Hope Follows Praise
March 31, 2011
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ~Ephesians 1:6 KJV~
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
- Emily Dickinson, an untitled poem
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer in need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
~Philippians 4: 12-13 KJV~
This morning my tug from God came quite early. I thought about what I wrote yesterday and before I even read today’s comments from others’ or read email, I knew I had to write this. Yesterday I wanted to send an e-card to someone on another site I frequent. The card I picked had the verse from Emily Dickinson on it. That poem came to mind this morning and I realized that if I praise the Lord when I nothing, it opens a door for hope. If I praise God in abundance, that doesn’t show genuine faith. I’m just praising the material things I have or have acquired. The Lord wants me “through thick and thin,” so the verse from Philippians came to mind, but I didn’t know where it was, so I had to search for it. YAY! I dove into the Bible for an answer. Right now I’m a mixture of excitement, serenity, just feeling so good I feel as if I’m going to explode. Understand? I certainly do at this moment. Now I can eat lunch and read my other email.
Blessings upon you.
Michelle Rose
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sadness in the Midst of Joy
Sadness in the Midst of Joy
March 30, 2011
“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.”
- Isaiah 53:3-4 New King James Version
10 and those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10
(New International Version, ©2011)
I’ve got to admit, I’m feeling a mixture of sadness and joy today. The joy comes from the fact that I did one of my “nice” things today – 2 loads of laundry, new sheets and towels, a “comfort” food dinner (mixed salad with TJ’s dressing), then took a shower to feel clean when I get into bed. The sadness comes from the fact that I am now officially unemployed – I filed for unemployment today. Well, maybe the Lord has something better in mind for me as far as work is concerned. I get many of my Bible verses from a site called www.biblegateway.com. The first one is the verse of the day and tells from what I can figure out – how Jesus understood all our grief and sorrows, yet we rejected him. The second, I searched for in the topic index. It sounds like it’s about Jesus coming back to take all His followers to Heaven and how our sorry will be replaced by joy in the Lord’s presence. It’s incredible that both verses come from Isaiah. What I was actually searching for instead, was to see if there was a verse (well, other than “…Sarah laughed” because she was pregnant at an advanced age) that told about God’s humor. God must have a sense of humor, since for 6 months I’ve felt terrible and now that I feel better, I have no work. Please – no advice – ok? Again, this is something that I have to work out between the Lord and I in prayer, in these blogs, in reading the Bible. The Lord appears to be doing much work in my life right now. Sometimes, it’s such a pleasure, but other times it’s so confusing. Hey, God, help me out here, ok?
March 30, 2011
“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.”
- Isaiah 53:3-4 New King James Version
10 and those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10
(New International Version, ©2011)
I’ve got to admit, I’m feeling a mixture of sadness and joy today. The joy comes from the fact that I did one of my “nice” things today – 2 loads of laundry, new sheets and towels, a “comfort” food dinner (mixed salad with TJ’s dressing), then took a shower to feel clean when I get into bed. The sadness comes from the fact that I am now officially unemployed – I filed for unemployment today. Well, maybe the Lord has something better in mind for me as far as work is concerned. I get many of my Bible verses from a site called www.biblegateway.com. The first one is the verse of the day and tells from what I can figure out – how Jesus understood all our grief and sorrows, yet we rejected him. The second, I searched for in the topic index. It sounds like it’s about Jesus coming back to take all His followers to Heaven and how our sorry will be replaced by joy in the Lord’s presence. It’s incredible that both verses come from Isaiah. What I was actually searching for instead, was to see if there was a verse (well, other than “…Sarah laughed” because she was pregnant at an advanced age) that told about God’s humor. God must have a sense of humor, since for 6 months I’ve felt terrible and now that I feel better, I have no work. Please – no advice – ok? Again, this is something that I have to work out between the Lord and I in prayer, in these blogs, in reading the Bible. The Lord appears to be doing much work in my life right now. Sometimes, it’s such a pleasure, but other times it’s so confusing. Hey, God, help me out here, ok?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Ten Percent
Ten Percent
March 29, 2011
10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
Malachi 3:10 NIV
The following quotes are from www.quotegarden.com
God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine. ~David Nicholas
Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to God for a faith lift. ~Author Unknown
In this blog, please understand I’m not asking for any advice. I wanted to write about this issue, since it’s been on my mind. This is a matter between God and me. And, I have to work it out and pray for guidance from God to achieve the trust I need to follow this commandment from Him. For several days, Charles Stanley has been talking about finances in relation to the Lord in his magazine In Touch. This has always been a matter in which I’ve never done well in my faith. One of my Christian friends told me that she thinks I have financial problems because I don’t tithe. When I think about it, as I’ve grown in my faith, I know she could be right. The fact that I only have to take 10% from my SSDI or paycheck will not leave me totally out of money. I think I waste more money than this on things I don’t need, like junk food, so why can’t I take out 10%. It’s all a matter of trusting God and being willing to do as He asks so that He will return blessings in exchange for trust and obedience. Ok, that’s great when I’m earning money, but right now I’m unemployed, so no money is coming in. And yes, I have the standard qualm about, well, how am I going to pay the bills? Needless to say, I’ve lived pretty much below the poverty line much of my life – yes, the old paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. So, tonight I sold something for $5.00. Well, 10% is only fifty cents. Wouldn’t now be a good time to start tithing? In the coming days I will spend more time in prayer about tithing, asking God to help me trust Him more. Maybe the Lord put this issue on my mind because He wants me to move beyond it.
March 29, 2011
10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
Malachi 3:10 NIV
The following quotes are from www.quotegarden.com
God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine. ~David Nicholas
Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to God for a faith lift. ~Author Unknown
In this blog, please understand I’m not asking for any advice. I wanted to write about this issue, since it’s been on my mind. This is a matter between God and me. And, I have to work it out and pray for guidance from God to achieve the trust I need to follow this commandment from Him. For several days, Charles Stanley has been talking about finances in relation to the Lord in his magazine In Touch. This has always been a matter in which I’ve never done well in my faith. One of my Christian friends told me that she thinks I have financial problems because I don’t tithe. When I think about it, as I’ve grown in my faith, I know she could be right. The fact that I only have to take 10% from my SSDI or paycheck will not leave me totally out of money. I think I waste more money than this on things I don’t need, like junk food, so why can’t I take out 10%. It’s all a matter of trusting God and being willing to do as He asks so that He will return blessings in exchange for trust and obedience. Ok, that’s great when I’m earning money, but right now I’m unemployed, so no money is coming in. And yes, I have the standard qualm about, well, how am I going to pay the bills? Needless to say, I’ve lived pretty much below the poverty line much of my life – yes, the old paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. So, tonight I sold something for $5.00. Well, 10% is only fifty cents. Wouldn’t now be a good time to start tithing? In the coming days I will spend more time in prayer about tithing, asking God to help me trust Him more. Maybe the Lord put this issue on my mind because He wants me to move beyond it.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Lord's Blessings
Ok, my friends. I have my correct website/blog online for you. My brain has been a bit fuzzy and I didn't post the correct one - http://mylessonseachday.blogspot.com I think the Lord has been wanting me to write about this verse for sometime now, since the bookmark with the benediction on it kept falling out of my KJV Bible. Well, that's why I call this blog God's Tug.
Blessings to all of you.
Michelle Rose
The Lord’s Blessings
March 27, 2011
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 KJV
As a child when I attended a Presbyterian church with my parents in Livingston, NJ, the minister would use this verse as the benediction after the church service. I didn’t know until I was much older and had moved from NJ that it was from the Bible. All these years, it has followed me and entered my mind as a promise from the Lord to watch over me. I have it on a small plastic bookmark that is in my King James Version of the Bible. Just as the words soothed me as a child, they still soothe me now. It’s so amazing that the Lord loves me so much He’s watched over me all these years – from childhood to adulthood. Each part of this verse is written to show just how much the Lord loves His people – blessing, keeping, shining, graciousness, lifting up, and peacefulness. What wonderful promises. I know for me, I will love the Lord until I see Him face to face and then even more. He has watched me all my life and will continue to do so. The Lord has blessed me. Hallelujah!
Blessings to all of you.
Michelle Rose
The Lord’s Blessings
March 27, 2011
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 KJV
As a child when I attended a Presbyterian church with my parents in Livingston, NJ, the minister would use this verse as the benediction after the church service. I didn’t know until I was much older and had moved from NJ that it was from the Bible. All these years, it has followed me and entered my mind as a promise from the Lord to watch over me. I have it on a small plastic bookmark that is in my King James Version of the Bible. Just as the words soothed me as a child, they still soothe me now. It’s so amazing that the Lord loves me so much He’s watched over me all these years – from childhood to adulthood. Each part of this verse is written to show just how much the Lord loves His people – blessing, keeping, shining, graciousness, lifting up, and peacefulness. What wonderful promises. I know for me, I will love the Lord until I see Him face to face and then even more. He has watched me all my life and will continue to do so. The Lord has blessed me. Hallelujah!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Trust
Trust
March 26, 2011
9 And [God] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. II Corinthians 12:9 KJV
The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 NLT
My condition has been going on for almost (or more than) 6 months now. It’s worse in the mornings and throughout the day, but slightly better at night. I don’t know what this condition is, but I know that I will find out eventually what’s causing it. Throughout the last several months, God has been with me. He has held me up and strengthened me. God has given me hope, that I will eventually feel better. Now I don’t know this for sure, but through the Lord’s grace I know it. Yes, the situation is frustrating, since I have much less energy than I had previously, but if I’m not trusting God to take care of me and Jesus to walk beside me, then who can I trust? I believe that the Lord is my Heavenly Physician. He can go where no doctor on earth can go in my body because He made me. Modern medical science may have progressed since the early days, but it’s still a guessing game much of the time. God never guesses – He knows. I must admit, I knew I had to write about the verse from II Corinthians when I saw it on Everett Christian’s Good Things last night. I also saw this version of the first verse of the 23rd Psalm on Good Things and it made so much sense to me. It’s written in a positive light. Words are so powerful. As a writer I know this. So I take these 2 verses together and use them to hold me up when I don’t feel so strong. And when they hold me up, it’s not my strength, but God’s strength and glory that are helping me. It is God’s glory – not mine. Or, another way to say it is, “What a friend [I] have in Jesus.
March 26, 2011
9 And [God] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. II Corinthians 12:9 KJV
The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 NLT
My condition has been going on for almost (or more than) 6 months now. It’s worse in the mornings and throughout the day, but slightly better at night. I don’t know what this condition is, but I know that I will find out eventually what’s causing it. Throughout the last several months, God has been with me. He has held me up and strengthened me. God has given me hope, that I will eventually feel better. Now I don’t know this for sure, but through the Lord’s grace I know it. Yes, the situation is frustrating, since I have much less energy than I had previously, but if I’m not trusting God to take care of me and Jesus to walk beside me, then who can I trust? I believe that the Lord is my Heavenly Physician. He can go where no doctor on earth can go in my body because He made me. Modern medical science may have progressed since the early days, but it’s still a guessing game much of the time. God never guesses – He knows. I must admit, I knew I had to write about the verse from II Corinthians when I saw it on Everett Christian’s Good Things last night. I also saw this version of the first verse of the 23rd Psalm on Good Things and it made so much sense to me. It’s written in a positive light. Words are so powerful. As a writer I know this. So I take these 2 verses together and use them to hold me up when I don’t feel so strong. And when they hold me up, it’s not my strength, but God’s strength and glory that are helping me. It is God’s glory – not mine. Or, another way to say it is, “What a friend [I] have in Jesus.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Path for My Feet
A Path for My Feet
March 24, 2011
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119: 105 KJV
I have a feeling that this verse of Psalm 119 is one of the most quoted. Each day I wake up and sometimes don’t know which direction to go. I usually start my day by reading a mediation from Charles Stanley’s In Touch and praying for everyone on my prayer list – it’s grown quite large. Most days I want to do several things at once and don’t know which ones to do first. Well, for me, I do cleaning tasks before I make something to eat. It’s just a habit I’ve gotten into. Maybe it’s because I feel more comfortable knowing that if I do certain tasks first, I’ll feel more comfortable sitting down to eat. However, during the day, God guides me places that I don’t think I’ve planned to go when I go out. At times, I encounter someone to whom I’ll give a compliment (I’m very outgoing) and they mention it’s exactly what they needed. Many days I’ve encountered Wendy, one of my neighbor’s daughters. Wendy has several mental and emotional disabilities. The last time I saw her she was with her mother and had on a new pair of glasses. Previously, when I saw Wendy, she walked along the sidewalk and sometimes in the street, picking up trash. This last time I saw her, I complimented Wendy on her glasses and she replied in the clearest voice I’d ever heard her speak. My heart was so happy for her. I don’t know whether it was the glasses or maybe a combination of medications Wendy was finally taking or both that made the difference. I’m just glad that God directed my feet to see Wendy and her mother. God’s Word is the Light that guides my feet in the direction the Lord wants me to go. No other book does that for me, although I do read other books. The Bible keeps me on the path I need to travel and soothes my spirit so I am washed in the serenity I long for. God blesses me in the most unusual ways – big and small.
March 24, 2011
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119: 105 KJV
I have a feeling that this verse of Psalm 119 is one of the most quoted. Each day I wake up and sometimes don’t know which direction to go. I usually start my day by reading a mediation from Charles Stanley’s In Touch and praying for everyone on my prayer list – it’s grown quite large. Most days I want to do several things at once and don’t know which ones to do first. Well, for me, I do cleaning tasks before I make something to eat. It’s just a habit I’ve gotten into. Maybe it’s because I feel more comfortable knowing that if I do certain tasks first, I’ll feel more comfortable sitting down to eat. However, during the day, God guides me places that I don’t think I’ve planned to go when I go out. At times, I encounter someone to whom I’ll give a compliment (I’m very outgoing) and they mention it’s exactly what they needed. Many days I’ve encountered Wendy, one of my neighbor’s daughters. Wendy has several mental and emotional disabilities. The last time I saw her she was with her mother and had on a new pair of glasses. Previously, when I saw Wendy, she walked along the sidewalk and sometimes in the street, picking up trash. This last time I saw her, I complimented Wendy on her glasses and she replied in the clearest voice I’d ever heard her speak. My heart was so happy for her. I don’t know whether it was the glasses or maybe a combination of medications Wendy was finally taking or both that made the difference. I’m just glad that God directed my feet to see Wendy and her mother. God’s Word is the Light that guides my feet in the direction the Lord wants me to go. No other book does that for me, although I do read other books. The Bible keeps me on the path I need to travel and soothes my spirit so I am washed in the serenity I long for. God blesses me in the most unusual ways – big and small.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
God's Tug - March 23, 2011 - Faith and Comfort
Faith and Comfort
For we walk by faith, not by sight. II Cor. 5:7 NIV
8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
I Thessalonians 3:8 NIV ©2011
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 NIV, ©2011
Ok, remember how upset I was yesterday about losing the gold cross and chain my mother gave me? I was emailing a friend today and was about to write something to her when I realized the lesson in losing the chain. No, not that I’m a dumb ox. ;~D I can accept its loss because it’s just a physical representation of my faith. And, if that is as strong as my faith is, then it’s not very strong. God/Jesus is much stronger than that. My faith in my God comes not from a beautiful gold cross that my mother gave me, but deep inside me – from my heart and spirit. I especially love the last few verses of Romans 8, since Paul suffered so much in his life and still, his faith in Jesus was so strong, he never gave up. Am I going through a difficult time in my life right now? Yes, but so are many others. Look at the people who have been devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis. Am I going to lie down moaning about my problems? No, because I have faith God will take care of me. I’m doing all I can to solve what’s going on in my life with the help of medical professionals, by looking for work, praying, reading my Bible and doing this blog, which keeps me in positive thinking. Hear this satan! I’m clinging to the foot of the Cross and it doesn’t have to be one that’s around my neck for me to have faith I in Jesus. So just scram! Yes, I’m kicking that bum to the curb! So, for today and every day I wake up, I will put on God’s whole armor. Not to self: see Ephesians 6:10-18, especially verse 11 – “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (KJV)
For we walk by faith, not by sight. II Cor. 5:7 NIV
8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
I Thessalonians 3:8 NIV ©2011
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 NIV, ©2011
Ok, remember how upset I was yesterday about losing the gold cross and chain my mother gave me? I was emailing a friend today and was about to write something to her when I realized the lesson in losing the chain. No, not that I’m a dumb ox. ;~D I can accept its loss because it’s just a physical representation of my faith. And, if that is as strong as my faith is, then it’s not very strong. God/Jesus is much stronger than that. My faith in my God comes not from a beautiful gold cross that my mother gave me, but deep inside me – from my heart and spirit. I especially love the last few verses of Romans 8, since Paul suffered so much in his life and still, his faith in Jesus was so strong, he never gave up. Am I going through a difficult time in my life right now? Yes, but so are many others. Look at the people who have been devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis. Am I going to lie down moaning about my problems? No, because I have faith God will take care of me. I’m doing all I can to solve what’s going on in my life with the help of medical professionals, by looking for work, praying, reading my Bible and doing this blog, which keeps me in positive thinking. Hear this satan! I’m clinging to the foot of the Cross and it doesn’t have to be one that’s around my neck for me to have faith I in Jesus. So just scram! Yes, I’m kicking that bum to the curb! So, for today and every day I wake up, I will put on God’s whole armor. Not to self: see Ephesians 6:10-18, especially verse 11 – “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (KJV)
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