If you have ever grown houseplants you have noticed that they will bend and twist toward the light source. For many indoor plants, more light is better for them to be their healthiest and most vibrant. As humans, we can be affected by light as well. The lack of sunshine during the winter months can cause our mood to sink. Both plants and people can find growth in the new year by bathing in the light.Continue Reading
Even When Song
Who doesn’t, at least occasionally, hit hard spots. Some resolve quickly. Other times we find ourselves in the valley of the shadows. Even When is a beautiful song by Micah Tyler that brings encouragement to fight the good fight. Know God is with us through it all and He is with us even when.Continue Reading
I will Lie Down and Sleep
Encouraging words from the bible when worry and anxiety grip us. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
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Amazing Grace
The words by John Newton in his beloved hymn, Amazing Grace, never cease to move and humble with its message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed through the mercy of God.
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The Kindest Thing
February. It is the month of love. The month we celebrate all things “love”. Not that we don’t show love all year through but February contains Valentine’s Day with its love focus.
We send Valentines, go to fancy restaurants for a fancy dinner, buy flowers and jewelry and give candy in heart-shaped boxes. All gestures to tell someone about our love and concern for them.
But love isn’t always best expressed with these sweet and thoughtful intentions. Sometimes people feel most loved when an act touches them in a deep, personal way. That brings me to this question… Continue Reading
Psalm 91
Psalm 91 is one of the most encouraging passages of scripture to me. After completing the book, Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney, our community group Bible study is finished the year studying Psalm 91. It is a beautiful Psalm and I am sharing each verse with a photo of a blossom from my garden this past spring.Choose Prayer over Despair
Are you prone to anxiety? Faced with problems that you haven’t much control over? If you are like me, worry is your default. Situations and circumstances can easily produce anxiety. Counter those hard places by determining to Choose Prayer over Despair.Continue Reading
Break Every Chain
There is good news. There is HOPE. It is what I am holding on to. There is Someone who has the power to break every chain. There is power in the Name of Jesus.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
The Way I Should Go
What is the number one question you are seeking an answer to? The thing you are most looking to understand? The prayer you are praying most often? For me, the frequent question is knowing the way I should go.Continue Reading
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Think on These Things thoughts from John…Have you ever questioned God’s faithfulness? Did you ever think that He has left you or forsaken you? These are questions we sometimes are uncomfortable voicing or admitting. As you contemplate your answer, think of times of disappointment, loneliness, grief or despair. This is when we are most vulnerable to the thought that God had forsaken us. God uses His Word and sometimes a person, a quote, a book or even a hymn to remind us that He is and will always be faithful to His children. One of these classic hymns is my focus on today’s post… Great is Thy Faithfulness.Continue Reading
It is Well
All Your Promises are Yes and Amem
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Have you heard this song titled, Yes and Amen? It was new to me until we sang it in church last week. I came home and looked up the words to mull them over. I don’t know about you but I appreciate reminders of God’s faithfulness to combat the daily discouragement and frustrations that can accumulate. You can read the lyrics and listen to a video below. It is a great worship song and one that will encourage you 🙂
Yes And Amen
Chris Tomlin
Father of kindness
You have poured out grace
You brought me out of darkness
You have filled me with peace
Giver of mercy
You’re my help in time of need
Lord I can’t help but sing
Faithful you are
Faithful forever you will be
Faithful you are
All your promises are yes and Amen
All your promises are yes and Amen
Beautiful Saviour
You have brought me near
You pulled me from the ashes
You have broken every curse
Blessed redeemer
You have set this captive free
Lord I can’t help but sing
Faithful you are
Faithful forever you will be
Faithful you are
All your promises are yes and Amen
All your promises are yes and Amen
Faithful you are
Faithful forever you will be
Faithful yes you are
All your promises are yes and Amen
I will rest in your promises
My confidence is your faithfulness
I will rest in your promises
My confidence is your faithfulness
I will rest in your promises
My confidence is your faithfulness
I will rest in your promises
My confidence is your faithfulness
Faithful you are
Faithful forever you will be
Faithful yes you are
All your promises are yes and Amen
All your promises are yes and Amen
All your promises are yes and Amen
Songwriters: Tony Brown / Chris McClamey / Nate Moore
Elements in the graphics in this post were from Free Graphic Blue Crush @ Twigs and Twine
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www.gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com
God speaks to me in Springtime
God speaks to me in springtime
When the earth is wet with dew
In the meadows and the prairies
As the grass comes poking through.
What Will You Say When the Question Comes?
Thoughts of Good Friday are on my mind. Thoughts of the immensity of what the cross means and what it means for me. Thoughts of a love that goes far beyond my ability to grasp. But it is real.
In the words of an old hymn writer… What shall I do with Jesus? What shall my answer be? Question with question I answer, What will He do with me?
This hymn, written in the late 1800’s, caught my attention asking the question of utmost importance. A personal question. A question that can make us feel uncomfortable.
You have probably heard the Easter story. About forgiveness and redemption and that word no one likes to talk about, namely sin. It is a word that makes us want to walk away and think about other stuff. But sin is supremely important to God because it separates us and puts an impassable chasm between Himself and his beloved. Important enough to God that he provided a solution for it. A costly solution.
The Easter story tells of Jesus Christ’s journey to the cross, His glorious resurrection in triumphant over sin and death, His ascension into heaven where He reigns as our Lord and Savior. This gives us HOPE and JOY. We no longer have to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus paid it in full. We can be forgiven and accepted and forever enjoy fellowship with God through Jesus. That is what Jesus meant when He uttered His last Words, “It is finished”. That heavy burden of sin we carry is dropped from our shoulders. That is amazing grace.
I hope you, dear reader, will take a moment to listen to the beautiful video below, listen to the words and if you haven’t already, consider the question, “What will you do with Jesus?” Because, neutral you just can’t be.
What Will You Do With Jesus?
Excerpt from David T. Clydesdale’s “How Great Thou Art”
Jesus is standing there in Pilates’ hall; friendless, forsaken, He’s been betrayed
by all. Suddenly comes the fateful call, “What will you do with Jesus?”
Now Jesus stands alone on trial, ready to face the crowd. To walk His
destined mile. In your heart you’re hearing all the while, “What will
you do with Jesus?”
Chorus:
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will You do with me?”
Will you deny Him just like Peter’s done? Will you reject Him? He is the
living Son. What will you say when the question comes? What will
you do with Jesus?
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?”
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you just can’t be. Someday
your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?”
What will he do with me?
Below are the words of the original hymn. They are similar to the words in the video and were probably the inspiration for it.
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall
Author: Albert B. Simpson (1905)
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall–
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all;
Hearken! what meaneth the sudden call!
What will you do with Jesus?
Chorus:
What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?”
Jesus is standing on trial still,
You can be false to Him if you will,
You can be faithful thro’ good or ill:
What will you do with Jesus? (Chorus)
Will you evade Him as Pilate tried?
Or will you choose Him, whate’er betide?
Vainly you struggle from Him to hide:
What will you do with Jesus? (Chorus)
Will you, like Peter, your Lord deny?
Or will you scorn from His foes to fly,
Daring for Jesus to live or die?
What will you do with Jesus? (Chorus)
“Jesus, I give Thee my heart today!
Jesus, I’ll follow Thee all the way,
Gladly obeying Thee!” will you say:
“This I will do with Jesus!” (Chorus)
What will you say when the question comes?
Neutral you just can’t be
someday your heart will be asking
what will He do with me
What shall I do with Jesus?
What shall my answer be?
Question with question I answer,
What will He do with me?
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2
Trust His Heart
God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind, So when you don’t understand, When you don’t see His plan, When you can’t trace His hand, Trust His heart. These words were popularized in 1989 by Christian singer-songwriter Babbie Mason and are sometimes credited to Charles Spurgeon. Scroll to bottom of post to hear her sing this beautiful song.
Babbie Yvett Robie Wade Mason was born February 1, 1955. She is an American gospel singer, songwriter, writer, and adjunct professor of songwriting at Point University and Lee University, and also a television talk-show host. Mason’s father was a Baptist pastor and she hails from at least five generations of ministers. Mason has also been the church pianist and choir director for the church her father pastored. source
Babbie Mason with Eddie Carswell wrote “Trust His Heart”. In an interview, Mason said the song was influenced by a North Atlanta pastor who “became inspired by the words that Charles Haddon Spurgeon had coined in his writings, ‘God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. And, when you can’t trace His hand, you can always trust His heart.’”
Similar quotes are found in The One Year Daily Insights with Zig Ziglar and The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible.
Spurgeon’s actual wording is found in his sermon “A Happy Christian”:
The worldling blesses God while he gives him plenty, but the Christian blesses him when he smites him: he believes him to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind; he trusts him where he cannot trace him, looks up to him in the darkest hour, and believes that all is well.source
Trust His Heart
Babbie Mason
All things work for our good
Though sometimes we don’t see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth
Our Father knows what best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don’t see Him
Remember you’re never alone
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart
He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hand
So don’t live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry
He’s weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart
He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart
When you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart
Hard Work Brings a Profit
We had a blast of wintry weather this past week even though spring begins tomorrow. From my kitchen window I caught a glimpse of a little gray squirrel sniffing about the snow under the bird feeder.