God's Most Hated Attribute - Charles Spurgeon Devotional

The Springs of Endurance

George H. Morrison - Devotional Sermons 

The Springs of Endurance

      
      He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved--Mat 24:13
      
      To Grow Bitter Is to Be Beaten
      
      He who is able to endure has learned one secret of the overcoming life. To endure is to bear patiently whatever the revolving years may bring us. It is to accept quietly and cheerfully the intractable elements of life. It is to pass through difficult or tragic hours free from any embittering of spirit, for to grow bitter is always to be beaten. We say "what can't be cured must be endured"; but that is scarcely the endurance of the Scriptures. Such endurance is a joyless thing. It is forced submission to necessity. The endurance of which the Bible speaks is of a happier character than that; it is a glad and even grateful acquiescence. Paul and Silas, in the prison at Philippi, did not accept things in a joyless way. They were happy; there was a lilt within their hearts; they sang so loudly that the prisoners heard them. And that is the endurance of the Scripture the bearing of things in a happy kind of fashion; an acceptance with the note of triumph in it. Of that gracious and beautiful endurance the New Testament indicates three sources.
      
      Sources of Endurance: Faith
      
      The first of these is faith --a burning and bright faith within the heart. That is the thought in the apostle's mind when he tells us to take the shield of faith (Eph 6:16). A shield is not a weapon of offence. It is different from sword or spear. A shield is a protective bit of armour. It guards the soldier amid blows and buffetings. And Paul means that if we are to be guarded amid the blows and buffetings of life, there must be radiant faith within the heart. If our darker hours have no meaning in them, if they be quite devoid of plan or purpose, if there be nothing in life but accident or chance, the most man can achieve is resignation. But if God be love, and if everything that comes to us arrives in the perfect ordering of the Father, then another attitude becomes possible. He who believes that God is in the difficult circumstance is empowered to endure it. He can say with Christ, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight." Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith finds the soul of goodness in things evil. Faith is one great secret of endurance.
      
      Sources of Endurance: Love
      
      Then, too, there is love, for love endureth all things (1Co 13:7). Wherever there is love within the heart there is present the power to endure. Think of the mother with her little child. Not long ago she was a restless girl. Now, when her little one is ill, she is beautifully and divinely patient. And this endurance, which is never sullen, but instinctive, and often with a song in it, is like a token of spring and blossoming of love. God is patient, says St. Augustine, because He is eternal. But there is a deeper source of His patience than eternity. He is patient because He loves. He bears with and pardons us a thousand times, and endures our folly and our shames, just because His love endureth all things. Let any man love learning, and what will he not endure in its acquiring? He will scorn delights and live laborious days, and be supremely happy in his travail. Love is one great secret of endurance, and our Lord empowers His children to endure by the new love He kindles in their hearts. He shows them that God is eminently lovable. He reveals the lovable element in man. He sends into their hearts His gracious Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is love. What hatred or indifference cannot do, love can do, and is doing every day. Love endureth all things.
      
      Sources of Endurance: Vision
      
      Lastly, there is vision. Moses endured as seeing Him who is invisible (Heb 11:27). To see the invisible, when skies are dark, is always to have power to win through. What inspired Robert the Bruce to endure? It was his vision of a liberated Scotland. What inspired Columbus to endure? It was his vision of a continent ahead. Every inventor, every explorer, every artist wrestling with his dreams, endures as seeing the invisible. Never was there endurance like the Master's. It was radiant with peace and joy. It did not falter even in Gethsemane. It was equal to the agony of Calvary. And at the back of it, from first to last, inspiring, animating, and sustaining it, was the unclouded vision of His Father's face. We too can practice that same presence. We can do it when life is very difficult. We can do it when the way is dark. We can do it when we cannot understand. And, doing it, we come to be so sure that underneath are the everlasting arms, that endurance passes into joy.

Psalm 119:165

 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Luke 10

10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 

 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 

 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.  

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 

 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 

 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

 12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 

 13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 

 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 

 15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. 

16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. 

 17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 

 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 

 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 

 23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 

 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 

 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 

 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 

 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 

 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 

 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

 38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 

 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 

 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 

 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 

 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The Anointing of the Holy Spirit

The Anointing of the Holy Spirit

by T. Austin-Sparks

First published in "A Witness and A Testimony" magazines, 1933-1934.

Vols. 11-4 through 12-4

Chapter 1 - The Anointing to Minister

Chapter 2 - The Anointing For Purpose

Chapter 3 - The Anointing Gives the Value to Life

Chapter 4 - The Assembly as the Anointed Vessel

Chapter 5 - The Anointing and the Body

Chapter 6 - Countering the Anointing

Haggai 2

Haggai 2

 2 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 

 2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: 

 5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. 

 6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 

 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. 

 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

 9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. 

 10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 

 11 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 

 12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. 

13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. 

 14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. 

 15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord: 

 16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. 

 17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord.

 18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it. 

 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you. 

20 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

 23 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

PROPHECY - A DECADE of SHAKING by Andrew Strom

PROPHECY - A DECADE of SHAKING by Andrew Strom 

 Ten years ago my family moved for a time to a little country town here in New Zealand. While I was there I met a Christian man who had shifted his entire family out of the city into this little town because he believed that "Peak Oil" and other calamities were imminent. He felt the need for a place of safety. I told him that I believed the 2020s would be the decade when the real shaking would happen. I said I did not sense any imminent threat at the time - though of course there are always serious incidents going on. 

So are the 2020s really to be a decade of shaking? Yes - I believe they are. 

 HARVESTING IN a STORM 

 Years ago a friend of mine from Australia was trying to choose a name for his prophetic newsletter. "Construction Site" was one name he was considering. 

"Stormharvest" was another. Immediately when he shared this I told him that "Stormharvest" had to be the one.

 For there is no doubt that in these last days, many of us are going to be bringing in the harvest in the midst of a giant tempest. But never fear. 

One can actually get used to "storm-harvesting". And that is exactly what a lot of us will be doing. 

We will live in the eye of the hurricane, calmly bringing in the harvest while panic is all around.

 Stockmarkets may crash, oil markets may roar, divisions and schisms may roil the politics of nations - but we have a job to do - bringing in the sheaves. 

And brothers and sisters, our destiny is to get that job done. We need to keep our focus straight and our heart at peace. 

We are laborers in the harvest of the Lord - and our task is clear.

 SHAKING of THE CHURCH 

 The very first book I wrote back in 1996 was called "The Coming Great Reformation." I believe that book begins in this decade. Along with great shaking among the nations will come a great tidal wave of change in the church. 

This will not come from current church leadership. It will be forced on them from outside the ranks. The entire meaning of Christianity is going to change - back to the book of Acts. The "clergy-laity" divide will disappear and all will become "ministers". 

It will be the greatest revolution in the understanding of "church" since the days of Luther. Much of the existing system will be dissolved as true New Testament Christianity returns. 

 My friends, we are headed into a decade of shaking unlike anything that most of us have ever seen. But it is a time to be excited - not to fear or become anxious. 

For those with boldness, this will be a decade of great opportunity and advancement in the kingdom. Do not be among those who shrink back or hide away. Embrace the shaking, embrace the turmoil - and get to work. A lot of it will just be "noise" - more fearful in people's minds than in actual reality. 

Let others cower in fear. You can be one who goes forth in boldness at such a time - following the hand of the Lord. We are living in the most momentous of times. Do not waste this window, my friends.

 It is time to put your boots on and get ready for a true "storm-harvest". 

 God bless you all. -Andrew Strom.

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