Charles Swindoll Quote

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Remember, God lives in a realm that transcends all.  He is all-powerful.  And when God is ready to move, He moves.

From Job 19:25:  “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at last He will stand upon the earth.”

Infinite God

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From 1 Peter 5:6-7:  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time.  Cast all our anxiety oh Him, because He cares for you.”

God, our Creator

In Heaven above

Standing powerful

Sends infinite love

 

Father in Heaven

Promises fulfill

Support and courage

His infinite skill

 

Read God’s Holy Word

Be bold, life begins

His love filled with care

Grace overcomes sin

 

Walking with our Lord

His strong hands extend

Trust always in Him

Whatever contends

 

Miraculous brings

Infinite outcomes

Filled with sacred love

Like a beating drum

 

Our finite minds weep

Lack of faith descends

Our infinite God

Holds, never to bend

 

Our Lord’s specialty

Impossible makes

Genuine and true

His love, no mistake

 

Rely on God’s ways

Hopeless turns to hope

Prayer lifts worry

Walking life’s tightrope

 

God’s eternal love

Endures forever

He holds on to us

With faith, whenever

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Henri Nouwen Quote

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A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly form an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some inner space where we can listen to our God and follow His guidance.

From Psalm 37:23-24:  “Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when He delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.”

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.

God’s Team

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Jesus gathers up His apostles from humble ground

Making up God’s team, their witness shall abound

 

God’s Word oversees the performance of this team

Standing as chief executive, seeing holiest theme

 

The Holy Spirit earmarks the hearts and brains

Serving as the binding glue, better than chains

 

Returning to the beginning of God’s creative time

Transforming a land, His Word continues to climb

 

The Creator conceives of a perfect place for man

Placing Adam and Eve in Eden, always His plan

 

But, Adam and Eve journey on a sin-filled path

Leaving the ample garden, under God’s wrath

 

From this moment, God’s team stumbles and wanders

Facing estrangement from God, His people squander

 

Jesus comes to bridge what separates us from God

Sitting at the right hand, coaching a humbled squad

 

God establishes His expectations, perfectly high

Faltering and imperfect mortals, will never satisfy

 

The team continues to collapse over and over again

Forgetting God’s Commandments, sin seems to win

 

Many teams measure success by the flashy show

Works by themselves, will never add much glow

 

But, Jesus shepherds His team on a brand new track

Following by faith alone, Jesus always has their back

 

He reminds us to always love our God in Heaven’s seat

Loving each other as you have loved Me, always repeat

 

A bloody, criminal’s Cross summons all to take a knee

Accepting Jesus as Savior, teammates look up to see

 

Our Father orchestrates, with infinite patience and love

Creating and molding, the Great I Am looks from above

 

Jesus remains alert at the Creator’s side

Carrying keys to eternal life, all bona fide

 

As team members, we must trust, follow, and abide

Playing for Jesus, His coaching is forever our guide

 

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Steadfast Courage

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From Matthew 14:25-27:  “And early in the morning He came walking toward them on the sea.  But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’  And they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'”

Following God’s commandments

Delivering steadfast courage

Building up one’s faith and trust

Go sends us forth, encouraged

 

Imagine walking each day

With Biblical superstars

Amazing stories with truth

God waiting near, not too far

 

Israel cries out in Egypt

God hears their anguish and pain

Moses’ courage answers prayers

Pharaoh’s heart, forever slain

 

God commissions a leader

Joshua destined to lead

His faith in God carries strength

His plan and vision succeeds

 

Daniel faces certain death

Overcoming his demise

God foils lions’ hunger

Courage arrives in disguise

 

Christ completes His final task

A Cross marks defeat, they say

His living breath creates light

Salvation, lives from that day

 

Boldness, defined by our Lord

Confronting uncertain pain

Faithful and steadfast courage

God’s love, never will abstain

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From American film actress, Dorothy Bernard:  “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”

Vance Havner Quote

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God is not running an antique shop!  He is making all things new.

From Isaiah 40:28-29:  “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.”

Treasured Grace

From 2 Timothy 1:14:  “Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.”

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Life’s richest treasures, waiting just ahead

Following God’s true light to a new day

Unlike any of man’s earthly treasures

With God’s Spirit, angels leading the way

 

Our journey defined by something greater

Life can only be measured by God’s wealth

Allowing heart and soul to follow God

Our Father’s treasured Grace, restores our health

 

Rejoicing, now choosing God’s truthful way

Do you witness and see this path as well?

Join with Jesus, we’ll follow together

Following our Savior, our treasures swell

 

Courage, faith, and hope carry us along

Fueled by God’s love, we march to Jesus’ song

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Charles Swindoll Quote

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We are faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.  Unsolvable without God’s wisdom, that is.

From Psalm 34:19:  “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.”

A Heart Transformed

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There was once a leader in a far-off land in the “Make Believe” world of a toy box.  This leader was made of wood, and featured the well-crafted workmanship of his Creator.

Despite appearances, there were flaws in the leader’s character.  He was dishonest and bullied everyone around him.  His actions as leader led to friction and decisiveness in the toy box.  The leader continued to govern with a misguided mind and agenda.  His heart seemed hardened to the point that other toys really wondered if he even possessed a heart.

One day, the boy who played with the toy box every day asked the leader, “Why is your character so bad?”

The leader ignored the question, and the boy played with his other toys.  Perhaps being made out of wood had made him inflexible with a hardness of attitude.  Everything the other toys did or said seemed to go against his grain.

Meanwhile, more and more heat came from some of the fiery citizens in the toy box.  Their patience was wearing thinner with each passing day.  A few toys even threatened the leader with more than just words.  The leader was paranoid about being literally “put on fire” from some of the other toys’ actions.  After all, he was made out of solid wood.

After observing the crippling turmoil in his toy box, the boy told the other toys, “I will ask the Creator to help us with this mess.”

The boy prayed a special prayer to the Creator:

Dear Creator, the toys and I ask for your help.  Our leader needs to change his bad ways so that all of the toys will enjoy a better life here in this toy box.  We look to you for aid and support.  Amen.

The Creator heard the boy’s prayer-filled words.  Overnight, he came into the toy box and removed the leader, who was sleeping soundly.  He remolded the leader into a better person with a benevolent and caring heart, which had been missing all along.

The leader was returned to the toy box with a heart no longer as hard as wood.  He was transformed into a Gospel-led leader.