Ps. 121:1, 2 – Help from above

Dear Family,

I'm back in business with a new Mac. My-6-year-old Mac went out on me the day before I left for Tucson. As soon as I got here, Mom and I went to the Mac store and purchased a new one. We are hooked into the TV cable network which is very fast. The new computer along with rapid returns make it a pleasure to be on line. I am helping Adam with the preaching while he heals and gets his strength back. Mom is caring for, and teaching the kids as Becky is very busy taking care of Adam and running her book business. We are house sitting in a large beautiful home. A wealthy Christian lady who is a friend of Adam and Becky said we can stay here while we help them, or until it sells as it is on the market. We were able to purchase a 2000 Cadillac at a good price from an elderly couple who have taken extremely good care of it. It is the nicest car I've ever driven. When we are able to finish responsibilities here we hope to take a trip back east and visit family and relatives. Cheyne has been going all out on the house he is building. He was to finish the roof today. He has to get the windows and doors etc. in yet. Then the electricity and plumbing before Dec. 6, when the heating system is scheduled to be put in. Daulton (13) has been a great help! Cheyne and Ronda will spend the winter working on the inside. It is about 6,000 sq. feet! Three floors I overlooking the harbor and boats. The view of the ocean and mountains is spectacular!

From my message last week on Ps. 121:1,2 "Help comes to saints only from above, they look elsewhere in vain: let us lift up our eyes with hope, expectancy, desire, and confidence. Satan will endeavour to keep our eyes upon our sorrows that we may be disquieted and discouraged; be it ours firmly to resolve that we will look out and look up, for there is good cheer for the eyes , and they that lift up their eyes to the eternal hills shall soon have their hearts lifted up also. The purposes of God; the divine attributes; the immutable promises; the covenant, ordered in all things and sure; the providence, predestination, and proved faithfulness of the Lord--these are the hills to which we must lift up our eyes, for from these our help must come. It is our resolve that we will not be bandaged and blindfolded, but will lift up our eyes." C.H. Spurgeon

"In the agony of a troubled conscience always look upwards unto a gracious God to keep thy soul steady, for.looking downward on thyself thou shalt find nothing but what will increase thy fear, infinite sins, good deeds few, and imperfect: it is not thy faith, but God's faithfulness thou must rely upon; casting thine eyes downwards on thyself...is enough to make thee giddy, stagger, and reel in despair. Ever therefore lift up thine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh thy help, never viewing the deep dale of thy own unworthiness, but to abate thy pride when tempted to presumption."--Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) in "The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience"

Sorry this is so long but it was such a blessing to me in my devotions that I shared it with your mother and she urged me to preach on this text on Sunday morning. I have been looking back and down too much, finding little help there. I'm determined to look up to the place "whence cometh my help." I trust this will encourage you to do the same.

Grace Be With Each of You Dad

Psalm 119:147,148 - Crying to the Lord before the dawn and in the night watches

Dear Family,

This morning my meditation in the Psalms was Psalm 119:145-152. I was impressed by the Psalmist crying with his whole heart (1) and crying for the Lord to save him.(2) Then he cried as he "prevented' the dawning of the morning and then the night watches, that he "might meditate in Thy word", Before dawn this morning one of you called me with a question about something I had marked in an old Bible I had given away. Knowing that you were up while it was still dark and reading your Bible brought joy to my heart. Several years ago when several of you were working together on a project I had a call from a man you were working with. I told him about my concern for your physical safety, but even more for your spiritual welfare because you were working from early morning until dark in order to get the job done in the time allotted for the project. He said I was not to worry about…for he saw a light on in his room each morning long before he had to go to work. I hope there is a light on in each of your rooms before you go out to face the world, and that you meditate in God’s word before you sleep.

I was preaching in a conference in Japan years ago and was put up in a dormitory with a group of young men. We all talked a while and when I crawled into bed one of the young men said: "aren't you going to pray before you go to sleep?". How does the preacher answer that? Someone had taught those boys well! I got back up from my bed on the floor, and bowed my head and prayed! Charles Bridges said in his excellent commentary on Ps. 119, "What a standard of enjoyment would it be, with our last thoughts in the night watches, to leave as it were our hearts with Him, and to find them with Him in the morning, awaking as with our hearts in heaven!…The lukewarmness and our want of spiritual enjoyment may often be traced to that morning indolence, which throws the day into confusion....

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each of you, Dad

"THE SECRET OF THE LORD IS WITH THEM THAT FEAR HIM..." PSALM 25:14

Dear Family.

I am reading Letters of John Newton for the second time this year. I keep wanting to share much of it with you. I liked it so much the first time that I bought 5 more copies for preacher friends of mine. Tonight's devotional is taken from it. DAD

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him....He acquaints them with the plots of their enemies, the snares and dangers they are exposed to, and the best methods of avoiding them. And He permits and enables them to acquaint Him with all their cares, fears, wants and troubles, with more freedom than they can un-bosom themselves to their nearest earthly friends. His ear is always open to them; He is never weary of hearing their complaints, and answering their petitions. The men of this world would account it a high honour and privilege to have unrestrained liberty of access to an earthly king; but what words can express the privilege and honour of believers, who, whenever they please, have audience of the King of Kings, whose compassion, mercy, and power are, like His Majesty, infinite."

We…do not cease to pray for you…that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Col. 1:9-10

Holy Father, in Thy mercy Hear our anxious prayer; Keep our loved ones, now far absent, 'Neath Thy care.
Jesus Saviour, let Thy presence be their light and guide; Keep O keep them, in their weakness, at Thy side.
When in sorrow, when in danger, when in loneliness, in Thy love look down and comfort their distress.
May the joy of Thy salvation be their strength and stay; may they love, and may they praise Thee day by day.
Holy Spirit, let Thy teaching sanctify their life; Send Thy grace that they may conquer in the strife.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God the One in Thee, Bless them, guide them, keep them near to Thee.---Isabel Stevenson, 1888

My prayer for each of you, Dad

Where are you now?

Dear Family,
The McCain campaign is going after the Obama campaign over the Bill Ayers connection. Ayers is a terrorist who tried to bomb the Pentagon about 35 years ago. Obaba has been, and still is, his friend and has served on boards with him in Chicago for years. He says it is dirty politics for McCain/Palin to attack him on this issue because he was only 8 years old at the time of the bombing. That argument is so disingenuous that I'd think the Obama camp would be ashamed to make it. It is not what Obama was 35 years ago but what he is now! They have worked and served on boards together in Chicago for years. To this day he remains a friend of Ayers. Although he repudiates the bombing I have yet to see him apologize for his past friendship and associations with the unrepentant terrorist. It looks like your choice on Nov. 4 will be to vote for godless socialism (Obama and Biden call it “redistribution of wealth'”) or John McCain, who admittedly is soft on some issues important to us, but at least his middle name is Sidney, not Hussein)!.

Now I want to switch gears and ask you about your relationship with Christ today? There are millions of professing Christians who think their "decision for Christ" will get them to heaven. There is little or no evidence that they are a Christian in fellowship with the Lord today. Who are your friends? Who do you like to fellowship with? Is their any fruit in your life? Is Christ your Lord today? What took place years ago won't do on that great judgment day if there has not been evidence of sanctifying grace since. The Bible asks where we are now?--not what we did in the past. You may not know when you passed from death unto life but you better know if you are in Christ today. Don't be satisfied that your child has "accepted Christ" if there is no evidence of change in their life. "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" II Cor. 5:17. Many a mother is praying their child will come back to Christ when they ought to be praying for their salvation. That would make a big difference in how they pray!

Presidential Debate

Tonight I watched the debate between the two men who want to be our next president. Our once proud nation, under God, is now a sad shell on the brink of economic disaster. One man promoted a change to godless socialism while the other also offered a godless solution of somehow digging ourselves out. Of course neither man dared mention anything about God or his word. A few days ago both men voted to print an additional seven hundred thousand million dollars to prop up an economy that has long left the free enterprise system put in place by our founders. Banks are going under, billions in retirement funds are gone. One of the solutions voted for was to up the amount the government will guarantee should your bank go under. What government? If your senator or representative voted against that package send them a note of thanks There has never been a time in my lifetime, which includes 4 wars, when it has been more needful for this nation to turn to God in repentance. It is imperative that each of you stay close to the Lord for He is our only hope.

"Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me the Fountain of Living Waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Proverbs 17:6 Old Man’s Crown – #28 Aliya Grace

A week ago today I had an early morning call. I knew before I heard Judson's message what had taken place. Aliya Grace was crying her lungs out! Tucker had a sister! Another gift of God's grace. Judson and Maria will need much prayer and wisdom as they bring Tucker and Aliya Grace up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. ! By God's grace I know Judson, with the help of his good wife, will be the glory of Tucker and Aliya Grace. That makes 28 who are the crown of this old man and his wife.

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."

"Gracious children and parents reflect honor upon each other. Such parents rejoice in the number and growth of their children. Such children regard their father's name as their glory. May not godly parents under grace educate their children by example, no less than by precept---may
they not look for a 'godly seed'---children who shall acknowledge infinite, eternal obligations to parental faith and godliness?"---Charles Bridges

"EASY TO BE INTREATED" - JAMES 3:17

When I was in my late twenties I had to make a difficult decision about the mission organization I was with. After a lot of heart-searching prayer, I resigned. The mission asked a man well known in evangelical circles to write me and ask me to reconsider. I was amazed that a man that well known would even write me a letter. After reminding me that I was still a young man and that my resignation was a bad decision, he used James 3:13-18 to try to convince me to change my mind. I took that into consideration but never wavered in the decision I had made. I felt his emphasis from that scripture was the part that states "easy to be intreated". This morning while reading a book about "Courageous Christianity" by Dr. M.L. Jones I was reminded of that scripture. I thought of how many times over the years I had to ask myself when facing a difficult problem or decision if I was being "easy to be intreated"? That does not mean you compromise Biblically held convictions. However, do we not often selfishly, or proudly, insist on having our own way in something or the other without lovingly considering the effect it will have on others? This virtue is especially needed in order to have harmony in the home. Husbands, wives, dads, moms, young people, can it be said of you that you are "easy to be entreated?" I have made this part of my prayer for many of you over the years. Are you wondering if it is you that I have in mind when I pray that? It probably is!

Dad