SEARCH RESULTS

By Paula Williamson guest writer I grew up in a Baptist Church. When I was a teenager, a family I knew took me to a large Baptist Church at the Broco Bowl in Dallas, Texas. It was known for practicing the early church’s gifts. That night, I had a terrible headache, a toothache, and an extremely painful ganglion cyst on my wrist. The family asked me what I thought about the service. I told them I really liked it and then listed all my ailing body parts. They asked me why I did not go down to be prayed for, and I told them the thought never occurred to me. They prayed for me before taking me home, and guess what? I was healed of all three ailments. The headache and toothache went away immediately, and the ganglion cyst disappeared a day later. My faith in what God can and still does today took a skyrocket through the roof!   My mother-in-law witnessed an unbelievable miracle when she was having severe back pain, and a T.V. repairman asked if he could pray for her. She watched her left leg grow about two inches and experienced no more pain. We could hardly believe her story, but could not deny that her excruciating back pain was gone. These experiences and many more raised important questions for me about why anyone would teach that miracles have ceased or not pray for people who need them.   It Is Written   MARK 16:17 -19 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”   HEBREWS 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.   Miracles Still Happen   In my lifetime, I have seen, heard, and experienced many such miracles. I have also heard it taught in Baptist Churches that the gifts of the early church were for a time but have since ceased. I personally have never found that written in the Bible, nor has it been true in my circle of life. I believe the Jesus in the Bible is still the same, yesterday, today, and forever.   Prayer   Lord, Your life was filled with miracles, healing, words of wisdom, knowledge, and the casting out of demons. The Bible says, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our world is full of people and circumstances in need of a miracle. We believe you still do them. Remove any lies we believe to be true. May the same Jesus of the New Testament be released in our world today.   Takeaway Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Who is in Charge? The Authority and Responsibility of the Ekklesia   Have you ever been in a situation where leadership was unclear or suddenly absent? When no one takes responsibility disputes rise, conflict escalates and chaos follows.   In the church the head is never absent. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head, and His people live under His authority. He gave His church the authority to act on His behalf in this world.   It Is Written MATTHEW 16: 1 8 -19 And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. 19 I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”   The Church vs Ekklesia? In the year 1611 King James changed the word Ekklesia in the Bible, to the word, church, limiting it to a building or a place of worship. In the original text, Ekklesia refers to the Kingdom of God’s governing body on the earth. In the scripture above, we, the governing body of Christ, are given the keys, the authority of the kingdom of heaven. When the owner of a car gives you the keys, you have that person’s permission to drive the car. How are we doing?   Prayer Lord, we haven’t and aren’t doing a very good job representing You or the Kingdom of Heaven. We haven’t been responsible with the keys and authority You have given us. Most of us don’t even know what holding the keys means. We have made your church into something that does not even resemble Your church in the book of Acts. We are sorry. Would You intervene in our hearts and lives and cause the real Ekklesia to arise in this world? We need Your help. What a mess we have made. Your word says if we need wisdom we can ask and You will give us a bountiful supply. Lord, we need Your wisdom to take our rightful position. We pray for those in authority over us, and ask for Your Kingdom to come, and Your will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.   Takeaway We are stewards of the King, entrusted with His authority to represent His Kingdom on the earth.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Hollywood and the secular world often portray Christians as kooks or fanatics. Maybe some might be! Maybe some might not be.     Scripture warns us to be sober because there is an enemy in the world seeking to devour us. The spiritual world is invisible but undeniably real. Just leave us alone with our own thoughts and anyone with a brain can conclude that what we can’t see but think impacts us powerfully.   It Is Written   1 PETER 5:8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.   EPHESIANS 6 :10 -1 2 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.   LUKE 10:19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority  [that you now possess]  to tread on serpents and scorpions, and  [the ability to exercise authority]  over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will  [in any way]  harm you.     Science Fiction? Here’s a list from those scriptures that sounds like a science fiction movie: invisible war, enemy, rulers, powers, forces of darkness, and forces of wickedness.   Anyone in the military needs to know who they are up against and why. They plan a strong military strategy for defeating their enemy and then move forward to carry out that strategy.   Scripture says we have an enemy. We can believe it or not but, how’s your belief working out?   The scripture is full of phrases that indicate a battle is taking place such as put on the whole armor of God, fight the good fight, be on guard, be alert, finish the race, overcome. According to scripture we serve an invisible God and we are in an invisible war. Faith is not passive! We are either defeating the enemy or he is defeating us. Which is it?   Prayer Lord, help me to fight the good fight of faith for my family, my loved ones, the world around me and myself. Help me to take negative, self-defeating thoughts captive and to exercise the authority that You have given to me. Help us to spur one another on and to encourage one another to live the overcoming life Jesus provided. Takeaway We are more than conquerors through Christ!

