"LOST IN WONDER, LOVE, AND PRAISE"

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.  They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands."  (Revelation 7:9, NIV)

The hymn, "Love Divine," closes with, "....Till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise."  I don't have to wait until then.  I am in an ever-increasing, "....lost in wonder, love, and praise", mode even as I write this.

Reading our text, indeed, reading all of the Bible in the last several quarters particularly, it is as though I am literally reading, "the Words of God," for the first time.  Maybe I am just actually listening to our Blessed Living Triune God.

I have wondered why this is, but do not need an answer.  I had the same experience some days ago reading Revelation 1:12-16.  Jesus Christ is Himself as Hebrews 4 declares, "....living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Revelation 1:12b), piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  Glorious, absolutely, GLORIOUS.

Father, in Jesus' Name, 

"Finish, then, Thy new creation; 

Pure and spotless let us be;

Let us see thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in Thee

Changed from glory into glory,

Till in Heav'n we take our place, 

Till we cast our crowns before Thee,

Lost in wonder, love, and praise."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

DO YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE?

"Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long." (Psalm 38;12)

It is obvious from the whole of Psalm 38 that David was in a very bad way.  As I read our text this morning, however, I believe that the Lord Jesus caused me to "see" and "hear" the state of affairs in the United States of America, and the nations of the world, for that matter

The Democrat Party leadership has closed Capitol Hill ever since the Pandemic.  It is still closed, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court Building, the House and Senate Offices Buildings.  Personally, I think this is by design.  They just don't want the public to see just how extensive is their, "....speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long."

I am planning to go to DC on September 29 to pray at the Capitol Building, Supreme Court Building, and the Congressional Office Buildings.  Both the House and Senate will be in session.  Let me know if you wish to accompany me.  Depending on response, I can secure a van for the day.  Let us plan to come against, "....speak of destruction,...and plan deception all day long...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, You sent me to participate in, "disciple the nations."  Holy Spirit, I pray for grace and mercy to so do.  Amen.

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I will share time, cost, etc., upon request.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....THE ONLY SAFE MAN IN THE UNIVERSE"

"O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be disgraced....O Lord, you alone are my hope.  I have trusted You, O Lord, from childhood....Yes, You have been with me from birth....And now, in my old age, don't set me aside.  Don't abandon me when my strength is failing."  (Psalm 71, NLT)

I am about nine months from my 80th birthday.  I notice aging signs from time to time.  The Psalmist also noticed his "advancing years," and penned our text.   Now I seem okay, but there is just no doubt that we all need to accept that with age comes "failing" strength.  I can no longer run a 4.5 40.

E. Stanley Jones writes in his book, The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person, "No man is safe unless he can stand anything that can happen to him.  The one who belongs to the Kingdom is safe, for not only can he bear failure, sickness, old age, and death--- he can use them.  He is the only safe man in the universe.  He has the significance of the ultimate order."  

You and I belong to The Unchanging King, Jesus Christ, and His "Unshakable Kingdom."  We are as the old hymn says, "Safe in the Arms of Jesus."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You will not, "....set me aside."  Amen. 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

TURNING IMPOSSIBLE TO POSSIBLE

"But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, 'Alas, master!  For it was borrowed.'  So the man of God said, 'Where did it fall?'  And he showed him the place.  So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float."  (2 Kings 6: 5, 6)

I have noticed over the years that Elisha converted one impossible after another into possible.  Turning the impossible into the possible seemed like a daily routine for him.

We recently received a letter from a couple in Eastern Europe who are in great need.  The amount of money which is needed is way beyond anything we have ever encountered.  My response was, "I know that this seems impossible to you and me.  Our 'resources' are just inadequate.  Our Lord Jesus Christ said, however, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

Now the ax head incident may seem relatively small in comparison to other great impossibilities which are revealed in the Scriptures, but the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ still stand in the face of all the impossibilities which we encounter, "....with God all things are possible."  Believe with me today that all of our impossibles are possible in Jesus Christ.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I bring impossibilities to you today, and wait to watch You turn the impossibilities of me into the possibilities of You.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2