Thursday, June 30, 2022
HOW MUCH WE ARE HATED
A great comment I found online: Conservative Christians need to come to terms with how much we are hated by dominant currents in the culture. We should expect miraculous conversions, which have occurred in every age, but we should not expect unchurched people to just drift into our churches w/o radical conversion.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
He is called your Advocate.
"For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me."
―Psalm 51:3
“Are you accused by Satan, world, or your own conscience? He is called your Advocate. Are you ignorant? He is called the Prophet. Are you guilty of sin? He is called a Priest, and High Priest. Are you afflicted with many enemies, inward and outward? He is called a King, and King of kings. Are you in straits? He is called your way. Are you hungry or thirsty? He is called Bread and Water of Life. Are you afraid you shall fall away, and be condemned at the last? He is our second Adam, a public person, in whose death we died, and in whose satisfaction we satisfied; as there is no temptation or affliction, but some promise or other doth especially suit therewithal: so there is no condition, but some name, some title, some attribute of Christ doth especially suit with it: and as you do not look on Christ, but in reference to your condition, so you are not to look upon your condition alone, but with Christ's attribute suitable thereunto; if you look upon Christ's attribute of love without your condition, you may presume; if on your condition without Christ's attribute of love, you may despair: think on both together and you will not be discouraged.”
―William Bridge, A Lifting Up for the Downcast
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Monday, June 20, 2022
VALLEY OF DEATH
"Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff will give me breath. ” Psalm 23:4.
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Charles Spurgeon
Checkbook from the Bank of Faith.
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These words that describe the security experienced on our deathbed, are very sweet. How many people have repeated them with intense delight in their last hours! But the verse is equally applicable to the agonies of the spirit in the midst of life.. Some of us, like Paul, die daily because of a tendency to darkness of soul. On his pilgrimage, Bunyan puts the Valley of the Shadow of Death long before the flowing river at the foot of the heavenly hills. Some of us have walked through the dark and dreadful gorge of the “shadow of death” several times, and we can testify that only the Lord enabled us in the midst of their wild thoughts, their mysterious horrors and their terrible of pressures. The Lord has sustained us and kept us above all real fear of evil, even when our spirit would have been overwhelmed. We have been wrinkled and beaten down, yet we have lived, for we have felt the presence of the Great Shepherd, and we have had the confidence that his fall would prevent the enemy from delivering a deadly blow to us.
If the present time were darkened by the raven’s wings of great affliction, we must glorify God through quiet trust in Him.
FAITHFULNESS OF GOD BY A.W. PINK
There are seasons in everyone’s life when it isn’t easy, even for Christians, to believe that God is faithful. Our faith is greatly tested, our eyes are filled with tears, and we can no longer distinguish the work of His love. Our ears are distracted by the noises of the world, harassed by Satan's atheist whispers, and we can no longer hear the sweet accents of his still, peaceful voice. Longed plans have fallen apart, friends we trusted have failed us, someone who professed to be a brother or sister in Christ has betrayed us. We're dumbfounded. We wanted to be faithful to God, and now a dark cloud hides him from our sight.
It is difficult for us, yes, even impossible for reasons carnal, harmonize your severe providence with your grace-filled promises. Oh, you feeeling soul, fellow pilgrim who has been harshly tested, seek grace to heed what Isaiah 50:10 says: “Who is there among you that feareth the LORD, and heareth the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness and lacks light, trusts in the name of the Lord, and rely on his God
When you are tempted to doubt God’s faithfulness, cry out, “Get back, Satan.” Although you cannot harmonize the mysterious dealings of God with the declarations of His love, wait on Him until you receive more light. At the right time it will be seen clearly. “What I am doing, you do not understand now; but you will understand later” (John 13:7). What will come next will prove that God has not abandoned or deceived His son. "But the Lord will wait to have mercy on you, and therefore he will be exalted having mercy on you: for the Lord is the God of judgment: blessed are all that wait for him" (Isa. 30:18).
Do not judge the Lord with the weakness of senses, Instead, trust that he will make you the object of his grace, Behind a providence that frowns the frown Hides a smiling face.
Saints that you fear, weapons of new courage, The clouds that terrorize you so much, They are full of mercy, and they will break in pouring blessings upon your heads. "
Sunday, June 19, 2022
A grave with Christ is a Comfortable Place
“A grave with Christ is a comfortable place.”
— John Flavel
Friday, June 17, 2022
Thursday, June 9, 2022
JIM PRAYED TEN DAYS
“Jim devoted ten days largely to prayer to make sure that this was indeed what God intended for him. He was given new assurance, and wrote to his parents of his intention to go to Ecuador. Understandably, they, with others who knew Jim well, wondered if perhaps his ministry might not be more effective in the United States, where so many know so little of the Bible's really message He replied: "I dare not stay home while Quiches perish. What if the well-filled church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures Moses, and the prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers.”
~Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Friday, June 3, 2022
The Word is a Lamp
The Word is called a lamp, to direct us; a medicine, to heal us; water, to wash us ; fire, to inflame us; salt, to season us; milk, to nourish us; wine, to rejoice us; rain, to refresh us; a treasure, to enrich us; and the key, to unlock heaven-gates unto us.
— Henry SmithThursday, June 2, 2022
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