Prepared by Joy Le Page Smith, MA

Each Scripture passage listed below has strengthened, inspired or encouraged many people through the ages. Much of what God is about can be found within these readings. These brief offerings, one from each book of the Old Testament followed by one Biblical passage from the New Testament, capsulates intrinsic truths for a vital and vigorous life.  [Biblical chapters is shown at the end of each passage followed by a colon then the verses follow.]

All Scripture quotations, in this publication are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. All rights reserved worldwide. (Unless an exception is identified.)

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Exodus 3:14 – “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘ I
AM has sent me to you.'”

Leviticus 11:45 – “I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be
holy, because I am holy.” [“Egypt” can be seen as representing our sinful state before we
hear God’s call to us to be like Him.]

Numbers 14:18 – “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.
Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children for the sin of the fathers
to the third and fourth generation.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-6 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your
hearts.” [See Exodus 20 for the 10 commandments and Matthew 22:36-40 for “the greatest”
commandment according to Jesus.]

Joshua 24:15 – “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or
the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we
will serve the Lord.”

Judges 6:14 – “The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have . . . am I not sending you?’”

Ruth 2:12 – “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by
the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

1 Samuel 16:7 – “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man
looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

2 Samuel 7: 22 – “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there
is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

1 Kings 2:2-3 – [David’s charge to Solomon] “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So, be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in His ways,
and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and requirements, as written in the Law of
Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go”

2 Kings 23:3 – “The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the
Lord–to follow the Lord and keep His commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart
and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the
people pledged themselves to the covenant.”

1 Chronicles 16:15-16 – “He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded, for a
thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, the oath He swore to Isaac.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Ezra 3:11-12 – “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; His love to
Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because
the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”

Nehemiah 8:10 – “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Esther 4:14 – (Message to Queen Easter) “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Job 13:15 – “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him; I will surely defend my ways to His face.”

Psalms 34:7 – “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers
them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

Proverbs 19:20 – 22 – “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails . . . What a man
desires is unfailing love: better to be poor than a liar.”

Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13, 14 – “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days
of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’. Now
all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His
commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into
judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

Songs of Songs 8:7- “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one
were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”

Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for
us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ He said, ‘Go and tell my people.’” Isa. 30:21 – “Whether
you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the
way; walk in it.’”

Jeremiah 29:11-14 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me
and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you
seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back
from captivity.’”

Lamentations 3:22-33 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”

Ezekiel 18:22b- 23 – “’Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take anypleasure in the death of the wicked?’ declares the Sovereign Lord. ‘Rather, am I not pleasedwhen they turn from their ways and live?’”

Daniel 9:18-19 – “Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the
city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but
because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!”

Hosea 2:23 – “I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those
called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”

Joel 2:13 – “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is
gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and relents from sending
calamity.”

Amos 5:14 – “Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with
you, just as you say He is.”

Obadiah 1:17 –  “But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy . . . .”

Jonah 2:6-7 – “But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was
ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”

Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of
you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Nahum 1:7-8 – “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in
Him, but with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of [Nineveh]; He will pursue His foes
into darkness.”

Habakkuk 3:19 – “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to go on the heights.”

Zephaniah 2-3 – “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight
in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Malachi 3:16 – “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing
in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”

One Passage from Every Book in the New Testament

Matthew 1:24-27- “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into
practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams
rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its
foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put
them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down,
the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great
crash.”

Mark 1:14-15 – “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good
news of God. 15 ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent
and believe the good news!’”

Luke 9:20 – “’But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘God’s
Messiah.’”

John 3:16-17 –“ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Acts 4:31-33 – “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32 All the believers were
one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they
shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.”
Romans 3:23-24 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

1 Corinthians 13:3 – “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 – “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting
away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes
not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen
is eternal.”

Galatians 5:22-25 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 1:5-8 – “In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has
freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with
all wisdom and understanding.”

Philippians 1:9-11- “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in
knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may
be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes
through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Colossians 2:13 – “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins”

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your
own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win
the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 – “We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are
not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ
to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of
doing what is good.”

I Timothy 4:12 – “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

2 Timothy 1:8-10 – “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.
Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and
called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own
purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

Titus 3:3-5 – “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all
kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one
another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not
because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the
washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously.”

Philemon 1:4-7 – “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who
began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right
for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in
chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.”

Hebrews 4:14-16 – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into
heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a
high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been
tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

James 1:22-25 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his
face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he
looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues
in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

1 Peter 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he
has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,
who by faith are shielded by God’s power until of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in
the last time.”

2 Peter 1:3-4 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given
us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the
divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

1 John 3:16-18 – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions
and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in
that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in
truth.”

2 John:5-6 – “And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have
had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in
obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that
you walk in love.”

3 John 1:11- “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is
good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

Jude 20-22 – “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and
praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt . . .”

Revelations 3:20 – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Dear Reader,

If you are interested in entering the peace, comfort and joy God gives to those who belong to Him (our Creator)—plus eternal life—here is how to start:

“Jesus, I want to begin following ‘The way’ You taught. Please cleanse my soul from the wrongs I have done. Strengthen and feed my soul so I can grow, becoming the person You knew I could become when I was first born. Amen.”

For support in your decision and your growth in faith please see the post “Being God’s child is a choice”

Healing-with-joy.com hold many articles that help with the difficulties of life. Also a FREE video of my children’s book.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA

This post is different from all others and  it is “a hard read.” It is extended here to inform for the purpose of protecting women. The story below is accompanied with some facts that are difficult for most of us to comprehend: slavery is present–both sexual and labor slavery–in the USA. The following life experience shared below reveals a ploy used by devious, perpetrating men who are sexually abusing women. Then, after the abuse, which totally weakens a woman causing her to feel alone, vulnerable, overcome and undone–this is when the prospect of prostitution as a lucrative livelihood may well be proposed. 

The woman who entrusted this story to me knows she has little time to live. She came to me, a chaplain, asking if she could trust me to publish her story, adding, “I don’t want to die without knowing that by telling it, I am lighting a candle for other women.”  

I could see how painful this matter is for her. She added, “Although it shakes my soul to tell it, doing so holds power to help keep others safe.”

While promising to publish her story, I assured this woman anonymity will also be granted. Title proposes a question for parents:

At what age do you think your daughter is ready to read this?

If you think “never,” think again. The subject, here, involves a larger problem in our country than we, the US citizens, have wanted to acknowledge. After reading the latest issue of Time magazine which carries an article involving Jeffrey Epstein, I knew my story must be told.

Back in the 1960’s I had no idea there was a monstrous scheme alive and well in the small city where I grew up. My ignorance was pay dirt for the team of men who “befriended” my friend and me at a bar. They were handsome and appeared to be successful businessmen. After dancing with us, we were invited to a party. We were both divorced, members of the same Sunday School class at church, and in our early 20’s dancing was our “fun thing.”

Neither of us had experienced more than a couple of occasions where alcohol was served. We could not know how drinking can alter judgment. We both agreed to go to the party; however, the men took us in separate cars. I learned later that my friend was taken to the party. I never told her why she did not see me there. This was a team unfolding a devilish scheme.

There was no party for me but rather I was taken to a vacant apartment in the most exclusive part of downtown, overlooking the city’s expansive park and surrounding mountains. As we arrived, I thought this would be the place where the party was being held. But when this “new friend” unlocked the door of an apartment, and ushered me in, no one else was present. Once we entered, he immediately began trying to touch me! I was shocked to the core and highly frightened realizing the deception I had walked into and now THIS! I asked to be taken back to my car.

He got very close to my ear and said loudly, “You will have sex—with a beating, or without a beating.”

I quickly recognized I was in real danger; no one knew where I was. No one knew where they could find me. The man was obviously stronger and much larger than I was. It was clear I could not fight him off and with my health history being beaten would carry a strong possibility of my not surviving it. The only way I could get out with the least amount of harm—was to make a very huge sacrifice. Complying would bring my best hope to be taken to my car without “the beating.”

When I was taken to my car I was also asked, “Would you like a job that pays well?” I played along asking about the job and was told, “It’s spending evenings with businessmen entertaining them. Really good pay.” I was still in a huge amount of shock, fear and angst, hoping to get out of his car as fast as possible and home to my children. I, with my children, lived in the home of my parents after my divorce. That evening my children were being cared for by their grandparents while I had an evening out with my girlfriend. So I played along saying, “OK.” He said, “You will get a call soon.”

A call did come very soon. Thankfully, the number I gave was the only number I had, my parents’ phone number. For it was my father who answered the call that came late one evening. He must have smelled a rat. I heard him shouting in rage from my bedroom telling the caller he had better NEVER call his daughter again!

It took years before I was ready to talk to a counselor. One session was all I could handle.  It helped me let go of the shame I had had for so long after giving in to what was demanded of me. My counselor said, “What you did saved your life! You are alive today because you made a quick and wise choice under exceeding pressure.”

I recalled seeing this man at a class reunion and that he was an attorney, married to a classmate. I later felt sad and guilty over not feeling able to report to the police what had happened. But my life was already broken apart through a divorce that lasted nine months as my former husband had started a legal battle intending to prevent me from divorcing him. It seemed obvious the courts were mostly favoring the requests of men back in the 1960’s. I decided to move on in a survival mode so my children could have as normal a life as possible.

I had a mental breakdown soon after arriving back home. The damage done included being sexually assaulted in such a way as after the fact, I felt like I had agreed to it.

Even after so many years have passed, considerable guilt accompanies the memories if I let them arise. I have known my inability to speak up undoubtedly allowed this same scheme to continue hurting the lives of others. Along with that, having my life threatened if I did not obey a perpetrator’s mandate made my world seem exceedingly unsafe.

The experience of losing my ability to decide how my body would be touched makes the memory of being assaulted hard to release.

Life has been affected in several ways after being raped. Some days I feel fear about taking a walk within my own good neighborhood. A feeling indicating “something bad might happen” is familiar. This is an apprehension that has to be shaken off at times.

The reason victims do not want to tell their stories after being raped is because something has been taken away from us. I have innately felt “if people know what happened to me, they will think less of me.” Of course, that is not true. Still, a victim of sexual abuse wants to live beyond it. We do not want to think about it as we do not want our thoughts or the thoughts of others to include that dark, painful place in our past. We live our lives best in the goodness of the present. Life itself is a present.

###

The International Labor Organization estimates that roughly 50 million people are now living in conditions of modern slavery, in forms of forced labor and sex trafficking. There is no way we can know how many lives prostitution and human trafficking have interrupted and even ended. Some die trying to escape, many others work as directed under unheard of pressures. A great wound has been opened in our society through the files exposing the crimes of Jeffery Epstein. This has brought public concern as to why this heartbreaking abuse of women happened in the US. And why was it not handled differently, once it was discovered? Are our laws not clear enough on this? Are our penal codes not strong enough? Or is it a matter of prostitution being winked, mean now considered a regular part of society?

God forbid we close this wound up without first bringing effective treatment to this massive insult to humanity. Watchful, monitoring through eyes that are dedicated to bringing permanent resolutions to this huge harm in our society are essential.

Women who have been sexually abused rarely feel OK talking about it. Their agony over it is too great to think about it again, let alone to tell it. They want to forget about it. So, their stories are rarely told publicly, or even in courts. Sadly, it seems this may be the reason prostitution and human trafficking continue. Another element lies with the fact reading about rape–having a person’s body forcefully entered finds most people shudder and move on to find something to make life feel more safe. The same is true while reading about how women are induced into prostitution. Their stories are rarely told.

As shocking as these stories are of how women are captured or otherwise inducted to prostitution by perpetrators must be told and honored. A demand for change is in order. Pretending it does not happen or deciding it doesn’t matter will allow an inhuman industry to go on—and get worse. The shocking stories of how women are captured or otherwise inducted to prostitution by perpetrators must be told and honored

As for our governing powers, I now fully believe change can come if people are willing to tell their stories of what happened to them and how such an event has made life more difficult for them. The people we pay to take care of us must look at prostitution, know more about the ins and outs of it and seriously determine what is needed to heal the situation.

Thinking things are OK “as they are”, . . . that the problem will get better on its own—or go away, will only find prostitution and human trafficking getting worse. As it is, no one’s daughter is safe from common schemes like the one seen in the above story told by a woman who mustered her courage in order to make a difference for others.

For helps with difficulties of life, visit Joy’s other postings  within Healing-with-Joy.com. Also, enjoy visiting Healingwithjoy.blogspot.com which has amazing photography can be translated into any of the world’s known languages. Joy’s sites have readers in up to 50 countries.

By Joy Le Page Smith, MA

This means those who believe in Him have opened their hearts to Him when they “heard the knock.” What a privilege it is to have heard the knock! I am referring to the scripture, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, If any man [or woman] opens the door and answers, I will come in, (Revelations 3:20). 

From there on, we glorify God with how we lead our lives. What does that mean? Well, it does not mean we are perfect. We are growing into His perfection. We are on a very beautiful growth path. We hear His nudges and are learning to follow. Like I heard the nudge to call a friend last week to ask how she was doing. She cried and said, “How did you know I was having a hard time?” It was the Lord who knew while I, like all other believers, try to keep ears open to that Voice within. It is an exciting way to live.

It is hard to believe our lives “glorify God,” but this prayer of Jesus’ in John 17:10, helps us understand. He was praying for His disciples and said to His Heavenly Father, “All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.”

As followers of Jesus–more than any words we say–our lives tell the story. We no longer are all about serving ourselves. No, we have “sight and sound” coming within our hearts that find us doing what we can to also make life good (or better) for others, as we encounter them within our daily lives. We have no need to make it obvious. “It just happens.” It is in our hearts to do what God prompts us towards. At points we may not be very well liked by some who are looking on. 

Jesus knew His teachings would make us different and He said “I have given them your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world,” (John 17:14). Some persecutions can come to believers who are following the guidance of God as they live their lives.

Jesus was hated so much by the religious leaders of the day that He was killed–hung on a cross between two thieves to die! Even people who think they know God, yet are following a regime of their own making, can be majorly misled. God’s Word is trustworthy for those who honor it as coming from the Divine Creator of all that exists.

A post titled, “How can we trust the Bible to be true?” holds answers to questions you may have. You can use the search option of this blogsite to reach it, or use this link: http://healingwithjoy.blogspot.com/2024/10/can-we-trust-bible-to-be-true.html

May we all be highly blessing within this day . . . as we celebrate the life or our Lord and how He came to live among us and to teach us how to live holy lives. (Not perfect, mind you, just “holy.” And, we learn as we go.) 

How wonderful it is that the grave could not hold our Lord–and His shed blood is known to cover our sins as we receive Him as Lord, Master of our souls, and seek to follow His will for our lives.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith

While treading on earth’s surface, the webbing that captures the feet of many are easy to see. Human nature, left to itself, generally finds us pursuing fame, fortune, popularity, personal power, and the pleasures of the flesh. These temptations can lure us big time.

Fortunately, it is possible within this life experience to avoid those temptations of our carnal natures, as the Scriptures of the Holy Bible urge us to “overcome” the world.

There is only one who has lived perfectly on this earth fully resisting the temptations of the world. It was God’s very own son, Jesus Christ, who died because people present at that time did not take on the powerful challenge of the truth He extend—the truth is that all could have received His Spirit. However, at that time in history (and many times since) believers in Jesus have had to give up their lives because of following what He taught as “the way.” Yes, they were martyred for their faith. The darkness of the world opposes the Light that comes from Christ.

When we choose devotion to Jesus’ teachings, we are giving ourselves to the cause of Christ through continually listening to how He leads us. This affects the way we treat others and how we take care of ourselves. It is a loving way of life.

Jesus who came to the earth, lived among us, earned a living as a carpenter. He experienced all we must endure. He then portrayed the ultimate way of laying down one’s life. For, His death fulfilled God’s rescue plan. Through the gift of His life, His death, His teachings, our souls can be saved. Yes, SAVED. We take up our crosses within life and follow the way of Christ–the Anointed One—therefore gaining eternal life. Meanwhile, in the now, we have empowerment to live beyond the webbings of carnality; we overcome the desire to go our own way and do our own thing. How? Because God makes us “new creatures.” God now lives within our souls as we “believe and receive” His guidance day-by-day.

Jesus knew overcoming the flesh, the world and the devil would not be easy. But His teaching “the way” now finds us mastering life through His love.

 Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” If this sounds engaging, try it as the peace that comes through living “the way” is quite amazing.

Being a Christian who follows “the way” is about choosing to live into a loving relationship with God. It finds us doing what our hearts call us to do that lightens the load of another. Even small, caring things can touch and lift lives, although often unseen at the time. Imagine what it would be like to make time—holding space in life–for visiting a person who is sick or to take a meal to a couple who is going through a tough time. There are many ways we can invest ourselves as we listen and follow as God leads.

The Bible says in 1 John 4:10-13, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” Yes, His spirit abides in the souls of believers.

We are at the time of year when “Easter” is celebrated. This is our Paschal Season, a 50-day liturgical period in which we recall and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, His ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. It is a time during which believers reconsider wholeheartedly the fact we have been redeemed from our sins and our failures no longer hold sway. We rejoice in God’s amazing, loving rescue plan and how it empowers us daily to truly live this life God calls us to embrace! And that, my friends, is a life laden with joy.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC

One of the hardest things for senior citizens is to stay upright. But this can be a problem for people of any age.

I was surprised–my life turned upside down–when I got up from the kitchen counter and found myself face down on the floor. recently. I had no idea why my “get-up-and-go” did not work out as usual.

Unfortunately, my right (dominant) upper right arm is broken, my shoulder shattered—plus diagnosed at the hospital as having a head injury.

When the dominant hand is not available your life is immediately changed. The fall happened six weeks ago and has taken about that long to get over the shock of this happening to me. I think of those who live with pain continuously with little hope for change. What a blessing it is to pray for others as much as for myself.

My next thought is that I could share with readers something that is helping me get past this. If you are someone suffering despair, heartache, or physical anomalies presently, I would like to extend to you an easy-to-say healing prayer.

While breathing slowly, say aloud or only in your heart, while inhaling a long breath, “I’m breathing in the love of God and His healing power.” Then while exhaling that breath slowly say, “I’m sending my love to God with praise and thanksgiving.”

For me, after saying this breath prayer several times, it brings my soul into a place of rest and peace about where I was and what is happening to my body that has so greatly changed my life.

Another thing that is helping me, a lot, is right before falling to sleep at night my husband and I pray “God bring your joyous presence into every atom of our bodies, head to toe, healing whatever is needed to be healed.”

We go to sleep with that prayer, asking God to allow our lives to be as healthy as He intended when He first began the creation of our two souls–which was a long, long, LONG time ago!

Faith is a wonderful thing!

“…count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  James 1:2-4

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith. MA

It happened to be the only time in my history in which every drawer, cabinet and closet in my house was clean, meaning set in order. Our entire house received a “going through” as my mother would say. Even the door to the pantry can now be left open without shame or blame. Not a weed could be found in our yard and the plants were each trimmed and fertilized. The garage is next. We had a goal towards “spic and span.” But In the process of this, there was a surprise. 

Our three sons were young, having growth spurts and Gary and I were . . . let’s just say “not quite prepared” for finding startling pictures in our 11-year-old’s bottom dresser drawer. “What to do” rang in our heads. We decided to pin each of those pictures on the four walls of the kid’s bedroom. It felt  kind-of fun.

But, when he came home from school, went to his room—our son did not come out of his room for a very, very long time. We sat at the dinner table calling for him to come join us. Finally, he did. His face was solemn and white as a freshly washed sheet. He looked—well—stunned.

Needless to say we never saw girlie pictures in our home, again. Fortunately, our son was healthy enough to take this in his stride. It could have been different. And, after the fact, as parents know—that was a dumb thing to do to a kid! I have always felt some pangs of guilt when I remember his face that day.

Well, no one alive is guilt free. And, as adults, how about venturing into our mental drawers, meaning those places where we hold beliefs and ideas that do not serve us well? So often these are hidden away and we do not think they are of any harm . . . then a phrase or statement pops out of one’s mouth that reveals them. Oops.

Take for instance a statement I heard a person say recently, “What does God have to do with anything?” Well…maybe EVERYTHING. But, none-the-less, the man was entitled to that belief—even to express it, given freedom of speech.

Our beliefs do formulate childhood for the most part. Some experts have agreed that by age six, a person’s belief system is reasonably well formed. It is probably safe to say only a small portion of humanity questions beliefs formed early in life. And, we know that adults believe what they want to believe.

It is highly uncomfortable to change a belief. Mostly, we much prefer to leave things “as is” when it comes to long held beliefs. So, people often get stuck with self-confidence, self-sufficiency or self-assurance that can produce prejudice and pride if we do not keep an eye on our beliefs. How much self-scrutinizing are we up for when it comes to our beliefs; frequently, we excuse happenstances opting to spew “it’s all’s good,” or some other self-justifying statement. However, problems come when our beliefs find us behaving in ways that cause us to lessen our authenticity, meaning we become people who are less likely to make a difference in the large scheme of things. Of course God is always there to do nifty clean ups when we ask for help.

For some of us there is a resentment drawer. The mere smell of it keeps us from opening that one too often. Still, we dare not leave it to smolder. I feel sure the Lord would say, “Forgive it. I have forgiven you, after all.”

These are deep places of the soul that deserve periodic pondering.

Thinking of what Holy Writ says about this brings Luke 8:17 to mind, “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.”

Back to our mistake with our son, it did not take long for us to know that we had hurt him by what we chose to do with those pictures. Comfort comes in something a minister once said, “If parents were perfect, children would grow up worshiping them, instead of finding their own need to connect with God.” To repent simply means to be sorry, then turn and go in the opposite direction. “Looking back, I recall the sweetness of apologizing while also reminding our son to remember what we’ve said about wanting to see naked bodies. We then promised this 11-year-old could clean his own drawers going forward. We hugged and finished our dinner.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA

When my father-in-law, Harvey Smith retired he finally had Sundays off; he and his wife, Helen, began the weekly venture of going to church. One Saturday night he telephoned. “Do you know that it’s hard work working for the Lord?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, I went to ‘Work Day’ at the church yesterday. I came home all sore and with aching muscles! Helen told me, “Don’t complain, you were working for the Lord. I told her that it sure felt like I was working for Hap Whipple! That little man (straw boss of the day) is so skinny he looks like the handle on the lawn mower I was pushing.” (Unlike people living in Arizona, those  in the Northwest, where we grew up, have lawns.)

 It didn’t quite ring true to Dad that Whipple could send several men twice his size home with aching muscles. He said, “I found out you get just as tired working for the Lord as you do working for yourself.”

I laughed. But isn’t it true with all of us? We become enthused about doing something for God. We roll up our sleeves, plunge in, only to find it is hard work. Worse yet, sometimes there is opposition. The doors of success and progress still seem to move on creaking hinges—if they open at all. The romance of the thing goes out the window when the project does not roll out easily, the way “we” planned.

Meeting with rejection or criticism, we often respond with rebellion. “O.K., God, if that’s how they’re going to treat me–forget it! You can get someone else to do it.”

We want to be holy; we long to do what enhances God’s kingdom, but we also want things to go our way. We want some appreciation and maybe a little recognition, right?

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon your shoulders . . . my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” He also said to count the cost before starting “to build.” There seems to be a bit of a dichotomy. Perhaps this can only be resolved by putting the whole picture together.

The Bible teaches us to link our lives with Christ through reading God’s Word (the Bible). Doing so brings contentment, joy, great love and peace! Plus, assurance of eternal life! Jesus left what must have held “glorious splendors” in heaven to come to earth and become our Savior. He counted the cost and said, “Yes.”

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry there was a period of popularity.  People flocked to see His miracles. But in comparison to the multitudes who came, only a handful were touched permanently by His love. Shortly, opposition set in. You know the story. Jesus followed the destiny laid out for Him –to the cross . . . and to the grave from whence He arose as we  will also arise.

Perhaps you or I will not be asked to die a martyr’s death, but we have been commissioned to lay down our lives daily in the making of frequent choices—choices which embrace His will rather than our own. We are called to die to our inner, carnal drives and preconceived ideas . . . the desire to be appreciated and recognized—and to have some power here on earth. Instead, the Lord calls us to serve. Out of love alone.

When we have done our best to follow what we believe He has asked of us, then we meet with opposition. Solace comes in knowing that He, too, was criticized and misunderstood. Even the greatest gift humankind could ever receive—redemption through Christ’s death on the cross—was not understood and appreciated by most. In fact the religious leaders of the day persecuted Him. Jesus warned His followers not to expect better treatment.

So, how is it that Jesus said, “His burden is light?” It is light only when we embrace the truth of His having gone before us. He suffered in all ways as we do, even more! Yet, He conquered all temptations, all the drives and emotions you and I experience.

As we know, within our life spans we meet up with some times of frustration, disappointment, failures and physical difficulties. There are times of grief, even periods of sensing spiritual depletion, if only momentarily. What gives hope while we are feeling unsure, questioning or perplexed, are passages like Romans 8:18-19: “For consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”

With Christmas passed many will have enjoyed it as a holiday, a time to exchange gifts. Wrappings and bows are gone. But let’s not miss the greatest of all gifts–Jesus came–as Savior to  the world! It was a rescue venture! It opened a door through which, by choice, we can enter—becoming children of God. Yes. It is a choice. We can’t simply fall through that doorway to heaven because Grandma prayed for us long ago.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

 

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA

Thoughts of Hazel, one of my heroes, come to mind. She had her 89th birthday soon after our meeting. Still chewing on life, as if a piece of gristle, Hazel could put many to flight with her questions and ideas. It did not take long to learn the secret of this woman’s personal agility and mental acumen, as Hazel’s abilities were daily in demand. Her life is pledged to the care of a physically challenged daughter, then 56. This octogenarian is hot on the trail of what many, much younger folks have perhaps not even thought about: the pursuit of patience needed for moment-to-moment endurance. She was extraordinary.

Years back, Jessica Savitch interviewed Whoopi Goldberg on television. Whoopi told of her mother referring to her as “extra ordinary,” when she was a child. Whoopi said, “I used to think she meant extraordinary. But, all the time she just meant ‘extra ordinary.”’ Whoopi believed she could do extraordinary things. So, she has! Her keen ability to impersonate common people and ordinary events, while bringing humor to the mundane has enriched many lives. Historically, Whoopi has shared her extraordinary ability to shed delightful color on the simplicity and silliness of our everyday selves.

Clearly, the “extra ordinary” person Whoopi’s mother spoke of could best describe Hazel, my new found hero. She has not experienced fame, yet “extraordinary” describes Hazel well, as her dedication is carried with such grace and fortitude as to be challenging for some and encouraging for others.

So often we go through life longing for extraordinary experiences, eagerly awaiting the exceptional, the remarkable to take place. When all the time the real joy of living is found in being content with and discovering pleasure in the commonplace—in the present moment, especially while listening to the stories of others.

Extraordinary happenings in life, which always come, bring great surprise along with that occasional bit of rapture so good for the soul. However, if we are constantly on the hunt for the “peaks,” of finding what is superbly uncommon—the experiences that can titillate or otherwise thrill—then ordinary happenstances, like hearing the stories of another’s life, could just seem dull.

For sure, the conversation of a person who has traversed the earth for 7-9 decades can take a little more time and perhaps more patience while listening. Being in a hurry may mean wisdom is lost. A prevalent “On with the action” mode of being is easy to slip into.

Fascinated by the unusual, all sorts of memorabilia entice us. We collect stamps, papers, dolls, books, bottles and old coins—antiques of every sort. And, what happens to people who have accumulated great age? Those seen as “spent” are warehoused far too often as if human souls can be pushed into “attics” until “collected” by someone who stumbles onto the truth of their value . . . long after the person’s demise. Then they may exclaim, “Hey, this person had it together!” Yes, surely some must live out the last months and sometimes even years of their lives in care centers. But must they be deserted mentally and emotionally?

Seniors can feel a bit of “bareness” as years pile high. But, what if we seek out the stories of the “antique people.” Being seen, heard and validated in this way can reveal the truth: there is still beauty and purpose in being here.

My dream for this year is for growth in the ability to enjoy the ordinary, while also homing in on the stories of my fellow globe-trotters. I want to listen better and be able to perceive their richness, solidity and wisdom. It is similar to how those of us who live in the Arizona desert develop a keen ability to see past barrenness, as our eyes are ever finding the beauty that is there for those who have the “eyes to see it.”

The Bible holds great hope. Psalm 92:12-14, shows people “in old age” as “still bearing fruit . . . fresh and flourishing, declaring their faith in the Lord.”

Way to go!

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA

What’s new for this Christmas? Perhaps a season where funds are low and life seems topsy turvy? And, if so, should we despair, and indulge in self-sorrow? Or, can we feel challenged to experience the true meaning of Christmas by simply scattering some kindness to others?

Today, I saw such an act at the post office drive-through letter station. The wind blew an envelope out of one of the overfilled letter drops. A man ran, chasing the envelope, so he could re-deposit it for someone who was no doubt a stranger. A “Merry Christmas” message for another will now arrive.

We can get into the buying “hoop-la,” where it seems all about shopping and frantic antics as we race against the clock with some anxiety about December 25 “getting so close.” Puzzling over what to buy—and who we might be forgetting—we buck the traffic. Plus the crowds can just plain wear us out! With time stretching taut as a rubber band, it is easy to think something might snap and maybe that something could be you, or me!

All of this is part of the holiday scene in most American homes.  But let’s think for a moment about how we might find and extend to others what Christ, in coming to this world, meant to bring. Light where there is darkness. Empathy where there is loneliness . . . and tender hearted prayerfulness for the many who are teetering on the edge of survival.

The gospel is most challenging. Jesus spoke of bringing the poor into our homes. And, it is not always monetary poverty that people are dealing with. There is social poverty—and the physical poverty that poor health can bring. We celebrate with gifts, yes. Yet a gift of time can be greater, by far, than anything that might be purchased, like an evening’s visit, a Sunday call, a note which is unexpected. Could there be a neighbor, friend or distant relative that we might consider extending our Christmas to, someone we have not thought of for a long stretch of time?

But when it all comes down to facts, Christmas comes to us because of Christ. He is the true and lasting reason for celebrating. Most of us have received countless gifts in life. Yet, have we truly accepted the gift of His personhood? Having a cognitive knowledge of God is far different than having the experience of the One (Jesus) who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). So, we celebrate Christmas with lights all over the place. But, do we miss finding “the light of life” through reaching for His presence—and His love—that can change us . . . make us all of what we were meant to be?

We soon will be meeting Christ in the manger as we recall the greatest happenstance the world has experienced—one that has changed billions of lives. It will be no time at all before we “meet Him,” again, at Lent in the story of the cross.  But it is the daily experiencing of Jesus Christ, knowing Him on an intimate basis that changes and fills our lives with light. Clearly, He came to this earth, not because God the Father demanded or expected this of Him, but because of His love for us. We, the people, are His treasure. We bring our lives to Him—gifts better than frankincense, myrrh and gold.

So, Christmas comes annually as an opportunity for some to discover Christ. Others, will “miss it,” breeze by it, letting commercialism rule. Meanwhile, believers worship Christ as our thoughts are foremost of Him. For over two thousand years, believers have found Jesus Christ to be the greatest of all treasures. While pondering the majesty of Jesus lying in a manager, we find him vitally alive in our hearts. Seeking, wherever possible, to carry His light and love into every nook and corner of the world that He has entrusted to us. This is our gift back to Him.

So, “What’s new for Christmas?” Perhaps, for some, it will be finding the majesty of Christ for the first time.

By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA.

God has prepared us for the end times. When we read the whole book beginning to end, we see that both the Old Testament and the New Testament show what is to come before the Lord Jesus returns—and He surely did promise that He will. Take for instance what is carefully laid out for us in the second chapter of the Book of Daniel when centuries ago a vision was given to King Nebuchadnezzar, II, the famed king of Babylon (612-539 BC). In his sleep the king was shown a great image of excellent splendor.

We read in Scripture that the king was afraid of the vision and sought his wise men, sorcerers, and magicians to interpret it. They could not, so the king was having them killed. Then Daniel, a Judean captive, stepped forward offering to interpret the vision. Through Daniel’s interpretation, God was showing King Nebuchadnezzar what would take place at the end to all kingdoms within the world—Babylon, Persian, Greek and Roman—plus any powers beyond.

The Industrial Revolutions of Great Britain and the US prompted the age of machines. Following that empowerment, computers came on the scene which have advanced now to “thinking machines” known as artificial intelligence (AI). It is a new age, alright–and it seems likely Great Britain and the USA could be depicted as the “iron” and “clay” in King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. These two democratic powers may well exhibit as the “feet and toes of the image that Daniel interrupted to the King so long ago.

Currently, news articles depict studies indicating a fourth of our young adults believe AI has the potential to replace romantic human relationships. A study by the Center for Democracy & Technology indicates 1 in 5 high school students have had an affectionate relationship with an AI chatbot or have known someone who has. Not only have teens entered love relationships with these chatbots, but several news publications have shown one American woman in the US—and a woman in Japan–have had virtual marriage ceremonies with chatbots. One such machine is named “Eren.”

So much is happening quickly within our world news that without a doubt the self-esteem and emotions of our children are being affected—obviously, they are becoming vulnerable to intimately interacting with AI chatbots. AI chatbots are very affirming, creating the message, “You can feel positive and good about yourself.” This is a tactic of AIs.

The method of chatbots is to perpetually affirm whatever a person decides to say to them. The message up front is, “You can feel positive and good about yourself.” Our children do need to hear that about themselves yet warned to be careful while knowing chatbots are simply “machines” programmed to keep you talking . . . keeping you involved with them. They do not have a human brain, and they were not born with a conscience. As humans, we are the opposite of these machines. We can make a distinction between right behavior and wrong behavior–plus we ideally hold ourselves responsible for monitoring the innermost workings of our minds–and for what we do and say.

Experts are concerned about the well-being of our children and young adults. It seems, unbelievably, that teens are choosing to discuss important and serious matters with AI companions instead of real people.

The vision portrayed in the book of Daniel carries a prophetic prediction: “Iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.” It will not work, folks! It is fool’s play capable of causing disappointment and frustration, even death for some, which is now being reported as taking place.

While using Artificial Intelligence, let us be sure to remember that God’s Word is the “Authentic Intelligence” . . . always there for us with the ultimate truth that is intended to lead all who are trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The vision of King Nebuchadnezzar recorded in the book of Daniel clearly shows Jesus as “the stone” that quickly “breaks into pieces the image of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. Daniel 2: 44, tells us what will ultimately happen, “. . . the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed . . . and “it shall stand forever.” Always do your own studies. Once my friend pointed out this “clay and iron” passage in Daniel, within a recent conversation, I am now responsible to weave this matter into all the other “end of time” predictions provided throughout the entirety of scripture. What we know for sure is that God wants us to read the scriptures and to follow the guidance He places within our hearts as closely as we can.