From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 NIV
I pray for Your leading,
For where I’ve wondered I do not know.
Lead me high to the Rock of Ages,
and leave my worries far below.
On Thanksgiving three things I am thankful for:
First, because of unending grace God doesn’t keep score.
Second, God sent the Spirit to empower my life for Him;
and last, my family can enjoy singing this most amazing hymn.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—Ephesians 2:8 NIV
Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5 NIV
Warm sunshine
The gentle wind
Scent of pines
Crickets calling out
The first leaves of fall come tumbling down
A day shouting to God’s glory
His mercies are new every morning.
How can I not hear and join in the praise?
Though I don’t deserve it,
through His grace I can receive it.
Though my words can’t describe it,
through His Spirit I can walk in it.
I can make no promises about my future,
other than He will never leave me.
His love and goodness woven into my life… forever.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4
I can scale the wall of glory
once there they’ll want my story.
I just need a little more effort,
a little more time.
From the heights I will survey,
proud of climbing my own way.
All with a little more effort,
a little more time.
There are some trade-offs, some compromises
little things some sacrifices,
but in the end it’ll be all mine.
Given a little more effort,
a little more time.
When I get there what will be said?
a eulogy of the dead—if only he had…
a little more effort,
and little more time.
—poem by Stephen Hufman
Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2
Morning beauty
I have no great thoughts,
but I know wonderful revelation is out there.
There are colors to enthrall the eyes still to put on canvas.
There is music that will lift the heart, but awaits a composer.
There are poems to inspire the soul, that remain unreleased.
There is great beauty that will captivate the beholder,
but we have lost our purity to take it in and give it away.
I need clear eyes to see, unstopped ears to hear.
A clean heart to bow before the Lord and receive all he wants me to know.
This gives me hope.
I pause from my daily activities,
and pray for God’s Holy Spirit,
to come upon me,
and make His glory known.
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
The key to entering His rest
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Hebrews 4:1 NIV
What causes people to not enter His rest? It seems unbelievable that someone would stop short of entering God’s rest. Like a mountain climber turning back a few meters short of the top, it doesn’t make sense. That’s where the second part of the verse comes in:
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Hebrews 4:1-2 NIV
Entering God’s rest happens when we trust Him. You can’t enter His rest unless you stop trying to do it your way, and trust Jesus––following His way.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
So trust Him and enter.
An apple from an apple tree
Lest we become confused…
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43-45
Clouds rolling over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
There were times that the fog became so thick you could barely see the road, let alone knowing which way to go.
We have all had times when we wished we had taken a different direction. Looking back we can see how a right choice would have been so much better, but we just could not see far enough ahead.
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways. Psalm 119:1-3
God is all about helping us choose the right direction. We just have to ask.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
What we receive is not only help in making the right choices going forward, but forgiveness for all our past wrong choices.
A simple morning prayer
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8
Stephen L Hufman 