A guide was taking a group of tourists through Mammoth Caves. They arrived
at a place called the cathedral
. The guide stood on a rock known as
the pulpit
, and told them that he would preach a sermon. He said, Keep
close to your guide.
The tourists soon found that his short sermon was a good one,
for if they did not follow him closely they would be lost among the pits,
precipices and defiles. It is very difficult to find one’s way through Mammoth
Cave without a guide - but it is even more difficult to find one’s way through
life without a guide. The only sure guide is the Lord Jesus. Keep close to
Him. In Luke 1:79 we read that Jesus came,
... To guide our feet into the way of peace.
(KJV).
(DG)
It is no Christmas where people talk about Jesus but do not love Him. It
is no Christmas where people celebrate a day without knowing Jesus as their
Saviour. Away with the folly - the hypocrisy - the false tinsel of a commercialised
Christmas without a Saviour. Make sure that this Christmas you come to the
Saviour for yourself, and know Him and His peace and joy in your heart. The
result of our acceptance of Christ is given in John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God.
(NKJV). (DG)
Have you ever heard of the shark-sucker of Cuba? His real name is remora,
but the other name is more descriptive. He has suction-caps, or suckers, on
top of his head. With these he attaches himself to a shark, or other fish,
and hitch-hikes
to any place he wants to go. Many young people are like
this remora. They think they can get to heaven on their parents’ religion.
But they can never get a free ride to heaven that way. Each person must receive
Christ for himself. Jesus said, John 14:6
... I am the way, the truth,
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.
(KJV).
(DG)
How would you like to be guided through life by a dead owl? Craig Massey
tells us, This was once actually true of the American Choe Taw Indians. Before
their trips these Indians always held up a stuffed owl in front of them.
If its feathers became ruffled, the Indians thought danger was ahead. Then
the party turned back. Many things could have caused that owl’s feathers to
ruffle.
The psalmist had a true and reliable guide. He could say, as in
Psalm 48:14, For this God
is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
(KJV).
For our guidance God has given the scriptures, and those who know Christ as
Saviour and Lord shall not want for guidance.
(DG)
God can and does supply the need of those who trust Him. His treasure houses
are full of spiritual possessions, and His sons and daughters of faith can
freely enter them by prayer and appropriate what they need. All who through
grace are brought to commune with God confess, the half was not told me.
1 Kings 10:13: And king
Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked,
beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty ...
(KJV). This
is a wonderful type of what Christ gives when we visit Him in prayer.
Romans 10:12 tells us, ...
the same Lord ... is rich unto all that call upon Him.
(KJV).
(DG)
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that
But without faith it is impossible to please him ...
(KJV). WHAT IS FAITH? George Mueller said, Faith is the EYE by
which we look to Jesus. A dim-sighted eye is still an eye; a weeping eye is
still an eye. Faith is the HAND by which we lay hold of Jesus. A trembling
hand is still a hand; and he is a believer whose heart within him trembles
when he touches the hem of the Saviour’s garment, that he may be healed.
Faith is a TONGUE by which we taste how good the Lord is. Faith is the FOOT
by which we go to Jesus. A lame foot is still a foot; he who comes slowly,
nevertheless comes.
Read today in Matthew 9:20-22
of a woman who had this faith that pleases God.
(DG)
Our all-powerful Saviour has control of everything - even the seas and
the winds. A wonderful demonstration of this was given when in answer to the
disciples’ cry of fear, Christ rebuked the winds and the sea, and there
was a great calm. The disciples were amazed and said, according to
Matthew 8:27, ... What
manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!
(KJV).
In the moments when we feel that we cannot make it alone, Jesus wants us to
call upon Him. He will show us that He is in control of the situation, and
bring calm and peace to our hearts. There will be times when we shall be
amazed at the miraculous power of God, and how He cares for His people.
(DG)
An electric clock needs no winding because it is in constant contact with
that undefinable and illimitable power of the universe, which is called
electricity. The Christian has a secret source of strength. The Christian
draws his strength and unfailing support from God. To cope with the strain
and stress of modern life we must enjoy God’s presence daily and
become aware that He is with us in every step we take. The promise given
to Moses in Exodus 33:14 is whispered into
the heart of every one of God’s children. ... My
presence shall go with thee ...
(KJV). (DG)
Insurance is accepted as important. Make sure today that you have the right
insurance. No insurance equals that which comes from a covenant with God.
All other policies terminate at death. But a right relationship with Christ
guarantees eternal life, here and hereafter. It pays dividends from the first
day of commitment of one’s life to Him. For peace of mind and a sense of
security, for a guarantee of eternal life, this covenant stands alone.
John 1:12 says, But as
many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God ...
(KJV). (DG)
It has been wisely said, Praise is our highest exercise.
In prayer, we
often approach God for more or less selfish reasons. In praise, we adore Him
for what He is in Himself. Always in your devotions begin with the keynote
of thanksgiving and adoration. It is marvelous how this quickens the pulse
of the soul and reacts upon every moment that follows. There is a special
blessing in meeting with others to praise God. How much God has done for you!
Because the psalmist had much to praise God for, he said, in
Psalm 122:1, I was glad
when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
(KJV).
(DG)
A sundial in Spain has this appropriate motto engraved on it: - I mark
only the bright hours.
The psalmist said, in Psalm
42:9, ... why do I go mourning ...
(NKJV). No
doubt because, like us, he was marking the dark hours - remembering the
unkindnesses of others, the injuries received, the nasty things said. It is
little wonder that we go mourning.
Rather let us mark the bright
things today. Let us remember only the deeds of kindness. If you woke with a
cloud of gloom this morning, let the sunlight of God’s love remove it.
Remember the words of the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians
4:6 For God ... hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(KJV). (DG)
It has been well said, in Christ’s three parables of the LOST
- the lost sheep - the lost coin - and the lost boy, He puts such emphasis on the
value of the individual as to make it highly significant. For although the
shepherd has ninety-nine sheep left, and the woman nine coins left, and the
father had another son, each was distressed over the one which was lost, and
rejoiced greatly over that one when found. Jesus added, according to
Luke 15:10, ...
there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over
one sinner that repenteth.
(KJV). It is as individuals that we sin,
therefore it is as individuals that we are forgiven and saved - not as crowds.
It is over the returning individual that God and the angels rejoice. As an
individual you mean something to God. Let that knowledge thrill you today.
(DG)
A little boy in a certain hospital had a piece of bone removed from his
arm. He got well, but before leaving the hospital he sent for the doctor.
You wish to see me, William?
asked the doctor. The little fellow reached
up his hand and laid it on the doctor’s shoulder and said, My Mummy will
never hear the last about you.
If we fully realised what Christ has done
for us, we should say to Him, My friends will never hear the last about You.
We read in Mark 5:19 that Jesus said to the man
who was delivered from demon power, ...
Go home to your friends, and tell them what great
things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.
(NKJV). (DG)
Trouble is no respecter of persons - none are immune. When trouble strikes,
we need comfort and protection. We need strength to stand up to it and meet
it. We can have both the protection and the strength. Psalm
46:1 says, God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.
(KJV). To remember this will bring a real sense of
comfort, and a surge of hope will flood the mind, and new power will be imparted.
If you are having trouble now, say these words, God is with me, helping me,
(DG)
A famous artist painted a picture of a winter night scene. The sky was
dark and lowering. The trees were dense and thick. The house in the midst
of the picture was dark and gloomy. The whole picture had a sombre tone. An
observer commented to the artist, What a dreary picture!
The artist dipped
his brush into the yellow paint and with one stroke transformed the picture.
He put a light in the window, and it became the focal point of the picture.
That is what happened when Christ came into the world. He brought light.
That is what happens when Christ comes into your life. The darkness of sin,
of sorrow, of trouble, is replaced by Christ the Light. In
John 8:12 we read that Jesus said,
... I am the Light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness ...
