Beauty for Ashes -- Indescribable Mercies

To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for His own glory.
-- Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

Lord, as I ask for undeniable awareness of Your Holy Presence in my life today, Your words recorded in Isaiah 61:3 are on my mind. Indeed, You are the Good God Who truly gives Your beauty for our ashes. It's true in my own life's testimony. Everything I have placed on your altar, You have immediately turned into ashes and in return You have ultimately presented back to me gifts of Your beauty. Most of all, You have taken my sin, turned it into ashes, and presented back to me Your Holiness. So, for this new day, I trust You to continue giving me beauty for ashes. Give me undeniable awareness that You are still here and still doing this, not only in my own life, but also in the lives of those You place along my pathway of intercessory prayer. In Jesus name, I ask continuously for Your indescribable mercies. Amen.

Click here: Beauty For Ashes - Crystal Lewis & Ron Kenoly - YouTube

Holiness Unto The LORD!
Grateful

Lessons Learned in the House of Mourning

This morning one of my partners in ministry, Pastor Sam, called to ask for a sermon outline he heard me share this past year at a funeral for a teenage boy killed tragically in a car accident. Because Pastor Sam has a funeral tomorrow for an 8-year-old little girl who died of cancer, he couldn't get the thoughts I had shared out of his mind. I had forgotten the funeral outline (originally penned by Dave Redick) but quickly realized how essential these thoughts were to me at the time I shared them and how essential these thoughts still are. Here are just a few of the points in the message of mourning:

Lessons Learned in the House of Mourning:

1. Live like tomorrow is uncertain - because it is.
2. Live like life is short - because it is.
3. Live like death is certain - because it is.
4. Live like eternal life is precious - because it is.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-3 (NLT) -- (2) It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and you should think about it while there is still time. (3) Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Isaiah 61:3 (NLT) -- To all who mourn... He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.

Hebrews 4:7 (NIV) says, Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Lord, I pray for those who have lost loved ones long before they were ready to say goodbye. I pray especially again for the family of the teenage son who passed earlier this year and for the family of this precious 8-year-old daughter who just passed the line of worlds with cancer now behind her. And give Pastor Sam words of comfort for the family and friends at tomorrow's funeral. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful