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!
“Keep moving forward.” This is a phrase of encouragement throughout history. And this is my heart, during the advent season, filled with uncertainties and change. I ask you to join me to ascend in the Psalms through the Song of Ascents, to speak aloud the Word and pray to God to be renewed in hope and the joy of the Lord.
Here we go:
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.
“Yes, Lord. This is a time of divisive and hostile words. Give us discernment to hear Your voice of truth.”
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!
“Lord, help us know and remember Your eyes and ears are open to everything. We only see portions, but You are a witness to each unspoken and spoken word, each motive, every action of humankind., worldwide. You are God Almighty. Together we cry out to You. The One able to move mountains.”
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, NRSV.
“We think of the day You walked on this earth, Jesus. You came in love, yet You were ‘despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . we hid, as it were, our faces from’ . . . You. (Isaiah 53: 3.)
In this dark age we live in, we cry out for Your hope and light.
We give praise to You for Your Word reminds us:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55: 8-9.
Amen and amen!”
And through the Songs of Ascents, we will continue:
I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth Psalm 121:1,2.
Is this not the testimony of faith through the ages?
“Lord, help us get our eyes off the circumstances, great frustrations, and misunderstandings and fix them on You.”
Where will we be if we turn from the true and living God to trust in man’s wisdom alone?
Your Word tells us, ‘. . . the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men‘ 1 Corinthians 1:25, ESV.
Thank You, Lord, that the open Word brings light to our steps:”
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” Psalm 121: 3,4.
“Amen, dear Lord. You are my Keeper. You’re our Keeper! We walk on the solid ground of faith in You.
You’re Immanuel, God with us. To all who choose to receive Your love and gift of salvation. You’re a giver. You were willing to lay down Your life for all lives, all people, all nations, all tongues.
Nails were driven into Your hands for me.
In a world where love is defined in many ways, Your Word defines love for us:
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath] 1 John 4:10, AMP.
To know You, Lord, is to believe Your promises:
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore! (Psalm 121: 7,8. Emphasis mine.)
Amen. Amen! (Emphasis mine.)
The LORD will preserve those who trust in Him from all evil, from this time forth, and even forevermore.
P.S. Renewed in mind, heart, and soul is the reward in time aloud in God’s Truth! In response, I share a song I wrote from Psalm 95, which I plan to record with the voices of children, The Lord is a Great God:
(For anyone who has read this far, can I ask for prayer as I complete the writing of a 5-Day Huddle in Genesis / Creation?
This song will need to be re-recorded with the voices of children! If you are local to me and have a child who loves to sing and is looking for opportunity, please contact me (PM).
In time, I pray this offering to the Lord will be a resource for churches and Christian schools for simple and powerful ministry to kids! And prayerfully, I can keep putting together 5-Day Huddles throughout Genesis.)
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!
