Miss Nan

One night when my friend Ray, who has gone on to glory, was trying to get his son Thad to bed, he couldn't get him to come out of the closet. Ray thought Thad was just trying to keep from going to bed.

He finally got Thad into bed, but he did something unusual. He got under the covers and all the way to the foot of the bed.

I do not understand why people drink alcohol, and I really do not understand why Christians do. It seems to me that more and more church members drink. Oh, I have heard all the “rationalizing” about why drinking is all right.

There is one reason for sure why it is not. It is a stumbling block. In Romans 15:13 Paul urged THAT NO MAN PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK…IN HIS BROTHER’S WAY. In 1 Corinthians 8:9 he said, BUT TAKE HEED LEST BY ANY MEANS THIS LIBERTY OF YOURS BECOMES A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THEM THAT ARE WEAK.

Hannah had no children. She desperately wanted a son. One day she prayed, LORD ALMIGHTY,...IF YOU WILL GIVE ME A SON, I PROMISE THAT I WILL DEDICATE HIM TO YOU FOR HIS WHOLE LIFE (1 Samuel 1:11 GN). Her prayer was answered. She had a son.

After he was weaned, she took him to Eli the priest and said, I ASKED THE LORD FOR A CHILD, AND HE GAVE ME WHAT I ASKED FOR. SO I AM DEDICATING HIM TO THE LORD. AS LONG AS HE LIVES, HE WILL BELONG TO THE LORD (1 Samuel 1:27-28 GN)

Verse 11 says that Samuel stayed with Eli the priest and served the Lord under him.

When Barnabas and Paul were preaching salvation by grace through faith at the mission church in Antioch, a group came from the mother church and declared that Gentiles could only be saved if they were circumcised. A fierce debate took place between them and Barnabas and Paul. No one gave in, so a group went to Jerusalem to appear before the apostles and elders and the church to settle this matter.Barnabas and Paul told their story. Silence! Then the apostles and elders came together. There was much discussion.

Paul and Barnabas were in the mission church at Antioch preaching to the Gentiles salvation by grace. Back in the mother church a storm was brewing. Acts 15:1 says that CERTAIN MEN CAME DOWN FROM JUDAEA and said in essence, “Gentiles, unless you be circumcised, you cannot be saved.” Acts 15:2 says, PAUL AND BARNABAS GOT INTO A FIERCE ARGUMENT WITH THEM ABOUT THIS.
How did the squabbling affect the infant church? I believe it stifled the work of the Spirit. What makes me think this? Well, there is no record of any mission trips and no record of any souls being saved during this time.

Psalm 35 was written at a time when David was having a hard time. I believe it was when Saul was trying to kill him for no reason except jealousy. David had done no wrong.

David prayed for deliverance. He pleaded with God. He asked questions like, "How much longer, Lord, will you just look on?"

The answer was slow in coming, so he proclaimed, MY PRAYER RETURNED UNTO MINE OWN BOSOM (Psalm 35:13).

Have you ever said, "I prayed but my prayer didn't get past the ceiling"? David felt that his didn't even get out of his body.

Living a righteous life--a life right with the Lord and His purpose for you--has great reward. Oh, not earthly wealth or fame, but something more valuable.Listen to these promises:Proverbs 10:6: BLESSINGS ARE UPON THE HEAD OF THE JUST.Proverbs 14:9: AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS THERE IS FAVOR.Proverbs 15:8: THE PRAYER OF THE UPRIGHT IS HIS DELIGHT.Proverbs 15:9: HE LOVETH HIM THAT FOLLOWETH AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Consider these words in these verses: BLESSINGS--FAVOR--DELIGHT--LOVETH. These are promises from our Lord to those who are righteous.

James 1:19: LET EVERY MAN BE...SLOW TO SPEAK....

Recently I was talking to a six-year-old boy who is one of my young friends.

His younger cousin had been visiting him. I asked, "Have you had fun with your cousin?"

He looked at me, rolled his big brown eyes and said, "I'll have to think about that." He was a good example of James' advice.

I thought to myself how much better off we would be if we would be slow to speak--if we would think before we speak. Why don't you add, "I'll have to think about that" to your vocabulary? I have to mine.

Are there times when you feel unappreciated by your parents or your spouse or your children or other relatives or your boss? If so, do you murmur and complain? Does it do any good? No! At least, not for long!

You might ask, "How can this change?" Let's go to the Word. Proverbs 14:9 says, ...AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS THERE IS FAVOUR. Proverbs 16:7 ways, WHEN A MAN'S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD, HE MAKETH EVEN HIS ENEMIES TO BE AT PEACE WITH HIM.

These verses tell us that favor and peace carry with them conditions which are really one in the same: being righteous and pleasing the Lord.

I truly believe that we are to have a lifestyle of praise. So many verses confirm this. Psalm 34:1 says, I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES; HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH. Psalm 113:3 says, FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN UNTO THE GOING DOWN OF THE SAME, THE LORD'S NAME IS TO BE PRAISED.

The question becomes, "How can I do this with my busy schedule? " I believe you sing praises. Yes, sing! Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!