power in a workplace, club, congregation, neighborhood? Prestige in a community, an occupation, an organization? Self-indulgence of money, music, entertainment?

While you are pursuing things in life, is Jesus there with you? Are you doing what he would be busy doing?  Are you where he was when he said this?

Dare to be a servant to the power of Jesus’ love, prestige in the eyes of God, self-indulgence in the joy of worshiping Him. In this only is there true and enduring honor.

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Then stand back and be astounded.

05-Joseph-KindleMediumThe scripture for today, December 23 (12/23), is 1st Samuel 12:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.”

It’s actually a sin not to pray for others?

Do your prayers get bogged down in the mire of me and mine? Do you wonder why you can’t pray for more than a couple minutes ~ five on a good day? Satan gets you to do this; he is the enemy of prayer because he knows how powerful it is.

Who is on your prayer list? Pray for people by name. Your neighbors. People you work with. Your government officials ~ both good and bad. People in nursing homes. People in your congregation. People in the military. People being persecuted, imprisoned, and even killed because they are Christians. Missionaries. Children in an orphan home. Salespeople at the store. Local school teachers. People in your newspaper.

Pray for 15 minutes a day. Half an hour each day. An hour every day. It’s oh so easy when you stop praying only for you and yours and pray for others.

Pray for them by name. And tell them that you do. Some people have never been told, “I am praying for you.”  God loves to answer prayer.

Do not sin by praying only for yourself and your family.  Take the time to take others soaring with you when you pray. Then stand back and watch God respond to your prayers with power that will astound you.

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05-Joseph-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES:  JOSEPH went to Egypt as a boy slave and rose to be the most powerful man along with Pharaoh in all of Egypt.  What a turnaround God made in this boy’s life.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://bit.ly/2KxVtGe

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/a-childs-bible-heroes-book-5-joseph/

And lift the fog of time

0-Cover-MediumJehovah God, you transcend space and time. I do not. I sometimes think back about the clouded past and wonder how many wrong decisions I made. I think, too, about the future and how my decisions of today will influence it. At other times I wonder why unethical people often get rich at the expense of the poor.  As I slide uneasily through time step by step and wonder with uneasy mind, I just do not know what the future will bring. But you do. You have already been to the future. So, I rest in you knowing you will guide me through the unknown and someday will lift the fog of time.

Father, forgive my ingratitude. I want more hours in the day to do more, then I want more hours in the night so I can sleep more. When it is winter, I want it to be summer, then when it is summer, I want it to be winter. When I have an interesting job with low pay, I want a boring job with high pay. And on and on I go. Never content and grateful for what you have given me. I am so sorry.

My Jesus, when I am lonely, I remember how your heart must have ached when the world went after you only for your miracles, only to use you. When I feel nearly broken by my burdens, I remember how you suffered and died to free an ungrateful world from Satan’s clutches.  You understand everything I go through because you have been there. You have been tempted as I have, you have been heavy ladened as I have, you have laughed and wept as I have. You understand. And for this, I thank you, my Lord.

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00-Cover-ThumbnailFUN WITH BIBLE NUMBERS has 525 math problems from the Bible — half from the Old Testament, half from the New Testament.  Great gift for passing the time or homeschoolers.  To  BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  http://bit.ly/Bible-Numbers

 

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/links-to-some-of-my-fun-bible-stuff/bible-puzzles-for-young-and-old/

 

The touch of your heart to mine

Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride-mediumMy heavenly Father, my life, thus far, as made turns in directions I had not planned or even dreamed of. Sometimes I ended up in places I did not want to be. That is where you had led me and had wanted me to be.   I do not know what the future will bring. But wherever you lead me, I will follow you, however unknown and frightening it may be to me. If you lead me to joblessness, to famine, to wars, to prison, I will follow where ever you go. Someday while I follow you up unknown paths, you will pause, turn, smile, and say, “We’re here.  Welcome home.”

Lord, I was sick last week.  I was lying there thinking about how miserable I was. I rolled in it. Wallowed in it. Savored in it. Then a new thought occurred to me. If I thought about how blessed I am, it would take my mind off my misery. It worked, Lord! it really worked! I even got up, fetched a piece of paper, and began listing my blessings. Pretty soon I was smiling. You were smiling too. Now I was able to fall asleep. When I awoke, I felt healed.  The touch of your heart to mine had healed me.

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Love Letters of Jesus & his Bride, Eccelsia-THUMBNAILLOVE LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA is a retelling of the Song of Solomon in more modern vocabulary.  Each chapter is a love letter. It ends with “I am coming soon.”  Over 500 footnotes show the parallel of Jesus love for his church.  A beautiful wedding gift or class book.  Great for Ladies Days. Or put one chapter a week in your bulletin.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:    https://bit.ly/LoveLettersOfJesus  

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