Walking the Path of Faith

Album Notes: Paths of Faith Christian Prayersongs Inspired by the Holy Spirit

It is with a humble, grateful heart that I announce the publication of my 29th musical album to God’s precious children, inspired by His Holy Spirit, who enabled me to create it through the risen Lord Jesus Christ within me, to the glory of our Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name.

Paths of Faith is an appropriate title for this album of prayersongs, the first vocal album the Lord has inspired me to release since Paths of Mercy in 2019, just before the Coronavirus Pandemic broke out in December of that year.

In 2009 the Lord gave me the gift to sing and create instrumental music. He had to ask me three times if I would sing for Him so reluctant was I to be a musician for His glory.
I had been a visual artist all my life and art was my passion. I had always prayed to be an excellent artist, illustrator, and children’s book writer for His glory. When He asked me to sing for Him, He said that He needed my voice of all things!~I felt I needed to remind Him that my little boy had howled when I’d sung Him “Jesus Loves Me” once.
Undaunted, the Lord would not give up. He wanted me to surrender my will and to walk a new path with Him by faith.
I loved the Lord so much. He had given up everything for me when He suffered and died on the cross to redeem our souls. How could I not now give up everything for Him? Though it felt like dying, I said I would sing and make music for Him. I hardly knew what I was getting myself in for, but trusted that my Lord Jesus Christ would never do anything to hurt me.
At first I felt like I was being thrown to the lions. Having been a professional in one career, now He was plunging me on a path where I would be like a baby learning to crawl, following Him, whom I could only see and hear by faith.
What is faith?
The Bible tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear…
But without faith it is impossible to please (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:1-3,6 – KJV

I knew nothing at all about the music industry but trusted God to guide me every step of the way. He instructed me to do everything the opposite of the way the world does things. Which made no sense. All He would say was, “Trust Me, My child.”
After all, it was His music. I had not up and made myself a musician~ the Lord had. He knew what His plans for it were.
I learned that the Lord wanted to communicate to His children through His music. I should have known that from the beginning. Duh.
The songs were inspired by His word through His Holy Spirit.
They were motivated by prayer and worship from abiding in my Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus had said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 – KJV

The Lord told me that the songs were to be “Musical Conversations” with His children. If they would take the song titles and go into their prayer closets with their bibles and look up the reference that the title referred to in their bibles and meditate on the verses or bible story and study the word of God and pray to Him and abide in Him alone, that He would speak to them what He wanted to say to them.
The important thing was that His children should get back to their prayer closets and abide in Christ and return to studying His word, allowing HIM to teach them through His Holy Spirit.
The Lord was seeking a personal relationship with His children. He said they were distracted by many things and had lost sight of Him. They had gone after the world. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 – KJV (Mammon means money or the world or anything that makes the soul’s heart beat faster than Jesus or God~ mammon therefore is another word for an idol.)
Anything that takes the Christian’s attention away from the Lord Jesus Christ can become an idol whether it be a relationship, a hobby, social media, a ministry, an organization, politics, any pursuit whatsoever that seems right but misses the mark ever so slightly. In fact another translation for the word “sin” is to “miss the mark.”
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 – KJV

The Path of Faith is one in which we keep our eyes on our Master who is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith, who is the Lord Jesus Christ and we surrender our wills and lay our lives down for Him.

Christians must not keep our eyes on this world. No matter what is going on.
Paul lived under the malevolent emperor Nero of Rome of whom it was believed that he torched the city to justify building a more magnificent one. Because of the intense criticism he received, he devised a plan where he blamed the followers of Christ for the crime. In A.D. 64 brutal persecution erupted there against the Christians.
Tacitus (c. A.D. 60-120) a Roman Historian, wrote in his Annals (XV.44).
“…Besides being put to death they were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clothed in the hides of beasts and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed.
Nero had thrown open his grounds for the display, and was putting on a show in the circus, where he mingled with the people in the dress of charioteer or drove about in his chariot. All this gave rise to a feeling of pity, even towards men whose guilt merited the most exemplary punishment; for it was felt that they were being destroyed not for the public good but to gratify the cruelty of an individual.” ~quoted from http://christiancourier.com

Despite this horror, what does Paul say when he mentions the government? He wrote: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 – KJV

Peter wrote, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:16-19 – KJV

Both Peter and Paul mentioned in their epistles that our true Kingdom is not of this world. It would have been truly foolish and dangerous for them to go about writing “our true Emperor and King ~the Only Lord and God Jesus Christ to whom we alone pay honor and allegiance….and we don’t obey any laws but His…” Instead, they wrote as the Holy Spirit led them. They must stay alive and preach the Gospel which was their true mission therefore they must be peacemakers so they could carry out the Lord’s work, keeping Christ’s command to walk in love.
James the Apostles wrote: 17 “But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: “First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others.“ ERV James 3:17

Jesus told Pilate when asked if He was a king, “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight…” John 18:36
The apostles did not go looking for a fight. Paul wrote, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:4 – KJV

Their true commitment was to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whom they loved with all their heart, soul and mind and strength. If a worldly law conflicted with God’s Holy Law, of course they must obey God.
For example, in the Old Testament when the Pharaoh commanded all the baby boys to be drowned Moses’s parents did not comply with his edict but obeyed the Lord to save their child.
For the Lord Almighty is our true King and His commandments must prevail and this is what the word of God teaches.
The apostles imply this even when they don’t come right out and say it for the danger it might have presented.
They walked a Path of Faith ~ surely Peter had trod this Path with Christ on the Sea of Galilee when he’d briefly walked on its waters with the Lord before taking his eyes off his Master, then sank beneath the waves. The Lord had quickly rescued his Apostle when Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!”
The Prayersong on my album “Thy Voice Comes Over The Waters” was inspired by this Bible story and it deals with trying to recognize Christ in the gray areas of His word.
Peter wrote, “Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. (*Sinful desires are any desires opposed to God’s will~not exhibiting the love of Christ is disobeying Christ’s will for Christ said, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 – CSB)

Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day He visits.
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by Him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.
For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:11-17 – CSB

Paul wrote: “Let everyone submit to the governing authorities,
since there is no authority except from God,
and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command,
and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves…” Hebrews 13:1-3

Eventually because the early Christians trusted Christ and walked according to the word of God and the path of faith, they obeyed both Christ and His word to submit to human authority for the sake of the Lord, by the third century under the Emperor Constantine the Great, Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire.

Christians had but to obey Christ their true King for this to happen.
They had to always be abiding in Christ to know and understand His will. Paul wrote, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:17 – KJV

Jesus said, “But when you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that private place. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.”

Abiding in Christ is getting alone with our risen Lord and Savior by faith and reading His word and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us apart from the distractions of social media, friends, or work, or anything else.
It is a very private, sacred holy affair between you and the Lord and the only way we can will grow closer to the Lord.
Jesus said, “ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.”

Christ may lead us down a thorny path.
No one can or should judge any child of God for the Path that Christ leads them to follow. Never judge a child of God by their afflictions.

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” ~James 4:11 – KJV

Who are we to condemn the child whom Christ suffered, bled, and died to redeem? My prayersong “Father, Forgive Me” deals with how our sin hurts others and Christ ultimately.

The Path of Faith may lead to persecution or martyrdom. Paul wrote, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 – KJV
Jesus said, “And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of Me will find it.” Matthew 10:38-39 -CSB

The Path of Faith is the path that leads with Christ to the cross. It is a path of suffering. But if we go to the cross with Christ we will also rise with Him in His resurrection!
For we are being conformed to His image on this journey.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 – KJV

Along this path we must learn to let go of our own will and say to our Heavenly Father along with Christ, “Father, not My will, but Thy will.”
We must pray, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
But those who will not love as Christ loved us, who will only read Christ’s words and filter out the parts they do not agree with, do not truly love Christ for Christ said,

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.”
John 14:23-24 – CSB

The word parse means to break down, analyze, or scrutinize and is the opposite of accepting by faith as a little child.
One cannot parse a cup of water Christ gives them to drink. We either drink it in front of Him or pour it on the ground and say “No thank You, Lord, I don’t trust it.”

Christ and His Holy Spirit are the Living Water of Life. We receive the Lord by faith. We receive His words by faith. If we fight and rebel and scrutinize, analyze complain, revile and scorn, we don’t love the Lord or keep or believe His word.

Paul wrote that Christ was the Rock in the wilderness, where Moses got the water for the Israelites and they grumbled and grieved God over their unbelief.
“Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:1-5 – CSB

“Today If You Hear God’s Voice” Vocal Prayersong is a song the Lord gave me on my new album to witness to that Bible story.
Listen to the song or to a clip. Then go into your prayer closet with your bible and look up and read the story in the scriptures it refers to.
Pray and ask the Lord to help you hear His voice and to walk His path of faith.

There are many prayersongs on this album that refer to bible stories and concepts. Please use the songs to let God speak to your hearts through His Holy Word, and abide in the Lord Jesus Christ, our True Vine.
He is speaking through His word, through His Holy Spirit in these songs He inspired from His Word.
May He help us turn our attention towards Him and away from all that distracts us in this world.
“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses
surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,
keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.
In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Hebrews 12:1-4 – CSB

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for this new album of beautiful prayer songs inspired from Thy word. Thank You for encouraging me to walk Thy path of faith with You even though its been so difficult, for You have been with me all the way and so faithful even as You promised. Please encourage Thy children to walk with You down the path of faith and to trust You in the way You are asking them to and never to doubt that You keep every promise forever. Help each one to hear Thy voice speaking to them in their hearts today and through Thy holy word and may You guide them with Thy wisdom and discernment, and fill them with Thy holy love and mercy and grace, In Jesus’ name, amen. Thank You, Lord, we love You.

More Encouraging Scriptures

Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble.
Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath,
because it is written, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,” says the Lord.
But If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Romans 12:16-21 – CSB

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities,
since there is no authority except from God,
and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command,
and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.
Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority?
Do what is good, and you will have its approval.
For it is God’s servant for your good.
But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason.
For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience.
And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks.
Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another,
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no wrong to a neighbor.

Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:1-10 – CSB

Jesus Loves You 🖤

Through the Indwelling Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Inspired by The Holy Spirit, to the Glory of God the Father, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture Quotations: King James Bible: Public Domain/ The Christian Standard Bible: Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers/
ERV (Easy To Read Version Bible) Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International

History Quotations from Tacitus (c. A.D. 60-120) Roman Historian, Annals (XV.44) christiancourier.com

Nevertheless, Said Jesus

Featured ~ Suzanne Davis Harden

Encouraging Scriptures

Jesus Christ said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be…

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:37-44 KJV

The Days Of Noah ~Genesis 6:5-12

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man

was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.

And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, And Noah walked with God.

And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:5-12 KJV

_________________________

Jesus Christ said, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8 KJV

Enoch was carried away from this earth, so he never died.

The Scriptures tell us that before he was carried off, he was a man who pleased God.

Later, no one knew where he was, because God had taken Enoch to be with Him.

This all happened because he had faith. Without faith no one can please God.

Whoever comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who sincerely try to find Him.

Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family.

With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.”

Hebrews 11:5-7 ERV

MORE ENCOURAGING SCRIPTURES

For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.” Hebrews 10:37-39 CSB

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave.

But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

Jesus Christ said, “And when he had called the people unto Him with his disciples also, He said unto them, “Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” ~ Mark 8:34-38 KJV

Paul the Apostle wrote, “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:11 KJV

Some Bibles translate this verse as they shall not be put to shame. But the sense of the original word is that the author meant the person who puts their trust in Jesus would not be ashamed, embarrassed to believe in Him, or confounded and sorry that they trusted in the Lord. It can be read both ways.

Just as Jesus said, His disciples would not be ashamed of Him or His words because they would know that would make their Master ashamed of them.

If a soul really has faith that Jesus was raised from the dead and lives inside of them they will not be ashamed to confess this Paul said in Romans 10.

“…that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:9-11 KJV

It is when we stop confessing our faith that we not only lose it, but we also lose our love for Christ and our fear of God.

We are in danger of becoming mere professors crying “Lord Lord,” doing many good works perhaps but maybe none of them God’s will, not one truly motivated by His Holy Spirit but by man. (See Matthew 7:21-23)

We will have no true love for the Lord nor belief in Him, for we will love and lust after the world more than we love and worship the One who died to save us from our sins.

It is then that we should meditate on Psalm 36:1-4 and pray earnestly in our prayer closets and seek The Lord with all our heart with fear and trembling. (See Isaiah 55:6-8)

That is why Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 13: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV

For Meditation and Reflection:

Do we care more about what other people think of us than what the Lord might think of us?

Who’s opinion of us matters to us the most?

This tells us a whole lot about how much faith we really have in the living Lord Jesus Christ.

If we truly believed He is real we would tremble to care more what other people thought than what the God who upholds the universe by the word of His power thinks about us.

If we really believed that the Father and Christ have the power to not only destroy the body but cast our spirit and soul in hell for eternity, then would we not fear and respect and honor them?

Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” ~ Matthew 10:28 KJV

Grace can be trampled on and Christ recrucified according to the book of Hebrews in chapter 6.

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.” Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV

2 Peter 2 alludes to the Christian who loses his salvation comparing them to a dog who returns to its vomit.

“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” ~ 2 Peter 2:20-22 KJV

Hebrews 10 talks about those who lose their blood sacrifice Christ made for them by negating it.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him that hath said, “Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense,” saith the Lord.

And again, “The Lord shall judge His people.”

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”Hebrews 10:26-31 KJV

I did not make these scriptures up.

There are bible teachers who reinterpret them to fit their denominational systems.

However, the apostles repeatedly said to hold on to what you have been taught from the beginning.

And these are the teachings that have been handed down from the beginning.

Jesus said that he who endures to the end shall be saved.

He said that the way of life is narrow and that few there be that find it. But broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that would go in that way.

Salvation is not a done deal once a soul commits their heart to Christ.

Just ask Judas.

Jesus said to the disciples at the last supper “One of you is about to betray Me. It would be better for that soul if he had not been born.” Then the disciples each asked if he were the one.

Even Judas dared to ask since all the others were asking. If we come to Jesus wanting a revelation He will give us the answer. Jesus told Judas it was him. But it did not stop him from committing his sin. Even though Jesus had plainly stated that it would have been better for that soul if he would not have been born rather than to betray Him. Unbelief is at the core of every sin against Christ.

Judas went out and committed his fatal sin against the Lord anyway. He betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. (See Matthew 26:14-16; 20-25,)

One cannot worship idols and God too. Jesus pointed this out in Matthew 6.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (*Mammon can be anything including money that we love more than God) Matthew 6:24 KJV

One either loves Christ or the god of this world. Christ knows every heart. The Lord wants each heart that professes to love Him to seek Him in their prayer closet, apart from social media.

That along with anything else that distracts our mind away from the Lord, is not holy.

He wants us to set ourselves apart unto Him.

Holy means set apart.

Christ will tolerate no idols.

Please don’t take my word for it. Go in to your prayer closet and pray and seek Christ without distractions.

Meditate on the Word of God without the constant interruption and intrusion of the internet or social media, work, hobbies, or anything that takes your mind or interest away from the Lord.

Jesus said, ““My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” ~ John 10:27-28 KJV

Those who really want to come back to Christ will listen and hear Him speaking in this message to them.

They will recognize the voice of their Good Shepherd. For they belong to Jesus and are His true sheep. Jesus said the voice of a stranger they would not follow.

But Jesus said that those who do not believe and who have no faith, do not belong to Him. Those who are His want above all else to please Christ and do His will.

Jesus told the Pharisees who kept questioning Him despite all of the amazing miracles they saw that witnessed to His deity:

“…I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.” John 10:25-26 KJV

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”~ 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 KJV

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, “To day if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, In the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, And saw My works forty years.

“Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; And they have not known My ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) “

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

While it is said, “To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not?

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:7-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Forget Not

Featured ~ Suzanne Davis Harden

Forget Not

There has been so much bad news lately that sometimes I find myself feeling very anxious and unsafe.
Psalm 103:19 reminds me that God truly is in control of all things no matter what is going on in the world.

“The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all.” ~ Psalms 103:19 KJV

The Psalmist tells us, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:”
Psalms 103:2 KJV

The word he used for “forget” means “to forget, ignore, cease to care…”

He then goes over all of the wonderful things the Lord does for us:
“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” ~Psalms 103:3-5 KJV

Imagine spending a night in an agony that affects every fiber of your body, unable to feel Christ’s loving presence, certain that you’re the chief of sinners, unforgiven, forever condemned to this abyss of torment.

Whenever there is a bad storm or rainy weather, I get violent migraines that rupture my mind with as severe emotional pain as the physical and neurological symptoms they cause.

Suddenly it seems I’ve fallen into a bottomless pit and that no one loves me—not even Jesus. I feel as if I’m the most despised of souls by everyone, even my family. I’m completely cut off, isolated in an abyss of pain.
The burden of all the sins in the world are fastened around my aching head in a crown of thorns as sharp as daggers. My legs will not be still and seem like a thousand snakes are crawling inside of them. “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

I see Jesus on the cross crying to His Father and I cry out in tears for the Lord to come rescue me from this horrible torment. But I neither see nor feel Him. I’m a condemned sinner screaming and weeping in the darkness for I can’t bear to look at any light.

There in the Abyss I weep tears of remorse.
Surely I must have been unkind to my husband, been the worst of mothers and grandmothers, daughters, siblings, friends, and citizens.
I’m certain that I must have failed God and everyone else.
And the most tormenting of all—-I must have committed the unpardonable sin— why else would I keep having these wretched migraines? Why else would God keep letting this happen to me?

In that pit of Sheol showers of condemnation pour mercilessly upon my soul like the rain drumming endlessly upon our windows and roof as the pain and neurological symptoms torture me.

My precious husband comes and prays for me, while I weep and pray unable to feel either Christ’s presence or love, nor even Mark’s, until at last I fall asleep, exhausted.

The next morning my symptoms are gone. I awake as if resurrected to new life. I’m filled with wondrous joy and peace, How grateful I am that Jesus went to the cross for me; that He has washed my sins away as far as the east is from the west. “Bless the Lord oh my soul. Forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all our sins, who heals all our diseases…”
The beautiful sense of Christ’s love and presence enfold me in His arms.

I know then that He has held me throughout the night. He had not really abandoned me.
Yet the dark storm of pain from my fierce migraine made me feel hidden from Christ’s presence and forsaken by Him who had promised to never fail or forsake me.

The Psalmist once experienced something like this.
“Will the Lord cast off for ever?
And will He be favourable no more?
Is His mercy clean gone for ever?
Doth His promise fail for evermore?
Hath God forgotten to be gracious?
Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah.

And I said, This is my infirmity:
but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.” Psalms 77:7-10 KJV

He goes through the bad things he suffers but then he says, “Ok, this is happening because of my afflictions. But I won’t dwell on the suffering. I will remember the good things God has done for me.”

In other words, “Bless the Lord oh my soul! Forget not all His benefits!”

Nationally we are experiencing a stormy path of darkness.
Severe pain and troubling circumstances can make us feel isolated from the loving presence of God and cut off from all His promises.

God’s word promises that He heals all our diseases, He forgives all our sins.
God is watching over all of us. He is still on His throne.
He has not hidden His face from us.
He hears all our prayers.
Just as He eventually heals me from my migraines, I believe that the Lord will ultimately heal our nation from our current plague of troubles.

The definition for the word the Psalmist used for healing is interesting: (BDB Bible Dictionary Definition of original translation~ rapha~Strong’s H7495)
To be healed of national hurts (figuratively)
Of personal distress (figuratively)
Of national defects of hurts (figuratively)
To heal (literally)
Of hurts of nations (Involving restored favor)

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities.

For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”
Psalms 103:8-12 KJV

Not one of us deserves the grace that has been given us by the Lord through the cross of Christ, for the Bible declares that all of us are sinners.

The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Psalms 14:2-3 KJV

I guess our world reflects what the Bible declares we are.
A mess.
Jesus, the Son of God, came to die for us all to make us holy and to clean our souls up~to forgive our sins and heal us spiritually~to make us one with Him.
This is very good news and fills me with such joy and peace!

Peace I Leave with You

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth,
give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27 KJV

I appreciate Christ’s gift of salvation and forgiveness more than I can ever say because of my chronic migraine affliction.
Therefore I pray that I will never forget, mislay, or cease to care about this wondrous benefit from God, this gift and treasure of everlasting life and peace with God that my Lord Jesus suffered and died on the cross to give me and everyone in the whole world who will receive it.

“Bless the Lord,
O my soul:
and all that is within me,
bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord,
O my soul,
and forget not
all His benefits…”
Psalms 103:1-2 KJV
In Jesus’ name, Amen and amen.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Gift of Salvation in Christ,
the forgiveness of sins
As far as the east is from the west,
Your measureless love for us,
Oh thank You and may we never forget
Or mislay, or cease to care about all You do for us every day
For Thy mercies are new every morning,
In Jesus name.
Amen and amen.

Death Could Not Hold Him

Featured ~ Suzanne Davis Harden

Death Could Not Hold Him

On the cross Christ bore the sins
Of all humanity
Not all the pain and sin and shame
For all eternity
Not even all the hosts of hell
Nor death claimed victory…

Over Christ, God’s only Son
Who shed His spotless blood
To redeem our sinful souls
And make us each His child…

Born anew in righteousness,
Not ours but Christ’s alone,
A righteousness we could not earn
But His redemption clothed.

Christ purchased righteousness for us
With His spotless blood;
We receive His gift of grace,
By faith we know and trust

That God is ever faithful,
That He can never lie
He was faithful to His Son
To raise Him back to life
After Jesus bore our sins
And suffered hell three days
His Father kept His Holy Word
And rose Him from the grave…

Now He lives to die no more
So all can now be saved
Who come to Christ for salvation
When to the Lord they pray
Asking Christ into their heart
His children now are they
To ever walk with Him by faith
To love Jesus with all their heart
And ever sing His praise.
In Jesus’ holy name,
Amen.

SCRIPTURES FOR MEDITATION

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world
began;” Titus 1:2 KJV

“For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV

“For He hath made Him to be sin for
us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in
Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my
glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest
in hope.

For Thou wilt not leave my
soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer
Thine Holy One to see corruption.” ~
Psalms 16:9-10 KJV

“For we walk by faith and not by
sight…” 2 Corinthians 5:7

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 3:16-17 KJV

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving the world so much that You sent Thy only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, that we might not perish, but have everlasting life with Thee. Jesus Christ is our indescribable Gift of eternal life from Thee. We thank You for the cross and the resurrection. We love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Death Could Not Hold Him” (Prayer Poem~All glory to God~Copyright © 2020 by Suzanne Davis Harden, All rights reserved. Original Scripture Painting, All Glory to God, Copyright © 2020 by Suzanne Davis Harden, All rights reserved. Scripture Quotes taken from the King James Bible (Public Domain)