Issue 12 - Summer 2020

Living Messages
For Family Life and Christian Living
Issue #12
Summer
2020
• IN THIS ISSUE •
• ATTENTION: ALL MEN
GOD WANTS TO MAKE YOU A MIGHTY
MAN OF VALOR!!! ................. p.3
• A PRAYING GENERAL OF WORLD WAR I p.7
• HOW IS YOUR PRAISE LIFE? ................ P.8
• SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT ............ p.11

MY DEAR FRIENDS:
Our country’s forefathers
believed in the separation of church
and state. The ultimate purpose
of this conviction was to keep our
country from ever being under the
rule of any particular church , as the
Church of England had control over
England. The United States began
as a Christian nation . The original
intent of our early founders was to
establish a God-honoring society.
Let ’s take a brief look at some
enlightening factors. In 1620
our country’s leaders wrote the
“Mayflower Compact.” In part
it reads as follows: “Having
undertaken for the glory of God, and
the advancement of the Christian
Faith …” Notice the original
intent, “for the advancement of the
Christian faith .” Then in 1643
these same forefathers composed our
country’s first constitution . It was
called “The Constitution of the New
England Confederation .” In it we
find these words: “Whereas we all
came into these parts of America
with one and the same end and aim,
namely to ADVANCE THE KINGDOM
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
In 1776, 56 men signed the
“Declaration of Independence.”
Some of them were deists and the rest
of them were Christians but there
were no atheists among them. In
1787, Benjamin Franklin said, “Here
is my creed: I believe in one God,
the Creator of the universe, that He
governs it by His providence and
that He ought to be worshipped.”
In 1797, Samuel Adams,
Governor of Massachusetts and signer
of the Declaration of Independence,
said: “I conceive we cannot better
express ourselves than by humbly
supplicating the Supreme Ruler
of the world…that the confusions
that are and have been among the
nations may be overruled by the
promoting and speedily bringing
in the holy and happy period when
the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ may be everywhere
established, and the people willingly
bow to the scepter of Him who is
Prince of Peace.” (From a Fast Day
Proclamation , Massachusetts, March
20, 1797)
P.S. This reminds me of The Lord’s
Prayer: “Thy will be done on Earth
as it is in Heaven .”
Yes! America began as a
Christian nation! How about you?
Has your life been founded upon the
Christian faith? Have you trusted
Jesus Christ as your personal Savior
for the forgiveness of your sins?
Have you dedicated your life to Him
and do you endeavor to live your life
according to God’s Word? Are you
ready to serve Him and give Him the
control of your life? Do it right now
and write to me about it.
God bless you, my friend.
Phil Cannistraci
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Cover photo:
Castle Hill Lighthouse, Newport, R. I.
(Copyright by Thomas Schoeller Photography. Used by
permission)
ATTENTION: ALL MEN!
GOD WANTS TO MAKE YOU A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR!!
In Judges 6:1-11, there was a man who
we all can relate to. This man felt inferior to
others around him. He considered himself
somewhat of a failure. He concluded that
he was inadequate and unqualified before
the Lord. This man’s name was Gideon.
As a nation, Israel had become sinful and
evil. Because of this, Israel was delivered
into the hands of the Midianites for seven
years. The Israelites cried unto the Lord and
the Lord sent a prophet to them who spoke
rebuke against their idolatry and unbelief.
The Israelites were fearful and weak before
their enemies. Gideon was a man who
was weak in his own eyes. He didn’t consider
himself to be much of a man. Have you
ever felt that way?
STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS
This message applies to men, women,
boys and girls. However, specifically, I’d like
to say to all men, husbands, and fathers:
Don’t despair even though you feel weak or
inadequate as a man, husband, or father.
God does not look down on you because of
your weakness or inadequacy. God would
say to you what He said to the apostle Paul:
“My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9) It’s when we feel the
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weakest, that we are more apt to lean on the
Lord instead of on our own strength. Only
then will we be able to respond to the Lord
and say with the apostle Paul: “I can do all
things through Christ which strengthens
me.” (Philippians 4:13)
In verse 12 of our text, the angel said
to Gideon: “The Lord is with thee, thou
MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR.” Webster defines
“valor” as follows: “strength of mind or
spirit that enables a person to encounter
danger with firmness; or personal bravery.”
Why did God call Gideon “A MIGHTY MAN OF
VALOR?”
First of all, let’s not overlook verse 11:
“Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress,
to hide it from the Midianites.” It just may
have been that it wasn’t the wine season.
Therefore Gideon was threshing wheat by
the winepresses because he was trying to
hide the wheat so the Midianites wouldn’t
steal it.
The Midianites evidently did not realize
what he was doing. If he had been caught,
however, it may have cost him his life.
Gideon was an example of unselfish courage
with faithfulness and devotion to his
family and his people. Consider also, that
Gideon, while he kept busy serving God and
his people, heard from God. If you haven’t
heard from God lately, perhaps you need
to be more active in God’s work like Gideon
was.
In verse 13 Gideon said, “If the Lord be
with us, why then is all this befallen us?”
Men, it just may be that the devil and society
are convincing you that you are a failure
as a man. It is possible that even your wife
and children have unjustly criticized you.
Perhaps you are a better man, husband,
or father than you thought you were. Perhaps
you have more potential than you ever
dreamed possible.
The Lord responds to Gideon, “Go in this
thy might…have I not sent thee?” (Verse 14)
I believe the Lord would want to say this to
all men. God wants you to know that if you
are willing and ready to admit and acknowledge
your own inadequacies and begin to
trust in the Lord for divine help, then He will
use you in your family, your church, your
job, and in your world. The Lord would say
to all of us: “Have not I sent thee?”
HOW GOD SEES YOU
Gideon, with very low self-esteem, says
to the Lord “Oh my Lord, wherewith shall
I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in
Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s
house.” (Verse 15)
Perhaps you feel that you are without
enough ability and talent. You may even
feel that you are the least spiritual in your
family or even one of the most unspiritual
persons in your church.
But God sees men not only as they are but
also as they can become by His grace and
power! The Lord told the prophet Zechariah:
“It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My
Spirit says the Lord.” (Zech. 4:6) God wanted
Gideon to be made aware of the potential
and possibilities for him through the Spirit
and power of God and said to him: “Surely
I will be with thee, and thou shall smite the
Midianites as one man.” (Verse 16)
Gideon had already been A MAN OF GOD.
Gideon had already been A MIGHTY MAN OF
VALOR. God thought more of Gideon than
Gideon thought of himself!
GOD’S DESIRE FOR YOU
God wants you to become aware of your
potential in the power of God also. God
wants every man or woman, young or old,
to BECOME A MAN OR WOMAN OF GOD. God
wants every man or woman to BECOME A
MIGHTY MAN OR WOMAN OF VALOR. God
wants all of us to be properly related to
GOD, OUR FAMILIES, and, to OUR CHURCH.
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GIVING GOD THE GLORY
In Judges 7:1-7, the Israelite army had to
be sifted more than once. It was reduced
from 32,000 to 10,000 and then down to
300! This was done so that God alone would
receive the glory for the victory.
God may be bringing you to such a helpless
condition so that He can change your
life and your situation and HE ALONE WILL
RECEIVE ALL THE GLORY!
If Gideon’s army of even 10,000 had defeated
the enemies then no doubt the army
would have taken the glory. But with only
300, only God would receive all the glory!
You have a choice! Do you want to be part
of the 22,000 who gave up right away? Do
you want to be part of the 9,700 who also
were disqualified? Or, do you want to be
part of the 300?
A GOOD SOLDIER
Those 9,700, who would stretch out face
down on the water to drink, made themselves
a good target for the enemy. Have
you been careless and have you made yourself
a good target for the enemy of your
soul?
They were lazy and carefree soldiers who
didn’t care. They were not on the defensive
or on the offensive. Have you been lacking
in keeping up your guard against failing the
Lord? Have you failed in going against your
fleshly tendencies? Have you failed to resist
the devil?
They were more concerned about natural
comfort and enjoyment. Have you been
serving yourself instead of serving God first
and foremost?
They were the 9,700. They let their guard
down. We, as Christians, let our guard
down when we do not continue to “WATCH
AND PRAY.” (Mark 13:33) We become more
concerned about natural enjoyment and
comfort. The cares, the pleasures, and the
riches of life become more important to us
than being in the will of God. We cease to
be active in BECOMING A MAN OR WOMAN
OF GOD and instead we just try to get by as
a Christian without much sacrifice on our
part. This is not God’s will for you or for me.
God is calling all of us to sacrifice and surrender
ourselves completely to Him and to
His will.
WATCH AND PRAY
The 300, however, scooped up water with
their hand and lapped. They were still able
to see the enemy and they were in a position
to defend them selves. Today it is also a
minority who are diligent in their Christian
lives. Only a minority is continually surrendering
to God and His Will. They discipline
themselves and guard themselves with daily
prayer and Bible study. They deny themselves
and place God first in their lives. Is
God first in your life? If so, then your family
and the church will be top priority also.
SERVING GOD
When we are so busy that we have no time
left for God, we are too busy! What would
your family say if you were to say to them “I
can only give you an hour or two per week?”
Yet, that may be our attitude at times when
we feel as though we are making a big sacrifice
by coming to church on Sunday or a
mid-week meeting for an hour or two.
Attending church meetings does not
fulfill your Christian duty but it is rather
a privilege and an opportunity to worship
God with the family of God and bless others
and be blessed our selves through worship,
prayer, the Word of God, and fellowship.
AN ACTIVE CHRISTIAN
Besides coming to church, what are you
doing for God? “One of the finest collections
of rare and valuable violins belongs
to a retired farmer in a small Saskatchewan
prairie town. Among the 25 violins are
some made by famous men like Stradivari
(which are worth at least several hundred
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thousand dollars each)…collected as a hobby…like
gifted Christians…on display but
not in use.” (From “19 Gifts of the Spirit” by
Leslie B. Flynn)
These violins are like Christians that are
not in use, just on display. Are you just on
display? Are you desirous of being used by
God to bring glory and honor to Him?
WE ARE FULLY EQUIPPED
In Judges 7:15-22 we have the rest of
the story. Gideon gave strange weapons
to the 300. They had trumpets, which may
have been horns of cattle or rams. They had
torches for light in the darkness. They had
pitchers to temporarily hide the light and
protect the flame from the wind.
A spiritual application of this would be
that trumpets are symbolic of proclaiming
God’s Word and His message. We should be
proclaiming God’s Word in our words and
lives. Broken pitchers represent a broken
spirit which is required if the spiritual light
we receive is to shine forth in our lives. If
your spirit is hard or bitter then it’s time to
be broken before God with a broken spirit.
The 300 men shined their lights with
their left hands and blew their trumpets
with their right hands. They did it simultaneously
and in unity. Is your light shining
at home, at school, at work, and at your
church? How we need unity in the church
today. How we need to have a single heart to
work together for God’s glory.
ARE YOU READY?
How about it? Will you stand as one of
Gideon’s 300? Are you ready to hear God’s
call on your life to BECOME A MAN OR WOM-
AN OF GOD?
It’s time to quit playing games with God.
It’s time to start being serious about God.
It’s time to do some soul searching and hear
what God is saying to you.
It’s time to repent of going your own way
and doing your own thing. It’s time to get
squared away with God. It’s time to BECOME
PROPERLY RELATED TO GOD, TO YOUR WIFE
OR HUSBAND, TO YOUR CHILDREN, TO YOUR
FAMILY, AND, TO YOUR CHURCH.
It’s time to make time for God. God is
ready if you are. If you will go all out for
God, He will go all out for you. Then, and
only then, will you BECOME A MAN OR WOM-
AN OF VALOR and you will hear the Lord say
to you what He said to Gideon: “THE LORD IS
WITH THEE THOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR.”
“GO IN THIS THY MIGHT.”
“HAVE NOT I SENT THEE?”
“SURELY I WILL BE WITH THEE!” P.C.
FATHERS
This item translated from a Dutch magazine
shows that families are pretty much about
the same the world over.
4 Years: My Daddy can do anything.
7 Years: My Dad knows a lot, a whole lot.
8 Years: My father doesn’t know quite
everything.
12 Years: Oh, well, naturally Father doesn’t
know that either.
14 Years: Father? Hopelessly oldfashioned.
21 Years: Oh, that man is out of date; what
did you expect?
25 Years: He knows a little bit about it, but
not much.
30 Years: Must find out what Dad thinks
about it.
35 Years: A little patience; let’s get Dad’s
meaning first.
50 Years: What would Dad have thought
about that?
60 Years: My Dad knew literally every
thing.
65 Years: I wish I could talk it over with
Dad once more.
(Danbury, Ct. News-Times)
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A PRAYING GENERAL OF WORLD WAR 1
By: E. H. Britain (A veteran of World War 1)
I remembered many instances of love in
action, back over the years and my thoughts
went back yonder to St. Mihiel, in World
War 1. The night before the jump off on the
St. Mihiel Drive, I was working on a buzzer
phone set in Colonel Reeve’s dugout. He
was in command of the 353 rd Infantry, 89 th
Division. I was receiving and transmitting
messages to and from General Winn’s Headquarters.
General Winn was in command of
the 177 th Brigade. My buddy Bill Bonham
was on the other end of the “string.” Bill told
me that all through the night, General Winn
turned his executive duties over to an aid,
and he spent the night in prayer. Bill said
he (General Winn) would kneel and pray a
while, and then he would walk the floor and
cry, and then go and kneel and pray some
more. All night long he gave himself over
entirely to praying and crying.
I know now, something of what he
had in his heart. His love for humanity
brought before him, in vision, those many
soldiers under his command, which would
be killed or wounded in that battle, and he
was interceding for them.
We went over the top at daylight, sweeping
everything before us, within a few
minutes we were in the enemy’s trenches,
engaged in hand to hand fighting, then
sweeping on beyond the trenches. We came
out into open warfare, and captured enemy
prisoners by the thousands, and guns and
ammunition a plenty. That was our baptism
of fire, but that day, the 353 rd infantry won
the nickname, “THE FIGHTIN’ FARMERS.”
Prayer, coming from a heart of love, triumphed
over skill and training. We were
comparatively raw recruits, inexperienced
in war, many of us hardly out of civilian life
yet, unused even to the uniform, and untrained;
and we came up against the trained
shock troops of the German Army, but love
and prayer prevailed, and won for us the
victory.
The Great Love of God is manifested in
every walk of life. It was there on the battlefield
that I was changed from an atheist to
a believer in God. I was not converted to
Christ until several years later, but there in
that awful carnage; seeing death and destruction
on every hand, and feeling man’s
helplessness in this great world of trouble
and wickedness, I came to know that there
is over and above man, A GREAT INTELLI-
GENCE, (call it what you will) which rules
over everything; and there I consecrated myself
to the will of that SUPER INTELLIGENCE,
SAYING WITHIN MY HEART, “If it be your will
for me to be killed on the battlefield, that
is all right with me, but if it be your will for
me to return again to America, that, too, is
alright with me.”
From the time I made that consecration,
I never knew fear, and I know now, that
God had His protecting arms around me,
and brought me through, that I might be
saved, through Jesus Christ His Son, and
that I might taste of just a little of HIS GREAT
LOVE.
(E. H. Britain was one of my three
mentors – P.C.)
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CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
Every day, eight Christians worldwide are
killed because of their faith. Every week,
182 churches or Christian buildings are attacked.
Every month, 309 Christians are
imprisoned unjustly. So reports the 2020
World Watch List, the annual accounting
from Open Doors of the top 50 countries
where Christians are the most persecuted
for their faith. In those nations, 260 million
Christians are suffering high to severe levels
of persecution, up from 245 million in last
year’s list. Another metric shared was that
one-in-eight Christians worldwide are facing
persecution.
(From God’s Revivalist and Bible Advocate)
HOW IS YOUR PRAISE LIFE? DO YOU OFFER DAILY PRAISE TO GOD?
How is your PRAISE LIFE? Notice that
I didn’t say, “How is your PRAYER LIFE?”
Perhaps we also need to ask ourselves “HOW
IS MY PRAISE LIFE?” We read in Hebrews
13:15, “Let us offer the sacrifice of PRAISE to
God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips
giving thanks to His name.”
PRAISE NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR
DAILY PRAYERS! The Bible tells us that God
“inhabits the PRAISES of His people.” (Psalms
22:3) When we give praise and thanks to
God, we are giving glory and honor to God.
The Psalms are filled with songs of
PRAISE and with hymns of THANKSGIVING.
Throughout the scriptures, there is
more emphasis placed on PRAISE and
THANKSGIVING than on PRAYING.
WITH THANKSGIVING
Philippians 4:4-7 reminds us to “Rejoice
in the Lord always…WITH THANKSGIVING
let our requests (prayers) be made known
unto God.” If you leave out Thanksgiving or
Praise in your prayers, something is missing.
Likewise, PRAYER IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT
PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING!
Do you sense a lack of the presence of
the Lord during your prayer time? Does it
seem as though your prayer life has sort of
dried up? Could it be that we sometimes
try to enter into prayer without a thankful
heart and without praise? The Psalmist said,
“Enter into his gates WITH THANKSGIVING
and into His courts WITH PRAISE...” (Psalm
100:4) PRAISE is an important key that will
open Heaven’s doors!
PRAYER WITH PRAISE
In Acts 16:22-26, the apostles Paul and
Silas were beaten and put in prison in
Philippi for preaching the gospel. “And at
midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang
PRAISES unto God…and suddenly there was
a great earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken and immediately
all the doors were opened, and every one’s
bands were loosed.” (Verses 25-26)
Paul and Silas, in the midst of their
troubles and trials, instead of complaining,
SANG PRAISES TO GOD! That’s the right
kind of prayer with praise, that MOVES THE
HEART OF GOD! That’s the kind of prayer
with praise that MOVES THE HANDS OF GOD!
When OUR PRAISE LIFE IS PROPERLY FUSED
TOGETHER WITH OUR PRAYER LIFE, GOD
WILL ALWAYS MOVE ON OUR BEHALF AND
HE WILL DO MIRACULOUS THINGS IN OUR
LIVES!!! God will either remove the problem
or give us grace and strength to go through
the difficult time.
Our message text says, “...Let us offer the
SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD CONTINUALLY,
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that is, the fruit of our lips GIVING THANKS
to His name.” Let us learn the practice
of combining PRAYER WITH PRAISE
continually!!!
In order for us to give God the PRAISE
that He deserves, we need to be thankful
to God for OUR PAST, thankful for OUR
PRESENT, and thankful for OUR FUTURE.
One of the most common sins of the
Israelites was that of UNTHANKFULNESS.
Within a matter of several weeks after the
miracles of the parting of the Red Sea and
of the sweetening of the bitter waters of
Marah, the Israelites began to murmur and
complain.
COMPLAINING IS A SIN
In Exodus 16:2 we read: “And the whole
congregation of the children of Israel
murmured against Moses and Aaron in the
wilderness.” In the same chapter Moses
says to the Israelites, “Your murmurings
are not against us, but against the Lord.”
Numbers 11:1 says, “And when the people
complained, it displeased the Lord.”
Murmuring and complaining is a sin
against the Lord! Therefore, we need to do
all we can do to promote a thankful attitude
in our hearts in order to be able to offer
praise and thanksgiving to the Lord as part
of our prayer lives. There’s an old song that
says, “Love and marriage go together like
a horse and carriage...you can’t have one
without the other.” PRAISE AND PRAYER
GO TOGETHER! You shouldn’t have prayer
without PRAISE!
PRAISE FOR OUR PAST
The reason that the Israelites became
unthankful and began to complain was
because they FORGOT ALL THAT THE LORD
HAD DONE FOR THEM. In Psalms 78:42 we
read: “They remembered not His hand, nor
the day when he delivered them from the
enemy.” Don’t ever forget the SIN and the
GUILT of your past!
All of us are born as sinners and we
cannot earn our way to Heaven by being
a good church member or by doing good
deeds. If you have humbled yourself as
a sinner before Jesus, have asked Him to
forgive you of your sins, and if you have
surrendered your heart to Him as Lord of
your life, then you are a Christian. As a
Christian, don’t ever forget that you have
been FORGIVEN of all your sins! Remember
YOUR PAST! Give God PRAISE AND THANKS
for all He has done for you in YOUR PAST!
PRAISE FOR OUR FUTURE
Not only should we give God praise for
OUR PAST, but we should also give God
praise for OUR FUTURE. Before we were
saved, our souls were doomed to an eternity
in hell. Now we have a hope of eternal life
and an eternity in HEAVEN! “…the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory that shall be
revealed in us {in Heaven}.” (Romans 8:18)
An old Scotsman while dying said “It matters
not to me whether I live or die. If I live Jesus
will be with me. If I die I will be with Jesus.”
We have many good reasons to praise God
for our future in Heaven, and in God's
coming kingdom on earth.
THE PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE
We also have many good reasons to praise
God for the rest of our Christian lives here
on Earth. We have the PROMISE OF HIS
PRESENCE with us! Jesus said, “I will never
leave you… ” (Hebrews 13:5) As we continue
to live for the Lord, we have His promise
of His continuing to work in our lives. In
Philippians 1:6 we read: “He who has begun
a good work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ.” We need to give God
praise and thanks for His presence and for
His future work in our lives.
JOYS OF FUTURE SERVICE
We can also offer PRAISE to God for the
JOYS OF FUTURE SERVICE to Him. We can
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gladly follow 1 Corinthians 15:58 which tells
us to be “…always abounding in the work
of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” The
conviction of our lives can be: “Only one
life twill soon be past, only what’s done for
Christ will last.”
HAVING OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED
We can also look forward to HAVING OUR
PRAYERS ANSWERED. We can offer PRAISE
because we have the assurance of seeing
in the future the fulfilling of Romans 8:28
which says “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER
FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD
AND ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS
PURPOSE.” Yes, we can PRAISE GOD for OUR
FUTURE as well as OUR PAST!
PRAISE FOR OUR PRESENT
Lastly, we can PRAISE GOD FOR OUR
PRESENT. God has “given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness.” (2
Peter 1:3) The apostles were great men of
prayer. Luke 24:53 says that they “...were
continually in the temple, PRAISING and
BLESSING God.” The apostle Paul gives us
further advice on this subject in Colossians
4:2: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the
same WITH THANKSGIVING.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice
evermore. Pray without ceasing. In
everything GIVE THANKS…”
HOW TO PRAISE HIM
He gives us practical advice on how to
PRAISE HIM in these verses: Colossians 3:16
says, “...admonishing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Also, Ephesians 5:19-20 says, “Speaking
to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord GIVING THANKS
ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS unto God...” Let’s
include praise and the giving of thanks with
our praying.
PRAISE BRINGS THE POWER OF GOD
Solomon prayed at the dedication of the
Temple, however it was when they praised
the Lord that the glory of God filled the
Temple. 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 says, “It
came even to pass, as the trumpeters and
singers were as one, to make one sound to
be heard in praising and thanking the Lord;
and when they lifted up their voice with
the trumpets and cymbals and instruments
of music, and praised the Lord, saying, for
He is good, for His mercy endures for ever.
Then the house was filled with a cloud, even
the house of the Lord and the priests could
not stand to minister by reason of the cloud.
For the glory of the Lord had filled the
house of God.” PRAYER WITH PRAISE brings
the power of God!
