Pleasing God – Episode 183

Pleasing God is easier than you think! Is there any way that we can be pleasing to God? Is there anything we can do to earn God’s love? Is this something we should even attempt? In this podcast, we will discuss several ways.

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Okay – pleasing God, can you do it? Should you do it? IS this attainable. Pleasing God seems like a formidable task. But the good news is if you do not believe in God is that you can’t.

Hebrews 11: 6 states … And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

So, let’s say for the sake of argument you want to please God … the first place to begin is with your relationship.

When you look at our relationship with God what do you think? If you can stop this audio to think about this for a minute please do… okay so what came to mind as you considered this question?

Maybe you said:

1. Pleasing God is doing what is right and just.
2. Pleasing God is not doing anything I want to do.
3. Pleasing God means having self-control.
4. Pleasing God is impossible. Or…
5. Pleasing God is like is like trying to please a parent.

When we talk about faith there is room for feelings and for some of us, we feel like we are a lost cause and swimming against the flow. Here is the thing…

When was the last time you tried to please a parent? As a parent (if you are one) when was the last time your child did something that was pleasing for you?

We don’t think in those terms, do we? We do not act out of respect, or concern or even of love just to please someone we do it just because. If we love someone we want them to be happy, we want to share the love we have for them with time, with gifts or with giving of ourselves. When we love God how do we show the Almighty our love for Him? This may be something you have never considered before because we are so caught up on the Thou Shall Nots instead of the amazing gift of life and freedom that God has given to us.

When we look at the Fall – the Garden of Eden and the beautiful world God created without sin, we only see the sin – we think about that tree – of Good and Evil. God did not want us to suffer, He wanted us to live in paradise. And, we hope and we pray that this is what heaven is – a paradise that has been created for the righteous which can only be justified by the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Christ asks us to turn from sin and to follow Him. That’s it.

That is why Hebrews 11:6 starts by laying the groundwork of faith. Praising God isn’t as hard if our faith is at the center, and with faith comes what? The Holy Spirit is our guide. Not in the new age way of spirit God, please!! Heaven forbid. But in the third person of the Trinity – sent by God – After Jesus rose from the dead and spent time with the various disciples and Mary his mother and Mary Magdelene he rose up to heaven. We read about this in Acts 1-9 [on air]

God sent his Spirit – and this was called Pentecost. Today, we can receive the Holy Spirit into our hearts, in church Sacramentally or in prayer. Again we read about this in 1 John 3:24

We know by the Spirit HE gave us!

When we think about things in our life we can see that pleasing God is not as difficult as we think. Think about the joys of your life. Are you content? Is there an issue in your life if it could be handled or changed that would make you happy? Or how about happier? Of course, in each of our lives, there is something that could add to our happiness. But, the true things that bring us happiness are the things that money can not buy. Buying more things usually brings a short-term happiness, contentment or joy but not long-term!

Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Pleasing God starts with faith and after that, it is way easier than you think – pleasing God is something we want to do – no, we crave doing because of our relationship with HIM – there is an old saying about trying to outgive God, we can’t. It is impossible, the more we give God the more we receive.

Lately, my life has been filled with miracles some big and small – one is a serious surgery we thought my husband would need concerning his spine – not only is the surgery unnecessary, but the doctor’s words were…. Well, you had a serious problem, but your body healed itself. Wow, how does that happen? It is a miracle. And the small things like a toothache and when calling that day, an opening for a dentist appointment was available later in the afternoon. That never happens!

Pleasing God, friends is living our lives and worshiping the creator and it can’t get any better than that!

Let’s pray. Dear Lord thank you for all the blessings and the miracles that surround us each and every day, those we see and those that happen in our lives without us even knowing. I praise you and I thank you and I ask that you help me to be pleasing to my family, my friends, and most of all to you dear God. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We praise you and are in awe of your gifts. Dear Lord, I ask for the following needs: and I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Who are the peacemakers? Are you a peacemaker, and do you find yourself in that role? What does the Holy Bible say? This podcast discusses being a peacemaker and how we can all strive to do our part.

Peacemakers ~ Episode

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

If you look up the word online, you will find that being a peacemaker is not a good thing. In all fairness, this information came from a search using the latest AI technology, artificial intelligence. There have always been computer programs that search for keywords and match websites with the words. However, the latest technology gives a synopsis of what is found in literal seconds, which needs to be corrected. One of the reasons is technology does not have a heart; a human element is missing.

My search showed me that a peacemaker is drawn to those who disagree and are typically worn out or frustrated, and it is a person who does not take care of themselves. While all of that can be correct, making a blanket statement in some people is not always good. It is said that peacemakers are not assertive. How can you be a peacemaker without speaking up and trying to see things from different sides? That requires diplomacy. Sure, not everyone is diplomatic, but it is a gift if you are. I try to see things from both sides outside my family, and the frustration comes when I can not understand an evil motivation. I can not computer things like abortion on demand or late-term abortion. In truth, I can not understand abortion at all, the killing of a life. In some states, legally. As one popular television personality said, he was for abortion. He agreed it was murder, and he said he could live with that thought and urged abortion advocates to embrace that terminology.

Wow. Our world is a place where evil is recognized and allowed. And we should all be okay with it—are you? We must pray, dear friends, because there is good news. The good news is that Jesus reigns now and forever, and evil has no hold over those who profess Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (if they live holy and, in my case, sacramental lives).

When we discuss the word peace in a religious context, we are talking about a feeling that comes from an action. This can be caused by an action on our part, being in a quiet room, reading a scripture verse, and meditating on the meaning, which comes from God’s grace. However, a peacemaker can refrain from using words that can incite or cause problems or dissension. A peacemaker can see a situation that has gotten out of control and turn it around into one that is diffused, forcing those in disagreement to agree or compromise.

Recently, I watched someone do this effortlessly. This person took a volatile situation filled with misunderstanding and frustration and, in a few sentences, told each of those affected what the other was trying to say diplomatically. I was impressed. It caused me to think and consider the idea of being a peacemaker. Who are those who strive for peace, and how are they rewarded? As the scriptures tell us – we are told, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Wow! I want to be called a child of God.

I have to admit that I have not always been a peacemaker outside my family. It is sometimes easy to get others riled up, and it is under the guise of teasing, just having fun, or trying to make a point. I realized that it did more harm than good, and while I am not being specific here in my examples, I believe we can all look at our own lives and find situations where we could have used our words more effectively and in a way that would do good rather than harm.

Being a peacemaker is a good thing. In the Bible, we have Christ’s wonderful words when he was surrounded by the crowds. The Beatitudes contain words we should read daily (read on air).

These are words we should read daily. I remember reading these words back in my smart-aleck days and thinking, well, I’m no meek or humble; I’m in trouble! Friends, I was laughing at myself here and kidding around, but I had much work to do on my spiritual journey! It has been quite the journey, and the Lord is still working with me—praise you, Jesus!

Being a peacemaker in this world means making a conscious effort to examine your words, what you are saying, and how they impact the lives of others. Words matter. (More on air.)

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Combating Fear

Podcast # 27

Combating fear is something we all want. Do you worry about things? Join the club –  don’t we all? But in this episode I am going to discuss fear, the result of worry and how we, as Christians, armed with the promises of God can combat the fear and turn it to victory!

Thanks to our sponsors, Media Angels, Inc. A Few Minutes with God, The Journey Begins + CTCMath.com

Show Notes: Combating Fear

Fear gets us nowhere. It is a dead-end street that has us walking the same path again and again. It is the place that the enemy would like us to remain in because let’s face it — fear is a bondage. Fear is from the enemy.

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.

Yet, God built us to fear if we sense danger. Fear does in essence help to protect us – if we sense something instinctively it can help us to survive. Fear is natural, it keeps us away from those things that could hurt us or bad choices.

The bible also tells us that “fear of the Lord is the beginning of all understanding,” how do we take that verse? What we fear is the judgment of the Lord. If you are a follower of Christ and want to do His will – you should not fear judgment, but you should remember it as you live your life.

God is our light – He is the guiding beacon in the midst of our fears. We can have the courage to deal with the things that happen in our lives and what that takes is praying to overcome the fear. Prayer and reading Scripture verses and memorizing some can help. Another help is using acronyms to help us.

When speaking about fear in the spiritual sense, when we allow worry to cloud our thoughts and overtake our lives realize we are giving the spirit of fear permission to reside in us. The first step is in renouncing the spirit of fear.

In the Name of Jesus, I come against the spirit of fear and I renounce it – I do not give fear dominion in my life. I break any chains of fear in my life and offer it to you, Lord. Lord, I give you permission to come into my life with joy, the joy that surpasses all understanding and that reigns in the knowledge that you are in control of my life.

Here are some wonderful scriptures to write in your journal under the title of “Combating Fear” and pray, say, and memorize these wonderful scriptures:

1. 1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
2. Proverbs 29:25:  “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
3.  Matthew 10:31  “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
4. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
5. Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk in the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.”
6. Psalm 91:14 – “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”
7. Romans 8:30-31 – “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
8. Psalm 118:6: “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
9. Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear?”
10. Luke 1:30: “But the angels said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”

If you are fearful and have never repented of the spirit of fear, let’s pray! (Prayer at the end of the audio.)

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Christian Unity ~ Uniting God’s People

Episode 310: Exploring Christian Unity based on Ephesians 4:1-6

How can we have Christian unity when we can’t even get along with those we live with and love? The same goes for world peace. How can we expect World Peace when we argue with our spouse or friends? If we can’t get along with those we like, how can we find common ground among various nations? Our world is falling apart, friends. Right before our eyes, today is the day to pray like never before.

Thanks to CTCMath.com for sponsoring this episode. CTC is a math curriculum found online for grades K-12.

Today is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. (Psalm 118:24) So we begin with praise, rejoicing in the day and giving God all the glory. As I’ve shared many times on this podcast, we praise God and thank Him even in the midst of trial and adversity. Things are falling apart all around us, and we praise God. One of the reasons is because, yes, God is worthy of praise. The other is because it helps remind us that we are not in this alone. Even if you are driving by yourself, taking a walk, or at your home alone, God is with you.

Once we have praised God, we put on God’s armor. Ephesians 6:10-18. Don’t just read it, pray it. Slowly and with meaning. We ask the Lord for protection against evil one. Why? Because he is the disrupter and the one who causes the division. This began in the Garden and continues today.

Christian Unity Starts Here:

Where does Christian unity begin? It begins with me—right here, right now. It doesn’t start with my neighbor, my friend, or my spouse. I don’t stop to pick up the phone and say, “Hey, you really need to get with it and be united.” It won’t work. For there to be peace, it starts with me. Mother Teresa famously said this about peace: “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

So, it starts with me: what can I do and how can I do it?

A friend posted an article from a website, and I am posting the link here. The topic is the importance of Christian Unity. It goes on to explain the importance of doing our part (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to not be the cause of division, which means to guard us against temptation, guarding our mouths and what we say, and, more importantly, your social media posts.

When I read the title of the article, I was convicted to watch my words, especially among my family and friends.

As I write this, we are currently in an election cycle, and it can be horrible to read what people say and watch neighbors and friends become enemies. I lost friends during the last election cycle because I would not engage in conversation or be swayed by the beliefs of those who contacted me. They “unfriended” me on Facebook which truthfully hurt my feelings tremendously. In retrospect, while I had many champions for my cause, and the majority of friends agreed with me, I found that those who did not were steeped in a way of thinking I could not identify or understand. I am steeped in prayer this election cycle, making an effort to set aside time daily for our country and the disunity. And for the disunity in our world as well, with countless wars!

Jesus wants us united, yet He is well aware that the evil one is trying to wreck our lives. We read of this in

Ephesians 4:1-6 (read on air).

We are called to be “forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” How can we do this? There is only one way, with an infilling and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. My prayer is something like this, “Dear Holy Spirit, come and fill me with to overflowing with your love, your peace, and your joy. Please fill me with love for my children and my spouse (name anyone close to you here). Fill me with love and compassion for those who I don’t like, and I don’t care to know. Help me to be faithful to you, my Lord, and help me never to be parted from unity with You. Holy Spirit, come.”

Create your own prayer or version of asking the Holy Spirit for help bringing unity and peace to your life and the lives of others.

The only way for us to have Christian unity is to pray and ask God for a deeper desire for peace in our hearts. Another thing the article said that resonated with me was to ask the Lord to keep us away from “every temptation of the enemy to rip us apart.” These are very wise words. We must avoid the temptation to get in the last word or to say something that might be considered funny yet hurtful. We must rally the troops and let your family and friends know what you are doing. This is not bragging (oh, look at me praying here); this is explaining a way of thinking that I believe most Christians will rally around and unite.

God loves us; He loves this fallen humanity of which we are a part, and He knows our needs before we even ask. Yet ask we must today. Begin now. Ask the Lord for peace and unity, and let it begin with me. May you be blessed now and forever.

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God First – Episode 226

When was the last time you put God first? Is God in your first thought of the day? No? How about the last thought? The struggle is real especially when life is overwhelming and seems to get in the way. Join Felice Gerwitz as she shares how she puts God first and the way she accomplishes this daily.

Our wonderful sponsor who helps bring this network to you for free, visit CTCMath.com for a great math curriculum for grades K-12

An elderly friend once shared that as she grew older, her understanding and awareness of her sinfulness increased. This self-awareness should not be limited to age, but due to the nature of most of our lifestyles, this unfortunately is the norm.

If we take time to reflect we will all realize we fall short. Yes, it is difficult to admit but true. We all have shortcomings but the way we handle them is the difference between living a life for God or against Him because somewhere in the middle does not count. The Scriptures remind us that G0d will spew us out of his mouth! In fact Revelations, 3 verses 15-22 will give you so much to unpack. There are five main themes that we hear in entire sermons based on this scripture. First let me share it with you. (Read on air.)

Unpacking Revelations 3 -A Few Points

1. Lukewarm faith
2. Don’t need God – own ability
3. Refined by fire
4. Repent
5. God knocking at the door
6. Ability to hear God’s Word

Let me read the verses in  Revelations 3:15-22 (Read on air.)

Lukewarm faith – going through the motions. There is a song that really resonated with me for some time, the song’s title is The Motions by Matthew West. This was a song that hit hard because one of the lines says: (read onair.)

Matthew West was quoted as saying  “The song is about complacency and a desire to “break free from the average, ordinary, lukewarm Christian life”  – and that is what we need to do, break free of complacency. The thought is there is always tomorrow to pray, to read the Bible to attend church. But the saying goes that today is the “first day” of the rest of your life. We should look at each day as an opportunity not only to grow closer to God but to ask the Lord how to best serve Him.

