From the Rising of the Sun

These last 2 years we have faced the greatest tests to our faith as a family. It began as an automobile accident in which someone rammed the back of my wife’s new car at a red light. Nancy experienced months of pain in her hand and her car which we had just made the first payment on was crushed. We were angry and frustrated but God was working in ways we could not have imagined. Because of the pain and suffering in her hand and her loss of work my wife decided to seek legal help to recover damages. Immediately the lawyer requested a complete MRI of both Nancy’s neck and lower back. While no injury was discovered, the images revealed a mass that turned out to be stage three cancer.

From then on each month brought with it new problems and pains followed by surgery and months of Chemotherapy. Together we faced despair, discouragement and even anger, and yet God was drawing us closer to Him and to each other. It has not been a straight line road to victory but we have grown so much along the way. The Bible tells us that from the rising of the sun all the way to the end of the day; God’s name is to be praised. Both at the times when things are bright and sunny, as well as when shadows begin to lengthen God is good and worthy of praise. He has ordered our days, our steps and even our every breath. I confess to having thanked God very little and yet I have learned to trust Him more. I do appreciate the prayers of those who have followed us through this time. The last tests came back to us this week that Nancy is now cancer free and we are deeply thankful. God has been teaching and working behind the scenes of our lives in ways far beyond anything we could ever think or even imagine. It has all been His grace and grace alone. God has chosen to walk on a path over waves to come to us in the chaos and darkness of our storms. Now we know more than ever that to the final setting of the sun He will always be worthy of all our praise!

 

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Who we Worship

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve.’” Matthew 4:10 NKJV

Who we worship, and not how we worship, is what determines the destiny of our lives. Who we really worship will be revealed when we are put in the fire and tested. In the book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told king Nebuchadnezzar, that no matter the consequences, they would not worship His golden image. They would not obey his command because they reserved worship

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for God alone. Because they dared to refuse the king’s command God walked with them in the fiery furnace and the king became a worshiper too! In the middle of my own problems and difficulties who am I worshiping today?

 

Becoming Still

and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:12

Have you had some earthquakes and fires pass through your life? Does it feel as if everything has fallen down or burned down this morning? Do not despair but prepare. God is ready to speak if we are ready to listen. Now is the time to be most still and discover that our only true refuge is in His word!

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