Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 16
Word to Him Who Halts

I will save her that halteth. (Zephaniah 3:19)

There are plenty of these lame ones, both male and female. You may meet "her that halteth" twenty times in an hour. They are in the right road and exceedingly anxious to run in it with diligence, but they are lame and make a sorry walk of it. On the heavenly road there are many cripples. It may be that they say in their hearts—What will become of us? Sin will overtake us; Satan will throw us down. Ready-to-halt is our name and our nature; the Lord can never make good soldiers of us, nor even nimble messengers to go on His errands. Well, well! He will save us, and that is no small thing. He says, "I will save her that halteth." In saving us He will greatly glorify Himself. Everybody will ask—How came this lame woman to run the race and win the crown? And then the praise will all be given to almighty grace.

Lord, though I halt in faith, in prayer, in praise, in service, and in patience, save me, I beseech Thee! Only Thou canst save such a cripple as I am. Lord, let me not perish because I am among the hindmost, but gather up by Thy grace the slowest of Thy pilgrims—even me. Behold He hath said it shall be so, and therefore, like Jacob, prevailing in prayer, I go forward though my sinew be shrunk.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Quote of the Week: Edwards

There do meet in the person of Christ such really diverse excellencies, which otherwise would have been thought utterly incompatible in the same subject; such as are conjoined in no other person whatever, either divine, human, or angelical; and such as neither men nor angels would ever have imagined could have met together in the same person, had it not been seen in the person of Christ.

Jonathan Edwards, The Excellency of Christ

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 15
The Mourner Comforted

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)

By the valley of weeping we come to Zion. One would have thought mourning and being blessed were in opposition, but the infinitely wise Savior puts them together in this Beatitude. What He has joined together let no man put asunder. Mourning for sin—our own sins, and the sins of others—is the Lord's seal set upon His faithful ones. When the Spirit of grace is poured upon the house of David, or any other house, they shall mourn. By holy mourning we receive the best of our blessings, even as the rarest commodities come to us by water. Not only shall the mourner be blessed at some future day, but Christ pronounces him blessed even now.

The Holy Spirit will surely comfort those hearts which mourn for sin. They shall be comforted by the application of the blood of Jesus and by the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost. They shall be comforted as to the abounding sin of their city and of their age by the assurance that God will glorify Himself, however much men may rebel against Him. They shall be comforted with the expectation that they shall be wholly freed from sin before long and shall soon be taken up to dwell forever in the glorious presence of their Lord.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 14
Burdens Cast on Him

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

It is a heavy burden; roll it on Omnipotence. It is thy burden now, and it crushes thee; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If thou art called still to bear, "he will sustain thee." It will be on Him and not on thee. Thou wilt be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and thou wilt stand upright under that which in itself would bow thee down.

Our worst fear is lest our trial should drive us from the path of duty; but this the Lord will never suffer. If we are righteous before Him, He will not endure that our affliction should move us from our standing. In Jesus He accepts us as righteous, and in Jesus He will keep us so.

What about the present moment? Art thou going forth to this day's trial alone? Are thy poor shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord all about thy grief and leave it with Him. Don't cast your burden down and then take it up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then shalt thou walk at large, a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of thy great Burden-bearer.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Poetry Friday: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A Psalm of Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

Freewheelin'

I was just out on my front porch letting the dogs out to go potty when a guy who looked JUST LIKE Robert Zimmerman (yes, Bob Dylan) drove by the front of the house. He looked JUST LIKE him.  All craggy and scruffy with sticky-uppy hair.  And old.  Old enough to be the REAL Bob Dylan.

Really.

No kidding.

I think he was even smoking a cigarette.

Funny thing, though, I never would have thought Dylan would drive a  red Sedona mini-van.

(And yes, the post title, Freewheelin', is a reference to Dylan's second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. )

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 13
Implicit Trust

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 39:18)

Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

The Lord saith, "I will surely deliver thee," Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious, Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me." Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Dictionary Word of the Day: Desideratum

desideratum \dih-sid-uh-RAY-tum; -RAH-\, noun;
plural desiderata:
Something desired or considered necessary.

Psalm 84

To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 1 How lovely is Your tabernacle,
         O LORD of hosts!
 2 My soul longs, yes, even faints
         For the courts of the LORD;
         My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
         
 3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
         And the swallow a nest for herself,
         Where she may lay her young—
         Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         My King and my God.
 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
         They will still be praising You.  Selah  
         
 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
         Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         They make it a spring;
         The rain also covers it with pools.
 7 They go from strength to strength;
         Each one appears before God in Zion.
         
 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         Give ear, O God of Jacob!  Selah  
 9 O God, behold our shield,
         And look upon the face of Your anointed.
         
 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
         I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         The LORD will give grace and glory;
         No good thing will He withhold
         From those who walk uprightly.
         
 12 O LORD of hosts,
         Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 12
Whom, When, How to Deliver

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. (2 Peter 2:9)

The godly are tempted and tried. That is not true faith which is never put to the test. But the godly are delivered out of their trials, and that not by chance, nor by secondary agencies, but by the Lord Himself. He personally undertakes the office of delivering those who trust Him. God loves the godly or godlike, and He makes a point of knowing where they are and how they fare.

Sometimes their way seems to be a labyrinth, and they cannot imagine how they are to escape from threatening danger. What they do not know, their Lord knows. He knows whom to deliver, and when to deliver, and how to deliver. He delivers in the way which is most beneficial to the godly, most crushing to the tempter, and most glorifying to Himself. We may leave the "how" with the Lord and be content to rejoice in the fact that He will, in some way or other, bring His own people through all the dangers, trials, and temptations for this mortal life to His own right hand in glory.

This day it is not for me to pry into my Lord's secrets but patiently to wait His time, knowing this, that though I know nothing, my heavenly Father knows.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Recipe Round-up: Salads

Hey!  It's time for this month's Recipe Roundup, hosted by Violet at Promptings.  Be sure to get your recipe posted and get the link to Violet tomorrow!  She'll have a Mr. Linky up tomorrow, or you can email your link to her today. 

Smoky Autumn Salad

This is one of my own concoctions.  The dressing is loosely based on one I saw Emeril do several years ago. Salad is an imprecise art, so there are no real measurements; just prepare more or less to taste and to the size of the group you are feeding!

Romaine lettuce, torn
spinach, washed and torn (you can use baby spinach, but it is almost too delicate for this salad)
walnuts
red onion rings, sliced thin
croutons if you like them
bacon

Smoky bacon mustard honey dressing

Mince bacon and brown in pan until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Leaving bacon drippings in pan, deglaze with about 1-2 T balsamic vinegar. Keeping the pan sizzling, quickly wisk in about 1 T dijon mustard and about 2 tablespoons honey. Whisk until the dressing is velvety smooth and shiny. Drizzle over salad and toss. Serve immediately.

Here are some links to other salad recipes I've posted in the past:

BOK CHOY SALAD

BACON AND RANCH PASTA SALAD 

Ellen will be hosting next month on August 2nd.  BBQ  and Grilling Recipes!  Yum! 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 11
Never Separated from God

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this? (John 11:26)

Yes, Lord, we believe it; we shall never die. Our soul may be separated from our body, and this is death of a kind; but our soul shall never be separated from God, which is the true death—the death which was threatened to sin—the death penalty which is the worst that can happen. We believe this most assuredly, for who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord? We are members of the Body of Christ; will Christ lose parts of His Body? We are married to Jesus; will He be bereaved and widowed? It is not possible. There is a life within us which is not capable of being divided from God: yea, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and how then can we die? Jesus, Himself, is our life, and therefore there is no dying for us, for He cannot die again, In Him we died unto sin once, and the capital sentence cannot a second time be executed. Now we live, and live forever. The reward of righteousness is life everlasting, and we have nothingless than the righteousness of God, and therefore can claim the very highest reward.

Living and believing, we believe that we shall live and enjoy. Wherefore we press forward with full assurance that our life is secure in our living Head.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Interim Thoughts

Vegetable cans make great painting props. 

 Nobody will know if you don't paint the backs of the drawers. (unless, of course, you provide photographic evidence on the internet.)

Coffee is better than tea when painting. 

Doorfronts are easier to take down than to put back up.

I will never again buy another screwdriver that isn't a Craftsman.  Never.

There is something wonderfully satisfying about painting--seeing the worn spots and scratches and mars magically disappearing, to be replaced by a fresh, clean surface--working, working, working to get it right.  How much more satisfyingly wonderful  must it be to start with a fresh, clean canvas and apply color and texture and vision, mixing colors and thinning paint and working, working, working to get it right.

I love this old house.

Spending over a quarter century collecting quotes gives one much to think about when the hands are busy but the mind is free.

My dogs understand me.  They stay out of my way while I am working and they reconnect as soon as the lid goes on the can and the brushes are cleaned.  I understand my "velcro" dogs.  Ivy is developing patience, but it pains her to be disconnected.  Eve is wise.  She knows it's easier to nap than to sit and watch.

Never criticize the painter who went before you until you have walked a mile in his shoes.

Painting was easier before trifocals.

One can afford to maintain higher standards when one is younger and still possessed of boundless energy.  It is not a sin to cut the occasional corner.

If you should happen to drip paint on the floor, better wipe it up immediately or wait until it has dried completely and carefully scrape it up.

Even after you have sanded to a "fare-thee-well," the 'Ghosts of Drips and Runs of Painting Past' WILL make an reappearance in just the right light.  One must learn to accept that and move on.

If a cabinet has been painted 'north and south' AND 'east and west,' that will become increasingly evident once sanded.

The lowering of one's standards can be the beginning of wisdom.

The human heart is infinitely capable of making excuses and rationalizations.

Painting drawers is easier  than I remembered.

Fresh paint makes the old paint look 100 percent shabbier.

I love my old house.

I adore Benjamin Moore.  Mr. Behr?  Not so much.

This and That

I'm painting my kitchen cupboards.  It's going slow.  I'm happy with all my paint choices, though, so that's a plus.

Yesterday afternoon we had a thunderstorm of Biblical proportions.  Many streets were closed temporarily because the storm sewers could not keep up with the deluge.  I thought about turning on the Weather Channel to see if Jim Cantore was standing on a street corner somewhere nearby, but never did turn on the tube.  However, I did turn off the computer!  We've already had one computer fried with a lightning strike and I didn't want THAT to happen again!

Wouldn't you know, we were out of dog food.  It was quickly approaching time for Eve to start her happy, happy food dance, so as soon as the storm cleared,  Sam and I ventured out to go to the dog food store.   We had to pick a new route because of the flooding, but eventually we got there--almost.  The police had the street blocked off just before the Petco parking lot.  So we parked the car, walked over, and came home with a 5 pound bag instead of the usual 40 pounds, because it really wouldn't do to come home without food, would it? 

Later, eldest son, John, and I went to the hardware store to get a new screwdriver and have two keys made.  After 5 attempts to make even ONE that worked, I came home with one extra key.  I guess I should be happy to have one.  I really needed two.

But one good thing happened while we were out and about.  John and I saw the most fantastically complete, boldly colored rainbow I have ever seen!  We called home and asked Jake to grab the camera and go out and see if he could see it in our neighborhood (no small feat with all the mature trees in our neighborhood).   He got a few, not-so-good pictures.  Here's the best one.  It does not do the rainbow justice, but I submit is as evidence, both as a reminder to myself of the best rainbow I ever saw in my life and also as a reminder to all of us that God keeps His promises.

Oh, one more thing; I found 5 or 6 mushrooms in the fridge that needed to be used up, so I made a very yummy loaded baked potato for dinner last night. 

Brown onions and mushroom loaded potato 

Sautee mushrooms and onions in butter and olive oil until well browned and caramelized--downright sticky. 

Open baked potato and smash with a fork.  Put a small amount of cream cheese on it instead of butter and smash it into the potato.  Cover the potato with lots of mushrooms and onions.  Top with provolone cheese and stick under the broiler until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown. 

 YUM.  I'd pay big money for that in a restaurant!!

Well, that's enough chatting for this morning.  The kitchen awaits.  I'll post pictures once it's all done.  Don't hold your breath. . .it'll take a while.   Unless the we have another storm and the computer gets fried.  In which case, I'll get a whole lot more painting done!

 Catch up with you later. . .

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 10
Love the Church

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. (Psalm 102:13-14)

Yes, our prayers for the church will be heard. The set time is come. We love the prayer meetings, and the Sunday school, and all the services of the Lord's house. We are bound in heart to all the people of God and can truly say,

There's not a lamb in all thy flock

I would disdain to feed

There's not a foe before whose face

I'd fear thy cause to plead.

If this is the general feeling, we shall soon enjoy times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Our assemblies will be filled, saints will be revived, and sinners will be converted. This can only come of the Lord's mercy; but it will come, and we are called upon to expect it. The time, the set time, is come. Let us bestir ourselves. Let us love every stone of our Zion, even though it may be fallen down. Let us treasure up the least truth, the least ordinance, the least believer, even though some may despise them as only so much dust. When we favor Zion, God is about to favor her. When we take pleasure in the Lord's work, the Lord Himself will take pleasure in it.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith

July 9
Faithful and Useful

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. (Psalm 101:6)

If David spoke thus, we may be sure that the Son of David will be of the same mind. Jesus looks out for faithful men, and He fixes His eyes upon them, to observe them, to bring them forward, to encourage them, and to reward them. Let no true-hearted man think that he is overlooked; the King Himself has His eye upon him.

There are two results of this royal notice. First we read, "That they may dwell with me." Jesus brings the faithful into His house, He sets them in His palace, He makes them His companions, He delights in their society. We must be true to our Lord, and He will then manifest Himself to us. When our faithfulness costs us most, it will be best rewarded; the more furiously men reject, the more joyfully will our Lord receive us.

Next, he says of the sincere man, "He shall serve me." Jesus will use for His own glory those who scorn the tricks of policy and are faithful to Himself, His Word, and His cross. These shall be in His royal retinue, the honored servants of His Majesty. Communion and usefulness are the wages of faithfulness. Lord make me faithful that I may dwell with Thee and serve Thee.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Quote of the Week: Ferguson

''A justification that needs to be completed by the recipient is no resting place.''      Sinclair B. Ferguson

 Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Check Book of the Bank of Faith

July 8
An Angel Encampment

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:7)

We cannot see the angels, but it is enough that they can see us. There is one great Angel of the Covenant, whom not having seen we love, and His eye is always upon us both day and night. He has a host of holy ones under Him, and He causes these to be watchers over His saints and to guard them from all ill. If devils do us mischief, shining ones do us service.

Note that the Lord of angels does not come and go and pay us transient visits, but He and His armies encamp around us. The headquarters of the army of salvation is where those live whose trust is in the living God. This camp surrounds the faithful so that they cannot be attacked from any quarter unless the adversary can break through the entrenchments of the Lord of angels. We have a fixed protection, a permanent watch. Sentineled by the messengers of God, we shall not be surprised by sudden assaults nor swallowed up by overwhelming forces. Deliverance is promised in this verse—deliverance by the great Captain of our salvation, and that deliverance we shall obtain again and again until our warfare is accomplished and we exchange the field of conflict for the home of rest.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

Evening Renewal

My Father, if Thy mercy had bounds, where would be my refuge from just wrath? But Thy love in Christ is without measure. Thus, I present myself to Thee with sins of comission and omission, against Thee, my Father, against Thee, adorable Redeemer, against Thee and Thy strivings, O Holy Spirit, against the dictates of my conscience, against the precepts of Thy Word, against my neighbors and myself. Enter not into judgment with me, for I plead no righteousness of my own, and have no cloak for iniquity. Pardon my day dark with evil.

This night I renew my penitence. Every morning I vow to love Thee more fervently, to serve Thee more sincerely, to be more devoted in my life, to be wholly Thine; yet I soon stumble, backslide, and have to confess my weakness, misery and sin. But I bless Thee that the finished work of Jesus needs no addition from my doings, that His oblation is sufficient satisfaction for my sins.

If future days be mine, help me to amend my life, to hate and abhor evil, to flee the sins I confess. Make me more resolute, more watchful, more prayerful. Let no evil fruit spring from evil seeds my hands have sown; Let no neighbor be hardened in vanity and folly by my want of circumspection. If this day I have been ashamed of Christ and His Word, or have shown unkindness, malice, envy, lack of love, unadvised speech, hasty temper, let it be no stumbling block to others, or dishonour to Thy name. O help me to set an upright example that will ever rebuke vice, allure to goodness, and evidence that lovely are the ways of Christ.

from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

5 random questions meme

A meme from my friend, Ellen:

1. God has decided to send you on a Mission trip, where are you going and why?

Assuming that I was being obedient to God's call to go there, I would go to France. Partly because I can speak French (well, sort of; not fluently anymore) and also because France is largely unchurched. I think that is a sad state of affairs for a country that, through the military prowess of one of its larger-than-life leaders, Charles Martel, Europe remained a Christian continent.

From the Wikipedia article:  He is best remembered for winning the Battle of Tours in 732, which has traditionally been characterized as an event that saved Europe from the Islamic expansionism that had conquered Iberia. "Charles's victory has often been regarded as decisive for world history, since it preserved western Europe from Muslim conquest and Islamization."

If I remember correctly, he was also Charlemagne's grandfather. . . or was it the other way around. . .? (He was Charlemagne's grandfather.  Charlemagne's father, Charles Martel's son, was Pepin the Short.)

2. You have a free afternoon to read uninterrupted. Where would you choose to read?

I would pack my bookbag and head someplace shady and cool.   Under a weeping willow would be nice as long as there were no flies or mosquitoes.  I’d pack my Bible, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and The Inklings.

3. You get to choose where your kids will go to college; money and grades are not an issue. Where would you want them to go and why? If you don’t have kids where would you have wanted to go to college if money and grades were not an issue?

Hmm. I honestly don’t have an easy answer for that one. I guess my mindset is so, well, committed to having them direct their own lives at that point that I just don’t have a good answer. I guess if  I had to chose for them, I would chose Ashland University for Jake (oldest son graduated from there last May), because it’s a good school and there’s lots of family there to love him and be there for him.  And for Sam?  I'd probably try to pick Jules' husband's brain first to find out which was the finest school for up and coming cartoonists and send Sam there.

4. If you were stuck in an elevator for over an hour what music would you want playing while you were stuck? I’d prefer no music and my bookbag, but if I had to listen for an hour, I’d like it to be tuned to WDRV-FM 97.1 The Drive on a Thursday at 10:00 so I could hear the 10 at 10. ("Ten great songs from one great year"—I’d chose 1974 or 1978) followed by songs from the Thursday Artist, The Police.  It would be fun if my sister was with me; we know all the words. . .

5. You have to travel from the west coast to the east coast of your country, what 5 cities would you want to spend time in?

Seattle, (I'd get Ellen to give me a tour of Seattle) Chicagoland, (there's no place like home) the Cleveland area, (unless it's hometown) Lancaster PA, (I miss Central Market) Boston (never been there, always wanted to go).

I'm to tag 5 people with new questions of my own.  I tag Elle, Shanna, Pam, MissM, and Jen.  Feel free to decline the invitation to a game of tag, girls.  Summer's busy and if you don't have time, that's OK. 

1. What is your favorite OUTDOOR memory, before Kindergarten

2. Do you find history fascinating and if so, which historical period are you most likely to explore?

3. What period of art do you prefer and who is your favorite artist? 

4. What kind of vacuum cleaner to you own and would you recommend it to someone who is looking for a vacuum cleaner that is strong enough to pick up little red Vizsla hairs without locking itself to the expensive oriental rugs in the process.  (not that I know anyone looking for a new vacuum cleaner solution. . .)

5.  Tell me about your favorite pan, if you have one.  Speaking of pans, have you ever made crepes? If so, what is your favorite filling?

Check Book of the Bank of Faith

July 7
A Mountain Choir

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:13)

So sweet are the comforts of the Lord, that not only the saints themselves may sing of them, but even the heavens and the earth may take up the song. It takes something to make a mountain sing; and yet the prophet summons quite a choir of them. Lebanon, and Sirion, and the high hills of Bashan and Moab, He would set them all singing because of Jehovah's grace to His own Zion. May we not also make mountains of difficulty, and trial, and mystery, and labor become occasions for praise unto our God? "Break forth into singing, O mountains!"

This word of promise, that our God will have mercy upon His afflicted, has a whole peal of bells connected with it. Hear their music—"Sing!" "Be joyful!" "Break forth into singing." The Lord would have His people happy because of His unfailing love. He would not have us sad and doubtful; He claims from us the worship of believing hearts. He cannot fail us: why should we sigh or sulk as if He would do so? Oh, for a well-tuned harp! Oh, for voices like those of the cherubim before the throne!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon