Do Not Despair

I would have despaired unless I had believed that 
I would see the goodness of the Lord...Wait for the
Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage.
Psalm 27:13-14

DO NOT DESPAIR

Oh, how great the temptation is to despair at times!
Our soul becomes depressed and disheartened, and
our faith staggers under the severe trials and testing
that comes into our lives, especially during times 
of bereavement and suffering. We may come to the
place where we say, "I cannot bear this any longer.
I am close to despair under these circumstances God
has allowed. He tells me not to despair, but what am
I supposed to do at this point?"

It is the same when you are tempted to despair under
Spiritual afflictions. Once you have come close to the 
point of despair, God's message is not, "Be strong 
and courageous", for He knows that your strength 
and courage have run away. Instead, He says sweetly, 
"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."

Hudson Taylor was so weak and feeble in the last few
months of his life that he told a friend "I am so weak
I cannot write. I cannot read my Bible. I cannot even
pray. All I can do is lie still in the arms of God as a 
little child, trusting Him. " This wonderful man of God, 
who had great spiritual power, came to the point of 
physical suffering and weakness where all he could do 
was lie still and trust.

That is all God asks of you as His dear child. When
you become weak through the fierce fires of affliction,
do not try to "be strong." Just "be still, and know that
He is God." And know that He will sustain you and 
bring you through the fire. (He is satisfied with you.)
LB Cowman

Reader, my heart goes out to those of you who are
going through deep waters with no shore in sight. It
becomes unbearable if we think that we are letting
God down in unbelief. No, dear one, you just need
to learn how to lean...

Chosen

Reader, I remember as a little girl that it was so impor-
tant to be chosen to be on a team. I didn't care which
team it was, just getting chosen was enough.

You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...
John 15:16

Let no one be troubled by this matter of election. It 
is a family secret. I would not preach election to the 
world. Election goes before all. I come to the door 
of a certain place, where peace and plenty reigns, and
joy and happiness fill the hearts of the dwellers therein. 
On the door I find written, "Whosoever will may enter 
in." That is the Gospel: I enter, and on the other side 
of the door I find written, "Whosoever gets in here will 
never get out!" That is my security, the fruit of election.

There is nothing to trouble a soul in election, but con-
trariwise much to comfort. God has chosen you, if a 
believer in Christ, before the foundation of the world.
The things which are in heaven God is going to keep
for you, and He is going to keep you for them.
WTP Wolston

I believe the doctrine of election because I am quite
sure that if God had not chosen me, I would never
have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before
I was born, or else he never would have chosen me
afterwards. Charles Spurgeon.

...He has chosen us in Him before the foundation 
of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before Him...  Ephesians 1:4

Reader, it is not our making ourselves holy, but the
promise is that we are made holy through the power
of His blood. Not only does God choose us--oh,
glory--but He makes us perfect in His Son. Now,
that is incredible! I am chosen by GOD!!!!

Our Salvation is of God

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; neither hath 
he seen perverseness in Israel...Numbers 23:21

Our salvation is of God, of the Father, who chose us
before the beginning of time; and of the eternal Son,
who, in the deep counsel of the ever-blessed Trinity,
undertook to redeem us and to bring us unto glory;
and of the Spirit, who in the same eternal love was
appointed to enlighten, quicken, and renew the elect
unto the blessedness of the everlasting inheritance.

This eternal, absolute, free, and unchanging love is re-
vealed and given to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, who
by one offering has perfected for ever all who believe
in His name. By His death He has separated us from
our guilt and death, and brought us unto God.

He has sanctified Himself for us, and us to Him. Be-
lievers have been sanctified and presented unblamable
before the Father in the person of the Lord Jesus. The
Father's good pleasure or delight rests now on the
people for whom Christ died.

Thus God is always beholding us in Christ, and with
eternal love. He beholds neither iniquity in Jacob, nor
doth He see perverseness in Israel; although we stand
before Him in the brightness of the all-revealing light,
He sees us clothed with white garments, and cleansed
in the blood of Jesus Christ His Son.

And although we are constantly failing and falling, 
yet does He behold our faith as never failing, and 
ourselves as firm as Mount Zion, which cannot be 
moved, but stands fast for ever. With never-changing 
fervency and tenderness of love God beholds us cho-
sen, redeemed, sanctified in Christ Jesus.

Perfection is now given to all who believe. God Himself
is our salvation, Jehovah Himself is our righteousness.
Christ's inheritance is our inheritance. The source of
eternal love, self-moved, infinite, ocean without shore;
the channel is free abounding grace, the gift is eternal
life, even life by the Holy Spirit in oneness with Jesus;
the foundation is the obedience of Christ, eternal in its
origin, infinite in its value, and unspeakably God-
pleasing in its character.

How willing are we to forsake our own thoughts, to 
give up our own righteousness, to forget works and 
feelings, and to stand still, in awe and joyous adoration 
beholding Jehovah bringing near  His salvation and 
His righteousness! 
"Of God are we in Christ Jesus, whom God has made 
for us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, 
and redemption: that, according as it is written,  He 
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
SAPHIR, ADOLPH (1831–1891)

Reader, the man who wrote this grew up in a Jewish house-
hold in Hungary. His family was converted in Scotland and
he went on to receive many degrees and ended up pastoring
in the Presbyterian Church. He helped others see the close
connection between the Old and New Testaments. He knew
what it was to live under law--and fail. His bio is below. He has 
made some outrageous statements above. However, I have 
found them true in my later life and it is these which have set 
me free to live life out of His abundance, and not my puny 
strivings. 

