Witness And Testimony - Blog

Gentle Leading

6/16/2019

Gen 33:14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

What a beautiful picture of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the children!

He would not allow them to be overdriven even for one day.

He would not lead on according to what a strong man like Esau could do and expected them to do, but only according to what they were able to endure.

He knew exactly how far they could go in a day; and he made that his only consideration in arranging the marches.

He had gone the same wilderness journey years before, and knew all about its roughness and heat and length, by personal experience.

And so he said, "I will lead on softly."

Jos 3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

We have not passed this way heretofore, but the Lord Jesus has.

It is all untrodden and unknown ground to us, but He knows it all by personal experience.

The steep bits that take away our breath...

The stony bits that make our feet ache so...

The hot shadeless stretches that make us feel so exhausted...

The rushing rivers that we have to pass through,,,

Jesus has gone through it all before us. "He was wearied in his journey."

Not some, but all the many waters went over Him, and yet did not quench His love.

He was made a perfect Leader by the things which He suffered.

He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust..

Think of that when you are tempted to question the gentleness of His leading.

He is remembering all the time; and not one step will He make you take beyond what your foot is able to endure.

Never mind if you think you will not be able to make the step that seems to come next...

Either He will so strengthen you that you shall be able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you shall not have to take that step at all.

-~Frances Ridley Havergal~

In "pastures green"?...

Not always; sometimes He Who knowest best, in kindness leadeth me In weary ways, where heavy shadows be.

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where The shadows lie, what matter?

He is there.

~Barry~

"I Am The LORD I Do Not Change"

6/7/2019

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Herein is solid comfort.

Human nature cannot be relied upon...but God can!

However unstable I may be...

However fickle my friends may prove...

God never changes.

If He varied as we do...

if He willed one thing today and another tomorrow...

if He were controlled by impulse...then who could confide in Him?

But He is ever the same.

His purpose is fixed...

His will is stable...

His word is sure.

Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent sweeps away everything around us.

~Arthur Pink~

There Are Seasons

5/27/2019

There are seasons in the lives of all when it is not easy...

Not even for Christians, to believe that God is faithful.

Our faith is sorely tried...

Our eyes dimmed with tears...

And we can no longer trace the outworking of His love.

Our ears are distracted with the noises of the world...

Harassed by the atheistic whisperings of Satan...

And we can no longer hear the sweet accents of His still small voice.

Cherished plans have been thwarted...

Friends on whom we have relied have failed us...

A professed brother or sister in Christ has betrayed us...

We are staggered.

We sought to be faithful to God...

And now a dark cloud hides Him from us.

We find it difficult, yes, impossible, for carnal reason to harmonize His frowning providence with His gracious promises.

Ah, faltering soul, seek grace to heed Isaiah 50:10...

Isa 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

~Arthur Pink~

Satan May Sometimes Catch His Foot In A Trap

5/21/2019

Before conversion, the devil could no sooner hold up his finger to the sinner to call him to his wicked company...

Sinful games, and filthy delights and immediately he followed...

Like an ox going to the slaughter...

Like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver...

Like a bird darting into a snare...

Little knowing it will cost him his life.

Pro 7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Pro 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

No sooner could Satan bid him to lie...but immediately he had it on his tongue.

No sooner could Satan offer a filthy object...but he was overcome with lust.

But after he is converted he serves another Master...

And takes quite another course...

He goes and comes at Christ's bidding.

Satan may sometimes catch his foot in a trap but he will no longer be a willing captive.

He watches against the snares and baits of Satan...

And studies to be acquainted with his devices and plots.

~Joseph Alleine~

Losses Overcome

5/18/2019

Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Yes, those wasted years over which we sigh shall be restored to us.

God can give us such plentiful grace that we shall crowd into the remainder of our days as much of service as will be some recompense for those years of unregeneracy over which we mourn in humble penitence.

The locusts of backsliding, worldliness, lukewarmness, are now viewed by us as a terrible plague.

Oh, that they had never come near us!

The LORD in mercy has now taken them away, and we are full of zeal to serve Him.

Blessed be His name, we can raise such harvests of spiritual graces as shall make our former barrenness to disappear.

Through rich grace we can turn to account our bitter experience and use it to warn others.

We can become the more rooted in humility, childlike dependence, and penitent spirituality by reason of our former shortcomings.

If we are the more watchful, zealous, and tender, we shall gain by our lamentable losses.

The wasted years, by a miracle of love, can be restored.

Does it seem too great a boon?

Let us believe for it and live for it, and we may yet realize it, even as Peter became all the more useful a man after his presumption was cured by his discovered weakness.

LORD, aid us by Thy grace.

~Charles Spurgeon~

We Should Be Content With His Daily Allowance!

