A Christian And His Money

The whole question of the believer and his money is so involved and so intimate that one hesitates to approach a consideration of it.

Yet it is of such grave importance that one who desires to qualify as a good servant of Christ Dare Not Avoid It lest he be found wanting in the day of reckoning.

Someone should tackle the problem in the light of Scripture.

God's people will have reason to thank the man who has the courage to deal with it.

Four considerations should govern our Christian giving...

They are: (1) That we give regularly; (2) that we give from a right motive; (3) that we give enough in proportion to what we possess, and (4) that we give to the right place or places.

First, we should see to it that we give of our substance to the Lord with regularity.

It is so very easy to fall into the habit of forgetting to do this.

We tell ourselves that we are not able to give at the moment, but that when we are better fixed financially we shall catch up on our giving.

Or we assure ourselves that while we do not give regularly we no doubt give far beyond our tenth, if the truth were known.

These are sure ways to deceive ourselves.

Spotty, unregular giving has a way of appearing far greater than it is.

We would likely be quite shocked if we took the trouble to find out just how little we really give that way.

Then we must give from a right motive.

Money paid to a church or missionary society may be for the giver money wasted unless he first makes sure that his heart is in his gift.

Gifts that do not carry the heart with them may do the receiver some good, but it is certain that they will bring the giver no reward. "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor... and have not charity(love), it profiteth me nothing."

Then it is also important that we give enough in proportion to what we possess.

The story of the widow and her two mites makes this very clear.

The widow gave out of her "poverty," and though her gift was small it was in the sight of God a far greater treasure than all the huge sums donated by the rich "out of their abundance."

This is a Solemn Warning and we shall do well to Heed It.

We humans judge "after the sight of our eyes" and so are prone to make a great deal over a large donation and pass over the small ones without comment.

By so doing we are letting ourselves in for a fearful shock in the day of Christ.

The safest rule to appraise our giving and determine our expectations in the day of rewards is this...

Remember, my giving will be rewarded not by how much I gave but by how much I had left.

Ministers are sometimes tempted to shy away from such doctrine as this lest they offend the important givers in their congregation.

But it is better to Offend Men than to grieve the blessed Spirit of God which dwells in the church.

No man ever yet killed a true church by withdrawing his gifts from it because of a personal offense.

The Church of the Firstborn is not dependent upon the patronage of men.

No man has ever been able really to harm a church by boycotting it financially.

The moment we admit that we fear the displeasure of the carnal givers in our congregations we admit also that our congregations are not of heaven but of the earth.

A heavenly church will enjoy a heavenly and supernatural prosperity.

She cannot be starved out.

The Lord Will Supply her needs.

That we place our gifts intelligently is also of vital importance if we would please our Heavenly Father and save those gifts from the fate of "wood, hay and stubble" at the coming of our Lord.

The matter of where to give is a large one, and one that we had all better settle while we can.

Careless, unintelligent and prejudiced giving is wasting millions of consecrated dollars among evangelical Christians.

Many believers toss their gifts around as if they did not expect to give an account of them to the Lord.

They have not found the mind of the Lord on the question of their own giving, so they become the prey of anyone who happens along with an interesting story.

In this way innumerable religious rackets are enabled to flourish which should Never Receive One Cent from serious-minded and God-honoring people.

Now, we are quite aware that the reply to the above could be a polite request that we stay in our own back yard and let people put their own money where they please; after all it is theirs, and what they do with it is their own affair.

But it is not that simple.

If we must Give Account of every idle word, surely we must also Give Account of every idle dollar.

Spotty, prayerless and whimsical giving will come under the just scrutiny of God in the day when He judges every work of men.

We can do something about this whole thing now.

Very soon it will be too late.

~A. W. Tozer~

I want to repeat the first part of this devotional before proceeding into this next part

The whole question of the believer and his money is so involved and so intimate that one hesitates to approach a consideration of it.

Yet it is of such grave importance that one who desires to qualify as a good servant of Christ Dare Not Avoid It lest he be found wanting in the day of reckoning.

Someone should tackle the problem in the light of Scripture.

God's people will have reason to thank the man(or woman) who has the courage to deal with it.

There are many areas of giving addressed in the word this particular devotional is addressing our obligation to support fulltime workers in the work of the LORD. and the word is very clear on that of which we will be getting into what the LORD says about it

Paul did not force the people to do this he wasn't going to command them to do this even though he could have and he didn't because he did not want to be a stumbling block to people or harm the gospel in any way. 

Even though he knew what the lord ordained and commanded his people to do in this area He also knew people had to do this freely out of love for God His Word and his True ministers

1Co 9:12  If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

What power over them was he talking about?

1Co 9:11  If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

In other words he would suffer being without or whatever so as not to hinder the gospel.

But he also did not fail to preach the whole counsel of God which the subject of giving to God's work is part of that whole counsel.

God wants willing vessels to be willing to do what He says in the word to do in all areas.

Paul was going to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints
Rom 15:27  It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty(obligation) is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things: the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, which are spiritual things; contain and make known spiritual blessings; impart spiritual gifts; in which the Spirit of God is greatly concerned, he is the author of them; he leads men into them; qualifies them to preach them unto others; blesses and succeeds them to the conversion; comfort, and edification of souls; and by means of which he himself is received as a Spirit of illumination, sanctification, and faith: and which doctrines also relate to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the souls and spirits of men; hereby they are enlightened, quickened, comforted, and nourished up unto eternal life: 

Wherefore, since this is the case, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things; in outward and temporal things; in things pertaining to the flesh; or outward man, and for the clothing and nourishment of the body. 

This he said to stir them up for they were under the same obligations to make a contribution for them likewise.

Paul once again
1Co 9:11  If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

If we have sown unto you spiritual things,.... The preachers of the Gospel are compared to sowers of seed; the seed they sow is the word of God, which is like to seed, for its smallness and despicableness in the eyes of carnal men; and yet as the seed is the choicest which is laid by for sowing, the Gospel is most choice and excellent to True believers;

Is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? meaning temporal ones, what concern the flesh, the body, the outward man, and the support thereof.

Nor should it be thought any hardship or burden upon them, or any great and wonderful thing done by them, to support and maintain such who are so useful to their souls, and the spiritual welfare of them.

Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught(inform instruct,teach) in the word communicate(to share, distribute) unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Let him that is taught in the word,.... Instructed in the knowledge of the word, either of the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, of his person, office, and grace; or rather of the written word, particularly the Gospel, as the words of truth, the word of faith, the word of righteousness, the word of reconciliation, and the word of this salvation...communicate to him that teacheth; who is commissioned, and qualified and sent forth by Christ, and whose office is to teach the word, to preach the Gospel, to instruct men in the truths of it, and teach them their duty also to God and men, such are to be communicated to...

That is, such as are under their instructions ought to impart of their worldly substance to them, for their honourable and comfortable support and maintenance...

For since they spend their time, and make use of their talents, gifts, and abilities, for their instruction in spiritual things, it is but reasonable, and no such great matter, that they partake of their carnal things; and especially since it is the will and ordinance of Christ, that they that preach the Gospel should live of it.

1Co 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
 
Because of their preaching the Gospel, they should be supplied with the proper necessaries of life

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
 
1Ti 5:18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn; The ox, for its strength and labour, is a fit emblem of a Gospel minister; and its treading the corn out of the husk and ear aptly represents the beating out, as it were, of Gospel truths, by the ministers of it, their making the doctrines of the Gospel clear, plain, and evident to the understandings of men...

Wherefore, as the ox was not muzzled when it trod out the corn, but might freely and largely feed upon it, so such who labour in the preaching of the Gospel ought to have a sufficient and competent maintenance: for which purpose this citation is made...

So fellow helpers of the truth in preaching of it, by making use of the ministerial gifts bestowed upon them; and others are fellow helpers with them, to the same good work, by their communicating(sharing,distributing) freely to the support of those, who labour in the word and doctrine; 

Amen and Amen

The Lord's Rod Has A Voice!

Job 5:6  Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust,neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;   

Job 5:7  Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

As affliction proceeds neither from blind necessity, nor from casual accident but from the hand of your Omniscient Governor and Judge; so nothing can be more certain than that it is designed for the accomplishment of some great and useful purpose!

Now the design of affliction is expressly revealed in the Word of God.

He has condescended to explain the reasons of His dealings with you - and it is alike your duty and your privilege to consider and to concur in His declared design. 

The general end of affliction, as it is explained in God's Word, is the moral and spiritual improvement of believers - in other words, their progressive sanctification, and their preparation for glory.

Oh! how important must the right use of affliction be, if it is intended to terminate in such a blessed result.

It stands connected with our everlasting welfare with all that we can enjoy on earth, and all that we hope for in Heaven.

But more particularly, the day of adversity is intended for our INSTRUCTION.

The Lord's rod has a voice which speaks to us lessons of heavenly wisdom.

Therefore, we are required "to hear the rod, and Him who has appointed it." (Micah 6:9.) 

The rod and reproof give wisdom. (Proverbs 29:15.)

It presents to our minds many of the same great truths which are declared in Scripture — but which we may have overlooked, or failed rightly to understand until they were pressed on our attention, and made the matter of our personal experience in the day of trouble.

Thus, it teaches most impressively, that great Scriptural truth of the vanity of the world, and its insufficiency as the portion of rational and immortal beings.

This is a truth which might almost be regarded as self-evident; yet it is one which is very slowly and reluctantly admitted by the young disciple, and which can only be effectually impressed on his mind, and unfolded in all its extent, by the experience of disappointment and sorrow.

In like manner, the day of adversity teaches us the great lesson of our entire and constant dependence on God.

But a little while before, we were rejoicing in the midst of prosperity - our health was sound, our business prosperous, our families entire. 

But the sudden stroke has come which has smitten our bodies with disease, our business with bankruptcy, or our families with death.

And that stroke has come from the Lord's hand! 

Oh! in such circumstances, we are impressively taught that we are absolutely in God's power; that all that we have is at His sovereign disposal...

That we depend on Him, day by day, continually for our personal preservation, our worldly prosperity, our domestic comfort, for all, in short, that we desire or need on earth.

These are some of the lessons which adversity, when viewed as a means of moral instruction, is fitted to to impress with great practical power on our hearts.

When these lessons are duly considered; and, above all, when they are submissively embraced and acted on - the disciple will learn from his own experience the value of affliction...

And admire the wisdom with which God suits His lessons to the most urgent necessities of his soul. 

~James Buchanan~

Hindrances To Faith~Receiving Honor Of Men

Another hindrance to faith is that of receiving honor of men. 

Jesus asks us, "How can ye believe which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? "  John 5:44

It is not seeking honor of men, but receiving it; that is, opening our heart to the cordial reception of human praise, or flattery, or fame, that utterly contravenes the repose of the soul in God. 

Receiving honor from men is a great virtue in the eyes of the world, but this is an instance in which things highly esteemed among men are an abomination to the Lord.

It may not be seen by all at the first glance, how receiving worldly honor can prevent true faith in God...

But a little reflection will show us that receiving worldly honor is an insidious, subtle and malignant form of idolatry.

It has in it the element of man-fearing as well as man-worship. 

It is a subtle way of putting self in the place of God. 

It implies that our chief happiness comes from man, which is an ignoring of the true fountain of joy, and the hewing out of broken cisterns.

This deference to the creature, this fearing or cringing to man, this love of place and distinction for self...severs the soul from Christ, diverts its trust to come from other objects and destroys true faith.

~G. D. Watson~

Most Christians Would Be Better Pleased If...

                                                                                
Most Christians would be better pleased if the Lord did not inquire into their personal affairs too closely.

They want Him to save them, keep them happy and take them to Heaven at last...

But not to be too inquisitive about their desires or daily conduct.

But He has searched us and known us...

He knows our down sitting and our uprising...

And understands our thoughts afar off.

There is no place to hide from those eyes that are as a flame of fire...

And there is no way to escape from the Judgment of those feet that are like fine brass.

It is the part of wisdom to live with these things in mind!

~A. W. Tozer~

Knowledge Of The End Of The World Would Be Detrimental

At intervals, right down through the Christian centuries, men have believed that the end of the world was coming. 

On such a day in such a definite year, the trumpet was to sound, and the end come. 

And the singular thing is that in every case, from the day of Paul to that of Halley's comet, such a conviction of a certain future has proved itself a curse and not a blessing. 

Never has it shown the slightest power to make men better or to make them purer. 

Never has it touched the best within them. 

Always has it touched the worst within them. 

It has unlocked the secret wells of cowardice that I suppose lie deep in every heart and degraded men to the level of the beast. 

If I had my way with fortune-tellers, I would have them banished out of every city. 

I am amazed that honorable newspapers would dare to publish their predictions. 

Of course they are charlatans, these fortune-tellers...

But the point is that if they were genuine, the knowledge they offer us is just the knowledge that always has proved morally disastrous. 

Do not smile at the old Bible, my young friend, because it makes it criminal to consult a witch. 

The Bible is still a little wiser than you are. 

It knows, and nineteen hundred years have added their witness that it is the truth...

It knows that could we know tomorrow, life would practically be unliveable.

~George Morrison~     

Their Hearts Were Devoted To Their Idols!

                                                                            

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Their Hearts Were Devoted To Their Idols! 

Eze 20:16  Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

Whatever a man depends upon...
 
Whatever rules his mind...
 
Whatever governs his affections...
 
Whatever is the chief object of his delight...

Is his god.

Man is such an idolater that, if he cannot idolize anything else...he will idolize himself, and bow down and worship himself!

If you love anything better than God...you are idolaters.
 
If there is anything you would not give up for God...it is your idol.
 
If there is anything that you seek with greater fervor than God...that is your idol.

True conversion is a turning from every idol! 

1Th 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

1Jn 5:21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

~Charles Spurgeon~   

How Long Limp Ye From One Side To Another

                                                                              

That word was never addressed to the unsaved.

It was never intended for them. 

It is only rarely that the unsaved are in the position of two opinions. 

More often than not they are of no opinion. 

This is what the prophet really said to the people: "How long limp ye from one side to another?" 

He viewed them as lame, and lamed by uncertainty, lamed by indecision, paralyzed by an unsettled issue. 

Oh, how an unsettled issue does paralyze the life. 

Have a controversy with the Lord?

An unsettled issue with the Lord?

And your whole life is lamed, is paralyzed...

You are limping first one way and then the other...

There is no sense of stability about your way.

So the prophet called for the issue to be settled. 

How long limp ye from one side to the other? 

Settle this issue one way or the other. 

If Jehovah be God...

Let Him have His place...

His full rights...

Settle it once and for all.

If Baal is god, well then let us be settled. 

But until that is done you are crippled, you are paralyzed,...

And the whole secret of your being in that weak, indefinite, unstable, uncertain place is that God is not having His full rights...

And there is a dividedness in your life...

A dividedness in your own soul, because other interests and considerations are in view. 

The dividedness may be in your home life, where you have power, authority and influence...

And you are not standing one hundred percent for the Lord’s interests there. 

It may be working in other directions, but wherever it is present the result is that deep down in your being you are not satisfied, you are not at rest. 

You may be busy...

You may be occupied... 

You may be rushing hither and thither in the Lord’s name...

But you know that deep down there is a lack, an uncertainty, an unsettled state...

Your spiritual life is limited and paralyzed. 

It will always be so until the issue is settled...

And God has His place in fullness in every part and relationship of your life.

It is a question of zeal for the Lord, jealousy for the Lord.

~T. Austin Sparks~

Strong Composure

                                                   
Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

There are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. 

Composure is often the highest result of power. 

To the vilest and most deadly charges Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence, such as excited the wonder of the judge and the spectators. 

To the grossest insults, the most violent ill-treatment and mockery that might well bring indignation into the feeblest heart, He responded with voiceless complacent calmness. 

Those who are unjustly accused, and causelessly ill-treated know what tremendous strength is necessary to keep silence to God.

Men may misjudge thy aim, Think they have cause to blame, Say, thou art wrong;

Keep on thy quiet way, Christ is the Judge, not they, "Fear not, be strong."

St. Paul said, "None of these things move me."

He did not say, none of these things hurt me. 

It is one thing to be hurt, and quite another to be moved. 

St. Paul had a very tender heart. 

We do not read of any apostle who cried as St. Paul did. It takes a strong man to cry. 

Jesus wept, and He was the manliest Man that ever lived. 

So it does not say, none of these things hurt me. 

But the apostle had determined not to move from what he believed was right. 

He did not count as we are apt to count; he did not care for ease; he did not care for this mortal life. 

He cared for only one thing, and that was to be loyal to Christ, to have His smile. 

To St. Paul, more than to any other man, His work was wages, His smile was Heaven. 

~Margaret Bottome~

The Peril Of A Question~Our Relationship With The LORD

And that leads me to a final word as to the application of this, because the application is in many directions. 

Of course, it begins with GOD Himself, this tremendous testing of faith, even of Christians, as to the LORD. 

The devil never gives up.

Even though he has lost us from his kingdom, he pursues us and tries to somehow insinuate the doubt right up to the end...

Especially when we are not in first-class condition, that is when he thrusts; when physically, nervously, mentally, we are off-colour and a bit down, then he presses in his doubts, getting in between us and our GOD, or seeking to. 

In this very connection we have those very precious letters of Peter.

We always ought to remember Peter and his letters together. 

If ever there was a man who had given the devil occasion for bringing about an overwhelming and devastating question and doubt, it was Peter. 

Peter might well have sunk under the dark waters of his own denial of his Lord. Satan had plenty of ground there. 

But read his letters, and the whole tenor and tone of Peter’s letters is that of seeking to inspire tried, tempted believers to trust the LORD. 

He talks about the fiery trials. “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial”. 

Peter is saying, ‘I have been through fiery trials, I know all about it, but do not think it is strange’, and his whole letters are on that line, that the LORD can be trusted in trial. 

Do not cast away your trust in the LORD because He is allowing trial to come, and the enemy comes in through your trial to tempt you to believe that the LORD does not love you.

It is so easy in such times. 

The application must be to our relationship with the LORD.

~T. Austin Sparks~

The Forces Which Are At Work

       

           
The forces which are at work to bring a soul to ruin...

To prevent a man or a woman reaching God’s appointed and desired haven...

Are far greater and more terrible and persistent than anything that has ever been encountered in the natural realm of storms. 

Of course, you do not know that until you definitely set yourself in the direction of God’s will. 

A great many people in this world seem to be getting along very well, with not very much trouble...

And think that they are going (in that easygoing, carefree way) to get where God wants them to be. 

That Is An Illusion. 

Never yet has there been a definite and serious association with the will of God, the purpose of God...

Except there has been the rising of terrific conflict and tempest to try and make that realization impossible...

And I say when a man or a woman does seriously have an understanding with God that His will and purpose is to be realized in their life...

And that they are abandoned to Him for that...

Then such a life will know that it is not all plain sailing, easygoing. 

There will be forces which were not imagined arising to hinder that, to try and make that impossible.
 
~T. Austin Sparks~

GOD Is JEALOUS!

                                                                    
Nah 1:2  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Your Lord is very jealous of your love, O believer.

Did he choose you? 

He cannot bear that you should choose another. 

Did he buy you with his own blood? 

He cannot endure that you should think that you are your own, or that you belong to this world.

He loved you with such a love that he would not stop in heaven without you; he would sooner die than you should perish, and he cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart’s love and himself.

He is very jealous of your trust. 

He will not permit you to trust in an arm of flesh. 

He cannot bear that you should hew out broken cisterns, when the overflowing fountain is always free to you.

When we lean upon him, he is glad, but when we transfer our dependence to another, when we rely upon our own wisdom, or the wisdom of a friend...worst of all, when we trust in any works of our own, he is displeased, and will chasten us that he may bring us to himself.

He is also very jealous of our company. 

There should be no one with whom we converse so much as with Jesus.

To abide in him only, this is true love...

But to commune with the world, to find sufficient solace in our carnal comforts, to prefer even the society of our fellow Christians to secret intercourse with him, this is grievous to our jealous Lord.

He would fain have us abide in him, and enjoy constant fellowship with himself...

And many of the trials which he sends us are for the purpose of weaning our hearts from the creature, and fixing them more closely upon himself.

Let this jealousy which would keep us near to Christ be also a comfort to us, for if he loves us so much as to care thus about our love we may be sure that he will suffer nothing to harm us, and will protect us from all our enemies.

Oh that we may have grace this day to keep our hearts in sacred chastity for our Beloved alone, with sacred jealousy shutting our eyes to all the fascinations of the world!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Hindrances In The Realm Of The Heart

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

There is another possible realm of hindrances to the up-welling of the Spirit, and this is the realm of the heart. 

The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of love. 

If there is coldness towards the Lord, a lack of true devotion to Him, then this is like a heavy stone which makes the life more like a quagmire than a fresh spring. 

Any reserve which we have, not in the knowing of God's will but in the willingness to do it, will inevitably stem the flow of the Spirit's power. 

It is always the work of God's enemy to clog up our lives by introducing love of self or love of the world...

And it needs ruthless determination to remove the accumulated rubbish and re-dig the well in purity of devotion to Christ.

It may well be, though, that the hindrances arise from lack of love to our fellow believers. 

We must remember that the Holy Spirit can never have free course in us and through us if we harbor unloving thoughts concerning other of God's children, let alone put those thoughts into actions. 

He is the Spirit of fellowship, so that if we fail in that realm then we fail in the matter of love. 

It is so easy to allow unworthy considerations to quench brotherly love, to be clogged up with resentment or to be wrongly influenced by our susceptibilities or hurt feelings. 

What is more, we find it the easiest thing in the world to say or hear unkind things about others, things which put them in a bad light and somehow make us feel self-righteous. 

We must not dismiss such matters as unimportant, for although they may seem small in themselves, they become the deposits which unite to clog up the well of the Spirit.

This matter of personal relationships is one in which we have to set ourselves definitely to digging out the earthiness which stops up the wells of the Spirit.

We must refuse to speak and refuse to listen to those critical accounts of other believers which would grieve them if they heard and do grieve the Spirit who is always present and who always hears. 

More than that, we have to be active in positive cultivation of fellowship. 

To some it is quite natural to be independent. 

For them deference to others represents a major difficulty. 

Sometimes they may deliberately ignore or despise others, but sometimes they just prefer to do it alone and never seriously think of inter-relatedness and inter-dependence.

The Word of God, however, is most explicit in ordering us to esteem one another, to submit to one another and to live and work together. 

The Holy Spirit demands that the people of God live according to a team order of things, that they should be governed by a family spirit. 

Anything which is of an isolated or detached nature, which fails to recognize and fully accept the family thought of God, is a check on Him. 

By failing to observe fellowship we quench the Spirit. 

Some may be wondering why there is so little up-springing from the inner well, when they are sitting back in a wrong kind of modesty, failing to bring in their own personal contribution to fellowship life and ministry. 

Unkindness is not the only obstacle in this realm. 

Shyness and diffidence can equally rest like a stone on the flow of life. 

The only thing to do is to dig it up and move it away. 

Get in, get right in, and let yourself go! 

Do not always choose the back seat because you like to be left alone, but come forward in the Lord's name and give the Holy Spirit a free course in your lives. 

He is well able to check you if you become too self-assertive, but there is little He can do if your well is all stopped up with fears and inhibitions.

~T. Austin Sparks~

Broken Things

Job 41:25  When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken.

The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts.

It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength at Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power.

It was breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, by the stroke of Moses' rod that let out the cool waters to thirsty people.
     
It was when the 300 elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries.

It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support.
     
It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that she obtained favor to rescue her people from death.

It was when Jesus took the five loaves and broke them,that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand.

It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house.

It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live.
     
It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains.

And thus, on and on, through all history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS.
     
Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in their ambitions, and broken in their beautiful ideals, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory.

The lame take the prey, Isaiah tells us.
     
O break my heart; but break it as a field
Is by the plough up-broken for the corn;

O break it as the buds, by green leaf seated,
Are, to unloose the golden blossom, torn;

Love would I offer unto Love's great Master,
Set free the odor, break the alabaster.
     
O break my heart; break it victorious God,
That life's eternal well may flash abroad;

O let it break as when the captive trees,
Breaking cold bonds, regain their liberties;

And as thought's sacred grove to life is springing,
Be joys, like birds, their hope, Thy victory singing.

~Thomas Toke Bunch~

What Have You Sacrificed For Jesus?

Beloved, are you ministering to Christ? Are you doing it with your hands?

Are you doing it with your substance and with what you have?

Is He getting the best of what is most real to you?

Has He a place at your table? 

And when He does not come to fill the chair, is it free to His representative, His poor and humble children?

Your words and wishes are cheap if they do not find expression in your actual gifts.
     
Even Mary did not put Him off with the incense of her heart, but laid her costliest gifts at His feet.
     
Ye busy women, who work so hard to dress your children and furnish your houses and tables, what have your hands earned for the Master, what have you done or sacrificed for Jesus?

Can you afford it? was asked of a noble woman, as she promised a costly offering for the Master's work.

No, was her noble reply, "but I can sacrifice it."

Let us to-day look around us and see, what we do and give more to the loving Saviour, who gave up His whole life for us.

~A. B. Simpson~

Lest Madam Bubble Bewitch Them With Her Vile Suggestions!

Gen 39:12  And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

In contending with certain sins, there remains no mode of victory, but by flight.

He who would be safe from acts of evil...must hasten away from occasions of it.

A covenant must be made with our eyes...not even to look upon the cause of temptation; for such sins only need a spark to begin with-and a blaze follows in an instant!

Who would wantonly enter the leper's hut and sleep amid its horrible corruption? 

He alone who desires to be leprous himself would thus court contagion.

If the mariner knew how to avoid a storm, he would do anything rather than run the risk of weathering it.

Cautious navigators have no desire to try how near the quicksand they can sail, or how often they may touch a rock without springing a leak; their aim is to keep as nearly as possible in the midst of a safe channel.

Today I may be exposed to great peril...let me have wisdom to keep out of it and avoid it. 

The wings of a dove may be of more use to me than the jaws of a lion. 

I may be an apparent loser by declining evil company...But I had better leave my cloak, than lose my character!

It is not needful that I should be rich...but it is imperative upon me to be pure. 

No ties of friendship, no chains of beauty, no flashings of talent, no shafts of ridicule...must turn me from the wise resolve to flee from sin.

I am to resist the devil and he will flee from me.
 
But the lusts of the flesh, I must flee or they will surely overcome me!

O God of holiness, preserve your Josephs, lest Madam Bubble bewitch them with her vile suggestions.

May the horrible trinity of the world, the flesh, and the devil...Never overcome us!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Would We Grumble As We Do?

Exo 16:8  And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

The fact that God hears all that we say, ought to make us guard our words.

But does God really hear every fretful word we say? 

Does He hear when we grumble about the weather, about the hard winter, about the late spring, about the dry summer, about the wet harvest, and about the grub-worm? 

Does He hear when we grumble about the drought, about the high winds, about the storms?

