Praise, Like Clear-flowing Streams
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Psalm 92:1, 2.
When the truth is appreciated, . . . we have a sense of the great mercy and loving-kindness of God. While we review not the dark chapters in our experience to complain, but the manifestations of His great mercy and unfailing love and power revealed in our deliverance, we will praise far more than complain. We will talk of the loving faithfulness of God, as the true, tender, compassionate Shepherd of His flock, which He has declared none shall pluck out of His hand. The language of the heart will not be selfish murmuring and repining, but praise, like clear-flowing streams, will come from God’s truly believing ones. . . .
The Lord is full of resources. He has no lack of facilities. It is because of our lack of faith, our earthliness, our cheap talk, our unbelief, that dark shadows gather about us. . . .
The temple of God is opened in heaven, and the threshold is flushed with the glory that is for every church that will love God and keep His commandments. We need to study, to meditate, and to pray. Then we shall have spiritual eyesight to discern the inner courts of the celestial temple. We shall catch the themes of song and thanksgiving of the heavenly choir round about the throne. When Zion shall arise and shine, her light will be most penetrating, and precious songs of praise and thanksgiving will be heard in the assembly of the saints. Murmurings, complainings, and lamentations over little disappointments and difficulties will be lost sight of. As we apply the golden eyesalve we shall see the glories beyond. Faith will cut through the hellish shadow of Satan, and we shall see our Advocate offering up the incense of His own merits in our behalf. . . .
Let us take up the praise of God here below. Let us unite with the heavenly company above. Then we shall represent the truth as it is–a power to all who believe.
That I May Know Him p. 273
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Prayer Requests
——Jeanne has been on roller coaster. She has been requiring blood transfusions every week because of her pancreatic cancer, but has not recovered between. This week however she did not require a transfusion, and her numbers are on a very slight upward trend. The first time in four weeks she has not been listed as critical on her blood lab report. She pretty much is confined to bed, but can sit up to eat, read etc., but remains very weak. Doctors are treating for internal bleeding, and we see some progress. But we are operating on short samples. Her eating has improved, but again just for a few days. Thanks for your prayers, Grover
—–I have a friend who has had demon encounters, oppression and maybe possession at times since she was a child…Tonight she called her mom and they called me asked me to come over, I picked up her mom and we went to her home…We prayed, rebuked, sang and prayed more, but there seems to be so many demons, some would come out but then others would speak thru Aprille…words that were not hers. Please join us in prayer for
God to remove the demons….her home is full of things satan can claim [because of] her husband….I have talked with her of cleansing her home but he is a musician and she cannot get rid of his music, etc.
She is an long time alcoholic and says she wants to die…thanks for praying with us. Carol
—–15 yrs ago my son was a big brother to a young man, Jordan who was then in the 3rd grade, and I met his grandma at AFCOE…..I kept in touch with her….difficult home life…..4 generations living in one house and no one was really converted. in 09 I led his grandma back to the Lord and a month later while I was on a mission trip in Australia she died…. I believe she was ready to meet the Lord. In 2011 her mother who is the great grandma of Jordan died on Christmas day and in February Jordan’s mom committed suicide. Here is a 24 yr old, with no family, just graduated as an EMT and starts work in 2 weeks but they are trying to evict him from the mobile home park….Please pray God will work a miracle and help him see that God has not forsaken him. He finally got his grandma’s address book and called me tonight…. Referred him to contact his 3rd grade teacher and he really needs to be in some grief therapy. Please keep Jordan in prayer. Carol
—–A week ago my husband was beat severely in the head and left for dead. I praise God that hes out of the coma! My prayer is his memory isn’t all there and old gf is telling him shes his wife. He believes her and is confused.. This woman was trying to break up my marriage before the accident. Im asking God to previal and that shell have no power over my marriage. Anonymous
—–I wold like you to pray for a girl, Esther, who is having an exam tomorrow. She has tried again and again to pass it and she couldn’t and I think that this is the final occasion. Steven
—–update—My leg is getting better slowly. Please pray that it is well by Thursday when I am supposed to go on a 15+ hour drive to see Eileen. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When my mother didn’t take me shopping or to the movies, my grandparents took me to Sabbath School. I didn’t get to go often enough to form any friendships, but I loved to go anyway. One week when I attended, I learned that Jesus was coming soon. That was a totally new thought to me. The lady told us that at first the cloud would look very small in the distance and then as it got closer to earth it would look bigger and bigger until it would fill the whole sky. There would be billions of angels surrounding Jesus Who would be seated on a throne in the middle of the cloud. He would be dressed as a king and have a silver trumpet in one hand and a sickle in the other. He would blow His trumpet and shout, “Awake! Awake! Awake! ye that dwell in the dust and arise.” All of the righteous would hear His voice and come forth with glorious bodies that would never die. He would then take all those people who love and obey Him to Heaven. (1 Thes 4:16-18; Matt 24:30, 31; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 3:9-14)
The news of Jesus’ coming thrilled me through and through! I got excited about it! I could picture it all with my mind’s eye. I wanted Jesus to come so badly. My teacher had said that it would be soon, so I began to watch the clouds as soon as we got out of the meeting.
Later that day, my friend, Janie, came over to play, but I did not feel like playing. I was thinking about what the teacher had said. I shared with her what I had learned. Janie was also amazed. We sat on the back steps and scanned the sky. It was almost sundown and the clouds were tinged with a golden yellow and pink. Our eyes searched each cloud. We thought maybe one of those colorful clouds would be the special one.
The faith of a little child is a trusting, believing faith. It is an expectant faith. It is the faith that we all must possess. Jesus declared, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:3 Our Dear Saviour was speaking of the wonderful qualities of an unspoiled child. The absolute trust, humility, unconditional love that a little one has in their parent is what He wants us to have in Him.
David admonishes, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him” Ps 37:3-7 The wise man adds, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Prov 3:5-7 Those with a trusting, humble spirit are of great value in God’s sight. He promises to dwell with them. What a blessing! What a privilege! “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isa 57:15
Let us put our full trust in our Great Redeemer. Let us believe His word and give diligence to make our calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10) Let us receive of His grace and mercy so that when He does come in the clouds to take His own to His Heavenly Kingdom, we will look up and say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose