Though the Most Terrible Occurs . . .

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Psalm 46:2

. . . The two phrases set forth the most terrible commotions within the range of imagination, and include the overthrow of dynasties, the destruction of nations, the ruin of families, the persecutions of the church, the reign of heresy, and whatever else may at any time try the faith of believers. Let the worst come to the worst, the child of God should never give way to mistrust; since God remaineth faithful there can be no danger to his cause or people. When the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the heavens and the earth shall pass away in the last general conflagration, we shall serenely behold "the wreck of the matter, and the crash of worlds," for even then our refuge shall preserve us from all evil, our strength shall prepare us for all good.~ Charles Spurgeon

As we look around us and see with open eyes, it's pretty apparent that some of the situations Mr. Spurgeon outlined are upon us already. It's important to remember that our "refuge and strength" is still there, isn't it?

Sunday Snippet - Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble? Psalm 46:1

Familiar words? I'm sure they are! What Christian doesn't know the first verse of this wonderful, wonderful psalm in the Word of God? What child of God has not been inspired, and most of all, comforted by not just this verse, but the whole eleven verses of one of the most beloved portions of our beloved Bible.

This, my dear friends, was our sermon today. It was delivered by a visiting young man who comes to preach periodically and we've seldom been disappointed when he does. This time I was particularly thankful for the ministry of the Word, because I needed it so much. You see, there is nothing that motivates me more in my Christian walk than to hear a message that brings me to God. And that's what happened today. I like it that our brother "took us into the mindset of the psalmist," that is, he brought us to the place that we could have a sense of what was happening in and to Jerusalem at the time the words were written. The horror of that time came alive for me--the brutal Assyrians, the great and vicious Sennacherib knocking at the door, ready to come in and destroy them. And yet, "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved." Wow. The context is trouble and the question posed to us was "What is it that unsettles you today?"

Whatever is unsettling you, whatever trouble you may be having, this blessed psalm is for you. Read it today and meditate on it. Let these words echo in your heart and mind:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10.

He Has Purposed

For some reason, I've been drawn to the book of Isaiah in recent days, to remind myself of the sovereignty of God in all things. Can I share this passage with you, a favorite of mine for many years? Just posting it as a reminder, folks. And a comfort.

The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Isaiah 14:24-27

Priorities

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to him belong,

They are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

~ Anna B. Warner

Miss Warner is another of my "inspirations" in life. For those of you who know me well, this should not be surprising. Why? Because so many of the people, past and present, who fall into that category are people who loved children and and placed a high regard on teaching them spiritual truths. If you'd like to be blessed, read about the lives of Anna and her sister Susan. You will be struck by the riches of lives such as theirs.

Stories abound about this hymn. You'd be surprised at the number of adults for whom it remained a favorite, such as Francis Schaeffer. The most enthusiastic singing comes at our church's nursing home ministry when this song is sung. As Mr. Schaeffer has said, while people need intellectual answers to their questions, they also need a direct message to their heart. "Jesus Loves Me" does that. It speaks directly to the hearts of young people, but also to all of us of all ages.

I firmly believe, as did the Warner sisters no doubt, that what we learn as children is best learned. While salvation is from God, and cannot be passed on by us, the truths that lead to a person's conversion can be firmly implanted in childhood and who knows when and how God will use them. That's why writing for children is still a priority for me. It's a priority, yes, but I've been neglecting it. This is not a resolution or anything like that, but my blogging and Facebook have got to take more of a back seat in coming days. Writing for precious young souls is burning at my heart again. There are several projects which got started and then, you know how it goes, things got off track.

I still want to visit friends and all that, but I am really going to try to limit my writing here to quotes, verses, poetry, notes about sermons, and things of that sort, which was my original intent. Unless some original thoughts do inspire the old brain and I can do it quickly!

Just thought I'd let you know what's going on. I'll be over to see you when I can!

New Year Wishes

I asked the New Year for some motto sweet,
Some rule of life by which to guide my feet.
I asked and paused; it answered soft and low,
"God's will to know."
`Unknown

I wish this for you and me, dear friends. I appreciate each and every one who stops by to visit. Your comments and encouragements have meant more than you can know. Blessings for the year 2009 and beyond. Signing off with words from one of my favorite hymns for the new year:

O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor Wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my guide.

~ John E. Bode