Restored C.H Spurgeon

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C.H Spurgeon
Renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now. No man can be renewed without as real and true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to thy God for help. Remember, David when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy-seat with “renew a right spirit within me.” Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel’s strong Helper. O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life—“Lord, renew a right spirit within me.” He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin. The Lord has his own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be ready when he passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from him, cease not to cry, “Renew a right spirit within me.”

 

High Praise C.H Spurgeon

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C.H Spurgeon
“I will praise thee, O Lord.”

Psalm 9:1

Praise should always follow answered prayer; as the mist of earth’s gratitude rises when the sun of heaven’s love warms the ground. Hath the Lord been gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice of thy supplication? Then praise him as long as thou livest. Let the ripe fruit drop upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life. Deny not a song to him who hath answered thy prayer and given thee the desire of thy heart. To be silent over God’s mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as basely as the nine lepers, who after they had been cured of their leprosy, returned not to give thanks unto the healing Lord. To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth of the spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, to increase our faith. It is a healthful and invigorating exercise which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his Master’s service. To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit our fellow-men; “the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.” Others who have been in like circumstances shall take comfort if we can say, “Oh! magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together; this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.” Weak hearts will be strengthened, and drooping saints will be revived as they listen to our “songs of deliverance.” Their doubts and fears will be rebuked, as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. They too shall “sing in the ways of the Lord,” when they hear us magnify his holy name. Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The angels pray not, but they cease not to praise both day and night; and the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in their hands, are never weary of singing the new song, “Worthy is the Lamb

Accepted A.B Simpson

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A.B Simpson
Two men go to the bank cashier, both holding in their hands a piece of paper. One is dressed expensively and presents a gloved and jeweled hand. The other is a rough, unwashed workman. The first is rejected with a polite sentence; the second receives a thousand dollars over the counter. What was the difference? The one presented a worthless name; the other handed in a note endorsed by the president of the bank. just so, the most virtuous moralist will be turned away from the gates of mercy and the vilest sinner, if he presents the name of Jesus, welcomed in. What shall we give to infinite purity and righteousness? Jesus! No other gift is worthy for God to receive. And He has given Him to us for this very end, to give back as our substitute and satisfaction. And God has "testified" of this gift what He has of no other: in Him He is well pleased, and all who receive Him are accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 2:6). Shall we accept the testimony that God is satisfied with His Son? Shall we be satisfied with Him? Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you -John 16:23

Chosen and Placed Jn 15:16 F.B Meyer

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F.B Meyer
CHOSEN AND PLACED

"Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."-- Joh 15:16.

WE DID not choose Him--there we have the evil of the human heart, the film of blindness which sin casts on the sight, the deafness with which it dulls the ear. For to have missed Jesus, to pass Him by, is as though the pearl-hunter were unable to recognize the pearl of greatest price; or the mother to recognize her own babe; or the seeker after the holy grail to fail to discover its mystic sheen!

"But I chose you." He chose us probably because we were useless and helpless, and He wanted to show what supreme miracles His grace could achieve. The prophet says that the branches of the vine are more useless than any others (Eze 16:1-5). The principle of God's choice is to take what all others reject--the fire-brand plucked from the burning, the feebly-smoking tow, the bruised reed; the younger sons, the halt and lame, the last and least; the things that are foolish, despised, and weak--these are God's choice, that He may bring to nought things that are, that no flesh may glory in His presence.

There was no error in the foreknowledge which preceded our election. God knew all that we were, all that we should be. He foresaw our down-sittings, our hours of depression, our obstinacy, our wanderings into the far country, but He swerved not. Having chosen us, He is going to justify His choice, unless we definitely refuse to let Him have his way.

"'And appointed you.'" Our Master has placed us just where we are, that He might have a suitable outlet for His abundant life, which He longs to pour forth upon the world. Do not repine or murmur at your lot in life, but remember that He has appointed and placed you there. As the branch is nailed to the wall that it may cover it with foliage and fruit, so Christ has placed you where you are. That inevitable circumstance is the rough piece of cloth, that sorrow is the nail, that pain the restraint such as He suffered on the Cross.

"That ye should go." "Whither, Master? .... Into all the world, as My disciples! I have chosen you out of it and now I send you back as My representatives, through whom I may pour out My life and love. Go and bear fruit!"

PRAYER

O Heavenly Master, enable us by Thy grace to fill the opportunity, and do the work that Thou hast assigned. May we not murmur or complain because our place is obscure and the time long, but bear much fruit for Thy glory. AMEN.

God's Reqierments F.B Meyer

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F.B Meyer
GOD'S REQUIREMENTS

"What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."-- Mic 6:8.

MICAH WAS a man of the people, and a true patriot. In his day, the political outlook was dark in the extreme, and the prophet felt that one thing only could save his country, and that was a deep and widespread revival of religion. To the inquiry of the people as to whether Jehovah desired the sacrifice of animals, or little children, who were immolated by the heathen people around in order to rid their consciences from sin, the answer came that God required something more spiritual and searching: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, etc."

Let us make this threefold message our own. To do justly, giving not a fraction less than can be rightly claimed from us. Every one of us must acknowledge the righteous claims of our home-circle, and of our neigh-bouts, and we must adjust these claims, giving each his due.

Let us love mercy. There are some who have perhaps forfeited all claim on our mercy--the prisoner, the fallen, the helpless, our enemies--we must help all these not grudgingly, but cheerfully and willingly. Do not try to love mercy till you begin to show it. Dare to step out into a life of unselfish beneficence, and as you do so, you will come to love it. St. James insists that pure religion as much consists in visiting the widow and fatherless in their affliction as in keeping oneself unspotted from the world.

