Do we pray for earthly blessings and relief from trials or from the physical discomforts alone?
Or do we talk to the Lord because He is God, worthy of honor and glory? Do I pray to give Him thanks and praise, with no request?
What do we want? How do we talk to the Lord?
I have trouble sitting still. Will God be OK if I move around a pray? Yes.
And, today, I share Fanny Crosby’s old hymn of 1875, “Draw Me Nearer.”
Fanny Crosby is a wonderful teacher. Many of her hymns were prayers. I share this to be spoken (or sung) with vocal cords vibrating.
To me, it’s therapy to the soul:
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith, And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the pow’r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.
O the pure delight of a single hour That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend.
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side . . . Fanny Crosby 1875
Today I ask the Lord, “Help me have a holy lifestyle. One fully pleasing You.”
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“Dear Lord, teach me to give the wholehearted prayer. Not to pray for relief from trials only, but to give You glory and praise.
Help me surrender to Your will. That I might be willing to hear Your voice in Your Word more than my necessary food or the list of things to do, or the loud call of the worldly news.
Give me fruit in my life of love: . . . (which I can’t do unless I cling to You.) You’re the Vine, I’m the branch.
Keep me connected to You that I might have joy when hearts are very heavy. Peace when fear is everywhere. Patience in hectic moments.
Kindness when it’s hard. Goodness, when I’m tempted not to what’s right.
Faithfulness when I don’t feel like doing something.
Gentleness when it’s impossible without the power of God in me.
Self-control when the last choice I want to make is self-control.
“There are depths of love that I yet may know Ere Thee face to face I see; There are heights of joy that I yet may reach Ere I rest in peace with Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Thank You, Lord that You are a gracious God, patient to wait for us to “be still.”
There’s no shadow of turning with Him, (James 1:17). Not ever.
God is patient. Kind. Most people think this about God, but are we hungry to know Him?
Familiar words often become blurred, but to chew on the Bible’s account of God’s nature brings a prick to every heart:
God’s love doesn’t envy.
God’s love doesn’t boast. He’s not proud.
God doesn’t dishonor others.
God’s not selfish. He’s not easily angered.
God does not keep a record of wrongs.
God takes delight in truth, not evil.
God always protects. God always trusts. God always hopes.
God perseveres through everything.
God’s love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13.)
“God is love” 1 John 4:8.
Do we (really) want love?
We must seek the true and living God!
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” John 17:17.
We’ve got a choice to make. To believe or not to believe the Holy Bible proclaimed to be the truth of God.
And who’s Jesus?
From Genesis to Revelation, God speaks a Scarlet thread to tie and hold each Book together.
To open the Bible is to hear God’s heart. His story. His plan. His promises. Everything about life for humankind is written.
What happens when the Book is closed? We can see this, today the truth is what you make it. But is this true?
We believe many things. The human mind, heart, emotion is expressed in words—communication. Words have power.
We follow words . . .
how can we hear the true voice of God?
Faith. ” . . . faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17.
The testimony of every believer in God is summed up in the first four verses of the Bible. I’ll share an example with my testimony:
God created me. Then my life was dark and empty, (because of sin). “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters,” (Genesis 1:3). (My body consists of 73% water. My interpretation.)
The Spirit of God was patient to wait as His presence remained and . . .
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light” Genesis 1:4.
Many testimonies speak of chaotic beginnings, brokenness, darkness, emptiness, pain, and hurt. Then, . . . the Rescuer came.
Chaos turned to light. Old became new.
Do believers have perfect lives after Christ? No way, but directed by the Spirit of God, the Word of God, the Father of Light who delights in His children—yes! Perfectly covered by His blood. Renewed in His love.
Jesus:
“He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God” Revelation 19:13.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” John 1:1-4.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6.
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” Revelation 1:1,3.
Truth? Jesus said, “I Am.”
Let the little children sing about “All Things New:”
P.S. Please spend some time talking with the Lord today. This day, may you ask Him in your life and say, “I’ve made Him mine!”
We give praise and glory to God because He IS GOD.
His Word is “perfect, refreshing the soul,” Psalm 19 reminds us: “The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward” Psalm 19:7-10.
Are we going through a great trial? Yes, most people are challenged today, some are in crisis.
How is gold purified? Yes, fire.
And, there are times the Lord allows great trials that feel like a fiery furnace.
We must keep our eyes on Jesus, He draws near to the brokenhearted.
May we receive His Word and rejoice – even in hard times.
Why? Because God is faithful. He hasn’t left us, orphans. He is speaking. We must take time to talk to Him.
When we open His Word, we’re allowing Him to speak to us. What does He say about hard trial:
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” 1 Peter 1:6,7.
“Lord help us hear Your voice and block out all others. Give us ears to hear what You have to say to us. We need to know You more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Today, I pray that the Lord keeps us “rejoicing in Him” no matter what! God said, . . . and it was so! We CAN trust Him for what concerns us today! Amen!
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men,” (people). “The Lord is at hand” Philippians 4:4,5.
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Today.
Yesterday.
Moving forward.
I can take joy in the Lord. I can’t always have joy in my circumstances, the weather, my location, or my past, but I can always take joy in the Lord.
He alone is good.
He’s holy. Perfect in all His ways. He’s the lover of our souls. Patient, gracious, slow to anger, kind. The Lord God Almighty.
He’s completely trustworthy, yet at times, hard for me to trust. If it wasn’t for His Word, my thoughts would believe He’s the opposite of all He is.
He allows great trial, confusion, pain.
Do I believe Him when everything falls apart?
His Word tells me He knows my name. Do I believe this in the moments when I can barely remember my own?
He hears the worries I have, my cries, my tears.
But doubt sometimes floods my being to bring me down as a sickness.
My faith fails, (past, present, and future), yet God remains faithful and true. No matter what.
“You’ve got cancer.”
My diagnosis, not someone else. This was trial number three, not one.
I lost faith, became afraid, yet in the fight, my sister told me, “Toni, the people who keep faith do best.”
Where else could I go? I looked to the Lord.
He helped me through my failures and gave me the strength to trust Him, (one day at a time) with eleven healthy, full-term births, and four miscarriages along the way.
The Lord upheld my marriage, year after year for better, worse, sickness, health, richer, and poorer.
The trials opened my eyes to the presence of the Lord, His keeping power and grace. Only one set of footprints could be found in the sand. Jesus carried me with compassion, grace, and love that bore all my “stuff.”
He brought “prayer warriors,” from all over the map. Food, gifts for the kids, desserts, cards, phone calls . . . the Lord was a present help. He was with me. He brought family, friends, songs, hymns, His Word.
I put all my eggs in one basket. The Jesus basket.
Cancer opened my eyes to many failures and sicknesses in my heart. When we pray prayers like, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” you better believe, God will answer. (Psalm 139:23,24).
Cancer gave me more than it took away, it gave me an increased faith in the true and living God.
After my third chemo treatment, I came home feeling very sick. The sickness was to begin in a day and a half, not an hour and a half. The kids were spending time with a neighbor.
Laying down on the couch, eyes closed, I felt death in my bone marrow.
My body was rocked hard with the chemo. It wasn’t used to anything meds, ever. Not even for childbirth! But, fighting cancer, . . . I did the chemo.
Did they give me too much Adriamycin?
Shouldn’t I be seeing lights? It’s so dark. I thought I was going to die. Darkness was there, but then . . .
I had a vision. (I know you’ll think I’m crazy,) but a door opened in the darkness and light came through.
Two, healed, but nail-pierced hands stretched out of the open door. Then words (which I had read thousands of times from my favorite children’s book by Glen Keane), came to mind:
“Not all know Me as their King.”
That was it.
This was huge!
I had the assurance I was to live. But even more.
The Lord enlisted me in His army. He gave me work to do.
Weeks later, when I was strong enough to return to church, a guest Missionary pastor highlighted on the screen a verse from Philippians 1:25,26.
“And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ . . . “
Again, the Lord was speaking, “Toni, you’re going to make it through this horrible sickness and multiple trials, but you will now share joy and faith in My name with others.”
Yes, “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I will say, rejoice!”
I will never be ashamed to share the Good News of the One who has saved my life for salvation and every continuing day on this thorny earth.
While I have my being, I’m living for Jesus. He’s the only One Who truly, completely, perfectly Loves. (Period).
Jesus loves me, you, every human being on this planet. We all need Him.
This is not a religion. This is life, hope, peace, and love. This is what the world needs . . .
Do you know Jesus as your King? Perhaps the time is now.
When I speak aloud the Word of God, I’m renewed with hope. We can rejoice in the LORD always because God is who He says He is!
He doesn’t change whether we believe Him or not. God is God.
If there is any doubt in your heart whether you belong to the Lord, . . .
make this day, the moment you seek Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will. The Bible is His love letter. Jesus. Loves. You. And me. And every single person on this planet.
Period.
Ask the Lord to help you understand. Ask the Lord to speak in regards to your pain and loss.
