OzThoughts – Monday, 1st June, 2009

OzThoughts – Monday, 1st June, 2009

I remember a Salvation Army leader telling us, a group of keen young Salvationists, that his father (or maybe it was his grandfather) used to give a lecture on “My God who turn beer into furniture” or a very similar title.

This was in fact, the father’s story of his conversion. He originally was a drunkard who spent all he had on alcohol and who did not provide for his wife and children. After he found Jesus he had a new love for his wife and children and was able to eventually replace the packing cases they used for furniture with good and proper furniture. I imagine there was much more besides that he was now able to provide.

Salvationists do not drink alcohol, so there is a constant saving there. They do not smoke so again there is a saving. We do not buy lottery tickets, or put our lotto numbers entry each week. We do not bet on horses or football or anything else. So there are more savings there. In God’s hands that could be a great lot of furniture!

There are Christians who find a great lot of “furniture” in not spending extravagantly on themselves. They choose “live simply so others can simply live”.

How then, should we live? This is what the Psalmist David says:

Psalm 112:1-10 (The Message)
Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear GOD,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God's grace and mercy and justice!

The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in GOD,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!
Someone wicked takes one look and rages,
Blusters away but ends up speechless.
There's nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.



[Listen: Male Voice: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2116.mp3
or
Brass Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1600.mp3
or
Piano: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1755.mp3 ]

I bring to thee my heart to fill;
I feel how weak I am, but still
To thee for help I call.
In joy or grief, to live or die,
For earth or Heaven, this is my cry,
Be thou my all in all.

Chorus
Christ is all, yes, all in all.
My Christ is all in all.

Around me in the world I see
No joy that turns my soul from thee;
Its honours fade and fall;
But with thee, though I mount the cross,
I count it gain to suffer loss,
For thou art all in all.

I've little strength to call my own,
And what I've done, before thy throne
I here confess, is small;
But on thy strength. O God, I lean,
And through the blood that makes me clean,
Thou art my all in all.

No tempest can my courage shake,
My love from thee no pain can take,
No fear my heart appal;
And where I cannot see I'll trust,
For then I know thou surely must
Be still my all in all.
Authors: Herbert Howard Booth (1862-1926) (verses),
W.H. Williams (chorus)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 489

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