PRAYER!

A short word -- only six letters -- but it is the most powerful force in the universe!  Mary, Queen of Scots, said she feared the prayers of John Knox more than all the armies of the Queen of England!  Prayer is also one of life's sweetest privileges!  The songwriter said: "What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer."

Jesus said that "men ought always to pray, and not to faint".  A beautiful, old song says:  "Just keep on praying, 'til light breaks through; the Lord will answer, He'll answer you.  God keeps His promise, His Word is true!  Just keep on praying, 'till light breaks through!"  May God help us to not stop short of the Victory!! 
I have some quotes written in my Bible that stir and challenge me.  I trust they will be a help, encouragement and blessing to you, as well.

     "Wrestling prayer can wonders do -- bring relief in deepest straits;
Prayer can force a passage through iron bars and brazen gates."

     "In the conflict between Satan and the believer, God's child can conquer everything by prayer.  Is it any wonder that Satan does his utmost to snatch that weapon from the Christian, or to hinder him in the use of it?"

     "Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer, except that which lies outside the will of God."

     "There is power in prayer to give success and victory!"

     "You have not prayed until your heart has talked."

     "Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue."


Let us be sure to daily "enter into His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise."
You will be glad you did--- for Jesus will meet you there!

Pour Out Your Heart!

This morning I was thinking about some things that concern me when these blessed words came to my mind -- "pour out your heart before Him."  I got my Bible and found the verse in Psalm 62:8:  "Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us."
What a sweet and beautiful verse -- our Heavenly Father loves for us to come to the throne of grace and pour out our hearts unto Him -- He understands and cares!

I thought about King Hezekiah when he was being threatened by the king of Assyria.  When Hezekiah received a letter from the hand of the messengers, he read it and then went up into the house of the Lord where the Bible says he spread it out before the Lord.  I picture King Hezekiah weeping, earnestly praying, and telling the Lord all about it!  (II Kings 19:14-19)
Praise the Lord!!  His ear is Always open to the cry of His children!!

Sometimes I just need to get on my knees and spread everything out before my Heavenly Father!  He already knows all about it, but He loves for me to enter into His Presence and pour out my heart to Him.  And He tells me in Isaiah 40:31 that "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

So----let us go about our work today with a prayer on our lips and the joybells ringing in our souls!     

My Utmost . . .

I have a little daily devotional calendar that contains excerpts from the classic devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.  I greatly enjoy reading and meditating on these excellent little devotionals.  They inspire me and challenge me to keep digging deeper and climbing higher in the things of God.  I taped the following one to the mirror in my bedroom where I can read it often.

     "There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord.  If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life.  One individual life may be of priceless value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life."

The last sentence of that quote is very sobering!  May God help us to keep ever before us our great responsibility (and privilege) to keep Everything surrendered to Him so that He can mold us and make us and use us for His purposes!  II Timothy 2:21 says we are to --- "be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work."

I trust that God will speak to your heart today and remind you again that your personal relationship with Jesus is the only one that really matters!  

"A Sinner Like Me"

When I was getting out of bed this morning, this wonderful old song by Charles Butler came to my mind.  It brought back many wonderful memories.  I have heard my husband sing this song many times when we traveled in the evangelistic field years ago.  It was his testimony, and he always sang it from the depths of his soul.  And even though I heard it many times, it always touched my heart!

I trust these words will minister to your heart today, and if you are far from the Saviour, remember that Whosoever Will may come!

     "I was once far away from the Saviour, and as vile as a sinner could be;
I wondered if Christ the Redeemer could save a poor sinner like me.
      I wandered on in the darkness -- not a ray of light could I see,
And the thought filled my heart with sadness -- there's no hope for a sinner like me.

      And then---in that dark, lonely hour---a Voice whispered sweetly to me,
Saying---Christ the Redeemer has power to save a poor sinner like thee.
      I listened, and lo! 'twas the Saviour, who was speaking so kindly to me;
I cried -- I'm the chiefest of sinners -- canst Thou save a poor sinner like me?

      I then fully trusted in Jesus, and O what a joy came to me!
My heart was filled with His praises,  for He saved a poor sinner like me.
      No longer in darkness I'm walking, for the light is now shining on me,
And now unto others I'm telling how He saved a poor sinner like me.

      And when life's journey is over, and I the dear Saviour shall see,
I'll praise Him forever and ever, for saving a sinner like me."

     

Birthday Blessings!

Family Birthdays are so sweet and special!!  I am very blessed to have at least one family member celebrating a Birthday in every month of the year!  Aren't you glad God planned the family!!  Praise the Lord!!

I like to think that after God created our marvelous universe, and was surveying it in all of its splendor and grandeur, He suddenly felt a twinge of sadness because there was no one with whom He could have fellowship.  So He said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: so God created man in His own image."
  
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul."  Genesis 2:7



But even though Adam enjoyed fellowship with God, the Lord soon realized that Adam needed something more so He said:  "It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make an help meet for him."  You know the story -- God put Adam to sleep -- took out one of his ribs, and made a woman.
I like this little quote:
     "Woman was taken out of man: not out of his head to top him, nor out of his feet to be trampled under foot, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved."

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for planning the family!!  Thank You for my wonderful children, grand children and great grandchildren!!
I Thank You, also, that though some may have lost their family members through some tragedy, we can all belong to "The Family of God"!!!     

"God Bless America"!

What a thrilling and exciting day this is as we have witnessed the Inauguration of the 45th President of our great nation!  How we should thank God for the miracle of this great day! 

Last night I clicked on Facebook, and beautiful fireworks were lighting up the night sky!!  The bands were playing, and the choirs were singing -- "Glory!  Glory!  Hallelujah!  His truth is marching on"!!  It was so thrilling!!  My eyes filled with tears, and my heart sang with praises to the King of Kings who is still in control of His mighty universe!

It is such a thrilling day that, like Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration, we don't want to come down!  But now, we have a great responsibility to pray for our new leaders that God will bless them, guide them, and grant them the wisdom and knowledge they will need to lead our great nation in the days that lie ahead!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
                                                                --Psalm 33:12    

The Violin!

I love to hear beautiful violin music being played by someone who has mastered the instrument, but I don't particularly enjoy the violin being played by a beginner with all of the screeches and scratches!

 It's sort of like we are before we meet Jesus!  Our lives are battered and broken -- many are shattered and marred by the effects of sin.  But if we will turn from our sin, and let the Saviour come in, He can take the broken violin of our lives and bring forth beautiful music!

I love this poem by Dorothy Barter, and I trust it will be a blessing to you, as well:

     "I never knew the old, brown violin that was so long in some dark corner thrust---
Its strings broken or loose--its pegs run down--could ever be of use again.
      The dust of years lay on its shabby case, until one day a Master took the instrument--
And with caressing fingers touched the wood--adjusted pegs and strings--
      His mind intent on making music as he drew his bow.

Then, from the violin--long silent-- sprang once more arpeggios, runs, trills.
      The wood quivered, leapt into life, and joyous sang.

      I now believe that any broken life, jangling with discords, unadjusted,
Tossed in some far corner--wasted, thrown aside, can yet be of some use.
      It need not be lost from Heaven's orchestra.
A Master's Hand, scarred with old wounds, can mend the broken thing --
      if yielded to Him wholly.  He can make the dumb life speak again,
And joyous sing, in praise of One who gave His life that none need perish.

      And this message -- glad---most blest---I now believe;
For placing in His Hand my life--I find my world is now at rest!"