turtletwo

@Revlori My heart goes out to your husband, as well as to you. Major diseases like MS are so difficult. (I've been living with neurological conditions since 2006, including symptoms of MS. I'm an invalid now.) You love your dear husband. To be concerned about him and your granddaughter just means you care deeply about them. It is natural. I don't see this as a sin. I believe the Lord understands. So please don't be so hard on yourself. Take it to the Lord in prayer. He is faithful to hear and answer you. The tough part is that it is not always in our way or our time. He loves you. Cling to that thought and to the scriptures that give you daily strength. I know how frustrating illness and trials can be.

Thank You, Jesus In this world of darkness You're the bright and morning star Words can never capture What a wondrous God You are! You deserve the glory... All the majesty and praise We were born to serve You And to bless You all our days You, who left the splendor Of your home that was above You, who gave Yourself And died upon the cross in love You, who triumphed over death And rose up from the grave Jesus, You did all of this For souls You came to save I can only marvel At the price You paid for me And for the salvation That You offered fully free How can I help loving You Until the day I die? I am Yours forever So I lift Your name on high

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai: (Numbers 1:17-19)

5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15 from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” 16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel. (Numbers 1:5-16)

The Census Numbers 1 1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: 2“Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. 4 One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.

@angels4u I just thought I'd let you know I'm posting from Numbers...if that is okay. I was active in the Torah books preceding it.

Here is a comforting hymn and how it came to be written. His Eye Is On The Sparrow By Bill Dagle It was Mrs. Martin’s daughter who inspired her to write "God Will Take Care of You" with the simple reminder that God does during times of illness. The year was 1904, and the Martin’s were living at Practical Bible Training School in Johnson City, New York, at the time. Born in Canada, Civilla Martin had taught school for a number of years, but was now traveling with her husband, William, in evangelistic work. It was William who put her poem to music; and the hymn, "God Will Take Care of You", was born. God had used the words of a little girl the first time to move Civilla’s heart, and now He would do it again with the words of an invalid woman. It was a bright, clean morning when Mrs. Martin set out on her journey to Elmira, New York. The Erie train would take some time to cover the 50 mile distance from Binghamton to Elmira, but she felt that every bump in the rails was worth it for the Lord was leading again. Years later, she would say that it was the most important trip she had ever taken. In her own words, she tells us what happened that day in Elmira: "I wrote the song, His Eye Is on the Sparrow in the company of a bedridden saint in the city of Elmira, New York. I was reading and singing to her; and during our conversation, I chanced to ask her if she did not sometimes get discouraged. She answered, “Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged when my heavenly Father watches over each little sparrow, and I know He loves and cares for me”? My husband tried his hand at writing the music for it, but was not satisfied with the results so a short time later, he mailed it to Mr. Charles H. Gabriel who wrote the present music and sent it to Mr. Charles Alexander in England. The song was first sung in Royal Albert Hall during the great Torrey Alexander revival in 1905. From there, it has gone all over the world. From the words of a child to the wisdom of an elderly saint, we are reminded in song that nothing is too little or too great for our Lord. Since He has numbered the very hairs on our heads and counted the sparrows as they fall, in the words of Mrs. Martin, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely And long for Heav’n and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Tho’ by the path He leadeth But one step I may see: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, Whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, When hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, From care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He cares for me.

@marvelloustime He sure has! Praise to the Lord!! Thanks for posting this hymn. It brings back precious memories of my childhood and our family attending church together. This was one of our favorite hymns we sang. I can still hear my pastor belting this one out with such joy (as though it was yesterday.)

@marvelloustime Thanks for reminding me of what lies ahead for us (on a day I badly needed encouragement) God bless you.

@ReneeIW Wonderful idea! @Jayne @wingnut- @BeauJangles I will be joining with you to pray for our dear sister, Abby. To be clear- it is 7:14 pm...in which time zone again? Was the decision in Central?

@marvelloustime Nice to know you are joining with us in prayer. @marvelloustime Well said. "We are in the world, not of it." We are called to "come out from it and be separate." Just because something is popular (or fun) does not make it right. Thanks for the scripture verse.

@PromisesPromises! I love it! The body of Christ needs more of this. Thanks for this reminder. It inspired me to post the next one.

PSALM 145:3

@Behold Herein lies the gospel. The good news. Actually, the GREAT news!! Thanks for posting this scripture.

@Abby-Joy I'm with you on this and will be joining in prayer for the protection of the children on Halloween. It is easy to play down the seriousness of this day in the name of fun. But you have taken a stand and I commend you for this. I will definitely be setting this night aside to intercede for the kids. God bless you, sister.

@Steve_S This is a valid point. Thank you for posting it. Abortion is a subject Christians once spoke against frequently back in the day. I was there in the early 1980's doing so (not too long after Roe vs Wade passed in '73. I was a kid then.) Compassion for children is still something close to my heart.

My thoughts about it are in the following poem I have written: Oct 31st Child's Play?? Where's the atmosphere of fear On this unholy 'holiday'? While the church turns a blind eye And pretends it's child's play? Satan and his minions laugh At the flippancy expressed, As the church believes a lie And his schemes go unaddressed. Who's the mastermind behind This dark time of Hell-oween, When it's in the name of 'fun' So much wickedness is seen? The grotesque and the bizzare Get exalted every year; Yet the cuter costumes counter And distract away from fear. The author of confusion Does that thing he does so well; For when he appears angelic The mixed messages prevail. Is the candy so inviting? Is the 'innocence' so sweet? Can we do it for God's glory? (What the world calls 'Trick or Treat") The occult becomes so active. It's a time to watch and pray; But the 'ostrich head is in the sand' Within the church this day. May the ones whose eyes are opened Do their best to stand above All the compromised excuses. May we "speak the thruth in love." If we don't stand against evil now, while we still have freedom...what will we do later when we don't? I love you guys...but I firmly believe in being a God pleaser, rather than a man pleaser. "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?" Galatians 1:10 "not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." Ephesians 6:6 "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 My policy in life is: If I can't do it for God's glory...I don't want to do it. What I will be doing this Halloween is praying for the safety of the children. Please join me in this, brothers and sisters.

@marvelloustime Thanks for posting this song. I'd never heard it before and love the simple, heartfelt aspect of it.

@angels4u Thanks so much for this article. The church needs to be warned about this. And when a professing ministry (especially so huge) does something as dangerous as this, it must be exposed. God bless you for doing just that, sister. The rebuttals to Hillsong's points are done so well and with solid backing of scripture.

I pray this brings hope to someone who needs it.

I love that God not only saved us from an eternity in Hell, but He also had a plan that HE tailor-made for each of our lives... from before the foundation of the world (eternity past.) Mind boggling to wrap the mind around it!

@marvelloustime I wanted to thank you for the kind thought/gesture of how you wished you could do the reading of my poem. I am sorry for what you and your husband were put through and touched by the way you have chosen to forgive them in Jesus' name and strength. One of my very favorite scriptures that keeps me going from day to day.