Days of Heaven on Earth

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 15, 2013

There are many different atmospheres in which one may live. Some people live in an atmosphere of thought. Their faces are thoughtful, their minds intellectual. They live in their ideas, their concepts of truth, their tastes and aesthetic nature. Other people live in their animal nature, in the lusts of the flesh and eye, the coarse, low atmosphere of a sensuous life, or worse. Still others live in a world of duty. The predominating feature of their lives is conscience, and it carries with it a certain shadowy fear that takes away the simple freedom and gladness of life. Admittedly, in the latter there is a rectitude, an uprightness, a strictness of purpose and of conduct which cannot be ignored or questioned.

But Christ bids us live in an atmosphere of love. As my Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. In the original it is, live in my love. Love is the atmosphere in which He would have us constantly live-that is, believing that He ever loves us and claiming His divine approval and tender regard. This is the life of love.

Scripture
Continue ye in my love—John 15:9

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, March 14, 2013

Christ sends us to serve Him, not in our own strength, but in His resources and might. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before [prepared] that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). We do not have to prepare them but to wear them as garments made to order for every occasion of our lives.

We must receive them by faith and go forth in His work, believing that He is with us and in us as our all-sufficiency for wisdom, faith, love, prayer, power and every grace and gift that our work requires. In this work of faith we shall have to feel weak and helpless and even have little consciousness of power. But if we believe and go forward, He will be the power and He will send the fruits.

The most useful services we render are those which, like the sweet fruits of the wilderness, spring from hours of barrenness. [I] will bring her into the wilderness, . . . And I will give her vineyards from thence (Hosea 2:14-15). Let us learn to work as well as walk by faith. Then we shall receive the end of our faith, the salvation of precious souls, and our lives will bear fruit which shall be manifest throughout all eternity.

Scripture
We are his workmanship—Ephesians 2:10

Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Some time ago, I was enjoying a beautiful sunset. The western skies seemed like a great archipelago of golden islands, the masses in the distance rising up into vast mountains of glory. The hue of the sky was so gorgeous that it seemed to reflect itself upon the whole atmosphere as I looked back from the west to the eastern horizon. The whole earth was radiant with glory. The fields had changed to strange red richness, and the earth seemed bathed with the dews of heaven.

So it is when the love of God shines through all our celestial sky; it covers everything below, and life becomes radiant with its light. Things that were hard become easy. Things that were biting become sweet. Labor loses its burden, and sorrow becomes silver-lined with hope and gladness.

There are two ways of living in God's love: one is constant trust; the other is constant obedience. God's own Word gives the message for both. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love John 15:10).

Scripture
Keep yourselves in the love of God—Jude 21

Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A 11 who fight the Lord's battles must be content to die to the favorable opinions of men and the flattery of human praise. We cannot make an exception even in favor of the good opinions of the children of God. It is very easy for the insidious adversary to make this also an appeal to the flesh.

It is all right when God sends us the approval of our fellow men; however, we must never make that approval a motive in our life. All such motives are poison and deprive us of the strength with which we are to give glory to God. Rather, we must be content with the solitary way and the lonely wilderness.

The man of God must walk alone with God. He must be content in the realization that God knows all things. it is such a relief to the natural man within us to fall back upon human countenances and human thoughts and sympathy that we often deceive ourselves and think it "brotherly love, when, in fact, we are just resting in the earthly sympathy of some fellow worm!

Scripture
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way—Psalm 107:4

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson

Days of Heaven on Earth

Monday, March 11, 2013

Have you ever thought about the strange way in which God is calling a people out of a people already called? The word ecclesia, or church, means called out, but God is calling out a still more select body from the church to be His bride-those especially prepared for His coming.

We see an illustration of this in the story of Gideon. When first he sounded the trumpet of Abiezer there resorted to him more than thirty thousand men; however, he was instructed by God to reduce the number. A first test was applied, appealing to their courage, and all but ten thousand returned home. But there needed to be an additional elimination, and so a second test was applied appealing to their prudence, caution and singleness of purpose, and all but three hundred were refused.

With this small but select band, Gideon raised the standard against the Midianites. Through the power of God he won his glorious victory. So in this present day the Master is choosing His three hundred, and by them He will yet win the world for Himself. Let us be sure that we belong to the "out and out" people.

