Be Patient, Be Humble, & Still

 Psalm 130:5-6 "I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for him. 

I trust what he says. I am waiting for my Lord, like a guard waiting and waiting for the morning to come." (ERV)

BE PATIENT, BE HUMBLE, BE STILL 

(Prayersong from Paths of Love Illustrated Prayersong Book © 2015 SD Harden All Rights Reserved.)

Be patient, be humble, and still

Ever pray to know My will,

Be patient all along thy path,

Waiting always for prayers you’ve asked.

Rest, be still at My holy gate,

Be patient while you watch and wait,

Be ever humble before thy Lord,

Knowing I will keep My word...

I listen to thy every prayer,

I feel thy pain and know thy cares;

In humble stillness wait for Me

To answer you, oh patient be

In My sacred Holy place

While you hope and watch and wait.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to humbly wait on You and be patient in every trial, through every storm in my life. Please calm my heart and help me to know by faith that You hear my every prayer and that You are with me, though I cannot see Thy face or feel Your everlasting arms holding me securely through  all the wind and waves that sometimes come to make war against my soul.

Lord, pour Thy Heavenly light into my heart, and fill me with the comforting assurance that You will never leave or forsake me, though the mountains may depart and the hills may be removed, and that You will never take Thy holy love from me, even as Thy word promises, in the mighty name of Jesus, thank You, Lord, amen and amen.

Isaiah 54:10 “The mountains may disappear, and the hills may become dust, but my faithful love will never leave you. I will make peace with you, and it will never end.” The Lord who loves you said this." (ERV)

"And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." ~ Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)

Listen to "Be Patient, Humble, & Still" Prayersong on Spotify

https://play.spotify.com/track/3Q4K4W3IaBCNAKVRgiIMYS?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

 Illustration and Prayer Song ~Excerpted From:  “Paths of Love” by Suzanne Davis Harden

© Copyright 2015 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

Unto The Least of These, © 2016 SD Harden All Rights Reserved.

Ebook available at Amazon, IBooks, and at the following links on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/455951679/ebook-instant-download-paths-of-love   Softcover Print Book: https://www.etsy.com/listing/257779743/prayersong-book-paths-of-love "Be Patient, Be Humble, Be Still" Prayer song featured on Paths of Love: Original Prayersongs for Worship & Meditation by Suzanne Davis Harden CD available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/252299148/music-cd-paths-of-love-original CD also available as an MP3 download https://www.etsy.com/listing/449156348/music-instant-download-paths-of-love

Wait On The Lord

My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him." ~Psalm 62:5 

The Strong's Bible Dictionary defines the word that the Psalmist uses for "wait" in this passage as "to be dumb, to be astonished, to stop, to hold your peace, keep silent, be still, tarry, be cut off..."

Such a definition carries several implications. 

Meditate for a moment on what it means to "be dumb..mute, silent & hold your peace before the Lord. 

Have we ever just worshiped the Lord in silent prayer; cut ourselves off from every distraction so that we can completely focus on listening to the Holy Spirit? 

This is what the Psalmist is saying. 

"For my expectation is from God..."

The word expectation means "hope, outcome, the thing that I long for."

We will not find our hope in our work, mobile devices, on the Internet, social media, or any of a number of other things that distract our hearts away from God. 

We must go into our prayer closet and get alone with Jesus Christ and worship. 

In that quiet place our Lord will whisper His truth to our hearts.  Our love and knowledge of Him will grow as we practice waiting on Him in the silence of the holy place of our hearts. 

For He is our heart's truest desire and we will find all of our deepest longings fulfilled in Him.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, draw us closer to Your holy heart and help us learn to be still before You in prayer as we worship You; to wait on You, to listen for Thy still, small voice. We love You, in Jesus' name, amen.

Unto The Least of These "Wait On The Lord" © 2015 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Bible Verse King James Version

Our Brief Sojourn

Recently, a friend told me the sad news that she'd had a death in her family. Yesterday my son called to ask for prayer and told me that his precious wife, our daughter-in-law, had been hit head on by another vehicle as she was pulling out of their garage on her way to work. 

Miraculously, she sustained only minor injuries, but her car was totaled and she could have been killed.

I praise our merciful God for sparing her life!

Our sojourn on this earth is so brief. Moses wrote in Psalm 90:10, 12: 

"Our days may come to seventy years,or eighty, if our strength endures;

Lord, Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Life is also so random. Anything can happen at any time any day. But when you know and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ you have full assurance of your eternal dwelling place. You know that His word promises He will never forsake those who have put their hope in Him. All those who have committed their lives to Christ are sealed with the living Spirit of Christ. They are eternally inseperable.

Copyrighted//Source: Pinterest

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is one of my favorite Bible teachers. A reformed Baptist preacher, he lived and preached in England during the 19th century. He wrote many sermons, devotionals and inspirational books. 

The following excerpt is from his devotional "Morning and Evening." May it bless and comfort you as much as it did me.

Morning, June 29

"Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."

1 Thessalonians 4:14

Let us not imagine that the soul sleeps in insensibility. 

"Today shalt thou be with me in paradise," is the whisper of Christ to every dying

saint. 

They "sleep in Jesus," but their souls are before the throne of God, 

praising him day and night in his temple, singing hallelujahs to him

who washed them from their sins in his blood.

The body sleeps in its lonely bed of earth, beneath the coverlet of grass. 

But what is this sleep? The idea connected with sleep is "rest,"

and that is the thought which the Spirit of God would convey to us. 

Sleep makes each night a Sabbath for the day. 

Sleep shuts fast the door of the soul, and bids all intruders tarry for a while, 

that the life within may enter its summer garden of ease. 

The toil-worn believer quietly sleeps, as does the weary child 

when it slumbers on its mother's breast. 

Oh! happy they who die in the Lord; they rest from their labours, 

and their works do follow them. Their quiet repose shall never be broken…”

__________________________________________________________________________________

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, please bless and encourage all those who have suffered the loss of loved ones or friends this week, or who will soon face such grief. Thy word says You are close to the brokenhearted and that You bind up their wounds. Fill their souls with rivers of Thy love, grace, peace and hope; give them faith to know that their loved ones are safe with You. Thank You, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen. 

Excerpt From: Charles H. Spurgeon. “Morning and Evening: Daily Bible Readings for Every Day of the Year.”

Unto The Least Of These © 2015 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

Heart's Desire

          Photo Illustration Via Pinterest

"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. 

And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, 

and thy judgment as the noonday." ~Psalm 37:4-6 

"MY HEART'S DESIRE" © S.D. Harden 

Lord, I pray that You will be,

All I want and All I need,

My passion, Lord, Thy will to seek;

My heart's desire, oh Christ my King.

Lord, I pray Your will for me,

Would be woven in my dreams,

That I would walk with You always,

And forever love You, Lord, I pray.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

"My Heart's Desire" Prayer Poem © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

Photo Illustration Source Via Pinterest/ Scripture Quotation King James Bible

Love The Lord

Psalm 18:1 

I love you, Lord; You are my strength. ♥️

I love You, Lord, you are my strength,

I thank You for my life,

I thank You, Lord, for saving me,

I love You, Jesus Christ!

You are Lord of all my days,

The Lord of all my nights; 

Lord, I give my heart to You,

I love You, Jesus Christ. ♥️

"I Love You, Lord," Prayer Poem, © S.D.Harden, Unto The Least Of These, Photo Illustration: Pinterest/ Scripture Reference: New Living Translation © 2007 Tyndale House Foundation, All Rights Reserved.

God's Faithful Promises

Psalm 97:10 

"Let those who love the Lord hate evil.

He guards the lives of those who are faithful to Him.

He saves them from the power of sinful people."

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Guardian God and have promised in Psalm 121:8  that You will "guard my going out and my coming in from now until forever."

You have promised in Isaiah 54:17: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord."

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, You promise in John 10:27 that we will be able to hear Thy voice: "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me."

Lord, You promise to give us "eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." (John 28-29)

Lord Jesus, You promised that You will never ever reject any soul that comes to You seeking help. (John 6:37) "Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them."

Lord, Your word promises that even though we may have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, that You will be right there with us, you will never leave or forsake us. 

(Psalm 23:4) Your word even says that we are engraved on the very palms of Thy hands! (Isaiah 49:16)

In the book of Zephaniah 3:17, Lord, Thy word says, "For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” 

Thank You, Lord, for such beautiful promises of Your love and protection.

May we ever thank and praise You for these eternal promises. For, Lord Jesus, You said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My word will never pass away." 

Lord Jesus ,You are eternally faithful and keep every promise forever! Your last words to Your disciples before You ascended into Heaven were, (Matthew 28:20) "... I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Thank You, Lord, for Your abiding Presence, faithful love, and powerful protection always guarding us. May we trust You more and more as we put our faith and hope in Your holy word which cannot lie. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God's Faithful Promises © 2014 Prayer of Thanks S.D. Harden Unto The Least Of These/Photo Illustration Source: Pinterest

God Keeps Me Safe

"When I go to bed, I sleep in peace, because, 

Lord, You keep me safe." 

(Psalms 4:8 ERV)

A Bedtime Prayer Poem

© 2014 S.D. Harden

Good Shepherd of my soul,

Fill me with Thy peace,

As I keep You in my heart

And set my thoughts on Thee. 

Keep me in Thy heart, Oh Lord,

And be in all my dreams.

In Jesus' name, Amen. ♥️

"A Bedtime Prayer Poem" © 2014 S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved.

Unto The Least of These/Illustration Source/Pinterest

The Importance of God's Word

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, 

bless his holy name." ~Psalm 103:1

Bless The Lord

Oh my soul, thank the Lord

For all He gives to me;

He forgives all of my sins

And heals all my disease.

Thank you Lord, 

I'll praise you Lord, 

For all eternity!

Thank you, Lord, you crown my soul

With love and You redeemed

My life with Jesus' precious blood;

You saved and set me free.

Oh thank You, Lord, for loving me

Oh bless the Lord, my soul!

You gave to me eternal life,

I'll praise You evermore!

