♪Great Is Thy Faithfulness♪

 Friday, March 31, 2023 (6:42 a.m.)

There's a song in my mind Lord. I’d like to find it please. Sunshine. Shadow. Courses.

(6:53 a.m.)

Thank You! Here it is. One word and note at a time.

♪Great Is Thy Faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!♪ (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Amen Dear Lord. Amen!

We’re on our way out into this day. Go before, behind, beside, beneath, above and within us as we go. Guarding and guiding us.

We love You Lord. We want to serve You as You know is best. Empower and enable us to Your use. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(128 words ~ 7:02 a.m.)

rooted and grounded

 Thursday, March 30, 2023 (5:16 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You! You bless us. You keep us. You make Your face smile upon us. Yes Lord. You are gracious to us. You turn Your face toward us and give us peace (Numbers 6:24-26). Thank You that You do.

Lord, we love You. We want to serve You in ways that honor and glorify You.

I’m asking You to continue Your work in bringing our thoughts, word and actions to You (Colossians 3:16-17). Taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Yes Lord, I want to live this day, which You have made, rejoicing and being glad in it (Psalm 118:24). Following Your lead. Rooted and grounded in Your Word (Colossians 2:6-7).

Father, the desire of my heart is to represent You well. Truly leaning into and depending on Your leading and guiding.

I believe what Your Word says. I want to live this day trusting and depending on its Truth. Rooted and grounded that I will not be swayed.

Do all You must that I will fully utilize Your “mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Putting on Your full armor (Ephesians 6:10-20) before going out into the day.

Yes Lord. Root and ground me in the Truth and power of Your Word. I want to be strong in Your mighty power (v.10). Standing firm against the strategies of the devil (11). Putting on every piece of Your armor (13).

I want to wear Your belt of Truth and breastplate of righteousness (14). Putting on shoes that make me ready to share Your gospel of peace (15).

(7:26 a.m.)

Wanting to live this day in, with, by, through and for the strength of Your mighty power (Ephesians 6:10), I ask You Lord (Matthew 7:7). Train me in “hold[ing] up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the evil one” (v. 16).

Teach me Dear Lord to surrender thoughts that don’t line up with Your Word. Wearing the helmet of salvation, I want to think the thoughts that will bring glory to You.

And finally, the sword of Your Spirit “which is the Word of God” (17). I want to know Your Word that I will be able to use it effectively. Efficiently. For Your good and Your glory.

I love You God. I need, trust and want You. Root and ground me in You and Your Word that I will stand as You would have me. Thank You. Praise You.

(445 words ~ 7:46 a.m.)

Thy hand

 Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (6:36 a.m.)

Big smile! Thanks Dad.

Without knowing the phrase, I awoke with the words “Thy/Thou hand hath provided.” Thank You God that it was an easy find. ♪Great Is Thy Faithfulness♪

(7:31 a.m.)

The peace I am experiencing because of You, Your Word and Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23) astounds me. Father, I am truly grateful. Thank You.

Focusing on Your Truth and promises rather than the problems we encounter is a choice I want to make. All day. Every single day.

Psalm119:11

2 Corinthians 4:17

2 Timothy 3:17-18

In Truth Lord, I want to live Your Word. Always being full of joy in You (Philippians 4:4). Considerate in all I do. Remembering that You are coming soon (v.5).

Father God, You have been instilling in me the importance of not worrying about anything; instead, praying about everything.Telling You what we need, and thanking You for all You have done (6).

That’s exactly where this peace originates! “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as You live in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

Father, You are fully aware of the needs and the sadnesses of this world. Thank You that You call us to look to You instead.

“And now, Dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (8).

Yes Dearest Dad! “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me [the apostle Paul] - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with You” (9). Oh, yes!

Thank You Dear Lord, for the craving You are instilling in my heart. My soul. My mind. The genuine desire to learn and live Your Word.

Teach me this day Dearest God. So I will ‘put on every piece of Your armor so I will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle I will still be standing firm’ (Ephesians 6:13).

Yes Lord. I want to “take up every piece of war equipment God provides” (Complete Jewish Bible). Keep working in, with, by, through and for me. Using all as Thy hand hath provided.

I love You Lord. I need, trust and want You. Do as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(426 words ~ 9:18 a.m.)

storing treasures in Heaven

 Tuesday, March 28, 2023 (7:05 a.m.)

Thank You Father,

More learning. Fewer mistakes. More grace. And forgiveness. Thank You!

(7:43 a.m.)

It takes no time at all for me to get distracted! One thought [sheep counting] leads to a simple search. Followed by so many options,

Thank You Lord for bringing me right back to You. And Your Word. Here I seek Your guidance in what comes next.

Seeking first Your kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Yes! Mm. All the way up to verse 19. Under the title Teaching about Money and Possessions. Oh yes Dear Lord. Teach me that I will learn.

Yes! I want to live this day in You. With You. By, through and for You. I confess the fear that comes over me when considering making the slightest change.

Following a “see also” notation in Illustrated Bible Handbook, I turn to Luke Chapter 12. Jesus on Materialism. Lord, I want to learn. I look to You to teach me “to love and to trust YOU - and to value persons above our possessions.”

You are good. You are able to do all that I am unable on my own. Use me dear Lord. As only You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(217 words ~ 8:24 a.m.)

The One

 Monday, March 27, 2023 (6:34 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

Thank You for being my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). The One who keeps me from fearing (Isaiah 41:10). The One in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Thank You that even before opening my eyes this morning I had the genuine desire to write out what I remembered of Psalm 23. Thank You for available paper and pencil. And legible, in the dark writing.

“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want

He maketh me lie down in the green pastures

He leadeth me beside the still waters

He restoreth my soul He leadeth me on paths

Of righteousness for His namesake

Yea though I walk through the valley

shadow of death I shall fear no evil Thy rod and thy staff

they comfort me

Thou preparest a table for me in the sight of mine

enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil My 

[cup] runneth over

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

me all the days of my life And shall dwell in the 

house of the Lord forever.”

Thank You Lord that when it comes to things for me to dwell on in the middle of the night, You are teaching me to focus on Your Word! Let’s see how close I came.

Line by line in King James Version. First miss? It’s not the green pastures. Next? It’s in the paths of righteousness. Namesake is actually name’s sake.

Forgotten was of the shadow… It’s will, not shall fear no evil. Completely omitted was for Thou art with me. This, Dear Lord, is a vital phrase for me to always remember! For Thou art with me. Yes!

In this translation, You preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Cup, while thought, didn’t get written down. And I will [not shall] dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Lord God, thank You for the genuine desire to learn Your Word. Truly I want to come to meditating on it day and night (Psalm 1:2). You have brought me to the love of Your teachings (Easy-to-Read Version).

Father, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your work in us. Leading, guiding, teaching, blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) us as only You are able.

We love You Lord. We need, trust and want You. Use us as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(413 words ~ 8:37 a.m.)

in its entirety

 Sunday, March 26, 2023 (6:51 a.m.)

♪The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still water…♪

Father, thank You. Every time I woke during the night, singing this put me right back to sleep. My desire to learn this psalm in its entirety grows. Thank You God.

Words and incomplete phrases from it came through. Restoreth. Soul. Paths of righteousness. Namesake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Rod and staff. Comfort me. Preparest a table. Enemies. Anointeth my head with oil. Cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy. Dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever.

I’m asking (Matthew 7:7) You Dearest Dad, keep working that it all comes together for me. Fully. Completely. As a whole. Not just the bits and pieces it is now.

Father, I love You. I want Your Word to be the guiding force of my life. If I don’t know it, how can I live it?

Quoting again the King James Version:

“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want (v. 1)

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters (2).

He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (3).

Yea, though I walk though the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me (4).

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over (5).

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (6).”

Yes Father! “This is the day that You have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24). Do all You must in empowering and enabling me to Your good and glorious end.

I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You for continuing to mold my heart, soul, mind and strength as You know is best. Use me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(373 words ~ 8:28 a.m.)

so many Psalms

 Saturday, March 25, 2023 (7:16 a.m.)

Father God,

I am teary eyed. Unsure why. Songs keep coming. And with them? More tears form.

♪The 23rd Psalm♪ started it off. Followed by ♪The Lord’s Prayer♪ Then? The Beach Boys’ ♪I’m Waiting for the Day♪ and ♪Don’t Talk♪

(7:40 a.m.)

Lord, I love You. Thank You that I do.

I’m confessing the tearfulness because I don’t understand it. Thank You for reminding me that just earlier I was singing of this being the day that You have made (Psalm 118:24a). And the importance of rejoicing and being glad in it (v. 24b).

(9:07 a.m.)

Coming back to You and Your Word, I look further into joy and gladness. Thank You Lord. The weepiness seems to have abated. I am thankful to You for that as well.

Wanting to learn more about rejoicing and being glad I turn to Psalm 100. I fully “Acknowledge that the LORD is God! We are His people, the sheep of His pasture” (v. 2).

Thank You that this Truth takes me right back to where I started so much earlier. “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!” (Psalm 23:1).

Lord, I am asking (Matthew 7:7) You to teach me more about the depth of meaning and Truth found in this beloved psalm. There are so many versions.

(10:24 a.m.)

I confess to not knowing this entire (23rd) Psalm by heart. I’ve been searching all this time. Wanting to find the tune and translation that I could learn to sing.

Not finding it I finally come to You presenting my desire. Lord, do all You must that I will be able to memorize these vitally important six verses from Your Word of Truth and promises.

First in the King James Version. And one day, International Children’s Bible.

“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want (v.1).

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters (2).

“He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of rigtheousness for His name’s sake (3).

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me (4).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over (5).

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (6 KJV).”

What comforting word pictures form here in my mind. Thank You Father.

Using more modern language, I understand the Children’s Bible more easily. I look to You in helping me learn Lord.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need (1).

“He gives me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm water (2).

“He gives me new strength. For the good of His name, He leads me on paths that are right (3).

“Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid because You are with me. Your rod and Your Shepherd’s staff comfort me (4).

“You prepare a meal for me in front of my enemies. You pour oil of blessing on my head. You give me more than I can hold (5).

“Surely Your goodness and love will be with me all my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (6).

Yes. Yes. Yes, Father! It is Your Truth I want to have in my heart, soul, mind and strength. That I will truly meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).

I love, need, trust and want You in every single aspect of my life. Use me this day that You have made. Exactly as You know is best. Rejoicing and being glad in it (Psalm 118:24b). And in You!

Thank You for this extended time to be here with You. Amen.

(683 words ~ 11:26 a.m.)