Is this true of you? Don’t need God – own ability. There is a popular saying, “we make our own luck,” and I think I have always hated that phrase because to me it means I don’t need God. Yes, we should work hard, strive to do the best we can, get up and get going and not wait for handouts. However, we need God in the same way that we need air to breathe. That too is a Christian song, you may know it by its title “Breathe” (The Air I Breathe), and the original author Marie Barnett didn’t even mean to sing the lyrics (as a song leader) but was led to sing it spontaneously in church one Sunday. *You can read here story here.  It made it to a Vinyard’s album and later was recorded by many artists such as Michael W. Smith. The words go like this (read on air). (Lyrics here.) Without God we would not even have air to breathe, so all the glory and honor go to Him! (Read Onair.)

Refined by fire – Interesting the Scripture states – counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich – we are refined by fire but usually, that is a painful process and if we do not learn anything from the pain we will suffer again and again. In order to be rich we must learn from this refinement and praise God in all things, even those hardships.

Repent – The obvious here is to ask the Lord for forgiveness, but I want to take it one step further… we stay away from deepening our relationship with the Lord and putting God first when we are in sin. Like Adam and Eve were afraid to show their faces to the Lord, because of their sinfulness and their lack of repentance at that point, so too we are afraid of the justification for our sins. For every sin, there must be a payment. And sin, unfortunately, affects us all not only the person in sin.

God knocking at the door – We have discussed this in many other podcasts and it calls to mind a photo I have of the Lord knocking at the door, but the handle is on my side. God is the Almighty and can do anything, but God wants our hearts only when we give it to Him willingly. Unbelievers will say that religion is forced and there are all these rules and hoops to jump through — however, God has given us free will for a reason and a choice to follow Him, to let Him, to put God first or not.

Ability to hear God’s Word – recently in a prayer ministry meeting a friend recounted a story and said over and over again, “But I told this person specifically…” and she said this more than one time. It is interesting that we can talk to people and they do not hear or comprehend what we say even when we think it is crystal clear. The same with God’s word. It is crystal clear if we have our minds and hearts open to putting Him first.

There is so much more to unpack in those few lines of Scripture and I urge you and challenge you this week to meditate upon the words and make a plan, today to put God first in your life and to get yourself out of complacency and fire for the Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth! May God bless us today and always.

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God’s Love Is Sufficient – Episode 182

Uncertainty surrounds our lives yet with God we know that His love is sufficient for all of our needs. In this podcast, learn how you can live a life that is free from worry, stress, and anger.

Thanks to our sponsor CTCMath for all of your children’s (grandchildren or friends and neighbors) math needs. Check out CTCMath.com for more information.

If you know your scriptures you are probably thinking – why is she talking about God’s love being sufficient when the scriptures say, my grace is sufficient: Read: 2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s grace is his love and his forgiveness – it is empowerment by the Holy Spirit that makes us strong in, as the scriptures say our time of weakness. Seriously God’s grace and love is sufficient? Really? When are we weak? When are we scared? When we have infirmities – illnesses?

God’s Love IS Sufficient

No one thinks their life is ideal. But if I asked you to take some time to design your ideal life what would be included? Would it be a house on the beach, listening to the waves crashing on the seashore? Or would it be a mountain retreat? What about an unlimited bank fund or maybe good health and happiness in your family? Each of our lists would be very, very long. But for most one of the missing elements is a relationship with God. Our ideal life surrounds our health and welfare, our temporal or temporary needs. We are often more interested in taking care of today, the right now rather than the forever.

We hold on tight to the things that don’t matter in the end.

An ideal life is free from worry, stress, anger, and heartache, to be free from illness … and the only way for this to happen is to have confidence in Almighty God. A stress-free – worry-free life is almost unimaginable. In fact, it is a difficult concept to grasp. Yet God’s love is all we need to live a life that is fulfilling.

This may be again, easier said than done. God is the God of Creation – He is after all the Creator God. Before original sin our lives would have been more astounding than our greatest dreams. One of the things that our first parents shared with the Creator was the gift of communication with Him. Communication is a form of relationship – communion is beyond speech, it is beyond what we can explain with words. This is what was recovered by the life – the example Christ gave to us, His death for redemption and the resurrection. The miracle. God is the only one who can restore us. This communion with God takes us to a level where we can let go of the things of this world. As a Catholic, I believe Holy Communion is the key because it is healing.

Recently we had a medical scare concerning my husband. We thought he might need surgery on his back – the neck region… and we know how back surgery can be – it can be great or the worse nightmares can happen. Well after months and months of tests, MRI, more scans, and even some he still has to go to later this month, we are at peace. The neuro-surgeon basically said my husband had a major issue but that his body had repaired itself, and the vertebrae he would have had to fuse in surgery was already done for him! What a miracle! What a gift from God.

It also turned out – which shows God’s sense of humor, that the surgeon and I chatted about his hometown which is also my hometown (I’m one of these people who read a doctor’s bio on their website), and it turns out he knew me, and I was his teacher in the 4^th grade when I was a college student and student-teaching in his classroom. Of course, I was blown away, and we laughed about the chances of meeting up again.

God is amazing and in this life, we can either praise God for all things – those we are scared and uncertain about and those things that are truly happy and amazing blessings in our life. God cares in everything we do even if we think that only bad things happen.

We are called to love God and realize that His grace and His love are all we need, but without a relationship, we cannot love someone we do not know. How do we know someone? We communicate with each other. Some may feel speaking to God is a one-way street. We talk, He listens. We hear nothing back. This takes practice and it takes the Holy Spirit. Have you availed yourself to the Holy Spirit? I attended what is called a Life in the Spirit Seminar in the 1990s and this changed my life. Here I learned that God not only wanted a personal relationship with me but that He wanted to pour His Spirit into my life in a way that I could experience, more fully what it means to be a Christian. People talk about finding faith and the honeymoon period. That is a period when they can’t get enough of reading the Bible or spending time in prayer or just meditating on the goodness of the Lord. They are so excited to share their faith and everything that God has done in their life with anyone – and I mean anyone who will listen.

The Holy Spirit allows Scriptures to become alive. When we read about Jesus healing the Lepers we think about this in terms of being there on the side roads and watching this take place. We feel the elation of those healed and we want to shout from the rooftops – God is a God of miracles. Everything else pales by comparison. We also realize that the things of this world are fleeting.

Sure we need money to live, to buy food, to pay for our bills – but that is not enough for most. Everyone has big dreams that include bigger homes, cars, and vacations, and a bigger, deeper relationship with the Lord is not necessarily high up on the list.

No wonder we are depressed, defeated, and feeling like no one cares or listens to what we have to say.  So what can we do? Put aside all of our world aspirations – of course not, but maybe intersperse them with other goals and focuses.

First, when you read Scripture always pray to the Holy Spirit for the gift of knowledge, and ask that the Lord allows you to see the parts that really speak to you. Our lives have a way of refining all of the impurities and all of the things we need to release, but our strength is in that grace from God and that Knowledge that God’s love is all we need.

Let’s Pray – Dear Lord we thank you for all of the miracles in our lives for those things we see and for all of those things that are unseen. I praise you for the grace you give us and that is indeed sufficient and I thank you for the love you give for that is sufficient as well. I ask you Lord to bless those I pray for now and provide for all of their needs.. and I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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New Eyes of Faith – Episode 263

As a Christian, it is important to practice our faith. But what does your faith look like? The new eyes of faith is an awakening. In this episode, we explore the meaning of faith and how we sometimes deceive ourselves.

Thanks to our sponsor CTC Math – visit the website at CTCMath.com

Faith can be subjective. Your faith is naturally based upon your experiences, your understanding, and even your denomination. Even two people sitting next to each other in church can have a different take on faith. This lends itself to an interesting question. Where is your faith, and can you say you practice what you believe?

This may be a hard question to answer and one that will take some time and thought.

Do we love the One who gave us life? The one who loves us beyond anything we can imagine. Let’s take a moment and think about that. You. Are. Loved. That alone should open our eyes and give us new eyes of faith. That should fill us with such love that we want to share this love with others.

That is the crux of the issue that many of us face in our world today. Those who say they have faith and those who do not practice what they supposedly believe. Listen, we all fall short, but by the grace of God, we flounder. Thankfully Jesus came into the world to redeem us. We read in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (Read on air).

Our eyes can be opened to greater faith and a deeper walk with the Lord, and at times it takes something catastrophic to happen before we can see the light, so to speak. Many things we consider important no longer are, and those things we hold onto, we find we can do without. Has that happened to you? You find that what was previously important is no longer an issue or of great concern. It is as if the blinders were removed; now, we can see clearly.

In Genesis 3:5, the tempter tells Adam and Eve a lie; the scripture reads:  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

So, what did they do? Genesis 3:6-7 (read on air).

What did they receive? New eyes of faith, but it was not a positive outcome for the pair. The eyes of Adam and Eve were opened when they ate the forbidden fruit. God warned them. His perfect will was for them to live with Him forever in the place He had created for them. Instead, they made a choice, and we see it perfectly in hindsight –

Scripture often talks about finding “favor in your eyes,” with many references to finding favor in God’s eyes. That should be our goal, to find favor in the eyes of God. How do we do this? How do we deepen our love for God? One way is by spending time in His presence. We have many reasons why this can’t happen. We have family responsibilities, work, school, and other obligations. And, it is a choice.

New Eyes of Faith

Just like Adam and Eve had a choice. This is the first lesson we learn in the Bible about good vs. evil. It is the enemy against us, the evil one. He hates what God created. God created and said, “It is good,” and that is what the evil one wants to destroy. He wants to destroy our families and us. An increase of faith helps us weather the storm of life, but we need that connection to each other and God.

Faith is a connection to the Almighty. We are made for connection. One of the podcasters on this network, Margaret Vasquez, who hosts the Wholeness and Holiness Podcast, talks about connection. As a trauma specialist, she knows that a lack of connection often causes dysfunction.

We can become disconnected from ourselves, those around us, and those we love the most. And a disconnection from God can lead us to other less desirable things!  We can find we lack direction, and worse. Who we are is important, but who we are in Christ is important to renewing faith. Do we witness the gospel message? How can we when we are struggling ourselves? It is time to take a deep refreshing breath and look at our faith with new eyes.

As a business owner, I know that I better fulfill that promise when I promise to do something. No one cares about our excuses. Thankfully my job is not life and death, but it is important to keep websites up, bills paid so that the podcast stream doesn’t stop on your app and other things that we do to keep the business running. All of our behind-the-scenes work is invisible, but it is necessary for our customers. Many of my decisions were based on troubleshooting better options.

The worse thing we can do is not admit when we are wrong. We can all improve. Isaiah 2:10-12 (Read on air). Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.  (Talk about humility)

Isaiah 5:20-21  (Read on air)

In this way, we should troubleshoot our options when it comes to renewing our faith and praying to the Lord to open our eyes.

We can ask that the Lord gives us the new eyes of faith to:

1. Identify areas where we have sinned.
2. Make better choices.
3. To choose God first above all others.
4. To make time to pray.
5. To get our priorities right

Remember, faith is a choice. It is a free-will option given to us by an Almighty God who loves us and who loves you beyond anything we can comprehend. It is perfect love, and no one can love you the way God can. We are created in His image. We were created for a specific purpose. We were created to love and serve Him, but He gives us so much more than anything we can do for Him. Our challenge this week is to pray that the Lord opens our eyes to areas we need to improve and gives us a deeper faith.

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Joy of the Lord Episode 196

The joy of the Lord is… can you fill in the blanks here? The joy of the Lord is so many different things to different people but in this podcast, we will explore how God’s joy can bring us to a greater and deeper commitment with Him!

Please visit my website for books and classes at Media Angels.com

Check out these our podcasts on the topic of Joy: Joy in Living God’s Will and Daily Joy here.

What did you answer when I asked you what you would say when asked, “The joy of the Lord is…”

I can give you so many such as the Joy of the Lord is my strength, Nehemiah 8:10

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Christian Example ~ 272

What is a good Christian example? We can point to the saints, people like Mother Teresa and others. But, truly we can be an example to others by asking the Lord for His grace and His help.

Sponsored By: CTCMath.com a curriculum for students grades K-12 with online tutorials and help. Visit the website for more information.

Sadly, we, as Christians as a whole, are not the best examples of how to live. The promises of the gospel message show others, especially those who are suffering, that there is faith, hope, love, and compassion from the Lord.

God gives us many examples through the scriptures of how he expects us, his people, to act, and we fall short. Sometimes we fall short by word, sometimes by deed, and most of the time, just because we’re too lazy to do what is right truthfully, sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves or as one of our pastors says we have Christian scrupulosity. We care more for the letter of the law rather than the law itself. When we read the scriptures, we see it plainly, and yet how many of us take it to heart I know I’m guilty of this myself.

In Luke 7:31-35 we read, (on air).

Now, if we read the gospel of Luke Chapter 7, we will see before this happened, Jesus had been very busy. He was curing many who had diseases and sicknesses and casting out evil spirits. He gave sight to the blind and cured those who had leprosy. Those who were lame walked, but yet Jesus was reprimanding the people because even though they saw these miracles, they were not ready to change their lives

As Christians, we know the end of the story. We know what it is we should do God had compassion on those, and on those who were suffering, he brought people back to life. This is an example to us today of the gift that God gives us as Christians. We have the opportunity for everlasting life with him, so how are we going to be an example as Christians? How are we going to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?

I can give you a list, of five or ten things you can do. But, my list might not be the one that is right for you. And, in doing this good thing, being a Christian example, it can cause us to be boastful, or to congratulate ourselves that we are not like those sinners over there. Friends, we must be cautious.

I did a podcast sometime back that I titled Judgmental Christians, and I’ll put a show a link I’ll put a link in the show notes. (Tell the story on air)

To summarize the other podcast, I explained how I should live my life according to the gospels I should improve my life, and I needed to forgive those who hurt me and ask forgiveness for those I had hurt. Friends, we are all flawed! It is difficult to show an example of Christianity to others when we are hurting, and as my mother used to say we need to get our own house in order before we can try to fix the houses of others

In giving others an example of what it means to be a Christian, we are following the example Christ gave us. However, when we pray, when we give alms, we do this because we should out of obedience, it is a free-will decision

Being a Christian is a free-will decision, and acting like one means we show others humility, love, and compassion, especially if they are hurting and especially if they feel rejected by others. When Jesus walked the earth, he called his disciples, I love the phrase “Come follow me” This is an example of what it means to follow and to be called by God.

But we know we are all called by God, the Scriptures tell us, He has called us by name…(Isaiah 43:1). Knowing someone’s name held great importance in Biblical times and even today. Aren’t you happy when you remember someone’s name or they remember yours? The significance is import. Even more, God knows the “number of hairs on my head– And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30.

In Matthew 9:9-13 we read (on air).

Wow! God is calling us; he is calling all of us. Not the perfect, not the ones that have it all together, but us. The sinners.

As a Christian, our example may be flawed, but it is at least an attempt, not at perfect but of example. All of these things show us that there is a right and a wrong way to act, but one thing we know, we should not be judgemental like the Pharisees.

Think about everyday life, driving in traffic trying to find a parking spot or maybe returning something at a store when the clerk is very frustrating. We can use these everyday opportunities to say thank you or some other greeting that is welcoming. Or, “I appreciate the excellent job you have done or appreciate how hard you’re working if they haven’t done an excellent job.” You know what I mean.

Sometimes it only costs us a few minutes of our time, and sometimes it costs us much more. It is a sacrifice, and that is a small price to pay. If we can all show just a little bit of grace to others because God has given us grace, we should. Jesus asks us to follow him. It is not a call we should take lightly. It is those baby steps that take us closer to Christ.

Let’s all pray and ask the good Lord to give us the grace we need to be a Christian example because only by his gift of love and grace can we possibly show others just a tiny bit of the goodness of God. My friends rejoice and are glad because he is there for us not just today but every day, and I just pray that this week your challenge will be, can you guess it that’s right, to be a Christian example to either yourself or to others in your life and beyond take care and may the Lord bless you today and always.

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Overwhelmed? Find God!

Episode 18

Overwhelmed, find God! When you are overwhelmed that is the perfect time to find God. In this episode, I’ll discuss how you can find God even when you are under pressure, busy or overwhelmed by life. It is the perfect way to get refreshed in a hurry and continue on with your schedule. This sure-fire way has been my go-to for years, and when I actually *remember to do this, it has been a lifesaver.

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Other episodes you may enjoy on our sister network, and my podcast Vintage Homeschool Moms.

No time for Mom

Depression During The Holiday

Show Notes: Overwhelmed? Find God.

Spiritual Side:

1. Identify why you are overwhelmed. Writing helps
2. Ask for an infilling of the Holy Spirit.
3. Renew your commitment to the Lord.
4. Ask the Lord to give you more of HIM and less of you.

Practical Applications:

1. Ask God to help you find answers
   • Simplification
   • An answer to a pressing problem
   • Cutting back
   • Saying, No!
2. Find God in the simple things
   • Sit and listen
   • Enjoy the outdoors
   • Watch the antics in nature
3. Ask God to use you.
   • To be an answer to someone else’s prayers
   • To be His hands and feet
4. All God asks for is our love – that’s it!

Rejoice, the Lord is waiting for you to ask, and He is ready to answer. You can find the Lord even when you are overwhelmed and especially when you are so busy — like during the Christmas holiday. The Lord has an answer. The Lord hears you. It is that small still quiet voice. Are you listening?

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What do you believe? Have you taken the time to stop and reflect on your faith? Today, we will discuss ways to increase your faith and spend time with God.

Reflect On Your Faith – 313

Friends of mine attended an international conference and shared their experiences with me. There was such joy and hope expressed not only in the experience and the speakers they heard but also in how motivated they were to spread the good news to others. This fire, if you will, the fire that comes from the Holy Spirit, is what we all need. We need a boost from time to time and encouragement. We need that shot in the arm to get going and to spread God’s love for others. This can happen to you when you take the time to reflect on your faith. Why should we?

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Romans 8:30-32: What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? ³

Because of who we are in Christ, we are called to speak to anyone who will listen about His love and goodness, yet if we don’t take the time to reflect on our faith, it is difficult, at best, to know what we believe. What do you believe? Do you know? When was the last time you read a book of faith or studied the scriptures? Do you have time set aside for prayer?

Maybe you have not prayed because what you believe is not crystal clear. How can we worship a God we don’t know? How can we worship a God we can not see? How can we worship when we feel empty inside? The answer is you can not worship a God you don’t know and can’t see. And, if you are in the middle of a life crisis, then it will seem more difficult because we as humans tend to blame God, even if our faith in God is weak! Do you know someone who has abandoned their Christian faith because they blame God for their trials and for unanswered prayer?

Listen, we’ve all been there; if you have not doubted God or had a chink in your armor of faith, you have not lived long. Everyone has thoughts that I attribute to the evil one. These thoughts are not from the Almighty, let me tell you! The thoughts are something like this: God doesn’t care about you, God isn’t real, and you are wasting your time. Or even worse, Where is the God that you believed in? He has let you down. No, God never lets us down, but by the free will God has given us, we have a choice to make. Do we follow Him or not? Do we believe or not? Do we continue to worship when we don’t feel like it, or not?

God does not force His will upon us. He did not create us as puppets with Him pulling the strings. No. He gave us a heart and soul, a spirit to worship or not, and a hunger in each one of us for more. But why do we hunger and thirst without it ever being quenched? God created us to know, love, and serve Him because how could we not serve the one who gave us so much?

And here is the bottom line: Faith is a gift—yes, that’s right, a gift. Faith is a gift given to us by the Almighty God, and while it begins with a feeling, it involves so much more. It involves your free will—your free will to continue to love and serve God when you don’t feel like it.

Look up the Nicene Creed (Council 325) and the Apostles Creed. The Nicene Creed is believed to be the oldest creed. Read on air.

What do you believe? Reflect on your faith. Ask the Lord to increase your faith.

Prayer is a conversation with God; it is praying, but it also takes time to listen—spend some time in quiet. This means being present and aware of God’s love for you, meditating on this—God does love you, and you are here for a reason. Last week, the topic was belonging. We are His people, and He is our God. Podcast here.

1. Spend time in prayer and speak to the Lord.
2. Spend time in quiet, listen.
3. Read scripture.
4. Journal
5. Praise God, thank Him for everything.

Dear friends, I pray your faith is increased. In this world, there is a need for people who are on fire for the Lord. Christians need to help those who are suffering, and one way we can do this is by having the love of God within our own hearts and pouring our love into others. Amen!

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Salvation History and You Episode 112

Have we considered salvation history in the light of not only what Jesus did for humanity but what Jesus did directly for us? In this episode, we will learn how to apply this to our lives and others.

Thanks to our sponsor: CTC Math

The Bible consists of the Old and the New Testament. The first book of the Bible begins in Genesis and ends in Revelations. It is the behind the scenes look at the new heaven and the new earth and at the apex or the center is Christ. This is a story of love – the greatest love of all, the love of God for a humanity that He created, that is fallen. It is the story of God’s promise before Jesus came and about Jesus fulfilling the promise by his life, his death, and His ultimate Resurrection.

Simply put, the salvation of history is the storyline of the beginning of time, the creation of man and the redemption by God. The Bible is this intricate puzzle with many books that seem to be unrelated yet overall paint this amazing picture of our history and God.
When we read the Bible we get a glimpse into the lives of the saints that lived before us, the tragedy and the triumph. It really happened. It isn’t an allegory, a theory or a fluff piece. It is real.

Before God created the world He existed. The Father. The Son. The Spirit. For us it is difficult to imagine an always was – always is and always will be because we are finite people.
And before

History is His – Story, the story of a God who was not made, not created, but who always was and will always be. This amazing creator God wanted to enjoy the universe he created with us. He began our story with our first parents, Adam and Eve.

Before the fall we read a wonderful, idyllic story of our ancestors that lived in this beautiful garden with everything they wanted or needed provided. This was how God planned it. No toil, no sin, no problems.

God created the angels before our first parents – and we learn about their sin in Revelations:

And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Apocalypse 12:7-9)

We know the story, our first parents sinned and were banned from the garden, from that idyllic place because they were tempted by the devil or Satan. The punishment from God to the enemy was swift yet he did not find mercy from God, but man did. Read 2 Peter 2:4

We do not know the mind of God – from paradise on earth, our parents were condemned. The need for a Savior was born.  Read Genesis 3:15. Then the trouble began and continued throughout history to this present moment and we still need a Savior!

God has not deserted us – God is active in our lives, each and every day. It is the mission of you, of me, of the CHurch to
The history of salvation leads us to be disciples, and bring others the gospel message.

We must understand the beginning to realize the end.

Salvation history forces us to look at the actions of those who went before us, the story of God’s people from God’s point of view. God’s word tells us all about the way he time and again saved the people who cried out to Him.  Do we cry out to God for saving? And if we do, how do we apply what we know not only to our lives but the lives of others? Are we a witness not by word, but by deed? If not we should be.

Let’s pray:

Dear God Almighty the Creator of Heaven and Earth, we thank you for sharing the story of how the world came to be and the history of your people through your point of view. I thank you, God, for giving us this world in which to live, for our family, for our friends, and for those who we will meet in the future. Let us be an example of your kindness, your love, your peace, and your joy. Let us learn from the holy men and women who went before us as well as those who turned their backs on you. Please keep us free from the temptations of the evil one and keep us in your holy mantle of protection. Dear God Almighty we pray for the following:  …  Please hear our prayers and grant them if they are in your Divine Will. I praise you for all you have done in my life and I thank you until I draw my last breath. And, I pray this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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Spiritual Sandpaper – Episode 264

Spiritual sandpaper describes the events that happen in our lives that purify us and make us better than before, yet they are painful. In this episode, Felice shares how this can actually cause spiritual growth if we open our eyes to the possibilities.

Visit our sponsor CTCMath.com for all of your family’s math needs. My own grandchildren use this curriculum and I’m excited they are sponsoring our network.

Have you heard sermons about being tested in faith? The longer you follow the Lord, the more you understand this concept. At various times in our life, we strive for goodness, honesty and perhaps even holiness. Yet, our faith deepens not by all the good things that happen in our lives but through our trials.

In the book of Job 23:10 we read, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Our resolve goes one way or another. After being tested, or purified we are not lukewarm but either for or against God. Proverbs 27:21 speaks truth in the verse, ”

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

We’ve discussed praise and worship on my past episodes, and praising God in our daily walk can make the difference between happiness and strife. In fact as I write this the Lord has reminded me of a private matter of which I have been praying and beeseching God and I am now going to thank God for the situation. I am not thankful, but if it is God’s will – or God’s permissive will then I will be thankful out of obedience.

Is this true faith to blindly follow? Not at all. It is faith that understands that while we have free will, God’s will is for us to join Him in heaven at the end of our life, and a life of ease and comfort rarely gets us to that destination. The areas of our life that are unchecked lead to temptation. This can look different for each one of us.

Spiritual sandpaper is that time in our life when things are uncomfortable, and yet we see, after the trial, that the outcome is better than we could have hoped and prayed. We had some years of reduced income due to the economy. We never lived over our means, but even our savings accounts and investments did not prevent the outcome. After this very uncomfortable time, the Lord allowed us to keep our home when many around us with deeper pockets went bankrupt, and we were able to pay off our debt in a difficult yet fulfilling way. This time has taught us to value money in a better way than would not have happened without this uncomfortable time in our life.

I praise God for the outcome, which was so much better than I could imagine. In prayer I kept getting those words, they would pop into my mind, “It will be better than you imagine.”

We know sandpaper can be gritty and abrasive, but what happens afterward? The surface is primed and smooth. The sandpaper in our lives was reduced income, it was not a life and death situation, even though it felt like it at that time. Many of you have had a situation with someone who has been abrasive in your life, and it has been a challenge.

Our pastor talks about a husband and wife being sandpaper to each other and it works out our flaws and shortcomings. Our family is also our spiritual sandpaper.

The scriptures talk about being tested many times. The most notable in our spiritual sandpaper focus today is Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

How are we sharpening each other? Are we helping each other in our walk toward the Lord –that is what we should be doing, but we often fall short. I don’t want to come off as preachy when I talk to my children about spiritual matters. Yet, sometimes I do. I send them videos of good sermons, Scripture verses, or encouragement. That helps in ways that are beneficial without me using a bunch of words.

Our job as parents is to aid our children. Our job as a husband or wife is to aid our spouse. The same goes if you are dating. We are to help and not antagonize each other.

Matthew 5:43-44:

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!’”

God commands us to love as He loves, which is difficult and sometimes impossible. That is why I have prayed, “Lord, I can not love this person right now, but I know you love them; please bless them abundantly.”

MOST OF THE ANIMOSITY WAS LIFTED whenever I prayed this prayer or something similar. Sometimes it took years, but the Lord was victorious in teaching me to forgive.

Why should we love even when people hurt us? Even when we are chafed, annoyed, or persecuted? Because the Lord asks it of us. I love how Jesus explains the main purpose of this command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us in Matthew 5 verse 47, he says:

“If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.”

Do we want to be compared to pagans? Of course not; as believers, we want to do better than those without belief or those who believe in false gods. And that is our challenge today or this week. It is three-fold.

1. First, to be aware of situations where we are sandpaper – that is, abrasive to others without cause. (Not sure there is ever a cause to be abrasive!)
2. Be aware of situations where others have been abrasive to us, and we harbor unforgiveness. Remember the Lord’s prayer.
3. Look at the spiritual sandpaper in our lives as a good thing, one that will help us to grow spiritually.

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Christian Strength ~ Episode 269

We have tools and resources available to us; what about Christian strength that comes from the grace of God? In this podcast, we will discuss the tools God has given us to combat the evil one.

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One of my sweet friends, who gets our emails, sent me this quote, “If you get on the scale and don’t like your weight, remember that you are carrying the full armor of God!” Thanks, Carolyn Wright, for sending me this quote. I love it! It is the little things that remind us we are not alone. Our strength comes from the Lord.

Nehimah 8:10 – “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” How can we have this strength?

1. If we love and worship the one true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that is half the battle.
2. We must remember to put on the armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-18 (Here is a podcast on the Armor of God.)
3. We are in good company! We are adopted children of the Almighty God, so we should rejoice.

Today, I was filled with joy that surpasses all understanding. There was no reason for this; in fact, before I went to church, I was burdened. I was praying for my family and felt a weight pressing on me. Whenever I felt this weight, I gave it to the Lord; in my mind, I said,  “Your will, Lord, not mine.” Then, I kept praying. When I finally arrived at church and knelt down to pray, I felt an overwhelming sense of the love of God.

Have you realized that as Christians, we have powerful tools given to us through Baptism by the Almighty God? Not only are we claimed during our Baptism, but for some of us, we were infants claimed through the intercession of our parents and godparents, and at other times as adults, for those who convert to Christianity. But there is more. God knows everything about us, and we are worth so much in the eyes of God. We are worth much more than any animals. In Mark 5, we see that Jesus restores one man, casts out the evil spirits, and puts them into the swine, who proceed to go off the cliff.  One man was worth so much more than all of the swine!

The concept of exorcism shows us that God is greater than evil. There is more to this world than just what we see; there is a spiritual world. There are principalities and powers, and ever since the fall, we see this brokenness and disobedience of man. Yet, God is light and continues to shed His goodness on a fallen world; we have the choice, and God gives us this free will. After the fall, the world belongs or is under the dominion of the evil one. Jesus came not just to teach, heal, and forgive sins but to fight. We see this with the verses in Ephesians about the armor of God. People looked at Jesus as a prophet; they expected Him to lead an army and wipe out the evil of the day, but He did this in the way that God works. God does not work by outward force. He works by word and deed. He only has to utter a word and evil was cast out. He instructed His disciples to go forth and to command evil to leave in His Name.

After the Baptism of Jesus with John the Baptist, he went into the desert to prepare for the trials to come, and he did it with a fight to take back what belongs to God, and that dear friend is you and me! Praise God, what fantastic news. If that does not give us a boost of faith, remember that the exorcisms that occurred then and now were to reclaim what belongs to the Almighty God.

During the Rite of Baptism (in the Catholic church, I’m not sure about other denominations), there is a right of exorcism; it happens in every Baptism. We are claimed for the Kingdom of God, but we must be delivered from the evil one before this can happen.  Wherever the gospel has been proclaimed, wherever Christ is proclaimed, it is accompanied by exorcisms. We have stories of exorcism from the beginning of the New Testament. When missionaries went to various countries, they also had to do exorcisms to deliver the people from bondage.

I heard a teaching on the topic, and there was a man, a priest who was from Spain and a renowned exorcist, who wrote a book on the topic and studied it extensively. In his studies, he found so few exorcisms during the Middle Ages, and he wondered why, but he concluded that the amount of Baptisms had risen. They were transferred from the kingdom of the evil one; they were brought into the Kingdom of God.

Today, there is a rise in exorcisms; why? Well, for many reasons, one is that people are not having their children baptized, and another is that those baptized deny faith in God, in Jesus as the true Savior; those in sin are choosing the evil one. It is their choice. Therefore, this leaves them open to evil. It is a gateway, if you will, an open door.

Fear not! If you are baptized, you have been transformed into the Kingdom of God! Jesus says do not be afraid. We have strength in God through the Holy Spirit. In the book of Romans, particularly Romans 1, we read about the early church and their struggle but, more importantly, how they were encouraged. Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” 

We have been saved, in fact Romans 6 heading states Dead to Sin Alive in Christ. What good news.

Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This reminds me of a podcast I did on the present moment on being mindful. Link here. God provides for us today. In the present, when we need Him most. We torture ourselves with regrets from the past and the fear of the future, yet we only need to focus on today.

So, friends. Rejoice. Today, as always, the Lord will provide for me and you. He will provide for your family. Continue to pray, continue to storm heaven for what we need. This week, your challenge is to pray for Christian strength for the Lord to provide the grace we need when we need it!

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When is our faith most tested? During the storm. Keeping your faith alive is only possible when you look to the Lord for the help and guidance you need today and always. This podcast will encourage you to keep Him first.

Keeping Your Faith Alive in the Storm ~ Episode 345

Hey there, friends! Welcome to A Few Minutes with God Podcast, where we focus on God’s Word and find encouragement for the journey. I’m Felice Gewritz, and today we’re talking about something we all face: struggles. Life can throw so many problems when we least expect it; it can be family issues—financial stress, health battles, and more. It’s easy to feel like your faith is being tested. But here’s the good news: God’s got you, and His Word gives us hope along the way of trial or the way of the cross. As I record this, it is the season of Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter. And we are reminded of the hardships of our Lord and Savior (read the book of John), and that gives us hope.

Today, we’re focusing on four powerful Bible verses to remind us how to keep our faith alive, even in the storm. So grab a coffee, settle in, and let’s get started.

Thanks to our sponsor CTCMath – visit the website for more information.

Keeping Your Faith Alive Scriptures:

1. Hebrews 6:19 (hope as an anchor)
2. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (grace in weakness)
3. Galatians 6:9 (perseverance)
4. John 16:33 (peace through Christ’s victory)

Do you need an anchor of hope? Just imagine an anchor that is huge and immovable with the word “hope” on it. It is a foundation, a rock, and it is weighed down with steel. It isn’t going anywhere. If we hold on to it, our grasp can fail, but if we are tied to it, we are immovable. This anchor is Christ, and He is our hope and our salvation.

Have you ever felt like you’re drifting, unsure if you’ll make it through? Hebrews 6:19 says: (Read on air.)

I love that image—an anchor. Hope in Jesus keeps us steady. Years ago, a house in my neighborhood had a big anchor (like a ship-sized anchor) in their front yard. You couldn’t avoid seeing it before you turned right to go to our street, and we used that anchor as a point for directions. We’d tell friends When you see that anchor, the street on the corner is ours. It was a beacon, a point of reference, and it took a huge crane to move when the new owners purchased the home.

An anchor is not flimsy; it is not a symbol of we will drift, or ” maybe things will get better kind of hope. No, this anchor is a rooted promise from God Himself. We know from the scriptures that God is here and will not leave us even if we have turned our backs on him. So, when you’re tempted to give up, picture that anchor. Your faith isn’t built on your strength; it’s built on His.

Real Strength in Weakness – Keeping Your Faith Alive

If we are honest, sometimes we feel too weak to keep going. I’ve been there, staring at a mountain of problems, thinking, “God, I can’t do this any longer; please help me.” But listen to 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (Read on air). Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote that when he was struggling with his own “thorn in the flesh.” God didn’t take it away, but He gave Paul something better: His grace. That’s the secret, friends. When you’re at your lowest, God’s power shines brightest. So don’t hide your weakness—bring it to Him. Say, “Lord, I’m struggling, but I trust You’re enough.” He’ll carry you through each and every time.

Don’t you feel better already? I do because every time I read God’s Word, I feel like it is a lifeline. It pulls us out of the pit of despair to quote a line from a book and sets us on our feet on solid ground. When we feel lost, remember you are not alone.

Struggles can feel endless at times. It is as if you’re running a marathon with no finish line. But Galatians 6:9 has this beautiful encouragement. (Read on air.)  That’s a call to keep going. Maybe you’ve been praying the same unanswered prayer, and you are praying for a breakthrough, or you’re trying to stay faithful in a tough situation. The creator of the universe knows all things.  We can not lose hope, and even if the prayer isn’t answered in the way we want it to be answered, it will come. Some of the greatest praise reports are not of answered prayers but in the fact that the person praying was able to embrace the situation and say, “Your will, Lord, not mine.”

John 16:33. Jesus says, (Read on air.) Isn’t that amazing? Jesus doesn’t say no trouble is coming, but He tells us to be of good cheer. Why? Because of Christ, He has already won, and so have we. When everything’s falling apart, you can have peace because Jesus has overcome it all—sin, death, and every struggle you’re facing. So, take a deep breath today. Even if your faith has been shaken by the chaos, pray John 16:33 over and over again, and soon your faith will be rooted in the One who’s already conquered it. Rest in that. He’s got the final word.

Friends, our struggles, and our hardships don’t get to define our faith—God does. Anchor yourself in His hope, lean on His strength, keep pushing forward, and rest in His victory. Hebrews 6:19, 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Galatians 6:9, John 16:33—these aren’t just verses; they’re promises to cling to. Maybe today’s been rough, but you’re not alone. God is right here whether we can feel His presence or not.

Next time, we’ll dig into Finding Joy on the Road to Calvary. Calvary is a topic that has always been difficult for me. We all want to find happiness and joy in Christ but don’t want to consider the price He paid for our sins. Join me next week as we delve into this topic, especially during this time before Easter.

If this podcast has encouraged you, share it with a friend. And you can always comment on the podcast post—I’d love to hear how God’s keeping your faith alive. Until next time, may the Lord keep you and bless you. Amen.

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You have a secret weapon toward greater faith and that is humility. It is often misunderstood. It’s not something that comes naturally—we’ve got to put in some serious effort, even push our own ego aside sometimes, to really follow God’s lead.

The Gift of Humility ~ 344

Humility is a profound gift—one I’ve come to cherish more deeply through the years and my prayer life. It’s amazing how often I’ll have an idea for a podcast, open my Bible, or flip through my church notebook, only to find the theme of humility staring back at me. Even this morning at Mass, the pastor spoke on it, as if God Himself were nudging me to talk about the topic. Human nature doesn’t naturally incline us toward humility. We’re drawn instead to confidence, pride, or self-assurance—qualities the world often celebrates. Yet, for a Christian, humility is a virtue to pursue, a calling rooted in the very heart of Scripture.

Why should we strive for humility? Because God has given us the ultimate example: Jesus Christ, the all-powerful Son of God, who humbled Himself to enter our world in poverty and simplicity. Philippians 2:5-8 captures this beautifully: read on air. Jesus didn’t come as a conquering king or a wealthy ruler. He came as a helpless infant, born to Mary and Joseph—ordinary people elevated by their humble “yes” to God’s plan. Their trust in Him mirrors the humility we are called to use as an example.

Humility is a powerful weapon against evil, though we often fail to recognize its strength. It dispels darkness because it reflects God’s loving plan—a plan that doesn’t force itself upon us but invites us to surrender. How do we explain this to those who don’t believe? Perhaps by living it out, showing that humility isn’t weakness but a grace that aligns us with God’s will. Friends, I’ve struggled with humility. God has given each of us gifts, and He has allowed us to excel or to be capable. We may think we have no need to be humble. Yet, through the years I’ve witnessed godly people who were blessed or graced in a way that I admired and yet they displayed true humility.

Proverbs 22:4 reminds us, “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” It’s not about humiliation—something we instinctively flee from, accompanied by anxiety or embarrassment—but about trusting God’s greater purpose, even when life humbles us.

I’ve seen this in the aging process. As people grow older, they often become dependent on those they once led or cared for. Leaders, parents, and providers find themselves at the mercy of the next generation. As a first-generation Italian, I was raised to honor and care for my elders. My husband and I shared this value, and we were blessed to care for my father in his later years. At first, he took care of us more than we did him, but as time passed, the roles reversed. It’s a humbling reminder that one day, that may be us—needing others, relying on the love we poured into them. In this, humility reveals itself as a gift, not a burden. James 4:6 echoes this truth: “But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” When we offer our humbled moments to the Lord, they become blessings in disguise.

Consider Jesus again and what He did for us. He could have descended as a mighty ruler, instantly claiming power. Instead, He entrusted Himself to two earthly parents with free will, who chose to follow God’s call. Luke 1:50-53 reflects this beautifully: (Read on air.) Mary and Joseph’s humility paved the way for the Savior, showing us that ordinary people, open to God, can do extraordinary things. This challenges the world’s message of greatness through wealth, status, or self-reliance. The world urges us to climb over others, to delay life’s joys—like marriage or children—until we’ve “made it.” But God’s plan often looks different. He knows our hearts and gently leads us, not by force, but by example.

So how do we live this out? Through prayer—spending time with God, talking to Him as if He’s right beside us, because He is. Through trust—opening ourselves to His will, even when it humbles us. 1 Peter 5:6-7 offers this encouragement (read on air.)

Did you hear that? Cast all your anxieties on Him for He cares about you! He does, friends, He really does. The Lord is waiting for us to offer our hearts to Him and one way we can begin is to spend time with Him in prayer.

Humility isn’t about destroying others to succeed; it’s about recognizing that true prosperity—spiritual richness—comes as a gift, not a conquest. When we embrace it, we find peace in God’s control, freedom in His plan, and grace in every humbled step. May God be praised now and forever.

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Deliver Us From Evil ~ Episode 275

sponsored by NOW Programs.

In the Lord’s prayer, we recite the words, “Deliver us from evil now and at the hour of death,” but what does that mean? As Christians, we avoid evil as much as possible, but that does not mean we aren’t tempted. In this podcast, we discover the scriptures do more than warn.

Sin can paralyze us. We can feel under attack. In some cases, it is difficult to break out of this hold, this attack. We live in a culture of self-indulgence, instant food, and easy access to things most countries can only dream about. Yet, we hear that many people feel empty and alone.

Many people are drawn to the prosperity scriptures, such as in Jeremiah. What is not to love? Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

You may enjoy these podcasts on combatting evil.

• Resisting Evil
• Evil Tactic
• Drenched with Joy

The Lord wants to shower us with an abundance of grace, but often, our hands are firmly in our pockets, or we sit with our arms crossed. We crave prosperity, but we realize it isn’t that easy to receive because of all the blocks we place in the way. God knows our hearts, and often we are found lacking. God wants to bless, heal, and restore us, yet it is up to us to open our arms to the Lord—your will, not ours. Deliver us from evil, Lord, as you will it to be. That should be our prayer.

The Gospel message is not for the faint of heart.

Psalm 9 – The Lord will judge the world with justice. Read all of Psalm 9, but the first (read on air)

Jesus is the Lord; he came and lived among sinful men when they yearned for a Messiah. These people did not recognize him even with all of the miraculous happening. Jesus cast out demons, yet the people of the day said he could only do this because he was evil. Whatever were they thinking? This is what we would call faulty thinking today.

In the Gospel of Luke 11:15-26, we read that the people were complaining about the Lord. They said Jesus casts out the ruler of the demons, but the only way he could do this was because he was evil. In verses 17-22, Jesus says, (Read on air)

And that, my friends, is the crux of the issue — whoever is not with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is against him. There is no time to be lukewarm. Lukewarm will not only get us into trouble but also allow evil to come back with a vengeance. It was difficult for the men then, as well as people now, to give Jesus credit, to believe, and to turn back from sin.

The really scary part is that while the demon was expelled from the man, not only did it come back.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

Luke 11:24-26 (Read on air.)

Spiritual warfare doesn’t take a break; those who get free of addictions, if you get free of the evil, you need to change your lifestyle to maintain that freedom. Turn to a life of prayer and a sacramental life. We are made as a spiritual vessel for the Holy Spirit, and if it is not filled by the Holy Spirit, it gets filled by other spirits. We can not leave it empty.

How do you avoid evil? Recognize it.

Even as Christians, the lure for understanding or knowing the future is prevalent in our society. Two years ago, I was in New Orleans for a conference and visited St. Louis Cathedral. The church had erected a high metal fence in front of it, which I found strange until I saw, little by little, people in colorful garments coming and setting up shop in the open, public space in front of the church. Who were these people? They were the “sellers” of evil. There were fortune tellers and palm readers, to name a few. Some people took tours to talk about the ghosts that inhabited many of the buildings and had been “seen” in years past.

Where there is good, evil abounds. You may think I am exaggerating, but the truth is that the enemy will do anything for your soul. The enemy is allowed in through a gateway, but always with our permission.

One way that evil enters is through occult practices; many are unaware of items such as occult games, for example, the Ouija board and tarot cards. Or activities such as seances and mediums,  which is how evil gets in, because people welcome and allow it, believing it is just for fun or not real. Friends, it is real. Evil does have power, but only what we give it; God is greater, He is Almighty, He has dominion over evil. Who will we serve?

Deliver Us From Evil, Scripture Warns Us

The scriptures warn us. The Old Testament is filled with worship of idols, of false gods. The true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, gave warning after warning. The 10 Commandments, the prophets, and what happened? All of the twelve tribes of Israel fell because while two of the twelve (in the south) worshipped the true God, they would not remove the “idols from on high” that the people worshiped. We can not be divided in our worship.

A verse that should give us pause is in Isaiah 47 – in verses 10-11 (Read on air.) Leviticus 20:6  (Read on air.)

Deliver Us From Evil – Five Easy Steps

1. Renounce your sin, ask the Lord to call the sins to mind, and rebuke them in the Name of Jesus.
2. Renounce permission you may have given the evil one to enter through the sin. Spiritual warfare prayer.
3. Claim in the Name of Jesus that you are a child of God.
4. Pray with a spiritual advisor or clergy.
5. If you are Catholic, go to confession and receive the sacraments often.

Praying, reading the scriptures, asking for more of the Holy Spirit, and confessing are ways to avoid evil.

Spiritual Warfare Prayer

1. Renounce sin – in the Name of Jesus, I give you dominion over my life and renounce the sin of *** ____________________ (pray and quietly wait on the Lord to reveal sin to your mind.)
2. Put on the armor of God Ephesians 6:10-18.
   • RIGHTEOUSNESS: Girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, flaming arrows against the evil one, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
   • WHOLE ARMOR: In verses 13-18,” Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
   • TRUTH: Stand, therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.
   • PEACE: As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
   • FAITH: With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
   • SALVATION: Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
   • PRAY: Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.Pray in the Spirit – come Holy Spirit, and keep alert.

***Once you have prayed against evil – for example, the spirit of lies, ask the Lord to fill you with the opposite, “the spirit of truth.” Always pray the opposite of the evil and ask God to fill you with His grace. If you do not know the opposite, pray, Come Holy Spirit.

Remember, the battle has been won! Alleluiah. Alleluiah. Jesus lived, died, has risen, and has broken the bonds of death. We must be open and vigilant and recognize that we can pray, “Come Holy Spirit, Come…fill my heart today and always.”

Your challenge this week is to pray the spiritual warfare prayer and take back any areas you have given over. Amen! May God be praised.

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Does God hear you when you pray? Sometimes, He hears those unspoken prayers as well. God’s provision is always timely and comes just when we need it.

Hey there, friends! Welcome to A Few Minutes with God Podcast. Today we will dive into God’s Word and His promises to lift our spirits and strengthen our faith. I’m your host, Felice Gerwitz, and you can find today’s show notes at AFMWGPodcast.com – I also want to thank our sponsor, Judson College. If you want a unique college experience that is authentically Christian. In this day of not knowing what you will find on a college campus, it is worth checking out. JudsonCollege.com

God’s Provision: Trusting Him

Today we’re talking about something so close to my heart: how God provides for us. If you’ve ever wondered if God sees your needs—or if you just need a reminder of His faithfulness—this episode is for you.

You know, life can feel uncertain sometimes. Bills pile up, plans fall apart, and we’re left wondering, “How am I going to get through this?” But here’s the beautiful truth: we serve a God who isn’t distant or distracted. He’s a provider—Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord Will Provide.” And He’s been showing us that from the very beginning.

Let’s start with a story from Scripture that I love—Exodus 16. The Israelites have just been freed from slavery in Egypt. They’re in the wilderness, and they’re hungry. They start grumbling, saying, “At least in Egypt we had food!” All I can think about is that God just saved you from captivity, and you are no longer slaves. How can you not be grateful? But God doesn’t punish them. Instead, He provides. He sends manna—bread from heaven—every single day. Not just once, but faithfully, day after day, teaching them to trust Him.

I think there’s something so powerful here. There are so many lessons. The first is that God provided. But even more, he didn’t give them a stockpile to hoard; He gave them daily provision. Enough for today, with a promise for tomorrow. It’s like He was saying, “Depend on Me. I’m not going anywhere.” And that’s still true for us today. Maybe your “manna” looks like a timely paycheck, a friend’s encouragement, or even strength you didn’t know you had. God provides what we need, when we need it.

In the New Testament—Matthew 6:26. (Read on air.) Jesus is teaching, and He says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Don’t you I love that! Jesus points to the sparrows—little, ordinary birds—and says, “If God takes care of them, how much more will He take care of you?”

A lady recently recounted that her feet were hurting, and she usually walked to church and home afterward. It wasn’t far, maybe two or three miles, but this one day, she wondered how she would get home. Another lady going her way offered her a ride home. She was so amazed. This lady had no idea her feet hurt, but God did. She had already sacrificed and walked to church, but now God provided for her to get home. She was so thankful, but then she said, “Why am I surprised God watches over me!”

A miracle happened when we needed to remodel our home (my husband is a contractor) to make room for our third child. All of a sudden I started saving extra money. I asked my husband if things were going better at work. He said, no things are the same. And, I explained that our savings was growing without us even trying. The cost of the remodel was all that extra money we had in savings, almost to the penny. And, then the big savings stopped! It is like the manna. God provided for right then, this specific need. He didn’t give us a big, big surplus, just what we needed. And, yes we would rely on Him.

And that’s the thing—God’s provision doesn’t always look how we expect. Sometimes it’s miraculous, like the loaves and fishes feeding 5,000 in John 6. Other times, it’s quiet—a kind word, a job opportunity, a moment of peace when your heart’s racing. Philippians 4:19 promises, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Not some needs—all of them. And not from a limited supply, but from His endless riches.

So, what do we do with this? How do we live like we believe God provides? First, we look back. Think of a time God came through for you. Maybe it was big, maybe small—but write it down, remember it. I use to encourage you all the time to keep a Praise Journal. Prayer Journals are great we write down specific prayer petitions and we pray that God blesses them, but a praise journal acknowledges that yes, God – you are there for me. I see you. I know in my heart that I am loved. Those are your “stones of remembrance,” like the Israelites set up in Joshua 4, to remind you He’s faithful. Second, we pray. Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:11, “Give us today our daily bread.” It’s simple, but it’s trust—asking God for what we need today. And third, we rest. Stop striving so hard to control it all. The birds don’t stress, and neither should we.

Please know that you are seen, you are loved, and you are held by a God who provides for you, not just today but always. He sees you, and He knows everything that happens in your life. Some of it is good, some of it a cross to bear and a hardship. Yet it is no surprise to God. Maybe you’re in a wilderness season right now, waiting for your manna. Hold on—He’s already at work. Maybe you’re in a season of plenty—praise Him and share it. Either way, God’s got you in the palms of His hands, and He’s not letting go.

Let’s pray:

“Father, thank You for being our provider. Thank You for seeing our needs and meeting them in Your perfect way. Help us trust You, rest in You, and see Your hand at work. Help us to understand that you truly love us. For anyone listening who’s worried today, please Lord wrap them in Your peace, Your love and Your joy – that joy that surpasses all understanding and please, show them Your provision. We love You, Lord, we praise You, Lord, you are worthy of all the glory and the honor. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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When you pray and fast, you take an active role in your faith journey. In this episode, we discuss how your prayer life and faith can improve for the better.

Pray and Fast ~ Episode 342

This is probably one of the least popular tasks of a Christian. We don’t mind attending church, opening and reading our Bible, and giving money to charity. But when challenged to pray and fast? That makes it so much more complex.

However,  prayer and fasting are two spiritual powerhouses. These are proven disciplines that can transform your life as a Christian. If you’re ready to learn more, grab your coffee—or maybe skip it if you’re fasting—and let’s get started!

But first, I want to thank our sponsor, Judson College.  Judson College offers biblical and practical training wherever a student is called to equip and live all of life for Christ.

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Fruits of Faith – Episode 341

Do you ever feel that the more you know, the more you don’t know? Whenever I study scripture or a topic I want to learn more about, it seems that the Holy Spirit directs me in a specific way, or I “accidentally” stumble upon something that sparks an idea. This happened to me, and my planned topic was postponed until I could write this one. I pray it is a blessing to you.

I was praying and thinking about faith and its importance; I started thinking about the fruits of faith–what are they, and how can we see them in our lives? Jesus said, and I’m paraphrasing, they will know we are Christians by our love. Look up John 13:35. But what are the fruits of faith? Where are those blessings?

If we are faithful, a decision we make, we receive blessings. (Check out my podcast on Blessings here.) But not necessarily how you might think this happens. For example, if you follow God, everything will go great; you will never have hardships or difficulties, right? In some ways, yes, because we can cope with these things, and we realize in the grand scheme of life, they are minor, even if, at that moment, the hardships seem insurmountable. I remember a close friend once shared that she never was concerned with having no money because she had her faith, happiness, and health until her health and that of her husband were under attack. Yet, without faith, how would you live?

Faith is not a feeling. Faith is a belief in the unseen. Faith is truly a gift from God. Can we ask for more faith? Yes, of course. What is faith? It is a belief that there is more in life than what we can see, the material things around us. If we can use our senses to experience the material, that is not faith.

Oh, to live when Jesus roamed the earth in the flesh. Not that I would enjoy all that dust and dirt or even the primitive ways of life. There is something attractive to the simplicity of living, even under those hardships. Can you imagine being one of the disciples? Listening in as Jesus spoke to Joseph and Mary? Can you imagine the Holy Family living life together and learning from Christ? In the movie The Nativity, one of my favorites, there is a line where Joseph talks about the coming Messiah with Mary and says, “Will I even be able to teach him anything?”

Yet, only Jesus, Mary, and Joseph knew before his public ministry that Jesus was God. Joseph and Mary had faith beforehand, but they were chosen and said yes to participate in the greatest mystery of all time. Can you imagine being chosen? Well, we are, and we participate not in the same way as the Holy Family but in a special way by our faith in Jesus.

The Word became flesh.

Thus, Christianity was born, and our faith in Christ grew along with that of many other believers. As Christians, we realize this greatest miracle, and we, through no effort of our own, expect our “yes” we can participate in the miracles and gifts and blessings. After all, God gave us free will, and He will not force us to believe, but the signs are all around us if we have eyes that see!

First of all, it is a journey. It is a walk, and for some of us, we arrive quickly; for others, like myself, it is a long and winding path. The quickest way to get to the goal is to set aside the old ways of life. How do we shed this old life? One way that helps me understand this is to compare it to a diet.

It means a lifestyle change if you’ve ever been on a diet to lose a few pounds. We eliminate the chips, soda, and other packaged foods that harm our health. We buy fresh produce, and we eat healthily. We exercise, drink lots of water, and get rid of sugary drinks. And we work super hard to try to lose that weight. But what happens after we reach our goal? Hopefully, we will lose the weight we want to shed. But what happens when we go back to our old ways? We gain weight back, sometimes more than we started with initially.

A lifestyle change is only possible by the grace of God, with His blessings, and through prayer. In fact, you can accomplish this both by praying and fasting. Some things take our focus off of self and onto God. But often, we are too hard on how we look or what we do; we think we fail God and the others we love the most.

I recently read the staggering statistics for suicide. This is tragic, and the enemy’s goal is to make us think that life is not worth living. This is a lie; remember, the evil one is the father of lies. God’s grace and goodness are there for each of us to lean into and rely on if only, as the scriptures say, we have “eyes that see.”

Open your eyes wide to the wonders and goodness of the Lord through faith. The fruits of faith are joy, goodness, and so much more. God loves you; He cares about you, and He created you for a purpose.

The fruits of faith are a happier life, the ability to cope with the unexpected, and seeing God in those little things that happen in our lives. One friend who recovered from cancer would tell me how she took such delight in the sunset and the sunrises. She shared that she would tease the Almighty God that He was showing off just for her.

This is true faith when you can see God in the everyday wonders we take for granted and appreciate it as a personal gift. Dear friends, you are a gift; your life is not an accident, and you are here for a reason. Do not ever lose hope, but remember the awesomeness and ability that God has given us because we live. Once again, share the good news with others.

Enjoy your faith, count your blessings, and look toward the grace that comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

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The blessings we receive in our lives are a total gift. Are you ready for more blessings? This podcast discusses how we can be open to God’s grace.

Blessings In Our Life ~ Episode 340

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our entire lives were filled with blessings? One blessing after another. Take a moment to imagine what that would look like.

Thanks to NOW Programs. Check out this amazing personalized program

What came to mind? I can imagine incredible blessings, but the ones that truly matter are a faith-filled, happy, healthy home and family. The material blessings in this life are wonderful. For many of you listening to this podcast, even if you are not in the USA, you enjoy clean water, a home where you live, food to eat, electricity, and the internet. These things make our lives easier, and we often take them for granted over those less fortunate.

Yet none of the things I mentioned are forever. They are temporary gifts in our lives.

What is a true blessing? Let me read a favorite Psalm of many of us: Psalm 23: (Read on air.)

Sometimes, God gives, and God takes away. That may be the story of your life. Think about Job’s life and the lessons to be learned from those passages. As you get older, you will not be able to escape the difficulties that happen in life. And yet we can rejoice because the blessings abound, knowing that the Almighty and King of the Universe cares about us. We may not see it. We may not hear it. We may feel lost but know He is there.

This brings me to the topic of loneliness. Many people are lonely. It transcends age. Young people, as well as old, can all suffer from feeling alone and left out. The common thread is a relationship, or lack of relationship, with God. As a young homeschool mom, I tried to make daily Mass a routine, and I failed miserably. On occasion, we did go, and I was impressed by the little ladies we sat near and how they seemed to make it routinely. One was always smiling and asked me my children’s names. I watched as she wrote them down in her prayer book and said she would pray for us (and them) each day! Even if I couldn’t attend, God took care of us and blessed us through this lady. She wasn’t lonely; she had a relationship with Christ and prayed for others, and God gave her the gift of joy.

As a young single woman in my first job, I had little chance of meeting anyone. I worked long hours and didn’t like the bar scene. Online dating wasn’t a thing at the time, and I’m not sure if I would have done it anyway. I finally realized it was my choice to be lonely, and I renewed my commitment to God, and all loneliness was gone! I was happy and content.

Truly spiritual blessings demonstrate the goodness and awesome power of God. I heard a priest once explain that the Catholic churches are such vast structures because they attempt to give the glory that God is due within the church through a beautiful structure but also because God is enormous and it is, in fact, symbolic. I believe that is why the oceans and sky are so vast, with millions of stars in the sky. It highlights the glory of God.

Psalm 19: 1-4, 8-10, 14 (read on air). Pray and meditate on that Psalm, especially when you doubt God’s blessings or feel lonely and lost!

A blessing is a grace, a gift. After the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and Mary in a mighty way. This blessing was a gift to infill them with the ability to preach and teach. In this way, while the blessing upon the person is personal, it is for the entire community.

What talent, spiritual gift, and time do you have to work for the Kingdom of God? Do you volunteer in a ministry? Do you give your time and talents to others? When my children were little, the only energy I had was for my husband, children, and extended family. This was my calling, I believed, from God. Family first. Mother Teresa, in her acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, gave a fantastic speech, and a paraphrase is the following: “If you want to bring peace to the whole world, go home and love your family.”- Mother Teres.a

Blessings include spiritual gifts, talents, personality traits, ideas, and material possessions. Have you read the scripture about the talents? Read Matthew 25 in its entirety. The story’s moral truth is that if God gives you a blessing in the form of a “talent”  and asks how will you invest the gift I’ve given you? 

Will we use it for ourselves? For our family? Or will we seek God and ask how to use it for the kingdom?

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As a Christian, there is a cost to following Jesus. Is it worth it? What does this mean? In this podcast, we compare the minimal sacrifice to the wonderful blessings that come with faith.

The Cost of Following Jesus ~ Episode 329

According to Scripture, we realize there is a cost to following Christ. The sacrifice can include giving up personal and sinful desires; all of those things will lead us to death. These sacrifices can bring us peace and joy, yet many people who look at Christians and the Christian faith see only the sacrifice, not the blessings.

I may have told you this story, but it bears repeating. In college, I watched a committed Christian friend suffering many trials. I worried about her and silently thought that while I was happy, I knew the Lord and loved Him; I wasn’t the target of what I felt was an attack.

Her parents gave her a new car, and soon after, she was in an accident that wrecked it. She praised the Lord that she wasn’t hurt badly. Then she was often sick because she spent much time in the science lab. Her lab work required her to look at a microscope, which made her nauseous. It seemed like one thing after another after another. I learned so much from her, and my faith grew. I saw how her love of God transcended all of those things.

But, what did people at school think of her? They were confused and puzzled. They believed that if you followed God, all things should be easy. And they are in some ways. As a Christian, we know what is essential.

When we prioritize Jesus above all things, we essentially say that we will deny ourselves and carry our cross in following Him. In Luke 9:23-26 (Read on air.)

And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

This life is not all there is; we have an everlasting life with God. Having everything in this world, all the riches, all the luck, all the things people think are important, we can’t take it with us. We should consider this; each day is a gift and a blessing that we are alive. But we all know we will not live forever. Is our house in order? Do we see what is important, and what do we think could be more important than our faith in God?

When we prioritize Jesus above all else, we must carry our cross and do this daily. Some days are difficult, but do we see it in perspective? Some days, I don’t want to work, I don’t want to participate in the ministry where I am the coordinator, I don’t want to cook or clean or do anything! I want to go on strike from my busy schedule and have a day off. I was purely miserable until I realized it was something I could not change in the short term. So, my days continue, and I carry my cross, whatever that is, and follow Jesus.

Some people are ill, and that is a cross. Some people have to work way past retirement age, which is a cross. Some people have financial difficulties or struggles with personal situations or people. All those things are a cross. Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

I want to caution you if you are a complainer, and we all are occasionally. Complaining wastes time takes effort, and makes us all around miserable. Focus on the things you can change, do something about this, and leave all the things you can’t change alone.

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What happens when you open your heart to God’s love? In this episode of A Few Minutes with God, we will discuss the grace of God’s love and how it can empower you.

Open Your Heart To God’s Love 328

God’s love is amazing; it is such a blessing, and His love is unconditional, and yet we often turn from His love because we feel unworthy. Yet we should recall this verse, which is listed as the Greatest Commandment. Matthew 22:34-40 (read on air).

 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad′ducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Can we embrace that, and can we open our hearts to love the Lord totally?

Recently I’ve reread C.S. Lewis’ popular book, The Screw Tape Letters. This was in preparation for attending the play, which I am looking forward to seeing. This book is excellent if you want to know how the evil one works. One of the ways is by allowing us to doubt that we are worthy of an Almighty and loving God. But we know that is not true.

Romans 3:10-12 states:

as it is written:“None is righteous, no, not one;¹¹     no one understands;    no one seeks for God.¹² All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;  no one does good,not even one.”

If we don’t believe, we have difficulty doing good. Or, as the verse states, we have turned aside altogether.

Psalm 14:1-3 says a similar thing, but we should take heart because later in Romans, we see there is hope for us.

1.  John 3:16:  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2. Romans 5:8: But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
3. 1 John 4:19 : We love, because he first loved us.

This leads us to the last point. When you open your heart to God, you will be flooded with gratitude. You will see with new eyes, and you will become a thankful person. And you will see that God’s love has always been present. You just never saw it in the same way! Your life will bear fruit.

And what will you do with this knowledge? Who will you tell? How will you share the good news? That is the challenge we all have, and we can once again ask God for the ability and opportunity to share his love with others!

May God be blessed.

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Where do you see true justice and mercy played out other than in Christ Jesus? We read the scriptures and learn that Christ is just, yet He is also merciful. How is that possible? We see it in His charity and the mercy that comes even while we are sinners. This podcast examines how we can grow in our Christian faith and evangelize to others.

Justice and Mercy of Christ ~ Episode 327

Before we can delve into the dichotomy between Christ’s justice and mercy, we must look within ourselves. How do we perceive the world and others? If we don’t look at this issue through the lens of faith, the truth can often become distilled.

Our outlook on life is one of the ways we see others and approach life’s issues. One of our pastors made the statement, “To the evil, all things are evil, and to the good, all things are good.” He then smiled and said, “Don’t blame me; this is a teaching from Jesus.”

The verse he alludes to is in Luke 6:45, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

What is in our hearts? Is it love, or is it the grace that comes from God? Is it compassion? When we love, we show mercy to others because we have a greater capacity to love. Jesus taught us so much about justice and mercy, yet we fail to understand this because of the way we see others. Matthew 7: 1-6 reads. (Read on air.)

Do you see the good in others or only the bad? Sometimes we don’t get along with people, and it is difficult to change our mind about the person or to see the good that person has within. This scripture verse tells us to look at ourselves first.

[Thanks to our sponsor NOWPrograms. Their philosophy is don’t accomodate, remediate. And it really works.]

So, as we look within our hearts we can examine our attitude. Are we self-righteous? Is it compassionate? What do you see when you see when you look at yourself? Sometimes we see areas that need to change but take heart. Jesus is there for us!

Jesus lived his life challenging us, yes, but with love and mercy. His teachings and His sacrifice on the cross demonstrate his justice and his mercy. Jesus showed us, as sinners, how to be reconciled to Him. How do we do this? By picking up our own cross and following Him.

How do we thank Jesus for his death on the cross? How do we see his death as the moment where justice (not for Him but for us) and mercy intersect? Jesus was crucified not for any sin He committed but to save us from our sins.

God’s Justice and Mercy Demonstrated

1. The justice of God is highlighted by the requirement that sin, by its very nature, must be punished.
2. The law of God requires obedience.  Not through our strength but through our will and the grace of God.
3. The penalty for sin is death. Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4. Justice is attributed to God alone, and because of His holiness, the wrongs of this life can be reversed.
5. God is mercy exemplified by His very nature.
6. God forgives through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.
7. Jesus’ death was the atonement for our sins. It was payment, and through God’s justice, our sins were forgiven.
8. Jesus forgave our sins by his death and resurrection without compromising His righteousness. Romans 3:23-26
9. Mercy is available to all who believe. That is the key–> those who believe in Jesus.
10. God wants to reconcile with humanity (us) despite our sinfulness.

The Lord is righteous, He is the just judge, He is the Alpha and the Omega and through Jesus and Him alone do we have mercy for our sins.

We are healed by his stripes. Isaiah 53:5 foretold this! (Read on air.) The stipes, the wounds of the scourging at the pillar that Jesus endured and then His torture and death on the cross was for us, for each one of us. So when we are upset or down or feel that no one understands us, we must remember that God is just and merciful to those who repent, believe and call upon His name. He is there for us always.

Share the good news with others!

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Have you heard that the rock of the church is Jesus Christ? Our faith and belief in Jesus is the foundation of the church, our faith, and all that is good and holy. So what do we do with this knowledge as Christians, and where can it take us? This podcast explores the truth of Christ’s teaching and the importance of evangelizing by example.

The Rock – Christ Our Lord ~ Episode 326

Have you seen a theme in the podcasts this year? If you said “evangelization,” you are correct. If we have the gift of faith, we must nurture it through prayer, study, listening to good things, and focusing on those who encourage us along our faith journey. However, once you’ve reached the point of having a solid faith, it is time to share the good news with others. One way is to share this podcast.

[Thanks to our sponsor NOWPrograms. Their philosophy is don’t accomodate, remediate. And it really works.]

The Rock Of The Church

If you are listening to this podcast I’m going to assume you have faith. Where have you built this faith? Think about this.

I grew up Catholic, with a strong faith in God. I knew Jesus and loved Him. I thought about God and His teachings. But as a child, I remember a traumatic time when we were moving away from family in New York and traveling to a foreign land. Canada! Looking out the window, I was upset and wondered if God was there. So, I decided, in my naivety, to test God. I was thinking about the verse in Matthew. Matthew 17:20: The verse reads,(read on air).

I asked the Lord to move the mountain. I said, “Lord, I have faith; it is greater than a mustard seed. Make this mountain move.” This was as we were traveling down an interstate, and as far as I could tell, the mountain didn’t move. At this point, my faith was fledging, and it was that of a child. Years later, I realized that testing the Lord was unwise. When we doubt, it shows we are struggling with our faith. And, yes — we all have times of doubt.

Yet, situations in our lives cause us to struggle, allowing thoughts to become doubtful and to build up without placing our trust in God. This can hurt our relationship with Him. When we turn away from God, the human heart has no boundaries. It becomes weak. It allows the enemy to creep in and sow doubt. Through the scriptures, if you’ve ever studied them, you will see time and time again that the Lord gives multiple chances to change, and yet, so many times, people turn their back on God.

Read the book of Romans, chapters one and two. It is depressing, to say the least. Some people lived at the time or shortly after the Lord lived upon the earth. They either witnessed or heard about the great things of God, and yet they decided to stay with their sins. How can we prevent evil in our hearts if our minds are not turned toward God? Our intellect will be dimmed and darkened further if we turn away. Many of us are committed Christians, so the gospel is for those of us, and we have no excuse. We either believe or we don’t. Is God the rock on which the church was built? If so, how do we proceed?

Matthew 7:24-26 (read on air).

This verse places Peter at the head of the church, yet the rock of the church is Christ. Without the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, there is no forgiveness of sins; there is no church, and the gates of heaven would remain closed. Yet, God gave his only Son so we could have everlasting life. This is an honor and a privilege, wow!

Jesus spoke in Aramaic and the word for “rock” is Kepha. So Jesus actually said, “You are Kepha, and upon this kepha, I will build my church.” Later we read in John 1:42. (Read on air.) The footnote in regard to where it says “which means Peter” states: “From the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively”

Where is the reference to Peter as the rock in scripture?

Kepas or Cephas both mean rock and refer to Peter. Other verses also point to Peter as the rock:

1. 1 Corinthians 1:12
2. 1 Corinthians 2:33
3. 1 Corinthians 9:5
4. 1 Corinthians 15:5
5. Galatians 2:11
6. Galatians 2:14

The Bible continues to show us how it is an integrated puzzle. Sure, some verses take studying and research, but it is wonderful to see it repeatedly! If you have ever wondered where Catholics get the primacy of the Pope from it is those verses.

Let’s get excited about God; if we are, we will be excited about all he can do for our lives and share the good news with others! We can be a hearer (wow, that’s nice, and go on with our lives) or a doer…that’s amazing, and I want to tell everyone I know about the Lord!

This next verse is strong, but hopefully, it wakes all of us up!

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Spiritual decluttering occurs when we decide to do the hard thing before we do the “me” thing. If that doesn’t make sense, stay tuned to learn how to declutter your life meaningfully.

Spiritual DeClutter – Finding God In The Mess – Episode 325

Decluttering is not my gift. I always think I need something, so I find a place for it, only to move it or decide months later to give it away. I’ve read so many books on decluttering and how following the important steps in the 400+ pages will make my life so much easier. Many books later, my office looked like a thrift store at times.

[Thanks to our sponsor NOWPrograms. Their philosophy is don’t accomodate, remediate. And it really works.]

Why is it so difficult for some of us to part with things we will never use, articles we won’t read, or momentos (this is the hardest) that we treasure? Sometimes, keeping all of these things gives us a sense of security, and it makes us feel closer to the person to a good time in our lives rather than putting it somewhere we won’t see it.

If we must declutter, there are some steps. The best advice I ever read was to take three boxes: one to trash, one to keep, and one to donate or give away. This was simple enough for even me to implement. And when I am successful at decluttering, I feel like a weight is lifted; it is clean and sparse, and I can actually think! I can put my laptop on my desk without moving a pile of papers or books. it doesn’t help that my office is also the family office, and I file papers for business, my husband’s and mine, and a stack of things I need to shred but don’t have the time to do often. This trash takes up so much room, making me think of other areas where there is trash.

I believe decluttering can relate to the sin in my life. When we look at spiritual decluttering, we are getting rid of those things that are not helpful but harmful. And, when we do this, it can lighten our hearts. Decluttering is more than getting rid of things in our homes; in a sense, when we purge, we get rid of the trash. So, the first step in a spiritual sense is to look at the trash in our lives. I may have shared with you that I gave us reading light-hearted books for a period of time. I found that my time was eaten up by reading for pleasure and putting off all of the important things I needed to do. I decided to put that time to good use and do it for a month. Time kept extending for different reasons. It has now been over a year. There is nothing wrong with pleasure reading unless it takes over your life.

Some of us tend to be “all in” in our lives and in our focus on life. This is a good thing, but it can become an obsession or a distraction. Take an inventory of your life. What are those things keeping you from deepening your relationship with others and God? We can keep those things in moderation or put them in a giveaway later, but we can also keep an eye on the distractions.

Decluttering spiritually can be to shed those burdens. When we take a trip, we often wish to pack light, yet we take many things we do not need. I often pack and bring home half a suitcase of things I never wore or used. Burdens happen in our lives when we carry things around; they become a weight oppressing us. I talked to my brother earlier today, and he shared a situation with his friend. He was getting more and more upset as he was sharing the story. I let him vent for a while and then asked him, “Why is this upsetting you? Is this something you can change?” He agreed he could not change it but had been carrying around this burden that was no fault of his own.

Do we do this? Do we carry the baggage of others? Take inventory of this and think about it. This could be the situation with a child or a family member. Sometimes, we want more for them than they want for themselves. And this is exactly what the Lord wants for us. He wants more than we want for ourselves! When we give to the Lord what is truly His, we can live lives that are less burdened.

Spiritual decluttering can be purging our lives of social media for a time. I’ve often shared how I’ve done this with the news since 90% of it is sensationalized for profit. Bad news sells. Spending too much time on social media can cause difficulties in our lives.

