Tag Archives: prayer

Are You Marked?

a young chipping sparrow fresh from the nest

“Though lonely be thy path, fear not, for He

Who marks the sparrow fall is guarding thee.” 

–Anonymous

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© 2013 Jeanne E Webster.  All rights reserved and observed

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From dangers you crawl

Clutching your prayer shawl

Tremble you may

God still holds sway

Marking your soft place to fall.

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Winds may knock you down

Rains drench you and drown

Soaked like a sparrow

Sight becomes narrow

God marks you safe and sound.

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Peace shall forever reign

Turn frowns to joys again

Look upon His face

Fears shall displace

Your worries God shall restrain.

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Amen

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Wrestling Routine

hope

 

© 2014 Jeanne E Webster. All rights reserved and observed.

Haggai 2:4 “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work…for I am with you, saith the Lord.” (KJV)
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“Be strong, all the people of the land, says the Lord.”

This is something we need to take personally. Write our own names here and REST in the Lord’s promise, “I am with you.”

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Are you lying in a bed of pain and woe? Do you groan because you no longer are able to drive yourself here and there? Do you need someone to help you get dressed in the morning and undressed at night?

“What is the sense?” you ask. Because the Lord says, “I am with YOU!”

You may be unable to do many things, but you can always sing and pray. And that, dear women, is your REST.

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When Samuel Rutherford lay in Aberdeen prison, Scotland, ages ago, he wrote at the top of his letters, “God’s Palace, Aberdeen.”

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When Madam Guyon was imprisoned in the castle at Vincennes, France, she said, “It seems as though I were a little bird whom the Lord has placed in a cage, and that I have nothing now to do but sing.”

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And prisons shall palaces prove, if Jesus abides with me there.
~from Mrs. Charles E. Cowman’s “Springs in the Valley”

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The past two years I have been at rest, thankfully in my own home and with family. A muscle disease has burdened me with pain, depression and many devastating side effects from the medication. All through this I have had this mighty ally, yet lost sight of Him off and on due to my missing the target of hope. Instead I focused on tomorrow, the next day, and the next day. And the day after that. I lost sight of my Lord. Many a time.

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Patience is a hard virtue to master; faith can be an elusive routine to secure

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“I’m learning, Lord!”

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A Little R & R

happy-new-year-2014

© 2014 Jeanne E Webster.  All rights reserved

Resolutions, everyone?  How about a revelation then?  I’m not a great resolutionist of idle thought, but give me revelation of a gap within my relationship with God, I’ll report for duty every time.  This New Year I have resolved to intensify my closeness to God.   My spirit tells me I need to; my heart rejoices with the thought.

Where do I begin this trek?  I think I’ll start with my prayer time. I’ve rather become a mite flippant, a little fiddling instead of a lot of communicating.  With a bit of introspection, we could all draw closer to God, don’t you think?

A favorite hymn that always causes me to ponder with wonder:

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I Know Whom I Have Believed

~Daniel W. Whittle 1840-1901

I know not why God’s wondrous grace

To me he hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

Redeemed me for his own.

 

Refrain:

But I know whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that he is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.

Refrain:

I know not how this saving faith

To me He did impart,

Nor how believing in His Word

Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain:

I know not how the Spirit moves,

Convincing us of sin,

Revealing Jesus through the Word

Creating faith in Him.

Refrain:

I know not when my Lord may come,

At night or noonday fair,

Nor if I walk the vale with Him,

Or meet Him in the air.

Refrain:

BUT I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED,

AND AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE

TO KEEP THAT WHICH I’VE COMMITTED

UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY.

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Happy New Year, my friends in Christ.

Shalom,

Jeanne & family

Jeanne & Walter

 

Jake

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Annie & Jo

Heavenly Lullabies

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Heavenly Lullabies

 

© 2013 Jeanne E Webster.  All rights reserved

 

“Happy New Year!” is on its way; it’s knocking at the door.  Are we ready with some tried-and-true resolutions to spruce up the old BODY?   Weight loss, new job, quit smoking, kick the drugs and booze habit, smile more at the world, spend more time with the family, lean harder on the budget, sock more money away each month . . .these objectives will certainly tidy up our persona for a better year ahead. 

What about our spiritual features?  Are they on extended vacation from the divine practices and nourishment our sacred nature requires?   Hopefully not. The world distracts our focus away from godly nutrition, pleading instead to the louder more sensual intonations of our carnal nature.  Instead of developing a deeper faith in our Creator, we find ourselves tossed about, clinging to life on a slippery slope and being slapped by one fear after another.

Everywhere we look there is turmoil, anxiety, fear, tension, and dread.  What are we to do? Is this what life is all about?  To put it succinctly, NO!

Life is relying on the Lord for strength and sustenance in the physical body AND in the spiritual body. 

Jesus warns us to quit worrying about things that hinder our walk in the spirit. As Christians, we have precious encouragement, “Don’t worry about what tomorrow will bring you, for it will take care of itself.” (Matt. 6:34)

What’s He saying here? Do not worry or become over-anxious.  Ok, but why does He say this when all about us are fearful distractions? Are we looking in all the wrong places for help?

He adds:  Matt. 6:33: Don’t worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or if you will be clothed.  Non-believers worry about those things!   “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness…and all your needs will be provided to you.”

In summation, Jesus tells us that God is still in charge of our lives; He knows our every need. “For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things.” (Matt. 6:32b)

What assurance! What RE-assurance! Our heavenly Father knows. Think about it. God is the creator of all things, even us, and planned the world’s itinerary from its beginning onward. And here we are, worrying about what’s going to happen tomorrow. “O ye of little faith!” (Matt. 6:30)

Phil. 4:6-7 “May I be anxious for nothing, and in all things by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, may I make my needs known to You; and I know that Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind through Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

 

May the melodious wisdom of our Father saturate and strengthen our hearts and minds as we feast on His bountiful promises.  Let us relearn the heart songs of His Word as heavenly lullabies that trickle into our inner realm, releasing our fears and weaknesses. 

Joy to the world; the Lord has come!  Be refreshed!  Be renewed!  . . . by His peace and joy. 

Alleluia and Amen!

 

A Mystery

Baby

 

© 2013 Jeanne E Webster.  All rights reserved

 

 

 

“What is this thing called LOVE?” asked Cole Porter in a song.   My thoughts rushed this advent day to Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. 

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♫ ♫ ♫

A wee baby boy bundled in a blanket

Nursing at Mary’s breast

Eyes not seeing

But heart a ’beating . . .

Oh, how the world’s being blest!

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Kings and wise men traveled to the east

Following after a star

Gold and incense

Frankincense and myrrh . . .

All for royalty these are!

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Kneeling and praying in Gethsemane

“Father, Thy will be done.”

Spit on and bloodied

Lashed and condemned . . .

Then a cross embraced the Son!

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What is this thing called LOVE?!

 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Child Praying

 

© 2013 Jeanne E Webster.  All rights reserved

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Whatever happened to uncomplicated prayer?  As children we would recite our bedtime prayers:

 

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I should die before I wake

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

God bless mommy and daddy

My brothers and sisters

Grandma and grandpa

My doggie and kitty

And all my friends.

 

And now—

God bless our country

Our leaders

Our churches

Our pastors

Our armed forces

Our courts and judges

Our people

Our homes

Our children

Our culture

 And—

I pray for Tiffany, who has brain cancer

Jim, who has leukemia

Bro. Pat with his heart problem

Butch, who is losing his vision

Teresa, who needs a liver transplant

 . . . Etc.

 . . . Etc.

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Prayer can be overwhelming at times.  It used to take only a short intense session to lift up all the needs of our hearts.  Nowadays there are so many people with tons of needs and almost daily perilous national and global situations.  It is easy to become numbed and succumbed, isn’t it? 

Perhaps that is where the term prayer warriors came into play, for pray we must.   It is a duty and a most holy privilege.  (Luke 18:1, Romans 8:26, Ephesians 6:18, James 5:13 & 16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and 1 Timothy 2:8.) 

Report for duty and embrace this consultation with our Creator.  He awaits our pleadings, hears our cries, and knows our pains.  The Holy Spirit utters our earnest soul-filled prayers. 

And—of course, pray all in the name Jesus! 

Amen!