My Refuge In Troubles

 

You’re my refuge, my hiding place,
When troubles come to call.
You are the greatest strength I know
When my back’s to the wall.

I try to stand up and be strong,
But, when my strength grows weak,
I call out to You for shelter
And for the peace I seek.
 
Though this world is filled with danger,
I know I’ll make it through,
For my hope rests not in myself,
But wholly, Lord, in You.
 
You are my strong fortress, my rock,
And I will sing Your praise,
For You’ve sheltered me in Your grace
Through all my hardest days.
 
Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.

The photo of this handsome fellow is another sweet gift from ATF! 

Jesus Wept

 

Jesus wept for Lazarus,
And for his sisters’ pain.
Though He was God, He was human,
Both aspects still remain.
 
The Son of God wept for a man,
But not for him alone.
He bore the grief we all will bear
While He was flesh and bone.
 
He knew, with the knowledge of God,
What each of us must face,
Each broken heart, and broken soul,
Each torment and disgrace.
 
In grief, He wept for Lazarus,
And that same love He kept
For each of us, through all we face.
For us, too, Jesus wept.
 
John 11:35
Jesus wept.

Time To Count Blessings

 

I stopped to count my blessings, Lord,
And praise You for such wealth.
I’m overwhelmed by so much grace,
My home, my food, my health.
 
I’ve finished my chores for the week,
One more way I’ve been blessed.
For now I have the time I need
To just be still and rest.
 
Tomorrow will bring more to do,
And more blessings for me,
As I gather with friends at church
And then with family.
 
Oh Lord, the wealth of Your sweet love
Is vast in its array.
I thank You for this quiet time
To count blessings today!
 
Psalm 144:15
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

The Robes Of His Teachings

 

Though I may wear the finest robes
And strut for all to see,
Still, I will be but scattered dust
For all eternity
If I do not put on instead
The robes of His mercy,
And all the blessings I’m to share,
As they’ve been shared with me.
 
Colossians 3:12-13
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

His Word Stands Forever

 

The empty voices of the world
Cry out, then fade away.
For, without substance of their own,
They hold no force or sway.
 
The winds sweep through, destroying all
Within their path and yet,
The trees regrow, the rivers flow,
And the earth will forget.
 
The empty voices, like the winds,
May bluster in their wrath,
But they will not deter God’s Word
Or move it from its path.
 
The grass will wither, as will they
Who claim God’s role and name.
While those who stand within His Word,
Eternal life may claim.
 
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Fret Not

 

There is great evil in the world.
Darkness holds many hearts
Captive to anger and the sin
Which mindless rage imparts.
 
Let not the poison of the world
Infect your mind and soul.
Fret not, when evil shows its face,
For God is in control.
 
Don’t let your heart be infected
With that rage and despair,
For God’s Light still outshines the dark.
His love is everywhere.
 
Be still and wait, with faith in Him,
Trusting His perfect plan,
For God’s love does not fade or fail.
Fret not, oh child of man.
 
Psalm 37:7-8
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Bright As The Noonday Sun

 

The seasons come and soon pass on,
Until the years have flown.
Then we look back on all we’ve lived
And wonder if we’ve grown.
 
Are we much wiser in our years
Or still foolish and wild
As we were in our younger days,
That willful, selfish child.
 
I fear I may be some of each,
Wiser, but still beguiled
By all those elusive treasures
And those I have compiled.
 
I count my blessings every day
And praise God with full heart,
Then get sidetracked on things in which
I’ve given Him no part.
 
At least I’m wise enough to see
How foolish I remain
And how much of this worthless world
I struggle to retain.
 
Once more, I reach out for His grace,
And wisdom to teach me
How to reflect His righteousness
For all the world to see.
 
Psalm 37:5-6
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

His Strength, Not Mine

 

Oh Lord, sometimes even small things
Seem too big to get through.
Wash the clothes or take out the trash,
Just clean a dish or two.
 
The world can weigh so heavily
That small chores become large.
It’s in such times I hold on to
The One who is in charge.
 
The One who set the moon’s orbit,
And calls each star by name
Can help me stand up through it all.
His strength, not mine, I claim.
 
Oh Lord, this day has worn me out,
But it is nearly through.
Please, let me lean upon Your strength,
Then rest and start anew.
 
Psalm 105:4
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Healing The Broken Hearted

 

This world can break a mortal heart
Without a second thought.
Despite all we may try to do,
No healing can be wrought.
Nor is there a price we can pay,
No cure that can be bought,
To bring the restoration for
Which all mankind has sought.
 
That healing only comes from Him,
The price already paid
Upon the cross at Calvary
Where all our sins were laid
Before the Lord, The One who heals
The broken and dismayed.
Only in Him is found the peace
By which healing’s conveyed.
 
Give up to Him your broken heart,
Let go of all the grief
Which you have carried through this life,
With no hope of relief.
Moment by moment the pain will ease,
Like a new budding leaf,
Until you realize at last
The peace born in belief.
 
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Keeping My Eyes On You

 

Tonight, I sing of eagle’s wings
Mounting up to the sky
And, though I still stand here on earth,
My soul joins him to fly.
 
For he drew my eyes to heaven
As he rose up in flight,
Until I caught a glimpse of You
And Your eternal Light.

 

I’m grateful that I stopped to look
When I saw him pass through
For he reminded me, once more,
To keep my eyes on You.
 
Isaiah 40:31
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.