Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 23
The Enemy Frustrated

Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. (2 Kings 19:32)

Neither did Sennacherib molest the city. He had boasted loudly, but he could not carry out his threats. The Lord is able to stop the enemies of His people in the very act. When the lion has the lamb between his jaws, the great Shepherd of the sheep can rob him of his prey. Our extremity only provides an opportunity for a grander display of divine power and wisdom.

In the case before us, the terrible foe did not put in an appearance before the city which he thirsted to destroy. No annoying arrow could he shoot over the walls, and no besieging engines could-he put to work to batter down the castles, and no banks could he cast up to shut in the inhabitants. Perhaps in our case also the Lord will prevent our adversaries from doing us the least harm. Certainly He can alter their intentions or render their designs so abortive that they will gladly forego them. Let us trust in the Lord and keep His way, and He will take care of us. Yea, He will fill us with wondering praise as we see the perfection of His deliverance.

Let us not fear the enemy till he actually comes, and then let us trust in the Lord.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Lord of My Heart

 If you'd like to read the entire series in the order they were posted, scroll down to the bottom and "read up!"

Lord of my heart, whatever may befall me, rule over my thoughts and feelings, my words and action.

Whatever may befall me, rule over me.

I think that often we, especially those of us who are Americans, really have a hard time with the thought of someone "ruling over" us. Ever since those brave words of the Declaration of Independence were penned, we tend to see ourselves as a people who right it is to " throw off " foreign rule. We pride ourselves on being rugged individualists, pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, and fighting our own battles. Deep down, though, we know that this is not just an American problem, it is a problem of every human heart. It is, as my pastor often says, "the religion we were born with."

The plea of today's phrase, "whatever may befall me, rule over me," is the cry of the one who, by the Spirit's call, through faith in Christ, has been subdued by the Sovereignty of God and the Kingship of Christ.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q and A 26 puts it this way:

Q26: How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A26: Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Christ our Sovereign King subdues us by calling us to Himself, saving us by grace through faith, taking our stony hearts and replacing them with hearts of flesh, making us willing to serve Him.

Christ our Sovereign King rules us by writing His laws on our hearts, by causing us to grow in grace and truth and in His likeness, through the Word and by the Spirit.

Christ our Sovereign King defends us by protecting us. He is a shelter for us and a strong tower from our enemies. He protects and defends His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against her.

Christ our Sovereign King restrains evil and is triumphant over all His and our enemies. He has sat down at the right hand of God, waiting til His enemies are made his footstool.

He is our King and we are His subjects.

"He establishes in the hearts of His people a spiritual rule, even writing Hiw law on our inmost hearts, so that it becomes our delight to do His will. This is the reign of Christ in the hearts of His people."
Stephen R. Key

 
Unlike the King George III, He is a just and righteous King, and His rule over us is kind. Let us not chafe under His rule, nor try to have our own way. Let us look to the Sovereign Lord of our Hearts to rule over our thoughts and feelings, our words and actions.

Poetry Friday: Henry David Thoreau

 

Mist

Low anchored cloud,
Newfoundland air,
Fountain-head and source of rivers,
Dew-cloth, dream drapery,
And napkins spread by fays;
Drifting meadow of the air,
Where bloom the daisied banks and violets,
And in whose fenny labyrinth
The bittern booms and heron wades;
Spirit of lakes and seas and rivers,--
Bear only perfumes and the scent
Of healing herbs to just men's fields.

Henry David Thoreau

This weeks Poetry Friday is being posted at A Wrung Sponge 

The sidebar link will take you there! 

Lord of My Heart

Finishing projects and tying up thoughts has always been difficult for me.  Maybe it's because I don't want my fun to be over.  Maybe it's because I regret letting go of undeveloped or underdeveloped ideas.  Possibly it's because it is hard and I'm lazy.  Likely it's because I'm a perfectionist.  (What?? You didn't know that?!?--think Hermione Granger.  Yep, that was me.)  Whatever the reason, I've struggled to bring this series to an end.  Today I have time and I shall finish it, one way or another.  In the meantime, I thought it a good idea to repost the prayer in its entirety.

Lord of my heart, give me vision to inspire me, that, working or resting, I may always think of you.

Lord of my heart, give me light to guide me, that, at home or abroad, I may always walk with you.

Lord of my heart, give me wisdom to direct me, that, thinking or acting, I may always discern right from wrong.

Lord of my heart, give me courage to strengthen me, that, amongst friends or enemies, I may always proclaim your justice.

Lord of my heart, give me trust to console me, that, hungry or well-fed, I may always rely on your mercy.

Lord of my heart, save me from empty praise, that I may always boast of you.

Lord of my heart, save me from worldly wealth, that I may always look to the riches of heaven.

Lord of my heart, save me from military prowess, that I may always seek your protection.

Lord of my heart, save me from vain knowledge, that I may always study your word.

Lord of my heart, Save me from unnatural pleasures, that I may always find joy in your wonderful creation.

Lord of my heart, whatever may befall me, rule over my thoughts and feelings, my words and action.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 22
He with Us; We with Him

The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. (Proverbs 10:27)

There is no doubt about it. The fear of the Lord leads to virtuous habits, and these prevent that waste of life which comes of sin and vice. The holy rest which springs out of faith in the Lord Jesus also greatly helps a man when he is ill. Every physician rejoices to have a patient whose mind is fully at ease. Worry kills, but confidence in God is like healing medicine.

We have therefore all the arrangements for long life, and if it be really for our good, we shall see a good old age and come to our graves as shocks of corn in their season. Let us not be overcome with sudden expectation of death the moment we have a finger-ache, but let us rather expect that we may have to work on through a considerable length of days.

And what if we should soon be called to the higher sphere? Certainly there would be nothing to deplore in such a summons but everything to rejoice in. Living or dying we are the Lord's. If we live, Jesus will be with us; if we die, we shall be with Jesus.

The truest lengthening of life is to live while we live, wasting no time but using every hour for the highest ends. So be it this day.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Wish I'd had my camera with me. . .again

I really do need to start taking my camera with me wherever I go.

 This morning I was out running errands and had to stop my car (for the second time this week!) for a Canada Goose couple out walking with their offspring.  This morning I counted 22 junior goslings sandwiched between their parents as they crossed the street in perfect file.  They were in no hurry; I had plenty of time to count. . .

Update on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 08:31AM by Kim from Hiraeth

From the Wikipedia article:

During the second year of their lives, Canada Geese find themselves a mate. Most couples stay together all of their lives. If one is killed, the other may find a new mate. The female lays 4-8 eggs and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate, but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. Known egg predators include Arctic Foxes, Red Foxes, all large gulls, Common Raven, American Crows and bears. During this incubation period, the adults lose their flight feathers, so that they cannot fly until after their eggs hatch. This stage lasts for 25-28 days.

Adult geese are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one parent at the front, and the other at the back of the "parade". While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to other geese, to humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound. Most of the species that prey on eggs will also take a gosling, if there's an opportunity. However, geese may form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called crèches. The offspring enter the fledging stage anytime from 6 to 9 weeks of age. The young do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace.

Apparently my little "parade" was part of a creche.  I thought 22 eggs seemed like an awful lot!

Happy Summer!

Today is the first day of summer!

 Here are a few pictures from my garden to celebrate.

 

 This is a new yellow tomato variety--Sun Sugar

 

No flowers in my window boxes this year.  They are planted with several varieties of coleus, sweet potato vine, asparagus fern and vinca vine.  I adore them!

 

I took this picture yesterday and you can see some buds but ALL the daisies are blooming now.  I love daisies.  The yarrow?  It's not the variety I was hoping for.  Too tall, flowers not the right shade of yellow or compact enough.  I think it's all going to have to find somewhere else to live. 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 21
A Woman's War

The Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. (Judges 4:9)

Rather an unusual text, but there may be souls in the world that may have faith enough to grasp it. Barak, the man, though called to the war, had little stomach for the fight unless Deborah would go with him, and so the Lord determined to make it a woman's war. By this means He rebuked the slackness of the man, gained for Himself the more renown, and cast the more shame upon the enemies of His people.

The Lord can still use feeble instrumentalities. Why not me? He may use persons who are not commonly called to great public engagements. Why not you? The woman who slew the enemy of Israel was no Amazon but a wife who tarried in her tent. She was no orator but a woman who milked the cows and made butter. May not the Lord use any one of us to accomplish His purpose? Somebody may come to the house today, even as Sisera came to Jael's tent. Be it ours not to slay him, but to save him. Let us receive him with great kindness and then bring forth the blessed truth of salvation by the Lord Jesus, our great Substitute, and press home the command "Believe and live." Who knoweth but some stout-hearted sinner may be slain by the gospel today!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

For the whole story, see Judges 4; Jael wasn't afraid to fight a woman's war, either! 

This and That 2: looking ahead

A couple of things.

I am still working on my last installment of Lord of My Heart.  Since it is the culminating phrase, and since "one thing is leading to another" in my brain, I am still sorting out how I am going to finish this, so bear with me.  At the moment it is unwieldy and in need of some serious editing!

I am also heading into a very busy couple of weeks, so I expect it will be hard to carve enough time out of the busy schedule, so the posting here will likely be very light over the next week or so. 

Thanks for bearing with me.  I hope to get the last Lord of My Heart posted by tomorrow evening. 

Oh, and here's a hook; I've got something fun planned for the beginnning of July.  Details to follow! 

Garden Mystery

OK, all you gardeners out there--I have a question for you.  Have you ever had a flowering plant that only produced seed heads with no petals?  This purple coneflower produced regular, petaled flowers last year, but this year about three-quarters of the plant is producing flowers with no petals.  The flowers that actually have petals are sort of deformed looking.

I've never had this happen before.  Have you?   

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 20
The Lord Our Companion

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Sweet are these words in describing a deathbed assurance. How many have repeated them in their last hours with intense delight!

But the verse is equally applicable to agonies of spirit in the midst of life. Some of us, like Paul, die daily through a tendency to gloom of soul. Bunyan puts the Valley of the Shadow of Death far earlier in the pilgrimage than the river which rolls at the foot of the celestial hills. We have some of us traversed the dark and dreadful defile of "the shadow of death" several times, and we can bear witness that the Lord alone enabled us to bear up amid its wild thought, its mysterious horrors, its terrible depressions. The Lord has sustained us and kept us above all real fear of evil, even when our spirit has been overwhelmed. We have been pressed and oppressed, but yet we have lived, for we have felt the presence of the Great Shepherd and have been confident that His crook would prevent the foe from giving us any deadly wound.

Should the present time be one darkened by the raven wings of a great sorrow, let us glorify God by a peaceful trust in Him.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

A Reminder

A reminder--from myself, to myself:

Sometimes it takes hard times to teach us what we need to learn.

Let us learn the right thing; the true thing. The church--wherever it meets--is His church. It's about the worship of God by His people, assembled together, weak and strong, mature and immature, growing and stagnating. One body, not yet perfected, but united in its union with Christ. Its worship is an offering. An assembly and an offering made righteous by Christ alone.

If we look to church to meet our needs and our expectations we will always be disappointed. If we look to church as the gathering of His people together to offer praise and worship to the One who is Worthy, then not only will we find satisfaction, but we will honor Him. And we will learn to love each other as He loved us and gave Himself for us.

found this morning in the comments section of an old post at  Lisa Writes. 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 19 

A Sound Heart

Let my heart be sound in thy statues: that I be not ashamed. (Psalm 119:80)

We may regard this inspired prayer as containing within itself the assurance that those who keep close to the Word of God shall never have cause to be ashamed of doing so.

See, the prayer is for soundness of heart. A sound creed is good, a sound judgment concerning it is better, but a sound heart toward the truth is best of all. We must love the truth, feel the truth, and obey the truth, otherwise we are not truly sound in God's statutes. Are there many in these evil days who are sound? Oh, that the writer and the reader may be two of this sort!

Many will be ashamed in the last great day, when all disputes will be decided. Then they will see the folly of their inventions and be filled with remorse because of their proud infidelity and willful defiance of the Lord; but he who believed what the Lord taught and did what the Lord commanded will stand forth justified in what he did. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun. Men much slandered and abused shall find their shame turned into glory in that day.

Let us pray the prayer of our text, and we may be sure that its promise will be fulfilled to us. If the Lord makes us sound, He will keep us safe.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Lord of My Heart

Lord of my heart, Save me from unnatural pleasures, that I may always find joy in Your wonderful creation.

God created us to reflect His image. The natural, God-given desires for pleasure that we possess were not in opposition to what the Westminster Shorter Catechism calls "the chief end of man"--to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  However, the fall changed all that. Our very natures fell in Adam and now, rather than glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31), the desire for pleasure brings forth all manner of sin.

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Timothy tells us that everything God created is good and that, with thanksgiving, it is ours to enjoy for it is made good by the Word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4) but too often, we wish to spend the gifts that God gives us on our own pleasures, rather than the glory of God.

The difference is between seeking first the Kingdom of God and seeking pleasure--between worshiping God and idolatry of self.

Augustine got it right:

He loves Thee too little, who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 18
God Himself Shall Work

Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself. (Isaiah 33:10)

When the spoilers had made the land as waste as if devoured by locusts, and the warriors who had defended the country sat down and wept like women, then the Lord came to the rescue. When travelers ceased from the roads to Zion, and Bashan and Carmel were as vineyards from which the fruit has failed, then the Lord arose. God is exalted in the midst of an afflicted people, for they seek His face and trust Him. He is still more exalted when in answer to their cries He lifts up Himself to deliver them and overthrow their enemies.

Is it a day of sorrow with us? Let us expect to see the Lord glorified in our deliverance. Are we drawn out in fervent prayer? Do we cry day and night unto Him? Then the set time for His grace is near. God will lift up Himself at the right season. He will arise when it will be most for the display of His glory. We wish for His glory more than we long for our own deliverance. Let the Lord be exalted, and our chief desire is obtained.

Lord, help us in such a way that we may see that Thou Thyself art working. May we magnify Thee in our inmost souls. Make all around us to see how good and great a God Thou art.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Quote of the Week: Augustine

He loves Thee too little, who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.
St. Augustine

They're Heeeere

 

When I went out for the paper in my barefeet this morning , this guy was waiting for me on my front steps.  I'm guessing he may have just emerged from his old skin because he was very still and seemed weak and not quite ready to fly.  After I got my snaps, I gently poked him with a stick to see if I could get him to fly.  He wasn't ready.

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 17
Our Field of Battle

For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. (Deuteronomy 20:4)

We have no enemies but the enemies of God. Our fights are not against men but against spiritual wickednesses. We war with the devil and the blasphemy and error and despair which he brings into the field of battle. We fight with all the armies of sin—impurity, drunkenness, oppression, infidelity, and ungodliness. With these we contend earnestly, but not with sword or spear; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.

Jehovah, our God, abhors everything which is evil, and, therefore, He goeth with us to fight for us in this crusade. He will save us, and He will give us grace to war a good warfare and win the victory. We may depend upon it that if we are on God's side God is on our side. With such an august ally the conflict is never in the least degree doubtful. It is not that truth is mighty and must prevail but that might lies with the Father who is almighty, with Jesus who has all power in heaven and in earth, and with the Holy Spirit who worketh His will among men.

Soldiers of Christ, gird on your armor. Strike home in the name of the God of holiness, and by faith grasp His salvation. Let not this day pass without striking a blow for Jesus and holiness.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

June 16
Possess, Not Only Profess

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. (Matthew 13:12)

When the Lord has given to a man much grace, He will give him more. A little faith is a nest egg; more faith will come to it. But then it must not be seeming faith, but real and true. What a necessity is laid upon us to make sure work in religion and not to profess much, and possess nothing! For one of these days the very profession will be taken from us, if that be all we have. The threatening is as true as the promise.

Blessed be the Lord, it is His way when He has once made a beginning to go on bestowing the graces of His Spirit, till He who had but little, and yet truly had that little, is made to have abundance. Oh, for that abundance! Abundance of grace is a thing to be coveted, it would be well to know much but better to love much. It would be delightful to have abundance of skill to serve God but better still to have abundance of faith to trust in the Lord for skill and everything.

Lord, since Thou hast given me a sense of sin, deepen my hatred of evil. Since Thou hast caused me to trust Jesus, raise my faith to full assurance. Since Thou hast made me to love Thee, cause me to be carried away with vehement affection for Thee!

Amen. 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Lord of My Heart

Lord of my heart, save me from vain knowledge, that I may always study Your Word.

This treatise, from Thomas Boston, is better than anything I could write on the topic of the importance of studying the Word of God.

 1. Because the way of salvation is to be found only therein, John v. 39. 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.' This is the star risen in a dark world, to guide us where Christ is. All the researches of the wise men of the world, all the inventions of men, can never guide us to Emmanuel's land, John i. 18. 'No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' Here, and here only, the counsels of God touching man's salvation are discovered. And so, as salvation is the most necessary thing, the study of the scriptures, is the most necessary exercise. slight it, is to judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life.
2.It is the only rule of our faith and lives, Isa. viii. 20. 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,' Eph. ii. 20. 'Ye are built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone,' Rev. xxii. 18,19. "I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.' The Bible is the pattern shown on the mount, to which our faith and lives must be conformed, if we would please God. The Lord says to us, as Deut. xxviii.14 'Thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand or to the left.' None can walk regularly unless they observe the rule;, but how can one observe it unless he know it? Matt. xxii. 29. 'Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.' God has given each of us our post in the world: the Bible is the book of our instructions; and shall we not study it ? The lawyer studies his law-books, the physician his medical books, and shall not a Christian study the book of the Lord?
3. The Lord himself dictated it, and gave it us for that very end, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, For correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' Rom. v. 4. 'Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.' And has the Spirit of the Lord written it, and will not we read it? Has he given it us to be studied by us, and will we slight it ? This must be horrid contempt of God, and ingratitude to him, with a witness. Whose image and superscription is this on the scriptures? Is it not the Lord's? Then take it up and read.
4. We must be judged by the scriptures at the great day, John xii. 48. 'He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.' That is one of the books opened, Rev. xx. 12. This is the book of the Lord's laws and ordinances, by which he will proceed in absolving or condemning us. I own God will go another way to work with those who never had the Bible. Rom. ii. 12. But know thou, that seeing it is in the country where then livest, though thou never readest a letter of it, thou must be judged by it. Is there not good reason then for reading the scriptures?

Thomas Boston

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.