Rouse Us to be Zealous

At Joppa died the dear one there,
Who lived in want and meekness;
She had a loving heart and cared
For needy ones in weakness.
And many tears of grief did fall,
Till Peter sent by God did call,
O Tabitha, arise! O Tabitha, arise!

O that the Lord in this our time
Would send a Peter to us,
That he with heaven's joy sublime
Would rouse us to be zealous.
O God, from Heaven strengthen us,
Revive Thy church with mightiness!
O Tabitha, arise! O Tabitha, arise!
--Zion's Melodies #60 vs. 1&2

A Humble Walk

Beloved ones, we ought to have a humble walk here upon this earth. It said, John was clothed with camel's hair and a girdle of skin was upon his loins. I don't believe the Lord expects us today to be clothed like that, but we should be humble in our appearance, in our walk of life, what we do, our lifestyle.

We should not live extravagant lives. The Bible doesn't teach that, to live extravagant lives. To build up a great estate in this world. To make a great name for us. The Bible does not teach that. The Bible teaches us we need to live humble lives. Not extravagantly.

I believe it will be given to each one to know where that level is in our lives. It might be different for different ones.

I have to think of Daniel the Prophet. How he was carried to Babylon also. He was raised to a high position in life. He became the prime minister in the land. Was really next to the king. Really a high position. But it was not that he desired that. God put him there. He was faithful where he was, in that court as prime minister of the land. He had the respect of the people. Some round about him were very jealous of him and hated him. But I think they knew that he was a man of God. Even the king had a respect for him. He knew he was a man of God.

Beloved ones, that ought to be in our day and time with us. As we go through time and we live in our communities, I don't think we have to go about telling others that we are children of God. If they ask about the Lord and what He has done for us, we should speak. No doubt about it. God gives us opportunity sometimes to speak about the Lord to others, when they are in a receptive mind and attitude.

But, beloved ones, it should not be that we have to tell people that we are God's children. They ought to be able to see it without a doubt, that we are God's children.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. K.D.

Only Believe

"Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:40).

Mary and Martha could not understand what their Lord was doing. Both of them said to Him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Back of it all, we seem to read their thought: "Lord, we do not understand why you have stayed away so long. We do not understand how you could let death come to the man whom you loved. We do not understand how you could let sorrow and suffering ravage our lives when your presence might have stayed it all. Why did you not come? It is too late now, for already he has been dead four days!"

And to it all Jesus had but one great truth: "You may not understand; but I tell you if you believe, you will see."

Abraham could not understand why God should ask the sacrifice of the boy; but he trusted. And he saw the glory of God in his restoration to his love. Moses could not understand why God should keep him forty years in the wilderness, but he trusted; and he saw when God called him to lead forth Israel from bondage.

Joseph could not understand the cruelty of his brethren, the false witness of a perfidious woman, and the long years of an unjust imprisonment; but he trusted, and he saw at last the glory of God in it all.

Jacob could not understand the strange providence which permitted the same Joseph to be torn from his father's love, but he saw the glory of God when he looked into the face of that same Joseph as the viceroy of a great king, and the preserver of his own life and the lives of a great nation.

And so, perhaps in your life. You say, "I do not understand why God let my dear one be taken. I do not understand why affliction has been permitted to smite me. I do not understand the devious paths by which the Lord is leading me. I do not understand why plans and purposes that seemed good to my eyes should be baffled. I do not understand why blessings I so much need are so long delayed.

Friend, you do not have to understand all God's ways with you. God does not expect you to understand them. You do not expect your child to understand, only believe. Some day you will see the glory of God in the things which you do not understand.--J. H. McC
--Excerpt: Streams in the Desert

From Earthly Burdens Free

As pilgrims we must wander
From earthly burdens free;
Else as we journey yonder
Our path would trying be!
He fails who would not heed!
The least can satisfy us,
All things we would deny us
Save what we truly need.

Adorn not house nor body,
Embellish but your heart!
We are but weary strangers,
And soon we shall depart.
All fleshly ease deceives;
As pilgrims all resigning,
All worldly lust declining
At home you'll find relief.
--Zion's Harp #185 vs. 5-6

The Sweetness in Life

God bless you in this world of strife,
When oft the soul would homeward fly,
And give the sweetness to your life,
Of waiting for the rest on high.

God bless you! God bless you!
Bless and keep us all in Jesus' love,
And, when our partings here are over,
Take us to the joys above.
--Gospel Hymns #514 vs. 3

If We Could See

If we could see beyond today
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.

If we could know beyond today
As God doth know,
Why dearest treasures pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.

"If we could see! If we could know,”
We often say,
But God, in love, a veil doth throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey.

--Norman J. Clayton

Opportunities vs. Obstacles

"Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the day of trouble?" (Job 38:22-23).

Our trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles. It would be a haven of rest and an inspiration of unspeakable power if each of us would henceforth recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and look around for the signals of His glorious manifestations; then, indeed, would every cloud become a rainbow, and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration.

If we will look back upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our Heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us, and given us the richest blessings, has been the time we were strained and shut in on every side. God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love. --A. B. Simpson

Trust Him in the dark, honor Him with unwavering confidence even in the midst of mysterious dispensations, and the recompense of such faith will be like the moulting of the eagle's plumes, which was said to give them a new lease of youth and strength. --J. R. Macduff
--Excerpt: Streams in the Desert

In The Latter Times

Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly (distinctly, unmistakably, specifically),
that
in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith,

giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;

Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Forbidding to marry,
and commanding to abstain from meats,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving
of them which believe and know the truth.
--I Timothy 4:1-3

The Homeland in Heaven

The homeland in Heaven draws me from this earth,
The homeland in Heaven alone has true worth.
Naught here stills my longing, naught can me inspire
To dwell there forever is what I desire;
To dwell there forever is what I desire.

There tears never fall and no night shall be there.
The stars in their splendor God's glory declare;
And greatest of raptures! My eyes there shall see
The face of my Saviour in eternity!
The face of my Saviour in eternity!
--Zion's Melodies #59 vs. 1 & 3

Heaven's High Ministries

Joy is the lesson set for some;
For others, pain best teacher is,
We know not which for us shall come,
But both are Heaven's high ministries.
--Susan Coolidge

Ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done, saith the Lord God. --Exodus 14:23

Go Straight On

"As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests...shall rest in the waters…the waters shall be cut off" (Joshua 3:13).

The people were not to wait in their camps until the way was opened, they were to walk by faith. They were to break camp, pack up their goods, form in line to march, and move down to the very banks before the river would be opened. If they had come down to the edge of the river and then had stopped for the stream to divide before they stepped into it, they would have waited in vain. They must take one step into the water before the river would be cut off.

We must learn to take God at His Word, and go straight on in duty, although we see no way in which we can go forward. The reason we are so often balked by difficulties is that we expect to see them removed before we try to pass through them.

If we would move straight on in faith, the path would be opened for us. We stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles.

--Excerpt: Streams in the Desert

It Matters Not

It matters not if cherished friends
On whom I leaned in vain
Have wounded me by word and deed
And left me with great pain.
What matters is, can I forgive
Again and yet again?
It's not, have they been true, but,
Lord, Have I been true to them?

'Twill matter not when evening comes
How rough the road I've trod;
If only I have walked with Him
And led some soul to God.
For when I wake to be like Him
Who saved me by His grace,
Earth's pain will vanish when I catch
One glimpse of His dear face.
--Author Unknown