Letting Go

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 all evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

This is a time in your life to let go of loved ones, possessions, of control.  In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence where you are complete.  Take time to bask in the Light of My Love.  As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care.

You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence. The One who never leaves you is the One who never changes:  I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand.  Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you.

From the book:  "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Following Jesus

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 ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."    Mark  1:17

     There is a great difference between coming to Jesus and coming after Jesus.  Jesus means following Him, bearing a cross, and carrying a yoke of service  (Matthew 11:29).  Following Jesus means separation from the world, walking the path of rejection and reproach.  Following Jesus is no child's play, and before responding to a consecration service and coming forward to the strains of "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow," it is well that we first count the cost.  Following Christ we shall:  be obedient to God's will  (John  12:24 - 26); enter the wilderness  (Matthew  4:1); be rejected by our own  (Luke  4:28 , 29); be misunderstood  (Luke  7:39); go with Him to Gethsemane  (Luke  22:39); be falsely accused  (Mark  14:56); and go with Him up the hill of Calvary  (Galatians  2:20); but we shall also share in the victory of the resurrection  (Philippians  3:11).  Yes following Jesus means going "without the camp, bearing his reproach"  (Hebrew  13:13).

     An old Chinese woman brought her ancestral tablet to the missionary who had been the means of her conversion, and requested that it might be burned.  The missionary responded to the request.  A further request was made regarding the utensil in which the ashes of the ancestors were preserved, that it might be destroyed.  The missionary suggested that the pot might do service to keep a plant in.  "No," said the woman after thinking for a few minutes,  "it belongs to the devil, and all that's connected with him must be destroyed."  Whereupon she picked it up, and going outside the missionary's house dashed it against the wall and began to sing in a cracked voice:  "Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus, Anywhere everywhere, I will follow on."

     Have you ever come to Jesus for salvation?  If not, do it now.  If you have come to Him, are you willing now to follow Him in complete dedication?  Today where will your steps lead you?

"Bread For Each Day"

One Talent

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 unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability."   Matthew  25:15

     A prominent businessman in America once wrote concerning the then obscure evangelist Dwight L. Moody:  "The first time I ever saw him was in a little shanty that had been abandoned by a saloon keeper.  He had managed to get possession of the place in order to hold a meeting that night.  I was a little late and I had never met Mr. Moody, but when I came in, the first thing I saw was a heavy-set man standing up holding a small Negro boy in his arms.  By the light of a few tallow candles he was trying to read to him the story of the Prodigal Son.  A great many of the words he could not make out and so he had to skip them.  I thought,  if the Lord can ever use such an instrument as that for His honor and glory, it will certainly astonish me!  After  the meeting was over, the man, who turned out to be Mr. Moody, said to me,  'Mr. Reynolds, I have only one talent; I have no education, but I love the Lord Jesus Christ.  I want to do something for Him.  Pray for me.'"  Mr. Reynolds said that from that day on he never ceased to remember before the Throne of Grace that devoted soldier of the cross who said he had only one talent:  "a deep love for the Lord Jesus Christ."

     At a mission hall in London a lady who was quite deaf met an evangelist who was to speak that evening.  Her cordiality and Christian character impressed him.  "And what part do you take in this noble work?"  he asked.  "Oh,"  she answered,  "I smile them in, and I smile them out again."  Soon afterward the preacher had opportunity to see the good results of her sympathy as a large crowd of working men entered the hall, apparently delighted to get a warm smile of Christian welcome from her.  She too had the "one talent" which she put to good use.  There's no Christian, no matter how few his gifts, who cannot put this "one talent of love" to work for the Saviour.

"Bread For Each Day"

Come As You Are

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 by grace are ye saved through faith . . . Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians  2:8,9

     It was the year 1836 - a young girl was preparing to attend a dance.  On her way to her dressmaker to have a fine gown made for the occasion, she met her pastor.  Upon learning the purpose of her errand, he pleaded with her not to go, and spoke to her about receiving Christ.  She became very angry at this and said,  "I wish you would mind your own business!"

     When the ball was held, this young lady was among the gaiest of all those who attended.  She was flattered by her admirers, and danced until the wee hours of the morning.  However, when she lay her weary head on her pillow she found no rest, for she was far from being happy.  The sweet words of admonition by her preacher had pricked her conscience, and deep conviction made her extremely wretched.  For three days she struggled with her load of sin until life itself seemed to become intolerable.  Finally she went to her pastor and asked his forgiveness, which he readily gave.  Then she cried,  "Now I want to be a Christian; what must I do?"  "My child, give yourself to the Lamb of God, just as you are."  "Just as I am?"  she asked.  "I am one of the worst sinners in the world.  How can God accept me just as I am?"  The preacher assured her that it was "not by works of righteousness" but by faith in the One who said "it is finished," that she could ever hope to find peace.  She went home, knelt down, and after a struggle gave her heart to Christ, guilty and sinful as it was, for cleansing in His precious blood.  Peace and joy filled her soul to overflowing.  Grasping a pen she wrote her now immortal hymn:  "Just As I Am Without One Plea." Charlotte Elliot little dreamed of the fame or immortality the words she had written would attain.  She had but transcribed the truth of the Gospel in the language of her own heart - a heart which had experienced Ephesians 2:8,9 in all its fullness!

     Oh sinner, today stop trying, and try trusting!

