Est.

 In His Hands 'Twixt gleams of joy and clouds of doubt Our feelings come and go; Our best estate is tossed about In ceaseless ebb and flow.   No mood of feeling, form of thought Is constant for a day; But thou, 0 Lord, thou changest not: The same thou art alway. I grasp thy strength, make it mine own, My heart with peace is blest; I lose my hold, and then comes down Darkness, and cold unrest. Let me no more my comfort draw From my frail hold of Thee, In this alone rejoice with awe—- Thy mighty grasp of me. Out of that weak, unquiet drift That comes but to depart, To that pure heaven my spirit lift Where thou unchanging art. Lay hold of me with Thy strong grasp, Let Thy almighty arm In its embrace my weakness clasp, And I shall fear no harm. Thy purpose of eternal good Let me but surely know; On this I'll lean—let changing mood And feeling come or go— Glad when Thy sunshine fills my soul, Not lorn when clouds o'ercast, Since Thou within thy sure control Of love dost hold me ...

 A friend lent me a very encouraging booklet. Here's one of the many true accounts I read in it today. I hope you are also encouraged by it.  "Dr. F. B. Meyer was once crossing the Atlantic. The captain asked him to preach in the saloon on Sunday morning. He spoke on “answered prayer” and gave a number of illustrations. An agnostic was present and someone said to him, “What do you think of Meyer’s sermon?” “Oh,” he said, “I don’t believe a word of it.” Dr. Meyer was speaking that afternoon to the passengers in the steerage (second-class) end of the ship. The agnostic picked up two oranges, put them in his pocket and walked over to the meeting. As he threaded his way in and out amongst the steerage folk, he came across an old lady with silvery hair, her eyes closed in sleep, her head back and her hands open on her lap. He took the two oranges out of his pocket and placed them in her hands, and went on to the meeting. When he came back the old lady was eating one of the oranges....

 

I often like to return to lists of verses that repeat a phrase; I find it quite encouraging... I hope you do too.  "Those who love Him" : Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; Deuteronomy 7:9 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments, Daniel 9:4 “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD; but let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was undisturbed for forty years. Judges 5:31 I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments. Nehemiah 1:5 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those...

 I was listening to a sermon this morning and this phrase the preacher repeated caught my attention because I remembered reading a poem about it. I found the lyrics and a tune but can't find who authored it. 

"and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." Revelation 21:4-7. 3 people recently challenged me to read the whole book of Revelation in one go. I had never thought to do that before... The verses above have long been a favourite of mine. When things are seeming difficult to handle, I turn and read the last 3 chapters. It gives me much encouragement to press on; the end will be so wonderful!! For my friends who are struggling with awful pain, I pr...

I'd heard the name often enough but I had only read one or two of his quotes.  Here are a few that I thought are particularly worth sharing.  "For eighteen centuries every engine of destruction that human science, philosophy, wit, reasoning or brutality could bring to bear against a book has been brought to bear against that book to stamp it out of the world, but it has a mightier hold on the world today than ever before. If that were man’s book it would have been annihilated and forgotten hundreds of years ago…  It stands absolutely unshaken today. At times almost all of the wise and great of the earth have been pitted against the Bible, and only an obscure few for it. Yet it has stood." "The great need to-day in individuals, in churches and in preachers is that the Wind of God blow upon us."  "God has not changed; and His ear is just as quick to hear the voice of real prayer, and His hand is just as strong to save, as it ever was."  "There must ...

  He Ever Lives! "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he ever lives to intercede for them!" Hebrews 7:25 He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. He ascended to Heaven to plead our cause with his Father, and he ever lives at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This is a most delightful fact. It is full of comfort. It should often engage our minds. It should fill us with peace and joy. "He ever lives," and while he lives — he LOVES his redeemed people. He cannot but love his people. They are part of himself. They are dearer to his heart than all other created objects. He lives to love them, and he loves to live for them. He loves them every moment. He loves them with a love . . . as vast as infinity, stronger than death, as changeless as his nature, and as lasting as eternity. "He ever lives." And while he lives — he CARES for us. His thoughts are filled with his people's concerns. He ...

 What a blessed privilege we have when the Lord God is our Heavenly Father and He invites us to trust in and cling to Him. 

 Yesterday I had a short but interesting conversation with a lady who I met several years ago. She was asking me if I wouldn't mind not being alive much longer. I replied that that was perfectly alright by me. Earlier today I came across this quote...  "But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me." Psalm 31:14-15. I thank God He has drawn me to Himself and given me the gift of eternal life... However short or long my sojourn on earth may be, I am fully convinced that Heaven will be far more glorious than anything I could ever imagine and I will enter only because of the Lord's amazing grace, mercy and lovingkindness.  "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." 2 Corinthians 5:8-9.

I came across this and hope it will encourage you as much as it encourages me. This was written in 1932 by a pastor in Mississippi named A. M. Overton, who had a wife and three small children. His wife was pregnant with their fourth child but when it came time for delivery, there were complications and both she and the baby died. During the funeral service, the preacher officiating the service noticed my grandfather writing something on a piece of paper. After the service the minister asked him about it, and he handed him the paper with a poem he had just written which he titled, “He Maketh No Mistake” He Maketh No Mistake "My Father’s way may twist and turn, my heart may throb and ache. But in my soul I’m glad I know, He maketh no mistake. My cherished plans may go astray, my hopes may fade away, but still I’ll trust my Lord to lead, for He doth know the way. Tho’ night be dark and it may seem that day will never break; I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him, He maketh no mistake. Ther...

 

"Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good? Would you walk with Him within the narrow road? Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load? Let Him have His way with thee. Refrain: His pow’r can make you what you ought to be; His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free; His love can fill your soul, and you will see ’Twas best for Him to have His way with thee. Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?   Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?   Would you have Him save you, so that you need never fall?   Let Him have His way with thee. Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?   Would you prove Him true in providential test?   Would you in His service labour always at your best?   Let Him have His way with...

You might ask yourself, "Can it really be so simple?" According to this verse, yes, it can.  Have you heard His Word? And put your trust in Jesus alone? Here we have another beautiful promise of Jesus that He saves those who trust Him.  I repeatedly come back to this verse.  I'm so glad God included it! So often I fail to live and think as a Christian ought to live and think, but my salvation is not based on my performance!  I'm very glad about that!  My perfecly sinless Saviour was willing to suffer agony on the cross to bring us sinners back to Himself. He loved us so much that He endured torture to restore us to a right standing relationship.  He paid my debt.  I owe Him my life!

I think this is self explanatory and I believe it's the Truth, because Jesus said it. If you want to see life, you need to believe in the Son of God, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you reject Him, you will not see life.

I was reminded of these verses at Church this morning. We can trust the Lord. He is in control of all things. Our lives and times are in His hands.  He has promised many precious things in His Word and He will always be faithful! Here's the link to the sermon. It's a good challenging one! https://youtu.be/NjR21V_3JiM

This is by no means an exhaustive list of Scriptures mentioning Strength, but I found them very encouraging. I hope you do too. "The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him." Psalm 28:7 "For You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth." Psalm 31:4-5 "For You are the God of my strength; Why d...

Did a quick e-Sword search of the things Scripture says God is God of and I found the results quite interesting. God of : Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jeshurun, Elijah, David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego God of heaven God of heaven and earth God of Israel (most often repeated) God of the Hebrews God of the spirits of all flesh God of your fathers, their fathers, our fathers God of gods God of truth God of knowledge God of the armies of Israel God of hosts God of the rock of my salvation God of the land God of our salvation God of Jerusalem God of my righteousness God of glory God of my life God of my strength God of my mercy God of my praise God of judgment God of the whole earth God of all the families of Israel God of all flesh God of recompences God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem , of the land of Israel God of the living God of the Jews and of the Gentiles God of patience and consolation God of hope God of peace ...

Aren't you glad that the earth is full of His mercy?  and that His words give light (and life!) and that His righteousness is everlasting! Who knows which Psalm these are from? (No prizes, just curious.)