Praise the Lord

Shall all our devotional exercises consist in asking and receiving? Shall we be always thinking of our wants, and never of the benefits we receive? Shall we be recipients of His mercies, and never express our gratitude to God, never praise Him for what He has done for us? We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the lovingkindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God, and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change the present order, and mingle praise with your petitions. When you consider His goodness and mercies, you will find that He will consider your wants.

Pray, pray earnestly and without ceasing, but do not forget to praise. It becomes every child of God to vindicate His character. You can magnify the Lord; you can show the power of sustaining grace. There are multitudes who do not appreciate the great love of God nor the divine compassion of Jesus. Thousands even regard with disdain the matchless grace shown in the plan of redemption. All who are partakers of this great salvation are not clear in this matter. They do not cultivate grateful hearts.

But the theme of redemption is one that the angels desire to look into; it will be the science and the song of the ransomed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Is it not worthy of careful thought and study now? Should we not praise God with heart and soul and voice for His “wonderful works to the children of men”?—Testimonies for the Church 5:317.
With God at Dawn p. 213
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will heal David’s thought processes. Buck
—-Please pray for my daughter Cecilia. Misty
—-PLEASE pray for my family. The devil is trying so hard to set up circumstances to take two of my son’s lives or destroy them. Connie
—-Please pray for Nikki, my daughter. She was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer affecting 3 lymph nodes. And she’s having bad side effects from the chemo. Joani
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Dear Friends

One summer, Ronnie Jay, Ron, and I canoed while the others floated down the river near where Brian and Esther lived at the time. It was a very sunny, hot day and we knew that if we did not apply sunscreen we would burn badly. I kept slathering on the sunscreen whereas the others applied it one other time. They turned bright pink, whereas I only burned in a couple of small spots where I had failed to apply the cream.

As I was thinking about this, a passage in James came to mind. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:10-12 Just as I burned on those spots where I did not apply the sunscreen, so we can transgress God’s Great Law of Love if we do not apply every one of its principles to our life.

Jesus reminds us, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:17-20 Then our Dear Saviour explained what He meant by fulfilling the law: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. . . . Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. . . . It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” vs 21-32 Truly, He made the law fuller by explaining that each commandment not only covers the outward act but the very inward thoughts and intents of the heart.

May we “be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” keeping the perfect law of liberty with wholehearted allegiance to the One Who gave His Life for us is my prayer. 2 Peter 3:14 (James 1:25; Matt 22:37-40)

Rose