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| Praying Hearts Sanctuary |
| Newsletter |
| April 2002 |
************************************************************************** PSALM 95: 1 - 7 1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. ******************************************************************************* I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW BY IRA STAMPHILL (-: Here is a song that has been sung for over a half century. The words were tiptoeing around in my mind today and I thought it would be a good one to share with you. - Grandytoon :-) I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day today. I don't borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the future, for I know what Jesus said, and today I'll walk beside Him for He knows what is ahead. Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand, but I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand. Every step is getting brighter as the golden stairs I climb; every burden's getting lighter; every cloud is silver lined. There the sun is always shining, there no tear will dim the eye, at the ending of the rainbow, where the mountains touch the sky. Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand, but I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand. I don't know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty; but the one who feeds the sparrow, is the one who stands by me, and the path that be my portion, may be through the flame or flood, but His presence goes before me and I'm covered by His blood. Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand, but I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand. ******************************************************************************** IT IS FINISHED "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6) "It is finished," said the youth of twelve Turning, with anxious parents to leave; For the learned men, who deep had delved, Could no answer to His queries give. "Wonderful," was His name to be: Doubt ye mere men at loss for wit? A loving Counselor do angels see At God's right hand again to sit. "It is finished," said the weary Christ At long-day's end of healing grace. While multitudes turned home for rest He prayerfully sought His Father's face. The "Mighty God" - it is His name! There's healing in His wings for all! The deaf do hear, the mute proclaim; Grateful lepers at His feet do fall. "It is finished," - anguished cry: Forsaken God upon a cross! Left alone up there to die, By Grace regaining all our loss. The "Everlasting Father" Heis called. In lowly guise as fleshly Son The "Prince of Peace" has sin o'er ruled! Christ has our salvation won! Paul Francisco 1965 *************************************************************** YOU CAN HAVE A SONG IN YOUR HEART BY IRA STAMPHILL (-: As I flipped through a songbook looking for a second song of encouragement, I came across another of Ira's song. This one was published in 1946. I hope you are encouraged by its words. - Grandytoon :-) You can have a melody down in your heart, when it's aching, almost breaking. Even though the sorrow makes the teardrop start, you can have a melody down in your heart. You can have a song in your heart in the night, after every trial, after every mile. Anyone can sing when the sun's shining bright,... but you need a song in your heart at night. Do not let your worries drive your song away. Thought tomorrow brings its sorrow, just remember after nighttime comes the day. Do not let your worries drive your song away. You can have a song in your heart in the night, after every trial, after every mile. Anyone can sing when the sun's shining bright,... but you need a song in your heart at night. Soon the night will pass and morning bring the day; I am longing for its dawning. Until then we'll labor here and watch and pray. Soon the night will pass and morning bring the day. You can have a song in your heart in the night, after every trial, after every mile. Anyone can sing when the sun's shining bright,... but you need a song in your heart at night. ********************************************************************* REVELATION (Concerning two puppies and irreparable damage) I saw, alas, on opening the door, My hat and coat all over the floor! (After taking the pups out to "air" I had placed the garments on a chair.) On the floor they lay, coat and hat, Now tattered bits of this and that! There they lay and all was undone, As puppy play over sense had won. A sudden towering rage was mine! There went all my plans. My time that day was to have been spent In Kingdom Work for One who'd been sent To tell of God's forgiveness in His Name. The pups soon learned I held them to blame. And so my heart with rage was sick: I would do away with them right quick! They crawled to me for pardon: I turned away For such I could not give them a not today. I read awhile in the Word of Light To ease my soul in it's present plight. And as I calmer grew, my Inner Guide Spoke (there opened vistas wide) And said, "Those He loves are tried, To make sure soul-things have not died." Does not all pardon have its cost? Think of God and His Son upon the cross. Think now of willful, disobedient Man Endlessly frustrating His every Plan. Yet in Christ is pardon, for the least on up. �Can YOU not forgive a thoughtless pup?" From my heart's eyes there fell a scale: Forgiveness in use does not grow stale. Then I knew this day not wasted, For the essence of true love I'd tasted. This I'd learned: To use, from my heart, Forgiveness of all which true love imparts. Thank you, Lord, for pardon in my cup When I deserve less than any little pup! Paul Francisco 1945 ******************************************************************************** PSALM 77 (-: As you read this psalm, I hope you will read through to the last verse. You will see that the author was discouraged until he began to reflect on God's attributes. Often, in order to get through the pain of the present, we also need to pause and focus more on Who God is, was and is to come... the God who is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. :-) 1 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm. I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: 7 "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" Selah 10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. ******************************************************************************** PRAYER IN EXTREMITY Extremity: a state of extreme