January 31, 2008

For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? … Isaiah 43:19 NLT

He is working in our lives everyday. Sometimes we just don’t see it. The Lord wants to do new things in our lives everyday. Be open to Him and see what he can do today!

January 30, 2008

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Janaury 29, 2008

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NLT

Janaury 28, 2008

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 NLT

There is something about looking at old photos of relatives that comforts me. The picture at the left was taken on my grandparent's very first date. When I look at this photo, I have a sense of belonging. This is where I came from. My grandparents were God-fearing, hard-working people. They taught me what it means to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. I miss them both. They have gone on to heaven now, but what a rich, Godly heritage they left behind. I rejoice even more because I am God's child...He is my Father.
Galatians 4:6 says, And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." When we receive Christ as our savior, we are adopted by God! He becomes our Father, and we become his sons and daughters. As our Father, he will guide us, teach us, protect us, provide for us, discipline us, comfort us, help us, forgive us, defend us, strengthen us—and through it all, love us unconditionally.

January 27, 2008

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
1 John 1:5 NLT

In the past year or so I have been enlightened about "organic" foods. My oldest son, the most health-conscious of our family gives me 'high-fives' whenever I purchase "organic" products. He reads all nutritional labels to determine the amount of additives, preservatives, transfats, sodium, etc. before consumption. It took some major convincing, but he did get me off of Sweet Sixteen powdered donuts! Just for kicks, he plans to go to Whole Foods Market in Atlanta this weekend. It will be a thrill for him!

What is Organic? I visited this web-site and found a decent defintion. http://www.stonyfield.com/Organic/

Organic refers to the way agricultural products- food and fiber- are grown and processed. It is an ecological system that at its core relies on a healthy rich soil to produce strong plants that resist pests and diseases. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemicals in favor of more “earth-friendly” practices that work in harmony with nature. In the case of livestock, antibiotics are prohibited, opting instead for preventative measures for keeping animals healthy and productive. Organic production also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).

As I thought about this verse this morning, I just thanked my Heavenly Father that He is who He says He is! He is 100%pure! No additives, just all love!

I realize that I need to examine my own life and ask myself, am I who I say I am?

If I say I am a Christian, I should have faith, a secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

I should also trust, have or place confidence in; depend on, have assurance. Psalms 40:4 says, Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

There should also be obedience in my life. Obedience is dutifully complying with the commands, orders, or instructions of one in authority. Romans 6:16 says, Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

January 26, 2008

I waited patiently for the Lord, He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand Psalm 40:1




Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your Word. Psalm119:114

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18, 19

Give Me Words To Speak (Aaron Schust)

Calloused and bruised, dazed and confused

My Spirit is left wanting something more

Than my selfish hopes, and my selfish dreams

I’m lying with my face down to the floor

I’m crying out for more, cryin out for more

Give me Words to speak

Don’t let my Spirit sleep

Cause I can’t think of anything worth saying

But I know that I owe you my life

So give me Words to speak

Don’t let my Spirit sleep

Every night, every day

I find that I have nothing I can to say

So I stand here in silence awaiting

Your guidance I’m wanting only

Your voice to be heard

Let them be Your Words, let 'em be Your Words

Give me Words to speak

Don’t let my Spirit sleep

Cause I can’t think of anything worth saying

But I know that I owe You my life

So give me Words to speak

Don’t let my Spirit sleep

I just don’t understand this life that I’ve been living

I just don’t understand,

I just don't understand

I just don’t understand, these lies I’ve been believing

I just don’t understand,

I just don't understand

I know, I know I owe You my life.

All my life, all my life.

I know that I owe You my life.

