I Praise You

     In the 23rd Psalm, we are reminded that the Lord is always with us, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me."  Because of Him, "my cup runneth over."  
     Thoughout our trials in life it is so easy to get stuck in the valley and caught up in self-pity, yet it would be good to continue to praise and delight in the Lord. 
    
       I Praise You

You, Oh Lord, are the Master,

    Creator of all;
Protector, the One I seek when I stumble and fall.

You, Oh Lord, are the wind,
     The gentle breeze, my peace at night;

The Sun, my joy and my light.

      Oh Lord! Oh Lord! I lift up your name.

      I praise you! I praise you!
      Your love to proclaim.

I shall not want, I shall not fear-

You are my sword and my spear. 

You, Oh Lord, are the mighty Comforter,
        My strength, my hope, the One I trust.

The Father who knew me, molded me from the dust.

You, Oh Lord, are the Cross,
        The Shepherd, the Restorer of my soul;

Deliverer, the Mercy who keeps me whole. 

      Oh Lord! Oh Lord! I lift up your name.

      I praise you!  I praise you!
      Let your Word set me aflame.

I shall not want, I shall not fear-
You are my sword and my spear. 
                                      Mary Crisp Jameson – 8/22/2015

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalms 23:1, 6

 

Stop Sign

Humor:   A policeman pulled over a car, walked up to the driver's window, and asked the man if he knewwhy he was pulled over.

"No," the man replied.

"You failed to stop at the stop sign," the cop explained.

"But I did slow down!" the guy argued. 

The cop shook his head.  “You are required to stop.  That’s why they’re called stop signs."

The man started to get belligerent. “Stop, slow down—what’s the difference?”

The cop pulled out his baton. "I can show you. I'm going to start hitting you with my baton. You tell me if you want me to stop or slow down."

Application:  There is a difference between stop and slow down.  Many people miss the turn in their road because they fail to slow down.  They zoom on pass the turn that would have given them a life of peace, love, and comfort.  When we fail to slow down tin order to listen to the still small voice of God’s direction, and when we fail to trust in that direction we remain in a struggle with ourselves, and we continue to trust in the wrong voice.  If the cop had used that baton on the guy he pulled over  there would have been pain; that is what happens when we go our own chosen way and not allow the voice of God to slow us down. 

Prayer:  Lord, I know you love me.  Nothing escapes you.  Please slow me down and take away my hardships and my pain.

Psalms 115:6 “They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not.”

 

The Cornerstone

     The Cornerstone

Behold! The Cornerstone-
My foundation and Him alone;
The strength beneath my wings,
The One I seek with what life brings.
  Let us talk, talk, talk of our mighty Lord,  
  Walking in faith and prayer,
  While telling others-His cross to share.

How great is the bearer of burdens and woes-

Interceding as only He knows?
My hope in days ahead,
My peace from being lead. 
  Let us trust, trust, trust the Master,   
  Casting away our every fear,
  Knowing He listens- is always near. 

The Cornerstone-

My foundation and Him alone;
  Let us love, love, love as Jesus;
  Caring for one another,   
  Letting all become our sister and brother.

What favor and a lifting up?

Blessings over-runneth my cup.
  Let us praise, praise, praise our Lord!
  Glorifying His very name.
Today, tomorrow, He loves the same.
  Shine, shine, shine for His glory,
  Sharing, proclaiming the salvation story.

Behold! The Cornerstone-

A foundation, and Him alone;
A tried stone, a precious stone,
A King upon the heavenly throne.
                                                 Mary Crisp Jameson

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

 

Pray for Peace

     Reba McIntyre has just come out with a new song, “Pray for Peace.”  This song, to me, is a true out-crying for peace around the world and peace within each heart.  The song asks for prayers for our mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters, and for ourselves.  It calls for prayers for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. 

     In the midst of the continuing war and beheading of those who proclaim the name of Jesus in a foreign land, we need a worldly circle of people united in prayer.  In the midst of the falling away of families, the legalization and changing of biblical principles away from marriage of one man and one woman, and the killing of unborn infants we need a worldly circle of people united praying to the One who is all powerful and the One who can intercede for us.  We need leaders with discernment, wisdom, and a heart for the people.  We need a worldly circle of people praying to the Prince of Peace. 

     We, here in the heartland of America and around the world, whether in a mission battle or war need, in addition to prayer, preparation.  How do we prepare?  Paul, who himself, is in prison, writes to the saints in Ephesus and tells us.   We are to put on the full armor of God. 
     Envision that armor for a moment:    *
  1.  To help us stand firm we don the “belt of truth.” 
  2.  We put on the “breastplate of righteousness” and
  3.   “fit our feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” 
  4.  We then take up the “shield of faith which can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”  
  5.  On our head we “take on the helmet of salvation” and
  6.  in our hand we take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

     Before and after putting on the armor of God we are to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying…”

     By all means join Reba in “Pray for Peace.”  I love this song!

*Ephesians 6 

Washed In The Blood

     When we join together in faith with Christ and become saved, Christians are instilled to do good works.  We are always to love one another.  Good deeds are profitable for man.  Good works glorify God.  Yet, our good deeds are not what saves us.  Our deeds will always be stained with our sinful nature.   Titus 3:5 tells us, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Then in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."  God is the One who can wash us “white as snow.” 
     What truly saves us is the belief in the Son of God.  I can always reference back to John 3:16.  This is a scripture that is, by no means, taken out of context.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 
 

      Washed In The Blood

Oh, be washed.

Oh, be washed.
Be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
My deeds won’t save me.
My deeds won’t save me.
Be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

When I meet my Savior,

  my deeds won’t save me.
My deeds won’t save me.
They’ll go up in flames,
  sizzlin’ higher, higher, higher
  in the hot, hot fire.
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

My deeds won’t save me.

They’ll burn, burn, burn,
  churn, churn, churn.
My deeds won’t save in the reconciling hour,
Yet, I’m washed by His cleansing power!
Oh, I'm washed!  I'm washed!
  I'm washed in the blood of the Lamb!

My deeds won’t save me,

  They’re much too stained,
  I’m so ashamed.          
They’ll go up in flames,
  sizzlin’ higher, higher, higher
  in the hot, hot fire.

They’ll burn, burn, burn,

  churn, churn, churn.
As the flames go higher
  they’ll burn, burn, burn,
  churn, churn, churn from the hot, hot fire.

Oh, be washed.

Oh, be washed.
Praise God!  I'm washed in the blood of the Lamb!
                                     Mary Crisp Jameson