Today’s devotion from Oswald Chambers deserves our special attention. I could not help smiling as I was reading it because I know I was not prepared for what comes next after making the decision to deal with sin once and for all. I have to say as much as I love Oswald’s writings, one of my frustration before I became a mature Christian, was to find out that he did not tell me all that I needed to know. Of course, as I grew spiritually, I understood this was not his fault. For instance, when I read his devotion book, often I was gripped by what I read and I wanted to get there with God in the same way Oswald was able to understand. So, I would start by talking to God; pull myself up to finally make the decision to be done away with sin. Usually when you spent time telling God everything that is in your heart it feels pretty good. Your mind is at rest and you thinking “Well, that takes care of this problem, it’s done and dealt with.”

But, God is weird that way. Once you talk to Him, if you are truly sincere, you find that few days after your heart to heart talk something strange happening to you. All of the sudden you start seeing sin for what it is in the eyes of God, not what you thought it was. Just when you are getting used to this revelation, you find that He starts putting the spotlight in you as He is searching in every corner of your heart and expose them to you so you can deal with them. Usually by the time I get there, I go back to the same devotion and read it again to see what I was missing because it is turning out to be a bigger deal than I expected.

Ten weeks down the road, I simply could not stand the pain that God brought to my door steps. One miserable day I could not understand why I felt the need to keep singing all day long “Oh! Death where is your sting?” Then, suddenly the Holy Spirit said to me “you know, if you do not let me deal with your sin in this way, then the sting of death is still in you” I remember sitting straight right away and I looked around to see if anyone was looking at me. When I finally came to my senses, I pondered on the fact that I was under the impression that as soon as I became a Christian through the new birth, I identified with Christ, so the sting of death was no longer in me. Anyway, it was a long process for God to help me understand the justification process as well as the Salvation that I received had to be worked out in me. It turns out that a tiny part of working Salvation through me was to deal with sin once and for all.  Most of the time, God has graced me with the knowledge of what is being done in me so that I could cooperate with Him.

It was only after I went through the process of co-crucifixion with Christ that I understood this tiny part of April 10’s devotion. While Oswald dedicated four tiny lines at the bottom of the page, I had no idea that it was a process that would last weeks and painful more than anything I ever experienced. The co-crucifixion is real. During that time, I learnt about how important it is to God that we let Him impart His life in us. I learnt about inbred sin and most of all I learnt that each one of us has to go through it with Christ. You also know when it is over because even your bones are screaming right through your body, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”  I was walking on air, I felt like a bird. I felt the pain of my co-crucifixion was worth it. I was grateful to God for taking me there

Then I sat still with God as I tried to understand and make sense of the fact that not long ago, I thought I was in good standing with God as a Christian because I could read in the Bible that I have been crucified with Christ. I had no idea that it was important to work it in me. I started feeling the heaviness of knowing that so many I left behind in the Church, they have no idea that they too need to get there with Christ. I remember asking God “what are you going to do?” I asked that, because He allowed me to see the state of my Church and the Church at large and how most Christians are like caterpillars yet in their minds they think they have already been transformed into a butterfly. Some think that the transformation will take place when they are not even looking.

Yet, God was able to share with me how He is able to isolate and set apart right here, all those that are going to be in His army. Like He did with me, He is able to orchestrate situations in their lives to walk them through the process, whether they like it or not. This was the time where I understood how our intellect can be like a runaway train. So, God planed salvation as deep as the depth of the ocean, yet we dip our toes in the ocean and we are satisfied. I should stop here because sometimes when I think of those things I find it sad and depressive.

It is funny how sometimes people say to me that I complicate salvation. But, they do not understand they are talking through their lack of understanding. Because, there was a time I felt as I read books and the Bible, salvation was too complicated and too confusing. In fact, in talking about it, someone told me “don’t worry about it. All you need to know is that you are saved, you cannot lose Salvation and God cannot lie.” But, that is not helpful at all. This attitude is a recipe to tempt God and hold Him responsible for our ignorance and lack of Spiritual understanding and growth.

After I stopped being confused and overwhelmed by Salvation, I realized these feelings came from my lack of knowing God. Worst than that, they were there because I was trying to understand Salvation with my own intellect and in the flesh. Once I got it from God’s point of view, salvation became as easy as 1, 2, 3. Walk in the Spirit with a willingness to yield everything to Him, then He will make it all clear to you.

Complete and Effective Decision About Sin

Courstesy of: http://utmost.org/

04

10

2014

. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin —Romans 6:6

Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.

Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.

This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.

Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).

Forgetting the Dung - J.I. Packer, in Knowing God

Excerpt from the devotion book: How Great Is Our God 

Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (Phil 3:7)

Not many of us, I think, would ever naturally say that we have known God. The words imply a definiteness and matter-of factness of experience to which most of us, if we are honest have to admit that we are still strangers. We claim, perhaps, to have a testimony, and can rattle off our conversion story with the best of them; we say that we know God – this, after all, is what evangelicals are expected to say, but would it occur to us to say, without hesitation, and with reference to particular events in our personal  history, that we have known God? I doubt it, for I suspect that with most of us our experience of God has never become so vivid as that.

Nor, I think, would many of us ever naturally say that in the light of the knowledge of God, which we have come to enjoy, past disappointments and present heartbreaks (as the world counts heartbreaks) don’t matter. For the plain fact is that the most of us they do matter.

But those who really know God never brood on might-have-beens; they never think of the things they have missed, only of that they have gained. “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ,” wrote Paul. “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 know win Christ…. That I may know Him” (Philippians 3:7-10) When Paul says he counts the things he lost as “dung” he means not merely that he does not live with them constantly in his mind; what normal person spends his time nostalgically dreaming of manure? Yet, this, in effect, is what many of us do. It shows how little we have in the way of true knowledge of God.

The Good for Nothing Prophet

I was reading this chapter of 1 Kings 13, and I find it so sad, not because of what happened to the prophet who disobeyed God, but because I know it is happening on a daily basis in today’s Church.  We are like the unbelievers, we want everything, we want it now and we do not want to work for it. Worse of all, we want titles at any cost. So, short of getting things from God, we go on making our own.  So, instead of investing the time to get to know Christ through the furnace of fellowship, we have a group of people who are like the good for nothing prophet we find in verse 1Kings 13:18. It is sad because it is rampant in the Church. We have more people out there calling themselves “prophet” when in reality they do not even know God personally. Anyone who has a relationship with the Spirit of God can see right through them.

It is sad to see the amount of online courses available on the internet today, to teach people how to speak in tongue or to teach them how to become prophets. A true Godly person would know, since these things are gifts from God, those selling those courses, no matter how beautiful and professional their websites look, should not be buying into their hype.

I find that every time I talk to someone, if they do not run away from me, in the end they always advise me to do what it takes to become a pastor or some offered to help me develop my gift of prophecy. It is funny to see how God used to show me how those comments are made by people who know nothing about nothing. And yes, I even had a Pastor of a big Church offering to groom me for leadership in His Church. 

Now, God does not even have to tell me not to listen to them anymore since I know. Why do I know? Because my heart is devoted to Him alone and my body is to be used by Him as His vessel. I would rather be known by the chorus of angels above for being someone devoted to do His will and delight in the menial tasks He allocates to me. I have also learned to put myself at His service, knowing fully that greatness in His service is not required, but meekness is required if I want to be used by Him. I also know if this time comes (though I doubt it) the Holy Spirit that I communicate with on a daily basis, would not leave me hanging there in complete ignorance. 

When I realized the temptations out there, to be great, to make a name for ourselves and to enjoy the ease of religion, I knew with the boldness, knowledge and wisdom that God has given to me, my heart could be easily led away from God with thousands of excuses. So I have prayed and still praying daily for God to keep me where I am, at His feet and to give me strength not to ever be tempted and get out of His will for my life. Because once we go away from God and try to make a name for ourselves, all that is left is living some kind of pretense of holiness and in the eyes of God we become good for nothing.

Even though my heart is totally devoted to Him to do His will alone, I am always, on a daily basis revising my thoughts, examining myself honestly in the light of God. I do that because I know as long as I am in the flesh, Satan could tempt me and before I know it, I could find myself in a pickle too much for me to handle, in the same way king David messed up with Bathsheba.

In those verses below, (1Kings 13:1-24) it seems that the wicked prophet has not been dealt with. No one knows why God left it this way. Since we know that no sin will remain unpunished by God, then we know in due time God will deal with the wicked prophet. I guess, we are told about the disobedience of the good prophet and how God dealt with it, to teach us a lesson. No matter what we have done for God while being used by Him, and no matter how faithful, we have been in the past in His service, we have to count it all dung as we move forward with Him. God will never use our nearness to Him or how He was able to use us in the past, as excuses to any act of willful disobedience.

I would advise you to be honest with yourself and God. Sure, it looks good when you can put a title next to your name like an Apostle, Prophet, Pastor etc. Pay attention to that little bit of pride that is in your heart when you read the title next to your name, that is a good indication of who you are deep inside. Ask yourself if God has indeed said this is how He wants to use you. Even if He said so, did you go ahead of Him or did you wait for Him to instruct you, prepared you and anoint you? If you claim to be a prophet, are you just regurgitating what is already in the Bible? Are you led by emotions or a real knowledge of God?

I know some of you will hate me for speaking to you so truthfully. But, understand that it is coming from a place of love. I know for a fact because the Holy Spirit showed me that most of you are not real and do not seem to be aware of it because you have been deceived by Satan. I am speaking from personal experiences and know how hard it is when the need to be recognized overpowers us. I know it is hard to be in the background, but if you allow God to help you, there is fulfillment, satisfaction and joy in being used by Him without being known. If you hate me for telling you point blank what I see, know that you are talking to someone who was really P..O at God when I found out I could not make a name for myself.

Ask yourself one thing, is it better to gather empty recognition to satisfy the ego now, or to be approved by God? Choose wisely!

Mathew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

1Kings 13:1-24

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”

4 When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. 5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.

6 Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.

7 The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.”

8 But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions,I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

DISOBEDIENCE

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

“I am,” he replied.

15 So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.”

16 The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’”

18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’”

23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 

Why We Lack Understanding - By Oswald Chambers

Why We Lack Understanding

04

07

2014

He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead —Mark 9:9

As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.

Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.

“. . . tell no one . . . .” But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?

courtesy of: http://utmost.org/

The Heart of True Understanding

Excerpt from HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD

Timeless Daily Readiness on the Nature of God

 The  Heart of True Understanding  By Sinclair Fergusson, in A Heart For God

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Proverbs 9:10

What is the most important thing in the world to every Christian? It is to grow in the knowledge of God.

The Knowledge of God is the heart of Salvation and of all true spiritual experience. Knowing Him is what we were created for. It will occupy us throughout all eternity. In the Scriptures, it is almost equivalent to Salvation. Jesus said that eternal life, or Salvation means knowledge of God: “and this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) To be a Christian is not a mindless experience, but involves knowledge and understanding. It means a personal relationship and personal acquaintance with the Lord.

Behind what Jesus says in John’s gospel lies the promise that God gave centuries before in the prophecy of the new covenant: “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 24:7) The fulfillment of that prophecy would mean, Jeremiah added, “No longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother saying, “know  the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest” (31-34.) Isaiah  similarly tells us that this knowledge of God is what would mark the reign of the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ: “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9)  What a vision! Yet it summarizes what Scriptures tells us Christ came to do: to bring us the knowledge of God.

Such knowledge of God is really the heart of all true understanding of the Christian life. A man or woman may be a Christian and remain ignorant of many things. But we cannot be Christians and remain ignorant of God. In the Final analysis, says the wise man in Proverbs, “knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (9-10)

FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

Excerpt from the devotion book: How Great Is Our God 

Sinclair Ferguson, in A Heart for God 

Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:6)

We cannot know ourselves unless we see ourselves as we are in the presence of God. Nor can we come to know God without viewing ourselves in a new light. The presence of God, therefore, does two things: it makes us conscious of who He is, and it makes us aware of who we are in His glorious presence.

As Moses stood in the presence of God who is a consuming fire, but found that he was not consumed, he must have felt as though every last element of superficiality was being stripped from his being. In that context, there could be no pretense, nor in the desert was there anywhere to hide. He was alone, with God, awed by his presence as the One who called Himself “I Am” Exodus 3:14)

What does it really mean to stand in the presence of God? In the Old Testament, to be “in the presence of God” often translates a Hebrew expression meaning “before the face of God” It conveys the idea of coming face to face with Him. More than that, because no man can see God’s face and live (as Moses learned in Exodus 33:20) being in the presence of God may carry the sense of standing before One who is able to scrutinize us, who can see all our actions and reactions, even though we can never know or understand Him. For God dwells in unapproachable light.  What could be more awesome than to stand in the presence of God – and live? There was nothing in the world more awesome that Moses could have done than to stand before the mystery of God’s being and the majesty of His glory, yet not die.

One of our greatest needs in coming to know God in our day is to recover a sense of what it really means to stand in the presence of God.

THE CRY OF DISTRESS

Encouragements to Patient Waiting 
by John MacDuff

"In my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears!" — 2 Samuel 22:7

It is related of King Asa, that an alarming and painful disease came upon him — he was afflicted with a grievous bodily calamity; and his illness continued to increase, "until his disease was exceedingly great." Yet, although on a former occasion he had gathered the people and had "entered into a solemn covenant with them to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart, and with all their soul" — we are told that, when sickness came upon him, he forgot his promise; and this is the melancholy declaration of Scripture, "Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians."

What a sad contrast between this sinful forgetfulness — and the heartfelt urgency of the royal psalmist! What wonder that the next thing recorded of the one is his death, and by the other, that "He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears!" Asa's cry of distress, being made only to man — brought no relief; the psalmist's prayer to the Most High God — was heard and answered.

Which of these examples have we followed? When pain and suffering have laid hold upon us, to whom, in our extremity, have we made our appeal? Has it been to feeble, impotent man, whose every effort is powerless without God's blessing? or has it been to Him who, in His holy temple, hearkens to the cry of the humblest, the weakest, of His children?

Alas! have we not to acknowledge that many a time in our distress — we have looked for help only to men? We have made our appeal to them, believing that they could deliver us, and we have wondered that the sickness was not removed — the disease not cured.

Asa's sin was not his having applied to the physicians — but his having neglected, first of all, "to seek the Lord." We have been guilty, not in having had recourse to means — but intrusting solely to their efficacy.

Whatever is our danger or disease, we can only hope for deliverance by immediately crying to our God for help. For is not this the end He has in view? He does not visit us with sore calamity, only to scare and frighten us away from Him — but that our danger may drive us to Him. He permits terror to lay hold upon us — that we may take refuge in His arms. He allows our faith to fail — that we may cling more confidingly to His almighty arm. He delays the removal of disease — that we may become more importunate in prayer — that we may become more patient, resigned, and submissive to His will. When these ends are accomplished — He speaks the word, He dispels our fears, He grants our desires, He answers our prayers.

"The cry of distress." Oh! who but a doubting, faithless one would ever imagine that the God of love would be indifferent when it came "into His ears?" He, our Father, our covenant-God — He "who has not spared His own Son — but delivered Him up to the death for us," shall He refuse to hear our cry when danger or calamity threatens to overwhelm us? Away with such doubts! "The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me," was the assurance of the Savior to His disciples; and still the same words are true regarding all who love the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in love, that He lays His hand upon us — in love that He seems to deny our prayers — in love that He delays to send "help out of Zion." The Father of mercies is evermore compassionately intent upon the sufferings of His dear children — according to the depth and poignancy of their afflictions.

Our "cry of distress" He has indeed heard — but He delays to answer it, that we may learn to persevere in asking — that the passionate fervency of unchastened prayer may be deepened into the strong breath of humble supplication — that patience may have her perfect work — that we may still "wait upon the Lord, who hides His face" — that we may grow to trust His love, to know what He is to us, yes, what He is to all who wait upon Him. Oh! it is not that His ear is heavy, it is not that the tenderness of His sympathy is blunted — it is a part of His plan of faithfulness and wisdom. He is training His children — training them for the greatest dignity and the highest happiness.

And He best knows how to do it. We might rather choose comfort, health, an immediate answer to all our prayers; but we must be taught that holiness is of more importance than comfort; that fellowship with God more precious than health; and that "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom." We must be brought to an entire and willing surrender of the soul to Him, that, in His own way, and by His own methods — He may cleanse it, may strengthen it, may renew it, may dwell in it, make it His eternally!

Suffering child of God! does your heart fail you? have you raised "the cry of distress," and received no answer, and are you beginning to doubt the love, the faithfulness of God? Oh, trust in Him still! He has heard you — your cry did enter into His ears. Cast yourself in the full assurance of faith upon Him — and all shall be well. It is He himself, who has stirred up your soul in the hour of extremity to call upon Him; and He has stirred you up to call — because He means to grant your desire, and this is His way of granting it. He has let this danger threaten you — -that you may draw nearer to Him — that you may open to Him your grief, your anxiety, your difficulties — that you may show Him your need — that you may plead with Him by His covenant of tears — and, flying from all others, and even from yourself — hide in His bosom.

Oh! you do not love yourself better than He loves you! You can not shrink from pain more than He dislikes your bearing it. And if He permits it still to continue, it is that a greater good may result to you in bearing it — that your heart may receive and retain deeper and sharper impressions of the likeness of your Lord. Oh, then, count the season of suffering a precious, blessed season, though it be dim and overcast — a season of promise and springing freshness — a token of His nearness, and of His purpose to cleanse you for His own — "Blessed are you who weep now."

He who is greatly tried, if he is learning obedience after the example of his Lord, is not far from the kingdom of God. Our heavenly Father is perfecting His own work — tracing the divine lineaments with His wise and gentle hand. He who perfected His own Son through sufferings, has brought many sons to glory by the same rough road, even by "the way of the wilderness and of the flood." He is bringing you home to Himself. Do not, then, shrink because the path is broken and solitary — because at times the cry of distress, "Lord, help me," is not answered by a word — for the way is short, and the end blessed, and your every footstep is marked by an eye of love — your every supplication "enters into the ears" of the Lord God Almighty. He knows your every prayer for guidance, deliverance, and help — your every effort to bear patiently and contentedly what He has laid upon you, and to profit by the visitation — to hear the rod, and Him who appointed it — to yield yourself always meekly, as the redeemed of Christ, to the hand of God, as of a loving Father. All these things, which man can never know, are known and valued by Him.

Still hope, still struggle on, still feel assured that you are not under a harsh rod of vindictive infliction — but under the watchful care of a "Father in heaven," who mingles for you joy and sorrow, as He sees best for you, and who will "neither fail you nor forsake you."

O merciful God, who sees all my weakness, and the troubles I labor under — have regard unto the prayer of Your servant, who now implores Your comfort, Your direction, and Your help. Grant me grace neither to grieve nor repine under this, Your chastisement. May I be enabled to regard my troubles as an exercise of my faith, and patience, and humility — and may I improve all my afflictions to the good of my soul, and to Your glory. You alone know what is best for me. Let me never dispute Your goodness or wisdom — but ever trust Your heart, even when I cannot trace Your hand. Oh, help me, good Lord, that I may cheerfully suffer and obediently do Your will, and choose what You chose, and observe the ways of Your providence, and revere Your judgments, and wait for Your mercy, and delight in Your dispensations, and expect that all things shall work together for good to those who love You. Grant this, O Father, through Jesus Christ our blessed Savior. Amen.

VAIN IS THE HELP OF MAN

Encouragements to Patient Waiting

by John MacDuff, 1864

"Do not put your trust in mortal men, in whom there is no help." — Psalm 146:3

In one sense, we are very dependent on each other. How does the infant cling to the arm of its mother! and how do we in sickness trust to the care and kindness of a faithful attendant! In every relation of life, we are comforted, upheld, sustained by those around us — and especially is this the case in the family of Christ. Every member feels it is his solemn duty to support the weak — to gladden the sorrowful — to console the mourner. If he does not, he has not the mind of Christ — he has not been drinking in the spirit of Him who came "to bind up the broken-hearted, and to pour the balm of consolation into the wounded spirit."

The help we are sometimes privileged to give one another, is very precious. The kindly look — how often has it chased sadness from the brow, even as the bright ray of sunshine chases the dark cloud from the heavens! The word of sympathy — how often has it sounded in the secret chambers of the soul — awakening gladness, where all was silence and gloom! And who shall tell how often God's sweet promises, whispered gently by the sick-bed, have calmed and tranquilized the troubled soul, even as of old, the words of Jesus, "Peace, be still," soothed the tempestuous billows — so that "immediately there was a great calm."

But in another and higher sense, it is true that "vain is the help of man!" We can only effectually help each other — when we are "instruments in God's hand." He makes use of us as His servants, and when we feel and realize our responsibility as such, then our feeble efforts are blessed, and we become "sons of consolation." Apart from this, of what avail is it that the physician prescribes; or that the minister visits the chamber of sickness? Health will not return at the bidding of the one — nor comfort flow from the exhortations of the other. It matters not that there is the exercise of the highest skill, and the utterance of the most thrilling eloquence. Still the burden of disease will bear down the body — and the load of anxiety oppress the spirit. But when the Divine blessing is given, and the Spirit pours forth His promised influence — all is changed. The pulse beats again with health — the soul is freed from its agitations and alarms!

Shall I, then, "trust in the son of man?" No, rather, shall I trust in Him who alone "has the issues of life and death!" My heart may be filled with gratitude and love to those who have been the "instruments in God's hand," and they may become dear to me — even as my own flesh; but I will not "put my trust" in them — I will look higher far — to Him who has promised to watch over me with a Father's care — and whose power nothing can withstand. I will look to Him who is seated as my Advocate and Elder Brother at the Father's right hand, and who has promised to 'undertake for me,' and to plead, in my behalf, the merits of His own most precious blood. I will look to Him who alone can carry home the truth to my heart, even the Comforting Spirit — at whose bidding, doubt and fear must vanish, and hope and joy take possession of my soul.

 Yes, suffering child! it is ever well to look beyond the creature — to realize the fact that only one Arm is all-powerful — only one Heart is all-loving — only one Ear is always open — only one Eye is never closed — and that to Him, and Him alone, "the secrets and sorrows, the wants and desires of the heart," are known. Just as far as we trace God's hand in what our fellow-creatures do in our behalf, earthly love and sympathy and kindness will be helpful and comforting to us. When we forget or overlook this — we will fail to derive any benefit, or any lasting comfort from their efforts.

 Besides, there are needs of the soul, and extremities of suffering and trial — when human help is utterly unavailing. It cannot come close enough to us. It cannot reach the seat of anguish. There are inner depths in our souls, of which we are at times painfully conscious, where only one Voice can be heard. God sometimes permits anxiety, fear, anguish — that we may be driven to Him by finding, short of Him, "no help in man." He would have us make Him our confidence, our refuge, our strength. He would have us know Him as our Father and friend — not know about Him — but know Him. It is this for which we are training. It is this which God is teaching us during our earthly sojourn — by disappointments and sorrows — by sickness and trial and bodily infirmities — by dangers without and fears within, by sore and agonizing extremities where human help cannot reach us — by one and all, He is drawing us to Himself and bidding us put all our trust in Him, "to acquaint ourselves with Him and be at peace."

And, surely, it is a comforting and blessed thought, that "He cares for us" — that all our concerns are important in His sight. Our fellow-men may refuse their sympathy — He never will. They may be distant from us in the hour of need — He is "a present help in the time of trouble." They may be occupied and engrossed with self — His ear "is ever open to ourcry." They may become wearied of helping us — He is ever "touched by our infirmities," and ever ready to heal our woes. Let us, then, with feelings of increasing love and gratitude, as we meditate on the care of our heavenly Father, reveal to Him all our wants and weaknesses, all our sorrows and anxieties, all our sins and shortcomings; assured that, of His infinite mercy, He will bestow upon us pardon, peace, help, hope, and joy.

 Heavenly Father, I would draw near unto You with humble confidence, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I thank You for all Your past goodness, for Your watchful providence, Your unceasing care. I bless You for the gracious offers of mercy which You have given me, and I pray that You would enable me to place all my confidence in Him whom You have sent to seek and save the lost. Oh, may His precious blood wash out the dark stain of sin from my soul. Blessed Savior, make me Yours in heart and soul. Oh, give me Your Spirit. Purify my nature and impress Your image on my heart.

 Help me, O Lord, in this time of sickness, to look up to You as my only help. Keep me from all repining thoughts, and in remembrance of Your past loving-kindness, help me now to trust in Your goodness and to submit to Your will. Make me patient, humble, and resigned, and enable me to bring forth more fruit to Your glory. Strengthen me ever, to show the power of Your grace — in my humility, gentleness, love, and gratitude, to all who help my infirmities and show kindness to me. May I ever regard them as instruments in Your hands, and able to bring me comfort according to Your pleasure. Give me, O God, a simple, entire dependence upon You — and enable me in all things to commit my way unto You, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

THE CHASTENING ROD

Encouragements to Patient Waiting

by John MacDuff, 1864

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty." — Job 5:17

 

Happiness! How little does the word mean when used in its ordinary sense! We generally esteem those happy — who enjoy uninterrupted health, and are apt to imagine that all happiness is gone when they are laid on a bed of sickness. But it is not so! To many of God's children, the time of sore trial has been a time of peace and joy — a time to which they have looked back with the deepest gratitude. Not that sickness is in itself desirable — but it is precious. In the buoyancy of health — when our sky is clear — our sun shining brilliantly — and our hearts are full of hope — oh, how prone are we to forget our true character of "strangers and pilgrims" here on earth! How insidiously does the world entwine itself around our heart-strings! And how slowly do we advance in our heavenward journey! But when the sky is darkened, and the heavy clouds are rolling overhead — when we are laid prostrate — weak and helpless — then is it that we are brought to realize the frailty of our nature, and to become conscious of the truth that this world is not our rest — because it is polluted!

 

In the midst of our heedlessness — God summons us to an audience. He who knows the secrets of all hearts, has seen that within us which must be corrected. He has discovered us wandering — and He would bring us back. He has watched us paying our homage to the creature — and He would remind us of our duty to Him — the Creator. He has noticed the gradual yielding of the heart's affections to things "seen and temporal" — and He would have us give more earnest heed to the things "unseen and eternal."

