tysthatbind

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.    - Matthew 22:37-40 Dear Friends, Simply put, we are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind.  Secondly, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Love. There is no substitute for love.  Love is the greatest gift.  I Corinthians: 13  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [ a ] to be burned, but have not love, it profits me n

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the leapers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." - Matthew 11:5-6 Dear Friends, The Lord is still lifting weights.  The blind still receive sight.  The lame are walking. The leprosy of the day is still being healed.  The deaf hear. The dead are resurrected. The gospel is still being preached.  The Lord, The Weight Lifter Peace in spite of overwhelming adversity.  Joy, unspeakable even as tears flow.  Faith, oh so small, moving mountains.  Love bears all and hides a magnitude of faults.  The Lord, The Weight Lifter. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." -  1 Thessalonians 5:18 Dear Friends, Thank God for another day, another opportunity to praise Him. Thanksgiving.  Each day a new beginning.  Each encounter with our loved ones.  Thanksgiving.  Memories, those we hold and those we now create.  Thanksgiving. There are no adequate words to thank God for all that He has done.  Yet, each day, every day, we need to pause and tell the Lord, thank you.  Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, a perpetual state for those who know Jesus Christ as Savior.  Everlasting life.  Constant grace. Steadfast love.  A cup overflowing with blessings.  Thanksgiving. Let us remain here. Thanksgiving. Happy. Joyful.  Gracious.  Abundant. This is Thanksgiving. God bless! in Christ, Sis. Stephanie

  " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."          - John  1514-17         That Kind of Friend -sdktyus@2019 Someone to listen And share the load Someone to confide in Whether young or old The one who is the steady Rock On Whom you can depend Jesus, Master, Savior He's That Kind of Friend. Dear Friends, Feeling supported and knowing true loyalty.  The ability to be transparent and still know unconditional love is to have Jesus Christ as Your Friend.   The familiar hymn

"The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." - Psalms 24:1,6-8 Dear Friends, Everything belongs to God.  I just love to think about God.  He is Omnipotent, All Powerful God. He is Omniscient, All Knowing God.  He is Omnipresent, Everywhere at the Same Time God.  Oh Lord! My God! The strength of God's presence can be felt everywhere. If we look for Him, He will show us His miraculous power.  God, Who Sustains. God, All Merciful. God, Gracious God.  Oh Lord! My God! God is Great. God is Good.  Repeating this in our spiritual mind is not cliche.  Rather, it is awesome truth.  The songwriter declared, "I scarce can take it in."  Conside

"Many, O  Lord  my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."      - Psalms 40:5 Dear Friends, If I could I would list blessing after blessing that the Lord has provided. But, I cannot.  The blessing of the Lord, the good and perfect gifts from above are "more than can be numbered." There is an old cliche that states: "God is in the blessing business."  Then truly the greatest blessing we enjoy is the gift of His Son Jesus Christ who bled and died for our sins.  Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace extends grace over and over.   No, I cannot tell it all. I can say however that I am blessed, better than blessed.  Thank the Lord. God bless! in Christ, Sis. Stephanie

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:   Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.      -  James 4:13-15   King James Version (KJV) Dear Friends, This is the day. Don't put it off.  Make the call.  Send the email. Mail the letter. This is the day to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Procrastination is a tool that the enemy often uses to distract us from the tasks God has delegated to us.  We will get to it tomorrow.  Hard lesson: tomorrow is not promised. This is the day. Rejoice today. Love today. Forgive today. Encourage today.   There are times when I wish I could go back in time.  Just one more conversation. One more hug.  A little more time and chances to say "I love

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things ."      -Philippians 4:8 Dear Friends, It was about 2:30 in the morning and I couldn't get back to sleep.  My thoughts started to race over all of the "things" going on in my life.  Worry was like a thought bubble you see in cartoons.  "This is going on that's going on, let me see what should I worry about." Thank God for the Holy Spirit reminding me in a whisper: "Whatsoever."  The power of the Holy spirit is phenomenal.  In an instant worry was replaced with whatsoever. Whatsoever things are true God loves me.  God is in control. God does not change. Whatsoever things are honest God is not a man that He should lie From everlast

"The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing."   - Isaiah 14:7 Dear Friends, I love to sing. I love listening to beautiful songs, songs that add value to life and are thought provoking.  My favorite is gospel music. When I read Isaiah 14:7, I thought, just as the earth when it is at rest and is quiet, is graced with singing, so am I.  In the morning the birds get things started and break into song.  Different "notes" from different birds.  The blue jay holds his own, the sparrow is not shy.  The birds just sing. I love breaking out with a song.  Usually though there is no one around for my impromptu concerts. Yet, God hears me.  In the midst of the quiet and depending on the leading of the Holy Spirit, I might sing: "Shine on me. Shine on me. I wonder if the lighthouse will shine on me."  Getting inspired I might roll into: "This ain't no ordinary worship.  This ain't no ordinary song."  Well, my mind

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Dear Friends, "Glory, glory! Hallelujah! Since I laid my burdens down."  The laying down of the burdens. The confession of sin. The acceptance of Christ is glorious.  "I feel better so much better since I laid my burdens down." The liberty the unmatched freedom that exists through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ defies explanation. "Friends don't treat me like they used to since I laid my burdens down." To see the Magnificent Lord as revealed in His Word is life changing.  Looking into the reflective glass through the study of the scriptures is life sustaining. "I'm going home to live with Jesus since I laid my burdens down. Every day a revelation.  Newness of life wi

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."       - I Corinthians 10:13 Dear Friends, Some times it can all be too much.  Frustration sets in and we begin to rehearse: "I don't know how much more of this can I take."  Impatience hovers over us as we fume; "If one more thing goes wrong I am going to scream."  Temptation.  Tempted to give up, throw in the towel.  Temptation.  Tempted to forget that God has promised to work all together for our good even the frustration. Every day the battle to stand firm is in front of us.  We are especially vulnerable to attacks when we have our heart and minds set to diligently follow the Lord. It may appear that the pit falls and yes pot holes keep showing up the harder we try to navigate and stay the course. Kn

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein  day  and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." - Joshua 1:8 Dear friends, Sunlight for the day.  Moonlight for the night.  Day and night.  It is more comfortable sometimes to praise the Lord when it is "daytime" in our lives.  There is enough food in the cupboards and refigerator.  Money is sufficient to pay all the bills and have a little left over. Health is good and family is fine.  It is daytime in our lives. Then comes the night.  Moonlight illumination is not nearly as bright as the light of the sun.  Yet, day and night, sun and moon God created both by His Word. When it is "night time" for us the same peaceful presence is near.  When food is not in plenty, when money is tight, when health is challenging The Son of God still shin

"Therefore, shall ye lay up these words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon earth." - Deuteronomy 11:19-21 Dear Friends,  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." - Proverbs 4:23   Words in our heart. May they be good words. Words of wisdom. Words of encouragement.  Hopeful words. Loving words. Kind words.  Let these words abide in our hearts.  Yes. Words matter.  "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." (Proverbs 18:21

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad."              - Psalms 126:1-3 Dear Friends, Great things! The Lord hath done great things. His love is unending. His grace is unrelenting. His mercy is unfailing. The Lord has done great things. Hope endures. Faith sustains.  Love abounds. The Lord has done great things. Majestic God blesses us beyond what can be measured. Heavenly Father provides for us each moment of each day. The Holy Spirit comforts us in our tribulations.  He teaches us. The Lord has done great things. Life and all things that pertain to godliness is available for us. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that ha

"While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe."    - Mark 5:35-36 Dear Friends, The situation seemed hopeless. Yet, the ruler determined to bring the matter to Jesus.  Our determination to hold fast to our faith may incite rage in others who are struggling.  Our advantage is that Jesus knows, sees and hears even our faintest cry. No one can hinder our access to the Lord.    Don't be afraid just believe. These words of encouragement from the Lord add strength to endure any adverse circumstance.  With our focus and hope centered on Christ we are overcomers.  I heard a preacher say: "It doesn't get any more  serious than death."  Christ, the Resurrection and the Life can cause what is dead to live again.   This bringing th

"And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey."   - Matthew 25:15 Dear Friends, In the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew we find the account of the imparting of talents and the actions taken by those receiving talents. The Lord has gifted every one with talent.  Some refer to these as spiritual gifts.  Often individuals get distracted and do not make full use of what God has given because they are concerned about the talents of others.   I thank God for the gifts He has given.  While I have not always made full use or good use of the gifts, God has been merciful. He is the God of another chance.  Each day an opportunity to start over.  It's another day's journey and I am glad. Wouldn't trade nothing for my journey now. I am glad knowing that each moment of life is orchestrated by God.   I know as Roman 8:28 declares: "And we know that all thing