Christian Reflection and Prayer

God will conquer death

For all the saints

"For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!"
For All the Saints
William Walsham How (1823-1897)

Scripture:

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and
foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's
holy people. You are members of God's family.
We are his house, built on the foundation of the
apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone
is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are
carefully knit together, becoming a holy temple for
the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also joined
together as part of this dwelling where God lives
by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT

A hero of the faith

"In 1864 Bishop William How wrote this hymn for
All Saints Day. He cited Hebrews 12:1 in his original
title, but he drew on all of Hebrews 11 for inspiration.
That's the famous "faith chapter," which praises the
faithful deeds of a score of Old Testament heroes.

The author might be considered a hero of the faith
himself. He was a man of the people, regularly
reaching out to minister to the poor and needy in his
area. Once he listed the characteristics that a
minister should have; among them was being
"wholly without thought of self." Those who knew him
said that Bishop How was like that, selflessly caring
for others."

(From The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark
Norton and Robert Brown (Tyndale) entry for
November 1)

God is a refuge for the oppressed

A reformer's refuge

"A mighty fortress is our God.
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe —
His craft and pow'r are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not His equal."

A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
God is our refuge and strength, always
ready to help in times of trouble. So we
will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the
mountains tremble as the waters surge!

The great reformer

After posting his ninety-five theses on
the door of Wittenberg's Castle Church
in October 1517, Martin Luther faced
many years of trials and persecution.
And during the years of the ensuing
Protestant Reformation, Luther came
to know better than most the gracious
power of God's sheltering hand. He
confidently stepped forward to defend
the truth he found in God's Word,
despite excommunication from the
Roman church, continual threats to his
life and freedom, and times of intense
spiritual battle.

In the comforting words of Psalm 46,
Luther found the inspiration for this hymn
that would become the battle cry of the
Protestant Reformation. Many who
suffered for their faith during that time
found solid comfort in Luther's words of
faith and praise. "A might fortress is our
God!"

(From The One Year® Book of Hymns
by Mark Norton and Robert Brown
(Tyndale) entry for October 31
Content is derived from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation and other
publications of Tyndale Publishing House)

Scripture:

 "If you abide in me, and my words abide
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be done for you." - John 15:7

Reflection:

One of the greatest gifts God has given
us is the ability to talk to Him whenever we
want. By praying to God, we can talk to
Him about our lives and even seek guidance.
Like the verse above says, if we ask
something of God and have true faith,
He will provide for us!

Prayer:

Thank you oh Lord for being there.  I know
in my very being that You will provide for me.
Thank you for being my guide in life and
the provider in our world!
In Jesus Name AMEN