December 25, 2024

Jesus In Disguise

August 31, 2015 by

Ever get something in your head
It’s nothing you heard
Or something you read

Ever had a cut but you never saw a blade
Brought to your knees
But you never prayed

Jesus in disguise
Jehovah passing by
The burden of a tear
Hanging in your eye
Jesus in disguise
A scar across the sky
You were looking for a king
You would never recognize
Jesus in disguise

Ever feel like you been somewhere before
You hold the key
You know which door

Speak the word your lips have never known
Because your heart
Told you so

So open my eyes wide as I can
Blind as I am, blind as I am

Singer / Songwriter : Brandon Heath

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

{Have you ever had a thought pop into your head that made you go “say WHAT?”  That happened to me as I was taking a walk.  Then I had to literally stop, sit down, and make notes because the thoughts were coming so fast.  I’ve waited two days just to see if this is really what God wanted me to write.  I’m almost certain it is…so here goes.}

What do the following three things have to do with one another?

  • treasure
  • hurtful words
  • the bridge of this song 

Let’s look at them individually then I will put it all together:

Treasure

When treasure is spoken of in the Scriptures it is referring to our time, our talent(s), our motives, and our money.  Matthew 6:21 (HCSB) states “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Luke 6:45 (NASB) says “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”  A quick review of how we spend our time and our days, where we put our talents to use, where our money goes, and why we do those things  should gives us a pretty good idea of what our treasure is (and where our heart is, too.)

Hurtful Words

Words can hurt. Criticism (constructive or otherwise), gossip, even words spoken in truth, hurt.  There is no doubt about that, especially if they are aimed towards us.  But take a look at these Scriptures:

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear….
James 1:19 ESV

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15 ESV

Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
Proverbs 19:27 ESV

The bridge of this song 

“So open my eyes wide as I can…Blind as I am, blind as I am…“

“Blind as I am.”  Oh yes, I can be blind, deaf, AND dumb when it comes to some things.  Sometimes it is because I am truly unaware.  BUT…sometimes it is because I choose to be blind.  Galatians 3:1a (KJV) asks “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth…”.  What keeps me from recognizing the Truth?  Often it is pride or wanting my own way.

Now, here is how God has put all of this together for me…. Perhaps hurtful words are meant to be seen as red flags—and our pride keeps us from seeing.  When I hear the same type of comments from multiple sources over a period of time, I first need to examine my motives and my behavior instead of assuming they come from someone who is jealous, bitter, etc.  I need to take those comments to God and ask if there is any validity to them.  Perhaps my behavior hasn’t crossed the line yet…but when words hurt we should be warned of what could lie ahead.

Ephesians 5:10 (HCSB) says we need to be “…discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.” So I need to ask some hard questions….

  • Am I doing something to fan the flames?
  • Is there something in my behavior I have missed or am choosing to ignore?
  • Has a relationship crossed the line into unhealthy?
  • Am I putting another relationship before my relationship with God?
  • Has a bad habit become an addiction?
  • Am I following the lead of others instead of His leading?
  • Have I chosen to go my own way instead of His?
  • Am I spending money on trips, or other pleasures, instead of using that money to do His work?

Satan is wily.  He will always have people in place to encourage and support when we stray from Christ’s desires for us.  Satan can whisper “There is nothing wrong with that.  After all, Scripture says, ‘Everything is permissible…’.”  Yet the Scriptures which deal with this issue also include a caveat.  Take a closer look at them:

Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me;
but not all things are helpful (good for me to do,
expedient and profitable when considered with other things).
Everything is lawful for me,
but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.
1 Corinthians 6:12 (AMP)

All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please],
but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome).
All things are legitimate,
but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].
1 Corinthians 10:23 (AMP)

We must always be willing to take a good, hard look at what we are doing and thinking.  And willing to ask these additional hard questions of ourselves:

  • Is it constructive to my character and edifying to my spiritual life?
  • Or have I become a slave to its power?
  • Does my behavior glorify God?
  • Is my life a reflection of Christ?

I don’t want to be blind to my faults…hidden or not.  I want my eyes open as wide as they can be so I am aware of any tricks the enemy might use.

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Lord, please open my eyes.  Do not allow me to be blind to anything that is not pleasing to You.  Help me discern if the words of others are red flags to warn me of the danger my behavior could bring.  Let my life be pleasing to You and bring You glory.  Amen – It Is So!

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Do Something

August 28, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “Somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
“I’m gonna do something”

We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill (shine, shine, shine, shine)
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No, we won’t stand still
No, we won’t stand still
No, we won’t stand still 

Singer/Songwriter: Matthew West
 
 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *
This song seems more relevant in today’s society than ever before.  You cannot turn on the news, get on Facebook, or even have a conversation with a friend without hearing about something negative.  I know that as Christians we are called to make a difference, but there are times in our lives when we do not know what that difference is.  We don’t know exactly what we’re supposed to be doing in this troubled world.  
I’ve often asked God “What am I supposed to do?”  This song answers that question for all of us; we need to do something.  Whether it is large or small in our eyes, we need to step forward and do something.  Whether it be our home, our job, in the community, in the church—we all have a place.  And I’ve learned that there is no place that is more important than the other.
Dear ladies, please take the words of this song to heart.  We have been tasked with, we have been blessed with the opportunity to make a difference—a difference that will give glory to God.  It is easy to become discouraged and feel as if we are such a small part of life…how could we make an impact?  But we have to remember that we have a power behind us that is unmatched.  God is our strength.  
Next time you think about the difference you were called to make, take time to pray.  Connect with the One who gave you the task in the first place.  He will give you clarity and direction.  We are His hands and feet and we are called to do something.
 
 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, the idea of stepping out and doing something can be daunting.  We are Your hands and feet, but sometimes we don’t know what that is supposed to look like.  Thank You for Your guidance and direction. Thank You for trusting us to do something.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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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!

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I’m Gonna Lay It Down

August 26, 2015 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

Jaci Velasquez
songwriters: Jay Jenkins, Miquel Scott, Lee Dixon, Jacoby White, Jasper Cameron

*  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

This song reveals the brokenness of my heart every single time I hear it…and for that I am oh-so-very thankful!  Each of us has burdens and cares and concerns…some days it seems they are more than we can bear.  To think that they will not happen and that one can walk through this life without them is to deny the Truth.  However, they are not ours to carry or 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 Lord letting Him take care of them.  We are to humbly recognize our great need for Jesus, and all that He has already done and 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

Listen to Jesus’ admonition and promises in Matthew chapter 6;  as you read along, put your own name wherever there is a ♥ , ok?

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. (emphasis added)

Jesus’ words are full of action for us to take, true…but not the action of taking care of ourselves. Rather, He 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
  • <and again> do not worry or be anxious

This is not always easy to do…but it is what we are to do in obedience.  It is a moment-by-moment choice.  Will we stop…look…consider…not worry or be anxious…and seek His kingdom OR will we have worry, doubt, fear, be anxious, and try to bear our own burdens, concerns, and cares?

I pray 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, please, pray that for me, too?)

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My Story

August 23, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

If I told you my story
You would hear hope that wouldn’t let go
If I told you my story
You would hear love that never gave up
If I told you my story
You would hear life but it wasn’t mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
To tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
If told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
If I told you my story
You would hear life overcome the grave

‘This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long’

Big Daddy Weave
written by Mike Weaver, Jason Ingram
classical hymn, Blessed Assurance, written by Frances Crosby
*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *
If I told you my story, you would definitely see the hand of God, the Father, providing in ways you couldn’t imagine.  You would see that love wins and the enemy is defeated on so many occasions.  You would see my imperfections being used for His glory and the many times I have been forgiven when  I failed Him.  If I told you my story, you might just see there is hope for yours.

What if we never shared though?  What if we never heard the stories of those who went before us?  Like in John 4…the woman at the well had an incredible story to tell all her people…she had gone to the well, at noon, so no one else would be there.  (Jesus knew though.)  After their encounter, she went away telling all who would listen that Jesus offered her the Living Water that would last forever!  I wonder how many lives were changed that day because she shared?  And today, how many people have found that Living Water and truly understood what Jesus was talking about because her story was told.

Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men,
“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!
Could this be the Messiah?”
They left the town and made their way to Him.
John 4:28-30

You may be thinking that your story isn’t worth telling.  Or that if you did tell your story, that no one would respect you.  Or if you told it, how that might  affect you?  I say tell it and let God protect you and use you for His glory.  I hear from so many, “If I was called to be a missionary, then I would go tell others.”  Guess what?  We are all called to be missionaries. The Great commission is found in Matthew…do you remember hearing it growing up?

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
When they saw Him, they worshipped, but some doubted.
Then Jesus came near and said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 HCSB

He gave you the story you have and He wants to use you to give hope.  Pray and ask Him to show you how to start.  Then thank Him for how He is about to use you.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Let us pray: Dear God, You are so awesome and so worthy of all our praise and worship.  You gave us each a different story of victory to share with others.  I pray today that You give us all the courage to go out and tell the world of Your goodness and grace.  We love You so much and we thank You for being patient when we are slow to share.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Counselor.  This week, give us opportunities to tell someone our God stories.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Washed by the Water

August 21, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Daddy was a preacher
She was his wife
Just trying to make the world a little better
You know, shine a light

People started talking
Trying to hear their own voice
Those people tried to accuse my father
Said he made the wrong choice

Though it might be painful
You know that time will always tell
Those people have long since gone
My father never failed

Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water

Even if the earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let You down
I won’t fall, I won’t fall, I won’t fall
As long as You’re around me

NeedToBreathe
William Rinehart, Nathaniel Rinehart

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

School started in our home last week with three little ones off to learn and grow.  I try to find teachable moments with my children that will help them face the trials and lessons that come in elementary and middle school—and there are more than I would like to count.  Daily it seems as if the kids come home with a story of a situation (not always involving them) that they have knowledge of.  Because of the amount of negative stuff around them I always try to teach them that God is always with us.  And that He never leaves us. But, driving to work listening to this song, I realized that this is not just a lesson for my kids…it is a lesson for all of us.

Whether we work inside the home, outside of the home, are retired, or whatever situation we find ourselves in, we are surrounded with an overwhelming amount of stuff, that we need to be reminded that ‘even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the water’.  And that despite how overwhelmed we may feel, that we will never fail as long as God is on our side.

So as I remind my kids (and as I remind myself, and as I remind you):

  • despite what the world may look like
  • despite who is talking to hear themselves talk
  • despite the attempts Satan makes to stop us…

God is on our side.   He is our strength.   He is our Living Water.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Strength and You are the Living Water, with You we can never fail.  The world may try to tell us one thing but Your promises tell us another.  Let us take comfort in You and in Your Word.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Ancient Words

August 20, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart

Words of life, words of hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where ’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home

Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart

Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ

Robin Mark
written by Lynn DeShazo

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

I am not sure if you might be like me…at times it can seem to be so difficult to keep thinking the TRUTH of what God says about myself.  Do you struggle with this too?  Somehow, by God’s grace, we muster up the fortitude and remind ourselves,

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

At times, when I am struggling to believe the truth…and not the lies…I like to tell these thoughts, “I do not believe that!  You <ugly thought> must be obedient to Jesus Christ.  God’s Word says ______ .”  (And then I speak or read the TRUTH of God’s Word.)

We are in charge of what we think!  We control the thoughts that we allow to live in our hearts!  We determine to put the TRUTH into our hearts and minds!   That is exactly what this verse reminds us to do!

Have you ever thought or said any of the following to yourself?

“I look _____ <fill in the blank> … no one could ever love me like this.”
The TRUTH is: I am wonderfully made!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made and wonderful are Your works…
Psalms 139:14

~  ♥  ~  

“I am not important…I have no value to anyone.”
The TRUTH is: I have great worth to God!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.
Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted.
Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!
Luke 12:7

~  ♥  ~  

“I can never forgive ____ for  __________!  They don’t deserve it.”
The TRUTH is: I have been forgiven of so much!  Forgiveness has nothing to do with what is ‘deserved;’ it is all about trust and obedience to God.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matthew 6:12, 14, 15

~  ♥  ~  

We all have occasional thoughts that are lies.  Sometimes they are long-buried words that have spoken to us in our past.  Sometimes they are strongholds that are in our hearts that we have not dealt with.  Sometimes they are vicious deceptions that the enemy of our souls speaks to us.  It really isn’t too important where the lies/thoughts originate.

BUT what we do when we think those lies/thoughts is vitally important!  We could dwell on those lies/thoughts, harboring them in our hearts and allowing them to fester and grow.  NOT a good idea!  Or instead we could recognize those lies/thoughts for what they are, and choose to refute the lie by replacing it with the truth of God’s Word, and have peace and joy.  A REALLY good idea!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—
practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8 and 9

This is one way to replace those lies/thoughts, “…think about these things.”  These are the things that God wants us to fix our minds on!  Just look at them: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, of any excellence or worthy of praise…and when we do…we will have God’s peace.  Just what we so desire, yes?  Amen.

Are there lies in your heart that you believe about yourself?  Take a moment…write down two lies on a piece of paper.  Now, bring them to the Light—the light of God’s Word.  Find the Truth in the Scriptures about what He says about you.

{Perhaps you are not quite sure how to go about this…try this:  google ‘God says I am worthy’  Now, try it putting into the Google search engine a phrase that you desire to find what God’s Word says is the TRUTH.  And, if you need help, come back here and let’s work together on it, ok?  I would love to work through this with you!   ♥ }

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

Words

August 18, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

They’ve made me feel like a prisoner
They’ve made me feel set free
They’ve made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They’ve lifted my heart
To places I’d never been
And they’ve dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts
Or put it out

I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

Hawk Nelson
Written by Jonathan Steingard,  Matt Hammitt, and Seth Mosley

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

We can use our words to build up or to tear down.  It is our choice.  I am sure we all have heard words that have torn us down in our past.  We often repeat what we hear or what we believe we hear.  God did not give us those words.  

Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.
And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house
and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Luke 6:46-48

When we hear those words that have torn us down repeating in our minds, we need to rebuke them.  We need to repeat the promises God has told us about who we are in Him.

  • We are His adopted sons and daughters
  • We are loved
  • We are cherished
  • We are not beyond His help
  • We do have a hope in God through His Son Jesus

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Father, thank You for the promise of Your Son and for the promise of being Yours.  Help us to see through the lies and deceit constantly echoing in our minds.  Give us the strength to turn the lies to right thinking in You and embracing Your promises.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

Big House

August 17, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I don’t know where you lay your head
Or where you call your home
I don’t know where you eat your meals
Or where you talk on the phone
I don’t know if you got a cook
A butler or a maid
I don’t know if you got a yard
With a hammock in the shade

I don’t know if you got some shelter
Say a place to hide
I don’t know if you live with friends
In whom you can confide
I don’t know if you got a family
Say a mom or dad
I don’t know if you feel love at all
But I bet you wish you had

Come and go with me to my Father’s house
Come and go with me to my Father’s house

It’s a big, big house
With lots and lots a room
A big, big table
With lots and lots of food
A big, big yard
Where we can play football
A big, big house
It’s my Father’s house

All I know is it’s a big ole house
With rooms for everyone
All I know is lots of land
Where we can play and run
All I know is you need love
And I’ve got a family
All I know is you’re all alone
So why not come with me

Audio Adrenaline
Songwriters: Mark Stuart, Barry Blair, Will McGinniss, Bill Herdmann

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

We were up in the mountains camping this weekend when the chorus for this song came to mind.  I had first heard it at a teen camp with one of my girls.  It has been quite a while since I thought about it.  I kept thinking, “This is my Father’s house!”  And it was.  The new growth on the top of the pine trees looked like crosses.  The family in the next campsite had a worship service on Sunday night. It was in Spanish so I didn’t understand a lot of it but His Presence was there, I could feel it.  Too often I make the mistake of thinking “church” is my Father’s only house.  I forget He makes His home with us.  I forget about His heavenly home.

2 Timothy 1:14 (AMP) reminds me that Holy Spirit makes His home in us.

Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth]
which has been entrusted [to you],
by the [help of the] Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us.

As I was researching Scriptures for this blog, I found something that astounded me!  Look at the following Scriptures:

…the heavens torn open and the [Holy] Spirit like a dove coming down [to enter] into Him.
Mark 1:10 AMP

But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes
and fills you with power from heaven.
Luke 24:49 NLT

Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove
from heaven and resting upon Him.
John 1:32 NLT

…the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
1 Peter 1:12 HCSB

So there are three witnesses in heaven:
the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One;
1 John 5:7 AMP

Do you see it?  The Holy Spirit came from Heaven to reside in us!  We carry a piece of Heaven inside of us!  (GASP!)  I had never thought about it that way.

When Audio Adrenaline wrote this song, they wanted to create a song that made Heaven sound fun…not scary or ominous.  “Big House” paints a picture of a large and loving family, spending time together, having lots of fun in the presence of a loving Father.  Since I have a piece of Heaven, I wanted to see how the Scriptures describe Heaven.  Here is what I found:

  • the sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard – Isaiah 65:19
  • death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer – Revelation 21:4
  • no hunger or thirst – Revelations 7:16-17
  • springs of living waters – Revelations 7:16-17
  • there will be rest and relief – 1 Thessalonians 1:7
  • a world filled with God’s righteousness – 2 Peter 3:13
  • a house with many rooms – 2 Chronicles 31:18

There are so many wonderful Scriptures regarding what Heaven will be like…too many to include.  But I love the physical description found in this passage:

The River of the water of Life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the Tree of Life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him.

Revelations 22:1-5

I like the image of the river flowing from the throne.  It reminds me of the streams and waterfalls I saw this weekend.   Sounds like a happy place to me.  And there is a piece of that paradise living inside of me in the form of the Holy Spirit.  So, please, come and go with me to my Father’s house.  We may not be able to visit it physically but we always have part of it with us.

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Father God, thank You for the beautiful Scriptures that show us what Heaven will be like.  I stand amazed, knowing that a piece of Heaven dwells within me.  Thank You for reminding me through the beauty of nature that I am always in Your House.  In Your Holy Name I pray, Amen – it is so!

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

Grace Wins

August 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In my weakest moment I see you
Shaking your head in disgrace
I can read the disappointment
Written all over your face

Here come those whispers in my ear
Saying, “Who do you think you are?
Looks like you’re on your own from here
‘Cause grace could never reach that far”

But in the shadow of that shame
Beat down by all the blame
I hear You call my name saying ‘it’s not over’
And my heart starts to beat so loud now
Drowning out the doubt
I’m down, but I’m not out

There’s a war between guilt and grace
And they’re fighting for a sacred space
But I’m living proof
Grace wins every time
No more lying down in death’s defeat
Now I’m rising up in victory
Singing, hallelujah
Grace wins every time

Words can’t describe the way it feels
When mercy floods a thirsty soul
The broke inside begins to heal
And grace returns what guilty stole

And in the shadow of that shame
Beat down by all the blame
I hear You call my name saying it’s not over
And my heart starts to beat so loud now
Drowning out the doubt
I’m down, but I’m not out

Grace wins every time
For the prodigal son
Grace wins
For the woman at the well
Grace wins
For the blind man and the beggar
Grace wins
For always and forever
Grace wins
For the lost out on the streets
Grace wins
For the worst part of you and me
Grace wins
For the thief on the cross
Grace wins
For a world that is lost

 Matthew West
singer/songwriter

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

As you listen to this song, try to think of the times that you needed His grace.  If we are honest—as long as we are breathing, we need grace.  And unlike most things in this world, it’s free.  See, God knew how hard it would be for us to live a totally righteous life, so He sent Jesus to die.  Now we live in victory, even though it may seem totally opposite.  There will be times that we cannot handle one more trial….

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9

For the one that just keeps on doing the same thing over and over again, promising that tomorrow will be different and it’s not.  Shame takes you backwards into the same thing that you’re trying to overcome.

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.
1 Peter 5:10

And for the one that thinks that nothing can save him now, that he’s gone too far and God can never forgive him now…

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,
by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:15 and 16

Oh friend, we are free because of grace…and as long as we have breath, and as long as we have Jesus…grace wins every time.

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