Before Covid, to help my own healing, I would walk into the nursing home and on occasion, the infusion room with the guitar and simply start to sing and recite scripture. There was nothing amazing about any of it, except the Lord would show up and His Spirit would revive us all.
This is for you, in need of comfort through the pain: (Cover The Joy of the Lord is my Strength by Twila Paris).
Music Therapy cover: The Joy of the Lord by Twila Paris
There is someone crying out to the Lord for mercy today.
Someone is hurting physically, feeling alone, and not sure about what to do next.
Someone has been harmed by others and is left in pain, isolated, and presently feels abandoned.
Are you far from home and feel displaced?
I share music therapy today with you in hopes the vibration of strings lifts your heart and mind to praise God and draw near to Him, as He then promises to be near to you (James 4:8).
Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father and has “put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, a guarantee” when we open our hearts to Him (2 Corinthian 1:22).
In this world of perfect sound and production, we don’t have the opportunity to experience the simplicity of six strings and a moment of therapy with raw vocals with the sole purpose to comfort and refresh.
May you experience the “joy of the Lord” as your strength today.
– Toni
If you have received comfort from the Lord today, let me or someone know. If today is the day you opened your heart to receive the love of Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation that He gave on the cross, tell your whole world. Tell everyone, the angels in heaven are celebrating today your new-birth-day!
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” Zephaniah 3:17.
God is on the throne. Yesterday, today, and forever:
“Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priestand asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank” Acts 9: 1-9, emphasis mine.
GOD is on the throne.
This Saul, who breathed out threats and set out to destroy “believer’s in Christ” was met by none other than Jesus Himself.
“O Spirit of the Lord, prepare All the round earth her God to meet; Breathe thou abroad like morning air, Till hearts of stone begin to beat.
Baptize the nations; far and nigh The triumphs of the cross record; The Name of Jesus glorify, Till every kindred call him Lord” (Original Trinity Hymnal, #253, Mendon).
“Dear Lord, give us more and more grace to “trust You more.” You alone are worthy. You alone are able. We believe. Help our unbelief! In Jesus’ name, amen.”
When we struggle in thought, may we think on this good theme today, and let the sound of young voices stir up strength in our weakness. Listen and hear. Receive God’s word to turn your water pots to joy:
O LORD you search me and know me. You know when I sit down and I rise. These thoughts are wonderful for me. They are high, as glorious as the sky.
You search out my path and you know where I sleep; You know even the words on my tongue. Where can I go from your Spirit, you are there! Your right-hand holds me. You're there.
On you, I wait and pray. Your Word I hear and praise. Jesus. Jesus. Your Word I hear and I praise.
Where can I run from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you're there. If I take morning wings to the farthest sea, your hand shall lead me . . . The darkness cannot hide from you!
If I say, "Surely, the darkness shall fall on me." Even the night will shine as day around me. The darkness and the light are both alike to you.
On you, I wait and pray. Your Word I hear and praise. Jesus. Jesus. Your Word I hear and I praise.
How precious are all your thoughts towards me, if I could count them they're more than the sand. Search me O God, know my heart. Turn me to you. Lead me in the way of truth.
On you, I wait and pray. Your Word I hear and praise. Jesus. Jesus. Your Word I hear and I praise. Jesus. Jesus . . .
Draw near to me, I pray.
(Paraphrase of Psalm 139 by Toni Rypkema).
As we meditate on God’s rich truths and allow the children to lead us to praise. We will continually choose to “Look up!”
This is a powerful and profoundly deep exhortation for the day we live.
Jesus told us in His Word, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” Luke 21: 10,11, NIV.
Jesus exhorts, “. . . bear testimony of me . . . make up your mind not to worry . . . I will give you words and wisdom ” Luke 21: 13-15.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity . . . At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” Luke 21: 25-26.
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near” Luke 21:27,28.
There is no darkness in the LORD.
He is faithful, He will surely do all He says He will do.
“Jesus. Jesus. Your Word I hear and I praise!”
Bless us, dear Lord with increased faith to be an encouragement today.
(Please let me know if you’ve been encouraged by the voices of children and the power of God’s Word. Thanks! Toni)
We almost never forget to put on our shoes out the door, unless, well, we rush out without them:
Kids come bounding through my door for their music lesson, take off their shoes, and (hopefully) enjoy and learn something new on their instrument of choice, and walk right out to go home without their shoes!
When I put shoes on my bare feet, I think of the protection and freedom they give me as I head out the door.
“Dear Lord, today I take my right shoe and think of Your Word in Psalm 125:
“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.
“Increase our faith to believe You today. To us who struggle to believe, ‘Help my unbelief! ‘
To trust You is to let go, surrender! It feels like a free fall. Help me understand what all this means.”
Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides 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 Psalm 125:3,4.
“You, Lord, don’t ‘see the same way people see’ (1 Samuel 16:7), people look at the outside of a person, but You see the heart.
You don’t see good people and bad people. What about the story about the housebuilders? You didn’t talk about good and bad, but about wise and foolish: The wise man built his house on the Rock, the foolish man, upon the sand.
Help us today to take heart in You and the wisdom of Your Word, even when we don’t understand everything in the full depth of meaning at times:
You see the heart, dear Lord. Not good or bad people, but the foundation each stands on. There are those who trust You on a foundation of Rock, and those who don’t . . . on a foundation of sand (Matthew 7:24,27).
The wise and the foolish.
How can we trust You if we don’t know You?
The left shoe is put on in remembrance of You, Your nature, ‘compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy, forgiving . . . ‘ (Exodus 34:6,7).
Every house needs to be built on a good foundation.
Dear Jesus, if there’s anyone who understands to be misunderstood, Lord, it’s You.
Your Word is often twisted to hurt and deny . . . You. You don’t talk of “good” and “bad” people, . . . You created us all good, but then Genesis 3 affected all of humanity.
But to the broken, the hurting, the critical, the rude, the angry, the proud . . . this is all of us (!) (Romans 3).
You alone are Love. You alone never give up on anyone. You alone are Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer:
“For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land of the righteous . . . “
Even though there are many deep layers to this verse, this thought comes to mind (to help me understand how this relates to me, broken, yet standing on You, the Rock as Mt. Zion):
“Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
Those who are good? Upright in heart? “Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
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.
You are Peace, Jesus. Come wash us clean and make us new. We’ve put on our shoes. One of trust in You, as to stand on the Rock which is You, and the other shoe to walk in grace through faith,
with each step:
“O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
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.)
So, today, moving forward through this advent season, I liken the act to put on my shoes, (which are a huge help to my activities,) as to the act to “put my trust in the LORD,” for one, and for two, to rejoice and marvel in His compassion and mercy on me and you.
There is no One like our Lord. He alone is the Rock of our Salvation. Amen!
Those who trust in the LORD are like mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever Psalm 125:1.
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!
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.
