“What Else Could I Do?”

june30-july1-12-monterey-016

Philippians 3:7-9
But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith:

The Swedish Nightingale, Jennie Lind,
won great success as an operatic singer,
and money poured into her purse.
Yet she left the stage
while she was singing her best,
and never returned to it.
She must have missed the money,
the fame, and the applause of thousands,
but she was content to live in privacy.
Once and English friend found her sitting
on the steps of a bathing machine
on the sea sands with a Bible on her knee,
looking out into the glory of a sunset.
“Oh, Madame Goldschmidt,
how is it that you came to abandon the stage
at the very height of our success?”
“When every day,” was the quiet answer,
“it made me think less of this
(laying a finger on the Bible)
and nothing at all of that (pointing to the sunset),
what else could I do?”

Published in: on September 14, 2016 at 10:43 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , ,

Our Lord’s Foresight

nov23 010The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD

Psalm 139:17-18
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
how great is the sum of them!
If I should count them,
they are more in number than the sand:
when I awake, I am still with thee.

Nothing is more beautiful than our Lord’s foresight!

There never was anyone so faithful or considerate
or farseeing as Jesus.
He had great commendation to give a woman,
because she came “beforehand” with her ministry. (John 12:1-8)
It was His own manner to anticipate events.
He was always thinking ahead of the disciples.
When He sent His disciples to prepare the Passover,
there was found an upper room furished and prepared.
He had thought it all out.
His plans were not made only for that day.
He was always in advance of time.
When the disciples cam back from fishing,
Jesus was on the seashore with a fire of coals and fish laid thereon.
He thinks of the morning duties before you are astir;
He is there beore you.
He is waiting long befoe you are awake.
His anticipations are all along the way of life before you.

After the Resurrection,
the disciples were bewildered,
and the way looked black.
But the angel said,
“Behold, he goeth before you into Galilee.”
He is always ahead,
thinking ahead,
preparing ahead.
Take this text with you into the future,
take it into today’s experience:
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. . .
I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:1-2)
He is out in the world doing it.
He will be there before you.
He will bring you to your appointed place,
and you will find your appointed resources.
You will discover His insight, His oversight, and His forsesight.
You may not always see Him,
but you can walk by faith in the dark
if you know that He sees you,
and you can sing as you journey,
even through the night.
John MacBeath

Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Published in: on September 13, 2016 at 10:24 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , ,

Waters to Swim In

spiderMy favorites, Spider Lilies, are back!

Apollinaire said,
‘Come to the edge’
‘It is too high’
‘Come to the edge’
‘We might fall’
‘Come to the edge’
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.
Anonoymous

Ezekiel 47:3-5
And when the man that had the line in his hand
went forth eastward,
he measured a thousand cubits,
and he brought me through the waters;
the waters were to the ankles.
Again he measured a thousand,
and brought me through the waters;
the waters were to the knees.
Again he measured a thousand,
and brought me through;
the waters were to the loins.
Afterward he measured a thousand;
and it was a river that I could not pass over:
for the waters were risen,
waters to swim in,
a river that could not be passed over.

Published in: on September 12, 2016 at 10:33 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

“Disappointment. HIS appointment

hillThe Turn in the Road

“Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
but a sudden good break can turn life around.”
Proverbs 13:12, The Message

A friend in the promotion business says,
“Every time someone tells me “NO!” I get happier —
because I’m one step closer to that person who will say “YES!”

Some people cannot bear to be told “NO” even once;
let alone repeatedly.
And then there are others who stop just one person too soon.
All they needed was to ask one more time.
But they didn’t.
Disappointment can do that to you if you let it.
Especially if it seems to be unrelenting —
one blow after the next.

Years ago I discovered a splendid little poem
that has anchored my life in those times
when everything seems to be going wrong —
times when your hopes are dashed,
your dreams have faded,
your deepest desires thwarted,
and when so many great expectations
become inexplicably disappointed.
Maybe you will find it helpful, too.

“Disappointment. HIS appointment.one letter,
then I seethe thwarting of my purposeGod’s better choice for me!”

is true, as the proverb says,
that unrelenting disappointment can leave you heartsick.
But the rest of the proverb is also true —
“a sudden good break can turn life around.”
One doesn’t come without the other.
yet another breath, my fellow traveler;
though you have paused alongside the road —
you have not stopped.
Your journey is not finished.
There’s a bend in the road up ahead.
And the bend in the road is not the end of the road —
unless you fail to make the turn.

Tip your hat respectfully to old man Disappointment,
and then be on your way;
for God has something better in mind for you.
And though you have heard “NO” perhaps a thousand times —
you are actually one step closer to a “YES!”

And that single “Yes” can turn your life around!
Rylie

Proverbs 13:12 KJV
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:
but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Published in: on August 31, 2016 at 10:57 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my Shepherd
[to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not lack.
He makes me lie down in (fresh, tender) green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
He refreshes and restores my life (my self);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
[uprightness and right standing with Him–
not for my earning it, but]
for His name’s sake.
Yes, though I walk through
the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide],
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil*;
My [brimming] cup runs over
Surely or only goodness, mercy and unfailing love
shall follow me all the days of my life,
and through the length of my days the house 0f the Lord
[and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Amplified Bible

*footnote
It is difficult for those living in a temperate climate to appreciate,
but it was customary in hot climates to anoint the body with oil
to portect it frome xcessive perspiration.
When mixed with perfume, the oil imparted
a delightfully refreshing and invigorationg sensation.
Athletes anointed their bodies
as a matter of course before running a race.
As the body, therefore, anointed with oil was refreshed,
invigorated, and better fitted for action,
so the Lord would anoint His “sheep” with the Holy Spirit.
Whom oil symbolizies,
to fit them to engage more freely in His service
and run the the way He directs–in heavenly fellowship with Him.

Published in: on August 30, 2016 at 12:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

A Sower Went Out . . .

sower “A sower went out to sow his seed:”

And that which fell among thorns are they,
which, when they have heard, go orth,
and are choked with cares,
and riches and pleasures of this life,
and bring no fruit to perfection.
LUKE 8:14

Anything allowed in the heart which is contrary to the will of God,
let it seem ever so insignificant,
or be ever so deeply hidden,
will cause us to fall before our enemies.
Any root of bitterness cherished towards another,
any self-seeking, any harsh judgments indulged in,
any slackness in obeying the voice of the Lord,
any doubtful habits or surroundings,
any one of these things will effectually cripple and paralyze our spiritual life.
I believe our blessed Guide,
the indwelling Holy Spirit,
is always secretly discovering these things to us
by continual little twinges and pangs of conscience,
so that we are left without excuse.
H. W. SMITH.

. . . let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Published in: on August 27, 2016 at 3:55 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , ,

Liberty and the Standards of Jesus

os

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free… —Galatians 5:1

A spiritually-minded person will never come to you with the demand— “Believe this and that”; a spiritually-minded person will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (see John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them liberty for their thoughts and opinions. And if we ourselves are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty— the liberty that comes from realizing the absolute control and authority of Jesus Christ.

Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one true liberty— the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.

Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you— with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, “Go…and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19), not, “Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions.”

from: May 6 – My Utmost for His Highest – Oswald Chambers

Published in: on August 25, 2016 at 12:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

God’s Way is Best

hill How comforting to know God’s path for me always leads to Him.

Psalms 18:19
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me;
because he delighted in me

Fearing to launch on “full surrender’s” tide,
I asked the Lord where would its waters glide
My little bark, “To troubled seas I dread?”
“Unto Myself,” He said.

Weeping beside an open grave I stood,
In bitterness of soul I cried to God:
“Where leads this path of sorrow that I tread?”
“Unto Myself,” He said.

Striving for souls, I loved the work too well;
Then disappointments came; I could not tell
The reason, till He said, “I am thine all;
Unto Myself I call.”

Watching my heroes–those I loved the best–
I saw them fail; they could not stand the test,
Even by this the Lord, through tears not few,
Unto Himself me drew.

Unto Himself! No earthly tongue can tell
The bliss I find, since in His heart I dwell;
The things that charmed me once seem all as naught;
Unto Himself I’m brought.
–selected

Published in: on August 21, 2016 at 9:43 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Too Busy to Sit at Jesus’ Feet?

th

Psalm 119:16
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

What ever happpens let us not be too busy to sit at Jesus’ feet.
We shall not really lose time by enjoying this:
nay, we shall redeem the time;
for there is usually much more time and strength
forteited by friction than by toil,
and we shall gain in blessedness and enjoyment of our work
and gain in the quality of our work;
and above all,
we shall gain in that we shall give Him pleasue
where other wise we might only grieve Him.
And this is indeed the crown of all our endeavors.
He who pleases Him does not live in vain.
Wm. Hay M. H. Aitken

Published in: on August 16, 2016 at 11:06 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,

Ambassadors for Christ

come-unto-me1

2Corinthians 5:20
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ’s stead,
be ye reconciled to God.

“What unparalleled condescension
and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse!
Did the judge ever beseech
a condemned criminal to accept of pardon?
Does the creditor ever beseech
a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full?
Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge,
not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings,
but invites us,
entreats us,
and with the most tender importunity solicits us
not to reject them.”
Rev. J. Wesley

Rev. Charles Wesley’s poem:

“God, the offended God most high,
Ambassadors to rebels sends;
His messengers his place supply,
And Jesus begs us to be friends.
Us, in the stead of Christ, they pray,
Us, in the stead of Christ, entreat,
To cast our arms, our sins, away,
And find forgiveness at his feet.
Our God, in Christ, thine embassy
And proffer’d mercy we embrace;
And, gladly reconciled to thee,
Thy condescending mercy praise.
Poor debtors, by our Lord’s request
A full acquittance we receive;
And criminals, with pardon blest,
We, at our Judge’s instance, live.”

Published in: on August 1, 2016 at 11:22 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , ,

God at Work

arms

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

A father and his young son returned home after a trip to the grocery store. The son loved being with his dad and wanted to hlep him finish the chore. In fact, he wanted to carry the largest bag–which was much too heavy for him–inside. The father had a simple solution. He put the bag in his sons’s arms and them picked him up and carried both inside.

What a lovely picture of how our Heavenly Father works with us. He loves our willingness to take on any assignment. But He knows what we can and cannot do in our strength. When the load is too heavy, the assignment too big. He honors our willing spirit by lifting us up and allowing us to do His work. He empowers us to accomplish more than we can in our own strength.

Do all you can — but realize it is God’s ower working through you that makes the difference.

The Lord doesn’t promise to give us something
to take so we can handle our weary moments.
He promises us himself.
That is all.
That is enough.
Charles Swindoll

Published in: on July 21, 2016 at 4:23 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

Cast Not Away

shield

Hebrews 10:35-36
Cast not away therefore your confidence,
which hath great recompence of reward.
that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise.

Cast not away therefore your confidenc

Your liberty of access to God;
your title and right to approach his throne;
your birthright as his sons and daughters;
and the clear evidence you have of his favor, which,
if you be not steady and faithful, you must lose.

Do not throw it away,
neither men nor devils can take it from you,
and God will never deprive you of it if you continue faithful.
There is a reference here to cowardly soldiers,
who throw away their shields, and run away from the battle.

This is your shield,
your faith in Christ,
which gives you the knowledge of salvation;
keep it, and it will keep you.

Clarke’s Commentar

Published in: on July 19, 2016 at 12:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

For Consider Him . . .

cross

Hebrews 12:1-3

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about
with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself,
lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

FOR CONSIDER HIM . . .
Attentively observe and analyze every part of his conduct,
enter into his spirit, examine his motives and object,
and remember that, as he acted, ye are called to act;
he will furnish you with the same Spirit,
and will support you with the same strength.
He bore a continual opposition of sinners against himself;
but he conquered by meekness, patience, and perseverance:
he has left you an example that ye should follow his steps.
If ye trust in him, ye shall receive strength;
therefore, howsoever great your opposition may be,
ye shall not be weary:
if ye confide in and attentively look to him,
ye shall have continual courage to go on,
and never faint in your minds.
Clarke’s Commentary

Published in: on July 18, 2016 at 1:14 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , ,

The Name and Fame of Jesus

March 29-30 YP cabin trip 002

“There is salvation in no other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Act_4:12).

There is only one name that opens heaven’s doors and God’s heart—the name of Jesus. There is only one name that breaks the power of sin and sets the captive free—the name of Jesus. There is only one name worthy of all praise, and deserving of your allegiance—the name of Jesus.

Early on in His public ministry the name and fame of Jesus spread like a prairie fire on a windy day. People all throughout the region—rich and poor, king and commoner, Jew and Gentile—all heard of Him; for His fame was ever-increasing.

His death on the Cross did not have the effect the rulers of the day had hoped. He rose from the dead and His followers became invincible in their faith—so much in fact that in ever-widening circles the number of disciples increased vastly in Jerusalem; and many of the Jewish priests were themselves converted as well.

Paul the Apostle, a few years later wrote, “Finally, dear brothers, as I come to the end of this letter, I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and triumph wherever it goes, winning converts everywhere as it did when it came to you” (2Th_3:1, Living Bible).

Jesus Christ!
He is peerless in His exaltation,
unrivaled in His Lordship,
incomparable in His grace,
invincible in His power,
unassisted in His work as Redeemer,
matchless in His mercy,
adored in His glory
and worshipped in the beauty of His holiness.
In His birth is our significance.
In His life is our example.
In His death is our forgiveness.
In His resurrection is our hope.
In His Second Coming is our consummate glory!

Isaiah spoke for us all when he said, “Lord, Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isa_28:8, NIV).

Friends, we live in a fallen world where hostilities toward God run high and hot. For this reason we must become men and women of vision, passion, discipline and risk—laying ourselves out for the high honor of one Name alone…the name of Jesus.

It is a bold act in a day when all other names are exalted but this One, and to associate with this One is scandalized with every argument the mind of man can muster. But when all is said and done, and the debris of man’s fallen empires lays in shamble at Heaven’s door — Jesus will be there to welcome you, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Rylisms

Published in: on July 16, 2016 at 4:26 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , ,

With All Prayer

flag

Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Praying refers to the state of the spirit as well as to the act.

With all prayer – Refers to the different kinds of prayer that is performed in public, in the family, in the closet, in business, on the way, in the heart without a voice, and with the voice from the heart. All those are necessary to the genuine Christian; and he whose heart is right with God will be frequent in the whole. “Some there are who use only mental prayer or ejaculations, and think they are in a state of grace, and use a way of worship far superior to any other; but such only fancy themselves to be above what is really above them; it requiring far more grace to be enabled to pour out a fervent and continued prayer, than to offer up mental aspirations.” Rev. J. Wesley.

And supplication – There is a difference between prayer, and supplication. Some think the former means prayer for the attainment of good; the latter, prayer for averting evil. Supplication however seems to mean prayer continued in, strong and incessant pleadings, till the evil is averted, or the good communicated.

There are two things that must be attended to in prayer.
1. That it be in every time, season, or opportunity;
2. That it should be in or through the Spirit – that the heart should be engaged in it, and that its infirmities should be helped by the Holy Ghost,

Watching thereunto – Being always on your guard lest your enemies should surprise you. Watch, not only against evil, but also for opportunities to do good, and for opportunities to receive good. Without watchfulness, prayer and all the spiritual armor will be ineffectual.

With all perseverance – Being always intent on your object, and never losing sight of your danger, or of your interest. The word implies stretching out the neck, and looking about, in order to discern an enemy at a distance.
Clarke’s Commentary, edited

Published in: on July 15, 2016 at 4:22 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »