Ten Scriptures, Songs, & Some Thoughts To Encourage You In Uncertain Times

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
I Thessalonians 4:16-18
(KJV)

I will never forget a particular time of prayer in early 2015.
Praying is a natural, many-times-a-day occurrence for me.
I find that the older I get and the longer I serve Jesus, the more I need to pray.
So, for me to say I remember an individual moment spent at the feet of Jesus may sound odd, especially to those who know me well and are familiar with my daily routine.
But, there are moments in prayer that are profound—that shake you to the core and leave a lasting, indelible mark, changing the course of your life forever.

That prayer was one of those kinds of prayers.
We were in the beginning stages of that dreadful identity theft nightmare —the one that turned out to be one of the biggest turning points of our lives.

As I prayed, I heard God whisper,
"I am a jealous God.
I want to be your all in all."

I sat there, speechless.
Wasn't He that already?
Hadn't I been serving Him since I was a little girl?
Hadn't I made Him Lord of my life and surrendered all to Him at that little spot on Buena Vista,
where I wholeheartedly handed Him the reins?
What, in my life, could be competing with Him that would provoke His jealousy?

I have pondered His words, "I want to be your all in all," as, over the course of the time between that day and this, He has repeated them to me time after time.

I realize now, looking back on the time God spoke those words to me in 2015 that I had no idea of what was coming up ahead, and how one at a time, He would ask us to cut the shorelines to everything that we have depended on to keep us "safe"— the things that were competing with Him as our source.

So often, I reflect upon Ezekiel 47:3-5,
"Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.  Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep.  Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep.  Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through."  (ESV)

In this post, I talked about how God has called my little family and me out of the boat into deep waters.
Events since the writing of that post have plunged us into even deeper waters that are over our heads, and we can no longer feel the ground beneath our feet.

As I was praying this morning, it hit me that the only thing we are standing on right now are the promises of God.

When life takes uncertain turns, and we find ourselves in such unfamiliar territory,

it is easy to become overwhelmed and even terrified.
Today, I wanted to share ten Scriptures and encouraging songs that are ministering to me right now.
I truly hope they bless you as much as they are blessing me!

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
Isaiah 41:10
(KJV)

If you are facing uncertain times, pray, my friend.
Pray now.


Pray Now ~ Karen Peck & New River

"And the LORD shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
Isaiah 58:11
(King James 2000 Bible)


Grab Your Umbrella ~ The Talleys

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5,6
(KJV)


All My Hope Is In Jesus ~ Crowder w/Tauren Wells

"This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."

Isaiah 48:17
(NIV)

Until Then ~ Pap & Paul Wilson

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
I Corinthians 15:57
(KJV)

Victory Is Mine ~ Karen Peck & New River

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:  and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."
Isaiah 45:2,3
(KJV)

When Death Was Arrested ~ The Talleys

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
Deuteronomy 31:6
(KJV)

Fear Is A Liar ~ Zach Williams

"Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began."
Psalm 139:16
(Christian Standard Bible)

God of All My Days ~ Casting Crowns

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk you in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left."
Isaiah 30:21
(King James 2000 Bible)

Broken People Like Me ~ Old Paths

"My times are in Thy hand."
Psalm 31:15
(KJV)

Control ~ Tenth Avenue North

Take courage, my friends!
God is winnowing our paths, sifting out the things satan tries to inject that are contrary to His Divine will.
He sees you.
He hears your prayers.
He is for you.
He loves you so much!
So, do I.
I am praying for every person who will ever read this.
Look up!
Our Redemption draws nigh!

Spiritual Warfare: Ten Things You Need To Know

 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds..."

2 Corinthians 10:4

(KJV)

In this post and this post, I mentioned that God has been teaching me about spiritual warfare.

The training exercises have been intense and unforgettable.

The hardest-learned lessons impart the deepest and most long-lasting learning.

Any wisdom we acquire in this Christian life is worth whatever we have to go through to glean

because it better equips us to overcome and conquer in future spiritual conflicts.

Just as it takes time and experience for a soldier to become seasoned and tempered for combat,

so it goes in the Christian's life.

I shared before that God led me to take on a very exhaustive ministerial endeavor.

What I didn't tell you is that it took me a little while to surrender to what He was asking me to do,

and, when I finally surrendered and said, "yes" to God, it didn't take satan long to launch what has been one of the most fierce, cruel, extreme seasons of spiritual warfare I have battled through yet.

I said "yes" to God's call on a Wednesday, and, I kid you not, the brutal attacks began on Thursday.

Not only do the hardest-learned lessons impart the deepest and most long-lasting learning,

this learning can come by no other means than a first-hand, personal walk-through of the experience.

So, for quite some time now, I have been engaged in what feels like hand-to-hand combat with satan himself.

Aren't we all?

This fight is not unique to me.

If you are a Christian, if you are sold out to God, determined to follow Him whole-heartedly and have made up your mind to live your every moment in alignment with His Word and will,

you are either IN a spiritual battle, or there is one looming on your horizon.

Not to be negative, just telling it like it is.

It is not a matter of if you will be called out to the battlefield, it is a matter of when.

Here are ten things I've learned about spiritual warfare that I hope you will find beneficial.

1.  Prepare for war in the time of peace.
The time to prepare is when times are calm...on those precious, ordinary days.
Oh, that we would all learn the true value and worth of an ordinary day!
It is too late to try to prepare when thrust suddenly onto the battlefield.
Use lulls in between battles and moments of reprieve as opportunities to reload, regroup, and to set in motion a game plan for the next attack.

The secret to victory lies in adopting a proven strategy ahead of time and strictly adhering to it, regardless.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
 Benjamin Franklin

2.  Study your opponent.

Who is he?

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
2 Corinthians 11:14

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
2 Corinthians 4:4

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience..."
Ephesians 2:1,2

How does he operate?

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."

I Peter 5:8,9

What have you learned from his past maneuvers?

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him."
Zechariah 3:1

When has he been most successful in discouraging you?

"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

2 Corinthians 2:11

Where does he spend his time?

"And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Job 1:7

3.  Be always on guard.

You never know when the enemy will pounce,
where temptation will present itself,
or what channel he will decide to use.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
I Corinthians 16:13

Watch and pray.

The disciples slept and later failed when it mattered most.
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Matthew 26:41

"Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

Psalm 121:4

Unfortunately, our adversary never sleeps, either.

Don't think for one moment that he ever lets up or falls down on the job.

4.  Build a Massive Scriptural Arsenal.

(Read about this, and find 30 Scriptures here and 20 more Scriptures here.)

Learn from Jesus' example.

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered.

And when the tempter came to Him, he said, if Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

But He answered and said, 'It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'

Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple,

And saith unto Him, if Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Jesus said unto him, 'It is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'

Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, 'Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.'

Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him."

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus Christ, our Example, absolutely overcame satan and all of his temptations and tactics every, single time by quoting the written Word of God out loud.

This is how you and I will overcome, too.
Keep your Massive Scriptural Arsenal well-stocked, at all times.
Produce their power by SPEAKING them in the face of satan and his ploys.

"Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee..."
Job 22:28

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12

5.  Be sure to include many praise verses in your Massive Scriptural Arsenal.

The prophecy of Jesus in Isaiah 61:1-3 says,

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified."

Jesus came to give the garment of praise as an exchange for the spirit of heaviness.
The enemy will not stick around where praises to God are being uttered.

Here are ten praise verses to enhance your arsenal.

"I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."
2 Samuel 22:4

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ..."
Ephesians 1:3

"The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him."
Exodus 15:2

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
Revelation 5:12

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

Psalm 22:3

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..."
Ephesians 5:20

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people."
I Chronicles 16:8

"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."
Hebrews 13:15

"I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of Thee..."
Daniel 2:23

"I will extol Thee, my God, O king; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."
Psalm 145:1-3

6.  Memorize every verse in your Massive Scriptural Arsenal.

It sounds like a lofty goal.

It isn't that difficult.

If you are going to be prepared to fight and successfully overcome the enemy the way Jesus fought and conquered him, you are going to have to know the Word of God.

Write Scripture verses on index cards or post-it notes and tape them on your bathroom mirror,

on the dashboard of your car, in the corner of your computer screen, on the back of your phone, 

on your refrigerator or microwave door, or wherever you are most likely to see them.

Repeat them out loud throughout the day.

Let them permeate your personal space and surrounding atmosphere.

7.  Keep a song of praise in your heart at the ready.

When King Jehoshaphat was faced with a battle that he could not, humanly, ever hope to win,
he developed an unusual, but simple and perfectly successful, military strategy.
He prayed to God, and he sent singers of praise out BEFORE the army.

"And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.  And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.  And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.  And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten."
2 Chronicles 20:19-22

As a result of the singers going before the army, God fought the battle FOR them,
and they did not have to lift a finger to fight!!

"I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
Psalm 104:33

"Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for He hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers."
Jeremiah 20:13

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him."
Psalm 28:7

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High..."
Psalm 92:1

8. Study and learn from great warriors.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us..."

Hebrews 12:1

Think Joshua, David, Jehoshaphat, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Inundate your Massive Scriptural Arsenal with their words and quote them out loud in battle.

Old Testament battles are types and shadows of our spiritual battles in the dispensation of grace.

Think Peter, Paul, John.

Study their battles and the New Testament books they, through Holy Spirit inspiration, penned.

Think a Godly mentor from your past, a hero of the faith you have read about and admire, 

or a current pastor or spiritual leader who lives a holy life.

Read about the saints of old and replicate the spiritual weapons they used and wrote about.

How did they run a successful Christian race?

I guarantee that two common threads you will inevitably find is that they live(d) a life of fervent prayer, and their Scriptural arsenal is (was) abundantly armed.

Emulate that.

9.  Set Ebenezer stones to mark places of victory.

"Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us."

I Samuel 7:12

Set your own Ebenezer stones in place.

Look back on them later for encouragement.

Start an Ebenezer stone journal.

Read it when faced with a new spiritual challenge.
The same God Who brought you through before will bring you through again.
You can trust Him.
He never changes.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."
Hebrews 13:8

10.  Keep your armor on.
Don't ever take it off.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints..."

Ephesians 6:11-18

God has provided for ample protection, if only we will pick up our armor, put it on, and never take it off.

2 Peter 1:10 says, 

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall..."

May God bless each one of you and keep you ever faithful at your post of duty.

God has placed you where you are for a Divine purpose.

I don't know what your individual battle entails, but I do know that God is with you always.

Through Him, you are more than a conqueror.  (Romans 8:37)

Since God is for you, who can be against you?  (Romans 8:31)

Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.  (I John 4:4)

There are more with us than be with them.  (2 Kings 6:16)

Be courageous in your battle, and know that God is ever on your side!

As the song below says, "we must soldier on!"

If video doesn't load, click here.

Updates - 6/21/2017, Prayer Requests, & More Arsenal Scriptures

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Psalm 46:1

(KJV)

First of all, I want to PRAISE GOD for hearing and answering the many prayers YOU, dear readers,

have prayed over the past few days for the precious nine year old, little girl who has a mass in her stomach.

At the time I asked for prayer, my family did not want to disclose the identity of the little girl,

as my dear sister, Sharon, (her grandmother), had just undergone major surgery and was suffering from complications, and we did not want to alarm or worry her or add to her physical distress.

Now, that we have GREAT news, I will tell you that the little girl is none other than the one I have referred to here on the blog as "Little Miss", my niece, Kim's daughter, Kyla.

Little Miss Kyla

You may remember this sweet picture I shared with you here in 2012.

Two people SO dear to my heart, my precious Mother and sweet "Little Miss" Kyla.

This picture was taken three weeks (to the day) before Jesus called my dear Mom home to Heaven.

The doctors have determined that the mass in Kyla's stomach is BENIGN.

PRAISE GOD for this wonderful news!!

I have to believe that dear Mom is watching over us all, and the many prayers she prayed for all of us for so many years are still being answered.

Kyla does have an epigastric hernia, and she has to have surgery on July 28th. 

We would surely appreciate your continued prayers that all will go well with her during the operation.

We cannot thank you enough for your faithfulness to pray.

We realize the outcome could have been very different, and we have no words to express how grateful we are for God's mercy!

**************************************************

Please continue to pray for my dear friend, Priscilla's family, as they walk through these days of grief,

after the tragic and sudden death of her 26 year-old sister-in-law, Megan.

Megan died in a car wreck on her way home from work last week and left behind a husband, Josh, and a precious seven-year old, daughter, Sierra.

Josh, Sierra, and Megan

Sierra and her mommy, Megan

My heart just breaks as Priscilla tells me how little Sierra goes in and lays out her Daddy's clothes for him, and how she is so concerned with the grief of other family members.

She is truly a precious, loving, little girl, who now has no mother to love and care for her.

Dear friends, PLEASE continue to lift up this dear family in prayer.

Megan did not have life insurance, and the family is left with a lot of expenses that must be paid.

If anyone feels led to reach out and bless them in any way,

please contact me privately.

As a side note....

Many of you will remember THE BROWN FAMILY and how prayer requests and updates concerning them and their tragic August 2014 car accident were the main focus of Homespun Devotions for such a long time.

The same dear friend, Priscilla, who just lost her sister-in-law, Megan, is the same person who personally knows the Brown family and who originally notified me of their need for prayer.

Priscilla is one the dearest and truest friends a person could ever have.

She has prayed my family and me through countless trials, afflictions, and distresses,

never, for a moment, turning her back on us or shying away from standing by our side,

regardless the cost.

She is one of the most faithful, dedicated, intercessory prayer warriors I know.

She not only prays for us and others, but I happen to know that she often gives up her daily food and adds fasting to her prayers, never seeing anything she does as a sacrifice or wanting any attention drawn to it.

She was a precious, beloved friend to my dear Mom for many years, 

often calling her to encourage and lift her spirits during times of pain, abandonment, and despair.

She is one of the few people you can call or email anytime, day or night, and you know, without a doubt, you will find someone on the other end of the computer or phone who will drop everything and fall to their knees.

Through all of life's ups, downs, sorrows, and joys, Priscilla is there, she is a treasure, and friends like her are precious and few.

I cannot begin to say how much Kevin, Zachary, our extended family, and I love and appreciate her and her faithful friendship, love, support, encouragement, loyalty, and prayers through the years,

and it is our prayer that God will reach down and comfort her and her dear family now, 

in their time of need.

*******************************************************

I would so appreciate your continued prayers for my dear niece, Kristen,

and her precious unborn baby boy, as the day approaches when they will do a C-section on July 5th.

Kristen's dear, unborn baby boy

We continue to believe with all our hearts that God will bring Kristen and her baby through

and allow both of them to be alive, healthy, and all to be well, in spite of all.

(For those who do not know, Kristen has a blood clot in her lung, has had to be on blood thinners throughout nearly her entire pregnancy, and is suffering from tachycardia.  She will be taken off blood thinning medication on July 4th, the day before the C-section.)

We ask that you will please continue to pray that God will not allow Kristen to go into labor before July 5th, due to the risk of giving birth while on the blood thinner.

I anxiously look forward to the day that I can share an amazing victory report with you, 

telling you how God has answered the many, many prayers you have prayed for so long!!

Jesus said, "According to your faith be it unto you."

Matthew 9:29

My faith says that Kristen and her baby will LIVE,

that they will be in GOOD health, 

and they will both have a HUGE testimony to share for many years to come!

Again, I believe Mom's faithful prayers over us all for so many years are still being heard,

and I feel that she is watching over us all.

More and more, I can see and come to greater appreciate the invaluable worth of a praying mother,

and it makes me want to be ever more diligent to pray over and for our own precious son.

*******************************************************************

Many of you already know about the awful trials that our dear fellow blogger and friend,
Kelly-Anne and her family are facing.
They lost their home and everything in it on June 7th.
It is just heart wrenching to see the devastating pictures and read of the pain and loss in Kelly-Anne's latest blog post HERE.
Dear friends, PLEASE PRAY that Kelly-Anne and her family can find a permanent place to live 
that would accommodate her and her family's needs, along with their beloved pets.
Surely, we know God sees all they have suffered and lost, and He has promised to supply their needs.
It is a complete miracle that Kelly-Anne and all of her family members and their pets were
able to get out in time, and that none of them were harmed.
Eight people died in the fires that swept around their home, including their little 3 year old neighbor whom Kelly-Anne and her family used to babysit.
Oh, it is so sad!
May God have mercy and open the right home for Kelly-Anne and her family in the aftermath of all they have gone through and lost.
Please pray!

**********************************************************************

What would we do without Jesus?
To whom would we turn in such times of need and grief and loss?
I am so thankful for the precious Word of God and the comfort it provides.

It is on that note that I leave you with 30 more Scriptures for your Massive Scriptural Arsenal,
along with a song that has encouraged and sustained me through recent trials.

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

Isaiah 41:13

"...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Matthew 28:20

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me."

Psalm 138:7

"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life."

Job 33:4

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him."

Isaiah 64:4

"For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

Psalm 100:5

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands..."

Isaiah 49:15,16

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

Galatians 6:9

"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Romans 8:15

"Be still, and know that I am God...:

Psalm 46:10

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

Mark 11:24

"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

Psalm 24:4,5

"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the 

singing of birds is come..."

Song of Solomon 2:11,12

"And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

Deuteronomy 31:8

"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

"And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."

Exodus 33:14

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

Psalm 23:4

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22,23

"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up."

Psalm 5:3

"And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace."

John 1:16

"Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust."

Psalm 16:1

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Romans 8:26

"The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places."

Habakkuk 3:19

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

Isaiah 43:19

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?"

Matthew 6:26

"In the day when I cried Thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul."

Psalm 138:3

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

Romans 8:32

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
Jeremiah 29:11

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God bless you and meet any needs you have, my friends.

I love and appreciate each one of you so very much!

Building An Arsenal of Scripture - Part 2 & Update On Kristen & Two New Urgent Prayer Requests

"Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth..."
2 Chronicles 2:12
(KJV)

UPDATE ON KRISTEN:
Thank you all SO very much for your continued prayers for my dear niece, Kristen.

Her three doctors have finally come to an agreement on a definite due date, praise God.
This is such a relief to all of us.

They have made the long-dreaded switch in the two medications,
and they have scheduled a C-section for July 5th.
They plan to have her off the blood thinners just one day ahead of surgery,
so if you could please pray that Kristen will not go into labor before the date of the C-section,
we would be most grateful.
Also, if you will, please pray that she will not develop other blood clots while off the medication,
and we are hoping her platelets and levels will be such that she can withstand an epidural to be able to be awake to experience the birth.

Surely, our trust is in the dear Lord, Who made Heaven and earth.

He is the Great Physician.

He is Jehovah Rapha - The God Who heals.

"And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: 

for I am the LORD that healeth thee."

Exodus 15:26

We are believing He will show His power through Kristen's situation.

I cannot wait to share the victory report here with so many of you
who have so faithfully prayed her through this awful ordeal.

I do not have words to express how much your prayers and loving support mean to my family and me.

We feel so blessed to have all of you in our lives and to know that so many of you are praying and interceding on behalf of my dear niece and her baby.

God bless each one of you, and may He reward you for your sacrifice and meet any needs you have in your own lives.

*************************************************************

I also have two NEW very urgent requests for prayer.

Today, I received news about a precious nine year old little girl who has a mass in her stomach.
Dear friends, PLEASE pray that God will heal this dear child and not allow the mass to be anything serious.
Needless to say, the family is very concerned and trusting God for good news.
We know God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think,
and our eyes are upon HIM and His power to heal.

************************************************************

Last night, I received news that my dear friend, Priscilla's sister-in-law, Megan, was killed in a car wreck yesterday evening on her way home from work.
She was only 26 years old and left behind her husband, Josh, their little 7 year old girl, Sierra, and many other loved ones.
My friend and her family are in complete shock over what has happened,
and the dear little girl, of course, does not understand and is asking so many questions.

 Megan, Josh, and Sierra

7 year old, Sierra, with her Mommy, Megan, last Saturday

I can't even imagine the pain in this little girl's heart.
PLEASE pray for all who grieve over this tragic loss.

*******************************************************************

I'd like to share several more Scriptures that God has been giving me to add to my Massive Scriptural Arsenal, in hopes that they will bless you, and you will be able to memorize them 

and add them to your own Arsenal to have on hand, at all times.

Before I do, though, I want to take this space to PRAISE GOD for bringing me through a very

rough and trying time over the course of the past several months.

The enemy has fought so hard to thwart a particularly difficult endeavor that God called me to.

We all know that wherever God is working, and whenever His purpose is being accomplished,

the enemy is not far away, doing his utmost to kill, steal, and destroy everything God is doing.

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him."

Zechariah 3:1

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John 10:10

"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

2 Corinthians 2:11

Let me just tell you that the spiritual warfare has been intense, and I remember one night, 

when the battle was particularly fierce that I actually told the Lord out loud,

"I am NOT going to do this."

Yes, I am ashamed and sorry to admit it, but it is what it is.
I am not going to sugar-coat the truth or pretend to be someone I am not.

I was SO discouraged, so exhausted, so physically ill,

I honestly did not think I could take it one more second.

There was a very identifiable, palpable correlation between the weighty task at hand and the severe satanic attacks I was experiencing.

There was no doubt that satan was standing at my right hand to resist me.

NO doubt whatsoever.

I knew exactly what he was doing.

But, when you are sick in body, weary in mind, and diminished in spirit,

it is hard to fight.

You reach a point where you have nothing left.

(If you care to read anymore of the not-so-desirable details,

you may want to read this post and/or this post.)

Praise the Lord, even though I was strongly tempted to run away from the battlefield, 

I finally mustered the courage to pick up my Sword and fight.

All glory to Jesus, I fought clear through and finished the exacting assignment He was asking of me.

It is done.

The lessons He taught during this time of severe testing are ever before me,
and I do not think I shall ever forget them.
I hope to share more about what He has shown me concerning spiritual warfare in a future post,
if He wills it to be so.

For now, here are 20 more verses to add to your M.S.A.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened unto you:  

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings;
that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
I Peter 4:12,13

"Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage:
for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."
Joshua 10:25

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
I Corinthians 16:13

"...for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee."
2 Chronicles 20:12

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."
Ephesians 6:10

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Psalms 46:1

"For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."
Isaiah 25:4

"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 2:3

"...there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few."
I Samuel 14:6

"The LORD your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you..."
Deuteronomy 1:30

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Psalm 126:5,6

"The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction."

Jeremiah 15:11

"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days."
Ecclesiastes 11:1

"For the LORD will not forsake his people for His great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you His people."

I Samuel 12:22

"And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places..."

Isaiah 32:18

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Philippians 4:13

"Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver."
Job 22:25

"The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build..."
Nehemiah 2:20

"Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."
Isaiah 55:3

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
Proverbs 18:10

God bless you, dear readers!
I love and appreciate each one of you from the bottom of my heart.

This song is my testimony tonight.
I cannot praise God enough for delivering me, once again.
PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!!!

May He soon send deliverance to all of you who are suffering and in battles of your own.

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