By Paula Williamson guest writer God Still Speaks   In the book, Experiencing God, the author, Henry Blackaby teaches that God speaks to people today in real and personal ways by the Holy Spirit, His Word, worship, people, circumstances and many ways. A well-known women’s speaker and author, Beth Moore, says God speaks through the Bible, circumstances, godly counsel and that He is always talking.   So why does Hollywood and much of the world today try to discredit that God still speaks and make fun of people who believe He does?   My guess is fear . What if it’s not really Him? Will people think I’m crazy? What if I misrepresent Him?   It Is Written HEBREWS 13:8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always]the same yesterday and today and forever.   JOHN 10:27 The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.   Are You Listening? All through the Old Testament God spoke to people personally, from the Garden of Eden to the prophets, through donkeys, writing on the wall, clouds, dreams, angelic visitations, burning bushes, visions, and as angels unaware.   Jesus said if we know Him, we know the Father. They are one. Jesus spoke to people personally, through the word, through circumstances, parables, and through example.   God created us for relationship and a relationship involves two way communication. To say God stopped speaking or only speaks through His written word is  not Biblical.   A.J. Russell wrote a book, For Sinners Only. Subtitled , The Book of the Oxford Groups. The setting is the early 1900’s and it’s a true account of the men of Oxford setting aside a time the first thing in the morning attempting to hear God and carry out His instructions. It is full of men living life fully alive with amazing stories to share that are worth telling.   What would happen if we did such a thing today?   Prayer Lord, Your word says You do not change. It appears we have. We do not resemble the early church. I don’t want to live a life like a hamster on a wheel going through the motions of life without purpose. I want to live fully alive! I open my ears to Your voice help me to recognize and obey what You say to me.   Takeaway God still speaks!

By Paula Williamson guest writer Where are the dreamers, the visionaries, the inventors—the inspired? What is the difference between us and Thomas Edison, who created the incandescent lightbulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera? Or Alexander Graham Bell, Wright brothers, Marie Curie, Johannes Gutenberg, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington Carver, and so many others who believed beyond the limitations of their time? What set them apart? Could it be faith—the willingness to believe that what seems impossible is possible? Scripture gives us a list of such people—men and women who trusted in the God of the impossible. It Is Written HEBREWS 11: 32 - And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, 34 extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight.   What If? What if the only difference between us and them is the faith of a tiny mustard seed? What if, instead of believing you are a nobody, you believed you are a somebody? What if, instead of believing you don’t make a difference, you believed that you could? What if, instead of believing you don’t matter, you believed—you do? History and Scripture are filled with ordinary people who chose to believe differently. Why not decide to be one of them? What do you want to be said about you when your time on earth is done? Prayer Lord, You gave me life and created me in Your image.You have always had good plans for me. When I think about those who have gone before—those who dared to believe and changed the world—I wonder what I am here to do. Would You stir something deep within me?A dream. A vision. A calling. Help me to see where I can make a difference. Remind me that what I do today matters. The mark I make on the canvas of this day is not insignificant. Use me to make it beautiful. Takeaway Faith turns its back on failure, looks up, and moves forward.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Faith and hope are fascinating realities. You cannot see them, touch them, or measure them—yet they are undeniably real. Jesus, the King of Kings and the Messiah, performed miracles everywhere He went—except in one place: His hometown. The people there had watched Him grow up. They knew His earthly family. Familiarity clouded their belief, and because of their lack of faith, He, the Messiah could not do many miracles. In contrast, Scripture tells us of the woman who had suffered with an issue of blood for twelve years. After exhausting every earthly solution, she held onto one simple, unwavering belief:  if she could just touch the fringe of His garment, she would be healed.  When she did, healing came. Jesus told her, “Your faith has made you whole.” Scripture also reminds us that  hope deferred makes the heart sick.  Imagine how different the world would be if it were filled with faith and hope instead of doubt and despair. It Is Written Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen—the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses. Believing Is Seeing The world often insists, “Seeing is believing.” But Scripture teaches the opposite:  believing is seeing. Faith reaches beyond what is visible and holds onto what is promised. It trusts that what cannot yet be seen is already secured by God. Throughout my life, many situations appeared hopeless. Yet time and again, what seemed impossible has turned into joy, restoration, and gratitude—outcomes that cannot be explained by human understanding. When everything else has been tried, perhaps the real question is this:  Why not place our faith in God? Prayer Lord, Your Word teaches that faith is the substance of what is hoped for not seen. Help me to trust Your Word even when I cannot see the outcome. Strengthen my faith where it is weak and teach me to walk by faith and not by sight. Increase my confidence in Your promises and anchor my hope in You alone. Takeaway With God, all things are possible.

By Paula Williamson guest writer There is truth in believing what we see—but there is also a deeper truth in believing what we cannot see. In Scripture, we read of a moment when the prophet Elisha and his servant were surrounded by an army with horses and chariots. What the servant saw filled him with fear and hopelessness. From his perspective, defeat was certain, but Elisha saw something entirely different. He lived by faith, not by sight. He prayed that his servant’s eyes would be opened—not to the visible, but to the invisible. In that moment, everything changed. The servant saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding them—God’s protection had been there all along. It Is Written 2 Kings 6:15–17 “Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?’ And he said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” Faith Believes What It Cannot See Through the eyes of faith, the world looks very different. It reveals a reality where the invisible God is actively at work—keeping His Word, fulfilling His promises, and surrounding His people. Faith sees beyond the natural. It believes beyond the possible. It is in the impossible that God often moves—storms are stilled, seas are parted, donkeys speak, and ninety-year-old women give birth. Promises are fulfilled in ways we could never imagine. What seems overwhelming to us is never beyond Him. Prayer Lord, open my eyes to see beyond what is visible. Teach me to trust You, even when I cannot see what You are doing.Help me to walk by faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord, believing Your promises over my circumstances. Takeaway Truth is not based solely on what I see, but on who God is.By faith, I trust in His promises—even when I cannot see them yet.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Have you ever seen the movie  Dead Man Walking ? Sometimes life can feel like that—going through the motions, yet unsure of your purpose or why you’re here at all. Don’t we all long to know? At some point, many of us realize that everything the world offers eventually loses its shine. As Scripture says, there is nothing new under the sun. What once felt exciting can leave us empty, searching for something more. It Is Written Ephesians 2:1–5 “And you were spiritually dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, in which you once walked, following the ways of this world… gratifying the cravings of your flesh and following its desires and thoughts… But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Alive and Fully Alive! Before Christ, we were spiritually dead—breathing, moving, existing, but separated from the true source of life. The world promises fulfillment, but it cannot sustain it.Sin offers satisfaction, but it never satisfies for long. Yet God…Because of His great love and rich mercy, He steps in.He doesn’t leave us in that lifeless state. He makes us alive. Not partially alive.Not barely surviving.But truly, fully alive in Christ. This is what our hearts have been longing for all along. Prayer Lord, regardless of how I feel or what I see around me, I choose to believe Your Word. You say I have been made alive in Christ. I don’t have to live under the influence of the world, my flesh, or the enemy’s lies. Today, I surrender my life to You—Your will, Your purpose, Your plan. I am Yours.Teach me to live fully alive in You. Takeaway I don’t have to just exist.In Christ, I am made alive.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Who can truly know God?His ways are far higher than ours. He spoke the universe into existence and sustains it by His power. He is beyond full human understanding—yet Scripture tells us that we  can  know Him. How? Through Jesus. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. If we want to know what God is like, we only need to look at the Son. In Him, the invisible God becomes visible. In His life, we see the heart of the Father revealed. It Is Written Ephesians 1:17–19 “I always pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation that gives you a deep and personal and intimate knowledge of Him. And that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened—flooded with light—so that you will know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His people, and the immeasurable, unlimited, surpassing greatness of His power in us who believe.” Jesus Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. He touched the untouchable and loved the overlooked. He confounded the wise and lifted the humble. No other life has so profoundly impacted the world as this one solitary life. But more than His miracles, it is His heart that reveals God.Compassion. Mercy. Truth. Power. Sacrifice. If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father. Prayer Lord, I want what Paul prayed for.Give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation so I may truly know You.Open the eyes of my heart—flood them with Your light.Help me to understand the hope You’ve called me to and the riches of Your inheritance.Let me begin to grasp the immeasurable, unlimited greatness of Your power at work in me. Takeaway God is not distant or unknowable.He has made Himself known. If you want to know what God is like—look at Jesus.

