Dear Children and Grandchildren,

I have enjoyed the Word of God more than I ever have since I am no longer preaching 3 or 4 times a week and am not pressed for time. Some times I find things I'd like to share with all of you, or some of you individually. With your mother's encouragement I'd like to start a "Bible Blog" and share some of my thoughts with you. Last night I told Joanna that I opened a can of "Pork and Beans" for supper, (your mother is in Arizona helping Becky while Adam recuperates from a serious operation) but I found no pork so I renamed it "Beans and Beans". With a hearty laugh she wondered if I had "looked under every bean?' I trust what I send you will have some "pork" but if you find it to be only "beans" just push the delete button.

Ps.119:168 "I have kept Thy precepts and Thy testimonies: for all my ways are before Thee," As you were growing up one of the things I was careful to emphasize in our daily devotions was that the time would come when you would no longer be under the eye of Mom and Dad but you would never be out of sight of God's eye. What an encouragement we find here to keep God's Word. "all my ways are before Thee,"

"Experience makes many a paradox plain, and this is one. Before God we may be clear of open fault and yet at the same time mourn over a thousand heart-wanderings which need his restoring hand."--C.H. Spurgeon

"I may hide Thee from my eye, but not myself from Thine eye."--Wm. Gurnall

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

"Joy and Peace in Believing"

Dear Family,

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”--Filled "with all joy and peace in believing." What better hope could I have for each of you at this time of year?

About 25 years ago when my brother turned from the "faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3), he gave me his copy of the Trinity Hymnal. I have used it in my devotions ever since. We also use it in our weekly meetings here in Hoonah. My hymn for today was Charlotte Homer's, "He Lifted Me.” It is taken from Psalm 40:1: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." This has been one of my favorite hymns over the years as it describes my own experience well.

"In loving kindness Jesus came My soul in mercy to reclaim, and from the depths of sin and shame Thru grace He lifted me.

“He called me long before I heard, Before my sinful heart was stirred, But when I took Him at His word, Forgiv'n he lifted me.
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“His brow was pierced with many a thorn, His hands by cruel nails were torn, When from my guilt and grief forlorn, In love He lifted me.

“Now on a higher plane I dwell, And with my soul I know 'tis well; Yet how or why, I cannot tell, He should have lifted me."

The Refrain: "From sinking sand He lifted me, With tender hand He lifted me, From shades of night to plains of light, O praise His Name He lifted me."

Dad
Posted by at 11:47 PM

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