Scripture
But ye are a chosen generation, . . . a peculiar people—1 Peter 2:9

SIMPSON DEVOTIONAL
Devotions » Simpson Devotional
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 10, 2013

It is not peace with God, but the peace of God that [keeps our] hearts and minds. The peace which passeth all understanding is the very breath of God in the soul. He alone is able to keep it, and He can so keep it that "nothing shall offend us." Is this your experience?

God's rest did not come until His work was finished. Nor will ours. We begin our Christian lives by working, trying and struggling in the energy of the flesh to save ourselves. At last, when we are able to cease from our own work, God comes in with His blessed rest and works His own divine will in us.

Oh! have you heard the glorious word

Of hope and holy cheer?

From heav'n above its tones of love

Are lingering on my ear;

The blessed Comforter has come,

And Christ will soon be here.

Oh hearts that sigh, there's succor nigh,

The Comforter is near;

He comes to bring us to our King,

And fit us to appear.

I'm glad the Comforter has come,

And Christ will soon be here.

Scripture
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds—Philippians 4:7

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 09, 2013

Many Christians are in the place that the Lord has appointed them, and yet the devil is harassing their lives with a sense that they are not quite pleasing the Lord. If they could just settle down in the place that God has assigned them and fill it faithfully and lovingly for Him, there would be more joy in their hearts and more power in their lives. God puts us in various places to serve Him, and the secret of accomplishing the most is to recognize our place as designated from Him and our service in it as pleasing to Him. Even in the great factory or the complex machine there is a place for the smallest screw and rivet as well as the great driving wheel and piston. So God has His "small parts" whose business is simply to stay where He puts them and to believe that He wants them there and is making the most of their lives in the little spaces that they fill for Him.

There is something all can do,

Tho' you're neither wise nor strong;

You can be a helper true,

You can stand when friends are few,

Some lone heart has need of you,

You can help along.

Scripture

How ye ought to walk and to please God—1 Thessalonians 4:1

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 02, 2013
God gives to us a power within which will hold our hearts in victory and purity. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. It is the Holy Spirit; and when any thought or suggestion of evil arises in our hearts, the quick conscience can instantly call upon the Holy Spirit to drive it out, and He will expel it at the command of faith or prayer and keep us as pure as we are willing to be kept. But when the will surrenders and consents to evil, the Holy Spirit will not expel it. God, then, requires us to stand in holy vigilance, and He will do exceeding abundantly for us as we hold fast that which is good. He will also be in us a spirit of vigilance, showing us the evil and enabling us to detect it and to bring it to Him for expulsion and destruction.

O Spirit of Jesus, fill us until we shall have room only for Thee.

Oh, come as the heart-searching fire,

Oh, come as the sin-cleansing flood;

Consume us with holy desire,

And fill with the fullness of God.

Scripture
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost—2 Timothy 1:14

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 01, 2013

The battle does us good. The conflict educates us, strengthens us, establishes us. It is necessary that we be grounded and settled and finally approved and rewarded.

One of the best results of temptation is that it shows us what is in our hearts. Until temptation comes, we feel strong and self-confident; but when the keen edge of the adversary' s weapons have, pierced our souls, we have more sympathy with others and less confidence in our own selfsufficiency. We are humiliated and broken at His feet, poor and helpless. This is the best thing that can happen to us.

Temptation exercises our faith and teaches us to pray. It puts us under fire and compels us to exercise our weapons and prove their potency. It shows us the resources of Christ and the preciousness of the promises of God. It teaches us the reality of the Holy Spirit and compels us to walk closely with Him and hide continually behind His strength and all-sufficiency.

Every victory gives us new confidence in our victorious Leader and new courage for the next onset of the foe, so that we become not only victor, but more than conquerors, taking the strength of our defeated foes and gathering precious spoil from each new battlefield.

Scripture
Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations—John 1:2-4

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, February 28, 2013
We do not always feel joyful, but we are to count it all joy. The word "reckon" is one of the key words of Scripture. It is the same word used about our death to self (Romans 6: 11). We do not feel dead. We are painfully conscious of something that would gladly return to life. But we are to treat ourselves as dead and neither fear nor obey the old nature.

So we are to reckon the thing that comes as a blessing. We are determined to rejoice, to say, my heart is fixed, 0 God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise (Psalm 57:7). This rejoicing by faith will soon become a habit and will bring continually the spirit of gladness and the spontaneous overflow of praise.

Then, although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk 3:17).

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging 'round?

On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.

Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?

Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.

Scripture
Count it all joy—James 1:2

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, February 27, 2013

In taking Christ in any new relationship, we must first have sufficient intellectual light to satisfy our minds that we are entitled to stand in this relationship. The shadow of a question here will wreck our confidence. Then, having seen this, we must make the committal, the choice. That commitment must be just as definite as the planting of a tree in the soil, or the bride who presents herself at the marriage altar. It must be once for all, without reserve, without recall.

Then there is a season of establishing, settling and testing, during which we must stay put until the new relationship gets so fixed as to become a permanent habit. For example, when the surgeon sets the broken arm he puts it in splints to keep it from moving until the bone knits. So God has His spiritual splints that He wants to put upon His children to keep them quiet and unmoving until they pass the first stage of faith.

It may not be easy, but the God of all grace, who hath called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, [will] . . . stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Scripture
Stablish, strengthen, settle you—1 Peter 5:10

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, February 27, 2013

In taking Christ in any new relationship, we must first have sufficient intellectual light to satisfy our minds that we are entitled to stand in this relationship. The shadow of a question here will wreck our confidence. Then, having seen this, we must make the committal, the choice. That commitment must be just as definite as the planting of a tree in the soil, or the bride who presents herself at the marriage altar. It must be once for all, without reserve, without recall.

Then there is a season of establishing, settling and testing, during which we must stay put until the new relationship gets so fixed as to become a permanent habit. For example, when the surgeon sets the broken arm he puts it in splints to keep it from moving until the bone knits. So God has His spiritual splints that He wants to put upon His children to keep them quiet and unmoving until they pass the first stage of faith.

It may not be easy, but the God of all grace, who hath called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, [will] . . . stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Scripture
Stablish, strengthen, settle you—1 Peter 5:10
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The prayer at the close of the Letter to the Hebrews is beautiful: Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will (Hebrews 13:20-21). The phrase "make you perfect in every good work" literally means, "adjust you in every good work."

It is a great thing to be adjusted-adjusted to our surroundings and circumstances rather than trying to have them adjusted to us. Adjusted to the people we are thrown with. Adjusted to the work God has for us, not trying to get God to help us to do our work. Adjusted to fulfill the very will and plan of God for us in our whole life. This is the secret of rest, power and freedom in every spiritual endeavor.

Oh, fill me with Thy fullness, Lord.

Until my very heart o'erflow

In kindling thought and glowing word,

Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,

Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where;

Until Thy blessed face I see,

Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

Scripture
Make you perfect in every good work—Hebrews 13:21

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, February 23, 2013
The secret of a sound body is a sound heart, and the prayer of the Holy Spirit for us is that we may prosper and be in health, even as [our] soul prospereth (3 John 2).

We find Paul in his Letter to the Philippians expressing a sublime and holy indifference to the question of life or death. Indeed, he is in a real strait, whether preferring to depart, and to be with Christ (1:23), or to remain in the flesh.

He would prefer the former, but the latter would likewise be a joyful service. His only object in wanting to live was to be a blessing: To abide in the flesh is more needful for you (1:24).

Having reached this state of heart, he rises quickly to the victorious faith necessary to claim perfect strength and health. Because it is more beneficial to them that he remain in the flesh, he adds, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith (1:25).

Lord, help me today to count not my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus (Acts 20:24).
Scripture
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain—Philippians 1:21
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, February 22, 2013
What a rest it would be to many of us if we could exchange burdens with Christ and so utterly and irreversibly transfer to Him all our cares and needs that we would no longer feel responsible for them. We would have the assurance that He has undertaken all the care, and that He prays, labors and suffers only for us and our interests.

In reality, this is what He invites us to do. Come unto me, He says, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and then He adds, Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me (Matthew 11:28-29). He takes our yoke and we take His, and we find it a thousand times easier to carry one of His burdens than to carry our own.

How much more delightful it is to spend an hour in supplication for another than five minutes in pleading for ourselves. Are we not weary of carrying our wretched loads?

'Twas for this His mercy sought you,

And to all His fullness brought you,

By the precious blood that bought you,

Pass it on.

Scripture
He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his—Hebrews 4:10

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

How tenderly God soothes our fears! How sweetly He says in the introductory verse, Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: . . . I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. And yet again, still with tender thoughtfulness, I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee (Isaiah 41:13). He does not say it only once, but He keeps holding our right hand and repeating such promises.

The blessed Lord condensed it all into one single message of eternal comfort spoken to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee, It is I, be not afraid. He is the antidote to fear; He is the remedy for trouble; He is the substance and the sum of deliverance. We should, therefore, rise above fear. Let us keep our eyes fastened upon Him; let us abide continually in Him; let us be content with Him.

Let us cling closely to Him and cry, Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea (Psalm 46:2).

Scripture
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God-Isaiah 41:10

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Be earnest. Intense earnestness, a whole heart for Christ, the passion sign of the cross, the enthusiasm of our whole being for our Master and humanity-this is what the Lord expects. This is what His cross deserves, this what the world needs and this is what the age has a right to look for.

Everything around us is intensely alive. Life is earnest, death is earnest, sin is earnest, man is earnest, business is earnest, knowledge is earnest. God forgive us if we are lax in the white heat of this crisis time.

Oh, for the baptism of fire! Oh, for the living coal upon the burning lips of love! 0h, for men and women God-possessed and self-surrendered, grasping God's great idea and pressing forward

toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

All the world for Jesus

My prayer shall be,

And my watchword ever,

Himself for me.

All the world for Jesus,

Lord, quickly come,

Bring Thy promised kingdom,

And take us home.

Scripture
As much as in me is, I am ready—Romans 1:15

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Be earnest. Intense earnestness, a whole heart for Christ, the passion sign of the cross, the enthusiasm of our whole being for our Master and humanity-this is what the Lord expects. This is what His cross deserves, this what the world needs and this is what the age has a right to look for.

Everything around us is intensely alive. Life is earnest, death is earnest, sin is earnest, man is earnest, business is earnest, knowledge is earnest. God forgive us if we are lax in the white heat of this crisis time.

Oh, for the baptism of fire! Oh, for the living coal upon the burning lips of love! 0h, for men and women God-possessed and self-surrendered, grasping God's great idea and pressing forward

toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

All the world for Jesus

My prayer shall be,

And my watchword ever,

Himself for me.

All the world for Jesus,

Lord, quickly come,

Bring Thy promised kingdom,

And take us home.

Scripture
As much as in me is, I am ready—Romans 1:15

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

How great the difference between the old and the new way of deliverance! One touch of Christ is worth a lifetime of struggling.

A sufferer in a hospital was in danger of losing his sight from a small piece of broken needle that had entered his eye. Operation after operation had only irritated it and driven the foreign substance farther still into the delicate parts of the sensitive organ.

Finally, a skillful young physician thought of a new expedient. He came one day without lancet and probes, holding only a small but powerful magnet which he placed before the wounded eye. Immediately the piece of steel began to move toward the powerful attraction; soon it flew up to meet it and left the suffering eye completely relieved without an effort or laceration.

It was as simple as it was wonderful. By a single touch of power the eye was saved and a dangerous trouble completely cured. In the same way, God delivers us by the simple attraction of Christ's life and power.

Scripture
Christ in you—Colossians 1:27

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

In the consecrated believer the Holy Spirit is preeminently a Spirit of prayer. If our whole being is committed to Him and our thoughts are under His control, He will occupy every moment in communion. We shall bring everything to Him as it comes, and pray it out in our spiritual consciousness before we act it out in our lives. We shall, therefore, find ourselves taking up the burdens of life and praying them out in a wordless prayer which we ourselves often cannot understand, but which is simply the unfolding of His thought and will within us. This will be followed by the unfolding of His providence concerning us.

Unfaithfulness and disobedience to the faintest whisper of His will often hinder some blessing which He meant for us. After a while, we may become so dull and negligent that He will not be able to trust us with His whispers, and we shall stumble on in the darkness and miss His highest thoughts.

Lord, teach us to pray in the Spirit, to pray without ceasing, and to lose nothing of Thy will.

Scripture
We will give ourselves continually to prayer—Acts 6:4
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, February 15, 2013

How may we enjoy this day? This enjoyment will never come by trying to be happy, and yet there are conditions which, if met, will produce real joy.

1. Be right with God, for gladness [is sown] for the upright in heart (Psalm 97:11). It is His joy that remains in us that makes our joy full.

2. Forget yourself and live for others, for It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

3. When you cannot rejoice in feelings, circumstances or conditions, rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4), and count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (James 1:2).

4. Finally, obey the Lord and be faithful to your trust, and again and again His blessed Spirit will whisper to your heart, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, . . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord (Matthew 25:21).

Not enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way,
But to act that each tomorrow
Finds us farther than today.
Let us then be up and doing
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
From "A Psalm of Life"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Scripture
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus—2 Timothy 2:1

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Fire is strangely intense and intrinsic. It goes into the very substance of things. It somehow blends with every particle of the thing it touches.

There are the severe trials that come to minds more sensitive-to minds that have more points of contact with what hurts. The higher the nature, the higher the joy and the greater the avenues of pain that come.

And then there are deeper trials that come as we pass into the hands of God, as we pass from the physical and intellectual into the spiritual. When they first come, we shrink back from their unnatural and fearful breath. We say, "Oh, this cannot be from the hand of a loving Father! This cannot be necessary to me."

And then come the pains and sufferings from God's own hand, when He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver, when He lets it burn until it seems that we must be burned to ashes.

But we can only obtain the victory through faith. The moment we cease to fear the fire, that moment it ceases to harm us. He says, Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee (Isaiah 43:2).

Scripture
He shall baptize you . . . with fire—Matthew 3:11

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What a beautiful expression the angel used to Cornelius, Thy prayers are come up for a memorial. It would almost seem as if supplications of years had accumulated before the Throne, and at last the answer broke in blessings on the head of Cornelius, even as the accumulated evaporation of months bursts in floods of rain upon the parched ground.

God is represented as treasuring the prayers of His saints in vials; they are described as sweet odors. They are placed like fragrant flowers in the chambers of the king and kept in constant remembrance before Him. Later they are said to be poured out upon the earth; and lo, there are voices, and thunderings and great providential movements fulfilling God's purposes for His kingdom.

We are called "the Lord's remembrancers, " and are commanded to give Him no rest, day or night, but to crowd the heavens with our petitions. And in due time the answer will come with its accumulated blessings.

Not a whisper of true prayer is ever lost. The longer it waits, the larger it becomes.

Scripture
Thy prayers . . . are come up for a memorial before God—Acts 10:4


Some thoughts and wrath -

From the Brandon Bracey, Honeybee, Simpson Devotional:
God is represented as treasuring the prayers of His saints in vials; they are described as sweet odors. They are placed like fragrant flowers in the chambers of the king and kept in constant remembrance before Him. Later they are said to be poured out upon the earth; and lo, there are voices, and thunderings and great providential movements fulfilling God's purposes for His kingdom.

Those of us that are still trying to unravel the book of Revelation may find Simpson' s reminder quite helpful.
It seems practical that a Sherlock Holmes detective, trying to unravel the book of Revelation, would first try and place himself in John's time and look for understanding that the first century christians would have.

Christians, especially senior christianized jews, would have been familiar with scripture, old and new, as well as the culture of the time and World History. If Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson can interpret the book Revelation from a first century christian view, then we might be better able to apply it to our time.

I believe that Revelation was not just available to the seven churches in Asia Minor, but was circulated to other churches as well.

Many believe that John's last days were in Ephesus, interrupted by his stay on Patmos, and that his writings were done in his senior years (90 AD plus).

An understanding of first century secular history and Roman emperors will help us, as well as Ancient History.

Ephesus and Colossia were in the same region. I think that to help understand John's audience, a study of Ephesians, Colossians, 1st, 2nd and 3rd letters of John as well as everything else is a good idea. Also special attention to John's objections that are also in the Seven Letters Preamble to the rest of Revelation.

In Ephesus, the goddess Diana was the main pagen influence that surrounded those christians.

P.S.:

Praying to God for help and then assuming that every idea that we get is from Him, may not work. I tried it. But if we have an honest heart that is SEARCHING for answers, then God may provide resources for us to use. We just have to find those resources and make the effort.

WHERE are the Scholars, Seminaries, Religious Institutions, Religious Universities and Colleges? Two thousand years have passed! Personally, I would like to take them into the back room and dish out some wrath! Those that fear knowledge and see it as a threat to their faith could try to trust God and persue it!

