Evening Song - Blessed Redeemer

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 

Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 

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Texas Memories - Wild Petunias

Ruellia
Wild petunia

Evening Song - You Will Pray for Me

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

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Texas Memories - September In A Texas Garden

Swiss chard

Red Okra

Squash blossom

Word of the Day - Delight (Part 1)

 

Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 16:2-3 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Psalm 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Thou lovely source of true delight,

Whom I unseen adore;

Unveil Thy beauties to my sight,

That I may love Thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines;

But in Thy sacred Word,

I read in fairer, brighter lines,

My bleeding, dying Lord.

’Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop,

And sins and sorrows rise,

Thy love with cheerful beams of hope,

My fainting heart supplies.

Anne Steele

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Evening Song - Heaven Came Down

Ephesians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

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The Thousand Word Project - Pink September

Queen's Wreath
or Coral Vine

The Star of Bethlehem - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

 

The Star of Bethlehem

Not to the king the Star,

Flaming in light afar;

Not to the king on his throne apart,

With fear and hate in his evil heart,

Speaking smoothly with lying ruse

To find the new-born King of the Jews;

Not to the king the flame,

The light and the glory came.

Not to the seers the Star,

Shedding its beams afar;

Not to the seers with their downbent looks,

Poring over their ancient books,

Searching where and pondering when,

He should be born who is Saviour of men;

Not to the seers the flame,

The light and glory came.

Not to the sword the Star,

Glowing and bright afar;

Not to the sword that sought where He lay,

Callous and cruel and eager to slay;

Never were bearers of swords so led

Where helpless and innocent blood was shed;

Not to the sword the flame,

The light and the glory came.

But to the wise the Star,

Lighting their path afar;

Unto the wise who truly sought

With reverent worship and loving thought

These to the Child the Star could bring,

To lay their gifts at the feet of the King;

Unto the wise the flame,

The light and the glory came.

- Annie Johnson Flint -

Matthew 2:9-10  When they had heard the king, they

departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east,

went before them, till it came and stood over where the

young child was. When they saw the star,

they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Research that was done at the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy showed some interesting things about the activity of the stars and planets in 3 B.C. when Jesus Christ would have been born. The indications from that project were that He was most likely born in September, possibly on the 11th. Here is a link to a post on this subject for further reading: The Christmas Star Research Project.

Evening Song - How Great Thou Art

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 

Psalm 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 

Psalm 111:2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 

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The Thousand Word Project - Blooming Fireworks

Short Thoughts - Good All by Himself

All By Himself

A friend once sent me a link to a song. I don't remember what the song was, but something the singer said before she started singing made me think. She said, “God is just good, and He is good all by Himself!” Wow. What a statement. 

Do you realize that God doesn’t need us to “prove” that He is good? He doesn't need to do anything to "be good" like we do.  He IS GOOD – all by Himself. He is good in and of Himself. He doesn’t need anyone or anything to prove it. I think sometimes we get the wrong idea - that we have to somehow prove that He is good or that He is God. Why? He is Good and He is God without proving Himself to us, without our approval, without our proving it to others, to Him or to ourselves. Although He does prove Himself, He does not need to prove Himself in order to be good.

He does not technically need us to tell Him He is good either, though we know from scripture that He wants us to praise Him for who and what He is – including His goodness. It is expected of those who love, fear, and worship Him. But, He was good and wise and creative and mighty “all by Himself” before the foundation of the world. Or I should say, He IS all these thing before the foundation of the world. His goodness is not limited to time as ours is, or as our concept of Him is. John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

I don’t know what the lady was thinking when she said that God “is good all by Himself.” It might have been what Jesus said when He stated, "…there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18 God “is good all by Himself” in the sense that He alone is good (all others have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23). He also is good alone, without the need of proof or commendation by anyone. It is a wonderful thought! It takes a lot of false responsibility off of us. It also reveals to us the blessing and privilege of worshipping Him outside of our own specific needs. He is not good and just and wonderful and powerful and mighty and wise because we found Him so, or because He proved Himself to be so to me or to you. He is not all these things because we say He is either. He is all these things without our praise, without our permission, without our being on the receiving end of them. He is "good all by Himself." He is I AM THAT I AM (Ex. 3:14).

And yet, He desires the sacrifice of praise from us in adoration and worship of Him as the good, creative, mighty, awe-inspiring God that He is! What a privilege! What a blessing! And yet, how humbling.

Psalm 104:35 Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. 

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 

Evening Song - God Hath Not Promised

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 

Deuteronomy 33:25 ...and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. 

Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

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What God Hath Promised

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day
Rest for the labor, light for the way;
Grace for the trials, help from above;
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Annie Johnson Flint

Hebrews 13:5b ...he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.