Text 912, 185 rader
Skriven 2006-02-18 08:32:22 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: God Will Answer
=======================
God Will Answer
Faith's Checkbook

February 18 God Will Answer"He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him:
He also will hear their cry, and will save them" (Psalm 145:19). His own Spirit
has wrought this desire in us, and therefore He will answer it. It is His own
life within which prompts the cry, and therefore He will hear it. Those who
fear Him are men under the holiest influence, and, therefore, their desire is
to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Like Daniel, they are men of desires, and
the LORD will cause them to realize their aspirations. Holy desires are grace
in the blade, and the heavenly Husbandman will cultivate them till they come to
the full corn in the ear. God fearing men desire to be holy, to be useful, to
be a blessing to others, and so to honor their LORD. They desire supplies for
their need, help under burdens, guidance in perplexity, deliverance in
distress; and sometimes this desire is so strong and their case so pressing
that they cry out in agony like little children in pain, and then the LORD
works most comprehensively and does all that is needful according to this Word
-- "and will save them." Yes, if we fear God, we have nothing else to fear; if
we cry to the LORD, our salvation is certain. Let the reader lay this text on
his tongue and keep it in his mouth all the day, and it will be to him as "a
wafer made with honey."
======================================================================
=Vital Godliness: A Treatise onExperimental and Practical PietyBy
William S. PlumerCONTENTMENT (Part 1 of 3)I have learned to be content in
whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how
to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being
content'whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able
to do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)"But
godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the
world, and we certainly can't carry anything out. But having food and clothing,
we will be content with that." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)Our libraries abound with
treatises on contentment. Some of them are written with great ability. Nor has
there ever been much formal disputation among writers on morals, respecting the
obligation and excellence of the attainment of this wonderful virtue of
contentment. It produces results so happy, and is enforced by so many urgent
reasons, that a man must be particularly blinded before he can regard
discontent as either lawful or only slightly criminal. The difficulty therefore
is not so much in the lack of good rules and strong reasons for guiding us into
a state of contentment'as in the deep-rooted aversion of our hearts to a duty
which requires our submission to the will of God. We know better than we do.
Seeing the right' we pursue the wrong. We smile at the folly, or frown at the
wickedness of discontent in others' and then follow their example.But what is
contentment; and how may it be known from evil states of mind somewhat
resembling it? Contentment is not carelessness or extravagance. It is not
dullness of sensibility. It is the disposition of mind in which we rest
satisfied with the will of God respecting our temporal affairs, without hard
thoughts or hard speeches concerning his allotments, and without any sinful
desire for a change. It submissively receives what is given. It thankfully
enjoys present mercies. It leaves the future in the hand of unerring wisdom.
Nor is there anything in true contentment to make men satisfied with the
present world, as a portion or as a permanent abode. The most contented person
may long for the day when Christ shall call him home. He may, like Paul, be in
a strait between two, not knowing whether to desire to abide in the flesh for
the sake of others, or to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better. God
never required any man to be willing to live here forever. Nor is there
anything stoical in contentment. It is not bluntness of feeling. True piety
does not make men dream that a prison is a palace, nor make them reckless of
their own happiness. Refined sensibility is promoted by true religion. We may
form some correct idea of contentment by considering its opposites. Of these,
one of the most prominent is ENVY. There is not a more vile, nor a more violent
passion than envy. It is full of deadly malice. When a man's heart grows
jealous of the superior success of others, and hates them on that account'he is
not far from ruin. Evans says, "Envy is an infallible mark of discontent. Duty
to God, and charity to our neighbor, would induce us to take pleasure in the
welfare of others, whether we immediately share in its benefits or not." If
your eye is envious towards your neighbor because God is good to him, it is
proof that your real quarrel is with Providence. This is the more inexcusable,
because God has expressly informed us that the
'men of the world' have their portion in this life. He has provided
for his spiritual children a portion better than was ever enjoyed on earth by
any man, even by Adam before his fall. And if God should give to one of his
children more than he gives to you, has he not a right to do what he desires,
with what belongs to him? Contentment is also opposed to corroding care about
our worldly condition. The command of the New Testament is, "Be anxious for
nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God." Phil. 4:6. Similar to this is the
exhortation, "Cast all your cares upon him'for he cares for you." 1 Pet. 5:7.
To the same purpose spoke our Lord: "Do not be anxious for your life, what you
shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put
on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than clothing?" Matt. 6:25. It
is of the greatest importance to our peace and usefulness, that we settle it in
our minds that all fretting care about the things of this life is both a sin
and a folly. It is to these immoderate cares that our Lord refers when he says,
"Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon
you unawares." Luke 21:34. See a man eager after the things of time, behold one
in great peril'peril heightened by his success. Our hearts are very deceitful.
Jonah may be too much taken up with his gourd, as well as Solomon with his vast
public works. Contentment is opposed to COVETOUSNESS. "There are two words in
the Greek Testament which may be rendered covetousness. The one literally
signifies the love of money; the other a desire of more, in Eph. 4:19 rendered
greediness. These two senses are co-existent, for no man desires more of that
which he does not love; and as he that loves silver cannot be satisfied with
the silver which he already possesses, he will of course desire more. To both
of these contentment is the opposite. It does not inordinately love what it
has'nor is greedy for more. So says the Scripture: "Let your life, your
behavior'be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have."
ieb. 15:5. "Having food and clothing, let us be therewith content." 1 Tim. 6:8.
What a man parched with the thirst of cancer needs, is not more water, but more
health. It is as impossible to remove the restlessness of a covetous mind by
heaping wealth upon it, as to extinguish fire by pouring oil upon it. It is a
great thing to learn that "a man's life's consists not in the abundance of the
things which he possesses." Luke 12:15. So that "if a man is not content in
that state he is in, he will not be content in any state he would be in." Evans
says, "We see people arriving at one enjoyment after another, which once seemed
the top of their ambition; and yet so far from contentment, that their desires
grow faster than their substance, and they are as eager to improve a good
estate when they are become masters of it, as if they were still drudging for
food and clothing." "Beware of covetousness." Contentment is also the opposite
of PRIDE. "Humility is the mother of contentment." "Those who realize that they
deserve nothing, will be content with anything." When we become lifted up with
pride, and think we deserve something good at God's hands, it is impossible to
satisfy us. But with the humble is wisdom, quietness, gentleness, and
contentment. He who expects nothing, because he deserves nothing'is sure to be
satisfied with the treatment he receives at God's hands. So that "the little
that a righteous man has, is better than the riches of many wicked;" for "the
wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God." The
proud man is like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. He is turbulent and
fiery. He alienates friends; he makes enemies. He has much trouble and
sorrow'where the humble man passes quietly along. Pride and contentment do not
go together. Neither do contentment and unholy ambition at all agree. "Are you
seeking great things for yourself? Seek them not!" Our actual needs are not
many; but the ambitious create a thousand desires and demands, which are hard,
if not impossible to meet. If men are bent on gratifying the strong desires of
a wicked ambition, it will require more resources than any mortal possesses to
meet the half of them. If a wise man cannot bring his condition to his desires'
he will honestly endeavor to bring his desires to his condition. But this the
ambitious will not do. He will be content with nothing gained, because each
elevation widens his horizon, and gives him a view of something else which he
greatly longs for, and so he is tossed from vanity to vanity's stranger to
solid peace. Are you ambitious for the things of this world? then you are your
own tormentor! Contentment is opposed to MURMURINGS and repinings against God's
providence; and dwells with her sisters' gratitude, submission and resignation.
Like Hezekiah, she exclaims concerning all God's orderings, "Good is the word
of the Lord." Isa. 39:8. This is a great point. If you can say nothing clearly
to the glory of God, it is wise to be silent and not open your mouth. Psalm
38:13; 39:2.Contentment is also opposed to DISTRUST of God, and to despondency
respecting the orderings of his providence. Instead of waiting on the Lord, and
relying on him for strength of heart, how many forebode ill from all that
occurs to them, or is anticipated by them. They have little if any
cheerfulness. Their souls are never as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but
abides forever. Apprehension takes the place of confidence. True contentment
will break up this state of things. It will settle, confirm, and establish the
soul. The proper FRUITS of contentment are many, pleasant, and easily
discerned.1. Contentment begets CHEERFULNESS and THANKFULNESS of speech. He who
is always singing dirges, and has no songs of praise; he who is perpetually
filling the ear of friendship with his complaints, and has nothing to say of
loving-kindness, is not blessed with true contentment. Contentment tells a
different tale. It does not charge God foolishly. If it sings of judgment, it
sings also of mercy. 2. True contentment makes men conscientious and exact in
piously performing their DUTIES to all around them. They trust in the Lord, and
do good. They do good to all men, especially to the household of faith. If God
takes away one friend, they will endeavor more meekly and assiduously to render
all that is due to those who remain. If God takes half one's worldly goods, the
remaining portion is more than ever conscientiously employed for his glory. If
such cannot do as they wish, they will do as Providence permits. 3. The truly
contented will not resort to wicked or to doubtful expedients for relieving
their own needs and distresses. They had rather suffer wrong'than do wrong. To
them, poverty is not so bad'as ill-gotten wealth. They prefer to endure a hard
lot'rather than to drive a hard bargain. Stealing, cheating, wild speculation,
or any fraud'is to them worse than poverty. They go not down to Egypt nor over
to Assyria for help, when they have been told to trust in Jehovah alone. They
are willing to be rid of poverty or straits'but not at the expense of a good
conscience. to be continued
.........======================================================================
=

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith's Checkbook is powered by InJesus.com.

See up-to-the-minute Christian communication and start your own ministry group
at http://www.InJesus.com/


SUBSCRIBE to Faith's Checkbook by clicking here:
   http://Faith-s-Checkbook.InJesus.com/Join/

If you do not have access to the web, send a blank email to:
   Faith-s-Checkbook-unsubscribe@MyInJesus.com
      --- or ---
   Faith-s-Checkbook-subscribe@MyInJesus.com

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5
 # Origin: FamilyNet Sponsored by http://www.christian-wellness.net (8:8/2)
 * Origin: BBS Networks @ www.bbsnets.com 808-839-6036 (1:10/345)