Feeling immovably assured that my God and Father was too wise and loving to err in anything that He does or permits, I looked up to the Lord for help and struggled on in His work.

John Paton

1824-1907

Missionary to New Hebrides Islands

A Powerful Quote

LAYING BARE THE EVIL 

"Some one, then, must undertake the ungracious task of probing and laying bare the evils of the age; for men must not be allowed to congratulate themselves that all is well. If others will not, he will.

If others shrink from the obloquy of such a work, he will not.... He loves his fellow-men too well. They may upbraid him; they may call him a misanthropist, or a prophet of evil; they may ascribe his warnings to the worst of motives, such as pride, or arrogance, or self-esteem, or malice, or envy; but he will give no heed to these unjust insinuations.

He will prefer being thus misunderstood and maligned, to allowing men to precipitate themselves upon a ruin which they see not. Rather than that they should perish, he will allow his own good name to be spoken against. He will risk every thing, even the hatred of brethren, rather than withhold the warning. If they give no heed to it, he has, at least, saved his own soul. If they do, he has saved both his own soul and theirs.

-- Horatius Bonar (Scottish pastor, 1808-1889)

Who do you say God is?

I have been pressed by God the past few weeks with the question: "Who do you think that I am?" Is He not the God who sees everything? Does He not love me? Is He not faithful? Oh, that we would just trust Him; trust the words He gave us. Oh, but how we falter when faced with trials. And even as the Holy Spirit answers my various grumbles and cries before I can even get a complete thought together, I just have to sigh and say to God "You're right." Sometimes that answer comes with an awestruck smile, sometimes I really don't want to hear what the Holy Spirit is telling me. In the end, His will is my desire.

Praise God for His truth and His love! I have found in the past month that all I can do sometimes is repeat His truths in my head: "He created me, He sees me, He loves me! He will be the lamp for my feet and the light for my path. The Creator of the universe loves ME...who can be against me?"

Amazing love, how can it be? God is love.

Under Sealed Orders

You are leaving port under sealed orders and in a troubled period. You cannot know whither you are going or what you are to do. But why not take the Pilot on board who knows the nature of your sealed orders from the outset, and who will shape your entire voyage accordingly? He knows the shoals and the sand banks, the rocks and the reefs, He will steer you safely into that celestial harbor where your anchor will be cast for eternity. Let His almighty nail-pierced hands hold the wheel, and you will be safe.

--Peter Marshall (1902 - 1949)

Priorities...

"...perhaps more Christians at home would become more aware of their responsibility to lost men and less concerned over the material things of this life if the expedition failed and we lost our lives."

Cecil Dye
~written shortly before he was killed by Ayore tribesmen of Bolivia

This is my story...

Single mommy of three little ones...really? That's 'my'  story?? No way! But yes, this is the next chapter in my God story. I have often wondered, of all things that could happen to me, why this? Why can't I have the perfect little family, a nice house....why did I get stuck in the middle of corn fields hundreds of miles from family?

The first truth is that nothing on this earth is perfect. We have our fantasies, and we have the entertainment venues to fuel those fantasies, whether it be movies, TV, books, etc. We even can listen to the stories of our friends' lives and begin to envy them and covet what they have. But just as Jesus told Peter by what death he would glorify God and then said (paraphrasing here)  "if I will that John remain alive until I return again, what is that to you," we need to remember that we all have a different story in life. God created each one unique, and He will glorify Himself in our lives in a way specific to how He created us.

The second truth is that God has a plan for this. He has already worked it for good to many who love Him! I am much stronger today in many ways than I was one year ago. But it's not my strength, it's the power in Jesus that sustains me. I also complain about much less today. When life is in a state of status quo, we can find any little thing to complain about.."'ugh, we're having chicken for supper again?" How trite! Why not think this way "praise you God that we can eat chicken for dinner, and PLEASE bless those little children and families in Zambia (or wherever) with a morsel of food for today. I am humbled by your lavish mercy to me."

I this week witnessed a little boy, probably in Kindergarten, who had to be carried into the school kicking and screaming by the assistant principal. One year ago my thought would've been "what a heathen boy, and geez, what kind of terrible things are his parents teaching him in how to behave." But this week, my thoughts were this: "Oh how that aches my heart, God is there some way I can help? I remember Lily going through the same thing recently. I wonder what terrible things this boy must be enduring to make him so upset." And then my mind wandered to how God has delivered us from days like that. I also thought about how I could use my experience to help another child, another family...how can I use our experience to comfort others as the book of James tells us about?

I have a luxurious life! I am pampered by God! I am not worried about what I will eat, what I will drink, where I will sleep tonight. My children and I are healthy. I'm in a country where, for now, I do not have to fear for my life while worshipping and serving our Creator. My focus in every situation is to be about God's work, and that work for me is to nourish myself in His word, nourish my children in His word and bring the light of Christ to those who God brings to my circle everyday. I am to glorify God in everything!

"This is my story, this is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long!" ~Fanny Crosby

A Goal for our Lives...

"The more prominent you are in Christ's service, the more certain are you to be the butt of calumny [slander]. I have long ago said farewell to my character. I lost it in the earlier days of my ministry by being a little more zealous than suited a slumbering age. And I have never been able to regain it except in the sight of Him who judges all the earth, and in the hearts of those who love me for my work's sake."




-C.H. Spurgeon