Hope and Quietly Wait

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It is good that a man should both hope and
quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Lamentations 3:26

It is good that a man should both hope –
Hope is essentially necessary to faith;
he that hopes not, cannot believe;
if there be no expectation,
there can be no confidence.
When a man hopes for salvation,
he should not only waft for it,
but use every means that may lead to it;
for hope cannot live,
if there be no exercise.
If hope become impatient,
faith will be impossible:
for who can believe for his salvation
when his mind is agitated?
He must therefore quietly wait.

Clarke’s Commentary

Published in: on July 12, 2016 at 12:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Love is of God

feb10 evning light 001February 10, evening light

Love is of God;
and every one that loveth is born of God,
and knoweth God.
–I John 4:7.

We may, if we choose, make the worst of one another.
Every one has his weak points;
every one has his faults:
we may make the worst of these;
we may fix our attention constantly upon these.
But we may also make the best of one another.
We may forgive, even as we hope to be forgiven.
We may put ourselves in the place of others,
and ask what we should wish to be done to us,
and thought of us, were we in their place.
By loving whatever is lovable in those around us,
love will flow back from them to us,
and life will become a pleasure instead of a pain;
and earth will become like heaven;
and we shall become not unworthy followers of Him
whose name is Love.
A. P. STANLEY.

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,
if any man have a quarrel (or “complaint”) against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
–Colossians 3:13.

Published in: on July 11, 2016 at 1:17 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Hold My Hand

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I the Lord have called thee in righteousness,
and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee.–Isaiah 42: 6.

I do not ask my cross to understand,
My way to see;
Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand,
And follow Thee.
Adelaide A. Proctor

O keep my soul, and deliver me:
for I put my trust in Thee.–Psalm 25: 20.

Published in: on July 7, 2016 at 9:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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Delight in the Law of the Lord

March 29-30 YP cabin trip 002Delighting in the words of God

Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

from Clarke’s Commentary

But his delight is in the law of the Lord –
his will, desire, affection, every motive in his heart,
and every moving principle in his soul,
are on the side of God and his truth.
He takes up the law of the Lord as the rule of his life;
he brings all his actions and affections to this holy standard.
He looketh into the perfect law of liberty;
and is not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the word;
and is therefore blessed in his deed.
He not only reads to gain knowledge from the Divine oracles,
but he meditates on what he has read,
feeds on it; and thus receiving the sincere milk of the word,
he grows thereby unto eternal life.
This is not an occasional study to him;
it is his work day and night.
As his heart is in it,
the employment must be frequent,
and the disposition to it perpetual.

Published in: on June 13, 2016 at 12:38 pm  Leave a Comment  
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All-Sufficient Grace

May 22 peg's iris 001 Iris from a friend

Psalm 138:3
In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me,
and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

It is not that I feel less weak, but Thou
Wilt be my strength; it is not that I see
Less sin; but more of pardoning love with Thee,
And all-sufficient grace. Enough! And now
All fluttering thought is stilled; I only rest,
And feel that Thou art near, and know that I am blest.
F. R. HAVERGAL.

Psalm 138:7-7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
thou wilt revive me:
thou shalt stretch forth thine hand
against the wrath of mine enemies,
and thy right hand shall save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever:
forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Published in: on June 11, 2016 at 10:35 am  Leave a Comment  
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Work Together

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Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together
for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose,

How wide is this assertion of the Apostle Paul! He does not say, “We know that some things,” or “most things,” or “joyous things,” but “ALL things.” From the minutest to the most momentous; from the humblest event in daily providence to the great crisis hours in grace.

And all things “work’—they are working; not all things have worked, or shall work; but it is a present operation.

At this very moment, when some voice may be saying, “Thy judgments are a great deep,” the angels above, who are watching the development of the great plan, are with folded wings exclaiming, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” (Ps. 145:17)

And then all things “work together.” It is a beautiful blending. Many different colors, in themselves raw and unsightly, are required in order to weave the harmonious pattern.

Many separate tones and notes of music, even discords and dissonances, are required to make up the harmonious anthem.

Many separate wheels and joints are required to make the piece of machinery. Take a thread separately, or a note separately, or a wheel or a tooth of a wheel separately, and there may be neither use nor beauty discernible.

But complete the web, combine the notes, put together the separate parts of steel and iron, and you see how perfect and symmetrical is the result. Here is the lesson for faith: “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.”
—Macduff

Published in: on June 11, 2016 at 4:36 am  Leave a Comment  
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Today Is Your Day

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Psalm 78:7
That they might set their hope in God,
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments:

Memory and hope are meant to fit us
for work in the flying moment.
Both should impel us to the keeping
of the commandments of God;
for both yield motives which should incline us thereto.
A past full of blessing demands the sacrifice
of loving hearts and of earnest hands.
A future so fair, so far, so certain, so sovereign,
and a hope that grasps it, and brings some of its sweet fragrance
into the else scentless air of the poor present,
ought to impel to service,vigorous and continual.
Both should yield motives which make such service a delight.
Alexander MacLaren

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Published in: on June 10, 2016 at 4:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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A New Name for a New Man

paul

Acts 13:9
Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, . . .

He was educated at the highest levels in both law and theology.
He was an international traveler,
aware and sophisticated in the ways of the world.
A young leader with all the right connections,
he was climbing the career ladder at a rapid pace.
Devout
Respected
Even feared.
But he was a man at war with himself.
He was Saul.

On his wat to Damascus, a trip where he planned to strike a violent blow against this new branch of the Jewish faith what was spreading like wildfire he encountered the risen Christ.He was struck blind and jesus spoke to hime in an audible voice: “Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?” Acts 22:7

From that moment, ther persecutor became a preacher:
the man who was roiling inside with turmoil came to inner peace.
Saul was remaned by God Himself and became Paul.
Meeting the risen Lord chanes everything.
from ~~ A Daybook of Grace

2Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.

Published in: on June 9, 2016 at 11:54 pm  Leave a Comment  
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He Cares for You

father_and_child_holding_hands_CBR002752

1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Peter tells us, ”Cast all your cares upon Him,”

The word he uses literally means “to be continually casting.” In other words, this is not a one time thing; no, we are to make it the habit of our daily lives.

The phrase “casting your cares” literally means “to throw upon another.” In this case, the other is God Himself. Peter is saying that we must throw our cares upon God. Indeed, HURL them, so as to get them as far away from ourselves as possible! We are not talking slow-pitch softball here. HURL it with everything you got in you!! Think of a catapult and you get the picture.

This is the secret of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

The proud hold tightly to the cares of this world, deeming themselves sufficient to handle things on their own. But, we humble ourselves by “casting our cares upon the Lord” — by hurling the weight of the world onto His strong shoulders, and finding our place of rest in His loving care

……

Let’s look at the word he uses for “care.” It literally means “the distractions created by fear, worry, anxiety and dread; distractions that pull us in several directions at the same time.”

Take all these things — fear, worry, anxiety, and dread — bundle them together and throw them upon God; and keep throwing them over and over until they finally leave your hands and rest solidly upon His shoulders. Otherwise they will pull you apart; tear you to pieces!

And here is the singular truth that makes it all happen — “He cares for you!”

1. “HE cares for you.” — This is Almighty God we are talking about here; not some junior angel whose been handed your case. No, God Himself, the King of Glory, the Lord of Host, the Alpha and Omega; He who sustains all things by the word of His power; the Omnipotent God — your Heavenly Father. HE cares for you.”

2. He CARES for you.” — He is affectionate in His regard for your estate. He holds you in His heart, and looks with kind intentions upon your life, and good will toward your soul and well-being. He CARES!”

3. He cares FOR you.” — He is not passive, but active. He’s not thinking about doing it when He gets around to it — He’s on top of it right now! He has already stepped in on your behalf and undertaken the cause of blessing you in bouldless ways. And He is doing it FOR you; so you don’t have to try and do it for yourself!”

4. He cares for YOU!” — Yeah, that’s right — YOU! Sure, He cares for all the saints and great champions of yore; and for all those who are serving Him mightily in today’s world — the spiritual news-makers and world-shakers, devil-busters, kingdom-builders, and soul-savers. But you’re not overlooked in all this. NO! A thousand times NO! “He cares for YOU!”

Rylie edited to shorten

Psalm 139:10
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Being lead by and held by God’s right hand we can be sure of God’s concern for us –
in our fears for our tommorrows and our regrets of our past.

Published in: on June 7, 2016 at 12:28 pm  Comments (2)  
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Who Against Hope Believed in Hope

june30-july1.12 monterey 014It’s summertime warm where I live.
this is where I’d rather be.

Romans 4:16, 18-24
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;
to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;
not to that only which is of the law,
but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham;
who is the father of us all,

Who against hope believed in hope,
that he might become the father of many nations,
according to that which was spoken,
So shall thy seed be.
And being not weak in faith,
he considered not his own body now dead,
when he was about an hundred years old,
neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
And being fully persuaded that,
what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Now it was not written for his sake alone,
that it was imputed to him;
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed,
if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

We shall never forget a remark that George Mueller once made to a gentleman who had asked him the best way to have strong faith.

“The only way,” replied the patriarch of faith, “to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” This is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails.

Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know.

“Be not afraid, only believe.” And if you are afraid, just look up and say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee,” and you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith.
–A. B. Simpson

Published in: on June 4, 2016 at 3:02 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Learning to see . . .

 

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body;
and be ye thankful.

Let me teach you thanksgiving.
Begin by acknowledging that everything–
all your possessions and all that you are–belongs to Me.
The dawning of each new day is a gift from Me,
not to be taken for granted.
The earth is vibrantly alive with My blessings,
giving vivid testimony to my Presence.
If you slow down your pace of life,
you can find Me anywhere.

. . . .

The secret of being thankful is
learning to see everything from My prespective.
My world is your classroom.
My word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.
Sarah Young

cozy acres rv with awningThis is home, and I’m thankful.

 

Published in: on June 3, 2016 at 4:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A Lively Hope

basketfullBuster says, ” YOU weren’t using it!”

Luke 22:32
But I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not:
and when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren.

There may be no other disciple in the New Testament
with which so many believers today can personally
indentify than Simon Peter.
He was passionate and headstrong; quick to repent,
and even sometimes quicker to blow it once more.
His life unfolds before us in great drama,
speaking time and and time again to the issues
that lay within our own hearts.

Jesus told Peter, “Satan has desired you,
that he might sift you as wheat.”
That’s probably not anything
you would want to hear from the Lord, is it?
But He goes on to say,
“I have prayed for you, that your faith not fail.
And after you have come through your time of testing,
turn to your companions and give them a fresh start”
(Luke 22:32 The Message).

The testing came in the Garden that night
when Jesus was arrested and Peter ultimately fell –
denying that he even knew Jesus.
We know from Scripture that after the rooster crowed,
“Peter went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62).
It would be the last time he saw Jesus until after the resurrection.

Can you imagine how tortured his soul must have been?
We can hear the hissing whispers of the Accuser
blasting him mercilesly for denying Jesus,
for leaving Him in the hands of those who murdered Him.
All hope was lost; Peter had nothing left to live for now.

But then something happened. Jesus rose from the dead.

Oh what a difference that made for Peter….and for us!
Peter wrote,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy
has begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!”
1 Peter 1:3
~~Rylie

Published in: on June 2, 2016 at 12:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Come Unto Me

Come unto me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

ishepmages

Come unto me
with all your weaknesses: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Rest in the comfort of My presence,
remembering that nothing is impossible with me.

Pry your mind away from your prolems
so you can focus your attention on Me.
Recall that I am able to do immeasurably more
than all you ask or imagine.
Instead of trying to direct Me to do this and that,
seek to attune yourself to what I am already doing.

When anxiety attempts to wedge its way into your thoughts,
remind yourself that I am your Shepherd.
The botton line is that I am taking care of you;
therefore, you needn’t be afraid of anything.
Rather than trying to maintain control over your life,
abandon yourself to my will.
Though this may feel frightening–even danagerous–
the safest place to be is in My will.
Sarah Young

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Published in: on May 31, 2016 at 11:03 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunshine and Shadows

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

20160529_140713

cone flowers in the sunshine

20160524_203428 cone flowers in the shadows

 

HE IS WITH ME STILL
Though I walk in ways unknown,
I am never left alone;
For the Lord will not forsake me while I do His will;
But whatever may betide,
He is walking by my side,
And by this I know He loves me still.

Refrain:
He is with me still,
He is with me still;
In the sunshine or the shadow,
He is with me still.

When the raging storm winds blow,
And the clouds are hanging low,
When the waves are beating on me, and the night is chill;
Then His presence in the storm
Quiets all my soul’s alarm,
And I know that He is with me still.

’Mid the busy cares of life,
In the battle’s raging strife,
When around my soul are gathered all the hosts of ill;
Then a voice so sweet and clear
Whispers words of love and cheer,
And I know that He is with me still.
Charles W. Naylor

Published in: on May 30, 2016 at 10:14 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sing to Him!

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Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, sing to it! (Num 21:17)

This was a strange song and a strange well. They had been traveling over the desert’s barren sands, no water was in sight and they were famishing with thirst. Then God spake to Moses and said:

“Gather the people together, and I will give them water,” and this is how it came.

They gathered in circles on the sands. They took their staves and dug deep down into the burning earth and as they dug, they sang,

“Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it,” and lo, there came a gurgling sound, a rush of water and a flowing stream which filled the well and ran along the ground.

When they dug this well in the desert, they touched the stream that was running beneath, and reached the flowing tides that had long been out of sight.

How beautiful the picture given, telling us of the river of blessing that flows all through our lives, and we have only to reach by faith and praise to find our wants supplied in the most barren desert.

How did they reach the waters of this well? It was by praise. They sang upon the sand their song of faith, while with their staff of promise they dug the well.

Our praise will still open fountains in the desert, when murmuring will only bring us judgment, and even prayer may fail to reach the fountains of blessing.

There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as praise. There is no test of faith so true as the grace of thanksgiving. Are you praising God enough? Are you thanking Him for your actual blessings that are more than can be numbered, and are you daring to praise Him even for those trials which are but blessings in disguise? Have you learned to praise Him in advance for the things that have not yet come?
—Selected
Published in: on May 28, 2016 at 10:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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