Lessons in the School of Faith

In the school of faith,

  what I am required to do

    I am enabled to do. 

Provision has been made.

I am not alone 

  and there is nothing to fear.

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God sometimes asks of us 

  things that look impossible, 

    but they never turn out to be –

because God’s command 

  is always His enabling.

It is always possible 

  to do the will of God.

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I don’t have to know 

  how God is going to do something.

I have to know only the one step 

  that He is asking me to take.

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The deepest lessons 

  come out of the deepest waters 

    and the hottest fires.

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Through my deepest waters, 

  hottest fires and darkest valleys

God has taught me the deepest 

  and most eternal lessons.

                                            – Elisabeth Elliot

Wherever I Am, God Is

The light of God surrounds me

The love of God enfolds me

The power of God protects me

The presence of God watches over me

Wherever I am, God is

                                 - Anne Ortlund

Day By Day

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find, to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure

Gives unto each day what He deems best

Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,

He Whose Name is Counselor and Power;

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on Himself He laid;

'As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,'

This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

Ever to take, as from a father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till I reach the promised land.

                              - Lina Sandel Berg

His Names

He is the Almighty God

He is the God of Peace

He is the God who Forgives

He is the God who Provides

He is the God who is in Control

He is the God who knows Everything 

He is the God of Love

Learning God’s Lessons

Each time God gives us a hard lesson

He desires also to give us Himself.

If we open our hands to receive the lesson 

we open our hearts to receive Him, 

and with Himself His vision to see 

the glory in the surrender, 

whether of small things like self-esteem 

and reputation, and bigger things 

like career and a home.

He has been over the trail, 

for He surrendered His glory, 

His equality with the Father, 

His omnipotence, His omnipresence, 

His all, when He came into our world. 

He stands ready today to supply us 

with his wisdom to understand 

what He wants to teach, 

and His strength to carry through, 

for He never allows us to undergo anything 

for which He has not promised 

the strength to endure.

His commands are always accomplished 

by power to obey.

                            – Elisabeth Elliott

He Knows My Name

I have a Maker

He formed my heart

Before even time began

My life was in his hands

I have a Maker

He made me this way

My life is often hard

And it’s why you’ll hear me pray

I have a Father

He calls me His own

He'll never leave me

No matter where I go

Does God know my name?

Does God know my every thought?

Does He see each tear that falls?

Does He hear me when I call?

He knows my name

He knows my every thought

He sees each tear that falls

And He hears me when I call

                         - Tommy Walker

                         - Joni Earrckson Tada

A Necessary Part of the Journey

This is only part of the journey, 

    and not the whole long way. 

It seems to me that my “cross” 

    is each particular occasion when 

I’m given the chance to “die” – 

    that is, to offer up my own will

        whenever it crosses Christ’s.

The call still comes to us: 

Take up your cross 

    and come with Me. 

          With you, Lord?

Yes, with Me.

          Will You give me strength

                and show me the way? 

That was My promise – 

    is it My custom

        to break promises?

                                     - Elisabeth Elliot

Teach Me Your Paths

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

   in you I trust, O my God.

Show me your ways, O LORD,

    teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are God my Savior,

    and my hope is in you all day long.

                                    - Psalm 25:1-2,4-5

Prepare for Battle

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,

  who trains my hands for war,

    my fingers for battle.

He is my loving God 

    and my fortress,

  my stronghold and 

    my deliverer,

  my shield, 

    in whom I take refuge

                             - Psalm 144:1-2

When The Morning Comes

Trials dark on ev'ry hand,   

and we cannot understand   

All the ways that God would lead us   

to that blessed Promised Land;   

But He'll guide us with His eye,   

and we'll follow till we die;   

We will understand it better by and by.   

By and by, when the morning comes,

When the saints of God are gathered home,   

We will tell the story how we've overcome;   

We will understand it better by and by.  

Oft our cherished plans have failed,   

disappointments have prevailed,   

And we've wandered in the darkness,

heavyhearted and alone;   

But we're trusting in the Lord,  

and according to His Word,   

We will understand it better by and by. 

By and by, when the morning comes,

When the saints of God are gathered home,   

We will tell the story how we've overcome;   

We will understand it better by and by.  

Temptations, hidden snares   

often take us unawares,   

And our hearts are made to bleed   

for some thoughtless word or deed,   

And we wonder why the test   

when we try to do our best,   

But we'll understand it better by and by. 

By and by, when the morning comes,

When the saints of God are gathered home,   

We will tell the story how we've overcome;   

We will understand it better by and by.  

                    - Charles Albert Tindley

A Quiet Heart

Lord, give to me a quiet heart 

That does not ask to understand, 

But confident steps forward in The darkness 

guided by Thy hand. 

A willing acceptance 

  of all that God assigns 

and a glad surrender 

  of all that I am and have 

constitute the key to 

  receiving the gift of a quiet heart. 

Whenever I have balked, 

the quietness goes. 

It is restored, and life 

  immeasurably simplified, 

    when I have trusted and obeyed.

                             - Elisabeth Elliot 

Teach Me Your Paths

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

   in you I trust, O my God.

Show me your ways, O LORD,

    teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are God my Savior,

    and my hope is in you all day long. 

                          - Psalm 25:1-2,4-5

I Am Here

In Time of Trouble, Say:

First, He brought me here;

it is by His will that I am in this place:

in that fact I will rest.

Next, He will keep me here in His love, 

and give me grace to behave as His child.

Then, He will make the trial a blessing,

teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn,

and working in me the grace 

He means to bestow. 

Last, in His good time

He can bring me out again –

how and when He knows.

Let me say I am here,

  •  By God’s appointment

  •  In His keeping

  •  Under His training

  •  For His time

                                 – Andrew Murray

Even Through This?

Will you still Follow Me

    even through this?

Will you still Trust Me

    even through this?

Will you still Love Me

    even through this?  

ISAIAH 42:16

“I will lead the blind 

    by ways they have not known,

    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

    and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

    I will not forsake them.”

The Lord Goes Before You

The Lord himself goes before you 

    and will be with you; 

He will never leave you 

    nor forsake you. 

Do not be afraid; 

    do not be discouraged.

                          - Deuteronomy 31:8

The Next Hour Is God’s

This hour is mine 

    with its present duty;

the next is God’s,

    and when it comes,

        His presence will come with it.

                                        - Unknown

Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus  

Just to take Him at His Word  

Just to rest upon His promise  

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him  

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er  

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus  

Oh, for grace to trust Him more

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him  

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend  

And I know that He is with me  

Will be with me to the end

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him  

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er  

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus  

Oh, for grace to trust Him more

Oh, for grace to trust Him more

       - Canzetta Staton / Louisa M. Stead / 

              William James Kirkpatrick

Thus Far The Lord Has Helped Us

Ebenezer ~ Stone of Help

Then Samuel took a stone 

  and set it up between Mizpah 

     and Shen. 

He named it Ebenezer, saying, 

“Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

                                            - 1 Samuel 7:12

“He who hath helped thee hitherto

    will help thee all thy journey 

        through.”

When read in Heaven’s light, how glorious 

  and marvelous a prospect will 

    thy “hitherto” unfold 

       to thy grateful eye.  

                                       - C. H. Spurgeon

Thy Presence Our Security

When the stormy winds against us break,

Stablish and reinforce our will;

O hear us for Thine own Name’s sake;

Hold us in strength, and hold us still. 

Still as the faithful mountains stand

Through the long, silent years of stress,

So would we wait at Thy right hand,

In quietness and steadfastness. 

But not of us this strength, O Lord,

And not of us this constancy;

Our trust is Thine eternal word,

Thy presence our security.

                          - Amy Carmichael 

Higher Ground

I’m pressing on the upward way,  

New heights I'm gaining every day;  

Still praying as I’m onward bound,  

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.  

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,  

By faith, on Heaven's table land;  

A higher plane than I have found;  

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.  

I want to scale the utmost height,  

And catch a gleam of glory bright;  

But still I'll pray till Heav'n I've found,  

Lord, lead me on to higher ground.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,  

By faith, on Heaven's table land;  

A higher plane than I have found;  

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.  

                            - Johnson Oatman Jr 

Mud or Stars?

Two people looked

    through prison bars;

One saw mud,

    the other saw stars.

 

                               - Unknown 

Focus is the only thing 

    you can control.

                              - Scott Turansky

Joy On The Journey

I can choose to
Fret and Fume, and 

  Grumble and Gripe,

or I can choose to

Focus by Faith 

  on the Goodness of God,
      and look for 

          Joy on the Journey.

Professed-Belief and Heart-Belief

All your waves and breakers 

    have swept over me.

Why are you downcast, 

    O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, 

    for I will yet praise Him,

    my Savior and my God.

                                     ~ Psalm 42:7,11

What are we who profess our 

    faith in Christ 

  to do when the waves of life 

    wash over us?

Will our faith prove to be genuine?

Or will we spurn Christ and 

    rush toward 

      the false harbors of this world?

At such a moment of trial,

    we are forced into one of 

        two positions:

either cynicism and coldness of heart

    or true depth with God.

When that moment comes,

    sent by the hand of a tender Father,

will we believe what we have confessed 

    about God to be true,

or will we suspect Him 

    of deserting us?

The two lines of professed-belief 

    and heart-belief,

      to this point parallel,

are suddenly forced either to 

    overlap completely 

        or to move further apart.

We cannot go on as before.

And why does this happen?

Because God will not let us remain 

    the people we would be

as long as the waves reached 

    only our waist. 

                                  ~ Devotional

Unfailing Love

But I trust in your unfailing love;

  my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

  for He has been good to me.

                            - Psalm 13:5-6

We wait in hope for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in His holy name.

May your unfailing love

rest upon us, O LORD,

Even as we put our hope in you.

                            - Psalm 33:20-22

Be Strong and Take Heart

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.

                                - Psalm 27:14

    

But I trust in you, O Lord;

    I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in your hands

Be strong and take heart,

    all you who hope in the Lord.

                                  - Psalm 31:14-15,2

I have told you these things, 

  so that in me you may have peace. 

In this world you will have trouble. 

  But take heart! I have overcome 

      the world.

                                   - John 16:33

I Wait For The Lord

Wait for the LORD; 

  be strong and take heart 

    and wait for the LORD.

                                      - Psalm 27:14

We wait in hope for the Lord;

    He is our help and our shield.

In Him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in His holy name.

May Your unfailing love 

        rest upon us, O Lord,

    even as we put our hope in You.

                                      - Psalm 33:20-22

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

I wait for the Lord

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

I wait for the Lord

In His word I place my trust

In His word I rest

In His word I place my trust

For I know I must wait

Thou shall not live on bread alone

But by every word of God

I will not live by bread alone

But by every word (yeah)

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

I wait for the Lord

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits

I wait for the Lord

I will wait

                                   - Jeremy Camp

As He Unfolds the Rose

It is only a tiny rosebud,   

A flower of God's design,  

But I cannot unfold the petals  

With these clumsy hands of mine.  

The secret of unfolding flowers  

Is not known to such as I,  

The flower God opens so sweetly,  

In my hands would fade and die.  

I cannot unfold a rosebud,  

This flower of God's design,  

Then how can I have wisdom  

To unfold this life of mine?  

So I'll trust Him for His leading  

Each moment of every day  

And I'll look to Him for His guidance  

Each step of the pilgrim way.  

For the pathway that lies before me  

My heavenly Father knows  

I'll trust Him to unfold the moments  

Just as He unfolds the rose.  

  

                              ~ unknown

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

You call me out 

upon the waters

The great unknown 

where feet may fail

And there I find You 

in the mystery

In oceans deep

My faith will stand

And I will call upon 

Your name

And keep my eyes 

above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest 

in Your embrace

For I am Yours 

and You are mine

Your grace abounds 

in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail 

and fear surrounds me

You've never failed 

and You won't start now

So I will call upon 

Your name

And keep my eyes 

above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest 

in Your embrace

For I am Yours 

and You are mine

Spirit lead me where 

my trust is without borders

Let me walk 

upon the waters

Wherever You 

would call me

Take me deeper than 

my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be 

made stronger

In the presence of 

my Savior

Spirit lead me where 

my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon 

the waters

Wherever You 

would call me

I will call upon 

Your name

Keep my eyes 

above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest 

in Your embrace

I am Yours and 

You are mine

                  ~ Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, 

                            Salomon Ligthelm

The Things That Cannot Fail

In the bitter waves of woe,
beaten and tossed about
by the sullen winds that blow
from the desolate shores of doubt —

When the anchors that faith has cast
are dragging in the gale,
I am quietly holding fast
to the things that cannot fail.

                    - Washington Gladden
                                (1836-1918)

Our Interruptions

We can have faith that our lives 

    and their interruptions 

will accomplish God's 

    good purpose.

                                - Jami Nato

God is in Every Tomorrow

God is in every tomorrow,

    Therefore I live for today,

Certain of finding at sunrise,

    Guidance and strength for the way;

Power for each moment of weakness,

    Hope for each moment of pain,

Comfort for every sorrow,

    Sunshine and joy after rain.

                                    - Unknown

Love’s Sacrifice Leads to Joy

Measure thy life by loss 

    instead of gain;  

Not by the wine drunk, 

    but the wine poured forth  

For love's strength standeth 

    in love's sacrifice;  

And whoso suffers most 

    hath most to give.

                                    - Ugo Bassi

The Habit and Practice of Hope

When the feeling of hope failed me,

    the habit and practice of hope 

         carried me.

                                - Katherine Wolf

The Active Presence of God in Our Lives

How can I trust in God's goodness 

    and believe His promises 

amidst the pain and suffering 

    all around me?

Belief, hope, and trust 

    are gifts of grace 

        given by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is 

    God's active presence in our lives,

        the supernatural power that fuels 

            belief and hope and trust.

How can you see God 

    when you're focusing 

        on something else?

Establish a habit -- 

    to practice belief, hope, and 

        trust in the goodness of God.

The active presence of God 

    in our lives is the one thing 

        that can change everything.

                                      - Robin Dance

The Age-Long Minute

Thou art the Lord 

    who slept upon the pillow, 

Thou art the Lord 

    who soothed the furious sea,

What matter beating wind 

    and tossing billow 

If only we are in the boat 

    with Thee? 

Hold us in quiet 

    through the age-long minute 

While Thou art silent, 

    and the wind is shrill: 

Can the boat sink while Thou, 

    dear Lord, art in it?

Can the heart faint 

    that waiteth on Thy will? 

                        - Amy Carmichael