Heavy Questions

"My heart is awed within me when I think

Of the great miracle that still goes on,

In silence, round me--the perpetual work

Of thy creation, finished, yet renewed forever.

Written on thy works I read

The lesson of thy own eternity."

William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878)

One of the books of the Bible I've turned to the most in my faith journey is the Book of Job. That might seem a strange book to be encouraged by, but my heart is always encouraged when I read chapters 38 and 39.

In those chapters God's power and control are magnificently presented as God questions Job. What a presentation of God's creation and His imagination in all that He created.

Many may see only Job's trials and anguish, but it's so much more. "God permitted Job's trials to prove that a person could love God for Himself without thought of reward, and that a loving, sovereign God is always in control though our own knowledge and understanding are limited." Sidlow, Explore the Bible.

Last week I had the opportunity to read those chapters aloud, and as always my heart was encouraged.

God's questions about creation, nature, stars and clouds in the heavens and the ways of the animals and birds shows His masterful creation in all it's beauty and purpose.

The Liberty Bible Commentary says it this way about chapters 38 and 39: " . . . are a relation of mystery and grandeur of creation, and by implication the might and wisdom required of a God who could create such a universe. In contract to all of this, man appears weak, finite, and very limited in understanding indeed. The comparison of the Creator's greatness and man's creatureness is not lost on Job."

Job 38:22: "Have you entered the treasures of the snow." I LOVE snow! For it's beauty. For it's refreshment as it falls. For it's cleanness and purity. Most of all I like that "God will make our sins as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18 "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." And in this hot 80 and 90 degree weather, snow sure feels good to me! Jerry calls snow "falling whispers."

The Matthew Henry Commentary says: "In the clouds the snow and hail are generated, and thence they come in such abundance that one would think there were treasures of them laid up in store there, whereas indeed they are produced for the occasion."

Our God is Almighty, Powerful, True and in control of all things. Just because we don't know what He is doing, we know for sure that He is doing all things good and right. Job 38 and 39 remind me of that!

"I had a million questions to ask God: but when I met Him, they all fled my mind; and it didn't seem to matter."

Christopher Morley

"The big lesson to be learned from the Book of Job is that man does not know the reason for the things going on in his life, but he should trust the Lord at all times. Man can never plumbed the depths of God, and how God deals with each man and all men, therefore man is encouraged to look steadfastly at the Lord, trust Him and be devoted to Him because God is loving and merciful and all of his purposes are part of His ultimate plan which no one can understand."

Bible-History

My friend, Carol, was familiar with a song that I wrote about in my last blog post. The name of the song is: Trust His Heart, and she added two lines to the verse I posted. I listened to the song on YouTube. It has some soothing and inspiring lyrics. I share these words once again:

God is too wise to be mistaken

God is too good to be unkind

So when you don't understand

When you don't see His plan

When you can't trace His hand

Trust His Heart

You can find the song at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWk8DRwDYDc

God's heavy questions reassures me that God is in control of all things. "Do you know what footings were set or who laid the earth's cornerstone?" And while God did this "the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy!" 38:6-7

Be encouraged!

Message Received

"A heart in every thought renewed And full of love divine,

Perfect and right and pure and good,

A copy, Lord, of thine."

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Last Saturday evening I was feeling overwhelmed and disturbed regarding all that is happening in our country and this world. This is a world America has never lived in before or experienced to such an overpowering degree. 

My prayer that night was simply, "I'm overwhelmed," and I closed my eyes."

God answered my prayer Sunday morning when I heard my pastor preach on "Living a sane life in a crazy world." I was instantly reassured of where my focus should be." (A link to the message is at the end of this post.)

He mentioned a verse from a song that goes like this:

 "When we don't understand

When we can't see His Hand

And we don't know His Plan

Trust His Heart."

I like that. And what Charles Wesley said about the Lord's heart is so true: "Perfect and right and pure and good."

 "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken.

And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart."

Charles Spurgeon

With God we know His intentions are perfect and need never to fear. As Paul wrote to Timothy: "For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

These two were resting peaceably as I drove by about 8 a.m.

Also pointed out in my pastor's message was the Serenity Prayer that most of us have read on many commercial items: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

But did you know there is more to this prayer:

"Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next. Amen"

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Always fun to see triplets!

I can truly say as stated in 2 Timothy 1:12b: " . . . because I know whom I believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." Yes, I received the message!

I Know Whom I Have Believed

Daniel W. Whittle

I know not why God's wondrous grace

To me He hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain:

But I know Whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I've committed

Unto Him against that day."

The future days are going to be hard. There will be many reasons to feel defeated and discouraged. But if you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, you know whom I have believed. You know His heart. Trust His heart.

You can find the message "Living a Sane Life in a Crazy World" from July 19 on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/rosevilleindchapel/videos/616313608999803/

If the link doesn't work pull up Roseville Independent Chapel, Brookville PA. July 19 message begins at 28:12.

The song "I Know Whom I Have Believed" can be found on YouTube at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bRV3J4n8cc

Late Saturday afternoon we found twins in our backyard.

Remember all the Benefits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

Psalm 103:2

I like this snap as the sunrise was bringing some pink to the sky and the fog was enhancing the buck's antlers. 

Psalms 103 and 119 are favorites of mine. I tried to memorize Psalm 103 once, but I didn't get very far. I decided just to stick with my Melody of Hymns. I wouldn't dare try to memorize Psalm 119!

The other morning I read words by Charles Spurgeon regarding Psalm 103 and thought I'd share them with you. He encouraged that our own history is just as good as the saints of old.

"It is a delightful and profitable exercise to recognize the sovereign hand of God in the lives of the ancient saints of old, to observe His goodness in delivering them, His mercy in forgiving them, and His faithfulness in keeping His covenant with them," Spurgeon said.

Spurgeon continued: "Shouldn't we notice that our own history is at least as full of God's goodness, truth, faithfulness, and righteousness as any of the lives of the saint who have gone before us? . . . If we would only review our own lives, surely we would discover a number of blessed occasions that would refresh our faith and bring glory to God."

A sweet face at the tree line as I drove by.

I do enjoy reading about Christians through all ages of the world. They encourage, inspire, motivate and bring joy to my heart. Right now, in 2020, saints will be remembered for how they persevered through their lives and people will read about them through the ages if God tarries.


"Hasn't the same God who gave Solomon his 'heart's desire' listened to you and answered your requests?" Spurgeon said. " . . . Surely the goodness of God has been the same to us as to the saints of old."

God has blessed us and helped us as He has all His people through time.  Do you frequently consider what God has done for you? It is encouraging to reflect on my walk with God. His Hand has led me through countless experiences that have changed my life. I know you must have similar experiences.

There's still a few small fawn around, but I'm not finding very many.

Spurgeon ends his thoughts with these words: "Thus, may we weave His mercies into songs of worship. May we use the pure gold of thankfulness and the jewels of praise and fashion them into another crown for Jesus' head. May music as sweet and as stirring as that which came from David's harp flow from our soul while we praise the Lord whose 'love endures forever.'"

We're in perilous and desperate times. We stand to lose our country as we have known it from it's beginning. But we have hope. We have God's Hope. Our lives can change the lives of others. Let Christ work through you to help others know our hope. Let your life shine because of what God has done for you and in you.

Yes, our lives are just as valuable as the saints of old, because God is still working. He's working in you. He's working in me. Shine friend!  

 "Great saints have often been great sinners."

Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore

(1823-1896)

People Need the Light

NOW is the watchword of the wise."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)

I found this lovely garden loaded with yellow and looking happy on one of my early morning drives.

Billy Graham shared these words many years ago.  In "light" of all that is happening in this country and the world, these words are needed today:

"We are holding a light. We are to let it shine! Though it may seem but a twinkling candle in a world of blackness, it is our business to let it shine. Light dispels darkness, and it attracts people in darkness to it.

