December 25, 2024

Let My Love Be The Proof

January 8, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

If I sing but don’t have love, I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with the silver tongue and convince a crowd but don’t have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say
   So let my life be the proof of Your love
   So let my love look like You and what Your made of
   How You lived, how You died…Love is sacrifice
   So let my life be the proof—the proof of Your love
If I give to a needy soul but don’t have love then who is poor
It seems all the poverty is found in
When it’s all said and done, when we sing our final song
Only love remains…only love remains

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I can speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy
But don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rust gate
If I speak God’s word with power, revealing all of His mysteries
And making everything as plain as day
And if I have faith to say to a mountain jump and it jumps
But I don’t love, I’m nothing
If I give all I earn to the poor
Or even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr
But I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere
So, no matter what I say, no matter what I believe, no matter what I do
I’m bankrupt without love

“Oh, yes, Father—let my life be the proof of Your love!”  That is SO the DESIRE of my heart. But what do we do with those ‘hard to love’ people? You know the ones I am talking about…the sandpaper people—the ones that rub you the wrong way. Or what about the ones who are unkind, or speak harsh words, or do hurtful things? What about those people?!? Jesus says in Matthew 23:39 that we are to love our neighbor as ourself.  He didn’t say only the nice people or the ones who treat you with kindness. Loving someone who is nice to you is easy, and it doesn’t take much effort. But choosing to love the unloveable and the hard-to-love people…that is where you and I can make a difference in the lives of others…to the undeserving.

I don’t know about you but there was a time before Jesus saved me that I wasn’t so lovely. In fact, I was hard to love! But Jesus loved me anyway. That is also why He said (in John 15:5) “Apart from Me, you can do nothing….” Today God reminds me (and I encourage you!) to go out there and be willing to show the love of the Father to someone who needs it most. There is someone out there that needs to be introduced to a love like none other—the unconditional love of the Father. And to someone to love them right where they are at.

*   *   *   *   *     

Heavenly Father, I pray for each and everyone of us, as we go throughout our days, that we would choose to show Your love everywhere we go. That the love that we show others would not be based on how someone treats us but rather that we would choose to love them as You have loved us—with unconditional love. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!! (Signed a former pit dweller saved by Grace.)

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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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Move In Me

January 4, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The man I buried had a heart of stone
Left him there in the bright light, out on a dirty road
The day You saved me from shadow and shame
Old things gone, got a new song, got a new name
Burnin’ like the wildfire, kickin’ up flames
A brand new band in the wasteland singing about Grace
Gonna jump the fences ’til the world is free
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me

I’m knocking on doors, You’re keeping the keys
Maybe they’ll open, maybe they’re not for me
I’m setting the sails, You ready the seas
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me

Gonna sing a little louder, gonna rattle these chains
Locked up tight ’round midnight, won’t stay that way
Gonna bless this dirt floor, gonna kiss these walls
Singing Your praise ’til the earth shakes and watching them fall

I’m knocking on doors, You’re keeping the keys
Maybe they’ll open, maybe they’re not for me
I’m setting my sails, You ready the seas
But I won’t make a move ’til You move in me
No, I won’t make a move ’til You move in me…move in me
~ performed by: Jeremy Camp;  written by: Nichole Nordeman/Bernie Herms ~

 

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

“Old thing’s gone, got a new song, got a new name. The day you saved me from shadow and shame….” It’s my story. Is it your story too? I love this song…it speaks to me in many ways.

But this morning the Lord has given me a new perspective. “I don’t want to make a move until you move in me….”  How many times I have been impatient with things and have taken control of my circumstances and tried to work them out myself. Instead of waiting for God’s leading and direction in making a move. How many times have I taken control only to exhaust myself and end up in the same place that I started. When I have made a choice to do this and ended up at the foot of the Cross weary, worn, and completely depleted.

God gave me a visual of Jesus standing there, waiting, as I run myself ragged trying to fix things instead of resting and trusting in Him. Then as I fall to His feet, exhausted and defeated, He gently extends his hand and helps me up and says, “Are you ready to trust Me and let Me handle things???”

We want a quick fix, don’t we? We want answers now. But it is all in God’s timing and not ours! Steadfastness, consistency, keeping on in the faith walk, not wavering to the left or to the right, keeping right on the love line.

Listen to this: “We are to consider it wholly joyful when we encounter trials (temptations to get off faith), because the trial OF OUR FAITH (it’s our faith being tried not us) produces patience, constant consistency, resolute steadfastness.  As we let patience have its work (we yield to constant consistency, not looking to the left or to the right), so that we may be perfect (complete) lacking nothing.” Isn’t that a wonderful viewpoint on James 1:2-4.  Love that!

* * * * * 

Oh, Father, forgive me for when I have made the choice to move instead of trusting You to move in me. May I make the choice today to not make a move until I know that I know You are moving in me. Father, won’t You move in me…. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

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When Love Sees You

December 30, 2013 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Blessed are you as you weep on your knees with perfume and tears washing over My feet
And blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind calling for mercy when I’m passing by
Blessed are you, shaking your head at two tiny fish and some bread
Blessed are you as you tremble and wait for the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace
   Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds
   And I’ll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you
   Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised
   And I’ll show you what Love sees when Love sees you
Blessed are you, walking on waves, to find yourself sinking when you look away
Blessed are you, leper, standing alone the fear on their faces is all that you’ve known
Blessed are you, lonely widow, who gave your last shiny coin to Yahweh
Blessed are you, with your silver and lies, kissing the One who’s saving your life
I see what I made in your mother’s womb and I see the day I fell in love with you
I see your tomorrow’s, nothing left to chance, I see My Father’s fingerprints
   I see your story, I see My name written on every beautiful page
   You see the struggle, you see the shame; I see the reason I came
   I came for your story, I came for your wounds
   To show you what Love sees when I see you

~ performed by Mac Powell / written by Nichole Nordeman and Bernie Herms ~

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As we get ready to ring in the New Year,
may you be reminded what love sees when love sees you…

This song is very near and dear to my heart. I was once a very lost woman full of shame. I handed Him the broken pieces of my life and He restored and redeemed it.  Maybe you need to hear that and to know that today—Jesus came for me AND He came for you, too!  May you know and believe who you are in Him. Your identity is not in who you used to be. You are who God says you are—Blessed, Anointed, Redeemed, a daughter of the King!
Praise God that your past does not determine your future…He has great plans for you, sweet sister. You may see the struggle but He sees the reason He came.

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I Need A Silent Night

December 11, 2013 by

gchcarolsbloggraphic

I’ve made the same mistake before 
Too many malls, too many stores 
December traffic, Christmas rush 
It breaks me till I push and shove 
Children are crying while mothers are trying 
To photograph Santa and sleigh 
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line 
What can I say? 
I need a silent night, a holy night 
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise 
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here 
To end this crazy day with a silent night 
December comes then disappears 
Faster and faster every year 
Did my own mother keep this pace 
Or was the world a different place? 
Where people stayed home wishing for snow 
Watching three channels on their TV 
Look at us now rushing around 
Trying to buy Christmas peace 
I need a silent night, a holy night 
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise 
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here 
To end this crazy day with a silent night 
What was it like back there in Bethlehem 
With peace on earth, good will toward men? 
Every shepherd’s out in the field 
Keeping watch over their clock by night 
And the glory of the Lord shone around them 
And they were so afraid 
And the angels said fear not for behold 
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people 
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord 
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace 
I need a silent night, a holy night 
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise 
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here 
To end this crazy day with a silent night 
To end this crazy day with a silent night

I Need A Silent Night  ~  Amy Grant


In the busy-ness of this Christmas season maybe you can relate to this song…I know I can!  I long for the days when life was simple.  Today in our fast moving, high-paced world it is easy to get caught up in frenzy in the chaos and the noise. To enter in to the peaceful place we must purpose ourselves to be still before the Lord.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

When I think of a ‘midnight clear’ I think of peace, and resting in His presence.  My prayer for you and for me is that we would take the time away from the busy-ness to hear the still, small voice of the Lord as we sit quietly in His presence free from  the chaos and the noise.  May we choose to end our days with a Silent Night resting in Him!  <3

The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace.

Psalm 29 :11

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Mary’s Little Boy Child

December 2, 2013 by

gchcarolsbloggraphic

Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Long time ago in Bethlehem—so the Holy Bible says—
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
Hark, now hear the angels sing ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
They see a bright new shining star,
They hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed to come from afar.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to Bethlehem that night,
They found no place to bear her child, not a single room was in sight.
And then they found a little nook in a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark, Mary’s little boy was born.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Mary’s Little Boy Child ~ Mandisa

Aren’t we just so thankful for those words: “…and man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day….”?  I remember when I first heard this song, and the thankfulness I felt in my heart because of Jesus’ birth as a Savior…a Savior for you and for me. A baby born in the humblest of circumstances. Humble in a sense that He was born in a stable full of animals and yet His birth radiated Glory!  It was revealed to shepherds in a field by angels.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men
Luke 2:14

From the manger to the Cross… Oh, how thankful I am for that (and I bet you are too…)!
As we enter this Christmas season, may we keep our eyes focused on The One Who came in the humblest of circumstances to then endure the Cross to save you and me.

 

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

Hark, now hear the angels sing ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas!

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