O Come . . .

Today is the last day of November!  The Christmas season is beginning, and it is time to turn our hearts back to that night so long ago when the humble shepherds were watching their flocks on a beautiful starry night!

It is difficult to imagine their amazement, astonishment and wonder when the heavens suddenly produced a multitude of heavenly angels praising God and announcing the birth of our wonderful Saviour, Christ the Lord!

What a glorious night it was -- that holy night so long ago when God the Father laid a Baby on the doorstep of our world!  I wonder -- where shall we go to find this Babe?  What palace is grand enough for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  But, No; the Prince of Peace lay in a hay-filled manger, in a stable, surrounded by the animals!

It is impossible for me to grasp or fully understand the glorious mystery of Redeeming Love, but throughout this blessed holy season, I hope that you will join me and ---

     "Come and behold Him, born the King of angels!
          O come!  Come, let us adore Him!  O come, let us adore Him --
                         CHRIST THE LORD!"      

J O Y !

There are only three little letters in this wonderful word, but every Christian should be so full of joy that their cup often runs over, and everyone feels blessed and encouraged after being in their presence!
Nehemiah 8:10 says:  "The joy of the Lord is your strength"!
I Thessalonians 5:16 says:  "Rejoice evermore"!
In Acts 16:25, after having been beaten, thrust into the inner prison, their feet fast in the stocks --- at midnight Paul and Silas "sang praises."
In Psalm 16:11, we find these wonderful words:  ". . . in Thy presence is fulness of joy."

The Salvation Army bells will soon be ringing for a donation. 
Let us determine to keep the Joybells of God's love ringing in our souls today and every day!  If we will do this, then we can sing with the children:

"I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart!
     Down in my heart to stay!"

ThanksLiving!

Thanksgiving Day has officially ended, and it was a blessed and wonderful day of food and fellowship with loved ones dear, but now let us determine that we are going to make every day a day of ThanksLiving!

Our last Psalm for this Thanksgiving week is Psalm 150, and it speaks about praising our wonderful Lord.  Praise and thanksgiving go together, so let's just Praise the Lord and in Everything give thanks!!

"Praise ye the Lord.  Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power.
Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.
PRAISE YE THE LORD!" 

Thanksgivimg Day!

"Let all the people praise Thee!  Let all the people praise Thee!
     Let all the people praise Thy name forever and forever more!"

As you prepare to enjoy the fellowship of loved ones around your Thanksgiving table today, be sure to begin and end your day with Praise to our wonderful Lord!

Psalm 149 reminds us to:

"Praise ye the Lord.  Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp.
For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand:
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people:
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron:
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all His saints.
PRAISE YE THE LORD!

BEST WISHES from my home to yours for a blessed Thanksgiving Day!!
 
 

Thanksgiving Eve!

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Praise Him all creatures here below!
     Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts!  Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"

Wonderful aromas are filling kitchens across America today as mothers and daughters are busy preparing wonderful desserts, delicious salads, yummy sweet potatoes with lots of brown sugar, turkeys, hams, and all the Thanksgiving traditions your family enjoys!  But the best part of all will be to have the family gathered together around the table, taking time to bow our heads and our hearts to our wonderful Lord, thanking Him for His marvelous love and tender mercies extended to us throughout the year!
So as you work in your kitchens today, make sure you take little breaks to praise the Lord as we are admonished to do in Psalm 148!

"Praise ye the Lord!  Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise Him in the heights.
Praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts.
Praise ye Him, sun and moon: praise Him, all ye stars of light.
Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord: for He commanded, and they were created.
He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass.
Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling His word:
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth.
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Let them praise the name of the Lord; for His name alone is excellent: His glory is above the earth and heaven.
He also exalteth the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints: even of the children of Israel, a people near unto Him.
PRAISE YE THE LORD!" 

Thanksgiving (day 2)

"Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul!  Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
     Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so full and free."

I trust that as we continue in this week of Thanksgiving, today finds you with your heart full of praise and thanks as you go about your daily tasks.
Take some time today to meditate in Psalms 147.

"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant: and praise is comely.  The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.  He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.  Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.  The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground.
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving: sing praise upon the harp unto our God: who covereth the heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 
He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.  He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Zion.

For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates: He hath blessed thy children within thee.
He maketh peace in thy borders, and fillest thee with the finest of the wheat.
He sendeth forth His commandment upon earth: His word runneth very swiftly.
He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who can stand before His cold?
He sendeth out His word, and melteth them: He causeth His winds to blow, and the waters flow.
He sheweth His word unto Jacob, His statues and His judgments unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them.
PRAISE YE THE LORD!"

Today --- let us . . . "In everything, give thanks!"

THANKSGIVING!!

"I am blessed!  I am blessed!  Every day that I live, I am blessed!
When I wake up in the morning, 'till I lay my head to rest -- I am blessed!  I am blessed!"



It is a beautiful day, and my heart is full of Thanksgiving and Praise to my wonderful Lord!  I trust that you will join me this Thanksgiving week to take some time to "count your many blessings and name them one by one"!


Psalms 146-150 begin and end with "Praise Ye The Lord"!   So let's take a Psalm each day and make sure that we begin and end each day with praising our wonderful Lord!!

Psalm 146:

     "Praise ye the Lord.  Praise the Lord, O my soul.  While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
      Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his thoughts perish.
      Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God!  Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth truth forever:
      Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry.  The Lord looseth the prisoners: the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
      The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow:but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
      The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.
PRAISE YE THE LORD!!!"  

"Dare to be a Daniel"!

I am reading in the book of Daniel right now.  I still feel the excitement of a child when I read or hear the thrilling stories of Daniel in the Lion's Den and the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace!  Let's look a little deeper into the life of Daniel.

In the beginning of the book, we find Daniel a Jewish captive in Babylon.  In the very first chapter we find him facing a severe test.  Verse 8 records: "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King's meat, nor the wine which he drank:"

Finally, the jealous presidents and princes could stand it no longer!  They could find no occasion or fault against Daniel, so they decided to attack him concerning the law of his God!  We find them talking to the King in Chapter six with great flattery and convincing him to sign a decree stating "that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions."

Again, we see the steadfastness of Daniel, for verse 10 says:  "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime."
Daniel didn't wait until he could pray secretly under cover of darkness; but as soon as he knew the writing was signed, he went immediately to his house and started praying.  It didn't take long for his enemies to find him praying, and he was cast into the den of lions!  There he had a wonderful night of sleep, no doubt using the largest lion for a comfortable pillow!!
The next morning, "Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God."  This wonderful miracle seemed to spark a revival, for the king made a decree to all peoples, nations and languages "that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end."

"Dare to be a Daniel!  Dare to stand alone!
     Dare to have a purpose firm!  Dare to make it known!"

I believe we still have some Daniel's today!  Will you dare to be one of them?      

"Whom God Uses"!

I may be 76 years old, but I greatly enjoy sitting down and reading the Sunday School papers on Sunday afternoon!  This past Sunday, the following poem spoke to my heart and challenged me.  I trust it will speak to your heart, as well.

"One night, 'twas a Saturday evening, I sat alone in my room,
    Watching the fading daylight and the steadily gathering gloom.
And I longed and watched for an opening--a word for the Master to say
   E'er the twilight gave place to darkness and the week had died away.

I knew that there had been moments afforded me thro' the week
   When I might have witnessed for Jesus, but I hadn't the heart to speak.
And now when I would have spoken, the privilege was denied;
   So I went in my sorrow to Jesus, and 'Why is it thus?' I cried.

Ah! The Master knew all about it; so He said (and I knew 'twas right),
   'The tool is too blunt for service.  I cannot use it tonight.'
The sword to be used must be sharpened---must be hid in the Master's hand;
   The arrow, while hid in the quiver, must be swift to obey His command.

Oh! Christian, learn well this lesson: We can only be used by God
   When communion with Him hath fashioned our mouth like a sharpened sword.
Then, polish and sharpen me, Master, tho' painful the humbling may be,
   And make me an instrument ready to be used ANY moment by Thee."

Prayer is . . .

Prayer is a blessed privilege, but also a solemn duty!!  Matthew 9:36-37 says:

     "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
      Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."

E. M. Bounds gives us this challenging quote:

     "Around us is a world lost in sin, above us is a God willing and able to save; it is ours to build the bridge that links heaven and earth, and prayer is the mighty instrument that does the work.  If we do our part, God will do His."

May God help us to "just keep on praying, until light breaks through"!

Thought For Today!

I like this excellent quote by Rev. Billy Graham:

     "When wealth is lost, nothing is lost.
      When health is lost, something is lost.
      When character is lost, all is lost."

We have seen miracles in our recent election, and now God is looking for men, women, and young people of sterling character whom He can use to pray and be His witnesses in these post election days of great challenge!!

Can He depend on You?

To God Be The Glory!

The world was watching our nation last night, and we witnessed a miracle!  It proved to us once again that "None are ever too low for God to lift up, or too high for God to cast down."
But along with Victory comes great responsibility!  We, who profess to belong to Christ must not sit down and enjoy the victories of election night.
We must begin to pray faithfully and earnestly for our newly elected President, Vice President, Senate and House.

Then we must humble ourselves and begin to pray earnestly for our nation so in need of a real Holy Ghost, heaven-sent Revival.  It must begin in the professing church with soul-searching obedience.  Listen to the words of our Lord in the third chapter of Revelation:

     "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
What a sad, sad picture!  I am thankful that the Lord went on to say a few verses later:

     "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Yes, the world knows that the Lord has worked a political miracle in our nation; I believe He would like to work a spiritual one, too --- will we let Him?

     "Obedience brings the blessing"!

Come Closer!

Yesterday was a beautiful Fall day!  My little grand-daughter, recently turned three, loves to be outside.  While we were finishing dinner, she went outside to walk in the fallen leaves and hear them crunch under her little feet.

There is a big tree just outside my kitchen window.  The trunk of the tree has an opening pretty far up where my son could lift her up and she could stand in this spot by herself; her little arms stretched out, balancing herself, her hands on the trunk of the tree.  He would step back a way and tell her to jump!  She really wanted to, but her little voice would say .... "Come closer!"  "Come closer!"

No, he would say -- "I'll catch you; just jump!"  He would go through that process several times, until at last she would jump into his arms!  Then she was so excited -- she loved it and immediately wanted to do it again!  But by the time she got in position to jump again, she became fearful; "Come closer -- come closer!"

While this scenario was transpiring, I suddenly sensed God's Presence, and it seemed the Lord was saying to me --- "Why are ye often fearful to take that leap of faith?  Have I ever failed you?  Have you forgotten my promise in Deuteronomy 33:27 -- 'The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms...'."

Sometimes, perhaps, we need to be reminded that God wants us to trust Him -- to take that leap of faith when it seems impossible; He will never fail to "catch" us, and we will be encouraged to climb to higher heights!
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of "Living by Faith!"

Watchman ---- What of the Night?

As we approach the election in a few days (if Jesus tarries), I keep thinking of the sobering words in Isaiah:  "Watchman, what of the night?  Watchman, what of the night?"

Perhaps the Lord would answer us in the words of II Chronicles 7:14:

     "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Or would He have to say these very sad words from Ezekiel: 

     "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.  Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them. . ."

     "Rise up, O men of God!  Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of Kings!
      Rise up, O church of God!  From vain ambitions turn.
Christ rose triumphant that your hearts with nobler zeal might burn!

      Rise up, O men of God!  His kingdom's task embrace.
Redress sin's cruel consequence; give justice larger place!
      Lift high the Cross of Christ!  Tread where His feet have trod!
As followers of the Son of Man, Rise up, O church of God!"

                                                                                  --William Merrill

Habakkuk -- I Like Him!

No, I haven't met him in person, but I hope to when I get to heaven, and maybe by then I will have learned to spell his name without looking! :)

His little book, near the end of the Old Testament, has only three short chapters; and about the prophet, himself, nothing is known.  But I like him because He is very open and honest with God.  The prophet is very perplexed about the sins of Israel and the silence of God.  He begins his book with a prayer -- "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save!"

Then follows a dialogue between Habakkuk and Jehovah.  At the end of chapter 0ne, Habakkuk is still questioning, so he ascends his watch-tower (2:1) to look over the world.  The Lord answers him, and he is encouraged to wait for the purpose of God to be fulfilled.

He seems content with the new light he has received, and begins chapter 3 with a sublime prayer (or Psalm of praise) which speaks about the majesty and glory of God.  He also declares his unwavering trust in the divine plans. --- I like it because he didn't give up --- he persevered until he no more had questions, but answers!

He is now ready to give us the glorious conclusion of his prophecy!  I love this benediction of an All Conquering Faith!

     "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
      Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
      The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places."

Praise the Lord!!