Though He slay me, I will sing of His glory!
When the soul is perplexed—and it certainly will be if we are going on with God, because we are a mark for Satan—and the sudden onslaught comes, as it did in the life of Job, we cry, “Heal me because of my pain,” but there is no answer. Then we cry, “Heal me, not because I am in pain, but because my soul is perplexed: I cannot see my way out of it or why this thing should be”; still no answer; then at last we cry, “Heal me, O Lord, not because of my pain, nor because my soul is sick, but for Your mercies’ sake.” Then we have the answer. “The Lord has heard my supplication.” ~ Oswald Chambers, Mercy’s Healing
A good shepherd knows his flock, he sees where they are in their journey, and he feeds each to their own spiritual needs as only he can. My pastor sent me this amazing story of hymn-writer Isaac Watts which I woke up to at 4am Friday morning: Isaac Watts: The Broken Man Who Taught the Church to Sing
Interestingly, in the very same morning I had breakfast with a new friend God has placed in my life. Ivan had called the night before and needed to talk. He shared his life story, had me listen to Ernesto’s song Tears & Talents, looked me in the eye and said, “That’s my life!” Even more interestingly, God had me forward the Isaac Watts story to Ivan hours before our breakfast meeting. Now for the third part of today’s message, provided in the MAX section of yesterday’s Psalm & Proverb a Day; a picture of the two greatest shepherds the world will ever know in this, the church age:
MAX ~ IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS ~ 1 Samuel 22:2 David was anointed to be king (1 Sam. 16:12-13) as Jesus Christ was in Matthew 3 and Luke 3, although both of them were absent from the throne while a usurper ruled (Luke 4:6; 2 Cor. 4:4). Both were in rejection, waiting to take their rightful place on the throne. In David’s interim, the only people who come to him (as a type of Christ) are those who are in “distress,” in “debt,” or “discontented.” …This verse is a picture of the Church Age. ~ Dr. Peter Ruckman…heart to heart…same as it ever was! 🙏♥️🙏
So, please allow me to unwrap these three parts. At 4min 17sec into the Isaac Watts story, the narrator describes the madness young Isaac felt as the pre-human-hymn church sang only the Psalms, without heart, without rhythm, and without joy, droning on like a funeral dirge…until he couldn’t stand it anymore. One day he shares this madness with his Father who then dares him to come up with something better. The rest, as they say, is history! Has your Father ever dared you? Immediately after watching Isaac’s story, I texted my pastor, “I know you know how I could relate to his “madness” before the Father’s dare!” Watching God’s people for the past ten years, with ALL that God has given them, equipped them and blessed them with, do absolutely nothing with the authority and power God has given them. But instead, cower to the usurper from the silence of their hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil coffin. Tears & Talents… All emotion, feel-good, tear-jerking Godless secular snare…in the sharpest contrast to the life of Isaac Watts, who had more reason than any of us reading these words to reject God, but chose instead to transform the Christian world for the glory of God! The sand is running low in the hourglass my friends…
I’ve seen the most heart-wrenching thing of all, the Lord showing me his people literally dropping dead. Suddenly, in an instant, unexpectantly. Literally dropping dead. It is among those who self-justify, in particular, using the name of Jesus to openly seek to shut down the very move of Jesus. Those who silence the move of God, and they assault the servants of God. The schemers and the blasphemers, the hypocrites and villainous men, the liars and the men who are truly twisted, men and women, literally dropping dead…whosoever sows to please the flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction (Galatians 6:8)…Wash your hands you sinners. Purify your hearts you double-minded church! ~ Jamie Walden Is the Church Ready for God’s Judgment?
What kind of memory will you be? Gina Britt
God has a plan church. The question is, what part will you play? What memory will you leave?
#AskingForAFriend!
Standupnsing 
Weeping at the thought of God’s mercy for such a wretch as me.
My trust is in my heav’nly Friend,
My hope in thee, my God;
Rise, and my helpless life defend
From those that seek my blood
Isaac Watts Ps 7, 14
Thanks,
Woody Kaye
Amen my brother!!
What an amazing man! I am in awe of his profound faith, which endured excruciating pain, humiliating rejection, and loneliness. And yet, like a true son of God, he chose not to allow darkness to overwhelm him, but chose to be a light for God and Jesus Christ. In our time, suffering and rejection are viewed as curses, and those who endure them curse fate, and sometimes, God. They, and all of us, need to kneel before the divine truth of human life…it is far from perfect, born as it is of sin in an imperfect world. There is no human answer to suffering, but there is always the light of the Redeemer who overcame this imperfect world. There is always the light of Christ. I was dying alone in a filthy room in Edmonton, Canada, in 1978. I was reduced to nothing, and saw only death, but Jesus Christ came to me and taught me to embrace it. I looked forward to dying, and in so doing lost my fear of death. I wrote a poem, and this is part of it:
And the joy of life is now beyond recall,
In defiance, and with a mutilated hope,
And a spark of dignity that still burns strong,
I shall shout the Name,
The Name that will triumph
When the last bell tolls:
“Nazarene, Christ Jesus,”
Whose cross is my sword,
Whose blood my victory.
I humbly offer this as my testament to faith in Jesus Christ. My fellow Christians, darkness comes, but it is an opportunity to shine brightly as the heroes of Christ.
God bless and empower us.
Sir Eric M
WOW…that is powerful brother! I suffered my own heartache & suffering in Edmonton just 16 years later…and, as is so often the case, what I felt was God cursing me turned out to be God saving me!