Tuesday, September 26, 2006

"The Lord said unto Joshua . . . ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. . . . the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times . . . make a long blast with the ram's horn . . . all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat . . ." (Joshua 6:2-5) It may be said, why not simplify the path? Why all these complications? Why go around the city every day, and seven times the seventh day? Why this procession with the ark and trumpets? Faith does not ask why? It does not reason as to the means God chooses to employ; it accepts them, enters into them, and obtains the victory instead of being beaten by the enemy. It was thus at the Passover and at the Red Sea. Do you say: Then faith is without intelligence? Not at all; it first submits and then understands. Faith will tell you the reason of the seven days, the ark, the procession, the trumpets, and the shouts of joy, but it will only tell you after submission to them, otherwise it would be intelligence and not faith. (H.L. Rossier - Meditations on the Book of Joshua)

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The Weaver My life is but a weaving, between my God and me, I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily. Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside. Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly, Will God unroll the canvas, and explain the reasons why. The dark threads are as needful in the skillful weaver's hand As threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned. He knows, He loves, He cares, Nothing this truth can dim. He gives His very best to those Who leave the choice with Him.
God's Faithful Promises "I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Joshua 1:3 God be with you: He is strong, He will lead you safe along; He will always meet your need, Give you on Himself to feed. God be with you: He is wise, Knoweth all beneath the skies: Knows your need from day to day, Therefore, Christian, watch and pray. God be with you: He is light, In His presence all is bright; In His light we journey on, Filled with joy and hope and song. God is Love: How well you know, What the cost to save from woe; What the love that freely gave His own Son your soul to save. God is with you all the way, Until night shall pass away; Then to see His blessed face, Saved forever, by His grace. James Clark
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) What a wonderful statement! It is not a question merely of what will be the justification of the believer when manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ, but "now" there is nothing to condemn to those who are in Christ Jesus. If I look at myself in the flesh, it is, "O wretched man that I am!" If I look at what I am in Christ Jesus, there is now no condemnation. Dead to all that I am, as a child of Adam - dead to sin, dead to law, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Thus, being in and to another, to Christ Jesus raised from the dead, it is not only to bring forth fruit unto God, but "there is therefore now no condemnation." Do you get hold of this? Is there any condemnation possible to that risen Christ in the glory of God? Then, if you are in Him, how can there be condemnation to you? (Charles Stanley - Epistle to the Romans - 1885