THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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Maurice bragged, "I'm not afraid of anything. Once I even cut off a lion's tail with my pen knife!"
A friend asked, "Why didn't you cut off his head instead?"
Maurice, looking a bit sheepish, said, "Well, to tell you the truth someone ELSE had already cut off his head!"
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Ps 71:9, 12-14
9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
KJV
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As we get older, we should see that we need our Lord even more each day. The devil, that ole "hungry lion" is still lurking about (1Peter 5:8). He's just waiting for us to become weak in the faith so that he can bring disaster to our spirit. Old age" (verse 9) comes to all of us. Weakness, inability, frailty, sickness and death are all part of living. These things demonstrate to us how much we NEED God!
As we realize that we need God more each day, we should CALL upon Him more.
As we realize that we need God more each day, we should PRAISE Him more.
As we realize that we need God more each day, we should RELY upon Him more.
The Bible acknowledges that our lives are bound up in the strength of God. Though a man may seem to be powerful, it is actually God who GIVES him the strength. In our older years, we are subject to mental disorder due to failing arteries, and loss of physical strength. We need God to be close, and to help us. And the Bible tells us that Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you ALWAY!" (Matthew 28:20)
Let us CALL upon Him!
He is the great "I Am," the "Mighty God," the "Amen" of all things. And He is our strength "to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
Let us PRAISE Him.
A few years ago, Ann and I were coming out of a mall. We were quite suddenly aware of 5 young men following us. Ordinarily, I would have had no fear of such a situation. Long ago I was trained quite thoroughly in self-defense, and spent many hours in the gymn training Ann also. But all of a sudden I realized we are 59 and 57 years of age! Our bodies will no longer respond and react in the same way as they did when we were younger! Silently I prayed, "God, please HELP us."
Cautiously, and yet boldly, I turned to face the young men. And I asked, "Do you fellas know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your souls?" One of them said, "AW! MAN! A PREACHER! Just what we NEED!" Then the five young men turned to the side and went toward the cars in the parking lot AWAY from Ann and me!
Let us RELY upon Him.
Love ya,
Bruce