"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
The poet, Cowper, was subject to fits of depression. One day he ordered a cab, and told the driver to take him to London Bridge. Soon a dense fog settled down upon the city. The cabby wandered about for two hours, and then admitted he was lost.
Cowper asked him if he thought he could find the way home. The cabby thought that he could, and in another hour landed him at his door. When Cowper asked what the fare would be the driver felt that he should not take anything since he had not gotten his fare to his destination. Cowper insisted, saying, "Never mind that, you have saved my life.
I was on my way to throw myself off London Bridge." He then went into the house and wrote:
"God moves in a mysterious way His Wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps on the sea,
and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines of never — failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
and works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy,
and shall break in blessings on your head."
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust Him for His grace:
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain
(TAKEN FROM "SPRINGS IN THE VALLEY)
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And Jesus said unto him (the thief) “today shalt thou be with Me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
Jesus crucified was more than King—He was Saviour. The poor malefactor was a testimony to it, and the joy and consolation of the Lord’s heart—the first-fruits of the love which had placed them side by side, where, if the poor thief bore the fruit of his sins from man, the Lord of glory at his side was bearing the fruit of them from God.
Through a work unknown to man save by faith, the sins of His companion were forever put away, they no longer existed, their remembrance was only of the grace which had taken them away, and which had forever cleansed his soul from them, making him that moment as fit to enter paradise as Christ Himself his companion there! J.N.Darby
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"Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" (Ruth 2:10)
These words of Ruth, a Gentile stranger, long ago, could be repeated by any Christian believer today. Like Ruth, a woman who by nature had no claims on God's covenant with Israel, so we were partakers of Adam's fallen nature, but now we have been brought near to God. Best of all, she came to know and love Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, and hence was overcome with thankfulness. When we consider that we too have been redeemed by Christ's saving grace, when many all around us are perishing, we might exclaim, "Why have I found grace in Thy sight?" (Robert Steele)
Marvellous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
N.J.Hiebert — 9546
"And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The Fair Havens;
nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea." (Acts 27:8)
Fair Havens - here was a place of safety. I want you to think of Fair Havens as a little
picture of blessings of true Christianity. These blessings and safety will be found in Christian homes, the assembly where you live, and in the example of faith of the believers with whom you associate.
Also think of this harbour as a little picture of the Christ of Christianity. The world sees nothing attractive in the Lord Jesus Christ, though it does willingly practice and embrace religion. But Fair Havens was the only place where protection from the coming storms of winter could be found - and it wasn't attractive.
Even if you have not been raised in a "Christian family," if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour, then the grace of God has surely brought you, in Him, to a place of refuge from all you are sure to meet on your voyage. Ask Him - He who loves you with a Divine, eternal love - to make His Word good to you, that you might never stray from the place of safety that He has provided.
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine Heart." (Jeremiah 15:16). Oh! do accept the safe shelter of the Fair Havens.
(D.N. - The Journey of Life)
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"He hath set the world (eternity) in their heart."
(Ecclesiastes 3:11)
You may cage the eagle in the most spacious of aviaries, but the infinite expanse of the heavens is in his heart, and he will pine for it. You may imprison the little fish in the most beautiful water vessel, but the ocean is in his being and he will yearn for it. You may make the rabbit as comfortable as possible in his little hutch, but at the first opportunity he will, to the dismay of the children, demonstrate that the veld (open country) is in his very nature. Which things are a parable.
Christian men and women have begun to experience the thrill and the throb of a life which is eternal; and they will find deliverance from this sense of inner loneliness, which ever and anon overtakes them as they journey to its native sphere, only by living fellowship with Him Who is its source. Nothing can take the place of this; for it remains abidingly true that God has made us for Himself and that we are restless till we rest in Him. (George Henderson - Heaven's Cure for Earth's Care
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"Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in (love),
in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)
We can present Christ to the hearts of men in our lives as well as by our words.
We may not be able to explain a single passage of scripture, but we can live Christ. You may teach a Sunday school, or visit among the poor, and that is all right and good, but there is something far better - live Christ, present Christ. (Edward Dennett)
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"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears
are open unto their prayers." (1 Peter 3:12)
The Lord always hears our prayers, but He does not always say, "Yes!" Sometimes He says,"Wait." Sometimes He says, "No," for He has something better for us. But -
God's delays are not denials, He has heard your prayer;
He knows all about your trials, knows your every care.
God's delays are not denials, help is on the way;
He is watching o'er life's dials, bringing forth the day.
God's delays are not denials, you will find Him true,
Working through the darkest trials, what is best for you. (Selected)
N.J.Hiebert — 9550
"Be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:11)
In our divided times, wherein there is so much difference of judgment, had there been less wrangling among ourselves and more wrestling with God, we had been in a fairer way to find the door of truth, which so many are yet groping for.
The way of controversy is dusty, and contentious disputes raiseth this dust, and blows it most into their eyes that gallop fastest in it, so that they miss the truth, which humble souls find upon their knees at the throne of grace.
Sinning times have ever been the saint's praying times: this sent Ezra with a heavy heart to confess the sin of his people (Ezra 9). And Jeremiah tells the wicked of his degenerate age that his "my soul should weep in secret places for your pride." (Jeremiah 13:17) William Gurnall - The Christian in Complete Armour - 1665)
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"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
It is a solemn statement which shows the necessary exclusion of evil from His presence. The cross is the measure of this. There we see His awful abhorrence of sin when He abandons His own Son, and commands the sword to awake against Him as made sin for us.
Abandoned of God on that cross, the suffering Victim was overwhelmed in darkness, in unfathomable sorrow, left to drink the cup of God's wrath against sin. That bitter cry of anguish, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" shows the utter impossibility of the darkness mingling with the light, or of sin having a place in the presence of God.
All this is unspeakably solemn if we look at the flesh or the old nature and what flows from it; and yet it is unspeakably blessed when we realize that we are in the Son, and that our life is in Him. We are brought to God in Christ. "As He is, so are we in this world." (A.H. Rule)
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“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear. for your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoke lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.”
(Isaiah 59:1-3)
Some years ago there came to Los Angeles, a so-called “human fly.” It was announced that on a given day he would climb up the face of one of the large department store buildings, and long before the appointed time thousands of eager spectators were gathered to see him perform the seemingly impossible feat.
But slowly and carefully he mounted aloft, now clinging to a window ledge, then to a jutting brick, again to a cornice. Up and up he went, against apparently insurmountable difficulties. At last he was nearing the top. He was seen to feel to right and left and above his head for something firm enough to support his weight, to carry him further. And soon he seemed to spy what looked like a grey bit of stone or discoloured brick protruding from the smooth wall.
He reached for it, but it was just beyond him. He ventured all on a spring like movement, grasped the protuberance and, before the horrified eyes of the spectators, fell to the ground and was broken to pieces. In his dead hand was found a spider’s web! What he evidently mistook for solid stone or brick turned out to be nothing but dried froth!
Alas, how many are thinking to climb to heaven by efforts of their own, only to find at last that they have ventured all on a spider’s web, and so are lost forever. Christ, and Christ alone can save. His gospel is unfailing and peace-giving. It is no adder’s egg nor spider web, but the “power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” (Romans 1:16). The Prophet Isaiah - H.A. Ironside
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"I can do all things through Christ Who strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)
The hand of God can do the business of God, though it have but a sling and a stone, or the jaw-bone of an ass, or lamps and pitchers; and the Spirit of God can do the business of God with souls, though He use but a word, or a look, or a groan.
(J.G. Bellett)
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"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because
ye ask amiss (wrong motives), that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
(James 4:2,3)
True prayer is not asking God to do what we want, but first of all it is asking Him to enable us to do that which He would have us do. Too often we endeavour by prayer to control God instead of taking the place of submission to His holy will. Thus we ask and receive not; because if God answered by giving what we desire we would but consume it on our lusts, or pleasures. To pray aright there must be a separated life, with God Himself before our souls as the supreme object of our affections.
(H.A. Ironside - Notes on James and Peter)
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"Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quick sands, strake sail, and so were driven." (Acts 27:17)
Often when believers find themselves in great difficulties caused by self-will and
disobedience, there is an urge to make promises to do better or to be more watchful the next time. Perhaps renewed efforts are made to read the Bible or pray or to be more faithful in attending the (prayer, Bible reading, etc.) meetings. All of these things, good in themselves, are examples of the helps and undergirdings that those on the centurion's ship used, trying to lessen further damage.
Making resolutions to do better, after the hurt and sorrow your self-will has marked your life is not the happy and peaceful way to journey. Seeking the Lord's help to please Him before the storms come and so that they do not come, is far preferable. (Douglas Nicolet - The Journey of Life)
N.J.Hiebert — 9556
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