Tag: Cheryl Zelenka

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Facing GIANT Fears

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Author: Cheryl Zelenka

Giants were actual biblical figures (Gen. 6:4, Num. 13:33), which intimidated and triggered fear in man. If used as an analogy, giants are obstacles and fears that hinder God’s direction in our life. New career paths, a step into ministry, a move, an illness, or some monumental challenge are all calculable Goliaths.

Fear is innate, a healthy survival instinct. But fear should be a manifestation that produces positive action. Too often fear hinders our spiritual growth. It is a mighty weapon utilized by the devil and many saints have stood petrified before ominous figures or obstacles.

A popular phrase, “If God brings you to it, He will lead you through it,” is a true statement. The Bible backs it up, but the courage to face these giants will require faith in God’s power and His steadfast love for us. Continue reading “Facing GIANT Fears” →

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Waiting

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Author: Cheryl Zelenka

God often asks us to wait. Waiting builds patience in our lives and transforms our character. It also deepens our dependency on God.

Moses is a wonderful example of someone whose character was transformed through the discipline of waiting. After his exile from Egypt, Moses spent 40 years in the desert of Midian. He went from being a prince of Egypt to a shepherd. God fed him lessons in humility and patience. Moses probably felt he was doing nothing worthwhile in life, but God was equipping and training him to be a leader, and that included desert survival skills. At the age of 80, Moses returned to Egypt and delivered Israel through the power and will of God. Then, for forty additional years, Moses endured a desert existence, leading a stiff-necked people God called His own. Continue reading “Waiting” →

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God, Be My Vision In 2016

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Author: Cheryl Zelenka

Magicians utilize a reliance on vision to fool their audience with illusions. A slight of hand might be employed to make a person or rabbit disappear. But, when David Copperfield (apparently) made the Statue of Liberty vanish before our very eyes, we had to pick up our jaws that had suddenly dropped to the floor.

In our walk with Christ, we need to rely less on physical eyesight and more on the eyes of our heart. These eyes of our heart encapsulate our total inner person: intellect, emotions and will. It is where we grow in our knowledge of Him. God wants us to know the hope of our calling, which is, children of the Most High. Continue reading “God, Be My Vision In 2016” →

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Seeking God: ALL Are Called To Pray

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Author: Cheryl Zelenka

“Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” 1 Chronicles 16:11 

Spiritual work is HARD work. Prayer is often arduous. It requires time, concentrated focus, and humility. Prayer is more than mere meditation. Rather, it is the means by which every saint cultivates intimacy with God. To commune is to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity and intimacy. Often there is an interchange of thoughts or feelings.

“Spiritual work is taxing work, and men are loath to do it. Praying, true praying, costs an outlay of serious attention and of time, which flesh and blood do not relish.” ~ E.M. Bounds Continue reading “Seeking God: ALL Are Called To Pray” →