The Secret Garden Chronicles Word of God Speak

This has been a busy week, and there has been no time to spend here in the Secret Garden until today.

As soon as I said to my hubby that I was headed out to the Secret Garden to sit a while, the song "Word of God Speak" popped into my mind...and I found myself singing it as I sat down in the garden...as a prayer...so perfect for this moment.  Here is the link for this song and a copy of the lyrics for you to sing along with me:

Word of God Speak, By Mercy Me

Lyrics

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

The last thing I need is to be heard

But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak

Would you pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That you're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In your holiness

Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You

Beyond the music, beyond the noise

All that I need is to be with You

And in the quiet hear Your voice

(chorus)

Word of God speak

Would you pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That you're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In your holiness

Word of God speak

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

Written by Bart Millard, Pete Kipley, Peter C. Kipley • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Here are some of the "words" that God spoke to me in the stillness of this place today:

Psalm 119:89-90

"Forever, O Lord,

Your Word is settled in heaven.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations.

You established the earth, and it abides"

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is lamp to my feet,

and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:114

"You are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in Your word."

Psalm 119:130

"The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 119:160

"The entirety of Your word is truth;

And every one of Your righteous judgments

endures forever."

Psalm 119:169

"Let my cry come before You, O Lord;

Give me understanding 

according to Your word."

Psalm 119:170-171

"Let my supplication come before You;

Deliver me according to Your word.

My lips shall utter praise 

for You teach me Your statutes."

Psalm 130:5-6

"I wait for the Lord, 

my soul waits;

and in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than those who watch for the morning...

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning."

Psalm 103:17-18

"But the mercy of the Lord 

is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear Him;

and His righteousness to children's children.

To such as keep His covenant, 

and to those who remember His

commandments to do them."

Thank You, Lord, for speaking to me today in this place.

You know the concerns of my heart...and You have 

addressed them according to Your Word.

In You I place my trust...for myself,

and for my "children's children",

and for ALL generations.

Amen.

Perhaps this was a quiet moment for the "Word of God" to speak to your heart today as well.  I pray so.  Have a blessed and glorious day my friends.

God Got My Attention!

Time to "focus" in on this past week's activities...since I claimed my "One Word" for 2015..."Focus".

It seems like whenever we claim a new word, that particular word takes on a life of its own...and it gets our attention in so many ways.  "Focus" is definitely getting my attention. But, isn't that what the word "focus" means in the first place? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus says

"

¹fo·cus

 noun \ˈfō-kəs\: a subject that is being discussed or studied : the subject on which people's attention is focused

: a main purpose or interest

: a point at which rays of light, heat, or sound meet or from which they move apart or appear to move apart; especially : the point at which an image is formed by a mirror, a lens, etc. "

Well, this week the focus has been on things needing repair...or, I should say, "expensive things" needing repair.

• My car developed a rock and roll and rattle which necessitated some focused attention, i.e. REPAIRS.
•  
• Our home insurance cancelled our policy because they didn't have enough business in this area, necessitating our finding a new policy.
•  
• The NEW policy required a house inspection.
•  
• The house inspector refused to sign the certificate unless we replace our ROOF. Yikes!
  

There were a few other more minor things, but they all added up to getting our attention right where it hurts the most...our pocketbook!  Not a great way to start the New Year!

But, after focusing our attention on these issues we have evaluated the bigger picture, and have come to some new realizations (with the wise counsel and help of some good friends):

• The car repairs are not as serious as first feared, and we found a trustworthy and reliable Christian mechanic who also happens to be extremely fair.
• If the home insurance company had not cancelled our policy, necessitating our having an inspection of our roof, we would not have known that our roof was in such bad condition until possibly a leak developed and/or serious damage was done to our home.
• And, actually it isn't the whole roof, but one section of our roof due to the configuration of the way our house is built, so it will not be as expensive as if it were the whole roof. And God has shown us a way to pay for it reasonably...in time...but reasonably.
• And, the other more minor things are just that, minor things that can be fixed and are not the end of the world if they are not fixed right away.

I also have learned that spending time each day in God's Word helps me to focus my mind and heart on the things that are most important, and to prioritize the issues that come into my life so that I can tackle that which is most necessary first, and take care of the others as needed.

Here are a few verses that come to "light" right now:

• "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:105
• "You (God) are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." Psalm 119:114
• "Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe (focus my attention on) Your statutes continually." Psalm 119:117
• "The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130
• "In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me." Psalm 120:1
• "I will lift up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2.

What have I learned this week?  

• "Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways." Psalm 128:1
• "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." Psalm 136:1

That sums it up pretty well...but to put it in common language...I have learned to focus my attention on God instead of my circumstances...and to always look for the hidden blessing in the midst of the trials of life.  And I have learned to give thanks to the Lord, for He IS good! His mercy DOES endure forever! And I've also learned to give thanks for the people God brings into our lives to help us when we need it most. I pray that God will bless them for their kindness in ways that we cannot.

So, what kinds of things have you focused upon this week?

Who's Holding YOU?

Deuteronomy 33:27:  "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..."

Safe in His Arms

Psalm 119:117 ~ "Hold me up, and I shall be safe..."

Psalm 119:114 ~ "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." 

Mark 10:14-16 ~ "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  "And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."


It seems as though the news these days just keeps getting more and more frightening and discouraging...whether it be the state of the world at war, or the state of the economy, the political turmoil in our country, the unemployment rate...wherever we turn, the news is not good.  If we are not strongly grounded in our faith and our personal convictions, we can be tossed to and fro in an angry sea of anxiety, fear and doubt.  We find ourselves surfing the news channels in hopes of finding some good news for a change, and once in a while we may happen upon a good human interest story or some other positive words of encouragement...but not too often.  After a while we begin to wonder why our bodies are feeling so tense and stiff, and why our hearts are pounding and we can't seem to stand in one place for long because we are so filled with dread.  Suddenly we begin to realize that we are allowing the world to hold us hostage to fear and hopelessness, and we have to do something to stem the tide of negative emotions.

God said in the book of Isaiah:51:12-13; 15-16

"I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass? And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he has prepared to destroy.  And where is the fury of the oppressor?"  "But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared~The Lord of hosts is His name.  And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are My people.'"

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills~from whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul. 

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore."

Psalm 121

Amen.

What more can I say?

Perfect Rest.

 Thank you, Jesus.