Daily Treasure

Psalm 111:1

Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

“I love the thrill that I feel when I get together with God’s wonderful people….” I remember singing that song as a young teen at youth camp. Yet, reading this Psalm, I’m reminded that the thrill comes not from merely getting together with God’s wonderful people, but from corporate whole heart worship.

Whole heart worship can only come from hearts willing to confess wrong thoughts and attitudes and deliberately avoid distractions.

Whole heart worship involves focusing all our thoughts, attention and adoration on the Holy One. It’s worship with abandon.

Whole heart worship happens not by chance but by choice. Choosing to listen, to participate, to offer a gift of praise to a great and gracious God who’s given us life abundant and eternal.

God inhabits the praise of His people. When an assembly or congregation of His people join together in praise, His holy presence descends and His power is displayed.

May we offer total praise to God in whole-hearted worship today.

Prayer Corner

Let’s back the talented musicians in our churches with our prayers and participation.

YESTERDAY’S BAD START

Colossians 1:28
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Have you ever had a day that started out so bad, you were ready to give up by noon? Usually a bad day starts with no Bible reading and less prayer. This is a good day for Satan. He moves in on our weakness and will eventually have control of our temper and tongues.

I am so thankful for road signs; ‘slippery when wet’, ‘traffic merges into left lane’, ‘beware of sudden stops’. God’s Word is our road sign for the day. His precious Word enables us to have the knowledge of dangers in this sinful world we live. When we are aware of snares we can be ready to meet them head on today. Let our prayer for the day cover us in His protection and guidance. If we read the signs and obey them there will be no bad starts—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

WHAT IS MY BEST DAY?

Psalm 118:24
“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Several months ago my son, who is losing his sight, called to inform me of his latest doctors visit. I got weepy on him, and he said to me, “Mom if I lose all my sight tomorrow my best day is yet to come.”

Since then I have wondered what my best day will be. It took great faith for my son to trust the Lord in and for his best day. I concluded that my best day lies in the hands of the Lord. But what can I do to assist in making a best day?

My recipe for a best day is to wake up each morning and let the Lord show us through His Word many, many sources of best day ingredients. Let Him show us the wonderful gifts that can make anyone’s day a best day. Then we bow in thanksgiving for the best day He is about to give us, and we start all over tomorrow. Our best days are unlimited in the realm of God’s wonderful love for us.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

SNOW DAYS

Psalm 55:10
“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.”

Isaiah 1:18a
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

There is nothing more beautiful than a fresh snow, covering the earth like a blanket. The small wisps of flakes glisten in the moonlight as they fall on the soft new covering. Every portion of God’s creation has a purpose; the sun, the moon, the rain and the snow. We, God’s special creation, have a purpose. We are to shine like the sun before mankind to show them the warmth of His love. We are to light the nights dark path like the moon, to show His lost ones the way. We are to quench the thirst of sinners with the water of Life like the rain. And, like the snow, develop purity in our lives to show the “Whiter than snow..” presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

LaCrecia McFaddin
Tennessee

NOT A WORD

Psalm 139:4
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

We, as humans, will say an off-color word, an idle word, or curse word, and then look around to see who heard us. People will do things around Christians, then apologize for it. But the one who really counts already knows what we’re thinking, knows and hears what we say. “O be careful little mouth what you say; for the Father up above is looking down in love.”

May we pray as the Psalmist states in 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Linda Harvey
Arizona

OUR FATHER’S POWER

2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

I watched a fantasy movie on Disney Channel about twin girls, who on the day of their birth, were given their Father’s power and then he was killed. The twin babies were separated and lived in a different world from their mother. Meeting on their 21st birthday, they began to realize they were twin sisters and soon discovered they had their father’s power and were the only ones who could save their birth mother in her land.

I went to bed thinking, if only I, as a Christian, Had the POWER—what all could be done for God’s Kingdom. Then another thought came quickly: I do have my Father’s power: “But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

May we, in 2007, as our Father’s children, seek His face, repent, and USE OUR FATHER’S POWER to see a lost world come to Christ.

Linda Harvey
Arizona

REFLECTIONS ON PSALM 20

The Lord hears in the day of trouble and comes to the rescue (v. 1, 6b) This chapter tells us several things that He does—
1. (v. 1)God defends you—“ the Name of the God of Jacob (who was showered with much affection from God) defend thee. The word defend can mean “set you securely on high.”
Verse eight also has this idea: “we are risen, and stand upright.”
In time of trouble, God makes it possible for you not to collapse or buckle, but be found standing when those around would fall.

2. (v. 2) God sends help from the sanctuary. The throne room of God is the control-center of the universe. From there the help is prescribed.

3. (v. 2) God strengthens thee out of Zion. v. 6-7 God gives saving strength. (Why trust in chariots or in horses? They are not strong enough for real trouble.) Zion is another word for God’s control tower. There is no greater power port.

4. (v. 3) God remembers and accepts your sacrifice and offerings. God keeps the most accurate records of what you have in faith and love done for Him!

5. (v. 4) God grants your heart’s desire and fulfills your counsel. Psalm 37:4, 5 declares, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart, commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it—bring it to pass) God gives security. Your heart need not tremble, be anxious, fret, or worry.
6. (v. 5, 6, 9) God fulfils all thy petitions, He hears from His holy heaven—He saves. Salvation is not only from sin, but from distress or defeat or desperation.

Rebecca Pugh
Tennessee

Prayer Corner:

James Forlines, FWB International Missions director needs our prayers.