Tag Archives: blessings

Stayed

Stayed upon JEHOVAH,

Hearts are fully blessed –

Finding, as He promised,

Perfect peace and rest.

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You…”

– Isaiah 26:3

 

 

 

From the Hymn, “Like A River Glorious”

by F.R. Havergai and James Mountain

God of All My Days

In my worry, God
You are my stillness
In my searching,
God You are the answer
In my blindness, God
You are my vision
In my bondage, God
You are my freedom
In my weakness, God
You are my power
You’re the God of all my days.
Each step I take
You’ve made a way
And I will give you all my praise
My seasons change
You stay the same
You’re the God of all my days
*****************************
 from “God of All My Days”, – Casting Crowns
Lyrics- John Mark Hall and Jason Ingram

Last First Day🍎

Back- to -School

Today marks a milestone for me.

It’s back to school again and, at our house,  it’s also THE LAST “first day of school”,  as our youngest daughter is now officially a senior in high school. Sure, I’ve been down this road a couple of times before, with two other children who have graduated, and gone off to college, but this one brings a whole season to a close for me and I just wanted to say out loud that “Being a mom is such a great blessing!”

I was blessed to have three miracle babies, when several doctors said that being a mother would never happen for me. So thankful that the LORD has the last word, and the final say, about “impossible” situations such as these.

Every season is a blessing, and as I look back with a smile and forward with joy, I’m grateful for everything that’s brought me to this day.😊

Thanks for listening!❤️

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.”  -James 1:17 TLV

 

Thanks for Everything

” LORD, I thank You for everything in my life;

the good, the bad, the easy, the hard, the joys, and the pain,

I thank You for all of it.”

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

First Thessalonians 5:18

Relaxed Confidence

When Abraham gave first choice to Lot, and Lot took the best and greenest pastures for himself, Abraham simply let it be so. Then God promised to give him all the land, as far as his eyes could see, to the east, west, north and south. It didn’t matter that Lot had taken the best for himself. Abraham held a relaxed confidence in God and His promises.

My hope for the future, my trust in your precious promises, and everything that concerns me, is secure in You, LORD,

So I choose to relax, and place my confidence in You.

 

Just Ask

“They don’t have anymore wine.” she said, asking Him to do something about it. “Woman, what does this have to do with you or I?” was His reply.

She turned to the servers and said, “Do whatever He tells you to do.”

They filled the jars with water as He instructed, and took them to the headwaiter, who after tasting it, shouted with excitement to the bridegroom, “…You’ve saved the best wine for last!”

It was the first miracle performed by Jesus, at Mary’s request, turning water into wine during a wedding in Cana; and what was the outcome?

The servants, the wedding guests, the bridegroom, and the disciples, were all astonished and drawn to Him.

“Jesus did this. He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” -John 2:11

And all because she just asked. Got a problem? Ask the Lord to do something about it!

Here it is in a nutshell;

“… Anything you ask in My Name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

– John 14:13

Start Where You Stand

Start where you stand and never mind the past,

The past won’t help you in beginning new,

If you have left it all behind at last

Why, that’s enough, you’re done with it, you’re through;

This is another chapter in the book,

This is another race that you have planned,

Don’t give the vanished days a backward look,

Start where you stand.

The world won’t care about your old defeats

If you can start anew and win success,

The future is your time, and time is fleet

And there is much of work and strain and stress;

Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,

Here is a brand new trial right at hand,

The future is for him who does and dares,

Start where you stand.

Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid,

To-day’s the thing, to-morrow soon will be;

Get in the fight and face it unafraid,

And leave the past to ancient history;

What has been, has been; yesterday is dead

And by it you are neither blessed nor banned,

Take courage, be brave, and drive ahead,

Start where you stand.

Berton Braley.

Glory To God In The Highest

“… Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you;

You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Luke 2

Caged Bird Free

My stubborn will at last has yielded,

I would be Thine,  and Thine alone

And this the prayer my lips are bringing,

Lord, let in me Thy will be done.

Thy  precious will, O conquering Savior,

Doth now embrace and compass me;

All discords hushed, my peace a river,♥

 

My soul a prisoned bird set free.

Sweet will of God

Still fold me closer,

Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

 

-“Sweet Will of God” by Mrs. C.H. Morris

 

The Hat Rack

Here’s a “post from the past” at my daughter’s request. Blessings! – Faith

Once, when my husband and I were visiting a new church for the first time,  an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner. We gladly accepted, and followed her home after service.  As we sat in her living room, we had a very pleasant conversation, and got  to know a little more about each other. She was a long-standing member of her church,  and well-loved by the congregation.  Although she was elderly, she was vibrant and enthusiastic, and very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and all that He had done for her. She enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies, and my husband and I  talked a little about our faith experience.  I mentioned how our two children, a son and a daughter, toddlers at the time, had been miracle babies, because I was told that I would never conceive, and even so, I was still praying and believing God for another baby.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and every time he answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, (some that I may have even forgotten), and I am encouraged that He did it before and He’ll do it again.”

I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact the Lord did answer my prayer and blessed me miraculously with another sweet baby girl!

When I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

You see, the lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

“Has it been awhile since you took a look at your own hat rack?”

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past, and hey, there’s always room for another hat, so

Just take a look back, have faith,  and,  like David, be fully persuaded that God will do it again!

A Clean Heart

Image result for clean heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation; and sustain me with a willing spirit.”

Psalm 51:1-12

Amazing Grace

The Lord has promised good to me…His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures

Through many dangers, toils and snares…
I have already come.
T’was grace that brought me safe thus far…
and grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years…
bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…
then when we’ve first begun.

John Newton

Double Blessing

Double Rainbow

“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion,

and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance.

And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,

and everlasting joy will be yours.”

Isaiah 61:7

Patient Endurance

“Remember the former days

When, after you were enlightened,

You endured a great struggle with sufferings.

Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten,

Sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.

You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail,

And when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy.

You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.

Remember the great reward it brings you!

Patient endurance is what you need now,

So that you will continue to do God’s will.

Then you will receive all that He has promised.”

 

Hebrews 10:32-35

Tree of Life Version and New Living Translation

 

My Shepherd

ADONAI is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.

 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of ADONAI forever.”

Psalm 23- TLV

Can a Mother Forget?

Image result for mother and baby nursing silhouette

Sometimes when we’ve been praying for something for a very long time, we begin to lose heart, and wonder if the answer will ever come. I know exactly how that feels. I remember praying and praying for God to work a miracle in my life, and sometimes, I felt that God had forgotten about me and my situation. Of course we know that God sees us always, and knows everything about our lives, but still, it is true of us as humans, that we sometimes think that our situation may not be as urgent to God as we would like for it to be.

This is so not true!

At one of my lowest points, the LORD gave me a verse which comforted me and reassured me, and to this day, this verse is very near and dear to my heart. In Isaiah 49:15-16, the Lord says, “Can a mother forget her nursing child?… Yes, she might, but I have not forgotten you… I have you engraved on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”  This is how I understood what He was saying to me through this verse:

1. “Can a mother forget her nursing child?” – Naturally, the answer to this question would be a resounding, “No.”  We all know how attached a mother is to her newborn baby, and so we understand the significance of this question. But…

2. “Yes, she might,” – Although it would seem impossible for a mother to forget or abandon her newborn child, it has happened, as unbelievable as it would seem, sadly, it has been the case for some mothers. But…

3. “I have not forgotten you” – God is saying that His love and care for us is even greater than a mother’s love. Infinitely greater. How so?…

4. “I have you engraved on the palms of my hands” – Here, I pictured the palms of my Savior’s Hands, which still bear the nail scars, pierced for me… And then…

5. “Your walls are continually before me.” – My situation and the circumstances that surround me, are continually before Him!… Oh, Glory to God!!

Here it is in a nutshell…

God loves you, more than you can imagine, He has not forgotten you, and  your situation is continually, always, before Him.

Hold on.  :)

In The Boat With Us

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples,Image result for stormy sea

“Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

So they took Jesus in the boat and started out,

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea,

Insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves:

But Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat…

 His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying,

Lord,… “Carest thou not that we perish?”

And He saith unto them,

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;

And there was a great calm.

But the men marveled, saying,

What manner of man is this,

That even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Matthew 8:25 and Mark 4:38

-As we “cross to the other side”, through the storms and trials of life,

Jesus cares.

He is “in the boat” with us.

He cares

and He will calm the sea.”

O God, Our Help

“O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home,” -Isaac Watts

Image result for psalm 46 1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

Delay Does Not Mean Denied

Waiting for an answer to prayer can be hard sometimes, but I’d just like to share that although it seems that there  may be a delay, it doesn’t mean that your request has been denied. In fact, it has been my experience that after what seemed to be a great delay, I was blessed far and away more than I was asking for in the first place! 

Here’s an example from  John 11:1-44

A request for healing is brought to Jesus. “…A certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha… Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

 Jesus responds with a delay. ” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” Then, after finally arriving in Bethany, Lazarus having been dead 3 days, 

 Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.  ” He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

And he who had died came out,,.. “

“Are you praying for something, and there seems to be a delay in receiving your answer? Just remember that God is working all things together for your good, and He is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that you may ask or think… So hold on, the answer’s on its way, and it promises to exceed your expectations!”  :)

In The Secret Place

“He that dwells  in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”

Psalm 91

And It Came To Pass

nativity

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.”

 Luke 2:1-6

 

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God…

“…Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given:…and His Name shall be called

Wonderful,

Counselor,

The mighty God,

The everlasting Father,

The Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

God With Us

“…The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son,and shall call His Name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23

Morning by Morning

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 wilt 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.

-Thomas Chisholm

With Thanksgiving

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth:

the strength of the hills is His also.

The sea is His, and He made it: and His Hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Psalm 95:1-6

Bold

Proverbs 28:1 says,  “… the righteous are bold as a lion.”  and in Hebrews 4:16 we’re told to come boldly before God’s throne in prayer. This is what Caleb did.

You can read about Caleb in Joshua chapter 14 verses 7-14 , and interestingly enough, the name Caleb means “bold”. Here’s his story…

Caleb was 85 years old when the Israelites reached the promised land. He was one of only two men who had survived the 40 year wanderings in the desert. After being freed from slavery in Egypt, he and Joshua were chosen by Moses to spy out the land that God had promised them. There were 12 men in all, one for each tribe. When they returned from their travels, 10 of the spies were terrified, and reported that it would be impossible to defeat these cities because they considered themselves and  their own people to be too small in comparison.  But Joshua and Caleb believed that God had led them to this good land and had faith that He would give them the victory.

The people believed the 10 spies. God was angry with them and because of their unbelief, they would have to spend the next 40 years walking around the desert until they all died off, leaving only their children and grandchildren to be the ones who would inherit the promised land. But God honored the faith of Caleb and Joshua.

Joshua became the leader of his people after the death of Moses, leading them into the promised land, dividing the Jordan River, and marching onto victory in the battle of Jericho. Caleb now 85 years old had remained strong in faith, and courageous in battle. In the face of battle over the land that Moses had promised would be his inheritance, Caleb boldly responded, saying:

“… the LORD hath kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake His word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now lo, I am now eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: As my strength was then, even so is my strength now… Now therefore give me this mountain,… the LORD will be with me, then I will be able to drive (the inhabitants) out, as the LORD said…Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb.”

He got what he wanted. Caleb was bold in his faith as a young man, and even as an old man. He knew that there was nothing too big to ask God for, and his boldness is evidence of that faith.

By faith, we are the righteousness of God in Christ, and “the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

You Can Count On It

true love

You can count on God’s Word.

If God said it, you can count on it to come to pass.

His Word is absolutely trustworthy.

God never breaks His Word.

In Him there are no broken promises.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind.”

“Does He speak and then not act?”

“Does He promise and not fulfill? “

Numbers 23:19 

Turbulence

Image result for airplane

A few days ago, a friend of mine encouraged me with these words…

She said, “When a pilot is flying and sees turbulence ahead, he approaches it head on. He does not go around it, over it, or under it; he goes right through it. The pilot can’t see beyond the limited view of his cockpit, so he must rely totally on the instrument panel for guidance. He goes right through the turbulence, difficult as it may be, and presses through until he reaches the beautiful clear sky on the other side.”

This life, as we know, can bring us to turbulent times that cannot be avoided. We’d rather go around them, but we must press through. As we rely on and put our complete trust in the LORD, even when it gets rocky, He will lead us through to the beautiful clear skies on the other side.

With God You Can..

Happy New Year

“Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.”

‘The best of it is, God is with us.”

– John Wesley

Like Jabez

The bible says that Jabez, a descendant of Judah, was “more honorable than his brothers”and even though his mother named him Jabez (which means pain), he called out to the LORD and God heard him and gave him what he requested. 

This is not a story about getting everything we want, it’s actually an example that there’s always hope when we pray because no matter what we’ve been through, or what we’ve been called, as children of God, we have His eye.

 Jabez may not be as well known as Abraham or Moses but that’s just the point!  God’s love is there for the “little guys”too and the story of Jabez  reminds us that in Christ, each of us is special and uniquely significant. He cares for us and will answer when we pray.

“Jabez  called out to the God of Israel, saying,

“If only You would greatly bless me, and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me,

and keep me from harm, so that I might not suffer pain.”

And God granted what he asked.” 

 I Chronicles 4:10-TLV

The Garden

garden
I come to the garden alone.

While the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice I hear,

Falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

He speaks and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing.

And the melody that He gives to me

Within my heart is ringing!

And He walks with me,

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own!

And the joy we share…

As we tarry there…

None other has ever known.

-Charles Austin Miles

A Time of Reckoning

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

To reckon, is to establish by counting or calculation, and today, as I struggle with  pain and limitations as I recover from surgery, I am reminded that, in calculating the number of difficulties and painful events that have occurred in my life, I am encouraged and inspired to think of what God has in store for those who love Him, those who are called according to his purpose. Paul, in reckoning all of his pain and suffering, just lays it out there for us in II Corinthians 11:24-27; “… five times received I forty stripes save one. I was beaten three times with rods, stoned once, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, (that’s me today, lol ), in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

I don’t suppose that many of us can say that we’ve suffered to this extent, and I’m in no way trying to belittle anyone else’s experience, yet Paul kept moving forward and I’m so glad that he did because during these tremendous hardships, He wrote most of the epistles of the New Testament. Most of them from prison. In light of all of this, and considering the hardships that we may be facing, we too can reckon that none of it compares to the glory that shall be revealed in us, as we, like Paul, keep moving forward and looking up…

Elected

“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.” Ephesians 1:4

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”  I Peter 2:9

“You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it to you.” John 15:16

Double For Your Trouble

There isn’t anything that we go through, that hasn’t first been permitted by God. This may be a little hard to accept sometimes, but it’s true, and in the end we’ll see that it was only allowed for our good… And that’s not all.

When it’s all over, the Lord will bless you in such a way that you receive “double for your trouble”, and sometimes even more.

Remember when the LORD told Abraham, way back in the beginning before Sarah was even pregnant, that he would be the father of a huge nation and this nation would be slaves in a foreign land, and that they would be there for over 400 years, but He would deliver them with a mighty Hand and they would come out with great substance?( Meaning they would come out with great riches.) Well 400 years of slavery is a long time for people to spend working for no pay, and the bible says that the morning after the first Passover, the Egyptians just started giving the Hebrews anything they wanted and they “spoiled” the Egyptians. Psalm 105:37 says, “He brought them forth also (out of Egypt), with silver and gold.”  And we all know the story of Job who, after he had so tremendously suffered, received twice as much of all that he had before.

Think about it. Hasn’t God brought you out of trouble and then blessed you? It could be that He blessed you monetarily, or restored your health, or blessed your family, or even blessed you with wisdom, in preparation for the blessings yet to come.

In Isaiah 61:7, the LORD says, ” For your shame you shall have double...” and if God says it, that settles it!

So if you’re going through a rough time right now, be encouraged…

You’re gonna be blessed DOUBLE FOR YOUR TROUBLE!!!!

God of Angel Armies

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

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

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

Whom shall I fear?

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

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

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

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

The God of angel armies, Is always by my side.

From Chris Tomlin’s “Whom Shall I Fear”

Shielded by Favor

“Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:

Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:

Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou surround him

As with a shield.”

Psalm 5:11-12

Fountain of Every Blessing

  • Image result for living water Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount!I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love. Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I’m come; and I hope, by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, LORD,take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
  • -Robert Robinson

The Barometer

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“Circumstances are not the barometer of God’s love and goodness – the cross is.”

“Do you feel as though God isn’t answering your prayers?  Are you tempted to doubt His love and goodness?

When I feel this way, I have to remind myself that my circumstances aren’t the barometer of God’s love and goodness—the cross is. He has shown His love and how good He is by giving His only Son Jesus to die for our sin. We can’t rely on our feelings. But day by day as we choose to trust Him more, we learn to believe with confidence that God is good—all the time.”♥

-Anne Cetas

A Rock and A Hard Place

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A Place Called Hard
Lord, I have me a mountain,
I need You to remove
I have me a situation
only You can improve.

Lord, I got me a dilemma,
that needs to be resolved
I have me a problem
I need You to be involved.

Lord, I have me a river,
it’s as wide as it is deep
I have me a condition
that I don’t want to keep.

Lord, I have a clear view,
of the storm that’s ahead
I have me an idea
it’s going to be widespread.

Lord, I’m between a rock,
and a place called hard
so I am going to need You
to be my constant guard.

Lord, I’m placing my life,
in the palm of Your hand
trusting this predicament . . .
is just a part of Your plan!

-Deborah Ann Belka

Reaches To The Heavens

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Your love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
And Your faithfulness
Stretches to the skies

And Your righteousness
Is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows
Like the ocean’s tide

And I will lift my voice
To worship You, my King
And I will find my strength
In the shadow of Your wings

Your Love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness
Stretches to the skies

-Third Day

 

My Help Comes From You

“My help comes from the LORD which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2

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When confusion’s my companion
And despair holds me for ransom
I will feel no fear
I know that You are near
When I’m caught deep in the valley
With chaos for my company
I’ll find my comfort here
‘Cause I know that You are near
My help comes from You
You’re right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness,
my brokenness all on Your shoulders

My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don’t have to see to believe that

You’re lifting me up on Your shoulders
You mend what once was shattered
And You turn my tears to laughter
Your forgiveness is my fortress
Your mercy is relentless

My help is from You…

Lyrics of “Shoulders” –  by For King and Country

Moving Forward

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I’m not going back, I’m moving ahead

Here to declare to you

My past is over in You

Things are made new,

Surrendered my life to Christ
I’m moving forward

You have risen with all power in Your hands
You have given me a second chance
Hallelujah!

You make all things new
And I will follow You forward.

Israel Houghton

You Can Change

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…Sometimes pain’s the only way that we can learn
You can never fall too hard, so fast, so far
That you can’t get back when you’re lost, where you are,
It’s never too late, so bad, so much,

That you can’t change
Who you are, you can change who you are,

You believe in freedom,
But you don’t know how to choose
You gotta step out of your feelings

That you’re so afraid to lose, and everyday,
You put your feet on the floor…got to walk through door

Its never going to be easy
But its all worth fighting for

You can never fall
Too hard, so fast, so far,
That you can’t get back

When you’re lost where you are,
Its never too late, so bad, so much
That you can’t change who you are

You can change who you are.

So let the ashes fall where ever they land
Come back from wherever you been
To the foot of the cross
To the feet of Jesus
To the feet of Jesus

You can never fall too hard, so fast, so far
That you can’t get back when you’re lost
Where you are

It’s never too late, so bad, so much

That you can’t change

At the foot of the cross
It changes who you are
At the foot of the cross you can change
Who you are.

You can never fall
Too hard, so fast, so far,
That you can’t get back.

Lyrics- “Who You Are” by Unspoken

The Microwave Treatment

Sometimes it’s hard to wait when you’re praying for something special to happen, and I know what that feels like…

Once, while I was waiting for my miracle, I had a dream. It had been about 6 months since I had surgery and I was growing more and more impatient about having a baby. I thought I’d get pregnant right away. But that’s not what happened.

One night, I had a very interesting dream

There were two parts to this dream. First, I dreamt that  my husband and I were visiting some friends for dinner and as the men talked in the living room, I sat in the kitchen while the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see that my friend was spooning raw, runny, red, hamburger meat, into taco shells and placing them in the microwave to be cooked. “YUCK!” I thought to myself, and when she had finished cooking, she topped them with all the trimmings, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat any, because I saw the way that they were prepared with raw meat, and this really grossed me out!

In the second part of my dream, I was in a meat shop, and I was trying to buy a beef roast which was turning slowly on a spit. I was in a hurry, and I told the man cooking the meat that I had been waiting a long time, and was ready to go. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry ma’am but it’s not ready yet. I said  “Are you sure? It looks like it’s done.” then he pulled out a long sharp-pointed thing, and pierced through the meat, and all of this red, runny, gook came pouring out. He was right. The meat was not ready… It was as if both parts of the dream had the same meaning.

