December 14, 2012

     It has been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been resting my brain a bit. Today I can’t resist pouring out my heart. This morning a shooter went into an elementary school and killed 20 children and 7 adults. I can’t help the tears that flow from my eyes as I think of the parents and families that have lost those dear to them. What kind of Christmas will be celebrated in those homes?
     What is happening to our country? This type of thing is happening much too often. Churches, movie     theaters, malls, schools, there isn’t a safe place for us and our children. This is what happens when a people turn away from God, the nation becomes Godless and their hearts and minds are controlled by Satan. This   nation had denied the God that was the basis for its foundation. This is a frightening time for us all. Children all over this nation are going to be afraid to go to school on Monday. This shouldn’t be happening to a nation that says we are “one nation, under God” as part of our pledge. The truth is that we are no longer “under God”. As a people we have taken ourselves from under the protection and will of God. We can expect nothing more than what we are getting.
     God is the only perfect good in this universe. The less there is of Him the less good there is in the universe. When we deny Him His rightful place among us we are lessening the good within us. Those of us that know God must increase our prayers, we must reflect the goodness of God to those around us.
     I recently got a book of prayers and devotions of the Puritans. This little book has blessed me in an amazing way. As I began reading it I thought I wanted to write some of them in my blog. I soon realized that I actually wanted to put almost everyone of them in my blog. I’m going to give you a sample of one here.

Author of all existence, source of all blessedness,

I adore thee for making me capable of knowing thee,

for giving me reason and conscience, for leading me to desire thee;

I praise thee for the revelation of thyself in the gospel,                                                                           for thy heart as a dwelling place of pity, for thy thoughts of peace towards me,  

for thy patience and thy graciousness,      

for the vastness of thy mercy.

     Thou hast moved my conscience to know                                                                                              the guilty can be pardoned, the unholy sanctified, the poor enriched.

May I be always amongst those who not only hear thee but know thee, who walk with and rejoice in thee, who take thee at thy word and find life there.

Keep me always longing

for a present salvation in Holy Spirit comforts and rejoicings,

for spiritual graces and blessings,

for help to value my duties as well as my privileges.

May I cherish simplicity and godly sincerity of character.

Help me to be in reality before thee as an appearance I am before men,                                      

to be religious before I profess religion, to leave the world before I enter the church,                           to set my affections on things above, to shun forbidden follies and vanities,

to be a dispenser as well as a partaker of  grace, to be prepared to ear evil as well as to do good.

O God, make me worthy of this calling,

that the name of Jesus may be glorified in me and I in him.

     There is a line that blew my mind. “I adore thee for making me capable of knowing thee.” Isn’t that amazing? We would not even be capable of knowing Him if He didn’t give us that ability. I am constantly learning more of what He is doing in us, through us and for us.
     All I can say now is, “Help us Lord, we are nothing without You.”
     Love to all,
     Mary Margaret