Days of Heaven on Earth

Days of Heaven on Earth

Friday, June 14, 2013

There are secrets of providence which God's dear children may learn. His dealing with them often seems, to the outward eye, dark and terrible. Faith looks deeper and says, "This is God's secret. You look only on the outside; I can look deeper and see the hidden meaning. "Sometimes diamonds are hidden in rough packages so their value cannot be seen.

When the tabernacle was built in the wilderness there was nothing rich in its outside appearance. The costly things were all within, and its outward covering of rough badger skin gave no hint of the valuable things which it contained. God may send you some costly packages. Do not worry if they are concealed in rough wrappings. You may be sure there are treasures of love and kindness and wisdom hidden within.

Do not be so foolish as to throw away a silver spoon because it is tarnished. If we take what He sends, and trust Him for the goodness in it, even in the dark, we shall learn the meaning of the secrets of His providence.

Scripture
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him—Psalm 25:14

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, June 13, 2013

Life is made up very largely of words. They are not so emphatic, perhaps, as deeds, for deeds are more deliberate expressions of thought. Yet one of the most remarkable authors of the New Testament said, If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man (James 3:2). Not offending in word is often a test of victory in the Christian life. Our triumph in this often depends on both what we say and what we do not say.

Speaking of the tongue, James said, It is set on fire of hell. The true Christian, therefore, is righteous in his ways and upright in his words. His deeds appeal to men; and in speech he is looking up, for God is listening. His words are sent upward and recorded for the judgment.

I can almost imagine that the beautiful blue sky over our heads, seemingly so transparent, is like a wax tablet with a finely sensitive surface which receives an impression of every word we speak, and that these tablets are then hardened and preserved for the eternal judgment. We should speak with our eyes ever upward, never forgetting that we shall some day meet the words that we have spoken.

Scripture
The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning—Proverbs 16:21

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, June 09, 2013

We are called the lights of the worldlight bearers, reflectors, candlesticks, lamps. We are to be kindled ourselves, and then we will burn and give light to others.

We are the only light the world has. The Lord could come down Himself and give light to the world, but He has chosen differently. He wants to send it through us, and if we do not give it the world will not have it. God does not put a meteor in the sky to tell us when to shine. We are to be giving light continually wherever we are-at home, among friends or in church. We should have the attitude that we may never have another opportunity, and so we should always be shining for Him. Let our lamps be trimmed and full of the oil of the Spirit. Above all, let us be a steady light to those without Christ.

Let me dwell in Timnath-serah,

Where the sun forever shines.

Where the night and darkness come not,

And the day no more declines.

Scripture
Ye are the light of the world—Matthew 5:14

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth

Saturday, June 08, 2013

The farmer does not gather timothy and bluegrass and break it with a heavy machine. But he takes severe measures to separate the kernals of wheat. So God takes great pains with those who are to be of much use to Him. There is a nature in them that needs this discipline. Do not wonder at God's wise, discriminating care that will fit them to be food for the multitude.

God knows the way He is taking, and there is infinite tenderness in the oversight He gives. He is watching the furnace you are in; He will not allow the heat to become too intense. He wants it great enough to purify and then it will be withdrawn. He knows our frame. He will not let any temptation take us but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do you believe in this disciplining love of the Heavenly Husbandman? Are you trusting Him with the leading and government of your life? Do not permit yourself to envy or be disturbed by the people around you! Some day you will be glad for the training and blessing they have brought you.

Scripture

Bread corn is bruised—Isaiah 28:28

A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, June 01, 2013

Do you know the mistake you may be making? You may be saying: "It is not possible for me to be good; no one ever was perfect, and it is no use for me to try." I agree with the first sentence, "No one ever was perfect." But I cannot agree with the second, "There is no use in trying."

There is a divine righteousness available to you. I don't mean merely that which pardons your sins-I believe that, too, but I mean far more. I mean the righteousness that comes into your soul and unites itself with the fibers of your being. I mean Christ-your life, your purity-who makes you feel as He feels, think as He thinks, love as He loves, hate as He hates, and [partake] of the divine nature. That is God's righteousness-that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, not by us but in us.

it is not our hands and feet merely, but our very instincts, our very desires, our very natures springing up in harmony with His own. Have you received Him? He will come and fulfill all right things in you if today you will open your heart.

Scripture
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us—Romans 8:4


A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, June 02, 2013
Here is the very core of spiritual life. it is not a subjective state so much as a life in the heart. Christ for us is the ground of our salvation and the source of our justification; Christ in us is the source of sanctification. When this becomes real, [We] are dead. Our own condition, state and resources are no longer counted upon any more than a dead man's, but . . . [our] life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). It is not even always manifest to us.

Moreover, Christ who is our life must Himself maintain it and be made unto us of God all we need. Therefore, the Christian life is not just coming to Christ to save us, and then going on to work out our own sanctification, but as [we] have received Christ Jesus the Lord, thus to walk in Him, just as dependent and as simply trusting as for our pardon and salvation.

Ah, friends, how much it would ease our tasks
For the day that's just begun,
To live our life a step at a time
And our moments one by one.

Scripture
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him—Colossians 2:6

Days of Heaven on Earth

Friday, May 31, 2013

You will never have a humble heart until it is born from above, from the heart of Christ. For man has lost his own humanity and unfortunately too often has a wicked heart.

God wants us, as Christians ' to be simple, human, approachable and childlike. The Christians who we know and love best, and who are nearest to the Lord, are the most simple.

Whenever we grow stilted we are fit only for a picture gallery, or to be placed on a pedestal. But if we are going to live among men and love and save them, we must be approachable and human.

All stiffness is but another form of self-consciousness. Ask Christ for a human heart, for a smile that will be as natural as your little child's in your presence.

How much Christ did by little touches! He never would have reached the woman of Samaria if He had come to her as the prophet. Rather, He sat down, a tired man, and said, "Give me a drink of water. And so, all through His earthly life, it was His simple humanness and love that led Him to others, and that drew them to Him and to His great salvation.

Scripture

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child—Matthew 18:4

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

0ne of the hardest things for those having a lofty and superior nature is to be under authority, to renounce their own will and to take a place of subjection. Christ took upon Him the form of a servant, gave up His independence, His right to please Himself, His liberty of choice. After having had from eternal ages the right to command, He gave Himself up to implicit obedience.

I knew a man who was once a wealthy employer but became a clerk in the same store. It was not an easy or graceful position, I assure you.

But Jesus was such a perfect servant that His Father said: Behold, my servant . . . in whom my soul delighteth (Isaiah 42:1). All His life His watchword was, the Son of man came . . . to minister (Matthew 20:28). I am among you as he that serveth (Luke 22:27). I can of mine own self do nothing (John 5:30). Not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matthew 26:39).

And then at last He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. His life was a continual dying, and at last He gave all up to death, and also shame, in His crucifixion. This final act was the consummation of His love.

Have you, have I, learned the servant' s place?

Scripture
He humbled himself—Philippians 2:8

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, May 27, 2013

You cannot make the heart restful by stopping its beating. Certain drugs will do that, but that is not really rest. Let the breath of life come-God' s life and strength-and there will be sweet rest. Home ties and family affection will not bring it. Deliverance from trouble will not bring it. Many a tried heart has said: "if this great trouble were only gone, I would have rest." But as soon as one crisis goes another comes.

The poor wounded deer on the mountainside thinks if it could only bathe in the cold mountain stream it would have rest. But the arrow is in its flesh, and there is no rest for it until the wound is healed. It is as sore in the mountain lake as on the plain.

We shall never have God's rest and peace in our hearts until we have surrendered everything, even our work, to Christ and believe He has taken it all. Then we have only to be still and trust.

It is necessary to walk in holy obedience and let God have the government on His shoulder. Paul said, "This one thing I do." There is one narrow path for us all-Christ&# 39;s will and work for us.

Scripture
The government shall be upon his shoulder—Isaiah 9:6

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, May 09, 2013

It was a stirring greeting which the Lord of Life spoke to His first disciples on the morning of the resurrection. It is a bright and radiant word which, in His Name, we would speak to His beloved children at the commencement of another day.

it means a good deal more than appears on the surface. It is really a prayer for our health, but which none but those who believe in the healing of the body can fully understand. A thoughtful friend suggested once that the word "hail" really means health, and it is just the old Saxon form of the word. We all know that a hale person is a healthy person. Our Lord's message, therefore, was substantially that greeting which from time immemorial we give to one another when we meet: "How is your health?" "How are you?" or, better still, "I wish you health."

