Author: Victoria Nicodemus

My name is Victoria Nicodemus :) I'm a mother, artist, writer, PROUD Texan, and follower of Christ Jesus! Welcome to my new website/blog https://abideinhope.com I'm so glad you stopped by.

The REAL Question Is; Who’s YOUR Daddy?!?

First ask the Lord what His will is for your life and step into alignment with THAT, then when faced with some insurmountable task… just ask yourself “Who’s YOUR Daddy?” 

When challenges and obstacles SEEM overwhelming, ask “Who is YOUR Daddy?” 

When you don’t feel strong enough, smart enough, or capable of doing what’s in front of you for lack of WHATEVER.…ASK THIS QUESTION, “WHO IS YOUR DADDY?!?”

…because I promise you HE IS ENOUGH, He is ABLE, and there is truly NOTHING BEYOND HIS POWER, so proceed with THAT confidence.

Not with who you are, or what you can do of your own power, but of WHO’S you are…and what He’s able and willing to do for those who love Him.

What ever the challenge, no matter how daunting, say these words out loud;

“MY FATHER NEVER FAILS!” 

 

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March 24

excerpt from “Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“To ‘commit your works to the Lord’ is to ‘roll’ into Him all your plans and schemes. It means to come to the place where you are willing to trust yourself and your future TOTALLY to His keeping, watchful care.

Before you and I became Christians, we learned self-preservation from the world system. Before conversion we thought we had to depend upon survival instinct based on human cleverness and native ingenuity. It is quite a transition from ‘Look out for NUMBER ONE’ to ‘The will of the Lord be done.’ To get self-will to God’s will takes quite a bit of doing. This verse placed in the Bible was to help us make the necessary adjustments to our attitude and actions.

Rolling your plans and activities onto the Lord can be done only when you are convinced that He is more interested in your happiness and well-being than you are.

…He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and so shall your plans be established and succeed. 

Your thoughts are the equivalent of your plans, aims, objectives, hopes, and desires. Turn your future over to the lord 100 percent, and then you can know that your plans will succeed. It’s a paradox: hold on too tightly and you lose, release the Lord and YOU WIN! Try it!”

~Dick Mills

 

 

Spiritual Blindness

I have become accustom to living in the Lord’s presence, and hearing from Him through out each and every day, however there are times when He goes silent.

At first I find it odd, then after a day or so I try to rationalize that maybe He has nothing to say, but eventually I have to face the fact that there must be something that I’m doing or not doing that is causing an interference; a breakdown in our communication. 

Scripture tells us that HEARING IS EASY, right?!? Then why are there times when I can’t hear Him?

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For me many times it is because I’ve gotten into pride. I’ve been judging someone else, scorning them for something I think that they should be doing or not doing, and looking down on them with haughty eyes.

The reality is that SUPERIORITY and INFERIORITY are both fear based, and to be able to hear the Spirit, it is required of us to come with a clean heart. A heart full of love and gratitude, not fear.

I can’t stand in judgement and scorn other people, and then expect to have an intimate relationship with their FATHER. 

 

 

It’s a humbling experience to be convicted of PRIDE. But I’m so grateful that the Lord corrects those who fear Him, and that His mercies are new every morning.

It’s a blessing to be able to hear the voice of God, and to be an instrument of His will.

Those times when He has spoken through me and it’s changed the course of someone’s life have been deep, profound, exhilarating experiences that I don’t take lightly.

I always WANT “knowledge to be easy;” I always want to “understand.” 

But for that to happen, I have to keep in mind that it is ONLY God who searches the hearts and minds of men, and to keep my hands out of it. (Jer. 17:9-10)

March 23

excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

The Lord is omniscient; He knows all things. In His Word He has promised to make available to His children all the treasures of His wisdom and knowledge. Our tendency is to complicate matters and make it difficult to obtain Divine knowledge. This verse assures us that knowledge is easy for the person who understands the ways of God.

One time I was walking through a public place of business headed for a conference room where I was to take part in a seminar. Suddenly I noticed a man sitting all alone. Instantly the Lord put it in on my heart to witness to the man about the love of God. I have a natural reluctance to go up to people I don’t know and start talking. I did have a burden for the man and knew that the Lord was putting him on my heart. My spirit was saying to me, ‘Share God’s love with him.’ but my flesh was saying, ‘But you don’t even know this man!’

Inwardly I was praying for help. In answer to my prayer, the Lord imparted the knowledge about the man that I needed in order to approach him. Knowledge is factual. The Lord gave me the complete facts about the man’s situation, his occupation, his relationship with his wife and children, and his attitude toward God. The man was so overwhelmed with my knowledge and concern that he broke into tears and surrendered his life to the Lord then and there.

The knowledge you need to be an effective witness is available. It is easy to come by. Jesus said that His yoke is easy. (Matt. 11:30) Teamed with Him in service, His knowledge easily becomes your knowledge.

~Dick Mills

Here’s a short sermon from the “Free Indeed” series that you may find helpful if you are having trouble hearing the voice of God and want to clear the lines of communication.

 

 

Deliverance & Enlargement

“There shall be enlargement and deliverance arise..”

~Esther 4:14

March 20

excerpt from the “Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“In this verse, the Lord promises us not only a deliverance from every dilemma, but also an enlargement in our particular calling and station in life….

  1. deliverance or liberation of a person from a temporary state of confinement, followed by…
  2. enlargement or expansion of his/her sphere of influence.

We see this sequence in the life of David. In his youth as a shepherd he slays a marauding bear. Reports of this incident reach his family. Next he overcomes a lion which is attacking the flock of sheep…news of this exploit reaches the shepherds.

Next David faces the giant, Goliath. He draws upon his past experiences to declare openly: ‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the bear and the lion will deliver me from the hand of this uncircumcised Philistine.’ Again David’s enlargement grows. This time to the whole Israelite army. The Lord then rescues David from the hand of King Saul, enlarging his reputation in all of Israel and from an insurrection lead by Absalom, and his sphere of influence reaches the nations.

Every time you faithfully trust the Lord for His deliverance, two things happen:

  1. He sets you free, and
  2. He enlarges your potential.

You will not stay in the same trying circumstances perpetually.

You will come out, and with expansion!” 

~Dick Mills

Today’s devotional really hits home for me…

I’ve actually seen this play out in my own life.

With every obstacle I’ve faced, God’s brought me through it with ease…each time with more expansion, and more influence.

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God has built my faith into a STRONG TOWER, one unbelievable miracle at a time.

Over the years I’ve come to find myself getting excited by the fact that each challenge I face seems more impossible than the LAST, because I know it’s putting me in the unique position of having a front row seat, to see what the Lord is going to do.

I know He’s going to come through in VICTORY….however, the exact way it will be accomplished often remains a mystery, until the moment it unfolds.

So I just stand in AWE of my Father in Heaven, releasing and decreeing what I already know to be true! 

 

I can’t imaging living any other way…

 

 

 

 

Keep Your Eye On The PROMISES

 

Have you received a promise from the Lord? A profound vision or knowledge of your destiny?

Is it something SO AMAZING that it’s hard to even believe, and yet the circumstances in your life are in contrast to what you feel God has promised you?

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In FAITH cling to that promise, and keep going!

In the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) we read of all that this young man destined for greatness endured, AFTER he received a promise from the Lord about his future.

We read that even in his darkest moments, he ministered to other people.

We see that whatever was asked of him he did with excellency and that throughout all his struggles, those around him couldn’t help but see God’s favor upon him.

excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“Tried by the Word. Tested by a promise from the Lord. Joseph was 18 years of age when the Lord gave him the promise of a miraculous ministry. Joseph waited 12 long years for the fulfillment of that promise. The waiting period was not easy, but he had a promise to cling to. That very promise tried him as a person. The Hebrew word translated tried in this verse means ‘to purify and refine.’ It is a term used to describe the removing of impurities from gold ore in order to produce pure metal. The Word of God refined and purified Joseph…..

It was not the circumstances which tested Joseph and refined him, it was the PROMISE OF GOD. His adverse circumstances cried out, ‘No Way.’ But the PROMISE came back emphatically: ‘There shall be a performance of those things promised you by the Lord. (Luke 1:45)

When your situation contradicts the promises and assurances God has given you, you have two choices: you can CONFESS the CIRCUMSTANCES or CONFESS the Word of the PROMISE. 

Remember circumstances can change, but the Word of God will never change.

Like Joseph, you can live to see a beautiful fulfillment of all those things promised you by the Lord.

~Dick Mills

I urge you to continue to live expectant of the amazing future God has promised you, and to lean into a deeper relationship with Him as you walk through the challenges that you now face.

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Stand on the promises! For “He who has promised is FAITHFUL.” 

 

 

“God’s Word will change your life. You may choose to read other things, but the Bible is the only book that makes everything else make sense. There are many ways to read Scripture. Some people meditate on a single verse, others study specific subjects, and still others chose to read large amounts of the Bible every day. There are many ways to explore Scripture. Try them all. Every recipe will turn out well.

