David was a man after God’s own heart who lived his life with emotions rising and times of difficulty like we all face. He faced opposition in extreme measures but was God’s chosen King—being trained in the fields as a shepherd. It was in the pastures where David learned to practice the Presence of God and to worship. 

The devil likes to create drama and is racing after your assignment in life. Don’t bow to the pressure–trust in God. If you will read the Psalms and see David’s real life pressures and how he responded, it will help bring encouragement and hope for today. It is easy to assume that problems in biblical days looked totally different than what we face today, but that is not true. 

While Paul’s culture revealed in the New Testament was quite different from ours, some things remain the same—such as temptation, hardship, persecution, and sin. Satan never changes either. When the Apostle Paul wrote of being burdened beyond his own strength, he had experience to back up his words.

Paul “despaired even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8), but trusted in God—the One who raises the dead.  He believed the Lord would sustain him during that season of conflict. He learned to trust God during affliction in the same any of us do: He was thrown into high-pressure situations with impossible odds, and he saw the Lord triumph—and so will we, if we keep our trust in God. 

We come to understand divine power when we reach the limits of our own strength and recognize God’s supernatural power within. Divine strength is more than sufficient to sustain us, and to overcome hardships, demonic onslaughts, satanic temptations, and even consequences of sin—whether it be someone else’s or our own.

Living with a passion to advance the kingdom of God and in relationship with Jesus Christ is awesome but it doesn’t cause us to avoid pain and sorrow. We have the promise that God will meet our needs in every heartache and trial (Philippians 4:19). It is in the times of affliction and onslaught that our faith grows stronger and God reveals our true friends and family. 

God’s supernatural strength is available to all. Our part is to confess our weakness and inadequacy to Him. There are times in every believers life where the soul is pressed on every side to the point of physical exhaustion to admit, “Father, I don’t have anymore strength. I need You and Your help if I am going to make it.” 

This is where we throw ourselves at the feet of a loving God and wait for Him to keep His promises. He always honors His Word..You can trust God with whatever you are facing….keep standing upon His Word!

His love and mine,

Deborah Starczewski

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat) ….a resurrection story and full account of God’s divine intervention

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

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: Will America Turn Back To God? (A must read for every leader, pastor, and all who want to see our nation turn back to God) 

Books by Deborah Starczewski: All available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

We are seeing acts of terror on American soil and evil across the land. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy. It was too late for the Titanic because the warnings were ignored. America is being warned to stand up and turn back to God.

With the deep needs prevalent across America and the nations, we have the opportunity to go deeper in prayer and share the love of Christ. You and I have the opportunity to be the change we want to see in the world. The Church (the Body of Christ—all believers) must take her rightful place and be a place of prayer if we want to see this nation turn back to God. 

When leadership compromises biblical values, principles and morals, there is always confusion.   With the war of words across the media, and a state of confusion across America, you can see a trend—and it is ruining the nation. It is evident that leadership has compromised because there is confusion in almost every area. However, we live in the greatest time yet—a time of darkness, where the light of God shines brightest. We have some of the greatest opportunities to point people back to God. 

Unless there is a change for good, our kids and grandkids will grow up in a nation that is full of chaos and no foundation in God with the attack on religious freedom. Unless you build your house on the solid foundation of God, it will fail. When a married couple builds their home on a foundation of God, even when the storms in life come, they will stand strong through the adversity. 

God calls each of us to leave a legacy of knowing Him and making Him known. We are to teach our children about God, tell them about what He has done in our lives, discipline and instruct them so they will know God for themselves, and ultimately, grow up to do the same. (See Deuteronomy chapter 6)

I have got Good News…..we need more than a leader on our road to freedom. We need a Savior, His name is Jesus—and He keeps on saving. He is inviting us to seek His face. We seek God’s face by turning from our sin and turning toward Him. 

The real solution for America is spiritual not political. We need a solemn assembly, a gathering of unified believers leading to a much needed revival—before it is too late. 

We need a revival of true relationship with Jesus Christ—not religion. The prescription for healing for America is a biblical approach of returning to God. We are at the midnight hour—and must turn to God as a nation that will shatter the idols in this land that have destroyed families, marriage, and hijacked our worship. May God shake the church back to the foundation of prayer and fasting, and awaken our hearts again. 

After September 11th, everyone gathered for prayer. Churches were filled—for about three weeks—and life appeared to return to normal. However, it didn’t. 

If we want our lives to function as God our Creator intended, we must stop neglecting the spiritual and integrate with the social at every level. God will not negotiate His standards for anyone. He desires that we place ourselves under the authority of His Word. God doesn’t want us to conform to what the rest of the world is doing. However, the church is accommodating to the culture. 

God’s church must return to prayer where we experience His power that brings change—not performance, people-pleasing, and striving for position. 

The present society and world systems have redefined morality, commitment, marriage, and priorities. Manipulation and mixture have crept into the church and God is warning His people to turn back to Him in prayer and fasting.

Right in the middle of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “Then,” God says, “I will hear from heaven.” This means we must turn to Him and fulfill His conditions and come on His terms, not our own. Then, God will hear us—and not until then. 

How can we change anything in America? The way we change it is by having new people in government, public education, and in the media—who are going to represent Jesus Christ and His standards. It is time that believers stand up because the political realm is a legitimate sphere of influence for those who are called. 

God wants people who love Him, who will commit themselves to Him personally, in their marriage and family, and then step out to advance His kingdom by penetrating the culture for Him. 

Nehemiah is a biblical example of such a person. Now, are you going to sit back any longer and watch our culture fall apart? The promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is an awesome promise, but will take the kind of prayer that takes priority in our schedules. We must choose to reclaim lives, marriage, families, and this nation for God. 

Take time to read the Book of Nehemiah. If the church is going to help restore this nation, we must put God first. Church congregations must come together in a solemn assembly (see Joel 1:14) to repent and seek God’s face in prayer. 

While repentance and faith are requirements for salvation, obedience is the fruit. Will you be obedient to pray and seek God’s face on behalf of your marriage, family, and nation?

The spiritual foundation of America is crumbling fast—political action won’t stop the erosion—and money won’t stop it either. 

God is willing to forgive and heal our land if we will humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. When we do this, God can turn the course of America around. Will you pray?

Take time to read my latest book: THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?). It is a must read for every pastor, leader, and individual who wants to see our foundation in God restored. 

 Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. 

DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

www.starministriesinc.com

Have you ever felt like if you heard the phone ring one more time, if you didn’t have five minutes of quiet time, or if you didn’t get a much needed vacation that you were going to come unglued or lose it? Lose what? Have you ever felt like screaming? Come on now! If you’re feeling like you are about to come unglued, that is a clue to unplug for rest and refreshing. 

You may own your own business, work from home, spend endless hours on flights, to dashing off to important business meetings, but no matter what you do in life, you are still highly valuable to God first and foremost. What you do is not who you are—and your body needs rest.

Women spend lots of time pouring out, pouring ourselves into others, while doing seven or eight things at once. One minute you are at the hospital bedside of someone you love, to rearranging your calendar to see people that matter to you. Life is full of unexpected things that can happen to anyone—both men and women alike.  

I was recently on the phone with someone and my husband called from the grocery store several times, the doorbell starting ringing and it was a friend standing there with a homemade cake, our dog (Beau) was barking, Mother was telling me what kind of cereal she needed from the grocery, and the other phone starting ringing. Juggling a variety of responsibilities can be a strain.

Life can get hectic and by the time the day is gone, you can feel exhausted while falling into bed about midnight with a neck ache. Does anybody understand what I am talking about? Or, what if you’ve finally made it to bed, the kids are sound asleep, your husband is still awake and he asks you if you are tired at midnight. What about the scenario of being asleep and the sound of the family dog throwing up that wakes you at 2 AM in the morning and you never go back to sleep. These are real days.

While women are entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms, many juggle responsibilities that in any ordinary day can be exhausting. Life is full of stressors and times of great enjoyment. You may be walking on the beach, fishing with your family on a camping trip, walking on the red carpet at a resort, nursing a sick baby back to health, or dealing with cancer treatments. Life has lots of surprises and challenges—and you need to know how to respond to them all. You must choose to respond rather than reacting by following your emotions that can send your life going downhill at warp speed. 

It is vital that you reflect, remember, and take time to replenish yourself in the midst of days like these. You must stand back, take a deep breath and stop allowing everything around you to control you. 

You don’t have to lose anything, or even come unglued. You can run to Jesus and find rest in Him. Take time to open the pages of your Bible and choose an additional quiet time, even if it has to be in the restroom or in the bathtub. 

With kids knocking on the doors of young mothers, to the phone ringing and work to be done, all need rest and refreshing. Jesus calls us not only to serve but also to rest. You must choose to stop and allow God to fill you with His love and power in order that you can pour into your family, your work, and your ministry. 

Jesus is calling you to come away to a quiet place—a time of rest, even while there are endless items on your THINGS TO DO list. He invites you to a quiet place of rest.

Think about what that looks like in your life. Do you take time for yourself to spend at the feet of Jesus, basking in His Presence, and finding solace in His Word? You may think you can miss quiet time, but by the end of the day it may begin to unravel. Take time to spend with God. Take time to meet a friend for a cup of coffee or lunch. Take time for yourself—away from the chaos of life. 

“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.” (Mark 6:30-31 NLT).

You must take time for yourself with the Lord—in a quiet place. If you don’t choose to come apart to spend time with Him, you may feel like you are coming apart. 

How will you respond?

DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

Books by Deborah Starczewski:

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

 A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days at the Mercy Seat) 

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

All books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.; visit www.starministriesinc.com for additional information and resources.