(Excerpt)…”You may find yourself in a place of extreme pain and derision. Perhaps, you don’t have the natural strength to move forward due to all the stress from a situation. Maybe you’re contemplating all the months ahead and wondering how on earth you are going to make it. Perhaps, you don’t have the physical strength to even move forward from all the stress you are experiencing. Do you find yourself in a desert wondering how you are going to provide for your small kids, make the house payments, go to work and function with excellence, to just getting out of bed? You are the very one God wants to speak to right now and take you to the place of totally depending upon Him and trusting Him with your every need. 

God wants to open your eyes to His well of provision just like Hagar saw in the middle of her desert. God not only wants you to have provision but He wants you to be in peace. He tells us in His Word, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV). 

As we trust the Lord, pray, and renew our minds, we find that our emotions do not run wild but rather, we have a calm assurance that God will provide in every area as we wait upon Him. That is the most amazing way to live. 

Not only does God keep us in peace as we keep our mind stayed on Him, but He also provides food. The psalmist tells us, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25). The LORD can move on someone’s heart to bring you a meal to providing for you in some manner you least likely expect. Several months ago, I remember I was at an appointment and the doctor was running late. I had a lunch appointment and knew I was not going to have time so I called and cancelled lunch. I also knew if I didn’t get a little something to eat that I would have a headache. 

I remember thinking I would just drive over to the bagel shop and get a toasted bagel for a snack. Just in front of the door, a lady dressed in a warm-up suit asked me if I had some change. I told her I would get some inside. I walked inside and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to ask her to join me and buy her lunch. I walked back outside and asked her so we both proceeded through the door together. We began to have casual conversation in line and I asked her what she would like, so we ordered and I paid for it. We sat down and I prayed over our meal and then she began to tell me that she was homeless due to several bad choices. She expressed that she had a good job but lost it due to falling back into some sin and not getting to work on time. I asked her if she had a relationship with Jesus and she said she had heard about him. We ended up praying again and I shared how God had rearranged my day to meet her. I gave her money for a bus, for food, and for a hotel for the night. She told me she stayed off Sugar Creek Road somewhere. I felt compassion for her and her situation. 

On my drive home, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to go and get a pedicure. Now I can guess that some of you might be thinking, “Why would God tell her to get a pedicure?” God sometimes gives us strange instructions, interrupts our days, and positions us to hear from Him specifically. God knows I rarely watch TV news. So listen to this.

While getting the pedicure, I heard a man on the news that was on in the nail salon and tentatively listened to every word. He shared how he had been homeless himself, how the churches in the area were coming together, God had given him a ministry, and that a shelter to house the homeless was opening off Sugar Creek the next day. This was the area the lady stayed near. 

God was letting me know that He positioned me to take care of the lady I met for the day, and He would provide the rest. God never ceases to amaze me. 

Now, you may not be homeless, but in your heart, you may feel the same. All alone in this big world! Just as God provided for the lady’s day, He is providing for you. I don’t know all the details, but HE does. 

God provides for our needs because He says so in His Word. The apostle Paul says, “My God will meet all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.” I believe Him. Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they would eat or drink or wear, but to seek His kingdom first and His righteousness, and then all other things would fall into place (Matthew 6:33). 

God provides comfort as we walk through the desert. He brings encouragement in detailed ways. He goes to extreme measures to encourage and provide for His Sons and Daughters. Our God is described as the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles.”

(Excerpt from GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE…published 2011, Creation House Press)

God bless you!

Deborah Starczewski

BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose) 

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the miraculous account of God raising my husband from death, healing him from two strokes and two open-heart surgeries. This book will keep you turning the pages and give you faith to believe God for yourself. 

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors 

Peace won’t be found in sexual relationships, agendas, boardrooms, new houses, new cars, in the political realm, manipulating systems to achieve a desired result, or in anything other than Jesus Christ. He is Peace Himself. 

Don’t put your hope in any man. Don’t put your hope in anything here on earth. This life is only temporal and Jesus is coming back again. Because of the Resurrection, we can have life and Peace. Put your faith in the Lamb of God!

Donkeys, elephants, democrats, republicans, independents—none of these hold the answers to the world’s problems and the present chaos. Jesus warned us of all these things in the Book of Matthew. (Matthew 24)

It is amazing to me that Matthew 24 and the Passion week of Jesus Christ line up today. It is being fulfilled in front of our eyes. 

You can sit comfortably in a nice home to a small apartment and feel safe, but only eternal protection is found in the Lamb of God—Jesus, the Redeemer of the WHOLE WORLD. Because of His ultimate sacrifice on the Cross, we have a Covenant that cannot be annulled. 

I recently taught on the Blood Covenant again at Life Christian University and was reminded …..Unlike man’s agreement which used to be valuable—where a man’s word or handshake was his bond, or in ancient days between people in a tribal covenant—we have a Blood Covenant with Jesus that cannot be annulled. I have often heard….Your life works exactly to the degree that you keep your agreements. An agreement has integrity because you make it, and for no other reason.

The natural mind wants what it wants when it wants it and if an agreement gets in the way, the mind will move toward breaking the agreement in order to get what it wants. Integrity does not rest on what your mind wants but on willingness to keep agreements, no matter what excuses the mind comes up with to break them. Thank God for Jesus who always keeps His Word and who honors His Word even above His Name. Thank God Jesus went to the Cross for the whole world. 

Thank GOD for the Lamb of God—the Redeemer of all mankind. Thank God for His Character and amazing love for all. I love the word all—it means all. He desires that none should perish. 

Jesus went to the cross, died for all mankind, and rose again on the third day. One word from God can change everything. He is the ultimate sacrifice—the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 

When you truly know Jesus through a born-again experience and relationship, you can experience His resurrection power. You can have life again after walking through heartbreak, hurts, anxiety, loss, and anything else that happens to you in this world. 

I personally know that the Resurrection power of Jesus is still working today. You can read the full account in my second book: A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat)—an up-to-date story of God’s power and divine intervention that gives God glory. 

While today is Easter Sunday and many people went to church, many know about God, some may even be in leadership roles, and have never fully given their whole heart to Jesus or put their faith in Him. Many are so busy doing ministry or work that they have forgotten ministry to the Lord Himself. This can happen to anyone.

Many come to church in search of hope. I believe the worst possible feeling is the one of feeling unwanted and uncared about in this life. That is the ultimate poverty. Jesus came to accept us as His own through redemption. He gave Himself that we would be accepted by God. When we face rejection in this life, we are accepted by God. When we face hardships of any kind, God is with us in the fiery trials of life—from abandonment, abuse, betrayal, cancer, divorce, emotional pain, failures, hurts, loss, and anything else the enemy tries to throw at us—God is with us. We can choose joy as we wait on God—fully trusting the outcomes to Him. 

We have the Good News of the Gospel which produces a contagious joy and freedom like nothing else can give. While Jesus spoke SEVEN sentences from the Cross, we also have the Names of God to reveal His character—and the Truth that He will never break His Word to us. We have a Blood Covenant through the finished work of Jesus on the Cross that cannot be annulled. What a relief and hope for all eternity for all humanity.

Jesus is the LAMB OF GOD (Seh He’Elohim). The Bible says, “The next day John saw Jesus coming unto Him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Jesus is our ultimate sacrifice. He is the fulfillment of the entire system—His sacrifice pays for our past, present, and future sin. He is our Passover Lamb. (see Hebrews 7:26-29).

Jesus is Resurrection and Life (Hatekuman v’haChayim). The Bible says, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live….” (John 11:25).

Death could not hold Jesus, nor can death hold any who are born-again IN HIM. The grave could not keep Him. Death nor the grave have a hold on any of us as believers. We will be raised up with Jesus when He returns. 

Jesus was 100 percent man (born of a virgin), and Christ 100 percent God. In Jesus Christ  we can have abundant life. This is the reason Easter or Resurrection Sunday is a beloved celebration of the life of Jesus. The same resurrection power resides in us as born-again believers. We are crucified with him (our past, present, and future sin), but we are resurrected and made brand new in Him and that is the best part that can never be taken away.

Like Mary who chose to sit at the feet of Jesus when He came to visit the home in Bethany—she chose the best part. (You can read the account in John 11) We must also choose. Life is all about choices. 

Jesus is our Redeemer (Jehovah Go’el). The Bible says, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth…” (Job 19:25). 

Redeem means to purchase or buy back something (or someone). Take time to read the account in the Bible about Boaz and Ruth. In ancient times, customs played a huge role in the lives of people. For example, when a Hebrew became enslaved, it was the custom for the next of kin to pay the necessary price to purchase the relative’s freedom—the part of a “redeemer.” That is what God did for us by giving His Son Jesus as The Lamb and the finished work on the cross. I keep saying FINISHED WORK because it is complete. It is our choice if we miss eternity with God. Our redemption has been paid in full. 

Jesus bore our sorrows. (Ish-Makh-Ovot: Man of Sorrows)

The passion week shows the ultimate sacrifice Jesus gave for us. The Bible says, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3).

Jesus, who was sinless and perfect, was put on the cross for all mankind. He did it for the joy set before Him. Jesus understands our sorrows and hurts. God cares deeply for all mankind and is present with us today because he went through it all for us. 

 Jesus is our Righteousness (Jehovah-Tzidkenu). The Bible says, “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety…is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior” (Jeremiah 33:16).

It is through the finished work on the cross that we are made right with God. What an amazing love the Father God has for all mankind. God sees us through His Son. Tzidkenu comes from the Hebrew word: (tsedek) and it means “right, righteous, declared innocent.” 

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21 NIV)

Take time after Easter to dig deeper into God’s Word. Study His names and be changed from the inside out. You will learn to trust Him in greater measure and learn more about His character and nature. It is key to understanding that God is love, that He has a good plan for your life, and is essential to knowing WHO you are IN CHRIST, and God’s purpose for your life. Since God sees and knows all, why not pray and ask God Himself. 

No matter what you are walking through, God is with you. No matter how terrible the storm, we can survive because God is with us. Don’t allow fear to take over. Reflect and remember that the resurrection power of God resides in us as believers.  

Don’t allow sorrow to stop you from moving forward. Don’t allow doubt to delay your obedience. Don’t allow fear to immobilize you. Look up toward Heaven in faith—Jesus is RISEN. 

Can you imagine how Mary felt when she came to the empty tomb? This life can make you feel empty, but when we keep our trust, hope, and faith in Jesus, we are full of hope and joy—that only comes from a personal relationship with Him. 

The conditions in this present world can seem so impossible that any of us can be tempted to jump ship. Choose to cling to God instead of putting your security in anything other than Jesus. Things that promise security but don’t deliver it—wealth, hard work, alcohol, drugs, worldly wisdom, worldly pleasures, relationships, stuff, and food. Misplaced hopes are dangerous because they keep us from anchoring ourselves in God, the only One who can save us. 

It is amazing to me that Matthew 24 and the Passion week of Jesus Christ line up perfectly. We can see the same happening today—severe betrayal like Judas (from family, friends, business associates), the government and authorities going after Christians, those thinking they are doing God service by killing and murdering those that believe, and the earth quaked at the Cross and darkness fell over the earth. Jesus arose and He is our High Priest in Heaven now, interceding for us that our faith will not fail. He is RISEN indeed and alive forevermore—and is coming back again. 

God is not caught off guard by anything that is happening globally or personally in our lives. He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. The present day events are lined up perfectly on God’s timetable and Jesus is coming back again! Pray for your family, friends, and those who have betrayed you—for they would not have done so had they not been blinded by Satan. 

Do not let your heart be troubled. JESUS is ALIVE! 

HIS love and mine,

Deborah Starczewski

Other books by Deborah: THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?) and GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, and Know Your Purpose)…moving from drama to destiny.  Available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Xulon.com, etc. 

Always remember, God has the final Word! Trust Him!

Animals look to the light as you can see by the picture of my dog Prince Christmas “BEAU” gazing up at the lights on one of our Christmas trees. I love Christmas! Don’t you? I enjoy the decorations, wrapping gifts, festivities with family and friends, and all the celebrations in honor of what Jesus did when He came as a baby, gave His life on the Cross, and is seated at the right hand of the Father—interceding for us that our faith would not fail.

Jesus came that we might be set free and have life and more abundantly. In Him we experience all God intended for our lives when we choose to look toward Him and totally surrender our lives to Him in obedience.

If you want to enjoy Christmas this year with family and friends, choose not to be offended. Yes, it is a choice. Being offended blocks your ability to hear God and blocks your blessings from Him as well. When you are offended at someone, you are unable to receive from that person as well. You might be offended at a coworker or even your boss, but choose to forgive.

You may be in a tough situation and not like the way people or even family are treating you, but choose to forgive and give God the room to make every crooked place straight. Look to Jesus and choose to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by loving people right where they are in life. That doesn’t mean you condone sin or wrong behavior, it simply means you choose to walk in the love of God where they are held accountable to God.

Emotions can run high and conflicting schedules can cause tempers to flare and voice tones or even words to escalate in volume. Choose to be a peacemaker and look to the light—asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the real issue of heart. People who are hurting about past issues or those who are not choosing to forgive can react to anything and with wrong perception, they can hear and see everything as negative—even words that are not intended that way.

People can flip out like a switch over packaging tape and all sorts of minor things; from parking places to not remembering where they placed their phone the last time they used it. Sometimes people are not emotionally whole and they can become crazy makers…do you know any? You might be one yourself. People can be nice one minute and erupt like a volcano the next when they are dealing with too much stress, are overly tired, or when they are not emotionally whole in some area. People can also flip out when being convicted by the Holy Spirit, and become defensive rather than repenting.

I taught a class recently on being emotionally whole and a couple asked me to share the information in hopes it would encourage someone else as it did them. The Book of Galatians is our book of study and we have been focusing on salvation because of Grace and simple faith in Jesus Christ alone. We have also studied how the Law and Grace do not mix—but bring about confusion.

People can get offended over stupid stuff, minor issues, everything from the way someone looks at them or doesn’t acknowledge them, the lack of a returned phone call, to rigid schedules. We live in trying times with hurting people hurting others.

The enemy comes to divide and destroy from within much like the Trojan horse that was used to bring about the destruction of Troy. Many times people blame the devil for their actions, when in reality it is the flesh and a heart that is hardened in some area or wounded from something in the past. Satan gets blamed for many things he doesn’t even do. You must choose to have a heart that is tender toward God and that is not going to be offended at mankind. It is a choice—much like the choice of making your marriage work, friendships, relationships, to going to work on a daily basis.

We are living in a time Jesus warned us about that would happen in the last days—where even family members have turned on one another, and we must choose to come to the unity of faith in order to accomplish what God has called us to do with Him in this final hour. He has called each of us to do something with Him specifically. He has called us to occupy (be “a doer” as a Christian and not merely a hearer and professor) until He comes.

God has a divine plan and purpose for every person and every person matters in the tapestry of life. I shared about this in my first book: GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose). We must choose to lay aside resentment, bitterness, backbiting, choose to forgive all, and lay aside all sin as far as it depends upon us so that we may seek peace with all mankind.

(One woman who read my first book shared how God used it to heal her from 25 years of living with an unforgiving heart that she didn’t realize she had.) Forgiveness is a choice—just like choosing not to be offended.

We must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and watch Him avenge us, bring about reconciliation like only He can do, and flow in His anointing to defeat the spirit of antichrist that has risen up against believers. We do this on a daily basis by submitting and surrendering to the leading of the Holy Spirit and by standing up in our God-given authority because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Whatever God has called you to do, “just do it.” (John 2:5)  If He has spoken to your heart to start a new business, choose to do it. If He has spoken to your heart to open a counseling office, move forward and do it. If He has spoken to your heart to run for a political office, do it. If He has spoken to your heart to publish a book or books, start writing and do it. Whatever God has spoken to your heart to do will bring light to someone else and meet needs. It will bring hope and encouragement to others.

Look to the light this Christmas and every other day throughout the year. Choose to be like Jesus to others and live like it is Christmas on a daily basis. Let me remind you of something vitally important; if you choose to be offended, your focus will turn to self and off of God and helping others. Turn to Jesus. Turn to the light and allow the light of His Word to shine brightly in you and through you to a world that is in need of a touch from the Master—His Name is Jesus! He is the light of the world!

I pray you enjoy this Christmas with family and friends!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI