Longing for Heaven

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

How much like these folks are we!? Yet, we have the promises… we know who the Messiah is… and yet we look for and desire something else… Something other than what this world has to offer… something better… something heavenly.

On some days… we groan. Our hearts… our souls… crave holiness, for righteousness… for heaven. We long to sit at the table of our Savior… to hear his voice… to see his face. To walk in the coolness of the garden with him…

Some of our friends and family members now sit with our Savior… they looked for and longed for a heavenly change to take place… they, like these faith hero’s of Hebrew 11 desired to live in a heavenly realm and so now they do.

God is not ashamed of them… neither is he ashamed of you. You have a Heavenly Father who calls you… the apple of his eye… his great treasure… and his beloved! We need to hear… to be reminded of His great love towards us… we need to know and have confidence in His love… in His care… and in His goodness.

He’s on your side… He’s for you… He’s with you…

The Faith of Sarah

By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. (Hebrews 11:11)

Through faith in God the impossible can occur. God can work through us to perform great things, wonderful things, and the miraculous.

Through the weakness of our old age or youth… the physical limitations given us at birth… the break-down of body or mind over time… or the over-confidence of our ability… all these need the temperance of faith… even a glimmer of faith…

Even our glimmer of faith God seems to notice. Even as bad as Sarah seemed with her ‘laughing at God’… (Genesis 18:12) yet her faith is praised… which tells me… there is hope even for me… for you!?

It seems that faith is so rare that when it occurs… God takes notice…

God notices faith… in scripture ascribes its importance… declares that ‘without faith it is impossible to please Him’… (Hebrews 11:6) yet, why do we find it so difficult?

When times are tough why is it so hard to believe and remember the promises of God? Yet, do we really believe when times are going well? To what depth is our faith? Can we believe when the circumstances around us dictate otherwise?

Can we believe in God when our problems are screaming at us… when our stress level is near boiling over… when trouble hits.

It is then that we may want to ask… where is God… or what is God doing or what’s next?

Well, God’s with you. He’s with you with your problems… He’s with you when your stress level is exploding… he’s with you in your trouble!

By an unseen, unheard, and often unknown substance called faith we know… (Hebrews 11:1) we believe that through the most trying times that God is with us and that he will help us. This faithfulness in believing God’s promises is what Sarah possessed…

Do you believe in the promises of God?

Do you know what they are?

Do you know that God is for you even in the midst of problems?

Can we call God faithful to fulfill his promises?

The Faith of Abraham

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10

Ever have God lead you and you’re not sure where you are going? God’s leading you through emotional, financial, and relationship lands that are foreign… that are new… just for you!
God desires character growth in our lives. We desire to couch-potato and watch the trials of others… we like the easy way… its just our nature. And that is what gets us in trouble… our nature. You see our nature is contrary to that of God’s… so we need to change.

God knows we need to change… (boy, does he know!) and He knows that we won’t make changes on our own… it’s just part of our stubborn human-nature to keep doing what we’ve been doing. By nature we usually don’t care much for change.

So, God makes changes in our lives to hopefully get our eyes on Him. Sometimes He takes away our candy and gives us tough situations to deal with… just to see how we will do… to know if we will obey Him or will we tackle the situation on our own?

Over time we learn some pretty interesting things. We learn that we don’t have all the answers but over-time God teaches us a few of the answers of life. We learn that we need a lot more help in this life… and we learn how to help others. We learn to ask forgiveness a lot… and we learn to forgive others.

But mostly we learn to hunger and thirst for a righteousness not of this world. We learn that we really don’t belong in this world… and that we… like Abraham seek another… a better… a heavenly!

‘Father, help our faith! Teach us your ways and change our hearts. Forgive our sins and lead us into your righteousness. We love you Lord and it is our desire to trust and obey’

The Faith of Noah

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7

Imagine preparing for what had never occurred before. Believing in the improbable… ignoring all the trend analysis… dismissing all the ‘experts’ and with simple faith believing God when He said prepare.

Out of the blue… God gave Noah a mission… a ministry… a purpose more important that the business occurring around him.

Believing God and doing what He says is more important than any thing we can do in this world. For the work of this world will once again pass away but faith in God… well that’s eternal.

So, don’t think it too strange when God whispers to your heart to do something and you look around and no one else is doing it. Don’t think it odd when you are called to build something… to minister to someone… to a more defining purpose.

For God called and saved you for a purpose. There’s a reason why you now have a love for God, a desire to pray, and need to give, a want to serve, a need to do…

God desires to use you to help others…

Believing that God is

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

One thing my mom did for me was read God’s Word to me any time I feel ill. I remember a time when she began in Genesis and went through most of Exodus before I left the hospital with a bad case of the measles.

Her faith in God must have planted something in me for years later I refused to believe in or go along with my eighth-grade teaching on evolution. My biology grade a C-. Something’s are worth losing… some humiliations are worthy of the cost.

Is God real? That is the question that tries every man, woman, and child’s heart. The answer holds no middle ground… no fence sitting allowed.

Either we have confidence in God our Creator or we don’t. Either He is our Father in Heaven or the human race is alone… dreadfully and fearfully alone…

Yet, we are they who believe. Not in what we’ve seen or of what we’ve heard but of what is forever planted in our hearts… faith.

By faith we seek to know God; to understand Him; to learn His ways…

Our lives are transformed by knowing Him; by understanding we declare to others his wondrous and glorious ways.

And along the way our faith grows. Along the way our faith matures and begins to flourish… along the way we have no fear of speaking His name to any crowd, any where and at any time.

Along the way… we’ve found His ways to be so much better than ours… so much sweeter… so much more and so the more we seek Him.

Faith has taken hold of our hearts and we so blessed… so very, very blessed!

The Faith of Enoch

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

Enoch walked, talked, lived and then… one day was gone! What was so different about Enoch? Was it the fashion of his clothing, the color of his hair, the crowd that he hung out with? Maybe it was his mansion on a hill… or his political orientation? Or his faith in his parents religion…?

The difference… his faith in God. He “walked by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Enoch’s daily walk with God was pleasing to God. Is our daily walk pleasing to God?

This Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam pleased God before the flood came…

Before the elder Abraham…

Before the Law of Moses…

Before the testament of Christ came forth…

Before the church came Enoch… and like Enoch the church will one day… be gone (1 Thess 4:16-17)

What inspired Enoch? Who held him accountable? Who encouraged his heart? God did.

The same God will inspire you… hold you accountable… encourage, uplift, who will walk with you… if you choose… if we come to Him with an open heart and by faith believe that anything is possible with God (Matthew 19:26).

Faith pleases God. Belief and trust in Him pleases Him. Believe God today!

The Faith of Abel

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Hebrews 11:4

Our means of sacrifice is not all that important… the attitude of our heart… is!

Abel understood this… Cain did not.

King David understood this… King Saul did not…

Saul of Tarsus did not understand… Paul of Tarsus did!

The Christian religion calls for us to have faith… to believe… to trust.

The pseudo-christian religions calls for work… harsh sacrifice… and to blindly strive… to live by a code of church legalism that sanctifies and pacifies the traditions of men… and not trust in God…

Trusting God is never easy… it takes more than we can give… its righteousness is greater than we can comprehend… it leads us to our breaking point… and leaves us beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2

Trusting… tries our dependence… questions our reliance… tests our hope. In times of trust our impurities rise to the surface… the pain of tribulation purifies our hearts, our character, our faith…

The way of Christ is found in trust. This, a living sacrifice that gives, that hopes, and that endures by hope…

A hope that Abel had… a faith that lives today… that speaks today… and that leads our hearts and minds… to live by faith!

Misunderstandings

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 1 Corinthians 6:7

Sometimes misunderstandings occur among those we care about. Sometimes we don’t communicate our best. We fail to share our hearts and our minds either out of fear, intimidation, or any host of excuses...

Sometimes, our intention is good but the outcome is bad. Sometimes we work to do that which is right and we find misunderstanding, we learn that our doing… caused someone else to stumble. Like two people in a foot race… sometimes the feet just get tangled up… no one is at fault… sometimes… mistakes… just happen.

Sometimes in our working together… mistakes occur… feelings are hurt… the give and take…. takes for granted and gives us a sour taste and a smitten heart… and soon… disharmony occurs…

When trouble comes do we have to be right? Do we need to appear right to others? Can’t we ask forgiveness for forgiveness sake? Show a smidge of humility and accept the offense, the blame, and the shame that goes with it for harmony’s sake?

Or, will our pride bow-up and our anger flare? Will we demand our rights… our say… our voice of explanation? Can we be quiet and still and let the fire of disquiet burn within us? Can we endure some pain… for love’s sake?

How much is our love for one another? Are we willing that our reputation suffer for a relationship? Can we allow someone to be right when we perceive not any wrong on our part? How much charity are we willing to show for harmony’s sake? Is being right… all that important… is not a relationship far more important than proudly being right?

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

‘Father, thank you for the opportunity to work with others, to share with others, and to learn to love others. Father, we make a lot of mistakes and sometimes we hurt one another. Forgive us our wrong. Help us, teach us to go to one another and ask forgiveness… help us to forgive one another and together learn of your ways and your character!’

Welcome Home

God told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you”. Genesis 12:1

Just think of it! We are closer to home than when we first began this Christian journey. With each passing day, each passing step, and each passing breath we are closer to home…

The home that will eternally comfort our hearts and warm our souls is the home of our Heavenly Father. The aches and pains of this present life…, the tears… the fears of an unknown tomorrow… gone!

All replaced by the glory of God! Filling the air will be praise, adoration, and singing… beauty beyond beauty will fill our eyes as we gaze upon the beauty of eternity… the beauty of the beloved!

Today we are closer! The finish line approaches… our reward is just a head… the road of our journey coming to a close.

May we remain faithful, diligent to witness, and hopeful until our arrival and God’s acceptance of… “welcome home”.

Dependency

Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me… Isaiah 30:15

We are dependent on many things… we are dependent on grocery stores to maintain and carry the food we eat. We are dependent on foreign oil and the gas stations that hold gasoline for our cars and trucks. We are dependent on our jobs and the money we receive to pay the bills we’ve acquired.

We are dependent on these and many more things to stabilize, fulfill, and equip the quality of life that we enjoy. We believe that the grocery store and our favorite gas station will be on the corner come tomorrow. We believe that our job will be waiting for us after a summer break, a vacation, or a leave of absence.

Are we so dependent on God? Do we recognize our dependency on him? Or is God someone/something that we call on only when we need something? Is he more like a ‘jenny in the bottle’… a ‘god in a box’ that we pull out when necessary?

Can we recognize our dependency? Do we see our need? Or, are we blind… self fulfilled, self righteous, and very, very religious?

In the midst of our prosperity what is our greatness need? Is it the ‘golden images’ of prestige, honor, and acceptance? Is that empty spot in our hearts filled with the delicacies of this world? Are we satisfied in the midst of filth?

Or, is there a longing…? A hunger? A thirst for the righteousness of God in your heart? Is our hearts longing for Christ return or do we want him to take his time…? Is this truly our home or do we long and look for another?

Many call on the name of God but are they dependent on him? Dependency demonstrates our reliance and are need for God in our lives. Our dependency recognizes God’s exalted position compared to ours…

We pray and read God’s Word because we are dependent on him to show us how to walk closer to him… we read and pray because we long to be closer to him in our relationship with him… to do other wise is a religious front…

Everyone is dependent. Everyone has a dependency? What is yours?

Encourage one another today

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13

These truly are the “best of times and the worst of times”… On one hand we have great electronic inventions that are used to spread the Good News of Christ, his Gospel. We have satellite links that enable the transmission of sermons and teaching around the globe. An entire Bible now fits in the smallest of iPods and people are gifted with enough wealth to gather together for prayer and worship.

Yet for all of this the Christian community is selfish. The giving may extend to a tithe in a box but not an encouraging word to a brother or sister. Gone are the days of phone calls, encouraging letters, and surprise visits in each others homes. Our homes have become our oasis… our castles… and our prisons. We venture out only when it is convenient… to ourselves.

All around us the world is going to hell. Men and women of faith are faltering under the glare of worldliness… who will teach them otherwise? Who will mentor them one on one? Not us… ‘we have mission trips to attend to’… ‘we need to visit the land where our Lord walked’… and yet all around us people are starving for the Gospel… all around us couples turn on the television instead of tuning into a Bible study that you taught. When will children grow up and become teachers? Hebrews 5:12

God’s people need encouragement from each other. We simply need to take the time to care for one another… to help one another. To care enough to learn about one another… to love enough to understand and at times to care enough to reprimand.

Trinkets and toys of this age are fun and wonderful but they do not compare to the fellowship and the care of sharing one with another. Metal and plastic cannot warm the heart, encourage the soul, or uplift a heavy spirit but your words can… your heart can…

God's at work in our day

Its encouraging and enlightening to see God at work in the world that we live in. His mercy and goodness carries over from day to day, office to field, the mundane to the dangerous. In each and every way He determines righteousness from wickedness, success from failure, and life and death.

I don’t believe it an accident that the terrorists plots of May 7th against Fort Dix were foiled with no casualties. Nor the June 3rd terrorist plans against John F. Kennedy International Airport, nor the June 29-30th plans against Glasgow International Airport and the London car bombs. In them all, I see the hand of God protecting… showing mercy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents).

In our day it seems that people want to discredit God and push any mention or possibility of his actions away. There is no fear of him, no acceptance, and no honor. The majority of people on this earth go through out their day with no thought, no prayer, no concept that God Almighty rules. Their minds are blinded to this fact 2 Corinthians 3:14.

We live in a day when ‘evil is called good and good is called evil’ Isaiah 5:20. When gay pride days are celebrated at baseball games and people are thrilled at the soon arrival of a new Harry Potter book. Truly we live in a wicked generation…

Yet, God is faithful… merciful… good. His patience lingers to accept those who are tired, weak, and who hunger for righteousness, those who turn to him. That’s why we pray for those we work with… that’s why we pray for a change of heart… so that others can see Christ in us… that’s why we speak the name of Jesus Christ to a lost world in the hope that a seed is planted, a spark is ignited, and that the hope of Christ might come to life… in others.

God is at work every day. Each day he has a plan, a purpose, and a specific reason. He asks that we give up our plans and follow him. He asks that we give up our purposes and follow him. He asks that we not always understand the reason why but follow him…

Be encouraged as Christ is working in and through you. You’ve been given eyes to know right from wrong, good from evil, and this opportunity to pray, to proclaim, and to help others… to work for Christ!

Never Leave Nor Forsake You

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU, so that we confidently say, THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" Hebrews 13:5-6

Never left behind, never forgotten, never rejected! What promises are these! What hope is this! Hope that keeps and preserves and shelters! Hope to latch onto, to fold away and place in your pocket for those rainy days…

Rainy days… like when the enemy of our soul whispers to our minds, ‘God’s not for you, he’s rejected you because of all the sin in your life’… What a lie of Satan… for God’s given us so many assurances… like 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God’s not in the rejection business… He’s sent out a universal invitation that says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 That passage indicates that God understands our daily plight… our daily struggle, the daily war that we are entangled with and that he’s ready to help.

Through His Word, through prayer, and through fellowship with other believers… God’s given you access to help. It is on us to accept this help, to believe His promises, and to walk towards the light he’s shown us.

