The Foolish Wise Man

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 when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died."    2 Samuel  17:23

     Ahithophel was one of the counselors of the traitor Absalom, son of King David.  The great King David was in dire straits and Absalom was ready to administer the decisive blow.  So he called in his counselors and asked their advice.  First, he called Ahithophel who gave his advice on how to capture David without destroying his army  (2 Samuel  17:1-4).  But before accepting this advice, another counselor (Hushai) was called in.  His advice was accepted and the counsel of Ahithophel was rejected.  This decision was such a blow to the pride of Ahithophel that he decided to commit suicide.

     Ahithophel was a wise man, for he had found a place within the inner circle of the counselors of Absalom. He was also a good businessman.  Before he committed suicide he was careful to leave his business affairs in good order.  He went home to "set his house in order," which, of course, implies that all his business affairs were in proper order.  Moreover this man was methodical, punctual, and deliberate in all his actions.  Having decided to commit suicide he would do it only in a perfectly proper and honorable (?) way.  Instead of killing himself on the spot, he considers first every detail.  He saddles his ass, he arises, he goes home, he goes to the bank and his attorney and takes care of all his business matters, and then goes and hangs himself.

     What is the lesson?  The wisest man on earth is still a fool unless he is on the side of the Lord Jesus.  Ahithophel with all his fine points was on the side of Absalom instead of David.  Until a man has received Jesus Christ as Lord, he is still a fool and a spiritual suicide, no matter how wise, successful, respected, and prosperous he may be in material things.  Your first business today is to renew your allegiance to you King, lest tragedy over take you.

"Bread For Each Day"

Inexhaustible Grace

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 God of all grace . . . hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus."
                                                                                                                              1 Peter 5:10

     "The God of all grace."  This is an exceeding beautiful title applied to our Father in Heaven.  He has justifying grace for all believers, illuminating grace for every seeker, comforting grace for the bereaved, strengthening grace for the weak, sanctifying grace for the unholy, living grace for the pilgrim, and dying grace for the end of the journey.  Bring hither the pitchers of your need - the grace of God will perfectly conform itself to each specially shaped sorrow and trial.

     The ocean is known by several names according to the shores it washes, but all of it is actually just part of one great flood which makes up two-thirds of the surface of our globe.  We speak of the "Seven Seas" but they actually flow into each other.  So it is with the grace of God; though each one in distress discovers and admires its special adaptation to his need, it is all part of His boundless love!  If there be any virtue, help, and sustenance, it is from Him; for He is truly the God of all grace.

     On the Island of Trinidad there is a crater in an extinct volcano which is completely filled with pitch.  This asphalt is hard enough for folk to walk upon, although here and there gas escapes in bubbles from its surface. Men dig great chunks from this tar-like lake and load train cars full of it to pave the roads of the world.  It is said, however, that no matter how large a hole is made in this Pitch Lake, no cavity will remain after 72 hours, for it immediately fills up from down below.  For over 63 years they have been taking shiploads of asphalt out of this crater, yet it never runs empty.  They have gone down as far as 280 feet and still they have found this black, gum-like substance bubbling up.  There seems to be an unlimited supply.  So, too, with God's grace, no matter how great your need, it can't exhaust His love!  Put Him to the test today.  His grace is sufficient!

"Bread For Each Day"

The Need Of Pruning

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 branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it . . . "   John  15:2

     I have several grapevines in my garden and each year I cut out loads and loads of long spindly vines, because I know that unless I remove these, they will take all the strength that should go into fruit.  So also our precious Lord prunes His children.  The knife is sharp and it hurts, but the Father knows best.  No vine can be fully fruitful without "pruning."

     The richest, the fullest, the most fruitful lives are those that have been in the crucible of testing, that have been broken upon the wheel of tribulation.  We have no right to believe that God will do anything with our lives until He has broken us.  There are in this world few entirely unbroken lives that are useful to God. There are few men and women who can fulfill their own hopes and plans without interruptions and disappointments all along the way.  But man's disappointments are ever God's appointments; and what we believe are tragedies are only blessings in disguise, and the very opportunities through which God wishes to exhibit His love and grace.

     There are some lives in which human plans are so completely thwarted that they seem pathetic as we look at them from a merely human standpoint.  Yet if we but study these lives carefully, we see that the lives which have been afflicted are most effective.  Are you, my friend, being broken today?  Has the dearest in life been torn from you?  Have all your dreams faded?  Have all your hopes failed?  Then remember that if you could see the purpose of these thorns in your life from the standpoint of God's wisdom and of eternity, if you could interpret these trials in this aggregate of life's blessings, you would be able to dry your tears and praise the Lord for them all.  He will not withhold any good thing "from them that walk uprightly."

"Bread For Each Day"

Psalm 52:8

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

Spiritual Contamination

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

                       " . . . keep (yourselves) . . . unspotted from the world."  James 1:27

     We hear much today about contamination.  For instance, we are keenly aware of radioactivity and how it can adversely affect our physical being.  We know too of disease germs and viruses that attack us when we come in contact with them; but are we equally conscious of the danger of spiritual contamination?

     Recently the Audubon Society called attention to the senseless slaughter of thousands of Atlantic sea birds due to the needless dumping of oil and other like substances from the ocean-going ships.  The smallest amount of this material on a bird's body mats its feathers.  This interferes with their proper function in flight and in providing insulation.  Tests prove that a spot of oil no larger than a twenty-five cent piece will work its way through the feathers of a sea bird to bring about slow but certain death from exposure and starvation. So too, a Christian may become spotted and contaminated by dabbling in the things of the world. Compromise with evil at first may appear trifling, but if left unchecked, worldliness will permeate the character to such an extent that the testimony of the individual will become wholly ineffective.

     Noah sent out two birds from the ark.  One was a raven - a ceremonially unclean creature; the other, a dove, was typical of the Spirit of God and holiness.  The raven did not return to the ark, even though the waters were still upon the earth.  No doubt it found a place to rest upon the floating body of some dead animal.  The second bird, however - a ceremonially clean creature - returned to Noah, for she could find "no rest for the sole of her foot."  The dove would not alight upon an unclean thing like a corpse!  Someone has said,  "in a world of sin we too have the choice of being a raven or a dove - unclean or clean - spotted or unspotted."

     By the power of grace let us keep ourselves uncontaminated from the things of the world.

"Bread For Each Day"

Camouflage

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

                        ". . . why feignest thou thyself to be another?"  1 Kings 14:6

     The wife of the wicked Jeroboam was practicing the art of camouflage.  Her son was sick and she desired help from the aging prophet of the Lord, Ahijah.  But she did not want the prophet to know who she was, for fear the prophet would rebuke her for their wickedness and disobedience.  So she pretended to be someone else  (1 Kings  14:6).  She thought she could disguise herself and fool the blind prophet, but the Lord had warned the prophet of her coming, and before she could even practice her deception the prophet heard her footsteps and said,  "Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another?" Her cleverness was discovered and her disguise had failed.

     The sinner is like this woman.  He too tries to camouflage himself and pretends to be something else than what he really is.  Adam started the practice of camouflage when he tried to conceal his nakedness with aprons of fig leaves.  Jacob practiced it when at the suggestion of his mother he impersonated his brother with the skins of goats on his hands and neck.

     Abraham Lincoln is credited with the saying,  "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time."  No one can deceive God any of the time!  Camouflage is deception; it is hypocrisy.

     A group of students in an eastern university sought to confuse their professor in biology.  They took the body of a moth, put on the it the legs of a grasshopper, the wings of a dragon fly, and the head of a locust. They took it to the professor and asked him what kind of a bug it was, firmly convinced that he would be baffled.  Without a moment's hesitation, however, he replied,  "This is a humbug."  Are you pretending to be something you are not?  Your fig leaves will not do.  Today, be genuine, be true, be "clothes with humility." Don't be a humbug!

"Bread For Each Day"

A Discouraging Way

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 the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."  Numbers  21:4

     Because the hostile people and unfriendly land of Edom barred the approaches to Canaan, the children of Israel had to go on a long, roundabout march that was not at all pleasant.  Their passage was accompanied by much discomfort.  For one thing, their route was extremely stony, hot, and sandy; and for another, the water was scarce.  Yet they should have realized that the Lord who had led them with a mighty hand out of Egypt and provided them with daily manna from heaven would certainly guard and keep them as they traveled this new and difficult way.  Their faith, however, was weak, and soon they fell to murmuring and complaining and were much discouraged.

     Can we not see in this picture of the weary and fearful Israelites in our own silhouette in bold relief?  Often the way to Heaven too seems roundabout and long.  In the wilderness of this world we find dry, arid stretches, rough going, and many hostile foes.  Yet, if we look back to the greatness of our salvation and ahead to the vastness of the glory which is our destiny, should we not be ashamed of our discouragement? Our most trying afflictions here are "light" and but "for a moment" when compared with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory that awaits us at the end of the road  (2 Corinthians  4:17).  If God is leading and our steps are of His ordering; if our very hairs are numbered, and He has assured us that He will supply every need  (Philippians  4:19), then we have no right to murmur or to be disheartened.  Let us lift up our eyes and, seeing the Shekinah glory going on before, let us trustingly move forward and be of good courage.  In spite of the difficulties and roughness of the way, this is the right road Home!

"Bread For Each Day"

Psalm 38

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


1.  Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3.  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and fed on his faithfulness.
4.  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6.  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy justice as the noonday.
7.  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked schemes to pass.
8.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9.  For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10.  For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yeah, thou shalt diligently look for his place, and it shall not be.
11.  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12.  The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13.  The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14.  The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15.  Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16.  A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17.  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18.  The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19.  They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20.  But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall consume away.
21.  The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22.  For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23.  The steps of a good man are established by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
25.  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26.  He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27.  Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28.  For the LORD loveth justice, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29.  The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30.  The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of justice.
31.  The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slip.
32.  The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33.  The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34.  Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35.  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36.  Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37.  Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38.  But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39.  But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40.  And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Psalm 18:16

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

Revelation 21:4

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

Practical Christianity

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

        "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
                                                                                                               James  2:26

     Dorothy C. Haskin tells of a testimony meeting held in the south by a visiting Methodist minister.  At this service a woman arose and began to relate how much comfort her "religion" gave her in times of trouble.  "That's fine, sister," commented the visiting evangelist.  "But how about the practical side?  Does your 'religion' make you strive to prepare your husband a good dinner?  Does it make you keep his sock darned?"  Just then he felt a yank at his coattail; looking around he discovered it was the local pastor seeking to get his attention.  There was a smile on his face as he whispered hoarsely,  "Press dem questions, Doctor, press dem questions!  Dat's my wife!"

     Yes, we all need to "press dem questions" home to our own hearts.  The grace of God should do more than make us happy and satisfied, it should energize us to service and good works.  For instance, when God comforts us He does not do it just to make us comfortable, but rather to make us, in turn, comforters  (see  2 Corinthians 1:4).

     Faith alone is like a zero in arithmetic: no matter how often it is repeated, it represents nothing; however, when there is added to it the units of our good works, then our faith becomes meaningful to others and has practical value.

     Rev. J. A. Methuen once asked a simple Christian whether he thought it was possible for a child of God to live an ungodly life; he received the following answer:  "Mr. Methuen, if I pour boiling water into a cup, it makes the outside hot as well as the inside.  So, too, sir, when the Gospel once gets into a man's heart, the new life will soon show itself."

"Bread For Each Day"

The Old Rugged Cross

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

       " . . .  he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."     Philippians  2:8

     The cross was a symbol of shame, humiliation, and disgrace.  It was reserved only for the worst criminals, who were guilty of the most dastardly crimes.  It was a pagan instrument of torture and execution.  The cross itself was a crude, unfinished piece of rough timber, hastily nailed together from almost any branch or piece of wood.  It was a rugged cross, and symbolized entire disgrace and deepest humiliation.  Few people think of the cross in that way; instead, they conceive it to be a beautiful stick pin, or as something to be worn on the lapel of one's coat.

     Man has tried to remove the shame and horror of the cross by beautifying it, covering it with gold, plating it with silver, or setting it with precious stones.  It is even covered with luminous substances, so that it glows in the dark.  All these attempts to beautify the cross are totally foreign to Scripture.  It was not a beautiful, gold-plated, luminous thing of beauty, but only a rough, unembellished piece of wood.  It was indeed the "old rugged cross."  But man seeks to avoid the "offence" of that kind of a cross and so he adorns it and makes it an inoffensive ornament.  Even more unscriptural is the crucifix - a cross with a dead Christ upon it.  We glory not in the crucifix with a dead Saviour upon it, but in the "empty cross" of One who is risen again from the tomb.  Jesus told us to "bear His cross," but foolish man has changed it to "wear the cross."  Just wearing a cross means nothing until we understand the real meaning of the crude, unadorned, unfinished, rugged cross on which Jesus died.  We are never told to wear the cross - but to bear it.  Then, and then only, will we know the meaning of "His" cross.  The cross is the place of death.  To bear His cross means to die to self and to live for Him.

"Bread For Each Day"

"Take Up Thy Bed"

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

                              " . . . Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk."   Mark  2:9

     A man in great misery of soul, not knowing which way to turn, was wandering one evening along a country lane in England.  He continued walking until at length, completely exhausted, he decided to rest for a few moments beside a nearby hedge.  As he sat there, he heard two girls talking on the other side.  They were speaking to one another about a sermon which they heard in a London church.  One of them said of the pastor,  "I heard him preach just once, but it gave me a big spiritual lift.  I shall never forget one thing in particular that he said."  The other girl asked what it was that the preacher had presented which had so greatly stirred her.  The other replied that in speaking of the paralytic and his marvelous cure, as recorded in Mark 2, the minister had declared,  "The world will always say,  "You made your bed, and you must lie on it'; but One greater than the world has said,  'Take up thy bed and walk, thy sins are forgiven.'"

     The troubled and despairing man on the other side of the hedge heard these gracious words, and through it the Holy Spirit lifted the shadow from his soul.

     To every burdened one who finds forgiveness through grace, Jesus in effect says the same today:  "Take up your bed - take up your cross; and then bear your burden graciously as you walk in My strength!"

     If you are troubled today, and much encumbered with a load of care, heed Jesus' gracious command and "Take up thy bed and walk!"

"Bread For Each Day"

Thoughts On The New Year

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

                              "Remember me, O my God, for good."  Nehemiah  13:31

     Nehemiah's prayer might well be ours as we treat upon the threshold of another year.  As we pause reflectively at the close of one segment of time, and hopefully look ahead to the unfolding promise of another, it is well that our thoughts turn to Him who holds our future in His loving hands.  Trial, disappointment, yes, even death may face us in the coming months, but with His grace to keep us, and His rod and staff to comfort us, we need not fear.  As we look trustingly to Him and ask the Saviour to remember and keep us, we may be sure that all things will work together for our good  (Romans  8:28)!

                                                         Thou standest and thou asketh,
                                                             "What have the days in store?"
                                                         He answereth thee,  "Blessing!
                                                             What form that blessing taketh
                                                         Thou mayest not yet know,
                                                              But blessing upon blessing
                                                         He waiteth to bestow.


     It is comforting to know that each footfall into the new year ahead will lead us a step closer to the city of God!  Yes, shout, a trumpet voice, a cloud of glory, and we all may be gathered Home!  If the One who always remembers us should suddenly appear, will He find that we too have remembered His command - "occupy till I come"?

                    It may be the last of the years swiftly flying,
                       It may be the year when the Master will come;
                    When the land of the holy, for which we are sighing,
                       Will burst into view - the Father's glad Home!
                     It may be the last! when all mystery ending
                        In radiant light from the sunshine of God!
                    And, O, what a welcome, as we are ascending!
                       'Twill more than make up for the difficult road!
                                                                        - M. I. Reich

"Bread For Each Day"

Psalm 69:20

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

Meeting On The Stairs!

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 me, with all malice."  Ephesians 4:31

"O my dove, that are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice . . . "     Song of Solomon  2:14

     The Song of Solomon is a love story which typifies Christ and His Church.  The "dove" in verse 14 represents the saved soul made "blameless and harmless in Him"  (Philippians  2::15).  She is in a place of safety for she is hidden in Christ the Rock, "cleft" for her at Calavry.  The "secret" of the stairs has reference to the access and fellowship she may enjoy with Him in intimate, spiritual communion.  Standing face to face with her Beloved in prayer, she may tell Him all that is in her heart, knowing that He loves to hear her voice and will surely sympathize with her need!  Yes, there is joy, blessing, and victory in the "secret place" of intercession.

     Individuals who accomplish much for the Saviour are frequently found on their knees.  John Wesley, Samuel Rutherford, Martin Luther, David Brainerd, and many others - all shining lights for God - were devout Christians who often found time to ascend the golden stairs of prayer!

     A British soldier, caught creeping stealthily back to his quarters one night from a nearby woods, was taken before his commanding officer and charged with holding communications with the enemy.  He pleaded innocent and said that he had just gone in the woods to pray.  "Have you been in the habit of spending hours in private prayer?"  the officer growled.  "Yes, sir!"  "Then get down on your knees and pray now!"  his superior roared.  "Believe me, you've never needed it so much!"  Expecting court-martial and death, the soldier knelt and poured out his soul with an eloquence and a familiarity with the Saviour that showed the power of the Holy Spirit in his life.  When he had finished, the officer said simply,  "You may go, friend, I believe your story!  If you hadn't been often at drill, you wouldn't have done so well at review!"

     Beloved do not disappoint Him who is waiting to meet you "in the secret places of the stairs."

"Bread For Each Day"

Little Acts Of Love

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


             " . . . ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another."  1 Thessalonians  4:9

     True love reveals itself not so much in a great outward show of emotion, but rather in a thousand small acts of devotion and consideration.  It is by these that we manifest our true colors and display our real attitudes.

     When I was a little boy about three and a half years of age, I knew that my father was extremely fond of black walnuts.  We did not often get them, so when I found one upon the street I was delighted!  My first thought was to have my mother crack it so that I could eat it myself, but then my great love for father took over.  I saved it until he came home that evening.  It was my custom to wait until I saw him come around the corner and then - rush to meet him.  I would throw my small arms around his one leg and thus, standing on his foot, would be swung along with his powerful stride until we got home.  All the way he would be patting my head and smiling and talking to me.  This night I presented him with the walnut and said,  "Here, Papa, I've been saving it all day - just for you!"  I thought it very strange that he did not want to crack it and eat it, and it was not until 30 years later that I found it again after he had left us for the heavenly mansions.  It was in a place by itself in his desk.  Mother told me he considered it such a deep token of my affection for him that he wanted to keep it as a memento.

     Don't delay performing even the smallest act of love today; believe me, it is sorely needed and will be much appreciated.  What is more, it will be richly rewarded by the Lord.  Do not keep the alabaster boxes of  your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends and loved ones are dead.  Fill their lives with sweetness now.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, let us exchange our self-centered attitudes for heartfelt words and deeds which will manifest that we love our family and friends "with a pure heart fervently"!  (1 Peter  1:22).

"Bread For Each Day"

Kept For Safe Keeping

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

                                   "Who are kept by the power of God."  1 Peter 1:5

     A dying saint many years ago said during his last day on earth,  "I am just like a package which has been all prepared for shipment to its destination.  I am all packed, tied securely, labeled, postage paid, and standing on the platform, waiting for the express to come by and take me to my destination in Glory."  All this is contained in the words,  " . . . kept by the power of God . . . to be revealed in the last time."  It suggests our security in Christ.

     1.  The believer is all wrapped up in the beautiful wrappings of Christ  (2 Corinthians  5:21).
     2.  He is tied with cords of divine love  (Hosea  11:4).
     3.  He is plainly labeled with the seal of the Spirit,  "and the Lord knoweth them that are his"  (2 Timothy 2:19).
     4.  The postage is all paid by the precious blood of the Son of God, bought with a price  (1 Corinthians  6:20).
     5.  He is resting on the platform of God's wonderful grace  (Ephesians  2:8).
     6.  He is waiting for the express of His glorious coming  (Philippians  3:20, 21).
     7.  He is guarded all the way by angels of God  (Luke  16:22).
     8.  He is guaranteed a safe arrival  (John  10:28), registered (2 Timothy 2:19), special delivery  (Psalm  91:11 ,12), and insured  (Ephesians  4:30).

     "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is"  (1 John  3:2).

     Rejoice, O Christian!

Psalm 31

Come, sit, and 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


1.  In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
2.  Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense (fortress)to save me.
3.  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4.  Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
5.  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6.  I have hated them that regard lying vanities (vain idols): but I trust in the Lord.
7.  I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8.  And hast not shut (given me over) me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room (wide place).
9.  Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, you, my soul and my belly.
10.  For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed (waste away).
11.  I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me outside fled from me.
12.  I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
13.  For I have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14.  But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
15.  My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16.  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
17.  Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18.  Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19.  Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
20.  Thou shalt hide them in the secret of my presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21.  Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city.
22.  For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
23.  O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24.  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.