As you make a habit of reading God’s Word, you will fall deeper in love with God and the Bible itself. If you are hungry to know God and yourself, start with the Bible.

You will find life—there is life in the Word.

~Mary Jo Pierce “Adventures In Prayer” A 40-Day Journey

 

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TRUST HIM

Reaching Towards HOPE

March 11

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Excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“Craning the neck, scanning the horizon, and shading the eyes with the hand in order to see at a distance: these are all expressed by the phrase reaching forward. Paul is telling the Philippians to forget the past and start looking ahead. He knew what he was talking about. Since he had earlier persecuted the Church and consented to the stoning of Stephen, Paul had to learn to put such negative memories behind him and get on with life. Instead of allowing the past to become an unbearable burden and weight to him, Paul simply dropped it to the ground and used it as a stepping stone to the future.

Reaching forward is a good exercise for all of us. It stimulates hope. It puts us in a state of expectancy. It declares that what has been is only a prologue to what will be: Yesterday was good, today is better, tomorrow will be better still. Reaching forward anticipates miracles, revivals, outpourings of the Spirit of God, deliverance’s, and answered prayer. It looks to the future with intensity and great expectation, as Isaac looked and waited eagerly for the arrival of his new bride. (Gen. 24:63)

As Christians we have so much to look forward to:

  1. the salvation of our families
  2. the evangelization of the world
  3. the reviving of our churches, and
  4. most of all, that blessed hope, the return of Christ the Bridegroom for His Bride, the Church.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, and not harm you, plans to give you a hope, and a future.” (Jer. 29:11)

“What a future we have to look forward to!”

~Dick Mills

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YES & AMEN!

A few years ago I found myself in a dark, seemingly hopeless chapter of life, with no logical reason to believe that God was going to come through with the miracle, that I so desperately needed.

I clearly didn’t deserve it.

My circumstances were a direct result of my own disobedience and sin.

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I was sure that God didn’t even want to hear from me, but I reached out anyway and said,

“Daddy, I’m so sorry…I’ve messed up really bad this time. Please forgive me, protect me, and guide me through the wreckage I’ve caused.”

Right then I opened a Bible for the first time in a very long time, and my eyes fell to this scripture verse….

“I know the plans I have for you…to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” in Jeremiah 29:11.

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WOW,

“where sin abounds, grace abounds more.” (Rom. 5:20)

My heart was TRULY repentant, and over the coming months, He DID COME THROUGH WITH THE MIRACLE I SO DESPERATELY NEEDED!

I still stand in awe of that, and it causes me to understand why prodigals like me are often so on fire for Jesus!

It’s because when you have made mistake after mistake, and no matter how hard you tried you just couldn’t get it right…you really KNOW how much you NEEDED the sacrifice that Jesus made.

Makes me think of ~Luke 7:40-48…

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….and just like the woman in “Luke 7” I haven’t stopped kissing His feet since.

 

Answered Prayer

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March 10

Excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“Your God is saying to you: ‘Your prayer has been heard. I am intervening and responding to your petition. The answer is on it’s way. I am speeding up the answer, so get ready for a quick and sudden release of Divine Power in your situation.’

In the Greek text of this verse, the expression short work is suntmno logos (soon-tem’-no log’-os). Logos has many definitions, among them ‘topic,’ ‘matter,’ ‘a thing,’ ‘a report,’ ‘a subject,’ and ‘a word.’ Suntemno means ‘to reduce or contract the size of a thing by concise and speedy cutting.’ Thus we are promised here that God’s Word covering final things, and the consummation of time, will be speed-ed up and shortened.

The Lord is doing a ‘quick work’ in His Church. Do not be surprised when He accelerates:

1. YOUR ANSWERS

2. YOUR GROWTH AND MATURING

3. YOUR ABILITY TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

4. YOUR DESIRES TO PLEASE HIM AND DO HIS WILL

~Dick Mills

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I have to say that the Lord has never let me down, however sometimes in the face of a daunting challenge, fear begins to creep in.

What the Bible tells us, and what the world says are in such contrast that I need that CONSTANT connection to my Source, to stay sure of my path..and when I’m in doubt, I ask the Lord for a Word…I ask for a SIGN, or a confirmation…

As believer’s we need that encouragement and edification. We NEED relationship with our Father in Heaven.

I encourage you today to turn on some worship music…lift your hands and become enveloped in His Presence…in the middle of your living room, or in your car…play a song that moves you. That fills you with the Spirit, and PRAISE HIM, because THIS is your WORD:

God is releasing a fresh anointing of the spiritual gifts over you…and a breakthrough in your finances. Demonic strategies are being scattered right now in the name of Jesus Christ, and He is raising a standard against them. He is saying, ‘I am your Source, MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH…I don’t see anything wrong with you. I want you NOW, as you are.’ 

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Lord, Guide Me…

March 7

~Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and TEACH you in the way you should go; I will GUIDE you with My eye.”

 

Excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“This is a good verse for those of us who seek guidance and direction from the Lord. It is an assurance that our heavenly Father is going to move us from a weak transmission to a ‘clear-channel station with no static.’We will be able to hear the gentle voice of the Good Shepherd without interference.

The Lord makes three direct promises in this verse:

  1. I will instruct you…This is like having a private tutor. The purpose of the instruction we thus receive is to make us more intelligent, skillful and circumspect in our dealings, more adept in making decisions.
  2. ….and teach you in the way you should go; The original word used here indicates the pointing of a finger in a certain direction. It also implies shooting an arrow at a target in such a way as to avoid missing the mark. This word from the Lord is an assurance that we will not drift aimlessly through life, but that He will give us a definite direction and clear goal to aim for. 
  3. …I will guide you with My eye. One translation phrase says: ‘I will keep My eye upon you to see how you are doing.’

Here is my paraphrase of this verse: ‘I will make you skillful and proficient in decision-making and will aim you in the right direction; I will watch your progress and see how you are getting along; My eye will be upon you for your benefit.”

~Dick Mills

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I am so glad that the Lord is such a “Good Father,” aren’t you?

As the Lord “instructs us” like a tutor, and “guides us” by pointing us in the right direction, the “Spirit Filled Christian” becomes a light in this dark world.

Just like Joseph in the Bible, those around us will see the Lord’s favor on us, and His light within us.

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I’m grateful for everything that happened in my life that made me humble…that caused me to finally submit everything to the Lord, because it’s in being humble and teachable, following His lead with “child like faith” that He is able to transform me  into the woman He’s called me to be.

Everyday we’re able to become more a reflection of His character; His very nature…and yet it begins NOT with religion, but as we step into RELATIONSHIP with Him. 

~Romans 8:29

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,”

♦We are in fact, LIGHTS in a dark world, and He is our FATHER♦

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Declare It! And IT WILL BE DONE…

March 6

“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”

~Job 22:28

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Excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional

“The word thing in the original Hebrew is omer (o’–mer) and is similar to the Greek word rhema. The promises, the sayings, the word, the utterance, and the confessed word and included in omer. 

‘You will also declare the Word of God, the promises of God, the sayings of God, and these things will happen.’ This implies more than just cheerful optimism, wishful thinking, or positive affirmation. When we speak forth the Word of God, we are not just blowing smoke, filling the air with clever rhetoric, or mouthing platitudes. We are declaring with our lips what God has spoken to our hearts. The power is not in our speaking; it’s in the Lord Who gives the message.

When we’re in distress, people can tell us, ‘Don’t give up; hand in there. Remember it’s always darkest before the dawn.’ And all that may be true and some comfort. But it really does more for us to hear the Lord say to us personally, ‘…not a hair of your head shall be lost (Luke 21:18 NKJ). All the cute aphorisms and clever slogans in the world are anemic compared with a solid word from the Lord.

This word declare (or decree) means ‘to decide, predetermine, and declare the outcome of a matter before it comes to pass.’ If your declaration is in line with the word you have received from God, you can ‘declare a thing, and it will be established for you!’ Weak or timid faith is too cautious to make any kind of pronouncement before it sees the outcome, but strong faith says, ‘It shall be done just as the Lord has said!”

~Dick Mills

To live a life in God’s presence, and then through that relationship with Him, to begin receiving revelation… is a powerful thing.

~Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD of God.”

However to understand the power of coming into agreement with what He says about you, is an entirely different level of supernatural experience.

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The enemy would like nothing more, than for us to never really comprehend the power we have as heir’s to the Throne.

I challenge you to come into agreement with what the Lord says about you, and watch everything change…

Stop speaking negative, and start speaking life!

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“Your words are gate-openers. When you speak, you either open a gate of praise for God to walk through, or you open a gate of hell for the enemy to walk through. ‘Gate opening’ ISN’T OPTIONAL. The only question is, ‘Which gate will your words open?’

….If your mouth speaks things contrary to the Word (of God) you open the gate for the devil to come on the scene—death, disease, destruction, defeat, discouragement and depression follow him.”

~Pastor Robert Morris; “The Power of Your Words”

Correct Me, Lord

February 25

excerpt from “The Spirit Filled Believer’s” Daily Devotional:

~ Jeremiah 10:24 “Oh Lord, correct me, but with justice;

Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.”

“Take a lump of clay or a clod of earth. Tell this muddy mass that there is a chance that he can be worked over, improved upon, changed, remade, and then fashioned after the very nature of the Designer who created him in the first place. Call this process re-creation, regeneration, or rebirth. Then show him the majestic qualities of the Architect. Tell him that he can be just like that. Tell him it is a lifetime process, but the end result is being conformed to the image of his Savior and Lord. That earthy person is going to respond very favorably. Some people may think it too good to be true, but most will think it worth striving for. From the earthy first Adam to the heavenly second Adam is quite a journey. The long-suffering God waits patiently while the corrective work is going on.

In this verse Jeremiah, acknowledging his need for adjustment, fine tuning, finishing, and correcting, asks the Lord to remove carnality and replace it with spirituality. He knows it will take time so he asks the Lord to be patient with him. Jeremiah is negotiating with the Lord. He tells Him he needs correction (who doesn’t?) He asks the Lord for justice. He wants to be right. He wants the truth. He wants to be totally honest. He appeals to the mercy side of the Lord. So can you. Ask the Lord to give you a heart after His, and inclined toward Him. His attribute of mercy will permeate you, for the merciful He will show mercy.” 

~Dick Mills

Reading this I’m time warped back 20 years, to hitting rock bottom, and accepting that there was a lot about me that needed correction. Unable to stand my own reflection, I submitted to the Lord, asking Him to be merciful and change everything about me.

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As I still fall short of the glory of God, I continue to trudge the road from carnality to spirituality, my sin nature kicking and screaming with every step, as I try to kill it.

 

Gratefully I rest in the solace that although I’m not yet the woman God has called me to be, I’m also no longer the woman I was.forest-hd-wallpaper-landscape-35600

 

~Philippians 1:6

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

 

Hearing God

Feb 18

~Isaiah 11:3

“And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.”

On Thursday of last week I lost my job. I can’t say that it didn’t hurt my feelings because it did. However it didn’t blindside me, because the Lord had been telling me it was going to happen for weeks.

When I read this scripture “and he shall NOT judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears” I feel so deeply grateful for my relationship with God. In the natural everything looked fine with my job, even perfect…but the Lord kept revealing to me over and over, that things were not as they seemed. Therefore I was prepared, for what could have been devastating.

God is the source

Another example of when my relationship with God prevented me from being blindsided, was when He kept telling me that a close friend of mine was speaking curses, gossip and slander over me, and about me. The Lord kept telling me to close the door on my friendship with her, because that season had come to an end. But I loved my friend, and simply couldn’t believe it…I didn’t want to let her go.

She had become my confidant, and someone I shared all my hopes and dreams with. I thought we would always be best friends forever.

Then one day after she and I had finished speaking on the phone, an audio message came in through the text from her, so I played it. The smile on my face quickly fell when I realized that she didn’t know she had been recording herself, and must have sent it by mistake…

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The things she was saying about me were not only not true but uncharacteristically cruel. It left me shocked and disillusioned about what we had meant to each other. Although clearly our season together was over, I’m grateful for His gentle Spirit preparing me, so I thanked Him.

Scripture tells us that this way of life, this type of close fellowship with the Lord is possible for every believer. It’s not about who we are, but who He is.

Take a look at ~Jeremiah 33:3…

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In some versions like the NLT it says, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” 

and in essence it means that the Lord will show us things that are happening now, beginning to unfold, and are coming in the future.

The term unsearchable things comes from the Hebrew word batsar:

batsar: to cut off, make inaccessible, enclose

Original Word: בָּצַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: batsar
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-tsar’)
Definition: to cut off, make inaccessible, enclose

it means hidden, or covered up…

Wow, as the scripture tells us “the rain will fall on the just, and the unjust alike” but it doesn’t have to leave the spirit filled believer devastated. We can walk through all the challenges that come with living in a fallen world, without one single thing or person catching us off guard or unprepared.

 

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If you would like to hear God, or hear Him more clearly…take a look at this free online class. “Hearing God” by Bob Hamp

 

It’s seriously life changing.

“Hearing the voice of God is the central activity of living a life of freedom and restoration into your creative design.”

~Bob Hamp

Also let me leave you with a book recommend today of “The God I Never Knew” by Pastor Robert Morris