By Paula Williamson guest writer We’ve all heard stories like it—the poor little girl living in an orphanage discovering her father is alive and wealthy, returning to rescue her. Or Cinderella in ashes, whose prince arrives and she becomes royalty. They make for beautiful fairy tales… but they aren’t real. Yet there  is  a true story—one written long ago, and it includes you. It Is Written Ephesians 1:11–14 In Him we have received an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who first hoped in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory. The Great Rescue This isn’t a fairy tale—it’s your story. Before the foundation of the world, God already had a plan for you. You were not an afterthought. You were chosen, claimed, and given a destiny in Him. Through Jesus Christ, the greatest rescue took place. He paid the price for our salvation, making a way for us to be brought into God’s family. And when we believe in Him—not just knowing about Him, but placing our trust in Him—we receive something extraordinary: An inheritance. Not one that fades or can be taken away—but one that is eternal. And as a promise of what’s to come, God places His Holy Spirit within us—like a seal, a mark of ownership, and a guarantee that what He has promised, He will fulfill. You are no longer without identity.You are no longer without belonging.You are an heir. Prayer Wow, Father… You have given me the riches of Your inheritance. I belong to You. I am chosen, protected, and sealed by Your Spirit. Thank You that I am an heir with Christ. What a gift—what a grace. Thank You. Takeaway This is not a fairy tale—you are part of the story. Your inheritance is not something you earn; it is something you receive.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Have you ever felt invisible—unnoticed, unimportant, and without a sense of belonging? Most of us have, at one time or another. Anyone who has moved to a new town, started a new school, or stepped into a new job knows that feeling all too well. It’s unsettling… even painful. But oh, the joy when someone calls your name, takes notice, shows interest, and wants to hear your story. What a powerful sense of validation that brings. The truth is, we were never meant to live without belonging. Someone has always been there, waiting for us to find our way home. Long before we ever took our first breath, we were in His heart. From the very beginning, His plan included a moment—your moment—when you would realize:  He is your home.   It Is Written EPHESIANS 1: 3 -6 Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, 4 just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we  would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will —6 to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ].   Adoption The Creator of the universe made a plan to adopt us as His own. Think about that—chosen, wanted, pursued. Yet in His love, He gives us the freedom to choose. He waits for us to respond, to accept the invitation into His family. I remember when I was 12 years old, I made that decision. I ran to my Heavenly Father and received His wraparound love into my life. There are many things I’ve regretted over the years—but that decision has never been one of them. Prayer Thank You for blessing me with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Thank You for choosing me and calling me Your own. Thank You for making me blameless in Your sight through Jesus. Thank You for adopting me into Your family through His life, death, burial, and resurrection. Thank You that I belong—and that my life has purpose in You. Takeaway Your adoption papers are ready and waiting. This isn’t just a beautiful idea—it’s a personal invitation. If you’ve been feeling unseen, unwanted, or unsure where you belong, this is your moment. You don’t have to earn it. You don’t have to clean yourself up first. You simply have to respond. Say “yes” to the One who has already chosen you. You’re Invited If you’ve never received an invitation, you’re invited. If you’re ready, here’s a prayer: “Father, I come to You just as I am. I believe You chose me and made a way for me to You, through Jesus. I surrender my life to You. I confess my sins and receive Your forgiveness, Your grace, and my place in Your family. Thank You that I belong to You. Amen.” Today can be the day you come home.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Wouldn’t it be great if we had a GPS that spoke to us about how to walk and when to recalculate—one that told us when to take a different direction in life? Actually, we do. If you don’t have a Bible nearby, there is an app called  Holy Bible  that you can read anywhere you carry your phone. God’s Word not only shows us when we need to change direction, but it also reveals the roads that lead to blessings or curses.   It Is Written: DEUTERONOMY 28: 1 -13 “Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God. 3 “You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field. 4 “The offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your animals, the offspring of your herd and the young of your flock will be blessed. 5 “Your basket and your kneading bowl will be blessed. 6 “You will be blessed when you come in and you will be blessed when you go out. 7 “The Lord will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way but flee before you seven ways. 8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your storehouses and in al l that you undertake, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy [and set apart] to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk [that is, live your life each and every day] in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord , and they will be afraid of you. 11 The Lord will give you great prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good treasure house, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head (leader) and not the tail (follower); and you will be above only, and you will not be beneath, if you listen and pay attention to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, to observe them carefully.   Recalculating In Deuteronomy, we find verses that clearly describe what happens when we choose to live God’s way—and what happens when we choose our own way. The law of the harvest is real. If you plant a tomato seed, you get a tomato. Life works the same way. When we spend our lives sowing negative choices, attitudes, and actions, we eventually reap a negative harvest. But the good news is that we can change direction at any time. When we choose God’s path, we begin planting seeds that lead to a very different harvest. Prayer Lord, thank You for the roadmap in Your Word that shows us how to walk in blessing and warns us of the consequences of following our own ways. Thank You for the rewards of obedience and for faithfully guiding those who seek You. Help me walk in Your ways today. Takeaway God’s Word is the perfect GPS. Follow His direction leads to blessing. If we lose our way we can always recalculate and return to Him.