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1 Peter 1:2

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:  May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.  – (1 Peter 1:2 ESV)

2020-12-27T11:54:44-07:00March 2nd, 2021|

God Is Planning a Family Reunion

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”  But the father said to his servants, “Quick!  Bring the best robe and put it on him.  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let’s have a feast and celebrate” – (Luke 15:21-23 NIV)

The story of the lost son is one of the most beloved in the Scriptures.  God is in the business of bringing families together.  Every day parents are fighting over custody of their children.  In many instances’ children must be forcibly taken from abusive situations or from parents who are addicted to drugs or alcohol.  Other families are torn apart by strife, bitterness, and jealously.

Is your family whole, or are you longing for the day when every member will be present at the family reunion?  Is there a son or daughter who seems to have dropped out of sight, as far as your family is concerned?  Why not make a covenant with the Lord to pray each day for the next year for that family member to be reconciled?  God is able to send His holy angels or human messengers along that person’s path with just the right words to turn his or her heart toward home.  The Lord used an angel to bring Peter and Cornelius together, and He can do the same to bring your family together.

And don’t forget, every reunion means a celebration!

2020-12-27T11:44:57-07:00March 1st, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

Generational blessing does not deal in sufficiency, but in overflow, to another person, another generation, another culture, another time and place. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-12-07T07:44:00-07:00February 25th, 2021|

Exodus 20:6

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. – (Exodus 20:6 NLT)

2020-12-07T07:30:31-07:00February 23rd, 2021|

The Word Produces Good Seed

“He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat” – (Psalm 147:14 NKJV)

God will give us an abundance of revelation knowledge—the good seed out of His Word.  As an adult, I received some of my best advice on studying the Bible from…a TEENAGER!

When our church was small, I was the leader of our teens.  One young man had a tremendous hunger to study God’s Word.  He showed me a small indexed notebook where he wrote the scriptures according to topics.  Whenever people had questions about healing, he would immediately refer to that category.  Many times, he would also jot down special revelations that the Holy Spirit gave him.

At that time, I also taught a small home Bible study.  Sometimes I did not have specific answers to questions.  But with a small indexed notebook such as my student’s, I began keeping scriptures and applying them to specific situations where needed.

I now have many such notebooks on alphabetized topics, Bible characters, and even whole books of the Bible—all supplemented with revelation knowledge.  It is a valuable reference resource that I use to teach the Bible.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to be consistent and stable in our study of Your Word.  Then You will be consistent and stable in giving us revelation knowledge.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-12-07T07:21:31-07:00February 22nd, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

The Holy Spirit quickens the Word that is in you, brings it to life, and then brings forth the fruit. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-12-01T09:49:40-07:00February 18th, 2021|

Philippians 4:13

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. – (Philippians 4:13 NLT)

2020-12-01T09:36:01-07:00February 16th, 2021|

Never Stop Believing

Moses was forty years old when he stood up for who he was a Hebrew man; his actions resulted in his exile.

Moses was eighty years old before he came face-to-face with God at the burning bush, where he decided to follow wherever God might lead him and do whatever God might ask of him.

By faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and toward their land of promise.

Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed, very likely did not live to see Moses become the man of faith who led Israel out of its bondage in Egypt.

But that’s real faith—they did not see and then believe.

They believed for what they had not yet seen, and they never stopped believing.

What are you believing for?

2020-12-01T09:29:57-07:00February 15th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

If you are bitter against someone, you can’t afford it.  It’s going to cost you your blessing.  And it can cost your children’s blessing too.  ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-12-01T09:14:26-07:00February 11th, 2021|

Build Up or Tear Down

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1:26 NKJV)

One day the Lord spoke strongly to me about my tongue.  He told me that I had begun to listen to bits and pieces of gossip about people and then repeated it.  I had developed a critical attitude.  Instead of praying for these people, I was talking about them.

God directed me to scripture in Ezekiel that says the Lord was looking for a man/woman to stand in the gap of the hedge.  God chastised me for becoming a “gap finder,” rather than a “gap stander.”  Then He reminded me about some people with whom I had been very angry.  These people had gossiped and said untrue things about the ministry.  God said, “You reap what you sow.  You have gossiped about others; now others are talking about you.”

I repented deeply and asked the Lord to help me daily with my tongue.  The sins of the tongue are among the most serious that we commit.  The tongue can build up or tear down.  It is so important to ask God for help in bridling our own tongues.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us guard our mouths today.  Check us if we begin to talk or criticize.  Remind us that when we sow gossip or criticism, we also will reap it.  We cannot afford such an expensive harvest.

In Jesus’s Name,

2020-12-01T08:07:41-07:00February 8th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

Faith will remove you from natural circumstances and put you into supernatural circumstances that will boggle the natural mind. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-11-30T08:37:03-07:00February 4th, 2021|

1 Peter 3:8

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit. – (1 Peter 3:8 NASB)

2020-11-30T08:10:45-07:00February 2nd, 2021|

Be Prepared to Face the Lions

Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (Daniel 6:21-22 NKJV)

Angels are sent to believers to take care of the lions in our lives.  Sometimes we want God to protect us in a time of crisis, but until we repent of sin, we shouldn’t expect supernatural protection.  We can’t live a life of sin and the complain about the lack of supernatural deliverance in our lives.  Daniel was confident of God’s protection because Daniel was in a right relationship with his heavenly Father.

Let me give you a list of things to do NOW to prepare for any future overnight stay in the lion’s den:

  1. Read your Bible before you arrive in the lions’ den.
  2. Have a disciplined prayer time before the lions line up at your door.
  3. Keep your focus on the Word of God during a crisis.
  4. Keep an excellent spirit at all times.
  5. Have faith that the Word will work for you.
  6. Look to God for deliverance.
  7. Give God the glory for your deliverance.
2020-11-30T08:02:22-07:00February 1st, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

We can spoil the devil’s stronghold in our households by binding him in the name of Jesus, by telling him that he can’t do those awful things to our house or to the generation that follows. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-11-10T07:49:55-07:00January 28th, 2021|

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. – (Psalm 147:3 NKJV)

2020-11-10T07:37:55-07:00January 26th, 2021|

How to Receive Your Benefits!

“So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Faith does come by hearing God’ Word.  But many people hear God’s Word and don’t believe it, so they don’t get its benefits.

Do you remember Rahab (Joshua 6)?  She, along with all of Jericho’s inhabitants, had heard about the God of Hebrews.  The people of Jericho all heard the same report; but Rahab alone heard AND BELIEVED.  Not only did she believe in her heart, but she confessed it with her mouth and acted out her faith by hiding the Israelites spies.

Because of Rahab’s willingness to believe what she had heard, she was rewarded beyond her wildest imagination.  When the rest of Jericho was destroyed, the walls of Rahab’s dwelling remained standing—as a testimony to her belief in God’s Word.

We can hear God’s Word continually, but until we believe what we hear and then act on it, it is not profitable to us.

When you hear the Word, don’t just casually receive it in your mind.  Meditate on it.  Accept it and receive it as a special message from God to you.  Then use it to benefit your life.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to mix our faith with Your Word, to take Your Word and use it in our lives, and to know that it is Your personal message to us.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-11-10T07:32:56-07:00January 25th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

Faith is a pleasure to God.  If you extend your faith to believe God’s Word for a specific need, God will reward your faith with the full extend of His pleasure. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-11-10T07:10:50-07:00January 21st, 2021|

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of His wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of His might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts, boast of this that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. – (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)

2020-11-09T12:07:46-07:00January 19th, 2021|

Four “I Wills” for the Dark Night

And I said, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the works of the Lord; surely, I will remember Your wonders of old.  I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.  (Psalm 77:10-12 NKJV)

Like the psalmist, you may be in the middle of a “night” of grief and sorrows, and you may be thinking, “Has His mercy ceased forever (Psalm 77:8)?”  When that happens to you or someone you know, turn to Psalm 77 and contemplate the four “I wills” of verses 10-12:

  • I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.
  • I will remember the works of the LORD.
  • I will remember Your wonders of old.
  • I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.

These four steps will lead you to God.  Great comfort and hope can come from meditating on God’s great provision for our lives.

