Verse of the day — Isaiah 43:2
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
Isaiah 43:2(NASB)
Open Windows by T. Austin-Sparks
The Breaking Of The Self-Life
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV)
All God purpose, all that God means for us on that other side of the Cross in union with Christ risen and exalted absolutely demands brokenness, complete brokenness, in all those concerned. Not just the brokenness of their pictures and outward hopes, but an inward brokenness. i>We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves(2 Cor. 4:7). The self-hood broken, broken vessels for heavenly eternal fullness.
The Cross is necessary for our breaking. It is not a pleasant note, I know, but in all faithfulness it must be said. This is the Lord word to you: that if you are not broken by the Cross, if you have not gone through an experience of real brokenness under the hand of God, all that the Lord means in you and through you will still be suspended, it will be impossible. If the Cross means one thing, it does mean that the Cross is the way to the glory and to heavenly fullness. It is the way of an inward breaking. Let me be very precise, because I know of different kinds of brokenness. I know the brokenness of disappointments, of disappointed hopes and expectations, but the kind of brokenness I am talking about is the brokenness of the self-hood, the strength of Self that holds its position and holds its ground and that will not let go. That is the kind of brokenness. This self-strength, whether it be intellectual and mental or whether it be emotional or whether it be in the will, that strength of the natural life has got to be broken as truly as the sinew of Jacob thigh had to be touched and withered. Something like that has to happen in us that we carry through the rest of our days. God has done something in the realm of our self-hood and we are broken men and women so far as self-sufficiency, self-assertiveness, self-confidence and every other form of Self is concerned. It must be.
Morning Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!
Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. § We ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. § Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. § To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. § It will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! § The blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. § Our citizenship is in heaven.
Isa. 64:1; Song 8:14; Rom. 8:23; Ps. 144:5; Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28; Isa. 25:9; Rev. 22:20; Titus 2:13; Phil. 3:20
Evening Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord. § The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. § The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.
To you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. § He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Ps. 61:5; Isa. 54:17; Ps. 34:7,8; Ps. 34:9,10; Ps. 16:6; Mal. 4:2; Rom. 8:32
None but the Hungry Heart by Miles Stanford
Hand Crafted
Thou art my God. My times are in Thy hand " (Ps. 31:14, 15).
The environment necessary for one's growth, and the enablement necessary for one's service, are both in the hands of one's Creator. "So He fed them according to the integrity of His heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of His hands" (Ps. 78:72).
"What we have all to do is to walk closely and quietly with the Lord Jesus, and the blessing will come when He has established His work. There is a sifting government of God as well as a perfect redemption, and He is full of patience. His purpose is glory; His ways are the wilderness."
"There are various ways in which as saints we are tried, but through all circumstances God is threading our way, occupying Himself with us, our particular characters, etc., to instruct and develop us. What we want is to realize that our Father loves us so much that He has taken such pains to make us partakers of His holiness' (Heb. 12:10). We are apt not to believe the activity of His love. Some trouble comes on us; our Father has been watching us individually for weeks, months, years; watching us to bring this trouble which He sees is needed." -H.H.S.
"How varied are the ways in which our Father bringeth down and lifteth up! We have to learn the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the bright day as well as in the sorrowful day. If He is everything to me in my brightest day there is no fear but He will be my chief joy in the day of sorrow."
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Pet. 5:6).
Devotional Studies by Elizabeth Haworth
Penitence and Praise - Study in Prayer (3)
STUDY in PRAYER
The people who know their God will be strong and take action.
Daniel 11:32
Trust God
If we are to truly be watchmen on the wall we must know our God. If we are to be effective intercessors for our fellows we must trust Him too. If we are to be victorious in the battle of the ages we must know and trust our God.
Know God
We must know Him as our Light, our Wisdom, our Assurance and Truth. We must trust Him as our Anchor, our Courage, our Provider and Defender. We must love Him as our Saviour, our Comforter, our Father and Friend.
God’s Word
We do this by taking Him at His Word – trusting His All-Embracing Promises – believing that He IS and that He rewards those that diligently seek Him Hebrews 11:6 But as watchmen on the wall we must also look into the mirror of our own soul. As effective intercessors we must daily have clean hands and a pure heart.
Right Sacrifice
As victorious warriors of Christ we need to offer continual sacrifice to our God, the Sacrifices of a Broken and Contrite Heart and the Sacrifice of Praise. And you know – this means opening your own heart to His scrutiny and healing.
Right Sphere
How do we keep ourselves in the sphere of intimate love, trust and knowing God? Well – for all questions of life and death, Scripture gives the only answer. The Word of God is our sole plumb-line and one source of understanding and aid.
Pure Fellowship
We are to keep ourselves in fellowship with the Father and be effective in His army. We are to keep a short leash on our transgressions and sins as laid out in 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Conviction and Confession
Do you know why this is so important…in spiritual warfare and intercession? Well there are two reasons…One is
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Knowing Jesus Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth
His Soon Return
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is
1 John 3:2He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.
Phil.3:21
Difficult Life
Life is not easy. Life is never easy. Life is full to the brim with sufferings of the body and disappointments of the heart. We suffer in many ways:- pain, wounds, hurts, sickness, disappointments, and more pain.
Difficult Choice
As we draw ever closer to the fast-approaching return of the Lord Jesus, our heart fluctuates between His glorious appearing in the clouds.. and concerned thoughts in our heart about our readiness to meet Him. We long to hear His voice proclaiming “Well Done – enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Heavenly Citizen
Nothing gives us greater sorrow than a knowledge of our lack and failure. And despite years of child-training, how little we have been conformed into His likeness. The scriptures are abundantly supplied with the glories of heaven.. but we are strangers and sojourners.. foreigners and ambassadors in a strange land, for our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil.3:20
Heavenly Wonders
During our earthly walk, we only see heaven and its glories through a glass darkly. Eye has not seen, and it hasn’t entered into the heart of man the glories that await. We can hardly begin to appreciate the glory of God, and the wonders of heaven, so we can scarce comprehend the magnificence of Christ and the joys that lie ahead.
Spiritual Inheritance
How little we really know of these great spiritual truths and of eternity with Him. How impossible to conceive or understand the inheritance that awaits His own. For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
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