Unwavering Faith

Despite suffering like Job, keep unwavering faith and the Lord will vindicate you.

Job 19:25-27 ... For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

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Hold Me Up!!

There is a glorious humility in this brief prayer. It is the cry of one who knows both his weakness, and his heavenly Father's ability. The psalmist does not say, "I will hold myself up!" or "I will stand in my own strength!" He knows better. He has learned the painful lesson of his own weakness and instability, and proneness to wander from God. Instead, he casts himself entirely upon the Lord: "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!" Only God can uphold His redeemed people, with corruption in their hearts, in a world full of spiritual dangers and deceits.

This verse is a declaration of the utter necessity of God's sustaining grace. The redeemed are not kept by their own willpower, intelligence, or resolve--they are "kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5). It is sovereign grace that chose them, grace that effectually called them, grace that redeemed them, and grace that will preserve them to the end.

Were it not for God's moment-by-moment upholding grace, no believer could endure to the end. The world entices, the flesh rebels, the devil accuses and divine grace alone keeps their feet from slipping.

The Lord's people shall not fall away finally or totally. They may fall foully, but they shall not fall finally. He who began the good work in them, will carry it on until He completes it. The same hand which gave us spiritual life, must preserve that life. Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean it would be utterly quenched, unless the Lord kept it alive.

Yet God's sustaining grace is not merely a necessity it is a comfort beyond all measure. What greater security could the believer have, than to be upheld by God's everlasting arms! What sweeter assurance than to know that our safety depends, not on our grip on God, but on His mighty hold on us! "The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When fear arises, when temptations threaten, when strength fails may this prayer be our rock of refuge: "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!"

Let every believer pray this daily. Let us not rely on our own wisdom or strength. Let us lean wholly on Him who never fails. And when we are upheld, when we find ourselves still walking with God, still standing in grace, still looking to Jesus let us give Him all the praise. For it is not we who have held fast to Him but He who has held fast to us.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Jude 24 ...  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Psalm 119:117 ... Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. ❤

Never Lacks An Apple!

The devil is not a lamb, but a lion; not a sleeping lion, but a roaring lion; not a lion standing still, but a lion prowling around to devour! He is not satisfied with the prey he has already gotten but is restless in his designs to fill Hell with damned souls.

He never lacks an apple for an Eve; nor a grape, for a Noah; nor a change of clothing, for a Gehazi; nor a wedge of gold, for an Achan; nor a crown, for an Absalom; nor a bag of silver, for a Judas; nor a world, for a Demas!

If you look into one company, you shall find Satan a-dishing out his dainties to every taste.  If you look into another company, you shall find him fitting a lace to every shoe.

If you look into a third company, you shall find him suiting a garment to every back.

Here, with Jael, he allures poor souls in with milk; and murders them with a nail! There, with Joab, he embraces with one hand; and stabs with another! Here with Judas, he kisses; and betrays! And there, with the whore of Babylon, he presents a golden cup, with poison in it!

[Thomas Brooks]

1 Peter 5:8 ... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

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Ours and His

The only sin that Jesus ever had was ours.

The only righteousness that we will ever have is His.

[A. W. Tozer]

Isaiah 53:5 ...  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Romans 3:22-23 ...  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ❤

Petty Troubles and Vexations!

We must see our heavenly Father's hand in our lesser trials and cares, as much as in the greater ones.

David recognized the hand of God in Absalom rising against him in rebellion, but he saw it no less in Shimei throwing stones and dust and casting bitter words at him.

Just so, let us see God's hand in everything. These petty troubles and vexations are a part of our schooling for Heaven. They are just as much sent from above, as the fierce storm that wrecks our home and leaves us desolate in a cold world. They all come to prove us, to humble us, to draw out the grace which God has given us, to break the tie that binds us too closely to earth, to knit the tie that draws us nearer to Heaven.

Let us ever fix this in our minds. Let us say to ourselves:

"My Father has sent this trial!

 Not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him.

 The very hairs of my head are numbered by Him.

 So, I will trust His heart, where I cannot trace His hand.

 He is too wise to be mistaken and too good to be unkind!"

[George Everard]

1 Peter 5:7 ... That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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Have Faith in God!!

These are days when we need to have our faith strengthened, when we need to know God. God has designed that the just shall live by faith. Any man can be changed by faith, no matter how he may be fettered. I know that God’s word is sufficient. One word from Him can change a nation. His word is from everlasting to everlasting. It is through the entrance of this everlasting Word, this incorruptible seed, that we are born again, and come into this wonderful salvation. Man cannot live by bread alone, but must live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  (Matthew 4:4) This is the food of faith. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Everywhere men are trying to discredit the Bible and take from it all the miraculous. One preacher says, “Well, you know, Jesus arranged beforehand to have that colt tied where it was, and for the men to say just what they did.” I tell you God can arrange everything without going near. He can plan for you, and when He plans for you, all is peace. All things are possible if you will believe. Another preacher said, “It was an easy thing for Jesus to feed the people with five loaves. The loaves were so big in those days that it was a simple matter to cut them into a thousand pieces each.” But He forgot that one little boy brought those five loaves all the way in his lunch basket. There is nothing impossible with God. All the impossibility is with us when we measure God by the limitations of our unbelief. 

[Smith Wigglesworth]

Mark 11:23-24 ... For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

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Darkness Trembles

 He makes the darkness tremble.

                                                                          

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John 1:5 ... And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

James 2:19 ... Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ❤

Battle Hymn of The Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. He hath loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword, His truth is marching on. 

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps, They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps. I have read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps, His day is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah Glory, glory, hallelujah Glory, glory, hallelujah, His truth is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel, As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal. Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel, Since my God is marching on. 

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat, He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat. Oh, be swift, my soul to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet, Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah Glory, glory, hallelujah Glory, glory, hallelujah, His truth is marching on.  His truth is marching on. 

[Julia Ward Howe] 

1 Peter 4:13 ...  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ❤

Greatest Earthly Blessing

I bear witness that the worst days I have ever had, have turned out to be my best days. In the same way, when God has seemed to be the unkindest to me, He has then been the most kind. If there is anything in this world for which I would thank Him more than for all else, it is for pain and affliction. I am sure that in these things, His richest and tenderest love has been most manifested towards me. I am certain that I have never grown in grace, one-half so much anywhere else, as I have upon the bed of pain. I have learned to kiss the wave, that throws me against the Rock of Ages.

Affliction is the best piece of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister's library. Those who dive in the sea of affliction, bring up rare pearls.

God's love letters are often sent in black envelopes. The cloud that is black with horror, is big with mercy. We may not ask for trouble; but if we were wise, we would look upon affliction as the harbinger of an unusually great blessing.

Dread the calm: it is often treacherous; and the pestilence is often lurking beneath its wing. Fear not the storm: it brings healing in its wings, and when Jesus is with you in the vessel, then the tempest only hastens the ship to its desired haven.

God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.

I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. The furnace of affliction is the most beneficial place for you, Christian.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Hebrews 12:5-11 ... And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. ❤

The Scale!!

Put your soul in one side of the scale and put all that the world calls good and great in the other side. Think of everything that the heart of man can desire riches, honor, pleasure, power. Heap it up well! Fill one side of the scale until there is no room for more. Put in all the gold of Australia, all the diamonds of India, all the delights of youthful love, all the pleasures of wife and home, of children and friends, of health and strength, of name and fame. Put in all that the natural mind of man deems the height of happiness, and everything that may weigh this side of the scale down. Now, when you have filled this side of the scale, put your soul into the other side the state of your soul for all eternity. Represent to yourself your deathbed and hold the scale with dying hands as lying just at the brink of eternity. See how the scale now hangs!

What if you had the whole world that you have put into the scale and could call it all your own; but at that solemn hour felt that your soul was forever lost that you were dying under the wrath of God and there was nothing before you but an eternity of misery! At such a moment as this, what could you put in the scale equal to the weight of your immortal soul?

Take the scale again. Put into one side, every affliction, trial, sorrow, and distress that imagination can conceive, or tongue express. Let them all be your distress of mind, pain of body, poverty of circumstances, contempt from man, assaults from Satan, Job's afflictions, Jacob's bereavements, David's persecutions, Jeremiah's prison, Hezekiah's sickness. Put into this side of the scale everything that makes life miserable and then put into the other side, a saved soul.

Surely, as in the case of worldly honors, and riches, and happiness a lost soul must weigh them all down!

So, in the case of afflictions and sorrows and troubles a saved soul must weigh them all down too!

[J. C. Philpot]

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Luke 12:20 ... But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Matthew 16:26 ...  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ❤

"Come To Me!"

Jesus calls you to His throne of grace. He is there waiting to hear, relieve and bless you. You are to go to Him just as you are and receive from Him all you need.

He will give you: wisdom, to direct your steps; peace, to keep your hearts; strength, to do His will; righteousness, to justify your souls; and rest, unspeakably sweet.

He is glorified in bestowing these blessings upon you. He calls you this morning, this moment to receive all you need, without money and without price. What a precious Savior is Jesus! What a kind and tender Friend!

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

"Come!" He says, "Come to Me! Do not go to SELF, to the world, to the empty cisterns which creatures idolize; but come unto Me, and I will do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine!  Your sins, I will pardon; your graces, I will revive; your comforts, I will restore; your holiness, I will increase; your efforts to glorify Me, I will crown with success; I will bless you, and you shall be a blessing!"

[James Smith]

Matthew 11:28 ... Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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