Month: July 2022

James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Heads up, I may lose a few people today, but before you send the hate mail read this all the way through. Morality does not bring you or keep your salvation. Being a good person is not what gets you into Heaven. If that were so, we never needed Jesus to die on a cross for our salvation. We never need grace. God’s plan was unnecessary.

Morality is a legalistic term. Every culture has its own ideas of what morality looks like. Yes, we all can agree on the basics of kindness, goodness, doing no harm, and (insert the fruits of the spirit and ten commandments here.) Beyond that, we get into some pretty heavy arguments. How a person walks, talks, looks, dresses, or eats, any of these sound familiar?

James is not referring to salvation in today’s verse. Getting rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent in you is not your salvation, Jesus is the only thing that can do that. However, ‘cleaning up your act’, whatever that may mean to you, will bring your soul healing, peace, and security.

I am not going to lie to you. This was not always me. Paul and I have a lot in common. I use to persecute Christians and non-Christians with my legalistic views. God had to give me a Damascus road moment. I needed to humbly accept the word planted in me. I learned it is not my job to bring someone to my moral standard. It is my job to bring someone to Christ.

Lord, I want to lead people to You, not to what I think they should be in You. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.

Fail is in the eyes of the beholder. We all see failure differently. Some say the only person who fails is Isthe one that never tries. Others say the only one who fails is the one that stops trying. Sports are full of people who use these analogies for failure. I know in football we often talk about how many completions a quarterback has made. Often those with the most also have the most incompletions. It goes for baseball also. Often the highest amount of home runs are accompanied by the highest amount of strikeouts. It is because you have to try something in order to gain something. They are not failures. They are just determined to succeed.

We can get caught up in the not yet’s, or the no’s in our lives from God and see them as God failed us. In reality, He has never failed us. He has never given up. Heck, He didn’t even strike out or make an incomplete pass. He just isn’t done with you yet. The game is not over. The final ball has not been thrown. He is still in control. He will not fail you. You just have to be that batter or receiver and wait patiently for that ball. It will come to you. When it does, I promise it will be the home run or touchdown you have been looking for and you will win the game!

Lord, I know You will never fail me. Help me to wait upon You and not fail You. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

PSALMS 56:3
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

When I am (fill in the blank) I put my trust in you. You can literally fill this blank with any emotion you want. It will not change the meaning. No matter what we do we trust in the Lord.

When I am confused, I put my trust in the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
When I am tired, I put my trust in the Lord. (Matthew 11:28-30)
When I am facing impossible odds, I put my trust in the Lord. (Luke 18:27)
When I am feeling unloved, I put my trust in the Lord. (John 3:16)
When I am feeling like I can’t go on, I put my trust in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
When I am anxious, I put my trust in t Lord. (2 Timothy 1:7)
When I am feeling alone, I put my trust in the Lord. (Hebrews 13:5)

Where are you at today? Fill in the blank, then trust in the Lord. I can make this promise. God has an answer for you. He can and will meet your need. You just have to trust in the Lord.

I am not sure what I am feeling today, but I know I can trust in You. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

There is just something about the way the Message Bible puts today’s verse that cracks me up!

1 Corinthians 13:1
“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.”

There are lots of phrases we use for people who speak without love. Such as being full of hot air. However, I am not so sure I can look at a politician and not hear a creaking gate from now on . . . LOL! Sorry, I had to go there.

Point if all of this is simple. It does not matter how well you speak. It doesn’t matter if you know the exact words at the exact time. If you don’t mean what you say it is useless. I am going to throw one more saying in here to drive it all home. You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk.? If you can’t your words are nothing more than the creaking noise of a rusty gate. So, are you ready to get off your Sunday pew and stop talking about Jesus and start living like Him?

Lord, I want to walk with You, not just Talk about You.

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Mark 9:23
“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

The question was simple, “If you can?” A young man who had been plagued with seizures by a demon most of his life was set before Jesus. The father took a chance and brought his son in hopes that Jesus could do something. My question is what is the real word the man was thinking ‘could’ or ‘would’?

These two words are not interchangeable. They are very different words. Could signifies a barrier. There is something that prevents you from being able to complete a task. You have no control. You will do your best, but have no idea if you can finish. Would on the other hand gives you complete control. You have everything you need to complete the task if you so choose. You have a choice.

Reading these words the man was questioning Jesus’ ability, not His desire. Is that what you are questioning when you worry. I must confess that is not what I worry about. I have no doubts of God’s abilities. My question is when, where, and how He will answer. My doubt lies in the “If you will?” I can also tell you the answer, “Yes.” God is always there to answer your questions. You just have to be patient and be willing to accept HIS answer, not just the answer you want or the when or way you want it answered.

So, today what are you asking, ‘can’ or ‘will’? God can and will do anything. Just ask Him. He has the answer waiting.

Lord, I am sorry for questioning you. I know you can and will take care of my needs in the best way for me. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 121:7 (MSG)
7-8 GOD guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

What evil lurks around every corner? I don’t ask you this to scare you. I ask you this to remind you that there is so much more than meets the eye to the world that is swirling around you. We try to say we are observant and not going through life with blinders on our heads. We try to say we are not narcissistic and believe the world revolves around us. However, take a moment and really take a good look at yourself. Now, this isn’t a bad thing unless you become the narcissist. We may believe we are multitaskers and many are, however, we can only focus on so many things. We most definitely can’t focus on things we don’t even see or know.

You have no idea how many times God has saved your today. Those little things you found annoying like not finding your keys right away, or the traffic, the lights, or the train just may have saved your life. Who do you think did that? I know on a couple occasions, something slowed me down only to find out if I had left on time I would have been in the middle of an accident. God is guarding you from every evil. Yes, things could be worse. Yes, sometimes that protection means taking you home. But I guarantee God is on your side if you will let Him.

Thank You for being my bodyguard, Lord! ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Proverbs 11:24
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

What do we gain when we give of ourselves? We gain everything. When we give from our hearts, our heart skips a beat, a smile comes to our face and we just feel good. So, why do we tend to side with pre-ghosts Scrooge? Why do we want to believe we only win when we have it all?.

Have you ever heard of Hetty Green, “The Witch of Wall Street”? She was said to be the richest woman in America at one time. She accumulated millions and yet owned one dress, refused to pay for hot water, and even let her son’s leg be amputated because she deemed treatment costly and unnecessary. By the world’s standard she was wealthy, but emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, she was living in poverty.

I am not trying to convince you to give money to charities or churches. I am not trying to tell you to give money at all. I am trying to make a point that we have things in our lives we can give like time, talents, smiles, and kind words. We do give, we gain so much more. So, which Scrooge are you going to side with today? I hope it doesn’t take a few ghosts to show you the true meaning of life.

Lord, help me find ways today to not be a Scrooge or Hetty Green. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

You can’t fill a cup with an empty tea kettle. OK, if you don’t like tea insert your own analogy like a coffee pot or pitcher. The point is they are all empty and you can’t give what you don’t have. If you are running low on peace, it is very hard to help someone find peace. Lucky for us, we know a source that is always available to help you refill.

To be a peacemaker, you have to find peace yourself. We all know this isn’t always easy. It is never easy when we try to do it ourselves. No amount of meditation, yoga, or deep breathing will bring real peace. Now, I am a big advocate for all of those things and practice them every day, but I know the peace that I find in them comes from God. It is my taking time to connect to Him during those things that I find inner peace.

I am not saying that is the only way to connect to God. You have to do your thing, whatever that is. Just make time to go and connect. Fill your vessel, so you can help fill others. Where can you go to find God and fill up? Do it today, and every single day, so you can be a blessed peacemaker!

Fill me up LORD! I need your peace today to spread to others! ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Isaiah 12:4
In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

“In that day you will say . . . “ Guess what? Today is that day! It is time to stand up and rejoice. I don’t care what your circumstance or mood is today. I don’t care how busy you are or exhausted you are. Today is that day! Yes, I know I am sounding harsh, but you have to trust me here. Time is precious and the word needs to get out.

People need to know what you have been through and what you are going through. They need to see God working in our lives. They need to see more than the “Sunday Church” us. They need to know where we have been and where we are going. We can’t proclaim God’s name if everyone around us thinks we are a bunch of goody-two-shoes.

It is time to share your story with the world. It is time to make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted. It is the only way they too will be able to give praise to the LORD.

Where will you share your story today? I pray right now that God will give you an open door to someone today that you may, make known what He has done!

Lord, today I need You to open doors so that we may all find ways to make known among the nations what You have done! ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Called to be free, what a strange phrase. It is a phrase we take for granted a lot of the time. OK, let’s be honest, we take it for granted all of the time. I am not sure most of us know the meaning of being free. We don’t even realize we are enslaved by things around us.

Yes, you read that correctly, we so often let ourselves become enslaved by things all of the time. As a teacher, I would often hear my students say, “That’s not fair, I don’t have a choice.” The truth is you ALWAYS have a choice. You just have to decide if the consequences of your choices are worth it. It is when we decide to give up our choice and let someone or something control our freedom that we become enslaved.

Freedom comes with great responsibility. We choose to take the time to help others. We choose to give of ourselves. We choose to use our freedom of choice to help someone else experience their freedom. Freedom is not giving because you have to do it. Freedom is choosing to do it because you want to do it. So, what is your choice today? Will you pick Freedom?

Lord, today I choose to give of myself so that others can see Your love in action. ~amen

www.tabethafrick.com

Copyright © 2022 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved