For the Beauty of the Earth

So much we are unsure of, devastation, young men who have not found Christ yet and kill, kill others who make them afraid; everywhere we turn, cancers and tumors and death, fear for some and worry...prayers for all.  Then, Gosnell, I cannot even call him Dr., a real Dr. saves lives, not kills, he helps, builds up, not tears down; earthquakes where buildings fall and collapse, more lives lost, a 12 yr. old dies because no one knew he was diabetic, a mom with no sleep because she is with her 2 yr. old she knows is diabetic, a mother who "regrets she had children?" friends who lose a baby before he is complete, yet, he is complete in Christ.  That is the secret.   

"The Lord by wisdom founded the earth,

By understanding He established the heavens."

Proverbs 3:19

"As the light of the morning when the sun rises,

A morning without clouds,

When the tender grass springs out of the earth,

Through sunshine after rain."

2 Samuel 23:4

"Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?

Who is like You, majestic in holiness,

Awesome in praises, working wonders?"

Exodus 15:11

"As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes."

Psalm 103:15

"For he will be like a tree planted by the water,

That extends its roots by a stream..."

Jeremiah 17:8a

"I will sing to the Lord,

for He is highly exalted;"

Exodus 15:1a

"The Lord is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation;

This is my God, and I will praise Him;

My father's God, and I will extol Him."

Exodus 15:2

"Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge."

Psalm 19:2

Jesus never said our lives would not see trouble, calamity, sickness, strife, worry, fear, but He did say He would give us the strength to make it through, to carry on, to be a witness to His Name, and to bring glory to Him in ALL things.

"Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation,

And gather us and deliver us from the nations,

To give thanks to Your holy name,

And glory in Your praise."

1 Chronicles 17:35

"And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, 

if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be 

compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Romans 8:17-18

You see, when Christ is our hope, there is a hope, because "our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort" (2 Cor. 1:7); there is a peace that transcends all understanding, a courage, a confidence, there is strength in the name of Jesus, that He will be with you, He will walk alongside and will guide and hold when you begin to fall.  

For our neighbors who lost their husbands, neighbors who lost their dad and a mom, those we know and don't know with cancers and tumors, a great aunt with hip replacement surgery, church friends awaiting tests or surgeries, others simply struggling to hear where God wants them to be, to live, to worship, to serve, we pray.right.now.for God to fulfill His promises as we wait.patiently.for.Him.yes.just.Him.to work.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  

Romans 15:13

Always giving thanks for you dear readers, I pray in some small way you are touched by the mighty hand of God today. 

Let me know how God has richly blessed you.and.give.thanks.

In His Grace,
Jody

Your Grace Still Amazes Me

Everything is growing and changing to the most beautiful green right now.  As I sit and listen to the thunder, watch the lightning that was displayed before my ears and eyes, and now, sit back and hear the glorious sound of the rain coming gently down, I am in awe and amazed at how our God blesses us and chooses to continuously give us the beauty of the earth.

It is a gentle rain, a good soaking rain, one to make the grass grow and the flowers and trees to bloom.  A lovely sounding rain to relax a tired soul, an anxious soul, and as I see the grass turning green almost before my eyes, I am grateful.  

Grateful for His Grace, 

      Grateful for His mercy, 

            Grateful for His love, 

                   Grateful for His provisions,

                          Grateful for His blessings,

                                 Grateful for His salvation.

How can we not delight in our God, the Lord Jesus Christ?  How can we not throw ourselves before His throne, to worship Him in reverence, in song, in dance, on bended knee, prostrate before Him, with words of love, of kindness, of adoration, of praise, of confession, of adulation, of obedience.  

"Bless the lord, O my soul, 

And all that is within me, 

bless His holy name."

Psalm 103:1

"My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed."
Psalm 71:23

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul is satisfied...

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips."

Psalm 63:3-5

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever."

Psalm 30:11-12

"I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,

My soul will exult in my God."

Isaiah 61:10a

"These verses and many others command us to worship God in ways that express deep gratitude, longing for Him, and joy for our salvation.  This gratitude, longing, and joy should overflow our hearts, causing praise for His character and nature.  We are not free to praise God in any way we decide; we are to worship Him in the ways that He has prescribed.  God has told us how to praise Him.  We are to do so with all that is within us, with shouts of joy, with songs of thanks and gladness, with faces and hands uplifted!

Should not we, who know the mercy of redemption, be filled with more praise than the angels who have worshiped since the beginning of time?  God recounts how all the 'morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy' (Job 38:7)  How much more should we, who have been forgiven, redeemed, adopted, and made heirs of His kingdom, praise Him and shout for joy?  

(Excerpt from Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick)

As I see the beauty before me, and hear God's beauty around me, I stand in awe, and I bow on bended knee to give thanks for all He has done.  

We give our obedience, not out of fear, yes, there is a reverent fear of who God is, but we give it because He commands it; He has called us out, to be different, to shine, to walk differently.  It is when you see no difference, we must question if we are truly walking with the One who gives life, who is Truth, who gives and who takes away; it is then, my confession must come before Him, of whom else am I glorifying if others do not see me as one who obeys only my Lord and King, Jesus Christ. 

My Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, I pray for those around us, right around us;
the farmer with 2 brain tumors, 
my cousins who lost their mother at the age of 80
a friend with prostrate cancer
a man with  a tumor on his kidney 
a friend who lost her mother and her father-in-law
a friend whose nephew died at the age of 12
my dad has pleurisy
my mom who has pulled a back muscle
neighbor with breast cancer
my sister's son with Type 1 diabetes at 8 months old, he's 2 now
friend who miscarried - looking to God who said "Be fruitful and multiply"

Oh, how Your grace still amazes me in times of need!  These dear friends are looking and leaning on You Lord.  Give them Your grace, and thank You for sustaining us in our lives here.  Jesus, we thank You for using all things to bring glory to Your Name.

In His Grace,
Jody