Let us also walk humbly with God, not lagging behind, nor running before, but walking with Him, hand in hand. All down the ages, from Enoch onward, there have been those who walked with God in unstained robes. It is not in sacrifices, or rites, or church-going, or almsgiving, though these will follow afterwards, but in holy and humble living, that the heart of true religion is realized.

Is that all? No! What is to be done for those who have tried and failed, who are conscious of guilt and sin? In the closing verses of this book is the answer. There we learn that God will not only forgive, but will subdue our iniquities. He will turn again and have compassion upon us, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. He delighteth in mercy! Who is a God like unto Thee?

PRAYER

O Lord, may Thy all-powerful grace make me as perfect as Thou hast commanded me to be. AMEN.

Excuses A.B Simpson

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Excuses
In the parable in Luke 14 of the great supper an ancient lord prepared for his friends and neighbors, there is a significant picture and object lesson of the program of Christianity in this age. In the first place, it is obvious to every thoughtful mind that the Master is hearing an increasing number of excuses from the gospel-hardened people of Christian countries. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to interest the unsaved of our own land, especially those who have been accustomed to hearing the gospel, in the things of Christ. They have asked to be excused from the feast, and the Lord is turning from them. At the same time two remarkable alternatives indicated in the parable are becoming more and more manifest. One is the movement to take the gospel to the slums and the neglected classes at home; the other is the movement to take the gospel to the neglected classes abroad. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in -Luke 14:2

one accord Dr Paul Chappell

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In One Accord
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

Acts 2:46-47

In 1996, the pastor of a small church in Arkansas who was distressed because the members of the congregation were divided came up with a plan to unite them. When he went to the church on a Saturday evening to turn on the air conditioner for the next day’s services, he lit a small fire by one of the walls. In his confession to the police, the pastor said he only meant to scorch a wall in hopes that having a repair project to work on would bring the people together. Instead the entire building burned down, and the pastor was convicted of arson.

The phrase “in one accord” appears often in the book of Acts. The early church had great power from God in large part because of their unity. When the church is divided, it should come as no surprise that very little of lasting good gets accomplished. Yet all too often we allow small matters to divide us and discord grows among the people of God.

While there certainly are things worth fighting over, most of the conflicts that divide churches are not over major doctrinal points, but rather over minor issues and preferences. We lament the church’s lack of power to make an impact on our communities and culture, yet we do not copy the early church’s unity of spirit and purpose. They had a common heartbeat—they were united around their love for Christ and their desire to take His Gospel to everyone they could. Like pianos tuned with the same tuning fork, their message and ministry was marked by unity, and as a result, by great power.

Today's Growth Principle:
Do not allow anything you do or say to bring unnecessary division to your church.

Wait Paitently Dr. Paul Chappell Ps. 40:1-3

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Patient Waiting

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."

Psalm 40:1-3

When Hudson Taylor went to China, he made the voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. "Mr. Taylor," he said, "we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals."

Taylor agreed to pray for wind. He wrote later that after a few minutes of praying he was so certain of the answer that he thought there was no need to pray any longer. So Taylor went up to the deck of the ship. He told the first mate to let down the sails. When the man protested that there was no wind, Taylor told him it was coming. The man reluctantly gave the order, and in moments the wind began to blow and stayed with them until they reached their destination.

When we ask God for His help, it is important that our faith remains firm. Whether the answer comes quickly or after the passage of time, we must trust that God knows not only what we need but also when we need it. He is never late according to His timetable. Since He is God and we are not, we must remain patient if He does not work quickly. And even before the wind begins to blow, you can be confident in His answer.

Today's Growth Principle: 

As you pray, remember to trust God both for the answer and for His timing for the answer.

Life Work F.B Meyer 1 Kings 3:7-9

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F.B Meyer

THE CHOICE OF A LIFE-WORK

"I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in...Give Thy servant an understanding heart."-- 1Ki 3:7-9.

WE SHALL never rightly choose our life-course until we are determined to put first things first. Wealth, honour, fame, the surpassing of our rivals, are not the chief things to be considered, or our judgment will be impaired and our vision distorted. It was because Solomon desired and sought the kingdom and glory of God, that He gave him also the things for which he did not ask (1Ki 3:13; Mat 6:33).

Impressed by the greatness of his responsibilities, the young king had gone to Gibeon to worship God. He wished to fulfil his opportunities to their highest measure, and to serve his fatherland, but he realized his inefficiency. Do you feel like this? You realize the wonderful opportunities and responsibilities of life in this marvellous age, and long to be of service to God and your fellows, but what can you do? You are but as a little child, and "know not how to go out or come in." "Going out" stands for the active life in the world of men; "coming in" for the hours spent in the home, in recreation and society. It is like the systole and diastole of the heart's action, which should be alike consecrated to God and of service to man.

Solomon asked for an understanding heart, that he might discern between good and bad. We all need this faculty, that we may discriminate between things that look very much alike, but are different in nature and direction (Heb 5:14; Phi 1:9-10; marg. R.V.). It is not an enduement of intellectual power, but of moral taste and discernment. It has been said, that the difficulty in life is not to discriminate between white and black, but to choose between the different shades of grey. In our fellowships, recreations, literature, business--we are in urgent need of the understanding heart, which listens for and heeds the voice of God.

Solomon offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon the altar (1Ki 3:4). We are required to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto God, which is our reasonable service. Our career is often determined by our circumstances, or by our special gifts and talents, and, on the whole, we succeed best in doing what we like best. But if we yield ourselves to do God's will, He will direct our paths.

PRAYER

O God, make us diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. May we prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good. AMEN.

Tireless Gal 6:9 A.B SIMPSON

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Tireless

If Paul could only know the consolation and hope that he has ministered to the countless generations who have marched along the pathway from the cross to the kingdom above! He would be willing to go through a thousand lives and a thousand deaths such as he endured for the blessing that has followed since his noble head rolled in the dust by the Ostian Gate of Rome. And if the least of us could only anticipate the eternal issues that will probably spring from our humblest services of faith, we should only count our sacrifices and labors unspeakable heritages of honor and opportunity. We would cease to speak of trials and sacrifices made for God. The smallest grain of faith is a deathless and incorruptible germ that will yet plant the heavens and cover the earth with harvest of imperishable glory. Let us lift up our heads, for the horizon is wider than the little circle we can see. We are living, we are suffering, we are laboring, we are trusting for the ages yet to come! Let us not be weary in well-doing -Galatians 6:9

NO! A.B SIMPSON Titus 2:11-12

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NO.

Let us say no to the flesh, the world and the love of self, and learn the holy self-denial of which so much of the life of obedience consists. We must make no provision for the flesh, give no recognition to our lower life. We must say no to everything earthly and selfish. How very much of the life of faith consists in simply denying ourselves. We begin with one great yes to God, and then we conclude with an eternal no to ourselves, the world, the flesh and the devil. Nearly every commandment of the Decalogue is a Thou shalt not. In First Corinthians 13, with its beautiful picture of love, most of the characteristics of love are in the negative-what love does not, thinks not, says not, is not. And so you will find that the largest part of the life of consecration is really saying no. I am not my own, I belong to Him. I am His alone, I belong to Him. Denying ungodliness -Titus 2:12

Prevailing Power FB Meyer

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PREVAILING POWER

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."-- Act 4:31

THE PRAYER which prevails is that which is initiated by the Holy Spirit.

He is the medium of communication between heaven and earth, and reveals to us the thoughts and desires of God, so that we do not ask amiss. Just as the ether will connect up one continent with another, so long as the transmitter and receiver are in accord, so the Holy Spirit is the Medium between ourselves and the glorified Redeemer. Prayer is transmitted from our hearts, borne forward by the Spirit, and registered in the heart of our Lord. It is perhaps better to say that it originates there, is transmitted to us, and sent back from us to Him. We know that by our thought-waves we can help our friends in distant places, so it is surely possible for our thought-waves to reach the Lord Jesus. Oh, that we may be ever in such sympathy and accord with Him that there may be no loss of His thoughts toward us.

There are four kinds of prayer.

The Prayer of Communion and fellowship. It is like a father asking his little boy why he keeps coming into his study, and discovers that the child has no special reason, but only wants to be with him. So we should not be satisfied with the knowledge of God our Father which ordinary men possess, but have such aptitudes and yearnings which can only be satisfied by fellowship, communion, and adoring love.

The Prayer of Request. Perhaps we make more of this at the beginning of life than after. As life goes on we are content to leave ourselves in the wise and tender hands of our Heavenly Father, and it is enough that He cares. We learn to be thankful that some prayers have not been answered, and to realize that God is doing for us ever so much better than we ask or think.

The Prayer of Intercession. This is nearest to the mind of Christ. He wears our names on His heart, and ever lives to intercede.

The Prayer of Conflict. At times we are called to enter into the Garden, and to bear with Him some of the burden of His conflict for souls against the principalities and powers of evil. At such times there is urgent need to watch and pray!

PRAYER

Warm my cold heart, Lord, I beseech Thee. Take away all that hinders me from giving myself to Thee. Give me grace to obey Thee in all things, and ever to follow Thy gracious leading. AMEN.

Justice and Mercy by Dr. Paul Chappell

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justice and Mercy
Monday, October 05, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

Romans 3:24-26

Judge Horace Gray of Boston who would later go on to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court once said to the man who escaped conviction on a technicality: "I know that you are guilty and you know it, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and wiser Judge, and that there you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to law."

Man’s justice is always subject to errors, but God’s justice is perfect. No sin escapes His gaze, and though punishment is sometimes delayed as God grants room to repent, it is certain. No one escapes God’s justice on a technicality. Longfellow wrote, “Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small.”

And yet, though God is just, He is also merciful and loving toward us. The love of God for us is so great that He sent His Son Jesus to die so that the payment for our sins could be provided. As Romans 3:26 says, Jesus is both “just, and the justifier.” His blood shed on the Cross paid the penalty for our sins in full so that when His righteousness is applied to our account through faith, we are fully justified in God’s sight. When God looks at my record and your record, He finds only the perfection of Jesus. Knowing that we have been justified should inspire us to share the Gospel with others.

Today's Growth Principle:
Rejoice in the wonderful salvation God’s mercy has provided that makes you justified in His sight.

Burden Bearing F.B Meyer

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F.B Meyer Gal. 6:2
BURDEN-BEARING

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."-- Gal 6:2.

IN THESE words the Apostle is evidently thinking more especially of the trespasses and sins into which men and women fall. We are not to rejoice over their failure, nor talk about it to others, but to consider ourselves, remembering our own liability to fall in the event of temptation. We are to be tender, gentle, and compassionate, helping to bear the burden of temptation, remorse, and shame. There is great comfort for us all in these words, for surely, if our Lord expects us to forgive and restore our brother, we may count on Him to do as much for us!

But sin is not the only burden we are to bear with our brethren. The young man or girl who fails to make good; the business man who meets with sudden reverse; those who suffer bitter disappointment; when faces are averted, and tongues are busily engaged in criticism--let us seek out the one who has consciously disappointed everybody, and help by our strong and tender sympathy. It is like the coming of the good Ananias into Saul's darkness, with the greeting: "Brother Saul!"

We may help to bear the burden of bereavement--when the husband is suddenly stricken down, or the mother is taken away and there is no one to care for the children, then we may show our practical sympathy and helpfulness. All through His fife on earth our Lord sought to carry the burdens of the people, and we are to follow in His steps. Sympathy means suffering with; and as we endeavour to enter into the griefs and sorrows of those around us, in proportion to the burden of grief that we carry do we succeed in lightening another's load. You cannot bear a burden without feeling its pressure; and in bearing the burdens of others, we must be prepared to suffer with them.

This was the law of Christ, the principle of His life, and the precept which He enjoined on His followers to fulfil. Let us remember, also, that in carrying the burdens of others, we often lose our own.

PRAYER

For friends above; for friends still left below;

For the rare links invisible between.

For sweet hearts tuned to noblest charity;

For great hearts toiling in the outer dark;

For friendly hands stretched out in time of need,

For every gracious thought and word and deed;

We thank Thee Lord! AMEN.

Constant Dividends by Dr. Paul Chappell

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Certain Return
Thursday, October 08, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."

Proverbs 19:17

James L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corporation, made his fortune on the basis of a unique process for pasteurizing cheese so that it would not spoil. Along with his brothers he created a massive industrial enterprise. A committed Christian, Kraft gave approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years. He once said, "The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord."

There are many things we can and should do with the resources God entrusts to us, but none of them are more important than using them to further His work. We have seen over and over in recent years that investments thought to be safe proved to be based on nothing but empty promises—sometimes even outright fraud and deception. Some of the biggest names on Wall Street have vanished. Well-known economist Irving Fisher famously said, “Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau” just three days before the stock market crashed in 1929.

In such an uncertain world, there is great comfort in having the rock of God’s promise that when we give He will guarantee the return. While many today promote a false view of God’s blessing that teaches every child of God should be rich, we must not let their erroneous doctrine make us forget what God actually says. There is a very certain return on our “deposits” into God’s kingdom, both in this world and the next.

And while seeking riches is not meant to be the purpose of our lives and our money management, God does expect us to be wise with what He gives to us. There is nothing more wise than lending money to One who always repays.

Today's Growth Principle:
Invest your resources today in things that will produce a certain and eternal return.

The Blessing Of Thankfulness F.B Meyer

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THE BLESSING OF THANKFULNESS

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."-- Eph 5:20.

"Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually."-- Heb 13:15.

SOME PEOPLE seem born with a sullen and feverish temper, and it is very difficult for them to brighten into smiles and songs. But whatever our natural disposition may be, if we belong to Christ it is our bounden duty to cultivate a thankful heart. A melancholy person has a bad effect upon others. It is miserable to have to work with or under a confirmed pessimist. Nothing is right, nothing pleases, there is no word of praise or encouragement. Once, when I was at Aden, I watched a gang of Lascars trans-shipping the mails. It was a pleasure to see them, one after another, carrying the bags cheerily because their leader kept them all the time singing as they did their work. If, instead of finding fault with our employees or servants we would look out for things for which we could commend and thank them, we should probably find a miraculous change in their attitude.

The advantage of joy and gladness is that it is a source of strength to the individual soul, and to all others who come within its range, and commends our Christianity! Sidney Smith says: "I once gave a lady two and twenty recipes against melancholy; one was a bright fire; another, to remember all the pleasant things said to her; another, to keep a box of sugar-plums on the chimney-piece, and a kettle simmering on the hob. I thought this mere trifling at the moment, but have in after life discovered how true it is, that these little pleasures often banish melancholy better than more exalted objects." We may interpret the advice of this humorist and essayist by turning into joyous praise all the incidents of our daily life, arising with gratitude and thankfulness from every good and perfect gift to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world is sad, and has to pay her jesters and entertainers; it is a mystery to her that the face of the Christian should be bright and smiling, although the fig-tree does not blossom, and there is no fruit in the vine. Let us count up our treasures and blessings, and we shall find that even in the saddest and loneliest life there is something to turn our sorrow into singing (2Co 6:10).

PRAYER

Help us, O Lord, to rejoice always; to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks.

Real Repentance C.H Spurgeon

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C.H Spurgeon
Godly sorrow worketh repentance.”

2 Corinthians 7:10

Genuine, spiritual mourning for sin is the work of the Spirit of God. Repentance is too choice a flower to grow in nature’s garden. Pearls grow naturally in oysters, but penitence never shows itself in sinners except divine grace works it in them. If thou hast one particle of real hatred for sin, God must have given it thee, for human nature’s thorns never produced a single fig. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.”

True repentance has a distinct reference to the Saviour. When we repent of sin, we must have one eye upon sin and another upon the cross, or it will be better still if we fix both our eyes upon Christ and see our transgressions only, in the light of his love.

True sorrow for sin is eminently practical. No man may say he hates sin, if he lives in it. Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, not merely as a theory, but experimentally—as a burnt child dreads fire. We shall be as much afraid of it, as a man who has lately been stopped and robbed is afraid of the thief upon the highway; and we shall shun it—shun it in everything—not in great things only, but in little things, as men shun little vipers as well as great snakes. True mourning for sin will make us very jealous over our tongue, lest it should say a wrong word; we shall be very watchful over our daily actions, lest in anything we offend, and each night we shall close the day with painful confessions of shortcoming, and each morning awaken with anxious prayers, that this day God would hold us up that we may not sin against him.

Sincere repentance is continual. Believers repent until their dying day. This dropping well is not intermittent. Every other sorrow yields to time, but this dear sorrow grows with our growth, and it is so sweet a bitter, that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy and to suffer it until we enter our eternal rest.

 

The Law Of Vitality Rom 8:2 A.B Simpson

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The Law Of Vitality

A.B SIMPSON

The life of Jesus Christ brought into our heart s by the Holy Spirit operates there as a new law of divine strength and vitality. it counteracts, overcomes and lifts us above the old law of sin and death. Let us illustrate these two laws by a simple comparison. By the law of gravity my hand naturally falls upon the desk and lies there, attracted downward by that natural law which makes heavy bodies fall to the earth. But there is a stronger law than the law of gravity-my own life and will. Through the operation of this higher law-the law of vitality-I can defy the-law of gravity, lift my hand and hold it above its former resting place and move it at my will. The law of vitality has freed me from the law of gravity. Precisely so the indwelling life of Christ Jesus, operating with the power of a new law, lifts me above and counteracts the power of sin in my fallen nature. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free -Romans 8:2

Warning Light John 8:9 Gene Kissinger

The warning light redeeming the time brothers podcast a podcast by Gene Kissinger, Norman Kissinger, two brothers who spent their lives in ministry and raising large families want to leave a nightlight on for you.  That nightlight is out of john chapter eight and verse nine. It says, 
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. John 8:9 KJV
their consciences cause these accusers to drop their stones and walk away The setting is the woman caught in adultery brought to Christ and thrown down  in front of him.  The accusers then said, Moses commanded that any caught in adultery should be stoned, what do you say? And he stoops down and writes in the dirt. And then he says, After a while, whoever's without sin cast the first stone, and they're pricked in their conscience, and they walk away from the oldest to the youngest.
     Your conscience is like a warning light. I Remember one of the times that I ignored a warning light to my own peril. It was an oil light that came on in a car, a used car, admittedly, an old used car that I was driving, and the oil light came on,  I was on the freeway, but I was fairly close to the Jerome exit, and I decided that I could go ahead and risk it and limp it up off of the freeway on to South Lincoln. And then perhaps I could get walk to a store and get some oil. Well, turns out, I didn't have that kind of time, by the time I got up the on ramp, I threw in a rod and literally, the car was turned into a pile of junk because it would have cost more to fix it than the car was even worth. And so I ignored the warning light at my own peril. I didn't pay attention to the lesson that was there for me.
       God has given you the gift of a warning light. And that warning light is your conscience and it turns on and it flashes to get your attention. When you're about ready to do something really stupid or sinful.  What should you do when your warning light comes on? What should you do, when the alarm bell starts ringing? Well, one thing that these gentlemen finally did to their credit was they walked away from the situation. The Bible says flee youthful lust and indeed, that's a good lesson for all of us to run from some sins that are situational sins, these are sins, that if we get in the wrong situation with the wrong person, something bad's probably going to happen. And so we need to get out of that in order to preserve our integrity. Other other sins require you to stand against satanic attack requires you to take a stand based on the Word of God, Jesus answers this way in the temptation in Matthew chapter four, where Satan comes three different times (at least three different times with those instances being recorded by Matthew,) and he answers with the Word of God, with the Word of God,  with the Word of God. And we need to be answering with the Word of God. The Bible says that there is no temptation taken you but such as common to man and he will also with the temptation, make a way of escape so you can get out of it.  He's not going to leave you where you're going to destroy yourself, he allows the conscience to be like a light that points towards a pathway out, and we need to be wise enough to take that pathway, When it's presented to us. Now your conscience can be developed and it can be destroyed, your conscience can be tuned up. And how you tune it up is by exposing it to good sources, especially the word of God and a good also a good crowd around you that are going in the right direction, individuals that are setting an example for you, in how to live a godly life. this exposure to good sourses tunes your conscience up so that it's more able more able to recognize sin patterns, when they try to develop. So I want to encourage you to not destroy your conscience by shutting it up. But instead, by tuning it up and getting into the Word of God and really paying attention when it's going off, because it can save you from a world of heartache. Let's pray. Dear Lord God, I pray that you'd Forgive me for the times that I've violated this concept or principle, Lord, and I know those under the sound of my voice have certainly done the same. We are a people of unclean lips. There have been many times where we've disappointed you more than we've pleased you.  God, we come before you asking for your forgiveness and your grace. Father, I pray for you to help us to find legitimate ways to meet the needs that are in our life and not the illegitimate ways. We know that Satan tried to take legitimate needs and turn them into a point of temptation for Christ. And certainly he does that with us as well.  Help us to stand strong knowing that you're the God who rules and reigns and you're going to take care of us. You're going to guide us and direct us I pray that you just help us to pay attention to that wonderful warning light of our conscience. When it goes off. Help us to take action on what it says in Jesus name, amen.
      

This transcript was generated by https://otter.ai

when it takes time C.H Spurgeon

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C.H Spurgeon
But he answered her not a word.”

Matthew 15:23

Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in him. He intended to give it, but he waited awhile. “He answered her not a word.” Were not her prayers good? Never better in the world. Was not her case needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest enough? She was intensely so. Had she no faith? She had such a high degree of it that even Jesus wondered, and said, “O woman, great is thy faith.” See then, although it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does not always bring it instantaneously. There may be certain reasons calling for the trial of faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine faith may be in the soul like a hidden seed, but as yet it may not have budded and blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from the Saviour is the grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a harsh cutting reply such as this, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” Many in waiting upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is not the case with all. Some, like the jailer, are in a moment turned from darkness to light, but others are plants of slower growth. A deeper sense of sin may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon, and in such a case you will have need of patience to bear the heavy blow. Ah! poor heart, though Christ beat and bruise thee, or even slay thee, trust him; though he should give thee an angry word, believe in the love of his heart. Do not, I beseech thee, give up seeking or trusting my Master, because thou hast not yet obtained the conscious joy which thou longest for. Cast thyself on him, and perseveringly depend even where thou canst not rejoicingly hope.

 

Pastor Appriciation

October is Pastor appreciation month. We should be ever so appreciative of the pastor's that are leading our flocks during this most difficult time in recent memory. They have been criticized on every side. Challenged in every way possible. Virtually outlawed in some states.

So we want to say thanks. If you have never led the flock of God, then you have no idea the load that they carry everyday. It is an awesome privilege but also a tremendous pressure to Pastor a church. In ages gone by the pastor really didn't have to compete with anything in the community. All the businesses were shut down and the people knew that they needed to attend services for their spiritual health. Now Pastor have to compete with thousands of TV channels, the internet and all of its forms and video games, as well as a 24/7 business cycle, and a busy lifestyle of us Americans that is quite honestly staggering.

     They have to preach with the sensitivity of a Max Lucado, the illustrations of a Chuck Swindoll, The Passion of a Billy Sunday, the Evangelistic fervor of a Billy Graham, and the eruditeness of an Alistair Begg. They have to prepare multiple, biblical, relevant, fresh lessons each week, week after week often for decades. 

    Add to that The Descent of the culture into an anti-god mentality and now you have pastors marginalized and demonized in almost every way. In an earlier era Pastor would have been looked on with high regard they would have even been honored but now they're chastised criticized and as I said before even demonized.

So we want to say thank you.

Thanks for the many hours of study that you put in to preach biblically relevant passionate sermons week after week.

Thanks for the Emergency counseling that you have given to us when you had to step away from your family to help fix our family.

Thanks for going and picking up people that have no other way to get to church or that's on a bus route a church van or your own personal car. Thanks for picking up senior citizens and taking them to the store and to the doctor when nobody else will.

Thanks for the thousands of things you do around the church that nobody sees. Thanks for mowing the church lawn when nobody else would, thanks for cleaning the sanctuary when the sign up sheet was empty.  Thanks for setting up the meetings and then tearing down afterward so the next event could take place.

Thanks for your dedicated example of what a real Christian looks like in the real world.  We understand you have feet of clay but we so appriciate how you stans strong against the shifting tide of culture and strive to live out your faith in your family and often in a secular job.

A special thanks to Ministry mates those that have married into Ministry thank you for your grace that you show your mate as they exercise their God-given call. We know it takes so much of their time from you and heaven will one day reward the sacrifices that you've made because heaven alone knows the sacrifices you've made, may God bless you richly today.

So to those who are reading this and are not in ministry here is a Word from the Lord for you.

"Hebrews 13:17 - Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you"

For those Ministry couples out there here is a Word from the Lord For you. 

Galatians 6:9, KJV: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

And finally.

Numbers 6:24-26

King James Version

24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace

Do Something great for your pastor!!!!!

Even Tractors Get Stuck by Keith Hatton

From My friend Keith Hatton

"Even Tractors Get Stuck!" 

A year ago my neighbor, Wesley Shearburn, got his tractor badly stuck in his hog pen. Immediately I thought how some Christians, like tractors, are made to help pull others out of sin. But if they go into the 'hog pen' to do so, they can get stuck themselves! That's why Proverbs 3:7 says, 'Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.' Today, in all your efforts to help someone, stay out of the hog pen of sin! - Br Keith Hatton

The Father of The Prodigal didn't chase his son into the hog pen he had to let his son "come to himself," to awaken to his own need to change. The Father instead looked steadfastly to the horizon for any tell tale sign of his sons return home. When he see him coming he runs to him and throws his arms around him and a party for his safe return. I am watching today

Eduring Contradiction A.B Simpson

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A.B SIMPSON

Enduring mistreatment

How much grace it requires to bear a misunderstanding rightly and to receive an unkind judgment in holy sweetness! Nothing tests the Christian character more than to have some evil thing said about us. This is the file that soon proves whether we are electroplate or solid gold. If we could only know the blessings that lie hidden in our lives, we would say like David, when Shimei cursed him, Let him curse; . . . It may be the Lord will . . . requite me good for his cursing this day (2 Samuel 16:11-12). Some people get easily turned aside from the grandeur of their life work by pursuing their own grievances and enemies. Soon their lives become one little whirl of petty warfare. It is like a nest of hornets. We may disperse the hornets, but we will probably get terribly stung and get nothing for our pains, for even their honey is not worth a search. God give us more of Jesus' Spirit. When he was reviled, [he] reviled not again; . . . but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2:23). Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself (Hebrews 12:3). He opened not his mouth -Isaiah 53:7

Resting In Him Dr. Paul Chappell

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Resting in Him
Thursday, October 01, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1 John 5:11-12

As I witness to people, one of the most common misconceptions I hear them express is that our eternal destiny will be settled after we die. Many think that their deeds will be measured, and if they have done “enough” good things, they will be allowed into Heaven. Of course we know the truth that each person’s destiny is determined by whether they accept Christ as Saviour. Yet salvation is so much more than just our getting to go to Heaven—it is also peace, comfort and security while we are here on Earth.

Timothy Dwight, the grandson of Jonathan Edwards who went on to become president of Yale University, wrote: “Christ is the only, the true, the living way of access to God. Give up yourselves therefore to him, with a cordial confidence, and the great work of life is done.” Though there is work God has for us to do as His children, there is no work which we can or must do in order to become His children. That which we could never do for ourselves has already been done for us by our loving Saviour.”

This knowledge should give us confidence. Rather than being tormented by doubt and uncertainty, we can place complete trust in the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ as our substitute. We do not need to fear the future. This knowledge should also give us a sense of urgency to share the Gospel with others. When we take the Good News to the lost, we are offering them God’s gift of eternal life, as well as the blessings for this life that come from being a child of God.

Today's Growth Principle:
Rejoice today in the fact that, because of Christ, your eternal future is settled and secure.

More on Victory by A.B Simpson

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A.B SIMPSON

Victory

God calls us to victory. Have you given up the conflict, have you surrendered? Have you said, "This thing is too much?" Have you said, "I can give up anything else but this?" If you have, you are not in the land of promise. God intends that you accept every difficult thing that comes into your life. He has started with you, knowing every difficulty, and if you dare to let Him, He will carry you through not only to be a conqueror but "more than conquerors." Are you looking for all the victory God has for you? God gives His children strength for the battle and watches over them with a fond enthusiasm. He longs to fold you close and say to you, "I have seen thy conflict, I have watched thy trials, I have rejoiced in thy victory; thou hast honored Me." Remember what he told Joshua at the beginning, There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (Joshua 1:5). And again, His word to us is, Fear . . . not, for I am with thee (Isaiah 41:10). He that triumphed gloriously -Exodus 15:1

The Feels by Gene Kissinger

I wrote this for a friend but it may fit your situation today.

It's ok to feel your feelings. You have the right and the need to feel, hurt, rejected and maybe even incredibly angry at the situation you face. It is not our business as your friends to tell you how to feel. I have multiple painful situations with children right now and I feel all of those things I mentioned above. I have at times been hurt and betrayed in other important relationships and those feelings washed over me like a tsunami.

Just know your friends love you and they are trying to help the best way they know how..and our fumbling attempts are because you are loved profoundly and we don't want you in any distress.

Our well intentioned efforts overlooked the reality that we all have feet of clay and God considers our frame and we are but dust. It humors me to think of myself as a dust bunny...but here we are. 

What I have been doing of late is easing my mind by remembering to be still and known that he is God and when obtrusive even destructive thoughts come is I acknowledge them and let them pass over me. I see them like a dark threatening cloud in an otherwise sunny clear sky, I name the feeling as accurately as I can and then I let it pass. 

There is a connection phrase in the Bible

"And it came to pass" it is meant to further the story but it has a special meaning to me. I remember that all things pass away even hard times and negative feelings. The darkest of nights is followed by a glorious dawn. Stay strong you are in my prayers.

 

Bless the Lord , O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.  The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.  The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.  Bless the Lord , ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.  Bless ye the Lord , all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.  Bless the Lord , all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord , O my soul.

Psalms 103:1‭-‬22 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.103.1-22.KJV

Pre Answers To Prayer by Robert J Morgan

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October 4 – Pre-answers to Prayer

Occasionally God answers our prayers before we offer them. William Tyndale put his life at risk when he decided to translate the Bible into the English language during the days of King Henry VIII. The church and government opposed him, but he told one clergyman, “If God spare my life, I will cause the boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.” On October 6, 1536 he was burned at the stake for his efforts. His last words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

He perished without knowing the Lord had already answered his prayer—one year earlier, almost to the very day. The answer? Miles Coverdale. Born in 1488, Coverdale came under the influence of Robert Barnes at Cambridge who discussed ideas “out of Germany” with him. When Coverdale picked up the Bible and began reading it for himself, he fell in love with it. “Now I begyne to taste of Holy Schryptures; now (honour be to God) I am sett to the most swete smell with the godly savour of holy and awncyent Doctoures.”

Soon he began preaching an evangelical message. It proved impossible for him in England, so he fled to the Continent where he spent seven years translating the Bible from Latin into English for his own people. It was published in 1535, the first complete edition of the Bible in English. He wisely dedicated it to King Henry VIII, who, being flattered, allowed it to become the first English rendering of Scripture to circulate without official hindrance—thus answering Tyndale’s prayer one year in advance.

In his preface Coverdale said he had not coveted the task of translating Scripture, but “it greued (grieved) me yt other nacyons shulde be more plentously prouyded (provided) with ye scripture in theyr mother tongue than we. … ”

Coverdale became rector of St. Magnus Church near London Bridge, and visitors today can read a memorial plaque on the east wall of the church: … he spent many years of his life preparing a translation of the Scriptures. On the 4th of October, 1535, the first complete printed English version of the Bible was published under his direction.

I will answer their prayers before they finish praying. Isaiah 65:24

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Forget and Remember Dr. Paul Chappell

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Forget and Remember
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."

Genesis 41:50-52

An old saying admonishes that we should learn to write our hurts in the sand and carve our blessings in stone. Much of our happiness and contentment is found not in what we have or don’t have, but rather in where we choose to place our focus. There are things that we should forget and things we should remember, yet our tendency all too often is to reverse the two.

Every person who has ever lived has had trouble and struggles with which to deal. “Man is born unto trouble” Job 5:7 tells us. But we do not have to remember and replay our troubles over and over in our minds. Instead we can focus on our blessings—which is the key to living productive and happy lives. People who are trapped in the pain of the past will never be fruitful. The point is not that the pains are not real, but rather that our minds should not be focused on that pain.

As an antidote to allowing the troubles of the past to overwhelm us, the Bible commands us to be grateful. Over and over the Scriptures tell us to remember what God has done. “Forget not all his benefits” the Psalmist instructs in Psalm 103:2. By fixing our thoughts and our attention on the many good things God has done for us, we can begin the process of moving away from the painful past into a fruitful future.

Today's Growth Principle:
Focus on remembering the many blessings you have received, and you will find it easier to forget the pains of the past.

Inheritance A.B Simpson

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A.B SIMPSON
The inheritance

The procedure was very significant. God gave the land to the other tribes of Israel, but He gave Himself to the Levites. There is such a thing in the Christian life as an inheritance from the Lord, and there is such a thing as having the Lord Himself for our inheritance. Some people receive a sanctification from the Lord that is of much value, but variable and often impermanent. Others have learned the higher lesson of taking the Lord Himself to be their keeper and their sanctity, and abiding in Him they are kept above the vicissitudes of their own states and feelings. Some receive from the Lord large measures of joy and blessing and times of refreshing. Others, again, learn to take the Lord Himself as their joy. Some people are content to have peace with God, but others have taken the peace of God, which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Some have faith in God, while others have the faith of God. Some have many touches of healing from God, others have learned to live in the very health of God Himself. Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them -Joshua 13:33

Talisman of Victory F.B Meyer

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F.B Meyer
THE TALISMAN OF VICTORY

"In all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us."-- Ro 8:37.

CAN ANYTHING separate me from the love of Christ? was the only question that St. Paul felt worth consideration. In this paragraph he takes the extreme conditions of being, and carefully investigates them, knowing that they include all between. First, he interrogates Existence--"death and life"; next, created Intelligences--"Angels, principalities, and powers"; next, the extremes of Time--"things present, things to come"; next, of Space---"height and depth"; lastly, the created Universe --"any other creature." Each of these extremes is passed in review. He is like a man proving every link of the chain in which he is going to swing out over the abyss. Carefully and fervently he has tested all, and is satisfied that none of them can cut him off from the love of God.

We strangely misjudge and mistrust the Love of God our Father, and think that our distresses and sufferings, our sins and failures, may make Him love us less. But in the home, it is not the troop of sturdy children that engross the mother's care so much as the puny feeble life, that lies in the cot, unable to help itself and reciprocate her love. And in the world, death and pain, disease and sorrow, sin and failure, so far from separating us from God's love, bind us closer.

Oh blessed Love! that comes down to us from the heart of Jesus, the essence of the eternal love of God--nothing can ever staunch, exhaust, intercept it. It is not our love to Him, but His to us, and since nothing can separate us from the love of God, He will go on loving us for ever, and pouring into us the entire fullness of His life and glory. Whatever our difficulties, whatever our weakness and infirmity, we shall he kept steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; gaining by our losses, succeeding by our failures, triumphing in our defeats, and ever more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

PRAYER

Yea thro' life, thro' sorrow and thro' sinning He shall suffice me, for He hath sufficed: Christ is the end, for Christ was the beginning, Christ is the beginning, for the end is Christ.

Obedience F.B Meyer

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F.B Meyer

OBEDIENCE

"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness."-- Jn 12:46. (cp Ps 119:130, Jn 1:9, 1:4, 3:19, 20, 21, 8:12, 9:5, 2Ti1:10 Isa 9:2, Mal 4:2)

THE LIGHT of Christ is always distinguishable because it means the deepest impression of what is right, the clearest conviction of the will of God. Everywhere men are asking how they may come to know Christ, and there is but one answer: believe that He loves you, that He died on the Cross to save you, that He is prompting you by His Spirit to follow every perception and longing for a better and holier life.

How different is this teaching from that of the world around! There we are bidden to know before we dare entrust our lives to any leader, whatever be his fair speeches and promises; but Christ bids us obey the first glimmer of light breaking on us, and He undertakes that if we do, we shall not walk in darkness. Disobedience, like scales, veils Christ from us; whilst obedience leads us into His very presence (cp Jn 7:17, 1Sa 15:22, 23). The judgment always becomes just, and the vision clear, when we deny ourselves (Mk 8:34, Lk 9:23 adds "daily"!) to follow whatsoever things are lovely, true, pure, just, and of good report (Php 4:8-note).

It may be that as you read these lines there is some duty you shirk, some cross you refuse to lift, some act from which you flinch. Though you may not have directly associated it with Christ, yet you cannot doubt that it is His will for you, and that in the doing He will be pleased (2Co 5:9-note). It is useless to try to know Him until that nearest act of obedience is wrought. Men can never know what the mighty forces of Nature will do for them until they set themselves to obey, in the minutest detail, its laws. And it is so in relation to Christ and the laws of the spiritual realm. That was a true word which the mother of our Lord spoke to the servants at Cana, when she said: "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it!'" (Jn 2:5) She had probably learnt that lesson in those long, quiet, blessed years at Nazareth. She knew that there was no such way of understanding Him, as by rendering Him literal obedience, and she passed on the results of her experience to us all.

"Walk while ye have the light," (Jn 12:35) so you will know the Light, and become light in the Lord. (Eph 5:8-note)

PRAYER

My son, forsake thyself, and thou shalt find Me Lord, how often shall I resign myself, and wherein shall I forsake myself? Always, yea, every hour, as well in small things as in great. AMEN.