This is the day the Lord has made, rejoice no matter what. Praise and worship pump up your body with endorphins, causing increased focus, dopamine releases, and brings peace. It opens our heart, mind, and soul to our Creator. Praise sets our focus on God instead of ourselves.
C. S. Lewis wrote in his book, Reflections on the Psalms, I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is the appointed consummation.
Thank you, Lord for your gifts, for Your provision, Hebrew name : Jehovah Jireh ( God as Provider).
Happy Thanksgiving!! Enjoy this upbeat song by Chris Tomlin, Rhett Walker, and Florida Georgia Line, called ” Thank You, Lord!” I Love this song and am reposting:)
Enjoy a deeper connection with the family of God and your Savior, Jesus! Lift up a joyful noise.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the good things in life and not the comparisons or perfections of a family. Not everyone has a picture-perfect life. Is that even possible?
No matter who is sitting at your table this year, it’s important to be grateful. God provides food, shelter, family, and friends. All, are a blessing of His creation, in His image.
More important than anything, thanksgiving reminds me to have an attitude of gratitude for a saving relationship with Jesus. It really sets the tone for my life. When I am walking with Jesus, starting my day with a pause, picking up the Word of God, I am finding more peace.
Being alone without Jesus brings more fear, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. When I learn in scripture, I am not in control. I am glad to know God never sleeps and is in control I can find peace.
Being with Jesus helps me push aside the distractions of the world which include comparison. Instead, I must make time in the morning to meditate on the good things in my life, with no media or phone unless it inspires me to Jesus.
A deep breath before I step out of bed, arms outstretched to the sky, greeting the morning with a prayer of gratitude helps clear out the comparisons.
“Good morning Jesus, thank you for another day. Guide my steps, help me to put my selfish nature aside, and shine the light of Jesus through my words and actions.”
Ephesians 6 reminds me to put on the whole armor of God. It is as if I am gearing up for battle. It is a battle against good and evil, not against our families, friends, community but against our own flesh that wants its own way. I think family gatherings can bring up some garbage and perhaps a need to have a battle plan. We have to gain wisdom from our Creator. He will give us the ability to have self-control in His way.
Ephesians 6:10 – 18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so thatyou can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
What am I talking about, you ask? Ephesians 6:10-20 describes the parts of the armor of God. I will break down the purpose for each battle armor: Helmet of Salvation: guards your mind against the lies of the enemy. It is placing this metaphorically on your head to block the false words and distractions instead, meditating on the truth of God.
Breastplate of Righteousness: this is the demonstration of putting on a guard over your heart for the purpose of right living with God. We must guard our hearts it sets the course for our life.
Belt of truth: wrap that object around your waist to keep you reminded of staying in truth, pure, excellent, life filling even if it is hard, truth. ( by the way, we can have sinned but Jesus washes away our sin and makes us pure when we ask.)
Shoes of peace: remember it’s a battle, of good over evil, it is exhausting however, we don’t walk alone. When we put on the body armor of God, we have Jesus fighting in us and with us.
Shield of faith: I don’t know about you, but sometimes it is hard to trust something we can’t see, such as the future, challenges can bring fear. Faith is unseen but fear is crippling. Choosing to hold the shield of faith against the fiery arrows that are shot at you by the devil is the best action. Faith over fear is the only answer.
Finally, The Sword is the Word of God, the Bible is the slayer of the fiery darts of the enemy. Claiming scriptures and their promises over the hard times is the way to snuff out the fire.
Praying in the Spirit always brings the power of God to the situation. Memorizing scripture can feel impossible but it is possible if you start with one at a time, such as:
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Write any of these on a post-it note and tack it to your mirror. Read these promises until they become a solid pearl of truth, meditate on them and they will come to your mind when you need them.
Consider reading Ephesians 6, before you step a foot out of the bed every morning. Say it outloud and within a month you will feel the full armor of God go with you as you are ready for the day.
Gratitude for the hope and promises in the Bible can steer the ship of your life. The alternative is grumbling and complaining. The old statement: If you can’t say anything positive say nothing at all, is true.
Happy Thanksgiving! It may not be a Norman Rockwell painting in your family or mine but hold onto the vision of being at the Lords’ table.
We are all misfits, broken yet made clean and loved by the head of the family, Jesus. Thank you Jesus for making each of us beautiful and unique.
Today, we celebrate Veterans Day. As a first generation American, I ponder the sacrifice of the men and women of the United States of America during world war 1 and 2, Korean War, Vietnam war,Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert storm, Iraq war.
It is because of the sacrifice of men and women who believe in freedom that my parents became citizens of the United States of America.
My father is Hungarian and believed in freedom and democracy and was willing to make a difference during the Hungarian up rising of 1956. He saw the US soldiers as an example of standing firm for freedom. At 18, he and friends had to leave country they love after the uprising which included taking over the radio station, and find a new life in the USA.
My mom and her family immigrated from Ireland around a similar time seekingIndependence and prosperity.
Thank you to any veteran who served in our military. Thank you for your sacrifice and the fields of war and in your life. Thank you to your families who also sacrificed for the freedom of others. From a grateful first generation American Me!
Dementia is a stealer of the memories and relationships of many. It is watching fine-lined cracks form in the mind of someone you love. It could be a Dad, Mom, a Grandparent, or another significant family member. As a family member, you try to plug the breaks in their mind. You may research possible nutritional supplements. You encourage your loved one to seek medical, emotional, and spiritual help. However, they are adults, and you are limited by their need to be in charge as they are afraid and confused. It is a walk of strength and courage. It is remembering the vision of those we love from decades past.
Love stands solid when we can reflect on the character traits of a relative pre Dementia. We can push away the sadness, the hopeless future relationship, and instead, hold onto the love and compassion we knew. We can share the love through words and actions, share great family memories, spend time with them and pray for wisdom from God.
I think it was a gift from God, as I cleared out my closet, I found the words penned for my Mom. It was a gift that I share with you now, treasure the relationships around you. When we can share love despite the changed mind, and grace to those who invested in our lives, we reflect on Jesus.
Ephesians 6:1 -3 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
Treasured poem from 30 years past on my Mom:
This is a poem to my mother,
whom I love so much,
Her lightly salted grey hair
the perfect seasoning to her face
with fine lines of life
at her eyes and at her mouth
from many years of life
both happy and sad experiences.
Her stature is just shy of mine.
But she dresses in a style-
a style that exudes Mom.
Her care and concern for me
something I can always trust.
She is talkative and friendly
although sometimes too much-
she means well with others
Family and friends mean a bunch.
She busies herself in so many ways
concern over things she may never change.
She’s a hard worker, the glue in the family, serves all.
May this reflection draw you to encourage the parent, guardian, grandparent, or significant person in your life. I have been blessed with elder women who have encouraged me as I process my Mom and Dementia.
If you didn’t have a Godly example of Mom or Dad or supportive person, I pray that God will lead you to one of His chosen people. God bless you, You are loved!!
1 Timothy 5:4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.
Understanding that we can not do life alone is not a weakness. When we reach out to the Creator God, He will strengthen our mind, body, and soul. He awaits our voice. The Shephard knows His Sheep. We need His help.Our hearts need repair.
My pastor shared the ABCD Steps of Faith, they really helped me to visualize my individual steps. I needed to consider where I need to make changes.
ABCD Steps of Faith:
As it is written in the Bible, we are called to seek Him in His Word,
Believe He is who He says He is, even if we have doubt we still must stand firm.
Call out our sin and ask Jesus forgiveness, also, Call His scriptures as truth until we can fully walk in faith. (Faith is not something we may visualize as evident, it is deep in the soul commitment.)
The next step is to Do what He calls you to do. Take the steps He calls you to, if it is His plan, He will see you to it.
1, There are many people standing firm in their faith in Jesus that are being persecuted across the world. We must pray for their deliverance to the shelter of the Almighty God.
2. We must pray for others, praise the Lord even if times can be dark. He is the Light in the darkness.
3. When we see a need, we must intercede. Help each other as Jesus is our helper.
4. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
5. Faith over fear is the answer. Be strong with Jesus Christ. He will give you courage.
Deuteronomy 31:6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Praising the Lord deepens our heartstrings to His. He created us. He wants us to draw into a relationship with Him (The Triune: God, the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit)
Heartstrings by Mary Mesikapp
It is a free will choice, not a demand. He started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They broke the human relationship when they ate the apple of the Tree of Wisdom. It is the orginal sin. The snake (the devil) tempted the couple to choose more wisdom than God. The same is true today, we are all tempted by something.
