Praise the Lord!

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all

my heart: and I will glorify thy

name for evermore.

HOSO offereth praise glorifieth me.--It is a good thing to give thanks to 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.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.

I beseech you, . . . brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.--Jesus . . . that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.--Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

PSA. 86. 12. Ps. 50. 23.--Ps. 92. 1, 2.
Ps. 150. 6. Ro. 12. 1.--He. 13. 12, 15.--
Ep. 5. 20. Re. 5. 12.

Look Up

"Keep looking toward heaven. Look around, and you'll be dismayed. Look inside, and you'll be depressed. Look up, and you'll be thrilled." Elisabeth Elliot

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

"Our heart shall rejoice in Him"

Both morning and evening readings in the Daily Light were so good today. The morning reading especially expresses my heart for the day. As you meditate on God's words, I pray that together our hearts will rejoice in Him.

This God is our God for ever and ever:

he will be our guide even unto

death.

LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.--The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.--Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.--Our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.--The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

PSA. 48. 14. Is. 25. 1.--Ps. 16. 5.
Ps. 23. 3, 4.--Ps. 73. 23-26.--Ps. 33. 21.--
Ps. 138. 8.

He Who holds us in His Hands

I think I have posted the words to this song before, but was listening to it again this morning as I ate breakfast. So many times I find myself thinking about God from my own puny perspective, rather than remembering that His thoughts and ways are so far beyond me. How thankful I am that He holds me in His hands, in spite of my doubts and fears, for His own glory and my best good.

"When God says no to you, it's such a blow to you,
When all your hopes and dreams unravel at the seams.
When God says wait to you, when God seems late to you,
It's hard to rest within His will, it's hard to trust and just be still,
It's hard to simply wait until it's all made plain.

"When God works silently, in ways we cannot see,
When troubles multiply so that we ache and sigh.
When God does not seem kind, and hope is hard to find,
It's hard to rest within His will, it's hard to trust and just be still,
It's hard to simply wait until it's all made plain.

Refrain:
"He who holds us in His hands, has no problems, only plans.
He who has control of all, sees the smallest sparrow fall.
He who acts where no one knows, does not sleep as we suppose,
But works in all things, both great and small things,
For His own glory and our best good."

-B.J. Leech

God is Good

I'm still continuing my slow sojourn through Psalm 119, along with Thomas Manton's sermons on that Psalm. Two verses have particularly stood out to me, especially in light of the events of the past couple of months. Verse 68 says: "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes." Verse 71: "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." As I have focused more on the goodness of God through all of His providences in my life, I have been so encouraged to exult in Him and what He is doing, rather than grumble about my present discomforts.

Here are some quotes from Manton that I really appreciated.

"We must not consider what things are in themselves, but what they are in their reduction, tendency, and final use...We lose the benefit of our afflictions by our murmuring, repinings, faintings, carnal sorrows and fears: an impatient, distrustful mind spoileth the working of God...Murmuring is a disorder in the affections, misinterpreting in the understanding. Consider you must not interpret the covenant by God's providence, but God's providence by his covenant...There is sometimes a seeming contradiction between his promises and his providences, word and works...Go into the sanctuary and God will help you to reconcile things (Psalm 73:16, 17): otherwise, the difficulty will be too hard for you...We cannot trace him, nor find out the reason of everything which God doth; only in the general, that 'he hath done all things well' (Mark 7:17); nay, what is best....We must distinguish between a part of God's work and the end of it...God knoweth what he is a-doing with you, when you know not...When we view providences by pieces, we know not God's mind...therefore let us not judge of God's work by the beginnings, till all work together. Our present state may be very sad and uncomfortable; and yet God is designing the choicest mercies to us."

I love that last phrase, "God is designing the choicest mercies to us." Let that thought energize your day.

"If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee"

"If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days:
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

"What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help, if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

"Only be still, and wait his leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And all-deserving love hath sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To him who chose us for his own.

"All are alike before the Highest;
'Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

"Sing, pray, and keep his ways unswerving,
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust his Word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted him indeed."

- Georg Neumark

"Whate'er my God ordains is Right"

"Whate'er my God ordains is right;
Holy his will abideth;
I will be still whate'er he doth,
And follow where he guideth:
He is my God; Though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to him I leave it all.

"Whate'er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path;
I know he will not leave me:
I take, content, What he hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait his day.

"Whate'er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking:
My God is true; Each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

"Whate'er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet am I not forsaken;
My Father's care Is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to him I leave it all."

- Samuel Rodigast

"Jesus, I am Resting"

"Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon thee,
As thy beauty fills my soul,
For by thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

"O how great thy lovingkindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous thy goodness
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is thine,
Know thy certainty of promise
And have made it mine.

"Simply trusting thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold thee as thou art,
And thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its ev'ry need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed.

"Ever lift thy face upon me
As I work and wait for thee;
Resting 'neath thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with thy grace."

- Jean Sophia Pigott

"Let this mind be in you..."

It's hard to believe we are a week into the new year already. Kalen got his body cast removed last week and spent a few days in the hospital for rehab. He still isn't allowed to do any walking, but will go back in a couple weeks for more rehab. He is very thankful to be able to sit up again and have some "freedom". I was just reading a sermon by Thomas Manton on Psalm 119:68 - "Thou art good, and doest good: teach me thy statutes." How good God has been to us, especially through these past difficult weeks. I am encouraged to gaze in wonder and thankfulness at His goodness to- ward me, especially in times of affliction.

Yesterday at both Sunday School and church, I was almost overwhelmed with the hymns that were chosen. I want to post them all to my blog, but will give you only one per day so you can savor them along with me.

Our theme song for Sunday School in this new quarter is "May the Mind of Christ, my Savior".
That is my prayer for this new year.

"May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow'r controlling
All I do and say.

"May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph,
Only through His pow'r.

"May the peace of God, my Father,
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

"May the love of Jesus fill me,
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

"May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

"May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him."

- Kate B. Wilkinson