Faith and Struggles

March 19, 2026 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15. NIV.

2 Chronicles 20 tells the story of King Jehoshaphat and a bigger story than most of us will ever face. According to verse 1 and 2. After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazeon Tamat” (that is En Gedi). Wow…the enemy was between 35 and 55 miles away. These enemies were serious in their intent to destroy Israel.

The NLT version describes Jehoshaphat as “terrified”, the NIV says he was alarmed, while the ESV simply says he was afraid, but no matter how he felt, he did the right thing. He turned to the Lord. First thing we need to do when we are facing struggles, is turn to Him. He requested all of Judah join him in a fast to seek the Lord’s help. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12. ESV. My friends, isn’t it difficult, at times, to get our eyes off the great horde of troubles coming our way and keep them on the Lord?

Not only did Jehoshaphat seek the Lord, he brought in others to stand with him. As they prayed, someone else had the answer. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph in the midst of the assembly. Quite a background check! For some reason, God saw fit to send the answer–not through King Jehoshaphat, but through Jahaziel. The king was humble enough and discerning enough to know the word of the Lord, when it was given. And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: ‘Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. If we are walking in obedience, and difficulties come our way, we must lean on Him. We must trust He has a way to bring us through. Do you have trusted friends who know the Lord and His ways? You need them, my friend. Last week, I shared how I was struggling with some strong believers. It was humbling to share how I was feeling. But I knew they not only would pray, but would do so without follow up judgment. As I kept pressing in to the Lord myself, things broke open and I am back to “myself”. I admit, I had tried to “pray it through” myself, it took the help of others.

God continued to speak through Jahaziel some specific things for them to do. He wants to help us know what to do with our struggles as well. But for that to happen, we need to have listening ears. Stopping long enough to hear His still small voice or seek His wisdom through His Word. This time, for Jehoshaphat and the tribe of Judah, it was very specific. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. (2 Chronicles 20:16 ESV). Don’t you find that amazing! He told them exactly where to go. They still had to go down to the fight. Sometimes, admittedly, I want to bow out and pretend there is no fight. But I have found it never works. These folks knew exactly who they were fighting. We need to identify our enemy as well. Is it flesh? Is it a spiritual battle? Is it our emotions going awry? There are times I have had the Holy Spirit quietly, but firmly, show me that my struggle was a need to forgive a person or situation. So the enemy was myself!

Jahaziel continued: You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jersusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you. No matter what you are facing, you cannot let fear take control or become dismayed. Dismayed means feeling intense disappointment, shock, distress or discouragement. It is often caused by unexpected bad news or a disheartening situation. Things happen. I shared last week about my brother in law’s unexpected stroke. He is improving, but has some hard work ahead of him in rehab. It was disheartening and “dismaying” to see him in his current situation. But choosing to walk in faith that our God is working this out for their good is comforting.

Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel with a very loud voice. Praise and worship have been struggle busters for me more times than I can count. What great tools they are when things are heavy and dark. I encourage you to try it when struggles come your way.

Jehoshaphat and his tribe followed God’s instructions. They found victory that day. I encourage you to read the entire story for yourself in 2 Chronicles 20. My friends, struggles and battles come our way. Take the time to seek the Lord in the small ones and in the larger ones. He has answers and direction. Do not turn away from Him, but turn toward Him. Humble yourself, if needed. Keep making Him bigger than your problems through praise and worship. Release your faith and lean into the power the Holy Spirit provides. Struggles can help your roots grow deeper in Him and His ways, if you let them!

I know there are some people whose struggles are more like Jehoshaphat’s story…out and out warfare. These tools and insights work for those situations as well. Our fellow brothers and sisters in persecuted lands face strong “struggles” everyday. Please take the time to pray for the persecuted church, they are part of our Family.

Father, I choose to thank you for every struggle I face. I thank you for your help and encouragement as we learn how to live strong confident and faith filled lives bringing glory to your name. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and “Rooted”

March 12, 2026 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3: 17-19 NKJV.

This past week our family experienced another emotional storm. My brother in law Mike experienced a stroke. My sister called me after the EMT’s had arrived. I dressed quickly and we were off to the hospital. This man had jogged eight miles the day before, so to say we were all in a bit of a shock is an understatement.

Of course it took me back to my own husband’s stroke story. Sitting in the ER with them, I could only marvel that Mike was alert, could communicate and participate in his own decisions. Mike’s stroke was definitely not quite as devastating as Darryl’s, but has been life changing for them. What is holding Mary steady? Being “rooted and grounded in love”.

As a young girl, I remember my mother taking cuttings from hydrangea’s and putting them in a Mason jar full of water. They would begin to produce small hair like structures–roots. She would let them sit in that jar until the roots filled the jar. On a day she determined, she would plant them in our yard. To be honest, she may have been changing out the water, I don’t know. When she moved them to the yard, she would place a bigger jar over the top of the plants for a while. This created a little hot house to help them “root in”. Depending on the weather, some days the jars would be removed during the day, but replaced at evening. She took great care with these little plants, because she had a vision for their purpose. After awhile, the jars would disappear and the plants were left exposed to the elements. She trusted they had developed a strong enough root system to fend for themselves.

This sudden “stroke storm” that has hit our family reveals our root system. Watching my sister navigating all the test results and trusting them for insight, wisdom and decision making has been difficult. This stroke has left Mike unable to swallow as yet, so he will need a feeding tube. Because I walked this road with my husband, I know they don’t have to be permanent or super uncomfortable. (Which is another way God answered my prayer of God getting every good thing from our stroke storm!) As my mom watched over the hydrangea cuttings, God watches over us. It is our choice to allow our roots to grow deeper into His love or let fear and doubt cause us to withdraw them from Him.

When planting seeds or cuttings there is another step. It is “tamping”. After you put the seed or plant in the ground, you need to eliminate large air pockets and stabilize the plant so you “tamp” the soil. I like to think being “grounded” in God’s love does the same. Reading His Word, connecting with mature believers and being established in a home church helps God “tamp” or “ground” ground us in His love. Every believer needs this. No matter how old or young you are in Him. It has almost been 1 week since Mike’s stroke. There have been challenges every day. He will be moving to a stroke rehab in a few days about an hour a way. Only our God knows what lies ahead, but our past experiences and knowledge of who He is, helps push away fear. Embrace faith and watch how He works this out for good for those involved.

Keep learning and leaning into His loving care, no matter your life’s storms. If you find yourself in a peaceful state–enjoy it! Don’t be robbed from that blessing, but allow it to flow into your inner most being. Trust the Master gardener!

Father, I thank you for rooting and grounding us in your love. No matter what storms of life come into our lives. You are preparing us now, and for that we can trust you. Thank you for holding us steady, no matter what comes our way, we choose to trust you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and “Attitude”

March 5, 2026 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5

Our small group read this scripture last night. It was an ouch for me. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had…wow. The Amplified Bible states it this way: Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example of selfless humility].

As we talked about Lordship and obedience, this phrase stayed with me. Paul was writing to the church in Philippi concerning their relationship with each other. I have found, it is much easier keeping my attitude right with the Lord, than it may be with his people! One definition of attitude has to do with: a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. (Oxford Dictionary).

This is difficult, isn’t it? In chapter 1, Paul writes: For i want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. This was one of his “prison” letters, but written with such joy and love you would never know that he was suffering. Paul’s whole attitude was set toward loving God and loving people. His heart (attitude) was to help them grow and experience the joy of their faith. (Phil 1:25).