Forgiveness is another way to declutter our lives. We ask the Lord to help us forgive others and allow God to heal any hurts in our lives.

Decluttering is the same as unburdening and we will find we are walking tall in the sense of not carrying all that baggage.

Psalm 51:10 (Read on air)

This new and right spirit will allow you to rejoice and become the version that God wants you to be, and in this way, you can minister to others by your witness.

Matthew 5:16 (Read on air.

Let’s Pray:

We ask YOU, Lord, to allow your light to shine in us so that others may see this – I want to be “all in” for you and to give you all the glory you deserve. Friends, I pray this for you in this new year: that you are blessed and unburdened and rejoice in today, the day the Lord has made. Amen!

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Love As Christ Loves ~ Episode 241

How can we love as Christ loves? Is it impossible, or is it? In this episode, we explore what true Christian love means to us.

Visit the website at MediaAngels.com for books and products written by Felice Gerwitz, specifically her ministry books, A Few Minutes with God and One More Child. Please share this episode with a friend, and share God’s love with all.

Sponsored by Now Programs.

If I asked you, “What is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say, ‘Christ loves?”

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In a nutshell, to love as Christ means to love one another and to become Christ’s disciples, not only to learn, by reading the Scriptures, attending a Bible study, or doing a scripture study on your own. It means to look at our lives as a challenge to get better one day at a time. I read a book by a well-known evangelist who claimed that during some seasons of his faith journey, sometimes he just didn’t want to show up for prayer with the Lord. We all go through life struggles that can bring us closer to God or cause us to be stray. Showing up is half the battle.

In past episodes here and here I spoke about forgiveness. The graphic I selected for this podcast is one of Jesus writing in the sand. John 8 is at the Mount of Olives where Jesus went to preach, we read in verse 2-11 (Read on Air)

Another verse that comes to mind shows us how we should love each other. Ephesians 5:25, the entire verse is beautiful, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…” this is an appropriate Scripture as I record this podcast in the month of February. How can this be? We are, after all, sinful creatures, and we fail each other often. In fact, we hurt those we love the most.

To love, care, and to be hurt by love means you care so much that it crushes you when you consider the hurt. But love is more than what happens to us.  One definition of love is sacrificial, love gives, and love receives. Some of us love to receive gifts, and others like to give gifts; each of us is a unique gift. Scripture tells us we are created in the likeness and image of God. God created us with a body, soul, and spirit.

One of the most recited scripture is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This beautiful scripture speaks about the love of Christ for us – that sacrificial love. Can you imagine if Christians worldwide would think about loving as Christ loves us? Can you imagine the change in our world?

We can take it further, within our own families first and then our larger social circle, those at school, at work, and the people we meet in the grocery store. We can go against the flow and pray to the Lord for grace for this! We are so blessed, and we do not see it, but if we did we would give to others. It does not have to cost money.  A smile can brighten someone’s day, and a hug goes a long way toward healing hurts. We are so wounded that we forget that others are hurting as well. Christ’s love for us continues to pour out upon all of us – it wasn’t a one-time thing, sure His sacrifice was one time, but the effects of his sacrifice are everlasting.

1 John 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Can we abide in God’s love? It is never too late. No matter what sin or anger we have in our hearts, there is forgiveness. It can start right now. Today, with a decision to turn away from what the Bible calls sin. Our world says nothing is sinful if you want to do it – just go for it. But in this mindset, we see that some are givers and others are takers, which frustrates all. The givers are upset. They give with nothing in return, and the takers never think it is enough.

Corinthians 3:14 – And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Love binds everything together. That is why romance books and Hallmark movies permeate the stores and airwaves. Everyone wants to love and be loved. Everyone wants that unconditional love that the Scriptures talk about, but no one wants to love unconditionally! While we can love and have sacrificial love, it is difficult to love when we get nothing back. However, we can not out give our God. He is mighty and immense, and His love knows no bounds. Try it; try to give God your love, your trust, your time, and your gifts. Ask God what you can do to serve Him. Watch what happens.

It may not be today, but it will be at some point in time when you least expect it. Have you looked back on the previous year to see the hand of God in your life? As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20 – we may not see the miracles in our life right now, but we will see them in the future.

My son is in the Army Rangers program; this week has been the longest week of my life. He had to pass this week’s challenges to be an RS – a Ranger Student. In the private group, the administrators shared what they were going through. As I was praying for him, I thought, as Christ gave us His sacrifice for our sins, so too did the military, the police, and sheriffs, the firefighters, the first responders put their lives on the line for others. This is their job, yes. But it is Christ-like; it is loving as Christ loves. These little aha moments are so amazing when we pray and ask God for His grace. (Please pray for my son that he successfully makes it through all three stages of this journey.)

So, friends, our choice is to love as Christ loves or to follow our own way. My choice is to follow Christ’s example. This week I urge you to think about Christ’s love and look at the Scripture verses, not only those I shared, but those that you find on your own in the Bible. Journal about it and think about what you have learned, what God is teaching you!

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Celebrate Christmas and Advent – Episode 280

When you celebrate Christmas, does it include Advent? Advent is the time before Christmas. It is the 24-day countdown to the blessed event, the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Advent helps us to put the holiday in perspective. In this podcast, Felice discusses ways you can celebrate this joyous time, whether you are living alone or celebrating as a family.

Thank you to NOW Programs for sponsoring this podcast episode replay.

More podcasts on Celebrating Christmas here:

Countdown to Christmas

Christmas Blessings

Christmas is Real

Advent deals with the coming of Christ, yes, but also the openness of our heart to receive our Lord and Savior, as well as the more profound meaning of recognizing he came for a purpose: to open the gates of heaven and to set us free from sin.

In my church, Advent brings in the Christmas season or the start of what is called the liturgical year. This is the season of Christmas and ends in January with the feast of the Epiphany is celebrated—the coming of the wise men to visit Christ.

The liturgical year is also celebrated with special colors worn by the priests at church. They are as follows:

• White: joy and purity, and the resurrection
• Green – hope and perseverance the call to continue to listen
• Purple – penance, waiting and morning
• Red – martyrdom of Jesus and the sayings
• Blue is in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Pink —solemnity
• Gold – royalty

Suppose you had to pick a color which would you pick to celebrate Advent. You would think white, possibly, but it is purple. Advent is a time of waiting and morning. It is a time of joy because we know the end of the story, but it is a time of hope and sorrow for what had to be because of the sinfulness, the free will choice of man. When we celebrate Christmas, we can follow the Lenten practice of prayer and fasting. This is difficult to do unless you live alone. But, some families do make this their practice.

One idea is to fast from a particular bad habit or from overeating during the holiday when it seems that cakes, cookies, and parties are abundant. It does not have to follow the strictness of Lent, the 40 days before Easter. The importance is to recognize the Christmas season as a time of reflection.

What can you do to celebrate Christmas? Decorations, sure. But keeping the focus on the “reason for the Season,” the Christ child. In our decorations, be sure to add a Nativity scene or two, a picture of the Holy Family, or something that reminds you of the coming of our Savior.

Isaiah 7:14 (read on air).

Or we can read the geology of Jesus in Matthew 1 – again a reminder of the prophecy of God the Father to Abraham, Genesis 26:4 (Read on air).

While we love the Christmas season for so many reasons, it is also a time of hardship for many. It is difficult because of the loss of a loved one, financial hardships, or perhaps illness. Yet, the key to the season’s joy is not on the external but the internal, the focus on Christ.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (Read on air)

Who doesn’t want to celebrate the season with joy after hearing that? We can each celebrate in a way that makes sense for your individual family. For us, it begins with nightly prayer. This year, Advent begins on December 3. We will begin early because everyone will be home on Thanksgiving. So we will do the first week twice. Each evening, we light one candle and pray from my favorite book.

During the Advent season, we use a round advent wreath with four candles, three purple and one pink. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent to remind us of the momentous occasion that is to come the following week. It is a time of prayer and scripture readings, and our family adds the prayer of thanksgiving. We share what we are the most thankful for each evening after our prayer time. It is wonderful and I celebrate this time with joy with my family.

I’ve given the children advent wreaths to take to college with them so they could celebrate on their own until we gather at Christmas time. It is called the Season of Light: Daily Prayer for the Lighting of the Advent Wreath. I have purchased other books but do not like them as well. The readings are not very long, but they are heartfelt. The suggestion is given to do this during or before a meal.

However you celebrate this Christmas, I pray you are surrounded by joy. Your challenge this week is to think about how you want to prepare in the coming weeks and, as always keep Christ in your heart.

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What are micro prayers? Is that even a thing? In this podcast, we will explore the concept of praying throughout the day in small pockets of time. It will change your life!

Micro-Prayers ~ From Our Lips to God’s Ears ~ Episode 322

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Do you want to grow closer to God? Of course, we all do. At times it seems impossible due to our business and our schedules. To create that special bond, we need to spend meaningful time with God. I’ve often tried ambitious Bible studies or podcasts, such as the “Bible in a Year” with Fr. Mike Schmidt. These things are wonderful but tend to fail if we are inconsistent. For example, the Bible in a Year has taken me two years to complete. If I work hard, I’ll finally finish it this year. I like to take my time and savor the lessons, think bout them, and figure out what God is trying to say to me.  That is why I like the idea of practicing micro prayers.

The idea of micro prayers is praying throughout the entire day. It means doing things incrementally or in small doses but putting God first. In essence, it means giving my day to God and including Him.

Matthew 6:33 (Read On Air.)

With micro-prayers, I can begin small. We are doing as Matthew 6:33 states, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness. There is no overwhelming schedule to adhere to. I can begin at my own pace and add to this as I can or as time permits. Once I get into a routine, it is easier to be consistent, which is the next point. Being consistent and adding micro prayers to your morning routine, such as a morning walk, can be a benefit. Or, you can pray before bed. In this way, I can focus on God when I wake up and before I go to bed.

What I like the most is the personalization of the prayers. I pray to the Lord using my own words, sharing my thoughts and hardships, and putting the Lord first. I can use a rote prayer or a scrupulous verse if I want, but it is totally up to me. It has a wonderful lifting effect and puts things into perspective, especially in a busy life.

Best of all, it is doable. There is no excuse; you can make time to do this for short periods of time.

We are seeking God, trusting in Him, and making an effort in those small steps we take each day. Proverbs 3:5-6 states: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways, acknowledge him,   and he will make straight your paths.

God makes our path straight when we look for ways to please Him, seek Him, and honor Him with our thoughts and our deeds. It is an unselfish way to place ourselves and our needs after that of prayer.

Proverbs 16:1-3 puts it in a nutshell: (Read On Air.)

How wonderful is that? Commit our work to the Lord, and our plans will be established – blessed, sanctified, and purified. In our own eyes, we think we are right or just, but in God’s eyes? He sees our hearts and knows why we do what we do, and it is not too late to change our hearts toward the Lord.

If you need motivation other than that, read Galatians 2:18-20 … I’m going to read verse 20 to you:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Do we live for ourselves or for the Lord? Do we live to glorify ourselves and our needs, or do we live by faith in the Son of God? Do we give ourselves to Him and remember the love He had for us to die for us personally? We can answer these questions by seeking the Lord and His help because we can’t do it alone.

Our greatest weakness is the lack of time, yet today, right now, you can plan to add a micro prayer to the list of things to do, and you will be blessed in a mighty way.

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We live in a divided world, where right is wrong and wrong is right, but the good news? God wins! This podcast focuses on the ultimate reality in our lives: God reigns now and forever.

God Wins ~ Now and Forever ~ Episode 321

I’ve been listening to teachings on the Bible, and the discussion has centered around the concept of wisdom. First, to desire wisdom means identifying that we need it. Once we realize we need it, our minds and hearts are open. The idea is that to love wisdom is to follow God’s laws. That gives us the blessed assurance that our lives will be with God forever.

We often forget that the Lord is victorious no matter what we feel in our hearts or how we deal with the hardships in our lives. We just completed another contentious election. People lie, and others believe. It is astounding to those of us who try to rationalize it, make sense of it, and understand things in a logical manner. I can talk civilly to anyone of all different views. I agree to disagree if it comes down to that, but this inability to converse is truly evil. The inability to disagree is also evil.

The Issues That Divide Us

The issues that plagued our country were and are truly diabolical. Each one of us knows them and we are astounded that this is the world in which we live. Yet God knows. He has delivered us at this point of time, but we must always put our trust in Him and not in man! Somehow, we can see the evil where others are blinded. As one young adult told me recently, “No one believes the news on television.” That wisdom.

Yet, what does wisdom teach us? It teaches us the truth, and it teaches us God’s sovereignty. Our God is a God of order; He is not a God of chaos. There are things that are clear. There are other things that are not, yet God has given us the ability to make up our own mind and act upon it. Yet, are we willing to accept the consequences?

God is indeed control of our lives, but God gives us:

1. The leader we deserve
2. God gives us free will
3. God allows people of ill intent to cheat

Therefore, not voting is becoming complacent in a way, and that is not my teaching; it actually comes from Fr. Rippenger, an exorcist priest. He says we must choose the less of two evils. Why am I discussing this after an election and not before? No matter when you hear this, you are responsible for your own choices, and how those choices affect you (and me) is often overlooked. The prayers and sacrifices of the Christian people I aligned within my own state of Florida managed to overturn very detrimental amendments to our constitution. I am still in total shock they did not pass, and I praise God for this blessing.

God is victorious. God wins – God always wins, yet we must do our part.

We must pray, we must fast, and we must hold those truths of faith in our hearts.  I’m going to read you a portion of Romans 8. I normally quote Romans 8:28 this is one of my favorite verses, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

That is you and me, yes, but while God works out things for good, we might not like the trial and tribulation (for our own good) that we must go through. It is echoed in Romans 8:31-32 …If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

For our salvation God sent His only begotten Son John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For our salvation, for our sake, for us. Do we cherish this? Do we praise God on a daily basis? Do we say, “Oh my gosh I can not praise and thank-you enough?” Do we truly understand the concept of God wins?

Romans 8:31-39 (read on air).

Amen and Amen! But, friends, what will you do with this information? How will you handle the truth? In what way will you go forth from today onward? We must look within our hearts and pray daily for a growth in our faith and for a true longing for wisdom that only God can bring.

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Where do we fit in when we consider God’s vastness? In this podcast, we discuss our insignificance in the grand scheme of things and the Lord’s amazing love for each of us.

The Vastness of God ~ Episode 320

I live in an area that has been hit hard in the last few years by hurricanes. The radar shows this vast storm out in the ocean that heads our way, and I am always in awe at how huge these things are and how deadly they are. They are powerful and dangerous, and they dwarf the state! Sometimes, we’ve had serious damage, like with Hurricane Ian, and sometimes, we’ve had a few trees down and rain but no real damage to our property, like Hurricane Milton. Each time, we feel helpless, and other than hurricane prep, which we are really good at now, all we can do is get out of harm’s way–if possible and pray!

The opposite is true for God. His vastness is good, holy, and awe-inspiring!

I was praying after hearing a teaching about the scriptures in Job, especially after Job 38, and I started thinking about my insignificance. I had a vision as if I was seeing the situation with new eyes. Wow, the God of the universe is Almighty, powerful, righteous, and, for some reason, our Creator loves and cares about us!

Vastness of God

All these questions came to mind.

• Where do I fit in?
• Where am I in my walk with the Lord?
• Am I near or far away from God?
• How am I doing in response to my faith?

Think about those questions and add some of your own.

The Vastness of God vs. A Personal God

Afterward, I found myself reading a little book I picked up from the shelf, “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. It has short readings for each day, and the first sentence for the day reads: “I am the Creator of heaven and earth; Lord all that is and all that will ever be.” Although I am unimaginably vast, I choose to dwell within you, permeating you with My Presence.”

That is a coincidence, or truthfully, a God-incidence is more like it. This is the Lord’s way of saying that he hears our prayers and knows what is in our hearts. What a blessing, and you know what? I felt embraced; the Lord chooses to dwell within us and permeates us with His presence! 

Scripture Verses: Job 38:1, 12-21; Job 40:3-5

Just think about that–that one sentence sums it up. The God of the Universe is truly powerful. From the rising of the sun to its setting, He has a hand in our world. The verses go on…

Job 38:16-21 (Read on air.)  

Just ponder those verses.

How can we comprehend the breadth of the earth? We can’t, but Job bravely answers the Lord.

Jobs answer –> Behold; I am of little account; what can I answer you?

Job couldn’t answer, and neither could I, and this again makes me think of how insignificant we are compared to God. Do you see it? Do you have a tiny inkling of how great God is? How awesome and awe-inspiring!

We can consider God a vast entity in heaven or a personal God who wants a relationship with us. How do we repent for our transgressions? How do we make amends? Similar to Job, I want to put on sackcloth and sit in the ashes. In some ways, we can make reparation by asking our Lord for forgiveness, going to confession if we are Catholic, and identifying the root cause of sinful actions.

Typically, when we fail before the Lord and our expectations for ourselves, it is because we’ve taken our eyes off of the Lord and put them elsewhere. God is in charge, He is the Creator, evil will not prevail.

When we read these verses and others, we are brought to the realization that we are not alone. God hears our prayers, even the insignificant ones. God hears the questions in our hearts, spoken and unspoken. The realization I found through all of this is that I should give God all the praise and glory He deserves, and I can begin each day anew!

Each day begins with praising God and should end with praise and thanks. Are we grateful for the day we’ve lived, even if it was stressful? For each of us, our praises should be the knowledge that God is with us.

How do you speak to God? Here is an example”

Glory in your works, oh Lord –I accept the idea that You answer prayer, and I marvel at this, but we should not be surprised. You always show up, Lord, and I thank You and praise You, now and forever. Amen.

Talk to the Lord. He is there waiting for you. Like the new, improved Job, who suffered hardship and then was once again blessed, let us keep our eyes on the Lord, realize His powerful works, and glory in His Name, now and forever. Amen.

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Striving for excellence is a topic I love to discuss, but Christian excellence is even better. How do we do this? In this podcast, Felice Gerwitz discusses what Jesus tells us about excellence and the stunning truth behind His words!

Christian Excellence ~ Epiosde 319

We find the concept of Christian excellence in the fifth book of Matthew, the scripture we discussed in episode 319. Last week we discussed the importance of loving our enemies with the underlying reason that if we do, at least in our will, we “chose” to love, we will not be stressed, upset, or harbor unforgiveness in our hearts when we think of or remember those who have harmed us in some way. Yet today, we find the idea of excellence under the heading of an “eye for an eye.”

Christian Excellence In The Most Unlikely Place

Matthew 5:38-42 states: (read on air)

What is the Lord asking of us? It’s impossible to be sure. However, when we consider this concept of giving more than we have to give, we will see the concept of excellence permeates the verse. How can we not resist an evil person? How can we turn the other cheek? Why would we even want to do this?

God’s Ways Are Righteous

At the root of the idea of turning the other cheek involves not retaliating or in any way seeking revenge. Yet Jesus does not want a group of followers who are pushovers or pacifists. That in the face of evil will sit there doing nothing. The idea of a slap goes back to Roman times and the idea of class and distinction. A slap on the left cheek would mean the person asked the other to show they were equal. A right cheek slap signified you were in the class below. It would take guts and bravery to turn the other cheek, and basically, that meant, in a non-violent manner, you were challenging this status.

Similar to the idea of praying for a person who has hurt you instead of seeking harm or ill will toward them, we see the challenge for us goes deep; it goes to the heart of who we are as people. God is always right and just. Yet His ways at the core are humility and courage. Jesus showed humility yet true courage when He faced execution, not for crimes He committed but for the sins we commit daily. It is important to recall He died for us!

We further read in Luke 6:27-31 (Read on air.)

Again, go above and beyond and again in humility!

Does that mean we take physical abuse at the hands of a tormentor? Of course not. But, we can avoid the need to stir up trouble and cause dissent when it can be avoided. How often are we reminded of this within our own families? Several of my children are instigators; they knew how to get each other in trouble when they were younger. These sentences often began with “Mom (said in a whinny voice), so-and-so is doing XYZ.” As parents, we react to the squeaky wheel.

This is a chance for a parent to teach a child (or, in this case, remind ourselves) the importance of humility in dealing with others. However, it often reminds us to strive to be the best we can be and not settle for mediocrity.

Christian Excellence God’s Way

The concept of excellence is not ingrained, although it should be, and it is something that we can learn and practice. A parenting class I attended long ago told us to be an example to our children, and one way we could do this was by returning the grocery cart to a holding rack. What a pain that can be, and yet it made sense. If we go above and beyond in returning a cart, how much more will we do in our personal lives and in other areas of our life?

In a world of bad service, careless people, and a narcissistic society, we find that those who strive for excellence do it for themselves. As a family, we go out to dinner after church services, and at one of our favorite restaurants, one server gives us excellent service. We are not an easy crowd since one of my sons can drink as many lemonades as she puts on the table. She started bringing him two. As we left one evening, I commented that she had spoiled us and made it difficult for us to go elsewhere. She told me she loves her job and decided to be the best.

My dad first owned a bakery and then a restaurant through college. I remember waitressing, and I send a virtual hug to all of you who do. It can be a thankless job. It never occurred to me once to do it with joy or self-giving. As much as I could, I worked in the back, preparing the meals. It was so much more rewarding for me. There, I could be appreciated for my talent. But that is not what the Lord asks us to do: work at a task only for the praise we will receive.

Can we say that in our lives? Being the best shows an example of God’s love for us. Being the best means we strive not only for excellence because we should but because this is what the Lord would want for us. How can you strive for Christian excellence?

Think and pray about this and see what the Lord calls to mind. Make time this week to strive for excellence beyond our job title or the title we hold in our homes and families.

Renounce any thoughts that you are not good enough or can’t do it — because you can, and I know this because anything is possible with God! Matthew 19:26  ^“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Let’s focus on the thought that we can strive for excellence, go above and beyond what we expect for ourselves, and rely on the strength, power, and miracles of Almighty God. I pray you are blessed!

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Christian Example ~ 272

What is a good Christian example? We can point to the saints, people like Mother Teresa and others. But, truly we can be an example to others by asking the Lord for His grace and His help.

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Sadly, we, as Christians as a whole, are not the best examples of how to live. The promises of the gospel message show others, especially those who are suffering, that there is faith, hope, love, and compassion from the Lord.

God gives us many examples through the scriptures of how he expects us, his people, to act, and we fall short. Sometimes we fall short by word, sometimes by deed, and most of the time, just because we’re too lazy to do what is right truthfully, sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves or as one of our pastors says we have Christian scrupulosity. We care more for the letter of the law rather than the law itself. When we read the scriptures, we see it plainly, and yet how many of us take it to heart I know I’m guilty of this myself.

In Luke 7:31-35 we read, (on air).

Now, if we read the gospel of Luke Chapter 7, we will see before this happened, Jesus had been very busy. He was curing many who had diseases and sicknesses and casting out evil spirits. He gave sight to the blind and cured those who had leprosy. Those who were lame walked, but yet Jesus was reprimanding the people because even though they saw these miracles, they were not ready to change their lives

As Christians, we know the end of the story. We know what it is we should do God had compassion on those, and on those who were suffering, he brought people back to life. This is an example to us today of the gift that God gives us as Christians. We have the opportunity for everlasting life with him, so how are we going to be an example as Christians? How are we going to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?

I can give you a list, of five or ten things you can do. But, my list might not be the one that is right for you. And, in doing this good thing, being a Christian example, it can cause us to be boastful, or to congratulate ourselves that we are not like those sinners over there. Friends, we must be cautious.

I did a podcast sometime back that I titled Judgmental Christians, and I’ll put a show a link I’ll put a link in the show notes. (Tell the story on air)

To summarize the other podcast, I explained how I should live my life according to the gospels I should improve my life, and I needed to forgive those who hurt me and ask forgiveness for those I had hurt. Friends, we are all flawed! It is difficult to show an example of Christianity to others when we are hurting, and as my mother used to say we need to get our own house in order before we can try to fix the houses of others

In giving others an example of what it means to be a Christian, we are following the example Christ gave us. However, when we pray, when we give alms, we do this because we should out of obedience, it is a free-will decision

Being a Christian is a free-will decision, and acting like one means we show others humility, love, and compassion, especially if they are hurting and especially if they feel rejected by others. When Jesus walked the earth, he called his disciples, I love the phrase “Come follow me” This is an example of what it means to follow and to be called by God.

But we know we are all called by God, the Scriptures tell us, He has called us by name…(Isaiah 43:1). Knowing someone’s name held great importance in Biblical times and even today. Aren’t you happy when you remember someone’s name or they remember yours? The significance is import. Even more, God knows the “number of hairs on my head– And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30.

In Matthew 9:9-13 we read (on air).

Wow! God is calling us; he is calling all of us. Not the perfect, not the ones that have it all together, but us. The sinners.

As a Christian, our example may be flawed, but it is at least an attempt, not at perfect but of example. All of these things show us that there is a right and a wrong way to act, but one thing we know, we should not be judgemental like the Pharisees.

Think about everyday life, driving in traffic trying to find a parking spot or maybe returning something at a store when the clerk is very frustrating. We can use these everyday opportunities to say thank you or some other greeting that is welcoming. Or, “I appreciate the excellent job you have done or appreciate how hard you’re working if they haven’t done an excellent job.” You know what I mean.

Sometimes it only costs us a few minutes of our time, and sometimes it costs us much more. It is a sacrifice, and that is a small price to pay. If we can all show just a little bit of grace to others because God has given us grace, we should. Jesus asks us to follow him. It is not a call we should take lightly. It is those baby steps that take us closer to Christ.

Let’s all pray and ask the good Lord to give us the grace we need to be a Christian example because only by his gift of love and grace can we possibly show others just a tiny bit of the goodness of God. My friends rejoice and are glad because he is there for us not just today but every day, and I just pray that this week your challenge will be, can you guess it that’s right, to be a Christian example to either yourself or to others in your life and beyond take care and may the Lord bless you today and always.

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While loving those who love you is easy, Jesus tells us we should love our enemy! How do we do this? In this podcast, Felice Gerwitz will discuss the concept of Christian love and how it applies to our lives.

Love Your Enemy: A Spiritual Challenge~ Episode ~ 318

This is a joyous message, and yet, at the same time, it is difficult. How do you love someone who does not want the best for you? How do you love someone who wishes harm against you? Is it even possible for us to consider Christian or not? It doesn’t make sense, and it is counterculture for sure, but that’s what makes it so intriguing.

I will admit that one of the hardest lessons of all is that we are asked to love our enemy, and as Christians, we have a higher calling. While thinking about taking revenge and thinking bad thoughts about those who have hurt us is natural, it gets us nowhere. Revenge and anger make us upset and frustrated. Yet what do we do?

Should we become pushovers or pacifists? No, the Lord doesn’t call us to sit back and allow for abuse. In these cases, the best thing to do is leave or avoid the person. So again, where does this leave us? If we are to forgive our enemy but not allow that enemy to hurt us, what do we do if we’ve been hurt?

We need to seek the true meaning of this love that God advocates for, and it is simply a challenge.

First, let’s look at the extremes. When Pope John Paul II survived an assassination attempt, he later went to the jail of the man who tried to kill him and had a private conversation with him where he told him he was forgiven. The man, it was said, had a conversion experience. Whether or not this is true is irrelevant because the miracle is the forgiveness on the part of John Paul II.

The pope, as leader of the Church at the time, was teaching by example. This is truly from the gospel, which we must look at, consider, and ponder in our hearts. What does it take for a person to transcend the normal reaction and to forgive, especially in this way?

Love your enemies—a spiritual challenge that God allows in our lives. This is probably one of my least favorite scriptures because it is difficult to follow.

I’d challenge you to read all of Matthew 5 but the last of the Beatitudes is in Matthew 5:10 (Read on air.) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

In this case, the persecution is for faith, justice, and standing up to bullies.

Our spiritual challenge lies in the idea that when we are falsely accused or persecuted for our belief in God, it becomes another level of faith. We’ve risen from a level playing field to one in a heavenly realm, yet the outcome may not be what we hope. Even if we stand up for truth or teach about faith, it is not always rewarded.

But, I’ve learned that those who teach or preach for a reward and those whose hearts are not in the right place. Large companies will try to block our message, which is okay; that is what they think is right. But the Lord allows those who want to hear something the ability to find what they need. I can not tell you the number of times that has happened to me. So, if you are here and have listened thus far, the Lord has a message for you. Pray and seek Him. Ask.

Often, the Lord takes care of things without us even knowing or asking! Again, this is a miracle that happens from time to time in our lives. I call these faith boosters. Our faith and our lives are enriched and encouraged when these events happen.

In the past, I shared two podcasts on Forgiveness, and Asking for Forgiveness. I think a big part of loving your enemy is the ability to forgive, and that only comes by the grace of God.

In Luke 6:32-36 we read:

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Again, this may be something we have to think about, pray about, and ponder. The Lord is admonishing us here that He means what He says. We don’t want to be like sinners; we don’t want to only love those who can give us something in return; and we don’t want to only receive our reward in this life. Our reward will be great, the Lord promises. And that reward is eternal and everlasting.

Friends, the Lord says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” And, let’s all pray for that for us, for our family and all of our friends. Praise You, Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.