Led by the Spirit
February 21, 2025
Category: Blog
I Sing for Jesus
January 13, 2025
This is a poem I composed solely of gospel song titles.
“I Sing Because of Jesus”
Why do I sing about Jesus
He’s everything to me
I love Him better every day
Jesus is all that I need
I love to walk with Jesus
Where he leads I’ll follow
All the way along
I know who holds tomorrow
I will sing the wondrous story
He took my sins away
I can only imagine
We shall see the King someday
Am I a soldier of the cross
Is your name written there
Cry out to Jesus
Take it to the Lord in prayer
For you I am praying
Don’t turn Him away
Run to the Father
Trust and obey
The King is Coming
When the morning gilds the sky
When the roll is called up yonder
In the sweet by and by
What if it were today?
What a day that will be
We’ll work ’til Jesus comes
How beautiful heaven must be
Because He lives
I love to tell the story
Jesus is coming soon
To God be the glory
With love from the Father to you, have a great day!
Tina
©️2025tinacrute
I Vote for God
January 5, 2025
1 John 5:20 says…And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
The following poem started in my head very early this morning. I jumped out of bed to write it down before church. This poem is based on our decision of who to vote for, to be the ruler of our hearts. There are only two candidates, God or satan. We vote for and follow whoever’s agenda we like best. Only problem with that is… the enemy does not make his agenda clear. He’s a very tricky liar, unlike God who loves us dearly and tells the whole truth. So, who do YOU choose?
We must make our selection
a personal election
our president
heart’s resident
Each voter must decide.
God is a great campaigner
to win our soul’s retainer
He’s needed there
I do declare
our sin needs a maintainer.
The enemy’s employing
sins we find enjoying
we must beware
he does not care
our souls he loves destroying.
The cure for our condition-
to give our Lord permission
to come on in
remove our sin
There’s peace in this submission.
The better choice, our Savior
to live within His favor
we’ll not regret
the friend we get
He’ll never ever waver.
Dear God, I choose You to rule over my life. I am imperfect, as You know, and often try to rule myself and end up making wrong decisions. Please forgive me for trying to do Your job. Preside in my heart and be King of my heart for all my days. I desire nothing more than to be Your servant and do Your will. I love You. Amen.
With love from the Father to you, have a great day! Vote wisely. vote often for God!
Priorities and Promises
December 16, 2024
He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. John 3:30-31
Good morning. A thought has been running through my heart and mind since church yesterday. Does that ever happen to you? Maybe God presses something into your brain and you and keeps it there for hours or days? Here’s the thought that I think He wants me to share and to utilize, myself…
GOD IS OVER ALL. Yeah, that’s the thought that won’t go away. It is simple but it is everything. We face a mountain of decisions every day. Do we place absolutely everything UNDER Him, under His purposes? Before making decisions, do we make sure we are prioritizing God above all?
Things we can purposely place under His control…They just happen to start with “p’:)
Perspectives…Are we making all decisions based on God’s perspective? (or ours or the world’s?)
Promises…Do we make promises based on what others want from us or what God wants?
Positions…Do we take up positions on societal matters based on what the popular consensus is? Or what God’s Word says?
Posts…Do we post on social media solely to draw attention to US or is it helpful to others and/or does it give thanks to God?
Plans…Do we pray about our plans and submit them to God’s approval before making them?
Priorities…Do we purposefully place everything in a position under God?
This may be the most important one! Do we truly value God over everything else and so crave to use our one earthly life to use as HE sees fit? It’s not just for our entertainment, accomplishment or esteem.
As John the Baptist said in the verse above…We must become less and the Lord must become greater. The Bible tells us that God must be the priority and all things are less than Him.
Jesus, It is so easy, in this crazy world, to be influenced wrongly in our decisions. Please help us navigate this life You have given us. We want to use it for YOUR purposes. We submit everything to Your control,moment by moment by moment. We desire to become less as You become greater and greater in our lives. Amen
With love from the Father to you, have an amazing day of surrender to our awesome God!
Tina
Healing Hope
October 17, 2024
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34
My husband and I took a day trip to Staunton, VA because we love old towns and their antique shops and cute restaurants. Staunton is almost 300 years old and the downtown architecture is old and gorgeous! Our most loved find that day, though, was a little shop called Magnolia Rose. It is a store that sells items made by either formerly trafficked individuals or those involved with helping them, to provide hope and healing for victims of trafficking. Their business card reads…”Healing Rooted in Hope.” I love that!
If you ever come to Virginia and want a beautiful day trip and come to Staunton, then you must stop at Magnolia Rose. We bought some handmade puppets of horses for our grandkids. They are so cute! There are beautiful handmade wallets and pens and toys and home decor…just so many wonderful things!! Oh and beautiful handmade candles! And purses, hats and jewelry!
There’s so many toys and creative kids’ items that any child would love for Christmas. Buying them there could mean freedom and hope for someone else! They even have a table set up with stationary and pens so you may write to a former or currently trafficked person to let them know they are loved and prayed for:)
Here is the store information… http://www.magnoliarose.org ( website)
@magnolirose.va (social media)
540-688-9062 phone number)
I have never ever plugged a business on here before but I didnt want anyone to miss out on an opportunity to help! Sometimes we think…”What can little ‘ol me do?” This is one thing!
Thanks for reading! Please go visit http://www.magnoliarose.com!
With love from the Father to you…Have a lovely day!
Tina
There’s Bad News and Good News…
October 1, 2024
Today I am a bit overwhelmed with sadness. The news is FILLED with reports of evil things being committed…lies, thefts, rapes, murders and more. It breaks my heart to think of people living a life searching for self-satisfaction in sin. They are missing out on a joyful life with Jesus.
I am, right now, walking away from the tv asking myself…”What is YOUR part in this Tina? So you are sad. What are you going to DO about it?” Then…
My first answer would be to wallow in despair and hopelessness, but that will not do any good. I am definitely craving more “Jesus” so I could put more time into reading the Bible? That’s good, but does that affect the lost or the hurting? NOPE. Not unless I tell others where to find hope. Not unless it moves me to love more, with every interaction the Lord allows. Not unless I say something, do something. But what do I do? At a loss, I just opened a new prayer devotional. Wow, this verse…
Show me your ways, 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 25:4-5
We do not always need to plan our own steps. We should tell God and HE can show us the way. I know that it is HE and not my virtue that makes me sad about the news. I know that it is HE who puts cravings for His Word in our hearts. HE makes me love others and want to help them. Everything is about Him.
So what can “little ‘ole me” do? Let God lead. Let God teach. Let God show me the way to love others more, how to pray for them more, deeply. He is a good, loving and patient teacher. It is unlike me to relinquish my former plans but I will do it for Him! I hope to be an encouragement to all who read the blog in the coming days, as the Lord guides me.
Dear God, You are the most important person in my life. All I want to do is serve You better. Forgive me for not allowing YOU to plan my steps. Forgive me for losing a bit of hope in this cruel word. Refresh me with Your love and wisdom to reach others for You in whatever way You think best. Write Your desires on my heart and I will do them. I love You! Amen
With love from the Father to you, have a wonderful, spirit-led day. God is able to make every single day hopeful when we walk in His way!
…thanks for reading:)
Tina
October 1, 2024
Happy Wednesday! Here is today’s devotion, one of my older poems, 2021) inspired by our amazing Lord. He is more than everything I can describe!!
Jesus is called many things by all of us and His names always point to what He does for us.
He is our Savior. He saved us. He’s our comforter. He is there for us. He is our rock. He supports us. He is our friend. Don’t you love that all of His names are based on His love for us? He is…More Precious Than Rubies!
More precious than rubies that dress up some ears
more shiny than diamonds that bring some to tears
more valued than emeralds whose color is rare
is Jesus my Savior to whom none compare.
Most precious my Father’s shed blood on the cross
most perfect His love that paid for my loss.
His mercy and hope, His love, peace and grace
a bounty to all when He died in our place.
Most prized the wisdom that flows from His word
my cornerstone gem is Jesus my Lord.
His presence I treasure deep in my soul
I’ll praise Him until eternity rolls.
With love from the Father to you, have a great day!
Tina
Will We?
September 20, 2024
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. Ecclesiastes 5:4-7
It’s a poem day! I felt inspired to jot down these words in response to our pastor’s sermon about fearing God, as in respecting God and taking our commitment to Him seriously. I took it to heart…because Jesus took US to heart!
Another influencer of this poem is a study of the book of Amos in my Sunday morning class. It has impressed me how easy it is to take for granted what God has done for us. He deserves all respect and praise! Will we continually give it to Him? Will we honor our commitment to Him because we fear and respect and appreciate HIm?
Will We?
God planned a way, our souls to save. He vowed it from the start
To sacrifice His only Son to clean our sinful hearts
In order for His plan to work, obedience was due
The Lord and Son gave up His life to rescue me and you
He could have come down from the cross, to live without the pain
Instead He let Himself be used, to give all for our gain
What’s our commitment to the Lord? What promise we will make?
Do we avow all praise to Him for our souls needy sake?
And will we every day, anew, desire to serve Him well?
Appreciate the cleansing that we got from Mercy’s well?
Will we chase His will for us or strike out on our own?
Will we fear Him, King of Kings, our Savior on the throne?
Confident we tend to be of all that we’ve achieved
But only God deserves that praise. We must not be deceived.
A question lurks. An answer’s due, to keep us in the Way.
Will we submit our selfish will for fear of Him each day?
Will We?
God is so good, y’all! I am “preaching to myself” in this poem and praising God at the same time. He deserves the very best commitment I/we can give, which means we fear Him, desire Him more each day. Taking Him for granted at times is human. We like to think we are in control, but God allows what He allows for His purposes. We serve a great God!
With love from the Father to you, have a great day! He loves you so much!
Tina
We Are Followers
September 14, 2024
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Psalm 119:1-4
I usually post in the mornings, but I felt so strongly that God had something I needed to learn that I just had to read His Word tonight. He showed me tonight, that following Him is easy, in that all we have to do is follow His Word. He will never steer us wrong:) We have the perfect resource for following Him!
I realized, while reading Psalm 119 that if we love Him, we will automatically follow Him. We will be seekers of Him, keepers of His Word, talkers about Him, walkers with Him, obeyers of His will, surveyors of all He has done for us, and learners of many lessons He teaches. Best of all, our honor is to call ourselves a sojourner of another place, heaven! Psalm 119’s focus on our desire to faithfully follow our Lord got me excited about knowing Him better and being known by Him. What a privilege!
So, as we start another week, let’s be Seekers, Keepers, Talkers, Walkers, Obeyers, Surveyors, Learners and Sojourners! Let’s follow Him with all of ourselves, so we have no time to follow the world. (but let’s do pray for them!)
Dear Father, Thank You for loving us so much. We love You and desire to do Your will always, but You know we fail at times. Refresh our desire to know You more and better so we can be better servants of Yours. Guide our speech, actions and thoughts to glorify You and love others deeply. Amen
With love from the Father to you, have a wonderful day or evening!
Tina
Rolling River
September 9, 2024
Good morning! In God’s Word, the book of Amos has been surprising me with fresh insights into what the Lord desires from His children. He longs for our love and obedience and warns us of the imminent dangers of not realizing how much He does for us.
Through Amos, He tells us not only what He expects of Israel (and us) but also what we can expect from Him. Aren’t you glad we serve a God who makes it plain and simple?
Amos 5:14 says, “Seek good and not evil, that you may live and so the Lord, the God of hosts will be with you as you have said.”
The poem below is inspired by the above verse, but also Amos 5:24…”But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Our world may be a little crazy, but God is the same as He’s always been. He’s in control, ruling with justice, love, grace and compassion:) He’s like a rolling river.
Our desire, as Christ followers, is to be a river too…righteous, rolling through life gratefully glorifying Him, no matter the trials. His living water cleanses and refreshes us constantly, to be a better servant for Him.
A Rolling River
A rolling river, let me be…a moving source of good for Thee
Awash in Spirit, let me flow…how living streams are meant to go
Awake and moving, let me bend…my purpose to your will depend
I pray, dear Father, feed my soul…buoy me over rocks, to roll
With grace and wisdom, help me see…the servant You would have me be
No other pleasure will I ask…but glory in Your name and task.
I pray you have a blessed and close week with Jesus. Let’s be rolling rivers that move for Him, to Him, because of Him!
Love and prayers,
Tina
gloryinthemorning.com 