One Day at a Time

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8.
What a privilege that we sinful mortals have the privilege of speaking with God. In the closet, when walking the streets, when engaged in labor, our hearts can be ascending to God for counsel, our souls drawn out after God, a breath from heaven. All these soul longings, God will hear. All our troubles we may take to God. His hand of infinite love is moved to supply our needs. How thankful I am that we have only one day to live at a time. One day to keep our souls stayed upon, one day to watch, one day to progress in the spiritual life and thus our days may be fruitful, precious days to us.
We have a soldier’s duty to perform, victories to gain, for we must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. We pray and then watch lest Satan shall steal upon us and make us forget our need of prayer, our need of vigilance and watching thereunto.
In the Christian warfare, unless there is a sharp eye on the adversary and a sharp eye on ourselves, we shall be led into Satan’s snare. Our security depends on the state of our heart. God help us to take heed to ourselves or we shall certainly lose heaven. Little departures from right, little indulgences, seem a trifling thing at present, but Satan will lead us on a track that will separate us from righteousness and from God. We want not our ways but God’s ways. We want to strive with all the powers of being to bruise Satan under our feet and be sure that we are right with God, that we have a clear title to our immortal inheritance.
We may have to be stripped of everything before we will come in humble submission to be led, guided, and controlled by the will of God. We want humble, trusting, childlike confidence, meekness, lowliness, no self-confidence, but humble trust in Jesus. What traits of character are we cultivating? That which will be enduring as eternity? Is our time spent in busy activity, but our souls unblessed and our heavenly Father not glorified? Eternal life is worth a lifelong, persevering, untiring effort and we cannot afford to make haphazard work. When our soul’s highest interest is concerned, we cannot afford to keep Jesus in the outer courts, away from our souls.–Letter 81, Jan. 19, 1887, to Edson and Emma White.
This Day with God p. 27
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Prayer Requests
—– Bryce is doing much better. He’s off the ventilator and out of ICU! He previously had a staph infection that settled in his spine causing sepsis discitis and Osteomyelitis. After 8 weeks of antibiotics, the infection returned. The infection has taken quite a toll on him. He’s got a long road to recovery so please continue to keep him in your prayers. Lorna
——Please pray for guidance for me and my family. L
—– update—Jeremy [who had been hit on the head with a flagpole and sustained a head injury] was at church today and spoke from the front for a few minutes! Praise the Lord! Wanangwa
—– Please pray for Martha and her family as her grandfather passed away and they are going to _____ for the funeral this coming week. Wanangwa
—–update— Prayer Request #1 That the doctors can solve Abigail’s current physical status the least invasively Prayer Request #2 That the parents will exercise diplomacy and be given divine wisdom as they speak with the CFS people this morning. Prayer Request #3 That the psychologist will have wisdom from on high and that he will speak favourably of the parents and not undermine perceptions of them, and that he will not endorse the adverse treatment CFS has been displaying to these parents. Also there are some families in another country who have had their children taken away because of religious persecution. Please pray for them. Debby
—–Please pray that my husband can get a good job soon. E
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Dear Friends,
Soon Ronnie Jay will be moving far away from us to be close to his fiancé. He has many plans of hiking in the mountains, taking photos of a bear, and being close to Pastor John Earnhardt, his childhood hero. This man has been a well-loved and well-respected friend over the years, and although we had moved away years ago, he has never been forgotten.
When Ronnie Jay was almost four, we moved to a small trailer park next to this pastor’s house. Ronnie Jay thought he was the most wonderful person in the world. His greatest happiness was in spending time with him. Whenever the man would mow his large lawn, do some repair work, or anything else outside of his house, Ronnie Jay would follow him around like a little puppy dog, talking constantly, and nearly always getting in the way. Sometimes the pastor would send him home because he was afraid that our son would get hurt, but most of the time he let him stay. Over time, they developed quite a bond.
One of Ronnie Jay’s fondest childhood memories is of a church campout when he was seven. From infancy, Ronnie Jay had the habit of awaking shortly after the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, but he never awakened us. Even when camping, he was quiet. That particular campout was no exception. When he awakened, he unzipped the tent and quietly crept outside and began exploring the campsite. Before long, he noticed that he was not the only one awake. Pastor Earnhardt, was quietly sitting against a tree, reading his Bible. Soon Ronnie Jay was beside him quietly watching him. Before long, they were in whispered conversation.
When we finally awakened, we saw the two of them sharing their special time together. They did not notice that we were watching. A short distance away was our pastor with his arms around Ronnie Jay, teaching him how to swing a bat. Then Pastor Earnhardt walked a short distance away and tossed the ball toward our son. Ronnie Jay swung the bat just as his hero taught him. He was delighted when he actually hit it and it went sailing a few yards away. The pastor was nearly as excited as he was.
Just as Ronnie Jay watched for Pastor Earnhardt to come out of the house so he could be with him, so our main focus is to be upon our Dear Saviour. Our most precious thoughts should be of Him. How we should love to speak of His great sacrifice. “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” “The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psa 123:1,2, 145:15,16 As we behold our Loving Creator, we will be “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18
Just as our son’s happiest times were when he could spend time with our pastor, so our happiest times should be when we spend time communing with our Loving Redeemer by reading His Holy Word and in prayer. David declared, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” “O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.” Ps 5:3, 55:17, 30:12, 119:9-12 “Paul advises, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 Praise God! As we study and pray, we can feel His presence! Moreover, He promises to be our Leader and Guide. We do not have to flounder in the confusing maze the evil one has placed around us. Our Great Redeemer bids us, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Jer 33:3, Isa 30:21, Ps 32:8
Our Dear Saviour calls, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev 3:20,21
Let us continually keep our focus upon our Great Redeemer. Let us joyfully open our heart’s door to Him . Let us be diligent to “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth” doing all that pleases Him for He is our Lord, our Creator, our Saviour, our King! Rev 14:4
Rose