Christ's wish is equal to a promise and command. It is very similar to the apostle John's benediction to his dear friend Gaius, and we would re-echo it to our beloved friends according to the fullness of the Master's will. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (3 John 2).

Scripture
All hail—Matthew 28:9

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Death and resurrection are the central ideas of nature and Christianity. We see them in the transformation of the chrysalis, in the buried seed bursting into the bud and blossom of spring, in the transformation of the cold shroud of winter into the tinted robes of spring. We see it throughout the Bible in the symbol of circumcision with its significance of death and life, in the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan leading out and leading in, and in the cross of Calvary and the open grave of the Easter morning.

We see it in every deep spiritual life. Every true life is death-born, and the deeper the dying the truer the living. No doubt the passing months have shown us all many places where there ought to be a grave, and many lingering remnants of the natural and sinful which we ought gladly to commit to a bottomless grave. God help us to pass upon them the irrevocable sentence of death and to let the Holy Spirit make the interment eternal. Then our life shall be continually budding and blossoming and shedding fragrance over all.

Scripture
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die—John 12:24

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, May 03, 2013

Here lies the secret of abiding peace-God' s peace. We give ourselves to God and the Holy Spirit takes possession of our hearts. It is indeed "Peace, peace." But it is at this precise point that the devil begins to interfere, and he does it through our thoughts, diverting or distracting them as the occasion requires.

This is the time to prove the sincerity of our consecration and the singleness of our hearts. If we truly desire His presence more than anything, we will turn away from every conflicting thought and look steadily up to Jesus. But if we desire the gratification of our impulses more than His presence, we will yield to the passionate word, or the frivolous thought, or the sinful diversion. Then when we come back, our Shepherd has gone, and we wonder why our peace has departed.

Failure occurs often in some insignificant thing-usually a thought or word. The soul that would not fear to climb a mountain may actually stumble over a straw.

The real secret of perfect rest is to be jealously, habitually occupied with Jesus.

Scripture
My peace I give unto you—John 14:27

Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, April 09, 2013

It is a good thing to keep short accounts with God. I was very much struck some years ago with an interpretation of the verse: So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). The thought it conveys is that of accounting to God daily. For us judgment is passed as we lay down on our pillows each night.

This is surely the true way to live. It is the secret of great peace. It will be a delightful comfort when life is closing or at the Master's coming, to know that our account is settled and our judgment over. For us, then, there is only the waiting to hear the glad Well done, good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matthew 25:21).

Step by step I'll walk with Jesus,

Just a moment at a time,

Heights I have not wings to soar to,

Step by step my feet can climb.

Jesus keep me closer-closer,

Step by step and day by day

Stepping in Thy very footprints,

Walking with Thee all the way.

Scripture

I do always those things that please him—John 8:29

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, April 07, 2013

The hand of Gehazi, and even the staff of Elisha, could not heal the lifeless boy. It required the living touch of the prophet's own divinely quickened flesh to infuse vitality into the cold clay. Lip to lip, hand to hand, heart to heart, he must touch the child before life could thrill his pulseless veins.

We must come into personal contact with the risen Savior and have His very life quicken our mortal flesh before we can know the fullness and reality of His healing. This is the most frequent cause of failure. People are often trusting in something that his been done to them, or in something that they have done, or in something that they have believed intellectually. Their spirit, however, has not felt its way to the heart of Christ; they have not drawn His love into their being by the hunger and thirst of love and faith, and so they are not quickened. The greatest need of our souls and bodies is to know Jesus personally, to touch Him constantly, to abide in Him continually.

May we this day lay aside all things that could hinder our near approach to Him and walk hand in hand, heart to heart, with Jesus.

Scripture
In him we live, and move—Acts 17:28

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, April 08, 2013

King Solomon left among his wise sayings a prescription for sick and sad hearts, and it is one that we can safely take. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. Joy is the great restorer and healer. Gladness of spirit will bring health to the bones and vitality to the nerves when all other tonics fail and all other sedatives cease to quiet. Are you ill? Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power. He has commanded you to be glad and rejoice, and He never fails to sustain His children in keeping His commandments. Rejoice in the Lord always, He says. This means no matter how sad, how tempted, how sick, how suffering you are, rejoice in the Lord just where you are-and begin this moment.

