inspirational

Old Light, Still New

Be strong and of a good courage.

The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? — He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. — My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

If God be for us, who can be against us? — The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? — Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. — We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.

JOSH. 1:18. Psa. 27:1. -Isa. 40:29?31. -Psa. 73:26. Rom. 8:31. -Psa. 118:6. -Psa. 44:5. -Rom. 8:37. I Chr. 22:16.

Thank you, Sam!

Ooops. This was sitting among my drafts since 6:47 am on March 30, 2011.

Love. First. Always.

As is my wont, last night before going to bed I read the day’s portions from Daily Light on the Daily Path. Here’s the morning’s section:

The fruit of the Spirit is love.

God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. — The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. — Unto you … which believe he is precious. — We love him, because he first loved us. — The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. — This is my com-mandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. — Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. — Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

GAL. 5:22. I John 4:16. -Rom. 5:5. -I Pet. 2:7. -I John 4:19. -II Cor. 5:14,15. I Thes. 4:9. -John 15:12. -I Pet. 4:8. -Eph. 5:2.

I got to thinking, “How do I try to avoid obeying the divine command to love? Do I figure there are other verses that somehow free me from obedience to this command? For instance, do I ever think that the imperative to confront error and sin somehow minimizes the overarching requirement to love?”

Let me ever remember this: All other commands hang from the twin commands to love.

It does not work the other way.

So let me love — first, foremost, last, in between, always.

Dropping that, I have nothing left upon which to securely hang any other obedience.

Period.

(You can read the evening’s section here as well: Daily Light on the Daily Path – March 1.)

That Sword in Your Head

Or is it a Swiss Army knife?

The writer of Proverbs describes an unwise person as “one who speaks like the piercings of a sword” (12:18). Our tongues can be like a multi-bladed Swiss Army knife when it comes to the variety of ways that we cut and destroy each other.

Unhealthy attitudes of anger, irritation, frustration, and impatience — even disappointment, stress, guilt, and insecurity — all contribute to our damaging speech. And as we cut with our words, we wound and divide friendships and relationships. It’s no wonder that the infamous list of seven things that are an abomination to the Lord includes anyone who “sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19).

How do we stay off that list?

Since I didn’t write this, I shouldn’t just quote the whole thing, should I?

Here’s the rest: Cutting Remarks. Please read it.

A Divine Masterpiece

I am so grateful to have read this…and to believe the reality of it…and its applicability to me:

He looks on us
and sees the voids and imperfections in our lives,
yet lovingly and patiently does His work
in us
to make us His masterpiece . . . .
–Bill Crowder

This morning I read a print version of that. Here’s the online version: Making A Masterpiece.

Grab and Hang On!

In case you don’t know, I really like Daily Light on the Daily Path.

Last night upon my bed, the day’s selections I read. Here they be, a testimony for thee from me….

Morning

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich. . . . As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.–When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.–I am the LORD thy God, . . . open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.–I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.Read it all

Above all, love God!