Welcome to Heartstrings

A simple, yet powerful couple of verses from God's Love Letter.

Found in Psalm 116:1-2 tells you and I to have hope and hang in there!

"I love the Lord, because He has heard [and now hears] my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live."

And that is the key to my relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. Just to know He is hearing!

Each of us have a different experience. Never let someone tell you as you witness the Truth that you are adding words to your testimony using the Word of God. Life application as personal to you, is what makes the scripture come alive in the telling to others.

 So, yes, be wise. Never let the enemy rob you of the opportunities God has placed before you. WE must build each other up as the Holy Spirit equips us for every situation. And, always giving glory to God the Father.

Take this and allow Holy Spirit to encourage you to step out in faith and run the course ahead of you. You are not alone. Run strong in the power of Jesus our matchless warrior, amen.

Abundance is...I know He hears!

Welcome to Heartstrings!

Psalm 27:1 says, "The LORD is my Light and my Salvation--whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?"

Is fear a factor in your life today? Are you weighed down with anxiety, worry and unable to fix your life? Are the wounds that leave scars cover your soul and your body? Do you have the answers by seeking the counsel of man? There are many questions aren't there. But, all have their answers in Jesus Christ. Will you give Him your life, your all today? The choice is yours. Do not wait for a more opportune time. It may not come.

What do you desire? What is the first thing that comes to mind? Let that tell you Who your Master is. God sees and knows what is in your heart and mind, yet, He is ready to pick you up from the rubble all around you. Spiritually refreshing you, establishing you in His Peace that passes all understanding. Only found in coming to Christ. 

So, does Jesus reign as Master, Redeemer in your story? Who do you serve? These are questions I have been asking myself and I do believe Holy Spirit is teaching me through the process. 

Psalm 37:1-5 tells us not to fret because of all the evil. They will soon be cut down like grass and whither. We are to trust in the Lord and in His supply of faithfulness and provision for our daily needs. We are called to delight in the Lord and really leave the longings of our heart to Him. We are to commit our ways to Him and roll every care of our load upon Him. Then, He will bring it to pass.

Psalm 27:4-5 says, "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for and [insistently] require; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. ~

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock."

This brings me to Psalm 91 again! "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!"  Wow! And that is only the first part of the chapter! Read on and be strengthened in the power and promise of the Lord.

You may ask, "So what do I do now?" Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring, Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord." 

In the matchless name of Jesus I implore you to humble yourself before God and accept His gift of forgiveness. It only takes a few moments and your name will be written down in the Lambs book of Life! Come home today. Amen?

Abundance is...God will speak if we will listen

Welcome to Heartstrings family and friends

You know the day you wake groggy and feeling old? That is the best time to give thanks for another day. Why? Because God deserves our worship!

Having trouble finding something to wear? Something to boost your spirits, without shopping? Yes, I know many who follow Heartstrings are from other countries and are just thankful to have the clothes on your back. I am talking to the many in America, especially, who have more than enough and still want more. I think I am becoming more aware of what is important and what is not. Here is where I am finding that putting on a garment of praise is the best I can wear: it gives the most comfort and is a beautiful garment to have on. It lifts the heaviness that worldly clothes cannot supply.

I know coffee will only temporarily energize. Or, any number of stimulants available. Doesn't it seem more and more how the things that we want to last just don't? Clothing fades, colors aren't as vivid, time moves too fast for all our projects to get done and there is nothing that satisfies the soul. Nothing but being in the presence of Jesus, God's precious Son and my Redeemer.

I know one sure thing. I had better run to the Shepherd for real rest and joy. The best place I know is found in my old Bible. The pages are a bit worn too. But, I draw life from Gods Love Letter. I find the strength I need for the steps I must take...and still His Love attends me continually.

This morning I read Psalm 102 and found, not surprisingly in verses 25-27..."At the beginning You existed and laid the foundations of the earth; the heavens are the work of Your hands. They shall perish, but You shall remain and endure; yes, all of them shall wear out and become like an old garment. Like clothing You shall change them, and they shall be changed and pass away. But You remain the same, and Your years shall have no end."

Something to think about isn't it? If ever a time, like the ones we are living in, don't we long for eternity? For changed bodies? To see the beauty of Jesus face as He looks with love into our eyes? What a glorious day that will be!

If you have found these things to be true then, call on the Lord and be saved. Your eye will be opened to the wonders of His love every day. Focus will be changed and strength of spirit restored for the journey. Let Him be the One you trust. Holy Spirit will help you separate the precious from the worthless. The Lord bless you and keep you.

Abundance is...in the care of The Shepherd

Welcome Heartstrings family,

If you have a Bible then likely you have read the book of Psalm. I find great encouragement every time I pick it up. God's Word is living and active, faithful and just in every situation.

Today, I will share a few scriptures from the heart of David in Psalm 18. I am using the Amplified Bible for this. Make this your prayer before the Lord. 

Beginning with Psalm 18:28..."For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness. ~ For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. ~ 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. ~

For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God, The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect? ~ He makes my feet like hinds' feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places."

It was when we were living on the coast of Oregon years ago that I got my first experience with sand dunes. We worked hard to climb to the top to see what lay beyond. The struggle, the strength it took to walk while our feet sunk or slid back down, made me want to give up. It was tough! Then when we made it to the top, all we could see were miles of more dunes. 

The battles can sometimes be like this can't they? You want to conquer the climb but only manage to be out of breath, fatigue sets in muscles and for some reason thirst for water seems more vivid. 

We keep moving up don't we? To give up would be a mistake because you would always wonder, "what if I had continued?"

 The enemy is out to get you. But, read on! Verse 34 says..."He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. ~ You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness and condescension have made me great. ~ You have given me plenty of room for my steps under me, that my feet would not slip."

Read on. Verse 46 is the praise regardless of the circumstances. "The Lord lives~ Blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted."

I will leave you to read the whole chapter. Pause and consider and let the Holy Spirit speak to you regarding the issues you face today. Take every matter to prayer in trust that God is for you, not against you!

Father we stop now to give thanks to You and extol Your matchless name. We sing praises to You O Lord! We may be weak but You can make us strong for any battle we face, knowing we have You with us every step of the way. Thank you for inspiring Your word and bringing it to us today. We love you Abba, amen.

Abundance is...my steps will not slip

Dear brothers and sisters,

Again, another long pause. But, today regardless of what my body is doing I must take the time to focus on what is True.

Come on. I know you have asked the question, "Why me Lord?" Did you get an answer? Because the Lord never changes, He is always faithful and true to His Word, all my answers come between Genesis and Revelation. Too much to consider?

Has the world offered you a better plan? I mean, eternity was put in our hearts by God Himself. Can you think of a better person to commune with, run to, hide in than the One Who made you?

I am on the lookout for Jesus. The things of this world are fading. I don't blame it all on my old eyes! Things are happening so fast globally now. The evil is really showing off. But, remember it is only for a short time. So, go ahead and ask God "Why?" He is big enough to handle it all. 

Trials come and seem to overlapping in my own life anymore. I just keep putting on the armor of God each day. Ephesians 6. I keep my loved ones before the Throne of God. My prayers for them is that they will stand unashamed when Christ is revealed. I pray for wise and understanding hearts. That they be aware and ready when the enemy comes with his lousy lies. 

Everything we need is found in Jesus Christ. If you doubt He is the Son of God and choose to go your separate way from His Love...well, then you will hear Him say, "Depart from me. I never knew you. "What a tragic seven words!

Today, while there is still time, will you call on Him and be saved? Anyone, that means anyone...who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Who are you calling on? Your best friend? Social media? A personal addiction? A private idol of worship? If you can ask, "Why me Lord?" then, who is your Lord?

1 Peter 2:24 says, "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed."

This is all wounds. The wounds caused by our sin, the physical wounds, emotional wounds and even the spiritual wounds caused by the enemies influence in your life. At least that is what I have come to believe. Jesus Is Healer of all!

I am leaning on the Lord more and more through all my troubles. I am running to Him for every little need and have dropped the heavy pac on my back at His feet. Then, the heaviness goes. My head is turned to heaven and the promises Jesus made in John 14. 

The path before each of us most likely won't be paved in gold and strewn with flower petals. You may not be able to skip and dance as your heart desires. There may be thunderclouds blocking your sunshine happiness. You may have a difficult time singing in the rain. It may look like the light at the end of the tunnel goes on and on for miles, too far to walk. You feel thirsty all the time for water that refreshes that doesn't come from a bottle. 

I guess what I am trying to say is I am no longer asking questions of the world. I don't need opinions of man. I consider the riches of this world pretty beat up and faded. Colors aren't as bright as when I spend time in the Word of God. His Love Letter is living! Father knows best and I will trust Him. 

So, that's my story, what's yours? Remember, no excuses stand before God. Just come in the naked truth of who and what you are. A sinner. Humble yourself. 

Several places as I have written today I have thought of scripture to back it up. I didn't do that because you need to find it for yourself. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, His Spirit will teach you.Only turn to Him for any and all reasons. He loves you so.

I will try to write as I am able. Only to encourage you, not to do a work in you...that is up to God. But, I will pray for you as you walk in your own story. Let Him write truth on your heart today. And, please trust His promise from 2 Timothy 1:7... "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...finding His answers