“HOPE ENDURES”

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

I dedicate this message to my Mama.  Her hope never faltered to the day she died.

Have you ever felt like giving up?  You may relate to some degree.  When the odds are stacked against us and there seems to be no way out, don’t give up hope!   You never know what you can go through until you go through it.

Remember, Jesus is with you and He is our blessed hope!

The Lord cares about every detail of your life!  Allow Him to wrap His loving arms around you and hold you through every storm. Keep your focus on Him not the storm.

Psalms 121 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help…”

In spite of Mama going for her regular check-ups, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  By then it was metastatic.  I was devastated.  My brother, sister, and I cared for her as she went through chemo.  It was hard for all of us seeing our once strong and independent Mom in constant pain slowly slipping away before our very eyes.

Even in her frailty, 3 weeks before her death she played and sang one of her beautiful anthems to the glory of God. The whole time she battled cancer her faith was in God.  Her hope endured through all her suffering.  At 63, she went on to be with the Lord remaining hopeful in Him.

Don’t become cynical when God doesn’t answer when and how you want him to. Choose to continue being hopeful in Him knowing He is the beginning and the end in life and in death.

Being Hope Full is not just a positive attitude.  Being HOPEFUL is faith trusting in a living God who knows and cares about us no matter what.

As long as you’re alive, God has a plan and a purpose for your life. You can’t quite living til the day you die.  Each day with each breath hope in the Lord!

Be blessed by this incredible video sung by Natalie Grant, “Our Hope Endures!”  It’s powerful! I watched and sang along with it a few times. Let the Lord fill your heart with hope.

“Emmanuel, God is with us!  El Shaddai, All sufficient! You never walk alone!  He is our Hope!  Our Hope Endures!”

SONG: Natalie Grant “Our Hope Endures” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl2ogefMInQ

PICTURE:  Picture taken in my backyard.

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

“BUILD YOUR HOUSE ON THE ROCK”

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

We live in troubled times.  The foundation of our society is crumbling. Its fabric is fraying and coming apart at the seams. Now is not the time to sit in a corner and twiddle our thumbs while our once wonderful and Godly Nation is falling apart right before our eyes.

I implore you to stand up for Jesus.  There may come a time when we can’t.

This is not a doom and gloom message.  It is, however, a message of HOPE IN JESUS WHO IS THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. He is our eternal hope and it’s in Him we trust now and forever.

Sometimes I feel like carrying a sign that says, “THE END IS NEAR!”

How sure is your foundation?  Have you been going through the motions of being a “Christian?”  Do you know what you believe and why?  Do you know Jesus personally? Are you a hearer and a doer of the Word? Are you walking in a right relationship with Him?

NOW is the time to turn your heart fully to the Lord and follow Him.

Build your faith and life on the impenetrable and immovable Rock, Christ Jesus!

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV) “EVERYONE THEN WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the ROCK.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I challenge you to STAND on the ROCK, CHRIST JESUS.

READ the Good news! PRAY at all times! PRAISE continually!

Although we live in troubled times, the Lord is our sure foundation!  He is the Solid Rock of our Faith!  The storms will rage, but the Lord is the anchor to our souls.  Hope in God!  He is Immanuel, God with us!

Now is the time to diligently seek the Lord and pray for our nation and its leaders.  Don’t be discouraged with negative news.  Be encouraged knowing God is with us!

Encourage yourself in the Lord.  He is our Hope!  Maranatha!

The song clip is a message all by itself!  Be blessed with the beautiful pictures, scriptures, and affirming song, “On Christ the solid rock I stand.  All other ground is sinking sand.”

SONG: Avalon, “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM7vodGhOaE

PICTURE:  I took this picture, “House on the Rock,” at Spitting Caves on Oahu

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

”JOY FILLED HEART”

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

Our hearts are full of something.  It might as well be filled with “JOY!”

Is your heart full of grief, despair, hate, fear, unbelief, sorrow…?  If your heart is on the EMPTY side of JOY today, there is hope for you! FILL UP WITH JESUS and you’ll soon find that you have the JOY of the Lord!

JOY is one of the fruits of the Spirit.  Fruit must be cultivated to grow. If you don’t have JOY in your heart, you may need to do some weeding and perhaps pruning.  Neither are pleasant or fun, but are necessary for healthy fruit.

JOY isn’t subject to any situation or circumstance.  You can be in the middle of a trial and the JOY of the Lord will come bubbling up inside your heart. Before you know it, you are rejoicing in the Lord.

Do you have the JOY of the Lord?  His JOY is our strength!  Jesus is the JOY set before us!

Inevitably, in life, we are faced with fear, hate, doubt, unbelief, anger, sorrow, and many other JOY-stealers.  We choose how we deal with each circumstance.  I encourage you to process and go through with JESUS!  Don’t live in denial.  Do live in FAITH.  Turn to Jesus and let the JOY of the LORD be your strength!

“I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart…down in my heart to stay.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, forbearance, kindness,     goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

Romans 14:17 (NIV) “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy spirit,”

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the JOY set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) “A MERRY HEART does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV) “A MERRY HEART makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”

SONG: Desert Song by Hillsong United https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urxW5KVvriI

PICTURE:  Sexy Pink Heliconia from my garden

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

TESTIMONY TIME

by Cindy Black

Aloha!

Your personal testimony of what the Lord has done in your life is something no one can ever take from you!  You can, by your choice, share it with others.

Have you ever been to a church when they say, “it’s testimony time, does anyone have a testimony?”  It’s thrilling to hear what God has done in people’s lives!  When was the last time you shared your testimony?  What has God done in your life lately?  Your testimony can encourage others in their faith in God! 

We can encourage others in their walk with the Lord by what He’s done for us. 

Jot down when God answers prayers and share with others when you are able. It’s good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in our lives. 

God is alive and well and He cares about every part of our lives.  He saves us to the uttermost.  I encourage you to look for and expect God at every hand.  He’s with us and hears every prayer and the cry of our hearts. 

Whether it’s Salvation, healing, or answered prayer, we all have a testimony where we are personally affected that we can readily share with others.  You may ignite hope in someone’s life. 

Revelation 12:11(NKJV) “And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

We live in a lost and dying world who desperately needs… hope, life, light, help.  We may not have the answer they need, but we know the living Savior, Jesus!  Friendship Evangelism is simple.  You don’t preach at people.  You share, from personal experience, what Jesus has done in your life. 

When sharing your testimony, you point people to Jesus. He’s our focus!  Jesus is the answer. 

John 14:6 (NIV) “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

There’s power in the blood of the Lamb!  Today’s a great day to share your testimony!

SONG:  Alan Jackson, “There’s power in the Blood” https://www.bing.com/search?q=there%27s+power+in+the+blood+alan+jackson&qs=HS&pq=there%27s+power+in+the+blood+&sc=8-27&sp=1&cvid=68D0AD0C4E2C40409257D89C9BAE9124&FORM=QBRE

PICTURE: Bulb from my garden

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

YOU ARE STRONG

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

We grow strong when we trust God through life’s storms! 

Some days we have to encourage ourselves in the Lord.  It’s easy to praise God when everything is going well.  It can be quite challenging to praise God when life’s trials hit you below the belt.

David encouraged himself in the Lord.  I encourage you to lift up your eyes and see beyond the storms and black clouds that seem to hide God’s face.  Know that God hasn’t left you.  He’s with you through all the tough places. 

A song came to mind as I was preparing for today’s Devotion, “Hard Times.” It was one of the first songs I learned to play and sing.  It’s come to mind throughout my Christian walk as a Happy reminder to keep my eyes on the Lord even when I can’t see Him.  Also, to remember that, “Hard Times make you strong!”

It’s going to rain, but there’s no need to fret because you know the sun is shining right behind the clouds and soon the rain will end and then you’ll see the sun again.  The hard times you face can make you stronger if you let them.  Exercise your spiritual muscles and press through or rather praise God through the storms. 

1 Peter 4:12-13 (NKJV) “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

You can see many rainbows in Hawaii.  It may be dark and rainy on one part of the island and just beyond there’s a beautiful rainbow.  The tropical flowers and fruit trees are productive and lush because of the rain.  Let the Lord strengthen you through all your trials. 

Be encouraged!  God isn’t finished with you yet!  The next time you are tempted to be discouraged, be encouraged!  Jesus is going through the hard places with you!  You will be stronger in the end.

SONG: “Hard Times,” Jamie Owens Collins, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osWDu2JFF_g

PICTURE:  Waxy Red Hibiscus in my garden

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice