We Exalt You!

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." (Psalm 57:5 NIV)

We lift You up O God,
As far as our arms and thoughts can reach,
We lift You up O God
As we read Your Word, inspiring us to teach.

We lift You up O God
As The Creator, Author and Finisher of our faith,
We lift You up O God
No matter what any other has to saith.

We lift You up O God
As a standard by which we stand
We lift You up O God,
Desiring Your will in our lives, according to Your plan.

We lift You up O God,
At all times especially in this hour,
We lift You up O God
Praising You for Holy Ghost power.

We lift You up O God,
There's none like You in all the earth,
None who planned our lives before our birth,
None who loved us enough to die for us,
None who forgives us and forgets our sins,
None who deliberately planned our success,
None who is always there, in spite of our mess.

There is nobody like You, O Lord,
No one who should receive our praises
No one who should stand in a place of reverence
No one who could raise us like You raise,
No one who would ever earn our deference,
Like You Do, O God, Our Redeemer, Our Salvation,
Our Refuge, Our Strong Tower, Our Deliverer,
Our Healer, Our Counselor, Our Provider,
Our Standard of living for all times,
It is to You O God we give the glory,
It is to You O God we give the praise,
For You have done so much for us,
And we will bless Your Holy Name!

Hallelujah to Our Risen Savior!

Your Precious Thoughts!

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" (Psalm 139:17,18 NLT)

How can I not know how much I mean to You?
How can I not show You how much You mean to me?
With every breath I take and every move I make,
I know  I am able to do so, because You never stop thinking about me
Or how much You love me!
You never stop showering me with love!
You never stop forgiving me when I mess up!
You never stop speaking to me, even when I disappoint You!
You never give up on me, always bringing me back into the safety of Your arms, if I stray!
How do I know all this? Because I am still here and You are still with me--each morning I wake!
You O Lord, are the reason I can hold my head high,
You O Lord are the reason I can see heaven beyond the sky,
You O Lord are everything I need and could ever desire,
You O Lord, give my life meaning and makes it worth while.
How do I know You love me? You gave Your life that I might live,
And I will live my life so all will know, just how much I love You!
Thank You, O Lord for Your Love, Your Life and my own,
And for being with me every step of this journey on earth,
Until You return to take me to be with You, forever--Amen!

Trusting In The Name!

"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you." (Psalm 9:10 NLT)

You are the great I Am,
The Mighty Counselor
Rose of Sharon
Lily of the Valley
Jehovah-Jireh, our provider
Jehovah-Rapha, our healer
Jehovah-Nissi, our banner
Jehovah-Elohim,Our Lord, God
Jehovah-Adonai, Lord of Lords
El-Elyon, Most High God
Jehovah-Roi, Our Shepherd,
El-Roi, The God who watches over us
Jehovah-Shalom, Our Peace,
Jehovah-Tsidkenu, Our Righteousness,
El-Shaddai, God All Mighty,
Prince of Peace, Our Deliverer and Savior,
You are everything we need,
Known by many names, but yet the same God,
Who created all things, without You, Nothing could exist,
And we will trust in the name of our God!

The relationship--has to be personal--not distant or disconnected--we have to know who He is our lives and trust Him to be Him and do what He does, best--for all of us!

Our God Forever!

"For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death." (Psalm 48:14 NKJV)

The "unseen God" that holds all power in His hands.
The "invisible" God who created all that was ever created,
Before man was--God was and is--The same.

No matter what theory, or philosophy is thought,
One fact remains true, The skies are still above
And the Seas below, higher than the clouds
The Sun, Moon, and Stars yet shining
Mountains still standing--majestic and tall,
And Man, yet flawed, but remains
As a testament to a Living God,
Not made by stones or hands, free
To be in all places at the same time,
Watching over all His children
Guiding us in life, until death,
Here on earth, and welcoming us Home
To be with Him for all eternity.

This is our God, though invisible to the naked eye of man,
His works--created--for all to see, He is
Alive and well in the hearts of all who believe and obey,
The Spirit who quickens our spirits to live
And praise Him forevermore!

What The Lord Does!

"He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry.The LORD frees the prisoners.The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.The LORD will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 146:6-10 NLT)

To fully understand where I've started in quoting this passage of this Psalm, one would have to start from the first verse. Personally, I don't think it requires much by way of explication, but for those who may not know or have forgotten, here's the reminder:

He has created all that was created and without Him, nothing was created.

