Blog Archives
Fully Living
Meet Nick Vujicic. Even though he was born with no arms or legs, he says, “God still uses me as His hands and feet”. I have never met a stronger or more courageous man, nor a more humble man. His wit and sense of humor combined with a willingness to give all the glory and credit to God for his accomplishments is such an inspiration to me. Nick may not have arms or legs, but I believe God has given him wings to reach out to other souls.
Please watch this video, and then prayerfully share it with others. God bless – Amber
1 Samuel 15:22-23
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you from being king.
(1 Samuel 15:22-23)
King Saul had disobeyed God and he lost God’s favor. Saul disobeyed God’s instructions because he was captivated by his own ambition and desires. When confronted by Samuel, Saul only gave excuses. He did part of what God had told him to, but he was not willing to be fully obedient. And God rejected him.
How many times are we like Saul? Maybe we find ourselves doing part of what God’s Word says to us, but not quite finishing the job of obedience. It is often our pride and our desire for accomplishment that leads us to hide behind half-truths and excuses. The instruction is clear . . . let the obedience be complete. As Samuel noted, the Lord delights more in obeying His voice than in all the burnt offerings we can give.
Father, thank You for Your Words of Truth! Guide me, and give me the faith & strength I need to obey You in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Trials of Life
(Originally posted on July 11, 2012)
The Trials of Life
By Amber Leggette-Aldrich
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
“…May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no “baseless fabric of a vision,” but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite… May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being “stablished in the faith” is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed–”After that ye have suffered awhile.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.” (Spurgeon’s Devotionals)
Suffering. Not so pleasant a thought. Certainly it is not something that anyone would desire. Yet it is through the suffering that we, as Christians, are made strong. Think about a chunk of coal. After many years of tremendous pressure, it becomes a beautiful diamond. It is from the pressure put on us during our times of trials and suffering that we are being perfected for God’s Kingdom. It is through our faith and trust in God that we have the strength to go through the storms, knowing that there is victory on the other side.
In my book, “Faith, Hope & Miracles”, I shared some of the toughest trials a person could go through. But my faith gave me the strength to go through it all. I endured the suffering because God gave me hope in the knowledge of His eternal love. There were times when I said, “In spite of the storm, I am strong”. But now I know that it is because of the storm that I am stronger.
After the storm comes the rainbow. God gave me the privilege of witnessing and sharing in a precious miracle. It has been a privilege and joy for me to see the impact in people’s heart in sharing that miracle. What a blessing it is for me to share God’s love and goodness, not only when life is good, but even more during the trials!
“Faith, Hope & Miracles – the true story of a journey from tragedy through blessings” is available on Amazon in Kindle version and paperback copy.
Psalms 31:3
“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” (Psalms 31:3)
We pray that this week you would experience the fruit of surrendering completely to the Spirit’s leading. Just as the Spirit told Philip to go and stand next to the Ethiopian’s chariot, we pray that you would be willing to be wherever the Spirit leads you. His burden is easy and his yoke is light, and we pray that you would experience the peace of accepting that yoke and walking with the Spirit this week. He is our rock & fortress, our strength & security. Let Him be your guide. In Jesus name, amen.
Psalms 73:26
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever”. (Psalms 73:26 KJV)
I wish I could say that I have always walked with God, but that would be a lie. I have lived in the world’s way of darkness and sin. We all have. That is our “flesh”, and it is too weak to stand up to temptation.
But God, in His mercy and grace, gives us strength to walk a better path, His path. We can walk in victory against sin, overcoming it, but only if we accept Him and give ourselves completely to Him. Only after realizing and admitting that I am a sinner, could I sincerely ask for forgiveness. I truly wanted to live a better life. When I repented of my sins and was baptized in Jesus’ name, I was forgiven. And when I opened my heart completely, His Holy Spirit filled me and made me a new person, His child. (Acts 2:38)
That was 11 years ago. I still fall into temptations. I still make mistakes. I have not been made perfect, yet. But I have been delivered and set free! I have learned the truth of God’s Word and I have learned to trust in Him. He gives me the courage to face each day, no matter what happens. He gives me the strength to go through whatever trials come. And they do come! But as long as my heart is focused on the Lord, I have strength. It is when my attention strays away from Him that I fall down. It is through ignorance and deceit of the enemy that I fail. And those are the times that I learn the hardest lessons.
God is my strength! Because of Him, I have already overcome many obstacles and passed through many trials. And because of Him, I will have victory over more. Ultimately, I will be blessed with the greatest treasure imaginable…eternal life in His Holy presence! I admit that there are some things I like about this world. My family and friends, mountains, flowers, oceans and rivers, animals, chocolate, all these things I am very fond of. But in my heart, there is now a love that has grown so strong, a love for Jesus and to be with Him in heaven. That love surpasses any love I have here on earth. And that love is where my strength comes from, because He is love.
by Amber Leggette-Aldrich
Faith, Hope & Miracles Ebook
Trials and Triumphs
Amber Lea
Faith, Hope & Miracles 