Tag: God’s will

And Without Faith…

On By CarmenLeave a comment

As I continue from my last post, The LORD Will Provide, I would like to address the question many of us have asked—What if God doesn’t answer my prayer?

I will attempt to explain by what God says from His Word, the Holy Bible.

Also, I will use examples from my life so that you know a little about at least one person’s faith journey with Almighty God.

First, let me write about what God thinks of faith in Him and then I’ll end with a reminder of God’s sovereignty.

Faith Pleases God

In Hebrews 11, we are told simply that God is pleased with our faith in Him and He is displeased if we don’t have faith in Him.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

I have personally experienced God answer prayers that came from much seeking and trust in Him alone.

I can even testify to a miracle that I witnessed in my family (see my first post, God Still Performs Miracles) when I was willing to accept God’s will, and lay mine at His feet. I still prayed and asked, but I was resigned to accept whatever He chose as best.

We are told that we only need faith in God the size of a mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20)

This means that if we haven’t yet walked with God in faith, it’s okay to start with even an ounce of faith in Him.

Trusting God without knowing the outcome is blind faith. And we will have to walk with God not knowing but trusting.

Sometimes, our faith walk will be hard and we will have to go through difficult circumstances that we have no control over.

It is when we lay it all at the feet of Jesus, and trust Him blindly, that we position ourselves to see God’s blessings.

Then, as we see Him move and change our lives for the better, our faith increases.

By the way, God will continue to grow us up in faith with more challenges until we know that we know God is real and He loves us.   

God Gives Us His Best

Sometimes we don’t get the answer we are looking and praying for in our lives, but this does not mean that God has not heard our prayers or has abandoned us.

This may be a sign of Him wanting us to wait until we are ready to receive His blessing.

For His good reason, He has us wait until He has worked on us, somebody else, or even the situation so that there is no struggle or harm when He says yes.

When His answer is no, it is because He loves us and what we’re asking for will not be good for us.

I have seen God shut doors firmly to what I was praying and asking for.

One of them was a relationship that I wanted to turn into marriage and the other was a business that I had started and wanted it to grow to where I could provide for myself financially.

I held onto both of them and worked at them both for a while even though I didn’t see good results and was distraught over the idea of losing them.

Eventually, I couldn’t hold onto them any longer, and although painful, I knew I had to give them up and wait for God’s best.

I still believed that God loved me dearly, so I let go of what I wanted and trusted God for my future.

I didn’t know how or when God would provide, but I knew He was faithful to His word.

God’s goal was to first work a great transformation in my life. He started changing my thinking, my desires, as well as my behavior—to become more like Jesus.

I finally came to a point that I didn’t want anything in my life that was not a part of God’s will.

As I continued to seek after Him, read His word, and rely fully upon Him, I began to see that God had a better plan for me and resigned myself to wait for it.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

This scripture verse tells us that waiting upon the LORD for His best in our lives will bring us new strength, courage, and joy.

Today, I am happily married to a man who seeks after God, loves me dearly, and is absolutely my greatest love and best friend, besides God.

As for my vocation, I work from home (as I have wanted for many years) and I am free to serve God in various capacities, one of which is writing this blog.

I find great satisfaction in my life and I have not had to work so hard for it as I did in the past.

God has given me better than what I asked of Him, a lot of what I didn’t know I needed, and a life filled with deep joy, peace, and gratefulness to Him.

Thank You, my LORD Jesus.

God is Sovereign

God has always been and will always be LORD of all. He created all things for His own purposes.

He lovingly created mankind in His image and gave us dominion over all the earth.

This dominion does not mean that we are in charge or that we are capable of running things on our own.

Scripture tells us this very thing.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

Therefore, it is wise for us to humble ourselves and submit our lives to our Creator.

If we cannot bring ourselves into existence, how can we be so bold to think that we have all the answers and ability to achieve our own desires and goals?   

How often have we…

made plans and changed our minds?

started something and could not finish it?

planned and executed precisely an idea only to see it fail?

I have done all of the above and I’m certain many would say the same.

We do not know what the future holds, only God does.

God has a purpose for everyone and everything He has created.

So, it is best to ask His will for our lives, follow Him completely, and be willing to make adjustments in our plans while we wait to see Him unfold His purpose for us.

