Persecuted? Yes. Frightened? Yes. Cowering? Never.

On February 15, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, death, discouragement, Enemies, faith, Fear, governments, Loss, patience, persecution, power, problems, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 16 (2/16), is 2nd Thessalonians 2:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

Who were these people the apostle Paul was writing? They were suffering people.

Physically they were suffering. Some in their group had even been killed for their faith. Mentally they were suffering. Would they be next? Would it be worth everything they were going through?

Spiritually they were struggling. The apostle Paul, who wrote this, had been through such struggles many times himself. He wanted to make sure their faith would not waver.

How? By praying that their persecution would stop? At no time in the Bible do we have an account of Christians pray that the persecution stop. What did they pray for? Boldness.

They could be bold if they knew Jesus Christ loved them personally. They could be bold if they knew God the Father loved them personally. They could be bold with eternal encouragement, strength.

“Just keep doing what you’ve been doing,” he told them. “With the strength God gives you, keep doing good deeds and spreading the Word.”

Persecuted? Yes. Frightened? Yes. Cowering? Never.

How about your life?

God’s encouragement never ceases. It is always there. There when you feel alone, when you feel forsaken, when you are frightened, when you feel helpless, when you feel hopeless.

God gives good hope. Sometimes things in your life may be going so badly you have trouble having faith in God. But you can still hope. The candle of your faith may be flickering, but your hope can still be a flaming hope, a large hope, a good hope.

STEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR ran for his life when his best friend was crucified because of their prank against the city’s goddess. No matter where he lived and what he tried to get people to believe in the one true God, things seemed to backfire. His university turned against him. The Olympic Games turned against him. His fellow craftsmen turned against him. Then he met Jesus. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/2XBFXvJ

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Do your best, Timothy. Do your best.

On February 14, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, Daily, discouragement, Enemies, eternity, Fear, governments, Heaven, Inspirational, Loss, patience, persecution, power, problems, temptation, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 15 (2/15), is 2nd Timothy 2:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

“Do your best,” Paul told a younger co-worker. “Do your best.”

This was an apostle speaking. This was Paul who had endured multiple beatings with rods and lashings with whips. This was Paul who no one could stop.

He had endured floods and snowstorms, hunger and robbers on the road. Still, no one could stop him. He endured shipwrecks and even treading water a day and night in the sea. Nothing could stop him.e \

It seems with Paul, it was never enough. He was driven. When he was stoned and presumed dead, he got up and went back into the city! When he was imprisoned, he defied the magistrates who put him there and sang his sermons to the other prisoners. Nothing could stop him. Nothing could shut him up.

When he wrote this, he was now in prison. He had done his best. Now it was time for the next generation. He was handing the torch over to Timothy and the others.

“Do your best, Timothy. Don’t let them stop you. Never let them stop you. They are lost and don’t know it. Tell them, Timothy. Keep telling them, no matter how terribly they treat you. Keep telling them and keep telling them. Don’t stop, Timothy. Do your best.

“Some will stop what they are doing and listen to you. They will turn their life around. They will be there with you when it is time to be presented to God. They will be there with you, and with you they will say, “I did my best.”

PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE. I sometimes wonder what kind of child Paul was. I tend to think when his parents punished him, he got up and immediately did the offending thing again. Why do I think that? Because that is what he did as a missionary preacher. Pagan priests beat him. But he got up and preached again. Jewish priests lashed him. But he got up and preached again. Governments imprisoned him. But he got up and preached again. What kind of stuff was Paul made of? To READ THIS BEST SELLER, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul

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Even in winter, you are the sunshine of my soul

On February 12, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, Daily, faith, family, forgiveness, good works, joy, love, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, weaknessLeave a comment

Ah, my Lord God, what a wonderous artist you are. You delight my senses with the gentle touch of a snow flake and the crunch of my feet as I walk among your whited wonder. The wind is cold, but inside I am warm. Oh, look at that Woodpecker. How much fun he is having with that tree. And that squirrel scampering across the snow with something in its mouth; I’ll bet it’s some morsel it buried during the fall. Oh, my, that child has made snow angels, and those children over there are making snowmen. How beautiful and enchanting you made everything on earth, my home.

Father, how can you forgive me for doing the same wrong thing over and over? How can you forgive me for leaving undone the good things I need to get out there and do? Help me forgive others in the same way I need you to forgive me.

Thank you, dear Lord, for loving me with a love so powerful, nothing holds it back. When I sin, you ache, then call me to you. When I ~ with your help ~ convince someone to become a Christian and saved from Satan, you notify the angels, and we all rejoice together. When I feel lonely, all I have to do is call one of the many friends you have given me. Oh, and thank you for children who remind me of innocent wonder. Even in winter, you are the sunshine of my soul.

JOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER was selected to raise the Son of God. The responsibility! How was he supposed to keep the child safe in a violent world, even on the highways where skirmishes occurred? And up in the mountains cutting lumber where bears and lions wandered? And in foreign Egypt where there were pockets of Jews willing to take bribes for information about him? And in his own town where his uncaring children called him bastard and their fathers called his father a fool for marrying a woman already pregnant by someone else? To READ NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/30FFlbC

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It’s never too late. Look up!

On February 5, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, ego, emptiness, Enemies, healing, judging, power, sin, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 6 (2/6) is Jonah 2:6f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”

This is what was going through Jonah’s mind as he was swallowed by the great fish and on his way to certain death.

It is never too late.

As long as the breath of life is in you, it is never too late to cry out to God. You may be in the pits of your life. You may feel you cannot sink any lower than where you are now.

But look up! God is watching you with tears. You are not only breaking your own heart, but you are breaking the heart of your Maker who loves you so. God wants to lift you up out of your pit.

Still, he cannot do it without your help. What is your part? You must lift up your hands so God can grab hold of them.

Look up! God is right there within your grasp.

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Like a thousand suns

On February 4, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, faith, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, joy, love, praise, prayer, problems, Thanksgiving, weakness, worshipLeave a comment

I adore you Lord God, for you are the Will of the universe, the Voice of the cosmos, the Spirit of the heavens. You provide all my needs. I know some day you will take me home to not, only know you, but be with you. You are my delight now and will be forever. What a glorious day it will be. Though others may weep, I will celebrate with the angels, for I will be at home with you at last. At last.

Forgive me when I complain to others. I need to keep my thoughts to myself. If I just have to complain, I must bring it to you, then leave it with you to solve.

Thank you, dear Lord, for your Words that explain everything so clearly. They touch my heart like silk and lighten my day like a thousand suns. They are my daily enchantment and delight. I have pored over them and meditated on them like a thirsty wanderer every day for many years and haven’t burned out yet. Sometimes I come close, but the desire never really goes away. Did you put that desire in my heart? Is it your Spirit embracing mine? I worship you in thanksgiving.
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Hyperactive Paul

On January 28, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, Daily, Enemies, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, love, persecution, power, problems, sacrifice, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 29 (1/29), is Colossians 1:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me.”

Wow! Hyperactive Paul, Paul who preached even while in jail, Paul who went back to preaching after he’d just been beaten and told not to, Paul with the “A-type personality” said he got all that energy from Jesus Christ (see verse 28).

Who provides your energy? It depends on what you are being driven to do. It depends on what consumes you. It depends on what you’re spending your time doing and what is on your mind all the time.

Think about it today.

On what things do you use the energy of Jesus?

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You are my everything

On January 14, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, faith, forgiveness, good works, Heaven, Inspirational, judging, Loss, love, praise, prayer, problems, sin, Thanksgiving, weakness, worshipLeave a comment

My Lord, you are my everything. You are what brought the world into existence. Without you, nothing would exist, whether physical, spiritual, mental, or emotional. You are the mover of the world. You are the life of the world, and the lover of my soul. Ah, to be with you and behold you as you are. You are my light, my heart, my song. You are in the whispers of the wind, the rumblings of the waters, the sighs of a baby.

Time. Forgive me when I misuse time. Sometimes I think Jesus must have been skinny because he never sinned; he never left undone some good he should have done. Help me be more like him.

Thank you, mighty God, for all my blessings. Even if I were without food, I would thank you for the beauty I see. Even if I were without warmth, I would thank you for the warmth in my heart. Even if I were without health, I would thank you for the sweet songs of birds outside my window.

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Keep Climbing

On January 6, 2021July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, church, Daily, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, patience, prayer, problems, Satan, Thanksgiving, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

Praises belong to you, Jehovah. You are my father ~ my Father! And so strong. Please win the war for us ~ the war with Satan. I am weak. We all are. You are stronger. He thinks he is winning, but he is not. There may be more people following him on earth but they are like ants compared with the lion-like strength of Christians. Every time he thinks he has convinced one of your children to believe his lies, we rise up and say, “No”. You give us that strength. All power and glory and majesty are yours. Of course, you will win! You said so yourself.

Ah, thank you, my Lord, for the way you taught mankind to trust you. Over and over through the centuries and millenniums you made promises but almost always said, “Later”. You understood we need trust and patience. We needed to know victory would eventually come. You could use your power to know the future to help us and give us a reason to keep trying, keep plugging along, keep struggling, keep climbing. I bow before you, my gratitude spills upon your wounded feet, and I worship you.

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Give yourself for Christmas

On December 23, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, faith, family, Inspirational, persecution, problems, rest, victory, weakness2 Comments

The scripture for today, December 24 (12/24), is Luke 12:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”

In many nations right now, things are financially strained. Luxuries? No. To be able to live until tomorrow? Yes.

Which is more valuable? To impress men or impress God? A life dedicated to things impresses men. A life dedicated to doing good things impresses God.

I know of a group of believers in Jesus recently in an African country who had to flee soldiers who were after Christians. They had to run immediately upon sight of the soldiers. No time to pack anything. Just run. Escape. Run. Escape.

To get to true safety, they had to walk a hundred miles. What did they eat? Grass. Leaves from bushes. Tree roots. But they made it. They made it to safety and the loving, protective arms of other Christians.

Today, instead of a luxury, can you send that money to people in parts of the world who are struggling to stay alive? Struggling to stay safe because they are Christians?

Consider the ravens.

PS ~ Those of you with children, and you cannot get them much for Christmas: Write IOU’s to them and put each one in a box. Wrap each with typing paper if you don’t have Christmas paper. And with a red or green crayon, draw a ribbon on top. What’s on the IOU’s? “One hour of coloring with you.” “One hour of playing ball with you.” “Three hours of hiking with you.” “Two hours of baking cookies with you.” Give yourself for Christmas!

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You lean my head on your shoulder

On December 19, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, healing, Inspirational, love, patience, prayer, rest, weaknessLeave a comment

No matter what corner of the world I occupy, you are there. Though clouds encompass my corner, you look through them and whisk away the shadows. Though mountains rumble in my corner, you whisper, “Peace! Be still!” and they obey. Though I am sinking in watery mire in my corner, you reach down and pull me out, wash me, and make my soul as white as snow. I can never escape you, nor do I wish to. You are my God and love me fiercely.

Sometimes, Lord, I face something I cannot face. I feel bewildered and weak. I feel broken. Paralyzed. It is then that you come to my rescue while I rest. You take care of the problem in your own way. Sometimes I have fears that haunt me and I cannot get rid of them. I dread falling asleep at night because those fears fallow me even there. It is then that you come to me and protect me under your wings. Sometimes I am just so tired, I can hardly move. It is then that you sit beside me, lean my head on your shoulder, and wipe away my listless tears. You are my Friend, my Helper, my Father.

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