Remember When...

"Dear child of God, if after great mercy you are laid very low, your case is not an unusual one. When David had mounted the throne of Israel, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king.” You must expect to feel weakest when you are enjoying your greatest triumph. If God has wrought for you great deliverance s in the past, your present difficulty is only like Samson’s thirst, and the Lord will not let you faint, nor suffer the daughter of the uncircumcised to triumph over you. The road of sorrow is the road to heaven, but there are wells of refreshing water all along the route. So, tried brother, cheer your heart with Samson’s words, and rest assured that God will deliver you ere long." Charles Spurgeon

Each one of us is able to recall times when the Lord has delivered us out of a time of sorrow, sickness or temptation. We who call ourselves Christians know that our Heavenly Father is there looking down and keeping us under His wings.  Yet at times we struggle with faith in the heat of the battle, shall I say... when the tempest is nigh we tend to grow faint and weary from the great war for our souls... The illustration that Spurgeon gives here of Samson is so true to our human nature whether we are young or old.  A victory of killing a thousand Philistines and then doubting God to provide him with a drink...  Oh the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak...

As I watch my children interact with one another, I see this conflict in their everyday life playing out in many ways.  Evan and Aaron can be playing beautifully one moment and then, BAM! "That's mine! Mom, Aaron took my truck!"  ...and so goes the life of a five and two year old.  So, as I take Aaron up into my lap and try to explain to him in a way he can understand, he needs to give Evan back the toy. Sometimes he is very willing and can be 'encouraged' to do so with the presentation of another toy, and then other times there is no way he is going to give it up.  Teaching these two little boys who are obviously at different levels of understanding to be kind and loving to one another is to say the least a challenge! They interact for almost all waking hours of the day and for the most part play beautifully together. 

Isn't that like us... we're going along pretty smoothly, not too many bumps in the road and then suddenly we hit a really big pot hole, and crash! There we are sitting on our rumps with this 'what happened' look on our face.  Questions like, "Why now? What is the reason for this? What am I supposed to learn out of this disaster?" pop up instantly... faith... where did it go? Didn't the Lord just answer that prayer two days ago? Didn't He just this morning provide us with the answer we were seeking after?  Faith... sudden challenges present themselves and what do we do with them?

We need to keep looking up... we need to trust that He does have a plan... we need to remember all the wonderful things He has done for us... remember when...

Until next time,
Jean


     

He Knows

“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.”  - Psalm 33:13

This was one of my devotions this morning... as always the Lord is so faithful...
Enjoy a few moments with Charles Spurgeon's heart warming thoughts.

"Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is, not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him." Charles Spurgeon

As I reflect on the last few sentences in this devotion, I can't help but feel wrapped within the Savior's arms, knowing that He care's for me and longs to comfort me...

Until next time,
Jean
     

Faith in Love

"Faith must be strong, or love will not be fervent; the root of the flower must be healthy, or we cannot expect the bloom to be sweet. Faith is the lily’s root, and love is the lily’s bloom. Now, reader, Jesus cannot be in your heart’s love except you have a firm hold of him by your heart’s faith; and, therefore, pray that you may always trust Christ in order that you may always love him. If love be cold, be sure that faith is drooping."  Charles Spurgeon

I often talk about the challenges we face in life as opportunities to glorify the Lord.  It's not always easy when your in the heat of it though... I think we would all agree on that one.  Saturday morning Kyle, Ryan & I were heading down to market... Kyle was driving and suddenly we heard this big bang and then scraping... so thankfully we had just pulled away from a red light and were able to pull off to the side of the road.  After some investigation we discovered our hitch had buckled... we could hardly believe it.  Well, I told Kyle to unhitch and we would have to turn around and go swap out a truck with someone.  So after a call, a good friend was on the way to meet us and trade trucks... at 5:45am... like I said... good friends!  As we headed back I was trying to stay calm considering the time we would be getting to market now and the set up that is required with our stuff... Suddenly Kyle says, "There must have been a really big accident up there mom."  I looked at him and wanted to cry... a seed planted had sprouted.  I always tell the children when stuff like happens... we are running late, stuck at a train, behind a slow moving vehicle or whatever that the Lord must be sparing us of some accident up ahead...  My heart was so blessed by my child...

I have to remain steadfast in my walk with the Lord to be able to maintain this attitude... I must continually rely on His guidance in my life to be able to love unconditionally.  I must keep my focus on Him and me... I cannot loose site of the goal!  The 'emotional' feelings that we have typically result in words and conduct that aren't always appropriate.  We cannot trust our emotions.  The way each person perceives or interprets a particular circumstance in which they are in will have a large impact on the emotional feelings they have.  Thereby resulting in our words and actions.  So long as we keep Christ on the Throne of hearts... so long as we keep our self off... and remain focused on the goal...

What is the goal in all this.... to trust in the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul... then and only then can we be steadfast.

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me." Psalms 63:7-8

Until next time,
Jean
     

Heart Conditions...

“And I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Charles Spurgeon is such an inspiration to me.  I love reading his devotions and sharing them with my readers when I feel led.  This was one of my devotion's  yesterday and I just had to share.  Gods word talks about when we are so distressed and know not what to pray, that the Holy Spirit will intercede with moaning's... our Heavenly Father knows our every need and He is there each day as we seek Him...
I pray you will be as blessed by this as I...

"A heart of flesh is known by its tenderness concerning sin. To have indulged a foul imagination, or to have allowed a wild desire to tarry even for a moment, is quite enough to make a heart of flesh grieve before the Lord. The heart of stone calls a great iniquity nothing, but not so the heart of flesh.

“If to the right or left I stray,
That moment, Lord, reprove;
And let me weep my life away,
For having grieved thy love”

The heart of flesh is tender of God’s will. My Lord Will-be-will is a great blusterer, and it is hard to subject him to God’s will; but when the heart of flesh is given, the will quivers like an aspen leaf in every breath of heaven, and bows like an osier in every breeze of God’s Spirit.

The natural will is cold, hard iron, which is not to be hammered into form, but the renewed will, like molten metal, is soon molded by the hand of grace. In the fleshy heart there is a tenderness of the affections. The hard heart does not love the Redeemer, but the renewed heart burns with affection towards him. The hard heart is selfish and coldly demands, “Why should I weep for sin? Why should I love the Lord?” But the heart of flesh says; “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; help me to love thee more!”

Many are the privileges of this renewed heart; “‘Tis here the Spirit dwells, ‘tis here that Jesus rests.” It is fitted to receive every spiritual blessing, and every blessing comes to it. It is prepared to yield every heavenly fruit to the honor and praise of God, and therefore the Lord delights in it. A tender heart is the best defense against sin, and the best preparation for heaven. A renewed heart stands on its watchtower looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Have you this heart of flesh?"
                                 Charles Spurgeon

Until next time,
Jean

Forgiven!

"Do you believe that your sins are forgiven, and that Christ has made a full atonement for them? Then what a joyful Christian you ought to be! How you should live above the common trials and troubles of the world! Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to you now? Luther said, “Smite, Lord, smite, for my sin is forgiven; if thou hast but forgiven me, smite as hard as thou wilt”; and in a similar spirit you may say, “Send sickness, poverty, losses, crosses, persecution, what thou wilt, thou hast forgiven me, and my soul is glad.” Christian, if thou art thus saved, whilst thou art glad, be grateful and loving. Cling to that cross which took thy sin away; serve thou him who served thee." Charles Spurgeon


We all like a bit of attention, whether we want to admit it or not.  We like to be esteemed and respected whether we are a he or a she. It feels good to the inner person when people say nice things about us... compliment something we  have done... acknowledge a good deed...  we are human and appreciation goes a long way. 

The opposite is true as well...   No one wants to be looked down on or spoken ill of... this not only hurts a persons feelings, but it can destroy relationships to the point of no return... we are human and hurts can take their toll...

But what do we do with unforgivness? How do we respond when we have put forth as much effort as we can and we are not forgiven by 'man'?  Charles Spurgeon puts it quite perfectly in the above quote I believe... When we know we have done the best we can do, with or without our failings... we must move forward in the Love of the Lord and not look back.  We must look to Him for His perfect guidance and trust that He will see us through these times.  God alone knows each our hearts and God alone will be the ultimate and final judge.  We will stand alone before Him and give account for each thing we have done, not our brother or sister, me alone.  We shall hear one of two things when that terrible day comes, but we will hear one... 'enter into to the joy of the Lord' or 'depart from me ye worker of iniquity'...

Be glad you can be forgiven... trust in Him and He will see you through... be glad in Him and His perfect love...
“Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work.”  Psalms 92:4
Until next time,
Jean
    

Life's Battles...

This was my devotion yesterday morning... I felt a prick in my soul to share... when we are weary He is strong... We heard in church yesterday that His strength is made perfect in our (my) weakness... I know this is true...

“Tell me I pray thee wherein thy great strength lieth.”  - Jdg_16:6

"Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is-an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God; and faith says, “My God could not have given this promise, except from love and grace; therefore it is quite certain his Word will be fulfilled.”

"Then faith thinketh, “Who gave this promise?” It considereth not so much its greatness, as, “Who is the author of it?” She remembers that it is God who cannot lie-God omnipotent, God immutable; and therefore concludeth that the promise must be fulfilled; and forward she advances in this firm conviction. She remembereth, why the promise was given,-namely, for God’s glory, and she feels perfectly sure that God’s glory is safe, that he will never stain his own escutcheon, nor mar the lustre of his own crown; and therefore the promise must and will stand.

"Then faith also considereth the amazing work of Christ as being a clear proof of the Father’s intention to fulfill his word. “He that spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

"Moreover faith looks back upon the past, for her battles have strengthened her, and her victories have given her courage. She remembers that God never has failed her; nay, that he never did once fail any of his children. She recollecteth times of great peril, when deliverance came; hours of awful need, when as her day her strength was found, and she cries, “No, I never will be led to think that he can change and leave his servant now. Hitherto the Lord hath helped me, and he will help me still.” Thus faith views each promise in its connection with the promise-giver, and, because she does so, can with assurance say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!” "  Charles Speurgeon

Until next time,
Jean