Let’s Win the Race (Philippians 3:12–16): Part 2

September 29, 2014 ~ Suzanne Davis Harden

All of us want to be “winning Christians” and fulfill the purposes for which we have been saved. In this passage, we find there are five essentials for winning the race and one day receiving the reward that is promised. In Part 1, we saw the first two essentials. Now, we will look at the last three.

Direction (3:13c)

Forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what lies ahead.

The unsaved person is controlled by the past, but the Christian running the race looks toward the future. Imagine what would happen on the race course if the charioteers (or runners) started looking behind them! It is bad enough for a plowman to look back (Lk. 9:62), but for a charioteer to do so means a possible collision and serious injury.

We are accustomed to saying “past, present, future,” but we should view time as flowing…

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Don’t Look Back

September 11, 2014 ~ Suzanne Davis Harden ~ 2 Comments

Philippians 3:13-14

“No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us.”

DON’T LOOK BACK

© 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

Don’t look back, Oh don’t look back;

The past is gone away;

Keep walking forward on your path

With your mind on the present day.

Don’t look back, no, don’t look back;

The past is a bridge you’ve crossed;

The moment you stepped into today,

That bridge you crossed dissolved.

Oh, don’t look back, no, don’t look back,

Just keep your hand in Mine;

Today is a gift, My gift to you,

Your gift to Me is your life.

Oh don’t look back, no, don’t look back,

Just keep your eyes on Me;

We’ll walk each moment in My love

Till we reach eternity.

Angel Song © 2014 Prayer Poem “Don’t Look Back” © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Scripture Quotation: The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved./ Photo Illustration/ Via Pinterest

Savior of My Soul~A Prayer Song

August 30, 2014August 30, 2014 ~ Suzanne Davis Harden ~ 6 Comments

Savior of My Soul Prayer Song

© S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved.

O, I will trust the living God,

The Savior of my soul-

I may not understand His ways

But He is in control.

My path may be obscure

And in the darkness lie,

But I will hope in Jesus

Who holds me in His eye.

He will not forget me

For I have been engraved

Upon His holy hands;

For Him my soul is saved.

For Him I am redeemed,

For Him I am reserved;

For Him I am a trophy

Of His grace to be preserved.

And though I sit in darkness

With trees that will not bud,

I have a promise from the Lord

That spring will surely come.

Though winter struts along

Like it will never end;

It’s just a giant’s shadow~

The spring He soon will send.

God’s promises are sure

Though I must walk by faith;

Such wonder in believing;

Such hope it generates!

Oh I will trust the living God,

The Savior of my soul;

O Lord, you know the paths I take,

For You are in control.

Yes, You are in control;

You know what’s best for me;

You’ve set apart unto Your heart

Those who will but believe.

And you will keep your promises

To those who trust in You

Though they may not understand

The mysteries of Truth.

Though I sit in darkness

On a path I had not planned

I will trust I am engraved

Upon Your holy hand.

And You will keep Your promises,

For You are in control,

O You will not forget me,

O Savior of my soul.

Little Praying Girl © S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance that You are always in control of all things. Thy word says in Psalm 103:19, “The Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all,” and in Hebrews 1:3 that You “uphold all things by the word of Your power.”Romans 8:8 assures me that every detail of my life is being orchestrated by You into something grand and beautiful and for my ultimate good because You care very much about each one of us. Psalm 138:8 promises that You will “fulfill Your plans for my life.” So I don’t need to worry about whether or not I am going to accomplish Your will for me. You will get me on the path I need to be on. And all I need to do is Trust You.

Lord, though this is often so hard to do, please help each of us to trust You when we cannot see past the bend in the road, when we cannot fathom Your purposes for us on the path You have chosen for us. Help us to trust You when nothing makes sense. Help us to keep our eyes on You anyway; to know that You are in control and that You cherish each of us beyond what we can imagine.

May the sense of Your abiding presence sustain every person praying this prayer. May they feel You with them as they never have before. May You renew their faith, fill them with new hope, and give them joy.

Thank You, dear Lord, I love You, In Jesus’ name. Amen.

*If you would like to listen to the Instrumental Music for my Prayer Song “Savior of My Soul” please follow the link to my Music Website where you will find the song at the top of the playlist in the music player at the bottom of the page.

http://www.peacefulprayersongs.com “Savior of My Soul” is one of the first instrumental pieces of music the Lord gave me for the piano and on my music blog I have written a message about my recording entitled “Not Perfect.” 🙂 I pray the music and my message will bless and inspire you~God bless! love and blessings, Suzanne 🙂

“Savior of My Soul” ~A Prayer Song © 2011 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. All Illustrations © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Angel Song © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

If I Take The Wings of The Morning

August 20, 2014August 20, 2014 ~ Suzanne Davis Harden ~ 2 Comments

If I Take The Wings Of The Morning (A Prayer Song)

Oh where could I go from your Spirit,

Oh where could I flee from You, Lord?

If I take the wings of the morning

If I fly to the farthest shore,

If I ride to the heights of heaven,

If I fall to the depths of Sheol,

Your mercy will come and find me,

You will seek and find me, Lord

Your grace and mercy find me

No matter how far I flee,

Your love is everywhere I go,

My heart You will never leave.

When all the blessings go away

In the midst of the Shadowlands,

Lord, Your love will never leave

You’ll hold me in Your hand.

Your blessings, Lord, they are not You,

Oh may I not mistake

Your gifts as symbols of Your love,

And think my soul You hate,

When all the blessings go away,

Lord, in the fiery trials~

You’ll never take Your love away,

Forever I’m Your child.

Oh where could I go from Your Spirit?

Oh where could I flee from Your love?

You’re in my heart forever, Lord,

And I’m in Yours, oh God.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that Your word promises that You will never leave or forsake us. You watch over us everywhere we go; You are with us in every moment of our lives, sharing in all our joys and suffering with us through all our sorrows and pain.

When we stumble on our path, You are there to lift us up, dust us off and help us to our feet again, ever ready to forgive knowing that we are not perfect. You cherish us for we are Your masterpieces, made in Your own image and You long for us to know how much You value us.

Help us to come close to You, to hear Your voice, to see Your face in the face of Your beloved Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross that we might be saved from our sins and be given eternal life.

Thank You for the wonder of Thy grace and of Thy measureless love for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

*To Read this Original Message and Stream Peaceful Music while you read visit my music website http://www.peacefulprayersongs.com

Angel Song Pen & Ink Illustration (Psalm 139) “If I Take The Wings of The Morning” © 1990 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Prayer Song Excerpt “If I Take The Wings Of The Morning” © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Featured Detail of Main Image © S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved.