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Full and rich Faith

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 6, 2026 Respond

When I am tempted to complain, it is helpful to think of what others are actually suffering—and to see their Godly responses! This gives me an example of what I can and should do. The following is an article from Voice of the Martyers.

 

Imprisoned Church Leaders Rejoice in Suffering for Christ

On Aug. 7, 2021, Pastor Wang Xiaoguang and other leaders of the Linfen church — including his wife, Yang Rongli — were arrested in Shanxi Province, China. They were accused of fraud, which is how the Chinese Communist Party characterizes the collection of tithes in the church.

After almost four years of detention, Pastor Wang Xiaoguang was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison. In a separate trial, Yang Rongli was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Together, they face fines of 2.3 million CNY, or more than $320,000 USD.

Wang Xiaoguang’s son reported that his father considered it “a great honor” to be put on trial for the Lord, and his mother called the sentence “a great crown given to me by God.”

 

That is true faith in action! Believing that God has a plan and will use this all for good.

Picture: Chinese Christians being arrested during a service.

May be an image of one or more people

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Help on the way

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 5, 2026 Respond

I continue to be amazed at the detailed way God works  in our lives.  As it says in Psalm 139:5 “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”

Saturday I put some addative in my car’s transmission. This car doesn’t have the normal dipstick, just a little cap tucked way down under hoses and wires. I was able to get the cap  off and put in the additive, but when I tried to put the cap on, it slipped out of my hands and fell down into the engine.
 
 I looked everywhere for it, including under the car, as did a friend, but nothing. I took a break and as I came back a thought came to mind: “I should get down under the car and look again.” So I crawled under, but nothing. Then another thought came, “Look in  the fan cowling—and there it was! 
 
These thoughts, I believe were not my own from the Holy Spirit guiding me.
 
Today there was another such happening. I had to drill a 2.5 inch hole through the outer wall of an old house. It turned out that it was 7 inches thick of solid  wood. 
 
I struggled with it and made some progress, but then had to  come at it from the outside, but the hole I’d already drilled was much bigger than the bit in my hole saw,  so it jumped all over the place making it impossible to drill the hole. 
 
I sat wondering what I could use that was bigger. I tried several other bits, but they were too small.
Then a thought came, “Look in the tool box in your van.” 
 
I did and spotted a small screw driver which, it turned out fit the hole saw perfectly and was just the right size to guide the hole saw in making the last cut.
 
Coincidences? I think not; God was there helping me, even though i didn’t specifically ask for help. The one thing I did right was not  complain, which left my mind calm and open to the Spirit’s input.
He definitely  “hemmed me in behind and before, and laid His  hand upon me.”
Picture: the hole saw with the guiding screw driver God guided me to.
May be an image of hand drill
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An Invite from God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 4, 2026 Respond

In the days ahead, I will be including prayers for aspects of your church. Not only will you be joining God in His plan, but you, too will be edified.

These prayers were written by Sandra Higley https://www.prayerleader.com/product/a-year-of-prayer-events-for-your-church-by-sandra-higley/

Pastor – Lord, I lift up my pastor to You. Thank You for his servant’s heart. Keep him from losing heart when ministry gets tough. Help him prove faithful with the things you have entrusted to him. Teach him Your ways so that he knows You and finds favor with You as He leads us. Keep him open and honest before You and help him to represent the truth plainly. (2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Cor. 4:1-3; Ex. 33:13)

Picture; Jesus loves to hear us pray.

No photo description available.

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Gratitude

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 2, 2026 Respond

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thes. 5:18

 
This is gratitude is action. Gratitude is God’s will for us and gratitude brings much benefit to us. Realizing how much we have, how blessed we are, how wonderful it is to belong to Jesus, this brings joy, thankfulness, and gratefulness.
 
A friend recently told me of a practice that bolsters gratitude. “Take a piece of paper and divide into 3 columns. In the left hand column write down your true needs. In the middle column write down your wants, and in the third write down what you have.”
 
An honest evaluation of each can foster gratitude as we see how few our real needs are, and how much God has given us. This includes such things as sight, hearing, balance, walking, hands that work, shelter, clothing, friends and family, meaningful work, protection. And beyond this salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, being a child of God, belonging to Jesus, having worth, security, protection, and purpose, plus having eternal life, a certain future and great peace. 
 
These are all  gifts, showing the love and grace of our God. This brings me  to the conclusion of Asaph in Psalm 73, “Whom have I in heaven but you and there is nothing I desire on earth besides you!” That is the highest form of gratitude!
 
May we cultivate that gratitude through this whole year, giving glory to God, goodness to  ourselves and light to those around us. 
May be an image of text that says 'Gratitude t's t'snot not happiness that brings us gratitude. It's gratitude that brings us happiness. www. w.facebook.com/montereybayholistic FA//at/ta Microsoft'
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Past, Present, Future

Published by S.M. Wibberley on January 1, 2026 Respond

Thoughts from Hebrews 12:1-2 on for the New Year:

Looking back:   “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” 
 
Remember those faithful who have gone before and learn from them. Hebrews 11).
 
Look at the present:  “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” 
 
Drop all that hinders us in our spiritual life.
 
Look ahead: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
 
Follow Him, imitate Him, please Him.
 
A life so lived will give God great glory, meaning to us and light to the world. 
 
Picture: “Come on  now, come with me!”
No photo description available.
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Problems become Provision

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 31, 2025 Respond

A good beginning of this new year is to remind ourselves of a foundational Truth expressed ins 3 verses.:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

God will use all things, pleasant or painful for good in our lives.

This ties in with Psalm 23:6a “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life….”  

We man not see any goodness or mercy while in the  midst of difficulty, but later, looking back we will see what God is doing.

“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors” God. Psalm 50:23

It takes commitment and a developed faith to live this way. It is much easier to complain than to give thanks.
The Lord gave me an opportunity tonight to live out this truth. I had an appointment at a chain store to have 4 new tires put on. But, 2 hours before the appointment time, I got a text saying it was cancelled because the tires had not been delivered.
This was a chance to praise and trust. I had to go to that store for other things anyway, so went to the automotive dept and asked how to make a new appointment.
As the fellow was working on setting a  new appointment, he suddenly exclaimed, “Oh actually your tires are here. Bring your car over and we will put them right on!”
Then when the work was completed, the clerk said, “Because of the difficulty you had, we won’t charge you for mounting the tires!”  Wow that was an $80 New Years gift from God. He worked out a disappointment for good.
Remember that this year, as God helped me there, so He will help you in your difficulties and disappointments.
Picture: Jesus reaches into our lives regularly to work things out for good.
No photo description available.
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Partnership

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 30, 2025 Respond

Wisdom says, “Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.” Proverbs 8:34

As we approach the New Year, we can be confident that the Lord has a plan for us in 2026.

His plan is a call to cooperation, an invitation to partnership with Him. He plans and prepares things and then waits for us to do our part. In each case He promises to act as we cooperate, as the following verses declare.

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and he delivers them” (Ps. 34:7).

 

“Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear the Lord lack nothing.

The young lions hunger and suffer lack, but those who seek the Lordlack no good thing” (Ps. 34:9,10).

 

One part of His plan is to have us meet with Him each day, delving into His Word, undergirding everything with prayer. Are we going to join in Him in this delightful practice?f He’s there waiting every morning!

“Blessed are those who listen to me [Wisdom], watching DAILY at my doors, waiting at my doorway.”

Picture: He’s waiting for you!

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2026

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 28, 2025 Respond

 

Every day we face the a future, but this week we are also facing a New Year, stretched out like a blank slate before us. What will happen? Will it be good, difficult, distressing? No clue!

What we do know is that we have a future with you, Lord,  as well as a daily walk with you now.

You give total provision,

needed protection,

loving direction,

wise counsel,

consistent correction,

unswerving goodness

and growing grace.

How wonderful it is to face the future

knowing the Great Shepherd of souls,

the Wise Warrior of prayer,

the Powerful Planner of good,

the Diligent Director of details,

the Lasting Lover of sinners,

the Triumphant Transformer of rebels,

the Final Forgiver of our sins,

the Great Giver of grace—what more could we want?!!!

You are far beyond what we could think or ask for.

You are far more than a human being could conceive. You are

more than wonderful,

more than great,

more than good,

more than imagine.

To you, Lord God, all creatures must come and bow down in worship and adoration. To you every person must fall on his face and give you glory. To you every believer must surrender and rejoice in your perfection by denying self, taking up his cross and following you. Help us to do this well in 2026!

 

May be an image of horizon and road

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Joyfully Giving Thanks

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 26, 2025 Respond

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  John 15:11

 

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, that you are

the Light of the world,

the Illumination of my life,

the Lamp of my soul a

nd the Sonshine of each day.

 

With you there is warmth, wonder and sparkle

in a dark and dismal world.

 

You are the bringer of joy

in the midst of a reality

that can be hard, cold, severe and painful.

 

“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Ps. 126:3).

 

Because of these great things you have done we can at all times be “…joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Col. 1:12)

 

And you, Lord God, have given us

a privileged position

in your forever family,

against all logic,

against all justice,

against all the evidence.

For we definitely deserved

condemnation,

punishment,

rejection,

banishment,

suffering,

pain and death.

 

But In place of this Your love is

sure and steady,

powerful and providing,

penetrating and positive.

 

Therefore we can, joyfully give :”thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:12-14

Picture: in the Kingdom of Light

May be an image of tree

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smwibberley@edifyingservices.com

Published by S.M. Wibberley on December 23, 2025 Respond

Christmas brings multiple gifts.

One important one is freedom from

complaining,

grumbling,

negative talk

and thoughts.

In God’s eyes complaining is a serious, destructive and deadly sin:

it attacks faith and trust;

it questions His goodness and wisdom;

it dishonors Him as we reject His gifts.

(James 1:2-4)

That’s why He reacted so strongly to the Israelites’ complaining and grumbling:

“And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes,

and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned

among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp” (Num. 11:1).

It is also  important to note that my temptation to complain (as described in Monday and Tuesday’s posts)

came after an intense, very full three weeks of successful work and ministry. I was tired and not watchful;

I chose to sin without even realizing it.

I need to remember that after victory often comes significant temptation.

 

But praise God that He is faithful,

that He brings us back to Himself,

into the light so we can be healed and restored,

strengthened to put on the armor

He has provided so that we can

“take up the shield of faith with which you can quench

all the fiery darts of the wicked one” that

“you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11,16).

Prayer: “Lord, help me to keep on the armor of God every day,

and especially to raise the shield of faith by

giving thanks in every circumstance so that you may have more glory. Amen.”

Picture: prepared in submission (freepik.com)

No photo description available.

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