Author: Kate Plourde Page 24 of 67

(Psa 57:1-2) To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (2) I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

Although David wrote this Psalm while he was hiding from King Saul, the sinking feeling of helplessness is the same as going through a natural disaster where you have no control over the results. Amen? I feel for people who live in tornado alley, in the path of a volcano, or where hurricanes frequent the most. Disastrous occasions seem to bring people to their knees. Sometimes that reaction is short-lived. When I think of 9/11, I remember churches being full because of the fear that entered America’s hearts. But it was indeed short-lived. It wasn’t long before America stopped frequenting the churches and went back to their everyday lives. Are you counted amongst those, Reader?

Psa 46:1-2 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

If you are amongst those who abandoned God after the possibility of being spiritually awakened, you may very well be telling God you are no longer interested in His appeals. How awful for anyone who has reached this point.

Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

For those who listened to God’s call and became born-again believers, God has countless promises in His Word for you! Born-again believers have an advantage over those who are not Christians. God promises peace and comfort when we dive into the Bible. It can be found within its pages, Christian. I especially love Psalms because David poured his heart out to God and penned those words. Those who love God’s Word reap its benefit to this day!

I have been through a natural disaster back in July of 1983 when I lived with my sister’s family in Baton Rouge, LA. A flood occurred when the drainage could not keep up and about three feet of water covered many streets. We were rescued by boat and brought to a safe place. It was three days before we could return to the house we were staying in and what a mess it was. I praise the Lord for strength of body to clean up and for the Red Cross to help with items that were lost. It was quite traumatic for me because my husband was in school several hours away. Although I had my sister and her family with me, it wasn’t the same as having my husband. But God’s peace surrounded me, and I was not afraid because I knew He would take care of the details. This was not of my own doing but totally God-given.

Psa 119:49-50 ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. (50) This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Dearest Reader, if you find yourself in the midst of a natural disaster, turn to the One who can give you comfort during the darkest hours. Granted, the verse below is referencing to the Apostle Paul’s petitions to God to remove a “thorn in the flesh.” However, God’s grace is sufficient for us during a natural disaster. His strength is revealed in how you handle that storm of life. People are watching you whether you know it or not. When they see your peace instead of fear, they will wonder why! (Philippians 4:7)

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

If you are not truly born-again, you go through your trial alone. You do not have God by your side, helping you every step of the way. Reader, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Peace Through Troubled Times – Anxious

By Kate Plourde

On November 8, 2023

In Devotionals, Peace Through Troubled Times

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Good morning, Reader! Today’s topic is the result of personal growth in my life. There was a time that I worried about everything. At salvation, that was the first thing the Lord took away from my life. It helped me to trust in Him early on and to develop dependence on Him and Him alone. But what if a believer has not been rid of this? The Apostle Paul gives us clear instruction in the verse above: prayer and thanksgiving. Is it any wonder why believers struggle with anxiety? Prayer must be a daily (if not more) occurrence, Reader. It teaches us to turn to the Father in everything. It teaches us to share our anxieties with Him and lay them at His feet to take care of for you. Prayer teaches us to submit to the Father’s will for our lives.

What things make you anxious? Do you have a rocky marriage? Do you struggle with the war in the Middle East? Is your income less than your purchases? So many things can lead a person to feel anxious and uncertain about the future. We will be seeing the repercussions of Satan’s efforts to rule this world more and more as the end of days approaches. The Rapture could happen at any time! But until it does, we will see the hearts of men grow colder and more wicked. Jesus teaches us in:

Luke 6:22-23 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. (23) Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Christian, we are currently seeing God’s chosen people brutalized in Israel. In fact, antisemitism has increased exponentially and is occurring in our own country. How very sad that Christians aren’t creating more of a stink and speaking up against it! Your silence is interpreted as agreement with those who hate the Jewish people. We cannot and should not be silent. As we speak up against the enemy’s hatred of the Jews, we can be sure to fall under persecution ourselves. But according to Jesus, we are to rejoice and leap for joy for our reward is great in Heaven!

If you’re anxious about circumstances in your life, I recommend you do the following:

Pray! Pray! Pray!

