December 22, 2024

Who Am I

January 1, 2016 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Over time You’ve healed so much in me, and I am living proof
That although my darkest hour had come
Your light could still shine through
Though at times it’s just enough to cast a shadow on the wall
I am grateful that You’ve shined Your light on me at all

Who am I, that You would love me so gently
Who am I, that You would recognize my name
Who am I, that You would speak to me so softly
Conversation with the Lord Most High…who am I

Oh, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see”
And the more I sing that sweet old song, the more I understand
That I do not comprehend this love that’s coming from Your hand

Grace, grace; God’s grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace; God’s great grace
Grace that is greater than all my sin

Lord, Who am I, who am I
Lord Who am I, who am I

Point Of Grace
written by Nathan and Christy Nockels

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

In Jeremiah 31:3 we hear God tell us of His love.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore with lovingingkindness I have drawn you.

We also are reminded of God’s love in Psalm 36.

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of men take refuge
and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

As well as in 1 John 4:9-10.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent His only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Oh, the incomparable, unconditional, amazing LOVE that God has for us!  Throughout the Scriptures we are reminded over and over of God’s love for us!

And, in spite of our actions at times, God is always faithful and keeps His promises. Whether we ever believe them or not. Think about the children of Israel…they knew of God’s promise to lead them, protect them, guide them, feed them, guard them. But they were so often disobedient to His simple commands.  As such, because of His compassionate and abiding love for them, God had to help them to learn…as He will with us, too.

You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today,
so that you may live and increase,
and may enter and take possession of the land the Lord swore to your fathers.
Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey
these 40 years in the wilderness,
so that He might humble you and test you
to know what was in your heart,
whether or not you would keep His commands.
Deuteronomy 8:1 and 2

“As we hear and believe all that God tells us—as we intentionally think these truths and begin to act accordingly—He unfolds the true personality He designed us to be.”

ChristLife, Mrs. Ruth Myers, page 60

(Oh! Don’t you just love that!)  And so we learn more of the Truth as we begin to believe what God says about us. And as we trust Him and take Him at His Word, we will begin to be freed from lies and misconceptions we have held in our hearts.

But the fact remains that we need to be diligent in reminding ourselves constantly of these Truths and promises.  One would think that, with all the many, many, many examples and proofs that God so graciously shows us about how very much He loves us, we would be convinced.  However God is equally as patient with us as He loves us. The negative images that we have allowed into our hearts can be replaced by the Truth of just “Who we ARE” in Christ.  But it takes work and effort on our part. Thankfully, we are not left to do this on our own. God can and will help us through His Holy Spirit! Remember to pray, pray, pray!

Friends, I hope that the beautiful lyrics of this song can be a tool for you to use to pray and sing your heart out to God. Your heavenly Father has MUCH to say to you…MUCH to remind you of…MUCH healing and deliverance and blessing to give to you as you seek Him!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

 

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

The Steadfast Love Of The Lord

August 27, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness

Kathy Troccoli
written by Edith McNeill

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23

During my quiet time the other morning, I was reading along in a devotional focused on chapter 3 of the Book of Lamentations (here’s a link so you can read it yourself).  The devotional writer was relating how she ‘missed’ the first part of verse 21—‘but this I call to mind.’  And I realized that I, too, sometimes just hurry by those six little words as I focus on the promises given in the rest of this passage. (How about you?)

As I went about my day I kept hearing this passage over and over in my mind as I sang and hummed this tune.  So simple and yet such a beautiful and complex melody!  I love the solemn, somber tone of the cello and the sweetness of the violin (in this recording) as the musicians play along with the pianist.  And, of course, Kathy Troccoli’s beautiful voice.  But what I love the most is that by hearing it over and over, the words—the Scripture—has sunk into my memory and now I can truly ‘…call to mind, and therefore I have hope…’.  Memorizing verses from God’s Word is such an important thing to do.  Here’s why I say that….

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11 NASB

Those two phrases ‘but this I call to mind’ and ‘Your Word I have treasured in my heart’ are each relating to really knowing and treasuring the Scriptures.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26

Almighty God even described Himself as having ‘steadfast love.’  When God met with Moses, and gave him the Ten Commandments, the first thing He did was make Himself known to Moses.

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there,
and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…..
Exodus 34:5–7

Isn’t it AWEsome that what Almighty God told Moses about Himself was that He is

  • merciful
  • gracious
  • slow to anger
  • abounding in steadfast love
  • faithful
  • keeps steadfast love
  • forgiving

…and twice (‘and this I call to mind’) He mentions that His love is steadfast!!!

Throughout the entire history of mankind—from Adam & Eve and all the way along through the Scriptures—we read of the myriad of ways that our Great God has manifested His steadfast love. So, in our pursuit of calling to mind the never-ceasing, steadfast love of the Lord, we would need to remember some examples of His steadfast love. The psalmist spoke of God’s steadfast love many, many, many times.  Undoubtedly, he had this truth ‘hidden in his heart’ and often would ‘call this to mind.’

