God Knows

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Believer! What a glorious assurance! This way of thine-this, it may be, a crooked, mysterious, tangled way-this way of trial and tears. "He knoweth it."

The furnace seven times heated...He lighted it. There is an Almighty Guide knowing and directing our footsteps, whether it be to the bitter Marah pool, or to the joy and refreshment of Elim.

That way, dark to the Egyptians, has its pillar of cloud and fire for His own Israel. 

The furnace is hot; but not only can we trust the hand that kindles it, but we have the assurance that the fires are lighted not to consume, but to refine; and that when the refining process is completed (no sooner-no later) He brings His people forth as gold.

When they think Him least near, He is often nearest. "When my spirit was overwhelmed, then thou knewest my path."

Do we know of ONE brighter than the brightest radiance of the visible sun, visiting our chamber with the first waking beam of the morning; an eye of infinite tenderness and compassion following us throughout the day, knowing the way that we take?

The world, in its cold vocabulary in the hour of adversity, speaks of Providence-the will of Providence-the strokes of Providence. PROVIDENCE! what is that?

Why dethrone a living, directing GOD from the sovereignty of His own earth? 

Why substitute an inanimate, death-like abstraction, in place of an acting, controlling, personal Jehovah?

How it would take the sting from many a goading trial, to see what Job saw (in his hour of aggravated woe, when every earthly hope lay prostrate at his feet) no hand but the Divine.

He saw that hand behind the gleaming swords of the Sabeans-he saw it behind the lightning flash-he saw it giving wings to the careening tempest-he saw it in the awful silence of his rifled home.

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!

Thus seeing GOD in everything, his faith reached its climax when this once powerful prince of the desert, seated on his bed of ashes, could say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him."

~Macduff~

The Angel Host As An Encircling Fence Of Fire

2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 

So it is with each of GOD'S saints. We cannot see, because of the imperfection of mortal vision, the harnessed squadrons of fire and light; but the Angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.

If our eyes were opened, we should see the angel hosts as an encircling fence of fire; but whether we see them or not, they are certainly there.

GOD is between us and temptation. However strong the foe, GOD is stronger.

However swift the descending blow, GOD is swifter to catch and ward off.

However weak we are, through long habits of yielding, GOD is greater than our hearts, and can keep in perfect peace.

Trust ye in the LORD forever; for in the LORD Jehovah is the Rock of Ages.

GOD is between us and the hate of man.

Dare to believe that there is an invisible wall of protection between you and all that men devise against you.

What though the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing! No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise in judgment shall be condemned.

GOD is between you and the deluge of care.

What thousands are beset with that dark spectre! They have no rest or peace either day or night, saying, "Where will the next rent, the next meal, come from? "

How different the life of birds, and flowers, of children, of Jesus, and all holy souls. Oh, rest in the LORD, and put Him between you and black care.

GOD is between you and the pursuit of your past.

He is your reward; and as He intercepted the pursuit of Pharaoh, so He stands at Calvary between your past and you.

The assayer of retribution is arrested by that Divine Victim what more can we ask!

~F. B. Meyer~

Discovering GOD'S Graces

Job 10:2  I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Perhaps, O tried soul, the LORD is doing this to develop thy graces.

There are some of thy graces which would never have been discovered if it were not for the trials.

Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter?

Love is too oft like a glowworm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness.

Hope itself is like a star - not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. 

Afflictions are often the black folds in which GOD doth set the jewels of His children's graces, to make them shine the better.

It was but a little while ago that, on thy knees, thou wast saying, LORD, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.

Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?

For how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised?

Depend upon it.

GOD often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence.

Besides, it is not merely discovery; real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials.

GOD trains His soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service.

He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers and climb mountains, and walk many a weary mile with heavy knapsacks on their backs.

Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which you are passing?

Is not this the reason why He is contending with you?

~C. H. Spurgeon~

To be left unmolested by Satan is no evidence of blessing.

Trust And Do; Do and Trust

Psalm 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Trust and do are words which go well together, in the order in which the Holy Spirit has placed them.

We should have faith, and that faith should work.

Trust in GOD sets us upon holy doing: we trust GOD for good, and then we do good.

We do not sit still because we trust, but we arouse ourselves and expect the LORD to work through us and by us.

It is not ours to worry and do evil but to trust and do good.

We neither trust without doing nor do without trusting. 

Adversaries would root us out if they could; but by trusting and doing we dwell in the land.

We will not go into Egypt, but we will remain in Immanuel's land-the providence of GOD, the Canaan of covenant love.

We are not so easily to be got rid of as the LORD's enemies suppose.

They cannot thrust us Out nor stamp us out: where GOD has given us a name and a place, there we abide.

But what about the supply of our necessities?

The LORD has put a "verily" into this promise.

As sure as GOD is true, His people shall be fed.

It is theirs to trust and to do, and it is the LORD's to do according to their trust.

If not fed by ravens, or fed by an Obadiah, or fed by a widow, yet they shall be fed somehow.

Away, ye fears!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Gift Of Strength; Peace To Bless

David had just heard the voice of the LORD in a thunderstorm and had seen His power in the hurricane whose path he had described;

And now, in the cool calm after the storm, that overwhelming power by which heaven and earth are shaken is promised to be the strength of the chosen.

He who wings the unerring bolt will give to His redeemed the wings of eagles;

He who shakes the earth with His voice will terrify the enemies of His saints and give His children peace.

Why are we weak when we have divine strength to flee to?

Why are we troubled when the LORD's own peace is ours? 

Jesus, the Mighty GOD, is our strength; let us put Him on and go forth to our service.

Jesus, our blessed LORD, is also our peace; let us repose in Him this day and end our fears.

What a blessing to have Him for our strength and peace both now and forever!

That same GOD who rides upon the storm in days of tempest will also rule the hurricane of our tribulation and send us, before long, days of peace.

We shall have strength for storms and songs for fair weather. 

Let us begin to sing at once unto GOD, our strength and our peace.

Away, dark thoughts! Up, faith and hope!

~Charles Spurgeon~

True Walking Posture

Pro 10:9  He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

His walk may be slow, but it is sure. He that hasteth to be rich shall not be innocent nor sure; 

But steady perseverance in integrity, if it does not bring riches, will certainly bring peace.

In doing that which is just and right, we are like one walking upon a rock, for we have confidence that every step we take is upon solid and safe ground.

On the other hand, the utmost success through questionable transactions must always be hollow and treacherous, and the man who has gained it must always be afraid that a day of reckoning will come, and then his gains will condemn him.

Let us stick to truth and righteousness. By God's grace let us imitate our LORD and Master, in whose mouth no deceit was ever found.

Let us not be afraid of being poor, nor of being treated with contempt.

Never, on any account whatever, let us do that which our conscience cannot justify.

If we lose inward peace, we lose more than a fortune can buy.

If we keep in the LORD's own way and never sin against our conscience, our way is sure against all comers.

Who is he that can harm us if we be followers of that which is good?

We may be thought fools by fools if we are firm in our integrity; but in the place where judgment is infallible we shall be approved.

~Charles Spurgeon~