WE HAVE NO REAGAN- by W.F.BELL

Our fortieth President from 1981-1989 was Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004). Though his latter years were spent in sadness and physical decline, still his memory is cherished by conservative Christians who are students of American history. We only wish we had a Reagan among us now to confront the absolute political and social madness of our times. Reagan was originally a Democrat, but switched parties in the 1960s, and it amazes us that anyone (with any degree of spiritual concern and political conservatism about them) could remain a Democrat in our day. For those of a new generation who either did not know or have no appreciation for Ronald Reagan, here are some quotes from him for the historical record, and may these words be burned into our sad, fearful hearts:

"We must have the clarity of vision to see the difference between what is essential and what is merely desirable; and then the courage to use this insight to bring our government back under control and make it acceptable to the people."

"Work and family are at the center of our lives; the foundation of our dignity as a free people. When we deprive people of what they have earned, or take away their jobs, we destroy their dignity and undermine their families."

"We have been told that there are no simple answers to complex problems. Well, the truth is that there are simple answers, just not the easy ones."

"Government doesn't cure inflation, government causes inflation."

"If we can get the federal government out of our nation's schools, maybe we can get God back in."

"I don't care if we are liked around the world, I just want us to be respected."

Such was the strong language of our beloved former President Reagan. No man has ever graced the Presidency with more dignity and statesmanship, writing a book against abortion (contrast this with our current President-elect). But, alas, ours is a different day, and it certainly seems our God has hidden His face from us, and in such a trying time we can only think of these words of Jehovah to Israel: "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you" (Isaiah 54:7-8). No, we have no Reagan, but may this mercy in Christ Jesus be our portion, or for sure we are doomed.

TAKE ME AS I AM WITH ALL MY SIN AND SHAME

By J.C. PHILPOT

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved." Jer. 17:14

Here is this sin! Save me from it!

Here is this snare! Break it to pieces!

Here is this lust! Lord, subdue it!

Here is this temptation! Deliver me out of it!

Here is my proud heart! Lord, humble it!

Here is my unbelieving heart! Take it away,
and give me faith; give me submission to
Your mind and will.

Take me as I am with all my sin and
shame and work in me everything well
pleasing in Your sight.

EXTOLLING GOD WITH OUR MOUTH---C.H. SPURGEON

(MORE GOOD WORDS FROM MR. SPURGEON)

Happy is he whose fingers are wedded to his harp. He who praises God for mercies shall never want a mercy for which to praise....Our thankfulness is not to be a dumb thing; it should be one of the daughters of music. Our tongue is our glory, and it ought to reveal the glory of God. What a blessed mouthful is God’s praise! How sweet, how purifying, how perfuming! If men’s mouths were always thus filled, there would be no repining against God, or slander of neighbours. If we continually rolled this dainty morsel under our tongue, the bitterness of daily affliction would be swallowed up in joy. God deserves blessing with the heart, and extolling with the mouth—good thoughts in the closet, and good words in the world.
—C. H. Spurgeon, Psalm 34:1, The Treasury of David

IF AND A TRIPLE PROMISE---CHARLES SPURGEON

"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" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Called by the name of the LORD, we are nevertheless erring men and women. What a mercy it is that our God is ready to forgive! Whenever we sin let us hasten to the mercy seat of our God, seeking pardon. We are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that after receiving so much love we yet transgress? O LORD, we bow before Thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of sin! Oh, the sevenfold infamy of it in persons so favored as we have been! Next, we are to pray for mercy, for cleansing, for deliverance from the power of sin. O LORD, hear us even now, and shut not out our cry. In this prayer we are to seek the LORD's face. He has left us because of our faults, and we must entreat Him to return. O LORD, look on us in Thy Son Jesus, and smile upon Thy servants. With this must go our own turning from evil; God cannot turn to us unless we turn from sin. hen comes the triple promise of hearing, pardon, and healing. Our Father, grant us these at once, for our LORD Jesus Christ's sake. (From Faith's Checkbook for October 13th).

CALVARY WAS A VICTORY----CHARLES WOODRUFF

This world sees Christ as a fool, the Bible as a lie, God as a myth. None of this surprises us. Most in Hollywood see Christ as either unimportant or as a fool. The politicians see Him as a fool, because practically all of them are “Christians” when it comes time to run for office, no matter what positions inconsistent with the Christian faith they may take, or how grossly sinful their lives have been. Yet, our generation was not the first to see Calvary as a defeat. “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). Satan didn’t know (not being omniscient as God is), or he would have opposed the crucifixion. The prophecies were there telling of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, but I doubt that Satan understood them. Calvary was a defeat for Satan, and the resurrection sealed it forever!

It was not a defeat for Christ. He conquered death, hell and the grave! In Him we conquer all that too. Yes “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”(Romans 8:37). And He loved us before the foundation of the world! On that hill outside Jerusalem called Golgotha (place of the skull), death came to Christ but could not hold Him. But, the death blow was given to Christ’s enemies, and God will manifest that as it pleases Him.

For us it is our victory over death (I Corinthians 15:1-7).
For us it is our victory over the world (Galatians 6 :14).
For us it is our victory over self (Galatians 2:20).
For us it our victory over the flesh (Galatians 5:24).
For us it is our victory over the devil (Colossians 2:15;
compare with Ephesians 6:12).

AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND

John Newton's great hymn as found in his hymnal produced at Olney Church in England, where he was pastor, pointed to the following verses as his scripture inspiration for the hymn. "And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God" (1Chronicles 17:16,17). Truly God has done the same for each of us that He has designed to save, bringing us, unworthy sinners, to a place of exaltation, and has made us kings and priests before Him --truly Amazing Grace!

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But GOD, who called me here below,
Will be for ever mine.

(In later hymnbooks the following verse written by an unknown person was added. Most modern hymnals only have four verses, including this one as the last verse).

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

(Some say these additional verses were part of Newton’s original “Amazing Grace”, but the Olney hymnal has them as “In Evil Long I took Delight”. Certainly not as well known as “Amazing Grace”, in fact it is almost obscure today. Same cadence and meter as AG).

In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear;
'Til a new object met my sight,
And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood;
Who fixed His languid eyes on me
As near His cross I stood.

Sure, never 'til my latest breath,
Can I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke.

My conscience owned and felt the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had shed,
And helped to nail Him there.

Alas, I knew not what I did,
But all my tears were vain;
Where could my trembling soul be hid,
For I the Lord had slain!

(Here is some good information on the verses) http://www.gospelweb.net/JohnNewton/amazingwords.htm

(For more see http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/m/a/amazing_grace.htm

A STRONG HEART- C.H. SPURGEON

In thinking about the former meditation on Waiting Upon the Lord, I came across this thought on the subject by beloved brother Charles Spurgeon. I hope it is a blessing for you.

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14).

Wait! Wait! Let your waiting be on the LORD! He is worth waiting for. He never disappoints the waiting soul. While waiting keep up your spirits, Expect a great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it. The promise which should cheer you is in the middle of the verse -- "He shall strengthen thine heart." This goes at once to the place where you need help. If the heart be sound, all the rest of the system will work well. The heart wants calming and cheering, and both of these will come if it be strengthened. A forceful heart rests and rejoices and throbs force into the whole man. No one else can get at that secret urn of life, the heart, so as to pour strength into it. He alone who made it can make it strong. God is full of strength, and, therefore, He can impart it to those who need it. Oh, be brave; for the LORD will impart His strength to you, and you shall be calm in tempest and glad in sorrow. He who penned these lines can write as David did -- "Wait, I say, on the LORD." I do, indeed, say it. I know by long and deep experience that it is good for me to wait upon the LORD.