Victor is defined by the online dictionary as: “A person who defeats an enemy or opponent.”

Victim is defined by the online dictionary as: “A person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.”

As I considered the meaning of these two words, I realized that only two letters make a major difference in the meaning of the word, and how we view ourselves. Victim is focused on us, with the ending “im” it reminds us of the word “I’m. Victor is focused on Christ, and His work for and in us.

Christ is the only One who can turn our lives around.  He can make us a victor – over our sinful selves, and where we may have been a victim at the hands of the sins of another.  All praise and honor to Him!

On the cross Jesus defeated the enemy of our souls, the one who made us victims of sin because of the temptation Adam and Eve succumbed to in the garden. 

But God changes all that when we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for the payment of our sins. 

The realization that we are no longer a victim often takes time to manifest itself in our lives. But God is always at work to make His victory real in our hearts and minds. He has provided us with His indwelling Holy Spirit, when we are His children, who works in our hearts and minds to help us change our thinking from that of being a victim to being a victor.

The following verses provide us with some insights into how God does this work in His true followers:

Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” God starts by giving us a clean heart. This is not due to anything we can make happen. It is all because of Jesus, and what He did in paying the penalty for our sins when He willingly went to the cross, and was separated from His Father, after living a perfect life of obedience to His Father while in this world.

John 1:12: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” We gain the title and position of victor because God deemed it so!  It can’t get any better than being God’s child!

God tells us what our part is in this process of living as a victor, and not as a victim:

Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We need to participate with God as we assume our role as victor.  It is a position that He has already provided. It is not anything we can earn, but it is something we cooperate with His Holy Spirit in as he does His work in us.

How do we “renew” our minds? Colossians 3:2 provides guidance for that process: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” This is certainly not as easy as it sounds. At least for me, I find my thoughts straying to earthly people and situations far more than is beneficial for me. But God helps me to return my thoughts to Him.

In Colossians 3:16 Paul provides further instructions for this renewal process: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” It is not only a private matter, but it is a corporate matter – when we gather with others who have a true relationship with Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 we are given additional guidance for dealing with the lies the enemy of our soul tosses at us, wanting to keep us in victim mode: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” We must take every thought and see if it aligns with the Word of God, and if it doesn’t, we must toss them out of our thinking.

While we are daily reading God’s Word, taking time to be in communication with Him, and in vulnerable fellowship with other Christ followers, 2 Corinthians 4:16 tells us what God is doing for us: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Additionally, God promises to set us free in John 8:32: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jeremiah 29:11 provided God’s people, the nation of Israel, with a promise that He would be working for their future benefit. Ultimately, Jesus fulfilled that promise: “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.”

God desires that we rest in Him, and His promises. He is always working to bring us from being victims, being held captive by sin, into His kingdom where we live as victors.  All of this is due to His mercy and grace!

All praise and glory to our great God!

Do you still feel as if you are a victim to your own sin or the sin of another?  If so, please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com so we can talk.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

What do you believe about eternity? It is crucial that you have a Biblical understanding of eternity. 

God teaches us in the Bible that He is eternal – having no beginning and no end. Psalm 90:2: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

God also teaches us that there is an eternal destination for everyone. 

Those who love Jesus, and have a relationship with God because of Jesus, will spend eternity with Jesus in the New Heaven and the New Earth (Revelation 21-22).

But God also tells us in the Bible that there is an eternal destination for all who reject Jesus. That destination is a realm without the presence of God. It is difficult for us to understand what that will be like because from Adam until today we have always had God’s presence with us, through His Holy Spirit, and through Jesus, when He lived on earth. 

These verses provide thoughts on the eternal destiny of those who don’t have a living relationship with Jesus: Luke 16:22-23: “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.”

Do you know for certain, without any doubt or reservation, that you are spending your eternity with Jesus?

What might “mess up” your eternity?

As I pose that question, the first truth I want to make certain you understand is that when you have a true relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus, by the power of His Holy Spirit, you can never lose your eternal destiny – spending your forever with Jesus.

However, people often believe they have their eternal destiny with Jesus in place. 

But God may not see it that way.  Please consider these words Jesus spoke: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”. Luke 7:21-23

These folks Jesus spoke to were messing up their eternity. What was the problem?

Lack of obedience to God’s commands – that was the problem!

Consider the verses that followed the above words spoken by Jesus:

 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Luke 7:24-27

God is “The Rock” we build our lives upon. Any other manner of living this life is foolish, and compares to building a structure on sand.

God, through His Word, His Spirit and through people (Jesus’ followers and even the unsaved), attempts to convict us with regard to our sins. It may be about gossip, being deceitful, sexual immorality, or some other specific sin. The reason God is concerned with us confessing and repenting of our sins is because the lack of doing so reveals that we are messing up our eternity, and a life of sin will lead us to eternal separation from Him.

It’s not that God is mainly concerned about us getting out of the sin. His concern is much deeper than that. His concern is that we are going to live our eternity separated from Him.

God desires that no one perish. 

God desires that every person come to the place of knowing, loving, and obeying Him.

2 Peter 3:9 states those truths this way: “The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Amplified Bible

What is repentance? 

The Grace and Truth Study Bible makes this statement regarding repentance: “Repentance is a change in a person’s attitude toward God that impacts one’s actions and overall direction in life.”

Repentance is turning from our incorrect view of God, to a correct view of God, and what He thinks. When we exchange our wrong, ungodly thinking for Biblical thinking, our actions adjust with that change, and we are repenting.

A lack of repentance for known sin is a real problem. Should this continue, we need to beware that we may be messing up our eternity.

Is there a sin you are well aware of that you are not willing to take action on so that you are in a right position with God? Why would you risk messing up your eternity? 

Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about having security in your eternal destination.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

Beginning with Adam and Eve, people have found reasons to attempt to excuse sinful choices. After all, they are only excuses that can never take the place of truly confessing sin and repenting.

Genesis 3:1-13 provides us with the first excuses for sin:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”  The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.”  The first excuse for sin was to satisfy the desire to enjoy something Eve felt she deserved. She also chose to excuse her disobedience to God because she thought she would benefit from the wisdom she might gain from eating the fruit. I believe that Eve felt God was holding back on them, that He was not giving them everything they needed, or deserved. It was all about Eve. When we make it all about us, we are in very dangerous territory.

The truth is, God provides what we need for sustenance, wisdom, and everything else. God knows all, so He provides all we need. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14

“She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 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.” Notice Adam’s excuse to sin, someone else made him do it! It is far too easy for us to think that we can pass the responsibility for our sin onto someone else. 

But God doesn’t see it that way.

Romans 6:23 reminds us that there are grievous consequences for sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Notice in this verse how the woman attempted to use the “ pass the responsibility for my sin excuse”? 

Without Christ coming into our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are helpless to make the changes necessary so that we accept responsibility for our sin. The Holy Spirit then enables us to confess our sin to the Lord. God then facilitates our repentance. 

1 John 1:9 reminds us of God’s willingness and faithfulness to cleanse us from our sin: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

With that promise of forgiveness, comes this promise for eternal life with our great God: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Have you made that step of faith, by God’s grace, to humbly submit to Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If you have not, what is holding you back? This is the greatest and most urgent choice you can make.  If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, how are you working to not make excuses for your sin?

We have many blessings in our relationship with Jesus. Our obedience is blessed by God. We have every reason to choose to obey God. 

Hebrews 6:10 provides some insight into God’s awareness of what we do, and how He responds to us: “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.”

Some other excuses we come up with to disobey God:

How about Moses’ excuse of inadequacy? Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” Exodus 4:1 But God didn’t allow Moses to back away. God always equips His people when He calls them to a work for Him.

Taking Scripture out of context is also a popular way to condone sinful behavior. 

Rationalization is a common way to excuse one’s sin.

Women often attempt to use their hormones as an excuse for sinful outbursts and improper behavior.

You might attempt to dismiss Scripture’s commands for holiness thinking some of them are outdated, written only for people who lived in Jesus’ day.

Some people choose to sin because of fear of the reaction truth will bring in the person you speak truth to, so a lie is spoken instead, or silence when truth should be spoken. This means the person fears people more than they fear displeasing God. Isaiah 51:12-13: “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day.”

Minimizing our sinful choices is another attempt at excusing our behavior. 

All of these, and more, are insults to God, and the gift of His Son, Jesus. Jesus, who paid for our sins on the cross, deserves for us to address our sinful behavior. 

There are many reasons why we can excuse our sin, but God is waiting for us to run to Him for help to not sin, and to offer forgiveness when we do sin.

God provides grace and mercy so that we can run from sin, and when we do sin, He is holding out His hands, running to us to offer forgiveness. This is the picture Jesus gave of our Heavenly Father in His parable of the prodigal son.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to not make excuses for our sin, but instead to quickly bring the temptation to sin to you for the power to flee from it, and when we sin, to accept responsibility for it by confessing it and repenting. Thank you.

Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about a relationship with Jesus, and what it is like to walk in the truth.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

It can be challenging today to determine who is telling us the truth. You have probably heard phrases such as: “You have your truth and I have my truth.” or “There is no truth.” There are other sayings similar in meaning, which are attempting to make us believe that there is no solid ground for us to base our life upon.

But God doesn’t agree with that thinking. In fact, the Lord Jesus clearly stated: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” [John 14:6]. 

Therefore, in order to determine the truth from a lie, we must become increasingly familiar with the Bible, also known as the Word of God. 

The Bible is timeless.

The Bible applies to every living person.

The Bible is God’s communication to people.

These are some of the truths the Bible states:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever…” –Hebrews 13:8

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19

“For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm 33:4

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it.”  Psalm 139:14

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” Proverbs 12:22

“The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;” Zechariah 8:16

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’” Genesis 1:27–28

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:6

 “Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.”  Leviticus 18:22

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” Proverbs 6:16-19

These are only a few of the truths we find in the Bible. What have you learned as a result of reading the above verses? What changes might you make in your life as a result of what you have learned?

As you spend more time studying God’s Word, you will discover many more that apply to your life.

We can know the truth, and God’s truth does set us free! Will you commit to spending more time in God’s Word than you do in reading other materials and/or watching TV? If you choose to do this, what blessings do you expect from God?

Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about a relationship with Jesus, and what it is like to walk in the truth.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

What is a sign or indication of strength to you?

These are a few verses on what the Bible states about strength:

Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Strength is not about what we in and of ourselves can work up, but it is a blessing from God. He is the One who makes us strong.

Isaiah 41:10 further drives home this truth: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” It is the presence of God in our lives that brings strength. After Jesus ascended to His Father, He sent His Holy Spirit in order to provide the strength we need. He, with the power of God in Him, indwells us. 

1 Samuel 16:13 provides evidence of the power of God: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.” 

Acts 1:8 provides further confirmation on the power we receive from His indwelling Holy Spirit: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 instructs us to seek God for strength: “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”

In Exodus 15:2, Moses and the people of Israel recognized God as the source of their strength: 

“The Lord is my strength and my song.”

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, the Apostle Paul made this statement regarding strength and weakness: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What Paul is saying to us is that it is true strength comes in utter dependence upon God. When we rely upon the Lord, His Spirit works in us in such a way that what the world may see, what we may this is weakness, is truly strength. It is opposite of how we think in our humanness. But God wants to reveal Himself to us, and that is best accomplished when we put aside our bravado, and allow God to work in and through us.

The world will view this as foolish. The world wants us to be independent of God, but that is not true strength. 

True strength admits we cannot handle life without the Lord.

True strength admits we are inadequate in and of ourselves.

True strength admits we need God.

True strength comes when we put aside our pride, and humbly seek God for everything.

True strength waits upon God to lead, guide, protect, and for all else we need.

Have you humbly sought God for His gift of eternal life? That is the first step to strength. If you have not yet submitted to God as your Lord and Savior, what is holding you back from this lifechanging, lifegiving work of God? 

Once you take this step, and have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you begin your journey of God helping you find true strength in Him, and not in yourself.

How might this look in our lives? We become people who are dependent upon God’s people, the Body of Christ. We interact with each other in ways that we edify one another in Christ. We allow people to really know us. We help others, and allow them to help us.

Do you know someone who has difficulty in accepting assistance? What do you think is at the root of that behavior? What do you think that person is missing out on from God?

Additionally, self-confidence and boasting are two more indicators that a person is missing out on knowing and experiencing God’s love and strength. They are further examples of pride. Pride is like poison. It destroys life. It is better to admit our inabilities than to continue in arrogant behavior.

I would like to hear from you about how God has strengthened you, as you humbly relied upon Him.  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

Why would a child be told to “stay out of the weeds”? 

That exhortation would be given to protect the child from unseen dangers, possibly even death if one doesn’t find his or her way out of the weeds.

In the Bible Jesus refers to weeds in some of His parables. The weeds represent evil, as in the following:

Matthew 13:24-28: “He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’”

As I considered this, I wondered about the “weeds” in my life.