In 2 Chronicles 20:21-22, Jehoshaphat
was victorious over the Ammonites and the
Moabites when he “…appointed singers
unto the Lord, and that should praise the
beauty of holiness, as they went out before
the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His
mercy endures for ever.
And when they began to sing and to
praise, the Lord set ambushes against the
children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir,
which were come against Judah; and they
were smitten.” PRAYER WITH PRAISE brings
victory over the struggles of our lives!
GOD HONORS SACRIFICE
Before Jonah was vomited out of the
great fish, Jonah said: “I will sacrifice unto
Thee with the voice of thanksgiving. I will
pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the
Lord. And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and
it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
(Jonah 2:9,10) God responds to a sacrifice
of surrender and thanksgiving.
If you are a true Christian, then you can
praise God for His FORGIVENESS of your
sins. You can praise and thank God for
supernatural peace and joy in your heart.
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If God never did another thing for you
but forgive you of your sins that would be
enough to praise Him for all eternity!
HE DIED FOR ME
A farmer was kneeling at a soldier’s grave
near Nashville, Tenn. Someone came to him
and said, “Why do you pay so much attention
to this grave? Was your son buried here?”
" No", he said, "during the war everyone in
my family was sick; I was drafted and I knew
not how to leave them. One of my neighbors
came over and said, I will go for you; I have
no family."
He went to war in my place. He was
wounded and was carried to the hospital
and there he died. And, sir, I have come a
great many miles that I might write over his
grave these words, HE DIED FOR ME!”
(“The Sacrifice of Praise” page 129,
Thanksgiving (Sword Publishing)
It is the same with us as we realize that
“while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us.” (Romans 5:8) When we surrender to
Jesus as our Lord and Savior and ask Jesus
to forgive us of our sins, we are declaring
our faith, and we are actually saying, JESUS
DIED FOR ME!
When we do that with faith in our hearts,
we stand before God FORGIVEN, CLEANSED,
and JUSTIFIED. We can rest upon His
promise in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We can continue to receive DAILY
FORGIVENESS! We can receive DAILY
SPIRITUAL FOOD FROM HIS WORD! We
can receive the needed STRENGTH AND
COURAGE for our lives. We can say with the
apostle Paul, “I can do all things through
Christ which strengthens me.” (Philippians
4:13)
We can receive DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE
for our daily lives. “In all thy ways
acknowledge Him and HE SHALL DIRECT
THY PATHS.” (Proverbs 3:6) “If any man lacks
wisdom let him ask of God.” (James 1:5)
Yes! We can OFFER PRAISE TO GOD FOR
ALL THESE THINGS! We are the recipients
of the greatest gifts of spiritual blessings
and of the greatest insurance package plan
available to mankind. LET’S PRAISE GOD
FOR OUR PAST, OUR FUTURE, AND FOR OUR
PRESENT! P.C.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Fred SOMEBODY, Thomas EVERYBODY, Peter
ANYBODY, and Joe NOBODY were neighbors, but
they were not like you and me. They were odd
people and most difficult to understand. The
way they lived was a shame.
All four belonged to the same church, but you
would not have enjoyed worshiping with them.
EVERYBODY went fishing on Sunday or stayed
home to visit with friends.
ANYBODY wanted to worship but was afraid
SOMEBODY wouldn’t speak to him. So guess
who went to church, huh – NOBODY.
Really, NOBODY was the only decent one of
the four.
NOBODY did the visitation. NOBODY worked
on the church building.
Once they needed a Sunday School teacher.
EVERYBODY thought ANYBODY would do it, and
ANYBODY thought SOMEBODY would do it. And
you know who did it? That’s exactly right…NO-
BODY!
It happened that a fifth neighbor (an unbeliever)
moved into the area. EVERYBODY
thought SOMEBODY should try to win him for
Christ. ANYBODY could have made an effort.
You probably know who finally won him: NO-
BODY !
This little parable brings to focus again the
fact that each of us is personally responsible for
God’s work. If we leave it for somebody or everybody
or anybody, nobody will do it. Let’s work
till Jesus comes!
(Author unknown)
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