Good Quote

"The government is not my shepherd; I shall not surrender my liberties."

Herman Cain (for Sean Hannity, December 30)

Hallelujah, He Reigneth!

As the new year approaches, I challenge you to meditate on these poignent words of Spurgeon and the reminder of the Lord's eternal promise.


"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." --Isaiah 40:5

We anticipate the happy day when the whole world shall be converted to Christ; when the gods of the heathen shall be cast to the moles and the bats; when Romanism shall be exploded, and the crescent of Mohammed shall wane, never again to cast its baleful rays upon the nations; when kings shall bow down before the Prince of Peace, and all nations shall call their Redeemer blessed. Some despair of this. They look upon the world as a vessel breaking up and going to pieces, never to float again. We know that the world and all that is therein is one day to be burnt up, and afterwards we look for new heavens and for a new earth; but we cannot read our Bibles without the conviction that:

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Does his successive journeys run.

We are not discouraged by the length of His delays; we are not disheartened by the long period which He allots to the church in which to struggle with little success and much defeat. We believe that God will never suffer this world, which has once seen Christ's blood shed upon it, to be always the devil's stronghold. Christ came hither to deliver this world from the detested sway of the powers of darkness. What a shout shall that be when men and angels shall unite to cry "Hallelujah, hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!" What a satisfaction will it be in that day to have had a share in the fight, to have helped to break the arrows of the bow, and to have aided in winning the victory for our Lord! Happy are they who trust themselves with this conquering Lord, and who fight side by side with Him, doing their little in His name and by His strength! How unhappy are those on the side of evil! It is a losing side, and it is a matter wherein to lose is to lose and to be lost for ever. On whose side are you?

Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, December 24.

Believeth Thou This?

Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enroll themselves, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased. And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them. (Luke 2:1-20)

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Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him. And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-11)

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

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For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:2-12)

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Go Down to Bethlehem

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." --Isaiah 7:14

Let us to-day go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see Him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in Him, and can sing, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, "The seed of the woman," not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as "a virgin," not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to the new-born King!

Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.

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"And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually." --Job 1:5

What the patriarch did early in the morning, after the family festivities, it will be well for the believer to do for himself ere he rests tonight. Amid the cheerfulness of household gatherings it is easy to slide into sinful levities, and to forget our avowed character as Christians. It ought not to be so, but so it is, that our days of feasting are very seldom days of sanctified enjoyment, but too frequently degenerate into unhallowed mirth. There is a way of joy as pure and sanctifying as though one bathed in the rivers of Eden: holy gratitude should be quite as purifying an element as grief. Alas! for our poor hearts, that facts prove that the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting. Come, believer, in what have you sinned to-day? Have you been forgetful of your high calling? Have you been even as others in idle words and loose speeches? Then confess the sin, and fly to the sacrifice. The sacrifice sanctifies. The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day--to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good to-night, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, is nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim, and their conscience is purged from dead works.

Gladly I close this festive day,
Grasping the altar's hallow'd horn;
My slips and faults are washed away,
The Lamb has all my trespass borne.

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Charles Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" for December 25.

What's Important

Last day of school for the calendar year and I'm sure that you're excited about the thought of sleeping late each day. Let your mind run ahead one week when we'll be together as a family spending some time laughing and enjoying each others company.

As the world celebrates the birth of Jesus, let us be reminded of what is important!

-It's not the presents given or received.
-Being together; that's important.
-Sharing love; that's important.
-Doing kind acts toward others; that's important.
-Looking out for the best toward others; that's important.
-Caring for each other; that's important.
-Bringing peace into each others home; that's important.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Be silent, all flesh, before Jehovah;" (Zechariah 2:13)

"But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." (Habakkuk 2:20)


Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
(words from 5th century; music traditional French Carol)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the pow'rs of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph;
Cherubim, with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry,
Allelulia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Lord Most High.

The Word Was Made Flesh

Read Luke 1:1-56

No human mind can ever comprehend, nor earthly tongue describe, the great mystery of godliness: "God was manifest in the flesh." That baby born at Bethlehem is himself the eternal God. Though he was dependent upon the milk of his mother's breast for life, he is God who formed the breasts that nourished him. Though Mary held him in her arms, he is God who upholds all things by the word of his power. Though he learned to walk and talk, and grew like any other child, he is the omniscient, immutable God. Though he lived as a man in willful, voluntary, perfect obedience to the law, he is God who gave the law to Moses. Though he died under the penalty of the law as a man in the place of sinners, that man who died is God!

Why was Christ born? Why did the Son of God assume manhood? "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (I Tim. 1:15). Athanasius said, "Christ became what we are that he might make us what he is." The Son of God became the Son of man for this purpose: that the sons of men might become the sons of God. A.W. Tozer put it like this: "The awful majesty of the Godhead was mercifully sheathed in the soft envelope of human nature to protect mankind."

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man because it was not possible for God to save sinners in any other way. In order to be our Savior, it was necessary for God himself to become one of us, bone of our bone and flesh or our flesh. Were he only God, he could never suffer the punishment of sin as our Substitute. Were he only man, he could never satisfy the infinite wrath and justice of God against sin. But he who is both God and man in one glorious person both suffered and satisfied the penalty of the law as the sinner's Substitute.

Though I can neither understand nor explain the wonder and mystery of his person. I can and do trust that man who is God as my only, all-sufficient Savior. Since God became a man and suffered in the place of men, he is able to save all who trust him.

"Grace For Today", Don Fortner

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An excerpt from the song Labor of Love on Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God" album, gives one the incomprehensible image of God made man at his birth. He was God and man.

The line states:
"So he [Joseph] held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move"

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And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)

looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. (Matthew 21:21)

Blessed Among Women

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee. But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. For no word from God shall be void of power. And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me? For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him. He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever. (Luke 1:26-55)

Celebrating Christmas

Upon reading a Christmas story with my daughter recently, she commented that Jesus wasn't really born on Christmas day. I told her that I know that while that is true, we take this time of year to remember God coming to the Earth in flesh. I have often thought, however, why so much emphasis is put on Christmas day as the day of Christ's birth, when in actuality, Christmas is a pagan holiday. I came across the following reading that gave me my assurance in the importance of this holiday.

Read Romans 14:1-23

Should believers celebrate Christmas?

No one knows the day of our Lord's incarnation. The Holy Spirit did not reveal it to us. And, as believers, we must not be brought into a bondage observance of any day. We must not honor one day above another. We do not observe holy days and sabbath days of any kind. To be sure, the world's observance of Christmas has little, if anything, to do with the worship and honor of Christ. For these reasons, and many others, some of the Lord's people conscientiously choose not to join in any form of Christmas celebration. I respect their opinions and convictions - I must, because I once shared them. While we must not look upon those who differ with us in scorn or contempt (Rom. 14:1-5), I believe it is best for us wisely to use this season of the year.

At this season of the year people everywhere are reminded of the fact that Jesus Christ lived and died in this world. Above all else, I have chosen to celebrate Christmas, because it gives me an open door for preaching the gospel for the honor of Christ and the salvation of men.

Another motive for celebrating this season of the year is the fact that it is a time of giving. It does my heart good to see men and women engaged in seeking the happiness of other people. Such a spirit should be encouraged and nourished, not dampened and reprimanded.

And Christmas is a time for the family. More so than at any other season of the year, families try to get together for Christmas. All the children come home with all their children. It is truly a happy time. I am for anything that promotes such family feelings.

Yes, I think that it is best for us to celebrate Christmas, not as a religious holy day, but for the remembrance of that blessed event when the Son of God assumed our nature, that he might live and die as our Substitute and accomplish our eternal redemption. December 25 is nothing to us. But Immanuel is everything to us. We will magnify our Lord, our Savior, our King for his birth!

Grace For Today, Don Fortner

A Christmas Memory

As we draw closer to Christmas day, I want to encourage you to slow down your pace to consider what this time of year means.

Often we get so involved in making sure that our friends and family are to receive sufficient gifts, that the spirit of joy, peace and love are overshadowed.

