Joy And Strength

[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 145:16


Spring of Life

Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
PSALMS 145:16

THERE'S not a craving in the mind
Thou dost not meet and still;
There's not a wish the heart can have
Which Thou dost not fulfil.
FMERICK W. FABER

YOU will see the truth about the eternal life soon; I don't think it is possible to live up to the highest point of duty and of happiness without this. I know, one can go on doing one's duty thoroughly under clouds of doubt, and even in complete unbelief; there are many who do, and they are dear to God, but the duty is done sadly, without the spring of life and joy that we are meant to have. That fountain of life and strength is hid in God. Christ showed us the way to it, and we get it into our souls when we utterly trust Him and give up our hearts, and our lives, and our aspirations to Him as to a faithful Creator, who will not leave unsatisfied any of the longings of the souls He has made; who will not let love die, or disappoint finally the cravings for joy, for perfection, for light and knowledge that He has implanted, and that are parts of Himself, immortal as He is.
ANNIE KEARY

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Isaiah 45:12-13


Trust the Creator

I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways.
ISAIAH 45:12,13

HE who suns and worlds upholdeth
Lends us His upholding hand;
He the ages who unfoldeth
Doth our times and ways command.
God is for us;
In His strength and stay we stand.
THOMAS H. GILL

YOU have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will. You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it?
HANNAH WHITALL SMITH

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 119:94 1 John 2:17


Abandoning Self

He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1 JOHN 2:17

I am Thine, save me.
PSALMS 119:94

TAKE, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given it to me; to Thee, O Lord, I restore it; all is Thine, dispose of it according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace, for this is enough for me.

Are we willing to give ourselves entirely to God; to let Him do with us whatever He pleases; to follow anywhere at His bidding; to renounce anything at His call; asking only, in return, that He will give us Himself, with all His infinite love, to be ours from this time forever? If we are thus willing, let us kneel down this moment and tell Him so. Alone with God, let us give Him ourselves, all we have and are and shall be, to be unreservedly His.
WILLIAM R. HUNTINGTON

There is no stay so strong as an unreserved aban-donment of self into God's hand.
H. L. SIDNEY LEAR

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Isaiah 51:7 Exodus 23:2 1 Samuel 15:24


Peer Pressure


Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him.
  --DEUTERONOMY 13:4

GOD visits a soul when He brings before it a new vision of truth or duty, a new range of opportunities, a new endowment of force as well as insight, at some time to which all that precedes has led up, and from which all that follows depends in its solemn history. No Divine visitation leaves us where it found us; it always leaves us better or worse; if not better, then certainly worse.
  --HENRY PARRY LIDDON

The issues are with God, and His servants know not the word disappointment, for they are incapable of reading His designs. Only this they know, that the slightest hesitation in obeying what they believe to be a divine impulse, produces a suffering more intense than any consequences which may accrue to them from the world.
  --LAURENCE OLIPHANT

Never shrink from deep devotion, because you fear its trials or its sacrifices. Paul, in martyrdom, was unspeakably happier than God's half-hearted servants.
  --WILLIAM R. HUNTINGTON

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Joy and Strength Devotional

Title: The Ideal Life
Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Isaiah 48:18


The Ideal Life


Oh, that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.
--ISAIAH 48:18

IT is so easy to become more thick-skinned in conscience, more tolerant of evil, more hopeless of good, more careful of one's own comfort and one's own property, more self-satisfied in leaving high aims and great deeds to enthusiasts, and then to believe that one is growing older and wiser. And yet those high examples, those good works, those great triumphs over evil, which single hands effect sometimes, we are all grateful for, when they are done, whatever we may have said of the doing. But we speak of saints and enthusiasts for good, as if some special gifts were made to them in middle age which are withheld from other men. Is it not rather that some few souls keep alive the lamp of zeal and high desire which God lights for most of us while life is young?
--JULIANA HORATIA EWING

To live with a high ideal is a successful life. It is not what one does, but what one tries to do, that makes the soul strong and fit for a noble career.
--E. P. TENNEY

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Romans 13:14


Like Christ


That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
  --2 THESSALONIANS 1:12

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.
  --ROMANS 13:14

SEND down Thy likeness from above,
And let this my adorning be:
Clothe me with wisdom, patience, love,
With lowliness and purity.
  --JOACHIM LANGE

EVIDENTLY, in order to be a manifestation of Christ we must be in some way like Him. He is a Christian who follows Christ, who measures all things by the standard of His approbation, who would not willingly say a word which he would not like to have Christ hear, nor do an act which he would not like to have Christ see. He is a Christian who tries to be the kind of neighbor Christ would be, and the kind of citizen Christ would be, and who asks himself in all the alternatives of his business life, and his social life, and his personal life, what would the Master do in this case? The best Christian is he who most reminds the people with whom he lives of the Lord Jesus Christ. He who never reminds anybody of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a Christian at all.
  --GEORGE HODGES

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference John 14:27 Psalms 119:35


Serenity in Christ


Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments, for therein do I delight.
  --PSALMS 119:35

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
  --JOHN 14:27

THEN may Thy glorious, perfect will
Be evermore fulfilled in me,
And make my life an answering chord
Of glad, responsive harmony.
  --JEAN SOPHIA PIGOTT

CHRIST is the embodied harmony of God, and he that receives Him settles into harmony with Him, "My peace I give unto you," are the Saviour's words; and this peace of Christ is the equanimity, dignity, firmness, serenity, which made His outwardly-afflicted life appear to flow in a calmness so sublime. The soul is such a nature that, no sooner is it set in peace with itself, than it becomes an instrument in tune, a living instrument, discoursing heavenly music in its thoughts, and chanting melodies of bliss, even in its dreams. We may even say, that when a soul is in this harmony, no fires of calamity, no pains of outward torment can for one moment break the sovereign spell of its joy. It will turn the fires to freshening gales, and the pains to sweet instigations of love and blessing.
  --HORACE BUSHNELL

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 60:4


Strong in His Strength


Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
  --PSALMS 60:4

MY cloud of battle.dust may dim,
His veil of splendor curtain Him;
And, in the midnight of my fear,
I may not feel Him standing near:
But, as I lift mine eyes above,
His banner over me is love.
  --GERALD MASSEY

MY son, thou art never secure in this life, but, as long as thou livest, thou shalt always need spiritual armor.

Thou oughtest manfully to go through all, and to use a strong hand against whatsoever withstandeth thee.

For to him that overcometh is manna given, and for the indolent there remaineth much misery.

Dispose not thyself for much rest, but for great patience.

Wait for the Lord, behave thyself manfully, and be of good courage; do not distrust Him, do not leave thy place, but steadily expose both body and soul for the glory of God.
  --THOMAS À KEMPIS

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 33:21


Music of the Lord


Our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.
  --PSALMS 33:21

ON our way rejoicing as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!
Is there grief or sadness? Thine it cannot be!
Is our sky beclouded? Clouds are not from Thee!
On our way rejoicing as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!
  --J. B. S. MONSELL

MY position has come to this, Am I living near my Saviour; then I am as happy as the day is long, and as light-hearted as a child. It may be that I have plenty of annoyances, but they don't trouble me when His presence is with me. Am I downcast and worried: then I am away from God.
  --JOHN KENNETH MACKENZIE

We may sing beforehand, even in our winter storm, in the expectation of a summer sun at the turn of the year; no created powers can mar our Lord Jesus' music, nor spill our song of joy. Let us then be glad and rejoice in the salvation of our Lord; for faith had never yet cause to have wet cheeks, and hanging-down brows, or to droop or die.
  --SAMUEL RUTHERFORD

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 78:9 Joshua 1:7


The Long Fight


The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
  --PSALMS 78:9

Be thou strong, and very courageous.
  --JOSHUA 1:7

Go forward, Christian soldier,
Beneath His banner true!
The Lord Himself, thy Leader,
Shall all thy foes subdue.
His love foretells thy trials;
He knows thine hourly need;
He can with bread of heaven
Thy fainting spirit feed.
  --LAWRENCE TUTTIETT

WHILE there is left in you a trace of ill-temper, or of vanity, of pride, or of selfishness; while there is left in you a single sin, or germ of sin, you must not rest from the battle. God does not require from you to be sinless when you come before Him, but He does require you to be unceasing in your perseverance. He does not require that you shall never have fallen; but He does require unwearied efforts. He does not require you to win, but He does require you to fight.
  --FREDERICK TEMPLE

Still fight resolutely on, knowing that, in this spiritual combat, none is overcome but he who ceases to struggle and to trust in God.
  --LORENZO SCUPOLI

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 65:8-11 Psalms 33:5


The Glory of God


Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness.
  --PSALMS 65:8,11

He loveth righteousness and justice: the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.
  --PSALMS 33:5 (R. V.)

I SING because Thy works are fair,
Thy glory makes me glad,
The garments bright of praise I wear,
For Thou art brightly clad.

Full triumph doth my soul possess,
Because Thy ways are right;
The glory of Thy righteousness
Maketh my dear delight.
  --THOMAS H. GILL

THE fulness of joy is to behold God in all; for by the same blessed might, wisdom, and love, that He made all things, to the same end our good Lord leadeth it continually, and there to Himself shall bring it, and, when it is time, we shall see it.
  --MOTHER JULIANA

God gives us richly all things to enjoy, while He Himself is His own best gift, and to be enjoyed not in a way of duty, but in the simple, natural realizing aright of what we possess in Him.
  --JOHN MCLEOD CAMPBELL

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Philippians 3:13-14


Pressing On


Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark.
--PHILIPPIANS 3:13,14

TILL, as each moment wafts us higher,
By every gush of pure desire,
And high-breathed hopes of joys above,
By every sacred sigh we heave,
Whole years of folly we outlive,
In His unerring sight, who measures Life by Love.
--JOHN KEBLE

WHAT we can do is a small thing; but we can will and aspire to great things. Thus, if a man cannot be great, he can yet be good in will; and what he, with his whole heart and mind, love and desire, wills to be, that without doubt he most truly is. It is little we can bring to pass; but our will and desire may be large. Nay, they may grow till they lose themselves in the infinite abyss of God. And if ye cannot be as entirely His as ye fain would be, be His as much as ye may attain unto; but, whatever ye are, be that truly and entirely; and what ye cannot be, that be contented not to be, in a sincere spirit of resignation, for God's sake and in Him. So shall you peradventure possess more of God in lacking than in having.
--JOHN TAULER

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 68:35


Trusting in God


The God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God.
--PSALMS 68:35

I WILL meet distress and pain,
I will greet e'en Death's dark reign,
I will lay me in the grave
With a heart still glad and brave;
Whom the Strongest doth defend,
Whom the Highest counts His friend,
Cannot perish in the end.
--PAUL GERHARDT

COULD we but live more entirely in the unseen Presence, and trust to the unseen support,--and if lonely, or disappointed, or depressed, turn more quickly to God, fully confident of His all-embracing care, believing in His perfect love, the tender sympathy with which He ever regards us, how different life would be from what it ordinarily is! Yet we doubt not that Divine support is assured to us, if we seek to do what is pleasing in His sight. If the end we desire comes not, yet there is rest in the assurance that we have told Him all, and left it to Him to do what He wills.
--T. T. CARTER

How reasonable it is to trust ourselves to the keeping of infinite love, and infinite wisdom, and infinite power!
--THOMAS ERSKINE

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 1 Peter 4:1


Give Ourselves Up


Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.
--1 PETER 4:1

TAKE thy whole portion with thy Master's mind--
Toil, hindrance, hardness, with His virtue take--
And think how short a time thy heart may find
To labor or to suffer for His sake.
--ANNA L. WARING

YOUR portion is to love, to be silent, to suffer, to sacrifice your inclinations, in order to fulfil the will of God, by moulding yourself to that of others. Happy indeed you are thus to bear a cross laid on you by God's own hands, in the order of His Providence. The discipline which we choose for ourselves does not destroy our self-love like that which God assigns us Himself each day. All we have to do is to give ourselves up to God day by day, without looking further. He carries us in His arms as a loving mother carries her child. In every need let us look with love and trust to our Heavenly Father.
--FRANCOIS DE LA MOTHE FÉNELON

The loving heart which seeks to offer all, even disappointments and vexations which touch the tenderest places, to God, will be more likely to grow in generosity of spirit than one who bears grudgingly what cannot be averted.
--H. L. SIDNEY LEAR

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Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Isaiah 54:10 1 Kings 8:56


The Helper


The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
--ISAIAH 54:10

There hath not failed one word of all His good promise.
--1 KINGS 8:56

THERE is a persuasion in the soul of man that he is here for cause, that he was put down in this place by the Creator to do the work for which He inspires him, that thus he is an overmatch for all antagonists that could combine against him.
--RALPH WALDO EMERSON

It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent; and can do whatsoever He please. Let us rest there awhile,--He can, if He please: and He is infinitely loving, willing enough; and He is infinitely wise, choosing better for us than we can do for ourselves. God invites and cherishes the hopes of men by all the variety of His providence. He that believes does not make haste, but waits patiently, till the times of refreshment come, and dares trust God for the morrow, and is no more solicitous for the next year than he is for that which is past.
--JEREMY TAYLOR

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