He is Always Faithful.

Psalm 117:1-2 (New American Standard Bible)

1 Praise the Lord, all nations;

Laud Him, all peoples!

2 For His lovingkindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.

Praise the Lord!

Australian singer and songwriter Darlene Zschech gained international recognition in 1998 for her song "Shout to the Lord," which was nominated for the Dove Award for Song of the Year.  In 1999, Darlene received the International Impact of the Year Award from the American Gospel Music Association in Nashville. But Darlene's life wasn't always as together as we see it now. 

As newlyweds, Mark and Darlene struggled financially. Darlene earned small change singing commercial jingles for Kentucky Fried Chicken, Diet Coke and McDonald's. Mark struggled to keep their motorcycle parts business afloat to support Darlene and their two young children. It was then that Darlene decided to praise God through the struggle. 

"I learned we'll never find hope looking at our circumstances," she says. "It's only found by fixing our eyes on Jesus who doesn't change and who's always faithful." In 1990, the Zschechs left their home and church in Queensland, and moved to Sydney in New South Wales, where they became a part of the music team at Hills Christian Life Center. From there, the Lord started using Darlene to bring glory to Him.

Darlene Zschech commented that praise is "thanking God for things even though they're not there yet," Darlene says. "It's appreciating Jesus not [just] for what He can do, but for being your Savior. And there's power in that."

The Lord isn't just faithful some of the time; He is faithful in the past, present and the future.

Dear Lord we thank You that You are always faithful and that faithfulness endures forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer and an Umbrella.

James 1:6 (New International Version)

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

One summer, a drought threatened the crop in a small town. On a hot and dry Sunday, the village parson told his congregation, "There isn't anything that will save us except to pray for rain. Go home, pray, believe, and come back next Sunday ready to thank God for sending rain."

The people did as they were told and returned to church the following Sunday. But as soon as the parson saw them, he was furious.

"We can't worship today. You do not yet believe," he said.

"But," they protested, "we prayed, and we do believe."

"Believe?" he responded. "Then where are your umbrellas?"

The story applies to all of us. There are those people who leave their umbrellas at home. Throughout their lives, they are merely hoping their wishes and prayers will bear fruit, but they expect little. Others expect their dreams and desires to come to pass. It is as if they journey through life always prepared for something to happen. Today, how will you approach that which you are yearning for? Will you expect your prayers and work to bring about hoped-for results?

Will you bring your umbrella?

Dear Lord we pray today that when we pray we will bring our umbrella. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Cassie Bernall, "Yes, I Believe"

Matthew 10:33 (New International Version)

But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

"Now I have given up on everything else

I have found it to be the only way

To really know Christ and to experience

The mighty power that brought

Him back to life again,

and to find out what it means

to suffer and to Die with Him.

So, whatever it takes

I will be one who lives in the fresh

Newness of life of those who are

Alive from the dead."

This poem, written by Cassie Bernall, 16, showed a dramatic change in this teenager. Two years earlie she was involved in the occult, a Nietzsche "nihilistic" group involving witchcraft, death and suicide. Her parents were concerned about her welfare and the friends she was choosing.

But Cassie had returned home from a retreat with radiance. She told her parents, "I'm different now and I'm going to prove it to you." She did! Her whole life changed. Happily, she attended youth group meetings, prayer and Bible studies.

Two teenagers with guns and bombs burst into the library of Columbine High School, in Littleton, Colorado and focused in on Cassie. She sat reading her Bible. It seems they already knew she was a Christian. Holding a gun to her head, one of them asked her, "Do you believe in God?" When she answered, "Yes, I believe," she was murdered. She was only two years old as a Christian the day she died on April 27, 1999. Ironically, just a few weeks before, she had said to her mother, "Mom, it would be all right if I died. You know where I would be. I would be in heaven and you wouldn't have to be sad." Her words were fulfilled too quickly.

This terrible tragedy turned out some good as millions watched the memorial service on Sunday afternoon on national television. CNN carried the service live as singers Amy Grant, Phil Driscoll and Michael W. Smith sang and Franklin Graham did the eulogy asking for replacement recruits.

As a martyr, her last words she answered calmly were, "Yes, I believe in God." Cassie found that joining the cause of Christ is more than just attending a church picnic or a pleasant evening hayride. It takes guts to say, "I believe in Jesus. He is my Lord." It is necessary to find replacement recruits for martyrs like Cassie and her friends. Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus?  It does take courage and commitment; ridicule may follow but God does give a sense of peace, purpose and propensity when we join Him.

Dear Lord we pray that when given the choice we will not deny You. We pray that our faith in You would be strong enough to stand firm even when facing death. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Will You Sway with the Lord?

Isaiah 46:4 (New International Version)

Even to your old age and gray hairs

    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Many years ago a man was to walk a wire across Niagara Falls with another man on his shoulders. After weeks of preliminary practice, as the final moment for the event drew near, the rope walker cautioned his young colleague in words like these: "We are about to risk our lives. I am to walk the wire. The whole responsibility is mine. You have nothing to do but match my movements. If I sway to the left, let yourself sway with me. If I sway to the right, do the same.

Under no circumstances try to save yourself, for there must be only one will in this adventure, and that will is mine. You must submerge yours to ensure harmony, for without perfect unison we are both lost. There is only one thing for you to do - sway with me."

As they drew near the opposite side, the unexpected happened. The long vibration of the wire broke in the center into two waves, and each of these broke again into two, and so on, in accordance with the law of vibration, until the shortened wavelike movements became so violent that the man could scarcely keep his feet where he placed them. It was a perilous moment, but the feat was accomplished, and the spectacular escapade was a success, holding a place on the first page of the newspapers.

After this, the young man who had played a secondary part settled down to private life, married, became an active leader in Christian endeavor and an elder in a certain church. And he used to say: "I learned more religion on the wire that day than in all my life. I learned that the only sane and safe way to live is to sway with God."

Dear Lord Help us to sway with You today. We thank You that You are there to carry us through all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Gold Rush and Eternal Life.

Titus 3:5 (New American Standard Bible)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 

August 1896 would change the Yukon forever. On Bonanza Creek, a small branch of the Klondike River, three prospectors stumbled on what would be the largest concentration of gold ever discovered. Soon all prospectors in the Yukon swarmed like bees to the Klondike region. Winter set in quickly however, and the rest of the world would not hear about this discovery until the next summer.

On July 17, 1897, the SS Portland arrived in Seattle with its cargo from the Yukon, spurring thousands of people to swarm to the Klondike. The very next day a steamer called Al-Ki left for the Klondike region, filled with stampeders and 350 tons of supplies!). It was the official beginning of the gold rush.

Many of these "hopefuls" were tired of the economic depression that riddled the United States at that time, and they left their homes in droves to seek wealth and adventure, fame and fortune. Around the Seattle area, business owners had difficulties keeping their employees. Many quit their jobs with the hope of amassing fortunes in the gold fields. This included the Seattle District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as the Tacoma Fire Department. Even the mayor of Seattle, W.D. Wood, joined the ranks of the prospective gold diggers. Just imagine a big city without its mayor! And what about school kids coming to school to find that there is only a caretaker to greet them at the door! I can almost hear their shouts of joy: "Yes! We are finally rid of Mr. C!"

There were approximately 100,000 people who embarked for the Yukon. Of these, only 40,000 actually reached the Klondike region, as the long road was treacherous, and many either became discouraged and turned back, or died along the trail. Of the 40,000 who made it, only 20,000 actually were able to work claims, and only 300 made more than $15,000 (around $340,000 in 2007). Finally, of these 300, only 50 were able to keep their wealth for any length of time! In all realty, only 0.3% of the original prospectors ever struck a sizeable amount of gold, and only 0.05% kept their fortune!

When news seems too good to be true, beware! There is usually a catch somewhere. So many of us, even today, want to believe what seems too good to be true. Emails that promise a fortune are luring people by the thousands. People are often finding themselves duped and losing money as a result. What does Paul say about this? "Such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.

It is sad that hoaxes are so eagerly welcomed, while the greatest news of all times is received with mistrust and suspicion:

Many people pay unbelievable amounts of money to extend their lives on this planet. They don't realize that eternity could be theirs for free, if only they would believe! The greatest guaranteed news in History is perceived as being less exciting than possibly making a fortune in gold! There were very few who hit the promised jackpot in the Klondike, but everyone who believes in Jesus will live for eternity, free of charge!

Dear Lord we thank You for the free gift that You have for each one of us. We pray that today we would share the free gift with everyone we come into contact with. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Power of the Holy Spirit

Matthew 22:29 (New American Standard Bible)

But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

The provinces of New Brunwick and Nova Scotia have one thing in common: they share the highest tides on our planet. Imagine 100 billion tons of seawater flowing in and out of the Bay of Fundy daily, or, to put it in terms more easy to understand, 338 983 050 847 457 ten-ounce-glasses of water. I doubt we could drink that much in a life time! To tell you the truth, that amount of water is higher than all of our planet's freshwater combined!

The Bay of Fundy not only experiences a 50 foot (15 metres) tidal range, which is 5 times higher than the usual tides on the Atlantic coast, but in some parts of its Bay, the tide retreats as much as 3 miles (5 kms). And these high tides and low tides happen, on average, every six hours and 13 minutes.

Scientists have found an explanation for this phenomenon. These high tides are especially due to resonance and to the shape of the bay. The water in this Bay has a natural resonance, or rocking motion, which they call seiche. It's kind of like when we get into the bathtub, and the water sloshes from side to side for a few seconds. In the Bay of Fundy however, it takes about 13 hours for the water to "slosh" from the mouth of the bay to its head and back again. In essence, the Bay of Fundy is like an enormous bathtub, with the ocean tides invading the bay every 12 hours and 25 minutes reinforcing this resonance!

The bay's unique shape contributes to the high tides as well. As the bay becomes narrower and shallower, toward the upper bay (From 426 feet or 130 m to 131 feet or 40 meters to be exact.), the saltwater is forced even higher onto the shores.

For many centuries people didn't understand the kind of power contained by the Bay of Fundy, and even less how to apply such a force in their daily life. After all, how could having the world's highest tides impact local lives for the better?

In 1984 the first tidal power station emerged in North America on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, in Annapolis, Nova Scotia, and since then, all over the world such tidal power stations are being built. Why? Because they are one of the most reliable natural resources! As long as we have a moon and a sun, they will generate electricity!

As Christians, we, too, aren't all that sure how to access the power provided to us by the Holy Spirit. Sadly, many of us aren't even aware that God is providing us with such power! But the Bible is specific: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." (Acts 1:8 NIV)

But just as the power in the Bay of Fundy is useless unless we harness it, we too have to become familiar with the power God has provided us with.

Unlike the powers in this world, this power strives on weakness and unselfishness:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9 NIV)

  

Today let us see how our Heavenly Father has come through for us more times than we can count. He has always been there for us, but too often, we don't realize it. Let's ask Him to open our eyes as the apostle Paul did

The next time you drink a glass of water, remember: God has given you power through His Holy Spirit. He is the living water who will set you free!

Dear Lord we thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to empower each of us. We pray today that we would tap into that power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are You Sure in Your Faith?

Hebrews 11:1 (New American Standard Bible)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

On June 18, 1999 Gary and Gloria Sloan, Southern Baptist missionaries, who had been on the field of Mexico for only six months, were enjoying a birthday celebration for their daughter, Carla, at a popular swimming spot on Mexico's Pacific coast. With them were two other young missionaries from the United States, Joy Murphy and John Weems.

Due to a strong undertow, Carla began to be pulled out to sea. Gary, Joy and John rushed to save eleven-year-old Carla, but they were overcome and drowned, as did she. When Carla's body was brought to shore, Gloria doubled over in agony, unable to breathe. But it was then that she felt the physical presence of Jesus.

Gloria said, "I felt such a strength and power and control. I looked down at my daughter, and I had such a peace" A large group of people gathered to watch this unfolding tragedy. And before long, four bodies lay in the sand. But what happened next is truly amazing. Gloria stood over the bodies of her dead loved ones and gave witness to the saving power of Christ. She told the people, "The pain I felt because of the loss of my husband and daughter was not as much pain as I felt for the true lostness of those standing around me".

Gloria Sloan then told the people that her daughter and husband were standing in the presence of God. And then she said, "What if you were the ones laying here? Would you know you would be in God's presence".

Gloria's husband and daughter were buried in Mexico. After their funerals, she went home to Texas to heal. And believe it or not, after almost six months, Gloria packed up her remaining three children and went back to Mexico to finish the work that she and her husband had begun.

The Lord wants you to be sure of the things that He has promised.

“Faith is extending an empty hand to God to receive His gift of grace.”

Dear Lord we thank You for Your Word help us put our complete faith in You in all situations. In Jesus’ name, Amen.