Bow the knee

"There are moments on our journey following the Lord

Where God illumines ev’ry step we take.

There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,

As we try to understand each move He makes.

When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.

Bow the knee;

Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.

Bow the knee;

Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.

And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,

In the presence of the King, bow the knee.

There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,

The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.

And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;

We are tempted to believe God does not know.

When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.

Bow the knee;

Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.

Bow the knee;

Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.

And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,

In the presence of the King, bow the knee."

https://youtu.be/76VCLs24Z7Q?si=Z_E02jIzaydgfpGB

I have been listening to this beautiful song on repeat.

I hope it blesses you too! 

"Conflict" A poem by Anna Shipton

"Lord! my soul is burdened By a weight of care,

And my foot is taken in the fowler's snare;

​Darkness gathers o'er me, I shall fall or flee:

Helper of the helpless, Rise and succor me!

Dangers seem to threaten, Tempters' wiles assail;

In Thy light I see them, Yet I weakly quail.

Strange unholy terrors In my bosom rise;

"What distrustful language— Heavy groans and sighs!

Thoughts of sin's defilement Born of faithless mood,

Hosts of unclean devils, guests of hell's dark brood,

Leave me lame and mourning, Blind to seek and trace

All the glorious beauty Of Immanuel's face.

Look, oh, look upon me! See my wounds! and hear

In my soul's veiled chambers, what dishonoring fear!

Withered arms for service, And a palsied frame

That hath scarce a heart-throb At Thy precious name.

Touch me, cleanse me, heal me! Thou didst give me life;

Speak the word, and save me From this deadly strife.

Thine is full salvation, And the gift is free:

Helper of the helpless, Rise and succor me!

Hast Thou cast me from Thee? Well Thou mayst. Ah, no!

Hold me fast, sweet Jesus! Whither should I go?

Should I seek to hide me In some desert spot,

Earth no cavern holdeth Where my God is not.

Could I rise to heaven, Thus by fears oppressed,

There art Thou! Descending To the grave's dark breast,

​Even there Thou reignest; And the shades of night

Open lie as noon-day, To Thy piercing sight!

Wherefore am I thus, Lord? I, who fain would show

To the thirsty pilgrim Where the waters flow;

Where the milk to nourish, Where the wine of home,

Are so freely offered Unto all that come.

Father! may I call Thee Abba—Father—mine?

Dost Thou look upon me, And still own me Thine?

Ah! Thy Spirit shows me Christ! my Priest and King,

Sinless, Stainless, Perfect, Is my Offering.

Look on Thine Anointed; Let my tongue be mute,

While we gaze together On my Substitute.

​Thou art full well pleased With Thy spotless Lamb;

And Thy Spirit tells me What, O God, I am!

Lost, abhorred, and loathsome, Leprous and unclean;

Yet, enrobed in Jesus, I am spotless seen.

Oh, the weight of glory It is mine to share!

Even now He calls me "Altogether fair."

Lo, I see Thee, Jesus, Ransom of my soul!

Hast Thou not redeemed me? Let the thunders roll.

Can the law convict me? Thou hast set me free!

Back, thou wily Tempter, Jesus died for me.

Bend, oh, bend my will, Lord! This—my only aim;

For in light or darkness Thou art still the same.

​Give me, or withhold then, What Thou seest best;

Not upon Thy gifts, Lord— On Thyself I rest.

Did He say, "To-morrow I will hear thee"? Nay!

Full and free the fountain Floweth every day.

Holy Dove, oft grieved, Ere my tears were dried,

To my listening spirit Thy still voice replied.

"Child, My child! be patient: I thy sins have borne;

I have marked the conflict, And the scoffer's scorn;

I have seen the sorrows Of thy broken heart,

And in thy affliction Borne a brother's part.

"Wouldst thou fear the darkness, Didst thou hate the light?

"Would thy sin displease thee, Were thy sin delight?

​Evil would be welcome, Wert thou of the earth:

Child, look up to heaven, Whence thou hadst thy birth.

"Put thy heel on Satan, Draw the Spirit's sword,

Prove thy holy breast-plate, Take Me at My word.

Am I not thy Fortress? Wherefore fall or fly;

Grasp thy palm, rejoicing In My victory.

"'Tis the lowliest conquers; 'Tis by might of love

That the weakest soldier Doth the bravest prove.

Rest thee, weary tremble! Was the strife unsent?

Nay! thy King was with thee: Not a bow was bent,

"But thy Lord who loves thee Guided every dart;

See! they only sent thee nearer to my heart.

​At thine hands upraised Half thy foes withdrew;

Forward! I have conquered, Thou shalt conquer too.

"Child! in Me abiding, Nought thy foot shall move;

Fear not! I will help thee, Mine is changeless love.

Take My yoke upon thee, Learn the way from Me;

I am meek and lowly, Meek and lowly be.

"Take My yoke—I bore it, Lean upon My breast;

I have fought thy battle, Share with me My rest.

Soon the plains of glory Sinless thou shalt tread;

My right hand upholds thee, Rise—be undismayed.

"Trust Me—only trust Me! Wherefore shouldst thou quail?

Can a weapon prosper, Shall a foe prevail,

​'Gainst the Lord's Anointed? He hath set their bounds;

While thy faith, though feeble, Loving-kindness crowns."

I don't know about you, but I thought it well worth reading. 

Cast down?

 I wonder if you've ever felt like this? I think it's probably that way for all believers at some point... I find it encouraging anyway. I hope you do too.

 

by James Smith 

"I am cast down!"

And why are you cast down?

"My heart is burdened with a sense of my short-comings!

Every duty I perform is so imperfect.

Every purpose I form is so soon frustrated.

Every hope of seeing better days is so soon beclouded.

My heart is so fearfully depraved.

My life is so unlike the life of Jesus.

My temper is so unholy.

My prayers are so brief and heartless.

My praises are so feeble and fitful.

I do so little good.

I live to so little purpose.

My evidences are so dim.

My prospects are so overcast.

I am harassed sometimes with the fear of death.

I cannot realize the glories of Heaven.

I am dissatisfied with the world — and yet glued to it!

I hate sin — and yet fall into it!

I am a riddle, a mystery, a mass of inconsistency!

Is it, then, any wonder that I am cast down?"

No, if you look at yourself, and pore over the things you have named — then it is no wonder that you are cast down! They are enough to cast anyone down! But if you carry them to the throne of grace, if you there confess them before God, if you look to Jesus to save you from them — then, in spite of them — you will not long be cast down.

I know it is difficult to do this. There is a natural proneness to pore over such things. One feels at times a secret liking to indulge in gloomy thoughts.

But we must look away from self — for if we do not, we shall become anxious, doubting and gloomy! We must run the race, not looking at our imperfections, short-comings, and failures — but looking unto Jesus. He knows what we are. He knew what we would be — before He called us by His grace; yes, before He shed His blood for us!

He loved us, as sinners.

He died for us, as sinners.

He called us, as sinners.

He saves us, as sinners. He will have all the glory of saving us, and He will get great glory by doing so, because we are such great sinners; and do not, cannot, do anything to repay Him for His wondrous love! Salvation is by free grace — from first to last! Believe this, and it will raise up your drooping mind!

The life-boat of free grace has put you on board the vessel of salvation, and that will convey you safely to the port of glory! Do not look at your spiritual destitution, or feebleness, or incapacity, or imperfections — but trust in your Pilot, rely on your Captain, and expect His mercy and merit to land you safe in Heaven at last!

As imperfect as you now are, and as imperfect you will be — your dying prayer will still be, "God be merciful unto me — a sinner!"

Hope in God!

His mercy is great unto the heavens,

His grace is as free as the air,

His love is as changeless as His nature,

His promise is as immutable as His love.

Hope in God, for you shall yet praise Him. He will save you for His own sake, and present you before assembled worlds as a monument of His mercy, and a trophy of His grace! 

