Depending on It

From Morning & Evening by Charles Spurgeon

February 18

Morning

Job 10:2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me.

Job 10:3 Does it seem good to you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands and favor the designs of the wicked?

Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness.

Hope itself is like a star-not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?-for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised?

Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians.

He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs.

Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?

“Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.”

New SpringWidget

Get this widget!

Salt is His Righteousness

Salt only works when applied. Christians must not retreat from culture--trying to preserve our own purity. The Holy Spirit preserves us by the Grace of God. Retreating from our culture, we lose our effectiveness. What use is salt if it loses it's flavor? Jesus tells us we must salt the world, bringing flavor to the lost around us; giving them a taste of the His righteousness and a glimpse of His glory accomplished in part by our obedience to the great command: "Go into all the world..." And, leaving them with a hungering for more of Him and His righteousness.

Notes from Apologetics and Outreach, Lecture 10.

On Adversity

Our trials and sufferings are meant to remind us that we
are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing.

~St. Thomas a' Kempis

Ahead of Her Time

Charlotte Mason never ceases to amaze me with her forward thinking.

In response to the "great idea" of her time, evolution, Charlotte states:

If parents take no heed of the great thoughts which move their age, they cannot expect to retain influence over the minds of their children. If they fear and distrust the revelations of science, they introduce an element of distrust and discord into their children’s lives.

Like a seer, she goes on to paint an accurate picture of what we now struggle with in the 21st century: Post Modern Thinking, which appears to be the "great idea " of our time:

If, with the mere neophyte of science, they rush to the conclusion that the last revelation is final, accounts for all that is in man, and, to say the least, makes God unnecessary and unknowable, or negligible, they may lower the level of their children’s living to that struggle for existence––without aspiration, consecration, and sacrifice––of which we hear so much.

At the dawning of this idea, she succinctly describes consequences of Postmodernism . That is exactly what our culture deals with: a struggle to live because everything is relative and nothing really matters. God and His ways are irrelevant to our Post Modern society. This mentality infects our culture like a plague; leaves many in hopeless despair. No longer thinking of heavenly things, people look to and imitate the natural world often relying upon mere basic animal instinct to sustain existence. Relationships and Community are fantasy ideas because without the example and standard of the Trinity we have no example nor standard.

But, wisely, Charlotte has a remedy:

If, lastly, parents recognise every great idea of nature as a new page in the progressive revelation made by God to men already prepared to receive such idea; if they realise that the new idea, however comprehensive, is not final nor all-inclusive, nor to be set in opposition with that personal knowledge of God which is the greatest knowledge, why, then, their children will grow up in that attitude of reverence for science, reverence for God, and openness of mind, which befits us for whom life is a probation and a continual education. So much for the nutriment of ideas laid on the table of the world during this particular course of its history.

Remembering that God is the Sovereign creator and Ruler of the universe liberates Christian parents and teachers to recognize His hand in everything from Science to Literature and everything in between. Knowing God and His truth is the only way to thrive in a world that doubts and rejects His throne.

How refreshing!

A Day at the Beach

I had a great time going to the beach, at the beach and the drive back. It was the first time in forever I remember going any where of that distance alone.

The trip down was beautiful. Despite, the sun, bright and warm, the sky, Carolina blue with both puffy & wispy clouds all around, I did see quite a bit of snow left over from five days earlier. Thanks to my son's GPS, I found my way easily.











Arriving first at my mother's new apartment, I unloaded the car and shook off the road dust before heading over to Robin's home. We met up with Monica, Linda, Donna & her two sons.


Then we followed Robin to the Medieval Times Dinner Theatre for a night in the Royal Court with feasting and jousting. Followed by more visiting and catching up at Robin's home.


After a good night's sleep, plans were to visit Brookgreen Gardens, but scattered rain showers dampened those plans. Instead, we enjoyed a leisurely and long Continental breakfast and more conversation. Finally we decided on a little jaunt up to North Myrtle to scout out Fat Harold's. No time to dance this visit, hopefully next time!

We drove by Surside and witnessed the birds feeding on the water which had a heavy mist hovering over it. Reminded me of Genesis 1:1,2


In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Too soon, it was time to depart. After hugs and more hugs I hit the road back home. I didn't pay much attention to the way I drove down and did not have a clue how to return, so I simply programmed the GPS but unfortunately, the battery died and I had to make my way back flying by the seat of my pants. Maps are still useful, thankfully I had printed one before leaving and I found my way home to my family who was very happy to see me.

Contrasting Message with Same Words Forward vs Backward

My sister in law sent this powerful video to me today.

This is awesome...

Click on this link, then, watch. Make sure your sound is on. Watch it all the way through as it reverses the message without changing the words!