Archive for July 2018

When Temptation Comes

2018-07-30 Devotional with Hymn No comments

God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV)

If you remain in close contact with God, you are more likely to sense when temptation is intruding.

When it comes, go immediately to God. Don’t toy with the desire. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Remain in God’s presence in complete trust, humbly worshiping Him. Tell Him your weaknesses and struggles, and lovingly ask for His help.

The world, the flesh, and the Devil wage so fierce and constant a war that unless we depend on God, we will be dragged down. But in Him we always find the help we need.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Do You Talk to the Lord?
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics
 

by Brother Lawrence and Ken Bible

Soul Food

2018-07-27 Devotional Companion to Revelation, Devotional with Hymn No comments

A prayer response to Revelation 10:8-11,
eating the little book

Father, Your Word is
truth.
Your Word is
reality.
Your Word is Your heart, Father,
Your will,
Your wisdom,
Your light in our darkness.
Your Word is
the blessing You long to pour out on everyone You love.

Your Word is not just
facts to be filed or
knowledge to fill the mind.
Your Word is food,
not just for our bodies,
but for our complete selves.
Your Word is nourishment
to be thoroughly digested
so that Your Spirit can turn it into
action,
service,
beauty,
holiness, and
love.

Your Word is life.
Speak, Father!
Your children are hungry.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Is There Any Word from the Lord?
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

I Cannot See the Light, My Lord

2018-07-25 Hymns No comments

Recording
Printed Music

I cannot see the light, my Lord;
I only feel the fear;
And yet I know that You are God
When nothing else is clear.

I have no strength to lift myself,
But Lord, I lift my need.
I spread before You all my fears.
Come take my hand and lead.

When all my joys have turned to pain
And hopes have fallen through,
I raise my eyes and fix my heart:
My only hope is You.

My God, my God, my hope, my joy,
You’re with me in this place!
So in Your presence, in Your peace,
I trust, rejoice, and wait.

I Hunger for You

2018-07-23 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Based on Psalm 63 

My God,
my Creator,
my Father,
You are all I hunger for.
In a world full of
broken cisterns and
empty promises,
You are the spring of living water.
You are rich, eternal food for all I am, for
heart and
mind and
spirit.

You are
holiness,
rightness,
life,
joy, and
constant, complete sufficiency.
You are surely, eternally making me
more than I ever dreamed I could be.

O God,
my God,
I long for You!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Psalm 63
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

When God Speaks

2018-07-20 Devotional Companion to Revelation, Devotional with Hymn No comments

A reflection on Revelation 10:1-7,
the vision of the mighty angel

In God, reality is
bigger than we can imagine and
more glorious than we can picture.

His Word is the source of all existence.
All that is
only exists
because He commanded it.
Thus His promises are
more sure than our fiercest convictions,
more solid than anything we perceive with our senses,
more certain than tomorrow’s sunrise.

God Himself is power.
He Himself is wisdom.
He is light and truth and
faithfulness itself.
He is love
complete,
perfect, and
O so beautiful!

So when He speaks,
when the Creator and Lord of all speaks, be
quick to hear and
slow to speak (James 1:19).
His speaking is a great mercy.
His words are life.
Listen…
Listen!
Then throw aside your petty desires and plans and
grab His will with both hands.
Seek it wholeheartedly!
Obey Him
eagerly and
joyfully!

Follow Him
simply,
humbly,
one childlike step at a time.
That is all He ever asks.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: God Is Speaking
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Holy, Holy, Holy God

2018-07-18 Hymns No comments

Recording
Printed Music

Holy, holy, holy God,
Pure, and yet You draw us near You.
We were sin and far away,
Yet You gave us hearts to hear You.
Speak Your gracious, loving Word,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!

All Your being, all You are,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Breathes Your life and love within,
Whispers peace, if we will hear it,
Speaks Your lovely, living Word,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!

Day by day Your Spirit sings,
All Your sovereign love resounding:
“Walk complete in all I am!
Live by faith in joy abounding!”
Praise to You, Almighty Word,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!

Every Moment in You

2018-07-16 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Father, You desired it.
You have always desired it.
You planned it.
You prepared it.
You promised it.
And by Your Spirit,
You have patiently nurtured
a hunger for it
in my heart.

So now,
finally,
in belated response to all You have done,
I ask for it,
I pray for it,
as Your needy child:

O Father,
I want to live every moment in You
the way Jesus lived every moment in You
when He was here.

Because He was weak,
because He depended completely on You,
He was strong and sufficient in every situation.
My Father, keep me weak and
keep me strong
in You.

He loved You and
served You and
glorified You
single-mindedly,
with His whole heart.
Father, keep me
single-mindedly,
whole-heartedly Yours,
just like Him.

He was
holy and humble,
bold and gentle,
fearless and loving
in You.
O Father,
my Father,
every moment
keep me in You.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: All in You, Breath by Breath
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Unshakable Confidence

2018-07-12 Devotional Companion to Revelation, Devotional with Hymn No comments

A reflection on Revelation 6:1 – 11:14

As He faced crucifixion, Jesus shared with His disciples His joyful, unshakable confidence in the Father (John 13 – 16). Here in Revelation 6:1 – 11:14, He portrays the same confidence through a panoramic tapestry of judgment and salvation.

In Revelation 6 He rolls out the judgments of the first six seals. He climaxes the account with the sobering question, “The great day of the wrath of God and the Lamb has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:17, para.).

He answers that question in chapter 7 by giving us two visions of the Church during those dark days. Both the Church on earth (7:1-8) and the Church in heaven (7:9-17) are absolutely secure under the care and protection of Almighty God.

Revelation 8 – 9 resumes God’s awesome judgments, which are growing ever more intense.  He is calling unbelievers to repentance through afflictions that are increasingly severe. But where is the Church in that disintegrating world? Revelation 10:1 – 11:14 gives the answer: the Church is faithfully witnessing to God’s unchanging truth. We are joyfully glorifying Him, even in the darkest times and places.

Thus the broad canvas of Revelation lays out the same truth that Jesus spoke to His disciples as He faced death:

  • Even in the most severe persecution, we are absolutely secure in the Father.
  • Even the deepest sorrow cannot take away our joy and peace in Christ.
  • Eternal gain continues through all earthly loss.
  • “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NASB).

 

Child of God, in life and death, sickness and sorrow, pain and persecution, you have nothing to fear. Not today. Not ever! Thanks be to God!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Father, in This Suffering
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

He’ll Understand and Say, “Well Done!”

2018-07-10 Hymns No comments

Recording
Printed Music

If when you give the best of your service,
Telling the world that the Savior has come,
Be not dismayed when men don’t believe you.
He understands; He’ll say, “Well done!” 

Refrain:
O when I come to the end of my journey,
Weary of life, and the battle is won,
Bearing the staff and cross of redemption,
He’ll understand and say, “Well done!”

When you are tried, so weak and discouraged,
Turn to the cross – see the Father’s own Son.
Look up in love and say with Your Savior,
“Not my own will, but Yours be done.”

Trials will pass; they soon will be over.
Pain will be gone and the glory begun.
Then we will see the King in His beauty.
Bowing, we’ll hear, “My child, well done!”

by Lucy E. Campbell and Ken Bible, © 1996 LNWhymns.com.

Active Faith

2018-07-08 Devotional with Hymn No comments

The righteous will live by faith. (Romans 1:17, NIV)

One of the first benefits of practicing God’s presence is faith. As we nurture a constant, personal relationship with God, faith becomes more alive and active in every area of life. This is particularly true in times of need. As we turn to God immediately with every concern, He provides for us completely: strength in temptation; assurance in uncertainty; wisdom and patience for relationships; forgiveness for our failures. When we know that God is present, we call on Him freely and with confidence, and obtain from Him all that we need.

Listen and sing: Hymn: As I Trust You Recording Printed Music & Lyrics

by Brother Lawrence and Ken Bible

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