autumn leaves | Stephen L Hufman

Not one of these leaves has fallen outside of God’s sight or understanding. They remind me that God cares.

I repeatedly check the news channels to see if there is any change for the better. I go on line looking for news that will calm my fears, but I only hear words of anger, and terrible troubles. I want to hear words of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness…words with power to control my anxious thoughts.

Beautiful words—
God’s words of forgiveness.
God’s words of patience.
God’s words of His unfailing love.
These words I need to hear.
Even more marvelous—
God wraps these words with a promise.
“I will help you and watch over you.
I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”
Now those are beautiful words.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

Last days, but so much beauty.

I want to do many things for God,
But I am getting too old to be of much use.
I want to be pleasing to Jesus,
But I don’t have the will power.
I want to write of His glory,
But my words fail to mount the heights.
I want to change my bad habits,
But continually fall back into old ways.
I have visions of doing great things for God,
But wonder if it is not vainglory?

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” John 14:16

In the Helper I am given the power to do His will. (Eph. 3:20)
In the Helper I will be given the words to speak of His glory. (Matt. 10:19-20)
In the Helper I will be given self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)
In the Helper I will be lead into good works, which God has prepared for me to do.
(Eph. 2:10)
All this and more will come about by the power of the Helper, (Zech. 4:6)
So that Jesus will be glorified in me,
And the Helper will keep me from vainglory, for I can take none of the credit.
(Psalm 115:1)