Lord, Help Me Endure

“Lord Help Me Endure To The End” is a prayer song inspired by a scripture verse that Jesus spoke to His disciples when He was talking to them about prophetic events of the dark last days.

Jesus said, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Matthew 24:13 KJV

What does the word Jesus used for endure mean?

ὑπομένω hupomenō~~Thayer Definition:

1) to remain, 1a) to tarry behind, 2) to remain, i.e. abide, not recede or flee,

2a) to persevere under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one’s faith in Christ

2b) to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

This verse with its word meaning has spoken volumes to me as I have studied and meditated over them.

I’m so thankful the Lord gave me this prayer song to encourage me to meditate on this verse as I seek Him in prayer and in His Word, especially now.

No stranger to affliction being a sufferer of chronic daily migraines and fibromyalgia, I was painting to distract myself from pain early one morning last month.

Mark reminded me of an appointment I had to get ready for so I got in a rush to print my painting and get ready for the day.

Alas, as I rounded the corner of my bed I tripped and fell backwards landing on my left side and crashed onto the hardwood floor.

Horrified, I saw my left arm detached from my body. In excruciating pain, I thought my hip and neck were broken, as they were hurting as much as my arm and shoulder, also I could not move. Talk about screaming. My beloved Mark was by my side in a second.

I had to be taken to the hospital where they did imaging. Not only did I have bruises all over the left part of my body, but the X-Rays and scans revealed that I’d severely fractured my left humerus. Thank the Lord I had broken nothing else. I returned home with my left arm in a heavy splint and sling. It was so heavy in fact, I could barely walk. The pain was unbearable. I learned how disabled one is made by such a severe injury.

At first I just felt manacled by that awful splint and was sent into panic mode in certain positions. I was in more pain than I’d ever been in my life and I begged God to take me to Heaven. He kept saying nope. Not only did I find the pain beyond my endurance, I couldn’t tolerate being so helpless and dependent on others for assistance in EVERYTHING.

The Lord said, “ENDURE.”

Hadn’t I suffered enough, I asked.

The Lord was not going to let me off the hook.

He reminded me of the prayer song He had given me, “Lord Help Me Endure To The End.”

He reminded me of the other prayer song with lyrics He had given me on my most recent release Paths of Faith, “I Will Lay Down My Life.”

Migraines flared up the agony in my fractured arm even more. The wretched splint caused huge tormenting tension knots in my back and neck. I could not get comfortable nor sleep in my bed but had to sleep in Mark’s recliner.

Despite my misery, the Lord showered me with rivers of His measureless mercy. He sent wonderful home healthcare people to assist me. They always ended up telling me about folks who were far worse off than I was and this would somehow comfort me because I not only then felt I was not alone in my pain, it motivated me to pray for people who suffered as I did.

Prayer was the only way I could lay my life down in love for others because of my disability, while others were laying their lives down in love for me. The Lord always sent me people with the most cheerful attitudes. They somehow could make me laugh despite my intense pain.

Our son flew home from LA to help my husband with my care.

Our daughter being tied up with myriad issues in Tucson did many wonderful things for us that we needed assistance with by ordering things we required and had them sent to us.

We were surrounded by love. God showed His mercy and faithfulness in so many ways that helped me to hang on when I thought I could not endure another moment of pain. Many from our church sent beautiful cards and prayers while our friend Sharon came and stayed with me twice so Mark could run some necessary errands.

Our Pastor came over and anointed me with oil and prayed for my healing. All of these beautiful expressions of God’s love comforted me, reminding me that our Heavenly Father still loved me despite my suffering.

One night after I finally fell asleep exhausted from the pain, I dreamed that the Lord Jesus Christ came down from Heaven and into my living room. He stood by the recliner where I lay sleeping and He checked on my arm as if He were a doctor checking on my progress. I dreamed this two nights in a row. I woke up very comforted both times, assured of His love for me.

But on days when the hours stretched by and my pain level stayed at a ten I became depressed and wept, praying for God’s mercy and repenting for everything I could think of that might have upset the Lord. For when we go through serial trials we can’t help but look up and ask the Lord, “What did I do wrong?”

Whenever I ask the Lord questions like that He refers me to His Word. From the Epistle of James: “My Christian friends, remember to be happy, even when many kinds of trouble happen to you. Troubles can help you. God wants to see if you really trust Him. Your faith in God will become stronger as a result of these troubles. So you should continue to trust God all the time. Then you will become stronger as a Christian. You will become completely how you should be. You will not need anything more.” James 1:2-4 (*Easy English Bible)

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to comfort me and assure me that God is using my trials to enlarge my faith.

We thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because He is so good to us. As our Father, He is very kind to us. He is our God who comforts us in every way. Whenever we have trouble, He comforts us. Because of that, we ourselves can comfort other people. When they have any kind of trouble, we can comfort them, in the same way that God has comforted us. Christ himself received much pain, and God comforted Him. As Christ’s servants, we also receive the same kind of pain. But, God also comforts us very much, because we belong to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 *(Easy English Bible)

Peter the Apostle wrote that we should expect to have suffering and trials as Christians.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12-13 KJV

Peter asserted that suffering and pain motivate the Christian to do God’s will instead of their own will, even as Christ did His Father’s will on earth.

“Christ had trouble and pain while He lived in His human body. So you should prepare yourselves to have trouble and pain too. Think about it in the same way that Christ did. If someone has trouble and pain in his body, he stops doing wrong things. As a result, that person will want to do what God wants him to do. In his life in this world, he will not want to do the bad things that people think are good.” 1 Peter 4:1-2 (*Easy English Bible)

That is why we never give up.

Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.

For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT (*New Living Translation)

“Lord Help Me Endure To The End”~ Midnight Prayers and Meditations Volume II, © ℗ 2021, by Suzanne Davis Harden, All Rights Reserved.

“Lord Help Me Endure To The End”~ Peaceangel Song, Copyright © 2022, by Suzanne Davis Harden, All Rights Reserved.

Scripture Quotations from the King James Version Bible Translation, the Easy English Bible, The New Living Bible Translation, All of which are copyrighted by their various publishers.

*Created through the Indwelling Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Inspired by His Holy Spirit, To The Glory of God The Father, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God’s Measureless Gifts Of Mercy

“ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”~ Lamentations 3:21-23 (KJV)

God’s Measureless Gifts of Mercy

Lord, thank You for so many gifts

So many gifts You give

How often do I just accept

And keep my thanks within?

With every morning sunrise

The dawn of each new day

Thy mercies come in rivers

And none will be the same.

How often do I not look up

And ever see the sun

Rising up above the trees

And thank You for Thy love?

How often do I hear the birds

Welcoming the morn

In a myriad of choirs

Giving thanks to Thee, oh Lord?

Do I join them in their worship

And sing a song of praise

Giving thanks unto my God

For Thy gift of life today?

Oh Lord Jesus, God Most High

Father God above,

Holy Spirit, I will sing

And thank Thee now, O God!

Though the sun has set beyond

The western mountain trail

Though moon has risen with the stars

I will sing Thy praise

And think about Thy wondrous gifts,

Thy mercies poured on me

That began at sunrise

When birds began to sing.

New mercies that You poured on me

That never were before

Gifts You gave for just today

That I may see no more.

For I can no more keep them

Than I could hold the wind

But I can thank You for each one

As an eternal gem…

Each morning You will bring me more

And I’ll thank You, my God,

Priceless treasures from Thy heart

Emblems of Thy love,

In Jesus holy name. Amen.

Prayer Poem © 2019 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. All Glory To God

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Thy mercies You shower upon each of us every morning and all throughout the day, though we so often miss them as we go about our hours focusing more on trying to complete our tasks in a race to get to the next one.

Please forgive us for so often taking this beautiful gift of life you gave us and Thy wondrous treasures for granted.

May You help us to take a moment to pause, to look up, and say thank You for some blessing You gave us today.

May You help us to thank You for someone You have brought into our lives who is precious to us. May You help us to take a moment to whisper a prayer of gratitude, peace, love, and mercy for that soul.

May You help us take the time to say thank You for my life, Lord, I love You, in Jesus’ name, amen.

God’s Measureless Gifts Of Mercy (Prayer Poem) © Copyright 2019 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. All Glory To God. Original Daffodil Photo © 2019 M Harden All Rights Reserved. Scripture Quotation: King James Version Bible

Angel Song © 2019 SD Harden All Rights Reserved.

God’s Faithfulness

Gods-Faithfulness4.20.15

God’s Faithfulness 

Psalm 36:5-7 (ERV)

“Lord, your faithful love reaches to the sky. Your faithfulness is as high as the clouds.Your goodness is higher than the highest mountains. Your fairness is deeper than the deepest ocean. Lord, you protect people and animals. Nothing is more precious than your loving kindness. All people can find protection close to you.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Thy faithfulness and mercy. Thy word promises that Thy mercies toward us are renewed each morning. Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn, “And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.” Lord, Thy Truth~ Thy very own Holy Spirit within us will never leave us nor forsake us throughout our sojourn on this earth. Lord Jesus, thank You for Thy holy Presence within us, Thy strength and Thy grace to see us through every trial. No matter what furnace we may find ourselves thrown into, You will be in it with us protecting us from the flames. Lord, You have promised in Isaiah that though we walk through the fires the flames shall not harm us. And You keep every promise forever. Thank You, precious Creator. Help us to keep focusing on You, Lord Jesus Christ and not on the evil all around us. Help us to cling to Thy words, “In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Please Bless each soul reading this prayer with renewed faith and hope today and rivers of peace and comfort. Scatter all their fears and anxieties to the four winds and draw them ever closer to Thy heart. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen & amen.