Choose Joy!

Photo Credit: Auntie Lolo!

Note to self; Don’t grumble or murmur. The Holy Spirit has been working on my heart and mind through God’s Word about that habit of complaining. In my daily readings in reading the Bible through in a year we are in Exodus reading about the Children of Israel and how Moses had to deal with Pharaoh. I’ll share the last paragraph for February 19th in Allistair Begg’s new devotional called Truth For Life. Guilty as charged! If you are a Believer you’ll understand…

“We have faith in Christ, we’ve been set free from slavery to sin- even our complaining! We’ve been liberated by a sacrifice: the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. And we too have set out on a journey, not to Canaan but to Heaven. In light of that, God has given us both wonderful promises and necessary warnings. Do not presume upon His provision or grumble about the route He leads you on, but instead be filled with gratitude for all He has provided materially and spiritually. The cross lies behind you, heaven lies before you, and the Spirit dwells within you. There is not need, or excuse for grumbling.”

Asking forgiveness and for the help I need to identify, recognize when I’m slipping into murmuring. Read that word out loud and listen to your speech and see if it sounds similar. Ouch. Mur…mur…ing…

Hope this helps you like it has helped me. Looking forward to what lies ahead!

Happy Saturday.

We are getting ready for breakfast for seven of our family that will be together on this side of the mountains until Monday. Uncle Joshie, Auntie Lolo, Jamie, Addy, JJ, me and Dear will enjoy Dear’s labor of love, Swedish Pancakes. Adding some little smokies and sliced oranges to the breakfast table!

Truth for Today # 7

Thursday February 17th

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 share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth this year!

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16-18

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Romans 10:8-10, 13

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”.

1 John 3:1

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

John 10:27-28

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

From Vera

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

From Patricia

Psalm 100:1–5 (ESV): 100 A PSALM FOR GIVING THANKS.

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

‭From Sara

Psalm 34:8

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who hopes in Him.

From Karen

Psalm 100:5

For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.

Truth for Today #5

Thursday February 3rd

John 10:11-15

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

1 Peter 2: 9-10

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

From Vera:

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

From Patricia:

Philippians 2:9-11.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord , to the glory of God the Father.

From Leonard:

Matthew 24:13

“but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

From Laura:

Ephesians 6:10-12

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
‭‭

Truth for Today #2

Thursday January 13

2 Peter 1: 16-21

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father , and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 55: 9-11

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

From Maristella:

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

From Vera:

Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

From Winneyb:

Psalm 27:1-5 (AMP)

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life—
Whom shall I dread?

When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though an army encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
Even in this I am confident.

One thing I have asked of the Lord, and that I will seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life,
To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple.

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.

From Nikkipolani:

Psalm 50:3

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.

From HappyOne (Karen)

Job 19:25

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

From Cheryl:

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

From Willow:

Isaiah 41:10.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Hello December Hodgepodge

It’s Time My Friends for Wednesday Hodgepodge hosted by the lovely Jo From This Side of the Pond!

1. When it comes to gift giving are you more of a ‘create something from scratch’ or a ‘buy something in a shop’ kind of giver? Tell about a favorite homemade gift you’ve given or one you’ve received.

I am a ‘buy something in a shop’ kind of giver. My favorite homemade gifts these days come from our little grands.

2. Do you have the ‘gift of gab’? Is that a blessing or a curse?

Simple answer is no, I do not have the gift of gab. There are times when I’m worked up that I can go on and on but usually I can be pretty boring in conversation. Coming out with one liners is more my style. A blessing would be that I might not say more than I need to say and end up offending.

3. What’s something you have going on that you need/want to ‘wrap up’ this month?

I need to buy some items for the church kitchen before the end of the year and submit the receipts so the expenditures are taken out of this years budget.

4. A food you love that is ‘wrapped’ in some way?

Blintzes, burritos, tacos…

5. December is upon us…share something here (quote, verse, poem, song lyric, your own thoughts) related to the word hope.

I’ve been going through a commentary on 1 Peter after reading 1 Peter for a month and this section of Scripture on Hope is where I would focus my meditation.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

And from the commentary on this section of Scripture;

“Peter goes on to declare that regeneration results in believers receiving a living hope. The unbelieving world knows only dying hopes (Job 8:13; Prov. 10:28; Eph. 2:12) but believers have a living, undying hope (Pss.33:18; 39:7; Rom. 5:5; Eph. 4:4; Titus 2:13; Heb. 6:19) that will come to a complete, final, and glorious fulfillment (Rom. 5:2; Col. 1:27). It is hope that Peter later described when he wrote, “according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. This hope is what prompted Paul to tell the Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”. At death believers’ hope becomes reality as they enter the glorious presence of God and the full, unhindered, joyous fellowship with the Trinity, the angels, and other saints. (Rom. 5:1-2; Gal. 5:5)

The means of Christians’ appropriating this living hope and eternal inheritance is spiritual birth, and the power for that appropriation was demonstrated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. …Christ rose from the dead, forever securing the believer’s living hope in heaven by finally conquering death.

~The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Peter.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Slowly, slowly the Christmas decorations are being put up here. This week is starting out slow for me physically and mentally. I’m blaming it on the turkey! Welcome December!

Come Holy Spirit ~ Hymn

Come Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, like a dove descending,
Rest Thou upon us while we meet to pray;
Show us the Savior, all His love revealing,
Lead us to Him, the Life, the Truth, the Way.

Come, Holy Spirit, every cloud dispelling,
Fill us with gladness, through the Master’s name;
Bring to our memory words that He hath spoken,
Then shall our tongues His wondrous grace proclaim.

Come, Holy Spirit, sent from God the Father—
Thou friend and teacher, comforter and guide—
Our thoughts directing, keep us close to Jesus,
And in our hearts forevermore abide.

Words: Fanny Crosby

Away With Our Fears, Our Troubles and Tears ~ Hymn

Away With Our Fears, Our Troubles and Tears

Away with our fears,
Our troubles and tears.
The Spirit is come,
The witness of Jesus returned to His home;
The pledge of our Lord
To His Heaven restored
Is sent from the sky,
And tells us our Head is exalted on high.

Our Advocate there
By His blood and His prayer
The gift hath obtained,
For us He hath prayed, and the Comforter gained;
Our glorified Head
His Spirit hath shed
With His people to stay
And never again will He take Him away.

Our heavenly Guide
With us shall abide,
His comforts impart,
And set up His kingdom of love in the heart.
The heart that believes
His kingdom receives
His power and His peace,
His life, and His joy’s everlasting increase.

The presence divine
Doth inwardly shine,
The Shechinah shall rest
On all our assemblies, and glow in our breast;
By day, and by night
The pillar of light
Our steps shall attend,
And convoy us safe to our prosperous end.

Then let us rejoice
In heart and in voice
Our Leader pursue,
And shout as we travel the wilderness through;
With the Spirit remove
To Zion above,
Triumphant arise,
And walk with our God, till we fly to the skies.

Words: Charles Wesley

This is a Whitsunday Hymn and I missed posting it last week.

Encouragement ~

I Thessalonians 5:11 ~ “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

I Thessalonians 5:14 ~ “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

Romans 1:11,12 ~ “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged “by each others” faith, both yours and mine.”

Romans 15:5 ~ “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 3:13 ~ “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:25 ~ “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

So here’s what I heard yesterday in our church service (we went to the Saturday evening service) that I found encouraging and want to pass along to you. Our hope looks forward to our inheritance. When Jesus was resurrected and was seated at the right hand of the Father we became heirs with Him (Romans 8:17, Gal. 4:7). Our inheritance is unfading, death proof, sin proof, time proof. We will have a new body (I Cor. 15:50-58), a new home (John 14: 1-3), a new world (2 Peter 3:13), a new job (Matt: 25:21-23), a new relationship with God (Rev. 21:3-4). The Holy Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13,14).

We need to keep looking to what Jesus has done for us and what we have to look forward to in Him in order to be grounded in our faith and anchored in this topsy turvy world. We don’t look at what is happening on the outside but what is happening in our inner man, daily renewal. We keep looking to what Jesus has accomplished for us. This is where our hope is, our living hope. We can’t focus on this life. I’m going to work on memorizing these next verses over the next couple of weeks. Do you want to join me? 🙂

2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 ~ “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

My hope is that this will be encouraging to you…

ht: Steve Larson, pastor E.V. Free Conejo Valley

Jesu, Our Hope, Our Heart’s Desire ~

Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire,
Thy work of grace we sing;
Redeemer of the world art Thou,
Its Maker and its King.

How vast the mercy and the love,
Which laid our sins on Thee,
And led Thee to a cruel death,
To set Thy people free!

But now the bonds of death are burst;
The ransom has been paid;
And Thou art on Thy Father’s throne,
In glorious robes arrayed.

O may Thy mighty love prevail
Our sinful souls to spare!
O may we stand around Thy throne,
And see Thy glory there!

Jesu, our only Joy be Thou,
As Thou our Prize wilt be;
In Thee be all our glory now
And through eternity.

All praise to Thee Who art gone up
Triumphantly to Heav’n;
All praise to God the Father’s Name
And Holy Ghost be given.

Words: Unknown author, 7th or 8th Century (Jesu nostra redemptio, Amor et desiderium); translated from Latin to English by John Chandler (Hymns of the Primitive Church, 1837) and the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861.

ht: cyberhymnal

Advent Tells Us, Christ is Near ~ Hymn

At first glance this hymn may not seem appropriate for our Easter Season but read it all the way through. Blessings on you today and through Easter Celebrations this year!

Advent tells us, Christ is Near

(words by A. Katherine Hankey 1834-1911)

Advent tells us, Christ is near:
Christmas tells us Christ is here!
In Epiphany we trace
All the glory of His grace.

Those three Sundays before Lent
Will prepare us to repent;
That in Lent we may begin
Earnestly to mourn for sin.

Holy Week and Easter, then,
Tell who died and rose again;
O that happy Easter day!
“Christ is risen indeed,” we say.

Yes, and Christ ascended, too,
To prepare a place for you;
So we give Him special praise,
After those great forty days.

Then, He sent the Holy Ghost,
On the day of Pentecost,
With us ever to abide:
Well may we keep Whitsuntide!

Last of all, we humbly sing
Glory to our God and King,
Glory to the One in three,
On the Feast of Trinity.

For information on Whitsuntide click here.

This was written for Sunday School of St. Peter’s Eaton Square, London and printed on a card with music by the author.

Ht: Cyberhymnal for Hymn and history.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Holy Spirit