December 22, 2024

We Are Full Of Hope

February 20, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15What strength do I have that I should continue to hope?
What is my future, that I should be patient?
Is my strength that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze?
Since I cannot help myself, the hope for success has been banished from me.
Job 6: 11-13

God created us to feel every emotion we as humans will experience in our lifetime. We never want to be so dead inside not to grieve. Tears are actually a gift…they take us to a place that words cannot. And they bring healing, yes, much healing. As much as this may hurt or cause us discomfort, can you imagine if you weren’t allowed to cry and grieve?

As Jesus’ followers, the world that we live in causes us to grieve on a daily basis. Then hope and faith are found also, when we rely solely on God the Father and Jesus the Son to fill us.  That which we lost, we gain in Him.

Job’s thoughts hit home.  “What  strength do I have…since I cannot help myself, so all hope for success has been banished.”  When we feel God has let us down, or didn’t answer the way we wanted, we feel like Job—hopeless because we have no control over the outcome.  We cannot always help ourselves. But He can!  He is always the answer! He is always your strength! The best part is this:

Life’s outcomes aren’t dependent on you…
Your future lies in His hands, His capable, strong hands.

Need proof? Let’s go to The Word:

Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

I will praise You forever for what You have done.
In the presence of Your faithful people,
I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good.
Psalms 52:9

__________, {put your name here} put your hope in the Lord.
For there is faithful love with the Lord, and with Him is redemption in abundance.
Psalm 130:7

Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.
Romans 12:12

I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened
so you may know what is the hope of His calling.
Ephesians 1:18a

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering,
for HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL.
Hebrews 10:23 (emphasis mine)

Pain will fill our lives in different seasons and we will have loss in this life. So we must grieve when we need to but we must not be hopeless. Because His hands control everything and in Him is so much hope.  Sadness?  Yes we will feel it, but we will be happy and full of joy again.  Why?  Because He promised us!  And He can be trusted, even when you can’t trust anyone else.

He will bless you and He will love you.
And there may be sadness right now…
but joy comes in the morning!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Do you know that God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die in your place? And He would’ve done this for just you if it meant that you would live with Him forever. Jesus is waiting to come into your heart. Today is the day for change! Ready?

Let us pray:
God, I know I am a sinner. My life is out of control and I am so tired. I need You to be my God. I believe that Jesus is Your Son. You sent Him to die in my place so that my sins are forgiven. I will get to live in Heaven with You forever. Walk with me through this hard life and bring me into the light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Take Heart

January 18, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
There is a Light
It burns brighter than the sun
He steals the night
And casts no shadow
There is Hope
Should oceans rise and mountains fall
He never fails

So take heart
Let His love lead us through the night
Hold on to hope
And take courage again

In death by love
The fallen world was overcome
He wears the scars of our freedom
In His Name
All our fears are swept away
He never fails

All our troubles
And all our tears
God our Hope
He has overcome
All our failures
And all our fear
God our Love
He has overcome
All our heartache
And all our pain
God our Healer
He has overcome
All our burdens
And all our shame
God our Freedom
He has overcome
All our troubles
And all our tears
God our Hope
He has overcome
All our failures
And all our fear
God our Love
He has overcome
God our Justice
God our Grace
God our Freedom
He has overcome
God our Refuge
God our Strength
God is with us
He has overcome

Songwriter: Joel Houston ~~  Hillsong United

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Oh, how I love His promises.  They comfort us in all situations.  Whether you need healing physically or you need chains to be broken—He is always the answer.  There is no burden too heavy that He can’t carry it for you.

If there is one thing we know for sure it is that this world is changing daily (and not always for the better).  There is so much hurt and anger, there are so many lost people trying to find an answer and searching for a little hope.  But we as Jesus’ followers know that Hope—and His name is Jesus.  He never changes and He never fails.  He is our strength and He is our refuge in times of trouble.  And He is that Light in the midst of this dark world.

God is just so full of grace and mercy, and so much love.  Every fear and every failure, He has already conquered it for us.  He has overcome this world.  And to prove to us just how much He loves us, He sent Jesus, His only Son, to die for us so that we can live in Heaven forever with Him.  In His hands, He bears the scars of the nails and every sin that we would ever commit hung on that cross that day.  Do you realize that we are free?

What do you need freedom from today?  If you have  just a little faith, He can move that mountain in front of you.   He can break the chains of addictions.  He can take anger away. He can give peace to the one who suffers from anxiety…and grace and mercy to the one who can’t forgive himself.  I pray as you listen to this worship song that you will let His love wash over you.  I pray that you feel loved because you are.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me.
Here on this earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

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Let us pray:
Dearest Lord, You are so awesome and amazing!  You are our Portion and Strong Tower in this shifting world.  Thank You for taking our burdens and giving us peace. Thank You for the grace and love You give so freely. You have overcome and You give us strength.  May we take this light that You give us and share it with all who will listen.  You are good, You are God, and You are still on the throne.  We love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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The Sun Is Shining

January 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Yesterday I found
That everything I knew was wrong
It was upside down
The life I thought I had was gone

But You came and whispered love to me
And You gave me strength to carry on

Oh, the sun is shining
There is hope for me again
A new day’s dawning
The sun is shining

Yesterday I lost
Everything I had and loved
Then I cried out for You, Lord
And You came and picked me up

And the sorrow lasted through the night
But the joy came with the morn

I will lift my voice
No, I won’t be silent
For You heard my cry
And You turned my mourning into dancing
And so forever I’ll sing

Singer/Songwriter: Mac Powell, along with Third Day

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

It’s still the beginning of January…the beginning of a new year but sometimes we are stuck looking at the past.  All the things we were going to do in 2014 aren’t done.  The patience we were going to master towards our kids?…well, we are still impatient and saying some words we regret at the end of the day.  The wife we were going to be—the one who had dinner on the table and clothes clean and in their right places and an immaculate house?…well, we still have baskets of socks that don’t match and frozen lasagna still goes into the oven at the end of a long day.

But we are NOT failures in Jesus.
We ARE more than conquerors when we have God as our Father.

Maybe you’ve lost someone or something that meant the world to you and stepping into this year without them seems impossible.  But God does whisper in your ear today and says, “You are mine, and I am yours…and together we can do this.”

You are not alone, my friends.  His strength is your strength.  And always there is darkness before the dawn, and the sun always comes out…always.  Joy does come in the morning.  And doesn’t a new day bring some hope?

Some seasons are harder than others and some days seem to last forever.  There were days that I myself just had the strength to lift up my head and cry out to Jesus for the strength to make it through one more minute.

He always showed up and He still does.

And when you do see His face and the light of the new day starts peeping through, don’t be silent.  Use your voice to give hope to others who may be where you have been.  I leave you today with the verses that I clung to during a particularly hard, long season:

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.
Psalm 10:17

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for,
the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen.
Hebrews 11:1

For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 ESV

And my favorite:
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for the power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

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Let’s pray:
Dearest Lord, You are mighty and awesome.  You are our Strength in our struggles, the Light in the darkness, and our Peace that passes all understanding.  You love us so much and forgive our every debt.  Thank You for walking with us into this new year. Help us to make lists of all the good You do and not the failures that we see…for You see us so much better than we see ourselves.  You see us as precious children that You saved with Your only Son, Jesus.  We love You and praise You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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You Are My Strength Psalm 71

September 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God;
I will mention and praise Your righteousness, even Yours alone.
O God, You have taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared Your wondrous works.
Yes, even when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, [but keep me alive]
until I have declared Your mighty strength to [this] generation,
and Your might and power to all that are to come.
Your righteousness also, O God, is very high [reaching to the heavens],
You Who have done great things; O God, who is like You, or who is Your equal?
Psalms 71:16-19

You are my strength
Strength like no other
Strength like no other
Reaches to me

You are my hope
Hope like no other
Hope like no other
Reaches to me

In the fullness of Your grace
In the power of Your Name
You lift me up
You lift me up

Unfailing love
Stronger than mountains
Deeper than oceans
Reaches to me

Your love O Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness
Reaches to the sky

Singer/Songwriter – Reuben Morgan with Hillsong United

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

Always and All the Time

September 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

In You, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in Your righteousness.
Turn Your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
Be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since You are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:1-5

  • Refuge

  • Deliverer

  • Rescuer

  • Fortress

  • Rock

  • Leader

  • Guide

  • Faithful

  • God

I can’t imagine what David was feeling when He was penning these words to God…I can’t imagine what his life’s struggles led him to think or to feel.  But I do know what these words make me feel.  I do know what it feels like to know these words for myself—and believe these words for myself.

