December 23, 2024

His Love Endures Forever

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Every day throughout November, we’ll bring you a  devotional focused on giving thanks, gratitude, or giving of ourselves. We welcome you to check in each day and give thanks along with us !

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever
Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever, forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

His love endures forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
Forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever You are faithful
Forever You are strong
Forever You are with us
Forever and ever, and ever

 

Hide Myself

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvI’ve heard the thunder before
I’m not a stranger to storms
Even in the flood
I can always run
To where You are

I’ve had to wait in the dark
And hold the Truth in my heart
Even in the night
Still You open wide
Your faithful arms

And I hide myself
Where I find my help
And I hide myself
I find only rest
I find only peace
Beneath Your wings

You are the Refuge that stands
You hold my world in Your hands
The quiet in the noise
The stillness of Your voice
Will be enough

And it’s Your Presence alone
That changes all that I know
‘Til all that I know
Is just Your Presence alone
I’m safe in Your shadow

Even in the flood
I can always run
To where You are

Michael W. Smith
Writer: Mia Fieldes

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

We certainly can sense there is turmoil and strife in the world.

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.
They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.
They are gossips….
Romans 1:29

God knew there would be trouble in our lives.  Some because of our choices and some because of the world.  It is how we meet those challenges, lifting His name in all situations, that sets us apart from the world.  He will not always remove the testing, but He will walk with us through it.  If God can be with David all the while, He will surely be with us.

We need to search our hearts to see where we might doubt Him—where our faith is weakest.  We must ask God to help us strengthen it, to help us grow our faith, and to trust more and more.  David sometimes wondered where God was; and even the prophets did, too.

Look at Elijah….  With God, he had just destroyed all of the prophets of Baal but upon hearing that Jezebel was going to kill him, he was afraid. But isn’t that the man in us—our human side? To forget what God had just done…?  (How quickly we forget when our peace is threatened?)  God knew that Elijah was tired and needed rest and reassurance.  After receiving it, Elijah’s faith was restored and God told him what would happen in the future (see 1 Kings 19).

As God was faithful in restoring Elijah,
how much more will He restore us?

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God
so that at the proper time He may exalt you,

casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful.
Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering
are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,
Who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
To Him be the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-11

Let this be our prayer for our nation and our world.

You Won’t Let Go

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No shadow comes without the light making a way
No raging storm can ever defy one word of faith
My heart remains sure in the wind, sure in the waves

You are the anchor for my soul
You won’t let go
You won’t let go
No matter what may come I know
You won’t let go

No valley low, changes the truth
So I’m not afraid
You hold me close
You lead me through and light up the way

You are the anchor for my soul
You won’t let go
You won’t let go
No matter what may come I know
You won’t let go
You won’t let go

Neither life, neither death,
The highest high, the deepest depth
Nothing can
Nothing can separate
Neither tears, neither trials
Certain as the sun will rise
Nothing can
Nothing can separate

You are the anchor for my soul
You won’t let go
You won’t let go
No matter what may come I know
You won’t let go

My heart remains sure in the wind, sure in the waves, always

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

Written by Michael W. Smith, Seth Mosely, and Mia Fieldes
Sung by Michael W. Smith

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NIV

Last weekend I had the most incredible experience.  Michael W. Smith led worship at my church, and as a member of our church choir, was able to accompany him as he led.  He (and we) sang several songs from his new CD, Sovereign, and each touched my heart and ministered to me in a very special way.  The first song we sang was this one: “You Won’t Let Go.”  What an incredible message and great reminder!  You know, we go through many trials and tribulations in life. Good times and bad.  I’ve said this before and I will say it again – God is good, all the time! Our circumstances don’t change the truth of who God is.  He is constant.  He is steadfast.  He is faithful.  He is able.  He is still the pillar of fire in our dark times and the pillar of cloud during the day.  He is our rock, our anchor!  And He loves us relentlessly.

I love the Book of Romans.  It was written by Paul to the Gentiles (Gentile meaning anyone who is not a Jew) in Rome.  So much encouragement in this book!  In chapter 8, verses 35-39, Paul writes:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isn’t that AMAZING??  It says there is NOTHING that shall separate us from the love of Christ.  NOTHING.  That means that there is not anything that you can do that will keep Christ from loving you.   Does that mean He’ll approve of everything you do?  Of course not.  Does that mean that there might still be consequences for your actions?  Yes, it does.  But will He still love you?  Absolutely.  So through the trials you face, the doubts you have, the times you question His path for you – He still loves you.  When you are angry with Him – He still loves you.  When you don’t act like the child of God that you should – guess what?  He STILL loves you!  And you know what else?  Those things that you’ll do in the future that will break God’s heart?  He will love you with an unfailing love even then.   What a wonderful gift!

So whatever you are facing right now – hardship, trial, stressful situation – know that your God is unchanging.  So you can place all of your faith in the One Who cares so deeply for you!  And He’s never letting go.

Thank you, Lord!

Thy Word

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

When I feel afraid, and think I’ve lost my way
Still, You’re there right beside me
Nothing will I fear as long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

I will not forget Your love for me, and yet,
My heart forever is wandering
Jesus by my guide, and hold me to Your side,
And I will love You to the end

Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near
Please be near me to the end.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
…You’re the light unto my path

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Recently I have been going through a season of circumstances and situations which have been very stressful…which leads to temptation to worry and be anxious.  Truly God’s Word(s) have been a lamp and a light for me. Sometimes, we just are not sure what to do next (TRUE?).  We pray for wisdom and we ask for guidance.  God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:3) and we know that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide (John 16:13)…but, at times, we must wait.  And this is where the light of God’s Word has shone bright for me.

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed
that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave
and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.
Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalms 27:13-14

And as I wait, I know that I must be diligent to seek God and His Word!  By spending time reading the Scriptures and considering and meditating on them, I am keeping myself ‘in the light.’  For me, it is very much like the dreary, cloudy days of winter…it is wearying.  But then we are blessed with a bright, sunshine-y day! And I find myself drawn to the window, numerous times during the day, just standing there…face lifted into that gorgous life-giving sunlight…simply soaking it in!

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes
More to be desired are they than gold…yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey or the honeycomb
Psalms 19:8 and 10

God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. To walk in the light, we must know the Scriptures, we must understand the Word, and we must do the Will of God. Then we must walk out in the light and refrain from walking where there is no light.

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
Proverbs 6:23

If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness,
we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light,
as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:6,7

And so, just like on those few and precious sunny days of winter, we move toward and step into the light. God’s Word is a lamp for our feet so that we don’t fall and can see the truth of the situations we are in. It dispels the darkness and it lights our path.  We then can follow along that path that He has prepared for us!  Going along step by step…knowing that He has promised and will supply!

CHRISTLife — Twenty: Alive With His Life

cl alive with his life

When you were born again in Christ, did you sense that your innermost being was passing from death into life?  Ephesians 2:1 and 2 says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air.  But….”  (read on, dear sister!)

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).
Ephesians 2:4 and 5 AMP

To satisfy His intense love for us, God through Christ made us alive in union with Him.  He gave us the same life He gave Jesus Christ so we could be saved!  Oh, what mercy and grace!

Alive” what does that mean to you?  To get a good perspective, I looked up the definition of “alive.”  Some definitions that struck me were—’not just living but alert…active…vital…and energetic’.  Romans 6:11 NLT, “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive [alert, TLB] to God through Christ Jesus.

Then I found this quote from Adolf Deissman, a professor of theology in two major universities in Germany from 1897 to 1935.

“Just as all men live in the air, and cannot live without air,
so the Christian lives in Christ…To be in Christ is to live a life
in which Christ is the atmosphere which we breathe.”

Christ is the very atmosphere in which I “live and move and have my being” (Acts 17:28 NIV).  As Michael W. Smith’s song, “Breathe” states,

I’m desperate for You, I’m lost without You. You are the very air I breathe!

This union with Christ has given us full access to “the life-giving God” (1 Timothy 6:13 Message). Even Jesus refers over and over to God as His/our source of life:

…I (Jesus) live because of the Father…
John 6:57

For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.
John 5:26

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.
Luke 20:38

John 17:20-26 records Jesus’ prayer for all future people who would become believers (that includes us).

I pray also for those who will believe in Me
through their (the disciples’) message,
that all of them may be one, Father,
just as You are in Me and I am in You.
May they also be in Us
so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.
I have given them the glory that You gave Me,
that they may be one as We are one—
I in them and You in Me—
so that they may be brought to complete unity.
Then the world will know that You sent Me
and have loved them even as You have loved Me.

Do you see that, ladies?  Jesus asked His Father to spiritually unite us as He and the Father are united.  The only way that is possible is for each of us to have the same Spirit—“I in them and You in Me.”  Our spiritual aliveness is from the life of Jesus Christ Himself, “The very Source, the Author of life” (Acts 3:15 AMP), and our unity is because of that oneness in Christ.

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He was determined that we would remain in Him—to be alive, alert, vital, and active—so He gave us the wonderful gift of His Holy Spirit to help us.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another Advocate, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth…
you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:16-17 NLT

It is the Spirit who gives life…
John 6:63 NASB

How do we continue to grow in this aliveness?  We need to renew our minds (Romans 12:2 KJV).  We do that by daily feeding on “The True Bread of God… anyone who feeds on Me will live because of Me” John 6:33 and 57 NLT.  This is Jesus’ promise to us.  The world would like us to think that if we satisfy our own cravings and lust that we will really live.  Oh, they are so misled (1 John 2:15-17)!  Those things will never satisfy the hunger that was placed in us when we were created.  It can only be satisfied by Christ, Himself.

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life…”
John 14:6

…the man/woman who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17

As I learn and grow by spending time in His Word, I know Christ better.  As I know Him better, I fall more in love with Him.  In that love, I am alive, alert, active, and vital for Him.

“You are the God who preserves alive all living things (1 Timothy 6:13 AMP).
I acknowledge that all of my life—physical and spiritual—
is in Your hands and under Your control.”
—Ruth Myers, page 87

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, thank You for desiring us to be alive in You.  We are desperate for more of You.  You ARE the very air we breathe.  Help us to renew our minds and satisfy our hunger by feeding on Your Word daily.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who sustains, comforts, and guides us in our aliveness in You.  In the Name of our Living Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray.  Amen.

 

The Promise

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Michael W. Smith performed a date of his Christmas tour last December 2012 at my church, and it was my honor and privilege to be included in the choir that accompanied him and the orchestra.  It was in preparation for that concert that I first heard the song, “The Promise.”  The song is intensely beautiful and grand, with a lush orchestral score and choral arrangement.  Combined with the lyrics, it is a song of worship and promise that brings me to tearful and grateful praise – every time I hear it. (In fact, I made myself listen to it so often last year that I quit listening to the words – I was afraid I would start crying during the concert!) To me, it’s message is the essence of Christmas.

It often makes me sad around Christmas time, when I hear people wishing that the “spirit of Christmas” would last the entire year. It makes me sad, because it IS entirely possible – the “spirit of Christmas” is entirely within our grasp.  Granted, Christmastime is often stressful (perhaps even because you have to endure someone else’s stress or impatience), but what do you think of when you think of the “spirit of Christmas?”  Love?  Peace on earth?  A sense of joy?  Of hope?  Of child-like wonder and belief?  People giving, being generous, and watching out for others?  Or perhaps folks gladly volunteering time, money, and/or other resources to help the poor and those less fortunate?  What about a desire for beauty and an appreciation for what we have?  When you think about it – don’t all of those things describe Christ?  When the world wishes for the “spirit of Christmas,” ironically, they don’t realize that they are wishing, literally, for the spirit of Christ to reign.  Hallelujah!   One day, it will, and HE WILL!!

Don’t we, then, sisters, have the “spirit of Christmas” within us every day?  Doesn’t it live within us and want to shape how we live our lives?  Don’t we have the power to make others around us feel like it is Christmas every day?  Perhaps the way to win others to Jesus is to fill our lives with the Spirit of Christ daily.

My favorite verse from “The Promise” says: “……we will see Emmanuel, GOD is with us, GOD is for us, GOD IS IN US, we will see….”  The fulfillment of the promise of the God Child that will redeem us, restore us, heal us and free us lives in us every day!  When we allow that to really sink in, won’t it be easier to have that feeling of Christmas every day?  We can all have it. The world can have it.  Oh, dear God, that is my prayer this Christmas!

Merry Christmas, sisters! May the spirit of the Living God fill you this Christmas, and every day thereafter!  I hope you enjoy the song – I hope the praise in Heaven feels like this!

The Promise  ~  Michael W. Smith

Fear not, oh, Israel for there is peace still to come;a word to break the silence, a Promise set to bloom; the Promise to redeem us, one to free us; break this silence in the violence in our lives

Emmanuel is sure to find us soon; the mighty rule to Jesse’s star of truth; and bring us unto glory, tell His story; heal the broken and restore thee to His name

The star will guide us to the humble place; where Christ the King reveals His earthly face; and we will see Emmanuel; God is with us, God is for us, God is in us, we will see

We’re singing Hallelujah! We’re singing Hallelujah! Emmanuel, our God is with us

We’re singing Hallelujah! We’re singing Hallelujah! Emmanuel, our God is with us

We’re singing Hallelujah! We’re singing Hallelujah! Emmanuel, our God is with us

We’re singing Hallelujah! We’re singing Hallelujah! Emmanuel, our God is with us

Emmanuel, our God is with us

Welcome To Our World

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Hearing this song brings many vivid images to my mind: those of Mary and Joseph holding their new child, the odors of animals that have lived in the stable, the gentle lowing of the livestock. Then all of that is forgotten when this precious, heavenly Babe is held in their arms. I can imagine both of them with tears in their eyes as the infant stretches and yawns.

Then I recall the story of how the angel appeared to Mary, then to Joseph. There were some troubling times before they were together. Heavenly intervention was in order for Mary and the Babe to thrive and survive.  Joseph bended and heeded the advice he was given.

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.”
Matthew 1:20-21

I wonder if Joseph thought, “Me, raise Jesus, our Messiah? Are you sure? I’m a carpenter!”  God prevailed. I am sure there was a peace that fell on Joseph like a warm winter coat. That was all the confidence he needed to proceed and trust what was to happen.

Welcome to Our World   ~  sung by Michael W. Smith, written by Chris Rice

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that You don’t mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
World now breaking Heaven’s silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Dear Lord,

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be born of man and to live on the earth. Thank You for thinking of a way for Jesus to be a part of everyone’s story. Thank You for the redemption of the Cross and bringing hope to all of us and peace as we seek to know You more intimately. Help us to focus on You and Your Son, not on ourselves and what we think makes others happy. If we line up with Your will, then all things will work out as You have ordained them.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Life’s Healing Choices – Chapter 1 Review

I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.  “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”

Matthew 5:3

Wow!!   Ouch!!  Yikes!!  Ugh!!  And many other exclamations of dread, fear, sadness, frustration, pain, weak, I can’t.   All of those we have thought of and even said throughout this week.  Having gone through this study before, let me assure you – this is the hardest week.  Actually having to sit back and begin thinking of the hurts, habits or hang-ups we have endured is difficult.  But also, let me say – admitting that we are weak and He is strong will bring a freedom to your life that will be worth every moment of this study.   

Day 1: We talked about our tendency to do wrong – even when we don’t really want to.  What do we do when we realize our lives have become unmanageable? We put on a mask – after all, no one will really know, right? We control our image, others and our problems.  “I can handle it.” Wrong!! That didn’t work so what do we turn to? We become superhuman and believe we can fix it all by ourselves – only to find out that our issues just get worse.  I loved the part in the book that had us visualize God saying, “Hi, I’m God and you’re not.”  We need to get to the point where we realize He is God and we are not.  Say to yourself, I am not God, I need God.  The God that made the universe and everything within it, He sees all, knows all and heals all.  We simply have to admit and ask. 

Day 2: Once we realized our issues were controlling our lives we discussed the consequences to these issues.  Many of us said we identified with more than one of the f’s: fear, frustration, fatigue and failure.  They all really fall one after the other, don’t you think?  We are fearful that someone will find out who we really are which is frustrating. Then I don’t know about you, but all of the games I played and trying to keep my “secret life”  secret was extremely tiring.  Then when I realized I could not control things anymore, I felt as a failure.  It is a vicious cycle.  One we all need to jump off of.  You need to ask yourself are you going to let your past fears, frustrations, fatigue or failures to determine your future?  Or are you going to turn them over to the One who can heal.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  

Philippians 3:13-14

Day 3:  Wow, I don’t know about you but sometimes when I look at finding the cure for “ME,” it stands right up there with finding a needle in a haystack.  “We have to take that first step to freedom and admit we are powerless over EVERYTHING ……I can’t, He can, I think I’ll let Him.”  Love this saying and have said it since Kim wrote in her blog. Simple, isn’t it?  We make it so hard – He really wants for us to admit our hurt, habit or hang-up, humbly come to Him and allow Him to manage our life.  This week we have learned that we are powerless of our past, we cannot control others and have you really been good at coping with your hurts, habits or hang-ups?  I know I have not. 

When I was in Celebrate Recovery after leaving the gay lifestyle behind, one of the first images I got was that of laying down that life and moving into being recovered by Christ.  Imagine when you have an old couch or chair, you recover it.  The dirty, tattered and torn is gone and replaced by a beautiful, fresh and new piece.  That is what God will do.  When we admit we cannot control our tendency to do the wrong thing and truly ask Him to manage our lives, He will give us that beautiful, fresh and new start.  We no longer have to look in the mirror and see a dirty, tattered and torn image – but we can see the image of Christ in us, a reflection of Him!! We move out of recovery into VICTORY!! What a joy to receive His healing

I hope you will enjoy this song by Michael W. Smith   

 

 

 

 

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Let’s Pray:

Father, I come to You today and stand with every woman who has made the decision to take this study.  Father, we know there are areas in our lives that we need to surrender to You. We have made the decision to lay down our control and ask You to manage our lives. Heal our hurts, help us to walk away from those past issues.  Lord, as we continue this weekend in preparation to learn about Your hope, fill us with Your love, let Your healing rain wash over our lives.  You are an amazing God and we love You.  We give all the glory and honor to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Assignment: 

How do you think admitting you are powerless will help you?  Share one of the statements or areas in the book or blog that helped you through this week. 



If you are interested in joining us for this Online Bible Study, and becoming a member of our online discussion group, please click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a private message to Laurie in regards to this blog, please email her at: Laurie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com