Tag: Religious

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What Do You Already Know!

1 Samuel 12:24
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. (NIV)

Word Study

Fear-H3707 יָרֵא1 yārē’1, to be afraid, be frightened; to revere, respect; to be awesome, be dreadful, be feared; to frighten, terrify, intimidate; in some contexts fear relates to terror and fright, in other contexts fear relates to honor, respect and awe, as in “the fear of the LORD”

Thoughts…

I use to teach middle school math. My students would get anxious over learning something new. To help them out I would tell them let’s start with what we know. I would throw a new problem up on the board and away we would go. Eventually, we would get to the new part but they had the confidence to tackle it because they remembered how far they had come already. 

Life can throw us for a curve sometimes. Anxiety can build when a new challenge is presented. It can even make us want to drop everything and run the other way. When this happens set down and remind yourself where God has taken you already. What has He seen you through? What do you already know? I am not saying things ahead will become simple an easy right away, but you will get there.

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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The Rainbow Comes AFTER the Storm

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV)

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. (MSG)

Word Study

Weary-G1591 ἐγκακέω enkakeō, to give up, become discouraged, lose heart

Reap-G2545 θερίζω therizō, reap, harvest

Thoughts…

We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good. This we should carefully watch and guard against. Only to perseverance in well-doing is the reward promised (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary).

I read a devotion recently that asked a simple question. Am I choosing to give up because it’s the right thing to do or the easy way out? Sometimes God does tell us to stop or change directions. It is part of the growing and understanding process. However, there are times in our life we are asked to keep going. It may be painful or lonely, but it is a road we must travel to get us where God needs us. We need to learn to be steadfast in those moments. Keep hanging on; your reward is coming.

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Hope Calms You in the Storm

Romans 5:5


And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (NIV)

Word Study

Hope – G1828 ἐλπίς elpis, hope, expectation

Shame – G2875 καταισχύνω kataischynō, to dishonor, humiliate, shame, disappoint

Thoughts…

It is the gracious work of the blessed Spirit to shed abroad the love of God in the hearts of all the saints. A right sense of God’s love to us, will make us not ashamed, either of our hope, or of our sufferings for him (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary).

Hope is our lifeline. It is what drives us to get up every day. It is what gives us rest at night. Hope for better days ahead. Hope for our loved ones and friends to get better, find Christ or get that new job. Hope that when we take our last breath we will close our Earthly eyes and open our new ones to the beauty of Heaven. 

There is no shame in hoping. Don’t let anyone everybody to put you to shame or make fun of you for hoping. Instead, feel sorry for them because they must live a pretty dark and depressing life without help. 

Hope is our beacon on the hill that sees us through any storm. 

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Hope Brings Sunshine

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Believers Who Have Died
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (NIV)

Word Study

Sleep – G3121 κοιμάω koimaō, to fall asleep, sleep; die

Hope – G1828 ἐλπίς elpis, hope, expectation

Thoughts…

For the Christian, sleep is a particularly apt metaphor for death, since death’s finality and horror are removed by the assurance of resurrection. Inscriptions on tombs and references in literature show that first-century pagans viewed death with horror, as the end of everything (Archaeological Study Bible Notes).

Even death has nothing on my hope. God destroyed death when Jesus died in our place. We have a future beyond death. We have hope in a better life beyond this one. If our hope is powerful enough to give us peace over death, how powerful is it to get us through whatever it is we are going through today? Our hope can bring us that much-needed ray of sunshine as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It can also walk us through the darkest of days we find ourselves in along the way.

Hope means our future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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What If I Screw Up?

Titus 2:7-8

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (NIV)

Word Study

Example – G5596 τύπος typos, pattern, model, example, type, a visual form to be copied, such as in crafting an idol; by extension: a pattern of behavior to be emulated 

Thoughts…

Every godly man’s endeavor must be to stop the mouths of adversaries. Let thine own conscience answer for thine uprightness. What a glory is it for a Christian, when that mouth which would fain open itself against him, cannot find any evil in him to speak of (Matthew Henery’s Concise Commentary)!

But what if I screw up? What if I make a mistake? God wants me to be an example of good. I must show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned? I can’t live up to this all of the time. I am going to trip up. I am not perfect! You know what that is OK! God knows that about us. He expects it. You ever heard of a little thing called grace. When we fall, we get back up. We apologize and make amends where we can. We show the world an example they can identify with. Someone who has enough integrity to make things right and try again. 

Our mistakes can be good examples too. It is our testimony of being saved by grace and getting up to try again that helps people see a loving God that does not expect perfection. He only expects us to strive for it. Shoot for the moon and if you miss at least you will be among the stars. 

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Love Your Enemy, Even When It Is You!

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV)

Word Study

Love – G27 ἀγάπη agapē, love, in the NT usually the active love of God for his Son and his people, and the active love his people are to have for God, each other, and even enemies 

Covers – G2821 καλύπτω kalyptō, cover, veil, hide, swept over

Thoughts…

Love is the animating spirit, without which all other duties are dead. Charity shall cover the multitude. The oldest manuscripts have “covereth.” as not harshly to condemn or expose faults; but forbearingly to bear the other’s burdens, forgiving and forgetting past offenses (Jamieson, Fausett, and Brown Commentary).

I am sorry guys, today is all about me. I am sitting here hating myself. I don’t want to show myself any love or grace. I can go out and love others. I can offer them forgiveness, but I am fighting to do it to myself. I have an eating problem that is quite literally killing me and I struggle to overcome it.

I know we all have our own personal demons. TODAY, I feel like I am losing the battle. I feel like a fake because I tell you that you can overcome, as I sit here behind this keyboard struggling.  Well, let me tell you something. I am not here to tell you how to do something or where to find peace, love, faith, hope, grace or forgiveness. I am here to walk with you, fight beside you and face these demons with you. Together we fight. Together we win. Together we show Satan, ”No! We are legion!”

Loving one another and covering one another with grace and forgiveness includes loving yourself and forgiving yourself.

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Plug into the Power Source

2 Corinthians 12:10

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NIV)

Word Study

Weakness  –  G819 ἀσθένεια astheneia, weakness, illness, infirmity

Strong – G1543 δυνατός dynatos, possible (based on power); powerful, able, the Mighty One

Thoughts…

The opponents’ criticisms forced Paul to say what he did in this chapter. They claimed true apostles had special revelations. Paul knew this boasting was senseless, but he related a time around a.d. 42 when he experienced the inside of heaven. Paul disliked sharing this account, for he knew that God’s strength is more easily seen in the apostle’s weakness. In fact, God allowed Satan to afflict Paul to keep him humble and to demonstrate the power of God in his life. If vulnerability revealed God’s power, Paul gladly accepted the weakness (HCBC Commentary).

We are not perfect. We are not goodie-two-shoes. We don’t have some magical power that makes life full of rainbows and unicorns. What we have is hope, love, faith, and grace.  When we are faced with our weakness, we rely on a power source that does not end. When we give in and give up, God takes over and makes us powerful, able, and strong!

Feeling a little weak today. Stop fighting it. Let it go. Plug into the power of God. Find your true strength!

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Troubles Will Come But…

Psalms 34:19

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; (NIV)

Word Study

Righteous – H7404 צַדִּיק ṣaddîq, righteous, upright, just, innocent; in accordance with a proper (God’s) standard, and so implying innocence

Troubles – H8288 רָעָה3 rāʽâ3, bad, disaster, harm, trouble; by extension

Delivered – H5911 נָצַל nāṣal, to be saved, be delivered, be spared; to plunder, take away, tear away; to deliver, save, rescue; to be snatched; to strip off oneself

Thoughts…

The righteous are taken under the special protection of the Lord, yet they have their share of crosses in this world, and there are those that hate them. Both from the mercy of Heaven, and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must be many. But whatever troubles befall them, shall not hurt their souls, for God keeps them from sinning in troubles. No man is desolate, but he whom God has forsaken (Matthew Henery’s Concise Commentary).

Troubles come in so many different ways every day. Just because we become Christians doesn’t mean we are trouble-free. On the contrary, we seem to attract more trouble. God wants us to know we are not alone. He will see us through this life. He gave us hope to continue on today and the many tomorrows.

One day, we will be saved from ALL of the troubles here on Earth and be with Him in Heaven where no troubles exist.

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Placed on the ROCK

Psalms 62:1-2

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken (NIV)

Word Study

Rock – H7446 צוּר4 ṣûr4, rock; stone mass, rocky crag; a title of God, with a focus of stability, and possibly as a place of security and safety

Fortress – H5369 מִשְׂגָּב1 miśgāb1,  fortress, refuge, stronghold

Shaken – H4572 מוֹט1 môṭ1, to slip, fall, totter, stagger; to be shaken, be caused to move, be toppled; to bring down, to cause to fall; to be thoroughly shaken, be continually shaken

Thoughts…

Trust in God and Him alone. He is like a fortress in that He protects against all who are hostile. People will fail (the Hebrew text reads, “Humans are worthless [as an object of trust]; people are a lie”). Riches are no security (HCBC Commentary).

These verses always remind me of the song by Chumbawamba, “I get knocked down, but I get up again.” You see trials and troubles will come into our lives. We have a focus of stability, a place of security and stability to run. God provides us a fortress of solitude, like Superman. The best part is when the storms come, and they will, we will not slip, fall, totter, stagger, be shaken, be moved, be toppled, or be brought down. God is our rock and fortress. No storm can EVER take Him down. So go find some rest in Him and let the storm rage on.

Like a lighthouse standing tall in the middle of a raging storm, I will be firm because I am placed on the ROCK!

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Let the Storm Rage On!

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (NIV)

Word Study

Steadfast – H6164 סָמַךְ sāmak, to sustain, uphold; to lay (one’s hand upon); to be braced, be steadfast; to lean upon, rely upon, gain confidence; [P] to strengthen, refresh

Thoughts…

mind … stayed–(Ps 112:7, 8). Jesus can create “perfect peace” within thy mind, though storms of trial rage without (Isa 57:19; Mr 4:39); as a city kept securely by a strong garrison within, though besieged without (so Php 4:7). “Keep,” literally, “guard as with a garrison.” HORSLEY translates, (God’s) workmanship (the Hebrew does not probably mean “mind,” but “a thing formed,” Eph 2:10), so constantly “supported”; or else “formed and supported (by Thee) Thou shalt preserve (it, namely, the righteous nation) in perpetual peace” (Jameson, Fausett, and Brown Commentary).

Living with any kind of mental illness, your idea of normal is so not what everyone else thinks. You live in a physical place for mere moments and then you walk on to the next spot. You live in your brain 100% of the time. When that brain is going to a very dark space, you are often just along for the ride. However, you are never alone on this journey. NEVER! Never! Never! What is swirling around in the brain like a giant typhoon can still find peace in the eye of the storm. It may not feel like it right now, but if you can just hang on to that hope and lean upon God you will find peace.

Find your inner Elsa. Let the storm rage on. WIth God, the cold never bothered me anyway!

Copyright © 2019 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.