Pharisees or Publicans?

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican."
                                                                             Luke 18:10

     Whether we like to admit it or not, all of us are to some degree "Pharisees."  It is interesting to note that the prayer life of an individual is quite indicative of his spiritual stature.  If we are not humble in the presence of God Himself, then there is little hope that we will exhibit humility before men.

     You remember that the Pharisee said in his prayer,  "I fast, I pray, I give tithes."  Those with humble and contrite hearts do not address God in that manner.  Recognizing their innate depravity, true saints give God first place, and put themselves in the background.

     A poor Hottnetot in South Africa visited with a Hollander who always had daily, family devotions.  On this occasion the Dutchman selected the story of the Pharisee and the publican.  The poor savage, whose heart was already awakened, looked earnestly at the reader as he intoned,  "God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men."  "No, I am not but I am worse," whispered the poor savage.  The man read on,  "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."  "I don't do that; I don't pray in that manner.  What shall I do?" whispered the distressed Hottentot.  Finally they came to the part of the publican who  "would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven."  "That's me!"  said the dark-skinned hearer.  "Standing afar off,"  read the other.  "That's where I am,"  said the native.  "But smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner."  "That's me; that's my prayer!"  cried the poor creature, and beating on his breast, he repeated the prayer,  "God be merciful to me a sinner."  Like the publican, he too went down to his own house that day a saved and happy man.

     How much of the Pharisee is still left in you and me?  How much of the publican?

"Bread For Each Day"

I AM YOUR STRENGTH AND SHIELD...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

I AM YOUR STRENGTH AND SHIELD.  I plan out each day and have it ready for you, long before you arise from bed.  I also provide the strength you need each step of the way.  Instead of assessing your energy level and wondering about what's on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Me.  My Power flows freely into you through our open communication.  Refuse to waste energy worrying, and you will have strength to spare.

Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am your Shield.  But unlike inanimate armor, I am always alert and active.  My Presence watches over you continually, protecting you from both known and unknown dangers.  Entrust yourself to My watchcare, which is the best security system available.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

WORSHIP ME ONLY....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

WORSHIP ME ONLY.  Whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your god.  Worries, if indulged, develop into idols.  Anxiety gains a life of its own, parasitically infesting your mind.  Break free from this bondage by affirming your trust in Me and refreshing yourself in My Presence.  What goes on in your mind is invisible, undetectable to other people.  But I read your thoughts continually, searching for evidence of trust in Me.  I rejoice when your mind turns toward Me.  Guard your thoughts diligently; good though-choices will keep you close to Me.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Powder And Paint

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

    "... the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."
                                                                                                                                  I Peter  3:4

     Good morning, ladies!  I do hope you had a good beauty sleep and are ready to be witnesses for Jesus today.  I suppose you spent considerable time n the "powder room" before the  mirror and wasn't it a problem to decide what you were to wear today?  Will it be this dress or that one?  My suede shoes or those open-toed red ones?  Now sit down a moment and let me ask you:  How much time did you take to make yourself attractive to the people you expect to meet today?  But have you taken time to make yourself attractive and acceptable in God's sight?  Peter warns against the extremes of dress and jewelry and cosmetics.  There is no wrong in being well-dressed and clean.  God does not want us to be "sloppy" and "tacky."  But it must be modest.  Are the clothes you wear today such as become a child of God, or the fashions of the world?  Peter says,  "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting of apparel."  Peter is warning against the danger of extremes and living only for the outward.  Dare to be different!  With all your make-up, will people suspect you are a child of God?

     Little Tommy looked at some movies and saw a tribe of Indians painting their faces, and asked his mother the significance of this.  "Indians," his mother answered, "always paint their faces before going on the warpath - before scalping, and tomahawking, and murdering."

     The next evening after dinner, as the mother entertained her daughter's young man in the parlor, Tommy rushed downstairs, wide-eyed with fright.  "Come on, Mother!"  he cried.  "Let's get out quick!  Sister is going on the warpath!"

     The fashion of this world passeth away.