Psalm 107 (ESV) is a great starting point (you can go here to read the whole psalm, if you like).  Here the psalmist relates quite a number of times (six times!) how God’s steadfast love has redeemed and saved and protected His children. And he reminds them (and us!) to ‘give thanks to the LORD’ for His steadfast love. The final verse wraps it up:

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
verse 43

Throughout the Bible, God’s people tell of their praise and thanks for His steadfast love. Here are just a few passages…

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalms 13:5 and 6

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the Fountain of life;
in Your Light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know You,
and Your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Psalms 36:5, 7-9

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that He has granted them according to His compassion,
according to the abundance of His steadfast love.
Isaiah 63:7

O Lord God, turn not away the face of [me] Your anointed one;
[earnestly] remember Your good deeds, mercy, and steadfast love for David Your servant…
2 Chronicles 6:42

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Psalm 32:10

Do you have a favorite verse or two that tells of our great God’s steadfast love?  I would love it if you would please share it with us (in the comment section below)…thanks!

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

The Steadfast Love Of The Lord

March 12, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness

Kathy Troccoli
written by Edith McNeill

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

During my quiet time the other morning, I was reading along in a Bible study lesson from the She Reads Truth community. (Here’s a link so you can read it yourself).  The devotional writer was relating how she ‘missed’ the first part of verse 21—‘but this I call to mind.’ And I realized that I, too, just hurry by those few words as I focus on the promises given in the rest of this passage. (How about you?)

As I went about my day I kept hearing this over and over in my mind as I sang and hummed it. So simple and such a beautiful melody! I love, in this recording, the solemn, somber tone of the cello as the musician plays along with the piano. And, of course, Kathy Troccoli’s beautiful voice.  But what I love the most is that by hearing it over and over, the words—the Scripture—has sunk into my memory and now I can truly ‘…call to mind, and therefore I have hope…’. Memorizing verses from God’s Word is such an important thing to do. Here’s why I say that….

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11 NASB

Those two phrases ‘but this I call to mind’ and ‘Your Word I have treasured in my heart’ are each relating to really knowing the Scriptures.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26

Almighty God even described Himself as having ‘steadfast love.’  When God met with Moses, and gave him the Ten Commandments, the first thing He did was make Himself known to Moses.

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there,
and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…..
Exodus 34:5–7

Isn’t it AWEsome that what Almighty God told Moses about Himself was that He is

  • merciful
  • gracious
  • slow to anger
  • abounding in steadfast love
  • faithful
  • keeps steadfast love
  • forgiving

…and twice (‘and this I call to mind’) He mentions that His love is steadfast!!!

Throughout the entire history of mankind—from Adam & Eve and all the way along through the Scriptures—we read of the myriad of ways that our Great God has manifested His steadfast love. So, in our pursuit of calling to mind the never-ceasing, steadfast love of the Lord, we would need to remember some examples of His steadfast love. The psalmist spoke of God’s steadfast love many, many, many times. Undoubtedly, he had this truth ‘hid in his heart’ and often would ‘call this to mind.’

Psalm 107 (ESV) is a great starting point (you can go here to read it, if you like). Here the psalmist relates quite a number of times how God’s steadfast love has redeemed and saved and protected His children. And he reminds them (and us!) to ‘give thanks to the LORD’ for His steadfast love. The final verse wraps it up:

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
verse 43

Throughout the Bible, God’s people tell of their praise and thanks for His steadfast love. Here is a list of just a few passages.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalms 13:5 and 6

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the Fountain of life;
in Your Light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know You,
and Your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Psalms 36:5, 7-9

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that He has granted them according to His compassion,
according to the abundance of His steadfast love.
Isaiah 63:7

O Lord God, turn not away the face of [me] Your anointed one;
[earnestly] remember Your good deeds, mercy, and steadfast love for David Your servant…
2 Chronicles 6:42

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Psalm 32:10

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

Go Light Your World

January 8, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times

Songwriter: Kathy Troccoli ~ Singer: Chris Rice
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *  
Listen to what Jesus told His disciples and the crowd:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light shine before men in such a way
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

This strong encouragement is for us (you and me!) too!   We have this light within us.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

You can do it!  You can carry your candle…you ARE a light (Jesus said so!).  Whether your candle is the size of  a votive or the size of a lighthouse, do what God has put into your heart to do.  Each one provides light, each in their own setting.  This world is dark…and seems to grow darker each day.  But the light of Christ in your heart is bright…and fueled by something you could never provide.  The light that shines out from our lives comes from one, and only One, Source—God.  The psalmist knew clearly that the LORD God had provided light for his life.

The LORD is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine on us….
Psalm 118:27

For us, Jesus is the Light that God provided. Jesus’ coming as the ‘Light’ was prophesied throughout the ages.

…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.
Matthew 4:16

Because of God’s tender mercy, the Morning Light from Heaven
is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:79

And just as Jesus told His disciples and the crowd when He taught them what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7), He also spoke this truth to Saul (soon to be Paul) when He came and confronted him while on his way to persecute the Christians in Damascus.

I am delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—
to whom I am sending you to open their eyes,
so that they may turn from darkness to light
and from the power of Satan to God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins
and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Acts 26:17-18

Like Paul we, too, have something to offer to the world—the Light that will open their eyes, will turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God!

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

may this be our praise and prayer…

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the Fountain of life;
in Your Light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know You,
and Your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Psalms 36:5, 7-9

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

Awesome Nature of God

January 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Psalms 36:5-9

Awesome is one of those words that has been so over used and inappropriately used that it’s meaning has all but been lost. These verses from the heart of the 36th Psalm seem, at least to me, to provide a wonderful summary of the truly “awesome” Names of God. Gods steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments, are what awesome is all about.

While our love is often too conditional and limited, God’s love for us knows no bounds. Our love can be shallow, self – serving and unpredictable. God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.

When we profess our faith as followers of Christ we promise to “turn from sin and renounce evil and its power in the world” yet sometimes in spite of our most earnest efforts we fall back into the same old patterns. Or like the would-be followers of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:59-62) we set conditions: “When I have completed this task,” OR when I have more money, OR when I have more time, OR if it won’t be too demanding.” God’s faithfulness to us is unwavering and sure. You can always rely on God.

God’s righteousness the psalmist tells us that it is like the mighty mountains – majestic, firm, immovable, eternal. God’s ways are just and true, his truth unchanged and unchanging. To say that God is righteous is to say that in God all things are as they should be so that God is the standard by which all things are measured – love, justice, peace, kindness, generosity….

God’s judgments, the psalmist tells us are like the great deep: unfathomable in their understanding and truth, neither shallow nor easily manipulated. Yet they are also tempered by mercy and filled with forgiveness.

And, finally, the psalmist assures that in spite of the vastness of God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgment, the truly awesome nature of God, He is never too big to care for us.

Let us Pray: Our dear heavenly Father, we come to Thy throne of grace because You are the great God who never fails and whose love is unconditional. Teach us to love as Your own children in Jesus name we pray, Amen!!

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

CHRISTLife – Week Three

January 26, 2014 by

christlife graphic 2

A recurring theme this upcoming week in our study CHRISTLife: Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity will be the incomparable, unconditional, amazing LOVE that God has for us! Our author reminds us over and over of God’s love for us!

In Jeremiah 31:3 we hear God tell us of His love.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore with lovingingkindness I have drawn you.

We also are reminded of God’s love in Psalm 36.

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of men take refuge
and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

As well as in 1 John 4:9-10.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Along with this, Mrs. Myers puts in front of us the Truth that, in spite of our actions at times, God is always faithful and keeps His promises. Whether we ever believe them or not. Think about the children of Israel. They knew of God’s promise to lead them, protect them, guide them, feed them, guard them. But they were often disobedient to His simple commands. As such, because of His love for them, God had to help them to learn…as He will with us, too.

You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land the Lord swore to your fathers. Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.

Deuteronomy 8:1 and 2

During this week, we also make the transition from ‘Part 1: Who You Really Are…At First’ TO ‘Part 2: Your Life IS Christ.’ Listen to the following statement Mrs. Myers makes.

“As we hear and believe all that God tells us—as we intentionally think these truths and begin to act accordingly—He unfolds the true personality He designed us to be” page 60. (Oh! Don’t you just love that!)

And so we learn more of the Truth as we begin to believe what God says about us. And as we trust Him and take Him at His Word, we will begin to be freed from lies and misconceptions we have held in our hearts.

As we continue our study, the fact remains that we need to be diligent in reminding ourselves constantly of these Truths. One would think that, with all the many many many examples and proofs that God so graciously shows us about how very much He loves us, we would be convinced. However God is equally as patient with us as He loves us. The negative images that we have allowed into our hearts can be replaced by the Truth of just “Who we ARE” in Christ. But it takes work and effort on our part. Thankfully, we are not left to do this on our own. God can and will help us through His Holy Spirit! Remember to pray, pray, pray!

Friends, I hope that the beautiful lyrics of this song can be a tool for you to use to pray and sing your heart out to God. Your heavenly Father has MUCH to say to you…MUCH to remind you of…MUCH healing and deliverance and blessing to give to you as you seek Him!

*  ~  * ~  * ~ * ~ *

Over time You’ve healed so much in me, and I am living proof
That although my darkest hour had come, Your light could still shine through
Though at times it’s just enough to cast a shadow on the wall
I am grateful that You’ve shined Your light on me at all

Who am I, that You would love me so gently?
Who am I, that You would recognize my name?
Who am I, that You would speak to me so softly?
Conversation with the Lord Most High…who am I?

Oh, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see”
And the more I sing that sweet old song, the more I understand
That I do not comprehend this love that’s coming from Your hand.

Grace, grace; God’s grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace; God’s great grace
Grace that is greater than all my sin

Lord, Who am I? Who am I?
Lord Who am I? Who am I?

 

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,