The gospel message is the same. The Good News of God makes no changes, ever.
The Lord is a faithful God. Psalm 66 reminds us to sing out the honor of His name.
The Bible helps us focus on the grand power and goodness of God. God’s Word is living, soul transforming. The Word of God lifts us above anxious thoughts. We can’t worry and speak a dozen names of God at the same time.
Almighty God – The Anointed One
(Lord my) Banner – (Giver of) Counsel
Compassionate God – The Chosen One
A Crown of Glory – A Costly Cornerstone
Deliverer – Elohim
El Elyon (God Most High) – Exalted One
Hungry for more? The simple reading of a few names of God makes us hungry to read more:
Jesus is:
Enthroned in rainbow colors – Faithful
Forgiver – The First
Friend of Sinners – Fountain of Life
Gracious God – Glorious
Giver of the Spirit – Great Reward
Holy – Healer
Change happens. We were created to worship God and when we do, we have peace. He is the Prince of Peace.
Can we “Say to God, ‘How awesome are Your works!”
His greatest work is His sacrifice on the cross for each of us. He became the Passover Lamb, (another one of His wonderful names). By believing in His work of death on the cross, our sin is put on Him:
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Talk to Him today. He knows your heart already. He can cleanse and make all who believe a new creation. His other outstanding work is His resurrection. Each is great. Miraculous. Jesus rose from the dead.
He helps us rise to new life.
Yes, all who come to Jesus and believe in the sacrificial love He gave on the cross will be saved. Born again with living hope.
The Bible tells us so!
Let the sound of children minister the glorious gift Jesus gives when we believe in Him:
John 1:12 / 2 Corinthians 5:17
Psalm 66: Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah
Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
Oh, bless our God, you people! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.
I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows,
Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, With the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats. Selah
Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!”
Talk to someone about what you’ve received from the Lord, today!
Who will join me, (along with many from my church) in a month of an “Attitude of Gratitude?”
This month, let’s make the choice to deny our flesh and ask the Lord to grow us in Him, His grace, His love, His forgiveness: His Holy Spirit, our Comforter, and present help in trouble.
Help us put off our “self” and put on Christ and His Spirit of love by believing in Him and His great sacrifice He made for us.
Jesus took all the pain on the cross that we, who believe receive great gain.
Can we think about His sacrifice and deny our flesh in some way? Join me to hunger more for Him and ask to “eat” time in His presence, hope in His strength, and be empowered by His grace.
“O how restless is the foe Jesus’ kingdom to overthrow.
Shall not we as zealous prove to proclaim redeeming love.
Let us publish saving grace, scatter life in every place . . .
Dare the world and satan’s frown – turn his kingdom upside down!” (Words penned hundreds of years ago, author unknown):
We are thankful dear Lord that You are on the throne!
Help us know Your Good News above the news of this day:
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46: 10.
“We will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah(Psalm 46). We will pause and think calmly of the Name above all names, Jesus: Lord Omnipotent, Sovereign, LORD over all the earth.
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46:10.
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46:10. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah Psalm 46:11.
Today. This day. We, “Pause and calmly think of that!”
“O God, give me noble and praise-worthy thoughts. I will speak a hymn and a psalm and immediately be changed from fear to faith:
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light
Keep my thoughts on things above, not on things of the earth.
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23.
The only separation from me to You, Holy God of the Universe, is my sin. My unbelief, my pride to think I am enough without You. There is not a person on this planet able to escape evil thoughts, covetousness, selfishness, and lies.
I can never be good enough to come into Your presence. But Christ Jesus bridged the gap as He stretched out His arms for me on the cross.
Your Word is truth:
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord Thou my great Father, and I thy true son Thou in me dwelling and I with thee one
Am I separate from God, or am I His “true son?” Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” Romans 10:13.
Call on Him, Today.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise Thou mine inheritance, now and always Thou and thou only first in my heart High King of heaven, my treasure thou art
From the kingdom of darkness I’ve escaped, in the name of Jesus, to the Kingdom of Light. My inheritance is Love. Joy, peace, patience, kindness are empowered in and through me by the power and gift given to me of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve inherited the faithful, keeping hand of God to hold me for all eternity. I have reason to be thankful in every circumstance. I am a child of God. He has made me victorious in faith in Him!
High King of heaven, my victory won May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Psalm 46, Amplified:
God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah.
(Pause and think calmly of that!)
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her [His city], she will not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered and were moved; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has brought desolations and wonders on the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow into pieces and snaps the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah.
Pause and calmly think of that!
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them–those who are mistreated–since you yourselves are in the body also.
