We are all well aware that life presents many diverse challenges, seasons, and experiences.  And because of this reality, we can find ourselves “thirsty” for a variety of things.  I’m talking about things like:

• Wealth – power                      
• Peace                              
• Labor                              
• Influence                                 
• ...

Mothers of Nations, have you ever considered that when Jesus was entering Jerusalem, He was well aware that trouble was going to come. His ministry, His life purpose, and His destiny would all include problems and difficulties.

Life is like that for all of us at some point even though we are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. We were not chosen to escape troubles. Rather, we were chosen to face troubles, overcome them, and glorify God in the midst of all that comes our way.

In John 16: 33 Jesus said, “In this world you will have troubles, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

Job 14: 1-2 (NKJV) says this. “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.”

How frail is humanity! How short is life! How full of trouble our lives can be at times!

We blossom like a flower and then whither. Like a passing shadow, we...

Last week we looked at eight ways that doubt can rob or steal from the quality and value of our spiritual lives. Yes, DOUBT IS A ROBBER! If you did not read last week’s blog entry, I would encourage you to do so before continuing with today’s discussion.

So recognizing the enemy’s strategy to get us to doubt and the many disadvantages of living a doubt-filled life, how do we as believers overcome doubt? Let’s consider these five possible strategies to defeat "the doubt robber."

1.  Determine our personal strengths and weaknesses and then get into the Word of God to change what needs to be changed. Mothers of Nations, let’s look carefully at ourselves because life reveals weaknesses and strengths. We need to be honest and truthful with our current situations so that we can make progress and grow stronger in our faith.
2.  Put our faith in the Lord. This means putting faith in God and not in ourselves, our family, our money, our ministry, etc....

Let’s continue the discussion that we started last week on the topic of doubt by first looking at a definition.

What is doubt? It can be defined as:

•  the uncertainty of belief or opinion
•  lack of confidence
•  distrust
• second guessing
• double mindedness

Philippians 4: 8 (NKJV) is very clear about what God’s Word says that we should think about.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Let’s next look at some familiar verses from Matthew 28.

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

^...

Doubt happens to us throughout our lives in one way or another. We can blame Adam and Eve for the beginning of doubt as they listened to the wrong voice and followed the wrong word of advice.

Let’s read Genesis 3: 1-7 (NLT) to set a foundation for our discussion today.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

² “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. ³ “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

⁴ “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. ⁵ “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good...

Today we will conclude our discussion about the goodness of God. I pray these three weeks of study have been both a blessing and even a “wake up” call to recognizing that our God is truly so so good!

God fills our souls with good things.

Let’s take a moment first of all to read through the following Scripture verses found in Psalm 107: 1-9 (NKJV)

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

3 And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their souls fainted in them.

6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a...

Last week we started this short study of the goodness of God and I left you with an assignment. Were you more aware of the goodness of God in your life as you went through your daily routines and life experiences?  I am sure our God demonstrated His goodness towards you in innumerable ways! 

Let’s continue our study now and look at several other examples of the goodness of the Lord.

God is the very Source of goodness. He is not evil.

It would be good to read through all of Psalm 103, but let’s look particularly at verse eight.  Psalm 103: 8 (NIV) – “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger,
abounding in love.”

Mothers of Nations, our God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. Through Him, all things were created. Yes, He is the Source of all things. Let’s look at a few verses that reveal this truth about His goodness.

1 Corinthians 8: 6 (NIV) -- “Yet for us there is but one God...

Recently during a Sunday morning time of worship the congregation where we attend was singing the song that goes like this:  “All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”

Mothers of Nations, are you familiar with this worship song?  It has been a song that I have always loved, but on this recent particular Sunday morning, something really struck my heart.  As we moved from the chorus to the verses, each line seemed to “hit home” with me in personal ways. For example:

“I love Your voice…”  -- I thought of the blessing it was for me to daily minister on the radio with a program that covers a significant part of Africa.

“How You led me through the fire…” – Oh my, those times of false accusations were certainly fiery, yet the Lord led me through safely.

“I know You as a...

As we conclude this series of blogs on the topic of angels, let’s share a few more interesting things about angelic beings. First, angels have been used to announce good news, battles coming, or births of babies.  An angel called Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus.  Angels came and ministered to Jesus after forty days and nights in the wilderness, and they also strengthened Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.  I remember once when after my husband and I came to the Lord, a minister and her husband prayed for us.  To this day I can remember how tall these people felt to me as they prayed.  Later I realized that angels were present there, strengthening us in a time of need.

Many years ago when we lived in St. Cloud, Minnesota, there was a truck-driving evangelist who came to our town one year and called my husband Bill on the phone.  Bill was coaching high school football at that time and the local newspaper had written an article about us saying...

Let’s start our discussion of angels today by looking at the lives of Moses and Gideon. We know that Moses was commissioned by the appearance of the angel of the Lord in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. His commission led to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt.

Gideon also had a visit from the angel of the Lord.  This young man saw his people as the weakest in Manasseh and he himself as unable to fight a battle.  But God told him that He saw something else.  Gideon’s angelic visitation led him to destroy the altars of Baal, subdue the Midianite enemies, and gain victory for his people.  When divine commissioning is needed, God sends His angels!

Angels can also be used to supply our needs.  In 1 Kings 19 we read that Elijah had escaped from Jezebel by running for his life. He was desperate, exhausted, and so discouraged that he wanted to die.  But God had another plan. As Elijah slept under the broom tree, an angel touched...