Offering Our Praise with a Thankful Heart ~

" Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:

and to him that ordereth his conversation aright

will I show the salvation of God."

(Psalm 50:23)

With Thanksgiving in the month of November (at least here in the U.S.)
our hearts are often turned towards giving thanks
for the many blessings that God bestows upon us;

daily we have the opportunity of honoring God with our sacrifice of thanksgiving

and offering up our praise for His glory.

We can purposefully look for reasons to be grateful

no matter what we may be facing in our every day lives.

God's Word tells us in Psalm 50, that when we offer up our praise to Him
 we are glorifying Him.

***

1 Thessalonians 5:16&18 also commands us to

"Rejoice evermore. In everything give thanks:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

So often giving thanks may be the last thing we want to do.

We all face challenges that effect our lives~robbing us of our joy

and taking our focus away from God.

But if we look to the heavenly Father, and ask Him

to give us a thankful heart, He will.

Begin by offering praises to His Holy Name,

ponder on the ways He has helped you in the past

through difficult circumstances. 

Rejoice in His character, His love for you, and the salvation

He freely gives.

Write down the blessings you can think of

which are yours in Christ Jesus.

Personalize God's promises found in the Word,

and ask the Spirit of God to show forth His Truth

as you seek to exalt Him throughout your day.

 

"O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise

to the rock of our salvation."

(Psalm 95:1)

As you sing unto the Lord and consider the many blessings

the Father has given you, you will certainly find 

your heart to be full of thanks and praise~not only for what
 God HAS done for you, but what He WILL do for you.

Set your heart to worship God, and honor Him

with your sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.

Dear friends~let there be praise upon our lips as we joyfully go about our every day lives 
acknowledging our Holy, Righteous and Great God,
giving thanks in all things with a grateful heart to the glory of God.
Have a glorious day!

**********

Heavenly Father~

With Your grace we offer up to You
our praise and thanksgiving.

Amen.

Be Grateful!

~ Debbie ~

  

