Category: Trust

Don’t Despair

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Psalm 91 New International Version 

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honour him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

When all you see is here and now
When everything is crumbling, falling to the ground
This is just a moment, this is not forever
I know it seems impossible when all your hope is gone
But God is, God is,
Greater than the fear your facing
Greater than the storm that’s raging
God is, God is,
With you when you cry, so cry out His name
‘Cause God is greater than the pain
He knows the trials His children face
He knows the tears that fall that we all have to taste
But don’t you dare let go now, don’t let the candle blow out
His love is strong, so just hold on
‘Cause He is with you through it all
He is mighty, more than able
To rescue and restore the ones He loves
He’s a Refuge and a Savior, a Savior

Trust Him and obey.

Upon our lives His Spirit shines

A radiant golden glow

And in our lives His presence is

Whichever way we go

Some they travel far with Him

And others wait, stand still

Yet trusting always in his Love

We strive to do His will

And in days where silence reigns

We hear him close at heart

And upon our tear filled sighs

He gives us a fresh start

Waiting in the darkness still

Are thoughts to run and stray

Thoughts upon his Love does come

To Trust Him and obey.

New Foundations

1 Peter 2 New International Version

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b]

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”[c]

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Jesus disciplines those he loves

Proverbs 3 New International Version

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
    but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
    and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
    and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in.

This seems to be a week for talking about Temptation & Discipline with a second reading on Temptation yesterday and today a second one on Discipline.

Always Trusting

Upon our lives His Spirit shines

A radiant golden glow

And in our lives His presence is

Whichever way we go

Some they travel far with Him

And others wait, stand still

Yet trusting always in his Love

We strive to do His will

And in days where silence reigns

We hear him close at heart

And upon our tear filled sighs

He gives us a fresh start

Waiting in the darkness still

Are thoughts to run and stray

Thoughts upon his Love does come

To Trust Him and obey.

Summer Days

Weymouth Beach on a hot summer day by Brian is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Summer days and sunsets yellow,

drops of Love fall down to man,

yet still we cower from our Maker,

in every corner that we can.

Plates abound with tables’ riches,

His Provision goes unseen,

mistaking money for his presence

on other posts we seem to lean.

Still our minds make up their stories,

hatred spits from lofty views,

of a life without a Saviour,

from opinions still eschewed.

Yet a gentle power swaying,

lights our hearts at every turn,

underpinning daily living,

as we turn to trust His warmth.

Like gentle swans upon the river,

tilted by the stream’s dear spait,

at every point being lifted higher

Upon his words we trust and wait.

Bow the Knee

Philippians 2:9-11 9

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

I originally fist heard this video a couple of years ago sung by a girls choir on you tube and fell in love with it, and now guess what!, it’s become that popular that everyone’s singing it.

The words to the song are so meaningful and true. As I look at the verses below It’s a song that tells us in times of doubt ,fear etc we are to Trust in our heavenly Father.

There is a third verse in the video which unfortunately is not listed.

There are moments on our journey following the Lord
Where God illumines ev’ry step we take.
There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,
As we try to understand each move He makes.
When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.
Bow the knee;
Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee;
Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.
There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,
The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.
And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;
We are tempted to believe God does not know.
When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.

The Stoning of Stephen (Book of Acts)

Oh the years without a creed

With stone in hand to hurt and bleed

I thought no Saviour did I need

Twas the same thought aimed at Stephen

Each day began with crowds and fears

Conditioned hatred, screams and tears

With stones in hand I marched up near

Twas the same thought aimed at Stephen

And with fear, in thought and mind,

Other people did I bind

With rage and anger to mankind

Twas the same thought aimed at Stephen

I threw my stones with strength I found

And watched them tumbling to the ground

No power can hurt what God has crowned

Twas the same thought aimed at Stephen

And as I learnt to leave my woes

And trust in God oh sweet repose

Through the Saviour’s blood we know

The example of St Stephen

Joseph McTaggart