By William Blake

Think not thou canst sigh a sigh,

And thy Maker is not by:

Think not thou canst weep a tear,

And thy Maker is not near.

Oh He gives to us His joy,

That our grief He may destroy:

Till our grief is fled and gone

He doth sit beside and moan.

Be at rest once more, O my soul,for the LORD has been good to you.
Psalm 116:7

Steadfast Heart

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true,
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams, thank God,
To make me want to dream on.

I've prayed many prayers when no answer came;
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I've trusted many a friend that failed,
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends true blue,
To make me keep trusting on.

I've sown many seed that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I've held enough golden sheaves in my hands,
To make me keep sowing on.

I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.

~Ron DeMarco

Random Quotes 3

God doesn’t give us what we can handle;
God helps us handle what we are given.

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God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain,
But He did promise strength for the day, comfort for tears and light for the way.

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Lord, thank you that you don’t keep track of our strikeouts
Or even our homeruns.
Instead, you simply and graciously ask us to keep stepping up to the plate.

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Wounded healer
Gentle teacher
Lord of all things great and small
Mind restorer
Tender warrior
Lover of my heart and soul

Random Quotes 2

If you live for the next world, you get this one in the deal;
If you live only for this world, you lose both of them.
C.S. Lewis

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Nothing is small in which God is. - D.L. Moody

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To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge,
To find the will of God is the greatest discovery,
and to do the will of God is the greatest achievement.
-George W. Truett

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God doesn't love us because we're special-
We are special because God loves us.
-William Arthur Ward

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Joy is the echo of God's life within us.
-Joseph Marmion

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Do not pray for easy lives;
Pray to be stonger men-
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
-Phillips Brooks

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Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change
and when we are right, make us easy to live with.
-Peter Marshall

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I have found the perfect antidote for fear. Whenever it sticks up its ugly face
I clobber it with prayer.
-Dale Evens Rogers

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Do you believe in the sun when it is hidden behid a cloud?
Then doubt not the goodness of god when He seems to hide His face.

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Waiting sometiems seems like wasting time;
But God asks us to do it and He isn't a time-waster.

Random Quotes

That we are alive today is proof positive that God has something for us to do today.

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Satan tembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees- William C.

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When we do what we can, God will do what we can't.

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Faith is the daring of the sould to go farther than it can see.

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God makes a promise-
Faith believes it, Hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it.

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None of us is responsible for all the things that happen to us, but we are responsible for the way we act when they do happen.

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We cannot let our burdens paralyze our progress.

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Doing little things with ta strong desire to please God makes them really great.
-St. Francis De Sales

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Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

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I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.

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God takes my yesterdays, He keeps me tomorrow, He gives me today
and in the miracle of it all, He promises me an eternity with Him.

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They might not need me-yet they might-
I'll let my heart be just in sight-
A smile so small as mine might be
Precisely their necessity.
-Emily Dickenson

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The blue of heaven is bigger than the clouds.

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He
Offers
Peace
Eternal

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God is, and all is well!

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You cannot stay where you are and go with God.

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Don't bother to give God instructions, just show up for duty. - Corrie ten Boom

Let God Do It

Life started out on a canvas,
With Christ making a painting of me;
But I took the paint brush from Jesus,
And painted what I wished to see.

The colors I painted kept running,
And the objects grew all out of size,
Till the mess I made on the canvas
Seemed now so completely unwise.

Then I brought back the canvas to Jesus
With the colors and figures so wrong;
In the market it simply was worthless,
Yet His blood made my painting belong.

He stood there with no condemnation,
Never mentioned the mess I had made;
He just started the painting all over,
For the price had already been paid.

As He dipped His brush in the rainbow,
The colors grew brighter in hue;
And in glory of Heaven's salvation
Brought the forms in perspective anew.

Since I tooled the brush back to Jesus,
And let Him do the picture for me;
I've found that the painting by Jesus,
Is the one that I first hoped to see.

-Unknown-

This Is My Prayer

Bless me, Heavenly Father,
Forgive my erring ways,
Grant me strength to serve Thee,
Put purpose in my days...
Give me understanding, enough
to keep me kind
So I may judge all people with my heart
and not my mind...
And teach me to be patient in everything I do,
Content to trust your wisdom and
to follow after you...
And help me when I falter and hear
me when I pray.
And receive me in Thy kingdom
to dwell with Thee someday.

-Helen Steiner Rice

Sun & Cloud

Sometimes God leads down pleasant paths
Where all is bright and fair,
And we can see the way ahead
And know that He is there.

But then life takes a sudden turn
Where briars and brambles grow,
And there are snares and pits dug deep
By many an unseen foe.

The way is long and lonely,
With none to help or care,
And it seems there's not another
With such a load as ours to bear.

It's then, when all is darkest
And we feel the most alone
That we find His arms about us
In a way before unknown.

And He speaks to our hearts a truth
That our eyes had failed to see:
Life's clouds, like its sun, are for blessing
Or else they would not be.

-Kathryn A. Horton

Thy Will For Me

I do not ask the "how" or "why"
No vision of the future, Lord.
But only that Thou point the way
Mid darkest night or toil of day.
By Thine almighty word.

I do not ask the "where" or "when"
Where'er Thou choosest I will go
And when: for I will follow Thee;
Thy time shall my desire be,
If Thou wild let me know.

The future, Lord, I do not seek,
Nor care to know where it may lead,
If only I may know Your will,
Be it for pleasure of for ill;
Thine, only Thine, I'll heed.

From out this doubting darkness,
Lord, Flash forth Thy light, show me Thy way.
Not mine I see, but Thine to do,
Thy will my calling to pursue;
Thine, only Thine, I pray.

Tomorrow's Work, Today

I see with startling clarity that life is never long enough to put off until tomorrow.
The things that are before are all too soon behind.
I can never pick up the years I've put down.
If I intend to walk with Christ tomorrow, I must start today.

*Ruth Harms Calkin*

A Deep Grace

Lord,
There are countless things in my life that are inexcusable.
There are things unaccountable and things unexplainable.
There are things irrefutable and things irresponsible.
But it comes to me with unutterable relief that
because of your amazing love,
NOTHING in my life is unforgivable.

*Ruth Harms Calkin*

Choose!

Choose to love- rather than hate
Choose to smile- rather than frown
Choose to build- rather than destroy
Choose to persevere- rather than quit
Choose to praise- rather than gossip
Choose to heal- rather than wound
Choose to give- rather than grasp
Choose to act- rather than delay
Choose to forgive- rather than curse
Choose to pray- rather than despair

One Day At A Time

One day at a time, with its failure and fears,
With its weakness and tears,
With its portion of pain and its burden of care;
One day at a time we must meet and must bear.

One day at a time,
But the day is so long
And the heart is not brave,
And the soul is not strong.

O Thou pitiful Christ,
Be Thou near all the way:
Give courage and paitence
and strength for the day.

Swift cometh this answer, so clear and so sweet,
"Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;
I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve,
I will not forske thee, I will never leave."

One day at a time,
and a day is His day.
He hath numbered its hours,
Though they haste or delay.

His grace is suffiecent;
We walk not alone.
As the day so the strength
That He giveth His own.

* Annie Johnson Flint*

I Will Not Hurry

I will not hurry through this day! Lord, I will listen by the way-
To humming bees and singing birds,
To speaking trees and friendly words.
And for the moments in between,
seek glimpses of thy great unseen.
I will not hurry through this day;
I will take time to think and pray.
I will look up into the sky,
Where fleecy clouds and swallows fly.
And somewhere in the day, maybe
I will catch whispers, Lord, from Thee.

*Ralph Spaulding Cushman*

God's Will

I know not by what methods rare,
But this I know; God answers prayer.
I know not if the blessing sought
Will come in just the guise I thought.
I leave my prayer to Him alone,
Whose will is wiser than my own.

Eliza M. Hickok

New Every Morning

Yes, "new every morning,"
though we may awake,
Our hearts with old sorrow
beginning to ache;
With old work unfinished
when night stayed our hand;
With new duties waiting,
unknown and unplanned;
With old care still pressing,
to fret and to vex;
With new problems rising,
our minds to perplex;
In ways long familiar,
in paths yet untrod;
Oh, new every morning
the mercies of God!
His faithfulness fails not,
it meets each new day;
New guidance for every
new step of the way;
New grace for new trials,
new trust for old fears;
New patience for bearing
the wrongs of the years;
New strength for new burdens,
new courage for old;
New faith for whatever
the day may unfold;
As fresh for each need
as the dew on the sod;
Oh, new every morning
the mercies of God!
~
Annie Johnson Flint

Resting

Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart -
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

- Jean Sophia Pigott

Jesus' Little Lamb

I am Jesus' little lamb,
Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my need, and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.
- Henrietta Hayn, 1778

Lord, Give Us...

Strength for the journey
Protection for the way
Light for the path
And grace for the day

Comfort in your presence
Peace in the night
Endurance for the climbing
Until home is in sight

Purpose In Prayer

Yesterday evening in church we had a discussion on a book by E.M Bounds called the Purpse of Prayer. We were discussing chapter 5 and I found it very powerful and convicting.
I was pleased to find the book online this morning. If you would like to read it, you can find it here.
It isn't something you can read lightly and it will take more than one reading most likely. Also it has some pretty dated words in it but still very much worth your time.
It amazes me how the church really hasn't changed much. This was written in the 1800's I believe but we still struggle with some of the same internal issues.
Let me know what you think.

The Greatest Love of All

Oh the Passion, Oh the wonder,
of the fiery love of Christ.
King of Glory on the altar.
Perfect lamb of sacrifice.
Who are we that He would love us?
Who but He would give His life?
Oh the Passion, Oh the wonder,
of the fiery love of Christ.
Oh the wisdom, Oh the wonder,
of the power of the cross.
Love so rare no words could tell it.
Life himself has died for us.
Who are we that He would save us?
Crucified to give us life.
Oh the wisdom, Oh the wonder,
Of the power of the cross
-Sheila Walsh
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1 John 3:1
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When you read about God’s love, do you find it easier to believe it’s for everyone else but you? It’s for you. It’s all for you.
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1 John 4:9-10
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"Our Father’s love is deeper and wilder than we typically imagine”- Dudley J. Delffs
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Mark 12:29-31
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You are cherished and loved by the ultimate lover!
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Jeremiah 31:3
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The greatest need in the world today is love…more love for each other and more love for God above!
-Helen Steiner Rice
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John 15:9
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Love has its source in God. For love is the very essence of His being.
-K. Arthur
God IS love.
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Lyrics to The Love of God by Frederick M. Lehman, 1917
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1 John 4:16-19
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Lyrics to O Love That Will Not Let Me Go by George Matteson, 1882
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Romans 5:8
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A five year old child-
"God could have used magic words to make the nails fall off the cross but he didn’t. That’s love”
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Romans 8:35-39
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God’s Whispered Voice-
I love you
I love you
I love you
I see you as you are and I love you
I always have
I always will
No matter what
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John 15:12-13
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When you smile, I share your joy
When you are hurting, I ache for you
When you laugh, I delight in you
When you fall, I will lift you up
And when you look at me,
You will see how deeply I love you.
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Ephesians 2:4-5
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You love me again today, Lord?
Where do you find this love?
Is there no depth to the well that is you?
There is no depth to the well of need that is in me.
So I come again and again and again and again
Fresh water pours over me, washes me, and restores
the battered places.
Battered by the choices I have made
And the roles that I have played.
I worship you,
Fount of never-ending love,
God of this outrageous love,
I worship you !
~
Song of Solomon 2:10-11

Anywhere with Jesus

I'll go anywhere, my Savior,
If Thou wilt make it clear,
I will tell salvation's story
To lost ones far and near.

Anywhere, my Savior,
Anywhere with Thee,
Anywhere and everywhere,
As Thou leadest me.

~John R. Clements

Grace Alone

Not saved are we by trying,
from self can come no aid;
'Tis on the blood relying,
once for our ransom paid.

'Tis looking unto Jesus,
the Holy One and Just;
'This His grace that saves-
it is not "try" but "trust!"
~Anonymous

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah;
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

~William Williams

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Jesus, my Shepherd, Guardian, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Amen.

~ John Newton

I Would Be True

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care,
I would be stong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

I would be friend to all-the foe, the friendless,
I would be giving, and forget the gift.
I would be humble, for I know my weakness;
I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift.

I would be prayerful, through each busy moment,
I would be constantly in touch with God.
I would be tuned to hear His slightest whisper;
I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.

~ Howard Al Walter