What has been your favorite Christmas? What do you most cherish? Has it been the toys, clothes and other gifts? What about family togetherness?

One Christmas that I remember, and not necessarily my favorite, was the one when I was ten years old. I had been sick for over two months with Rheumatic Fever. During that time, I spent all day in bed, only to get up to go to the bathroom. Reading in bed, eating in bed, and of course, a great deal of sleeping in bed. On Christmas morning, as was the custom, Grandpa woke us up to see what was given to us. I don't remember what I got but I remember lying on the couch, and later in the day, getting to eat at the table with my parents and siblings. What joy! What a great Christmas!!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

Thine Only Son

And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:15-18)




The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased their joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as in the day of Midian. For all the armor of the armed man in the tumult, and the garments rolled in blood, shall be for burning, for fuel of fire. 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, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:2-7)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
(Latin, 13th Century)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

He Shall Bruise Thy Head

And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden. And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And Jehovah God said unto the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:8-15)

Let All Mortal Flesh

Let All Mortal Flesh
(French Carol, 17th Century)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded,
for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood;
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim, with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Thanksgiving is a time when our country pauses and reflects upon its
benefits and blessings. Throughout the history of our land, people gather
together with family and friends and for various reasons expresses some
realm of gratitude.

I am reminded of the Biblical characters expressing praise and blessings
toward God for the repeated manifestations of His goodness and mercies. The Psalmist David was one who wrote so many matters of praise and adoration to God; in spite of continual hard aches, demonstrations of enemies, rebellions from family members, and repeated attacks upon his spirit and very life. Late in his life, David communes within himself and encourages his very being to bless the Lord. Three times in Psalm 103 he writes, "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Do you not imagine that this is of great importance? It is the Lord that is to be blessed and spoken well of, for He is the fountain of all good. But to return praises to God, there must be a grateful
remembrance of the mercies we have received from Him.

We often praise, bless, and adore God for the benefits given us, those jewels of mercies. The material growth, the healing of a sick one, the protection from danger, good relationship with loved once, etc. are often at the top of the list when we come to such a time as Thanksgiving. I am convinced however, that before we can bless the Lord for His blessings we must first be brought to consider Him and His very being. We must praise God for whom He is! He and He alone is the Sovereign of the universe. Only He is worthy of all praise and glory.

We often hold a gift valuable, regardless of the financial value, when it comes from someone whom we cherish. I am reminded of a special time when my Mother gave each of the six of us kids a special gift. This was a time following one of her surgeries. A time when we were fearful of what might happen to her. To me; she gave cuff links and a special letter. Both are precious to me even today, because it was a demonstration of her love.

Blessing God should be more than mere words. It should arise from the heart. Gratitude produces reverence to Him, not only as God, but Heavenly Father.

How do we bless the Lord?

1. Believe Him: This is more than just saying, "I believe". This is truly faith. Accepting Him and His word with total and complete reliance. Trusting that He will do me good and has me in mind at all times. I cannot think of any greater form of respect that a child can give to a parent than that of trust.
2. Praise Him: Speak highly of Him with conviction of heart. Lifting up of Him and His name. Be careful so as not to bring any type of disgrace toward Him by questioning, murmuring, complaining, or disbelieving.
3. Thank Him: How often we ask and beg, only to forget to express gratitude. With an awareness of our sin and lack of faith, any act of mercy given us from Him is more than we deserve. Should we not express our thanks?
4. Serve Him: Surrender to Him and His will. Make it a point that whatever we do, that it is honestly and pointedly desirable for His glory and furtherance of His kingdom. Do whatever we can.

I trust that you will stop long enough to "Bless the Lord, O my soul" this day of Thanksgiving.

Have a good day!

Love,
Dad

Thanksgiving

Tomorrow will be a day in which we will be expressing our thanks to God for all His benefits, gifts, mercy and grace.

As a family, we have so much for which to be thankful.

-personal relationships
-material goods
-spiritual insights
-good health

The Apostle Paul said it best,
"In everything give thanks..." (I Thes 5:18)

I'm extremely thankful for each of my family members.

Let us have this spirit of gratitude not only once a year, but everyday of the year.

Be thankful!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands. Serve Jehovah with gladness: Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: It is he that hath made us, and we are his; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name. For Jehovah is good; his lovingkindness endureth for ever, And his faithfulness unto all generations. (Psalms 100:1-5)

Thankfulness

This entire week is a time of year when our country is reminded of the historical fact of the Pilgrims and Indians getting together to express their thanks for God's blessings upon their crops and deliverance.

We pause to think on the blessings given to us. Each of us have some similar reasons for thanksgiving and others reasons that are specific to ourselves.

What are you thankful for?

Name at least four of them...

1. I am thankful for God's free and sovereign grace.
2. I am thankful for God's faithfulness, despite my faithlessness.
3. I am thankful for my family who provides loving support that I do not deserve,nor adequately reciprocate.
4. I am thankful for the freedom to worship and live, and for those who fight to protect these freedoms.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


(List of items is added at present time. The list would have been much different 17 years ago.)

Glory Forever

"To whom be glory for ever. Amen" --Romans 11:36

"To whom be glory for ever." This should be the single desire of the Christian. All other wishes must be subservient and tributary to this one. The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this--"To Him be glory for ever." He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that "To Him may be glory for ever." You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single eye to your Lord's glory. As a Christian, you are "of God, and through God," then live "to God." Let nothing ever set your heart beating so mightily as love to Him. Let this ambition fire your soul; be this the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and this your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow chill; make God your only object. Depend upon it, where self begins sorrow begins; but if God be my supreme delight and only object,

"To me 'tis equal whether love ordain
My life or death--appoint me ease or pain."

Let your desire for God's glory be a growing desire. You blessed Him in your youth, do not be content with such praises as you gave Him then. Has God prospered you in business? Give Him more as He has given you more. Has God given you experience? Praise Him by stronger faith than you exercised at first. Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly. Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give Him more music; put more coals and more sweet frankincense into the censer of your praise. Practically in your life give Him honour, putting the "Amen" to this doxology to your great and gracious Lord, by your own individual service and increasing holiness.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, November 17

Life Construction

There is not a highway in America that will not have some type of construction on it during a year's timetable.

Often now the technique for repairing is to dig up all of the current asphalt before applying the new. This procedure is to produce longer lasting and less troubled roads.

How do you view construction in your life?

Hopefully you'll take the attitude that problems are opportunities in disguise.

Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you and you alone to decide.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

O Wise One

Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice? On the top of high places by the way, Where the paths meet, she standeth; Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud: Unto you, O men, I call; And my voice is to the sons of men. O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart. Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, And right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; And knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it. I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, And find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might. By me kings reign, And princes decree justice. By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me. Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries. Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him, Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men. Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death. (Proverbs 8:1-36)

Live Today

Life is full of anticipation!

-Can't wait until we reach a destination.
-Can't wait until a weekend.
-What happiness we will have when we get to go on a vacation.

I'm afraid that we put so much emphasis on the destination that we fail to enjoy the trip.

Joy comes while accomplishing a goal, not just in reaching it.

Enjoy each day of your life-don't wait until a later time or accomplishment.

Life is worth the living!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)

True Truth

...how do you determine what is excellent? What's the standard? Who decides?

Ultimately, God does. And He, in His infinite goodness and mercy, has given His people a firm place to stand. And where that ground has been staked out, our children can proceed in the pursuit of truth that is True Truth, as Francis Schaeffer called it, not what's merely "true for you," or "true for me." And they can pursue True Goodness that provides a fixed moral compass, not mere "values" that change as people and societies change. And true beauty, with standards that are grounded in God's own works and in His very nature, vs mere personal preferences. Our children are never in a better position to reach higher than when looking up - looking up to God and what He has revealed in His Word and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

(excerpt from a speech given by Paul Brinkerhoff at the Mars Hill Academy Vision Banquet, Oct.16, 2009)

What Fuels Us

What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

The reason why it can never succeed is this. God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.

C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity

Do Not Boast of Yourself

The most difficult secret for an individual to keep is the opinion that he has of himself.

We have a tendency to brag entirely too much of ourselves.

We would be better off not to express the high thoughts of ourselves, but elevate those with whom we come into contact daily.

Draw praise toward others!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;
(1 Peter 5:5-6)

A Paradox

O What a Paradox I Feel — Don Fortner and D. M. Blake


1. Two armies war within my soul; —
Both flesh and spirit seek control.
Both grace and sin resolv’d to reign,
This daily war within maintain.

2. Grace bids me seek the Lord in prayer,
Though sin would drive me to despair.
Sin drags me downward to the earth,
While grace uplifts by heav’nly birth.

3. The spirit truly loves the Lord,
His house, His people and His Word;
But, still, my heart with sin is tried.
The flesh will never step aside!

4. Grace fills my soul with heav’nly joys;
But sin my happiness annoys.
Though sin’s resolv’ed to hold me fast,
Grace shall prevail o’er sin at last!

5. O what a paradox I feel
A heart of flesh a heart of steel
In love with sin, with sin at war
Myself I love, myself abhor.

Be Prepared

On winter days and nights, it is good advice to realize that this warning (seen on road sign to right) should be taken with great caution. If the driver of a car is not careful, he could loose control with the slightest movement.

As we travel on life's journey, we should travel with care. Proceed with caution!

Always be aware of the conditions around us.

Be prepared for any circumstance.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

Steps to Success

Local government agencies and area Chamber of Commerce are quick to provide visitors with places to go and thing to do in their location.

Five steps to success:

1. Focus on possibilities, not obstacles.
2. Allow desire to guide you, rather than self-imposed limits.
3. Act as if your success is certain.
4. Have a crystal clear picture of what you want to accomplish.
5. Get out of your own way.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


Think of our Founding Fathers in light of these steps. They thought of the possibility of freedom from royal subjection, despite the obstacle of royal subjection. They allowed desire for freedom to guide them, rather than limits imposed by the real threat of death for treason. They fought on the battlefield as though their success was certain (by the powerful grace of God), while all military scholars will tell you that they had no chance for success against the British powerhouse. They had a crystal clear picture of the freedom to govern, worship, ownership, taxation and much more. They had to allow the bigger picture of the United States of America to reign in their minds and hearts, and get of their own way of hindrances brought on by their fear of retribution. These are such important characteristics of success. Do we as a nation still exemplify them? I pray to God that we do.

Choose Wisely

Often we're guilty of applying entirely too much effort on meaningless and useless endeavors.

We waste so much energy doing things that shouldn't be done at all.

There is no point doing well what should not be done at all.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams (1735-1826)

Contentment

Discontent can be caused by several things:

-The death of a loved one or friend.
-The loss of estate or money.
-When relationships don’t satisfy our longings.
-When friendships prove unfaithful and distrustful.
-The broken heart for a wayward or rebellious child.
-When coming under great criticism or reproach unjustly. (discontent arising from disrespect savors too much pride—the Lord will use the arrows of another to teach us to have a lower opinion of ourselves than others may have).
-Suffering for the truth. (A carnal man makes more of his sufferings and less of his sins. The one heart cries, take away the punishment; the other heart cries, take away my iniquity.)
-The prosperity of the wicked—while the righteous suffer the loss of earthly things. (Psalm 37; 73)
-The evil of the times—when every mans opinion is his bible. That kind of error is corrupting and poisonous. The devil is the father and pride is the mother of pride—self-esteem and self-regard are two of its children.
-Covetousness—inadequate view of ones spiritual gifts and part in the body of Christ. Desiring someone else’s position, prominence or proficiency. (Jealousy, envy, or coveting the unholy trinity of wrongful desire).
-Burdens for the church. “Cain put the knife to Abel’s throat and ever since the church’s veins have bled; but she is like the vine, which by bleeding grows and like the palm tree—the more weight is laid upon it the higher it rises” (Thomas Watson).
-Fear - the uncertainty of tomorrow (James 4:13-14). -Sin (Psalm 32:2-4).

What is contentment?
Here are a few verses that will help us biblically define its meaning:

1 Tim. 6:6. “But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.”

Heb.13:5, “Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” (cf Deut. 31:6, 8; Josh. 1:5)

2 Cor. 12:10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We could say then that contentment is knowing that God orchestrates all things for our good and for His glory according to His holy purposes. It is being completely sufficed and satisfied with who God is and with what God does.
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This is a portion of a recent post by Steve Camp. I encourage you to read it in its entirety; click here to do so.

The Sun Always Rises

Whenever you feel low, don't despair.

The sun has a sinking spell every night, but it comes back up every morning.

It's normal to get down and depressed! Just tell yourself at the beginning that you know it's going to happen and don't let it destroy you.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


Healing in Your Wings

Though the clouds may hide the sun, it’s always shining
And when the storms obscure Your face, You still are smiling
Here we will have tribulation
But there is one thing that is certain
You never change

You are always good and loving
Merciful in all Your dealings
Shining like the sun
Rising up with healing in Your wings
When the floods are swirling round me, You are with me
And when the flames rise all about me, they don’t burn me
You’re nearer than the air I’m breathing
Promised You would never leave me
You never change

So I will say it’s good that You afflicted me
That I might learn Your holy ways and to trust in You at all times

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

To hear a sample of this song, click here. Select song #8 as found on the Come Weary Saints album.

Horn of Salvation

And his [John the Baptist] father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,
And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David
(As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old),
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
To show mercy towards, our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;
The oath which he spake unto Abraham our father,
To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
(Luke 1:67-75)

Responsibility

This sign informs the general public that the local government is not responsible for the upkeep of a road. Whenever there are improvements required, it is the responsibility of the developers and/or owners to correct the situations.

My first thought when I saw the roadsign was the condition of your room. While it is true that your mother does attempt to clean your room, ultimately, that responsibility is your own.

Likewise, each of us has the responsibility of our own lives. All of our actions have some sort of bearing upon ourselves.

Be careful to maintain good and beneficial actions!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you. But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat; and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.
(Luke 17:3-10)

Congested Area

Often we claim that we're so busy that we say that we do not have time to do...

A card that I have in my office offers some great advice:

-TAKE TIME TO-

Work - It is the price of success
Play - It is the secret of perpetual youth
Think - It is the source of power
Read - It is the fountain of wisdom
Pray - It is conversation with God
Laugh - It is the music of the soul
Listen - It is the pathway to understanding
Dream - It is hitching your wagon to a star
Worship - It is the highway of reverence
Love & be loved - It is the gift of God.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

Apology

Things have been quite busy outside the 3M blogosphere. Please accept my apologize for the lack of postings lately. It is my intent to increase the number of postings to the blog over the coming weeks. I trust it will be an encouragement to you. As always, feel free to give me any feedback on the content.

Opportunities in Failure

How do you see things in your life? Is the glass half full or half empty? Is life a joy or sorrow?

Here are some lessons to learn:

1. Never look at failure as failure but rather as a learning experience.

2. Never see failure as failure but rather as the opportunity to develop our character.

3. Never see failure as failure, but rather as an opportunity to practice and perfect our performances.

4. Never see failure as failure, but rather as the game we must play to win.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

All I Have

All I Have Is Christ

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)


Link to Looked Upon can be found on the right.

Champions

The true make up of a champion is the ability to get up after falling.

We should never judge or be judged by the number of times one fails, but by the number of times one succeeds. The number of times one succeeds is in direct proportion to the number of times one can fail and keep on trying.

Anything worth doing is worth doing right and continue doing it.

Have the spirit of a champion!

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"Like success, failure is many things to many people. With Positive Mental Attitude, failure is a learning experience, a rung on the ladder, a plateau at which to get your thoughts in order and prepare to try again." W. Clement Stone (1902-2002; entrepeneur, philanthropist, optimist)

"Things will go wrong at times. You can't always control your attitude, approach, and response. Your options are to complain or to look ahead and figure out how to make the situation better" Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts football coach)