The Love of God (12/9-12)

09-12 December 2015 - The Love of God – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Oh, I pray that this fresh manna will open your heart, mind, and soul to grasp the true love that God has for you as He has to me. Sigh!!! How awesome to experience His loving Word, His Presence!

Question: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Roman 8:35a) Paraphrase: “I am persuaded that ‘nothing’ shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 37-39 See below).

Theme: THE LOVE OF GOD . . . IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.

*Only “in Christ Jesus” has God’s love been manifest, and only in Him do we experience it. Only as we abide in Christ Jesus as “our Lord” can we have the certainty that we will never be separated from God’s love. **If anyone fails in his spiritual life, it will not be from a lack of divine grace and love (v.31-34), nor from external force or overwhelming adversity (v. 35-39), but from his own neglect to remain in Christ Jesus.  [*Commentary from The Full Life Study Bible].

Dorothy: God had already loved us so much that nothing would stop God from ever loving us. Now the next question, what are the things that could make a person give up on God even though God still loves this person very much? I wrote the list of things from KJV, Romans 8:35 to give us the idea. Then NLT from Romans 8:35, 37-39 explained more clear that nothing could keep God from loving us so much through Christ. Then comes the famous song called: The Love of God written by Frederick M. Lehman 1917.

1. Shall tribulation?  When you are going through so much trouble that you felt like you had enough trouble? So you give up with God? Our answer should be “No way.” Why? Because God still loves us. Our troubles doesn’t stop God from loving us. Hallelujah!

2. Or distress?  When you are in deep depression, does this mean that God gave you up because you are feeling depress? The answer is no because God’s love has never left you.

3. Or persecution?  Many Christians of the world are going through persecution. Ivan, the Russian Christian Soldier went through terrible torture yet Ivan knew that God still loved him and Ivan didn’t stop loving God because of torture. What a testimony!

4. Or famine?  Would shortage of food makes a person to give up God? When there’s famine in another world, does it mean God doesn’t love them? No, God still loves them.    

5. Or nakedness?  If a person lack clothing for certain weather like winter, would that make a person to give up God thinking He doesn’t loves this person enough? God’s love is still there. 

6. Or peril?  In time of danger, will we continue to be faithful to God? God’s love for us remain the same. God does not change.

7. Or sword?  We hear stories of Christians being “threatened with death” when they stand up for Christ. Their love for God was very strong because they know in their hearts, God still loves them.

The New Living Translation from Romans 8:35, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’ love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?” v37) No, despite of all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

V38) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. v39) Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 Song: The Love of God

1.      The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin. 

o    Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

2.    When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

3.    Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Frederick Lehman tells us that verse 3 “had been found penciled on the wall of a patient’s room in an insane asylum after he had been carried to his grave.” While it is only supposition that he was the one who adapted the Jewish author’s poem to leave us these well-known lines, if the account is true it shows in any case that he highly esteemed the message.

[From Timeless Truth, Free online library on music]

To You that Overcome (12/5-8)

05-08 December 2015 – To You that Overcome – Poem by Dorothy

Romans 8:37 KJV: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. NCV: But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us.

1. To you that overcome I will give to eat the tree of life.
2. To you that overcome I will give thee a crown of life.
3. To you that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death.
4. To you that overcome I will give to eat of the hidden manna.
5. To you that overcome I will give you a white stone with your new name on it.
6. To you that overcome I will give you power to rule over the nations with a rod of iron.
7. To you that overcome I shall give you clothing in white raiment.
8. To you that overcome I will not blot out your name out of the book of life.
9. To you that overcome I will confess your name before My Father & before His angels.
10. To you that overcome I will make your enemies to come and bow before your feet.
11. To you that overcome I will make your enemies to know that I have loved thee.
12. To you that overcome I will make a pillar in the temple of My God.
13. To you that overcome I will write upon you the name of My God.
14. To you that overcome I will write upon you the name of the city of My God.
15. To you that overcome I will write upon you My new name.
16. To you that overcome I will grant you to sit with Me in My throne,
            Even as I also overcome,
17. I am set down with My Father in His throne.
[Poem written from Revelation 2 & 3 by Dorothy Callies in 1980’s]

What is conquer? The dictionary says: 1. get by fighting; win by war: conquer a country. 2. Overcome by force; defeat; get the better of: conquer an enemy, conquer a bad habit. 3. be victorious; be the conqueror.

Reading from Romans 8:31-39 would give the whole picture of what the key verse of Romans 8:37 was about.  (Manna from 2008 revised to Dec. 5-8, 2015)

Dorothy: Reading this, boy! That is a lot of promises Jesus had already made for us who are overcomers. The same God who knows the number of your hairs … care that much to reward you a lot. That should really encourage us to rejoice in all things and be able to overcome things when they are bad. Just review all the rewards that Jesus has promised us would be enough to sing, “It would be worth it all.”

Song: When We See Christ
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;

One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase,

So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.

[Lyrics & Music: Esther Kerr Rusthoi, Sing His Praise]

Nothing But the Blood (12/1-4)

01 04 December 2015 Nothing But the Blood – Manna by Dorothy C.

Song: Nothing But [except] the Blood  (Music & song by Robert Lowry)

1. What can wash away my sin?-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus: Oh precious is that flow -- That makes me white as snow;
No other fount (way) I know -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my pardon this I see- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing, this my plea-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus: Oh precious is that flow -- That makes me white as snow;
No other fount (way) I know -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin atone-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus: Oh precious is that flow -- That makes me white as snow;
No other fount (way) I know -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness-- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Chorus: Oh precious is that flow -- That makes me white as snow;
No other fount (way) I know -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Christ's Death Takes Away Sins - Hebrews 9:23-28 NCV

23) "So the copies of the real things in heaven had to be made clean by animal sacrifices. But the real things in heaven need much better sacrifices. 24) Christ did not go into the Most Holy Place made by humans, which is only a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself and is there now before God to help us.

25) “The high priest enters the Most Holy Place once every year with blood that is not his own. But Christ did not offer himself many times. 26) Then he would have had to suffer many times since the world was made. But Christ came only once and for all at just the right time to take away sin by sacrificing himself.

27) “Just as everyone must die once and be judged, 28) so Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to take away the sins of many people. And he will come a second time, not to offer himself for sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

(Manna from March 22, 2008 revised for Dec. 1-4, 2015)

Dorothy: Last Sunday, Nov. 27, 2015, Tony preach at First Assembly of God Deaf Church as a “Guest Speaker” and used Roman 3:23 to explain what the ‘short of the glory’ means. The skit was about Eve (Actor: Dorothy) wearing white coat as covering of the glory of God. She ate the fruit and lost her white coat to the floor so ‘all have sinned and all have lost the glory of God.’  Eve wore black shirt to represent her sins. Then Tony preach to where Christ’s blood covered Eve and Tony as Christ put on the red jacket over her black shirt. And then came to the part about Christ’s Robe of Righteousness. 

Tony represents as Christ went to pick up the white jacket from the floor and put it back on to Eve as her covering, but this time it was “Christ’s Robe Righteousness.” Hallelujah! One Deaf asked, “Where does sins go?” Tony picked up the long black shawl and said, “I represent Christ.” Tony put the black shawl over his shoulder. He said, “I had your sins on Me. I took your sins with me to the cross. God’s judgment was on Me, not on you.” Now you have the blood of Christ on you, showing Eve (Dorothy) wearing the red jacket and wore white jack over it. Wow! What a vivid picture!!! 

Then we all sang, “Nothing, But the Blood of Jesus.” Awesome!

He Keeps Me Singing (11/27-30)

27-30 Nov. 2015 - He Keeps Me Singing – Story of Luther Bridgers. Resource from the Devotional book with songs and stories provided by Dorothy Callies.

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing with everlasting joy on their heads . . .” Isaiah 35:10.

Though battered by life, the patriarch Job declared that God is able to give us “songs in the night” (Job 35:10). When the Psalmist, Asaph, felt overwhelmed, he consoled himself with God’s “song in the night” (Psalm 77:6). God is strong enough to keep us singing, even in the night seasons.

North Carolina native Luther Bridgers began preaching at age seventeen while attending Asbury College in Kentucky. Afterward, he developed a reputation as an effective pastor/evangelist/church planter. The Lord gave him a wonderful wife and three precious boys.

In 1910, when Luther was twenty-six and the future seemed bright, he took his family to his wife’s home in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, southwest of Lexington. They were going to stay with her parents while Luther was on a preaching trip.

One evening a nearby neighbor, unable to sleep, rose in the night and glanced out his window. He was horrified to see flames. Racing across the field, he gave the alarm, but by that time the house was fully engulfed. Luther’s in-laws evidently escaped, but his wife and sons perished.*

During the long, slow recovery from overwhelming grief, Luther suffered deep and almost suicidal depression, according to some sources. But he recalled the Bible’s promise of “songs in the night,” and several months later he wrote both the words and the music for this gospel song about God’s ability to keep him singing. Notice how he alludes to his tragedy in verse 4:

         

Though sometimes He leads through waters deep, / Trials fall across the way,

Tho' sometimes the path seems rough and steep, / See His footprints all the way.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

In 1914, Luther married again and became a general evangelist for the Methodist Episcopal Church South, a ministry that kept him occupied for the next eighteen years (with a brief interruption after the World War I when he traveled to Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Russia, doing Evangelist work).

After 1932, he served as pastor in churches in Georgia and North Carolina, and retired in Gainesville, Georgia, in 1945. He passed away in Atlanta in 1948.

 [*Dr. Alfred B. Smith, the “Dean of Gospel Music,” says that Luther himself was at his in-laws that night and had to be restrained by neighbors from re-entering the collapsing inferno.]

Song: He Keeps Me Singing

(Music and Words from Luther B. Bridgers)

1. There’s within my heart a melody, Jesus whispers sweet and low;

“Fear not, I am with thee; peace be still,” In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

2. All my life was wrecked by sin and strife, Discord filled my life with pain,

Jesus swept across the broken strings, Stirred the slumbering chords again.

Chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

3. Feasting on the riches of His grace, Resting ‘neath His sheltering wing.

Always looking on His smiling face, That is why I shout and sing.

Chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

4. Tho’ sometimes He leads through waters deep, Trials fall across my way,

Tho’ sometimes the path seems rough and steep, See His footprints all the way.

Chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

5. Soon He’s coming back to welcome me, Far beyond the starry sky,

I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown, I shall reign with Him on high.

Chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest name I know,

Fills my every longing, Keeps me singing as I go.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand (11/23-26)

23-26 Nov. 2015 – Precious Lord, Take My Hand – Share a story about how Thomas Dorsey obtain this special song. This song is my favorite. 

“I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, 'Fear not; I will help thee.” (Isaiah 41:13)

Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993 - not the famous ball player) has an honored title of 'The Father of Gospel Music', and his music is loved around the world. The journey to this title and fame was a very difficult one.

Thomas loved music. At a very early age, long before his music education at the Chicago College of Composition and Arranging, he was playing piano in a Vaudeville act. After college, he frequented the jazz clubs, gaining quite a reputation as the very talented 'Georgia Tom'.

In 1921, at the age of 22, Thomas gave his life to Jesus. Almost immediately he left the jazz clubs and began writing Gospel music. He took great effort to circulate his musical scores, but it was three long years before anyone started to notice. Little by little his reputation grew, not only as a songwriter but as a church music director.

In 1932 while the now Reverend Dorsey was leading a church service, a man came on to the platform to hand him a telegram - his wife had just died in childbirth. Within 24 hours his newborn baby died also. Thomas quickly spiraled downward into the depths of despair, doubting the goodness of God and determining never to write another hymn.

A week after that horrible, life changing day, Thomas was deep into his grief, sitting alone at a piano, in a friend's music room. Into the room came a heavy peace such as he had never known before. As that peace enveloped him, Thomas felt the urge to play the piano. His fingers found a familiar melody and the words to Precious Lord, Take My Hand began to well up from his heart and to spill out of his mouth. God had given him a song that would not only lift him from despair, but would also change the course of his music career.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand has been translated into more than 40 languages, has been sung by some of the biggest names in Gospel music, including Mahalia Jackson and Elvis Presley, and it was Dr. Martin Luther King's favorite hymn. Reverend Thomas Dorsey went on to write many more hymns, including the famous Peace in the Valley, which when recorded by the Sunshine Boys in 1951, became the first Gospel song recording in history to sell more than one million copies.  

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

“. . . and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:24)

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

Take my hand, precious Lord,

Lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:
Take my hand, precious Lord,

Lead me home.

(Words and Music: Thomas A. Dorsey, 1938,

Hill and Range Songs, Inc.)

[Resource from sharefaith.com/stories and songs]

Victory is Mine (11/20-22)

20-22 November 2015 - Victory is Mine – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Song: Victory is Mine

Victory is mine, victory is mine,
Victory, today is mine.
I told Satan, get thee behind,
Victory, today is mine.

Healing is mine, healing is mine,
healing, today is mine.
I told Satan, get thee behind,
Healing, today is mine.

Jesus is mine, Jesus is mine,
Jesus, today is mine.
I told Satan, get thee behind,
Jesus, today is mine.
[Song collection, author unknown]

Let God fight your battle for you and defeat the attack of illness.
"The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation [healing]; He is My God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name". Exodus 15:2-3 NKJV

Exodus 15:1-18 - Then sang Moses … This song. This song celebrates God’s victory at the Red Sea over Egyptian powers. It is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God for His majesty, military might, and faithfulness to His people. [The Commentary said:] The deliverance out of Egypt foreshadows and prophesies the victory of God’s people over Satan and the antichrist during the last days; hence one of the songs of the redeemed is called the “song of Moses” is found in Rev. 15:3.

John: “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand at the sea of glass, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints” (Rev. 15:2-3 KJV).

What does this mean? The story of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt and their victory over the horse and his rider God has thrown them into the sea (Ex. 15:21); should encourage us to trust God that the future prophesies that God would give “them” the victory over Satan and the antichrist during the last days. This helps me to realize who God is . . . A Victor God, a Winner! And who is “them”?

That’s another issue of those who went through the tribulation time and they had victory over the beast, victory over his image, victory over his mark, and victory over the number of his name. They that had gotten victory stood at the sea of glass, having harps of God, singing … and this is the prophecy! This means it hasn’t happen yet, but it will be some day!

Prayer: Oh dear Abba, thank You for Word to renew our inner man day by day, learning to trust in You, Father. Thank You for Jesus and thank You for Holy Spirit to help us through in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen! (2008 Manna revised for Nov.  20-22, 2015)

He Looked Beyond My Fault (11/17-19)

Song: He Looked Beyond My Fault
Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise,
For it was grace that bought my liberty;
I do not know just why He came to love me so,
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary
To view the cross where Jesus died for me;
How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul!
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
[Song by Dottie Rambo, Londonderry Air]

God's Word says: "I will give them a crown to replace their ashes, and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow, and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness. Then they will be called Trees of Goodness, trees planted by the Lord to show his greatness.
Isaiah 61:3 NCV

"... to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3 KJV

Psalm 37:24
KJV: though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
AMP: Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.

What are you going through? I would sing that song; quote God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to make intercession for those who are going through a very rough time.  There’s power in prayer, in unity, in love and a heartfelt spirit.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Abba, thank You for that marvelous grace that You have caught our falling soul. You looked beyond our faults and saw our needs. And You lifted us up into the higher ground and set us free to love You with all our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

[Manna from 2008 revised for Nov. 17-19, 2015 Manna]