"I am here in the room with you; I am nearer than these beckoning, calling things. I come between them and you. You have nothing to do now, but to please Me.' ... you echo the simple words as a young child might, 'I have nothing to do, now, but to please Thee. And Thou art not hard to please.'" ~ Amy Carmichael Keys to Contentment Allow thyself to complain of nothing, even the weather. Never picture thyself under any circumstances in which thou are not. Never compare thine own lot with that of another. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was or is. God loves you better than you love yourself. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. ~ E.B. Pusey Ministry Giving when you feel like keeping. Praying for others when you need to be prayed for. Feeding others when your own soul is hungry. Living truth before people even when you can't see the results. Hurting with other people even when your own hurt can't be spoken. Keeping your word even when it is not convenient. Loving others no matter what it may cost your personally. Being faithful when your flesh wants to run away. And being obedient always to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Silversmith Some time ago a few ladies met to study the Scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upn a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One lady decided to visit a silversmith and report to the others what he said about the subject. She went accordingly and, without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the processof refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on? "Oh, yes ma'am," replied the silversmith, "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured." Gpd sees ot necessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying and His wisdome and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure. Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?" "That's quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is complete." ~ Unknown Little by little -- less by taking pains than by taking it easy -- the forgiven man starts to become a forgiving man, the healed man to become a healing man, the loved man to become a loving man. ~Buechner Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. ~Jeremiah 17:14 Only when someone discovers that God really loves him, in all his unloveliness, does he begin to take on the attributes of the One who justified him. God doesn't want our success, he wants us. He doesn't demand achievements, He demands obedience . . . For through the ugly defeat of the cross, a holy God is utterly golorifie. Victory comes through brokenness and finding one's self comes through losing one's self. ~Charles Colson Q: If my "old self" is crucified with Chrst, why is it still wiggling? A: Crucifixion is a slow death. ~Tim Hansel Is life so wretched? Isn't it ragher your hands which are to small, your vision is muddled? You are the one who must grow up! ~Dag Hammarskjold Thou worketh perfectly, And if it seem Some things are not so well 'Tis but because They are too loving deep, Too lofty wise For me, poor child, To understand their lows. My highest wisdom, Half is but a dream; My love runs helpless Like a falling stream; Thy good embraces ill, And lo! its illness dies! ~George MacDonald Sin takes you further than you want to go. Keeps you longer than you want to stay, And costs you more than you want to pay. Do not struggle to get out of rough hands. God uses rugh hands to make us beautiful and perfect. Of Jesus we read: "The soldiers plaited a crown of thourns and put it on his head . . ." John 19:2 I gave my back to the smiters and . . . I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Isaiah 50:6 He had power to help Himself, but He never used it. ~Corrie ten Boom If God has called you, do not spend time looking over your shoulder to see who is following. ~ Corrie ten Boom Peter said, "No, Lord!" But he had to learn that one cannot say no while saying Lord, and that one cannot say Lord while saying no. ~ Corrie ten Boom "But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One." ~ McCarthy Obedience is doing no less than we are asked. Trust is doing no more than we are asked. ~ Corrie ten Boom Self cannot improve self, it can only add more of the samd -- even if it calls the increase by a different name. Insecurity: the result of placing my confidence or trust in people or things that can be taken away from me. ~ Dale Fesenfeld The approvial drive was intended to draw us to God. Three of it's substitutes are acceptance, status, and productivity. Obedience because you understand and agree is not obedience it is willfulness. My Neighbor's Roses The roses red upon my neighbor's vine Are owned by him, but they are also mine. His was the cose, and his the labor, too. But mine as well as his the joy, their loveliness to view. They bloom for me and are for me as fair As for the man who gives them all his care; Thus I am rich because a good man grew A rose-clad vine for all his neighbors to view. I know from this that others plant for me, And what they own my joy may also be; So why be selfish when so much that's fine Is grown for me upon my neighbor's vine? |
And shall I fear That there is anything that men hold dear That thou would'st deprive me of, And nothing give in place? That is not so-- For I can see Thee now: "My child, I died for thee, And if the gift of love and life You took from Me, Shall I one precious thing withold One beautiful and bright One pure and precious thing withhold? My child, it cannot be." ~ Betty Stam |
More Seeds 5 |
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