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Today’s Devotional | July 8 | ISAIAH 58 | Freedom

Today's Devotional

Memory Verse
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6).

No people have ever had so much and appreciated it so little as Christians in America. We belong to a privileged few who have been able to carry Bibles, attend church and live for Christ without fear of imprisonment or the loss of our lives. Other Christians in other centuries or in other lands have often paid with their lives or freedom for identifying with the Saviour.

Because of the persecutions brought by communistic governments, it is generally agreed that there have been more Christian martyrs in this century than in any other. Still Christians in America have been virtually untouched.

How strange it is then that we are so given to complaining! We gripe about so many things: the weather, our jobs, our wives or husbands, our homes, our churches, our pastors, our health, etc. What would we do if things were really difficult?

This question raises a frightening thought! If we are edgy in affluence, may God have to chasten us to allow us to see what blessings we have been experiencing? Must goods and loved ones be taken away before we appreciate them? Must freedom flee before we realize its importance?

One winter morning I was walking through a blizzard to my office and complaining silently about the storm. When I stepped inside my office my eyes fell on a tiny book in my library, entitled Come Wind Come Weather. Immediately my grumbling ceased, for the book I saw upon entering that warm room is the story of the persecution of the church in China. Our storms here are few. Thank God for freedom!

Daily Devotionals

 

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God…”

Psalm 42:1, 2

 “Soul Food” is a daily devotional written by Dr. Jack Van Impe that brings God’s Word to life.

“The Tender Touch” is a weekly devotional from the heart of Dr. Rexella Van Impe.


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    July 7 | PSALM 28 | Helped
    Memory Verse
    The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him (Psalm 28:7).

    A Christian in Central Russia wrote the following: “After our commune was closed, I spent some time in the place where God’s servants have to stay... (in prison). And yet, I assure you, that during that time in my heart it was as though I were living in the Garden of Eden... Scarcely a single night passed when I did not rise from my bed and thank God. And what was that which moved me to praise Him? Why, the consciousness of His wonderful presence. The only thing for me to do was to get upon my knees and praise God for His faithful and unfailing presence.”

    The world has a saying: “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Some mistakenly think that this statement is in the Bible. The truth is — the Lord helps those who cannot help themselves. He meets us where we are in our deepest needs.

    Paul was helped when buffeted by a messenger from Satan, a thorn in the flesh. Though the physical problem was not removed, grace was promised for that particular test: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    How have you been helped? Have prayers been answered? Has money been supplied for a special need? Have you recovered from a serious illness? Has a loved one been saved? Were you protected from an accident? Were you given strength for a difficult task?

    Are you rejoicing over the help granted to you? Praise God for His goodness and rejoice in His help.

    July 6 | PROVERBS 14 | What Can I Do For My Country?
    Memory Verse
    Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).

    De Tocqueville of France, over a century ago, visited America. Upon his return home he wrote: “I sought for the greatness of America in her harbors and rivers and fertile fields, and her mines and commerce. It was not there. Not until I went into the churches and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the greatness of her power. America is great because she is good: and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

    But there is a sense in which America cannot be good.

    Righteousness is not something that is accepted by a nation as a body. It is not legislated in congress or decided in the halls of justice. Good or bad decisions by a government may affect the conduct of its people in certain areas of life, but righteousness is an individual matter.

    “In God We Trust” is a moving motto for our money, yet millions of Americans do not trust in God. Therefore, that official statement of faith is only meaningful for those to whom it has meaning. In whom do you trust?

    Neither is it enough to decry conditions in the land. A serious situation does exist. Daily news reports are convincing proof of that. But the solution lies in personal repentance of sin and faith in Christ.

    It is the righteousness of the people that exalts a nation. The sins of the people reproach the land.

    As an individual American, what do you intend to do for your country?

    July 5 | PSALM 124 | God’s Protection
    Memory Verse
    Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth (Psalm 124:6).

    God has protected America.

    We ought to thank God daily for His care of our nation through more than two hundred years. We have escaped the march of foreign feet on American soil in time of war though two world conflicts have been fought in this century.

    Even the destruction of the nation through civil war was averted through prayer. Walter Brown Knight has written: “The fate of the nation was hanging in the balances. General Lee and his army had surged forward to the environs of Gettysburg, where the fateful, decisive battle of the Civil War was in the making. The sorrows and burdens of the war-torn nation had exacted its terrible toll on the occupant of the White House, Abraham Lincoln. Yet on the eve of the crucial Battle of Gettysburg, he was calm and assured. His serenity was reassuring to his generals. When they inquired, ‘How can you be so self-possessed in this hour of the nation’s mortal peril and darkness?’ Lincoln said, ‘I spent last night in prayer before the Lord. He has given me the assurance that our cause will triumph and that the nation will be preserved.’”

    And what blessing has followed America through these years. This good land has become the home base for missionary outreach all over the world. American printing presses as well as radio and television carry the Bible message to millions.

    Still, many are becoming concerned about the future. Will America continue to experience such blessings? For how long?

    God’s blessings rest on those who obey His Word. Let’s live in His will so that His protection will always preserve our land!

    July 4 | PSALM 5 | Trusting
    Memory Verse
    But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee (Psalm 5:11).

    History records how George Washington found rest and relief in prayer during the trying times he and his soldiers passed through at Valley Forge. With all the cares and anxieties of that time upon him, he used to have recourse to prayer.

    One day a farmer approaching the camp heard an earnest voice. On coming nearer, he saw George Washington on his knees, his cheeks wet with tears, praying. The farmer returned home and said to his wife: “George Washington will succeed!”

    “What makes you think so, Isaac?” asked his wife.

    The farmer replied: “I heard him pray, Hannah; you may rest assured he will.”

    One night during the Civil War, a guest in the White House reported that he had heard Lincoln praying in the next room. He said the President prayed: “Thou God, who heard Solomon in the night when he prayed and cried for wisdom, hear me! I cannot guide the affairs of this nation without Thy help. I am poor and weak and sinful. O God, save this nation.”

    We have a great heritage. Without question, God has defended America in the past. We ought to rejoice in our independence. But we must never forget that this freedom is a gift from God. The moment we stop trusting Him, liberty is in jeopardy.

    Christians who serve God and rejoice in Him are America’s most valuable asset. What will YOU do for your country?

    July 3 | PSALM 13 | Salvation
    Memory Verse
    But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation (Psalm 13:5).

    The joy of the Lord begins with salvation. The moment of new birth gives cause for rejoicing. Heaven rejoices: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). The newborn Christian can also be glad for many reasons.

    We can rejoice in salvation because we have a home in heaven. Earthly homes are temporary. Fire or foreclosure may take away your home on this earth. Not so your heavenly home. The things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal. Each Christian has a title deed to a home in heaven that is indestructible.

    We can rejoice in salvation because we have become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (see Romans 8:17). During your earthly journey, you may never inherit anything valuable, but if you have been saved, you will share the inheritance of the saints. Praise the Lord!

    We can rejoice in salvation because our names are written in heaven. Jesus said:
    “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Many people do not know your name. You are probably not on a first-name basis with world leaders. But, if you have been born again, your name is known in heaven.

    Rejoice in God’s salvation!

    July 2 | PSALM 9 | Don’t Forget
    Memory Verse
    The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God (Psalm 9:17).

    The mighty Roman Empire was powerful and proud. People thought it would last forever. But it fell... and fell hard.

    In 1787, Gibbon completed his masterful book, “The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire.” He gave the following reasons for its fall: the rapid increase of divorce with resultant undermining of the home; higher and higher taxes and the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the people; the mad craze for pleasure and sports which became more and more brutal; the building of gigantic armaments, when the real enemy was within, and the decay of religious faith which faded into formalism and became impotent.

    Paul’s letter to the Romans begins with the record of a fall for similar reasons, the most important of which was that of forgetting God... on purpose: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28).

    Forgetting God is dangerous to the survival of nations.

    Do you think America is guilty of forgetting God?

    What evidences of forgetting God do you see about you?

    Do you believe the religious life of our nation to be heartfelt or formalistic?

    Have America’s moral standards declined during your lifetime? In the last decade? During the past year?

    How about your personal relationship to Christ? Is it vital or formalistic? Can you remember a better day?

    What are you going to do about it? When?

    July 1 | I KINGS 18:17-24 | Troublemakers
    Memory Verse
    And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word (I Kings 18:21).

    Elijah’s country was in trouble.

    King Ahab thought the prophet was the cause of it all.

    Actually, the wicked king was the guilty one. He had led the people in idolatry and had forsaken God’s commandments. The drought announced by Elijah was but the natural consequence of the nation’s sin. The famine in the land was directly traceable to the waywardness of the people. Israel was experiencing the law of sowing and reaping: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

    Godly people are often thought of as troublemakers. They speak out against evils and seem not to fit in with many modern trends. They may seem out of step with the times ... unwilling to compromise proven standards. Dogmatic. Old fashioned.

    Never mind. Convictions based on the Bible should be held even though they disturb others. God rewards righteousness and judges sin. His standards are unchanging because He is always the same.

    Sin brings chastening... produces heartache... invites trouble. And no amount of rationalizing can change sin’s wages. It is impossible to sin and win: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

    America needs some troublemakers... the righteous kind. We need people who will stand for truth and decency in spite of what others say.

    May God raise up some troublemakers to keep the nation out of trouble!

    Week 28 | I Remember Mother

    I can't even begin to imagine how Mary
    must have felt on the day the angel told her
    the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that
    she would become the mother of the Messiah.

    No doubt many Jewish girls dreamed of
    being chosen for such an honor, but they had
    no idea of what price would have to be paid
    by the maiden who became the mother of
    Jesus. How many virgins would have had the
    faith and steadfastness in God to receive this
    unique ministration of the Holy Spirit? And
    how many would have had the strength of
    character to endure the shame of being found
    with child before her marriage?

    What a remarkable person Mary must have
    been. No doubt she was the ultimate of
    womanhood or God would not have chosen her to
    bear His Son. And surely her unswerving
    faith and devotion to duty are unexcelled in
    the pages of human history.

    What a profound inspiration and influence
    her life of humble trust in God must have been
    for the boy Jesus as He increased in wisdom
    and stature
    (Luke 2:52) during His growing-up
    years in Nazareth. The Lord must have
    come to know His mother in a very special
    way during the nearly 30 years He lived with
    her and Joseph.

    At the end of His life and ministry, Jesus
    must have remembered many things about His
    mother. No doubt He recalled her loving con-
    cern and patience when she traveled back to
    Jerusalem to find Him, at age twelve, still in
    the Temple with the elders.

    And He must have remembered her trusting
    faith and her recognition of His divine
    nature at the wedding in Cana. Although He
    did not promise to remedy the shortage of
    wine (fruit of the vine), Mary confidently told
    the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do
    it
    (John 2:5).

    Jesus knew Mary's gracious spirit all of
    His life. With His divine nature, He could
    also see her heart, for He knew all of mankind.
    And yet Mary continued, with dignity, to be
    His mother. What a pure life she must have had.

    Jesus remembered and respected His
    mother. On the cross just before He died, He
    looked down and saw her there, when so many
    others had forsaken Him. And in the hour of
    His greatest agony, carrying the awful burden
    of the sins of the world, He remembered Mary
    and made provision for her care. Seeing the
    Apostle John near her, He said, Woman,
    behold thy son!
    And to John, Behold thy mother!
    (John 19:26,27).

    Precious memories

    I remember my mother with every bit of
    admiration and respect that I think Jesus had
    for His mother. So much of who I am and
    what I am is a result of her loving guidance
    and positive influence. I first learned love at
    Mother's knee through her touch, her care.
    Then she pointed me to the love of Christ, and
    I was reared in a Christian home.

    It was from Mother's voice that I first
    heard music, which has been such an
    important part of my whole life and ministry. In one
    of my earliest childhood memories, I am in
    her arms and she is singing! I have no doubt
    that my love for music came from her -- I started
    singing when I was 5 years old.

    I learned the discipline of my life from
    Mother. She never allowed me to sing in
    public unless I had my song memorized. I did not
    play the piano for others unless I had
    practiced.

    Humility was a quality Mother taught me
    by example. To this day she has the most
    beautiful, unassuming spirit of anyone I know.
    To me she is a perfectly blended combination
    of the biblical sisters, Mary and Martha. She
    always spent time worshiping the Lord -- I've
    walked into her bedroom many times and
    found her on her knees or reading her Bible.
    But her personal devotions were always
    balanced with service to others.

    My Mother was -- and is -- a servant of the
    Lord and people. She goes out of her way to
    help, and nothing is ever too much for her to
    do. I've watched her bake for her friends, do
    laundry for a sick person, or make phone calls
    to encourage others when she was weary
    herself. She always would take time to send
    cards for funerals, birthdays, or other
    occasions when a friendly note would be appreciated.

    I remember Mother taking me to church
    revivals where I had been invited to sing.
    When we walked inside together, she would
    say to me, "Go ahead, honey, serve the Lord."
    And she would stay near the back of the
    church, not wanting to be noticed.

    To this day, at age 83, Mother stays busy
    serving the Lord. The staff at our Jack Van
    Impe Ministries office love to have her come
    around. "Things are just better when she's
    around," they say. "She lightens the day and
    brings an extra measure of love and harmony."

    Inner beauty

    From Mother, I learned the secret of inner
    beauty -- of filling my heart and mind with
    love and wholesomeness and letting them
    permeate my entire being. And I also learned the
    importance of always trying to look my best
    and having my home clean and in order.

    Mother always kept herself beautifully
    groomed and modestly dressed, and her home
    immaculate. She taught me that appearance is
    important because it reflects the kind of
    person one truly is inside...and is a testimony --
    good or bad -- for the Lord.

    There are so many other qualities my
    mother taught me -- tenderness, a sense of
    duty, a living expression of the gifts of the
    Holy Spirit. Space doesn't permit a listing of
    even half the good things she imparted to me
    by instruction and example.

    But I must mention one more -- I learned
    wisdom through my mother. Wisdom comes
    from the Lord, according to the Book of
    Proverbs. But Mother certainly was a living
    symbol of that divinely-given quality. She
    almost always had the answers to my
    questions, always knew the right thing to do in
    every situation, always seemed to know when
    to act and when to wait.

    And although she didn't have the opportunity
    to complete school when she was young,
    later in life she went back to school and took
    some business courses. She did it on her own,
    just because she wanted a little better formal
    education -- and because there were still some
    things she wanted to know about!

    Like Ruth and Naomi

    Not only was I blessed with a wonderful
    mother, but my mother-in-law and I had a
    beautiful relationship as well. I appreciated
    her so much. We never had the conflicts that
    many women seem to experience. We had
    more of a Ruth and Naomi relationship.

    My mother-in-law has a very keen sense of
    humor and a love of life, which my husband
    shares. And she also displays a sweet sense of
    trust and faith.

    My husband's parents returned to
    Belgium, their homeland, as missionaries, when
    their only child, Jack, was 17. He had just
    entered Bible school to prepare himself for
    the ministry. There were no other Van Impe
    relatives in America, and my in-laws had no
    money to leave with their young son.

    It must have taken a tremendous amount of
    faith for Mother Van Impe to leave her only
    child and go so far away. She had to commit
    him into the hands of God and trust that he
    would be all right.

    I've also respected the fact that my
    mother-in-law was never concerned about earthly
    possessions. As missionaries, their income
    was very limited, requiring many sacrifices,
    but she was content. No one ever heard her
    complain, or express a desire for a better
    house or home furnishings, or clothing. Her
    priorities were straight -- she was working for
    eternal rewards. She has always been precious
    to me personally.

    A legacy of love

    What a tremendous legacy both Dr. Van
    Impe and I have received from our mothers.

    Each Christmas season when we celebrate
    the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I especially
    remember Mother. Let us all remember our
    mothers, how they have helped the living
    Christ to be born in our hearts.

    We can never forget what she has meant to
    us. Every day in some way her positive influence
    lives on in our lives. As the Prophet
    Isaiah wrote, And thine ears shall hear a word
    behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in
    it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye
    turn to the left
    (Isaiah 30:21).

    Week 27 | The Purr-fect Blessing

    For more than seventeen years, our cat,
    Fenica, was a great source of companionship
    and enjoyment to Jack and me. But after all
    those years, she finally succumbed to a fatal
    disease after suffering for several months. She
    was an important part of our lives. In earlier
    years, she was bright and friendly and had the
    uncanny ability to endear herself to folks
    rather quickly.

    A few years ago I wrote about how I found
    this abandoned, sick, starving creature and
    persuaded Jack to let me feed and nurse her
    back to health.

    At first Dr. Van Impe would only consent
    for Fenica to stay out on the patio...then we let
    her into the garage on cold nights. From there
    she moved straight into our hearts -- and she
    was an important member of our family from
    that day on.

    Over the years, quite a "love affair"
    developed between Jack and this soft, furry
    creature. Most people envision my husband as
    a very serious, scholarly man who thinks of
    nothing but Bible study and prayer. And he
    does spend many hours daily with his Bible
    and study material.

    But I wish you could have seen him and
    Fenica on the floor, rolling around and playing
    their own games. They had a great relationship
    -- and some pretty silly conversations! I
    really don't know what all they talked about
    together, but from Fenica's expressions and
    faithful attentiveness, it seemed obvious that
    she understood and appreciated every word
    Jack said.

    A praying cat?

    Of course, it was love at first sight for this
    little cat and me. And over the years she was
    so much company and a real friend. Often
    Fenica joined me as I knelt to pray. As I
    poured my heart out to God, I'd feel my little
    kitty snuggling up beside me.

    During the dark days a few years back
    when the ministry was struggling with great
    financial difficulties and the stress seemed
    almost overwhelming, I was able to survive
    only by laying my burdens at the feet of the
    Lord. In those prayer times, when words
    failed me and tears coursed down my cheeks,
    how comforting it was to hear a gentle purr
    and to be suddenly -- thrillingly -- aware that I
    was not alone...that God's presence was all
    around me!

    Jack and I started out to help and care for a
    neglected and needy animal. But in exchange
    for some medical attention and a little food,
    Fenica became a great source of joy and blessing
    to us. Only now -- after she is gone -- are
    we beginning to understand why the Lord sent
    this little creature into our lives.

    Pets are good for your health

    Scientists have begun to find proof of what
    they only suspected before -- that contact with
    animals has specific effects on the human
    body and mind. Health officials have verified
    that pets have definite therapeutic value in
    people's regular daily lives, and also for
    people in institutions. Hospitals, nursing homes,
    and penal institutions have discovered the
    positive impact animals can have on handicapped
    or socially maladjusted individuals. Some of
    them regularly bring animals into therapy
    sessions for patients and inmates, and puppies
    and kittens often get responses from people no
    one else had been able to reach.

    As early as 1790, a Quaker group in
    England discovered the value of taking mentally
    handicapped people on group retreats and
    encouraging them to roam the grounds and
    spend time with farm animals. This therapy
    seemed to get tremendous results compared
    with the limited institutional treatment
    available at that time.

    Organizations like the Latham Foundation
    of Alameda, California, and the Delta Society
    of Renton, Washington, promote interest in
    human-animal bonding and study the role
    animals play in human development.

    Studies have shown that encouraging
    abused children to be responsible for caring
    for animals -- especially disabled or injured
    creatures -- provides a real psychological
    boost. Perhaps just seeing how another
    helpless, hurting creature can overcome the odds
    and survive gives them hope.

    But the benefit of association with animals
    is not just psychological. Studies show that
    the heart rate is lower when people are in the
    presence of a friendly animal. And elderly
    people with pets make fewer visits to the
    doctor. Perhaps we are discovering a new form of
    low cost preventive health care.

    Of course, it's really not new at all. I
    believe it is highly significant that in the
    beginning, God first gave Adam the animals and
    birds to keep him from being lonely. Genesis
    2:18,19 says, And the Lord God said, It is not
    good that the man should be alone; I will
    make him an help meet for him. And out of
    the ground the Lord God formed every beast
    of the field, and every fowl of the air; and
    brought them unto Adam to see what he would
    call them.

    I believe that in most cases, animals want
    to be the friends of man, not enemies. Most
    animals become hostile or vicious only out of
    fear or as a result of being abused by man.

    Animals have great value

    How important are animals to us? We've
    already seen that God provided them to Adam
    even before He gave him Eve. That's pretty
    important! And later on, when the wickedness
    of man became intolerable to God in Noah's
    day, not only did the Lord devise a plan to
    save representatives of the family of man from
    the destruction of the flood, He also arranged
    to save at least one pair of every species of
    animal!

    God regards His creatures as beautiful and
    valuable. And so should we. There are many
    ways they can be of service to us...and there is
    much we can learn from them.

    Wisdom from a pet

    I remember a cold winter's day when I
    walked into our bedroom to look for a book
    I'd left there. It was freezing cold outside,
    with snow on the ground, but the rays of the
    sun were streaming through the window.

    Fenica was stretched out in a chair by the
    window, soaking up the warmth of the sun.
    When she heard me come in, she stretched her
    head back and looked at me upside down...but
    didn't move. It was almost as if she were
    saying, "I don't have a worry in the world -- I
    have you to keep me safe and warm."

    I found my book and went back
    downstairs, but I found myself thinking how
    wonderful it would be if I could learn to trust and
    rest in the Lord's love the way our cat confidently
    and comfortably depended on Jack and me.

    As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount,
    If ye then, being evil, know how to give good
    gifts unto your children
    [or pets], how much
    more shall your Father which is in heaven
    give good things to them that ask him?

    (Matthew 7:11).

    So perhaps we all could take some lessons
    in living from precious pets like Fenica.

    • She trusted me and knew I loved her
      and would not hurt her or allow her to
      be injured -- and I can trust God (see
      John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; Galatians 2:20;
      Ephesians 2:4,5).
    • My cat relied on me to direct her and
      not let danger fall in her path -- and I
      can rely on God (see Proverbs 3:5,6).
    • Fenica knew I cared for her and that I
      would take care of her, so she was not
      burdened down with concern. I can
      cast my care on the Lord, for He cares
      for me (see 1 Peter 5:7).
    • No matter what she needed, Fenica
      turned to me as her source of supply.
      And I can have that same relationship
      with my heavenly Father, who supplies
      all [my] need according to his riches
      in glory by Christ Jesus
      (Philippians 4:19).

    And finally, Fenica loved to be with Jack
    and me. Wherever we were in the house, she
    tried to be near us. Often, even when I walked
    through the house, she would go along with
    me. She didn't need anything -- she wasn't
    asking for anything...she just wanted to be
    near me and have fellowship with me. And
    that was so very special to me.

    How much more must our heavenly Father
    enjoy having us want to spend time in His
    presence and have fellowship with Him?
    There's a wonderful inspirational song that
    says, "I'll walk with God." It speaks of
    having God beside us to lead and guide us.

    What a thrill to be able to have personal
    fellowship with our Creator, who is also our
    Friend. Nothing in life can ever defeat us
    when we walk with Him.

    It really is...The Perfect Blessing.

    Week 26 | Let Me Cry!

    I've been doing some crying, lately.

    Many times in the past several months,
    I've wept over the suffering and physical
    deterrioration of my beloved father-in-law, Oscar
    Van Impe. Seeing this dedicated, once-strong
    man of God (who prayed five hours a day for
    the needs of others) lying weak and helpless
    really tears my heart out. Repeated strokes
    and heart attacks confine him to bed...and
    he can barely speak. When I see him -- often
    when I simply think of his condition -- I cry.

    My own precious mother, who is perhaps
    one of the few saints I know on earth, also has
    been stricken with a very serious problem,
    accompanied with excruciating pain. Mother
    has been graced with many gifts from God --
    among them the gifts of help and encouragement.
    The morning I took her to the hospital
    for diagnostic x-rays, she asked two favors of
    me. "Please turn in my donation check for the
    ministry, and would you mind taking me by
    the post office so I can mail some get-well cards?"

    She has been the most unselfish, thoughtful,
    and Christlike person one could ever meet
    in this world. Our family of employees tells
    me that when she is in the office, she exudes
    the fruits of the Spirit to such a degree that the
    very atmosphere is charged by her joy and love.

    Doctors discovered that Mother has a
    noncancerous brain tumor and an inflamed major
    artery in the brain. They feel that at her age,
    surgery or other aggressive treatment is not
    the best treatment for her, so they are trying to
    control the pain and make her comfortable.

    Seeing her pain makes me cry. What a
    comfort it has been to have a precious husband and
    dear friends who have wept with me during
    this trial.

    A while back I noticed that a young
    waitress who often serves Jack and me when we
    go out to eat seemed unusually quiet and
    withdrawn and there was a strain on her countenance.
    When I went to wash my hands in the
    ladiesí room, I had a chance to pull her aside
    and ask if something was wrong. Tears spilled
    down her cheeks as she told me her husband
    had just asked her for a divorce.

    Imagine the pain of having your husband
    or wife look you in the eye and say, "I don't
    love you anymore -- I want out of this marriage."
    I can't even begin to comprehend the
    shock, sorrow, and grief one would feel in
    such a situation.

    I didn't know what to say to this poor girl
    -- but I put my arms around her and comforted
    her the only way I knew how...with my tears.

    Also in recent months, I have felt an
    increased burden for my unsaved friends and
    loved ones. Bible prophecy makes it so clear
    that time on this old earth is running out fast
    and that surely Jesus is coming soon...perhaps
    today! So I have been praying...and weeping
    ...for my unsaved loved ones. It is the only
    way I know to minister to them!

    What is a tear?

    The great preacher, T. DeWitt Talmage,
    once wrote, "Help me explain a tear. A chemist
    will tell you that it is made up of salt and
    lime and other component parts; but he misses
    the chief ingredients -- the acid of a soured
    life, the viperine sting of a bitter memory, the
    fragments of a broken heart. I will tell you
    what a tear is: it is agony in solution."

    These are powerful, moving words. And
    perhaps all of us have either witnessed or
    personally experienced the truth Talmage sought
    to convey.

    But I suggest to you that there is more to
    tears than sadness, sorrow, regret, and pain.
    Tears can be a release from stress and anxiety,
    a vent for frustration, a safety valve for
    overpowering emotions. Tears can be the most
    sincere expression of compassion and love.
    And just as raindrops wash the smoke, smog,
    and impurities from the atmosphere, so tears
    can wash away the stains of bitterness and
    disappointment from our souls.

    A time to weep

    As Solomon, perhaps the wisest man who
    ever lived, once declared, To every thing there
    is a season, and a time to every purpose under
    the heaven...A time to weep, and a time to
    laugh
    (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4).

    We live in a time when everyone wants to
    laugh all the time, but no one is willing to
    weep. And if someone does cry, it makes
    people really uncomfortable. Children are hushed
    and told not to cry. Men are taught that tears
    don't go with a macho image...that only sissies
    cry. And women who weep at some sadness
    or loss are interrupted and advised to wipe
    their eyes and get control of themselves.

    No! No! No! Let me cry. It's all right to
    cry. I need to cry. In fact, one of my goals is
    to minister to those who are weeping. I want
    to do all I can, to say what I can...and when
    there are no deeds or words that can help, to
    weep with them.

    Perhaps my resolution is best expressed
    in the words of the late Bob Pierce in his
    moving book, Let My Heart Be Broken With the
    Things That Break the Heart of God.

    When Jesus wept, His tears were for
    others. Both Matthew and Luke describe how He
    wept over the city of Jerusalem for those who
    would not hear and accept the Truth! We, too,
    should weep for others.

    Weep over souls

    Should we be less concerned over lost
    souls than our Saviour? Why are we not
    crying and praying for the lost to be saved before
    it is eternally too late?

    I've seen people moved to tears by the
    plight of fictional characters in a paperback
    book. A melodramatic film may jokingly be
    described as a "two-hanky" movie, and it's
    perfectly all right. But the same people who
    get involved and empathize with artificial
    stories can see real live people around them
    dying and slipping into eternity without God
    and never feel a twinge or shed a tear.

    I wonder -- if the unsaved friends and
    loved ones I'm praying for don't seem to be
    any closer to the Lord than when I first started,
    could it be because I haven't shed any tears
    for them? The Bible says, They that sow in
    tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth
    and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
    doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing
    his sheaves with him
    (Psalm 126:5,6).

    Weep over sin

    Sometimes I can hardly watch the news on
    television or read the daily paper without
    crying. My heart breaks at what is going on in
    our nation and the world today. There is such
    evil and perversion, such wickedness and
    violence. How long will God allow men's hearts
    to be filled with such deliberate, willful sin
    before calling them to judgment?

    I believe we are to weep over sin, whether
    our own, our family's, or our nation's. The
    Apostle Paul wrote, For godly sorrow worketh
    repentance to salvation
    (2 Corinthians 7:10).

    I am reminded of how Peter, after denying
    the Lord during the awful hours before the
    Crucifixion, went out, and wept bitterly
    (Matthew 26:75). Those tears of repentance
    led to his being forgiven and restored.

    Weep over sorrow

    Just as there is a time to weep over souls
    and a time to weep over sin, there is also a
    time to weep over sorrow. Do you remember
    when Mary and Martha showed the Lord the
    tomb where their brother Lazarus was buried?
    The Bible says, Jesus wept (John 11:35).

    There is a time for sorrow...and when it
    comes, tears are appropriate. Paul instructed,
    Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep
    with them that weep
    (Romans 12:15).

    Notice that the verse did not say to laugh
    with those who are laughing and to tell those
    who are crying to stop and cheer up. No, it
    says to cry with those who are crying! That
    means to share their sorrow -- to get down
    under the burden with them. And when you
    share their tears -- when all you can do is cry
    with them -- you'll find it is a tremendously
    effective way to minister your compassion and love.

    I once interviewed a pastor who had
    suffered the traumatic loss of his little son. This
    man told me that in the midst of his grieving,
    the people of his church did not understand or
    know how to weep with him. They would
    come to him and say, "Pastor, why are you
    crying? Don't you have any faith?"

    After a while this minister wrote a book
    about what he had learned during his sorrowful
    experience. He called it, Jonathan, You
    Left Too Soon.
    But the main lesson I learned
    from his experience was that in the day of
    sorrow, it's okay to weep. In fact, for most
    people, it's a really good way to cope with loss
    and grief and begin to heal the broken heart
    and crushed emotions. Tears can be
    tremendously therapeutic.

    I know I have been made acutely aware
    of the value of tears. And I pray that God
    will make me willing to weep with those who
    weep, whether they cry tears of pain,
    heartache, sorrow...or joy! I encourage you to
    consider whether God can also use you in a
    ministry of tears.

    Remember, though, that our tears will not
    -- cannot -- last long. The psalmist sang,
    Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh
    in the morning
    (Psalm 30:5).

    I'm here to tell you that a great morning is
    coming soon, when we will all be in the
    presence of the Lord. Oh, what a glorious promise
    and steadfast hope! For on that glad day, God
    shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
    there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
    nor crying, neither shall there be any more
    pain: for the former things are passed away

    (Revelation 21:4).

    No wonder Jesus said, Blessed are ye that
    weep now: for ye shall laugh
    (Luke 6:21).

    Week 25 | Is God Listening?

    Some time ago I contracted a dangerous
    viral infection which threatened the sight of
    my left eye and produced severe discomfort
    and pain. Just as I was getting a little better, I
    came down with pneumonia in my right lung.

    During this time of unusual stress and trauma,
    Jack and I spent even more time than normal
    praying and seeking God. Thank the
    Lord, He heard and answered our prayers!

    Experiencing those wearisome days when
    I might have been tempted to ask, "Does God
    care? Is He listening?" -- I found new assurance
    that the Lord, the Creator of the ends of
    the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary
    (Isaiah
    40:28). And I can truthfully say with the
    psalmist that I waited patiently for the Lord;
    and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry

    (Psalm 40:1).

    While prayer has always been an important
    part of our lives and ministry, now it has
    become even more vital -- an integral part of
    the very fabric of Jack's life and mine. Prayer
    has become as natural as breathing to me, and
    has carried me into the Father's presence
    where I draw directly from His unlimited
    strength.

    In the times of testing I often felt as if the
    Lord comforted me by saying, "Pray." And in
    saying "Come to me," He also said, "Wait
    patiently." It has been my experience that
    life's difficulties may sometimes be meant for
    the strengthening of one's heart and soul.

    The power of prayer

    When we enter into prayer, we enter into
    the realm of divine omnipotence and tap into
    the unlimited power of God. Prayer leaps
    over boundaries, stops at no distances, and
    balks at no obstacles. No wonder Jesus said,
    With men it is impossible, but not with God:
    for with God all things are possible
    (Mark 10:27).

    The late Dr. M. R. DeHaan recognized the
    tremendous force God placed in the hands of
    His people through prayer. DeHaan said, "I
    would far rather have the power of prayer to
    move the powers of heaven, than to have the
    power of preaching to move the masses on earth."

    While some of us may not have the gift of
    preaching or the anointed eloquence to
    proclaim the gospel to all who will hear -- all of
    us do have the power of prayer at our disposal.
    We can commune directly with our Creator,
    and cry out to the God of the universe with the
    steadfast assurance that HE IS LISTENING...
    and He will answer.

    Why, then, do we go about laden with
    burdens too heavy to bear? Why do we endure
    overwhelming sorrows and pain? Why do we
    attempt to make the best of living with want
    and lack? The Lord gently scolds us for failing
    to seek His help by saying, Ye have not,
    because ye ask not
    (James 4:2).

    I love the grand old gospel song that asks,
    "Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted?" then
    responds, "Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus!"
    On and on the song goes, listing man's most
    common troubles and fears, and always
    reminding, urging, commanding -- "Tell it to
    Jesus alone!"

    God has invited us to come to Him with
    our needs and burdens. Jesus said, Ask, and it
    shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
    knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for
    every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
    seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
    shall be opened
    (Matthew 7:7).

    Are the answers you need being given?
    Have you asked?

    Are you finding the solutions to life's
    problems? Are you seeking?

    Are the doors of opportunity being opened
    to you? Are you knocking?

    God is ready and willing to meet your
    every need. He is more than enough for all
    your problems. But to receive what He wants
    you to have, you have to take the first step.
    Have you ever taught your children to come to
    you for assistance with their needs? Even
    though you sometimes knew what they needed
    before they asked, have you ever waited until
    they made their petition to you?

    Jesus said, If ye then, being evil, know how
    to give good gifts unto your children, how
    much more shall your Father which is in heaven
    give good things to them that ask him?

    (Matthew 7:11).

    So we need to learn to ask -- we need to be
    sure to make our petitions known to God
    through prayer.

    Pray in faith

    Then, too, we must pray with faith. Some
    people feel their faith is too weak, but I
    believe, with the Apostle Paul, that God hath
    dealt to every man the measure of faith

    (Romans 12:3). If our faith comes from
    God -- if He has provided it for us, then we
    have enough...and it is sufficient!

    When in the midst of suffering and in need
    of healing, many of us may find it difficult to
    receive healing directly from the hand of God.
    But the Lord often uses other hands, other
    instruments to meet our need. Often healing
    comes through the channel of doctors and
    medicine. Depending on such healing aids is
    not necessarily a lack of faith.

    An old motto I've heard suggests that we
    should work as though everything depended
    on us, but pray as if everything depended on
    God. Perhaps this is the perfect blending
    of faith and works endorsed by the Apostle
    James (see 2:20-26).

    I thank God for the fine doctors and
    "miracle" drugs employed in my treatment during
    my illness. But I am absolutely convinced
    that prayer helped speed my healing by
    making my body more receptive to the treatment
    than it ordinarily would have been.

    I recovered with no lasting ill effects, no
    scars, no permanent damage. Yet, another
    lady with almost the same condition, being
    treated by the same doctor, with the same
    medication, did experience facial scarring and
    ongoing trauma.

    Is God really interested in our individual
    needs and problems? Aren't our personal
    difficulties too small to bring to the attention of
    the Almighty? Isn't He preoccupied with
    wars and cataclysmic events, interested only
    in global and universal affairs?

    Not at all! Nothing is too great or too
    small to bring to the Lord. He knows! He
    sees! He cares! Oh, yes, my friend, He is
    listening...and He will answer.

    I know this -- when our own strength and
    provision fail, prayer helps us tap into an
    inexhaustible divine supply. And it is undeniably
    true that more miracles are wrought by prayer
    than this world could ever imagine.

    The Holy Spirit intercedes

    Dr. Van Impe and I are finding that when
    we pray, the Holy Spirit directs us and helps
    us to pray. We do not have to depend on long
    prayer lists and "vain repetitions" that become
    meaningless rituals (see Matthew 6:7).

    There are times when I feel so
    overwhelmed by needs or challenges before me
    that I don't even know how to pray. But the
    Holy Spirit does -- and He ministers through
    me to touch the heart of God. Paul wrote,
    Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmiities:
    for we know not what we should pray for
    as we ought: but the Spirit [himself] maketh
    intercession for us with groanings which
    cannot be uttered
    (Romans 8:26).

    There have been times when I knelt to
    pray and could only weep -- I couldn't find the
    words to express what was inside. I would cry
    out, "Oh God, l don't know how to put this
    because I'm so burdened." What a comfort to
    know that the Holy Spirit went right on
    interceding for me with groanings and expressions
    too deep to be uttered.

    And sooner or later, as I waited before God
    on my knees, that deep peace that passes all
    understanding would sweep over me, and my
    troubled spirit would be at rest. Once again I
    would have the blessed assurance of knowing
    that all things work together for good to them
    that love God, to them who are the called
    according to his purpose
    (Romans 8:28).

    My friend, what God has done for me, He
    will do for you. The Lord is ready to minister
    to you in every part of your life. He is listening.

    TAKE TIME TO PRAY

    I got up quite early one morning

    And rushed right into the day;

    I had so much to accomplish

    I took no time out to pray.

    The problems just tumbled about me,

    And heavier came every task;

    "Why doesn't God help me," I wondered,

    He said, "Why, you didn't ask!"

    I saw naught of joy or of beauty --

    The day sped on, gray and bleak;

    I asked, "Why won't the Lord show me?"

    He said, "But you didn't seek!"

    I tried to come into God's presence;

    I used all my keys at the lock,

    God gently, lovingly chided,

    "My child, why didn't you knock?"

    I woke up quite early this morning

    And paused ere entering the day;

    There was so much to accomplish

    I HAD TO TAKE TIME TO PRAY!