He Longs to be Gracious

                              

                              Our Father God Longs to be Gracious to Us!

From Isaiah:  "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says, 

'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it....yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore, He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of Justice, blessed are all who wait for Him.'" Isaiah 30:15-18.

What an amazing God we have! He 'longs to be gracious to us!' He even rises up to greet us and show us mercy when we approach His throne.

The prophet Micah says this: "You delight to show mercy!" (Micah 7:9).

Who would ever even imagine a God like this?

P.S. And notice where our strength lies? "In quietness and trust..."

"Be still and know that I am God" He tell us.

Prayer for the New Year

                                   O LOVE BEYOND COMPARE


Thou art good when thou givest,
     when thou takest away
     when the sun shines upon me,
     when night gathers over me.

Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
     and in love did redeem my soul;


Thou dost love me still,
     in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.

Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
    leading me through a twisting wilderness,
         in retreat helping me to advance,
         when beaten back making sure headway.

Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,


With thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.

I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.

If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
     thou will be with me in them;


If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
     I shall not drown.

If I am to die,
     I shall see thy face the sooner;

If a painful end is to be my lot,
     grant me grace that my faith fail not;


Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
     as a chosen vessel ready always for thy use.


--From Valley of Vision - Collection of Puritan Prayers









    

Memorizing Moments

Today is New Year's Eve. The weather is warm and ambiguous -- cloudy for a while and then clear and sunny. I can watch the clouds scurrying across the sky, moving as if they had a place to go and a certain time to be there. Perhaps for an important appointment for which they could not be late.

I am thinking of a song we sang many years ago. It was popular for a while.....My Cup Runneth Over With Love. It is romantic and poignant. It is a true love song. (I guess some people might call it a "girly song," but I just think of it as a wonderfully romantic 'til death do us part' kind of song).

Sometimes in the morning, when shadows are deep
I lie here beside you, just watching you sleep
And sometimes I whisper what I'm thinking of
My cup runneth over with love.

Sometimes in the evening when you do not see
I study the small things you do constantly
I memorize moments that I'm fondest of
My cup runneth over with love.

In only a moment we both will be old
We won't even notice the world turning cold
And so, in this moment, with sunlight above,
My cup runneth over with love.

I think often of the line I memorize moments that I'm fondest of.....and remind myself that the moments I should memorize are the good moments...

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse....
Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

The moments I should NOT memorize?

I Corinthians 13: Love...keeps no record of wrongs.

So I guess that's it: my resolution for 2026...Keep good moments recorded and cherished in my memory.

Throw out the record of slights and insults and perceived misbehaviors of others, and remember all the goodnesses that have been--and are--shown to me, almost 100% of which I did not--and do not--deserve, but are graciously given to me by people who mercifully overlook my wrongs and misbehaviors....

friends and family who have not kept a record of my wrongs.

When God Speaks

 

When God Speaks

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of His being." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Back in Genesis, before we even thought to speak to Him, He turned His Face toward us and spoke to us.

(Remember Adam and Eve, after they sinned, did it even occur to them to approach God and ask forgiveness? No, they hid and He sought them out!)

And then He continued to speak to us, through His prophets, and then through His Son, and now through His Word.

Yes, He spoke to us before we ever even thought to speak to Him.

If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father," Jesus told His disciples.

And from 1 John 4:19, "We love Him because He first loved us."

God's rescue plan to bring us back to Him always starts with God Himself.

And aren't you glad He didn't wait for us to begin the conversation?

What Do We Need Right Now

                                            

                        What Do We Need Right Now?

That's easy!

We need an army of soldiers  dedicated to Jesus Christ, who believe not only that He is God, but that He will fulfill every promise He ever made and there isn't anything too hard for Him.

That is the only way we can accomplish the thing that is  on His heart - getting the gospel to every creature.

So the need of this hour is to believe that our God controls the universe, and when He said, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God," (Habakkuk 2) He meant it.

We see in Revelation that this will someday all be fulfilled just as prophesied.  And right now, we need to start the battle for souls of mankind. 

Too often we look at the church as if it were a cruise ship, a Carnival for salvation. But it is more like a  battleship, not a holiday cruise ship, but a warship equipped for the battles we are facing against the enemy who wants so  desperately to retain  possession of his stronghold here on earth.  He is dedicated to keeping his kingdom in power, and we must be even more  dedicated to bringing  Christ's kingdom to earth. Every soul  saved right now will return with Jesus when He comes back to reign, and they will lead the celebration when the world bows in recognition at who Christ is and what He did.

And that is what is going to happen. "And every knee will bow and every tongue  confess that Jesus Christ is  Lord." (Philippians 2).