The Morning Watch

Do you ever feel like you’re alone? Like you’re the only one who is standing for God in a, “… wicked & perverse generation?” (Philippians 2:15) Elijah felt that way (1 kings 19:10) but the Lord reassured him there were 7000 others who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 kings 19:18) Paul felt that way (2 Timothy 4:16) but reminded himself that the Lord was standing with him and strengthening him (2 Timothy 4:17) David felt that way (1 Samuel 30:6) but, “…encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”  Above all, Jesus felt that way, not only felt it but experienced it! At his most desperate hour, carrying his heaviest burden, and preparing himself to take on the sins of the whole world, not one stayed with him! There he was, praying in the garden of Gethsemane, and his disciples were sleeping!   Then He said to them,  “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”  He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying,...

Do you ever wonder if God hears you?  In King Solomon‘s prayer of dedication, (1 Kings 8:22-53) over and over again, he asks the Lord to “hear from Heaven, and to forgive their sin.” A few other scripture passages came to mind as I was reading this.  “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1, 2)  “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!” (Psalms 66:18-20)  “Come now, and let us reason...

“ Thank-you very much for all your help today ,” one of my patients told me. Today was a very busy day at the hospital taking care of people, so it felt especially good to hear those words!  My mind went back to the story of Jesus healing ten lepers, but only one returned back to say, “ Thank-you !” (Luke 17:11-19)  Timothy reminds us that, “ …in the last days, perilous times will come, and men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, UNTHANKFUL… ” (2 Timothy 3:1,2)  I began to think of all the things we as human beings tend to take for granted, and how often we fail to express our gratitude to our fellow men, but more importantly to our Creator!  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, taking upon Himself all of our sin and shame, the Just for the unjust that He might bring us to God! What a Saviour! Have we remembered to thank Him today? (1 Peter 3:18)  “Thank-you oh my Father, for giving us your Son,...