Does He hear when we complain about the hardness of our lot?

If we could get into our hearts and keep there continually, the consciousness that every word we speak is heard in Heaven, and falls upon God's ears before it falls upon any other ear — would we grumble as we now do?

We are always on our guard when we think that anyone is within hearing. 

Are we as careful concerning what we say in the hearing of our heavenly Father?

We are careful, too, never to speak words which would give pain to the hearts of those we love dearly. 

Are we as careful not to say anything that will give pain to the heart of Christ? 

~J. R. Miller~

God's Unerring Wisdom

God is wonderful in His designs, and excellent in His workings.

Believer, God Overrules all things for your good.

The needs-be for all that you have suffered, has been most accurately determined by God. 

Your course is all mapped out by your Lord!

Nothing will take Him by surprise. 

There will be no novelties to Him. 

There will be no occurrences which He did not foresee, and for which, therefore, He has not provided.  

He has arranged all, and you have but to patiently wait...

And you shall sing a song of deliverance.

Your life has been arranged on the best possible principles...

Let us trust God's heart, where we cannot trace His hand.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

~Charles Spurgeon~

Strengthened With Might By His Spirit

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

The strength of the Lord's people is none other than the strength of the Holy Spirit in the inward man.

Right at the very center of the being, deeper than thought or reason...

Deeper than emotion or feeling...

Deeper than all that which comprises the more outward man ...

Which, under given circumstances, may prove weak and incapable of standing up to the situation. 

In the variations of our soul life...

The changes of our moods, our ideas, our attitudes, our feelings, our minds...

Deeper down there is that strength which does not let us go.

That is the true nature of spirituality. 

It is not the tremendously forceful conviction of our intellects or the mighty power of our wills. 

When these cannot stand up to conditions of intense spiritual antagonism, opposition or perplexity...

There is that more inward thing, right in the inward man, which is of God...the Holy Spirit: 

Strengthened with might by His Spirit into the inward man.

Test that out and the result is that when the mind is bewildered by the perplexity of a situation...

And the arguments are all in the direction that a mistake has been made...

A wrong course has been taken...

Everything is false...

When all the feelings are churned up, disturbed, anxious, fearful...

Or when there are no feelings at all, they are simply petrified by the position...

When circumstances are all arguing in the opposite direction of that which we, in the purest moments of our fellowship with God determined upon. 

The world around us and very closely around us...

Even within the sphere of our own natural life, our own soul life is an inexplicable mystery. 

Then spirituality is proved by that inward strength which abides...

That standing when you cannot go forward...

That holding when you can do nothing...

That remaining when all the forces are seeking to sweep you off your feet. 

That represents a measure of spirituality. 

That is the true nature of the child of God. 

The opposite is to be carried away by argument, reasoning, appearance, circumstance, and all such things. 

That proves a lack of true spirituality. 

In a sentence, true spirituality is not to live on the outside...

It is to live with God right down deep in the inner part of your own being, where He, the Spirit, is.

~T. Austin Sparks~

The Enemy Frustrated

Neither did Sennacherib molest the city. He had boasted loudly, but he could not carry out his threats. 

The LORD is able to stop the enemies of His people in the very act. 

When the lion has the lamb between his jaws, the great Shepherd of the sheep can rob him of his prey. 

Our extremity only provides an opportunity for a grander display of divine power and wisdom.

In the case before us, the terrible foe did not put in an appearance before the city which he thirsted to destroy. 

No annoying arrow could he shoot over the walls...

And no besieging engines could he put to work to batter down the castles...

And no banks could he cast up to shut in the inhabitants.

Perhaps in our case also the LORD will prevent our adversaries from doing us the least harm. 

Certainly He can alter their intentions or render their designs so abortive that they will gladly forego them.

Let us trust in the LORD and keep His way, and He will take care of us. 

Yea, He will fill us with wondering praise as we see the perfection of His deliverance.

Let us not fear the enemy when he actually comes, and then let us trust in the LORD. 

~Charles Spurgeon~