Message from the Monthly Flyer September 2017

Strong pillars = strong families

Isaiah 49:16 - NKJV - See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.

Proverbs 14:26 - ESV - In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Hold fast to God's unchanging hand (as the song goes...). These words came to me during our recent visit to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. As we walked the old, magnificent city wall of Dubrovnik, you could see the ruins and devastation of what the war left behind, but you could also see the beauty of God's handy work. The Adriatic Sea stretched beyond eyesight. As it's majestic waves crashed against the city walls, I was reminded of God's steady hand in my family’s life.

His hand is unchanging, unwavering, and His hand is a pillar of safety in the time of trouble (Ps. 20:6-9). When we hold tightly to the hand of the Lord, we never have to be afraid! (Gen. 15:1 & Ps. 27:3-6) The Lord will never lead us astray! He promises never to leave us or forsake us! The hand of the Lord is a light that will lead and guide us to eternity (Ps. 27:1, Ps. 27:13-14, Deut. 31:6 & Heb 13:5)!

As I held onto my daughter’s hand that afternoon, my reach was not long enough to hold her. I felt my grip loosen from her hand. Fear gripped my heart, the cliff was steep and the wall so tall. In that moment, the Lord gently reminded me how powerful his hands are. His reach is never too short. His grip is never too loose. In His hands we find safety, peace, comfort, joy, protection and love! His hand stretches to the highest mountain and reaches deep into the lowest valley. As we travel life's uncertain journey, there will be narrow steps, steep hills to climb, giant leaps to take and rocky roads to walk, but through it all, the steady hand of God is what will lead us (Ps. 139:10). During the uncertain times in this journey, He is the everlasting pillar that we can lean on (Ps. 94:22, Ps. 61:3).

If we, through the pillars of love and obedience, hold on to godly principles, our families are safe in the hands of the Lord. Through the pillars of faithfulness to the house of God and the Word of God our families can weather any storm. The time we have to build apostolic pillars in our children's lives is so short.

We must take purposeful and daily steps to build pillars of prayer, sound doctrine, righteousness, holiness, faithfulness, love for the Word of God, obedience and integrity in their young hearts. Our hands will not always be there to guide our children along the cliffs and valleys of life but the pillars we help them build through doctrinal teachings and godly examples will sustain them through every circumstance they face. As a family, we must build our pillars on things that are eternal (Ps. 62:7). There is no doubt ... when we build strong pillars ... we will build strong families! sr

Hold fast to God's unchanging hand
Verse 1
Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Refrain:
Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Verse 2
Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling.

Verse 3
Covet not this world’s vain riches
That so rapidly decay,
Seek to gain the heav’nly treasures,
They will never pass away.

Verse 4
When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.