"Bread For Each Day"

God's Panacea

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

                 "Bless the Lord, O my soul . . . . . who healeth all thy diseases."  Psalm  103:2

     The promise of God to heal all our diseases has been grossly misunderstood and misinterpreted.  It can be viewed as applying to the disease of sin as well as to actual physical illness.  There are those who use this verse to prove that anyone can be cured of bodily illness by faith, or being anointed with oil, laying hands on a radio, or sending for a handkerchief.  If this were true then everyone who did this would be healed, for the Scripture says, " . . . who healeth all thy diseases."  There is no room for failures in this sense.  The word all excludes any exception.  It is of course true that in every case of recovery it is because God has so willed it.  But there comes a time in everyone's life (everyone) when their physical sickness is not healed - and they die.  Only when Jesus comes will this verse be fulfilled - He healeth all thy diseases.  Until then all will continue to die, in spite of the foolish claims of men.

     But the reference here is to the disease of sin, as the context will show.  Sin is compared to sickness.  Isaiah says of Israel,  " . . . the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  From it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores"  (Isaiah 1:5,6).  Before seeking physical healing we should seek spiritual health.  All physical cures are temporary - ending in death - but spiritual healing results in eternal life!

     I am often asked by doctors,  "Aren't you sometimes sorry you left the practice of medicine and the healing of men's bodies - left a noble profession to become a despised preacher?"  My answer is always no! All the patients I used to treat died sooner or later, but the people who take the medicine I now offer them (the Gospel) never die.  The cure is permanent, and gives eternal life.  The Gospel is God's panacea!

"Bread For Each Day"

Touching Bottom

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

" . . . your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away."  Hosea  6:4

     Jehovah's charge against Ephraim was their fickleness.  When in trouble, they cried unto the Lord and made great promises, only to forget them when the trouble disappeared.  Man is still like that.  How we can pray and cry to God when in distress and danger, and how soon we can forget the resolutions and promises we made!

     Two men in a boat were caught in a sudden squall.  The one took to earnest praying, while the other frantically rowed to reach shore.  Soon the latter touched bottom with the oar, and turning to his praying comrade said,  "There's no need to pray any more, for I can touch bottom now."  Yes indeed, what is the use of praying  "when you can touch bottom"?  Don't smile at the story, for you may be smiling at yourself.  There are thousands who think this man foolish, who by their conduct say the same thing.  How many have cried to God in times of trial and sickness and made solemn promises to God, only to forget them when they recovered and could  "touch bottom."  How often in a time of peril and testing you have resolved it would never happen again, only to be forgotten when you could  "touch bottom".

     A miser, desperately ill and fearing death, called the minister to pray to God for his recovery and said,  "I want to give  $1000.00 to the church which I have so long neglected."  (He couldn't touch bottom and so asked for prayer.)  He recovered, but failed to keep his promise.  He gave the great expense of doctor and hospital bills as his excuse for not keeping his promise to  $1000.00.  Have you kept your resolves and promises paid up?  Have you covenanted with God, and made any resolutions and promises, and then failed to keep them?  Then you, too, have said in your heart,  "I can still touch bottom, why worry?"

     Pay your vows; don't be fickle and hypocritical!

"Bread For Each Day"

Self-Made Men

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 who maketh thee to differ from another?  and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?"
   1 Corinthians  4:7

    The Apostle Paul, the greatest of the apostles, and who "labored more abundantly than they all"  (1 Corinthians  15:10), said in this same verse,  "But by the grace of God I am what I am."  Paul did not claim any credit for his success, but admits that it was "grace bestowed" upon him.

     A certain man once said to a friend,  "I am a self-made man."  His friend replied,  "That certainly relieves God of an embarrassing responsibility."  If you are a self-made man, you must have had some material to begin with.  You are a success in business, but you could not have been if God had not endowed you with a mind.  You had no choice in the matter of your birth.  You did not choose your parents, your environment. You could have been born an idiot.  You have excelled in athletics, but who gave you that strong body? You could have been a paralytic.  You are successful as an orator, but who gave you your voice?  No one asked you about it, but you were born with that great blessing.  Maybe you are a preacher who has had great apparent success.  But who called you to be a preacher?  Who ordered the circumstances of your life - praying parents, faithful ministers?  Who influenced you to be saved and to dedicate your life to Christ?  You cannot even claim credit for believing in Him, for even saving faith is the gift of God  (Ephesians  2:8).  "Where is boasting then?  It is excluded.  By what law?  Of works?  Nay but by the law of faith"  (Romans  3:27).

     A proud Christian is an immature Christian.  He is an anomaly.  Christian growth is expressed in John the Baptist's confession,  "He must increase but I must decrease"  (John  3:30).  Are you a self-made man? Then you make of yourself a god.  Oh, for true humility!  Stop making a "snow man" which will not endure the Sun of Righteousness.

"Bread For Each Day"

For Folks Over Sixty

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 have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."    Psalm  37:25

     O Lord, Thou knowest I am growing older!  I realize it also.  Keep me from closing my eyes to the fact.  Keep me from becoming a pest, a self-appointed sage with the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.  Keep me from the temptation of trying to straighten out everybody's affairs.  Make me thoughtful - but not moody, helpful but not bossy.  With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all - but Lord, Thou knowest I don't want to lose all my friends by boring them with the past.

     Keep my mind free from the recital and repetition of past experiences and endless details.  Seal my lips about my rheumatism and gout.  My aches and pains are unceasing, and rehearsing them is becoming sweeter day by day.  I do not ask for improved memory, but for less cocksureness about the memory of others.  Teach me to admit that sometimes I am mistaken.  Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not care to be a saint (some of them are so hard to get along with).  Make me sweeter and mellower as my age progresses. Let me never grow old - only older.  May it be said of me,  "Thou our outward man perish, the inward man is renewed day by day"  (2 Corinthians  4:16).

"Bread For Each Day"

Celebrate The Love of the One

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


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