Just sharing.

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"My Grace Is Sufficient For You" Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10 KJV __________________ For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 1 Peter 2:19,20 KJV __________________ Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. "For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls. Hebrews 10:35-39 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Encourage him.”

Deuteronomy 1:38

God employs his people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, “Gabriel, my servant Joshua is about to lead my people into Canaan—go, encourage him.” God never works needless miracles; if his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency. Gabriel would not have been half so well fitted for the work as Moses. A brother's sympathy is more precious than an angel's embassy. The angel, swift of wing, had better known the Master's bidding than the people's temper. An angel had never experienced the hardness of the road, nor seen the fiery serpents, nor had he led the stiff-necked multitude in the wilderness as Moses had done.

We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. It forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are fused more completely into one family. Brethren, take the text as God's message to you. Labor to help others, and especially strive to encourage them. Talk cheerily to the young and anxious enquirer, lovingly try to remove stumbling blocks out of his way. When you find a spark of grace in the heart, kneel down and blow it into a flame. Leave the young believer to discover the roughness of the road by degrees, but tell him of the strength which dwells in God, of the sureness of the promise, and of the charms of communion with Christ.

Aim to comfort the sorrowful, and to animate the desponding. Speak a word in season to him that is weary, and encourage those who are fearful to go on their way with gladness. God encourages you by his promises; Christ encourages you as he points to the heaven he has won for you, and the spirit encourages you as he works in you to will and to do of his own will and pleasure. Imitate divine wisdom, and encourage others, according to the word of this evening.

 

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Getting The Most Out Of Your Bible Reading


There are ways we can get the most out of reading our Bible. Here’s a few ways.

Meditate on the Word
Our church elder mentioned that meditating on the Word of God may be a lost art today. It’s one thing to read the Word, but it’s totally different when we stop and contemplate the Word. I would rather read only a few lines of Scripture and mediate on these, than read a whole chapter and not remember most of it. There is such an economy of words in the Bible where very little says voluminous amounts. For example, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). This verse says a lot, so meditate on it. Spend time reflecting, pondering, and thinking about that verse, and the context of that verse. When we’re in no hurry, the Word penetrates deep into our mind and allows us to internalize it. I think we miss out on a lot when we simply read over the Word and without meditating on it. God’s Word is so important to Him that the longest chapter in the Bible refers to the Word of God (Psalm 119).

Whatever we do for God depends on our meditating upon and reading of His Word. God told Joshua that “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). So it would be “only then” or, only after you mediate on the Word that success will come, but only if you “do according to all that is written in it.”

Memorizing Scripture
Memorizing Scripture may be what the psalmist called hiding God’s Word in his heart. The Scriptures often tell us to meditate on His Word, day and night, but you cannot meditate on the Word if you are not reading the Word, and it both day and night. The psalmist also knew that being in the Word will help us from falling into sin. It won’t keep us out of sin entirely, but the psalmist said, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” (Psalm 119:11). He “stored up” or memorized God’s Word so “that [he] might not sin against [God].”

That works for us too! Jesus was confronted by Satan in the temptation in the wilderness, so what does Jesus do? Jesus quoted Scripture as a rebuttal to every one of Satan’s temptation. James wrote, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7), so who’s the one put to flight? It isn’t us. It’s Satan, and that resistance is made stronger by quoting or memorizing the Word of God. That’s because the Word of God has power (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18) that we don’t have.

Jesus rebuffed the Devil, not by resisting him in the flesh, but by the Spirit and by the Word. Satan can’t handle the truth, and it wouldn’t hurt to remind him of his future (Rev 20:10). Part of the reason the psalmist wrote, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97) was that it kept him from falling into sin. He was able to recall Scripture and mediate on the promises of God. One man said, “Sin will keep you out of the Bible, but the Bible will keep you out of sin.” He wasn’t saying that we’d be sinless, but we might sin, less!

The Helper
The Holy Spirit can help us make more sense of the Scriptures if we pray for His aid. He can help us understand what God’s Word is saying. Ask the Spirit to show you what God is saying in His word, and why. Is He is saying this to me? Where is this applicable in my life, and so forth? As Jesus told the disciples, so He tells all believers, that “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26), however this is where people can get into error. They believe the Spirit told them this or told them that. They might even say, “God spoke to me about something.” I would ask, “Does it square what God’s Word says? Is it in anyway contrary to God’s Word?

Have you not read that God has already spoken in these last days, and most clearly through His Son (Heb 1:1-2)? Yes, we want to know how certain Scriptures apply to our everyday lives, but we don’t want them to say something they don’t say. For example, Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20). This doesn’t mean we are all to become missionaries and go into foreign countries, but how frequently will we not even go next door to invite someone to church? So be certain to pray that the Holy Spirit will not only help us understand the Word; He will prompt us to obey the Word, so pray for the Spirit’s help in all things, particularly in reading the Bible and living it out.

Have a Plan
I love the advice of many Bible teachers and scholars who advise us to have a daily Bible reading plan so that we can gain wisdom from the Scriptures. I read some out of the Old Testament and then some from the New Testament every morning. For me; no Bible, no breakfast. As hard as it is to do at times, I must make time for daily reading of the Word. Honestly, there are days when I don’t feel like it, but I’ve discovered that when I don’t feel like it, is the very time I need it most! We don’t eat one meal a week, so why study or read the Bible only on Sundays? A daily intake of the Word of God is essential to sustain us through the difficult trials, temptations, and tests that will come, perhaps even today. Have a plan and stick to it; even when you don’t feel like it…no, especially when you don’t feel like it.

Conclusion
What other things might you suggest where we could get the most out of our Bible reading? I do see the value in meditating on God’s Word. Reading it slowly and getting the most out of it. I also see the benefit of memorizing Scripture. This allows us to recall Scripture when we’re tempted. For example, some who are battling an addiction to pornography, quote Job 31:1 when they are tempted, and that’s where Job wrote, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?” It also helps immensely to pray for the Spirit’s help in opening up the Scriptures, particularly the difficult ones, and of course, it’s a great idea to have daily Bible reading plan. Have a plan and stick to it? Don’t have time? Set the alarm a bit earlier. It’s just a matter of mind over mattress. Read it when you don’t feel like it, and in fact, when you don’t feel like reading the Word, you need it more than you think!

 

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"Ye have need of endurance" Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV __________________ He that endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22 KJV __________________ Do not fear what you are about to suffer... that you may be tested. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10 RSV __________________ Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:8,9 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And they follow me.”

John 10:27

We should follow our Lord as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their shepherd, for he has a right to lead us wherever he pleases. We are not our own, we are bought with a price—let us recognize the rights of the redeeming blood. The soldier follows his captain, the servant obeys his master, much more must we follow our Redeemer, to whom we are a purchased possession. We are not true to our profession of being Christians, if we question the bidding of our Leader and Commander.

Submission is our duty, cavilling is our folly. Often might our Lord say to us as to Peter, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” Wherever Jesus may lead us, he goes before us. If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go. With such a companion, who will dread the perils of the road? The journey may be long, but his everlasting arms will carry us to the end. The presence of Jesus is the assurance of eternal salvation, because he lives, we shall live also. We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which he leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be smooth paths — they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant.”

Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, his purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy. We shall find it sweet to go up the bleak side of the hill with Christ; and when rain and snow blow into our faces, his dear love will make us far more blest than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world's fire. To the top of Amana, to the dens of lions, or to the hills of leopards, we will follow our Beloved. Precious Jesus, draw us, and we will run after thee.

 

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Life Incarnate


The Ten Words are a portrait of the true Israel, the true Adamic Son. They provide, in short, a portrait of Jesus.
They are commandments, yes, but they are more fundamentally a character sketch of the true man who worships God alone, who bears the Name of God weightily, who gives rest, who honors father and mother, who does not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet.
Once we get Jesus in view here, two things come clear about the Sixth Word.
Jesus’ teaching about the sixth word shows the breadth of the commandment.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus doesn’t merely forbid murder but warns us against hatred, anger, and angry words.

We can be breaking the sixth commandment every moment of our lives. For some people, anger is the driving force of their life, always churning and bubbling beneath the surface, breaking through the surface without warning – when a child misbehaves and embarrasses you, when you’re under pressure at work, in a traffic jam.
You say you’re ambitious, but what looks like ambition is actually envy, a desire to take down the competition; and you’re a murderer. You say you’re plain-speaking, but what you’ve actually done is turn your tongue into a sword to kill with insults and curses and other forms of verbal violence. You say you’re a leader, but what’s actually happening is that your anger intimidates everyone around you.

We can be dominated by anger – breaking the sixth commandment every moment – without being fully aware that this is what’s happening. We find techniques that keeps our anger suppressed, keeps it from breaking through the patina of polite sociality, at least most of the time. Or, the anger turns curves in on itself, and your self-hatred gets disguised as humility. Some of the angriest people in the world would be shocked to hear that they are angry people. (Thanks to David Field for these thoughts.)


Jesus doesn’t directly tell us not to be angry. Some anger is just indignation. Jesus commands a righteousness that surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, a righteousness like Jesus’ own. That is, a redemptive righteousness, not a righteousness that avoids wrong but a righteousness that triumphs over evil.

What Jesus commands is a set of practices that defuse anger and bring reconciliation. If we’re angry, we should recognize that anger may lead to murder. We are to leave our offering at the altar in order to be reconciled with our brother. Instead of pursuing a lawsuit, we should make friends quickly.
We break the Sixth Commandment when we refuse reconciliation, when we hold grudges and don’t forgive. The Sixth Word not only prohibits us from killing or harming another; it demands that we seek harmony, reconciliation, and peace.
Beyond His teaching, Jesus embodies “Thou shalt not kill.”

He doesn’t wound; He heals. He doesn’t take life, but gives it, abundantly. He doesn’t oppresses or enslave, but liberates slaves. His words, even His harshest ones, are words of life; He uses the sword of His tongue to defend the weak and to call the wicked to repentance.
Jesus has cause for self-defense and vengeance. Jesus has the power, legions of angels at His command. But instead of calling on those, Jesus gives Himself, suffers in silence and patience, loves his enemies.
And He calls us to follow Him, to renounce murder in all its forms, and to become agents of His abundant life.

 

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Thanks be to God! Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31,32 NIV __________________ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:57,58 KJV __________________ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:23,35,56 RSV __________________ As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 1 John 2:24,28 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“For this child I prayed.”

1 Samuel 1:27

Devout souls delight to look upon those mercies which they have obtained in answer to supplication, for they can see God's especial love in them. When we can name our blessings Samuel, that is, “asked of God,” they will be as dear to us as her child was to Hannah. Peninnah had many children, but they came as common blessings unsought in prayer: Hannah's one heaven-given child was dearer far, because he was the fruit of earnest pleadings. How sweet was that water to Samson which he found at “the well of him that prayed!” Quassia cups turn all waters bitter, but the cup of prayer puts a sweetness into the draughts it brings.

Did we pray for the conversion of our children? How doubly sweet, when they are saved, to see in them our own petitions fulfilled! Better to rejoice over them as the fruit of our pleadings than as the fruit of our bodies. Have we sought of the Lord some choice spiritual gift? When it comes to us it will be wrapped up in the gold cloth of God's faithfulness and truth, and so be doubly precious. Have we petitioned for success in the Lord's work? How joyful is the prosperity which comes flying upon the wings of prayer!

It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations. Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay; the child Jesus was all the more lovely in the eyes of Mary when she found him after having sought him sorrowing. That which we win by prayer we should dedicate to God, as Hannah dedicated Samuel. The gift came from heaven, let it go to heaven. Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it. Here will be a special occasion for saying, “Of thine own have I given unto thee.” Reader, is prayer your element or your weariness? Which?

 

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The Truth Sets You Free Or Makes You Mad


Why does the Word of God offend so many? Why did Jesus’ words often offend the religious leaders?
He is the Truth
Satan can’t handle the truth. That’s why he is so enraged when the Word of God is taught, preached, or studied. He knows his end is coming, and that his fate will be fast and furious (Rev 20:10), so the enemy doesn’t like to hear the truth, but that doesn’t mean people who refuse to hear the truth are our enemies. We ourselves were once opposed to the things of God because we did not have His Spirit. The Apostle Paul said that “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5), however, “to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).

That means believers are at peace with God (Rom 5:1), having been justified by Christ, and now there is no more condemnation (Rom 8:1). A person’s mind, without the Spirit of God, “is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:7-8). Paul reassures the church at Rome (and all believers) that they (and we) “are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Rom 8:7), but “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom 8:8). God’s children don’t have to guess to whom they belong because it says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16). The Spirit is not in unbelievers so He cannot bear witness to them. The Word of God is written for the children of God, so if unbelievers are offended by it, it shouldn’t surprise us. They’re reading someone else’s mail!

He is the Way
Just prior to Jesus’ going to the cross, and His subsequent ascension back to the Father, He told the disciples, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). By Jesus saying that He is the only way to the Father, He is saying that He exclusively is the one and only way. Not a way or one of many ways, but “the” way. If there is one thing that offends people of other religions or people who don’t believe in God, it’s the truth that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), and there is no other way to the Father than through Jesus Christ (John 6:44). It’s no coincidence that the early church was called “the Way” (Acts 9:2), with the author (Luke) even capitalizing it (Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4, 24:14, 22). Regardless of that, people will still get angry at that truth, even though it’s straight from Jesus’ lips. I notice no one gets angry that 2+ 2 = 4, but Jesus said it unavoidable that offense will come (Luke 17:1; John 15:18-25).

Persecuted for the Word
The Apostle Peter said we should “not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Pet 4:12), If you believe what Jesus taught, then that’s going to offend people. Again, we should not be surprised by that. When Jesus had just finished speaking to the Pharisees, rebuking them for their making their own traditions equal to God’s Law, “the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying” (Matt 15:12)? I don’t think Jesus was concerned about offending them because He always spoke the truth, but Jesus said to “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20). These are not our words that offend, but Jesus’ words. If Jesus’ words offend others (and they will!), it’s not so much the messenger they scorn, but the message. You don’t beat up the postal carrier for delivering your bills, so it is what Jesus said that offends, however, if we believe it and accept it, it will offend people. You just can’t help that.

Expect Rejection
The truth sets you free or it makes you really mad, but we do not ever want to make people mad intentionally. Jesus wants us to rejoice when persecuted for His name’s sake, telling us to “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet 4:13), so “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Pet 4:14). Who wouldn’t want that? Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:10-12). All we can do is to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15). Without gentleness and respect, the truth won’t even matter to them.

Conclusion
We know that Jesus always spoke the truth. He was sinless, and as God, He could not lie, and if He states that He is the truth, the way, and the life (John 14:6), we cannot dispute His Word. People might not like the truth, but the truth is still the truth, even if you have a head cold. Instead of seeing this is a very narrow way, we should rejoice that there is even “a” way! Jesus made the way possible, so at best, there is only one way to the Father, even though there is another way to Christ, but that’s the road you don’t want to take.

It is the judgment seat of Christ, so either you believe that Jesus is the one and only way today, or have your own way, but I urge you to reconsider, because that road leads to destruction (Rev 20:12-15). Jesus Himself said we must “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt 7:13-44). Jesus gives one of the most sobering warnings in the entire Bible in Matthew 7:21-23, saying, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” One way or another, believe or not, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11). It is far better to do that today than at the judgment (Dan 12:1-3). Besides, it doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. It’s still true. He is the only way. You’re entitled to your own opinion, but you’re not entitled to your own truth (John 14:6). Jesus is, and He alone the way, the truth, and the life.

 

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Grace to Overcome! Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 NIV __________________ "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." Revelation 21:6,7 NASB __________________ To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 KJV __________________ He who conquers (overcomes) shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:5,12 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“In the evening withhold not thy hand.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

In the evening of the day opportunities are plentiful: men return from their labour, and the zealous soul-winner finds time to tell abroad the love of Jesus. Have I no evening work for Jesus? If I have not, let me no longer withhold my hand from a service which requires abundant labour. Sinners are perishing for lack of knowledge; he who loiters may find his skirts crimson with the blood of souls.

Jesus gave both his hands to the nails, how can I keep back one of mine from his blessed work? Night and day he toiled and prayed for me, how can I give a single hour to the pampering of my flesh with luxurious ease? Up, idle heart; stretch out thy hand to work, or uplift it to pray; heaven and hell are in earnest, let me be so, and this evening sow good seed for the Lord my God.

The evening of life has also its calls. Life is so short that a morning of manhood's vigour, and an evening of decay, make the whole of it. To some it seems long, but a four-pence is a great sum of money to a poor man. Life is so brief that no man can afford to lose a day. It has been well said that if a great king should bring us a great heap of gold, and bid us take as much as we could count in a day, we should make a long day of it; we should begin early in the morning, and in the evening we should not withhold our hand; but to win souls is far nobler work, how is it that we so soon withdraw from it?

Some are spared to a long evening of green old age; if such be my case, let me use such talents as I still retain, and to the last hour serve my blessed and faithful Lord. By his grace I will die in harness, and lay down my charge only when I lay down my body. Age may instruct the young, cheer the faint, and encourage the desponding; if eventide has less of vigorous heat, it should have more of calm wisdom, therefore in the evening I will not withhold my hand.

 

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Are You There, God?
====================

There once was an older, destitute man. He had lost his
family, his dignity, his work and all his worldly
possessions. The only thing he had left was his faith in God.

One day, he walked along the city sidewalks; homeless as he
was. Peering around the city buildings, the passing cars, and
sidewalk shoppers - he remembered a time when he had the love
of his wife, the comfort of home, and the camaraderie of his
many friends and successful business partners. Just for one
moment, he could feel the love and passion he once used to
enjoy. But then he looked up into the sky, and he could see
the graying clouds rolling overhead; and the wind began to fly
past his ragged shirt sleeves.

Realizing that he was who he was, he knew he had to find
shelter before the rains began to fall. Across the street, he
saw the old city park that he used to visit when he was just a
child. In the far end of the park, he spotted the old gazebo
he'd frequented with his high school sweetheart. Suddenly, the
rain began to fall.

These weren't just ordinary raindrops -
they were hard, heavy, and oversized droplets of water that
pelted his head and neck like small stones. His walk turned
into a fast run as he struggled to get under the shelter of
the gazebo. Shaking off his shirt and wiping the wetness from
his cheeks and forehead, the man sat back on the two-seater
swing beneath the gazebo. Then he shook his head in disbelief.
"Is this what life is all about?" he asked, shaking his fist
and peering up toward the gray skies, "What more do you want
from me?"

Just then, the sky began to clear and above the skyscrapers
he could faintly see some bright hues of red, purple, pink,
and even blue. It was a rainbow; and the sun's rays began to
shine through the break in the clouds. Now sobbing, the man
looked back up into the sky, and he asked,

"Are You there, God?"

But there was no audible reply.

A few moments passed when a park ranger made his way up to the
old gazebo. "Top of the day to you, sir," he said to the man.
The man glanced at the ranger as the voice sounded vaguely
familiar. Sure enough, the man remembered the park ranger as a
friend he once knew many, many years in his past.

"I think I know you," the man replied to the ranger, "aren't
you Ed from the country store?"

The ranger was slightly taken aback as he too recognized the
man. But the ranger's name was not Ed; that was his father's
name. "My name is Paul," he said, stretching out his hand to
the man on the swing, "Ed was my father."

"Oh," replied the man, "I'm Mark Baker," he paused to shake
Paul's hand.

The similarities were uncanny, but Mark certainly remembered
Ed, and this ranger was the spitting image of him.

"How'd you know my dad?" asked Paul.

"Oh, it was so long ago...you wouldn't want to hear how we
met," replied Mark.

Taking a couple steps beneath the shelter, Paul said, "Humor
me."

Mark explained that he and Ed had met each other in the local
hospital. Mark had gone there to pick up his lab tests where
he and Ed had struck up a conversation while they sat in the
waiting room. By the time all was said and done, he discovered
that he was the perfect match for Ed - the perfect kidney
match. "Needless to say," said Mark, "one thing led to another
and we were kidney partners for life."

"What happened to you?" asked Paul.

"Wall Street called me, greed took me, and I played my last
bit of luck," he replied. Sighing aloud, Mark blinked to clear
the water from his eyes, "and then I lost it all."

"I remember you," said Paul, then he pulled out a photograph
from his wallet, and pointed to two men standing side-by-side
by the old country store, "that's you, and that's my dad."

Peering at the old black and white photograph, he could
faintly make out the faces of the worn picture, "Sure does
look like me, doesn't it?" asked Mark.

Paul began smiling and he replied, "It is you," then he took a
deep breath, "do you know how long I have been looking for you?"

Mark simply shook his head, "Well, you found me...I wish under
better circumstances."

Just then, Paul placed his hand upon Mark's shoulder, "I wish
my dad would've been able to see you again. He talked about
you all the time...and especially right before he died," Paul
sighed, "because of you, he was able to watch me graduate and
get my high school diploma, and later, he got to hold his
newborn grandson -- my son."

"Wow," Mark replied, "I didn't realize that one kidney could
do all that."

"You don't understand, Mark," said Paul, "when he died, he
left you the old country store and the house. It's been
waiting for your return but you never came...until now."

And suddenly, Mark had received his answer...and his solution
to his homelessness. It had been there the whole time but it
took him losing everything before he would rediscover the
rainbow of hope once again.

Even in your darkest hour, when you ask - God shows up in the
most unlikely places.

 

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All Sufficient Grace All Sufficient Grace Say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. Isaiah 49:9,10 NIV __________________ He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2 KJV __________________ "And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15 RSV __________________ I will open rivers on the bare heights And springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water And the dry land fountains of water. Isaiah 41:18 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Gather not my soul with sinners.”

Psalm 26:9

Fear made David pray thus, for something whispered, “Perhaps, after all, thou mayst be gathered with the wicked.” That fear, although marred by unbelief, springs, in the main, from holy anxiety, arising from the recollection of past sin. Even the pardoned man will enquire, “What if at the end my sins should be remembered, and I should be left out of the catalogue of the saved?” He recollects his present unfruitfulness — so little grace, so little love, so little holiness, and looking forward to the future, he considers his weakness and the many temptations which beset him, and he fears that he may fall, and become a prey to the enemy. A sense of sin and present evil, and his prevailing corruptions, compel him to pray, in fear and trembling, “Gather not my soul with sinners.”

Reader, if you have prayed this prayer, and if your character be rightly described in the Psalm from which it is taken, you need not be afraid that you shall be gathered with sinners. Have you the two virtues which David had — the outward walking in integrity, and the inward trusting in the Lord? Are you resting upon Christ's sacrifice, and can you compass the altar of God with humble hope? If so, rest assured, with the wicked you never shall be gathered, for that calamity is impossible.

The gathering at the judgment is like to like. “Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” If, then, thou art like God's people, thou shalt be with God's people. You cannot be gathered with the wicked, for you are too dearly bought. Redeemed by the blood of Christ, you are his for ever, and where he is, there must his people be. You are loved too much to be cast away with reprobates. Shall one dear to Christ perish? Impossible! Hell cannot hold thee! Heaven claims thee! Trust in thy Surety and fear not!

 

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Thorns and Thistles
====================

Today was one of those days when life's struggles piled up and
ran over.

There is so much work to do to fix up the house and out
buildings. The projects that have been finished needed
repairing again. Bills are piling up and the money coming in
does not meet their demands. Family relationships need
improvement too.

We are asking God for direction for our future, but He is
silent. Does He care? Is He listening? Don't think about that
now - the lawn needs mowing.

So, I was mowing the grass and on the other side of fence in the
cow pasture, there was a large bunch of thistles. I related to
them; I was feeling kind of prickly myself.

God never promised that our lives would be void of trials and
tribulations. Each little sticker on those stems represents
trials and frustrations. They represent "dry" times in our
spiritual walk, or times when we are ridiculed and condemned by
others. They can stand for many different things to different
people. But have you ever seen the beautiful flower at the top?
It's lovely! And it's sitting on a crown of thorns.

We are called to carry our cross and wear a crown of thorns,
just like Jesus did on this earth. He is molding us, prodding
us on, testing us to see what we are made of. The next time you
see those thistles, remember that God in His loving mercy
created them to remind us that our lives may seem full of thorns
and thistles, but there is beauty in the midst of them all.

Thank God for the thorns and thistles.

 

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Satisfied with His Goodness I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 34:15 NIV __________________ They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Psalm 34:8,9 KJV __________________ And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.”

Zechariah 11:2

When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it.

May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its scabbard—let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp — let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

 

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No Admittance
==============

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano,
a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they
were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and
walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert
hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way
through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin,
the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was
missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and the spotlights focused on the
impressive Steinway on stage.

In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the piano,
innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that
moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved
to the piano and whispered in the boy's ear,

"Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand
and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right hand reached
around the other side of the child and he added a running
obbligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice transferred a
frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with God.

What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try
our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music.

With the hand of God, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
So the next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen
carefully and you can hear the voice of God whispering in your
ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are
playing the concerto of your life.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called.

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach
of God's grace.

And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the
reach of God's grace.

Don't Quit – Keep Playing

 

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Your love is better than life I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. Psalm 63:2-5 NIV __________________ I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Song of Solomon 2:3,4 KJV __________________ The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green. Psalm 92:12-14 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.”

Song of Solomon 5:4

Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and ungrateful to arise and open the door, but the touch of his effectual grace has made my soul bestir itself. Oh, the longsuffering of my Beloved, to tarry when he found himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of sloth! Oh, the greatness of his patience, to knock and knock again, and to add his voice to his knockings, beseeching me to open to him! How could I have refused him! Base heart, blush and be confounded! But what greatest kindness of all is this, that he becomes his own porter and unbars the door himself.

Thrice blessed is the hand which condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now I see that nothing but my Lord's own power can save such a naughty mass of wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, even the gospel has no effect upon me, till his hand is stretched out. Now, also, I perceive that his hand is good where all else is unsuccessful, he can open when nothing else will. Blessed be his name, I feel his gracious presence even now. Well may my bowels move for him, when I think of all that he has suffered for me, and of my ungenerous return.

I have allowed my affections to wander. I have set up rivals. I have grieved him. Sweetest and dearest of all beloveds, I have treated thee as an unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can I do? Tears are a poor show of my repentance, my whole heart boils with indignation at myself. Wretch that I am, to treat my Lord, my All in All, my exceeding great joy, as though he were a stranger. Jesus, thou forgivest freely, but this is not enough, prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to thyself, never to wander more.