Short Thoughts - Be Careful How You Fill Your Mind

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18  And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

2 Timothy 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

One of the challenges in the day we live in is the mad obsession with information. People are addicted to hearing and telling a new thing, perhaps more than ever before in the history of this old world. It's important to remember that while our knowledge of God's word will make us wise unto salvation and give us light to live by, the knowledge and wisdom of the world tends to grief and sorrow. There are so many awful things in this world to find out about now, and even many good things are misconstrued.

Let's be careful of what we fill our minds with as we walk through this life. Some knowledge is needful, but a great deal of it serves very little good purpose, and too often no good purpose at all. Whether it's entertainment or just raw learning about various things, we need to be conscious of how we are using our time, as well as what we are feeding our minds. And, if you are struggling with sorrow and grief without an apparently good reason, maybe stop and ask yourself what you are putting in your head.

Even godly wisdom can tend to grief, though. That may sound odd, but the more wisdom we have in the word of God and in His ways, the more it can hurt us when we see people we love and care about doing things that will do them harm. This doesn't mean we should avoid knowing what the Lord says in His word, but it is a reminder that it is natural for one who has understanding in the word of God to recognize more of the ugliness and folly of this life. If we feel grief and sorrow at some of this knowledge, image how much grief and sorrow it gives God since He knows all. This should give us a respect for Him, and for His right to tell us how we should then live.

Ephesians 4:30-32 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Letters to My Friend - Thoughts On North Carolina and Loss

Dear Friend,

My heart is heavy for the people in Western North Carolina. We were aware that some serious destruction had happened last week. My husband has family there still and we checked in to make sure they were O.K. They were, but one household had just missed being in the worst of it. They are not terribly far from Asheville.

This weekend as I've looked at videos that are coming out of western North Carolina, Tennessee, and other areas, it was both horrifying and sobering. The speed at which rivers and creeks rose, mud slides started, and people's homes and vehicles were breached was truly frightening. And, knowing that so many have lost so much all at one time is overwhelming. The destruction is mind boggling.

Continue Reading.

Never Alone - Encouragement for the Hurting

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

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Ephesians 2:12-13 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

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"I AM WITH YOU"

It is not always comfort to remember
That "God is in His Heaven",
When heavy clouds have hidden all the sunshine
And we are tempest-driven;
When all the world is desolate and lonely,
Or filled with hate and strife;
When hearts grow weary with their cares and troubles,
And grief and sin are rife.

It does not help that God is in His Heaven,
For that seems far away;
No voice comes down to us from that high silence,
No answer when we pray;
Up there, we think, the ceaseless hallelujahs
That rise around the throne
Must dull the echoes of earth’s lamentations,
And drown the sad heart’s moan.

But here is comfort - "I am with you alway
The Faithful and the True
And I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,
The long, hard journey through,"
For Jesus Christ is present help and refuge,
Not far, but very near;
Our Light, our Guide, our Shepherd, our Consoler,
A Saviour Who is here.

by Annie Johnson Flint
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Matthew 28:20 ...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

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Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

Thoughts for the Grieving

 

A lot of people are dealing with grief again this holiday season. For some it is new, for others it is not, in either case it still hurts. For some it is the result of death, for others it is caused by other reasons. I wanted to remind us of some things that might be helpful, either to those who are dealing with fresh grief, or for those who just need some reminders.

Are You Grieving? It's OK to Make Holiday Changes

Of Grief and Earthly Treasures

Fear - by Martha Snell Nicholson

He Is My Light  - by Martha Snell Nicholson

One Day at A Time  - by Annie Johnson Flint

In Jesus  - by Annie Johnson Flint

He's Helping Me Now  - by Annie Johnson Flint

"Fear Not" and Comfort Verses

A Word to the Weary OR Why Do the Righteous Suffer?

Psalm 31:9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 

This video was not synced properly between the sound and words. Please follow the poem below to see the proper flow of the words.

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Are Thou Sunk In Depths of Sorrow?

Art thou sunk in depths of sorrow

Where no arm can reach so low?

There is One whose arms almighty

Reach beyond thy deepest woe.

God Eternal is thy refuge,

Let it still thy wild alarms;

Underneath thy deepest sorrow,

Are the everlasting arms.

Other arms grow faint and weary,

These can never faint, nor fail;

Others reach our mounts of blessing,

These our lowest loneliest vale.

O that all might know His friendship!

O that all might see His charms!

O that all might have beneath them

Jesus’ everlasting arms.

Underneath us, O how easy;

We have not to mount on high,

But to sink into His fulness,

And in trustful weakness lie.

And we find our humbling failures

Save us from the strength that harms!

We may fail, but underneath us

Are the everlasting arms.

Arms of Jesus! fold me closer,

To Thy strong and loving breast,

Till my spirit on Thy bosom

Finds its everlasting rest;

And when time’s last sands are sinking,

Shield my heart from all alarms,

Softly whispering, “Underneath thee,

Are the everlasting arms.”

A. B. Simpson

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

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. 

So Many Hurting People

Sometimes it feels like every time we go to church meeting or answer the phone or look at a text message or read an email, there is some pain or suffering or burden. Whether it's the sorrow of seeing people we know and love walking away from the truth or someone we care about who is dealing with health or personal difficulties or tragedy. The adversary is very busy these days making conflict and trouble for anyone who is even trying at little to follow Jesus Christ.

Some days it's hard to keep lifting when we are so often in the midst of our own struggles. Yet this is the very thing that we should do in obedience to the Lord and because we are His disciples.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

This song reminded me of why we need to keep helping one another and those who need redemption through Christ.

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The Voice of One Who Wept

Today I heard the voice of one who wept
In far off lands
Because of sin and misery,
And begged with outstretched hands
For one small lamp to light his dark.
Now fain I would have slept,
So - stopped my ears, but in my heart
That sobbing voice still wept.

And then I heard the voice of one who
Counted not the cost,
But left His ivory palaces to seek and
Save the lost.
He said, "The sound of one who weeps
Is coming up to Me.
Dost thou forget that last command
Which I gave unto Thee,
To preach my Word to all the world?"

O, bitter be our shame!
Still hopeless millions walk the earth
Who never heard His Name,
And still the world spends lavishly
In every crowded mart,
And still the voice of Him who wept
Is sobbing in my heart!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

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. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Through good report and evil, Lord,
Still guided by Thy faithful Word,
Our staff, our buckler and our sword,
We follow Thee.

In silence of the lonely night,
In the full glow of day's clear light,
Through life's strange windings, dark or bright,
We follow Thee.

Horatius Bonar

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

Tempted and tried, I need a great Savior;

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Elisha Hoffman

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Are You Grieving? It's OK to Make Holiday Changes

Worth repeating.

Recently I've had a bad case of writer's block. Also, my extended family had more sad life changes to deal with in October, one of which was one of my mom's brothers unexpectedly going to heaven. And a dear friend's mother also got her promotion to glory earlier this year. So, it felt like maybe I should post this again this week. I apologize I didn't get it up on Sunday in anticipation of Thanksgiving in the U.S. This was originally published in 2021. 

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Dear Friend, 

So many people have lost loved ones over the past two years. The numbers are so high that it sometimes seems impossible. I was talking with a sweet older lady in our church assembly and she was remarking about this, and since she is in her 80s I know it isn't just my imagination.

Holidays, birthdays, and special family events can be especially hard when you have a fresh grief. Well, honestly, they can be hard even when the grief isn't all that fresh any more.

Thanksgiving is my family's biggest holiday of the year. Last year (2020) was our first one without my mom with us. It was hard, but this year was harder. Last year we changed things up quite a bit. My husband had to work most of Thanksgiving week, including the day itself. Some family was in town the week before and so we decided to celebrate then instead. Since we were having dinner on another day, we decided to get take out from a nice restaurant. It was Brazilian, so it was not at all like our traditional Thanksgiving meal. I think we had a homemade dessert or two. I chose not to move the table away from the window so that the table would seem full with five of us. It was a hard, but it went well.

This year was different...

Continue Reading.

The Blessings that Remain - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

Painting by August Toulmouche

 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

The Blessings that Remain

There are loved ones who are missing
From the fireside and the feast;
There are faces that have vanished,
There are voices that have ceased;
But we know they passed forever
From our mortal grief and pain,
And we thank Thee, O our Father,
For the blessings that remain.

Thanksgiving, oh, Thanksgiving,
That their love once blessed us here,
That so long they walked beside us,
Sharing every smile and tear;
For the joy the past has brought us,
But can never take away,
For the sweet and gracious memories
Growing dearer every day,

For the faith that keeps us patient
Looking at the things unseen,
Knowing Spring shall follow Winter
And the earth again be green,
For the hope of that glad meeting
Far from mortal grief and pain -
We thank Thee, Oh our Father,
For the blessings that remain.

For the love that still is left us,
For the friends who hold us dear,
For the lives that yet may need us
For their guidance and their cheer,
For the work that waits our doing,
For the help we can bestow,
For the care that watches o'er us
Wheresoe'er our steps may go.

For the simple joys of living,
For the sunshine and the breeze,
For the beauty of the flowers
And the laden orchard trees,
For the night and for the starlight,
For the rainbow and the rain -
Thanksgiving, O our Father,
For the blessings that remain.

- by Annie Johnson Flint

Lamentations 5:19 Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

 

Painting - unknown

Evening Song - The Everlasting Arms

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

Isaiah 40:10-11 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 

Isaiah 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. 

I did not make this larger because they somehow got the music off sync with the video after the first verse, so it's a little distracting, but it's a beautiful hymn and message.

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Fear - A Poem by Martha Snell Nicholson

 

FEAR

My friend went on ahead

And left me here

To walk my last, long mile

Alone; and Fear

Stepped to his vacant place

And said that he

Would walk with me, and my

Companion be.

And so he dogged my steps

In this dark vale

Where death's wings shadow me.

My face grew pale,

My spirit quailed. I called

One precious Name

In my distress, and lo,

That loved One came!

He closely holds my hand,

This tender FRIEND,

Nor will He let me go

Until the end.

And as [Christ] walks with me,

Daily more dear,

I find that trust and love

Have cast out Fear.

Martha Snell Nicholson

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1 John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Letters to My Friend - Strength In Trials

I have written another letter, this one again about my mother. I hope it is a help to you. I apologize that I didn't get this up on Sunday. This past weekend was a difficult one for a couple of reasons.

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Dear Friend,

Well, here we are in the midst of the COVID 19 crisis. Regardless of your opinion on the subject, it's impossible to deny that there is a crisis in many countries because of it. I've seen so many things - good, bad, and indifferent - written and posted about it. People encouraging others in many ways. Churches stepping up and doing things new and strange to them, but which obviously needed to be done because...well, here we are, and God is forcing us to do them. People lamenting the loneliness, the stress, the cabin fever (as we call it in some parts). People trying hard to follow guidelines, people half-heartedly obeying the rules, and people cavalierly doing as they jolly well please. People sick and some dying. Questions, questions, questions. Very few answers that seem to be absolutely unquestionable truth. So much to say. So much to complain about. Some with much to do. Some with nothing to do. All can pray, if we will. And we can read God's word.

So many things I could write about. But something is pressing upon my mind that at first might seem unrelated.

Continue Reading.

Wait, and Murmur Not

O weary heart, there is a Home,

Beyond the reach of toil and care;

A Home where changes never come:

Who would not fain be resting there?

Yet when bowed down beneath the load,

By God allowed, thine earthly lot:

Look up! thou'lt reach that blest abode:

Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not!

If in thy path some thorns are found,

Oh, think Who bore them on His brow;

If grief thy sorrowing heart has found,

It has reached a holier than thou.

Toil on! nor deem, though sore it be,

One sigh unheard, one prayer forgot;

The day of rest will dawn for thee:

Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not!

W. H. Bellamy

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No. 710 in Sacred Songs and Solos

Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  

Letters to My Friend - Of Grief and Earthly Treasures

I have started a new section at The Home Maker's Corner called "Letters to My Friend". I hope that writing in a letter format will prove to be useful. The first one went up today. It deals with the grief and struggle of dealing with dementia in my mother - in this case, the matter of getting rid of some of her things.

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Dear Friend,

My mother has dementia. It is a difficult thing to deal with as it progresses. Due to my dad being in the hospital two nights in January it was necessary for me to help her with dressing and taking care of her personal needs twice a day. I realized that her clothing situation was in disarray. Things were rather jumbled and she was not seeing things that she would wear and she was being confused by many things that she either couldn't wear or that were difficult for her to put on herself.

Continue Reading.