Category Archives: Prayer

Here’s A Great Prayer…Lord, That The Lost Get Found!!

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“For the Son of Man

came to seek

and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:10

Hello my friend…
I remember when you were…
So alive with your wide eyes…
Then the light that you had in your heart was stolen…
Now you say that it ain’t worth stayin’…
You wanna run but you’re hesitatin’…
I’m talkin’ to me…

Don’t let your lights go down…
Don’t let your fire burn out…
‘Cause somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe…
Why don’t you rise up now?

Don’t be afraid to stand out…

That’s how the lost get found!

So when you get the chance…
Are you gonna take it?
There’s a really big world at your fingertips…
And you know you have the chance to change it…
There’s a girl on the streets, she’s cryin’…
There’s a man whose faith is dyin’…

Love is calling you!

Why do we go with the flow?
Why take an easier road?
Why are we playin’ it safe?
Love came to show us the way…
Love is a chance we should take…
I’m movin’ out of the gray!

Stand out!!

You know you have the chance to change it!!

Love is calling you!!

Take the chance!

Luke 15: 4-24

The Parable Of The Lost Sheep

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep,

if he lose one of them,

doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness,

and go after that which is lost,

until he find it?

And when he hath found it,

he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home,

he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them,

‘Rejoice with me;

for I have found my sheep which was lost.’

I say unto you,

that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,

more than over ninety and nine just persons,

which need no repentance.”

The Parable Of The Lost Coin

“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver,

if she lose one piece,

doth not light a candle,

and sweep the house,

and seek diligently till she find it?

And when she hath found it,

she calleth her friends

and her neighbours together, saying,

‘Rejoice with me;

for I have found the piece which I had lost.’

Likewise, I say unto you,

there is joy in the presence of the angels of God

over one sinner that repenteth.”

The Parable Of The Prodigal Son

“And He said, ‘A certain man had two sons:

And the younger of them said to his father,

Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.

And he divided unto them his living.

And not many days after

the younger son gathered all together,

and took his journey into a far country,

and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

And when he had spent all,

there arose a mighty famine in that land;

and he began to be in want.

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country;

and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:

and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said,

‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare,

and I perish with hunger!

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father,

I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

And am no more worthy to be called thy son:

make me as one of thy hired servants.’

And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,

and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And the son said unto him,

‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven,

and in thy sight,

and am no more worthy to be called thy son.’

But the father said to his servants,

‘Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him;

and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it;

and let us eat, and be merry:

For this my son was dead, and is alive again;

he was lost, and is found.’

And they began to be merry.”

God rejoices when one of His lost children…

Is reconciled to Him…

When the lost get found!!

What a great prayer!

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Trading Sorrow For Joy??? It’s A Great Trade!! Do It!!

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“Surely He took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows.”

Isaiah 53:4

“Why did Jesus live on earth as long as He did?

Why not step into our world just long enough

to die for our sins and then leave?

Why not a sinless year or week?

Why did He have to live a life?

To take on our sins is one thing,

but to take on our sunburns,

our sore throats?

To experience death,

yes —

but to put up with life?

To put up with long roads,

long days,

and short tempers?

Why did He do it?

Because He wants you to trust Him.” 

By Max Lucado

Trade your sorrow!

Trade your shame!

Lay them down for the Joy of the Lord!!

Trade your sickness!

Trade your pain!

Lay them down for the Joy of the Lord !!

Say,

“Yes, Lord!  Yes, Lord!  “Yes, Yes, Lord!

“Yes, Lord!  Yes, Lord!  “Yes, Yes, Lord!

“Yes, Lord!  Yes, Lord!  “Yes, Yes, Lord!

Amen!”

You’re pressed…

But not crushed…

Persecuted…

Not abandoned…

Struck down…

But not destroyed …

You’re blessed beyond the curse…

For His promise will endure…

And His Joy’s gonna be your strength!!

Sorrow may last for the night…

But, His Joy comes with the morning!!

Amen!

Go ahead!  Make the Trade!!

My Simple Everyday Prayer…

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Here’s a definition of my recent days…

Pulled in a thousand different ways…

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At a loss for words to explain…

The need to relax, and rest my brain!

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Lord, I come to You for peace…

Make all my cares, and worries cease…

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So many opportunities abound…

To share Your Love all around!

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Help me know which ones to choose…

(Please make them my passions, desires, talents, and gifts)

Not just my obligations, or “have-to’s!”

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Help me stand strong, and not spread my life too thin…

With commitments, and busyness where I can’t win…

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Help me to see that You’re in control…

When tempests come, and friends cajole!

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To trust Your Word, and Your Voice…

To find the path where I can truly rejoice!!

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Where do you want me five years from now?

What will I do to get there, and how?

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Help me fulfill Your plan for me…

No matter what obstacles I see!

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To be in Your Image I must not fret…

You have never, ever failed me yet!!

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Thank you, Lord!

I feel better already!!

Amen!

Teachers’ Trials And Smiles!!

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You May Not Know This…

But last week was “Teacher Appreciation” Week!!

At our school, all the students…

And the administration…

Showed their appreciation  to us with…

Smoothies…

And Chocolate!!!

Yippee!!

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On Day One…

I received this plant from one of my students, that said…

“Thank You For Helping Me Grow!”

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On Day Two…

I received this drinking cup from the same student, which said…

“Thank You For Quenching My Thirst For Knowledge!!”

On Day Three…

I received from the same student…

A Chik-Fil-A gift card!

On Day Four…

I received from the same student…

A beautiful card of appreciation from his whole family!!

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On Day Five…

I received from the same student…

An Entire “Teacher’s Survival Kit” Basket!

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Filled with…

Stuff…

For my zoo-y classroom…

For when it’s rough…

To help me stick to it…

To keep my day bright and cheerful…

To light my evenings…

To correct my mistakes…

To save my sanity…

To keep my marbles…

To give out confidence…

To hold it together…

To right wrongs…

To be flexible…

To let them shine…

To give me a burst of energy…

To wipe tears…

To pick out the good…

And most of all..

To pray each day!!!!

“God…

Please help me to strengthen their voices, bodies, and minds…

To express their feelings (and control them sometimes!)…

To explore what’s near…

And venture afar…

But most important of all…

To love who they are!

Amen!”

Can you tell that this kid’s Mom is a teacher, too!?!?!

God Bless all of you that are teachers…

And remember that parents are their first teachers!!

You are appreciated!!

And honored by God!!

Happy “Teacher Appreciation” Week!

I’m Worn Out!!

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Ever been there????

I had a rough week of lack of sleep, feeling sick with coughing and runny nose, trying to get rest, trying to go to work, trying to fill my obligations, too much going on, trying to figure out what to cut out, lack of concentration, getting nothing done…

And so on, and so on…

I’m worn!

Let this song soak into your entire being…

Jesus, give us rest!

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

When we cry out with all that’s left in us!

So we can see that Redemption wins!

That struggles end!

Jesus, mend our heart that’s frail and torn…

Even when we’re tired…

Even when we’re worn!

Help us know a song to You can rise…

Even from the ashes of our broken life…

And all that’s dead inside can be reborn…

Even when we’re worn!

Lift up our eyes…

Though we feel too weak…

When life just won’t let up…

 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:30

 You can give us rest…

We’re crying out with all that we have left…

Our prayers are wearing thin…

We’re worn, even before the day begins!

We’re worn, and we’ve lost our will to fight…

Lord, we’re just plain worn out!!

“He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak.”  Isaiah 40:29

So Heaven come and flood our eyes…

So all that’s dead inside will be reborn!

Help us!

Especially when we’re worn!!

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.”  Psalm 62:1

America, Are We Sleeping???

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I want to suggest a book…

A New York Times Best Seller…

The Harbinger:

The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America’s Future

by

Jonathan Cahn

For more info. go to:  http://www.theharbingerbook.com

“It’s not fiction, it’s real….

A warning…

To sound the alarm…”

The bricks have fallen down,

but we will rebuild with dressed stone;

the fig trees have been felled,

but we will replace them with cedars.

Isaiah 9:10  NIV

America, Wake up!!

Here are some excerpts from the book:

“What would happen…

If a (foolish) gardener tried to remove a weed from his garden by cutting off its leaves?

Or, he cut off its stem?”

Nothing!

“Until he finally deals with the underlying problem…

The root!

The Isaiah 9:10 Effect says:

The attempt of a nation

To defy the course of its judgement,

Apart from repentance,

Will, instead, set in motion

A chain of events to bring about

The very calamity it sought to avert.

You can’t solve a spiritual problem

with a military or political solution.

Apart from a return to God, the root issue

Remains untouched

And will manifest again in a different form…

…Foundations will be laid bare…

Exposing the foundation…”

America, who is our foundation?

Jesus!

Let’s go back…

I want to see our roots again!!

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Love…

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And repentance to…

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Hey, Christians! Give Me A Break!

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Jesus did!

He loved me and saved me, while I was yet a sinner…

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Romans 5:8  NIV

Why can’t you just love me, while I’m yet a sinner???

You know it only takes one touch from Jesus to cleanse me…

One Touch!!!

To make me a new creation in Christ!

I might be far from God right now…

But, I’m never far from that One Touch!

Christians…

If we are the Body of Christ… 

We Are The Body Of Christ!

Reach with His Arms…

Heal with His Hands…

Teach with His Words…

Go with His Feet…

Show the Way with His Love…

The Way to Jesus…

He paid much too high a price…

For us to pick and choose who should come…

He is the  One Way…

And they only need One Touch from Him!

“I Hope So…”

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Easter Service at Sacred Heart!

Okay, let me set the scene for you.  It’s Easter Sunday.  My son and I taught Kids Church at our church at 9 am.  We’re very Pentecostal!  My husband is Catholic.  So on Christmas Eve and on Easter Sunday, my son and I become “C and E” Catholics, so we can go as a family to Dad’s church with him.

Perhaps not ideal.  Or, even what I pray for.  But it is what it is!!

Anyway, I know Easter Service is going to be super packed at the Catholic church, so I want to get there as soon as we can, when my son and I get home from our church.  We wore regular church clothes, instead of our Kids Church t-shirts and jeans, as we usually would, just to save time.  But, I let my son wear his black and white Converse sneakers with his black pants, because, well, who cares, right???

Anyway, my husband insists our kid come inside, and change his sneakers, and so, we got to his church right before 11 am, instead of at 10:30 am, like I planned.  There might have been a shot at getting a seat at 10:30 am, but “No Way” at 11 am!!  It’s a huge, beautiful church, just rebuilt after the hurricane! 

But, folks, this is Easter Sunday…Resurrection Day!  Amen!  And Hallelujah!!

We walk in through crowds, upon crowds, of people.  I see a friend and she says, “No seats!!!”  Since the usher just gave her husband the last seat, because he had just had surgery, and wouldn’t be able to stand for an hour and a half.

I can’t either!

So we head back outside…

Walk around to the other door…

Into the overflow room!!

The overflow room has overflowed!

  People have overflowed out into the vestibule…

And onto the outside walkway…

And well into the parking lot!

So we decided to stay in the vestibule, ’cause I saw a little 2″ window sill, that I mistakenly thought I could rest on.  But, at second glance, I saw that it was way too small for my behind!

What was I thinking?

Also, I had worn my really cute, little, tiny heels, since I figured,

“Hey, I’m not working and standing all day, right? 

I’ll be sitting, won’t I?” 

Ouch!

My mind is racing.

How to find a way to sit down…

ANYWHERE!!!

I ask the usher if there are any folding chairs? “No!”  My husband goes to the Annex Building to look.  “No!” 

Then I spy a door to a kitchen, and just inside, is a little mahogany step stool!

I sneak in when the usher isn’t looking, and grab it!

Nice Christian move, huh?!?!?

I sat rather uncomfortably on this stool for the entire service,  I couldn’t even see the priest.  I peeked around the blob of people in front of me.  He was miles away, but I saw that he had white hair.  We had settled right next to the bathrooms, where people were coming and going, and flushing!  Not really conducive to worshiping!

But, with their great sound system, and I could hear every word the priest said!

All the hassle was worth it, because of the sermon I heard preached to the Catholics!!

After awhile everyone calmed down to stand in their chosen spots, and the ceremony began.    They even sang “Celebrate, Jesus, Celebrate”

Which I loved!  Real hand clapping music!  Amen!

The priest was talking about what Jesus did for us on the Cross…

“It’s Finished, Nothing Else Needs To Be Done!”

Amen!

He helps them recite their profession of faith and belief in Jesus Christ, etc.

While I’m not Catholic, my Mom’s older sister was a nun, I was raised in a Catholic town in NJ, and basically there were a hand-full of us non-Catholic Italians in our town-most of whom were related to us!!

So, if you have any questions, please go to Rebecca Hamilton’s blog called Public Catholic, at:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/publiccatholic/

For more precise explanations of Catholic doctrines.  Her blog is awesome!

Finally, the priest got to the sermon part, and said…

“I Hope So!”

My ears perk up from my crouched position on that tiny, hard, little bench! 

This is a phrase I’ve heard from my husband, since we met in high school!

Question:  “Are you going to Heaven?”

Answer:  “I hope so!”

“Where did you learn that answer?” I asked him…

Now, my husband knows a lot of Bible…thank you Catechism classes!

“I was taught,” he said,

“That the only person who is assured of going to Heaven, is the one thief on the Cross,  who said,

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”

Jesus answered him,

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43

  “That’s the only one?”  I ask.

“Where’s our Blessed Hope, then?”

“Not to know if you’re on your way to Heaven, or not…’til when?” 

“‘Til after you die????”

I never got it!

And I never heard a sermon at my husband’s church addressing it…

‘Til this Easter!!!! 

I was so excited! 

We Pentecostals are like that!  Ha!

When the Holy Spirit reveals something…

Remember what happened in Acts Chapter 2!!

Good thing I didn’t have far to fall,

‘Cause I was about ready to fall off my stool!!! 

I’m poking my husband, as the priest is saying, 

“You know, we’re the only religion, that when asked if we’re going to Heaven…

We say,’We hope so!’ 

And, we’re the only religion that has a place called ‘Purgatory!’ 

Where is that, anyway???” 

That’s another doctrine I couldn’t understand, either… 

“No!”  he said, “Believe in Jesus as your Savior!” 

Then, the priest adds, 

“Also, don’t be so grouchy, Jesus wasn’t grouchy, and He died on a Cross for us, so we could go to Heaven!!”

This priest preached to a packed audience of Catholics, and friends, the sermon I’ve been praying my husband would hear for years and years. 

“Did you hear that?”  I ask my husband.

He said, “No, I couldn’t hear a thing, you were talking so much!!” 

Dear Holy Spirit, please reach out and open his ears!!

 

I was made to love You!

Jesus, I repent…

I’m following You…

I’m serving You in Confidence…

So Daddy, I’m on my way!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing;

it is the gift of God,

not a result of works,

so that no one may boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9  ESV

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish

but have eternal life.”

John 3:16  ESV

“And there is salvation in no one else,

for there is no other name under heaven given among men

by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12  ESV

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Oh, Yeah…This Is Good Training For My Son!!

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“There’s Always Something…”

Last August, our Crazy Siberian had a very scary seizure!

https://godssceneryandpromises.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/crisis-averted/

Thursday evening she had a second seizure!

We  were all right there when it happened…

I was folding clothes..

She was in my son’s room…

I put his folded clothes away, and shut his bedroom door…

In a few moments, I heard her whimpering…

So I thought, “Oh, I shut the door, and now she wants to come out.”

I went back into my son’s room…

And she’s in the middle of floor, whimpering for no reason…

What’s wrong with her???

She gets up, comes towards me, and collapses…

And starts having a seizure!

We shout for my husband who’s watching TV…

He runs for the ice packs…

Barking his “police officer” commands…

I grab the medicine in the syringe we have ready on the kitchen counter…

Praying, “Jesus, Jesus, please help my precious little girl!”

I prayed hard!!

Thanking God we had the medicine on hand…

And knew to use ice packs to cool her down!

But it was so scary!!

Her eyes were unfocused, she was twitching, and so upset…

In about 20 minutes or so, she came out of it!

Praise God!

She wanted to go outside, where her bowels suddenly gave way…

Like last time when it happened on the tile floor in my dining room…

I cleaned it up that time, while my husband and son took her to the emergency vet clinic…

This time my son cleaned it up!

Like I said, “Good training!”

For when he has kids of his own!

We took her to the vet on Friday…

Her thyroid level is a little low, so she’ll be on medicine…

 But, she’s fine, and back to her old crazy self!

Thank God!!

Good training for my son…

To pray and trust God!!

Amen!

And I had just been complaining about her fur all over my house…

Since it’s getting really hot in FL…

She was “blowing her coat” all over my house!!

My husband and son finally shaved her!!

“Little Puffs”

I call those nasty hair balls…

However, after this second seizure…

I certainly changed my tune!

Who cares about the “Puffs!”

I want my precious little girl to be healthy!!

Learn, son…

Learn, what’s important!

Then, two weeks ago…

I was home from work with a bad sinus infection…

My head was so stopped up…

I was breathing through my mouth…

It was about 7 pm…

I had just taken a nice warm shower to try to unclog my nostrils…

I settled down on the couch to watch a little TV with my hubby…

I was so tired…

I thought, “I should just go to bed now…”

When my husband calmly says to me…

“You need to take me to the Emergency Room…”

What?!?!

A retired cop never, never, never says that unless…

It IS an emergency!!

I can’t think, I throw on some clothes…

No time for make-up!!!!

Put a visor on my head…

Don’t want to scare anyone in the ER!

Grab the keys…

And GO!!!

I’m praying all the way!

At this point, I don’t even know what’s wrong with him…

I just know what it could be…

And it makes my stuffy nose seem rather insignificant!

On the way, he tells me his hands are tingling…

That his blood pressure has been way up for several days!!

Men…

Husbands, in particular…

Why?

Why??  Are you so stubborn????

Don’t answer that…

I’m stubborn, too!

Ha!

While I’m racing to the hospital, he’s on phone…

Calling our son…

Who had graduate class 45 minutes away from us…

Telling him how much he loves him…

And what a great kid he is…

And I’m just thinking…

Dear Jesus, what did I complain about today?

Concerning this man???

And what does that matter right now!?

I know I have Jesus on my side, in moments like this…

Who else is there to help me??

So I keep praying…

Holding hands with my husband…

And with Jesus!

Saying, “You’ll be alright!”

Well, we get to the ER, sign in, and WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An hour goes by…I don’t even have my Kindle with me…since we left the house in such a hurry…

I’m NEVER without my Kindle in “waiting” situations!!

I can’t get through “waiting” situations without something to read!

So, hubby tells me to go home, and he’ll call me when it’s time to pick him up…

Since there are seven families ahead of us…

We’ll be there all night, I know…

I’ve been this route with my Mom…

God Bless her, now in Heaven!

And it’s shift changing time at the hospital!

What does he want me to do ?!?!

Is he serious?  How could I do that???

So I say, “No way!

I wouldn’t want you to leave me here!”

We sat there for an hour, only one person was called in…

And my impatient hubby had enough…

He asked the nurse when he was going to be seen…

She said, “Who knows?”

So, he told me he felt better now, and he insisted we leave!

I wanted him to promise to go to the doctor the next day…

But NO!

The next day, he went to WalMart to take his own blood pressure…

Praise God, it was lower by 30 points…

Well, I know there’s no Scripture in the Bible that says,”God takes care of fools…”

But I know God took care of him that night!

Because, I was sitting in that ER…

Silently praying…

And I felt God say, “He’s okay, He’s okay, He’s okay…

You don’t need to worry about this!

I will take care of him!”

Jesus tells me, “I’ll be by your side, whenever you call Me!”

Why are you crying?

Let Me lift up your face!

Why are you still searching?

As if I’m not enough?

To where will you go child?

Tell me where will you run?

To where will you run?

I’ll be by your side wherever you fall…

In the dead of night whenever you call…

Please don’t fight these hands that are holding you…

My hands are holding you…

Look at these hands at My side…

They swallowed the grave on that night…

When I drank the world’s sin…

So I could carry you in…

And give you life…

And I, I love you…

And I want you to know…

That I, I’ll love you…

I’ll never let you go…

Amen!

I believe Jesus has the best for us, so I pray for His best!

I don’t expect the worst to happen…

I expect His Best!

When, “There’s Always Something…”

You Need Someone Who’s Always By Your Side!

Trust!!!!

It’s Good Training for all of us!

Who’s By Your Side?

Things Of This World Grow Strangely Dim…

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How can Christians stay so focused in this world???

They’re eyes are fixed on God!

All the things of this world suddenly grow strangely dim…

Things they loved to do, or say, no longer matter…

No longer entice and ensnare them…

Worldly things fade in God’s light!

Doubts and worries go…

His Peace embraces…

All that He is…

Is all that’s important!

They seek His face…

And don’t look around…

They know who’s holding them…

Safely in His arms…

And they know the world…

Can’t offer anything that compares to that!