God's Minute

January 5

O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever.--Ps. 30:12

OUR Eternal FAther, we thank Thee that Thou hast brought us into the close and loving relationship of children, by the death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Saviour, through Whom we are adopted into Thy divine family and become Thy children.

We thank Thee that Thou Who was the Creator of all men hast brought unto Thine own family those who accept the love and sacrifice of Thy dear Son. We thank Thee that Thou dost share with us not only our sorrows, but our joys; that Thou art delighted when life delights us, and when virtue and faithfulness lead us to higher levels of thought and purpose.

We thank Thee for Thy Holy Word, and pray that our faithfulness in studying it may result in spiritual growth and development. May we "hunger and thirst after righteousness" and after the food of Thy Word. May we never dare to enter upon the duties of a single day without the nourishment and support of the Word of God!

Bless, we pray Thee, all who are dear to us, and give to us all an interpretation of friendship which centers in our divine Friend and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We ask it in His Holy Name.

Amen.

John Timothy Stone, D.D.,
Chicago, Illinois

Stepping Heavenward

The first book of 2006 just might be the most formative. Stepping Heavenward is the journal of a woman and tells the story of her Christian journey in sanctification and growth in grace and truth.

Katy's first entry is made on January 15, 1831, her 16th birthday, and so begins the tale of her life, her new life in Christ, her struggles with faith and doctrine, her marriage, her children--the stuff of which life consists. The last entry is on June 30, 1858, so it covers over 25 years of her life. The people that God placed in her life to help her are as memorable as Katy, herself.

As I read through Katy's experiences, I could identify so strongly with her feelings and emotions! Some of her struggles were of a different nature than mine, others I struggle with as well, but regardless, her responses and the lessons learned are so amazingly similar. The work of sanctification is a journey--sometimes two steps forward and one step back (or one step forward and two steps back!) and yet it is Christ who sanctifies us in His providential timing and in His wise, judicious ways and, therefore, we can rest as we struggle onward, Stepping Heavenward.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you! It is published by Lamplighter Publishing and is part of their Rare Collector's Series.

Thanks to my friend, Carol, for recommending and lending it to me. I will be getting my own copy, for this is a book that I will want to read, in full and in part, as I continue to Step Heavenward.

Stepping Heavenward
Mrs. E. Prentiss
Lamplighter Publishing, 1997
Waverly, PA
A Division of Cornerstone Family Ministries

God's Minute

January 4

Keep yourselves in the love of God.--Jude 21

O THOU Eternal Love, Whom Jesus has taught us to call our Father, and in Whom we are learning to trust as our Brother, our Comrade, our Closest Friend, we are not seeking Thee, for we know that Thou art nearer to us every moment than we are to ourselves; we are only wishing and hoping that often, through this day, the thought of Thy nearness to us, of Thy presence with us, may spring into our consciousness, that we may see what Thou art showing us, and know what Thou art telling us, and be ready to take what Thou art giving us, and to do what Thou art bidding us. Help us to feel more than once today that the good thoughts and the good wishes which we find in our hearts are signs of Thy presence there; and may we learn to look for Thee thus, within our own lives, and to rejoice when we find Thee there, and so to become aware, more and more, of what we mean when we speak of the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit! We know that Thou art working in us to will and to do of Thy good pleasure; and we know that Thou findest Thy good pleasure in lives made fruitful and beautiful in Thy service. So help us to work with Thee, this day and every day, though Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Washington Gladden, D.D., LL.D.,
Columbus, Ohio

A blurrrrr

Fifteen years gone by in a blurr of energy, laughter, and joy! You bring so much life and fun to our family! Happy 15th birthday, Sam! Next birthday we'll have a picture of you driving!

God's Minute

January 3

Make His praise glorious.--Psalm 66:2

O GOD, our gracious Father, we look to Thee now for Thy benediction. We are Thy suppliant children, who subsist under the cover of Thy patience. We praise Thee for all Thine extraordinary mercies. Thou hast made us like Thyself in the desire and in the capacity for fellowship. May fellowship with Thee be the basis and supreme blessing of our fellowship with each other. May flowers of devotion breathe their fragrance every day upon the family altar. Teach us how to be abased and how to abound. Keep our feet from unbidden paths, and our eyes from tears; or if the tears must come, let the Comforter come as well, that He may wipe them all away. Temper to us the long night watches of pain and sorrow. If weeping endure for a night, bring joy in the morning; and when the long afternoon shadows deepen toward the eventide of this earth's life, bring us very gently to the turn of the road from whence we may catch the vision of the home eternal. May this our present habitation be a promise and a foretaste of the house which has foundation whose builder and maker is God. Help us in our social joys and pleasures to remember Thee. Grant us all to face all life's tasks bravely, and perform then earnestly. And bring us in the end with joyful hearts and glad faces to abide wtih Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Charles F. Wishart, D. D.,
Chicago, Illinois