Thursday, October 18, 2012

Lord, let me love Your will

Lord, let me love Your will when life is good. Let me love it in the times of happiness, in the times of carefree days, in the times of peace, in the times where everything is perfect, in the times of uncontrollable glee, and in the times of celebrating with family and friends! Let me always acknowledge You in the best of times, recognizing it is a gift from You to me to enjoy all the fullness of this life You've given me. Let it be when I am on those thrilling mountaintop experiences or in those lovely tranquil valleys that I am drawn closest to You, reveling in the pure elated bliss of simply knowing I am Yours.

Lord, let me love Your will when it brings me to a desert of life. Let me love it in the refining, in the testing, and in the reproving. Let me love it when You give me a way of escape to be able to bear it. While I bear it, Lord, quench my thirst, feed my hunger, fill my needs, and help me set my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. Let me never forget that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. And when I have gotten through, Lord, let me love it when I can look back and see the wonderful ways You were working in me, knowing it was meant to only draw me closer to You. Lord, let me love these chances where I can present myself, a worker, humbly surrendered to You.

Lord, let me love Your will when it causes me to wait. Help me love it no matter how much time may pass.

Lord, let me love Your will when it closes the doors on my dreams. Let me love it when life comes to a standstill and I'm left bowed on my knees, in speechlessness, before You in prayer. Let me love Your will when it obliterates my plans, knocks me off the platform I've created for myself, exposes my foolish notion that I thought I was actually the master of my own future, reminds me of my fragile humanity, and refines my once-muddled vision to see You were right in front of me the whole time just asking me to simply follow You. Master, let me keep placing my dreams in Your hands where I know, fully well, You have the power to crush them or mold them to love Your will. Oh, Lord, let me always choose You, so I will always embrace Your will.

Lord, let me love Your will if You give me rags instead of riches. Let me love it when my temporal needs are great and I'm left with no where else to turn but You. Let me love it in my helpless state of incompetency that let's me see Your gracious omnipotent abilities. Let me always be thankful for what You've given me, even the old, the used, the worn out, always reminding me to keep building my treasures in heaven. Oh, Lord, let me love it when my lack of worldly goods shows me the riches I have in You! Let me love this will of Yours, because You've lovingly given it to me to test my faith like nothing else has. Let me love it when my faith in You triumphs, my trust in You is sure, and my overwhelming love for You is uncontainable.

Lord, let me love Your will when it keeps me from the ones I love. Help me love those moments, days, months, or years. Lord, let me never hold back from utterly serving You for fear of losing the ones I love, or for fear of losing my own life. Help me not be afraid of those who can only kill the body, but let me always remember You are my helper, thus, what can man really do to me? Lord, let me love You more than the ones I love.

Lord, let me love Your will when it lowers me to my knees. Let me love it in my humiliation, in my unworthiness, and in my inability. Let me love it when I've been broken, knowing You're making me whole unto Yourself. Let me love it when I am weak and You are strong. Lord, let me love it when my helpless arms are lifted up to You. Let me never forget those sweet moments when You let me know how precious I am to You, and my tears are ones of loving awe that You could first love me.

Lord, let me love Your will no matter what may come to me. Let me always love it as I do now, because I know it is what You've specifically chosen for me, and, most of all, I know it is Your good pleasure that You're working out in me. How easy, then, it is to obey when I see Your will in light of eternity! Just help me always see it in light of eternity. Please, dear God, never allow me to wag my head nor point my finger at You, but let me always remember Your loving-kindness, faithfulness, grace, mercy, and goodness You've always shown toward me and toward those, whose faith I follow, that have gone before me. Lord, let me never forget that all things work together for good, and if for my good, then all things that You will to happen to me is good. Therefore, let me love everything You will to happen to me, even if at the time it seems bad, for it is good, as Father, You are good. Lord, my life is surrendered to You, therefore, I know the choices are not mine to make, so please help me always trust and obey what You choose for me, and not only that, but Lord, let me always love what You choose...that I may dearly know Christ Jesus my Lord more and more.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights"
James 1:17

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 
2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Hope Valley, CA


"Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being...Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God"
Psalm 146 




"You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word"
Psalm 119:114 




"I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more" 
Psalm 71:14




"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" 
Jeremiah 29:11




"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake"
Psalm 23




"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork"
Psalm 19:1 




"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead"
Romans 1:20 




"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." 
Lamentations 3:22-26



Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
-Frances R. Havergal

Monday, October 8, 2012

Seven Blessings

"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near." 
Revelation 1:3


"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 'Write: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.'" 
Revelation 14:13


"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 
Revelation 16:15


"Then he said to me, 'Write: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.'" 
Revelation 19:9


"Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." 
Revelation 20:6


"Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." 
Revelation 22:7


"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." 
Revelation 22:14