19 ~ Listen. Do you hear them?

On April 14, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, good works, Inspirational, power, problems, sacrifice, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, April 14 (4/14), is Esther 4:14b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Today’s scripture is about a reluctant young lady who won a beauty contest and was chosen to be the queen of Persia. Time has passed, and now a command has just gone out to kill all Jews. Queen Esther was a Jewess but had not told anyone at the royal court. She could continue to hide her nationality and let all her people die, or she could try to intervene with the king. She was the only Jew the king would have listened to. So, realizing she could be killed too, she spoke on behalf of her people. They were saved.

There are always situations in life in which you are the only one who can accomplish something very needed. Perhaps you are the only adult standing near a strange child about to run out into a busy street. Perhaps you are tall and a short person needs to reach something at the store. Perhaps you know a particular language and others around you need you to explain something to them. Perhaps someone called a wrong number on the telephone and reached you instead.

As you go through life, there are situations in which you are the only one who can handle them. Do you? Do you watch for those situations, or do you walk around in your own little world?

Listen! It’s the silent cries of people only you can help. Do you hear them?

STEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR was difficult for me to write. He was a young deacon with a wife and children, a sought-after speaker, a miracle worker. What motivated him to be the one to go into the Sanhedrin’s chamber that day and speak so powerfully, they would kill him to shut him up? I walked the floor for two days and cried before I could write those final scenes where he struggled alone to make the big decision, then carry it out. Come along with me as we try to walk in young Stephen’s shoes. To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2Bowxf8

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Thursday 4/11 ~ God has an assignment for you

On April 12, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #Handicaps, attitude, blessings, discouragement, Inspirational, power, victory, weakness1 Comment

The scripture for today, April 11 (4/11), is Exodus 4:11 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

This is a dynamic verse, for it helps answer the question: “If God is so good, why did he allow me/my relative to become deaf/blind?”

Here is the answer. Satan is the prince of this world. So, God takes countermeasures to defeat him. Everything Satan does God can undo. But he does it in his own way. He does it through us.

God gives each of us an assignment. We all have something God wants us to overcome. Why? Because it makes us spiritually stronger. It is intended to turn us into spiritual giants. Perhaps he has something special in mind for us in our eternal world.

His assignment may be the family we were born in to, the country we were born in, an earthquake, a flood, an unfair professor, a mean boss. Amidst our tears, as we face sometimes unbearable assignments, the challenge is for us to carry on with the smile of faith on our lips.

Paul said in 2^nd Corinthians 12:10, “For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong!” If God did not believe you or your relative or friend could handle your affliction, he would not allow you to have it.

It’s almost as if the more affliction you have, the more faith God has in you. After all, 2^nd Corinthians 6:1 says we are workers together with God.

Has God given you an assignment? What a privilege!

MEFIBOSET: CRIPPLED PRINCE was denied the throne, then spent his life handicapped. Life-long enemies tried everything to destroy him and make him bitter, but he would have none of it. To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2Ga5tzi

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Wednesday 4/3 ~ Discovering real truth

On April 3, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, ego, ethics, judging, knowledge, persecution, power, Scripture, sin, teaching, truth, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, April 3 (4/3), is 1st Timothy 4:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“They [false teachers] forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.”

It is hard for you to think that smiling, humble, Bible-quoting, holy-looking church leaders could be false teachers and condemned by the God they claim to represent. We want to think well of everyone. Isn’t that the way Christians are to think? But sometimes thinking well of someone and thinking well of the truth can clash. Now you have a choice to make ~ a hard choice.

The Apostle Paul, warned of false teachers in the church that would come in the future. Indeed, it did happen. A time came when certain Christians were ordered not to marry, and not to eat certain foods (for instance, on Friday. They claim it is a sin to disobey them and don’t show you the scriptures they refuse to obey.

Remember, your church leaders are going to be judged by God just like everyone else. Always, as the Apostle Peter once warned, “We ought to obey God and not men” (Acts 4:19). Besides, do you think this is one reason people have turned against “organized religion”?

This is why it is important to read the Bible for yourself. Use a concordance to look up all scriptures in the Bible with any keyword and you will learn what is true and not true. Isn’t it time for you to sort through everything you have been told? Isn’t it time for you to discover pure truth?

WORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY is a year-by-year account of how things gradually changed and what the changers did to those who protested against them. Be prepared to be amazed. To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2FQgMfM

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Saturday 3/30 ~ Think. Think long and hard.

On March 30, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn ego, ethics, humility, power, sacrifice, sin1 Comment

The scripture for today, March 30 (3/30), is John 3:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“He must become greater; I must become less.”

