"God's Tender Mercies And You" - Inspirational Weekend

Many years ago I saw the movie "Tender Mercies".....it first came out in 1983 and starred Robert Duvall as a country music star who came upon hard times.  It was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and Robert Duvall won best actor for his role in that film, which was rated PG.   I am not here to give a review of the story line.  Rather, I wanted to say that one of the characters in the film quoted from the Bible about God's tender mercies, and that impressed me and stayed with me as I had not been aware of that verse.  I don't remember anything of the verse except the two words, "tender mercies."   Later, as I began to read my Bible once again, I came across several verses mentioning God's tender mercies.   That touched me and in turn drew me closer to the Lord, as it made me realize He had always been near and watching over me.  In reflecting on that fact, I could recall events where He had literally saved me from one catastrophe after another.  He saw me through many trials.  I was so dense spiritually back then that I didn't comprehend His loving care and tender mercies at the time He ministered to me.  Now I understand and I have such love for Him and gratitude in my heart for all that He has done in my life, my heart, my soul, and my mind.

The dictionary defines mercy as compassionate treatment, a disposition to be kind and forgiving.  The word mercy among the Jews signified the pardon of injuries and almsgiving.  To understand mercy, we need to go to the meaning of the Latin word "misericordia".  It is made up of two words:  miserans "pitying", and cor , the "heart"; or miseria cordis, "pain of heart".  This virtue of mercy which we humans should also display is "an alive emotion of the heart which manifests itself by entering into the miseries of our neighbor" and to feel for him deeply and to empathize with him.

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."  Jesus at Matthew 5:7

But back to God's tender mercies....

God showed extreme mercy to mankind by sending His Son to die to redeem sinful mankind...those who would turn to Jesus in repentance and faith in His shed blood to wash their sins away.  What love!  What mercy !  God is awesome !

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."   -  Jesus at John 3:16

"The Lord is good to all; and His tender mercies are over all His works."  -  Psalm 145:9

"Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies."  -  Psalm 103:4

"God in His infinite mercy has devised a way by which justice can be satisfied, and yet mercy can be triumphant.  Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father, took upon Himself the form of man, and offered unto Divine Justice that which was accepted as an equivalent for the punishment due to all His people."  -  Charles Spurgeon

Following is a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on the mercy of God.  It is short...3 minutes long.

"Embrace in one act the two truths - thine own sin, and God's infinite mercy in Jesus Christ."      -  Alexander MacLaren.

"God's mercy with a sinner is only equaled and perhaps outmatched by His patience with the saints, with you and me."  -  Alan Redpath

What about you and me?  We should follow what Luke 6:36 says, "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."  In other words, God's perfection should be our example and our goal. "We, who want so much mercy from God, must learn to show mercy to our fellow-men.  It is impossible to look to Him for mercy when we fail to show mercy to others, or we fail to forgive others !   Not just show mercy in words, but by good deeds".  Help the poor, the depressed, those under extreme trials.  What a sincere and loving and pure motive it is when men make up their minds to endeavor to resemble the most high God in deeds of mercy and loving-kindness.   Let us, like God, be "not weary in well-doing."  God is love, and it takes love on our part to do acts of mercy.  One commentary tells us, "True mercifulness is a characteristic of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and they alone would be merciful.in God's way, seeking not to please themselves, but to do God's will."

Christ was an example of mercifulness...He always kept God's glory and honor in view.  "Christ's mercifulness recognized sin as the source of every man's misery, and our mercifulness is often so indifferent to the deepest needs of the men and women around us."   We need to examine ourselves and ask ourselves if we are truly following Jesus' example.  

"All that is really good is the outcome of the law of love, and its first result and inseparable companion is mercy."   (A bible commentary quote.)

Following is a moving song by Gordon Mote titled "Mercy Walked In" :

"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations."  -  Psalm 89:1

"With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright."  -  Psalm 18:25

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."  -  Lamentations 3:22-23

"What To Do When God Is Silent" - Inspirational Weekend

In my previous post about "Listening To God",  I wrote that silence from God is often because we have sin in our lives that needs to be confessed and repented of in order to have fellowship with God and to "hear" Him speak to us.  And that is very true.   But there are other reasons why the Lord may remain silent for a time.   Tuesday of this week I read a daily devotion by Oswald Chambers about God's remaining quiet for a season.  Following is a quote from a portion of Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest" devotion:

"Has God trusted you with a silence - a silence that is big with meaning?  God's silences are His answers.   .............His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into a marvelous understanding of Himself.  Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response?  You will find that God has trusted you in the most intimate way possible, with an absolute silence, not of despair, but of pleasure, because He saw that you could stand a bigger revelation.  If God has given you a silence, praise Him; He is bringing you into the great run of His purposes.  The manifestation of the answer in time is a matter of God's sovereignty.    ........If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, He will give you the first sign of His intimacy - silence."

The LORD is teaching us many things by His silence.  Also, His silence can create in us a hunger for Him.   Between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament of the Bible there was approximately 400 years of silence.....there was no prophet of God in that time.  Something to think about when you are concerned about God's temporary silence with you.   As Dr. Charles Stanley says, "Silent times are often God's preparation for something else."   

Following is a sermon by Dr. Stanley on the subject of when God is silent:

In this excellent sermon, Dr. Charles Stanley mentions seven reasons for God's silence; eight reasons for the various ways we often respond  (discouragement and doubt, to mention two); and then he gives seven reasons of how we should respond, one of which is that we should "respect the right of God to be silent."   Dr. Stanley says, "What God is after is love and intimacy and obedience."

Just a reminder, we cannot complain about God being silent if our Bibles are always closed.  As mentioned previously, God speaks to us through His Holy Word by the Holy Spirit.  It is our spiritual food without which we cannot grow to maturity in our Christian walk. Read and memorize Scripture and let the words sink deep within you, down deep in your heart and very soul.  Scripture can be like seeds that grow into deep faith and commitment to the Lord.  Faith is also believing God is present when all we hear is silence.

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a worker that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth."  -  2 Timothy 2:15

"Keep not Thou silence, O God: Hold not Thy peace, and be not still, O God."  -  Psalm 83:1

"The door of the Word only opens to the key of diligence.  The Scriptures claim searching."  -

Charles H. Spurgeon 

Don't let God's silence make you believe that He has totally forsaken you, maybe even forever.  If you are a true believer, He will never forsake you as Hebrews 13:5b tells us: "For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."   

I hope this information will help you when God is quiet and not speaking to you.   But if you will open your Bible and read, and pray, and continue with perseverance, there will be a breakthrough eventually where you will once more hear from the heavenly Father.  

Below is a soothing video to brighten your happy weekend.  

Silence speaks when words can't.  

"And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. "  -  Revelation 8:1

"Listening To God" - Inspirational Weekend

First of all, to hear God speaking to us, we have to be willing to listen to Him.  We need to set aside a special time everyday to read the Bible and pray to Him.   The primary way the Lord speaks to us today is through His holy Word, the Bible.   That is how we learn to know God and His will and purposes.  He guides us by means of His Word, and teaches us what we need to know in order to live a full and victorious life, a godly life.   Through His Word and by prayer. we grow close to the Lord and learn to love Him with all of our heart.   And of course, God speaks to us through prayer as well.  But we need to spend time in prayer listening for Him to speak, instead of us doing all the talking.  "Be still and know that I am God"  -  Psalm 46:10a .   It is best to set aside a specific time and place everyday to fellowship with and pray to the Lord.  King David, in Psalm 143:8 prayed :  "Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust:  Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee."   King David spent time with the Lord in the morning, before the day began.  I personally have my quiet time with God in the early morning, before I face the "battles" of the day.   It starts the day off right, and gives you a sense of direction for whatever may lie ahead.  Find a quiet spot in your home, or sit on your patio.  My grandfather used to sit on the front porch in his rocking chair when he read the Bible.   I rarely do deep studying when I sit on my patio, because there are distractions outside.  The point is, study where you are least distracted and can focus entirely on the Lord and His Word.  Journal key Scriptures and insights that you may gain at this quiet time.  The gazebo below looks inviting; a good place to study God's Word if the birds and other things don't distract you overmuch.   

God can also speak through other people and through circumstances.  He knows how to get your attention.   Following is a sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley titled "Listening to God."

We also need to have a right attitude in order to hear God speaking to us.  First of all, we must want to do His will.   God pays attention to a heart that is totally surrendered to Him.  We need to desire God's will first, before anything else or our own selfish desires.  Matthew Henry has said, "The first lesson in Christ's school is self-denial."

Psalm 40:8 :  "I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart."

Sometimes God does not answer our prayers right away, and sometimes He is silent.  The silence can be deafening, and causes you to wonder if you have displeased God in some way.....and maybe you have, or maybe not.  Do not let that stop you from praying to Him or stop you from listening for His "voice" through His Word.  Someone once said, "God has not promised to give us answers, but He will give us grace."    Make sure there is no unconfessed sin in your life that is hindering you from hearing from the Lord.  If there is, repent and confess the sin to God and make the necessary changes to stay in fellowship with Him.

Following is a beautiful nature video to grace your happy weekend.   Nature teaches us a lot about God if we will just pay attention.

Psalm 32:8,  "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you."

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."  -  Lamentations 3:22-23

"How To Become Full Of Joy" - Inspirational Weekend

My cactus above bloomed beautifully again the end of January and the first of February this year.  It is always a thrill and a joy to admire its beauty as it only blooms once a year as a rule, although last year it bloomed twice.   Double treat !  But joy such as these soon to fade blossoms bring is rather fleeting and short lived.   True joy comes from the Lord and is yours forever !

Joy is fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).  You have to be regenerated, born again, in order to have the Holy Spirit living within you and thereby produce fruit of the Spirit, of which joy is one.   When you stop the lust of the flesh and worldly desires (with the help of the Holy Spirit), you have the joy of knowing you please the Lord and the joy resulting from a clean conscience.  

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."  -  Ephesians 4:23-24

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."  -  Romans 15:13

So to have true joy, we need Jesus as our Savior, to cleanse us and wash us white as snow.  There is joy in the Savior, and joy in knowing you have a heavenly hope.   Before I was converted, there was not any joy to speak of.   Oh , sure, fleeting moments of happiness, but they soon passed.  I have shared with you before how I used to worry constantly, and worry will definitely steal your joy. Thanks to the Lord now, even in the midst of trials, there is still joy for me because I have learned to focus on God and Jesus and I am so grateful for all He has done in my life and in my heart and soul and mind.   That is another key to being full of joy, to have a thankful heart and attitude .

The above image says it all.   So many people are so self-centered and so self-absorbed that they don't take time for Jesus or for other people.  

"The out-and-out Christian is a joyful Christian.  The half-and-half Christian is the kind of Christian that a great many of you are,,,,,,little acquainted with the Lord.  Why should we live halfway up the hill and swathed in the mists, when we might have an unclouded sky and a radiant sun over our heads if we would climb higher and walk in the light of His face."  -  Alexander Maclaren

Below is an old song that makes you joyful just to listen to it,

"Joy is the serious business of heaven."  -  C. S. Lewis

This all reminds me of that quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  There is much truth in that, but for true joy you need Christ in your life.   You then will lead a more holy life and have a closer, personal and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   What joy !   I intend to do a post here soon about "Holiness", as it is so very important to the Christian in order to see heaven.

Below is a sermon on becoming full of joy by Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Jesus speaking at John 16:22,  "And ye now therefore have sorrow:  but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."

"Pride or Humility? Distant From God or Close to God?" (Charles Spurgeon's Sermon on Humility) - Inspirational Weekend

"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility."  -  Proverbs 18:12

Believe me, I know how to spell "honor", but the above Scripture is from the King James Version of the Bible and they spelled some words differently back then than we do now.   But more than being able to spell honor, do we know how to live a life of honor ......to bring honor and glory to our Lord?

Let me say up front, that some of my blog posts here are triggered by what happens to me personally; I look up Scriptures and information on the subject to help myself in whatever area I am having difficulty in and then I realize it is good information to post here.   So what about pride ?   It is something that affects us all from time to time.   We have to be on guard because our adversary the devil is seeking to devour us; to influence us for the bad.   Remember, pride was satan's downfall; he wanted to be equal to God or to put God entirely out of the picture; the devil thought more highly of himself than he should have and exalted himself above the Lord God Almighty.   Is it any surprise that satan would try to bring about a person's downfall by inflating that person with pride?  As Christians we do not want to imitate the devil but instead to follow and imitate Jesus Christ.   Most of you are thinking, "Well, that's a no-brainer!"   But pride can sneak up on you without you realizing it for what it is.   If you feel proud of your humility, then you are not humble.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."  -  1 John 2:16

Below is a song about the "poison of pride"; it is a prayer to God for deliverance.

