It was when Job’s glory was fresh in him that his “bow was renewed” in his hand. Freshness and glory! And yet the brilliant music of these words is brought down to a minor strain by the little touch “it was”—not it is.

“All my [fresh] springs are in thee” (Psalm 87:7 KJV).

If our glory is to be fresh in us, it all depends upon what the glory in us is! There is only one unfailing source— Christ Himself! He is “in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) if you have admitted Him; and He is your glory. Then you may sing, “My glory is fresh in me.”

Jesus Christ is always fresh!

And so is the oil with which He anoints us. “I shall be anointed with fresh oil” (Psalm 92:10 KJV). Fresh oil of joy! Fresh oil of consecration! Fresh oil upon the sacrifice as we offer to God continually “the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

My heart is parched by unbelief,

My spirit sere from inward strife;

The heavens above are turned to brass,

Arid and fruitless is my life.

Then falls Thy rain, O Holy One;

Fresh is the earth, and young once more;

Then falls Thy Spirit on my heart;

My life is green; the drought is o’er!

“DROUGHT” BY BETTY BRUECHER T

A desert road? when the Christian has ever at his command Fresh springs! Fresh oil! Fresh glory!

An inner-city missionary, stumbling through the trash of a dark apartment doorway, heard someone say, “Who’s there, Honey?” Lighting a match, he caught sight of earthly needs and suffering, amid saintly trust and peace.

Calm, appealing eyes, etched in ebony, were set within the wrinkles of a weathered black face. On a bitterly cold night in February, she lay on a tattered bed, with no fire, no heat, and no light. Having had no breakfast, lunch, or dinner, she seemed to have nothing at all, except arthritis and faith in God. No one could have been further removed from comfortable circumstances, yet this favorite song of the dear lady played in the background:

Nobody knows the trouble I see, Nobody knows but Jesus; Nobody knows the trouble I see— Sing Glory Hallelu! Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down, Sometimes I’m level on the groun’, Sometimes the glory shines aroun’— Sing Glory Hallelu! And so it continued: “Nobody knows the work I do, Nobody knows the griefs I have,” the constant refrain being, “Glory Hallelu!” until the last verse rose: Nobody knows the joys I have, Nobody knows but Jesus!

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9). It takes these great Bible words to explain the joy of this elderly black woman.

Do you remember the words of Martin Luther as he lay on his deathbed? Between groans he preached, “These pains and troubles here are like the type that printers set. When we look at them, we see them backwards, and they seem to make no sense and have no meaning. But up there, when the Lord God prints out our life to come, we will find they make splendid reading.” Yet we do not have to wait until then. The apostle Paul, walking the deck of a ship on a raging sea, encouraged the frightened sailors, “Be of good cheer” (Acts 27:22 KJV).

Paul, Martin Luther, and the dear black woman were all human sunflowers, seeking and seeing the Light in a world of darkness. WILLIAM C. GARNETT

To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

I beseech you, . . . brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Jesus . . . that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.—Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Ye are a royal priesthood . . . that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.—Ye . . . as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.—By him . . . let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.—I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth.—By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.—Who is like unto thee, O Lord , . . . glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?—I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.—They sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty.

Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests.

Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord : men shall call you the Ministers of our God.

Priests of God and of Christ.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.—The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.—Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

By him . . . let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God of my salvation.—Sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing.—We glory in tribulations also.