November 15, 2024

CHRISTLife – One: A Crucial Question

January 13, 2014 by

CLbannerday1

 

Who are you? Is your first response, ‘Don’t ask me that question!’ or perhaps, you have a ready litany to spout out of accomplishments and positions you hold, of who you are in relation to your little world.  So I ask you again (and believe me…we are going to ask this question of each other and of ourselves many times during this study!)

Really now…who are you?

As the answers rise up within you, I suggest that you write them down.  Keep a running list.  And don’t NOT write down any response that is a little ugly or dark or something you don’t want to admit.  As we move along through this study, we will purposefully and intentionally work to find the Truth from the Scriptures of just God says you are.  And your list can be overwritten with those Truths.

Now, when you ask yourself ‘Who am I?,’ how do you feel about looking within?  Is it uncomfortable…painful even.  We each have areas of our hearts, our memories, our minds where we have pushed down the things that we don’t like and the things that we don’t want to deal with.  And perhaps there are things in your heart way down there that you aren’t even aware of anymore.

The Psalmist knew that it was God, and God alone, Who knew the depths of his heart! Over and over we read of him asking God to show him his heart.  In Psalm 139, he declares,

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
Verse 1

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Verse 23

Throughout our lives, situations and circumstances have led us to believe ‘things’ about ourselves—things that are simply not true. For many of us, perhaps even the majority of us, because of life events, our thoughts and beliefs about who we are have been molded without our even knowing it.

I encourage you to let the Holy Spirit reveal to you these lies that you believe about yourself. This will not be easy…most probably, very uncomfortable! But what great value there will be to not holding onto these lies anymore. And to shed light where there was darkness! And to hold onto the Truth that is revealed—the Truth about who God made you (each of us!) to be.

For You, O Lord, are my Lamp; the Lord lightens my darkness.
2 Samuel 22:29

This little song, sung by a few teenager girls, expresses my heart. How about yours?

“Search my heart, Lord, find anything, anything that keeps me from You
Find everything, everything that leads me away from Truth
I’m asking You, Lord, now know my heart
Every little secret, every hidden part
And what You ask of me, Lord, I’ll do…anything.”

Day by day, chapter by chapter, week by week, as we choose to persevere through this study, we will come to recognize just who we are in Christ!  Oh, to trust and believe it—I am who God says I am.

  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  

Oh, heavenly Father, I pray for each and every one of my sisters asking, Lord, that You will fill each of their hearts with the Truth of who they really are and how very much You love them. I ask that You would help each one of us to replace every single lie that is counter to the way that You see us with Truth from Your Scriptures.  Please help us to believe that ‘I am who God says I am!’  With Jesus’ precious blood we have been redeemed and made whole; it is in His Name that I ask and pray these things. Amen. Thank You, Lord.

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: , , , , ,

Baked Potato Soup – Load It Up

January 13, 2014 by

Yum!  Do you enjoy a baked potato with all the fixin’s?  I must admit I do!  What is your favorite topping?  Mine is bacon. And even choosing just what to put on top…when my husband gets done “loading” his potato, it is a masterpiece (and he enjoys every bite)!  But we’ve learned a few things about the balancing act with carbs…and so, a loaded baked potato finds it’s way onto my plate once in a blue moon.  However, this soup…now this i can enjoy perhaps every full moon!

A friend had asked me for a recipe for this soup. (I had never even heard of ‘Baked Potato Soup!’)   You can only imagine the variety of recipes to be found out on the internet!  Well, you can easily guess just what they were “loaded” with—many more calories than I desire to serve to my husband and guests (and me)!   And we surely couldn’t include a recipe like most of those I saw on our Monday post on the At Home w/ GCH blog!

So here is how I made our healthy-but-oh-so-yummy version—this recipe includes cauliflower. Using cauliflower as a main ingredient does a number of things in a healthy and yummy way:

  • provides our bodies with more veggies
  • and for those of you trying to sneak veggies into your family’s repertoire…perfect!
  • keeps the carb count down (approximately the same # of carbs in an entire head of cauliflower as in one russet potato)
  • bulks up the soup so it is thick and creamy without exhorbitant quantities of heavy cream and cheese (lots of fat and calories)

I encourage you to try this soup…it is a very satisfying comfort food but is light on the carbs and the fat calories.  A nice treat!  Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Healthy but oh-so-yummy Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Healthy but oh-so-yummy Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients
soup:
2 medium-sized russet* potatoes, washed and dried
1 head of cauliflower, rough chopped
1+1/2 cups chicken, or vegetable, broth
1+1/2 cups 2% milk (warmed)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
toppings:
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you wish)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup shredded very sharp cheddar cheese
dried parsley

Directions

  • First get the baked potatoes going. After scrubbing them, pierce potatoes with a fork in 4 or 5 places. I prepared mine in the microwave oven (on high for 5 minutes; turn over and cook another 3-5 minutes, until tender). Or, you can bake them at 400° for approximately 1 hour or until tender. Either way, when potatoes are done, cool for 10-15 minutes. Then they can be peeled and chopped. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes!
  • While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, you can prepare the other main ingredients. Here’s how I cook bacon: I stack the slices and, using kitchen scissors, I cut it into approximately 1+1/2″ to 2″ pieces. I find that the bacon cooks much more quickly and evenly this way. Place the pieces into a COLD small frying pan, heat over medium heat. Once the bacon starts frying, I reduce the heat a bit and cook to the desired degree of doneness, keeping a careful eye so that it does not burn. I like to cook bacon over a medium low heat so that most of the fat is rendered out. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon, leaving the drippings, and place onto a couple of paper towels to finish draining. Set aside for topping the soup.
  • Now while the bacon is cooking, place the cut-up cauliflower into a medium-sized pot along with the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer ‘til tender. Do not drain.
  • Once cauliflower is cooked, add warmed milk and the chopped baked potatoes to the pot, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer ‘til thoroughly heated, stirring once or twice; this will take just a couple of minutes. Remove pot from heat and scoop out about 1/3 of the veggies; set aside.
  • Now you are going to puree (smooth out) the soup. I use an immersion or stick blender** to puree. Other options would be to use a potato masher, or to puree the soup in your blender. You must be very careful doing it this way because it is hot! See below for tips (just ‘cause God loves you…we don’t want to see you get hurt!). Once pureed, place pot back on very low heat, add back in the reserved veggies, the sour cream, half the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. heat on very low ‘til nice and hot, stirring occasionally.

Now to “load” your potato soup!  Ladle soup into each bowl.  Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, a sprinkle of the remaining parsley, and some of the crumbled bacon. Healthy but-oh-so-yummy!

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

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

♥   Coleen

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

Who Am I? I Am Yours!

January 12, 2014 by

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star, would choose to light the way
For my ever-wandering heart

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the Voice that calmed the sea would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am…but because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

I am Yours! Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear ’cause I am Yours, I am Yours

~  written by Mark Hall; performed by Casting Crowns  ~

~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~

“WHO AM I?” have we not asked ourselves this question time upon time upon time? We, of ourselves,…we are not much. But, for those who have accepted Jesus as Redeemer and Savior…and made Him to be Lord of their lives, we are MUCH in and through Him! God’s eternal plan of redemption was to rescue back for Himself those He had created for fellowship! He tells us ‘You are Mine!’

But now, this is what the Lord says—
He who created you, Jacob,
He who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.”
Isaiah 43:1

“You!”  Yes, you.  And me, too.  Go back for a moment, please…everywhere in that verse, where it reads “you” place your own name…say it out loud. “I have summoned you, Coleen, by name; you, Coleen, are Mine.”

Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth tells me, ‘You are Mine!” Not due to anything I might have accomplished, or any accolade I may have received. Not because of any credential I might have, or even any good and righteous act.  Just because I am who God says I am!

Not because of who I am…but because of what <He’s> done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who <He is>!

Tomorrow we begin this journey through Ruth Myers’ book, CHRIST|Life, Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Listen to how she encourages:

  • “In this book, we’ll see how He expands our self-image as we allow Him to. This will broaden our view of what is really possible for us. He superimposes a glorious, positive self-image over our false and negative views of ourselves. This helps to make triumphant living possible”  (page 7).
  • And, “The closer we walk with the Lord, the more vividly we’ll learn to recognize both the negatives and the positive about ourselves” (page 8).

We will come to recognize just who we are in Christ!  Oh, to trust and believe it—I am who God says I am.  I am His!

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study, Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

In Christ Alone

January 9, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my Light, my Strength, my Song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all—here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
‘Til on that Cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—this is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home—here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

 

~  In Christ Alone; words and music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend  ~

 *   *   *   *   *

The words of a song can be so stirring!  Particularly, I have found hymns to have this effect on me.  A choir director once told me that hymns are songs that “are soaked in doctrinal truth.”  One definition of hymns says that they are “… songs that help teach faith.”  What we sing through this type of song can profoundly affect how we think and feel.  And each of us have our own favorite hymns and choruses…they come to mean so much to our hearts!  This song, In Christ Alone, is considered a modern-day hymn. It contains such foundational truth.

For example, the very first three words of this song, “In Christ alone…” You could say them in other ways, too—‘only Jesus…’ ‘Jesus is everything to me…’ ‘You, Lord, JUST You…’

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
And He is the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything He might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18

In and through Jesus we have been given so very much! He truly is our ‘Light… (John 8:12), our Strength… (Psalms 28:7 and 8), our Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5 and 6)!’

I just love to sing these next lines of this song; they are so beautiful!

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Through Jesus, also, we have love (Romans 8:38 and 39), peace (Philippians 4:7), comfort (Psalm 46:10), and joy (John 15:11)! He IS our ‘all in all.’

And when all things shall be subdued unto him,
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28

In Jesus our hope, our trust, our constant assurance is in the right place—on the solid foundation of who we are in Christ.  In my own life I must need continual reminding  to not let my feelings get in the way or my circumstances be allowed to dictate my actions. But, as we (I!) stand firmly on the unchangeable truths of the gospel of Christ, our (my!)faith is being continuously built.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us….
Hebrews 6:19 and 20

How about you? Do the words of this beautiful hymn evoke a response in your heart when you hear them?  (I would so LOVE to ‘hear’ your answer in the comments below.)

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Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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SoupPalooza2014 – Turkey Veggie Soup

January 6, 2014 by

SoupPalooza time again! January is National Soup Month, and for my hubby, Robert, we have entered his ‘happy zone!’  The man will eat soup every single day! So, just like January 2013, I am indulging him and have committed to serving soup at one meal per day for the entire month.

2014-01-05 16.54.40

Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! Monday’s on the At Home w/ GCH blog, we will be promoting soup, soup, and soup for the next four weeks. Each week will focus on a different type of soup, i.e., veggie-based, creamy, chunky, meaty, etc. And don’t forget to utilize the search button on our website to check out soups from SoupPalooza 2013 along with soups that our Dana has shared with us, too!  With all of the ch-ch-chilly temperatures around the country recently, perhaps soup will feature more in your menu planning, too!

Turkey Veggie Soup

Ingredients
4 quarts homemade turkey stock (or your choice of boxed broth)2014-01-05 14.09.29
3-4 cups of cooked turkey meat, shredded
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic in oil (jarred)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium-large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 can (15 oz) stewed or crushed tomatoes
1/2 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (NOT seasoned!)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 ounces green beans (if using frozen, defrost)
2 cups cauliflower florets (ditto)
1 cup cubed zucchini
8 ounces carrots (I used frozen)
optional: cooked rice, quinoa, or tiny pasta

Directions

  • In a large soup (or stock) pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and then add onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes.
  • Add cubed butternut squash and saute for an additional 10 minutes, stirring only once or twice, ‘til just beginning to brown.
  • Add chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in stock, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree, mixing thoroughly.
  • Add vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans) and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 or so minutes ‘til veggies are getting tender.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove about half of the veggies to a bowl and set aside.
  • Turn heat very low, and puree the broth and remaining veggies ‘til smooth using an immersion stick blender (or very carefully! puree in a blender container).
  • Add back in the reserved veggies along with the cooked meat. Heat ‘til nice and hot.  Enjoy!

   ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥      ♥ 

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

♥  coleen

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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

Make My Life a Prayer To You

January 6, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 Make my life a prayer to You I want to do what You want me to
No empty words and no white lies, no token prayers, no compromise

I want to shine the light You gave through Your son You sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair, it comforts me to know You’re really there

Well I want to thank You now for being patient with me
Oh it’s so hard to see when my eyes are on me
I guess I’ll have to trust and just believe what You say
Oh you’re coming again…coming to take me away

I want to die and let You give Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave to me, the love that set me free

I want to tell the world out there You’re not some fable or fairy tale
That I’ve made up inside my head You’re God the Son and You’ve risen from the dead

~  written by Keith and Melody Green; performed by Keith Green ~

♥  _________________________________ ♥

This week, over on our Seeking Him Daily Devotional blog, the writers are sharing with us thoughts focusing on Jeremiah 29:13.

You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.

This verse always reminds me of seeking my God during my ‘quiet time.’

David wrote about his ‘quiet time’ in the following verse.  Does the Lord hear you expressing your heart to Him in the same way?  I believe that as we are intentional and seek Him that, yes, this is how God sees us.

In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord;
In the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You
And watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].
Psalms 5:3

Here  is a great example of God’s design for our prayer life:

Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life],
Being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2

Those are some very intentional words <earnest, unwearied, steadfast> used at the beginning of that verse, yes?  Other versions use similar words: devote, persevere, continue….  This reminds me so much of David’s heart—he was earnest, devoted, steadfast  in his pursuit of being in God’s presence.

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything,
but in every circumstance and in everything,
by prayer and petition (definite requests),
with thanksgiving,
continue to make your wants known to God.
And God’s peace [shall be yours, that peace]
which transcends all understanding
shall garrison and mount guard
over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6 and 7

Now, of course, that time you spend alone with Your Lord—your quiet, devotional time—is certainly not the only time to pray!  Actually, I think, being intentional—seeking Him first and foremost in our quiet, devotional time—prepares our hearts for the rest of our day to be filled with continual little prayers and petitions directed to our God.  Our life becomes a {continual} prayer.

How often do we go along through our day, accomplishing the normal even mundane tasks, fellowshipping and talking with our Heavenly Father?  Or driving (yet again) to school to pickup your children; isn’t that a great time to pray?  Or waiting for them at dance/soccer/baseball practice or music lessons/cub scout meeting/awana time/_______ (you fill in the blank); yet another small amount of time that can be eked out of our day to pray and seek Him.  Paul wrote a number of times in his letters to the Christian believers about the importance of praying.  He used terms such as, “pray at all times,” “keep alert and watch,” “pray with ceasing.”  Listen to this encouragement to make our lives a life of prayer:

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit,
with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty.
To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance,
interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
Ephesians 6:18

Pray without ceasing;  in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 and 18

So I think that we see by seeking God first and foremost, by being intentional in our quiet time in our  prayers and petitions, we will be better prepared to “pray at all times, and, keep alert and watch, and, pray without ceasing.”  We will have a ‘life’ of prayerfulness.  We will be continually seeking Him throughout each day thus carrying out His will (1 Thessalonians 5:18)!

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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

As Long as I’m Alive I’ll Glorify His holy Name

January 5, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Ain’t no rock gonna cry in my place…as long as I’m alive I’ll glorify His holy Name

Praise His holy Name!  As long as I’m alive I’ll glorify His holy Name

Ain’t no bird gonna flap it’s feathers…as long as I’m alive I’ll glorify His holy Name

Ain’t no tree gonna wave its branches…as long as I’m alive I’ll glorify His holy Name

Ain’t no rock gonna cry in my place…as long as I’m alive, I’ll glorify His holy Name

~  performed by Hillsong Kids; written by LaMarquis Jefferson~

Is this your declaration too?  Do you make sure that you are the one praising God and thanking Him for the grace and mercy He showers upon your life?

Jesus made it clear and simple. Luke chapter 19 contains this record of Jesus’ ascent and entry into Jerusalem. This occurs during the week prior to His betrayal, arrest, trial, torture, crucifixion, and ultimately, His death. During this time, His disciples were openly recognizing Him as King and praising God for the miracles which Jesus had done.

As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,
the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices
for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:36-40

As Jesus traveled along, making His way into Jerusalem, this continued…praising and shouting out…to the point that the Jewish leaders told Him to hush His disciples. But Jesus, knowing that no matter what, God was going to be praised, responded that even if His disciples were to be quiet, “…the stones will cry out!” God will be praised!

Throughout the Book of Psalms, the writers of the psalms spoke the same truth. They knew that praise was intrinsically built in to all nature.

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.
Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge.
There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard.
Yet their voice goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world.
Psalms 19:1-4

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights above.
Praise Him, all his angels, praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.
Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all you shining stars.
Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.
He set them in place for ever and ever; He gave a decree that will never pass away.”
Psalms 148:1-6

Job knew, too. He spoke these words.

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”
Job 12:7-10

He clearly let it be known that the animals, the birds, the fish along with the plants and trees know about their Creator…AND…declare it, too! So, we have no excuse! Let your praise be loud…and let it be long! Don’t hide it…don’t avoid the many, many, many opportunities that you have to teach and tell about all God has done! And, for God’s glory, don’t let the rocks and the birds, and the trees speak for you!  As long as you are alive…glorify His holy Name!

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I Am New (I Am NOT Who I Was)

January 3, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 

Now I won’t deny the worst you could say about me
But I’m not defined by mistakes that I’ve made because God says of me

I am not who I was, I’m being remade…I am new
I am chosen and holy and I’m dearly loved…I am new

Who I thought I was and who I thought I had to be
I had to give them both up ‘cause neither were willing to ever believe

I am not who I was, I’m being remade…I am new
I am chosen and holy and I’m dearly loved…I am new, I am new

Too long have I lived in the shadows of shame believing that there was no way I could change
But the One who is making everything new doesn’t see me the way that I do
He doesn’t see me the way that I do

I am not who I was, I’m being remade…I am new
I am chosen and holy and I’m dearly loved…I am new, I am new

I am not who I was, I’m being remade…I am new
Dead to the old man, I’m coming alive…I am new, I am new, I am new

Forgiven, beloved, hidden in Christ, made in the image of the Giver of Life
Righteous and holy, reborn and remade, accepted and worthy,
This is our new name…this is who we are now

~ Jason Gray, Joel Hanson ~

 

I dedicate this song to you, my sister…yes, y.o.u.! (You know who you are!)  You who doubt that you have value and worth to anyone.  You who worry that anyone will ever REALLY love you for you.  You who doubt that you can ever truly, finally change.  You.  ‘Cause here’s the truth—YOU ARE NEW! And all by God’s grace, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and just simply because you are loved!

[O] brethren beloved by God, we recognize and know that He has selected (chosen) you;
1 Thessalonians 1:4

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:2

You are NOT the girl who was shame-filled, doubt-filled, worry-filled, fear-filled. No, ma’am! You, YOU ARE NEW!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself….
2 Corinthians 5:17 and 18

So please don’t sit there splashing tears on your keyboard…get up…waltz around the room…lift your hands in surrender and in praise to the One Who chose you and says you are beloved.

Sing this song with me; will you? And let it settle deep down into that beautiful, changed heart of yours. And remember—this IS who YOU ARE! (Y’know how I know? God said so.)

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REjoice In The Lord

January 2, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

So, I’ll just say it now…rejoicing is all about being joyful in the midst of trying circumstances and troubles. It’s about bringing it back to joy. It’s about not losing our joy. It’s about joy—no matter what.  (Otherwise, it wouldn’t be called rejoicing!)

Joy is a beautiful, righteous, God-given thing! Little children sing, “I have the joy…joy…joy…joy down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart to stay!”  And that is the TRUTH!  Joy needs to remain down in our heart!  However, we live in a broken, confused, evil-influenced world.  And much determines to take our joy away.

In the Book of James, we read in chapter 1 verse 2:
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Other versions interpret the word ‘endurance’ as steadfastness, patience, or perseverance.  And this—the patience, the persevering, the remaining steadfast, the enduring—this is what we can do to  keep our joy when trials come along.

When times are hard and tough…when we seem to be continually struggling….when the light at the end of the tunnel seems SO far away—that is when we are to ‘consider it all joy!’ Please know (be assured!) that you are not the only one to say, “What?!? Not possible!”

If someone suggested it as a ‘positive confession’ or if I read it in a self-help book…then I would be able to totally disregard it.  Agreed?  BUT, this is not just a mantra to help me train my mind. Nor is it a positive little ditty to sing to myself.  N.O….this is TRUTH from the Bible.  And so—no matter what—I need to find a way no matter what to rejoice.

And did you notice that little word attached to joy in verse 2 (‘all’)? It  means great joy, full joy, pure joy, wholly joyful. Again, if I read this anywhere else, I would wholeheartedly refute the possibility!  However, I read it in God’s Holy Word, the Bible. So it must be possible! It must be available with the help of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to hold onto joy.

I do believe that one very important way to ‘consider it all (pure, full, great) joy’ is through the encouragement of singing!  Remember the Scripture which has inspired this blog?

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 3:16

Listen to this incredible song, would you? This song is part of the bedrock of my soul…it encourages me so greatly! I learned this song from a group of Mennonite teenagers over 18 years ago…. And I have never forgotten it!  It was written by a man, Ron Hamilton, who had struggled with cancer…in fact, he lost his eye to this disease…for a number of years. But he and his wife placed their trust in the faithfulness of God Almighty. And they considered these trials and struggles to be ‘all joy!’  I pray that the words of this song will truly teach and admonish your heart…encouraging you to always find your way back to joy—no matter what!  If I can pray with you, please contact me; I would consider it my  joy and privilege!

 

Oh, Rejoice in the Lord

God never moves without purpose or plan, When trying His servant and molding a man. Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long; In darkness He giveth a song. 

I could not see through the shadows ahead; So I looked at the Cross of my Savior instead. I bowed to the will of the Master that day; Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above; God strengthens His children and purges in love. My Father knows best, and I trust in His care; Through purging more fruit I will bear.

O Rejoice in the LORD, He makes no mistake, He knoweth the end of each path that I take, For when I am tried And purified, I shall come forth as gold.

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God’s Promises

January 1, 2014 by

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.
No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation.
Psalm 91

What a beautiful communication of Almighty God’s love for us! Full of promises telling us of just how God desires to care for us, and declarations of all He will do for us! If I have counted correctly, God makes thirty promises to us just in this one psalm.

God is faithful to each and every promise He has made…we stake all of our beliefs and our trust in Him on this absolute fact, true? But we must remember that sometimes He has attached a condition to be met (by you and me) to receive the fulfillment of a promise. Such as here, in verse 1…the writer of this psalm declares God to be El Shaddai which is interpreted as God Almighty or All-sufficient. If you and I ‘dwell in the shelter of the Most High’ then these promises are covering us. His shelter and His shadow provide refuge for those who dwell and abide.

This week in the Seeking Him daily devotional blog, our sisters are writing on Psalm 46. There, too, the psalmist confesses the Truth of just Who God Almighty is—our Refuge and our Strength.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way….
Verses 1 and 2

As we go forward from today, the first day of 2014, may we yearn to know God’s promises, do our part (where necessary), and be oh-so-very-thankful for all that we receive from our Faithful Father God!

Can I encourage you to try a little exercise?  Pick up your Bible, turn to the page where Psalm 91 is printed, and read ALOUD all the promises (30 of them remember!) included in just this one short psalm.  Every place there is a pronoun relating to us (he, him, you, your) replace it with your own name.  For example, speak your name where the   ♥   is.

Because {   ♥   } has loved Me, therefore I will deliver {   ♥   };
I will set {   ♥   } securely on high, because {   ♥   } has known My name. {   ♥   } will call upon Me, and I will answer {   ♥   };
I will be with {   ♥   } in trouble; I will rescue {   ♥   } and honor {   ♥   }.
With a long life I will satisfy {   ♥   } and let {   ♥   } see My salvation.

* * * * *

Almighty God, we praise You and thank You for Your awesome promises! How blessed we are by all Your promises! You have promised to provide for, and guide, and protect, and rescue, and deliver, and hear, and answer us. May we hold Your word(s) in our heart so that we do not sin against You. We surely need Your help to faithfully do so! We love You so very much, Lord! We pray and ask these things in Jesus’ name.    ♥  Amen.

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