If you feel that anxiousness rise up in your spirit, pray again! Keep praying and keep telling the Lord that you can’t take it. He will not abandon you any more than you would abandon your own child if that child came to you for comfort, Christian! Jesus promises us:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

If you are not truly born-again, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Peace Through Troubled Times – Fretting

By Kate Plourde

On November 6, 2023

In Devotionals, Peace Through Troubled Times

Psalm 37:1-8 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. [2] For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. [3] Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. [4] Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. [5] Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. [6] And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. [7] Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. [8] Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Is it any wonder why people are more fearful these days? They look around and see chaos where there once was calmness. One only look at major cities and see the homeless population. Crime is up, jobs are down, and prices are escalating! All this doom and gloom can be overwhelming to some. So what exactly does one do when the cares of this world seem to take over one’s life? The Bible has all the answers, especially to believers!

The remedy for fear is clearly depicted in today’s Bible passage. There’s a clear outline and I laid it out for you in today’s graphic. The word “fret” starts off our “don’t do’s,” but what exactly does that word mean? I thought it meant not to worry, but not according to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.

To be agitated; to be in violent commotion; as the rancor that frets in the malignant breast.

To be vexed; to be chafed or irritated; to be angry; to utter peevish expressions. “He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground.

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary

This definition is not what I expected at all. So God tells His child not to get agitated or have violent disturbances over seeing the sinner prosper. I can think of several circumstances of this type of agitation in my own circle of friends and acquaintances. How does God respond to this? In the very next verse, He tells us that their end will come and they will be cut down. No matter how bad life gets as a result of the evildoers, their time will come. People who give into their fears usually develop anxiety and mental illness. So is it any wonder that from 2007 to 2017, there was a 13% increase in mental health conditions? If you let it go far enough, it can literally disable you!

There has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade (to 2017). Mental health conditions now cause 1 in 5 years lived with disability.
World health organization

The next remedy is to “trust in the Lord”! Proverbs 3:5-6 is an excellent piece of advice from David’s own son, Solomon. There is nothing that happens that God has not already given the “go ahead.” He has allowed the circumstances in your life for a reason: (1) to grow you spiritually, or (2) to teach you a lesson. The conclusion to either one should be to trust Him.

We then come to a somewhat odd remedy and that is to delight oneself in the Lord. Noah Webster said: “Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.” When one has the joy of the Lord in their hearts, one delights in Him. When we delight in Him, He will bless you with the desires of your heart. The desires He gives you will most certainly be according to His will for you.

Committing your way has more emphasis than trust. It means you have no doubt that God will handle whatever situation you have placed in His care. You have entrusted God because you know for a fact that He will provide the answer and fulfill your need according to His will. He is your Jehovah Jireh. (Genesis 22:14) Just as God provided a sacrifice to Abraham to replace Isaac, so will God provide you with what you will need for every situation when you commit your way to Him. Committing to God brings with it a sense of surety knowing without a doubt that God will handle it.

The next remedy is to “Rest in the LORD”! Oh Reader, have you rested in the Lord? Rest is to stop, to be quiet; free of any disturbances in your life. It’s a time of complete reconciliation with God. Jesus told us about this rest in Matthew 11:28. There is no rest for the unbeliever because he has a God-shaped hole in his heart that has been filled with the cares of this world. But to the believer, we can rest in the fact that God’s Word is never wrong! Amen?

Then we are given a gentle reminder not to fret. This ends the remedy. However, now begins the application. No remedy is able to perform its cure if it is never taken or applied. If you’re a believer, you have everything you need at your fingertips.

Peace Through Troubled Times – Job Loss

By Kate Plourde

On November 3, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals, Peace Through Troubled Times

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

If you are reading this and find yourself in the midst of living without a job, I pray this post encourages your heart! But do you know that God is with you, Christian? He has not abandoned you – He is with you through His Holy Spirit! He never leaves you nor will He forsake you in this time of hardship! (Hebrews 13:5)

I find it so personal when I read that one of God’s names is Emmanuel (or Immanuel in the King James Bible). The Hebrew word literally means:

עִמָּנוּאֵל
‛immânû’êl
im-maw-noo-ale’
From H5973 and H410 with suffix pronoun inserted; with us (is) God;

Christ’s title, Emmanuel, is most commonly used at Christmas time to describe His birth. However, the meaning “God with us” goes so much deeper. As I see the news of the unemployment lines getting longer, I can only imagine the distraught and discouraged minds! Worrying over bills and putting food on the table is something that hits everyone. But is it what Christians should be worrying over? Emmanuel is with us. In a previous post about El Roi, we learned that this is Hebrew for “God sees us.” Today, we learn that God is with us. Nothing gets passed Him, Reader. God put specific titles for His name so that we would learn about His character.

God knows your difficulties and He knows exactly what you need, even before you realize that you need it. He is working out the details in the background whether you see that or not. Isaiah 46:10 proves to us that He knows the beginning to the end. Therefore, He will not place you in a situation where it will cause you to sin. Absolutely not! You can trust Him to do the right things in your life! Today’s Scripture passage in Proverbs is so apropos!

As a believer, trust that God sees what you are going through and is present to help you to go through this trial of unemployment. He just asks that you trust Him and to acknowledge that you are not going to lean on your own personal understanding of the circumstances. Allow God to work… He won’t let you down. I think of David as he was struggling with Saul trying to kill him. He wrote many Psalms as he struggled with life and death situations. Spend time in Psalms and encourage your heart! Take a look at what David wrote when he was delivered out of the hands of his enemies and the hand of Saul:

2 Samuel 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

Your trial is no less important to God than was David’s trials. The same God that delivered David will help you with finding work. One of my favorite verses depicting how much we mean to Him is:

Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Christian, be encouraged because your Father is there and He will help you. Trust in Him and allow Him to open or close doors; allow Him to work, and don’t jump the gun. He loves you (John 3:16); He sees you (El Roi); He is with you (Emmanuel). How more personal can it get? What a wonderfully compassionate God we serve!!!

If you are not truly born-again, you cannot experience the peace that God brings. There is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Peace Through Troubled Times – Sickness

By Kate Plourde

On November 1, 2023

In Devotionals, Peace Through Troubled Times

Gen 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Everyone has either gone through, is going through, or will go through troubled times. This is especially true when it comes to sickness. One doesn’t really know how to deal with sickness until they themselves go through the battle. Oh how true!

Are you currently struggling with cancer or a life-long illness? It is difficult to look on the positive side of things when you’re right smack in the middle of it, isn’t it? For the Christian, however, you have a God who sees you! Hagar recognized this when she and Ishmael were cast out of their home by Sarah into the wilderness. No, she wasn’t sick, but I dare say she wanted to die because of the circumstances she found herself in. It is then that she said, “Thou God seest me.” We see from the rest of that account, that God blessed Hagar and Ishmael.

There is not one smidgen of detail that the Lord doesn’t see, dear Reader. He sees everything! He is there to provide comfort to you in your sickness. Don’t allow yourself to get to the point of being bitter toward God for allowing this trial in your life. Bitterness is an awful thing and can lead a person to say and do things who would not normally do in a right state of mind.

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

God sees your disappointments. He knows your heart and realizes that you cannot do those things that everyone else gets to do! He knows your desire to accomplish tasks but cannot. He knows these restrictions because He allowed them in your life for a purpose!

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

2 Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

God has given you a purpose in life despite your circumstances. Yes!!! We all need a purpose so we feel needed. As the saying goes, “No man is an island”! Therefore, stop feeling sorry for yourself and start helping someone else. There is no better “mental cure” than to be a blessing to someone else. It takes our eyes off ourselves and onto others.

El Roi, God sees you; now go “see” someone else and help them with their trial!

If you are not truly born-again, trials will be overwhelming to you. Come to the cross and be saved! There, the God who sees you will welcome you! If you choose not to, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Peace Through Troubled Times – Table of Contents

By Kate Plourde

On October 30, 2023

In Devotionals

I’m writing this series because we as Christians should be able to glean from God’s Word so we don’t get discouraged or anxious as we see the end times unfold. I hope you are blessed by it!

Day 1 News & Events	Day 2 Sickness	Day 3 Job Loss
Day 4 Fretting	Day 5 Anxious	Day 6 Natural Disasters
Day 7Worrying	Day 8 Friendship	Day 9 Loneliness
Day 10 Jealousy	Day 11 Bad Habits	Day 12 Fear
Day 13 Scoffers	Day 14 Lovers of Pleasures	Day 15 Self Absorbed
Day 16 Boasters	Day 17 Unholy	Day 18 Blasphemers
Day 19 Disobedient	Day 20 Unthankful	Day 21 Proud
Day 22 Natural Affection	Day 23 Trucebreaker	Day 24 False Accusers
Day 25 Uncontrollable	Day 26 Fierce	Day 27 Hatred of Good

Peace Through Troubled Times – News & Events

By Kate Plourde

On October 30, 2023

In Devotionals, Peace Through Troubled Times

What makes you anxious? What disrupts your world or turns it upside down? I have to admit that watching the news does this to me. I can actually feel the anxiety level rise within me like a thermometer! The only way I can stop this from happening is to remove the problem! I can hear some of you now saying, “You can’t hide your head in the sand”! And you would be right.

The only solution to this is to choose what news channel or website to follow. As most of us have come to realize, the news media broadcasts what it is told to broadcast. We no longer have objective news which state both points of view. So to keep ourselves sane and unafraid, we must saturate our lives with the Word of God. It is there you will find peace and encouragement.

The following verse was given to Joshua when God commissioned him to lead Israel after Moses. Can you imagine Joshua’s apprehension when this happened? Moses was a leader above leaders, but yet still a man. We know this because God did not allow Moses into the promised land because of his disobedience. Joshua lived through enslavement in Egypt, the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea and the 40-year wandering through the desert. But at that point, Moses was still God’s man – Joshua wasn’t ready to be the leader … yet.

Jos 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Aren’t we Christians also commissioned? Jesus Christ said to “go ye therefore.” Everything we say and do impacts both the saved and the lost. It impacts them both because they are looking at our testimony. Our testimony should cause the lost to thirst after what we have: peace in the midst of the storms of life. Our testimony should encourage the saved to be faithful, strong and of good courage just as we are.

However, when the circumstances of life cause us to feel anxious and troubled, we must find the root cause. Some things we can take care of and remove them from our lives. While others cannot be removed. For example, watching the news about the war in Israel is unsettling and upsets me. However, it causes me to consistently have a heart of prayer. The fact that we are seeing end time prophecies fulfilled before our very eyes should be encouraging. But not everyone sees these headline news as encouraging. Some get absorbed with worry. The same God who told Joshua not to be afraid or dismayed is the same God of today. (Hebrews 13:8)

Are you dismayed and afraid, Reader? Tell the Lord about it and once He delivers you from that fear, glorify Him by telling others!

Psa 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

I once was a worry-wart and fretted over everything. Once I was born again, the Lord removed that burden from my shoulders. I was able to trust in Him and am able to tell you about it.

Pro 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Hymns 2.0 – I’d Rather Have Jesus

By Kate Plourde

On October 27, 2023

In Devotionals, Hymns 2.0

Lyrics (click here to hear instrumental)

1 I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand

Chorus:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

2 I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I’d rather be true to His holy name [Chorus]

3 He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs.
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead [Chorus]
Rhea F. Miller (1922)

The History Behind the Hymn

Her father, Martin James Ross, such had been no more than a drunk for some time and would actually steal money from his wife’s purse, just to get enough money to buy another drink. Mrs. Ross was a good, solid, faithful Christian, though. And she just kept living her life for Jesus. She would walk to church in any kind of weather- rain, snow, sleet, mud, whatever it was, just to get there to be with God’s people. Eventually her steadfastness broke through the walls her husband had isolated himself with. He surrendered to the wooing of God’s Spirit and was wonderfully delivered from the awful bondage of sin. He stood one night in a service in Brooktondale and began his testimony of how much Jesus meant to him… “I’d rather have Jesus than all the gold or silver in the whole world. I’d rather have Him than anything this world has to offer.” Mrs. Miller sat there and heard the words of her father’s testimony and a new song was born- “I’d Rather Have Jesus”.
https://hymnary.org/person/Miller_Rhea

A Lesson for Me

Pro 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Pro 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Riches can be a fleeting thing. I think of people who win the lottery and fall into millions of dollars but they do not have the wisdom to take care of their new found wealth. They squander their millions on things rather than putting it towards God’s eternal kingdom. After losing their fortune, they are remembered by others as someone having no common sense; thus goes their good name.

But I think of riches as more than that: my eternal salvation purchased by Jesus Himself, the love of family, grandchildren(s)’ hugs and kisses, longevity with your sweetheart, etc. Those to me have more weight in my heart than gold itself.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I’d rather be true to His holy name

Message for today

Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But if that recognition is more important to you than to hear Jesus say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” then your priorities are misplaced.

The work we do here on earth for the furtherance of the Gospel is what will matter for all eternity. Did you lead someone to Christ? Some lead thousands in their lifetime. While others lead one or two. What is the price of one soul? A soul is priceless when compared to that soul living in the fires of hell for all eternity. What would one person pay to avoid the pits of hell, I wonder?

Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Friend, if God has blessed you with riches, then use those riches for His glory. Those are the ones that will last for all eternity. If you don’t have monetary riches, then use your talents for His glory!

Oh that we would look upon Jesus as the leader in all that we say and do. If we did, we would be doing all things according to His will, amen? It’s easier said than done, I understand that. However, striving for that mark on a daily basis will bring us closer to Him and more like Him!

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs.
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

Hymns 2.0 – At Calvary

By Kate Plourde

On October 25, 2023

In Devotionals, Hymns 2.0

Lyrics (click he r e to hear instrumental)

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.

Refrain:
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty–
At Calvary.

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned–
Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary. [Refrain]

Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus ev’rything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary. [Refrain]

O the love that drew salvation’s plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. [Refrain]
William Reed Newell (1868-1956)

The History Behind the Hymn

William R. Newell was born on May 22, 1868 in Savannah, Ohio. All who knew him considered him a “humble man”, however that was not how his life began.

Dr. Torrey, President of Moody Bible Institute told the following story. “When I was president of the Moody Bible Institute, I received a letter from a very concerned pastor who told me of a son who was causing himself and his family a great deal of trouble. His life was really mixed up. And the father felt that attendance at Moody would help. I advised the father that even though I sympathized with him, for I was a father; yet, because I was running a Bible school and not a reform school, I had to deny his request. After many letters of pleading his cause, I finally gave in with the stipulation that the rebellious teen must see me each day and make every effort to abide by the rules and requirements of the Institute.”

“Torrey went on to say that the boy faithfully visited his office each day; and with wisdom from God’s word, he answered the questions that had been keeping the boy from God. Finally, after many months of counseling, the prayers of the boy’s father were answered.”

Years I spent in vanity and strife, caring not my Lord was crucified…There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary

That young man was William R. Newell. Newell eventually became a minister and later returned to Moody Bible Institute as a teacher.

One day in 1895, Newell was sitting in his classroom during a planning period. He began to pen a word picture in the form of a poem describing his testimony. His original words were penned on the back of a used envelope.

After writing the poem, Newell paid a visit to the Music Director at Moody. That man was Daniel Towner. “Towner went to a vacant piano room, sat down, and started writing a tune for his friend’s lyrics. An hour later, the music was finished, and the two friends were sitting down by a piano, singing the new creation together.”

Newell died on April 1, 1956, in Florida.

Today, Newell’s testimony is a reminder of all that Christ did for all of us At Calvary.
https://dianaleaghmatthews.com/at-calvary/

A Lesson for Me

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

A lot happened at the cross of Calvary. I think that one of the very first things that happened was that Jesus paid the price that the Law (the Ten Commandments) could not pay. We all know that even on our best day, we break one of those commandments. It’s impossible to live a sinless life and that is why Jesus came!

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned–
Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.

Message for today

The Old Testament is our teacher. It tells us all about Jesus, why He had to come to die for our sins, and that He is coming again. It is our “schoolmaster” as the verses below tell us.

Gal 3:24-26 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

It is by faith that we are saved. The Ten Commandments were given to the Jews as laws to live by. These laws were to open their eyes to realize that they could not keep the entire law without breaking at least one. If one could keep the Ten Commandments without breaking one each and every day of their life, they would be sinless. But Romans 3:23 tells us that there isn’t one person that is sinless. That is why Christ had to come. The Law was to teach them that they could not work for their salvation but that they needed a Savior.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Abraham came before the Law was given to Moses, yet we see in James 2:23 that Abraham believed God – he had faith in his God – and he is known in the bible as the Friend of God! Therefore, the Law points us to recognize our sin and the need for a Savior, and faith leads us to salvation.

O the love that drew salvation’s plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary.

Friend, are you in the same boat as William Newell was in? Are you searching to fill a hole in your empty heart? It is not until you reach the cross of Calvary and realize that you are in need of what Jesus did there. It is there that forgiveness for your sins can be found.

Hymns 2.0 – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

By Kate Plourde

On October 23, 2023

In Devotionals, Hymns 2.0

Lyrics (click here to hear instrumental)

1 Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3 O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
Robert Robinson (1758)

The History Behind the Hymn

It is an unfortunate turn of events when a young boy is forced to grow up without a loving father. Thus was Robert Robinson’s fate. His dad passed away when he was only eight years of age. Robert was born on Sept. 27, 1735, to Mary Wilkin and Michael Robinson, a customs officer, in Swaffam in the county of Norfolk, a market town and civil parish in the English countryside.

To make Roberts’ circumstances much more difficult, his maternal grandfather, Robert Wilkin, a wealthy man, who had never reconciled himself to his daughter’s lowly marriage, disinherited his grandson and provided an inheritance for him of only ten shillings and sixpence.

As soon as Robert was old enough, he secured a job as an apprentice to a barber. Even in his youth he endured the hardship of having to be the bread winner for his widowed mother and himself. His formal education was limited. However, his knowledge was varied and extensive because he spent many hours in study. There was an adult-like quality deeply ingrained in him, and it allowed him to accept the responsibilities of adulthood, even as a teenager.

As he grew older, he came under the influence of the famed evangelist, George Whitfield. On Dec. 10, 1755, Robinson could not push from his mind a particular phrase used by Mr. Whitfield in one of his sermons: “Oh, my hearers! the wrath to come! the wrath to come!” He was wondrously converted and became a minister of the gospel; first, in a Baptist church, then in a Methodist church, and later in other denominations.

In one location his congregation grew to 1,000 in attendance.

Unfortunately, and for some unexplained reason, he became altogether unstable and unhappy. His Christian beliefs and training seemed of little importance to him.

On one occasion, years later, he found himself the fellow passenger of a young lady on a stagecoach. It is reported that she began to sing to break the monotony of the trip. And what did she sing? Come, Thou fount of every blessing!

As she finished singing the young woman asked Roberts what he thought about the song. His startling reply was: “Madam, I am the unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago; and, I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, if I could feel now as I felt then.”
https://www.cocdiscipleship.org/middle-ages/story-behind-the-song-come-thou-fount/

A Lesson for Me

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Some hymns penetrate the heart and move the soul to repentance. Other hymns, encourage the believer to press on. Today’s hymn doesn’t find the author living according to the verses he penned. He sadly finds himself having come to the end of his race and whatever it was that “beset him” afflicted his soul. Mr. Robinson had the same Bible you and I have. What happened to him? The history says, “Unfortunately, and for some unexplained reason, he became altogether unstable and unhappy. His Christian beliefs and training seemed of little importance to him.”

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.

Message for today

The message I got out of this was that even though we are born again and train under the best of the best in the Scriptures, we can be the victim of ending up last in the race of our spiritual life. Or we can even be a close second, or not even finish the race at all. It is very sad that this man’s Christian beliefs seemed of little importance to him. It appears as though the Gospel seed fell on thorny grounds. He had the excitement of a “new found faith” but the seed didn’t bury deep into the rich soil of his heart. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 13. The Parable of the Sower is a popular one and it gets down to the nitty gritty of salvation.

Mr. Robinson wrote about the Lord’s help in the second verse and it is surprising that he didn’t live by those words. The word he used was “Ebenezer,” which is a Hebrew word that means “stone of help.” God helped Israel against the Philistines and they overcame! Are you overcoming the Philistines of your life, believer? Is God your stone of help, your Ebenezer?

1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

David knew who his Ebenezer was. He lived that life and he finished his race, much like Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:7! We don’t want to end our hymn of life like Mr. Robinson’s. We want to be able to end our life singing with joy that we finished our course!

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

Friend, if you’re a believer and you’re at a point in life where you feel disillusioned with the Christian walk, start over – go back to square one and settle your salvation once and for all. Then move on … finish your course for Christ. Don’t be like Mr. Robinson and end your course with great regret.

1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Author: Kate Plourde Page 24 of 67

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Hymns 2.0 – I’d Rather Have Jesus

Hymns 2.0 – At Calvary

Hymns 2.0 – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing