“The Gift” ~ Dr. Tom Milam

This poem is published in Dr Milam's Volume 2 of his 4 Volume set of Poetry

“The Gift”

                                                 
It’s amazing what a gift will do;

A gift will cheer you when you’re blue.

A gift can say, “I love you so,”

Or, “Oh, I dread to see you go!”

A gift says, “ Glad to see you again!”

“It’s so good to see you, “ or” where have you been!” 

A gift can soothe ones’ aching pain;

And bring brightness after a gloomy rain.

A gift, like a rainbow, reminds us still;

That it’s the giver that wants a void to fill.

The gift-—there’s hardly a doubt about it

It would be so sad to live without it. 

A gift sure does excite and lifts our hearts to

Unspeakable heights.

A gift brings warmth—wide eyes and charms,

And we’re delightfully surprised as we reach out our arms.

A gift is good for fathers and mothers;

Also brings joy to sisters and brothers. 

 A gift can even bring better relations;

Because a gift is what you are to your congregations.

Gifts we love and gifts we crave;

Will we give ourselves, that a soul would be saved?

 

 A gift has no certain language;

And many times a life it will salvage.

  

Try not to make an issue of the cost of it all;

Because when it’s given from the heart, your account can’t fall

In heaven you’re laying up treasure.

You see, a servant’s reward is that above measure. 

One more reminder to give your flesh a rift;

And at the same time, give your spirit a lift!  

You’re given to others—so that makes you a gift. 

  Evangelist Tom Milam  

 

Tom & Linda Milam 

Missionaries to America

Phil. 2:16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

How To Have Victory over Discouragement and Depression ~ Dr. Tom Milam

February 5, 2018
1st published 9/26/11 ~ HTMilam

HOW TO HAVE VICTORY OVER DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION!
(IT’S SIMPLE BUT NOT EASY!) ~ Dr. Tom Milam

Our devotion for you today – was inspired and the direct result of our devotions this morning after reading from a devotion by Dr. Tom Wallace – we hope it will be a help and a blessing to you!  God Bless!

1Cor. 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Though the Bible teaches us how to be overcomers, there is still much Doubt, Discouragement, Depression, and Defeat among Christians.  These things cause us to do strange things. 

1.  We will think wrong thoughts:  a) Like John the Baptist in prison, doubting if Jesus is really the Messiah, or should they look for another!  b) Then Mary and Martha sadly told Jesus had he been there their brother would not have died.

2.  We will do wrong things:  a) Moses, who smote the rock in the wilderness, rather than speak to it like God commanded.

3.  We will say wrong things: a) Like Job, (Job 3:3) “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.”  Resenting the day he was born.

4.  We pray wrong prayers:  Elijah prayed for God to take his life.

5.  People see wrong things: Like the ten spies sent into Canaan, who saw giants and themselves as small as grasshoppers.

6.  Others go to wrong places:  a) Like Jonah, fleeing away from God and his responsibility.  b)  And Elijah under a Juniper tree.

          Now hear the words of the Lord – (2 Cor. 2:14) “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

          Remember Christ is the answer to DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION!  In Him there is victory for every need. 

 

We love and appreciate all of our families, friends, supporters.  May God richly bless you.  Keeping our focus on him will help to diminish the very realness of discouragement and depression. 

Tom  & Linda Milam

Your Missionaries to America
Phil. 2:16

A True Story from A "Dear" Saint of God! ~ LKMilam

February 3, 2018

First published on September 30 ^th 2010

Longpoint Baptist Church,

Anawalt WV

A True Story from A "Dear" Saint of God!

 

As Tom and I drove up to the church, which sits high above a creek facing the front door, my eye was immediately drawn to a dear saint of God who had made a point of coming to the revival every night.  She is escorted by her son, who helps her up a great flight of stairs.  She struggles as her age is great and her infirmities are many.  I was impressed by the fact that she still used the stairs even though the Church had installed an elevator because their congregation was mostly aged and many of the people could not climb the stairs to enter this sweet old church, their home.  Yet she wanted to enter using the stairs.  My curiosity was spurred.  She had shared with me that she didn’t want to “give up” and use the elevator; what an inspiration to us all.  I had spent some time visiting with her at the first part of the week, but meeting so many people I couldn’t remember her name. 

 

As I walked through the doors I could see her being seated where she had sat each night of the meeting.  There she was fourth row up from the back on the left, at the end of the pew.  As I approached her to shake her hand, she held out her arms for a hug.  She greeted me like I was her daughter, instead of the Evangelist Preachers wife.  As we hugged, she whispered sweetly in my ear that she had been praying for me and that she would continue to pray for me as we finished out the meeting and went our way.  She drew back and as I looked into her faded eyes, I saw her smile, love, and sincerity in her eyes.  Instantly I wondered, would I look like that when I turned 80 years old? Sweet, loving, kind and caring?  It was just a flash thought for she continued our conversation asking how my doctors’ visit had gone.  I shared with her what I could in the short time we had, letting her know we were still waiting on some tests results.  I was impressed that she remembered, and said so.  She let me know that when God puts someone on your mind and heart, it is hard to forget!  She told me she had gone for some blood work herself, that day, and would be going back to the doctor on Monday, and asked me to pray for her. She didn’t seem overly concerned. 

The entire time we were talking, she never stopped smiling.  How beautiful her smile and her face was, although drawn with many lines. How impressed I was with that.  She told me I had such a beautiful smile and she asked me if I had any children.  Her precious wrinkled face, worn with the cares of her world and her poor health, showed such peace and love and interest.  I could see she was comfortable in herself and her relationship with the Lord was very obvious each time she spoke.  A love and devotion to the Lord who had provided for her and took care of her every need, yes, she was happy. I told her about our daughters and grandchildren and as I spoke my eyes began to tear.  I miss my family, I told her, but am so blessed to be used of God in my husband’s ministry.  She smiled at me sweetly and said she understood how I felt and then asked if she could tell me a story.

 She shared that she was a diabetic and had been one for nearly 48 years from the onset having to take insulin shots.  As her story unfolded, I wondered, how people can take it.  Forty-eight years she battled this disease.  She didn’t complain, I was complaining for her.  She said that when the doctor gave her the diagnosis, she went home to her husband and five beautiful children believing her life was ending.  She handed her car keys and drivers license to her husband and told him the “sad” news.  She was giving up.  She said that her dear, precious, husband looked her in the eye and said, “Look around you, what do you see?”  She said she did that, seeing her children gathered around her in fear and her husband with a determined look on his face.

“You are not leaving us! So get yourself together and we will fight this battle together.”  Today, her children are grown, grandchildren and great-grandchildren now gather around this dear saint on special occasions.   She is blessed!  Her husband of 61 years, who recently went home to be with the Lord, had stood by her side and took care of his precious wife through thick and thin.  She told me tonight that she didn’t know it at the time, but later realized he knew his time was short.  I asked her if she lived alone and she said that some people think so, but in every turn of her home she sees the loving hand and care her husband left her.  A legacy she called it, something that she is thankful for everyday.  She told me that we all make footprints in life, leaving behind something for every person we come in contact with.  The most important of course is our own loved ones.   She told me that although she and her husband had raised their children to serve the Lord, they weren’t all being obedient to the Father.  It broke their heart, but they had turned them over to the Lord and trusted Him to deal with whatever was going on in their lives and the lives of their children and husbands and wives.  She told me I may have to be parted from my loved ones for a time but God had a way of making sure all would be all right.  Now my tears began to drop from my eyes and she took my hand.  All she said was, “Linda, God will make it all right, don’t worry.”  She doesn’t know me from anyone, yet I felt as if I had known her all my life.  She was the encouragement I needed at that moment. She gave me the hug and sweet kiss that I had hungered for and didn’t have and needed from a fellow mother and wife.  I thank God for people who are obedient to the Lord and the Holy Spirits nudging to be an encouragement to others.

She continued her story, wanting me to know what a blessing her dear husband was to her.  She recalled there were many times when she could not raise herself out of a chair, or make her way down the hall or out of the bathroom without assistance, and yes walk up the flight of stairs in front of their church.  He was there for just a hand to lean on or an arm to pull herself up on.  Her husband was always there.  She spoke of how she took it for granted that he would be there, as she would reach her hand out, his was always there to take hers and help her in any way needed.  Now he was gone. 

After the funeral services and all the family had left, she was alone in that house her sweet husband had built and provided for her.  She sat in her favorite chair recalling the time God had given them together thanking Him for the life she had lived with him.  The longer she sat, she knew, would be more agony to rise, and her husband’s sweet hand was gone from her forever.  She began to ease out on the front of the chair and realized that a different table had been put near.  It had a rung on it that just fit her hand.  The table was braced against the wall and she realized it would hold her weight.  She pulled herself up and was able to begin her journey down the long hall to the bathroom.  As she walked down the hall, she gripped a handrail that her husband had put there a year or so prior to that time.  She had never used it, for she had his sweet hand to guide and support her.  She made her way to the bathroom, making herself ready for bed.  Again two rails in that room were of the utmost help to her, making her realize they had been there for a while but she had never needed them for her husband had always been there. 

The story continued through the bedroom, the kitchen and in other various places throughout the house.  She realized he was still with her in more ways than just being in her heart and mind.  He had provided for her in so many ways even after his homegoing.  His hand which had carved the railings and the table and all those things in the house was still the hand she reached for.  Then, she compared her entire story to Jesus.  He was always there but until she took Him for her personal Savior, until she reached out for His already outstretched hand, He couldn’t help her and all of His provisions were not made known.  Once she placed her hand, heart, and life in His, who saved her from a devil's hell, she could now say that through her entire life, Christ had provided for her and still was.

It was time for church, and as she squeezed my hand of which she had held between hers during this entire time, she told me she loved me.  My husband tells me that every day, shows me in so many ways it would take a book to tell you how blessed I am; but she a stranger said those words and I knew they were meant from the heart.  I will see her at the meeting tonight, I will share this that I have written, for she was a tremendous need and blessing when I needed it the most.

Then Toms message.  “His Grace Is Sufficient” – I was stirred and blessed by the Word of God, reminded that no matter the need, God will provide “sufficient grace”.

God is good all the time, and everywhere! 

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 

 

I Am Grateful ~ LKMilam

January 24, 2018

I Am Grateful!

Revelation 4:10-11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

When I think of where we have been and where we could have been, we are so thankful we are where we are. God has been so good to us and we are ever so thankful in knowing that our children and 

ALL of our grandchildren AND great grandchildren are saved and on their way to Heaven. There is nothing more we ask.

God has blessed us with this knowledge - and no matter where they have been, could have been, or where they are today - that cannot change. We long for the day when we cast our crowns at His feet and know we have forever to thank Him.

We are truly blessed.  Thank you for listening, watching, following, praying, and supporting us in any way. 

Tom & Linda Milam
Missionaries to America
Phil. 2:16

PART TWO ~ "She hath done what she could:. . ." ~ Dr. Tom Milam

January 24, 2018
PART TWO

“She hath done what she could:. . .”  ~ first published in Dr. Milam's book, "Beside Still Waters" 

(Second) There are enough professing Christians in the world right now, if they would get busy right now, this whole country would shake in its boots- if we would love the Lord like we claim, and want to do nothing but bring honor, and praise to him. 

 

Third) Only about Five percent of any church has ever lead a soul to Christ.  Winning soul is like winning the super bowl every time someone walks the aisle of a church; or is saved in a hospital; or out on visitation- and every now and then, at a restaurant. That means that at least 95% of the membership of any said church is living in disobedience of a clear command of scripture.  (Matt. 28: 18-20)  “Go ye in to all the world…..” and if you want the “lo” you got to GO! Around the corner, and around the world.

 

If somehow, we could shake the people- not the false professions; not those that are shallow; but those that are really saved- if they would get shook up about loving the Lord; loving souls; and get truly burdened about the lost souls that are out there. If they would; just get concerned about what they could do- not what they think somebody ought to do. We could turn this town and country upside down for Christ. We could get them thinking about their lost condition- where they are going to be in eternity. 

 

We all know that certain ones will be here on Sunday morning, and certain ones won’t be here on Sunday night, and then we have no trouble counting the few on Wednesday night. And then when it comes to visitation- nobody comes. I know that every member here doesn’t tithe the way they should. 

 

If you give your tithe every week or every two weeks; what happens if you miss a few weeks of coming to church? Do you send your tithe as if you were here? Or your missions offering, or a special offering. If you send your spirit to church then you must be dead, because we can’t live without our spirit.

 

As hard as pastors and leaders of churches try, everyone will not pay their tithe; everyone will not help on the van or bus route; the youth group or when work is needed to be done- it’s obvious that there aren’t many who do service like the scriptures command. (There’s always a struggle to do right.)

 

Christian service is doing what you can for the Lord because you love Him! And you want to bring glory to Him! The greatest day of your life will be the day that you say, “I’ll be what Christ wants me to be whether the others do or not!”   When someone else is doing something; go give them help- who cares who gets credit. You should have the attitude I’ll do my part if no one else ever does. “I’m one and only one; I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  And I can do what I ought to do, and by the grace of God, I will do.  I’m one and only one!”  There was one and only one Maze Jackson, Oliver B. Greene; Billy Sunday; Spurgeon etc.  I can’t be any one of those, but I can be myself and I can do something!

 

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

Phil. 2:16

Look up ~ Anonymous (may be C. Sumner Wemp)

Caged Buzzards

January 22, 2018

Look up! ~ C. Sumner Wemp



BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE: In many ways, are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! 

~ (May be C. Sumner Wemp. I found this on a web page someone keeps using his name, but this one and others don't have his name particularly on it, but we will give him the credit anyway.)

Have a blessed day!

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

Phil. 216
 

 
 

"Stuff is Tuff" ~ LKMilam

January 19, 2018

Originally published on

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Stuff is Tuff ~ Linda K. Milam  

God has given us His Word which is full of promises He has made to us.  Get in there and find your promise.  It will help. The following thoughts were brought to my mind while studying today.  Let them be a blessing to you, as I have.

Have you ever thought of how much we all need God's mercy and grace?   He bestows (gives) each of us mercy and grace – a gift truly from a Holy God.  He knew we would need it.  And then have you thought what we would be without it?  All the things in my life can make my life tough. Stuff is Tuff, as my husband said this morning during our morning devotions!  Please know that I am writing the following more for myself than others, but I do pray it will be a help and a blessing to you in your daily walk with Christ, and if you are not a child of God, my prayer is that you will be saved.

I receive many requests for prayer throughout the day. Many are from ladies who call me on the phone; meet me at a church, or as last week, in a restaurant!  I even had a sweet lady I met here in West Virginia tell me she “knew I could reach God” if I would just pray for a friend of hers.  I believe He does here my prayers but, your prayers are just as precious to God as mine.  Don’t leave Him out of the request to have someone else pray.  Please, let me know how I can pray for you and with you. I promise you I will pray. But make sure you haven’t excluded God from being the first to go to.

You pray first then ask others to pray with you, if you think it necessary.  I am no different from you.  I struggle with many things in my life.  It doesn’t have to be something anyone even knows about (unspoken), and there are some things no one knows anything about except my dear husband.  Stuff is Tuff!  What are we doing to help ourselves and others around us?  If the first thing we do is to run to another person we know, share our hearts, and ask them to pray – I believe we started out wrong.  Have you ever been guilty of sharing and not even asking someone else to pray, you just wanted to “talk”?   The very first thing we should do is take it to God.  Then ask Him to direct us to the one that will pray with us and for us!  Believe it or not, when I am done praying like that, I find that I usually don’t need to “share” with anyone else.  I have already shared it with my dearest friend and Saviour. 

“. . . Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. . . ” 2 Cor. 12:9 God already knows about the “stuff” that makes your life “tuff”!  Believe me.  Take this verse to heart – glory in your infirmities no matter what they are and count it all pleasure to suffer for Him.  Tuff words – but so true if we could only grab that great piece of wisdom.

Romans 8:28 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. All things.  You don’t mean the “Tuff Stuff” do you!  I most certainly do and obviously God did as well.  Most people look at this verse the same way – but what does it really mean.  I have heard it quoted thousands of times I know, “. . . all things work together for good . . .” and that is where they stop!  What was God in his great wisdom, trying to teach us?  It will do our souls good to search this truth out.  Every providence from God, leans toward the spiritual good of those that love God; it will break them off from sin, bring them nearer to God, wean them from the world, and fit them for heaven.  This could be the “stuff” in your life.  God has a way of taking “stuff” from us to draw us closer to Him.  It could be a husband or wife you are complaining about; a child, a parent, a job, pastor or church, any number of things.  Be grateful you have them.  One day they may be gone!

What is keeping you from serving God as you know how?  When the saved act out of character, corrections may be taken to bring them back to the Lord again.  I pray that God does that to me every day.  No one likes to be chastised or disciplined. But, we should want to have our minds and hearts to be His; renewed when we wake every morning. I do pray for that!  Do you know that worldly cliché that is quoted all around the globe, “What Would Jesus Do?” – I have adopted and adapted it a little.  Not only what would He do, but what would He think of what I am doing right now.  Is it Christ honoring, uplifting, loving, caring or all the negatives to that.  God help me to always be aware and to try to be a help and blessing to all those around me. 

As my husband preached God’s Word this week at a revival in Bomont, WV, I realized how blessed I am to be married to a called man of God.  He has surrendered his whole life to God, trusting Him who saved us to direct and guide his every footstep.  He loves me and wants to see me grow in the Lord.  His messages on grace this week were certainly sent from Heaven.  How they blessed my heart and revived my desire to a higher level of service to God.  Renewing a deep desire to live for Him using His free gift of mercy and grace to help me in my daily walk!  Through the Word, I was given a renewed fervor to pray as never before re-dedicating my life and heart to be totally surrendered in every area.  Prayer, study of God’s Word, in the grace of salvation, singing, service, standing, and through it all he provides His sufficient grace. “. . . My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Cor. 12:9 I will trust the Lord to provide that grace I need in my every day walk for Him.

Every one of us know people who live daily with hurts.  Listen, I am one of them.  In our daily lives we face the issues of life in general, from marriages, friendships, children, lost loved ones and the list goes on. My heart aches for folks just like this, but I'm coming to realize that we can be each other's greatest enemy as we tend to share with each other and sympathize with each other. Are we really helping each other, or are we fueling the fire of discontent? Have you listened to someone share a heartache and then couldn’t wait to put your “two cents worth of wise knowledge in before they have barely drawn breath” all because you want to help them, and all said and done before you even prayed? Guilty! Listening is a wonderful gift, or it could be your greatest curse.  I know what it is to spend hours in tears; wanting to run away, and on a very rare occasion thought it would be better if I just died, then I could be out of my misery and stop causing others misery.  Yes, folks, I have been there. I needed a friend to talk with and all the time, He was waiting. Lean on Him and His understanding. What is God’s will for our lives?  Trust in a Holy God to direct.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.   All things. Ah! But you don’t know about my problems, you say.  They are greater than any others.  My marriage, my finances, my children, my job, my health, my life in general is a mess.  God surely can’t fix this!  Do you claim the blood of Christ for your salvation?  Have you trusted him to save you? Are you saying that God cannot save? If you have a faith and believe in your salvation - believe He can clean up your "mess".  He said all things in Philippians 4:13 – Then I say I believe that – but do I?

