Testing

Good morning!

Testing is a blessing, for it  reveals that our faith is genuine and more valuable than gold -- it frees us from impurity and fits us for heaven. Paul Settle

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith ---- more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire ---- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:6-7).

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A hymn to be read or sung aloud as an offering of thanks to our faithful and powerful God: PRAISE TO THE LORD THE ALMIGHTY.

Increase My Faith

Good morning!

"Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel; give me repentance from dead works; pardon my wanderings, and direct my thoughts unto Thyself, the God of my salvation; teach me how to live in fear, labor in Thy service, and ever to run in the way of Thy commandments; make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terror of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a slumber, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ, that living in Thy fear, and dying in Thy favor, I may in Thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends, and kindred."  ---- George Washington, in an undated prayer from his prayer journal.                                                                                         ---- selected from Focus On the Family

It occurred to me that President Washington's prayer breathes the spirit of David's prayer in Psalm 69 (especially verses 6, 13, 16): Let not those who hope in Thee be ashamed because of me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek Thee be brought to dishonor because of me, O God of Israel. But as for me, my prayer is unto Thee, O LORD, at an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of Thy steadfast love hear me, in the truth of Thy salvation, for thy lovingkindness is good; turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.

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A hymn to read or sing aloud in reverent prayer to God: LORD, I LIFT MY SOUL TO THEE.

Winsomeness

Good morning!

Take care if the world does hate you that it hates you without cause. ---- C. H. Spurgeon

Beloved....if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name (I Peter 4:12a, 14-16).

A hymn to read or sing loud to the glory of God:  FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.

The Christian and Law

Good morning!

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW  God is only rightly served when His law is obeyed. It is not left to every man to frame a system of religion according to his own judgment, but the standard of godliness is to be taken from the Word of God. ---- John Calvin

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).

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A hymn to be read or sung aloud to the glory of God: TEACH ME, O LORD, YOUR WAY OF TRUTH.

Obedience

Good morning!

OBEDIENCE    Only in obedience can we discover the great joy of the will of God. ---- Sinclair Ferguson

You made known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

A hymn to read or sing aloud to the glory of God: TRUST AND OBEY.

Poverty

Good morning!

At issue everywhere that poverty appears is God's test of man's soul. For the poor it is a question of patient endurance of God's yoke. For the rich it is a question of love working through material goods.

The mystery of poverty is that God uses the needy to stand in His stead among all the nations of the world. Because their yoke is burdensome, God lightens their plight with excess of faith, hope, and love. And through them God tests:

1. Those whose service to Him is in talk only, mere lip-service.

2. Those who cannot resist the temptation to take advantage of the weak.

3. Those who, in their eagerness to display their love, seek Him out in the needy where He may be found, and give of their goods, time, talents, and skills to them. ---- Berghoef and DeKoster

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin....  (See also. Leviticus 19:15-16; I Samuel 2:7-8; Psalm 35:10; Luke 10:29-37). 

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A hymn to read or sing aloud to the glory of God: WHEN THE WEARY, SEEKING REST.

Joy

Good morning!

If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere ---- Billy Sunday.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in  the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4).

A hymn to read or sing aloud to the glory of God: Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts.