Ah, Dearest Jesus
Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.
My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep;
I, too, must sing with joyful tongue
That sweetest ancient cradle song.
Glory to God in highest Heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
Words: Martin Luther, 1535.
Thursday November 30th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!
Note: We are traveling today so I might be slow in adding your verses here. I will add them as soon as I can. Thank You!
Colossians 1:15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
From Lauren:
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
From Vera:
Galatians 4:4-7
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
From Maristella:
Psalm 43:3
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
From Nikkipolani:
Mark 16:6-7
And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
From Karen:
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Thursday November 16th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!
Psalm 96:2-6
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
From Lauren:
Psalm 94:19
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
From Diana:
Psalm 30:11-12
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
That my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent.
O Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
From Vera:
Lamentations 3:22-26
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
From Maristella:
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12: 17-18.
From Karen:
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
One There Is, Above All Others
One there is, above all others,
Well deserves the name of friend;
His is love beyond a brother’s,
Costly, free, and knows no end:
They who once His kindness prove,
Find it everlasting love!
Which of all our friends to save us,
Could or would have shed their blood?
But our Jesus died to have us
Reconciled, in Him to God:
This was boundless love indeed!
Jesus is a friend in need.
Men, when raised to lofty stations,
Often know their friends no more;
Slight and scorn their poor relations
Though they valued them before.
But our Savior always owns
Those whom He redeemed with groans.
When He lived on earth abasèd,
Friend of sinners was His name;
Now, above all glory raisèd,
He rejoices in the same:
Still He calls them brethren, friends,
And to all their wants attends.
Could we bear from one another,
What He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious friend and brother,
Loves us though we treat Him thus:
Though for good we render ill,
He accounts us brethren still.
O for grace our hearts to soften!
Teach us, Lord, at length to love;
We, alas! forget too often,
What a friend we have above:
But when home our souls are brought,
We will love Thee as we ought.
Words: John Newton, 1779.
Thursday November 9th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!
John 3:31-36
He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets a seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
From Dianna:
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
From Vera:
Isaiah 40:28-31
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
From Kathy:
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.
From Karen:
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
From Maristella:
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.
Speaking of gratitude, thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge.
1. Are you too hard on yourself or not hard enough? Elaborate.
It really depends on where I failed. If I hurt someone else I’ll be harder on myself. I can really give myself a lot of slack in other areas.
2. What’s the role of gratitude in your life?
Gratitude plays a central role in my life. Everything I have comes from the goodness of God and the more I’m conscious of that, the more grateful and content I am. God is holy, I am not. Peace with God comes from belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. Turning from that sin and believing in Jesus leads to the forgiveness I need and a lot of peace and generosity in my life. I am grateful for Jesus Christ who is my greatest treasure.
3. Where do you get your news these days? How much attention are you giving it currently?
We’ve gravitated away from watching daily news. We’ll get some news on the internet. We don’t listen to the major networks. We might tune into Newsmax or Fox News when something major happens but not day to day. Generally it seems we get a little news with lots and lots of opinions. We get family news via texts unless it is something major and deserves a phone call. I have a What’s App group that I get daily friendship news from, too. Keeping up with bloggers and what is going on in their lives through their posts is another kind of news gathering I appreciate.
4. Do you like potatoes? Last time you prepared potatoes in some way? Which of the following is your favorite…baked potato, mashed potato, french fried potato, sweet potato, hash brown potatoes, roasted potatoes, or potato salad?
I like potatoes in all these ways. The last potatoes we had were diced new potatoes in homemade chicken pot pie.
5. Are you a veteran? Are there any veterans in your family? Will you do anything special to honor them on Veteran’s Day/Remembrance Day this year?
Our son-in-law Andrew is a Veteran and the only one in our little family. Greg’s father served in WWII but he was called up to heaven in 1985. We will give Andrew a shout out and thank him on Veteran’s day but we won’t be seeing him in person until Thanksgiving. Thank you for your service in the Marines, Andrew. We love and appreciate you and are grateful for all you have done for our country. We are sorry for all the aches and pains you continue to endure because of that service.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I’m always impressed with how the United Kingdom honors their veterans and all they do for Remembrance Day. We’ve seen tributes in many if not all of the towns and villages we’ve visited in the United Kingdom.
Speaking of remembering, November 5th marked the one year anniversary of Greg’s stroke. We are so grateful to God that Greg is alive and well and that we could celebrate the anniversary with him on this earth. Grateful for all the days God gives us.
One is Kind Above All Others
One is kind above all others,
O how He loves!
His is love beyond a brother’s;
O how He loves!
Earthly friends may fall and leave thee,
One day kind, the next day grieve thee;
But this friend will ne’er deceive thee;
O how He loves!
’Tis eternal life to know Him,
O how He loves!
Think, oh think, how much we owe Him,
O how He loves!
With His precious blood He bought us,
In the wilderness He sought us
To His fold He safely brought us,
O how He loves!
Blessèd Jesus! wouldst thou know Him?
O how He loves!
Give thine heart, thine all unto Him;
O how He loves!
Is it sin that pains or grieves thee,
Unbelief or trials seize thee?
Jesus can from all release thee;
O how He loves!
Love this friend: He longs to save thee;
O how He loves!
All through life He will not leave thee;
O how He loves!
Think no more of friendships hollow;
Take His easy yoke and follow;
Jesus carries all thy sorrow;
O how He loves!
All thy sins shall be forgiven;
O how He loves!
Backward shall thy foes be driven;
O how He loves!
Best of blessings He’ll provide thee;
Naught but good shall e’er betide thee;
Safe to glory He will guide thee;
O how He loves!
Words: Maryanne Nunn, she wrote these words to adapt John Newton’s Hymn, One There Is Above All Others. I’ll share that hymn next Sunday.
Thursday November 2nd
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!
Colossians 1:9-12:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
From Dianna:
John 1:12-13
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
From Vera:
Isaiah 40:28-31
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
From Maristella:
Psalm 34:17-18
When the righteous cry for help, The Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
From Cindy:
Psalm 62:5, 6 – Find rest O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
From Karen:
I John 5:13
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
From Aritha:
Psalm 55: 22
Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved
Why Should I Fear the Darkest Hour?
Why should I fear the darkest hour,
Or tremble at the tempter’s power?
Jesus vouchsafes to be my tower.
When creature comforts fade and die,
Worldlings may weep, but why should I?
Jesus still lives, and still is nigh.
Though all the flocks and herds were dead,
My soul a famine need not dread,
For Jesus is my living bread.
I know not what may soon betide,
Or how my wants shall be supplied;
But Jesus knows, and will provide.
Though sin would fill me with distress,
The throne of grace I dare address,
For Jesus is my righteousness.
Though faint my prayers, and cold my love,
My steadfast hope shall not remove,
While Jesus intercedes above.
Against me earth and hell combine;
But on my side is power divine;
Jesus is all, and He is mine.
Words: John Newton, 1771.
Thursday October 26th
On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!
The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!
Colossians 1:3-7 (ESV)
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing–as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you heard it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.
From Vera:
“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 54:10
“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”
Psalm 98:1
From Dianna:
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 