From Whence My Help Cometh

~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

True Joy is Strength

~Brittany

~Brittany

A Strong Heart

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

Wait! Wait! Let your waiting be on the Lord! He is worth waiting for. He never disappoints the waiting soul.
While waiting keep up your spirits, Expect a great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it.
The promise which should cheer you is in the middle of the verse—"He shall strengthen thine heart." This goes at once to the place where you need help. If the heart be sound, all the rest of the system will work well. The heart wants calming and cheering, and both of these will come if it be strengthened. A forceful heart rests and rejoices and throbs force into the whole man.
No one else can get at that secret urn of life, the heart, so as to pour strength into it. He alone who made it can make it strong. God is full of strength, and, therefore, He can impart it to those who need it. Oh, be brave; for the Lord will impart His strength to you, and you shall be calm in tempest and glad in sorrow.
He who penned these lines can write as David did—"Wait, I say, on the Lord." I do, indeed, say it. I know by long and deep experience that it is good for me to wait upon the Lord.
- Charles Spurgeon, Faith's Checkbook for September 6th
~Brittany

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him,

to the soul that seeketh him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait

for the salvation of the Lord.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth."

~ Lamentations 3:22-27 ~

"How much strength each man hath is best proved

by occasions of adversity:

for such occasions do not make a man frail,

but show of what temper he is."

- Thomas a' Kempis -

"He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow,

but labors joyfully and with a great heart.

"For he giveth His beloved, as in sleep."

They must work and watch,

yet never be careful or anxious,

but commit all to Him,

and live in serene tranquility;

and with a quiet heart,

as one who sleeps safely and quietly."

- Martin Luther -

~Brittany

A friend took this picture and added the verse.  It really blessed me, and I hope it is a blessing to some of you as well.  It is such a comforting promise.
(Picture credit to Joy Lancaster.)
~Brittany

Being Women of Strength and Dignity Who will be Valued by the Right Guy

This article was such a blessing and encouragement to me!  Sometimes it gets discouraging because it feels like none of these young guys want a serious, purposeful girl who's seeking to live an uncompromising life for the Lord.  It was a good encouragement to keep being faithful, and just trust that someday the Lord will send the right one, who does appreciate that!  Keep being faithful girls!  If he doesn't appreciate and value you, then he's not God's man for you, and you don't need to worry about it!
~Brittany

on daughters and dating: how to intimidate suitors

I have two teen-aged daughters, so it was with some interest that I read a recent post entitled “Application to Date My Daughter”. It was pretty funny, playing on the idea of the stereotypical shotgun-toting father and the mortified daughter as they negotiate the tricky terrain of a first date.  Then Christian bloggers grabbed the concept, and for the most part, these versions were funny, too. There were some common themes: slouchy-panted unemployed suitors, dads breathing out Chuck Norris-inspired threats. I didn’t lose my well-developed sense of humor until I made the tactical error of glancing at some of the comments. And then I was just flat-out sad.

Here is the comment that made me the saddest, posted by a well-meaning young Christian father:

“Bro, this is awesome. My daughter’s only 2, but I am printing this for my fridge. Thanks for your godly example.”

Oh dear.

Okay, joke’s over. Bro. Let’s talk strategy for a second. Is that all you’ve got? You need a better plan than these low-level intimidation techniques. After all, she’s your DAUGHTER, for Pete’s sake. So let’s talk frankly about what you need to do to guard her interests when it comes to dating. Instead of brandishing a shotgun or breaking out an application, you need to build a wall.

That’s right, you heard me – build a wall. Go all “Rapunzel”. Build it so high that only the strongest of suitors can scale it. But don’t wait until your baby girl is a teenager, Bro  – start now. Start yesterday. There’s no time to waste.

build a wall

In Song of Solomon 8:8-9 we hear a family’s hope that their young sister will grow into a woman of strength and dignity. Can you guess what metaphor they use to describe that kind of woman? A wall. Their sister assures them in verse 10 that she is indeed a wall, complete with towers. Her statement indicates an assurance that she is not only strong, but able to defend herself against any unworthy suitors. That’s what you want, Bro – you want a wall.

Here’s the problem with shotgun jokes and applications posted on the fridge: to anyone paying attention, they announce that you fully expect your daughter to have poor judgment. Be assured that your daughter is paying attention.  And don’t be shocked if she meets your expectation. You might want to worry less about terrorizing or retro-fitting prospective suitors and worry more about preparing your daughter to choose wisely. And that means building a wall.

Instead of intimidating all your daughter’s potential suitors, raise a daughter who intimidates them just fine on her own. Because, you know what’s intimidating? Strength and dignity. Deep faith. Self-assuredness. Wisdom. Kindness. Humility. Industriousness. Those are the bricks that build the wall that withstands the advances of old Slouchy-Pants, whether you ever show up with your Winchester locked and loaded or not. The unsuitable suitor finds nothing more terrifying than a woman who knows her worth to God and to her family.

too strong?

But here’s a hard reality: if you raise that daughter, she’ll likely intimidate her fair share of “nice Christian boys” as well. Because a decent number of those guys have some nutty ideas about what it means to be in charge. I’m amazed and saddened at how often I hear young single guys say of bright, gifted single women, “Wow, she’s so strong I don’t think I could lead her.” At which point, too many bright, gifted single women begin to consider ways to “tone themselves down” or “soften themselves a bit”.

Raise a strong daughter, even if – no, especially if it means potential suitors question whether they can “lead her”, whatever that means to them. You’ve just identified those suitors as ineligible, without so much as an application process. Leadership is not about the strong looking for weaker people to lead. It’s about the humble looking for those whose strengths offset their weaknesses and complement their strengths. Strong leaders surround themselves with strong people, not with weak ones. Rather than finding the strengths of others threatening, they celebrate them and leverage them. This is Management 101, but I fear young Christian men and well-intentioned Christian parents of daughters have gotten a little fuzzy on the concept.

put down your shotgun

I often think that if we scrutinized our parenting with the same intensity we plan to turn on our daughters’ prospective suitors, we’d stop speculating about shotguns and applications and start building that wall. So, my well-meaning father of a two-year-old, please don’t hit “print” on that application just yet. Instead of cross-examining the man your daughter brings home, cross-examine the man who brought your daughter home from the hospital. She does not need the belated braggadocio of your intentions to protect her from slouchy-pants fools when she’s a teen. She needs you to hitch up your own and invest in her character - now.

So put down your shotgun. Pick up your Indian Princess guide book, or your coach’s clipboard. Take a seat at a tea party. Teach how to change a flat and start the mower. Discuss politics and economics and theology. Compliment a new outfit or an A in math. Tell her you think she is absolutely beautiful. Kneel at a pink chenille bedside and pray your guts out. Raise a daughter with a fully loaded heart and mind so that a fully loaded shotgun isn’t necessary. She shouldn’t need you to scare off weak suitors. Let her strength and dignity do the job.  Resolve to settle for nothing less than the best protection for your daughter. Resolve to be the kind of man you want her to bring home. Resolve to build a wall.

“What shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver…” Song of Solomon 8:8-9

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,

And hope in Him thro' all thy ways,

He'll give the strength, what-e'er betide thee,

And bear thee thro the evil days;

Who trust in God's unchanging love

Builds on the rock that naught can move.

Obey, thou restless, heart, be still

And wait in cheerful hope, content

To take what-e'er His gracious will,

His all discerning love, hath sent;

Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

Sing, pray, and swerve not from His ways;

But do thine own part faithfully.

Trust His rich promises of grace,

So shall they be fulfilled in thee.

God never yet forsook in need

The soul that trusted Him indeed. Amen

Georg Neumark (Catherine Winkworth, Translator)

Inter-Varsity Hymnal

~Brittany

"Measure thy life by loss instead of gain;

For love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice,

And whoso suffers most hath most to give."

- Ugo Bassi -

~Brittany

~ Joy ~

 "For the joy of the Lord is your strength."

~ Nehemiah  8:10b ~

"The joy which has the Lord for its object, and comes from him, is the cause of renewing spiritual strength, so as to run and not be weary, walk and not faint, in the ways of God."

~ John Gill's Commentary ~

~Brittany

"Strength made perfect in weakness bears up with patience under it all."  -Charles Spurgeon

~Brittany

Stablished through Suffering

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."  - 1 Peter 5:10

"Notice how this blessing of being “stablished in the faith” is gained. The apostle’s words point us to suffering as the means employed-”After that ye have suffered awhile.” It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you."  - Charles Spurgeon

Encouragment from Christian artist Jason Gray~ Blessing in being broken and weak

I was so blessed this morning as I was listening to one of my favorite Christian singers share his precious and powerful story about how God has worked in his life through weakness.  Christian recording artist Jason Gray has always had a speech impediment, and even though it's been really hard for him to live with, he can see how it's been a blessing. It has helped him depend on God more and grow in compassion for others.  In these video clips he shares about how through this handicap in his life he taps into the mind of God, and how he has learned that through our weaknesses, His strength is perfected.  And he also encourages those that feel broken and weak that God's grace and power flow strong through our brokenness and weakness.  I hope you will be as blessed and encouraged as I was by listening!  Each video clip is only about 1-3 minutes long...well worth taking the time to listen through!  :-)

And for your added encouragement and enjoyment, here is the link to my youtube playlist of some of my favorite Jason Gray songs.  :-)  CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE PLAYLIST!

Jason Gray: Weakness is a Blessing

Jason Gray shares his struggle with finding strength

Jason Gray talks about his speech impediment

Jason Gray encourages the broken and weak

~Posted By Breanna

A Woman of Strength Has Faith

"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."  James 1:2-4

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.   And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."  Romans 5:1-5

 ~Brittany

Faith and Strength

 The above picture and verse have become very precious to me over the last couple of months.  The Lord seems to be stretching my faith and trust in incomprehendible ways.  Sometimes I am able to take hold of the promises of God and walk with strength and peace.  Other times I feel stuck in darkness and despair, and even though I see the promise it doesn't seem to be working for me.  It is in these times that I must remember to trust, delight, commit, rest, and wait.  Even though we often do not understand His plans and how He gets us there, we know that He is using all for our growth and ultimately for His glory.  I am so thankful for my Savior; He is the solid rock and the only place to run to; the only source of peace and rest.  Sunrises have always carried a sense of peace and meditation to me, and this one carries other significant, precious memories with it as well.  Seeing the scripture passage with the memories helps me to keep trusting and praying.
The devotional below really stood out to me this morning.  Sometimes I fall into despair and lacking faith.  The exhortation to pray in faith was such an encouragement.  Faith is standing on the promises given us in God's Word.  When He shows us the promise, we must walk in it in faith, believing that He is faithful.  In that we can find strength.

"Strong in faith."—Romans 4:20.

Christian, take good care of thy faith; for recollect faith is the only way whereby thou canst obtain blessings. If we want blessings from God, nothing can fetch them down but faith. Prayer cannot draw down answers, from God's throne except it be the earnest prayer of the man who believes. Faith is the angelic messenger between the soul and the Lord Jesus in glory. Let that angel be withdrawn, we can neither send up prayer, nor receive the answers. Faith is the telegraphic wire which links earth and heaven—on which God's messages of love fly so fast, that before we call He answers, and while we are yet speaking He hears us. But if that telegraphic wire of faith be snapped, how can we receive the promise? Am I in trouble?—I can obtain help for trouble by faith. Am I beaten about by the enemy?—my soul on her dear Refuge leans by faith. But take faith away—in vain I call to God. There is no road betwixt my soul and heaven. In the deepest wintertime faith is a road on which the horses of prayer may travel—ay, and all the better for the biting frost; but blockade the road, and how can we communicate with the Great King? Faith links me with divinity. Faith clothes me with the power of God. Faith engages on my side the omnipotence of Jehovah. Faith ensures every attribute of God in my defence. It helps me to defy the hosts of hell. It makes me march triumphant over the necks of my enemies. But without faith how can I receive anything of the Lord? Let not him that wavereth—who is like a wave of the Sea—expect that he will receive anything of God! O, then, Christian, watch well thy faith; for with it thou canst win all things, however poor thou art, but without it thou canst obtain nothing. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
~Charles Spurgeon's Morning Meditation, March 19th

Posted by: Brittany

His Grace is Sufficient

 

“My grace is sufficient for thee.”
- 2Corinthians 12:9

If none of God’s saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, “Still will I trust in the Lord;” when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh! what honour it reflects on the gospel. God’s grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring-that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as he is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night-I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm; the tempest must rage about it, and then I shall know whether it will stand. So with the Spirit’s work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, stedfast, unmoveable,-
“Calm mid the bewildering cry,
 Confident of victory.”
He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for his failing you, never dream of it-hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.
-Spurgeon Morning Devotional

~Posted By Breanna

Correction and the Love of God

Posted by: Brittany

“When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth:  surely every man is vanity.”  -Psalm 39:11

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”  -Proverbs 3:11,12

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”  -Hebrews 12: 5-13

“How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does your faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." "Ah, but," you say, "see how I am arrayed! my graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory." But read the next: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him." The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.”

