Verse of the day — Psalm 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalm 141:3(NASB)
Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks
The Great Light
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. (Isaiah 9:2 NLT)
What a tremendous thing this breaking in of Light upon us is, how it lifts us out, how it fills us with glory, how it changes the outlook when there breaks in spiritual Light, Light which never was on land or sea, Light from above. And the Lord Jesus is the sum of that Divine Light. He is the Light. If only our eyes were opened to see the significance of the Lord Jesus, what a tremendous difference it would make, how we should be emancipated. The need is that: to see the Son of God as having vested in Him the prerogative of Divine Light-giving, because He is the Light. It is with Him to come right into our scene of darkness and drive the darkness out. That is His glory, and you can know the glory of the Son of God, you can worship Him, because your eyes are opened.
He is here. Just as He, being the resurrection and the Life, means resurrection at any moment, and not merely at the last day you remember Martha said, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day," and the Lord, in effect, said, "Stop, I am the resurrection and the Life, and I being here, the last day may be here so far as the resurrection is concerned; it is no time matter when I am present, it can be now!" So He, being here, there may be a new creation now with a new creation Light: not, I shall get light later on, but now; by this glorious intervention from without. The glory of Jesus Christ which He had with the Father before the world was, the glory of the Son is that; that He has this sole Divine prerogative, right, power and ability to bring Light. No one else can give it; it is not possible to attain unto that Light. It is His gift, it is His act. That is His glory.
Morning Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
Christ, who is the image of God.
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. § No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. § He who has seen Me has seen the Father. § The brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. § God was manifested in the flesh.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. § Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
2 Cor. 4:4; Isa. 40:5; John 1:18, John 1:14; John 14:9; Heb. 1:3; 1 Tim. 3:16; Col. 1:14,15; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49
Evening Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
You have armed me with strength for the battle.
When I am weak, then I am strong.
Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” § Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him.
It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. § No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. § We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God.
Ps. 18:39; 2 Cor. 12:10; 2 Chron. 14:11; 2 Chron. 18:31; Ps. 118:8,9; Ps.33:16,17; Eph. 6:12,13
None but the Hungry Heart by Miles Stanford
Treasured Trials
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Pet. 5:6).
The Blesser sends trials because the trials are blessings. Most covet the "blessing" of having the trial removed.
"I find the brightest summer is when the winter has been longest and most severe. The wheat, the best grain, passes a winter in the soil. The bud, the blossom, or fruit, most fragrant of Christ, is the one which nobody knows what it cost me but Himself; and where one had hardly noticed it; like the beautiful wild flowers in the hedgerow, contending with bushes and briars, to shed their fragrance on the unthankful or unthinking traveller going by."
"I think we are sometimes ready to say to the Lord - Could you not have taught me without subjecting me to so much sorrow and humiliation? The answer I have had is, You could not be effectually taught any other way. The Lord knows the nature of the obstacle in me which He has to overcome: a less efficient hand might think that it could be dealt with in some other way.
"A weakness be it bodily or otherwise, is sometimes allowed to continue in order that there may be dependence, and when there is dependence, the weakness becomes a gain; the grit - the trying thing - is superseded by a pearl of great price." -J.B.S.
"The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect [mature], establish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet. 5:10).
Devotional Studies by Elizabeth Haworth
Stand in the Gap - Study in Prayer (1)
STUDY in PRAYER
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews.4:16
The Old Serpent
The battle of the ages has raged since “the fall” between God and his cruel enemy. That old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, still stalks souls, to kill and deceive. That roaring, prowling lion still applies his wiles to lacerate and consume with fear.
The Enemy Defeated
This enemy is exhausting many believers – with doubts within and fears without. The enemy is deceiving many with false teachers and a compromised doctrine. The enemy is beguiling many into a narcotic slumber of disinterest or compromise – but this foe was defeated on Calvary – a fact in which we should rejoice.
Godly Intercession
Christ is returning soon, but this enemy seeks to discourage and accuse many saints. How important for us to stand firm in Christ’s strength and not be moved. How urgent therefore to stand in the gap for others and intercede for the “many.” In Ezekiel’s time the Lord sought for a man who would build a wall and stand in the gap – but He found no one – not even one. Ezekiel 22:30 In the days of Ezekiel the Lord looked for intercessors and He found none.
In the Breach
Today in these closing days of the church-age God still seeks those that will pray.. faithful men and women of prayer to intercede on behalf of others.. dedicated prayer warriors to stand in the gap and pray ‘beyond themselves.’ Believers, with a heart for God’s glory; children, with a love for the Lord; Christians who stand between life and death, for the many; warriors, to fight between heaven and hell, for fellow brothers and sisters. God seeks those that are prepared to position themselves in the breach – for the sake of the many.
Leavening Process
Centuries have passed, and the church has all but reached its fullness. The end-time of the leavening process is almost complete. The end-time apostasy, of which
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Knowing Jesus Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth
Discord United, Harmony Effected
Mercy and truth meet. Righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Psalm 85:10In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19Jesus – Whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.
Romans 3:25Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God Who justifies.
Romans 8:33
Attributes of God
The moral qualities of God are absolute, and He makes them known. His attributes are expressed in His Word, and they make their demands. One attribute does not negate another – but each compliments the other. Each aspect reflects the Lord’s glory, like the surface of a multi-faced diamond.
Eternal Root
MERCY and TRUTH meet and are linked together in His eternal embrace. RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE are joined in God’s profound love and grace. MERCY is disposed to clemency and pardon. TRUTH is linked with justice and punishment. RIGHTEOUSNESS must maintain the blameless one, yet judge the sinful one. PEACE would rejoice in forgiveness and grace. All have their roots in the love, tenderness, and intimacy of the eternal One.
Paradox of God
As members of the human race, we are made in the image of God, through Adam. As blood-bought believers, we are redeemed by Him, through Christ Jesus. As His children, we are being conformed into the image of His beloved Son. But how often these attributes of the Lord appear to be in opposition. How frequently we regard them as opposite in nature and in expression. How many times do the complementary characteristics and moral qualities of God.. create an inward tension in the heart of the believer, by their demands!
Human Tensions
We long to forgive the offender, but we must maintain the rule of the house. We would like to bypass the fault, but to do so would countenance lawlessness and cause confusion. We desire that wrath and judgment be meted out to
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