But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Mat 10:17-25 STEADFAST UNDER PERSECUTION Likeness to the teacher in wisdom is the disciple’s perfection. "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." "The disciple is not greater than his master." "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master." If that be a true principle, that the best that can happen to the scholar is to tread in his teacher’s footsteps, to see with his eyes, to absorb his wisdom, to learn his truth, we may apply it in two opposite directions. First, it teaches us the limitations, and the misery, and the folly of taking men for our masters; and then, on the other hand, it teaches us the large hope, the blessing, freedom, and joy of having Christ for our Master. Look first at the principle as bearing upon the relation of disciple and human teacher. All such teachers have their limitations. Each man has his little circle of favorite ideas, that he is perpetually reiterating. In fact it seems as if one truth was about as much as one teacher could manage, and as if whensoever God had any great truth to give to the world He had to take one man and make him its sole apostle; so that teachers become mere fragments, and to listen to them is to dwarf and narrow oneself. It is safe to follow Christ absolutely, and Him alone. In following Christ as our absolute Teacher there is no sacrifice of independence or freedom of mind, but listening to Him is the very way to secure that in its highest degree. Turn to the second application of this principle. Likeness to the Master in life is the law of a disciple’s conduct. There is no discipleship worth naming which does not at least attempt that likeness. They whose earthly life is following Christ, with faltering steps and afar off, shall have for their heavenly blessedness, they shall "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Likeness to the Master in relation to the world is the fate that the disciple must put up with. If we are like Jesus Christ in conduct, and if we have received His word as the truth upon which we repose, depend upon it, in our measure and in varying fashions, we shall have to bear the same kind of treatment from the world. If you do not know what it is to find yourselves out of harmony with the world, I am afraid it is because you have less of the Master’s spirit than you have of the world’s. The world loves its own. If you are not of the world, the world will hate you. If it does not, it must be because, in spite of your name, you belong to it. (A. Maclaren, Christian Commonwealth, June 18th, 1885) The Disciple is Not Above His Master That is, you must expect the same treatment which I have received. They have called me, your Master and Teacher, Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (see Mat_12:23-24; Luk_11:14-15; Joh_8:48), and you must expect that they will call all of the family by the same name.
Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Luk 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. Luk 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. Joh 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? “Beelzebub” was a god of the Ekronites. See 2Ki_1:2. The word literally means “the god of flies,” so called because this idol was supposed to protect them from the numerous swarms of flies with which that country abounded. The correct reading here, as in Luk_11:15, Luk_11:18-19; Mar_3:22, is supposed to be, not “Beelzebub,” but “Beelzebul” (Griesbach, Hahn, Robinson, Lexicon) an Aramean form of the word meaning the “god of dung” or “filth.” The name, thus altered by the Jews by changing a single letter, was given to Satan to express supreme contempt and aversion. The Jews seem to have first given to Satan the name of a pagan god, and then, to express their sense of the character of Satan, to have changed that name by altering a single letter so as to express their aversion in the most emphatic manner. By giving the name to Christ, they poured upon him the greatest possible abuse and contempt. (Albert Barnes) My thoughts on these verses: I've listened to many preachers, and teachers of the Bible since my salvation in 1978, and have heard almost none of them preach anything on these verses, especially the TV preachers, with mega churches. It's not hard to understand why. They do not fit the narrative that these false teachers want to portray to the world. They preach a cotton candy message that's another gospel, not the gospel of the cross, and what it really means to preach repentance and discipline, walking in the commandments of God, and seeking to put away the flesh. They may skim over a few verses to make it seem they are legitimate, but they are really seeking to be applauded, popular, and enticing a following, to gain the donations to keep financing them. If they preached these verses, and others like them very often, they'd quickly lose a majority of the people, and they know it. God uses many ways to test someone, and what their motives really are in following Him. He never forces anybody to serve Him, or love Him, but he doesn't tell you any lies either. These verses, and many other's like them, make it very clear what a follower of Christ will have to deal with, and over the years, I've had enough experiences to know His warnings were clear and completely true. Every time I've dealt with the same insults, and mistreatment, it's been a test for me to see whether I'd walk away from Jesus, to follow the crowd, or keep walking on with the Lord. Or, will I give in to the temptation to twist the scriptures, and give a smooth teaching that tickles the ears, and makes people think there's no cost in following Christ. There's no turning back for me, I'm made my choice. There's nothing in this world worth losing His presence, and the assurance of heaven, when this life is done. What this world thinks of me is unimportant, what He thinks of me, is all that matters. I'd rather live under the shadow of His wings, and His approval, than the crowds of the world, or any king of this earth. Lorna Couillard Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 1Kings 18:20-21 "How the pulse quickens as we read the story! In his splendid isolation stands Elijah against king, court, and nation. For three years he has been a hunted fugitive; for three years Jezebel has enjoyed her wicked triumph; but this one man is unsubdued and unsubduable. At last he comes forth from his desert, and he comes like a thunderbolt. He bars the way of the king’s chariot with a gesture, and silences him with one stern accusation: “Thou and thy father’s house have made Israel to sin!” Never was the fearlessness of right so splendidly illustrated, or the impotence of evil so conclusively exposed. The hunter is dumb before his prey; the tyrant quails before his victim. There is a royalty in righteousness before which all other royalty is but tinsel; there is a supremacy in goodness which strikes the wicked dumb. Are you armed with that supremacy? Dare you stand fearless in the right though the heavens fall? Only then is man invulnerable. No one can defeat a man who is in the right. He may be a wild man of the desert and stand in tattered garb, but the chariots of wrong stop at his signal, and kings fear his face. When Elijah says, “Gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel,” Ahab knows he must obey. So to Carmel Israel is gathered; there the broken altars are rebuilt, and there the question of the text is put to the vast multitude, who at last, when the fire of God descends, cry in fearful acquiescence not less than profound conviction, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” (excerpt from Great Texts) Jehovah or Baal The God of this World Takes Various Forms Elijah called the people to decide between two Gods—Jehovah and Baal. This decision has to be made in every age. Now Baal, the male, and Ashtaroth, the female, represented the fertilizing and productive principle in nature, and their worship was that of power. To the more cultivated and refined, it was simply a species of pantheism; to the multitude, it was what one has called “the worship of deified abundance, under a splendid and sensuous ceremonial”; or, as Maurice has put it, “The worship of Baal was the worship of power as distinguished from righteousness.” But we are less concerned with what Baal stood for to the Israelites than with what “the God of this world” means to ourselves. (1) Here is one form. We do not cast him into the form of a graven, or a molten, image; we may not set him up in the “plains of Dura, in the province of Babylon,” but we set him up in London, at the Stock Exchange. We have little images of him in our own houses, and we worship him with the “sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music,” and we call him Money. We are great at the worship of Mammon. People never seem tired of burning incense to wealth. To-day, a man may be so despicable a creature that we would not demean ourselves by touching him with the extreme tip of our little finger. He suddenly becomes heir to ten thousand a year, and to-morrow we are only too glad to get into our carriage and call upon him. What has made the difference? He has become a successful “worshipper of the golden image,” and we, as other high priests of this idolatry, are bound to fraternize with this excellent person. Who is he? “The God of this World.” The Baal of our day. (2) Here is another “God of this world”; we set him up on a lofty tower of ivory, or we put him into one of our superb equipages, and roll him through the street, with a four-in-hand, and we call him Rank! And everybody bows down and worships this God, as he passes along. Look at him there, as he goes along in all his splendor, and the votaries of this world bow down with profound obeisance, and do him honor. (3) Here is another “God of this world”! We deck him with all kinds of silks, satins, and load him with jewelry, and we call him Fashion. We put him in our drawing-rooms; our roués are skillful in his worship, and women are specially devoted to him. If he makes us ridiculous it is no matter. Any kind of eccentricity is pardoned, even though our own tastes condemn us for the form our worship assumes, though our own reason may rise up against it, and we may sometimes say, as we look into our glass, “What a ridiculous, empty-headed, wax doll I have made of myself.” Yet in the very same moment we none the less eagerly offer our incense to the worship of the God that we have made. (4) Here is another God. We beat drums, and we blow trumpets; we deck him in scarlet regimentals; and we write the name Ambition upon his brow, and fall down and worship him. What deity so great as this God? We honor him supremely; we are never tired of speaking about him; poets write of him; and philosophers go out of their way to make themselves ridiculous about him; even ministers of the gospel of peace can become eloquent in sounding forth the praises of what they are pleased to call “glory.” (5) Or it may be we call him Pleasure. He puts on the fool’s mask, and wherever he goes eager crowds of admirers follow him. “There goes the God of this world.” “Have you heard So-and-so? Go and hear him: why, you would die of laughing!” As though it were worthy of the dignity of humanity to lay itself out for levity; as though we were not frivolous enough by nature, but must needs pay our fellow-travelers on the broad road to make us more frivolous than we were before. (Note: Canon Hay Aitken) Elijah and the prophets of Baal And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 1Kings 18:40 To end this devotion I'm going to add my thoughts, and some comments, and how I see it relates to today. I have no doubt, what I say will not be popular.
