In Me

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  

There is a vast difference between happiness and blessedness. 

Paul had imprisonments and pains, sacrifice and suffering up to the very limit; but in the midst of it all, he was blessed. All the beatitudes came into his heart and life in the midst of those very conditions.

Paganini, the great violinist, came out before his audience one day and made the discovery just as they ended their applause that there was something wrong with his violin. He looked at it a second and then saw that it was not his famous and valuable one.

He felt paralyzed for a moment, then turned to his audience and told them there had been some mistake and he did not have his own violin.

He stepped back behind the curtain thinking that it was still where he had left it, but discovered that some one had stolen his and left that old second-hand one in its place.

He remained back of the curtain a moment, then came out before his audience and said:

Ladies and Gentlemen: I will show you that the music is not in the instrument, but in the soul.

And he played as he had never played before; and out of that second-hand instrument, the music poured forth until the audience was enraptured with enthusiasm and the applause almost lifted the ceiling of the building, because the man had revealed to them that music was not in the machine but in his own soul.

It is your mission, tested and tried one, to walk out on the stage of this world and reveal to all earth and Heaven that the music is not in conditions, not in the things, not in externals, but the music of life is in your own soul.

If peace be in the heart, The wildest winter storm is full of solemn beauty, The midnight flash but shows the path of duty, Each living creature tells some new and joyous story, The very trees and stones all catch a ray of glory, If peace be in the heart.

~Charles Francis Richardson~

Wonderfully Made

Psa 139:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Psa 139:2  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Psa 139:3  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  

Psa 139:4  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Psa 139:5  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Psa 139:6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Psa 139:7  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Psa 139:8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Psa 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Psa 139:10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Psa 139:11  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Psa 139:13  For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

Psa 139:14  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psa 139:15  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Psa 139:18  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Psa 139:19  Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

Psa 139:20  For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Psa 139:21  Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

Psa 139:22  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
 
Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Avoid That Slip

                                                   
That is to say, if we follow the ways of wisdom and holiness we shall be preserved in them.

He who travels by daylight along the highway is under some protection.

There is a way for every man, namely, his own proper calling in life, and if we devoutly walk therein in the fear of GOD He will preserve us from evil.

We may not travel luxuriously, but we shall walk safely.

We may not be able to run like young men, but we shall be able to walk like good men.

Our greatest danger lies in ourselves: our feeble foot is so sadly apt to stumble.

Let us ask for more moral strength that our tendency to slip may be overcome. Some stumble because they do not see the stone in the way: divine grace enables us to perceive sin and so to avoid it.

Let us plead this promise and trust in Him who upholds His chosen.

Alas! Our worst peril is our own carelessness, but against this the LORD Jesus has put us on our guard, saying, "Watch and pray."

Oh, for grace to walk this day without a single stumble!

It is not enough that we do not actually fall; our cry should be that we may not make the smallest slip with our feet but may at the last adore Him "who is able to keep us from stumbling." 

~Charles Spurgeon~

Blow Upon My Garden That The Spices Thereof May Flow Out

Song of Solomon 4:16  Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

Some of the spices mentioned in this chapter are quite suggestive.

The aloe was a bitter spice, and it tells of the sweetness of bitter things, the bitter-sweet, which has its own fine application that only those can understand who have felt it.

The myrrh was used to embalm the dead, and it tells of death to something. It is the sweetness which comes to the heart after it has died to its self-will and pride and sin.

Oh, the inexpressible charm that hovers about some Christians simply because they bear upon the chastened countenance and mellow spirit the impress of the cross, the holy evidence of having died to something that was once proud and strong, but is now forever at the feet of Jesus.

It is the heavenly charm of a broken spirit and a contrite heart, the music that springs from the minor key, the sweetness that comes from the touch of the frost upon the ripened fruit.

And then the frankincense was a fragrance that came from the touch of the fire. It was the burning powder that rose in clouds of sweetness from the bosom of the flames.

It tells of the heart whose sweetness has been called forth, perhaps by the flames of affliction, until the holy place of the soul is filled with clouds of praise and prayer.

Beloved, are we giving out the spices, the perfumes, the sweet odors of the heart?

~The Love-Life of Our LORD~

Wait Quietly

Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Abraham was long tried, but he was richly rewarded. The Lord tried him by delaying to fulfill His promise.

Satan tried him by temptation; men tried him by jealousy, distrust, and opposition; Sarah tried him by her peevishness.

But he patiently endured. He did not question GOD'S veracity, nor limit His power, nor doubt His faithfulness, nor grieve His love;

But he bowed to Divine Sovereignty, submitted to Infinite Wisdom, and was silent under delays, waiting the LORD'S time.

And so, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

GOD'S promises cannot fail of their accomplishment.

Patient waiters cannot be disappointed.

Believing expectation shall be realized.

Beloved, Abraham's conduct condemns a hasty spirit, reproves a murmuring one, commends a patient one, and encourages quiet submission to GOD'S will and way.

Remember, Abraham was tried; he patiently waited; he received the promise, and was satisfied.

Imitate his example, and you will share the same blessing.

~Selected~

What Wilt Thou Have Me Do, LORD?

This represents a new position and a new relationship with Christ. How very different from that of the old Saul!

Hitherto his life and activity had been out from himself...what he thought he would do, what he proposed, purposed, planned, determined, and desired.

Self-determination had been his way of life, although he would have said that it was done in a good cause-even done for GOD.

What an example Saul was of the fact that a man’s very best intentions and devotions, in what he believes to be God’s interests, may yet be doing GOD the greatest disservice and he himself be totally blind to the fact.

We see here, then, that one thing is a clear evidence of a life truly acceptable to GOD; it is the absolute LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ.

Paul first used that word, “LORD”, at his conversion; it came out spontaneously when he realized that Jesus lives!

From that moment Jesus was his LORD, his Master.

We know from his life afterward how utter was that surrender and change of government.

Everything from that hour was on the basis of “What wilt Thou?”

Yes, it is the hall-mark of a true Christian life when, with the same inward realization and abandonment, we say to Jesus, “LORD”, and thenceforth have our whole lives governed by Him as Master.

~T. Austin Sparks~

No One Can ‘Join’ the Church

To become a Christian is not to join an institution called ‘The Church’. 

If the truth were known, there is no such thing as ‘joining’ the Christian Church.

We never took any steps, either of word or deed, in order to get our limbs to become members of our bodies. 

There is no distinction between our members and our bodies - our members comprise our bodies; but they do so, not by organization, invitation, examination, interrogation or catechism, but simply by life.

So, in the Church of Christ, provided that a true life-relationship exists, a ‘membership’ in the technical sense is a superfluity, and may be a menace.

If there is not that relationship, then no ‘membership’ can constitute the Church of Christ.

There are multitudes, we fear, who have ‘membership’ in what is called the ‘Church’, who are not able to stand up to the test which will be presented when we come to speak of what a Christian is.

But let us say here that when we appeal to people to become Christians we are not asking them to ‘join the Church’.

And it must be realized that Christianity is not just one more institution or society. You may go to many places called ‘churches’, and never really meet Christ, or find satisfaction. Of course, that is negative.

We must realize, however, that when we become Christians, we share one new life in Christ with all other born-again believers, and thus we become one in Christ. That really is the Church.

It is for us, then, to cherish that relationship and jealously watch over its sacredness. There are immense values in it.

~T. Austin Sparks~

Pierced

Isa 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.

If we would enjoy peace, grow in grace, and walk with GOD...there is one object on which the eye of the mind should be constantly fixed.

Therefore it is written, as the language of our crucified Lord, "They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced!" Zechariah 12:10

WHO pierced Him?

WE did...and pierced Him to the heart! Nor were we satisfied with piercing Him once - for we have pierced Him often, and pierced Him through and through!
 

Our unbelief pierces Him; our ingratitude pierces Him; the coldness of our love pierces Him;
 

Our forgetfulness pierces Him; our preferring the world to Him pierces Him;
 

Our disobedience to His Word pierces Him; and our doubting of His love pierces Him! 

It was WE who pierced Him on Calvary!

We put the nails and the hammer into the hands of the executioners!
 

We put the spear into the hand of the Roman soldier!
 

Yes, it was we who gathered the thorns,  picked out the sharpest, formed them into a mock crown, thrust it on His head, and with the staff beat the thorns into His temples! 

See, see, there He hangs! Pierced in His head, hands, feet, and side - pierced for us - pierced by us! 

Look, my soul, at the pierced One!

GOD'S holy Son hangs on that cross! 

O my soul, look at Jesus! He is your Substitute. He is there for you!

He is suffering death for you! He is bearing the desert of your sins in His body on the tree!

He is enduring your curse, being made accursed for you! 

He is revealing what is in man's nature, what is in GOD''S heart, and what He is willing to do and suffer - rather than I should perish! 

Yes, Jesus is there for me! He represents my person! He answers for my crimes! He dies in my stead! 

O Savior, was ever any love, was ever any agony, was ever any death - like Yours! 

Look, my soul, look to Jesus, the pierced One! 

Look, and mourn - because your sins degraded, disgraced, and put Him to grief! 

Look, and rejoice, for you shall have dignity - by His degradation, honor - by His disgrace, and life - by His death!

Look, and be sorry that you have ever sinned, and so caused Jesus to suffer!

Look, and rejoice that you shall live forever to glorify and praise His name! 

O my soul, Jesus was wounded for your transgressions, and bruised for your iniquities!

His blood has made your peace with GOD, His righteousness gives you a title to eternal life, and His death delivers you from dying!

I fix my eye intently on Jesus on the Hill Calvary, and marking all His tears, wounds, and agonies - I feel that I was the cause of all. I myself did it!

Yes, I MYSELF bruised Him, scourged Him, spit on Him, crowned Him with thorns, smote Him with the fist, and nailed Him to the cursed tree! I inflicted it all.

Yet, O wonder of wonders! I derive pardon, holiness, and eternal life from it!

~James Smith~

Joy For The Cast-Out

Possibly this text may not apply to one in a thousand of the readers of this little book of promises; but the LORD cheers that one in such words as these.

Let us pray for all such as are cast out wrongfully. May the LORD appear to their joy!

The text applies to truly gracious men who tremble at the word of the LORD.

These were hated of their brethren and at length cast out because of their fidelity and their holiness. 

This must have been very bitter to them; and all the more so because their casting out was done in the name of religion and professedly with the view of glorifying God.

How much is done for the devil in the name of God!

The use of the name of Jehovah to add venom to the bite of the old serpent is an instance of his subtlety.

The appearing of the LORD for them is the hope of His persecuted people.

He appears as the advocate and defender of His elect; and when He does so it means a clear deliverance for the God-fearing and shame for their oppressors.

O LORD, fulfill this word to those whom men are deriding!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Truth Established

Truth wears well. Time tests it, but it endures the trial very well.

If then, I have spoken the truth and have for the present to suffer for it, I must be content to wait.

If also I believe the truth of God and endeavor to declare it, I may meet with much opposition, but I need not fear, for ultimately the truth must prevail.

What a poor thing is the temporary triumph of falsehood! “a lying tongue is but for a moment!”

It is a mere gourd which comes up in a night and perishes in a night; and the greater its development the more obvious its decay.

On the other hand, how worthy of an immortal being is the affirmation and defense of that truth which can never change; the everlasting gospel, which is established in the immutable truth of an unchanging God!

An old proverb says, “He that speaks truth shames the devil.”

Certainly, he that speaks the truth of God will put to shame all the devils in hell and confound all the seed of the serpent which now hiss out their falsehoods.

Dear friend, take care that you are always on the side of truth, both in small things and great; but specially, on the side of Him by whom grace and truth have come among men!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Past Deliverance Begets Faith

1Sa 17:37  David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

This is not a promise if we consider only the words, but it is truly so as to its sense; for David spoke a word which the LORD endorsed by making it true.

He argued from past deliverance's that he should receive help in a new danger.

In Jesus all the promises are "Yea" and "Amen" to the glory of God by us, and so the LORD's former dealings with His believing people will be repeated.

Come, then, let us recall the LORD's former lovingkindness.

We could not have hoped to be delivered aforetime by our own strength; yet the LORD delivered us. 

Will He not again save us? We are sure He will. As David ran to meet his foe, so will we.

The LORD has been with us, He is with us, and He has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Why do we tremble? Was the past a dream?

Think of the dead bear and lion. Who is this Philistine? True, he is not quite the same, and is neither bear nor lion; but then God is the same, and His honor is as much concerned in the one case as in the other.

He did not save us from the beasts of the forest to let a giant kill us. Let us be of good courage.

~Charles Spurgeon~

The OBJECT Of Our LORD In Drinking This Cup.

The object of our LORD in drinking this cup, was that He might empty at one draught that cup of wrath, which His people must forever have been drinking-and yet never have exhausted!

O blessed Jesus, in Your wondrous love You have taken the poison that You may give to me the cup of salvation.

You have drained to the very dregs that cup in which was the curse due to my sin...that You may give to me the cup of blessing, of peace, of everlasting life.

To my lips, You now hold the cup which is full to the brim of everlasting consolation!

You give me Your Word so rich in promise and in hope.

You grant to me in overflowing abundance pardoning mercy which can cover all my iniquity.

You hold out to me the assurance that my strength shall be equal to my day, and that Your Spirit shall prepare me for Your presence in glory.

Oh, how can I thank You enough for all this love of Yours!

And now what is my cup of sorrow or suffering compared to Yours?

You, the sinless one...for me did drink the cup which was all bitterness.

I, the sinful one, have my cup of trial mingled with so many mercies, so many alleviations.

If I have pain and weariness to bear - have I not seasons of rest?

Have I not the aid of medicine, and skillful advice to promote my recovery or to lessen my sufferings?

Have I not those about me who love to minister to my needs? 

Have I not kind affection to be as a gleam of sunshine in the darkness?

Or at least have I not His presence with me, who has promised that He will be my Eternal refuge, and underneath shall be His everlasting arms?

And is it not a Father's hand that gives the cup?

And may I not thus know that love has prepared it?

Whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.

And surely I need it, as the draught of healing - to cure the deep-rooted maladies of my soul.

Is there no pride in me that needs to be subdued - that I may be as a little child, content to be led by a Father's hand?

Is there not too much readiness to hearken to the siren voice of man's praise, that needs to be cast out - that I may seek only the praise that comes from above?

Is there not too much carefulness as to this world's business and duties, that requires so to be brought under control, that I may realize continually that one thing is needful - to walk with God and to seek first His kingdom and righteousness?

Is there not too frequent forgetfulness of the Best Friend that must be so overcome that Jesus must be all my salvation and all my desire?

And what will teach me these precious lessons - if it is not the days of adversity and trial?

These cheerless and desolate days, these hours of bitter tears come not by chance - but are sent to us in divine faithfulness and love.

~George Everard~

Out Of Wounding

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

The best things of life come out of wounding.

Wheat is crushed before it becomes bread. Incense must be cast upon the fire before its odors are set free.

The ground must be broken with the sharp plough before it is ready to receive the seed.

It is the broken heart that pleases God. The sweetest joys in life are the fruits of sorrow.

Human nature seems to need suffering to fit it for being a blessing to the world.
  
Beside my cottage door it grows, The loveliest, daintiest flower that blows, A sweetbriar rose. At dewy morn or twilight's close, The rarest perfume from it flows, This strange wild rose.

But when the rain-drops on it beat, Ah, then, its odors grow more sweet...About my feet.

Ofttimes with loving tenderness, Its soft green leaves I gently press, In sweet caress.

A still more wondrous fragrance flows The more my fingers close And crush the rose.

Dear LORD, oh, let my life be so Its perfume when tempests blow, The sweeter flow.

And should it be Thy blessed will, With crushing grief my soul to fill, Press harder still.

And while its dying fragrance flows I'll whisper low, 'He loves and knows His crushed briar rose.

If you aspire to be a son of consolation; if you would partake of the priestly gift of sympathy;

If you would pour something beyond commonplace consolation into a tempted heart;

If you would pass through the intercourse of daily life with the delicate tact that never inflicts pain;

You must be content to pay the price of a costly education--like Him, you must suffer

~F. W. Robertson~

Meant to be Used

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

When a shipwright builds a vessel, does he build it to keep it upon the stocks? Nay, he builds it for the sea and the storm. 

When he was making it, he thought of tempests and hurricanes; if he did not, he was a poor shipbuilder.

When God made thee a believer, He meant to try thee; and when He gave thee promises, and bade thee trust them, He gave such promises as are suitable for times of tempest and tossing.

Dost thou think that God makes shams like some that have made belts for swimming, which were good to exhibit in a shop, but of no use in the sea?

We have all heard of swords which were useless in war; and even of shoes which were made to sell, but were never meant to walk in.

God's shoes are of iron and brass, and you can walk to Heaven in them without their ever wearing out; and His life-belts, you may swim a thousand Atlantics upon them, and there will be no fear of your sinking.

His Word of promise is meant to be tried and proved.

There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to make a show-thing of Him, and not to use Him.

He loves to be employed by us. Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to be appropriated.

Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Thou dost not make use of Christ as thou oughtest to do.

O man, I beseech you do not treat God's promises as if they were curiosities for a museum; but use them as every day sources of comfort.

Trust the Lord whenever your time of need comes on.

~C. H. Spurgeon~

Go to the deeps of God's promise, And claim whatsoever ye will; The. blessing of God will not fail thee, His Word He will surely fulfill.

Now can God say no to something He has promised?