Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Welcome back to my Heartstrings blog spot. I pray you are safe and well and that you know you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God! Praise the Lord!

Ephesians 3:14-21 has been so good for me to hang onto. Like a rope of safety as the storm rages around me. So, let the Word of God speak to your heart today.

"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.

~ Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Realize with all the Believers in Christ what a wonderful place you have in the family of God! Keep praying for one another and be diligent to keep the Word of God with all your heart. Keep your mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Remember, He who has called you is faithful and is preparing a place for you in heaven. He always keeps His promises and will soon come again to take His Church, His Bride, to be with Him in glory forever. 

May you be established in His Love and be filled full with the Holy Spirit, singing songs of praise and sharing the Good News with all who cross your path. Be blessed today in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...to know the Love of Christ

Welcome to Heartstrings!

Every day is a good day when I consider the Lord's mercies are new every morning. Mercy like manna. He is faithful to pour out His faithfulness and grace like rain that falls sweetly over my day. He is wonderful and worthy of Praise!

The reason I write here is to show His praises and give account of the Lord's working in my life for His glory and my good. Part of the journey is of course, a breaking down of past assumptions that I think I know stuff. But, Holy Spirit sifts through all that and adds and substracts to make me a vessel of honor. The journey is long. The way is sometimes difficult. He remains Faithful and True every step I take. 

Are you acquainted with His mercy? If you are a follower of Christ and living in Him then, you have experienced mercy. Learning to adapt His Word for the issues we deal with; making all those choices based on what we find as Truth in God's Love letter to us, bring us always to the heart of God. O Lord, may we desire more of You!

I love the promises I find in the book of Psalm. Chapter nine, verse 9 blessed me this morning so much. "The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation)."

Wow! That sure describes the times we are living in today doesn't it? The high cost of food, those destitute after so much flooding and the desperation of peoples around the world due to the rise of evil. We ask when will it ever end? Will there be peace? Only the return of Jesus Christ will bring the changes. What do we do in the meantime? Trust in the Lord and do your best to follow hard after Him. Believe mercy is yours. Believe grace is yours.

Psalm 9:10 says, "And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God's Word and the right of their necessity]."

Praise the Lord! His Word never changes! Are you a follower of Christ? Will you call on His name today and be saved from the sin in your life? That huge gap between you and the Father in heaven is only bridged by faith in His Son Jesus. So, trust and obey. There is no other way. Only through Jesus Christ are you redeemed from the pit of destruction. Back to the Father. This is mercy to me. Be blessed in the matchless name of Jesus today.

Abundance is...not forsaken

Welcome back Heartstrings family,

I know it has been a few days since I last shared my journey. I suspect it is like many of yours. While I may not be in a war zone physically, it sometimes feels that way. Frankly, my biggest battle this whole month has been in regard to my thoughts, my emotions. At first it was clear I was grieving for the loss of my earthly dad but, on top of that one thing after another piled pretty high. Tossing those cares upon the Lord has become a daily, ongoing response. His Word has been my help every step.

It gives me assurance to know that David wrote so honestly in the Psalms. He didn't try to cover up or brush the things of his heart under a rug. He came openly before the Lord God. All his sorrow, ugly feelings, and so many tears were not hidden. I am so grateful to find a friend of compassion here. As though he is living on the edge with me today.

I want to prayerfully submit Psalm 3 to you. Knowing you too struggle. Whether enemies you can see or the ones lurking in the shadows of your mind. The enemy of bitterness, self-pity, fear, resentment; even confusion. These bring to the Throne of God's matchless love and amazing grace. Don't wait. Come as you are. Those rags and ashes you have been wearing Jesus will remove, wash you clean until your face shines once more. You can cry honestly before Him and He will not judge you. Others surround you with platitudes and act so important. But, Jesus understands. So come. He hears you whether the words are spoken or kept isolated in the chambers of your heart and soul.

Psalm 3 says..."LORD, HOW they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

"Many are saying of me, There is no help for him in God. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

"But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

"With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

"I lay down and slept; I wakened again, for the Lord sustains me.

"I will not be afraid of then thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

"Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

"Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!"

I used to wonder why Selah is so important. When I am so weary the very best I can do is pause and think about the things of the Lord. You know He is the only One to depend fully upon. 

The word believe means to trust in, cling to, rely on, lean on. You have heard me say this before in past times. But, it is Truth and never changes regardless of my circumstances. So, here I am back again to a place of learning how to apply the Fresh Life giving Word of God. He remains Faithful and True. He hears. Now, I want to hear Him. Selah, pause and calmly think of that!

Whether or not we meet here again, I pray this brings refreshment to your soul. That your mind would be so fastened upon delighting in the Lord that all the other noise, the many voices and even the personal struggles you are going through would become very small in comparison with you time in His presence. That the only Master you have is the One Who loves you eternally. Bless you beloved of the Lord in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...I'm listening

Heartstrings family,

Are you ready to magnify the Lord with me? There is nothing I can say but, in every situation, every step of this journey, with every chapter written on the story of my life...this is most important. Regardless of my circumstances. Whether my body fails, or my garden fails, whether my loved ones die or whether friends leave. I desire to magnify the name of the Lord. Will you come away with me as read Psalm 34 today?

So, speak to us Holy Spirit. "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ~ My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad. ~ O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. 

I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. {Psalm 73:25; Matthew 7:7} ~ They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces shall never blush for shame or be confused. ~ This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers. [ Psalm 18:1; 145:20} ~ O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him. {1 Peter 2:2-3}."

Let me just slip in here a moment to say that when I have prayed this personally, I know I am being heard by God. Yes, He is Great and Mighty but, He does hear. Take time to make this as personal to you as it was for David in his time. God's Word is Living!

Verse 9 ... "O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear. ~ The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing."

Can you hear Psalm 23 playing along with this?

Verse 11 ... "Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord. ~ What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good? ~ Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. ~ Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!"

Stop here and do not take lightly this instruction. We are all in need of Jesus Christ. I would say, everyday of our lives. Continue to talk to Him, heed His Word and gain fellowship with The King on a daily basis. 

Verse 15 ... "The eyes of the Lord are toward the [uncompromisingly] righteous and His ears are open to their cry. ~ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. {1 Peter 3:10-12}. ~ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. ~ The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent."

Praise the Lord for His matchless mercy and grace! He is just waiting to hear from us and is willing to forgive us when we sin. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Verse 19... "Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. ~ He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. ~Evil shall cause the death of the wicked; and they who hate the just and righteous shall be held guilty and shall be condemned."

And finally we pull it all together with verse 22..."The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty."

Amen! I can think of so many scriptures that can support this passage. Can't you? Are you magnifying the Lord now? I truly love God's Love letter to us! God bless and keep you every step of your journey, every turn of the page of your story. Draw close to Him and find fresh life! In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Abundance is...found in His Words of Life

Good morning Heartstrings family

Along with you, I want to be energized by faith and serve the Lord being motivated by love and unwavering hope in the return of our Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah! That is how Paul began his First letter to the Thessalonians long ago. 

He also speaks of Grace as spiritual blessing and divine favor. And...heart peace. Do you have this evident in your life story? 

I have kept journals for many, many years. I don't suppose they would be important for someone else to read. However, it has been a great help to me to sort of keep track of my steps. The journey has changed in many ways. The last couple of years there has been more written about the wonders of God. Large and small in my walk. There is more gratitude and praise to my matchless Lord and soon coming King.

In a sense I am leaning more and more. That is why I say, "Faith leans." Some of you know what I mean. Experience tells us there is a map to follow. Some roads have been difficult climbs and leaps where it is all we can do is lean on the promises of God. Which...will increase our faith the more time we spend in the presence of our Lord. Holy Spirit is not the vague picture I once had, He is a real person of the Trinity. 

Life application is something I began to learn about from a dear pastor. It became ingrained in my heart and mind. I am forever grateful!

I want my life to be a good report for the encouragement and growth of others. That is would be said of me; "...but everywhere the report has gone forth of your faith in God (Patricia), of your leaning of your whole personality on Him in complete trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness." Second Thessalonians 1:8.

I want to go on...Paul says, "and how you turned to God from your idols to serve a God Who is alive and true and genuine. And how you look forward to and await the coming of His Son from heaven. Whom He raised from the dead---Jesus, Who personally rescues and delivers us out of and from the wrath bringing punishment which is coming upon the impenitent and draws us to Himself, investing us with all the privileges and rewards of the new life in Christ, the Messiah." Second Thessalonians 1:9-10 from the Amplified version.

Can you pray God's Word? It is the best of prayers. The enemy hates this because God's Word is all Truth! Imagine getting dressed in the armor of God and then whatever you pray is already founded on Truth. There is no stopping now. Faith will grow.

Well, I should let you go for this time. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and just L E A N on Him! 

Abundance is...dependence on God