"Before the Throne of God Above"

A beautiful, beautiful song.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

(lyrics from: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/beforetg.htm)

On the tip of the tongue...

Deut. 6:6-7: "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

How to avoid 'ineffectiveness'

"...make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."

2 Peter 1:5-9

(boldness added)

Not as eye-service, as people-pleasers

Ephesians 6:5-7:

"...obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man."

Extracting from Exodus

Exodus 2:23-25 – “During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel – and God knew.”

Yes, God SEES, and, God KNOWS.

Exodus 3:11, 4:10-12: “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’

“… ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent…’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.’”

More than who are we, let’s ask, WHO IS HE?

Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’”

Nice.

Out of the heart...

My sister was talking about focusing on the heart rather than the actions, and she made mention of someone thinking about actions (like pumping gas on Sundays) , and (perhaps that that person had been) church-taught certain stuff - like how to dress at church.

And, if I remember right, in the past, she had told me that I was focusing on how I want to be - the actions - rather than the change of heart.

Yes, indeed, we should focus on the heart rather than on the actions. The change of heart will result in the change of actions...

Thanks, sis, for the reminder.

Spontaneous Acts of Kindness

...are wonderful!!

Like today, my friend called me and asked me if I had read my Bible yesterday. Other than the Bible study I went to, it's possible that I may not have. When she came to class, she gave me a cookie(s), wrapped up in foil - as an incentive.

How thoughtful!!!!!

Thank you, friend, if you read this :)

Heart Struggle Tests

It's interesting to think that perhaps the reason for life/heart trials could be God trying to make us stronger through them, to bring us closer to Him through it. To think He cares enough about us and may be using those trials to glorify Him & develop our character & to bring us contentment though Him...

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)

God, please teach me to count my struggles as joy - please make me complete & content in Your will...

Que Sera Sera

from the Doris Day song on http://www.lyriczz.com/lyriczz.php?songid=12960:

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.

[...]

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.

[...]

"Never Underestimate My Jesus"

from a Relient K song from http://www.azlyrics.us/209163:

Am I at the point of no improvement?
What are the deaths I still dwell in?
I try to excel but I feel no movement
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin
[...]

CHORUS:
Never underestimate my Jesus
your tellin me that there's no hope
I’m tellin you your wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
when the world around you crumbles
He will be strong [...]

I throw up my hands
oh the impossibilities
Frustrated and tired
Where do I go from here?
Now I’m searchin' for
The confidence I lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles
Is overcoming my fears
[...]

CHORUS

[...]
I think I can't
but I think you can
I think you can gather my insufficiencies and
place them in your hands
[...]