4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:3-8.
“He saved me from my low estate, His loving-kindness, oh how great! Samuel Medley, 1782.
When temptations rise to be afraid or heavy-hearted under life’s weight, the hymns immediately change my mind.
After-all, doesn’t the Lord tell me, (and you), in His Word to, “Fix (y)our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” Philippians 4:8, NLT.
And furthermore, to “Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.“
The hymnal, (along with the Bible, of course), is a safe place to find excellent and praise-worthy thoughts:
He saw me ruined in the fall, Yet loved me notwithstanding all; He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh how great! Samuel Medley, Loving-Kindness, 1782.
To wake and imagine my sweet Lord, patting the seat next to Him on the sofa,”Come a sit by Me.” So, I sit to be with the Lover of my soul as I open the hymnal:
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
(In the back of our minds, do we have the report from the doctor, or that call on the phone, or the piece of mail that recently arrived?)
The Lord in my heart, is near. He’s right here. And He reminds me today from this hymn long ago:
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes, Though earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit speaks to me. He reminds me of a favorite psalm,
Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him Psalm 42:5.
When trouble like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His loving-kindness, oh, how good! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how good!
God’s Word is living water refreshing my soul. Word-picture perfect, Psalm 42 reminds me, “God knows.”
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God . . . My tears have been my food day and night,While they continually say to me,“Where is your God?” . . .
For I used to go with the multitude;I went with them to the house of God,With the voice of joy and praise, Psalm 42:1,3,4.
I will think on this today, “His loving-kindness, oh, how good:”
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life . . .
Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God;For I shall yet praise Him,The help of my countenance and my God Psalm 42:8,11.
My eyes are up. My heart is tuned.
“He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh, how great!”
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing they great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
His loving-kindness, oh, . . .
how free!
Revive us Oh Lord. We speak aloud Your Word:
“Sing, . . . Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes . . . Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth . . . Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you Isaiah 54:1-10.
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing they great Redeemer’s praise.
“His loving-kindness, oh, how great!”
Loving-Kindness by Samuel Medley, 1782:
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song for me, His loving-kindness, oh, how free! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how free!
He saw me ruined in the fall, Yet loved me notwithstanding all; He saved me from my lost estate, His loving-kindness, oh, how great! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how great!
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes, Though earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!
When trouble like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His loving-kindness, oh, how good! Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness, oh, how good!
Soon I shall pass the gloomy vale, Soon all my mortal pow’rs must fail; Oh, may my last expiring breath His loving-kindness sing in death. Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness sing in death.
Then let me mount and soar away To the bright world of endless day; And sing with raptures and surprise, His loving-kindness in the skies. Loving-kindness, loving-kindness, His loving-kindness in the skies.
Do you feel desperate to meet with the Lord in your brokenness and pain? God meets you at His seat of mercy. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Not at the door.
Not at the altar.
If God met me at the door first, it wold be about me, being there.
If God met me at the altar first, it would be about me, and my offering.
God meets us in all our failures and brokenness at the mercy seat.
A pattern’s given. The words are written. The plans are drawn up. “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” (1)
God desired to dwell with His people. He asked them to construct a place of refuge and safety:
According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. (2)
God gave instructions to build His place to dwell. First in importance was the ark of the covenant: And they shall make an arkof acacia wood; . . . (3)
God gave pattern with exact measure and size: And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around . . . (4)
Make an ark out of a dessert wood. A wood when punctured, oozes out a sap that heals wounds. Overlay it with pure gold, inside and out and then give it a crown molding all around.
Does this description remind us of anything?
God continues His meticulous instructions:
And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you. (5)
The 10 commandments, written by the finger of God, given to Moses for His children to know. They were put in the box made of wood, overlaid with gold.
Inside this ark, the 10 commandments reside.
Jesus, Himself was the only Man able to keep all these commandments, never a spot or miss. Only Jesus.
Next, God proclaims:
You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; . . . (6)
With golden cherub and wings stretched out to meet, God proclaims the pattern concerning His mercy seat, You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. (7)
So we have a picture clear in our mind. The box made of wood, covered with pure gold, and inside are the 10 commandments. And God says, And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony . . .
The seat of mercy sits atop the ark. Covering the Commandments kept inside the box overlaid in pure gold.
“This is where I will meet.” God tells us all.
Who is listening to these gracious words of mercy?
A story is told in 1 Samuel, chapter 6, of this ark being captured by the Philistines. It was set near their god named Dagon that day. Well, the next morning, their god Dagon, was flat on his face.
Lifted again by Philistine people, only to find next morning Dagon had fallen, again. But now with broken neck and hands.
“Let’s get rid of this ark and send it back home,” the Philistines said.
The Israelites were delighted when the ark was returned.
But something happened that day, it’s recorded, in all the excitement, they took the liberties that day, to lift the mercy seat and uncover the Law.
Fifty thousand and seventy people died that day. The mercy seat was lifted off the ark covering the commandments.
What was God saying? What was the message that day?
What is mercy anyway?
MER’CY, n. [L. misericordia.]
1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves;
the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant.
2.Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
God meets us at His seat of mercy.
Jesus became a man, yet He was God come down. Pure and Holy.
He was pierced for our transgressions. His blood that poured out brings healing to our souls.
He paid our debt, that we might receive His undeserved favor.
He meets us first, not at the door. Nor at the altar. Jesus meets us at His mercy seat.
And great warning comes to us who try to lift the mercy seat. God wants us to be Holy and gracious and compassionate, He is just.
The picture’s complete.
Jesus’ love covers me.
Because of His love, I desire to open my heart’s door. Because of His love, I offer Him, . . .
my life.
The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty. Num 14.
__________________________ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you God?” (Micah 6:8).
In the Bible, the children of Israel found themselves in the wilderness because of unbelief, and the Lord rained down Manna every morning to provide food. “What is it?” they asked.
That’s the definition of Manna, food from heaven, God’s holy Bread.
The Bible? “What is it?” Many don’t know it’s a Book unlike all books. It’s Holy. It’s Supernatural.
Manna Notebook Pages for Families is a tool to help families build a foundation of God’s Way and Truth written by chosen men of God through a period of 1600 years, inspired by His Holy Spirit, to bring God’s message to man-kind.
Where’s the Manna? It’s in God’s Word! Enjoy the feast each day.
Mrs. Toni
tonirypkema.com
“What’s so great about the Bible?” Some may ask.
There are many skeptics these days, but some have never heard the Bible or opened it’s pages for themselves.
Like the manna pictured above, the Bible can look very boring. But God’s Holy Word is unlike any other book in the entire world.
The pages of the Bible are living, powerful, and are from the Lord to us!
So, first we will pray: “Dear Lord, we ask that You will help us have ears to hear You speak to us today form Your Word, and a heart soft to receive what You have for us, and courage to share what we learn with others, In Jesus name, Amen.”
The Bible is the greatest Book in all the world. It’s sixty-six Books with one theme: The Revelation of Jesus Christ from the beginning to the end.
“Does it always have to be about Jesus?” some might ask.
Good question, let’s look at what Jesus said of Himself at the end of the Book:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End Revelation 22:13.
The Bible tells us,
The Son (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation Colossians 1:15. Stop and read that again, it’s so powerful.
Colossians continues, “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
This is a lot to take in. Without faith, we can’t believe.
“What’s faith?” you might ask.
Faith is believing all God says about Himself and about man-kind.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him Hebrews 11:6.
Do we believe God exists? Do we believe his Word is His Truth to us?
The writer of the Book of Job from the Bible said, I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread Job 23;12.
Job stayed close to the Word of God. Job suffered great loss, of family and health. And more than necessary food, was the Word to him.
Many of us love our food and snacks. We taste a snack and we want more and more. Well, the Word of God, once its tasted, and the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to its wonder, and we receive His power in our hearts to understand, God’s Word becomes more wonderful each day!
Do you want to have faith as Job? If yes, God doesn’t guarantee that hard days won’t come, but He guarantees, to be with us through everything.
For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee Hebrews 13:5.
The Holy Bible is God’s promises & instruction for us and complete reward: Jesus Christ.
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit 1 Corinthians 2:9,10.
Do you believe God? Pray, (talk to God) in your own words and tell Him your thoughts.
Here’s a Scriptures Song to help understand faith and God’s ways: Hebrews 11:6 & Isaiah 55: 6, 8,9.
There are so many books. And, oh, how we love stories.
Some books are imagined from the mind or fiction, like Amelia Bedelia or Star Trek. And some stories are true experiences written down. Books about sports players, or plants, people, etc.
We give books and stories time and attention each day.
But Manna Notebook Time is Treasure Time. We discussed on our first page, it takes faith to believe the Holy Book,
But the Bible is also called the Good News, and it tells us that
. . . faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God Romans 10:18.
So today we will hear from the Book of Beginnings, Genesis, God’s account of how everything began. What an amazing story it is, from the Amplified Bible:
In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.
The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth].
The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and
He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.
And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.
And there was evening and there was morning, one day Genesis 1:1-5.
The Spirit of God hovered over the dark and empty void of earth. God the Father breathed the Word, “Light.” And at 186,000 miles per second light moved in glory.
God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, three in one. The Trinity in the first 5 verses of the Bible. This is powerful.
“In the beginning”, is the element of time. “God created the heavens . . . ” the element of space. “And the earth,” the element of matter. Time, space, matter, three properties of the Universe all created by Elohim, Creator God.
Yes, this takes faith to believe, but with a humble heart and open mind, ask God, “Is this true?”
What does the Bible say?
The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting Psalm 119:160.
We have choice to believe. God gave us this! We have the ability to discover the mysteries and ask God Himself the questions. What did Jesus say about light?
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12.
The Book of John, chapter 1 says of Jesus,
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it John 1:4,5.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him John 1:9-11.
What happens to those who believe? And those that don’t?
For those who believe, we have fellowship. Closeness to God for all eternity. Through faith in Jesus, God’s Son, we have access to the Prince of Peace, each moment of the present day.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—John 1:12.
Not believe? What are the consequences?
Separation from God for all eternity: They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 2 Thessalonians 1:9.
Take time to be with the Lord and talk to Him about your choice. If you believe, thank Him for making you new, ask Him to come live in your heart, and show You His ways of light and life! He hears your heart.
Here’s a Scripture song to help you think on God’s Good News, John 1:12 & 2 Corinthians 5:17.
John 1:12/2Corinthians 5:17 featuring Kanagy GirlsIf we walk in the light as He is in the light we’ll have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from every sin. 1John 1:7.
The holy Scriptures . . . they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15.
Talk to someone about your choice to accept Jesus and believe in His love and light for your life.
Amen! Sing a new God song: John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
What’s the Manna #3
God’s Word, God’s account on how the beginnings occurred, (as well as many other events in the past which help us humans understand the events of today), has been considered “Religion.” Because it requires faith to believe.
Now, we must understand that man’s account of beginnings requires “belief” as well, because mankind was not present for observable science. This is called Historical Science. This requires belief.
toniryp.com
Many people don’t know what God’s account is.
What’s the Manna? “What is it?”
The Bible is God’s holy Word.
“In the beginning . . . ” I share my Creation Song as well as the first chapter of Genesis for those hungry for a manna meal:
Art by Andrea Colt
The History of Creation
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1.
All that’s within me. Do I bless?
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
Do I know some of His gracious gifts. Could I ever know them all?
What are the good reports?
He forgives all our iniquities.
He heals all our diseases (Psalm 103:3).
All? Bless the Lord because He forgive all my sin and failure?
What are our iniquities? How quickly we forget?
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23. All of mankind has fallen short. All of man have gone their own way. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one Romans 3:10.
For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water Jeremiah 2:13.
Am I guilty of these evils. Will the Lord forgive my stubbornness?
Who is God that I should bless? Do I give ear to His Word?
He heals all my diseases? All my sicknesses? He heals in His time?
Do I scoff at this? Or am I willing to hear? Can I be still and know who is the LORD?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16.
In this day of justice, who will execute it? What does the Bible have to say about this?
The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103.
Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down Psalm 146:7-9.
Do I bless the Lord for all of this? I have choice..
We all have choice.
Today. The choice is mine to make. This day.
Can I trust God? What are the benefits when I choose this path?
“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12.
Allwho receive and believe in Jesus become His children. God’s very own . . .
Do I believe? Have I received? These are the questions in these present dark ages.
Do I choose to walk it alone? Or do I choose to trust all to Him?
If faith is the victory that overcomes the world for whosover is born of God, (1John 5:4), then I can choose to strip my garments of stubbornness and strife. I can put on the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him. I can grow to know all He has done for me.
Or not?
The loss? All.
So, what’s my choice this day?
I surrender all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name . . .
He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels,Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion.
When the picture is dim. Futures look foggy. The ways of man seem right in their own eyes. (Proverbs 14:12).
God’s Holy Word stands alone, unchanged. (Numbers 23:19).
What do we do?
Do we open His pages?
Do we call on His name? (Romans 10:13).
Do we believe He’s faithful? (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Do we thank Him? Do we give Him praise? (Psalm 148: 13).
Do we have comprehension? (Ephesians 1:13-15).
Are we growing in grace and the knowledge of Him? (2 Peter 3:18).
Who is the Lord? And what is His name? (Exodus 15:3).
His name is Jesus. There is none greater. There is salvation in none other. (Acts 4:12).
