But God…

God’s Word provides us with information on the weapons He has equipped His people with in order to withstand the onslaught of the devil’s wicked schemes.

Consider what Psalm 44 teaches us about God’s role and our role in our battles:

“1 We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.” God’s acts on behalf of His people were told over and over so that others could be encouraged to trust Him to act on their behalf. We are called to remember what He has done. Sharing our stories of God’s victory in our lives is a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

“2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.” Who does this verse say drove out and crushed the Israelites’ enemies? It wasn’t the Israelites. It was God! I reached a pivotal point in my relationship with God when I backed off from trying to fight my own battles. Instead, I talk with Him about the situation, and wait for Him to act. I don’t move to attempt to fix it until He directs me. But God generally doesn’t involve me. He wants to show me His power and His ability to work on my behalf. It is really amazing to experience God fighting for me!!!

“3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.”  Once again, we are told that God brought the victory for His people! He is God! Why do we think He needs our help? Why do we try to take action instead of experiencing our God taking care of us by defeating our enemies? He is our parent. We are His children when we have a personal relationship with Jesus. As our parent, He wants to protect, defend, and care for us.

“4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob.” God decrees victory for His people. Therefore, He will bring it about. It won’t always happen quickly, and may require longsuffering for many years, even until our death. But God will bring victory for His true followers!

“5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.” Here we learn that it is only through God and His name that we can overcome in our battles.

“6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory;” Once again we see that the author of this Psalm was not depending upon his own weapons for victory. He knew only God brings true victory. He clearly stated that in the next verse.

“7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.”

“8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.” Boasting is generally not good, except when we boast about who God is and what He does for His people. We can shout those praises so all can hear!

Often I hear people state that they have done all they can do in a situation and then they just pray. 

Prayer is ALWAYS our best option! It is not “just” prayer. 

Prayer is powerful because it is directed to Almighty God! He is all-powerful. He is sovereign. Combine together all we know about God, and the privilege we have to seek His help, and we can only come out victorious when we rely upon Him!

I’m reminded of the children’s song, which can be ours also:

“My God is so great. My God is so good. There is nothing my God cannot do!”

Ephesians 6:10-18 also has a detailed list of the weaponry God provides for His people so that we can walk victoriously in the spiritual battle:

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

This passage reminds us that there is a real and unseen spiritual battle. Behind the unkind, selfish, ruthless people are demonic beings. Therefore, we cannot win by using worldly weapons. But God has provided us with powerful spiritual weaponry.

Our weapons are spiritually empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6:14-18 details these weapons. I recommend reviewing them and asking God to instill into the core of your being each “weapon”.

When we live standing on God’s promises, utilizing His weaponry, we can rise above our problems because He empowers these weapons for our benefit!

What battle are you fighting? Are you leaning into God, looking to Him to bring victory, or are you attempting to create your own victory? How might you incorporate the above weapons into your battlefield?

The first step is having a personal and active relationship with Jesus. If you have not yet taken that step of faith, please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com so we can talk about Jesus and how much He loves you. 

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Ephesians 6:11-12 provides us with some details on the Christ-follower’s enemy: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Who is the devil?

The devil or Satan is an angel. He was created by God, to worship and serve God. But God allowed Satan to choose whether he would serve and worship God. We know his choice from Isaiah 14:12: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!”

Isaiah 14:13-15 gives further details regarding Satan choosing to reject God: “You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.”

From these verses we learn that Satan’s pride was his downfall. Instead of honoring and respecting God, he attempted to ascend higher than God. He could not, and can never attain his Creator’s place. He incites people to worship him through idols, which are false gods. 

At the cross, Jesus defeated Satan. However, he is still described in the Bible as the prince of the air. The Amplified Version states it this way in Ephesians 2:2: “You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].”

What are Satan’s tactics/maneuvers he uses to try to discredit God’s people by luring God’s people into sin?

These are a few of his “techniques”:

Deceit

Divisiveness

Denial

Self-centeredness

Deceit/lies – Satan showed this trait when he lied in the Garden of Eden to Eve. Why do people get caught up in lying? I think it is because lies seemingly serve our immediate purpose. Lying is only a temporary “fix”. But God knows, and He will reveal the truth in His timing. Satan is a liar and a murderer. John 8:44 states this clearly: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Divisiveness – Satan wants people to be divided. Competition lends itself to division. Unity protects, but division results in turmoil, distress, and in so many other ungodly behaviors. Matthew 12:25 gives us understanding of the results of division: “Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”

Denial – What’s the old line – “The devil made me do it!” This was Adam and Eve’s line to God in Genesis 3:11-13: “And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done? The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

God was looking for truth. Truth frees us, denial entangles us, and leads us further away from God.

Self-centeredness – This was another aspect of the devil’s interaction with Eve. He wanted her to think all about herself. He wanted her to think God was selfish. But God is never selfish. He always seeks to do good for people. Jeremiah 29:11 states: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

How do God’s people discern Satan’s tactics? 

God’s people need to be intentional students of the Word of God. Remember, the Word is a Person – Jesus. John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

From the study of God’s Word we learn how Jesus handled life. We learn from His teachings, and those in the entirety of Scripture what God approves and what He disapproves. The more we know the truth of God’s Word, His character and commands, the more equipped we are to discern the devil’s schemes.

Satan can come as an “angel of light” – 1 Corinthians 11:14-15: “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” But God, through His Holy Spirit will equip His people to discern and respond in a God-honoring manner to the devil’s tactics.

When we study and know God’s truth, the lies of the devil become obvious.

How well do you know the Word of God? Do you have a personal, living and abundant relationship with Jesus so that you can discern between the work of God and the lies of Satan? If not, will you seek someone you can study the Scriptures with so you can be discerning?

I’d be glad to talk with you about a true relationship with Jesus. Perhaps you want to discuss the topic of this writing further? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

I don’t remember where I found this quote, but it helps me to remember the Biblical truths contained in its words:

“It’s impossible to prove God’s goodness by looking at circumstances—allowing his son to be crucified is an example of that. The proof of God’s goodness is found in who He is. All I can do is trust He has a purpose in what’s going on here, and just because I can’t see it right now doesn’t mean He’s not in control of how things will eventually turn out.”

Often I hear people say how God was so good to them after He has done something wonderful in their lives. I am now more apt to comment that God is always good, even when life is hard. 

When I encounter challenges in my life, I now quickly ask God to show me what He is teaching me. He is often teaching me to simply relax in His love. He is wanting me to focus on Him and what He did in sending Jesus to die for my sins [all our sins]. 

I focus on His character. I remind myself that He is faithful, and that He doesn’t want to crush me, but He does want to refine my character. 

I remind myself that my situation is only temporary in comparison to my eternal future with Jesus. 

I remind myself that the good I experience at God’s hand in this life pales in comparison with what I will experience with Him for all eternity.

I remind myself of all the amazing ways God has carried me through years of hurtful and challenging situations. 

I remind myself that He is always with me, because His Holy Spirit indwells me. With the Spirit’s power I am able to overcome whatever situation makes me feel as if life is out of control. 

Life is out of my control! But God is in absolute control!

God is always good.

God is always faithful.

God is always powerful.

God is always all-knowing.

God is always omnipresent.

God is not a respecter of persons.

God always judges fairly.

God is always with those who have a relationship with Jesus through His Spirit who indwells His followers.

God’s methods are very different from ours. They are always productive with eternal value.

God will not give me more than I can handle as I lean on Him. But God will bring me to the end of myself.

God is in control – of all events, everywhere. I don’t understand it, but His Word reveals He is sovereign.

God cannot be bad.

God cannot do anything that is evil.

God is just and holy.

I find that my problem is that I confuse this life with eternity with Jesus. I want the blessings and ease of eternity and I want it now! I don’t want to wait for it to happen. I want fairness now. I want….but I should really be thinking “What does God want?”.

But God is doing a work through this life to prepare His true followers for eternity. 

I want to be well prepared for my eternal life with Jesus! 

Therefore, I am becoming more patient, less complaining, and more dependent on God each day. God gives me more discernment as I allow this work He is doing in me to make a difference in my character. I’m not able to make these character changes on my own, but God does it!! 

It is really good to experience Him working His character into me.

As I allow God to do a deeper work in my life, our relationship also deepens. He is always proving His goodness to me, regardless of my circumstances.

Have you ever heard this saying: “the proof is in the pudding”?  It means that something’s “true quality can only be judged by experience or action, not by appearance” [online definition]. We often do this with God. We look at what we can see and attempt to judge Him by it. But God cannot be judged that way. Our final “proof” of God’s goodness will be experienced for all eternity by those who love Him and are called according to His purposes [Romans 8:28].

How intimately do you want to know God? Do you even have a true abiding relationship with Jesus? Please don’t let this day end without making certain you belong to God through Jesus. I would be glad to talk with you about a relationship with Him. 

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about Jesus and/or what your current challenge is and God’s involvement.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

I am passionate about being immersed and saturated in the Word of God. I am spending more time each day reading, thinking about, and studying the Word of God.

A dear friend pointed out that when we walk outside enjoying the beauty of creation while thinking about the Word of God, we are further immersed in His Word!! You might take a few minutes to stand outside, and look all around at the sky, the trees, the earth and marvel at the power His Word contains, since He spoke and all came into existence. What an amazing God who loves us.

God has gifted us with His written Word, and there are many reasons why we need to be saturated in it.

His Word explains to us who He is. Knowing God is the most important part of life. Knowing God accurately is of utmost importance. An inaccurate view of God can lead to a shipwrecked life. But God gives us 66 writings in our Holy Bible that can guide us to understanding Him rightly. We will never fully grasp all of who God is, or He wouldn’t be God. But God, through His Holy Spirit, enlightens His true followers so that we can know Him, love Him and obey Him. This is why we need to immerse ourselves in His Word.

The Bible makes it clear that God’s Word is a lifeline, and that His Word must dwell richly in His people. The Amplified Bible states this in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.”

When God’s word finds its “home” in our hearts and minds, our personal lives will be enriched beyond anything this world offers. Additionally, we are then able to help other Christ followers live in all the riches of Christ. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 gives us more depth of understanding as to the reason we should saturate our minds with the Word of God: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

God’s Word brings fullness into our lives. 

God’s Word equips us to carry out His kingdom’s work on this side of eternity.

God’s Word is the only means to having a true, rich, and fulfilling relationship with God our Father.

God’s Word is applicable to every moment of our lives. 

The more I saturate my mind and heart with the Word of God, the more I realize there is so much more to study and learn.

1 John 4:1 gives us a warning: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

This warning from the Apostle John should not be taken lightly. We need to accurately understand who God’s true people are because our enemy, the devil, seeks to mislead and devour us. 

Satan is a liar. Consider John 8:44: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”.

Since he lies and is very cunning, we must heed Peter’s warning in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”.

How do we know the truth from a lie? We saturate ourselves in God’s Word so that His Holy Spirit can use the truth we’ve ingested to warn us when we are being deceived. 

Society is removing itself further and further from the ways of God. As this has been occurring over decades, it is leaving a deadly wake [spiritually speaking as well as physically]. Young people today rarely know what a Holy Bible is. Their thinking is dulled by the lies of the devil, that come from people who have succumbed to his tactics. The devil’s ways are not new. They began in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and have been carried on to our day.

Today, it us “customary” to live with someone before marriage. Society accepts that. Young people today are growing up with this as the norm. They have no inkling that it is sin, an affront against God. 

I had a younger child recently tell me that we should treat people like they treat us. On the surface, that may sound reasonable. But God tells us otherwise! Until people become saturated with the Word of God, they don’t understand that Jesus taught very differently. 

Luke 6:31 states: “Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.” I don’t know anyone who wants to be treated disrespectfully, lied to, beaten, or otherwise mistreated. We want to be respected, told the truth, not harmed, and shown kindness and mercy.

Jesus’ teaching is counter-cultural. Living it is challenging. But God provides His Holy Spirit to help us, and the Holy Spirit is “fed” as we dig into the Word of God.

It is through the saturation of God’s Word into my heart and mind that I am able to grasp Jesus’ teaching. It is then through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit that I am able to integrate His teaching into my heart and mind. I can then behave in a counter-cultural manner! I can then be united with Him. David cried out to God for this in Psalm 86:11. It can be the cry of our hearts also.

Some of the advantages to being saturated in God’s Word are:

*God’s Word supplies knowledge of our amazing God

*God’s Word supplies the path to eternal life through Jesus Christ

*God’s Word supplies wisdom that is applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit

*God’s Word supplies guidance for life’s decisions

*God’s Word supplies protection and warnings of the dangers of sin and Satan

*God’s Word supplies correction when we sin and redirection into His righteous path

*God’s Word is life sustaining

If you are not saturated in God’s Word you are missing out on a deeper relationship with the Lord. Intimacy with our loving God comes through the knowledge of His Word.

What steps will you take to become saturated in God’s Word, if you are not already immersed in His Word every day?

Do you want a relationship with Jesus? You will find the path to eternal life in the pages of the Word of God. I would like to talk with you about a relationship with Jesus. Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.comso we can talk about Jesus and how much He loves us. Do you want help going deeper into the Word of God? I would love to discuss ideas on what that might look like. If there is any way I can help you know God more, please contact me.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

“God helps those who help themselves” is a lie. There is no basis for that belief in the Bible. 

Where did all of this start?

It started when Satan lied to Eve, and she rejected God’s truth to accept the lie. Adam also bought into it. 

In John 8:31-44 Jesus had the following conversation with the Jews: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

God’s people should be known for being truthful. Our yes should be our yes, and our no should be our no. 

Being truthful does not mean we have to share every detail we know. Jesus didn’t share with everyone all the details  He trusted His Father to work out the details.

Being truthful may even mean remaining silent. Jesus remained silent when it was appropriate, He trusted His Father to work out the details.

Matthew 14:57-61: Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Can I pray with or for you about something? Perhaps you need to have Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

The last account we will look at was recorded in Daniel 3. Now we will look at the events of Daniel 6.

“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

These men then devised a plan to capture Daniel as he faithfully prayed to God. They tricked King Darius into issuing an edict requiring that prayer only be directed to him. The edict could not be repealed. King Darius put the decree in writing.

Daniel 6 tells us how Daniel responded to this decree: “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Daniel’s enemies found Daniel praying and asking God for help. They couldn’t report their findings quickly enough to the king. The king upheld his decree. He regretted his action, but could do nothing to rescue Daniel. The king found himself with no alternative but to order Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den. As the king was doing so, he even said these words to Daniel “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”

Daniel was thrown into and then sealed in the lions’ den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles. In the Biblical account, we are told that “Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”

As you consider these four accounts, whom do you think had the greatest trust in God? 

In the accounts of the three young men and Daniel, they stood on the foundation of God’s truth. The three guys could have bowed, and tried to convince themselves it didn’t matter because their hearts were for God. Daniel could have left his window covered when he went to pray. But God had these men stand firm for truth. 

In the four accounts included in these writings, God’s victory was evident. There are many reasons to praise Him for His protection and power for these women and men who feared God.  

Daniel and his friends did not allow fear to motivate them to be deceptive in any manner. Instead, they trusted God with the truth. “Even if” it meant death. 

I can find nothing in Scripture that indicates we need to help God deliver us from the hands of evil by lying. In fact, I find the opposite to be true. 

Exodus 20:16 in the Amplified Version states: “You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).”

Jesus stated in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

I don’t see anything in Scripture that honors deceitfulness. Jesus used truth when He was in the wilderness being tested by Satan. Since Jesus is truth and was always truthful, His people should always be honest. Being truthful doesn’t always mean we have to share everything we know. We must be attuned to the Lord so that we know what, if anything, we are to share.

How can we say we love God and trust God, but lie? 

Why do people lie? It is a form of manipulation. It is a way to get what we want. Shouldn’t we be fully dependent upon God for what we want? It comes when we are afraid. Why do we think a lie will protect us more than God will protect us? Lies complicate life. They are divisive.

“God helps those who help themselves” is a lie. There is no basis for that belief in the Bible. 

Where did all of this start? 