Jesus is the answer the bridge for our relationship with God. He took on all of our sin. He loves His children. He was a living sacrifice.
We must make an individual choice for Jesus. He wants to hold your hand and be on your journey. Let His Peace, His Wisdom, His plan unfold in your life as you seek Him. Consider reading Hebrews 10. It may answer some of your questions.
Zach Williams, a Christian music artist has many awesome songs with messages of transformation, forgiveness, turning to Jesus, learning from your past mistakes. Heaven Help Me really spoke to my soul this week. In humility, Jesus is the only One who can truly help and guide any of His people.
We do not have to be perfect before we take the steps to Jesus. He is the only one who is perfect.Let the lyrics flow over you and seek Jesus. Let Him give you the words as you submit to His authority. He will help you. You are not alone.
If any of the songs I have posted have been a help to you, please let me know. May the praise of the Lord bring hope and encouragement.
Hebrews 10: 19 - 25 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Is it me or do you feel as if there’s more grumbling and complaining lately than people speaking life and joy to each other? Scripture tells us the grumbling and complaining are not from the Lord and the more we grumble the more discontented and unhappy that we feel.
It could be in our community, it could be in the schools, in politics, and within the church, the attempt of dividing people who are created in the image of God is increasing. Can you relate? It is our own selfish nature that wants to be heard, or have the last word. We can speak without thinking and cause a forest fire.
James 3:2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
Yes, another blog post on self-control, do we speak life or do we speak death? The tongue is to be used to speak life. In the Book of James, we are reminded the tongue has the potential to speak wonderful blessings or even curses.
James 3:7 - 10 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth.
The tongue is defined, in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as, “a fleshy movable muscular process of the floor of the mouths..the human speech organ”, or “manner or quality of utterance with respect to tone or sound, the sense of what is expressed, or the intention of the speaker”. What is our intention when we speak?
In the Bible, James chapter 3 is full of wisdom regarding the tongue and learning self-control. It describes the rudder of a ship and the bit within a horse’s mouth. We have horses, most want to please their owner, however, they also have a stubborn streak and are powerful, majestic animals. The horse can be ridden in a halter when there is a great relationship between horse and rider. When the rider needs to ensure more control of the horse, be it a mountain trail, a cattle drive, or a new rider without a relationship, a bit provides pressure inside the horse’s mouth. Some bits are harsh and cruel while other bits are gentle in pressure.
Horse bits are connected to the reins, the reins provide guidance to the horse for the rider. As our kids were learning to ride, I likened the reins and bit to holding the hand of the horse through its mouth. Our horses wanted to please the rider, my daughter could ride bareback in a halter at times in the fields and at 4 H events because of their healthy relationship.
James 3:3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
The tongue is one of the smallest muscles in the whole entire body but it can pack a punch or a flame. Why is the tongue a powerful body part? It can hurt or I can heal. It can set your life up for good or create a forest fire, as James shared.
What is your tongue doing today is it providing hope, encouragement, love, teaching, or providing hurt, shame, and guilt? I am checking my own attitude. I want to douse the ashes of conflict and instead pour blessings and life into those I meet. How about you?
A wise elder, your parent or grandparents’ wisdom may have taught deep breathes and counting to ten as a calming technique. It is not just to see if you are smart in math! The pause allows you to reconsider future actions and words you might speak.
James 3: 13 - 18 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Being a peacemaker is possible if we stop the pride and selfish attitude (sin) and instead seek wisdom from God. It does not mean we let people step on us. We all need a little grace. I open my mouth and insert my foot often.
Wise tips: Listen well. Try to reframe the persons statements back to them. Clarify that you understand what they’re trying to say. Validate their feelings. And then answer softly and slowly. Be mindful of your words, this way you can douse the potential of a flame.
We the Messengers is an awesome Christian music artist because his lyrics give wisdom, he speaks disciplined in love, and this song is awesome!! It just reminds us to keep our eyes focused in the right space. “Come What May” is his most recent song. I saw him in concert, the artist is as humble and gifted as he sounds.
Enjoy your day and join me to stamp out a few fires by watching your words. 🙂
Have you started your day stretching in bed and saying,” this is the day the Lord has made, I will make it a great day.” You flip on your favorite music, do you dance as you get dressed? Next, you grab your favorite beverage, jump in the car, and witness a beautiful sunrise or sunset? I used to work a lot of night shifts. Sunsets and sunrises would send me to work and bring me home with a smile.
However, my mood may change when I turn on the radio and am singing along with a song about broken relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics that bring me down. Or have you walked into a room with a friend or coworker arguing? The next thing you know, you are feeling less joy. It’s like osmosis, the negative mindset is drawing away your joy.
Guard your heart! There are many voices and visions vying for your attention. It is a constant poke and prod from the enemy to distract. It can be culture, the newest app on your phone, a new entertainment app such as a tv or cable series, and even a new song.
Songs can have a steady, catchy beat, a melody, or percussion that lulls you into a cadence. Before you know it, you are memorizing lyrics and in the groove. Every time the song plays on your favorite radio or music venue you sing along.
You feel connected to the song it doesn’t seem to matter what is the message and thus you are a part of the community, you are trendy. Sometimes you pause to consider lyrics but then the beat picks up again and “who cares, no big deal, it’s just a song….”
Here’s the thing, I have a question, “if Jesus was sitting beside you as you traveled down the road, or danced away in your home, would you still sing the song?”
I find myself more diligent at considering lyrics lately after I heard words from current music. I was blown away at the top hits on multiple music genres. I don’t want to sound like an old curmudgeon, “the music of today, is bad.” Parents of generations past would complain about Elvis, the Beatles, and other classic rock bands were seen as evil. Parents wanted and tried to ban music.
However, Each generation has a need to express themselves. I get it! We have to think for ourselves. We have been given a sound mind. We must use it and not just follow the crowd.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
I think it’s important to teach my kids to learn to discern what comes from their lips in words or songs. I am working through the same needed character development. Yes, I say it again, I am a work in progress.
We must be self-controlled by the Holy Spirit with a sound mind.
Are my words bringing hope or hurt? Am I pausing before I speak? Am I considering the words in songs of my favorite music artists? Those lyrics can affect my emotions and my projection to others. They can speak affirmation or grumble. I believe you can tell by some of my posts, I love music and the messages that they can send to the listener.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
I don’t want to deny my kids music but, instead, I want to come alongside them, teach discernment so they can consider what they see and hear, and does it bring life or death? Is it supportive of honoring men and women or is it describing destruction, abuse, and addiction potential?
It is too easy to become desensitized by the beat of a song. When we dismiss the importance of what we say or in this case sing, we become less bothered by the content.
Does the song edify or honor humans created in the Image of God or demean and insult? It is a choice to make. We can change the radio station or choose different songs on our music app. In our present day, we have options to make our own playlists.
Bad character corrupts even in a song. If we sing about the abuse of women or the joy in alcohol and hooking up, we demean and dishonor the purpose of our fellow humans. God wants each of His children to be loved and respected.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
Music, movies, and yes, even, the news can suck the life out of you. You can choose what fills your mind, your ears, your eyes. Guard your heart! Let your words and songs be filled with life.
Psalm 141:3 NLT Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips.
The triune: The Father God, God’s Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three in One. He is the Rock, the God of the Mountains: El Shaddai. He is Omnipresent. ( Jeremiah 23:23-24) No one can hide from Him. Amazing!!
The Names of God are an amazing reflection of His characters . Years ago, I was exposed to this list in a Bible study. My mind has been deeply pondering culture, world news and staying firm in faith with God.
He has shown himself in the joys and trials of life, our God is massive and His Names have specific meaning depending on my circumstances.
I felt called to share this wisdom today. May one of these Names of God bring hope to you and maybe draw you deeper into a relationship with Him.
Adonai – My Great Lord, He is the Majestic Lord, our authority. (Psalm 8:1)
Elohim – The All-Powerful One, He is the Creator of the Heavens and earth. He is everywhere. (Psalm 68)
El Roi – The God who sees me, God knows who we are and what we are going through. (Genesis 16:11-14)
El Shaddai – The God of the Mountains, He is all-powerful and the source of all blessings. (Psalm 139:7-12)
Immanuel – God with us, the Great I Am, Jesus came as a baby, He is in our midst. (Isaiah 8:8-10,Matthew 1:23)
Jehovah – “I AM”, He is the God who never changes. He is faithful, even when we are not. (Psalm 102)
Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord will provide. He will meet all our needs, Jesus, His Son was sacrificed for us. (Psalm 23)
Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord is My Banner, God gives victory, Our battle is against the dark, evil, He is Light.(Ephesians 6:10-18)
Jehovah-Shalom – God of Peace, Jesus is our Prince of Peace, He defeats our enemy when we seek Him. (Hebrews 13:20)
Yahweh – ” I AM”, His promises never fail. He is faithful and never changes. (Malachi 3:6, Psalm 46:1)
We must hold onto the hope found in the unchanging God, who may have many interchangeable names but is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end.
“No one but you”, a song from Hillsong United, brings the breath of life to me as I hear the words of promise. There is No one like our God. May this song encourage you today!!
Amy Carmichael was a 19th century missionary from Ireland. Amy opened an orphanage at the age of 28. At this time, women were not on the mission field alone. She loved children and sacrificed her life by serving India’s children. She felt the call of God and left her home of comfort to make a difference.
God delights to meet the faith of one who looks up to Him and says, “Lord, You know that I cannot do this–but I believe that you can!” -Amy Carmichael
Modern day parenting is a challenge, however, Amy was a single woman and God used her in a mighty way. Her quote showed what can happen when you trust God, we are called to speak truth and share our faith in Jesus with our own children. We are called to trust God with the unknown. God calls parents to teach their children His ways. They must love God with all their heart, soul, and strength. They must see these actions in you. Our actions speak louder than words.
Deuteronomy 6: 5 -7 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
We are called to share the Word of God, found in the Bible, it is wisdom for life. It is our most important responsibility to our child as their parent. I love Proverbs 4, the entire chapter is filled with instructions for parents. We must teach our children to guard their hearts, it is the wellspring of their life. It is the place where purpose flows.
Proverbs 4 :20 -23 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
For over 10 years, I felt called to speak about injury prevention, alcohol, drugs, preventable occurrences as a trauma nurse. I cared for many traumatic injuries that were preventable from motor vehicle crashes, motorcycle crashes, alcohol and drug overdoses, etc. I became a public speaker on behalf of other emergency department and trauma nurses. I shared real stories with other people’s children from middle school through high school. My key focus was to tell them that their lives are filled with purpose and God has plans!
God gives each one of us, created in the Image of God, a specific purpose. It is our job, as we live on this planet, to seek to understand who our Creator God called us to be. Our gifts can be hidden as we move day to day, or our gifts can be something that shined since we were young. Either way, there is a great calling on our life. Our choices can detour the end result, but life is not a straight path.
We can have pauses and starts, challenges can give us the opportunity to turn back to God if we have left the path with Jesus. Challenges can give us an opportunity to humble ourselves return to Jesus and choose a better course in the future. We have a God (Jesus, His Son) who walked this planet. He understands our human condition of emotions, impulses and pain. Matthew 4 describes Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert multiple times. Jesus stood firm with the Word of God. Consider checking on this amazing chapter of scripture.
Jesus took on all our sins, because He loves us that much. If we did not have a loving father on earth it can be hard to believe this truth. Jesus died a sinners death by taking on all the sins of the world for love. He gives us mercy and grace, and cheers us on as we do over our life connected to Him.
John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
I heard this beautiful song today at a meeting, “For Our Children, words by Amy Carmichael and Charlotte Ryerson. God calls parents to pray and praise Him. Use this song as a love note for your children to Jesus, I share the lyrics here:
For Our Children (Words by Amy Carmichael and Charlotte Ryerson, music by Charlotte Ryerson)
Father, hear us, we are praying, Hear the words our hearts are saying, We are praying for our children.
Keep them from the powers of evil, From the secret, hidden peril, Father, hear us for our children.
From the whirlpool that would suck them, From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them. Father, hear us for our children.
From the worldling’s hollow gladness, From the sting of faithless sadness, Holy Father, save our children.
Through life’s troubled waters steer them, Through life’s bitter battle cheer them, Father, Father, be thou near them.
Read the language of our longing, Read the wordless pleadings thronging. Holy Father for our children, And where’er they may abide, Lead them home at eventide.
We come boldly to Thy Throne, all our hope in Thee alone Let them see Thy cross and come, let them glorify Thy Son in Jesus’name amen
In this time of crazy cultural strife, we need to lift up our children to the throne room of God. We can praise the Lord as we lay our children in His strong, scar-filled hands. He loves them even more than we do, after all He created them.
He has a purpose for their lives. If we, as parents or adult family, can release our grip on their hands, then maybe they will be able to reach for the hand of Jesus.
Jesus has transforming power. He can bring hope in a storm. He can heal all the wounds whether spiritual, psychological and even physical. He is the Ultimate Healer.
Let go and let God! Father God, help our children to achieve the purposes that you call them to become.
And for those who do not have children in a biological or adopted way just yet, I totally understand. I was infertile for ten years before I was blessed through adoption.
God calls you to pray for His children. His children are in your community, at the grocery store, the coffee shop and as you walk down a street.
Get to work and pray for His people. May God richly bless your day!!
Leaning on the Rock, Jesus, over stumbling along in life, is the best response to a backpack of rocks.
Photo credit by Ken Mesikapp (SW Colorado)
Hebrews 10:15 -
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Spur each other on to good things, be a truth sayer, but we are not called to hold anothers suitcase of rocks. We can be a helper not enabler to those we love.
Picture this: You find a guy or gal walking along the trail of life. He / she has opportunities to choose to pick up gems of hope, joy, opportunity, love, compassion and peace. Those opportunities may be like picking up light weight beautiful, unique geological rocks that bring a sense of happy moments,. It is bliss as the person walks lightly maybe even skips as they sing a song of praise.
Ah, yes, life can be full of joy. We can have bumps on the trail but we hop right over the extended tree roots or loose gravel and still keep hiking up the trail.
You see, we consider the joy at the mountain top. Seeing the sun rise or fall as another day begins or ends is our reward for using the tools of right choice. Plus we have our Jesus with us as we sing, or consider His scripture. His word prompts us to keep walking.
What if instead, we choose to start the trail with an empty backpack. We may choose the rocks of bitterness, despair, anxiety maybe as a bigger boulder. You may start to place heavier items in your backpack.
You seek the world’s idea of pleasure, take your pick of the items: materialism, pride, alcohol, drugs, porn, food, whatever. The things you thought brought temporary pleasure are now huge, heavy burdens that cause your back to ache, your body to be exhausted and your mind to loose focus.
You started off with the mindset of reaching the top of the mountain. Ah, the sights you hoped to see were the vistas in the distance, the valleys below and sunshine to bring warmth to your soul. It was the plan to stay on the trail and fix your eyes on the summit and Jesus.
What happened? Where did the detour occur? Did you make the choice of pain or was it made for you? Either way, you must fight for a new trail and mountain top experience.
You can allow the backpack filled with rocks, heavy boulders to be emptied. The thing is you need a heavy lifter to help you unzip the backpack, hold the tissue as you grieve and let loose of the shame and guilt from the past.
His name is Jesus, He is the lifter of your head. He knows all about you. He wants to help you see yourself the way He does.
Do you want to be free of the heavy burdens? Life is not always easy, but He will be with you if you ask Him. Do you want to dump the backpack of the past?
Then lean on Him. Seek a family of believers who want to show you Jesus and His ways. Get you eyes on the Bible. Pray for Him the show you where to start.
There are many groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon( for those who love someone in addiction), Celebrate Recovery, Life Recovery and Sunrise. Any of these programs will draw you to a new life with your Higher Power, Jesus is awaiting.
I loved this song by David Crowder ft. Riley Clemmons,, ” I’m Leaning on You” so timely!!!!
Riley Clemmons adds a great harmony. Lean on Him alone and be ready for a new Life.
Dump the backpack of rocks and race to the summit there is a new sunrise awaiting.
Inspiring Light Through the Cracks 