by Catherine McDaugale | Oct 21, 2024 | Christian Living, Life
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13 NLT)
God made a way for us to come to Him. But He didn’t stop there. After you’re born again, God continues to work in your life.
Here are 26 ways God works in your life. From A to Z, let’s discover some of the things He does for us. Stick with me, it might get a little tricky when we get to X, Y, and Z.
A: He answers you.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV)
B: He blesses you.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12 NKJV)
C: He cares for you.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7 NKJV)
D: He defends you.
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. (Psalm 5:11 NKJV)
E: He equips you.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV)
F: He forgives you.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
G: He gives good things.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17 NKJV)
H: He helps you.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)
I: He invites you to come to Him.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NKJV)
J: He gives you joy in His presence.
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11 NKJV)
K: He keeps you in perfect peace when you’re focused on Him.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)
L: He loves you.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NKJV)
M: He molds you into the image of His Son, Jesus.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29 NKJV)
N: He never leaves or forsakes you.
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b NKJV)
O: He orders your steps.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. (Psalm 37:23 NKJV)
P: He protects you.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 NKJV)
Q: He quiets you.
He will quiet you with His love. (Zephaniah 3:17c NKJV)
R: He restores you.
He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:3a NKJV)
S: He sings over you.
He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17d NKJV)
T: He teaches you.
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (1 John 2:27 NLT)
U: He understands you.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. (Psalm 139:2 NKJV)
V: He values you.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 NKJV)
W: He is with you.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4 NKJV)
X: He x-amines you.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. (Psalm 26:2 NKJV)
Y: He yearns for you.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? (James 4:5 NKJV)
Z: He is zealous for His people.
For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (2 Kings 19:31 NKJV)
Look at this list when you feel like God has forgotten you. He’s at work in your life right now. And He’ll continue to work in your life each day. You can trust Him. Remind yourself of His great love for you as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 9, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b (NKJV))
What an amazing promise for the believer: God’s presence. God will not leave you, dear sister. He is always there.
There is nothing you can do to make God leave. He is faithful, even when you are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). Why? Because He can’t deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). That means God cannot contradict who He is.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)). And He is faithful. Isn’t that awesome?
There’s power in remembering that God is with you. The One who created the universe just by speaking is near.
The enemy wants you to forget this promise. When you think you’re alone, you’re vulnerable. If your eyes aren’t on your Savior, you’re distracted. And when you’re trusting in yourself instead of God, you’re ineffective. Worse, if he can make you fearful, you’ll be immobilized.
We need to remember the promise of God’s presence. God is with you. You don’t have to be afraid.
If you want to try to do it yourself, He’ll let you. But when you rely on and trust in God, He will
- help you and uphold you (Isaiah 41:10);
- be your refuge, a safe place (Psalm 46:11); and
- be your strength and your shield (Psalm 28:7).
So, remind yourself daily of the promise of God’s presence. Keep your eyes fixed on the One who will never leave you or forsake you. His grace is sufficient for you, and His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Write Hebrews 13:5 on a sticky note. Put it on your mirror so you’ll see it in the morning. Memorize the verse. Hold on to this promise. And then walk by faith with the One who will always be by your side.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 12, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8–9 (NKJV))
God’s ways are better. The Hebrew word translated as higher in Isaiah 55:9 means exalted, above. God’s ways are exalted because they are better.
And God’s ways have always been better. Right after Adam and Eve first sinned, they realized they were naked and tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. The Bible says that “they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings” (Genesis 3:7 (NKJV)).
Have you ever seen a fig leaf? It’s scratchy. The top of the leaf is rough and sandpaper-like, and the bottom has small stiff hairs. Ouch! Not to mention that it’s a leaf. How secure could their “clothing” have been?
But God. He “made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21 (NKJV)). God’s way was better. For one, the “tunics of skin” were softer than the fig leaves. And they were more durable and flexible.
Moreover, those tunics of skin showed Adam and Eve how to cover (atone for) their sin so they could still be in a relationship with God. For sin to be covered, innocent blood must be shed. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). And the sacrifice of that animal pointed to the ultimate sacrifice God would make for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins – once and for all (Hebrews 7:26–27, 10:10).
