“For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.” – Psa. 33:21

The root of faith produces the flower of heart-joy. We may not at the first rejoice, but it comes in due time. We trust the Lord when we are sad, and in due season He so answers our confidence that our faith turns to fruition, and we rejoice in the Lord. Doubt breeds distress, but trust means joy in the long run.  

The assurance expressed by the psalmist in this verse is really a promise held out in the hands of holy confidence. Oh, for grace to appropriate it. If we do not rejoice at this moment, yet we shall do so, as surely as David’s God is our God.

Let us meditate upon the Lord’s holy name that we may trust Him the better and rejoice the more readily. He is in character holy, just, true, gracious, faithful, and unchanging. Is not such a God to be trusted? He is all wise, almighty, and everywhere present; can we not cheerfully rely upon Him? Yes, we will do so at once and do so without reserve. Jehovah-Jireh will provide; Jehovah-Shalom will send peace; Jehovah-Tsidkenu will justify; Jehovah-Shammah will be forever near; and in Jehovah-Nissi we will conquer every foe. They that know Thy name will trust Thee; and they that trust Thee will rejoice in Thee, O Lord. – Faith’s Checkbook

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

” And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. ” – Gen. 42:36

Things are not always as they appear. Sometimes, to be protected, valuable items are packaged in ways that their value cannot be seen. In certain cases that can be safer than a safe. Even so in life there are times when our natural eye cannot see the true value of things. The Tabernacle is an example. It was covered with badger skins, hiding the gold within. Even when we think of Christ it is said, “…. he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. ” – Isa. 53:2. All this reminds us that we greatly err if we judge only by the outward appearance. Even so, some of our greatest blessings come to us with the appearance of something undesirable.

Sometimes what seems to be trash is treasure. Just as Paul found a treasure in his thorn we can sometimes find great benefit in our burdens. Bad times can be blessed times. Hardships can lead to happiness. Jacob said “all these things are against me” and indeed it seemed that way. It might also appear that way to you at times and in a sense even be true, but God is working behind the scenes. Paul said, ” If God be for us, who can be against us?” – Rom. 8:31. Keeping that in mind will change your outlook on everything. Since God is for us we need not fret about anything. Strictly speaking the whole world can be against you, but it matters not when you know God is for you. Psalm 118:6 “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” 

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” – Rom. 8:28

“Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 1:8)

A few weeks ago I quoted  this brief statement from Charles Spurgeon – “Fear to fear”. Today I want you to consider the entire article from which it was taken. In times like these when so many are troubled by trials we need reminders such as this:

“Whenever fear comes in and makes us falter, we are in danger of falling into sin. Conceit is to be dreaded, but so is cowardice. “Dare to be a Daniel.” Our great Captain should be served by brave soldiers.

What a reason for bravery is here! God is with those who are with Him. God will never be away when the hour of struggle comes. Do they threaten you? Who are you that you should be afraid of a man that shall die? Will you lose your situation? Your God whom you serve will find bread and water for His servants. Can you not trust Him? Do they pour ridicule upon you? Will this break your bones or your heart? Bear it for Christ’s sake, and even rejoice because of it.

God is with the true, the just, the holy, to deliver them; and He will deliver you. Remember how Daniel came out of the lions’ den and the three holy children out of the furnace. Yours is not so desperate a case as theirs; but if it were, the Lord would bear you through and make you more than a conqueror. Fear to fear. Be afraid to be afraid. Your worst enemy is within your own bosom. Get to your knees and cry for help, and then rise up saying, ‘I will trust, and not be afraid.’ “

When God commands us to “fear not” He means what he says and we are duty bound to obey. Refusing to do so makes things worse – the opposite of what we want. Getting the comfort and courage you crave comes from confidence in the God you can trust. – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Rom. 6:23

At this moment the world is greatly affected by a pandemic. And It has totally changed our daily lives. Around the world people are looking for the solution. But, suppose no attention was being given to the Coronavirus. Or, what would you think if no effort was made to deal with problems such as cancer, heart disease, etc.? That would be awful, you say. Yet there is a problem worse than all of these combined and no one seems to care. We ignore man’s biggest problem. So what is this problem?

Take a survey and you will see the the answers are widely varied. Only the Bible gives us the answer and it speaks loud and clear. Man’s biggest problem is sin — sickness of the soul. In one way or another it is the root cause of all the other problems, and it is a problem for which man has no cure. Man has developed a vaccine for polio and treatment for cancer etc., but he is helpless when it comes to the solution for sin. Left to his own devices he is doomed!

Thank God there is hope! God saw man’s depraved state and desperate need and He devised a means to deal with the deadly problem of sin. That means is the man Christ Jesus. Without Him there would be no help and no hope. Through His vicarious death on the cross and His victorious resurrection He has made salvation possible, as a gift to all those who receive it. Now that’s good news!

Suppose they found a cure for every disease, the solution for every social ill that troubles us, an endless supply of resources to sustain us, and even increased life expectancy by a hundred years. What good would that do us when we die? Every person will continue to exist for eternity — either in heaven or hell. Only those who have trusted Christ shall escape the horrors of hell and enjoy the happiness of heaven. If man suddenly found a cure for every virus known to man it would be lauded as a great day. But that would pale in comparison to the glorious gospel of Christ which is “the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” ( Rom. 1:16).

As someone said, “Life is short. Death is sure. Sin is the cause. Christ is the cure.” Indeed He is. Without Him there is no solution to sin.— HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346