This is John the Baptist speaking. He had a great following. People “were constantly coming to be baptized” by John (3:23). He had it made! But at the height of his popularity, he said, “I will be stepping down soon.”

Can you do this? Are you at the height of your popularity, perhaps at a club, an organization, church? Could you step down if someone more qualified than you came along? Or will you say, “I started this _______, and I was here first, so this is my project!”?

Look inside. Deep inside. What are your motives for doing good? Selfish ambition or love for others? 1st Corinthians 13:1 says that, even if I offer my body to be burned and do not have love, it benefits me nothing.

Jesus warned, “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Think. Think long and hard. Do you have some repenting to do? Father in heaven, help me see myself the way You do.

A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: ISAAC & JACOB is about Jacob who just had to be ahead of everyone else, so he lied and cheated in order to be first. He never saw the big picture and what it was doing to others. He had to be broken. It took 20 years in exile before he understood how to be honest and good. To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2FIkHvr

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Friday, 3/8 ~ With no regrets?

On March 8, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn ego, eternity, Heaven, Inspirational, Loss, power, Saved from hell, things, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 8 (3/8), is Philippians 3:8 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.”

Wow! Paul, who wrote this, apparently came from a well-to-do family since he was born in today’s Turkey but went to school in Jerusalem. He also apparently held a position in the Jewish ruling body, the Sanhedrin, since he could vote on whether to execute someone. So, he probably owned a lot of things and had an honored position.

But now, he considered everything he had previously owned and every position he had ever held as rubbish ~ garbage ~ compared with belonging to his Lord. The King James Version of the Bible says he considered it all as dung ~ manure.

Where are your priorities? What do you spend most of your time on? The stuff you just have to own, exciting things you just have to do, the power you just have to claim? All to enhance the little inch of your life on earth?

What if a storm destroyed your house, your car, and all your stuff tomorrow? What if you were banned from a sport you love tomorrow? What if a rumor destroyed your career with all its power tomorrow? Then what?

Do you think you would consider suicide as so many of the wealthy did during the Great Depression? Or could you consider the deep and unconquerable love of Christ Jesus your Lord the most valuable thing in your life? Could you accept your loss, take advantage of it, and unleash a different kind of life for Jesus with no regrets?

PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE was obsessed with Jesus and obsessed with telling as many people as possible how to not go to hell. He gave up everything and walked thousands of miles, endured beatings of priests who were afraid he was going to destroy their religion, went without food, was in shipwrecks, and on and on, always crying out, “Jesus! This is for you!” To READ NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2Tv5mav

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Thursday 3/7 ~ Lowering the mountain

On March 7, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, Inspirational, Loss, power, problems, victory, weakness1 Comment

Yesterday I gave you the thought for the 7th, so today I will give you the thought for the 6th. Sorry ’bout that.

♥

The scripture for today, March 6 (3/6), is Proverbs 3:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Is your life full of twists and turns, short cuts that never work out, detours, mountains to climb and valleys to make your way through? Welcome to the human race. Life on earth can be hard. Did you know the Bible calls Satan the god of this world (2^nd Corinthians 4:4) and ruler of this world (John 12:31)?

Your path to heaven is another matter. Your path to heaven is straight. God has done everything in his power to straighten your path and make it easier for you to reach him. How? By providing you with His Word to read any time you see trouble ahead (Psalm 119:105).

Do you see a mountain ahead of you so steep that is impossible to climb or valley so full of darkness you cannot bear the thought of entering it? Do you see a curve in the road ahead of you and dread knowing where it will lead you to?

Colossians 1:13 says God can rescue you from Satan’s domain of darkness and transfer you to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. There God takes control. There God says, “Hold on a minute, Christian, while I lower that mountain, brighten that valley, straighten that curve.”

The path to heaven ~ thanks to our merciful God ~ is straight. What path are you on?

365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS is book 2 in the TOUCHING GOD SERIES. Each day gives you a psalm and a proverb for the day. Only $6.00. To buy now, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2IXOkO8

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Monday 3/4 ~ Help them ride the waves

On March 4, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, discouragement, Inspirational, power, praise, victory1 Comment

The scripture for today, March 4 (3/4), is James 3:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

James, in this scripture, is talking about the tongue being a small thing, but it can get our entire lives into a lot of trouble. Once we say things, we cannot take them back.

What do you spend your day saying to people? You do have a choice. People do more good things than bad things. Do you respond to them with more good or more bad words? It is your choice.

When you compliment someone, they will take heart and try to do that good thing even more. When you berate someone, they will lose heart and probably do the bad thing again. Years ago, there was a saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Are your words honey or vinegar?