Not only in times of strife and struggle have I called on God to be these things for me, but He has proven, in times of hurt and pain, that He always is here in all of these roles.  He is my Rock and my Fortress when I juggle the everyday mundane tasks.  When I wake to iron, make lunches, drive people to school and practice, He is my Strength.  When I interact with my family, friends, colleagues, He is my Leader and Guide.  When I am tired at the end of the day but still have things to finish, He is my Rock.  He is Faithful to help me when life gets crazier than it seems I can handle.

The beauty in David’s words is that God is not a sometimes God…He is an always God…He is always these things. Always and all the time.  Good times.  Not so good times.  We could be living in a palace at this place in our life, or we could be running through the wilderness.  Beautiful sisters, remember that He is constantly these things to me, and to the woman next to you in line at the store, to your friends and family…and to you.  He is always and He is all the time.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I forget that You are Here all the time, sometimes is easy to only reach out for You when times are bad, when I’m in the wilderness.  But David’s words remind me that You are an ‘always and all the time’ God.  And we need that reminder because life can get crazier than we can handle alone.  Lord, thank You for being a constant Refuge in the good and bad.  Thank You for being our Strength, our Rescuer, and our Rock.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Beauty Will Rise

April 11, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed ’til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears as everything
Came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
And sift through the ashes that are left behind

But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
We have this hope:

Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
in the morning, beauty will rise

So take another breath for now,
And let the tears come washing down
And if you can’t believe I will believe for you

Cause I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:

Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes…beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
In the morning

I can hear it in the distance
And it’s not too far away
It’s the music and the laughter
Of a wedding and a feast
I can almost feel the hand of God
Reaching for my face
To wipe the tears away, and say
“It’s time to make everything new”

“Make it all new”

This is our hope
This is the promise
This is our hope
This is the promise
That it would take our breath away
To see the beauty that’s been made
Out of the ashes
Out of the ashes
That it would take our breath away
To see the beauty that He’s made
Out of the ashes…
Out of the ashes…

Out of these ashes… beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of this darkness…new life will shine
And we’ll know the joy is coming in the morning
In the morning…beauty will rise

Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise

~  Steven Curtis Chapman, songwriter and singer  ~

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Steven Curtis Chapman is no stranger to tragedy.  Of all people, he knows ashes and he knows the beauty that God can make out of the ashes of tragedy and loss and suffering.  On May 21, 2008, Steven’s youngest daughter, Maria, was killed in their front yard, by a vehicle driven by their son. She was the youngest of the three girls the Chapmans had adopted from China; she was a vital part of the family, loved and adored by all.

In the days and week to come, Steven thought about leaving the music industry altogether.  Then God came to him, and inspired him to make music out of his pain.  That just maybe his mess that became his ministry would help others see that there is hope and healing in His name. And it became his mission to SEE God in the details of this.

Since Maria was from China, they traveled there and opened a home for special needs orphans called “Maria’s Big House of Hope” where children can live and be ministered to and loved.  Because of the tragedy of losing her, tens of thousands of children will be saved from life-threatening illnesses and have a place to call home, with loving nannies and nurses and doctors to care for them. Beauty from ashes, right?  And, while they were there, the whole family went to visit the site of that terrible earthquake of 2008, where over 70,000 people lost their lives. and left 5,000,000 homeless.  The Chapman family knew loss and they were able to relate to these people who had lost their sons and daughters, their mothers and fathers.  And the only comfort that they knew to share was God’s comfort through Scripture.  So they shared with the people of  China God’s unconditional love—that even in earthquakes, He never left them.

Through the ashes, like those left behind in the earthquake, beauty will rise.  New buildings are built; new homes, beautiful new streets and sidewalks.  And also new life with God.  After every tragedy, our relationship with God gets stronger because He is our Comforter and He never leaves us.  He can make beautiful out of ugly.  I know this and believe this…He is able!

Isn’t this like the Cross?  It was painful, hurtful, unfair and i’m sure the crown of thorns hurt and the day was dark.  But then Hope was raised from the dead, and new life…eternal life was birthed! And now we will live in eternity with Him forever!  Because Jesus died, we will live.  Because of the darkness, we see light and God will alway make something beautiful out of our ashes.

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Let us pray: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You so much for taking our tragedies and turning them into triumphs!  Out of the ugly messes we get ourselves in, Lord, You can use them to reach others for the Kingdom.  Sometimes our messes become our ministries ;and we are better equipped to help our fellow-travelers who may also be struggling. Beauty from Ashes…only You have the ability and only You know what we need.  In loss, You never leave us, and as we put one foot in front of the other, You fill us with Your strength and courage.  Thank You for not leaving us the way we are. And thank You for the ultimate beautiful Redeemer and Savior You sent to die in our place so that we can live a full life and live forever with You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

A Perfect Protector

February 10, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

As for God, His way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
He shields all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except out God?
It is God who arms with strength and keeps my way secure.
Psalms 18:30-32

Perfection.  I will go ahead and say that I have tried many times to be perfect. Have I ever achieved it?  No.  I never will. I have flaws.  I was born that way.  God made me with flaws for His own reasons.  I can either take advantage of those flaws to make myself better or let those flaws bring me down.  God gives me the strength to get past these flaws.

If we let our flaws bring us down, we can take refuge in a God who understands us because He made us.  God knew us before we born.  He knit us in our mothers’ wombs; therefore, He knows every fiber of our body.  This is one way He is our Rock and Shield.  He knows where we need protection and a fighting way against the evil of the world.  He arms us with the ways to stay strong and secure in our lives.

As Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God is my Rock, in Whom I take refuge, my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold,” God delivers me from my flaws which allow me to fall into temptation and to feel down.  He arms me with the strength and tools I need through His Word—the Bible. I only have to make the choice (which I already have) to accept Jesus into my heart and to pick up the Good Book. Through this, I am armed with God’s Shield to protect myself and my loved ones from Satan, and I have a Rock to lean on in hard times.

God  does not just not only makes me feel secure…He is my security. Just like a child depends on a blanket for security, God envelops us with His loving and strong arms to protect us. We can get that same security blanket feeling if we just depend on the rock that is always giving us protection and love.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the flaws that make us what we are. We can use those to make our lives our betters if we let You show us how to deal with them. You are perfect. We are not. Your perfection is what makes You our great Protector and Father. Without you, we would be lost to the world. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Alone…Yet Not Alone

January 24, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

I’m alone…yet not alone. God’s the Light that will guide me home.
With His love and tenderness, leading through the wilderness,
And wherever I may roam, I’m alone…yet not alone.

I will not be bent in fear. He’s the Refuge I know is near.
In His strength I find my own. By His faithful mercies shown.
That so mighty is His shield, all His love is now revealed.

When my steps are lost and desperate for a guide,
I can feel His touch, a soothing Presence by my side.

Alone, yet not alone; not forsaken when on my own.
I can lean upon His arm, and be lifted up from harm.
If I stumble, or if I’m thrown, I’m alone…yet not alone.

When my steps are lost and desperate for a Guide,
I can feel his touch, a soothing Presence by my side.

He has bound me with His love; watchful angels look from above.
Every evil can be braved for I know I will be saved.
Never frightened on my own; I’m alone…yet not alone.
I’m alone…yet not alone.

~  Performed by Mrs. Joni Eareckson Tada ~

~  Written by Bruce Broughton, Dennis Speigel  ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

As I viewed these video clips, I was struck by the fact that the children kept the Truth—that they had been taught by their parents—in their minds and hearts.  And it sustained them through this horrific, brutal time.  Such were similar words that the Psalmist confessed over and over.  He was “alone…yet not alone” many, many, many times.  David was sure that Jehovah (the LORD) was always with him, even when he was (actually) alone.

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear or dread?
The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident.
For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter;
in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.
And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me;
in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed
that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;
be brave and of good courage
and let your heart be stout and enduring.
Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
Excerpts from Psalm 27

Perhaps these were among the words the real-life children portrayed in this movie recited in their minds.  For each of us, too, we must not only know that these things are true but it is vitally important to get the Scriptures ingrained into our minds.  There is nothing to replace memorizing God’s Word.  For there will be those times when we need to immediately remember that God is our Light, our Refuge, our Strength,  our Shield.  And that we are NOT alone.

Verses 13 and 14 of Psalm 27 are my life verses.  I cling to them…sometimes daily! There have been numerous times, throughout the years I have <endeavored> to follow Jesus as my Lord, when I have felt desperately alone.  But each time, the deliverance for my heart has come from God as I kept reminding myself of this Truth.  And remembering that, yes, I was alone…yet not alone.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, You are so faithful!  You have provided so amazingly for us through the Truth told to us in Your Word!  Without it…where would we be?  But You are our Light, our Refuge, our Strength, our Shield…that is the Truth.  And You have promised to Your children Your love, tenderness, grace and mercies, Your Presence!  Please help us, Lord, through Your Holy Spirit to hold Your Word in our hearts that it might sustain us, uphold us, ground us, build us up, guide us.  And may we always remember that while we truly might be alone…we are yet NOT alone.  Thank You, dear Lord!  We love You!  We praise You!  We thank You!  In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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Hear My Heart

January 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvFor several years I have been praying for something specific—and that prayer is still yet unanswered—but I know without any doubt God is waiting in the wings to answer at just the right moment when “He is ready” for it to come to pass.    When I sit and think about when “that moment” will be, this song always comes to my mind and gives me so much comfort!

As I sit and wait in what I have named “God’s waiting room” I open up a book that is sitting on a table in this room, a most wonderful book, “The Holy Bible” that gives me encouragement and strength while I wait and cry out to Him. These two verses below have given me strength beyond strength during my years of waiting.

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong, and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

O Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your Presence,
let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
Psalms 88:1-2

When He calls my name to come forward into His presence from the waiting room, I am sometimes scared to meet Him because I know what I want the answer to be,  but  it’s not always what He gives…so I must accept His answer and move forward.

When I have reached the place where I am willing to accept God’s will/His answer instead of my own, it is then I have reached the turning point of prayer and have realized it’s not about me.   It’s about God and God’s Will for me!  And it’s then I realize God did indeed “Hear My Heart.”

~  Stop and listen to these beautiful words, please  ~

Sometimes I feel no one’s ever been in this place before
This is hard, and I’m not sure that I can do this anymore
I know someday I’ll look back, and all this won’t seem real
Lord, right now I need You to know just how I feel

When there are no words to say, and no prayer that I can pray,
Hear my heart
When I don’t have strength to try, and I’ve cried all I can cry,
Hear my heart
‘Cause You know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak
You know all the ways I need You and all the ways I’m weak
So I’ll be quiet, so You can hear my heart

Every now and then, I recall a simple phrase or melody
It comforts and it quiets, it lifts me up and then it carries me
Far above the pain and hurt I think will never end
The song speaks words I cannot, and it calms the fears within

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 

A beautiful quote from Corrie Ten Boom that I love to remind myself of is:
Don’t pray when you feel like it…
Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.
A man is powerful on his knees.

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Dear God, I pray for each one who has prayed for something specific and have been waiting for an answer, give them knowledge and confidence Lord to know the prayer is in Your hand and You will answer when the time is “right.”   Help us to accept the waiting and be comforted to know that Your will is worth the wait.   In Your name I pray.  Amen!

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

Ever Present Help

January 4, 2014 by

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God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed
nd though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Psalms 46:1-2

This psalm expresses the writer’s trust and confidence in God during a time of instability and insecurity. We all experience spiritual barrenness at times. This is not the norm for God desires to be near His people with help and comfort. The power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God.

Refuge shows a picture of shelter from danger, indicating that God is our true security in the storms of life.

Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there
a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night
over all the glory will be a canopy.
It will be as shelter and shade from the heat of the day
and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.
Isaiah 4:5-6

Strength refers to His might when battling our foes (Exodus 15:13) and includes His energy that works powerfully in us.

To this end I labour, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me
and enables us to overcome obstacles in life.
Colossians 1:29

God is an ever present help in times for trouble. God is available to His people and wants us to call on Him in any time of need.

Let us then approach the Throne of grace with confidence
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need
Hebrews 4:16

He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side, thus we need not fear. Fear is for non-believers and if you do not believe you are sinning. For with our hearts we believe and with our mouths we confess. How can we confess a thing that we have no confidence in? Therefore it is good we confess what we know for it to be established.

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Father, I thank You for You are our ever present Help. And Your promises to us are yay and amen. We come to Your Throne of grace for we know Whom we serve and we know Whom we are following. You have never failed us in our times of troubles. We call unto You even now as the mountains fall; we shall stand by the powers of Your hand and in Your heart of hearts we shall dwell. As the seas rage we know You shall calm them and there is going to be peace in our valleys, Lord. Help us realize that we serve You our miracle-working God Who is Omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time), Omniscient (all knowing) and Omnipotent (all powerful). In Jesus name we have prayed.  Amen!!!

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