As the Falling Rain

    A couple of Sabbaths ago, I was throwing away my plate and putting my dirty silverware in the sink after potluck. As I was going back to sit with my sister, a lady- we'll call her Anna- stopped me. She asked me what caused my sister's cerebral palsy, because it concerned someone close to her.   I did my best to explain... but I was so inadequate! "My Mom can explain it better than me", was all I could say. I felt so stupid! I couldn't even explain what cerebral palsy was!     This incident reminded of when we witness. I don't want to be caught off my guard- unable to explain what I believe. I don't want to have to be ever referring others to someone else because they "can explain it better than me"! "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to...

Photo courtesy of: learn.corel.com "How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence." Psalm 62:3     I know it may sound depressing, but what are bowing walls and tottering fences like? They are weak. According to this verse we can be like that, too. But, what  makes us weak? Because they "imagine mischief against a man". That word mischief also means evil or iniquity . Any time we think anything bad about others, it makes us weaker. It has been said that speaking (or even thinking) evil about others does not make them, but ourselves, more evil. May we each pray, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14.    

 Courtesy of: news.bbcimg.co.uk   Greetings from the snow-laden northeast! With all the snow we have been receiving, a post on snow seems to be in order!  A few years ago, I was shoveling snow while the sun was shining. As I shoveled, there was still snow in the little cracks of the pavement. Evidently, no matter how much I could scrape, I would never get it all out. All I could do was shovel the snow, and let the sunshine melt what I couldn't.  It's the same with us. The snow of sin covers our hearts, but God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves (though He does give us the strength to do even this). We must work to clear away what we can. But no matter how much we try, we still cannot clear sin from our hearts. We will always find it hiding in the little cracks and crevices of our characters if we seek to do it all in our own strength. There comes a point where no amount of work can cleanse us- we must let the Sun of righteousness shine...

" These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world . " John 16:33     This morning, as I was studying my Young Disciple lesson, it referenced this verse. As I thought about what it said, GOD impressed me with an interesting thought. Jesus said, " I have overcome the world ". If He has overcome the world, wouldn't He offer us the power to overcome it, as well, through Him? "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth . " Matthew 28:18. He has all power, and is willing to impart it to us so that we, too, may overcome the world in His strength! Then, truly, we may " be of good cheer ". May we all take hold of His strength and overcome the world! "For whatsoever is born of GOD overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 Joh...

 "Mommy, GOD's going to heal my eyes. I'm not going to wear these glasses forever!" Imagine my mother's surprise at my bold statement. Five years old with a degenerative eye disease. Destined to go blind.   It must have started with me saying I was having a hard time seeing, but my mom brought to the eye doctor for a check-up. I don't remember too much other than sitting in the chair in the examination room, looking at the strange posters about the eye while Mom and the eye doctor talked about degenerative eye diseases and how "it runs in the family". Not being sure his diagnosis was correct, he sent me to a specialist. His suspicions were confirmed: I did have a degenerative eye disease. I don't remember much (it was about 11 years ago!), but finally the day came when I got my first pair of glasses- with a stronger prescription than my own mother's! As I was about to get in the car, I turned to my mother and told her I wasn't going ...

Fight each battle, LORD! I am too weak to win! Thou hast all power To deliver me from sin. I cannot free nor disentangle Myself from Satan's snares! I need Thee to keep me from the foe, So I will not fall unawares. Gird me in Thy armor, LORD! Each piece place on me now; Grant me the sword, the shield, all; And Thy helmet on my brow. Keep me meek and humble, LORD! A contrite and broken heart please give! Help me to stay always at Thy side, To forever in Thy presence live.

 Amy Carmichael and two little girls  One evening in India, Amy Carmichael and one of the Dohnavur nurses-in-training, Kohila, were walking by the water when a young man shyly approached them. "Do you remember me?" he asked. "I used to come to the children's meetings under the tamarind tree." With that he proceeded to sing song after song, and recite text after text. The power of song! Who would have thought! On other occasions, many a man and woman said that they were drawn by the Dohnavur children's singing. "It was the young children's singing that drew me to want to hear the Gospel, and also their happiness."   On another occasion, there was a little five year old saved from the evils of being a temple girl. Lala was a gentle girl, of a yielding disposition. Not long after she was rescued, though, the father gave them trouble. Friends telegraphed that he demanded her back. He was not a good man, and his actions were not prompted b...