Month: April 2020

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8-10

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Observation

Not by might, Not by power

But my Spirit says the Lord of hosts

Application

When people say they ‘got saved’, they really mean they were given salvation. You do not go out and work for it or earn it. It isn’t fair. It isn’t just or right. It is pure grace for anyone and everyone. Salvation is NOT a competition. It doesn’t matter if you are the fastest hare or the smartest tortoise. You are not going to earn the blue ribbon. We get to cross that finish line because Jesus is carrying us through the race.

Prayer

Lord, today I want to thank you for carrying me through. I know I could never do life on my own! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Isaiah 32:1-3

See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

Observation

Hi, gray skies are gonna clear up

Put on a happy face

Brush off the clouds and cheer up

Put on a happy face

Take off the gloomy mask of tragedy

It’s not your style

You’ll look so good that you’ll be glad

You decided to smile

Application

Israel was expecting an actual King to come to rule over them from a thrown and overtake their enemies. However, rulers like that die out and someone steps up and takes over. That someone could be very bad as seen through Israel’s history. Instead, God knew better and sent a Real King. One that would rule forever and make all the darkness flee. Jesus was never meant to sit on a thrown of man. He was meant to rule from our heart. To give us an everlasting peace, that no man can provide.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for being an everlasting and just rule. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Psalms 73:23-28

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Observation

Little puddle there

What secrets are you holding

I think I will jump!

~Puddle Jumper by Tabetha Frick

Application

Did you ever go puddle jumping as a kid? True fact, I still do sometimes…LOL! There is something so freeing about jumping into the unknown. Is it deep? Are there sharks? Let your imagination go wild! Today’s verses give me that same thrill. God is always with us! We truly have nothing to fear. Even death has no hold on us. No matter what is going on around us, we can have total peace inside of us. So, let the storms rage on!! I need puddles to jump in!

Prayer

Lord thank you for being there to catch me when I jump! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Isaiah 32:17-18

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

Application

Do you know the place that you spend most of your time? In your mind! We have a way of turning small things into mountains or convincing ourselves everything will be just fine in our mind. We can’t control when the sun will shine but God has given us a Son that never goes behind a cloud. He will provide that peace inside our minds that delivers quietness and confidence. Our minds can become a peaceful dwelling place if we just Let the Son-Shine In!

Prayer

Lord thank you for your everlasting Son-shine! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Psalms 61:1-4

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Observation

Oh no I am stuck
I fled to the trees in fear
Get me down from here
~Get me down Haiku
by Tabetha Frick

Application

When i was a kid, I climbed high up in a tree because I thought I had disappointed my dad. He came to assure me he loved me and talk me down only to find that I was stuck. So he climbed up and carried me down.. I have found myself hanging on in situations even as an adult. I run and hide from the world. Like my earthly father, we have a Father in Heaven who will come and find us. He will reassure us He loves us and try to coax us out. If we are really stuck, He will climb up and carry us down.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for climbing all the trees to carry me down when I am stuck! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

2 Samuel 22:2-7

He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me. “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. “In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

Observation

This is a warrior’s song. David sang these words when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies (2 Sam 22:1).

Application

This is our Warrior’s Song! It doesn’t matter what storm rages around us, we have a fortress, deliverer, rock, refuge, shield and horn of salvation on our side. That is the ultimate umbrella! There isn’t a single raindrop that hits our head that will destroy us. The rains may pour down, but we will not drown. We have triumphed over the ultimate evil and enemy. Death can no longer take us down. All praise to the Lord for saving us. So grab your rain boots and umbrella and go dance in the rain!

Prayer

This is our Warrior’s Song! It doesn’t matter what storm rages around us, we have a fortress, deliverer, rock, refuge, shield and horn of salvation on our side. That is the ultimate umbrella! There isn’t a single raindrop that hits our head that will destroy us. The rains may pour down, but we will not drown. We have triumphed over the ultimate evil and enemy. Death can no longer take us down. All praise to the Lord for saving us. So grab your rain boots and umbrella and go dance in the rain!

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Deuteronomy 28:1-6

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Observation

He’s got the itty bitty baby in His hands

He’s got the you and me brother in His hands 

He’s got you and me sister in His hands 

He’s got the whole world in His hands

Application

So many people take these verses wrong. They use them to try and prove there is no God or that He is a mean God who lies. Their interpretation of blessings is we as Christians should never have anything bad happen to us. Some even try to say if something does happen we must have done something to anger God. None of this is true. Bad things do happen to good people that fully obey the Lord. These verses mean the entire time He has you in His hands. He will walk through it with you.. The blessing isn’t a’ways to keep you from harm, sometimes it is He will get you through it.

Prayer

Lord thank you for keeping me in your arms. Sometimes I know they cover me to keep me safe. Other times your arm is around me to walk with me. Either way, you always have me in your hands. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

John 3:16-18

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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Observation

Condem

1. express complete disapproval of, typically in public; censure.

2. sentence (someone) to a particular punishment, especially death.

Application

A good coat of paint will brighten up a room. However, it will not change the flaws. Oh, it will cover them up for a time, but they are still there. Jesus came to wash away our flaws to help us change them. He didn’t come to judge you and then send you on to hell. He came to repair them and help to make you strong. He doesn’t want to slap a coat of paint over your cracks. His blood was meant to fill them.  Best part, we don’t even have to do the painting. We just have to believe in the painter!

Prayer

Lord, thank you for loving me cracks and all. ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

Job 11:18-19

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.

Observation

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

~Casting Crowns

Then rang the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead, nor does he sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth)

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail 

With peace on earth, good will to men

Application

We are all in uncharted waters. Covid 9 has shut us in away from people and activities we love and enjoy. It is easy to get caught up in the depression and darkness that surrounds us. But take a look at Job for a minute. Think of all the things he went through yet, these words were so powerful to him. We can still cling to them today. We have hope and hope will take us anywhere. Take a look out your window. The sun is still shining, the birds are still chirping. God is not dead. Hope is still very much alive! 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for daily reminders that you are still in control and our hope is is still alive!  ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Scripture

John 5:21-26

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

Observation

The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground. ~unknown

Application

Take a moment and give a big shout out, “THANK YOU GOD!” Go ahead, I will give you a second. Oh, wait, you are wondering why? Well, because you my friend have been raised from the dead. No, I am not talking zombies or anything. Your soul was dead. You were headed straight to hell, no chance at living. Jesus came to raise us up with him. He died so we no longer had to die. Remember, Satan can try to burry you, much like a squirrel buries nuts. Also, remember mighty trees come to life from those buried nuts!

Prayer

Lord, thank you for seeing in me what I never could. Thank you for loving me enough to raise me from the dead! ~Amen

 Copyright © 2020 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved