We Will Walk

For all the peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and ever.
(Micah 4:5)


All people will walk every one in the name of his god, will own their god and cleave to him, will worship their god and serve him, will depend upon him and put confidence in him. Whatever men make a god of they will make use of, and take his name along with them in all their actions and affairs....

How constant God's people now resolve to be to him: “We will walk in the name of the Lord our God, will acknowledge him in all our ways, and govern ourselves by a continual regard to him, doing nothing but what we have warrant from him for, and openly professing our relation to him.” Observe, Their resolution is peremptory; it is not a thing that needs be disputed: “We will walk in the name of the Lord our God.” It is just and reasonable: He is our God. And it is a resolution for a perpetuity: “We will do it for ever and ever, and will never leave him. He will be ours for ever, and therefore so we will be his, and never repent our choice.”

-Matthew Henry (1662-1714)


The "gods" spoken of here do not pertain only to the graven images worshiped in the biblical time of Micah, and still exist somewhat today. But rather, what "gods" rule your life? Upon what "gods" do you cleave, serve, depend, and to whom or what do you put all of your confidence? Is it money, image, job, material possessions, entertainment, earthly pleasures? There is only one God upon whom dependence will reap rewards everlasting!

Goals

At the end of the show we were watching Saturday night on ESPN in which Dick Vitale was giving a talk to a large group of basketball players, he made a very valuable statement. Throughout the talk, he encouraged each of the attendees to stay off drugs and apply themselves in the classroom.

That closing statement that Dick Vitale said was, "You can't get to the top without dedication and determination!"

How badly do you want to reach your goals?

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


"What you get by achieving your goals is as important as what you become by achieving your goals." - Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

True Love

"Thou whom my soul loveth." --Song of Solomon 1:7

It is well to be able, without any "if" or "but," to say of the Lord Jesus--"Thou whom my soul loveth." Many can only say of Jesus that they hope they love Him; they trust they love Him; but only a poor and shallow experience will be content to stay here. No one ought to give any rest to his spirit till he feels quite sure about a matter of such vital importance. We ought not to be satisfied with a superficial hope that Jesus loves us, and with a bare trust that we love Him. The old saints did not generally speak with "buts," and "ifs," and "hopes," and "trusts," but they spoke positively and plainly. "I know whom I have believed," saith Paul. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," saith Job. Get positive knowledge of your love of Jesus, and be not satisfied till you can speak of your interest in Him as a reality, which you have made sure by having received the witness of the Holy Spirit, and His seal upon your soul by faith.

True love to Christ is in every case the Holy Spirit's work, and must be wrought in the heart by Him. He is the efficient cause of it; but the logical reason why we love Jesus lies in Himself. Why do we love Jesus? Because He first loved us. Why do we love Jesus? Because He gave Himself for us. We have life through His death; we have peace through His blood. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. Why do we love Jesus? Because of the excellency of His person. We are filled with a sense of His beauty! an admiration of His charms! a consciousness of His infinite perfection! His greatness, goodness, and loveliness, in one resplendent ray, combine to enchant the soul till it is so ravished that it exclaims, "Yea, He is altogether lovely." Blessed love this--a love which binds the heart with chains more soft than silk, and yet more firm than adamant!

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, September 3

Our Weighty Instrument

Each of us is bestowed with a very small instrument. It can build or destroy.

It can cause happiness or sorrow.

Though quite small in size, it carries a lot of weight.

That instrument, of course, is our tongue.

Let's be careful with how we use our voice.

The wisest of all men, Solomon, said in Proverbs 25:11,

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances."

Speak an encouraging and friendly word. It could be just he word someone needs to hear.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


Upon doing a Bible search on the word "tongue," I came up with 120 verses using that word alone. I encourage you to do a similar search and to concentrate on what the Lord has to say regarding the use of our tongue. Do we use it for wickedness or righteousness?

100s Day

Today is the 100th post for 3M Highway. It has been a joyful and rewarding journey.

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)


The 100th letter written February 10, 1993:

There is not a highway in America that will have some type of construction on it during a year's time table. Often now, the technique for repaving is to dig up all of the current asphalt before applying the new. This procedure is to produce longer lasting and fewer problematic 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 if grinds you down or polishes you up is for you and you alone to decide.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad

Signs & Wonders

"Except you see signs and wonders, ye will not believe" John 4:48

A craving after marvels was a symptom of the sickly state of men's minds in our Lord's day; they refused solid nourishment, and pined after mere wonder. The gospel which they so greatly needed they would not have; the miracles which Jesus did not always choose to give they eagerly demanded. Many nowadays must see signs and wonders, or they will not believe. Some have said in their heart, "I must feel deep horror of soul, or I never will believe in Jesus." But what if you never should feel it, as probably you never may? Will you go to hell out of spite against God, because He will not treat you like another? One has said to himself, "If I had a dream, or if I could feel a sudden shock of I know not what, then I would believe." Thus you undeserving mortals dream that my Lord is to be dictated to by you! You are beggars at His gate, asking for mercy, and you must needs to draw up rules and regulations as to how He shall give that mercy. Think you that he will submit to this? My Master is of a generous spirit, but He has a right royal heart, he spurns all dictation, and maintains his sovereignty of action. Why, dear reader, if such be your case, do you crave for signs and wonders? Is not the gospel its own sign and wonder? Is not this a miracle of miracles, that "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish?" Surely that precious word, "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely" and that solemn promise, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in nowise cast out," are better than signs and wonders! A truthful Saviour ought to be believed. He is truth itself. Why will you ask proof of the veracity of one who cannot lie? The devils themselves declare Him to be the Son of God; will you mistrust Him?

-C.H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" for September 2.

Dilemmas

Which way? Right or left?

Life is full of decisions that must be made. Wouldn't it be nice if making decisions became easier with age? Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. We do get older, but the decisions don't get any easier.

Have you ever felt the pressure and confusion of having to decide something that wasn't black and white, right or wrong? Often times there is no clear winner, for no matter which direction you choose, there will be advantages and disadvantages.

What should we do when faced with such dilemmas?

I try to remember that God will never guide where He does not provide.

Have a good day!
Love,
Dad


There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The Greatest Generation

"Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence In All We Do."

The Army created the first Air Force in 1907. The United States Air Force became a separate military service in 1947.

My Grandpa served our country during World War II as a mechanic on the P51-D (shown in the picture below). In addition, he played basketball for the Air Force, as a form of entertainment for the servicemen.

We recently enjoyed a field trip to the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton with my Grandpa. The children enjoyed the afternoon with their Great Grandpa showing them the creation and sustaining power of the Air Force, from the first flight of the Wright Brothers at the turn of the century to the sacrificial flights of the World War II pilots to modern day drones and fighter jets.

The most impressive thing to me at the museum was not the very large cargo planes or the amazing advancement in technology of a self-sustaining flying eagle, but rather the men present of the "greatest generation" reminiscing of the days long-past. This fleeting generation stayed off Nazism, fascism, ethnic annihilation by a monumental life-altering sacrifice. If only every citizen of this United States would humble themselves in thanksgiving to these men, and more importantly, to our God.

I highly recommend a visit to the museum, and if possible, take someone from the "greatest generation" along with you. We were blessed to have been able to do so.

Public Assembly of the Saints

"When ye come together in the church" (1 Corinthians 11:18)

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked. For thou, O Jehovah, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under foot. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, And show him my salvation.
(Psalms 91:1-16)

Every Sunday people gather in public assemblies all around the world and they have been doing so for many years. But what is the purpose of public gathering as a church? One obvious answer to that question is that God has commanded it. We must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. But that is only a very minor reason for God's true children as they gather together. It is true that we love the fellowship of the saints and that we need this fellowship for our own spiritual growth. But this is not the primary reason for our public assembly. Whether we gather on Sunday morning, Sunday night or Wednesday night, the purpose of our public assembly is that we may worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Brethren, we have met to worship,
And adore the Lord our God.

As often as we come together, let us celebrate the praises of our covenant God. In our singing, our praying, our preaching and our hearing, it should be our goal to praise our triune God for his grace and glory. For another thing, when we come together, we should come seeking a message from God. Our hearts long to hear the Lord speaking to us through the Word. We want a message from Christ to comfort and challenge, assure and search, abase and uplift, wound and heal our hearts. And when we come together as a church, let us come to be instructed by God. Beloved, we need to be constantly taught of God. We need to be taught our weakness and sin. We need to be taught Christ's love and grace, his ability to redeem, his willingness to forgive, his power to save, his promises to comfort, his strength to preserve and his merits to glorify.
As often as we gather in our public assembly of worship, may it please our God to fill our hearts with praise to him for his covenant grace, his redeeming love, his sanctifying presence and his saving fullness.

"Grace for Today" by Donald S. Fortner, August 10

Oh, What a Paradox

"Oh, 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."
Darius Mayse Blake
"Papaw" (1918-2005)

The song "Why" was one of my Papaw's favorite hymns.

1. Why did they nail Him to Calvary's tree?
   Why? tell me, why was He there?
   Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend
   Why? tell me, why was He there?

2. Why should He love me, a sinner undone?
   Why? tell me, why should He care?
   I do not merit the love He has shown
   Why? tell me, why should He care?

3. Why should I linger afar from His love?
   Why? tell me, why should I fear?
   Somehow I know I should venture and prove
   Why? tell me, why should I fear?

Chorus:

All my iniquities on Him were laid
He nailed them all to the tree
Jesus the debt of my sin fully paid
He paid the ransom for me.

John M. Moore (1953), Scottish preacher/composer