I believe that weeds are those thoughts that distract me from hearing the voice of God. 

Weeds can be thoughts that drag me into fear, despair, being critical of others, etc.  

Weeds can keep me from hearing the voice of God, because I have created my own scenarios of how others will react when I say something, so instead of hearing God’s guidance to help others I pull back and do nothing.

Weeds could be called “what if” thoughts, and once we start down that road, the errant thoughts often snowball, and we lose sight of where we started. We easily miss the opportunities to help others in the midst of the weeds we’ve created.

I recently read a child’s book entitled “The Whatif Monster”. A little boy was stymied by all those what if weeds, until the end when he turned the whatifs into positive outcomes. Why do we always create whatifs with negative outcomes instead of positive ones? Especially as a person who follows Jesus, I should always go to the positive thoughts, expecting God to do amazing things as I follow Him. 

Please note, I’m not talking about positive thinking. I’m referring to thoughts that produce a good outcome. For instance, I can whatif regarding a friendship. I can say, whatif she doesn’t like me, or whatif God gives us a great and lasting friendship.

Far too often my weeds create negative outcomes, but God wants to use me for His kingdom’s purpose in the lives of others, so I need to let go of those negative what if weeds.

Because Jesus is The Author of my life – Hebrews 12:2: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – I can trust Him to help me stay out of the weeds, and to walk with me through all life’s challenges.

As the Author of my life, He has the right to have written my story. Since He does only good, never evil, I can trust that His story for my life is best. Why would I want to deviate, and attempt my own chapters? I do, unfortunately, sometimes veer from His script. It never works out the way I expect, because I don’t have the power to bring about the good that God can do in my life, and in the lives of others. 

Jesus’ ways are always best. How do you live your days – God’s ways or your ways? How might you be contradicting God’s plans because of spending time in the weeds?

As a Christ follower, I have God’s Word, utilized by His Holy Spirit to help me disengage and untangle myself from my weeds.

The more time I spend in God’s Word, the less likely I will stray into the weeds. I’m working to keep myself increasingly focused on the truth of God’s Word, and less on people’s opinions. Spending time with God in His Word as I begin my day is a necessity for me to keep the weeds out of my life. 

Taking time to talk with God throughout my day is another vital weed preventative. Offering thanksgiving throughout my day helps me to have a grateful heart, a heart tuned to the work of God in my life. Worshiping God with praise songs throughout the day is also another tool in my weed prevention tool box. Significant time with fellow Christ followers each week is another must that helps me pull the weeds out of my thinking, as well as being active in my local church.

Staying out of the spiritual weeds is a necessity, so the hidden snake can’t attack me!

All of this is necessary so that I can decrease, Christ can increase. Then I can be the vessel He wants me to be so I can share His love, His amazing eternal salvation, with those who have not yet made Christ their life. 

What are the weeds in your life keeping you from doing effectively, and being the recipient of God’s blessings for obeying?

Is Jesus your life? If not, why not join me out of the weeds of the evil one, and find the satisfaction now, and for eternity, in the perfect plans Christ has prepared in advance for us?

It would be my privilege to talk with you about your relationship with Jesus and/or the weeds in your life.  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

Invest is defined by the online dictionary as: “to put money, effort, time, etc. into something to make a profit or get an advantage.”

As I’ve pondered what it means to invest, and considered that in light of eternity, it leads me to realize that the most profitable investment is to invest in the Lord and the things of His kingdom.

This world, this life, is flawed because of our sinful choice to rebel against God.

But God, through Jesus, provides us with the opportunity to choose to invest in what matters to Him.

What does it look like to invest in God and His kingdom?

It begins with our repentance, our sincere confession to God that He is everything, that we are nothing without Him, and that we are sorrowful over our sinful state, and that He alone has the remedy to our situation. We commit our life to Him, and live for His pleasure, and we are blessed incredibly!

SELAH [That is a Biblical term, generally meaning for us to pause and consider what has been said.]

Now that you’ve paused to consider the truth of the Gospel, that Jesus alone could, and did, pay the penalty for our sins, how have you responded to that truth?

If you have already made a commitment to Jesus, then what are you doing now, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today, because of your commitment to Jesus? How are you investing in His kingdom?

Let’s begin with financial matters:

In Luke 12:33-34, Jesus instructs us to: “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

If you look at your use of finances, it will provide you with a trail to where your heart truly relates to God and the world. What might God be saying to you as you consider this?

2 Corinthians 9:6 is a verse often quoted: “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

The truth of sowing and reaping applies not only to our finances, but to everything we have in this life. God owns everything [Psalm 24:1: “A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”].

He lends to us our homes, vehicles, clothing, food, money, etc. We have a responsibility to invest these resources for His glory, for His kingdom’s growth and purposes. As we do that according to His will, we are blessed….now and for all eternity!

All of this requires that we must retrain our hearts and mind. Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The Bible is our resource for retraining our worldly thinking into what matters to God. This is not something we do on our own power, but it is something we must do in cooperation with God’s Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:13: “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.” Amplified Version

Whom should we invest in? We are called to invest in the people God brings into our lives. He will make it clear as we seek Him, and abide in Him.

Acts 20:35 states: “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Our human desire is to want for ourselves, but God tells us that when we belong to His kingdom, we must be generous to others.

1 John 3:17 challenges us to a higher level with God than the world dictates: “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

How are you investing in others with the resources God has given to you? If you have an extra bedroom, and someone needs a place to stay, how hospitable are you with that resource? If you know someone needs a ride to work, how willing are you to invest your time and the costs involved in using that resource God has entrusted to you to help that person?

1 John 2:15-17 are additional verses that challenge us to retrain our mindset: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

God’s people want to invest in His kingdom, because this world is not the end.  There is an eternal future for everyone, either with God, or separated from Him. How we live our lives reveals where our true treasure is.

We invest in God’s kingdom when we share the Gospel message, the Good News, with others.

I’m grateful God has pulled me from the fate I deserve, being eternally separated from Him. 

I’m grateful God works in me to help me invest in His kingdom, His people, for His glory.

I’m grateful God is giving you this opportunity to repent of your sin, and to follow Him, so you can have the opportunity to invest in God’s kingdom.

God is in our world now, actively working through His Holy Spirit to lead people to Himself. Everyone has some experience with God, though most people deny that truth [Matthew 5:45: “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”] No one knows how grievous it will be for those who choose to reject Christ, but the Bible provides some information regarding their future, and it is horrific. 

Matthew 10:28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 25:41: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Revelation 14:11: “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Will you choose Jesus today if you have not yet done so? If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, will you make a greater commitment to Him today to invest with all you have for His kingdom?

Only investment into the kingdom of God will bring lasting value. Another way to invest in God’s kingdom is to help others retrain their minds through the study of God’s Word. How might God want you to do a study with one or more people?

As God’s people seek Him, He guides us so that we know how and what He wants us to invest ourselves and our resources in for His kingdom. Why not ask God, now, what His plans are for you?

I’d love to hear from you on how you are investing in God’s kingdom.  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

Last writing I began our look at Ephesians 6, and the armor of God. Now we will look at each of the pieces of the armor God provides for His people so that we can stand firm in our faith, living in Jesus’ victory accomplished on the cross.

These are the components of our Christian armor:

Belt of Truth: 

Consider why a soldier would wear a belt. It would hold his armor in place. It sets the tone, so to speak, for everything else to be well fitted. The soldier doesn’t need to worry about his pants falling down, which would leave him (or her) vulnerable. It also keeps each piece of “weaponry” in place so the soldier knows where to find it. 

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

God provides us with truth. God’s truth is our foundation. It provides confidence. It provides the ability to stand firm in the spiritual battle we are in every day.

Breastplate of Righteousness: 

God’s righteousness fills our heart, and as a breastplate was attached to protect the soldier, it is like the covering God’s people have because of the blood of Jesus. This is not anything you and I can acquire on our own merit. It is a free gift from Jesus, when we commit our lives to Him. Is Jesus reaching out to you today? If so, please don’t linger in accepting His offer of Christ’s righteousness, His upright moral standing is a gift of mercy and grace to undeserving sinners. 

The soldiers’ breastplates were reliable. God is reliable, and no one can take away our righteousness, when we belong to Jesus.

Do you belong to Jesus? If not, please contact me so we can discuss this eternal decision.

The Gospel of Peace fitted on our feet: 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth of God’s salvation. Jesus paid for our sin with His life. His death satisfied God’s just wrath for our sins. His resurrection proves His power over death, and the devil. 

It is the Good News – the best news we can ever have. 

God’s people have the privilege to share the hope of Christ with others, and as we share the eternal hope only Jesus can provide, we are also encouraged and filled with excitement for the hope we have in Jesus. He has “fitted our feet” with His Gospel so we can offer this to others.

The Shield of Faith:

A soldier’s shield protected him from his enemies. It was generally large, and covered his body so that the fiery darts (actual darts with fire on their tips) of the enemy could not find their way to the soldier’s vital organs. Our faith “shields” us from the tactics of our enemy. 

When Satan wants to discourage us, get us angry, make us feel insignificant, etc., our faith, guided by God’s truth, guards our hearts, and provides us with encouragement, self-control, and value. Our value comes from our relationship with Jesus, which comes through faith.

The Helmet of Salvation:

A helmet protects one’s head. God’s helmet of salvation protects our minds from the lies of the enemy. 

Instead, we are filled with joy and peace from the Lord that the world does not understand. When we ponder the depth of what God’s salvation means, we can withstand the enemy’s tactics, because we know we are cherished by our Creator God.

Our salvation, our eternal life with Jesus, was accomplished by our most powerful God. Jesus proved, at the cross, that no one is more powerful than He is. Do you believe this? 

Our spiritual enemy wants us to doubt Jesus, but God wants us to stand firm, not wavering in our faith, and the gift of His mercy and grace.  If you have doubts, what is the basis for your doubt? I’d be glad to discuss your doubts with you! You can reach me at the email below.

The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: 

What does a sword do? When utilized by a soldier, it cuts and punctures. God’s Word does that for us. Hebrews 4:12 helps us further understand what Paul is teaching: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In 2 Timothy 3:16 we have further clarity on the uses for God’s Word: “All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]” Amplified Version.

You can study the full 66 books of the Bible for further instructions, and words of encouragement, so that you can stand firm in your faith. 

In Matthew 4, Jesus stood firm using the “sword of the Spirit”, God’s Word, when Satan attempted to waylay Him. But God brought Jesus through victoriously. Jesus stood firm, and He will enable all His true followers to also stand firm in their faith in the living God.

These are amazing tools God provides for His people so that we can live well in this life, so that we can stand firm before we meet Jesus and spend eternity with Him. 

They enable us to keep our guard up against the pitfalls the enemy, our flesh, and the world can lead us into.

Paul reminds us of the significance of prayer in Ephesians 6:18: “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.”

Prayer is a powerful tool God provides for His people. Please do not underestimate the privilege of being able to talk with God directly, and to hear from Him through His Word and His Holy Spirit.

We must not forget where we are going for all eternity – to spend it with Jesus. Wearing our armor well will help us from getting too occupied with where we are now. This will protect us from running after the pleasures of the moment, which lead to sin, which is part of the spiritual battle.

Dress well, with God’s armor, and experience His victory in the battles of this life!

Is there a part of God’s armor that you have left in your “closet”? Will you make a diligent effort to dress yourself well in God’s protective gear so that you can stand, and stand firm?

Do you have questions about the points made in this writing?  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about Jesus, and/or what you have read.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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 recently finished a study in the book of Ephesians. God, through Paul, sends His people a valuable message, that will enable us to maintain our guard against dishonoring the Lord, and protect us from falling prey to sinful behavior:

Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Our strength comes only from God. Anytime I think I am strong enough to deal with the chaos of this world, I’m headed for a fall. Proverbs 16:18 reveals this truth: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

How do we find strength in the Lord? We must follow the instructions in Ephesians 6:11-13: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Paul’s warning leaves no room for debate.

“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.” This can be a challenging truth to accept, but it is consistent with all of Scripture. James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  2 Kings 6:15-19: “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.”

“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.” God provides us with armor. We must participate by “putting on” the armor God has provided on a daily basis.

Why would Paul use the picture of armor?  This would have been something the early Christ followers could relate to, in their war ridden world. We are also able to relate to this passage.

What does armor do for us? Armor provides protection. Paul uses the picture of a soldier, who wears all the proper armor so he or she can stand firm in the Lord in the battles of this world. Christ’s followers can consider themselves soldiers in God’s army, and soldiers must put on their armor. Consider 2 Timothy 2:3-4: “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”

Please note, Paul wants us to understand that there is a spiritual realm. That spiritual realm consists of good and evil. The evil spiritual realm wants to trip God’s people up, causing us to dishonor our great God and Deliverer. 

But God provides what we need for that to not occur. God wants us to be able to stand firm in our faith, as we lean into and abide in Him. God’s people must utilize the tools He provides.

The evil spiritual realm is behind the suffering we experience in this life. The acts of violence, unkindness, etc. may be done by a person, but Paul wants us to “look through” (in a sense) the living people who mistreat us into the unseen spiritual realm that is “behind the scenes”.

That is where the real battleground is. God is Spirit. The evil forces are spirits. God provides spiritual weapons for this battle.

Once again, Paul exhorts his readers to stand firm in Ephesians 6:14a: “Stand firm then, etc.” When something is repeated multiple times in God’s Word, we must take notice. I believe that Paul’s exhortations to stand firm are to warn us that if we fail to put on our armor, we will fall. The only way to stand firm is to heed the instructions in this passage.

Paul began the description of the pieces of armor in Ephesians 6:14b-17: “…with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Please consider these verses, and next week’s writing will look in more detail at each piece of armor.

What battle do you find yourself in at this time? Are you standing firm, or slipping into the hands of the “prowling lion”, who wants you to leave the safety of Christ? 

1 Peter 5:8 warns us of this danger: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” As long as God’s people abide in Him, and remain in the sheep’s pen of our Good Shepherd, we are safe, but when we leave that place of safety, we are in dangerous territory.

If you are not a true follower of Jesus, what is holding you back? It is the most urgent and important decision of your life. 

I want to talk with you about Jesus, and having the eternal hope He provides.  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about Jesus, and/or what you have read.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, and prior to His ascending to His Father, He spent time visiting people on earth. Not only did He provide proof of His bodily resurrection through these visits, but He also spent time preparing His followers, His disciples, for the next step in their lives – life without Him in bodily form.

Jesus would provide His Holy Spirit, and promised that His followers would be equipped by His Spirit to do many works for His kingdom. John 14:12: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

The following section from John’s Gospel retells the events of one of Jesus’ meetings with His disciples:

John 21: 1-14: “After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

According to this passage, seven of Jesus’ apostles were together, waiting for His arrival, according to His instructions in Matthew 28:7: “Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

To occupy themselves, they chose to go fishing, something familiar to them.  As the events are retold in John 21, after a night of fishing, their net was empty. But God had a plan for this that would drive home lessons they could rely upon for their future work for Him.

As Jesus began his interaction with the fishing apostles, He began with a question – His general practice with people.

He asked if they had any fish, and their answer was no. Jesus provided one instruction, and the men listened and obeyed. This interchange was sufficient for John to recognize Jesus! 

Earlier, in John 10:4, and John 10:14, Jesus provided confidence that they would know Him: “…his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” And “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” We see from John 21, that was true.

Once the apostles cast the net according to Jesus’ instructions, their net was filled with a large catch, 153 fish. That in itself was amazing! But God saw to it that their net did not even tear.

There are a lot of theories on the number 153, but that is not my focus. I want us to remember the actions of Jesus on behalf of His followers.

Jesus met them, exactly as He said He would.

Jesus showed them how to be successful in what they were doing.

Jesus provided such a large catch of fish, that they would have been in awe of Him.

Jesus was prepared to feed and nourish them.

In all of this, we see that Jesus cherishes His own, and provides for the needs of those who love and follow Him. 

Jesus was showing them that He would be the One providing all they needed once He was gone.

Jesus was showing them that He was the One who would direct their work for success, they simply had to follow His instructions through His Holy Spirit.

Jesus was showing them He is all knowing, as He knew where the fish were that could be caught. 

Jesus will do all of this, and more, for those of us who love and follow Him. He wants us to rely upon Him for all aspects of our lives and work for His kingdom. That work takes place in our homes, neighborhoods, families, extended families, medical visits, shopping, workplaces, schools, etc. 

153 fish were enough to blow the minds of His apostles! Similarly, Jesus wants to do the extraordinary in our ordinary lives, also. 

Will you allow Him to guide and direct your life so that you experience His extraordinary ways in your everyday life?

It starts when you confess your need for Jesus as Lord and Savior, willingly submitting your life to Him, and follow in obedience. If you do not have a personal love relationship with Jesus, I would like to talk with you.

Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to share how Jesus has worked in an extraordinary way in your life, or if you want to talk about a love relationship with Jesus.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to 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.

Copyright 2024 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.