Bless The Lord

© 2014 Prayer Song S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORD

The prayer song "Bless The Lord" was inspired by Psalm 103, a psalm that King David wrote.

It's one of my favorite Psalms. Some of my favorite verses from this psalm are beautiful promises from God that have been etched in the minds of believers for thousands of years~ ever since David first penned the words:

Psalm 103:11-12, 17 (ERV)

 "God's love for His followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 

And He has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west." 

"But the Lord has always loved His followers, and He will continue to love them forever and ever! He will be good to all their descendants..."  

These words comfort and encourage me at all times. God asks us to learn the promises in His word and then to hide them in our heart like precious jewels that we would want to protect from thieves. Because there is a thief, Jesus told His followers, whose sole mission is to "steal, kill, and destroy..." (John 10:10) And his target is God's precious children. 

Jesus said that the devil is "a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)  Deciet is the main weapon he uses for stealing God's precious promises from His people. He was successful with our first parents in the Garden of Eden by directly challenging God's word to Adam and Eve. The serpent said to them, "Yea, hath God said?" (Genesis 3:1) Then he lied about God by twisting His word. ( Genesis 3:4-6) He succeeded in stealing Paradise from them through his power of deceit. 

God's word says: "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." ~ Hosea 4:6

Jesus told a parable about a sower who sowed some seed. He said the seed was the word of God. He said the seed will only produce fruit depending upon where it lands. 

In Matthew 13:19 Jesus said, "The seed that fell by the path...is like the people who hear the teaching about God’s kingdom but do not understand it. The Evil One comes and takes away what was planted in their hearts." 

It is very important that we regularly study and meditate on God's word. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

If we don't hide God's word in our hearts, when trouble comes our way, or any time of suffering or trial, it will be very difficult to maintain our faith or gain any understanding or insight into our experience. We will also become easy targets for false teachings. (Deceptions)

We can never know God's truth unless we study it for ourselves. Jesus gave us this beautiful promise: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth." (John 16:13) 

As we hide God's word in our hearts our faith will grow. We will grow closer to our Lord Jesus. We will become stronger spiritually. Then, no matter how dark the night, no matter how fierce the storm, we will be able to sing with David who suffered many severe trials, "Bless The Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name..."

Thank You Heavenly Father, for Your measureless love towards us. We would not know You apart from Your word or apart from Your Holy Son Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. Thank You for filling us with Your Holy Spirit who teaches us how to understand Your word and helps us obey You. We love You! In Jesus' name, Amen.

"The Importance of God's Word" © 2014 S.D. Harden "Bless The Lord" Prayer Song © 2014 S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved. Unto The Least of These © 2014

Never Give Up!

Psalm 107:10, 12-16, 19-22 

"Some of God’s people were prisoners, locked behind bars in dark prisons. ...They stumbled and fell, and there was no one to help them. They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and He saved them from their troubles. He took them out of their dark prisons. He broke the ropes that held them. 

Thank the Lord for His faithful love and for the amazing things He does for people. He breaks down their bronze gates. He shatters their iron bars. They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help, and He saved them from their troubles. 

He gave the command and healed them, so they were saved from the grave. 

Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things He does for people. 

Offer sacrifices of thanks to Him. Sing with joy about all that He has done." 

NEVER GIVE UP

Wherever you are on your journey, whatever challenge you may be facing right now, 

be assured that God is with you, though you may not be aware of His Presence. 

Know that He who created all the stars and calls them all by name; who knows the 

numbers of hairs on your head and bottles all your tears, loves you beyond measure.

If your faith is eclipsed by a trial of suffering right now and it is difficult to feel God's love

as You have in the past, know that His Spirit is still inside of you, holding you close to His heart. Even as the sun is still shining during a solar eclipse, God's Spirit is still abiding strong within your heart. He will never leave you in your valley of the shadow. 

King David wrote, "The Lord is close to those who have suffered disappointment. He saves those who are discouraged." (Psalm 34:18 ERV)

Though you may not be able to feel the Lord's presence in your present circumstances, trust and abide in His word. Stand strong on His promises because, "No word from God shall ever fail." (Luke 1:37 NIV)

Whatever you do, remember:  "Jesus told his disciples...that they should always pray and not give up."~Luke 18:1

Don't give up! God has a wonderful future ahead for you. God promises in His word, 

 "I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. Then you will call My name. You will come to Me and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will search for Me, and when you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me. I will let you find Me.” This message is from the Lord. “And I will bring you back from your captivity.” ~Jeremiah 29:11-14 ERV

Heavenly Father, thank You for every person reading these words today. May You fill their hearts with rivers of hope. Renew, restore their faith and give them an abiding awareness of Your holy Presence within and around them everywhere they go, at all times. Encourage their hearts and never let them give up, dear Lord, even as You, Lord Jesus, never gave up despite the pain, the shame, and suffering, when You gave Your life for us on the cross. Protect Your dear children from hopelessness and discouragement as You help them to focus their thoughts on Thy word and to abide in Thee at all times. Thank You Lord. I love You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Unto The Least of These, "Never Give Up" © S.D. Harden/ Photo Illustration Source/Pinterest