Thought for December 8, 2023

  •  1813: Beethoven's Seventh Symphony premiers with Beethoven conducting
  • 1886: American Federation of Labor [AFL] forms with Samuel Gompers as president
  • 1903: Vladimir and Alexis Korotkov enter service in a monastery. Tortured and killed by the Soviets in 1918.
  • 1915: Poem "In Flanders Fields" published anonymously [John McCrae]
  • 1931: Coaxial cable patented
  • 1941: Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech
  • 1952: First television acknowledgement of pregnancy--"I Love Lucy"
  • 1966: Inspired by Billy Graham, Luis Palau leads his first crusade in Bogota Columbia
  • Born: Horace, Mary Queen of Scots, Eli Whitney, Clinton Bowen Fisk [endowed the university], William Durant [founded GM and Frigidaire], James Thurber, Lee J Cobb, Sammy Davis Jr., Flip Wilson, James Galway, Gregg Alman, Ann Coulter
  • Died: Tris Speaker, Golda Meir, John Lennon, John Glenn, John and Betty Stam [missionaries to China by the Communist for having Christian materials in their home]
On this date in 1649, Martin Rinkart died. A Lutheran pastor in Eilenbeg Saxony during the 30 Year's War. Eilenberg was filled with refugees and surrounded by the Swedish Army. Famine and disease resulted in many deaths including all of the clergy except Martin. He performed as many as 50 funerals a day. He was sent to negotiate with the Swedes and was successful. He wrote "Now Thank We All Our God" as a hymn for the survivors to sing. "Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices; who wondrous things hath done, in Whom this world rejoices. Who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way, with countless gifts of love and still is ours today." Could you sing that song after war, famine, disease and deaths? How much more should we sing His praises.

Thought:
Thinking about Martin Rinkart and praising God this morning, I turned to Revelation 19:1-6--Hallelujah--to joyfully praise God. The chapters leading to Revelation 19 are filled with warfare, wrath, and woes. Chapter 19 is hallelujah. 

What makes you say hallelujah? What causes me to shout, "praise the Lord." Think about the last time you said praise the Lord. 
  • A surgery goes well--praise the Lord.
  • Radiation or chemo treatments are completed---praise the Lord.
  • Grandchild is born---praise the Lord.
  • A baptism--praise the Lord. 
  • The choir leads us in worship--praise the Lord. 
  • Open the Psalms--praise the Lord for His mighty works; praise the name of the Lord; praise the Lord for His holiness, His compassion, His mercy, His grace; praise the Lord for His lovingkindness; praise the Lord for His creation; praise the Lord all the time, everywhere, in every situation.
Now look at Revelation 19--Hallelujah!
  • Salvation, glory and power belong to our God. Think about that. Aren't you glad that salvation and glory and power are under the ownership and authority of our God? Suppose salvation was held by someone who was not holy or good or righteous. What if power was held by someone who was not gracious and merciful and forgiving? We shout hallelujah because our God is the holder of salvation, glory and power---they belong to no one else.
  • His judgements are righteous and true. We say hallelujah because the one who holds salvation, glory and power exercises them with righteousness and truth. He is always the same. There is no darkness in Him---only light. 
  • He avenges the wrongs done to His children. He is my protector, my sufficiency, my provision. He is the Good Shepherd who leads, guides and protects His sheep. 
  • He is the Almighty One. Aren't you glad that God is the Almighty. There is no one more powerful than our God.
  • He reigns--our God reigns. He is King, He is Lord. 
So yes, when I see the sunset tonight or the stars in the sky, I may say Hallelujah. But the first Hallelujah is the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! All the other hallelujahs flow from that truth. 

Blessings
Larry

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