Author Archives: Becky Pliego

About Becky Pliego

I am grateful because God, in His grace, called me out of darkness and into his admirable light. When I did not look for Him, He found me. When I was in a pit of sin, He rescued me. I am not walking this road alone, my family is always with me, and we love Him, because He loved us first.

How to Close the Day With God -Part 3-

Posted on by
2
Katie Lloyd Photography

 

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Psalm 127:2

 

“This duty of closing the day with God, and in good frame, I know not how better to open to you, than by going over the particulars in the text, in their order; and recommending to you David’s example.

1. First, let us retire to lay us down: {we}shall lie down in the evening…and rest in the time appointed for rest; and not turn day into night, and night into day, as many do upon some ill account or other.

One rule for the closing of the day well, is to keep good hours: every thing is beautiful in its season. I have heard it said long since, and I beg leave repeat it now, that

Early to bed, and early to rise,
Is the way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise.

We shall not take it for granted, that unless some necessary business, or some work of mercy, or some more than ordinary act of devotion, keep you beyond your usual time. And let us lay down with thankfulness to God, and with thoughts of dying; with penitent reflections upon the sins of the day; and with humble supplications for the mercies of the night.

2. Secondly, when we lay us down, our care and endeavor must be to lay us down in peace.

Let us lie down in peace with God; for without this there can be no peace at all… Dare not to sleep in that condition, in which thou darest not die.

3. Thirdly, having laid ourselves down in peace, we must compose ourselves to sleep. I will lay me down and sleep.

What good Master do we serve, that allows us time for sleep, and furnisheth us with conveniences for it, and makes it refreshing and reviving to us?

4. Fourthly, we must do all this in a believing dependence upon God and his power, providence and grace. Therefore I lay me down in peace, and compose myself to sleep, because Thou, Lord, makest me dwell in safety.”

*Excerpt from Matthew Henry’s, A Method for Prayer, Third Discourse (emphasis mine).

Becky

Related Articles:

How to Close the Day with God -Part 1-
How to Close the Day with God -Part 2-
A Prayer for Tonight: Lord, Hear My Evening Supplications

Visit Katie Lloyd Photography shop here.

 

******************************

A Prayer for Tonight -Lord, Hear My Evening Supplications-

Posted on by
1

“Your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Most High: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Luke 6:35

I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto Him —

“MY FATHER, I would seek to end another day with You, looking up for Your promised blessing. How wondrous are the words, just read, from the lips of Your dear Son! You condescend not only to invite all to draw near to You in filial trust and confidence, but you call them “children,” yes, “children of the Most High.” Your kindness is, like Yourself, illimitable. An earthly father would long ago have disowned and disinherited me. But I listen to the amazing assurance — “He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Past evil and demerit and sin have not excluded me from hope of pardon, or involved the forfeiture of favor and love. You have “devised means by which Your banished one may not be expelled from Your presence.” You are ever waiting to be gracious; not willing that any should perish, but that all should turn from their wickedness and live.

Anew would I wash, this evening, in the opened fountain. Lord, take away my unthankfulness, and attune my lips to the never-ceasing song of Your redeemed — “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!” Deepen within me, a sense of my obligations to Christ for all that He has done and suffered on my behalf. May it be my habitual desire to love Him more and serve Him better — my soul a consecrated altar, and my life a living sacrifice”

I would thank You, too, for Your many temporal mercies, the many tokens of Your unmerited goodness in my daily lot. While other hearts and homes are clouded with sorrow, or saddened with poverty, or stricken with suffering — You have caused me to lie down by the green pastures, You have led me beside the still waters. Your goodness and mercy, like two guardian angels, are still following me, as they have followed me until now. I may well accept Your love and faithfulness in the past, as pledges and guarantees for the future. Blessed be Your name, that that future — the morrow — is unknown. Better still, that it is in Your hands; that all which concerns me and mine, is planned and ordered by You; and that You have promised strength for the day.

I pray for any who especially stand in need of my prayers: for those in the thick of the spiritual conflict, environed with many temptations; for those laid on couches of sickness and suffering; for those passing through the shadowed valley; for those mourning their “loved and lost.” Make them, severally and individually, partakers of Your own everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.

Hear these my evening supplications; and enable me to close the day by uttering, with ever-growing reverence, the filial ascription — my Father.

“MY Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

A Book of Private Prayer for Day and Night by J.R. MacDuff (1890)

Becky

From Anne’s Kitchen to Yours – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheescake-

Posted on by
3

I am so happy to introduce you to my dear friend Anne; a wonderful woman, who loves the Lord and her family; she is crazy about books, loves Latin, History, grammar and happens to travel a lot.

Thank you, Anne for sharing this delicious recipe with us today, my daughter will go crazy for it!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 T. unsalted butter, melted (It really needs to be unsalted)
4 (8-oz) blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 T. flour
½ c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
15 Reese’s cups – chopped (I put them in the freezer first so they’re easier to chop)
more Reese’s cups for garnish

 

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together and press onto bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour, sour cream, and vanilla. Pour half of batter into crust-lined pan. Sprinkle chopped Reese’s on top. Pour remaining batter over the top.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 225 and bake for one hour. Let cool completely on baking rack.

***Immediately*** after removing from oven, I run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan. This keeps it from cracking as it cools. After it cools, chill overnight. Remove from pan, garnish, and serve.

It has been great to have all these friends of the Doctrines in the Kitchen share these wonderful recipes with us! Thank you to each one of you!

Becky

How to Close the Day With God -Part 2-

Posted on by
3
Shiloh Photography

 

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

 

“A holy security is another blessed fruit of God’s favour. Thou, Lord, makest me to dwell in safety, when the light of thy countenance shines upon me I am safe, and I know I am so, and am therefore easy, for with thy favour wilt thou compass me as with a shield (Ps. 5:12)…

Nothing is more dangerous than security in a sinful way, and men’s crying peace, peace, to themselves while they continue under reigning power of a vain and carnal mind: O that the sinners that are at ease were made to tremble: Nothing is more foolish than a security built upon the world, and its promises, for they are all vanity and a lie; but nothing more reasonable in itself, or more advantageous to us, than for good people to build with assurance upon the promises of a good God, for those that keep in the way of duty, to be quiet from the fear of evil; as those that know no evil shall befall them, no real evil, no evil, but what shall be made to work for their good; as those that know, while they continue in allegiance to God as their king, they are under his protection…

God will speak peace to his people, to his saints; he will fill them with joy and peace in believing; his peace shall keep their hearts and minds; keep them safe, keep them calm.

As we must begin the day with God, and wait upon him all day, so we must endeavor to close it with Him.”

An excerpt from Mathew Henry’s; A Method for Prayer, Third Discourse.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 63:5-8

May His peace reign in us as we lie down and sleep this night.

Becky

Related Articles:

How to Close the Day with God -Part 1-

How to Close the Day With God -Part 1-

Posted on by
6

 

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

 

“If God lift up the light of his countenance upon us, as it fills us with a holy joy, it puts gladness into the heart more than they have whose corn and wine increaseth, so it fixed us in a holy rest, I will now lay me down and sleep. God is my God, and I am pleased, I am satisfied, I look no further, I desire no more, I dwell in safety: Or in confidence; while I walk in the light of the Lord, as I want no good, nor am I sensible of any deficiency, so I fear no evil, nor am I apprehensive of any danger. The Lord God is to me both a sun and a shield; a sun to enlighten and comfort me, a shield to protect me and defend me.

A holy serenity is one blessed fruit of God’s favour; I will now lay me down in peace and sleep. While we are under God’s displeasure, or in doubt concerning his favour, how can we have any enjoyment of ourselves! while this great concern is unsettled, the souls cannot but be unsatisfied. Hath God a controversy with thee? Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eye-lids, until thou hast got the controversy taken up; Go humble thyself, and make sure thy friend, thy best friend (Prov. 6:3)… Are thy sins pardoned? Hast thou interest in Christ’s meditation? Doth God now in him accept thy works? Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thine wine with a merry heart (Eccl.9:7). Let this still every storm and command, and create a calm in thy soul.

Having God to be our God in covenant, we have enough, we have all; and though the gracious soul still desires more of God, it never desires more than God; in Him it reposeth itself with a perfect complacency; in him it is at home, it is at rest, if we be but satisfied of his loving kindness; abundantly satisfied: There is enough in this to satiate the weary soul, and to replenish every sorrowful soul (Jer. 31:25), to fill even the hungry with good things, with the best things; and being filled, they should be at rest, at rest for ever, and their sleep here should be sweet.”

*Excerpt from Matthew Henry’s, A Method for Prayer, Third Discourse. (emphasis mine)

Good night, my friends.

Becky

Next Article in the Series:

How to Close the Day with God -Part 2-

>Sunday’s Psalm -Psalm 96-

Posted on by
Reply

 

Psalm 96

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness
Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

 

Becky