Precious Promises

Photo courtesy Monique Tremblay

Is there someone for whom you have prayed and prayed, and there still seems to be no change? I have several relatives for whom I regularly pray, and I'll be honest, sometimes I'm discouraged. There seems to be no hope that they will ever desire a new and better way--God's way. Some of them claim to be saved, some I feel sure are saved, some I'm not so sure.

One Rodney Griffin song (sung by Greater Vision) is an encouragement when I feel like giving up. Rodney prayed every single day for more than a decade for his father-in-law Reggie to be saved, and just two months before Reggie finally surrendered to the Lord, God gave Rodney this song to inspire him to keep praying!


It Pays To Pray

Verse 1
Hand in hand at the altar
In tears of celebration
We’d never seen them smile like this before
She’d spent her life ‘a prayin’
On bended knee ‘a stayin’
And this morning he surrendered to the Lord
There’s a message in her story
Only God can get the glory
When a child of His keeps knocking at the door

CHORUS
It Pays To Pray
It Pays to call upon His name
It Pays To Pray
To see a miracle displayed
You’ll forget the word, “impossible”
When you seek the Savior’s face
You’ll know He will make a way
It Pays To Pray

Verse 2
You’re tempted to quit prayin’
You feel He’s never listenin’
The time has come and you must make a choice
Do you stop believin’
Forget what you’ve been seekin’
Or do you resolve that Jesus hears your voice?
He will hush the angel praises
Just to hear what you are sayin’
And at any moment now you will rejoice

Bridge
Prayer is just as big as God is.
Prayer is just as strong as God is strong
Prayer can reach as far as God can reach.
Don’t ever give up just pray.

Words and Music by Rodney Griffin, ©2007 Songs of Greater Vision, BMI

Watch Rodney share the story and sing the song here:

A week ago I found out that a man for whom my family had prayed for more than 20 years finally gave his heart to the Lord! Yesterday God gave me a promise for the others for whom I'm still praying:
"...it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God." ~ Hosea 1:10

This was a promise for the nation of Israel. God said He would restore them to the point that He is able to say they are His sons--at the same place (or situation) where they previously rejected God! This week as I read it, God impressed it upon me as His Promise for some dear ones for whom I'm praying. Now that's an awesome promise!

Our Little Blue-eyed Beauty, Kyla Nichole, at 16 Months

Writing for the Soul by Jerry B. Jenkins

For all of you writers out there...

This is a helpful book from a Christian writer whose name speaks for itself. Great advice for novices, including snippets from his own writing career, celebrities he's met, and his journey from an early age Bible camp commitment to his calling as a Christian writer. Highly recommend it!


You can purchase the book here.

The Practice of Christ's Presence (1932)

Published in 1932, this book by W.Y. Fullerton is actually compiled from his talks at the Keswick Convention in England. It is an amazing inspiration that enables one to realize what the practicality of Christ's presence really means in our lives. We can learn how to become more aware of the reality of His minute-by-minute presence beside us.


Chapter titles:
1. The Promise
~accepting the fact that He promised to be with us
2. The Experience
~realizing His presence in our daily lives
3. The Expression
~a beautiful walk through the Lord's Prayer (our model prayer)
4. The Practice
~Learning to acknowledge, realize, and practice His presence through the seven "watches" of the day:

6am: We think of, thank God for, and pray to the Holy Spirit.

9am: We commit the day to the Lord.

Noon: We bring the world to His feet (praying for the world and world missions).

3pm: We glory in the cross and all that it has done and continues to do for us.

6pm: We seek special renewal of personal fellowship.

9pm: We commit the night with all its possibilities into His hand.

Midnight: We ardently long for His glorious appearing.

And also at 3am (for those awakened at this hour, it is not an accident): We sing to Him in the night and pray for sleeping saints.

Thou art the Life within me,
O Jesus, King of kings;
Thou art Thyself the answer
To all my questionings.

The book can be purchased here.

Photo: oneyearbibleblog.com

Our Cutie Patootie at 16 Months

This is our grandbaby Kyla Nichole... growing up fast! She is such a precious gift from God!

I was made in His likeness, created in His image
For I was born to serve the Lord.
And I won't deny Him, I'll always walk beside Him,
For I was born to serve the Lord.
~ Janet Trout

Spring Thaw

Loving the spring-like weather! Today I went out with Max (our yellow lab-collie) for a walk to the ball field and beyond to take pictures. I found a nest and some buds on our trees! Spring is on the way!

When we returned, our neighbour told me to have Max check the mailbox.

Here's what he found:

Beggin' Strips!


Then we went out back to the paddock to take photos of our horses...






Rueger was enjoying the sunshine. Mochaccino was too afraid of Max to venture out from under the picnic table!




It's a beautiful day with the promise of spring!

Glory, Glory Dwelleth...

O Christ, He is the fountain,
The deep, sweet well of love,
The streams on earth I've tasted,
More deep I'll drink above.
There to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel’s land.

O I am my Beloved’s
And my Beloved is mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner
Into His house of wine
I stand upon His merit--
I know no other stand,
Not e’en where glory dwelleth In Emmanuel’s land.
~Anne Cousin, "The Sands of Time Are Sinking"

It's here--not just in heaven--where glory dwells. There we will see Him face to face... and "O that will be glory for me!" But what a joy to sing and know, here and now, "It is glory just to walk with Him!"

He is all and in all (Colossians 3:11)!

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)

Do you truly know and savour this glory and fragrance?

60th Day--Never Alone!

March 1 is the sixtieth day of the year. There are 305 days left in 2010. How will I spend the rest?

I want to spend them basking in Christ's presence!

Never Be Lonely Again
I shall never be lonely again! Now, that is the secret, the pith, the marrow, the centre and the kernel of the salvation of Christ; the one thing that solves every difficulty, the master-key that opens every door. If you have the presence of Christ, you can never be alone.
~ W.Y. Fullerton, The Practice of Christ's Presence

This morning during my reading I was struck by the fact that I often pray as if Jesus is up in heaven; at times I even physically glance upward, as if toward heaven, when I am talking to Him.

It is true that Jesus is in heaven. The Bible says that He is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 10:12 and many other Scriptures). Ephesians 2:6 tells me that I am "seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

I want to live above the world, though satan's darts at me are hurled.
~hymn, "Higher Ground"

Christ IN Me
It is a wonderful truth that I can live above the world. But Scripture also teaches me that He is with me and in me (Hebrews 13:5, Colossians 1:27)! Do I really believe that Christ is with me--at eye level--walking with me, sitting with me, working with me, listening to me, talking with me?

If that reality hits home in my heart, and I truly embrace it, how much will it change the way I view things?

...When someone is unkind?
...When I feel rejected?
...When I feel unappreciated?
...When I feel lonely?
...When I feel angry?

I see the eyes of Jesus gently gazing upon me, saying, "I still love you, my daughter... I appreciate you... I am with you... I will never leave you." I feel His arms around me.

The eyes of Jesus are upon each footstep that I take,
His ears are always open when I pray;
His hands are always there to help me lift my heavy load,
His heart is broken every time I stray.
~ sung by Greater Vision

Today as you go about your day, talk to Jesus as if He is beside you, working with you, taking part in every emotion and task! Because He IS! Comment and let me know how it changes your outlook.

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me. ~ Saint Patrick