1 Chronicles 28:20

"Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (ESV)

Dear Lord, I know that You are here with me and that You are guiding me through this difficult time of hurt and confusion. Lift my heart, Lord, and give me the strength to raise my head and speak confidently. You are my rock, You are my courage. Guide my steps, guard my tongue and lift my heart while draping your shield of protection around my family. Amen.

Be blessed my fellow Christian brothers and sisters!

Urgent Prayer Request

To all my readers,

I generally only send out prayer requests to my prayer chains, but I think that more prayer warriors are needed at this time. My dear friend, Melissa, had to rush her husband, Chuck, to the emergency room this afternoon.

Chuck was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013 and after being in remission for about six months, the cancer has come back. They received that news last week. Chuck has been very ill this week, unable to eat and excessive vomiting. He is dehydrated and the hospital has admitted him. But the healing power of the Lord. Also, pray that the doctors have the knowledge to treat him and find out what the stomach issues are and treat them properly.

Cover both Chuck and Melissa in prayer for healing. It is a stressful time for this lovely couple and satan is hard at work breaking them down. The Lord will hear our prayers and His will shall be done.

Thank you to all who come along side my other prayer warriors and lift this couple up.

Blessings to you,
Rev. Michelle
www.prayersandpromisesministry.com

Finding The Right Path

Finding the right path is something you figure our in high school or college, right? That is what I thought, but when it came right down to it, even after nine years of college, I settled into my field. I was not passionate about it. Someone said to be why don’t you major in computers and so I did. There was never a fire there for the things I was learning or the job I was doing. I was listless and everything seemed mundane.

Then I switched gears and pursued teaching. For the past 16 years that is what has defined me. I was the computer guru who taught unruly, unwanted high school students. However, with the rules and regulations changing, the field of education has become more of a diploma mill than an actual learning environment. I started experiencing burn out and I had not wanted to continue after last year, but I stuck with it.

My dissatisfaction has grown exponentially since August and I think it is time to switch gears again. The path that seemed so right 16 years ago is becoming overgrown and difficult to travel. So, I come back to the question; how to find the right path? Where do I belong? Am I following the Lord’s plan for my life?

After a heated, condescending phone call from the Human Resources Director at the school district I am currently employed, I took time to pray and study the Word of God. Every morning I dread getting up and going into the viper pit – that is my nickname for the school district. It is eight hours of insolent, defiant and down right rude co-workers chirping in your ear about this person or that one. They make me question my sanity sometimes! Then it is the needy, clingy students who make it all worth it. Not a day goes by that I do not pray for those students who have touched my heart.

If I could be in a district where I could hand pick my co-workers I would be in heaven! But, alas, we live in a fallen world and must interact with these vipers who are clamoring for superiority. I take that back, we are called to minister to and show the love of Jesus to these vipers.

I have veered from my original thoughts again! Seeking your path at any age can be frustrating, more so when you have meandered down so many that had to be “the right one”. As I combed through the Scriptures regarding trust in the Lord for your future, I came up with over 70, there was a sense of hope and peace that enveloped me. As long as God is in control, how can something be wrong? He knows where I belong and if I diligently seek him, He will reveal it to me.

I knew there had to be a reason why the thought of stepping back from teaching did not send me into a frenzied terror. There was a calm understanding that another transition was close at hand. The Lord has not yet revealed what my new direction will be or where He is leading me. But I am trusting in Him that my eyes will soon be opened and I will find enjoyment and fulfillment wherever the Lord leads me. 

I will praise the Lord in hard times and in good times!

~Rev. Michelle

www.prayersandpromisesministry.com

God Hears My Plea

We have been experiencing some pretty harsh weather lately. Severe cold and nasty snow have blanketed the region. My dad (gotta love my invincible dad), decided that he needed to go to Home Depot (kitchen remodel not going as expected) at 6:00 p.m. in his well-loved van. The temperatures were beginning to dip, the weather prediction for that night was -2.

My phone rang at about 7:00 p.m. It was dad and he was stuck on the side of the road, in the dark, with a flat tire and a deflated spare tire, After searching his shed for his portable air compressor and coming up with nothing, I took off with my emergency air compressor and found him trying to jack up the big old monster.

After trying to re-inflate the tire that was currently on the beast, and getting nowhere, I began to earnestly pray for the Lord's hand to be on us as we froze in the frigid night air while trying to get this big beast back on the road and headed home. The jack was not working well, but as I called out the Lord, my dad was able to get the jack working. What a testimony!! The Lord heard my plea and was there with us on the side of the road in the super cold weather!

Using my emergency air compressor, we were able to get the spare inflated and functional. The Lord did not leave us as we struggled with the weather, the dark and less than ideal working conditions. He stayed right there with us, protecting us and helping us when we could not possibly do it ourselves.

It may seem like such a small thing, a flat tire. But without our trust in the Lord and His love, we would not have been able to get the flat tire off the big van or the spare inflated and onto the van. He was there with us, keeping us safe and ensuring that we made it back to the house, a little chilled, but without any lasting ill-effects.

My God is true and faithful. He is there in my time of need and I will forever praise Him!! I will praise Him in times of distress just as I praise Him in times of happiness.

~Rev. Michelle
www.prayersandpromisesministry.com

Little Blessings Uplift Me

After a week of the stomach flu and then a weekend of playing "catch-up" on my work, I have to say that was feeling down in the dumps on Sunday. Then my good friend, Kristy, calls me to tell me that her mom was diagnosed with cancer. This is Connie's third battle with the dreaded "C" word and that family is feeling the grip of Satan tightening on them.

Taking time to pray with Kristy and share her mom's needs with my prayer chains, I went back to figuring out things in my life and getting the ball rolling on a few projects. The ho-hum of the daily grind was starting to get to me last evening and I took a few hours to spend just sitting with my family and enjoying time with them. That was the first little blessing that lifted my spirit and gave me the ability to rest well through the night.

This morning, the dreaded Monday, I felt refreshed and ready to face the day. Even though I was somewhat dreading having my 1999 minivan inspected and emissions done that afternoon, I was feeling optimistic and happy. I took that feeling and reached out to an old friend who has been heavily weighing on my heart. I am prayerfully waiting for a reply.

Then I called Kristy to let her know she was in my thoughts. She was feeling down and depressed, I remember the horror I felt when my own mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. We spent about 10 minutes talking and praying. I told her that the Lord was in control and that He would knock Satan's discouragement from them so they could focus on His healing love. She did not seem overly open to believing that, which saddened me because she always seemed so strong in her walk with the Lord.

Feeling somewhat discouraged, I drove my slightly stubborn minivan to the garage for its inspection. It choked and sputtered a little on its way there and I prayed. Once the inspection was over and the mechanic handed me my paperwork, I praised God right then and there. I am sure that the mechanic has never had a woman throw her hands in the air and thank Jesus for His love and protection! Brian, the mechanic took it in stride and told me to have a blessed day.

Even though I have gone through some interesting trials this past week, there have been little blessings along the way that I was too blinded to fully see. Connie being diagnosed with cancer was not a blessing, but Kristy being currently unemployed and in the position to help take care of her mom through treatments is a blessing. My getting ill was actually a blessing because it showed me that in the rat race of life, time must be set aside for family, friends and a deeper relationship with the Lord.

My ill-tempered car is sometimes not a blessing, but the fact that it behaved and passed inspection was a true blessing and as funny as it sounds, Brian the mechanic witnessed someone praising the Lord over just a small thing in their life. It was a testimony to him about the love that the Lord has for me and the love that I try wholeheartedly to return.

So, as you walk through your day, take a moment to think through where you have been and who you have seen. What blessings have been staring you in the face today?

In darkness we will praise Him and in light we will praise Him. Do not be afraid to lift up your hands in thanksgiving no matter where you are!

Scriptures to Help You Overcome Fear

Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his first inaugural speech, “the only thing to fear is fear itself.”  It seems that FDR is referring to the effects of fear on a person not the actual fear that is felt. So how do you alleviate fear? Many turn to the Bible for comfort when fear creeps into their lives.

“Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4). This is probably one of the most well-known Scriptures quoted from the Bible. Its words provide such comfort and peacefulness to those who hear them. The fear that has built within your heart seems to just dissipate.

“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” (Isaiah 41:13) This Scripture evokes an image of a father lovingly extending his hand to a frightened child and lends his strength and comfort to that child. One of the most comforting things is to have someone sit beside you and just hold your hand. This comforting gesture gives you a feeling of safety, that you are not alone and that you just need to reach out and your heavenly Father will grab hold and walk you through your fears.

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’” (Exodus 13:14-15)Even though Moses lived centuries ago, in a land so far removed from modern day life, his words still ring out and hold the same conviction as they did all those years ago. The Lord will always wrap his arms around you and keep you safe from your adversaries. He will remove the fear from your heart and guide you towards a peacefulness that calms your spirit and gives you renewed hope and strength.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Stand firm, even when you are feeling defeated and the fear has seeped into your entire being. The Lord is there beside through your trials and He will continue to lift you up and ease the fears that are entrenched in your heart. He knows every secret crevice of your heart and He knows the fear that is residing there, he will never leave you even though he knows your deepest terrors and secrets.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) The Lord gave us the power within ourselves to stand up to the fears that invade our beings. He has empowered us and given us the tools to not cower in the corner but to step forth and defeat those who are trying to intimidate us and make us cower in a corner and from the bullies of this world, whether these bullies be human or circumstance.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?...Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.” (Psalm 27:1, 3) This is another very well-known Scripture that calms the fears of people and makes the fears recede to the background and empowers you to stand against the fear that is gnawing at your heart and soul. With the Lord standing beside you, there is no one or nothing that can embed fear into you. He will keep his arms around you and protect you from any fear that tries to invade your calmness.

There are many more Scriptures that address fear and how to help alleviate it before it becomes all-consuming, paralyzing fear. With the Lord standing guard over you and swatting all the enemies away before they can fully embed within your soul and cause you an uneasiness that alters the way you live your life. The enemy will try to force his way into your heart and cause you to doubt the love that the Lord has for you, but remember the promises that the Lord has given throughout the Bible to always stand with you. “The only thing to fear is fear itself”, fear is only a feeling that can be dispelled by grabbing hold of the Lord’s hand and keeping your eyes firmly focused upon the cross.

Scriptures on Hope

People have turned to the Scriptures for centuries for comfort and to find hope in dealing with situations that seem hopeless or buried in despair.  To have hope in an unseen entity takes a great belief. Through the Bible, there are so many instances of people standing against adversity with the hope that the Lord will deliver them from the situation in which they are being persecuted. 

There are so many scriptures in the Bible that pertain to hope. Hebrews 11:1, Proverbs 24:20, Proverbs 24:14, and Jeremiah 29:11 cover hope for the future.

Proverbs 24:19-20 
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of wicked men for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out."

The hopes of a true believer do not lie in things of this world, but of the promise for everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Evil or wicked men in this life are not to be envied for their Earthly possessions or what seems their good fortunes for those who are washed in the blood of Christ will be given the ultimate reward in heaven.

Proverbs 24:14 
"Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off."

A righteous man when he walks with the Lord, listens to His words, and gains wisdom will always have hope for the future and peace in knowing that the Lord will continue to provide.

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

The Lord will not forsake you when you walk with Him. He knows the paths that He wants you to follow. He will provide you with the hope and future that He has arranged for you as you continue to grow and learn in your faith.

Titus 1:1-2, Titus 3:7, 1 Corinthians 4:16-18, and 1 Peter 1:3 relate to hope of Eternal Life and Salvation

Titus 1:1-2
"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies promised before the beginning of time,"

Before the Lord sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, He promised eternal life to those who believed in Him. After Jesus came to Earth and died for our sins, the Lord still promised eternal life for those who believed in Him and come to Him through His son.

Titus 3:7 
"so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Once again we are reminded that the Lord has promised eternal life for those who have accepted Jesus into their hearts and live according to the word of God.

1 Corinthians 15:19 
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied by more than all men."

The covenant was given by the Lord that those who believe in Him will have eternal life. By having that hope and the expectation of eternal life, we know that we will always be sheltered by the Lord. We are not to be pitied for our hope but joyful in our knowledge that we will have eternal life.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Even though these verses do not have the word hope, the meaning within them inspires hope. Although we are aging day by day and our bodies are becoming more and more frail, we still have the hope and the promise of eternal life. We know that as we walk through this fallen world, we will face pain, grief, and tribulation as well as love, joy, and contentment. But we also know that we do not truly belong in this world, we are called to a higher place once we have completed the tasks set before us here.

1 Peter 1:3 
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"

This is another example of how the Lord has given us the promise of eternal life and that we will achieve perfection when we leave this world.

Throughout the Book of Romans, we are given uplifting words of hope.

Romans 5:2-5 
"Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

The love of the Lord is so pure and we know that through our love and commitment to Him, we will obtain eternal life. It is this hope that sees us through the darkness of this fallen world and allows us to see the light and the path that He has chosen for us.

Romans 8:24-25
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

We cannot see or touch the Lord but we can see His hand in the blessings and miracles around us in this world. We have to have hope while moving through this world, even though we cannot see our Lord or the promise of eternal life.

Romans 15:4
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

We are taught to learn from history and the Bible is a history book as well as a guide book. Therefore, we must learn from the missteps of those who walked before us. We have a sense of hope as we read through the Bible and we know that through our hope and love for our Lord, we will obtain eternal life.

Romans 15:13 
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Many times we can see a light shining forth from a person and we know that they have hope in the Lord and a peace in the promise of eternal life. The Holy Spirit resides within their heart and the hope that they feel shines from deep within their soul.

The Bible offers scriptures of hope when dealing with a crisis.

Psalm 27:4-5 
"One thing I asked of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.  For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."

When facing tribulations or stumbling blocks, we must remember to keep our eyes securely fastened upon the Lord and He will protect us and keep our enemies at bay. The Lord will pick us up and dust us off when we fall into the dirt face first and he will heal our wounds when we are attacked.

Mark 5:35-36  
"While Jesus was still speaking, some med came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why trouble the Teacher any more?” Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”"

Even though we cannot see the Lord or know His plans for us, we do know that He will always be there for us even when we doubt. Our faith will endure even through our missteps and our grief.

Scriptures were taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version.