Tag Archive | Difficult time

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Aug24

Scripture for the week of August 24, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

…Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

Have you heard the saying, “Don’t let your yesterday’s determine your tomorrow’s?”Are you trying to run your race still carrying the heavy baggage and burdens of your past? You may remember watching how hard it is for a child learning to walk to keep from stumbling and falling when they want to look back instead of keeping their eyes focused on the path ahead of them. This scripture reminds us that in order to successfully run our race we need to stop looking back at the mistakes, problems, and even accomplishments or the joys of our yesterdays so we can reach for the blessings of today and the hope of our tomorrows. Therefore, in the power of The Lord’s enabling grace, let go of anything in the past that would keep you from reaching for the future and the heavenly prize that is yours in Jesus.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Aug17

Scripture for the week of August 17, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 (NRSV)

Have ever had or are currently having one of those hard times that seem like everything is just too much, too hard, or too impossible? This scripture reminds us that our God is with us as a warrior, fighting for us to bring victory into our difficult and seemingly impossible situations. We need to be reminded that our Heavenly Father delights in us, rejoices over us with gladness, and desires to renew our faith with strength in the knowledge of the reality of His loving presence with us. So, be encouraged with renewed hope and faith in His extravagant love for you. And know that the awesome Lord God Almighty is warring and rejoicing over you with gladness and with shouts of joy to bring you into victory! Hallelujah! Yaaay God!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Apr13

Scripture for the week of April 13, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV

Have you ever felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? Do you have the repetitive lies of the world going round and round in your head: “Not qualified, not smart, not pretty, too fat or too old”? Maybe it is time to heed the advice of this scripture and to stop trying to conform to the self eliminating standards of this world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Believe you are who God says you are; accepted in the beloved, (Eph. 1:6) fearfully and wonderfully made, (Ps. 139:14) child of God, (John 1:12) and that your gifts make room for you (Pr. 18:16). The more we focus on who God says we are the more we will clearly discern His good, pleasing and perfect will for us. Oh Lord, renew our minds with the washing of Your Word that we might find our perfect place in Your will. Amen.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Mar2

Scripture for the week of March 2, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalms 16:8,11 (NASB)

Have you ever wondered how to have joy through any circumstance? Biblically joy goes beyond emotional happiness which is dependent on whatever makes us feel good and it is temporary. Joy is primarily a choice and is dependent upon trusting in the sovereign goodness of God, even when we don’t feel it; knowing that He is Who He says He is as revealed to us in His Word. When this scripture mentions God’s place at the Psalmists right hand that implies giving Him the highest place of honor and absolute power in our lives. We learn in this scripture that when we choose to abide in His presence we can know the security of safety, overflowing joy and everlasting pleasure. His right hand holds all power and all authority in heaven and on earth to defend and provide for us. Lord, please go before us revealing the path of abundant life in Your presence and the fullness of joy we all long for. Amen.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jan29

Scripture for the week of January 25, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalms 16:8,11 (NASB)

Have you ever wondered how to have joy through any circumstance? Biblically joy goes beyond emotional happiness which is dependent on whatever makes us feel good and it is temporary. Joy is primarily a choice and is dependent upon trusting in the sovereign goodness of God, even when we don’t feel it, and knowing that He is Who He says He is as revealed to us in His Word. When this scripture mentions God’s place at the Psalmists right hand that implies giving Him the highest place of honor and absolute power in our lives. We learn in this scripture that when we choose to abide in His presence we can know the security of safety, overflowing joy and everlasting pleasure. HIs right hand holds all power and all authority in heaven and on earth to defend and provide for us. Lord, please go before us revealing the path of abundant life in Your presence and the fullness of joy we all long for. Amen.

Scripture Of The Week by JoBeth Kested

Dec8

Scripture for the week of December 8, 2024

By JoBeth Kested

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned… The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:1-5 (NKJV)

Have you ever struggled with the sorrow and sadness of this life or the overwhelming grief of a great tragedy with longing for comfort? Sometimes the agony of loss and the pain of injustice we experience in this world can be hard to bear as we search for our lost hope in the puddles of our tears. The prophet Isaiah twice declares to the people of God “comfort, comfort” (meaning a double portion) along with the end of warfare and mercy for their sinfulness. He exhorts them to prepare a way for the Lord; with the promise that the extreme highs and lows will be made right, the crooked and rough will be made straight and smooth, and that all would see the glory of the goodness of the Lord in their land. Oh, Lord, comfort, comfort the wounded hearts of your people once again. May Jesus, the Prince of Peace, be revealed for the healing of the nations and for the glory of the LORD to shine in all the earth. Amen.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Nov11

Scripture for the week of November 10, 2024
By JoBeth Kested

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Have you ever struggled to find enough faith to guide you in the midst of gripping fearful circumstances? In such times, it is important to remember that submitting to fear instead of believing in faith is a choice. Let’s take a look at this scripture with the word fear in place of the word faith and see how it would read. “Now fear is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” How much easier it is to see the foolishness of wasting our time and energy by wallowing in the quicksand of fear that anticipates and expects things we can’t even see yet and have no power to change. We can choose to have faith in our all powerful Heavenly Father that creates worlds out of nothing, is able to move mountains, make rivers in the desert, and brings resurrection life from the dead! Instead of yielding to fear, let’s put our faith in Almighty God that can create things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Yes, Lord!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jul21
Photo Credit – JoBeth Kested

Scripture for the week of July 21, 2024
By JoBeth Kested

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. —the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. Jeremiah 31:17,18b (NKJV)

Have you ever gazed upon the innumerable stars in the night sky, admired the beauty of a sunset or captivated by the ocean depths and wondered in awe of the power and majesty of God? It is really easy to then feel so small and insignificant with doubts that God would care about us and our circumstances. Mighty God in this verse means Warrior, a Champion and Hero. The God who made all of creation, Warrior Lord of all the Angel Armies of Heaven, is also our Champion and Hero! Are you battle weary of circumstances beyond your control or blind sighted by troubles you least expected? No matter what you are facing, be encouraged and trust that the great and powerful arm of Mighty God (El-Gibbor), your Champion, your Hero, is outstretched to you! There is nothing too hard for our God to protect and provide, to lead and guide us in all our circumstances. Yes, Amen!

Scripture of the Week by JoBeth Kested

Jun30

Scripture for the week of June 30, 2024
By JoBeth Kested

God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

Have you ever cried heartbreaking tears and there was no one there to wipe them away or to wrap you in a loving embrace? We all long for a world without the grief of injustice, suffering, broken hearts and tears. This scripture in Revelation is God’s promise that the dream in every heart to see the end of all death, sorrow, crying and pain will surely come. Until that day we find this comfort that our loving Heavenly Father is our safe refuge; He is always there to hold us in His everlasting arms, He holds all our tears in a bottle and writes all our sorrows in His book. (Deuteronomy 33:22, Psalm 56:8) We can now hold this hope that as we face all the trials and tribulations of this world we have peace, comfort and joy because of the resurrection life that is ours in Jesus. (John 16:33) Yes, AMEN!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jun3

Scripture for the week of June 2, 2024
By JoBeth Kested

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)

Are you in need of abundant grace and peace? Grace is undeserved favor and divine assistance. Peace is tranquility, harmony and freedom from disturbance or affliction. The Biblical definition of knowledge is based on understanding from experience. This verse exhorts us that the more we increase in knowing our Father God, and our Savior Jesus, the more His grace and peace will increase in our lives. Like the Hebrews in the wilderness that had to gather fresh manna each day, Jesus is the Bread of Life that God has provided for us to that we need to seek new each day. Whatever we may have experienced of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and provision in the past, be encouraged to KNOW that as we seek to know Him more each day we’ll never exhaust the supply His sufficient favor, divine assistance, and peace that passes understanding. May His grace and peace be multiplied to you today.