November 16, 2024

Nothing Is Wasted

June 24, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The hurt that broke your heart and left you trembling in the dark
Feeling lost and alone will tell you hope’s a lie
But what if every tear you cry will seed the ground where joy will grow

Nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer nothing is wasted

It’s from the deepest wounds that beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end that every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus and what’s lost will be found again

When hope is more than you can bear
And it’s too hard to believe it could be true
And your strength fails you halfway there
You can lean on me and I’ll believe for you
Give it time…you will believe it too

That nothing is wasted nothing is wasted
Sometimes we are waiting in sorrow we have tasted
But joy will replace it nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer nothing is wasted

From the ruins, from the ashes—beauty will rise
From the wreckage, from the darkness—glory will shine

Jason Gray ~ singer/songwriter

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

As we hold onto our brokenness, that is all that can be seen—by ourselves or anyone else.  But as we intentionally choose day-by-day (ok, sometimes it is moment by moment) to let a tiny bit of joy shine in…or to reach out with Jesus’ love to someone who hurts more than we do…than His glory will shine through us.  And, as it does, our hearts will brighten just a teeny-tiny bit.  And we will be encouraged ‘cause nothing is ever wasted when it is done with the love of God.

I so appreciate what Jason Gray shares in this videoclip before he begins to minister these beautiful words.  He says, “I believe…help my unbelief.”  Friend, ‘cause nothing ever is wasted as we seek and rely on and trust the One Who is always there to help us!  So when ‘hope is more than you can bear’ (at that moment) and when it does seem ‘too hard to believe it could be true’ and when ‘your strength fails you’ even though you are trying, call out to your Father…He is listening!

Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to You; save Your servant who trusts in You.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to You all day long.
Bring joy to Your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You.
Psalms 86:1-4

You, my dear friend, are not the first to have gone through these hard, hard things.  Though at times it does feel that way, draw strength from the examples of others who chose, like you, to call upon God.  And believe these Truths—God’s Word is truth.

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
Psalms 59:16 and 17

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalms 63:5-8

Cling, my friend, to every shred of hope, every drop of  precious light, every tiny bit of joy you can find.  I would love to share with you one of my very favorite passages in the Scriptures.  Truly these two verses have helped me to hold on and cling and believe many, many times!

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed
that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;
be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.
Yes, wait for and  hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalms 27:13 and 14

And trust in the One-Who-loves-you-so that you will see before the end that every broken piece is gathered in the heart of Jesus and what’s lost will be found again.  He loves you, my friend!  And nothing ever could or will separate you from His love.  (He has promised!)

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Sweet Potato-Turkey Burgers

June 23, 2015 by

We really enjoy grilled burgers! How about you? But rarely (haha…punny!) do we have a beef burger anymore…turkey burgers have become our favorites. However, they can easily become dried out. This recipe—with the addition of roasted sweet potato and black beans—is one that practically guarantees a moist result. And tasty? Oh yes!

The preparation of these burgers takes a little bit of time…but one way to cut down on the time is to roast the sweet potatoes at an earlier time when you already have something going on in the oven. (After cooling) they can be stored in the ‘fridge for a few days. Also, I always prepare a double batch of these, then quick freeze them (raw) on a baking sheet. Wrap ‘em up well when frozen and keep them on hand for a quick, healthy but oh-so-yummy meal!  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato – Turkey Burgers

2015-04-04 21.34.47

ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, cut into ½-inch cubes (approx 2 cups)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
20 ounce pkg ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use jarred w/ oil)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or more!)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
plenty of freshly ground black pepper

to serve: (options)
burger buns, or lettuce (Butter or romaine) leaves
sliced cheese (cheddar, jack, maybe something spicy)
thinly sliced tomato
thinly sliced red onion
avocado, sliced or mashed
condiments
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

directions:

  • preheat oven to 400; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil)
  • put cubed sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl, add olive oil and toss to coat .  pour onto lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes ‘til they are just tender.  remove from oven (keep the oven on)
  • combine the cooked sweet potatoes and black beans in a food processor or blender—pulse just a few times ‘til just combined but still a little chunky
  • combine the ground turkey and seasonings in another large bowl
  • add the bean/sweet potato mixture to the meat and seasonings; use your hands to mix together ’til just combined
  • refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes to firm up
  • with slightly damp hands, shape into patties and place on the lined baking sheet: 1/4 cup for sliders (bake for 15 minutes)…1/2 cup for small burgers (bake for 22-23 minutes)…1 cup for he-man sized (bake for 26-27 minutes) testing to make sure they are cooked through
  • serve burgers warm with assorted toppings, condiments, and buns or lettuce wraps

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , ,

Your Grace On Which I Stand

June 21, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Through Him we have also obtained access by faith
into this grace in which we stand,
and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1 and 2

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

This anchor for my soul
This everlasting Hope
Your grace on which I stand

It’s where my life begins
My future held within
Your grace on which I stand

Oh, this grace on which I stand
It will hold me to the end
Never failing

Oh, praise the One who rescued me
Jesus, You will ever be
My salvation

And when I’m on the run
The road that leads me home
Your grace on which I stand

And when I see Your face
The only claim I’ll make
Your grace on which I stand

Worthy is the Lamb of God
Who takes away the sin of the world
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
To receive all honor and praise

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

This Week…Jeremiah 29:11

June 19, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster,
to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are continuing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that God’s plans give us ‘a future and a hope!’  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Hope for Good, Ahmee wrote reminding us that God is good and only gives good….

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most popular Scriptures known to Christians…that and John 3:16.  Jeremiah 29:11 has been misquoted, misused, and misunderstood, as well.   Sometimes, we like to take Scripture and toss it around, in a well-meaning (but incorrect) fashion.  What I like most about Jeremiah 29:11, though, is that it reminds you that God cares for you and all that you do.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God is on our side.

  • He does not harm us
  • He does no ill to us
  • He does not give us cancer
  • He does not cause accidents
  • He does not burn down houses

He does not do any of those things!  There is no burning down your house to give you a better house.  God doesn’t do wrong, bad things, or cause harm.  God, however, can make good come out of bad.  But He does not make bad happen so that good can happen.

❦

In God’s Declarations and Thoughts, Ann wrote about the importance of following God’s example in making declarations….

The Jeremiah 29:11 declaration which God made is so powerful.  This shows that declarations are a way of establishing things in our lives.  His declaration shows how He thinks of us, along with His will and His purpose for our lives.

Thou shall declare a thing and it shall be established.
Job 22:28

What is it you declare and think about your life…family…job…school, etc?  Be positive: declare and think that which will make your future bright.  God’s thoughts over us are of good…not of evil; and He declares the same.  As we think of ourselves, we, too, should not think that which is evil but only that which is good and declare it.

❦

In Hope in the Lord, Tina reminded us of Daniel’s example of holding to hope through intercessory prayer….

Daniel, who was one of those who were taken into exile in Babylon.

In the first year of his rule, I, Daniel, saw clearly from the books
the number of years given by the word of the Lord
to the prophet Jeremiah, in which the making waste of Jerusalem
was to be complete, that is, seventy years.
Daniel 9:2 BBE

Daniel was a man after God’s own heart.  He immediately began praying, asking forgiveness of sins for himself and for those of God’s people.  Daniel was in reverent awe of God’s mercy, grace, and righteousness toward them.  Daniel’s prayer is an example of intercessory prayer.  We should all strive to do this, and most of us moms do pray and intercede regularly for our children and our family.  Our hope is in God’s mercy and forgiveness.  We have to be willing for God to use us where needed.  He will use our willingness to serve to give hope to those who have no hope.

Often, when we feel we are not worthy, that is when God will use us.  When we are empty of ourselves is when God can fill us with His hope and joy until it overflows and effects others around us.

❦

In The Big Picture, Cynda reminded us of the security our hope gives us because of the One in whom we trust and hope….

Job 11:18 ESV states “And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.”  Hope gives us security.  There is no need to rush ahead, to solve the problem, or to  resolve the issue, without waiting for God’s instructions.  Because we have hope we can rest, secure in the knowledge that God has the perfect plan for us.  He sees the big picture and knows exactly what needs to happen and when.  His time frame, not ours.

When the Lord is our hope,

  • He becomes our Help and our Shield (Psalm 33:20)
  • He shows us mercy and love us steadfastly (Psalm 33:18)
  • He faithfully answers our prayers (Psalm 65:5) [just not always in the ways we think they should be answered]
  • He is our trust and confidence (Psalm 71:5)
  • We are blessed (Jeremiah 17:7)

The Lord is our hope.  We can have confidence that our future is secure in His hands.

Let all that I am wait quietly upon only God.
May I silently submit to Him,
for He is my hope.
Psalm 62:5

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Held In Your Hands

June 18, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Look up, another day before me
Look back, another day is gone
Should my heart begin to worry
Lift my eyes to find again the promise of Your love
Lift my eyes to find again that You will be enough

All our yesterdays and all of our tomorrows
Held in Your hands, held in Your hands
All we know to pray and all we’ve yet to face
Is held in Your hands, is held in Your hands

I know, Jesus, I can trust You
I know in all things You are good
I’m casting every care upon You
You knew my name, my every pain, before this breath was mine
You made a way, You overcame with love that outlives time

These hands that carried the Cross
Carry us now every moment, every hour
These hands that carried the Cross
Carry us now never failing, only good
Never failing, only good

Rush of Fools
writers: Kevin Huguley, Wesley Willis, Jason Ingram

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Take a moment, would you, to listen to this song again.  And, while doing so, think of Jesus’ hands…. Think of how they would look to you…maybe you picture them in just one way—bleeding and oh-so-very painful as He carried the Cross. Or perhaps you picture a whole vignette of scenes featuring Jesus’ hands ministering over and over and over…. Here are a few instances that I recalled from the Scriptures:

Jesus holding out His hand to the woman caught in adultery (John 8)

This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.
Verse 6

Jesus holding out His hand to Peter while walking on the sea (Matthew 14)

Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him,
saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Verse 31

Jesus holding out His hand to the man healed of leprosy (Matthew 8)

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Verse 3

Jesus holding out His hand to heal the ear of the man in the garden of Gethsemane(Luke 22)

But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.”
And He touched his ear and healed him.…
Verse 51

Jesus holding out His hands to Thomas (John 20)

Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands;
and put out your hand and place [it] in My side.
Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe!
Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God!
Verses 27 and 28

Think about it, my friend—Jesus is holding out His hand at this very moment to you (and me, too!)  With the very same degree of compassion and love, He is reaching to you (and me, too!) and is willing and able to support, provide for, guide, and protect you (and me, too!)  In what area of your life, do you need to be held in His hand ?  

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Your Love Is Amazing (HalleluJAH)

June 17, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Your love is amazing
Steady and unchanging
Your love is a mountain
Firm beneath my feet

Your love is a mystery
How You gently lift me
When I am surrounded
Your love carries me

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Your love makes me sing
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Your love makes me sing

Your love is surprising
I can feel it rising
All the joy that’s growing
Deep inside of me

And every time I see You
All Your goodness shines through
And I can feel this God-song
Rising up in me

Maranatha Singers
Songwriters: Brenton Brown and Brian Doerksen

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Don’t you think this song is actually a prayer—a happy, joyous proclamation of God’s love?   How much our God must thoroughly enjoy hearing His precious possession—us!—sing out,   ♬ ♪ ♬ HalleluJAH!  Your love makes me sing!  ♬ ♪ ♬

And what incredible, awesome company we are in when we do sing out our ‘halleluJAH!’  In chapter 19 of the Book of Revelations, four separate times praises to God using the phrase ‘halleluJAH!’ is recorded.  Three times by ‘a great multitude’, and once by the ‘twenty-four elders and the four living creatures’ (who surround the Throne).  WOW!  This is company I want to be in; you, too?!!!

  • verse 1
    After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;
  • verse 3
    And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.”
  • verse 4
    And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”
  • verse 6
    Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”

This record in the Book of Revelations and a few in the Psalms are the only records that tell us of praise being given using the phrase ‘HalleluJAH!’  In doing a study on it, I found that it is used approximately  22 times in the Psalms.  Here are a few examples….

For great is His gracious love toward us and the LORD’s faithfulness is eternal.
Hallelujah!
117:2

Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD because He is good,
because His mercy endures forever.
106:1

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!
150:6

Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God for praise is pleasant and lovely.
147:1

There are so very many things we have been blessed with for which we should give praise to our great God!

  • mercy
  • grace
  • salvation
  • eternal life
  • fellowship w/believers
  • sanctification
  • peace
  • His Word

But one of the greatest things that God does for us and gives us is His love.  As the songwriters expressed to Him,

“Your love is amazing…steady and unchanging;
Your love is a mountain firm beneath my feet;
Your love is a mystery—how You gently lift me when I am surrounded—
Your love carries me; Your love is surprising…”.

And truly, it is!!!  Below are some of the many verses in the Scriptures which tell us about our God’s love for us…for all mankind.

Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation?
Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?
Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long;
We are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors
and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,
Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all Creation
will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

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.
John 3:16

This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9 and 10

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
Verse 16

Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.
Psalm 63:3

His love is…

steadfast
immeasureable
unconditional
immoveable
unchanging
amazing

Doesn’t it make you want to sing?

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Father, we thank You for Your love for us and the incredible ways You show it!  It is—You are!—amazing! HalleluJAH! We thank You and praise You…in Jesus’ name. Amen. ♥  

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Mediterranean Topping for Fish

June 16, 2015 by

Sometimes I think that I could be a pescatarian!  (A pescatarian is simply someone whose diet does not include meats or poultry but does include fish.)  Seafood and fish are just so much more to my liking lately than meat.  This eating lifestyle falls easily into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV since it—for the most part—is high protein, low fat.  As with meat, it is important to purchase the highest quality fish that your budget can afford.

This recipe is really quick to put together!  And it is on the lighter side…making it a nice choice for the warmer summer months.  And, cooked on the stovetop…not the oven…will keep the kitchen (and the cook!) cooler.  We enjoyed this with tilapia fillets but it would be great with cod or flounder or sole…or even shrimp!  Enjoy!

Mediterranean Olive Topping for Fish

2015-06-02 18.21.38

ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, cut into half moons
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 heaping tablespoon garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup pitted green olives with juice, halved
4 skinless tilapia filets (approximately 4 ounces each)
lemon pepper seasoning

directions

  • heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat
  • place onion pieces in pan and saute for 3 minutes or so, ‘til starting to soften
  • add mushrooms in a single layer and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes ‘til they begin to brown on one side
  • stir and make sure each is flipped over; cook about 5 minutes more ‘til other side is browned, too
  • add tomatoes (cut-side down) and heat for another 3-4 minutes
  • reduce heat and add garlic, stirring gently for just one minute
  • remove from heat; season w/lemon-pepper seasoning, and stir in green olives; remove to a separate bowl and keep warm
  • using the same pan, heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat
  • season the fish with sea salt & lemon pepper seasoning on both sides and place in the pan
  • cook for 3-4 minutes ‘til nicely browned, gently turn and cook another 2-3 minutes’ don’t overcook!  fish is done when white throughout…no longer transparent
  • remove to a serving platter and top with the vegetable mixture

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

There Is A Hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

June 14, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Stuart Townend
written along with Mark Edwards

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

There is a hope that burns within my heart
That gives me strength for ev’ry passing day
a glimpse of glory now revealed in meager part
Yet drives all doubt away
I stand in Christ, with sins forgiv’n
and Christ in me, the hope of heav’n
My highest calling and my deepest joy
to make His will my home

There is a hope that lifts my weary head
A consolation strong against despair
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit
I find the Savior there
Through present sufferings, future’s fear
He whispers, “Courage!” in my ear
For I am safe in everlasting arms
And they will lead me home

There is a hope that stands the test of time
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face
When sufferings cease and sorrows die
and every longing satisfied
then joy unspeakable will flood my soul
For I am truly home

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

This Week…1 Peter 1:3-5

June 12, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead and into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you,
who through faith are shielded by God’s power
until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are continuing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that biblical hope is a ‘living hope!’ Here are a few of their thoughts….

 In Imperishable Hope, Tina reminded us of God’s promise.

Did you just read what Peter said?  We have a living hope to an imperishable inheritance  through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  AND it is a place reserved in heaven with Jesus and our Father.  What a great promise we have!

We all have a hope to be with God in Heaven one day.  As we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we will be there.  It is like waiting to go on a long-awaited trip, or finally being able to accomplish a dream… God has a plan to bring us to Him as His own.  Our hope is in Him and He is attainable.

❦

In Living Hope, Cynda encouraged us with the great value of this inheritance.

Our hope is provided by the death of Christ.  Because of His Resurrection, our hope possesses life and vitality—a living hope.  We can hold tight to the confident hope we have in Christ because He has paved the way for us.  Look at Hebrews 6:19:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus….

Amazing, isn’t it?  Christ went before us to give us hope and provide us with an inheritance.  Ephesians 1:11 states “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance.”  As I read through different translations of 1 Peter 1:3-5, these are a few of the words used to describe our eternal inheritance:

incorruptible, imperishable, undefiled,
priceless, unsullied, and unfading

Can we say that about any earthly inheritance we might receive?  Plus, this eternal inheritance is already ours.  We do not have to do anything to earn it and it can never be taken away from us.

❦

In Regeneration, Ann tied another verse together with our theme verse…

For you have been born again not of perishable seed,
but of imperishable through the living and enduring Word of God.
1 Peter 1:23

Combining these two verses shows us that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has given us a new identity.  We need to embrace this new identity and live a life that is worthy of the calling of child of God.  We are regenerated—made new.   The old things have gone and behold all things become new.  Our character, our attitude, our thinking,  our abilities should match with the new status we have been given.

Dear friends, let us live a life that is pleasing unto God and appreciative of the love that God had for us by sending His Son to die for us to take away the sinful nature and giving us new life.

❦

In Hope In Eternity, Ahmee shared the example of the Apostle Paul and his hope.

Paul is a very good example of what hope on Earth is supposed to look like—He experienced many hardships while here on Earth and yet he never seemed to waver in the hope that he experienced.  He said about his Hope,

He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and He will deliver us again.
On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us,”
2 Corinthians 1:10

Look at the faith that Paul had!  His hope was unwavering.  Is ours? Are we so consumed with our day-to-day hope in our daily circumstances that we miss out on the big picture?  Do we sometimes get so consumed with our current situation that we forget what God has done for us?  His track record proves that we can trust Him…but do we not sometimes forget?  Doesn’t THIS situation somehow seem different than other situations?  We forget sometimes that our hope is that of an eternal hope.  It can never be misplaced if we are placing it in God.  It is impossible.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Take My Life, Let It Be

June 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King
Always, only, for my King 

Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow with ceaseless praise
Let them flow with ceaseless praise 

Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my heart, it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
It shall be Thy royal throne 

Norton Hall Band
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary worship band
Frances Havergal – lyrics; Henri Malan – music

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

God deserves our all!  Every bit of what makes you…you; and what makes me…me.  Anything that is in us that is good and righteous and pure and holy He has given to us…none of it is of our own making.

Which verse is the one that resonates within your heart?  Would you leave a comment below and share that with us…and why?  I love ‘em all…but I think my favorite is this one.

“Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.  
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne, it shall be Thy royal throne.”

If I surrender my will to God’s will (and so no longer my own!) then all the rest—my life, my moments, my days, my hands, my feet, my voice, my lips, my silver and gold, my intellect, my love—will also be offered to Him for His will to be my guide and rule.

Consider these passages from the Scriptures in light of the gist of this song. Perhaps one or more of them might be just the impetus you need to make the decision to ‘take your life and let it be….”

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg you in view of [all] the mercies of God,
to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties]
as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God,
which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 AMP

I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.
Leviticus 11:44

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5 and 6

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

My life
My hands
My feet
My voice
My silver and gold
My moments and my days
My will
My heart

Quite the list, hmmm?   Today, right now even, may we each make a conscious choice to dedicate all that we are to Him—‘Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.’

Dear Lord, we do SO want to dedicate ourselves—every part of us—to You, our Maker!  Please help us to recognize areas in our lives that get in the way of this…and please help us change, Lord!  May we choose to offer ourselves, all we are and all we have, to You!  You deserve the best, the most.  You deserve our ALL!  We ask these things in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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