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Wednesday 31 July 2013

l will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice. (John 16:22)

l will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice. (John 16:22)

Surely He will come a second time, and then, when He sees us and we see Him, there will be rejoicings indeed. Oh, for that joyous return! But this promise is being daily fulfilled in another sense. Our gracious Lord has many "agains" in His dealings with us. He gave us pardon, and He sees us again and repeats the absolving word as fresh sins cause us grief. He has revealed to us our acceptance before God, and when our faith in that blessing grows a little dim, He comes to us again and again and says, "Peace be unto you," and our hearts are glad.

Beloved, all our past mercies are tokens of future mercies. If Jesus has been with us, He will see us again. Look upon no former favor as a dead and buried thing, to be mourned over; but regard it as a seed sown, which will grow, and push its head up from the dust, and cry, "I will see you again." Are the times dark because Jesus is not with us as He used to be? Let us pluck up courage; for He will not be long away. His feet are as those of a roe or young hart, and they will soon bring Him to us. Wherefore let us begin to be joyous, since He saith to us even now, "I will see you again."

Monday 29 July 2013

I wilt give you the sure mercies of David. (Acts 13:34)

I wilt give you the sure mercies of David. (Acts 13:34)

Nothing of man is sure; but everything of God is so. Especially are covenant mercies sure mercies, even as David said "an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure."

We are sure that the Lord meant His mercy. He did not speak mere words: there is substance and truth in every one of His promises. His mercies are mercies indeed. Even if a promise seems as if it must drop through by reason of death, yet it never shall, for the good Lord will make good His word.

We are sure that the Lord will bestow promised mercies on all His covenanted ones. They shall come in due course to all the chosen of the Lord. They are sure to all the seed, from the least of them unto the greatest of them. We are sure that the Lord will continue His mercies to His own people. He does not give and take. What He has granted us is the token of much more. That which we have not yet received is as sure as that which has already come; therefore, let us wait before the Lord and be still. There is no justifiable reason for the least doubt. God's love, and word, and faithfulness are sure. Many things are questionable, but of the Lord we sing-

Friday 26 July 2013

"144,000" who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (Rev. 14:1-5)

Could you be as important a person in God's great universe as Job was? You may say, "I don't want Job's job! Give me an easier witness assignment!" But you may already have that important witnessing assignment. Both Job and Jesus chose to be loyal to God, to hold on to their faith when there seemed to be no hope whatever; and that was wonderful. They both honored God.
But there must be another development in the great controversy between Christ and Satan before the end can come. There must be a people, a corporate body of "saints," who before the world and the universe demonstrate that they "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12). The same chapter identifies them as "144,000" who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (vss. 1-5). They are a distinct group who are new on the stage of the world in view of the universe who have been watching this grand drama unfold, because they "sing as it were a new song [that] no man could learn but the 144,000" (vs. 3).
That means that they will have a new experience, because no one in the Bible sings a song carelessly or thoughtlessly; each is sung out of deep experience. And if they sing a new experience then they must have a new comprehension of what it cost "the Lamb" to save them. They have identified with Him experientially more closely and deeply than any other corporate body of God's people through all time. Revelation says that they will grow up to a maturity that qualifies them for a unique place in the plan of salvation: "the Lamb's wife."
These people must not come from only one culture or language or society; they are expressly said to be from "every nation, and kindred, and tongue," every tribe on earth. Each must demonstrate that the grace of Christ has been "sufficient" for one from the most sinful, depraved culture on earth, who believes, to "overcome even as [Christ] overcame."
If only "143,999" overcome, the line will be broken. That last one must hold the line. He/she is tremendously important. That one is YOU.

Thursday 25 July 2013

Is it a sin to be afraid?

This question probes deep into our souls: is it a sin to be afraid? "Through fear of death [we are] all [our] lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:15). There is a healthy fear, without which we would be fools. There is also a morbid fear that enslaves us. "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night," says the Psalm of comfort (91:5). God wants very much to deliver us from fear. Says Jesus, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). The "let not" means that our choice is involved. Fear may assail us but we can choose not to give in to it.
It all boils down to believing God's promises in His new covenant. And for those of us who are born and nurtured in unbelief (isn't that everybody, according to the Bible?), the only difficult thing is learning to overcome our natural-born unbelief. We're back to square one in learning John 3:16: "Whoever believes in Him should not [will not] perish."
And here is where the Savior of the world touches us. He too was tempted to indulge in unbelief--but wait a moment, He never gave in to it. Read the two psalms that weld our souls to Him as nothing else in the Bible does--Psalms 22 and 69. There we find closest fellowship with Jesus in His hour of feeling forsaken by His Father. Those two psalms probe deeply into how any human being can feel when suffering total despair. Jesus is "tasting death for every man" (Heb. 2:9). He is enduring the horror of hell. And in so doing He is "abolishing death" (2 Tim. 1:10; the second), and delivering us from the fear of it.
No way can we endure hell and triumph over it on our own; but we can corporately identify with Jesus while He endures it. We can sing with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). Our souls unite with Him "through faith" (Eph. 2:8). His cross becomes our cross and His glorious victory becomes ours. "Behold Him" on that cross; join Him there.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Is God fair?

Is there anywhere a human heart that by nature doesn't have a storm inside? If you are perfectly at-one-with God, you belong in Heaven. Well, at least, it's your job to help those billions who by nature share the universal human problem of alienation from God. "Why has He allowed ME to suffer? Why ME ... to endure injustice? Is God fair?" One may piously exude all the self-righteous phrases while deep inside unanswered questions destroy our "peace with God" (Rom. 5:1). And it's not only teens who have that cauldron boiling inside; grey-hairs do, too.
Here's a shocker: the closer you come to Jesus Christ, the bigger you will realize your problem to be. Come very close to Him, and you will "taste" the depth of the darkness He experienced on His cross when He cried out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken ME?" If one has never grown up out of innocent childhood, he may never think or feel on that level; but Jesus did. "Why doesn't God DO something?" is the heart-cry of the person who dares to think, not only about his own tiny little problems, but about the millions suffering from disasters and wars. And why do the poor have to suffer? And why must the innocent suffer so? "My God, My God, why have You forsaken our world?"
Back again to the cross on Calvary: in that total darkness, while He hung there in that deepest perplexity and despair, He made a choice--tobelieve that His Father was good even though everything was shouting in His ears that His Father was unjust. In total darkness, in the vastness of empty heart-broken space, He built a great bridge between alienated humanity and God. It's called the Atonement, the at-one-ment. If His Father has forsaken Him, He will not forsake His Father.
On His cross He built something out of nothing like He had created a universe out of nothing. At any cost, He will believe Good News. He will create Good News. You don't have to build that Bridge; all you have to do is believe that He built it

Tuesday 23 July 2013

How much does God care about you as an individual person?

How much does God care about you as an individual person? How important are you to Him? The biggest problem that children and youth have today is that they don't know who they are. Oh yes, they know their names that their parents gave them, but they don't know their true identity, they don't sense their own self-worth as individuals, which is the root cause of most crime and degradation, including teenage promiscuity and pregnancies that later produce a replay of the same tragic consequences, generation after generation.
When you were born as a baby, your mother probably counted everything she could see--you had both eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, and yes, she probably counted the toes on each one to be sure you were "normal." She paid attention to you; you were important in her eyes. But as you grew older, you began to realize that she could not follow you around all your life, re-counting your fingers and your toes; you were on your own. That's when you began to have problems, unless you had learned somehow to believe that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you infinitely more than your father and your mother ever could.
One thing your mother never counted on you--how many hairs were on your head. Even though she cared for you she never cared that much. But Jesus makes a fantastic statement that must not be brushed off as mere exaggeration: He says in Matthew 10:29, 30 that your heavenly Father has counted all the hairs on your head! And you must not disbelieve it--Jesus says it; it has to be so. The important point is not the actual arithmetical total (it would do you no good to know), but it's Jesus' way of saying what David said in Psalm 139:17, 18, "How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."
Now, what will you do with this? Believe it, or disbelieve it? Your happiness here and maybe forever, depends on which way you choose.

Monday 22 July 2013

What do you suppose was the greatest temptation Jesus had to face?

What do you suppose was the greatest temptation Jesus had to face? You know of course He was tempted--the Bible says "in all points like as we are." His temptations were real--they bored in to His inmost soul. Well, the greatest temptation He had to face was the temptation to doubt who He was. And if the truth were known, that's the greatest temptation you have to face also--to doubt who you are.
For example, think back to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness after His baptism. Three times the wily old enemy, Satan, zeroed in on Him at the deepest core of His being--"if Thou be the Son of God," command these stones to be bread; "if Thou be the Son of God," do a hang-glide from the top of the temple tower; "if Thou be the Son of God," claim the empires of the world as Yours and I'll give them to You, for they are mine, the devil said; just play ball with me, be reasonable, let's cooperate.
Do you think that was a temptation? "If You are who You think You are"--You have delusions of grandeur like a mental patient who thinks he is Napoleon. Yes, Jesus gained a victory then, but remember that the enemy came back again and again on this point of doubting His real identity as the Son of God.
Finally at the very end, something happened that helped to crystallize it all in Jesus' mind and heart when Mary washed His feet with tears. He realized that He was the only person in all of world history to be so honored; no one, not even Alexander the Great, had ever had his feet washed with human tears. Yes, Jesus realized, He was the King of kings and Lord of lords. Now He was ready for John 13.
At that last supper, He got up, stretched Himself to His full height, laid aside His robe, and knowing fully that He had come from God and went to God, He humbled Himself to wash His disciples' feet. He could not have done that until He had known for sure, and felt for sure, who He was. He could never have faced the cross until He had that assurance; and even on the cross that last temptation was flung at Him--"if Thou be the Son of God come down from the cross"!
Who are you? Do you know? You cannot be truly humble until you realize your true identity in Christ, redeemed by His blood.

Friday 19 July 2013

He "speaks to our heart,"

I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14)

The goodness of God sees us allured by sin, and it resolves to try upon us the more powerful allurements of love. Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world! He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil.

He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us, and this separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take of our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value which we set upon it when we sat under our own vine and fig tree in the society of our fellows. Solitude and affliction bring more to themselves and to their heavenly Father than any other means.

When thus allured and secluded the Lord has choice things to say to us for our comfort. He "speaks to our heart," as the original has it. Oh, that at this we may have this promise explained in our experience! Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!

Thursday 18 July 2013

"mark of the beast" will involve "great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt. 24:24).

Almost all Christian churches are talking about the second coming of Christ, and the possibility of the imminent end of the world. Yes, it does make good sense to talk about preparing for such an event!
There are many pastors and theologians who tell us that there is no special preparation--just live a good life and do the best you can and you'll be ready either to die or to meet Jesus and be translated when He comes. But even a child can see that there is something special involved: there is a final exam coming, a great test that Revelation 13 says is "the mark of the beast" that in one final issue will divide the sheep from the goats forever. The "mark of the beast" will involve "great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt. 24:24).
Never in history have God's people met such a test! Jesus said, "Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake and then shall many be offended and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another" (vss. 9, 10). In other words, many who now profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will then turn traitor and accept the mark of the beast. And Paul sobers us even more when he warns us, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). Peter was cocksure he would never "fall," but a girl in or barely out of her teens overthrew him.
The Good News is that there is an alternative to the mark of the beast: the seal of God (Rev. 7:1-4). That involves a special work of purification of the heart: "When [Christ] shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2, 3). On this great cosmic Day of Atonement, that precisely is the work of the great High Priest. Don't stop Him, don't resist Him. Cooperate with Him!

Wednesday 17 July 2013

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6).

Like everybody else in the world, you and I have to eat food every day in order to survive physically. It takes time to do this, and also some effort to dig the food from the ground or pick it from vines or trees. No one has successfully made a pill or capsule to take, in place of eating food itself.
Likewise, our souls need spiritual food if we are to survive spiritually. Jesus said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6). A good appetite is a marvelous "blessing," to be able to feel hungry and thirsty--what delight, to sit down then to a good square meal!
But a sick person feels no such appetite. I remember once when I was severely ill, ordinarily delicious mashed potatoes and gravy tasted like sawdust with engine oil poured on them. I had to be healed before I could enjoy food again. If you are not hungry for spiritual food from the Bible itself, if you prefer reading light religious novels, you are feasting on cotton candy instead of whole-wheat bread. And spiritual weakness or even paralysis will be the sure result.
If you do feel hungry, rejoice; come and eat. If you are sensitive enough and honest enough to realize that you don't have an appetite, that you are actually starving spiritually, then get on your knees, humble your heart before the God of heaven, and beg Him to give you an appetite. Be sincere and straightforward enough to let Him do it. Get serious. Stay on your knees and "listen" for His "voice."
If Jesus were to invite you to dinner and set an empty plate before you with a knife and fork, say "Thank You!" immediately. Likewise, even though your Bible seems as dull and unpromising as an empty plate at dinner time, tell the Lord "Thank You," and believe that He is faithful to keep His promise and give you some delicious "bread of life." He Himself has promised He will not give you a stone! (Matt. 7:7-11).

Tuesday 16 July 2013

“There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24).

We thank the dear Lord for inspiring His apostle to write for us that precious Book of Hebrews. No other book in the Bible so clearly reveals Jesus Christ for us as our “Brother” in human flesh--the divine One closest to us, “sticking closer” to us than even the best of our human brothers: “There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Jesus is that Friend.
That’s the One that Hebrews describes:
(1) You must know how close He is. It’s a heavenly “family” that Ephesians says you have already been “adopted” into (1:3-7).
(2) If your lonely heart cries out “Father!” Heaven looks upon you as already adopted into the Family (see Rom. 8:14-17). He respects your heart-choice. I can’t begin to describe what it means to be an “heir of God and joint-heir with Christ.” But that’s what you are by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, the One who “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13, 14). He did all this before we could say yes or no; it was already true before we were born, but He can’t force Himself on us: He did the giving of Himself, but He also gave us the freedom of choice--we can refuse the adoption. Don’t refuse it!
(3) An “heir of God and joint-heir with Christ”? Those are holy words; we pause as we write them. Even the highest angels are not so honored or blessed!
(4) The angels must stand back with their hands folded as you march past them on your way to the Great White Throne where high above it stands the cross of Christ where you were “adopted” (cf. Rev. 20:11, 12). The angels can’t come as close as you!
(5) The love of God (agape) is what God says He is (1 John 4:8); it is high and holy, divine; it has to be “perfect” for “God is agape,” but John also says an almost unbelievable truth: that agape is “perfected in us”--in us who are weak and sinful (vs. 12). Ten thousand angels playing their harps and singing praise to God do not bring Him as much honor as does one lowly, hopeless, selfish sinner who opens his heart and permits that agape to transform him into the likeness of Christ in character. God is agape but the circuit is completed in you and me.
(6) You will enter the New Jerusalem not as a convict barely forgiven but as someone highly honored, “in Christ”!
Say “yes!” to Him today.

Monday 15 July 2013

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

It is a heavy burden; roll it on Omnipotence. It is thy burden now, and it crushes thee; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If thou art called still to bear, "he will sustain thee." It will be on Him and not on thee. Thou wilt be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and thou wilt stand upright under that which in itself would bow thee down.

Our worst fear is lest our trial should drive us from the path of duty; but this the Lord will never suffer. If we are righteous before Him, He will not endure that our affliction should move us from our standing. In Jesus He accepts us as righteous, and in Jesus He will keep us so.

What about the present moment? Art thou going forth to this day's trial alone? Are thy poor shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord all about thy grief and leave it with Him. Don't cast your burden down and then take it up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then shalt thou walk at large, a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of thy great Burden-bearer.

Friday 12 July 2013

How could there be "war in heaven"? (Rev. 12:7)

We can understand how war breaks out in this dark, sinful world; but how could there be "war in heaven"? (Rev. 12:7) Heaven is a perfect place! Who started it?
The Bible says clearly that sin originated with Lucifer, the highest of the angels (Eze. 28:12-15; Isa. 14:12-14). He sought to spread rebellion. And many angels joined him ("the third part," Rev 12:4). But who started the conflict that resulted in "the great dragon, ... the Devil, and Satan [being] ...  cast out" (vs. 9)?
A very wise writer says that Lucifer's new idea of "the ... exaltation of self, contrary to the Creator's plan, awakened forebodings of evil in minds to whom God's glory was supreme." This quiet, clever, secret "exaltation of self" would have gone on and on had it not been that some "minds" loyal to God were "awakened" to oppose it. They were the ones who started the "war in heaven"! They were not content to let this underhanded work proceed unopposed.
Our text seems clear: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon [that is, took the initiative]; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven" (12:7, 8). There is no suggestion that literal swords or guns were used. Two of three "parts" of the angels thought through the clever lies of Lucifer and his supporting angels, and rejected them. Today the Holy Spirit still takes the initiative in opposing evil. Thank God! And we should cooperate with Him and stop opposing His initiatives.
Satan was "cast out into the earth" because our first parents welcomed him (Genesis 3). Now the cosmic controversy continues here until "our brethren ... overcome him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony" (two things!), and "love not their lives unto the death" (vss. 9-12). When among them that original "exaltation of self" is renounced, the final victory will come. "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens." Why? Be "glad and rejoice, ... for the marriage of the Lamb is come" (19:6, 7). AT LAST!

Thursday 11 July 2013

"Your Creator will be like a husband to you--the LORD Almighty is His name" (Isa. 54:5, GNB).

"Our Father which art in heaven ..." are the words Jesus told us to say when we kneel to pray. An infinite Father with billions of people to care for, He gives personal attention to each of us. And that's what we must believe.
He gives personal love to each of us. He loves the man of whom He says "it is not good that [he] be alone" who does not have "an help meet for him" to share his loneliness (Gen. 2:18; the GNB says, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him"). When Jesus had to go away He sent the Gift of the Holy Spirit to be the constant Companion of anyone who appreciates the One who is called to sit down beside us and never leave us (John 14:16, 17). He permits all earthly support to go away so that we may learn to appreciate that He keeps His promise not to forsake us. (When some men become widowers they learn that.)
To the grieving widow who senses that her loneliness is peril-frought, He says: "Your Creator will be like a husband to you--the LORD Almighty is His name" (Isa. 54:5, GNB). All these many ministries are in that word "Father!"
It's on purpose that so much of the Bible is taken up with our personal problem of fear, of alone-ness, of inadequacy. "Where could I go to escape from You, ... away from Your [loving] presence? ... Even the darkness is not dark for You, and the night is as bright as the day" (Psalm 139:7-12, GNB).
When He promised to send you the "Comforter" He is faithful; don't think you must endlessly beg Him to do what He promised, for that implies that you doubt His fidelity. Thank Him that He has kept the promise! You don't want to keep saying "Father!" in tones of unbelief. Stay on your knees until you see what you would be like if He had indeed forsaken you! Then thank Him for saving you from hell itself!

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Suppose you don't know what to do, You can kneel, but you don't know what words to use.

Suppose you don't know what to do, you don't even know how to pray. You can kneel, but you don't know what words to use.
Now's the time to pray the Lord's Prayer. It's just inside the New Testament. Put it into the first person singular:
"My Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name" (Matt. 6:9; Jesus said, "In this manner, ... pray." No matter who you are, or how unworthy you are, you are given the right to walk in past all the holy angels to the throne of God with these words). Save me from bringing disgrace on Your name.
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (vs. 10; let me do or say something today that is right).
"Give me this day my daily bread" (vs. 11; and the inexpressible joy of being satisfied with what my portion is of either the temporal or spiritual kind. Thank You for my portion!)
"And forgive me my debts," (vs. 12a; that is--my sins). This credit card debt is a constant load I can't carry; oh, to breathe free again! Please teach me to say no next time I'm tempted to sin; and yes, to say no to self all day.
"As I forgive my debtors" (vs. 12b; that means I practice self-denial until I pay my credit card balance; at the same time I pay my debt of forgiveness to those who have wronged me personally and painfully. It hurts, but yes, I do).
"And do not lead me into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one" (vs. 13a; any temptation to any sin is greater than I have the strength to endure, of myself. Thanks that at last I know the truth).
"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (vs. 13b; thanks that at last I realize it's not mine).

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Two thousand years ago God's people were expecting their long-awaited Messiah to appear.

Two thousand years ago God's people were expecting their long-awaited Messiah to appear. But when He came as a Baby in Bethlehem, they did not recognize Him, and the leaders of the true church of that day led the people to murder Him.
Now God's people are expecting a great blessing to come from heaven, that is, the long-promised "latter rain," the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will "lighten the earth with glory" (Rev. 18:1-4). It will be a message that will prepare God's people for the second coming of Jesus.
Not everyone on earth will be converted for many will reject the message, as many rejected Jesus long ago; but the message will seek out honest hearts everywhere who will respond. The Lord will be honored. Some will come from places that will seem unlikely to those who have been in the way a long time; the message of the "everlasting gospel" will be presented so clearly and powerfully that Christ will be uplifted as the crucified Son of God. He not only died for the world in a vague corporate sense but He also died for each individual soul. And each who permits his heart to be moved by the "love of Christ [that] constrains us" (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) will be sanctified by the message that will be finally full-blown.
The watching universe will be amazed at the transformations that the pure, true gospel will accomplish, as Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16). But Satan's cleverness has confused "the truth of the gospel" even as "certain men [who] came from James" (the early leader of the church in Paul's day) confused even Peter and Barnabas (Gal. 2:6, 12-14). The story of that stumbling on the part of the early leaders of the church is not well known (cf. Gal. 2:1-13). Paul was right! And his Book of Romans is "the clearest gospel of all."
This often neglected story of human fallibility encourages us to study "the truth of the gospel" (vss. 5, 14) directly for ourselves. Even in modern times, sincere, converted leaders can err and can mislead people, even the "faithful" such as Barnabas long ago. There is no prayer that Heaven is more eager to answer than the prayer of an honest heart who wants to understand truth! The Lord would rather empty heaven of angels, sending them all down here to help one soul, rather than allow that soul to become misled.

Monday 8 July 2013

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:13)

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:13)

So sweet are the comforts of the Lord, that not only the saints themselves may sing of them, but even the heavens and the earth may take up the song. It takes something to make a mountain sing; and yet the prophet summons quite a choir of them. Lebanon, and Sirion, and the high hills of Bashan and Moab, He would set them all singing because of Jehovah's grace to His own Zion. May we not also make mountains of difficulty, and trial, and mystery, and labor become occasions for praise unto our God? "Break forth into singing, O mountains!"

This word of promise, that our God will have mercy upon His afflicted, has a whole peal of bells connected with it. Hear their music--"Sing!" "Be joyful!" "Break forth into singing." The Lord would have His people happy because of His unfailing love. He would not have us sad and doubtful; He claims from us the worship of believing hearts. He cannot fail us: why should we sigh or sulk as if He would do so? Oh, for a well-tuned harp! Oh, for voices like those of the cherubim before the throne!

Friday 5 July 2013

"The illfavoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat kine."-Genesis 41:4

"The illfavoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat kine."-Genesis 41:4

Pharaoh's dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean- fleshed days, no ill -favoured hours! If every day I journeyed towards the goal of my desires I should soon reach it, but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of my high calling, and robs me of the advances which I had so laboriously made. The only way in which all my days can be as the "fat kine," is to feed them in the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy?-I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!" but may I be well-fed and nourished in Thy house, that I may praise Thy name.

Thursday 4 July 2013

He will be my guide even unto death. (Psalm 48:14)

He will be my guide even unto death. (Psalm 48:14)

We need a guide. Sometimes we would give all that we have to be told exactly what to do and where to turn. We are willing to do right, but we do not know which one of two roads we are to follow. Oh, for a guide!

The Lord our God condescends to serve us as guide. He knows the way and will pilot us along it till we reach our journey's end in peace. Surely we do not desire more infallible direction. Let us place ourselves absolutely under His guidance, and we shall never miss our way. Let us make Him our God, and we shall find Him our guide. If we follow His law we shall not miss the right road of life, provided we first learn to lean upon Him in every step that we take.

Our comfort is that as He is our God forever and ever, He will never cease to be with us as our guide. "Even unto death" will He lead us, and then we shall dwell with Him eternally and go no more out forever. This promise of divine guidance involves lifelong security: salvation at once, guidance unto our last hour, and then endless blessedness. Should not each one seek this in youth, rejoice in it in middle life, and repose in it in old age? This day let us look up for guidance before we trust ourselves out-of-doors.

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Ours is not a life of anxious care but of happy faith

So he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2)

Ours is not a life of anxious care but of happy faith. Our heavenly Father will supply the wants of His own children, and He knoweth what we have need of before we ask Him. We may therefore go to our beds at the proper hour and not wear ourselves out by sitting up late to plot, and plan, and contrive. If we have learned to rely upon our God, we shall not lie awake with fear gnawing at our hearts; but we shall leave our care with the Lord, our meditation of Him shall be sweet, and He will give us refreshing sleep.

To be the Lord's beloved is the highest possible honor, and he who has it may feel that ambition itself could desire no more, and therefore every selfish wish may go to sleep. What more is there even in heaven than the love of God? Rest, then, O soul, for thou hast all things. Yet we toss to and fro unless the Lord Himself gives us not only the reasons for rest but rest itself. Yea, He doth this. Jesus Himself is our peace, our rest, our all, On His bosom we sleep in perfect security, both in life and in death.

Sprinkled afresh with pardoning blood,
I lay me down to rest
As in the embraces of my God,
Or on my Saviour's breast.
So he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2)