"Bread For Each Day"

The Hedge

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Job 1:10-20
1.)"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright; and one that feared God and shunned evil.  2.) And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.  3.) His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the sons of the east.  4.) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.  5.) And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.  Thus did Job regularly.  6.) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and satan came also among them.  7.) And the Lord said unto satan, Whence comest thou?  Then satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  8.) And the Lord said unto satan,  Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that feareth God and shuns evil?
9.) Then satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nothing?  10.) Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?  thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.  11.) But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.  12.) And the Lord said unto satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.  So satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
13.) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:  14.) And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them:  15.) And the Sabeans attacked and took them away; yeah, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.  16.) While he was yet speaking there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and destroyed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.  17.) While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, and raided the camels, and have carried them away, yeah, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.  18.) While he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:  19.) And, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.  20.) Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,  21.) And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  22.) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

     Job was a "perfect and upright" man - a real saint - and as such he was providentially protected by the "hedge" of angels (Psalm 34:7 and Hebrew 1:14), and the sheltering love of God.  Yet no true servant of the Lord escapes the eye of the adversary.  Satan and his hosts are constantly seeking to trap us and hinder us as we walk the pilgrim pathway to the City of God.  Nothing, however, can harm us or come inside the hedge unless God allows it.  We are guarded on all sides by His presence, for He is before us (Isaiah 48:17); behind us (Isaiah 30:21); to the right of us (Psalm 16:8); to the left of us (Job 23;9); above us (Psalm 36:7); underneath us (Deuteronomy 33:27); and - in his dispensation - even within us (I Corinthians 3:16).  When things which seem adverse happen to us, we must recognize immediately that they come to us with divine permission and definite purpose.

     Austin Dibb, a pastor and true child of God, was once extremely ill.  In his weakened condition, he was severely attacked by the evil one.  "I have had a terrible conflict with the enemy today,"  he said in his quaint way.  "The Devil said,  'Thou hast been my enemy all thy life, Austin, and now I have thee fast, and now I shall have my revenge on thee on the deathbed.'"  "And what did you say to him then, Austin?"  said a friend who had called to comfort him. The old man raised himself upon one elbow and with a loud and vigorous voice exclaimed,  "I said, 'Devil, the Lord hath put a hedge about me, and thou canst not touch me.'"  "What did the evil one say to that?"  asked his friend.  "Nothing!"  replied the venerable old gentleman.  "The old serpent just fled, and I fell into a peaceful sleep!"  From that  moment Austin Dibb had no further doubts, for he recognized his divine security and protection.

     In God's care we too can be at peace, for He keeps "the hedge."

"Bread For Each Day"

TRUST IS A GOLDEN PATHWAY TO HEAVEN...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

TRUST IS A GOLDEN PATHWAY TO HEAVEN.  When you walk on this path, you live above your circumstances.  My glorious Light shines more brightly on those who follow this path of Life.  Dare to walk on the high road with Me, for it is the most direct route to heaven.  The low road is circuitous:  twisting and turning in agonizing knots.  There the air hangs heavy, and dark, ominous clouds predominate.  Relying on your own understanding will weigh you down.  Trust in Me absolutely, and I will make your path straight.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

An Open Door

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

             "...I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it."  Revelation  3:8

     The book of Revelation has much to say about doors - both open and closed.  In Revelation 3:20 Jesus stands outside a closed door knocking for admittance.  In Revelation  4:1 a door is opened in Heaven and John is caught away.  In Revelation 19:11  Heaven is opened again and Jesus comes as conqueror riding upon a white horse.  Today the doors are being closed upon the earth.  Men's hearts are becoming harder and harder.  Thousands of churches have no room for Jesus as the Son of God, Saviour, and Lord.  There are thousands of churches where a sinner could go year after year and never learn how to be saved.  And after a man is truly born again, he would have a hard time getting into one of the "religious social centers."

     A poor simple laborer was wonderfully saved, and soon after felt that he must seek fellowship and identify himself with a church.  There was only one church nearby, a beautiful and impressive building and the "nicest" people.  The minister was a great orator, the choir the finest in the land, the organist of national renown.  The poor man, knowing not he difference, as a babe in Christ, sought membership in this church, but when they saw his threadbare suit, they ignored him.  He tried again and again, only to be ignored.  And then one day (so the legend goes) he met Jesus and told Him of his difficulty.  The Lord gently replied,  "My child, don't let it trouble you;  I Myself have tried to get into that church for years, without success."  It is just a story, but a pointed one.  How much more important to come through Him who said,  "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."  (John  10:9).

"Bread For Each Day"

GIVE UP THE ILLUSION...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

GIVE UP THE ILLUSION that you deserve a problem-free life.  Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties.  This is a false hope!  As I told My disciples, in the world you will have trouble.  Link your hope not to problem solving in this life but to the promise of an eternity of problem-free life in heaven.  Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, pour your energy into seeking Me:  the Perfect One.

It is possible to enjoy Me and glorify Me in the midst of adverse circumstances.  In fact, My Light shines most brightly through believers who trust me in the dark.  That kind of trust is supernatural:  a production of My indwelling Spirit.  When things seem all wrong, trust Me anyway.  I am much less interested in right circumstances that in right responses to whatever comes your way.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

The Cure For Selfishness

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

           "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth."  1 Corinthians  10:24

     The word "wealth" may also be properly translated "welfare."  If you want to lose friends, insist on talking about yourself and your own interests.  If you would win friends, show an interest in their problems and trials. Paul could say:  "Not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many"  (I Corinthians  10:33).  In this, Jesus is our great example,  "For even Christ pleased not himself"  (Romans  15:3).

     There is a tradition connected with the site on which the Temple of Solomon was erected.  It is said to have been occupied in common by two brothers, one of whom had a family, the other did not.  On this spot was sown a field of wheat.  On the evening succeeding the harvest, when the wheat had been gathered in separate shocks, the elder brother said to his wife,  "My younger brother is unable to bear the burden and heat of the day.  I will arise, take some of my shocks and place them in his field without his knowledge."  The younger brother being actuated by the same benevolent motives, said within himself,  "My elder brother has a family, and I have none.  I will arise, take some of my shocks and place them with his."  Imagine their mutual astonishment, when, on the following day, they found their respective shocks undiminished.  This course of events transpired for several nights; then each resolved to stand guard and solve the mystery.  They did so; and on the following night they met each other halfway between their respective shocks with their arms full. Upon ground hallowed by such associations as this was the Temple of Solomon erected - so spacious and magnificent that it became the wonder and admiration of the world!  Alas! in these days how many would sooner steal their brother's whole shock than add to it a single sheaf!

"Bread For Each Day"

IT'S ALL RIGHT TO BE HUMAN...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

IT'S ALL RIGHT TO BE HUMAN.  When your mind wanders while you are praying, don't be surprised or upset.  Simply return your attention to Me.  Rejoice in My Love for you, which has no limits or conditions. Whisper My Name in loving contentment, assured that I will never leave you or forsake you.  Intersperse these peaceful interludes abundantly throughout your day.  This practice will enable you to attain a quiet and gentle spirit, which is pleasing to Me.

As you live in close contact with Me, the Light of My Presence filters through you to bless others.  Your weakness and woundedness are the openings through which the Light of the knowledge of My Glory shines forth.  My strength and power show themselves most effective in your weakness.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Woman's Highest Calling

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

            "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living."
                                                                                                                       Genesis  3:20

     Martin Luther once said,  "When Eve was brought unto Adam, he became filled with the Holy Spirit, and gave her the most sanctified, the most glorious appellation.  He called her Eve, that is to say,  the Mother of all.  He did not style her wife, but simply mother...  In this consists the glory and most precious ornament of a woman."

     Oh, how many today have forgotten that the highest calling of womanhood is to become a saintly, Christian mother.  Attend college, be accomplished in any other field however desirable; yet a young woman has not attained to the pinnacle of success nor ascended to the heights until she has attained to motherhood. The tremendous influence of a godly woman in the family circle cannot be overestimated.

     I remember my father saying that one of the main things that led to his conversion was coming home unexpectedly and finding his mother on her knees audibly pouring out her heart to God for his salvation.

     John Randolph, in speaking of the influence of his Christian mother, said:  "I believe I should have been swept away by the flood of French infidelity if it had not been for one thing, the remembrance of the times when my sainted mother used to make me kneel by her side, take my little hands into hers, and cause me to repeat the Lord's Prayer."

     I doubt not that many mothers will be going on before when the saints of God ascend the golden streets to the throne of glory!

    If you have experienced the hallowing impress of a godly mother, you have been blessed with great spiritual riches.

"Bread For Each Day"

Self-Denial

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                                 ".... let him deny himself."   Luke  9:23

     There is a great difference between "denying self" and "self-denial."  We usually think of self-denial as abstaining from certain things we would like to have or do.  Many people try to reduce in weight by self-denial.  A certain ladies' society in a modernistic church formed a "self-denial missionary club."  One day each month they would practice "self-denial day" and would refrain from cocktails and dancing and the theater, and playing bridge for money, and then they would give the money so saved for the support of missionaries to the poor benighted heathen.  They practiced self-denial but knew nothing about denying self! To deny self is to forget self entirely and think only of others and their welfare, no matter what the cost to self may be.

     A certain man visiting a lighthouse said to the keeper,  "Are you not afraid here?  It is a dreadful place to remain in constantly."  "No,"  replied the man,  "I am not afraid.  We never think of ourselves here."  "Never think of  yourself!  How is that?"  The reply was a good one.  "We know that we are perfectly safe, and only think of having our lamps burning brightly, and keeping the reflectors clear, so that those in danger may be saved."  That is what Christians ought to do.  They are safe in a house built on the Rock which cannot be moved by the wildest storm, and in a spirit of holy unselfishness they should let their light gleam across the dark waves of sin, that they who are in peril may be led into the harbor of eternal safety.  Those who forget themselves in living for others, live for God.

     If the letters which make up the word "self" are reversed and the letter "h" is added, the "flesh" is revealed.  Self is always the flesh in some form.

"Bread For Each Day"

STRIVE TO TRUST ME...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

STRIVE TO TRUST ME in more and more areas of your life.  Anything that tends to make you anxious is growth opportunity.  Instead of running away from these challenges, embrace them, eager to gain all the blessing I have hidden in the difficulties.  If you believe that I am sovereign over every aspect of your life, it is possible to trust Me in all situations.  Don't waste energy regretting the way things are or thinking about what might have been.  Start at the present moment - accepting things exactly as they are - and search for My way in the midst of those circumstances.

Trust is like a staff you can lean on, as you journey uphill with Me.  If you are trusting in Me consistently, the staff will bear as much of your weight as needed.  Lean on, trust, and be confident in Me with all your heart and mind.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Honesty

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

  "Providing for things honest, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."  2 Corinthians  8:21

     Many years ago, when my father was still living, it was my privilege to work with him during the summer months.  Each morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of a local  newspaper which we would read at "coffee break."  One morning when we got to work my father found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one, as the edition was extremely thin that day.  He thought first of paying the man the extra price for the paper the following morning, but then, after a moment's consideration, he said,  'No, I had better go back with this paper, for someone will no doubt lose out on their morning news, and also I do not want Mr. K ---, who is not a Christian, to think that I am dishonest."  He got into his car, rode back to the store, and returned the additional newspaper.  About a week later a robbery occurred in this same grocery. When they figured back the time when it could have happened, only two people had been in the store during that period:  my dad,and another man!  The grocer immediately eliminated my father from consideration.  He said,  "That man is really honest.  He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he got by mistake.  It must be the other customer who is the thief."  The police apprehended the culprit, who soon made a full confession.  Father's honesty and Christian character had borne fruit.  He had made an impression upon the worldly storekeeper.  His actions had also left an indelible mark upon my young and pliable mind.

     The late Dr. Will Houghton used to tell of a soldier who became a Christian through watching a believer who was also a serviceman.  The thing that impressed him was the fact that although the other men of the regiment made fun of this Christian, they always left their money in his possession for safe keeping!  How important to provide things honest in the sight of all men!  Say, does your Christian walk square with your Christian talk?

"Bread For Each Day"

Double Vision

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

 " ... if therefore thine eye be single, they whole body shall be full of light."  Matthew  6:22

     To be "single-eyed" does not mean to see with only one eye, but it means that both eyes see the same thing.  The normal eye is so constructed that the image of the thing looked at is transmitted to the brain in such a way that both images from both eyes are blended perfectly together and appear as one.  In certain diseases this perfect balance is disturbed and the patient has "double vision."  He sees two objects where there is really only one.  It is a serious and dangerous thing, interfering with walking and picking up things. To walk safely the eye must be single.  If we are to walk worthy of Christ we must see only Him.  Walking with one eye on Him and another on the world will make us stumble and fall, for Jesus says, in explaining the single eye,  "no man can serve two masters."

     A friend of mine has a dog so trained that he can hold a piece of juicy steak right before the dog's eyes and within a few inches of his nose.  He says,  "Don't touch,"  and the hungry dog remains motionless with the tempting aroma filling his nostrils.  But the command,  "No!  Don't touch"  is obeyed, and for minutes not a move toward the meat is made.  Finally, I noticed the secret.  The dog never once looked at the meat, but all the while looked straight into the face of his master.  He has a "single" eye and and overcame temptation by keeping his eye on his master.

     Beware of the compromise of sin.  If your eyes are on Him you will walk in the light.  Don't put out the light by seeing double.  A drunkard staggering home one night found a candle left burning for him by his wife. "Two candles," said the poor drunk, for his drunkenness made him see everything double.  "I will blow out just one of the two,"  said he, and as he blew it out he found himself in total darkness.  Sin and compromise will rob you of the "single eye."  Today keep your eyes on Him!

"Bread For Each Day"

SEEK MY FACE...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

SEEK MY FACE, and you will find more than you ever dreamed possible.  Let Me displace worry at the center of your being.  I am like a supersaturated cloud, showering Peace into the pool of your mind.  My Nature is to bless.  Your nature is to receive with thanksgiving.  This is a true fit, designed before the foundation of the world.  Glorify Me by receiving My blessings gratefully.

I am the goal of all your searching.  When you seek Me, you find Me and are satisfied.  When lesser goals capture your attention, I fade into the background of your life.  I am still there, watching and waiting; but you function as if you were alone.  Actually, My Light shines on every situation you will ever face.  Live radiantly by expanding your focus to include Me in all your moments.  Let nothing dampen your search for Me.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Patient Waiting On God

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                    "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage."  Psalm  27:14

     We are all so much in a hurry!  We live in an impatient age  Yet the best things that God has for us often take time to mature, and we must patiently wait on God at such occasions and not run before Him. Someone has said,  "Give God time, and even when the knife flashes in the air, the ram will be seen in the thicket.  Give God time, and even when Pharaoh's host is on Israel's heels, a path through the waters will be suddenly opened.  Give God time, and when the bed of the brook is dry, Elijah shall hear the Guiding Voice."

                                                            God's delays are not denials;
                                                                You will find Him true,
                                                            Working through the hardest trials
                                                                What is best for you.

     We are told to "run with patience" the race which is set before us.  George Matheson has a wise observation in regard to this.  He said,  "We commonly associate patience with lying down.  We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid.  Yet there is a patience which I believe to be harder - the patience which can run.  To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something which implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under a stroke; to have a great weight at your heart and still to run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks.  It is a Christ-like thing!  The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in bed, but in the street."  To wait is hard, to do it with "good courage" is harder!

     Do not try to hasten the unfolding of God's bud of promise; you will only spoil the perfect flower.  "In patience possess your soul."

"Bread For Each Day"

COME TO ME.....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

COME TO ME, and rest in My loving Presence.  You know that this day will bring difficulties, and you are trying to think your way through those trials.  As you anticipate what is ahead of you, you forget that I am with you - now and always.  Rehearsing your troubles results in experiencing them many times, whereas you are meant to go through them only when they actually occur.  Do not multiply your suffering in this way! Instead, come to Me, and relax in My Peace.  I will strengthen you and prepare you for this day, transforming your fear into confident trust.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

MY FACE IS SHINING UPON YOU....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

MY FACE IS SHINING UPON YOU, beaming out Peace that transcends understanding.  You are surrounded by a sea of problems, but you are face to Face with me, your Peace.  As long as you focus on Me, you are safe.  If you gaze too long at the myriad problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens.  When you start to sink, simply call out  "Help me, Jesus!"  and I will lift you up.

The closer you live to Me, the safer you are.  Circumstances around you are undulating, and there are treacherous-looking waves in the distance.  Fix your eyes on Me, the One who  never changes.  By the time those waves reach you, they will have shrunk to proportions of My design.  I am always beside you, helping you face today's waves.  The future is a phantom, seeking to spook you.  Laugh at the future!  Stay close to Me.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

The First One Of Your Kind

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:   "Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

This is from the website:  Biblepaedia.

---

Note:  This post was originally written in January 2013 on the 40th anniversary of Rowe V Wade, and I will repost it every year to show that neither Republican or Democratic parties have any intention to EVER stop the murder of babies in this country.

As this week marks the 40th anniversary of Rowe V. Wade, the landmark ruling that allowed abortion in this country, I thought it fitting to answer (c)hristian’s who may think that they can be fed God’s word and the mammon of the world.

There are many places in the Bible that talks about children, just conceived, being a living being. For instance, when Jesus was conceived, when John the Baptist was conceived, when Abraham was told Isaac would be conceived, etc, etc.

However, I would like to talk about Psalm 139. One of the last Psalms, it let’s us know that God knew us before we were formed. If you don’t believe a “fetus” (a term used, by the way, to try and convince you it is not a human life) is “viable” until a certain age, then let’s let King David tell us:

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb“

Yes, God knew you when you were in your mother’s womb. Before you had become conscience of your “self” (another scientific term), God KNEW you. Individually. Personally.

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Well said, as we are made in the image of God and we ARE wonderfully made!

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
— Genesis 1:26

“You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands“
— Hebrews 2:7

“For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour“
— Psalm 8:5

And how far back did God know you? Well, Psalm 139:15 tell us that God KNEW YOU before you were even conceived, and were drawn up into your mother and father by the substance (food) they ate from the earth, which in turn, grew from the “lowest parts of the earth” (i.e., the soil and rocks):

“My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.“

The verse above, by the way, is a good example of Genesis 2:7 and 3:19 where Adam is told he will return from where he came (the dust of the Earth) and also why, until after the flood, we were all vegetarians (Genesis 1:29)

The Psalmist then states that God knew him before he was formed, (i.e., unperfect), and that all the parts of him were placed in the book (i.e., God’s record) when he did not physically exist yet!

“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them“

Now, all Christian’s know that God has a special love of children and babies. Jesus says that if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven, we have to become like children and babies, because like them, we have to be innocent and pure of heart. It is also a warning that anyone who harms a child or baby will suffer the ultimate punishment:

“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?“
“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,”
“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
“And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”
“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.“
— Matthew 18:1-6

“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven“
— Matthew 18:10

And just so we cannot dispute Jesus love of children:

“Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. “
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 19:14

But what of the argument that a “fetus” is not “viable” until it is “delivered” outside and detached from, the mother? Well, Luke has something to say about that:

Mary, the mother of Jesus, went to see Martha, pregnant with John the Baptist, and Martha was six months pregnant (Luke 1:36), yet when the babe hears Mary greet Martha:

“And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.“
— Luke 1:36

“And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;”
“And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth“
“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:“
— Luke 1:39-41

And just so we are clear that John the Baptist was a human child inside the womb, look at what the angel of the Lord (Gabriel) says to his father, Zacharias, when announcing John’s impending arrival in Martha’s womb:

“For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.“
— Luke 1:15

Finally, who is it that agree with the “freedom of choice”? Why, Satan, of course, the Lord of the Flies, and the hater and enemy of all mankind. It is through his worship that child sacrifice was performed throughout history (see my postings on Nimrod, Hazor, and others for evidence of this).

It is in this same vein that the unborn child is “sacrificed” (whether for convenience, quality of life, rationalization that they aren’t ready to be a mother), with no less dire consequences.

You can be sure, according to the Bible and our Lord Jesus Christ, that “…in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven…” and that God will view the destruction of their mortal bodies as a ultimate crime against Him.

Yes, it is true, women have a “choice” in the matter, but it is not simply a lifestyle choice, it is one that will haunt them for ETERNITY, as the taking of an innocent life (no matter how you rationalize it) is the worst thing you can do in God’s eyes. And as for it being “their body, and they can do whatever they want with it”, it was with a MAN that they created the child, and besides, God says that each of us is bought with a price, and our body is NOT our own.  I do not expect a non-believer, or (c)hristian to agree with this statement. But any person who professes they are a Christian cannot allow themselves to drink of the Devil’s cup of lies…

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” –1 Corinthians 6:19-20

---

PSALM 139:

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 
Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Because

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                      "....because the Lord loved you...."     Deuteronomy  7:8

     Do you know the best reason in the world for anything is "BECAUSE"?  It is the end of all questions and argument.  When I was a boy and asked mother for something I wanted, she would often say "No."  This always called for a "Why" from me, and invariably ended in mother's answer "BECAUSE."  That settled it!  Mother said "BECAUSE."  I was yet too young to understand, and so the only satisfactory answer was "BECAUSE."  Someone has said that "because" is a woman's reason; and if it is, it is the best reason in the world.  You can answer more questions in less time with a final, conclusive, unquestionable "BECAUSE," than with anything else.  Of course we don't know why, it's just "BECAUSE."  None of us can give a good reason why we do anything.  We do it "BECAUSE."

    Why did you fall in love with your wife?  I challenge you to give a single good reason except "BECAUSE."  Don't tell me it was because she was the most beautiful woman.  I challenge that statement!  I married the most beautiful one!  And why?  "BECAUSE."  Why do you like to play golf, but detest mowing the lawn?  No man can give a good reason for preferring ginger ale to root beer, or beef to pork.  It is just your opinion and a thousand others will disagree with you.  Be honest - it's just "BECAUSE."

     But's God's reason for doing as He does is also just "BECAUSE."  He does not have to give a reason.  All we need do is believe it.  There is a verse in Deuteronomy 7:7 which will illustrate the validity of the "BECAUSE."  He says to Israel, "The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people but BECAUSE the Lord loved you."  Why did God love you?  Listen!  He loved you BECAUSE He loved you.  That's reason enough!  Do you want a better reason?  There is none. Why?  BECAUSE!"

"Bread For Each Day

LET ME BLESS YOU...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

LET ME BLESS YOU with My grace and Peace.  Open your heart and mind to receive all that I have for you.  Do not be ashamed of your emptiness.  Instead, view it as the optimal condition for being filled with My Peace.

It is easy to touch up your outward appearance, to look as if you have it all together.  Your attempts to look good can fool most people.  But I see straight through you, into the depths of your being.  There is no place for pretense in your relationship with Me.  Rejoice in the relief of being fully understood.  Talk with Me about your struggles and feelings of inadequacy.  Little by little, I will transform your weaknesses into strengths. Remember that your relationship with me is saturated in grace.  Therefore, nothing that you do or don't do can separate you from My Presence.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

TRY TO VIEW EACH DAY....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

TRY TO VIEW EACH DAY as an adventure, carefully planned out by your Guide.  Instead of staring into the day that is ahead of you, attempting to program it according to your will, be attentive to Me and to all I have prepared for you.  Thank Me for this day of life, recognizing that it is a precious, unrepeatable gift. Trust that I am with you each moment, whether you sense My Presence or not.  A thankful, trusting attitude helps you to see events in your life from My perspective.

A life lived close to Me will never be dull or predictable.  Expect each day to contain surprises!  Resist your tendency to search for the easiest route through the day.  Be willing to follow wherever I lead.  No matter how steep or treacherous the path before you, the safest place to be is by My side.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

The Eyes Of God

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

    "The eyes of the Lord are in every  place, beholding the evil and the good."  Proverbs  15:3

   There is nothing hid from God.  Hagar was all alone in the desert but still could say,  "Thou God seest me" (Genesis 16:13).  If we could only live in the realization that God sees all we do, and hears all we say, and knows all our thoughts, it would keep us from many a sin and mistake.  Samuel said,  "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart"  (1 Samuel 16:7).  God never sleeps.  David says, "He that keepeth thee will not slumber"  (Psalm  121:3).  This is both a comforting and a disturbing thought.  It is a comfort to the child of God to know that a loving Father is watching constantly over him.  But is also a disturbing thought for the sinner and the Christian who is not walking uprightly before Him.

     The modern inventions of men have made it much easier to understand the great truth that God sees all. For example, some weeks ago there was flashed on the television screen a picture of an actual operation on the heart of a man.  You could see the heart pulsating, watch the graph of the pulse beats, the fluctuations in blood pressure and the rate of respiration.  The operation was being performed 1500 miles away, yet by means of television it could be seen in our homes as though we were actually present.  We marvel at this:  but there is not a throb of the human heart unknown to God.  He sees it all.  What a solemnizing thought to know that, today, our every act, word, and thought is being noticed by Him.  If He were standing right behind me now as I write these words, looking over my shoulder, He would not be any nearer than He actually is.  In one of the offices of the Class hangs a sign:  "You are being watched!"  O Lord our God, help us today to do nothing which we would hide from Thee whose "eyes behold, and eyelids try, the children of men"  (Psalm  11:4).

"Bread For Each Day"
This book has a copyright date of 1962.  If you're interested in how much further we've come with technology, check out this video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-YeEgq5sO7NNm90dVp3WU55ODg/view

SOFTLY I ANNOUNCE MY PRESENCE.

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

SOFTLY I ANNOUNCE MY PRESENCE.  Shimmering hues of radiance tap gently at your consciousness, seeking entrance.  Though I have all Power in heaven and on earth, I am infinitely tender with you.  The weaker you are, the more gently I approach you.  Let your weakness be a door to My Presence. Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever-present Help.

Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity.  Hope is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven.  The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens; thus, you are lightened.  Heaviness is not of My kingdom.  Cling to hope, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Don't Just Stand There!

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

             "...speak unto the children of Israel, that they GO FORWARD."  Exodus  14:15

     Yes, go forward because you can't turn back.  The year just gone cannot be recalled, its journey cannot be retraced, its mistakes cannot be undone, but we can go forward.  This was the Lord's command to Israel soon after they left Egypt.  They were saved, but it was not the end of the journey.  Forward!  March!  That was the order.  It took faith.  To the right and left lay a howling wilderness, and behind them was the host of the Egyptians pressing upon them.  Where else could they go but forward?  But it must be in faith, because the way ahead was also blocked by the waters of the Red Sea.  But orders were orders - and when they obeyed, the Lord divided the sea and they passed safely through while their pursuers perished in the waters.

     This new year must be a year of going forward and not just standing still.  I would direct my words to new converts to Jesus.  For you a new spiritual year has begun, but your conversion was only the beginning, just as the birth of a baby is only the first step to maturity.  The order now is Forward!  March!  You may be faced with impassable seas and unscalable mountains, but your Captain goes before.  Set your aims high - don't be content with average progress.  Make the most of your talents!

     An Arabian prince received a new sword, and one of his friends found fault saying,  "The sword is too short"; but he wisely replied,  "To a brave man no sword is too short.  If it be too short, take one step forward and it will be long enough."  Forward, march, this year - Don't just stand there - do something!  Bon voyage!

  "If you cannot do great things, you can at least do small things in a great way!"

"Bread For Each Day"

EVERY TIME YOU AFFIRM YOUR TRUST...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

EVERY TIME YOU AFFIRM YOUR TRUST IN ME, you put a coin into My treasury.  Thus you build up equity in preparation for days of trouble.  I keep safely in My heart all trust invested in Me, with interest compounded continuously.  The more you trust Me, the more I empower you to do so.

Practice trusting Me during quiet days, when nothing much seems to be happening.  Then when storms come, your trust balance will be sufficient to see you through.  Store up for yourself treasure in heaven, through placing your trust in Me.  This practice will keep you in My Peace.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

He Fights For Us

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

    "...In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."                                                                                                                                        Isaiah  30:15

     Israel was in trouble, and instead of turning to the Lord for help, they tried to solve their own problems and turned to Egypt for help.  They are reminded that the battle is the Lord's if they will but trust Him.  "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."  We need to learn our own weakness before we can appreciate His strength, and often the Lord lays us aside for awhile to teach us this lesson.

     How many of you, during your days of health, felt that you were indispensable?  You were convinced that if anything happened to you, everything would go wrong. You had to be there.  You rushed and fretted and hurried around and then the Lord, probably to rebuke you, laid you aside, and you found out to your surprise that they got along as well without you.  God saw you through experiences which you thought you could never endure.  You learned that God can undertake and do things far beyond comprehension!  Zechariah  4:6 says:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

     Are you one of God's shut-ins?  Did you have to learn some of these hard lessons?  Ah, then your life has been enriched, and I know that even now you can praise God for His wonderful dealings.

     A gardener planted a flower bush beside the wall of his garden, cared for it, watered it, and nourished it, but - no flowers.  And then he noticed a flower peeping over the other side of the wall and found the roots of his flower had penetrated under the wall and were blooming luxuriantly on the other side.  Christian, your labor is not in vain.  If you do not see it here - you will find it blooming on the "other side."

"Bread For Each Day"

I AM ABLE...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

I AM ABLE to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine.  Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish.  Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me.  Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark.  The more extreme your circumstances, the  more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation.  Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention.  Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"