“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
2 Timothy 3:14-17
2 Timothy 3 was the chapter I read the first of June and became my month-long meditation! PAUSE. Take a moment to read! Good, now re-read. 😉 It is a rather pertinent chapter for the days we live in, isn’t it?! Near the end we are commanded to “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of“ ! This command reminded me of Psalm 19:7 where it says “…the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” That which we have been taught in the Scriptures is able to make us wise unto salvation and THOROUGHLY FURNISHED unto all good works. It is my prayer that we would faithfully continue in that which we have learned, making the Living Word of God our delight and meditation day and night that we may thoroughly furnished for every good work! And that is my random June Meditation. 💛 QUESTION!! What scripture has the Lord been using to encourage you lately? 👇🏻 Make my day by letting me know in the comment box below! 🙋🏼♀️
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Ephesians 6:10-17
The Lord has been using these passages to encourage me: “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”(Ecc 3:14)
“For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
(2 Corinthians 4:15-18)
Aren’t those wonderful thoughts?!
Rachel, the verses you shared were SO encouraging! Thank you for sharing them!💖
Thank YOU, Anna for blessing my day with those verses!! So encouraging! 😊😊😊 2 of my favorite portions of scripture. I love Ecclesiastes 3:14! And the promises found in 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 are filled with goodness beyond grasping! I love the reminder that the inward man is being renewed day by day. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” A far more exceeding and ETERNAL WEIGHT of glory. Praise the Lord! 💖🤗 May we walk by faith and not by sight, setting our eyes on the eternal!
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Cor 5:7
Anna, the verses that blessed you have just now blessed me too!!! So, I can say that I have been encouraged by Anna’s verses!!! And also, with just as much joy and thanksgiving, I was encouraged by the blessing of God touching a sister’s heart to reach out to me last night! Her verses encouraged me when I was feeling very, very down and faint hearted:
“These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But how they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:13-6
Only God knows how much those verses encouraged me, in the way that only the Holy Spirit can apply them. And the sister that sent it? None other than Rachel! Thank you, again, dear sister!!!
The other verse that still another sister in the Lord posted on Face Book last night also encouraged me: “”So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19
The enemy was attacking me like a flood with fear and despair. But God lifted up a standard: His pure Word, against Satan, and he had to flee from me for a time. Thank you, my sisters! We really do need each other, and we never know how God is going to use us. Thank you, dear Lord, for Your everlasting and abiding care! How great Thou art!!!!!!
Aww, Sheri! You have no idea how it blesses me to know I was able to encourage someone without even trying! It amazes me how the Lord plans everything so that it happens just right…. I (obviously) had no idea when I shared those verses, you were struggling! But God did, and he used those verses to encourage you! Isn’t that an amazing thought?!
And, I know for a fact that Rachel always selects the perfect verses for people, based on the person’s struggles! She has blessed me countless times with that!!!
And you, Sheri, have also blessed me countless times with your comments, and the verses/ stories you share! Thank you!
Some verses that help me when I’m struggling with fear (which is quite often 😅) are:
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
“(Joshua 1:9)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
” (Isaiah 41:10 )
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Have a blessed evening, Sheri!💖
Amen, Anna! Those are blessed verses and promises from our loving, faithful Father! Thank you!
I had been bombarded with newscasts and YouTube explanations, sent by well-meaning people, of what is going on in America, and I got overwhelmed with fear and depression. I lowered my shield of faith and let in some of the fiery darts of Satan.
But God wonderfully sent godly sisters to my aid with a flood of verses and support – you, Rachel, and 4 others, all in the same day! The amazing thing is, I only told one of them that I was struggling! Pride maybe? I know I felt paralyzed and helpless, which is a byproduct of not turning to God with the fear and dread that I was feeling. But God knew, and He gathered up some sisters to help. It really amazes me how much He cares for us, and how gently and easily He leads people to help others – even when they don’t know it!
Why do I ever fear with such a loving Father? It is when I yield to the flesh and take my eyes off of Jesus, like Peter when he tried to walk to Jesus on the water, then looked at the waves. The arm of flesh will fail me every time.
So, we are taught of God, over and over, if need be; and we come out victorious through Him, and only through Him.
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14)
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)
Jesus is our whole armor. :-)
The Lord bless you, my sister!
Ohhh……. Yeah. You can’t listen too much to the news/ YouTube right now- that’ll surely fill anyone up with an unbeatable amount of fear! (Myself included) As scary as what’s going on now may seem, we MUST trust the Lord to take care of us, no matter the situation!
I, personally struggle with fear- Particularly fear of the unknown. For example, I am supposed to have an MRI on September 17 to make sure there’s still no signs of a tumor in my brain. Well, that has completely stressed me out! 🤦🏻♀️ I know that that Lord already knows what the MRI will show, and He knows (and is doing) what is best for me, as well as all his people, but….. I STILL fear! That’s something all of us face in our lives, and as hard as it may be, we all need to learn to trust Him to do what He knows is best!
