April 25, 2024

You Are God Alone

May 20, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You are not a god created by human hands
You are not a god dependent on immortal man
You are not a god in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone
You are God alone

You’re unchangable
You’re unshakeable
You’re unstoppable
That’s what You are

You’re the only God whose power none can contend
You’re the only God whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God who is worthy of everything we can give
You are God and that’s just the way it is

Billy and Cindy Foote

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

I was drawn to the Book of Esther the other day and, as I was reading, I was struck again by the fact that there is not even one single word throughout all ten chapters of the Book of Esther which is attributed to God, or His dealings with Esther, the King, or Uncle Mordecai.  No directive, no command, no blessing…no actual interaction with the Almighty God that is recorded.  However, we clearly can see His hand of blessing, His hand of direction, His guidance and His provision—His providence.   I was reminded again…truly,  humbled again…to recognize God’s providential hand of blessing that is so evident throughout the Book of Esther.

Providence is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “foresight; timely care; particularly, active foresight, or foresight accompanied with the procurement of what is necessary for future use, or with suitable preparation. In theology, the care and superintendence which God exercises over His creatures.”

The Bible Dictionary says this about providence,  “When applied to God the idea takes on a vastly larger dimension because God not only looks ahead and attempts to make provision for His goals, but infallibly accomplishes what He sets out to do.  And because it is God’s governance that is in view, it encompasses everything in the universe, from the creation of the world to its consummation, inclusive of every aspect of human existence and destiny.  This divine, sovereign, and benevolent control of all things by God is the underlying premise of everything that is taught in the Scriptures.”

And the Scriptures contain oh-so-very-many examples of His divine providence…here are just a few.

  • Baby Moses, being hidden in a basket in the river; found by Pharoah’s daughter and adopted into Pharoah’s family.
  • Daniel a Jewish slave in Babylon becoming Nebuchadnezzar’s advisor.
  • Joseph, envied by his brothers, sold by them into slavery in Egypt and becoming second in power after Pharoah.
  • Jonah’s refusal to obey, his consequences and, through them, the Ninevites choosing to repent.

Throughout the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s desire to have His people (us!) recognize His perfect care and love as evidenced by His providence.

Earnestly remember the former things, which I did of old;
for I am God, and there is no one else;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose…
Isaiah 46:9 and 10

The world calls this coincidence…happenstance…serendipity…fate.  We call it the providence of God—His AWEsome watching over, His perfect care, His provision (both immediate and in the future).

When I applied my mind to know wisdom
and to see the business activity
and the painful effort that take place upon the earth
—how neither day nor night some men’s eyes sleep—
Then I saw all the work of God,
that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun
—because however much a man may toil in seeking,
yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that,
though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out.
Ecclesiastes 8:16 and 17

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in Your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
Psalms 139:16 and 17

Our great God has all of eternity in mind and planned for us.  His sovereign plan (which includes all the faithful who have come before us) will come to pass for one reason alone—He is God, and that’s just the way it is!

And all of these, though they won divine approval
by [means of] their faith,
did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised,
Because God had us in mind
and had something better and greater in view for us,
so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith]
should not come to perfection
apart from us [before we could join them].
Hebrews 11:39 and 40

…making known to us the mystery of His will,
according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him,
things in heaven and things on earth.
In Him we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined according to the purpose of Him
Who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
so that we who were the first to hope in Christ
might be to the praise of His glory.
In Him you also, when you heard the Word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit….
Ephesians 1:9-13

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

What other examples of God’s providence do you remember from the Scriptures?  How about His providential hand of blessing in your own life?

(Perhaps you might share your answer in the comments below.)

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

You Are God Alone

February 4, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You are not a god created by human hands
You are not a god dependent on immortal man
You are not a god in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone
You are God alone

You’re unchangable
You’re unshakeable
You’re unstoppable
That’s what You are

You’re the only God whose power none can contend
You’re the only God whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God who is worthy of everything we can give
You are God and that’s just the way it is

Billy and Cindy Foote

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

I am reading along through a devotional study of the Book of Esther over at She Reads Truth.  (I know some of you are, too…it’s been great, yes?)  And I am reminded again…truly, I am humbled again…to recognize God’s providential hand of blessing that is so evident throughout the Book of Esther.  There is not even one single word throughout all ten chapters of the Book of Esther which is attributed to God, or His dealings with Esther, the King, or Uncle Mordecai.  No directive, no command, no blessing…no actual interaction with the Almighty God that is recorded.  However, we clearly can see His hand of blessing, His hand of direction, His guidance and His provision—His providence.

PROVIDENCE is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “foresight; timely care; particularly, active foresight, or foresight accompanied with the procurement of what is necessary for future use, or with suitable preparation. In theology, the care and superintendence which God exercises over His creatures.”

The Bible Dictionary says this about providence,
“When applied to God the idea takes on a vastly larger dimension because God not only looks ahead and attempts to make provision for His goals, but infallibly accomplishes what He sets out to do.  And because it is God’s governance that is in view, it encompasses everything in the universe, from the creation of the world to its consummation, inclusive of every aspect of human existence and destiny.  This divine, sovereign, and benevolent control of all things by God is the underlying premise of everything that is taught in the Scriptures.”

And the Scriptures contain oh-so-very-many examples of His divine providence…here are a few.

  • Baby Moses, being hidden in a basket in the river; found by Pharoah’s daughter and adopted into Pharoah’s family.
  • Daniel a Jewish slave in Babylon becoming Nebuchadnezzar’s advisor.
  • Joseph, envied by his brothers, sold by them into slavery in Egypt and becoming second in power after Pharoah.
  • Jonah’s refusal to obey, his consequences and, through them, the Ninevites choosing to repent.

Throughout the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s desire to have His people (us!) recognize His perfect care for and love for us as evidenced by His providence.

Earnestly remember the former things, which I did of old;
for I am God, and there is no one else;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose…
Isaiah 46:9 and 10

The world calls this coincidence…happenstance…serendipity…fate.  We call it the providence of God—His AWEsome watching over, His perfect care, His provision (both immediate and in the future).

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the business activity and the painful effort that take place upon the earth—how neither day nor night some men’s eyes sleep—
Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun—because however much a man may toil in seeking, yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that, though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out.

Ecclesiastes 8:16 and 17

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in Your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

Psalms 139:16 and 17

Ultimately, our great God has all of eternity in mind and planned for us.  His sovereign plan (which includes all the faithful who have come before us) will come to pass for one reason alone—He is God, and that’s just the way it is!

And all of these, though they won divine approval
by [means of] their faith,
did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised,
Because God had us in mind
and had something better and greater in view for us,
so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith]
should not come to perfection
apart from us [before we could join them].

Hebrews 11:39 and 40

…making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit….

Ephesians 1:9-13

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

What other examples of God’s providence do you remember from the Scriptures?
How about His providential hand of blessing in your own life?
(Perhaps you might share your answer in the comments below.)

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

O Come, O Come Emmanuel – Francesca Battistelli

December 14, 2013 by

gchcarolsbloggraphic

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child
and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’–which means, ‘God with us.’”
Matthew 1:18-23

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, o
ur tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’
How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”
Psalms 137:1-4

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” has long been a favorite song of mine.  More of a somber tone than most carols sung this time of year, it expresses sadness and longing, while at the same time being hopeful. In this song you feel the disquiet and loneliness of Israel in captivity and the readiness to be rescued – “Come, Emmanuel, ransom the captives!  Free your people from tyranny! Save us from death! Cheer us up and give us hope!” The tone of the song – melancholy and reflective – invites me to identify with Israel: ‘Have I not, too, been a captive to sin? Haven’t I also felt lonely and separated from God? Am I not also subject to discouragement? Does death not also want to claim me? Don’t I also, desperately, need to be rescued from darkness?’

Ah, but the song is not finished!  REJOICE – we are told – REJOICE! “Emanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”  And He did.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
Isaiah 9:6-7

Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you:
He is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

God IS with us! Through the birth of that Child the plan of God to save and redeem us was put into motion. Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection we indeed have cause for rejoicing – we have been freed from captivity!  Death has no claim over us!  We have a hope for life everlasting!  So while the tone of the song is contemplative, the message is clear: “REJOICE!!” your salvation is here!

Merry Christmas!  May you feel the exhilarating joy of freedom in our Lord Jesus!

O come, O come, Emmanuel  and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel  shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny
from depths of Hell Thy people save and give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel  shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Esther – Chapter 8:1-2

October 21, 2013 by

As I read Esther chapter eight, one phrase continually comes into my thoughts: “There is none like You…You alone are God!”  And I praise and exalt Him for His sovereignty, His all-knowing and His ALWAYS knowing!  Would you praise Him along with me?

We have watched this incredible story of redemption, blessing,  provision, protection, and submission unfold day by day over the past seven weeks throughout our study of Esther: The Beauty of Courageous Submission.  At times, my heart has been so caught up in the moment-by-moment real life drama of Esther’s life.

There are no words throughout all ten chapters of the Book of Esther which are attributed to God, or His dealings with Esther, the King, or Uncle Mordecai.  No directive, no command, no blessing…no actual interaction with the Almighty God that is recorded.  However, we clearly can see His hand of blessing, His hand of direction, His guidance and His provision—His providence.

PROVIDENCE is defined as “foresight; timely care; particularly, active foresight, or foresight accompanied with the procurement of what is necessary for future use, or with suitable preparation.  In theology, the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures.”

The Bible Dictionary says,

“When applied to God the idea takes on a vastly larger dimension because God not only looks ahead and attempts to make provision for His goals, but infallibly accomplishes what He sets out to do. And because it is God’s governance that is in view, it encompasses everything in the universe, from the creation of the world to its consummation, inclusive of every aspect of human existence and destiny. This divine, sovereign, and benevolent control of all things by God is the underlying premise of everything that is taught in the Scriptures.”

And the Scriptures contain so many examples of His divine providence; here are just a few.

  • Baby Moses, being hidden in a basket in the river; found by Pharoah’s daughter and adopted into Pharoah’s family.
  • Daniel a Jewish slave in Babylon, and becoming Nebuchadnezzar’s advisor.
  • Joseph, envied by his brothers, sold by them into slavery in Egypt and becoming second in power after Pharoah.
  • Jonah’s refusal to obey, his consequences, and through them, the Ninevites choosing to repent.

Throughout the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s desire to have His people (you and me!) recognize His perfect care for and love for us as evidenced by His providence.

Earnestly remember the former things, which I did of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me,  Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose,
Isaiah 46:9 and 10

The world calls this coincidence…happenstance…serendipity…fate.  We call it the providence of God—His AWEsome watching over, His perfect care, His provision (both immediate and in the future).

Ecclesiastes 8:16 and 17

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the business activity and the painful effort that take place upon the earth—how neither day nor night some men’s eyes sleep — Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun—because however much a man may toil in seeking, yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that, though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out.

Psalms 139:16 and 17

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

Ultimately, our great God, has all of eternity in mind and planned for us.  His sovereign plan which includes all the faithful who have come before us will come to pass for one reason alone—He is God, and that’s just the way it is!

And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised, Because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we could join them].
Hebrews 11:39 and 40

…making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit….
Ephesians 1:9-13

What other examples of God’s providence can you remember from the Scriptures?  How about His providential hand of blessing in your own life?  (Perhaps you might share your answer in the comments below.)

* * * * *

Let’s Pray:

Almighty God, the Great I AM, throughout time You have always taken such AWEsome care of Your people providing in ways that are beyond our ability to fathom or understand.  We thank You, as we continue to read about Esther’s (and the Jewish peoples) life, for Your providence— Your perfect provision and guidance. You have ‘declared the end from the beginning’ and Your plans always come to pass.  Please help us, Father, when we cannot see even the next step to be comforted in trusting that You see far into the future…truly to eternity!  We love You and trust You!  And pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,