Simply Praise
1 Ch. 29:13 “Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
(A monthly meditation considering our God)
Seeing God
This issue started out backwards for some reason. Usually God gives me the first story, then the rest of the issue follows. But not this month, this month God started from the back and worked forward. I’m learning not to ask “Why”. I’m learning that I don’t have to have all the answers up front to know God is Sovereign over all things. I’m learning that God has plans and purposes that I might not ever know while here on earth. But I do know, God controls everything! Even the painful dark days, that seem to never end, still there is purpose in them. Job said, “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips”. Evil doesn’t necessarily mean sinful, but rather something bad, disastrous, or painful. God does not tempt with evil, but does bring things into our lives that reveal our hearts and draw us near to Him or turn us away from Him. God said Job was righteous, and the things that Job suffered in one day are astounding to me. “Yet he sinned not with his lips”. He did not charge God foolishly. I must admit that my heart and lips have not been so kind to My God, and for that I ask His forgiveness. There is a hymn by William Cowper (1731-1800) “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.” I have come to see that it is God who is worthy of praise in all circumstances. Even the ones I just don’t understand. D.E.M
In Everything I Praise You
Your decisions for my life are right, O Lord, for You are my Father. You care for me. You are the Potter. Shape me as You would. Teach me Your lessons, that I may be worthy of being Your child. Help me to be pliable clay so You can form me the way You please. I have no fear of Your plan, Lord. Instead, I put my trust completely in You. I may not understand why things happen the way they do. I may even cry out in difficult times, when I don’t see the reasoning of it all. Yet I will let You purify me in Your loving way. Make me like silver and gold as You refine me and skim away the dross and impurities. At times this is difficult, but I must trust You and obey, because You know what’s best for me. When the trials come, help me draw closer to You. I know You, Lord Jesus, suffered too. Through each struggle, I will strive to remain true. Afterward, as You have promised, I will share again the wonderful joy You have waiting for me. I praise You in everything, Lord, that the will of God will be accomplished through me. (When I’m On My Knees)
Extreme Focus
Me Ling was young when she was arrested for her Christian activities in Communist China. During times of interrogation, the police would torture her to try to force her to betray friends in the underground church. At first Me Ling was extremely fearful, and she could not see the purpose that God had for her in that terrible place. But then she remembered the teachings of her pastor who had said, “Real suffering lasts only a minute, and then we spend eternity with our awesome Savior.” when asked how she was able to keep from going crazy during those terrible times, she replied, “When I closed my eyes, I could not see the angry faces of the men or the instruments of pain they were using. I kept repeating the promise of Christ to myself: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God’ (Matthew 5:8). I also found that when I purified my heart of the fear of men, I learned to really see God. I took courage from all the others who had gone before me and focused on him until everything else faded away. When the officials learned of my defense, they taped my eyelids open. But it was too late because my vision was secure.”
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2
From The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotions page 115.
A Shelter in the Time of Storm
The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hid--
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide—
A shelter in the time of storm.
O Rock divine, O refuge dear—
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near—
A shelter in the time of storm.
(By, Vernon J. Charlesworth)
As sure as God puts His children into the furnace of affliction,
He will be with them in it.”
Charles Spurgeon
Vision And Darkness
“An horror of great darkness fell upon him.” Genesis 15:12. whenever God gives a vision to a saint, He puts him, as it were, in the shadow of His hand, and the saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a darkness which comes from excess of light, and then is the time to listen. Genesis 16 is an illustration of listening to good advice when it is dark instead of waiting for God to send the light. When God gives a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will make you in accordance with the vision He has given if you will wait His time. Never try and help God fulfill His word. Abraham went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all self-sufficiency was destroyed; there was no possibility left of relying on common-sense ways. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not of displeasure. Never pump up joy and confidence, but stay upon God (cf. Isaiah 1:10,11). Have I any confidence in the flesh? Or have I got beyond all confidence in my self and in men and women of God; in books and prayers and ecstasies; and is my confidence placed now in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am the Almighty God” —El-Shaddai, the Father God. The one thing for which we are all being disciplined is to know that God is real. As soon as God becomes real, other people become shadows. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever perturb the one who is built on God.
(My Utmost for His Highest;
Oswald Chambers)
Days of Trouble
Read Psalm 102:1-11
One day I phoned a friend of mine who is in the ministry and asked, “How’s it going?” His quiet reply was, “Well, I’m having one of those days.” The next time you’re having one of those days when everything seems to be going wrong—your plans are falling apart, you don’t feel well, there are problems and burdens, and it seems as if all of the forces of the enemy are against you—read this psalm. “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble” (vv.1-2). What kind of a day was the psalmist having? A day of trouble. In fact, he compares himself to a lonely bird. “I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert...I am like a sparrow alone upon the housetop” (vv.6-7). That’ s the way he feels—like a bird alone on a housetop. He wants to go into the house and enjoy some fellowship, but he’s alone. His enemies were reproaching him (v.8). But in a day of trouble and reproach, he says, “I’m going to change this by the grace of God.” And it becomes a day of prayer. He tells God how he feels and what he sees. He cries out, “God, You are the only One who can change things.” God can change things for you also. He may not change the circumstances on the outside, but He does change your feelings on the inside. Then the day of trouble becomes a day of triumph. Everyone has days of trouble. When circumstances entrap you and trouble closes around you, pray to the Lord. He knows how to turn your trouble into triumph. Although He may not answer your prayers the way you expect, He will do what is best for you and for His glory. (Warren Wiersbe)
On A Hill Far Away
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me, for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above to bear it to dark Calvary. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown. In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see; for ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, its shame and reproach gladly bear, then He’ll call me someday to my home far away, where His glory forever I’ll share. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.
(George Bennard 1941)
I love this song, when I read the words and think of their meaning I cry because I’ll never really understand all that Jesus suffered on my behalf. So I’ll cherish and cling not just to the cross, but to the One who died upon it, yet rose again, and lives forever. Jesus!
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me besides the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me:
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the
Presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil;
My cup runneth over:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Al the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Looking Good
When the enemy comes, prowling around, we need to be prepared. Are you ready to battle this one out? (Eph. 6).
1.SMARTE 6. SAFIRFA
2.AWHTR 7. IAGNKM
3.DOOMNIAITN 8. DEBEIECNO
4.RUNETATEC 9. YLDOBL
5.ROMPIES
1. —— (——) —— —— —— ——
2. —— (——) —— —— ——
3. —— —— (——) —— —— —— —— —— (——) ——
4. (——) —— —— —— —— —— —— —— ——
5. —— (——) (——) —— —— —— ——
6. —— —— (—— )—— —— —— ——
7. —— —— —— —— —— (——)
8. (——) —— —— —— —— —— —— —— ——
9. —— —— —— (——) —— ——
The only defense.
Answer:—- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —-
Singing In The Storm
The storms of life surround me, but I will not be tossed to and fro. I am anchored in Your steadfast love. A song of praise wells up from my heart. I will sing praise and glory to Your name, while You carry me through this, another storm. You alone know the answers and the outcome. I take comfort in Your mighty presence. I turn into the wind, unafraid, ready to face each day head on, flanked with Your power and wisdom. In the peak of the storm, when I feel I can hold on no longer, I will call on Your name for peace. I will trust in You and will not feel afraid, as I nestle into Your protecting hands. How is it that You have such mighty power, that the tempest in my life cease their crashing winds at Your command? How is it that You can calm my raging seas of circumstances and emotions and bring my life into Your control with Your powerful, yet hushed voice? Even now, I hear Your whisper, “Peace, be still. Know I am God.” When the storm subsides, my song of praise for You will echo throughout the ages from generation to generation, telling of Your mighty works and deeds. Thank You, dear Lord, for Your help and peace. (Anita Corrine Donihue; When I’m On My Knees)
