But God…

We need a healthy view of our own sinful condition. When we truly understand what the Bible teaches about sin, we will have an increasing understanding of the gravity of our sin. Romans 3:23 states: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.

When we understand how sinful we are, we will better understand our need for Jesus’ atonement. When we understand the magnitude of Jesus’ atonement, we should have a heart of gratitude toward God. 

That gratitude is reflected in how we react to the sins of others. Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Since we are forgiven, when we have a living relationship with God through Jesus, we should be people who forgive others. Matthew 6:14-15 does not give any qualifiers for forgiveness. It is a blanket expectation that we forgive because we have had our many sins forgiven.

As I was contemplating my sinfulness, I asked myself the following questions: How do I react to the sin of others? How does the Bible call me to react to the sin my fellow believers commit? Do I have indignant anger? Is that a righteous way to respond to the sin of others? Is that my pride? Shouldn’t I, instead, respond with humility and gratefulness to God for the forgiveness He offers each of us? Shouldn’t I be grateful for the mercy and the grace God has shown me? 

Please, take time to ask yourself those same questions. What is God showing you about His forgiveness for your sins, and how you react to the sins committed by fellow believers?

I believe the Christian community has lost sight of how horrible any sin is. Sin is rebellion against our perfect, holy, righteous, and just God. As forgiven sinners, we are not to condemn ourselves over our sin. But Godexpects us to have an accurate Biblical view of our sin so that we recognize our need for Jesus. Daily we should express our gratitude to God for His forgiveness of our sins.

Without the understanding of our need for Jesus’ reconciling work on the cross, we would end up being separated from God for all eternity – that is the worst part of 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.”

We live in a world that is attempting to remove the word sin from our vocabulary. That is extremely dangerous. A healthy view of sin will help God‘s people understand the depth of His love and forgiveness offered in the gospel. The greater we understand God’s love and forgiveness, the more enthusiastic we become in sharing the Good News.

What is the Good News? The Good News means people who are separated from God and destined and doomed for hell can be reconciled to Him because of Jesus’ work on the cross. Jesus’ death paid the penalty for ALL sins. Jesus’ resurrection proved that death has no hold on Christ’s followers.  Through Christ we have eternal life.

A healthy view of our sin will lead us closer to God.

A healthy view of our sin should also change how we view others when they sin. That will be discussed further in next week’s writing.

Is Jesus Lord and Savior of your life? If not, why are you holding back from making a total commitment to Him? 

Can I help you with this? 

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.

Below is a passage from the book of Acts. It is a familiar passage. It is a passage that provides us with a glimpse of the mighty power of God, and how He incorporates His angels into our lives. It is a passage about the unexpected!

Acts 12:5-19: “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” [Note they were in earnest prayer. We don’t know what they prayed, but I would have asked God to please intervene miraculously.] 

“The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.” [A great example of what it looks like to trust and rest in the Lord in the midst of our challenges.]

“Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.” [Interesting!] They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.” 

“Then Peter came to himself [It appears from these words that God had done something to keep Peter from putting his own thoughts into what was happening with his release. Peter did not need to be distracted, but to simply obey the angel.] and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” [What an amazing experience of God’s power on Peter’s behalf. God has not changed.  He can still do miraculous deeds on our behalf.]

“When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” [We can chuckle at Rhoda’s not opening the door, but how many times might we do something similar?]

“You’re out of your mind,” they told her.” [Hadn’t they just been praying for God to help Peter? Why would they not believe the answer came in such an amazing way? I would think they would believe and have faith the next time they were told of a miraculous act by God! Do we expect God to do miraculous acts on our behalf? Are we ready for the unexpected from God? Why or why not?

Rhoda wouldn’t give up. I don’t know why she didn’t simply let Peter in! “When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.” 

I’ve read this passage countless times before, but it was the following words that caught my attention:

“In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.”

I believe that had Peter not been in some sort of stupor as the angel was leading him out, he may have been sidetracked by the thought of the execution of the guards. He would have understood that execution was their fate for his escape.

But God didn’t want that to happen. 

God’s plan was to use Peter to proclaim the Gospel to many.

This doesn’t mean God didn’t love those soldiers. It doesn’t mean they didn’t have the opportunity to make a commitment to God that would have immediately ushered them into His presence at the moment of their deaths. After all, they had heard Peter’s words. We don’t know, but I would presume Peter would have encouraged them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

No one expected Peter to walk out of that jail cell and disappear that night. The guards were not expecting to die the next day.

None of us knows the day or hour we will be called from this life.

Are you ready to meet Jesus? He is the only way to eternal life. Without Jesus you will end up separated from God, in Hell, for all eternity. 

Please, don’t miss this opportunity to make a true commitment to Jesus. 

If I can help you turn your life over to Jesus 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.

As I consider the people I know, I see challenges everywhere I look. My own life has many. But God has been kind enough, and mercifully gracious, to help me handle these challenges the best way possible. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 comes to mind as I consider God’s hand in my life: “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.”

From the Apostle Paul I learn that being weak and reliant on God are the best way possible to deal with life’s challenges. Actually, it is the best way to live every day.

The problem is, we just don’t like the hard things of this life. Satan’s scheme to derail God’s people includes the lie that we should have the easy life now. But God tells us in His Word that what is coming when we are with Jesus forever will bring what we long for – life without struggles. 

In the meantime, there are reasons for the struggles we experience now. 

We struggle because we [through Adam and Eve] chose to rebel against God. But God is patient, and has given us the means, through His help, by His Spirit, to navigate this life’s challenges.

I also find that God allows rough circumstances because of me. I have rough edges, ungodly values and thoughts that require God‘s work and refinement.  It is for my benefit that someone speaks to me in a harsh manner. I’m not saying they are right. I’m saying that I need God‘s work in my life and the way He is going to do it is by means of that harsh person. 

Psalm 119:71 states: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”

I have a choice in how I respond when someone is harsh and unkind towards me. My response will give me a measure of where I am with Jesus. Jesus was never harsh, no matter what was said to Him. He was direct with truth. I want to be like Jesus. There is an amazing sense of peace when I don’t respond negatively when someone speaks unkindly to me. 

Some may call my response weakness, but I call it strength in God!! Since God is the one who will give me my final review, I want to pass His test, and not succumb to people’s low standards.

Is your heart hurt over a situation? Perhaps your trial is unkindness toward you from others? Maybe your trial involves a number of situations that make you feel as if you are spiraling out of control. 

What might be the best way to deal with those things that are torturing our hearts? 

Remembering Jesus‘s words, His promises, and acting upon them. We should avoid reacting and overreacting to the situation. 

Consider these promises, and how they might help you work through your struggles, the best way possible:

1 Chronicles 16:34: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

We are instructed in Mark 12:29-31 as follows: “Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

I find that focusing on others, sharing the gospel while serving others helps me to take my focus off of myself and my cares. I find that though the circumstances may not change, I am changed by the power of God. 

I find the best way possible to handle my rough times is to fix my eyes upon Jesus, remember His promises to care for me, now and forever. After all, this life is a very short stay compared to the eternal life with Jesus that awaits me.

If you would like to talk about handling life’s challenges well, 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.

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14

I have a list of characteristics of God. When I need reassurance, help, forgiveness, and encouragement, I can run to my list and praise God for who He is!  My favorite aspect of His character is that He is the great “I AM”!

God’s “I am who I am” is referred to as the tetragrammaton. The original Hebrew language did not use vowels, and certain vowel sounds were utilized to pronounce words. Modern Hebrew has added vowels. God’s people knew Him as Yahweh. They shortened it to YHWH, the great I AM.

What does it mean that God is the “I AM”? 

It reveals that God is self-sufficient. He does not need us, nor anyone, but has chosen to bring us into existence so that we can glorify Him, and have fellowship with Him. It is a distinct privilege to know God, through Jesus, and to have an intimate relationship with Him. Do you have a true relationship with our great God? If not, why not? If so, how do you find joy in your relationship with Him each day?

It reveals that God is transcendent. Transcendent means He is beyond the existence of our realm. He is grander than we can understand. But God has chosen to make Himself known to us. He lowered Himself, through Jesus, to let us be a part of His kingdom, when Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

It reveals that God is immutable, unchanging. We need to change, because our sin nature can wreak havoc in our lives. When Jesus is our Lord and Savior, His Spirit works in us to create His character in us. 

God has no sin nature. There is no evil in Him. He doesn’t need to change. He is already the best He can be. We are not yet the best we can be. But God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins, and to lead us in His Holy ways.

It reveals that God is self-existent. We are unable to exist without God. We may attempt to deceive ourselves that we can be self-existent, self-sustaining, but we cannot produce even the breath we need to live for one moment. 

It reveals that God is eternal. He has always existed. He doesn’t say I was, but I AM!

Most people are familiar with the I AM statements recorded in John’s Gospel. But God has revealed Himself as the I AM throughout Scripture. In the following verses we learn many aspects of the great I AM:

Genesis 6:13: “So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.”

Genesis 13:17: “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

Genesis 15:1: “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Genesis 17:1: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.”

You can do a word search through an online source to find several more references to God as the I AM.

How does knowing that God is the great I AM, self-existent, transcendent, immutable, eternal, and so much more, help you today, and for every day?

If you would like to talk about God’s majestic greatness, 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.

God’s kingdom is made up of all people who love Jesus, who can humble themselves before Him, confess their sinful state, and ask for His forgiveness. God’s kingdom people look forward to Jesus returning to earth. What a glorious day that will be for those who belong to His kingdom, but an awful day for those who have rejected Jesus for their own desires.

Are you a member of God’s kingdom?

How do you know this based upon the Word of God?

You can know for certain that you belong to Jesus. His indwelling Holy Spirit will work in you in such a way that you cannot deny His existence. You will be a changed person, and increasingly so as you spend time reading the Bible, talking with God, and obeying what you learn from the Bible.

The following passages point out more ways the kingdom of God operates in and through His people:

Matthew 19:29: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”God’s people will want Jesus more than any other person. These verses are not an excuse to leave your family, but indicate the commitment to Jesus, even when the other person is not committed to Jesus. God’s kingdom people seek Him first, His righteousness, and trust Him for everything else.

Matthew 20:25-28: “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus came as a “suffering servant” to be an example to His kingdom people on how we should live our lives. It is certainly not a popular message, but it is a Kingdom of God message. God’s kingdom people humble themselves, not looking for worldly advancement through prideful positions. We are His servants, therefore, we work hard, are kind hearted in our leadership roles, while denying ourselves for His kingdom purposes.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10: “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” The apostle Paul wrote these words. He had a deep understanding of the ways of God’s kingdom. All of his effort went to upholding the glory and honor of God. His life, after He accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior, was filled with challenges and difficulties because of his effort to share the Gospel. Please note some of the ways God’s kingdom people live according to this passage: servants, hard work, purity, patience, kindness, sincere love, truthful speech, etc. All of this was not something he did on His own, but by the power of God, with “weapons of righteousness”. 

God sets the standard high, but enables us to rise to it in His power. Where are you at with aiming for God’s kingdom standard? Paul reminds us of the source of that power in this passage:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “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.”

The following passage highlights how God’s kingdom people live for Him, shown by how they care for one another:

Acts 2:42-47: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

God’s kingdom people devote themselves to God’s Word.

God’s kingdom people devote themselves to true fellowship, not just socialization.

God’s kingdom people share in remembering and celebrating the Lord’s supper.

God’s kingdom people share their possessions so that every person has housing, food and clothing.

God’s kingdom people are generous.

God’s kingdom people join together in worship, praise and evangelization.

God’s kingdom people are hospitable.

God’s kingdom people experience His favor.

God’s kingdom people share in the Lord opening hearts and minds to Himself.

God’s kingdom people are forgiving, merciful and gracious.

God’s kingdom people find their fulfillment in Him, and not in the people and things of this world.

God’s kingdom people live with hope, because Jesus will return.

These are just a few of the ways God’s kingdom people live for the Lord. 

Are you a member of God’s kingdom? If not, why would you be reluctant to commit yourself to Jesus?

You only have everything to gain by turning to Jesus, and everything to lose by refusing His offer of eternal life.

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you would like to discuss God’s kingdom.

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’s kingdom is vastly different from what we live and experience each day.  

When you become a member of His kingdom, it is necessary that we understand what might be called “the rules of engagement”.

The following Scriptures help us to understand what the kingdom of God is like…

Matthew 5:30-45: 

“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” People who belong to God’s kingdom are drastic in their measures to flee from whatever can cause us to sin. Sin is not something taken lightly. God’s kingdom people recognize and appreciate all Jesus has done for them on the cross. [We understand this better each day.] God’s kingdom people want to sin less. God’s kingdom people are quick to forgive, because we have been forgiven greatly.

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” God’s kingdom people take their marital vows very seriously. Marriage is a picture of our relationship with Jesus. God has much more than these verses for you to dig into for greater understanding of the value and seriousness of the covenant of marriage.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” God’s kingdom people should not be quick to agree to anything without first prayer, and researching the situation in the Scriptures. We want to be known as people who keep our word. God’s kingdom people want a stellar reputation so that Jesus is visible through us to those who are examining our lives. The world will examine our lives. We will not be perfect, but God will help us to be people of our word.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” When we consider Jesus’ teachings in these verses, we might initially want to bristle and rationalize them away. But God is serious about His kingdom people living in a manner that is opposite of those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus. We will be people who will be mistreated by the world, and we are not to retaliate. Defending ourselves from harm is different. I recommend you spend time on further study of Jesus’ meaning to His kingdom people included in these verses. They include living that is radically different from the world. Jesus was teaching a much deeper spiritual message than the religious community of His day. It is still a radically different message than many in the religious community hear today. But if you want to follow Jesus, His people do live radically different than the world operates.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” The natural inclination of people is to retaliate against those who are unkind, mean, and cruel to us. We want justice! But God is the one who metes out justice. [This is different than justice that a court, led by people who are supposed to be upholding God’s laws, determine.] 

We are to pray in response to the evil of our enemies. Prayer reveals we are trusting and turning the matter over to our great God. Prayer reveals that we want God involved. Prayer is how we connect with God’s power and the work of His indwelling Holy Spirit, when we belong to Jesus. I try to remind myself that prayer is much better than any form of retaliation. That is simply my pride taking over, and I want my pride stamped down. 

God does good and gracious things (giving sun, sending rain) for all people. He sees and knows the evil that comes our way. He authorizes it (see Job). Our response to evil reveals our heart condition. I want my heart to be filled with God’s mercy and grace. What is your heart filled with? What do you want it to be filled with?

God’s kingdom is a kingdom of eternal existence with Jesus as Lord of lords and King of kings. He conquered death, so He can conquer everything and anything that wants to hurt us. At the moment we may not see that, but that is when our faith kicks in. That is when the promises of God come alive so that we center our thoughts on Him, and not on the things of this world. 

Next time I’ll have more verses about God’s kingdom.

Perhaps you might do a word search on “the kingdom of God” in the Bible, and find for yourself more truths about His amazing kingdom, that Jesus ushered in when He came to earth to pay the debt for our sin.

Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com if you want to talk about anything about 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.

As a child growing up, I was regularly told that I was the perfect child, that I did what I was told, etc. This made it difficult for me to dare to be imperfect…in other words, it made it difficult for me to fail, to try something and if it didn’t work out, then to learn from that choice.

The truth is, I will fail. Failure isn’t bad, if I view it as a lesson to learn from my wrong choices, especially if they are sinful choices.

But God has shown me that I am not perfect, and that I will fail. However, when He tells me that I am imperfect, it is not because He wants to shun me, but because He wants me to understand that I am a sinner, and to grow me in His holy ways. It is eternally valuable for me to know that I am a sinner.

As I understand the depth of my sin, I recognize my need for Jesus, My Savior. There is absolutely nothing I can do on my own accord to repair the chasm sin created with our great Creator God.

Recognizing that I am a sinner, has brought me to my knees, causing me to acknowledge Jesus as the One and only great Redeemer. Jesus wants you to understand this also. Once we understand our need for Jesus, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are then on His righteous path, and that is where we want to be.

This can only happen when we humble ourselves before Him:

Matthew 23:12: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:6: “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Daniel 10:12: “Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

As I humble myself before God, I must understand that I will continue to make wrong choices and to sin. I will miss the mark He sets out before us in His Word. I will fail. But God has covered our sins through Jesus’ atoning work on the cross. 

Even when I don’t sin, and I simply make a poor choice, God wants to help me to learn from those choices. Pride can hold me back from daring to be imperfect, from making choices that could actually turn out to be beneficial. 

It is not possible for us to be perfect or sinless on this side of eternity BUT we can sin less often, and learn to make better choices. When we sin, our responsibility is to confess our sin because God is faithful and just, and will forgive us for our past and continued sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

1 John 1:9 states it this way: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

People who confess their sins are daring, because so many people want to judge us for the sins they see us commit. But God wants to forgive us for our sins! He wants to help us, not push us away from Himself.

When we dare to be imperfect, we are risking people being uncomfortable with us because we confess our mistakes and sins. When we do this, it often leads people to be ill at ease, because they know they’ve sinned, or made a poor decision, and they don’t want to admit it.

When we dare to be imperfect, it is humbling. Confessing our error and sins reminds us that we are imperfect. But God is right there with us, to forgive and restore us to fellowship with Himself.

In “Got Questions” there is an article entitled “What is the Meaning of Perfection in the Bible” – this is the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/perfection-in-the-Bible.html

Below is a paragraph from this article:

“As we read in Matthew 5:48, God’s children are called to be perfect. This does not mean that humans can obtain the same holy perfection as God, for He alone is set apart in holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 99:9; Exodus 15:11). The call to be perfect is what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV). As children tend to imitate their parents, God’s children ought to imitate their Lord and reflect His perfection in the way they live.”

As we pursue God, His holiness, His perfection, we will find ourselves faltering in sinful ways. It is necessary that we continue to dare to be imperfect. We confess our sins, make restitution if necessary, and move ahead with God, continuing to pursue holiness. This is the pattern of life for Christ’s followers until the day His people meet Him in eternal life.

The first step to daring to be imperfect, is to acknowledge you are a sinner, and need Jesus as your Savior. Have you taken that step? If not, why not? If yes, how rapidly do you confess and repent of your sin? How quickly do you continue to move forward with Christ, not being held back by the thought that you may fail again? We will fail again.

It is ok to admit we are imperfect. God already knows that, and He still loves us! He planned to save us before we were ever born. He didn’t save us because we are perfect, He saved us because we are imperfect sinners, and He wanted, and still wants to perfect us!!

Praise God for His amazing lovingkindness, His mercy and grace that make it possible for us to become perfect through Jesus.

Would you like to discuss your need for Jesus? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.

At some point you likely played a match game. In order to win a match, you had to find two identical cards. If you didn’t find a match, you turned the cards over and kept trying.

As I was trying to explain to a six-year-old what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, and what it should look like in our lives, I thought about the match game.

The Christian life is like a match game.  Our lives need to increasingly match Jesus’s life and the instructions in His word. This is so that people will see Jesus in us, and want a relationship with Him.

How should our lives match Christ’s, when Jesus is our Lord and Savior?  

Here are some examples:

Believers “match” Jesus when we live in His power, pleasing Him:

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

John 8:29: “And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

Consider what the above two verses share. God’s people, according to Galatians 2:20, live by faith in Jesus. We must be dependent upon Him. This matches how Jesus lived His life dependent and pleasing the Father, according to John 8:29.

Believers “match” Jesus when we live forgiving others, as Jesus forgave us:

Ephesians 4:29-32: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Believers “match” Jesus when we bear fruit as we serve the Lord:

Colossians 1:10: “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Jesus bore fruit for the Lord in every act He made while He lived on earth, culminating in the greatest work of all, His work on the cross to pay the debt for our sins. 

Believers match Jesus when we act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God:

Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Philippians 2:5-8: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Believers match Jesus when we…

…are generous to others, as Jesus is generous with His mercy and grace to us.

…deny ourselves for Christ’s sake, as He denied Himself for our welfare.

…pray for others, as Jesus, in John 17, prayed for us.

…love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

…don’t make idols but keep God first in our hearts.

…honor God with praise and worship.

…honor our parents, and those in authority.

…love instead of hate.

…are truthful.

…are content.

…honor our commitments.

…you can fill in the blank __________.

When we match Jesus, people see Him. He gets the attention. We fade into the background.

When we match Jesus, people want Him. That gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel, to give the lifegiving, life changing, message of the cross. 

The process of sanctification is the process of God working, through His Spirit, in the lives of His people to transform our character so that we increasingly match our loving Savior, Jesus.

But God knows that we cannot do this in and of ourselves. If you don’t match Jesus, ask God to help you become more like Him. God wants to do this work in His people. 

What might be holding you back from becoming more like Jesus?

Want to talk about your hesitancy?  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.

2 Corinthians 5:17 states: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

As someone who has received Christ as Lord and Savior, I recognize that God, through His indwelling Holy Spirit is transitioning my life. I am no longer to walk in my former ungodly ways of life. God is right to expect that I walk with Him with new motives, new desires, and new behaviors – a complete makeover is what I am undergoing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What identifies the lifestyle of a true follower of Jesus?

Repentance – God’s people are to be known for taking responsibility for their sin. We need to acknowledge we have sinned. We need to ask forgiveness from God and people we hurt with our sin. We need to rely upon God’s indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us in repentance. True repentance is a work of the Spirit, not of ourselves.

Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

Matthew 3:8: “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Repentance comes with a promise from God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Repentance indicates that we are no longer enamored with the things of this world, but increasingly in love with God and what matters to Him.

Our new lifestyle comes with suffering. 

Suffering may be God’s way of disciplining us, which is ultimately to build our character. Hebrews 12:6: “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Hebrews 12:10-11 states: “For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Discipline, often through suffering, when we yield to God, will produce holiness and righteousness in us. Those are character traits the world wants, but cannot obtain without a personal relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus.

We truly yearn for the lifestyle Jesus exemplified, but far too often people fail to find it because they will not humbly submit to Christ.

We learn more about our new lifestyle from the following verses:

Ezekiel 11:19: “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” Our new lifestyle comes with a new heart. Our new heart is soft towards God, and what matters to Him.

Romans 6:4: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Our new lifestyle allows us to walk in the manner that pleases God. We have been raised with Christ so once we die in this life, we are with Him forever.

Ephesians 4:22-24: “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Our new lifestyle comes with Christ’s righteousness and holiness. We may still sin, but God sees us through the blood of Christ as righteous and holy! That is amazingly good news.

Colossians 3:9-10: “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Our new lifestyle causes us to become more like Jesus, our Creator!

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.”Our new lifestyle equips us, through God’s indwelling Holy Spirit to have intimacy with our God. Through our intimacy with God, we can know what His will is for our lives. His will is always what is best for us. That is an amazing gift!

1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Our new lifestyle is one of hope. A hope in God that will not fail. A hope that motivates us to follow Jesus more closely. It is a hope that carries us through the trials and darkness of this life. 

God offers us so much in our new life with Him, that the least those of us who love Him can do is to embrace our new lifestyle, and praise God for His goodness to us.

Embracing our new lifestyle means turning away from the old lifestyle. We cannot continue in our former lifestyle and claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

To what degree are you embracing your new lifestyle? Is it significant enough that onlookers can identify you as being one of Jesus’s followers? If not, what changes will you make so that you fully take hold of who God created you to be in Christ?

I’d be glad to talk with you about the new lifestyle Christ offers. 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 used the phrase – “Let’s agree to disagree”?

I think it is very important to consider the context and setting in which we might use that phrase. It is utilized to keep people from arguing, where both parties have very strong opinions on a matter.

I considered it with regard to my relationship with Jesus. Can you imagine saying to our great God, let’s agree to disagree? Yet, perhaps that is what we do when we sin!

What is sin? Isn’t it deciding that what we want is better than what God wants for our lives? Sin is an act of our pride. It is rebellion against God. 

When we sin, aren’t we disagreeing with God? Aren’t we saying that we have a strong opinion, and it is not in agreement with Him?

Consider this passage from Numbers 13:17- 30: 

“When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)” The backstory is that God promised the Israelites they would possess the land of Canaan. After God delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, they followed Him in the desert until they reached this point in their journey. 

Moses wanted to know what they would encounter in the land. The exploration by the twelve Israelite men would confirm God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. 

“So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. that place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.” Can you imagine the size of the grapes described above? A single cluster had to be carried by two men on a pole. Amazing!!

There was more to the report: “But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” This part of the report was discouraging and overwhelming. Why? Because the people did not have their eyes fixed upon God. He promised them this land. God always keeps His promises. 

But God will allow us to disagree with Him. I don’t believe He is agreeing to disagree with us. He is willing to let us learn to trust Him, the hard way. The hard way is the way of sin. This doesn’t mean trusting Him is always easy, but it is always better than disagreeing with God.

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” Joshua attempts to redirect the ungodly thinking. He was trying to get the people to agree with God, and obey Him. “But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” That is likely true. But God was stronger than those who occupied the land. God had the power to defeat the enemies in the land….if only the people would obey Him.

The truth about God didn’t matter to these men. “And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” 

Please read Numbers 14. You will discover the rest of the story. The short version of the rest of the story is that God pronounced judgment on the people for disagreeing with His promise to take them successfully into the land. For forty years they would travel in the wilderness until all in that generation, but Joshua and Caleb, would die. Joshua and Caleb would then lead the people into the land. 

What stood out to me was that Moses and Joshua never agreed to disagree with the people. They stood firm in their disagreement. The others were wrong, and no matter their strong opinion, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb could not agree, because then they would not be standing firm for the Lord. 

There are times when we need to stand firm on our convictions, without giving any credence to what the other person believes. The Gospel is our reason to stand firm upon. It is more than a matter of present-day life or death. It is a matter of eternal life or eternal death. 

The Gospel is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of truth and fact. 

Are you ever tempted to compromise the Gospel, or any other Biblical truth for the sake of getting along? I’m not saying that we should be combative, but that we need to stand firm for all truths found in God’s Word. 

I cannot concede on any aspect of God’s Word. I never want to give anyone the ability to think that I accept what they believe, when it is contrary to the Word of God. 

Jesus didn’t agree to disagree with the Pharisees who challenged Him in His day. He presented truth, stood firm on it, and verbally chastised them for rejecting His words.

What about you? How firmly planted are you in standing for the Gospel, and the complete inerrancy and accuracy of God’s Word.?

If you don’t have this steadfast determination, please reach out to me so we could talk: 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.