April 20, 2025

Poor In Spirit

March 11, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 6—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’  Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 5:3

Jesus was teaching the lost on the side of a hill.  As He was speaking all kinds of people surrounded Him—rich, poor, healthy, sick, loved, hated.  His teaching was for all who would seek Him and His Father.

In researching and thinking about what “poor in spirit” is, I came acoss a study which stated,

“Being ‘poor in Spirit’ is to have a humble and broken/contrite heart
that constantly seeks help and forgiveness
from God for their very existence.”
(Biblesco: Free Inductive Bible Study Lessons)

From the beginning of time, God has wanted a unique relationship with His people. When the people of Israel kept refusing to follow God’s leading, He would bring punishments upon them.  Sometimes these were very painful and then He would show mercy.  The people would repent and turn back to Him for a period of time but would fall back into the old familiar patterns of behavior.

Then God decided it was right for His Son Jesus to come and live among us for a period of time.  The life Jesus lived among us was fantastic.  He obeyed His earthly parents, His Heavenly Father, and learned at the feet of His local teachers.  When it was time for Jesus to begin His ministry, He sought to give it to the Jewish people.  The Pharisees and Saducees had hardened hearts and rejected God’s truth, but Jesus did not stop sharing.  They were more about revenge and keeping rules than in showing grace and mercy toward others.  These people had long since forgotten what it was like to have a ‘humble, contrite heart’.

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥~ *

As we prepare our hearts for the Easter season let us try to remember the sacrifice He made for us.  Let us remember to be humble and obedient to God’s word and leading of the Holy Spirit.  He will honor us when we honor Him and His Son.

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

Learning To Be The Light – Newworldson

March 10, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

When the stars came crashing down
In tiny pieces to the ground
I was all alone down here
Trapped beneath the atmosphere
Then I, thought somebody called my name,
I spun around and caught a flame
I gave into a God I didn’t know
And now everything is falling into place
A brand new life is calling and I owe it all to grace

It’s so much brighter living in Your world
Savior, what You did for me
You gave me something I want everyone to see
When we struggle and it all goes wrong
Only You can make it right
So I say, Oh oh oh oh oh
I’m learning to be the light
Whoa, whoa
I’m learning to be the light
Whoa, whoa

When a heart is cold as ice
You can’t melt it with advice
No one wants to listen to
A list of things they shouldn’t do
So I build a city on a hill
And I light a candle on a sill
Knowing You’ll be always knocking at the door
Oh God I just want to love on everyone
All I have is Yours to give so let the people come

The light that makes the shadows hide
The light that breaks the curse of pride
The light that takes the weary in its arms

When it all came crashing down
There was only darkness all around
But in the distance I could see
A flame

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

We each have been commissioned to share the Gospel of Christ to every tribe and nation.  We should have such a light shining that draws others to us as a moth is drawn to an open flame.  We get so bogged down with our day-to-day routines and feel that there is no way out sometimes.  We wonder if there is a way to break our boring routines.  But there is!  All we have to do is find joy in our every day.

One way to go about that would be to praise God that we have bills to pay, that we have a spouse that works, healthy children, good healthcare, great friends!  Whatever your situation, there is an opportunity to sing praises to God and give Him the glory for the ‘everyday.’  We are a truly blessed nation and we take for granted what privileges we have given to us.

As you go through your day, look at what you do with new eyes.  Look at what you have as though you are a person from a Third World country.   A place like Peru or the area around the Amazon in South America.  We have such abundance and they often have nothing.  They have no running water and yet they are content.  They do not have a grocery store and yet a 5 year old boy goes out in the river fishing for his family’s breakfast in a flat boat.  We would never dream of sending our kids out in a dangerous river like that.

As we enter the Easter season, take time to pray.  Get by yourself, if that is not your routine and meditate on a song or Scripture.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what He would have for you today.  Just for today.  Wait for Him and He will be faithful to answer.

* ~ ♥ ~  ✞  ~ ♥ ~ *

Father, forgive us for being a spoiled nation.  Lord, help us come back to You. Help us to not become desensitized to those things that grieve Your Holy Spirit.  Help us not to seek out things that would harden our hearts towards You and Your kingdom.  Thank You for Your provisions.  Let us have a healthy filter for what would please You, Lord.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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

The Struggle — Victory

March 5, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~
There’s a wreckage, there’s a fire; there’s a weakness in my love
There’s a hunger I can’t control
Lord, I falter and I fall down then I hold on to chains You broke
When You came and saved my soul…saved my soul
Hallelujah! we are free to struggle
 We’re not struggling to be free
Your blood bought and makes us children
Children, drop your chains and sing
So, why, Lord, do I still fail, do I wear thin?
Why do I still give in to temptation?
On my own, I am bankrupt, I don’t trust You or take You at Your Word
What You’ve promised, yeah 
Hallelujah, Death is overcome and we are breathing
Hallelujah, Our stone hearts become flesh that’s beating
Hallelujah, Chains have been undone and we are singing
Hallelujah, The fire has begun. Can you feel it?

~  Performed by Tenth Avenue North  ~
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Do we ever struggle some days!  Sometimes it may be a struggle to get out of bed, or to complete a task at work, or even to complete a task at home.  When we find ourselves at our wits’ end because we have been trying to do everything on our own, it is time to stop, pray, and give it to the only One that can help us through—God.
I know, that is such an easy answer.  But you know what, He IS the answer.  Yes, we are to do what we are designed to do.  But if we start whatever task that is laid before us by preparing our hearts and asking for His help on the front end—it will go so much smoother <and less making faces or sighing when we just want to throw something, even if it is the cat or child…ha, ha!>
Try for the next few days to start any thing you do with a prayer of thanksgiving and entreaty.  You will be surprised at how less stressful the project can go!
Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , ,

Praise and Honor

March 2, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!
Who can put into words and tell the mighty deeds of the Lord?
Or who can show forth all the praise [that is due Him]?
Psalms 106:1-2 AMP

Praise the Lord!  What emotions or memories does this bring to your mind?  For me it is several things, such as when I found my dad who had given me up to my maternal aunt for adoption.  You see, I come from a line of misfit women.  And when I say misfit, I mean that in an endearing way.  The woman who raised me was the oldest of three girls. There was Pat, Mandy, and Linda.

Linda was the youngest and my biological mom.  Mandy, the middle sister had three boys.  Pat, the oldest, was the one who was stable, responsible.  Mandy appeared to be as well, but she had a hidden problem—she abused alcohol and drugs…mostly prescription ones.  Linda sought love in the wrong places.  You see I was the oldest child of at least five children.  She gave each of us up to families who could not have children of their own.

I was given to Pat and FA because Pat had a hard time carrying a child to full term. She had two live births and one of those died due to eating rat poison at age 2 or 3 years of age.  That’s when the idea came for Linda to abandon me and for Pat and FA to adopt me to help fill that void (plus she felt responsible for caring for me).  Then she was able to have Terry, my 1st cousin.  We were raised as brother and sister. Even though we are not that close now, we were when we were kids.  We fought like kids, loved like kids and grew in the Lord together.  Other things happened and I could see then a pattern of abuse.  Physical, mental and other abuses abounded.  I was determined, when I found out about curses, I would do everything I could to stop it from affecting my family.  I do what I can through God’s nudging to help others who seem to be stuck and trapped in an unending cycle of abuse.

Deuteronomy speaks of blessing and curse.  You do this and you receive this as a reward; you do that and you receive that as a curse (chapter 28).  I have learned that I should honor my parents.  No matter what they did, they were working out of their hurt, their pain, and their love.  God is the ONLY perfect parent.  He gave us imperfect ones to help us see that we need Him to grow and learn to love others no matter how they treat us.  Just as He loves us, we are to love them—unconditionally.

When I first married John, my second husband, I was so broken, hurt and discouraged.  I SO wanted the love that was written about in books and told in movies.  You see, I bought the lie about what love and intimacy truly is.  You cannot have these without fully seeking and know God.  I had heard a pastor speak one time about how women from broken relationships have a hard time with intimacy for whatever reason.  How we need to give ourselves to our husband as a gift, with a bow on.  While I have not done this yet, I want to.  When the time is right and I know I am doing it for ‘us’.  God gives you people to steer you in the right direction and right path.  I have found that in my 18 years of being married to John.  I have not been easy to deal with and, while he has had his moments, we have stayed commited to our vows.  We love each other in such deeper ways that I am in awe and wonder.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for being patient and loving me when I hated everything and everyone. Forgive me for not knowing You more deeply than I do.  I want to know You with an intimacy that surpasses all my understanding.  Let me focus on You and be in continual prayer.  I love You, God.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Trusting in the Lord

February 25, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Psalms 84:8-12
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!


~  Better is One Day written by Matt Redman ~
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
How many of us have had one of those days that will not end.  You know, where things keep happening that are just mind boggling, that we are at a loss for words? What do you do when that happens to you?  Is your first response to pray, or to complain?

As we walk through our life, God offers us opportunities to walk out our faith or to stray from it.  There are people who watch every move we make.  These are Christians and non-Christians, new believers and old believers.  God knows what our choice will be.  He knows if we are going to search for Him and His leading or whether we choose to walk out our own.  As we mature and are not afraid to choose Him, we build such a faith and trust that God will not let us down.  But we have to trust that God will do the best for us.  It will not line up with the world view.

As you start your week, think on the things of God.  He will honor our willingness to serve Him.  It is not our works that please Him, it is our love and friendship.  Just as God loves His people, He loves us the same.  When He brought out His people from Egypt, He did not take them the short route—He took them the long way.  He knew that His people would not be able to go to war against the other nations from the beginning of the journey.  He knew He would have to help them to develop their trust in Him.

Only…who wants to wander in the desert for forty years only to die because of unbelief?  Once those who had not believed they could go into the Promised Land died, God then promoted Joshua; and Joshua took the people on the journey to begin taking the land that God had promised the Hebrew nation many hundreds of years before.  I want to be like Joshua, I want to profess that my God is more than able to protect and sustain me no matter where I am.  How about you?

Joshua was able to defeat the enemies and lead God’s people for many years.  He loved the Lord and obeyed the God throughout his life.  Joshua never aged, grew weak, or lost his eyesight.  Because he followed God without question, he lived a very long life before he died and went to be with God and Moses.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, thank You for the men and women we find in the Holy Bible that teach us what it looks like to follow, believe, and trust in You with all of their hearts.  We want to come into Your presence on that great day and worship You with all that we have!  You are awesome and mighty to be praised.  Please bless the women who are seeking You and investing in Your word each and every day.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Compassion

February 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. 
Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. 
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; 
I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 
Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” 
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 
The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me. 
Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 
Psalms 116:1-7

God’s love knows no bounds!  He is there when we call out to Him and He hears our plea for ourselves and for others.  This past week was such a test for some friends of ours.  It is rather a long story, but the unfortunate side effect was that a teenager took his life.  No one this side of heaven knows why, but I am sure there are theories. He loved the Lord and people loved him.

We can use this situation to minister to others and let them know that it is okay to feel sad.  As Christians we are taught, or believe, that we should not feel sad, depressed, or helpless.  That is a lie from the evil one.  We are capable of sinning and, when sin creeps in, we are vulnerable to thoughts of suicide.  Please be aware, dear sisters, that here you can find rest, love, acceptance, help, and healing as well as hope.

com·pas·sion

noun 1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

This—compassion— is what God has for us. If only…..they would see; they would seek me; they would pray more; they had paid more attention.

Mighty to Save by Hillsong is such an appropriate song for us today.  He is so mighty to save us and help us know that we are forgiven and loved.  We may face desperate times, but it is not to define who we are in Christ.  Rules are made to protect us and guide us, but not to rule us.

We must remember to love the way that God loved us and everyone would be better.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, thank You for loving us unconditionally.  Thank You for those who would love on us, even when we are unlovable.  You are a great and wonderful God that we mostly do not deserve to have in our lives, but You love us anyway.  Help us to be strong enough to share Your Word with others and with those in our own families. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Relationship With God

February 12, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Psalms 18:30-32

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.

As we read these verses and think about them what goes through your mind?  I would imagine many different ideas, thoughts and feelings.  Are we skeptical or accepting of these words?  If you are going through a tough patch, you might be a bit skeptical, wondering where God is during your problems. If you are a new believer that might be understandable. What would  be your basis for having that trust? It is cultivated over time like a good friend who has been there with you since you were young.

That is what a relationship with God is like. After all that I have been through and will go through, He has been there. From the time I was young, I have witnessed many interventions in my life and in other lives. It does not always turn out the way we anticipate, but usually I can see where God had His best waiting for us all along.

As a parent, we have spent much of our time developing our children.  Then the time comes for your children to move and be on their own; that is so hard.  Are they going to be safe, are they equipped to handle life on their own, did we give them the tools they need….?  Then comes the Holy Spirit, whispering in your ear, “You gave them to Me, now let Me show you what we have done.  Trust Me with what is precious to you as God trusted Mary with His Son.”

What a sobering thought.  I have had to learn that it is not about me now and what I have done, or not done with my own son.  It is about his relationship with God. What does he choose to do with his life. I have raised him the best that I knew how. I can’t live on what I should have done, that is past. What I can do is help him become a better man. That for me is best accomplished by praying and not meddling.

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6-7

When I let fear enter in, I tell it to flee.  I have to stand strong against it and let God take control.  I want to be like Mary and Hannah.  Hannah is the one who could not conceive a child.  She prayed, Eli saw her and asked her what so concerned her. When she told him that she wanted a child he told her that she would have one and that he would be mighty.  She vowed to give her son to God.  When her child was born and weaned, she brought him to Eli.  Her son’s name was Samuel.  Eli took Samuel and raised him to be a mighty prophet.  God blessed Hannah with other children.  She was persistent, and God heard.  He granted her wish, maybe not in a way in our society we could accept.  But God knew best.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit.  Thank You for Your word that allows us to continue to grow and mature.  Thank You for Your friendship and for being patient with us, even when we are whiny and complaining.  We love You and want to do our best for You and Your kingdom.  Please do not give up on us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional

Tell Me The Story of Jesus

February 10, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart ev’ry word; Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels, in chorus, sang as they welcomed His birth, “Glory to God in the highest!  Peace and good tidings to earth”

Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart ev’ry word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

Fasting alone in the desert, tell of the days that are past; How for our sins he was tempted, yet was triumphant at last. Tell of the years of His labor, tell of the sorrow He bore, He was despised and afflicted, homeless, rejected, and poor.

Tell of the Cross where they nailed Him, writhing in anguish and pain; Tell of the grave where they laid Him, tell how He liveth again. Love in that story so tender, clearer than ever I see: Stay, let me weep while you whisper, Love paid the ransom for me.

~ By Fanny J. Crosby ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Growing up in a Southern Baptist Church, this was a popular song we would sing. Praying and thinking about the hymn to write about, this song kept playing over in my mind.  There are sweet memories associated here.  Ones of  simpler and happier times.  I remember singing this at tent revivals and camp meetings.

How I loved the week-long camp meetings!  It was always a chance to get away and get closer to God.  We would have three square meals, go to the sanctuary for services and then go to the girl’s dorms for the evening.  We would be able to meet girls from all across the south, share our lives and addresses, and learn more about God.  There were some really good speakers.  Usually on Wednesdays there was an altar call…there was always  an expectation of hearts turning to God and those re-dedicating their lives to Him.

We would sing the song, and it would take on a new meaning.  The freshness of those who gave themselves for Jesus is priceless…I wonder where they are now.  I pray that they are as strong in their faith as they were the day they were saved.

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

Hope For All

February 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in His holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in You.

Psalm 33:18-22

These verses are like a salve to soothe the hurt each of us have endured over time. We never feel like it will at that moment…but it does.  One summer a friend of mine had a visit from her sister, brother-in-law and their three boys.  It was a very sweet time of fellowship and new friendships were developed during the three week visit. It soon came time for them to return to their home and they were sorely missed.

By October, the middle boy became gravely ill.  My friend left everything and went to be with her sister.  Her nephew stayed in the hospital until the middle of November when, by God’s mercy, he succumbed to the disease.  There was a webpage that was dedicated to having others offer prayer and support for this child and his family.  People from all walks of life and from all over the world were praying for his recovery, but God knew better.

Through all of this my friend, whose faith had always seemed to be unshakable, began to question God’s.  Why did He allow this to happen to her nephew, why didn’t He heal him, why are some healed and others die.  What was different in his case?  Did they not pray enough?  Did they allow doubt to enter their hearts?  Did they not ask the right church leaders to offer prayer?  My heart hurt for my friend.  I prayed for healing, but as they cut away the limbs of the child, I knew he might be better off in heaven where he could run and play with his dinosaurs.

1 Peter 5:7  says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”  We may never understand why God chooses to heal one over the other.  But we have to trust that He knows infinitely better than we.  Our hope in these situations is that we will see each other in heaven, with our bodies whole—not scarred or broken—but made whole.  Sometimes all we can do is pray and listen.

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, we love You and praise You.  Give us the wisdom to know when to encourage, and when we just need to listen.  There are questions we will never know the answer to until we see You in heaven.  Help us to know when we need to question and when we just need to have a child-like trust that You are in control. Help us not to be angry with You, when things do not make sense in our limited human knowledge.  You have a bigger plan that we cannot see.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Rock of Ages

February 3, 2014 by

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

~  Written by Augustus Toplady, 1760’s / Performed by Sound Doctrine Band  ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

This is an old hymn which many of us have grown up singing in a more traditional setting.  This version is a little more updated.  The story goes that Mr. Toplady was traveling the countryside in England when a violent thunder storm occured leaving him to find shelter in the hillside.  While waiting for the storm to subside and fearing for his life, the poem began to form in his mind.  Having no paper, it is said that he found some playing cards that he wrote upon.  As a young cleric I am sure he was much chagrined about using such a surface.

How many times have we found ourselves in the middle of storms that we have thought we might not survive?  But by the grace of God, He is faithful and true to bring us through them.  I remember growing up and wondering why was I there and why was I with this family who did not love me.  But then I realized that I was where I needed to be.  God had a specific purpose for me walking through the abandonment, abuse, abortion, and later forgiveness.  He helped me to see that there are such things as generational curses that need to be broken, and choices each person is responsible for.

I have come a long way from that little country girl who suffered.  He put women in my life who have walked the same path I had and came out of the fire whole and willing for God to use them.  Grace and mercy is what helps us get through all the hurt.  Speaking life into others brings healing.  Forgiveness brings us full circle.  It gives us the ability to see others as they are, human, despite their role in our life. Whether it is a parental role, sibling role, or as a friend…we are all human.

For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  John 1:16-17  ASV

We all have a part in what happens to us, good or bad.  We all suffer consequences of our actions.  It is when we let those actions from our past define who we are now that we are defeated.  We are to put away the old man and fight for the new creation in Jesus Christ to shine forth.  We need to find the passion we had when we first believed.  And we can!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Thank you, Lord, for Your grace and mercy; and for the Holy Spirit that is within all of us.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

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