November 25, 2024

This Week…Psalm 4:1

October 31, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Answer me when I call to You,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1

How many times have you prayed a prayer similar to this one?  Many times, if you like me, call out to God in times of stress and distress!  And this week my friends who contribute to our Seeking Him devotional blog have each shared on this verse with similar thoughts.  Here is a quick reminder of some of the things that Ann, Ahmee, Cynda, Laura, and Tina have written.

Cynda wrote in her devotional entitled, Perfect Prayers, how she loved the simplicity of David’s prayer.  She reminded us of how God always looks at the heart not all the superfluous things.  And she wrote, ‘ Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be heartfelt. It needs to be uttered with passion. God honors fervent prayers by being merciful and gracious to us.”

Ann shared her heart in Prayerfulness that there have been times when she ‘…cried to my God to answer my prayers because I felt that they were not being answered…this only brought discomfort and fear in me. All the faith had gone…all I could see was unanswered prayer.”  But the Holy Spirit spoke to her saying, ‘You know what, Ann? Cast all your cares unto God and He will give you rest.”  <Simple but oh-so-necessary!>  She compelled us “I urge each one of you to be earnestly prayerful and regularly engaged in prayer.  With faith, we will have answered prayers.  All that we need is to ask God for help. Our prayers will be granted.”

Ahmee encouraged us, in Just A Reminder, to see the importance of rest—directing us to Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 11:28-30.
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  She also wrote: “So, take your request to Him and then rest. {Do not forget about the resting part!}”

Tina focused on The Provider aspect of God’s love and care for us. “When we are in distress, we call out to God. We expect Him to answer us immediately,” Tina wrote.  And she reminded us that God is able to handle our upsetment!  In addition, she gave us the example “…of Abraham who left his father, took his wife and nephew, and moved away from all that he knew. Just because God called to him. But Abraham received a promise. A promise to become a father of many.”  And we know how abundantly and miraculously God has provided for what He promised Abraham!

In her blog, Answering The Caller ID, Laura took the part of the verse that says ‘Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness…” and brought it all back to a call we need to heed: “…Here is one call that we are supposed to answer no matter what.  The caller ID is our heart being tugged at by Jesus wanting us to accept Him as our Savior.  It is a call that should be answered every time.  By answering the call of Christ, our faith is strengthened and fortified.”  She also wrote, “When we answer Christ’s call, God hears us.  We become blessed even more.” Oh, yes we do!

My heart was encouraged day-by-day as I read and considered the words and Truth being shared by these friends of mine (and yours!).  As I prayed and studied, two Scriptures came to mind; may I share them with you?  I hope that they will encourage and comfort you…reminding you to always call out to your heavenly Father…who is always listening…He always hears and always answers!

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
Psalms 145:18-20

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,
that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15

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Fear Not, My Child

October 30, 2014 by

In myself I’ve failed the Lord
Then was afraid to try once more
That fire in my soul had fled
That’s when Jesus came and said

My spirit gives the strength you need
To raise you up and to succeed
And for vision in the night
To you, I’ll give these words of light

Fear not, my child
I’m with you always
I feel every pain
And every tear I see

Fear not, my child
I’m with you always
I know how to care
For what belongs to me

He said, My child, don’t look behind
Discouragement is all you’ll find
Don’t watch the waves that roll the sea
But just focus your eyes on Me

And I will make you strong and then
Your shattered courage I will mend
And if you fall and should get hurt
Remember these eternal words

Singer / Songwriter Carman Licciardello with Kim Boyce
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

There are more than 100 records in the Bible where God spoke these words of comfort and encouragement—“Do not fear…” and “Fear not….” A clear statement of His heart towards His people, wouldn’t you say? But being fearful (afraid, worried, scared) is a temptation that almost everyone falls into at one time or another. For some of us, clinging to God’s promises that He will always be with us and that He will take care of us, takes determined effort. Me…I fall into this category. Anyone else?

But we DO have God’s promises…so knowing the Truth, and acting on it, is critical to dealing with our fears and worries. And we DO know where to find the Truth—in the Bible. Below are just a very few…oh, there are SO many…Scriptures to hold in our minds and our hearts. Perhaps you could write them out on index cards and keep them where you can find them easily—in your Bible, or on your desk, perhaps tacked up where you can see them easily. The point is to be reminded and to be encouraged and to ‘fear not.’

Serve only the Lord your God and fear Him alone. Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.
Deuteronomy 13:4

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
Psalm 34:7

So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:31

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27

This is My command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9

When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
Psalm 56:3

In God, whose Word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:4

He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
Psalms 91:4-8

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
Psalm 112:7

David, who God called ‘a man after My own heart,’ dealt with much temptation to fear throughout his life. But David was sure that his LORD was always with him, even when he was (actually) alone. Listen to his confession of trust and confidence in his Lord:

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear or dread?
The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident.
For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter;
in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.
And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me;
in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
[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.
Excerpts from Psalm 27

May we each also confess that ‘the Lord IS my Light and my Salvation…the Refuge and Stronghold of my life’.  May we also be assured that ‘my heart shall NOT fear…and in this will I be confident’.  May we ‘offer sacrifices and shouting of joy…and sing praises to the Lord’.  I pray for each of you that you, too, will wait and hope for and expect the Lord; that you will be brave and of good courage…and that your heart will be enduring.  Yes, may we wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

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

Broccoli Cheese Soup

October 27, 2014 by

 

Here in New York, we have had quite the cool fall season so far!  (How about where you live?) Here in our home that means it’s soup season!  I’ve already made and frozen a batch of veggie broth and also chicken broth. Having those containers stacked up in the freezer means that basically any day I can throw together a pot of soup. All of the ingredients for today’s recipe are things that are generally on hand in my ‘fridge and pantry…well, maybe not the ham steak. 🙂

There are plenty of bright green broccoli florets floating around in this hearty soup, but it’s broccoli stems that make up the base of the soup. This is a ‘healthified’ version of many Broccoli-Cheese soup recipes available. Rather than making a roux—a soup base consisting of onions, butter, and flour—we prefer to thicken this creamy soup by pureeing the potatoes and broccoli stems. Also, I use a larger proportion of broth, and less of milk and cream. And, I have found that using just 4 ounces or so of shredded cheese is quite enough. Each of these changes makes this soup ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy!’ Enjoy!

Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup

2014-10-26 19.57.50

ingredients:
2 large heads broccoli (approximately 2 pounds)
1/2 large onion
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (approximately 1+1/2 pounds)
1/2 pound ham steak, cut into small cubes (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon
2 heaping teaspoons chopped garlic
4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 cups milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup half & half
4 ounces shredded cheese (use something very flavorful
sea salt and freshly ground pepper (I used a lemon-pepper-salt combo)
directions:

  • preheat oven to 375
  • separate florets from stems of broccoli
  • take 1 cup of tiny florets, toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil; season w/salt&pepper
  • place on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes…just ‘til beginning to brown;
  • remove from oven when done and set aside for garnishing
  • when you set aside the roasted broccoli, use the same pan to heat the ham cubes for about 6-7 minutes; remove from oven and set aside ‘til plating
  • rough chop stems of broccoli into 1-1+1/2″ pieces
  • peel and cube potatoes into 1″ pieces
  • chop onion into small dice
  • heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 4 quart (or larger) stockpot
  • add cut veggies and stir to coat; saute for 5-6 minutes; do not allow to brown
  • stir in broth; raise heat to bring to a boil
  • cover pot; reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or so…’til broccoli stems are tender
  • remove pot from heat and, using immersion blender, puree ‘til smooth
  • place back on stove and add broccoli florets and the milk; stir
  • cover and simmer for 10 minutes or ‘til florets are still bright green but cooked through
  • remove pot from heat and, again using immersion blender, puree for just a minute or so, breaking up the broccoli
  • place pot back on stove; and over low heat add half & half, and shredded cheese; stir ‘til combined and cheese is melted
  • carefully taste for seasoning, adding more s&p as needed
  • scoop into bowls adding the ham and roasted broccoli florets

NOTE: if not using an immersion blender, you can puree the soup like this (from Food Network.com):

“When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open; this will prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth.”

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

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

Merciful, Merciful, Merciful God

October 25, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
He will not always accuse us or be angry forever.
He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our offenses.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
Psalms 103:8-14 HCSB

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

What a merciful, merciful, merciful God
What a merciful, merciful, merciful God
What a merciful, merciful, merciful God You are
You are

You are so gentle
You are forgiving
You hold me close to Your heart

When I am distant
You show me mercy
You bring me close to Your heart

Written by Terry and Randy Butler/ Vineyard Music

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Our Compassionate, Merciful God

October 24, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and plenteous
in mercy and loving-kindness.
Psalm 103:8

There is one word in this passage that stuck out to me—compassion (or merciful). In verse 8, we read that the Lord ‘is compassionate’ (merciful) and in verse 13, it says that He “has compassion” (or mercy or pity). I often find it so very helpful, when studying the Scriptures, to read a particular verse or passage in a number of different Bible versions. (Do you find that true, too?) It always brings about a more complete understanding…at least to me. I would like to let you experience this in reference to one of the verses in the section we have been focusing on this week here on the Seeking Him devotional blog. My favorite version for studying is the Amplified Bible version; so I’ll start there…

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.

NIV
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

NLT
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

ESV
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

NASB
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

KJV
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

HCSB
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.

ISV
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, patient, and abundantly rich in gracious love.

ASV
Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.

DBT
Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness.

Webster’s
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

YLT
Merciful and gracious is Jehovah, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy.

Each of these versions (and, of course, there are more!) communicate basically the same thing…but some add just a further bit of information or inflection.  After reading through these, I was left praising God Who is ‘compassionate and merciful and gracious’ and abundantly rich in steadfast, unfailing, in loving-kindness’!  How great is our God!!!

The Strong’s concordance uses the following words to biblically define ‘compassion/merciful’ as used in verse 8:  to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion. And listen to this tidbit of insight:  this word (rachuwm, pronounced ‘rakh-oom’) is used only 13 times throughout the OT and

Here is the very first occurrence of this word in the Bible.

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed,
The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.
Exodus 34:6

Almighty God declared Himself ‘…the compassionate and merciful God…’ during His encounter with Moses on Mount Sinai.

No doubt God had already proven Himself VERY compassionate, merciful, and gracious towards the children of Israel!  Remember this is the account where He allows Moses to redo the two tablets on which had been the commandments which God had written and given to Moses.  (Here’s a link to go read this passage.)  While Moses and Joshua were up on the mountain receiving God’s commands, the people had chosen to turn back to their idolatrous ways and had made a golden calf and were worshipping this idol.   Upon his return, Moses became so disgusted and angry with them that he threw the tablets on the ground and broke them to smithereens!  (NOT good!)  Moses pleaded with the Lord and interceded on behalf of the Israelites.  And ‘the compassionate and merciful God’ relented and gave them yet another chance to repent and obey.  This shows the magnitude of the Lord’s mercy, compassion, and grace!

So what does this mean to us…some 3,000+ years later? It means everything…because God does not, can not, will not change. He is the same “God of compassion and mercy…slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” as He was then.

For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed…
Malachi 3:6

I pray that each of us would hold fast and cling to this truth, and give much praise to our great God Who is the God of compassion and mercy!

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Here is a link  if you would like to study this verse and the usage of ‘compassionate/merciful’ in describing the Lord God Who IS oh-so-very merciful and compassionate.

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Remind Me, Dear Lord

October 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

All the things that I love and hold dear to my heart
Are just borrowed they’re not mine at all
Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life
So remind me, remind me, dear Lord

Roll back the curtain of memory now and then
Show me where You brought me from and
Where I could have been
Just remember I’m a human and humans forget
So remind me, remind me, dear Lord

Nothing good have I done to deserve God’s own Son
I’m not worthy of the scars in His hands
Yet He chose the road to Calvary to die in my stead
Why He loved me I can’t understand

Just remember I’m a human and humans forget
So remind me, remind me, dear Lord

Songwriter: Mrs. Dottie Rambo / Performed by Vocal Union

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Oh, if only we WOULD remember what God has done!  The blessings, the healings, the provision, the miracles, the deliverances, the protection, the guidance…along with all the love and grace and mercy!  But, like the song says, ‘but humans forget…’.  And so we ask our compassionate and kind ABBA Father to ‘remind me…remind me, dear Lord!’  I think there are any number of ways that God reminds us of all that He has done…is doing…and will do.

One of God’s greatest gifts to us (in my own opinion) is providing the Holy Spirit…the Helper, the Comforter. While Jesus was preparing His disciples for leaving them, He told them of God’s plan. One thing He said was,

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
John 14: 25 and 26

Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them remember what He had taught them. The disciples had seen all that Jesus did and heard all that He had taught.  And, since we too are disciples of our Lord, the Holy Spirit can help us in the same way.  As we read and study the Scriptures, we can trust that truth will be placed into our hearts by the Holy Spirit as we are taught.  He will convince and convict us of God’s will, and remind us when we stray from it.

The Holy Spirit does so much for us!   True, He does plant truth in our hearts, convince us of God’s will, and remind us when we stray from it…but the responsibility to DO—obey—is ours.  He reminds…we obey.  He guides…we follow.  He helps us…we do what is right.

So, while we surely can (and should!) ask for God’s grace in reminding us through the Holy Spirit’s working in our hearts, I do think we should be responsible to remind ourselves, too!  A few things that I have purposed to do so that I am reminded are:

  • daily Bible reading

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;
meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Joshua 1:8

  • listening to praise and worship music

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another
with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:15 and 16

  • spending time with other Christians

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,
and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24 and 25

  • having Scriptures up as decorations in our home

And these words which I am commanding you this day
shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts;
[then] you shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate,
and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way,
and when you lie down and when you rise up.
and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand,
and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes.
And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9

{I would love to hear of ways that you remind yourself about our awesome God!}

Oh!  And here is a great list of 10 BIG daily reminders:

  • God exists
  • God loves you
  • Jesus died for you, and the Father has now bound himself to give you only good things.
  • God sees you as perfect
  • That is because of Jesus’ perfection…not yours
  • You will die
  • You will live forever in the new heavens and the new earth
  • For now. you are an exile on the earth
  • Nothing on earth is truly worth putting your hope in
  • You have no right to be unhappy

(Follow this link to read the entire article this list was taken from.)

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

Some of my Favorite Things…and Cheesecake

October 20, 2014 by

So it was suggested to me to post a recipe today that is one of my very own favorites…since it is my very own birthday!  Woo-hoo…59 ! So I began to think about some of my favorite things…here are  ♪♬♪ a few of my favorite things! ♪♬♪

anything lemon-y
cheese
thai food
butternut squash (prepared just about ANY way!)
a really good mixed greens and veggie salad

But none of these yummy, delicious things are truly enjoyable to me without being able to share them with others. My FAVORITE things include being able to share a meal and God’s blessings with family and friends around our big old oak table!


2013-10-20 17.41.15

As far as a recipe for one of my favorites…well, I wasn’t quite sure and then decided to post my daughter’s Cheesecake Recipe (with her permission, of couse!). This was our indulgence for my birthday cake this year! This recipe is gluten free and refined sugar free; and prepares a huge cheesecake…enough for many slices! Enjoy!

 

2014-10-19 19.42.00

Cheesecake ala Kassia

crust
ingredients:
1 cup gf graham cracker crumbs (or traditional)
1/2 cup ground pecans
3 tablespoons softened butter

directions:

  • preheat oven to 400
  • butter sides and bottom of springform pan
  • mix ingredients together
  • pour mixture into springform pan and press firmly onto bottom of pan and up sides approximately 1+1/2″
  • bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven
  • set aside to cool
  • lower oven temp to 325

filling
ingredients:
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese or neufchatel (or combination)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar (or honey)
16 drops vanilla creme stevia
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup half&half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice

directions:

  • (set eggs out when starting to make the crust)
  • adjust racks in oven so that one is in the high middle position (not the top position) and one is in the highest low position (#2 and #4 of 5)
  • put a roasting pan on the lower rack and add approximately 1″ water
  • beat cream cheese ‘til light and fluffy
  • gradually beat in sugar ‘til fully incorporated
  • add agave (or honey) and liquid stevia
  • add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition ‘til egg is fully incorporated
  • add cornstarch and beat ‘til smooth
  • add lemon juice and vanilla; beat ‘til fully incorporated
  • add yogurt and half&half; beat just ‘til combined
  • carefully pour the filling mixture into the cooled crust
  • place filled springform pan into 325 oven; bake for 70-75 minutes ‘til very center of baked cheesecake is just a tiny bit jiggly when pan is gently wiggled
  • leave cheesecake in oven! turn oven off and leave door slightly ajar for two hours
  • it is best to refrigerate cheesecake for 24-48 hours before serving

topping
can be topped with {your choice} homemade whipped cream, canned pie filling, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, caramel sauce, etc.

(I would love to hear what your favorite cheesecake topping is!)

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

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

Every Promise Of Your Word

October 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Remember Your promise to me;
    it is my only hope.
Your promise revives me….

Psalm 119:49 and 50

 Stuart Townend along with Keith Getty

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

From the breaking of the dawn to the setting of the sun
I will stand on every promise of Your Word
Words of power strong to save that will never pass away
I will stand on every promise of Your word

For Your covenant is sure
And on this I am secure
I can stand on ev’ry promise of Your word

When I stumble and I sin condemnation pressing in
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your word
You are faithful to forgive that in freedom I might live
So I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

Guilt to innocence restored
You remember sins no more
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your word

When I’m faced with anguished choice, I will listen for Your voice
And I’ll stand on every promise of Your word

Through this dark and troubled land
You will guide me with Your hand
As I stand on ev’ry promise of Your word

And You’ve promised to complete
Ev’ry work begun in me
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your word

Hope that lifts me from despair, love that casts out ev’ry fear
As I stand on every promise of Your word

Not forsaken not alone for the Comforter has come
And I stand on ev’ry promise of Your word
Grace sufficient,grace for me
Grace for all who will believe
We will stand on ev’ry promise of Your word

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God Always Keeps His Promise

October 17, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Remember Your word to Your servant,
for You have given me hope.
My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.
Psalms 119:49-50

Throughout the Scriptures, there are many, many records of God fulfilling His promise to His people.  Whether it be to an individual, or a group of people, or all mankind—God always keeps His promise.  I am so thankful to have these stories recorded in the Scriptures because they encourage and comfort us.  At any time, we can sit down with a bible and open up to one of numerous accounts.  One that I am always reminded of when thinking of God’s promises fulfilled is the record of Abraham and Isaac climbing Mount Moriah…remember? (Click here to read the entire record.)

As he walked toward Moriah with Isaac, Abraham must have felt conflicted…and heartbroken beyond words….  Can you imagine?  How could God ask him to sacrifice this miracle child He had blessed him and Sarai with!  No doubt, he did not understand all that God was doing.  He didn’t know he was illustrating for God’s people for all time what faith and trust looked like.

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did
when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions
were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:21–23

He didn’t know this provision for the sacrifice would foreshadow the sacrifice of God’s only Son —a Son who would not be spared because He was the provided Lamb.

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said,
Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

He only knew that God had promised and that He surely knew what He was doing. He stood on his faith and belief that God could be trusted to keep His promise—even if it appeared like the promise was going to die. And God proved himself faithful to Abraham.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead,
from which he also received him back as a type.
Hebrews 11:17, 19

Jehovah – Jireh, our faithful Father, proves Himself faithful to us constantly. Even if it doesn’t look like it right now, God will bring His promise to pass. We have hope through His Word. Trust Him.

What particular promise has God has made to which you can confess,

“Remember Your word to Your servant,
for You have given me hope.
My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.”

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

Child Forgiven

October 16, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I thought I had my bases covered
My destiny was in control
But I could see I’d never reach perfection
The day I hit a slick spot in the road

After that I thought my life was over
But Jesus had a different point of view
All I did was confess, and Jesus did the rest
Thank God I’ve been released and made brand new

You’re looking at a child forgiven
You’re looking at a soul set free
You’re looking at a pardoned prisoner who’s walking now in liberty
I’m standing here because of wondrous grace
My sins are in the deepest sea
He washed me clean somehow
So what you’re seeing now
Is a happy, happy child set free

Now what you see is not a perfect person
What you see is not a faultless soul
What you see is someone who was broken
Until the hand of Jesus made me whole

What you see is not a finished product
What you see might sometimes miss the mark
But I know my Father’s eyes see only His sweet prize
The perfect holy children that we are

Performed here by the Gaither Vocal Band
Songwriters: Suzanne Jennings and Bill Gaither

  *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Hey, before we go any further, would you do one thing, please?  Would you go look in the mirror….  Now, see there?!  There is a “child forgiven, a happy happy child set free”…you!

But for the grace of God, we would still be prisoners and slaves to sin. But for His wondrous and amazing grace, we would be without hope.  But,

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace….
Romans 3:22-24

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13 and 14

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Ephesians 1:4

One of the joy-filled lines of this song is “But I know my Father’s eyes see only His sweet prize—the perfect holy children that we are… ”.  Now I know we aren’t completely and totally perfectly perfect yet…but remember Jesus told His disciples (and us!) to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

The apostle Paul, who is such a wonderful example to us of how to live righteously, wrote of his own struggle with this Truth:

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on
so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;
and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
Philippians 3:12-16

It is so very important to remember the Truth of who you are in Christ.  Here are just a few aspects of this reality that, by God’s grace, He has made us to be.

  • I am forgiven; Jesus paid my debt

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us
and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the Cross.
Colossians 2:13 and 14

  • I am His child

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12

  • I belong to Him

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

  • I am chosen, holy

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people belonging to God,
that you may declare the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

  • I cannot be separated from His love

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39

  • I have been given strength to do all which God calls me to do

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me
[I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him
Who infuses inner strength into me…].
Philippians 4:13

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…Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come…
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead,
and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us
and released us from our sins by His blood—
Revelations 1:4 and 5

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