Tag: religion

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Favored and Chosen by God

John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

Luke 1:26-38 covers the story of Mary being told she is going to give birth to Jesus. I always find a couple of the statements particularly interesting. One of them is in verse 29 “Mary was greatly troubled and wondered what kind of a greeting this might be.” I just want to say, “Yep she was a smart girl!”

Gabriel just popped in and said in verse 28 “Greetings you who are highly favored the Lord is with you.” Now I am not sure if her reaction is because as far as she knew it had been many years since God had spoken to his people, or if she was thinking about all of her ancestors who had been called highly favored. But her reaction was simply and totally human, “Oh, this can’t be good!”

I am so sure I would have reacted the same way! I mean look at some of the people the bible mentions as favored: Samuel (I Sam 2:26); Job (Job 10:13); David (Acts 7:46);
and Noah (Gen 6:8). Do you realize the things these people endured? From the outside being favored doesn’t look so favorable!

Then, there is Mary. She is maybe 12 years old. Her future is looking pretty bright. She is engaged to a man who isn’t rich, but isn’t down and out either. He has a home and a profession. Life is looking pretty good. We know Joseph cared for her. Maybe even loved her. If he didn’t, he would of gotten rid of her the second he found out she was pregnant. Yep, her future was set!

Then. Along. Comes. Gabriel.

In the old testament, angels weren’t exactly known for good news. As a matter of fact, they weren’t even known as friendly. Now, not only has an angel appeared, but he calls her favored. Oh Boy! I am in for rocky roads ahead. This cannot be good, right?

No.

In the end,  we see Mary going “Challenge Accepted!” Verse 38 says, “May your word to me be fulfilled.” I think it is easy to see why she was favored by God. She saw her future fade, all her dreams and plans crumble. However, She knew God’s plans were greater. She stepped out in faith and chose to walk down the path God laid out for her. She knew the plans He had for her were plans to prosper her and not harm her (Jeremiah 29:11).

Was the road going to be smooth and filled with rainbows and unicorns? No! But it was going to be worth every tear along the way!

What about you? Are you ready to step out in faith on a new adventure he is calling you to? You are highly favored and chosen by God you know!

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Matthew 11:30 Friend

Matthew 11:30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all be Matthew 11:30 friends? I think if we followed the commandments we would be just that!

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)

This is my command love one another. (John 15:17)

And let us consider how we may, spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up on meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:24-25)

If we spent more time loving each other instead of gossiping

If we spent more time walking next to each other instead of tearing each other down.

If we turned to encourage instead of turning to criticize.

As Christians, we are to reflect Jesus. Jesus described himself as a Matthew 11:30 friend. Isn’t it about time we try our hand at it too?

You want the pain to cease
Extend the yoke of peace
We may not agree
But believe you me
What a lighter burden it will be!

 

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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You Can’t Earn It

Luke 22:42
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.

Daddy, if I am really good, can I have ice cream?

Mommy, if I clean my room, can I go to the park?

If I exercise all week, I can eat out on Saturday!

If I lose weight, I can go on vacation.

There is nothing wrong with rewards and incentives. We all respond better when we get something for our efforts. If you don’t believe that, ask yourself how long you would continue working at your job without a paycheck!

There is one place where rewards and incentives don’t apply. God! No matter how good we are we cannot earn our grace. We cannot earn our salvation. We can’t even gain blessings and the answers we want to prayers for our “goodness.”

How can I say this with such boldness? That is easy. Can you come up with anyone full of more goodness than Jesus? He is perfect. He is blameless. He is sinless. He asked for one thing, he really wanted out. He didn’t want to suffer. His will was to find another way. He asked to please “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

If anyone deserved a reward, it was Jesus! He did everything he was asked. Yet he was not rewarded with what he wanted.

So what makes you think you deserve something just because you have been a “good Christian”? It doesn’t work that way. Grace and blessings are gifts. God loves to bless his children. Blessings come in many shapes and sizes. Yes, they even come as “No!”

God loves you right where you are, even when you make mistakes. That is one blessing I am glad I don’t have to earn. I am pretty sure I am not the only Christian who stumbles and fells. I am sure glad I don’t get the rewards that I deserve.

Thank you, Jesus, for taking the reward I deserved and giving to me grace and unfailing love that I will never earn.

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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What’s Your Dream?

Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

I spent some time praying and reading my bible yesterday.  It became one of those deep thinking times.  I admit some days I just go through the motions.  I read and pray and then get on with my day.  However, yesterday was not one of those days.

I felt a like I was being drawn very close to God.  I just couldn’t get enough of him.  Then at one point, I heard a still small voice whisper, “What is your dream?” I was flabbergasted.  I mean I was really speechless.  I couldn’t answer.

For the past month, I have hit a desert spell you often hear Christians talk about.  I knew God was around.  I still had faith and hope.  I saw blessings and answers to prayer, but I felt depleted. I just didn’t know where I was going and what I wanted to do.  I felt like a warrior without a mission.

So when God asked me what was my dream, I answered the only way I knew how.  I prayed God give me a dream. This morning he did just that!

I opened my bible study and again there where the words “What is your dream?” It was followed by some suggestions and the one that sang into my heart was writing.  Earlier this month I was hit with some rejection of my writing.  It really blew the wind right out of my sails. In many ways, I was giving up on my dreams. The good news is God wasn’t!

He popped Hebrews 10:23-25 in my lap to remind me why I wanted to write in the first place.  Right before my eyes was my dream! I realized I had let one rejection kill my dream.  Good thing I have a God in the business of resurrections!  He certainly resurrected my dream.

What about you?  What is your dream?

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God Knows All

Psalm 147:4-5
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.  Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

There are lots of verses that tell us God is not changing like Numbers 23:19, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.” Or James 1:7, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

However, we also know God has changed situations such as in Genesis 18 when Abrahan intercedes before the Lord for Sodom and Gomorrah.  God goes from destroying the entire city no matter what to agreeing to save it if ten people can be found righteous.

Jeremiah 18:7-10 “7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”

Jonah is another story where we find God originally going to destroy a city and then changes his mind because the people repent. Jonah 3:10, “10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”

So how do we have an unchanging God that changes?

I recently came up with an idea for this that totally blew my mind.

Whenever the Bible speaks of unchanging, I believe they are talking about God’s character.  He is not a lier.  His not bi-polar.  He is always good, loving and looking out for us.  He will not forsake us or leave us.  These are what make him him and they will never change.

As far as changing his mind, I am going to stretch your thought process here a little.  Stick with me and it is perfectly OK if you don’t agree with me. But here we go…

I have heard people say things like, why should we bother praying God is going to do what he wants anyway.  I have heard others talk about predestination, meaning God already knows who is going to be saved and who isn’t so why should we worry about it. Then there is my favorite, we don’t really have freedom of choice because God already knows what we are going to do. If any of these aren’t true, then how can you say God is all knowing? What if I were to tell you, when I say God is all knowing, I think he really knows all the possible outcomes.

Let me step back for a minute.  Some of you may know that I am a HUGE Dr. Strange and Flash fan. Recently while watching Dr. Strange for like the millionth time, something the Ancient One said to Dr. Strange got me thinking.  She is dying and is talking to Dr. Strange:

The Ancient One: You wonder what I see in your future?

Dr. Stephen Strange: No. Yes.

The Ancient One: I never saw your future, only its possibilities. You have such a capacity for goodness. You’ve always excelled, but not because you crave success but because of your fear of failure.

It reminded me of a character on the Flash, Devoe (or the Thinker).  He is always one step ahead of the Flash because he can calculate all the possibilities of the future.

What if God, knows all because he can calculate and see all the possibilities.  He knows every possible outcome that could happen depending on how us humans react.  We step right, he knows we will end up here.  However, if we step left he knows we will end up there.  This is why, when Jonah was sent out to Ninevah he was told to tell them unless they change their ways they will be destroyed.  They continue down their current path and possible outcome A, they are destroyed.  They change and possible outcome B happens; they are saved.

This is why we are called to pray. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Our prayers intercede.  Our prayers change destiny. Our prayers take us down one possibility.

I believe God’s character is unchangeable.  However, I believe our prayers can change his mind to another possible outcome.  I believe he is all knowing because he literally can calculate and knows every possible outcome for every single thing going on at any given moment in this universe.

What do you think? As I said before, you don’t have to agree with me.  I just hope I got you thinking!

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Brick by Brick

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

I am struggling today with a couple of personal issues. My father is in the hospital with pneumonia. Praise God he is doing well, but it was quite a fright for all of us last night.

While in the ER, I received some life-altering news that part of my dissertation examination was rejected. Besides feeling like a failure, I am not sure where this path is leading me.

What I do know is this, there is a plan for me. I may not see the path right now but it is being laid out brick by brick.