"We are blowing a trumpet. In the din and noise of battle the sound of our little trumpet may seem to be lost, but we must keep sounding the alarm to those who are in danger.

This small raccoon was beside the road. His sibling was a few feet away

"We are kindling a fire. In this cold world full of hatred and selfishness our little blaze may seem to be unavailing, but we must keep our fire burning.

"We are striking with a hammer. The blows may seem only to jar our hands as we strike, but we are to keep on hammering. Amy Carmichael of India once asked a stone cutter which blow broke the stone. 'The first one and the last,' he replied, 'and every one in between.'

"We have bread for the hungry world. The people may seem to be so busy feeding on other things that they will not accept the Bread of Life, but we must keep on giving it, offering it to the souls of men.

Small Turkey poult or chicks were walking along the road.

"We have water for famishing people. We must keep standing and crying out, 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.' Sometimes they can't come and we must carry it to them.

"We must persevere. We must never give up. Keep using the Word!"
                                                                                                                             Billy Graham, Unto the Hills, July 1 devotion 

You are the light to all those around you. You are the example to everyone you know. You are the vehicle that others can see Christ. People need the light. Shine, believer. Shine bright!

"Lord, let me not live to be useless."

John Wesley (1703-1791) 

Am I Old?

"Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come."

Psalm 71:18

I have enjoyed spotting small fawn this year! Following are some of the snaps I particularly like!

I've often thought about being old. In my 70s now, that was definitely considered old when I was young. But I keep picturing myself and my friends and don't picture us as old.

There are certainly signs of being old. Memory failing. Dropping things. Typing with more mistakes. Energy. Diet. Early bed time. Wearing colors together that I wouldn't have years ago. Aren't I suppose to be mature? Well, you know what I mean.

 That's why I enjoyed Warren Wiersbe's recent devotion titled: When I am Old. Psalm 71. He said: "The older I become, the more I appreciate this psalm. It focuses on God's special blessings for those who are getting older."

Areas this Psalm speaks about are weakness, confusion, living in the past and complaining. Regarding weakness Wiersbe wrote: "The outward man is failing, but the inward man can be renewed day by day. God will provide you with the spiritual strength that you need." And I know that spiritual strength will overcome any area that I feel weak in.

"We can't always keep up with so many rapid changes in this world. As we get older, we might say, 'I don't quite know what's going on.' But God says, 'Look, don't worry about it. You trust Me, and I'll never allow you to be confused.'" Yes, I've been confused and felt like I couldn't understand at times. But our God walks with us through all things and will always care for us.

"But David said, 'Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.' When we're walking with the Lord, He takes care of weakness and confusion. He takes care of our fear of the future. He also substitutes praise for complaining, and therefore, we grow old graciously.," Wiersbe continued.

And have you said, "Back in the good old days . . . I've concluded that perhaps the good old days were not that good. David acknowledges, 'For You are my hope, O Lord God.' He was living in the future. We don't know what the future holds, but we do know that God holds our future." Keep my eyes moving forward and not backyard. Memories are fine. I love to recall good things in my past. But my eyes need to look forward as I continue to march through life.

"If we are resorting to the Lord continually in prayer, if we are rejoicing in Him continually in praise, if we are hoping in Him continually and laying hold of His promises, if we are saying that the best is yet to come and praise Him more and more, then we can grow old and 'gray headed' without fear We'll be able to glory the Lord, and we'll be able to share Him with others in the next generation."

Well, I would like to grow old graciously. I'm thankful that God stays with us through each phase of our life. I still can't picture my friends and I as being old, but I know things have changed and are changing every day because I constantly say to myself: "Why is this so hard!" So frustrating!

Yes, many consider me old now. I'm definitely slowing down. But as long as my focus is on God and I stay in His Word, it doesn't matter what changes in my physical and mental self occur. God will always help me. Why, He's just a whisper away. 

"Seasons change and I change, but my Lord is eternally the same, and the streams of His love are as deep and wide and full as ever.

Charles Spurgeon