Attitude is a choice. To have the attitude that Christ Jesus had is cultivated by wanting it. Our flesh can be so strong. This morning I struggled in my attitude about something. Why couldn’t they see things my way? As I prayed and struggled with the Lord about it, He said: “Those are my children. Not your problem”. Oops. I released them back into His loving parenthood. When I was a young parent, there was a lot of judgment and philosophy’s on so many different issues. Discipline, feeding, sleeping etc. all came with their own set of attitudes, and of course each parent felt they had the “right” way. I learned quickly, I was only responsible for my children and my decision to discipline or not the way I felt they needed. Trusting our Heavenly Father with His kids, is the same way!

Letting go of a judgmental attitude is crucial to have the attitude of Christ. (You know that critical attitude that comes from the place of negativity?) He alone is the judge. Asking Him to “parent” you in controversial matters is key. Searching His Word for His perspective is the best way to discover His attitude about a subject. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different denominations? One day I asked Him. I felt He reminded me about how many different restaurants were in our town. Most of them prepared some form of chicken. From Italian chicken Parmesan, Chinese stir fry, Japanese Teriyaki, they all started with the same type of bird. It depended on the taste of the eater, which one they selected. He said as long as each church prepared the “whole word of God”, it was acceptable. People have different tastes and He understands that. The most important thing is to commit to the church family He leads you to–knowing they won’t be perfect!

Developing the same humble attitude that Jesus had is so helpful when dealing with a critical attitude. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-7. NLT. Learning to serve others is often key to developing a Christlike attitude. The foot of the cross is a great leveler. Knowing the price of salvation was paid for me as it was/is for those I get frustrated with, helps me let go of my attitudes. It is a process and journey to grow to be like Him, but it is so worth it. I am grateful for His patience in my life, and the nudging of the Holy Spirit to remind me to adjust my attitude when needed!

Father, thank you for loving us in spite of our attitudes. Forgive our judgment, haughtiness and critical attitudes that do not reflect your love or care. Teach us to walk in humility with the same servants heart you had, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Photo by Toa Heftiba Şinca on Pexels.com

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Faith and “Distress”

February 12, 2026 Martha Rodman1 Comment

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. Psalm 20:1. NIV.

Distress is not a word I hear often..but it’s synonyms shows up again and again! It means extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain.(Oxford Dictionary). The Hebrew root word comes from a sense of tightness or a narrow place, straits (tsar)–a feeling of being trapped or pressured. Usually there is a feeling of being in a tight or restricted place. Sometimes it comes with the feeling of hopelessness, discouragement and suffering. Feeling trapped is a horrible feeling. Sounds pretty negative doesn’t it?

Don’t despair! God is aware of your situation as he was for the Israelite’s during their bondage to Egypt. 7 Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings. Exodus 3:7. ESV. Following him does not mean the absence of trouble. God actually sent them to Egypt to save their lives. He also had a plan to bring them out of that trouble. It takes faith when we are in trouble to believe there is a way out.

We have to remember who to call upon. Often in our struggles and “straits”, we feel alone and that we have to be our own salvation. There is a temptation to escape from the pain through alcohol, drugs, food bingeing or excessive television watching. But as believers, we need to turn to him. David, in Psalm 18:6 is a great example. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Encourage yourself in the word. Don’t wait. Psalm 107 contains both encouragement and instruction to those who are in distress.

Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Psalm 107:4-8. NIV. Cry out to the Lord. As I was writing this, it occurred to me that our God has had great experience in delivering many, many believers from distressful circumstances! He is good at it! Do not be afraid to cry out to your God in the middle of your trouble–or better yet, the beginning.

Remember. Remember, he promised to never leave us or forsake us. So even when you are feeling all alone, you are not. Allow him to comfort you while you wait for his answers. If things are delayed from our liking, there is a temptation to grow impatient and frustrated. It’s okay to share that with him, but I encourage you to tell him, but no matter how I feel or things appear, I trust you Lord.

Paul suffered a lot for the gospel’s sake. 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 0 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2 Corinthians 1:8-10. ESV. God desires to use our distressful times not only for our good, but also for the good of others.

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1. ESV. Take courage and remember when he delivered you before. Remind yourself of his faithfulness especially if you feel you yourself are the source of your distress. Nothing can separate us from His loving care.

Both David and the Apostle Paul faced distressing times. I am so grateful we can take encouragement from them to move through our distress into peace and freedom–trusting him to make a way where there may seem to be no way. He is able my friends…not only for you, but for your family and friends. Do not be afraid when distress comes, but turn to him. He is trustworthy. You will come through with a testimony that will bring glory to his name.

Father, I thank you that you are a very present help in the time of trouble…even in our distressful times. I am so grateful we can turn to you. Help us lean into you and your ways when we feel trapped and confined. Thank you for delivering us from all our troubles as we cast our care upon you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and “Listen”

February 5, 2026 Martha Rodman2 Comments

Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One, Listen to him”. Luke 9:35 NLT.

Listen to him. Such a simple statement and request. God the Father, speaking from a cloud to Peter, James and John after the transfiguration..interrupting Peter’s off the wall suggestion he build a tent for Jesus, Elijah and Moses. My friends, this is my simple encouragement for today. Listen to him.

Listen to him as you read his Word. Really pay attention to what he asks. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105. ESV.

Listen to him as you pray. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20. ESV.

Listen for the answers to those prayers. Expect him to bring the directions and insights you need. Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great, and hidden things you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3. ESV.

Listen to the sermons your pastoral leaders give. Pay attention to the corporate direction, encouragement and instructions given. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Psalm 85:8. ESV.

Listen to the still, small voice within your spirit. When you hear it, respond with obedience. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Psalm 37.7 NLT.

Listen to the stops he gives. Pay attention to any warnings he may give. Do not ignore them. They are there for your benefit. I am God, your God who teaches you how to live right and well. I will show you what to do, where to go. Isaiah 48:17 MSG. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26. ESV.

Listen to his loving voice. When you know it is his voice speaking, enjoy the fact that you can hear the voice of your Savior who is also the Creator of the Universe.

When you listen, do not listen with fear. We must listen with faith and trust. Trust he wants to speak to you. Trust what he speaks is important and timely. Trust that no matter what you hear–it will lead you to become more like him. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27. NLT.

It is my prayer that these simple reminders will spur you on to open your ears to his voice. Remember to test the spirits, but know he is able to direct your steps. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV.

Father, please teach us to listen to you. Whether it is through your Word, through others or through you personal speaking to us. You promise you sheep hear your voice. Speak, now my Lord, In Jesus Name, amen.

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Faith and Dealing with Discouragement

January 29, 2026 Martha Rodman1 Comment

Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Discouragement: losing hope or confidence , a feeling of being disheartened, dejected, or losing motivation, often due to obstacles, failures, or lack of progress. We don’t like to admit it, but everyone faces discouragement in their lives. It is part of life, but so is victory over it!

Over the years, it caught me in its trap far too long and far too often. The good news is I have learned some hints, tips, and warfare tools that I want to share. Discouragement is an effective tool Satan loves to use against God’s people. He uses it to stop us from moving ahead with God’s purposes. He is happy when he can thwart believers. He uses any tool he can find. Discouragement is often one of those tools.

Sometimes it is so subtle. A small seed of doubt begins to grow and the joy and expectation we had seems to fade. We can still function and fulfill our roles, but it seems harder to do. Failed expectations of ourselves or others often lead to discouragement. It is a natural part of our emotions.

Learning to recognize discouragement it one of the first steps in dealing with it. It used to be hard for me to admit I was discouraged (anything less than perfect you know!) Pride was the root of that. Now, I’ve learned to name it and own it. All people face it, and I had to admit I am part of the human race. Once I identify I am discouraged, I try to figure out exactly where it is coming from. Am I believing a lie from Satan? Did I expect a different outcome from a situation? Uncovering the lie and replacing it with the truth is key to victory. Am I tired and weary? Do I need a snack?

Elijah needed a break and a snack–plus time with an angel speaking truth will help! (Read the story in 1 Kings 19). We may not have an angel delivery system, but we do have the Holy Spirit and His help. Take a break, spend time in prayer–pouring your heart out to Him who never grows tired of listening to His children. Pride makes us feel we can’t come to Him when we are weak, but that is the best time to come to Him. Remember, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many trouble, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. Psalm 34:18-19. NLT. He loves to comfort and encourage us, but we have to come to Him. A crushed spirit is so painful and hard. I’ve walked through feeling crushed and downhearted, but I found His faithfulness. He led me out of those dark days and into His truly marvelous light. During one season, I picked up a journal and wrote out all my pain to Him and kept writing till I found my thoughts changing, from hopelessness to hope. Discouragement tries to steal our joy, our hope and then our faith. But our God promises to be close us during those times. Do not hide from Him.

Another tool David found was worship and music. Technology is my friend for this. Alexa, Google and Spotify are easy for me to turn on and worship fills my home. Suddenly, hope is renewed. As the various worship songs play, heaviness falls off and God’s promises and truths come flooding in. The discouraging situation probably has not changed, but my attitude has. Strength is renewed.

The gift of Godly people are essential during discouraging times. Humbling yourself and asking for prayer from other believers can break discouragement quickly. Giving them the opportunity to speak truth and love into your life can be the very thing you need to keep going. God did not make us to live life alone, find a community. Remember what it says in James? Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them. The key point here, is “let them” call. You can’t expect others to know when you are discouraged and need help–nor can you wait till they see it! There is too much to be done for His kingdom for us to fall for the trap of discouragement. Discouragement longs to undermine our faith and trust in God’s goodness, love and power and put our eyes back on ourselves.

Gratitude for what I do have, or have accomplished, or people who have proven faithful is another tip I’ve learned when facing discouragement. And they defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Revelation 12: 13. Rehearse what God has already done and all the victories where you overcame discouragement. Sometimes I take a big view of history and think about how God has kept the church throughout so many difficult and struggling times. He is not about to quit. We will face trials and tribulations. Some face persecution. There are believers across the globe who are being persecuted in real time with real consequences right now. It makes our small troubles shrink in comparison. Praying for others can break the cycle of discouragement as you release your faith for them.

If a besetting sin is the source of your discouragement. It has to be dealt with. Repent and turn away from it. Admit it to someone else. Join a support group, whatever it takes. You do not have to carry the weight of un-confessed sin. If you have tried on your own to “get over it”, ask for help. Anger, lust, gossip, lying etc. are just some that often are self justified. My husband struggled with anger issues at the start of our marriage. I could tell the soul toll it took on him every time he had an outburst. He would feel disqualified and discouraged. What a blessing to watch the Holy Spirit help him overcome this learned behavior. He is able, my friends. Do not settle.

Father, I thank you for all the lessons you have taught me in dealing with discouragement. I ask you help us keep growing in these areas. I ask you to strengthen our will to persevere no matter the obstacles we face, because you are so able to finish our race. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Unbelief

January 22, 2026 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.: Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-25 NKJV.

When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they rant o greet him. What is all this arguing about? Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it. Mark 9:14-19. Wow, what a situation. Just before this event, Jesus, took Peter, James and John up on the mountain, where they experienced what we now call the “Transfiguration”.

I imagine those four folks were pretty excited. The three chosen disciples who were with Jesus probably could not wait to share the experience with the rest of the team. But what did they come down to? Arguing and contention. A desperate father who very clearly understood the effects of his sons struggles. The teachers of religious law (also called scribes) were arguing with the remaining disciples, there was a distracted and disappointed father, along with the demonized son plus large crowd of bystanders! We can assume the scribes were criticizing the disciples for not being able to free the boy–although we don’t see them helping him either! It seems to be part of our human nature to quickly criticize what we can’t do ourselves.

It is a bit difficult for me to figure out exactly who Jesus was referring to to with his comment: You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Was it to the scribes, the disciples, the crowd or to the man and his boy? Back in Mark 6, Jesus commissioned the disciples. He gave them the authority to cast out evil spirits. So, was it them? Maybe he was disappointed they hadn’t learned to use the authority they had received as yet. At this time in Jewish culture there was an understanding that different evil spirits were harder to deal with. It was their understanding that you had to know the name of the spirit in order to cast it out. So dealing with a mute spirit was more difficult. This spirit caused the boy to be mute. No matter what, I am sure these 9 disciples were embarrassed and perhaps angry they couldn’t help the man and his son. Do not let the enemy discourage you from praying for difficult situations. That is his goal, to silence our prayers. If anything, stir yourself and pray even bigger ones.

There was a season in the 70’s where the church I attended dealt with evil spirits. It was amazing to watch transformation take place as our Senior Pastors spoke in authority to these evil spirits, and the people were freed. I also watched as others “tried” and the enemy seemed to mock the situation and nothing happened. It was difficult to understand. In this story, Jesus expressed his emotions and disappointment, but did not forget about the hurting man and his son.

As he turned his attention to the father, asked more clarifying questions the father ended with: Have mercy on us and help us, if you can. Mark 9:21. My friends when we struggle with unbelief, don’t we also include some kind of qualifier? “If you can”. If you want to”…”If you think I’m worthy”…maybe we don’t verbalize these qualifiers, but we may think them. The way Mark tells the story, we find Jesus sounding a bit “short”. He really wants us to trust him. I think it disappoints him, when we question his power and love. We can’t let our unbelief dictate our actions. The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief”. Isn’t that our heart when we want our loved ones freed, healed, changed etc? Are we willing to put in the time, energy and effort to build up our faith so we can see the answers to our prayers?

My question is do we comprehend that although Jesus understands our unbelief, He doesn’t want us to stay there. He really doesn’t like unbelief. Continuing the story, he looks at the crowd and then deals with the demon. The son is eventually set free and returned well to the father. We see his love and compassion for these two. When they are alone again, the disciples ask him, “why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied. This kind can be cast out only by prayer. Mark 9:29. This is challenging. Are we willing to pray and study enough to grow in our faith to see the answers we want? I heard a story today of a woman who prayed 37 years for her husband’s salvation. The 37th year, he accepted the Lord!

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12. My friends, let us be careful not to ignore areas where we find unbelief. But take them to the Lord. Pray about those areas. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to grow in your belief.

Begin to study his word in those specific areas. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing comes by the word of God. I think we can get complacent and not understand that if we do not keep growing in our faith: complacency, cynicism and apathy takes over. The Holy Spirit is showing me areas where I have stopped believing for change. This is not his fault, but mine. I have decided to exercise my faith muscles for our nation. Praying for our leaders as we have been told to do, instead of letting others do it. My voice counts, so does yours. The bigger prayers we pray (according to God’s Word) the stronger we will become. We will have even bigger and better testimonies of his faithfulness to encourage others.

Father, please forgive our unbelief. It is something the enemy wants us to put up with, instead of fighting it. Teach us how to grow in faith. Help us to pray like you asked us to. In Jesus Name, amen.

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Faith and The Love Challenge 2

January 8, 2026 Martha Rodman3 Comments

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8.

Have you ever fought with too short covers or blankets? Some of you length challenged people may not understand the struggles we taller people have with differing lengths of blankets. In order to warm your shoulders, you have to turn on your side, bend your knees and sleep like a pretzel, not my fun way of sleeping. If you stretch out your feet poke out and get cold. Not a way to get a good nights sleep. Have you ever felt your love blanket was too short?

Reading this passage this morning, above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins, reminded me that when our love runs short, it is like that too small blanket. Instead of enlarging our love, by reminding ourselves what Jesus did for us, we either ignore this verse or point fingers at the sin of others. This is not what loving our brothers and sisters should look like. There sees to be times I put my love blanket in a too hot dryer of my emotions and feelings and allow it to shrink exposing the sins or shortcomings of those I am supposed to love.

One area that I’ve learned that causes my love blanket to shrink, is unmet expectations. How about you? I remember a time I felt a leader should have given me a word of praise or thank you, but for whatever reason, they didn’t. My emotions tried to run wild. Mumbling and grumbling began rising up in my thoughts and it wasn’t pretty. When I stopped to take a breath and a good look at myself, I had to admit they didn’t owe me a thanks. I volunteered. It was my choice. This sounds like a very small issue, and it was. But as I struggled to get past these emotions, I began to cry out to the Lord. Please help me, I do not want this is grow into a root of bitterness. As the Holy Spirit helped me rightly view the situation, peace came. I began to pray for the leader and all the things they had on their plate, besides me and my feelings. The interesting thing was that the next day, they thanked me!

Covering a sin means forgiving. Peter is dealing with interpersonal relationships within the body of Christ. If a brother or sister wrongs us, we are supposed to forgive them as Christ forgave us, but he didn’t say it would be easy. 1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that love keeps no record of wrongs. Ouch…are you a scorekeeper? We need to put away all scorecards, as we would want others to put away their scorecards for us!

Another area of covering sin has to do with gossip. If we forgive, we don’t share. It is covered. Oh, that can be so hard to do. Our flesh loves to gossip, doesn’t it? If someone sins against us, we are supposed to go to that person, alone. When I have people coming to me about their frustrations with another person, and I ask, “have you told them”? Often, they hang their heads and say “no”. How can they change something they don’t know hurts you? It is not fair to the other person. He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters]. Proverbs 20:19. AMP. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29. ESV. Gossiping definitely shrinks our love blanket.

Covering love acknowledges the hurt the sin caused. It then forgives, sets boundaries if necessary, and moves on. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. All of these thoughts have to do with our heart, don’t they? My friends, I feel like I need to read 1 Corinthians 13, slowly once a week to remind myself what godly love looks like. It definitely does not come natural to our spiritual man, does it?

Father, please help us grow even more in understanding how we can love each other like you want us to. Teach us to place a guard over our heart first, then our mouth so we do not shrink our love blankets through unforgiveness and gossip. Teach us how not to rejoice in wrongdoing. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and God’s “New”

January 1, 2026 Martha Rodman2 Comments

Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

I am writing this on January 1, 2026. We have begun a calendar “new” year. I don’t really do resolutions. I have goals I hope to achieve this year. As i think about my definition of new and God’s definition of “new” I see the gaps. My thoughts of new usually include something the same, but maybe updated. I received a “new” sweatshirt, but it was still a sweatshirt–even though it was a new color and design. I will wear it the same way as my “old” sweatshirts. But God’s Word seems to define “new” as a transformation. If we are in Christ, we are new or different creation than we were before. Our old thoughts, complete with our moral and spiritual condition, lead us to death. But the new creation we’ve become lead us to life and godliness. We can look forward to new mercies every morning.

I can see the effects of the new creation I am in some areas. The Holy Spirit makes me aware of the changes I need. I have read through the New Testament letters this past year. Jesus words were very clear. Love one another as I have loved you. John 13: 34. Love those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who persecute you, just as God sends sun and rain on the just and unjust. Luke 6:27. This is heart of the type of new creation God wants us to have. I cannot just will myself to love those who curse me or despitefully use me. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to touch and enlarge my heart.

How does He do it? Often it is by bringing us to these very opportunities! These challenging tests are not easy, but if we want to grow in Him and into all the new things He has for us, we have to trust our Holy Spirit teacher to bring us the perfect lessons to help us grow. The Apostles Paul, John, and Peter all emphasized this need to learn to love one another. It’s written throughout each of their writings. My friends, should we not make it a priority to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our love ability? It is not easy, at least for me. But the more I learn about His love for me, the easier it is for me to love others.

My heart and my mind says I love them, but what about my actions. This is even more tricky, isn’t it? Laying down our lives for others, putting aside our own selfish concerns is challenging. I have found, when I obey the Holy Spirit’s nudging, fruit is born. Not necessarily in the situation, but in my own heart. It is worth it.

What He does with our obedience is in His hands, not ours. It really isn’t. The cost of obedience is sometimes higher than we think we are purchasing. Our old mind weighs the seeming cost, and can cause us to choose not to obey. The cost can be our time, talent, or treasure. In me, it reveals my selfish desire to run my own life. Submitting to becoming this new creation definitely means denying ourselves.

My friends, suppose your willingness to love someone above and beyond, when they are persecuting or cursing you brings them to the knowledge of our Savior? Would that be worth it? Suppose someone else’s willingness to go through those things for others may bring your loved one to the Lord? Jesus said the world will know we are His children by our love for each other. So let’s at least try to love those already in the body of Christ! This may be just for me, so pray for me, please?

Father, we need your help desperately in this matter. We aren’t good at loving each other. We aren’t good at glorifying your name by our actions. Forgive us for our selfishness, lead us into your truth, In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Faith and The Challenge of Love

December 18, 2025 Martha Rodman2 Comments

Let love be your highest goal! I Corinthians 14:1 a.NLT

My reading through the Bible this year has brought me once again to Paul and his inspiring letters. I have noticed that in everyone, his emphasis is on how we handle relationships. In Ephesians 4:31, he instructs us to get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words. and slander as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ has forgiven you. He makes it pretty clear, doesn’t he? If we are to follow Jesus, it seems we must pay attention to these types of verses.

I Thessalonians 2:12, We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in His Kingdom and glory. Oh, my friends, I wonder what would happen if we actually took these verses to heart? I am not sharing this to bring condemnation or guilt. I want to remind us how important the Lord cares how we treat one another. The day we celebrate is birth is quickly approaching. From Genesis to the Gospels, God planned to bring us salvation, already knowing the price it would cost Him. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians not to live unto themselves. Instead, he urged them to live lives that God would consider worthy. This way of living is obviously not how our flesh would want to live. My friends, there is so much joy in caring for one another. Recently, I’ve added a visit to my friends in assisted living each week. They have been members of our church for years. Contributing their time, talent and prayers for years. We were not necessarily close friends, but always enjoyed sharing about the goodness of God. Doctors diagnosed her husband with dementia, and he is now in hospice. Having been there with my own husband, I know how difficult it can be. So, fulfilling 2 Corinthians 1: 4, He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us, I go and visit them. It isn’t easy watching his progression, but I know it is much harder for his wife. There is something God’s love does for us when we reach out to others with His love. I told her, “I can’t go through this for you, but I can do my best to make sure you aren’t doing it alone”. Please understand. I am not bragging about what I am doing. I am amazed at the grace God has given me to do it! He will do it for you to, if you ask. I admit that sometimes I am too selfish. I don’t want to love those around me the way they need it. But then, His love convicts me, and I repent and start again.

Proverbs 17:17 says a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Matthew 5:44-45: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Luke 10:27: And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

John 13:34-35. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved, you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

I believe the verses above shares God’s heart on the matter. Asking Him to teach us how to love Him and His people is a high goal. It is not easy, and we can’t do it without His love being shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). Paul’s instructions in his letters make it really clear on what love is and how we are to show it. 1 Corinthians 14:1 comes right after 1 Corinthians 13; what we consider to be the “love chapter”. The New Living Bible says: Make love your highest goal, the NIV says: Follow the way of love. The Message: Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it. Wow, that’s pretty clear. Love is not an emotion; it is choices and actions. We can do this! Let’s encourage each other to grow in love this coming year, OK?

Father, please help us learn to love you and those around us more perfectly. We aren’t very good at it. Your word makes it very clear that it glorifies You when we live a life of love. You know what it costs us to lay down our lives for others, because You paid even more for us. Thank You for loving us, even when we make a mess of loving Your people. In Jesus’ Name, amen.