Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Lord Jesus is in
the midst of His church; He walketh among the golden candlesticks...
His
promise is, "Lo, I am with you alway."
He is as surely with us now as He
was with the disciples at the lake, when they saw coals of fire, and
fish laid thereon and bread.
Not carnally, but still in real truth,
Jesus is with us.
And a blessed truth it is, for where Jesus is, love
becomes inflamed.
Of all the things in the world that can set the heart
burning, there is nothing like the presence of Jesus!
A glimpse of Him
so overcomes us, that we are ready to say, "Turn away Thine eyes from
me, for they have overcome me."
Even the smell of the aloes, and the myrrh, and the cassia, which drop
from His perfumed garments, causes the sick and the faint to grow
strong.
Let there be but a moment's leaning of the head upon that
gracious bosom...
And a reception of His divine love into our poor cold
hearts...
And we are cold no longer, but glow like seraphs, equal to every
labour, and capable of every suffering.
If we know that Jesus is with
us, every power will be developed, and every grace will be strengthened,...
And we shall cast ourselves into the Lord's service with heart, and
soul, and strength...
Therefore is the presence of Christ to be desired above all things.
His presence will be most realized by those who are most like Him.
If you desire to see Christ, you must grow in conformity to Him.
Bring
yourself, by the power of the Spirit, into union with Christ's desires,
and motives, and plans of action, and you are likely to be favoured with
His company.
Remember His presence may be had.
His promise is as true
as ever.
He delights to be with us.
If He doth not come, it is because
we hinder Him by our indifference.
He will reveal Himself to our earnest
prayers...
And graciously suffer Himself to be detained by our
entreaties, and by our tears,...
For these are the golden chains which bind
Jesus to His people.
~Charles Spurgeon~
Contentment is the product of a heart resting in God.
It is the soul's enjoyment of that peace that passes all understanding.
It is the outcome of my will being brought into subjection to the Divine will.
It is the blessed assurance that God does all things well...
And is, even now, making all things work together for my ultimate good.
~Arthur Pink~
Deu 1:36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.
Every difficult task that comes across your path...every one that you would rather not do, that will take the most effort, cause the most pain, and be the greatest struggle...brings a blessing with it.
And refusing to do it regardless of the personal cost is to miss the blessing.
Every difficult stretch of road on which you see the Master’s footprints and along which He calls you to follow Him leads unquestionably to blessings.
And they are blessings you will never receive unless you travel the steep and thorny path.
Every battlefield you encounter, where you are required to draw your sword and fight the enemy, has the possibility of victory that will prove to be a rich blessing to your life.
And every heavy burden you are called upon to lift hides within itself a miraculous secret of strength.
~J. R. Miller~
I cannot do it alone; The waves surge fast and high, And the fogs close all around,
The light goes out in the sky; But I know that we two Will win in the end, Jesus and I.
Cowardly, wayward, and weak, I change with the changing sky;
Today so eager and bright, Tomorrow too weak to try;
But He never gives in, So we two will win, Jesus and I.
I could not guide it myself, My boat on life’s wild sea;
There’s One who sits by my side, Who pulls and steers with me.
And I know that we two Will safe enter port, Jesus and I.
Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
The man to whom God has given grace to be of blameless life dwells in
perfect security.
He dwells on high, above the world, Out of gunshot of
the enemy, and near to heaven.
He has high aims and motives, and he finds high comforts and company.
He rejoices in the mountains of eternal love, wherein he has his abode.
He is defended by munitions of stupendous rock.
The firmest things in
the universe are the promises and purposes of the unchanging God, and
these are the safeguard of the obedient believer.
He is provided for by
this great promise: "Bread shall be given him."
As the enemy cannot
climb the fort, nor break down the rampart, so the fortress cannot be
captured by siege and famine.
The LORD, who rained manna in the
wilderness, will keep His people in good store even when they are
surrounded by those who would starve them.
But what if water should
fail?
That cannot be. "His waters shall be sure."
There is a
never-failing well within the impregnable fortress.
The LORD sees that
nothing is wanting.
None can touch the citizen of the true Zion.
However
fierce the enemy, the LORD will preserve His chosen.
~Charles Spurgeon~
Num 9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not
This was the ultimate test of obedience.
It was relatively easy to fold up their tents when the fleecy cloud slowly gathered over the tabernacle and began to majestically float ahead of the multitude of the Israelite's.
Change normally seems pleasant, and the people were excited and interested in the route, the scenery, and the habitat of the next stopping place.
Yet having to wait was another story altogether.
When the cloud remained, however uninviting and sweltering the location, however trying to flesh and blood, however boring and wearisome to those who were impatient, however perilously close their exposure to danger...there was no option but to remain encamped.
The psalmist said, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Ps. 40:1).
And what God did for the Old Testament saints, He will do for believers down through the ages, yet He will often keep us waiting.
Must we wait when we are face to face with a threatening enemy, surrounded by danger and fear, or below an unstable rock?
Would this not be the time to fold our tents and leave?
Have we not already suffered to the point of total collapse?
Can we not exchange the sweltering heat for “green pastures...[and] quiet waters” (Ps. 23:2)?
When God sends no answer and “the cloud remain[s],” we must wait.
Yet we can do so with the full assurance of God’s provision of manna, water from the rock, shelter, and protection from our enemies.
He never keeps us at our post without assuring us of His presence or sending us daily supplies.
Young person, wait...do not be in such a hurry to make a change!
Minister, stay at your post! You must wait where you are until the cloud clearly begins to move.
Wait for the Lord to give you His good pleasure! He will not be late!
~Daily Devotional Commentary~
An hour of waiting!
Yet there seems such need To reach that spot sublime!
I long to reach them...but I long far more To trust HIS time!
Sit still, My children...
Yet the heathen die, They perish while I stay!
I long to reach them...but I long far more To trust HIS way!
It’s good to get, It’s good indeed to give!
Yet it is better still...O’er breadth, through length, down depth, up height, To trust HIS will!
~F. M. N.~
