Scripture Cards

October 12th, 2012 dsisler

Before I left for SE Asia, our team leader encouraged us to write out Scripture cards to carry throughout the journey. She had written meaningful verses or passages of Scripture onto 3×5 index cards. The print was small and each verse was a different color so that she could separate them easily.

I began gathering verses. I read through the Book of Psalm to find all sorts of verses. I pulled my favorite verses. In my day-to-day Bible study, I would find verses that I could use. Some were shown to me through preaching or Bible teaching. This in itself was an amazing process.
I then typed each verse into a word document (the font is pretty small, but I’m still able to read it easily). From there, I created sections that were the size of a 3×5 card. I highlighted each verse and gave it a different color. The final step was to print this document onto cardstock and cut them to the right dimensions.

Then the real excitement began. I started using my Scripture cards. I read them as we landed in SE Asia. I read from them each morning and evening. I carried them with me throughout the day and was able to pull them out as needed.

What I found was that I could have God’s Word with me at all times and that meant more to me than I could have suspected.
As I prepared to leave SE Asia, I offered many unused items to our host family. Lotions, shampoo and conditioner, wet wipes, and other toiletries. But I also offered my Scripture cards. I knew I wouldn’t have them on my return flight, but I thought they might be of more value there. They accepted them.
So upon my return, a new set of Scripture cards were printed and once again, carried as I go. I read the passages I thought relevant before my service trip and realize how much God’s Hands were upon those selections. Not only for my journey, but for my everyday life.
Here are some of my favorite verses from my cards.
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” (Psalm 62:1 – NIV)
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.” (Psalm 89:1-2 – NIV)
“The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.” (Psalm 28:8 – NIV)
“The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.” (Psalm 97:1 – NIV)
“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Psalm 15:15-18 – NIV)
“You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16 – NIV)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” (Colossians 4:2-4 – NIV)
“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21 – NIV)
Why not start your own set of Scripture cards? If you aren’t proficient on a computer, that’s okay. You can use 3×5 index cards and write verses in your own handwriting. Perhaps you might think of another way to accomplish this. However you do it, why not try it?
Just think…while you’re waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or picking up your kids from school, or at the DMV, or wherever you’re waiting, you can pull out Scripture cards to read. You could even read God’s Word while sitting at a traffic light!
Now don’t confuse this concept with actually picking up a copy of the Bible and reading or studying it. That must also be part of our daily routine. This idea is for times when you’re on the go and can read a verse or two from God’s Word.
I hope this excites you as much as it excites me. I love God’s message and enjoy all that He has to say to me (and you). Which leads to yet another verse. “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”(Psalm 119:18 – NIV)
I pray that God’s Word, His Bible, would bring joy to your heart as you read it regularly. I know that is exactly what happened to me!
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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The Path

October 11th, 2012 dsisler

On an excursion in SE Asia, we wandered into some out-of-the-way places. In fact, the only way to one of these locations was to follow a path. A narrow path.

This path was on a hillside. To the right was the steep slope going up the hill. To the left was the steep slope going down the hill and into a rice paddy. Needless to say, a single misstep could have sent any one of us down that slope.
As we walked along in single file, I thought of several passages of Scripture that mention feet on a path. The main verse I thought of was, “Your word is lamp to my feet and light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 – NIV) In that moment when my footing could have been disastrous, God’s Word was a light for me to follow.
I also thought of the verse when Micah speaks of his desire to walk along God’s path. He knew that by learning what God had to say, he would be able to follow the path. It is the same for us. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” (Micah 4:2 – NIV)
And on the Scripture cards (I will share the value of these cards in another blog) I carried with me throughout my journey, I found three more passages that spoke to this topic.
“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” (Psalm 94:18-19 – NIV) How blessed we are to know that God’s love is supporting us. We know that sometimes we do slip. Sometimes we manage to fall down that slope into sin. But with God’s love supporting us, we have a greater chance of remaining on the path.
“For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 116:8-9 – NIV) Deliverance. This passage speaks of three specific things we can be delivered from as we walk with God. Deliverance from the death of our souls. Deliverance from tears in our eyes. Deliverance from stumbling feet.
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25 – ESV) If you’ve read my blog, you’ve seen these verses before. As we allow God to reign in our lives, He keeps us from stumbling. He keeps our feet steady and on the path.
Unfortunately, we sometimes take our eyes off the path. We take our eyes off of Jesus and then the inevitable happens. We stumble. We fall. Sometimes right into the rice paddies of sin below. But we are also assured that Jesus is right there to lend a helping hand to get us back on the path and guide our steps once again.
I urge you today to keep your eyes focused on the path set before you. Follow the Guide. Place your feet directly into the footprints of Jesus. By doing so, you’re guaranteeing a lighted path and steady feet.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Jet Lag? Yeah Right!

October 10th, 2012 dsisler

I have been dragging the past few days. I’ve been feeling “blah.” I’ve chosen to rest (including sleep) instead of moving about. I’ve pretty much been useless.

I believe there are several reasons for this. I suspect I can blame jet lag for some of it. Return culture shock for some of it. Getting used to some processed American food for some of it. But I believe the main culprit is Satan has been telling me lies and then, I in turn, believe them.
You see, I thought things like, “You were so busy doing God’s work, take a break.” “You’ve missed so much while you were away; take the time to get caught up.” “You really don’t have anything to do, just relax.”
And I did.
But here’s the thing. By listening to these lies, I not only did all these things, but I even cut back on my Bible study time. I cut back on my prayer time. I cut back on my personal time with God and guess what? I began to feel disconnected from God.
But guess who moved? It wasn’t God! It was me!
After a good dose of Bible study with some wonderful ladies, I realized what I had done. I had allowed Satan to pull me in. I cannot believe I was willing to put aside my spiritual well-being and growth for comfort. But I did.
So today begins anew…remember my favorite verse? “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.”(Lamentations 3:22-23 – NIV)
Oh, how wonderful to know that God’s faithfulness is greater than I could ever imagine. To know that He is willing for me to start over each morning, just as if nothing had happened yesterday. But I know that I have to do my part. My faithfulness to Him must continually grow. I may never be as faithful as my God, but I can certainly try harder each day to be more faithful than the day before.
My personal time with God and the Lord Jesus Christ must come before anything else. Yes, including my sleep if need be.
So what is my plan? James 4:8 (NIV) tells us, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
I must draw near to God (prayer and Bible study). Wash my hands (confess my sin). Purify my heart (become God-centered). These are literal steps I must take to be in God’s presence.
Psalm 51:10 (NIV) says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The next step is to ask God to do His work within me. Allowing God’s Spirit to continue the purifying process and to keep me on the correct path will take me then, to the next step.
Being with God. In Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV), David shares these words. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”
When I dwell in God’s presence, I find rest. I find protection. I find strength. And then I am ready to begin a new day being closer to God.
Perhaps you are feeling distant from God today. If so, why not try these simple steps to begin the process of an intimate relationship with the King of Kings? Nothing is worth being separated from God. Nothing.
So, don’t listen to that old devil. He’ll try every trick in the book to get you walk away from God. But you just turn to God and say, “You are my King forever! I will trust in You. Let’s take a little walk together. I love You!”
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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Why Should I Worry or Fret?

October 9th, 2012 dsisler


There’s an old Gaither tune called, “I Believe.” The verses speak of the things the author believed. Then the chorus sums it all up. Do you remember this song?
I Believe

He holds the future in the palm of His Hand;
And He has never failed me yet.
I know He’s leading and still has control;
So why should I worry or fret?

He said that He’d go with me and protect me each day;
And brother, I’ve no reason to doubt.
He’s been so near me every step of the way;
And God will surely lead His children on out.
There are some people who live each day in fear;
Of what tomorrow may bring.
But I’m trusting in One who is walking so near;
I’m talking ’bout the King of all kings.

I know He holds the future and I know He holds my hand.
I know just as sure as I’m singing this song,
I’m a part of His almighty plan.

I believe, I believe, I believe.
So why should I worry or fret?[i]

If we claim to believe all that this song says, why do we worry? Why do we fret? Why do we allow fear to gain control of our lives? I think it is different for each person, but what I am certain of is that God does not want us to worry. He urges us not to fret. He tells us not to be afraid. So perhaps we should find out what God says about this area of our lives.
Matthew 6:25-34 records Jesus’ discourse on the topic. His conclusion is “do not worry.” Do not worry about your life or your future. Because in reality, nothing comes from worrying. At least nothing good. Some physical issues can be the result of worrying.
And what does Jesus say to do instead of worrying? “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 – NIV) Staying busy with God’s work will keep our minds off of the issues we worry about.
This same discourse can be found in Luke 12:22-34. In this passage, another way to keep from worrying is by helping the poor. Giving to the poor to be exact. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34 – NIV) If our hearts are concerned for others, it will not have time to be worrying.
What are we to do instead of worrying? Philippians 4:6 (NIV) gives us some insight. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We are not to worry about anything. Instead, we are to pray.
This verse also says we are to be thankful. If we have thankful hearts, there won’t be space for worry.
We can also meditate upon God’s Words. David shares his thoughts on this in Psalm 119:97 (NIV). “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” If we are meditating on God’s Word all day long, when will we have time to worry?
The Lead Minister, Rick Rusaw, at LifeBridge Christian Church, my home church, said this about meditation. “If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate.” Get the connection? Use what you’ve learned about worrying and convert it into meditation of Scripture.
So what are some benefits to not worrying? Philippians 4:7 (NIV) says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” First we see God’s peace will come upon us. There is nothing like His peace. It’s something we cannot understand, but when we have His peace, there is absolutely no reason to worry.
Second, our hearts and minds will be guarded against the temptation to worry. With this added bonus, worry should be eliminated from our vocabulary.
I know how easy it is to get into worry mode. We are human. We are parents. We are children of aging parents. We are unemployed. We are travelers. We are control freaks. We are _________ (you fill in the blank). But God clearly tells us not to worry. Because He wants us to put our faith and trust in Him. Not ourselves.
I believe the words to the tune above, particularly these words. “I know He holds the future and I know He holds my hand. I know just as sure as I’m singing this song, I’m a part of His almighty plan.” He’s got it. There’s no need for me to interfere in His plan. Especially with a little thing called worry.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i] I Believe, Gaither Trio
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Forgiveness

October 8th, 2012 dsisler

During the debriefing session of my recent service trip to SE Asia, a question was asked for us to reflect upon. The question was, “Is there anyone you need to apologize to?” I skipped the question initially, because I felt that I needed to go over every conversation and action in order to answer it honestly.

It got me thinking about my day-to-day living. Do I spend that much time thinking through my words or actions to see if I need to apologize to anyone. I will admit, I don’t. But why not?

One online source says that the word “forgive” appears 116 times in Scripture and “forgiving” seven times.[i]It seems that God believes forgiveness to be pretty important. Let’s look at some of these passages.
Why Does God Forgive?
God desires a relationship with mankind, with each of us. With that relationship comes forgiveness. God’s willingness to forgive us for our imperfections is part of who He is. It is a characteristic He possesses. Here are some passages that show His forgiving nature.
“They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them.”(Nehemiah 9:17 – NIV)
“You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.”(Psalm 86:5 – NIV)
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are from the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”(Psalm 103:8-12 – NIV)
“The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”(Daniel 9:9 – NIV)
God’s Forgiveness Toward Us
I believe we need to have an understanding of how God forgives us so that we in turn may forgive others. Some Scripture that shows God’s willingness to forgive are below.
“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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 – NIV)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’ grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7-8 – NIV)
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”(Colossians 1:13-14 – NIV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9 – NIV)
Our Forgiveness Toward Others
Because we have been lavished with forgiveness from our heavenly Father, we must in turn forgive others. It isn’t an option, it is a command. And yet, more of God’s Word and how we are to forgive.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15 – NIV)
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” (Matthew 18:21-22 – NIV)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ god forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 – NIV)
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.”(Colossians 3:13 – NIV)
I believe the conclusion here is to forgive, ask for forgiveness, and know that we will be forgiven by God. Unfortunately, when we allow our human nature to rule our hearts instead of God’s Spirit, this concept gets a little muddled.
Today I must ask two questions. Is there anyone you need to apologize to? Is there anyone you need to offer forgiveness to? If someone comes to mind, spend some time with your heavenly Father and ask Him how to pursue reconciliation. He will lead and guide you through this process. You won’t have to do this alone.
Forgiveness is a tough issue, because it is a heart issue. It isn’t easy. It isn’t fun. But bitterness and guilt are even more difficult to live with, so we must forgive. Don’t waste another day living without forgiveness. It really isn’t worth it.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna

[i] http://www.ehow.com/about_4587728_does-bible-say-forgiving-yourself.html

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  • About Me

    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

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