Good Morning Thoughts 1-7-09

"For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be is offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for ;my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 1:11 When the Christian Church works for the spread of the Gospel, when we Christians live in such a way that the light of the Gospel shines forth in our lives and that men are drawn to Christ, we will never seek self-praise for this. we do not send men and women to the faraway places of the earth to glorify our church and publish good reports for ourselves. In all that we do for the spread of the Gospel, in every offering we make, there is only the one desire that God's name may be great among us. When we sing praises of Him who loved them and gave His Son for our salvation, when we do this in places where His name was not known before, we know that His name is great among nations. There are times when we see the vision of the prophet fulfilled. Whole nations turn to God and worship Him. But here are also times when long years of faithful work bring only a few souls to the feet of Jesus in faith. There may be much sowing in tears. We cannot always measure such work by human standards. Where the tongues of millions have been silent for centuries the voice of one lone child of God will echo through all the halls of heaven just as loudly as a chorus of a thousand voices. All the angels will sing along. Christian friends, Are you available to God to be used in making His name great to the nations? This mission begins in our homes and in our neighborhoods, but it doesn't stop there. We must work and pray for God's worldwide mission. I hear ten thousand voices singing, Their praises to the LORD on high; Far distant shores and hills are ringing With anthems of their nations' joy. "Praise ye the LORD for He has given To lands in darkness hid his light; As morning rays light up the heaven, His Word has chased away our night. PRAY - O God, who art our Strength and our Rock, make Thy name great among all men. Amen