The most beautiful words in the world are the words of God... for they are true and they abide forever, what joy!

Psalm 90: 12 

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

Isaiah 54:
5 For your Maker is your husband,

the Lord of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,

and great shall be the peace of your children.

verses 10 -12 are also a great encouragement too .

Isaiah 61:3

to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for He is with me.'

Here is an extract from the children book, "Comfort for a Child's Heart. The 23rd Psalm &  Bible Promises" By David and Helen Haidle.

"There is a Valley of the Shadow of Death in the Land of Israel. The four mile long valley wall rises hundreds of feet in some places. Wolves, wild dogs and snakes hide in this valley. This is the most dangerous part of the journey on the way to the best highland pastures.

Sometimes the path is too narrow for a sheep to turn around, sometimes a wide gully cuts part of the path in half, sheep must jump across the gap to follow their shepherd!

Sheep never walk through this dark valley alone if they stay close to their shepherd. He knows the way. He has been there before.

Jesus experienced pain, suffering, and trouble even death on a cross. He understands how you feel. He knows everything you face. And He is with you no matter what happens"

Disabiltity: Is it part of God's design? Read a free book online:

2 Corinthians 4: 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/online-books/just-the-way-i-am

This is an excallnt book for you to read to your children. Do you recognise some of the children from the blogs I follow?

Sanctified Suffering

Suffering is a part of the process by which the children of God are sanctified. They are chastened to wean them from the world, and make them partakers of God's holiness. The Captain of their salvation was made perfect through sufferings, and so are they. There never yet was a great saint who had not either great afflictions or great corruptions. Philip Melancthon said it well: "Where there are no cares, there will generally be no prayers." ~ J.C. Ryle

My grace is sufficient for you: "You need look to no other quarter for help, relief, or comfort. Jesus assures you that His grace is sufficient. You are welcome to it. You are exhorted to have it. To be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. It is sufficient to support you under every privation, to help you over every difficulty, to strengthen you for every duty, to mortify every lust, and to fill you with all joy and peace in believing. His grace is almighty, it is free, it is durable, it brings salvation. Look not at difficulties, dangers, or thy own weakness; but look to the free, powerful, and promised grace of Jesus. Go to His throne of grace this morning, on purpose to receive grace for this day; go every day, and whenever you feel weak, timid, or cast down. His grace was found sufficient for Paul, for the martyrs and saints, in the deepest trials, and it will be found sufficient for thee. He says, "I am the Lord thy God; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Come boldly to the throne of grace, that ye may obtain mercy and find grace to help you in time of need. Every one that asketh receiveth." O Jesus, make good Thy word in me!" James Smith

From Grace Gems: The following in an excerpt from James Smith's Autobiography, when he was 28 years old
Another sharp stroke! My little daughter Ann was in good health on Monday--and on Thursday she was a corpse! She died just two months after her sister Mercy. But the words of the Patriarch came to silence and humble me, "If He snatches someone in death--who can stop Him? Who dares to ask: What are You doing?"
I fear I loved her too much, for she was a beautiful child. Well, she is gone--and I must follow her, nor can I tell how soon.

"The Lord gave--and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised!" Job 1:21

If Jehovah is your God?

Here is another gem of a 'Grace Gem' that came to me via email today....listen to the short audio too, it is well worth it! Our God is able to provide in all times for all things. And I am always amazed as to how he sends the perfect verse, or person to encourage at just the right moment. He is indeed our Jehovah Jirah.

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Heaven's great storehouse!
by James Smith, very comforting.
Play Audio! Download Audio

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If Jehovah is your God!

(by James Smith)

"I will be their God--and they shall be My people!" Hebrews 8:10

So has Jehovah purposed, in reference to those whom He has eternally loved and chosen. All of our present and future blessedness, is wrapped up in this holy and gracious purpose.

If Jehovah is your God--then all of His glorious attributes and perfections and engaged and employed for your eternal welfare!
  His mercy will supply all your needs.
  His power will conquer all of your foes.
  His wisdom will direct all of your ways.
  His faithfulness will answer all of your prayers.
  His justice will maintain your cause.
  His infinite love and mercy will be displayed in all of His gracious dealings with you!

If Jehovah is your God--then . . .
  His promises are your heritage;
  His precepts are your rule;
  His doctrines are your present paradise;
  His Son is your Savior and King;
  His Spirit is your sanctifier and Tutor; and
  He Himself is your everlasting portion! Psalm 119:57

If Jehovah is your God--then He will freely confer all really good things on you at present--and crown you at last with eternal glory! He will . . .
  guide you continually,
  chasten you occasionally,
  receive you graciously,
  and bless you indeed!

If Jehovah is your God--then all things are yours--things present and to come; life, death, the world, Heaven--all are yours!

If Jehovah is your God--then He will consider nothing too great to do for you--and nothing too glorious to give to you! All the treasures of time, and all the resources of eternity--will, if necessary, be employed for your spiritual and eternal benefit! You can lack nothing which is really for your good.

To have Jehovah for your God, is the highest blessedness and honor in the universe!

How blessed is the man--who has Jehovah as his God!
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We have published James Smith's superb 100 page book, "The Love of Christ! The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Savior's Grace Displayed!"

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Feel free to forward this on to your friends.

Grace Gems (choice ELECTRONIC books, sermons & quotes)

Grace Audio Treasures (choice AUDIO sermons)
Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice PRINTED books)

Faithfulness: our new family motto

Luke 16: 10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Life is like building a building/tower with little blocks (like Lego); if your blocks are all defective, your building/tower will be defective. Whereas if you use good and perfect blocks it makes a good strong building/tower. Tonight we challenged one another about faithful caring and serving one another in our family, for that is the only way we can truly serve God. And as I have long been teaching the children one is truly only happy when you are right with God and one another. Faithfulness in little things makes for the good  building blocks of a truly faithful life.Each child has the task of thinking of a way to show faithfulness by doing a task or act of love voluntarily the next day...may such daily habits make for faithful lives, and a faithful family. I am so grateful for my beautiful children, it is so good to be surrounded by their laughter and love, their helpfulness and faithfulness. 

My hope is built on nothing less

Who is He?

This recording of the lovely hymn brings back memories of being a MK in Hammansraal, South Africa. My mother did a wonderful Bible club each week for the local kids and we went there by ambulance. (being at Jubilee Mission Hospital.) We had this Elaine and Derick record as little girls and I still have it today. It was the hymn itself though that brought me here, what beautiful words they are!

Lyrics taken from http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/h/whoishe.htm

1. Who is he in yonder stall 
 at whose feet the shepherds fall?
Refrain:
 'Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! 
 'Tis the Lord, the King of glory; 
 at his feet we humbly fall, 
 crown him, crown him Lord of all!

2. Lo, at midnight who is he 
 prays in dark Gethsemane?
 (Refrain)

3. Who is he in Calvary's throes 
 asks for blessings on his foes?
 (Refrain)

4. Who is he who from the grave 
 comes to heal and help and save?
 (Refrain)

5. Who is he that from yon throne 
 rules the world of light alone?
 (Refrain)

Alternative verses: from Christain Hymns

1. verese 1 above. 

2. Who is he in deep distress fasting in the wilderness?

3. Who is He to whom they bring all sick and sorrowing?

4. Who is he who stands and weeps at the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

5. Lo at midnight, who is he prays at dark Gethsemane?

6  Who is he on yonder tree, dies in grief and agaony?

7. Who is He who from the grave comes to rescue, help and save?

8. verse 5 above 

Oh Church Arise

Jessica sent me these lovely George Muller quotes last night:

 OBEDIENCE.

Every instance of obedience, from right motives, strengthens us spiritually, whilst every act of disobedience weakens us.

SERVICE TO ONE'S GENERATION.

My business is, with all my might to serve my own generation; in doing so I shall best serve the next generation, should the Lord Jesus tarry... The longer I live, the more I am enabled to realize that I have but one life to live on earth, and that this one life is but a brief life, for sowing, in comparison with eternity, for reaping.

SELF-WlLL.

The natural mind is ever prone to reason, when we ought to believe; to be at work, when we ought to be quiet; to go our own way, when we ought steadily to walk on in God's ways, however trying to nature.

 CLAIMS OF GOD.

It is true, the Gospel demands our All; but I fear that, in the general claim on All, we have shortened the claim on everything. We are not under law. True; but that is not to make our obedience less complete, or our giving less bountiful: rather, is it not, that after all claims of law are settled, the new nature finds its joy in doing more than the law requires? Let us abound in the work of the Lord more and more.

GIVING IN ADVERSITY.

At the end of the last century a very godly and liberal merchant in London was one day called on by a gentleman, to ask him for some money for a charitable object. The gentleman expected very little, having just heard that the merchant had sustained heavy loss from the wreck of some of his ships. Contrary, however, to expectation, he received about ten times as much as he had expected for his object. He was unable to refrain from expressing his surprise to the merchant, told him what he had heard, how he feared he should scarcely have received anything, and asked whether after all there was not a mistake about the shipwreck of the vessels. The merchant replied,
"It is quite true, I have sustained heavy loss, by these vessels being wrecked, but that is the very reason, why I give you so much; for I must make better use than ever of my stewardship, lest it should be entirely taken from me."
How have we to act if prosperity in our business, our trade, our profession, etc., should suddenly cease, notwithstanding our having given a considerable proportion of our means for the Lord's work? My reply is this:
"In the day of adversity consider."
It is the will of God that we should ponder our ways; that we should see whether there is any particular reason, why God has allowed this to befall us. In doing so, we may find, that we have too much looked on our prosperity as a matter of course, and have not sufficiently owned and recognized practically the hand of God in our success. Or it may be, while the Lord has been pleased to prosper us, we have spent too much on ourselves, and may have thus, though unintentionally, abused the blessing of God. I do not mean by this remark to bring any children of God into bondage, so that, with a scrupulous conscience, they should look at every penny, which they spend on themselves; this is not the will of God concerning us; and yet, on the other hand, there is verily such a thing as propriety or impropriety in our dress, our furniture, our table, our house, our establishment, and in the yearly amount we spend on ourselves and family.