Author Archive


Sometimes Faith Is Easy – Sometimes It’s Hard

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012
Author: Kathy Sheetz

In Exodus 4:1-5, Moses answered God’s direction to lead the people of Israel: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you?’ “

Then, the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff.” He replied.

The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake.  That was easy!!!

Then, the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.”  That had to be tough!!!

Both directions to Moses came from God – throw down the staff – pick up the snake!  It seems to me that it had to be a whole lot easier to comply with the former direction than the latter!  Yet -  God was in control of the staff to snake AND the snake to staff.

Our life is full of challenges.  Some are easy.  Some are tough.  Sometimes trusting God in our circumstances is easy – sometimes not so much.  Yet – the same God presides over all.

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Relinquish All to God

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
Author: Kathy Sheetz

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”   (Phil. 4:6)

Does that word, RELINQUISH, sound ominous to you?  It’s difficult to RELINQUISH anything…money, schedules, dreams, plans, loved ones…GIVING IT UP!  It’s just plain hard to do! Relinquishing the difficult circumstances of life is probably our biggest challenge.  How many times have I said, “Lord, I give it all up to You!”  “Lord, I lay it all at Your feet.”  “Lord, I don’t want to hold onto this any longer.”  “Lord, I’m just not going to worry anymore.”  “Lord, I give you the right to be the Lord of my life – to bring into it or take out of it anything you desire.” However, too often, I take back those things I thought I’d relinquished to Him.

I recently heard an apt word picture of what it means to relinquish something completely!  It would be like tipping a glass full of water and pouring it all into the sand.  It would be impossible to take back the water. That’s a great picture to me of exactly what I need to be doing with those things that trouble me, or disappoint me, or that hurt me, or that cause me anxiety.  I need to pour them out completely before the One Who loves me most and best; Who ALONE can resolve any concern; Who ALONE already has a perfect plan for me AND my troubles; Who ALONE has promised He will never leave me or forsake me.  God is telling us, in Philippians 4:6, to RELINQUISH our concerns to Him: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

 

 

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