This Could Be the Day!!!

... Brother, sister, time is short now; 
     Serve in love, live by faith,
For the things of earth are passing,
     This could be the day!

This could be the day that the Lord returns in glory.
This could be the day that He calls His children home,
So be faithful in service as you watch and pray,
For this, oh this, this could be the day!!!

- Steve Amerson & Lowell Alexander

What a glorious thought! All sorrows over; all worries left behind. I cannot even fathom the wonders that await believers on that blessed day. Face to face with Christ my Savior... That will be glory for me!

Today, I want to focus on the promise from Christ that He is preparing a place for me. So often I find myself distracted by the mundane. My eyes stray from the One and linger on the world. I desire to live in the reality that this could be the day. Do I really believe that? If so, that simple truth would revolutionize the way I spend the next moment, the next hour, the next twenty-four hours.

Lord, help me to stay the course. Help me to live joyfully, knowing that You are returning for me! Help me to be faithful! Help me to serve others in love and share You. Keep me from holding tightly to the things of this world for they are passing. Come quickly, Lord. Let this be the day!

All Your Anxiety... Leave It

Is there a heart o'erwhelmed by sorrow...

No other friend so keen to help you,
No other friend so quick to hear,
No other place to leave your burden,
No other one to hear your prayer...

All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat; leave it there.
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus.

-Edward Joy

So many dear ones struggling... I know how easy it is to dwell on the negatives. I know that we often allow our joy to be squelched by worries. I know that burdens seem ever present. This song is a great reminder to take all the fears and sorrows to the Lord. He is the One to Whom we can cry out. He is the One Who will help us. He is the One Who will bear our burdens.

Leave it there. This is so very difficult. If you are like me, you "give" your burden to the Lord only to take it back moments later. For me, the warfare is often moment by moment. Today, let me challenge you to take your cares to the Loving Shepherd and LEAVE them.

Father, we are weak. We worry. We fret. We fail to trust. Help us to leave our cares with You. Help us to understand that You care for us, and we can cast our burdens on You. All who are heavy laden can come to You for rest.

Cry to Jesus

Sometimes the way is lonely;
It's steep and filled with pain.
So when the sky is dark and pours the rain,

Cry to Jesus.
Cry to Jesus.
Cry to Jesus and live.
- Chris Rice

Tonight I am thinking of a dear family in our church. The husband/father fell down his basement steps and hit his head. The doctors have not been able to help him nor have they given the family hope. My heart is heavy for them.

Such an unexpected tragedy. Such pain. Such sorrow. Such grief.

Dear ones, as the tears flow and the questions come, cry to Jesus. Let Him breathe life into your suffocating spirit. He is El Roi: He sees. He knows your pain. He loves you.

Cry to Jesus...and live.

Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer!

Jesus, draw me ever nearer, 
As I labor through the storm. 
You have called me to this passage, 
And I'll follow, though I'm worn. 
  
May this journey bring a blessing, 
May I rise on wings of faith; 
And at the end of my heart's testing, 
With Your likeness let me wake. 

Jesus, guide me through the tempest; 
Keep my spirit staid and sure. 
When the midnight meets the morning, 
Let me love You even more. 

May this journey bring a blessing, 
May I rise on wings of faith; 
And at the end of my heart's testing, 
With Your likeness let me wake. 

Let the treasures of the trial 
Form within me as I go. 
And at the end of this long passage, 
Let me leave them at Your throne. 

May this journey bring a blessing, 
May I rise on wings of faith; 
And at the end of my heart's testing, 
With Your likeness let me wake. 
 - Margaret Becker 

Storm. Tempest. Midnight. Have you struggled to find peace in the storm? Fought for survival in the tempest? Strained for a light in the midnight? Trials relentlessly pound the soul and weary the heart. Oh for grace to whether the trial as a trusting child of The Most High God!

The words of this song greatly ministered to me during some very dark days. God called my husband and me to labor through years of infertility. Some days were good; many were hard. I often felt as though the morning would never break through my midnight. Though I wanted to respond with a sweet spirit, I often felt suffocated by grief. Some days, the pain was so raw that I could not even pray. There were no words. Oh, how I longed to rise on wings of faith! I wanted to follow Him, but I was oh so worn.

The author of this work asks for a blessing through the trial. I found myself pleading for the same. "Oh, Lord, please allow the pain to be worth something. Give it a purpose." He has been so faithful to me! Yes, the days were dark and, at times, devastating; however, He taught me so many beautiful lessons. More storms will come, but I desire to CHOOSE to follow, though I'm worn.

Do you allow difficulties to draw you closer to Christ, or do you allow them to drive you away from His comfort and truth? Beg Him to use the trial to teach you, to leave you with treasures that you can cast at His feet. Ask Him to allow you to awake from the nightmare with His likeness. Draw ever nearer to Jesus. He will guide you; and WHEN the morning breaks, you will love Him even more for His faithfulness.

Hear the Bells Ring

Ring the bells, ring the bells,

Let the whole world know

Christ was born in Bethlehem

Born to die that man might live,

Come to earth new life to give,

Born of Mary, born so low.

Many years ago,

God the Father gave His Son,

Gave His own beloved One

To this wicked, sinful earth,

To bring mankind His love,

And His new birth:

Ring the bells, ring the bells,

Let the whole world know

Christ the Savior lives today

As He did so long ago!

- from "Ring the Bells" by Harry Bollback

When I heard this song on a secular radio station, I was filled with joy. I thought about the clarity of the message "For God so loved the world..." I know that many people are walking about with dark scales on their eyes, but the "Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword..." I pray that the Lord will use the secular radio waves to spread the Good News of the gospel and the redeeming work of His Son Jesus Christ!

The Angels Sing

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

-- "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" by Charles Wesley

I am so excited to be posting Christmas music. I love this time of year, even with all the hustle and bustle, and I thoroughly enjoy turning on the Christmas music! I knew I would have a hard time choosing a song, but a line in this song solidified my decision. When I read Wesley's text "God and sinners reconciled...," I had to spend more time contemplating this glorious yet unbelievable thought. God -- the Creator of the Universe, the I AM, Jehovah, the Three-in-One, the Almighty -- and sinners -- dirty, filthy, conniving, condemned, guilty humans -- reconciled -- brought into agreement or harmony, restored... What a thought! What an unfathomable thought!!! I know why Wesley contiued with "...all ye nations, rise. Join the triumph of the skies..." How can I keep from singing about this spectacular truth?!

I love the adoration and praise that Wesley gives to the Lord Jesus Christ in this song. "Hail the incarnate Deity! Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!" I want keep singing..."All glory, laud, and honor, to Thee Redeemer King!"

Thank You, Lord Jesus for coming to earth to redeem us. Thank You for dwelling with us, our Emmanuel. Thank You for laying your glory by to be born of a virgin and live a lowly, earthly life. Thank You for dying and rising from the dead! Thank You for offering us healing. "Born to give them second birth..." Lord, thank You for my second birth. Thank You for opening my eyes to my great need of You. This Christmas I want to honor You, "Glory to the newborn King!"

Thank You, Lord!!!

I trust in Him from day to day,
I prove His saving grace;
I'll sing this song of praise to Him
Until I see His face.


Chorus
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

--from "Thank You, Lord" by Mr. and Mrs. Seth Sykes

This post is much delayed. I wanted to post it closer to Thanksgiving, but I will settle for today. It's too early for Christmas anyway, right? :-) After enjoying this wonderful time with family and reflecting on how good our wonderful God is, I want to stay in the Thanksgiving mood.

I don't know about you, but though I am very familiar with this chorus, the verses are foreign to me. The one that I have included here is actually the third verse. The writer states, "I trust in Him from day to day..." I do wish that I could say that too. I could say, "I want to trust Him from day to day, but I often question 'why?'" I was just telling my spouse last night that this is a moment by moment battle for me sometimes. So many thoughts swirl around in my head; I understand the little cartoon of the devil and angel on the shoulder. "Oh for grace to trust Him more..." I think that Mr. and Mrs. Sykes found the key to being able to trust: thanking God. Until I see the beautiful face of my Savior, I must thank Him. If I focus on what God has done for me, I mean really meditate upon it, how can I do anything but trust Him. I deserve eternity separated by God in eternal punishment, yet I have been adopted by the Eternal King. "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul!" I have been made whole and been given "so great a salvation" free of charge. Thank You!!!! "Lord above, to Thee I raise ... this hymn of grateful praise."