Be Ready

Excerpt from today's sermon:

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

He's coming again, folks. He said that no one knows the day nor the hour. So be watchful and be ready.

Yet Another Child

Katy's sister-in-law is less than delighted when Katy gives birth to yet another child. . .

"She says I shall now have one more mouth to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music, and drawing.

"Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other. Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one more dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!"

~ Katy, from Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

Compassion in Grief

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. . .

For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

Lamentations 3:22-23; 31-32

More Suffering in Haiti

This is a photo of the presidential palace in Haiti. It is now in ruins because of a huge earthquake that occurred yesterday. There were many other photos, but they were too heart wrenching and horrible that I didn't want to post them. I felt the need, however, to say something with regard to this poor country which already suffers tremendously from poverty. We'll be getting pleas to help through various organizations and the United States government, as always, will be reaching out to this people in need. Well, we sit helplessly by while people far from us are going through such a time as this. But we can do something: We can pray for them, of course, and we can give what we can. Words from my devotions day before yesterday:

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day. Isaiah 58:10

"Dear Lord, have mercy on these poor people in their affliction and suffering. We don't understand these things, but trust in your ways even when it's difficult to do so. Help us to reach out our souls to them, and even our resources where we can. Please save sinners in Haiti, Lord, even at such a time as this. In Jesus' Name, amen."

A Manger Was a Throne

’Tis He that Life and Spirit doth infuse:
Let ev’ry thing
The Praises sing
Of Christ the King of Jews;
Who makes things green, and with a Spring infuse
A Season which to see it doth not use:
Old Winter’s Frost and hoary hair,
With Garland’s crowned, Bays doth wear;
The nipping Frost of Wrath b’ing gon,
To Him the Manger made a Throne,
Du Praises let us sing,
Winter and Spring.

From On Christmas Day, by Thomas Traherne

Looks like a white Christmas around here, as we're coming out from one of the biggest snowstorms in a very long time. Spring seems so far off when you have a huge storm this early, but we can be assured it's coming. I happened upon this poem today and thought this particular stanza fitting. I love what it says about the the "Nipping Frost of Wrath" being gone and the call for both Winter and Spring to sing the praises of the Christ Child.

But the phrase I love the most is the one about the Manger being made a throne. Isn't that just a fantastic thought? Wow. Yes, that is pretty deep, but how true. You see, wherever the King of Kings rests Himself, it is indeed a throne.

From here at Scraps of Glory, may I wish whoever it is that comes by, a most blessed Christmas, bowing before His throne, even when a manger.

Love For Christ

Let John MacArthur speak to your heart today. (Don't forget to turn off the music on the sidebar.)

Death at Nain

And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. Luke 7:11-15

Our morning sermon yesterday was accompanied by tears being shed by the preacher and many of the hearers alike. You see, there were many words about dying and funerals. There were necessary words about sin, the cause of all the heartache. Pastor D. talked about the young man who died and about his mother. Much of the sermon tore at our hearts quite a bit. But like all good preaching, we were brought at last to Jesus, the One who conquered sin and death. As Pastor said, He is the central figure in the passage. He is the One who told the dead man to arise and the dead DID arise and was alive again. We were told once again, and may we never tire of hearing it, that this Jesus is the one and only deliverer from death and the grave.

And, we sang my favorite song that is so often sung at funerals in celebration of the homegoing of a believer: "The Sands of Time of Sinking." A blessed day indeed. My favorite stanza from that hymn:

O Christ, he is the fountain,
The deep sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I've tasted
More deep I'll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Emmanuel's land.

So, death at Nain ended with victory at Nain. I would like to remind you dear ones once again that this same Jesus is ready and willing to save YOU from the consequences of YOUR sin if you but come to Him. If you already know Him, don't you agree that we have a mighty and compassionate Savior?

A Good Word for Today's Happenings

¹Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

²He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

³How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

⁴They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

⁵My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

⁷In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

⁸Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

⁹Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

¹⁰Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

¹¹God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

¹²Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. (Psalm 62, King James Version)

Refusing to Go In

And he was angry, and would not go in--Luke 15:28 [The elder brother from the Prodigal Son parable.]

. . .Now the labors of the day were over. "The plowman homewards wends his weary way." And he was hungry and he needed food. He was weary and he needed rest. He was soiled and stained with his day's work, and he wanted a change of raiment in the evening--and all that he needed in that evening hour was stored and treasured in his father's house. "And he was angry, and would not go in." He missed the very things that he was needing. All that would freshen him and make him strong again, he lost because he stayed outside the door. He was a soiled, weary, and hungry man, and everything was ready for the taking, yet no one forced him to the taking of it when he deliberately stood without. Is not that always the pity of it, when a man refuses the love of Jesus Christ? Is he not missing just what he most needs, and needs the more, the more has has been faithful? For all of us are soiled and we need cleansing; and all of us are weak and we need strength, and all of us are hungering and thirsting, and Christ alone can satisfy that hunger. My brother and sister, I want you to come in not to please me, but for your own sake first. I want you to come in, because just what you need now is waiting you in Christ. I want you to come in because that heart of yours is restless and unsatisfied and hungry; because when you were tempted last you fell, and you are missing the very thing you need.

~ George Morrison, Meditations on the Gospels

I Am My Neighbor's Bible

Another poem that was included in a birthday card from my mom contains sweetly worded truths that are always worth remembering. I think all too often we get hung up on what's important to ourselves personally, while failing to consider our effect on the world around us.

I am my neighbor's Bible

He reads me when we meet;

Today he reads me in my home--

Tomorrow on the street.

He may be relative or friend

Or slight acquaintance be;

He may not even know my name,

Yet he is reading me.

And pray, who is this neighbor

Who reads me day by day,

To learn if I am living right

And walking as I pray?

Oh, he is with me always

To criticize or blame;

So worldly-wise in his own eyes,

And "sinner" is his name.

Dear Christian friends and brothers,

If we could only know

How faithfully the world records

Just what we say and do,

Oh, we would write our record plain

And come in time to see

Our worldly neighbor won to Christ

While reading you and me.

~ Anon

What a message Mom has left for me even though there are times it gets forgotten. I ask the Lord to embed these words in my heart.