FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI - "Holy Spirit"

FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI LYRICS

"Holy Spirit"

There's nothing worth more
That could ever come close
No thing can compare
You're our living hope
Your presence, Lord
I've tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
Your presence, Lord

[Chorus:]
Holy Spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Your presence, Lord

There's nothing worth more
That could ever come close
No thing can compare
You're our living hope
Your presence, Lord

[Chorus]

[x4:]
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness

[Chorus]

A Quick Bit of Encouragement

This album is one of my favorites. Jeremy Camp's music is always an encouragement. It's been a rough day, but I'm still following Jesus. 

Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-11 NKJV

The Triumphal Entry

21 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage,[a] at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

4 All[b] this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[c]

6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him[d] on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’[e]
Hosanna in the highest!”

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Our Lord entered the city in fulfillment of prophetic vision, but in great lowliness, along the road carpeted by the loving enthusiasm of the crowds. It was largely a Galilean and popular outburst. The upper classes kept aloof. Remember that ancient prediction quoted here, 

Isa_62:11 Indeed the LORD has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.' " , 

and especially 

Zec_9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 

The King comes having salvation. That is the divine order! We shall never know the full power of Christ’s salvation until we have welcomed Him to our hearts as King. -F.B. Meyer

The Haven of Rest

The Haven of Rest 

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying,
“Make Me your choice”;
And I entered the “Haven of Rest”!

 

Refrain

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
 The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord.

 

Refrain

The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who’ll save whosoever will have
A home in the “Haven of Rest.”

 

Refrain

How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the belovèd so blest,
On Jesus’ strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the “Haven of Rest.”

 

Refrain

O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
And say, “My Belovèd is mine.”

 

Refrain

 

 

Give Thanks

Give Thanks By Don Moen

 

 

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

 

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Give thanks

 

We give thanks to You oh Lord

We give thanks

 

 

 

 

9 Traits of a Life-Giving Mom

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9 Traits of a Life-Giving Mom: Replacing my Worst with God’s Best is written by a mom for moms. Sue admits that she, like most moms, has moments where her own unresolved issues come to the surface. Discover how to embody the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your own life and home.

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Blessed Redeemer

	Blessed Redeemer
Author:	Avis B. Christiansen

1 Up Calv’ry’s mountain, one dreadful morn,
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.
Refrain:
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems I now see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding—dying for me!
2 “Father forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe—
No one but Jesus ever loved so. [Refrain]
3 Oh, how I love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end!
Through years unnumbered on heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore. [Refrain]

Choosing God

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    For they shall be filled.

Matthew 5:6 NKJV 

This morning I read a devotion from Anne Graham Lotz that I thought was perfect for a Sunday reflection. I pray that every day I will be choosing the things God would have me focus on instead of my own desires. 

The Beatitudes

 

Psalm 98

Psalm 98 NKJV

98:1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

 
² The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

 
³ He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

⁴ Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

 
⁵ Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,

 
⁶ With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

⁷ Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;

 
⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord,

 
⁹ For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.

Happy Birthday Travis

Today is Travis's birthday. We will be going out to dinner with a lot of the family, but Travis won't be with us. He is in heaven. Travis passed away June 30, 2013. SUDEP - Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. He was only 23. I have a lot of questions jumbled in my head. I have a few Bible verses floating in there too. Trying to put answers to the questions isn't easy. Some things are incomplete. That is where faith and trust come in. I will believe God knows all things. I will trust God in all things. I will love God in all that happens in this life.  He is LOVE.  He is FAITHFUL. He is GOOD.  He is JUST. 

Why did God let Travis have epilepsy? 

Psalm 139:13-14

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;^[a]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

-God made Travis. God knew the family Travis would belong to. God knew Travis would have epilepsy.

Why do I have to feel this pain? Why did Travis suffer with epilepsy? Why did we have to worry about his epilepsy?

Romans 8:18 

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

-I won't always feel this way. Travis isn't suffering now. This life cannot compare to the next.

What is God thinking? What is God doing? What is the purpose of this?

^{Isaiah 55:8,9}

⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

^{Job 1:20-22}

²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

^{Romans 8:28}

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 Revelation 21:4

 ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

-The death of Travis was a shock. I have trouble putting my grief into words. I know that God is in control. I still praise God. Sin has hurt this world. Look forward to the future.

 (*Disclaimer* I am not a theologian and I have fibro fog. I know "context is king" and things may not answer all the whys but I've tried my best. God's comfort is what I seek and hope I can help someone else.)

Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth

Sometimes reading the Bible can be confusing. As I was looking at what Scripture would be talked about in Sunday School, I realized I didn't know as much as I thought! Thankfully there are resources and people in my life that can help me. Here are the Scriptures I looked at tonight and a free resource from Dr. David Jeremiah.

Matthew 7      Romans 2

James 1:22 (NKJV)

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

Glory, honor, and peace are within your reach, if you will accept the reconciliation offered you in Christ, which will bring you into at-one-ment with God; and if you will live to do your Heavenly Father’s will.
-F.B. Meyer

Free digital guidebook on Bible study techniques

Out Of The Deep I Cry To Thee

1. Out of the deep I cry to thee;
O Lord God, hear my crying:
Incline thy gracious ear to me,
With prayer to thee applying.
For if thou fix thy searching eye
On all sin and iniquity,
Who, Lord, can stand before thee?

2. But love and grace with thee prevail,
O God, our sins forgiving;
The holiest deeds can naught avail
Of all before thee living.
Before thee none can boast him clear;
Therefore must each thy judgment fear,
And live on thy compassion.

3. For this, my hope in God shall rest,
Naught building on my merit;
My heart confides, of him possest,
His goodness stays my spirit.
His precious word assureth me;
My solace, my sure rock is he,
Whereon my soul abideth.

4. And though I wait the livelong night
And till the morn returneth,
My heart undoubting trust his might
Nor in impatience mourneht.
Born of his Spirit, Israel
In the right way thus fareth well,
And on his God reposeth.

5. What though our sins are manifold?
Supreme his mercy reigneth;
No limit can his hand withhold,
Where evil most obtaineth.
He the good Shepherd is alone,
Who Israel will redeema dn won,
Forgiving all transgression.
-Martin Luther

Psalm 130

Shield of Faith

 Today's Devotion:

The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience by Stormie Omartian 

 Day 5  Ephesians 6:16 & "Go Deeper" verse on faith Genesis 15:1

Stormie Omartian is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always such an encouragement. Here are some things I found to go along with her devotion.

 Ephesians 6:16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

-Matthew Henry:

"Faith is all in all to us in an hour of temptation... We are to be fully persuaded of the truth of all God's promises and threatenings, such a faith being of great use against temptations... Violent temptations, by which the soul is set on fire of hell, are the darts which Satan shoots at us. Faith is the shield with which we must quench these fiery darts, wherein we should receive them, and so render them ineffectual, that they may not hit us, or at least that they may not hurt us. Observe, Faith, acted upon the word of God and applying that, acted upon the grace of Christ and improving that, quenches the darts of temptation."

Genesis 15:1 NKJV  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

-F.B. Meyer:

"For all of us there is need of a shield, because the world hates us; and for each God will be our compensation for every sacrifice we have made."

-John Wesley:

"The consideration of this, that God himself is, a shield to his people, to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them, and a shield round about them, should silence all perplexing fears. And thy exceeding great reward - Not only thy rewarder, but thy reward. God himself is the felicity of holy souls; He is the portion of their inheritance, and their cup."

FELIC'ITY, n. [L. felicitas, from felix, happy.]

1. Happiness, or rather great happiness; blessedness; blissfulness; appropriately, the joys of heaven.

2. Prosperity; blessing; enjoyment of good.

Heavenly Father I pray You will increase my faith and help me to be strong. Let me live joyfully everyday knowing you are the protector of my soul and reward.  

In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
³ He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.