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Skriven 2006-02-20 04:09:00 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: Continual Guidance
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Faith's Checkbook

February 20

Continual Guidance

"The LORD shall guide thee continually" (Isaiah 58:11).

What aileth thee? Hast thou lost thy way? Art thou entangled in a dark wood and
canst thou not find thy paths? Stand still, and see the salvation of God. He
knows the way, and He will direct thee in it if thou cry unto Him.

Every day brings its own perplexity. How sweet to feel that the guidance of the
LORD is continual! If we choose our own way or consult with flesh and blood we
cast away the LORD's guidance; but if we abstain from self-will, then He will
direct every step of our road, every hour of the day, and every day of the
year, and every year of our life. If we will but be guided, we shall be guided.
If we will commit our way unto the LORD, He will direct our course so that we
shall not lose ourselves.

But note to whom this promise is made. Read the previous verse: "If thou draw
out thy soul to the hungry." We must feel for others and give them, not a few
dry crusts, but such things as we ourselves would wish to receive. If we show a
tender care for our fellow creatures in the hour of their need, then will the
LORD attend to our necessities and make Himself our continual Guide. Jesus is
the Leader, not of misers, nor of those who oppress the poor, but of the kind
and tenderhearted. Such persons are pilgrims who shall never miss their way.

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Vital Godliness: A Treatise on
Experimental and Practical Piety
By William S. Plumer

CONTENTMENT (Part 3 of 3)

............. continued ................ Only a few of our race live and labor,
that they may have the means of doing good to others. This is scriptural: "The
thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands,
so that he has something to share with anyone in need." One of the calmest and
profoundest writers on political economy some years ago said, "I suppose the
British and Foreign Bible Society, during the twenty or thirty years that it
has existed, has done more direct good in the world'has had a greater effect in
improving the condition of the human race'than all the measures which have been
directed to the same ends by all the prime ministers of Europe during a
century." Oh that men everywhere were moved by that insatiable benevolence
which, not contented with reigning in the dispensation of happiness during the
contracted term of human life, or on the narrow theater of its own
vicinage'strains with all the graspings and reachings of a vivacious mind to
extend the dominion of its bounty beyond the limits of one country or of one
generation. Were such the temper of all men, we would have no need of preaching
sermons to check the rapacity, or moderate the desires, of each succeeding
generation, and bring human wishes within the limits of a holy contentment.
People devoted to doing good are commonly a cheerful and happy class of people.

2. As to honor, rank, standing in the world, much needs not be said, to make a
wise man more contented with his lot. For what is more fickle than popular
applause? The man whose name is today mingled with shouts of welcome, is
tomorrow met with hisses and hootings. The very crowd that spread branches in
the road, and cried, "Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord," as Jesus entered Jerusalem in the triumph which prophecy had decreed to
him, did in three days vociferate, "Away with this fellow! Crucify him, crucify
him!" The very city that murdered the prophets also built their sepulchers.
It is the habit of popular opinion to shift incessantly. Men are constant only
in fickleness. But even if popular favor was perfectly settled'what is it but a
puff of wind? What good can it do any man? If the praise of others is
undeserved, it is but flattery, and may lure us to self-conceit and ruin. If
the praise is merited and just, we are apt to know our own virtues soon enough,
without having them trumpeted by others. Besides, the best men that ever lived,
have had their names cast out as evil'and have been far more frequently under
the loathing, than under the smile of their generation. In many cases, they
have died amid the execrations of their contemporaries. He has the best name
who gets the "white stone with a new name written on it. No one will know that
name except the one who is given the stone." How often men are warned not to
seek the favor of the world. In one of the great contests in England for a seat
in parliament, one of the candidates suddenly died. Burke, the survivor, on
that occasion uttered a sentence which has become like one of our proverbs:
"What shadows we are'and what shadows we pursue!"

3. But many are not content, because they have so few worldly pleasures. Do
they not know that all pleasure but that which springs from lawful sources,
leaves a sting behind? Communion with God has its pleasures, which do not cloy
the appetite. "She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives." It is
commonly the case, that the more worldly pleasure'the less happiness there is.
The more pleasure, the more sin also. The more pleasure, the more dreadful the
last account. Bunyan says, "The epicure, who delights in the dainties of this
world, little thinks that these very creatures will one day witness against
him." The pleasures of sin are but for a season, and that season so short. The
pleasures of the table are often followed by dreadful forms of disease and
anguish. The pleasures of sense are wholly insufficient to give permanent
enjoyment. "The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing."

Contentment is a most reasonable duty. "Come now, you who say, "Today or
tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do
business and make a profit." You don't even know what tomorrow will bring'what
your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while,
then vanishes. Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do
this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is
evil." (James 4:13-16) It is best that you are not able to determine and
control your affairs. Your health, ease, success, wealth, reputation, and
enjoyment deeply concern you; but are you fit to wisely direct them? If God
should give you your way'would you be satisfied? Would not your desires soon be
drowned in cares and troubles and sorrows? Is it best for you, to have
uninterrupted health? Without some bodily pain, you might forget that you were
mortal. It would be more painful to a truly pious man to say when, how long,
and how severely he should be sick, than it would be to be sick all his life.
Wealthier circumstances than you now have, might be your downfall. More ease
might subject you to dreadful infirmities or diseases. Make not your lot worse
by sinful repining! You have not shown wisdom sufficient to direct any of your
own affairs. It is a mercy to us all that "it is not in man that walks, to
direct his steps." Human knowledge is ignorance; human prudence folly; human
strength weakness; human virtue a slender reed. God may cross your desires
without doing you any injustice. Your will is the will of a sinner. Sometimes
God has tried you by gratifying your desires for something new, something
different. The result has not generally been favorable. "He gave them a king in
his anger, and took him away in his wrath." You have often done worse when
full, than when empty. "The Lord's people grew rich, but rebellious; they were
fat and stuffed with food. They abandoned God their Creator and rejected their
mighty savior." Good Hezekiah greatly desired life, and God gave him fifteen
years more; but in that time he greatly erred, and left a sad blot on his name.
A man may live too long for his own peace, or honor, or usefulness. Your wishes
are not always wise.

A child was sick. His mother was almost frantic. She fasted, she fainted, she
wept, she screamed. God restored her boy to health, and at manhood he committed
felony, was arrested, imprisoned, convicted, executed'and broke her heart! How
much less would she have suffered had he died in childhood!
Your views are liable to be full of error. But God is fit to govern you'and all
things. He knows what is best for you'how much you can bear'and when a smile or
a stroke will do you most good. His grace is great, and so are his truth, and
power, and wisdom. If he shall direct, all things will go right. He is never
deceived nor outwitted. He is gentle and kind. "He knows our frame; he
remembers that we are dust." His will is holy, just, and good. He keeps mercy
for thousands. His faithfulness is unto all generations. You should be glad
that Jehovah governs the universe'and that he governs you!

If you are wise, you will "trust in the Lord and do good'and you will be safe;"
for he has said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." What a promise!
what a promise! Learn to be content in whatever circumstances you are in. You
are the borrower, not the owner of any blessing. Suppress the first risings of
ambition, covetousness, self-will, restlessness, and the spirit of murmuring.
Rest quietly in God. The future will bring a full explanation of the present.
Treasure up in your heart the blessed promises of God. Incessantly ask the Lord
to increase your faith. Diligently perform all known duties, especially
domestic duties. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. Say
not, that God has forgotten you. Resist all unworthy thoughts of your Savior
and heavenly Father. Be content with your lot, and leave results with him who
governs all things after the counsel of his own will. So shall you walk safely,
and your burden shall be light, and soon the Almighty shall call you to
himself, and "the days of your mourning shall be ended!"

But until that day of joy has arrived, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for
him, remembering that "we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we
can carry nothing out." It was one of the greatest attainments ever made, when
Paul was able to say, "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) Hall says, "If a man would be
rich, honorable, or aged, he should not strive so much to add to his wealth,
reputation, or years'as to detract from his desires. For certainly in these
things he has the most, that desires least. A poor man who has little and
desires no more, is truly richer than the greatest monarch who thinks he has
not what he should have, or what he might yet have, or who grieves that there
is no more to have. It is not necessity, but carnal ambition'with which men
torture themselves."

There are THREE CONSIDERATIONS which should quite reconcile us to be without
much of what mankind are generally so greedy after. The first is, that God
generally gives the great amount of the wealth, honors, and pleasures of this
world to his foes. How seldom do the potentates of earth fear God. How few very
rich men love prayer. The 'sons of pleasure' are never the 'sons of God'. No
wise man should care much for that which God habitually bestows on those who
have no share in his saving mercy'and shall never see his face in peace.

The second consideration is, that the arts by which these things may be, and
often are gained, are of the basest kind. It requires no virtue to build up a
great fortune, to have many praising you, or to be called a man of pleasure.
One great secret in the lives of many who rise to eminence in these things is,
that first of all they deny God, and give themselves over to irreligion. They
part with a good conscience. They may speak much of honor, but often there is
no honor there. If a man will but agree to flatter and deceive, lie and
defraud, oppress and banter; if he will allow his selfishness to reign supreme;
if he will harden his heart against the demands of justice, the dictates of
equity, and the urgencies of charity; if he will hold fast all he gets, and get
all he can'he may become rich. And if he can once acquire wealth, there are
always some who will sound his praise; and so he may by money and flattery buy
his way to power and notoriety.

It is the deliberate judgment of many close observers, that the mass of the
successful in worldly schemes, are deficient in virtue and morality. This may
seem strange to some, but let every man look over the list of his acquaintance,
and see if it is not so.

The third consideration is, that nothing can make us happy if our minds are
restless and grasping. Contentment is itself riches, honors, and pleasures.
"The sleep of the laboring man is sweet, whether he eats much or little; but
the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep." The Persians have this
proverb: "Ten poor men can sleep tranquilly upon a mat; but two kings are not
able to live at peace in a quarter of the world." And one of our own poets has
said, "Contentment gives a crown'where fortune has denied it." "Godliness with
contentment is great gain."

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