The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Isaiah 26:7.
We have before us in the Word of God instances of heavenly agencies working on the minds of kings and rulers, while at the same time satanic agencies were also at work on their minds. No human eloquence, in strongly set forth human opinions, can change the working of satanic agencies. Satan seeks continually to block the way, so that the truth shall be bound about by human devising, and those who have light and knowledge are in the greatest danger unless they constantly consecrate themselves to God, humiliating self, and realizing the peril of the times.
Heavenly beings are appointed to answer the prayers of those who are working unselfishly for the interests of the cause of God. The very highest angels in the heavenly courts are appointed to work out the prayers that ascend to God for the advancement of the cause of God. Each angel has a particular post of duty, and is not permitted to leave for any other place. If an angel should leave, the powers of darkness would gain an advantage….
Day by day the conflict between good and evil is going on…. As a people we do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Evil angels are constantly at work, planning their line of attack, controlling as commanders, kings, and rulers, the disloyal human forces.
I call upon you who are not ready for the last great controversy to wake up. You are not watching for that which is soon coming upon the earth. Human instrumentalities under the control of fallen angels are seeking to gather in their harvest. Those who would find themselves under the protection of the angels of God must live wholly for God’s glory, prepared to stand in their lot and in their place….
Over every person good and evil angels strive. It is the person himself who determines which shall win. I call upon the ministers of Christ to press home upon the understanding of all who come within the reach of their voice the truth of the ministration of angels. Do not indulge in fanciful speculations. The written Word is our only safety. We must pray as did Daniel, that we may be guarded by heavenly intelligences. As ministering spirits, angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. Pray … pray as you have never prayed before. We are not prepared for the Lord’s coming. We need to make thorough work for eternity.—Letter 201, 1899.
Christ Triumphant p. 368
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Prayer Requests
—-PLEASE Pray for my sister who is 65 living with my 86 and she has been high on drugs and we don’t know what to do..shes been to the Er all day yesterday. It was horrific. Please pray this will end. My poor dear mother. Heather
—-Please Pray for E for healing and guidance. R
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Dear Friends,
Over the years, we had enjoyed spending time in nature. In whatever part of this vast country we have lived we have hiked or camped in the mountains or beside a stream or lake or in a pine forest. Sometimes, we just took a nice long drive and reveled in the beauty of God’s great creation. (Sadly we are now too old to hike, we still can go for drive whenever we feel that we can afford the gas, but most of the time we enjoy watching the beauties of nature on the television. Yet, we have many memories of the happy times of bygone days.)
How important it is that each of us leave the city behind and go out into nature whenever we have the opportunity. Even after 6000 years of sin, there are scenes of grandeur that are breathtakingly beautiful. As we walk beside a river whose rushing water is splashing over great rocks worn smooth by its action, we can think of the works of the Lord upon our heart, constantly bringing about circumstances to mold us into His image. When surrounded by great, snowcapped mountains dotted with evergreens nearly to their summit, we can meditate upon the Rock Christ Jesus, Who veiled His glory and majesty and came to this dark and sinful world to live a life filled with all the troubles and trials the evil one could heap upon Him. He is our “chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” He is “the stone which the builders disallowed,” Who is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient.” (1 Peter 2:6,8) As we gaze upon the colorful clouds at the close of the day, we look forward to our Heavenly Home where all is light and beauty, “and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Rev 21:23 Even as we marvel at our Great Creator’s handiwork, we can see signs of the enemy’s work in dead and dying flower, leaf, and animal. This makes us look forward to the time when “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Rev 21:4
David exclaimed, “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Ps 33:6-9;19:1-6;8:3-9
May we praise the Lord for His marvelous creation as we spend time viewing His handiwork is my prayer.

In vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. Matthew 15:9, NRSV.
My soul is much burdened, for I know what is before us. Every conceivable deception will be brought to bear upon those who have not a daily, living connection with God. Satan’s angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light and will proclaim it as new and wonderful; yet while in some respects the message may be truth, it will be mingled with human inventions and will teach for doctrine the commandments of men…. Many apparently good things will need to be carefully considered with much prayer, for they are specious devices of the enemy to lead souls in a path that lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from it….
A new order of things has come into the ministry. There is a desire to pattern after other churches, and simplicity and humility are almost unknown. The young ministers seek to be original, and to introduce new ideas and new plans for labor. Some open revival meetings, and by this means call large numbers into the church. But when the excitement is over, where are the converted ones? Repentance and confession of sin are not seen. The sinner is entreated to believe in Christ and accept Him, without regard to one’s past life of sin and rebellion. The heart is not broken. There is no contrition of soul. The supposed converted ones have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus….
The Lord desires His servants today to preach the old gospel doctrine, sorrow for sin, repentance, and confession…. Sinners must be labored for, perseveringly, earnestly, wisely, until they shall see that they are transgressors of God’s law, and shall exercise repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ….
Workers should not feel that it is a virtue to stand apart because they do not see all minor points in exactly the same light. If they agree on fundamental truths, they should not differ and dispute about matters of little real importance. To dwell on perplexing questions, that after all are of no vital consequence, tends to call the mind away from truths vital to the saving of the soul….
Unbelievers are critical, and they seek to frame some excuse for not receiving the truth as it is in Jesus. Where these differences exist among us, those who stand outside will say, “It will be time enough for us to believe as you do when you can agree among yourselves as to what constitutes truth.” Thus the ungodly take advantage of the divisions and controversies among Christians.—Manuscript 82, 1894 (The Review and Herald, November 4, 1965).
Christ Triumphant p. 362
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for some friends who are having financial troubles because they are not getting paid for their work. Anon
—-Please pray for E and children. The devil is trying to cause problems in many ways. R
—- Imogen woke up this morning at home with a loss of motion in her left arm (and somewhat in her leg). We have taken her to the Emergency Department and she is currently waiting for her neurosurgery team to decide what to do. She has been in pain especially at night time. We have started fasting her in case she has to have a general anesthetic for an MRI or other type of scan – possibly later tonight. She is 3-weeks post spinal surgery. Please pray that there is no permanent damage and that the cancer has not grown.
It’s a bit traumatizing being back in hospital again at Christmas time (which is the time of year when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma in Dec 2019).
God is good and we put our faith and trust in Him, and are believing in Him for full healing for Imogen. Jeanie
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Dear Friends,
I was on the internet recently when I came across a prayer request. As I read the responses, I saw one reply that was different than all the others. This man spoke harshly to the writer of the request telling her that she had no business bothering God with such and small and unimportant prayer request. I was shocked! That man’s idea of God was skewed and did not understand God’s love at all. I wrote a reply explaining to him that God loves to have us come to Him with our needs and even our wants. His reply what I expected–not at all nice. So sad.
How good God is! No prayer is too small for Him to answer. Indeed, He yearns for us to ask Him for help in every aspect of our life. Jesus bids us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?0 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 7:7-11; 18:19, 20 Think of it! What power there is awaiting us if we will only ask! Yet, how seldom do we ask Him. How rarely do we allow the Great Burden Bearer to bear our burdens, to untangle the mess we’ve got ourselves into, to lead us in the path which we should go, to help us in the daily routine of our life.
Sometimes we pray and our prayers do not seem to be answered. God answers, but He does not always answer in the way we have specified. He may say, “wait awhile” or “that would not be good for you, here is something you really need.” James explains, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 So, we see there are guidelines for answered prayer. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 14:13, 14; 15:7-11 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:5, 6
May we bring our joys, our sorrows, our problems, our needs, whether large or small to the Throne of Grace is my prayer.
Rose

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12:10.
The world is a theater. The actors, the inhabitants of the world, are preparing to act their part in the last great drama. God is lost sight of. There is no unity of purpose, except as parties of people confederate to gain their ends. God is looking on. His purposes in regard to His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled. The world has not been given into human hands, though God is permitting the elements of confusion and disorder to bear sway for a season. A power from beneath is … working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are binding themselves together in secret societies. Those who are yielding to the passion for confederation are working out the plans of the enemy. The cause will be followed by the effect.
Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise….
The wicked have chosen Satan as their leader. Under his control, the wonderful faculties of the mind are used to construct agencies of destruction. God has given the human mind great power, power to show that the Creator has endowed human beings with ability to do a great work against the enemy of all righteousness, power to show what victories may be gained in the conflict against evil….
But when those to whom God has entrusted capabilities give themselves into the hands of the enemy, they become a power to destroy. When people do not make God first and last and best in everything, when they do not give themselves to Him for the carrying out of His purposes, Satan comes in and uses in his service the minds that, given to God, could achieve great good. Under his direction they do an evil work with great and masterly power. God designed them to work on a high plane of action, to enter into His mind, and thus acquire an education that would enable them to work the works of righteousness. But they know nothing of this education. They are helpless. Their powers do not guide them aright, for they are under the enemy’s control.
The way to holiness and heaven is found in the path of obedience. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”—Letter 141, 1902.
Christ Triumphant p. 359
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Prayer Requests
—- Asking for prayers for my sister Elaine as she has had an injury but is not with the Lord in a manner that is needed. Please pray for her salvation. Cindy
—-Please pray for A who has become very angry and bitter and is miserable. B
—-Can you please pray for my earache to heal with the antibiotic I am using. Andre
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Dear Friends,
Well, today is the first day of Christmas vacation. That means no homeschooling for two whole weeks. How many things I thought I was going to accomplish today. So far, my day has been so crazy that all I’ve been able to do are dishes and starting a loaf of bread in my bread maker. I hope to do better the rest of our vacation, but if those days are like this one……
I feel something like some hamsters that Ronnie Jay used to have. We had so much fun watching them running on their exercise wheel. The three creatures would often try to run on it at the same time—-sometimes in the opposite direction! This would cause one or more to be slung out of the wheel. Whereupon that little creature would jump right back on and begin the process all over again.
How often we feel as if we are like those hamsters—always busy but accomplishing nothing. When we fail to keep the connection with the Great King of the Universe, we feel like a hamster on a giant exercise wheel—ever running but getting nowhere. How many times we can get ourselves into circumstances where there seems to be no way out, no future. How it must break our Great Redeemer’s heart to see us struggling futilely in our own strength, when He is there to help us disentangle ourselves from the mess we have gotten ourselves into, to deliver us out of the cage we are in. All we need to do is ask Him. He assures us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt 7:7,8 When we cry unto the Lord in our trouble, He will save us out of all of our distresses. He will deliver us from the exercise wheel of life and open a plain path of escape before our feet for He is faithful Who has promised, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ps 32:8
How important then, that we” pray without ceasing.” 1 Thes 5:17 How vital that we keep in touch with our Dear Saviour moment by moment. Then we won’t be running around accomplishing little to nothing. When He was upon this earth, our Loving Redeemer felt the need for His Father’s guidance. Indeed, He often spent all night in earnest prayer with strong crying and tears. (Luke 6:12) Heb 5:7 That very same Jesus is yearning for us to earnestly desire to get off life’s exercise wheel and pray to Him for the guidance and strength that He so freely offers.
May we listen to His pleading voice bidding us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt 11:28, 29
Rose

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, … saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come. Revelation 14:6, 7.
The proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages has been located by the Word of Inspiration. Not a peg or pin is to be removed. No human authority has any more right to change the location of these messages than to substitute the New Testament for the Old. The Old Testament is the gospel in figures and symbols. The New Testament is the substance. One is as essential as the other. The Old Testament presents lessons from the lips of Christ, and these lessons have not lost their force in any particular.
The first and second messages [Revelation 14:6-8] were given in 1843 and 1844, and we are now under the proclamation of the third; but all three of the messages are still to be proclaimed. It is just as essential now as ever before that they shall be repeated to those who are seeking for the truth. By pen and voice we are to sound the proclamation, showing their order and the application of the prophecies that bring us to the third angel’s message. There cannot be a third without the first and second….
The book that was sealed was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel that related to the last days…. When the book was opened, the proclamation was made, “Time shall be no longer.” The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.
[Revelation 14:6, 7 quoted.] This message, if heeded, will call the attention of every nation and kindred and tongue and people to a close examination of the Word, and to the true light in regard to the power that has changed the seventh-day Sabbath to a spurious sabbath…. The Sabbath memorial, declaring who the living God is, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, has been torn down, and a spurious sabbath has been given to the world in its place. Thus a breach has been made in the law of God….
In the first angel’s message people are called upon to worship God, our Creator, who made the world and all things that are therein…. The message proclaimed by the angel flying in the midst of heaven is the everlasting gospel, the same gospel that was declared in Eden when God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.”—Manuscript 32, 1896 (Manuscript Releases 17:6, 7).
Christ Triumphant p. 338
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Geanina who fell and broke her wrist very badly. Rose
—-My good friend, Jewell, is having heart related issues. She is seeing her cardiologist in the morning. Please keep her in your prayers. TIA.
—-I have a friend who needs a miracle after being hit by a car. Pain that drugs will not take away. Please pray for healing, increased faith. Sylvia
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Dear Friends,
Someone I know well spends much of his time reading the news on the Internet. He listens to talk radio every day. As he hears all these dreadful things, he gets so worried and upset. His whole focus is on the negative. His very countenance shows the worry that fills him. This is how the enemy of souls would have it, for as we focus on the frightening things transpiring in this world, we take our eyes off from Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.
Truly, this sinful, old world is showing signs that “the end of all things is at hand.” 1 Peter 4:7 It is totally out of control! Wars and rumours of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, man’s inhumanity to man, all foretell that Jesus is coming again. As we see all of the sin and sadness in this world, our heart should not only break for those who are in great trials but also can be filled with expectation. Our focus should be upon the blessed hope of Jesus’ soon return. Think of it! Soon we “shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt 24) Praise God! All of the heartache, all of the sadness, all of the unfairness of life, all of the pain, all of the death will be a thing of the past when our Dear Saviour comes again!
There is an old hymn by Jessie E. Strout that exclaims the joy we should feel as we see these things come to pass. “Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring: Jesus is coming again! Cheer up ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing; Jesus is coming again! Coming again! Coming again! Jesus is coming again! Echo it, hilltops; proclaim it ye plains, Jesus is coming again! coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain; Jesus is coming again! Coming again! Coming again! Jesus is coming again! Heavings of earth, tell the vast, wondering throng: Jesus is coming again! Tempests and whirlwinds, the anthem prolong; Jesus is coming again! Coming again! Coming again! Jesus is coming again! Nations are angry— by this we do know Jesus is coming again! Knowledge increases; men run to and from; Jesus is coming again! Coming again! Coming again! Jesus is coming again!”
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Ephesians 6:12.
Angels from heaven communicate with the human family, and not one of us by anything we can do may uphold or keep ourselves. We are where we are, kept every moment by the power of God. I have thought that we do not make the ministration of heavenly angels as important as we should…. What would we do without them? I want you to consider what kind of position we should be left in if we had not the ministry of holy angels….
We meet the opposition of men and women, but there is someone behind that opposition. It is the prince of the powers of darkness, with his evil angels, who is constantly at work…. Who is it that is ruling the world today? And who is it that has chosen to stand under the banner of the prince of darkness? Why, it is nearly the whole world at large. All the world that has not accepted Jesus Christ has chosen for their leader the prince of darkness, and just as soon as they stand under his banner, they have connection with evil angels.
Either the evil angels or the angels of God are controlling all human minds…. Every provision has been made; everything in God’s plan has been arranged so that we should not be left to our own impulses, to our own finite powers, to carry on the warfare against the powers of darkness in our own finite strength, because we would certainly fail if we were thus left to ourselves….
In the Psalm David speaks of God’s being a refuge and a strong tower, a refuge and a fortress; unto Him we can run and we can be saved. How precious is the thought that God is our refuge and that He will be our helper in all times and in all places, and that in every emergency we have God with us. He says that He will give His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways…. In our God we have a helper, and we will trust in Him. We must constantly look in that direction, believing that the angels of God are round about us, and that heaven is in communication with us, because these heavenly messengers are ascending and descending upon the ladder of shining brightness….
How is it with us? Are we standing with the whole armor on, so that we can work in harmony with the angels of God who are working for us? If we separate ourselves from these angels by taking our own course of action, then we place ourselves where the wicked one can tempt us.—Manuscript 1, 1890 (Sermons and Talks, 2:57-59).
Christ Triumphant p. 333
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Prayer Requests
—-I have a very important unspoken request. Please pray. Buck
—-My wife is having equilibrium issues since yesterday, please pray for her recovery and our family’s dire need of salvation, I’m the only Adventist in the family. David
—-Please continue to pray for Davanna. She is in a lot of pain with her double ear infection. I’m trying to walk her through how to make and use an onion poultice. Prayers she can get some relief. Jennifer
—-I have a prayer request for an SDA-owned medical business that a family member works for. The owner strongly believes in getting out The Great Controversy to as many as possible. A few days ago, right after he had been impressed by God to fund more of the books to be sent out, his business was hit by a cyber attack for ransom. The authorities are now involved in figuring out who is behind it and working at getting the business back up and running. At this point, my family member and the rest of their team in accounting have not been able to work for the last few days due to the loss of the stolen information. This is really a bad situation and involves a lot of people’s personal information. Would you please pray with me for God to rectify this situation as soon as possible and in the best manner possible so they can continue to care for their client’s needs? May God be praised for what He will do! And may those Great Controversy books reach as many people for Jesus as possible!!! anonymous
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Dear Friends,
Thanksgiving is a time to remember God’s goodness to us. I thought I’d share with you something that happened some years ago when Ronnie Jay still lived at home. He needed to drive our van to go camping, so we had traded cars for the weekend.
A little later, Ron jumped into Ronnie Jay’s car and started the engine. As he was backing out of the driveway, he heard a loud snap. To his horror, the car stopped moving. The engine was still running, but it would not go anywhere. Ron thought that it must be the transmission. The next day, our mechanic examined Ronnie Jay’s broken vehicle and called with the results. The ball joint had broken as well as the A-frame that holds it. Somehow, that had caused some sort of u-joint that connects the transmission to the axle to snap. Oh the love and watchcare of God! How good and kind He is! Our hearts filled with gratitude as we realized His goodness to us. How thankful we were that the car had broken at home. Had it broken while Ronnie Jay was driving on the highway, he could have had a very serious accident.
It is easy to remember to thank God for something big like the car breaking down after we get safely home, but how often we forget to thank Him for the little blessings that daily surround us taking them for granted as though we deserved them. How many times our prayers are “give me” prayers instead of praising our Great Creator for goodness and mercy. In fact, one of the signs of the last-day generation is their unthankfulness. (2 Tim 3:1-5)
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”
“Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Heb 13:15; 1 Thes 5:18; Phil 4:6, 7
Rose