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Written by Clare Chapman
I asked God, “What are you trying to do in my life?” He answered…“Make you understand that the answer is Me. When you search for meaning and direction I Am your answer. Seek Me with all your heart. You chase after meaningless things. Your affections should be on Me. I Am the one who truly loves you. You go, go, go…when are you going to STOP for Me? Wake up and come to Me. Don’t sleep through life. I Am pure joy and the answer to all you are looking for. I Am the real deal, not your busy life. Slow down and get with Me. You do need refreshing. I Am a well of living water.” God help me. Give me a burning desire for your Word and intimate time with You. Help me to put my relationship with You above all my other relationships. If I spend time with You, I can be a refreshment to many. I can trust You.
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Written by Donna Butler
Why do we doubt God? Why don’t we trust what He says and actually take it as “the gospel truth”? The world uses that phrase as an idiom, but it is based on what is known to be true. The Gospel is THE Truth. The Word of God, His promises, His declarations have been established through the blood covenant with Jesus Christ. So why are we second guessing the very words that He staked the sacrifice of His one and only Son on? Since the beginning, God has continued to create, renew, restore, and uphold us in His promises! So, is it really God that we doubt, mistrust, and second guess? Or, is it our own selves we don’t have enough confidence in? We doubt our own worth to God, even though He calls us the “apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8) or that His thoughts of us are more than the grains of sand (Psalm 139:18). And if that’s not enough, we often skip over the very beginning of one of the most quoted verses, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world…”. Let’s just park right there for a minute. God loved (welcomed, to be fond of, to be well pleased, to be contented with) even with all the sin already established before us! He loved! He loved what? The world! All of it! From His very creation and arrangement to the inhabitants which Strong’s defines as “the ungodly multitude”. From the world's affairs to the earthly goods that often draw us away from Him. Yet, He loved us enough to send His Son as a payment for what we so freely take for granted. We also do not trust that we are who He says that we are. Yet, God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). In 1 Corinthians 2:16, it says that we have the mind of Christ. God trusts us so much that He calls us His temple and sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. Would you give a part of yourself to a person that you do not trust? We second guess something that we know in our hearts to be true. We just don’t want to believe or accept that it is actually for us and not just for someone else more deserving. Or we are talking ourselves out of something because of the cost or sacrifice of commitment. Either way, James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Therefore, if we can’t make up our minds, should we expect God to do it for us? And, if He did, would we honor Him for it or rebel like a toddler being told no? This is why God lays it all out before us and allows us to make that choice. So, what is holding back? Regardless of what we’ve been through or going through, God has not and will not change (Psalm 33:11). He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is our Shepherd, our fortress, our Deliverer, and we also have Jesus as our advocate (John 17:15). He is faithful, loving, gentle, patient, and kind. He is a good, good Father. Let’s take Him at His Word. Written by Susan Stedman
Sigmund Freud is the founder of psychoanalysis and a famous Austrian neurologist. He regarded God as an illusion and believed that religion should be set aside in favor of reason and science. He noted the likeness between faith and neurotic obsession and called the belief in God a “collective neurosis”. Most people will look at you in a weird way if you even mention hearing voices because in our society today, that is taken as a sure sign of mental illness. Imagine Paul telling his therapist, “And I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth!’” Would anyone have taken him seriously in our culture? I have seen street preachers doing the same kind of thing. Do you ever wonder if we’ve missed something important because of the jaded way we think of experiences like this? Many civilizations – past and present – especially the less civilized ones - consider these people holy, not crazy. They were viewed as more aware, closer to the divine, or even touched by the gods. The Lakota Sioux have a word for that kind of holy contrary – heyoka. Their role is to make people see things differently, challenging the norms. It always made me wonder, do these people live in delusional states or could they be experiencing things that are beyond the capacity of normal people? Think about people born with Down’s Syndrome. They are almost always the happiest, most loving, sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. They treat everyone equally with kindness and never think badly about anyone they know. They exude enthusiasm and always trust in the best. Isn’t this the way God has called us all to be? He also says we must be as little children to enter the kingdom. So, does that make them closer to Him? Their obvious difference from us lies in their brains. Because of diminished cerebral functions, they don’t notice all the distractions around them the way we do. They don’t get stuck on “what if’s” because all they perceive is what’s happening “now”. They don’t focus on themselves or their feelings which means they don’t remember wrongs done to them or hold grudges. They don’t ascribe malicious motives to people whom we “normal” people can clearly see as malicious. They show love to all. This is something we could learn lessons from…it’s the epitome of “The Love Chapter”, 1 Corinthians 13. Researchers who look at how our brains process religious beliefs fall into one of two categories. They either hope their findings will help convince people of the validity of their faith, or they are trying to explain away what they call “an embarrassing relic of our past.” Many of the most well-known scientists believed in God, or at least in an intelligent design. In 1956, Albert Einstein stated, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” In 1979, Freeman Dyson, the English American theoretical physicist said, “I believe in the ancient covenant. It is true that we emerged in the universe by chance, but the idea of chance is itself only a cover for our ignorance. I do not feel like an alien in this universe. The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the universe, in some sense, must have known that we were coming.” Werner Heisenberg, who is considered the father of Quantum Physics, said, “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will make you an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass, God is waiting for you.” Isaac Newton had no doubts. “Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion.” At one time, he believed that gravity was caused by the will and spirit of God, not by any material cause. There is one modern physicist who has made a bold statement, standing out from his peers. Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist and string theory pioneer, is quoted as, “I have concluded that we are in a world made by rules created by an intelligence. Believe me, everything that we call chance today won’t make sense anymore. To me, it is clear that we exist in a plan which is governed by rules that were created, shaped by a universal intelligence and not by chance.” "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20) But we are safe. Psalm 25:1 tells us plainly, "No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame." Written by Brenda Johnson
In our bedroom are darkening curtains. The curtains do a great job at keeping the light from coming in. Even in midday we can completely darken our room. It’s great because I love to sleep late, so I miss awakening in the early morning light. When I want to nap in the afternoon, I can shut off all light by closing the drapes. As familiar as I am with the layout of my room, once in a while I will get up only to hit my knee against the bedpost. Instead of picking up my feet as I walk, I will on occasionally trip on the throw rug. Worse yet, sometimes on a trip to the bathroom I will reach for the door but find no knob because I am a few feet away from the door and am reaching on the wall. This reminds me that like my darkened bedroom, we live in a world full of darkness. We become used to it and quite familiar with the way things are. Still, we stumble, stub a toe, or fall. Sometimes I reach for my cell phone which I keep near me and use the flashlight app to guide me to the door. We, in our familiarity with this world we live in, forget to use the Light to guide us through while we are here. Jesus is the Light of the world shining in the Darkness (John 12:46). He illuminates the way for us. We are reminded in John 1:4-5 (NIV) “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” No matter how comfortable or knowledgeable we become with this world we live in, life will be difficult to navigate. Furthermore, we will never, without the Light of Jesus in our lives, overcome this dreary and menacing darkness. Jesus is the true Light available to everyone (John 1:12-13). When we believe and receive Him, we become children of God and our path is made clear. No obstacles can change the course for us. He is our “flashlight.” Do not wander through the darkness without the Light. When we do we stumble, stub our toes, go the wrong direction, open the wrong doors, and fall. Let Jesus show you the way from darkness into the Light. Use your “Light App” today. A Lament Poem Written by Clare Chapman
Written by Donna Butler
God’s steadfast love is in everything! From the beginning of time, throughout creation, and even when sparks fly because of friction between any part of humanity/human relationships…HIS steadfast love for us endures forever! So, what is important to you? What stirs your heart or raises your blood pressure? What distracts you? God’s steadfast love still endures forever! He cares about the small things as well as the big things because He is mindful of us (1 Peter 5:7). Fix your frame of focus! There’s nothing that can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39) because His steadfast love endures forever! Whether we are in the light, as He is in the light, or in the dark times when we need a developing process to bring forth the proper perspective, His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 139:7-18 is an amazing passage that details how much God has loved us from our mother’s womb. But, verse 7 starts out with; “Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee to escape Your presence?” We could be living our best life or sprawled out in our worst nightmare! Even then, His steadfast love endures forever! We need to stop blaming God for any circumstance we are in! Fix your frame of focus! Whether we are a beautiful blooming plant producing seeds to multiply or a seed that is buried in the dirt with potential to impact the world, it’s His steadfast love that continually waters us. Without Him, we die. Written by Lori Henson A vice removes the grip of grace It steals the empowerment to run this race The wooing and cunning, it draws indeed Planting a dry harvest with a toxic seed This vice completely straps the heart It plays a very strategic part And you run your life without a chance Of finishing in the freedom dance The vice is called ADDICTION undaunted And it longs to live where you can be haunted It tugs and pulls and drives the stake Then lingers like an unwanted drake But, O’ there IS a God who knows Your every trial, need, and woe He longs to lavish His love on you To set you free- He died for YOU! The Lord, He is the God who heals And places you in HIS eternal seal He WILL restore, He WILL deliver And wash you in His ABUNDANT RIVER Give it all to Him dear soul Let Him take His full control He’ll set you free from vices strength And all that has enticed you at length .Written by Susan Stedman
I don’t know how many of you have been watching “The Chosen” series about the life of Jesus. I hope everyone is because it is the most wonderful, amazing show I have ever seen. Make sure you have plenty of tissue with you because the tears always flow. From the very first episode where Jesus calls Mary by her real name, which only her father had done in childhood, to the latest episode with the healing of the woman with the twelve-year issue of blood, those two episodes mean so much to me that I can barely share it. After a year of suffering, I was diagnosed with vertigo in 2012. There are days when all I can do is lie still with my eyes closed, unable to drive or work. Not only have I lived with the disabling dizziness, but with the fear of it coming on at any time. I can say that the fear was just as debilitating as the condition. It would hit most often when I laid down to sleep…a sudden feeling of tilting or rolling. I would shout and grab whatever I could hold onto because I was afraid of falling out of bed. Once it hit, I was down until I could take meds and sleep it off. Sunday night, January 8, 2023, my husband and I watched the episode “Clean, Part Two.” I sympathized with the lady who had the issue of blood because in 2010, I had that problem so badly that I nearly died and had to have an emergency hysterectomy and nine blood transfusions to save my life. As the episode drew near the end, the woman followed Jesus, trying so desperately to touch the hem of his garment because she had faith that doing that would heal her. Just as in the scriptures, as soon as she touched Him, He felt it and turned. I was crying my heart out because I could feel vertigo coming on as I watched. All I could think was, “If I could just touch Him, I could be healed of this!" Lovingly, Jesus knelt down to her – I was crying so hard I could barely see the screen – and He told her that it was not the cloth she touched, but it was her faith that healed her. I’m not sure what came over me, but I felt that Jesus was speaking to me directly. I always wavered before, not having enough faith to sustain me, but seeing it played out before me was proof that it really was true, what He said. Not what was on TV, but what the Bible said. I prayed and declared my intention. I was afraid to say anything to anyone – sort of hedging my bets – but I realized it was that doubt that had always held my faith back. On Wednesday morning, I told my husband. By then, I had not had vertigo in three days. It had never stayed away so long. A hint of it washed over me a couple of times like it was trying to reassert itself, but I refused it out loud, reclaiming the healing, and when I resisted it, it went away. On that Wednesday night, I learned something that blew me away. The Bible doesn’t mention the woman by name, but on the show, they named her. When my mother was pregnant with me, my father wanted to name me Veronica. He loved that name and called me that most of her pregnancy, I am told that my mother did not like it. My father had never finished high school and, although he was a mechanical genius, he was not very literate. Mother said, “If you can spell it, we will name her that.” So, sadly for him, I was named Susan. I was reading about the episode, and I discovered that the woman was called “Veronica.” To me, it was so much like Mary in the first episode, not being called that name except by her father, living a lie as an unclean person, until her real Father called her by name and said, “I have redeemed you, you are mine.” Update: One week later, still no vertigo. I can sleep on my right side, which I could not do, and I can roll over onto my back, which I haven’t been able to do in years. AMEN! Written by Terri Warner Happy New Year to all who venture to read this! We traditionally send happy wishes to family and friends during the first few days of January. What do we really mean by our well wishes? What does it really mean to be happy? Have you ever wondered what it would take to make you happy? Solomon had everything life had to offer, so what did he have to say? There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. God granted Solomon wisdom which was and still is pleasing to God. Solomon submitted to God’s authority and showed honor by prioritizing his life to glorify God. We too are to prioritize our time and all the things we do in our life to the glory of God. My memory verse for this year is Proverbs 21:21 which says: ”He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.” I do like practical ways to contemplate and plan how I will navigate the new year. I enjoy self-reflection and self-improvement as my new year’s resolutions. Please join me in evaluating the best plan to obtain happiness continuing into 2023. First, prayer should be the number one priority for every believer. Talking to God about our day and the interactions with the people we encounter is imperative to actively glorify God. I suggest that you take the first moment you wake up in the morning to express thankfulness and gratitude to our Creator. Then, the next thing directed to God should be the question, “Lord, what would you like from me today?” Finally, find a daily devotional or a reading of scripture that speaks best to you. Starting a routine of this will hopefully give you a desire for more daily direction from the Holy Spirit. Secondly, cultivate new and old relationships continually bringing honor and glory to Jesus. All of us encounter people who are difficult to love, so did Jesus. Think of someone you need to exemplify the Lord’s unconditional love to. It could be a daily challenge to love the unlovely or make time for others. If you need some guidance in dealing with different people and interaction situations, read Tammy Melton’s book on “Refining Relationships.” Also, let’s all keep in communion with one another by encouraging our efforts through our monthly “Whole Life Today” group on Tuesday nights 7-8 pm through Zoom. Finally, don’t forget to give the best care you can give to yourself. Remember, there are times that it is very healthy to think of yourself first. You are very important! When you are your best, you can do your best for Christ! So please be very proactive in self-care. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you. God Bless you as you become the very best person you were created to be, this year of 2023 and beyond!
Written by Clare Chapman
Hi! This is Clare Chapman from Kingdom Writer’s Group. It is 11:41pm on December 31, 2022. I am getting excited about 2023! What does God have in store for me-His beloved daughter? I can’t wait to find out! I pray I will dwell in His presence and be forever aware that He lives inside me because I will need Him every day of 2023! He knows all my thoughts, every hair on my head, when I sleep, and when I wake up. He knows what I need today and in the future. He is preparing me for 2023 and He is preparing me a place forever. Now to get real! There are people who suffer in this world for their faith in Jesus. We do not need to take our freedoms in Christ or the freedoms we have left in this country for granted. I can go on a diet, plan all my meals, and find all the ingredients I need for every recipe all the time, but that is not the case for everyone on this planet. I have so much to be thankful for! So what do I do with this year 2023? I think I should make the most of it, appreciate it, and learn during it! I have dreams and you may too. I want to start a YouTube channel and I want to get healthy mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially with God‘s help. I want to be a good friend, sister, daughter, aunt, speaker and writer. I want to follow God‘s will for me in 2023! Can I do any of this without God? I could try but why? God says we can do nothing without him. Jesus says in John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” We are so blessed that the God who created the universe is mindful of us and wants to hold our hand and walk through life with us! the Bible says in Isaiah 41:13 “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Christ came to earth, died for our sins, rose again, and sent the Holy Spirit so we could have a close intimate relationship with Him. Why do you live without Him? We have such a privilege to know Jesus! Knowing Jesus makes me excited on New Year’s Eve! Even when I am alone, I can feel God‘s presence. I am in a warm house beautifully decorated to my taste. I can take a hot bath, cook a hot meal, and drink a cold or hot drink. I am truly blessed beyond measure! BUT my greatest blessing is Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit!!! if tonight you don’t know Jesus…you can! God wants to hold your hand, live inside you and guide you in 2023. His ways are higher, His ways are best, and His ways bring blessings! I trust Him with my 2023. Can you? The joy and power of God‘s presence will be my biggest blessing in 2023! Let it be yours too. I pray Ephesians 3:16-18 over you and your family for 2023 “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” Amen!!! |
About Rays of Light:Whereas most blogs are from one writer, these posts are from a variety of authors and styles. These scribes all attend our Kingdom Writers group. We pray our passion to share God's love through writing will encourage you today!
kingdom WritersOur writers group meets every 4th Tuesday Night at 7PM in person and/or via zoom. Let us know if you would like to join us. Archives
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