~ Cheerfulness is Healthy

Hello dear friends!
The past couple of weeks my husband and I have had
 the joy and the privilege of keeping our oldest daughters
three boys and enjoying them one-on-one!
They are certainly growing up and showing forth
their own individual character traits and qualities.
While busy with my boys I left the computer to itself
and have not been around to visit your loveliness.
I look forward to catching up with you soon.

~~~***~~~

This past week, my dear Uncle Spike (dads brother),
was called home to glory.
Uncle Spike held a very special place in my life;
for it was he who took the time to tell me about my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Uncle Spike was concerned for the salvation of my soul
and through his love and concern I put my faith and trust in Christ 33 years ago. 
Uncle Spike loved the Lord and was not ashamed of the Gospel;
his desire was to share Christ with those whom God brought into his life.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also the Greek."
(Romans 1:16)
During the last days of Uncle Spikes life
he was on hospice; yet, he still had that joy and laughter
in his heart with a smile that warmed your soul.
His hope was in Christ, and it was evident in his life
as he passed from this life into glory. 
 ~~~***~~~
In the early years of my life, after placing my faith in Christ,
I would call on Uncle Spike with numerous questions
while spending time reading the Scriptures.
My heart longed to have a deeper intimacy with Christ
through the study of His word.
Oh there was so much that I wanted to know,
 learn and understand but it wasn't coming fast enough.
I can still remember my Uncle laughing on the other end of the phone
during those phone calls. He knew that every believer 
hungered for the Truth after salvation took place
and that's what I was doing.
He encouraged me to use Bible dictionaries, concordances
and other Bible references to study 
and dig deeper into the Word of God.
Uncle Spike made an impact on my Spiritual walk with the Lord
through his instruction, encouragement and inspiration. 
I will for-ever be grateful for his love towards me.
Many times when I write a post, I will share with you
things I find through dictionaries and other study helps;
I guess I'm passing along to you some of that inspiration that was passed on to me.

 ~~~***~~~

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine;
but a broken spirit drieth the bones."
(Proverbs 17:22)
~*~
"A sound heart is the life of the flesh." (Proverbs 14:30b)
The English Standard Version uses the word "Tranquil heart"
 Tranquil in the dictionary is ~
Free from agitation, serene, free from disturbance or turmoil, quiet, steady, stable.
"Flesh"  a healthy mind filled with wisdom
is associated with a healthy body.

A cheerful heart causes good health.
"It will be health to your flesh,
and strength to your bones." (Proverbs 3:8)
The inner parts, the renewal of the marrow is strength to the bones.
"His breasts are full of milk,
and his bones are moistened with marrow." (Job 21:24)
God promises well-being for those who live
wisely according to His will.
 But sorrows of the mind can contribute
to the sickness of the body.
A broken spirit, sunk by the burden of afflictions
can dry up the bones, eating away at the marrow.
~*~
I found myself thinking of how
 David forfeited such physical well-being before he confessed
that he had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah.
David knew that his sin was against God foremost.
"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned
and done this evil in thy site." (Psalm 51:4a) 
~ You may want to read about Davids repentive heart in your own time ~
(Psalm 32:3-4 & Psalm 51) 
~*~
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;
but a wounded spirit who can bear." (Proverbs 18:14)
A mans spirits sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear.
Having a "crushed spirit" causes one to loose hope.
Therefore, we should strive to have the right attitude (a merry heart)
in all manner of life.
We all have people in our lives who struggle with sickness and weakness; yet,
 do you find that many times when you pay them a visit
 they are the ones who cheer you?
"Cheer" in the dictionary ~ is the State of mind or heart: spirit,
( be of good cheer) Rejoice, (likely to dispel gloom or worry)
 State of mind or heart ~ I like that.
Right heart attitudes ~
will put a smile on our face ~ hope in our hearts ~ praise on our lips ~
 and beautifies us with the joy of the Lord.
When we have the right heart attitude through focusing on Christ
and the promises found in His Word,
those attributes are sure to flow from our own hearts onto others
bringing encouragement to those
who may be experiencing a broken or crushed spirit.
When we allow the Spirit of God to flow through our own hearts,
God is the One who receives all the honor and glory
and lives are touched in ways we may never know this side of Eternity.
The beauty of the Lord will fall on those with a crushed spirit,
as we allow ourselves to be used by the hand of God.
To God be the glory!

"The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart:
but a good report maketh the bones fat". (Proverbs 15:30)
A "good report" or good news ~
offers sound truth and wisdom
that stirs the heart by relieving anxiety 
and producing a cheerful face. 
 It is Christ and our relationship with Him  that causes us to have
that state of mind and cheerful heart in all our afflictions. 
A merry heart, high spirits and lightheartedness
brings us joy no matter what we may be facing
and should cause us to spread that joy with a cheerful heart onto others.

The Lord is for the body, and provides for it not only meat, but medicine.
God wants us to have a merry heart that rejoices in Him.
When we look to and lean on Jesus and the promises found in His Word,
He will be faithful in providing for our every need
 through His Spirit, and by His grace.
But sorrows of the mind can contribute
to the sickness of the body.
A broken spirit, sunk by the burden of afflictions
can dry up the bones, eating away at the marrow.
These verses are telling us that there is a basic relationship 
between our mental attitude and our physical well-being.
What we allow into our hearts
has a direct bearing on our physical health.

~~~***~~~

Precious Lord Jesus,
cause us to keep our minds set upon You and Your Word,
so as to live our days with a merry heart
rejoicing in You and Your promises.
May we have hearts filled with joy
and praise on our lips
for Your glory.
Amen.


Be Gracious!
~ Debbie ~

Don't Miss Jesus ~

Hello sweet ladies!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a visit,
I am always appreciative of your grace left behind
through the comments you share.
Summer has finally made it's way showing up in all it's beauty.
When summer arrives we are more than ready for the warmth

and the new life that has unfolded all around our country yard.
Some weeks ago I shared a post with you on our wild turkeys
and right now we have only six toms and a couple ladies showing up for breakfast
as I am sure my little Merriam's are with their young right now.
* By the way, our female turkeys are called Merriam's according to the bird book in our area *
Our two Canadian geese  and mallards have made their way to our pond.
I always hope and pray that they will survive the winter months
and will return as a pair since they mate for life.
Should I listen carefully I will hear the sounds of their 
honking as they fly over our home notifying us of their arrival.

What glorious beauty are you enjoying this time of year?

