May 7, 2025

I Bless Your Name

September 3, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In prisoners chains, with bleeding stripes
Paul and Silas prayed that night
And in their pain, began to sing
Their chains were loosed and they were free

I bless Your name, I bless Your name
I give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your name, I bless Your name

Some midnight hour, if you should find
You’re in a prison, in your mind
Sing out in praise—defy the chains
And they will fall in Jesus’ name

You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your name, I bless Your name

Songwriter – Elizabeth Goodine / Performed by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

This song tells of the Apostle Paul and his brother in Christ, Silas, imprisoned in the city of Philippi.  They had been wrongly accused, held without a proper hearing, beaten and flogged, and then tossed into the innermost prison cell where they were held in stocks and chains.

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. Acts 16:25 and 26

Is that not one of the most incredible accounts of deliverance in the Bible?!!?  But wait…that’s not really quite true…the Scriptures are filled with record after record after record telling of God’s provision in miraculous, awesome, ‘but for the grace of God’ ways! Such as,

  • Moses and the children of Israel being delivered out of the hand of their Egyptian oppressors
  • Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego stepping out with not even the scent of smoke on their garments after being in the fiery furnace
  • Daniel climbing out of the lion’s den with not a scratch on him
  • Joshua and the Israelites circling Jericho for six days and then on the seventh day, repeating their journey 7 times in a row…and then shouting…and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down
  • Jonah surviving three days of being in the great fish’s belly
  • Mary finding herself, a yet-to-be-married virgin, pregnant
  • the Resurrection from the dead, after three days, of our Lord Jesus Christ
  • And, of course, there are many, many, many more!

Which are some of the wondrous works of God that cause your heart to sing out in praise as you remember God’s great hand of blessing?  (Please share them with us in the comment section below!)  May I encourage you to read through these records and remind yourself how amazing, awesome, and wonderful our God is—and bless His Name!

He is ELOHIM —the God of power and might.

He is JEHOVAH-JIREH — the Lord Who will provide.

He is EL-ROI — the Strong One Who sees.

He is EL-SHADDAI — God Almighty.

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I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your Name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Psalms 145:1-3, 21

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You Never Let Go

September 1, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You 

Singer/Songwriter Matt Redman with Mrs. Beth Redman

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

This song held me together during a very dark time in my life.  It offered hope where I could see none.  It reminded me God was holding me close as my world was falling apart.  The song is based on Psalm 23:4 (AMP).

Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

I truly felt like I was walking through the deepest, darkest valley known to man – the valley of death.  My only strength, my only comfort was in Him.  He was my light at the end of the tunnel if only my heart could hold on.  Proverbs 4:4 (HCSB) reminds us “Your heart must hold on to My words” and that is what I did…I sought solace in His Word.

As I was thinking back on that time and writing this, I began to wonder where the phrase “Oh no, You never let go” came from.  As I searched, I did not find the exact phrase but I found so many wonderful promises filled with hope I had to share them!

He guards the steps of His faithful ones
1 Samuel 2:9a HCSB

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
2 Samuel 22:33, Psalm 18:32 NIV

No weapon that is formed against you will prosper
Isaiah 54:17a NASB

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all.
No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
John 10:29 HCSB

What then shall we say to [all] this?
If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]
Romans 8:31 AMP

…for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
1 John 5:18b NLT

I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father,
Who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:1 NLT

These verses have one thing in common – they prove He never lets go!   We have nothing to fear.   And because of that I will continue to praise Him.

   *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Lord, thank You for never letting go.  No matter what we are going through, You are right there with us, holding us tightly in Your mighty right hand.  Remind us we have nothing to fear as long as we cling to You.  Even if we let go of Your hand, You are never too far away to reach us.  You are our Comfort and our Hope.  We are grateful that we can stand on Your promises and know You are faithful.  In Jesus’ name, Amen – it is so!

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A Living Prayer

August 30, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there’s one who holds my hand
Through rugged roads, through barren lands

The way is dark, the road is steep
But He’s become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God, to Thee

In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

Take my life and let me be a living prayer, my God, to Thee

Performed by Alison Krauss and Union Station; written by Ron Block

  *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

This beautiful bluegrass ballad is an affirmation, a declaration, a commitment. It is the heart-cry of the songwriter to his God. I love that he wrote, ‘take my life and let me be a living prayer…’ He recognized that, even though he had so much in his heart he wanted to commit to God Almighty, he still needed God’s involvement. He knew he needed God.

The writers of the Psalms often communicated very similar thoughts.

Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You do I pray.
O Lord, in the morning You hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch.
But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy,
And spread your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You.
For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalms 25:1-3, 11 and 12 ESV

Listen to my words, O Lord, give heed to my sighing and groaning.
Hear the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You do I pray.
In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].
Psalms 5:1-3 AMP

And as such it is with us, too. We cry out to our heavenly Father with our own words of commitment and declaration. Voicing the affirmation of our faith in Him…our trust and belief that He is Faithful…our acknowledgment of our great need for our El Shaddai.

Take my life and let me be a living prayer, my God, to Thee!

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I Exalt Thee

August 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

For Thou, O Lord, art high above all the earth
Thou art exalted far above all gods
For Thou, O Lord, art high above all the earth
Thou art exalted high above all gods

I exalt Thee
I exalt Thee
I exalt Thee, O Lord
I exalt Thee
I exalt Thee
I exalt Thee, O Lord

please take the time to enter into a time of worship with your God!

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Does it not thrill your heart to sing this simple song…glorifying and exalting the Lord God?!!?  I just love that the LORD, our God IS exalted…and that is one reason why we exalt Him.  He IS exalted—high above the cherubim, high above the peoples, high above the earth—we simply voice our confession and belief of this Truth!

The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble [with reverential fear]! He sits [enthroned] above the cherubim, let the earth quake!
The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples.
Let them confess and praise Your great name, awesome and reverence inspiring! It is holy, and holy is He!
The strength of the king who loves righteousness and equity You establish in uprightness; You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob (Israel).
Extol (exalt) the Lord our God and worship at His footstool! Holy is He!
Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them.
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His testimonies and the statutes that He gave them.
You answered them, O Lord our God; You were a forgiving God to them, although avenging their evildoing and wicked practices.
Extol (exalt) the Lord our God and worship at His holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy!

Psalm 99

ex·alt

: to raise (someone or something) to a higher level

: to praise (someone or something) highly

: to present (something) in a way that is very favorable

 

And here are some synonyms for the word exalt; perhaps these are part of your vocabulary?

praise, acclaim, applaud, pay tribute to, bless, worship, magnify (archaic), glorify, reverence, laud, extol, pay homage to, idolize, apotheosize, set on a pedestal

This—praising, extolling, blessing, worshipping, magnifying—is exactly what Moses led the Israelites to do when they stood on the far shore of the Red Sea.  I can only imagine that their feet were still sandy and mucky from that trek across the ocean floor!  Their hearts must have been utterly amazed and their mouths filled with praises for God’s miraculous saving of their lives from what should have been utter demise at the hands of their captors.  Listen to Moses’ words…

The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Exodus 15:1

Even more than using our words and praises to exalt Almighty God, our actions prove what our hearts and minds hold. What does it look like to ‘exalt’ God in our daily lives? Here are a few I thought of:

  • to exalt God is to put Him above all else in your life
  • to exalt God is to surrender yourself to Him
  • to exalt God is to recognize that He is over all, above all
  • to exalt God is to praise His mighty works

What are some other ways you can add to this list? (I would love it if you would  leave your answers in the comments section below!)

O Lord, You are my God;
I will exalt You, I will praise Your name,
for You have done wonderful things,
even purposes planned of old [and fulfilled] in faithfulness and truth.
Isaiah 25:1 (and the rest of the chapter, too!)

And we know that for all eternity we will have the privilege and the blessing to exalt and praise our great God along with the saints and the angels, all the living creatures and the elders…all those gathered around His throne…forever and ever!

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:11-13

For now, we can rehearse our eternal ambition and bow our hearts, our bodies, our whole selves before the throne of God singing loudly or quietly within ourselves but always acknowledging Him and exalting Him Who is worthy to be praised!

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:3

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Angels

August 28, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

“Take this man to prison,” the man heard Herod say
And then four squads of soldiers came and carried him away
Chained up between two watchmen, Peter tried to sleep
But beyond the walls an endless prayer was lifting for his keep
Then a light cut through the darkness of a lonely prison cell
And the chains that bound the man of God just opened up and fell
And running to his people before the break of day
There was only one thing on his mind, only one thing to say

Angels watching over me, every move I make
Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me, every step I take
Angels watching over me

God only knows the times my life was threatened just today
A reckless car ran out of gas before it ran my way
Near misses all around me, accidents unknown
Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home
But I know they’re all around me all day and through the night
When the enemy is closing in, I know sometimes they fight
To keep my feet from falling, I’ll never turn away
If you’re asking what’s protecting me then you’re gonna hear me say

Got his angels watching over me, every move I make
Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me, every step I take
Angels watching over me

Singer/Songwriter Amy Grant
along with  E. Brown Bannister,  Gary Chapman, Michael W.  Smith
*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  * 

God only knows how many accidents…in the car or just walking…I have come near to being in. I have also seen other people have some near-misses. Every day is full of near-misses . Yet God is protecting us. We may not understand how, but God is there and knows when we really need Him. Life is hard. Without God, we would not be able to survive every day.

My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me:
forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me;
and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
Daniel 6:22

In today’s world we are being persecuted left and right by those who do not believe in God or those who religiously believe in something else.  We are thrown into the proverbial ‘lion’s den’ every day.  Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den because the king had been misled about Daniel.  However, Daniel knew that he would be safe.  He testified to the king the next morning that an angel of the Lord had come and shut the lion’s mouth through the night.  The king, having seen and heard of Daniel’s survival, decreed that the kingdom would follow Daniel’s God.

God’s angels are always looking out for us.  We may not be able to see them, but we know that He sends His angels to look after us.  We can think of all the near-misses we have had and realize that God was looking out for us.  God and His angels are always there fighting for us.  They are protecting us from the forces that are always out there trying to make us fall.

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Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for guarding us and protecting us. Thank You for sending Your angels to give us protection from the many things that are trying to make us fall and take us away from You. Without You, we would certainly fall and not be able to get up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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(Never Gonna) Steal My Joy

August 27, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 

I look at my life and I still can’t believe it
How could I make it to where I stand now?
You don’t understand, I was up against the whole world
And all I could feel was it breaking me down
But out of a hopeless situation
There came a song of redemption

Life may push my heart to the limit
But I won’t let go of the joy in my soul
‘Cause everything can change in a minute
And the world may try
But they’re never gonna steal my joy
No, they’re never, no, they’re never

So get up, stand up and rise above it
If every plan that you made go so wrong
You don’t have to give into the struggle
You may be down but don’t stay there for long
In every hopeless situation
There is a song of redemption

The world may say you’re never gonna make it
The world may say you’re not strong enough to take it
But I don’t care ’cause of the joy of the Lord is real
And they’re never gonna steal my joy,
Never, no, never 

 Songwriters: Sam Mizzell and Matthew West / Performed by Mandisa

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‘Get up, stand up, and rise above it’!!!  We were never meant to live a defeated life. Not when we have Jesus on our side.  ‘The world may try but they’re never gonna steal my joy’!!  Our joy can only be stolen if we ALLOW it to be….

Joy is not dependent upon our circumstances.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling;
He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at His sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.
Psalms 27:5-7 NIV

Joy is possible when we feel secure in the Lord.

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of Your face shine on us.
Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalms 4:6-8

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the fullness of joy that can only be found in You…for Your faithfulness in all circumstances…and for the strength to conquer whatever life brings.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!!

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When Jesus Says Yes

August 26, 2014 by
psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvWhen Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
I’m not worried ’bout a thing
‘Cause I know You are guiding me
Where You lead me, Lord, I will go
I have no fear ’cause I know who’s in control
There’s no limit to what You can do
‘Cause it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to You
(The world should know)
You’re almighty and all powerful
And it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to YouWhen Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)
When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”
(When Jesus say, “Yes,” nobody can say, “No.”)

Unknown author.  Nigerian Praise Song

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

This is such an upbeat and energizing song.  I pray you enjoy it.  Jesus is with us. He is the same today, tomorrow, and forever.  We are the ones who put limits on God and what He can do in our lives.  I am discovering this as I continue my walk. Praise Him with this song this week, and feel His goodness envelope you.

 

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We Believe

August 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In this time of desperation
When all we know is doubt and fear
There is only one foundation
We believe, we believe!

In this broken generation
When all is dark, You help us see
There is only one salvation
We believe, we believe!

We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back again, we believe

So, let our faith be more than anthems
Greater than the songs we sing
And in our weakness and temptations
We believe, we believe!

Let the lost be found and the dead be raised
In the here and now, let love invade
Let the church live love our God will save
We believe, we believe

And the gates of hell will not prevail
For the power of God has torn the veil
Now we know Your love will never fail
We believe, we believe!

 Songwriters: Travis Ryan, Richie Fike, Matt Hooper / Performed by Newsboys

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

I often feel like I am living in a puzzle that will never get solved. I am a puzzle piece that somehow connects to another piece on the table. I know I connect, and I believe that I will connect. Christians are being persecuted. A radical group in the Middle East is heck-bent on taking over the world. I just feel like I am a piece of a puzzle that will not get put together as things go from bad to worse.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God…
Ephesians 2:8

We see the faces of those being oppressed every day when we watch the news on television or read about it on the Internet. I believe, however, that this is all part of God’s master plan for the world and time. Times are getting desperate. People are getting desperate. The earth is getting desperate. The number of extreme storms and earthquakes are increasing. The birth pangs look to have begun. For Christians, these may be a few of the signs that Christ’s Return is getting nearer—nearer than ever before.

Believers know that Jesus died for us, and that He rose from the grave. As believers, we know that He will return one day to take us home. Jesus gives us new life when we believe with faith that He died for us on the Cross. We are released from the desperation of being human when we accept Jesus as our Savior. We believe with faith that Jesus defeated death and sin when He left the tomb. A mere human could not do that. Only Jesus could do that.

Our faith in God is what gets us through the rough times. Our faith in God is what keeps us going when we feel like we have nowhere else to go. Our faith is what allows us to know that Jesus died on the Cross, but He defeated evil when He rose from the dead. He showed Himself to the disciples who then relayed the good news that He would return again.

God’s love is what saves, but only if we accept it. We must believe with our whole hearts that Jesus died on the Cross for us. Then, we must share this same faith with those who are lost. By doing this, we spread the word of God’s love. We show our faith in God when we show His love to others.

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Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your wonderful gift.  Thank You for defeating death.  We believe that You died for us, and that You will return soon to take us home.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Made To Love

August 22, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
The dream is fading, now I’m staring at the door
I know its over ‘cause my feet have hit the cold floor
Check my reflection, I ain’t feelin’ what I see
It’s no mystery
Whatever happened to a passion I could live for
What became of the flame that made me feel more
And when did I forget that…

I was made to love You
I was made to find You
I was made just for You
Made to adore You
I was made to love
And be loved by You

You were here before me
You were waiting on me
And You said You’d keep me
Never would You leave me
I was made to love
and be loved by You

The dream’s alive with my eyes opened wide
Back in the ring You’ve got me swinging for the grand prize
I feel the haters spittin’ vapors on my dreams
But I still believe
I’m reachin’ out, reachin’ up, reachin’ over
I feel a breeze cover me called Jehovah
And, Daddy, I’m on my way
‘Cause I was made to love…

Anything I would give up for You
Everything, I’d give it all away

 

Singer/Songwriter: Toby McKeehan, with Cary Barlowe/Aaron Rice/Jamie Moore

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

We were all made by the Creator with a longing—a deep desire—that only God can fill.

For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.
Jeremiah 31:25

Take a listen to what Pastor Rick Warren shares about the longing we have for our God:

The Bible tells us that there is a God-shaped vacuum in our hearts. There is a hole in our hearts that only God can fill. We were made to be connected to our Creator. We were made to know Him and to be plugged into His power.

Your heart is designed to contain God. God wants to live inside of you but when your life is filled with other things, there’s no room in your heart for God. This means you’re not plugged into God’s power and that’s why you’re tired all the time. And that’s why you’re stressed out all the time and that’s why you worry all the time.

follow this link to read the whole article.

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Heavenly Father, Thank You that when we call out, You, Jehovah are on Your way to meet us right where we are at…filling the longing that only You can fill. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!!

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Lay It Down

August 21, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been lookin’ till my eyes are tired of lookin’
Listenin’ till my ears are numb from listenin’
Prayin’ till my knees are sore from kneelin’ on the bedroom floor
I know that you know that my heart is achin’
I’m running out of tears and my will is breakin’
I don’t think that I can carry the burden of it anymore
All of my hopes and my dreams and my best-laid plans
Are slowly slippin’ through my folded hands

So I’m gonna lay it down
I’m gonna learn to trust You now
What else can I do
‘Cause everything I am depends on You
And if the sun don’t come back up
I know Your love will be enough
I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go,
I’m gonna lay it down

I’ve been walkin’ through this world like I’m barely livin’
Buried in the doubt of this hole I’ve been diggin’
But You’re pullin’ me out
I’m finally breathin’ in the open air
This room may be dark but I’m finally seein’
There’s a new ray of hope, and now I’m believin’
That the past is past, and the future’s beginning to look brighter now
Oh, cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best-laid plans
Are safe and secure when I place them in Your hands 

Singer / Songwriter – Jaci Velasquez
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Each of us has burdens and cares and concerns…some days it seems they are more than we can bear.  To think you can walk through this life without them is to deny the Truth.  However, they are not ours to carry and bear on our own. Throughout the Scriptures, we are told that the Lord will bear them for us.

Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day,
even the God Who is our salvation! Selah
Psalm 68:19

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me,
because I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

The burdens, the concerns, the cares of this life can turn into worries, doubts, fears if we do not bring them to our Father letting Him take care of them. We are to humbly recognize our great need for our Great God, and all that He has promised to do for us, because He cares for 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.
1 Peter 5:6 and 7

Let’s listen to Jesus’ admonition and promises in Matthew chapter 6:

Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?
And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?
And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?
For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
But seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given you besides.
So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

Jesus’ words are full of action for us to take…but not the action of taking care of ourselves. Rather, our Lord and Master tells us to–

  • stop being perpetually uneasy
  • look at (and consider) the birds of the air
  • consider the lilies of the field
  • do not worry and be anxious
  • seek (first of all) His kingdom
  • <again> do not worry or be anxious

These are not always easy to do…but they are what we are to do in obedience. The choice, moment by moment, is ours (yours and mine)—will we stop… look…consider…not worry or be anxious…but seek His kingdom OR will we worry, doubt, have anxiety and fear.

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I am praying for you that TODAY you will choose to trust and say, “I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go, I’m gonna lay it down…in Jesus’ powerful name, amen.” (Will you pray that for me, too?  I’d be so appreciative!)

 

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