Even so, Lord Jesus, Come

A dear Sister friend of mine sent me some words she'd been inspired to write and encouraged me to try setting it to music. With a few small adjustments / additions, here's my attempt. 

https://youtu.be/x38OLYGfG70

"A Little Way"

"A Little Way"

--Anonymous

"A little way! I know it is not far

To that dear home where my beloved are;

And still my heart sits, like a bird, upon

The empty nest, and mourns its treasures gone,

Plumed for their flight,

And vanished quite.

Ah me! Where is the comfort? Though I say

They have but journeyed on a little way.

"A little way! At times they seem so near,

Their voices even murmur in my ear,

To all my duties loving presence lend,

And with sweet ministry my steps attend.

'Twas here we met and parted company;

Why should their gain be such a grief to me?

This sense of loss!

This heavy cross!

Dear Savior, take the burden off, I pray,

And show me heaven is but--a little way.

"A little way? The sentence I repeat,

Hoping and longing to extract some sweet

To mingle with the bitter; from Thy hand

I take the cup I cannot understand,

And in my weakness give myself to Thee.

Although it seems so very, very far

To that dear home where my beloved are,

I know, I know,

It is not so;

Oh, give me faith to believe it when I say

That they are gone--gone but a little way."

I don't know about you but I thought that this was a rather good poem.

Hold on to Hope

"and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." Revelation 21:4-7.

3 people recently challenged me to read the whole book of Revelation in one go. I had never thought to do that before...

The verses above have long been a favourite of mine. When things are seeming difficult to handle, I turn and read the last 3 chapters. It gives me much encouragement to press on; the end will be so wonderful!!

For my friends who are struggling with awful pain, I pray these help you hold on to the glorious hope.

"No more pain or sorrow and tears;

only Glory Forever. 

Hold on to hope, all weary ones;

We'll worship the Lamb together. 

The Lamb who was slain for us. 

Now reigns in Heaven on high. 

So trust in the LORD. He will not forget;

He promised your needs to supply. "

We have the Lord’s promise that life now will be tough, but He also promised that He will strengthen and help us. He will hear and answer our prayers. 

Thank You Heavenly Father for Your lovingkindnesses and Your faithfulness to keep all Your promises. 

John Macduff's "Throne of Grace"

 I trust you will also find this very encouraging.

An account involving Mr. Sankey

Before Ira Sankey became D.L. Moody's mission partner, he had been a soldier in the American Civil War. One night he was out on guard duty; he lifted his eyes to heaven and began singing praise to the LORD. 

Years after the war ended, Sankey was sailing somewhere and a crowd of people recognised him and asked him to sing. He again looked Heavenward and sang a hymn. 

 A man from the crowd asked him if, on a certain night during the war, he had performed night duty for a certain infantry unit. "Yes, I did." was his reply. 

The man continued, "I was on the opposite side of the war, hiding by a bush near your camp. My gun was aimed at your head when you looked upward and began to sing. As I liked music I thought I'd let you finish the song before shooting you. Then I realised what you were singing. It was the same hymn my mother sang to me many times when I was a child; the one you sang tonight. I tried, but I was powerless to pull the trigger. I recognised that your Shepherd was strong to protect you. I have not yet made peace with Him. Please tell me how I can be saved. Sankey embraced his former enemy and led him to the LORD. 

(true story paraphrased from 2 sources)

This is the hymn he sang. 

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,

Much we need Thy tender care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,

For our use Thy folds prepare:

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

2 We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,

Be the guardian of our way;

Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,

Seek us when we go astray:

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Hear, O hear us when we pray;

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Hear, O hear us when we pray.

3 Thou hast promised to receive us,

Poor and sinful though we be;

Thou hast mercy to relieve us,

Grace to cleanse, and pow'r to free:

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Early let us turn to Thee;

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Early let us turn to Thee.

4 Early let us seek Thy favor,

Early let us do Thy will;

Blessed Lord and only Savior,

With Thy love our bosoms fill:

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Thou hast loved us, love us still;

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,

Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Another old poem by William Luff

I found this poem an encouragement.

 Hope you do too! 

Are you eagerly awaiting His return?

I can't grasp how wonderful it will be to see the Saviour face to face, but I know it will be far more glorious than anything and everything else this life brings! 

More quotes from D. L. Moody

 

I hope you are as encouraged by these as I have been! 

Garden of Spices by Samuel Rutherford

Samuel Rutherford was born in Scotland in 1600 and he died in 1661. I recently started reading his "Garden of Spices" and wanted to share a couple of the poems found therein.

Some may find the very old fashioned language harder to understand but I think they're worth reading. 

I hope you also find them encouraging. 

Things to remember in2024

Here are a couple of things I want to remember as we head into 2024.

No matter what the coming year has in store for us, we can rejoice in the fact that our Saviour is completely faithful and He holds us securely. We can rejoice knowing we are extremely blessed to be part of His family. 

We belong to Him so we should serve and worship Him joyfully and gratefully. 

He is our Help, our Refuge, our Strong Tower. When we fully trust Him and desire to please Him He will be honoured and glorified. 

He invites us to pour out our hearts to Him.

Scripture promises there will be difficult times ahead but while we walk humbly with Him, He will always be with us, so we need not fear. 

 

I hope you are encouraged by the above quote by J. C. Ryle. 

 

Glad tidings! Adapted from a carol by F. Crosby and a writing of James Smith

 https://youtu.be/bkjhP9hfFCU?si=BjaniSAxJNwfJHhk

I found this piece by James Smith encouraging. I hope you would also be blessed by pondering on these truths. 

"This is God's representation of the gospel. It brings tidings from Heaven, tidings for sinners, tidings of good things for them; yes, tidings of the very best things — for the very worst of men! Not for them exclusively, but for men as sinners, including the very worst of them. It is the glorious glad tidings of the blessed God, giving correct views of his nature, revealing his loving heart, publishing his gracious thoughts, and making known his mercy to sinful men. These tidings calculated to gladden the saddest heart, cheer the desponding mind, and fill the despairing soul with joy and peace. Never were there such Glad Tidings! No one but an infinite God could have devised them. No one, but the All-merciful God would have sent them to rebellious sinners! O that Heaven and earth would unite to praise, bless, magnify, and adore his holy name for them!

The best thing in these glad tidings, is the SAVIOR — one who is able save such sinners as we are; one who not only can — but willing to do so. Here we are informed, that God has sent his Son, to be the Savior of the world. That the only begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, possessing the nature of the Father, and equal to the Father, in majesty, power, and glory — that this only begotten Son, came into our world, took our nature, made an atonement for sin, and opened a way in which any sinner, and every sinner who will, may be saved — saved certainly, honorably, and eternally. Yes, any sinner can be saved now. Every sinner who will, shall be saved now.

There is no impediment in the path. There is no legal difficulty in the way. Jesus has all the qualifications required in one who is to save the vilest, to save freely, and to save all who apply to be saved by him.

The glad tidings forbid despair, they prohibit despondency, they are intended to dispel every doubt and fear. There is in reality no room for a single doubt, no room for a solitary fear, if the gospel is truly understood and believed. Any sinner, be he who he may — every sinner, be he what he will — may be saved — and be saved the moment he hears the gospel, let it find him where it will, or in whatever state it will.

Jesus is an almighty Savior. Jesus is an ever willing Savior. Jesus is a loving Savior. There is no reluctance on his part. It is no difficulty to him. Therefore he calls sinners to him — sinners of every name, sinners under all circumstances. His invitations embrace all. The glad tidings exclude none. The man or woman who reads these lines, is as really, as sincerely invited by Jesus, to come and be saved by him, as if a letter had been hand-written by Jesus and addressed to that person by name. All who hear or read are invited, all who are invited are desired to come, all who come are welcomed, and all who are welcomed are saved.

