The best way to know God intimately is through His Word. And to do that, I personalize the scriptures where and when I deem appropriate. For example, I change second and third-person pronouns to the first person; I insert my name and others where suited, making the Word a personal conversation between the Lord and me.

Make it personal.

Here are a few samples:

Because [Paulette] has set [her] love upon Me, therefore I will deliver [her]; I will set [her] on high, because [she] has known My name. ¹⁵ [Paulette] shall call upon Me, and I will answer [her]; I will be with [her] in trouble; I will deliver [her] and honor [her]. (Psalm 14-15 NKJV)

Cast all your anxiety on [Me] because [I care] for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

Fear not [Paulette], for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

For God has not given [me] a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)

Trust in [Me] with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge [Me], And [I] shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

 

As a result of personalizing the scriptures, I feel closer to God; my faith strengthens; His presence is undeniable when I hear Him talking directly to me about the circumstances I present to Him.

Make It Personal!

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Even if we are oblivious to its impact, it doesn’t change the fact that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous stirs up a mighty force of power. From an earthly perspective, that amount of energy ignites and sets the law of cause and effect into motion, and on a spiritual level, it invokes faith. Therefore, our prayers have creative potential; however, the devil wants us to think they are of no effect—when they really availeth much.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16b).

What happens when all that power is released?

After I finished praying the other day, the enemy came immediately to sprinkle doubt, but the Lord dropped this into my heart: When the righteous pray according to My will—it’s backed by My Word, and My Word will not return to Me void; it will accomplish what I please. (Paraphr. Isaiah 55:11.)

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:

(1 Peter 3:12a).

However, the devil will try and persuade you to doubt what God said as it applies to your circumstances; but when (not if) that happens, don’t think those negative thoughts through, but immediately fortify yourself in the Word; or if time is of the essence, just say: Lord, Help!

To the enemy’s dismay, God hears the prayers of the righteous, and their effectual fervent prayers availeth much, and there’s nothing the enemy can do to change that.

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

A little bit of faith can turn this world right-side-up, and Satan knows that. That’s why he has many believers thinking they don’t have enough power on demand to move the “red seas” they face. With that misconception, the enemy can keep them worried about their problems and program them to concentrate only on what they can’t do instead of what God can do with the bit of faith they have.

Think about it; it wasn’t Moses who split that sea for the Israelites to cross; God did that—Moses was only the duct for the power to flow through. As a matter of fact, Moses doubted that he had the wherewithal to do what the LORD was asking.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exdous 3:11 NKJV)

Even though we can accomplish mind-boggling acts with a little bit of faith, that doesn’t mean we should become satisfied at that rudimentary level and not work to grow our trust in God; what it does mean is we shouldn’t fall prey to the disabling trap that our little faith can’t move mountains.

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” ⁶ So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you (Luke 17:5-6 NKJV).

If you want king-size faith, continue to work on growing spiritually by spending alone time in God’s presence—listening to what He has to say, reading and studying His Word, praying, and obeying Him.

BUT in the meantime—confound Satan by getting the most out of your little bit of faith.

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Since light casts out darkness, God equipped His church to be that beacon of Light the world needs. Therefore, believers should not be shocked or overtaken by this world’s evils but see those times as opportunities to display the Holy Spirit’s brilliance they carry within.

God didn’t give believers a laidback stress-free assignment; that’s why He fortifies His people with everything they need to go into the enemy’s camp and, by faith, be victorious. But, sad to say, too many lights have been compromised and hidden under bushels.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16 KJV).

Believers shouldn’t be perplexed as the world about these wicked times.

Believers shouldn’t be awestruck and frozen with fear about these wicked times, for who else can do the job? Unfortunately, the world thinks it has the answers to everything and thinks everyone, including the church, should follow its dark path. However, that’s not how God set it up; it should be the other way around.

Think about this:

• Believers are shielded with God’s armor. (Ephesians 6:11-18)
• Believers have the unparalleled power of the Holy Spirit within them. (John 14:16-17)
• Believers have access to God’s wisdom. (James 1:5)
• Believers know the Truth. (John 8:31-32)
• Believers doing the work of the LORD are surrounded by a heavenly host ready to charge. (Psalm 91:10-12)

I’m sure you get the point about who should be leading the world. And since God has His people stationed worldwide, the earth should be glowing with Light. But, for the most part, the gospel of Light is hidden under bushels, and darkness prevails.

