Joy And Strength

[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Ezekiel 14:23-23

God Knows What He is Doing To Us

Ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done, saith the Lord God.
EZEKIEL 14:23

JOY is the lesson set for some,
For others pain best teacher is;
We know not which for us shall come,
But both are Heaven's high ministries.
SUSAN COOLIDGE

THE outward features of our life may not be all that we should choose them to be; there may be things we wish for that never come to us; there may be much we wish away that we cannot part from. The persons with whom we live, the circumstances by which we are surrounded, the duties we have to perform, the burdens we have to bear, may not only be other than what we should have selected for ourselves, but may even seem inconsistent with that formation and discipline of character which we honestly wish to promote. Knowing us better than we know ourselves, fully understanding how greatly we are affected by the outward events and conditions of life, He has ordered them with a view to our entire and final, not only our immediate, happiness; and whenever we can be safely trusted with pastures that are green, and waters that are still, in the way of earthly blessing, the Good Shepherd leads us there.
ANTHONY W. THOROLD

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 40:8-8

Changing Discontent to Delight

I delight to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart.
PSALMS 40:8

CROWN us with love, and so with peace;
Transfigure duty to delight;
Our lips inspire, our faith increase,
Brighten with hope our darkest night.
Bring us from earthly bondage free
To find our heaven in serving Thee.
HENRY WILDER FOOTE

WE often make our duties harder by thinking them hard. We dwell on the things we do not like till they grow before our eyes, and, at last, perhaps shut out heaven itself. But this is not following our Master, and He, we may be sure, will value little the obedience of a discontented heart. The moment we see that anything to be done is a plain duty, we must resolutely trample out every rising impulse of discontent. We must not merely prevent our discontent from interfering, with the duty itself; we must not merely prevent it from breaking out into murmuring; we must get rid of the discontent itself. Cheerfulness in the service of Christ is one of the first requisites to make that service Christian.
FREDERICK TEMPLE

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Matthew 7:12-12

Loving God and Every Man

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
MATTHEW 7:12

TAKE the trouble to spend only one single day according to God's commandments, and you will see yourself, you will feel by your own heart, how good it is to fulfil God's will (and God's will in relation to us is our life, our eternal blessedness). Love God with all your heart; value with all your strength His love and His benefits to you, enumerate His mercies, which are endlessly great and manifold. Furthermore, love every man as yourself,--that is, do not wish him anything that you would not wish for yourself; do not let your memory keep in it any evil caused to you by others, even as you would wish that the evil done by yourself should be forgotten by others; do unto them as you would do unto yourself, or even do not do unto them as you would not do unto yourself; and then you will see what you will obtain in your heart,--what peace, what blessedness! You will be in paradise before reaching it,--that is, before the paradise in heaven, you will be in the paradise on earth.
FATHER JOHN

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 138:7-7

Dealing With Those Dark Thoughts

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.

PSALMS 138:7

HOLY Spirit, Joy divine,
Cheer this saddened heart of mine;
Bid my troubled thoughts be still;
With Thy peace my spirit fill.

ANDREW REED

THEREFORE, in the evil hour, lie still, feel thy stay, till His light which "makes manifest" arise in thee, and clear up things to thee. And think not the time of darkness long; but watch, that thy heart be kept empty, and thy mind clear of thoughts and belief of things, till He bring in somewhat which thou mayest safely receive. Therefore, say to thy thoughts and to thy belief of things (according to the representation of the dark power, in the time of thy darkness)

"Get thee hence!" And if that will not do, look tip to the Lord to speak to them; and to keep them out if they be not already entered, or to thrust them out if they be already got in. And if He do not so presently, or for a long time, yet do not murmur or think much, but wait till He do. Yea, though they violently thrust themselves upon thee, and seem to have entered thy mind, yet let them be as strangers to thee; receive them not, believe them not, know them not, own them not.

ISAAC PENINGTON

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalms 31:24-24 Psalms 38:9-9

Strength For the Weary Heart

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

PSALMS 31:24

Lord, all my desire is before Thee.

PSALMS 39:9

THINK not again the wells of Life to fill,
By any conscious act of your own will;
Retire within the silence of your soul,
And let God's Spirit enter, and control.
The springs of feeling which you thought were stilled,

ANNA J. GRANNISS

WHEN you find that weariness depresses or amusement distracts you, you will calmly turn with an untroubled spirit to your Heavenly Father, who is always holding out His arms to you. You will look to Him for gladness and refreshment when depressed, for moderation and recollection when in good spirits, and you will find that He will never leave you to want. A trustful glance, a silent movement of the heart towards Him will renew your strength; and though you may often feel as if your soul were downcast and numb, whatever God calls you to do, He will give you power and courage to perform. Our Heavenly Father, so far from ever overlooking us, is only waiting to find our hearts open, to pour into them the torrents of His grace.

FRANÇOIS DE LA MOTHE FÉNELON

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Proverbs 16:3-3 Hebrews 10:7-7

Doing God's Work...or God's Will?

Then said I, Lo, I came... to do Thy will, O God.
HEBREWS 10:7

Commit thy works unto the Lord.
PROVERBS 16:3

OH, let Thy wisdom be my guide,
Nor take Thy light from me away;
Thy grace be over at my side,
That from Thy path I may not stray;
But, feeling that Thy hand is o'er me,
In steadfast faith my course fulfil,
And keep Thy word, and do Thy will,
They love within, Thy heaven before me!
WOLFGANG C. DESSLER

"I COME to do Thy will, O God."
That is what we are here for,--to do God's will. That is the object of your life and mine,--to do God's will. Any of us can tell in a moment whether our lives are right or not. Are we doing God's will? We do not mean, Are we doing God's work?--preaching, or teaching, or collecting money,--but God's will. A man may think he is doing God's work when he is not even doing God's will. And a man may be doing God's work and God's will quite as much by hewing stones, or sweeping streets, as by preaching or praying. So the question means just this, Are we working out our common every-day life on the great lines of God's will?
HENRY DRUMMOND

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Revelation 3:4-4 1 Thessalonians 4:17-17

Training Below For Service Above, Part 1

So shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:17

They shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
REVELATION 3:4

WE are taught to believe of the Blessed, that they "serve Him day and night in His temple," that "His servants shall serve Him." And this must be with powers and endowments developed in harmony with higher worlds, so that all the tastes, the desires, the affections, the artistic powers, the intellectual gifts, which belong to each individual, each with his own special capacities, trained and developed and exercised in spiritual modes of life, will be suited to that higher world, where they dwell in the presence of the Almighty God, and the "Lamb who is in the midst of them." The activities of a condition of life such as we cannot yet conceive, we shall enter upon, if fitted for it, trained for it, by the exercise of our gifts during our life in this world; we shall be like weapons in the Hand of God, ready for what Service He may will.
THOMAS THELLUSON CARTER

For those who live, as she did, with their whole talents dedicated to God's service, death is only the gate of life,--the path from joyous work in this world to greater capacities and opportunities for it in the other.
HORATIA K. EDEN

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Revelation 12:3-13:4

Training Below For Service Above, Part 2

The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads.
REVELATION 12:3,4

AND doubtless unto thee is given
A life that bears immortal fruit
In such great offices as suit
The full-grown energies of heaven.
ALFRED TENNYSON

IF we are to be thus disciplined and trained, as workmen in various orders of work, instruments thus formed for God's service, what may we look to become hereafter? May not instruments thus formed, when this passing scene is over, and we appear in God's presence, cleansed and disciplined, with the true workman's hand, may we not be set to work in higher spheres, in grander ministries, in a world of nobler service? We speak of heaven as a sort of rest, of sweet consolation, of communion with God, such as we cannot know on earth; but consistently with this perfect sweetness, heaven is full of activity, of ministrations infinite. For God is active, and out of His activity He formed all creatures. As in the deep seas in their endless movements there is calm beneath, so in God are depths of peace as infinite as the activity of His creation. So, too, His creatures partake of infinite peace and intensely active service.
T. T. CARTER

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Philippians 4:13-13 Isaiah 27:5-5

Strength in Christ

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13

Let him take hold of my strength.
ISAIAH 27:5

THOU canst o'ercome this heart of mine,
Thou wilt victorious prove;
For everlasting strength is Thine,
And everlasting love.
CHARLES WESLEY

WE are conscious of our own weakness and of the strength of evil; but not of the third force, stronger than either ourselves or the power of evil, which is at our disposal if we will draw upon it. What is needed is a deliberate and whole-hearted realization that we are in Christ, and Christ is in us by His Spirit; an unconditional surrender of faith to Him; a practice, which grows more natural by exercise, of remembering and deliberately drawing by faith upon His strength in the moments of temptation and not merely upon our own resources. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I will do thus and thus." So we too may form, like St. Paul, the habit of victory.
CHARLES GORE

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Colossians 1:9-10

Look to Jesus

That ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
COLOSSIANS 1:9,10

SOMETHING for Thee! Lord, let this be
Thy choice for me from day to day;
The life I live it is not mine,
Thy will, my will, have made it Thine!
Oh, let me do in Thine own way
Something for Thee!
ELIZABETH PRENTISS

ACT faithfully according to thy degree of light, and what God giveth thee to see; and thou shalt see more clearly. Hearken to the low whispers of His voice within thee, and thou shalt hear more distinctly. Above all, do not stifle any motions of conscience. Meditate daily on the things of Eternity; and, by the grace of God, do something daily which thou wouldest wish to have done when that day cometh. Above all things, in all things, "look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of thy faith." If thou failest, look to Him to uphold thee; if thou stumblest, hold swift His hand to help thee; if thou fallest, lie not hopelessly there, but look to Him to raise thee; if, by His grace, thou doest well, look to Him in thanksgiving, that He has helped thee, and pray that thou mayest do better.
EDWARD B. PUSEY

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Ephesians 5:19-19 Psalms 42:1-1

Your Heart God's Home

As the hart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, 0 God.

PSALMS 42:1

Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

EPHESIANS 5:19

LORD, make my heart a place where angels sing!
For surely thoughts low--breathed by Thee
Are angels gliding near on noiseless wings;
And where a home they see
Swept clean, and garnished with adoring joy,
They enter in and dwell,
And teach that heart to swell
With heavenly melody, their own untired employ.
JOHN KEBLE

LET your heart and desires continually hold converse with God, in heartfelt simplicity. Reflect on Him with feelings of love and reverence, and often offer up your heart, with all that you have and are, to Him, in spirit and in truth, as cordially and sincerely as possible. if through weakness or unfaithfulness you forsake this exercise, which is so incredibly helpful and beautiful, all you have to do is, meekly and heartily to begin again; and do not be weary of it, although in the beginning you may not find any great advantage from it, or make any rapid progress in it. It is not true that such a mode of life is hard; it is easy and pleasant to the spirit, and becomes in due time like a heaven upon earth. A little patience and courage alone are needed.

GERHARD TERSTEEGEN

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 1 Chronicles 29:12-12

Receiving From God's Hand

In Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

CHRONICLES 29:12

WHEN I have nothing in my hand
Wherewith to serve my King,
When Thy commandment finds me weak
And wanting everything,
My soul, upon Thy greatness cast,
Shall rise divinely free;
Then will I serve with what Thou hast,
And gird myself with Thee.

ANNA L. WARING

HOW are we to approach such blessed strength? First of all, through a steadfast will to refuse nothing that God requires of us, and to do nothing deliberately which can displease Him. Next, we must learn to take our faults humbly, as proofs of our weakness, and use them to increase our trust in God, and our mistrust of self. Neither must we be discouraged at our own wretchedness, or give way to the thought that we cannot do or bear any special thing; our duty is, while confessing that of ourselves it is impossible, to remember that God is all-powerful, and that through Him we can do whatever He may require of us. We must learn to say with St. Augustine, "Give me what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt."

JEAN NICOLAS GROU

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Lamentations 3:25-25

Wait! Your Wings Are Not Grown

The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

LAMENTATIONS 3:25

BE patient till your wings are grown. I fear very much that you are too vehement and headlong in your wishes and attempts to fly. You see the beauty of spiritual light and good resolutions; you fancy that you have almost attained, and your ardor is redoubled; you rush forward, but in vain, for your Master has chained you to your perch, or else it is that your wings are not grown; and this constant excitement exhausts your strength. You must indeed strive to fly, but gently, without growing eager or restless. You resign yourself, but it is always with a BUT; you want this and that, and you struggle to get it. A simple wish is no hindrance to resignation; but a palpitating heart, a flapping of wings, an agitated will, and endless, quick, restless movements are unquestionably caused by deficient resignation. Do you know what you must do? You must be willing not to fly, since your wings are not yet grown. Do not be so eager with your vain desires, do not even be eager in avoiding eagerness; go on quietly in your path--it is a good path.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Exodus 3:7-7

I See Your Sorrows

And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.

Exodus 3:7

THOU knowest, Lord, the weariness and sorrow
Of the sad heart that comes to Thee for rest;
Cares of today, and burdens for tomorrow,
Blessings implored, and sins to be confessed;
I come before Thee at Thy gracious word,
And lay them at Thy feet,--Thou knowest, Lord.

JANE BORTHWICK

THAT sorrow which can be seen is the lightest form really, however apparently heavy; then there is that which is not seen, secret sorrows which yet can be put into words, and can be told to near friends as well as be poured out to God; but there are sorrows beyond these, such as are never told, and cannot be put into words, and may only be wordlessly laid before God: these are the deepest. Now comes the supply for each: "I have seen" that which is patent and external; "I have heard their cry," which is the expression of this, and of as much of the external as is expressible; but this would not go deep enough, so God adds, "I know their sorrows," down to very depths of all, those which no eye sees or ear ever heard.

F. R. HAVERGAL

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Acts 20:32

Turn Your Whole Heart to God

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.

ACTS 20:32

ONLY the rays of God can cure the heart,
Purge it of evil; there's no other way
Except to turn with the whole heart to God.

In heavenly sunlight live no shades of fear;
The soul there, busy or at rest, hath peace;
And music floweth from the various world.

WILLIAM ALLINGHAM

BREAK off things which displease God, and, whatever ye do, do it to please Him. Dedicate, morning by morning, the actions of the day to God; live in His Presence; offer to Him your acts beforehand; recall yourself, if the case admits, into His Presence, in the midst of them; give Him the glory with thy whole heart, if they be well done, since nothing good is our own; if they be amiss, grieve to Him. If we make God our end, He who gave us the grace thus to seek Him, will give us His love; He will increase our longing desire for Him; and whom in all we seek, whom in all we would please, whom in all we would love, Him shall we find, Him possess, here in grace and veiled, hereafter, in glory.
EDWARD B. PUSEY

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