I don’t know what you are going through today, but I woke up this morning after a horrible day and the Son still shined! He brought me these verses for comfort and now I pray them over you.

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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I Want it MY Way

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

I have faith in God
I don’t worry that God Can or Cannot do something
I worry if and when he will do something
Will he do it my way?
Will his way be painful?

I know the verses also about him loving me
If you being evil give good gifts
How much more God will give those who ask. (Matthew 7:11)
But will It be my way?
But will it be painful?

Realization:
God will work out everything for my good! (Romans 8:28)
No, It will not be my way!
Yes, It may be painful!
But In the End
It will be perfect and wonderful!

 

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Sit Back and Watch

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In one of my devotions this morning, I was reading about not worrying and learning to trust God with all your problems.  I loved it when the author said to tell him your problem with trusting and thanksgiving, then watch him supply your need.

Then watch him supply your need…

I pondered these words for a few minutes and two things came to mind right away.

First, just like Elsa, we need to Let it Go! I am not saying stop praying, but stop worrying.  You have turned it over to the only one that has total control over the situation.  Let him do his thing.  Often when something is eating at me, I have to turn to verse seven.  I lay claim to that peace which transcends all understanding.  I have to tell Satan (and myself) I have already prayed about this and it is out of my hands and now I am going to rely on God’s peace!

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Second, (I chuckle at this one because it sounds so like me) when we make our problems known to God it doesn’t say, give him your suggestions for solutions. It says to make your requests known.

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Maybe that is why he tags on verse seven, hoping if we relax in his peace we will Let it Go and Let God.

God never promised us life without problems.  He promised to walk through life with all of its problems right beside us.  Troubles will come our way.  Anxieties and worries will strain our very last bit of hope and faith.  However, we can take all of our problems to God and be assured he will send you peace while you sit back and wait for him to supply your need in his own way and his own time.

Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.​​
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Waiting On Trains

Romans 12:12
Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

So I am currently stuck in my car waiting on a train. What do I mean by stuck? Well, there was a train on the track in front of me so I turned on the road before I got to it.

That didn’t work out so well because there was a train stopped on that road too!

Can you say a lesson in patience?

Yes, friends and family and all those that know me all too well, I CAN hear your laughter!

No one has ever accused me of being patient.

However, today I am taking a minute (or 30) to take a breath and laugh.

Yes, laugh!

Let me let you in on the joke…

I had been driving a car that I am pretty sure was held together by tape and chicken wire. It has selective heat. I mean it has heat as long as the car is moving. However, stop moving, for a light, stop sign or perhaps a train and Boom! Nothing but cold air. On my way home from work, I am generally stopped by a train 2 to 3 times a week.

Earlier this week, I found myself blessed with a new Jeep. I was so excited! God not only gave me heat. He gave me heated seats!

That is what I call a God wink. you know that moment when you can feel God winking at you and saying,”I got ya, girl! I love you!”

Well… now comes today. On my way home, I laughed as I drove over those tracks. I was thinking now that I have heat, I haven’t been stopped by a train.

I am sure somewhere in Heaven angels rolled their eyes as God said, “Challenge Accepted!” you know the rest. Or almost…

The train finally cleared the tracks thirty minutes later and I thought I had finished my blog. However, I had to add to it once I got home. You see, after going over the tracks, I managed to hit EVER SINGLE red light the rest of the way home.

Yep, somewhere God is getting a good laugh at this. You know what, so am I! Because I had heat AND a warm behind!2D70DE7A-CC55-4A62-B25A-357FE55DD5DB

 

Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Grace and Love

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud

I realized I forgot to blog on Friday. Actually, I had a lot on my mind. I had a migraine on my mind.

My doctor had me give up coffee and tea. Cold Turkey! Can you say major withdrawal? I had severe migraines, flu-like symptoms and oh yes, I was cranky! I am not sure I have apologized to everyone enough.

I am so lucky my family and friends were able to exhibit some 1 Corinthians 13 love. I sure needed their grace and understanding.

Aren’t you glad God gives us gace and love? How good are you at extending that same grace and love to those around you? Do you give grace and love to only those you believe deserve it?

News Flash!

That is not grace or love!

God does not dole out grace to only those he finds worthy. Thank Goodness! I am sure I would not be one of those worthy people.

Next time someone has you at your wit’s end, remember to fall back! Thank God! He has never left you without grace or love. So don’t give up on this person either. I am guessing you could both use some grace and love. I know I could!

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.