God’s for us! He’s not a deserter but will stick with us as we stick with him. God’s in control and he has a plan for your life. What you are going through right now has a plan, a purpose, and a reason. When the times grow hard… grow closer by getting closer to God!

3 against 1

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7

One way to view this scripture is to place fear by itself and contrast it against power, love, and a sound mind:


spirit of fear power
love
a sound mind

This looks like three against one, and it takes all three to overcome fear.

It takes the power of God’s Spirit to in-fill a sinner and begin to teach them the truth of God’s Word. The power of God that touches a heart and guides it away from the power of sin.

It takes the love of God. God who gave up his only Son and the Son who gave His life on Calvary as a ransom for our sins. The love of God who forgives when we sin, when we go astray, and who finds us and restores.

It takes God who gives a believer a sound mind. A mind that can detect good from evil, right from wrong, security from insecurity. To understand that most fear is illogical. Most of the fear that we experience does not make any sense. It takes a sound mind to understand this and with Godly wisdom and knowledge quiet one’s fears and trust.

Seeking God

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

There is this something that resides in me that just does not want to seek help. I like to feel as if I’m in control and that I have the ability to resolve a situation on my own. There is almost nothing worse than the feeling of inadequacy or the feeling of dependency or that of fear…

Yet life happens at times and I find that I’m not in control or that I have the answers or that I’m so independent. I find that often I need to bend the knee, say a prayer, and call on the Lord for help. I find this dependency occurring most every day…

Have you learned the same thing? Have you learned the importance of seeking the Lord? How confident are you that He will hear you?

If you are like me then there are times when you begin to pray and some nagging ill thought occurs. Like you remember a sin that’s gone unforgiven… when that occurs just stop and ask the Lord to forgive you… he will you know! Has not the Lord proven His mercy time and time again to you… to me?

When we seek the Lord we are showing our dependence on Him; and like a Father to a child he will answer, he will assist, and he will bring comfort from the fears of life that come our way.

'A Prayer of Praise'

I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. (2 Samuel 22:4)

‘Sometimes the best that I can do is praise you, O God! Sometimes Lord I’m such a mess inside. I’m filled with fear…, with a nagging apprehension…, with such a doubting heart. Sometimes I’m under such attack…, sometimes the fight is so fierce that I grow weary…, O help my God! Help, my deliverer!’

‘O Lord in my frailty…, in my weakness…, be glorified! O know this… that regardless of my present problems…, regardless of my current anxiety…, regardless of happiness…, contentment…, laughter or tears that I have purposed to praise you! I will lift and magnify the name of my God…, the greatness of His counsel…, the wonders of His way. For the ways of my God is great…, his salvation is precious…, and his mercy ever enduring!’

‘Sometimes the best that I can do is praise you, O God! Not doing for you, not sacrifice, not a gift, not work… put to praise. For what are my works compared to you? What goodness do I possess? What righteousness lies within these sin-layed folds of my flesh and mind? What honor does a vessel possess?’

‘Therefore if my best is to offer you praise then praise I will offer. With my whole heart I will praise you, I will not hold back, I will not be ashamed to praise my God! I will speak of your name, of your works, of your mercy, of your goodness, and of your great, great love!’

‘Praise be to God who saves and delivers! Who forgets not the hurting! Who remembers the orphan, the widow, the oppressed, the poor, and the ill! Blessed be the name of my God for his goodness, his greatness, his mercy, and his love!’

Dependence Day

This ‘Independence Day’ marks twenty-nine years of my blessed dependence on our Lord, Jesus Christ. A dependence filled with a myriad of emotions ranging from bursting joy, gentle peace, and enduring comfort that has calmed and shaped the person I’ve become. In and through every emotional turn Christ has and continues to be my dearest and closest Friend John 15:15. He’s never failed to listen, to comfort, to care, and to understand. He knows all that I am and yet I sense His love ever clearer, ever stronger, and ever urging me to ‘come up higher’ Luke 14:10.

Along this journey He’s guided friends, family, and complete strangers my way to encourage, to rebuff, to humble, and to demonstrate His eternal love. He’s never forsaken though I’ve strayed, he’s never forgotten though I’ve tried, He’s never wavered regardless of how much I have. Yet for every misstep the overwhelming pull of Christ’s love has tugged at my heart and kept me within his reach. It is this love that I’ve become addicted. Now my hearts longing is that Christ be formed in me Galatians 4:19 and that His glory be reflected in me!

To this end and the encouraging of others in their daily walk with Christ is now my ministry. I’m not a speaker, a preacher, a pastor, or a teacher but Christ’s gifted me an ability to write and with it a word of encouragement. So, the Lord willing, the daily devotionals will continue and with it I pray an encouraging word to those who are hurt, to those who are lonely, to those who are afraid… to those much like myself. May Christ be your strength!

Reading between the lines

Reading between the lines of scripture and our own lives is the task of living the Gospel. Becoming a Christian and walking the Christian life does not ensure a quiet and peaceful life. For oftentimes there is a strained struggle that occurs within each believer. There is a war taking place that sets the carnal flesh (Romans 7:14) against the ‘new man’, the old against the new, good verses evil (Ephesians 4:24).

Each day becomes a struggle. The Spirit of God within us pulls one direction and our old nature pulls another. Some days we feel like we are being pulled apart or that we will come un-glued just trying to deal with all the inner unrest and indecisiveness’ (Romans 5:20).

For we take a step towards righteousness and it seems twice the evil confronts us. More of our sin, our wickedness, and more of our evil is unmasked and revealed (Romans 7:19). This in contrast to the majestic light of purity, goodness, righteousness, and holiness of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The fissure between who we really are and that of Jesus is so great that we at times shrink away to the nearest inner-dark hole that we can find. We try to hide within ourselves because of our own embarrassment, our own shame, our own contrived guilt. Seeing who we truly are is not easy and forgiving that person requires the grace of Christ.

Yet, the love of God calls us into His light, into His mercy, and into His righteousness to expose who we truly are (1 Peter 2:9). Nothing is fixed in the darkness. Shrinking away-hiding away from the fight may feel good for a while but solves little. Reengaging the enemy takes courage and grit as we foresee some battles may be lost, more of our pride is lost, and ultimately broken…… we fall before the cross of Christ.

Yet, it is in our emptiness, in our failure, in our brokenness… that Christ is strong within us (2 Corinthians 12:9). The image… the character of Christ takes form within our hearts… And when Christ is revealed in us… only He receives the glory. Only Christ is praised, glorified, exalted, and magnified. For we testify freely that not through us nor from any strength of our own nor any righteousness on our part but all this… is the Lord’s doing!

The Lord is working in your heart to bring you to maturity in Him. He’s not cast you away. He’s not forgotten you. He will forgive. He will heal. Be patient… be still… and know the awesome power of our loving Savior!

I need thee

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, Revelation 3:17

This morning I awoke with tears in my eyes and a song on my heart, a song of praise. “Oh how I need thee” rang over and over in my mind; this flooded over my silence, opened my mouth and I sang a tune familiar and unfamiliar to me… a song of need…

All of us, you and I have needs. Most of the time the temporary needs seem to gain the importance while our eternal needs lapse. The busyness of our day overshadows the simple reading of God’s Word, the meditation on His precepts, the memorizing of His passages. By action we speak… ‘I have no need for God’s Word’ and ‘I do not have the time’ and ‘I care not for thee’.

No time have we to pray. Our friends, our family, and those around us have needs of spirit and mind and yet we do not pray, we are too busy to pray. The flag we hold allegiance to and its nation is crumbling from moral decay and the rot of humanism and yet the saints are seemingly silent. We simply do not have time to pray. We have television programs to watch or projects to complete or ministries to advance… but who prays?

‘Oh how I need thee’
‘Oh how I need thee’
‘Holy Spirit rescue me’
‘From my sin set free’