His Sweet Lessons

There is not one thing that thwarts your will, that is not in God's will

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

My dear friend,
Your frequent afflictions are His sweet lessons. It is the proper work of the grace of Jesus to humble the proud sinner, to make him and to keep him sensible of his needs, convinced always that he has not any good of his own and cannot possibly of himself obtain any--but what he must be receiving every moment out of the fullness of Jesus.

All providences, sicknesses, losses, successes--are only so far blessings, as they lead us more out of ourselves, into the fullness of Jesus.

The Lord having appointed you for His heavenly kingdom, has also appointed all the steps which are to lead you there. Your every affliction is in the covenant. Your sicknesses, your failings, your disappointments--there is not one thing that thwarts your will, that is not in God's will. Nothing can befall you but what is . . .
  divinely ordered,
  contrived for you by infinite wisdom,
  brought upon you by infinite love!

Oh, for eyes to see, for a heart to receive all God's dealings with you in this covenant view. How sweet would be your many trials, if you found them all appointed and managed for you by the best of friends! Learn to receive them thus.

To the care of His dear loving heart, I commend you and yours,
William Romaine

--from Grace Gems

Memory Lane

Pleasant Memories

Please forgive me for re-posting from a couple of years ago, but this hit a note in my heart again.

10-7-2017
As I was walking this afternoon a tune and words started coming in my memory. Probably haven't heard them or thought of them in 50 years or more. I do this sometimes and sometimes it is pure foolishness and then sometimes it has real meaning.

I'm remembering as a teenager laying on my bed, at night, on the back porch listening to the Hit Parade. Those were hot summer nights with no A/C, just a little oscillating fan. (Youngsters won't know what I'm talking about. I still have that fan.)

This song was one of my favorites. Pleasant nights with no worries at all. I had lots of girl-friends, as a teenager, until that little blonde moved to Garland and stole my heart and became "My Happiness." I sure miss that sweet girl since she went home to heaven.

My Happiness

Chris Isaak

Evening shadows make me blue

When each weary day is through

How I long to be with you

My happiness

Every day I reminisce 

Dreaming of your tender kiss

Always thinking how I miss

My happiness

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness

Songwriters: ROBERT MAXWELL

I need to be daily kept!

I need to be daily kept!

(James Smith's autobiography, "Marvelous Mercy!" 1862)

The following is an excerpt from the diary of James Smith:

April 16, 1854.

During the past week, I have had one of the most severe asthmatic attacks I ever experienced. How painful to labor and gasp for breath, as I then did. How different the things of time appear under such circumstances! How soon one feels willing to spread the wings and fly away. May I daily live under the impression I then felt.

How I long . . .

  for closer communion with God,
  to feel more of the sweet power of piety in my own heart,
  to walk with God in confidence,
  to lean upon Him,
  to cast every care upon Him,
  to leave everything with Him,
  to aim always, and in everything to glorify Him,
  to walk through the world as if one was walking straight home to God--to dwell with and to enjoy Him forever!

Yet I feel that I need to be daily kept--to have the Lord's eye constantly upon me, and His everlasting arms always beneath me!
"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117

[Received this in an email from Grace Gems. It really speaks to the prayer of my heart as well although I have not experienced the pain that James Smith must have felt. I add to this John's prayer, "Even so Lord Jesus come!!"]

Do You Have a Thirst for Christ?

Rev 21:6 "And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." This verse stands out, not only in Revelation but in several other places throughout the Bible.

Our God is eternal, self-existent, always has been, always will be. He is greater than His universe He created and yet we are privileged to know Him and He graciously dwells in those who trust and believe in Him. Amazing!!

The one problem I note from this is that He says He would give the water of life freely to him who thirsts. That's the catch, how many really thirst for Him today. Too many of us are caught up in the happenings in our lives and around us, we no longer thirst for Him.

David said in Ps 42:1 "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God." This draws, in my mind, a deer that has been chased by hounds looking for a quiet moment and refreshing water to quench its thirst. That's what David says, like that deer he pants [thirsts] for God.

Dear Father, give me a thirst that can only be quenched by You. Make me thirsty for you in this dry and barren world in which I live. Help me to seek You and find You. Help me to search for You with all my heart. For Christ's sake, Amen!

The Bible’s First Promise

The Bible’s First Promise – “And I will put emnity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”—Genesis 3:15

THIS is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head! This was virtually done when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, and broke the power of Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord’s second advent and in the day of judgment. To us the promise stands as a prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel: but we shall triumph in Christ, who sets His foot on the old serpent’s head. Throughout this year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by experience, through the temptations of the devil, and the unkindness of the ungodly who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text, and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall still reign in Christ Jesus, the woman’s seed.
– Charles Spurgeon

The 7-Ups for 2019

The 7-Ups

I’m not sure where I found this. It is not original to me, but I don’t know whom to give credit. Regardless, these are 7 good thoughts for each day in 2019.

1. Wake Up - Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice & be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up - The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" I Sam 16:7

3. Shut Up - Say nice things & learn to listen. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul" Proverbs 13:3 "Gossip betrays confidence avoid men who talk too much" Proverbs 20:19 "Listen to advice, accept instruction and in the end, you will be wise" Proverbs 19:20

4. Stand Up - For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good…" Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up - To the Lord. "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up - For something higher. As Jiminy Cricket sings "High Hopes" Always try to better yourself. Have FAITH. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews11:1

7. Lift Up - Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING" Philippians 4:6

PLEASE SHARE THESE 7-UPS WITH OTHERS.

What a Difference a Day Makes!!

Two days ago I was 84 years old and now today I am 85. Never in my wildest dreams as a young man would I have ever thought I would live this long. I'm not sure who said it, may have been Will Rogers, anyway, "If I had known I would have lived this long I would have taken better care of myself."

Reading several old posts to this blog, most of them are old since I have not written any in a while. Some of them make me a little sad as I miss my sweetheart who is with the Lord. But, others blessed me as I remember how the Lord has cared for me and lead me over mountains and through valleys as well. This reminds me of a Gospel song, I hope it blesses any who may chance to read this post as it has me.

BTW, we are coming upon the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. Keep these words in mind as you face the challenges of 2019.

God Leads Us Along

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet
God leads His dear children along
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet
God leads His dear children along

Some through the waters, some through the flood
Some through the fire, but all through the blood
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song
In the night season and all the day long

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright
God leads His dear children along
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night
God leads His dear children along

Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose
God leads His dear children along
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes
God leads His dear children along

Away from the mire, and away from the clay
God leads His dear children along
Away up in glory, eternity’s day
God leads His dear children along

Songwriters: Burgess / Krogstad / G.A. Young