Blog Archives - WELCOME TO THE JOY OF TROY

July 11, 2019

7/11/2019

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month (Joel 2:23).

    In the Scripture there are many symbols for the Holy Spirit: fire, which burns out uncleanness; water, which washes the soul; breath, which gives life; oil, which anoints for service; and others. Here the Holy Spirit is represented as gentle rain, which prepares the soil for planting; and latter rain, which ripens the harvest.

    Not long ago I visited the western state where I grew up as a boy. There had been a great drought, and the wheat harvest had failed. So it is in our lives and in the world harvest field. Without the showers from heaven the blessed presence and power of the Holy Spirit, there can be no harvest, and our lives will be as dry as the hills of Gilboa without dew and rain (2 Sam. 1:21). Jesus said that the heavenly Father would "give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" (Luke 11:13). Why, then, don't we ask for this blessed gift?

    When the early disciples put away all differences and sought God in prayer, the day of Pentecost came and thousands were converted. The gospel was then carried to the very ends of the earth. The apostles claimed the power that Christ had promised. "Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day. So it may be now. Instead of man's speculations, let the word of God be preached. Let Christians put away their dissensions, and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them in faith ask for the blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in apostolic days was the 'former rain,' and glorious was the results. But the 'latter rain' will be more abundant" (Desire of Ages, p. 872).

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation (Ps. 106:4).

July 10, 2019

7/10/2019

  But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions (Obadiah 17).

    This promise was made particularly to God's people Israel, the descendants of Jacob, and refers to their holy city, Jerusalem. But in its larger sense it applies to all God's people, and will be fulfilled to the spiritual seed of Israel (Gal. 3:29).

    God has promised His people deliverance from their enemies and from the enemies of all truth and righteousness. Not only that, but holiness; and finally the possession of the things that belong to them by inheritance. This threefold promise is ourstoday: deliverance, holiness, possession.

    God's deliverance is often strange. Bishop Gobat, laboring among the tribes of the Druse Mountains, was invited to visit a certain chieftain. He had long desired to see him, hoping to influence him for good. But when the invitation came, he was ill. It was repeated, however, but again he was unable to accept for the same reason. When the third invitation came, he set out with a guide, but the guide lost the way. Soon after the way was found again, a hyena crossed the path and the superstitious guide would not go on. So the visit was given up, since the bishop had to sail for Malta the next day. Some time later he learned that by these means he had been kept from falling into the hands of enemies who had planned to murder him. Even the treacherous chieftain acknowledged, "That man must be the servant of God, for although I sent messenger after messenger to bring him, he was always hindered."

    It is written that without holiness "no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). Along with deliverance, holiness is given by God to those who are His own; and finally in the earth made new His people will "possess their possessions," for "the meek shall inherit the earth."

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: f

July 9, 2019

7/9/2019

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him (Rom. 6:8).

    This is another way of saying what the apostle also said in another place, "If one died for all, then were all dead" (2 Cor. 5:14). So it is declared that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). Our Savior has died for our sins. The wages of sin have already been exacted in our behalf, and we have actually died with Christ upon the cross. As Christ rose to live a new life, so we may rise again and live anew spiritually. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:5).

    This wonderful truth is beautifully symbolized in the believer's baptism. We die to the old life; we rise to the new. We have been justified; we are being sanctified; we shall be glorified. "Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3), and "sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (rom. 6:14). Our will is Christ's will. In us, by the Holy Spirit, He not only wills but does God's good pleasure (Phil.. 2:13). We once served sin; we are now to serve righteousness. We have been born again, converted. As the apostle puts it: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).

    The choice of this new life is ours in Christ. Shall we not choose it every day? Let us not forget the solemn words of Moses: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live" (Deut. 30:19).

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word" (Ps. 119:17).

July 8, 2019

7/8/2019

  If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles (Job 22:23).

    Eliphaz, one of the counselors of Job, spoke a great truth here. It is really a summary of many other important scriptural passages. Has the power of sin pulled you down? Are you like a great ruin? Have your hopes and plans fallen about you in desolation? Was it your own sin and folly that brought you to this state of spiritual dilapidation? Right here in this text is a cure for such a condition.

