When human beings are in a dangerous place where a young child is present, most gather strength and courage to protect and do “whatever” has to happen to find a “safe place.”
Children are a gift to the human race.
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” Psalm 127:3.
Gifts.
I’ll speak for myself, my children helped show me I didn’t have patience on unending nights of crying when they were sick or huge messes too gross to write about.
And the hardest part of all, when siblings argued and fought! My children brought me closer to God than I could ever be before.
My children helped me mature and “act” as a grown-up because I had no choice, I was the grown-up!
Yes, children are our help to see our personal need for the Savior of our world. Children bring us to God, our Father, to see Jesus’ great sacrifice for us, and call out for the Holy Spirit to help us, guide us, to fill us with His love.
Children are our gift to realize, that without the Lord, there is no power to love!
Even with the Lord, I struggled at times to find love. I wasn’t a perfect parent, but I always tried to say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” And made effort to share–Jesus is perfect love.
God’s Word is our comfort and instruction guide. He never changes. He is faithful always.
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ ”Matthew 19:14.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to the little children. They are our gift to help bring back the “child” in us. We need the children.
God says, “suffer” the little children, or “let, allow” the little children.
Take a moment to “hear” this child sing God’s Word:
Created to Praise Him, by Toni Rypkema with Logan
Pray for children. They are every adult on this planet’s, gift. What the world needs now is to agree with God in our hearts about children.
“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always so that it might go well with them and their children forever!”Deuteronomy 5:29.
“Dear Lord, pour out Your Spirit upon this world and give all people ears to hear the children sing praises to You.
Today I share an old pizza note as comfort and hope to any who chooses to “bite into” its goodness:
And, resting on His goodness, I lose my doubt and fears, (His Eye Is on the Sparrow, (Songwriters: Gene Bartlett / Charles Gabriel / C.D. Martin).
God sees. God knows.
We. Need. To know. The “One Who” can do all things, especially—to love me. Unconditionally. Right now!
Immediately.
When I think of the trials humans across the world face today, especially the children, . . . we need to remember “Love.”
Oh, how we forget and wander off from this love of God. We forget, “God doesn’t see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
God looks at my heart. But, my heart “ain’t pretty” on the inside, if I’m honest. God knows the thoughts I have and the words I think before I speak them! Psalm 139 tells me about this.
But God. Yes, He sees. He knows I need Him.
He knows we all need Him.
I’ve received His love for salvation. Many years ago, I received Jesus in my life, but I still live in this body of flesh. In this world, life is broken and the sharp edges of “flesh” HURT!
Jesus Himself told us we would face “tribulation,” but to be of “good cheer” because He has “overcome the world.” (John 16:33.)
God’s Word is a “present help in times of trouble” to those who believe, initially for salvation, and step by step through the thorns of life.
God’s Word, is breathed and inspired by “Love” Himself, (because God is love, 1 John 4:8). He never changes. He loves through the ages!
Do I trust in Christ?
My path may be cluttered with lots of directions, opinions, ideas, hurts, and rough edges. Everybody’s path is.
We must know Him more:
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me
Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, And long for heaven, heaven, and home,
When, when Jesus is my portion, My constant Friend is He; Oh, oh-oh, his eye is on the sparrow.
And I know, I know He watches over me.
This is how I can have inner joy. When I see His face and grace over me in each present moment:
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” Psalm 16:11.
God brings my song back! He’s with me, loves me, and won’t give up on me, no matter what: I sing because I’m happy. I sing because I’m free (free free free)
For His eye, his eye is on the sparrow, And I know, I know He watches over me.
When Jesus is my portion. My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. (Songwriters: Gene Bartlett / Charles Gabriel / C.D. Martin.)
Do I believe this? Am I His?
Has He sealed me with His Holy Spirit?
Yes, I believe!
Talk to God and let Him in, too.
But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; . . .
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west Isaiah 43:1-5.
Yes, I believe. His eye is on this sparrow.
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me, no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me, there is no savior.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”
This is how I “know” Love. By drawing near to Him and believing His eye is on me. On you. On all the children who cry out to Him.
Let the children who believe in Jesus sing:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!
Sometimes, it’s important to put down an anchor when the boat is fighting strong winds, turbulent waves, and moving off course.
We need anchors for our soul through turbulence, as well. Instead of reaching for something new, it’s powerful to reach for something old, tried, true through the course of time.
I’m talking about an old hymnal.
Voice of Praise Published 1947 by Broadman Press
I bought this old treasure at an antique store for $5.00. To me, it’s worth thousands or more.
Why?
Because each of these old spiritual songs and hymns has me think on things upright, noble, full of goodness, and true. These trustworthy thoughts wash my chaotic mind, . . . immediately.
Instantly, these songs of praise lift me above my circumstance, and hope and truth set me free.
Find a hymnal! Open its pages. Read aloud the rich, solid words.
When I open the pages and read titles and phrases, I’m changed.
Doxology & Crown Him with Many Crowns!
The first page of this treasure, Voice of Praise by Broadman Press, 1947 calms my raging mind with Crown Him with Many Crowns by Matthew Bridges and Doxology by Thomas Ken.
As the “nations rage and the people plot in vain” (Psalm 2),
We can regain focus on God through the rock, solid words of faith, hope, and truth in an old hymnal:
Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne. Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Immediate refocus on the King of kings this anchor of hymns brings: Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity.
It’s true, if I think about the world and all its affairs without the proper balance of meditation on the Lord, I’m sunk in despair, sadness, and gloom. But this hymn of praise anchors my soul to remember, my life, no matter what, is in His hands:
Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o’er the grave, and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save;
He came to save all who would believe in the name of Jesus Christ. And for all who receive His great love and salvation:
his glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
What glorious assurance this hymn of praise brings, “the death” of death.
This is why every believer can sing the Doxology with all their heart in the power of the Spirit:
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Thomas Ken.)
If you haven’t received Jesus in your life. He’s only a prayer away. He did the work on the cross. He paid each of our debts on the cross. You can be free and forgiven when you believe in Jesus. Talk with Him today. Open a hymnal, read the Bible and grow in His love and grace.
For those of us who believe, let’s keep our anchors in praise and focus on the Word of God.
Jesus is the anchor of our souls. Now. And forever. And, forever is a long time!
(My granddaughter had fun with some watercolors. I added some “notes” from my hymnal.)
“Dear Lord, keep of focused to praise You, in Jesus name. Amen.”
Toddler’s paint and notes to praise!
I pray today is the first day of the rest of your “eternal” life! Let someone know if you have asked Jesus to come into your life to make you new, today.
An old hymn at the bottom of my C.H. Spurgeon Devotional Bible caught my eye today,
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!
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!
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 late 1780s, Samuel Medley wrote this hymn originally called, Awake My Soul, to Joyful Lays in 1782, later titled Loving-Kindness.
Today I find these old phrases turn my gloomy thoughts to hope in God, without even knowing the melody.
The words speak faith. My heart is hungry to receive its truth. This is eternal life for the present moment, not some future day. Eternal life is to know Jesus and His present love here and now.
When we base all our hope and trust on what we can see, our hearts fail us and we become discouraged and in despair, but God . . .
He reminds us, not one time, not two, but four times: “The just shall live by faith.”
Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38 each remind us, “the just shall live by faith!”
Faith is believing God. Period. But how can we believe God if we don’t know Him or listen to His voice?
Where is truth today? Who can we trust?
The Bible tells us:
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19.
We have to know, today, what God has said. It’s no longer a day for “hear-say” about God. We’ve got to open the Bible for ourselves and discover Him.
A tiny letter, an epistle in the Bible inspired by the Holy Spirit written by Paul the Apostle called Titus, opens rich and loaded with substance to chew on concerning God, His Word, and faith:
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth,
which accords with godliness,
in hope of eternal life,
which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
and at the proper time manifested in his word
through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; Titus 1:1-3.
Do these words give me an appetite to read more of what God has to say in His Word? As the hymn that caught my eye?
To fix my eyes on God’s Word and a God song, I must! We must!
“For the sake of the faith . . . and their knowledge of the truth, . . . in the hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised!”(Exclamation point, mine).
The old hymn puts God’s promise in a summary of what Jesus did for us:
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!
Jesus says in the gospels, “Follow me.”
Do I choose to follow Him? Today?
The Bible tells us, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be SAVED through Him” (John 3:17).
Do we receive Jesus’ love and forgiveness? Do I forgive myself? Can I speak back the hymn in praise to God:
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!
No matter what is going on around, can you and I look up and agree, “His loving-kindness, Oh, how great!”
And can we trust the “death of death” for you and me who believe?
Yes, let’s take comfort in the hymn, with understanding in the life we live, eternally:
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.
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.
His loving-kindness is never-ending. I share Ella and Irelyn in “Lord, I’m in Your Hands,” by Tim Weeks:
Jesus never leaves us. No matter where we are, we can call His name.
Dear God, together in heart and unified in mind, we pray aloud Your Word, we speak Your truth back to You. Hear our desperate prayers and cries:
Psalm 11
The Lord Is in His Holy Temple
To the choirmaster. Of David.
In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
“Flee like a bird to your mountain,
for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
if thefoundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face Psalm 11.
Today is the day to turn to Jesus, Lord God, Savior. He is the One who saves. He is Redeemer.
Today is the day to call on His name, God of heaven and earth. His dwelling place is in a heart who praises Him in spirit and truth.
Today can be the first day of the rest of your eternal life when you call on the name of Jesus.
Who will join me today, to gather in heart, unified, to praise and march on with Martin Luther’s hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God from 1529:
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing. Our helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right man on our side, The man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He. Lord Sabaoth, his name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers Not thanks to them, abideth. The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever. ( A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Martin Luther, 1529.)
Who will agree our hearts are changed and infused with increased faith and hope by taking time to speak God’s Word and an old hymn?
“Dear Lord, help us walk in Your truth and allow You to be our strength and our song throughout this entire day,
in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Today we speak together in psalms and hymns and we are changed by God’s indwelling Spirit
If you are not sure you have ever received Jesus’ love and salvation, simply talk with Him now. Pour out your heart to Him. Let Him take your sin and failure and receive His forgiveness and power to new life in Christ. Tell someone you have become a new creation in Christ today. (2 Corinthians 5:17.)
I share children’s voices ringing in God’s truth of becoming a new creation with “Everything New” by the Kanagy girls:
Jesus told us in His Word we would face trouble in the last days. He told us beforehand so we won’t be caught off guard.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” John 16:33.
Do we remember what else the Lord told us? Three hundred sixty-five times in the Bible, God says, “Don’t be afraid!”
God’s Word is living. It speaks to our souls when we open our hearts to the Lord to speak to us personally. Listen to His voice:
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Isaiah 43:1-3
God doesn’t condemn us, He gave us a Redeemer. He gave us His only Son, Jesus who stretched out His arms wide on the cross to take our failures of sin.
He offers His salvation to anyone who will believe. He is God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . . ?
Yes? Let today be the day of salvation for you. You then will hear Him say, “You are Mine, I have called you by your name.”
And, today, even with great trial and sorrow, you can sing:
“Lord, I’m in Your hand. Lord, I’m in Your heart. In Your thoughts, in Your plans, never on my own.
Lord, I’m in Your hands. Lord, I’m in Your heart. In Your thoughts, in Your plans, never left alone.
When the darkness closes in and fear begins to rise, help me to remember You’re always by my side.
When the darkness closes in and fear begins to rise, help me to remember, You’re always by my side.”
Thank you Ella & Irelyn and Tim Weeks for your awesome song!
A woman in the Bible whose child was sick must have been following Jesus and watching Him for some time.
She was a Gentile woman but when she called out to Jesus she spoke with the Jewish dialect, unlike her own,
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
But He answered her not a word.
“And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us” Matthew 15:22,23.
Jesus was silent, and the followers of Jesus were cold-hearted, impatient, and more. But the desperate woman knew something, deep down—Jesus was her only hope.
Then, Jesus spoke, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Are these sharp words of Jesus worse than silence?
Jesus broke His silence, but the words for this desperate woman seem far from compassionate:“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
My eyes read on as I prayed for understanding . . .
“Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” Matthew 15:25.
This Gentile woman was not offended by His words.
She most likely had watched Jesus previously when he was in the presence of the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the house of Israel.
Jesus spoke sternly to the Pharisees: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me”Matthew 15:7-9.
This desperate, gentile woman sought Jesus, not with the right words, but with her whole heart, and she worshiped Him.
“But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” (Matthew 15:26).
Israel is God’s chosen nation, but Israel means, “one who strives with God.” This woman, with all her heart, believed Him to be her only hope. She believed Him to heal her daughter and she worshiped Him. She asked for help—as a lost sheep striving with God:
“True, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the Master’s table” Matthew 15:27.
In other words, “Lord, I know I’m a Gentile, but even the crumbs from Your table will be enough for me.”
Jesus wasn’t silent to be cold-hearted. Jesus didn’t reply to offend but He revealed her heart.
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”And her daughter was healed at that moment Matthew 15:28.
I’ve heard it presented of whole-hearted worship to God brings healing to our souls. Do we praise God as this poor and needy woman? Do we believe Jesus is our only hope?
Together let’s speak or sing the words of this age-old hymn:
I have trouble with focus. I struggle with many directions of thought. Do you?
God is a gracious help when it comes to focusing. He basically says,
“Stop. Think of Me!”
In Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
There’s so much going on. “Outside there are conflicts, inside there are fears,” much like in Paul’s day as he wrote of his time in Macedonia in 2 Corinthians 7:5.
“But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us,” Paul continues, and He comforts us today.
Where’s my focus? I need to remember to spend time with God.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7.
God’s allowing trials in all our lives. He warned us in His Word we would have tribulation, but to rejoice because He has overcome, He is our victory, (John 16:33).
When words to our prayers feel weak, I speak the words of this favorite ancient 8th Century hymn:
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
When we speak to one another in hymns and psalms, we put on the spiritual armor of faith and truth, to gird ourselves for battle.
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
In Christ, “in Him,” we have salvation and security. He is our peace. In His presence is fullness of joy, the Bible tells us. And, ” . . . in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
The hymn reminds us of this. He is with us!
Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight; Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight; Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower: Raise Thou me heavenward, O power of my power.
Together, we must stay focused on the battle. The Word of God must be our sword of thought to overcome:
” . . . 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” Hebrews 12: 1,2.
This is easy to read. Hard to do. But with God, all things are possible. His Word is a double-edged sword:
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” Exodus 14:14.
To quiet the mind is a challenge. But to spend time with God is to be still.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Ancient Irish, 8th-century hymn
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.
Let’s be equipped for battle, focused on the Lord, in His Word, speaking the hymns. When we get our focus on Him we remember we are His and He is ours.
We pray, “Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, . . .
still be my vision, O ruler of all.”
(If you have trouble resting, listen to this hymn on my Music Therapy Souncloud and go from fretful to restful and assured sleep.)
After my cancer diagnosis, I began to write. This is from August 17, 2010. I’m thankful to be alive and give praise to the Lord today.
His Word helped keep me . . . this day . . . thankful. And He brought the help I needed with each and every moment, through my anger, my doubts, my fears, my sickness . . . He did.
On the day I found out I was to face a cancer battle, this was the Word of the Lord to me.
I hope this will be an encouragement to anyone going through some difficult times:
Bible Journal Along the way
Date: August 17, 2010
Today I was diagnosed with an invasive lobular, 5×7 cm- estrogen positive cancer tumor of the breast.
I have breast cancer.
In the evening, I opened my Bible to one of my favorite verses so I could see it on the page:
Jeremiah 33:3, Call unto Me and I will answer, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not of.
So, I decided to go off my Bible schedule and read Jeremiah today.
While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time:
“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name:
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” Jeremiah 33:1-3.
The Bible tells us that “the word of the LORD came to him a second time.” I’m encouraged. Jeremiah heard these words not once, but twice, from the Creator of the Universe, the Most High God, the LORD:
“Call to me and I will answer you. . .”
“I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
My ears are open. It seems in great affliction, the heart is ready to hear. I kept reading:
For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword in the fight with the Babylonians . . .
“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security” Jeremiah 33:4-6.
This was the Word of God to Jeremiah concerning Judah and Israel, but on a day when you find out you have cancer and you open God’s Word . . .
it speaks of a tearing down against an enemy!
This is good news to my heart. My soul can breathe.
I can trust God. If He can do this for Judah and Israel, I can believe God to heal me.
I need faith for this battle. The Word of God will help increase my faith.
“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”
“Dear Lord, I call to You. Show me great and mighty things through this trial. Give me understanding to Your Word. Help me believe! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
“Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the LORD. 12
I am a survivor. The Lord has done great things for me, and I praise Him each day for life today.
Please let me know if you are going through a great trial so I can be praying for you.
Many adults have the Lord’s Prayer, (Matthew 6:9-13) memorized and through time developed a good understanding of each phrase, but what about the kids?
For me, in the course of a day, I’ll recite these Words of God many times. Kids today will benefit greatly to have this great treasure of Scripture hidden in their hearts and mind.
Give a listen. Commit to share it with the kids and grandkids and sing along with them.
To commune with God draws us near to Him. He draws near to us as we seek Him in spirit and in truth.
He meets us right where we are.
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13.
This is an excellent and essential use of our time. Spurgeon is quoted:
“If there be anything I know, anything that I am quite assured of beyond all question, it is that praying breath is never spent in vain.”
Today, let’s take a moment and let a child’s voice speak Jesus’ model to talk to God. Let the melody and the Word stir up an attitude to speak with our Maker in an all-inclusive way, and not fret, worry, or lose heart over anything.
May the melody to the Lord’s Prayer with kids bring us refreshing and rescue, this day and every day.
“Just keep singin'” to Jesus and cast all our cares on Him.
“For His is the kingdom, the power, and glory, forever. “
Amen.
P.S. Let me know if your kids enjoy learning the Lord’s prayer with Kally, Graham, and Irelyn!
I’m working on a Bible Songs Alive Resource for Christian schools, churches, homeschools, and families to pull up kids singing wonderful Scripture memory songs.
Please pray for the Lord’s leading and blessing in this project I’ve been working on for over 10 years! — Toni
In a day where news clips and billboards seem to scream in our every direction, the Lord speaks in the sunrise of the morning and the sunset of the night sky, 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.
“As we walk forward, slow with the challenge of keeping steady, we pray and cry aloud to You ‘who are enthroned in the heavens!'”
To you, I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.
“Psalm 123 is our prayer, word for word, dear Lord,
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a 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.
“As empty gloves on the table become alive in our hands, help us put the promise of Your presence to give us strength now, for what comes today, to stand. Your Word is our comfort in our affliction,” (Psalm 119:50).
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go Joshua 1:9.
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed Deuteronomy 31:8.
“Help us remember Lord, our weakness as in empty gloves. To agree with You is surrender, yet this is our hope for strength in the battles. We are nothing on our own without You. Your Spirit gives us life.
Your promise to be with us wherever we go is repeated more than 18 times. Obviously, You don’t want us to forget this foundational truth. Keep us looking up, not all-around at every voice that speaks.
Your voice is not heard unless we are willing to hear:
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?‘ Hebrews 13:5,6.
Help us remember this. We are like sheep and forget the foundations of our faith.
Keep us faithful . . . to believe You . . . now, today!
…’ And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age‘ Matthew 28:20.
We know this, but we forget. Help us remember:
You were dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and Your name is the Word of God” Revelation 19:13.
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)
“Our prayers are Your Word, dear Lord:
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.
And the hymns and spiritual songs are our meditations:
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
Renew.
Restore.
We walk with ears to hear Your voice today. In Jesus’ name.
“Pray the Scriptures for impactful prayers,” the exhortation is repeated time and again. Do we want prayer that has an impact? Today, Psalm 122 will direct our steps and thoughts towards 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!
“What a powerful verse. Think of the sacrifice and courage exhibited for those able to get up and move their bodies in preparation to enter the doors to the house of the Lord in this present time.
The virtual church is wonderful, but the sacrificial act of “going into the house of the LORD” is majestic, glorious, powerful, intimate, . . . real.
Is there no safer house to enter than the house of the LORD?
How wonderful it is to hear of Your promises, of the prophecies fulfilled, and to watch Your Spirit move among believing people:
“But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—(1 Corinthians 2:9).
Dear Lord, increase our trust in You every day. Your Word tells us You ‘reward all those who seek You,’ Hebrews 11:6. When we are present in the house of the Lord, “virtual or live, in spirit and in truth, we’re rewarded. You, Lord, inhabit our praises!
Yes, ‘I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.'”
Psalm 122 continues, 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 . . .
“You are the risen Lord. We can “see” You (in our hearts) when we gather and give thanks to You.”
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.”
“Dear Lord, what is it we desire? Peace and prosperity. Yes, this is the desire You put into the heart of each human being. You show the way in these old songs:
– Look up and seek to trust You Lord, (Psalm 121).
-To cry out to You in prayer, (Psalm 120).
-To give thanks to the name of the LORD, (Psalm 122).
-And “pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“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.
“There’s confusion in the air, dear Lord. But in Genesis 12:3 You make Yourself clear. Those who love Israel will be blessed and those who curse the land will be cursed. (Genesis 12:3).
The entrance of Your Word gives light and understanding, Psalm 119 reminds us. You didn’t choose Israel or the Jewish nation because they were strong, great, and mighty. The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 7 that You loved them.
And “we love You because You first loved us,” (1 John 4:19).
From the Jewish nation, imperfect, but chosen by God to be His people, (just as each of us is called by Him). Israel, the Jewish nation was entrusted with Your Law, statutes, leading, and promises such as,
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.
“Give us a hunger for Your Word and give us understanding in it.
‘Peace be within you.’ Yes, Lord, we choose to open the door of our heart to You, the Messiah, Savior, the Lamb of God.
Let us come into Your house and in remembrance of You, meet You at Your Table. We will take the bread and break it. You were broken for me.
I will drink from the cup. I will receive the cleansing reminder of Your atoning sacrifice for me.
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.
tonirypkema.com
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.
