Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Sorrowful Days

Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain
you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalm 55:22

Who has not learned that our most sorrowful days are
frequently our best? The days when our face is full 
of smiles and we skip easily through the soft meadow 
God has adorned with spring flowers, the capacity of 
our heart is often wasted.

The soul that is always lighthearted and cheerful 
misses the deepest things of life. Certainly that has 
its reward and is fully satisfied, but the depth of its 
satisfaction is very shallow. Its heart is dwarfed, and 
its nature, which has the potential of experiencing the 
highest heights and the deepest depths, remains 
undeveloped. And the wick of its life burns quickly to 
the bottom, without ever knowing the richness of 
profound joy.

Remember, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn."
(Matt 5:4) Stars shine the brightest during the long dark 
night of winter. And the gentian wildflowers display their 
fairest blooms among the nearly inaccessible heights of 
mountain snow and ice.

God seems to use the pressure of pain to trample out the 
fulfillment of His promises and thereby release the 
sweetest juice of His winepress. Only those who have
known sorrow can fully appreciate the great tenderness
of the "man of sorrows." (Streams in the Desert)

Reader, I want to share the sorrows of our brothers
and sisters in many parts of the world.

2016 was the worst year yet for Christian persecution
There are 21 countries where 100% of Christians
      experience persecution.
1,329 churches were destroyed
In one nation a suspected Christian will be executed on
      the spot even by rumor--no trial.
In one African country the killing of Christians went
      up by 62%

Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters.
It is not going away--until Jesus takes us all home.



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