Shelter Me

 

Have you ever been caught in a situation where you needed to find shelter? A long hike, a thunderstorm approaching, not being familiar with your location and a bit of anxiety would certainly be one situation in which physical shelter would be needed. Seeking shelter would be the logical thing to do in order to find proection against the approaching storm.

I first heard the song, "Shelter Me" by Bruce Carroll a few weeks ago as I was listening to Pandora Internet Radio. It really struck a chord with me because many times in my own life I have needed to find shelter from the storms that raged around me. Thankfully, I have always been able to have physical shelter--a safe place that I call home. Rather, my need at times has been to find spiritual shelter. Sometimes, I wandered out in the storm before seeking the familiar shelter that I know all too well. But, eventually, I would round the bend in the road and there it was--a beautiful sight--a place to rest and be safe and comforted. My personal shelter. 

On the many occasions that I have desperately sought the comfort and shelter of God's presence, I have never been disappointed. His Word gives me hope and strength and peace. I am so thankful for this! The deep love that I have for my heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ, my Savior has made such a difference in how I handle difficult situations. The ability to go to Him in prayer and share my hurts and fears gives me the assurance that He is listening and that He answers according to His will for my life and for those around me.  

If you feel the need to seek God's shelter due to situations that are presently surrounding you, or if there are circumstances in your life that seem to be beyond your control, just remember that you have a Savior--Jesus Christ, who wants to bring you peace and hope. He will shelter you from any storm that you may face now or in the future because He specializes in calming the storms. 

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for sheltering us from the storms of life.  Through Jesus, we have the ability to rest safely in the Shepherd’s arms at all times.  Help us to trust You always, knowing that You love us beyond comprehension.  I pray this in Jesus name.  Amen.  

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!  For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.  Psalm 55:1 (NKJV) 

A Shelter In The Time of Storm

The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

A shade by day, defense by night,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes afright,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat,
A Shelter in the time of storm
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

O Rock divine, O Refuge dear,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our Helper ever near,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Words: Vernon J. Charlesworth, circa 1880

Music: Ira D. Sankey, circa 1885 

 

 *It was said that this was a fav­o­rite song of the fish­er­man on the northern coast of Eng­land, and they were oft­en heard sing­ing it as they ap­proached their har­bors in the time of storm.

Be Still My Soul

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

I LOVE MUSIC! It speaks to me in many ways. It refreshes me and calms my soul. Music makes me happy and joyful, lifts my spirits, and heals any hurt that I might be experiencing at any given time.

Because classical music is something that my husband and I enjoy, for a number of years we held season tickets to the local symphony. Once a month, we looked forward to dressing up, going to dinner, and then spending a relaxing evening at the symphony. It was always exciting to see and hear such talented musicians who were affiliated with the symphony, as well as an array of wonderful guest soloists.  Symphonic music has always been much better than a tranquilizer for me!  And, yet, there is another type of music that motivates my soul in ways that cause me to be amazed and extremely thankful. 

More often than not, much of the inspiration that I receive to write my blog comes as a result of a lyric and/or melody of a Christian song. Most of the time, the melody is secondary to the lyric, because words and their meaning are very powerful. Whether the song is an old hymn that I have known since childhood, or a much “younger” contemporary Christian song, music always offers inspiration and strength in my walk of faith in Jesus Christ.   

The song and beautiful slide show which is posted above entitled, “Be Still My Soul”, sung by Amy Grant, spoke to me tonight. In fact, it caused me to stop what I was doing and led me to focus totally on God.  And, the neatest thing happened! In the stillness of thinking about what an awesome God I serve, focusing on His many attributes, the blessings given so lovingly to me and to my family, and my desire to be all that He wants me to be, my soul was refreshed and renewed.  I was reminded that in my busy days, extra effort should be made to use my time more wisely for Him--to keep singing His songs. 

How is your soul doing tonight?  Are you so rushed and distracted with the things of the world, that you don’t give God the time He deserves?  Of all the things I may or may not know about Him, the one thing that I do know is that He overwhelmingly loves you and me! He created us in His image. He wants to spend time with each of us so that we might know Him and our Savior, Jesus Christ more fully.  He desires a relationship with us like that of a father to a child.  He wants an intimacy with us that will only come when we are still before Him.  He won’t force any of us to come to Him, but if we do, we will find peace, safety, deep joy, and true happiness that will fulfill us not only for the present time, but for eternity.  His love is boundless.  Tonight, why not take time to be still before God.  Think on Him.  Talk to Him. Abide in Him.  He’s there and He is waiting with open arms. 

PRAYER:  Father God, we love You and are so thankful for the opportunity to be still before You.  To know that You are God.  You alone are worthy of our praise.  Thank You for music that soothes our souls. Thank You for songs of faith that lift our hearts and give us inspiration.  Thank You for those who were inspired to write these songs.  In these perilous times in which we live, please reach the world with Your Son, Your Spirit, Your Word, Your music, and Christlike love which can only be exhibited through those of us who profess Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord.  I pray this His name, the name above all names. Amen.

Through It All

What a powerful thought as I am reminded that amidst trials and hardships, Jesus has been my source of strength.  It has been through these times that I have learned to depend upon His Word and more fully rely on Him as my help.  God does not always bring us around storms, but walks with us through those times so that we might learn to trust Jesus more fully.  As the words to the song posted above say: "If we never had a problem, then we would not know that God could solve them, nor would we know what faith in Him could do."

 

At this writing, I am still learning to lean on Jesus, and to trust Him as He directs me in ways that I could never have imagined. He is my total source of strength.  I pray that He is the source of your strength today as well.

 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2-3

 

"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

PRAYER:  Dear God, thank You for staying beside us through the tough times.  Help those who may be going through such a time to fully rely on You for their strength.  May they place their trust in Christ alone.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

Never Once

This morning at church our worship leader, Terry, sang the song posted above, entitled "Never Once", by Matt Redman. As Terry progressed through the song, how humbling to see people all over the building begin to stand acknowledging the words to this song as applicable to their lives. For me, truer words have never been written. Never once, have I ever been without God's grace, love, mercy, care, and forgiveness. God is definitely faithful and true to His Word. I have never been alone, nor will I ever be.  That's a great place to be!

 

PRAYER:  Dear God, thank You for Your faithfulness and for always always walking beside us through our victories and our struggles.  Thank you for loving us enough to be our constant source of strength and hope.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

When I Don't Know What To Do

This song touched my heart tonight.  All of us have times when we cannot find the right words to say to someone else or even to God. Inevitably, all of us go through tough times as we seek His will for our lives, and as we strive to be all that He wants us to be. 

I pray that your spirits will be lifted by this song, knowing that even when you don't know what to do or say, by praising God and seeking and trusting Him in your situation, you will have all that you need.  He will never let you down!

Prayer:  Thank You Father for the words to this song.  Help us to always look to you in all ways as we strive to live our life showing others our love for them through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

God So Loved the World

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17. (NIV)

Our Pastor's message this morning was entitled "Love One Another." I want to also share some of my thoughts along this theme. The Pastor stated, "That as Christians, we are set apart--no longer our own, and are called to proclaim God's praises." We are called not only to love God, but people everywhere. We are truly called to love one another. We are not called to love only those who look or think like us, but ALL people. No matter what our differences or how others may treat us, we are called to love unconditionally. Many people might mistake this for weakness on our part, but this is far from the truth--this is our strength!

Personally, it took me more years than I would like to admit to begin to sense just how much God loves me. I failed Him so many times and felt totally unworthy of His love. You know what? I was unworthy, and still am today. But, through a closer walk with Him, and a deep desire to study and learn from His Word, I now have an inkling of His enormous love for me. No matter what circumstance may come into my life, I always feel God's presence and love. Although I will never be able to grasp the scope of that love in its entirety, I am confident that someday I will. One thing that I am certain of beyond a doubt is that there has never been, nor will there ever be a love like His. And, I am so thankful because this is where my inner peace originates--His unconditional love for me through Jesus Christ--and my deep love for Him. 

Through God's love, mercy, and grace we are set free to love others. We are able to share what a difference knowing Him has made in our lives. The most amazing thing is that God loves all of His creation equally. His unconditional love is never dependent upon a person's current relationship status with Him. God is good and His love endures forever. Let us go forth and love others in the same way.

During the morning message, we saw the video with song below by Charles Billingsley and I wanted to share it. 

  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us unconditionally. Now, help us remember to always love others in that same way. We need Your strength and help to do this, but we know that Your love, grace, and mercy extends beyond our abilities. We ask you to do Your work in us as only You can. Help those who feel that you have abandoned them to look into Your Word and rest on the promises found therein. I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Tell The Mountain

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he said." Mark 11:23 (KJV)

"Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV)

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

At this very moment, there are many people who are hurting physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  At first glance, most of us would never see the hurts of others.  But, if we dig a little deeper and invest some time into another, there is no doubt that we will find that person bearing the weight of some stressful circumstance--either theirs personally, or that of a family member, friend, or acquaintance. In this life, no one is exempt from experiencing tough times.

Many are hurting today because of a lack of employment, thereby creating financial stresses. Still, others are burdened with relationship or health issues. Some lack direction for their lives. For those who do not have financial worries, it would seem that life should be better than ever before. However, so many continue to look for the happiness that is missing deep inside. The world simply cannot fill the void.

In a "happening now" situation, I am personally praying for a young woman whom I have never met.  The fact that I have never met this woman is not unusual, for I often pray for others, both near and far. But, in this particular situation, my heart is extremely heavy because of the circumstances that surround this young woman.  There is a spiritual void in her life, because she has never been exposed to the Truth. Based on the darkness of her circumstance, there is no doubt that she is living a life where hopelessness reigns. I am praying that God's mercy will overflow in this situation.  May He bring hope in the midst of such darkness.

Fervent prayers are also going out for the person who will be ministering to this young woman and who will be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus.  I am praying that the gentle Shepherd will hold this dear one safe in His arms and that God's protection will be the covering that allows the Holy Spirit to be free to work through His special servant.  I am praying for a willingness on the part of the hurting individual to be receptive to hear about the hope that Jesus Christ offers her. Knowing that with God all things are possible and that He works in ways we don't understand, I am believing, praying, and trusting that God will be glorified in this situation.

What challenge(s) are you facing today? Perhaps, you have a mountain that you feel you cannot climb. Maybe your circumstances are not are dire as the person that I have referenced above, but still you are facing a mountain--health; job situation; relationship issues; or a myriad of other things that are weighing you down. Always remember that God's Word is full of promises that He will take you through every circumstance you now face or ever will face.. He will give you peace as you walk through tough times. There is a light at the end of your tunnel and His name is Jesus!  He will see you through.

Posted below is the song, "Tell The Mountain", by The Collingsworth Family.  Don't ever give up. Don't ever give in.  Always tell your mountain just how BIG your God is! Put your hope in Him, for He will see you through. 

PRAYER: Father, God, you have heard my heart.  You know my prayers for this woman--one of Your own creation who needs you so much.  Please give her mercy and grace through this mountain that she faces.  Dear God, give the dear one who goes forward in faith to minister to her Your supernatural strength.  Give her peace--no fear, no anxiety, and the assurance that she speaks as the representative of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I pray for all hurting individuals no matter where they may be.  Give them the desire to know You and to learn of You through the many promises that are found in Your Word.  Give them the hope that comes from knowing Jesus as their personal Savior.  I pray this in His mighty name--the name above all names.  Amen.