How Do We Disciple Children?

How Do We Disciple Children?

Helping children and families take first steps of faith is my passion. I long to see families and kids walk with Jesus every day—not just on Sundays. For years I have taught in children’s ministry and led women’s discipleship groups, and again and again I’ve found myself searching for practical tools to help families keep growing spiritually at home.

We have access to so many resources today, but I kept thinking, Where is the tool that’s specifically designed for kids, that truly meets them where they are?

That question became the starting point for Walking With Jesus.

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Discipleship Is More Than Lessons

Discipleship is so much more than Bible studies, small groups, and workbooks. It is a lifestyle we must embrace.

Books and lessons are helpful, but information alone doesn’t produce transformation. We can’t just hear instruction; we must live it in front of our kids, day after day. Our children need to see what it looks like to follow Jesus in real life—through our words, our choices, our schedules, and our priorities.

That’s why Deuteronomy 6:5–7 is so important for families:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,
and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (ESV)

Discipleship is woven into the everyday—mealtimes, car rides, bedtime routines, and everything in between.

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Building a Plan to Disciple Kids

At our church, I began creating a ministry plan so that we were not just “doing church,” we were intentionally discipling children from the nursery through sixth grade. I wanted practical tools that families could use daily at home, and then the church could reinforce them weekly. 

We developed a complete plan for:

• Teaching nursery through 6th grade

• Celebrating new life with Welcome Little One for new births and baby dedications

• Guiding questions about salvation and baptism using Baptism: For Kids and Parents

Both of these are part of the Next Steps Collection by D6 Family Ministry, and they help us be intentional about the spiritual milestones in a child’s life.

As I worked through this ministry plan, I started creating simple pages for our church kids—things they could read, answer, and do to spark their spiritual growth. Those early pages eventually grew into Walking With Jesus, written for elementary-aged children.

My heart for this book was to create a practical and engaging resource that would walk children and families through foundational truths of the Christian life—things like:

• Salvation

• Prayer

• Giving

• Scripture memory

• Church membership

• God’s Word

Each chapter includes short lessons, discussion questions, and simple activities designed for kids and easy for families to use together.

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Engaging Kids with All Their Senses

When I teach, I try to engage as many senses as possible. A typical lesson in our children’s ministry might include:

• Reading the Bible passage or lesson

• Acting out part of the story

• Answering questions together

• Singing songs that reinforce the truth

• Watching a short video

• Doing a hands-on activity or craft

I tried to bring a multi-sensory, practical approach into the pages of Walking With Jesus, while staying anchored in sound biblical teaching.

Here’s a short excerpt from Chapter 2, “Talking to God – Prayer”:

“We cannot do a very good job telling our friends and family about how to have a relationship with God if we are not growing and walking with Him daily. One of the ways we can grow is by praying. What is prayer? It is simply talking to God.

You may wonder, how can we talk to God when we cannot see Him or hear His voice? Just because we cannot see God does not mean He cannot hear us or see us.

Here are three really big words for you to learn. They help us understand why we can pray. The first word is omnipresent (OM-ni-pres-ent), which means God is everywhere. Second, God is omniscient (om-NI-scient) or all-knowing. God knows, hears, and sees everything, all the time. The last word is omnipotent (om-NI-po-tent), which means God has unlimited power.

Read these verses in your Bible with your family: Ephesians 5:20, John 14:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, Philippians 4:6–7, James 5:16, and Matthew 6:7–13. What do these verses tell you?”

My hope is that as kids read, discuss, and interact with these lessons, they don’t just learn about God—they learn how to walk with Him.

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Our Role in Discipling the Next Generation

It is my prayer that Walking With Jesus becomes a valuable tool for helping your children and grandchildren, the kids in your church, and the students in your classroom or small group grow in faith as they learn what it means to walk daily with the Lord. My deepest hope is that this resource helps them develop a resilient faith that lasts a lifetime—and that they become disciples who make more disciples.

Our role is not to have all the answers. Our role is to be faithful:

• Faithful to teach the next generation how to walk with Jesus

• Faithful to show them how to study the Bible on their own

• Faithful to spend time together in God’s Word as a family

We are called to be a Deuteronomy 6 family—loving God most of all and diligently teaching our families.

The best time for children to realize their need for a Savior—and to learn how to walk with Jesus—is now.

“The best time for children to realize their need for a Savior and how to walk with Jesus is now!”
—Walking With Jesus

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If you’re looking for a place to start discipling the children in your life, you don’t have to do it perfectly. Take one step. Open God’s Word together. Pray out loud together. Talk about what you’re learning. Use tools that help you—whether that’s Walking With Jesus or another resource the Lord provides.

One faithful step of obedience at a time—that’s how we disciple children.

D6 Family Ministry

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​Is there real value in memorizing Bible verses?

​Is there real value in memorizing Bible verses? Do they play a role in shaping our children’s and grandchildren’s worldview and helping them grow in their relationship with Christ? Do we really need to commit verses to memory when most of us, children included, have the Bible easily accessible on our phones, tablets, and the Internet? Why is Scripture memory so important?

At a conference with our youth group, I vividly remember the speaker challenging us by asking believers to remain standing if they had memorized at least one verse for every year they had followed Christ. Watching the room sit down, quickly, was both eye-opening and humbling. I found myself counting how many I truly knew—and if I could point to where they were located in the Bible.

The speaker was not saying Scripture memory is discipleship or the measure of spiritual maturity. He was reminding us that God’s Word is nourishment for our hearts and minds. We get to soak it up. Scripture memory is one natural by-product of walking closely with Jesus every day.

Flashback with me to a warm afternoon when I was in sixth grade. I had grown up in church, but that day I became angry and made a very poor choice. My parents helped me memorize Psalm 4:4 and Ephesians 4:26: “Be angry and sin not.” They didn’t just make me memorize it—they taught me how to live it. I still got angry at times, but Scripture shaped how I responded. It helped me see that my emotions never give me permission to harm others with my words or actions. God’s Word never returns void. It was teaching me how to walk with Him.

Think for a moment: how many song lyrics do you know by heart? Nursery rhymes? The Pledge of Allegiance? The Preamble to the Constitution? If those words can live in our long-term memory, how much more valuable is it to store to up His Words in our hearts?

Even with Google, Siri, ChatGPT, and Bible apps at our fingertips—our hearts still need Scripture tucked inside them. Here is why.

1. Scripture memorization strengthens the developing worldview of our children. Hiding God’s Word helps develop truth that lasts. Children begin forming their worldview around 15 months of age and it’s almost entirely formed by age 13. For most people, research shows, it is unlikely to change over the remainder of their lives (Barna, 2023).
2. Scripture memory helps us face spiritual battles. We are instructed to “take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Ephesians 6:17b. We must be intentional in building a firm foundation for our children. Take time to memorize Scripture as a family; it is good for everyone. Psalm 119 reminds us that storing God’s Word in our hearts helps us not to sin against God.
3. Jesus modeled it to us. Matthew 4:4 informs us that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Christ gave us the perfect example of how to withstand temptation—confront it with Scripture!

How can families naturally and joyfully weave Scripture memory into everyday life and allow it to shape us from the inside out? If babies begin forming their worldview before two years old, and by early teens, it is solidified. We must act early and often, shaping them into who God is calling them to be.

• With your babies, read the Bible to them. Teach them Scripture nuggets, even set to songs. They can learn “God made the World, God made me, God loves me, I can make bad and good choices, etc.” Speak Scripture over them during ordinary moments. Sing short, truth-filled phrases as you buckle car seats, rock them to sleep, or play on the floor.
• As kids grow, continue expanding on those first nuggets and building more Truth. Teach them why we know God made the World—Genesis 1:1. Teach them the meaning and application of verses like John 3:16, Romans 3:23, John 1:1, John 14:6, and other key verses. Don’t just have your kids memorize them, repeat them daily, and talk about what they look like in their real-life application. Read a verse or chapter while eating breakfast as a family and discuss it on your car ride. Talk about them when you are at home, incorporate it into your bedtime prayers; saturate their lives with Scripture. Does that sound a little biblical? This is what Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs us to do. You do not have to rush at memory like it is a checklist; instead, meditate on them and repeat them often.
• As your children grow to early elementary age, continue building an even stronger foundation. Choose verses, as a family, based on what you are experiencing in life. Just dwell on them and let them soak into your being. Linger on them as long as necessary so they can deeply penetrate your hearts and minds. Some verses can be grasped quickly, while others need to marinate for a while. The Romans Road to Salvation is a great set of verses to add to memory and understanding (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9–10, 13). As are The Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18), and the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3–17). Let your kids share how the verses impacted their day. Look for ways to tenderly connect Scripture and daily life. The Word will become a normal part of our daily lives. It happens naturally—not as a checklist we are adding to our day.
• Church Training Service (CTS) Bible Memorization provides a wonderful structure, even if your children do not participate in CTS exhibition. By the end of their high school years, they may have learned as many as 600 passages!
• Make review a normal part of life—not a test you pass or fail. Reviewing verses and being in His Word throughout our lives keeps it fresh and deepens our understanding. Www.biblememory.com is a fun way to learn Scripture and commit it to long-term memory.
• Rob Morgan has a book entitled 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart. He provides 100 verses to begin your journey and offers excellent tips on committing them to memory.

Scripture memory is not about performance, who knows the most, or impressing others. It is about helping us remember what is true, honorable, pure, and lovely. As God’s Word settles into our hearts and minds, it shapes how we see the world, respond to challenges, and love others.

Start small. Be consistent. Let the Word live in your homes and lives.

Then watch how it quietly forms a faith that lasts!

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Spring is for Planting

Luke 8: 9-15: The Purpose of the Parables And when his disciples asked him what this
parable meant,  he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.  And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.  As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

This parable describes the Kingdom in its present aspect. It shows us the reality of how we “hear” the Word of God and believe. When we “hear” we become more responsible than we were before we had knowledge. This parable was spoken to a multitude then explained to the disciples. When we hear the Word of God we must be careful to receive it. The Word of God must fall onto good ground to bear good fruit. What kind of soil is our souls? When we are willing to trust and obey, the Holy Spirit will give us the ability to understand the teachings of the Bible. There are 4 kinds of seeds or souls of people around us that we encounter:

1. Wayside Souls: trampled by men and devoured by birds – in Bible times these were the religious leaders who refused to believe God’s message. Seeing and hearing Christ do teach and perform miracles, these people did not actually see and hear TRUTH. They could not understand the meanings of the illustrations of Christ' parables. Today, people see and hear what God is doing in the lives of people around the world, but do not understand the deeper meanings or explanations of how things are happening. These people have hard hearts. The heard in a shallow, superficial way. Only surface level learning. Satan could easily come and snatch it away.

2. Rock Hard Souls: withered away from lack of moisture/living water – crowds who followed Jesus, but believed His message but never got around to doing anything about it. These people also heard the words but like the 1st group did not let it soak in or break into their soul. They remained unrepentant. They had no encouragement (or moisture) for their rock-hard soil of their souls. They withered away and died. They may even make a big, bright profession of faith at 1st, but it ends up being very superficial and emotional with no real change or commitment long-term to go with it. It seemed real, but there are zero roots to dig down into the soil to sustain life when it gets hard. When trouble comes, they quickly abandon faith for the easier, worldly life. It will always be easier to walk in the ways of the world than in the ways of God. Being set apart is what we are called to be. It is called the straight and narrow path for a reason.

3. Thorns / Thorny Souls: growth is chocked out by thorns – those overcome by materialism, no room in their lives for God. This group gets along well for a season, but eventually there is no genuine faith as proved by their lack of steadfastness. They are not sustainable. The cares of this world; pleasures, riches, and fun of life take back control and the Word is snuffed out to just what they do when there is nothing better to do. The seeds eventually get smothered out and die.

4. Good Ground: yielded 100 grains for each seed – they followed no matter the cost, true Christ-following believers with pure intentions who are filled with the Holy Spirit. They received the Word and Abide in it. They pray and meditate over scripture and live for God daily. They allow the Word to mold their lives forevermore. They are teachable and obedient and practice progressive sanctification. They produce the good Fruit of the Holy Spirit.

a. GOD is the FARMER
b. Believers planting seeds are the Seed Sowers
c. Seed are the Word of God
d. SOIL IS THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH

Our witnessing efforts may only yield good fruit 25% of the time. We may never get to see our seeds grow to fruition. This should not discourage us. It is not our responsibility to produce the fruit, however it is our job to plant the seeds. It is not the fault of the farmer or the seed when no fruit or bad fruit is produced, or if it quits producing; that is due to the condition of the soil. I remember when we used to have a garden. Kevin would do soil samples to see if we needed to add lime or other things to the soil to make it good, fertile soil for our garden. While we could change the soil in our garden, we CANNOT change the soil of the soul in those we are witnessing to. We are commanded to GO MAKE DISCIPLES, not go be soil scientists. 

Are we doing our best to plant seeds where we are today? 

Do we let the 75% of seeds that fall on by the wayside, rocks, and thorns get us down so that we forget about the 25% that grow in good fertile soil producing 100 fold? Hey, 25% adds up over a lifetime to lots of souls in heaven causing angels to rejoice! Get out there and plant some seeds today…its Spring and Spring is for Planting!

Father God, I know you are the Ultimate, Most High, Master Gardner, help me to never get discouraged when I don’t see immediate results of the cultivating we are doing in ministry. Help me to remember my job is to be the obedient seed sower who sows in faith. Help me to remember to pray for the soil of the souls that I am planting in, so that one day there may be an abundant harvest. Help me to trust in You always. Help me to pray for all the seeds planted all over the world by all your faithful seed sowers. Help me to see each face before me every day as one of your loved children who need you. Help me to be more aware of my surroundings so that I don’t miss opportunities to sow seeds. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for sending your only Son to die for a sinner such as me. I love you. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

I do not own rights to Seed Sower with vocals

Who is Jesus to You?

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  John 7:4-5: For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.
• John 7:12-13: And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
• John 7:20: The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”
• John 7:26: And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
• John 7:40-41: When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 

At the time of this passage Jesus was still in Galilee, but there is probably several months between chapters 6 and 7 of the book of John.  Jesus didn't wan't to stay in Judea because it was the headquarters of the Jews where the Pharisees sought to kill Jesus. The Feast of Tabernacles was a harvest festival that was a very joyous time of celebration. It was to remind them of leaving Egypt when the Israelites lived in booths or tents, temporary shelters. It was to make them think of the coming of the Messiah who would reign forever and save them eternally. In verse 4, Jesus’ brothers did not believe he was the Messiah yet, so they sarcastically mocked him, or possibly wanted fame from being kin to him when he performed his miracles, or maybe even were jealous enough of his fame to want him killed. You gotta love some sibling rivalry! His brothers didn't really know what to think of him, nor did the religious leaders of the day. The common everyday people were confused too. Opinions of Jesus were all over the place...so I am asking you - WHO IS JESUS TO YOU? Is it just a story. The Messiah. Your Redeemer. Your Get Out of Hell Free Card. Your Lord and Savior. No One (it actually makes my anxious to type that one). We will ALL stand before Him as a perfect and righteous Judge to give an account of our lives one day. How will you respond to My Jesus?

In this life we are often mocked or made fun of for being “bible-thumpers”,  “goodie-goodies”,  that are too churchy and we can’t have any real fun. Well, don’t let those opinions bother you, they don't really matter---true joy and happiness comes from following Christ and living a Godly life. All of the things in this world that we think are so important will all fade away and souls are the only things that will last eternally. We must be about the business of make disciples.  We need to go about this with the right attitudes and approach it the right way. How sad it must have been for Jesus to be mocked by his own family. While He was alive, they didn’t believe in Him as the One True Messiah. The people mocked Him. Some said Jesus was a fraud, of Satan, that He was good, demon-possessed, the Christ, and the Prophet. Opinions were all over the place about Him. This is how people will think of us too. Most importantly, We must make up our minds about WHAT WE THINK ABOUT JESUS. Whatever we decide WILL have eternal consequences. Lots of people are talking ABOUT Jesus, but are talking TO JESUS? We can wear all the religious t-shirts, read our bibles, go to church, check all the boxes, but if we are not talking TO Jesus, as in, HAVE A REAL REALATIONSHIP with Him that CHANGES how we live every day, then it is meaningless. He called us to GO MAKE DISCIPLES (Matthew 28:18-20) but when it comes time to speak up about Him in public do we? Are we like his brothers? Are we like Nicodemus who took a while to come out of the dark? We have to privilege to teach, preach, and worship without persecution, unlike many of our brothers and sisters around the world, but do we take it for granted? Do we do it without passion or less than we should? Are we thankful to go into the House of the Lord and worship, study, pray, learn, be held accountable and share with other believers? Don’t let fear stifle our boldness to proclaim the Gospel around the world. We have a command to spread it, and we should do so BOLDLY with passion and enthusiasm, without being embarrassed. If my Jesus is already your Jesus then go tell someone else about Him today! If you don't have a TRUE live changing relationship with him then ask me how, so you can start a NEW LIFE today!

Father God, Your Word tells me in Matthew10:32, that Christ will confess me to You when I confess Him to others. Help me to BOLDLY proclaim your Word, your miracles, your goodness, and your salvation to all the nations. Help me to not be hindered by fear, emotions, embarrassment, or any other obstacles that Satan or this world may throw at me. Help me to realize your convicting power for what it is and not try to make excuses or avoid it. Help me to realize and confess my sins so that you can mold me and make me into what you have designed me to be. Lord be the Master of my life and remove all pride from me. Help me to be able to reason in a rational way and see things through your eyes and recognize my own sinful flesh. Help me to live by what is good and right and the ways of Your Word always. Help me to soak up your Word and understand it the way it is written. Help me to never twist it or try to take it out of context. Help me to be a better disciple. Thank you for all the blessing you give me everyday that I take for granted. Thank you for my freedom to worship You. Thank you for our missionaries proclaiming your love and salvation around the world today; be with each of their families and their ministries. Help their words to fall on receptive ears. Thank you for giving your Only Son for a sinner like me. I ask these things in Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen.

My Jesus - Anne Wilson 

Cost of Discipleship

Discipleship comes at a "high cost", are you willing to pay it? 

Jesus talked about the differences in the easy way that most of the world wants to take and the hard pathway of following Him. Accepting Jesus and the salvation He provides is easy, but actively growing and following Jesus will impact every part of our lives and takes time and effort.

The choice to follow Jesus may cost us a high price in earthly terms, but when we are determined to follow Him, the Lord will change our desires. Discipleship is a lifelong process! We will never learn all we can about our Precious Jesus! Becoming a disciple is free; there is nothing we can do to buy our salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn it, but we WILL have to make sacrifices in order to follow Jesus. The cost of being a disciple comes from those sacrifices. We may have to stop doing some activities because we know they are not pleasing to God. 

We need to live differently than the world around us. This will not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us, and we can honor Him by listening to His Word and following Him.

Is there anything you or your family needs to give up for Christ?
I can promise you, if you totally give up everything for Jesus, you will never regret it.

Make sure HE is in the #1 place in your life and in your kid's lives today. Let HIM be in control of all that your family does! 

 (Today's blog is paraphrased from Elements Kids Worship Discipleship Lesson 2)

 

ZEAL FOR THE LORD

His disciples remembered that it was written “Zeal for your house will consume me. John 2:17

What is zeal: ardently passionate (literally "boiling" with interest or desire); "to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – 'to be earnest, to set one's heart on, to be completely intent upon' ", very fervent(zēlos). To seethe or bubble,' and is therefore used figuratively of mental states and emotions. 

Jesus is speaking to the Jewish, educated leaders – they KNEW scripture – yet they were so blinded to the TRUE LIGHT. Psalm 69:9 says: “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” The leaders would have known this verse, yet they still could not accept who Christ really was when he cleansed the temple. People were wrapped up in worldly business and using the temple/church for personal gain. Christ put a stop to this by cleansing the temple, which showed his rightful authority. Christ wants the church to be used for pure, authentic worship and prayer. Matthew 21:13 says: “He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Have we every truly been “ZEALOUS” over anything, according to the definition? If so, are we about the WRONG things? Would God and Christ approve of our use and worship in His house? When we gather together are we here with deep, boiling desire; to offer prayer and intense worship to the Lord; or do we enter into His House half-heartedly? If we are not here to zealously worship and pray then we are just as bad as the Jewish leaders of the days of old.

Father God, thank you for the splendor and glory you show us every day. You alone are mighty to save and worthy of our praise. Help me to be more ZEALOUS for You and not for things in this world. Help me to be 100% committed to serving You alone. Guide my mind to have clear thoughts and intentions when I enter into your House of Worship and Prayer. Help me to not get distracted by worldly things that Satan can use to derail me during our precious times of being able to assemble together. Lord, help us not take these times for granted as, as many around the world are not able to have a time of worship, prayer and studying Your Word without persecution. Forgive me for the times I have entered your house with the wrong frame of mind. Thank you for all blessings you grant me every day, even without my realizing them. Thank you for sending Jesus to die and rise again for everyone. Thank you for your inspired word that you sent to us through faithful men who taught others so that we could learn about You. Be with the missionaries around the world who are continuing to zealously share your salvation message and disciple those they encounter. Help me to disciple those you put in my path. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's 911 Part 3

"For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday."  Psalm 91:3-6

Verse 3 tells us God will protect us from the temptation traps that try to get us into sin and He will protect us from things sent to physically hurt us.  It’s up to us to believe God’s promise.  God made His protection available to us; we just have to run to Him.  How is your speech? Every word we speak is a spiritual weapon—either for good or for evil.  Choose how you use your words, carefully!

Verses 5-6 tells us the 4 groups of EVIL that Satan uses to attack:

1. Terrors = dangers of the night that cause fear.
2. Arrows = try to pierce us physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
3. Pestilence = sickness, disease or illness that causes fear.
4. Destruction = natural disasters  

Our words are powerful, use them to fight Satan.  He tries to attack where it will hurt us most.  Don’t let him rob you of your joy.  Prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon and it can change impossible situations.  Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to fight attacks from the devil.  Jesus fought against the temptation of Satan in the wilderness by quoting Bible verses to Satan.  We need to have a “bag of spiritual weapons” we can pull out when Satan attacks.  The only way we will be ready for battle is if we practice and learn to use God’s Word ahead of time! Do you read, meditate on and memorize scripture on a regular basis? Faith is not a feeling; it is choosing to believe what God says in His Word and refusing to doubt. We can't do this if we do not know what The Word says. It’s easy to panic when things get out of control, but those are the times when it is more important than ever to call on God.  Call out to God; He always answers your call!  

The verses from Psalm 91:3-6 remind me that: 

1. God saves me / delivers me from my enemies & their schemes. 
2. God covers me with His wings & shields me with His faithfulness. 
3. I will find refuge in Him if I seek it.
4. Because of this, I will not be afraid. 

   

   
   

God's 911 Part 2

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.”
God is called by 4 names is this chapter. His names tell us about His charter & what He will do for us.
1. Most High – highest being that exists.
2. Almighty – all-might. Most powerful.
3. My Lord – we belong to Him, He is the boss.
4. My God – our personal Savior.

Satan sets physical and spiritual traps for us, but God promises to save us from these traps if we abide in Him. Our Heavenly Father will always do what is best for us. God will protect us from the temptation traps that try to get us into sin and He will protect us from things sent to physically hurt us. It’s up to us to believe God’s promise and choose to live according to His Word and calling on our life! God made His protection available to us; we just have to run to Him. Every word we speak is a spiritual weapon—either for good or for evil. Choose how you use your words, carefully!

