Mining 4 Silver

The Attributes of God, A Source of Comfort

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Attributes of God

I Take Comfort in God’s Attributes

March has been a sad month. Once again, death has taken another loved one from my life. Yet, I take comfort in God’s attributes. I started reading through the Psalms looking for them. Here is what I found from a select few.

Comfort is Found in Your Attributes, Lord!

I take comfort knowing that You know the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6).

You are my refuge and a shield about me. You are my glory and the lifter of my head when I am downcast (Psalm 2:12b; 3:3).

It is comforting to know that You uphold all who are falling and raise up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14).

You only need to open Your hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:16).

You are righteous in all Your ways and kind in all Your works (Psalm 145:17).

The greatest comfort is knowing that You are near to all who call on You, to all who call on You in truth (Psalm 145:18).

You fulfill the desire of those who fear You; You also hear them when they cry and save them (Psalm 145:19).

These are but a few of Your many wonderful and amazing attributes.

I can turn to God for comfort because He knows all things; He is my refuge and lifter of my head. He satisfies all my needs. He is near to me when I call or cry out to Him. He will uphold me when I fall. Therefore, I will praise the Lord forever and ever.

Grief is never easy and without God, I could not bear it. My heart is grieving over the loss but I know that God is near and will see me through this yet again. Praise His holy name.

Related Link: A Psalm of Praise unto My Lord!

I find comfort in the character of God as I read the Psalms.
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Mining 4 Silver

David; A Man of Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving holiday comes but once a year, yet, we should make the giving of thanks to our God a daily occurrence. David is a perfect example for us to follow. Not only did he write many times in the Psalms but also sang a song of thanks to God in 1 Chronicle 16:8-36.

Why the Thanksgiving?

There are numerous reasons for the thanksgiving to our God. He created the heavens and the earth is the first reason. We are here because of His making it happen. We live and move and have our being because of Him.

In our thanks, we make known His wondrous deeds. It is in remembering that we are encouraged to keep on going and moving forward in life. When we forget, we fall into despair and let the current events way us down.

David had a lot to remind Israel of to be thankful to God. In his song, he reminds them of the great miracles that God had done. They were told to remember God’s covenant. The Lord is great and greatly to be praised is what David spoke to them. Read this song and see how David encouraged the people to tell, ascribe, and declare the great deeds God had done.

Most of all as believers, we are to give thanks to our God for sending us His son. Salvation in Jesus Christ is indeed worthy of thanksgiving. Without Him, we were facing eternal death and an eternity in hell.

What can you give thanks to God for on a daily basis?

How to Give Thanks.

In Psalm 26:7, David proclaimed his thanksgiving aloud and told of God’s wondrous deeds. So we, too, should proclaim God’s great deeds. In eight different Psalms, you can find David giving thanks.

Another way of giving thanks to God is one of sacrifice. It glorifies God when we give Him thanks, this way. So what does it mean to make a sacrifice of thanksgiving? I believe that it is giving Him thanks when we are facing trials and tribulations or even when we don’t feel so thankful. We are to give thanks in all situations.

In addition to this, we are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. This would mean coming to church with thanks and praise on our lips and in our hearts. We can add music to our giving of thanks unto the Lord as David did.

How might you find a new way to give thanks to God? Relate link: Tell of the Goodness of the Lord.

Give thanks to God on a daily basis not just once a year. He is worthy to be praised.
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Seasons of the Church

O Perfect Life Of Love – Jesus Died to Make us Whole

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Perfect Life of Love

O Perfect Life of Love

O perfect life of love!
All, all is finished now;
All that He left His throne above
To do for us below.

No work is left undone
Of all the Father willed;
His toil, His sorrows, one by one,
The Scripture have fulfilled.

No pain that we can share
But He has felt its smart;
All forms of human grief and care
Have pierced that tender heart.

And on His thorn crowned head,
And on His sinless soul,
Our sins in all their guilt were laid,
That He might make us whole.

In perfect love He dies;
For me He dies, for me;
O all atoning Sacrifice,
I cling by faith to Thee.

In every time of need,
Before the judgment throne,
Thy work, O Lamb of God, I’ll plead,
Thy merits, not my own.

Yet work, O Lord, in me,
As Thou for me hast wrought;
And let my love the answer be
To grace Thy love has brought.*

This hymn is most inspiring to me as we enter Holy week. The first four verses speak to what Jesus came to do for us,  how he did it, and how it pierced his tender heart. Jesus died to make us whole. In verse 5, I especially like how it becomes personal. Jesus died for me and I cling by faith to Him. When my time here on earth is done and I face the judgement throne, it will be on the merits of Jesus and not my own I plead. The last verse is such a beautiful plea that Jesus would work His love in my heart.

*http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/p/operfect.htm

Meditation for Your Holy Week

Here is a link to hear the hymn sung.

I encourage you to read and meditate on Psalm 22 as you go through Holy week.

Jesus died to make us whole. Meditation for Holy week.
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Seasons of the Church

Lord Jesus, Imprint Your Image on My Heart

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Imprint Your Image Lord Jesus

Hymn, ‘On My Heart Imprint Your Image’

This was my hymn for meditating on and my prayer this week. I am so moved by how Jesus answered. But first, let’s look at the scriptures that talk to us about being conformed to His image. God alone has the power to imprint the image of His son on my heart.

First, Romans 8:29, For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. I am not going to discuss predestination here. Thus, the point I want to make is that God’s intent for us is to be conformed to the image of His Son. God will not force Himself upon us because He desires an intimate relationship with each person not a robot like follower. Therefore, we must want to be conformed and seek His will through prayer and obedience. He does truly know what is best for us.

Second is one of my favorites in 2 Peter 1:3-4. It addresses the fact that through God’s divine power we have been granted all things that pertain to life and godliness. Knowledge of Him and His great and precious promises are enough to become partakers of the divine nature. Yet, I so often forget this very fact.

Third set of scriptures are Ephesians 23-24 & 2 Corinthians 3:18. Here I am instructed to be renewed in my mind and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God. This is a matter of turning over my will to His. Jesus is the source of the transformation thus He can and will imprint His image on my heart. He will transform me one step at a time.

So What Does This look Like in Me?

The image of Jesus in me can be seen when I serve others and not of selfish motives. It is when I pray for the driver who is in a hurry and appears to be driving recklessly instead of getting upset. Another example is when you spend several minutes on the phone helping someone get to where you are without grumbling. I feel as if someone stepped in and directed all my comings and goings.

Serving others is amazingly so uplifting. Jesus enables me with a do it without thinking and free flowing spirit. I will find myself in the right frame of mind where I do not let my right hand know what my left hand is doing. Now, I may not always function like this for I am human with a sinful nature and I do get self focused. However, from what I have experienced in the just the past couple of days, I hope to allow Jesus to imprint His image on my heart as much as possible.

Jesus Imprint Your Image on My Heart. This is my prayer.
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The Lyrics are as follows:

On my heart imprint Your image, Blessed Jesus, King of grace.

That life’s riches, cares, and pleasures Never may Your work erase;

Let he clear inscription be; Jesus, crucified for me.

Is my life, my hope’s foundation. And my glory and salvation.

Here is the link to hear the Hymn sung. It is just one verse and sung in melody.

In Conclusion, May Jesus Imprint His Image on Your Heart.

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Life Lessons

Help! Heart Surgery Needed!

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My Heart Needs Surgery!

My goodness! What a long time it has been. This past week God made it quite evident that my heart needed surgery! I was not an example of His love. Life  squeezed me like a tube of toothpaste and I did not like what came out of my mouth.

Therefore I had to admit that my thoughts and the words of my  mouth were not pleasing to the Lord. Confession is what I had to do and admit that I was often rude and inconsiderate of others. I was  lazy and missed opportunities to bless others. Thus I needed God to work on my heart. Consciously, I had to turn my will over to Christ’s care and control.

