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What If I Trusted the Lord to Provide?

“Then I proclaimed a fast there…that we might humble ourselves before our God… So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty…The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy.” (Ezra 8:21, 23, 31b)

How would my life be different and how much more would I bring glory to my God if I did not operate with a ‘plan B’ in mind?

Ezra was leading God’s people out of exile back to Jerusalem to rebuild their lives in their homeland. It would be hundreds of miles and weeks of travel with thousands of people through terrain where they could be ambushed along the way. They had their precious children in tow along with gold, silver, and bronze that could be stolen. Ezra had previously boasted about their mighty God saying, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.” (8:22) This humble leader made a courageous choice. He did not ask for “infantry and calvary” for protection. Instead, he boldly called for the people to fast and pray, humbling themselves before their God in total dependence. They were wholly dependent on the Lord’s mighty hand of protection on their journey. They did not have a “plan B” in place.

As a result of their humility, their prayers, and their steps of faith, they had the awesome opportunity to witness firsthand the protection from their Lord. They safely arrived in Jerusalem untouched by their enemies. They had a fresh faith story that magnified the name of their God because they were willing to step out in faith and trust Him to care for them along the way.

We live in perilous times. We feel vulnerable to the powers ruling the world right now and as Christ followers, we are grieved by so many of the decisions and their ramifications for us and for our children. We need protection and provision! What are we to do? Do we pile up our own personal resources and develop a plan to protect ourselves and hope for the best realizing that no matter how hard we try, we will still be vulnerable because so much in life is outside of our control? Are we to sit and wring our hands and fret incessantly planning and plotting what we might do for our offensive and defensive moves? While it is not wrong to plan and prepare, in fact it is wise to do so, it is a grave mistake to take our God out of the equation and have the distorted view that we can do anything apart from His power and provision. That is utter foolishness.

What would happen if we actually listened to the Word of God and followed His lead? What if we operated in faith rather than fear?

On Sunday, our pastor asked us to take time to fast and pray this week about our own lives, taking a spiritual inventory of where we stand in our walk with the Lord and to pray for the Lord to continue to provide for His people in our ever-growing fellowship. I wonder what might happen if our people actually took the time to humble themselves, fast, pray, and walk in obedience to whatever the Lord led them to do next? What miracles might we see? What if we, when we heard the Word of God proclaimed, implemented what we heard that very day… that very week? What if we didn’t forget what we heard when we walked out the foyer doors? What if we stepped out in faith, wide-eyed with anticipation believing He would meet our needs according to His riches, power, and love? What would happen if God’s people cried out to Him in total dependence and waited for Him to work?

Lord, will you help me set aside a few mealtimes this week and rather than eat, I can spend that time talking to you, reading your Word, and listening for your leadership in my life? Father, will you help me to stop relying on my own understanding and what I can see with my own eyes and instead humble myself before you declaring my total dependence? Will you open my eyes to the plan B’s in my own life where I am depending on anyone anything other than You? Lord, will you do miracles in my life so that others may see you through those circumstances? Lord, will you help me to truly consider and implement the challenge my pastor, my shepherd, gives me every week and move forward in my faith journey? Give me a heart willing to seek You and trust You, LORD! You are faithful!

A Few Scriptures to consider while fasting: Psalm 51, Matthew 4:4, Psalm 16, Psalm 31:4-5, Psalm 33:20-21, Matthew 6:9-15, 19-23, 31-34, Psalm 33:20-21, Psalm 34:8, Romans 12:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:1-7, Romans 12:1-3, Galatians 5:13-16, Colossians 3:1-17, Habakkuk 3:17-19, Deuteronomy 8, Psalm 27:13-14, Psalm 31:4-5

Consider reading these aloud and talking to God about the truths.  Write some of the verses down and see what else God may show you as you meditate on each truth. Ask the Lord to lead you and trust Him to show up and provide as only a good, good Father would!

–Many thoughts here echo Michael Gabbert’s message at Evergreen Baptist Church on November 12, 2023.  That message can be seen on their You Tube channel–

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Dusty Feet: Moving Forward with the Gospel

“These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Matthew 6:8-13


“I just want you to know I love you, I’m for you, and my heart is to help you know truth and experience freedom in Christ, but for now I’m going to stop returning to have these same conversations over and over. I’ll be ready and willing to help you when you are ready.” What a hard moment for me to let go of pleading with a loved one to trust Christ in my timing. (And yes, I always share we never, ever know how much time we have to make a decision for Christ.)


Walking away from a conversation and shifting your relationship with someone you care about has to be one of the most difficult things to do. As believers we are called to persevere, loving the lost and sharing the good news with them. But what do we do if they are not interested or ready? What do we do if they reject our message of love and hope? What if they insist on continuing in the darkness of their lives?


Do we continue on doing the same thing over and over or do we heed our Master’s instructions to “shake the dust off our feet” and move on entrusting them to the One who knows and loves them much more than we can comprehend? Do we trust He can and will work despite us? Do we believe all we are to do is what He calls us to, or do we operate under the delusion we have control over the outcomes based on our efforts? It is only the Lord who saves!


Does this mean we never return? Not necessarily. We must be Spirit led in all things. In my conversation above that I’m allowing you to eavesdrop on, my goal is to free that person up from fighting against me and letting them feel the weight of the message I’ve shared trusting the Holy Spirit to do His work WITHOUT my incessant pleading. I’ve hit the pause button but I’m ready to return the moment my Master calls.


Let’s face it: Sometimes we are in the way!


If the Lord calls me to return to a conversation with someone, I’ll pray He equips me for that and I’ll go believing He has gone before me and desires to use me. So many times I want to play the conversation strategy in my head over and over hoping to have my words just right and to be prepared for every response. Jesus’ instructions in this passage tell me to go where He sends me and to trust Him for all I’ll need when I get there. It’s one thing to be a “workman who need not be ashamed.” (2 Tim.2:15) It’s another to depend on my own strength and ability to persuade someone when that is solely the role of the Holy Spirit. My role is simply to go in obedience as He calls and allow Him to speak and work through me.


If I’m leaving my loved one, my co-worker, or my friend at the foot of the cross trusting Him to complete His work in their lives, to where do I turn my attention? I’m called to “go and make disciples.” I can confidently know that there are people all around me who are seeking hope and help. Later in Matthew 6:30-45 the disciples find themselves met with a large crowd who were hungry for truth and for food for their bodies. Jesus “had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.” These people were READY to receive the truth! They were seeking. The disciples were weary and even suggested Jesus send them away for food instead of looking into His eyes and remembering He was a God of miracles, and they had a fresh opportunity to witness one. This wasn’t about their resources; it was all about His.


Lord, help me to share truth wherever you send me and leave the results to you. Help me not to wear myself out arguing with those who are not yet hungry and thirsty for truth, but simply love them where they are. I can share the truth with them and keep the door open for further conversation, but I need to move on to see where You are currently working in someone’s life and where you are calling me to be a part of that process. Lord, help me not look at the problems, but the Solution. Help me keep my eyes fixed on Yours knowing you desire me to trust you when I’m weary and without resources. And Lord, in the same way that you elevated the credibility of the disciples by allowing them to cast out demons and heal the sick, will you help me to walk in the joy and victory you have for me in my own struggles so that others may see the power Christ in me? Help me not to get bogged down with discouragement and defeat but rather speak the truth in love and move on to where I can join you at work!



-Some thoughts inspired by a message from Phillip Jackson at Evergreen Church, Bixby, OK (11/12/2023) which can be found on their you tube channel-

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What If You Could Change the World?

“Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances to Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

Ezra was someone who spent his life copying scripture; he was a scribe by trade.    He lived in a time in Israel’s history when the people needed hope and encouragement.  They had been exiled from their homes by world powers and upon their return became discouraged by the daunting tasks of rebuilding all that had been lost.  

Ezra wasn’t anyone particularly important and certainly not a person in a position of great power in his time.  

He was an ordinary man who not only copied the very Word of God but he purposed in his heart to study it, then to put it into practice in his life and walk in obedience, and finally, he committed himself to teaching others within his sphere of influence.  He changed his world in his time because he encouraged others with the Word of God!

In our world with so many dark influences and discouraging voices…with so much news that compels us to believe there is no hope, what are we to do?

What if we followed Ezra’s example and immersed ourselves in the Word of God, purposed in our hearts and minds to obey it, and then shared those transformative truths with others in our lives?  We could change the world!

You may not have an enormous sphere of influence, but that makes no difference. You are uniquely placed at this point in history in the place in which you live so that you can impact others with the good news that Jesus is the Savior of the world!  All the Lord asks of each of us is to walk in obedience to Him and trust Him to do the work in and through us!

Some say, “Your life is the only Bible some will ever read.”  If that might be the case at times, isn’t it a tremendous responsibility of mine to read, meditate, memorize, and live out the Word of God?!?!  

I need the Word every day to communicate with the Lord and to grow to know my Savior better.  I also pray that as I walk in obedience to Him that others would see Christ in me and desire to seek and serve Him as Lord.  

Where to begin if you don’t know how to study the Bible?  This short series is an excellent springboard if you need help! It is free and there is even a downloadable guide ready and waiting for you!

Bible Study Simplified

“So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahweh my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.” Ezra 7:28   I don’t know about you, but I desperately need the courage of God infused into my soul and the strength of the Lord to get me through my days.  I’m surrounded by others who need to see someone in their life walking in the victory of God so that they have someone to follow; someone to encourage them!  

Lord, find me faithful!

(Photo of my little mama’s hands. She was a quiet servant of the Lord who had tremendous impact because she loved His Word and lived it out. Thanks, Mama, for the legacy.)

-Inspiration for this post came from Michael Gabbert’s message at Evergreen Baptist Church, Bixby Oklahoma on 10/29/2023. The sermon can be found on their you tube channel-