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

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-7-shadow-of-death-adults-childs-versions/

Confusion

On November 4, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, ego, ethics, family, humility, judging, patience, sin, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 2 (11/2), is Proverbs 11:2 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

The word “disgrace” comes from Hebrew qalon, meaning confusion. It is also translated dishonor and reproach. But confusion is its first definition.

Pride is so hard to control. With the church or clubs or other organizations, do you think your ideas, your points of view, your ways of doing things are the right ideas, views, and ways? Do you accuse others of not cooperating if it is your ideas, views, and ways they don’t go along with? Is it hard to give up your ideas views and ways for the sake of peace?

Even in doing daily business, does your pride show up? Do you become impatient with clerks in stores who do not help you, with other drivers on the road who are too slow for you, with people delivering things to your home who do not deliver them right to your door, with kids throwing rocks at things that belong to you, people who try to cut in line ahead of you, fellow workers who take credit for your work, and on and on?

Is it hard to sit by and let others be praised when you do better work than they do, or you work harder than they do, or they get the promotion you deserve?

How do you control your pride? Perhaps by comparing yourself, not with others around you, but with Jesus? In the same circumstance, what did he do?

365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS. Part of the Touching God trilogy. Each day you are given one proverb and a passage from one of the other “wisdom literatures” — Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. Beautiful gift set with original cover art. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://bit.ly/365PearlsOfWisdom

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/365-pearls-of-wisdom-gods-soul-to-yours/

Forever summer

On November 2, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, Death of Jesus Christ, forgiveness, Heaven, sacrifice, Saved from hell, sin, victoryLeave a comment

My God, I often think of heaven and how there it will always be summer. There will be no autumn when things begin to die, for I will live on forever in the flower of youth. There will be no winter where death prevails, for I will never become helpless and shiver while in the sunshine of your presence. There will be no springtime when that which is dead returns to life, for I will never die. Thank you, Lord God, for gracing us with forever summer in heaven.

Lord, the Old Testament Law of Moses was so bloody. Every day the priests butchered animals. Sticky, smelly, slimy blood. People had to smear blood on their door posts and priests smeared blood on the horns of the altar and the Ark of the Covenant. Always blood. Blood everywhere. Thank you for putting a stop to all the bloody worship. Thank you for taking on human blood and spilling it down the cross one last time. Now worship comes forth like the pure water from your side. Thank you for taking away the blood.

THE ROAD TO HEAVEN was a long one — from Eden to Golgatha. What happened between was all part of God’s miraculous, complicated, amazing Plan. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/Road-To-Heaven

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https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/the-road-to-heaven/

Soul Snatchers

On October 29, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, faith, Heaven, Saved from hell, Scripture, temptation, truth, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 29 (10/29), is John 10:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

No other person can take your salvation away from you. They may badger you, belittle you, torture you, kill you, but they cannot take your salvation away from you. The only one who can do that is you.

The Apostle Peter said, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall….Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position” (II Peter 1:10; 3:17).

Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

Jesus himself said, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

I praise and adore you, Lord God of the unfathomable universe. You are my King, my Maker, my betrothed. All glory and majesty belong to you. This is your world, and no one else’s. You are willing to fight Satan and get him away from me because he is too strong for me. I give in to him so often, especially with my attitudes and use of my time. But you run after me and snatch me away from him again and again and again. You never tire of returning me from unknown and unsuspected danger to the safety of your everlasting arms. I do not comprehend such love. All I can do is praise you every day from the depths of my heart and the heights of my spirit.

COME FLY WITH ME is the final biblical historical novel in the 8-book series on the life of Christ. It begins with Jesus’ ascension, continues with the apostles resisting the Sanhedrin’s death threats and beatings, then their disbursing around the world, and ends with John being reunited with the other eleven and Jesus 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/

Prevailing over them

On October 20, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #Handicaps, attitude, discouragement, Inspirational, praise, prayer, problems, victoryLeave a comment

I praise you when I am happy and on top of the world. I praise you when I am wandering around aimlessly, not knowing what I need to be doing. And when I am struggling through a project that is not coming together as I had planned. And before I fall asleep and when I waken. And when I walk among beauty and when I crawl through the ugly. You never change. You are always the same. The thought brings sameness and stability to my life. The thought causes me to love you even more.

Your word says that, in you, I can be more than a conqueror. But how can I be that unless there is something in my life I need to conquer? There is a song about experiencing “Victory in Jesus” but how can I experience that without something to be victorious over? Thank you, Lord, for problems and obstacles. Without them, I would not know the exhilaration that comes with prevailing over them with you.

MEFIBOSET: CRIPPLED PRINCE. Every sermon I have ever heard and every article I have ever read about Mephibosheth has been “woe is me”. I deny that. First, he was the grandson of the most handsome and tallest man in the kingdom ~ King Saul. The Bible gives the name of his son and grandsons. He got married! He wasn’t just a poor shrunken cripple crawling around on the floor hoping people won’t step on him. Read this biblical historical novel and be inspired. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/2ywrqJi

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/books-more-biblical-historical-novels/book-4-mefiboset-crippled-prince/

You are my soul

On October 14, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, Enemies, Fear, Inspirational, joy, patience, persecution, praise, prayer, victory, worshipLeave a comment

I adore you and worship you, Adonai God. You made all I see and beyond and deserve my worship. You rebuild when we tear down, heal when we injure, resurrect when we kill. You lift up the fallen, protect the endangered, console the sorrowful. You are the sun in my sky by day, the moon at night. You are the rainbow after rain and each star that shines down on me from unimaginable heights. You are heaven and earth to me. Without you I am nothing. With you I am everything. You are my soul.

How do I get through the seekers? How do I penetrate the shell of those who run from you? I should know by now. Forgive me for not recognizing who they are and shying away from them.

Thank you for the freedom I have in my country to worship you without being threatened with prison, torture, and death. Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ and that we love each other enough to rejoice when one rejoices, weep when one weeps, and share each other’s burdens. Thank you for the way you want me to worship you ~ with simplicity. You do not demand pomp and ceremony, you do not demand grand performances. All you ask is my simple voice in song and prayer. I have so much to be grateful for. And so, I worship you with thanksgiving.

YOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE: SURVIVAL STORIES FOR THE COURAGEOUS ISOLATED CHRISTIAN: contains short stories of Bible people who had to stand alone in difficult times. After each story are a few multiple-choice questions and then practical thought questions. Can be used as a class book to help us understand the isolated Christian. Or order a copy for someone in prison, in the military, large university campus. Or send to missionaries to give their isolated converts. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/BeAHeroAlone

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

More than conquerors

On October 13, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, discouragement, ego, Enemies, Inspirational, judging, patience, persecution, problems, temptation, victoryLeave a comment

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-3-hearts-afire-adults-childs-versions/The Scripture for today, October 13 (10/13), is 1st Corinthians 10:13 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Let’s balance this verse with Romans 8:37 which says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We cannot be more than conquerors unless we have something to conquer.

What are you tempted to do or not do on a regular basis in your everyday life? Take a long hard look at them and remind yourself of the source.

Romans 6:16 explains, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey ~ whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Physically, if you lift heavy things, you will grow more muscles. If you run beyond your endurance, you build stamina. God allows some temptation in your life in order to build your spiritual muscles and spiritual stamina. What Satan intends to break you down can instead build you up if you resist.

So, with courage in your soul and boldness in your heart, stand up and say, “No more! I am not your slave, Satan. I will win over you. God and I are stronger than you. Satan, get used to it: You lose.

HEARTS AFIRE is biblical historical novel 3 in the THEY MET JESUS series. Jesus recruits the last of the apostles. They are all strong willed. They will have to be in order to conquer the world. But they are so different, they hardly get along. Even in Jesus’ last hour with them he tells them to love each other. But, early on, their hearts are on fire with excitement. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/Hearts-Fire

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-3-hearts-afire-adults-childs-versions/

Kicking and screaming

On October 3, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, ego, judging, knowledge, truth, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 5, (10/5) is 2nd Corinthians 10:5f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now, these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

This is about the 40 years the Jews wandered in the wilderness between leaving their slavery in Egypt and beginning a nation for themselves. They had the mindsets of slaves. They did not know how to make decisions for themselves. One of those decisions was to leave the gods of Egypt and worship only the one true God.

It was easier to fall in line with what they were raised to believe. That had long been their comfort zone. They took the easy way out rather than follow the God who had proved the Egyptian gods were not gods at all. They would rather die than change. So they did. They died.

Do you take the easy way out? Do you stick with things you were raised to believe even though you have learned more of the Bible and see those old beliefs are not what God said?

Those early Jews did not listen to God. What about you? Today He is calling out to you in the scriptures. “Come to me. I want to save you. Please come.”

PAUL: THE UNSTOPOPABLE. Stubborn? Indeed, stubborn. Paul just wouldn’t listen to Jesus when he was alive, so Jesus had to “drag him kicking and screaming” to stop everything and listen to him. Moses had done the same thing centuries earlier when he dragged Abraham’s great grandchildren out of Egypt kicking and screaming. We humans are a stubborn lot. To BUY NOW, click a book cover nor paste this: https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul

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

Likes

On October 3, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, discouragement, healing, Inspirational, joy, love, prayer, victoryLeave a comment

The Muther-Lovin' “LIKE” Button – Grab the Lapels

If you enjoy and feel inspired by my daily messages, your likes would help others who are “shopping around” to stop and read. Your likes are noticed by them and appreciated by me.

Dread, Daring, and Dominion

On September 30, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, Life of Christ, love, sacrifice, Saved from hell, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 30 (9/30), is Luke 9:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Hebrews 5:7 says something very startling to most people. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”

Jesus did not look forward to going to the cross, even though many thousands of others had died that way. Why was it different for him? Because he had to take on all our sins as though he had committed them himself ~ every lie we ever told, every gain from cheating, every insult, every slander campaign against another, every adultery, every murder ~ everything. He had to take the blame for ALL our sins! How could he bear it?

Not only that, but he had to experience both physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death means being separated from, being forsaken by God. What a terror to experience ~ even for a moment.

And so, a few weeks before his crucifixion, as he prayed on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to him, and they spoke about his death. They surely gave courage to Jesus’ human side to do what had to be done to save you and me who deserve hell.

The crowning glory of this conversation with Moses and Elijah is that the Father himself ~ the Will of God ~ reassured him by announcing, “This is my son! Whom I have chosen! Listen to HIM!”

Jesus was to nail the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). He had promised people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

On the cross, he said, “It is fulfilled.” Indeed, by the time Jesus returned to heaven, he had lived the Old Law introduced by Moses perfectly ~ something no man had ever been able to do. And by the time he returned to heaven, he had fulfilled every prophecy about his birth, life, and death, the first such full-time prophet being Elijah.

Oh, the things Jesus went through for us. We fall at his bloody, pierced feet and worship.

SHADOW OF DEATH is biblical historical novel #7 in the THEY MET JESUS series. This book has a child’s version; the chapters on the crucifixion have been toned down, but do explain what children hear about but do not understand. In the adult version, each chapter ends with Life Application discussion questions. The adult version has Think & Do at the end of each chapter. Come along, now, and witness those days of dread, daring, and dominion. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection

https://inspirationsbykatheryn.wordpress.com/historical-novel-about-jesus/book-7-shadow-of-death-adults-childs-versions/

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