After all, in Luke chapter 6 verse 45b, it says that for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Apparently, last week my heart was full of the wrong stuff. At church, I surrendered my heart and asked God to forgive me and help me. Thereby, God renewed me and gave me the grace to start anew. In God’s word, He tells me that if I confess that He will forgive and cleanse me from my sins. Not only does He forgive me but He also provides me the strength I need to do better.

Another way of looking at this is to say that my fruit was not pretty. I was not a good example to follow. Yet, I do want to be someone that reflects the love of Christ to others. It is only by the grace and power of God’s spirit in me that I can do this. Hence, I need to spend more time with God both in Word and prayer so that He can transform me. Thankfully, God is a God of second chances.

Help! My Heart Needed Surgery!
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Worship His Name

A Time is Coming!

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The time is now to worship God. I had the honor of participating in a Passion play in March. It started off with the Samaritan woman at the well. I particularly like the passage of John chapter 4 where Jesus is talking to her about worship (4:19-24). He tells her that a time is coming when God will be worshiped neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem. The Amplified Version emphasizes that in spirit is from the heart, the inner self. I think of it as heartfelt worship for who He is, what He has done, and what He is yet to do. It is not going to matter too much about form but more as a matter of the heart. God knows my heart, therefore, He knows when I worship Him in spirit and in truth.
One of the greatest weapons that Satan has is our battle over how others choose to worship. It is a driving wedge in congregations and church organizations. Who am I to judge how another chooses to worship as long as they are worshiping in truth according to God’s word? Jesus came to testify to the truth. He is the truth, the way, and the life. If people want to use praise music and raise their hands then they should be allowed that freedom. God wants our hearts to be filled with His praise and thanksgiving. Do not allow Satan to rob us of our true worship and the glory that it brings God. I need to focus on the condition of my heart and not be concerned over someone else. I can only pray for them. I cannot persuade them. I choose not to condemn someone if they want traditional hymns and liturgy. It may be right for them but for me my heart sings for God with both traditional hymns and contemporary praise music. The time has come to worship God for who He is.
One of my favorite phrase is, “The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.” It is what is in my heart when I go to worship that is important. Humility is admitting to myself that in the face of God I am worthless but because of Christ I live. Therefore, I ask God to search my heart, to test me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me. Lead me, Lord in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:23-24). 
How is your worship? Have you found yourself to be critical of how someone else chooses to worship God? 
I leave you with Psalm 139:1-3;
O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
2 
You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do];
You understand my thought from afar.
3 
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
 
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Mining 4 Silver

An Attitude of Gratitude Can Bring a Smile to Your Face

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Gratitude

Looking for Things to be 

Thankful for in Everyday Life!

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (ESV)
This verse tells us that in whatever we do, in word or deed. This means when I go shopping, going to the doctor’s, cleaning house or just about anything do it in the name of the Lord. It also refers to what I say to my family or the clerk at the store. Therefore, I am to speak as if Jesus were listening which He does. I am to give thanks to God the Father through Him. There are time when I do not always get this right but if I stop and think about it, it is a game changer.

An attitude of gratitude is what separates the believer from the unbeliever. It should also be what attracts others to Jesus. Gratitude is the state of being thankful. So on my trip to see my father last month it was easy to see many things to be thankful for. But upon returning home that I seemed to be challenged to find things to give thanks to God. Now I try to focus on the little things that I can be grateful for and give thanks to God. For His love endures forever.

Developing An Attitude of Gratitude

 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)
 
Gratitude for the simple things in my life brings a smile to my face. I am thankful today for the Christian women in my life. I am thankful for the cancellation at a doctor’s office so I could be seen. I appreciate it when the traffic lights are green. When someone tells me that they were thinking of me when I call makes me smile. God somehow made my time multiply and I was able to get much accomplished before my flight tomorrow. Getting to hold a child even for a little while brightens my day. My husbands calm and collective reasoning to help me work through my emotions to make a right decision. My loving young men who ask how I am doing and give me hugs. Most of all I am forever thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus made so that I may reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him in the next.
What little things in you life that you can be thankful for and give thanks to God? Smile for Jesus died for you!
 
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