(KJV).
(DG)
When in distress, people have often looked to God for comfort. Many people
today are in distress, and they are searching for God, seeking His mercy.
They need not seek far: He is close by. In Christ, God is available to meet
your need. The heavenly Father is always waiting for us to turn to Him. At
the first unspoken desire, the first reaching out of our hand to Him, He will
clasp it and draw us close to Him. Lamentations 3:25
informs us, The LORD is good unto them that wait for him,
to the soul that seeketh him,
(KJV). (DG)
So often we manufacture burdens we are unable to bear. We are not built
to carry a double load. We are only given enough strength today for the burdens
of today. Remember that the troubles of yesterday, added to the worries of
tomorrow, are too heavy to be carried today. Today’s burdens are too heavy
for us, so let us accept the invitation of Jesus, as recorded in
Matthew 11:28,
Come to Me, all you who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(NKJV).
(DG)
Our Lord taught that true prayer was communion with the Almighty, the Father
God. Therefore, to have that communion, one needed to get alone with God.
In Matthew 6:6 the Lord said, ...
when you pray, go into your room, and when you have
shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father
who sees in secret will reward you openly.
(NKJV). We must get alone
to pray, because in the act of prayer we are entering into the presence of God.
What a grand privilege this is to be alone in the conscious presence of the
All-powerful and All-compassionate God, who is pleased to listen to the
out-pouring of our heart’s need. Make secret prayer your daily habit
and privilege. (DG)
A missionary to China was approached by a native who said, You have been
preaching Jesus for three days. Why don’t you preach something else?
The
missionary asked, What did you have for breakfast?
The man replied, Rice.
The missionary asked him what he had for dinner, and what he had eaten the
day before. The man replied, Rice.
Why
, continued the missionary, do
you eat rice every day?
Because it keeps me alive,
was the answer. And
that is why I preach Jesus every day,
the missionary said. In
John 6:51 Jesus said,
I am the living Bread which came
down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever ...
(KJV). (DG)
Everyone knows that God is in heaven, but it is only those who exercise
the wonderful privilege of prayer who know the blessed secret that God is
also in the very room where they are praying. Ecclesiastes
5:2 wisely says, Be not rash with thy mouth, and let
not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven,
and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
(KJV). A realization
of God’s presence brings awe and reverence and makes prayer vital and
powerful. The outpoured heart does not need many words to express itself. In
our awareness of God’s presence as we pray we will never be careless in
our conversation with Him. (DG)
There is a real need for those who will give themselves to the work of
encouragement. How much there is to daunt and discourage in the average life!
So often a word of encouragement has made the vital difference between success
and failure. In Acts 4:36, 37 we read of a
good man named Barnabas. Moffat’s translation puts it thus,
Joseph, who was surnamed Barnabas or (as it may be translated)
‘son of encouragement’ by the Apostles.
More sons of encouragement
are needed today. May we be the type of persons who awaken the best in others by
encouragement and appreciation. A good person will show their goodness in this
practical way and so help others. (DG)
When Enrico Caruso was at the height of his fame he was asked
to sing at a concert for the benefit of soldiers. The Chairman of the Committee
said, Of course, Mr. Caruso, as this is for charity, we do not expect you to do
your best. Your name will draw the crowd - and you can merely sing something
that requires little of your skill and strength.
Caruso drew himself to his
full height and said, Caruso NEVER does less than his best.
Do you always
do your best, no matter for whom or what the circumstances? We are exhorted
in Ephesians 6:6 to serve, Not
with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ ...
(KJV).
(DG)
How we delight to please those we love. We cannot say that we love God
if we are not seeking to please Him. We are told how we can please God in
Hebrews 11:6 But without
faith it is impossible to please him ...
(KJV). These men and women of
unwavering faith, who stood amid darkness and disappointment and opposition
and said, We believe God
, lived under the smile of God. A hymn-writer has
put it, Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn.
The smile of God will never
be withdrawn from us if we continue to trust even where we cannot fully
understand. (DG)
We are such a needy people. It is a good thing for us that we have a God
who can supply our need. In Philippians 4:19
is a promise for the Lord’s people. We are told, through Paul,
But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
(KJV). Paul had learned to distinguish
between WANTS and NEEDS. God does not promise to satisfy our every whim, but
He does undertake to supply every need. We can turn to our God knowing that
He is aware of how needy we are, and the riches of His unfailing supply are
available to us in Christ Jesus. (DG)
In every life there are likely to be times when we are at our wits-end,
when we find ourselves at the edge of extremity. The woman of Canaan, in
Matthew 15, found her situation desperate.
But she had the good sense to cast herself at the feet of Jesus and cry in
her desperation, in verses 22, 25,
... Have mercy on me, O Lord ... Lord help me.
To this
woman’s faith Jesus responded with, verse 28,
... O woman, great is thy
faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt ...
(KJV). Christ will have
mercy upon you, and mercy is grace in action to meet your need.
(DG)
As a magnet draws metal to itself and permeates that metal with its own
magnetism, so Christ draws men to Himself, and permeates them with His own
righteousness, love, purity and sincerity. Christ changes the hearts of those
who are drawn to Him. We are changed by His spirit into His likeness.
2 Corinthians 3:18 states we,
... are changed ... from glory to glory ...
(KJV).
It is a changing of the worst self for the glory of Christlikeness. Thank God
we have a Christ who can change us!
(DG)
Concerning the account of the miraculous feeding of the multitude by Jesus,
some one said he could not understand why a boy would not have eaten his
lunch when it was already late in the afternoon.
I believe the right answer
is that the youngster was so attracted to Jesus, and so excited about what
he heard and saw, that he just forgot all about eating. Don’t you think
we could say it was a minor miracle for this to happen to a boy? Read the story
for yourself in John 6:5-13, and let it remind
you how wonderfully attractive Jesus is - and that our worship should never be
half-hearted. Our hearts should be completely taken up with Him.
(DG)
God asks us for our love. In Matthew 22:37
we are told, You shall love
the LORD your God ...
(NKJV). The gods of the imagination of man
have never asked for love. They have demanded fear and ruthless sacrifices
of their adherents. Dr. Leland Wang, a well-known Chinese evangelist, tells
of his first hearing of the hymn, Nearer, my God to Thee.
As he listened
he thought in astonishment, Surely none but the christians would sing such
a song! We fear our gods; we certainly do not want them to stay near us.
That insight became a wedge, opening his heart to the true and the living
God. This is what God wants from you - your love. Surely He has given us the
greatest of all reasons for responding to His call in giving His Son to die
for us. Can you say the words of 1 John 4:19,
We love him, because he first loved us.
(DG)
It is the obligation of each one of us to pray! In
Luke 18:1 we read, Also
Jesus told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and
not turn coward - faint, lose heart and give up.
(Amplified Version). We
owe it to OURSELVES to pray. Only as we pray can our lives be what God wants
them to be. We owe it to OTHERS to pray, since there is so much suffering and
sorrow around us. We owe it to OUR NATION to pray. Samuel regarded it as a sin
against the Lord not to pray for his nation (1 Samuel 12:23). We owe it to THE
LORD to pray, because He invites us to trust Him. Prayer is the obligation of
love. (DG)
I want you to think of the miraculous healing of the man with the withered
hand. We read about him in Mark, chapter three. The people around him, when
he was in church that day, wondered if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath day.
It was not an atmosphere to encourage Jesus to perform a healing, but then,
Jesus did not depend on atmospheres, and peoples’ feelings. He looked for
faith in the person to be healed. Jesus ordered this man to stand up. Perhaps
he wondered if Jesus would touch his arm - massage it. Then came the command;
and it was a command to do the thing he had tried so many times to do, and
failed. Mark 3:5 ...
Stretch forth thine hand ...
(KJV). He
made the effort just once more, and his hand was healed. The Lord will restore
your withered peace, withered joy, withered hopes, and withered life if you
will obey His words and act in faith. (DG)
In a world so grievously troubled we need to know the secret of personal
peace. The gospel is called the gospel of peace because it brings the peace
of God on the ground of peace made by the Cross, and received by faith.
Obedience is the practical way to peace. It is written in
Psalm 119:165, Great
peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.
(NKJV). Our troubles arise, not from obedience to, but departure from, the
truth of the Bible. Those who yield to their Lord the obedience of faith and
love know and enjoy the peace that passeth understanding.
(DG)
Do put first things first. Let me tell you how a farmer did it, and remained
forever grateful. The commencement of special meetings came during the sowing
season. He was praying for his son’s conversion. He told his son to put
everything away as they were driving into the town to the services. His son said,
What about the sowing?
He replied, This is more important.
That day
his son accepted Christ as his Saviour and Lord. Some months later, when stricken
down with a fatal illness, the boy lay dying. He smiled up at his father and
said, Dad, I’m so glad that you let that sowing wait.
Now is the
opportunity to present Christ to others. We are reminded in 2
Corinthians 6:2, ... behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
(KJV). (DG)
Centuries before modern psychiatry discovered that what eats you, does
more harm than what you eat
, Christ taught the health-giving attitude of
forgiving those who have wronged you. Carrying a grudge injures both our
physical and spiritual health. There is health and blessing for you in
obeying the words of Christ in Matthew 5:44
... pray for them which despitefully
use you and persecute you;
(KJV). All the corrosive resentment will be
purged from your being, by prayer. (DG)
The measure of our eternal reward is determined by the spirit of self-sacrifice.
A. B. Simpson said, It is not so much what we have done, as the
spirit of love and sacrifice that prompted our deeds and suffering.
In the words
of Jesus in Matthew 19:30,
But many that are first shall be last;
and the last shall be first.
(KJV). The Lord implies that there will
be much surprise and disappointment when the testing time shall reveal the
spirit of every heart. What blessing will be received by all around if we
serve today motivated by sacrificial love; and this kind of service is sure
of an eternal reward. (DG)
Bible names have a meaning. Among the genealogies, and what seem to be
dry-as-dust
lists of names, gleam truths for those with eyes to
see. In the middle of a passage which gives the names of Ishmael’s sons,
Genesis 25:14, three are listed as MISHMA, DUMAH, MASSA. The meaning of
these three names respectively is hear
, keep silence
,
bear
. The same thought is found in James
1:19, ... be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
wrath:
(KJV). It is good to have such worthwhile lessons walking about,
and it will pay us to take heed. (DG)
The Bible likens the Church to a building, and a bride, also to a flock.
The Church is also likened to a body and to a vine. But I like best the
description in Ephesians 3:15 where the
Church is spoken of as a FAMILY. Of whom the whole
family in heaven ...
(KJV). Those who are Christ’s by faith are
one family - having one Father - and the same life - and the same love. Each
family member is going to the same home and looks for the same inheritance.
The family is made up of individuals who bear the name of Christ. Let us
appreciate each other as belonging to each other and be very thankful
for our individual place in God’s family through faith in Christ’s
atoning work. (DG)
I am with thee(23 - 29 April 2000)
There is nothing more disheartening than to be surrounded by adverse
circumstances and feel that no-one cares. We are all vulnerable to this
kind of depression. The way to victory is in realising the sure presence
of God with us. When tempted to ask, Does God care?
and Is God with me?
and Will God help me?
or, Is God really concerned about this difficulty?
turn for the answer to such verses as Isaiah 41:10,
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I
am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(KJV).
(DG)
In the account of the appearance of the risen Lord to Mary Magdalene, in
John chapter 20, the Lord puts the question to the distraught Mary,
Woman, why weepest thou?
(KJV). We know that she thought she had lost her Lord. In reality He was restored
to her. Mary’s experience suggests to us the possibility of weeping over losses
that are imaginary. The Lord had not gone but was there with her and she would have
seen this if she had not been blinded with emotional tears. Weeping one, judge not
by your senses but put your faith in the Word of God. James
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you
...
(KJV). (DG)
Paul, before his conversion, bitterly opposed those who preached the Cross,
but after coming face to face with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus,
there was born in his heart a love for the Cross by which his redemption was
wrought, The time came when he could write Galatians
6:14, But God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, ...
(KJV). Can you say that with Paul?
J. Bowring the hymn-writer was able to. He wrote:
In the Cross of Christ I glory,
Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time:
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
(DG)
Character is the fibre of the soul. C. H. Spurgeon reminds us,
Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. Resistance
to trouble and the overcoming of obstacles builds a quality into character
which can be obtained from no other source. While it develops courage it also
brings the gentleness of understanding
. An example of this is to be seen
in Joseph’s life. Psalm 105:17-19 records:
17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:(KJV)
18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
Much of what we admire in others, is the product of adversity. The effect of trial in your life and mine can produce admirable traits too. (DG)
It is not enough to pray and ask - we must believe that we have received.
The Lord Jesus said, in Mark 11:24, ...
whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you
receive them, and you will have them.
(NKJV). We must, of course, ask
according to God’s Word. The promises of God are so abundant and precious in
the Bible. They are like so many banknotes or cheques waiting to be cashed.
Sometimes these promises are post-dated and we have to wait for the right day
before we can receive the fulfilment. We can thank God for His greatest gift,
the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that in Christ all the good and perfect gifts of
God are contained. (DG)
The story is told of a missionary who gathered some shepherds together
to read the Bible and preach to them. He read to them the tenth chapter of
John’s gospel. The men listened intently: they had never heard the words
before. One of them asked the missionary what he was reading. He replied that it
was the Bible, the Word of God. The shepherd said, Why, that is a sheep
book.
The man recognised that the Bible had a special message for shepherds,
and he was right. No matter what sort of work a man is engaged in, the Bible
has something to say about it, and something to say to him. The psalmist
exclaimed in Psalm 139:16,17 ...
in thy book all my members were written ... how precious also are thy thoughts
unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
(KJV). (DG)
The worshippers in heaven, in Revelation 7:12,
are shown to be saying Amen
. F.B. Meyer wrote, AMEN means
so be it - certainly.
It is a word which is constantly translated in the
gospels as verily
. It contains the consent of the heart, and the response
of the life. Amen means that you appropriate each word that is spoken, that your
heart says yes to it and stamps it with the seal of consent. Let your life say
Amen
to God, Amen
to providence, Amen
to redemption,
Amen
to the song of heaven. (DG)
In John’s gospel chapter five we have recorded for us the story of the troubling of the pool, and a certain man whom Jesus healed. We are not given his name, but at our first introduction to him, our sympathy is with him. This poor sufferer lay beside the waters of Bethesda. He was a silent sufferer. He did not even open his mouth to speak to Christ. There had been a day when he hoped somebody would lift him to the pool. But the day had lengthened into years - he had now fallen into the silence of despair. It was at that time that the Lord came and took the initiative which resulted in healing. When you have despaired of every other means, it is then the Lord can prove Himself. (DG)
The woman of Bethany displayed, in the beautiful story, love and sacrifice,
when she took the very precious ointment of spikenard and poured it on the
head of our Lord Jesus. This outpouring of her love and devotion cost much
in terms of monetary value - approximately one year’s wages of that day.
Jesus commended, we quote His words in Mark 14:8,9,
8 She hath
done what she could: ... 9 ...
Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached ...
this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for
a memorial of her.
(KJV). The Lord expects from us what we can do!
And it pleases Him to see His own sacrificial love expressed in our personal
sacrifice for Him. Today, may Christ see His own love in us, and be able to
commend it. (DG)
An addition to College curriculum was urged by Dr. George Nickolls
when addressing a College Graduation Class - a course in silence. If we could
learn to keep our mouths shut at the proper time we would spare the world
much grief, sorrow and misunderstanding
. The Bible says, in
Ecclesiastes 3:7 that there is, ...
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
(KJV). The Lord will enable us
to discern the proper time to speak, and the proper time to maintain silence, if
we wait on Him. (DG)
J. R. Miller calls the beatitude of Matthew
5:9 an over-looked beatitude.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for
they shall be called the children of God.
(KJV). There are many people
who are strife-makers rather than peace-makers. They do not seek to heal
estrangements between others. Too often, when they find in anyone a grain of
suspicion or dislike of another they stimulate the evil growth. Is it not time
that we should become peacemakers in a world where beauty is marred by so much
strife? May you experience the happiness of a peace-maker today.
(DG)
In the Revelation 2:2, the risen Saviour says,
I know ...
. In the
seven letters to the churches, seven times Jesus said,
I know
. He
knows all about our activities. He knows the quantity and quality of our works;
He knows all about our patience or impatience. He knows the development or
the deterioration of our service for Him. He knows our characteristics of
love and faith. He knows the faults of His people. He knows our trials. Perhaps
scarcely anyone else knows it, but seeing that He knows is all that matters.
He even knows our address. He said, Revelation 2:2
I know ...
where thou dwellest.
(KJV). There is
wonderful comfort and stimulant in knowing that He knows.
(DG)
Scientists report that noise has a definite effect on our working efficiency.
Noise increases pulse, quickens blood pressure, and upsets the normal rhythm
of the heart. This also applies to our spiritual lives. The man who is occupied
with the things which keep him from hearing the voice of God in his heart,
is spiritually frustrated, and robbed of true soul-peace. This is why God
has said in Psalm 46:10, Be
still and know that I am God ...
(KJV). For your spiritual health’s
sake Be still
, and hear the voice of God today. (DG)
It is possible that you have lost heart. Hear the words of
Isaiah 40:31, But they that
wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength ...
(KJV). If you are
fainting beneath the long and arduous strain of life, or are ready
to give up in despair, remember, God is not tired; you think He is because
you are
. Wait upon the Lord and renew your strength. Time tells on us; moods
influence us; circumstances upset us; sins pile up their debris between us
and God. From all these let us turn once more to Jesus and wait on Him. He
waits to forgive and be gracious unto us. As we wait upon Him He will renew
our strength. (DG)
Clothing is a great industry. What a great deal of effort is taken with
regard to dress. It is a daily question with some. What shall we put on and
wherewithal shall we be clothed?
In Romans 13:14
we read, But put on the Lord Jesus Christ ...
(NKJV). It
has been said that every Christian is not only a Christ-bearer, but a
Christ-wearer. We are so to enter into Him by communion, to be so endued with His
presence, that men shall see Him when they behold us, as they see our garments
when they look at our bodies. May others see Jesus in you today.
(DG)
Jeremiah was used of God to speak wonderful words of comfort and hope to
his captive brethren. In Jeremiah 29:11 we read,
For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the
LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
(KJV).
Like the Israel captives you may be having a bad time and everything may seem
against you. But God is thinking about you, and His thoughts are those of peace
and not of evil; so there is a good time coming and you will forget the present
trouble. God will surely visit you and bring to pass all His good word towards
you. (DG)
There may be trouble all around us, but the heart that believes in God
has no reason to be disturbed. Jesus said in John 14:1,
Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in God ...
(KJV). Why should we be troubled if we believe in
God - the God who takes a personal interest in us? There is a double guard against
having a troubled heart. Believe in God and His Christ because Jesus continued,
... believe also in me.
(KJV).
Jesus is the God-appointed Saviour for man, and is the guarantee of God’s
personal interest in us. Let us believe in God who has spent so lavishly upon
us and our eternal future. (DG)