He is not absent-minded and He keeps every promise He ever makes to all who believe Him.

He opens blinded eyes, both physically and spiritually and when we seek Him, He gives us the motivation and inspiration to rise above our circumstances.

He loves all who live according to His Word because He has a plan for all to achieve.

His protection extends to the those who live among us because of our faith in Him, when they don't believe. He rains on the just and unjust alike. His covenant with us, is the umbrella, that shelters those in our presence.

He speaks to us and through us, in our obedience to Him, those who are without, will have all they need.

Whenever the enemy rises and dares to show his ugliness, The Lord has an army, bold, brave, and courageous, rising up to extol the virtues of The Lord and to remind the enemy he is already defeated.

The Lord our God will reign forever for He is the same yesterday, today and forever--He never changes His mind or His Word towards those who love Him and obey His Word--to love like He loves and live like we're living for Him.

Hallelujah! This is what The Lord does!

Be encouraged today to praise Him no matter what life looks like; it's always better with Him by our side!

Christian Literature that praises Him for all His goodness and leads into His Word. Something for everyone!

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-M-Hall-Rayford/e/B00BAW31CQ/  

All for under five dollars.  Read, enjoy, and review!

According To His Truth!

"Teach me your ways, O LORD that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever"(Psalm 86:11,12 NLT).

How long has it been since we asked God to teach us--His ways--according to His truth?

This is probably why our society is in the shape it is today! We have not asked God to teach us anything, but have been willing to listen to any and everyone who has something to say that--sounds good. And then we wonder why--we don't hear God speaking to us. If we don't know His voice, how can we hear Him?

The only way we'll ever understand when God is speaking and when people are speaking (their version of truth) is by knowing what He has said in His Word. This cannot be said often enough.
If we know His Word, we'll know His voice because He will not say anything contrary to His written Word! This is why Jesus said through John, "My sheep know my voice and another they will not hear (or listen to, or obey)."

Until we determine, collectively, to hear and obey His voice--our prayers are in vain. It is not that He does not hear us, but that we cannot hear Him or choose to ignore Him when we hear Him because sometimes--what He has to say--we just don't want to hear.

In verse six of this Psalm, the psalmist is asking God to hear his prayer and then goes on to tell Him all of the wonderful things He is to him. Is that what we do or do we just ask--selfishly for those things we want?

Prayer--our communication with God--should not just be about asking for things, but praising Him for who He is to us and our gratitude because He is who He is!

If we want to see a change in our society--change worth having that eliminates the hatred and violence--then those of us who know Him and will hear His voice when He speaks--need to know how to pray, hear, and respond;  know His voice and obey!

Prayer changes things, but only when those who are praying are willing to hear and obey and then do things, according to His Truth!

Search Me, O God!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139: 23,24 NLT)

How many people are willing to submit to microscopic inspection by anyone? Probably not too many. The greater issue is that God knows all and sees all and when He tells us what He sees--are we willing to listen and adjust?

In our society, many people are more concerned about what people think of them and as a result--they adjust--their opinions, what they say and what they do--to win the favor of people! They do not consider--God and His thoughts towards them; nor do they hear Him when He speaks and they certainly do not make adjustments to please Him because after all--He's God--He's not that important to them. That's the impression we get from the actions of "some people." What our attitude should be towards God is to please Him, not people, because people are too fickle and unstable. And then--people--do not have a heaven or hell for us--therefore, people should be the least of our concerns.

And this is why we hear the psalmist say, "Search me, O God...and point out anything in me that offends you." If we want to get living right for God--we have to be willing for Him to point out areas in our lives that need work and then we must be willing to hear and adjust. It is the hearing and adjusting that many simply do not want to do because any adjustment on their part would mean not giving into fleshly desire.

Who is God that we should listen to Him?

Every individual needs to answer this question for themselves. As for me and my house--we will serve Him, and listen and adjust to please Him--since He is the only wise God, Creator of all that was ever created, the One who loves me in spite of me, and has a place prepared for me--for all eternity--to be with Him--where peace and love abide. So, cut away O Lord, everything in me that is not of You and offends You, that I might live my life, pleasing You!

Dare--to ask God to search you, point out areas that need work and then listen and adjust. Move pride aside and submit to His inspection in order to please Him and watch how He works things out in your life.

Heaven Sent!

"He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth" (Psalm 57:3 NKJV).

Before He put in an appearance,
On earth in the flesh,
A Promise was made to those of old,
Received and believed and committed to life,
That He would send from Heaven
The Pathway to salvation,
From the influence of the evil one,
Wrapped in Truth in Mercy,
Motivated by His Love for all mankind,
Determined to reconcile our broken relationship,
Pursuing us, yet giving us-a choice!
For you and me, He was Heaven sent.
And now nothing can ever dissuade us
From turning to Him--receiving His Love,
Grateful for His Grace and Mercy
And The Truth Of His Word!

Standing In Right Relationship!

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble" (Psalm 37:38 NIV).

Many who come to know,
God in His infinite wisdom,
And learn how to show,
Others, they stand for what He says,
Rather than flicker back and forth,
Never knowing how to be a stable light,
Diminishing the dark, always ready to fight
The good fight of faith, head held high
When walking and voice strong when talking
About the goodness and mercy of The Lord.
Winning the battle without use of sword,
Made by hands, but by love and the Word
Of God which remains for all time,
No matter what man does or doesn't do,
God's Word will stand, His name remains
On the lips of all who know and love
Him and others, right or wrong. We are
Made strong in Him when we are weak in our
Own strength and we can defeat the enemy
With love and obedience to Him who created
All things and without Him nothing was
Or will be established in the earth, For it is
Through Him, we obtain our worth, winning
Souls, keeping them from the fiery hell that
Satan has planned for mankind since he dwells
In the hearts of all who choose to disobey,
And rebel against the All-knowing Savior,
Who came to save those who were lost, but
Now has given each of us a job to do,
And we must be about Our Father's business,
Making sure sinners know without Him they
Have no hope, but with Him all things are possible
When we stand in right relationship with God!
Standing Up For All God Says--Doing Things His Way,
Loving all--Him first, each and every day, My Commitment
To Him and all of His children so we can enjoy eternity together!

Praise The Name of Jesus!

"Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven" (Psalm 148:13) .

Who is the "them" referenced in this statement? The them is everything and everyone mentioned in the previous verses--the stars, the heavens, the elements, the oceans, the earth, everything in the earth, on the earth, and everyone--young and old alike. In other words--all of God's creation should praise Him.

The birds sing their praises, the squirrels and I'm sure other animals praise Him; I just haven't had an opportunity to observe them all. The most amazing thing about animals is the fact that they do exactly what they were intended to do. The stars shine in the night, the sun provides warmth and light, the moon does what does, the clouds do their thing, the rain, snow, ice, all do what they were meant to do. Everything and every animal knows their role. What happened to us--the human beings--the higher order of intelligence--why can't we do what we're supposed to do?

Perhaps, for some--their intelligence deludes them into believing they are wiser than God. Perhaps, this is the reason they refute all belief in God. Perhaps.  Perhaps, human beings are not the higher order of intelligence; we just think we are.

But then there are some--who attempt to do just what we're supposed to do--love God and love others. We don't always do things right or perfectly, but our hearts are sincere and our desire is open before God. It is our openness to God that makes a difference between those who believe Him and those who don't. We who believe don't make excuses to not serve Him, we simply do it to the best of our ability. Those who do not believe use their unbelief to ignore Him and when we praise Him, they simply do not understand.

We were created to praise Him--to give Him all glory for it truly belongs to Him and Him alone. When we praise man and self more than God, we have created other gods. When we give credence to things rather than God, we have created other gods. Nothing made by the hands of man deserves our praise. For we cannot create anything we need in order to make anything--He has already created all that is created for our benefit, not our praise.

Lord Jesus, we give You all the praise for You are the only One worthy of it. We will praise You from the mountain tops to the valleys and raise our voices in praise of You until the stars and heavens rejoice with us in our praise to You. We will cause a movement in the oceans so strong with our praise that every deep thing in it will praise with us. No one like You, Lord! No one who could ever do the things that You do for those You love! No one can love us the way You do! No can provide for us the way You do! No one can heal us like You do! You are everything we need and You are more than enough!

Action Gets It Done!

"Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday." (Psalm 37:3-6 NASB)

I am who I am--an English teacher. When I look at certain passages of scripture, I always look for the subject-verb agreement. While teaching the parts of speech, I've often discovered that verb use is the most difficult one to teach. For some reason, even though people use verbs all the time, many fail to master the use. Verbs are words that describe action or state of being. Some are active and some are passive. In the above-noted scriptures, I see a great deal of action--on our parts and on God's.

Any time a sentence begins with a verb, the implied subject is "you," the reader. We see in this passage--trust, do, dwell, cultivate, delight, and commit--things for us to do. Then, after we do what we are asked to do, we see what He will do. If we "trust" Him and do good, live in the land and cultivate (practicing) faithfulness, delight (finding ways to please) in Him; He will give us the desires (those things we want, above our needs). If we commit our ways (allow Him to determine our plans and direction), to the Lord, trusting His way is better, He will get the job done. And when He is finished doing for us--He will allow others to see our good works and know who we serve.

Awesome--just awesome is our God.

However, the reason many do not know how awesome He is is because they have yet to do their part. When people say there is no God, they are certainly not going to do what He has asked them to do. If they won't do, He won't do and since they cannot see Him doing for them, or they discover they cannot manipulate God into getting what they want, they choose to ignore His existence. Then, there are some who think that with the acknowledgment of His existence (without living for Him), their lives should be perfect without any struggles at all.

Those of us who know God, intimately, know that with His love and His guidance, there are often storms and struggles, but because of Him, we can make it through victoriously, never defeated in spirit when we rely upon Him. We understand we must do in order to see Him do.

Awesome--just awesome is our God.

He is love and He loves us (in spite of our imperfections) enough to give us chance after chance to get living right for Him. We do and He does--all things well, for our benefit.

The Righteous Delivered!

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19).

Throughout the bible we see how those who God chose to be His are treated. They were ridiculed, enslaved, mistreated, mocked, and killed--just because they chose to obey God.

That was then and it is still the unfolding story of those who choose to live a life that is pleasing to God. We are ridiculed, mistreated, mocked, and persecuted and some are still being killed, simply because we choose to obey God.

God has said, "obedience is better than sacrifice" in reference to the sacrifices mandated to atone for sins. If we were living according to The Law and had to make animal sacrifices to seek forgiveness, we would all be in trouble.  Some of us again, wouldn't be able to afford the elements used for the sacrifice and would be prohibited from being forgiven. Some of us would become so discouraged that we would cave and give into the status quo for living--serving idols, instead of the Living God. Only a remnant would remain strong enough in their faith in God to know that even though the enemy influences persecution, God will deliver us out of them all.

Some things may never change with regards to those choosing to live in disobedience. Unfortunately, some attitudes towards those who do obey may never change. Regardless of all the stuff that may never change, we can count on God to "never change" His mind or intent for how we live and He will deliver us from all the afflictions that we encounter. He will deliver! He has done it in the past, He is doing it now, and He will forever be--our deliverer! Hallelujah!

Deliverance is near--whether that comes in the form of people changing their minds about living for God or whether we see God's wrath poured out on all the land, deliverance will come.
Be encouraged today! Stay in faith--knowing that God will never forget those who are His and He will deliver us from the fiery furnace! There is nothing too hard for our God! With Him, all things are possible that give Him glory; without Him--whatever we do is a waste of time!

Know He's Always There!

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me " (Psalm 138:7 NKJV).

When we get into situations that are beyond our control, we have no need to panic, as some of us do. If we would simply remember that God knows--before anything ever happens--what our reaction will be and He has prepared a way of escape. We have to know that He is always right there, in the midst of every one of our situations and He will bring us out.

How do we get to a place in our knowledge of God and in our faith and trust in Him to allow Him to be God and we just obey? Know His Word and trust the relationship with Him.

No one has ever said that life would be easy. And if they did, they lied. Life is full of twists and turns, light places and dark places, smooth places and bumpy places, all of which God has designed to perfect in us--trust and faith in Him.

So, don't upset with the way things unfold in our lives (I know--real biggy here); just remember that God's got it and He's allowing it to happen to make us a better person when we begin to function with the mind of Christ, instead of reacting the way the enemy would have us to act.

There's no need to fear--God is always there--in the thick of things right beside us. Know His Word--rely upon His Word--Trust in your relationship with Him, and have more faith in Him than in yourself! He's always there.

The God Who Guides!

"For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end" (Psalm 48:14 NIV).

The Sons of Korah had a revelation about which God truly has power. They knew the history of the Israel who had been caught up with worshipping gods made--with the hands of man--whose only power was in the superstitious belief of the people. But now, they understood that there is a God--one whom man had not created and could not be seen with the natural eye--who had power to change the course of things and did. With the discovery and understanding, they praised Him for His mighty acts on their behalf and submitted to His guidance.

 How many gods are people worshipping today? Are they worshipping the gods made by the hands of man--cars, careers, money, status, power--their idols (trophies, certificates, degrees, all which can be seen and touched) and for some--their spouses? What real power do any of these things have? How can they guide a person anywhere? How can anyone really put their trust in these things or people and expect them to last forever?

At one time--as recorded in the history books and in the bible--images were made of men and things (animals in particular) and the things were given power by the imaginations of the people. The best record of their total impotence is the story of "their gods" pitted against God with Elijah and the "fire consumed everything" in the troughs and around them. No magic, just the power of a God who created all things and without whom, nothing was created. The Sons of Korah got it--have we?

We should not expect our God to act like a magician when we need anything, but we certainly need to learn to listen and hear Him when He speaks so He can guide us into the direction in which we will receive all we desire. The true power of God lies within us and in our obedience to God. As He told Joshua, "if we will keep His commandments, then everything we put our hands to would prosper and we would have good success." Are we obeying? Have we made any effort to accomplish anything?

When we don't receive the answers we want from God, perhaps we should look at our responses to Him when He speaks to us. Can He count on us to do what He asks us to do? Will we obey Him even when we don't understand what it is He wants us to do? Have we clearly demonstrated that our trust is in Him and Him alone?

 Consider the "things" that you have amassed. What power have you given them? Do you trust them to guide you in all things? Can they provide you with answers to questions that arise in your life? Are you building a kingdom in which you want to reign or are you a Kingdom Builder--leading others to the God who reigns forever? 

 Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to be as wise as those who have gone before us in recognizing that though there may be many gods that people worship; You are the only God who guides--forever. Amen!

Even If The Mountains Fall!

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea," (Psalm 46: 1,2 NIV).

Though the news in far-away places is usually negative and depressing, we have no need to fear.

Though politicians refuse to do the job for which they were elected (make decisions for the people, not the greedy), we have no need to fear.

Though the foolish and idiotic attempt to sway believers they are wasting their time believing in God, we have no need to fear.

Though the gun-lobbyists are fueling evil and creating environments that cost lives, we have no need to fear.

Though lawmakers create laws that encourage sin in the land, we have no need to fear.

Though there can be little hope for peace among those who are peace-breakers, and not peace-makers, we have no need to fear.

Though it may appear that all hope is lost because of man's desire to do what pleases himself instead of God, we have no need to fear.

No matter how the enemy influences others to do what is totally against God, we who believe that God is and will always be--our refuge and strength in times of trouble, have no need to fear. We can and will stand confident in the knowledge of God and in His Word and we will not be moved by trends or people who deliberately defy God. Though the mountains tumble into the sea--our confidence remains deeply rooted in the faith that God can and will save us.  Even though some may see and know physical death, our eternal resting place is guaranteed, and nothing will deter us from obtaining it.

Father, in the name of Jesus, thank You for Your Word that rises up mightily in us in the face of danger and negative reports.  Thank You for instilling in us, unmoving faith in You and in the knowledge of who You are and Your plans for us.  Remind us to encourage others in the faith, to hold onto Your Word, no matter what the enemy does, and be not moved by the appearances of things, but moved only by our faith in You.

He Can Handle It!

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken" (Psalms 55:22 NIV). 

The cares of this world and our own personal lives can sometimes weigh us down to the point that we are bent over or beat down--trying to carry a weight beyond our means to endure. What would happen to us if we were bench-pressing--attempting to lift weights far beyond our ability to hold up the weights?  We could be seriously injured for the rest of our lives.

If physical weight could cause us injury, wouldn't the same be true for emotional or spiritual weights--worry, frustration, anger, depression,and  unforgiveness ?  Many of us are beaten down by the weight of our worries about employment, family, finances or loneliness.  This worry can lead to anger, depression, and frustration.  But perhaps the biggest weight--the greatest danger--is an inability to forgive--either self (and carry the guilt of our actions) or others. 

In most cases--the cause of our worry--there is nothing we can do about it and if we can do something about it, we need not worry.  If you're going to pray, don't worry.  If you're going to worry, don't waste your time praying. Sounds crass, but it's true.  We can and should hand over all of our concerns to The Lord--He can handle it, when we cannot. 

In the case of unforgiveness--this weight--has caused people to see an early grave.  Forgive and let it go.  Release that burden to The Lord--He can handle it.  When we forgive--we think differently, our bodies react differently, and we can see God working on our behalf.  When we don't forgive--that heaviness creates a darkness in our spirits that makes seeing light difficult, if not impossible.  Give it to God!  He can handle it!

Lord, help us to release every care, every concern we might be holding onto and especially the weight of unforgiveness.  We thank You for making our burdens lighter as we take on Your nature so might be used by You to draw others to You.  In Jesus' name we pray and thank You, Amen!

Delight!

"Take delight in the Lord (learn how to please Him) and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4)

When we take pleasure in finding ways to please God, it gives Him great pleasure to give us the desires of our heart--even the hidden things we not vocalized.

When I look at the sky, the clouds, the birds and squirrels playing, the mountains that I love so much, and the water--no matter where you find it and peace--I am always amazed at God's creations.  When I hear about selfless acts that people do for others, I am equally grateful for our ability to have compassion for others.  I delight in what I see God has already done for us collectively, and I am always humbled by His favor--every where I go.

I am delighted with His love for me and the life He has allowed me to have.  I try at all times to do those things that I know will please Him, but I'm not perfect and I'm sure I don't always make it, but I never stop trying.

Yesterday was a particularly delightful day for me when I was "under attack by unbelievers" online.  What I realized is that the more I am doing right for God, the greater the attack by those the enemy has influenced.  I did not get angry or belligerent, but thanked them for paying attention to me.  I knew that God had to be pleased with the fact that I openly acknowledge Him at all times and the enemy was afraid of how my words might influence others to come to themselves and acknowledge God's existence.  I am also grateful that over 90% of my followers on Twitter are Believers!  Hallelujah!

If you have not received your heart's desires "yet", think about what you're doing.  Are you spending your time pleasing God or pacifying "man"?  Delight in all He has done, is doing and will do in your life and watch those desires--the ones you have not even voiced--come to pass!

Stay Strong!

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in The Lord" (Psalm 31:24 NIV)

Staying strong in the face of adversity, persecution, and ridicule takes courage.  And courageous people are stronger than those who are full of pride and arrogant.  How do we know?  Those who are arrogant--so full of themselves that think rules don't apply to them--or think they know everything--eventually discover the end of themselves when they realize--the rules do apply and they don't know everything.  Those who are full of pride--who think they do not need anyone but them or are too ashamed to ask for help--eventually fall under the pressure of their pride.

But those who dare to stand up--to the bullies, to injustice, to fight for the rights of others, to withstand the ridicule of fools (for The Word says,"the fool has said in his heart, there is no God"), who face enduring illness with determination, who will maintain their faith in God, no matter what--those are the strong.

Think about your reaction to life--the good and bad things that occur almost on a daily basis; are you the strong?  Take heart!  If you are willing to keep your focus on the hope you have in Christ Jesus, your determination will strengthen you and you will know--the hope of glory!

Who Can We Trust?

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (Psalm 73:25).

The real question by the Psalmist here is, who can I really trust, but You, God?  He acknowledges that there is nothing on earth worth having or desiring than God in his life.

Have we come to the end of ourselves and realize that we can do absolutely nothing without God in our lives?  Do we realize that even when we fall short in His eyes, He is yet there to forgive and bring us back into a place where we understand His love for us? 

There are times when I look at the things that take place in our society and wonder to myself if Jesus has any regrets about sacrificing His life for us.  So many seem to take life for granted--they do whatever they want to do, treat people any kind of way, are totally thoughtless about the welfare and well-being of others--and they do all of this to make sure they have what they want, no matter how they get it.  I shake my head when I watch the news with the horrors that I see committed against the vulnerable, the poor, and those who don't look like the presiding policy-makers.

What have we come to when we do not recognize the plights of those who cannot fend for themselves?  Why don't we make better attempts to educate those who vote for law-makers when we know they do not understand the process?  Why do we who know better, do nothing except complain? 

Lord, forgive us for our apathy.  Help us to take on your nature in caring for others and remind us daily that You are really the only One we can truly trust in times of need. Thank You for loving us and giving us chance after chance to get living right before You!  Hallelujah!

While I Live!

"For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?"(Psalm 6:5)

While I live, I will give You thanks and praise You each and every day!
While I live, I will tell others of Your goodness and mercy and love!
While I live, I will trust You to provide my every need!
While I live, I will train my children and grandchildren in the ways of The Lord!
While I live, I will be a living testimony, proof of Your mercy, grace, and love!
While I live, I will do all that You would have me to do or say!
While I live, While I live, for when I am dead, there is no turning back the hands of time to do or say anything.  While I live, I look forward to an expected end to spend it with You for all eternity.  While I live!