Month: February 2020

Scripture

1 Peter 5:6-9

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Observation

G3533 μέριμνα merimna, worry, concern, anxiety

Application

When dealing with anxiety, Satan’s favorite weapon of choice is cornering you and making you feel like you are totally alone. He figures if he can just get us away from the safety of the rest of the pack, he can attack us and devour us just like lion. The one weapon we can fight back with is realizing we are NEVER alone. God is always with us and so are other believers. We just need to reach out. The bible is filled with stories of people fighting back. Just pick it up and start reading. Satan has no power against our strength when we stand together with God!

Prayer

Lord you are always there for me. I am never alone. There is no way Satan can stand in your presence and he knows that. Please hold me tight. Remind me that you are there and bring others into my life to support and need support. Combined we will stand firm against Satan! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

John 13:34-36

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

Observation

yet

adverb

up until the present or a specified or implied time; by now or then.

“I can’t run a mile yet, but I will someday.”

Application

One of my favorite words is ‘yet’. As a teacher and now a professor, I express it as a magical potion. Students get frustrated when they can’t do something. However, throw that word yet at the end of, “I can’t do ———, yet” and it changes everything. Jesus knew this magic word also. He knew the disciples were not ready yet. They were not prepared to stand up for their faith. They were not ready to die for their faith. They wouldn’t be until He left them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. Then, they would be ready to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. 

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for paving the way. You created a path for us to follow. Remind me some days when I try to run ahead, that I am not ready, YET. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

1 John 3:1-2

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Observation

G1443 δίδωμι didōmi, to give; put, pay, giving, grant, granted, offer, let, allowed, arranged, bring, commanded, enable, gave up, offered

Application

If I want to spoil my husband, I just bring home a box of chocolate covered cherries. I don’t do it because he deserves it or he has done something for me first. I just do it to show him I love him. God lavishes His love over us much in the same way. We don’t deserve it. It isn’t because we did something for Him first. He loves us just because! Many people don’t understand that concept. However, He is waiting for them too. He is standing at their doors with a box of chocolate covered cherries just to say, “I love you!”

Prayer

Lord, thank you for lavishing your love on me. I know some don’t understand my devotion to you because they don’t know you. I hope and pray that they see the truth and get the opportunity to be close to you also. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Psalms 86:4-7

Bring joy to your servant, Lord,

for I put my trust in you.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,

abounding in love to all who call to you.

Hear my prayer, Lord;

listen to my cry for mercy.

When I am in distress, I call to you,

because you answer me.

Observation

Distress – H7650 צָרָה1 ṣārâ trouble, distress, calamity, anguish

Application

Did you have a security blanket or stuffed animal? I did! News flash! I still do. I have a favorite blanket I love to curl up with when I am sick or just feeling meh. When we travel it goes with me. God is much more than that teddy bear or favorite blanket. He goes with us everywhere and we can always depend on Him to comfort us. Even in our darkest places, He holds us tight and close. The sun will shine again. Just cling to Him. Let Him wrap you up with His warmth and love. 

Prayer

Lord I am so thankful that whenever and wherever I am in distress, I can call to you and you answer me. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Observation

“The warrior stands, ready to defend, ready to fight for those he serves. He is a warrior of virtue, A knight of conscience. He is who we all wish to be.” ― Anthony T. Hincks

Application

In Roman mythology, no one would have described Cupid as a mighty warrior. However, he held the greatest weapon of all, Love. It is God’s love for us that makes Him the Mighty Warrior. His love saves us. His love protects us. His love is always with us. His love is what destroyed death and defeated Satan. Are you battle ready today? Grab your weapon! I promise you will never run out of ammunition. As a matter of fact, the more love you shoot the more you will have. Now that is a mighty weapon from a Mighty Warrior!

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the greatest weapon of all Today I want to be locked and loaded! I am prepared for battle. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

John 3:16-17

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 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Observation

G3212 κρίνω krinō, to decide, consider, as preferring one thing over another or determining the correctness of a matter; by extension: to judge, pass judgment on, condemn in a legal sense

Application

To condemn someone is to make a final decision. There is no going back, no changing your mind. Jesus was not sent to put God’s final judgement on us. Jesus did not walk around saying, “You are going to Heaven, you are not!!’ He was here so we could walk through our day knowing God loves us. He is not out to get us. He is not setting in Heaven ready to throw down lightening bolts every time we screw up. Jesus is God’s way of sending the balloons, candy and Hallmark card that says, “I love you!!”

Prayer

Lord, I am so thankful you are not waiting for me to mess up. Instead you love me and want what is best for me. Thank you for walking with me everyday and helping me better myself and not tearing me down. ~Amen. 

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Observation

H1382 בְּרִית bᵉrît, covenant, treaty, compact, agreement, an association between two parties with various responsibilities, benefits, and penalties; “to cut a covenant” is “make a covenant,” a figure of the act of ceremonially cutting an animal into two parts, with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling the covenant

Application

Jesus loves me this I know

For the bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong

They are weak but He is strong

I am struggling to write anything else. These are the words that came to my mind when I read this verse. My heart swelled and spilled out my eyes. What a beautiful thought. People around may stop loving me or even hate me, but God will ALWAYS love me.

Prayer

Lord, I can’t begin to thank you for all you do. I can only hope my love for you can somehow make you smile today.

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Proverbs 10:11-12

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Observation

H7023 פֶּה peh, nmouth (human or animal); by extension: speech, command, testimony; any opening; edge (of a sword)

Application

You want to make yourself feel good today? It is really simple. Go around smiling and offering compliments to everyone you meet. In a world where advertising is determined to make everyone feel ugly and not enough, we need to fight back. Don’t know where to start? That is easy too. Just look in the mirror. Now, tighten the muscles between you ears and the corner of your mouth. Hold it! Now go share this new found workout with someone else❤️😊🥰

Lord, thank you for your warm smile everyday. Help me pass that smile on to everyone I meet today. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Observation

H8286 רָעָה1 rāʽâ1, to be a shepherd, to care for flocks, graze; by extension: to rule, with a focus on care and concern

Application

Dr Dobson and his wife have made it a habit to leave the simple note for each other, “SHMILY”. It stands for See How Much I Love You. My husband and I heard that over 10 years ago and added the tradition to our life together. To me, Psalm 23 reads like SHMILY between God and David. David is reciting all the ways God shows His love everyday to us. So, what I want you to do today is look at all those “little” things and smile back at God and tell him SHMILY too!

Prayer

Dr Dobson and his wife have made it a habit to leave the simple note for each other, “SHMILY”. It stands for See How Much I Love You. My husband and I heard that over 10 years ago and added the tradition to our life together. To me, Psalm 23 reads like SHMILY between God and David. David is reciting all the ways God shows His love everyday to us. So, what I want you to do today is look at all those “little” things and smile back at God and tell him SHMILY too!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Philippians 2:1-4

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Observation

Mind – G5858 φρονέω phroneō, to think, regard, hold an opinion; to set one’s mind on; to have a (certain) attitude

Application

We are not always going to agree on everything. How boring would that be? Nothing new would ever be invented. There would be no out of the box thinking. It is OK if we disagree. Being of one mind does not mean we agree. It means we have the same attitude. That attitude is one of LOVE! Love does nothing out of selfishness ambition or conceit. Love is filled with humility and values other and their opinions. Love does not look to its own interest but includes everyone. We must love one another. Let God take care of the rest.

Prayer

Lord you love me unconditionally. Help me learn to love others as you do. Help me value them even when I don’t agree with them. 

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved