November 15, 2024

More To Be Desired

September 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple

More to be desired are they than gold
Yea, than much fine gold
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether

Moreover by them is Thy servant warned
And in keeping of them there is great reward
Who can understand his errors
Cleanse Thou me from secret faults

Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins
Let them not have dominion over me
Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent of the great transgression

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer

The Young Disciple Youth Bible Camp
Ed Gungor

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We hear in this sweet song (and read in Psalm 19:7-14 which inspired it)  that God’s commands (His laws, His statutes, His precepts, His decrees) are:

  • perfect…they convert our souls
  • right…they give joy to our hearts
  • sure…they make us wise
  • pure…they give light to our eyes
  • true…they all are righteous
  • clean…they endure forever

How encouraging is that?!?  What a merciful, gracious, kind, compassionate God we serve!  Throughout time, He has communicated with His people and given them His commands—which, in this psalm, include His laws, statutes, precepts, and decrees.

In the beginning, God told His man, Adam, ONE simple command—not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden (Genesis 2).  To the children of Israel as they journeyed for forty years to the Promised Land, He gave them His rules to follow (e.g, Deuteronomy 6).  When Jesus was instructing His disciples, He pulled it all together, giving them TWO direct commandments—1) to love God with their whole heart, soul, mind, all their strength and 2) to love their fellow man as they loved themselves (Mark 12:29-31).  Our hearts’ response to our loving God should be loving obedience…plain and simple.  I pray that the following verses will be a reminder and encouragement for us all to trust and obey the Great I AM.

In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands.
And His commands are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3

I obey your precepts and Your statutes, for all my ways are known to You.
Psalm 119:168

Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart—
Psalm 119:2

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Thank You, dear Lord, for how gracious, kind, and merciful You are to us.  You are not a harsh, exacting God Who demands perfection…rather You are a loving Father Who sets righteous, life-giving commands before us!  You guide us and help us to seek You and obey You from our hearts.  You are SO good!!!  We love You, Father…and pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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I Refuse

September 15, 2015 by
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright, when I know they’re not
This world needs God, but it’s easier to stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on, like nothing’s wrong
But I refuse
‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose not to move
But I refuse

I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God
So if You say move, it’s time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do, and show them who You are

To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back and try and act
Like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day
To die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse

Josh Wilson
Singer/Songwriter

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It is so easy to sit around and not do anything.  It is much harder to do something about our problems or the issues we see around us.  All we need to do is ask God to help us be strong and give us the courage to do what is right. There are some who do not have to pray about it. They already know what they need to do…and they embrace the challenge.

We can all find this kind of courage, especially when we read the Psalms. Who much more can we follow than David?  Through his ups and downs, David always praised God.  As David went through his struggles and victories, it is also a reminder of our future Savior and King—Jesus.

Jesus, when he was in the garden of Gethsemane, prayed for God to take away what was going to happen. But, because it was not God’s plan, Jesus accepted His fate and completed His journey for His Father.

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Heavenly Father, we love You and thank You for sending us great examples for us to follow.  We want to be a light for You in this confused world.  Forgive us for being complacent and lazy.  Light a fire under us to share your awesome truths.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Remind Me Who I Am

September 14, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When I lose my way
And I forget my name
Remind me who I am
In the mirror all I see
Is who I don’t wanna be
Remind me who I am
In the loneliest places
When I can’t remember what grace is

Tell me, once again who I am to You, who I am to You
Tell me, lest I forget Who I am to You, that I belong to You, to You

When my heart is like a stone
And I’m running far from home
Remind me who I am
When I can’t receive Your love
Afraid I’ll never be enough
Remind me who I am
If I’m Your beloved
Can You help me believe it

I’m the one You love
I’m the one You love
That will be enough
I’m the one You love

Singer / Songwriter: Jason Gray

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But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it,
and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions,
I obviously need help!
I realize that I don’t have what it takes.
I can will it, but I can’t do it.
I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it;
I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.
My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions.
Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable.
The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up.
I truly delight in God’s commands,
but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight.
Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope.
Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.
He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions
where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind,
but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Romans 7:17-25 MSG

I must admit I am feeling pretty worn and weary.  I am beginning to wonder if I will ever be able to make the changes I desire in my life. I have lost my ‘want to...’.  Lysa TerKeurst puts it this way:

“It’s not the how to I am missing. It’s the want to…really wanting to make changes and deciding the results of those changes are worth the sacrifice.”