TO BE CONTINUED – PART 3 NEXT WEEK

If Jesus is not the central Person in your life, why not commit to Him today? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com so we can talk about a relationship with the Living God.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Have you ever heard anyone tell you that the truth is only due to those who deserve the truth?  For instance, people will say this to rationalize and justify the lie of the Hebrew midwives in the account surrounding Moses’ birth.  This is the account:

Exodus 1:15-21: “The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.”

From the above passage we learn that the midwives feared God more than the king of Egypt. Matthew 10:28 states it this way: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Due to their reverence for God, they would not kill the baby boys. This is absolutely commendable. But God doesn’t commend them for the lie they devised to protect themselves from Pharaoh. He blessed them because they feared God.

There is another account recorded in Scripture that people who believe it is acceptable to lie in order to save a life use to support their stance. It is the account recorded in Joshua 2.  Two spies were sent into Canaan to get a view of what they were up against as they prepared to conquer the land. They began with Jericho. Rahab hid the spies. The king of Jericho insisted she bring them out. She came up with a believable lie so that those hunting the Israelite spies would fail. As the account continues, God had determined that the city would fall to the Israelites, and that is exactly what happened as they obeyed His instructions. 

This familiar Bible account describes the miraculous destruction of the walls of Jericho. Joshua 6:3-5provides the specific details of what the people of Israel had to do for victory over their enemy: “March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

Once the walls were down, the Israelites successfully completed the victory by the hand of God, and Rahab and her family were spared because of her assistance in protecting the two spies. Please note, there is nothing in Scripture commending her for her lie. Hebrews 11:31 states: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Rahab believed God and acted upon that belief. 

Now consider the following two accounts from Scripture:

In Daniel 3 we are given the account of three Hebrew young men who stood for truth. They were ordered to worship an image erected at the order of King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon. However, these young men loved God and were determined to worship only Him.

Daniel 3:16-26: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.” [Bravo young men! This is confidence and trust that is exhibited when we have faith in God.] “But even if” [Note the “even if” not “what if” or anything else that shows a lack of confidence in God.] “he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” [They had no fear of death.] 

“Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual” [Still, these young men stand firm in their trust in God, even if it means death.] “and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.” [Personally, I don’t think they needed to be tied up.] “So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers” [What a lack of caring for people on the part of the King.] “who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,” and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.”

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire.”

This account reveals the power of God. His power over death. His power over whatever tactics evildoers want to employ against God’s people. However, we know for certain, that God does not always deliver from the hands of evil. “Even if” He doesn’t, God’s people have the assurance that we are safe for all eternity in His loving care. The body may be destroyed, but our souls and spirits live on in the power and authority of God Most High.

Can I help you work through a tough situation?  Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK!!!

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Though we do not always know why we suffer, God’s word provides us with some of His purposes for the trials, hardships, and suffering we experience.

From Genesis to Revelation, God is conveying His plan and purpose for us. 

In Genesis, we understand that God created Adam and Eve. He provided an amazing garden for them to enjoy. He gave them one rule: Genesis 2:16: “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

God gave the first people the opportunity to live in harmony with Him. They chose to break faith with God, to rebel against Him, by choosing to eat from the tree they were simply created to admire.

With that one act of rebellion, all descendants of Adam and Eve would also rebel against God. But Godalready had in place His plan to provide a way for that chasm between us to be bridged [“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”]. 

Jesus Christ is the answer. He is God’s one and only Son.  He, in collaboration with the Father, provided the way for us to have a living relationship with God: John 6:29: “Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Since there is this chasm, and God has a plan to enable the chasm to be bridged, He needs to get our attention. One way He does this is through suffering, trials, etc. When people are hard pressed, it often results in that person seeking God. He alone is truly all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere. To choose not to seek God is never a profitable option.

1 Peter 1:6-7 states: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Suffering has purpose. It is our choice to allow our suffering to prove our faith in Christ is genuine and to build our relationship with our Creator God or not.

God also purposes to create a Christ-like character through our suffering: Romans 5:3-5 states: “… we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” 

Suffering has purpose. It is our choice to allow God to use our suffering to build Christ-like character or not.

Experience has taught me that trials are God’s way of protecting me from making a decision that would be detrimental to me. The trial preoccupied me in such a way that I didn’t have time to act or speak with regards to another situation. It wasn’t until later that I recognized God’s intervention through the trial.

Suffering has purpose. It is our best choice to allow our suffering to open our eyes to see God’s involvement in our lives.

It is easy to praise and worship God when we are not threatened by a trial or hardship. But God wants us to praise Him and worship Him in the midst of our struggles. 1 Peter 2:9-10 shows that God desires for us to praise Him: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Suffering has purpose. It is our choice to praise and exalt God’s Name in the midst of suffering.

Each morning it is my practice to kneel before God. I find that when I’m in the thick of a trial, this is the best place for me. I fight with wanting to take some action to resolve or deal with the trial, instead of taking the time to kneel before my Maker, but God reminds me that on my knees is the best place for me.

Suffering has purpose. It is our choice to take time to kneel and pray to God in the midst of suffering so that He can speak to our hearts through His Holy Spirit and His word.

Hebrews 12:5-11 tells us that discipline (which may come through suffering) reveals that we belong to our Heavenly Father. It is a means of identification with Him. Hebrews explains that earthly fathers discipline their children, and our Heavenly Father is the perfect Father, so He will discipline us, with mercy and grace.

Suffering has purpose. It is our choice to allow suffering to correct us and identify us with our Heavenly Father.

This is a quote from something I read: “The third thing is the conquering grace that he provides, “the way out” that is always present, never failing. What is that way of escape? It is dependence. Discipline is necessary, but so is dependence. All through the Old Testament the heroes and heroines of faith have taught us that in the hour of testing God strips away all human support so that we may learn that he is enough. “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble” (Ps.46:1), and we will never discover that until everything else has been taken away. Then we begin to discover that God can hold us steady. He himself is the way of escape, and that is why he puts us through pressures and testings.”  

God often stated to the Israelites, through His prophets, that one reason for their discipline was for others to know that He is God. The Israelites failed to magnify God to the other nations. They adopted the ways of the world rather than adhering to the God who had delivered them from Egypt and gave them their land.

Suffering has a purpose. God will be magnified. He gives us sufficient grace to work through the challenges [See 2 Corinthians 12:9.]

Are you having a challenging time seeing God’s purpose in your trials, hardships, or suffering? I would be happy to pray with you, and listen to you.  Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

Have you ever considered the influence others have had on you, especially as it relates to knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior?

Before I committed my life to Christ, we had family members who professed Jesus as Lord and Savior. However, their lifestyles were similar to mine. These so-called Christians were committing the same sins as I was. They failed to model what true faith in Christ looked like.

Once I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus, God, through His Holy Spirit, began to convict me of my sin. I sought to be cleansed of all unrighteousness. 

God is always faithful to cleanse us of unrighteousness when we confess our sins. It is promised in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The condition in this promise is that we confess our sins. That means that we must accept the responsibility for our sins. We then need to be honest with God as we confess to Him our guilt. His Holy Spirit will relieve our hearts of the burden that sin cast because Jesus bore the burden. All praise and glory to our great God.

When we confess our sins to God that may be the only action necessary. However, if our sin impacted someone in such a manner that we need to make the situation right with that someone, we must ask the person’s forgiveness. This action goes a long way in portraying what faith in Jesus looks like.

When God’s people take responsibility for their sins, it goes a long way towards others showing how great our God is to us. Isn’t that what we want others to understand? We want others to come to the knowledge of how great our God is, how forgiving He is, because we all need His forgiveness. 

When God’s people have wronged someone and fail to apologize and ask forgiveness that can cast doubt on Jesus. As God’s people we represent Him. It is our responsibility to represent Him well.

Consider God’s words to His people, the Israelites, given to His prophet, Ezekiel, to deliver:

Ezekiel 36:16-21: “Again the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.”

Do you see how God’s people had cast doubt on the character and person of God in these verses from Ezekiel? Do you see how God held them accountable for that behavior? What steps might you and I take so that we walk humbly with our God, rather than profaning His name in any way?

As a follower of Jesus Christ it is my privilege to have an intimate relationship with Him. As a result, I don’t want to cast any doubt about Jesus’ love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, compassion, power, wisdom, knowledge, and so much more. 

When I fail to exalt Him, I confess my sin to Him, and because of Jesus’ cleansing blood I am able to continue without condemnation. Romans 8:1 assures me of this truth: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

If you are living under condemnation, you can be released through a relationship with Jesus. Do you want to live in true freedom? Freedom only comes through Jesus. Freedom will never be found in amassing worldly wealth, obtaining a worldly position, or in having people as friends who are esteemed by the world. 

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you would like to talk about a living relationship with the Lord.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.

The online dictionary defines relinquish in this way: “Cease to keep or claim (something); give up”.

My greatest desire is to have God rule my life every moment of every day. I know He is abundantly able to make every decision for me. His decisions will only benefit me. So why do I still fail to relinquish everything to Him? Why do I continue to keep or claim any decisions, when I know He only has the best for me?

I know it stems from pride. I know that my pride will be something I have to deal with every day of my life until Jesus takes me from this life and into eternity with Him.

But God wants me to walk humbly with Him. Since humility is a theme in Scripture, I know that God will help me in my quest to honor Him more each day. When I consider my character from 5 years ago, I know that God (not me) has changed me for the better. 

This time in my life has had more tumultuous activity than I ever had at any time in the past. But God has helped me through it. I know this because I sleep peacefully at night, when in the past I would have been in turmoil.

But I know I have so much more to relinquish to God and that it is good for me to do so.

I know I need to be unoffendable – humble. I’m experiencing God giving me the ability to rest in Him when people treat me unkindly. It is also helping me to hold my tongue so that I am less offensive to others.

Recently I scratched the side of my vehicle. Obviously I was not happy about it. No one needed to tell me it was my fault. It was. I knew it. I knew it would cost to fix it. But God gave me peace about it. Later, someone saw me who knew about the accident. The remark that was made caused me to have to deal with my pride and to relinquish being offended. The person called me “crash”. Of course, this person thought it was funny and when I didn’t laugh, I was the one at fault.

I had to fight from being offended. I did nothing to cause unkind words to be spoken to me. God knew. He comforted me and encouraged me. This made me stronger for the next unkind remark that would come my way. It will come. Jesus warned us that we will have troubles in this world, and many of them stem from people’s unkindness.

When I am offended, I think it’s because I’m still too full of myself. Do you know people who are so full of themselves that everything has to be their way? I want everything to be God’s way, don’t you? I know some people may think I’m always trying to get my way, but God knows that is not the truth.

How can we help one another to walk in the light, as Jesus is in the light? Walking in the light helps us to relinquish our lives to God and to be unoffendable.

These verses help spur me on to relinquish myself to my great Lord and Savior, Jesus:

1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” We can only have true fellowship when we are walking in the light. 

Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Bible reveals God to us. It reveals Jesus and His Holy Spirit. It reveals God’s plan for people. It reveals His character. It reveals what sin is. It reveals so much that we cannot understand it all in a lifetime.

Ephesians 5:8: “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” 

1 John 2:9-11: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

John 8:12: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

How do I walk in the light and relinquish the darkness of my former sinful lifestyle? God’s Word shows me the way to walk humbly with Jesus. Throughout the Bible God clearly outlines the manner of life we should be living for Him. In order to live for Him we need to relinquish our ungodly thoughts so that His thinking becomes ours.

God’s people need to allow the Spirit free rein within us so that we can walk in His light. 

What does the Bible have to say about who the Holy Spirit is and what he does?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. God is One and God is three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It’s a truth we cannot fully grasp with our finite minds. 

He is Spirit. We do not see Him, but those of us who have an abiding relationship with Jesus experience His work in our spirits, souls, and minds. 

The Holy Spirit can be grieved. In the same manner that the sinful behavior of a child grieves a parent, God’s people can grieve the Holy Spirit. Consider what Ephesians 4:30 states: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Romans 8:26: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

John 14:16: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever.”

These are just a few verses from the Bible that help us begin to understand the Holy Spirit and His work in and for people. He helps us relinquish our prideful selves so that we can exalt our God through Christlike behavior.

What is God helping you relinquish today? How do you think this will strengthen your relationship with God?

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com for any questions regarding God.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!

Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.

Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.