Sing Out All Ye God's People!

A heavenly choir (Photo credit: jophan)

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
    but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7

New Living Translation (NLT)

       I'd like to believe that the United States is boasting in the name of God, but sadly our nation on the greater part rejects God and has a tendency to rely on the power of weaponry, technology, and the force of man.   Nations that stay on that track are destined for a future crash.  The fastest gun is eventually sought out by an upstart gunman looking to usurp power for his own gain.

       Individually we can put our faith in the Lord of Lords, the Mighty God of the Universe, and we can be saved from the torment of eternal suffering.  The world gives us the world in its sad temporality.   Now is not tomorrow.   No matter how hard we grasp and cling to the present, we can never keep it.   Memories may remain, but they are an insignificant replacement for a glory that can be ours in eternity.

       You have a choice in your own destiny, but is that choice the best one you can make.   A day of judgement is coming.  Will you be lifting your voice in a heavenly choir of praise to the Lord?   Or have you rejected God and given your trust to things of this weary world?   Do you even think about any of this?

        A precipice lies ahead on your darkened path as you journey through life.   Don't fall into that pit of despair and separation from your Creator.   Be lifted on the wings of love and be ready to sing for eternity.

And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your works,
    O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations.
 Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
    For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
    for your righteous deeds have been revealed.

Revelation 15:3-4

New Living Translation (NLT)

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Let Your Worries Go

Thanks god, my dearest and all dear friends! ...
(Photo credit: Thai Jasmine (Smile..smile...Smile..))

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:11

New International Version (NIV)

       One thing I know is that if I left things to my mind's devices I could be in a constant state of worries.  I'd fret myself sick over little things that don't really mean all that much.   My life, my comfort, and my happiness would be obliterated by the big worries that actually can have consequence to me, my loved ones, and the world around me.   There is more than enough for me to worry about and little that I can do about much of it.

         A little bit of faith can go a long way.   God doesn't mean for us to worry ourselves sick or let our concerns about what could happen stop us from appreciating the good things that are happening every day.  We are in this world for a short time.   Let's praise God for what we have,  pray to God for what we need, and love God for the good things that are yet to come.

         We can easily worry ourselves into bad health.   What's the point of doing that?  It's all good--even when it's bad.   Ugly times are eventually followed by beauty.  The world keeps on turning as generations pass in the parade of time.   Trust in God.   He knows what He's doing.

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Romans 12:12

New Living Translation (NLT)

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Pray Like You Mean It

Prayer is the language (Photo credit: Lel4nd)

The Lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:8

New King James Version (NKJV)

        A wandering mind can be a tough thing to keep reined in.  That's my experience at least.  There will be times when I find my quiet place and moment when I fully intend to focus on prayer, then my mind will wander off to my concerns and worries and I'll momentarily leave God out of the conversation.  It's somewhat difficult to control since this is the way I tend to think.

        The daily distractions that we face can often make guided focused prayer a bit of a challenge.  Our conversations with God should be directed toward Him.  Prayer life can easily turn into a ritualized rote of recitation if we don't put our mind into it.   We should be guided by the spirit within us, but we should think about where the spirit is leading us.  Prayer is not about empty words with no thought behind them.

         We have much to be thankful for and many reasons to offer up praise to God.   All that we do in our prayer and praise life should have meaning and purpose. 

What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

1 Corinthians 14:15

English Standard Version (ESV)

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The Ultimate Peace

Jajce waterfalls (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

Psalm 42:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

       God speaks to us in many ways.  What He says to us is not always what we want to hear, but it is what we need to hear.   His words have purpose.  His messages have meaning.  Pain, suffering, and sorrow are unpleasant, but the turmoils of life are like rocks in the river and jagged crags over which waters pass on their journey to the sea.  The bumps in the road are often what we need to jostle us into wakefulness.

       Quiet rooms or secluded spots in natural settings can be refreshment to the soul.   Meditative moments are encouraged to bring us in touch with ourselves and our relationships to God.  We are bombarded by the media telling us of the things in this world that we might have a tendency to fear or worry about.   People around us can create apprehension and fretful concern.  Take heart that these things are temporal and fleeting.   What doesn't kill us makes us stronger goes the old adage.  There is much truth to that.

         No matter what the world lays on us to add to our troubles there is always a refuge for the soul, a restorative of the heart and body, a place to hear that still small voice from the heart of all creation.  Close your eyes and breathe slowly, evenly.  God will carry you over the tumultuous waters of the troubled world.  Peace does not come from this world.  Peace comes from God.      

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

New King James Version (NKJV)

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