Tag: courage

Smile anyway. The world will wonder why.

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, discouragement, Enemies, ethics, Fear, good works, governments, judging, patience, persecution, problems, weaknessLeave a comment

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE MediumThe scripture for today, May 16 (5/16), is 1st Thessalonians 5:16 (KJV) as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Rejoice evermore.”

But how can we rejoice when something terrible has happened?

The Apostle Paul, who wrote this knew that the Thessalonians were being terribly persecuted (2nd Thessalonians 1:4), but he still said, “Rejoice evermore.” How could he say such a calloused thing amidst their suffering?  Had he no feeling, no empathy?

 Sometimes we have to suffer so the true nature of bad people pretending to be good can be revealed to the world.  Sometimes we have to suffer so we ~ like body builders ~ can build our spiritual muscles.  Sometimes we have to suffer so we can understand others going through the same thing.  Sometimes we even suffer so people around us wanting to do a good work will have someone to do a good work for.

There are many reasons for suffering. But none of them take away the pain. Just remember that, just as God was grieved when his Son suffered on the cross, he is grieved when you suffer. And just as God was able to bring something wonderful out of his Son’s suffering, he can bring something wonderful out of your suffering too.

In the meantime, chin up, shoulders back, stand straight, be brave, and smile. The world will wonder why.

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0-Mefiboset-KINDLE ThumbnailMEFIBOSET:  CRIPPLED PRINCE.  Despite his handicap, the beautiful Kisarra becomes his wife, King David becomes his friend, and the forests become his mission. Though he must constantly deal with three enemies who do everything they can to make his life miserable, Mefiboset, grandson of a king, is an overcomer, a climber, a conqueror who triumphs in the end.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….http://bit.ly/Crippled-Prince   

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

 

Singing to the Lover of my Soul

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, church, ego, humility, joy, judging, knowledge, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, things, truth, worshipLeave a comment

COVER-Music-thumbMy heart with all its vulnerabilities reaches for you and  sings to the lover of my soul , the God of heaven and earth. The strings of my heart tremble and vibrate, then rise up in loving strains. From earth to heaven, from my heart to yours, my spirit to yours. Transcending worlds, my song spreads its laughter and sighs and rests in you. Be ever my song.

Lord, I went to some friends’ house and they had a beautiful new carpet. It was lush and deep and soft to walk on. I keep thinking about it and wondering how I could get such a carpet for myself. How selfish and greedy.  There are orphanages struggling to stay open. There are preachers who have trouble supporting their families. How can I think about carpet when their needs are so great? Forgive me please.

Thank you, God, for making me move to an area where not as many people believe in you. I will no longer take your church for granted. I have struggled so much here trying to expand your kingdom. It’s been so hard. Now I understand their struggles. I thank you for your strength that keeps me on course in a wilderness. I thank you for your example of courage and concern. You went everywhere seeking and saving the lost. And thank you for the church around the world, both small and large. They are your crown jewels.

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COVER-Music-thumbRESTORATION REPRINT LIBRARY:  INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH. This book is head-and-shoulders above any other printed the last hundred years on the subject.  This staunch Presbyterian uses this book as a last stand, appealing to Presbyterians worldwide to maintain their purity of worship without a musical instrument at a time when most in his denomination had already purchased an organ or piano and had no intention of going back to the old ordinary ways.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Music 

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Our heroes

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn discouragement, Enemies, faith, Fear, governments, Heaven, Inspirational, love, persecution, prayer, problems, victoryLeave a comment

00-Hero Alone-COVER-KINDLE-MediumLord, reach down and show your tender power in a special way to your children who are being severely persecuted for worshipping you. They face loss of jobs, loss of homes, loss of freedom, loss of life rather than deny you. They are heroes and do not even know it. Their courage in weakness declares your glory to those who degrade them. Their determination to never deny you declares your love to those who hate them. You are the one who gives them strength. You are the one who overcomes Satan through them. They are your hands and feet, their unwavering voices, their stubborn wills. To you belongs all wisdom and glory here on earth now, and in heaven forever.

Oh, yesterday was so beautiful and wonderful. The breezes were warm with the door to spring opening up to my part of the world. The sun shone bright in a deep blue sky. The cottony clouds bumped playfully into each other.  Even the fish in the pond nearby wiggled their way around each other while the ducks paddled their little webbed feet just as fast as they could in celebration. Ah, spring. The awaking time. The rest of winter is about over now. Time to plant and go for walks and enjoy the breezes wafting around me. Thank you, Lord, for springtime.

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00-Hero Alone-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailYOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE:  SURVIVAL STORIES FOR THE COURAGEOUS ISOLATED CHRISTIAN. When alone, it is easy to become discouraged and stay discouraged. This book shows how people hung on alone in Bible times for ten years, twenty years, a hundred years ~ sometimes thinking they were failures, sometimes wondering if it is all worth it, sometimes thinking of giving up. But always hanging on. The account in this book of each isolated Bible character is in story form to make them more real to the reader. To know exactly what the Bible does say about them, applicable scriptures are included.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/354h5R8  https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/1107-2/you-can-be-a-hero-alone-survival-stories-for-the-isolated-christian/

 

 

And when I could stand it no longer…

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, blessings, discouragement, faith, Inspirational, love, prayer, problems, teaching, victory, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 1 (3/1), is 1st Thessalonians 3:1,5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Hero Alone-COVER-KINDLE-Medium“So, when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens….For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.”

In Thessalonica, there had been a riot, and the man who had given Paul and his helpers a place to live was hauled into court. Paul just couldn’t put his host through that, so “when we could stand it no longer,” he left the city and went off by himself so he wouldn’t jeopardize anyone else.

Still the great Apostle Paul ~ who went everywhere preaching non-stop for decades; who stood up under beatings, stonings, hunger, and shipwrecks; who explained to church leaders how to lead their congregation; whose letters were prophecy and became scripture ~ the powerful Apostle Paul still felt very tenderly toward his fellow Christians.

He worried about how they were getting along spiritually. And when he “could stand it no longer,” he wrote back to Thessalonica to find out how they were doing.

Do you feel this way about the spiritual well-being of other people? Is there someone you need to call or write to today because you want to find out how they are?  Do you have any words of encouragement for them? Any at all?

Tender love is a powerful love. A strong love. A love that will never, ever let go.

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00-Hero Alone-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailYOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE:  SURVIVAL STORIES FOR THE COURAGEOUS ISOLATED CHRISTIAN.  This book was written for the discouraged isolated Christian.  It is stories of people in the Bible who were isolated from society because they followed God.  There are thought questions at the end of each chapter.  A great gift to send someone who needs courage to keep going.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/354h5R8

YOU CAN BE A HERO ALONE: Survival Stories for the Isolated Christian

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

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn 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:

0-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Medium“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.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: 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

Book 7 ~ Stephen: Unlikely Martyr

Sunday 4/1 ~ Is the cost too high?

On By In death, Death of Jesus Christ, governments, power, Saved from hellLeave a comment

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

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Paul, a prisoner for spreading the word about Jesus? Now he wants others to follow his example, even if they end up in prison like him?  Did Paul’s incarceration stop the Christians he was writing to?  More, did Jesus’ crucifixion stop them for fear they would be crucified too?

Did early Christians decide it was too dangerous to tell people the way to escape hell and go to heaven? Never. They loved people so much, they were willing to take insults and persecution and imprisonment and even death in the hopes that their persistent love would eventually lead to people becoming Christians and being saved from eternal hell. They knew their calling as Christians.

How about today? Do you live a life worthy of your calling as a Christian? Do you stand up for Jesus and reach out to the lost, regardless of the cost? Or do you cower and use the excuse, “Once people see my godly life, they will ask me how to be saved”?  How many times do the lost really do that?

Rise up!  Stand tall as a brave soldier of the Lord. Dare to march into enemy territory and do everything you can to snatch the lost out of the claws of Satan.

No matter what they do to you.

Thursday 3/22 ~ You can never be consumed

On By In discouragement, emptiness, Inspirational, Loss, love, problems, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 22, is Lamentations 3:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”

Jeremiah had spent years warning people of the coming destruction of their country and beloved Jerusalem due to their selfish sinful life and taking advantage of each other. He endured taunts, reprimands, imprisonments, and threats to his life. Now it has happened. All hope is gone. Nothing left but ashes.

There were innocent people who suffered as a result.  Would they let Satan get his way and destroy their lives, their spirits, their souls too?  It is at this point that lamenting Jeremiah utters bravely amidst his own tears, “We are not consumed.”

Are there things going on your life that seem to be consuming you? Do you feel utterly hopeless?  Do you feel as though life may not be worth living anymore? Look up. God is still there. He still loves you.

When you have the love of God, you have the courage to take the next step and the next and the next. You have the courage to keep walking and walking and to hold your head high. Nothing and nobody can ever take away the love God has for you. With his love, you can never be consumed.

Tuesday 1/9 ~ Fearful? Go anyway.

On By In Inspirational, powerLeave a comment

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

00-PAUL COVER-Medium-“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, self-mutilation and sacrificing their children to the fire god.  Plus, his spies said those bad people were like giants. 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, or 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 (check out the list of visitor flags at the bottom of my website page ~ 65 countries) 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. And yearn to be with your Lord forever.

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

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link to ebook & discount paperback:  http://bit.ly/PaulUnstoppable

Scripture for Tuesday, October 31 (10/31)

On By In Daily, good works, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 31 (10/31), is 1st Corinthians 10:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Medium“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

How is your everyday life while around other people? What kind of employment do you have? Secretary, engineer, manual labor, going to school, teaching school, keeping your home, watching your children?

Some jobs are exciting, some are boring. Some require decisions, some require strict obedience. Some can involve a little bit of misrepresenting the truth. Some may be under a boss who is mean. Some may be among fellow-employees who shirk their duties and try to get by with doing as little as possible. Some may be among people who steal from the company.

Always remember that, wherever you are, that is God’s assignment for you in this universal battle between Good and Bad. You must do whatever you do in your daily life as good and honestly as possible. Will others notice? You bet they will!  Will they resent you? Maybe. Will they blame God because you are making them look bad? Deep down the resenters probably will. But at least it will make them think about God.

Then someday when they have a problem they are desperate to work through but cannot, who will they turn to? You. And God.

Be courageous. Stand firm. Do the right thing. And ultimately God will be glorified.

 

Scripture for Thursday, August 17 (8/17)

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn blessings, good works, Inspirational, persecution, Thanksgiving1 Comment

The scripture for today, August 17 (8/17), is Romans 8:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Medium-“Now if we are children, then we are heirs ~ heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (see also Galatians 3:16)

I Peter 4:12-14 says we should not be surprised when persecution happens, “as though something strange was happening to you.” If we are insulted because of Jesus, we are blessed.

Notice, we are co-heirs with Christ IF we share in his suffering. Have you shared in Jesus’ sufferings lately? Have you ever in your entire life shared in Jesus’ sufferings? If not, you haven’t told very many people about Jesus loving them or stood up for Jesus when people around you were making fun of him or using his name as a swear word.

Are you sinning by omission? Do you huddle with your church friends all the time and brag that all the friends you have are Christians? Jesus didn’t. Jesus went out to “seek and save the lost.” Are you seeking?

Sometime today, say something to someone about Jesus ~ someone in a store, at work, a neighbor, a fellow passenger on a bus. They probably won’t insult you. This may be exactly what they’ve been looking for. But if they do insult you, accept it graciously. Then go on your way feeling honored to be a “co-heir with Christ” by “sharing in his suffering.”

Try it. I dare you!

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website……https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com
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