“To Everything A Season”

~ King Solomon wrote “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
The Lord led me to call the new album of songs He inspired after this famous verse back in December when I’d originally planned to publish it.
The night before I had a dream that sent me to my knees for more guidance.
Indeed, though everything was finished and ready, the Lord wanted me to wait to publish that album. He would let me know when it was time.
I have learned in my walk with the Lord to listen to His Holy Spirit and wait on His perfect timing~ even if it does not make sense.

“The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God’s chosen children. And with that Spirit we cry out, “ Abba, Father.” Romans 8:14-15 (ERV)

The Lord has led me to create other albums of beautiful music and then asked me to set them aside for a future date. He expects that I will obey Him without needing to know why.

“The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes. 2 Corinthians 5:7 – (The Voice Bible)

But how do I know it’s God and not me? That is a very good question!
Our walk with Christ is a training ground in walking humbly with the Lord and living by faith and obedience to His Holy Spirit’s guidance within us.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you Except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]?” Micah 6:8 – Amplified Bible

We will stumble and fall many times because we are human.
I have missed the Lord very often because of more faults in me than the hairs on my head!
The wonder is that He still chooses to use someone so broken and inept at trying to accomplish what He’s given me to do.
The Lord does not expect perfection from His children. He only asks that we trust and obey Him.

“We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (ERV)

Not one of us is perfect nor will we ever be this side of Heaven. God has no perfect children.
Only His Son Jesus Christ was perfect and He died to save us from our sins, and that we might be forgiven when we stumble.
God knew we would not be able to do everything He wanted us to perfectly. He forgives our mistakes.
He asks us to please get up again and be about His work.
Don’t let failures make you quit. Don’t let others make you quit either. Don’t let persecution or sickness or pain or troubles or anything in this world keep you from doing what God has asked you to do for His glory.
Right after my dream in December that warned me not to publish my album, I suffered a severe life threatening illness. How grateful I was to the Holy Spirit for His guidance!
Today I’m so thankful to be alive and praising my beautiful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His mercy and grace towards me, a sinner He saved through His death on the cross. I praise my Holy Abba Father for raising His Son Jesus Christ from the dead to redeem my soul and give me the righteousness of Christ.
I’m made right in His eyes by the spotless blood of Jesus! He forgives me for all my sins as far as the east is from the west, and He expects that I will forgive others just as He has forgiven me.
The Lord Jesus Christ died to save every person who had ever lived or would live because of God’s measureless love for every soul He created.

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 GW

And this beautiful gift is available to all who will ask Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior. “We have been saved by grace because we believed. We did not save ourselves. It was a gift from God. We are not saved by the things we have done, so there is nothing to boast about. God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God has made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things He had already planned for us to do.” ~ Ephesians 2:8-10

May our Heavenly Father bless and encourage all who read this message today and fill each soul with His peace that passes all understanding and an abiding assurance of His measureless love for each one of them, in Jesus’ name amen.

Love always and forever in Christ,

Suzanne

*To preview the songs on my new Instrumental Album, “To Everything A Season,” Follow the link below to my HearNow Music Preview Website where you can listen to audio clips from each of the Album’s 17 Tracks. You will also find links to Spotify, Amazon, ITunes and other streaming services, as well as to cdbaby, where you should be able to stream the full version of all my songs any time.

https://suzannedavisharden.hearnow.com/to-everything-a-season

    To Everything A Season © 2019 Suzanne Davis Harden All rights reserved. May God be Glorified!
    Scripture Collage Design by SD Harden ~All Glory To God!
    Scriptures featuring quotes from:
    The Easy To Read Version Bible © 2006 Bible League International, All rights reserved./
    The Amplified Bible © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, All rights reserved./
    The Voice Bible Copyright 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice ™️ translation ©️ 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved./
    God’s Word to the Nations ©️ 1995 Baker Publishing Group All rights reserved./
    Holy Bible, New International Version®️ NIV®️ Copyright ©️ 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®️ All rights reserved worldwide./

The Angel of the Lord Encircles Me

Angel-of-the-Lord-Scripture-pic

My prayer song ” The Angel of the Lord Encircles Me” was inspired by Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.”

According to the Strong’s Bible Concordance, the “angel of the Lord” often referred to the “theophanic angel” ~ a divine visitation of God appearing in the form of an angel.

Many bible scholars believe that the theophanic angel was the pre-incarnate Christ.  The word means, “messenger of God, an angel, prophet, priest, or teacher.

The words “encamp about” mean to “dwell in, or all around as in a circuit, on every side.”

The words in the definition convey the idea that the angel  (the messenger from God who is a teacher, priest, and prophet) is building a strong fortress all around the person he is guarding.

If a person fears the Lord, (by fear, the Psalmist means, honors, is morally reverent, and afraid to dishonor or offend the Lord), and if they abide in God’s strong fortress with the angel, and if that Angel is the Lord Jesus Christ, then something truly wonderful is going to happen.

That Angel is going to deliver them.

According to the Strong’s Bible Concordance, the word deliver means: “to remove, to draw out, equip for war, rescue, be armed, to make strong, to brace, to be saved.”

What are we going to be delivered from?

  • Jesus is going to deliver us from whatever overwhelms, overcomes, or oppresses us.
  • Jesus is going to remove whatever hinders us from advancing toward fulfilling His purpose in our life.
  • First, Jesus saves our souls and forgives all our sins, washing them away as far as the east is from the west when we invite him into our heart to be our Lord and Savior.

“Therefore Jesus is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” Hebrews 7:25

  • Jesus is going to heal us from whatever soul sickness that blinds us and keeps us from knowing and growing in Him.

“He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.” Psalm 107:20

  • Jesus is committed to equipping us for spiritual battle; God is on our side~ He wants us to succeed:

“God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.” Psalm 18:32-34

  • Jesus make us strong through helping us to read and understand His word, and giving us the grace and power to obey it:

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ~Philippians 2:13

  • Jesus delivers us so that we can overcome temptation.

“And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

  • Jesus is going to give us victory over what had formerly overcome us:

“For this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

  • Finally, Jesus delivers us from our enemies when we put our trust in Him. He is committed to making us strong and whole.

“To them that have no might He increases strength.” Isaiah 40:29

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Thy Son Jesus Christ to by my Protector and Guardian, Savior, Redeemer, and Friend, who ever guards me night and day through His Holy Spirit who lives inside my heart. May You help me to truly understand all of the wonderful things my Lord Jesus does for all who trust Him as their Savior and Lord, in Jesus holy name, amen. 

The Prayer Poem and Illustration are from “Paths of Love Illustrated Prayer Song Book: Prayer Songs Celebrating God’s Love” ©  2015 All Rights Reserved.

“The Angel of The Lord Encircles Me” is a comforting, inspirational 2 minute 45 second Video featuring my prayer poem and original piano solo, “The Angel of the Lord Encircles Me,” from my Album and Prayer Song Book, “Paths of Love.”

Video Produced, Directed & Narrated by SD Harden with additional videography by MC Harden © 2018 All Rights Reserved.

Original Piano Solo “The Angel of The Lord Encircles Me”featured in the video is on the album “Paths of Love: Songs for Worship and Meditation” © 2015 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

You Are Treasured 

You Are Treasured


You are treasured by the One
Who made the moon, and stars, and sun,
Who formed the flowers and the trees
And set the ocean’s boundaries.
He rides the Heavens and He sees
Your heart and knows your every need,
He listens to your every prayer
He listens and He loves and cares.
Though He’s silent and unseen
He’s just as real as what you see;
He’s close enough for you to hear,
He’s ever present, very near.
His love for you is like the sand
And can’t be measured by your hand.
Like sandy grains upon the shore
It’s measureless and grows still more
He’ll love you as His precious child
Eternal ages for all time.

SD Harden (Prayer Poem) © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Happy Valentine’s Day, Dear Friends! 
May you know that you are cherished by the God who loves you so much He sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to die a cruel death on a cross for each of us to atone for our sins. When we invite Jesus into our hearts and ask forgiveness for our sins the Lord washes them all away “as far as the east is from the west.” 

And we are justified by faith – or made right with God through faith in Christ. We won’t be perfect or without sin till we get to heaven, but the Lord puts a portion of His very own Spirit within our hearts to help us want to be good, and to make us more and more like Him. We get to know God because His Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. His Holy Spirit dwelling in our heart helps us to not only keep loving God, but to love Him more and more as we pray to Him and study His word and obey Him. 

If you want to know God’s love, invite Jesus Christ into your heart. He is only a prayer away. Don’t take my word for it. Just close your eyes and ask Him to come inside your heart right now. He will fill you with love and rivers of peace and hope. He will wash all your sins away. He will fill you with His Spirit and make you His redeemed child forever.  He will write your name in His book of Life. When you die, you will be with Jesus in Paradise for all eternity.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, may You lead souls to Thy Son Jesus Christ who need salvation, who need forgiveness, who need to know that You love them and will never reject or forsake them. May You fill their hearts with Thy holy measureless love for them, rivers of peace and hope, wash all their sins away as far as the east is from the west, and fill them with Thy Holy Spirit. May today they become Your very own precious redeemed children forever, in Jesus holy name, thank You, Lord, we love You, amen. 

Scriptures to meditate on:

Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 

John 3:16-17 (ERV) Jesus said, “Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world. He did not send him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.”

 Romans 5:1-2, 5 (NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  

John 6:29 (NLT) Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” 

John 6:37 (NLT) Jesus said, “… those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.”

Psalm 103:11-12 (NLT) For God’s unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 

1 John 1:8-9 (NLT) If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

1 John 2:2 (ERV) Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too. 

Hebrews 11:1-3 (ERV) Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this. Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means that the things we see were made by something that cannot be seen. 

Romans 10:17 (NASB) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 

Philippians 2:13 (ERV) Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases Him, and He gives you the power to do it. 

Romans 10:8-11, 13 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

Philippians 1:6 (GW ) I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. 


Angelsong © 2017 SD Harden All Rights Reserved /Prayer Poem “You Are Cherished © 2017 SD Harden All Rights Reserved./ Scripture Painting © 2017 SD Harden All Rights Reserved. /”Jesus Loves You” Photo via Pinterest 

Bible Quotations: NLT (New Living Translation) © Copyright 2015 Tyndale House Publishers, Easy To Read Version (ERV) Copyright 2006 Bible League International, New American Standard Bible Translation (NASB) Copyright 1995 The Lockman Foundation, The King James Version Bible, (KJV), God’s Word (GW) ©1995 God’s Word To The Nations

The Story Of The Song “Oh Holy Night”

oh-holy-night-the

(Lord) Everything remains today in keeping with Your laws, for all things exist to serve You. ~ Psalm 119:91 (The Voice Bible)

 The Story of the Song “Oh Holy Night”

 Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure (1808 to 1877) was a wine merchant who lived in a small French town in the 19th century.

He enjoyed writing poetry and had developed a local reputation for his poems.

In the year 1847, the local Parish priest asked Placide if he would write a Christmas poem for the Church’s Midnight Mass Celebration of Christ’s Birth.

Although not known as a god fearing man, or as one who attended church regularly, Placide must have been honored by such a request, for he agreed to write the poem.

 Once he’d finished “Contique Noel” he asked his friend, the composer Adolphe Charles Adams, who was well known for composing ballets, to create music for it so that it could be sung by the congregation.

Although neither Placide nor Adolphe were Christians (Adolphe was of Jewish ancestry), these two men somehow created and composed one of the most beautiful Christmas Carols of the Christian Faith; one that especially brings great glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ…

*To Read the rest of this fascinating story, please follow the link to my music website.

http://www.peacefulprayersongs.com/messages_of_hope/the_story_of_the_song_o_holy_night

The Story Of the Song “Oh Holy Night” © 2016 SD Harden All Rights Reserved. Scripture References: The Voice Bible © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc., New Living Translation Bible © 2015 Tyndale House Foundation/ Art by Suzanne Davis Harden © 2016 All Rights Reserved.