So, spend some time meditating on how God’s ways are better than yours this week. Thank Him for revealing His ways in the Bible so you can know Him. Then be willing to yield your ways to His as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Jul 1, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. (Habakkuk 2:1 (NKJV))
Are you willing to be corrected? That’s kind of a loaded question. On the one hand, many of us would say yes. Yet, on the other hand, we don’t think we’re wrong. So, maybe you wouldn’t be willing – at least not right away.
But maybe we should be – especially when we come to God. After all, God is the source of truth. He knows all things. If it’s between our word and God’s, God is right 100% of the time.
And that’s the attitude Habakkuk had. Habakkuk came to God and told God how he saw things. But then he waited for God’s correction. Notice that Habakkuk didn’t say if he would be corrected but when.
Habakkuk knew his perspective probably didn’t line up with God’s truth. Why? Because God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. As God said:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9 (NKJV))
Simply put, God is God, and we are not.
Unlike Habakkuk, we sometimes come to God to try to impose our will on Him. We tell God all about a situation – what we think and how we feel. Then, instead of waiting for God’s correction, we ask God to follow our plan. After all, we think we know the best way to fix it. We pray something like: Dear Lord, This is what’s wrong with that person and that situation. And here’s what I want You to do about it. Everything would be great if You would just . . . .
But what if we were more like Habakkuk? What if we poured our hearts out to God – how we see things and what we think about a situation – and then waited for God’s correction? Instead of coming up with how you think God should solve your problem, wait on Him by praying and reading His Word. Ask God what He wants to show you. Then wait for His response – and His correction.
As you pray and read the Bible, God will align your thoughts with His. He will correct you and make you more and more like Jesus. And that’s the end goal – to be molded into His image and not the other way around. How beautiful it is when we finally come to the point of being willing to receive God’s correction like Habakkuk.
So, are you willing to be corrected? Let’s remember that God’s correction is making us more like Jesus, submitting our will to His, as we walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 6, 2024 | Bible Study, Thoughts
Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. (Psalm 66:5 (NKJV))
Our God is amazing! Of course, there are an infinite number of ways that our God inspires us to be in awe. But here are seven reasons God is awesome. Meditate on one of them each day as you go through your week.
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God made the heavens, the earth (and everything on it), and the seas (and all that is in them just by speaking (Genesis 1:1–27).
You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. (Nehemiah 9:6 (NKJV))
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God knows how many stars are in the sky and has named them.
He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. (Psalm 147:4 (NKJV))
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God can measure the universe with His outstretched hand.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:12 (NKJV))
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God knows how many hairs are on your head.
Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29–31 (NKJV))
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God knows all your thoughts and understands them.
You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. (Psalm 139:2–3 (NKJV))
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God made the intricate human body out of the dirt.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7 (NKJV))
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God stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. (Isaiah 40:22 (NKJV))
So, those are seven reasons God is awesome. All of them are worthy of meditation because they are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). So, think about them this week as you walk by faith with God.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 13, 2023 | Christian Living, Thoughts
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 106:1 (NKJV))
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching – a time for family gatherings and expressions of gratitude. (And a time to wonder, Where did 2023 go?) It can be hard to give thanks if you’re going through a difficult season. Yet, God wants us to give thanks “in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)).
It’s challenging to have a thankful heart when we’re focused on the bad stuff or the hard things. Although our feelings are very real, they can keep us from seeing the bigger picture. Instead of showing us the truth, those feelings give us tunnel vision.
But as a born-again believer, you have a lot to be thankful for. You are God’s child, and your heavenly Father is amazing!
If you’re having trouble finding reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving, here are 20 reasons you can give thanks no matter what you’re going through. Take a moment to look up the verse for each one. Then meditate on how awesome that truth is!
- God is good (Psalm 100:5).
- God loves you (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16).
- God is always with you (Psalm 139:7; Matthew 28:20).
- God will never leave you or drop you (Hebrews 13:5).
- God will strengthen you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will help you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will uphold you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God is strong and mighty (Psalm 24:8).
- You are safe in Jesus’ hand (John 10:28–29).
- God thinks about you more than the number of grains of sand (Psalm 139:17–18).
- God’s thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace (Jeremiah 29:11).
- God hears your prayers (1 John 5:14–15).
- Jesus is praying for you (Romans 8:34), and so is the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).
- God understands your thoughts (Psalm 139:2).
- God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
- God is conforming you into the image of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).
- God will complete the work He has started in you (Philippians 1:6).
- Jesus is preparing a place for you so you can be with Him (John 14:2–3).
- Jesus will come again (John 14:3).
- One day, God will make everything new (Revelation 21:5).
So, “[e]nter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)). Focus on who God is and all He has done and continues to do for you. Choose to be filled with gratitude as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 1, 2023 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34 (NKJV))
Can we love others like Jesus? Jesus commanded us to do so. And Jesus wouldn’t tell us to do something we couldn’t do.
Yet, it’s a high bar (to say the least). Jesus loved us (and continues to love us) with a perfect love. A love that is patient and kind. One that’s self-sacrificial. A love that’s a verb – an action – more than a feeling.
So, can we really love others like that? Let’s take a few minutes to look at just a few examples of how Jesus loved when He walked on this earth.
- Jesus was available.
When Jesus heard that His cousin (John the Baptist) had been beheaded, Jesus “departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself” (Matthew 14:13 (NKJV)). It sounds like Jesus wanted to get away to mourn. But the crowds followed Him (Matthew 14:13).
What did Jesus do in response? Did He tell them to go away because He needed time alone? Did He hide and hope they would leave? Was He rude to them?
No. When “He saw a great multitude,” Jesus “was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 (NKJV)).
Even in His grief, Jesus made Himself available to serve the people who came to Him. He set aside His own feelings and helped them.
- Jesus was patient.
When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, Thomas wasn’t with them (John 20:24). They told Thomas that they had seen Jesus. But Thomas didn’t believe them. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25 (NKJV)).
About a week later, Jesus appeared to His disciples again. And this time, Thomas was there (John 20:26). Did Jesus rebuke him for his unbelief? Did He ask Thomas what his problem was or criticize him?
Jesus didn’t do that. Jesus was patient. He told Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27 (NKJV)).
Jesus met Thomas where he was and helped him to believe. Because Jesus was patient, Thomas was able to come fully to Jesus, calling Him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 (NKJV)).
- Jesus served.
The night before He died on the cross, Jesus got up after dinner, “laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself” (John 13:4 (NKJV)). Then He poured water into a basin and washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
In Biblical times, people wore sandals. When they traveled, their feet would get dirty. So, each house you entered typically had a basin of water and towel ready for visitors to wash their feet.
And if you were wealthy and had servants, they would assign the lowest servant to wash peoples’ feet. As I’m sure you could imagine, washing someone’s feet wasn’t something you wanted as your occupation.
Yet, Jesus – God Himself – was willing to serve His disciples in this way. He likely got down on His knees, serving those who should have been serving Him.
Earlier in His ministry, Jesus had taught His disciples that, in order to be great, one needed to be a servant (Mark 10:42-43). He told them that “whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:44 (NKJV)). Jesus then revealed to them that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 (NKJV)).
Jesus put His teaching into action. He showed His disciples that no task was beneath them. Of course, the next day, Jesus would demonstrate the greatest sacrificial love of all – when He died on the cross for our sins.
Can we love others in those ways? The answer is yes – and no.
It’s hard to love others as Jesus loved us. To be sure, it’s impossible without the help of God’s Holy Spirit. We need to ask God to help us. We need His power
- to make ourselves available when we don’t feel like serving,
- to be patient when others have a hard time believing, and
- to serve in self-sacrificial ways.