2020-11-09T11:50:44-07:00January 18th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

When we decide to obey God, we never know where He will take us, and we cannot begin to imagine the wonderful things He will do. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-11-09T09:31:20-07:00January 14th, 2021|

John 15:11

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow! – (John 15:11 NLT)

2020-11-03T11:55:23-07:00January 12th, 2021|

You Can’t Look Backward and Forward at the Same Time

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” – (Philippians 3:13 NKJV)

Once we forget the past, we can then reach forth to the things that are ahead.  If we continue to remember the past, it will press against our “present” and keep us from the future that God has for us.  We can’t look backward and forward at the same time.

The Lord tells us that He puts our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.  I’m glad He didn’t say north from south because then we would meet our sins again!  If you start walking south, eventually you’ll reach the south pole, and then you’ll be going north.  North and south can meet each other, but east and west can never meet!  There is no east or west pole.

When God forgives us of our sins, He forgets them.  He never meets them again, and He doesn’t intend for us to meet them either.  Therefore, we leave the past sins behind and look for the future glory.

Don’t let yourself be burdened down with the memory and guilt of past sins.  Christ shed His blood on the cross so that we might no longer be bowed under the weight of all our sins.  Hand them to Him!

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You today that we can forget the past.  It cannot exercise power over our present or future.  We reach forth for the things that You have for us today.

2020-11-03T11:44:00-07:00January 11th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

God will remove the poverty of your heart and soul and bestow His riches there. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-11-03T10:08:54-07:00January 7th, 2021|

Romans 13:8

Owe no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. –(Romans 13:8 NKJV)

2020-10-27T08:24:40-06:00January 5th, 2021|

Worship in Spirit and Truth

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” –(John 4:23-24 NKJV)

God has such tremendous blessings for each one of us who love Him, but we need to stay in the right position to receive them.  We need to stay under the downpour of His unlimited blessing.

Being in position to receive from God is directly tied to worshiping Him.

The Bible says we are each called to worship God in spirit and in truth.  In other words, we worship God in our hearts (spirit) and in our actions (truth).

We are called to love God with our hearts, minds, souls, and strength.  We do this by giving thanks and praise to God.

We are also called to love our neighbors as ourselves, which we can do in practical real-world ways.

What are some ways you can love your neighbor?

2023-02-02T12:19:14-07:00January 4th, 2021|

Moments with Marilyn

You have a heritage of blessing from your heavenly Father; speak it over yourself and your children. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-10-21T09:55:31-06:00December 31st, 2020|

Ephesians 3:12

In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him.-(Ephesians 3:12 ESV)

2020-10-21T09:53:57-06:00December 29th, 2020|

To Live in Prayer is to Live in Power

“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” -(Psalm 55:17 NKJV)

It is not unusual for a man, who is committed to prayer, to pray morning, noon, and night.  Daniel made a commitment to pray morning, noon, and night.  In fact, Daniel enemies could only find one fault with him: his extensive prayer life.  That’s really something when the only fault that your enemy can find is your prayer life!  I wonder how many of our enemies could find that “fault” with us?  But such dedication to prayer also brings forth men like Daniel—and David, who wrote Psalm 55:17.  They were mighty and powerful in God.

Sometimes Christians will complain, “I just don’t have time for a lot of prayer.”  Only the devil doesn’t “have time” for prayer.  A dedicated believer will MAKE TIME FOR PRAYER.  Jesus always made time for prayer with His heavenly Father—even in the midst of horrendous crises, such as His impending crucifixion and death.

To live in prayer is to live in power.  Set aside special times—morning, noon, and night—for your prayer life, and watch your circumstances change!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today let us emphasize prayer in our own personal lives.  We must not look to other people to pray for us.  We are committed to a consistent, personal prayer life.  We look to You to guide us.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-10-21T09:52:49-06:00December 28th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Bloodline may be fixed from generation to generation, but a family can change in character and in the way it serves God. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-10-21T08:58:38-06:00December 24th, 2020|

Wednesday in the Word – Good Shepherd

Join Marilyn Hickey every Wednesday as she will share a special scripture with you! On today’s Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares encouragement from Psalm 23:1.

2020-10-21T08:57:56-06:00December 23rd, 2020|

John 3:16

For God so love the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. -(John 3:16 ESV)

2020-10-21T08:52:39-06:00December 22nd, 2020|

The Arrival of a Child Brings Heavenly Praise

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:11-14 NKJV)

I’m persuaded that the birth of every child sets off a chorus of praise in heaven.  It is a happy moment, filled with promise for a new life led in glory to God.

God does not ask you to entrust your children to Him without giving you the all-encompassing hope that He will fulfill your children’s lives in ways that will bring Him the greatest glory and give you and your children the greatest joy.

Take some time to reflect on that truth.  To entrust your child fully to the Lord is to claim, by your faith, that:

  • God loves your child with an everlasting love.
  • God’s purposes for creating your child are going to be fulfilled.
  • Your child’s life is going to count for eternity.
2020-10-21T08:50:52-06:00December 21st, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Miracles are available to us today because God’s Word promises them. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-10-21T08:47:29-06:00December 17th, 2020|

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need.  (Psalm 23:1 NLT)

2020-10-21T08:38:37-06:00December 15th, 2020|

Partake & Share of the Fruit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22, 23 NKJV)

The fruit of the Spirit is to be very evident in our lives.  When we are born again, we receive the fruits of LOVE, JOY, and PEACE.  These are for our personal enjoyment.  We experience love, joy, and peace.

In addition to these three fruits, there are three more that relate to others:  We need LONGSUFFERING in dealing with other people.  We also need GENTLENESS and GOODNESS.  Thus, not only do we enjoy personal fruit for ourselves, but we can extend His fruit to others.

Lastly, three final fruits deal with our relationship with our heavenly Father.  We give FAITH back to Him, along with MEEKNESS and TEMPERANCE.

Here is a beautiful picture of FRUIT THAT WE OURSELVES CAN ENJOY, FRUIT THAT WE GIVE TO OTHERS, and FRUIT THAT WE MANIFEST TO THE FATHER.  How complete God has made us in Jesus!  If you have Jesus, you have the seed of all nine of these fruits.  Partake of them all.

Dear Heavenly Father,

No law can win against love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance—the supernatural traits of Jesus Christ.  Thank You, Father, that these abide in us in our new birth.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2021-01-20T09:32:53-07:00December 14th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

To think forward in faith, keep your focus on God’s plan for you and your family. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-10-21T08:28:47-06:00December 10th, 2020|

Psalm 77:14

You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.  (Psalm 77:14 ESV)

2020-10-21T08:00:18-06:00December 8th, 2020|

The Power of a Joyful Attitude

May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.

(Psalm 119:74 NIV)

When a man of God receives grace for himself, he becomes a blessing to others.  Hopeful people bring gladness wherever they go.

What do you bring to your friends and family?  Do you remind them of all the bad things that have happened or might happen?  Do you give them a catalog of your aches and pains?  If your conversations are full of complaints, worries, and problems, then you are not testifying for God; you are testifying for the devil.

Your attitude alone can be a testimony to the gifts of God.  You have been forgiven!  You are assured of eternal life!  Considering the magnitude of these gifts, what do you have to complain about?

Reflect your joy and gratitude in every situation — you will be a blessing to your friends and family and, most of all, to God.

2020-10-21T07:59:33-06:00December 7th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

When you have “Christ in you,” you can lead a miraculous life. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-10-21T07:49:30-06:00December 3rd, 2020|

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God.  (Luke 1:37 ESV)

2020-10-21T07:43:17-06:00December 1st, 2020|

Repentance Brings Refreshing

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”- (Acts 3:19 NKJV)

Repentance brings refreshing.  I was 19 years old when my mother received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I was very “turned off” with both her experience and her Spirit-filled friends.  For four years she prayed for me and witnessed to me about the Holy Spirit baptism.  Finally, I met my husband-to-be, who was Spirit-filled.  God had begun to work on my heart.

I spent one entire night in repentance for rejecting such a wonderful gift of God, and I promised that I would participate in the next all-night prayer meeting that our church held.  Within four days I had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  After my repentance came one of the greatest refreshings I had experienced.

The major things that we need in our lives often come only after we have truly repented.  Then God can send a refreshing peace to us that truly “passes all understanding.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today let us repent of those areas where we have blocked Your flow of refreshing to our lives.  Help us not to examine others, but to examine ourselves.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-10-21T07:36:57-06:00November 30th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

You have a heritage of blessing from your heavenly Father; speak it over yourself and your children.  ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-09-28T10:14:51-06:00November 26th, 2020|

Lamentations 3:22

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  (Lamentations 3:22 NLT)

2020-09-28T10:12:23-06:00November 24th, 2020|

The Power of Thanksgiving

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4 NKJV)

God has often dealt with me about the act of thanksgiving.  There is power in the giving of thanks.  In the Old Testament there was a special offering just for thanksgiving.  The New Testament says that when we pray, we are to do so with thanksgiving.  We are to thank God for our food.  Then our blessings will be sanctified and set apart for us.

Thanksgiving is like yeast:  Thanksgiving causes your requests to rise with faith into the presence of God, just as yeast causes bread to rise.  The Word teaches that if you are not thankful for the things that God does, He will take away what He has given you.

Of the ten lepers, nine never gave thanks to Jesus.  Only one returned to thank Him.  I believe that because that one leper gave thanks, he received SPIRITUAL wholeness, as well as PHYSICAL wholeness.  Thanksgiving also will help you to be whole—physical, emotionally, and spiritually.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to live in an attitude of thanksgiving.  When we give You our praise and thanks, we know that You will bless us in body, soul and Spirit.  Thank You for all the good things that You do. 

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-09-28T10:11:34-06:00November 23rd, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Don’t allow your circumstances to determine your spiritual state.  Take control of the situation with praise and worship. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-09-28T10:09:12-06:00November 19th, 2020|

Luke 18:1

Jesus said that we “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 NKJV)

2020-09-28T10:06:44-06:00November 17th, 2020|

A Psalm of Praise

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:1-4 NKJV)

Within two stanzas of this psalm, we are admonished to praise and worship the Lord, and we are given good reasons for doing so!  We are told to make a joyful shout and to be thankful.  Why?  Because, It is He who has made us.

God is your heavenly Father, and He delights in providing for your every need.

Exercise “childlike” faith in God’s goodness; you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to praise and thank Him!

2020-09-28T10:00:57-06:00November 16th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Father, let my first thoughts in the morning and my last thoughts at night be of you.  ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-09-28T09:58:12-06:00November 12th, 2020|

Deuteronomy 8:18

You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, and He may confirm his covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  (Deuteronomy 8:18 ESV)

2020-09-28T09:54:01-06:00November 10th, 2020|

How Your Praise in Troubled Times Helps Others

But a midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  (Acts 16:25 NKJV)

You’ve heard the expression “misery loves company.”  When Paul and Silas found themselves unfairly imprisoned in a Philippian jail, they didn’t spend their jail time coming up with a defense or complaining about being falsely accused.  Their instinct was to pray and sing hymns to God.

The other prisoners were listening to them.

In this verse, the Greek word for “listening” includes the idea of listening “with pleasure.”

Everyone jailed with Paul and Silas benefited from their response to a terrible circumstance.

When we find ourselves in miserable situations, let’s use the time to glorify God and edify those around us.

Take a look at Acts 16:26 (the very next verse), and see what happens when we do.

2020-09-28T09:52:09-06:00November 9th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

We can’t let our failure prevent us from trusting God for miracles in the future. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-09-28T09:49:04-06:00November 5th, 2020|

1 Thessalonians 5:24

“God will make this happen, for He who calls you is faithful.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT)

2020-09-28T09:31:20-06:00November 3rd, 2020|

His Power Flowing Through Us

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13 NKJV)

The right hand has always been the hand that denoted power.  When Jesus sat down, He sat down at the right hand of God.  Jesus held the sevens stars in His right hand.  He held the book in Revelation in His right hand.  The antichrist said that he would put a mark in the right hand of those who belonged to him.  When Jacob put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, this indicated that Ephraim would have more power than Manasseh.

Proverbs speaks of wisdom’s qualities: “Length of days is in her right hand, in her left-hand riches and honor” (Proverbs 3:16).  If we seek wisdom, we’ll have length of days for enjoying the riches and honor.

The Lord promises that He will hold your right hand so you can be empowered for action.  At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.  We believers shall lay hands on the sick because our hands are to be full of God’s healing power.  Everything our hands touch will prosper because of His power flowing through us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to know Your power, experience Your strength, and receive Your help as it flows through us to others that they might be healed.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-09-28T09:28:46-06:00November 2nd, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Whoever you are, wherever you are, you can experience God’s healing touch. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-27T11:53:01-06:00October 29th, 2020|

Wednesday in the Word

On today’s Wednesdays in the Word, Marilyn shares encouragement from Isaiah 54:5!

2020-08-27T11:49:50-06:00October 28th, 2020|

Jeremiah 31:13

The Young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will turn their mourning into joy.  I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.  (Jeremiah 31:13 CSB)

2020-08-27T11:48:23-06:00October 27th, 2020|

The Glory of His Plan!

Save me, O God!  For the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.  I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.

O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You.  (Psalm 69:1-3, 5 NKJV)

Do you really understand what Jesus did for you on the Cross?

Not only did He die for you, He bore your sin so that you would be free to accept His sacrifice and receive eternal life.

As you read Psalm 69, thoughtfully consider this awesome sacrifice by the Son of God.  Sincerely thank God for His plan of redemption because it has allowed you to escape the sure judgment of the King of kings.

Praise Him continually for His tender mercies, which will be extended to you throughout the ages to come.

2020-08-27T11:45:35-06:00October 26th, 2020|

Proverbs 14:30

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. -(Proverbs 14:30 ESV)

2020-08-19T07:24:47-06:00October 20th, 2020|

Renew your Mind Daily

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” -(Romans 12:2 NKJV)

When we act like people in the world, we CONFORM to their standard.  But the Word of God TRANSFORMS us:  It renews our minds and causes us to think like Him.  The word for TRANSFORM is the same word as “transfigure.”  When Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah, He was transfigured.  There was a glow from within.

When your mind is renewed with God’s Word, your mind also begins to glow from within from God’s Word.  Then, because of the renewing of your mind, you will know what is good, you will know what is acceptable, and you will know the perfect will of God.

It is very important to have a continual process of renewing our mind.  Renewal can be achieved by reading, meditating, and “chewing” on God’s Word in a daily way.  Then we make right decisions.  Because we live in and associate with the world, our thoughts can, at any moment, conform to the world.  That’s why it is so important to meditate on God’s Word daily.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to meditate on Your Word and to keep our minds renewed with a daily reading of Your Word.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-08-19T07:21:59-06:00October 19th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

The Word of God will stabilize your emotions and put your focus on Him. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-19T07:16:18-06:00October 15th, 2020|

Psalm 119:93

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. –(Psalm 119:93 ESV)

2020-08-19T07:14:30-06:00October 13th, 2020|

A Cure for the Evening News

In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.  (John 16:33 NIV)

Because of the peril of today, sometimes, if Christians are not careful, we can become adversely affected by what we see instead of what we know by faith.  Jesus tells us to be cheerful in the midst of troubled relationships, finances, or health.  And though you should be concerned, don’t let the condition of the world get you down.  Remember that we know how the story ends…and it is a happy, happy ending!

If you do become depressed or anxious about situations surrounding you, begin to praise God.  Turn to Psalm 67; it’s bursting with praise and promise!  Memorize the words so they will be hidden in your heart, then begin to speak or even sing them!  Praise your way through this life, knowing that the conditions we face are not permanent.  One glorious day we will live in a righteous world under the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s live this life in an overabundance of praise to God for His supernatural intervention even before we see His miracles manifested!

 

2020-08-19T07:13:25-06:00October 12th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Faith in God’s promises will produce the object of your hope. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-19T07:07:54-06:00October 8th, 2020|

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.  (Proverbs 12:25 ESV)

2020-08-19T07:06:06-06:00October 6th, 2020|

Bless the Lord

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2, 3 NKJV)

The word BLESS is a very powerful word.  However, if we do not mix blessings with faith, then we lose the benefits promised to us.  Basically, the Bible tells us that we are to bless three things:  1) We are to bless our circumstances.  Never murmur against them.  What we bless will bless us.

2) We are to bless our enemies.  Never talk against them or criticize them.  Never do evil to them.  When we bless them, then, in turn, they will bless us.  When a man’s ways please the Lord, He will make his enemies to be at peace with us.  3) We are to bless the Lord.  You might say, “The Lord doesn’t need to be blessed.  He is already blessed.”  But when we bless the Lord, He blesses us back.

