Monthly Archives: April 2010

Great – Manifold – Marvellous!

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~Psalm 29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

~Psalms 92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

~Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

~Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

~Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Today – by Martha Snell Nicholson

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TODAY

Help me to place in Thy hands today
The thing that my heart most fears—
Tomorrow’s anguish and bitter pain,
Tomorrow’s sorrows and tears;

The long, long years, and the loneliness,
The silence, the vacant chair . . .
The grief of today is enough, dear Lord,
But tomorrow’s I cannot bear!

Ease Thou my burden and lighten my load
Till only today is left.
Soft comes His voice in the hush of my soul,
“O broken heart, and bereft,

“My grace is sufficient for thee today,
Pillow upon My breast
Thy weary head, in My circling arms
Today thou shalt find rest.

“Today I can meet thine every need,
Today My love can fill
The echoing chambers of thine heart.
Then rest thee, and be still.”

Be still and trust . . . tomorrow’s tears
May all be wiped away
By God Himself . . . O grieving heart,
Thy Lord may come today!

Christ, My All in All!

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~Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

I am on “shouting ground” this morning! The Holy Spirit has, once again, ministered to this weary pilgrim and encouraged my heart through His Word! Jesus Christ is our everything, Christian! He meets all of our needs, both physically and spiritually. He is our Friend that sticks closer than a brother! What more can we ask for?

So get into the “praising spirit” and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts today:

~Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

~1 Corinthians 3:21-23 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ {is} God’s.

~John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

~John 16:23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give {it} you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

~Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

~Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive {them}, and ye shall have {them}.

~Ephesians 1:3 Blessed {be} the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly {places} in Christ:

~1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

~2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him {to be} sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

~Philippians 1:21 For to me to live {is} Christ, and to die {is} gain.

~2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man {be} in Christ, {he is} a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

~Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (21) Unto him {be} glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

~2 Corinthians 9:8 And God {is} able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all {things}, may abound to every good work:

~Psalms 68:19 Blessed {be} the Lord, {who} daily loadeth us {with benefits, even} the God of our salvation. Selah

Have a GREAT day in the Lord!

Our Fortress

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~Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

I absolutely love this verse. It fully describes His nature!

  1. God is good

    2. The phrase, “the Lord is good” appears seven times in Scriptures. The number seven is God’s perfect number.

    ~Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

    ~Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

    ~Psalms 135:3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

    ~Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

    ~Jeremiah 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

    ~Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

    ~Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

    There is no other who is good as our God! He is completely good. There is no goodness that exists except through Him.

  2. God is our fortress in time of trouble

    3. Can you picture it in your mind’s eye? The castles of the kings of old were surrounded by outer and inner walls which protected the inner sanctuary. It would take a lot to get through this fortress. Our God is likened to a fortress – except this fortress is impenetrable. When we are in trouble, we know that we can run to Him and He will be there in our time of need.

    ~Psalms 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

    I love how God repeats Himself in Scriptures. It is as if He wants to drive a point home to us!

  3. God knows those who trust in Him

    4. ~Psalms 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

    ~Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

    ~Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

What a blessing to read these verses this morning! We are never alone! Our Heavenly Father, who can only do good, loves us and stands ready to take care of all of our needs! What a comfort these verses bring!

Stress Test

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Is your life stressful? Take a moment and read the following verses:

~Genesis 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

~2 Samuel 22:7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

~Psalms 18:3-6 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

~Psalms 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

~Psalms 56:3-4 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

~Psalms 118:5-9 I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

In these verses, we see that when the soul had a need and cried out, God heard. What trials are you going through that you could use God’s hand in? Even though He may not take the trial away, He will hear you and will provide you with sufficient grace to go through your time of trial.

~Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This Hurts Me More Than It Will You!

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~Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

This Proverb is a great one in instructing parents on how and when to discipline their child. The word betimes according to the Strong’s Concordance means early. Noah Webster defines it as seasonably; in good season or time; before it is late. Both definitions give us a clear picture that a child needs to be disciplined early in his life. I also believe that Mr. Webster’s definition could be interpreted to mean “at the moment of the offense.” Consistent discipline is so important. You should not discipline a child one day for disobedience and then ignore it the next because it is not convenient for you.

Do you not want a well adjusted child? Do you want a child that will not bring you shame? There are times when a child needs a spanking and there are times when mere correction is sufficient. It also depends on the child. Some children only need a stern talking to while others need a little more convincing. We are all different! Not everyone responds in the same manner. Whatever personality your child has, he still needs discipline.

~Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Our children do not need to be taught to do wrong. Just watch a two-year old long enough and he will figure it out all by himself. However, you will not see a child naturally do what is right. That is what needs to be taught.

Scenario: Mom pulls up to the cash register after half an hour of shopping with her two-year old in the cart. The grocer in his infinite wisdom has the candy strewn on both sides of the check-out lane. The toddler stretches to maximum capacity and his little hands get a hold of the candy. Mom takes the candy away and puts it back on the shelf and the toddler goes into screaming mode! What’s a mother to do? Does she allow the child to pitch his hissy fit or does she handle it right then and there? It only takes one lesson to teach most children.

This same thing happened to me. I gathered all my groceries and put them back in the cart and excused myself. I pushed my screaming child and full cart to the bathroom. This is where my toddler’s first lesson on “how to act while shopping” was learned. Anyone who has had a screaming two-year old knows that logical conversation just does not work. Therefore, I applied the rod of discipline to the seat of instruction.   I hugged him and after he was done the initial crying, I explained to him that his behavior was not pleasing to me nor to God.  I reminded him of “Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” I had him repeat it back to me. I then told him that we were going to go back to the checkout counter and that he was going to behave and not grab at candy or we would be returning to the bathroom for more of our lesson. The rest of the checkout experience went without a glitch.

Shopping was a pleasure after that day.  If I noticed my son’s eyes focus in on the candy at the checkout aisle, I would remind him of our trip to the bathroom. He would immediately stop tempting himself and look the other way. As I grew in my role of being a Mom, I learned to pack “distractions” in the diaper bag to keep my toddler occupied as I shopped and checked out. This also kept him focused.

Discipline is needed at an early age. Tumultuous situations in a grocery store can turn into peaceful ones. The same applies when you go out to eat in restaurants. Don’t allow toddlers to get out of their high chair or booster seat and walk around your table. You can rest assured that they will wander and ruin meal time for others. Pack toys and distractions in the diaper bag to keep your toddler busy as you wait for the meal. A toddler gets whiny and cranky when he is hungry so crackers come in handy while waiting. When you train your toddler while he is yet young, you create pleasant situations for yourself later.  I can remember people stopping by our table and commenting how well behaved our toddlers were.

Discipline is doing something you dislike to create something you love.  It’s never easy to discipline.  It is hard work.  But the results are marvelous.

Depression

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~Proverbs 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Not all depression revolves around our spiritual condition, I have found. My husband is a recovering cancer patient and the chemotherapy and radiation messed with his immune system. He was low on all vitamins and minerals, as well as various hormones. The body is an intricate network and when one part is out of whack, it can play havoc on a person. Once my husband was nursed back to health by a wonderful naturopathic doctor, the depression subsided.

But let’s talk about depression with the physically healthy Christian. The terminology for depression in Scripture was the word “fainting.”

~Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

When one is weak in his faith, worry sets in.  One loses hope of a solution to their circumstances.  The new believer has the zeal that comes with new found faith. However, that new zeal wears down because of the cares of this world, unless the new believer has grounded himself through the living words of the Scriptures.  He will find himself falling into the depression trap and his hope will wear thin. Some stay in the trap longer than others – some are quick to recognize their weak spiritual condition and remedy it by drowning their sorrows in the Word of God (not alcohol, drugs, or any other distractions of the world).

Our sins can lead us to depression.  When we get in a blue state of mind and we don’t keep it in check, we will find ourselves depressed before we know it. How do we keep ourselves in check? We do moral inventory – keep our list of sins short with the Lord – acknowledging each one and striving toward eliminating them from our lives.  Romans 14:23 tells us that whatever is not of faith is sin.  If our faith is weak and we do not exercise our faith like we do a weak muscle, we sin against God.  The result of this is sadness, blueness and depression.  We do not rely on God to take care of our circumstances.  We do not hope for His work in our lives.  Instead, we look to ourselves to take care of the problem or we look to outside worldly help.

~Lamentations 3:39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

We do not have to worry about eternity but we will be “spanked” by the Lord if we continue in habitual sin. For example, if you are still smoking as a born-again believer, surely you don’t think that God would keep you from lung cancer or some type of lung ailment, right? This is where moral inventory is good. When the Lord brings a sin to mind or you know right off that you have sinned, get it behind you, confess it, forsake it and move forward. Dwelling in our past mistakes can lead us to depression.  However, the Christian who has confessed and forsaken his sin must press forward and look to Christ to strengthen him during his weak and dark moments.  Dwelling on our circumstances is not a sign of faith.  Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by the Word of God.  So Christian, dig into your Scriptures and build your faith so that you do not faint in difficult times.

Luke 18:1 encourages us to pray so that we do not faint. What a great remedy! If our thoughts are focused on prayer, they are removed from the current circumstances. When we are discouraged and depressed, it is because we have lack of hope. But the born again Christian has more to hope for than the lost soul! Take charge of your thought life and focus on your hope!

~Psalms 146:1-10 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

Christian, if you are one of those who struggle with blueness or depression, train yourself to read the Psalms that encourage the heart and the soul. Train yourself to dig into God’s Word!   Feed yourself with the Living Waters of the Word of God. God’s Word is alive and can encourage and strengthen the weak! Christ promised us that He will help us through our burdens. Why not take Him up on His offer?

~Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Encouraging Ourselves

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~1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

David’s family had been taken, his town burned to the ground and there were threats of putting him to death. But David encouraged himself in the Lord. How? He turned to God in prayer (verse 8)! He remembered God’s goodness toward him in time of need.

But God did not always answer David’s prayers according to the way David wanted them to be answered. A good example was later on when David fasted and prayed during Bathsheba’s delivery of the baby conceived out of adultery and murder. I’m sure the baby’s death was not what David had hoped for. David continued in the Lord despite of the outcome.

How has it been with your prayer life? Have you forsaken it because God did not answer you the way you wanted? Thank God that His faithfulness is not dependent on ours! So many times we miss out on His blessings because we have given up too soon.

David continued to encourage himself in the Lord, his God! How can we do this? There are many ways! The Apostle Paul taught us:

~Philippans 4:7-9 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

When you think that God is not hearing, don’t give up on your faithfulness to Him. Continue on – press forward – think on all things that are good in your life – remember the blessings He has done for you – even if you have to dig to find them! Everyone of us who is born again can count the blessing of salvation as number one! And, to be perfectly honest with you, that should be enough :-)

Count it all joy, James says.

~James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

All that we go through in this lifetime will seem minuscule compared to the joys awaiting us in Heaven. But in the mean time, each trial will build our faith. As our faith builds, we develop patience for the upcoming trial knowing that the God of Heaven is still on His throne and desires to help us through each one. Our faith will be made sight one of these days. Therefore, build your faith – trust in your God – and think on all the things Paul encourages us to think on. You will be blessed!

Every Word

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~Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

One cannot pick apart the Bible and use only certain verses. One cannot omit verses they do not care for and say they are outdated. Proverbs says that every word of God is pure. This is all inclusive!

Christ is God’s spoken Word – God Himself!  His Word lights the way – lights our paths – shines on our sin and exposes it!

~John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

You may not consider God’s Word very important in your life. You may have a Bible sitting on the bookshelf but you never pick it up. Jesus, the Word of God, says that man cannot live by just mere food but by every word of God. Again, as with our opening verse, every word of God is used.

~Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Since God’s words are so pure and so important for man, it stands to reason that God would make certain that His words are captured on paper so that man can have God’s Word available.  Man needs a light in a dark world.  Man needs God’s light to expose his sin so he can repent!

~2 Peter 1:21 Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wrote the Word of God through designated holy men. God intended for us to use His Word in our every day lives – not just leave it on a bookshelf to gather dust. What’s the sense of having a flashlight hidden in a drawer and leave it in the drawer when the power goes out?  What’s the point of having the flashlight?  God intended for us to use His Word for our doctrine – our correction – and for us to learn righteous living. His Word shines directly on our sin and exposes it to us.  Is it any wonder why the world is in the condition it is in today? The Bible use to actually be read in the average household in yesteryear. However, today, the Bible is a book for the library.

~2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Why is the average Christian powerless? Why is the average Christian looking and acting more like the world than his God?

~Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

When one spends more time in God’s Word, one is convicted of sin and taught righteous living.  God’s Light of the world, Jesus Christ, has the Words of life, in His written Word!  When we don’t spend time in God’s Word, it reflects in our lives.  The light of God’s Word will be reflected in our lives and will shine forth!

Seek Him

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~Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

God desires fellowship with His creation. He gives us ample opportunity for salvation. but what about after? How do you nurture your earthly relationships? You call each other on the phone – you make plans for outings so you can sit and talk with one another – you make time for each other, even if it means changing other plans. Why is it different with the Lord? Why do so many Christians struggle in their private time with Him?

When I received a love letter from my spouse before we were married, I would be rushing to open it – with great anticipation! I would read each word slowly and try to capture his feelings. I read the letter over and over until I practically had it memorized. God sent us His love letters through His Word. There is no greater display of love than dying for the one you love! Christ died for me and continues to show me His love through His Word.

~John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Our desire to seek the Lord after we are saved should be a daily event. If you only sought your spouse when you “felt” like it, your marriage would suffer. I love finding golden nuggets in God’s Word that encourage me along the way! We find strength within its pages!

~Psalm 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

~Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The Lord stands ready to encourage and comfort His child. Search for Him early in the morning as you start your day. Fuel up and build your spirit daily so you can have it what it takes to overcome each hurdle that comes your way!

~Psalm 121:1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.