It's a matter of life and death

 Yesterday I had a short but interesting conversation with a lady who I met several years ago.

She was asking me if I wouldn't mind not being alive much longer.

I replied that that was perfectly alright by me.

Earlier today I came across this quote... 

"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me." Psalm 31:14-15.

I thank God He has drawn me to Himself and given me the gift of eternal life... However short or long my sojourn on earth may be, I am fully convinced that Heaven will be far more glorious than anything I could ever imagine and I will enter only because of the Lord's amazing grace, mercy and lovingkindness. 

"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." 2 Corinthians 5:8-9.

Hell's Best Kept Secret

https://youtu.be/Ucnf4rm75Fk

If you've never seen or heard this before, you may find it a little offensive but apparently people find most things offensive these days. Truth can be hard to hear. 

Trust and rest, a poem by A. B. Simpson

I came across this poem in a devotional and quite like it so thought I would share, although I'm sure it won't be everyone's style. I'm so glad we can trust our Saviour; He's the only One who is always totally trustworthy. 

Trust and rest in Christ forever,

Lean thy head upon His breast;

Nothing from His love can sever

Those who simply trust and rest.

Trust and rest in hours of sorrow;

Every wrong shall be redressed,

In some happy, bright tomorrow,

If you only trust and rest.

Trust and rest when all around thee

Puts thy faith to sorest test;

Let no fear nor foe confound thee,

Wait for God and trust and rest.

Trust and rest with heart abiding,

Like a birdling in its nest,

Underneath His feathers hiding;

Fold thy wings and trust and rest.

Trust and rest till gentle fingers

Fold thy hands across thy breast,

While the echo softly lingers,

Everlasting trust and rest.

Trust and rest, trust and rest,

God is working for the best.

A. B. Simpson 

A precious truth in poem form.

I came across this and hope it will encourage you as much as it encourages me.

This was written in 1932 by a pastor in Mississippi named A. M. Overton, who had a wife and three small children. His wife was pregnant with their fourth child but when it came time for delivery, there were complications and both she and the baby died. During the funeral service, the preacher officiating the service noticed my grandfather writing something on a piece of paper. After the service the minister asked him about it, and he handed him the paper with a poem he had just written which he titled, “He Maketh No Mistake”

He Maketh No Mistake

"My Father’s way may twist and turn,

my heart may throb and ache.

But in my soul I’m glad I know,

He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,

my hopes may fade away,

but still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,

for He doth know the way.

Tho’ night be dark and it may seem

that day will never break;

I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,

He maketh no mistake.

There’s so much now I cannot see,

my eyesight’s far too dim;

but come what may, I’ll simply trust

and leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mist will lift

and plain it all He’ll make.

Through all the way, tho’ dark to me,

He made not one mistake."

I'm so glad we can trust Him and rest in the knowledge that He works all things for good, even though it may often hurt terribly at the time. In eternity with the Lord, all tears having been wiped away, we will only remember His great faithfulness.

Some of John Macduff's thoughts on the topic of Grace

“Throne of Grace”

It is the work of the blessed Spirit to take of the things of Christ, and to show them to the soul; to reveal to us the precious benefits of redemption, and the riches of Divine grace--and to present them to us in such a transforming, and convincing, and penetrating form, as that they shall not only become sources of abiding comfort to the heart--but active, operating, influential principles of the life!

It is the work of the blessed Spirit to be the Comforter of the children of God. Yes . . .

wherever a believer is afflicted;

wherever he sheds a sorrowful tear;

wherever he is pained by some heart-rending grief;

wherever he is bowed beneath some oppressive burden--

there is the Comforter to cheer, to solace, to sustain; pointing him . . .

from the wound--to its balm,

from the grief--to its ultimate cure,

from present suffering--to eternal rest at God's right hand!

The Holy Spirit is not a traveler to sojourn for a season, but He is a Friend to abide and dwell with you--a spiritual mentor to be always near . . .

to guide you--in all seasons of perplexity,

to strengthen you--in all times of weakness,

when you are discouraged--to uphold you,

when you are wandering--to lead you back,

when you are nearly overcome in your spiritual conflict--to bring you more of His divine strength and grace.

"The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress." Romans 8:26

"By the grace of God--I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10

This is the believer's eternal confession!

Grace found him a rebel against God--it leaves him a son of God! 

Grace found him wandering at the gates of Hell--it leaves him at the gates of Heaven! 

Grace devised the scheme of Redemption. 

Justice never would; reason never could. 

And it is grace which carries out that scheme. 

No sinner would ever have sought God--but "by grace." The thickets of Eden would have proved Adam's grave--had not grace called him out! Saul would have lived and died the haughty self-righteous persecutor--had not grace laid him low! The thief on the cross would have continued breathing out his blasphemies--had not grace arrested his tongue and tuned it for glory! 

"Out of the knottiest timber," says Rutherford, "God can make vessels of mercy for service in the high palace of glory!" 

"I came, I saw, I conquered!" may be inscribed by the Savior on every monument of His grace. "I came to the sinner; I looked upon him; and with a look of omnipotent love--I conquered him!"

Believer, you would have been this day a wandering star, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever! You would have been Christless, hopeless, and portionless; had not grace constrained you! And it is grace which, at this moment, "keeps" you. 

You have often been a Peter--forsaking your Lord--but brought back to Him again. Why have you not been a Demas or a Judas? "I have prayed for you--that your faith fail not!" Is not this your own comment and reflection on life's retrospect: "Yet not I--but the grace of God which was with me!" 

Seek to realize your dependence on this grace every moment. 

"More grace! more grace!" needs to be your continual cry. 

His infinite supply--is commensurate with your infinite need. 

The treasury of grace, though always emptying--is always full. 

The key of prayer which opens it--is always at hand! 

And the Almighty Bestower of the blessings of grace--is always "waiting to be gracious." 

The recorded promise can never be cancelled or reversed: "My grace is sufficient for you." 

The grace of God is the source of lesser temporal blessings--as well as of higher spiritual blessings. Grace accounts for the crumb of daily bread--as well as for the crown of eternal glory! 

But even in regard to earthly mercies, never forget the CHANNEL of grace: "through Christ Jesus!" It is sweet thus to connect every blessing, even the smallest and humblest token of providential bounty--with Calvary's cross--to have the common blessings of life stamped with "the print of the nails!" It makes them doubly precious to think, "All this flows from Jesus!"

"By the grace of God--I am what I am!" 

Reader! seek to dwell much on this inexhaustible theme!"

Praise the Lord for His keeping grace! Without it I'd be totally lost!

Thank you to the friend who shared these with me! 

#WEREMEMBER

 Today is Holocaust Memorial Day 2021.

Will you join me in taking a few minutes to reflect on the atrocities man perpetrated on their fellow man? 

Four scenes from Auschwitz - Birkenau

(just at this one camp!) 

"Work makes free": the slogan at the entrance to the camp. 

If we forget, we risk letting similar things occur again. 

We must not let that happen!!!

New Year 2021

 Sorry, I can't work out how to embed this video so you'll have to click the link if you want to listen. It's the Collingsworth family singing "Ever Faithful". I really like it. 

https://youtu.be/u2-cVpltVwA

Resharing this poem found in Great Grandma's remembrance book as I find it so encouraging. 

Today I'm feeling thankful for many reminders of God's faithfulness. 

Years ago we used to sing an old chorus that seems particularly apt for this time:

"How good is the God we adore! 

Our Faithful, Unchangeable Friend! 

Whose love is as great as His power, 

And neither knows measure nor end. 

Tis Jesus, the First and the Last

Whose Spirit will lead us safe home. 

We'll praise Him for all that is past, 

And trust Him for all that's to come. "

None of us know what lies ahead in 2021, but we do know that even when circumstances seem very bad, God is still very good. 

We also know that His return is nearer now than it has ever been before.

Aren't you glad that He's willing to walk beside us every step of every day and one day take us to be with Himself forever?

He is the only One I know of who is always totally trustworthy.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for showing me Your great faithfulness. LORD, please help me to live in the light of eternity, ready to meet You face to face and by Your grace and mercy living a life that brings honour and glory to You. As the world around gets darker, please shine Your light and truth through my life all the brighter. Amen.

Poem quotes to remember

 

God always keeps His promises Nov 20th excerpt from Traveling toward Sunrise

I found it encouraging. 

Hope you do too. 

I know that the Lord has been very good

to me, and it is impossible for any of His promises not to be fulfilled. 

He is totally faithful and trustworthy. 

 

God is able...

Here's a few Scriptures (in the N. A. S. B. version) which teach us something about God's ability. 

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king." Daniel 3:17

"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” Daniel 4:37

"and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham." Matthew 3:9 (repeated in Luke 3:8)

"When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. " Matthew 9:28-30

" Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " Matthew 10:28

" And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " Acts 20:32

" and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." Romans 4:21

"And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." Romans 11:23

"Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4

"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past," Romans 16:25

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;" 2 Corinthians 9:8

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us," Ephesians 3:20

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." Hebrews 2:18

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

"In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety." Hebrews 5:7

"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

"He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type." Hebrews 11:19

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" James 4:12

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy," Jude v 24

I find this so encouraging when I think of the things I'm not able to do. When we reach the end of our abilities, the God who created all things is well able to do far more than we remember or realise. 

Wise words from Elihu

 

Good reminder. Thanks Elihu! 

Every now and then it can be very helpful to take a few moments to ponder on His wonderful deeds and recount to yourself His faithfulness in your life through however many years you've been walking with Him.

Remembering how the Lord has kept me and provided for me and how He is still patiently dealing with me should cause great rejoicing and gratitude.

"With my song I will praise Him,

 He has been so good to me.

He heard my prayer and He answered. 

My strength, my shield and my hope. 

My heart will rejoice in the LORD."

(inspired by Psalm 28)

Some encouragements I was glad of today.

Transfigured life, today's excerpt from J R Miller's "In Green Pastures"

I love this story. 

"My heart and voice I raise" a "Sacred poem" by Benjamin Rhodes

Hi!
My Dad was trying to remember the words to this hymn last night. I only knew different words to the same tune. I thought he was humming Fairest Lord Jesus! I may have glanced at this hymn before but I didn't know it. I found 5 verses in the Methodist hymnbook and the Redemption hymnal. I found 9 online at hymnary.org, and that had a link to page scans of "A Choice Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs.
From this I learned that there are 21 verses recorded!


“A Sacred Poem by Benjamin Rhodes (born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, in 1743, died 1815.

(Part 1)
"My heart and voice I raise, To spread Messiah’s praise: Messiah’s praise – let all repeat:
The Universal Lord, by whose prolific word Creation rose in form complete!

Let there be light – he said- then sullen darkness fled, Obedient to his high command!
And massy orbs above Began to shine- and move- Sustained by His Almighty hand.

Creation’s utmost bound, (how high, or how profound) Declares his Majesty divine:
Thou Everlasting Sire, Thee- shall Thy works admire, and all proclaim the glory Thine.

Man- the supreme of all on this terrestrial ball, in wisdom’s purest gifts arrayed;
From Eden basely fell: To ransom him from hell, - Messiah – suffered in his stead!

A servant’s form he wore, and in His body bore our dreadful curse on Calvary!
He like a victim stood, and poured His sacred blood, to set the guilty captives free!

But soon the victor rose, Triumphant o’er his foes, And led the vanquished host in chains;
He threw their empire down, His foes compelled to own, O’er all the great Messiah reigns!

With mercy’s mildest grace He governs all our race in wisdom, righteousness, and love:
Who to Messiah fly shall find redemption nigh, and all His great Salvation prove.

Hail, Saviour, Prince of Peace, Thy kingdom shall increase, Till all the world Thy glory see!
And righteousness abound, As the great deep profound; And fill the earth with purity.

(Part 2)
In fierce consuming fire shall destined worlds expire! And in his might Messiah rise:
The raging fervent blaze shall lift its voice in praise, While all dissolve in earth and skies!

The mighty Lord of all shall then the nations call – “Ye dead arise, to judgment come:”
The crowds arising see His sovereign majesty, and trembling wait their final doom.

Great day – that shall descry to every wondering eye the secret deeds of day and night!
The sacred volume large its record shall discharge, and bring our every thought to light!

The bold blasphemer there, in rage, and wild despair – In vain would shun impending ire:
Where shall the guilty hide? Or the fierce day abide, The Day of God, revealed in fire?

With pangs unfelt before, Urged by their pain – implore A refuge from tremendous wrath!
Too late! – transfixed with awe, They hear the fiery law condemn them to eternal death!

Bound with relentless chains, they sink beneath their pains, Nor shines one beam of hope from heaven:
With the infernal host, are now forever lost! and down to fiery regions driven.

(Part 3)

Ye happy sons of light, who conquered in the fight, and steadfast to the end endured!
Now view the great reward Messiah hath prepared, and to his faithful saints secured.

In ecstasies of bliss, they see Him as He is, Whose glory fills the eternal Throne:
He bids His servants prove Their Master’s joy above, and be with Him forever one!

City of God, in thee is full felicity: Thy treasures, an unbounded store!
Where- from the Source of Love, The saints, transported, prove, Unbounded joys for ever more!

There saints and angels join in fellowship divine, And rapture swells the solemn lay:
While all with one accord adore their glorious Lord, and shout His praise in endless day.

Salem, secure above, Thy joys when shall I prove, And to thy holy hill attain?
Where weary pilgrims rest, and in thy glories blessed, with God their King forever reign.

May I but find the grace to fill a humble place in that inheritance above:
My tuneful voice I’ll raise; In songs of loudest praise, to spread thy fame- Redeeming Love.

Reign – true Messiah – reign, Thy kingdom shall remain when stars and sun no more shall shine:
Mysterious Deity, who ne’er began to be! To sound thy endless praise – be mine."

I thought it was worth sharing. Hope you're challenged and blessed by it as I have been.

Food for thought from A. W. Tozer

Sorry if some of these are blurry, don't know why that happened but hopefully if you click on them, it should become clear.

I found these encouraging. Hope you do too.
Most quotes from the book "Dangers of a shallow faith."
The last is a prayer from today's devotional.