"Will The Angels Let Me Play?"

Some years ago, I won't say how many, when I was a young girl, my mother taught me a song and it has been one that I have thought of and sung a lot since mother taught it to me. It goes like this:

"In a yard, where children
were playing games, one day,
A little tot so lonely
was watching wistfully.
It seemed so hard,
she could not play,
as other children do.
They said that she
would spoil the games
and was a baby,too.
Her tender heart is breaking,
for they won't let her play,
and as she goes to mama,
she murmurs plaintively,

"Mama, when I go to heaven,
Will the angels let me play,
Just because I am so little,
Will they say, 'I'm in the way?'
Here the children never want me,
I'm a bother they all say.
When I go to heaven, mama,
Will the angels let me play?

That night when all was silent,
The angels came that way,
And took the little darling,
Whose sweet lips seem to say,

Mama, when I go to heaven,
Will the angels let me play,
Just because I am so little,
Will they say, I'm in the way,?
Here the children never want
Me, I'm a bother, they all say,
When I go to heaven,Mama,
will the angels let me play"?

(Fred E. Gladdish / W.L. Werden/ George Morgan)

Have you ever felt like you didn't belong to a certain group or some of your family, or friends? It really cast a shadow over your ego and you were ready to 'throw in the towel,' and go in a different direction?

Well, I have news for you. You don't need to despair. All that is needed is, "A Little Talk With Jesus, makes it right alright". That happens to be a song, as I recall, in a hymn book we used earlier in some of our hymn sessions at church.

So go to your Bible and read Matthew 11:28=30, Where Jesus tells us: "Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and come follow me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light"

He will give you comfort and He will enjoy your company.

This website has alternative lyrics.

Frustrations

Feeling defeated, or thwarted, according to Webster. In Psalm 119, verse 143, we read these words:

"Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; yet thy law is the truth." So the Psalmist also found that some of the path of life has some spots that make us feel defeated or thwarted.

Recently, I came to a spot in my path that put me into an anxious mood. It was difficult to see any way out. So for a couple days I pondered the problem. Those days were blighted by the shadow of defeat.

My daughter in Michigan was wanting me to come to her house for a few days. She lives in Michigan, about 9 hours from here. Of course I wanted to go, but I would not want to drive that distance alone. I had church activities I needed to attend to, I have a house to care for. I have a little puppy that needs my attention. I needed to go to Medi-lab for blood work. Then I would have a Dr's. appointment later on. Everything was piling up on me and I couldn't see my way out.

A time of frustration was taking hold upon me. What do we do in that desperate time?

Look at the rest of the verse we quoted at the beginning of this incident. It tells us, "yet thy law is the truth". What law is this? It is the Word of God.....after the anxiety, pondering; and not knowing what to do, we turn to the Word and our frustrating world changes. We look to another verse which gives us the "TRUTH". Look at Psalm 55: 22 and find there, "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.", and "Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you.!"

So that care was demonstrated to me, when my daughter called and said that it would not work out to come at this time. Does God care for us? Oh, yes, my friend. At that moment when I was so frustrated, He took over and caused plans to change, and my worries, were taken away.

Do you know Him well enough to discover that He cares for you too? I pray you do.

"Does Jesus care, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief!"

Love

EASTER is almost here. What better example of LOVE than that of the reason we celebrate Easter? As Jesus died on the cross, the Father's LOVE for a sinful world spoke loudly to the world. The scripture: John 3:16,"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life" voiced the magnitude of the Father's love, for He gave His only Son to give His life for all who would take Him at His word and receive Him.

Perhaps we should delve into the explanation of LOVE. In another scripture, we are given the true picture of what LOVE is: Check out 1 Corinthians 13. The first 3 verses tell us what love is not, i.e., a special tongue, voice of prophecy, a knowledge of mysteries, intellect, all faith, supplying the poor to meet their needs, sacrifice our bodies, all these services are of no avail, if we have not LOVE. Turn the coin over and this is LOVE! long suffering, kindness, without envy, pride, or selfishness. LOVE is not easily provoked, and thinketh no evil.

1 Corinthinas 13 goes on to describe love: "It rejoiceth in the truth; Bears all things; trusts, believeth all things,hopeth all things, and last but not least, endureth all things." And this LOVE never faileth...All else will not hold a candle to LOVE, another "STEP TO SECURITY!. We are going higher each time we take a step and add these steps to our daily Christian growth. "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you!" Luke 11:9.

Are you climbing with us the STEPS to SECURITY?

Obedience

We have begun climbing the ladder of "Steps to Security" with An Open Heart and Faith. We have climbed 2 steps. There are a few more steps to go.

As I think of the steps that go down to my basement, I am reminded that each step is not the same height. One especially is a little deeper than the others. Sometimes this makes using the steps a little difficult, and that one step causes me to stumble or slow up. I believe this true as we climb the "STEPS to SECURITY". The step we are going to climb now are just like that one basement step. It is difficult and will take much strength to scale it, but it can be done.

The step we want to build now is, "OBEDIENCE". As we have allowed Jesus to gain entrance into our heart, we have been given "FAITH" to accept all He has for us. Now we are cleansed and purified, and He is going to work in and through us to spread the gospel to others and we are going to be an encouragement to them also. He will be asking us to work for Him and when that happens our responsibility is to be obedient.

Now to understand obedience, let me give you a simple illustration. I have a little puppy, whose name is Teddy. He has learned to have devotions with me. When I am ready, I will say to him, "Teddy, let's have devotions," or I might add, "I am going to read to you". The other day, I was ready but Teddy was not. He was playing with his ball that he dearly loves. He was intent on having fun. As I called and said we would have devotions, he was rolling his ball across the floor. When he heard me speak, he hesitated for a moment as if he were deciding whether he would do as I asked, or go ahead and play ball. It was so cute. He chose to turn around and head for the couch where I would be sitting to read to him and left his ball lying there on the floor.

Teddy obeyed my request and he came over to the couch, jumped upon it and laid there to have devotions. This is "OBEDIENCE." This is difficult because it causes us to leave something we care for and thus we have made a difficult choice, but the rewards are overwhelming. In our walk with the Lord Jesus, we must make difficult choices so that we will please Him. As we obey His requests we will please Him, but we also have been abundantly blessed. In Matthew 19: 21 these words are written: "Jesus saith unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Matthew 19 verse 29: "And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

Yes, it may be difficult, just like the basement step, but once the act is completed, we reap a bundle of blessings. The song writer gave us some encouragement when he wrote, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"

May you take the step of obedience now and find an abundant blessing.

My Trip to the Philippines

CLICK HERE to listen to my testimony about my recent missions trip to the Philippines.

This is me blogging from my grandson's kitchen.

Faith

Today, we continue building the ladder containing, "Steps to Security." Our first step was, "An Open Heart". And step #2, becomes, "Faith". What do you have as you lift your arm to turn on the switch that will send a burst of light into a darkened room? What emotion/feeling do you have as you place your tired body into your comfortable recliner? What do you show as you sit at a table and place objects on that table? As you turn the key in the ignition of your favorite vehicle before you start to move? All of these instances express a trust that the end result will be proper action so you can proceed with your plans. You have trusted something to perform properly to the intent of its purpose. In each instance you have placed your trust/faith in the result of correct function. What does the Bible tell us about Faith? Look at Hebrews, the 11th chapter and there you will find these words,Hebrews 11:l "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Since "security" shapes us for eternity in heaven, we must produce "faith" in a Saviour Who fits us for heaven. And also in Hebrews 11:6, we read these words, "But without Faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." How do we receive Faith? "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17 How about your Faith? Is it working? It is free:
yours for the asking. May God increase the faith you have.

An Open Heart

Our heart is the core of our being! It is out of our heart that our inmost person evolves. Our words, our actions, our thoughts, desires, wishes, and hopes come into being out of the abundance of the heart. So much of our life depends on the condition of our heart. Therefore we must focus on keeping our heart in good condition. Are we capable of doing that? Where do we go for help? Somewhere that will be able to aid us as we work on opening our heart to a life of security. Our answer sends us to money? Fame? Fortune? Another country? As necessary as these may seem or we would use for security, these will not lead us to the peace and joy that a secure person has found. And by the way, why look for security? And what security do we have in mind? All of us were created by God to be a part of His pleasure and His kingdom, but He has set up some standards for those who make up His kingdom and are secure for ETERNITY!!!! LIFE EVERMORE!!! We are certain to spend all of eternity in one of 2 places--HEAVEN, Or HELL!!!! And God's Kingdom is only for those who have an open heart and allowed the Lord Jesus to take His place there and live there always!!!!! So is your heart open to the Presence of The Lord Jesus? In 1 Samuel 16:7 "But the Lord said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or the height of his stature (speaking of the choice of a king), because I have refused him: For the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart."

An open heart will allow God's piercing eyes to erupt all inside and cleanse it to His pleasure, and we have accomplished the FIRST STEP to SECURITY!!!!!!!