PSALM 91 :: GOD LOVES US

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR STUDY AND CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.

EACH OF THE FOUR POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC.

On the first Friday of each month in 2021 we will be studying Psalm 91. We’ll be learning this powerful psalm and applying its phenomenal promises to our life one phrase at a time. We continue today with verse 14.

For here is what the Lord has spoken to me: “Because you loved me, delighted in me, and have been loyal to my name, I will greatly protect you. ~ Psalm 91:14

Some say that we must qualify for God’s protective love. That couldn’t be further from the truth of what God’s Word tells us. God’s protection isn’t dependent on us loving Him in a perfect way. It is impossible for us to do that. No matter how hard we try, because of our humanity, we will always fall short in our love for the Lord.

This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. ~ 1 John 4:10

It isn’t because of anything we have done. God loved us long before we were even created. He showed us that pure love in the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. ~ Lamentations 3:22

God’s compassion is unfailing… His mercy is enough… His grace is sufficient… because His love is all infolding and never ending. It is God’s indescribable, immovable, relentless love for me, not my limited human love for Him, that makes me qualified for His love and protection.

In these incredibly uncertain and tumultuous times, it is so comforting to know that in fact we aren’t alone. We have a Father, a Friend and Savior Who is with us in every valley, every fire and storm! Crowder’s song attached below is one I listen to almost daily right now.

I pray you are blessed by this incredibly anointed song by Crowder.

September 3, 2021July 25, 2021

PSALM 91 :: AUTHORITY OVER THE ENEMY

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR STUDY AND CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.

EACH OF THE FOUR POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC.

On the first Friday of each month in 2021 we will be studying Psalm 91. We’ll be learning this powerful psalm and applying its phenomenal promises to our life one phrase at a time. We continue today with verse thirteen.

You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! ~ Psalm 91:13

So far in our Psalm 91 study the focus has been on the defensive elements of God’s protection. We’ve learned that we are covered under God’s wings and surrounded by an army of mighty angels. However, a battle isn’t won by only fighting from a position of defense. There comes a time when we must go on the offense and confront our enemy. Today’s verse takes an offensive position of authority over the enemy!

God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:27

In our ordinary day-to-day lives we may not feel like we have any power over the evil forces around us. But we must remember, in Christ we are stronger that we realize. God has chosen what the world may see as weak to confuse and take down the powerful.

Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit. ~ Ephesians 6:14-17

When you look at all the pieces of the spiritual armor above, all of them are defensive weapons designed for protection: belt, helmet, breastplate, shoes and shield. God has given us everything we need to not only protect ourselves from the enemy. He has also given us the best weapon possible to defeat Satan… the sword of the Spirit: God’s Word.

And the God of peace will swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under your feet! And the wonderful favor of our Lord Jesus will surround you. ~ Romans 16:20

When we use the authority give to us by Jesus and wield the mighty sword of God’s Word, we have power unlike any other. It gives us the ability to slice the devil down to nothing, to render him powerless in our lives. Scripture us the God of peace will pound Satan under our feet. Then God’s wonderful favor will surround us! What an incredible promise!

Don’t forget or forsake the authoritative promises that are available to you in God’s Word. Use it. It works!

Be strengthens by this powerful song by Crowder! Go crush some snakes!

July 30, 2021July 25, 2021

MUSIC REVIEW :: MILK & HONEY by Crowder

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR STUDY AND CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.

EACH OF THE FOUR POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC.

In every month with five Fridays I’m reviewing Christian music that has really inspired and touched me. Today’s post is the third Music Review for 2021.

Milk & Honey: 12 songs…Running time less that 45 minutes.

If you haven’t heard this album yet… friend, you need to buckle up for a Holy Ghost gospel ride of your life!

Texas-based singer/songwriter known for his wide-ranging fusion of hip-hop, rock, pop, folk, electronic, bluegrass, and gospel, David Crowder comes across very unassuming. Unless you’ve heard his music before, you may be taken by surprise with his country boy look.

Milk & Honey is humble, down to earth, old-time soul music with Biblically sound lyrics telling the sweet, simple healing story of God’s love for us.

An incredibly diverse album; Milk & Honey is edgy yet intimate…. beautiful worship songs with full choirs backing up, country gospel mixed with some R & B, hillbilly rock and a touch of heavy metal thrown in. I fully expect to be singing several of Crowder’s songs in a worship service for years to come!

Incredibly diverse and edgy… yet intimate and personal.

As I was preparing to write this review I realized I could take the titles of some of my favorite songs on Milk & Honey and put them together and basically tell the Gospel story of Jesus Christ….

Good God Almighty… He Is... Higher Power... In The House…

Sweet Jesus… Better Than Sunshine

Glory Glory... God Really Loves Us…

Enjoy this video of Crowder sharing the story behind the Milk & Honey album. Be blessed and get this album!

January 15, 2021August 7, 2021

THE TWELVE LIFE RECOVERY GIFTS :: HOPE

REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.

EACH OF THE POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH BEGINNING IN JANUARY. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC. COME ALONG. LET’S LEARN SOME NEW THINGS TOGETHER!

On the third Friday of each month in 2021 we’re studying the Life Recovery Gifts. We’ll learn about the blessings God brings us to honor our choices and encourage our journey through the Twelve Steps of Life Recovery. This is the first column in the Life Recovery Gifts series.

For my recovery work this year I’m going through The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Each month of 2021 I will be discussing what I have learned on my journey. Today we are learning about the gift of Hope.

HOPE: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment; believing that something good will happen.

Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope! ~ Romans 15:13

“The gift of hope is the motivation for our continuing on the same track when something is painful or difficult.” ~ The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery

For those of us on the Life Recovery journey, it’s important that we stay connected to a support group and/or an accountability partner. If we don’t and then try to do life under our own power, our lives quickly become unmanageable and we set ourselves up for relapse.

We admitted that we were powerless over our problems–that our lives had become unmanageable. ~ Step One (The Twelve Steps of Life Recovery)

When we stay close to our support system, be it a Bible study group or an accountability partner, we draw hope and courage to continue our journey. The gift of hope is shared between each member as it inspires everyone to not give up.

Hope is a gift because it is something that is beyond our human power and abilities. It comes through God’s power which is founded in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The gift of hope gives us motivation to press on when temptations arise, times become difficult and we don’t see anything happening in the natural.

Reach out to God today. Let Him put His super on your natural. Ask Him to fill you with His strength and transforming power that will give you the hope to carry you through!