WINGS OF THE MORNING

Photo provided by Sid Michael Gray

O LORD, thou hast searched me, 

and known me.  Thou knowest 

my downsitting and mine uprising, 

thou understandest my thought afar 

off.  Thou compassest my path and 

my lying down, and art acquainted 

with all my ways. For there is not a 

word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, 

thou knowest it altogether.  Thou hast 

beset me behind and before, and laid 

thine hand upon me.  Such knowledge 

is too wonderful for me; it is high, I 

cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I 

go from thy spirit? or whither shall 

I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend 

up into heaven, thou art there: if I make 

my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If 

I take the wings of the morning, and dwell 

in the uttermost parts of the sea;  Even there 

shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand 

shall hold me.  If I say, Surely the darkness 

shall cover me; even the night shall be 

light about me.  Yea, the darkness hideth 

not from thee; but the night shineth as the 

day: the darkness and the light are both 

alike to thee.  For thou hast possessed 

my reins: thou hast covered me in my  

mother’s womb.  I will praise thee; 

for I am fearfully and wonderfully  

made: marvellous are thy works; 

and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, 

when I was made in secret, and 

curiously wrought in the lowest parts 

of the earth.  Thine eyes did see my 

substance, yet being unperfect; 

and in thy book all my members 

were written, which in continuance 

were fashioned, when as yet there 

was none of them.  How precious 

also are thy thoughts unto me, O 

God! how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are 

more in number than the sand: 

when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, 

O God: depart from me therefore, 

ye bloody men.  For they speak 

against thee wickedly, and thine 

enemies take thy name in vain.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, 

that hate thee? and am not I 

grieved with those that rise up 

against thee?  I hate them with 

perfect hatred: I count them mine 

enemies.  Search me, O God, 

and know my heart: try me, 

and know my thoughts:  And see 

if there be any wicked way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139

THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE

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On this wise ye shall bless the 

children of Israel, saying unto 

them.  The LORD bless thee, 

and keep thee:  The LORD make 

his face shine upon thee, 

and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his 

countenance upon thee, 

and give thee peace. And they 

shall put my name upon the 

children of Israel; and I will 

bless them.

Numbers 6:25-27

BE YE KIND

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From whom the whole body fitly joined 

together and compacted by that which 

every joint supplieth, according to the 

effectual working in the measure of 

every part, maketh increase of the 

body unto the edifying of itself in love.

This I say therefore, and testify in the 

Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as 

other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of 

their mind, Having the understanding 

darkened, being alienated from the life 

of God through the ignorance that is in 

them, because of the blindness of their 

heart: Who being past feeling have given 

themselves over unto lasciviousness, to 

work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and 

have been taught by him, as the truth 

is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning 

the former conversation the old man, 

which is corrupt according to the 

deceitful lusts; And be renewed in 

the spirit of your mind; And that ye 

put on the new man, which after 

God is created in righteousness 

and true holiness.Wherefore putting 

away lying, speak every man truth 

with his neighbour: for we are members 

one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: 

let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.  Let him 

that stole steal no more: but rather let him 

labour, working with his hands the thing 

which is good, that he may have to give 

to him that needeth.  Let no corrupt 

communication proceed out of your 

mouth, but that which is good to the 

use of edifying, that it may minister 

grace unto the hearers. And grieve 

not the holy Spirit of God, whereby 

ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and 

anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, 

be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, 

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 

even as God for Christ’s sake hath 

forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:16-32

WHO PROVIDETH THE RAVEN HIS FOOD

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 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? 

canst thou set the dominion thereof in 

the earth?  Canst thou lift up thy voice 

to the clouds, that abundance of waters 

may cover thee?  Canst thou send 

lightnings, that they may go, and 

say unto thee, Here we are?  Who 

hath put wisdom in the inward parts? 

or who hath given understanding to 

the heart?  Who can number the 

clouds in wisdom? or who can 

stay the bottles of heaven,  When 

the dust groweth into hardness, 

and the clods cleave fast together?

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? 

or fill the appetite of the young lions,

When they couch in their dens, and 

abide in the covert to lie in wait?  Who 

provideth for the raven his food? when 

his young ones cry unto God, they 

wander for lack of meat.

Job 38:33-41

Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

I know that thou canst do every thing, 

and that no thought can be withholden 

from thee.

Job 42:1-2

HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING

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This I recall to my mind, 

therefore have I hope. It 

is of the LORD’S mercies 

that we are not consumed, 

because his compassions 

fail not.  They are new 

every morning: great is 

thy faithfulness.  The 

LORD is my portion, 

saith my soul; therefore 

will I hope in him.  The 

LORD is good unto 

them that wait for him, 

to the soul that seeketh him.

Lamentations 2:22-25

OUR INHERITANCE BY STEVE LONG

Our Inheritance

This is an article written by my husband, I thought you would enjoy.

Then the LORD said to Aaron: "You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. – Numbers 18.20

Does it ever seem like you’re getting the short end of the deal when you can’t seem to have everything everyone else is getting? That new boat, bigger house, promotion, early retirement, clean bill of health – others have it but you don’t. Their marriage may seem more ideal and their children may seem to have it better together than yours. “Why can’t I be more like everyone else?” you may ask.

The Levites of old, as recorded in the bible, may have felt the same way. The Levites (descendants of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob) were the tribe of priests. All of the other tribes of Israel were given a portion of land to live in, but not the Levites.

This, however, is only part of the story because the Lord God had not only told the Levites they would receive no land, he also promised them a portion that he promised to no other tribe – that He would be all they would need. “I am your portion and your inheritance” He said.

Dear Christian brother or sister – the Lord is our portion. Why should we settle for second best? Sure, houses and land are wonderful blessings from God as are the many other physical and earthly gifts that come to us from God, but they cannot hold a candle to the glorious light of the blessing of God Himself. “I will never leave you or forsake you” he promises his people.

After my Mom and Dad died, my brothers and sisters and I received our inheritance. The seven of us received a few thousand dollars apiece. It wasn’t much compared to what many others receive from their parents but was actually more than I ever expected.

I will never complain and wish for more than I received from my Mom and Dad because they were both Christians who lived their faith. The knowledge of God and the demonstration of faith in Jesus Christ I received from them have been by far the greatest portion and the greatest inheritance I could have ever asked for.

If you had your choice right now, what would you choose – God or goods?

Some day all of our earthly blessings will be either gradually or suddenly stripped away from us. Then, what will we have left? As believers in Christ, we will have, always, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as our portion. There can be no greater joyous gift in our lives than God Himself. He is not only the Giver, but the Gift.

TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS

Photo provided by Kassidy Mitchell

So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto
wisdom.  Return, O LORD, how
long? and let it repent thee
concerning thy servants.  O satisfy
us early with thy mercy; that
we may rejoice and be glad all
our days.  Make us glad according to
the days wherein thou hast afflicted
us, and the years wherein we have
seen evil.  Let thy work appear
unto thy servants, and thy glory
unto their children.  And let the
beauty of the LORD our God be
upon us: and establish thou the work
of our hands upon us; yea, the
work of our hands establish thou it.

Proverbs 90:12-17