HE GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT!

 

Monday, July 6, 2026

 

HE GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT!

 

Isa 40:28-31

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord , the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

          The deterioration of our culture and the fearful march toward world conflict seems to have arrived at an inconvenient time. Everything seems to be uphill and further away than I remember it. My reach is shorter than my grasp. If you are young, then this paragraph will only be a puzzle to you but if you wait long enough you will understand.

 

          Paul, at the end of his life, was able to declare that he had “run a good race” (2 Timothy 4:6-8). He had kept faithfully and energetically the assignment given to him. In a dungeon and awaiting death, Paul passed the baton to his young protégé Timothy who would finish the last leg of the relay for him. Life, and especially the Christian life, is a battle. There will be casualties. All decisions have consequences and some have horrific consequences, yet we may continue the race although hamstrung and limping along. 

 

          Dr. Charles Stanley said: “God doesn't require our lives to be perfect in order to finish strong. We can live life fully and be ready to meet our Maker by surrendering, walking victoriously with Christ, and serving others. If Jesus called you home today, would you--like Paul--be confident that you lived well until the end?”

 

   Lord, hear our prayer for those who, growing old

   Feel that their time of usefulness is told.

   Let them still find some little part of play,

   Nor feel unwanted at the close of day.

 

Dear Lord, for me and for my growing-older friends, let us find your purpose and your strength for today. AMEN

 

LOYALTY IS LOVE

 

Sunday, July 5, 2026

 

LOYALTY IS LOVE

 

1 Cor 13:7

7 [Love] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

          There is not a single verse in our King James Version that uses the word “loyalty.” The concept, however, saturates the Bible in many places. Ruth is a prime example.

 

Ruth 1:16-17

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

 

          I am now a care partner. I made vows to my wife 58 years ago while looking toward an uncertain future. Now, because sickness has replaced health,  those vows demand payment.

 

          The word “endureth” in the verse above is from the Greek hupomeno which literally means “to remain.” When the going gets rough will you remain?

 

Dear Lord, I may not be the best example, but I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to remain! AMEN

 

DIFFICULTY – DECISION – DECLARATION!

 

Saturday, July 4, 2026

 

DIFFICULTY – DECISION – DECLARATION!

 

Josh 24:14-15

14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

 

          It is amazing to me how our nation’s formation and Christian faith so strongly parallel. Our nation was formed out of great struggle and DIFFICULTY. The restrictions imposed by England upon the inalienable rights of the Colonies fueled a hunger for independence. When “in the course of human events” the tyranny of Satan becomes too much for sanity to side with, severance from his devilish grip and an alliance with Jehovah is called for!

 

          Some of the founding fathers never imagined that July 4^th would be a day to remember. It was July 2^nd that they thought worthy of remembering. Consider the following…

          On July2, Congress finally adopted a resolution in favor of independence, and on July 4 approved the Declaration of Independence. John Adams sat on the committee appointed to draft the document and encouraged Thomas Jefferson to write the original draft, which was accepted with some modifications. As is typical of John Adams, he recognized the historical significance of the event but was just slightly off in his analysis of how it would be remembered – he was convinced Americans would always celebrate July 2 as “the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”

John writes to his wife Abigail from Philadelphia July 3, 1776:

          The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

          You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

          So, it is when the human spirit can no longer sustain the pain of servitude to the evil one. He first must DECIDE and then must DECLARE.

 

Rom 10:10

10 For with the heart man believeth [with the heart a decision is made] unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

Dear Lord, I have decided to follow Jesus! Let me declare it to all who will hear! AMEN