I am choosing to believe God and His Word. It is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword...(Heb. 4:12) With that being said, He also knows our thoughts, intentions, and what motivates our actions! Be authentic in all that you do. God is my refuge! God is my fortress! I will trust God, when I'm in danger, for He is with me. I will trust God when I am fearful because He is my fortress. I will live daily within God's will for my life and enjoy His protection. I thrive best when I am abiding in the shadow (inseparable companion) of the Almighty and I can imagine you will too!

God’s 911

God says that He is the place of real safety from any bad thing you can imagine--if you will run to Him with all your heart!  Tell God you trust Him! God's Word is true, and He is faithful to do what He promises if we put our complete trust in Him. 

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 ESV) 

Dwell: means to continues in a place.  Shelter is a refuge/protection from danger or trouble. To Abide means to remain. A shadow is an Inseparable Companion —I ❤️that definition. 

When we add those definitions into the verse this is what we get: He who (continues in the place of) (the refuge) of the Most High will (remain) the (Inseparable companion) of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 ESV).

Don't you want to remain the Inseparable Companion of the ALMIGHTY, THE MOST HIGH! I want to dwell and continue in the place of His refuge and protection!  Satan may try, or fleshly desires may set physical traps, but God promises to save us! Father God will always do what is best for us! God will protect us. We need to run to Him for shelter and safety. My words are weapons. They can be weapons either for good or for evil depending on how I use them. Are your words doing more good or bad?

God is our refuge. I trust Him above all when I am in danger. I am so thankful He is always with me. Remember to trust Him when you are afraid and remember HE is your fortress.  Live for HIM daily in HIS protection and in HIS will!

Outcast or Cast out to Seek Men

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”” ‭‭John‬ ‭9:35‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ 

This man was blind from birth, then miraculously  healed.  The Pharisees question him; his parents bailed on him; he was excommunicated from the church and could no longer worship. He surely felt all alone, but then Jesus sought after him. Jesus always sought out the outcast, the sinners, those that were looked down on in society. Think about Zacchaeus, the tax collector, the sinner, the short guy that no one liked or thought highly of. Look at the men He called to be His apostles none of them were the ones that were making it as Jewish rabbis; they weren’t the ones that were called to continue their education. They were fishermen they, were tax collectors, they were normal everyday people, yet Jesus chose them to come follow Him.

How do we look at the look at the outcast in society? Do we seek them out and say "Do you know Jesus? Come along with me and I’ll teach you about him!" Or do we look for the "up- to-do/popular" people the arrogant, the rich, the proud, the high in society, and choose those to hang out with and Worship with? Is that the list of who we are aspiring to be like. The Pharisees were not the in crowd to hang out with even though they thought they were. The "right" in crowd was the meek and lowly who chose to worship Jesus and truly understood who He was. Those were the ones who truly believed.

Dear Lord, help me always try to live the example that You demonstrated for us. Help me to seek out those who truly seek You and see You as their Father God. Help me to encircle myself with those who want a relationship with You; with those who will help me seek out those who are longing to come and worship you authentically. Help me to cast myself out to reach everyone, even those who society may consider an outcast. 

Abide in Me

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” John 8:31

To abide is to live, continue, or remain. So, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him; to know or have a relationship with Him: To abide in Jesus’ word means to continue believing what Jesus has said and walking in obedience to Him. This verse shows that continuing to trust Jesus and obey Him is a way to test who is truly disciples of His. Abiding in Christ is not a special status for a few believers as a process of sanctification. True believers ABIDE! The difference between those abiding in Christ and those not abiding in Christ is the difference between the saved and unsaved. John 15:4 tells us: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." Believers ABIDE!

Are we truly abiding in Christ? The phrase abiding in Christ means an intimate, close relationship, and not just a superficial acquaintance. Are we going through the motions or do we have an intimate, authentic, love relationship with Christ? Do we bear fruit, or do we need to be cut off and tossed into the fire? Yikes! If we have no fruit, or rotten fruit, woe is us…we are abiding in the world and not in Christ! Many in this world may be fooled by just going through the motions, and never truly experiencing an abiding relationship with Christ.

Father God, help me to always ABIDE in You. Help me to rely on You and glean from Your Word. Thank You for the godly people you place in my life. Help me to continue to grow and to have others hold me accountable. Thank you for the privilege to teach children about Your Love, Your Son and Your Word.

Are you left carrying a basket of leftovers?

“So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.” John‬ ‭6:13

In this miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 with 2 fish and 5 loaves there are several things to be learned. Jesus met the physical needs of the people so that He could then start ministering to their spiritual needs. It is hard to teach the hungry. Jesus asked his disciple, Philip, who was from the area for a "human solution" to test their faith. Since there was no logical human solution, Jesus' miracle was allowed to shine even brighter. 

What can we learn from this? Are we like the boy who was willing to give ALL of what he had? It wasn’t much, like the widow with her 2 coins, the boy was willing to give his everything to Christ. Even when we don't feel like we have much to offer, when we give it all to Jesus, He can do amazing things with it. No matter our age, if we are willing, God can and will use us. We should never feel like we are too old or too young to be used. Also God multiplies and blesses what we give to Him. This can be our time, our abilities, our talents, our money, our family…what are we willing to let Him use? Will we give to Him without hesitation? Will we lay it at His feet to do great things with? Also, take note, there is no waste with Christ, He provided more than enough. There was a bountiful supply with plenty of leftover--enough for each disciple to have a basket to carry as a reminder. The leftovers were far greater then the beginning supply. This is how amazing God is. When we give our everything to Him, we come out with so much more of a blessing on the other side from where we began!

Dear Lord, help me to always offer my all to You. Allow me to be used for a blessing to others. I don't want to be left carrying a basket of leftovers to remind me that I didn't offer my all to You. 

Crowd Pleaser or Christ Pleaser?

“And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus heals a man  who had been crippled for 38 years. He is persecuted by the Jews because the healing happened on a Sabbath (Saturday). God had commanded that people rest from their work on the Sabbath (in Exodus 20:8-11). The Jewish leaders were prideful because they “knew” the law/God’s Word. yet in all their knowledge they didn’t have wisdom to realize who Christ was. The problem of the Jewish leaders was that they practiced religion, but did not pursue a relationship with God.

God placed Christ in the position as Judge over us and our sins. When we take God’s law and add to it, complicate it, or twist it like the Jewish leaders did we will be held accountable. .Jesus will be impartial because He seeks to honor God and not himself. He is not concerned with pleasing man. Throughout His life, Jesus purposefully sought out people who were hurting, sick, or disabled. As followers of Jesus, we need to do the same.

Lord, help us to never get in the habit of knowing about You without ever really knowing and trusting You. Help me to never be on an intellectual pursuit instead of a personal passionate relationship with You. Help me to fully trust You and completely surrender everything I am and all that I have to You. Help to live for an audience of One. Help me to live to please You and not the crowd.

Inviting Others to Christ

“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”  John 4:29

Witnessing 101 - In this passage we see an example of inviting others to Christ. It in not hard, but we must be intentional. The woman at the well, dropped all she was doing, she left her watering pot, she went into town, thinking about OTHERS instead of HERSELF. She was thinking about who else needed the living water of eternal life.

Do we have this same urgency to witness to others? Do we truly care for lost souls? We drop what we are doing to share the Gospel? Do we go and say, "Come see what Christ is doing in my life,? Let me tell you about Him!" What the women had to share was very simple, but it was effective. We don't have to be Bible scholars to share what the Lord is doing in our lives. We have a living testimony, our personal story He is writing every day.

Father God, help us be committed to memorizing your Word and sharing it with the world around us. Help us to say to others, "Come and see" what the Lord is doing in and through me, for His Honor and His Glory. Help us boldly proclaim your Word to all the nations. What is we each one were to reach one as Babbie Mason sings?

"He tells them that God is able to make their house a home.
He wants to win this world for Christ, but he can't do it alone,
but each one, can reach one,
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one.
We can lead one to the savior
and together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way.
If we each one reach one…" ---Babbie Mason

 

Eternal Life or Wrath of God…it's our choice!

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36 

Faith in Christ yields eternal life. However, faith without works is dead. We cannot have true faith if we do also OBEY His Word. The wrath of God is not something we should want anyone to ever face. God's wrath is holy and necessary to show how Awesome He is. Everyone who rejects Him, His Love, His salvation and chooses to continually/willfully sin will receive the wrath of God instead of eternal life.

The truth of eternal life and the truth of the wrath of God are things we must be open to teach and share. We should not do this in order to "scare" people out of hell and into heaven, but because we serve a perfect, holy and just God who cannot look upon sin. We need to teach of putting off of the old self and its sinful desires. None of us should desire to continue to willfully live in sin or abide in separation from God when we can abide in Him and His love.

Father God, let us boldly proclaim Your Word to all of the Nations. Let us preach and teach the message of salvation to all who will listen. Help us share Your Love Story of everlasting life and joy with everyone you put in our path. Help us also boldly proclaim your message for all those who choose not to believe with compassion and mercy, so that we may persuade them to follow You. Help is teach of your love and mercy and judgement. Help us teach of the effects of sin in this life and the life to come. In your Name I ask these things, always.

Jesus Knows Us

"But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."  John 2:24-25 ESV

God truly knows all men. Since Jesus is fully man and fully God, He knew the true inward thoughts of the people. He knew His true followers and their true character. He knows who is truly His, the upright, the weak, the meek, the lowly; and He also knows the wayward, the self-righteous, those easily led astray. He knew the "inconstancy" and "fickleness" of the multitude surrounding him. He knew how easily they might be turned against Him by the Jewish leaders, and how His ministry could be cut short too soon. Even though the crowd acted as though they wanted to believe and follow Him, He did not/could not "entrust" or take these people totally under His wings as true believers and commune with them because He "KNEW" them and the true state of their hearts - how sad.

We look at the outward appearance of man to make decisions. Sometimes we can look at the fruit others bear to make character judgements. Christ truly knows all of us. He looks at the inward parts; at the true intentions of the heart. We need to be cautious of being like the Pharisees or others with dead faith. We need to make sure we are aligned with Christ; that our true intentions are Christ-like. We need to bear good fruit. When Christ examines us, as He "knows what is in man" what does He see?

Lord, please help me examine and test my ways as Lamentations tells us to do, and if any are out of alignment, help me to return to You. Convict me of any errors or sins in my life so that when you see me, you will want to call me your own and draw me into your inner circle. Thank You for walking the path you chose so freely during Holy Week for all sinners everywhere. Thank You for your Triumphal Entry, as you looked over that Holy City that would reject You, as we still do today, I can't imagine the heartache, as you knew the hearts of man, but I am eternally grateful that you chose to do so. Thank you for your willing sacrifice as Your Holy and Perfect Father turned His back on You for ME! I love You, Jesus. I plead the blood!

God’s children have been tested and fought on every side

But there is one sure weapon when we face the enemy

It’s still the blood of Jesus that brings our victory

I plead the blood, I plead the blood

That was shed on Calvary, bringing hope for you and me

I plead the blood, I plead the blood

Over all the power of hell, Satan you cannot prevail

I plead the blood

For our lost and dying loved ones, the blood still saves today

And when we cry for healing, the blood is ours to claim

The blood is still the answer for every battle of the mind

There is no greater power, demons tremble when we cry.

I plead the blood

Let Your Light Shine

 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:5

The theme of John’s Gospel is that Jesus is the long-awaited, promised Messiah and the Only Son of God, who gives eternal life to all who choose to believe. As for the verse I chose to write about today, the LIGHT, the TRUE LIGHT, shines and the darkness has not overcome it. The darkness does not comprehend it. Darkness, in the Bible, commonly denotes ignorance, guilt, or misery. When it is said that "the light shines in darkness," it means that the Lord Jesus came to teach an ignorant, wicked, sinful world. This has always been the case. It was so when He sent His prophets; it was so during the time of the Judges, during His own ministry, and in every age since. His efforts to enlighten and save men He has been like light struggling to penetrate a thick, dense, dark rain cloud; and though a few rays may pierce the gloom, the great mass is still impenetrable. 

I really like to watch the sky after a storm when the clouds are dark and the sun is trying to pierce through...I can never get a good photo of the beauty to do it justice, but this is what I envision when I read this part of scripture. Perhaps we have been given over to our reprobate minds. Darkness, sin, cannot comprehended the LIGHT until the Holy Spirt softens the density of the darkness. The darkness did not "receive" or "admit" the rays of light; the shades were so thick that the light could not penetrate them; men were so ignorant, so guilty, so debased, that they did not appreciate the value of His LIGHT, His instructions, His salvation; they despised and rejected Him. And so, it is still. Humanity, sick in sin, to this day, will not receive His teachings, and be enlightened, saved by Him. Sin always blinds the mind to the beauty and warmth of the LIGHT of the Lord Jesus.

We need to realize our LIGHT needs to always shine into the darkness around us. However, we need to be realistic and understand, that just as in the days of old, we may only have "rays of light" that penetrate due to the dense darkness of the world of sin around us. Do not let this discourage us as we let our LIGHT shine. John 16:33 tells us: 

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

LIGHT always outshines darkness! It is so much easier to walk toward light, even if it is a small glimmer or flickering, than to walk toward darkness! Shine on, my friends, shine on! 

Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold The TRUE LIGHT, that we may walk in it; and be made more wise in His Word. That through faith in Jesus Christ we may press on toward the mark, letting our LIGHT shine into darkness always, without regret!

Who’s Your Adversary?

Who is your adversary or opponent? With whom are you in conflict, or dispute? Is it a co-worker, spouse, kids, family, others? Don’t be fooled; those listed above are not who you are in opposition with. A true war rages with Satan and his minions. We must be aware and prepared for spiritual battle. Some are oblivious to this war and make themselves easy prey.

Are you an easy target for Satan to take down and attempt to destroy? If so man up! Put on your armor and stand firm!

In God’s Word (Ephesians 6:11-17 and Psalm 91) we are told how to prepare for battle. God gives us offensive and defensive tactics for VICTORY, not just for survival. A war rages...gear up today! Knowing is half the battle!

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:11-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