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                    ||                       How beautiful on the mountains
                    ||                       are the feet of those ... who
                    ||                       proclaim salvation, who say to
                                             Zion, "Your God reigns!"
          Pastor RALPH & GENE ANN WOOD                  --Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
          E-mail:  randg.wood@encode.com
          FRESH MANNA, 12/02/1995 ......................... PSALM 34:7,9-10
          {7} The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear
          him, and delivereth them. ... {9} O fear the LORD, ye his saints:
          for [there is] no want to them that fear him.  {10} The young
          lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD
          shall not want any good [thing].   --PSALM 34:7,9-10 (KJV)
             I was studying up for a sermon based on PSALM 34, entitled
          "And He Delivers Them", recently.  In C.H. Spurgeon's excellent
          commentary "The Treasury Of David", I found this story given as
          an illustration of the principle proclaimed in PSALM 34:10:--
               I remember as I came through the country, that there was a
            poor widow woman, whose husband fell at Bothwell:  the bloody
            soldiers came to plunder her house, telling her they would
            take all she had.  "We will leave thee nothing," said they,
            "either to put in thee, or on thee."  "I care not," said she,
            "I will not want as long as God is in the heavens."  That was
            a believer indeed.  [-- Alexander Peden's Sermon, 1682.]
             What an encouragement to those of us whose faith may not be
          that strong, nor whose trials so great.  Or even, in these days
          when there are plenty of "wars and rumours of wars", and plenty
          of cruel deprivations especially directed at women and children;
          an encouragement to brothers and sisters whose trials -are- as
          great as this woman's trials, and thereby their faith grown to
          become as great as hers was, that day three centuries back!
             Speaking of another woman, whose faith in Him found powerful
          expression during the last days of His ministry, Jesus declared,
          "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached
          throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be
          spoken of for a memorial of her" [MARK 14:9 (KJV)].
             Thus He established a principle:  great examples of faith
          should be remembered, and shared.  For when we see that a sister,
          who had just been bereaved of her husband-- about to be plundered
          of what food and clothing she had left, by sneering louts lost in
          perverseness-- could remain free from all fear, rest firm in God;
          we ourselves are comforted, strengthened, encouraged.  The angel
          of the Lord encamped around her, and delivered her from fear of
          such a great want.  He encamps around us and delivers us also--
          from want and from fear, just like her.  Praise His Name!   --RLW
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