So, we can love others like Jesus with God’s help. Take time to meditate on the ways Jesus loved. Decide to follow Jesus’ command. Then ask God to help you love others as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 20, 2023 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. (John 11:5-6 (NKJV))
God’s timing is always perfect. And so is His will. If you’ve been waiting, it’s easy to think that the perfect timing was yesterday. Or right now. We get caught up in feelings. So, we often default to wanting something to happen as soon as possible.
But God’s timing really is perfect. He’s outside of time. And His reasoning isn’t clouded by feelings. He also knows all things – from the beginning to the end. He knows the perfect timing for something to happen.
And God knows if something would even be good for you. If you’re waiting for an answer to prayer, remember that the answer might be no. Yet, even if something is God’s will, that doesn’t mean it will happen when you think it should.
God knows when something will bring Him the most glory. He loves us and knows what’s best for us.
Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, Martha, and Mary (John 11:5). When Lazarus got sick, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3 (NKJV)).
Because Jesus loved them, you might expect that He would have gone to them as quickly as He could. Yet, it was because Jesus loved them that “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (John 11:6 (NKJV)).
Jesus waited. Jesus didn’t go to them the moment He heard the news. Why? It wasn’t God’s perfect timing.
Jesus is God. He knew the perfect time to go because He knew what He would do.
By the time Jesus headed toward Bethany, Jesus knew that Lazarus had already died (John 11:14). Jesus told His disciples, “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe” (John 11:15 (NKJV)).
God’s timing was perfect. But Martha and Mary couldn’t see it. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days (John 11:39). And each one told Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32 (NKJV)).
But God had a plan. Jesus prayed,
“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41-42 (NKJV))
Then Jesus “cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus come forth!’” (John 11:43 (NKJV)). “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth” (John 11:44 (NKJV)).
Could you imagine? Jesus showed them in a tangible way that God had sent Him. He demonstrated His power over death when He raised Lazarus from the dead. Only God could do that.
God’s timing was perfect. If Jesus had quickly gone to see Lazarus when He got word that Lazarus was sick, it wouldn’t have glorified God in the same way. And if He had healed Lazarus in their presence or from afar, they wouldn’t have witnessed Jesus’ power over death.
So, as the days, months, and even years roll by, remember that God’s timing is always perfect. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He hears you. Trust God as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Dec 26, 2022 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 (NKJV))
Why do we celebrate Christmas? Even those who aren’t Christian know it’s the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But what’s so special about someone’s birthday?
Now that the busyness of the Christmas holiday has subsided, let’s reflect on how amazing it is that Jesus was born that night in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. And let’s meditate on what His birth meant for us.
People are sinners. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). And our sins put us in a real quandary. They left us separated from God.
None of us could pay the penalty for our sins. Our sins were too costly because they were committed against a perfect, all-powerful God. Because we are imperfect, we couldn’t do anything to pay off our debt. The best we could offer was like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
But God knew our predicament. He knew we weren’t able to save ourselves. So, God Himself chose to pay the penalty for our sins. And He was our only hope.
Jesus is God. He was there at the beginning with God the Father (John 1:1). He existed before anything was created. Jesus is eternal. He was not created; He is the Creator.
Everything was made through Jesus. He created you, me, the mountains, the trees, the flowers, the animals, the birds, the earth, the stars, and the universe – to name just a few. The Bible says, “All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16 (NKJV)).
Yet, with all that power, Jesus chose to leave His glory in heaven to be born a helpless baby on earth. He loves you so much that He wanted to make a way for you to have a relationship with Him.
Jesus – the Word – became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He lived a perfect, sinless life; willingly died on the cross for your sins; was buried; and rose from the grave three days later (Matthew 28:6; John 10:17-18; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
How can we fully grasp the great sacrifice that our God made for us? An infinite God chose to come down to earth and take on a finite body. He left heaven, knowing that He would be rejected by His creation and die on the cross.
And He did it all for you. Jesus did it so your sins could be forgiven. He did it so you could have eternal life with Him. It’s truly something to celebrate!
So, whether or not you made time to worship Jesus on Christmas, worship Him now. Our worship is not confined to any specific day. In the aftermath of the holiday rush, let’s slow down and remember everything that our faithful God has done for us. Let’s take time to worship Jesus as we walk by faith with Him.
by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 28, 2022 | Christian Living, Spiritual Growth, Thoughts
You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. (Nehemiah 9:6 (NKJV))
When someone introduces a speaker, he’ll tell you a little about the person. You’ll learn who he is, where he’s from, and why he’s qualified to tell you about the topic he’s speaking on. But God needs no introduction. He just is. He always was. And He always will be.
So, the Bible doesn’t start by giving us God’s credentials. Instead, it simply says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)). God is God, and we are not.
Yet, we try to put God into a box sometimes, don’t we? We try to define Him. Or we try to bring God down to our level by making Him smaller and quantifiable. Like Natalie Grant lamented in her song, King of the World:
I try to fit You in the walls inside my mind
I try to keep You safely in between the lines
I try to put You in the box that I’ve designed
I try to pull You down so we are eye-to-eye
When did I forget that You’ve always been the King of the world?
I try to take life back right out of the hands of the King of the world
How could I make You so small when You’re the One who holds it all?
It’s the old story of us wanting to be God. Before Eve sinned, Satan tempted her by appealing to her pride. He told Eve that her eyes would be opened if she ate the forbidden fruit. He promised that she would “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5 (NKJV)). He insinuated that God was trying to hold her back and keep her from being all that she could be.
I think we all make the mistake of trying to put God in a box sometimes. Our pride rises up, and we think we know best. We try to make ourselves equal to God. Yet, when we do, we’re making an idol.
Countless people before us have tried to minimize God by making idols of wood, clay, stone, silver, and gold. They gave those idols human characteristics that they could understand. But those idols were not God. As the Bible tells us:
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat. (Psalm 115:4-7 (NKJV))
Idols cannot help us. They cannot see, hear, or do anything. They are lifeless.
You can’t make any image that would even come close to representing God. And you can’t fit God into a box. The almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing God cannot be contained or recreated by His creation. Our Creator exceeds our understanding.
And that’s a good thing. Anything you could hold in your hand or fully grasp with your mind would not be able to help you. Anything you make is limited by your own resources.
But our God is limitless. He is the One who made the heavens and the earth. He is the One who made you and me. Our God is bigger and more amazing than we could imagine. Praise Him!
So, don’t put God in a box. Don’t try to diminish who He is. You can’t hold Him in your hand. But God’s holding you in His as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 15, 2022 | Life, Ministry
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 (NKJV))
Don’t you love to hear stories about how different couples met? They’re as individual as fingerprints – no two are alike. Some got to know each other in high school and have been married for decades. Others met in an online gaming site, through friends, or even while commuting to work on the bus. There are couples who fell in love at first sight, while others took years for the relationship to develop.
The story of how I met my husband is as distinct as any other. We first saw each other at a McDonalds while we were at lunch in high school. Then we saw each other again at a mutual friend’s house. A few months later, we met at a cast party for a high school play.
We became friends, going on short road trips, eating dinner, hiking, and hanging out. He was always there when I needed him – through good times and bad. As the trust grew, I fell in love. But it would still be a while before I would admit my feelings. And a few years before we would become a couple and get married.
Salvation stories – accounts of how you met your first love, Jesus – are just as unique. God is awesome. He doesn’t work the same way twice. I’m sure that the way I came to know Jesus is very different from the way you met Him. Each one is beautiful, intricate . . . impossible.
But God.
God meets us right where we’re at. He pursues each one of us, desiring for us to see all He has done so we’ll fall in love with Him. When we do, “[w]e love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 (NKJV)).
Jesus is so patient, so kind, so loving. He’s a gentleman. He knocks on the door of your heart and patiently waits to see if you’ll open the door to invite Him in. He doesn’t ever force the door open.
I was thinking about how my love story with my husband parallels my salvation story in certain ways. Like my husband, I saw Jesus a few times before I actually met Him. When I was young child, I saw Jesus during Sunday school classes. Then, as a teenager, I saw Him again at Bible camp one summer. But it would take longer before I met Jesus. I didn’t take the time to meet Him and get to know Him until many years later.
Although I grew up going to different churches, I was unwilling to submit myself to God, to do things His way. Instead, I relied on myself. I had many goals that I wanted to accomplish – things I thought would make me happy. Yet, after I had achieved most of them, I was still miserable, unsatisfied, and empty inside.
During that time, I finally sought God with all my heart for the first time in my life. God promises that when you search for Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13). And I did.
When I finally opened the door of my heart and invited Jesus in, I got to know Him and learned to trust Him. And then I fell in love.
Although my circumstances didn’t change, my perspective on life was suddenly different. I no longer feared death. I felt a deep contentment in His love. Needless to say, my life hasn’t been the same since.
God began changing me from the inside out, one issue at a time. He began by showing me that the music I was listening to and some of the movies I was watching didn’t glorify Him. Not only that, the music and movies weren’t building me up but tearing me down. He showed me the importance of my thought life. And He implanted desires to serve Him and others. The work He’s done in my life has been amazing.
So, how did you meet your first love, Jesus? What’s your salvation story? Take time to record your testimony. Then tell someone how God brought you to Him. Let’s encourage each other by sharing how we met our first love, Jesus, as we walk by faith with Him.
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Jul 18, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! (Isaiah 10:15 (NKJV))
It’s easy to take credit for the things that God is doing in and through your life. But the truth is that God deserves all the glory. He is the One who should get the praise. That’s because He is the one who
- made you;
- gave you certain abilities and intellect;
- gives you strength each day;
- puts each breath in your lungs; and
- guides you with His Spirit.
When we do God’s work, we are tools in His hand – like the ax or the saw in the verse above.
It seems ridiculous to imagine an ax looking back at you with a wink and boasting, “Look at all the wood I chopped. Aren’t I the sharpest, strongest ax you’ve ever seen?” You know that someone made the ax and sharpened it. And the strength and guidance of the one who was wielding the ax was responsible for the wood being cut.
Or let’s put it in more conventional terms. Let’s say you’re making vegetable soup for dinner. You went to the store to shop for the ingredients, washed the vegetables, and used your knife to cut them up just right. What if your knife started bragging about all of the work it had done?
You would know it was just a tool you had used. It didn’t do the work. Instead, the knife was used by you to accomplish your purpose of making the soup.
The same thing happens when we do God’s work. God works in and through us to accomplish His purpose. We shouldn’t take any credit for it because God is the One who did everything. He equips us for the work, prepares the way before us, and gives us strength through His Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. We are tools in His mighty, capable hand.
Although we make ourselves available and submit to His plan, we cannot please God with our own efforts. We need His help to do His work the right way. As Jesus told us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 (NKJV)).
So, don’t get full of yourself. Resist the urge to steal God’s glory. As my pastor said the other evening, if your head gets too big, God might take a big pin and pop it. God won’t give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8). Humble yourself or, one day, God will humble you.
Instead, give credit where credit is due. Praise God for all He is doing in and through your life. Tell others about the amazing things God has done. Share with them how God equipped you, helped you, and gave you the strength and ability to do His work. Remind them about the way God lined up certain things so it was possible for Him to work through you in that situation.
And, remember that God deserves all the glory. “Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!” (Revelation 19:1 (NKJV)). He is the One who will be exalted among the nations (Psalm 46:10). And one day, every knee will bow to Him (Romans 14:11).
Let’s exalt Jesus’ name now, remembering that we are tools in God’s hand as we walk by faith with Him.
* Photo by Alexei Scutari on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 14, 2022 | Bible Study, Christian Living
“Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:20 (NKJV))
Moses saw the afterglow of God’s glory. The disciples caught a glimpse of it. We can reflect it. And one day we will see it for ourselves. So let’s learn what the Bible teaches us about the glory of God.
What is God’s Glory?
In the book of Revelation, we get a glimpse into the heavenly realm where God is being worshipped. The 24 elders fall down before His throne and say,
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)).
The Greek word for glory is doxa, which means dignity, praise, and worship. It speaks of the splendor and brightness of God’s majesty. As we see from this verse, God deserves all the glory – all our worship and praise – because He is the One who created all things. It is only by His will that we even exist.
The Bible also teaches us that God will not give His glory away. The prophet Isaiah reports that God told him,
“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images” (Isaiah 42:8 (NKJV)).
The Hebrew word for glory in Isaiah is kabod, which means splendor, honor, and reverence. We already know from the verse in Revelation why God deserves all the glory. And here, we see that God will not give that glory to another. Of course, that makes sense. It would be dishonest for God to tell us to worship and praise something or someone else. He alone is our great Creator and Sustainer.
God’s Glory can be Seen
God’s glory is not just the subject of our praise. It can be experienced. It can be seen. The Bible shows us different ways that God’s glory has been manifested physically. And in the future, we will see it for ourselves.
Let’s start with one of my favorite examples. Moses experienced God’s glory firsthand. He spent time with God on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28). On one of those days, Moses said to God, “Please, show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18 (NKJV)).
God answered, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live” (Exodus 33:20 (NKJV)). But in God’s graciousness, He told Moses,
“Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:21-23 (NKJV)).
The Hebrew word for “back” means not only someone’s physical back but also “afterward” or “hereafter.” Commentators suggest that the word in this verse refers to the afterglow of God’s glory. God passed by Moses, and Moses got to experience the afterglow of His glory.
Later, when Moses went back down the mountain to the Israelites, his face shone and the people were “afraid to come near him” (Exodus 34:29-30 (NKJV)). Moses literally reflected the glory of God.
We see another example when the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The “angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them” so that the shepherds were “greatly afraid” (Luke 2:9 (NKJV)). The shepherds were able to see a manifestation of God’s glory as the angel told them that the Messiah had been born that day. We can only imagine what that must have been like.
And Peter, James, and John caught a glimpse of God’s glory when Jesus was transfigured before their eyes. Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2 (NKJV)). Mark tells us that “His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them” (Mark 9:3 (NKJV)). The Greek word for transfigured is metamorphoo, which means to change into another form. Jesus’ appearance was changed and became resplendent with divine brightness.
When Jesus came to dwell with us, He set aside His majesty and glory. But on that day, Peter, James, and John were able to momentarily experience Jesus’ glory. Peter was so befuddled that he said something foolish about making tabernacles on the mountain (Mark 9:5). And the Bible tells us he did so “because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid” (Mark 9:6 (NKJV)). I’m sure if I had witnessed the same thing, I would have said something foolish as well.
Finally, God promises that we will get to experience His glory one day. In the new Jerusalem, the city will not need the sun or the moon to shine in it “for the glory of God” will illuminate it (Revelation 21:23 (NKJV)). What an amazing time that will be!
We can Reflect God’s Glory
So what can we learn from all of this? Although we cannot fully grasp the extent of God’s glory, we do know that we can reflect it as we walk by faith with Him. We won’t glow like Moses did. But when we spend time with Jesus, people can tell. When the religious Jewish leaders “saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled” and “realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 (NKJV)).
Let’s spend time abiding in Jesus – reading His word, praying to Him, worshipping Him, and obeying Him when He asks us to step out in faith to do something. If we do, people will see it. They will know that we have been with Jesus because we will be reflecting His glory.
* Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Jan 27, 2022 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Thoughts
God is amazing. Each time I take a few minutes to contemplate the fact that He created the universe, I marvel at how powerful He is. The Bible teaches us that God made the heavens just by speaking.
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6 (NKJV)).
That’s incredible. God spoke, and it was. Look up at the night sky. Our omnipotent God formed all that you see by His word.
Now think about the vastness of space. Scientists still don’t know how big the universe is. But the distance to the sun – the nearest star – is 93 million miles away. Let that sink in – 93 million miles. Can we actually grasp how far that is? And they estimate that it would take 100,000 years to travel across our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Scientists also don’t know how many stars are in the universe. They estimate that there are 100-400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. That’s not a typo. Billion. It would take about 11,574 days just to count to one billion (assuming you could go without sleep for that long).
Not only that but there are more than 200 billion galaxies (each with another 100-400 billion stars) and maybe even 10 times that many.
