A New Week!

Yesterday was a blessed and wonderful day in the house of the Lord!  Hearts were encouraged and blessed as "we came into the house of the Lord, and gathered in His name, to worship Him"!
But today is Monday, and we must pick up again the cares and burdens of life as we begin a new week, not knowing the things that may befall us.  But what a sweet comfort it is to know that "we can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth us."  And why don't we determine to live this week by these wonderful words from the book of Philippians --
     "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  If we will heed this admonition, the Lord will deliver us out of every test and trial!

     "If hurt today by what men say --- if wounded by a friend ---
Oh, let tonight set all things right --- let trouble have an end.
      Life is too short to let report or rumor long annoy ---
Today has had so much so glad --- we need it all for joy.

      God's world, God's Word, His breeze, His bird---no hand can rob you of ---
Wrong comes too late for hearts to hate --- there is so much to love ---
      Life isn't long, just time for song --- and love, and things sublime ---
Be not concerned with thoughts that burned -- Good friend, there isn't time."
                                                                                                                ----Selected
And may we remember this quote by William Arnot ---

    "The gentleness of Christ is the loveliest ornament that a Christian can wear."

God's Faithfulness!

In the 36th Psalm, we read these wonderful words --
     "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.  Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; Thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, Thou preserveth man and beast.  How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures.  For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.  O continue Thy loving-kindness unto them that know Thee; and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

As we look to the coming Lord's Day, if Jesus tarries, I am so very thankful for the faithfulness of our wonderful Lord!  The beautiful hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" has been a blessing, a comfort, and encouragement to my heart many times.  The author of this hymn, Thomas Chisholm, was born in a log cabin in Kentucky.  His health was very unstable, but through all the ups and downs, he discovered new blessings from God every morning.  The 3rd chapter of Lamentations became very precious to him ---
     "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

Bro. Chisholm sent several of his poems to his friend, William Runyon, who was a musician.  Bro. Runyon was so moved by this one that he prayed earnestly for special guidance in composing the music.  The hymn was published in 1923 in Bro. Runyon's private song pamphlets.  It went rather slowly for several years, until Dr. Will Houghton of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago discovered it, and would say in chapel --
     "Well, I think we shall have to sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness."  It became a theme song for the Institute, and when Bro. Houghton passed away, it was sung at his funeral.
I trust that the words of this beautiful hymn will be a great blessing and encouragement to your heart today!
     "Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
      Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

      Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;
      Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

      Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
      Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

      Great is Thy faithfulness!  Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
      All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!"

     
    

      
      

FAITHFULNESS!

I am quite sure if you asked any one of my four children today the one word their Dad instilled in them and insisted upon, they would answer "faithfulness" --- faithfulness to the house of God every time the doors were open---Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and every night of revival!  I'm sure they remember Dad saying many times -- when you stand before God at the judgment, He is going to ask you two things---"Have you been good?  Have you been faithful?"
     "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

I like these words from J. H. Jowett --
     "People who are faithful in that which is least wear very radiant crowns.  They are the people who are great in little tasks.  They are scrupulous in the rutty roads of drudgery.  They win triumphs amid small irritations.  They are as loyal when wearing aprons in the kitchen as if they wore purple and fine linen in the visible presence of the king.
      They finish the most obscure bit of work as if it were to be displayed before an assembled heaven by Him who is the Lord of light and glory.  Great souls are those who are faithful in that which is least."  And our Lord said in Revelation 2:10 --
                        "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."   

Higher Ground!

I love the wonderful book of Philippians!  In the 3rd chapter, the Apostle Paul writes --- "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
 When I think of this great song by Johnson Oatman, it makes me think of a little child in the swing who is never satisfied with just a little push, but continually calls -- "higher--push me higher!"  May Higher Ground be the desire and prayer of our hearts today !

     "I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound, 'Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.'
      My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound---my prayer, my aim is higher ground.

      I want to live above the world, though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound---the song of saints on higher ground.
      I want to scale the utmost height, and catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray 'til heaven I've found, 'Lord, lead me on to higher ground.'

      Lord, lift me up and let me stand by faith on heaven's table-land,
A higher plain than I have found: Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Let us never be satisfied until we become "at ease in Zion", but may our hearts keep crying out, "Push me higher", ever longing to know Jesus better and love Him more deeply!  Amen!
 

FATHER'S DAY!

This coming Sunday, June 21, is Father's Day!  It is a special and wonderful day to honor our fathers!  As this special day approaches, I like to walk back down memory's lane and think of how very blessed I am to have had a wonderful father who loved God, loved His Holy Word, and honored His Holy Day!  It is heart-breaking to think of the many little children today who have no father in their home.  If you have a godly father, you are very blessed!  He is worthy of you honor on this very special day set aside to especially remember and honor him!
 When I think of the very troubled times in our nation and world today, of think of how the fathers need wisdom and courage to be the leaders of their homes that God intends for them to be.  I trust that this poem, entitled, 'The End Of The Road Is But A Bend In The Road',  by Helen Steiner Rice will be an encouragement to you this Father's Day!

     "When we feel we have nothing left to give
And we are sure that the 'song has ended'  ---
      When our day seems over and the shadows fall,
And the darkness of night has descended ---
      Where can we go to find the strength
To valiantly keep on trying ---
      Where can we find the hand that will dry
The tears that the heart is crying ---
      There's but one place to go, and that is to God,
And dropping all pretense and pride ---
      We can pour out our problems without restraint,
And gain strength with Him at our side!

      And together, we stand at life's crossroads
And view what we think is the end ---
      But God has a much bigger vision,
And He tells us it's Only A Bend ---
      For the road goes on and is smoother,
And the 'pause in the song' is a 'rest' ---
      And the part that's unsung and unfinished,
Is the sweetest, and richest, and best!
      So rest and relax and grow stronger ---
Let Go, and Let God share your load,
      Your work is not finished or ended ---
You've just come to 'A Bend In The Road'"!

And on this Father's Day, I want to especially thank the Lord for my three boys -- Randy, Jonathan, and Joel; my son-in-law, Tommie, and my grandson, Adrian!  I hold you in my heart, and pray that God will help you to be strong and courageous leaders, fathers who are fully surrendered to God --
fathers who can say to my precious grandchildren and great grandchildren -- "Follow me, as I follow Christ"!

A Prayer For Fathers!

As I look out my windows upon my Father's world this morning, everything is so beautiful and peaceful -- hardly a leaf is moving , and the quietness seems to speak to my soul---"Be still, and know that I am God."  From my vantage point this morning, it is difficult to imagine the turmoil going on in our nation and all around the world! And then my thoughts turn to the coming Lord's Day, which is Father's Day! 

As I think of Father's Day, I think of how desperately our nation and our homes need godly fathers who are men of courage -- strong leaders -- men of sterling character -- men of valor --  men of vision -- men who love their wife, their children, their God, and can say to them---"Follow me, as I follow Christ." 
I pray that this prayer of General Douglas MacArthur for his son will speak to the heart of every father today --

     "Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
      Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee -- and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
      Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.  Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm; here, let him learn compassion for those who fail.
      Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
      And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.  Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.  Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, 'I have not lived in vain.'"

W A I T !!

This little word of only four letters is such a difficult word!  We seem to much prefer the little word of only three letters -- NOW!  However, this difficult job of waiting begins at birth and continues on throughout our lives if we do not practice discipline and learn to wait on the Lord!  In the second chapter of Habakkuk, we read --
     "The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

In the little booklet, "Expectation Corner", Adam Slowman was led into the Lord's treasure houses, and there revealed to him was the "Delayed Blessings Office", where God kept certain things that had been prayed for until the wise time came to send them.
It seems to take a long time for most of us to learn that delays are not denials.  Our Lord has secrets of love and wisdom in the "Delayed Blessings Department" which we cannot see.  We would, no doubt, be tempted to pluck our mercies while they are still green, when the Lord wants us to wait until they are ripe!
In Isaiah 30:18, we read -- "And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him."  We can rest assured that He is watching us in the difficult places, and will not allow one trial too many!  Praise the Lord!

     "O thou of little faith, God hath not failed thee yet!
When all looks dark and gloomy, thou dost so soon forget ---
      Forget that He has led thee, and gently cleared thy way;
On clouds has poured His sunshine, and turned thy night to day.

      And if He's helped thee hitherto, He will not fail thee now;
How it must wound His loving heart to see thy anxious brow!
      Oh! doubt not any longer; to Him commit thy way,
Whom in the past thou trusted, and is 'just the same today.'"

     "He stilled the storms, and calmed my fears --
Forgave my sins, and dried my tears --
      He is the same through endless years --
He will not fail you now!"