This week's 'thought' comes to you from the very gifted preacher,
Alistair Begg. It is the combination of two of his devotional
postings which I found encouraging. The first speaks of Jesus' promise in
Matthew 28:20 to, "be with us always, even to the end of the age."
The second flows out of God's promise in Psalm 67 to bless His people
so that, "all the ends of the earth will fear Him."Both truths should encourage the earnest believer, and I offer them to you for the purpose. Enjoy, and have a great week doing what he urges you to do. In His Service, Pastor Jeff
"It is good that there is One who is always the same and who is always with us. It is good that there is one stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. Let us not set our soul's affections upon rusting, moth-eaten, decaying treasures but set our hearts upon Him who remains faithful forever. Let us not build our house upon the moving quicksands of a deceitful world but base our hopes upon this rock that, amid descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure.
My soul, I charge you, lay up your treasure in the only secure cabinet;
store your jewels where you can never lose them. Put your all in Christ; set
all your affections on His person, all your hope in His merit, all your trust
in His efficacious blood, all your joy in His presence, and then you may laugh
at loss and defy destruction. Remember that all the flowers in the world's
garden fade by turns, and the day comes when nothing will be left but the
black, cold earth and death will soon put out your candle.
How sweet to have the sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood
must soon roll between you and all you have; so join your heart to Him who will
never leave you; trust Him who will go with you through the surging current of
death's stream and who will bring you safely to the celestial shore and have
you sit with Him in heavenly places forever. In the sorrows of affliction, tell
your secrets to the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Trust all your
concerns to Him who can never be taken from you, who will never leave you, and
who will never let you leave Him, even "Jesus Christ [who] is the same
yesterday and today and forever." "I am with you always" is
enough for my soul to live upon no matter who forsakes me."
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"It is our own fault if we do not enjoy the riches of our God.
Since you have such a friend, and He invites you to draw from Him daily.
Never be wanting while you have a God to go to. Never fear or faint while you
have God to help you. Go to your treasure and take whatever you
need--there is all that you can ever want. Learn the divine skill of making God
all things to you. He can supply you with everything; or better still, He can
be everything to you. Let me urge you, then, to make use of your God. Make use
of Him in prayer. Go to Him often, because He is your God.
Will you fail to use such a great privilege? Run to Him; tell Him all
your needs. Use Him constantly by faith at all times. If some dark providence
has cast a shadow on you, use God as a sun; if some strong enemy has attacked
you, find in Jehovah a shield, for He is a sun and shield to His people. If you
have lost your way in the mazes of life, use Him as a guide, for He will direct
you. Whatever you are, and wherever you are, remember, God is just what you
want and just where you want, and that He can do everything you want."