He was, and is, and will always be. (Isaiah 43: 13-25).
There will be a day when all will eyes see. (Philippians 2).
He alone is in control. He is before all things. (Colossians 1:17).
He’s coming again. (Matthew 24:44).
All eyes will behold, every knee will bow. (Romans 14:11).
God hates lies. God hates evil. (Proverbs 6:16-19, Amos 5:15).
The enemy of God is the father of lies. (John 8:44).
Satan comes to deceive and accuse. (Luke 22:31).
Satan seeks to destroy . . . me and you. (John 10:10).
As Moses in the wilderness with a multitude of faithless complainers, against God and His ways. Serpents were sent among all the people.
The serpents bit. People were afraid.(Numbers 21:4-8).
What happened next?
God instructed Moses. Make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Lift it in the camp. All who look on the bronze serpent will be healed.
What will we choose? Do we look up? Do we look away?
Do we bow today?
Or do we wait for some other day?
His Word is Love. (1Corinthians 13).
What do we believe?
This is a life or death question. What answer does the Bible give:
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:14-21).
What is sweeter than the grace of God?
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory! Ephesians 1:13-15, emphasis mine.
If you want to receive Jesus in your life. Simply bow your head and heart and ask His forgiveness for sin. He washes all the past shame and sin away. Then ask Him to fill you with His love. He will flood your heart with His sweet love. Accept His love and forgiveness and ask Him for the Holy Spirit to help you to grow in His grace and knowledge. He is faithful. he will surely do it!
Then tell someone. Tell the whole world that you are a new creation in Christ. And find other believers to grow with in a Bible teaching church.
Rejoice in Him. Worship Him. He alone is able to accomplish all that concerns all who seek Him, today.
Christians must know the LORD and His Word more and more. We must Know HIM to have armor to stand against the schemes of the enemy, and having done all, to stand!
Read the Warnings. God has spoken:
“Don’t be misled;
remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it:
a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows!
If he sows to please his own wrong desires, he will be planting seeds of evil and he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay and death;
but if he plants the good things of the Spirit, he will reap the everlasting life that the Holy Spirit gives him.
And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up” (Galatians 6:7-9).
As Christians, when we’re confronted with a pointed finger telling us we are oppressors, arrogant, ignorant, and defensive because of our faith in the Holy Word of God, we must stand our ground, in love (as the Lord gives us His Spirit, as we continue to walk in His grace and power),
and we must speak our heart’s desire: To please the Lord and to obey His Holy Word. What does God’s Word say?
“Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many” Hebrews 12:13-15.
Also, this is the heart of the Christ follower,
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord” Romans 12: 17-19.
And in this day of debt-free living, as believers in the risen Lord, we are exhorted:
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
(The Day Is Near) And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” Romans 13:8-14.
Thus saith the LORD.
“Today.”
“Today.”
Can we hear the warnings and instruction from the Lord and walk in it?
“Dear Lord, help Your people, God’s people, red, brown, yellow, black, and white, they are precious in Your sight, fill us with Your Spirit that we might glorify You in this noisy, dark world. In Jesus name. Amen”
I earnestly prayed, “Increase my faith,” and it seems in answer to my request, God ordered a stress test of trials and circumstance.
I had a Bible reading plan in Psalms, Proverbs, OT, and NT for each day’s reading. God spoke a similar message through each Book one day.
I was given exhortation from His Word in Proverbs, If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. (1)
Then my reading in Jeremiah proved a similar message,
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”(2)
“Is this encouragement? I wondered. It’s a if I could hear the stampede.
I turned to Proverbs 3 for some wisdom, My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loath His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights . . .
My NT reading for the morning in Hebrews 12: 2-4 brought me instruction in my dilemma,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
“Let go of it all, and focus on Me!” God spoke so clear to me.
Eyes up!” was God’s exhortation.
Discipline is good. For my growth and renewed faith and strength, I must be taught through it.
I was reminded:
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (3)
“Eyes up!”
God’s Word speaks right to the heart.
“Let go of the garbage. Continue on your race unincumbered with all the loss and hurt. Let Me in . . . “
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (4)
Who will join me today and start a new day with a new skip in our step because in the process of the walk with Him, He increases our faith!
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. (5)
I can’t run this race without the Spirit of the Lord. I try on my own, but in my own strength, I’m worn down and fail.
With each new day, let’s run this race with lifted hands and strengthend knees, with a walk forward with increased faith and eyes up on the author and finisher of our faith,
Walk with me in victory in the Song of Ascents as we run our race and fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith . . .
The Song of Ascents were recited as the children of Israel journeyed up to Jerusalem. Journey with me. Speak aloud the Songs. Pray the Songs, for such a time as this, together we ascend to our promised land:
Psalm 120, A Cry in Distress A Song of Ascents:
Quite accurate for our year 2020, Psalm 120.
In my distress I cried to the LORD, And He heard me.
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue.
What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you, You false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree!
Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war Psalm 120.
We won’t stand still, we keep moving forward. Psalm 121 will help us with our focus:
Psalm 121, God is Our Keeper. A Song of Ascents.
The LORD will preserve those who trust in Him from all evil, from this time forth, and even forevermore.
Perhaps we walk in a desert place, but when we feed our hungry soul with faith as we drink the Living Word, we are refreshed in ways beyond our mind’s eye.
Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him Psalm 126: 5,6.
But I can’t get ahead of myself. “The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.”
We can rejoice in the Lord, always:
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided— “Great is Thy faithfulness, ” Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
How glad we are to enter the house of the LORD!
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Our feet have been standing Within the gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem is built. As a city that is compact together, Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD . . .
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good”Psalm 122.
“Yes, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem because You, dear Lord command us to. We seek Your good this day dear Lord. We rejoice that You hear our prayers.”
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud Psalm 123.
Why should I feel discouraged Why should the shadows come Why should my heart feel lonely And long for heaven and home When Jesus is my portion A constant friend is He His eye is on the sparrow And I know He watches over me
Cevilla D Martin, His Eye is on the Sparrow
Bring us to a new beginning Lord. We seek You. Help us believe You and Your Word. Help our unbelief. We cry “Mercy Lord.”
Renew.
Restore.
We walk with ears to hear:
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper . . . Psalm 1:1,2,3.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish Psalm 1:6.
The LORD God, Creator of heaven and earth, He is our hope and defense:
If it had not been for the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, . . . Our help is in the Name of the LORD who made heaven and earth Psalm 124. (Calligraphy, tonirypkema.com)
“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,” Let Israel now say – “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us;
Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.”
Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth Psalm 124.
Those who trust in the LORD are like mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever Psalm 125:1.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.
Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, And to those who are upright in their hearts.
As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them away With the workers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel! Psalm 125.
Breath by breath, step by step, with our eyes focused up, we walk this journey meditating on God’s Word that we might be as trees planted by the rivers of water whose leaf shall not wither, (Psalm 1).
Because: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.“
The Bible tells us so. Today, I hear the voice of the Lord, and I will stand on His promises. Join me in faith to believe God more and more and grow in understanding of His Holy Word? Yes and amen.
“For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous, Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity Psalm 125:3.
Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
We remember our hope:
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus by Robert Lowry, 1876.
Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy . . . The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad Psalm 126.
When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.
Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South.
Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come againwith rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him Psalm 126.
Do we sow in tears? We shall reap in joy.
Do we continually go forth weeping? We are bearing seed for sowing. We will rejoice again because the Lord is working. He is helping. He is drawing near as we draw near to Him.
“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you Isaiah 46:3,4.
“With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles.
“Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels Isaiah 46:5-8.
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’Isaiah 46: 9,10.
From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness.
I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel Isaiah 46:11-13.
Do we hear the voice of the Lord? Do we believe?
“I believe You, Lord.”
Aloud we proclaim Your Word. Our faith in increased. We are being changed.
Unless the LORD builds the house they labor in vain who build it Psalm 127:1.
Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is His reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. they shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate Psalm 127.
Moving forward in the Song of Ascents. Psalm 128:
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.
When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
Life might be messy, but with the LORD, it will be blessed!
Blessings come in many ways. Often by trial and hardship. They’re the good things that draw me closer and closer to the Lord. The pain brings remembrance of Him:
Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed 1 Peter 2:24.
In this collage of God’s Word and Psalms and hymns, I share encouragement from a Traditional Spiritual written in about 1800, There Is a Balm in Gilead:
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged, And think my work’s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again.
If you can’t preach like Peter, If you can’t pray like Paul Just tell the love Jesus, And say He died for all.
Step by step we journey, fixed on the Author and Finisher of our souls. He speaks, . . .
with each step we’ve all been given privilege to choose:
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess Deuteronomy 30: 15,16.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. Deuteronomy 30: 17,18.
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.Deut. 30: 19,20.
Who will repeat His Word back to Him in faith and believing: “I chose life, so that me and my children may live. That we might love You, Lord God, and listen to Your voice, and hold fast to You.
For You, Lord are my life, and You give me many years in the land . . .
