Sweet Relief

The hymn writer wrote:

In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare by thy return sweet hour of prayer.

Our relief is not in the praying itself, our relief is found in the One to whom we pray. Prayer is the means of communication to our heavenly Father. For those who are born of God prayer in the soul is like breathing to the body. Whether we enunciate and speak words, or formulate and organize thoughts, or if we just sigh or groan towards heaven; the One we cry out to, the One who hears and the One who answers is our God. It is He who gives relief.

And since He bids me seek His face, believe His word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my every care, and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

So, why do we wait? Why do we not call upon Him more and often? We fret, we worry, we complain, we 'man up' so to speak, we put off, and we make excuses. We will do everything, it seems, except quietly get before "Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood".

Lord, forgive me my sin, my neglect of you, please give me that child like trust in You who are worthy of ALL praise, honor, and glory.

The Day of Salvation

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 118:19-29

My Hope

The Solid Rock

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand – All other ground

is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found,

Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne.

Edward Mote, 1797 – 1874

William B. Bradbury, 1816 – 1868

Psalm 112

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
6 ¶ Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Psalm 111

Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6 ¶ He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

without reproach

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him." James 1:5

These are sweet words and instructive words for believers, for those washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are sweet food for my soul. They are sweet in that they speak of the kindness and compassion of my heavenly Father. They are instructive in that I should seek to be like Him in the way that I treat others who might come to me for advice or "wisdom".

When I lack wisdom I can freely go to my Father through His Son and seek it without fear of reproach. He will not say 'I told you so'. He will not find fault with me for my lack of wisdom. There is no doubt that God can and does rebuke us and convict us for our sins. But here James tells us when we are in the middle of great trials and difficulties, when we are struggling, confused, and do not know where to turn. We can call upon our Father in heaven and He will hear us and he will not upbraid us, it will be without reproach! Sweet, sweet words for my soul.

These words; "upbraideth not" also instruct me! He who is perfect, He who is holy has commanded me to be like Him. (Mat. 5:48) So I should seek to be like Him in kindness and compassion. If and when someone comes to me for advice and wisdom I should freely give it to them without upbraiding them, that is without reproach, without fault finding, without criticizing. May the Lord help me to do just that.

Blinded

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

I was blind but now I see, it is truly, amazing grace!

Do you see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ? May God remove Satan's blindness from your eyes.

big bang experiment update

If you read my previous post then here is a link regarding the big bang experiment:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7604293.stm

Now my questions are:
1. How long before this 'thing' creates an earth?
2.When will a cave man pop out of the "thing"? Geico should be standing by and waiting to shoot a commercial.


In all sincerity hear what the scriptures say:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Gen 1:1

"But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, ... He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. " Jer. 10:10-14


"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect." Psa 33:6


"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:1-5

big bang theory

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Cor. 1:19-25

I read an article earlier today about a group of scientists who are preparing to "recreate" the "big bang theory".

The "big bang theory" as I understand it, is the supposed way our universe came into being. Allegedly, billions of years ago the universe came out of nowhere and began to expand into what we see today; but I digress. Back to the experiment, this experiment is taking place near Geneva, Switzerland about 300 feet underground in a thing (Large Hadron Collider) approximately 18 miles long.

The plan is to run protons around in the 'thing' at the speed of light, these protons will eventually collide with one another and theoretically recreate the earliest stage of the "big bang theory".

It never fails to amaze me to what lengths man will go to disprove God and His creation. The natural man cannot discern the word of God. Man refuses to believe the scripture; "In the beginning God created ...." hence they reject God and His truth so we conclude with a thought from the apostle Paul, "the world by wisdom knew not God."

Tests of faith

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." (perseverance, endurance).

All things

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Mat. 11:25-30


For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:34-36