Tag: God’s power

April Hope Whispers

Trudy Den Hoed32 Comments
“Hope is the silver shaft of sun breaking through the storm-darkened sky, words of comfort in the intensive care unit, the first spring bird perched on a snow-covered twig, and the finish line in sight. It is a rainbow, a song, a loving touch. Hope is knowing God and resting in His love.” 
~ NLT Life Application Study Bible: Zephaniah introduction

We Have a Living Hope

So many are feeling hopeless and seeking for hope that I’m not surprised that the two posts read the most this month are about the hope that is still alive for us.

🦋 Hope is Still Alive Because Jesus Lives!

🦋 How the Sand Dollar Points to Hope, Love, and Peace

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 
In His great mercy He has given us new birth 
into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
1 Peter 1:3

God’s Whispers of Love

Are your hearts sometimes sinking in the mire of despair?
Are you feeling forsaken by God?
God whispered this to my heart and He is whispering it to all of us!
(Is Life’s Journey Too Great For You?)

My precious child,

I’m still the same God today.

I was there for Elijah

And I am here for you.

Arise and eat, My child.

The journey is too great for you.

Eat the manna of My love

Drink My life-giving water

Relax in the arms of My grace,

My power and My will.

And you will find rest

For mind, body, and soul.

I hold you, My child,

In the arms of My everlasting love,

No lies can snatch you away from Me.

You are safe with Me.

Marvelously made and enough.

Ssshhh…

Be still, My child, be still.

Be encouraged

You don’t have to journey alone.

Rest in My Truth,

And I will refresh your weary soul.

Nature Retreat

” I love to think of nature
as an unlimited broadcasting station,
through which God speaks to us
every hour, if we will only tune in.”
~ George Washington Carver ~

I was looking through Shutterfly at some old photos and found ones from our 2013 trip to the Black Hills. Such beautiful views bring back memorable quiet moments of awe. It’s a comfort to know that the same God who has such power to create such beauty will also take care of us. 🙂

The Savior’s Hands Forever Reach Out to Us With Love

Trudy Den Hoed27 Comments

A few years ago I saved this picture from a Christmas card. It still fills my heart with awe. The reaching out of Jesus’ Hands forever in love is humbling and amazing at the same time. May our hands also reach out in love to others!

The following poem is on the backside of this photo:

In His Hands

The Hands that made the world
And gave the sun and moon their light
Are the tiny Hands of a baby
Born one cold December night.

 The Hands that still the wind
And tame the fury of the sea
Are the calloused Hands of a carpenter
Who lived in poverty.

 The Hands that held the power
To break the binding chains of sin
Are the gentle Hands that washed the feet
Of tired and dusty men.

 The Hands that cleansed the leper,
Healed the blind, and raised the dead
Are the praying Hands of one who cried,
“Not My will, but Thine instead.”

 The Hands that shaped the universe
And flung the stars in space
Are the nail-pierced Hands of a dying man
Who suffered in our place.

 The Hands of our Creator,
Lord and King of Heaven above,
Are the Savior’s Hands,
Forever reaching out to us with love.

 B. J. Hoff

When I searched for Bible verses about God’s hand(s), I was surprised at how many there are. I haven’t begun to find them all and I definitely can’t name them all here, so I’ll just share a few.

“My own hand founded the earth,
and My right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summoned them,
they stood up together.”
Isaiah 48:13 HCSB

“The life of every living thing is in His hand,
as well as the breath of all mankind.”
Job 12:10 HCSB

“Riches and honor come from You,
and You are the ruler of everything.
Power and might are in Your hand,
and it is in Your hand to make great
and to give strength to all.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 HCSB

“Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding
so that I can learn Your commands.”
Psalm 119:73 HCSB

 “For the Lord your God dried up the waters
of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over,
just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea,
which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. 
This is so that all the people of the earth may know
that the Lord’s hand is mighty,
and so that you may always fear
the Lord your God.”
Joshua 4:24 HCSB

“My enemies surround Me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on Me.
They have pierced My hands and feet.”
Psalm 22:16 NLT

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands;
your walls are ever before Me.”
Isaiah 49:16 NIV

“Sing a new song to the Lord,
for He has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
His holy arm has shown His saving power!
Psalm 98:1 NLT

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NLT

Your Hands
by JJ Heller

“When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands…”

May God hold you in His loving Hands!

The Love of Jesus Will Always Be Stronger

Trudy Den Hoed30 Comments

Jesus-powerful-love

Sometimes insecurity, shame, and fear shackle us down in despair. Weighing down our arms like lead so that we cannot lift them to praise our Savior. Restraining our feet from stepping forward to live a life of freedom and devotion to our God. Molding our necks into a downward thrust that we fail to lift our eyes to see the goodness God surrounds us with.

In Christ Jesus and His sacrifice for us, He has already unlocked all these shackles. So why do we so often bind ourselves up again? Why do we refuse His powerful love? Why do we avoid Jesus’ proffered hand and refuse His key to freedom?

Sometimes we long to reach out for that key He has promised us, but insecurity, shame, and fear have such deep roots in our hearts. Jesus longs for us to lay our chained-up hearts at His feet. To believe in His power to shatter the shackles. He lifts our bruised and bleeding bodies and hearts and hugs us to Himself, saying, “My child, I understand what you’re going through. Grasp hold of this truth – I love you and want to free you completely. Believe that you are precious to Me and you will always be safe and enough in Me.”

Jesus has such inexpressible patience with us. His love is so unconditional, and His grace is so freely given. As a testimony of who He is and what He has done for us, I feel a need to write. I confess that sometimes the words don’t always flow freely like I hear many writers experience. I feel inadequate, I fear rejection, and it hurts too much to write transparently. Yet I feel His nudge to answer the whispers He places in my heart. He won’t let me go. He mows down all my excuses with His faithful promises, “My child, have I not promised I will never, never leave you or forsake you? Have I not promised that you can do all things through Me? Trust Me, My child. My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” (Deut. 31:6, 2 Cor. 12:9)

“But He has said to me,
‘My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy
are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation];
for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself
most effectively] in [your] weakness.’ Therefore,
I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ
[may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP

Sometimes when we’re in despair, we can’t see how God has helped us through so much. When the chains of insecurity, shame, and fear are deadweight in our lives, we can feel like He has totally forsaken us. We can feel so worthless that we can’t imagine Him even wanting to think of us. At those times, we are blind to our true identity in Him, the power of His love that has brought us through many deep valleys, and the promise that He will always be with us. We forget that every breath we take is Him breathing life into us.

The powerful love of Jesus will always be stronger than any shackle that binds us. God’s power parted the Red Sea and freed the Israelites from slavery. His power rose Jesus from the dead. His power can reach into our shackled hearts, too. He is powerful to burst the chains asunder that hold us back from joy in Him. Powerful to break all barriers that inhibit us from living a life in the fullness of the freedom there is to be found in Jesus. Powerful to “strengthen our weak hands and steady our knees that give way” (Isaiah 35:3), to give us a dance of victory that echoes praises to His Name.

A Child's Trust

“Shackles [Praise You]”
by Mary Mary

“Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise You
I just wanna praise You
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise You
I’m gonna praise You”

all things are possible in God

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