November 18, 2024

Psalms 119:1-5

July 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
who seek Him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in His ways!
You have commanded Your precepts
to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping Your statutes!
Psalms 119:1-5

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

One Thing

Written by Charlie Hall/ Performed by Jared Jensen

Single-minded, wholehearted, one thing I ask
Single-minded, wholehearted, one thing I ask

That I may gaze upon Your beauty, Oh, Lord
That I may seek Your Holy Face
That I may know You in an intimate way
And follow after You all of my days

All of life comes down to just one thing
and that’s to know You, oh Jesus, and make You known

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

Peach Salsa

July 14, 2014 by

2014-07-13 21.33.27Oh…does that not say ‘summer!!!’ to you? Yes, to me, too! Here in the NorthEast, we are smackdab in the middle of the peach harvest…and they are so good! There are so very many sweet things that you can do with peaches; oh let me count the ways: pies, cobblers, crisps, crumbles, muffins, jam, ice cream, sorbet, pancakes, smoothies, popsicles, teas, sangria….  I’d love to hear of your favorite way to eat a peach!

But I do love using peaches in savory foods, too!  Now perhaps there aren’t quite as many options…but equally yummy! How about used as a glaze for chicken? Or chopped fine and added to ground chicken for meatballs? Peaches are FABulous added to the grill when you have fish or chicken going! Try simply topping them with a drizzle of really good balsamic vinegar and some goat cheese; oh yeah!

This week, however, I have a REALLY simple recipe for Peach Salsa. Great served with grilled salmon, or chicken breast, or shrimp kabobs!  This recipe comes together so quickly I did it twice this week…once with a ginger sweet flavor and once with a sort-of-spicy tomatillo salsa mixed in. Equally delicious!

2014-07-13 21.58.44

Peach Salsa (Two Ways)

Gingery Peach Salsa
ingredients:
2 large ripe, yet firm, peaches2014-07-13 21.54.56
handful of yellow and red grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon ginger preserves
2 tablespoons red onion, cut into a small dice
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lime
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

directions:

  • combine ginger preserves and lime juice and zest; mix together
  • remove pit, and cut peaches into bite-size pieces; add to ginger-lime mixture
  • slice grape tomatoes in half; also add these
  • season well; and combine together
  • put to the side for a few minutes and then taste for additional seasoning
  • set aside and let flavors come together while the meat/fish is being cooked

Spicy Peach Salsa
ingredients:
2 large ripe, yet firm, peaches
handful of yellow and red grape tomatoes
2 (or more) tablespoons tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
2 tablespoons small dice red onion
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lime
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
directions:

  • combine tomatillo salsa and lime juice and zest; mix together
  • remove pit, and cut peaches into bite-size pieces; add to tomatillo mixture
  • slice grape tomatoes in half; also add these
  • season well; and combine together
  • put to the side for a few minutes and then taste for additional seasoning
  • set aside and let flavors come together while the meat/fish is being cooked

(Here are some facts about the nutrition associated with peaches; good stuff! )

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

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

Waiting Here For You

July 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move
We come with expectation
Waiting here for you, I’m waiting here for you

You’re the Lord of all creation
And still You know my heart
The Author of Salvation
You’ve loved us from the start

Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it’s You we adore
Singing Alleluia

You are everything You’ve promised
Your faithfulness is true
And we’re desperate for Your presence
All we need is You

Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it’s You we adore
Singing Alleluia
Singing Alleluia

Songwriters: Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Martin Smith

Performed by Martin Smith and Jesus Culture

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

This song sings of the proper heart-attitude of one who is waiting in expectation of God’s blessing. It sings of quiet confidence in the Creator of the heavens and the earth…and His not being so big to not know the depths of each of our hearts. It tells of desperately needing yet expectantly waiting for God. It speaks the praises of one who is convinced that God is present and faithful and loving.

As I’ve been listening again (and again) to this song, I’ve thought of some folks I know who are currently praying and waiting. Their desires and expectations run quite the gamut as they wait…

  • as a loved one is dying, and expecting God to give them relief and comfort
  • for God’s provision in the area of their finances
  • for God’s blessing and healing of division in their marriage
  • for the safety and return of a loved one serving in the military overseas
  • to see God provide reconciliation amongst family members
  • on God’s timing to move their family cross-country
  • for miraculous healing from cancer
  • for the birth of their first child

Their needs are varied and their needs are great.  These are not small, inconsequential matters.  Yet each one is waiting expectantly and remain convinced that God will provide. Their hope is in Him.

My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him;
for my hope and expectation are from Him.
He only is my Rock and my Salvation;
He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved.
With God rests my salvation and my glory;
He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God!
Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts before Him.
God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah
Psalms 62:5-8

And we wait also for the <soon> return of our Lord to the earth to gather the saints.  This is a constant yearning expectation of ours!  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

…So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time,
not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28

Perhaps, there is something that you are waiting for God to do in your life. Just as Jesus will faithfully fulfil His promise to return to the Earth, He will also fulfill His promises for your life. We always base our expectations and our hope on the Truth—God’s Holy Word. God will bring every promise He has ever made to pass. He is faithful.

Yes, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait [expectantly] for You;
our heartfelt desire is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.
Isaiah 26:8

Just as Isaiah encouraged the people of Israel, so the same Truth applies to our hearts as we endeavor to faithfully walk as we wait on the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Isaiah 40:28-31 says,

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

I pray for you that you will have courage and strength as you wait upon the Lord for deliverance and for Him to fulfil His plans and purpose for your life.  No matter where you are today in your waiting for the Lord…if you have been waiting one day or one year…I pray you are filled with expectation!  No matter how large and life-changing your need might be, or perhaps it is very small and intimate—known only to you and your heavenly Father, I pray that You are filled with expectation.  I pray that your expectation is focused solely on the goodness, the grace, the mercy, the lovingkindness of the Great I AM.  I pray that you sing HalleluJAH in worship-filled praise today as you wait…and that you will sing HALLELUJAH! when your expectation is fulfilled by His love and grace.

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

Grilled Chicken Supper Salad

July 7, 2014 by

What do you call the meal you eat in the evening…supper or dinner? Just curious! So it appears that this has turned into a mini-series…these last few recipes have focused on lighter meals that are easier to prepare and don’t heat up the kitchen.  Perfect for summer suppers!  (See, that’s what I call the evening meal.)

During these warmer months, I prefer to keep a tub of greens all prepared in the refrigerator to make it quicker to pull together one of these supper salads two or three times each week. Fortunately, Robert really enjoys salad for supper, too! And, like most men, he is very appreciative of something hearty either in or served along with the salad.  Oh, and bread too…really enjoys his bread!  So there is no excuse, as far as I can see, not to have the fixin’s for salad ready to go what with all the luscious produce available at the grocery store AND local farmer’s markets. This week, one meal we had was topped with grilled chicken breast…yum! This fits well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV! Low in fat, high in protein!

I have a tip that you might find helpful: when I purchase chicken breast, I repackage them into meal-size portions to store in the freezer. And, most times, before freezing it, I pound or flatten them so that they are similarly thick throughout the whole piece. I find this makes them cook more evenly when used whole; and also are easier to dice or slice when you need to cut them up. Here’s a tutorial you might check out...has some great ideas!

I would LOVE to hear of your favorite salad combinations!

2014-06-27 18.11.48

Grilled Chicken Supper Salad

ingredients:
—  chicken breast
—  2-3 tablespoons favorite marinade or salad dressing
greens:  choose your favorite combo of lettuces with a mixture of textures (bibb, butter, romaine, spring mix, radicchio, arugula, cabbage, spinach, kale, etc.
other veggies cut into bite-size bits:  carrots, tomatoes, cukes, celery, onions, sweet peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.
additional add-ins:  olives, avocado, hard-boiled egg, artichokes, nuts, fruit (fresh or dried), fresh herbs
—  salad dressing
—  sea salt and freshly ground pepper

directions:

  • thaw chicken, if necessary.  pour marinade into bag or container along with the chicken and allow to rest for 30 minutes or so
  • grill chicken ‘til thoroughly cooked through (temperature of 160 degrees); set aside to rest ‘til balance of meal is prepared
  • add 2-3 generous handfuls (per serving) of the lettuces to a big serving bowl
  • throw in the veggies of your choice and toss together
  • top with any other add-ins you choose
  • serve with dressing on the side and s&p for seasoning

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

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

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

July 6, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Why do I feel discouraged, why do the shadows come
And why does my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion… a constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me

So I sing because I’m happy
And I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me


Songwriters: Mrs. Civilla Martin, along with Charles Gabriel, Sr. and Peter Matz
Performed by: Sandi Patty

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Perhaps the psalmist was in the same praise-filled frame of mind as Mrs. Martin the day she penned the poem which became this classic song.  David wrote,

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
Psalms 27:1-4

David knew, through his vast experience of being sought after to harm and kill by Saul and his men, that evil comes against us and that people will seek to hurt us…whether it be physically or emotionally, financially, or in other ways. But David sung his confession of trust in His God. He was assured that, because the Lord was his Light, his Salvation, his Stronghold—his Refuge and Strength—that he need not have fear.

Jesus spoke to His disciples, soon before He would be taken from them and crucified, telling them this Truth also. He endeavored to give them courage telling them of the great value that they had to His, and their, Father.

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).
Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground
without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:28-31

We, in our day and time, have the Scriptures to turn to and receive MUCH inspiration and encouragement! One of my most favorite passages is in the Book of Habakkuk. If you know this record, perhaps you are thinking “NOT the most inspiring record to pick, Coleen!” This short three chapters tell of worry and fear…except if you take it all together in context…including the praise of chapter 3!

The book of Habakkuk shows a picture of prideful people being humbled.  It reminds us that while God may seem silent, He always has a plan to deal with the evil and He always works out justice. Habakkuk the prophet gives a wonderful example encouraging us to wait on the Lord, expecting that He will indeed work all things out and that He always has a plan to take care of His people.

Here is the very last bit of the Book of Habakkuk:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my Strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

As such should be our own confession and praise!  Just as the psalmist David and Mrs. Martin wrote of their own trust and confidence in God’s goodness, so should…so CAN…we.  ‘His eye IS on the sparrow…and I KNOW He watches me!’

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

Sing To The Lord (With All Your Heart)

July 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
    make melody to Him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to Him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

For the word of the Lord is upright,
    and all His work is done infaithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    and by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
    He puts the deeps in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!
For He spoke, and it came to be;
    He commanded, and it stood firm.

 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
    He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
    the plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!

 The Lord looks down from heaven;
    He sees all the children of man;
from where He sits enthroned He looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
He who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.

 The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
    on those who hope in His steadfast love,
that He may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
    He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart is glad in Him,
    because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in You.

Psalm 33

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Sing to the Lord with all of your heart,
Sing to Him a new song. Sing to Him a new song.
Sing to the Lord with all of your heart.
Sing to Him a new song.
Sing to Him a new song.

Lift your voice, let your praises ring.
Let every tongue glorify our King.
Let’s become the generation Who will passionately praise Him,
Trusting in the greatness of our God.

Sing to the Lord with all of your heart,
Sing to Him a new song,
Sing to Him a new song.

Singer/Songwriters: Paul and Rita Baloche
along with The Maranatha Singers

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

Ayin Adonai

July 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Behold, the Lord’s eye <Ayin Adonai> is upon those who fear Him,
who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.
Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield.
For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,
in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.

Psalms 33:18-22

Such a comforting thought—that our Father has His ‘eye on us!’  Of course, our heavenly Father does not have actual, physical eyes!  But, if He did, they would be awesome, magnificent, never-missing-anything eyes, wouldn’t you say?  And, figuratively, that IS the truth!  Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that is upon this earth AND us, He DOES see us—everything around us, everything about us, everything we do, everywhere we go.

When human characteristics or attributes are placed on God it is called biblical anthropomorphism.  Anthropomorphism basically means ‘the form of man.’  A synonym for anthropomorphism is ‘personification’.  There are many examples throughout the Scriptures of both God referring to Himself and the writers of the Bible referring to God in “anthropomorphic” terms.  One purpose to do so would be to describe God in terms more understandable to humans.  Since God is invisible and has no form, we would not have a framework on which to understand Him.  (Here is a great article which explains this in detail.)

Doing a simple search for the phrase, ‘eyes of the Lord,’ came up with over 100 Scriptures on Biblegateway.com.  Here is a link  if you would like to go and read them all yourself!!!  Many refer to a person doing either what is right and good, or doing evil.  Here are a few passages which I particularly love (hope you do, too)!

But Noah found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 6:8 AMP

And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done.
1 Kings 15:11

For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth
that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He watches all his paths.
Proverbs 5:21

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

May the end of Psalm 33 be the prayer of our hearts!

Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield.
For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,
in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.

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

Pineapple-Chicken Salad

June 30, 2014 by

Y’know when a friend is on vacation and they post gorgeous photos of beautiful scenery, fun-in-the-sun…and yummy food?!! (Well maybe just a pic or two of yummy food!)  My friend, Cynda, and her family recently vacationed at the beach in Mexico. She included amongst all of the gorgeous sunrise scenes, and shots of her grandson being adorable, a pic of a delightful chicken salad that she enjoyed for lunch one day. It looked SO good that I was prompted me to make it for supper! This recipe fits the bill for our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy’ POV since it is loaded with veggies, the fruit of an entire pineapple, and lowfat chicken breast. I also used equal portions of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt to lessen the fat grams/calories of the dressing. Perhaps this isn’t exactly the same recipe as the chef who prepared it for Cynda but we enjoyed it very much…hope you and your family do, too!

NOTE:  This salad should be put together IMMEDIATELY before serving!  Trust me.  I learned this lesson the hard way—I had to prepare this meal TWICE.  While a delightful combo when eaten fresh, pineapple and chicken do NOT marry well to sit around together!

Early one afternoon, I put this salad together and tucked it away in the refrigerator awaiting suppertime. Pulled it out, layered the pineapple shells with Boston lettuce leaves, piled in the salad, scattered the nuts atop, and proudly carried those plates to the table. We sat down, thanked our gracious God for His provision of food and His blessings, scooped up that first bite, popped it into our mouths…and then right back out. Ummm, yeah. YUCK!  Robert immediately blamed the chicken for being bad (but I knew it was just fine).

I did a little sleuthing around the internet and found out that the enzymes in the pineapple had ‘cooked’ the <already cooked> chicken and changed the texture and taste. (I can attest to that!)  EPIC failure!  But I remade the recipe…and this time added the pineapple (as the recipe NOW reads) just prior to serving.  Problem solved…it was delicious!  So, eat it all up…go ahead, I am giving you permission.  This will not be good if you save leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

Pineapple – Chicken Salad

2014-06-26 20.04.14

(makes 2 generous portions)

ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken*, chopped 2014-06-26 15.14.28
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup finely sliced sweet onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup EACH diced red and yellow pepper
fruit of 1 fresh pineapple (here is a great tutorial on how to cut  a pineapple)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning, freshly ground
pineapple boats
lettuce leaves
pitas, or flour tortillas (optional)
slivered almonds (or chopped nuts of your choosing)

*I poached 1# of chicken breast but you could use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken

directions:

  • whisk together the mayo, yogurt and seasonings; set aside
  • in a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, and all the veggies
  • pour the dressing over the chicken and veggies; combine well
  • refrigerate ‘til ready to serve
  • when ready to serve, add pineapple chunks to the dressed chicken salad
  • scatter nuts across the top

2014-06-26 15.23.40

serving suggestions:  this can be served right in the pineapple ‘shells” (boats), or you can line the pineapple with lettuce leaves, or serve the chicken salad wrapped up in a lettuce leaf, or stuffed into a pita (or folded tortilla wrap). You choose!!!  Enjoy!

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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

♥  coleen

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

I Can Just Be Me

June 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been doing all that I can
To hold it all together, piece by piece
I’ve been feeling like a failure
Trying to be braver
Than I could ever be
…It’s just not me

So be my Healer, be my Comfort
Be my Peace
‘Cause I can be broken
I can be needy, Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

I’ve been living like an orphan
Trying to belong here
But it’s just not my home
I’ve been holding on so tightly
To all the things that I think
That satisfy my soul
…But I’m letting go

So be my Father, my mighty Warrior
Be my King
‘Cause I can be scattered, frail and shattered
Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

‘Cause I was lost
In this dark world
‘Til I was finally found in You
So now I’m needy, desperately pleading
Oh Lord, be all to me

So be my Savior, be my Lifeline
Won’t You be my everything?
‘Cause I’m so tired
Of trying to be someone
I was never meant to be

Be my God, please be my God
Be my God so I can just be me
So I can just be me
…I can just be me

Singer / Songwriter: Laura Story, along with Jason Ingram

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Can’t you just imagine leafing through your Bible and coming upon these words…they are so similar to one of David’s songs, don’t you think?  This song sings just like one (no, like MANY) of the psalms.  Perhaps these words are very similar to a song in your own heart?  I’ll tell you…they are close to my own, at times.

Oh, I can whine…and complain!  Despite the great measure of grace and blessing that my God has poured into my life, at times I seem to forget.  I can become overwhelmed with the situations and circumstances.  And then  attempt to wrestle with these ugly things rather than resting and relying on my God.

Silly me!  I try to take things into my own <incapable> hands instead of seeking the only One Who IS capable—my Lord, Jesus the Christ, the One to Whom all “all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given…” (Matthew 28:18).

I (and you also, my friends!) we are not alone in struggling with matters such as this!  We’ve already recognized that David called out to God in his struggles. But we also have the examples and godly encouragement of other men throughout the pages of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul and his disciple, Timothy, are two who I thought of immediately!  Paul wrote in his letters to encourage the believers in the first century Church <and us, too!!!> to rely on all that Christ had made available.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 ESV

In Paul’s letters to Timothy, as he taught him regarding leadership, Paul faithfully reminded Timothy that God is the One Who is to be trusted and relied upon.  For example, He said:

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:12 NIV

All throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are instructed over and over and over again of the simplicity of the commands He has for us.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
but to do justly,
and to love kindness and mercy,
and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

We need to remember.  And to trust and obey.  It is SO much simpler to do things God’s way!  And then ‘I can just be me!’   Amen?

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Oh, how we praise You, dear Lord!  What joy we have in our hearts knowing that You ARE our Healer, Comfort, Peace… our Father, Mighty Warrior, King… our Savior, Lifeline… truly our everything!  How gracious, kind, and compassionate You are towards our human nature which, at times, is weak and needy and tired!  Thank You for how patient and longsuffering You are with us…never leaving us nor forsaking us even when we are whiny and complaining.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Your lovingkindness, Your forgiveness, Your love!  Thank You for always being there when turn our little hearts around and acknowledge that You have not changed…and never will.  Thank You for forming and making us—to ‘just be me!’  We love and adore You, Faithful Father!  And pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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

You Are My Refuge

June 28, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

1 I cry to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord do I make supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed and fainted [throwing all its weight] upon me, then You knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look on the right hand [the point of attack] and see; for there is no man who knows me [to appear for me]. Refuge has failed me and I have no way to flee; no man cares for my life or my welfare.

5 I cried to You, O Lord; I said, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my loud cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my life out of prison, that I may confess, praise, and give thanks to Your name; the righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.

Psalm 142

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Lord, You are my Refuge and You are my Hiding Place
Lord, You are my Refuge and I will rest in Your saving grace

You’re the Rock of my salvation
The One Who calms the storm
Lord, You set my feet on higher ground
I will worship and adore You
I will lift my voice on high
For only in Your presence will I find 

Singer / Songwriter: Lenny LeBlanc (with Greg Gully)
Performed with Maranatha Singers

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional
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