4/27/2019

2Ki 25:29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

2Ki 25:30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

Jehoiachin was not sent away from the king's palace with a 'supply' to last him for months, but his provision was given to him as a daily pension.

Herein he well pictures the happy position of all the Lord's people.

A daily portion is all that a man really needs.

We do not need tomorrow's supplies; for that day has not yet dawned, and its needs are as yet unborn.

The thirst which we may suffer in the month of June...does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet.

If we have enough for each day as the days arrive...we shall never know want.

Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy.

We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day's supply of food and clothing; a surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief.

Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

One staff aids a traveler but a bundle of staffs is a heavy burden.

Enough is not only as good as a feast but is all that the greatest glutton can truly enjoy.

Enough is all that we should expect and craving for more than this is ungrateful.

When our Father does not give us more...we should be content with His daily allowance.

Jehoiachin's case is ours - we have a sure portion...

A portion given to us by the King...

A gracious portion...

And a perpetual portion.

Surely here is ground for thankfulness.

Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace you need a daily supply.

You have no store of grace.

Day by day you must seek help from above.

It is a very sweet assurance that a daily portion is provided for you.

In the Word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God...you shall receive renewed strength.

In Jesus, all needful things are laid up for you.

Then enjoy your continual allowance!

Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy!

Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

Deu 33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

~Charles Spurgeon~

LEAVEN

4/18/2019

Then what about this leaven that makes things appeal to our natural taste?

Paul said to Timothy, "The time will come when they will not endure sound teaching; and they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears."

And he goes on to say that they will believe the lie instead of the truth.

Why is that?

Because these teachers appeal to the natural life.

These teachers cover over evil.

Indeed, they will sometimes call evil good.

People do not like the teachers who tell them what is wrong, that this thing and that thing are contrary to God.

They like leavened bread, it pleases the flesh....

He says there will be leaven, there will be corruption and defilement everywhere...

But the teaching of the New Testament is: Keep yourselves pure.

See that your garments are not spotted.

Walk in this sinful world as those who do not belong to its nature.

Although there is leaven everywhere, you be the unleavened bread.

But, the world may not like you, the world will not like unleavened bread.

It does not please the flesh...

But the bread which is pure is pleasing to God.

You Become Like Your Obsession.

4/8/2019

You become like that which Obsesses you, which Occupies you.

Is that not true?

You see what people are Occupied with, and you can see their Character Changing by their obsessions.

They are becoming like the thing which is obsessing them...

They are changing...

They are becoming different.

Something has got a grip on them...

They can never think about anything else,,,

Talk about anything else...

And it is Changing their character.

Now Paul said, 'For me to live is Christ - being occupied with Him'.

It is the wrong word to use, but nevertheless it would be a good thing if He became our 'obsession'...

Our continuous occupation.

As we steadfastly fix our gaze upon Him, the Spirit changes us into the same image.

~T. Austin Sparks~

Presence Of Mind

3/31/2019

When God is abroad in judgments, He would not have His people alarmed.

He has not come forth to harm but to defend the righteous.

He would have them manifest courage.

We who enjoy the presence of God ought to display presence of mind.

Since the LORD Himself may suddenly come, we ought not to be surprised at anything sudden.

Serenity under the rush and roar of unexpected evils is a precious gift of divine love.

The LORD would have His chosen display discrimination...

So that they may see that the desolation of the wicked is not a real calamity to the universe.

Sin alone is evil...

The punishment which follows thereupon is as a preserving salt to keep society from putrefying.

We should be far more shocked at the sin which deserves hell than at the hell which comes out of sin.

So, too, should the LORD's people exhibit great quietness of spirit.

Satan and his serpent seed are full of all subtlety...

But those who walk with God shall not be taken in their deceitful snares.

Go on, believer in Jesus, and let the LORD be thy confidence.

~Charles Spurgeon~

To Others An "Ensample"

3/16/2019

It is well when a man can with advantage be so minutely copied as Paul might have been.

Oh, for grace to imitate him this day and every day!

Should we, through divine grace, carry into practice the Pauline teaching, we may claim the promise which is now open before us; and what a promise it is!

God, who loves peace, makes peace, and breathes peace, will be with us.

Peace be with you is a sweet benediction; but for the God of peace to be with us is far more.

Thus we have the fountain as well as the streams, the sun as well as his beams.

If the God of peace be with us, we shall enjoy the peace of God which passeth all understanding, even though outward circumstances should threaten to disturb.

If men quarrel, we shall be sure to be peacemakers, if the Maker of peace be with us.

It is in the Way Of Truth that Real Peace is found.

If we quit the faith or leave the path of righteousness under the notion of promoting peace, we shall be greatly mistaken.

First pure, then peaceable, is the order of wisdom and of fact.

Let us keep to Paul's line, and we shall have the God of peace with us as He was with the apostle.

~Charles Spurgeon~