All honey would harm us!(Thomas Brooks)
"Weeping may endure for a night--but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
Our mourning shall last but until morning.
God will turn . . .
our winter's night, into a summer's day,
our sighing, into singing,
our grief, into gladness,
our mourning, into music,
our bitter, into sweet,
our wilderness, into a paradise.
The life of a Christian is filled up with interchanges of . . .
sickness, and health,
weakness, and strength,
want, and wealth,
disgrace, and honor,
crosses, and comforts,
miseries, and mercies,
joys, and sorrows,
mirth, and mourning.
All honey would harm us, and all wormwood would undo us; a composition of both is the best way to keep our souls in a healthy constitution. It is best and most for the health of the soul--that the warm south wind of mercy, and the cold north wind of adversity--both blow upon it. And though every wind which blows, shall blow good to the saints; yet certainly their sins die most, and their graces thrive best, when they are under the frigid, drying, nipping north wind of calamity--as well as under the warm, nourishing south wind of mercy and prosperity.
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Praying the Promises of God
Jesus made it clear that we would endure hardship in this life. But God gave His children amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. In addition, He gave us prayer so we could not only communicate and stay connected with our Father but also bring Him our requests.
Today I want to focus on yet another one of His marvelous gifts: the Bible. Scripture is the actual Word of God Almighty. It is truth. It never changes. It enables us in all circumstances, so we have a sure foundation on which to base our lives and decisions.
There are thousands of promises in the Bible--countless assurances that we can rely on with perfect confidence. God wants us to learn them so we won't miss out on blessings He wants to give. And wise believers will turn His promises into prayers and the cries of their hearts.
Let me give you an example that relates to difficult decisions. Psalms 32:8 states, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." We can pray God's words back to Him, saying that we believe He will teach us and reveal His path, while remaining by our side as our caregiver through the entire situation.
When hardships arise, we need a solid foundation on which to stand. Otherwise, our emotions could easily lead us astray through faulty thinking. God is faithful and unchanging, so we can trust in His promises, which enable us to rest confidently and act boldly.
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
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Keep yourselves from idols.
My son, give me thine heart. — Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? — Mortify ... your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. — They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things.
If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. — My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. — The Lord looketh on the heart.
I JOHN 5:21. Prov. 23:26. ‑Gal. 3:2. Ezek. 14:3. -Gal. 3:5. ‑I Tim. 6:9-11. Psa. 62:10. -Prov. 8:19. Matt. 6:21. ‑I Sam. 16:7.
~Samuel Bagster~
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Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. — Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. — My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. — Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord, Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.
Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house that I have builded? — Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. — Ye are the temple of living God.
GEN. 28:16. Matt. 18:20. ‑Matt. 28:20. ‑Exo. 33:14. Psa. 139:7,8. ‑Jer. 23:23,24. I Kgs. 8:27. ‑Isa. 57:15. ‑II Cor. 6:16.
~Samuel Bagster
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