I cannot be trusted for one moment! (from Grace Gems)

The following in an excerpt from the diary of James Smith:

March, 1943.
This day my convictions of sin are deep--and my discovery of my follies is painful. It is in reference to prayer and watchfulness, that I principally fail.

How much I require to humble me, empty me, and keep me in my proper place! How often do I perceive that but for the Lord's keeping--I would be undone! I cannot be trusted for one moment! I see it, I feel it, I confess it before God; and yet if others were to say so of me, or to me--how would my pride be hurt!

What a mercy have I found the throne of grace, yesterday and today! I know not when I visited it so often. O that I was as powerfully drawn to it by love--as I am driven to it by trouble!

I feel more like a child--as to wisdom, prudence, strength, and courage--than I ever did, for I seem to have none! O that I felt as much like a child--in reference to confidence, dependence, and love to my Heavenly Father!

O that I was thoroughly holy, truly wise, really prudent--then I think I would be happy, and make others happy!

It grieves me, that I not only procure trouble to myself--but that I trouble others; and if God were to withhold His grace--I would do but little else! However, God has promised grace--and grace will pardon what it does not prevent. But the pardon is often preceded by bitter experience, arising from conviction, self-reproach, fear, darkness, bondage, and distance from God. O for preventing grace--as well as pardoning grace!
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How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Divine sovereignty, Romans 8:28 applied well!

“Divine sovereignty is not the sovereignty of a tyrannical Despot, but the exercised pleasure of One who is infinitely wise and good!
Because God is infinitely wise He cannot err, and because He is infinitely righteous He will not do wrong. Here then is the preciousness of this truth. The mere fact itself that God’s will is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear, but once I realize that God wills only that which is good, my heart is made to rejoice.”
A W Pink

A Spurgeon Quote re being a Peacemaker:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone.  Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out of itself.  Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear." (CHS - 'Lectures to My Students')

Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face

One of the most difficult things for me to grasp in this past year, has been a practical application of God's sovereignty, without that aspect of faith which must go hand in hand with God's love (Romans 8:28), life becomes lacking in direction and purpose in times of trials. Thanks be to God for such grace poured out in our lives to give us such precious truths. And thanks to God's people for faithfully and patiently pointing me to my Lord, and all the hope He offers.

 I am presently working through John Murray's booklet 'Behind a Frowning Providence'.  I stopped at Forest Lake on the way home the other day, for a few quiet moments. The hundreds of birds twittering as they settled for the night - a reminder of how perfectly God takes care of us his beloved children, for He even watches the sparrow fall and is moved. Silhouetted swans gracefully nestling together, pelicans still paddling ever hopeful of filling their colossal stomachs and ducks roosting in places strange enough to make you smile. There was a gloriously beautiful sunset - it struck me how we never think to focus on the dark murky water beneath the beautiful reflections of sky and dancing colours of the sunset reflected on the water's ripples. So it should be with God's providence... we should not be focusing on all the sad and seeming depressing aspects of His providence, rather looking to Him as He reveals Himself to us in majesty and glory, as the Light of the world. We no doubt grasp just a small reflection of all His glory, but with time it will be fully revealed - oh what a glorious day to look forward to indeed!

.... one thing I have learnt is that my faith is very weak and and oh so small, small, small....I have walked as Peter walked upon the sea - looking at the waves tossing to and fro instead of at my Saviour. How often my Lord has rescued me of little faith, from drowning simply because I have so small a faith, so dimmed and hazy a view of who He is. May I look more faithfully to my beloved Lord and 'walk on the water', by His enabling, grace and merciful help. (Photographs By Jessica-Helen Grace Murray, copyright. 2008. Used with permission)

Our world would have been one continuous Hell!

From Grace Gems again:

(James Smith, "The Love of Christ! The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Savior's Grace Displayed!")

But for the love of Christ, our world would have been one continuous Hell--and every one of its inhabitants would have been suffering Jehovah's tremendous curse!
Despair would have erected its dreadful throne upon it;
darkness would have spread its horrifying wings over it; and
the never-dying worm would have preyed upon every one of its miserable inhabitants!

O let us then admire the love of Jesus! From this blessed fountain, flows all our present comforts and all our future prospects!

To the love of Jesus, every Heaven-bound pilgrim has been indebted . . .
  for every gleam of hope,
  for every ray of comfort,
  for every delightful foretaste of the glory which is to be revealed!

To the love of Jesus, we shall be everlastingly indebted for all that we have--and for all that we are!
Thanks, eternal thanks to Jesus--for His unspeakable love!

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully!" Ephesians 3:19

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God moves in mysteryious ways by William Cowper 1731 - 1800

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sov’reign will.

 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.

 

 Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

 (Photographs By Jessica-Helen Grace Murray, copyright. 2008. Used with permission)