September 1
Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
THINGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE ANXIOUS
Ill health is often another fruitful source of care.Your very success in life may depend upon good health, and that seems denied. Or you may have others depending upon you, and you are feeling less and less equal to the strain.
Perhaps few things are more trying than to feel unequal, physically and mentally, to the demands of your calling, and yet to be obliged to face them day after day.
Under such circumstances everything is apt to become draped in black. All we look at is in varying shade of India ink. Heavens blue is forgotten, and cold grey mist envelopes everything. The thistle-down, lighter than a feather seems to our distorted imagination a ton weight.
All this may be purely physical; and there is the physical side of getting free from care as well as the spiritual, for man is body as well as soul and spirit. To pay due attention to each is one of the great problems of life.
But the very remembrance that your feeling of depression has no real cause in circumstances, but only in some transitory condition of your body, will enable you to arise and shake yourself free from it. There is one text too, which has often been like a sheet-anchor under pressure of this kind.
"God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation (trial) also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 Angels in White - Russell Elliott
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When thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light. Luke 11:34
We all know how easily our poor heart persuades itself of the rightness of any step which it desires to take, and how the devil furnishes plausible arguments to convince us of its rightness. He comes with arguments which the moral condition of the soul causes us to regard as clear, forcible and satisfactory.
The very fact of our thinking of such a thing proves our unfitness to weigh, with a well-balanced mind and spiritually adjusted conscience, the solemn consequences of such a step.
If the eye were single (that is, if we were governed by but one object, namely, the glory and honour of the Lord Jesus Christ), we should have no difficulty or perplexity about the matter.
A racer whose eye is resting on the crown will not be troubled with any perplexity as to whether he ought to stop and tie a hundred-pound weight around his neck. Such a thought would never cross his mind.
Whenever I am in perplexity as to my path, I have reason to suspect that my eye is not single, for, assuredly, perplexity is not compatible with a body “full of light.”
We frequently go to pray for guidance in matters with which, if the eye were single and the will subject, we would have nothing whatever to do, and hence we should have no need to pray about them. To pray about anything concerning which the Word of God is plain marks the activity of a rebellious will.
As a writer has well remarked, “We sometimes seek God’s will, desiring to know how to act in circumstances in which it is not His will that we should be found at all; if conscience were in real healthful activity, its first effect would be to make us quit them.
It is our will which sets us there, and we should like, nevertheless, to enjoy the consolation of God’s direction. Be assured that if we are near enough to God, we shall have no trouble to know His will.” The Lord is Near
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He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2
The real power to do great things for Christ must come from secluded places, where men commune with God.
Let us remember, to range over the whole garden of Scripture and not to confine ourselves to a few particularly wealthy spots; for the green pastures are everywhere. By the anointed eye, Christ is as really beheld in the types of the pentateuch (First five books of the O.T.) as in the later portions of the inspired Word.
He is enfolded in the Old Testament and unfolded in the New. “Search the Scriptures . . .” said Jesus, “for they are they which testify of Me”. (John 5:39) “Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me.” (John 5:46).
And after His resurrection He joined the two disconsolate ones on their way to Emmaus, and, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:27)
Oh, what a Bible-reading have we here, not barren theory—musty, dry and drear—
But Christ, the “altogether lovely”, full in view. Himself the Preacher, text and sermon too.
And thus we learn that if our souls are to be kept healthy, vigorous, and strong; that if our work for God is to be of an enduring character; that if we are to combat successfully the principalities and powers which are arrayed against us and which are determined to resist every advance we attempt to make in the knowledge of God—we must read and study the Word of God. Pearl of the Psalms - George Henderson
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Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress. (Psalm 4:1)
(In pressure Thou hast enlarged me.)
“How can God, of whom you say that He is love, of whom you claim He can do whatever is His will—how can He look upon a body racked with terrible pain without stepping in with a helping hand? How can He see all the misery, the suffering, the need of humanity without putting an end to it?” It was a bitter voice that spoke thus. Has such a question ever been raised in your heart? It was asked by a once jovial young lady.
By falling from a horse, she had received serious injury, and had just overheard the doctors say, “Helpless for life!” At this, her whole being rebelled. “How could God allow this, since He is Almighty? He has no love!”
For awhile her true friend, who stood by her side at this time of trouble, was silent. Then as though he would speak of something else, he asked: “Child, did it hurt very much when they applied the cast?”
“Hurt? Why it was terrible!” she answered.
“But wasn’t your father present then?”
“Of course he was.”
“And he allowed them to torture you so? He could have stopped them.”
“But it was necessary. It’s to help me, that I may at least be able to sit up again.”
The friend said slowly and with feeling: “So, therefore, your father looked on, when the doctor caused you such pain, and he allowed it to be although he loved you so much, or just because he loved you so dearly?”
The patient gazed into the face of the speaker with a strange light in her large eyes. “You mean to say,“ she said hesitatingly, “that God has allowed this accident because He loves me?”
He nodded his head, unable to speak.
A Father’s hand will never cause
His child a needles tear. W. F. Lloyd
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Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Luke 24:39
Now look at them! What do you think about those wounds on the riven body of Jesus? Do they not speak peace to your heart and conscience? “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s Son] cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Oh! yes, my fellow-believer, Jesus feels keenly every doubting thought that arises in our hearts.
Blessed Jesus! Thy work is finished; here our souls rest. Our sins were laid on Thee; they cannot be laid on us. On our account our wrath was on Thee; on Thy account it is peace, endless peace, to us. Hear the words of Jesus, “Go in peace,” and doubt no more. He does not say, Look at your sins or your failings.
We might look at them in despair. But He says, “Behold My hands and MY feet,” as though He had said, Is it not enough? Could I love you more?
Faith is always self-renouncing; it brings a broken, empty heart to receive and welcome God’s gracious gifts. Faith, therefore, gives all the glory to God.
Believing in Christ, we come to Him for all, employ Him in all, trust Him through all, look to Him under all, hope in Him to do all, and to Him ascribe the glory of all.
C Stanley 1821 - 1888) (adapted)
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Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6
Prayer the Sign of Life.
What is prayer, but the breathing forth of that grace which is breathed into the soul by the Holy Spirit?
When God breathed into man the breath of life, he became a living soul; so when God breathes into the creature the breath of spiritual life, he becomes a praying soul: “Behold, he prayeth,” says God of Paul to Ananias (Acts 9:11).
Praying is the same to the new creature, (2 Corinthians 5:17) as crying to the natural. The child is not taught by art to cry, but by nature—it comes into the world crying. Praying is not a lesson got by forms and rules of art, but flowing from principles of new life. The Christian in Complete Armour - William Gurnall (1617-1679)
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He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. Isaiah 53:7
In the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain. Revelation 5:6.
We live in an area of Ireland where at certain times of the year we see lambs running in the fields. They look so pure, innocent and harmless.
Every time I see a lamb I am amazed that in Revelation, the Lord of the entire universe is depicted as the eternal Lamb of God. You would think the Lion in the midst of the throne would be more fitting. But who can fathom the humble nature of our God?
Interestingly, the word for lamb used in Revelation is not the ordinary word but one that means the smallest and dearest lamb in the fold. Let us muse on our Lamb today. Paul Robertson
Lamb of God, our souls adore Thee, while upon Thy face we gaze,
There the Father’s love and glory shine in all their brightest rays.
O what wondrous love and mercy! Thou didst lay Thy glory by,
And for us didst come from heaven as the Lamb of God to die. - J. G. Deck
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O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!
Romans 11:33
A poor weaver in Scotland preached a brief sermon on three texts:
(1) “The blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
“That‘s my sins away.” (2) “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and
not one of them is forgotten before God?” (Luke 12:6)Ye are of more value
than many sparrows.” (v.7)That’s my cares away. (3) We shall be caught up
to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)“ And that’s myself away.”
That good man’s sermon—which covers the whole of a Christian’s life—has
suggested to me the lines which I should follow in discussing the theme that
is to occupy us in the pages of this book.
We are told that just before a very critical operation the late eminent surgeon,
Dr. T. Parvin, read to the assembled physicians the 139th Psalm, and then
said: “It is a great literary document; but even more it is a wonderful spiritual
treasure. It can be heartily commended for your study, for its message is
greatly needed. After all, there is nothing which will effectually drive out fear,
except a living faith in a living, loving God; and the 139th Psalm should be a
great help to those who would do the the thing most needed—practise the
presence of God.
“Thou hast beset me behind.“That takes care of my past. “Thou hast
beset me before. That takes care of my future. “Thou hast laid Thine
hand upon me.” That takes care of the present (v.5).
Or, take three statements from Hebrews 9 “He once appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (v.26) “He now appears in the presence of
God for us.” V.24) He shall appear the second time without sin unto
salvation.” (v.28) Heaven’s Cure for Earth’s care - George Henderson
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Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 1 Samuel 2:30
Like Joseph, Daniel and his companions had a firm grasp of the sovereign ways of God, and, despite the situation and its complexities, he refused to compromise his faith. He acted in Babylon as he would have acted under better circumstances in Jerusalem.
Daniel believed that, somehow, Babylon was a temporary phase in the ways of God with His people, and that, eventually, the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be fulfilled, and Israel would return to their land.
What a challenge to us today. How do we behave when we are away from home,
or when fellow believers aren't around to check up on us? How do we behave when we are alone, and in a situation where a little bit of compromise could open up all
sorts of lucrative and attractive prospects for us?
How many lives have been ruined for God, not in the pits of immorality, but in the highest societies around a meal table?Ah, we need to be constantly on our guard. It is so easy to yield when the circumstances are congenial, the food is good, the chat is interesting, and the prospects are glowing.
Beware lest you be compromised in your faith and in your commitment to the Lord.
Daniel: Godly Living in a Hostile World - William Burnett
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Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Luke 18:1
Go to the ant thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Proverbs 6:6
Tammerlane used to relate to his friends an anecdote of his early life. “I once,“
he said, “was forced to take shelter from my enemies in a ruined building, where
I sat alone many hours.
Desiring to divert my mind from my hopeless condition, I fixed my eyes on an
ant that was carrying a grain of corn larger than itself up a high wall. I numbered
the efforts it made to accomplish this object.
The grain fell sixty-nine times to the ground; but the insect persevered, and the
seventieth time it reached the top. This sight gave me courage at the moment,
and I never forgot the lesson. The King's Business
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By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:27
You cannot see the loving eyes of your Lord or see His hand stretched out to help you. And yet you are trusted to go on just as if you saw. You are trusted to endure as seeing Him who is invisible, your Redeemer, your Captain and your Lord.
There is no life that is not surrounded at times with difficulties. We are not called to be weaklings but warriors. So let no one be surprised when the enemy comes in like a flood. But there is no need ever to be overwhelmed.
There is not one word in the Bible to tell us to expect to be overwhelmed, for the moment the enemy comes like a flood, that very moment "the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isiah 59:19) and makes us strong to endure as seeing Him who is invisible.
I find much comfort in Psalm 138:3, “In the day when I cried Thou answeredst
me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”
"In the day that I cried:” That does not mean the day after, or an hour or two, or even a minute after, but that very day, that very hour, that very minute. God hears us the moment we cry and strengthens us with the only kind of strength that is
of any use at all. Candles in the Dark - Amy Carmichael
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Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint hearted. Isaiah 7:4
Whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be be quiet from
fear of evil. Proverbs 1:33
Be still, my heart, for faithful is your Lord,
And pure and true and tried His holy Word;
Through stormy flood that rages as the sea,
His promises your stepping-stones shall be.
I will not seek to know the future years,
Nor cloud today with dark tomorrow’s fears;
I will but ask a light from heaven, to show
How, step by step, my pilgrimage should go.
Selected
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Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king
had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 2 Chronicles 34:18-19
Judging The Word Or The Word Judging Us
Here we have a tender conscience bowing under the action of the Word of God.
This was one special charm in the character of Josiah. He was, in truth, a man
of a humble and contrite spirit who trembled at the Word of God.
Would that we all knew more of this! Josiah had no question whatever in his mind
as to the genuineness and authenticity of the words which Shaphan had read in
his hearing.
We do not read of his asking, “How am I to know that this is the Word of God?”
No, he trembled at it; he bowed before it; he was smitten down under it; he rent
his garments. He did not presume to sit in judgment upon the Word of God, but
he allowed the Word to judge him.
Thus it should ever be. If man is to judge Scripture, then Scripture is not the Word
of God at all; but if Scripture is in very truth the Word of God, then it must judge
man. And so it is, and so it does. It lays bare the very roots of his nature. It opens up the foundations of his moral being. It holds up before him the only faithful
mirror in which he can see himself perfectly reflected.
This is the reason why man does not like Scripture, cannot bear it, seeks to set it aside, delights to pick holes in it, dares to sit in judgment upon it. It is not so in reference to other books. No, but Scripture judges them, judges their ways, their
lusts. Hence the enmity of the natural mind to that most precious and marvellous
Book. There is a power in Scripture which must bear down all before it. All must bow down under it, sooner or later. C. H. Mackintosh
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