Go To The Spring Yourself

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

                                      " . . . a cup of cold water . . . "   Matthew  10:42

     This text is generally misquoted as a "cup of water"; but Jesus is talking about a "cup of cold water."  The usual interpretation of this verse is that any little act of kindness done in Christ's name will be rewarded - even a mere cup of water.  This of course is true, but that is not the meaning here.  Rather it means that making a real "sacrifice" will be rewarded.  People in Jesus' day could not just open the door of the refrigerator and take out a bottle of cold water or add some convenient ice cubes.  Then a cup of cold water meant going to the spring - maybe far away up the side of a hill or among the rocks.  Or it might mean going to a deep well, letting down a bucket, and laboriously pulling it back up.  That was the only way to get fresh, cold water.  It meant a sacrifice.  Getting a cup of cold water probably involved going to the source of the spring; for the water in a stream a few hundred feet below the point of its origin was no longer cool in that hot climate but soon became tepid and nauseating.

     The Word of God is compared to water (John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23).  If you want it fresh - get it at the fountain.  Too many are content to get it "piped in through the preacher" or even through these devotionals. But it has lost some of its freshness when brought by others from the spring.  Take your cup and go to the spring yourself, and enjoy it to the full.

     We occasionally meet folks who confess that they read our "devotional" for the day - but do not take time to read the Scripture.  How inconsistent to take our lukewarm articles and neglect the cold, fresh water of the Word!  The excuse "I did not have time" is pretty lame, but if you really don't have time, then please, please, please skip what I have written and read the Scripture!  Get fresh water; go to the spring yourself!

"Bread For Each Day"

The Source Of True Happiness

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 that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself . . . "  1 John  5:10

     What is the "witness of the Spirit?"  This question is incessantly asked and many of the answers are most confusing, although the Bible is perfectly clear on it.  The witness of the Spirit is the inspired Word of God. The Bible is the Spirit's testimony!  Believing the promises of the Word is God's witness to our hearts. Emotions may follow - but emotions are not the witness.  Happiness may result - but joy is not the witness. Feelings may accompany our experience, but our emotion, happiness, and joy - are because God's promises are true.  Emotions vary; happiness depends too often on circumstances.  Feelings change from day to day, but the promises of God are ever the same!  We are saved because we believe what God says is true; namely, that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"  (Romans  10:13).  If I believe that - then joy follows, feelings and emotions are stirred - but these are not the "witness of the Spirit," rather they are the result of relying on the promises of God.  Are you trusting your emotions (which change) or are you resting on the abiding Word of God?

     "Oh, Doctor De Hann,"  said a dear old lady,  "we had such a good time in our church last night.  Everybody was so happy and we were all crying.  My what a good time we had.  We shouted and sang and even jumped up and down.  Oh what a good time we had."  Finally I had to ask her,  "What were you all crying about?"  Her answer was,  "I don't know why, but it was a wonderful feeling - we had such a good time."

     Beloved, I have no objection to your having a good time, singing, crying, laughing, even jumping, but be sure your joy flows from a fact - the solid promises of the Word of God.  When the jumping stops, you need something more to stand on.

"Bread For Each Day"

A Soft Answer

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

   "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."  Proverbs  15:1

     Two little girls were playing together.  The older one had a beautiful new doll in her arms, which she was tenderly caressing.  The younger one crept up softly behind her, and gave her a sharp slap on her cheek.  A visitor unobserved, was sitting in an adjoining room and saw it all.  She expected to hear another slap, a harder one, in retaliation.  But, no; the victim's face flushed and her eyes had a momentary flash of indignation.  She rubbed her hurt cheek with one hand, while she held the doll closer with the other.  Then, in a tone of gentle reproof, she said,  "Oh, Sallie, I didn't think you'd do that!"  Sallie looked ashamed, as well she  might, but made no reply.  "Here, Sallie,"  continued the elder girl,  "sit here in sister's chair.  I'll let you hold dolly awhile if you'll be very careful."  Sallie's face looked just then as if there were some "coals of fire" somewhere around, but she sat down with the doll on her lap, giving her sister a glance of real appreciation, mingled with shame.  The hidden onlooker was deeply touched by the scene.  It was unusual, she thought, to see a mere child show such calm dignity and forgiveness under persecution.  Presently she called the child and questioned her.  "How can you be so patient with Sallie, my dear?"  "Oh,"  was the laughing reply,  "I guess it is because I love Sallie so much.  You see, Sallie's a dear sister,"  she said excusingly,  "but she's got an awful temper, and - Sallie forgets herself sometimes.  Mamma said if Sallie should do any angry thing to me, and I should do angry things to her, we'd have a dreadful time, and I think we would.  Mamma said I should learn to give the 'soft answer,' and I'm trying to."  The lady took her in her arms and kissed her.  "My dear,"  she said firmly and earnestly,  "I think you have already learned the lesson."

     "He that is slow to anger is better than the  mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city  (Proverbs  16:32).

"Bread For Each Day"

The Old Swimming Hole

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

                     "They feared the Lord, and served their own gods."  2 Kings 17:33

     Do you remember the old swimmin' hole of your childhood days?  What fun it was to splash about in the muddy pond.  Now we have beautiful swimming pools like the one right outside the door of the motel where Mrs. DeHaan and I are spending the night.  But little as the modern swimming pool resembles the old swimmin' "hole," I notice the people are still the same.  There are sitters, dippers, waders, puddlers, and divers.  What them!  One of them just sits on the side looking on.  Another has just dipped his toes in and "Brrrr," he cried out as he shivers,  "Oh, it's so cold!"  Another has gone in up to his ankles, and he also declares it is awfully chilly.  But we see, another takes a header from the diving board and rises all in a glow; all his blood is circulating, and he cries,  "Wonderful!"  What a fine morning.  The water is splendid!"

     It is a picture of Christian in any church.  There are the sitters - just getting a tan (they should be given a tanning).  There are the splashers, the puddlers, and the divers.  The divers are the "all-outers" for God.  The others are "half-baked," half-hearted, half-surrendered Christians.  Like the people in our text, they "feared the Lord - but served their own gods."  One foot in the water - one on the ground; one foot in the world - one foot in the church.  You, Christian people, who are paddling about in the shallow of religion, and just dipping your toes into it, you stand shivering in the cold air of the world which you are afraid to leave.  Oh, that you would plunge into the river of life, how it would brace you; what tone it would give you!  Be a Christian out-and-out.  Give yourself wholly to Him who bought you with His blood, and you will find the "more abundant life!"

"Bread For Each Day"

I Belong 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

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, the might bring us to God."  Peter  3:18

     A missionary in Africa was telling the heathen the precious story of the life and ministry of our Lord.  The natives gathered in a special clearing which had been made in the forest, while the servant of God told them in vivid language of the wonderful miracles and the sacrificial offering of Christ on the cross.  Seated in the front row was the chief of the tribe who listened intently to all the missionary had to say.  As the story came to its climax, and the chief heard how Christ was cruelly nailed to Calvary's tree, he could contain himself no longer, but jumped to his feet crying,  "Stop!  Take Him down from the cross; I belong there, not Him!"  He had truly grasped the meaning of the Gospel, for he understood that he was a sinner, and the Christ was the sinless One.

     Yes, Jesus took our place and died in our stead.  In that He bore our sins, the just for the unjust, He has brought us back into fellowship with Father.

     J. G. Mantle in his wonderful book entitled, Beyond Humiliation says:  "To see what your sin really means, bring it into the light of the cross, and say as you gaze upon that marred visage and those pierced hands and feet:  'It was my pride, my lust, my unbelief, my selfishness, that pointed the nails and fixed the thorns.'"

     As once again you recall that scene of the Son of God hanging there in "agony and blood," will you say from your heart,  "I belong there!"  Then go one step further and receive Him as you Savior, so that you can say with Paul,  "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live."  If you will identify yourself with His sacrifice, God will identify you with Christ's righteousness.

"Bread For Each Day"

Suckers!

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

             "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth."  Colossians  3:5

     What do you know about "suckers"?  I am not speaking of fish, or of certain gullible folks who fall for every new scheme.  I am speaking of suckers on a fruit tree which must be constantly pruned off if there is to be fruit.  A few years ago I planted a pear tree.  It was really two pear trees, for the root and lower stem was from a "seedling" which grew wild.  The nursery man cut off the wild branches, and a branch from a tame tree was grafted or budded in.  On this branch would grow good fruit, if we would only keep the "suckers" down.  Suckers are sprouts or branches which grow below the graft, out of the old wild root, and have the wild nature.  Failure to prune off the wild suckers prevents the strength of the tree from going into the tame, fruit-bearing branches.  If there is to be fruit, the "suckers" must be constantly discouraged by cutting them off.  Thus the same tree may bring forth two kinds of fruit, wild and tame, but the more the tree produces of one kind, the less there will be of the other.

     We too are trees.  By nature we are wild, due to our birth from father Adam.  We begin with a natural, sinful nature.  When we are born of the Spirit, a bud-graft of the divine life is introduced within us, enabling us to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  But the old nature is still there, and if left without pruning will stunt the new growth and render it fruitless.  This is the reason for the battle in the Christian life. The secret of victory is getting rid of the suckers - the works of the flesh (Galatians  5:19-21).   Watch the suckers today, brother, and "put off . . .the old man, which is corrupt . . . and put on the new man . . . created in . . . true holiness"  (Ephesians  4:22,24).  Crucify self!  WATCH THOSE SUCKERS!

                                                     Lord, save me from my evil self,
                                                           To Thee for help I flee;
                                                     Teach me Thy perfect way to know
                                                           That I may life for Thee.

"Bread For Each Day"

Alone With 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

                                          "And he took him aside. . .  "  Mark  7:33

     When Jesus came one day to the seacoast of Galilee, they brought unto Him one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, beseeching our Lord to heal him.  Jesus did as they requested, but not until He had taken the man aside from the multitude.  There He touched first his ears, and then his tongue.

     Many are the lessons for us in the this brief account.  Often before the Lord can work His miracle He has to call us aside from the hurry and restless activity of the work-a-day world.  First He would touch our ears that we might hear His loving voice of guidance and assurance, for He knows that only then can our tongue be properly loosed to speak His praises, and plainly tell others of His grace.  Do not be restless therefore when the Lord isolates you for awhile through sickness or circumstance; just be certain He is seeking to bestow a rich blessing upon your soul by thus setting you aside.

     Years ago a man who operated an icehouse lost a good watch in the sawdust on the floor.  He offered a reward, and although many went through the wood-sawings with rakes, they were unable to find the lost treasure.  When they left the building for lunch, a small boy entered and came out a few moments later with the treasured timepiece.  They asked him how he had found it and he replied,  "I just lay down in the sawdust and quietly waited until I heard the watch ticking!"  Many of us have lost much more than a watch.  If we will just be still and listen quietly, the Lord will speak to us and show us where we lost our power and testimony.

     Let us "study to be quiet" when God takes us aside, for only thus will we know the miracle of His grace, and the peace of His blessing.  Listen like Elijah for the "still small voice."

"Bread For Each Day"

WHEN YOUR SINS WEIGHT HEAVILY...

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

WHEN YOUR SINS WEIGH HEAVILY upon you, come to Me.  Confess your wrongdoing, which I know all about before you say a word.  Stay in the Light of My Presence, receiving forgiveness, cleansing, and healing.  Remember that I have clothed you in My righteousness, so nothing can separate you from Me.  Whenever you stumble or fall, I am there to help you up.

Man's tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness.  There he indulges in self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming, and hatred. But I am the Light of the world, and My illumination decimates the darkness.  Come close to Me and let My Light envelop you, driving out darkness and permeating you with Peace.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Above The Storm!

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

"But God, who is rich in mercy . . . hath raised us up together, and made us sit . . . in heavenly places."   Ephesians  2:4,6

     The believer is already seated in heaven - in Christ.  As members of His Body (Ephesians 5:30), we have been crucified with Christ,  (Galatians  2:20), quickened with Christ  (Ephesians  2:5), and positionally in Christ are already seated in the heavenlies.  As such the believer is safe from condemnation  (Romans  8:1) and has eternal life  (John  5:24); and this we have in Christ.  In our walk we are still imperfect, but in Christ, God sees us as already in heaven.  We are therefore lifted above the judgment of condemnation forever.

     Recently on a flight to Boston we passed over a severe thunderstorm.  Riding at an altitude of about 20,000 feet, we had a wonderful view of the great rolling thunder clouds towering in the sky.  Below us was a sea of clouds - we could see the jagged streaks of lightning leaping from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth.  It was an awesome sight.  I found myself wondering what would happen if that lightning struck the plane.  Then I remembered that lightning always strikes down - not up, and we were above the storm.  We were riding in the sunlight, above the storm, in perfect safety from the crashing, flashing thunderbolts.  Only those below the storm were in danger.

     So it is with the believer in Christ.  He is not under judgment but above condemnation.  He lives above the storm of God's wrath, in the sunshine of God's promise in John  10:28, 29.  I must confess I was at first a bit fearful as I saw the storm so close by, until I remembered lightning is dangerous to those under the cloud, but harmless to those above it.  Our Pilot has taken us through - and safely!  This is our blessed assurance!

"Bread For Each Day"

Can You Take Criticism?

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

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven."  Matthew  5:11-12

     How are you at making enemies?  No, I did not ask,  How are you at making friends?  That is easy.  Just be a good Joe, an easy spender, a tolerant sort of fellow who never offends anyone.  Solomon wisely says,  ". . . the rich hath many friends"  (Proverbs 14:20).  And again he says,  "Wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is separated from his neighbor"  (Proverbs 19:4).  Yes, you can have lots of friends if you are willing to pay them for it. And again we read,  "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men"  (Proverbs  18:16).  Yes, there are many ways of making friends.

     But how good are you at making enemies?  If you are a child of God and you can move among wicked, ungodly, cursing men and women today, and not be different enough to incur their disfavor or even reviling, you certainly are not much of a testimony.  Do you just silently endure taking the Lord's name in vain for fear of jeering?  Do you take "just a nip" because you fear ridicule?  Do you dread criticism for your faith in Christ?  Are you ashamed of Him for fear of losing friends?  I would rather make enemies for Jesus's sake than make friends for my own comfort's sake.

     In the thousands of letters we receive each week we have both letters of appreciation from our listeners, and also many of criticism and condemnation.  I can honestly say that I appreciate the "critical" letters (some of them unprintable) as much as any others for it confirms the Gospel I preach ) - that it's a two-edged sword cutting both ways:  a savor of life - and a savor of death  (2 Corinthians  2:16).

"Bread For Each Day"

Proverbs 22:17-19

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

"Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.   For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.   That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee."

Short-Weight Scales

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

           "Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good."  
                                                                                                                      Proverbs  20:23

     Cheating is sin and is severely condemned in the Scriptures.  So common is the practice of "snitching" a little here and a little there, that the government maintains a large force of men to inspect the scales of merchants and shopkeepers, to see that they conform to the requirements of the U.S. Department of Standard Weights and Measures.

     Many a man would not think of robbing a bank or stealing a dollar outright, but will think nothing of being a "sharper" in business and driving a hard bargain or being guilty of short weight or measure.  It costs the government millions of dollars to keep an eye on the "chiselers."  In the eyes of God stealing is stealing, no matter what form it takes.  Honesty is one of the surest tests of character.

     A certain grocer said to one of his former customers before a group of friends,  "Mary, I don't believe you are saved and I am going to ask these people to pray for your salvation.  I am greatly burdened for you." Mary was shocked and asked why the grocer thought she wasn't saved.  He replied,  "If you were, you would not try to cheat me on the butter you sell me.  For several weeks now I have detected that every pound of your butter is two ounces short."  Mary thought for a minute and then said,  "Oh, I know why that is.  Several weeks ago I lost my pound weight - and I have been using for a weight instead, a one-pound bag of sugar which I purchased from you!"  Deep silence - and a red-faced grocer!

     Can all your business dealing stand inspection?  Jesus said,  "He that is unjust in that which is least is unjust also in much."

"Bread For Each Day"

Do What You Can

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

                                           "She hath done what she could."  Mark  14:8

     Mary of Bethany had just shown her love for Jesus by anointing Him with precious ointment.  Some objected to her actions, but Jesus commends her and sets her up as an example for us to follow.  Each must give in his own way the best he has!  Someone has rightly said,  "I am only one, but I am one, I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  That which I can do, I ought to do, and by the grace of God I will do!"

     To every Christian, God has given some task whereby he may glorify the Savior.  D. L. Moody tells a story that illustrates this truth:  A passenger crossing the Atlantic was sent to his bunk during a storm because he was terribly distressed by seasickness.  A cry of "man overboard" was heard.  "May God help the poor fellow, but there is nothing I can do the way I feel,"  said the sick passenger.  Then he thought to himself, "Wait, there is something I can do; I can at least put my lantern in the porthole."  He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it shone out into the darkness.  The man who was drowning was rescued, and in recounting the story the next day said,  "I was going down for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole.  It shone on my hand, and a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in!"

     Everyone holding forth his own light, or using his one talent, no matter how small, will help accomplish God's purpose on this earth, and will thus glorify the Savior.  What a joy it will be when the Master looks into our eyes in that future day and with a loving smile of approval says,  "Good and faithful servant, you did what you could - enter now into the joy of the Lord!

"Bread For Each Day"

I Am Such A Great Sinner!

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

                                            ". . . be clothed with humility."  1 Peter 5:5

     I don't want to be a "hair-slitter," for they are usually chronic critics who overlook all the flowers in a beautiful bouquet and pick on the one faded petal.  But I may seem to be dealing in petty faultfinding when I object to the way some people begin or end their prayers.  So often it begins,  "We humbly come," or ends, "This we humbly ask."  I know folks mean well, but really "humble" folks never mention it.  In fact, no person is humble who admits or thinks he is.  Paul refers to a "show of humility" in Colossians  2:23.  The worst kind of pride is humble pride, which really is proud humility.  A truly humble person will never suspect that he is humble but will be like Moses when he came down from the mountains.  "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone"  (Exodus  34:29).

     How can we recognize proud humility in ourselves?  Do you like to talk about your own achievements and spiritual knowledge?  Are you one who humbly (?) tells how much time you spend in prayer and studying the Bible?  We hear folks tell us how much time they spend studying the Word, and when they get up to preach - well, we wonder.  You don't need to advertise how early you get up to pray.  If you really spend much time in prayer, people will soon know it without your telling them.

     There is another form of humility we may call false humility.  It consists of constantly depreciating ourselves to others, telling how bad we are and what a failure we've been; but secretly we want them to disagree with us and tell us how great we are.

     A certain preacher became tired of hearing one of the ladies in the congregation constantly testify as to what a great sinner she was and what a wicked woman she was.  One day she said again,  "Pastor, I am such a wicket woman,"  and the pastor replied,  "Yes, so I've been told."  At this she became indignant and screamed at him,  "Who told you I was a wicked woman?"  He answered,  "You did!"

"Bread For Each Day"

IF YOU LEARN 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

IF YOU LEARN TO TRUST ME - really trust Me - with your whole being, then nothing can separate you from My Peace.  Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me.  This is how you foil the works of evil, growing in grace through the very adversity that was meant to harm you.  Joseph was a prime example of this divine reversal, declaring to his brothers:  "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."

Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way.  Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done.  Relax in My sovereignty, remembering that I go before you, as well as with you, into each day.  Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will ever encounter.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Faith

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 children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground."
                                                                                                                       Exodus  14:22

     The Bible is a Book of miracles!  If you refuse to believe in the supernatural, you will soon lay the Scriptures aside.

     One young man to whom I witnessed said,  "I cannot accept Christ, for I have never seen Him.  With me 'seeing is believing!'"  Of course, he had not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit and so my well-intended testimony beat helplessly against the iron doors of his unbelief.  Yet he did not realize with all of his intelligence (for he was an excellent scholar), that the statement he made was in itself sheer nonsense.  Seeing is not believing at all.  Seeing is knowing!  You don't have to "believe" that which you can prove.  Faith, on the other hand, is simply taking God at His Word even though you cannot verify what He says with your feeble, human senses.

     The crossing of the Red Sea by Israel is one of the many miracles recorded in the Bible which has to be received by faith.  A ten-year-old with a vivid imagination who had heard the story at Sunday school was asked what he had learned that day at church.  "Well," he said, "our teacher told us about when God sent Moses behind the enemy lines to rescue the Israelites.  When they came to the Red Sea, Moses called for the engineers to build a pontoon bridge.  After they had all crossed they looked back and saw the Egyptian tanks coming.  Moses radioed head-quarters to send bombers to blow up the bridge and save the Israelites."  "Bobby,"  exclaimed his startled Mother,  'is that really the way your teacher told that story?"  "Well, not exactly - but if I told it her way, you'd never believe it!"  Yes, unbelief which is the root of all sin, stumbles at the miraculous, even as it stumbles at the offer of salvation vicariously provided by a virgin-born Mediator.  Oh, for faith to simply take God at His Word!

"Bread For Each Day"

What Does It Do?

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

    ". . . we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind."  Isaiah  26:18

     This is the figure Isaiah uses to describe Israel's vain attempts to please Jehovah and work for their own redemption.  They are represented as making this confession in the latter days of their conversion,  "Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain . . . we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind"  (Isaiah 26:17,18).  Nothing to show for all her labor!  How much labor there is which produces nothing.  Like the folks in Jeremiah 51:58, the people "labor in vain."

     Some months ago an inventor exhibited a wonderful machine.  It had 5,626 wheels and gears, shafts and axles, eccentric wheels, chains and belts, together with too many bolts and nuts and screws, and cotter pins, to mention.  The machine was about six feet high and at least five feet long.  It ran perfectly.  When he plugged it in, it began to hum and whirl and its thousands off wheels and gears began to spin.  Then he was asked,  "What does the machine do?"  The answer was,  "Absolutely nothing!  It's just a bunch of wheels I put together for my amusement in my spare time.  It produces nothing!"

     How much Christian activity is a whir and a hum and a roar and a clanging of machinery but nothing comes out!  It is organizations, committees, boards, programs, and meetings, but no souls are saved, no missionaries are sent out, no hearts are stirred to service for Christ.  Many churches have become just big social centers - places of entertainment amid a religious atmosphere.  What have all the activities of your church program to do with saving souls and sanctifying saints?  Must we say with Israel, "We . . . have brought forth wind?"  It is not how busy we are, but what we produce that counts.  Jesus said that He had ordained us to "bring forth fruit!"

"Bread For Each Day"

MEET ME IN MORNING STILLNESS...

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

MEET ME IN MORNING STILLNESS, while the earth is fresh with the dew of My Presence.  Worship Me in the beauty of holiness.  Sing love songs to My holy Name.  As you give yourself to Me, My Spirit swells within you till you are flooded with divine Presence.

The world's way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding.  You attain My riches by letting go and giving.  The more you give yourself to Me and My ways, the more I fill you with inexpressible, heavenly Joy.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence."