Verse of the Day

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
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Serving the Lord

God is Great!

Called – Anointed – Spirit Filled – Spirit Led – Sold out to Jesus and Serving the Lord!

Each one of us is a unique individual.  Isn’t it great that God didn’t make any of us the same!  (Yes, even though some of you may be in a family with twins, triplets, etc.) We are special, and God loves each of us in a unique way.  However, did you ever consider God has a special assignment for each of us, and that no one else can do it?

You may be reading this already wondering what God’s calling, or assignment, is for you.  Many people will think that God’s calling rests on church pastors, teachers, leaders, and missionaries.  Some may think of other positions within their local church.  God’s work isn’t for inside the church only.  The “church” is all His children, or believers, and we have special assignments.  God has the whole world covered!  You and I are part of this!  Isn’t it great to know that God believes in each of us to do His work?  Yes, we are God’s partners!

God already calls us to be His children.  To be His child, we take a first step in being a believer and starting to walk with the Lord.  There is a joy in making that decision alone!  God gives us the Bible where we can study and grow.  Then, as we focus on the Lord, we will see Him open doors.  We will gradually have insight on God’s calling.  It will be up to us if we pursue those opportunities.

When anointed is used in the Bible, it relates to an individual being set apart, or dedicated to the work of the Lord.  As Christians, God calls us to be set apart.  Prayerfully, this verse touch your heart and spirit.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (NASB)

Let’s take this a step further.  When we become a believer, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is a part of God that takes up permanent residence in Christians.  The Holy Spirit has many tasks.  He is our Best Friend for life.  (Please catch the podcasts on His roles.) 

There are scriptures in the Bible regarding spiritual gifts.  They include:

  • Romans 12:6-8
  • 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-30
  • Ephesians 4:9-11
  • 1 Peter 4:11

Your spiritual gifts will be tied to your calling.  When you do what God calls you to do and engage your spiritual gifts, people will see you working with a grace and ease that makes the task look simple for you.    (Be on guard.  Whenever you do anything for the Lord, the devil will come against you.  He most definitely doesn’t want you to succeed.  Catch the podcasts on the devil and spiritual warfare as you will need those as well.)  Please know, dear friends, that God will be working in and through you. 

There is really a joy in growing with the Lord!  Where our heart and mind realize we are called, and God entrusts His work to each of us.  God has given us His Holy Spirit where we are anointed and Spirit led in this journey.  God has given us spiritual gifts to use as He opens doors to serve Him as we serve others.  As we mature and grow, there can be an excitement and stirring in our spirit.  This is where it is so easy to be sold out to Jesus! 

This is a small celebration from my own life that may serve as an example.  It was a special day in May 1982 in my home church.  At the time, we didn’t have a pastor.  Other pastors were filling in as our members were extending a call for our new pastor.  Each year, verses were spoken over youth during this celebration.  The verse spoken over me was Matthew 28:18-20.  Many of you know this as the Great Commission:

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to ]follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you [i]always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

Honestly, for many years, I wondered who picked that verse for me.  I couldn’t think of any of my family members that would have picked it out.  At the time, I also wasn’t that outgoing spirit set on people being saved.   However, God had other ideas.  In May of 2022, it will be 40 years later.  Over the years, I have watched God grow me in His Word.  Many sweet scriptures that I’ve learned over the years were woven into the timeless study guides of Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk.  God has opened doors for me that I didn’t even dream of.  For the past year, I have had the privilege and opportunity to share Jesus and the Word throughout the world.   It’s a joy when people I may not ever see give their lives to Jesus, and there are people who want to grow with the Lord.  I continue to look forward to Worship services, Bible class, and studying the world daily.  It is so easy for me to say, “God is Great!” as I seen Him do much in my life.  I very much look forward to the day when we get home to Heaven.  I want to run to Jesus, and hear Him say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”.  I would like to see Jesus smile and get a hug from him too.  (My website has my full testimony.)  

For the time we are here, I consider myself part of the Soul Saving, Kingdom Building, Collaboration of the Saints.  I may not see many of you this side of heaven.  One day soon I will see you, and what a joyous day that will be!

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider donating to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you.

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Going through Storms in Life 

God is Great!

What does it take to go through the storms of life and live victoriously?

Do you want to go through life living in victory?  I hear a resounding “YES”!  I’d like to take a moment to reach back to where we started last year with some Christian fundamentals.  Just as a sweet reminder as we’re going to need this in the weeks to come. 

We need to remember that the devil is the enemy of everyone.  He comes to “steal, kill, and destroy”.  However, Jesus came that we have life abundant and in overflow.  (John 10:10) As we look at the situations and storms in our life, we need God’s wisdom to see Him as well as what the devil is up to.  Let’s go deeper.

How does the devil steal?  It’s not how some of us think about it – such as taking personal belongings.  The way he steals is by taking the Word.  Here’s a few nuggets from our Bible to meditate on:

  • Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the four gospels where we learn of Jesus and His life, love, grace, and mercy.  Our first step with God is making Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Once that step is made, we are heaven bound!
  • Throughout the scriptures, God gives countless promises for His children.  The devil doesn’t want Christians to recognize those promises.  He really doesn’t want us to know that God doesn’t lie and to all His promises are “Yes and Amen”!  (2 Corinthians 1:20)
  • That Christians walk in victory, and we are more than conquerors in all things through Jesus Christ!  (Romans 8:37)
  • Nothing separates Christians from the love of God. (Romans 8:35-39)
  • When the devil is at work for evil, God is going to work it for the good of His children and His glory. (Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28)
  • Husbands, do you want your prayers heard and answered?  Love and care for your wife with the love of Jesus.  (1 Peter 3:7) There is a powerful force in a home that operates with God’s love and presence.  Love never fails.  (1 Corinthians 13:8)
  • Joshua 1 opens with telling us how to live a successful life.
  • The Holy Spirit is God in us, and the Holy Spirit’s roles are through the pages of scripture.
  • The Bible gives you a uniform to wear in the battle.  It’s found in Ephesians 6.  All pieces are defensive, except one.  The Word is your offensive weapon.  If we want to beat the devil up each day, it takes the Word to get the job done! 
  • Psalms includes scriptures to praise.
  • Proverbs includes scriptures on wisdom.
  • Revelations starts and ends with Words of blessings, and this lovely scripture gives us a glimpse of Heaven (Revelation 21).

These are just a few rich nuggets of scripture.  See, if the devil can keep any of us distracted and away from the Word of God, it would be easy for him to kill and destroy too.  Believe me, he doesn’t want you going to heaven and being victorious while you are on earth.

Here’s a bit more on our foundational basics:

  • Our church and Bible class routine strengthens our study of the Word.  It also is where we have those divine connections to help our brothers and sisters go through this moment of life.  Think we can safely admit we need comfort and encouragement each day. 
  • Our lives need to have the constant communication with God through prayer.  Look at what prayer did for Peter in Acts 12:5-17. It brought an angel down and released him from prison.
  • And praise. Did you ever consider that an act of faith and a weapon? There are stories where praise led the way to victories and sharing God’s saving grace.  (2 Chronicles 20:15-24 and Acts 16:25-34)

Prayerfully, I’ve shared a few reminders.  We’re going to build on this foundation in the upcoming weeks.  It’s going to be super helpful to you to grab the Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk books as I’m only going to be able to share a high overview in our time of how Christians go through the storms of life and walk in the victory that Jesus has for us.  There’s plenty of scriptures referenced in these books for your personal study time. I really want you to know in your heart, our victories have already been won through Jesus Christ! 

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider donating to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you.

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

The Battle is the Lord’s

God is Great!

The Battle is the Lord’s

Many times, when we think of battles, we think of war and solders fighting.  Our Bible does give us those examples.  Did you know the Bible is full of verses related to Christians and dealing with the battles we face in our day to day lives?  We have an enemy, the devil, that wants nothing better than to trip up God’s children and total discredit any words or efforts we do to bring glory to God.  The devil wants us to doubt and even distrust what we read in the Bible.   (Side comment – prayerfully, none of us are letting the devil use us.  Our goal should be to love God and love people. We are Jesus hands and feet on this earth.) 

When I sat down to put the ABC’s of Walking the Talk together, I knew the “Authority of the Believer” and “Battles” had to be included.  Just in those two areas, I included 23 scripture references.  As rich as the Bible is, there may very well be more.   May that encourage each of us on studying the Word each day.  God didn’t leave us alone to fight for ourselves.  Here’s just a couple of verses, I’d like to share with you.

14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14 (NKJV)

This is from when the children of Israel were looking at the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army was behind them.  It looked like an impossible situation.  But God!  We know what happened.  The Red Sea was parted.  The children of Israel went through on dry ground.  Then, the Red Sea came down on Pharaoh’s army where they were all destroyed.  Here is another battle story:

15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”

22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

24 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:15-24 (NKJV)

There is much in these few verses.  (I’s suggest reading 2 Chronicles 20 in your personal study time.)  We see leadership in action.  Faith?  Oh, yes, it takes faith to seek the Lord, give the battle to Him, and praise and worship before the results occur.  What a great lesson to each of us! 

While the Walking the Talk book has all those scripture references, I also dedicated a chapter in the Heaven Bound book to battles.  We all deal with battles, and I believe we all want victory.  Perhaps we elevate our praise and worship and learn to say “The battle is your Lord” whenever we see just a glimpse of a problem. 

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider donating to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

What does it take to go through the storms of life and live victoriously?

God is Great!

What does it take to go through the storms of life and live victoriously?

Do you want to go through life living in victory?  I hear a resounding “YES”!  I’d like to take a moment to reach back to where we started last year with some Christian fundamentals.  Just as a sweet reminder as we’re going to need this in the weeks to come. 

We need to remember that the devil is the enemy of everyone.  He comes to “steal, kill, and destroy”.  However, Jesus came that we have life abundant and in overflow.  (John 10:10) As we look at the situations and storms in our life, we need God’s wisdom to see Him as well as what the devil is up to.  Let’s go deeper.

How does the devil steal?  It’s not how some of us think about it – such as taking personal belongings.  The way he steals is by taking the Word.  Here’s a few nuggets from our Bible to meditate on:

  • Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the four gospels where we learn of Jesus and His life, love, grace, and mercy.  Our first step with God is making Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Once that step is made, we are heaven bound!
  • Throughout the scriptures, God gives countless promises for His children.  The devil doesn’t want Christians to recognize those promises.  He really doesn’t want us to know that God doesn’t lie and to all His promises are “Yes and Amen”!  (2 Corinthians 1:20)
  • That Christians walk in victory, and we are more than conquerors in all things through Jesus Christ!  (Romans 8:37)
  • Nothing separates Christians from the love of God. (Romans 8:35-39)
  • When the devil is at work for evil, God is going to work it for the good of His children and His glory. (Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28)
  • Husbands, do you want your prayers heard and answered?  Love and care for your wife with the love of Jesus.  (1 Peter 3:7) There is a powerful force in a home that operates with God’s love and presence.  Love never fails.  (1 Corinthians 13:8)
  • Joshua 1 opens with telling us how to live a successful life.
  • The Holy Spirit is God in us, and the Holy Spirit’s roles are through the pages of scripture.
  • The Bible gives you a uniform to wear in the battle.  It’s found in Ephesians 6.  All pieces are defensive, except one.  The Word is your offensive weapon.  If we want to beat the devil up each day, it takes the Word to get the job done! 
  • Psalms includes scriptures to praise.
  • Proverbs includes scriptures on wisdom.
  • Revelations starts and ends with Words of blessings, and this lovely scripture gives us a glimpse of Heaven (Revelation 21).

These are just a few rich nuggets of scripture.  See, if the devil can keep any of us distracted and away from the Word of God, it would be easy for him to kill and destroy too.  Believe me, he doesn’t want you going to heaven and being victorious while you are on earth.

Here’s a bit more on our foundational basics:

  • Our church and Bible class routine strengthens our study of the Word.  It also is where we have those divine connections to help our brothers and sisters go through this moment of life.  Think we can safely admit we need comfort and encouragement each day. 
  • Our lives need to have the constant communication with God through prayer.  Look at what prayer did for Peter in Acts 12:5-17. It brought an angel down and released him from prison.
  • And praise. Did you ever consider that an act of faith and a weapon? There are stories where praise led the way to victories and sharing God’s saving grace.  (2 Chronicles 20:15-24 and Acts 16:25-34)

Prayerfully, I’ve shared a few reminders.  We’re going to build on this foundation in the upcoming weeks.  It’s going to be super helpful to you to grab the Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk books as I’m only going to be able to share a high overview in our time of how Christians go through the storms of life and walk in the victory that Jesus has for us.  There’s plenty of scriptures referenced in these books for your personal study time. I really want you to know in your heart, our victories have already been won through Jesus Christ! 

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider donating to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you.

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

A Most Special Gift to Receive, Treasure, and Give

God is Great!

A Most Special Gift to Receive, Treasure, and Give

Have you ever looked at the people involved in what we call the first Christmas and wondered what they thought at that moment in time?  (References in Matthew 1 and 2, Luke 2) Think of these people:

  • Mary – she had an angel, Gabriel, greet her and call her favored.  Gabriel announced that God had chosen her to carry Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.  This would be shocking!  Talk about walking in faith!  Now, what is she going to tell her fiancé, Joseph?  Now, imagine her in Bethlehem.  She’s carried Jesus, and she is told there is no room for them in the inn.  Imagine.  Here God has given her an assignment of no other, and she doesn’t have a place to stay.
  • Joseph – how many guys are going to hear from their fiancé that she is pregnant and has not been intimate with a man?  Well, thank God, Joseph had an angel visit him too.  We get to see Joseph walking in faith!  He now has an assignment of being Jesus earthly father for a moment in time.  (For you that are fathers – can you imagine having a perfect child?)
  • Shepherds – these individuals had a very lowly job.  I personally grew up on a farm and farming alone has some long days.  Sometimes, the work is a bit dirty.  However, God has a love for shepherds.  (David was a shepherd who became a king.)  Jesus is considered our Good Shepherd.  But, oh, these shepherds had an angel deliver the good news of Jesus birth!  Then, a host of angels started to praise God!  Just think – these angels knew what Jesus came to earth for.  They were praising this most perfect and precious gift to all.  These shepherds didn’t waste any time.  They went to see Jesus.  They then found themselves also praising and sharing the good news!  What a way to share a gift!
  • Wise men – these men noticed a magnificent star in the sky and followed.  These were very wealthy individuals who sought the Lord.  When they arrived, they “fell to the ground and worshiped Him”.  They had gifts for this special infant – “gold, frankincense, and myrrh”. 

Dear friends, God loves us so much to give us these details in the Bible.  I like to think of the Bible as God’s love letter to us.  What do we do with this treasure?  We are in moments of celebrating the Savior who is also called Immanuel or “God with us”.   Jesus came to earth to step alongside of individuals, some of whom weren’t very popular.  Some even had reputations.  In Jesus walking this earth, He could identify that we go through difficult times.  Jesus then laid down His life to pay for the sin debt of all humanity.  He was laid in a tomb, and three days later He rose in victory.  He spoke that we would have an Advocate and Helper, the Holy Spirit.  He then ascended into Heaven where He is now.  The Holy Spirit is how God is still with us.  The Holy Spirit indwells Christians.  How’s that for “God with us”?  Can I get a “Praise the Lord!”?

During this celebration season, remember and “unwrap” the story of Christmas again.  Let’s be mindful we are blessed and favored like Mary.  Let’s be obedient to what God calls us to do like Joseph.  Let’s be like the Shepherds and go after Jesus to love Him and share His love and message with those around us.  And, let’s be like the wise men who worshiped Him. 

Dear Christian friends, God loves you so much!  We have a most blessed gift.  Make the most of this holiday season, treasure that gift, and share Him with others.  Take hold of the promises found in the Bible.  God gave those to you.  Spend time in prayer – a constant communication with God.  Speak and take time to listen to Him.  Praise and worship Him.  For He is most worthy.  Walk in faith, trusting Him for He is always faithful.  Loved and serve Him.  While we are here, we each have an assignment that only each of us is qualified to accomplish.  Recognize we are just where God wants us, and He will guide us in that assignment when we ask.  Give him every care, worry, trial, and battle.  For He is most able to take care of it.  And, please look forward to the day we see Him face to face in heaven very soon.  (Side note – Jesus is a perfect builder.  He has a mansion for you there.)  Dear friends, I may not see many of you this side of heaven.  For now, we are heaven bound and walking with the Lord.  I’ll join you to praise Him there one day! 

Wishing you and your families a most joyous and Merry Christmas!

Holidays are around the corner.  I have a free download for you.  My website includes an area called “Read Full Testimony”.  When you go into this, you will find a “Christmas Program” nearly two thirds of the way down.  Let it inspire you or please share with your pastor and leaders.  It may be the program you use this year.  (Works well for virtual / electronic services too.)

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider donating to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Have you opened your gift yet?  How does that gift impact your life?

God is Great!

Have you opened your gift yet?  How does that gift impact your life?

To all of God’s Promises are “Yes and Amen”

Do we know anyone who doesn’t like to receive a gift?  There is a most precious gift that I hope you don’t delay in opening.  That would be our Jesus! 

When we look at the first Christmas, those individuals opened that gift in a special way.  Plus, these individuals were impacted by Jesus even then. (References in Matthew 1 and 2, Luke 2) Think of these people:

  • Mary – she opened the gift of her body and time to carry Jesus.  Then, she served as an earthly mother to Jesus.  She was walking humbled to God and obedient to what He called her to do. 
  • Joseph – He is a righteous man that we see obedient to the call of His life.  He kept his wife and the infant Jesus safe as well as served as Jesus’s earthly father.  He had a listening ear to the Lord and followed what God directed him to do. 
  • Shepherds – these individuals were filled with JOY!  After hearing the angels, they quickly went to find Jesus.  They shared the good news of Jesus with others! 
  • Wise men – these individuals went to find Jesus where they both gave gifts and worshiped Him.   

Dear friends, God loves us so much to give us these details in the Bible.  I like to think of the Bible as God’s love letter to us.  Let’s make the most of this holiday season and treasure the most precious gifts of both Jesus and His Word.  This is a scripture many of us know:

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

There’s a small word in here to take to heart.  God “SO” loved the world.  This displays the heart of God.  He loves everyone and wants all saved.  God made a way when there wasn’t a way.  Dear friend, you are SO loved by God.  Have you opened the gift of Jesus?  Please don’t delay in making Jesus your Lord and Savior.  Please visit my website,  www.lovedalways.net, under the Walking the Talk book, you will find the Road to Heaven Scriptures and the Prayer of Salvation.  You are also invited to join any of my podcasts.  We join in the prayer of salvation towards the end. 

As I’ve previously share, all of God’s promises are “Yes and Amen”.  Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God wove prophecies through the Old Testament.  Every one of them was fulfilled.  The following is a list of them:

PromiseProphecyFulfillment
Promised Through the Seed of AbrahamGenesis 22:18Matthew 1:1
Promised Through IsaacGenesis 21:12Luke 3:34
Star out of JacobNumber 24:17Matthew 2:2
Out of the Tribe of JudahMicah 5:2Luke 3:33
Born from the Family of JesseIsaiah 11:1Luke 3:32
Born to the House of DavidJeremiah 23:5-6Luke 3:31
Born in BethlehemMicah 5:2Luke 2:4-7
Born of a VirginIsaiah 7:14Matthew 1:18
Worshiped and Presented Gift by KingsPsalm 72:10Matthew 2:11
Worshiped by ShepherdsPsalm 72:9Luke 2:9
Massacre of the InnocentsJeremiah 31:15Matthew 2:16
Flight to EgyptHosea 11:1Matthew 2:13-14
Elijah would be His ForerunnerMalachi 4:5Matthew 17:11-13
He would be called “Lord”Psalm 110:1Luke 2:11

Sharing this for your personal study time.  This alone give me every confidence to know God will keep His promise of His coming to gather His children together, and we most definitely will see Him face to face when we get home to Heaven!

Some people make News Year’s resolutions.  Perhaps as we close out December, we choose to “step up” our walk with the Lord.  As with Mary and Joseph, do we choose to be humble and walk in obedience to the call over our lives?  While we are here, we each have an assignment that only each of us is qualified to accomplish.  Recognize we are just where God wants us, and He will guide us in that assignment when we ask.  As with the shepherds, do we find reasons to rejoice, love, and share Jesus with others each day?  As with the wise men, do we worship and give back to the Lord? Are we seen as generous people?  Perhaps, some of us choose to spend more time in scripture and prayer.  We can be more yielded to God, giving him every care, burden, and battle as He is more than able to take care of them.  We can also love God and love people in greater ways.  Let’s seek the Lord for not only resolutions, but for a routine that is most worthy of glory, honor, and praise to God!

Wishing you and your families a most Joyous,

 Blessed, and Merry Christmas and New Year!

Christmas is almost here.  I have a free download for you.  My website includes an area called “Read Full Testimony”.  When you go into this, you will find a “Christmas Program” nearly two thirds of the way down.  Let it inspire you. 

Dear friends, I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources for yourselves, family, and friends that will help you in your journey of knowing, growing, and sharing the great God we love, serve, and worship.  My website, www.lovedalways.net, has two of my  books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk  featured, and following the links should make your purchase easy.  I have been leading studies using these two books.  Please listen to my recent episode of Loved Always where you can listen to those studies.  Yes, you’ll want a Bible as it’s the foundation for any book I write.  Honestly, there are many scriptures referenced in both books.  The podcast framework gives you the highlights. 

The website includes a verse of the day to encourage your study of scripture.  You are most welcome to leave a prayer request.  This ministry is dependent on God and people like you.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry. Would you consider making a special holiday donation to this ministry?  Perhaps even become a monthly partner?  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

For Such a Time as This

God is Great!

For such a time as this

I will never, ever apologize for being a Christian.  I grew up in a Chrisitan home where I grew up knowing the Bible was the inherent Word of God and ultimate source of truth.  And, it is the most treasured possession I have.  My relationship with God is based on the Bible, and only God is what keeps me going in the moments we are in.  Over the course of my life, God has taught me treasured scriptures.  He has never been late, nor early.  When I’ve needed a Word, He has been perfectly on time.  Over the past few years, I have had the privilege and opportunity to study, teach, and write Christian study materials.  I have watched God reveal and confirm time and time again.  And, for such a time as this, I’m expecting Him to show up and show out.  This is the reason I do not say “God is good.”  I say, “God is great!”

The Core of What I believe

  • God the Father is the maker of heaven and earth.
  • Jesus Christ is God’s only Son.  He is my Lord and Savior.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of virgin Mary over 2,000 years ago.  Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried to pay the sin debt of all humanity.  (The saving grace scriptures are included for you.)  Jesus descended into hell, and on the third day He rose from the dead.  Jesus ascended into heaven and currently sits on the right hand of God the father. 
  • There is a day, very soon, that Jesus will judge all people.  For those who are not Christians, they will spend eternity in hell.  For Christians, we will enjoy heaven and seeing Jesus face to face.  When Christians stand before Jesus, he will reward us for how we have lived our lives here on earth.
  • The Holy Spirit is active throughout the earth.  As a believer, He indwells me.  His tasks include:
    • Conviction of sin
    • Creating and regenerating a new believer
    • Sealing believers for salvation
    • Reminding believers of their salvation.  Once saved, always saved.
    • Teaching believers the Bible
    • Interceding in prayer
    • Comforting us when we need it
    • Empowering Christians to serve God
    • Providing discernment regarding daily decisions
    • Helping Christians to walk through daily life with the characteristics of Jesus
  • With Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I am forgiven.  I am righteous.  Every one of my sins is removed as far as the east is from the west.
  • There is a day coming where believers will have a resurrection of deceased bodies, or those that remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) When we get to heaven, we will have the glorified bodies Jesus wants us to have.
  • God has expectations of His children.  The shortest way I can say this is to love God, love people.  (Deuteronomy 6:4-6 and Matthew 22:37-39)
  • God desires all to be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9)
  • God charges His children to do this prior to His ascension: “18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
  • Everything we do has eternal impact.  Our time on earth is but a second compared to eternity.  While we have time, it is critical to make Jesus our Lord and Savior.  (Prayer of salvation is included.)  None of us have promised days. 
  • Matthew 25: 21 (NKJV) states, “21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ “ I want to hear God say, “well done” when I get home to heaven.  So, to the best of my ability, I want to do all He has called me to.
  • There are eternal rewards.  “12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12 (NKJV)  “ 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” Mathew 16:27 (NKJV) I may not walk in every blessing and reward while I’m on earth.  The devil is the enemy while any of us dwell on earth, and he works to create stumbling blocks for everyone.  I know God takes account, and His reward is so much greater, especially when they are eternal rewards. 

When I look at the national pandemic of COVID-19, I have endeavored to see God in it.  In the spring of 2020, many businesses and churches were shut down.  From everything I’ve learned about God, no one shuts churches down and gets away with it.  God does take account.  Scripture gives us insight on how God works:

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:19-20 (NKJV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

Some may ask what good may have come out of this.  Remember, God wants all saved.  How often does it take difficulties to get people to pray?  Or, to seek God?  What I’ve seen not just in my church, but many other churches, is they quickly learned to do ministry, but maybe differently.  My church used the open door of delivering food to families for lunch and dinner as the avenue to share Jesus’ love with those in the community.  Quickly, both Bible classes and services moved from inside the four walls to electronic versions where people could join from nearly anywhere.  This has happened in many churches.  God is impacting people worldwide with His message.  Why now?

A further study of scripture gives insight to the time we are in.  The Bible refers to the last days.  That moment started when Jesus was born.  However, there is a critical date we need to remember.  It is on May 14, 1948, where the nation of Israel was formed.  A miracle, but it is Bible prophecy that became a reality.  All of God’s promises are true.  From that date forward, the clock started to tick towards the catching up of the church:  

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NKJV)

I believe we in the last seconds before the church is to be caught up.  There are scriptures within Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 that refer to the generation that saw Israel come into being a nation.  Here is one of those verses:

33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Matthew 24:33-34 (NKJV)

Once the catching up of the church occurs, the seven-year tribulation that is found in the book of Revelation will take place.   This is a most horrific and terrible timeframe that people do not want to be in.  (For an in-depth study of the book of Revelation, I used the John MacArthur and William Barkley commentaries of which both were excellent.)

There are other scriptures that tie current events to the end times.  Both China’s economy and military have grown to where they are considered a superpower in both areas.  The book of Daniel and Revelation speaks to their military during the end times.  That study is too extension to include here.  After studying Revelation, I’m left with the thought, “Where did COVID-19 start from?”  China.

Many people are somewhat familiar with the “mark of the best”.  This is the scripture reference:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18 (NKJV)

 When this occurs, the Christians are not on earth.  In a twinkling of an eye, they are caught up to meet the Lord.  Those that are unsaved are left on earth.  This scripture refers to no one being able to buy or sell unless they take this mark.  And if people take this mark, they will be going to hell.  Now, let me bring that back to the world we live in at the end of 2021.  How many people are carrying around a vaccine card, or putting it on their phone already?  How many places do not want to serve or sell to you if you don’t have proof you are vaccinated?  How many need the vaccine card to book a flight? 

I believe we are at a time to usher in the catching up of the church and the start of the seven-year tribulation. 

Regarding a Christian’s body and the vaccine.  We are the temples of the Holy Spirit. 

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)

With everything that is within me, we are to treat this body God has dressed us in while we are on earth with the utmost respect.  That what we eat and drink nourishes the body.  And for what we do is kind and caring towards all our body parts. 

This scripture also gives us further insight of how to live:

1 I beseech  you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

The renewing of my mind tells me to stand on other scriptures such as Psalm 46 and 91, along with Isaiah 53.  Throughout the gospels, it was Jesus who repeatedly had compassion and healed people. 

Would you like a good verse to rest on for the healing of COVID-19?  Please consider this one:

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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

Yes. This is what I believe.  My prayer is that God would always and continually give me a Word and reveal Himself.  That He’s working in me and through me.  And, for such a time as this, I pray that God is working in very powerful ways on every individual, in every circumstance.  Holy Spirit, please move and touch all people.  In Jesus’s name.  Amen.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along as you listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework. 

I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Looking for a gift for the upcoming holidays?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Saving Grace Scriptures

God Loves Us!

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17 (NASB)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8 (NASB)

We are All Sinners

10 As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one; Romans 3:10 (NKJV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,                                                       
Romans 3:23 (NASB)

God’s Solution for Sin

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NASB)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12 (NKJV)

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NKJV)

All May be Saved

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9, 13 (NKJV)

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)

A Fresh Start . . . . . Prayer of Salvation

No matter what has happened,

            No matter what you have done,

            No matter how you have lived your life,

                        God is personally interested in YOU,

                                    And He cares what happens to you.

                                                HE LOVES YOU!

Giving your life to Christ is easy.  Jesus did all the work.  Simply pray and believe:

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus.  I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.  Your Word says, “Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).  I am calling on You.  I pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, though shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  I do that now, I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.  Guide my life and help me to do your will. 

I am now reborn!  I am a Christian – a child of Almighty God!  I am saved! 

You will never be the same again.  Find a good church that boldly preaches God’s Word and obeys it.  Become part of a church family who will love and care for you as you love and care for them.

Spiritual Warfare

God is Great!

Spiritual Warfare

As we all clearly know, we live in a broken and sinful earth.  Way back after the world was created, Adam and Eve made a critical mistake.  They listened to the devil and acted upon what they heard from him.  Since then, the devil has been at work trying to keep people from making Jesus their Lord and Savior.  Then as Christians, did it seem that everything went wrong everywhere after you made Jesus your Lord and Savior?  Or, when you chose to serve God that more havoc occurred.  Don’t stand in worry or fear.  And please don’t give up on serving the Lord.  We have an enemy whose goal it is to “steal, kill, and destroy”.  (John 10:10a) Jesus came that we would have and enjoy an abundant life.  (John 10:10b) So, rest your eyes on Jesus!    

We Christians are in spiritual warfare.  We are and need to be spiritual soldiers EVERY day. Some questions to consider.  What are we wearing?  Are we Christians every day and not just on Sunday?  Do we ask God for help?  Do we know how to give whatever we are going through to God, and not take it back? Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us guidance and updates for these questions.   Dear friends, we are approaching a season of thanksgiving and holiday joy.  But there will be opportunities for the enemy, and I know we all want to walk in every victory that Jesus has won for us.  Have rooted in your heart the words “BUT GOD” and “VICTORY IS MINE”.  Over the next few weeks, I’m dedicating out study time to our enemy, cares, trials, battles, and temptations.  Let’s see what God’s Word says about walking in victory.  God has destined us to be more than conquerors in ALL things.  (Romans 8:31-39) Let’s use our Bible as the weapon in spiritual warfare. 

Holidays are around the corner.  I have a free download for you.  My website includes an area called “Read Full Testimony”.  When you go into this, you will find a “Christmas Program” nearly two thirds of the way down.  Let it inspire you or please share with your pastor and leaders.  It may be the program you use this year.  (Works well for virtual / electronic services too.)

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along as you listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework. 

I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Looking for a gift for the upcoming holidays?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

An Attitude of Gratitude

God is Great!

An Attitude of Gratitude

Here in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving in November.  A time for family and friends to gather with an attitude of gratitude.  Can I encourage you to have an attitude of gratitude as a daily routine?  Do we look for God in all our moments, in every situation?  I’d like to think there are those “silent blessings” that God is working out.  Blessings we call “normal” and may take for granted. 

During this thanksgiving season, I would like to share a couple special scriptures that can not only be ones of gratitude, but also mighty against our enemy, the devil.

For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-111 (NASB)

We have the name of Jesus that works!  It’s above every name.  Whenever we don’t know what to say, the name of Jesus is enough. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)

Let’s remember why we rejoice and lift our voices to do so.  Do we ever think of Jesus as nearby?  Just think wherever we are, He is with us.  His Holy Spirit indwells us.  Now much closer can the Lord be?  These verses remind us to be thankful while praying.  Perhaps, thanking God for His solution with His timing in advance.  We pray, and God has the answer on the way.  And, while we are going about our day to day lives, God’s Word tells us where to park our thoughts.  Our God has peace.  Lift your thanks and praise!  God is great!

Holidays are around the corner.  I have a free download for you.  My website includes an area called “Read Full Testimony”.  When you go into this, you will find a “Christmas Program” nearly two thirds of the way down.  Let it inspire you or please share with your pastor and leaders.  It may be the program you use this year.  (Works well for virtual / electronic services too.)

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along as you listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework. 

I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Looking for a gift for the upcoming holidays?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

November 30th is Giving Tuesday!  Would you make a special thank you donation on this day?  Perhaps even consider becoming a monthly partner.  I value your partnership as we have the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  The website has a donation link where you can sow into this ministry.   Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

IF

God is Great!

IF

The word “IF” is a small word.  How many times have we seen that in our everyday lives?  As a child, we may have heard that IF we cleaned our room, we could watch a special program.  Or, IF we got a project done at work, we could leave early.  The word “IF” can have significant meaning with God.  Let’s visit a scripture:

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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NKJV)

Reread that scripture and let it take hold of your heart.  If you read a few verses earlier, the Lord appeared to Solomon, and these are His Words.  These words are in our Bible for a reason.  It seems to me that as Christians God has laid a big “IF” in front of us. 

In today’s world, it seems everywhere we have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, political unrest, hatred, economic issues, etc.  The brokenness in this sinful world is very apparent now.  IF we want God’s presence and power showing up in those situations, what would this scripture encourage us Christians to do?  Very easy:

  • Humble ourselves.  Get on our knees recognizing who God is.  He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords.  There is no other.
  • Pray.  Prayers can be simple.  Lift them.  Then listen and expect God to respond.  We pray, and He has answers on the way.  Our job is to listen and obey.
  • Seek His face.  Are our heads lifted and eyes on the Lord?
  • Turn.  This is a place to get real and repent.  God knows all already.  He’s not going to be surprised when we call out sin and ask for forgiveness.

God’s part is easy as well:

  • God hears.  I’m very sure God hears all our prayers.  His ears are attentive to His children.
  • Forgiveness.  The beauty of today is we are after the cross of Jesus.  This is where Jesus said, “It is finished”.  Jesus paid for our sin debt in full.  We repent in awe and respect for what Jesus has accomplished for each of us.  We fall short daily.
  • Heal their land.  Nothing more to say.  (I can hear you saying, “Yes and Amen!” as you read that.) 

Let’s consider we are in a training camp going forward.  Each day, let’s endeavor to be humble, pray, study our Bible, focus on the Lord, and strive to lead a life worthy of worship to the Lord.  It’s time for a revival on the face of the earth. 

This is another scripture to encourage you in your daily life.  It speaks of God’s will and prayerfully gives you more of God’s guidance.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)


As children operating under God’s grace, mercy, and love, I’m sure we can find plenty to rejoice and be thankful for.  I’ll be joining you at camp, doing all of this.  We all need Jesus!

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.

I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Looking for a gift for the upcoming holidays?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Called and Rewarded

God is Great!

Called and Rewarded

Have you ever picked up a book to see what was in the last chapter, or on the last page?  Just to give you some insight on how the book ended.  The Bible isn’t different.  The book of Revelation has two blessings within it.  At the start and at the end.

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:1-3 (NKJV)

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  Revelation 22:12 (NKJV)

The emphasis is mine.  Only as I wanted to draw your attention to the blessing and rewards included in these precious verses.  (Side note – There are some great commentaries on Revelation.  They make it much more understandable.  There is a great victory coming for Christians!)

Dear friends, there is already great peace and joy in being forgiven and headed towards a heavenly home where we will see Jesus, face to face.  Yes, we can only imagine how great that day will be.  But how many of us have considered God’s eternal rewards?  How many of us find ourselves asking what God wants us to do that results in His rewards?  I think all Christians do.  God dearly loves all His dear children.  Our Bibles carry His breath and words to guide us.  We just need to pray, study, worship, and live life loving God and loving people.  Just do the Word. 

Here’s one scripture that each of us has a calling to do:

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

In very simple terms, we are to share Jesus with people. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are just around the corner.  It is really an opportune time to share Jesus when hearts may be more receptive.  As we pray for God to use us daily, He will open the doors to share Him and His great love for us.  (For those of you planning Christmas services, I have free download for you.  Within my website, is a place for my testimony.  When you go into the full-length version, nearly two thirds of the way down, you’ll see a highlighted “Christmas Program”.  Please use it to share Jesus in your service.) 

I only know to share with you what God lays on my heart.  This is another scripture.  This is what I want to hear, and I believe you do too when we get home to heaven. 

21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’  Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)

Will be praying with you and for you, as we all endeavor to do what God has called us to do.  Our life here is but for a moment.  Eternity is a much, much longer time. Let’s take people with us!  We are Heaven Bound! (There is a hell.  And, we should do all we can to make sure people don’t go there.)

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.

I would like to make sure you have great affordable resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Looking for a gift for the upcoming holidays?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

The Holy Spirit – Empowerment to Serve

God is Great!

The Holy Spirit – Empowerment to Serve

What did you think of when you read this title?  Did you think of pastors and church staff?  Did you think about tasks done at church?  Perhaps so.  Would you believe that God has a calling on each and every one of His children?  Yes, each of us.

I want to share one of my favorite scriptures. 

14 For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 (NASB)

This is one of Paul’s prayers.  Nestled within these verses, the Word speaks of God’s children to be strengthen through the Holy Spirit.  (Verse 16) We’ll be visiting this role the Holy Spirit fills in this week’s podcast.    

What I love about this prayer is it’s not long, but it’s powerful!  Paul starts in a humble place, praising God the Father, and this praise flows through the verses.  He is praying over a group of people.  What do you think of when you hear the words “riches of His glory”?  These verses speak so wonderfully of God’s love.  It brings to heart and mind Romans 8 where scripture speaks of God’s great love in verses 38-39.  Now, when we think of prayer and our requests, how often do we ask God for specifics?  Both the issue and possibly how we’d like to see God answer that prayer.  Verse 20 says God is able to do far more abundantly than we can ask or think.  Some translations use the word imagine.  This is why I can say God is more than enough.  And, to God be all praise and glory!  God is great!

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.

I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.   

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Jesus – The Holy Spirit – and Prayer

God is Great!

Jesus – The Holy Spirit – and Prayer

In days like these, I’m more than sure my dear Christian friends are in prayer.  We don’t need to look very far to see the brokenness in the world today.   It’s been a few weeks that I had a session or two dedicated to prayer.  However, I’ve been including prayer in each session.  It’s just on my heart and mind to visit that now.  Can I let your mind meditate for a moment?

Do you remember being a child and shouting for help to someone you knew you could trust?  We all have.  When it comes to prayer, do we have that same confidence?  Or, do we say, I’ve done all I can do.  I guess I’ll pray about it, where prayer is the last resort.  Whenever any issue arises, we should be quick to lift a prayer to our great God. 

Have you thought much about Jesus and the Holy Spirit praying?  Here’s a few scriptures that I’m sure you’ll love. 

Therefore, He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God]. Hebrews 7:25 (AMP)

26 In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will. Romans 8:26-27 (AMP)

The first rich scripture speaks of Jesus.  Just a gem of a reminder we are always saved.  He also LIVES to intercede and intervene on behalf of His children.  Can I get a “Praise the Lord”?  The second scripture is on the Holy Spirit.  We’ll be visiting this one role in the podcast this week. 

As we personally go to the Lord in prayer daily, we would be able to do this:

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

If the world looks so broken that it breaks our hearts, I can only imagine how it breaks the Lord’s heart.  Let’s be quick to go to the Lord in prayer, and let’s exercise our faith thanking God for answers before we see them. 

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.

I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

The Holy Spirit – Our Ultimate Best Friend

God is Great!

The Holy Spirit – Our Ultimate Best Friend

We’ve been digging into the many tasks the Holy Spirit does.  Prayerfully, this is a most welcomed reminder and a great blessing of God’s presence on this earth.  The Holy Spirit is the ultimate “Best Friend” to believers.  God doesn’t want us simply saved, then waiting till we go home to Heaven.  God truly wants a daily relationship with us! 

So far, we’ve covered the tasks of “Conviction of sin” and “Creating and regenerating the new believer”.  This is turning into a mini-series.  These are the tasks were going to dig into in the upcoming weeks:

  • Sealing you for salvation – I need to share this.  Once you are saved, you are always saved!
  • Reminding you of your salvation
  • Teaching you the Bible
  • Interceding for you in prayer
  • Comforting you when you need it
  • Empowering you to serve God
  • Discernment regarding decisions
  • Walking out daily life with characteristics of Jesus

Does this stir your spirit?  I hope it does! I’m sure you don’t want to miss a session.  However, dear friends, you could catch a previous podcast if you missed one.

Dear friends, we have been diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We are working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.

I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship.  Need a tool for group Bible Study or new members at your church?  Yes, both books are great resources for that too!

As believers, we get the privilege and opportunity to make Jesus famous.  Will you join me?  The website now has a donation link.  I would also invite you to sow into this ministry and partner with me as I continue to share Jesus within every avenue God opens to me.  Your prayers and support are always most appreciated. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

The Holy Spirit – God’s Presence on Earth

God is Great!

The Holy Spirit – God’s Presence on Earth

Starting August 12th

Once the month of August rolls around, many of our youth anticipate going back to school.  Meeting a teacher, getting school supplies, and looking forward to seeing friends are all a part of the normal routine of going back to school.  Dear Christian friends, let’s keep our students and their education in prayer.

What I love about the Lord is that it isn’t enough just to save us and destine us for a heavenly home.  God loves us so much that even though we have earthly friends, God had the ultimate best friend in mind – the Holy Spirit.  When we make Jesus the Lord of our life, the Holy Spirit came to reside in us.  What a huge blessing! 

In my podcast sessions, we’ve been going through a step-by-step approach in growing with the Lord.  The first is always making Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Our day-to-day walk includes other steps, and one day we’ll walk into Heaven where we see Jesus face to face.  Part of our Christian walk includes the fellowship we have with the Holy Spirit.  We going to dig into the Holy Spirit’s roles starting in the second week of August. 

Yes, I wanted to be gracious and provide a little notice on this.  It seems the Holy Spirit may be the most difficult part of God to understand or explain to others.  God’s Word makes it a little easier for our humble souls.  In the Heaven Bound book, I included the roles the Holy Spirit fills and the scriptures to support them.  This will be what we study for the next few weeks.  I wanted to give you a chance to get your copy for our study time.  I would also like to encourage you to read Acts 1 and 2 before our study time.    

Over the upcoming weeks, I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We will be working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Walking the Talk – A Lifestyle of Sharing Jesus

God is Great!

Walking the Talk – A Lifestyle of Sharing Jesus

Souls are Won, One at a Time

Have you ever wondered what inspires Christians with what they do for the Lord?  This article will be very personal.  Prayerfully, I can give you a glimpse of why I say, “God is Great!” as well as get excited about Christians making an eternal impact with whomever God places along our path each day.  Until the day God calls me home, I want all that is within my life to point people to God!

It has probably been eight years ago now.   God, and only God, was the inspiration to study the book of Revelation at that time.  (This is the last book in the Bible.)  As Revelation can be a difficult book to study, my Pastor recommended getting John MacArthur’s commentary on the book of Revelation.  In just a few short words, the study of that book alone would make any Christian get excited about sharing Jesus with anyone in hopes of people giving their lives to Jesus.  There is a most glorious day coming for Christians, and I personally think we are very close.  However, if you are not a Christian, you do not want to be on this earth for the seven-year tribulation that the is outlined in the book of Revelation. Oh, give yourself to the Lord today!

In 2015, God started to speak to my heart on what is included in the Walking the Talk book.  This book actually has two parts to it.  The back half is the ABC’s of Walking the Talk.  This section is literally the alphabet spelled out with words going with the letters.  There would be scriptures and Christlike examples given to support an idea.  Some examples would include:  B includes the word “Blessed” and a scripture reference of Matthew 5:1-12.  Also, under the letter “B” is the word “Birthday” where this may be an opportunity to show a kind deed on a special day.  I knew as I was putting this section together that the “Authority of the Believer” and “Battles” had to be included.  I enjoyed how God would just lead me, or remind me, of the scriptures to use, especially on these two topics.  In a very short time, literally a few days, the Authority of the Believer had nine references, and “Battle” had fourteen scripture references.  I had notes, and I could not wait to hear what God had to say next!

The first half of the book was written later.  This was a product of stepping alongside one of the members of my church and teaching on Evangelism.  This is where I need to be honest.  Many church members do not get too excited about Evangelism (sharing Jesus with others) or Stewardship (managing God’s resources) classes.  This is where I say, “Oh, but God”.  During the week, both of us would simply study what God laid on our hearts.  But, come Sunday, this is where we saw how awesome God is! What he studied and what I studied complimented each other.  To add to this, we would get surprised by who might be in class.  One Sunday, the men’s group joined the class.  Another Sunday, we were asked to join one of the other classes.  My most favorite class was the Sunday before Christmas one year.  We had students from 5th grade to junior high join us.  We were able to take the Christmas story to the Crucifixion / Resurrection, and even talk about heaven with these dear souls.  They were engaged, asked questions, and we prayed together at the end of class.  (I wrote a Christmas program based on this class.  Please visit my website www.lovedalways.net.  Go to the “My Testimony”, and you will be able to find it about midway down.  Enjoy your Christmas in July!) 

We watched the Lord each and every Sunday we did Evangelism class.  As we were in the worship service, God would echo a topic, scripture, or even a song that came out of class.  It did not matter if we had a guess minister. (I am trying to remember how long this was.  It was not a few weeks.  It became several month of seeing God do this wonderful work!)   We had a difficult time saying, “God is Good”.  With what we saw God do, we had to say, “God is Great!”  We still do that years later. 

By the time the front half of Walking the Talk was done, it included chapters on Team Jesus, The Road to Heaven, Appointment with God, Prayer, Rewards, and Heaven.  Any book on sharing Jesus with others needs a prayer of salvation, and this book has this too.  

During my Loved Always podcasts, we have been digging into this book as part of a Bible study. Yes!  Bring your Bible!  However, I can only just touch the surface of its content.  There are just countless scriptures and examples included.  I truly want to give you a foundation to work from.  God knows how to beautifully open doors and put people along our path each day as well as moments to listen to them.  God can also give us the words to share and guide our actions with people.  If you have ever found yourself questioning words or actions, I would like to invite you to grab a copy of the book and let it inspire you!  God most definitely wants to work in and through each person.  We are blessed to be a blessing!

My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase both the Walking the Talk and the Heaven Bound books. I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Heaven Bound – Walking with the Lord

God is Great!

Heaven Bound – Walking with the Lord

Can you imagine the excitement in heaven when a person gives their life to Jesus?  I would like to think there is a huge praise party.  I do not believe God wants His relationship with any of His children to stop there.  That is why once we are saved, we are “Heaven Bound”, and we, as God’s children, get the privilege and opportunity to “Walk with the Lord”. 

Prayerfully, this article is personal and gives further insight on God’s inspiration in my life.  After writing Walking the Talk – A Lifestyle of Sharing Jesus, God stirred in my spirit that there is more to life than an individual deciding to give their life to Jesus and waiting for heaven.  There are moments before we go to see the Lord face to face in heaven.  That is the time we get to grow with the Lord.  As Romans 12:2 says,

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (NKJV)

I had the blessing of growing up in a Christian home.  My family was always active in church and Bible class.  This started my roots of growing with the Lord.  My father taught me to sift any preaching or teaching against the Bible.  God’s Word will always stand.  The Bible will always be a foundation for anything I write.  I feel I need to say that life happens. We all know this.  I have found that God’s Word still stands, and God’s presence and His Word are there in the good, and not so good days too.  Sometimes, God shows up the best in those bad days.  In simple terms, I only know to live life within God’s presence, grace, mercy, and love very day and point people to the Lord! 

There are times we as Christians get excited about people giving their lives to Jesus.  But do we leave them there?  Do we assume they will simply come to Bible class or Worship services?  Do new Christians have questions we did not even attempt to answer?  When new Christians hear the words “grace, mercy, cares, rest, rewards, or spiritual gifts” does that lead to more questions?  Do Christians wonder what heaven looks like?  In short, Heaven Bound – Walking with the Lord was written to help Christians with those terms and questions.    

The book was written with 26 “steps” or chapters.  It starts by celebrating giving your life to Jesus.  The next step had to be getting a Bible.  The final step is all about heaven where we will be one day.  I think every Christian will say there are days we have challenges.  We have days where it is easy to say, “Thank you, Jesus”.  We have other days when we say, “Oh, dear Lord, help me!”.  There are “steps” that cover those times.  Ever had a question on prayer, thoughts, words, or serving God? God wants His children to rest, and God is also a rewarder.  Included all of those too. 

As we grow with the Lord and study the Bible, we start to have scriptures that are near and dear us.  I have included some of those in the Heaven Bound book that I have learned over the years.    Rather than simply list them, I have the scripture along with a journaling area for each one.  It helps the reader make the book very personal as insights and prayers can be written in.   

Please know there is a place in your heart that only God can fill.  Above all, God loves you!  He invites, and truly wants, each person to make Jesus the Lord and Savior in their life.  But God is so great!  He wants to have a relationship with each person for all eternity.  This includes every step through every day!  You are invited.  Say “Yes!”.

During my Loved Always podcasts, we have been digging into this book as part of a Bible study. Yes!  Bring your Bible!  However, I can only just touch the surface on this book’s content.  There are just countless scriptures and examples included within the pages of this book.  I truly want to give you a foundation to work from.  Ever had a question on this path with the Lord?  I would like to invite you to grab a copy of the book and use it as tool in your personal growth!  To pastors and church leaders, perhaps this book will become part of your new members packets!  To God be the glory!

My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase both the Walking the Talk and the Heaven Bound books. I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request at www.lovedalways.net.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Love God? Love People?

God is Great!

Love God? Love People?

Love God. Love People.

God amazes me.  We all get excited at Christmas when we celebrate Jesus’s birth.  Our Savior has come.  At Easter, we celebrate Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection.  Our sin debt was paid in full.  By making Jesus our Lord and Savior, we are on our way to seeing Jesus in heaven one day.  Are we enjoying His presence and love during the rest of the year?  I love the good Lord sharing precious promises such as this one:

I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. John 15:9 (AMP)

Can you see Jesus with His presence wrapped around you wherever you are?  Do you have a confidence in His love despite what is going on in your life? God loves YOU.  I would invite you to often envision Him telling you that personally.  There is a peace in knowing the good Lord wants to interact with each of us daily, not just when we get to heaven.  Can I get an AMEN?

God is simply so much greater!  As Christians, God wants to work in and thru us.  Will we let Him?  Enjoy these rich verses:

34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”  John 13:34-35 (AMP)

God gives us the opportunity to make an eternal impact on those around us.  We can touch their hearts by the words we speak or the kind deeds we do.  We may see a broken world in many ways.  It is my hope and prayer that we Christians are doing random acts of kindness each day that absolutely frustrates the devil and glories the God who loves us immensely.  I want to see as many people choosing Jesus as their Lord and Savior and growing with Him daily.  Where we Love God and Love People!

Over the upcoming weeks, I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We will be working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Freedom is Never Free

God is Great!

Freedom is Never Free

Here in the United States, we have celebrations during the month of May.  Are you ready to celebrate Memorial Day?  When we visit cemeteries this time of year, there are flags that different people and organizations have put up in honor of those who have given their lives to win us the freedom we enjoy and prayerfully cherish.  Have you ever given thought to what you are free to do in your daily life that someone was willing to die for?  That alone is worth meditating on and thanking the Lord for those blessings.  Let us keep our governmental leaders in our prayers that they fear the Lord and make wise, God honoring decisions for all people. 

There is a far greater freedom for all people.  Jesus won that for us.  Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus laid down His life to pay our sin debt in full.  For those that choose to make Jesus their Lord and Savior, we have the freedom from guilt and condemnation.  There is a joy in knowing God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.  He remembers our sins no more.  Now, that is a freedom to celebrate every day!  Praise the Lord!  Can we live out that freedom in praising and magnifying the Lord every day?  Can we recommend Jesus to others?  We are blessed to be a blessing!

I want to extend my thanks to those who serve in the military.  Thank you for your service and in defending our nation.  For those of you who may have lost a loved one and have moments of grief in your heart, it is my prayer that Christian friends and family will join around you to comfort you.  Please keep the good memories in your precious mind.  I look forward to the day where I get to see my loved ones in Heaven.   Getting excited about seeing our loving and gracious Father very soon should inspire us to share Jesus in our daily lives.  Lord, we pray for open doors and the wisdom of how to speak and act to share your love with others.    

We have been digging into two of my books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk.  I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request.    

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Focusing on God

God is Great!

Focusing on God

This is a sharing moment!  A friend shared this social media gem with me.  I laughed as it is so true and wanted to share it with you.  Enjoy!

A lady went to the Pastor and said, “I won’t be attending church anymore”.  He said, “May I ask why”?  She said, “I see people on their cell phones during the service.  Some are gossiping.  Some just ain’t living right. They are all just hypocrites”.  The Pastor got silent, and he said, “OK.  But can I ask you to do something for me before you make your final decision”?  She said, “What’s that”?  He said, “Take a glass of water and walk around the Church two times and don’t let any water fall out of the glass”.  She said, “Yes I can do that”!  She came back and said, “It’s done”.  He asked her three questions.      

  1. Did you see anybody on their phone?
  2. Did you see anybody gossiping?
  3. Was anybody living wrong?

She said, “I didn’t see anything because I was so focused on this glass, so the water wouldn’t fall”.  He told her, “When you come to church, you should be just that focused on God, so that YOU don’t fall.  THAT WHY JESUS SAID ‘FOLLOW ME’!!!  He did not say follow Christians.  Don’t let your relationship with God be determined by how others related with God.  Let it be determined by how focused you are with God.”

How easy it can be to look around at other people?  While this post gives a great illustration, our Bible does have some great scriptures that I pray get rooted and grounded in your heart. 

The next day Jesus decided to go into Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher, and walking the same path of life that I walk].”   John 1:43 (AMP)

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  John 10:27 (NKJV)

My prayer is for all Christians are growing in our relationship with God where it is easier every day to stay focused on God, and we are enjoying the rich love He has for us.    

We have been digging into two of my books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk.  I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book, I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Father’s Love

God is Great!

A Father’s Love

In June, we celebrate our fathers.  This is a day where many people send well wishes and gifts to their earthly fathers.  I was blessed with a father who took the lead on family devotions and prayer.  He made sure we did not miss an opportunity to be in Sunday School, Church, or youth group.  He was not a pastor, but a farmer who very well knew the importance of God being in our life.  In May, my nephew’s home was blessed with a baby boy.  This is a verse I shared with him and his wife:

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

For those dear fathers in this world, it is my prayer that God is continually growing you to be the men God has called you to be.  That you are the spiritual leaders in your home and that you are growing with the Lord.  The Bible is feeding your spirit daily, and you walk in step with the Holy Spirit. 

There are people who do not know their early father, or their father passed away when they were young.  Our greater Father to celebrate is God the Father.  The Bible also refers to Him as “Abba”.  The Bible tells us for God loved us so much He gave His one and only Son to save us.  (See John 3:16-17)  God made a way for us to join Him in heaven for eternity one day.  As I continue to study the Bible, these are words I can think of to describe Him:  Creator, Protector, Provider, Promise Keeper, Miracle Worker, Payer Answering, Care Giver, Burden Bearer, Healer, Good Shepherd, Listener, Battle Warrior, Loving, Preparer, Faithful, Gracious, Merciful, and Powerful. The list would go on!  He is a wonderful Father, and He chooses to love you richly and intimately.  Sometimes, God can overwhelm me and leave me speechless.  That is how awesome He is!  I have a passion on sharing that with you. 

We have been digging into two of my books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk.  I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

Celebrating People

God is Great!

Celebrating People

Here in the United States, we have celebrations during the month of May.  The first one is celebrating mothers.  When we look back on Jesus’s life, we can see His love for His mother on the cross.  Can you imagine Jesus in His agony caring and loving His earthly mother so much that He gave her care to the disciple John?  Sweet Mary had to watch her Son’s sacrifice.  All the grueling comments, beatings, cruel treatment, and the crucifixion.  The blessing is she knew He rose.  And the finished work of Jesus is what we can celebrate as Christians every day.  My gentle encouragement is to always celebrate your mother during the year.  There may be those whose mother is not present with them this year.  Please reach out and care for those sweet soles.  They may terribly miss their mother on this day. 

Later in May, we celebrate graduations.  This is where students have successfully achieved one segment of their studies, and they are moving on to the next phase in their education or career.  God truly blesses His children with education and celebrating those achievements.  It does not matter our age. God’s Bible study plan continues until we are at home with Him in heaven.  We can always celebrate spiritual growth and knowing our God in a deeper way. 

While we take a moment to celebrate on a special day, let us be in an attitude of thanksgiving to God for these special individuals.  Continue to pray with and over them.  For those of you who may have lost a loved one and have moments of grief in your heart, it is my prayer that Christian friends and family will join around you to comfort you.  Please keep the good memories in your precious mind.  It is always my prayer that more and more people are making Jesus their Lord and Savior.  What a glorious day it will be when we are home in Heaven seeing Jesus face to face, and we are gathered with those we love! 

Over the upcoming weeks, I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We will be working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walking The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

A Treasured Possession – Your Bible – God’s Love Letter

God is Great!

A Treasured Possession – Your Bible – God’s Love Letter

God loves!  We have seen that in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrections.  His love does not stop there.  Rather, it continues.  How do we know?  Our Bible tells us so. 

God calls each of us into an intimate, vibrant, and growing relationship with Him every day.  Part of deepening that relationship with Him is studying His Word daily.  In 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NASB) we read: “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore, also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”  Amen means “it shall be so”.  This alone should get us excited to see how many promises He has made toward us.  He will make sure they all come to pass.  Our Bible gives us stories where we see both the promises and how He has fulfilled them. 

When we place a priority on growing with the Lord, we will find quiet moments in our day to study the Word.  That may mean getting a study Bible that provides deeper insight to the scripture.  We will ask the Lord in prayer to reveal Himself to us when we read the scripture and go through our day.  God wants to interact with us during our days.  We will find a God who is with us always, and He will not fail us for forsake us as He has promised.  (See Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5)  A reason to say “God is Great”!

Over the upcoming weeks, I would like to invite you to spend some time with me in Bible Study. We will be diving into sharing Jesus with those around us as well as growing with the Lord.  We will be working from my two books, Heaven Bound and Walk The Talk. You can read along and listen to my recent episode of Loved Always. My website, www.lovedalways.net, has links to purchase each book. Bring along your Bible as it is the foundation for any book I write to help believers.  There are countless scriptures in these books.  We will only be able to touch the surface within this framework.  I would like to make sure you have great resources that help you in your journey with the great God we love, serve, and worship. 

Please enjoy the verse of the day or leave a prayer request.  

In His Service,

Sheila Srna

Loved Always Ministries

www.lovedalways.net

24 The Lord bless you, and ]keep you;

25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

  • The Lord bless you, and keep you;
    Numbers 6:24 (NASB)
  • The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
    And give you peace.
    Numbers 6:26 (NASB)
  • The Lord make His face shine on you,
    And be gracious to you;
    Numbers 6:25 (NASB)