April 24, 2024

Captivate Us

August 2, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Your face is beautiful
And Your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There inside the scars
Your loving arms they draw me near
And Your smile it brings me peace
Draw me closer oh, my Lord
Draw me closer, Lord, to Thee

And captivate us, Lord Jesus, set our eyes on You
Devastate us with Your presence falling down
And rushing River draw us nearer
Holy Fountain, consume us with You
Captivate us, Lord Jesus, with You

Your voice is powerful
And Your words are radiant bright
In Your breath and shadow
I will come close and abide
You whisper love and life divine
And Your fellowship is free
Draw us closer, oh my Lord
Draw me closer, Lord, to Thee

And let ev’rything be lost in the shadows
Of the light of Your face
And let ev’ry chain be broken from me
As I’m bound in Your grace
For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light
You’re full of wisdom pow’r and might
And ev’ry eye will see You

Captivate us,  Lord Jesus, with You
Captivate us

Watermark
Writer(s): Charlie Hall, Christy Nockels, Nathan Nockels

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You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
You have captivated my heart with one glance of Your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.
Song of Solomon 4:9

Can you think of anything more awesome than to be captivated by Jesus? I looked up the definition of the word captivate and this is what it said:

“…to attract and hold the attention of, as by beauty or excellence; enchant“

Now imagine that your whole life is centered around Jesus and you are captivated by Him.  The Son of God really is completely in love with you.  So, as you listen to this beautiful song today, I hope that you will close your eyes and just sing this as a prayer to Him.  He is so worthy of such a praise song from you…

Tell Him that His face is beautiful; just picture His eyes focused on you, just you.

Then look at His hands. See the scars? And those nails that were driven into His hands and they drove out the sins of us, His daughters and sons. And in those scars, there is so much healing. Remember the woman that just touched His garment? Oh the power that He holds. Lay all your afflictions down at His feet and allow Him to begin to heal you.

Now let His arms fold you in. Feel His embrace and allow Him to hold you long…it’s okay , y’know. He wants to love on His children and that includes you.

And while you’re in His presence, look up at Him.  See the smile on His face.  See how He looks at you with adoration and joy.  It is time to  let all the cares of this world just crumble and vanish in His presence.

{Oh Jesus, please draw us closer to You. Let all the other things of this world pale in comparison and keep us from putting anything before You, oh Lord.  Let all our chains be broken in Your name.  Break all addictions, oh Lord.  All worry and all spirit of fear replace with peace that only You can give. You are stronger than any burden that we carry, Jesus….}

Friend, if you prayed this song today, I am so glad! Jesus wants to captivate us, and be so big in our lives that He is the first and last thing we think about. That during the day—when burdens stack up—that we are quick to give them to His capable hands.  He is waiting and watching and hoping to get some time with you today…I pray He consumes you, friend!

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Dear Jesus, we echo the prayer above today.  Oh Jesus, we come to You today wanting to be captivated by You.  We want to put all earthly things aside and just dwell in You.  I pray that the things of this world will become so small in the presence of our big Savior.  Thank You for Your arms that hold us and for Your smile that warms us and for Your nail-scarred hands that stretch out to pull us close.  Keep us focused on You.  In Your name we pray, amen.

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You Do Not Forsake Us

July 30, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed.
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You.
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalms 9:9-10

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Dear Lord, how blessed we are to be among those who know this Truth!  You have not…You will not…You cannot forsake Your seekers!  For You have promised!  You are so good  to us and we are so thankful.  May we not only hold to this promise but help us to encourage others to remember Your faithfulness and to put their trust in You.  We pray for those who are oppressed and in times of trouble…thank You for being their Stronghold (and ours, too!).  We love You and adore you!  And thank You in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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You Are Such a Good God

July 23, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

How abundant are the good things
that You have stored up for those who fear You,
that You bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in You.
Psalm 31:19

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Oh, Lord, we are so grateful for Your abundant goodness!  You have purposed and planned to take care of us—and we are so thankful.  You make it so easy to boast of our great God and to share with those around us of Your grace and goodness.  Today may we live our lives in such a way that we are not a hindrance and do not detract from the glory that belongs to You.  May our friends and family…our enemies even…be drawn to You as they cannot help but acknowledge Your blessings, Your goodness, Your benevolence as they see how graciously You care for us.  We love You…we praise You…we glorify You!  And we pray, thanking You for these things, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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God of Mercy and Steadfast Love

July 15, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercy and loving-kindness;
for they have been ever from of old.
Remember not the sins (the lapses and frailties)
of my youth or my transgressions;
according to Your mercy and steadfast love
remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Psalms 25:6 and 7 AMP

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O Lord, we are so thankful that You are full of mercy and steadfast love!  Truly we do recognize our sins, our faults, our  frailties…but far more important than dwelling on them is to acknowledge  how faithful and good You are in forgiving us!   Thank You for the many examples You have given us throughout the Scriptures…of men such as Your man, David.  Thank You for showing us Your heart towards their repentance.  Thank You for the encouragement we have to do the same, knowing that their God is our God.  And that the same way You remembered not their sins, You will do the same for us according to Your goodness, Your mercy, Your steadfast love.  Thank You!  We love You and adore You!  May our hearts be set to honor and glorify You as we endeavor to be in obedience to You.  We pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

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Faithful, Merciful God

July 8, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God,
the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy
for a thousand generations with those
who love Him and keep His commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9

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You are a faithful, merciful God…and that my soul knows full well!  Thank You, dear Lord, for the complete and utter confidence we have knowing that You do not change…You are our Faithful God!  Thank You for the comfort of knowing, no matter what, You always keep Your Word.  You are a trustWORTHY God who is always there.  You  always love and care for us.  You provide new mercies every morning.  You never leave us nor forsake us!  May we be counted among those who love You and show their love through obedience.  Abba Father, may we have opportunity today to share with someone else these awesome truths…and may they be drawn to You in peace and comfort.  We pray and ask these things in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

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We Praise You for You are Faithful

July 1, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter
the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way opened for us
through the curtain, that is, His body,
And since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart
and with the full assurance that faith brings,
Having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for He who promised is faithful.|
Hebrews 10:19-23

We praise You and we thank You for Your faithfulness, Almighty God!  We thank You, dear Lord, for Your faithfulness in all things…what You have promised, You will provide.  We rest in Your faithfulness, Your goodness, Your love. we praise You for You are our faithful Father, always providing what is good, what is needful, what is best for us!
O Lord! how thankful, how grateful we are to utter such confessions as ‘confidence to enter the Most Holy Place’ and ‘full assurance that faith brings,’ and ‘hold unswervingly to the hope.’  None of this is of our own doing…but simply because we know to Whom we belong and we know Your heart for us!  It is by Your doing—we have confidence to enter by the blood of Jesus.  It is because of Your faithfulness—we hold to the Hope.
Grant us today, Father, the peace that is beyond our understanding so that we are not anxious about anything, but with prayer and with thanksgiving we let our requests be made known to You as we draw near to You.  We thank You for Your faithfulness…we rest in Your faithfulness.  We praise You for Your  faithfulness!  We come before You praying these things in Jesus, our Lord’s name, amen.

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Be Bold

June 5, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

And He said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.  And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Luke 11:5-13

Jesus is never annoyed with your prayers—the bolder they are the better—because you are saying that He truly can do anything!  In this account, the disciples had just asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (see Luke 11:1).  Then Jesus tells them this parable of the persistent friend.  So in Jesus words, He is saying to them: pray often and pray boldly.  And He tells us the very same thing.

In this story, neighbors are friends, not strangers.  In the Greek language, a friend means ‘to share common interests’, so the seeker friend wasn’t asking anything that would go against the interest of the giver friend!  Now the giver friend may have wanted to wait until the morning, but he wasn’t against giving his friend all he needed.  Jesus is our Friend and, if we spend time with Him and truly get to know Him, we will know more about Him and our wants will most likely go along with what He wants for us.  Yet sometimes we do ask for things that aren’t right for us or maybe it’s not right at this very time and so the answer is ‘no’.  God isn’t saying that He will give us anything we ask in His name just because we are bold enough to ask.  Remember, friends don’t ask of one another what they would be opposed to giving.  And friends know one another so well that they know if what they are asking is okay  to ask.

Is there something that you are praying for today? Don’t be afraid to be bold.  Don’t ever think that Jesus will get tired of hearing the same request over and over because He never tires of hearing your voice.  I do prayer walks when I am really seeking something from Him.  I make a circle around it and I keep on asking until the miracle happens.  Remember, our timing is not His so don’t lose hope!  Be bold today!

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And if you don’t know this Jesus that I am speaking about, I would love for you to get to know Him today.  He is a life changer for sure and You will never be the same.  Would you pray this prayer with me?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  My life feels so out of control.  I need You in my life.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and that He came to die for me so that I can spend eternity with You in Heaven.  I want Jesus to come into my heart.  Please walk with me through this life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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The Warrior Is A Child

May 7, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Lately I’ve been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I’m amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don’t see inside of me
I’m hiding all the tears

They don’t know that I go running home when I fall down
They don’t know Who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
‘Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child

Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I’m amazing
Never face retreat
But they don’t see the enemies

‘Cause deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child

Twila Paris
written along with Gary Valenciano

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Today, here in the United States, Christians nation-wide come together in unity without any concern for denomination to stand heart-to-heart before our God and intercede on our nation’s behalf.  Now, more than ever, we must daily put on the armor that God has provided.

This is why you must take up the full armor of God,
so that you may be able to resist in the evil day,
and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.
In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request,
and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:14-18

We are encouraged, in this passage, to put the Armor of God on each day.  We are reminded that the pieces of God’s armor are TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, and SALVATION—a strong foundation on which to take our stand.  And we see that, clothed with this Armor of God, we are equipped and enabled to stand, resisting all the tactics and wiles of the enemy.

Now, consider this…. We garb ourselves in this protective suit of armor.  We gather up our shield of faith.  We put on the helmet of salvation.  We take up the sword of the Spirit.  One would think that we are ready to go, right?  But then we are told to “pray at all times.”  Truly prayer is the final piece of the Armor of God—the item that links all the pieces together.  It reminds me of a football player…outfitted with all those pieces of his uniform (pads, helmet, cleats, etc.) that are designed to protect him…ready to head out of the locker room to battle his ‘enemy’—the other team.  And the coach says, ‘Take a knee.’

This final piece—prayer—is not a half-hearted whisper.  Rather, prayer is spoken with passion, with faith, with ‘strong purpose and perseverance.’  Prayer is uttered with humility and wholeheartedness to the One Who hears our prayers and answers our prayers.

So often when the Scriptures communicate to us on the matter of prayer, the words used are compelling.  As you read these next few verses see which words jump out at you.

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything,
but in every circumstance and in everything,
by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving,
continue to make your wants known to God.
Philippians 4:6

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2

Rejoice and exult in hope;
be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation;
be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Which words did you find grabbed your attention?  Were they words like, ‘every circumstance’ ‘steadfast’ ‘constant’ ‘everything’  and ‘watchful?’

So as you put on your armor, my sisters, never forget that the last piece—the prayer piece—is not put ON but rather put IN—into your heart!  Prayer is a truly important part of the equipping of a Jesus girl who desires to be a hero…a warrior.

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My prayer for you is that as you draw near to Your heavenly Father, seeking His guidance and direction, His help and protection, you would recognize how tenderly He looks on you…His daughter, His child, His warrior, His hero.  He loves you with an everlasting love, and He never EVER will leave you…You are His!

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Those Days

September 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Since You are my Rock and my Fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for You are my Refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:3-5

Those days.  You’ve had those days—the ones where everything that could go wrong, does goes wrong.  You leave for a trip—get a flat tire, forget your debit card at home, the bank is closed for some secret holiday, get a call and it’s some sort of family emergency—and all you wanted was a nice relaxing day. Those days, or just those moments when things just aren’t working in your favor.

I’ve had those days and moments.  They used to rock my world and send me into a funk that felt like it would never end.  But, as I’ve progressed in my relationship with Christ, I have learned to lean on Him instead of freaking out.  God is our Refuge and if we go to Him, He will help us.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer has definitely helped keep me sane and I believe that, the better my prayer life becomes, the more leveled I can be when things do not go as planned.

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
1 Corinthians 14:33

Another thing to keep in mind is that You can trust the Lord in those situations, because if anyone can bring order to them, it’s the God of order.

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Lord, thank You for being the God of order.  Thank You for giving me the opportunity to trust You in all situations.  You are amazing.  Amen.

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God Will Provide the Lamb

May 9, 2014 by

And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son.
[Isaac] said, See, here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?
Abraham said, My son, God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering.
So the two went on together.
Genesis 22:7-8

We all know the story.  Abraham is asked to give the ultimate sacrifice.  He obeys and, at the last minute, as Abraham is about to kill his son…God stops him.  He hears a word from the Lord.  It was a test to see if Abraham was willing to be obedient, and he was.

It’s almost beyond our comprehension, right?  That we would take our child by the hand and lead them to a place where we knew we would take his life.  Abraham truly loved God and trusted Him above all else.  He knew that if God made a covenant with him that He would follow through.  Remember, Isaac was the promise that Abraham would be the father to many nations.  But how would that happen if God was telling Abraham to kill Isaac?  Abraham believed that God would provide.  As the two walked up the mountain, Abraham trusted His Creator.  Abraham built the altar…still no word from God.  He laid Isaac on the altar…God still had not provided.   Abraham took the knife to sacrifice his son…and still no provision.  Then a word from God came, saying the sweetest words that Abraham had ever heard, telling him not to lay a hand on Isaac.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said,
Abraham, Abraham! He answered, Here I am.
And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him;
for now I know that you fear and revere God,
since you have not held back from Me
or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son.
Verses 11 and 12

Abraham then saw a ram and offered it up to God. He even called the very place, “The Eternal One Will Provide.”

In verse 8, Abraham states, “…God will Himself provide the lamb….”  What is it that God is asking you to do today?  Is it something you are putting before God that He’s asking you to sacrifice?  Maybe it is your time. I know today He asked me to step out of myself and do flood relief cleanup.  Oh yes, it was a beautiful day on the beach, the last pretty day for a while and I would’ve loved to relax but I knew my time was better spent helping clean houses that were still saturated.

Friend, if this is you and you don’t know what God is asking or telling you He wants you to give up, I encourage you to spend some time at His feet, praying and seeking His will for your life.  Prepare your heart to hear and then be obedient.  It may be a test—like Abraham’s—or it may be for your own good. But this we know for sure…it will be for His glory!

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Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You for always providing a lamb.  We are in awe of Your love for us and Your sovereignty.  Thank You for guiding us and asking us to do Your will.  And that we can have faith that no matter what…You have our best interest at heart.  Your will is perfect and I hope that I would lay down my life to serve You.  Help us to listen, and prepare our hearts to be willing to serve You.  We love You so much!  In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.

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