Listen to this, you who walk all over the weak, you who treat poor people as less than nothing, Who say, “When’s my next paycheck coming so I can go out and live it up? How long till the weekend when I can go out and have a good time?” Who give little and take much, and never do an honest day’s work. You exploit the poor, using them— and then, when they’re used up, you discard them. Amos 8:4-6 Message Bible

I ran across this and was humbled by it. When was the last time you cared enough to stop and pray with them? Or even to stop and buy a burger or spend a little cash for a box of cereal? I don’t spend my money foolishly or lavishly. We live modestly on a pretty fixed income, but when an opportunity comes for me to give, I do it as though it were Jesus himself asking. Everything I have is His and my goal is always to honor Him with my money and my life.

A few years ago my son-in-law stopped at the grocery store to pick up something on his way home. Our middle granddaughter saw a homeless man in the parking lot and asked her dad if she could give him the $20 bill she had just received as a Christmas gift. I can’t tell you how much that blessed me.

Let’s not become so callused by the stories we hear that we don’t honor and respect people as children of God. They don’t have to be serving Him to be His child. The prodigal son was still his fathers son even when he was in the world sowing his wild oats and spending all his money. When he came to his senses, he came home to a welcoming embrace.

Be the Fathers arms of embrace and let them know how valuable they are. Do something that would put a smile on your heavenly Fathers face for one of His lost ones.

Sandy G

“I myself will teach your people and give them prosperity and peace. Justice and right will make you strong. You will be safe from oppression and terror. Whoever attacks you, does it without my consent; whoever fights against you will fall.

“I create the blacksmith, who builds a fire and forges weapons. I also create the soldier, who uses the weapons to kill. But no weapon will be able to hurt you; you will have an answer for all who accuse you. I will defend my servants and give them victory.” Isaiah 54:13-17 GNT

What a way to start out the week. There are several declarations the Lord gives in these verses: He will teach us. He will give us prosperity and peace. He will make us strong. We will be safe from oppression and terror. Those who attack us and fights against us will fall. No weapon will hurt us. We will have answers for those who accuse us. He will defend us and give us victory.

I claim those declarations and come into agreement with them today. For myself, my family and those reading this, may you be encouraged that it is the Lord who fights for you and gives you victory. David said that He is a strong tower, the righteous run to Him and are safe.

When you run into opposition today, may you repeat these words and remind yourself and your enemies what is written in these verses. What do you have to fear? When God is for you, who can be against you?

Sandy G

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:30-32 NLT

Not only is God’s way perfect, but He makes mine perfect as well. Who but God does that! All of His promises prove true! Every one of them, not one or a few, but all.

Whenever I find myself questioning, second guessing decisions I made, I remember this. He even takes my missteps and makes them good. What a Father!

So many times I’ve wanted to “fix” things for my girls only to be made aware that I have no clue what their future holds or how God intends to use what they’ve been through in their future. So I found the best thing I could do is stay out of the way and pray this verse over them.

I could never take credit for who they’ve become. Only God makes beautiful things out of us. So if your panties are in a wad over your wayward children, a poor decision, a bad job, a missed opportunity, remember this; His way is perfect! He has a purpose for everything!

Celebrate your losses! Do a happy dance over your children. Since when does worry offer rewards? It’s when you place your confidence in God and who He is that worry leaves and faith rises.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.”

Sandy G

The dazzling light of the Lord’s presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from the cloud. Exodus 24:16-17 GNT

Have you ever been passionate about something? You know, the moment you begin to talk about something you’re passionate about, people around you take notice. Your face lights up. You come alive inside and begin to explain everything you know about the subject.

I’ve sat with people who have displayed passion. It’s usually something they’re well informed about, perhaps a calling, so to speak. I’ve seen in the medical field, the financial field and even the political field. I’ve also seen it in music and a passion for the Word of God.

Jesus drew crowds because He had a passion for the Father. He was well versed in what relationship with Him looked like, since before time was, He was. He wanted so much for others to know Him that He went about doing good, healing and delivering everyone He came in contact with.

We must have the same passion for our Father. Some of us don’t have a clue as to what that looks like. We’ve married ourselves to the world and the things of the world. We’re more interested in reproducing more of the same and don’t understand why its not working.

In our churches, we promote agendas filled with pastors who don’t teach us to minister to the lost. They want followers but don’t teach them to plug into the power source and run in obedience to Gods Word. They long to control, not equip and send. People with passion for God simply burn until the spark catches and those around them burn too.

Seek to spend time with God until you begin to burn, than watch as others are drawn to the fire in you. Allow Him to draw all men to Him, He’s the one who changes lives, you are simply a hearth to hold the flame.

Sandy G

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. II Corinthians 4:7-10

I’ve been thinking about the treasure within us and how valuable it is. So many of us walk around sad and focused on all that’s wrong in the world, but do you know that you contain the answer the world is seeking for? It’s a treasure we hold that gives us peace, joy and increased understanding. It’s the ability to walk and talk with God each and everyday.

Regardless of what I go through, I will not relent until I have it all. I have been assured of this one thing, that if I seek Him with all my heart I will find Him, so I will keep on seeking. And when I find Him, I will not let go!

Sandy G

This God—how perfect are His deeds, how dependable His words! He is like a shield for all who seek His protection. 2 Samuel 22:31 GNT

“I believe God is teaching us to lean on Him; not just once in awhile or for a few things, but all the time and for everything.” Glenn Thomas Hulbert (my dad-excerpt from my mom’s memoirs) What a great heritage of faith and trust in God. I’m so proud to be cut from the same cloth.

To be a seeker of Gods Words and to know and trust Him for everything is no small thing. All the time and for everything, not just once in awhile or for a few things.

I think sometimes our lives have too many options. If it’s convenient, we’ll trust God, if we’re in a rush or we can do it ourselves, why wait? Is that really trust, or just impatience. He wants us to lean on Him, trust Him with all our hearts.

When we were in our 7th year of marriage, Walt lost his job. It was the mid-80’s when the recession hit and the bakery where he had worked for 9 years closed their doors. He applied as far away as Arizona, willing to go where there was work. Seems every door closed tight and we were left in a very scary place.

We got on our knees and cried out to God for help and guess what? Those two years were the years we grew most in our marriage and our relationship with God. We had nowhere to go but to Him and time and time again, He supplied our need. We bartered our rent by painting the house, we were adopted by a local company for Christmas. We even had a car back up to our door and unload groceries to our kitchen table.

Our girls were 5 and 3 at the time, but they remember that time and it made such an impression on them that when they need help, they run to the Lord. Might as well pass the lessons on to your children and grandchildren.

So today, think of all God’s done for you and lift your hands and praise Him.

Sandy G

“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; and you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. IsaIAH 54:17 NASB

I can’t tell you how much I see the attack on our families health a strategic attempt to get us distracted and worn out so we stop speaking into the spirit realm. I’ve been distracted. I’ve seen a multitude of Christians be distracted. Makes you wonder if what we’re seeing is a device of the enemy to get our focus off the Word and onto the circumstances.

Well I have one answer to that tactic; EPIC FAIL DEVIL! I’m onto your game plan, for it is written that you are the father of all lies. Anything that opposes the Word of Truth is a lie and I refuse to believe it. For the Word says, “God ·gave the command [sent forth his word] and healed them, so they were ·saved [rescued] from ·dying [destruction; or their pits].” Psalm 107:20 EXB

It is my heritage! It belongs to me, my children and my children’s children and the enemy cannot have us! I speak a hedge of protection around us all. The blood of Jesus covers us.

Devil, i say to you, YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED!

I serve you notice to leave off your tormenting the saints of God. You will not have our peace, our health, our blessings or our prosperity. It’s already been spoken, I’ve seen it in His Word and you may not lay your hands on it. Your lie has been exposed and you must give back 7 times what you’ve stolen from us.

How many others out there are ready to make the same declaration? It’s time to be about our Fathers’ business!

We declare that the Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in heaven🔥

Sandy G

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Hebrews 13:5 AMPC

This is one of my favorite translations of this verse because it just keeps repeating, I will not! I think what God is saying to you this morning is that regardless of what things look like, feel like or how bad it gets, He is holding tightly to you, so tight that there is no way you will ever escape his grasp.

What a beautiful promise. That’s something you can speak over your situation, over your body, your children, your finances; “God will not let go! He will hold me until every promise He’s ever made to me comes to pass.”

My dear friend, keep God as your central focus. Make Him the one who matters most. Pledge your allegiance to Him. He loves you so much and wants what’s best for you. He will not in any degree leave you without support, helpless or forsaken, ever!

Sandy G

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. Isaiah 46:9-10

It would take me forever to recount all that God has done for me and I’m sure each one of you would have so much to add that we’d be talking for eternity. But in the remembering, we are assured that He is a delivering, redeeming, providing God and that there is no one like him.

He knows and orders all our steps and as long as our focus rests on Him and His Word, that is enough to carry us through every obstruction we face, every road block, every bridge out, every unexpected delay, every loss or gain. For everything He plans for us, not we plan for us, will come to pass.

I choose to remember to trust You, Father, with all that concerns me today. My feelings won’t direct my steps–You will. Regardless of what I see in my path, when I remember who walks with me, I can make it to the otherside. Knowing You’ll never leave me is enough.

Sandy G

Then said the Lord to me, “You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:12

Giving thanks today for the Word in me. It’s alive. It’s powerful. It stands as a mighty fortress, where I run when my enemies surround me.

We so often think of the Word as a thing spoken, but Revelations 19:13 tells us the Word is a person: “The robe he wore was covered with blood. His name is “The Word of God.”

No wonder when I speak His Word, things change. He’s alive! I believe that if we could see the Word moving in the realm of the Spirit, it would change our way of being. Every time I speak what He says in faith, Word runs to perform it.

I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I’m sure of His Word. It holds my future and assures me of victory. My hope is in the Word. My strength is in the Word. My health is in the Word. My provision is in the Word. My peace is in the Word.

Father, thank you for watching over my words today. May I only agree with Your Word. I’m excited and expectant.

Sandy G