I AM WITH YOU AND FOR 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

I AM WITH YOU AND FOR YOU, your constant Companion and Provider.  The question is whether you are with Me and for Me.  Though I never leave you, you can essentially "leave" Me by ignoring Me: thinking or acting as if I am not with you.  When you feel distance in our relationship, you know where the problem lies.  My Love for you is constant:  I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.  It is you who change like shifting sand, letting circumstances toss you this way and that.

When you feel far from Me, whisper My Name.  This simple act, done in childlike faith, opens your heart to My Presence.  Speak to Me in love-tones; prepare to receive My Love, which flows eternally from the cross.  I am delighted when you open yourself to My loving Presence.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Spirits Of Camphor

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

". . . his hands full of sweet incense beaten small . . . And he shall put the incense upon the fire."   Leviticus 16:12, 13

     On the day of atonement, the High Priest was to take sweet incense, ground to powder, and cast a handful of it upon the fire of the altar.  The original word for incense means "to produce fragrance by burning."  A certain herb, odorless until crushed, was beaten small and cast into the fire on the altar, releasing its aromatic fumes in a pungent, fragrant cloud which filled the whole house.  This was a sweet-smelling savor unto the Lord.

     Notice two things:  1) It must be "beaten small," and  2) it must pass through the fire.  So, too, the fragrance of our lives for Christ must be beaten small by the hammer of His Word and pass through the fiery trials of God's chastening to bring out the true fragrance.  (Read Romans 5:3-5.)  I have found the maximum of tender submissive fragrance on those lives which have been beaten in the fire.

     Last winter I was introduced to a new tree in Florida.  It was a stately, spreading tree with shiny, leathery leaves.  Upon inquiry I was told it was a "camphor tree."  Smell the leaves,"  said my friend.  I did - and smelled nothing.  Then - "Crush those leaves between  your palms,"  and as I did so the whole care was filled with an intensely invigorating fragrance of camphor.  It only needed crushing to release its clean odor.  I was told the tree was "disease free."  No bugs, thrips, beetles, or worms would touch it.  Birds and animals left it alone.  Oh, to be a camphor tree for God, repelling and rebuking all the bugs and grubs of selfishness, greed, pride, envy, and defilement.  Oh, to be beaten small by the hammer of the Word and to be purified by God's loving hand.  That is how God makes "spirits of camphor" to revive fainting souls and to stimulate the heart of the faltering.

"Bread For Each Day"

I AM THE POTTER.....

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 THE POTTER; you are My clay.  I designed you before the foundations of the world.  I arrange the events of each day to form you into this preconceived pattern.  My everlasting Love is at work in every event of your life.  On some days your will and mine flow smoothly together.  You tend to feel in control of your life when our wills are in harmony.  On other days you feel as if you are swimming upstream, against the current of My purposes.  When that happens, stop and seek My Face.  The opposition you feel may be from Me, or it may be from the evil one.

Talk with Me about what you are experiencing.  Let My Spirit guide you through treacherous waters.  As you move through the turbulent stream with Me, let circumstances mold you into the one I desire you to be.  Say yes to your Potter as you go through this day.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

BRING ME THE SACRIFICE....

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

BRING ME THE SACRIFICE of thanksgiving.  Take nothing for granted, not even the rising of the sun. Before satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, thankfulness was as natural as breathing.  Satan's temptation involved pointing Eve to the one thing that was forbidden her.  The garden was filled with luscious, desirable fruits, but Eve focused on the one fruit she couldn't have rather than being thankful for the many good things freely available.  This negative focus darkened her mind, and she succumbed to temptation.

When you focus on what you don't have or on situations that displease you, your mind also becomes darkened.  You take for granted life, salvation, sunshine, flowers, and countless other gifts from Me.  You look for what is wrong and refuse to enjoy life until that is "fixed."

When you approach Me with thanksgiving, the Light of My Presence pours into you, transforming you through and through.  Walk in the Light with Me by practicing the discipline of thanksgiving.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Old Age

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

           "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth."
                                                                                                                             Psalm  71:9

     An old Chinese Grandpa, too feeble to work, was considered by the family an unwanted burden - just another mouth to consume the meager supply of rice.  Therefore the father of the home decided to put the old man on a wheelbarrow and take him up to the mountains to die.  The little eight-year-old grandson went along, full of curiosity and question.  The father explained that the grandfather was old and helpless, and that there was nothing else to be done with him.  Then the little chap had a happy thought:  "I'm glad I came along, Daddy,"  said the youngster,  "because when you get old I'll know where to take you!"  The daddy stopped dead in his tracks, thought better of the whole situation, and brought the old gentleman back home.

     Old age is beset with many such fears of being unwanted and cast off when youthful strength has departed.  David too was not immune to such thoughts, and therefore he cries out to God to remember him in his declining years.  God's answer to David comes ringing from the portals of Heaven through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah:  "Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you:  I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you  (Isaiah  46:4)!

     G.W. Aleen comments most wisely,  "As we grow older in years and in our Christian experiences, satan is less able to tempt us to the sins more prevalent among youth, but it is then that he often succeeds in souring our spirit, making us critical, and at times outright mean ... It has been my constant prayer that, if the Lord permits me to grow old, I may be a kindly old man, sweet in mind and spirit wherever I may be."

     How beautiful a sight it is to see elderly Christians still looking to the future, still happily trusting God and clinging to His promises!

"Bread For Each Day"

I Met An Angel

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 angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."  Psalm 34:7

     I met an angel some time ago while returning from a trip through Georgia.  I was ill and very uncomfortable.  On a turnpike south of Atlanta I stopped at an emergency turnout to rest for a moment.  When I tried to start the motor of my car, it failed to respond.  There we were, miles from a service station.  I know nothing about automobiles except to steer when they run.  The cars whizzed by at 65 miles per hour. And then, after only a few minutes, a station wagon slowed up, a man got out and asked,  "Can I help you?" I replied that I couldn't start the car and was hoping for a state police car to come by.  How happy I was when he said,  "I am a highway patrolman in the employ of the trucking industry."  After a brief consultation and another try to start the motor he suggested pushing it to make it start.  It worked.  I had merely "flooded" the carburetor.  I stopped the car and offered to pay him but he refused.  He asked my name, and when he heard it he stuck out his big hand and exclaimed,  "You mean you are Dr. Dehaan of the Radio Bible Class? I listen to you every Sunday evening over an Atlanta station."  He was a member of the Bible Class.  Just a few sweet moments of fellowship on the highway and I got in my car and was on my way.  I had met an angel to deliver me.

     Coincidence you say?  Oh no!  Oh no!  It was providence!  It was the fulfillment of Psalm 34:7.  Do you thank God for the "little" deliverances?  When He delivers us in some crisis, a severe illness, a serious accident, a great trial, then we praise Him but how about the "little" deliverances?  Today, try and see how often He helps you in the minor, seemingly unimportant problems.  Recognition of God in everything reveals a growth in grace.  Learn to recognize the angel of the Lord.  Yes, I met an angel on the highway!

"Bread For Each Day"

I HAVE PROMISED...

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 PROMISED to meet all your needs according to My glorious riches.  Your deepest, most constant need is for My Peace.  I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live; but there are weeds growing there too:  pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief.  I am the Gardener, and I am working to rid your heart of those weeds.  I do My work in various ways.  When you sit quietly with Me, I shine the Light of My Presence directly into your heart.  In this heavenly Light, Peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up.  I also send trials into your life.  When you trust Me in the midst of trouble, Peace flourishes and weeds die away.  Thank Me for troublesome situations; the Peace they can produce far outweigh the trials you endure.

"Jesus Calling - Finding Peace In His Presence"