He is No Fool

~ Happy New Year ~

Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.

Another year of progress, another year of praise,

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,

Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;

Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;

Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,

Another year of training for holier work above.

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

~ Frances R. Havergal ~

"So teach us to number our days,

that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

O satisfy us early with thy mercy;

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Let thy work appear unto thy servants,

and thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:

and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 

~ Psalm 90:12,14,16,17 ~

May the Lord guide us each in this coming year, draw our hearts closer to Himself, give us a deeper love for Him, cleans us and purify us, conform us to the image of Christ, grow us in our love for one another, and use us as lights of His kingdom for His glory and honor.

Happy New Year from the Alexander Family!

Duty is Ours, Events are God's

"The great thing that is our all in all to us is duty, and not event; for duty is ours, events are God's - our own duty, and not another's; for everyone shall bear his own burden - our present duty, and not the duty of the time to come; for sufficient to the day shall be the directions thereof: a good man's steps are ordered by the Lord, (Psalm 37:23); he is guided step by step.  Now all our duty is summed up in this one of following Christ.  We must attend his motions, and accommodate ourselves to them, following him to to do him honor, as the servant his master; we must walk in the way in which he walked, and aim to be where he is.  And if we will closely attend to the duty of following Christ, we shall find neither heart nor time to meddle with that which does not belong to us."

- Matthew Henry -

~Brittany

A Pure Heart is a Single Heart for God's Will

"A pure heart is a single heart, not divided.

A pure heart wills what God wills,

no matter what the cost.

Strength of will is to will against oneself,

to say, "Not my will - Thine.""

~Elisabeth Elliot, Quest for Love

~Brittany

Engaging in Fruitfulness - What draws you nearest to Christ?

“Be most in those engagements which you have experimentally proved to draw you nearest to Christ, because it is from Him that all your fruits proceed.  Any holy exercise which will bring you to Him will help you to bear fruit.”
- Charles Spurgeon

~Brittany

A Thanksgiving Quote - on Overcoming with Courage

“All great and honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both met and overcome with answerable courage.  It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible.  For, many of the things feared might never befall; others by provident care and the use of good means might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome.  True it was that such attempts were not to be undertaken without good ground and reason, rashly or lightly; or, as many had done, for curiosity or hope of gain.  But their condition was not ordinary; their ends were good and honourable; their calling, lawful and urgent; therefore they might expect the blessing of God on their proceedings.  Yea, though they should lose their lives in this action, yet might they have the comfort of knowing that their endeavour was worthy.”

- Of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford

~Brittany

Praying and Trusting for God's Guidance

"I urge you to trust God.  He wants to give you the best.

He will help you.  He has promised to guide you.

He knows what you need.  Ask Him to show you.

Pray silently.  Watch quietly."

- Elisabeth Elliot, from her book Keep a Quiet Heart

~Brittany

"You will never find true faith unattended by true godliness; on the other hand, you will never discover a truly holy life which has not for its root a living faith upon the righteousness of Christ."  - Charles Spurgeon

"Wherever Jesus may lead us, He goes before us.  If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go.  With such a companion, who will dread the perils of the road?  The journey may be long, but His everlasting arms will carry us to the end."  - Charles Spurgeon

"It is always best to get blessings into our house in the legitimate way, by the door of prayer; then they are blessings indeed, and not temptations.  Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay.  That which we win by prayer we should dedicate to God.  The gift came from heaven, let it go to heaven.  Prayer brought it, gratitude sang over it, let devotion consecrate it.  Is prayer your element or your weariness?"
- Charles Spurgeon

~Brittany

Warning Against a Lack of Prevailing Prayer

"Too often, in the absence of prevailing prayer, the asault has to be made without, and precious lives are sacrificed, time is lost, and all efforts are in vain; not because God is unfaithful, or the servant is not devoted, but because the artillery of prayer has been lacking, and no breach has been made in the enemy's defences."

- Northcote Deck. -

Prevailing means:

 Predominant.  Generally current.  Having superior power or influence.  Effectual.

Effectual means:

Producing or capable of producing an intended effect; adequate.

Valid or binding, as an agreement or document.

 

~Brittany

Fulfilling Our Divine Mission

"A life need not be great to be beautiful.  There may be as much beauty in a tiny flower as in a majestic tree, in a little gem as in a great jewel.  A life may be very lovely and yet be insignificant in the world's eyes.  A beautiful life is one that fulfills its mission in this world, that is what God made it to be, and does what God made it to do.  Those with only commonplace gifts are in danger of thinking that they cannot live a beautiful life - cannot be a blessing in this world.  But the smallest life that fills its place well is far lovelier in God's sight than the largest and most splendidly gifted - yet fails in its divine mission."

Far better in its place the lowliest bird

Should sing aright to Him the lowliest song,

Than that a seraph strayed should take the word

And sing His glory wrong. - Selected.

-Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

taken from Streams in the Desert, Vol. 2, August 6th

~Brittany

Old Quotes, Fresh Encouragement :-)

Don't you love going back through old prayer and Bible journals.  I am have very blessed reading through Teri Maxwell's book Sweet Journey as she is seeking to give counsel in beginning a Bible journal, prayer notebook and to memorize scripture on a daily based.  Her encouragement  is helping me to be more purposeful, once again, in my personal quiet time with the Lord.  While seeking to begin afresh with a prayer notebook, I was looking through some of my prayer and Bible journals that I have done in the past and was once again blessed by a few quotes that I found in one of my journals.  I hope they will be an encouragement to you as well.  Also, if you need some fresh encouragement in making your time with the Lord more purposeful and meaningful, I would highly recommend Sweet Journey.  ~Karen

Culture is religion externalized - Henry Van Til

When we feel God's plow going into our hearts, remember that God does not plow without purposing a crop.  - Thomas Watson

This last one is a quote from the book Beloved Bride by Bill Potter
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson wrote in a letter to his sister after the loss of his first wife and child, who was stillborn at birth and also the time in which his wife also died:

"I have been called to pass through the deep waters of affliction, but all has been satisfied.  The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.  It is his will that my dearest wife and child should no longer abide with me, and as it is His holy will, I am perfectly reconciled to the sad bereavement, though I deeply mourn my loss.  Oh! the consolations of religion!  I can willingly submit to anything if God strengthens me.  I have joy in knowing that God withholds no good things from them that love and keep his commandments.  And he will overrule this sad, sad bereavement for good."  

~Brittany

Learning to Sing ~ Finding Joy and Peace

Art thou weary, tender heart?
Be glad of pain!
In sorrow sweetest things will grow,
As flowers in rain.
God watches; thou wilt have the sun,
When clouds their perfect work have done.
- Adelaide Procter

"It is the life closest to the "Man of Sorrows"
who was Himself acquainted with grief
that can bring blossoms of joy and peace.
If His joy is in us, our joy is made full."
- Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

The song I sing is faint and sad,
Yet 'tis of love I'm singing;
And soon it shall be strong and glad
Through realms of glory ringing.

A song of love and sighs today,
Of love and joy tomorrow,
To Him Who poured His life away
Upon the tree of sorrow.
- Anonymous.

"We must learn to sing - to sing as we enter the valleys of shadow.
We sing as we work.  We sing as we rejoice.
Can we sing as we suffer?
How difficult it is to sing when you cannot see beyond affliction.
But the secret is to look beyond the immediate circumstance
and behold the reward in glory."
- Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

~Brittany

~Brittany

Yielding... to Gain the Only Thing Worth Having

" Man has a claim on God, a divine claim for any pain, want, disappointment, or misery that will help to make him what he ought to be.  He has a claim to be punished, and to be spared not one pang that may urge him toward repentance; yea, he has a claim to be compelled to repent; to be hedged in on every side, to have one after another of the strong, sharp-toothed sheep-dogs of the Great Shepherd sent after him, to thwart him in any desire, foil him in any plan, frustrate him of any hope, until he comes to see at length that nothing will ease his pain, nothing make life a thing worth having, but the presence of the living God within him; that nothing is good but the will of God; nothing noble enough for the desire of the heart of man but oneness with the eternal.  For this God must make him yield his very being, that He himself may enter in and dwell with him"

George MacDonald

As I read quotes like this one and read the Scriptures, I am so thankful that I can see the hand of the Lord in my life - teaching, taking away, growing, stretching, strengthening me, orchestrating everything in my life for me to become more Christ like, to be conformed to His image.  When we have the perspective that everything is for our good and growth spiritually, and is sent from the loving hand of our Father, it really helps to change our outlook on everything that comes up and helps us to have a meek, moldable spirit and allows us to rejoice in the loving working hand of our gracious Lord.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

1 Peter 4:12-13

"Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."

James 1:2-6,12

~Brittany

Losing to Gain

"If through losing what this world prizes we are enabled to gain what it despises - treasure in heaven, invisible and incorruptible - isn't it worth any kind of suffering?  What is it worth to us to learn a little bit more of what the Cross means - life out of death, the transformation of earth's losses and heartbreaks and tragedies?
Poverty has not been my experience, but God has allowed in the lives of each of us some sort of loss, the withdrawal of something we valued, in order that we may learn to offer ourselves a little more willingly, to allow the touch of death on one more thing we have clutched so tightly, and thus know fullness and freedom and joy that much sooner.  We're not naturally inclined to love God and seek His Kingdom.  Trouble may help to incline us - that is, it may tip us over, put some pressure on us, lean us in the right direction."

~ Elisabeth Elliot

Our pastor, Pastor Chris Pappas, often speaks of us needing to break our sword in surrender to Christ's lordship over our lives.  This verbiage came into my mind the other day as I was praying:  May He break our flesh that we would break our sword!

~Brittany

Dealing with the Harder Things of Life ~ Faith, Hope, Trust, Purpose, Peace, and Joy

These are just a few things that I've read recently that have been an encouragement to me.  I hope they will be to some of you as well.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, according to the will of God.  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.  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Romans 8: 18, 24-26, 27b, 28, 31, 37b

 

“Today as I sit in my lonely room, this passage of God's Word flies in like a white dove through the window, "And now men see not the sun which is in the clouds; but the wind passes and clears them." Job 37:21. To my weak vision, dimmed with tears, the cloud is exceeding dark, but through it stream some rays from the infinite love which fills the Throne with an exceeding and eternal brightness of glory. By-and-by we may get above and behind that cloud—into the overwhelming light. We shall not need comfort then; but we do need it now. And for our present consolation, God lets through the clouds some clear, strong, distinct rays of love and gladness.

One truth which beams in through the vapors is this—God not only reigns, but He governs His world by a most beautiful law of compensations. He sets one thing over against another. Faith loves to study the illustrations of this law, notes them in her diary, and rears her pillars of praise for every fresh discovery. I have noticed that the deaf often have an unusual quickness of eyesight; the blind are often gifted with an increased capacity for hearing; and sometimes when the eye is darkened and the ear is closed, the sense of touch becomes so exquisite that we are able to converse with the sufferer through that sense alone.

This law explains why God put so many of His people under a sharp regimen of hardship and burden-bearing in order that they may be sinewed into strength; why a Joseph must be shut into a prison in order that he may be trained for a palace and for the premiership of the kingdom.”

Theodore Cuyler

"Those who dive into the sea of affliction, bring up rare pearls!"

Charles Spurgeon

"Afflictions tend to wean us from the world--and to fix our affections on things above."

John Angell James

 

Do you ever wonder what Paul’s thorn in his side was (2 Corinthians 12:8)?

I wonder all the time. Did he have this thorn before he was a believer? And, if so, how long had he had it? Or, did his thorn enter his life after it changed forever on the road to Damascus?

All I know is that Paul does not say what his thorn was. How mysterious of him!

I think we all have thorns that we’ve wished we could pray away. I know I’m guilty of it.

How many times I’ve come before the Lord and asked him why he’s allowed certain things to happen in my life.

While God is more than capable of erasing history, He doesn’t.  Why doesn’t He make exceptions…?

I think it’s because He calls us to be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9) He knows that we have His strength to handle whatever life throws our way, even if we don’t think we’re strong enough.

The Courage to Trust

We need to trust His strength, because God wouldn’t have allowed us to endure this pain otherwise. We can stand tall and be courageous…because it takes courage to trust.

While we may not have been given the ability to change our history and rid ourselves of our thorns, we have been given the power to embrace them…which is hard (I know).

It is possible to make lemonade out of those flying life-lemons.

It begins with the trusting choice of saying, “This will not defeat me.” Christ has already won the biggest battle of our lives (Romans 8:37), but the deceiver will do anything he can to convince us that we don’t have the strength to win the smaller ones.

But quite the opposite is true. God is in the business of making beautiful things . . . and every rose has its thorn.

~ Chels {Catz in the Kitchen}

http://club31women.com/

~Brittany

"All of the past, I believe, is a part of God's story for each child of His - a mystery of love and sovereignty, written before the foundation of the world, never a hindrance to the task He has designed for us, but rather the very preparation suited to our particular personality's need."  ~ Elisabeth Elliot

~Brittany

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:

but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;

but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,

that ye may be able to bear it."

~ 1 Corinthians: 10:13 ~

"The secret is Christ in me,

not me in a different set of circumstances."

~ Elisabeth Elliot ~

"All the way my Savior leads me.

Jesus doeth all things well!"

~ Frances J. Crosby ~

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus."

~ Philippians 4:7 ~

~Brittany

Sanctified Gladness ~ Songs of Praise

"It is always beneficial to praise the Lord;

 it cheers the day and brightens the night;

it lightens toil and softens sorrow;

and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance

which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare.

Have we not something to sing about at this moment?

Can we not weave a song out of our present joys,

or our past deliverances, or our future hopes?

By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up

to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness."

-- Charles Spurgeon --

~Brittany