The joy of the Lord is the strength of our body,

The gladness of Jesus, the balm for our pain,

His life and His fullness, our fountain of healing,

His joy, our elixir for body and brain.

Scripture

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine—Proverbs 17:22

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, April 06, 2013

Sometimes our communion with God is cut off or interrupted because of a grievance against a brother, or some lack of unity in the body of Christ. We try to come to the Lord, but we cannot because we are separated from some member of the Lord's body or because the freedom of His love is not flowing through every organic part.

It does not require a blow on the head to paralyze the brain. A blow upon some nerve may do it. A wound in some artery at the extremities may be fatal to the heart. Therefore we must stand in right relationship with all God's children. if we would keep our perfect communion with Christ Himself, we must meet in the body of Christ in honest, open fellowship.

Sometimes we will find that an altered attitude to one Christian will bring us into the flood tides of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to have faith without love, or to have Christ alone without the fullness of fellowship with all His dear saints. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Scripture
As we have many members in one body, . . . so we, being many, are one body in Christ—Romans 12:4-5
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, April 05, 2013

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried. This is the promise for the Lord's coming. It is more than purity. It is to be made white, lustrous or bright. To be purified is to have sin burned out; to be made white is to have the glory of the Lord burned in. The one is cleansing; the other is illumination and glorification. The Lord has both for us, but in order for us to have both we must be put into the fire to be tried. We must be led into difficult and strange places where Christ shall be more to us because of the very extremity of the situation. We are approaching these days. indeed, they are already around us, and they are the precursors of the Lord's coming.

Blesssed is he that . . . keepeth his garments lest he walk naked (Revelation 16:15).

There are voices in the air, filling men with hope and fear;

There are signals everywhere that the end is drawing near;

There are warnings to prepare, for the King will soon be here;

Oh, it must be the coming of the Lord!

Scripture
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried—Daniel 12:10

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, April 04, 2013

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. This is God's promise and He will keep it. if we resist the adversary, God will compel him to flee and will give us the victory. just as a citizen would claim the protection of his government against an outrage or injustice by violent men, so we can at all times fearlessly defy and resist Satan our enemy.

At the same time we are not to stand on the adversary's ground by any attitude or disobedience. In so doing we give him a certain power over us which, while God will restrain in great mercy and kindness, He will not fully remove until we get fully on holy ground. We must therefore be armed with the breastplate of righteousness as well as the shield of faith, if we would successfully resist . . . principalities, . . . powers, . . . rulers of the darkness of this world, . . . [and] spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

Your full redemption rights

With holy boldness claim,

And to the utmost fullness prove

The power of Jesus' name.

Scripture

Resist the devil, and he will flee—James 4:7

Days of Heaven on Earth

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

when we believe for a blessing, we must take the attitude of faith and begin to act and pray as if we already had it. We must treat God as if He had given us our request. We must lean our weight upon Him for the thing that we have claimed and just take it for granted that He gives it and is going to continue to give it. This is the attitude of trust.

When a young woman is married, she at once falls into a new attitude and acts in accordance with the fact. So it is when we take Christ as our Savior, our Sanctifier, our Healer and our coming Lord. He expects us to fall into the attitude of recognizing Him in the very capacity that we have claimed. Therefore, expect Him to be to you all that you have trusted Him for.

You may bring Him ev'ry care and burden,

You may tell Him ev'ry need in pray'r,

You may trust Him for the darkest moment

He is caring, wherefore need you care?

Faith can never reach its consummation,

'Til the victor's thankful song we raise:

In the glorious city of salvation,

God has told us all the gates are praise.

Scripture

My expectation is from him—Psalm 62:5

nspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson

Days of Heaven on Earth

Tuesday, April 02, 2013

It is easier for a consecrated Christian to live a total life for God than to live a mixed life. A soul redeemed and sanctified by Christ is too large for the shoals and sands of a selfish, worldly, sinful life. The great motor vessel can sail in deep waters without an effort, but she can make no progress in the shallow pool. In the crowded harbor, the smallest tugboat is worth a dozen of her, but out in mid-ocean she can outdistance it in an hour.

Beloved, your life is too large, too glorious, too divine for the small place in which you are trying to live. Your purpose is too petty. Arise and dwell on high in the resurrection life of Jesus and in the inspiring hope of His blessed coming.

Rise with thy risen Lord,

Ascend with Christ above,

And in the heavenlies walk with Him,

Whom seeing not, you love.

Walk as a heavenly race,

Princes of royal blood;

Walk as the children of the light,

The sons and heirs of God.

Scripture

He shall dwell on high—Isaiah 33:16

Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, April 01, 2013

Our Father is fitting us for eternity. A vessel fitted for the kitchen will find itself in the kitchen. A vessel for the art gallery or the reception room will generally find itself there at last.

What are we bing fitted for? To be a garbage receptacle to hold all the trash that people pour into our ears? Or a vase to hold sweet fragrance and flowers for the King's palace? A harp of many strings to sound the melodies and harmonies of His love and praise? Each on of us is going to his own place. Let us be fitted now.

The days of heaven are Christly days,

The Light of heaven is He;

So walking at His side, our day

As the days of heaven would be.

The days of heaven are endless days--

Days of eternity;

So may our lives and works endure

While the days of heaven shall be.

Walk with us, Lord, through all the days,

And let us walk with Thee;

'Till as Thy will is done in heaven,

On earth so shall it be.

Scripture

Vessels of mercy, which he hadafore prepared unto glory—Romans 9:23

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 24, 2013

It is a good thing to rejoice in the Lord. Perhaps you found the first dose ineffectual. Keep on with your medicine, and when you cannot feel any joy, when there is no wellspring and no seeming comfort and encouragement, still rejoice, and count it all joy. Even when you fall into temptations, reckon the circumstance joy and delight, and God will make your reckoning good.

Do you suppose your Father will let you carry the banner of His victory and His gladness on to the front of the battle, and then cooly stand back and see you captured or beaten back by the enemy? Never! The Holy Spirit will sustain you in your bold advance and fill your heart with gladness and praise. You will experience an exhilaration and refreshing because of the fullness of His Spirit within.

Lord, teach me to rejoice in Thee, and to rejoice evermore.

The joy of the Lord is the strength of His people,

The sunshine that scatters their sadness and gloom;

The fountain that bursts in the desert of sorrow,

And sheds o'er the wilderness, gladness and bloom.

Scripture
And again I say, Rejoice—Philippians 4:4

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
Psalm 18:1 (KJV)
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, March 25, 2013

Someone remarked once that he did not know more disagreeable people than sanctified Christians. He probably meant people who only professed sanctification. There is an angular, hard, unlovely type of Christian character that has little relation to true holiness-at least, not the highest type of holiness. It is the skeleton without the flesh to cover it; it is the naked rock without the vines and foliage that cushion its rugged sides. Jesus was not only virtuous and pure, but He was also beautiful and full of the warm attractivenesss of love.

We read of different kinds of graces: Whatsoever things are just, . . . whatsoever things are lovely, . . . [and] of good report (Philippians 4:8). There are a thousand little graces in the Christian life that we cannot afford to ignore. In fact, the last stages in any work of art are always the finishing touches. So let us not wonder if God seems to spend a great deal of time in teaching us the little things that many might consider insignificant.

God would have His Bride without spot or even wrinkle.

Scripture
The beauty of holiness—Psalm 29:2

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 22, 2013

The attitude of faith is simple trust. It is Elijah saying to Ahab, There is a sound of abundance of rain (1 Kings 18:41). But then there comes usually a deeper experience in which the prayer is inwrought. It is Elijah on the mount, with his face between his knees, travailing, as it were, in birth for the promised blessing. He has believed for it and now he must take it. The first is Joash shooting the arrow out of the window, but the second is Joash smiting on the ground and following up his faith by perseverance and victorious testing (2 Kings 13:14-25).

It is in this latter place that many of us fall short. We ask much from God, and when God proceeds to give it to us we are not found equal to His expectation. We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end (Hebrews 3:14), and trust Him through it all.

Fainting soldier of the Lord,

Hear His sweet inspiring word,

"I have conquered all thy foes.

I have suffered all thy woes;

Struggling soldier, trust in Me,

I have overcome for thee."

Scripture
Hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end—Hebrews 3:6

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, March 21, 2013

There are some things that God will not tolerate in us. We must leave them. Nehemiah would not talk with Sanballat about his charges and fears. He simply refused to have anything to do with the matter-even to take refuge in the temple to pray about it.

How very few things we really have to do with in life. If we would only drop all the needless things and simply do the things that absolutely require our attention from morning till night, we would find what a small slender thread life is. But we string upon it a thousand imaginary beads and burden ourselves with cares and flurries that-if we had trusted more-would never have needed to preoccupy us.

Wise indeed was the testimony of the dear old saint who said, in review of her past life, "I have had a great many troubles in my life, especially those that never came."

Trust and rest with heart abiding,

Like a birdling in its nest,

Underneath His feathers hiding,

Fold thy wings and trust and rest.

Trust and rest, trust and rest,

God is working for the best.

Scripture
Casting all your care upon him—1 Peter 5:7

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

God's people sometimes fight tremendous battles to attain to righteousness in trying circumstances. Perhaps they feel guilt because temptation has been allowed to overcome them or, at least, to turn them aside from their singleness of purpose toward God. The resulting conflict is a terrible one as they seek to adjust and be right with God. They find themselves baffled by spiritual foes, and they are helpless and perplexed.

How dark and dreary the struggle! At such times how helpless and ineffectual we seem to be!

We are almost sure to strive in the spirit of the law; such striving will always result in condemnation and failure. Every disobedience is met by a blow of wrath and discouragement, and we are close to despair.

If the tempted and struggling one could only understand, or remember what perhaps he has learned before, that Christ is our righteousness, and that it is not by law but by grace alone that we conquer. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). That is the secret of the battle.

Scripture
They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life—Romans 5:17

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, March 18, 2013

We know what it is to be fireproof or to be waterproof. But it is a greater thing to be sin proof. it is possible to be so filled with the Spirit of Jesus that all the shafts of the enemy glance off our heavenly armor. It is possible to so know the presence of Jesus that all the burrs and thistles which grow on the wayside fail to stick to our heavenly robes. All the noxious vapors of the pit disappear before the warm breath of the Holy Ghost, and we walk with a charmed life even through the valley of the shadow of death.

The red-hot iron repels the water that touches it and the fingers that would toy with it. If we have been set aflame by the Holy Spirit, Satan will keep his fingers off us, and the cold water that he pours over us will roll off and leave us unharmed. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not (1 John 5:18).

Before going into a malarial region, it is well to fortify the system with nourishing food. So we should be fed and filled daily by the life of Christ in such a way that evil cannot invade our lives.

Scripture
Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling—Psalm 91:10

SIMPSON DEVOTIONAL
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 17, 2013

As long as we struggle under law-that is, by our own effort-sin shall have dominion over us. But the moment we step from under the shadow of Sinai and throw ourselves upon the simple grace of Christ and His free and absolute gift of righteousness, the struggle is practically over. We take Him to be to us what He has pledged Himself to be-our righteousness of thought and feeling-and ask Him to keep us, in spite of everything that ever can be against us, in His perfect will and peace.

Do we really know and believe that this is the very promise of the gospel, the very essence of the new covenant? Do we believe Christ pledges Himself to put His law in our hearts, to cause us to walk in His statutes and to keep His judgments and do them? Do we know that this is the oath which He swore unto Abraham-that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life? (Luke 1:74-75). He has sworn to do this for us, and He is faithful that promised. Let us trust Him.

Scripture
He hath remembered his covenant forever—Psalm 105:8

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 16, 2013

This word glory is a very difficult one to translate, define or explain. But there is something in the spiritual consciousness of the quickened Christian that interprets it. it is the overflow of grace; it is the wine of life; it is the foretaste of heaven; it is a flash from the Throne and an inspiration from the heart of God which we may have and in which we may live. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them (John 17:22), the Master prayed for us. Let us take it and live in it. David used to say, Wake up my glory. Ask God to wake up your glory and enable you to mount up with wings as eagles, to dwell on high and sit with Christ in heavenly places.

Mounting up with wings as eagles,

Waiting on the Lord we rise,

Strength exchanging, life renewing,

How our spirit heavenward flies.

Then our springing feet returning,

Tread the pathway of the saint,

We shall run and not be weary,

We shall walk and never faint.

Scripture

The Lord will give grace and glory—Psalm 84:11