Can you conceive of anything better than this?

A Savior for vile sinners;

a Savior to deliver sinners from the lowest Hell;

a Savior to raise sinners to the highest Heaven;

a Savior from sin — the cause of suffering;

a Savior from guilt — the source of fear;

a Savior from the world, which is doomed to destruction!

Precious Redeemer, may your name be soon universally known; and may the glorious glad tidings of your saving love, power, and mercy, be published in every land, in every tongue, to every soul!

Next to the Savior, comes the free and full forgiveness of all sin, and the gospel is the glad tidings of this.

Without pardon — we perish.

Without pardon — we cannot know peace with God.

Without pardon — we cannot be holy.

Without pardon — we cannot have fellowship with God.

Without pardon — there can be no Heaven.

Now, the gospel is the glad tidings of pardon — the pardon of all sin, the instantaneous pardon of all sin, the eternal forgiveness of all sin — for every one who believes in Jesus. All the prophets bear witness, that through Jesus, and by faith in his name — pardon may be obtained. All the apostles preached a full, free, and everlasting pardon of all sin — for every one who believes in Jesus. And by the gospel, a complete pardon of every sin, and the perfect and everlasting justification of every person, is guaranteed to every one one that believes on the Son of God. A pardon without penance — a pardon without confession to a priest. A pardon without delay. For the moment a sinner renounces all dependence on himself and his own works, places his confidence in the finished work of Christ, and confesses his sins at a throne of grace — he is forgiven all trespasses.

And, as often as he is overcome by temptation, falls into sin, and brings guilt upon his conscience; confessing his fault, pleading the name of Jesus, and trusting in God's mercy — he is pardoned afresh. Daily sins are forgiven by a gracious Father — and by constantly applying to the all-cleansing blood of Jesus, the conscience is kept clean, peaceful and happy. O what a mercy to have an open fountain! O what a privilege to have the promise of a free and perfect pardon on confession of sin and exercising faith in Jesus! This the gospel presents to us, not once in our lives — but every day, every time we hear or read it — well therefore may it be called "glad tidings of good things."

The gospel is also the good news of a better country, even a Heavenly one. HEAVEN is . . .

a rest for the weary,

a home for the homeless, and

the best company for the lonely and desolate.

Heaven comprises . . .

all that can feast the intellect,

all that can satisfy the heart,

all that can fill the soul.

It is enriched with all the wealth of God,

it is filled with the glory of God, and

it is the house and home of God.

In Heaven there is . . .

no pain or privation,

no grief or sorrow,

no losses or crosses,

no temptations or trials,

no wants or woes.

Heaven contains the highest manifestations of the greatness, grandeur, and magnificence of God. Heaven is the home of the brightest, holiest, and most dignified of God's intelligent creation. Heaven! what is it? Heaven! What does it comprise and comprehend? "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined — what God has prepared for those who love Him!" No one can give the faintest guess at what Heaven is — but whatever it is, whatever it contains, the gospel tells us that it is for saved sinners.

Nor is Heaven a place difficult of access, or hard to obtain. There is a new and living way to it, and Jesus is the way. By coming to him, and trusting in him, we enter on the way; and by confiding in him, and walking with him, we make progress in the way. The path to Heaven, is not by works of righteousness which we have done or can do — it is not by any sufferings we have endured or can endure — but it is by simple faith in Jesus. He who believes has everlasting life, and shall never come into condemnation. Whoever believes in him shall not perish — but have eternal life. Nor can we have life, escape condemnation, or arrive at Heaven in any other way — for God's word is plain and decisive, "He who believes on the Son of God — has everlasting life; and he who believes not the Son — shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him."

Reader, the kingdom of God has come near unto you — will you enter it? The good news of a Savior is made known to you — will you embrace it and act upon it? The pardon of all sin is presented to you — will you accept it? Heaven, God's Heaven, and the way to it, is set before you — will you believe and make use of it?

The gospel is God's best message to man. It contains the promise of all that man can need, and all that God can give, to every one who sincerely believes the message, is willing to receive the grace, and applies for it. No sinner that reads or hears the gospel, perishes because he cannot be saved — but because he will not. Take heed therefore how you treat the gospel, for we can conceive of no greater sin, than disbelieving God's message; or of any greater insult offered to God, than to treat his message with contempt.

Believe the gospel, and it will make you glad. Believe Christ, as presented in the gospel, and it will satisfy your soul. Enter on God's consecrated way to glory, and Heaven with all its joys, pleasures, and glories are yours. But, if you refuse the gospel — you will surely perish! If you neglect the gospel — you will surely die! If you put off — it may be too late. Now, the glorious glad tidings are presented to you — presented to you as from God.

You are told that there is a Savior, and a great One — a Savior for sinners, for sinners such as you are — a Savior for you if you will receive him, employ him, and give yourself up to be saved by him.

A pardon is now offered you, the pardon of all your sins whether secret or open, past or present, of heart and life — a pardon that will bring peace to your conscience, holiness to your heart, and a foretaste of Heaven into your soul. A pardon that will fit you for fellowship with God now, and communion with God forever.

Heaven is now set before you, you may obtain it — and eternally possess it. Is it possible, that such sinners as we are — so vile, so poor, so feeble, so utterly worthless — may obtain God's Heaven, and dwell in it with the Savior forever? It is, and more than possible, it is comparatively easy — only believe and all is yours — nor is faith left to be done by your own power, for the Holy Spirit, who works faith in the sinner's heart, is plainly, positively, and solemnly promised to every one that asks for him. With that sweet and precious assurance, as it dropped from the Savior's lips, we close our remarks on the glad tidings; "If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Latest song called Maranatha

 https://youtu.be/krA83x6jGng

Here's the latest song I wrote and recorded, stemming from a few conversations and sermon snippets...

As the days are getting darker, we need to be reminded to look up for our Redeemer is coming quickly! 

Thank You Heavenly Father for the blessed hope!!

I hope you are blessed and encouraged.

 

Another excerpt from James Smith

 The world's politics, pleasures, and pursuits!

The world and the Church are essentially and eternally distinct — and they ought to be distinguishable. The Church ought not to mix with the world — but to bear a practical testimony against it, that its works and ways are evil. All through our Lord's prayer, He keeps up the distinction, and twice over He asserts of His disciples, "They are not of the world — even as I am not of the world!"

Believers are not of the world. They are born from above, and possess a nature far superior to that of the world — which unfits them for its pleasures and pursuits, and qualifies them for the enjoyments and employments of the Heavenly world.

They are delivered from the thraldom of the world — and are raised above its pursuits and its joys.

They will not be conquered by the world — but overcome it by faith.

They will not be judged with it — but with Christ will sit in judgment upon it.

They will not be punished like it — neither in the present nor in the future state.

True believers are not of the world!

Look at the world's state — condemned; and theirs, justified!

Look at its condition — wretched; and theirs, happy!

Look at its character — enemies to God; and theirs, the friends of God!

Look at its course — sin; and theirs, holiness!

Look at its god — Satan, the most degraded, depraved, and despicable being in existence; and theirs, Jehovah, the high and lofty one, the holy and happy one, the great and glorious one!

Look at its end — destruction; and theirs, salvation.

The world is darkness — they are light.
The world is corrupt — they are purified.
The world is in chains — they are free.

We are not of the world, even as Christ is not of the world!

If we are poor — let us not, then, envy the world.

A saint in rags — is preferable to a sinner in robes!

A believer in a hovel — is happier than a worldling in a palace!

A Christian at the worst — is far better off than a worldling at the best!

Whatever we have — we have with God's blessing!
Whatever the world has — it has with God's curse!

We are training for greatness and grandeur!
The world is preparing for shame and everlasting contempt!

The world is no model for a Christian! We should . . .
  not dress so expensively,
  nor furnish our homes so extravagantly,
  nor live so luxuriously — as the world does!
But as strangers and pilgrims in the world — we should abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

Let us not be dejected — if we are stripped of what we now have. We are not of the world — we do not have our portion here. We need but little of this world's goods, and our Heavenly Father will see to it that we have enough. He will not allow us to lose anything that is essential to our holiness or happiness. As our lives are insured by our Heavenly Father — so all our needs are anticipated, and provided for. Lose what we may — we shall never lose . . .
  our God,
  our title deed to our glorious inheritance, or
  our place at the marriage supper of the Lamb!

Let us not be much troubled about the world. As we are . . .
  chosen out of it,
  redeemed from it, and
  shall soon leave it —
we should not allow ourselves to be very much affected by any of its affairs. The world's politics, pleasures, and pursuits — should be looked upon by us with the eye of a foreigner — for we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth, as all our fathers were. We arrived in the world but yesterday — and we leave tomorrow!

Let us not, therefore, mix up with the world, or be much taken up with its schemes and cares, its speculations or its prospects.

Let us always keep up our distinction from the world. Not in a spirit of pride or self-righteousness, as if conscious of some supposed superiority in ourselves. But in a meek, lowly, and loving spirit — let us avoid all that is really evil, and abstain from what has the appearance of evil.

Heavenly Father, as You have chosen us out of the world — give us grace to live above the world, and enable us to glorify You in the world! Make us like your beloved Son, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Oh, to live in this world as strangers and pilgrims — as those whose treasure is above — and whose hearts are there also!

Another encouraging snippet from James Smith.

 “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God, and are called according to His purpose!” Romans 8:28

If you are a sincere believer in Jesus, whatever may be your present difficult circumstances, however trying, however perplexing, “It will all end in mercy!”

You may not think so now. You may be writing bitter things against yourself. You may be misinterpreting the designs of God’s providence. You may be doubting the precious promises of God’s holy Word. But, notwithstanding your mistakes, your doubts, your fears, your false conclusions – “It will all end in mercy!”

You do not think so- nor did Jacob once, nor did Joseph once, nor did Job once, nor did thousands once – who are now in glory!

They were mistaken – and so are you!

They judged by appearances – and so do you!

They changed their minds- and so will you!

All your troubles are appointed in infinite love!

They are all weighed out by sovereign goodness!

They are all limited by perfect wisdom!

There is no “chance” in what happens to the Christian!

Everything is divinely arranged and appointed!

 

Cheer up, my poor weary fellow-traveller! You will soon arrive at Home, and then you will see clearly and enjoy sweetly the blessed truth – that to the believer “all will end in mercy!”

 

Take comfort, poor afflicted fellow-Christian! Your afflictions are God’s furnace, in which He is refining you! He is only fitting you to occupy a mansion in Heaven, and to sing the sweet and everlasting song – the theme of which will be, “It all ended in mercy!”

 

Fear not, poor feeble, fickle, faltering follower of Jesus! Though your faith is weak, though your fears are strong, though your doubts are painful, though you conclude that case is singular and your condition hopeless – “the year of release is at hand,” and then…

Your doubts will expire, your fears will flee away, your groans will be silenced, your feeble hopes will be realised, for “it will all end in mercy!”

 

My brother, are you in poverty, under persecution, or in bodily sickness? Cheer up! Your light shall soon “break forth as the morning!” Write it down in your memorandum book, or impress it upon your memory, or, what is better still – pray the Holy Spirit to give you the sweet inward assurance of the fact, that “It will all end in mercy,” for “we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose!”

James Smith

Stepping Heavenward excerpts

 I came across this book recommendation recently and I’ve found it delightful and helpful. “Stepping Heavenward” by E. Prentiss. (born 1818, died 1878).

"A fictional story of a young girl and the many challenges she confronts in her adult life."

These excerpts are some I found particularly encouraging.

 

“After alluding to my complaint that I still “saw men as trees walking,” he says:

“Yet he who first uttered this complaint had had his eyes opened by the Son of God, and so have you. Now He never leaves His work incomplete, and He will gradually lead you into clear and open vision, if you will allow Him to do it. I say gradually, because I believe this to be His usual method, while I do not deny that there are cases where light suddenly bursts in like a flood. To return to the blind man. When Jesus found that his cure was not complete, He put His hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up; and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. Now this must be done for you; and in order to have it done you must go to Christ Himself, not to one of His servants. Make your complaint, tell Him how obscure everything still looks to you, and beg Him to complete your cure. He may see fit to try your faith and patience by delaying this completion; but meanwhile you are safe in His presence, and while led by His hand, He will excuse the mistakes you make, and pity your falls. But you will imagine that it is best that He should at once enable you to see clearly. If it is, you may be sure He will do it. He never makes mistakes. But He often deals far differently with His disciples. He lets them grope their way in the dark until they fully learn how blind they are, how helpless, how absolutely in need of Him. What His methods will be with you I cannot foretell. But you may be sure that He never works in an arbitrary way. He has a reason for everything He does. You may not understand why He leads you now in this way and now in that, but you may, nay, you must believe that perfection is stamped on His every act.”

 

“I can’t be good two minutes at a time. I do everything I do not want to do, and do nothing I try and pray to do. Everybody plagues me and tempts me. And God does not answer any of my prayers, and I am just desperate.”

“Poor child!” he said, in a low voice, as if to himself. “Poor, heart-sick, tired child, that cannot see what I can see, that it’s Father’s loving arms are all about it!”

I stopped crying, to strain my ears to listen. He went on- “Katy, all that you say may be true. I daresay it is. But God loves you. He loves you!”

“He loves me,” I repeated to myself. “He loves me! Oh Dr. Cabot, if I could believe that, after all the promises I have broken, all the foolish, wrong things I have done, and shall always be doing, God perhaps still loves me!”

“You may be sure of it,” he said, solemnly. “I, his minister, bring the gospel to you today. Go home and say over and over to yourself, “I am a wayward, foolish child. But He loves me! I have disobeyed and grieved Him ten thousand times. But He loves me! I have lost faith in some of my dearest friends and am very desolate. But He loves me! I do not love Him, I am even angry with Him! But He loves me!””

I came away, and all the way home I fought this battle with myself, saying, “He loves me!” I knelt down to pray and all my wasted, childish, wicked life came and stared me in the face. I looked at it, and said with tears of joy, “But He loves me!” Never in my life did I feel so rested, so quieted, so sorrowful, and yet so satisfied.

 

(Several years pass with many heartaches before the next two excerpts.)

“But I see, too, that the great points of similarity in Christ’s disciples have always been the same. This is the testimony of all the good books, sermons, hymns, and memoirs I read- that God’s ways are infinitely perfect; that we are to love Him for what He is, and therefore equally as much when He afflicts us as when He prospers us; that there is no real happiness but in doing and suffering His will, and that this life is but a scene of probation, through which we pass to the real life above.”

 

This last one is when Katherine is visiting an old saint on her deathbed.

“Yes, I am tired,” she said, “but what of that? It is only a question of days now, and all my tired feelings will be over. Then I shall be as young and as fresh as ever, and shall have strength to praise and to love God as I cannot do now. But before I go, I want once more to tell you how good He is, how blessed it is to suffer with Him, how infinitely happy He has made me in the very hottest heat of the furnace. It will strengthen you in your trials to recall this my dying testimony. There is no wilderness so dreary but that His love can illuminate it; no desolation so desolate but that He can sweeten it. I know what I am saying. It is no delusion. I believe that the highest, purest happiness is known only to those who have learned Christ in sickrooms, in poverty, in racking suspense and anxiety, amid hardships, and at the open grave.”

Yes, the radiant face, worn by sickness and suffering, but radiant still, said in language yet more unspeakably impressive.

“To learn Christ, this is life!”