One way to avoid the sin of pride, besides prayer, is to remind yourself that all you are and all you may have is a gift from God;  even your very salvation is a gift from our Creator.   Who are we to exalt ourselves above anyone or anything ?!!  We are but dust and our life is like a mist, which soon disappears.   Another way to avoid pride is to spend time in serving others, especially the poor and the infirm and those who cannot help themselves.   Jesus is speaking here at Matthew 23:11-12,   "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant;   And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. "   

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you're looking down you can't see something that's above you."  -  C. S. Lewis

"But He giveth more grace.  Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." -       James 4:6-7

"Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly:  but the proud he knoweth afar off."  -  Psalm 138:6

So if God seems far away from you and your fellowship with Him is now broken, ask yourself if the reason might be the sin of pride.   

Following is a wonderful song titled "Who Am I"  :

As we all know, humility is the opposite of pride. Humility has been described as "a prominent Christian grace.  It is a state of mind well pleasing to God; it preserves the soul in tranquility and makes us patient under trials."

Remember, even Jesus was humble.   "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."  -  Mark 10:45 .    As followers of Christ, we should imitate His humility, in all sincerity and with a pure heart.   "And being found in fashion as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. "

-  Philippians 2:8

One of the hindrances to humility is the fact that most people want to feel in control of everything.  That sometimes includes spouses, which can lead to big trouble.   The key is to surrender all to God and Jesus because, after all, He is the only one in absolute control of everything.   Pray for Him to teach you how to surrender all to Him; to guide you in the choices you make and in everyday affairs.  It is really your choice to be distant from God or to be close to Him .    

Below is a 4 part sermon on humility by Charles H. Spurgeon.  Each part is only about 11 minutes long, so the entire sermon is around 45 minutes.   It is well worth the time to listen to it.

"By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life."  -  Proverbs 22:4

"A Sound Mind Amidst All The Turmoil" - Inspirational Weekend

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"This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil,  and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead."  -  Ecclesiastes 9:3  (KJV)

That is not starting this weekend post on a very joyous note, but stay with me because I am leading up to something good!   The New American Standard Bible says of the same verse, "....full of evil and insanity in  their hearts..."    In other words, to think and do evil is insanity;  sin is insanity.  Yet the same stubborn, habitual, hardened sinners call Christians mad and crazy for their beliefs.   The insanity spoken of in Ecclesiastes  is moral, that of the heart.  By the heart here is meant the will -  a person's voluntary power.  "The conduct of impenitent men is the perfection of irrationality."

Because punishment for their sins seems to be delayed, it only encourages them to more wrongdoing, as stated in Ecclesiastes 8:11.   God is patient and at times delays punishing the sinner because He is long-suffering and does not wish any to perish  (2 Peter 3:9)

As for true believers, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  That is pretty positive !   A sound mind from God, a mind focused on Him and Jesus and good works and holy conduct.   Believers may not be perfect, as they still occasionally sin, but they repent and are "washed in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ."  

It has been said that if you can keep your wits about you when everyone else is losing theirs, then you do not have a complete understanding of the situation.   That should not be true of Christians and followers of Christ.   We know the world has gone crazy and is full of violence, wars, crime, crooked and evil governments, and the threat also of global economic collapse.   But we have a blessed hope, and know what the future holds for us later in eternity.   We can weather the storm now because of our faith and because of God's promises.   

"And there shall be signs in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken................And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

Luke 21:25,26,28

A hymn that fits here and that encourages me follows:

Yes, the world situation is explosive right now; but things are not falling apart, they are falling into place.   Bible prophecy teaches you that.   Many Bible prophecies are being fulfilled all at once now in these last days; and at an accelerated pace, a convergence, if you will. as I have stated previously  here  and also at this post  

Read and study God's Word, pray without ceasing; it will build your faith and also enable you to have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   And filling your mind with good things and God's Word has the bonus of God giving you a sound mind.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all things; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  -  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  - Romans 12:2

"Reasons To Pray and Charles Spurgeon's Sermon on Prayer" - Inspirational Weekend

Someone once said, "Prayer is the highest use to which speech can be put."  That is true, but prayer goes so much deeper and heartfelt prayer draws you closer to God.  It is communication with the Almighty God; you acknowledge Him and thereby give Him credit and honor that is due Him.   If you never talked with your spouse about anything, the relationship would suffer and eventually die.  The same is true where the LORD is concerned; if we never communicate with Him in prayer, there is no relationship with Him, no closeness.   Charles Spurgeon said, "A prayerless soul is a Christless  soul."    Without Christ, you will never have eternal life in heaven.   You will never be able to have a close, personal, intimate relationship with God the Father, because Jesus is our advocate to/with God.  "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  - 1 John 2:1

Someone may say, "I don't know how to pray."   Jesus gave us an example to follow at Matthew 6, called "The Lord's Prayer".   Below is a video with blind artist Andrea Bocelli singing a beautiful rendition of the Lord's Prayer.

One of the reasons we pray is to make our requests known to God.   Sadly, sometimes that is the only way we pray.   We should pray to draw close to God,  to give Him thanks in all things. to intercede for others, and of course to confess our sins to Him, repent, and ask for His forgiveness.  If you notice in the Psalms, often a Psalm will begin with moaning and groaning and complaining, but as the attention is focused on the LORD, the Psalm will end in praise to Him and in thanksgiving.   So prayer can help clear out all the garbage in our minds and life as we focus on God.  It is important to pray in Jesus' name, however.  Sometimes we may think God will not listen to us or answer our prayers, but rest assured he does listen and, more than that, He always listens to His Son.   

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."  -  John 14:13-14

We need to pray to find out what God's will is, and to ask for discernment.  To find that out, we need to spend time "listening" to what God says.   That happens when we read the Bible, because it is, after all, God's Word.   Listening to God happens when we spend quiet time with Him, and we can "hear" a small, quiet voice within our soul  that we will know is God speaking by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.   It may direct us to a Scripture, or prod us into an action the LORD wants us to take.

"God does nothing except in response to believing prayer."  -  John Wesley.   We need to have faith and believe that God will answer our prayers, because without faith it is impossible to please God as stated in Hebrews 11:6.  Keep in mind that you need to pray in agreement with God's will for Him to answer your prayers.   God is sovereign and knows what is best for you; He has plans for you, if you are a true believer, and He will not answer a prayer of yours that goes contrary to His plans and His will for you.  

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."  -  Romans 8:26-27

Below is an excellent sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher who lived in the 1800's and who is known as the "Prince of Preachers."  The sermon is about pleading prayers.

Prayer is Powerful !!

Inspirational Weekend - "God's Greatest Act Of Grace"

"Once more, never think that you can live to God by your own power or strength;  but always look to and rely on Him for assistance, yea, for all strength and grace."  - David Brainerd, Missionary

These powerful waves in the photograph above remind me of God's great power and strength.  Watching the surf is a spiritual experience for me, even though I am a little afraid of the water, especially powerful surf like this.  I suppose that is like we love God, but are in reverent fear of Him at the same time.   That same reverent fear of Him should guide us in leading godly lives.

Grace is unmerited favor; something we do not deserve.   Many of you may be familiar with GRACE

being  "God's Riches At Christ's Expense."  The gift of salvation that is in and through Jesus Christ is God's greatest act of Grace. It is available for all who accept this gift by faith.  

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast."  -  Ephesians 2:8-9

By His shed blood at Calvary, Jesus was our substitute and purchased every sinner and, once a believer, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit and are a child of God destined for Heaven.   

Without going into a lot of detail, the good Lord has helped me to overcome many obstacles and I am forever grateful for that and for His love and guidance.   I identify with Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 :  "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  In my life, God has made a way where, humanly speaking, there was no way.   I have learned to follow what it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 , "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."  

I am weak and imperfect, but when I rely on the good Lord He gives me the strength and power to overcome my weaknesses and to carry on when things get tough.   

"Grace, then, is grace, - that is to say, it is sovereign, it is free, it is sure, it is unconditional, and it is everlasing."  -  Alexander Whyte    

"Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces.   Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions."  - Matthew Henry

We should be thankful for the gift of grace, and praise God in song and worship.  One hymn that brings me to tears is "Amazing Grace", because I at one time was so wretched but God has made me whole through His Son Jesus Christ and I am so very grateful.   Below is a video of LeAnn Rimes'  version of this moving hymn:

Since God  has been so loving and full of grace towards us, we also should extend grace to others.  We may not be in a position to make large cash donations, but we can show simple acts of kindness and helpfulness to others.   We can be generous with our smiles as well as visit the sick and the elderly.    We certainly need to be forgiving of others.   Look how much Jesus forgave us!