January 25, 2008

I will not leave you all alone like children without parents. I will come back to you. In a very short time the people in the world will not see me any more. But you will see me. You will live because I live. On that day you will know that I am in the Father. You will know that you are in me and I am in you. John 14:18-20

Many of you are now aware that I have taken up running again...well I guess you can call it that. It probably looks more like shuffling some days! But I am sticking with it.
Anyway, something terrifying happened to me today!
I had to run alone!
That's right...you heard me.
The dreaded solo jog!
I had to run without my partner, my sidekick, and my sister.
She wasn't there to encourage me along the path and to remind me to breathe.
Now I know that may not seem earth-shattering to you, but do you know how hard it is to motivate this forty-something year old body to run (even if it is at a snail's pace) in frigid January temperatures? I struggled.
This experience was not pleasant.
Five minutes into my run, however, the Lord spoke to my heart. I was amazed I could hear Him over my heavy breathing and pounding heart!
But seriously, He spoke to me. He said I will not leave ..... I will come to you. I looked that up when I got home....that's a promise in the Word from John 14:18. Jesus told his disciples that after he left, God, the Father, would send the Holy Spirit to be with them, be in them, and come and help them. Running alone today reminded me of how impossible it is to live daily without the presence of the Holy Spirit's empowerment. I need the filling of the Holy Spirit daily to run this race of life.

"Don’t ever forget that you cannot do what God has called you to do. You cannot parent that child, love that husband, care for that elderly parent, submit to that boss, teach that Sunday school class, or lead that small-group Bible study. God specializes in the impossible, so that when the victory is won and the task is complete, we cannot take any credit. Others know we didn’t do it, and we know we didn’t do it. We must always remember that we can only live the Christian life and serve God through the power of His Holy Spirit. As soon as we think we can handle it on our own, we become useless to Him. We have to be willing to get out of the way, let God take over, and let Him overshadow us." (Nancy Leigh DeMoss)

January 24, 2008

Speak, Lord;

for Thy servant heareth.

1 Samuel 3:10

If I truly desire to hear the voice of God, then I must be prepared to listen. It will be hard to hear the voice of God if I am doing all the talking. This means I must set aside time where I am in a positon to hear HIS voice.
Lord, I want to hear your voice, I want be in step with you so your name will be exalted in all the world!


The words to the hymn below were written in 1869 by Frances Havergal. She was born on De­cem­ber 14, 1836 in Ast­ley, Wor­ces­ter­shire, Eng­land. Frances was reading by age four and began writing hyms at age seven. She lived a short life dying at age forty-three on June 3, 1879 .On her tomb­stone was the Script­ure verse she claimed as her own: The blood of Je­sus Christ cleans­eth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Master, speak! Thy servant heareth,

Waiting for Thy gracious word,

Longing for Thy voice that cheereth;

Master! let it now be heard.

I am listening, Lord, for Thee:

What hast Thou to say to me?

Speak to me by name,

O Master,Let me know it is to me;

Speak, that I may follow faster,

With a step more firm and free,

Where the Shepherd leads the flock,

In the shadow of the rock.

Master, speak!

Though least and lowest,

Let me not unheard depart;

Master, speak!

For O, Thou knowest

All the yearning of my heart,

Knowest all its truest need:

Speak! and make me blest indeed.

Master, speak! and make me ready,

When Thy voice is truly heard,

With obedience glad and steady

Still to follow every word.

I am listening, Lord, for Thee:

Master, speak! O, speak to me!

January 23, 2008

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

I recently heard a news report that a bowl of cereal and milk probably cost me 49 cents each morning. Last year, it was 44 cents. By next year, it could be 56 cents. It's enough to make you cry in your cornflakes! Well, I am sure you, too have noticed the rising food costs. I admit I am not going hungry and neither is my family, but my grocery bill has drastically increased and that makes me a little uncomfortable. Just last week, I had to tell my daughter to put the green grapes back...they cost $8.00 for a small bag! Ridiculous!

As I have been whining about the rising cost of groceries lately, I witnessed something yesterday that I hadn't seen in my hometown before. On my daily run, I saw two men rummaging through a grocery store dumpster filling their tattered, plastic bags with rotten fruit and other discarded food items. Obviously they were hungry. The reason for their hunger? I am not sure. Were they just lazy, refusing to work? Or were they truly in poverty? Only my Heavenly Father knows. Frankly, when I think about hunger, I usually think in terms of mass starvation in far-away countries, but obviously hunger lurks in my own backyard.

This morning as I ate my whole wheat bagel (cost-28 cents), cleaned out the frige, tossing out some old spaghetti sauce and other less than appealing leftovers, the image of those hungy men collecting food from the trash flashed into my mind.

What do you want me to do, Lord?

Should our community open a soup kitchen and feed the hungry? I firmly believe we should be concerned about the issues of poverty and hunger. We must provide for the physical need before we attempt to fulfill the spiritual void. To do this we must first examine our own lives. We must be real about the poverty and hunger of our own souls. We are all needy. The only hope for all of us is the Gospel...the good news that sets the captive free. I am desperate for you, Lord. Fill me and satisfy my soul!

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

January 22, 2008

The LORD is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?...
Psalm 27:1

Life can be crazy, chaotic, unpredicatable and sometimes frightening. There are times I wish I could be a child again and have someone protect me from the world. God promises that He will take care us. Like a loving parent comforts a frightened child, He is there to embrace us and shelter us. When the Lord is guiding us through the various storms of life there is nothing that you or I should ever fear. Isaiah 41:13 says I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. God reaches out and takes hold of our hands and comforts us with his precious words: "Don't be afraid. I'm here with you. I will help."

I call,

You hear me

I've lost it all

And it's more than I can bear

I feel so empty

You're strong

I'm weary I'm holdin' on

But I feel like givin' in

But still You're with me

And even though I'm walkin'

through the valley of the shadow

I will hold tight to the hand of Him

Whose love will comfort me

And when all hope is gone and

I've been wounded in the battle

He is all the strength that I will ever need

And He will carry me

I know I'm broken

But you alone can mend this heart of mine

You're always with me

and even though I feel so lonely

Like I've never been before

You never said it would be easy

But You said you'd see me through the storm

-Mark Schultz

January 21, 2008

A portion of this passage from 2 Corinthians was also posted on January 17.
God led me back to it again today through a devotional I read written by Jon Walker. Teach me, Lord.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

2 Corinthians 4:8-12

A devotion by Jon Walker...
We are jars of clay, chipped and blemished, fragile by God’s design in order to show the glorious light of God shining through our cracks and crevices. People should look at us and say, “What’s this? That plain jar of clay isn’t creating such a glorious light; it must be the light of heaven contained within. The peace and joy and love I see in that light must be from God.” And so our older brother Paul says we can rest assured that our hardships are not meant to defeat us. God is still at work in our lives, even if we’re unable to see his hand at work.
We may be hard pressed, yet our hope in God keeps us from being crushed; perplexed, yet our hope in God keeps us from despair; persecuted, yet our hope in God tells us we’re not abandoned; struck down, yet our God keeps us from being destroyed. We are at the crossroads where the street called “When You Can’t See God’s Hand” intersects with the avenue of “Then Trust God’s Heart.”

To read the rest of this devotion go to:
http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/en-US/FreeTools/devotional/todaysDevo/TodaysDevotional.htm


There was a water bearer in India had two large pots; each hung on each end of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots, full of water in his master's house.Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.""Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "For the past two years, I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value for your efforts," the pot said.The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

January 20, 2008

When we turn our life and will over to the care of GOD, He will guide us on the journey to become the person that we were meant to be. He has promised:

I WILL INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO; I WILL COUNSEL YOU AND WATCH OVER YOU. Psalm 32:8

Now in the process of becoming that person, our life will be filled with love, hope, faith and fulfillment, as we have never known before! The emptiness we felt before will be filled to overflowing! We will then start looking at life differently, and loving every moment of it.

IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME! 2 Corinthians 5:17

I pray that you are on that journey right now, and feel these changes within yourself! If not, today is a great day to start that journey! Just tell God that you are ready.

THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND AND WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME. YOU WILL BE LIKE A WELL WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE WATERS NEVER FAIL. Isaiah 58:11

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it

A pardon for all who believe

Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born in the Spirit

And who share incarnation with Him

Who belong to eternity stranded in time

And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you

And never stop counting the cost

Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

-Michael Card

January 19, 2008

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:24 - 27

I remember attending my grandmother and grandfather's church at a very young age and learning the song… "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock.." With all the wonderful rain we have had this week, I found myself humming that little tune in my head. I also started thinking about the storms that have come into my life recently. I believe the trials and tests that ultimately come our way will reveal our true foundation of life: sand or rock? The house built on sand appears good as long as there is no storm. The house built on the Rock, Jesus Christ will never be destroyed. Build your life on Christ instead of the wavering, false substitutes. Our Lord will always uphold you with His righteous, omnipotent hand when the storms of life approach.
On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand!

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

—Edward Mote (1797-1874)

January 18, 2008

"And what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like the people that hear God's teaching with a good, honest heart. They obey God's teaching and patiently make good fruit." Luke 8:15

I know it's the middle of January, but I am thinking of summer. I love summer and all the fresh vegetables that are so abundant in South Georgia that time of year. My favorite? Tomatoes. Lewis Grizzard once said,

"It's difficult to think anything

but pleasant thoughts

while eating a homegrown

tomato."

Just a little over a decade ago I tried my hand at growing tomatoes. In the middle of the summer, there simply is nothing better than the taste of a homegrown tomato…. especially sliced and placed between two slices of white bread with a dollop of mayonnaise. I heard John Denver sing this one time...

“Home grown tomatoes,

home grown tomatoes.

What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes?

Only two things that money can't buy.

That's true love and home grown tomatoes.”

With that thought in mind, I recall asking my father, an experienced tomato gardener for some tips on growing tomatoes. He told me, "the most important thing about growing any garden is the proper preparation of the soil. Tomatoes need loose, rich soil so they can spread their roots quickly."

I listened to my father's advice, prepared the soil, planted the tomato plants, and watered them. To my amazement. my first tomato crop was a huge success. The next spring I decided to grow tomatoes again. Unfortunately, I did not reap such a great harvest this time. My entire tomato crop was a disaster! I called my father and he diagnosed the problem right away...blossom rot. I had failed to replenish and enrich the soil. With out the proper nutritents in the soil, my crop was doomed.

There are lots of spiritual lessons to be learned from gardening. Just like the experienced gardener who willingly gives advice to the new gardener, our Heavenly Father does the same for His children. If we listen to the Master Gardener, He will show us how to prepare the ground of our heart so that the seed of His Word can be planted to yield a crop of righteousness. He will also provide the proper mixture of spiritual elements that will bring forth good fruit.

January 18, 2008

If you knew that only a few would care that you came,

would you still come?

If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face,

would you still care?

If you knew that the tongues you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit at you, the hands you made would crucify you,

would you still make them?

Christ did.

— Max Lucado

January 17, 2008

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed...II Corinthians 4:8,9

I made a commitment to begin running in 2008. At first, I just thought it would be a great way to shed extra pounds and tone up, but now I am realizing that there are a lot of spiritual implications that can be applied as I run. Spiritually, I am in a race for my life! Whether or not you choose to run as a type of physical exercise, you, too are in the race! It is obvious Satan wants to destroy us. He wants to keep us discouraged and beaten down. Whatever God has called you to do, stay focused on the prize! Philippians 3:13-14 says, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Don't listen to voices of defeat and discouragement. We all must go through a struggle before we get where God wants us. It is a time of preparation for what lies ahead.

January 16, 2008

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Habakkuk means "embrace"

When we are in trouble and God does not deliver us right away, we may sometimes think that God does not care. But God promises to deliver us in his time. Psalm 34:19 says, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” Psalm 91:15 says “He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” And 1 Peter 5:10 reminds us that we need to look to God’s timing for our deliverance, not our own. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Embrace Him today!

"Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind the stronger the trees." Williard Marriott

January 15, 2008

I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

It’s not always easy to be faithful and to consistently trust God. My sin gets in the way and the world is so opposed to what I strive to stand for!As you walk with Jesus today and minister to this fallen world, remember Christ’s encouragement to all disciples. “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Tell everyone the Good News! He has overcome the world! Give Me Jesus! Hallelujah!

Go here to listen to and watch a beautiful video .... Give ME Jesus!http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883230?bctid=1330349674

“Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us.”
— Oswald Chambers

January 14, 2008

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:22-24

Father, how grateful I am this morning for your love that never fails, your mercy that is infinite and fresh each day, your faithfulness that is so immense. You are all I need.

Thom­as O. Chis­holm wrote the words to one of my favorite hymns...

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not,Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

January 13, 2008

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7

What do we have in this life that is consistent and completely satisfying? Nothing except God's unfailing love. Even when we let Him down, He still loves us. While we were prisoners to sin, He sent Jesus to release us from the bondage of sin and death. Why trust anything or anyone else with our future? Lean on God's unfailing love!

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” (Blaise Pascal)

January 12, 2008

Let your unfailing love surround us,

Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Psalm 33:22 NLT


The spreading branches of the Live Oak tree have symbolized southern culture in movies from Gone with the Wind to Forrest Gump. The Live Oak is the broadest-spreading of all oaks. Its large canopy will typically spread to nearly twice its height, which means it can shade an area of more than 100 feet. Pretty impressive, huh? Remember, no matter where you go God's love is with you today...He surrounds you and shelters you from every storm! He is faithful and He will never forsake you.

These words are from a song written by Aaron Shust, a popular Christian songwriter/performer....

I was lonely

You came waltzing over to me

And Your eyes they saw right through me

And You heard each one of my cries for help

And You came to rescue meI was broken

Every prayer that I had spoken

Reached Your ears and all my tears weren’t cried in vain

You carried all my pain

And put me back together again

You watch over me in the darkest valleys

You watch over me when the night seems long

You help me to see the way before me

You watch over me; You watch over me

Always faithfulTo be leading, at this moment

Interceding for Your children

Though I’ve wandered astray from Your infinite ways

You’ve never left me alone

Take this frozen heart; awaken me

Never once have You forsaken me

Even though I walk through this shadow of death

You will guide and defend me

You’ll guard and protect me

Even though I walk through this shadow of death

You will lead me home

January 11, 2008

The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my Word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:10, 11

God’s Word is full of power; it will not return to Him empty. God's Word will accomplish His desires and purposes. God's Word has irresistible power! When you speak the Word of God, you are tapping into limitless power!

January 10, 2008

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17

God's thoughts are above ours. HIS thoughts are more valuable and more important. HE is concerned about our peace and reconciliation through HIS son, JESUS CHRIST. He is full of lovingkindness, covenant grace, precious promises, and gracious dealings with us.

Lord, You are more precious than silver. Lord, You are more costly than gold. Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds and nothing I desire compares with you.

January 9, 2008

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2Corinthians 12:9

Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, I don't always understand what God's doing but what I have to realize is that it's part of a bigger plan. God is writing a story..he is the author, not me. God calls us to be willing to take a big part in that story of redemption, in that story of God’s fame and His name going around the world and His glory being known on earth, and the glory of the Lord covering the earth as the waters cover the sea. That’s what God’s about. He says, Are you willing to have a big part in that? Are you willing to be disposed of? Are you willing to be inconvenienced? Are you willing to have unfulfilled longings, if necessary, so that I can fulfill My bigger purposes in your life and in our world? So what does God call us to do? He calls us to trust His heart when we can’t see what He’s doing. We can’t figure it out. He calls us to trust. “God, You are good. Whatever You determine, You’re God. I accept Your plan. I trust You.”He’s calling us to surrender, to acquiesce, to relinquish our control and surrender to His will as He unfolds it in our lives.That doesn’t mean you surrender to God and you no longer have these longings for a mate or a child or a job or health. It means that you keep surrendering the hurt, the longing, the unfulfilled longing.You keep giving it up to God as a sacrifice. And it means not only do you trust and surrender, but you find your place in God’s plan. "How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings" Psalm 36:7

January 8, 2008

A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17

Godly friendship is a God-given refuge in hard times. Many times the way God works in a person’s life is through other people. Like me, you can probably testify that positive steps in your relationship with God have come through Him working through the influence of other people. If we’re going to continue to grow and be the people that God wants us to be, we need to take hold of one another in caring, supportive, biblical friendship.

January 7, 2008

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

Prayer is more than asking. Prayer is more than praising. Prayer is more than thanking. Prayer is more than requesting or interceding or kneeling or humbling ourselves. Prayer is expecting that God wants us there, expecting that God hears us, and expecting that God will meet us in our prayer time and do what is best for us and those we love.

January 6, 2008

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" Ephesians 6:12, NIV

Whatever strategy the enemy may use, our battle with the spiritual forces of evil is very real. There is definitely a battle raging. Have you ever considered, when enduring a trial, that you may have temporarily been chosen to prove faithful to God? There’s nothing more dangerous than being at war, and even under attack, and not even realizing it. Read Job 1. No doubt, Job was attacked! Imagine what Job's expression must have been when he got to heaven and he was told what was going on in the unseen world while he was on earth. I am certain Job rejoiced that he had chosen to believe God and remain faithful. He had been chosen by God to fight one of the most difficult earthly battles ever. God allowed Job to be tested so severely because He, God, had faith in him. That is so awesome!

“Why does God allow those dry wilderness wanderings and the ongoing battle with evil? Because we will be weak, vulnerable, and useless kingdom soldiers if we never train with our swords.” -Jennifer Rothschild

January 5, 2008

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. Psalm 34:18-19

When my heart is crushed by sorrow or suffering, it is being prepared to learn the most important lessons that God has to teach. The Lord is compassionate and very near. God never wastes a hurt. Everything that comes to me is allowed by Him. Nothing comes into my life that He doesn't personally manage...every detail is known to Him. We all know that Believers will face many troubles in this life. But, Hallelujah! God doesn't leave us there! What a promise, what hope we have!!!! The Lord comes to deliver us each time!

January 4, 2008

O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, “but we are looking to you for help. 2 Chronicles 20:12 NLT

What is a "trial?" If you are breathing then you have an idea what that word means. Each of us experience trials throughout our life. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines trial like this: “A temptation or an adversity, the enduring of which proves the merit of an individual's faith... For the Christian, to encounter adversity is to undergo a trial in which his faith is proved either true or false before God, the highest judge.” In 2 Chronicles 20:12, the Israelites found themselves, once again, in a predicament; a trial. They faced an army bigger than them. They didn’t know what to do. With all their military experience, even considering all the “trials” they had seen before, they came upon a new event in their life where they literally didn’t know what to do. They were afraid, felt inadequate, and needed help. That’s a trial. A trial is one of those times of real pain in life where you don’t know how to ease the pain and you would do anything to find an answer. Where do we need to look when we face our trials? We need turn to God for help. At that point, at least for the Christian, God becomes even more important as you call on Him for help.

January 3, 2008

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 43:5

Why should I be discouraged about life when there is a God? He is not just a distant God. He is not an absentee God. He is a God who comes to save! My life is not perfect. My life takes twists and turns that many times make me feel that I am drowning in troubles. When situations of life are difficult, I need a faith that can overcome adversity. I need to be so grounded in the truth of God’s Word, that when doubts come, my heart goes back to the reality of God my Savior. My feelings are unpredictable. I may not always feel like God loves me, that He is in control, and that He is working all things for good. Feelings are fickle, dependent on the weather, my health, relationships, when I had my last meal, and all the other circumstances around me. God’s Word is not dependent! It is independent! God’s Word stands the test of time. “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) Put your trust in God! Stand strong in His mighty Word. Trust Him through every stage of life. Allow Him to direct you through the storms of life. He and He alone is secure forever!

January 2, 2008

The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11

In this world today it is hard for most people to find any peace! Confusion abounds no matter where we go. We were warned about this by our Savior JesusChrist, for He said:

These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulaton; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

When you find yourself troubled always look to Jesus Christ.

January 1, 2008

Happy New Year!
A new year is unfolding—like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within. Lord, let this year be filled with the things that are truly good—with the comfort of warmth in our relationships, with the strength to help those who need our help and the humility and openness to accept help from others. As we make our resolutions for the year ahead, let us go forward with great hope that all things can be possible—with Your help and guidance. (anonymous)