Yesterday, one of you brought to my mind the beautiful Hymn “Sweet Hour Of Prayer.” I decided to look up it’s lyrics for the purpose of refreshing my memory of it’s message and the more I read the more it inspired me to write about it today, since prayer is one of my favorite topics. More specifically, I am speaking of that special sweet time of communion with our Heavenly Father many folks have discovered. I’m sure you have heard some of God’s children speak of their “quiet time” with Him. Well, the message of this beautiful hymn written in 1845 by William W. Walford is a much better description of our “quiet times” with the Lord than I could have come up with, so today I want to highlight them for you.
It’s author began by saying that the sweet hour of prayer took him away temporarily from the cares of this world and into his Father’s throne. It was the time when he could express his wants and wishes to Him in the midst of the distress and grief of this life. It was at this time his soul would find relief and would shield him from the tempter’s snare. It was a time he anxiously looked for each day, a time when true joy and bliss would fill his soul as he waited for His Savior to meet him there. He also implied a truth we should all keep in mind, namely that God desires these special quiet times with His children more than they do. It is He who bids us to believe in His Word and trust His grace, to cast on Him our every prayer. He ends his song by asking His comfort while here on earth until the day when he takes his flight to his eternal Home where he will receive his heavenly prize. And as he passes through the air, he will shout “Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!” Without a doubt, this means that, even though our “quiet times” are precious to us, we won’t have any more “sweet hours of prayer” once we’re in Heaven. Why not? In Heaven, it won’t be an hour, it will be forever!
Dear child of God, have you discovered the joy and bliss one gets in a genuine “quiet time” with God, a “sweet hour of prayer?” I encourage you to do all you can to truly seek the face of your Heavenly Father. As the author of this hymn testified, it will be the time where you are transported away from the cares of this world. And remember this: He wants to have these special times with you even more than you do. John wrote: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14) Is asking God to help us develop a better prayer life with Him according to His will? You bet! Once you discover the joy and sweetness that are very much a part of the “quiet times” you’ll be eagerly awaiting it each new day.
God’s word for today: (Psalm 42:8) “By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life.”
I had an incident last Friday that confirmed one particular biblical truth. We were utilizing a gift certificate to one of our favorite restaurants and as soon as we were seated, I reached out for one of the rolls set before us so that I could cut in half and butter it even more. The problem was that the knives in our napkin were steak knives and not butter knives. That being said, I sliced the tip of my index finger instead. It was a fairly small cut but I bleed easily. Thank God that my wife had a band aid in her purse and, using part of a napkin, made a makeshift but effective bandage. Because of it, our meal had no more interruptions and we enjoyed it like we always do. On Sunday morning, I had a newer and more secure bandage on my index finger and felt everything was going on as usual, that is, until I tried putting on my tie. That usually takes me less than a minute but this time, I struggled so long that I almost gave up. Although it didn’t come out the way I expected, by God’s grace I finally succeeded. The biblical truth it reminded me of was this: The tip of my index finger is a very small member of my body, yet it is very necessary. Life just wouldn’t be the same without it.
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he reminded them that the church is one body which is comprised of many members. (parts) Though some are bigger and seem to be more crucial than others, even the small members/parts are necessary. He wrote: “Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary.” (1 Cor. 12:22) If I wasn’t totally convinced of that eternal truth before, I am now. In the human body, some parts get more credit and are given more care and attention than others. For example, we shudder at the fear of not having full use of our eyes, arms, legs, and feet, etc. It is the same at work, home, and even church. We often worry about what we would do if we didn’t have our leaders and more prominent people, never realizing just how crucial and how much we need the least prominent members.
One reason that I brought up this incident about my index finger cut is because many people in the workplace, home, and even church often sell themselves short, not realizing just how important and necessary they are. Another truth is that God has placed us all in the body exactly where we belong. I Corinthians 12:18 says that He: “has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” Regardless of the part you represent in the body of Christ, whether big, small, visible, or unseen, you are just as vital as are the parts of your physical body. Whether at home, work, or church, do your part, and do it with all your heart. The rest of the body needs you.
God’s word for today: (Psalm 139:14) “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
Life is like the South Texas weather; it can change quickly and the new day can be totally different than the previous one. Proverbs 27:1 says: “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” While it is not a sin nor is it necessarily unwise to make plans for the future, this verse is a reminder that the day of tomorrow may never come. So if this verse is the “don’t do this” what is the “do this instead”? Jesus supplied that answer when He said: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) Simply put, we ask the Lord to help us today with today’s burdens. Clue: “Give us this day our daily bread.”
This reminds me of this corny joke I have probably bored you with before: A man was worried about 500 dollars he was going to have to come up with in 30 days. When he expressed his fear to a close friend, he replied, “don’t worry at all about that, you’re going to be fine.” That gave him comfort and he forgot about it. Two weeks later, those 500 dollars came to his mind again so he went back to his friend expressing his fear because the due date was now two weeks away. His friend gave him the same advice and it settled his fears. He did that the following week and his friend again quieted his fears. Then came the day the money was due so he came back to his friend expressing more fear then ever. This time his friend said: “Okay, now is the time to start worrying!”
Today is the best time to take care of today’s business. If we can do it today, why wait until tomorrow? Putting off important matters for a later date is, at best foolish because tomorrow could be too late. I shared these two verses with out prayer group at church yesterday: “Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16) and “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” (Eph. 6:13) Referring to people who were unprepared and playing with fire, my mom would often use this expression: “Ven que la tempestad se acerca pero no se arrodillan.” Translation: “They see the storm approaching, yet they don’t kneel.” (pray) The best way to be prepared at all times is to stay close to God, so close that we are always aware that He is just a prayer away.
Gods word for today: (Psalm 73:28) “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.”
I Know there are many Christian folks, because they fear it dishonors God or is a sign of weakness or a lack of faith, don’t want to admit it or talk about it, but there are times when their trials get the best of them. Yes, at one time or another, we all will go through experiences that will really test our faith. Because this is true, one or two of you, maybe more, are going through a stretch right now that has made your soul feel weary and troubled. If things look very dark for you right now, permit me to remind you that the light to guide you out of the darkness is within you. As children of God, every one of us has Jesus in our heart, and He is THE light of the world. John said of Him: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4)
If He conquered sin and death, He certainly has the power to lift us out of our worry, fear, or depression. If He emerged victorious over our mightiest enemies, so will we. And if sin no longer has dominion over us, neither should our trials. If an evil voice has whispered “You won’t get out of this one”, a stronger voice within you will remind you that you are more than a conqueror through Him who loves you. God’s promises will not fail you; believe Him and all will be well. Once you are back at the top of your game, and once He has lifted you up again, that will be the perfect time to tell others: “What He has done for me, He will do for you.”
The key to victory over any difficult trial is this: Turn your eyes upon Jesus, not on your situation. By faith, reckon Him looking down and smiling at you. When you focus on Him and keep your eyes upon Him, everything else will fade out of sight in the light of His glory and grace.
God’s promise for today: (Psalm 34:4) “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Note: If you didn’t sense it before, I had help writing today’s blog. It is another reminder of the timeless value of the written word. My helper was a person who is in glory today. Her name is Helen H. Lemmel. I used the lyrics of the great Christian hymn she wrote in 1922, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” I used the message of the hymn and ran with it. I pray you will find the song on the internet at your earliest opportunity.
Peter and Thomas were exceptional men; they had to have been if Jesus chose them to be His disciples. Unfortunately, to many people, Christians included, Thomas is only remembered as the Disciple who doubted Jesus’ resurrection and Peter as the one who denied Him. When anyone today doubts anything or anybody, many are quick to immediately call him or her a “doubting Thomas.”Peter doesn’t fare any better. In fact, it is worse with him. Besides being known as the Disciple who denied Jesus, he is also known as the one who almost drowned when he tried to walk on water and failed. Among Christian preachers and teachers, Peter is also known as the Disciple who constantly put his foot in his mouth. Among several others, one occasion they often cite is the time the Lord announced to His Disciples that He was going to die on the cross to later rise on the third day. Paraphrasing, Peter spoke out saying: “You’ll do no such thing!” Jesus turned to him and said: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23) Ouch!
I’m no psychologist but my guess is that most of us are like that: We tend to remember people’s mistakes and weaknesses more than the good things in their lives. If that is indeed the case, then it is just as easy for others to think the same way about us. In fact, I would not be surprised if some of you, as soon as you read these lines, immediately thought of someone you know who, for whatever reason, only sees you in a negative light. Perhaps you did or said something once that was wrong or did not come out right, and they never forgot it. If it is not fair for others to do that it is not right for us to do it either. That is one reason Paul wrote: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)
Nevertheless, what held true for Peter and Thomas holds true for you. Those who really know you, and especially Jesus, love, appreciate, and value you highly. Because God is the only One who knows and understands us, all His children are precious in His sight. He knows the immense value that is in us because Jesus Himself lives in our heart. Let others think of us what they may. What matters the most is what He thinks of us.
God’s word for today: (Isaiah 43:4) “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.”
One day, a long, long time ago, a young lad left home to go hear a great prophet who had appeared on the scene. He was going to teach the people that day on a Judean mountainside and since they had never before seen or heard anybody like Him, people everywhere were talking about Him. It is reasonable to assume that the boy’s mom had to stay home to attend to the rest of her family and chores, but persuaded her young son to go hear what the prophet had to say. She may have asked him to carefully try to remember His words so that he could share them with her when he returned. She probably also fixed him his the lunch to sustain him that day. When Jesus later in the day asked His disciples if they had any food to feed the multitude, one of them replied: “There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9) Neither the boy nor his mom could have ever imagined that this great Teacher would use thatsmall meal to somehow feed a multitude. In fact, as the disciple implied, how could something so small do so much for so many?
Because we are human, we too often find it hard to believe that God can do good, or even great, things with the little we have to offer. Nevertheless, we must not forget that the One who did that great miracle on the mountainside that day, is the same today. After all, He lives forever.The truth is that wondrous things such as these are done on a daily basis throughout the world. Jesus continues to take the little we can offer to accomplish great things. Dear child of God, let me remind you that you have much more than five loaves and two fishes to offer. Like the lad in this biblical account, are you willing to offer what you have to bless and benefit others? A warm handshake, a loving smile, a pat on the back, a word of encouragement, all of these are small things and fairly easy to do. Yet, they can do great things for others. In fact, someone you know may just now be yearning to receive one of these “small things.” Bless someone today!
God’s promise for today (Proverbs 22:9) “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
By now, all of you are aware of the fiasco committed recently by United Airlines when they forcibly removed an unwilling customer off one of their flights. Their CEO quickly apologized to the passenger and to the entire nation vowing that such incidents would never again occur under his watch. Besides the apology, the airline was exceptionally quick to reach a monetary settlement with the offended customer and although an amount was not mentioned, one can only assume it was in the millions. United Airlines was wrong, quickly took responsibility, and made amends. Case closed, right? Wrong! Politicians had to put their two cents in. Even though United’s CEO had already apologized and made restitution, he had to submit to further grilling, scolding, and embarrassment before a seemingly indignant group of lawmakers. I am fully aware that this man makes millions of dollars in salary so to say “poor guy” might not be appropriate here. Nevertheless, and even though I suspect not everyone will agree, to me this was like kicking someone who is down already.
As I caught some of the coverage of this hearing, I was reminded of the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. He suffered much greater indignities than the United Airlines passenger. Even worse, most of them came by way of his own brothers. They first considered killing him but later decided to sell him as a slave. Then they proceeded to lie to their father making it appear that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Once in Egypt as a slave, Joseph was falsely accused of sexual assault by the wife of his master and was cast into prison. We all know that in time, by God’s predestined plan, Joseph wound up as second in command to Pharaoh. When he finally revealed himself to his brothers it was obvious that they were terrified fearing retribution. This was the right time for the hammer to come down hard on them. This was the time when their confession and plea for mercy and forgiveness was in order. Did Joseph wait for it? And if he forgave them, would this not be the perfect time to let them have it anyway? No, what a man Joseph was! He basically forgave them even before they asked for it. He let them off the hook by telling them: “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” (Gen. 45:5)
Unlike the panel in the recent congressional hearing, Joseph did not continue to berate his brothers once their sin exposed them. In His Sermon on the mount Jesus made it clear that God will not forgive those who do not forgive others. Nevertheless, when is forgiveness really forgiveness? It isn’t forgiveness when we throw it back at someone’s face after they have confessed and asked for it. And if we keep reminding folks of the time they offended us, neither is that forgiveness. When God’s children forgive, they really do.
God’s word for today: (Ephesians 4:32) “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
The old expression “when the rubber meets the road” generally speaks about the time when we have to put into action or practice what we have been claiming beforehand. It is also a time to show what we’re really made of. This old saying came to my mind last week when the topic of the Lord’s “anointing” was highlighted in our men’s bible class at church. The word “anointed” is a big favorite of many preachers and churches today. It is just as popular and widely used by preachers as the word “awesome” is to today’s general population. To many folks, anything that is good or that they like is “awesome.” It is the same in the Christian world. Any preacher or ministry that is well liked or received, of course, has to be “anointed.” Here, however, is where “the rubber meets the road”: The day will come when the “anointed” will find out if they really are.
In my early days in the ministry, we had a church member whom I was convinced was “anointed.” She attended every service, was the first one to arrive, gave the loudest and the most frequent “amens” and praises to God, and was the most expressive in her worship. I often wished I were as spiritual as she. Well, as fate would have it, one day she needed to go to the hospital for a fairly routine operation. As I have done for many years, I went to pray with her before the surgery and was shocked at what I saw. The person I thought was “anointed” and super spiritual was an emotional mess. Her operation was fairly simple yet she carried on like her life was in the balance. I tried hard to comfort, encourage her, and summon up her faith but had very little success. Even though she went in very distraught, the Lord was with her anyway and the operation was a breeze. Though that experience perplexed me at first, I learned a valuable lesson that day. The Lord reminded me of His words in Matthew 7:20: “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Just because some high profile preachers have convinced many that they are “anointed” does not mean they actually are. When I asked someone once why they thought a certain preacher was “anointed”, he replied “because he said he was.” A millionaire doesn’t have to go around telling everyone that he is rich. With time, it will become obvious to those around him.
In my early days in the ministry, I was doing what many people do today. I was measuring Christians by their “gifts” not their fruits. I have since learned that the only ones that can rightfully be considered “anointed” are those who are like Christ. These are they who, besides being faithful, are humble and treat everybody with love, kindness, and respect. These are they who really make a positive impact in the lives of others. In fact, if you tell these folks they are “anointed” they may have a hard time believing it themselves or else it will matter very little to them. Thank God there are still many “anointed” people everywhere. You may be one of them.
God’s word for today: (2 Corinthians 1:21) “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us.”
One thing I love to do on Sunday mornings at church, along with our designated staff members, is to personally greet those coming in to one of our worship services. I suspect that if, by God’s grace, our membership eventually multiplies in size, I may have a slightly more difficult time doing it, but I’ll try anyway. I was thinking about this topic two Sundays ago when our greeters welcomed the few that came in after the service had already started. One gentleman was the type many churches will not let in. Our greeters, however, welcomed him the same way they welcomed all the others. I was very happy to see that and I thanked God we have such people in our church staff.
Addressing this issue, James wrote: “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” (James 2:1) The Amplified Bible (AMP) says it this way: “My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality.” [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery] To be objective, we cannot forget that James offered this word of instruction to a people living in a different time and culture. To be more precise His letter was originally addressed “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” (James 1:1) In other words, these were all new Jewish converts to Christ which were scattered to different parts of the world due to persecution. The Biblical principal set forth, nevertheless, remains the same: If God has no favorites, neither should we.
When you read the first eleven verses in Chapter two, you will see that James was more specific concerning this issue. He chided them for treating those who were dressed in fine apparel, probably the rich, with honor and respect, while those who appeared to be poor were seated in the spots of least importance. By personal experience, I know that human nature plays into this. My wife and I often have to go to HEB after Sunday morning services. When I am still in my church clothes, time and time again people seem to go out of their way to greet me and treat me with respect while on days when I’m wearing my ordinary clothes, hardly anybody says “hi” or even makes eye contact. However, the Christ in us, should be easily dominant over our old nature. When the love of God resides in our heart, it is easy to treat everybody as Christ would, regardless of who they are or what they look like. Now if someone comes to church smelling like the local landfill that might be an exception. Even so, should that ever occur, we still have an obligation to treat him or her as we think the Lord Himself would treat them. If you belong to a church where certain types are not permitted entry, it seems to me you just may be in the wrong church.
God’s word for today: (Mark 12:33) “To love God with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
I discussed it with my better half and had been considering retiring this year from writing these weekday meditational thoughts. We’ve also prayed about it asking God to give us an indication of what to do. Well, I’m not sure yet if this was my sign or not but about ten days ago I was fixing my morning coffee and was debating if I should discard my almost spent bottle of coffee creamer since I had already bought a new one. Right before I threw it away I thought to myself “Why am I being wasteful? There’s not much left in this old plastic bottle but it still has something to give.” Needless to say, I kept it and used it until the end. I immediately wondered if the Lord was showing me that I was that old plastic bottle of creamer; I too may not have much left but I still have something to give. I believe the Lord, therefore, will continue to use me until I no longer can.
Another odd thing has happened since I started debating whether or not to continue writing this blog. I now have about ten days of devotions written and ready to go. If you are familiar with my past history, you know that I usually miss one or two days in most weeks. Now more than before, perhaps I sense my time is running out and I want to do all that I can. The truth is that the Lord has done some mighty great things with people older than me, and because writing a blog is not such a big deal, maybe He’ll use me one more year, or two, or three. After all, nothing is impossible with God. On the other hand, at my age it is also highly possible this blog may end abruptly. Even so, lately this verse has become one of my favorite bible promises: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4) Every child of God who has reached the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” stage, should find a lot of comfort in this promise. He will rescue us!
And to you younger folks, this reminder: If the Lord can use old-timers, he can use people from all age levels. If you are a child of God, Romans 8:28 is a reminder that we have all been called “according to His purpose.” That means that God has a special and specific plan for your life. Here is where many Christians hit a roadblock. They will say they don’t know what God’s plan for their life is. If that’s the case with you, then do for others whatever comes to your mind, or those things that come easy for you or you love to do. Regardless of the service you choose, if you do it with all your heart as if you’re doing it for the Lord, that’s what matters the most anyway.
God’s word for today (Colossians 3:23) “Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it as for the Lord and not for men.”
