“God is far less interested in our activities and accomplishments as He is in knowing the character of our being,” -TLV
“For the Lord sees not as man sees… the Lord looks on the heart.”
-1 Samuel 16:7
Tag Archives: encouragement
The God Of All My Days
“I came to You with my heart in pieces
And found a God with healing in His hands
I turn to You, leave everything behind me
And found the God that makes all things new
I look to You, drowning in my questions
And found the God who holds all wisdom
I trusted You, I stepped out on the ocean
You calm my hand among the waves
‘Cause You’re the God of all my days
Each step I take You 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
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” by Casting Crowns
Lyrics- John Mark Hall and Jason Ingram
En Route
“Forget yesterday.
Don’t worry about tomorrow.
Trust God today.”
Photo by Taryn Elliott on Pexels.com
“O The Deep Deep Love of Jesus”
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me
Underneath me, all around me
Is the current of Your love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To your glorious rest above…
Is the current of Your love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To your glorious rest above…
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus
‘Tis Heaven of Heavens to me
And it lifts me up to glory
For it lifts me up to Thee
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus
Spread His praise from shore to shore
How He loves us, ever loves us,
Changes never, nevermore
How He loves us, ever loves us,
Changes never, nevermore
Song By Audrey Assad
“A New Day!”
If life seems at its lowest ebb, because a day’s gone wrong,
Let not your heart be troubled, for a new day soon will dawn.
And we can never be quite sure, just what it has in store,
Since each one is so different, than the one just gone before.
As it penetrates the darkness, with its soft and tranquil beams,
It calms even the most restless soul, and brings new hopes and dreams.
So when a day’s been troubled, and the night is dark and long,
Lift up your fallen spirits, for a new day soon will dawn.
-Anonymous
“Wait on the Lord…”
“Wait! Wait!
Let your waiting be on the Lord! He is worth waiting for.
He never disappoints the waiting soul.
While waiting, keep up your spirits.
Expect a great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it.
“He shall strengthen your heart”
– Charles Spurgeon
“Wait on the LORD; and be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart;
wait, I say, on the LORD.”
– Psalm 27:14
“Yes” and “Amen”
“Apply His promises to the problem and there’ll be no problem.”
“For all the promises of God in Him are “Yes”, and in Him “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.”
-2 Corinthians 1:20
“HALLELUJAH!” and “Amen.”
The Hat Rack
Here’s a “post from the past” at my daughter’s request. Blessings! – Faith
Once, many years ago, when visiting a new church for the first time, an elderly lady 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 we talked a little about our faith experiences. 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!
“Just One Drop”
Today is my 10 year anniversary of Faithrises on WordPress, and in celebrating this, here’s a story that I posted several years ago, back in 2012. I love to think back on this story. It reminds me of God’s miracle working power, and how He hears and answers when we pray. I hope that it will be a blessing for you today too!
My youngest sister was getting married, and the wedding took place just before I was scheduled to have surgery. It was a beautiful wedding, and one of the special moments was watching my sister’s soon-to-be mother in law, walk down the aisle to be seated. She entered gingerly, because she had been very ill, and had traveled a long way in order to attend. I’m not sure what her illness was but you could see in her eyes the love that she had for her son, and how determined she was to be a part of this very special day. She leaned heavily on the arm of the usher who was escorting her in, and slowly made it to her seat. After the wedding, I had a chance to sit and talk with her.
It was my very first time meeting her, so I introduced myself and told her that I was so glad that she was able to come. I asked her how she was feeling and she told me a little about her condition. She mentioned how the Lord had blessed her, and that without Him she couldn’t have made it. She spoke of some sort of blood disorder, I’m not sure of the details, but what she said next would have a great impact on me. She said that she prayed that Jesus would bless her with “just one drop of His blood”, because she knew that by His stripes we were healed. “Just one drop” she said, and she would be fine. I told her about my upcoming surgery and, being a woman of great faith, she encouraged me, and told me to trust in the sacrifice that Jesus has already paid for us.
The day of surgery arrived and I got up early to spend some time in prayer. I rehearsed in my mind all of the verses which had given me peace as this day approached, then I asked the Lord for something specific… I was told that there was a good chance that I would lose a lot of blood during this surgery, and my doctor told me that I’d have to make an appointment to donate my own blood at the blood bank in advance, as a precaution, in case I needed a blood transfusion during the surgery. But I didn’t want to have a blood transfusion, so I prayed. I remembered the testimony and I prayed,” Lord, I ask that You would bless me with “ just one drop of Your blood”, so that I would not have to have a blood transfusion.”
After this I felt very calm and at peace.
We left for the hospital that morning and as we drove along, our two children, now 10 and 8 years old, were in the backseat. Although it was morning, it was still dark out and the kids were a little sleepy. Their faces were sad and solemn. They didn’t want me to have surgery and were very worried. I started happily singing praise worship songs and they listened in. Their faces brightened slightly, but they couldn’t bring themselves to sing along with me. I felt their love and concern for me, it warmed my heart, and I understood.
The surgery went well. I awakened to see all of my family, including my mom gazing down at me. I was still a little groggy, but so relieved and happy that the surgery was all over! The next morning the doctor came in and said that there were actually 18 tumors that needed to be removed instead, of the 2 or 3 that he had anticipated, and that I had lost a lot of blood. “Eighteen tumors?” I said. “No wonder I was in so much pain!” Then he said that although I had lost a great deal of blood, he decided not to give me a transfusion right then, and decided instead to watch me and wait until morning. He went on to say with some excitement and surprise that my blood count was now actually back up to normal! It was a miracle. I didn’t need more blood after all. I thought to myself, “Thank you Jesus!” because I hadn’t mentioned to my family or my doctor that I really didn’t want a blood transfusion in the first place. This prayer was just between me and the Lord, and He did it!
“Just one drop”…Just like I asked! It’s like the Scripture says:
“Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it shall be opened.“ – Matthew 7:7-8 TLV
The Lord had given me just what I prayed for! Quietly, I closed my eyes, exhaled, and felt a great big smile, deep down inside. :)
“A New Thing”
“Do not remember the former things,
nor consider things of the past.
Here I am,
doing a new thing;
Now it is springing up…”
– Isaiah 43:18 TLV
“He’s My Friend”
“Jesus is all the world to me;
My friend in trials sore.
I go to Him for blessings, and
He gives them o’er and o’er.
He sends the sunshine and the rain;
He sends the harvest’s golden grain:
Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain–
He’s my Friend.”
Hymn- “Jesus Is All The Word To Me” by Will Lamartine Thompson
“Jesus Is All The World To Me”
“Jesus is all the world to me;
My life, my joy, my all.
He is my strength from day to day;
Without Him I would fall.
When I am sad, to Him I go;
No other one can cheer me so.
When I am sad, He makes me glad;
He’s my Friend.”
-Hymn -“Jesus is All The World to Me” by Will Lamartine Thompson
True Happiness
“It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes true happiness.”
-Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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
“Spread The Love”
HUGS AND KISSES ARE GOOD FOR THE HEART, BODY, AND SOUL🧡
Hugs:
Reduce harmful physical effects of stress;
Calm deep pressure on children, tantrums, and mellows moodiness;
Help the body’s immune system, cures depression, and induces sleep;
Invigorate and rejuvenate
Increase heart rate and stabilize blood pressure;
Give a positive emotional state;
Bring out a surge of serotonin and dopamine, which are known as “feel good” brain chemicals.
Relieve pain, make you healthier and happier;
Help to overcome fear
Kisses:
Good for the heart, as it creates an adrenaline which causes your heart to pump more blood around your body.
Stress-reliever, lowering your cortisol ‘stress’ hormone.
Endorphins produced by kissing are 200 times more powerful than morphine.
Reduces anxiety and stop the ‘noise’ in your mind.
Increase the levels of oxytocin, an extremely calming hormone that produces a feeling of peace.
Great for self-esteem. Make you feel appreciated and helps your state of mind.
Those who kiss quite frequently are less likely to suffer from stomach, bladder and blood infections.
Those who kiss goodbye each morning live five years longer than those who don’t.
So, Here’s to Hugs and Kisses!
“… Greet one another with a holy kiss.” – 1 Corinthians 16:20
“I Love It Here”
“Lord, I love the house where You live, the place where Your glory dwells.”
Psalm 26:8
“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
The Peace of God
Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
“Write the Vision, Watch it Happen”
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:
though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:2-3
Rest Assured
To trust in God means that He is our confidence; our minds are at rest, as we rely on His word, His integrity, His veracity, His faithfulness, and His unfailing love.
We don’t often hear stories about King Hezekiah, but he is one of my favorite examples of trusting in God. II Kings 18:5, says that Hezekiah trusted God like no other king before or after him.. What a wonderful way to be remembered, as someone who truly trusted in God. In the face of danger, at the threat of war from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and even after the prophet Isaiah warned him that he would soon die, Hezekiah prayed to God, trusted Him to hear and answer, and God delivered him every time!
King Hezekiah’s sincere, unshakable, trust in God, serves as a great encouragement and example for us today, as we face life’s trials and difficulties. Like him, we too can be assured, that God cares, He hears our prayers,He sees our tears, and will not fail to deliver us, as we place our trust in Him.
The Lifter of My Head
“…You, ADONAI, are a shield around me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” – Psalm 3:4 TLV
Happiness!
“Prayer is a privilege, and praise is a holiday.”
– Charles Spurgeon
“Be Still My Soul”
Be still, my soul — the LORD is on your side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to you God to order and provide.
In every change God faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul–Your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul! Your God will undertake,
To guide the future as in ages past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious will be bright at last.
Be still my soul!
The waves and winds still know,
The Christ who ruled them while He dwelt below.
“Be still my soul…”
Hymn by- Katharina von Schlegel and Jean Sibelius
“Be still and know that I am God”
– Psalms 46:10 KJV, Psalms 46:11 TLV
Following By Faith
Faith never knows where
it is being led,
but it loves and knows
the One who is leading.
– Oswald Chambers
“I Am In Awe”
“I am now, and will forever and eternally be, in awe of God, “Blessed be His Name”, who has been so personally close and near to me, while at the same time being the GREAT GOD of all creation; greater than anyone, anything, anytime, anywhere… in and outside of time, forever and ever… Only God is Awesome”
Trouble In The World
“Yeshua answered…”
“These things have I spoken to you,
so that in Me you may have shalom.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take heart!
I have overcome the world!”
-John 16:33 TLV
“What Does God Require?”
“There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not cleansed from its filth.
There is a generation whose eyes are so haughty, whose eyelids are lifted up disdainfully.
There is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose molars are knives, to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from humanity.”
“What Does God Require?”
“He has told you, humanity, what is good, and what ADONAI is seeking from you:
Only to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.“
Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak,
For the justice of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth,
judge righteously,
plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 30:12-14, Micah 6:8, Proverbs 31:8-9 TLV
“Hope Beyond Hope”
Abraham…
In hope beyond hope, he trusted…
He did not waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God…
…Strengthened in faith, giving glory to God
He was fully convinced
that what God has promised, He also is able to do”
(Excerpt from, Romans 4:16-21 TLV)
“Will the True Worshippers Of God, Please Stand Up?”
“…An hour is coming — it is here now– when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people as His worshippers. – John 4:23
“It is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil by this– Anyone who does not act righteously, or love his brother, is not of God.”
“For this is the message you have heard from the beginning– we should love one another.”- 1 John 3:10-11
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day. ‘Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your Name, and drive out demons in Your Name, and perform many miracles in your Name?’ Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of iniquity!” – Matthew 7:22
“Loved ones, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God.
For many false prophets have gone out into the world.”- 1 John 4:1
Survival Kit
“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“He Stills The Storm”
“So they cried out to ADONAI in their distress,
and He brought them out of their troubles.
He stilled the storm to a whisper —
the waves were hushed.
They were glad when it became calm
And He led them to their desired haven.”
-Psalm 107:28-30 TLV
The Trumpet Shall Sound
“O, Happy Thought!”
“For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout,
with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar
and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air —
and so shall we always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 TLV
Like a Watered Garden
Languish Defined
“To lose vitality… to grow weak or feeble… to suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation.”
“Their life will be like a watered garden,
and they will never languish again.
For I will turn their mourning into joy
And I will comfort them,
And make them rejoice out of their sorrow…
My people will be satisfied with My goodness…”
“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.”
Jeremiah 31:11 and Isaiah 58:11
“Hope Beyond Hope”
“In hope beyond hope, he trusted …
And without becoming weak in faith… he did not waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God.
Rather, he was strengthened in faith,
giving glory to God.
He was fully convinced that what God had promised,
He was also able to do.”
Romans 4:18-22
“Planted, Rooted, and Grounded”
“Your Word, O LORD, is like air to my lungs, and water to my soul.”
“Let Your precious Word be like my bones, like my very skeleton, which is my framework, which strengthens me and enables me to stand.
And like the blood, coursing through my veins, empowering me at every point with life, health, and healing, so let Your Word course through my veins reaching every cell, tissue, and organ.
And as the life of the body is in the blood, manufactured in the marrow, let Your Word be as a seed planted within my very marrow, life springing forth as a great tree, reaching to the heavens, bearing much fruit in my life, to Your Glory and for our good.”
“In Yeshua’s Name, I pray. Amen.”
“From Night into Day”
“It is not hard for the LORD to turn night into day. He who sends the clouds can just as easily clear the skies.” – Charles Spurgeon
“To Everything A Season”
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and A time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and A time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and A time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 TLV
Let My Soul Look Up
I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice
And it told Thy love to me
But I long to rise
In the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee
Consecrate me now
To Thy service Lord
By the power of grace divine.
Let my soul look up
with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine
Hymn- “I am Tine, O Lord” – by Fanny Crosby / W.H.Doane
A Fresh Start
“Lord help me to begin to begin”
– George Whitefield
“You First”
“Humility can be summed up in just two words… “You first.””
When My People Pray
“When My people, over whom My Name is called,
humble themselves and pray
and seek My face and turn from their evil ways,
then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.”
– 2 Chronicles 7:14
“Why Things Happen As They Do”
“Why things happen as they do
we do not always know,
And we cannot always fathom
why our spirits sink so low.
We flounder in our dark distress,
we are wavering and unstable,
But when we’re most inadequate,
the Lord God’s always able-
For though we are incapable,
God is powerful and great,
And there’s no darkness of the mind that
God can’t penetrate…
And while He may not instantly
unravel all the strands
Of tangled thoughts that trouble us,
He completely understands-
And in His time, if we have faith,
He will gradually restore
The brightness to our spirits
that we’ve been longing for.
So remember there’s no cloud too dark
for God’s light to penetrate
If we just keep on believing
and have faith enough to wait.”
-Helen Steiner Rice
Peace Be Yours
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God
and of Jesus Christ our Lord.”
-2 Peter 1:2
Take Courage
Look ahead
with courage
Trust God
and
Be strong
Joy
comes in the morning
and
Again will come
the dawn.
“He Watches Over You”
“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains — from where does my help come?”
“My help comes from ADONAI, Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip.
Your keeper will not slumber.
Behold, the Keeper of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps.
ADONAI is your keeper. ADONAI is your shadow at your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
ADONAI will protect you from all evil.
He will guard your life.
ADONAI will watch over your coming and your going
From this time forth and forever more.”
Psalm 121 –Tree of Life Version
“My Strength, My Shield, My Song”
“The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped:
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices;
And with my song will I praise Him.”
Psalm 28:7
“Happiness” In The New Year!
Hang In There
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”
Charles Spurgeon
Iron Sharpens Iron
It’s so encouraging to see the little faces and gravatar images at the end of a post from fellow bloggers who “like” it. It really makes me feel good inside, and for those of you who have done so on any of my posts, I just wanted to send out a special thank you!
I love the verse in Proverbs 27:17 that says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend,” That’s how it is in life, between those who are closely connected, through family, and friendship, and I’m thankful for the connection that I’ve found working and sharing along with those of you who either visit, “like”, or follow this blog.
As iron sharpens iron, I have been strengthened and encouraged through this blogging experience, and it is my hope that others will be strengthened and encouraged as they visit here as well.
God bless you today, and always.
Faith :)
Faithrises 