Comforting Grace

"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."—John 14:18.





Blessed Jesus! How thy presence sanctifies trial, takes loneliness from the chamber of sickness, and the sting from the chamber of death! Bright and Morning Star! precious at all times, thou art never so precious as in "the dark and cloudy day!" The bitterness of sorrow is well worth enduring to have thy promised consolations. How well qualified, thou Man of Sorrows, to be my Comforter! How well fitted to dry my tears, Thou who didst shed so many thyself! What are my tears—my sorrows—my crosses—my losses, compared with Thine, who didst shed first Thy tears, and then Thy blood for me! Mine are all deserved, and infinitely more than deserved. How different, O Spotless Lamb of God, those pangs which rent Thy guiltless bosom! How sweet those comforts Thou hast promised to the comfortless, when I think of them as flowing from an Almighty Fellow-Sufferer,—"A brother born for adversity,"—the "Friend that sticketh closer than any brother!"—one who can say, with all the refined sympathies of a holy exalted human nature, "I know your sorrows!" My soul! calm thy griefs! There is not a sorrow thou canst experience, but Jesus, in the treasury of grace, has an exact corresponding solace: "In the multitude of the sorrows I have in my heart, Thy comforts delight my soul!"


"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"


taken from public domain The Faithful Promiser   by John Ross Macduff

P.S. Although this is written in a rather old dialect it is almost poetic and full of truth!

"Praise You In This Storm"

"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

Casting Crowns



Let Go of Anxiety

Philippians 4:6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.


7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The best way to combat fear & anxiety is to have a thankful attitude. Many times we need to CHOOSE to have a grateful spirit, even if we don't FEEL like it. God is with you and for you. Focus on Him, verbalize your trust in Him, allow Him to carry you safely through this day.


2Timothy 1: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

Fear not, for I am with you. (Isaiah 41:10) I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it.

If you're at one a crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of your fears

What happened to my Memory!

This is hysterical, I can identify with this! Enjoy a good belly laugh!

I believe it is healthy to have a good laugh, so here is yours for the day!

 

God wants the Glory

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.     John 9:1-3

It’s truly miraculous what can happen. I don’t guarantee it will happen for you this side of heaven, but it’s frequently what God does. His ways are just not our ways. Sometimes it takes 3 months, sometimes 3 years, sometimes it’s 3 decades. Sometimes it’s not this side of heaven. But like the man who was born blind so that God’s glory would be revealed, there is always purpose in our pain, and He doesn’t waste anything.

  13Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:13-18

 

 

The Teacher

God's Promises

"God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him." Romans 8:28  and in vs 31"If God is for us, who can be against us?"



He doesn't say that all things ARE good, he says all things work together FOR good!

God's promises are incredible, and they are for you! If you are wondering how you can see these promises come to life for you....It's simple....   The way you see God's promises in His Word come to life is by agreeing with them rather than what your circumstances are saying. When I can declare out loud the promises of God, it helps me to believe and re-confirm my beliefs in what He has promised.

examples:
1. "I CAN do all things thru Christ Who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13
2. "I WILL fear no evil, for God is with me."  Psalm 23:
3. " I CHOOSE to put my trust in God, and BE joyful in Him, for He protects me and surrounds me with favor."  Psalm 5:11-12


You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4

It is when times are difficult that I rely on God to pull me through. It is that close relationship that I desire most. In fact I have actually prayed for bumps in the road so that I may stay focused on Him.

The Bible says in 1Peter; Why are you surprised, or why do you think it strange that you face these  'firey trials'? Look at it this way,  it is an honor for me 'to be counted worthy to share in Christ's suffering' So that "when His Glory is revealed, I will be glad with exceeding joy." 1Peter 4:13

So rather than saying 'why me', say 'why not me'?


   (Please don't be offended by this post...maybe I don't know how very difficult your situation is or what you are going through but I know the One who can help you through it! It is my desire to have this attitude through tough times of my own.)
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