Unsearchable Riches of Christ

"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Eph 3:8

NEVER forget that Jesus is our Brother, and that He has devoted all His riches to us, so that the riches of Jesus are the Christian's fortune. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." He employed all He possessed for our redemption, sanctification, and salvation; and now, at the right hand of the Majesty on high, He giveth liberally, and upbraideth not. He has riches of grace, riches of mercy, and riches of glory. The residue of the Spirit is with Him. He has promised largely; He has proved His readiness to bestow, in the most wonderful way; let us therefore expect great things from Him, for He has unsearchable riches. O believer, look not at thy poverty, at thy wants, or thy circumstances, but look at Jesus; all things are under His feet, all blessings are at His disposal, and His heart is set upon thee to do thee good! He will supply all thy needs while on earth, and afterwards receive thee to glory. My soul, thy Jesus has all thou needest: therefore look to Him, and Him alone!

Possessing Christ, I all possess,
Strength, wisdom, sanctifying grace,
And righteousness complete:
Bold, in His name, I dare draw nigh,
Before the Ruler of the sky,
And all His justice meet.

(Shared thanks to a recent email from Johnny Farese.)

Hi Friends. I am well, though I'm neglecting this particular blog these days. As usual my plate is full, in more ways than one. I am rich because if I possess Christ, I have all things. Unsearchable riches. This is one of my favorite themes of the gospel. Are you rich? If you don't have the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you are poor indeed. But you don't have to be.

Just wanted to share that. Be blessed all.

Increased Strength

For more encouraging and uplifting Word-Filled Wednesday posts, visit Susan at Forever His.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Isaiah 40:29

We have loads of critters exactly like this one in our backyard, always scampering about trying to get at the birdseed. Actually, we like them. The other day when my daughter let our dog out, a fairly young squirrel like this one tried to escape via a dead limb which broke, dropping him with a loud banging sound atop our outdoor grill. He fell onto the ground, lying there limply whereupon our dog Fro hurried over (of course) and picked up this poor helpless creature in his mouth. Neesie , who was horrified, hollered at Fro to "drop it" (he's been trained to drop whatever he has at that command), which he promptly obeyed, and Neesie dragged him (Fro, not the squirrel) inside and then locked our bewildered dog in his crate. She came and got me and both of us stood at the back sliding door with sad hearts, watching this poor little bushy tailed animal trying unsuccessfully to lift itself up. We thought perhaps it had injured its spine or something. Finally, I did something: I prayed for him. Agree with me or not, that's what I did. I asked the Lord to either take him out of this world and end his misery or help him to get out of our yard. About 30 seconds later, he turned on his stomach and inched forward a bit; then, after another minute or so, he began to scamper at a pretty good pace across the yard and through the fence! A few minutes after that, we saw him heading up one of the bigger healthy trees in that yard!

I don't know what happened to him after that, of course, (they all look alike you know), but what a beautiful lesson this little critter was for me on Matthew 6:26 and the above Scripture. There have been and certainly will be times in my life and yours when we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually sapped of all strength. But the wonderful Creator God of this universe, who cares for the smallest of His creatures, won't He care for each one of us and increase our strength for yet another day in the journey?

Fruitbearing

You can find more Word Filled Wednesday posts to bless your soul at Cristy's Critty Joy.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.


Psalm 92:12-15

This passage has been dear to me for a good while now, but as the years pass, it becomes even more so. I know quite a few golden years folks who are really living this passage and they are such encouragements to me. Now that I too am older, I sure do pray the Lord will give me strength to bear fruit to His glory, even in old age.

Drop of a Bucket

From my morning devotions:

Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. Isaiah 40:15

All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. Isaiah 40:17

Now I encourage (dare) you to read the rest of the passage in Isaiah 40, from verse 12 on, and let God put all of us in our place. Just to be clear, the "he" and "him" in the verses are referring to the Lord God of this universe. You and I know (at least we should) that we are but a drop in the bucket in the vast scheme of things, over which He alone has absolute control. By the way, that would also include Iran, and China, and North Korea, and others big in the news. Oh, and by the way also, that would include America. Remind the folks in Washington of this, would you, though I doubt if they really comprehend it. Oh, and while you're at it, tell all of the elites in the mainstream media--even if they do call you a crazy.

Boy, was it ever refreshing to read that once again.

My Hope

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand.’ These are the words that came to the heart and mind of a man named Edward Mote while on his way to his job as a cabinetmaker. During the day, the stanzas came to him. I know many of us have said it many times, but it's almost as if many of these hymns were inspired by God. So many of these writers were men and women whose relationship with the Lord was so close, and they knew the Word of God so well, that these biblical expressions just poured forth out of them like water bursting out of an overflowing reservoir. Oh, that I could be filled with love for the Savior and His Word in a way that comes close to that of these old saints. If only I had fewer distractions keeping me from a heart of dedication like the hearts of many who have gone before. Praise the Lord for these old saints, though. They have left us a heritage. I only hope we will treasure its value as we should.

How biblical is that: our only hope is nothing less than Jesus Christ and His blood and righteousness? We may get a bit bent out of shape over the condition of the world that we live in, but those of us who have Christ have the one hope for this life and the next. May we glory in that.

He alone is my Hope. Is He yours also? I have no righteousness of my own, but am covered in His. Are you?

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.


‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.’

~ Edward Mote 1797-1874

We're Desperate

One of the things that irks me the most about this ongoing controversy over health care is that the current administration, with the help of the media, consistently presents the position of those on the other side as being against reform. To me, they make you think that the GOP doesn't want anything to change. Conservatives DO acknowledge that there needs to be changes. The Republicans in Congress have drafted good solid proposals for change. But they're not being heard. Offers to sit down and discuss these proposals have been refused. As wrong as Rep. Wilson from South Carolina may have been in his conduct last night, I do understand how frustrated many of these people must be.

We do need change, as I just said. I think everyone knows that. No one is really saying otherwise. But we want change that is good and right for all. Let's be real and honest about this thing. Let's not play games. Listen, for every sad, sad story that people can tell about real people in America who have had tragic results from our system, there are even more sad, sad stories coming out of Europe and Canada about the sufferings of people who have nationalized health care. Let's not exchange stories, but facts. Real facts. "We can swap health care horror stories all day, Mr. President, but at the end of the day, people still come to America from all across the world to be treated in our hospitals, by our doctors, with technology created by our free market system." says Jeff Shreiber of America's Right. Jeff has a very comprehensive analysis of last night's speech. He's up on the bill and knows his stuff. I suggest anyone who really wants to understand this matter better, to read his post.

This is not what I wanted to say initially. Just had to vent a bit first. I came here to post this: We are in a desperate need in this country. We are only concerned about health issues, economic woes, education, human rights, etc. Our leaders and unfortunately, most of our people are not the least bit concerned about the horrible state our nation is in spiritually. Yes, we have needs. Some of them have to do with problems with medical care; some have to do with the state of the economy; some have to do with problems in our public educational system. But we are a nation of people who have turned our backs on the God who has providentially guided and helped us. We have rejected the Savior who is the only hope for eternity. And in that, my friends, our need is most desperate.

Only Jesus

It seems of late that the Lord has been impressing on my heart just how many trials and disappointments accompany this life. Change and uncertainty prevails. All around me, I see how others and situations so often fail us. Not in my personal life, mind you. Thanks be to God, unity and harmony prevail in our family.

However, I think the Lord has been making it clear to me that in this journey He has to be my all in all. It's so easy to look elsewhere--even to look to things that are good things, But nothing else is Jesus. Only Jesus is Jesus. Only Christ our Savior can take us to heaven and give us true salvation. Only our triune God can fill our hearts. It's okay that we love and appreciate others; I do. But it's my Lord who must be my all in all. I have sensed that there are some things that our enemy has put up to distract me. I refuse to be turned from my first Love. It's Jesus. Only Jesus.

If you happen upon this blog post and are despairing for one reason or another, or you have an emptiness in your heart even though people usually see you with a smile on your face, I implore you to flee to Christ. You can find Him in the words of the Bible. You can open a Bible and cry out to God to show you Jesus, and He will. You could read one of the gospels or the book of Romans, but wherever you begin, keep reading and keep praying for the Lord to open your heart to what He has to give you in His precious Word. If you read and pray with a sincere heart towards God, I am quite certain that our sovereign, omnipotent Lord will show you His Son. If you really want to be saved, tell God and ask Him to show you the way, and I believe with all my heart that He will. I believe with all of my heart that He will show you Jesus, because the way is only found in Him.

The Return of the Enemy

"The other day, while walking about my home, attending to the normal duties of a housewife, minding my own business and causing no hurt or harm to a single soul, I was attacked by a vicious assailant. This assailant had no mercy, but deliberately and cruelly ambushed me. I made an attempt to retaliate, but to no avail. The culprit was gone. As quick as had been the attack, just as quick was the retreat. My enemy was a flea. And, unfortunately for me and my household, he was not alone."

The above words are a direct quote from one of the first blog entries that I made almost exactly three years ago. When I wrote these words, I was in the midst of a fierce battle with one of the Lord's tiniest creatures, and I am sorry to say, he is back. He is indeed a tiny foe, but one of the most difficult to defeat due to his best weapon: the power of numbers. His strategy could be envied by the best military operatives in the world--he sneaks in by hiding in the woolly coats of our most beloved family pets. After causing them hours of misery if you don't catch him in time, lo and behold, he (or should I be saying she) can leave behind a growing army in your carpet and you don't even know they are there. That is, until they attack!


Get the picture? That's what greeted us on our return from vacation, and this weary housewife has added to the many duties needing finishing up upon our return, warfare against this dreaded enemy. I'm getting there. Three days ago I resorted to lethal weaponry in our home and on our poor Frodo, who returned from his visit to the kennel to become the victim of a savage and brutal attempt on his well being.

We're beginning to relax again. I'm starting to taste victory. I think I see signs of retreat on the part of the enemy. I'm still constantly using what is considered to be the most effective piece of artillery--the vacuum cleaner--hoping with all my might that things are getting back to normal.

So, I'm finally getting to make a blog post. Thanks for all your little notes of concern. I hope to post a few pictures of our vacation soon. I didn't get too many good ones, so I may have to steal a couple from one or both of my daughters. My neck is tons better, but I cannot say that it's gone, as I still can feel signs that this is a chronic problem that will probably always be with me. I only hope it's nothing too serious, but if it gets painful again, I may have to go to see about it. For now, though, the new pillow has been a blessing.

One more thing: Sometimes as I'm vacuuming around my house, I've been thinking about how the flea reminds me of sin. You see, this was all my fault--I was not diligent. I didn't treat my dog soon enough in the spring and I was so busy with neck problems and vacation preps that I wasn't looking for the enemy as I usually do. So he got a stronghold on us, which makes him much more difficult to do away with. Sin is like that in our lives and hearts. If we're not diligent, it will bunker down, get a good strong hold on us, and be much more difficult to eradicate. Our best weapons are the Word of God and prayer. It's so easy to become busy with our daily lives, that we begin to neglect our relationship with our Jesus. It's best not to let sin sneak in because of our lack of diligence, like the almighty flea did in the furry abode of our Fro.

There Was a Garden

Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. John 19:40-42.

"To a deep-seeing eye like that of John, this proximity was more than a coincidence. John felt that there was an inward harmony between the garden and the cross. The cross was the crowning service of Christ's life. It was love going to the uttermost. It was the final and voluntary sacrifice for the salvation and service of the world. And to John it was no mere coincidence that in the place of that supreme surrender there should be the fragrance and the blossoming of flowers. One might have thought to find a desert there. One might have counted on a bleak and dreary scene. What struck the mystical eye of the apostle was that everything was the opposite of that. Christ died. He gave Himself for men. He poured out His life in full surrender--and in the place where this all happened was a garden."

~~From Meditations on the Gospels, by George H. Morrison.

As Spring brushes our cheeks with her sweetness and blesses us with the fresh smells and sights of her beauty; as we go about our digging and planting in the fresh warm earth with the hope of soon coming blossoms, let's remember that in the place where our Savior was crucified there was a garden. Let's remember that in that garden there was a sepulchre, and that our precious Lord was buried there. But let us remember most of all that it was in that garden that He arose from the dead, conquering death for you and for me, and that He lives forevermore. Hallelujah.

A Valentine's Day Love Note

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

Valentine's Day is, once again, here with all its red, pink, and white colors. A day of flowers, candy, teddy bears, greeting cards. Even with a troubled economy, as you walk through stores you see the many colors of the season with the accompanying displays saying "buy, buy, buy." Gone are the days of my childhood when a little paper homemade Valentine is sufficient and all that was expected on this day in the form of a gift were a few little heart shaped tiny candies with the words "be mine" or "be my valentine."

I'm thankful today for the twelve red roses from my husband; thankful for this sweet expression of love once again given on this day. I'm also thankful that he remembered Neesie this year, giving her a bunch of pink roses, which meant so much to her. But mostly today, I'm reflecting on the love note I read this morning. I remembered having received this expression of love time and time again, but it came to me afresh as I laid in bed during the early moments of the day. I decided I wanted to come right out and read it again and post the words here. " I have loved you with an everlasting love." What can be better than that?

As these words permeated my heart this morning, my thoughts went to several folks, some whom I know personally; some whom I've never met or ever will meet. But this love note is reaching out to them too. I can't explain why the circumstances of their lives are such that they need to have the touch of these words so much more specifically than others may at this time. But, as I said recently, "Who has known the mind of the Lord?" All I know is, I hope and pray that these dear people whose struggles are more intense than mine at this particular season of life, today, on this Valentine's Day of 2009, will know and experience the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It's an everlasting love.

This is just a partial list; there are even others I've not mentioned:

A young woman, two months pregnant, who was widowed last night when her twenty-five year old husband, a Philadelphia police officer, was gunned down in the course of carrying out his work.

A woman I know well, in her early forties, who has two children ages ten and seven, who is on the last leg of her journey here on earth. Her breast cancer has spread to her lungs and other parts of her body, and her desire is that she may continue to be on her feet and care for her family until the very end.

A woman from my church who buried her husband in November and found out in January that she has cancer which has spread to several organs in her body. She's awaiting test results to determine how to proceed.

A dear friend of many years, who I had lunch with on Thursday while her husband was undergoing one of the many incidences of needed blood transfusions. Much of her time these days is spent driving her husband back and forth for chemo treatments for his leukemia. He's been weakened lately by a severe cough that he's been unable to shake off.

A friend of the blog world whose husband recently unexpectedly left her and their family. I don't know the circumstances and don't need to know. All that I do know is that she and her family are mourning their loss.

A lady from church who drives almost an hour each way, twice each Sunday. She travels this journey alone, because her husband and sons no longer want to have anything to do with the church. Not only that, she is not being treated kindly (to put it mildly) about her commitment to Christ and His church. And may I add, I seldom see her or talk to her that she doesn't have a smile on her face.

Christians I read about in Voice of the Martyrs magazine and get emails about, as well as in my persecution blog feed, who are burned, tortured, slashed, imprisoned, and on and on. They're in China, Indonesia, Eritrea, Iran, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and more places than I care to mention.


I hope I haven't made you sad. But these are realities of life that I'm unwilling to forget about on this usually happy day set aside to express our love to others. Not only is this an expression of my heart, but a request for prayer from you as you read through this list of people whom you will probably never know. But God knows just who they are, and while I can't answer for Him as to why He would have them to go through what they are going through, I feel quite certain that each of us at some time or another will have to go through SOMETHING on this earthly journey. While we're going through it, I hope we'll all remember this wonderful "note" of love: "I have loved you with an everlasting love."

Lifting Arms to God

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~ Joyce Kilmer

I love trees. We live in a neighborhood with lots of them, this once having been a wooded area before our development was built amidst the tall oaks and others. I'm always sad when one is cut down, usually worrying that it was the home of some squirrels or birds. I'm kind of silly that way. I'm a little melancholy tonight for several reasons, among which is the fact that every day it seems I hear of more of my brethren who are going through one kind of trial or another. Such was the case tonight--I just heard of another one. So I've abruptly changed from what I was going to post and while looking outside at the falling snow, this familiar poem that we all know came to mind. I don't even know what I want to say; I just wanted to post it.

Well, I will say that I'll learn a lesson or two from trees: They look at God all day and lift their arms to pray. Probably in the morning, snow (and ice) will be lying on the bosoms of the trees in and around my yard. They'll keep lifting their arms to God, though. I pray the same for my several hurting friends who are struggling through their winter storms.

He Leads Us for Another Year

"The land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year" (Deut. 11:11-12).

I like the Streams in the Desert devotional today. It speaks of the well known fact that we are standing on the verge of the unknown. There is a new year stretching out before us and we are going in now to possess it. Isn't that quite a thought? There are, in every year, hills and valleys and never can we expect everything to go smoothly. As we go in to possess this year and whatever it brings, my prayer for each of us is that we will never lose sight of the fact that it is our God who leads us in the year ahead, as He did in the year that we're journeying out of. Some of us have experienced the valleys and they have been deep ones. Some of us have had somewhat of a difficult time climbing the steep mountains. But He has been leading us, yes?

May you take the hand of your merciful, compassionate, and loving Lord through the days of 2009 and have the full awareness in your heart of hearts that He is leading you and me through each second, minute, and hour.

He leads us on by paths we did not know;
Upward He leads us, though our steps be slow,
Though oft we faint and falter on the way,
Though storms and darkness oft obscure the day;
Yet when the clouds are gone,
We know He leads us on.

He leads us on through all the unquiet years;
Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts and fears,
He guides our steps, through all the tangled maze
Of losses, sorrows, and o'erclouded days;
We know His will is done;
And still He leads us on.
--N.L. Zinzendorf

The World is Not Worthy

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 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. Hebrews 11:36-38

I hope we haven't forgotten them. In all the hubbub of the past several weeks, they've continued in their struggle and suffering. Where are they? They're in Iran, China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Iraq, Pakistan, and on and on. In times past, they've been found in places like Scotland and Germany. They will always be there for as long as there is a true Church on this earth. Who are they? They're the persecuted saints now and through the ages. They've been beaten, imprisoned, tortured, burned, drowned, shot, stabbed, and verbally maligned. They've been kicked out of their homes and towns. Their families have turned against them. Why do they endure such? For the sake of a Savior who loved them and gave Himself for them. For the sake of the promise of a better country, a city which has been prepared for them. These are the ones of whom it's said that the world is not worthy. Praise God for them. Reading and hearing about them gives us hope; we're encouraged to press on ourselves in the little that's asked of us.

And we're encouraged now to pray for them, at least for the ones who are still alive. Those who have already gone on don't need our prayers. They've arrived. Hallelujah.

Tomorrow, the 9th, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Please hop over to the VOM's Persecution Blog where Stacy has outlined Specific Prayer Requests for you and your church.

I need to post this hymn again. There has been so much discussion about war these days. There's something about all the arguing and discussion about it that wearies me. But as I said over a year ago when two people I know where martyred for Christ in a foreign land, I want to remind us that true believers are engaged in a warfare and we're soldiers. Let's never forget that. We may have forgotten because we've had it relatively easy compared to some of the saints that are suffering elsewhere., but let them be a reminder to us that we are indeed soldiers. Last year I posted this hymn as a salute to those two fallen soldiers who had perished while engaged in "battle" for the cross of Christ. I want to post this again (I am so sorry I've gotten away from my Saturday hymn post) in honor of the persecuted saints scattered throughout the world. And while you read this, don't forget: You're a soldier too. Be ready.

AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS?

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A foll'wer of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own his cause,
Or blush to speak his Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flow'ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign:
Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy Word.

Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer, though they die;
They view the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thine armies shine
In robes of vict'ry through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.

~ Isaac Watts

Good Parents

We discovered this fella resting in our back yard about midday on Saturday. At first I was concerned that he was sick, especially since he wasn't moving from the one spot. West Nile Virus is a concern in our area, with crows being particularly prone to it, so I was worried about that for a short bit. But after a while, we realized that he was a baby. My first tip off was when I looked up and saw a couple of adult crows going from branch to branch overhead. From what we could see, he had probably just left the nest that day. We watched for awhile, and out of extreme curiosity, I went out the front door to the gate to try to get a better view. I don't know whether it was Mama or Papa, but one of them flew to a branch nearer to where I was and I could tell it was keeping an eye on me.

After an hour or so, I got sick of waiting for this youngster to do something, so I ventured out to the yard and walked slowly in his direction, hoping to encourage him to leave. My goodness, what did I do that for! One of the parents came flying towards me, cawing angrily and flapping away. You never saw anyone run back into the house as fast as I did. So, I kept my vigil safely inside the sun room, watching and waiting for something to happen. I took one more trip to the side gate, whereupon a parent came to the same branch as before, staring at me. "I just want you to take your kid out of my yard, please," I said politely and went back in.

I did have to do something else with my day , so I went into the kitchen to accomplish something productive. Then came the ruckus. I'm not sure how it started, but I heard loud cawing and rushed to look out and saw that a poor squirrel was being attacked by one the parents in the vicinity of the baby crow. The squirrel must have made the mistake of going over to inspect, I don't know. I called my daughter to see the excitement, as the poor baby crow started squawking loudly and scurried (or whatever you might call it) over to a corner of the yard. The squirrel seemed confused and went that way too, got attacked again, and eventually hightailed it, or should I say bushy-tailed it, safely up a tree. In all this confusion and excitement, don't you know that the little one at last took flight and ended up on the roof of our sun room? I ran out front door again (I like this sort of thing) and went over to the other corner of the back fence and saw the poor thing crying away on the roof, being coaxed by his parents from high in the trees in a neighbor's yard. Finally, crying all the time, he took off and landed up on an oak tree branch! I applauded, his parents were satisfied, and everyone settled down. He stayed there for a long time resting, and the parents went off for a while, knowing their "child" was safe where he was. Then later I noticed he had gone.

Would it be that we'd all be such good parents, folks. At this stage in their "child's" life, he needed their constant, watchful eye. He needed to be protected, and he needed to be guided. No doubt right now they're teaching him the ways of the world he's going to live in and they're teaching him how to survive. Certainly, they've given us a good lesson in child-rearing, wouldn't you say? We can't leave our young children to themselves, can we? They'd never survive in this wicked world. We have to protect them and guide them: We have to give them God's Word; we have to show them Christ. We have to show them who He is and how to find Him; and then, by the grace of God, pray that the day will come that they'll flee to Him, as that baby crow eventually followed the bidding of his parents.

At the Crack of Dawn

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Psalm 104:33

For a couple of weeks or so they've been waking me every day at about five in the morning. It's what is sometimes called "at the crack of dawn." One day it was 4:52 a.m. when I looked at the clock, and it was still pretty dark out, with just a hint of the promised daylight. When they awake me, it's to a magnificently beautiful chorus. For the most part, it's the robins who are taking the lead with hymns which are loud and crystal clear as they pour through my open window. Sometimes the cardinals join in to add variety and harmony; perhaps a sparrow or two, as well. The titmice, who are not around right now due to breeding in the deep woods, were taking the lead earlier in the spring and that, of course, was at a bit of a later hour. No matter which and who and when, though I may be lifted from a deep sleep, I usually smile in grateful acknowledgment of their concert offered freely to all who will listen. After all, there is little on this side of heaven that matches the splendor of this early serenade.

Undoubtedly, they are speaking to one another in a language that only they understand. But they're speaking to me as well, you know. During the course of the day I'll be hearing many news items that could bring discouragement and sadness. I'll be hearing what's going on in the political arena; I'll be getting reports from the courts in California and other places; I'll be receiving more updates about the latest disasters in this place and the other; I'll be weeping over sorrows of families who have lost precious ones or are encountering severe illnesses; and on and on. Sometimes, I'll be dealing with worries and concerns within my own family. I often take these burdens to bed with me at the end of the day.

So what is the message of these sweet melodies that rouse me to another day's journey on my pilgrimage? As I progress from one sunrise to the next they remind me that the One who created the singers and the hearer is still clothed with honor and majesty. They are saying that He who laid the foundations of the earth governs the course of all things pertaining to it and all of His creation. Yes, they point me to Psalm 104 where I'm reminded of these truths and more.

No matter what's going on around us, dear precious ones, let's listen to what these lowly creatures are proclaiming about their Creator and ours. He still reigns. He's still in control of His universe. He has not left us nor forsaken us. Let's hang in there and listen--every day at the crack of dawn.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's hard for me to find words these days for some reason. But I didn't want this Thanksgiving to go by without expressing my thanks to my God for all He's done for me. Last year, I had a lot to say. I even did a series of posts, one for each of the days during the week preceding this holiday which I love so much. In these posts, I thanked the Lord for seven specific blessings. Thanksgiving Day was the seventh post, and I've decided to copy and paste it here. You see, I have no more to say now then I did then. My sentiments are exactly the same. So here is my post from November 23, 2006. May the Lord bless each and every one of you this Thanksgiving and every other day.

Well, it’s Thanksgiving Day. Today, I complete my list of blessings. Of course, you know that I would save the best for last. If I had a calculator and would start adding them up, I could name so many more than I have on this list. My home, my health throughout the years, my dog Frodo, certain relatives, all of God’s provisions of food and clothing, and other material possessions, are all things I’m thankful for.

The other day I looked up the word “blessing” in dictionaries in our home. Today I looked it up on Dictionary.com. (After all, I’m a modern day grandma.) There were six results, and the second and third meanings are the ones that apply here. The second meaning is “a special favor, mercy, or benefit” and the third is “a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.” Nothing fits these descriptions as marvelously and wonderfully as my salvation. Of all that I could stand up and proclaim as blessings from God, none can compare to what He has given me in Christ. My salvation is a special favor, mercy and benefit. It is a gift bestowed by God, which has brought me happiness beyond measure.

Those of you who know and love the Savior, stand up with me today, Thanksgiving Day, and praise the Lord for this, our best blessing. The others that we have will fade away, or die, or disappoint, or leave. Jesus never will do any of these. He’ll never leave us or forsake us—He’s promised us this and He keeps all His promises. So as thankful as I am for the six blessings which I have outlined during these past seven days, I am not resting on them for eternity. I’m only resting on Jesus.

Thank you Lord, for my salvation.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Fairest Lord Jesus,
Ruler of all nature,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Thee will I cherish,
Thee will I honor,
Thou my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.
~Munster Gesangbuch, 1677; tr.1850, 1873

It's Not Fair!

This is an addendum to my last post. I and quite a few other people are very agitated with Major League Baseball (MLB) right now. Did you know that the playoffs are not being telecast on regular TV but only on paid TV, such as cable or satellite or by whatever other name it may be called? Once again, MLB has shown itself to be more concerned about making big bucks than it is about fans or about the sport itself, which once could accurately be called America's favorite pastime. It can't be called that anymore. Through the years, more and more people have gotten tired of what has become of professional sports with the high priced superstars and massive stadiums, and baseball is taking the biggest slide in that area. Well, this TV thing is not going to help.

Since we are folks that do not have paid TV, we'll be listening on the radio. But then I thought about it: Do you know what? This is a hidden blessing. This will take me back to the happy days of my youth. I grew up in a household where sports were a big deal. My mom and I, don't ask me why, were the only Yankees fans in a household and in a neighborhood of Dodgers enthusiasts and it was a lot of fun! But those memories include a roomful of people crowded around the RADIO to listen to every pitch with intense excitement. If you ventured out to go to the corner store, gas station, neighbor's house, etc. the same sound of the radio tuned into the World Series could be heard. So listening to the game today and in the days to come will be reminiscent of my childhood. AND it will also be better because I can continue on with my dinner preparations and other household chores without being tempted to park myself in front of that TV monster. And I don't have to look at any commercials!!!! If I had time, I could even do some needlework without having to look up!

So, as is true of all of life, oftentimes the thing we think of as being unfair, is just another of God's blessings. In my Bright Gems book I have a chapter called "Not Complaining" and one of the devotionals in that chapter has the same title as this post. I need to preach the same message to myself as I do to the children: We should always trust the Lord to do what is best for us, even though sometimes it will not seem to be fair. And I must say that includes whatever happens in our lives, including matters as unimportant as baseball.

Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

I finally have the time and heart to post my Saturday hymn for this week. I've long given up on my initial intention that I would first go through my Thurday Thirteen list of long ago. Circumstances and my state of mine have often "hindered" that from happening--it's more important that it be the right one for that week, determined primarily by what seems right at the time, for a variety of reasons. So, with that in view, I went on a search for lyrics that captured what God would seem to want me to meditate on at this time and which He would have me to offer to those who might come by. As soon as I saw this old hymn of Isaac Watts, I knew these were the words for this week. It may not be too familiar to some of you, though we often sang it in church when I was growing up. I never liked the tune that much, but I now realize how powerful its lyrics are.

Last week, there were the tragic murders of two "soldiers of the cross" which still weigh heavily on the hearts of many of us. (See August 30th post.) This family is so very dear to many of us, that it's hard to put all this behind and move on in a normal way in our own little comfort zones. Their bodies still have to be returned to our country, the funeral and burial have yet to take place, so it's hard to move on right now. But I know we have to. Even in the midst of things like making travel plans, finding babysitters, getting time off from work, etc. that abruptly tear asunder daily routines when death comes, somehow we have to "keep keeping on", as they used to say. After all, the battle's not over and there is still work to do. The cause of Christ moves on. I'll quote what I read on someone else's blog today: "May the cause of the gospel run even faster and farther because of this very difficult providence." The conflict we are in has been a reality for centuries and continues. Shed blood has always been the Church's impetus--that of the Savior and that of His saints. Christianity has never been stopped by the death of Christ's people, only increased. It started with Stephen and so it will be until the war's over. And Jesus will be victorious.

Which brings us to our part in the whole thing. Are we soldiers? Each of us should ask the question posed in this hymn: Am I a soldier of the cross? I'll answer that. If you and I are followers of the Lamb, then yes, we are soldiers of the cross. Let's pay particular attention to the second and fifth stanzas. They help to put it all in perspective. I hope we don't expect to reach heaven "on flowery beds of ease." We're soldiers. A soldier's task is not an easy one, but the victory brings reward. I want to focus on the fact that like others before them, the people I knew "sailed through bloody seas", but I'm sure they now view the triumph not from afar, but with their eyes. Hallelujah.

May they, and others that have gone through the same seas, always be an inspiration for those of us whom they have left behind. Bless all of you, fellow warriors, as you meditate on these words. I hope they push us all courageously onward.

Am I a soldier of the cross,

A foll'wer of the Lamb,

And shall I fear to own his cause,

Or blush to speak his Name?

Must I be carried to the skies

On flow'ry beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize,

And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?

Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace,

To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign:

Increase my courage, Lord;

I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,

Supported by thy Word.

Thy saints, in all this glorious war,

Shall conquer, though they die;

They view the triumph from afar,

And seize it with their eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,

And all thine armies shine

In robes of vict'ry through the skies,

The glory shall be thine.

~~Isaac Watts

Sorrows Upon Sorrows

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Rev. 21:4

My friends, I am so sorry. I feel I need to apologize because it seems I've been often gloomy of late. But it is as God has ordained. It's not for me to know the reason why at this time. There have been sorrows upon sorrows, it seems. But If we name the Name of Christ in truth the above Scripture tells something of our future hope. It has always been a favorite verse of mine. Some day, my dear fellow saints, He will wipe away every tear. And there will be no more of those things of earth that cause us grief. Listen to what someone said who is an old friend to many of us:

"This new and blessed state will be free from all trouble and sorrow. All tears shall be wiped away. God himself, as their tender Father, with his own kind hand, shall wipe away the tears of his children; and they would not have been without those tears when God shall come and wipe them away. All the causes of future sorrow shall be for ever removed: There shall be neither death nor pain; and therefore no sorrow nor crying; former things have passed away." - Matthew Henry

I have read this commentary on this verse over and over. It has always been captivating to think about that. It is as Mr. Henry said. They would not have been without those tears when God shall come and wipe them away. So, we will have all those hurtful things while here on this side of heaven, but not on the other. Hallelujah.

I have just had yet another sweet young sister-friend have her little one take flight to Jesus. To her I say: I hope Mr. Henry's words will comfort your heart, dear. I know that you have embraced these truths already.

And then last night some very hard news came to us. A dear pastor and his wife who served the Lord in in another country were killed. The facts have not been made clear yet as to what happened, but they don't think it was terrorism. We knew these people, know their son and other relatives well. Needless to say, the news is devastating. All of us who are stunned and jarred by the news will have to eventually calm down and find comfort in words such as the ones we have just read in Revelation. Tears and sorrows we'll have now, but not always.

It doesn't matter that you don't know their names. Please pray for my young friend and her family. Please pray for the family, friends, and church family of the beloved couple who I have no doubt are seeing the face of Jesus. And they got there at the same time.

Sad things

Yesterday, I woke up sad and I stayed that way for the better part of the day. It was funny, I went to Bev's Girl Inside blog and she had posted something from Amy Carmichael that hit the nail on the head for me. I wanted to comment there, but didn't since that blog is specifically directed at teens and young ladies. :) (She has since told me I am welcome to comment there.) But as the day wore on, I kept getting sadder, and certain external incidents didn't help matters any.

I found a dead baby cardinal right outside in the back yard. I think it had flown into the sliding glass door by accident and broken its neck. I put it into a plastic bag and into the trash; immediately afterward, there was the clicking sound of its father going from branch to branch calling for it. As you know, one of my greatest pleasures is feeding and watching the birds, with cardinals being my favorites. I always have appreciated the way their families are set up and how diligent the males are in the care of their babies once they leave the nest. So, seeing this anxious beautiful male bird (and he was anxiously calling!) flying about our yard and the adjoining ones made me very sad.

During a telephone call, a dear sister was telling me about something that is happening in her life which is a real struggle for her, and I must say, rightfully so. There are going to be some changes to her current circumstances which are going to be very difficult and she's taking it all pretty hard. She's had one trial after another for years and years, so thinking about her made me sad all day long.

Then, I read the news article about a pastor from San Antonio who was struck and killed by lightening while out hiking with his two teen sons. It was the youngest boy's fourteenth birthday and their mom was back at the campsite making a birthday cake. Sometimes you don't want to read the news; these things make you so sad. I had some difficulty getting this family off my mind.

The news gets worse and worse as time goes on. Big yesterday were the reports of the murder of one of the 23 South Korean Christian hostages being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. More persecution of the saints; it's happening everywhere. The last I heard, the remaining 22 are still in the hands of their captives. Sorrow upon sorrow for the families and friends of these dear folks. We can't help but feel a sense of deep sadness when we hear these things.

Sorry to make such a gloomy post. But believe it or not, I feel better today. I can't explain why, but I woke up today in a completely different frame of mind. In my morning devotions in the book of Matthew, my companion Mr. Ryle quoted a verse that jumped out at me. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning," says Psalm 30, verse 5. About that verse, it was said by another divine that "mourning shall last but till morning." Thank God. I pray He'll help us to remember that.

Later I saw my cardinal couple come to the feeder and this time I didn't hear the peculiar sound from somewhere in the trees--the sound that the young ones make as they follow close behind. They probably only had the one, but I have no doubt that they've already started a new nest. They're not like us, you know.

But as for my friend, the family and loved ones of the pastor in San Antonio, and those Christians going through unspeakable torment in South Korea and Afghanistan, this verse is a promise. The darkness of now makes this promise difficult to fathom, but it's a promise nonetheless. And any promise from our God is one to be believed. Let's all remember it when were down and out, but even more so in times of adversity. During the midnight hours, let's remember that there is coming a morning of joy. And it may not be until we see the light of the Son face to face.