Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Easter with 3 of my much loved nephews.

After taking the trash out one day, I found this piece of paper must have blown out at some point and lay with some leaves behind the other trashcan.

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

 

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” 

“Great is Thy faithfulness!”

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

 “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

 

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! 

Amen!

The Power of Praise

 

One of my faithful prayer partners, Valeene (here with me in 2008), shared about an encounter with God that she had years ago while serving in Haiti -  

Almost immediately after having a wonderful celebration praising God for 40 years of His faithfulness through the OMS gospel radio station in Haiti, the station experienced blackouts, budget depletion, and breakdowns of equipment, transmitters, generators, and staff morale. 

At the same time a serious drought hit Haiti drying up wells and land, and people were desperately searching for water. Hope in Haiti was being replaced with despair.  

Valeene had never felt like this in all her years living in Haiti, but she heard herself saying, "I am so tired of this!"

One night as she wept before the Lord saying, "How can I help those I love and serve if my heart is troubled with doubt and fear?" Suddenly her room was filled with flashing lights and she saw the word - 

D E S P A I R

Reaching for her Bible, she fell to her knees saying, "Lord, don't let me fall...don't let me fail...I need to see You!" The room darkened and the flashing letters of the word DESPAIR changed around to form the word - 

P R A I S E D! 

She said that God's voice seemed so clear, 

"Have you praised Me? I am worthy to be praised."

She cried out tears of praise and thanksgiving. God had shown Himself faithful, even though she could not comprehend it all. God removed DESPAIR as she PRAISED Him! 

Whether we understand it or not, when we feel despair within ourselves, our marriages, our children, our families, our health, our work, our finances, our countries, or our world (etc...) - victory comes when we change despairing into praising our great God, who is worthy of all praise. 

"Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, 

and His greatness is so vast and profound 

that it is incomprehensible to man." 

Psalm 145:3