True Grit, Perseverance, and the Joy of the Lord

Circumstance and life in general can be a joy thief. What do you do when you uncover hidden bitterness, anger, or resentment in your heart? Allowing it to fester and germinate; tendrils of twisted negativity taking root, coloring our thoughts and deeds as they invade, destroy, and eventually kill our joy and the very strength God has given us as sustenance.

Hard providence is often accompanied by sharp pain and heavy burdens. How we respond to the waiting is our heart’s choice. Patiently waiting on the Lord, grounding ourselves in faith, accepting we are where we need to be; must be, allows our story to unfold the way God intends. We need to get out of our own way and allow His way to light our path and condition our heart.

“…for the joy of the LORD is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Charles Spurgeon described the joy of the Lord as, “…a joy of divine origin…a source of strength to  all who partake…” This joy springs supernaturally from God Himself radiating outward to us as we contemplate all He is, has done, will be. 

“All these attributes of my God are mine: his power, my protection; his wisdom, my guidance; his faithfulness, my foundation; his grace, my salvation” (Charles Spurgeon)

This delight in His character, His salvation, His abundant grace, promises, and providence stems from a heart tuned to the Lord — filled with HIs very presence; the indwelling Holy Spirit. Joy is our reaction to abiding in Christ, our expression of fellowship with our Savior.

It is this joy — the joy of the Lord — that strengthens; bubbling forth when we fix our eyes on the Gospel — on Jesus, the author of our faith, the coming glory, who is seated now at the right hand of God. It is our girding and our underpinning, our sunlight and our hope, the fuel that fires our determination to finish the race.

Seek the Lord through His Word, fix your mind on Him, draw close to His heart and allow His joy, the joy of salvation found in Christ, to strengthen.

The following article by Jon Bloom explores the necessity for “grit” or the stamina to continue pursuing the goal to the end:

We Have Need of Grit

So life is hard — harder than we ever expected. Well, Jesus told us it would be hard (Matthew 7:14; John 16:33), and our gritty forebears all found it harder than they expected too, so we are in good company. Like the Bible says, we have need of grit:

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” (Hebrews 10:36).

The reason we have need of grit is…

Please continue reading here: True Grit | Desiring God

Economics Lessons Are For The Birds

I love the way God reaches out to us to provide assurances we do not deserve

Tim's Blog - Just One Train Wreck After Another

[From the archives.]

Sparrows came cheap back in Bible times. Two for a penny. Makes them sound disposable, doesn’t it? But Jesus said that even for something so cheap, God follows the doings of each and every one, right up to the time of their demise.

Why was Jesus talking about sparrow economics? He was assuring his followers that if God cared for sparrows like that, then they should take confidence that he would do as much for them:

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than…

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Let Grace Carry You ~

CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Let grace carry you,
when you are weary
let it bring you hope
when you are teary.

Let grace carry you,
its arms are open wide
let it be your light
your everlasting guide.

Let grace carry you,
thru the storms of life
let it bring you calm
in the midst of strife.

Let grace carry you,
your burdens it’ll bear
let it remove from you
your every single care.

Let grace carry you,
past the pain and grief
let it comfort you
with everlasting relief.

Let grace carry you,
in the arms of eternal love
let it bring you the peace
from our Father up above!

~~~~~~~~~~

Hebrews 4:16
King James Version

“Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.”

Copyright 2013
Deborah Ann Belka

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What Ever Happened to Awe?

Heavenly Raindrops

Awe – Fear mingled with admiration or reverence; reverential fear. 
Noah Webster 1828 ~ American Dictionary of the English Language

What ever happened to awe?
Did we lose it by wearing flip-flops to church?
Did we chase it away by dressing how we want?
Since man looks on the outside, but God sees into the heart, then most certainly not.

If not dress, then what happened to our fear of God?
Did it weaken by our type of worship?
Did it flee because we left hymns out?
Though some would affirm this, one type of worship song cannot define God, so on this point I really doubt.

If not because of music, then what has brought this lack of awe about?
Have we turned our churches into social clubs?
Have we taught our youth that fun and games are what going there means?
Gimmicks do diminish the simple message of…

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Hello world!

About a year ago I embarked on a new walk with God focusing on ways I could better glorify Him in my daily life.

1 Corinthians 10:31  

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

I am a work in progress.