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

⁶ For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6 KJV).

Is your light hidden under a bushel?

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Sometimes we think we’re walking by faith, but to be honest, we have a few fallback strategies tucked away—just in case. But then there are those times when we can genuinely say, “Lord, if you don’t, it won’t happen.” That level of dependency humbles us and puts our faith where it belongs—in God’s abilities. Do you think young David relied on five smooth stones when approaching Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior? (1Samuel 17:1-51)

When faith speaks . . .

A lady shared with me a time when she spoke with the same confidence David had when he told Goliath, “The LORD will deliver you into my hands; then I’ll cut your head off.” The woman continued telling me about when she and her four children had no money and were hungry.

Mother: Set the table.

Children: What are we going to eat?

Mother: I don’t know; set the table.

Children: What for? There’s no food.

Mother: Just set the table.

During that exchange, a stranger knocked on the door.

Stranger: Are you the lady of the house?

Mother: Yes.

Stranger: The Lord told me to give you this.

The man handed her an envelope with enough money to feed her and her children for the next few days.

Another true example of when faith spoke was when a minister and his wife had no food or money. One day when dinner time was approaching, his wife started putting three empty pots on the stove.

Minister: What are you doing?

Wife: God will provide.

Not long after the empty pots were on the stove, a chef from an upscale restaurant, who they knew, came to their house unannounced with bags of food already seasoned and ready to be fired up from his overstock: filet mignons, potatoes, and vegetables. The only thing the wife had to do was put the blessings into the three pots and cook.

Total dependency develops faith.

 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

² My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2).

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Do you have the courage needed when life’s circumstances demand your faith to walk on the outer edge? Do you have the courage to look foolish to a world full of harsh, judgmental criticisms and still do what thus saith the Lord? In other words, do you have the courage to do faith?

Faith takes courage!

Faith is the means through which God’s immeasurable power is released into our hands. Satan knows that our faith can alter the kingdom of darkness’s agenda. So, of course, it pleases the enemy when we allow him to box us in a state of immobilization. But think about it; nothing is impossible for God—the omnipotent One; therefore, when we walk with Him, expect and be ready to make some bold moves.

They dared to do faith!

For instance, Moses, Jeremiah, and Gideon lacked confidence in themselves but placed their uncertainty in God’s hands and stepped out on faith. However, their trust didn’t happen overnight; they developed a relationship with God—they knew Him; they entrusted their entire being to His care.

• Moses said to God, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15, NIV).
• Once Gideon was convinced he had heard from God, he told his men, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands” (Judges 7:15 b, NIV).  
• Jeremiah gave God all kinds of excuses for why he couldn’t do what the Lord asked. But he submitted, and God told him, “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.“ (Jeremiah 1:17a, NIV)

We can see these men had reservations like many of us; nonetheless, they had the courage to do faith.

Do you have the courage to do faith?

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We are all God’s creation but not all His children. The promises in the Bible that comfort our souls and feed our spirits are for His children. We can claim the promises when we accept God’s Son as our Savior.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)

 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the ^]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12 NKJV)

Some promises identify the recipients with phrases like “My children” and “My people,” and others imply they’re meant for God’s children. That’s why we must read the surrounding passages to know who the Lord was referring to when He made the promise. Yet, today, many claim these privileges without meeting the eligibility.

A friend of mine respects the Scriptures, even though she doesn’t think the Bible is the final authority over other spiritual teachings and that there are various ways to come to God other than through Jesus—but feels entitled to the promises. When facing difficult circumstances, she affirms, “Be still and know I Am God,” or in battle, she declares, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”

Sometimes, it’s not a faith failure—but a power failure.

The Holy Spirit dropped this into my spirit: A person who claims My promises without accepting My Son is like admiring an unplugged lamp on a table. Without it being connected to electricity, it’s just a beautiful powerless lamp. The same is true about the Scriptures; they are aimlessly spoken when not connected to the power Source.

What can the world offer in place of promises like these?

• If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7).
• I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5 b).
• And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

The devil has deceived many into believing they can claim the benefits without accepting the Son; on the contrary, the promises are for God’s children.

Are you a child of God?

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

We are commanded to have unwavering faith, but how effective is our faith when the enemy floods our minds with fears and doubts leaving us not quite certain how things will turn out? Will uncertainty cause us to miss the mark entirely?

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (James 1:6-7).

I asked God that question, and this is what He dropped into my spirit. He said it all boils down to trusting Him. When we genuinely trust God, the outcome doesn’t matter—whatever fears seize our minds, our certainty lies in His love and that He will do what is best on our behalf. It’s like signing a blank check over to Him, “Thou will be done.”

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Trust builds steadfast faith.

It’s improbable that we will trust a stranger with our valuable keepsakes. Therefore, developing an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit is vital to building steadfast—unwavering trust. The more one-on-one time we spend in His presence and acknowledge Him in all our ways—the more we learn about His character and love for us. However, this won’t be accomplished overnight; forming this bond requires understanding God experientially through His faithfulness. Cultivating our relationship with the Holy Spirit shouldn’t be sporadic events but a way of life.

When I was a little girl, my father and I played a game where he would tell me to jump into his arms while I stood on a high surface. As scary as that was, it never crossed my mind he wouldn’t catch me. So likewise, with absolute certainty, we can jump into the arms of God—He will not let us fall. There’s no reason to be uncertain when we place our faith in the certainty of God.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6)

 

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

Not saying it’s easy, but there’s no better test of our love for God than when we choose obedience over temptation. These temptations can range from flagrant egregious acts to subtleties like not spending one-on-one time with the Holy Spirit. However, we’ll never know if our love is absolute or conditional until it triumphs over our self-will.

Our love for God keeps our self-will in check.

Of course, the devil studies our moves; he knows how to tempt us by pressing certain impulse buttons and who to get to pull the triggers. His strongholds are vice-grips; he plays for keeps. But we mustn’t fall for his deceptive tactics as Eve did in the garden; news flash, he’s still serving the same menu—death.

But thank goodness, we don’t have to fight these battles alone. Instead, God has given us an Advocate—the Holy Spirit, to help us resist the enemy’s temptations, giving us the faith to say, “No, not my will, but thou will be done.”

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Does your love for God triumph over your self-will?

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

We’re in God’s purview, wherever we are and in whatever state of being we find ourselves. His range is absolute, which includes the scope of our hurts, cares, and failures. The LORD’s eyes are over the righteous, and His ears are opened unto their prayers (Psalm 34:15). He lifts His children when they fall; He’s there when they humbly seek His help.

Father, I stretch my hands to thee,
No other help I know;
If thou withdraw thyself from me,
Ah! whither shall I go?

                                                    -Charles Wesley

The other morning at about two o’clock, my sleep was interrupted by, you know who—the devil. It took me an hour to obey the Holy Spirit, who prompted me to get a pillow, get on my knees, and reach out to Him.

When I finally rolled out the bed, I started praying, did the ugly cry, and blew my nose profusely when I felt a release; something broke in the spiritual realm. I have no idea about the particulars of the matter; all I know is the heaviness I felt dissipated and was replaced with adulation.

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

However, waiting that hour before I obeyed the Spirit allowed the agony to continue and the joy and praise that comes when God reaches down—to be delayed. Oh, what needless pain we bear; lyrics taken from “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph M. Scriven.                                                      

                                                        What a Friend we have in Jesus,
                                                         all our sins and griefs to bear!
                                                         What a privilege to carry
                                                         everything to God in prayer!

                                                          O what peace we often forfeit,
                                                          O what needless pain we bear—
                                                          All because we do not carry
                                                          everything to God in prayer.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

^{Aah, When God Reaches Down!}

¹⁴ The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. (Psalm 145)

© 2023

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

Go ahead—cast 2022 cares; God can simultaneously handle your problems and everybody else’s multiplied by forever. He promised to sustain His children, so why not release 2022’s burdens and receive a 2023 faith increase?

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Sometimes we forget the Holy Spirit is with us to guide and comfort us through life’s burdensome circumstances. We can place the heaviness of our anxieties on Him; there’s no weight He can’t hoist. Therefore, in 2023, we can lift our eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh our help. Our help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2 paraphrased).

Yes, there are times when the Spirit will allow us to travel down unforeseen dark roads, but those are teachable moments that shine a light on His grace, mercy, and faithfulness; God will always provide us with His divine support. He said to call upon Him, and He will answer; He will be with us in trouble and will deliver us. (Psalm 91:15 paraphrased).

Casting cares take effort.

God has already made arrangements to help us—so why not take Him up on it and cast the troubles? We can’t stop unpleasant impressions from entering our minds, but we can control what to meditate on and mull over. When rogue ideas try to invade our thoughts, think about something else (see Philippians 4:8 for suggestions). Or recite Scriptures contrary to the stronghold, or if one doesn’t come to mind quickly enough, keep calling the name Jesus until you feel the peace of His presence.

Before the world existed, God knew about every aspect of our lives, including the troubles we bore in 2022—He wants us to cast the cares and receive a faith increase in 2023.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

After you’ve done all God told you to do concerning your prayer request, watch what He will do on your behalf. That’s what the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart the other morning about a prayer I had been laboring over for years; He let me know—you’ve done all; now praise Me and get ready to see a demonstration of My power.

My all wasn’t perfect—but it was my best.

It’s not unusual to become weary and anxious when waiting to see even a glimpse of our long-awaited prayers coming to fruition. But we must know when our prayers are in God’s will, and we’ve done everything He asked us to do, not to find it strange that the validity of our faith will be tested—in the wait.

Prove your faith in God to the devil and yourself.

It’s easy to say we have faith when not being pushed into a corner of adversity. But when the devil takes advantage of our impatience and prods us into going on wild needless pursuits to make things happen on our own, we must stay the course, complete what the Lord instructed us to do concerning the matter, and continue to stand on His Word. Whenever we don’t respond to the enemy’s ploys, it strengthens our faith and brings our relationship with God closer.

Sure we get tired, but after done all—be still and let God take it from there.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

God’s complex plans could be mistaken as faith failures when prayers aren’t answered in a “timely” manner or if the answers come in some obscure unrecognizable form. But, then, some prayers involve circumstances with deep entanglements, which must be addressed before we see any results.

For instance, a whole chapter in our lives or another person’s life might have to be completed before the answer comes, including lessons to be learned and experiences to be experienced.

God is concerned with our souls maturing in Him, so He will allow us to travel through the wilderness, “off-beat” paths to grow our trust in Him. And that—Might Take a Minute!

Trust God; He has His reasons for doing what He does.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

If we only think linearly, A______Z, we miss God’s best.

Joseph’s remarkable life illustrates a perfect example of one of God’s complex plans in action. Read his life story in Genesis 37—50. Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him to slave traders. But what’s so beautiful is that even though he endured hardships—twists and turns, ups and downs, God blessed Joesph through the whole complicated plan to make him ruler of Egypt.

What you’re facing might not be a faith failure—you could be involved in one of God’s multifaceted plans to get you where you need to be.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV).

©  2022

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

I’m sure you’ve heard, “it’s a small world,” although the population is almost eight billion, I wouldn’t call that a teeny gathering. But here’s what’s so incredible, as many people as there are, we are all connected somehow; our actions affect each other like falling dominos. So, therefore, it’s foolish to think we live in isolation—me, mine, and no more.

God knowing our self-absorbed nature is probably why He mystically joined us. The sooner we realize our favorable and unfavorable actions affect one another and that what we sow, we will reap—the better we’ll be; perhaps a few boomerangs delivered to our front door could clarify the point. With that in mind, Luke 6:31 could be interpreted as a cautionary notice—treat people how you want them to treat you.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them (ESV).

How often have we triggered distress in another person’s life by making decisions without thinking beyond our desires that our choices could adversely impact someone else’s well-being? That usually happens when we don’t adhere to God’s command to love one another. It doesn’t matter if people live on the other side of the ocean or next door; we are all linked together.

… thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

³¹ And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).

Am I my brother’s keeper?

In Genesis 4:1-9, after Cain murdered his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was? Cain arrogantly responded, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

If the LORD asked us about our fellow man, would we give the same flippant answer?

©  2022

See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

A tsunami of hatred has unapologetically overshadowed earth; sticking our heads in the sand and hoping it will dissipate isn’t the solution. This evil is bold and will undoubtedly continue and strengthen if gone unchallenged.

Don’t wait on your heart; love intentionally.

One of the main reasons for this upsurge of hate is partly due to the mistreatment and injustice we have bestowed on each other. People are talking about how bad things have gotten; they’re praying for God to intervene. But He has empowered the church with His Holy Spirit to combat wickedness.

Unfortunately, the world doesn’t have a clue what to do; the good news is that the church does. She knows God is the only answer and that her job is to LOVE purposefully and indiscriminately.

… thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

³¹ And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).

Goosebumps don’t have a monopoly on love.

But to be honest, loving everybody, including our enemies, seems unrealistic, even for some believers. However, we’re making this harder if we only define love through warm affections. Don’t wait on your heart to tell you who to love; just do good by people.

Do acts of kindness deliberately until your heart catches up.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35).

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

The truth spoken from a hateful heart is unlikely to be heard; the venom whipped up eclipses the message causing the listener’s defense mechanism to kick in—their attention is focused more on dodging the fiery darts headed their way.

Pardon me—your hate is showing.

People think their deep-seated prejudices, jealousy, and other malicious works are hidden by speaking the truth, but their evil, ungodly motives manage to ooze through. So, if hurting is their intent and the truth is the weapon of choice, they’re shooting themselves in the foot.

But for now, I’ll focus on the unsuspecting perpetrator who innocently isn’t aware that their heart houses so much wickedness and is causing so much harm.

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man (Colossians 4:6).

Deep cleanse daily!

Like our sink pipes, our heartstrings become corroded when neglected. However, unlike the pipelines in our homes, the heart must be flushed out daily by the Holy Spirit. Only He can thoroughly search and locate deep-seated rot. We must do as David, who prayed for God to search his heart.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

(Psalm 139:23-24)

Our ongoing personal time with the Holy Spirit keeps the love flowing as He transforms us into His image. It’s a foolish mistake to think we can maintain our hearts clear of contamination in this polluted-corrupt world without the Spirit pointing out our shortcomings and for us, to do daily maintenance. As a result, the truth is digested better when spoken from a loving heart.

© 2023     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

What can the world offer in exchange for an intimate personal relationship with God? Our first response is probably a resounding—NOTHING! But not so fast; think about it for a minute; this bartering occurs more often than most realize. For instance, do we deprive ourselves of getting closer to God for the things and pleasures of this world? Judas did—for thirty pieces of silver.

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-15, NIV).

For us today, thirty pieces of silver can be interpreted as:

• The time we aren’t willing to sacrifice to learn and know God better. (Phil. 3:7-8,10)
• The wants we aren’t willing to forgo to be obedient to the Word. (Galatians 5:19-21)
• The vengeance we aren’t willing to release for God to handle. (Romans 12:19)
• The people we aren’t willing to love. (Matthew 5:43-45)
• The pride we aren’t willing to surrender for humility. (Proverbs 29:23)
• The faithfulness we aren’t willing to abide by during difficult times. (2 Timothy 4:7)
• The lies we aren’t willing to disclose for truth. (Proverbs 12:22)

When Judas realized what he had done to Jesus, he gave the silver coins back to the chief priest and elders, saying: I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. Then, Judas cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, departed, and hanged himself. (See Matthew 27:3-5.)

Thirty pieces of silver enticed Judas—what amount will tempt us?

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

I know it seems like evil is taking over, but fret not because of evildoers—for they shall be cut down like grass. Put your faith in God, knowing that He has people around the world who are not bowing to wickedness—but are standing uncompromisingly strong for Him. (Ref. Psalm 37:1-3)

Evils like, but not limited to:

• Extortion
• Falsehoods
• Immorality
• Cruelty

Has God ever come up shorthanded?

Elijah made the mistake of thinking he was the only one who had not replaced God with false gods. But God revealed to Elijah that He had 7000 who had not bowed to Baal. That same revelation applies today. Each believer is just one of a multitude of warriors.

Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him (1 Kings 19:18, NKJV).

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Some of the wicked think they can circumvent God’s commands by referencing His name and citing a few Scriptures, unaware the Lord laughs at those who plot against the righteous, for He sees the day of justice coming. Even though the wicked have drawn out their swords, their bows will be broken, and their swords will enter their evil hearts (ref. Psalm 37:12-15). In other words, the wicked will fall prey to their own schemes.

Therefore, Satan and his minions are deceived if they think they can be victorious against God’s army. So, don’t lose heart in well-doing—stay encouraged, and by faith, wait expectantly on the LORD to set wrongs right.

Are you one of many not bowing?

© 2022     

   See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.