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."  -  Colossians 4:6

Remember, God's grace saves us from death and eternal torment.   It also gives us a sense of peace and much comfort to know we are bound for heaven one day.   

"But to the God of all grace, Who hath called us into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." -  I Peter 5:10

Inspirational Weekend - "The Love Letter"

"Forget Me Not"

12" x 16" oil on canvas

My oil painting above tells you what "love letter" this post is referring to.  Yes, the Bible, God's Holy Word, is His love letter to us.   In it he gives guidance, comfort, love, instruction, and especially His qualities and characteristics so that we can come to know Him and Jesus better by reading the Word.   And as we come to know God better, we can't help but be filled with gratitude and love for Him.    

The painting above is full of symbolism.  The cup with the forget-me-not flowers on it is a reminder to always remember with gratitude what God has done for us...especially in sending Jesus as our Savior;   the red rose symbolizes Jesus' shed blood; the yellow peace rose is for the peace only God can give; the  eyeglasses are to tell you to read closely the Word;  the water in the small vase symbolizes living water from Jesus and nourishes the soul with peace.  And then the Bible, which is God's Love Letter to us. ....   And it is also His Instruction Manual.

The excellent video below is very uplifting and it will conclude this Inspirational Weekend post.

It is titled, "God's Love Letter For You."

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love;  therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  -  Jeremiah 31:3

Inspirational Weekend - "The Hurt and the Healer"

"It's not whether you get knocked down.  It's whether you get up again."  -  Vince Lombardi

I hope your weekend is fantastic and that you are well and happy !   People need to be like these palm trees at Haleiwa Beach Park on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.   If you notice, a lot of sand - and hence stability - has eroded away from the base of these palms; yet they are still enduring and still have stable roots to keep them hanging in there.   People need stability as well as deep roots grounded in faith and hope in the good Lord to keep them strong and able to endure the erosions of life's trials, sorrows, anxieties,and heartaches.   Christians as well as unbelievers will have occasion to suffer while on this earth.    Remember, even Jesus suffered mockings, persecution, and eventually death.

It is not my intent to dwell on the troubles of this life on earth, but rather to share some encouraging thoughts and quotes and music to uplift you this weekend.  Jesus said, "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."  John 16:22

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.." - Psalm 30:5

Below is a music video to encourage and uplift you.  It is "The Hurt and the Healer" by Mercy Me

God is the Great Physician and Jesus as well, being our Healer.  "....And with His stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5 b

Back in 1998 I went through much hurt and pain when my marriage broke up.  I ended up crying a lot and  traveling for a very long time to try to find my way through the heartache and to find a place where I could settle down and start over again.   I had previously been very secular in my outlook, but I began praying more and more and reading the Bible for some stability.   One Scripture that I read frequently was Psalm 56 and in particular verse 8,  "Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle:  Are they not in thy book?"

Recently I went to 3 different Bible commentaries to find out what was meant by "tear bottle".

It is an allusion to a very ancient custom by the Romans and the Greeks.   In times of sorrow tears were actually collected and put into tear bottles or lachrymatories as a remembrance.  The word rendered "bottle" in this Scripture means primarily a bottle made of skin, such as was used in the East.  But it could mean a bottle of any kind.   A lachrymatory was a small bottle of thin glass or clay.  Many of these have been found in the ancient Roman tombs.  But the main point in Psalm 56:8 is that God was aware of David's tears and his wanderings and God did keep an account of them.   God cares about us and takes special interest in broken hearts.

"He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds." - Psalm 147:3

Remember, hurt and suffering can be for our well-being.   By it we learn life lessons and we also turn to God for help -- and in faith and obedience.   This pleases the heavenly Father and we in turn grow spiritually in the process.   

"And we know that all things  work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose"  -  Romans 8:28

Another music video follows..."Jesus You Are My Healer" by Don Moen

Think happy thoughts and dwell on good things.   There is much to be grateful for.

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:"  -  Proverbs 23:7 a

Inspirational Weekend - Fear and Anxiety or Faith and Courage? (Bible Prophecy, Gog of Magog, and More) Photographs and Video

"I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." - Psalm 34:4

This photograph of mine was taken from an overlook which looks out over Hanalei Valley on the island of Kauai, showing the taro fields.   Hawaii is often called Paradise, and indeed it is very beautiful here and if you are spiritually sensitive, it does cause you to dwell on the awesomeness of God and His power and might - and love - to create such beauty.   Areas such as the one shown above give you a sense of peace and faith in a good God.   

But when we feel threatened by anything, our sense of security is shattered and we can give way to fear and anxiety, which is normal and healthy when in danger.   But things such as wars -- like what is going on in the Middle-East right now and Russia increasing troops and cruise missiles and fighter jets and other build up in Syria can make people fear it is leading up to another World War -- and it might be.   In Ezekiel 38 and 39 the Bible speaks of Gog of Magog (which most scholars agree is referring to Russia) and it is a good description of what is beginning to happen right now.   Another related note,  Isaiah 17:1 says, "The burden of Damascus.  Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."   In other words, Damascus will be completely destroyed, and all indications are that that could happen soon.   Russia is helping Syria and they are close to the Israeli border now.    Isaiah 17:9 tells us that Israel will be the one who destroys Damascus :  "In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation."

Some may feel that what is going on in the Middle-East doesn't concern them, perhaps because they are caught up in the struggle of everyday living and everyday problems and don't see beyond their own immediate needs.   What happens in Israel and the other countries in that area will affect us.  

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. "   - Luke 21:25-28

Everyone will be affected.  Unbelievers should tremble at the thought of what is in store for them if they do not turn to Jesus.   Believers should not be afraid, but realize their hope and their Savior will soon take them home to heaven.   Lift up your heads and keep looking up !

I had intended to write more about prophecy in this post....like about the war in Psalm 83 which many believe will occur before the Gog of Magog war ("They have said, Come, and let us cut them (Israel) off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance."  - Psalm 83:4).

Psalm 83 goes on to list the nations that will come against Israel, and some of these nations are not mentioned in the Ezekiel 38 and 39 war, meaning they were no doubt destroyed first in the Psalm 83 war.  God is going to protect and deliver Israel.  I am sure most readers are familiar with how the Arab nations want to destroy Israel .."wipe them off the map"...because to them Israel is the "Little Satan" and America is the "Great Satan".

It is clear to me that I will have to touch on these subjects separately in future posts.  Not only about Bible prophecy, but about fear and anxiety, and faith and courage.  Below are some Scriptures to take into consideration ...and into your heart:

"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe." - 

- Proverbs 29:25

"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

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

- 2 Timothy 1:7

Following is a video (not mine) of some beautiful landscapes to keep your weekend happy !

You gotta love this happy enthusiasm in the photograph below!   (Internet photo)

May your weekend be a happy one !  Think good thoughts and delight in the Lord!

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"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.   Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. "  - John 14:27

Inspirational Weekend - "Peace" (Photographs and Relaxing Videos)

"Thou wilt enjoy tranquility if thy heart condemn thee not." - Thomas A. Kempis

I got this peaceful photograph from the internet; baby animals are so innocent, but then they don't understand the difference between good and bad for the most part.   When corrected by us humans, they can, however, show guilt at times as all pet owners can attest to.    

The subject of peace for this blog post came to me by gentle prodding; I had originally intended another subject entirely.   Enjoy some peaceful photographs of mine as we take a refreshing break.

There is something soothing about water lilies in a pond; and when there are koi present, it is relaxing to watch them swim about among the lilies and other vegetation.   There is something special about beautiful flowers and even sleepy flamingos.   Nature can be a healer; it can take you from the hustle and bustle of this busy and sometimes frantic world and it can also remind you of your Creator and put things into proper perspective, if you let it.  After all, a closeness with the Lord is where true peace can be found.   As C. S. Lewis said, "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee."   - Isaiah 26:3

Below is a beautiful video with soft classical music to start your happy weekend

Another video this time of wildlife at Yellowstone National Park:

The above photographs and videos are peaceful and positive, which we should always try to be.  They are guaranteed to relax you and put you in remembrance of God's awesomeness in His creation.    

However, we  need to keep in mind what Francois Fenelon said, " Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the soul; we may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, if our will remains firm and submissive.  Peace in this life springs from acquiescence to, not in an exemption from suffering."

A peaceful baby bear photo (not mine) for humor:

Scripture says:

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  - John 14:27

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  -  John 16:33