    The first thing to do is to return to the Lord. With deep repentance and sincere faith, turn back from the far country of backsliding and seek the Father's face in prayer. It is our duty to do it, because we cannot strive against God and still prosper. It is also to our immediate interest to return to God if wandered away from Him, because the chastisement that we have already suffered may be nothing compared with that which may still come. Remember, He is the Almighty One.

    Here lies the Holy Book of God; take it up and read it quietly and alone, prayerfully, for yourself. There is the secret place of prayer; kneel before God, pour out your heart to Him, confess your sin, and He will graciously hear. "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you" (Jer. 3:14). And here is the wonderful promise, "Thou shalt be built up." The ruins will be retrieved. Out of confusion we shall see beautiful symmetry; behind it all, the plan and work of God.

    "Return unto thy rest, O my soul" is the meditation of the psalmist (Ps. 116:7). God is our rest. Let us return to Him, and we shall find rest. Let us "return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon...[us]; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:7).

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee" (Ps. 41:4).

July 7, 2019

7/7/2019

And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man (1 Sam. 10:6).

    The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul to be king over Israel. As soon as the ceremony was finished, he predicted by divine inspiration certain events to happen to Saul that very day. In verse 7 they are called "signs." They were proof that God had appointed him as leader of His people. The most important sign of all was that God would give him another heart and he would "be turned into another man."

    Did these signs come to pass? Here are the words of verse 9: "And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day." It was by the gift of another heart that Saul was turned into another man. This illustrates the need of every one of us. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born...of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

    Why do we need this new birth? Because our natural heart "is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). We need a new birth, a new heart. We need to be born again, to be regenerated, for "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:...neither can he know them" (1 Cor. 2:14). This change is not wrought by any labors of our own, but entirely by the power of God. By earnest prayer, accompanied with complete dedication and surrender to God, the change will come, and several results will follow: first, an increase of spiritual understanding (Eph. 1:18); second, a change of heart (Jer. 31:33); third, a change of will (Heb. 13:20, 21); fourth, a new attitude toward sin (1 John 5:18); fifth, a new obedience (1 John 2:3); sixth, a separation from the world (verse 15); seventh, a new love for other people (1 John 3:14). Let us pray for this new birth.

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Ps. 51:10).

July 6, 2019

7/6/2019

JULY 6

        Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (Ps. 37:3).

    What a beautiful promise regarding the "faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6)! One thing is certain, we neither trust the Lord without doing, nor do we do without trusting. It is not ours to worry and do evil, but to trust and do good. We must have faith, and real faith works. "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (James 2:17). Works, holy works, are the fruit of faith; and "by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:20). It is ours to trust and to do according to our trust.

    A child once made a slip as she began to quote the twenty-third psalm. She said, "The Lord is my shepherd; that's all I want." Really, that is all we want, for with Him we have everything. Then the adversaries will not be able to root us out of Emmanuel's land, the providence of God, "the Canaan of His covenant love," as Spurgeon puts it.

    But more than that, someday the whole earth will be given to God's people. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). The Lord puts a "verily" in our promise text for today. In the Land of Promise, here and hereafter, His children shall be fed. They may not be fed by ravens or by an angel, by an Obadiah or by a widow, but "verily" they shall be fed.

                                When we walk with the Lord
                                In the light of His word,
                                What a glory He sheds on our way!
                                While we do His good will,
                                He abides with us still,
                                And with all who will trust and obey.
                                                                ___Rev. J. H. Sammis

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness" (Ps. 31:1).

July 5, 2019

7/5/2019

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles (Ps. 34:17).

    That's a plain simple, and wonderful promise, isn't it? It's quite clear from this that the righteous will have trouble, and it will be so severe they will cry out. They will not only desire help, long for it, but will cry out for it.

    We were fortunate in having a number of children in our home, but when they were little they got into trouble. If possible, they would run home to Mother or Father, get close as possible to the source of help, and let their needs be known in loud voices. What a lesson for us! When we are in trouble, we should get close to the Lord and cry out to Him for help. He will hear us and deliver us from our troubles.

    Sometimes our troubles come from our own sins. In such cases we must forsake our sins if we wish to be free from the trouble. Sometimes our troubles will last longer than we think they should, but when it is best for us, we shall be delivered out of them. By God's grace, let us not suffer from troubles before they arrive. Dean W. R. Inge has said, "Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due." And remember, it is those who cry out for help who will be heard.

