Author: Sonja

God Has A Question For You

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Did you know that many people believe that the Holy Bible is a Book to be read only when you have fallen on hard times or facing death. So, that is why this week’s blog is written to remind and encourage those who believe that the Holy Bible is also a Book to be read by the living, to hold fast to God’s unchanging hand. So let’s explore one of the main reasons why non-Bible reading individuals shun God’s Holy Word.

What I am about to write may sound harsh, but please read Chapter 15 in the Book of John (Holy Bible NT). Jesus is explaining to His disciples that after He goes away (ascends to heaven), they must think of Him as the vine and the disciples as the branches. Therefore, the disciples must remain connected to the vine (the source of spiritual vitality) regardless of life’s circumstances. In other words, for strength, the disciples must hold on to their relationship with Jesus; with other believers, and also with the hostile world of non-believers.

And we, too, must do likewise. Below are some helpful hints to assist you in becoming more than conquerers when you approach your fellow man who may also be a Christian as well as a non-Bible reading individual. Remind that person that…

Naked:

When you see your fellow man through the eyes of Jesus, you don’t see him as being a sinner, or being a publican, or being a drunkard, or being dirty, etc., etc., etc. You don’t see his nakedness (that which is not godly). Your assignment is to clothe him with what he can become. You gently clothe him with the knowledge that through his faith in embracing a few spiritual things, the Holy Spirit will super naturally draw him closer to receiving Jesus Christ and His message to the world. Because with God, all things are possible. God’s Son paid it all! And all to HIM we owe!

Naked, and you clothed me….

Now, some people are naked in their sins and don’t want to be clothed. They don’t want to serve God and don’t want you to serve Him either. They don’t love their fellowman and criticize you for loving.

When the world is laughing at you and flaunting their nakedness…skating on thin ice with banana peels as bumpers…just know…John 15:20-22… ‘if they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you‘. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but they have no cloak for their sin.

So now, here is the question that God wants to ask you…Click the Red song title below.

Mississippi Children’s Choir – The Shepherd Song
YouTube · malacomg297.5K+ views · 7 years ago

5:10

Mississippi Children’s Choir – The Shepherd’s Song When God’s Children Get Together Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2CkwnkF Apple Music: …

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God’S Biblical Messages Are Often Misconstrued

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What I am about to say may surprise you… but according to Google, while 66% of Americans say they are Christians, only 20% of them believe in the written word…The Holy Bible! So, I ask you, as a follower of Christ Jesus, are you also counted among the 20% who apologize for not embracing God’s holy word as to how the Beginning came about in Chapter 1 of Genesis.

In other words, please pounder this question…”Are you shooting the wounded or healing the sick?”

STOP, young man, in the name of love. And, you, young lady…don’t take your foot off yet.

Always remember that before witnessing to others, whisper a little prayer toward heaven and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the message that would be pleasing to God. Perhaps you may want to memorize what the Bible says about ‘offenses’ against others: “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matt. 18:5, 6). And again, Scripture says, “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. (Matt. 18:8)

It’s easy for a Believer in God to publish the fact that the God they serve is a loving God and would not visit such a harsh punishment on one of his followers. But what a person forgets is that God is a just god and the faith he requires is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And God has made us so many other promises, too, and has forgiven mankind’s act of disobedience while in the Garden of Eden, that if mankind does not have faith enough to believe in his Son Jesus Christ, then, all is lost.

So, when witnessing to others why not exercise your faith and err on the side of caution. Only speak the truth concerning heavenly things. Trust in Christ and avoid taking risks concerning things you do not understand. Trust in the Lord and the power of His might. And lean on His understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Amen and Amen!

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God…The Poetic Genius When It Comes To Praising Women

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments
Open Bible with flowers on it

“To me, art begets art. Painting feeds the eye just as poetry feeds the ear, which is to say that both feed the soul.” —Susan Vreeland

Hello, my dedicated readers. For this week’s blog I thought I would present you with an original poem of mine. Actually, I have a file cabinet full of my poems which were written at various stages of my life. I am pleased to say that my Lord and Savior gifted me with talents that require me to use the mighty pen and paper, a typewriter, tablet or a computer. I commune with the Lord with all three.

Dear Heavenly Father: Thank You so very, very much for the gift that You, and only by Your grace, have given me. Please Dear Jesus, help me to identify these gifts and to use them only for Your glory. Amen.

(The following original poem was written by me and posted on WordPress on January 14, 2022.)

When Women Worship
By S. L. Fowler  

“W”
When Women Worship
They hold their heads up high…
They Walk in confidence…
Because their Jesus is nigh.
When Women Worship
They feel Worthy and are convinced…
That they are in the Lord’s presence…
And protected by His defense.
“O”
When Women Worship
They Open up their hearts…
They pour Out undying love…
On the least Of them and the lost
They look for Opportunities
To bless their fellowman…
To Offer encouragement…
And to instill Order wherever they can.
“M”
When Women Worship
They Manage to forgive…
They try not to Mention Malice…
They Mask their hearts from within.
They take advantage of each Moment
To Muster sacrificial love…
To shower it upon their Mentors…
In order to please the Man above.
“E”
When Women Worship
Their very presence Electrifies…
Every audience they Entertain…
Causing their Enemies to take wings and fly.
They are Especially hard on ole Slew Foot
Causing the last Enemy to flee…
For he would rather Evaporate…
Then to take a knee.
“N”
When Women Worship
They Nurture God’s flock…
They Neither loose hope Nor the sight of glory…
Why?  Because they pray a lot.
Women Neutralize opposition
By memorizing God’s Nomenclatures…
And reciting them back to the people…
While including all of his creation; mammals and human nature. 
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God Provides A Way When There Is No Way

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To receive a blessing in song click: God Provides | Tamela Mann Live

There are so many incidents recorded in the Holy Bible where God makes a way out of no plausible way. I use the adjective ‘plausible’ because certainly there are other ways and means to accomplish the same thing. However, when God makes an occasion happen, it’s spontaneous, sure and complete. When we do likewise (that is make something happen) we agonize over it for days or maybe weeks. And most of the time, our methods don’t work out for us.

Let us use the four chapters in the Bible about the story of Jonah, the prophet, as our example. As the Holy Spirit would have it, as I re-read the story of Jonah, I received a whole new perspective about his character and his intentions. The Holy Spirit illuminated in my heart that Jonah had ulterior motives for disobeying the Lord.

Jonah was a stubborn, selfish, son-of-a gun, with a very small mind. Now please give me a chance to explain. Most readers of this Old Testament story miss this. First, ask yourself why is the Book of Jonah even included in the Bible. After all, most commentaries assessments of Jonah’s intentions say he was a “wrong-way prophet” with a flawed character. (You’ll find this description written in the introduction pages of the Book of Jonah in the Bible.)

In other words, the true examples the reader is suppose to glen from this Bible Book is not to BECOME like Jonah with his selfish, stubborn and unforgiving ways; but rather to repent of your selfish heart and allow God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to work out a soul’s salvation for all peoples.

God told Jonah to “Get up and go” to a Gentile-god-forsaken nation called Nineveh. Jonah did not want to go and preach (God/salvation) to that nation. Furthermore, Jonah thought they were unworthy for God’s saving grace(*). For Jonah said in verse 2:8, “Those who cling to worthless idols forsake faithful love, but as for me, I will sacrifice(**) to You [God] with a voice of thanksgiving.

What Jonah did not realize was the fact that God knew Jonah’s mind-set, and Jonah’s unforgiving spirit that he had towards the disobedient Ninevites.

(*) NOTE: God’s grace is extended to all who confess Christ as their personal Savior and Redeemer.

(**) NOTE: It is not enough for Believers just to sacrifice, we must believe with everlasting faith.

Please refresh your memory of Chapters 2 and 3 in the middle of the Bible story about Jonah. You will learn about his encounter with the Great Fish and how and why Jonah eventually went to Nineveh. But it is the 4th Chapter that really is a little confusing and a precious surprise to most readers.

As you know, Jonah eventually goes to Nineveh. After Jonah preaches to the city of Nineveh all those residents do repent and are forgiven by God. They start to worship God and receive his blessings and this action greatly displeases Jonah and he becomes furious. He pouts and accuses God of ‘using’ him to do something that God was going to do anyway. [Like save a nation.] Jonah says to God, I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love, and One who relents from sending disaster. (Excerpts from Chapter 4)

Jonah left Nineveh and went and sat high on a hill looking down on the city until the sun rays became too hot for him.

So, Jonah built himself a wooden shelter but it wasn’t good enough to keep the heat from scorching him. To prove a divine point, God caused a plant to miraculously grow and it protected Jonah until the next mourning. Then God caused the plant to wilt and die. Now, Jonah was furious because as the hot sun beat down on his head, it almost made him faint. And Jonah declare he wanted to die.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY OF JONAH:

The Holy Spirit lets Jonah know that He was aware of Jonah’s reluctance to carry out God’s ordained instructions from the get-go. And he, Jonah, was the prophet especially chosen to carry out this assignment due to his non-repentant heart to include a non-repentant gentile nation (all non-Jewish peoples) to receive Salvation!

And the solidifying evidence in the narrative of the Book of Jonah is the description of Jonah spending 3 Days in the belly of the Great Fish. Just like our Precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ spent 3 Days in the grave to pay for the sins of the world. HE IS RISEN! Amen and Amen.

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God Specializes In Answering All Prayers – Especially Prayers Honoring Mothers

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Thank you, all, for taking a few moments to listen and view this beautiful godly message narrated by Karen Cox

Have you ever thought of God and/or referred to God as Mother? Several years ago, I knew a young mother who was deeply ashamed and sorrowful for the type of lifestyle she had become accustomed to. And it was only at her own mother’s funeral that she was able to publicly confess her dismal and shameful life. Her family members, without hesitation, allowed her to recite and print her confession and her tribute to their mom in the obituary.

As a member of the grieving mourners in the audience, my heart rejoiced as I silently read along with the repenting daughter’s tribute to the deceased mother.

My Mother Prayed For Me

Mother prayed and raised us all… Separately she prayed. Our names she did call. Although I strayed, my Mother still prayed that one day God would help me find my way.

She sure ‘nough prayed for me!

During all those years that I was lost, my two boys she raised and religiously taught, teaching them how to pray and trust in God; helping them to find courage to make a new start.

Oh, yes, she prayed for me!

In God’s own time, He responded to Momma in kindness. Speaking assurances to her heart with words divine. Promising that her wayward child would be restored. And today, my relationships with my two sons have been renewed.

God knows she prayed for me!

It was during those years of darkness and deep black of night. It was Momma’s prayers that brought me to the Light. She said He was a God of a Second Chance, maybe three or four. All I know is it was God’s grace that reunited my sons to me forevermore.

Hallelujah, momma prayed for me!

As I reflect on my life I now see how long and how deeply my momma prayed for me. She earnestly prayed…that woman really, really prayed. And it was in my despair I heard my Momma praying for me.

Thank God, she never gave up on her child…My mother prayed for me! All praises and honor be to God’s glory. And may mamma rest in peace as she is now packed and on her way to Glory. Amen and Amen!

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It’s Okay To Ask God Why!

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SCENE NO. 1

Good morning world! I have a question for you. Would you believe that once upon a time, I was a child. I thought as a child. I played as a child. And I said my prayers as a child. It seems like all of my life, I have been talking with God, Jesus and the angels. Bomb-barding heaven with endless questions.

I can still remember the lyrics of an original song my big sister and I composed when we were about 10 and 12 years old. We were sitting on our back porch with our arms above and behind our heads…looking up at the evening sun going down while softly harmonizing to the tune, ‘Jesus Loves Me, This I know‘. One of us said, “Let’s make up our own song”…I believe it was my big sister’s idea.

Since the distant stars had begun to make their appearance in the sky, I asked my sister a question. (Now, she was the brainy one and the disciplinarian one who ruled over 4 siblings when our parents were away.) I asked her, “What makes the stars so high?”

“I don’t know”, my sister said. But she was thinking silently and within a few minutes she said out loud: ‘Tell me, oh pretty sky. What makes the stars so high.” I soon interrupted her with more inquisitive questions here and there about nature. When the lyrics were finished we added a melody to the newly composed poem. Finally, we jumped up and ran inside the house to share and sing it for our family.

“TELL ME OH PRETTY SKY”

By MSM and SLM

“Tell me oh pretty sky, What makes the stars so high? What makes the rivers and What makes the streams? What makes the flowers and grass so green?

If I knew all of that I’d be so happy and gay. God knows it all. He’s the One who knows. Tell me oh pretty sky.

SCENE NO. 2

When and if you decide to ask God questions, always remember that God is holy and that God is sovereign. Ask in faith and without doubting. Do not demand but in humility seek God’s wisdom. And that includes prayerfully reading God’s word daily. You’d be surprised just how many answers are in those pages in plain view.

Later in my adult life I continued serving in many different Christian Churches. Once as I was preparing to teach an adult Sunday School lesson, the thesis scripture was “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” Isaiah 44:22

As I paused to meditate on those words, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me in response to my inquiry through song. He said, My child, one reason why I set the clouds up above your back porch that starry night all those many years ago was to remind you that I will not forget you. And I have swept away your offenses like a cloud. And as for why I made the morning mist, that was just to remind you that like the mist, your sins disappear from before Me long before high noon.

Hallelujah! At last I had confirmation to all those questions in that song. The ‘what’ turned out to be the ‘Who”. For indeed the Lord declares in a still small voice…

“I am the Lord who has made all the things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by Myself.”Isaiah 44:24b

Soon after I finished composing Scene No 2 of this week’s blog, I searched Youtube and ran across the perfect video/song for my subject matter. It’s entitled, “Why“. However, the divine and blessed part is that it was written, composed and sung by a talented multi-award-winning young Christian man who is on fire for the Lord. You will love the way he gives godly reasons as to why and the manner in which you should respectfully question the Almighty. (It may take you 2 repeated listening sessions to get the godly message.)

To replay the song entitled ” Why” Click on the semi-circle arrow in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. The screen will return to the song’s beginning.

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the Master's servant Manager...Me!

God’s Most Revered Mantra…I Am The Vine, You Are The Branches

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Before going any further, I want you to do something. Make an evaluation. Take one minute to block everything else from your mind and whisper out loud how this picture makes you feel.

I AM THE VINE…YOU ARE THE BRANCHES

I’ll go first. My first impression was…wow, somebody has not watered this plant. But after I glanced back up at the title I exclaimed, OOPS! That somebody is me. It was my responsibility to water and to cultivate the plant. (The plant is my Body)

I am the vine, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear and you, Ms, Blogger, are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.

Those 2 balls of fruit look like they are going to drop off that vine any minute. I thought, maybe, just maybe that is why Jesus cursed the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22 and Mark 11:12-14. Jesus was hungry and the fig tree had no fruit on it. (Bible scholars say the absence of fruit represents slothful Judahites who were not serving, believing nor following Jesus Christ. Jesus was extremely weary of the peoples’ conduct and He reacted.)

Put your thinking caps back on people. That’s what I did. So the first action I took was to turn off my television and get my Bible and Sunday School book out. I also called a few friends who were under the weather. One of them displayed anger towards me, but I bit my bottom lip and just let her rave and roar until she realized how silently I received her scolding. I could see, feel and hear the love in her voice and thanked God for our friendship over these many years. All was forgiven.

Since God is our source, why not hold on to what He is offering…salvation through his Son, Christ Jesus. For without Him, we can do nothing. We must remain in Him. God’s statues teaches us how to live and Jesus, through the Holy Spirit teaches us how to produce crops. Don’t forget we come from good soil from the Garden of Eden.

So truly, we are to respect the Son of God. And when we fall short, just pick yourself up, brush yourself off and remember to say a little prayer for me and someone else. Because He is everything to us.

Get ready to pat your foot, smile and be happy. Click “the red title below, “Everything to Me”.


“Everything To Me” Worship Song- RESPECT (February 2023)
YouTube · Pierce Kids2.1K+ views · 2 years ago

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God Is Everything To Me

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When is it your time to use God’s strength? Do you not know that God is sovereign over all of your circumstances. So why not humble yourself, repent, and follow God’s leading. That was the conversation I had with myself and the Holy Spirit this week. My life had been going so well with me during these past few months that I found myself leaning more and more on my own understanding instead of God’s.

Shame, shame on me! I know better. I know how the enemy worms his way into a person’s thoughts and decision-making and before you realize it…you are on a slippery slop to the Abyss. So, when I came to myself, I began to call on the Holy Spirit to forgive me and to keep my feet planted on solid ground. So, after I sent out my clarion call, this was heaven’s response:

Visually analyzed image

Yes, if you have enough scriptures inside of you they will begin to flood your mind and heart and you will recognize which is the Holy Spirit’s voice and which is the enemy’s voice. God surfaced into my mind the epithet he had planted in my heart so many years ago: “Wisdom is the principal thing: Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7

So, that is the basic subject matter I want to plant into your hearts for this week’s blog. Has the Holy Spirit planted an epithet into your heart. In other words, what will be written on your tombstone. What life-direction bible verse (message) has the Holy Spirit planted into your psychic! May I suggest that while the blood is still running warm in your veins that you prayerfully seek this information. What ever the message (verse) given, it will surely direct and keep your feet planted squarely on solid ground.

Heaven Is For Real
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God’s Desire Is That You Cultivate Relationships – Part 2

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Are you familiar with this biblical metaphor: “God is the potter, we are the clay.”? It is primarily found in Isaiah 64:8 and Jeremiah 18? Also, what about the word “cultivate”? In a biblical context, “cultivate” means to care for, nurture, and improve something, often with the intention of promoting growth and development in a personal relationship.

How did your breathing exercises go last week in Part One? If you struggled with this exercise with little success, allow me to share a little advice. Always remember that when you inhale air through your nose, your stomach should become filled with the incoming air. And it goes without saying, when you exhale through your noise, the stomach should deflate. You will get better at this exercise the more you try it.

If you have any questions, ask the Holy Spirit why God sucker-punched you.

My second question is more intimate and personal. Did you approach an acquaintance of yours that you wanted to develop a closer relation with. And…they put you off and you made a quick judgement call that perhaps you picked the wrong person. If that happened, may I suggest that you rethink the occasion. Try to remember if you have had any encounters with that person on any subject. Maybe in the break room or at the water cooler. Was anything discussed of interest to you both. Try to focus on events that interest your new subject. During your private bible study time employ the Holy Spirit to critique your approach and direct your efforts towards more positive encounters.

I’m quit sure Paul sent up a similar prayer in the Book of Acts 26:8-27 as he interviewed before King Agrippa in a persuasive manner. That conversation will give you some do’s and don’ts on conducting an initial encounter with a newbie. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide. And remember to give Him all the glory and successes you will have as you grow in cultivating relationships.

Every Born Again Christian must be able to proclaim why he or she has a hope in the Glory of the Promises of the life and death of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

This picture depicts a life-giving epitaph from the Lord God Jehovah: I am the Potter, you (mankind) are the clay.

(Paraphrasing from Jeremiah 18-1:10)

P.S. So, to rectify what went wrong the first time is to figure it out through self-examination. Revisit the title of this blog. The key word is ‘cultivate’. This action alone requires time, patience, prayer and intuition. Sometime you can rely on your gut feeling or sixth sense”.

Having intuition means possessing an innate or immediate understanding or awareness of something. Often without conscious reasoning or logical deduction. All you did was to rely on a “gut feeling” or “sixth sense”.  But may I suggest that you run it by the Holy Spirit during your prayer time.

Just look at all the accomplishments you will satisfy while cultivating this task. Namely, developing a closer walk with Jesus, lightening your load of anxieties…fear, dread and uneasiness.

Let’s pray…

Oh my God, blessed are you and your Son, Christ Jesus. He never let an opportunity to pass Him by to tell people about You. Make me, too, a diligent and enthusiastic witness so that people will come to salvation through what I say in my efforts to cultivate new friendships. For I truly want to proclaim Your message and live in such a way that people will be able to see from my actions that I am serious about my faith. Please help me to get this right. And I will forever give You all the praise, honor and glory. Amen and Amen.

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God’s Desire Is That You Cultivate Relationships

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Did you know that developing meaningful relationships is what Christianity is all about. So, to please God, first, let us identify Whom we must use as a model to imitate. It goes without saying that when most people become ‘saved,’ baptized, a church goer and advocate of biblical teachings, they already have cultivated several people relationships. Fear, criticism and alienation may now set in because some of your current acquaintances may not be church members nor church goers.

The question is…How do you make any necessary changes among your running mates. The answer is simple…you must Re-cultivate those old relationships using Christ-like examples.

Step One: Pray for guidance while on this journey.

Step Two: Share your new experience with those friends you feel would be supportive.


Step Three: Give to others honest reasons why you cannot attend other events.


Step Four: Practice meditation exercises for 15 minutes prior to your Bible reading time.


FOLLOW THIS SUCCESSFUL "MINDFULNESS" MEDITATION EXERCISE:

Breathing is very important, so, concentrate on your breathing.  Move into a comfortable position whether seated in a chair, on a couch reclining or seated.  Exercise your face muscles, do not grit your teeth nor frown.  Just concentrate on breathing deep and slowly.  Feel your lungs and stomach rise as you breathe inward through your nose and deflate as you exhale through your nose. (This begining exercise takes practice.) 

Notice any place of body tension or tightness.  Now this may sound strange, but think about those areas, concentrate on them and quietly give them permission to just relax.  You may be lead to send up a thanksgiving prayer for your body taking such good care of you.  Do not let any other subjects enter your thought process.  If your mind should wander, just bring it back and focus on your breathing.

After about 15 minutes of body preparation, you should be ready to begin your Bible study time.  Read one or two chapters at the beginning.  Always have paper and pen available.  Write down first thoughts, questions, and the Bible chapter and verses you read.  Always close with a silent prayer of thanksgiving.

CONFESSION TIME:

I have tried and taught everything I have blogged for you to do during my relationship with the Lord.  I can truthfully say this procedure works and continues to work.  In the coming weeks, I will share other exercises for you to try as you grow in grace and in the Lord.  Let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to respond with biblical answers.

I truly love the Lord because He heard my cry and pitied every groan.  As long as I live, when trouble arises, I'll hasten to His throne.

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