As I was deciding which song to blog about, I was torn between this song and “Thrive” by Casting Crowns. God whispered to my heart “You must know who you are before you can thrive.”

  • How do we so easily forget who we are and Whose we are?
  • Why is it that “…in the mirror all I see is who I don’t wanna be…”?
  • Why do I struggle to do what I know is right and not do what I know is wrong?

I read an article on the story behind this song.  In it Jason Gray says this:

“Most, if not all, of the time I really don’t want to sin, so that I do so seemingly against my own will.  Or as the apostle Paul famously said, “I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway…”
So sin begins to look more like addiction than anything else, as though there is a ravenous hunger deep inside of me that demands to be fed. What is that hunger, I wonder? Genesis Chapter 3 tells us that one of the first consequences of sin entering the world is that the ground would be cursed, that we would eat by the sweat of our brow and the soil would produce weeds and thistles. This carries in it the idea of futility: that our efforts are frustrated, that no matter what we do, we feel it’s never enough–that perhaps we are never enough.”

Oh, how I can relate.  I have been ready to throw in the towel.  I am “afraid I’ll never be enough.”  Why?  Because I have been trying to do it on my own. No matter how much effort I put into it, I am doomed to fail on my own. Only when I realize who God says I am and rely on Him to lead me will I have success.

Who does God say I am?

  • Colossians 3:12 AMP says I am “well-beloved [by God Himself,”
  • 1 John 3:12 NASB tells us “now we are children of God,”
  • Zephaniah 3:17 NIV states “The Lord your God is with you…He will take great delight in you;  He will rejoice over you with singing.”
  • Isaiah 49:16a AMP reminds us “Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands;”

Think about Isaiah 49:16 for a minute.   Can you imagine the pain of having something inscribed (or tattooed) on the palm of your hand?  How much more painful was it for God to sacrifice His only Son for me?  I need to remind myself that God gave up everything for me so I don’t have to do life on my own.

All I need to do is ask God…
If I’m Your beloved, can You help me believe it?

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Same Power

September 13, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvI can see
Waters raging at my feet
I can feel
The breath of those surrounding me
I can hear
The sound of nations rising up
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

I can walk
Down this dark and painful road
I can face
Every fear of the unknown
I can hear
All God’s children singing out
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

We have hope
That His promises are true
In His strength
There is nothing we can’t do
Yes, we know
There are greater things in store
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

Greater is He that is living in me
He’s conquered our enemy
No power of darkness
No weapon prevails
We stand here in victory

 Jeremy Camp
written along with Jason Ingram

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead
will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

When asked if I would rather have Jesus walking this earth (like in Biblical times) or have the Holy Spirit, I really have to think.  Then I am reminded that Jesus could not be everywhere in body but the Holy Spirit can be with all of us, everywhere, all over the world.  How amazing is that?!

Have you ever thought about what Jesus said when He left here to go to Heaven to be with God?  He said that He was leaving a gift that was far greater than He.  We—that means you and me—have the same power in us that made Jesus rise again from the grave.  We have the same power that rose Lazarus from the dead.  And we have the same power that healed the leaper, made the blind to see, and fed the 5000.  So what are we to do with this power today?

  • We are to go out into this hard world and shine His light to those who are struggling.
  • We are to ask the Holy Spirit to give us the words to share with that one person that needs Jesus and meets Him for the first time.
  • We are to let the Holy Spirit be our Comforter in times of sorrow and share our comfort with others.

Oh, friend, the Holy Spirit is real and full of love for you and me!  So today, let’s praise Him for this gift and let us allow Him to work in us so that we can be all that we were created to be.

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Let us pray: Dear God, thank You so much for the gift of the Holy Spirit . And for the power that comes from allowing Him to work through us and in us. How amazing is it that when we accept Jesus in our hearts that the Holy Spirit is given to us.  Free!  Help us to use His power for Your good.  We love You and we praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Cast My Cares

September 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When fear feels bigger than my faith
And struggles steal my breath away
When my back’s pressed up against the wall
With the weight of my worries stacked up tall
You’re strong enough to hold it all

I will cast my cares on You
You’re the anchor of my hope
The only one who’s in control
I will cast my cares on You
I’ll trade the troubles of this world
For Your peace inside my soul

This war’s not what I would’ve chosen
But You see the future no one knows yet
And there’s still good when I can’t
See the working of Your hands
You’re holding it all

I’m finding there’s freedom
When I lay it all on Your shoulders
Cast my cares I will
Cast my cares I will
Cast my cares on You 

Finding Favour
Writers: Blake NeeSmith, Casy Brown, Sam Tinnesz

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My word for this morning is comfort.  As I sit in my home, I can feel a crispness in the air.  Fall is around the corner.  I hear my husband and children sleeping. The dogs are beginning to stir.  Soon lunch boxes will be packed, clothes will be ironed, to-do lists will grow, and life will return to its normal pace.

But for now, I focus on the word comfort.  Today I will take comfort in knowing that—

  • whatever I face when this song ends has already been handled
  • as my family goes to work and school that God has a hedge of protection around us
  • God has already worked out the many concerns running through my head
  • every situation we face has been worked out for our good and will only prove to be another example of God’s love for us
  • I am never walking alone

This morning, ladies, as you take each step, you can take comfort in the knowledge that there is Someone we can cast our cares upon. Our Heavenly Father wants us to shed the worry from our lives and place it at the foot of the Cross.  He is in control and He is our peace. Today, cast your cares.  Take comfort in the words of this song, and in these words.

 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

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Lord, today we want to make an intentional effort to cast our cares upon You.  There is so much in life that we are not in control of; but You, Lord, You are in control of all.  Thank You for taking our worry and anxiety from us.  Thank You for being the place where we cast our cares.  You replace worry with peace.  You replace fear with love.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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My Help Comes From The Lord

September 10, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When sorrows come and hope seems gone
You’re the Rock I rest upon
When waters rise and I can’t breathe
You’re the love that rescues me

Out of the darkness I lift up my eyes
Unto the hills I feel my faith rise

Maker of heaven, Giver of life
You are my strength, my song in the night
My refuge, my shelter now and forevermore
My help comes from the Lord

When I’m broken scarred by sin
Death gives way to life again
When I suffer when I doubt
In You I’m free, in You I’m found

The Museum
written by Barry Weeks, Bryan Brown, John Abel, Tony Wood

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{David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him
from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.  He said…}
“The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer;
my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge,
my Shield and the Horn of my salvation.
He is my Stronghold, my Refuge and my Savior
—from violent people you save me.
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
2 Samuel 22:1-4

OK, please raise your hands, everyone who has cried out to God like this….  OK, now hands up—this time raised in praise—everyone who has cried out to God like this KNOWING that He IS your Help…He IS your Deliverer…and that He will not tarry.  Oh, how we love to praise Him for His goodness, His grace, His help; yes?

But, just like David, there are days when we are feeling so very poor and needy… days when it takes effort, sometimes great effort, to continue to praise.  Days when our praises are not as abundant as our crying out to God for His help.

I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are my Refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
Give attention to my cry, for I am brought very low…
Psalms 142:1, 5-6

And our God—our gracious, compassionate, loving God—He is patient and forbearing with us.  And draws us to Himself…truly our help does come from the Lord!

Let all those that seek and require You rejoice and be glad in You;
let such as love Your salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified!
[As for me] I am poor and needy, yet the Lord takes thought and plans for me.
You are my Help and my Deliverer. O my God, do not tarry!
Psalms 40:16 and 17

What a comfort to know the truth that the Lord DOES take thought and DOES have plans for us.  And yet, we doubt sometimes.  God knows this; He knows we struggle.  He encourages and revives us with His promises.

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord,
thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil,
to give you hope in your final outcome.
Then you will call upon Me,
and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, says the Lord…
Jeremiah 29:11-14

These are such sustaining promises made to you and me by our Faithful, Trustworthy God.  Have you ever considered memorizing God’s promises?  What an incredible weapon to have at your disposal—the Word(s) of God that He is faithful to bring to pass!  Any (or all!) of these passages that we have considered today would be wonderful to have at the ready in your memory…for those times when you are feeling poor and needy.

I love the words of this passionate song…they remind me of this Scripture:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalms 121:1 and 2

And so, friend, I ask you,

Do you seek Him and require Him?
If so…then rejoice and be glad in Him!

Do you love His salvation and are waiting expectantly for Jesus’ return?
…Then say, ‘The Lord be magnified!’

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Oh, Lord, we totally and completely recognize our great need for You!  And we know, we absolutely know, that You are our Help and our Deliverer!  Thank You, Lord, for the comfort of these promises!  Our help, truly, comes from the Lord!  Amen.

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With All My Heart

September 9, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In this quiet place with You
I bow before Your throne
I bare the deepest part of me
To You and You alone
I keep no secrets
For there is no thought
You have not known
I bring my best and all the rest
To You and lay them down

With all my heart
I want to love You, Lord
And live my life
Each day to know You more
All that is in me
Is Yours completely
I’ll serve You only
With all my heart

You faithfully supply my needs
According to Your plans
So help me, Lord, to seek Your face
Before I seek Your hand
And trust You know what ‘s best for me
When I don’t understand
Then follow in obedience
In every circumstance

 Singer / Songwriter ~~ Babbie Mason

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Our Heavenly Father, the Great I AM, deserves our all—all our love, all our obedience, all our worship, all our devotion, all our service, all our focus, all our praise, all our whole heart—our everything.  Actually, He requires our all.  Listen to these three examples from the Scriptures where God’s people (you and me, too!) are given the command to love God with all their heart…

When Moses gave the Law to the Israelites, he said:

These are the commands, decrees and laws
the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe…
so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God
as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you,
and so that you may enjoy long life.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:1-4 (excerpts)

The prophet Jeremiah was given this compelling message to send to the exiled Israelites who had been carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzer and his army.  Think about how comforted they must have been hearing God’s words!

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord,
thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil,
to give you hope in your final outcome.
Then you will call upon Me,
and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, says the Lord….
Jeremiah 29:11-14

Our Lord spoke this convicting message to His followers.

And one of the scribes…asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
Jesus answered, “The most important is,
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
And you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:28-32

We know from the Scriptures that God desires us to

  • trust Him with all of our heart (Proverbs 3:5 and 6)
  • work heartily as if for Him with all of our heart (Colossians 3:23)
  • seek Him with all our heart (Deuteronomy 4:29 and 30)
  • serve Him with our whole heart (1 Chronicles 28:9)
  • love Him with all our heart (Matthew 22:37)

Here are a few questions that I have asked myself…perhaps you have asked yourself the same things, too:

What would it take for you, {your name here},  to…

♥  Give God your all?
♥  Be sold out for God?
♥  Be His completely?
♥  Serve Him only?
♥  Love Him with all your heart?

Have you answered them yet?
If so, would you share your answer with us (in the comments below)?

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Friends, whether the words of this anointed song—this prayer—cause you to throw your hands in the air raised in praise, or fall on your knees in humble submission, may you voice your commitment to your Father with all your heart!  <3

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More Of You

September 8, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I made my castle tall
I built up every wall
This is my kingdom and it needs to fall
I want You and no one else
Empty me of myself
Until the only thing that’s left is

More of You
Less of me
Make me who I’m meant to be
You’re all I want all I need
You’re everything
Take it all I surrender
Be my King
God, I choose
More of You
Less of me
More of You

This life I hold so close 
Oh, God, I let it go
I refuse to gain the world and lose my soul
So take it all I abandon everything I am You can have it
The only thing I need is

All to You, I surrender
All to You, my blessed Savior
I surrender all

Colton Dixon
written along with Ben Glover, David Arthur Garcia
traditional hymn, I Surrender All, by Judson W. Van DeVenter

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Walking through life everyday, we can become complacent.  Not searching for any more than what we have right now, right here.  But, God does not want us to live that way.  He wants us to live life to the fullest.  He wants us to seek Him and seek His ways. Until we do that, we will never experience the life He holds.  We can be safe…we can be ‘free’;  but are we really?   Are we really, truly free if we come to the same job everyday, perform the same tasks everyday—but are not living for Him?

  • When was the last time you told someone about your walk with God?
  • When was the last time you were on your knees with God?
  • When was the last time you were in His Word, seeking His Will for you?

You may say, ‘I am too old’ or ‘I am too young.’  Perhaps you may even say, ‘I am not physcially able to do anything.’  Sister in Christ, you are able.  You can pray.  You can say positive words to a hurting person. You can even post things to your Facebook page to encourage someone.  You never know when your words, your actions, your kindess will impact a person who needs a touch from God.

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Break Every Chain

September 7, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain

You’re the all-sufficient Sacrifice
So freely given such a price
Bought our redemption
Heaven’s gates swing wide

There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
To break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain

Digital Age
Songwriter: William Andrew Reagan

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

For in that day,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
“I will break the yoke from their necks and snap their chains.
Foreigners will no longer be their masters.
Jeremiah 30:8

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36

As I started off this year, I had two goals in mind:
1.   Let God lead     2.   Take care of my temple, offering it as a living sacrifice

But, a month into this journey, I realize I have allowed earthly chains to bind me.

  • Emotional chains
  • Prideful chains
  • Chains forged by bad habits and neglect

The sad thing is, I wasn’t even aware of the chains.  Not until I started seeking God and delving deeper into His Word.  I am learning that I need to turn to Him more often, especially when trying to conquer unhealthy habits or when I want to go my own way.  Sometimes it just seems so much easier to continue on as is.  Change of any kind is hard.

choosehardgraphic

That’s it.  We all must choose our hard.  For me, if I am going to do hard, I want to do it with Someone who has already conquered hard.

Now I will free you from their control [break his yoke from you]
and tear away your chains [shackles].
Nahum 1:13 EXB

I want to do hard with the One who can free me from the control of temptations and bad habits.  I want to do hard with the only One who can break my chains of bondage and set me free.  For only then, will I be free indeed.  How about you?

Choose your hard.

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

The Greatest Story Ever Told

September 6, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Some days your own resolve is strong
And other days you bend
It’s two steps forward, one step back
And a stumble now and then
You wonder if you’ll ever really make the difference
You’ve prayed that you will
Well, I know that prayer will be fulfilled ’cause

Your life woven day by day
Is a new design of the glory God displays
On the canvas of creation
Through the poem of history
In the pattern of redemption
Running through the tapestry
Your life in Christ can be
The greatest story ever told

You cannot see the hands of God
Or feel the grace that flows
From Him through you to those you touch
In ways you’ll never know
You cannot measure worth by human standards
That’s always a lie
Oh, you have to see through Heaven’s eyes how

In the light of eternity
Standing face to face you will finally see
For the very first time you’ll understand
Your perfect place in the Master’s plan and how

Avalon
written by Bill Gaither and J.D. Miller
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Yet LORD, You are our Father;
we are the clay, and You are our potter;
we all are the work of Your hands.
Isaiah 64:8

I love art.  Especially when I can take something that is broken into pieces and make a creative design.  Like a mosaic!  All the pieces are different shapes and colors; they are from different pieces of pottery that have been special to me in some way.  To someone else, they look like broken pieces of glass…until they are placed in plaster and set to dry.  Then…tada!  You have a table top, or a vase, or a trivet.  Whatever you want to make!

God makes broken things beautiful.  He is the Master Artist and He takes the hardest, most broken parts of us making out of them the most beautiful masterpiece.  We all have a story.  And if we let Him, He can make it His story and it can help countless people just by sharing it.  God then gets the glory for the redeeming and the restoring of you!

Maybe you are walking in freedom from addiction and have a story that will give other women and men hope that they, too, can be victorious. Maybe you are a child of divorce and can give someone the assurance that Jesus can help them through anything.  I don’t know your story…but God does.   He is so full of joy over you and He wants the world to see what He has done in you.

‘So what do we do next?’  you ask?  We have to be willing to do whatever He asks and go wherever He tells us to go and share with whoever He knows needs to hear our hope story.  And always remember that we couldn’t succeed on our own and that only One gets the glory for it all…Jesus!

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Let us pray: Dear Lord, You are the Master and we are Your clay—mold us and make us the way that best glorifies You, oh God!  Thank You for each one of these stories today.  Thank You for giving us victories over our trials and for allowing us to be a part of the greatest story ever told.  And for those still struggling today, give them the strength to ask for help and put someone in their lives that can help them through because of their own experience.  We worship You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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