We welcome you to Heartstrings

More and more often I am finding my trust level directly related to God. As so many are in difficulty I have wondered how on earth can they possibly manage life without the Lord Jesus Christ? Are there questions without answers? Is there a day gone by when you feel lost and confused by the noisy voices around you? Who will you trust in this last hour?

Already, what I thought I would be writing about has been redirected. I will trust the Holy Spirit to teach us today. I am learning right along with you how this day will go. Our stories may be different but the root of each one goes right back to God asking us, "Will you trust Me?"

Do you know why I love reading Psalms? Because David wrote from his heart. When he was angry, hurt, confused or just feeling picked on where did he turn? Here is one little example I love.

From Psalm 55:22..."Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail)."

Right of the top you may read the word righteous and think, not me! But, if you are a believer in the Son of God as your Savior, it is His righteousness that the Father is seeing you by. The enemy wants to rob each of us of the faithful love of God. This is just one way. So, believe and come to Jesus everyday. Bring those burdens and He will carry you. He will sustain you!

I love Psalm 18. If you take the time to read it often you will find treasures to heap up in your heart and soul! Verse 30 says..."As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him."

Will you do this today? I mean, right now? Bring all that is on your heart to the Only One Who can be trusted completely. 

My heart is burdened for a dying mother. Yet, my heart rejoices that the very moment the Father has planned, she will be with the Lord in glory. How could I manage death without the blessed hope I find in Christ Jesus. He is faithful and true.

That is just one concern. In fact, there are many days I can't tell which is priority to submit to God. I am up at night with their names on my tongue. I walk in a darkened room with the only Light being Jesus. All is just wrong with this world, but my life is in His hands.

One last thing. In Romans 8 I have been reading along and there I found a jewel of truth. You know with death on my mind, even without fear, I needed a deeper understanding. So, here I am reading along and there at the end of verse 6 I read..."But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever.]."

Powerful! What an awesome God we serve! Do you see it? While walking in the Spirit and not after my flesh, I see He has a mind. He is real despite all the lies of the enemy. He is real and I have Him living inside of me! Yes, I am excited because applying this to my day by day, it isn't about the death all around me. It is about walking continually, abiding in the Lord. There is life, for me. There is soul peace for me! 

May the Lord sustain you and keep you in the Beloved. May His grace pour over you like fresh oil from the throne. May you find your life kept in the hollow of His hand regardless of circumstances. Bring Him all your cares, for He cares for you. In the matchless name of Jesus, amen.

Abundance is...My trust is found in Christ Jesus 

Dear Heartstrings family,

If you need wisdom and guidance today, pray. Psalm 43:3 says, "Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me."

I Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

I don't know about you but, I need that through and through work going on everyday. Instead of going from one decision to another on my own, I am learning to forget that waste of time and go directly to Abba Father. 

Just think about it...He will do it! This is the reason we can wake in the morning and thank Him for His kindness and ask Him to order our steps for the day ahead. Then, when it is all finished and you put your head down for the night you can rejoice in all of His faithfulness just like Psalm 92:2 tells us.

How can we have hope if we have no one to show us what that looks like? You sure won't find it by listening to all the media. You won't find it buying new things. You won't find it even from the mouth of a friend. At least not like the perfect faithfulness of God we read about in His Love Letter to us. 

I don't know what your journey looks like. I would likely believe what you tell me. The hope is in sharing how you got through those times. Some things are really tough to talk about. I have some difficult past also. But, now I have given all my past to the One Who gave me the gift of salvation.

The now, meaning today, I am trusting God to be faithful moment by moment. It couldn't help me if I hadn't the assurance that I belong to the Father and am redeemed by Jesus Christ and sealed by His Spirit. I cannot do today without Him!

Will God change His mind about tomorrow? He still has a perfect plan and is at work in this crazy world. He will fulfill all of His purposes. Instead of trying to figure all this out, why not open your Bible and see where His Spirit will lead you? I have been happily surprised by how the Holy Spirit teaches me. Lifting God's Word up and setting my thoughts and eyes on the scriptures...well, it is a Living Word and flows like a quiet stream into the heart of me.

So, will you trust your life to Jesus? Ask for wisdom and guidance early in your day. Then place your hand in His and just walk where He leads. We can ask Him for a healthy frame and a cleansed conscience and a soul that will never be at home with sin. 

I read that from a seventeenth-century pastor, Johann Heermann. He wrote this prayer. This is the translation from German to English. 

"O God, Thou faithful God,

Thou fountain every flowing,

Without whom nothing is, 

All perfect gifts bestowing, 

Grant me a healthy frame, 

And give me, Lord, within,

A conscience free from blame, 

A soul unhurt by sin."

I know this post is long. But, I believe this was something I needed to share today. Keep Hope in The Faithful One. In the matchless name of Jesus, amen.

Abundance is...God Is Faithful

Sharing Heartstrings

Friends and family I long to be able to sit down and share with you the last several days. You too may have had to make some big decisions. Ones that will set your course on a path different than what you thought it would be. 

You have heard that trusting and believing are the same? Along with that there is the word clinging. Relying on Him. Some days for our very life. I pray you find encouragement and direction straight from the Word of God. 

I love Zephaniah 3:17! "The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

There are days when you might want to throw your hands up in the air and make an escape from all the noise and distractions around you, maybe even the responsibilities. Make this scripture your safe place.

Know that He is with you. He is your only source. He delights in you. He will quiet you with His love. And think about Him singing a song and rejoicing over you! Yes, you!

There is a song the Lord gave me many years ago. Lately, due to my own sweet mother being in Hospice care, I find I am singing it day and night. I am assured of her salvation and know she is in the Fathers hands. I hope this song blesses you.

"When the winds blow hard on the sea of life, may I know who I am without worry or strife. To just say, "Hush and be still in Jesus name" and go on from there another victory gained.

A child of the King am I today. A winner, not a looser ever again. With power and authority or Satan's games, my life's another victory gained.

When the mountains stands tall above the valley below, and it seems so far to climb above my every foe. I just look up to the One Who cares for me, and keep climbing to the next victory.

A child of the King am I today. A winner, not a looser ever again. With power and authority or Satan's games, my life's another victory gained."

Well, sometimes we stand at a crossroads. That may be where you are today. Will you give up and just sit there? Or will you get up and go where Holy Spirit leads you? He is a gentleman and will leave that to you to decide.

Psalm 73: 23-26 promises..."Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Let me finish by saying, be strong in the Lord. May the turning point in your personal life leads you to greater peace and joy. Let Jesus Christ be your Redeemer back to the Father. Come to Him and call on His name and be saved. He alone is our Rock and firm foundation. Turn to Him. 

May the Lord bless and keep you. May your face reflect His beauty and let the oil of His Spirit pour over you with gladness. Are you heavy hearted? Put on a garment of praise. May hope rise in faith as you completely focus on Him. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, our soon coming King, amen.

Abundance is...in turning to Jesus

Welcome back to Heartstrings

Have you ever been in a position where you have to be still? I mean, be still and know that He is God? We are called to this but, still in our choices we allow distractions to throw us around in all directions. I know some of you are heavy loaded with work, raising children, and still is not a word in your vocabulary. You think, some day when things settle down. I am here to tell you, that day may never come.

I don't mean to bring you down this morning. But, what makes us think that God owes it to us? Things go wrong at the drop of a hat, right? All I was doing was putting a piece of paper in the woodstove to light and my back went out. I couldn't walk by myself and the pain nearly took me to the floor. That was on the first of this month. Am I better today? I sure am, by the grace of God.

Did He see this coming? I know He did. Does He see or even care about our coming days? I know He does. Let me back up a bit. I kept hearing in my spirit to be still and know that He is God. But, as long as I had the power, my mind was set to put that urgency to the sidelines for a bit longer. Then, it happened. So, I have a whole lot of time to be still before the Lord. I have no doubt He turns our troubles into good. The pain into praise, even while still in it. How? Surrender to His Sovereign will.

I am not the only one learning this. My life has also been touched by the terrible news that a precious family member has stage 3 cancer. I can't share the details. But, you know what she told me this morning? An encouraging word. And, here I called her to encourage her. God knew I needed to be given His Words of Life also. We both received His special gift of love. Here is the Word.

2 Corinthians 4:14-17...(from the Amplified version) "Assured that He Who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and bring us [along] with you into His presence.

~ For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God."

During your crisis, or trouble do you ever wonder how on earth God can use you in this condition of such need? How can your prayers effect others. What kind of testimony do you have?

And here it is. Verse 16 says, "Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day.

~ For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!]."

You can read on and really get what Paul is saying. His experiences are written there to encourage us to hold on! Mans opinions will fail us, the Lord is our banner lifted high. Jehovah-Nissi is His name! 

So, this battle you and I are in have a purpose. God is Sovereign! And the Bible doesn't say, "He won't allow more than we can handle." It says, He will go with us through the valley of the shadow of death. His rod and staff comfort us. Hold on to His hand, trust His Word. They are life to us! Ask God to cover your mind with His Spirit of Truth today. Don't put it off. 

The ride may be rough, but hold on! Don't be foolish to set your love on the things of this earth. Let His Love lift you higher and higher still. Give honor and glory to His matchless name, amen.

Abundance is...progressively renewed day by day

Welcome to Heartstrings

The title of this little message is something that I need to ask myself. Yes, today is sunny and bright and that is when my juices flow to do something beautiful. To be inspired is one thing. To follow through with that inspiration can be another. Time won't stop just so I can finally begin a new project or exert myself in exercise, which I really need to keep moving this older body. But first...

The weather projection is for snow by the end of this week. Today, it sure feels like Springtime. Taking care of the physical is one thing. To take care of the spiritual aspect of my life is another, most important thing. So, I want to challenge you with the same scriptures I was challenged with this morning. More than life itself is the relationship with the Living Word, Jesus Christ. You may not see the difference in spending the time in His presence, but keep it up! His word is never one to fail. The evidence will show to others by your face and the tone of your voice. I like to say, the tone of my spirit. What does that sound like?

Without any further chatter, I present to you the Source of Living Water. Fresh Life and joy regardless of your circumstances.

To keep our focus on Jesus. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obediant to Christ."

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You."

So, what are you waiting for? For a better turn in the weather? For a promotion or a thumbs up on social media? For more money? The list, well, you each have your own. Right? What about now? You might be waiting for bad news to drop. Our nation is ripe for falling. What are you waiting for? How about what you can do today? 

Is your heart steadfast, trusting in the Lord? Or, are you afraid of the things man can do?

Focus on the Lord! Creator of heaven and earth. He sees to the very parts of your heart and mind. You know the ones you think are hidden? They are not! That should make your soul shudder to think of even trying to hide from the One Who made you! What are you waiting for?

Psalm 28:7 says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song."

Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Psalm 56:3-4 says, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?"

What are you waiting for? Trust is as simple as giving a hug to someone you love. Or, letting them come into your home. Or, sharing the things of your heart over a cup of tea.

The Lord says to each of us today, "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will brgin you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Genesis 28:15. God has done this for His chosen people, Israel. It is history now. He said it and then did it. He cannot lie.

We are His chosen through the blood of the Lamb. At the cross our sins were nailed and when Jesus rose from that grave it was victory over death! Why not put your trust in the God who gave His all for you? What are you waiting for?

Abundance is...Surely the Lord is in this place