Month: December 2018

God’s Way

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Part of learning to deal with a chronic illness realizes God’s way is perfect. 

For the Believer, God is our shield (buckler).

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 18:30 (KJV), “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

What the Verse Means:

God’s providence, though sometimes dark, is always wise, just, and blameless. The truth of God’s promises is approved by countless experiences and witnesses.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that all you do is perfect.
  • I acknowledge your watch care over me as I continue to battle my chronic illness.  
  • I also acknowledge your protection and provision in all areas of life. 
  • I confess the promises of God are sure, they have been tested, and will never fail. 
  • Thank you for the promise of being my Buckler, that is my shield, as I have put my trust in you.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Refuge and Fortress

Posted in Blog, Caregiver, Caregiving, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie Kepler1 Comment

Learning to deal with a chronic illness includes finding a place of refuge from the world’s cares.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 91:2 (KJV), “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

What the Verse Means:

Notice how the writer of the Psalm begins with a general statement followed by a personal application: “I will say of the Lord,” and then follows with “He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

As Believers in Christ Jesus, we have a personal God who is there for us.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • • Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that you are God, the one true and living God.
  • • Lord, you are my refuge.
  • • God, you are my fortress.
  • • To all the world I proclaim you are my God and in you will I trust.
  • • I pray you to place in my family’s heart the desire to be in church to worship you this Sunday.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Pray Without Ceasing

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Dealing with a chronic illness includes realizing it is okay to cry out to God. As Believer’s in Jesus Christ, we can place our cares and petitions before the Lord.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 88:1-2 KJV, “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;”

What the Verse Means:

There was no intermission to his prayers. He prayed constantly. Prayer was not his general habit. However, during his time of sickness he prayed. He had prayed that he might be delivered from sickness and from the dangers of death. He had, yet, obtained no answer. Now he prayers again recording a more heartfelt and desperate petition to God.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Lord, you are the God who saved me.
  • Heavenly Father, day and night I cry out to you.
  • Jesus, my prayers come before you.
  • I ask that you turn your ear and hear my cry.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Learning to Live

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Part of learning to deal with a chronic illness is learning to live God’s way. Part of learning to live is learning to let go and trust in God.

Today’s Bible Verse

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV), “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

What the Verse Means

The verses remind us we are to entirely rely upon God’s wisdom, power, goodness, and upon his providence and promises, for direction and help in all our life routine matters as well as dangers and big decisions.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Heavenly Father, teach me how to give up my expectations of life as I once knew them.
  • Show me how to let go of the old “normal.”
  • Lord, show me how to trust God with my future.
  • Help me learn to live, to “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
  • Help me accept the new “normal.”

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

God’s Presence

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Learning to deal with a chronic illness can be a lonely struggle. Sometimes you feel it is you against the world. As a Believer in Jesus Christ, you are not alone. God promises His presence will go with you.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Exodus 33:14, “And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

What the Verse Means:

The verse tells us that God Himself pledges He will go with you. He is not delegating this task to another.

We see it manifest in Exodus 13:21 with the fire and cloudy pillar. The rest promised is not only rest from the present anguish and troubles but in due time God will bring them to their resting-place and settled habitation, the Promised Land.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Heavenly Father, I pray I will feel and experience the comfort of God’s presence.
  • Help me Lord to experience and accept your promise of rest.
  • I pray that my loved ones would also experience God’s presence and rest.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

God’s Benevolent Activity and Gracious Will

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Learning to deal with a chronic illness includes accepting God’s benevolent activity and gracious will for the life of the Believer.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV), “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

What the Verse Means:

Each line of verse, with God as subject, is increasingly longer (three, five, seven Hebrew words). God is the actor in all six clauses: bless, keep, make a face shine, be gracious, turn his face toward you, and give peace.

The six verbs together cover God’s free activity from various angles and state God’s gracious will for the life of the people.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Thank you, Lord, for your blessings that are poured out on my family and me.
  • Thank you, Lord, for keeping me. I thank you for the safety you provide in sheltering me from evil and illness.
  • Thank you, Lord, for smiling on me. I appreciate your kind nature for my family and me.
  • Thank you, Lord, for your being graciousness toward me.
  • Thank Lord for turning your face toward me and the way it signifies your gracious movement toward me and my life.
  • Thank you, Lord, for the peace you have given my family and me as we face the chronic illness.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Praise

Posted in Blog, Caregiving, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

Learning to deal with a chronic illness includes praising God.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 86:12, “I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”

What the Verse Means:

We glorify God by praising him. Our end as the creation of God is to worship God. While nothing we do can add to God’s glory, when we honor Him it exalts Him in the eyes of others.

When we praise God, we spread his fame and renown. Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion. It has been said, in prayer we act like men; in praise, we act like angels.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Father in heaven I pray that I would continue to praise God with all my heart.
  • Our Lord and Savior Jesus I pray that I would glorify God’s name always.
  • Jehovah God, I pray I would focus on your riches, not my troubles.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Count It All Joy

Posted in Blog, Caregiver, Caregiving, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

Part of learning to live with a chronic illness recognizes you will face tests and challenges. They will come at you from all sides. They give you the opportunity to live out and grow in your faith in Jesus Christ.

Today’s Bible Verse:

James 1:2-4 (KJV), “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

What the Verse Means:

The verse tells us that we will face tests and challenges. These test and trials force you to live your faith or to fail to live your faith.

We shouldn’t run from or try to get out of the situation you are facing. We should trust in God to get us through the circumstances.

Allow God to develop and grow you in your faith. Your testimony will be to his honor and glory.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • I pray that as I face challenges from all sides that I will maintain an attitude of joy. This is especially true as I face the continuing challenges of my illness and its treatments. This includes both the financial burden of the bills and the billing and insurance issues.
  • I pray that I would be prepared through my faith in Christ when the trails of various kinds confront me.
  • I pray that I would be steadfast in my trust in Lord. Why? This is where the steadfastness will have its full effect.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Thanks

Posted in Blog, Caregiver, Caregiving, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

Part of learning to live with a chronic illness understands the value of giving thanks for what we have.

When living with a chronic illness, it is difficult not to focus on the negative and the bad. Instead of focusing on the adversity we are living through, we should give thanks for what we have.

Today’s Bible Verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV), “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

What the Verse Means:

The verse reminds us that Christians should not only to pray to God but also give thanks to Him. We should thank him for everything, in every circumstance, in joy as well as in sorrow.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Heavenly Father, help me always show gratitude to family and friends who aid and support us.
  • Lord Jesus, help me to praise God daily for who he is and for his love and care.
  • God Almighty, I thank you for a loving church, Bible fellowship class, our brothers and sisters-in-Christ who help and support me.
  • I give thanks for the quality medical care and counsel I have as well as the health insurance that pays for so much of the treatment and prescriptions.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.

Do Not Lose Heart

Posted in Blog, Caregiver, Caregiving, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie Kepler1 Comment

Part of learning to live with a chronic illness is not losing heart.

In today’s verse, God is pointing out we should view all earthly adversity in comparison with our future heavenly glory. When we do this, we should be strengthened to endure our human trials.

Today’s Bible Verse:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (KJV), “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

What the Verse Means:

While our bodies (outward man) grow old and suffer from diseases, our spiritual side (inward man) is renewed daily. Too often we only focus on the things we see in this present life. We need to also focus on the spiritual, that is the things that are not seen but given to us by God as a future promise.

These are only seen with our “spiritual eyes.” It takes belief. A part of faith is believing that what God has promised he will undoubtedly bring to pass. I have confidence in God’s word and promises.

Personalized Prayer Using Today’s Scripture:

  • Heavenly Father, help me to focus on you and not lose heart.
  • Lord Jesus, help me remember that while my outer body is perishing, yet my inward body is being renewed daily.
  • God, I realize the chronic illness I am facing won’t last forever but is working in me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
  • Lord God, help me to not look at my circumstances which are temporary but to look on the things that are not now seen, but eternal.

Photo Source: Pixabay

Today’s blog post is from the book “Thy Will Be Done: 60 Prayers for the Chronically Ill” by Jimmie Aaron Kepler. It is available in print and on Kindle for Amazon at Amazon Print or Amazon Kindle.

If you are an Amazon Kindle Unlimited member, the book is available to read for free in Kindle format. Over the next two months, I will publish each chapter as a blog post.