Christian Quotes

He withdrew... to a solitary place (Matthew 14:13).

There is no music during a musical rest, but the rest is part of the making of the music. In the melody of our life, the music is separated here and there by rests. During those rests, we foolisly believe we have come to the end fo the song. God sends us time of forced leisure by allowing sickness, disappointed plans, and frustrated efforts. He brings a sudden pause in the choral hymns of our lives, and we lament that our voices must be silent. We grieve that our part is missing in the music that continually rises to the ear of our Creator. Yet how does a musician read the rest? He counts the break with unwavering precision and plays his next note with confidence, as if no pause were ever there.

God does not write the music of our lives without a plan. Our part is to learn the tune and not be discouraged during the rests. They are not to be slurred over or omitted, nor used to destroy the melody or to change the key. If we will only look up, God Himself will count the time for us. With our eyes on Him, our next note will be full and clear. If we sorrowfully say to ourselves, "There is no music in a rest," let us not forget that the rest is part of the making of the music. The process is often slow and painful in this life, yet how patiently God works to teach us! And how long He waits for us to learn the lesson!
--John Ruskin

Called aside--
From the glad working of your busy life,
From the world's ceaseless stir of care and strife,
Into the shade and stillness by your Heavenly Guide
For a brief time you have been called aside.
Called aside--
Perhaps into a desert garden dim;
And yet not alone, when you have been with Him,
And heard His voice in sweetest accents say:
"Child, will you not with Me this still hour stay?"
Called aside--
In hidden paths with Christ your Lord to tread,
Deeper to drink at the sweet Fountainhead,
Closer in fellowship with Him to roam,
Nearer, perhaps, to feel your Heavenly Home.
Called aside--
Oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone;
In secret oft His deeper love is shown,
And learned in many an hour of dark distress
Some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness.
Called aside--
We thank You for the stillness and the shade;
We thank You for the hidden paths Your love has made,
And, so that we have wept and watched with Thee,
We thank You for our dark Gethsemane.
Called aside--
O restful thought - He doeth all things well;
O blessed sense, with Christ alone to dwell;
So in the shadow of Your cross to hide,
We thank You, Lord, to have been called aside.

~L. B. Cowman~

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Today's Reading: Exodus 1; Matthew 14:1-21

Today's Thoughts: To Fear the Lord

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive... Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.  And so it was, because the midwives feared God that He provided households for them. -  >Exodus 1:17, 20-21

We all know what it means to have fear. We struggle with the fear of failure, the fear of being alone, and the fear of rejection. These fears bring insecurity and slant our judgment. How can we differentiate between the fears of this life and the fear of the Lord? What is the difference? The term to “fear the Lord” means to “revere or to stand in awe of.” We tend to fear the things that we see and touch, not a God who is invisible. So, we pay more respect to the things of this world than to the Lord who is in control of all these things in the first place.  We have choices that we make every day. Are we trying to please people or are we trying to please the Lord?

From Exodus, we see how the midwives are excellent examples of making the right choice. They were given a direct order from their king, the ruler of all Egypt. These women should have had “the fear of the king” because on earth he was the position of authority. He could command whatever he wanted and had the power to kill those who were disobedient. However, these women chose to “fear the Lord” even though they knew they could be killed. They saw something in the Hebrew people that indicated the existence of a higher authority than Pharaoh. They realized that the Hebrew God is the one true God, in control of life and death. They chose to fear and honor the Lord, even if it meant their own death. 

Sometimes we think that by trying to please people, we are pleasing the Lord. As Christians, are we not suppose to lay down our rights and become servants to all? This is true only when we first lay down our rights to God. We can only begin to understand this concept as we learn what it means to fear the Lord.  He has given us His word to teach us. You may be put in a difficult situation in your home, in your work, or at school. Maybe your husband, or boss or principal has made a decision that goes against your convictions. What are you going to do? Who are you going to live in fear of, man or God? The greatest thing about living in the fear of the Lord is that He will help you. It is not your responsibility to change their decisions but to express your convictions. By choosing to fear Him, He will lead you, guide you and love you through the fearful times. Depend on Him; fear Him. For when all of life is said and done, we all stand before God one day. And there is no doubt whose side we will choose then.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

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Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it.

He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in right-eousness.

We glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. - If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.

JOHN 15:2. Mal. 3:2,3. Rom. 5:3 5. -Heb. 12:7,8,11,12.

EVENING

Now we call the proud happy.

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. - Blessed are the poor in spirit for their's is the kingdom of heaven.

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, ... . - Every one that is proud of heart is an abomination to the LORD.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

MAL. 3:15. Isa. 57:15. Prov. 16:19. Matt. 5:3. Prov. 6:16,17. Prov. 16:5. Psa. 139:23,24. Phi. 1:2,3. Matt. 5:5.

~Samuel Bagster~

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No Fear

People tend to worry in these days about world events.  In Matthew 24:6-7, Jesus tells us this,

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places."

Jesus said, "When these things happen, don't be troubled.  Don't worry.  They must come to pass."  Think about some of those things.

Earthquakes in various places.  I have been told that around the world earthquakes are increasing both in frequency and in size.  They are happening more and more, and they are getting worse and worse.  It is a sign, my friend.

Jesus mentions pestilences--diseases without cures.  Ring any bells?  There are certain nations where it is reported that 50 percent of the population is infected with AIDS.  It is rampant in many countries of the world.  It is an incredible problem even in our own country.

Jesus points to famines.  There is drought, which is causing famines, which is causing starvation around the world.

Then Jesus talks about wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom.  You can't turn on the news without hearing about some terrorist attack.  There are countries today aggressively pursuing nuclear capabilities.  Nations are poised against one another.

The leaders of our nation and other nations make decisions that affect literally the whole world.  It seems like the world is on fire!  Things are hanging in the balance.

Our response?  It should not be fear, but rather recognition that these things must come to pass before Christ returns!

~Bayless Conley~

Answers for each Day

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BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15:1-2

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

 
When Solomon built his temple, he employed eighty thousand stonecutters. They chipped and shaped those stones in the quarry before bringing them to the temple mount.

Why? Because Solomon didn’t want the sound of the hammers and chisels heard on the temple mount.

In the same way, you are part of the living stones of His temple and God is shaping you here in the “quarry” of earth. Part of your shaping is in the form of persecution. So don’t look at your persecutors as enemies, but as God’s stonecutters.

ACTION POINT: 

Next time someone reviles you, say “Thank God, another stonecutter.” God is shaping you to be what you ought to be.

~Adrian Rogers~

Love Worth Finding Ministries

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Today's Reading: Genesis 46; Matthew 13:1-30

Today's Thoughts: God’s Ways

Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. - >Psalms 119:5-6

This psalmist dealt with the same issues of guilt that we have today. When we consider all that God requires, His standard is too high. How is one to follow His ways when God's ways are perfect and we are not? Like the psalmist, we cry out, "Oh, I wish my ways were consistent in following and obeying You. Then I would feel better about myself."

The problem with thinking this way is that God wants us to be thankful for His provision and not think of ourselves any higher than we ought. Jesus provides us with all that we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). It is because of Jesus that we can have a relationship with the Father. When our shortcomings turn our focus to ourselves, we have guilt and condemnation. When our eyes are focused on Jesus, despite our shortcomings, we are thankful to Him. God wants us thankful. He already knows our shortcomings and knows the extent of our ability to sin, but He saved us anyway. And He loves us anyway.

Lately, everywhere I turn in the Bible, I am seeing that God desires a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. He wants me to sing to Him in gratitude for all He has done and is doing. The word sacrifice reminds us that giving Him thanks and praise is not easy when we are feeling guilty, angry, frustrated, depressed or miserable. But by praising Him during those times, it releases our faith to look to Him instead of to ourselves.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~