It only requires our love for Him, our submission to Him, and faith in Him.

Let’s be thankful when He tells us yes, patient when He makes us wait, and submissive when He tells us no.

God makes all things (good and difficult, emphasis mine) work together for those who love Him and are called for His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

If we can’t look back and see God’s purpose and we still wonder why God allowed certain hardships in our lives, I am certain we will know one day when we follow Him and make it to Heaven.

I hope this message encourages you to keep faith in God and allow Him to work in your life no matter how difficult the circumstances.

Please join me for my next post, The Heroes of Faith.

May God bless you.

I’ve included a beautiful song by one of my favorite Christian groups.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

Why Read the Bible?

On By CarmenLeave a comment

With our busy schedules and fast-paced world, it’s vital that we prioritize God and make time to read His message to us through the Bible.

Why?

Because the Bible is God’s inerrant word, His testimony of love for us, His book of promises that hold true, and our guide to living life victoriously.

The Bible unfolds God’s great love for us despite our sin by providing us with redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The following Scripture verses tell us this.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— Romans 5:8-12

This one man from whom we inherited sin is Adam, God’s first creation of mankind. As descendants of Adam, we all have his sin nature because we live in a fallen world.

Just like Adam, we all are deceived by Satan.

We have the same nature that steers us to do our own thing which we think benefits us opposed to following God and His ways.

Think about this:  Holy God sees and knows our sin against Him; but He because He is love, He provides us a way to be forgiven.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

This truly is amazing grace!

I wonder how many of us freely and quickly forgive and restore those who have committed sins against us.

I will admit that this is probably the hardest thing for me to do. My sin nature wants to hold a grudge and reminisce the hurt others have caused me. But God does not want me to do this; so, I must surrender to His will and change my way of thinking and acting for my own good.  

Why?

Because God has forgiven me—over and over again.

We should all thank God for His love and grace toward us.

The Bible is factual history and inerrant prophecy.

It is His story—God’s story of His creation which includes Earth and mankind.

God is the author of history since the very beginning and He tells us not only about the past, but also the future.

‘Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:9-10

Through His word, God gives us a foundation and principles on which to base our lives.

We read about real-life stories of those who lived before us who followed Him and those who did not. We read about their actions and consequences, both good and bad.

None are without sin, but when we repent, God guides His children to overcome any adversity, wrong attitude, and poor decision.

And there is no fooling God for He knows the hearts minds of us all!

God is so good that He shares what the future holds for mankind on Earth, as well as during Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, and into eternity.

Even though life will change on Earth as we know it (becoming gruesome for a period of time), those of us who are God’s children will make it into eternity to live forever with our Creator and Savior. We will finally live as God originally intended in Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden—in perfect peace and complete joy, without sorrow and physical pain or physical restrictions.  

We can only gain knowledge and truth if we read God’s word and we are told that we will be blessed if we read it.

God wants only the best for us and wants us to be overcomers.

As stated previously, our heavenly Father knows that we live in a world tainted by Satan’s wiles and temptations.

This is why He gives us a glance into the lives of the many whose names are in the Bible. We learn from them as we read about their trials, their failures, and their victories. And these victories were given to His followers by God Himself!

Our heavenly Father does not change, and He does not show partiality. What He did for His children in the past, He will do for His children today.

God is our provider, protector, and best friend.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:1-4

I believe that God’s word is His book of love written to us. It has stood the test of time over thousands of years and has been proven to be true over and over again.

It is a wealth of knowledge made just for us so that we can

  • believe and understand His love for us
  • receive the gift of eternal life and be restored to Him through His Son Jesus Christ
  • draw near to our Creator and commune with Him
  • believe in and witness His supernatural power
  • know what pleases God and follow His ways
  • hold onto His promises despite the trials we face
  • be encouraged in our daily walk with our Savior Jesus Christ
  • learn from the mistakes of others’ past
  • be thankful for the good in our lives and praise Him
  • know that our struggles never last
  • help others in their time of need

I want to share with you a few tips that have helped me read and better understand the Bible over the years.

Choose a translation (there are many) that you can understand and are comfortable reading. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) and English Standard Version (ESV) are good ones to start with. You may also want to invest in a study Bible which expounds on the text.

Pray and ask God to help you understand what He wants you to learn each day as you read His word.

Set aside a specific time each day or evening just to study God’s word. We are told to meditate on His word day and night. (Joshua 1:8) This means to think about what you read each day for retention.

Keep reading even though you may not understand everything, it’s okay. This is why it’s good to have a study Bible.

Make it a lifelong habit to read the Bible. When you finish one translation, pick up a different one and continue seeking. I’ve read many translations of the Bible over the years, and I learn something new every day.

Apply what you read daily to your thoughts and actions. We should be “doers” of His word for which we are promised to be blessed. (James 1:22-25)

Attend a Bible study with others at church or in a group setting. When we share our understanding and compare notes, we gain even more understanding.   

Use godly resources online to help you and don’t forget to ask God to help you discern which resources to use.

May you be blessed as you dive into the truth of God’s word and may it transform us all to be just like Jesus!

I would like to share one of my all-time favorite songs that praises God. I hope it will warm your heart and move you to praise God also. 

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

Prayer That’s Powerful

On By CarmenLeave a comment

I have been wanting to write about prayer for some time, because I have personally seen God work miracles in my life and the life of others when we pray to Him and trust Him with the answer He gives us.

It’s important to know that God hears the prayers of His children.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

Prayer is a direct line to God and is welcomed by God. He wants you to communicate with Him and go to Him for your needs.

Prayer is a way for us to spend precious time with God and to draw near to Him. It is during times of quiet prayer that we often hear from God through the Holy Spirit what we should do when we are searching for answers.

And God is perfectly fine with you just spending time with Him in thankfulness and adoration.

Jesus tells us we must put God first in our lives.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. Matthew 6:33

All these things refer to our basic needs—food, shelter, clothing, etc. In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers to not worry about their needs in life, that God will provide because He already knows what they need.

Of course, we should not be lazy and wait for God to place our basic needs neatly in our laps. We should always work to achieve what we can and leave the rest to God. He knows our hearts and intentions and enables us to provide for ourselves. It is when we are not able that He intervenes by answering prayer in His loving, powerful way.

We should indeed ask God for what we need—according to His will.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

God is a good Father and He enjoys blessing His children just as you enjoy blessing yours.

This does not mean that if we pray for whatever we desire, God will give it to us. We must ask according to His will something that will be good for us now and in the future.

I’ve learned in seeking God that sometimes He says yes to my prayers, sometimes He says no, and sometimes His answer is delayed for the proper time to receive it.

For example, years ago when I was single, I was praying to God for a husband.

After some time seeking and asking God, I finally understood that He had to prepare me to be a good wife to the husband He would give me. He was not yet done molding me to be the wife I needed to be for the husband He was going to give me.

When I decided I would surrender it to Him—no matter how long it took—and wait for His best for me, God answered my prayer. He gave me a better husband than I asked for.  

Looking back, I am so happy that God did not give me who I wanted to be my husband at that time. Instead, He had someone in mind for me who would come along side me to be a loving husband and a great partner to achieve dreams that He has given me.

I believe that when we give our concerns to God and trust Him with His choices for our lives, we are blessed beyond what we could imagine.

God will give only His best to His children, not what will harm or destroy us.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18

Firstfruits means the first and best of God’s creation. He placed man above all His creation on earth to be good stewards. He even made us in His image and gave us intelligence and abilities far above the rest of His creation.

God is good to us.  

He will not answer a prayer that will lead you into you sin or keep you in sin.

He will not answer a prayer that will do you harm.

He may choose to have you wait so that you can grow in your faith toward Him if you will seek Him and abide in Him. This is a good way to know God and to understand Him.

When we look back and understand that God did us a favor in saying no or making us wait for the right time, we appreciate His goodness toward us, and we trust Him even more.

I have come to realize that I am walking with God today because my dear grandmother prayed for me. She was the best grandmother anyone could have, and the greatest gift she gave me was her prayer over my life.

When we pray to God for something that we are concerned about and He says yes, we become captivated by His love for us.

In my first post, God Still Performs Miracles, I shared how my oldest brother was brain dead and I traveled home to say goodbye and to help my parents with the burial process. When I visited him in the ICU, all I could do was beg God for his salvation primarily and then for him to be given another chance to live. My family gathered around him and prayed that God would heal him completely.

AND HE DID!

I will never forget God’s goodness to my brother and my family during that week that I witnessed this miracle happen! It seemed impossible from our perspective, but NOT FOR GOD!

Jesus tells us when we pray together in His name, we are heard by our Father in heaven.

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:19-20

Will you pray along with me?

A few of my current prayers are for a friend who was just diagnosed with brain cancer, a baby girl and a church member’s husband who both need heart transplants urgently, freedom from addiction for certain family members, Israel and Ukraine to overcome their enemies, and salvation for those who have not yet surrendered to our LORD Jesus Christ.

If you have any prayer requests that you would like to share, I’ll be happy to pray along with you.

I would like to close with a beautiful song by one of my favorite Christian artists.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

A Life Well Lived

On By CarmenLeave a comment

In this post I would like to honor my uncle Gerald who recently passed away in November, just one month short of his 85th birthday.

He was born on Christmas Day in 1939 and was the younger brother and only sibling of my father.

My husband and I were in Louisiana visiting family for Thanksgiving and for a quick getaway.  

While in New Orleans, I received a call from one of my cousin’s wives who told me he was in the hospital and the doctors said he was not going to last long. He passed a couple of hours later, but…

I am happy to say that I know he is with our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

The day he died, he made a call to my father and spoke with him and my mother. My dad said he was in good spirits and told him that he had a good report from the doctor—he was cancer free and had received his last round of treatment. He was making plans to drive down to my parents’ home to go out for lunch and then start traveling again.

Growing up we lived two hours apart, so we did not spend a lot of time together, but we did make an effort to get together during the holidays.

The last time I saw him alive was the previous year (2023) during the Christmas holidays. We took my parents to see him and visit with him and my cousins. It was a good reunion where we talked about growing up and remembering many funny things we did at our grandparents when we were kids. We had some laughs and did some catching up.

As we were about to return to my parents’ home, my uncle looked at me and said, “Carmen, please pray for me.” I told him I would and I prayed for him then and throughout the year of 2024.

I knew he was concerned about his health, because he had cancer and some other health issues, but he still looked good and strong to me.

After he went to be with the LORD, we took my parents to his viewing and I spoke to my cousin who found him unconscious at home and had him rushed to the hospital the day he died.

It was so touching to find out that uncle Gerald was in his chair at his desk going over his Bible study lesson for the upcoming Sunday.

May I be doing the same when the LORD calls me home!

In fact, may I do many of the things that my uncle Gerald did while he was alive!

These are the memories that I have of him:

He loved the LORD and he loved his family.

We may not have seen each other often, but I do know how he acted when he was around us.

He was a humble man.

He was not self-centered. He never talked about his accomplishments, his wants, his rights.

I never heard him complain, although I am sure he had reason to at times.

He often played with us as children out in my grandparents’ yard, just like my dear grandfather.

He was not focused on being a millionaire, instead he was focused on being a provider for his family and having a loving relationship with his wife, children (five sons), and other family members.

He worked at the same place of business for 42 years until he retired.

I never saw him argue with anyone, never saw him swear.

He was not judgmental and he never talked down to anyone.

One of my cousin’s wives who lived near him said, “I’ve never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He always found the good in them.”

He exemplified Jesus!

He was able to laugh at himself and laugh at funny memories that he and my dad had of their childhood.

He was respectful to us (nieces, nephews) as grownups and was genuinely interested in our lives as we moved out on our own, got married, had children, and shared our experiences with him.

He loved to travel. I had to ask my cousins for help on this one as I wasn’t sure of all the places he visited. I was informed that he had been to most all the 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. He also traveled to Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and missed out on Israel due to Covid shutting things down.

He served in the church he attended for 60+ years. He was a Bible Study teacher for most of those years until he became ill, and he also served as a deacon.

When he retired, he looked for even more opportunities to serve others. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, he went down with his church a few times to serve food to the people who were devastated. He also volunteered in Alabama when they were hit with multiple tornadoes in 2011.  

When his wife, my aunt Billie, passed a few years earlier, he did not become angry, bitter, or reclusive. He continued to live his life for the LORD and continued his relationship with his children, their wives, his grandchildren, and other family members.

For me, my uncle Gerald was a good example of how to live life for God and for others. He simply gave of himself until his last breath on this earth.

I am sure that he heard those words that all of God’s servants long to hear when they graduate to heaven to be with the LORD for eternity—“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  

I want to share one scripture verse with you of how God wants us to live our lives.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Thank you, Uncle Gerald, for showing me and many others that it is possible to live a life according to God’s will.

May we all do the same.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful song I have included for your listening pleasure.

“Well Done” – The Afters

Israel—Chosen by God:  Jacob – Part 2

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If you read my previous post, “Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 1,” you know that Jacob received the family blessing by deceiving his father Isaac and his brother Esau.

He is now fleeing Canaan to live with his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram, also known as Haran. He is running for his life, away from Esau who was planning to kill him as soon as their father dies. He is sent there by his father and his mother Rebekah. They not only want to protect Jacob, but also want him to choose a wife from his uncle Laban’s daughters.

Isaac blesses him and instructs Jacob before leaves.

“You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”
Genesis 28:1b-4

On his way to Haran, Jacob stopped for the night and found a place to rest. While sleeping, he had a dream about a ladder that reached all the way up to heaven. He saw the angels of God going up and down the ladder, and then the LORD stood above the ladder and spoke to him.

“…I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:13-15

Jacob woke up and realized that God was there with him, so he took the stone that he used for a pillow and poured oil over it as a landmark to honor God and named the place Bethel, which means house of God. Jacob vowed to worship God and tithe all his earnings if God would protect and provide for him, while leading him securely along the way to Haran and back again to his father’s house.

Jacob undoubtedly remembered the blessing that his father Isaac pronounced over him and he had great expectations. In those days, a family blessing was taken very seriously and believed word for word.

This is why it’s so important for us to speak words of blessing and goodness to our children and teach them about God’s faithfulness. We can achieve our goals if they align with God’s will. 

Jacob continues his journey east to Haran and stops at a well where the local shepherds were watering their sheep. He talks with the shepherds about Laban whom they know and is told that he is well. At that moment, a young lady, Rachel, comes to the well with her father’s sheep, and the shepherds let him know that she is Laban’s daughter.

He is very happy that he finds his family that he traveled so far to meet, and tells Rachel that her father is his mother’s brother. She runs to tell her father Laban who then goes to meet Jacob and embraces him and invites him to stay with him. They share stories and Laban recognizes that Jacob is truly his kinsman. He invites Jacob to stay with him a while, so Jacob begins to work for Laban.

When we belong to God, He is faithful and orchestrates our future—just as He did for Jacob.

After a month’s work, Laban asks Jacob what he wants as wages in return for his work. During the time that Jacob works for Laban, he falls in love with Rachel whom the Bible describes as beautiful. He tells Laban that he will work for him for seven years for Rachel to be his wife. Laban agrees.

It’s important to know that Rachel has an older sister named Leah.

So, Jacob stays and works for Laban for seven years. When this time is completed, he goes to Laban to ask for Rachel in marriage. Laban plans a big wedding feast and in the evening after the ceremony, he takes his eldest daughter Leah to Jacob.

I am not sure why Jacob doesn’t recognize that Leah is with him instead of Rachel—maybe it was too dark for him to see her on their wedding night. The Bible doesn’t give an explanation.

When morning comes, Jacob realizes that he’s been deceived by Laban! The cheater has himself been cheated!

I hate to say it, but “what goes around, comes around.”

Jacob confronts Laban and is told that it is their custom for the eldest daughter to be given in marriage first. He tells Jacob to stay and complete the marriage week with Leah, and then he will be given Rachel for another seven years of work.  

Laban is all too eager to keep Jacob, because he knows God is with him and blesses him in all that he does. Laban reaps these benefits with Jacob working for him and wants to keep him as long as he can.

No doubt Jacob loved Rachel, but now he had to trust Laban once again.

The Bible tells us that Jacob stayed and worked another seven years, and was finally given Rachel to marry.

God is faithful

…when we have been betrayed

…when we cannot see the path forward

…when we ourselves have sinned against Him and others

If we belong to God, He has a plan for our lives— just as he had for Jacob.

We must be willing to trust Him even when the news is bad, or when everything seems like it’s going in the wrong direction.

I have included a song below that speaks to God’s faithfulness. I hope you enjoy it.

“Faithful” – Chris Tomlin

Please join me next for Israel—Chosen by God:  Jacob – Part 3