Last year when I was away looking after my parents
and the time of my dads going on to glory,
a dear and precious blogging friend
here in our blogging community graced my life with 
"The Quiet Place"  Daily Devotional Readings
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
My life has been enriched all the more through this excellent devotional book.
Thank you Cheryl, for your love and friendship! 
God in His love and care over His children
 brings people into our lives whom He uses to encourage and strengthen
during those times we may need it most.
God knew that I would need my dear friend Cheryl, 
as well as this encouraging devotional book after my dad passed away.
 Through Cheryl's sweet and tender spirit
she listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit and shared her loveliness with me
just when I was going to need it most. 
"At unexpected moments...
God places an angel in our path~
someone we will soon call "friend."
~ Unknown ~ 
My heart rejoices over and over again in the love and friendships
that I have received here in our amazing Blogging community.
Thank you Jesus!
 
 I had wanted to write a post on the topic of God's Word,
but Nancy said it so eloquently in one of my readings
 that I'm just going to share from her book.

Jesus The Word of God

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God." ~ John 1:1

THERE ARE MANY HELPFUL PLANS and methods you can
use for reading the Bible. Personally, I like to vary my
approach from time to time. But whatever plan you
choose, don't let yourself become a slave to the method.
Remember that the goal is not just getting through the 
Bible but getting the Word into you and getting you into Jesus ~
cultivating a growing relationship with the living Word of God.
One of the most sobering passages of the Bible addresses
this matter. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were renowned for their
vast knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures. Yet one day
Jesus looked them squarely in the eye and said, "{God's} voice
you have not heard, his form you have never seen, and you do
not have his word abiding in you" (John 5:37-38).
I can just imagine those indignant, bedecked scholars
turning red in the face, sputtering under their breath, "What
does He mean? Who does He think He is? He's just a blue-collar
 worker! He's never even been to seminary! And He's telling us
that we've never heard God speak and His Word doesn't dwell
in us? Why, we've spent our whole lives mastering the Bible! If
we haven't heard God's voice, who has?"
But Jesus wasn't finished. "You searched the Scriptures because 
you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that
bear witness of me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may
have life" (verses 39-40). They were missing the whole point of 
their study.
If we master the content of the Bible but don't end up
knowing, loving, worshiping, serving and being mastered by
Jesus, we too miss the whole point, and set ourselves up to
become twenty-first century Pharisees. So, yes, get into the 
Word; study it diligently, but as you do, don't miss Jesus!

**~~**~~**

In your reading and study of God's Word, are you getting to
know Christ in a more personal and real way? Ask Him to
reveal Himself to you through His Word and to give you faith
to keep coming to Him to find life. 
~Nancy Leigh De Moss~

**~~**~~** 

May we not miss Jesus as we diligently
and faithfully study the Word of God.

 Our Precious Heavenly Father,
Guide us through our study time
so we will not be a slave to the method we choose
in coming to know You better.
Teach us to be diligent and
draw us to Thyself.
Amen.

Joy!
~ Debbie ~

I would like to introduce you to the lovely Lorraine
who Blogs over at Flower Lady's Musings.
Lorraine made this gorgeous heart and
has more beautiful items in her etsy shoppe
 where you can purchase some of her creations.
As you look closely at the detail of her work
you will stand amazed. 
I love my heart Lorraine!
Thank you for sharing your beauty and grace with us.


 

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Hello, my dear and faithful followers!
These past couple of months
 I have been taking some time to sit at the feet of Jesus,
where I have found rest in His loving arms,
and I must confess that during my time away I MISSED YOU!! 
I was able to go south for some sunshine 
and these photo's were taken of the beautiful cactus's
in the area where I was staying.

God is true to His Word, in that when we seek Him
we are sure to find Him.
My spirit, my soul and my body
longed for some quiet and alone time with my Savior.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, my desire is to be a 
sweet fragrance for my Lord, and I longed to enter into a 
more personal and intimate relationship
with the One who brings us blessing, rest and joy.

I challenged myself daily to spend more time in the Word
seeking out the riches of God's promises
so as to memorize and apply them to my life,
Philippians 4:8 was one of the verses I meditated on
prayed over and set my mind on so as to live in God's ways.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; 
if there be any virtue and if there be any praise,
think on these things."
It all begins in our minds and we are to think about what is good and right.
During my quiet time with the Lord,
I was allowing His Spirit to fill my heart with all that
is good, pleasing and honorable in His Kingdom. 
What is true is found in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit
and in God's Word.
Honorable, the Greek term means "worthy of respect."
Believers are to meditate on whatever is worthy of awe and adoration. 

During this time I happened upon "The Daniel Fast"
believing it was of no mistake.
About one month into my quiet time alone with the Lord,
it would seem as though God was leading me to finish off this restful time alone with Him
through the benefits of fasting, and not just with my diet, but spiritually as well.
The power of fasting doesn't necessarily make sense to the natural mind.
But spiritual fasting requires spiritual sense-a spiritual
outlook and trust in the Lord and His ways.
I believed by doing the Daniel Fast that it was the first step toward 
the experience I was longing for that would bring me closer
to the Father who desires a deep , abiding relationship 
with each of His children.
Though I began my time of rest with meditation and prayer
I knew that every part of me needed something more.
I was longing for my Soul (my emotions, intellect, and feelings)
to benefit from the spiritual discipline of fasting.
I knew my soul needed to be fed.
I knew that my Spirit needed and would grow in strength 
and in the knowledge of Christ and His ways.
Then there was my Body...in many areas I wanted to renew my body and
benefit from a healthy lifestyle.
God continues to be faithful with 
where I have placed myself in His loving care.

Through the Daniel Fast I appreciated
 learning of Daniel's love for his God.
Daniel purposed in his heart to follow the ways of God.
"But, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself."
(Daniel 1:8a)
Daniel believed in his God.
That's the kind of faith we can all have.
Are we willing to love God with our whole hearts?
Are we willing to make God number one in our lives?
God is more than willing to do His part
when we are willing to do ours. 
Daniel devoted himself to God, he set his heart 
on the ways of the Lord and refused to be defiled by
the customs and practices of the Babylonians. 
Daniel's faith serves as a worthy example for us to follow. 

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 
and all these things shall be added unto you." 
(Matthew 6:33)
Jesus teaches us to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,"
or His right way of doing things.
We should aim to do everything with God and in His ways.
When we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures 
and learn what the Lord has to say about who we are
and how we should care for our bodies,
there should be only one love-loaded
response to our Lord: "Yes Sir."
He is our number one reason for making changes
to be better aligned with what He wants for us.
Our Precious Heavenly Father, desires for us to be
healthy, to take good care of our bodies in whole,
so that we may be a shining example of His family.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil."
(Proverbs 4:23-27)

*******

Our Precious Heavenly Father,
These verses are such a powerful visual image
 that we must take and apply to our lives.
Help us to use our lips for Your glory,
to keep our eyes focused on Your kingdom,
and cause us to ponder the paths of our feet,
so that our ways will be established in You, and for Your glory.
Amen.

Be Blessed!
~ Debbie ~

Please join me as I party with Stephanie over at
Roses of Inspiration

 

Jesus ~ The True Vine

Hello dear friends!

Take a moment with me, grab a cup of your favorite hot drink,
maybe even a cookie or two 
relax, and drink in the goodness found in God's Word.

**~~~**

My husband has enjoyed a small garden over the past three years

but unfortunately where we live, up in the high country,

not much will grow due to the short season.

Our success has been potatoes,

and I must admit that they have been quite enjoyable to grow,

especially when the time comes to digging them up.

With pitch fork in hand, we make our way to the garden

looking for buried treasure. 

This year he tried growing zucchini, and as we all know,

zucchini will grow just about anywhere! 

We learned something beautiful as our zucchini began to blossom.

The flower or bloom is on one end of the zucchini

while the other end of the zucchini is connected to the plant.

But what was enjoyable to watch day after day

was that blooming flower.

At certain times of the day that flower would open big and wide

in all it's splendor and beauty, but then, it would

close tightly before the day would come to an end. 

**~~~**

The amazing thing was how that flower closed,

it was like a cloth being rung out tightly,

twisted you might say, and ever so tight!

Once the zucchini would get large in size

the flower would die off but the zucchini would remain connected to the 

plant until we would cut it off from it's growing source, the plant.

I couldn't help but think of the Scriptures where Jesus talks of being the Vine

and we are the branches, and how we are to "abide" in Christ.

Our zucchini is weak and useless and will not grow

without the plant that it is connected to.

It will not produce it's own life,

 it must draw it's life from the plant. 

That is the way it is with us and Christ.

We must draw life from the Vine.

It is our communion with Christ through the Spirit 

that makes possible the bearing of fruit.

John chapter 15 speaks to us about Jesus being the True vine ~

I would recommend  reading the whole chapter ~ but I'd like

to focus on verses 4&5 .

~~~

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the Vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me,

and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit,

for without me ye can do nothing."

**~~~**

To "abide" means to keep in fellowship with Christ

so that His life can work in and through us to produce fruit.

How beautiful is this picture...we can be glorious women,

in sweet fellowship, bearing good ~ not rotten ~ fruit. 

We must let nothing hinder us from this precious communion with Christ.

Verse 3 tells us to be "clean through the Word which Christ

has spoken to us." We are to be washed and holy, confessing our sin.

This precious communion also involves obeying Christ because we love Him.

In verse 9&10 Jesus tells us "as the Father hath loved me,

so have I loved you, continue ye in my love.

If  ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love,

even as I have kept my Father's commandments,

and abide in his love."

WOW! That is to the point!

I did some cross referencing and look what 1 John 2:3-6 has for us.

~~~

"Now by this we know that we know Him,

if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him"

and does not keep His commandments, is a lier, and the truth

is not in him. But whosoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God

is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself

also to walk just as He walked."

**~~~**

The test of "knowing" Him ~ To know God does not depend on our good works

but instead demonstrated by them.

When believers are born into God's family, they are united with Him

in an eternal relationship that cannot be broken ~ praise the Lord!

But fellowship with God, however ~ communion with Him ~ can 

be disrupted by our sin.

Obedience is a sign of relationship and fellowship with Him.

~~~

We demonstrate our love for God with life service not just lip service,

and our desire should be to do what God has said in His word.

Verse 6 ~ obedience ~ Jesus "walked" in total dependence

upon His Father, and He was fully submissive to God's will.

We too, should walk as Christ walked.

May we graciously walk and seek God with our whole heart,

for there is joy and blessing in following in Christ's footsteps.

Oh the wonderful love of our Jesus!

We have a living relationship to Christ and belong to Him ~ But our

relationship must be cultivated, it does not come automatically.

~ It would be glorious if it did ~ but it does not.

Abiding in Christ demands worship ~ meditation on God's Word ~

prayer ~ sacrifice and service ~ but what a joyful experience it is!

~~~

Oh ladies ~ once we have begun to cultivate a deeper communion

with Christ, we will have no desire to live a shallow life as a Christian.

**~~~**

"And he that sent me is with me;

the Father hath not left me alone;

for I do always those things that please Him."

(John 8:29)

What a beautiful verse we can claim for our own lives.

Even Jesus did those things which PLEASED His father.

May we follow after Him in our walk of faith.

Does your heart long for and desire to do those things which please God?

"God is faithful"

Our Precious Heavenly Father,

we have a future hope because we know You are faithful to Your promises.

As we seek to follow after You, 

we humbly ask that You would draw us ever so close to Your side.

Teach us through Your Word and Spirit

to live graciously as we abide in You.

Amen. 
 

 Be Gracious

~ Debbie ~ 

I am joining Stephanie's party at
Roses of Inspiration 

Light of the eyes

Hello precious ladies!

"I will speak of the glorious honor 

of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works."

I want to speak of the majesty and 
wondrous works of my God.
He always has something wonderful for us
if our eyes, ears and hearts are tuned in to Him.
 Yesterday morning during my quiet time

alone with the Lord,

I fell upon Proverbs chapter 15 verse 30

and was intrigued wanting to know more. 

What caught my eye was the word "light"

because of the way the verse read.

""The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart:

and a good report maketh the bones fat."

(Proverbs 15:30)

Isn't that a beautiful verse for us ladies to think on?

"The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart"

These words made me think of joy,

and so I began to study it more 

to see if I was on the right track, and I was.
As I was reading this verse, I began to think of
those who have a glow about them
with eyes that are bright and cheery
because of the joy in their heart.
Then, when I looked in the concordance
this particular verse using the word "light"
referred to just that.
It means "happiness ~ cheerfulness."
WOW!

When we have the joy of the Lord,
our countenance will be radiant,
we will be happy and cheerful.
 A positive outlook (light of the eyes) creates a ripple effect:
it spreads joy to others and produces encouraging words,
all of which create a healthier, happier environment.
"Maketh" "good news fills one's bones with
marrow or imparts strength."
That is so beautiful.

** ~~~ **

Our countenance should be as a light;
a brightness of "light" filled with happiness
and cheerfulness so as to be passed on to others.
To "maketh" is to be "fat ~ well fed" ~ "good news"
spreads  to others and fills ones bones with marrow
imparting strength. 

Are you filled with happiness and cheerfulness
creating a ripple effect of joy 
that will spread into the lives of others?
Are you spreading the "good news"
imparting strength to others?
May we all hide this wonderful verse in our hearts
and apply it to our lives
bringing honor and glory to our God.

** ~~~ **

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance."
Heavenly father, fill us with Your Spirit,
causing us to have the joy of the Lord.
May our lives lived for You,
ripple down and touch the hearts of others
bringing with it joy and strength.
In Your honor and Name we pray.
Amen.

Be Cheerful
~ Debbie ~ 

I'm joining Stephanie's party at
http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com 

Examine Me, O Lord

Hello faithful followers!

Let us rejoice in this beautiful day which the Lord has made!

~ ~

I was talking with my daughter one afternoon

and she was sharing with me an incident

that had taken place where it involved

the lives of two different people.

Why is it some people can be so wrong

and yet never see themselves for what they are saying

or even doing for that matter?

And so...she and I asked one another

the question; Do people ever do as Psalm 26:2 says,

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me,

try my reins and my heart."

I know for my self ~ should I be confronted with my wrong actions

I want to stop and "examine" myself

before the Lord, asking Him to show me

the errors of my way.
"Who can understand his errors,
cleanse thou me from secret faults."
(Psalm 19:12)
Without God's Word, it is difficult
for us to know if or when we violate God's will.
The Word of God will bring hidden faults to light
and offers strong warnings about what
displeases God so that the believer's actions
words and thoughts may receive His favor.
Here is a beautiful verse we can hide in our hearts;
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes,
and I shall keep it unto the end."
(Psalm 119:33) 

For myself ~ I want to ask the Lord if there are areas in my life

that are not pleasing to Him?

Are there changes that I need to allow Him 

to work on in my life,

so that the name of my Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified?
"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee,
our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."
(Psalm 90:8)  

The conversation my daughter and I shared

caused me to ponder on something that I thought was important

for us women who desire to walk worthy of the calling

of the Lord. 

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me,

try my reins and my heart."

( Psalm 26:2 )

~ ~

Prove...Try...Test

are essential for testing, refining, and purifying our hearts.

God proves us as gold is proved whether

it be standard.
Just as refining of gold removes impurities,
the things in our life that are
unacceptable shall be removed.
Refining gold separates the pure from the
less precious metals.
It is God who removes the dross from our lives
and it is an on going process in our walk of faith.
Webster dictionary defines dross as;
"the scum that forms on the surface of molten metal."
YUCK!
God wants to remove the "scum" in our lives.

God knows every mans true character,

for He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.

"The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately wicked; who can know it?

I the Lord search the heart,

I try the reins, even to give every man

according to his ways,

and according to the fruit of his deeds." 

( Jeremiah 17:9-10 )

~ ~

Whatever wickedness there is in our hearts

God sees it, knows it

and is perfectly acquainted with it.

The Lord searches our hearts that are so

carelessly overlooked by ourselves and disguised

or concealed from others.

He not only searches the heart with a piercing eye

but He tries the reins to pass a judgment

upon what He discovers, to give everything

it's true character and due weight.

God judges the overt act by the heart.

Oh that we would not flatter ourselves,

but always stand in awe of the judgement of God.

But then we must remember that our actions are "weighed."

"Talk no more so exceeding proudly;

let not arrogancy come out of your mouth:

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed." 

( 1Samuel 2:3 )

YIKES!

* ~ ~ ~ *

Nothing is secret from God, He knows everything.

This verse is quite clear,

"our actions will be weighed"

another words, God will judge according 

to our actions, thoughts and that which has come off our lips.

* ~ ~ ~ *

"So teach us to number our days
that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Our Precious Heavenly Father,
we know that the battle we face daily
is over our heart. Help us to measure our days,
to seek out Your statutes, so as to let nothing in
that would contaminate our lives for You.
We praise Your holy Name!
Amen.

Be Gracious
~ Debbie ~ 

Come with me and enjoy the party over at
Roses of Inspiration 

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Every morning as I make the bed

I love to sing the beautiful Hymn 

"I have decided to follow Jesus."

I have made this a practice for many years now,

and since I make the bed first thing in the morning

singing the words to this hymn saturates 

my heart and mind for the remainder of the day.

I find the words of this hymn challenging 

in my walk with the Lord,

for the desire of my heart is to

"take up my cross and follow Jesus." (Matthew 10:38)

 ~~~**~~~

If we so desire to "follow" Jesus we must 

forsake (deny) our own agendas in order

to completely comply with God's agenda.

We must not only give up our own agenda but die to it.

We deny self when we surrender ourselves

to Christ and determine to obey His will.

When we live for Christ,

"daily dying to self" we become more like Him.

This is a practiced life, a choice to decide to follow.

~~~**~~~

"I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back, no turning back."

Peter says to Jesus in Mark 10:29-31

"See we have left all and followed you."

And Jesus answered and said,

"Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left

house or brothers or sisters or father or mother

or wife or children or lands, for my sake

and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold

now in this time - houses and brothers and sisters

and mothers and children and lands, 

with persecutions - and in the age to come, eternal life.

But many who are first will be last,

and the last first." 

~~~**~~~

"Tho no one join me, still I will follow.

No turning back, no turning back."

Peter and his fellow apostles left all and followed Jesus.
They obeyed the Masters voice.

Jesus answered Peter in verses 28-31

that God would reward them beyond all

proportion to their supposed sacrifice.

No one who gives up anything to follow

Jesus misses out on anything in the end.
God will reward each one.

~~~**~~~

But... We must be sure our motives are right.

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life 

for My sake and the gospel's will save it. (Mark 8:35)

Being great in God's kingdom means:

self denial and sacrificial service.

To lose ourselves is an act of devotion

that should lead us to share the gospel with a lost and hurting world.
God sees things from eternity's perspective.
"But many who are first, will be last,
and the last first."
Those who are first in their own eye's
will be last in God's eye's,
but those who are last in their own eye's
will be rewarded as first. 

May our service be to God and His glory only.

~~~**~~~

"The world behind me, the cross before me.
No turning back, no turning back." 

Jesus also promised that persecutions would come. Mark 10:30

Jesus Himself was persecuted

and as followers, we too will go through persecutions
should we choose to devote ourselves to
Christ and His work for the Kingdom.

But God balances the blessings with the battles,

developing us into mature and gracious daughters of the King.

May we not miss the opportunities God affords us

to make our life count for the Kingdom.

God promises us persecutions (suffering),

but in the end that suffering is transformed into glory.

If we acknowledge Christ and live for Him,

He will one day acknowledge us 

and share His glory with us.

Praise God!

~~~**~~~

~ Questions we can ask ourselves ~

*Are we surrendering ourselves completely to Jesus?

* Are we identifying with Jesus in His suffering and death?

* Are we following Jesus obediently wherever He leads?  
*
I will go where You lead dear Lord,
no turning back ~ no turning back.

~~~**~~~

"I will love Thee O Lord, my strength."
O Precious Heavenly Father,
cause us to fall upon our knees before You,
in total surrender to the work You have called us to do
for Your Kingdom at hand.
May we keep our eye's upon You,
while walking this life of faith in You,
 no looking back, no looking back.
Amen.

Be Blessed
~ Debbie ~

  

God Is Faithful

Hello my dear and gracious followers!

My daughter has informed me that she

hears crickets when she comes by to visit here.

Yes ~ things have been pretty still around

my little corner of this BIG blogging world.

I know the crickets have been gently calling me back though.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks Him."

(Lamentations 3:25)

I have been waiting on the Lord, and seeking His face.

Thank you, dear and gracious friends for waiting with me.

Thank you, for allowing me this down time

since the passing of my dad.

I've needed some time to be still and quiet,
to "withdraw to a desolate place and pray." (Luke 5:16)
Through time spent with the Lord,
in prayer, meditating on the Scriptures
and just worshiping the Lord in my heart,

I have been refreshed with God's 

abundant supply of goodness.

Our God is Faithful!

 He loves to meet us right where we are and bless us.

He stands waiting with the dawn of each

and every new day, ready with a fresh supply

of goodness and gladness and grace

for the hours that will come.

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,

because his compassion's fail not,

they are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness."

(Lamentations 3:22-23)

Our Lord's well of mercy is overflowing,

His supply of blessings, inexhaustible.

From sunrise to sunrise, season to season,

time after time, God's love

is unending and boundless.

Great is His faithfulness!

"My flesh and my heart fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

(Psalm 73:26)

God strengthens our hearts in difficult times,

great is His faithfulness!

God is faithful ~ what strength that gives

what peace it lends to know

that whatever this day may hold

His promises stand ~ for they are ~

 unchanging unfailing constant and everlasting.

Oh... our God is faithful!

~~~**~~~
  
We will be glad and rejoice in Thee.
We will sing praise to thy name,
O thou most High. 
You are truly the most high God,
how can we not rejoice in You, dear Heavenly Father? 

Cause us to structure our day around You,
and draw us to that "quiet place"
found in Your Word and through prayer,
so as to sustain us and strengthen us
to Your honor and glory.
Amen

Glory to God!
~ Debbie ~ 

I'm joining the party at
Roses of Inspiration 

Grace and Reflections for a Women's Heart # 7

~ A Look Into Proverbs ~

"For the Lord giveth wisdom:
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
(Proverbs 2:6)

~~~***~~~

Proverbs contains the very wisdom of God
given to show us the value
of living prudently ~ or to be cautious

~ Righteousness can be ours ~

"He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
findeth life, righteousness, and honor."
(Proverbs 21:21)

~~~***~~~

What ever we seek in life, we tend to find it.
It may be personal happiness,
financial gain, popularity, frivolities 
or even others greater than these.
According to Matthew 6:33 we are to seek after righteousness
and everything else we desire will be added to us.
***
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you."

~~~***~~~

Jesus describes in His Word that true and vital
righteousness begins internally ~ in the heart.
Our Christian character should flow from within.
It is from a heart that seeks
"first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness."
We should turn to Him first, fill our thoughts
with His desires, so as to take His character
for the pattern of our lives. We should choose to serve and obey
Him in everything. We should hunger and thirst
after righteousness.
***
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness,
for they shall be filled."
(Matthew 5:6)

Years ago I heard these words from a Pastor;
What ever you want in your spiritual life
you can have it. Your spiritual growth depends
on the choices you make."
I have never forgotten those wise words. 
I remember telling my daughters
when they were young;
"Every moment of every day we have choices to make.
You can choose to do right or wrong,
but the choice is yours.
Our choices can either hurt or harm us."

~~~***~~~

If I want it, I can have a close walk with God, or NOT.
If I want to do God's will I can choose to, or NOT.
If I want to grow spiritually I can, or NOT.
If I want a good marriage I can have it, or NOT.
If I want to change my bad habit's
and destructive patterns I can, or NOT.
The choice is up to us.

~~~***~~~

What is important to you?
People, things, places, goals and other desires
will compete for priority.
It is easy to move God to the side lines
and take Him out of first place in our lives
if we don't actively choose to give Him first place
in every area of our lives.

~~~***~~~

We are to keep ourselves pure, draw close to God,
and He will draw close to us.
***
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts,
ye double minded."
(James 4:8)
***
If we do not choose to fill our lives with God,
we will fill it with something else.
It's easy to get trapped in the snare of excuses
and live in bondage rather than risk it all on Jesus.

How can we draw near to God and choose righteousness?
James chapter 4 verses 8 through 10 instructs us wisely;
Submit to God (verse 7) see your need of forgiveness,
and be willing to follow Him.
Resist the devil (verse 7) don't allow him to entice
and tempt you.
Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts (verse8)
that is, lead a pure life. Be cleansed from sin,
replacing it with God's purity.
Who wouldn't want His purity?
Weeping over our sin (verse 9) there needs to be sorrow
over our sins. I love Psalm 51 for this ~
David was sorry for his sin.
Are we sorry enough to STOP sinning against
a Holy and Righteous God?
Humble ourselves (verse 10) one of the hardest things for us to do
is to "humble" ourselves before God.
When we do, He will lift us up.  (1Peter 5:6)

~~~***~~~

It all begins with a seeking heart.
If we choose to put God's will
and God's righteousness first in our lives,
He will take care of everything else for us.
What a testimony of Christ living in us
when we choose first,
His righteousness.

~~~***~~~

Draw us unto Thee, Heavenly father.
May we hunger and thirst after Your righteousness
in every area of our lives.
Remind us, Holy Spirit,
that consequences surround each choice
that we make.
Amen.

Praising my Jesus!
~ Debbie ~ 

I'm joining Stephanie's party at
Roses of Inspiration 
And JES at
The Art of Home Making Mondays