Peace

I have an Oswald Chambers goody to share with you based on John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:...Let not your heart be troubled."

"Whenever you obey God, His seal is always that of peace, the witness of an unfathomable peace, which is not natural, but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, tarry til it does or find out the reason why it does not. If you are acting on an impulse, or from a sense of the heroic, the peace of Jesus will not witness; there is no simplicity or confidence in God, because the spirit of simplicity is born of the Holy Ghost, not of your decisions...My questions come whenever I cease to obey. When I have obeyed God, the problems never come between me and God, they come as probes to keep the mind going on with amazement at the revelation of God. Any problem that comes between God and myself springs out of disobedience; any problem, and there are many, that is alongside me while I obey God, increases my ecstatic delight, because I know that my Father knows, and I am going to watch and see how He unravels this thing."

That last sentence has ministered to me greatly. I am finding out that as I obey God in my responses to people and circumstances, that I can actually relax and anticipate with "ecstatic delight" the end result that God will somehow "unravel" for His own glory and my best good.

Today

On this first day of spring, I read this challenge from my Elisabeth Elliot flip calendar:

"Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now." Taken from Keep a Quiet Heart, p. 53.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt. 6:34

Enjoy this first day of the rest of your life!

Oh, the depth of the riches...

"God does many things which we do not understand. Of course He does - He is God, perfect in wisdom, love, and power. We are only children, very far from perfect in anything. A true faith must rest solidly on His character and His Word, not on our particular conceptions of what He ought to do." On Asking God Why by Elisabeth Elliot.

Romans 11:33 - "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!"

He is able

I know whom I have believed, and am

persuaded that he is able.

BLE to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

Able to succour them that are tempted.

Able . . . to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

Able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Believe ye that I am able to do this? . . . Yea Lord. . . . According to your faith be it unto you.

2 TIM. 1. 12. Ep. 3. 20. 2 Co. 9. 8.
He. 2. 18. He. 7. 25. Jude 1. 24. 2 Ti. 1. 12.
Phi 3. 21. Mat. 9. 28, 29.

Jesus my Glory

“O Lord God,

Thou hast commanded me to believe in Jesus,
and I would flee to no other refuge,
wash in no other fountain,
build on no other foundation,
receive from no other fullness,
rest in no other relief.
His water and blood were not severed in their flow at the cross,
may they never be separated in my creed and experiences;
May I be equally convinced of the guilt and pollution of sin,
feel my need of a prince and saviour,
implore of him repentance as well as forgiveness,
love holiness, and be pure in heart,
have the mind of Jesus, and tread in his steps.
Let me not be at my own disposal,
but rejoice that I am under the care of one
who is too wise to err,
too kind to injure,
too tender to crush.
May I scandalize none by my temper and conduct, but
recommend and endear Christ to all around,
bestow good on every one as circumstances permit,
and decline no opportunity of usefulness.
Grant that I may value my substance,
not as the medium of pride and luxury,
but as the means of my support and stewardship.
Help me to guide my affections with discretion,
to owe no man anything,
to be able to give to him that needeth,
to feel it my duty and pleasure to be merciful and forgiving,
to show to the world the likeness of Jesus.”

From The Valley of Vision