Illness and death, unfortunately, don’t take a break during the Holidays, and for many, Christmas is a very bittersweet time of reflection and memories of loved ones that have passed on. The Psalmist wanted to convey that our strength is drawn from the Lord, and while we travel through our Valley of Baca…also called the Valley of Weeping… our tears are watering the desert landscape and causing springs of hope and peace to well up.
Author: kezha1
A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
You’ll never know how a kind gesture will impact another person. What you consider to be simple or just a tradition during the Holidays you do, may make Christmas very special for someone else. Doing good and sharing with those out in the community is also a wonderful way of teaching children that it’s more blessed to give than to receive at Christmas time.
Psalm 37:8 ” Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil.”
One of the greatest tools Satan has in his bag of tricks is to bait us into thinking we’ve been talked about behind our backs. Oh how our minds go wild with indignation and anger as we sit and fume about these “perceived” verbal assaults. We’ll brood and sulk over things we “think” people have said, not knowing if any of its true. And Satan sits there and laughs hysterically …for most of the time, our name wasn’t even mentioned at all.
I Corinthians 13:13 ” And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
These are what last – trust, confidence and love in the Lord. But the one that Jesus spoke of as the greatest, was love…In Matthew 22: 37-40 He said, ” Love the Lord…and love your neighbor as yourself.” Our faith expresses itself through love…this love for one another comes from Him…and we show our love for Him by loving others.
Genesis 15:1 “…I am your shield, your very good reward.”
The Lord is our defender, our protector, our safeguard in times of trouble. The enemy will attempt to come against us, but his darts will ricochet off harmlessly when our confidence in God. II Samuel 22:31 says, “He’s a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” In other words…put your trust in God…not in yourself, not in the world, not in others. Trust in God.
I Thessalonians 4: 11-12 ” Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
Whether we like it or not, how we conduct our day-to-day lives is on display for all to see. We can be either setting a good or bad example with our actions. But it’s not the repetitive drudgery we do that’s watched…rather, it’s how and in what attitude we do it.
Ezekiel 37:4 ” Then He said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord!’ “
Does your life feel like the Valley of Dry Bones?…like a dried-up and parched corpse left behind, while everyone else is moving forward? We gain life through God’s Word…His Word is breath into an otherwise dead body. Today, get into His Word and allow it to breathe life back into you.
Isaiah 1:13 “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!”
Have your conversations with the Lord become automatic and repetitive? Are your prayers the same words over and over again, to the point you can rattle them off without much thought or emotion? Meaningless babble to the Lord is as detestable as totally ignoring Him. Today, throw away the scripted and memorized prayers…for God longs to hear your heart…your needs and wishes in a loving conversation, not a manifesto.
Matthew 11: 28-30 ” Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
To be joined together with Jesus means that you know Him, and in knowing Him you understand His teachings and abide by them to the very best of your ability. To be united with Christ is about true freedom not bondage…it’s about liberation not slavery to sin.
Proverbs 24: 3-4 ” By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
When two people say “I do” the House is established…the family is started. And if they allow the Lord’s wisdom and understanding to flow within those walls…His purpose and plan for them will be accomplished, as they seek Him first.
Safetypinlove 