Jul 8, 2012
Psalm 61:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13
Jordyn Castor was born blind. But this doesn’t hold her back from living a full and productive life. The documentary Can You See How I See? tells her story. She excels at school and with a little help she enjoys biking and downhill skiing.
Of her sight, Jordyn says: “If I could give my blindness back, I wouldn’t do it. I think God made all of us the way we are for a reason . . . and I think my blindness is part of what I am going to do with my life.” She is now a university student majoring in computer technology. Her dream is to assist in developing new computer software that will help the blind.
How can Jordyn maintain such a positive outlook on life? As a Christ-follower, she understands that God is in control of the circumstances of life. This gives her confidence to pursue opportunities that others might not have believed possible. Certainly, Jordyn’s life illustrates this truth from Philippians: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (4:13).
No matter what our strengths or weaknesses might be, God’s providential hand can give us what we need to make a difference for Him in our world. Rely on His strength to help you as you take a step of faith. By Dennis Fisher
“I will strengthen,” so take courage,
Child of God, so weak and frail;
God has said so, and it must be,
For His promise cannot fail! —Anon.
God’s call to a task includes His strength to complete it.
Philippians 4:11-19
God entrusts each believer with a share of His resources. And like any wise overseer, He gives His stewards guidelines for how best to use His wealth:
• The Essential Expense. A believer’s wisest money management decision is to set aside the first portion of income for the church. As we promote and provide for God’s work in this way, He protects what is left (Deut. 26:2; Mal. 3:10-11).
• The Next Priority. God promised to supply for our needs (Phil. 4:19). We get necessities like food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and schooling mainly by paying for them with what He provides.
• Pursuit of Godly Goals. Next, we’re to use money to meet the Lord’s goals for us and our family. He may lead us to invest in education, start a business, or purchase a particular item—whatever it may be, instead of “floating” through life, believers should seek and pursue God’s will.
• A High Calling. Giving to the needy is an investment in God’s kingdom. While we should not promote laziness, a gracious act to a poor man “lends to the Lord and He will repay . . .” (Prov. 19:17).
• Uses for What’s Left. Last on the list is fulfillment of desires. Believers who delight in the Lord also obey Him. He then blesses them with good things that fit His will for their lives (Ps. 37:4).
Good stewards manage the Father’s resources by asking Him, “What is Your will for the wealth that You have given me?” You’ll be amazed at how fulfilling it is to live according to biblical principles. Even a little money seems like more than enough when you spend it as the Lord intends.
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25)
This beautiful benediction is quoted at the end of many worship times because it summarizes both the core promises and the foundational authority of “the only wise God our Saviour.”
He is able! The precision of the Holy Spirit’s inspired words is always perfect. The ability of the only wise God is not only omnipotent but omniscient as well. The Greek word dunamis signifies not only sufficient innate power to accomplish the task, but also the knowledge to perform the job correctly. The leper said, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” (Matthew 8:2).
He is able to “keep you from falling.” Again, the word choices are absolutely wonderful. God’s ability is used to provide a place of safe custody sufficient to stop any external attack. “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). That custody protects our “faultlessness”—a condition that is without any flaw. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (Ephesians 1:4).
Only God’s omnipotence and omniscience can produce a “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). God “can do” nothing less. His dunamis is such that “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9).
That is why “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God” must be given “honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). HMM II
We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power.—2 Thessalonians 1:11.
THOU settest us each task divine,
We bless that helping hand of Thine,
That strength by Thee bestowed.
Thou minglest in the glorious fight,
Thine own the cause! Thine own the might!
We serve the Living God.
THOMAS H. GILL.
EVERY hard effort generously faced, every sacrifice cheerfully submitted to, every word spoken under difficulties, raises those who speak or act or suffer to a higher level; endows them with a clearer sight of God; braces them with a will of more strength and freedom; warms them with a more generous and large and tender heart. HENRY P. LIDDON.
A man’s best desires are always the index and measure of his possibilities; and the most difficult duty that a man is capable of doing is the duty that above all he should do. CHARLES H. BRENT.
Under the laws of Providence, we have duties which are perilous. AUSTIN PHELPS.
Thou hearest me always. John 11:42
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. — Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. — Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. — Not my will, but thine, be done.
As he is, so are we in this world. — This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.
Whatsoever we ask. we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
He ever liveth to make intercession for them. — We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
John 11:41. John 12:28. Hebrews 10:7. Luke 22:42. 1 John 4:17. 1 John 5:14. 1 John 3:22. Hebrews 11:6. Hebrews 7:25. 1 John 2:1.
Let us labour to enter into that rest. Hebrews 4:11
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction: … strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. — The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. — Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you. — Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: … for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. — So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. — The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Matthew 7:13,14. Matthew 11:12. John 6:27. 2 Peter 1:10,11. 1 Corinthians 9:24,25. Hebrews 4:10. Isaiah 60:19
Daily Light on the Daily Path.
Aug 10, 2010 by Ferlin Husky
He was born on December 3, 1925 on a farm that was located equally close to Flat River, Hickory Grove and Cantwell, Missouri, just about 75 miles from St. Louis. As a young boy he wanted to become a singer and make records, maybe even appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. There is a story that says he (or his father) traded a hen with a neighbor in exchange for a guitar. The deal was cancelled, however, when the hen failed to lay any eggs! Nevertheless, he did learn to play guitar, doing so locally at church functions and amateur competitions.
These dreams, however, had to wait until after he served his country in World War II. After serving five years in the Merchant Marines, Ferlin returned home in 1947 to Missouri where he went to work with Smiley Burnette on St. Louis radio station KXLW. Eventually, he ended up in Salinas, California, performing with local performer/radio personality Big Jim DeNoone.
Ferlin Husky’s first recordings were done for Bill McCall’s Four Star Records. Under the name “Terry Preston,” he recorded his first single, “Remembrance of Franklin D/Ozark Waltz”. Eight more singles were to follow on this label. In 1951, he was added to the cast of Cliffie Stone’s TV program “Hometown Jamboree,” replacing Tennessee Ernie Ford. Stone was so impressed by Ferlin’s talent that he brought him to Capitol Records in 1952. Five songs were released, including “Undesired” and “Gone”. None of these songs were hits. Ferlin’s father and his producer, Ken Nelson, did not like his choice of the name of “Terry Preston.” They didn’t feel that it was very masculine and that it was unfitting for a country music singer. Therefore, he returned to his given name, using the spelling “Huskey” until 1957.
Despite the change, he had no real success until 1953, when he teamed up with a young Bakersfield singer named Jean Shepard. Their first hit was “A Dear John Letter”, which was about a soldier who was jilted by his girlfriend. Since the Korean War ended in the summer of that year, it was no surprise that their song was Number One in the country charts for six weeks and reached Number Four in the pop charts. The pair’s follow-up, “Forgive Me John”, also made it to the Top Ten, thus launching both of their careers. The next big hit for Husky was “I Feel Better All Over (More Than Anywhere Else)”, which reached Number Six. The flip-side, “Little Tom”, also made it into the Top Ten.
In order to compete with the success of Rock and Roll, Ken Nelson made the decision to re-record “Gone” with the Nashville Sound. He removed the steel guitar and the fiddle, replacing them with a modest rhythm section and the background voices of Millie Kirkham and the Jordanaires. The change was so extreme that even some disc jockeys refused to play the song. However, by 1957, “Gone” reached Number One on the country charts, and held that position for ten weeks. It also made it to Number Four on the pop charts, becoming a true “crossover” success. Some have even called it the first hit song with the Nashville Sound. The trend continued with the release of Jim Reeves “Four Walls” later the same year.
The next Number One hit for Ferlin was the Gospel song “Wings of a Dove”. It stayed ten weeks at Number One in 1960. He had few minor hits in the early sixties, with “Once” reaching Number Four in 1967, and “Just For You” doing the same the following year. This was his last Top Ten record on the Capitol label.
In 1973, Ferlin left Capitol and signed with ABC Records. His only major hit with ABC was “Rosie Cries A Lot”, which was in the Top 20 in 1973. He continued performing on the road well into the 1980’s. His only down time was in 1977 when he had open heart surgery.
In 1984, Ferlin was signed by MCA who released a video of his called Truck Drivin’ Son of a Gun.” He then began to build the Wings of a Dove Museum in Hendersonville, Tennessee, which soon became part of Conway Twitty’s Twitty City. In 1988, he gave up drinking and started singing inspirational music. ~From a Ferlin Husky Fan-Dedicated Website.
I am the one God chose and sent into the world.” JOHN 10:36
God with us. He knows hurt. His siblings called him crazy. He knows hunger. He made a meal out of wheat-field grains.
He knows exhaustion. So sleepy, he dozed in a storm-tossed boat.
Most of all, he knows sin. Not his own, mind you. But he knows yours.
Every lie you’ve told.
Person you’ve hurt.
Promise you’ve broken.
Every deed you’ve committed against God—for all sin is against God
—Jesus knows.
He knows them better than you do. He knows their price.
Because he paid it.
from CURE FOR THE COMMON LIFE
2 Corinthians 8:1-7
Today we live under a new covenant established by God through the shed blood of His Son (Heb. 9:15). Based on what Christ did, Romans 12:1 tells us to present ourselves as “a living and holy sacrifice, [which is] acceptable” to the Lord. If you are a child of God, all of your abilities, time, and money belong to Him.
The principle of sacrificial living can be seen in the early church. Those new believers eagerly sold their possessions and property to meet needs around them (Acts 2:45). God blessed them for their generosity—they experienced glad hearts, favor with others, and growing numbers.
Macedonian churches also understood the priority of giving. Even though the believers there were extremely poor, they begged for the opportunity to help financially. Second Corinthians 8:7 says they excelled at the “grace of giving” (NIV).
Under Old Testament law, God required a tithe (a tenth of one’s crops and animals) to support the temple (Lev. 27:30-32). When the nation drifted away from this practice, the Lord sent Malachi to warn them of the consequences for disobeying. By holding onto their tithe, they were robbing God of what was rightfully His (Mal. 3:8). We certainly don’t want to be guilty of withholding the Lord’s money from Him.
Having appointed us as His stewards and entrusted us with resources, God expects us to give generously. When the impoverished widow put two coins into the temple treasury, Jesus praised her sacrificial giving (Mark 12:41-44). If we trust God with our finances as the widow did, we will excel at the grace of giving.
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