Jaus' Notebook

The word "Hallelujah" is a joyful word of “praise” to the almighty God. Amazingly, it is one word whose pronunciation remains the same even in my vernacular; and am certain in yours too. No one can dare change that sound! Psalm 147:1 tells us of the privilege of praising God. That it is good, pleasant and proper. Rudolf Stier, in "The Epistle of James Expounded" , 1859 rightly wrote that: “The same God who furnished the birds of heaven with the notes wherein they unconsciously praise their Creator, gave to man the power to sing... Let him to whom it is granted rejoice therein; let him who lacks it seek, if possible, to excite it; for it is a good gift of the Creator. Let our children learn to sing in the schools, even as they learn to read. Our fathers sang more in all the affairs of life than we do; our tunes are in this respect less fresh, and artless, and joyous. There are many among us who never sing, except when adding their voices to the voice of the church

Bread of Sorrows: When God sends it, it is good to eat it.  When we bake it ourselves, it is vain to eat it.   When the devil brings it, it is deadly meat “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” Psalms 127:2. Frankly speaking,  Rev. Spurgeon expounded on this verse in a very captivating way in his sermon, The Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved- delivered on Sabbath Morning, March 4, 1855. I loved this!  ‘ The Psalmist says there are some men who deny themselves sleep. For purposes of gain, or ambition, they rise up early and sit up late. Some of us who are here present may have been guilty of the same thing. We have risen early in the morning that we might turn over the ponderous volume, in order to acquire knowledge; we have sat at night until our burned-out lamp has chidden us, and told us that the sun was rising; while our eyes have ached, our brain has throbbed, our heart has pal