Joy And Strength

[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Ecclesiastes 19:1 1 Corinthians 16:13

Strong to the End

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 CORINTHIANS 16:13

STAND then in His great might,
With all His strength endued;
But take, to arm you for the fight,
The panoply of God.
Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the soul;
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the whole.
CHARLES WESLEY

LET every one consider what his weak point is; in that is his trial. His trial is not in those things which are easy to him, but in that one thing, in those several things, whatever they are, in which to do his duty is against his nature. Never think yourself safe because you do your duty in ninety-nine points; it is the hundredth which is to be the ground of your self-denial. It is with reference to this you must watch and pray; pray continually for God's grace to help you, and watch with fear and trembling lest you fall. Oh that you may (as it were) sweep the house diligently to discover what you lack of the full measure of obedience! for, be quite sure, that this apparently small defect will influence your whole spirit and judgment in all things.
JOHN HENRY NEWMAN

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 1 Corinthians 1:9

Divine Nature in Me

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:9

GIVE me a new, a perfect heart,
From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free;
The mind which was in Christ impart,
And let my spirit cleave to Thee.
CHARLES WESLEY

SINCE I attained to a clear consciousness, by inward experience, that there is no way of satisfying the needs of the soul, or tranquillizing the heart's longings, but by the inner life in Christ, I am aware of an increase of power for the work of my calling, whatever it be, and of joy and spirit in performing it.
CHRISTIAN K. J. BUNSEN

In my daily life I am to ask "How would Christ have acted in my circumstances? How would He have me act? How would Christ fulfil my duties, do my work, fill my place, meet my difficulties, turn to account all my capacities and opportunities?" This is to be the law and inspiration of my whole life; not only of my outward acts, but of all my inward thoughts and desires. There is to be a manifestation of the Divine Nature in me.
A. C. A. HALL

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference John 15:15 1 John 2:5

Be His Friend

Whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in Him.
2 John 5

I have called you friends.
JOHN 15:15

THE hands that tend the sick tend Christ; the willing feet that go on errands of love, work for Christ; the words of comfort to the sorrowful, and of sympathy to the mourner, are spoken in the name of Christ--Christ comforts the world through His friends. How much have you done for Him? What sort of a friend have you been to Him? God is working through His people; Christ is succoring through His friends--it is the vacancies in the ranks of His friends wherein the mischief lies: come and fill one gap.
ARTHUR F. WINNINGTON INGRAM

IT is true that love cannot be forced, that it cannot be made to order, that we cannot love because we ought, or even because we want. But we can bring ourselves into the presence of the lovable. We can enter into Friendship through the door of Discipleship; we can learn love through service; and the day will come to us also, when the Master's word will be true, "I call you no longer servant, but friend."
HUGH BLACK

Through His will, loved and done, lies the path to His love.
ANDREW MURRAY

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 1 Corinthians 15:57

By His Side

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57

KEEP close to Christ, if conflict sore betide;
Stand fast, remembering He is at your side
To give you strength
In battle, and the victor's palm at length.
German, tr. by FRANCES E.COX

IF we would endeavor, like men of courage, to stand in the battle, surely we should feel the favorable assistance of God from heaven. For He who giveth us occasion to fight, to the end we may get the victory, is ready to succor those that fight manfully, and do trust in His grace.
THOMAS À. KEMPIS

He will give the victory into thy hands, if only thou wilt fight manfully by His side, trusting not in thyself, but in His power and goodness. And if the Lord delay awhile to give thee the victory, be not disheartened, but believe assuredly (and this will also help thee to fight resolutely) that He will turn all things which may befall thee, those even which to thee may seem farthest removed from, yea, most adverse to thy success, all will He turn to thy good and profit, if thou wilt but bear thyself as a faithful and generous warrior.
LORENZO SCUPOLI

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Genesis 4:19-20

Doing His Will

He saith unto them, Follow me . . . and they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.
MATTHEW 4:19,20

JESUS calls us; o'er the tumult
Of our life's wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, "Christian, follow me."
As of old St. Andrew heard it
By the Galilean lake,
Turned from home, and toil, and kindred,
Leaving all for His dear sake.
CECIL F. ALEXANDER

THE will of God will be done; but, oh, the unspeakable loss for us if we have missed our opportunity of doing it!
BROOKE FOSS WESTCOTT

God, who calleth us, Himself gives us the strength to obey His call. He who is with us now to call us, will be ever present with us, in all whereto He calleth us. All in His purpose and love, every degree of grace and glory, lies wrapped up in His next call. All eternity of bliss and the love of God will, through His grace, forecoming, accompanying, following, lie in one strong, earnest, undivided, giving of thy whole self to God, to do in thee, through thee, with thee, His gracious, loving will.
EDWARD B. PUSEY

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference 2 Chronicles 32:7-8

God is on Our Side

Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed; with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.
2 CHRONICLES 32:7,8

WE fling aside the weight and sin,
Resolved the victory to win;
No shrinking from the desperate fight,
No thought of yielding or of flight;
With the brave heart and steady eye,
We onward march to victory.
HORATIUS SONAR

IF you, your heart, your will, are enlisted on the good side, if you are wishing and trying that the good in you should conquer the bad, then you are on the side of God Himself, and God is on your side; and "if God be for us, who shall be against us?" Take courage, then. If thou dislikest thy sins, so does God. If thou art fighting against thy worst feelings, so is God. On thy side is God who made all, and Christ who died for all, and the Holy Spirit who alone gives wisdom purity, nobleness. How canst thou fail when He is on thy side? On thy side are all spirits of just men made perfect, all wise and good souls in earth and heaven, all good and wholesome influences, whether of nature or of grace, of matter or of mind. How canst thou fail if they are on thy side? CHARLES KINGSLEY

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference John 15:11

Looking Up To Jesus

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
JOHN 15:11

THOU bringest all again; with Thee
Is light, is space, is breadth and room
For each thing fair, beloved, and free,
To have its hour of life and bloom.
Each heart's deep instinct unconfessed;
Each lowly wish, each daring claim;
All, all that life hath long repressed,
Unfolds, undreading blight or blame.
DORA GREENWELL

LET us offer up to Him each day, and all its occupations, yes, and all its relaxations--as it begins, --and beg Him to let us somehow "see" Him throughout it. Let us trust Him with the hallowing of our ordinary "secular" interests, let us try to shape each day's life so as best to please Him. "Would our Lord like me to say this or to read that? Would He sanction this train of thought or of fancy? When I go with that companion, can I imagine His drawing near and walking beside us?" This habitual "looking up to Jesus," this repeated reference to His will and pleasure--does it seem to us likely to be oppressive, restrictive, burdensome? Let us only try it, and judge for ourselves: it will turn out to be a source of peace and comfort indescribable.
WILLIAM BRIGHT

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[nChrist]

Author: Mary Wilder Tileston
Source: Joy and Strength
Scripture Reference Psalm 63:7

The Right to Joy

Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.
PSALMS 63:7

ON our way rejoicing gladly let us go;
Conquered hath our Leader, vanquished is our foe!
Christ without, our safety! Christ within, our joy!
Who, if we be faithful, can our hope destroy?
On our way rejoicing as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!
J. B. S. MONSELL

I CANNOT understand why those who have given themselves up to God and His goodness are not always cheerful, for what possible happiness can be equal to that? No accidents or imperfections which may happen ought to have power to trouble them, or to hinder their looking upward.
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

Why should we go to heaven weeping, as if we were like to fall down through the earth for sorrow? If God were dead (if I may speak so, with reverence of Him who liveth for ever and ever,) we might have cause to look like dead folks; but "the Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock of our salvation." None have right to joy but we; for joy is sown for us, and an ill summer or harvest will not spill the crop.
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD

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