March 17, 2026

Blessed Are the Followers

May 1, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10

Our world is in chaos. Our world is slowly self-destructing. This has all been predicted by God. We have a Shoulder to lie our heads on when the world pulls on us to the point where we ourselves are about to self-destruct. We already know Who wins. That is glorious news to come!

However, until that day comes, we must wait here on earth for Jesus to return for us. Until then, we are supposed to spread the good news of His birth, life, death, and resurrection. However, as we proceed to do this, we will always meet those who scoff at the story of Jesus and do not believe in the miracle that He performed on the Cross.

  • Prayer is no longer in our schools.
  • Students and teachers must be careful of what they say and do in school.
  • The National Day of Prayer is under attack.
  • Our missionaries are being imprisoned in foreign countries where Christ is not welcome.
  • The freedom of worship is being attacked and prohibited in our military.

BUT

  • God is with those who are with Him.
  • He leaves those who forsake Him and do not follow His laws.

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1 John 3:13

We should not be amazed that the world hates Christians nor should we dwell on this fact either. As Christians, we should forge ahead carrying our shields of faith into battle. The world does not like what it does not understand. For those who have no real exposure to Christ, they do not understand who He is or what He has done. Therefore, they choose to hate instead of getting to know the Truth. It is our mission as Christians to live as Christ did and show those who do not understand the truth behind God’s love.

The world will try everything it can do to bring us down. It will hurl insults and injure those who do not conform to its will. Yet, the ones who live by God’s grace and follow His will live a blessed and eternal life with God when time ends. They will also inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and receive their reward for enduring the wrath of the world. They will worship God throughout eternity in the heavenly place that is being prepared for them.

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Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that You will stand with us as we walk through this life and spread Your wonderful message. We know that there are those out there who do not understand the story, and they are the ones who try to bring us down. We pray that You show them the Truth and help them to understand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Lose My Soul

May 1, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Father God, I am clay in Your hands
Help me to stay that way through all life’s demands
‘Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me
And every little thing I make up my mind to be
Like I’m gonna be a daddy whose in the mix
And I’m gonna be a husband who stays legit
And I pray that I’m an artist who rises above
The road that is wide and filled with self-love
Everything that I see draws me
Though it’s only in You that I can truly see
That it’s a feast for the eyes—a low blow to purpose
And I’m a little kid at a three-ring-circus

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say

The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it’s you
But they don’t know that who you are is not what you do
True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts
Yo before we part from the start
Where’s your heart
Tell me what’s your title
America has no more stars, now we call them idols
You sit idle, while we teach prosperity
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me
We’re free…
Not because of 22’s on the range
But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed
Not the same, even though I made a fall
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I’m Paul
(YEP!)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say
Don’t wanna walk away
Don’t wanna walk away

How do I sense the tide that’s rising
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity
How do I sense the tide that’s rising
It’s hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity
How do I sense the tide that’s rising
De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity

(Lord, what we gonna do, we’re relying on You
All eyes are on You, Lord; all eyes are on You
All eyes are on You, Jesus)

I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
Don’t wanna walk away, let me hear the people say
(Don’t let me lose my soul, my soul)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
(This is my honesty, Father, won’t You cover me)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
(Don’t wanna walk away, and all those people say)
I don’t want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul
(Don’t wanna lose, I don’t wanna lose my soul)

Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world
That fight for our love, and our passion
As our eyes are open wide and on You
Grant us the privilege of Your worldview
And may Your kingdom be, what wakes us up, and lays us down

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

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In today’s world it is so easy to feel the pull from the world…. Where is your heart? Do you have one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world? Or are you ALL IN no matter what the cost? Serving God and His ways in today’s world is by no means an easy task. However I believe God asks to do the tough things because He knows that apart from Him we can do nothing.

I am the Vine; you are the branches.
Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit.
However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
John 15:5

To serve Him we must cling to the Vine at all times to bear good fruit. When we choose to be obedient there is so much blessing and You get to see Him working in powerful ways in Your life. I say the word “choose” because obedience to God is not about a feeling it’s about a choice.  When I was saved 20 years I chose God and drew the line in the sand to serve Him no matter what.  Not obeying is NOT an option for me.

Where do You need to draw your line today??

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Father God, I thank You that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us and that apart from You we can do nothing. I want to be, and for my sisters to be, completely sold out and dependant on you! Thank You for the blessings that come from obedience. In Jesus’ name !! AMEN!!!

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Kingdom of God

April 30, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10

This simple petition carries a lot of meaning.  We have already seen in our meditations on the Beatitudes that Jesus often spoke of “the Kingdom of Heaven,” or “the Kingdom of God.”  For him, as for many Jews at that time, it was a future expectation, something to look forward to, a day when the reign of God would be complete, absolute, and apparent to every sentient creature on Earth.  It was a time when oppressed Jews would no longer be downtrodden, but be free to worship God whenever and wherever they pleased.  Their oppressors would be vanquished, and there would be a restoration of some form of theocratic government.  From this perspective, it makes sense that this petition would be coupled with the previous, “May [or “let”] Your name be held sacred.”

However, on the lips of Jesus, this petition means a lot more than just a change of governments. When Jesus teaches us to eagerly anticipate the coming of God’s Kingdom, He appears to mean this on varying levels which we deduce from His teaching elsewhere.

For Jesus, the Kingdom was something that will come at a future time (e.g., Matthew 5:19-20; Luke 21:31; 22:16) but also something that was a present reality.  He proclaimed that the Kingdom has “come near” (e.g., Matthew 3:2 and 4:17) and indeed was the present possession of some (e.g., Matthew 5:3 and 10).  Jesus taught what the Kingdom of Heaven is like—present tense (e.g., Matthew 13:24-53), and who may or may not enter it—again, present tense (e.g., Matthew 19:14, 23; 23:13).

From all that Jesus tells us, I think it’s fair to say that God’s Kingdom is not some kind of hoped for military take-over, as with previous revolts and theocratic kingdoms. Rather, God’s Kingdom arrived with the coming of the Messiah, and the proclamation of the Gospel. Those who are Christians—for whom Christ is Lord and Savior—are citizens in the Kingdom of God, while being residents in this world (1 Peter 1:1 describes us as “resident aliens”–a perfect description of Christians at present). But this is just a deposit—a promissory note anticipating the full payment of the Kingdom in the end times.

At some time in the future, God will call all men to final judgment and the events predicted in the Book of Revelation will come to pass, with Satan and his minions, along with hell, being cast into the lake of fire.  Then God’s dominion will be established totally, with all people under His loving and gracious authority.

You might ask: if God is sovereign, doesn’t He already have absolute power and authority…so what are we asking for here?  I would respond by saying, yes, God is sovereign, and He has absolute power and authority.  He can do as He pleases whenever it pleases Him.  Which means that the state of affairs as they are right now, with the name of God slandered throughout society, and Christians being demeaned and, to varying degrees, persecuted, is part of His plan and is in accord with His timing.  When we pray this prayer, we are not asking for God to establish something that is not currently His, or to gain authority by conquest.  Rather, we are asking the Lord to hasten the day when He executes the final stage of His plan of redemption, when all His elect are called to Him, the present godless age is brought to an end, and He establishes His rule throughout the universe, with Satan, sin, and all that oppose Him set aside permanently.

This means that when we pray for the salvation of our non-Christian friends and family members, we are asking God to extend His kingdom on Earth in this present age.  But we also pray that God will, indeed, shorten the time we have to endure this godless age, and bring about what we so long and hope for.

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Father, we thank You for who You are in us and us in You!  And for Your unconditional love for us in Jesus’ name, we say ‘thank You!’ Amen!

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Never Once

April 30, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battleground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
It’s true, You are faithful, God You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

We know, You are faithful, God, You are faithful

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Songwriters: Jonas Myrin, Jason Ingram, Matt Redman
Performed by Matt Redman

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Do you realize that you have never been alone? Yes, that is right. Oh, I know that you may feel that way sometimes, or maybe a lot. But how awesome is it that your God has never left you! We may feel so far away, and it is usually because we have moved away in some way or another. Maybe there is a sin in your life that has become so big that it is controlling you. It started out fun but now it has turned on you. Sin is only fun  for a short period of time. The awesome thing is—all you have to do is repent. Tell God what you have done and ask His forgiveness. He already knows, He just wants to hear you are sorry. You can start over!

Maybe you are on the other side of a huge struggle, maybe you are dealing with financial issues, job loss, economy issues. Maybe it hasn’t been a pretty journey and yes there are “scars and struggles” along the way, but you can look back now and see where God’s hand has been—maybe the miracles He has performed, or just the peace He gave you while you were in the valley. Never once did you ever walk alone, never once did He leave you on your own. He is and always will be faithful to you and I. What joy does that bring to you today?

Maybe you are in the middle of a storm and you are wondering where God is at the moment. Walls are crumbling around you and you feel you just can’t do this anymore. There is hope! He is right there with you and He is strongest in our weakness. Just cry out His name, tell Him what you need.  Yes, He already knows but He wants to know that you know what you need and want, and He will carry you through this. When I hear these words, I think back to a time not too long ago when we had pennies to our name and no job offer in sight, and butter and crackers were a meal. I didn’t think I could do it one more day…But God! He was my Strength and my Comfort, He was my Rock and my only Hope. I prayed and thanked Him for what He would do for us—that job I knew He had picked out but we had not gotten yet. I thanked Him for His timing and how perfect it was. And then, one day, we were walking uphill and we saw the light at the end of the tunnel! He made good on His promise that He would never leave us in one place too long and He would never leave us or forsake us.

This past Sunday, my precious 21 year old daughter sang this song. I stood there in complete awe of my God. Now that we are on the mountaintop, I can see that every victory was Him, every answer was Him, and looking back on how far we have come, I can honestly say,”Never once did we ever walk alone” and watching my sweet husband with hands up in worship was my miracle that I prayed for so earnestly. He still performs miracles!

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Let us pray: Oh God, how thankful we are that You have never once left us. From the day we are born and all throughout our lives, You desire a relationship with us. And though trials and struggles come and this world is getting harder, You remain the same. Yesterday, today, and forever, You are God, and You are on the throne! Thank You for the scars for they are reminders of when we fell and You picked us up. Some of us are still waiting on that miracle, or some are in the valley today…may this be hope to them that never once did You leave us on our own and You never will. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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

Rejection and Persecution

April 29, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution.
The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
Matthew 5:10

  • Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60)
  • The Apostles were put in jail for teaching in Jesus’ name (Acts 5:17-33)
  • John the Baptist was beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12)
  • Jesus was crucified

As Americans we are blessed and privileged to have the luxury of not being likely to suffer extreme persecution.  Our modern-day persecution largely consists of Christians being labeled as intolerant.

Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 3:12

Christian’s are destined for persecution.  Our Lord’s teachings go against everything the systems of this world idolizes.  God’s children were not made to be accepted by the world.  No!  We were called to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  Different.  Godly.

I think one of the toughest tests of faith is persecution, right alongside hardship and loss.  Even Peter failed to stand for Jesus and he walked to Him on water! Standing up and openly claiming Jesus as your Lord can be scary.  Nowadays, the worst that we face is denial from people (people we were never suppose to be accepted by), thank God for America.

Rejection isn’t an easy thing to face.  Jesus himself was rejected, though, but of course that doesn’t make it any easier.  Here’s how I’ve decided to look at rejection.  When faced with the choice to stand for Christ or not—to face possible rejection or not—if we choose to deny Christ to be accepted by people, we are rejecting Christ.  Is rejecting Christ worth not being rejected ourselves?

I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth,
the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.
But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.
Luke 12:8-9

Will you stand for Christ in front of man?

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Lord, I’m thankful that I don’t have to worry about being beheaded!  Give me the strength to stand for You, regardless of whether it’s easy or not.  Right is right and Your truth is truth.  One easy, but wrong, choice can set us on a road we never intended to take.  Help us to make the right tough choices now so we won’t have to pay the consequences later.  I pray that I do not shy away from proclaiming Your name to the world!  Amen.

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Hurricane

April 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You’re spinning out of control again
Your life feels like a sinking ship
You’re wondering how it came to this

Is it too late?
Is it too far?
For Him to reach you
And come to where you are
Step out on the edge
Don’t be afraid of it
And when you feel the rain
Call His name
He’ll find you in the hurricane

You’re in the wreckage underneath
Your hope is buried somewhere deep
You’re wondering how long it will keep

It’s never too late
Never too far
For you to reach out
And take a hold of love
Step out on the edge
Don’t be afraid of it
And when you feel the rain
Call His name
He’ll find you in the hurricane

Don’t back down from the fight
He’ll shelter you tonight
Just hold on for the change
Call His name
He’ll find you in the hurricane

There’s a place, there’s a place you can run
When you fall, and it’s all come undone
You’ll be safe in the raging storm
So just let go
‘Cause you are held in His arms
Step out on the edge
Don’t be afraid of it
And when you feel the rain
Call His name
He’ll find you in the hurricane

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Songwriters: Cindy Morgan, Matt Bronleewe, Natalie Grant
Performed by Natalie Grant

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Have you ever felt as though you had so much going on that things were literally swirling around you and you weren’t sure where to begin?  I know I have…it reminds me of the eye of a storm.  It is a calm place while things are swirling around you.  Do you have Hope in the eye of your storm??  Jesus is the calm in the midst of our storm.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14

So we should be in active pursuit of peace.  Not that we attain it once…and then we can rest; but this is a continuous process.

Why must we pursue something that is already given to us (John 14:27)?  We already have peace available to us. Jesus IS our Peace; it is found in Him.  We just have to utilize it by keeping our eyes focused on Him instead of the storm swirling around us. I love this excerpt from the book In the Eye of the Storm :

“What internal code kept His calm from erupting into chaos ? He knew the value of people… Interestingly the stress seen that day is not on Jesus’s face, but on the faces of the disciples… ‘Send the crowds away,’  they demand.  Fair request.  ‘After all,’ they are saying.  ‘You’ve taught them.  You’ve healed them.  You’ve accommodated them. And now they’re getting h ungry. If we don’t send them away.  They’ll want you to feed them, too.’  I wish I could have seen the expression on the disciples’ faces when they heard the Master’s response: ‘They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat…’

When we get outside of ourselves and the storms of our life, and begin to focus on Jesus, then peace will come.  Our storms will be used to minister to others and He will show us what to do in the midst of them.

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Heavenly Father, I thank You for the peace that has already been given to us when we choose to put our eyes and our focus on You.  Thank You that You are our peace in the eye of the storm and that You will never leave us or forsake us.  Thank You for showing us what to do in the midst of them.  In Jesus’ name. Amen!!!

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

Something Beautiful

April 28, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I see you sitting over there with your head in your hands
And the mess life’s made of your best laid plans
You really want to shake your fist
But you don’t know who to blame
Well you can blame yourself or The Man upstairs
Or the guy on the screen who says he cares
But all the shame and the blame won’t change a thing
What’s done is done
But grace has just begun

And God’s says
I’m gonna turn it into something different
I’m gonna turn it into something good
I’m gonna take all the broken pieces
And make something beautiful like only I could
So put it all in the hands of the Father
Give it up, give it all over to
The only one who can turn it into
Something beautiful
Something really beautiful

We know the world got broke when it took the fall
And here we are living in the middle of it all
Longing, waiting for the day when everything’s restored
But the best of the beauty that we get to SEE
While we’re living down here in this “yet to be”
Is to watch God take the most broken things
And to hear Him say,
“When I get through, you’re gonna be amazed”

‘Cause I’m gonna turn it into something different
I’m gonna turn it into something good
I’m gonna take all the broken pieces
And make something beautiful like only I could
So put it all in the hands of the Father
Give it up, give it all over to
The only one who can turn it into

Something beautiful
Something beautiful
Something beautiful
Put all the pieces in His hands
And watch Him turn it into something beautiful

God’s gonna turn it into something different
He’s gonna turn it into something good
He’s gonna take all the broken pieces
And make something beautiful like only He could
So put it all in the hands of the Father
Give it up, give it all over to
The only one who can turn it into
Something beautiful
Something really beautiful
Something beautiful
Something really beautiful

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~  Singer/Songwriter: Steven Curtis Chapman  ~

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When life becomes hard, we  call out to God and trust in Him…or we turn our back on God.  Steven Curtis Chapman lost his daughter to an accident several years ago.  In working through his pain, God was able to give him this song. Steven was able to use this in his pain and grief,  and give that away to others who are hurting.

Something Beautiful reminds us that hard times come into our lives.  The way we walk through the trial determines how we come out on the other side of it.  If we walk through it with our eyes on God, then it will not be so hard.  That does not mean we will not walk through the emotions…we will.  That is all part of the process.  You see, we believers have a Hope.  We have a Hope to see our loved ones when we get to heaven.

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I pray this song blesses you as you listen to it.  I pray that you are able to heal in ways you never would have imagined.  I pray that you will seek Him for your healing.  God does not want you to stay in one place.  He wants you to go out and share your story.  And never being ashamed of your past.  Let your past go and share your story with others.  You never know what sharing your story will do for others.

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Glazed Baby Beets and Carrots

April 28, 2014 by

Wait ‘til you see what I found at the grocery store!

2014-04-27 17.32.46

So with my list in hand, I started wandering through the produce department… sweet potatoes; check.  Cantaloupe; check.  Red grapes; check.  Broccoli crowns; check! And then I noticed this mound of small brownish-purplish balls filling the case beneath the broccoli…what?  They were baby beets!  Not on my list…but who cares? AND (thank You, Lord!) they were only 99cents per pound! So, 3 pounds came home with me!

I knew that I wanted to feature them in our At Home w/ GCH blog today, but I had to come up with a different way to prepare them. It couldn’t be my favorite way to serve (ok, eat!) beets—roasted over baby greens with goat cheese! We’ve already done that here … so I perused the Internet and found a number of recipes for glazed beets. Here’s my version; enjoy!

Glazed Baby Beets and Carrots

2014-04-27 19.58.42

Ingredients:
1 pound baby beets, peeled
1/2 pound small frozen carrots (we use these from Trader Joe’s)tjsparisiennecarrots
2 cups juice or chicken broth (I used mango 100% juice)
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (I used honey balsamic)
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  • Steam beets and carrots ‘til almost done (when a thin-bladed knife goes through with just a bit of resistance).
  • Set aside the (almost cooked) veggies, and dump the water out of the pan.
  • Into the same pan, add the liquid of your choice and bring to a boil.
  • Pour the veggies back into the pan along with the honey. Stir ‘til combined and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat so that the liquid is gently simmering.
  • Continue to cook veggies for 5 minutes or so, spooning the liquid over them occasionally so that they get good and coated.
  • Stir in the balsamic vinegar and simmer for another five minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat, and pour into a serving bowl scraping in all of the liquid, too.
  • Season well with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • Makes approximately 4 servings.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

 

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Paving the Path

April 28, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!   Matthew 5:10 AMP

Today, many of us living in the United States feel we have never been truly persecuted for our beliefs…for doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  Oh, we may have been called into question for our actions or harshly criticized for our beliefs but persecuted?  Probably not.  Yet persecution has many forms and comes in varying degrees – from insults, harassment, and ostracism to imprisonment, torture, and even death. As representatives of Christ, the fact that we are a Christian will bother some people Our desire to live for Christ, our non-conformity to this world will bring persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 assures us of this. “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

As Greg Laurie states: “If you live a godly life, you will be persecuted. It is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when and how much.”

Why the persecution?

If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. John 15:19

The world cannot [be expected to] hate you, but it does hate Me because I denounce it for its wicked works and reveal that its doings are evil.                     John 7:7

For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.                                                                                               John 3:20

Persecution is a result of righteous living. Most of us have never experienced the harshest extremes of persecution.  Many of us never will.  But we will experience persecution in some form.  How we react to persecution, in any form, is what matters.  What happens when we are taken out of our comfort zone?  Are we steadfast, consistent, unwavering in the face of challenges?  Or do we run from confrontation and actively try to avoid persecution?  There comes a point in our lives where we must decide if we will stand for our Lord, no matter the cost.  It takes courage to stand for our faith.  The stand we take paves the way for others to follow.

He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.   Proverbs 10:17

Which path are we paving?

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Lord, help us to stand our ground and defend our faith no matter what the challenge.  With Your strength we can remain steadfast and unwavering in any situation. You were willing to die on the Cross for me.  Let me be willing to stand firm in doing what is right in Your eyes.  In Jesus’ name, amen…so be it.

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

Grace Flows Down

April 27, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
Amazing love
Now flowing down
From hands and feet
That were nailed to the tree
As grace flows down and covers me

It covers me, it covers me
It covers me, and it covers me

It covers me….

Grace flows down it covers me
All of my sin, all of my sin, it covers all of my sin
It covers my heart, it covers my heart
Thank You, Jesus…Thank You, Jesus…sweet Jesus

Songwriters: Louie Giglio, David Bell, Rod Padgett
Sung by Christie Nockels

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Y’know, I think that grace and love must be intertwined in the heart of God…what do you think? It seems that, whenever we see the grace of our Father being poured out, His love is so evident also.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

God had a plan…He made a way…for the redemption of all mankind. Nothing but the grace (and, oh yes, the mercy!) of God manifested through the sacrifice of Jesus could have ever been enough to give us eternal, everlasting life. Throughout the ages, God’s love and grace kept His plan from being destroyed.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done
but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus
before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed
through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death
and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9-10

The apostle Paul was a man who always purposed to magnify and speak well of the grace and mercy which he had received. Paul was humbly and completely aware that ‘grace flowed down and covered’ him!

…and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost,
Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example
to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:14-16

In all of Paul’s encouragement and admonition through each of the Epistles, he wrote over and over again to the first century believers of the greatness of God’s grace. Paul seemed always to endeavor to help the people (and us, too!) to remain aware and thankful for God’s love and grace!

According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In whom we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;
Ephesians 1:4-7

But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy
the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,
Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses,
He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life
with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).
And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together
[giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere
[by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come
the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace
(His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith.
And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing,
it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
Ephesians 2:4-8 AMP

Take a moment, would you, and just read that out loud to yourself…or go here and listen to it in a few different versions.

You and I have been so overwhelmingly covered by God’s free grace! Each of us, I am sure, has story after story to relate of the love and grace that God has shown to us. Would you share with us one time when God’s grace (and love) flowed down upon you? You can tell us either below in the comments, or come over into our Fellowship Group and share your praise for His grace there! We will all be so encouraged!

May I finish here today, speaking a blessing (written in the book of 2nd John)  over each of you!

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father
and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
verse 3

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