December 23, 2024

Sow Mercy

July 14, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I can see her now, her weathered skin
Old straw hat and crooked grin
And she said child, let’s make this garden grow.
Let’s till the soil, and pull some weeds
And here’s your bag of precious seeds
‘Cause grandma’s got a secret you should know
You always reap exactly what you sow

Sow mercy
Sow grace
Sow kindness
Sow faith
Words are like water, sprinkled with love
You will harvest all your heart’s been dreaming of
Sow mercy

We knelt right there and she took my hand
That patch of dirt was holy land
And she said child I learned this long ago
Oh, you can bless or curse
You can live or die
You choose the crop you want in life
That’s the greatest secret Grandma knows
You always reap exactly what you sow

‘Cause one day, God forbid, you act a fool
And fall down hard and fast, ’cause life is cruel
If you ever reached to help a friend
A hand you held might lift you up again
What goes around comes back around you know
You always reap exactly what you sow

Gaither Vocal Band
Written by Reba Rambo-McGuire and Donny McGuire

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What a great reminder!  I know I can get so weighed down with what others are doing or saying…and become just like them.  I can act hateful, impatient, moody, negative and all the stuff that goes along with it.  But then I hear a song like this and it slaps me in the face. Sow mercy, sow grace, sow kindness, sow faith.  But what does that look like in our everyday walk?

  • Sow mercy can be when we deserve to be fired, but we are given a second chance
  • Sow grace can be when we find out someone has wronged us and they seek (and receive) forgiveness
  • Sow kindness can be giving just a simple cup of water to a stranger or to a child
  • Sow faith can be supporting a friend with kind words

Let’s consider the efforts of our forefathers today.  They endeavored to create a nation, under God, to be the best they knew how to create.  By us looking at how we live and how we interact, we can be stronger advocates for sowing mercy, grace, kindness and faith in our culture. We can pray.  We can bless our nation or we can curse it.  I choose to bless it and ask God to bless it by asking for a revival.  One person at a time.

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

God’s Mercy and Goodness

July 13, 2015 by

Remember, Lord, Your great mercy and love for they are from of old
Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways
According to Your love remember me, for You, Lord, are good
Psalms 25:6-7 NIV

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You have to love how transparent David is in his prayers to God..David made a habit of pouring out his heart and soul before His Almighty Father.  David was human and he made mistakes just as we do. The only thing is he had a repentful heart; and, most of the time, we are busy and forget to confess our sin.  Then it all turns to regrets, and kind of piles up into such a huge mess that we even forget where the top or bottom is.  Daily…hourly…by the minute we should bring our issues, our thoughts,  our prayers to the throne of God.  Often we need to leave them there, leave them at the foot of the Cross because He is better able to handle each of our needs, wants, and desires.

We as women are relationship-driven.  If a relationship is not going the way we want it to then we worry, stew, and fret over it. There are some we just need to drop and walk away from; and then there are some we truly need to work on…like our marriages.  Keeping God first in our life, our focus then will be our marriage, then children, then all others.  Sometimes this can become unbalanced.  When everything we do comes before God and our marriage, we need to pause and consider: What is our view of God?  Is it the relationship we had/have with our earthly father that dictates our relationship with our heavenly Father? Was our relationship strained or healthy?  Was it dysfunctional or normal?  Once we make this determination we can focus on the repair of the earthly relationship (if not too painful or is even  possible to repair) to become healthy.  Often this can be done by forgiving our earthly father  which makes a way for us to see our heavenly Father as someone different.  I, myself, often like to think of God as a loving grandfather or uncle.

As we grow and mature in our walk we often realize this.  But do not regret what life you have created for yourself—embrace the past, sort it out, but leave it in the past and move on to making a better future.  God will give us mercy for our mistakes when we ask.  Once our life and thoughts are re-aligned, we need to make peace with our spouse.  With prayer, meditation, and true repentance, God will restore to us what has been lost.  For each of us it may look different.   Just know God is a restorer and a preserver; He wants what is best for us. And there are consequences for our choices…those He cannot take away.

For those who have done their walk with God and their marriage, I commend you.  I would love to hear your secrets, your “do’s and don’ts” in marriage.  With this being the season for weddings, I am sure the newlyweds would love some inspiration, too… especially in the first few years of being married.  It is so different when you are dating and then come together to live with one another every day.  Begin each day with God in prayer and meditate on His goodness and love.  Let God be your Guide in all of your decisions; He will not lead you down the wrong path.  Be a listener to the Holy Spirit, for He is your Helper.  Ask Jesus to be your Intercessor.  You will be blessed for your efforts.

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Father, we thank You for David’s example and for his love and understanding of Your goodness and mercy.  For those who are hurting, Lord, give them peace—such a great feeling of peace to fill their soul with Your spirit.  For those who have been walking with You a long time, give them a renewing, a refreshing of their spirit.  Remove the staleness from their everyday and fill them anew.  Help us not be afraid to forgive, help us to have courage to do the hard things we need to do to have a closer walk with You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Faith To Believe

July 7, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Faith that’s forever
Faith to believe
Faith that moves mountains
Faith for my dreams
Faith that’s forever
Faith to receive
(I’ve got faith)…Faith to believe 

Now faith is the substance
Of things hoped for
And the evidence
Of things I can’t see
It’s my faith that moves mountains
Of doubt and uncertainty

I’ve got faith…faith to believe

Down through the years
Through every test and trial
I’ve learned down on my knees
By faith I can live out what I’ve heard
He won’t go back, back on His word

I believe, I believe, I believe
It’s possible
I believe, I believe, I believe
I’ve got faith…faith to believe 

Sheri Jones-Moffett
singer/songwriter

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How faithful is our God!  When we doubt, all we have to do is look toward our Father for support and guidance along our way.  He will not answer when we want…not always in the way we want…but He will always answer.

Our thoughts follow what is in our hearts.  And what we say brings life or death.  What is in your heart?  Do you believe, do you have the faith to trust that God will be there to catch you no matter what?  As our faith grows, our words should follow. We should speak words that encourage each other and instill hope in our God.

As you sing along with this song, think on the words.
Consider what you believe.

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Rock Of Ages

June 30, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure

You’re the Rock, the Rock of Ages
You’re the Rock, the Rock of Ages

Could my tears forever flow
Could my zeal no respite know
Tears for sin could not atone
Thou must save, and Thou alone
In my hand no price I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling

While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eyes shall close in death
When I rise to worlds unknown
And behold Thee on Thy throne
Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee

Sound Doctrine Band
Written by Augustus Toplady, 1760’s 
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This is an old hymn which many of us have grown up singing in a more traditional setting.  This version is a little more updated.  The story goes that Mr. Toplady was traveling the countryside in England when a violent thunder storm occured leaving him to find shelter in the hillside.  While waiting for the storm to subside and fearing for his life, the poem began to form in his mind.  Having no paper, it is said that he found some playing cards that he wrote upon.  As a young cleric I am sure he was much chagrined about using such a surface.

How many times have we found ourselves in the middle of storms that we have thought we might not survive?  But by the grace of God, He is faithful and true to bring us through them.  I remember growing up and wondering why was I there and why was I with this family who did not love me.  But then I realized that I was where I needed to be.  God had a specific purpose for me walking through the abandonment, abuse, abortion, and later forgiveness.  He helped me to see that there are such things as generational curses that need to be broken, and choices each person is responsible for.

I have come a long way from that little country girl who suffered.  He put women in my life who have walked the same path I had and came out of the fire whole and willing for God to use them.  Grace and mercy is what helps us get through all the hurt.  Speaking life into others brings healing.  Forgiveness brings us full circle.  It gives us the ability to see others as they are, human, despite their role in our life. Whether it is a parental role, sibling role, or as a friend…we are all human.

For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:16-17  ASV

We all have a part in what happens to us, good or bad.  We all suffer consequences of our actions.  It is when we let those actions from our past define who we are now that we are defeated.  We are to put away the old man and fight for the new creation in Jesus Christ to shine forth.  We need to find the passion we had when we first believed.  And we can!

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Thank you, Lord, for Your grace and mercy; and for the Holy Spirit that is within all of us.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

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

Sunny Days

June 23, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Sunny days, keepin’ the clouds away
I think we’re coming to a clearing and a brighter day
So far away, still I think they say,
The wait will make their heart grow stronger or fonder
I can’t quite remember anyway

So if you’re waitin’ for love
Well it’s a promise I’ll keep
If you don’t mind believing
That it changes everything
Time will never matter

Winter, spring is what love can truly bring
Ice turns to water, water flows to everything
You can lose your mind, maybe then your heart will find
I hope you won’t give up what’s movin’ you inside, no

If the car won’t start, when you turn the key
When the music comes on
All your cold, cold heart can do is skip a beat

Jars of Clay
Songwriters: Stephen Mason, Charlie Lowell, Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark

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There is a right time for everything,
    and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
    and a time to pull up plants.
There is a time to kill
    and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
    and a time to build.
There is a time to cry
    and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
    and a time to dance with joy.
There is a time to throw weapons down
    and a time to pick them up.
There is a time to hug someone
    and a time to stop holding so tightly.
There is a time to look for something
    and a time to consider it lost.
There is a time to keep things
    and a time to throw things away.
There is a time to tear cloth
    and a time to sew it.
There is a time to be silent
    and a time to speak.
There is a time to love
    and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
    and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3

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Father, thank You for Your love.  Thank You for sending us Your Word through song and through the life we live.  Please send Your Holy Spirit to prompt us to do better…to convict us when we are wrong…and to celebrate the victories with us!  Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace.  Thank You for Your provision.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

Helmet of Hope

June 22, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 
Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2  AMP

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How many times have we thought, “I am such a worthless sinner, how can God possibly love me, now?”  My friend, Paul so eloquently states here in these verses that, because of Jesus’ intercession on our behalf, we are able to enter into the presence of God.

I am currently re-reading Derek Prince’s book Faith to Live By. In his book, there is a chapter Faith versus Hope in which he states,

“Hope, in the biblical sense, is a confident expectation of good – a steady, persistent optimism. Hope protects our minds. Every Christian should wear a helmet of hope twenty-four hours a day. If we lay aside the helmet and begin to dwell on negative thoughts and gloomy forebodings, our minds are vulnerable to Satan’s subtle attacks.”

Our thoughts need to be focused on what is positive, good and worthy. Prayer—along with becoming aware of what we are thinking, watching, and listening to—will begin to change our thoughts and behavior patterns.  It will not be given to us.  We will have to focus on what is right.

God desires you to put Him first in everything.  We are to trust in His ability to provide for our every need.  Unless we train our minds to think like this, it is difficult to start.  Remember how we constantly thought of our boyfriend or husband all the time in the beginning of our relationship?  That is what God wants from us.  I find myself starting off my day, thanking Him and asking for His provision as my day starts…but often I may not think about Him until lunch time or later in the afternoon.  We need to be aware of Him in every aspect of our life.  We need to fall in love with God again.

Our desires drive us.  This week, let us begin again.  Let us put aside our failures, our hurts, and put on the helmet of hope and ask God to show us how to love again as a child.  A couple I serve with at church has a daughter who is almost 4 years old.  I love how she declares Jesus to everyone.  How she says Jesus died but rose again.  I call her a little evangelist.  She brings a smile to my face whenever I see her.  I pray she never loses her child-like love for her heavenly Father.  And I pray God will use her and our next generation in new and exciting ways!

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Father, we thank You for Your hope.  Let our hope in You spill over to others.  We pray for this helmet of hope to cover us and to be placed there when we forget to ask for it.  Help us guard our hearts and minds against what would destroy us.  Help us to learn to rebuke evil and to be brave when You call upon us to act.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Keep Making Me

June 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Make me broken
So I can be healed
‘Cause I’m so calloused
And now I can’t feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty
So I can be filled
‘Cause I’m still holding
Onto my will
And I’m completed
When You are with me
Make me empty

‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be Yours
‘Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
‘Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

Sidewalk Prophets
Writer(s): David Frey, Ben McDonald

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Watching the video, and listening to the song, I am struck with how real this is for me.  I have become calloused in some areas of my life as a way of protecting myself.  I want to feel God’s Presence in all areas of my life, but sometimes it gets busy, messy…and just hard.

God wants us to go to Him before we call a girlfriend or to someone else that we trust.  We can ask God to help us with anything that we are struggling with and He is faithful to answer when we ask.  He knows better what our request and underlying motives are, so He is much better to give an answer.

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Today, let this be our prayer to our God and Father in heaven.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.
Praise God in His Sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens.
Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness.
Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre,
Praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe,
Praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

 

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Hope In The Lord

June 15, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

For this is what the Lord has said: When seventy years are ended for Babylon,
I will have pity on you and give effect to My good purpose for you,
causing you to come back to this place.
For I am conscious of My thoughts about you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you hope at the end.
Jeremiah 29:10-11 BBE

Hope (here in this passage) refers to something to look forward to, or to anticipate, usually with pleasure.  God was telling His people of when they would go into exile; they would have a hope of coming home.

God did not want to send His people into exile.  He wanted them to listen to the warnings of Jeremiah before He punished His people.  The people just scoffed at Jeremiah, choosing to ignore God’s warnings.  Thinking, “Here is Jeremiah again; saying bad things are going to happen to us!”  Scripture tells us of Jeremiah’s frustration at being treated lightly by those listening.

Daniel, who was one of those who were taken into exile in Babylon.

In the first year of his rule, I, Daniel, saw clearly from the books the number of years
given by the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah,
in which the making waste of Jerusalem was to be complete, that is, seventy years.
Daniel 9:2 BBE

Daniel was a man after God’s own heart.  He immediately began praying, asking forgiveness of sins for himself and for those of God’s people.  Daniel was in reverent awe of God’s mercy, grace, and righteousness toward them.  Daniel’s prayer is an example of intercessory prayer.  We should all strive to do this, and most of us moms do pray and intercede regularly for our children and our family.  Our hope is in God’s mercy and forgiveness.  We have to be willing for God to use us where needed.  He will use our willingness to serve to give hope to those who have no hope.

Often, when we feel we are not worthy, that is when God will use us.  When we are empty of ourselves is when God can fill us with His hope and joy until it overflows and effects others around us.  When we are free of ourselves is when He can work mightily through us.

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Father, thank You for telling us of how You loved Your people so much that You would send them to exile in a foreign nation…only to bring a remnant back to rebuild Your holy city.  You have shown the great hope you have for Your people and how You continue to give us opportunities to shine and be a light for You. Forgive us for being prideful and thinking we can do everything ourselves without Your help. You are our Strength, our Shield, and our Hope in this crazy, mixed-up world.  Thank You for Your love is all things.  In Jesus’ name, amen!

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

Imperishable Hope

June 11, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again
to a living HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled
and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are protected by the power of God through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5

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Did you just read what Peter said?  We have a living hope to an imperishable inheritance  through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  AND it is a place reserved in heaven with Jesus and our Father.  What a great promise we have!

We all have a hope to be with God in Heaven one day.  As we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we will be there.  It is like waiting to go on a long-awaited trip, or finally being able to accomplish a dream.

The Jewish people have hope for their Messiah to come, one of a conquering one.  We know the Messiah has already arrived.  Our job is to pray for the people of Israel to realize Jesus as their Messiah and to demonstrate to them who we are in believing in Jesus.

With the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948, the people have begun resettling the land which God promised would happen.

For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land
who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered,
heal the broken, or sustain the one standing,
but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs.
Zechariah 11:16
God has a plan and has given hope to His people—from selecting Abraham and Sarah, to bringing the people out of captivity in Egypt, to David being chosen as king.  God has a plan to bring us to Him as His own.  Our hope is in Him and He is attainable.
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Father, thank You for loving us and for grafting us into Your family.  Help us share the hope you have given to all of us with others.  Help us not be afraid to be bold.  Give us courage.  In Jesus’ name, amen!
Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Whom Shall I Fear

June 9, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvYou hear me when I call
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear

You crush the enemy
Underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield
Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I’m holding on to Your promises

You are faithful
You are faithful

Chris Tomlin
and written along with Ed Cash and Scott McTyeire Cash

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The Lord is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the Stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,  my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
Psalms 27:1-3

Sometimes life gets tough and we feel that God has abandoned us.  The only thing that can bring us down is believing the lies that Satan would tell us.  The lies are subtle.  They sound so true… ‘You are not pretty’; ‘You are not loved’; ‘You have no friends’…the list can go on and on.  But we have a Redeemer.  We have a Restorer.  We have hope of a better life.  We just have to have faith and believe.

God’s love is enough to surround each of us.  Find a time to spend time in His Word.  Whatever is your best time…whether it is in the morning, afternoon, or evening.  It could be your lunchtime.  It could be during breaktime.  Make time to enter into the Presence of God.  He will repay you for your efforts.  You will be blessed in new ways.

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