2010

Happy New Year!! This is my prayer too…God’s will be done, His way and time—yes and amen.

Source:  Days of Praise <December 2009 | January | February 2010

Thursday, December 31

A Prayer for Good Works

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

            The great paradox of God’s sovereignty over our lives and His expectation of our willful obedience and joyful labor in His Kingdom has often confused the saints.  I know that God will be with me always (Matthew 28:20), but I also know that He expects me to “work out” my own salvation (Philippians 2:12).

            I’ve prayed this prayer many times before.  Will you join with me today?

            O Lord, God.  We cannot know the end of a thing.  We do not have certainty about the plans of our days.  Forgive us when we try consulting You.  Forgive our blundering efforts to make something happen.  We do love You, and we want to please You, but our lives are so caught up in the things of this world.  Help us, Lord.  Help us to know how much we need You.  Help us to see the real values of eternal things.  Give us a greater awareness of Your Holy Spirit.  Give us a holy awe of Your Word.  Drive us to our knees more often, Lord.  Keep us close.

            Oh, our Father.  Purge us from the ungodly.  Separate us from the sins that hinder and blind.  Meet us in the halls of our heart, and sanctify us there.  Protect us from the secret and presumptuous sins and renew a right spirit within us.

            And then, Lord Jesus, embolden us for the work ahead.  Provide our daily bread.  Cleanse our sins and enrich our fellowship with the saints.  Clothe us in the armor of God and place us where we must stand.  Enable us to resist the enemy in the faith, see his strongholds crumble and his minions flee.  Grant us a fruitful harvest and an effective ministry.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  HMM III

My Firm Foundation

I was blessed by this below reading as I work on finals which appears overwhelming but not beyond God’s enabling.  God never fails and continues to assure me that He is ever in control.  He married me giving me the color of sapphire, 22^nd Sep, as a wedding band.  I am blessed because He is faithful and nothing is wasted with Him.  No matter the circumstance, He carries me and continues to be strong enough for me to lean on.  As His tapestry, He is ever weaving and even chiseling me—no matter the pain–I know that if He was not the center of my life, the life He’s given me, I would be nought.  *I have hope* Thank you for coming to my rescue Jesus.  I love you and thank You for loving me first and most! Psalm 121

Source:  http://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/me/view.cfm?Date=12/15&Time=pm

Author:  Charles Haddon Spurgeon, December 15^th Evening Reading

“And lay thy foundations with sapphires.” — Isaiah 54:11

Not only that which is seen of the church of God, but that which is unseen, is fair and precious. Foundations are out of sight, and so long as they are firm it is not expected that they should be valuable; but in Jehovah’s work everything is of a piece, nothing slurred, nothing mean. The deep foundations of the work of grace are as sapphires for preciousness, no human mind is able to measure their glory. We build upon the covenant of grace, which is firmer than adamant, and as enduring as jewels upon which age spends itself in vain. Sapphire foundations are eternal, and the covenant abides throughout the lifetime of the Almighty. Another foundation is the person of the Lord Jesus, which is clear and spotless, everlasting and beautiful as the sapphire; blending in one the deep blue of earth’s ever rolling ocean and the azure of its all embracing sky. Once might our Lord have been likened to the ruby as He stood covered with His own blood, but now we see Him radiant with the soft blue of love, love abounding, deep, eternal. Our eternal hopes are built upon the justice and the faithfulness of God, which are clear and cloudless as the sapphire. We are not saved by a compromise, by mercy defeating justice, or law suspending its operations; no, we defy the eagle’s eye to detect a flaw in the groundwork of our confidence—our foundation is of sapphire, and will endure the fire.

The Lord Himself has laid the foundation of His people’s hopes. It is matter for grave enquiry whether our hopes are built upon such a basis. Good works and ceremonies are not a foundation of sapphires, but of wood, hay, and stubble; neither are they laid by God, but by our own conceit. Foundations will all be tried ere long: woe unto him whose lofty tower shall come down with a crash, because based on a quicksand. He who is built on sapphires may await storm or fire with equanimity, for he shall abide the test.

Breath On Me, My Trustworthy Father

Now a little over a month into a different season in life with Christ, I continue to remain thankful to God with His help because it is not about me at all but about Him.  As I am writing now, I am being reminded on kwve as well as by a song that has been on my mind which I will note below to continue to keep my eyes on Jesus no matter what.  Even though I do not deserve Him, my faith is in Him…His grace, mercy and compassion amazes me…I want to serve God and know that I can depend on Him come what may because He remains faithful through it all.  I pray any and all who read this would be encouraged because just as God knows my needs and wants, He knows yours too. 

“When I am afraid” by Frank Hernandez (source:  http://www.tprecords.com/deblyrics.html)

When I am afraid, I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You.

When I am afraid I will trust in You, In God whose word I praise. (Repeat)

In God I trust, when I am afraid.  In God I trust, in God whose word I praise.

Lovely Love’s Presence

Paddi, I pray to remain in Your presence—that it would fall upon me and anyone else praying this as well this day and always so much so that I/we get lost in Your love because all I/we want is more of You.

This is Love

As I am embarking on a new chapter with the LORD, here is one of the scripture/song I find myself repeating verbally and nonverbally.  I pray it blesses you as well!

BE STILL (Psalm 46:10) by J. Hanz Ives

(CHORUS)

Be still and know that I am God

I will be exalted among the people

Be still and know that I am God

I will be exalted among the people

I will be exalted

I will be exalted

I will be exalted in all the earth

 

(REPEAT CHORUS)

 

(BRIDGE)

Let your praises be heard

Let your hearts be glad

I am the eternal Word

Forever on the throne

 

(CHORUS/TAG)

Be still and know that I am God

I will be exalted among the people

Be still and know that I am God

I will be exalted among the people

I will be exalted among the people

I will be exalted in all the earth

Just Love, Yet Not A Just

True Love—covers all wounds.  Loving is not a cloth to put on and take off upon circumstance or background—Love never fails.

Rediscover God’s Amazing Grace

As I listen and join Sherri to God’s throne of grace, I rediscover God’s amazing grace afresh! His love divine sweeps me off my feet and into His everlasting arms…I thank God for this beloved sister and pray His will continue to be done in and through her!! For more information, please visit:  http://www.sherriyoungward.com/sherri.aspx.  I know that no matter the hour, whether in sickness or health, rich or poor,…He continues to still my soul like to no other and I choose to walk by faith not by sight, so help me God.

In Christ alone~

 

THESE THINGS DON’T CHANGE

Words and music Sherri Youngward

  

Be still my soul

I can see the horizon

A cold cold wind is about to blow

  

Be still my soul

I will not falter  

Faith believes when it cannot see     

This I know

  

Nothing will ever take this love away

The grass will wither and the flower fade

These things don’t change

  

Bless the Lord oh my soul

I’m stepping off of this familiar shore

I’ll put to test the things I know        

This I know

  

By surprise He’ll catch me by surprise

He will burst right through the skies

And we will fly away

 

Height, depth, width, breadth, poverty,

Prosperity, kingdoms, power, 

Persecution, life, death, tribulation, 

Love, hate, chance, fate, angels, demons, sinner, saint, nothing on earth no

created thing

 

Sherri- J150 Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Danny- J45 Gibson Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Loops, 1865 Stewart Banjo, 1969 Fender Telecaster

Jon Button- Bass

Aaron Redfield- Drums

Glorify Thy Name

I kiss goodbye to my agendas and dreams. 

Lord, whatever You want to do with me,

PLEASE do!

I cannot live without You.

I am sorry for wanting to take control.

I cannot take another step without You, Papi.

I am weak and helpless.

Please come to my rescue.

I know all I am and have ARE Yours.

I offer myself to You as a burnt offering.

Do with me as You will, Savior,

Do with me as You will

For this life I live

Was never mine but Yours.

I thank You for meeting me

And I solemnly pray,

GLORIFY THY NAME AS

I SURRENDER ALL!!

Only By Grace

“…Salvation is not based upon my knowledge, my deep study, or my 24 hour prayer chain. It’s based upon one thing only: the grace and goodness of God in sending One Man, the Last Adam: Jesus Christ.” –Pastor Jon Courson, 22May2009 Daily Devotional, Romans 5:20-21

My Passion

Vicky Beeching – Above All Else

Jesus, my passion in life is to know You
May all other goals bow down to This journey of loving You more
Jesus, You’ve showered Your goodness on me
Given Your gifts so freely
But there’s one thing I’m longing for
Hear my heart’s cry
And my prayer for this life

Above all else
Above all else
Above all else
Give me Yourself

Savior, the more that I see Your beauty
The more that I glimpse Your glory
My heart is captured by You
Jesus, You are my greatest treasure
Nothing this world can offer
Could ever compare to You
So, hear my heart’s cry
And my prayer for this life

__________________________________________________________ 

I was blessed to worship God with this wonderful daughter of His at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa’s Pure Worship Conference! I too pray, “…above all else, Jesus, give me Yourself…”