                                More things are wrought by prayer
                                Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
                                Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
                                For what are men better than sheep or goats
                                That nourish a blind life within the brain,
                                If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
                                Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
                                For so the whole round earth is every way
                                Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
                                                                            ___Alfred, Lord Tennyson

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come" (Ps. 65:2).

July 4, 2019

7/4/2019

  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that beleiveth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36).

    Everlasting life is received by faith. God gave His Son that "whosoever believeth in him should...have everlasting life" (John 3:16). In John 1:12 we read, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believeth on his name." By believing on His name--Jesus, or Savior--by accepting Him as our vicarious substitute upon the cross, we receive Him.

    We have His own words, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Christ Himself is eternal life made manifest. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12). "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (verse 11). If we believe on Him, if true faith is ours, then we may know that we have eternal life (verse 13). This is the only way to really live; this is the true gospel. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17). The revelation of eternal life in Jesus Christ is found in the Holy Scriptures.

    H. Wheeler Robinson tells of the experience of a man who was both a skeptic and an anarchist. He entered a church in Paris and heard these words in song: "Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world." Pierced by a truth deeper than his own arguments, he exclaimed: "O God, what a dream! If only He could!"

    We may be sure that it is more than a dream. It is Christ's divine promise. But for unbelief there is no life, not even a sight of it. So let us believe, and Jesus receive, just now. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24).

July 3, 2019

7/4/2019

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel (Num. 24:17).

    These are the true words of a false prophet, false to himself and the principles of truth; but the Spirit of God came overwhelmingly upon him and he spoke the truth. He predicted that he would see the coming Redeemer, but he would not be near Him. He predicted the rise of the Star of Jacob, "the bright and morning star" (Rev. 22:16), even the Lord Jesus Christ. "A Sceptre shall rise out of Israel," he declared.

    Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, with a cross for a throne, came in fulfillment of divine prophecy; but in God's own time He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords, with a diadem of glory. How sad it is to have a part in the work and Word of God and then depart from it! We feel a little of it in the cry of Judas, "I have betrayed the innocent blood" (Matt. 27:4). We hear an echo of it in the words of Cain, "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen. 4:13). Money isn't everything; in fact, it's nothing compared with eternal riches. Anyone who sells the hope of eternal life for any price that earth can offer sells out too cheap, and the one who exchanges the greatest treasures of earth for the true riches makes the best of bargains. Poor Balaam! He was one of those who, having eyes, saw not (Jer. 5:21). In his case gold hid God.

    A man once visited Robert Hall, the great preacher, to take exception to some statement he had made in a sermon. It was evident that the man was in bondage to the love of money. Hall opened his Bible and, pointing to the word "God," asked, "Can you see that?"

    "Certainly," replied the man.

    Then the preacher took a gold coin and placed it over the word. "Can you see it now?" he asked. The man understood and, by God's grace, his spiritual sight was restored.

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "Help us, O God of our salvation,...and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake" (Ps. 79:9).

July 2, 2019

7/4/2019

  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

    We hear much of our Lord's first coming, but let us turn our thoughts today to the promise of His second coming. He washere in humiliation; He is here in the Spirit; He shall be here in glory. Jesus our Savior believed that He was coming back. He said, "I will come again" (John 14:3). The apostle Peter believed that He was coming back, for he said, "The chief Shepherd shall appear" (1 Peter 5:4). The apostle Paul believed that He was coming back, as we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven."

    In our promise for today we have the testimony of the holy angels, "This same Jesus...shall so come." He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of sight. Of His second coming it is written, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him" (Rev. 1:7).

    The Jacobites of Scotland in the old days never met one another on the mountain paths, never sat down to a council table, without lifting a cup to pledge the return of their king, Prince Charles. Finally he did come, but only to bring defeat, disaster, and suffering to Scotland. In every celebration of the Lord's Supper since that night in the upper room, followers of Christ have lifted the sacramental cup as a token of their faith in their King's return. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Cor. 11:26). "Till he come"--those are the mystic words. And when He comes He will not bring pain, suffering, and disaster as did Prince Charles, but He will come in glory and power to set at liberty the captives of the grave, to wipe away tears from all eyes, and to set up a kingdom that shall have no end. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth" (Ps. 67:4).