Est.

The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on . (Exod 14:15) In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen .  (Isa 28:12 ) Why dost thou worry thyself? What use can thy fretting serve? Thou art on board a vessel which thou couldst not steer even if the great Captain put thee at the helm, of which thou couldst not so much as reef a sail, yet thou worriest as if thou wert captain and helmsman. Oh, be quiet; God is Master! Dost thou think that all this din and hurly-burly that is abroad betokens that God has left His throne? No, man, His coursers rush furiously on, and His chariot is the storm; but there is a bit between their jaws, and He holds the reins, and guides them as He wills! Jehovah is Master yet; believe it; peace be unto thee! be not afraid. --C. H. Spurgeon “Tonight, my soul, be still and sle...

Hmmm... I think maybe the Lord is trying to tell me something... 3 or 4 times in 3 or 4 days, I've been reminded about not going by feelings. I love the Rutherford and Macduff quotes! Here's the Streams in the Desert devotional for 10th March. "The just shall live by faith." (Heb. 10:38). Seemings and feelings are often substituted for faith. Pleasurable emotions and deep satisfying experiences are part of the Christian life, but they are not all of it. Trials, conflicts, battles and testings lie along the way, and are not to be counted as misfortunes, but rather as part of our necessary discipline. In all these varying experiences we are to reckon on Christ as dwelling in the heart, regardless of our feelings if we are walking obediently before Him. Here is where many get into trouble; they try to walk by feeling rather than faith. One of the saints tells us that it seemed as though God had withdrawn Himself from her. His mercy seemed clean gone. For six wee...

"Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear. Rather look at them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He has kept you hitherto; do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. —Frances de Sales “The Lord is my shepherd.” Not was, not may be, nor will be. “The Lord is my shepherd,” is on Sunday, is on Monday, and is through every day of the week; is in January, is in December, and every month of the year; is at home, and is in China; is in peace, and, is in war; in abundance, and in penury. —J. Hudson Tayl...

So, it's a day early, but I loved this poem. " Ye shall not go out with haste (Isaiah 52:12). I do not believe that we have begun to understand the marvellous power there is in stillness. We are in such a hurry--we must be doing--so that we are in danger of not giving God a chance to work. You may depend upon it, God never says to us, "Stand still," or "Sit still," or "Be still," unless He is going to do something. This is our trouble in regard to our Christian life; we want to do something to be Christians when we need to let Him work in us. Do you know how still you have to be when your likeness is being taken? Now God has one eternal purpose concerning us, and that is that we should be like His Son; and in order that this may be so, we must be passive. We hear so much about activity, may be we need to know what it is to be quiet. --Crumbs Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still! Nor deem these days--these waiting days--as ill! The ...

Streams in the Desert for 23rd January Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? (Psalms 10:1) God is "a very present help in trouble." But He permits trouble to pursue us, as though He were indifferent to its overwhelming pressure, that we may be brought to the end of ourselves, and led to discover the treasure of darkness, the unmeasurable gains of tribulation. We may be sure that He who permits the suffering is with us in it. It may be that we shall see Him only when the trial is passing; but we must dare to believe that He never leaves the crucible. Our eyes are holden; and we cannot behold Him whom our soul loveth. It is dark--the bandages blind us so that we cannot see the form of our High Priest; but He is there, deeply touched. Let us not rely on feeling, but on faith in His unswerving fidelity; and though we see Him not, let us talk to Him. Directly we begin to speak to Jesus, as being literally present, though His presence is veiled, there comes an answering voice w...

He putteth forth his own sheep ( John 10:4 ). Oh, this is bitter work for Him and us -- bitter for us to go, but equally bitter for Him to cause us pain; yet it must be done. It would not be conducive to our true welfare to stay always in one happy and comfortable lot. He therefore puts us forth. The fold is deserted, that the sheep may wander over the bracing mountain slope. The labourers must be thrust out into the harvest, else the golden grain would spoil. Take heart! it could not be better to stay when He determines otherwise; and if the loving hand of our Lord puts us forth, it must be well. On, in His name, to green pastures and still waters and mountain heights! He goeth before thee. Whatever awaits us is encountered first by Him. Faith's eye can always discern His majestic presence in front; and when that cannot be seen, it is dangerous to move forward. Bind this comfort to your heart, that the Saviour has tried for Himself all the experiences through which He asks yo...

I read this last night and I found it very encouraging and challenging. I hope you are equally encouraged. Still upward be thine onward course: For this I pray today; Still upward as the years go by, And seasons pass away. Still upward in this coming year, Thy path is all untried; Still upward may'st thou journey on, Close by thy Saviour's side. Still upward e'en though sorrow come, And trials crush thine heart; Still upward may they draw thy soul, With Christ to walk apart. Still upward till the day shall break, And shadows all have flown; Still upward till in Heaven you wake, And stand before the throne. We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might an...

Public domain content taken from Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman “O the Spirit filled life; is it thine, is it thine? Is thy soul wholly filled with the Spirit Divine? O thou child of the King, has He fallen on thee? Does He reign in thy soul, so that all men may see The dear Saviour’s blest image reflected in thee? “Has He swept through thy soul like the waves of the sea? Does the Spirit of God daily rest upon thee? Does He sweeten thy life, does He keep thee from care? Does He guide thee and bless thee in answer to prayer? Is it joy to be led of the Lord anywhere? “Is He near thee each hour, does He stand at thy side? Does He gird thee with strength, has He come to abide? Does He give thee to know that all things may be done Through the grace and the power of the Crucified One? Does He witness to thee of the glorified Son? “Has He purged thee of dross with the fire from above? Is He first in thy thoughts, has He all of thy love? Is His service thy choice...