The Life of Josiah

When he was 8 years old:
He reigned in the kingdom (2 Chron 34:1).
At 16:
He recognized God (2 Chron 34:3).
At 20:
He renounced the idols (2 Chron 34:3-7).
At 26:
He repaired the house of God (2 Chron 34:8).
He responded to the law (2 Chron 34:19).
He reread the law (2 Chron 34:30).
He re-established the covenant (2 Chron 34:31-32).
He reinstated the feast (2 Chron 35:1, 17).
He revived the service (2 Chron 35:2, 10).
He restored the worship (2 Chron 35:16).
At 39:
He resisted God's word (2 Chron 35:20-22).

The Armour of God

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Eph 6:13-17

The hold - loins girt about with truth
The heart - breastplate of righteousness
The herald - feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
The heat - shield of faith...to quench all the fiery darts
The head - helmet of salvation
The hand - sword of the Spirit

Gems from my reading

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: and that He was seen... - 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

One Efficacious Factor
Christ (the majesty of His Person)
died (the mystery of His Passion)
for our sins (the marvel of His Provision)

Two Essential Factors
* Christ died according to the Scriptures
* Christ was raised according to the Scriptures

Two Establishing Factors
* Christ was buried signifying that He died
* Christ was seen signifying that He was raised

Post taken from http://scriptureoutlines.blogspot.com/

Behold, a Stranger at the door!
He gently knocks, has knocked before,
Has waited long, is waiting still:
We treat no other friend so ill.
If we will open, see, He stands
With loving heart and laden hands;
O matchless kindness! and He shows
This matchless kindness to His foes.

Joseph Grigg

Another Christmas Comment

Yes Christmas is coming, the world will be merry,
With turkey, plum pudding; with port wine and sherry.
Sad hearts will be gladdened wherever you go,
With greetings and presents - with Yule logs aglow;
And houses all trimmed with the evergreen fir;
As Christmas you see, comes but once in a year.

What means this great feast-time the sad world is keeping?
Explain all the mirth that shall banish the weeping:
"The birthday of Jesus," perhaps you will say,
("No room in the inn, so they laid Him on hay")
When God the Eternal incarnate became,
To ransom a people from bondage and shame;
Bright angels in glory attended the birth
Of Him who created the Heavens and Earth.

Though Scripture is silent regarding December,
Some heart searching facts it would have us remember;
We stripped Him and flogged Him - we crowned Him with thorn,
Dividing between us the clothes He had worn:
With hammer and nails (how sad to repeat)
We fastened His hands - yes and also His feet,
Securely there to a terrible tree,
And raised Him aloft for humanity's glee.

"He's finished" we scoffed, as we sealed up the tomb;
Unwittingly then we were sealing our doom:
That God has forgotten, let none of us think,
While lauding the Babe as we banquet and drink:
No, surely consider, the grave and the stone
Were powerless to hold Him - He's now on the throne
And coming in judgment; - Oh how shall we stand,
Explaining the wounds in His feet or His hands?
For God has declared every knee shall be bowed
Unto Him who was mocked by the onlooking crowd.

Forgiveness is offered - just let me begin -
Salvation to all who acknowledge their sin;
But sinners alone - (no other may claim)
And only the ones who believe on His Name.

No Bethlehem stable completed His mission;
For the shedding of blood must accomplish remission.
The substitute victim God's counsel supplied.
So Jesus the sinless one willingly died.

A.E.H.

A Christmas Comment

Christmas may bring gifts galore,
All your heart is wishing for,
All you want and maybe more...
With
all the wrappings.

You may own a mansion grand,
Lots of money, lots of land,
Lots of folks at your command...
Caught
in earth's trappings.

What's beneath your Christmas tree?
Count the presents that you see:
Does that spell Prosperity?...
Don't
be deluded.

Christmas-time is always rough,
Running, shopping, buying stuff,
How to know when it's enough?
Was
God included?

God so loved the world He gave,
Sent His Son down here to save
Folks from sins that would enslave...
Why
should He bother?

Rubies, gold and diamond rings:
That's just stuff that Santa brings ~
The best things in life aren't things!
Praise
God the Father!

Connie

Credo

Not what, but Whom, I do believe,
That, in my darkest hour of need,
Hath comfort that no mortal creed
To mortal man may give; -
Not what, but Whom!
For Christ is more than all the creeds,
And His full life of gentle deeds
Shall all the creeds outlive.

Not what I do believe, but Whom!
Who walks beside me in the gloom?
Who shares the burden wearisome?
Who all the dim way doth illume,
And bids me look beyond the tomb
The larger life to live? -
Not what I do believe,
But Whom!
Not what, but Whom!

John Oxenham

...creeping thing...

[Peter] saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel decending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. - Acts 10:11-15

H. A. Ironside mentioned that when his father was dying, this passage was running through his mind and he kept repeating, “A great sheet and wild beasts, and—and—and…” He could not seem to remember the next word but went back and started over, and once more came to that same place. A friend bent over and whispered, “John, it says, “creeping things.’” “Oh, yes,” he said, “that is how I got in. Just a poor good-for-nothing creeping thing, but I got in—saved by grace.”

He goes on to say, no matter how low, vile or utterly useless and corrupt or unclean, the soul that trusts Jesus is in the sheet let down from Heaven and will have a place in glory by and by.

The story brought tears to my eyes thinking of how I've been saved by grace, amazing grace!

Comfort in a Cloud

"Mary," said I, "you must have very dark days; they must be overcome with clouds sometimes." "Yes," said the dear old saint, "but then I often find there's comfort in a cloud." "Comfort in a cloud, Mary?" "Yes. When I am very low and dark I go to the window, and if I see a heavy cloud I think of those precious words, 'A cloud received Him out of their sight' (Acts 1:9), and I look up and see the cloud sure enough, and then I think: 'Well, that may be the cloud behind which my Saviour is found,' so you see there is comfort in a cloud."

- taken from One Thousand Tales Worth Telling by Henry Pickering

wasted?

And there were some indignant in themselves, and saying, Why has this waste been made of the ointment? - Mark 14:4

Mary poured out something very precious and expensive upon the Lord Jesus and was accused of wasting. Isn't that always the cry of the world? If we're all sold out to God and devoted completely to Him, it would be a waste in the world's point of view! Waste of talent, waste of resources, waste of intelligence and so much more.

If we're going to heed the call of the world and follow after it's principles and fancies, it would seem a waste from God's point of view. Waste of potential for the Lord knows what He can make out of us. But it would require our complete obedience.

Worse still is the waste from our own point of view. This is when we try to please both God and the world. We go nowhere in the world and see all that we've sacrificed as waste but only because we're not enjoying the blessings of a full obedience to God either.

While here alas! I know but half His love,
But half discern Him, and but half adore;
But when I meet Him in the realms above,
I hope to love Him more, praise Him more,
And feel and tell amid that host divine,
How fully I am His and He is mine.

J. Quarles

Prayer

God answers prayer; sometimes, when hearts are weak,
He gives the very gifts believers seek.
But often faith must learn a deeper rest,
And trust God's silence when He does not speak;
For He whose name is Love will send the best.
Stars may burn out, nor mountain walls endure,
But God is true, His promises are sure
For those who seek.

Author Unknown

In Readiness

My heart is filled with hopes that I
Shall hear a glad shout from the sky,
To take leave of my house of earth
To move to one of matchless worth.

'Tis not the house I value most,
But 'tis the kind and gracious Host
That draws my heart toward heaven's home
Where now my Lord awaits enthroned!

My HEART! Are you in readiness
For Him who sweetly longs to bless?
Does anything thine eyes have seen
Stand as a barrier between?

My HOPE! Are you steadfast of goal,
Fixed on Him who keeps thy soul?
Or do you wish He would not come
'Till all you want to do is done?

My HOUSE! Are you prepared to leave
To other hands that shall receive?
Do you contain one thing to shame
The testimony of HIS NAME?

Let all in house and hope and heart
Be for thy Master set apart!
That when He calls thee to the air
Naught shall cloud thy meeting there.

Elizabeth Byland