. . . Praise is Comely

Psalm 33:1 says Praise is comely for the upright! 
David said in Psalm 34:1:  "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Psalm 67:3 says that everyone should praise the Lord -- "Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee."
Psalm 107:8 exhorts us:  "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"
Psalm 146:2 is a good testimony:  "While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being."
Psalm 147:1 is a wonderful admonition:  "Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God: for it is pleasant; and praise is comely."

The last six Psalms are beautiful Psalms of praise to our God!  It seems that these Psalms are a crescendo -- the Psalmist keeps increasing his volume of praise, until the last Psalm is fairly bursting with praise unto our God!

The book of Isaiah speaks about the "garment of praise".  This is one garment that we should wear every day.  I'm afraid that sometimes we put on the garments of fault finding and criticism, rather than the garment of praise.

Let us take a look at these garments -- fault-finding and criticism are ugly and ill-fitting; while the garment of Praise is beautiful and pleasing to the hearer!  Praise brings glory to God, and encouragement to others!

Let us make sure that we have on this garment every moment of every day!!

...Even Me!

Phillip Bliss wrote both the words and music for this sweet little song.  It is usually thought of as a song for the children to sing, but Jesus said we must all become as a little child if we want to enter into the Kingdom of God.

               "I am so glad that our Father in heaven
          Tells of His love in the Book He has given.
                Wonderful things in the Bible I see;
           This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

                 If I forget Him and wander away,
           Still He doth love me where ever I stray.
                 Back to His dear, loving arms would I flee
           When I remember that Jesus loves me.

                 O, if there's only one song I can sing
           When in His beauty I see the great King.
                 This shall my song in eternity be:
            O what a wonder that Jesus loves me!

                 I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
            Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me!
                 I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
            Jesus loves even me!"

Let us take a little time today to endeavor to contemplate and comprehend Calvary Love that included --
                   Even Me!!
    

No Time -----

I really like this poem, "No Time to Treat Men Wrong" by Rev. Walter Isenhour.  Jesus, our Masrer Teacher and perfect example, told us in the Sermon on the Mount:  "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

     "There is a time to work and play, a time to eat and sleep;
A time to study and to pray, a time to laugh and weep;
      A time for fellowship that's sweet, a time for sacred song;
But never is there time to treat a human being wrong.

      There is a time to lift men up and help them on life's road;
A time to drain their bitter cup and share their heavy load;
      A time to bless them with our grace and boost them all along;
But never is there time and place to treat our fellows wrong.

      There is a time to help men seek the God who saves the soul;
A time to show them that the meek shall reach life's highest goal;
      A time to help them turn aside and leave the wicked throng;
But never does our God provide a time to treat men wrong."

      Heavenly Father, may this be our humble prayer:

               "I have one deep, supreme desire; that I may be like Jesus!"

The Next Step!

I trust that your week is off to a wonderful start on this Monday morning!  I am very excited because my son and family from Kansas City are coming to spend a few days with the Indiana family. 
The girls are on Spring Break this week, so I decided my Blog and I would take a little vacation too!!

But before I start all my fun with the family, I wanted to leave you with a little thought to meditate on through the week. 
     Jesus said, ... "I must walk today, and to morrow, and the day following."

I like this little quote from Oswald Chambers:

     "The thing that really testifies for God and for the people of God in the long run is steady perseverance, even when the work cannot be seen by others.  And the only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking unto God.  Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you."

May God bless you this week as you persevere -- and make sure you keep looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith!

His Way!

I'm glad I found out long ago that "His Way" is Always the Best Way, and it is glory just to walk with Him!  I trust this little poem will be a blessing and encouragement to you today!

     "His way is best.
How long I spent in learning 'twas only for my highest good He planned,
      And all the while His loving heart was yearning
That He might lead me gently by the hand and end unrest.

      His way is best.
I cease from needless scheming, and leave the ruling of my life to Him;
      All will be well, though now all wrong 'tis seeming;
All will be clear that now to me is dim, so I am blest.

      His way is best.
I may not know the reason of all the darkness I am passing through;
      But this I know, that every testing season
He makes a blessing, if to Him I'm true.  And so I rest.

      His way is best.
When I shall cross the river and see my King, my Saviour, face to face,
      I'll praise His name forever and forever
For all the way He led, for all the grace with which He blessed."

     Thank you, Father, for this wonderful little verse in your Holy Word -- "As for God, His way is perfect!"

The Giver!

Yesterday as I was doing a little cleaning, I noticed one of my "most favorite" pictures hanging on the wall.  As I looked at it, I said -- "Oh, I just Love this picture!!!"  As soon as I said it, these words came to my mind ---
                  " Nothing I have, I call my own; I hold it for the Giver!"

I wrote this little quote in my Bible years ago, and never want to forget it!  God has blessed most of us with much more than we need, but we must be careful to remember that God is the Owner -- the Master -- and we are the stewards!  We are to use what He has placed in our hand for His glory and the upbuilding of His kingdom! 

     "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
                                                                                                              --I Corinthians 15:58

"A Philosophy Of Life"

When I read this lovely poem by an unknown author, it brought tears to my eyes as I looked back over the years.  I'm glad I can say from my heart that Jesus has never been a disappointment -- He always knows just what I need!  He has been my Friend in trials sore, and lets me abide under the shadow of His wings!

     "I learn, as the years roll onward and leave the past behind,
That much that I counted as sorrow but proves our God is kind;
      That many a flower I longed for had a hidden thorn of pain,
And many a rugged by-path led to fields of ripened grain.

      The clouds that cover the sunshine can never banish the sun,
And the earth shines out the brighter when the weary rain is done.
      We must stand in the deepest sorrow to see the clearest light,
And often from wrong's own darkness comes the very strength of right.

      We must live through the weary winter if we would value the spring;
And the woods must be cold and silent before the robins sing;
      The flowers must be buried in darkness before they can bud and bloom,
And the sweetest and warmest sunshine comes after the storm and gloom.

      So the heart, from the hardest trial, gains the purest joy of all,
And from lips that have tasted sadness the sweetest songs will fall;
      For, as peace comes after suffering, and love is reward of pain,
So, after earth comes heaven, and out of our loss, the gain!"

God's Investment!

"Train up a child in the way he should go --- but be sure you go that way yourself."
When I read this sobering quote of Charles Spurgeon's, I thought of this little poem that I found in my Mother's things after she passed away a number of years ago.  She had copied it on a little card, now yellowed with age.
I have read it many times, and it always stirs and challenges my heart!

I pray that it will speak to every parent, grandparent, and great grandparent who reads this little blog, and will burn deep into our hearts what the Master knows we need to see and understand about His Eternal Investment!

     "God made an investment when He gave us a babe;
He said:  'Here, my children, I give him to thee.
      Love him---enjoy him---but return him to Me!

Don't give him away to the enemy, Sin---
      For he is too lovely, and worthwhile, and sweet---
To walk anywhere but on Heavenly Street.

      He'll watch you, my children, to point him the road;
Whatever You do---and You teach---and You say---
      He'll look to his parents to show him the way.

      And when I have come to call in my loan --
When, together, you stand before the White Throne --
      Will you offer with interest---or losses---My Own?'" 

Women!

They tell us that today is International Women's Day!  I didn't know that there was such a day until I saw it on Facebook this morning.  But it is true that women have had great influence (either for good or evil) since the beginning of time. 
The courage of Queen Esther brought deliverance to her people, while the wickedness of Queen Jezebel brought disgrace and ruin to King Ahab.

The Bible has quite a bit to say about women, and some of it is not good like this verse in Proverbs 25:24:  "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house."
But I prefer to think about lovely women--gracious women--godly women like the beautiful word picture in Proverbs 31:
     "Who can find a virtuous woman?  for her price is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 
      Strength and honour are her clothing.
      She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
      She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
      Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
      Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

I thank Thee, Heavenly Father, on this International Women's Day, for women of God who have shown me the beauty of Living for Jesus!!

I'd Rather Have Jesus!

When I read the title of this wonderful song, I'm so thankful that my heart says a big "Amen!"  It is wonderful to know that "there's no thirsting for life's pleasures, nor adorning rich and gay; for I've found a greater treasure, one that fadeth not away."

In John 6:35, we read:  "Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."  What a sweet promise!  If you don't know Jesus, remember that Today is the day of salvation, and Jesus said: "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out."
I trust the story behind this beautiful song will be a special blessing and encouragement to you today!

     "In Binghamton, New York, in 1912, the Superintendent of a mission said to his 18 year old daughter: "Rhea, you've written a little music.  Why not give us a song entitled, 'I'd Rather Have Jesus'?
      That's a rather unpoetic name for a song, she thought, but she could not shake the idea.  Finally Rhea Ross sat down and wrote the words and melody.  Ten years later her husband suggested she publish the composition to make it available to others.  Church and camp-meeting singers in New York state and in the New England area found it useful.  When she copyrighted the song, she promised to give half its earnings to foreign missions.  Little did she dream she would be able to contribute to a number of missionary projects.

      In 1935, Mrs. Adam Shea became concerned for her unhappy son, George Beverly.  He, like many another, was being pulled in two directions: He wanted to be a Christian, but the world called for his talents.  Mother Shea knew of her son's turmoil; she also knew the remedy.  She put the words of 'I'd Rather Have Jesus' where her son would discover them when he played the family piano.

      George Beverly Shea himself tells about it.  "The music I wrote for the words came to me in my parents home in New Jersey when I was 23 years of age.  This experience of coming across these beautiful words and writing music for them became very precious to me.  It proved to be a time of complete dedication to the Lord, to be used of Him in any way, in His work."  Later that morning in the Wesleyan Church where his father was pastor, George Beverly Shea, accompanied by a little reed organ, sang the song which had brought him to a place of full surrender to God's will.

      In May, 1980, George Beverly Shea heard 900 Japanese students sing 'I'd Rather Have Jesus!'
In his words -- "It was a moving experience for me, you may be sure"!!!

     "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.
      I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause; I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than world wide fame; I'd rather be true to His holy name.

      He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs; I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead
      Than to be the king of a vast domain and be held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today!"  

"Small Ones"

My grandchildren and great grandchildren are such a blessing to me and I am so very thankful for each of them!  I'm especially glad that Jesus loves them too!!  He said in the gospel of Luke:  "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."

I read the following sweet story some years ago.  The author is anonymous, but I pray that it will challenge every young mother to often seek God's face as you endeavor to train your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

     "A mother was packing a box to send with missionaries to India.  Her young son insisted on putting in a leaflet titled, "Come to Jesus."  He wrote his name and a little prayer on it.  "I pray that the one who sees this will come to love Jesus."
      The leaflet was eventually given to a Hindu priest who had been hired to teach the missionaries their language.  The man took the leaflet, but did not bother to read it until he was on his way up the mountain to his home.  Suddenly he remembered it and began reading it.
      The prayer touched him deeply, and he kept on reading.  Soon he gave his heart to God, and became a devoted missionary to his own people.
      Many years later, some American missionaries visited his village, and found that he was ministering to a congregation of at least fifteen hundred people who had become followers of Christ, all because a little child was devoted to Christ!

      When little children kneel by their beds; fold their hands and bow their heads,
           and shut their eyes and start to pray---God isn't far away.
      He listens with very deep intent to every message being sent
               by little ones who kneel at night.
      Our God answers what is right---
      responding to prayers that small ones make in His Son's name, for His Son's sake."

"Thank you, Heavenly Father, for my own precious "small ones".  May they early learn to pray, to love your Word and your Holy day that they might know the wonderful Joy and sweet Peace of Living for Jesus!"   In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!!