Christ’s message to the millions of earth’s tired souls is that their cry
for rest is often a wholly misdirected cry: for what we need is not that our
surroundings should be changed to fit us, but that we ourselves should be
changed to fit our surroundings. It is not the change to ideal circumstances
that will give us rest. We need to be changed and we can be changed.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, ...
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; ... all things have become new.
(NKJV). In Christ we can be changed and fitted for life, and made useable for
God. (DG)
It was revealed to Joseph that the holy child to be born of Mary was to
be named Jesus. Matthew 1:21
... and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save
His people from their sins.
(NKJV). The name that is above every name -
Jesus - is also an enlargement of the great name JEHOVAH: JE - Jehova,
SUS-Saviour. So the name carries with it the character and work of Christ.
He is the divine deliverer, the Saviour God. No wonder W.C. Martin
wrote:-
The name of Jesus is so sweet,
I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete,
The precious name of Jesus.
May we appropriate more, today, the preciousness of the name of Jesus. (DG)
Too often prayer is left as something to do in an emergency. Sometimes
that kind of prayer can be too late. In 1 Peter
4:7 we are exhorted to ... watch unto prayer.
(KJV). This is to be done in view of coming danger. A ship was overtaken by
a fearful storm. The captain issued orders, and all but one man ran to their
several posts of duty. This one, overcome with terror, fell upon his knees
on the deck, and prayed for mercy and deliverance. Seeing the man on his knees,
the captain ran to him, shook him by the collar and said, Say your prayers
in fair weather.
Watching unto prayer will prepare us to face life’s
difficulties and enable us to be strong in life’s emergencies.
(DG)
For a man to lay down his life for his friend is wonderful, That is to
see a man at his best. But the amazing truth of the gospel is this.
Romans 5:8 ... while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(NKJV). This is the only example
the history of the world has ever been given of one willingly dying for his
own murderers. Titus 2:14 says He,
... gave Himself for us ...
(NKJV). What have we given
for Him? Maybe you say, I have no time
. What! No time to thank God for
such a wonderful gift!
Room and time now give to Jesus, Soon will pass God’s day of grace; Soon
thy heart be cold and silent, And thy Saviour’s pleadings cease.
(DG)
In the time of Joshua, people were drifting away from their true course
by turning to idol worship. Joshua sounded a summons to the soul of each man
saying in Joshua 24:15 ...
choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ...
To live is to
choose. God calls us to choose between good and evil, between godliness and
worldliness. Let us not forget that we were made for God, and therefore only
God can satisfy us. If we fail to choose God we are forfeiting the wonderful
life He intends for us. Will you consciously choose God as Lord of your life
today? (DG)
Two young men entered the workshop of a godly blacksmith. I say
, said
one young man addressing the blacksmith, can you tell me how we can make
our fortunes?
What’s the day of the month?
, replied the black-smith.
Sixteenth of April
, responded the other, puzzled. Come here, then.
And the young men were led to a conspicuous text almanac displayed on the wall
of the shop. This will tell you how to make a fortune.
Under 16th April
they read Matthew 6:33,
But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The young men were then told of the riches of grace to be found in Christ. Don’t
miss this spiritual wealth which can be found through knowing Christ personally.
(DG)
Peter’s wife’s mother was sick with a fever, and we read in
Matthew 8:15 that Christ ...
touched her hand, and the fever left her ...
(NKJV). This banishing of fever
by the Master’s touch may remind us that peace is the firstfruits of the gospel.
Romans 5:1 ... having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(NKJV). Through belief in the saving Christ our lives are touched by Him and the
fever of sin gives place to the quiet of peace with God. It is significant
that as soon as the fever was gone, through Christ’s touch, Peter’s mother-in-law
arose and ministered to them. When the fever of our sin is removed we can
serve others. We must be at rest ourselves before we can be at peace with
others. (DG)
Birds will nest in the strangest places. It made news in Birmingham (England)
when a pair of thrushes made their nest under a railway car which, four times
a day, does the journey between Sutton and Birmingham. The psalmist, in
Psalm 84:3 tells us of a strange nesting place.
Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest ...
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, ...
(NKJV). Unable to attend the service
of the sanctuary, David’s heart yearned for that privilege enjoyed by the sparrows.
To nest is to rest, and it is at the altar that rest is found. The altar speaks of
blood-shedding, of sacrifice, and that speaks of the Cross. In your weakness and
helplessness, like the sparrow safely nesting at the altar, you can find at the
Cross safety, life, peace and a place for active service. (DG)
We are told in Matthew 12 that the Lord, on going into a synagogue on a
Sabbath day, found a man there with a withered hand. The withered hand can
speak to us of a withered life. The life that is atrophied by sin cannot be
used by God. We must first be healed of sin’s crippling power by the Saviour,
if we would be of service to God. When a man or woman invites Christ into
their lives, they are like the Thessalonians of whom it is said in
1 Thessalonians 1:9, that they
... turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God,
(NKJV). Let us say with the hymn-writer, Take my
hands and let them move At the impulse of Thy love.
(DG)
We speak thousands of words each day, paying but little attention to what
we say. Unkind words can be like a knife thrust, making others suffer and
bleed. By our words we either spread good about us, or we create an evil
atmosphere. No wonder the psalmist in Psalm 39:1
resolved, ... I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue;
...
(NKJV). Through unkind and unguarded speech we do hurt to others and to
ourselves. How careful we need to be with our words today, and we should also
take care regarding the spirit in which we speak. (DG)
To a depressed runaway Egyptian slave girl there was given such a revelation
of the Lord that she was willing to return to her mistress and face life again.
What was it that gave her strength and courage to return to that from which
she had just run away? it was the fact that Hagar learned and experienced
in Genesis 16:13, ...
Thou God seest me: ...
(KJV). To some, the truth of the Lord’s omnipresence
is alarming: and that God should be a witness to all their misdeeds. But to
those who know God in Christ, the fact that God sees them and is always
present is the source of their strength. Face the difficulties of today in
the knowledge of God’s presence with you. (DG)
A four-year-old girl was returning home from Sunday school with her father,
and kept repeating God’s in love.
When her father asked her about it, she
said her Sunday school teacher had been teaching them some scripture verses,
and if they remembered a verse, they would receive some sweets as a prize.
The father learned something from the mistake his daughter was making. Instead
of repeating the famous phrase, God is love
, she was saying, God’s
in love
. When we see God in Christ we realise that God is in love with us.
1 John 4:10 reads, In this
is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.
(NKJV). (DG)
Paul knew the power of the indwelling Christ in his life. His testimony
in Galatians 2:20 was, ...
it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; ...
(NKJV).
Maurice A. P. Wood illustrated this in a clear and simple way.
He said, When I was the vicar of Islington, a number of years ago, and
David Sheppard the English cricketer joined our staff as curate, he often
spoke about his cricket. Occasionally, he would show the children how to
hold a bat, and give them a bit of coaching. But the great cricketer can
only do an amount of coaching. To play cricket for England we would need
the spirit of a great cricketer within us, with his indwelling ability to
play each ball carefully and confidently.
When we put our faith in the Saviour
we are made new creatures. His new nature is implanted, so that we begin from
that moment to live an overcoming and victorious life. (DG)
A cynical man tried to lure an old man into an argument about the existence
or non-existence of God. The argumentative man had a lot of words at the tip
of his tongue, and he might have baffled a minister fresh from college. Not
so the old man. The atheist said, How can you ever prove that there is a
God?
Oh
, exclaimed the old man, I don’t have to prove it. You
see, I was talking to Him this morning.
Hebrews
11:6 states, But without faith it is impossible to
please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(NKJV). You will never talk
to God in vain. Why not talk to Him now? (DG)
How often we put off some task because we think it is too difficult for
us! It reminds me of a farmer I read about, who for years ploughed round a
rock he thought was too difficult to be moved. At last he determined to remove
it even if he had to blast it out. To his surprise, that rock was flat and
just lying on top of the ground. He removed it with little trouble. Paul,
in Ephesians 3:7 tells us he
... became a minister according to the gift of the grace
of God ...
, then he went on to say how he accomplished his great ministry,
... by the effective working of His
(God’s)
power.
(NKJV). What God calls you in grace to do, He
will give His power to enable you to do it. (DG)
Two young men spent a Sunday in having what they called a good time. Money
and drink flowed freely. Returning after their drinking spree, one of them
was caught under the wheels of his friend’s car. Calling his pal, he said,
John, this is a bad business. I want you to tell the boys when you see them
tomorrow that drink and pleasure did this for me. And John, while you are
telling them, my soul will be in hell.
The Bible says in
Proverbs 14:34, Righteousness
exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
(NKJV). God’s Word
also says, Psalm 16:11, ...
In Your presence is fullness of joy; ...
. (NKJV). Only Jesus can make your
Sundays so satisfyingly wonderful. (DG)
My attention was drawn to Moffat’s translation of
1 Peter 5:10 through an incident written by
W. E. Farndale, of England. After long hours spent in patching
and sewing and mending, a woman packed up her work one night and went upstairs.
Her back ached, her nerves were unstrung. Following her habit, she took up a
little book; but because her mind was as jaded as her body, at first the words
seemed blurred. Suddenly, however, the word
As that message came to an overwrought
woman with soothing, healing power, so it can now come to you and me.
(DG)repair
flashed from the page.
What’s this?
she said to herself. The Book answered, The
God of all grace ... will repair you.
A biologist tells how he watched an ant carrying a piece of straw which
seemed a big burden for it. The ant came to a crack in the earth which was
too wide for it to cross. It stood for a time, as if pondering the situation,
then put the straw across the crack and walked upon it. The burden can become
the bridge of progress. Galatians 6:5 teaches
personal responsibility. It says, For each one shall bear
his own load.
The Bible also says it is good for a man to bear the burden
in his youth. Face up to your responsibilities today - they are good for you.
(DG)
It is a great joy to meet an old friend and to find that the intervening
years have not altered the friendship. This kind of friend can be all too
rare. They point to God who is perpetually the same. Unlike the best of earthly
friends, God remains everlastingly the same. In Malachi
3:6 God says, For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
This is a reference to
God’s basic character and to His covenant keeping. God is the great
unchangeable One. No confidence is ever misplaced when that confidence is in
Him. (DG)
A speaker stated, I count all cheques as cash when I am making up my money
and striking a balance.
In 2 Corinthians 1:20
we are informed, For all the promises of God in Him are Yes,
and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us
. (NKJV). So when we feel that
we have not much of this world’s goods we can at least take hold of God’s
promises, for they are just so many drafts at sight upon divine mercy, and we may
count them among our possessions. Then we shall feel rich, and the soul is rich who
trusts God’s Word and takes His promises as something for present use.
(DG)
A Christian Commando Campaign had been organised by a Scottish church.
The young people, called Commandos, who were taking part in the Campaign,
were to go out to people where they were to be found. A man was approached
by one of the Commandos and asked, If the Lord Jesus came here to you now,
what would He ask you to give Him?
The man in replying showed how well he
understood the gospel for he said, If He came here, speaking to me, He wouldn’t
ask me for anything - He would want to give me something.
Mark 10:45 reads, For even the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom
for many.
(NKJV). He came to give pardon, life, joy, peace.
(DG)
Christ said to a Roman officer in Matthew 8:13,
... and as you have believed, so
let it be done for you ...
(NKJV). This centurion had recognised the
absolute power of Christ. He knew that only one word from the Lord was needed
for the healing of his sick servant. This confidence in the power of Christ and
His word is the very essence of true faith. Faith relies on the Word because it
is His Word. ... But only speak a word ...
(Matthew 8:8 NKJV), requests this officer, in faith.
If we will believe today and act upon the Word of the Lord, it shall be done unto us
according to our faith. (DG)
When Christ sent forth the seventy He instructed them, according to
Luke 10:5,
But whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this house’.
(NKJV). Do we bring peace to our
houses? Too often the entry of some people brings the noise of slammed door and
raised voice and discord. The very place meant for rest and good companionship
is turned into a place of quarreling and hurt. It is one of the amazing things
in life that lack of consideration is most often seen in the home, where love
and peace should be supreme. When Christ enters a house, even in the person of
His humblest disciple, He brings peace. May the Lord be able to use you today
as one of His instruments of peace. (DG)
When Christ comes into the life then a sure change takes place. When
Charles Spurgeon interviewed converts who were seeking admission to
membership of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, he used to ask them for evidence of a
change of heart. One convert who was a chambermaid said, No, there has been no
special change except that now I sweep under the rugs.
This was a thing which
was only known to the girl and God, but was an evidence that her life was under
new management. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: ...
(KJV). May we, in the ordinary things of life, note the change wrought by Christ.
(DG)
When the citizens of Gennesaret, according to Matthew
14:34-36 (KJV), recognised the Lord Jesus Christ, they proved their faith
in His power by bringing the sick to Him. These needy people asked permission to
touch the hem of His garment.
. They were not referring to
the edge of just any particular piece of clothing - they were referring to the
fringe
of covenant that God had told the children of Israel to put
in the lower edge of their garments, described in Numbers 15:38. The significant
thing is, that as many as
accepted the Lord’s permission and
touched
, were made perfectly whole
.
God has made a covenant with the whosoever
that believeth, at Calvary,
and you can experience deliverance, salvation, even His saving health
.
Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by,
He’s never too busy to hear your cry.
He’s passing now, this moment, your needs to supply,
Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by.
(DG)
Astronomy shouts that God is still alive and active; He is a God of overwhelming
majesty, and judging from His heavenly bodies, He is beautiful to behold. Astronaut
John Glenn said that up there the stars looked like jewels on black
velvet. The size and number of them surpass the grains of sand on all our sea-shores.
We only know that distance means nothing to God. The heavens preach God’s ability
eloquently. The stars are His salesmen of His government. They say without fear of
contradiction that He is big enough, intelligent enough to trust.
Proverbs 3:5 says, Trust in the
Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.
(KJV).
(DG)
A woman said she heard her mother, while praying, misquote
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.
(KJV). She prayed, O God, our very
pleasant help in trouble.
Our reporter pointed out that there is much truth even
in the misquotation. God is able to bring pleasantness even into our troubles, for
we find Him sufficient for all things. If your life is overcast by troubles today,
look out for the sun-rays of God’s pleasant presence with you.
(DG)
Writing materials have greatly altered since writing began about 6,000
years ago in Mesopotamia. Then, scribes, using a stylus - a straight stick
or piece of reed - wrote on clay tablets which were still damp and soft. Today,
with pens, or fountain pens, or ballpoints, we write on paper which can be
obtained in a variety of qualities. God’s writing material today is in the
hearts of His people. In 2 Corinthians 3:2,3,
we read, 2 You are our epistle written
in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you
are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit
of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of
the heart.
(NKJV). (DG)
It is related that when Lady Powerscourt was dying, a visiting friend came
into her bedroom and said, How are you today, Lady Powerscourt?
Very well,
she said. Very well: I will tell you what I have been thinking of. I have
been thinking that one needs a great many Scriptures to live by, but you
only need one to die by.
And what is that Scripture?
asked her friend.
The only Scripture that a person needs to die by is this, found in
1 John 1:7,
. (DG)... the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(NKJV)
Those who are tempted can find in Jesus the true sympathiser and helper.
Hebrews 4:15 tells us of Jesus, He was
... in all points tempted like as we are ...
(KJV), and in
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
(KJV). In His temptation Christ was shown to have relied on the written Word
alone to overcome the evil one, and He has left us an example. By suffering
under temptation, Jesus qualifies by experience and pain to be the High Priest
and Sympathiser and Succourer of the tempted. Those who are tempted will
never call in vain upon the help and sympathy of Christ who suffered
being tempted.
(DG)
It was a habit with Moses to ask advice and receive guidance direct from
God. We would be saved from making many mistakes if we would always do the
same. Some people consider it pious speech to express oneself as being guided
and taught by God in answer to prayer. But this experience can be wonderfully
real. Have you tried it? In Numbers 27:5 we read
of Moses, he ... brought their case before the Lord.
(KJV).
You can know the guidance of God in your life. (DG)
It brings great sadness to find that someone with whom we had such good
understanding and fellowship has changed. In Christ we find the unchangeable
friend. Hebrews 13:8 says,
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
(NKJV). He is the same Jesus of compassion and love that is seen in the gospels;
time does not alter His heart towards His people; He never grows weary; He never
becomes impatient; He never tires of praying for us. He is not subject to our
infirmities, changeable moods and dispositions and tempers. His love for us
yesterday will be no less today and will not change tomorrow. This knowledge
led the hymn-writer Henry F. Lyte to say, Change and decay in
all around I see; O Thou Who changest not, abide with me.
Take the unchangeable
Saviour into your life today. (DG)
We have a vivid contrast in the words of
Exodus 19:4, ... I bare you ON
eagles’ wings, ...
(KJV), and the words of Matthew
23:37, ... gathered ...
even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings ...
(KJV). God is pictured as bearing Israel up. That was what God
was to His people in grace under the old covenant. But which is the safer of the
two? ON or UNDER? In the New Testament, under the new covenant, God hides the believer
UNDER His wings. Even the psalmist knew of this in Psalm 91:4,
He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take
refuge; ...
(NKJV). What a beautiful picture of the peace, the joy,
the comfort that comes through trust in Christ. (DG)
It is possible, with the Lord’s help, to cultivate a thankful disposition.
Colossians 4:2 exhorts us to
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
(KJV). Suppose you try a new kind of diary - like the one a little girl kept as an
antidote to grumbling - a diary of thanksgiving. Each day she put down some occasion
for thankfulness, and so contracted a habit of looking for things to be thankful
for, instead of seeing things which upset and made her grumpy. That little book grew
to a sizeable volume, and the good habit grew into a pleasant disposition. Try the
experiment - start counting your blessings
and it will surprise you how
many you have. (DG)
Worry is a little stream of fear trickling through the soul; faith will
dry up this annoying stream. Worry never blesses anybody. It upsets our digestion,
it robs us of sleep; it makes us irritable; it destroys our peace; it embitters
us. If we are children of God let us stop worrying. Why should we worry when
we can pray? A human mind can only stand so much weight. Fortunately, we are
not expected to carry our burdens without assistance. We are invited in
Psalm 55:22, Cast your burden
on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be
moved.
(NKJV). Let God handle your burden and leave it with Him.
(DG)
A ship became lost among the sandbanks during a storm. The lifeboat set
out in answer to the flares sent up from the ship in distress. But the sea
was too rough for the pilot to be put aboard. A signal was given by the lifeboat,
Follow my light.
There are people around us who are struggling on the sea
of life; their ship is lost among the sandbanks of fear, of doubt, of hopelessness.
Can your light be seen, that others may be guided to safety? Jesus said, in
Matthew 5:14,
You are the light of the world
...
(NKJV). (DG)
Those who have placed their faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord, experience
joy. That joy is continuous as the believer continues believing.
1 Peter 1:8 makes this clear, Whom
having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
(KJV). In this world of sin and
sorrow there are many things to make us sad, but as we keep on trusting in the living
Christ, our hearts are filled with joy. May you, through believing, experience today
the joy unspeakable. (DG)
At the close of World War I, the king and queen of Belgium sent for Herbert
Hoover, who had given food and hope to their people during the war. The king
wished to honour Herbert Hoover with the highest decoration. Herbert Hoover
refused, saying, We shared with you what we had to give; for that, one does
not ask honours.
But the king and queen did bestow a new order, created just
for him, and he received the title, Friend of the Belgian People.
He had
saved the people from starvation. A friend is one who loves and cares, and
helps when his friend is in trouble. The Lord said in
John 15:14,
Ye are my friends, ...
(KJV). We gladly accept Him as our friend, but are we proving that we deserve the title
of His friend?
(DG)
When Jesus again foretold His death and His resurrection to His disciples,
we read in Mark 10:32, ...
and Jesus went before them: ...
(KJV). As these disciples see Jesus going
up to Jerusalem they were filled with amazement and fear. The path ahead was
dark and frightening. It is characteristic of Christ at this time, that He went
before them. There will be times in every believer’s experience when the path
ahead will seem dark and threatening, but there will never be a time when Jesus
is not leading the way. With Jesus going before us we can be sure of a perfect
guide, One who knows all the pitfalls and lurking dangers on the road of life.
Let us tread confidently then in the steps of the Perfect Guide.
(DG)
A mother came into the room and found her little boy marking on the family
Bible. Shocked, she asked what he was doing. He replied, Oh, Mother I have
been reading of that poor father in Mark 9:22
who came to Jesus and said,
There is never any
... If thou canst do any thing,
have compassion on us, and help us.
(KJV)., and I thought he should not say
‘if’ to Jesus, so I have scratched it out.if
about the Lord’s ability to help, or bless, or heal.
(DG)
Christ taught the principle of daily contact with the living God, in
Luke 11:3, when He taught His disciples to pray
Give us day by day our daily
bread.
(KJV). We are not taught to ask for a year’s supply, or
a month’s, or even a week’s supply of bread. God wants us to be in
utter dependence upon Him daily. God wants us to daily feel the need of His
sustaining power. Just as man needs his daily food to sustain his physical
well-being, spiritual food is necessary daily for his spiritual well-being.
Make the request to God for your daily bread and He will satisfy you day by day.
(DG)
A boy was trying to swim across a certain river. When he was half way across
he was overcome by a strange feeling which was caused by his fear of getting
cramp. He turned and swam back, forgetting that it wasn’t any further to
the opposite bank. Many people, when attempting to swim across their streams
of difficulty, turn back half way. A little perseverance would have taken
them through. If you are in the middle of a difficult or trying time, don’t
give up. Say with the Apostle Paul in Philippians
3:13,14 13... this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark
...
(KJV). (DG)
Christ is not only our mighty Saviour, He is our tender shepherd. In
John 10:11 Jesus said,
I am the good shepherd:
...
(KJV). This means so much to the trusting soul. One hymn writer put it,
I have a shepherd, One I love so well, How He has blessed me, tongue can
never tell. On the cross He suffered, shed His blood and died, That I might
ever in His love abide.
Our shepherd delivers us by His grace and keeps
us by His power. As our shepherd, He is caring for us with a care that never
wearies; He knows His sheep by name, feeds them on the finest of the wheat,
and brings them all safely home. (DG)
A praising person is a happy person. The psalmist knew this and so gave
the inspired exhortation in Psalm 100:44
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts
with praise:...
(KJV). There is nothing like the giving of thanks to drive
away the clouds and carry you into the sunlight of His presence. Enter the courts
of God with praise for His majesty and power. Remember that He is still on the
Throne! The wicked may seem to prosper for a time, and the proud may seem to
triumph temporarily, but the kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom. He shall
triumph. Our God is good and merciful. Let us praise Him and so keep happy,
because true happiness is a condition of the heart. (DG)
When Jacob awakened from his dream after his first night away from his
home he said, according to Genesis 28:16,
... Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
(KJV). It is easy for us to believe God is with us in life’s more pleasant
experiences. We readily accept them as evidence of His love. But we must also
learn to accept seeming reverses, painful delays, and discouraging results as
part of our spiritual schooling and no less evidence that God loves us.
George Matheson knew this truth and wrote: - O Joy that
seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee.
(DG)
A little boy in an orphanage was recovering from an illness. While looking
through a magazine he saw an advertisement which read, Fry’s Cocoa -
Absolutely pure.
He asked the nurse, What does ‘absolutely
pure’ mean?
It means pure all through, nothing bad in it, and all
the nasty things taken out
, replied the nurse. That night the nurse was
very surprised to hear Donald, when saying his prayers, praying, O Lord, make
me like Fry’s cocoa.
The shocked nurse was about to interrupt when she
heard, Like Fry’s cocoa, absolutely pure, so there will be nothing bad
in me at all, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
If you feel the need to be pure,
then pray the prayer recorded in Psalm 51:2,7,10:
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.(KJV)
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
(DG)
There is a way of the Cross for all Christ’s followers. In
Matthew 16:24, 25, Christ said,
24... If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 ... and whosoever will
lose his life for my sake shall find it.
(KJV). It has been well said
that the Cross is a voluntary matter. The Cross was not forced upon Jesus the way
trials, disappointments and sicknesses are forced upon us. Christ deliberately
chose to go to the Cross because of His devotion to the Father’s will and
His love for humanity. When we deny self to do God’s will, and in service
to others, we are bearing our Cross. We can avoid the way of the Cross if we wish,
but if we do we shall miss the life that is abundant. (DG)
Psalm 34:1 reads, I will bless
the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth ...
(KJV).
Irene Clemons (Massachusetts) wrote: - How well I remember the music
teacher of my Grammar school days! One morning he drew a profusion of black dots on
a large sheet of white paper. Every child in the class watched in expectancy, but
could make nothing of them. He drew a few lines, put in a number of rests, and a
clef at the beginning. Then we saw the black dots take the shape of musical notes.
On sounding them, we found ourselves singing, ‘Praise God from whom all blessings
flow’.
When we have an unswerving trust, and give thanks to God for all things,
He takes the black dots of pain and sorrow and brings forth something glorious out
of our adversities. (DG)
Joel 2:32 says, And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered
...
(KJV). The source of deliverance is so often neglected. We sit down and
devise schemes and invent plans! Or we go to our neighbour with the difficulty
only to find there is no help, when all the time God is so near and will hear
the faintest call.
Bring Him your sorrows, bring Him your fears;
Bring Him your heartaches, bring Him your tears.
Go tell Him plainly, just how you feel;
Jesus will pardon, Jesus will heal.
(DG)
In a world where so many things are shaking, it is good to have a God who
is unshakeable. The morning after a terrible shipwreck, watchers on the shore
saw a sailor clinging to a rock out in the churning water. When he had been
rescued he was asked, Did you tremble out there on that rock in that terrible
storm?
Yes, I trembled,
replied the sailor. But the rock did not.
In the storms of life we too have a rock to cling to - a rock that won’t tremble
- the Lord Jesus Christ. In the words of Psalm 62:6
we can say, He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my
defence; I shall not be moved.
(KJV). (DG)
Paul had learned the secret of how to accomplish the difficult things in
life. No wonder he was a giant spiritually. He tells us his open secret in
Philippians 4:13 I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
(KJV). It would have
been an empty boast if he had just written, I can do all things
. Paul
was a do-er, not an idle boaster, and his weakness was made strong by Christ’s
strength. You can find yourself meeting problems with new mental force, and
you can carry heavy burdens with ease. When you allow Christ to strengthen you,
your new lifting power will amaze you. Let the assurance of these words grip
you now. I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.
(DG)
A person is literally the sum of his thinking. The Bible says in
Proverbs 23:7, For as
he thinketh in his heart, so is he: ...
(KJV). What is a thought? It
cannot be seen, heard, touched, smelled or tasted; and yet it is infinitely
more powerful than anything that can be seen, heard, touched, smelled or
tasted. It is the source of creative ability, motion, of expression, and
all force and power. Every word spoken, every deed done, every step taken
is the result of thought. Every event in human history was cradled in thought.
You are your thought, and your thought is you. What you think about most
is constantly and inexorably weaving itself into the fabric of your destiny.
Look to your thought life. Practice
Philippians 4:8. (DG)