Friday, March 31, 2023
Isaiah 53 verse of the day.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
-Isaiah 53.
The prophecy of the Man of Sorrows. From Bible Gateway's verse of the day for today, the prophecy represents the foretelling of Christ, and to a lesser extent, the suffering of the believer in those early years of the Church. Indeed, as is said that the word Martyr comes from Justin Martyr, one of the famous Christian apologists of his time, Christ and all the prophets ultimately were martyrs, except for John, who presumably lived to die of old age on the Isle of Patmos.
Of course, Christ is the ultimate martyr, slain by the dictates of an interpretation of the Mosaic Law, and we must remember that the prophets Isaiah and others often didn't meet natural ends either, but were known to be executed after falling out of favor with the holders of the Curse of the Law.
I was enrolled in a seminary course that had a three-course Survey of the Old Testament. I came across Isaiah chapter 53 having never heard of it before, not knowing what I was reading. Mystified, I came to my seminary-graduate Southern Baptist pastor and mentioned it. Upon the mentioning, a gleam came in his eyes, and to him, it must have been a kind of pleasure to share this prophecy of the road to salvation with people who, possibly, were unaware of that particularly chapter.
Indeed, Jesus suffered in order to spare us suffering: the heart of the Gospel.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
God loves.
My own belief is that salvation is open to everybody and anybody regarding circumstances, but there are some traditions in the various denominations that disagree.
Mind, God already knows who will choose him, but we don't know: none of us could know, except for God.
Even murderers have being saved by God's mercy, had their eyes opened to love and truth; doesn't it seem plain that the love of God is available to anyone?
God knows all.
God loves all, or most everyone.
God has the power to change your circumstances.
We've witness a push-pull in the apostle's writings, talking about being content, that he can be content whether he is in need or wealthy, and though God already knows your circumstances, God listens to his children.
So take your problem into prayer and God will hear!
You are loved, and though you are but one piece in God's plan, you are precious to God.
Monday, March 27, 2023
Spurgeon on the Godly journey.
As to the future, we are all of us blind and cannot see an hour before us; but the LORD Jesus will lead us even to our journey's end. Blessed be His name!
-Charles H Spurgeon
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Cowman on the soul finding joy through adversity
They say that springs of sweet fresh water well up amid the brine of salt seas; that the fairest Alpine flowers bloom in the wildest and most rugged mountain passes; that the noblest psalms were the outcome of the profoundest agony of soul.
Be it so. And thus amid manifold trials, souls which love God will find reasons for bounding, leaping joy. Though deep call to deep, yet the Lord's song will be heard in silver cadence through the night.
-LB Cowman
Friday, March 24, 2023
on the missionary called "sky pilot".
I was reading Cowman's daily email publication, an older one, about a woman in an unfamiliar land, inconsolable, sent to the local missionary, called by the natives, "Sky Pilot".
Sky Pilot talked so much of nature, natural things. These were the readily available apparent things, and he spoke of these familiar things to give the woman a reference point to God that she could access with her own facility.
He spoke of the leaves, and the breeze, and of course the sky, but the earth, as well, to access her "agrarian" or natural reference point with which she could use as a natural mental bridge, through the familiar trappings of the neighborhood, for which to reach out to God, and not only that, but further appreciate God's hand at work in the natural landscape around her.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Monday, March 20, 2023
some of the verses of the day, March 20, 2023
It's like a renewal, nature's own, and it refreshes the spirit to see it.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
some verse of the day memes.
*these memes are made for and distributed by Bible Gateway and Thomas Nelson Publisher.
Spurgeon on Spiritual Warfare.
If we are indeed contending for truth and righteousness, let us not tarry till we have talent, or wealth, or any other form of visible power at our disposal; but with such stones as we find in the brook, and with our own usual sling, let us run to meet the enemy.
-Charles Spurgeon
On the Psalms....
What was the preparation of the son of Jesse for the songs like unto which none other have ever sounded on this earth? The outrage of the wicked, which brought forth cries for God's help. Then the faint hope in God's goodness blossomed into a song of rejoicing for His mighty deliverances and manifold mercies. Every sorrow was another string to his harp; every deliverance another theme for praise.
-Anna Shipton
Saturday, March 18, 2023
editoral: God loves you.
God loves you.
As amazing and improbable as it may seem, it is all--every jot of it--God's plan.
It seems amazing and improbable.
Indeed, life itself is, by our understanding, amazing and improbable, but here we are, on God's own time, not our own, and leading, marching towards an end. God foresees and preordains that end, even before time, and he gently nudges us towards the finish.
Take heart.
The lesson of faith once learned, is an everlasting acquisition and an eternal fortune made; and without trust even riches will leave us poor. -LB Cowman
Spurgeon on cause for bravery
Whenever fear comes in and makes us falter, we are in danger of falling
into sin. Conceit is to be dreaded, but so is cowardice. "Dare to be a
Daniel." Our great Captain should be served by brave soldiers.
What
a reason for bravery is here! God is with those who are with Him. God
will never be away when the hour of struggle comes. Do they threaten
you? Who are you that you should be afraid of a man that shall die? Will
you lose your situation? Your God whom you serve will find bread and
water for His servants. Can you not trust Him? Do they pour ridicule
upon you? Will this break your bones or your heart? Bear it for Christ's
sake, and even rejoice because of it.
-Charles Spurgeon
verse of the day for Bible Gateway: Romans 15:13
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. -Romans 15(KJV)
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
God ahead, not behind.
"Early twentieth century biologists realized that biological systems are open, autopoietic (self-organizing), complex and emergent, revealing one long truth: life seeks more life. God is ahead of us, not behind us, and if we refuse the reality of a self-involving God, we risk everything." -Center For Christogenesis
site tip jar here.
Monday, March 13, 2023
Watchman Nee on Chistian Joy
The world may oppose us, misunderstand us, reject us, and trap us, but no one can cover the heavens from us. The Lord never changes. We should be clear about one thing: do not rejoice in the environment; rather, rejoice in our Lord.
-Watchman Nee
willing to be a voice.....
Be willing to be only a voice, heard but not seen; a mirror whose surface is lost to view, because it reflects the dazzling glory of the sun; a breeze that springs up just before daylight, and says, “The dawn! the dawn!” and then dies away.
Do the commonest and smallest things as beneath His eye. If you must live with uncongenial people, set to their conquest by love. If you have made a great mistake in your life, do not let it becloud all of it; but, locking the secret in your breast, compel it to yield strength and sweetness. -George Matheson
Romans 8: all things work together for the good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. -Romans 8 KJV
Saturday, March 11, 2023
the foothills and the mountain
I once thought, "I'm really mature in God. I've learned so much. Look at these gems I've dug out! And I've experienced this, and I've climbed here, and I've looked from the heights." Then the fog began to roll away, and I realized I hadn't even gotten out of the foothills yet.
God just really amazes me.
-Bayless Conley
Oswald Chambers on people "trying it"...
Both nations and individuals have tried Christianity and abandoned it, because it has been found too difficult; but no man has ever gone through the crisis of deliberately making Jesus Lord and found Him to be a failure.
-Oswald Chambers
the reason for our hope
...sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear...
-1 Peter 3
(in other translations "meekness and fear" are interchanged with "gentleness and respect")
Friday, March 10, 2023
Spurgeon on God's Promises
Come, then, let us recall the LORD's former lovingkindness. We could not have hoped to be delivered aforetime by our own strength; yet the LORD delivered us. Will He not again save us? We are sure He will. As David ran to meet his foe, so will we. The LORD has been with us, He is with us, and He has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Why do we tremble? Was the past a dream?
-Charles H Spurgeon
pleading a promise from the Scriptures....
We feel led to take up and plead some promise from the page of Scripture, under the special impression that it contains a message for us. At such times, in confident faith, we say, “Do as Thou hast said.” There is hardly any position more utterly beautiful, strong, or safe, than to put the finger upon some promise of the Divine word, and claim it.
-FB Meyer
Thursday, March 9, 2023
walking God's way.
Walking God's way, walking the way of Jesus Christ, because they are wonderful, regardless of mankind's sense of fashion or decorum; His ways is higher than our ways.
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