Minute Musings...I Will Praise Him

I will praise Him!  I will praise Him!

Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;

Give Him glory, all ye people,

For His blood can wash away each stain.

 

                                   Margaret J. Harris

 

I will say right up front, that there are days when praising the Lord is difficult. Why is this? 
I believe it's because we view praise "through" our circumstances instead of "regardless"
of our circumstances.  What do I mean by this?  When we have days full of trials and
hardships, we wonder what we have to praise God about.  But the reality of praise, is that
it has nothing to do with what our day has been like, but everything to do with who God is. 
Praise is thanking God for who He is, it has nothing to do with us!  To praise instead of
complain is a conscious decision that we must make every day.

 

Psalms 108:3 - 5  "I will praise Thee, O LORD, among the people:  and I will sing

praises unto Thee among the nations.  For Thy mercy is great above the heavens:

and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.  Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens:

and Thy glory above all the earth."

 

There is only One who deserves our praise, that is the Great Almighty God of the

universe.  Lets pause and think of all that He is. He is the personification of mercy, grace,

love, kindness, faithfulness and holiness to name but a few.  How can we not praise Him

from the bottom of our hearts!  Do we deserve anything from God?  No, we deserve His utter

damnation, but He loves us!  God loves us!  That short sentence never fails to amaze me.

For this reason I will declare along with David in Psalms 104:33,  "I will sing unto the

LORD as long as I live:  I will sing praises to my God while I have my being."

 

Don't make the mistake of basing your praise of your God on the circumstances of your

day. For many, days are filled with pain, loneliness, heartbreak, overwhelming sorrow, 
but we must learn to praise God regardless!   Praise in the midst of tribulation is
proclaiming to the world that what we are going through is by God's design, and we will
thank Him for all that happens, for it is all is from His loving hand.  "It is a good thing
to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High:  To
shew forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night." 
Psalms 92:1 & 2  When the unsaved around us, see us praising the Lord for His goodness
to us, regardless of the tribulations we are enduring...what better testimony could we have!

We find the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16.  They had been traveling and found them-
selves in Philippi, and eventually in prison on false accusations.  They were beaten and
thrown into the inner prison with their feet in stocks.  All of this, and yet we read in verse
25  "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:  and the
prisoners heard them."  Paul and Silas weren't bemoaning the situation they found
themselves in, no, they were praising the Lord!  How could they do this?  They were
focusing on their God, not on their problems.   As a result of their testimony, they saw
people saved!

 

No matter what you are facing today, remember to praise the Lord!  All is good!

Psalms 113:3  "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the

LORD'S name is to be praised.

Minute Musings...It Is Well With My Soul

The song "It Is Well With My Soul" is loved around the world.  It has brought comfort
to untold millions over the years.  However, few know the story behind this well loved
hymn.

Horatio G. Spafford was born on October 20, 1828 in North Troy, New York.  He
eventually married and settled in Chicago as a successful lawyer.  He was a Christian
and was involved in various Christian outreaches.  Shortly before a fire in 1871, which
devastated Chicago, and wiped out his business, he and his wife suffered the loss of
their son.  Two years after the fire, Horatio planned a trip to Europe with his wife and
four daughters.  He had made plans to assist Dwight L. Moody and Sanky in an
evangelistic campaign in Britain.  At the last minute he was held back because of
business, but decided to send his wife and daughters on ahead of him.  On November
22nd, the S.S. Ville du Havre collided with an English vessel, The Lockhearn and sank.
Horatio received this crushing cable from his wife soon after her rescue, "Saved alone."
Travelling to the place where his daughters drowned, he penned these now famous words,
"When sorrows like sea billows roll."

There are not many of us that can say we have experienced loss like this dear man did.
How could he say, "It is well with my soul" while peering into the deep abyss that claimed
the lives of his precious daughters?  He had learned that the condition of ones soul does
not rely on the circumstances surrounding them. Psalms 46:1 - 3  "God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth
be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though
the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."

Horatio knew the secret, do you?  Have you learned to commit your way unto the Lord,
to trust in Him, no matter what assails you?  I'm sure that you have come across that
special person at some point, the one who seems to be able to withstand all the storms
of life.  They are battered but not broken, they are tossed but not crushed.  And I know
that you've wondered...How?  It is because they knew that no matter what happens, Jesus
holds their hand.  They have learned that Jesus alone is their strength.  Horatio did not
dwell on the catastrophe that had befallen him, he turned his attention and thoughts to the
Lord, and he clung to the promises of God's Holy Word.  Thus he was able to pen the
remaining verses to this beloved hymn with complete confidence in his Savior and His
divine will.

You too must keep your eyes on the Lord and His promises,  God knows what is happening
in your life, and He has it all in control.  Cling to your Saviors hand and learn to say, "It is
well with my soul." Psalms 91:1 & 2  "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most
High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, He is my
refuge and my fortress;  my God:  in Him will I trust."

It Is Well With My Soul

 

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

"It is will, it is well with my soul."

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

 

My sin - O the bliss of this glorious thought,

My sin - not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so - it is well with my soul.

 

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

                                     Horatio G. Spafford

Minute Musings...Do Not Be Afraid

This phrase, "Do not be afraid" is found 365 in the Bible!  That is one reminder for each
day of the year.  Why do you suppose that it is repeated so much?  I believe it's because
we have to be reminded of this often.  We tend to be fearful don't we.  There is always
something that creeps in and replaced our peace with fear.  Fear can be debilitating, it
causes physical symptoms as well as psychological ones.  Fear drives rational thought
far from us.  Sometimes there are triggers to our fear.  Those that suffer from PTSD deal
with fear and its triggers on a regular basis.  Fear is real.

Isaiah 9:6  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government
shall be upon His shoulder:  and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,
The Mighty God, The everylasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Our dear Savior is the Prince of Peace.  When the Prince of Peace enters our hearts,
He ends the reign of fear.  It is the lack of faith on our part that allows fear to take up
residence in our hearts over and over again.  Lets take a moment and look at what
happened to Peter when his faith faltered.  He had just seen Jesus walking towards
them on the water, and Peter desired to walk with Him. 

Matthew 14:29 & 30  "And He (Jesus) said, Come.  And when Peter was come down
out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind
boisterous, he was afraid:  and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me."

The peace that Peter had in his heart disappeared when he took his eyes off of the Saviors
face and instead looked at the storm raging around him.  Fear entered and Peter began to
sink in the storm.  Isn't that what happens to us?  We take our eyes off of Jesus, and instead,
focus on the storms of life.  The peace of God is replaced by the fear of the circumstances
which are swirling around us.

But...we are not alone in the storm!  Just as Peter was beginning to sink, he cried for the
Lords help.  Matthew 14:31  "And immediately Jesus stretched for His hand, and
caught him,"  "Immediately" Jesus was there! 

Don't let your heart be overwhelmed today with the storm that batters you.  Remember,
the Prince of Peace abides in you;  put your hand in His and let His peace drive away
all fear.

John 14:27  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world
giveth give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Minute Musings...In The Valley

Life is full of mountaintops and valleys.  Given the choice I'm sure that we would all
prefer to have only the mountaintop experiences, however God knows that we would
be very one-sided, off-balanced people.  The valleys are needful in our lives.  We need
to learn to say with the Psalmist David, "Shew me Thy ways, O LORD;  teach me
Thy paths."  Psalms 25:4 

There is a song that I love, which I would like to share with you.

In The Valley He Restoreth My Soul

 

When I'm low in the spirit I cry Lord lift me up
I want to go higher with Thee
But the Lord Knows I can't live on a mountain
so He picked out a valley for me

It's cold as a dungeon
and the sun seldom shines
And I question Lord why must this be
Then He tells me there's strength in my sorrow
and there's victory in trials for me

Chorus
And He leads me beside still waters
somewhere in the valley below
And He draws me aside
to be tested and tried
in the valley He restoreth my soul

                                                                                                Dottie Rambo

It seems to be when calamities beat on our door and the winds of adversity howl, that
we rush to the Saviors feet.  We seldom seek the Saviors face with such earnest when we
have no dire need to be addressed.  However, when sorrow looms and grief overwhelms
us; when we are frightened into a corner by some unknown force; when our way becomes
clouded by uncertainty;  this is when we cling to our Savior.  It's during these alarming
times in our lives that He has promised to restore our souls.  We grow stronger during
these hard times because we learn to lean on our Savior in a way that we seldom do
when we are on the mountaintops.

Many people love the view from the mountain tops, but the view from the valley is of
my Saviors face.  Don't dread the valleys of your life, instead see them as a special time
of fellowship with your Savior, and for spiritual growth.  There are always growing pains
when growth happens, learn to see it as a positive thing in your spiritual life.

Psalms 23:1 - 3  "The LORD is my shepherd;  I shall not want.  He maketh me to
lie down in green pastures:  He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my
soul:  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."

If you are in a valley of your life today, I encourage you to seek your Saviors face.  Only
He can provide the comfort and strength you need during this valley time in your life.  Let
Him lead you beside the still waters, let Him restore your soul.





Minute Musings...How Does Your Garden Grow?

When I was a child, I would go with my dad to the apple orchard to pick apples.  When we
left we always had apples with us.  My dad and I would also go blueberry picking.  We would
sit down in the middle of a patch of wild blueberries and fill a container with them.  Have you
ever walked into an apple orchard and filled  a basket with oranges?  Or gone to pick a quart
of blueberries and walked away with strawberries?  It is pretty basic principle to understand,
that if you plant blueberries that is what you are going to be picking!  My brother-in-law and
nephews are farmers, I'm sure they would be shocked to find a harvest of cabbage where they
planted the corn!  If you plant squash you are not going to harvest a field of turnip.  What is 
true in the physical world is also true in the Spiritual.

Galatians 6:7  "Be not deceived;  God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."

Just what is Paul saying in this letter to the churches in Galatia?  If one spends their life
sowing deceit and discord, that is what is going to come back at them.  Jesus taught this
principle in Matthew 5:7,  "Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy." And
also in Luke 6:38,  "Give, and it shall be given unto you;  good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the
same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

This is not just a New Testament teaching.  We find back in the book of Job that he said
the same thing!  Job 4:8  "Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow
wickedness, reap the same."  Hosea 10:12 & 13  "Sow to yourselves in righteousness,
reap in mercy;  break up your fallow ground:  for it is time to seek the LORD, till
He come and rain righteousness upon you.  Ye have plowed in wickedness, ye have
reaped iniquity."  We tend to look at people that have vile natures and think, "They will
eventually get what's coming to them,"  and so they shall, but so shall we!  What are you
sowing in your life?  Are you sowing seeds of kindness, mercy, gentleness, love, meekness,
honesty, grace, selflessness, compassion and tenderness?  We will be known for how we
live.  What do others see growing in the garden of your life?  If you have planted hatred, 
don't expect to harvest love! 

Perhaps you have planted good things...are you weeding?  Its very easy for the good to
be choked out by the bad that crops up.  As you know from your garden, it doesn't take
long for the pesky weeds to take over and kill many of the tender seedlings that you have
planted with care.  In your spiritual garden the weeds of hate, lust, greed, harshness,
deceit, carelessness, impatience, bitterness, anger and pride can sneak in and take over
before you know it.  You must daily be on guard for these weeds and get rid of them
immediately.

So...how is your garden growing?  Will you be disappointed with the harvest, or are you
putting work and care into your garden?  If you are, then you will be blessed with a harvest
that will bring blessing into your life.  Jeremiah 17:10  "I the LORD search the heart,
I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the
fruit of his doings."

Minute Musings...Seasoned With Salt

Have you ever heard this saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"
I heard this a lot growing up, and as a result so did my children!   There is a little rhyme
that I also heard a lot, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt
me."  This is so untrue!  The cruel sting of words will last far beyond the bruises to ones
body, and have a more damaging affect then sticks or stones could ever produce!

Colossians 4:6  "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye
may know how ye ought to answer every man."

The dictionary definition of grace is the following:  "Charm;  attractiveness; easy and
refined motions and manners, etc. favor, merciful; pleasing."  Our speech should be
always filled with grace to the hearer.  In this way, we will stand out from the world...
the filth of the worlds speech should be the polar opposite of the child of Gods.

What does "seasoned with salt" mean?  Anyone that spends any time in the kitchen,
knows that the food has a pleasant taste when it is seasoned properly.  An under-
seasoned meal is bland and repugnant to ones pallet.  Our speech should be properly
seasoned, so that one is not put off by what we have to say.  What do we "season" our
speech with?  Kindness, mercy, compassion, love, sympathy, empathy and grace.  We
should, through our speech be showing Christ to the unsaved around us!
,
How many times have we said something in the heat of the moment only to regret it
later?  Our mouths can get us into so much trouble!  There is a children's chorus that
goes like this, "Oh be careful little tongue what you say, Oh be careful little tongue
what you say.  There's a Father up above, Who is looking down in love, So be careful
little tongue what you say."  Very good advice for both old and young alike!

Another thing I was told growing up, was to think before I spoke.  That is still splendid
advice today.  We are warned in the book of James about the damage an untamed tongue
can do.

James 3:5 & 8  "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things,
behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  But the tongue can no man tame;
it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

Today, take the time to commit what comes out of your mouth to the Lord.  Through the
power of the tongue, we can make or break someones day!  Resolve, with the Lords help
today, to have your speech full of grace and correctly seasoned for the hearer.

Psalms 19:14  "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

Minute Musings...Out Of Balance

Have you ever been dizzy?  It's not a nice feeling is it!  You try to walk around, but are
unsure of each step you take.  The floor is moving on you, the walls seems to tilt at awkward
angles, and it leaves you feeling shaky, unsure of yourself and sick.  Did you know that you
can be spiritually unbalanced as well?

Luke 10:38 - 40  "Now it came to pass, as they (Jesus and the disciples) went, that He
(Jesus) entered into a certain village;  and a certain woman named Martha received
Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet,
and heard His word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to
Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
Bid her therefore that she help me."

In this familiar passage we find Mary and Martha.  It tells us that Martha was "cumbered"
about much serving.  The dictionary describes cumbered as being burdened or hindered.
Basically there was nothing wrong with what Martha was doing.  She was serving the
Lord, seeing to His physical needs, but Martha's focus was out of balance.  She had the
servants heart but was missing the servants worship.  Her fellowship with her Lord was
hindered by her service! 

The Lord showed her the imbalance in her life in verses 41 & 42 of Luke 10, "And Jesus
answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about
many things:  but one thing is needful:  and Mary hath chosen that good part, which
shall not be taken away from her."  Poor Martha, her heart was in the right place, she
wanted to serve her Lord, but her priorities were out of balance.  Martha put service before
worship.  When you become out of balance, things get mixed up.  You cannot serve properly
if you have not spent time in worship and fellowship with God.

Many people focus on the service and neglect the worship;  it won't going to work. 
Service is expected;  Hebrews 6:10  "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work
and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered
to the saints, and do minister."  God blesses service...but not at the expense of worship.
It's like trying to drive the car without putting gas into it...it will not work!

I'm sure that once Martha received this loving rebuke from the Lord, that she realized
worship must precede service.  I often think of Martha and the wonderful privilege that
she had in being to entertain the Savior.  But in reality those of us who are saved and
name the name of Christ, entertain our Savior everyday!  He is with us, He abides in
us!  As you begin another day, make sure that you have a balanced and healthy
spiritual life, worship, then serve...it's a terrible thing to be out of balance!

Minute Musings...Idols In The Heart

Ezekiel 14:3  "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and
put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face:"

How often are we guilty of singing,

Have Thine Own Way Lord

 

Have Thine own way Lord, Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay!

Mold me and make me, After Thy will,

While I am waiting, Yielded and still.

 

                        Adelaide A Pollard

 

You're probably wondering why I said that we can be guilty when singing this song. 

Do we really want God to have His own way?  That would mean that we must surrender

the idols that are in our hearts.  An idol would be anything that means more to us than

the Lord.  Ouch!  We are all guilty of having things in our lives that take priority over

God.  It might be our jobs, family, sports, hobbies...the list is endless. 

 

These idols not only weaken our fellowship with God, but they can be a stumblingblock

to those around us.  They hear us proclaiming that we are Christians, yet they witness

those things in our lives that have the pre-eminence over Christ.  We begin to have a

water-downed testimony to those around us!  What we say and what we do become two

different things.  Our lives have an influence on our children, family, co-workers and

neighbours, and we will be held responsible for our witness before them.

 

Take a moment today and examine your heart.  Are you truly willing to let the Lord

have His way in your life?  Are you willing to take away those idols from your heart,

and let the Lord take His rightful place?

 

Have Thine own way Lord, Have Thine own way!

Hold o'er my being absolute sway!

Fill with Thy Spirit, Till all shall see,

Christ only, always, living in me.

Minute Musings...I Used To Cry...

I was reading something tonight, when I came across this saying that really made me
sit up and take note;  "I used to cry because I had no shoes, until I met a man with no
feet."  Wow, now doesn't that put things into perspective?  It is so easy to complain
about our problems isn't it.

Philippians 4:11  "Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

This is quite a statement from the Apostle Paul.  Here was a man who had been
deserted, shipwrecked, imprisoned and destitute at times, claiming that no matter
what state he was in, he had learned to be content.  Contentment is a learned state,
it does not come naturally, for we are all born with the mindset of always wanting
something more, something different, something better. 

How can we learn to be content?  First we need to be thankful for what we have.
1 Thessalonians 5:18  "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you."  Being a thankful person isn't a choice, we are
commanded to be so.  To be thankful is to be obedient to the Lord.  When we
become thankful for what God has provided for us, we lose that covetous, selfish
spirit that permeates this old world.

Secondly, keep in mind that God has promised to supply what we need...not what
we want!  Philippians 4:19  "But my God shall supply all your need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  What a wonderful promise for the child
of God!  Discontentment raises its ugly head when we get our wants confused with
our needs!  We sit and grumble about not having what we think we need.  God
knows our needs and He has promised that we will supply them.  If God hasn't
given you something, don't complain, instead thank Him for knowing that this
want is not good for you.

Lastly, stop looking at yourself and start putting others first.  Philippians 2:3 & 4
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory:  but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others.  A self-centered, self-absorbed
individual will be a discontented individual!  When we put others first, their needs
become predominate in our thoughts.  Our whiney selfish way will disappear as
the Lords love and compassion for others takes priority.  Seeing the needs of others
has a way of putting our wants into perspective better than anything else. 

When you become tempted to become discontent today, remember your blessings,
remember the man with no feet!

Minute Musings...Living Water

Nothing tastes better on a hot humid day, then to drink a tall glass of ice water.  Those
that know me, know that I love water more than any other drink.  Besides quenching the
thirst, water is vital for your bodily organs to function properly.  According to a study
reported by CBC News in May, 2011, in general terms, the human body can survive
two or three days without water in contrast to 30 to 40 days without food.  Water is
vital to survival.

Were you aware that the "living water" is vital to spiritual survival?  There is only
one source for this water.

John 4:10, 13 & 14  "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift
of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, give Me to drink;  thou wouldest have
asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water. Jesus answered and
said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  but whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;  but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Jesus was speaking to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well on the outskirts of Sychar,
a city of Samaria.  What is our Lord referring to when He speaks of drinking of the
water which He shall give?  He is speaking of the gift of salvation.  People today have
the same problem that this Samaritan woman had, they are seeking for something to
satisfy the longing of their souls.  They look for it in amusements, in relationships,
in possessions, in fame and fortune.  But they still come up empty.  There is nothing
that is in this wicked world that can fill the emptiness that is inside of man.  There
is only one remedy to cure the thirst of the soul, that is the living water that comes
from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Perhaps today you feel that you've lived such a sinful life, that God cannot forgive
you and that He does not offer this gift to you.  It tells us in verse 4 of John chapter
4, that "He must needs go through Samaria."  The Jews and Samaritans were
enemies, no Jew would want to have anything to do with the Gentile Samaritans...
but Jesus did.  He went out of His way because He knew that there was a seeking,
hurting, thirsty soul that needed the gift of "living water" that He had to offer.  He
is still offering this gift today.  Take, drink, this is for you!

Springs Of Living Water

 

I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,

And nothing satisfying there I found;

But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,

Where springs of living water did abound.

 

How sweet the living water from the hills of God,

It makes me glad and happy all the way;

Now glory, grace and blessing mark the path I've trod,

I'm shouting Hallelujah every day!

 

O sinner, won't you come today to Calvary,

A fountain there is flowing deep and wide;

The Savior now invites you to the water free,

Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.

 

Drinking at the springs of living water,

Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy;

Drinking at the springs of living water,

O wonderful and bountiful supply.

 

                                       John W. Peterson

Minute Musings...In That Day

Sometimes I get into a deep thinking mood (doesn't happen a whole lot!).  I find myself
wondering why I was born to the parents I was, in a country that is free and violence is
relatively rare.  Yes, there was 9-11, and it did bring terror to our peaceful borders, but
I do not have to run daily from gun fire in the streets.  Worry if my home will be blown up
by missals.  I do not have to hold my weak and starving baby in my arms and watch the
precious life quietly slip away.  I do not have to drag my children through war-torn streets
fleeing rebels who will rape, torture and then kill us for the sport of it. 

Most people tend to blame God for all the bad that permeates this wicked world that we
find ourselves in.  However I am going to tell you today that God is not to blame for
any of it...mankind is.  God is watching with a broken heart, all that man is doing to each
other.  God gave us free will.  We have the choice to do what we will or to follow God's
plan. 

We were all born with sin.  Psalms 51:5  "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;  and in
sin did my mother conceive me."  I have never seen a parent having to teach a baby to
throw a temper tantrum, showing a child how to hit another child, or how to cheat, lie
and steal.  I'm watching my little 8 month old grandson grow up.  I never see my son sit
with him and show him how to sin! It is all part of the sin nature that we are born with. 
Until we see our sin for what it is and turn to God in repentance, and accept His gift of
salvation, we will remain in this lost state.  Becoming a Christian doesn't mean you will
become sinless, it means that you are now a sinner saved by the Grace of God.  We have
the gift of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, living in us.  Ephesians 2:8  "For by grace are ye
saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:"

I have said all of this to make the point that you cannot blame God for what is happening
in the world today.  God sits broken hearted, watching His beautiful creation being ruined
by sin...but not forever.  One day our Great Almighty God is going to step in and Satan
and sin will be no more.  He will bring justice, order and peace into this savaged sin
cursed world.

Zachariah 14:4 & 9  "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives,
which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the
midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great
valley:  and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it
toward the south.  And the LORD shall be King over all the earth:  in that day
shall there be one LORD, and His name one." 

We also have the promise that He will one day claim His rightful throne, the Throne
of David!  Matthew 25:31  "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the Throne of His glory." 

What a blessed hope!  Sin shall not have the rule forever.  One day our Great God
will rise up and stamp out sin forever.  One day peace will rule.  Don't watch the terrors
of this world with fear in your hearts, keep your eyes heavenward.  For the child of God,
our blessed hope is in His promised imminent return!  Luke 21:28  "Look up, and lift
up your heads:  for your redemption draweth nigh."

Minute Musings...Resolve To Stand

Since the foundations of the earth Satan has tried to discredit God's Word.  He is always
trying to cast doubt on what God has said.  He began in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:1
"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God
had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?"  We know from the previous chapter that God had not said
this!  Genesis 2:16 & 17  "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of
every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:" 

Satan is the father of lies, John 8:42 - 44  "Jesus said unto them (the Jews) If God
were your Father, ye would love Me:  for I proceeded forth and came from God; 
neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.  Why do ye not understand My speech? 
Even because ye cannot hear My word.  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts
of your father ye will do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in
the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of
his own;  for he is a liar, and the father of it."  Why anyone would put any stock in
what Satan says is beyond me.  One thing is for certain, those who cast doubt on the
precious Word of God are not saved.  One cannot doubt God's Word and then say that
they put their trust in God, the two trains of thoughts just can not co-exist.  Why would
someone put their faith and trust in One whose word they do not believe!

Satan has tried to wipe out the Word of God...and failed.  There is no power on earth
that can rid the world of God's Word!  Isaiah 40:8  "The grass withereth, the flower
fadeth:  but the word of our God shall stand forever."  Psalms 119:89  "For ever
O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven." 

God's Word is powerful, it is a living Word!  It has the power to change a life from
the despair of a Christ-less eternity, to a life of victory in Christ, Psalms 119:9
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed thereto
according to Thy word."  It can give divine understanding, Psalms 119:130  "The
entrance of Thy words giveth light:  it giveth understanding unto the simple." 
It gives guidance to the seeker, Psalms 119:105  "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path."  It gives hope to those devoid of all hope, Psalms 119:114 
"Thou art my hiding place and my shield:  I hope in Thy word." 

No wonder Satan wants so badly to cast doubt on the Word of God, he knows that the
Word of God is the only way to achieving peace with God!  When you hear anyone
tearing down God's blessed Word, take no part in it.  In these last days the Word of
God will come under attack more and more.  Resolve to take a stand and be a
defender of Gods Holy Word. 

The Bible Stands

 

The Bible stands like a rock undaunted,

Mid the raging storms of time;

Its pages burn with the truth eternal,

And they glow with a light sublime.

 

The Bible stands like a mountain tow'ring

Far above the works of men;

Its truth by none ever was refuted,

And destroy it they never can.

 

The Bible stands and it will forever,

When the world has passed away;

By inspiration it has been given,

All its precepts I will obey.

 

The Bible stands every test we give it,

For its Author is divine;

By grace alone I expect to live it,

And to prove it and make it mine.

 

The Bible stands through the hills may tumble,

It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;

I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,

For the Bible stands.

 

                                      Haldor Lillenas

Minute Musings...Misplaced

Have you ever misplaced something?  I do this all the time, I take something and put it
where I'm sure it will be safe until I need it, and then I can't remember where I've placed
it!  It is sometimes months before I find this object again.  Have you ever felt misplaced?
Have you ever felt like someone has come along and picked you up from the familiar and comfortable, and then put you down in a place that you know nothing about?  Then on top
of all that abandoned you?

Perhaps your husband or wife has passed away and you've had to make a move to
another place.  You've given up your home, have no friends, for your old friends are
hundreds of miles away now, and you feel that you have no real purpose left in life. 
Its really hard to start over in another place.  You smile and pretend that this new
chapter in your life is wonderful and filled with adventure as everyone is telling you
it is, but inside you're curling up and crying with loneliness.  What do you do?

Maybe your children have forsaken you.  Those little ones that you gave countless hours
of love and care for, have now turned their backs on you, viewing you as a burden in your
twilight years.  The pain of rejection stings to your very core.  Where do you belong when
your own flesh and blood have deserted you? Your whole life has revolved around your
children, now they don't want you around.

There are many things that can leave us with a feeling of being misplaced, forsaken, for-
gotten.  I want to encourage you today to look to the One who knows just where you are,
and has not forgotten you.  Psalms 142:3  "When my spirit was overwhelmed within
me, then Thou knewest my path."  I have learned this past year that life can take many
unexpected twists and turns.  It can leave you feeling disoriented, unsure and panicked at
times.  But...God knows our path!  This is one verse that I have clung to...I'm unsure of
my way, but my God has it all planned out.

We are never misplaced when we are in God's hand.  Psalms 139:1 - 6  "O LORD,
Thou hast searched me, and known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine
uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.  Thou compassest my path and
are acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo,
O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether.  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and
laid thine hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;  it is high, I
cannot attain unto it." 

God knows just where you are, for He has directed your path.  We like to be able to
see ahead and understand why things are happening.  But the life of faith is just the
opposite.  We say, "Show me and I'll trust You,"  but God says, "Trust Me and I'll
show you."  Am I a person of faith?  Are you a person of faith?  Trusting the unknown
into the hands of God is putting faith into action in our lives.  Is it easy?  No, it's
not, but it is the only way to make peace with where God has placed us, and to gain
spiritual victory in our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the
LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

You are not misplaced, God knows exactly where He has placed you...in the path of
blessing, victory and peace.  Go to Him with your feelings of abandonment, He
understands,for He was forsaken by all as well.  Take His hand, (for He is the "Friend
that sticketh closer than a brother." Psalms 18:24") and walk into your future secure
in the knowledge that you are not misplaced and that you do not walk alone. 

Minute Musings...Cravings

Have you ever craved anything?  When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I craved "Bugles."
They are little cracker/chips things that come in various flavours.  I craved the BBQ ones,
and I'm sure ate enough to almost single handedly sustain their business!  But after my son
was born I couldn't even have them in the house anymore!  I've heard of some women who
crave really strange things, toothpaste, grass and so on!

The dictionary describes the word crave as "to have a very strong desire for;  to long for;
an inordinate desire for."

1 Peter 2:2  "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby."

Have you ever watched a newborn baby when they are hungry?  They frantically turn
their heads this way and that, looking for the milk...they have a strong desire for that
food!  The Bible tells us that we should have that same craving for the Word of God,
as that infant has for their milk.  Do we crave time alone in the Word, studying and
growing in the Lord?  Or do other things fills our hearts, momentarily filling that
hunger void with the things of this world, which do not last?

We cannot feed on this world and grow in Christ at the same time.  What we feed, the
old nature or the new nature, will be the one that grows and dominates.  King David
was very aware that one must feed on the Word.  Psalms 119:97, 99, 103 & 104
"O how love I Thy law, it is my meditation all the day.  For Thy testimonies are
my meditation.  How sweet are Thy words unto my taste!  Yea, sweeter than
honey to my mouth!  Through Thy precepts I get understanding:"  David knew
that He needed to feed on the law of the Lord.  He meditated on the Word of God,
and God's words were sweet to his soul. 

What are you feeding on?  What do you spend your time watching on television?  Do
you reach for the Bible or for worldly books and magazines that promote fleshly desires?
Do you turn to alcohol or drugs to try and fill that void in your heart?  All of these things
may bring about a temporary sense of fulfillment in your life, but it will not last!  Don't
waste your time feeding on this wicked world, it will be empty calories and bring rottenness
and death to your bones.  Only Jesus can fill the longing in your soul, only the Word of
God can fill the cravings of your heart.

Psalms 119:40  "Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts (Word) quicken me
in Thy righteousness."

Only Jesus Can Satisfy Your Soul

 

The world may try to satisfy

That longing in your soul,

You may search the wide world over,

But you'll be just as before.

You'll never find true satisfaction,

Until you've found the Lord,

For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

 

Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

Yes, only He can change your heart

And make you whole.

He'll give you peace you never knew,

Sweet joy and love and Heaven too,

For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

 

                                      Lanny Wolfe

Minute Musings...Hide & Seek

There was nothing I enjoyed more growing up, than in the summer evenings having a
game of Hide & Seek with the kids in my neighbourhood.  I can still remember the rush
of running as fast as I could to find the perfect hiding place, then making myself as
small as I could in this place so that I wouldn't be found.  Your heart would be beating
and you would be gasping for breath as you awaited the search to begin.  As the seeker
came closer you would try even harder not to move;  your pulse would quicken again as
they slowed near your hiding place looking for a clue to your whereabouts.  Then there
was the rush of victory when they took off in another direction, having failed to find you
where you crouched!

The Bible tells us that we are to leave childish things behind when we become adults;
1 Corinthians 13:11  "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child:  but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
Many of us however have brought the mentality of our youth into adulthood.  We still
play Hide & Seek, although this time it is with God.  We think we can hide from God!
We have examples in the Bible of people who thought they could hide from God, but
found out otherwise!

Genesis 3:8  "And they (Adam and Eve) heard the voice of the LORD God walking
in the garden in the cool of the day:  and Adam and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." 

Here is the first time anyone played Hide & Seek!  Can you imagine the position that
Adam and Eve had at this time.  They enjoyed the companionship and presence of the
Lord God Almighty.  They could fellowship with their Creator in the beautiful garden
that He had designed just for them.  Yet when they sinned, their first instinct was to
hide from God.  Sin immediately separates us from fellowship with God.  Even though
they ran and hid, God knew what had happened.  Our first thought when we sin is
to hide from God.  It is our sin and shame that sends us into hiding, but God knows
just where we are.

Jonah 1:3  "But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the
LORD, and went down to Joppa;  and he found a ship going to Tarshish:  so
he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish
from the presence of the LORD."

I'm sure we're all familiar with Jonah and his attempt to flee the Lord God.  God
wanted him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah didn't want to do what the Lord asked of
him, so he choose to run and hide.  It didn't work, because the Lord knows all, and
God stopped him by sending a huge fish to swallow him.  It was only here, in the
belly of this great fish that Jonah realized you couldn't run from God and repented.
We do this!  God wants us to do something for Him, but we refuse for whatever
reason.  Sometimes we go to great lengths to avoid God, but He always knows just
where to find us, and what it will take to bring us to repentance.

Luke 22:54 & 55  "Then took they Him (Jesus) and led Him and brought Him
into the high priest's house.  And Peter followed afar off.  And when they had
kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat
down among them."

Here we find Peter, the night that Jesus was arrested.  Peter is trying to hide among
the crowd around the fire.  He is trying to blend in.  We all know that he wasn't
successful, for he was recognized, and ended up 3 times denying that he knew Jesus,
just as the Lord had told him he would.  Aren't there times when we try to hide in
the presence of others? We want so hard to fit in and not be made fun of.  We try to
conceal that we are Christians, we are ashamed to name the name of Christ...we are
no better than Peter!

We cannot hide from God.  God see's all and knows all.  Proverbs 15:3  "The
eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."  He
even knows your thoughts.  Psalms 139:1 & 2  "O LORD, Thou hast searched
me, and known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou
understandest my thought afar off."  Stop running from God, repent of your sin
 and start enjoying the fellowship with Him that is available to you.  You, be the
adult, and let the children play Hide & Seek today!

Minute Musings...This Is The Day!

Psalms 118:24  "This is the day which the LORD hath made:  we will rejoice and
be glad in it."

For some reason I always associate this verse (and chorus) as pertaining to the Lord's
Day (Sunday).  But the verse makes no such declaration, it just says, "This is the day",
this is because, every day is a day that the Lord has made.  And it goes on to say, that
it is a day that we will rejoice and be glad in.

Do you know that it is a choice whether we rejoice or not.  We decide if we are going
to spend our time complaining or rejoicing.  Grant it, some days it is hard to see the
good, especially if we are in the middle of trials or sorrows...but there is always some-
thing to rejoice in about the day.  Knowing that God has designed each day to be just
what we need should be a comfort to us.  We know that no matter what happens in
the course of that day it is from our Fathers hand, and that it is for our good.  Romans
8:28  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose."  Trials or victories all stem
from our Heavenly Father, who doeth all things well.  It tell us in Hebrews 12:2 that
we need to be, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith:"  When
our eyes are focused on the Lord, we will see all things as coming from Him.

There is one constant every day that we can rejoice about, that is the Lord Jesus Christ!
He never changes, Hebrews 13:8  "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and
for ever."  The same Lord that saved us, sustained us, blessed us, helped us, protected us,
guided us, is the same Lord that is with us today!  What an amazing statement to be able
to make; that the Great Creator God, the Great I Am, Jehovah, the Lord of Lords and King
of Kings, El Shaddai, Yahweh, Adonai, Ancient of Days, Faithful & True, Alpha & Omega,
Abba Father, Almighty God...He dwells with us!  This is something that we can rejoice in,
no matter what our particular circumstances happen to be. 

When we keep our eyes on the Lord, we always have something to rejoice and be glad
in.  Psalms 16:8  "I have set the LORD always before me:"  Each day contains this
tremendous blessing for us.  It is when we cease to see the Lord's hand and presence in
our day, that we will stop rejoicing.  Rejoicing has nothing to do with our circumstances,
but everything to do with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We can rejoice and
be glad in each day, regardless of its tribulations and burdens, because we have the Lord
with us.

What are you going to do with this day?  It's your choice whether you rejoice or
complain.  God made this day for you.  He made it for you to be victorious in, to praise
Him in.  Rejoice in the love God has for you and enjoy your day!  Psalms 8:1  "O LORD
our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!"

Minute Musings...No, Not One!

Proverbs 18:24  "And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

How very blest we are to have friends.  I don't know how I would have made it through
some of the things in my life without my dear friends.  Friends are a gift from the Lord,
and we should never take friendship for granted.  But as dear and loved as our friends
are, there is one friend that is above all others.

Friends are human, and like it or not, there will be times when they will fail us, hurt
us and in general let us down.  Maybe intentional, maybe not...but our human friends
will in some way disappoint and hurt us over the course of time.  The Bible tell us
however about a friend who will never fail us. 

This friend knows us better than we know ourselves.  He will always be there for us,
never too busy to listen to our troubles.  He will bring joy into our lives like we've never
known before  Psalms 16:11  "Thou wilt shew me the path of life:  In Thy presence
is fullness of joy:"  He will put a song in our mouths and a smile on our faces,  Psalms
40:3  "And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God."  He
will be our guide when we cannot see,  Psalms 32:8  "I will instruct thee and teach
thee in the way which thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with Mine eye."  Our strength
when we are weak,  Psalms 18:32  "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and
maketh my way perfect."  Our comfort in sorrow,  Psalms 9:9  "The LORD also
will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."   Our encourager
when down,  Psalms 107:9  "For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the
hungry soul with goodness."   Our protector from danger,  Psalms 4:8  "I will both
lay me down in peace, and sleep:  for Thou LORD, only makes me dwell in safety."
Our counselor when perplexed,  Psalms 33:11  "The counsel of the LORD standeth
for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations."   Our shepherd when feeling
lost,  Psalms 23:1  "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want."  Our helper when
we are helpless,  Psalms 54:4  "Behold, God is mine helper:"

Oh, how very blessed we are to say that Jesus is our friend!  O, What A Friend We
Have In Jesus."  Make sure that your confidence is placed in God, not in man.

There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,

No, not one!  No, not one!

None else could heal all our soul's diseases,

No, not one!  No, not one!

 

There's not an hour that He is not near us,

No, not one!  No, not one!

No night so dark, but His love can cheer us,

No, not one!  No, not one!

 

Was e'er a gift like the Savior given?

No, not one!  No, not one!

Will He refuse us a home in heaven?

No, not one!  No, not one!

 

Jesus knows all about our struggles,

He will guide till the day is done:

There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,

No, not one!  No, not one!

 

                                     Johnson Oatman Jr. 

Minute Musings...Of Whom The World Is Not Worthy

I've been thinking a lot today about those who are suffering for the name of Christ in
these times.  We tend to think of martyrdom as being hundreds of years ago...Christians
thrown to the lions, beheaded, crucified and tortured.  But do you realize that the
brutalizing and killing of Christians is still rampart in many parts of the world.  We
here in North America find this hard to fathom, in part because of the "civilized"
society that we have been blessed to live in.  We tend (to our shame) to have an"out
of sight, out of mind" mindset.  I just read today of Christian families in Iraq;  the
fathers are being hung, the mothers raped and killed and the children beheaded.  The
children that can escape are trying to stay alive in the mountains, but are dying of 
hunger and thirst while being hunted down.  This is happening right now, it is not
history.

Hebrews 11:37 - 38  "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted,
were slain with the sword:  they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins;
being destitute, afflicted, tormented;  (Of whom the world was not worthy:)  they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

This passage in Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the "Christian Hall Of Fame."  It
is talking about those who had given their lives because of their faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ.  We can take this same passage and see how it applies today as well.
I truly believe that God gives a special kind of grace to those of His children who
suffer like this.  We see this promise in 2 Corinthians 12:9  "My grace is sufficient
for thee:  for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

We also have the example of those that took a stand for the Lord and suffered because
of it.  Corrie Ten Boom was born in Amsterdam in April 15, 1892.  When the 2nd
World War started, the Boom family became very involved in the Dutch underground,
actually hiding 10 Jews in a secret room in their home.  The whole Boom family was
arrested in Feb of 1944.  Corrie and her sister Betsie ended up in the Ravensbruck
Concentration Camp, where Betsie would die.  Corrie was eventually released.  All
ten of the Jews they hid survived.  Betsie gave her life, and Corrie was ready to do so
as well.

Missionary Jim Elliot and his wife Elizabeth were getting ready to take the Gospel to
violent, and as yet unreached Auca Tribe in Ecuador.  On January 8th, 1956, Jim was
killed along with 4 other men, when their plane crashed.  It was his wife Elizabeth
that later was among the first to reach the Auca Tribe with the Gospel.  I like what
has been written about Jim;  "He gave what he could not keep, and gained what he
could not lose."

How ready are you today to take a stand for the Lord Jesus Christ?  We may or may
not have to put our lives on the line someday for our faith...but are you willing?  Are
we at the place where we can say with all sincerity, "Not my will, but Thine be done."

Minute Musings...Are You Ready?

I turned on the television this morning to watch the news.  In the space of only a 1/2 hour
the following were mentioned.  The war in Israel, flooding in California and Ontario, the
earthquake that just hit China, the deadly outbreak of Ebola in 3 West African countries.
Eyes are watching tropical storm Bertha as it heads for Eastern Canada.  Severe thunder-
storm watches, tornado watches, mud-slides and fires out of control.  Violence is erupting
in various parts of the world, refugees fleeing to Russia, famine...all in all its not a pretty
picture of our world.  One can find themselves getting depressed and alarmed, all at the
same time...unless you know what is taking place.

Mark 13: 7 & 8  "And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not
troubled;  for such things must needs be;  but the end shall not be yet.  For nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:  and there shall be earth-
quakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles:  these are the
beginnings of sorrows."

This world is entering into the "last days" in which we will see such things increasing
in frequency and size.  But as Christians, we are not to be alarmed, the verse above tells
us "Be ye not troubled."  Why are we instructed not to be troubled by the chaos in
which the world is in?  Because for the believer, the child of God, it's an indicator that
our Lord will soon return for us...we finally get to go home!  This should be such a
comforting thought!  Jesus went to the trouble of telling us this so that we would not
be afraid when conditions deteriorate..."for such things must needs be;"  God has
everything in control.

Seeing the decline around us, should send our eyes more to our Heavenly home, and
all the wondrous things that are awaiting us on the other side.  John 14:1-3  "Let not
your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's
house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to
prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto Myself;  that where I am, there ye may be also."
We have no reason to fear! 

Are you watching for the promised return of our Savior, Jesus Christ? God always
keeps His promises.  Don't let what is happening in the world panic you, remember,
"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through." 

Acts 1:9 - 11  "And when He (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they (the
disciples and others) beheld, He was taken up;  and a cloud received Him out
of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men of
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go
into heaven."  Jesus is returning...are you ready?