The world today is full of a level of lying, cursing, and wickedness, that can compare to the days of Elijah. Not only is it considered normal, but, if you speak up against this to any degree you will be met with a tidal wave of vile responses. If you speak up and use the word of God in the manner it's intended, and not whitewashed, in many churches, you will find yourself given the left foot of fellowship and told not to come back. I've had it done to me. You'll be accused of being unloving, bitter, hard to get along with, and a lot more. The name of the game in society is go along, to get along. Be sweet, learn how to tell people how wonderful they are-and it doesn't matter how foulmouthed you are, you can use the most vile curses and still be honored and praised, as long as you never touch the subjects that would expose their crooked, lying conduct. Don't try to speak truth to people who have no desire to know truth-they are very happy being gaslighted, lied to, and scammed, as long as you remain one of them, and fit into their crowd. If you won't follow them or the idolatry their living in, you will very soon find yourself the outsider. This is what Elijah was, and he decided companionship with God, was worth more than the phony sham the people were living for, and separated himself from them, and the prophets of Baal and exposed them. For this, he found himself an enemy of Jezebel and Ahab. At the showdown at Mt. Carmel, he called on God to answer him and consume the sacrifice, to show the people that He was the real God, and expose their idolatry. When God sent the fire down and consumed it-the people fell on their faces. After he killed the over 400 false prophets, Jezebel threatened to have him killed and chased him down to do it. Question: If any preacher/evangelist/prophet-or even just an on fire believer came today, and spoke and acted like Elijah, what would happen to them? They'd be accused of being mentally ill, unstable, irrational, intolerant, violent. They'd be accused of having no love. They'd be tracked, psychoanalyzed, taken into custody, and put behind bars somewhere. This is the difference between what God thinks of those who won't compromise and serve the devil-and what the world thinks of them. There's a lot of innocent people in cages, and prisons, that are in this category today. The increase of hatred of uncompromising Christians today, need to know what the level of hatred is against them, if they don't know it already. What's being done in this country to kill the morals, and faith in God by the government, and the crooked people working in it, is a serious sign of what we are coming up against. Question 2: What do you think this country would be like today, if the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the original laws of this land were enforced the same way they were intended by the Founding Father's of this country, when they put them into place? If the boundary laws of this country were enforced as they were written and put into place-would we be in the crisis we are in now? If the people who are supposed to be the servants of this country were bound by the laws that are in place, and they could not remain in office if they are proved to be corrupt, and inept, would we be on the brink of collapse now? We are a nation saturated with sin, and idolatry, and we are reaping what we have sown. I've been walking with the Lord for over 45 yrs., and seen the rise of hatred for Christians, and the collapse of society-everything is upside down. The trials, and confrontations I've had over the years has caused me to cleave to the Lord Jesus Christ as my only source of companionship, comfort, and a refuge from the deceptions, lies, and attacks from the devil that comes from every direction. If I want to know how to discern truth from error on any subject-I pick up my Bible and find the subject I'm dealing with, and start reading, and praying about it. God has never failed to give me the needed answer. He's proved to me just as he did Elijah, that He is the Only true and Living God. I'll end with this quote by Dr. Cadman: it defines this prophet well- "Elijah was intolerant—narrow, as some would call it. Some things must be narrow in order to do their work. You want a narrow edge on your razor. About the broadest thing in the world is the Desert of Sahara. No Christian should attempt a compromise between wrong and right." Lorna Couillard Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The Resurrection Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Mat 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: Mat 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. Mat 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. Mat 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Mat 28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. Mat 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. Mat 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Mat 28:10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. THE OPEN AND EMPTY TOMB The false message which brought sin into the world, and all our woe, was given first to woman, and by her was communicated to the man. The Resurrection of the Lord, the healing of that early death-wound, was communicated in the same way. From an angel to woman, and from woman to man, and from man to the world came death. From an evil angel, through the link of woman to mankind, the evil tidings spread and covered the earth. From a good angel to woman, and from women to men, and from men to the world came life, the life of the world. It is not much preaching we get from angels’ lips; but there is a little here, and that little very precious. The commission he brought and laid on the two Mary's was, "Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead;" and in order to prepare them for obeying, he said first, "Fear not ye." The angel gave their spirits the cordial before he imposed the race upon their limbs. Besides exhorting them not to fear, he gave them ground to bear their joy: "The Lord is not here; He is risen." The angel knew his part well, for the whole theory of missions is here. To invite the messenger first near, that himself may know that the Lord is risen, and his own soul rejoice in the living Saviour—this it is that will qualify him for going quickly to bring word to the disciples, or to the world, of the Resurrection of Christ. "They did run to bring the disciples word." It was the word within them that impelled them to hasten; it was the word in their heart that made them run with the word on their lips. I detect a grand key-note here. It is not only the message, carefully learned and correctly told; it is not only the faithful witness-bearing, whatever danger may be incurred. Over and above all this there are an eagerness, an enthusiasm, and a haste, in bearing the message of redemption, which are in keeping with the case, and mark the conduct of true disciples in all places and at all times. "The King’s business requireth haste." This is strictly natural; it is a universal law. All great tidings travel quickly, whether they be glad or grievous. Here the tidings were very great; they were charged with life from the dead for the world; it was an instinct irrepressible in those who knew them to break into a run, in order to tell them soon to those whom they concerned. (W. Arnot, The Anchor of the Soul, p. 157) "1. Such as obey the directions of God’s servants, and do use prescribed means that they may meet with Christ, shall find Him ere they be aware. These women meet Christ before they looked for Him; as they went on His errand, Jesus met them. 2. Joyful is the meeting which a soul hath with Christ. 3. A humble sinner may be homely with Christ. 4. Such as believe God’s word in the mouth of His messengers shall find confirmation of it by Christ Himself; for here the Lord bids them do the same things which the angel had commanded before—to carry news to the Apostles. 5. For all that can be said unto us, our faith is still mixed with some doubtings, which breed fear, and Christ only can remove them; therefore saith He here, “Be not afraid.” 6. The weakest of believers are much beloved and esteemed by Christ. “Go, tell My brethren.” 7. The place wherein Christ is most welcome to preach shall be most honoured by His presence. “In Galilee shall they see Me.” 8. Howsoever our Lord be purposed to give sensible satisfaction to His people in due time, yet doth He ever require some belief of His word in the mouth of His servants, and some obedience of faith to go before it; therefore saith He, “Tell them that they go to Galilee,” and addeth, “There shall they see Me.” (David Dickson) LINKS TO EASTER TEACHINGS-VIDEOS The Easter story
https://www.twosparrowsministry.org/home/the-empty-tomb The Easter Story-What Really Happened-Session 1 of 2- Chuck Missler https://youtu.be/a0ynmywdBHE The Easter Story - Part 2 - Chuck Missler https://youtu.be/1paDBWxvZR4 The Truth About Easter-As the world celebrates it- https://youtu.be/pCE1dUoBNuo The Pagan Roots of Easter : https://www.thenightwatchman.org/watchman-blog/april-08th-2020 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Mat 26:49-56 BETRAYED AND FORSAKEN
Fickle Friends Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Mat 26:56
He never deserted them, but they in cowardly fear of their lives, fled from him in the very beginning of his sufferings. This is but one instructive instance of the frailty of all believers if left to themselves; they are but sheep at the best, and they flee when the wolf cometh. They had all been warned of the danger, and had promised to die rather than leave their Master; and yet they were seized with sudden panic, and took to their heels. It may be, that I, at the opening of this day, have braced up my mind to bear a trial for the Lord's sake, and I imagine myself to be certain to exhibit perfect fidelity; but let me be very jealous of myself, lest having the same evil heart of unbelief, I should depart from my Lord as the apostles did. It is one thing to promise, and quite another to perform. It would have been to their eternal honour to have stood at Jesus' side right manfully; they fled from honour; may I be kept from imitating them! Where else could they have been so safe as near their Master, who could presently call for twelve legions of angels? They fled from their true safety. O God, let me not play the fool also. Divine grace can make the coward brave. The smoking flax can flame forth like fire on the altar when the Lord wills it. These very apostles who were timid as hares, grew to be bold as lions after the Spirit had descended upon them, and even so the Holy Spirit can make my recreant spirit brave to confess my Lord and witness for his truth.
What anguish must have filled the Saviour as he saw his friends so faithless! This was one bitter ingredient in his cup; but that cup is drained dry; let me not put another drop in it. If I forsake my Lord, I shall crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame. Keep me, O blessed Spirit, from an end so shameful. (Charles Spurgeon) A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Prov 11:13 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Prov 20:19 Yesterday I needed to do some business. As I opened the door and walked in, a woman came in right behind me and went to a door just to my left, which opened almost immediately and another woman greeted her. As I was waiting to speak with someone else, I overheard them talking, and the woman who opened the door from the left began talking about another woman she had associations with, and made statements against her-that she had once liked her, but she had changed, and now wanted nothing to do with her. The other woman chimed in, also slandering and gossiping against this woman-who wasn't there to defend herself. I had two thoughts, I wondered what they would be saying if she was standing there in front of them, and I wondered what the other side of the story would be, and what she'd have to say about it. How convenient it is, for those who find it juicy entertainment-to cut people to pieces with their tongues, when they aren't there facing them. The Bible has some things to say about this-I'll let the word of God break this down. Tale-bearers Unloading Refuse
The Poison Venom
Notable Quotes to Ponder "Show me the kind of friends you have, and the kind of enemies you have, and I'll show you what kind of person you are."
"People may not like you, but they will know what you are by what you stand for, and live for." Bob Jones Senior SIGNS OF A VERBAL ASSASSIN: 1. At the first sign of weakness, the man of fear will separate himself from you. Putting his own reputation above your relationship. 2. At the first sign of weakness, the bully will start to pounce. Though he might have appeared innocent before, now his true nature comes out. Like sharks swimming in water, they will not bother each other. But when one starts to bleed, all come in for the feast. The bully will often confront you in the presence of others, to maximize your shame. 3. The Assassin will not wait until the first sign of weakness appears, he will actively search out your faults, and delights when he finds one. With the appearance of looking for truth, and defending what is right, he is really a predator at heart. And he will actively spread whatever dirt he finds about you, with everyone, in order to discredit you. 4. But at the first sign of weakness, a friend will not attack you; because out of love, his concern is for your restoration. Then at an appropriate time, will advise you of your mistake. "It is better to be alone than in bad company." George Washington Mat_12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 2Th_3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 1Ti_5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. See also: Pro_12:18, Pro_16:28, Pro_26:20-22; Lev_19:16; Psa_52:2, Psa_64:3-4 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. Psa 55:6-7 Crushing weights give the Christian wings. It seems like a contradiction in terms, but it is a blessed truth. David out of some bitter experience cried: "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest" (Psa_55:6). But before he finished this meditation he seems to have realized that his wish for wings was a realizable one. For he says, "Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee." The word "burden" is translated in the Bible margin, "what he (Jehovah) hath given thee." The saints’ burdens are God-given; they lead him to "wait upon Jehovah," and when that is done, in the exercising of trust, the "burden" is metamorphosed into a pair of wings, and the weighted one "mounts up with wings as eagles. --(Sunday School Times) Paradox of Heaven One day when walking down the street, On business bent, while thinking hard About the "hundred cares" which seemed Like thunder clouds about to break In torrents, Self-pity said to me: "You poor, poor thing, you have too much To do. Your life is far too hard. This heavy load will crush you soon." A swift response of sympathy Welled up within. The burning sun Seemed more intense. The dust and noise Of puffing motors flying past With rasping blast of blowing horn Incensed still more the whining nerves, The fabled last back-breaking straw To weary, troubled, fretting mind. "Ah, yes, ’twill break and crush my life; I cannot bear this constant strain Of endless, aggravating cares; They are too great for such as I." So thus my heart condoled itself, "Enjoying misery," when lo! A "still small voice" distinctly said, "Twas sent to lift you-- not to crush." I saw at once my great mistake. My place was not beneath the load But on the top! God meant it not That I should carry it. He sent It here to carry me. Full well He knew my incapacity Before the plan was made. He saw A child of His in need of grace And power to serve; a puny twig Requiring sun and rain to grow; An undeveloped chrysalis; A weak soul lacking faith in God. He could not help but see all this And more. And then, with tender thought He placed it where it had to grow-- Or die. To lie and cringe beneath One’s load means death, but life and power Await all those who dare to rise above. Our burdens are our wings; on them We soar to higher realms of grace; Without them we must roam for aye On planes of undeveloped faith, (For faith grows but by exercise in circumstance impossible). Oh, paradox of Heaven. The load We think will crush was sent to lift us Up to God! Then, soul of mine, Climb up! for naught can e’er be crushed Save what is underneath the weight. How may we climb! By what ascent Shall we surmount the carping cares Of life! Within His word is found The key which opes His secret stairs; Alone with Christ, secluded there, We mount our loads, and rest in Him. -- Miss Mary Butterfield Fleeing To A Refuge This psalm was suggested by Absalom’s rebellion and Ahithophel’s treachery. But it contains references which, in their full extent, are chiefly applicable to Judas’ treatment of our Lord. The terrors of the unseen, the stealthy tread of the assassin, the treachery of a friend, the drawn sword under unctuous speech-such were the bitter ingredients mingled for this deeply-tried soul. But we have all known something of his disappointment and anguish, and have longed for the swift wings of a dove to escape to the bosom of God.
One of the Puritans says: “My Spouse is ascended higher than the highest heavens, and I, poor soul, am left desolate and disconsolate in this valley of tears. The weight of my weakness and my sins doth so clog and shackle me, so glue and nail me to the earth, that I cannot rise. Let Him descend and give me wings whereby I may ascend.” Who will give-humility. Who will give wings-celerity. Like a dove-innocence. Fly away-aspirations to the Lord, “whom having not seen, we love.” Rest-permanent security. (F.B. Meyer) Psa 57:1 To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psa 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. |
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In this page there will be devotions/poems music and inspirational material The Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:28-32 But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: Act 2:16-18 Resources
Madame Guyon - A Short and Easy Method of Prayer / Christian Audio Book (1 / 2) https://youtu.be/eihZWpAk7y4?si=PQ-_J3Y6i8u-N2Ac Union With God By Jeanne Guyon Chapter 1 Of 7 https://youtu.be/d5AfKS2dFLg?si=VtWAeEurkAddTDpL The Practice of the Presence of God - audiobook Brother LAWRENCE (1614 - 1691)- https://youtu.be/rRAs_BK1NR8?si=hGAL4C829aH7 DKMn Gander Story Poems
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April 2024
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