Those numbers are astounding. It’s really hard to wrap your head around them. I can’t actually quantify how many stars are up there. I’m guessing that you can’t either.
But God knows exactly how many stars He created. The Bible tells us that God “counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4 (NKJV)). The extent of God’s knowledge is astonishing. I have trouble even remembering the names of a few people I meet, let alone trillions upon trillions of them. Our God is bigger than we could ever fathom. Praise God!
Have you ever had a chance to get out of the city and gaze up at the night sky? The number of stars that you see is extraordinary. It’s a beautiful sight. If you have that opportunity, take time to meditate on the fact that our awesome God is the One who created each star and knows each one by name.
Better yet, God knows each one of us. He knows, and understands, our thoughts (Psalm 139:2). I don’t know about you, but I don’t even understand my own thoughts part of the time. And “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30 (NKJV)). Have you ever tried to count how many hairs you have? If not, don’t bother. Seriously, it’s an insurmountable task that will just leave you frustrated.
God knows everything about us – the good, the bad, and the ugly. And yet, He still loves us. God loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).
So, remember God’s power. Meditate on His might. When you have a problem, don’t evaluate it based on your own strength and resources. Instead, look at whatever you are going through in comparison to our all-powerful, remarkable God. If God could speak the universe into existence (and He did), He can handle anything that comes your way.
And God wants you to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)). Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Ask Him for help. Then trust Him to handle whatever it is. He will give you direction. God will guide you. He will go before you and help you.
Then look up. Take in the beauty of the stars God created. Remind yourself of His power and might. Stand still in awe of God. “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9 (NKJV)).
* Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Aug 15, 2021 | Christian Living, Life
Good things come to those who wait. That old adage is not necessarily true. You can wait for a good thing your whole life and never get it.
And where is the good thing supposed to come from? A popular notion is that the universe is the arbiter of who gets what. I’ve heard people say something like, “The universe is against me,” when they don’t get something they want. Others believe in karma, saying they didn’t get something because they did something they weren’t supposed to do or said something they shouldn’t have said.
But the truth is that the universe doesn’t give you anything. The universe is a created thing, not the creator. Instead,
[e]very good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Faither of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17 (NKJV))
God gives us good things.
God gives good things to those who love Him and to those who don’t. Jesus taught us that God the Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)). Think about it. God blesses those who aren’t following Him with all sorts of good things – like family, good health, and money.
But if you are God’s child then you also have a promise to hold onto. God has promised,
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11(NKJV))
Uprightly means without blemish, complete, perfect, without spot, undefiled. God looks on those who follow Jesus as ones who walk uprightly. They obtain their righteousness – their uprightness – not from what they have done but through their faith in Jesus (Philippians 3:9). So, if you are following Jesus, God promises that He will not withhold a good thing from you.
If you have been praying for something that seems good and God has not given it to you then it is not good for you. It may be that the timing is not right. Or it may be something that will never be good for you.
Unlike you, God knows everything. He is eternal and knows all things (1 John 3:20; Revelation 1:8-9). God knows the beginning from the end (Isaiah 46:9-10). He knows everything about you (Psalm 139:1-4). He knows exactly what would happen if He gives something to you – what you will do with it and how it will affect you. In other words, God knows if the thing you’ve been wanting would be good for you.
Let’s put it in perspective. We’ve all seen children who want things they shouldn’t have. Maybe a child wants to eat a candy bar just before dinner. His father tells the child no, and the child gets angry. Why? The child wants the candy right at that moment. But the father knows it would spoil the child’s appetite. If the child eats the candy before dinner, he won’t eat the nutritious food that his body needs. It’s not that the father will never allow the child to eat the candy. The timing is not right.
Or maybe the child wants to play in the street. The father doesn’t let the child do so because the child could get hurt by a passing car. The father will never give his child permission to play in the street. Doing so would never be good for the child.
How much more does God the Father know what is and isn’t good for us than our earthly fathers ever did. God knows what is not good for us now and what will never be good for us. We can trust Him to do what is best for us.
