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You may be experiencing a peaceful
time in your walk with the Lord. It is a time like never before to become
spiritually developed for you know not what tomorrow may bring.
A dear housewife and mother by the name of Annie S. Hawks hastily wrote a poem in 1872 entitled - "I Need Thee Every Hour." This is her account of it, taken from the anthology called Amazing Grace - "One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became filled with the sense of the nearness to the Master, and I began to wonder how anyone could ever live without Him, either in joy or pain. Then the words were ushered into my mind and these thoughts took full possession of me." Little did she know that 16 years later on the death of her husband that she would need the comfort that so many were receiving from the inspired words of this great hymn. She wrote again - "I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace." Perhaps you personally have suffered loss recently and you are in need of the comforting touch of the Holy Spirit. You may have suffered the loss of a loved one through death; the death of a vision, dream, or ministry; the death of a close relationship; or the loss of a job or stable income. Or maybe you lost your vigor and health and now suffer from an affliction of some sort. We live in nations that have lost so much because they have turned their back on God. They love pleasure rather than God. Our churches, sad to say, for the most part, have lost the glory or the presence of the Lord because they have gone the way of the world through compromise with Sin. We are a people who are suffering great loss in one way or another. We can relate to Annie Hawks and say whether personally or nationally that the "shadow of a great loss" has fallen our way. What do we do? Who do we turn to in this hour of need? Why don't we take comfort as Mrs. Hawks did in the words that the Holy Spirit gave her so long ago? No matter what the days ahead have for each one of us, there is one thing and one thing alone that is for certain - We need God! We need Him not just on Sunday and Wednesday. We don't just need Him an hour a day in our Quiet Moments set aside to seek Him. As her song states - "I Need Thee Every Hour." Lord. No tender voice like Thine can peace afford." John 16:33 - The Lord Jesus warned us that "...in the world ye shall have tribulation..." But in the midst of it all, He promised us His peace - "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace..." He is well able to give us the light, strength, comfort, support, divine favor, and anointing of the Holy Ghost that we need for He has "overcome the world." We are to "be of good cheer..." We must always keep our hope in Him no matter how pressing or threatening the problems at hand. He will change us and our circumstances as we place out total trust and confidence in Him. He is still the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He is still performing Miracles for those who will believe. Temptations lose their pow'r when Thou art nigh." Every day we are faced with dangers, temptations, perils, persecutions, afflictions, and our own weaknesses to face them all. On the right hand and on the left are Satan's many inducements and enticements to draw the affections of our hearts from Jesus. There are those traps or snares that are set alongside our path, intended to seize upon us, assail us, or hold us fast. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - The Apostle Paul assured us that the temptations at hand are "common to man" - those that our human nature are subject to. We don't have to be overcome by them for "God is faithful." He will supply us with the strength needed to resist them and always offer us a "way of escape" from them - "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Today, take great comfort in God's Word - "God is faithful" - and the words of this song - "Temptations lose their pow'r when Thou art nigh." Oh, do you really believe that? No matter what the sin, habit, or addiction, God can and will deliver you. He is greater than any bondage that Satan may bring your way. It does not matter how many years you have been a slave to Sin. In a moment - the twinkling of an eye - the Lord Jesus can set you free and make you free indeed! Glory to God! That is the Good News of the Gospel! Believe it and receive your deliverance today! Come quickly, and abide, or life is vain." As David mentioned in Psalm 4:1, we need God in our hour of distress - "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer." We need Him to fight our battles for us and protect us against those who would wrong us in any way. He is the "God of righteousness," Who will see that justice is done. Psalm 119:86 - He will help us when lies and false charges are brought against us - "...they persecute me wrongfully; help Thou me." and Thy rich promises in me fulfill. I need Thee every hour, Most Holy One; O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son." As the Apostle John declared to us in John 15:4 -5 - The Lord Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. We cannot bear any spiritual fruit unless we abide in Jesus. He strongly assured us that "without Me ye can do nothing." Acts 17:28 - The Apostle Paul said it this way - "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being..." Take Jesus away from us, and we are but dead men - dry bones, if you will. Hebrews 4:16 - That is why we literally run to the "throne of grace" every hour in order to receive "mercy" or pardon for Sin whenever needed and "grace" - God's strength to keep us from sin - as well as His help, favor, counsel, direction, and support in our various trials and difficulties. He comes to our rescue "in time of need" - every time that He hears our loud cry for help. Oh! Bless His Sweet Name! need Thee! O bless me now, my Savior - I come to Thee!" What a stark contrast this song presents to the words of the Church at Laodicea, spoken of in Revelation 3:17, which "sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..." We must not forget that these were the words not of the ungodly or the wicked. These were the words of a Church - God's redeemed people. In spite of the fact that the Lord Jesus said that "without Me ye can do nothing", they still acknowledged that they had "need of nothing." In spite of the imagery presented, using the Vine and the branches in John 15 which depicts our total dependance on the Lord for those things that pertain to life and godliness, they still boldly declared that they had "need of nothing." How can a Church of the Lord Jesus say such a thing? They made this erroneous statement because they were "rich, and increased with goods." Satan deceived them into thinking that they had it "made in the shade" as a result. What utter blindness! What stupidity! What perversion! So many are praying for Revival to sweep across the globe. However, there will not be a Revival until the Church recognizes the Truth set forth in this simple hymn - "I Need Thee Every Hour." This is the seed of Revival - when men recognize their dire need for God. John 3:30 - As John the Baptist declared so long ago - "He must increase, but I must decrease." Oh! That the Spirit of the Living God would revive this song in our hearts. May we sing it in our homes and in our churches. May we teach its Truths to our children and grandchildren. May we all come to the full realization that we need God - "every hour I need Thee!" Then and only then will the Lord Jesus bless us - "O bless me now, my Savior - I come to Thee! May God Bless His
Word.
Connie |
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