“The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

Psalm 145:14

Often time men are quick to pile on those who have fallen.  With hateful words and a gleam in their eye, they take pleasure in the misfortune and the turn of events that have led to the demise of another.  Some fall due to the consequences of sin; others due to the fact that we live in a fallen world.  Thankfully, God’s ways are not man’s ways.  The strength of God’s arm is on display when by His wondrous grace He upholds those who have fallen. To uphold is to sustain or support.   Think of all of those who down through the ages, who the Lord has sustained and supported when all seemed to be lost; the ground was their second skin and their feet a distant memory. 

The heaviness of the daily grind can cause one to bend.  The winds of this life can howl mightily against this earthly tent of ours and leave us down, but not out. The Lord raiseth up!   One may be low in status, but not forgotten by their Lord. It is much better for us to be raised up by the Lord than to be puffed up in our own mind. The lowly in status and humble heart will know the goodness and grace of God for He will raise them up.

 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Hebrews 13:5

The reality of our verse should grow each and every day in the heart of the Christian.  How soon we forget.  We are thick skulled and thin skinned.  The Bible teaches us that without faith it is impossible to please God.  We are so quick to put on the clothing of doubt at the first sign of a trial.  We do not please God with such a reaction.   If only we would take God at His word, we would be pleasing to Him and all the while our lives would not reflect that of those who have no hope.

I am convinced that our memories are just too short.  We forget just how faithful God has been.  If we would take a quick look back at all the times we have seen God work and move in such a powerful way in our lives, the fire of our faith would be kindled time and time again by such memories. God is Faithful!!

In the one hundred and forty-third Psalm, David writes, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.”  David is looking back at that which the Lord had done.  He was reminding himself during a time of great difficulty just how faithful God had been.  We should put such a thing into practice so that each day the reality of the wonderful words, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” will be a truth we stand upon knowing that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2a).

For the Christian their peace depends on trust; trust comes from truth, thus the truth of God’s Word is the foundation and ingredients of their peace.  But they must trust God or both heart and mind will not be kept through Christ Jesus.  It is not nearly as complicated as it sounds!

Read our verses below and mediate upon:
1. The promises provided by God.
2. The protection provide by God.
3. The power provide by God.
4. The peace provided by God.

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isaiah 41:10-13

God’s grace should lead the saints to a life of gratitude.  The Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9.)  Oswald Chambers wrote, “The thing that awakens the deepest well of gratitude is that God has forgiven sin.” I am afraid that we become flippant over time in regard to God's grace. 

 Just what is gratitude? When one is grateful and thankful for what another has done for them.  What is grace?  The unmerited favor and kindness of God shown to one who does not deserve it and can never earn it.  If Christians would ever truly get a hold of the truth of God’s amazing grace gratitude would flow like a river that has left her banks.   A flood of praise and thanksgiving would pour out from our hearts, across our lips and up to the heavenlies.

Recently at our Wednesday night Prayer & Preaching service we sang the hymn, "Jesus is all the world to me."  I nearly jumped up out of the pew and took a lap!! I was overcome with the grace and goodness of God Almighty!!  When the banks of our hearts overflow with the thought of God's grace, goodness and love we won't be able to stop the tears of joy that will spring from the well of gratitude.

“James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.  My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

James 1:1-4

  We often times believe those things which we encounter in our lives are more of a stumbling block than a building block.  We are quick to say out loud, I don’t have time for this today. I have deadlines and commitments and this is not an entry that I have made in my day planner.  We run from and complain about the very things that God wants to use to build patience. 

Patience is built over the long haul of everyday circumstances.  Our Scripture today says, “The trying of your faith worketh patience.”  Friction and pressure are the key components used in building patience.  The word trying is speaking of “testing.”  We often hear of one who is being put to the test.  Biblically speaking, believers are being tested not to be torn down but built up.

We must ask ourselves, why would we ever count numerous trials a joyful thing?  The answer is the outcome (If we will allow God) will be patience.  Paul wrote, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulations worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience hope” (Romans 5:3-4).  Did you catch what Paul wrote? “We glory in tribulations” The fruit of the outcome will be worth the friction that we have endured. We must approach everything through the eye lens of God’s Word or we will spend far more time in frustration and turmoil instead of being built up in the plan and purpose of God.  One would do well to lay self-down and allow God to have complete liberty to do what He chooses.

The Lord grows us and matures us and as we tarry in His Word, His truths will become a light and lamp in our lives.  This will lead us to recognize the purpose of divers temptations.  We will settle down into the Lord’s yoke and allow Him to build us.

“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”

Psalm 86:11-12                                          

 
My Father-in-law is retired and over the past few summers he has worked for a local farmer, cutting and moving hay.  One particular time my mother-in-law was to pick him up at one of the fields.  He had given her directions but she was a little unsure of where she was going.  She jumped into the truck and was on her way but was still not confident about her destination.  The further she drove she began to notice a small trail of hay on the road, and the more she followed that trail, unbeknownst to her, she was being led to the very field my father-in-law was at. His constant driving back and forth from one field to another had laid a path that directed her the right way.

We must remember there is a right path that God wants His children to take.  If our prayers will mirror those of the Psalmist, we can be led on such a path and in doing so we will walk in truth.  When we ask the Lord to teach us His way He will supply all that will ever be needed to fulfill such a wondrous request.  Before I was saved, my life was a lot like the old song “My Way.”  I can testify that it was a dead end that would eventually lead to hell.  The Bible says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Our verses paint a beautiful picture of the walk of a believer; we seek God’s way and walk in His truth; we desire in our hearts to know the fear of the Lord and with all our hearts we praise and glorify His name.  That is “The True Way.”

  "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."

Ephesians 4:30-31

I recently read that, “Bitterness creates a climate for the Devil.” The Devil is always on the lookout for opportunity and with opportunity comes an occasion to do his dirty work in the heart, mind and eventually the life of the born again.  We need to find the root and then allow God to do a work in us to kill the vine of bitterness. Our scripture says that we need to “put away” bitterness.  That tells us that an action needs to take place.

I have found that bitterness at times can be the root and thus the catalyst for wrath, anger and clamour which leads to evil speaking.  The mouth reveals what is swimming in the heart.  Many times it starts from the well of bitterness that is much like a festering wound.  We have a choice to make starting at this very moment to either grieve the Holy Spirit by continuing in our bitterness or choosing to walk in the Spirit.

I could never have imagined how the Lord would work in the prayer ministry of A Call to the World Ministries. We have people who have prayed from literally around the world!  It has been powerful to watch as prayer requests are posted how many of our visitors have joined together in praying! The Lord has answered many of our prayers! I want to thank those of you who have been faithful prayer warriors.

I am excited to announce that we now have eighty-five Pastors, Preachers, Missionaries and Evangelist on our Prayer Requests page.  We have an opportunity to come down to our knees and intercede on their behalf!  How exciting is that? Would you please share with others the opportunity that awaits them in praying for these servants of the Lord.  Share it on your Facebook account- Share with others acalltotheworld.com Prayer Requests Page for the glory of God and the good of those who are listed.

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro.Tracy

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22