Honestly, I don’t claim that verse all the time.  I want to, but I confess I am guilty!  I am just like anyone else. I do let myself wonder and fret a little too much (okay my husband says a lot) over things I personally cannot control.  Maybe it is a heartache that only God can heal.  I will be guilty of trying to understand, wallow it around in my own mind and weep as I never have before each time I bow my head to pray, begging God to “fix it”, all the while, wondering what I have to do to fix it.  Oh! Yes! I do that.  Have you been there?  Oh! If we could only trust in the all things portion of this verse and allow GOD to take control.  Through his mercy and grace God can help us with the all things in our lives.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What are your needs: emotional, physical, material, financial?  Again, I take us back to our salvation.  If you believe you were saved by the precious blood of our savior, why can’t you believe that He will supply?  The experiences of need I could put down on paper are so many I would never get done writing.  And I know there are needs in your lives; needs that may be desperate needs, ones that need to be met every day.  What is your need?  Are you physically ill?  Do you have a disease that only God can heal?  He is the great physician and beyond our physical needs, He wants to heal your heart and soul.  Is your heart broken over some circumstance or situation in your life? He can heal that as well.   Do you know Him as your personal Saviour?  If you do not, then much I say here may not be of help.  However, lost sinner, I do pray it will encourage you to make your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, surrender your sin ridden life to Him and be saved.  And Christian I pray you are encouraged and changed.

It doesn’t matter who you are; a teenager, woman, man, we all need to look at whatever situation we find ourselves in right now (good or bad) and pray as our Lord prayed, He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. Matthew 26:42. As we choose to see that God is with us and wants to bless us even in the worst situations, we can find the peace “. . . which passeth all understanding, Philippians 4:7. Get into God's Word and claim His promises -- they are God's personal gift to you, believe he loves you so much that he would give us these promises to stand on.  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4.

We fight battles in our lives every day.  If we could grasp the fact that the battle is not ours, but God’s!  2 Chronicles 20:15, 17  And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's...Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

And when the battle is over, Joy comes!  Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.  Are you looking for the joy of the Lord?  It is ours to claim.

We are not walking alone.  Many preachers (as mine did last night) say Christians are either coming into a storm, coming out of a storm, or are in a storm.  But we are going to come out of the storm, it is a promise, and more than that, during that storm He is with us.  Jesus said it best!    “. . . I will be with thee;. . .”  in Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Another great promise, God’s grace is sufficient, whether we think so or not! A promise many of us forget or may never have known.  This is a promise I need daily.  God wants to meet your every need as he tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

“. . . all things are possible”, why is it so hard for us to claim this verse.  But it is a promise! Why do we count our iniquities greater than God?  I have that tendency – to make my “tuff stuff” bigger than God.  That is ridiculous.  The reason we don’t claim this verse is quoted in the verse.  “. . . If thou canst believe, . . .”  Our faith in God is not what it should be. Let’s just be honest about that.  We should always check up on our faith to make sure we are where we are supposed to be scripturally.  “. . . If thou canst believe. . .” words Jesus himself said in Mark 9:23 “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  Wow – all we have to do is not get weary and we shall reap!  I don’t know about you, but I do get weary of “well doing” and honestly sometimes I faint or fail.  It seems as there are so many around us who have needs that are made known in so many ways.  Sometimes I “see” the need, someone tells me about someone’s need, and then I believe God has a way of putting someone on my heart that might have a need.  I just want to be “in place” as my husband says, to help in time of need.  But there is a reverse to that.  I have needs.  Just keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to those around you, and don’t grow weary, “. . . for in due season we shall reap. . .”

I am almost finished here, but have by no means listed all of God’s promises.  I have enjoyed this study however, and trust you will use it to help you. And comment back – give me your precious promise and thoughts so that I might be blessed.  I would love to hear from you.  God loves you and I appreciate you all for your prayers and support in our ministries.

How about this promise?  Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. God delivers us from our afflictions.  Did you say that right, you ask?  Yes, according to this verse God will deliver us from our afflictions. That is a positive for sure promise. Your affliction or mine is never too great for Him.  Claim this verse now, and trust God to deliver you no matter the circumstance.  He Will!

2 Corinthians 4:17 God works for us!   He is working for us as it says in 2 Cor. 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” I am so thankful that our afflictions are “. . . but for a moment. . .”  God surely wants to meet your needs.  Our afflictions are but for a moment if we call upon Him today.  Put your faith and trust in Him.

I trust these thoughts will be a help and blessing.

Linda K. Milam

Missionary to America  

Ps. 48:14

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

Phil. 2:16

 

“Blood! Oh, So Precious.” ~ Dr. Tom Milam

January 19, 2018

“Blood! Oh, So Precious.”

 (I Peter 1:19) 4-17-08 Tom Milam

 

First Published in Dr. Milam's book,

"Beside Still Waters"

Gather yourself to glean from Gethsemanes grueling garden, where precious blood is let for overcoming power. Now, see the plowed and smitten back of the sacrificial Savior as the rottenness of Gahenna’s shroud reaches to claim Him, and discard Him as a dead heap of garbage. We see there the sanctifying influence as a sheep to the slaughter, precious only to the owner. 

 

Then, the beaten head and brow- bloody eyes yet able to see His own blood dripping down over His vision. O’ precious sight of the Sovereign as He sees us all. We stand gazing upon Golgotha’s scene as nail-studded feet tremble in anticipation of the soon to end terrible tragedy. We glare with exceeding expectancy, wondering; how long? Oh, how long?

 

The precious power of preservation was being made possible by the shocking sting of rusty iron piercing through tender tendons. Scarlet sins, creased with the shadowed darkness of hell; spotted by demonic influence; vivid wrinkles, wrought by the principalities of the prince of perdition; filth of the world vividly bored into our character; abundant and binding iniquity that has stained with seeming permanent prominence; and finally, our selfish and silly, rude rebellion-All, cleansed by application through trusting of his precious blood. Blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat then covering our souls with his blood-red robe of righteousness; cleansing and calming our hearts with the security that God is completely satisfied. Ah! There precious gleaming streams of crimson from His healing hands, and swollen side, speak abundant mercy and grace gathered from Gods infinite and efficacious eternity! That side that burst open at the angered thrust of a mortal man, pushing stinging steel through the ribs of that perfect, palpating heart. Precious! Precious! Redeeming, atoning, blood that reconciles the rude sinner, and satisfies the Sovereign God. 

 

When our faith is very shallow, Gods all-seeing eye is watching with justification, jamming judicial avenues of the law with Great grace and quickening commands of the laws of love. Leading the faithful repented one through a sin-subdued life of holiness, to a degree that our motives will be so laced with love that at the mere thought of reproaching the Savior will bring us to our knees in humility and shame.

 

Let us ever reach for revival and relinquish our nature to the reconciling, redemptive qualities of the quickening blood of Christ. Oh, grave! You cannot hold us; oh, flesh! You cannot drag us away to hell, your power has been broken by our obedient Saviour. By application of His precious blood, the order has been given: Release those that are bought by the crimson flow over those black-stained sinners, as they are. Thoroughly washed white, to appear at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Turn them loose, you monger of mangled lives! Let them go, is the charge, you have no power to hold them any longer; the blood has been applied!  Jesus got up out of the grave because death was not big enough to hold Him. So, if He got up, and He did- we’ll get up, like He did. It is impossible that death, flesh and the devil can hold the Blood bought Christian; we will rise up to meet Him in the air and there forever more dwell, in a new heaven and a new earth, and never to be touched by Satan again; oh, what a Saviour!

 

Tom & Linda Milam

 Missionaries to America

 Phil. 2:16