When I woke up, I thought that maybe this dream had something to do with my healing from surgery, and  how  I was not yet healed up enough on the inside.

A few days later, I was sitting in the park, watching  my son and daughter at soccer practice, when I saw a friend from church. She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery.  I told her that I was doing fine, but that I was really ready to have another baby, “After all”, I said “I’m 35 years old!”…She was nearly 50, and told me that I was still young enough to have another baby.  “God’s timing is perfect… Just be patient!..I had my last baby when I was 40 years old. ” she said. I smiled, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “But I’ve been waiting so long already.”  Then she said, ” Faith, you just had surgery… You need time to heal.”  She laughed and said jokingly, .. “What you want is the Microwave Treatment!!”

When she said this, I knew that it was a confirmation of the dream that I’d had a few days earlier… “The Microwave Treatment”… It was true! I didn’t want to wait any longer.. I wanted my miracle,and I wanted it now! This instant… In fact, I wanted it yesterday!!

I was reminded by this incident, that God is in control, and I accepted that He knows best. I would just have to be patient and wait…

Three years later, I realized my miracle, and was expecting our little girl.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage…”

Psalm 27:14

A Place of Forgetting

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

“…This one thing I do

Forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forward to

those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”

 Philippians 3:13-14

My Sheep Hear My Voice

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“…He calls his own sheep by name,

and leads them out….

He goes before them,

and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.

And a stranger they will not follow…”

 My sheep hear my voice,…

 I know them, and they follow me:… 

 I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  

I and my Father are one.”

John 10:1-5 ,27-30

Taking Flight

“Grace is what picks me up and lifts my wings high… and I fly!” – Joybell

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Monarch butterflies take to the air on a 2 month, 2,000-mile flight over fields, forests, cities, plains, open water, deserts, and mountains to a tiny region of central Mexico where they’ve never been before, arriving at the exact same time each year!

“Until you spread your wings you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.”

– Unknown

Unquenchable, Inseparable

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it ” 

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“For I am persuaded

that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor demons,

nor things present nor things to come,

nor principalities nor powers,

nor height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Song of Solomon 8:7

Romans 8:38-39

It’s Gonna Happen!

“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it…”

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“Just as the earth brings forth her bud,

And as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth;

So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

To spring forth…”

Philippians 1:6 , Isaiah 61:11

We’ve Come This Far

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We’ve come this far by faith,
Leaning on the Lord;
Trusting in his Holy Word.
He’s never failed us yet.

Oh! Oh-Oh-Oh! Oh-Oh-Oh!

Can’t turn around, Oh no!
We’ve come this far by faith.

Albert Goodson

Psalm 138

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“I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.

I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.

 

In the day when I cried Thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength

in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly:

but the proud He knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:

Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of Thine own hands.”

Psalm 138

After The Rain

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,”

“He is like dawn’s first light,

like bright sun, blazing on a cloudless morning,

glistening on grassland,

that flourishes

after a rain shower.”

Luke 1:78

II Samuel 23:4

 

My Time Will Come

 “…The race is not to the swift

 New Living Translation
“I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It…all (happens) by chance, … being in the right place at the right time.”

“Time and chance happens to them all”  NKJV

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Promise of Passover

“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, …”

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“In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

Exodus 12:13 , Ephesians 1:7

 

Spring Forth

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

Make Your Appeal, Present Your Case

“…If I were you, I would appeal to God, and would present my case to Him.

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He does great  and unsearchable things, wonders without number. 

He gives rain to the earth and sends water to the fields.

He sets the lowly on high, and mourners are lifted to safety.

He frustrates the schemes of the crafty so that they achieve no success.

He traps the wise in their craftiness so that the plans of the deceptive

Are quickly brought to an end.

They encounter darkness by day, and they grope at noon as if it were night.

He saves the needy from their sharp words  and from the clutches of the powerful.

So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

See how happy the man is God corrects;

So do not reject the discipline of the •Almighty. For He crushes but also binds up;

He strikes, but His hands also heal.

He will rescue you from six calamities; No harm will touch you in seven.

In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle, from the power of the sword.

You will be safe from slander  and not fear destruction when it comes.

You will laugh at destruction and hunger and not fear the animals of the earth.

For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

You will know that your tent is secure,

And nothing will be missing when you inspect your home.

You will also know that your offspring will be many

And your descendants like the grass of the earth.

You will approach the grave  in full vigor, as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season.

We have investigated this, and it is true! Hear it and understand it for yourself.”

Job 5:8-27

Avenged

“They spread a net for my feet, I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path,

but they have fallen into it themselves.. Stop and think of that”  Psalm 57:6

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“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”

Isaiah 59:19

and

“So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.”

Esther 7:10

 

 

Seems Like Only Yesterday…

500 PostsMy how time flies!

Just wanted to share my good news with you. Yesterday I blogged my 500th post at Faithrises and this is my award!

So happy to have been blogging and sharing here and a special thank you to all of you who have visited, liked or followed Faithrises.

God Bless you!

Love,  Faith♥

In Due Time, In Due Season

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you

in due time…”  I Peter 5:6

 

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”  Galatians 6:9

“Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”  Leviticus 26:4

In Parched Places

“The LORD will guide you continually,

and satisfy your needs in parched places,

and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.”

Isaiah 58:11

Hope is Near

 There can be miracles … when you believe.

Though  hope is frail,
Its hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles  you will receive

When you believe,
Somehow you will…

You will when you believe

They don’t always happen when you ask
And its easy to give in to your fears
But when you’re blinded by your pain
Can’t see your way safe through the rain

A small, but still resilient voice, says

“Hope is very near”

-Kenneth Edmonds and Stephen Schwartz

 

The High Place, I’ll Bring Down

 

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I will make the darkness light before thee,
What is wrong I’ll make it right before thee,
All thy battles I will fight before thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

When thou walkest by the way I’ll lead thee,
On the fatness of the land I’ll feed thee,
And a mansion in the sky I’ll deed thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

With an everlasting love I’ll love thee,
Though with trials deep and sore I’ll prove thee,
But there’s nothing that can hurt or move thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

Although Satan in his rage would tear thee,
And with all his winning arts would snare thee,
Even down to thine old age I’ll bear thee,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

I will make the darkness light before thee,
I will make the crooked straight before thee,
I will spread My wings protecting o’er thee,
“And the high place I’ll bring down.”

Charles P. Jones

“…I will make the darkness light before them.”  Isaiah 42:16-

Harvest of Joy

“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion,

We were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the nations,

The LORD has done great things for them.

The LORD has done great things for us; and we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the South.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

Psalm 126:1-5

His Way Is Perfect

“As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:

He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.

For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

 

It is God that girdes me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up,

… thy gentleness hath made me great.”

Psalm 18:30-35

Question

“Is any thing too hard for God?”  Genesis 18:14

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

Jeremiah 32:27

ANSWER 

“With God nothing shall be impossible.”

Luke 1:37

If

“If my people,

who are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

 

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land,”

II Chronicles 7:14

With My Whole Heart

 

I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Your marvelous works.

I will be glad and rejoice in You: I will sing praise to Your name, O most High.

… they that know Your Name will put their trust in You:

For You, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek You.”

Psalm 9:1,2 and 10

 

In The Twilight

“The period of the evening  between daylight and darkness is called twilight.”

In the days of Elisha, there was a severe famine. Outside the city gates there were four men who were lepers. These four men reasoned among themselves,  “Why should we just sit here until we die? If we go into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there, and if we just sit here, we will die also. Let’s go to the camp of the Syrians. Maybe they will save us alive, or if they kill us, we shall but die… 

And so they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians.

When they got to the camp of the Syrians, there was no one there because the Lord had made the entire Syrian army to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great army approaching, and they thought that the king of Israel had hired other foreign armies to join with him to fight them...So they arose and fled in the twilight... When the lepers arrived they found an abundance of food, silver and gold. They sent word back to the king and the starving people were satisfied.

I love this story. You can find it in II Kings chapter 7. I am always amazed that at  precisely the same moment that the lepers decided to step out in faith, God began working on their behalf. As soon as they arose to go at twilight, God allowed the Syrians to hear an illusion at twilight, which scared them out of their wits and caused them to leave their treasures. The lepers were on their way, had probably walked all night, but God had already fought the battle for them, He had already solved their problem.

From famine to feasting, from rags to riches, God turned it all around, at precisely the moment that they believed… in the twilight.

The next morning, with the rising of the sun, came long-awaited  joy and deliverance.