Patience, Learning

Lyrics to Tim Hughes’ Out Of The Darkness

I could live a thousand years
Never earn a moment of Your grace
Even in my darkest day
You shine on me
You shine on me

And out of the darkness
You brought me into Your glorious light
Saved from the death I was facing
Rejoicing in the future, a hope that is mine

The greatest of all gifts
From the greatest of all givers
Jesus there upon the cross
True love displayed for all to see

And out of the darkness
You brought me into Your glorious light
Saved from the death I was facing
Rejoicing in the future, a hope that is mine

And your grace runs after me
Runs after me
Everyday of my life
And your mercies they never fail
They never fail
Everyday of my life

And out of the darkness
You brought me into Your glorious light
Saved from the death I was facing
Rejoicing in the future, a hope that is mine

And out of the darkness
You brought me into Your glorious light
Saved from the death I was facing
Rejoicing in the future, a hope that is mine



Blessings. Blessings are a funny thing, aren’t they? I can wait patiently for them. I can expect them. I can receive them when they come. But, after all, I live a life that is extremely blessed; each and every day, I get to experience God. I am blessed, not by what He is doing for me or has done for me or will do for me; no, I am blessed because I get to know God. Not just to know OF Him, but to KNOW Him. What greater blessing is there than that? What brings greater joy to my heart? What brings tears of thanksgiving and wonder to my eyes quicker than this? Truly, I am a blessed man, not because of what I have, not because of what God is doing, but because God allows me to know Him. Thank You, Lord. :)


Isaiah 41:10 (Amplified Version) –

Fear not; (there is nothing to fear) for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you (to difficulties); yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My victorious right hand of rightness and justice.

As Pastor Creflo Dollar helped to show me, God is hardening me through what I am going through. Because of this, I will eventually no longer be bothered by what people say about me at work. This is God’s work in me.

Acts 18:10 (Amplified Version) –

For I am with you, and no man shall assault you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.


I am blessed to have God’s protection over me. Although He causes things to happen in different ways than what I would often wish for…the joy of knowing Him overcomes all other sorrows in this world. Truly, the joy of the Lord is my strength. Not so much the joy that God gives or grants to me, but the joy that comes from knowing Him. (I think this may be a new revelation for me!)

The Lord, my God, my strength, my song, has now become my victory! Tell me, who can take away this joy from me? Truly, in every thing, in every circumstance, there is a greater victory, in that I know God and that knowing is a joy that does not cease, does not end, does not diminish or fade or go away.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Yes, it is.


And, as a friend (Hi Shiray! Thank you!) pointed out part of this to me, I am going to include a good-sized chunk of it here. It applies to me, and I receive it. And, since I have my beloved Amplified Bible out, I shall use it yet again…

Proverbs 2:1-15, and Proverbs 3:3-8, 13-18

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to skillful and Godly Wisdom, and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding – applying all your powers to the quest for it; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek Wisdom as silver, and search for skillful and Godly Wisdom as for hid treasures; then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of (our omniscient) God. For the Lord gives skillful and Godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He hides away sound and Godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous – those who are upright and in right standing with Him; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity, that He may guard the paths of justice. Yes, He preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness, justice and fair dealing (in every area and relation); yes, you will understand every good path. For skillful and Godly Wisdom shall enter into your heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to you; discretion shall watch over you, understanding shall keep you; to deliver you from the way of evil and the evil man, from men who speak perverse things and are liars, men who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, who are crooked in their ways, wayward and devious in their paths.

Let not mercy and kindness (shutting out all hatred and selfishness), and truth (shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood) forsake you. Bind them about your neck; write them upon the tablet of your heart; so shall you find favour, good understanding and high esteem in the sight (or judgement) of God and man. Lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn (entirely) away from evil. It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones.

Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is the man who finds skillful and Godly Wisdom, and the man who gets understanding – drawing it forth from God’s Word and life’s experiences. For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, and the profit of it than fine gold. Skillful and Godly Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you can wish for is to be compared to her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left are riches and honour. Her ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her, and happy (blessed, fortunate, to be envied) is every one who holds her fast.