INSPIRATION

"Be glad then, you children of Zion,

And rejoice in the Lord your God;

For He has given you the former rain faithfully,

And He will cause the rain to come down for you—

The former rain,

And the latter rain in the first month.

The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,

And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

I the Lord will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,

The consuming locust,

And the chewing locust,

My great army which I sent among you.

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

And praise the name of the Lord your God,

Who has dealt wondrously with you;

And My people shall never be put to shame."

Joel 2:23-26 (NKJV)

Restoring the Years is a wonderful inspirational song written by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, Music and performance by Arnie Johnson. If you wish to hear this inspirational music, please turn your computer speakers on, left-click on the blue song name link, and enjoy!

The Letter of Paul to The Romans: 8:28-39 (RSV)

Dearly Beloved,

²⁸ We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that Christ might be the first-born among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those whom God predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. ³¹ What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who or what can be against us? ³² If God did not spare his own Son Jesus, but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; ³⁴ who then can condemn us? Is it not Christ Jesus, who died for us and who was raised from the dead, who now is at the right hand of God and indeed intercedes and prays for us at all times? ³⁵ What then shall ever be able to truly separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Or sickness, or suffering, or fear, or doubt? ³⁶…………

³⁷ No, in ALL these things we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who first loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 139

O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me!
² Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up;
     thou discernest my thoughts from afar.
³ Thou searchest out my path and my lying down,
     and art acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue,
     lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
⁵ Thou dost beset me behind and before,
     and layest thy hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
     it is high, I cannot attain it.
⁷ Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?
     Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, thou art there!
     If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there!
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning
     and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ even there thy hand shall lead me,
     and thy right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, "Let only darkness cover me,
     and the light about me be night,"
¹² even the darkness is not dark to thee,
     the night is bright as the day;
     for darkness is as light with thee.
¹³ For thou didst form my inward parts,
     thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful.
     Wonderful are thy works!
Thou knowest me right well;
     ¹⁵ my frame was not hidden from thee,
when I was being made in secret,
     intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance;
     in thy book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
     when as yet there was none of them.
¹⁷ How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God!
     How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
     When I awake, I am still with thee.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
     Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalms 139:1-24 (RSV)