Remember, when we bless the Lord, He forgives all of our sins and heals all of our diseases.  Spend time blessing the Lord today!  If you sow blessings, you will reap them.  He will bless you back!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today not to murmur and complain against our circumstances, but to bless them.  Help us to not murmur against our enemies, but to bless them.  Above all, help us to bless You.  Throughout the day we will take time to bless You, Father, with our hearts.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-08-19T07:05:04-06:00October 5th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

 

The Lord is interested in even the seemingly small things that concern you.  ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-07T13:46:00-06:00October 1st, 2020|

Proverbs 22:6

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

2020-08-07T13:42:35-06:00September 29th, 2020|

Your Inheritance from Father Abraham

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – (Galatians 3:29 NIV)

The rewards promised to Abraham are the same rewards God holds out to you as you live a righteous, faith-filled life of obedience to the Lord:

Fruitfulness — a life and legacy of increase, influence, and effectiveness on the earth, for you and your heirs.

A heritage of natural and spiritual heirs — your physical children (adopted and biological) and your spiritual children, entrusted to you by God, to spread your legacy of fruitfulness over space and time.

A supernatural place of provision and protection — the place or places to which God will lead you to establish and benefit you and your family, the place where He will cause you to influence others for His glory.

2020-08-07T13:41:41-06:00September 28th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

 

Troubles that exist in your family tree may have started generations ago.  The good news is this, what you do today—right now and in the days to come—can start a new pattern! ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-07T13:39:33-06:00September 24th, 2020|

Proverbs 17:22

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” – (Proverbs 17:22 ESV)

2020-08-07T13:36:57-06:00September 22nd, 2020|

Blessed are the Peacemakers

“He who is of a proud heart stir up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.” – (Proverbs 28:25 NKJV)

Strife always brings problems.  Out of it comes every evil work.  Sometimes it is very difficult not to respond to people who speak against us.  One time I was very upset because a woman had told some terrible lies about me.  I wanted to respond by telling her off, but the Lord said, “Vengeance is mine.”

The Lord told me that He would fight for me and that I should bless my enemies.  I made the decision not to enter into the strife.  If was the Lord’s problem, not mine.  If any fighting were to be done, the Lord would have to do it for me.

God prospered me in that situation.  I will never forget it, and I remind myself of it when I have new opportunities for strife.  Strife is a luxury you cannot afford; it is too expensive.  Strife will cost you time, energy, and your mental peace and well-being.  If you want to be a victorious Christian, stay out of strife.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to see the pitfalls of strife.  Help us to rebuke and resist strife with all of our hearts.  You said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”  Help us to see that we cannot be a part of strife.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-08-07T13:35:45-06:00September 21st, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Through daily obedience-taking one step of faith at a time-you can reverse the sin and iniquity that once threatened your generations and initiate a pattern of blessing. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-07T13:33:00-06:00September 17th, 2020|

Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” –(Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

2020-08-07T13:29:27-06:00September 15th, 2020|

Royal Priesthood

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…- (I Peter 2:9 NKJV)

It is a challenge to keep our true identity in Christ fixed in our minds.  When we are fighting traffic, stressing over finances, walking the dog, we can easily forget that we are children of the King of kings.

And we have been honored still further; we are all priests, our lives given over in service and praise to our God, the Father of light, who never changes.  Like the rest of creation, we exist to glorify our Father, the King.

One day, everyone will know God’s true identity.

Come soon, Lord Jesus.

2020-08-07T13:28:16-06:00September 14th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

 

Faith is the one element that God gives us to bring substance into our lives.  We must “substantiate” our hope with faith.  Your faith will reach up into heaven and say, “There is substance in heaven for me” ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-08-07T13:25:44-06:00September 10th, 2020|

Romans 13:10

“Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.”- (Romans 13:10 NLT)

2020-08-07T13:18:43-06:00September 8th, 2020|

Supernatural Ways to be Victorious

“And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends”- (Job 42:10a NKJV)

Many people feel that Job’s trial was a blessing in disguise from God.  I do not believe that.  According to the Word, it was the devil who took from Job.  His affliction was called a “captivity,” not a “blessing.”  In the hedge of Job’s life, there existed a gap that made him susceptible to Satan’s attack.

When you read the book of Job, you find that Satan, not God, robs Job.  And in the end, we find that God gives much to Job.  Satan is always a thief; he takes away.  But God is a giver.

If there if an area of fear in your life, Satan can use this as an opportunity to rob from you, just as he robbed from Job.

People have often emphasized Job’s trials, rather than the story’s ending.  But the book of James tells us, “seen the end intended by the Lord” (James 5:11).  Job’s trials lasted only about nine months, but he lived for 140 years.  Let’s “major” on his blessings and “minor” on his trials.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that whatever the trial or affliction we may face, You have a supernatural way for us to be victorious.  We give You praise and glory for what You are doing in our lives.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-08-07T13:16:28-06:00September 7th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

 

God has given you the power of choice and the ability to seek out and know truth. ~Marilyn Hickey

 

2020-08-07T13:12:25-06:00September 3rd, 2020|

Joshua 24:15

“Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” -(Joshua 24:15 NASB)

2020-08-07T13:08:00-06:00September 1st, 2020|

The Miracle Tree

There is no situation too big for God where His children are concerned.  When the children of Israel reached the Red Sea, Moses parted the water and led the Israelites across a dry sea floor—just ahead of the pursuing Egyptians who drowned when the waters closed back over them.  God’s people should have seen that the Lord was bigger than any problem.  Nevertheless, in just a few days the Israelites were murmuring and complaining because they had no water except the bitter water of Marah, which they were unable to drink.  (I sometimes wonder if the bitter water reflected the bitterness in their own hearts.)

Here were 2 million people in a desert without water fit to drink, but who did they have with them?  Yes!  They had the Lord!  He instructed Moses to cut down a tree and throw it in the water; then the water was “healed.”  People speculate about what kind of tree would have neutralized the bitter water, but I know it was a miracle tree.  Just as the Passover lamb typified Jesus, so the tree typified the cross of Calvary.  Because of that tree, the bitter waters of sin have been neutralized and we can drink freely of the waters of salvation.  God can heal our bodies, and He can heal our circumstances.

It was here at Marah that the Lord gave to Israel, and to us as children of faith, one of the greatest promises of healing found in the Scriptures.  When God made the water of Marah “sweet,” He said to the people, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you” –(Exodus 15:26 NIV).

Let’s praise God that through Him, we can be healed!

2020-08-07T13:06:14-06:00August 31st, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

We need to daily pray, “God, I believe You for the miraculous today!” ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-07-22T08:01:46-06:00August 27th, 2020|

1 Corinthians 13:13

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” –(1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV)

2020-07-22T07:57:59-06:00August 25th, 2020|

God Will Fight For Us

“Create from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm” –(Psalm 37:8 NKJV)

A young man shared a marvelous testimony with me.  He had purchased an expensive bicycle that he absolutely loved and rode to work whenever possible.  But one night someone broke into his house and stole his bike.  He was very angry because he had saved for the bike, and now it was gone.

The Lord really dealt with him to cease from anger, forsake wrath, and trust God.  The man called the police, filed a report of the theft, and said, “Father, I trust You.”

One year later a bicycle repair shop employee called this young man and said, “I remember selling you a bicycle.  Today someone came into my shop with the same bike.  The numbers even match!  I suspected that the bike was stolen, so I called the police, who still had the theft record.”  The man’s bicycle was returned to him one year later—in perfect shape!

God will fight for us.  We need to seek His wisdom in trials and then expect a miracle!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today we thank You that You are a God of the miraculous.  Anger only harms us and causes us to miss Your supernatural.  Help us to forsake wrath and walk in Your wisdom.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

2020-07-22T07:56:52-06:00August 24th, 2020|

Moments with Marilyn

Speaking the Word, thinking the Word, and doing the Word gives you intimacy with God as He speaks revelation from His Word into your life. ~Marilyn Hickey

2020-07-15T13:45:13-06:00August 20th, 2020|

Psalm 5:11

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You: Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them:  Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.” – (Psalm 5:11 NKJV)

2020-07-15T13:41:16-06:00August 18th, 2020|
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