necessity, or danger, or threat of death, says the dictionary. "The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head" (Jonah 2:5). Poor Jonah! The disobedient prophet was in the "depths" of despair. Swallowed by a great fish which the Lord had prepared just for him. Seaweed was wrapped around him and he was in deep trouble at the bottom of the sea! This was a factual happening in history, as the Lord Jesus Himself testified (Matthew 12:40). Then Jonah "came to himself" as God's prophet. "When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple" (verse 6). In his greatest extremity he began to pray. When he thought all hope was lost, he began to pray. He didn't think about prayer when he was running free. Let's face it: Just how much do we pray when everything is going along OK? How meaningful (or passionate) are our prayers then? But along comes a threat to our lives, our positions, our families, our income, etc., and we pray up a storm! Shamefully, we also pray hard when we want something. We don't always get what we want in things, success, advancement, etc., but if danger threatens something God wants us to do, He will always answer with the way out of that trouble. First Corinthians 10:13 gives us a general principle about this: God provides a way out of every temptation. Jonah was as good as dead. (His "resurrection" was later seen as a type of Jesus' emergence from the grave --Matt. 12:40). "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever, yet you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God" (Jonah 2:7). Unless God had again acted, there was no way Jonah could have lived. Do we thank God daily for escaping unknown and even life-threatening events? We have no idea just how hard the "principalities and powers" of the (evil) spiritual world are working against us (Ephesians 6:12), but we must be aware of the eternal struggle; the long-lasting struggle! This general knowledge or recognition of what is happening sharpens Christians' awareness of the need for meaningful, intelligent prayer, and motivates us toward more sincere worship and effectual prayer. God answered Jonah's prayers because He had a job for Jonah to do: To go Nineveh as he had previously been instructed. The prophet got himself squared away with God and finally obeyed; though it took another Divine command to make him act. God has a "job" for every Christian: to become "perfect" (mature) in our faith and lives (Matthew 5:48). "No longer children.." (Ephesians 4:14). For answered prayer, let us make sure that our lives are pleasing to God and we are within His will in our loves, likes, desires and habits. In short, let's live submitted to His will daily, for the spirit and not the flesh --Romans 8:11-14. If we are sufficiently dedicated to the Lord's program for us, we will not pray very hard for things not in His will for us. We will know just what requests He is likely to answer. He will always answer our prayers to be more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). And this is the only way to usefulness, peace and happiness for the Christian. Paul Francisco -[email protected] ************************************************************************************************************************** GOD LEADS US ALONG BY G. A. YOUNG (-: Sometimes we don't feel very good about ourselves and we then think that God must feel that way about us. Sometimes circumstances have been far from ideal and we equate the circumstances with God's blessings upon us. I have learned that in times of less than ideal circumstances God is helping me to grow stronger and deeper in my love for Him. At the time it might not feel like a "blessing" but when I look back, I see how He was blessing me as I muddled through the pain. It's when I have to trust Him the most that I most clearly see His presence in my life. This song has been a real blessing to me for over thirty years. I hope it also blesses you to read its verses. :-) In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet, God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song; in the night season and all the day long. Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright, God leads His dear children along; sometimes in the valley in the darkest night, God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song; in the night season and all the day long. Though sorrows befall us and Satan oppose, God leads His dear children along; through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes, God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song; in the night season and all the day long. Away from the mire, and away from the clay, God leads His dear children along; away up in glory, eternity's day, God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood, some through the fire but all through the blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song; in the night season and all the day long. ******************************************************************************* CLOSING PRAYER Our precious and blessed Lord, I come to you in praise and thanksgiving. You are ever present, You are the One we can count on when all around us is collapsing and no one else is available. Just for today, I trust You to meet my needs, I do not need to worry about tomorrow as I know that all I need is provisions for today. You abide with me in the darkest of hours and in the brightest of days. Even though I cannot begin to comprehend You, I pause right not to thank You and praise for keeping me in the hollow of Your hands.. Right now, I also pause to pray for those who take time from their days to read this newsletter. I pray that You can speak to their hearts and be a comfort and encouragement to each. Help each to feel Your boundless love and compassion. You know us far better than we can ever know ourselves and You love us far more than we can love ourselves with a love we will never understand here on earth. Our prayer team also needs Your strength and guidance as we heed the direction of the Holy Spirit to offer prayers for those who have sought our prayers. Many have had the courage to tell us about their innermost pain and it continues to be a privilege for us to call on You to intercede for them. Please strengthen us and help us to continue to draw closer to You as we pray for those in need. I pray this in the name of Jesus, our Risen Lord and Faithful God, Jesus Christ, Amen Peaceful be to you, Grandy |
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