Be strong, Sheri! Lean on your Heavenly Father, and trust in HIM to care for you! 💖
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord , and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
” (Psalms 55:22)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
” (Romans 8:28)
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Amen! Thank you, Anna!
I will be praying for you and the outcome of your MRI. I understand your anxiety. Since 2014, I have had cancer twice, and a third diagnosis of cancer that was incorrect. I have been through devastating family, church, and financial situations as well, but God has always provided for me, and has proven Himself faithful through all the changes.
Each valley the Lord leads us into looks different, and as we go into it, our imaginations can come up with all kinds of terrors. But with the Lord LEADING us, He knows where the solid ground is, and how to avoid the pitfalls. Even though He has lead us through each past valley, the next one can still seem ominous. Stay close behind Him and trust His steps to take you through. :-)
Thank you, Sheri!🤣
Aw, Sheri!! Praise the Lord! 🙏 How faithful is HE to use us to encourage eachother. And to give us the perfect verses to share at just the right moment then moves us to send without delay to a sweet friend who needs them. 🤗 So thankful and so extremely humbled! 💛
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:17
“Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.”Isaiah 40:21-23
I am so thankful we serve the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, who faints not, neither does He grow weary. He is our Refuge and Strength, our VERY PRESENT Help in trouble! ❤️
“The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.”Psalms 103:19
Thank you, Rachel! How God has blessed me through you, over and over, and the timely verses you have shared through God’s leading. Whereas, I was overwhelmed by fear and dread, now I’m overwhelmed by the joy of the Lord (which is our strength) and thankfulness!
God pulls down mountains that block our paths, and quenches all the fiery darts that come our way. He is our rest, our strength, our joy. He ordains trials to make us stronger in faith, defeating Satan when he seeks only to destroy us. Praise the Name of the Lord!
You have shared some beautiful verses out of Isaiah and the Psalms. What wonderful declarations of God’s power and majesty, and what a comforting promise is Isaiah 54:17!
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12.) It alone has the power to heal the soul.
” It alone has the power to heal the soul.” AMEN!!!!!! Praising the Lord for that.💛 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4 🙏🏼
Amen and amen!!! :-)
Sorry, Sheri, that was supposed to be a 💖 not a 🤣. 😄
I’m on my computer, not my phone, so I don’t have emojis, otherwise I would give you a little laughing face. Either way, whether it was a heart or laughter that followed your thank you, I would have smiled. :-) You are a precious little sister in the Lord. :-)
Aww, and you’re a dear sister in the Lord to me! 💖
Hello Rachel, thank you! 😊 🙋♂️
Another translation from Psalm 19:7: The words of the Lord are always reliable, they give wisdom to the ignorant.
The encouragement can be very different every day, but recently it was speaking the Father to his children.
Matthew 7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Overwhelming assurance
“Our Saviour knew right well that many difficulties would arise in connection with prayer which might tend to stagger his disciples, and therefore he has balanced every opposition by an overwhelming assurance. Bead those words, “I say unto you,” I— your Teacher, your Master, your Lord, your Saviour, your God: “I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” “
C.H. Spurgeon
Anna and shericlaude, also thank you for your posts! I recognize so much in your messages it is such a blessing to be able to share with one another. I could tell you more about it but leave it at this for now. 🙋♂️🙏
Thank you, Martin! I have been blessed by your posts, as well! You liberally share the Word of God with God-given wisdom and clarity. Thank you for your contributions and encouragements and prayers for those asking for prayer!
The Lord richly bless you as you walk with God, and grow in grace through Him.
Hello Martin! 🙋🏼♀️ Good to hear from you! 😊 “The words of the Lord are always reliable”. Yes, amen!! So thankful for that!!
Matthew 7:7-10 is overwhelming assurance, indeed! And in those promises that The Lord gives, we can fully rest in His perfect plan and will for us. As I read Matthew 7 I was reminded of James 1:17 where it says, “Every GOOD gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no GOOD thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, BLESSED is the man that trusteth in THEE.- Psalm 84:11-12
O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear HIM. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any GOOD thing.-Psalm 34:9-10
Thank you so much for sharing those promise filled verses. They were definitely a huge encouragement for me today! 🙏🏼😊
Thank you, Martin, for your encouraging comments! You have blessed me many, many times with the verses you share! ❤️
It is truly wonderful that God doesn’t even have a SHADOW of turning! (James 1:17 – that you sited above.) Shadows have no substance. Our God is Rock solid – firm ground. He doesn’t even have a hint of turning.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” Psalm 23. Death has no substance for God’s children. It is but a shadow. And we don’t have to run through the valley in fear, or trudge, or crawl. We walk upright with God. :-)
I love how you emphasized GOOD gift and GOOD things! That is so true!!! We must ask according to the light of the scriptures, and according to His will for us at the time.
Thank you, Rachel! :-)
I hadn’t thought too much about the word shadow used in James 1 and so many other portions of scripture. I am truly blessed by your thoughts and explanation, Sheri!! Amen! He is our FIRM FOUNDATION. The Solid Rock! Unlike shadow, The Lord God is unchanging with time, constant, faithful and steadfast!!
Amen!!!