May 4, 2026

CHRISTLife – Two: Our Best Mirror

January 14, 2014 by

1545826_412714308860313_985682540_nI am not sure if you might be like me…at times it seems to be so difficult to keep thinking the TRUTH of what God says about myself.  Do you struggle with this too?  But, somehow by God’s grace, we muster up the fortitude and remind ourselves,

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

When I recognize I am thinking these negative thoughts (lies), I try to remind myself, “I do not believe that!  That lie <negative thought> must be obedient to Jesus Christ.  God’s Word says ______ .”  (And then I speak or read the TRUTH of God’s Word which pertains to that situation.)

We are in charge of what we think!  We control the thoughts that we allow to live in our hearts!  We determine to put the TRUTH into our hearts and minds!   That is exactly what this verse reminds us to do!

Have you ever thought, or said, any of the following to yourself?

“I look _____ <fill in the blank> …no one could ever love me like this.”
The TRUTH is: I am beautiful in His sight!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made and beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.
Psalms 139:14

“I am not important…I have no value to anyone.”
The TRUTH is: I have great worth to God!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.
Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted.
Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!
Luke 12:7

“I can never forgive ____ for what they’ve done! They don’t deserve it.”
The TRUTH is:  I have been forgiven of so much!  Forgiveness has nothing to do with what is ‘deserved;’ it is all about trust and obedience to God.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matthew 6:12, 14, 15

We all have thoughts that are lies; for some of us they are ocassional…for others of us we suffer under these thoughts.  Sometimes they are long-buried words that others have spoken to us in our past.  Sometimes they are strongholds that are in our hearts that we have not dealt with.  Sometimes they are deceptions that the enemy of our souls speaks to us.  It really isn’t too important where the lies/thoughts come from.  What we do when we think those lies/thoughts is vitally important!  We could dwell on those lies/thoughts, harboring them in our hearts and allowing them to fester and grow.  NOT a good idea!  Or instead we could recognize those lies/thoughts for what they are, and choose to refute the lie by replacing it with the Truth of God’s Word, and have peace and joy.  A REALLY good idea!

Finally, <sisters>, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—
practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8 and 9, paraphrase mine

This is one way to replace those lies/thoughts, “…think about these things.”  These are the things that God wants us to fix our minds on!  Just look at them: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, of any excellence or worthy of praise…and when we do…we will have God’s peace.  Isn’t that just what we SO desire? Yes?  Amen.

Are there lies in your heart that you believe about yourself?  Take a moment…write down two negatives thoughts, or lies, on a piece of paper.  Now, compare them to the Truth; shed light—the Light of God’s Word on them.  Find the Truth in the Scriptures about who He says you are.  And write the Truth out on this same piece of paper.

Perhaps you are not quite sure how to go about this…try this:  google ‘God says I am worthy’  Now, try putting a phrase that you want to know the Truth from God’s Word into the Google search engine.  And, if you need help, come back here and let’s work together on it, ok?  I would love to work through this with you!   ♥

  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

Lord, we really want to believe with our whole hearts that ‘I AM what God says I am!’ In some areas of our lives, we regret that we believe lies.  Please guide us to Your Truth, Lord; please help us to change the lie into Truth.  We recognize our great need for Your help, Your guidance, Your healing, and Your deliverance.  We know that with You…all things are possible!  Thank You for helping us, Lord!!!  We thank You for it and look forward to praising You for our deliverance!  In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

 

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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.

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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: , , , , , , , ,

Pray to the Father

January 13, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

You will call to Me and come and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:12

 Do you ever feel alone? Do you ever feel like you have more on your list than you can handle? Do you ever feel like there is no hope? Do you look for a miracle; perhaps you receive it or you do not receive it? Do you ask for something only not to get it? I think that everybody can answer yes to these questions—at some point in their lives.

Yet, many people rely on the outside world to find answers to these questions. However, the world itself cannot truly fulfill the answers to these questions/feelings. We must call on the highest power—the power of God—to answer these questions. He does not leave us. He will be there for us and help us when we feel like we have too much to handle. God brings us hope, love, and peace. He gives us the miracle we need (not what we may think we need).

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1

 Prayer is our way of talking to God. We should pray daily. Through prayer we can talk to God about our problems and request help for situations that we cannot control. If we hold true to our faith in God, He will bring relief to us. He will show us mercy and listen to us. As His children, God always has our best interest at heart. We may not like how God answers our prayers, but He answers them in ways that are always for our good.

Our Father loves us dearly. He answers our prayers in the ways that He knows we need. We may want something very much, and pray for it, but if God knows that it is bad for us, He will answer us in a way that protects us. He answers our prayers in the ways that are best for us. He knows what will harm us, and as any father would do, He protects us from what is not good for us.

*  ~  * ~  * ~ * ~ *  

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for looking out for us. Sometimes we do not know what is best for ourselves or our families. You do. Without You, we might make the wrong decisions and put ourselves in harm’s way. Continue to protect us and look out for us. In Jesus name, amen.

 

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

Redeemed

January 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

  ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me
“Son, stop fighting a fight that’s already been won”

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain
Now I’m not who I used to be
I am redeemed… I’m redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper “Child, lift up your head”
I remember, oh God, You’re not done with me yet

I don’t have to be the old man inside of me ’cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I’ve got a new name, a new life I’m not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

‘Cause I am redeemed
Thank God redeemed

~ Performed by Big Daddy Weave ~
~ Songwriters: Benji Cowart and Michael David Weaver ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The first time I heard this song was when they were in concert.  Mike Weaver’s testimony of what he had just been through—not suceeding in his weight loss journey and the death of a family member—really touched my heart. But as time went along, and I would hear the song at other times, the words would begin to minister to me. Telling me that no matter what, by the Blood of Jesus I have been redeemed and made whole. I do not have to stay in the pit of self-pity, self-loathing, and whatever other negative emotions the evil one chooses to send my way.
It is our job to keep those destructive thoughts and feelings out of our hearts and minds. The ‘old man’ or old ways should be dead and we will need to be able to rebuke those thoughts as they enter. We are to take those thoughts captive and throw them back at the one who does not want us to feel the perfect love of God! We are to stand firm, stomp our feet, and tell him to flee! For we have been ransomed and wash clean. How I love that thought! How I have needed to write this as well. I have to let the old sinful nature die and not want to bring it back, ever!
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Thank You, Father, that we have indeed been redeemed. Thank You for those who have the gift of songwriting as You gave so freely to David. Let our hearts continue to sing praises to You as we offer our human voices to sing along with Your choir in heaven.  Thank You!  In Jesus’ name, amen.
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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: , , , , , , , , ,

Chinese Chicken Salad

January 10, 2014 by

Chinese Chicken Salad Resize

As Coleen pointed out in her post on Monday, this is National Soup Month!  She will be sharing some of her favorite soups with us.  And what makes a better meal than soup and salad?   One of my favorite salads is Chinese Chicken Salad!

This is perfect for winter, because all of the ingredients are in season now.  Instead of canned mandarin oranges, you can probably find fresh ones now – I’ve got Clementines and Satsumas left and right at my grocery store.  Red cabbage and carrots are always around, as are green onions.  For the base, I used Napa cabbage, but if you don’t have that, you can use any kind of lettuce you like, or really finely chopped green cabbage.  I cooked some extra chicken breasts last night so I could chop them up cold and throw them over the salad, but you can use whatever chicken you like – roasted, store-bought rotisserie, or even breaded chicken nuggets!

This recipe serves two as part of a lunch or dinner menu.  Try this salad with any soup you like, or paired up with a sandwich, wrap, or pasta dish.  Filling, nutritious and delicious – and it won’t break any of your New Year’s resolutions!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head Napa cabbage, or romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 head small red cabbage
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 or 3 green onions
  • 2 mandarin oranges
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, or 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Chop the Napa cabbage into inch-wide strips.  Finely slice the red cabbage.  Place both in a salad spinner and rinse under cold water, then spin dry.
  2. Cut the carrots into matchsticks.  Finely slice the green onions.  Peel the oranges and remove as much of the white pith as possible.  Separate into segments.  Dice or thinly slice the chicken breasts.
  3. To assemble:  In two very large bowls, mix together the cabbages, carrots, and onions.  Arrange the oranges and chicken breasts on top.  Drizzle each salad with one tablespoon each of sesame oil and rice vinegar, and sprinkle the sesame seeds, salt, and pepper on top.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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

With All Our Heart

January 10, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12 and 13

I feel like I am always looking for something.  I lose something, my kids lose something, my husband needs something, or I need to find a report at work; whatever it may be, I feel like I’m always looking.

There are a few ways we can search for things in our lives:

  1. Casually looking—we wonder where something might be but we will be okay if we find it or if we don’t find it.
  2. Assign the task to someone else, maybe our husband or our kids.
  3. We look passionately, and almost frantically, for something like our keys (that we can’t find right before a doctor’s appointment or before a big meeting).

The interesting thing is this is also how we seek God at different times in our lives.

  1. Casually looking—we wonder where something might be but, we will be okay if we find it or if we don’t find it. When things are good, when we are busy, when the phone is ringing, our kids are calling from the other room, your husband needs something, the tv show is calling…. I know how hard it is to have a busy life; some things have to go by the wayside and fall into this casual category. I was guilty of this, and I was gently reminded that there are things that we can casually search for, but Christ is not one of them.
  2. Assign the task to someone else, maybe our husband or our kids. I think it is a great thing to listen to inspiring things on the radio, or watch tv shows that touch our heart mind and soul, but we need more than this. We need to take the time to read His Word and apply it to our daily lives. In addition to someone bringing the Word to us, we need to bring ourselves to the Word.
  3. We look passionately, and almost frantically, for something like our keys that we can’t find (right before a doctor’s appointment or before a big meeting). This way of looking might be used when things are bad, or when we’re facing a crisis; it might be used as a New Year’s resolution; and prayerfully we use this way of looking into our everyday walk of life. We need to look (according to Jeremiah 29: 12-13) with all our heart.

He commands us to seek Him and search for Him with all of our heart. I know that the way I seek Him needed some serious reevaluating; I needed to change how I searched for Him. It was too casual, it was based on convenience and free time, instead of daily and with intention. This week I am going to intentionally focus on this phrase “with all my heart;” will you join me? Write it…read it…live it.

*   *   *   *   * 

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentleness, even when we are seeking You casually You continue to surround us with Your love. Lord I pray that we intentionally strive to seek You daily with all our heart; I know that we will see a change in our lives and I know we will draw closer to You.  In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

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

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

You Are

January 10, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

  ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

When I can’t find the words to say how much it hurts
You are the healing in my heart
When all that I can see are broken memories
You are the light that’s in the dark

You are the song, You are the song I’m singing
You are the air, You are the air I breathe in
You are the hope, You are the hope I’m needin’…You are

And when my circumstance leaves me with empty hands
You’re the Provider of my needs
When all my dirtiness has left me helpless
You are the rain that washes me

If I had no voice, if I had no tongue—I would dance for You like the rising sun
And when that day comes and I see Your face
I will shout Your endless, glorious praise

 

~  written and performed by Colton Dixon  ~

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

He is my Healer, my Hope…the rain that washes me. He is the song that I am singing. What about you, dear sister? Is HE your everything? Even in the rain, is He your hope?

I love this song. Because even when I am hurting, and my circumstances are difficult, and the dirtiness of my past has left me helpess…He IS and WAS my Hope, My Healer from the pain.

Even in the most difficult of circumstances He is the song I am singing. God showed me this verse in one of the most difficult of circumstances in my life.

And be not grieved and depressed,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.
Nehemiah 8:10 AMP

You see, my son was going through a sleep disorder at the time that caused him to have seizures while he was sleeping. We walked through this for about 7 months before he was completely healed from it. That was one of the most difficult walks I have had thus far with God. But joy was possible because it was found in Him. I watched God use that situation with my son for Good over and over again. If I was focused on my circumstances, I would slowly feel my joy being drained from me as well as my strength. But when I focused on God—my joy in Him began to return and the peace that surpasses all understanding began to wash over me! And He would remind me that I was ok. It was then that I would regain my strength.

I got to thinking about this verse, “…the joy of the Lord is my strength and stronghold…” How do I find joy in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances? The answer is found IN THE LORD! Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is a feeling and is dependent on circumstances.  Joy is only found in the Lord and is NOT dependent on my circumstances. So even in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances, I hang onto my joy because if I let my joy be stolen… there goes my strength. And in Romans 8:28 God reminds us that He causes “all things to work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.”  So be encouraged, dear sister, that even in the hardest of situations joy and peace in the Lord is possible…but it is ONLY found in HIM!!!

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Heavenly Father, I pray this day for each and every one of my sisters  that may be struggling to find the joy in You in their difficult circumstances. I pray that they would get their eyes focused back on You and that they would be encouraged that You will use it for their good and for Your glory; in Jesus’ name. Amen!!

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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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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  ~

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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!

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