-Charles Spurgeon

In order for us to be filled with the righteousness and beauty of Christ, the Lord will first strip of us our own goodness, and show us our total worthlessness and helplessness.  Until we see this, we cannot experience the grace and freedom of Christ.

I truly believe that the Lord brings us to the point of failure and humiliation to show us how worthless we are in ourselves, and how utterly dependent we are on Him.  He does not want us walking in our strength to be the good and upright person we know we should be, and even desire to be.  If we are doing that, He will bring us down.  I struggled for years, wanting to be someone and something I knew deep down I was not.  God had to bring me to a breaking point.

He wants it to be His righteous goodness that shines forth in our lives.  That only comes as we surrender in utter helplessness to Him; seeking His forgiveness for the sinful creatures we really are deep down that no one else sees, and asking Him to change us and fill us with Christ. Then He has created a vessel that He can use to honor Him!

So if you feel that you are being severely chastened by the Lord, take joy!  He is purging the dross from your life, so that He can fill you with Christ!  You are His beloved child.  He will not leave you to struggle on your own in your own efforts.  He wants to empty you of self and fill you with Christ.  The purging process is not enjoyable at the moment, but when we come to see it for what it truly is –the love of our Father at work in us- it will bring us comfort and courage, and more quickly bring us to the point of being empty vessels before Him.

There is an initial breaking point, but this process is life long.  Every rod and trial is a blessing and instrument of love from our Lord.  He will be faithful to complete the good work He has begun in each of us.  He will fill us with Christ.  He will use us for His glory.

Is He truly our master?  Are we trying to walk in ourselves or are we on our knees in His loving, molding hand?  He will direct the paths of His children.  He will continue to purge us.  And as He does His transforming work in us, He will show us how to serve and love Him by serving and loving those He places around us.  Then we will shine as lights before men, and they will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.  

 “..out of weakness were made strong…”  -Hebrews 11:34

“Now when they saw… and perceived… they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”  -Acts 4:13

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”  -Matthew 7:7,8

Wait for the Lord!

The Lord is always faithful and gracious.  In my discouragement this morning, the Lord showed me this verse during my Bible reading.

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!"

~Psalm 31:24

Sometimes it seems the only place of relief and refuge we can find is on our knees crying out to the Lord in prayer.  But that is a good thing; that's right where He wants us to be.  And it is there that we get courage, faith, and strength to keep pressing.  Our Lord is faithful, and will work all things out for the good of His children.  We must wait for Him.  He will renew our strength and lift us up.
I was also reminded of this favorite song of mine.  We must wait on the Lord wherever we find ourselves.  Often waiting is hard, but we know and must trust that He will work things out and use it for His glory.

~Posted by: Brittany

My God, My Strength

"I will strengthen thee."—Isaiah 41:10.

God has a strong reserve with which to discharge this engagement; for He is able to do all things. Believer, till thou canst drain dry the ocean of omnipotence, till thou canst break into pieces the towering mountains of almighty strength, thou never needest to fear. Think not that the strength of man shall ever be able to overcome the power of God. Whilst the earth's huge pillars stand, thou hast enough reason to abide firm in thy faith. The same God who directs the earth in its orbit, who feeds the burning furnace of the sun, and trims the lamps of heaven, has promised to supply thee with daily strength. While He is able to uphold the universe, dream not that He will prove unable to fulfil His own promises. Remember what He did in the days of old, in the former generations. Remember how He spake and it was done; how He commanded, and it stood fast. Shall He that created the world grow weary? He hangeth the world upon nothing; shall He who doth this be unable to support His children? Shall He be unfaithful to His word for want of power? Who is it that restrains the tempest? Doth not He ride upon the wings of the wind, and make the clouds His chariots, and hold the ocean in the hollow of His hand? How can He fail thee? When He has put such a faithful promise as this on record, wilt thou for a moment indulge the thought that He has outpromised Himself, and gone beyond His power to fulfil? Ah, no! Thou canst doubt no longer.
O thou who art my God and my strength, I can believe that this promise shall be fulfilled, for the boundless reservoir of Thy grace can never be exhausted, and the overflowing storehouse of Thy strength can never be emptied by Thy friends or rifled by Thine enemies.

"Now let the feeble all be strong,
And make Jehovah's arm their song."

Charles Spurgeon's Morning Meditation, December 22nd