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Saphir,_Adolph_(DNB00)

Deep Travail

Walking around in the fire. Daniel 3:25

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown
into the furnace, the fire did not stop them from moving,
for they were seen "walking around." Actually, the fire
was one of the streets they traveled to their destination.
The comfort we have from Christ's revealed truth is not
that it teaches us freedom from sorrow, but that it teaches
us freedom through sorrow.

O dear God, when darkness overshadows me, teach me 
that I am merely traveling through a tunnel. It will then 
be enough for me to know that someday it will be all right.

I have been told that someday I will stand on the top of the 
Mount of Olives and experience the height of resurrection 
glory. But heavenly Father, I want more--I want Calvary to 
lead up to it. I want to know that the shadows of darkness 
are the shade on a road--the road leading to Your heavenly 
house. Teach me that the reason I must climb the hill is be-
cause Your house is there! Knowing this, I will not be hurt 
by sorrows, if I will only walk in the fire. 
George Matheson  1842-1906

George Matheson was a blind Scottish pastor widely be-
loved for his beautiful sermons. He also wrote the hymn
"O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go" during a time he des-
cribed as "the most severe mental suffering." Written in
only five minutes, Matheson claimed the hymn was "dic-
tated to me by some inward voice."

Reader, The dark night of the soul comes to all who fol-
low their Lord. It is the Christian's common bond with
one another, and with the crucified Christ. I pray that this
blog will bring you comfort in knowing that God is in
the mix of everything that befalls you, and, He is coming
soon! In the meantime we walk through the tunnel to-
ward the light that will bring us into freedom and joy--
forever!

A longer biography
https://www.joshweidmann.com/blind-preacher-saw-quite-well-short-bio-george-matheson/

The beautiful hymn written on a terrible night of suffering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt69WDtYNLo&list=RDnt69WDtYNLo&index=2

He Shall Be Satisfied

He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied...  Isaiah 53:11

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ." We are blessed in God, but do we realize
how blessed God is in us? We scarcely understand
the surface meaning of such words, to say nothing
of their hidden depths. A blessed people with a
blessed God! Not one of us is going to be disap-
pointed. A thousandth part has not been told. We
shall be satisfied; and shall Christ be dissatisfied
concerning us? "He shall see the travail of His
soul, and shall be satisfied."
Henry Groves 1818-1890

The Christian ought to be the most dignified person
in the world. We do not think half enough of our-
selves as we are before God.
Edward Dennett 1831-1914--I had trouble finding
much on him, but he has such wonderful pithy
statements.

Reader, Matthew Henry has written: The saints are
God's jewels, highly esteemed by and dear to Him;
they are a royal diadem in His hand. We tend to
demean ourselves as we look at the flesh, but God
looks through the fluff and is satisfied.

http://gospelhall.org/index.php/bible-teaching/138-history/brethren-biographies/3076-biography-70-edward-dennett

The Secret of the Lord

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
Psalm 25:14

There are certain secrets of God's providence He allows
His children to learn. Often, however, at least on the
surface, His dealings with them appear to be harsh and
hidden. Yet faith lilts deeper and says, "This is God's
secret. You are looking on the outside, but I look deeper
and see the hidden meaning."

Remember, diamonds are found in the rough, and their
true value cannot be seen. And when  the tabernacle was
built in the wilderness, there was nothing ornate about
its outward appearance. In fact, the outer covering of 
the thick hides of sea cows gave no hint of the valuable
things inside.

Dear friend, God may send you some valuable gifts
wrapped in unattractive paper. But do not worry about
the wrappings,for you can be sure that inside He has
hidden treasures of love, kindness, and wisdom. If we
simply take what He sends and trust Him for the bles-
sings inside, we will learn the meaning of the secrets
of His providence, even in times of darkness.
A. B. Simpson  1844-1919

Reader, those rough diamonds will be unwrapped at the
coming of our King Jesus. We may not be able to see
anything of value, but our Lord does!

For those who have not read his bio, it is below:
http://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/r-s/simpson-albert-benjamin-1843-1919/

Everyone Means All

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall
be saved. Joel 2:32

So why don't I call on His name? Why do I run to this
person and that person, when God is so near and will
hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down to plot my
own course and make my own plans? Why don't I im-
mediately place myself and my burden on the Lord?

Straight ahead is the best way to run, so why don't I
run directly to the living God? Instead, I look in vain
for deliverance everywhere else, but with God I will
find it. With Him I have His royal promise: "(I) will
be saved." And with Him I never need to ask if I may
call on Him or not, for the word "everyone" is all en-
compassing. It includes me and means anybody and
everybody who calls upon His name. Therefore I will
trust in this verse and will immediately call on the
glorious Lord who has made such a great promise.

My situation is urgent, and I cannot see how I will 
ever be delivered. Yet this is not my concern, for He
who made the promise will find a way to keep it. My
part is simply to obey His commands, not to direct
His ways. I am His servant, not His advisor. I call 
upon Him and He will deliver me.
Charles Spurgeon  1834-1892

Reader, this was a man of God who did not flinch from
controversy when it came to the Word of God and the
atoning death of Jesus Christ.
Not long ago I was calling upon the Lord about a diffi-
cult situation and He said to me,
"I will do it all for you, Jane. And--He has!!!!

https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/charles-spurgeon.html