 

"Happy is the man whom God corrects." Yes, assuredly, because it is a proof that He cares for us. We are not left to wander on without a father's care, but when our steps are fast nearing dangerous ground — His hand of love is outstretched; when we are likely to stumble on the dark mountains — He points to the path of safety; when the siren voice is alluring us further and further away — He summons us back, and Himself condescends to become our Guide. But He will not commune with us in the midst of our heedlessness and folly. He must first draw us aside — away from the scenes in which we foolishly delighted, away from the companions who were making us as worldly as themselves — away even from our daily occupation — He would have us be alone with Him!

 

We are laid on a sick-bed — health vanishes like a dream, friends begin to look anxious — and we are made to pass through days and nights of weariness and pain. All nature wears a gloom around us. The sun still shines — but, for us, he is draped in sadness; the flowers still bloom — but we cannot enjoy their fragrance; the seasons change — but they seem ever tending towards dreary winter.

 

This is the trial-time of sickness. There is much to be endured — much to be struggled against. Hard thoughts enter into the soul — tempting, sinful, unholy thoughts — which would lead us to question God's goodness and mercy — as if He took delight in the sufferings and sorrows of His children.

 

At such a time, there is little peace or comfort — and often those who wish to advise and comfort, come too soon. We cannot, as yet, feel that "all is well;" — we are not, as yet,happy in being corrected. They would have us at once "be of good cheer," but it may not be.

 

God does not intend that we should be happy yet. We must be brought to solemn thought — to heart-searching — to earnest, importunate prayer. The love of the world must be weakened; the cords which knit our heart-strings must be snapped asunder; the longings for earth's giddy joys must be driven from the soul — before we can have the "happiness"of a corrected child! But when again we turn "with our whole heart to the Lord," feeling not only that it is a "Father's hand" which has been laid on us — but that that "Father" desires by this correction to draw us more closely to Himself — then does He impart His promised peace; then does He give strength to bear meekly the burden laid upon us; and then, above all, is the blessed assurance realized, "Fear not, I am still with you — I will never leave you, nor ever forsake you."

 

Oh! who shall say that the "chastening time" is not a precious one — when such is the blessed result? Who will for a moment doubt the happiness of the tried one, when thus "the light of his Father's countenance has been lifted up," and the Lord has "strengthened him upon the bed of languishing?"

 

Fellow-sufferers! we may not have realized this blessed condition as ours; we may be still under the cloud — as yet the struggle may be still going on. Let us not give way to despair. Let us hope on, let us pray for grace to see God's hand in our sickness, to acknowledge that "in faithfulness, He has afflicted us," and to learn those lessons He designs to teach us. Let us wait on the Lord. He will not long delay His coming. In some blessed way He will answer us. If He withholds the blessing of health — He will give the more precious one of His own presence. If He sees fit to continue our pain and suffering — He will impart strength equal to bear them. If He prolongs the time of bodily weakness — He will convey to the soul spiritual nourishment, and "strengthen us with all might in the inner man."

 

Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, to whom belong the issues of life and death — look down with compassion upon Your frail and afflicted servant. Oh, enable me to acknowledge the mercy of Your dispensations, and, without murmuring or doubting — to accept all things as coming from You. Give me strength against all my temptations, and patience under all my sufferings. In the midst of all my fears and anxieties, I would give You thanks for Your sparing mercy. I have grievously sinned, O Lord, and merit Your hot displeasure. But I would cast myself wholly upon Your mercy in Christ Jesus. Oh, hear me in the day of trouble. Send help from Your sanctuary, and strengthen me from Zion. Give me grace, O Lord, in remembrance of Your past loving-kindness — so to trust in Your goodness, to submit to Your wisdom, and meekly to bear what You think fit to lay upon me — that I may be brought to say at the last, "It was good for me that I was afflicted!" Grant this measure of grace unto Your servant for Your Son Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.