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Devotions
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Prayer of the Day "Oh How He Loves You"
Psalm 139
"O lord, thou hast searched me, and known
me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path
and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest
it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If
I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the
morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold
me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth
not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed
my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous
are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and
curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy
book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious
also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than
the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody
men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD,
that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them
mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
I was praying this morning for a quick word for my heart and this is where the Lord took me! Not such
a quick Word. I get it though. We are always trying to rush our quiet time with the Lord. We have
time for many other things, yet we don't devote time to reading the Word of God. This scripture is just a sweet reminder
that Jesus knows us. He knows the difficult times we go through and He is with us each step of the way. I hope
you've decided to make prayer an important time in your life. Open the Word of the Lord and arm yourself with the sword
of the spirit.
Have a great Thursday. Love, Tracy
Prayer of the Day "Give Thanks To Him"
John 16:33
"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." (King James version)
The word of encouragement is simple today .... God IS in Control. Whenever
you worry, think of this song by Twila Paris... God Is In Control.
This is no time for fear
This is a time for faith and determination
Don't lose the vision
here
Carried away by emotion
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart
There is one thing that has always been true
It
holds the world together
God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken
God is in control
We
will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
God is in control, oh God
is in control
History marches on
There is a bottom line drawn across the ages
Culture can make its plan
Oh,
but the line never changes
No matter how the deception may fly
There is one thing that has always been true
It will
be true forever
He has never let you down
Why start to worry now?
He is still the
Lord of all we see
And He is still the loving Father
Watching over you and me
watching over you...watching
over me..
watching over every things..
watching over you..watching over me..
every little sparrow..every little things...
Especially in this verse He has never let you down, Why start to worry now?
He is still the Lord of all
we see, And He is still the loving Father, Watching over you and me. He is always with us. We may not understand
- that is OK. It is what we are going to learn through the trials that make us stronger in Him. Trust in the Lord ...
because God is in control.
Have a great Wednesday. Love, Tracy
Prayer of the Day "The Assurance of Heaven"
Psalm 91:14-16
"Because
he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall
call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life
will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (King James Version)
"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my
name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor
him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." (NIV)
Occasionally at night I get to sit down and watch a part of a TV program - being a working (active) Mother
doesn't give me much winding down time - like most people, but there are a few nights that I do get to sit on the couch with
my husband a watch TV. The other night I turned on a show called the Amazing Race. I am sure many of you have
watched it before - but for me it was the first time. Two people coupled together - it was a boyfriend/girlfriend, husband
wife, Father/daughter, two sets of best friends and two boyfriends. It was white people, black people, Hispanic people
and disabled people. It was Christian people, non-church going people and people who worshipped their god called alla
- who thankfully were  eliminated in the first 15 or twenty minutes. At which point I decided to stop watching. It held my attention
this long for the excitement, adrenaline and I liked the teamwork of the people. Their tasks are to work together for
a common goal. For the ultimate prize. In this case one million dollars.
Much like the Christian life, were are people who come together to work for a common goal. To tell others
about Jesus, to encourage others in His name and to guide and direct people for the ultimate prize ... eternity with Jesus
in Heaven. Many people still believe the lie that if we are just "good people" that is eternal security. It is
deeper than that. It is simple but deep. It is not being good that gets us to heaven. Let's face it - none
of us are good. We are born with a sin nature. It is a natural act for us. Most of the time unintentional.
What the Bible tells us about Heaven is this ... we must not only believe that Jesus died on a cross for us (Satan believed
that. He believed in Jesus). We also must go to the Lord daily repenting of our sins - ask for forgiveness of
our sins - and do our best to turn from that sin and never do it again. If we do fall, we need to start all over.
About 8 years ago I was talking to a family friend who was dying of Cancer and she said, well I hope I get to Heaven.
I said HOPE? You don't have to just hope ... you can have that assurance today - right now. I
talked to her about how much God loved us and how He gave His only Son for us so that we can have the assurance of Heaven
someday just by serving Him and turning for sin in our lives. By telling others about Jesus and giving a testimony of
what He has brought us through. Yes, life is not hard - but someone always has it a little more difficult than us.
Just know that Jesus walks with you today - all you have to do is turn to Him and lay your burdens at HIs feet.
I love you all.
Have a great Tuesday. Love, Tracy
Change
Psalm 29:4
"The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic."
I was thinking of this song this morning.
Change My Heart Oh God
Change my heart oh God
Make it ever
true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You
Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart
oh God
May I be like You
You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change
my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You
I love that song and I love the words, but I started thinking - Lord am I really like that song? Do
I have a real burning desire to change my heart? I think about life and how most of us desire a pure heart and desire
a precious walk with Jesus. But oh how the things of the world get in our way sometimes! I dear sweet man
from church passed away Friday from a massive heart attack. This precious man was a prayer warrior. 71 years old,
he cried publicly for the salvation of his family. We went out on Monday nights with our church visiting other families
- telling them about Jesus and what Jesus can do in their lives. His walk with Jesus was precious! It is not to
say he did not have obstacles - he had many - but Jesus was by his side each step of the way. Giving him strength to
get up each day and go out and do the only thing we are asked to do each day - be a witness. Tell others what Jesus
has done and will do. Serving the Lord is a privilege.
We sang a chorus in church yesterday morning...
Come to Jesus
Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for
love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And
carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you
walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes
the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And
when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And
with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!
As we sang that song, I thought about Mack, Flying to Jesus. He went out
that morning to repair a deck and in an instant found himself in the presence of Jesus! Wow! Then I thought about
how simple life is and how difficult we can make it. Trust in Jesus! Come to Jesus ... fly to Jesus. I love
you - have a great Monday!
Love, Tracy
Fill My Cup Lord
1 Corinthians 15:56-58
"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
So many of us question what God's plan is for us. We don't always understand the path we are on -
or why! There are so many verses of scripture that answer those questions. Last night at church, we sang what
I will call "an oldie, but a goody". The words to this hymn as such a beautiful prayer for us ... Fill My Cup Lord.
Fill My Cup, Lord
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And
then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from my well that never shall run dry".
Chorus:
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of
my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford;
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
(Chorus)
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:
(Chorus)
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more-
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
Words and music by Richard Blanshard
Wow. That is such a prayer of thanksgiving to all that are searching - searching for something when
they can't understand. So, my brother, if the things this world gave you leave hungers that won't pass away, My blessed
Lord will come and save you, If you kneel to Him and humbly pray! Jesus fill my cup! I hope this is your humble
prayer today. Have a great Thursday. Love, Tracy
Hebrews 13:8  Joshua 24:15
Shhhhhhhhhh.........
Psalm 141:3
"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord: keep watch over the door of my lips."
A great verse to start our Friday ... let our actions speak volumes over our words! Some times it
is wiser to not say anything!
Have a great weekend, invite someone to church with you this SUnday - if you don't go to church, this would
be a great week to start!
Love, Tracy
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| Devotions |
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| by Tracy Beckham |
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