The Sound Of The Trumpets

An old Jewish legend claims that each day in heaven begins with the ringing sound that comes from a trumpet.

After Lucifer, once the son of the morning, had fallen from heaven, he was asked, “What do you miss most?” After a moment’s thought, he said, “The trumpets that sound in the morning.” The legend continues that the reason the trumpet sounded was to call people together to thank God for His love and mercy, grace and goodness.

Sadly, the “trumpet of thanksgiving” is absent from the lives of far too many Christians. The sounds of glory and gratitude have been replaced with groans of gloom and grief, greed and godless living.

But we are urged in Psalm 150: to “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.” Trumpets were used in Jewish ceremonies to remind worshipers of the greatness, glory, and goodness of God and to praise and thank Him.

Perhaps it would be a good idea if each church had a trumpet player to begin each worship service. Perhaps the sound of a well-played trumpet might remind us to “bow down” before our Creator and give Him thanks for His many blessings - the ones we are aware of and those who fall on us unannounced and unrecognized.

Giving thanks is an important part of life - especially in the life of a Christian. All that we have or will have, all that we are or will become is not accidental. Everything in our lives comes from the grace of God. And not to thank Him is to insult Him. In ourselves, we have no worth. We only have worth in, through and by God’s grace.

Prayer: God, give us grateful hearts - hearts filled with gratitude for Your love, grace, mercy, salvation, and hope! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 150:3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.

The Sound Of The Trumpets

An old Jewish legend claims that each day in heaven begins with the ringing sound that comes from a trumpet.

After Lucifer, once the son of the morning, had fallen from heaven, he was asked, “What do you miss most?” After a moment’s thought, he said, “The trumpets that sound in the morning.” The legend continues that the reason the trumpet sounded was to call people together to thank God for His love and mercy, grace and goodness.

Sadly, the “trumpet of thanksgiving” is absent from the lives of far too many Christians. The sounds of glory and gratitude have been replaced with groans of gloom and grief, greed and godless living.

But we are urged in Psalm 150: to “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.” Trumpets were used in Jewish ceremonies to remind worshipers of the greatness, glory, and goodness of God and to praise and thank Him.

Perhaps it would be a good idea if each church had a trumpet player to begin each worship service. Perhaps the sound of a well-played trumpet might remind us to “bow down” before our Creator and give Him thanks for His many blessings - the ones we are aware of and those who fall on us unannounced and unrecognized.

Giving thanks is an important part of life - especially in the life of a Christian. All that we have or will have, all that we are or will become is not accidental. Everything in our lives comes from the grace of God. And not to thank Him is to insult Him. In ourselves, we have no worth. We only have worth in, through and by God’s grace.

Prayer: God, give us grateful hearts - hearts filled with gratitude for Your love, grace, mercy, salvation, and hope! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 150:3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.

A Reason To Sing

Robert Lowry, a pastor in New York City, was going through a difficult time during an epidemic. Many who were suffering would die in a matter of hours. Day after day he stood beside the graves of those who had died and tried to give hope to their loved ones. On one occasion, however, his faith was deeply challenged, and he cried out to God, “Shall we meet again? Really? Can a gracious God do this to good people? We are parting at the river of death. Will we ever meet again at the river of life?” He took his doubt seriously and began to read his Bible on his knees. Finally, he found God’s answer, went to his organ, sat down and wrote the words and music to the great old hymn, “Yes, we’ll gather at the river that flows by the throne of God.”

The Steds were enjoying a beautiful day of sun and sand on the Long Island Sound. Suddenly, they heard a cry for help. With no thought for his safety, Mr. Sted ran into the water to rescue the boy - but failed. Mrs. Sted’s heart was broken when she returned to her empty home.

She fell on her knees and began to pray. God heard and helped her and gave her hope. She sat at her piano and wrote the beautiful hymn, “‘Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Bicker, missionaries to Peru, were waiting to board a ship that would take them home for a vacation. Just before boarding the ship, Mr. Bicker was killed in an accident. To comfort his wife, and now fatherless children, Dr. Oswald Smith wrote the poem, “God Understands and Cares.”

Said the Psalmist, “Sing for joy on beds of pain.” He understands and cares!

Prayer: How grateful we are Lord for the assurance of Your presence and peace, even when life seems senseless. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 149:5b Sing for joy on beds of pain.

A Reason To Sing

Robert Lowry, a pastor in New York City, was going through a difficult time during an epidemic. Many who were suffering would die in a matter of hours. Day after day he stood beside the graves of those who had died and tried to give hope to their loved ones. On one occasion, however, his faith was deeply challenged, and he cried out to God, “Shall we meet again? Really? Can a gracious God do this to good people? We are parting at the river of death. Will we ever meet again at the river of life?” He took his doubt seriously and began to read his Bible on his knees. Finally, he found God’s answer, went to his organ, sat down and wrote the words and music to the great old hymn, “Yes, we’ll gather at the river that flows by the throne of God.”

The Steds were enjoying a beautiful day of sun and sand on the Long Island Sound. Suddenly, they heard a cry for help. With no thought for his safety, Mr. Sted ran into the water to rescue the boy - but failed. Mrs. Sted’s heart was broken when she returned to her empty home.

She fell on her knees and began to pray. God heard and helped her and gave her hope. She sat at her piano and wrote the beautiful hymn, “‘Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Bicker, missionaries to Peru, were waiting to board a ship that would take them home for a vacation. Just before boarding the ship, Mr. Bicker was killed in an accident. To comfort his wife, and now fatherless children, Dr. Oswald Smith wrote the poem, “God Understands and Cares.”

Said the Psalmist, “Sing for joy on beds of pain.” He understands and cares!

Prayer: How grateful we are Lord for the assurance of Your presence and peace, even when life seems senseless. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 149:5b Sing for joy on beds of pain.

Finding Beauty

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” is a very familiar saying. If we think about that saying for just a moment, it seems to suggest that there are two parts to beauty: the ones trying to make themselves beautiful and the ones who judge the outcome.

The latest information on the amount of money that is spent on beauty enhancing items is staggering:

Total cost of products worldwide: $426 billion.
Total cost in America: $33.3 billion.
Total cost per person in America: $15,000.

Some might say, “What a complete waste.” Someone else would probably say, “They should have spent much more.” And a third might say, “It didn’t make any difference no matter what they spent, so what’s the reason for spending the money to look better? Why the effort?”

But the Psalmist said, “He crowns, and beautifies, the humble with salvation.”

God can take a heart that is stained and soiled with sin and cleanse it from all impurities and make it beautiful. “Wash me,” cried one Psalmist, “and I will be whiter than snow.”

God can take the damage caused by sin, and the marks left from discouragement and depression and erase their marks, remove every tear and bring hope to our eyes, erase lines of guilt and put the joy of salvation on our faces. Jesus made an important promise when He said, “My peace I give unto you - not as the world gives peace” through false promises, and praise.

God can take a sin-scarred life and fill it with His glory and radiance. "Set me free from my prison," said the Psalmist. And we respond, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!”

Prayer: Only You, Father, can save us from sin, ourselves and the insanity of this world. Come quickly and help us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 149:4b He crowns, and beautifies, the humble with salvation.