Category: A Door of Hope

Some truths are hard-won, aren't they?  Especially Biblical truths.

It often takes hours and hours of study and reading and prayer to find exactly where God wants you to stand on an issue.

There are times, however, when a Truth is very plain.  We only have to read it…and believe it.

Psalm 34:17-19 "The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all."

No debate needed.

No deep study required.

Simply come with childlike faith, read His Word and believe it with all your heart.

And just in case you don't get it the first time, He tells you again:

Psalm 147:3 "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."

God's Word is ultimate Truth.

Simply read…and believe.

 

"If you are a caregiver, be encouraged that God does not forget your hard work.  Even though the person you take care of may not be able to express his or her appreciation, God won't forget." ~ Gigi Murfitt, Caregivers' Devotions to Go
 

 

Hebrews 6:10 – "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which
ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the
saints, and do minister."

"A mother's hands shape the heart and soul of those she loves." ~ Gigi Murfitt, Caregivers' Devotions to Go

Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which
are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do
all the words of this law."
Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe
to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt
make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath
chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that
are upon the face of the earth.
 The LORD did not set his
love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any
people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
 But because
the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had
sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty
hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of
Pharaoh king of Egypt."

These words were written to the children of Israel; but do you think God loves us any less?

Galatians 3:28-29 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

As saved believers, we are the Lord God's special people.  He has chosen us.  He has set His love on us.  He redeemed us.

We are His treasure.

No matter what the world may tell us, we are precious to the Lord.

May our lives reflect this wonderful truth!

Doug and I shared our freshman year of college with four young men from the Bahamas.  They were each a pleasure to be around, with their distinct personalities and characteristics; but it was when they were together, singing in our chapel services, that they blessed me the most.

They often sang that old hymn, Channels Only, and the chapel room would ring as their voices blended on every verse, with their lovely Bahamian accents.

This verse was my favorite:

Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,

A clean vessel in Thy hand;

With no power but as Thou givest

Graciously with each command.

Channels only, blessèd Master,

But with all Thy wondrous power

Flowing through us, Thou canst use us

Every day and every hour.

I had no idea at that young idealistic age of 17 exactly what it meant to be "emptied" by the Lord; and that's probably just as well. 😉

However, these many years later, I can look back and see how much work the Lord has done in my arrogant, naive and self-centered heart.

It's no fun being emptied by the Lord; but I am so thankful for the work He has done.  I am especially grateful that every time He removed something from my heart, He replaced it with Himself.

Less of me = More of Him

When I am emptied of self, I become a channel, a vessel, that God can flow through.

It is a lofty goal that should be actively pursued by every child of God.

"Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me…"

Amen, Lord.

Psalm 42:1-2 "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God…"