Jesus said out of our heart comes our words. If you normally say nice things to others, it shows you have a nice heart. If you normally say hard things to others, it shows you have a hard heart. Jesus also said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Don’t use your words to sink someone farther down.

Starting now, when you launch out into a new day, go out of your way to say small nice things to people. The rudder of your tongue may be small, but oh how powerful it is. You may even provide a rudder to help someone out of a private storm. Today, help someone stay on course and keep their face to the wind. Today, use your words to help someone rise from the depths and ride the waves.

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Sunday 3/3 ~ What are you missing?

On March 3, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, persecution, power, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 3 (3/3), is Genesis 3:3 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

” ‘But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden and you must not touch it or you will die.’ “

This is a conversation Eve is having with Satan in the Garden of Eden. She was a little put out by God that he would withhold even one item from her. So, she misrepresented God. What God actually said was….

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Eve had added to what God had said: “You must not touch it.”

Do you do that? When you get put out by someone, do you embellish a little and add a few little things to an event in order to make the other person look worse than they really are? Are you in the habit of making yourself a victim so you can get other people’s sympathy and maybe get other people to act on your behalf? Or perhaps you do it to “brag” how much worse your problem is far above all others’ problems, thus making yourself king or queen of all burden bearers?

1st Corinthians 13:5 says love does not keep a record of wrongs. If you have a feud going with someone, try breaking the cycle. 1st Corinthians 13:7 says love protects, always trusts, always hopes. Had Satan convinced Eve to stop loving God?

It’s easy to do when God is made “the bad guy”. It’s easy to stop loving others if they are always the “bad guy”. What are you missing by not extending love even to those who are not nice to you? Who knows? Are you giving up paradise?

YOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE is for isolated Christians. They may be in prison, in a university, a rest home, a shut-in, a country where Christianity is illegal. Each chapter is about someone in the Bible who had to keep their faith alone. It includes questions at the end to give the isolated person something to do, and thought questions to help them plan for their future (even if it’s dying in the Lord). To BUY NOW, click a picture or click this: https://amzn.to/2IPHB8G

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Friday 2/22 ~What a privilege. What a responsibility.

On February 22, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, ego, Inspirational, power, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, February 22 2/22), is Ephesians 2:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Another place in the New Testament, 2nd Corinthians 6:16, says we are the temple of God. A lot of things in worship under the Law of Moses were literal versions of what Christians someday would enjoy in a spiritual and deeper sense.

We have no need of the temple in Jerusalem, for now God dwells in Christians. We have no need of the altar of sacrifice at that temple because Jesus was our final sacrifice (Hebrews 10:4-12). We have no need of the cymbals, harps and lyres played in their worship because Christians play on the strings of their hearts (Ephesians 5:19).

We have no need of the priestly system in the Law of Moses with the special vestments and titles because all Christians are priests (1st Peter 2:5). And how do we serve as priests? Romans 12:1 explains it: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.”

What a concept! God does not dwell in temples or church buildings!

He dwells in Christians.

He lives and moves through Christians.

What a privilege.

What a responsibility.

WORSHIP THE FIRST-CENTURY WAY contrasts the Old Testament way of worshipping with the New Testament way. Each chapter is about one of the forms of worship (e.g., prayer). It begins with quotes from famous theologians and ends with quotes from 2nd Century writers (the body of each chapter being 1st-century writers in the N.T.). To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2IwNAiR

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Thursday 2/21 ~ My government and me

On February 21, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, Enemies, governments, patience, powerLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 21 (2/21), is Daniel 2:21 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“He [God] changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”

It seems there is always some amount of restlessness within each nation regarding who is ruling. Some people like the ruler, some do not. Or people may start out liking the ruler, but later dislike him. Some rulers are okay, a few are considered outstanding, and a few others are outright evil.

But God sets up the rulers of nations and deposes them. Many places among the prophets of the Old Testament, God explains that he may raise up a cruel leader just because he is strong enough to get rid of other cruel people. After that, God deposes the cruel leader.

In the midst of all this, innocent people are always hurt. That is why it is important for us not to complain, but to bear up under a hard government with patience and courage. It is in hardship that the true heart of a Christian is revealed. And it is in hardship that many people turn to God who might never have done so.

God knows what he is doing, even if we do not understand ~ at least, on this side of eternity. Remember Romans 8:28 ~ “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord.” Life is a mosaic of many colors ~ sometimes bright and sometimes dark ~ but in the end, it can be beautiful.

LUKE: SLAVE & PHYSICIAN did not start out in life intending for the Roman Empire to conquer his country and take him as a slave. But he ended up being the physician of the apostle Paul. Read about his journey from slave to physician. To BUY NOW, click a picture or paste this: https://amzn.to/2IrcgJt

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