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WHEN ALL THY MERCIES, O MY GOD
Joseph Addison, 1672–1719 Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. (1 Chronicles 16:11 KJV) A reflection upon God’s blessings will always result in a response of worship and praise; a neglect of gratitude will eventually produce a lifestyle of self-centeredness. Joseph Addison, the author of this hymn,…
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MORNING & EVENING
The vision in this chapter describes the condition of Israel in Zechariah’s day; but being interpreted in its aspect towards us, it describes the Church of God as we find it now in the world. The Church is compared to a myrtle grove flourishing in a valley. It is hidden, unobserved, secreted; courting no honour…
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THE “GO” OF RELATIONSHIP
My Utmost For His Highest And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Matthew 5:41. The summing up of Our Lord’s teaching is that the relationship which He demands is an impossible one unless He has done a supernatural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that there be not the…
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FADE, FADE EACH EARTHLY JOY
Jane C. Bonar, 1821–1884 Love the Lord, all His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud He pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:23, 24) Each of us was created for the purpose of enjoying the fellowship of Almighty God. Our souls…
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MORNING & EVENING
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no dread of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of his people to…
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THE “GO” OF PREPARATION
My Utmost For His Highest The “go” of preparation Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23,…
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JESUS, I AM RESTING, RESTING
Jean Sophia Pigott, 1845–1882 In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15) John Wesley, the flaming evangelist of the 18th century, once stated that Christians must “learn to live with a slack rein.” If that were true then, it is even more necessary in the hectic pace…
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MORNING & EVENING
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve his…
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THE MISSIONARY GOAL
My Utmost For His Highest Behold, we go up to Jerusalem. Luke 18:31. In the natural life our ambitions alter as we develop; in the Christian life the goal is given at the beginning, the beginning and the end are the same, viz., Our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him—“until…
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SUN OF MY SOUL
John Keble, 1792–1866 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You. (Psalm 84:11, 12) Jesus taught that we can learn much from the lilies of…