#0002378

If you have surrendered yourself to Christ, your present circumstances that seem to be pressing so hard against you are the perfect tool in the Father's hand to chisel you into shape for eternity. So trust Him and never push away the instrument He is using, or you will miss the result of His work in your life. Strange and difficult indeed we may find it, But the blessing that we need Is behind it. . . The most comforting of David's psalms were squeezed from his life by suffering, and if Paul had not been given 'a thorn in the flesh(2Cor12:7)', we would have missed much of the heartbeat of tenderness that resonates through so many of his letters...- Cowman-Reimann, Streams........Hebrews7:27,28 "Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when He offered Himself as the sacrifice for the people's sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed His Son with an oath, and His Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever."

​

#0002379

"Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength(Isaiah 15;10)".....Only God can save us. No amount of fast talking and hasty activity could speed up God's grand design. We can trust God and be peacefully confident that He will give us strength to face our difficulties. We should lay aside our well-laid plans and allow Him to act.---Wycliffe

​

#0002380

"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him(Acts10:38).- As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith(Galatians6:10).- That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world(John1:9).- Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven(Matthew5:14,16)."

​

#0002381

"For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast(Proverbs15:15).- The joy of the Lord is your strength(Nehemiah8:10).- So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them(Neh8:12).- For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit(Romans14:17).- Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ(Ephesians5:18-20)."

​

#0002382

To believe God is to worship God...- Martin Luther.....Eph4:21-24 "Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God--truly righteous and holy."

​

#0002383

Universalism or a faithless faith misses the whole point of the Bible. It dismisses the central person of the entire Bible--God's only Son, Jesus Christ. It completely ignores what He did, what He taught, and for what He died. Embracing a faithless faith is more than dangerous; it is destined to be fatal, with no comfort and no hope. It's a strange world that makes darkness attractive and light dangerous. But you don't have to embrace a faithless faith to do that; simply ignore the truth, trivialize it, or push it aside, and you have done the same thing. Hold on to the real thing. Hold on to the real Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...- Sala, Refuge And Strength....Rom1:25 "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever praised."

​

#0002384

Find the good in a thing at once. This is the advantage of good taste. The bee goes to the honey for her comb, the serpent to the gall for its venom. So with taste--some seek the good, others the ill. There is nothing that has no good in it, especially in books, as giving food for thought. But many have such a scent that amid a thousand excellences they fix upon a single defect, and single it out for blame as if they were scavengers of people's hearts and minds. So they draw up a balance sheet of defects, which does more credit to their bad taste than to their intelligence. They lead a sad life, nourishing themselves on bitters and fattening on garbage. They have the luckier taste who amid a thousand defects seize upon a single beauty they may have hit upon by chance...- Baltasar Gracian, Aphorism140, The Art of Worldly Wisdom.....Col2:16,17 "So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ Himself is that reality."

​

#0002385

"So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin(1Peter4:1). You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God(v2). You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy--their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols(v3). Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you(v4). But remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead(v5). That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead--so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit(v6)."

​

#0002386

During my first trip to Israel in 1967, our bus turned south after leaving the airport and in a few hours, the landscape had changed drastically. Bedouin tents replaced the high rise buildings of Tel Aviv, and time seemed to have turned back a few centuries. Those old Bedouin tents looked like Abraham could have lived in one of them. Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul used the image of an old wind-swept tent to describe the human body. He says, "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands(2Cor5:1)." Your body is much like a good tent; but one that can withstand only so many storms, so many repairs, so much wind and weather, before it eventually collapses. But Paul says this is not to be viewed sadly. A tent, as your body, is a temporary home, one that can be moved from place to place. You who belong to Christ have a permanent dwelling, one that will endure forever. It's the one Jesus said He was going to prepare for them who love and trust Him...- Sala, Refuge And Strength.....Read 2Cor5:6-8... Live with that day in mind.

​

#0002387

Avoid being too familiar with others. Nor should you permit others to be too familiar with you. He that is too familiar loses any superiority his influence gives him and so loses respect. The stars keep their brilliance by not making themselves common. The divine demands decorum. Every familiarity breeds contempt. In human affairs, the more a person shows the less he has, for in open communication you communicate the failings that reserve might keep under cover. Familiarity is never desirable: with superiors because it is dangerous, with inferiors because it is unbecoming, least of all with the common herd, who become insolent from sheer folly--they mistake favor shown them for need felt of them. Familiarity verges on vulgarity...- Baltasar Gracian Aphorism177, The Art of Worldly Wisdom.....Colossians4:12 "Always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.- . . .that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God(1Pet4:2b)."

​

#0002388

We should not only understand the importance of our waiting on God but also realize something even more wonderful--the Lord waits on us. And the very thought of His waiting on us will give us renewed motivation and inspiration to 'wait for Him.' It will also provide inexpressible confidence that our waiting will never be in vain. Therefore, in the Spirit of waiting on God, let us seek to discover exactly what it means right now. Rest assured that if God waits longer than we desire, it is simply to make the blessings doubly precious. Remember, He waited four thousand years, "but when the time had fully come, God sent His Son(Gal4:4)." Our time is in His hands, and He will quickly avenge those He has chosen, swiftly coming to our support without ever delaying even one hour too long...- Andrew Murray, Streams In The Desert.........,...Isaiah30:18 "Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you . . . blessed are all they that wait for Him."

​

#0002389

The Rich and the Famous have always been objects of fascination. There are some who are rich and some who are famous, and a few who are both. But having money, notoriety, or fame can sometimes become a burden. People become affected by what they have and turn proud. Yet there are also wealthy individuals who are authentic and humble. What makes the difference? The difference comes with a recognition that gifts, resources and talents are God-given. People who recognize this also know that what God has given can be taken away just as quickly. They also understand that no one gets anywhere without others providing the ladder upon which he can climb. These people also understand that what they have is a stewardship. They use their money to touch someone's life and make a difference in a hurting world...- Sala, Refuge And Strength.....Job1:21 "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!"

​

#0002390

The one who dies with the biggest pile isn't the winner; it's the one who has most wisely used whatever resources within his or her grasp. The rich and famous may be remembered longer and may have a nicer grave marker, but they take with them exactly the same amount as the widow who dies in poverty or the child who, for lack of medical treatment, dies before her first birthday. We come into the world with the same amount of money and we take the same amount with us--nothing. The hymn 'Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me' has a line that goes, 'Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling.' Concentrate on making a difference with what you have...- Sala, Refuge And Strength.............Heb11:16 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

​

#0002391

Thou wilt find rest from vain fancies if thou doest every act in life as though it were thy last...- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.....John16:22 "So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy."

​

#0002392

"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are excercised thereby(Heb12:6,11).- Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness(Col1:11).- In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world(Jn16:33).- Being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform(Rom4:21).- Is anything too hard for the Lord(Gen18:14)?- With God all things are possible(Mat19:26).- Lord, increase our faith(Luk17:5)."

​

#0002393

"I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life(Jn5:24).- And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life(1Jn5:11,12).- It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us(2Cor1:21,22)."

​

#0002394

Paul also understood that until people accept the gospel, they are spiritually dead and therefore without hope(Col2:13). As a result of God's plan of salvation, those who trust in Jesus are not only made alive in Christ but are also adopted as the Father's children(Rom8:16,17). Paul recognized that though the gospel sounds like foolishness to the world, it is the power of God that brings eternal life to those who accept it. Because Paul's life had been radically transformed by the gospel, he was intent on living to honor the gospel that gave him life...- Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God.....Phi1:27 "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ."

​

#0002395

You are forgiven for your happiness and your successes only if you generously consent to share them...- Albert Camus......Col1:11-16 "We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins."

​

#0002396

When is the time to trust? Is it when all is calm, When waves the victor's palm, And life is one glad psalm, Of joy and praise?/ No! For the time to trust, Is when the waves beat high, When storm clouds fill the sky, And prayer is one long cry, 'Oh, help and save!'// When is the time to trust? Is it when friends are true? Is it when comforts woo, And in all we say and do, We meet but praise?/ No! For the time to trust is when we stand alone, And summer birds have flown, And every prop is gone, All else but God.// When is the time to trust? Is it some future day, When you have tried your way, And learned to trust and pray, By bitter woe?/ No! For the time to trust, Is in this moments need, Poor, broken, bruised reed! Poor, troubled soul, make speed, To trust your God.// When is the time to trust? Is it when hopes beat high, When sunshine gilds the sky, And joy and ecstasy, Fill all the heart?/ No! For the time to trust, Is when our joy has fled, When sorrow bows the head, And all is cold and dead, All else but God...- LBCowman, Streams...Acts27:25 "Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me."

​

#0002397

Grace is everything. It is the life of talent, the breath of speech, the soul of action, and the ornament of ornament. Perfections are the adornment of our nature, but this is the adornment of perfection itself. It shows itself even in the thoughts. It is mostly a gift of nature and owes least to education--it even triumphs over training. It is more than ease, approaches the free and easy, gets over embarrassment, and adds the finishing touch to perfection. Without it beauty is lifeless, graciousness ungraceful. It surpasses valor, discretion, prudence, even majesty itself. It is a shortcut to accomplishment and an easy escape from embarrassment...- Baltasar Gracian, Aphorism127 translated by Joseph Jacobs, The Art of Worldly Wisdom.....Eph2:8-10 "God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."

​

#0002398

"Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this(2Cor12:1). You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols(v2). So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit(v3). There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all(v4). There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord(v5). God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us(v6)."

​

#0002399

"A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other(1Cor12:7). To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advise; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge(v8). The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing(v9). He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said(v10). It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have(v11). The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ(v12)."