2 Chronicles 20:22

2 Chronicles 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Matthew 8:2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Matthew 9 18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

Matthew 15 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

In 2 Chronicles 20, the children of Israel were facing three armies determined to destroy them. They didn’t have enough men to fight one army. There was no way out. But when they began to sing and to praise, their enemies were defeated by God Himself.

The leper in Matthew 8 had an incurable disease that made him an outcast in society. When he worshiped Jesus, he was healed.

The ruler in Matthew 9 had a daughter who was already dead. But he worshiped Jesus, knowing He could bring her back to life—and He did.

When the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 asked Jesus to help her demon-possessed daughter, He resisted her at first because she was not an Israelite. The turning point came when she worshiped Him, and He rewarded her faith.

Are you facing an impossible situation? Don’t give up—fight back. Become a worship warrior. God will do the impossible for you… IF your focus is on Him, not just on your need. Give Him the praise that is due His name. He will lift you up to His throne room, reveal His will and purpose for your life, break down obstacles, and open doors that no man can shut!

Cathleen

2 Timothy 1:7

2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified)
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].

I’ve written a lot about fear in the past because it has been an issue in my life. Anytime I allow even the slightest trace of fear, doubt, or anxiety to enter my mind, the enemy gets a foothold. I can tell you with 100% confidence that fear postpones—sometimes indefinitely--what God wants to accomplish in our lives.

So, the big question is, how do we fight that fear?

Only one thing works: Love. But I don’t always “feel” God’s love. What’s the answer? I have been training myself to respond to my fears by immediately saying out loud, “I love You, Lord. I love You, Jesus,” over and over, until the fear dissipates. The more I hear myself saying it, the more I feel my love for Him and His love for me. Try it, it works!

Yours in Christ,
Cathleen

1 Corinthians 2:16

1 Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified)
...But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

As believers, the Bible says we have the mind—thoughts, feelings, and purposes--of Christ. I really thought about what that means for the first time this week.

If I had to feed 5,000 people, I most likely would ask for donations. Sometimes it’s a struggle just to feed my six children! When Jesus wanted to feed over 5,000 people and had only 5 loaves, he didn’t panic. He wasn’t nervous or apprehensive. He just prayed and knew that there would be more than enough to feed everyone.

When Jesus was faced with the temptation to turn stones into bread after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, He didn’t get angry with the God or the tempter, or convince Himself it was OK to do because He was hungry. Instead, He answered temptation with the word of God.

When the sick, lame, and demon-possessed came to Jesus, He didn’t call a doctor or a Rabbi. He healed them Himself. Jesus never panicked in a tough situation. He never hesitated to help the hurting. He never questioned if it was the Father’s will to heal. He never questioned God’s ability—or willingness—to perform a miracle to help those in need—even if it was just a wedding party running short on beverages!

If I really take God’s word seriously… if I really believe I have the mind of Christ… I have a long way to go before I’m living out that reality. The good news is, I can look at Jesus to see what God intends me to be, and I have His word that He will renew my mind to become more like Christ’s mind.

Yours in Christ,
Cathleen

Mark 10:15

Mark 10:15
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Romans 4:20-21
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

I am learning a lot about faith from my 9-year-old son. Little Jerry lived with my sister and her husband for almost two years before he was returned to me. They prayed at bedtime, but they never went to church or talked about God.

Since Jerry has been with me (about 2 months now), he has been like a sponge for the things of God. He loves church. He even volunteered to be a “pastor” and taught his Sunday school class last week.

Jerry stands out in a crowd because of his red hair and freckles. Several adults at my church have taken a special liking to him. A couple of weeks ago, one of the men felt led by the Lord to give Jerry a $20 bill. He was delighted. But when we got home, he noticed the twenty-dollar bill had fallen out of his pocket. We prayed together that he would find it and looked through the van. No $20 bill.

Several days later, I took Jerry and his older brother to Gamestop, one of his favorite stores. We were in the parking lot about to leave when suddenly something seemed to come over Jerry. He said, “Mom, I’m going to find my $20. I’m going to find my $20. I’m going to find my $20.” He kept repeating it over and over, looking determinedly through the van.

At that moment, I wanted to warn him that God isn’t a vending machine, but something stopped me. Instead I said, “Jerry, start praising God right now for your $20 bill.” So he started repeating over and over, “Thank you, Lord, for helping me find my $20. Thank you, Lord, for helping me find my $20.” I prayed with him. It wasn’t five minutes later that he uncovered the missing $20 under some papers on the floor. And then he was shouting, “Thank You, Lord! Thank You, Lord!”

I felt blessed and convicted at the same time. My “grown-up” faith wasn’t sure God would come through with that $20, but the faith of a little boy proved me wrong. Now I’m asking God to give me the faith of that little child, to believe Him for a miracle. Jerry and my other children sincerely believe God will give us a 5-bedroom house with a pool and a dog. They thank Him for it all the time. I’ll let you know when we move in!

Yours in Christ,
Cathleen

Psalm 5:11 - 12

Psalm 5:11-12
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.

The God we serve is a very personal God. He wants to be intimately involved in every aspect of our lives. Did you know He defends you from false accusers and attackers, if you put your trust in Him?

This truth became very real to me in October. The court had just given custody of my 9-year-old son back to me, despite my sister’s efforts to prevent it. Right after that, I had to attend yet another hearing for my 5- and 7-year-old daughters.

It was a daily struggle not to be stressed out over the whole thing. I didn’t see any chance for my daughters to come home. Their foster mom has a 5-bedroom house with a pool, two incomes, and a second adult in the household to help with parenting. My daughters' court-appointed attorney has been pushing for my girls to be adopted by their foster mom, who wants very much to keep them. I’m living in a one-bedroom shelter with 3 other children and a meager income. This hearing would determine if my girls would go into legal guardianship, be adopted, or be returned to me.

So, I went to the court hearing feeling apprehensive. The social worker was the first witness called. She was on the stand for almost an hour. Each attorney (mine, social services’, and the girls’) had their chance to ask questions. It quickly became obvious that my social worker had recently sent a report to the court and the attorneys—but not to me. There was nothing favorable in the report about me. All I heard were half-truths, assumptions, and outright lies.

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. There was nothing I could do. My attorney did a good job of cross-examining the social worker, but it still didn’t look good. I prayed silently with all my heart: “Lord, please defend me. There’s nothing I can say or do. Give me favor and mercy. Don’t let me lose my girls.” I was hoping they would just go into legal guardianship so I wouldn’t lose my parental rights.

As I prayed, something changed. I felt the Lord’s presence heavily in that courtroom. Next thing I knew, the judge himself was cross-examining my social worker. She finally admitted that most of her “evidence” against me was speculation.

And then God did the impossible. After hearing all the “evidence” against me, the judge declared that my daughters should be sent home to live with me! Psalm 5 and Psalm 59 became a reality to me. God had indeed defended me and surrounded me with favor. And you better believe I shouted for joy!

Are you in trouble? Ask God to defend you and surround you with favor. He DELIGHTS in helping those who serve and love Him.

Your fellow servant in Christ,

Cathleen