It’s In The Valleys I Grow
Sometimes life seems hard to bear
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It’s then I have to remember
That it’s in the valley I grow.
If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.
I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountaintops
But it’s in the valleys I grow.
I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do
But I’m very sure of one thing
My Lord will see me through.
My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.
Forgive me Lord for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it’s in the valleys I grow.
Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.
Thank you for the valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know,
The mountaintops are glorious
But it’s in the valleys I grow.
–Jane Eggleston
SHARING
The Power Of Our Words
–By Caleb Deininger
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11
Seldom do we say exactly the right thing at exactly the right time. In fact, we usually take about ten steps away from a conversation before kicking ourselves over what we should have said. But there are few things sweeter than when a downtrodden soul hears the words they need to press on, or when a sinning brother or sister gets a much needed and unwavering reproof.
“A word fitly spoke” can be a word of encouragement: few words uttered by man have held the weight of Christ’s timely comfort in Matthew 11:28-30, for “heavy laden” Christians everywhere. It can also be a firm rebuke: in 2 Samuel 12, Nathan’s four words to David, “Thou art the man,” were probably the most powerful, most affecting, and most beneficial words David could have heard.
On the other hand, the tongue can be a tool of destruction: Absalom’s deceitful tongue “stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6) and inspired mutiny against King David. And, of course, Satan’s simple and “sensible” persuasion in the Garden of Eden cast the curse of sin upon all mankind
All too often, God’s children fall prey to the temptations of evil speaking, backbiting, talebearing, etc., while failing to be mindful of the power of our words. James 3 offers a profound insight into the duality our speech can yield. How can the mouth that curses man be fit to praise the God who created him? And the line between playful jesting and cruelty isn’t a line at all–it is a slippery slope. These things can introduce elements of bitterness and insecurity into the fellowship that would otherwise be foreign. When we use our speech in such harmful manners–even if it is unwittingly–we can chip away at the very bonds that hold the church together and sow the seeds of discord and strife.
We must never underestimate the effect our words have upon others. They can either lift up a weary soul, or further dishearten him. They can either set God’s erring child right, or sheepishly consent to his transgressions. And they can either strengthen our congregation, or tear it apart. May our words contribute to the church’s spiritual well-being, and be those “apples of gold in pictures of silver” that someone may need to hear.
SHARINGBlessed Are The Punctual
Webster defines punctual as = carefully observant of an appointed time; carefully observant of the nice points of behaviour and ceremony.
Being punctual might very well fall under the categories of : virtue, strength of mind, diligence, devotion, honor, respect, uprightness, consideration, zeal, exampleship, initiative, watchfulness, readiness, interest, enthusiasm, as well as a host of other good ingredients that make our living sacrifices to have a sweet savor before the Lord. The better we make our service rendered unto the Lord, the richer God’s blessings are in return. AND being punctual is something that costs nothing, and EVERYBODY CAN DO IT!!!!
None is so observant of our service rendered as God is. God takes everything into account, from the widow’s mite, to a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple. Just as God takes note of every effort of honor on our part for His name’s sake, He also sees and responds to every sleight, such as was the case with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5).
Punctuality seems to have nothing to do with the clock, or the starting times of the services. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it be morning or evening, slow time or fast time, as none of these variations figure into whether one is punctual or not.
According to Webster’s dictionary, punctuality has everything to do with a person’s own observance of an appointed time. Thus, punctuality is a matter of choice, more so than anything else. It is a matter of personal priority and application of self. It is the exercise of judgment and doing the math. It is the matter of making personal adjustments, through using good foresight. It is personal management and decisive thinking. It is the matter of forming a good habit, instead of allowing an inferior one. It is putting forth good business, rather than lagging behind.
Right consideration and good understanding will conclude that nothing is more deserving of good punctuality than the business of our Lord and Saviour.
“Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” 1 Chronicles 29:5 GOD WILL BLESS US for honoring His work by being punctual. Do you value God’s blessings? Is it in your heart to please the Lord in what you do? What if God started showing up late when we needed Him? MAY GOD HELP US TO SEE PUNCTUALITY AS BEING A PART OF OUR CALLING TO PRESENT OURSELVES A LIVING SACRIFICE UNTO HIM!
SHARINGToo Blessed And Too Anointed
–Bob Ford
I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad or to cry.
I refuse to be downhearted,
And here’s the reason why:
I have a God who is almighty,
Who is sovereign and supreme.
I have a God who loves me,
And I am on His team.
He is all-wise and powerful;
Jesus is His name.
Though everything else is changeable,
My God remains the same.
I refuse to be defeated.
My eyes are on my God.
He has always been here with me,
As through this life I’ve trod.
I am looking past my circumstances
To Heaven’s throne above.
My prayers have reached the heart of God.
I am resting in His love.
I give thanks to Him for everything.
My eyes are on His face.
The battle is His; the victory is mine;
He will help me win the race.
I repeat, “I’m too blessed to be stressed.”
The Story Of The Star-Spangled Banner
–From The Legal Alert
The United States was engaged in a second war with England from June 1812 to the spring of 1815. The war was creatively called the War of 1812. Many naval battles were fought, and by 1814 the British were attempting to split this country in half. Washington D.C., was captured and burned. This was the time when President James Madison’s wife, Dolly Madison, became famous for courageously staying behind in the capitol as the British were approaching until she was assured that vital state documents and, most notably, the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, had been removed to safety and were saved from destruction.
After taking Washington D.C., the British marched toward Baltimore where a mere handful of 1,000 patriots were manning the cannons at Fort McHenry, whose guns controlled the harbor. If Baltimore was to be captured, the British would have to take Fort McHenry first. The attack began on the morning of September 13, 1814, as nineteen British ships began pounding the fort with rockets and mortar shells, and continued their bombardment for the next twenty-five hours.
Surprisingly, on board one of the British ships was a young American lawyer named Francis Scott Key, who had been sent to negotiate for the release of Dr. William Beanes, an American prisoner of the British. Even though the British captain agreed to the release, the two Americans were required to stay aboard until the attack on Baltimore was over.
The bombardment continued during the entire night of September 13th, as the two Americans heard the bombs bursting, saw the red glare of rockets, and waited to see what the outcome would be. They knew the Americans were resisting. But toward morning, the bombardment ceased and a dreadful silence fell. The men knew that either Fort McHenry had surrendered and the British flag now flew above it, or the bombardment had failed and the American flag would still be flying.
The lawyer and the doctor waited eagerly together for the dawn. On the morning of September 14th, Key and Beanes were overjoyed to see that the American flag was still flying over Fort McHenry. Francis Scott Key wrote a four stanza poem telling the events of the night, which was published in newspapers and swept the nation. It was later put to music, and in 1931, Congress declared it the official anthem of the United States.
Now that you know the story, here are the words. You probably already know the first stanza, but have you ever heard the last?
Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation,
Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto – In God is our trust.
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
