“There is nothing hidden that will not be found. There is no secret that will not be well known.” Luke 8:17

” The Lord said: “Be honest and fair! Soon I will come to save you, my saving power will be seen everywhere on earth.” Isaiah 56:1

” I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus answered, “Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had really known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you know Him, and you have seen Him.” John 14:6

In Ephesians 6:10-18 it says, ” Finally, let the mighty strength of God make you strong. Put on the whole armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist and let God’s justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.” “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.”2 Thess. 1:6. John 14:6 Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We are saved because we come to the Father through Jesus.

I felt it important to share this whole section in Ephesians about spiritual armor and warfare as you can see, truth is one of the listed weapons that God commands us to use against the enemy. God’s message is the word of God that is a weapon that is also listed as a piece of armor. From what I can see, each weapon points to the truth, or the Lord Jesus, Who is the word made flesh. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans: 10:17. Faith is another weapon listed. The desire to tell the good news is the message of the gospel, which is the word of God.

If you have accepted Jesus into your life, then you have dwelling within you Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. You also have the Word made flesh. (Again Jesus). The Word is the powerful weapon that we need to use against the fiery darts of the enemy. 1 John 5:4 says: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Truth always prevails, always overcomes evil.

God’s word always prevails!

“What God has said isn’t only alive and active, it is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls, and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell Him the truth.” Hebrews 4:12,13

Psalm 119:105 ” Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.”

Years ago, when I was not restored, I would say about 46 years ago. I was in a very desperate place emotionally. I had just buried my firstborn child and had slipped into a social-phobic state. I would not go out of the house, because I had it in my head that I was in danger anywhere I went. I wish I could say I was crying out to God, but I was not crying out to anyone. But the Lord saw fit to cry out to me. He spoke to me audibly, told me to go get the bible. I did not have one, but I dug in a box of an old roomie’s things and found a bible. He took me to Daniel 3: the whole chapter. It was the story of King Nebuchadnezzar who had commanded that a statue of gold be created and set up that the King wanted his followers to worship before all men and all were commanded to bow down to this statue and worship it with song, instruments and their hearts.

The King said that anyone who refuses to bow down and worship this statue would be thrown into a flaming furnace. There were three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego- who refused to bow down to worship this statue that the king had set up. The King was furious, he told his soldiers to throw these three into the furnace. The three said to the king, “We don’t need to defend ourselves. The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace. They also said but even if He doesn’t, we still won’t worship your gods and the gold statue you have set up.” So, they were thrown into the furnace and people throwing them in were killed by the flames, and those watching could see the images of 4 people walking around in the fire. Then the King was able to see the four images walking around, no longer bound up but walking free in that furnace, so he called the three out of the furnace. The men were not burned or scorched in anyway-they did not even smell like smoke. King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue His servants, he made a decree that no harm would be done in that region against these men. To be in the drastic state that I was in and read such a miraculous story I was able to see that though they were bound and thrown into the flames, God delivered them out of that situation, I began to see how God was showing me that I would be able to be delivered out of the state that I was in. God certainly had my attention! Though there is a lot more to this story, I want to remain focused on how important God’s word was in speaking into my life, calling me out of darkness back into His glorious light. I was drawn to a church and then remained in a state of restoration for years to come. He had also told me at this time the importance of staying into His word, it will teach us all that we need to know. My love and passion for God’s word, came by personal invitation from God, as He could see what a mess I was. I thank God that He loved me that much! He loves all of us that much!

“Be like newborn babes who are thirsty for the pure, Spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. You have already found out how good the Lord really is. Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored.”1 Peter 2:2-4

Read His word daily for direction, strength and life.

“Don’t worry about anything but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.” Philippians 4: 6,7

1 Corinthians 4:15 “All of this has been done for you, so that more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor Him.

“2 Corinthians 9:15: ” Thank God for His gift that is too wonderful for words.”

Psalms 18:29: “Tell the Lord how thankful you are, because He is kind and always merciful.”

I personally witnessed an amazing amount of God’s mercy on my life, my family’s lives. I could never thank God enough just to be alive today, for my children’s lives- for each day is a special gift of life. I am thankful to God for His sacrifice to us of His only son, Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:57: ” But thank you God for letting our Lord Jesus give us the victory.” I thank God for each and every victory that I have been given in life.

Colossians 4:2: ” You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep following Him.

Today as I have searched multiple scriptures about thankfulness to God, I have developed a list of just a few things that the word tells us we need to thank Him for.

In accepting Christ as Lord, “we have been a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and in that kingdom, we please God by worshiping Him and by showing Him great honor and respect.” Hebrews 12:28

–He is so kind to us

–He is so good to us

–He rescues us

–He gave us the gift too wonderful for words, Jesus

The focus for today is thankfulness, remember to give thanks, honor, and respect to the God who gives us each breath that we breathe.

Each year since this stubborn little rose was planted, it has yielded up to 25-30 roses per season. When I planted it, it was very dead. When I moved several years ago, it was in a mover’s truck under 5 feet of snow, for quite a long time as I had not closed on the lakehouse that I bought yet. Looking at the rose, I thought— I feel so bad that this poor rose was stuck on a truck in the cold instead of thriving indoors somewhere. I guess you may say this rose was suffering in silence. I chose to plant this neglected rose to give it a shot at what might be a new life on the bluff of Lake Ontario, and the works of God were shown through that wonderful rose bush, it yields, and thrives every year!

Sometimes, things that appear dead, lifeless, or painfully difficult for us to bear are creating a path for God to perform a miracle on our behalf!!

John 9:1-41: As Jesus walked along, He saw a man who had been blind since birth. Jesus’ disciples asked, “Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?” “No, it wasn’t!” Jesus answered. ” But because of His blindness, you will see God work a miracle for Him. As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.” You can go read the rest of this story on your own. The blind man is totally healed, if he had not been afflicted, there would be no opportunity for the works of God to be shown to the world. The main focus being, so the world may give Glory to the works of God.

Romans 8:18

” I am sure what we are suffering now cannot compare with the Glory that will be shown to us. In fact, all creation is waiting for God to show who His children are. Meanwhile, creation is confused, but not because it wants to be confused, God made it this way in the hope that creation would be set free from decay and would share in the glorious freedom of His children.” I encourage you to keep reading to verse 30 here in Romans 8. In every adverse situation, there is always a pathway for God to show His powerful works. If you are facing a time of great pain in your life, do not suffer in silence, go to our very source of strength and power, accept all that He has for you, it’s sad that so many do not receive what God wants to work through them; please- do not be one of those people. Instead, be a glorious child of God who is free!

“You, Lord, are my Shepherd. I will never be in need.” Psalm 23:1

This is a quote from the 23rd Psalm we have heard read many times as we journey through a Christian life. Maybe— many from different faiths we may have been at a funeral or public gathering where this famous Psalm was recited. There are those in faith who have wondered about these promises when faced with a challenge, where they are in need of some kind. No matter how desperate the situation, may you always know that these words are still promises. Promises that we must hold onto. As long as we have a close relationship to our Shepherd, we hear His voice every day, and learn to trust His loving guidance along the way. He will always make a way where there seems to be no way.

I have personally been in many situations where; I have faced many obstacles. I learned years ago to draw closer to God during those times and He will speak to us. The more you talk to Him, and listen to Him—the more you are able to know His voice when He speaks to you, perhaps there is something about an obstacle that may teach you. He will show you and answer you when you ask Him anything. Jeremiah 33:3: ” Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out.” “The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit does not speak on His own. He will tell you only what He has heard from me, and He will let you know what is going to happen.” John 16:13. In John 10:5 it says: “The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice and they run away.”” But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the Shepherd, and he goes through it. The sheep know their Shepherd’s voice. He calls each one of them by name and leads them out. When He has led out all of His sheep, He walks in front of them, and they follow because they know His voice.” John 10:2,3,4. ” Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep.” John 10: 15.

Spend quality time in His word, in prayer and worship and draw close to Him and you will know His voice in daily life directions. The sheep know His voice.