Richard

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, February 12, 2013

For every heart that is seeking anything from the Lord this is a good watchword. That very thing, or the desire for it, may unconsciously separate us from the Lord or at least from the singleness of our purpose toward Him. The thing we desire may be a right thing, but we may desire it in a distrustful and selfish spirit. Let us commit to Him and believe for it; but let us, at the same time, keep our purpose fixed on His will and glory.

Let us claim even His promised blessings, not for themselves or ourselves, but for Him. Then shall it be true, Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Psalm 37:4). All other things but Himself God will "add." But they must always be added, never first. Then shall we be able to believe for them without doubt, when we claim them for Him and not for ourselves. It is only when we are Christ's that all things are ours.

Lord, help me this day to seek Thee first, and be more desirous to please Thee and have Thy will than to possess any other blessing.

Scripture
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you—Matthew 6:33

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Christ life is in harmony with our nature. The other day I was asked by a thoughtful, intelligent woman-one not a Christian, but who had the deepest hunger for that which is right-" How can Christ enter us and we not lose our individuality? This experience will destroy our personality; it violates our responsibility as individuals. "

My response was, "Your personality is incomplete without Christ. Christ was made for you, and you were made for Christ, and until you meet Him you are not complete. He needs you as you need Him.

"Suppose, " I continued, "that gas jet should say, 'If I take this fire in, the gas coursing through me will lose its individuality. ' Oh, no; it is only when the fire comes in that the gas fulfills its purpose for being.

"Suppose the snowflake should say, 'What shall I do? If I drop on the ground I shall lose my individuality. ' But it falls and is absorbed by the soil, and with the coming spring the snowflakes are seen in the primroses and daisies."

Let us lose ourselves and rise to a new life in Christ.

Scripture
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live—Galatians 2:20

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, February 09, 2013

The best evidence of God's presence is the devil's growl. So once wrote Charles H. Spurgeon in The Sword and the Trowel. That little sentence has helped many a tried and tired child of God to stand fast and even rejoice under the fiercest attacks of the foe.

We read in the book of Second Samuel that the moment David was crowned at Hebron, "All the Philistines came up to seek David. And the moment we get anything from the Lord worth contending for, the devil comes to seek us.

When the enemy meets us at the threshold of any great work for God, let us accept it as "a token of salvation" and claim double blessing, victory and power. Power is developed by resistance. The cannon carries twice as far because the exploding power has to find its way through resistance. In the powerhouse, electricity is produced by the magnetic resistance of the revolving armature. Even so we shall find some day that Satan has been one of God's agencies of blessing.

Scripture
None of these things move me—Acts 20:24

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, February 08, 2013

Not sufficient-all sufficient. These two expressions are the complement of each other. Together they are the key to an effective Christian life.

The discovery and full conviction of our utter helplessness is the constant condition for spiritual supply. The aim of the Old Testament, therefore, is ever to show man's failure; that of the New, to reveal Christ's sufficiency. He has all things for us, but we cannot receive them until we admit that we have nothing.

The very essence, therefore, of Christian perfection is the constant renunciation of our own perfection and the continual acceptance of Christ's righteousness. And as we receive deeper views of our nothingness and evil, it prompts us to claim more of His rich grace. But it is possible fully to realize our insufficiency and yet not take a firm hold of His "all things." This, too, must be done with a faith that will not accept less than all. The prophet was angry because the king of Israel struck the arrows upon the ground only three times. Had he done so five or six times, he could have had all (see 2 Kings 13:14-19). So let us meet God's full requirement. In humility let us receive His greatness and grace.

Scripture
[We are not] sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves—2 Corinthians 3:5

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, February 07, 2013

The man who missed his opportunity and met the doom of the faithless servant was not the man with five talents, or the man with two, but the man who had only one. The people who are in danger of missing life's great meaning are the people of ordinary capacity and opportunity who say to themselves, There is so little I can do that I will not try to do anything.

One of the finest windows in Europe was made from the remnants an apprentice boy collected from the cuttings of his master's great work. The sweepings of the British mint are worth millions. The little pivots on which the works of a watch turn are so important that they actually are made of jewels.

God places a solemn value on a single talent. He puts a large responsibility on the humble workers and persons who would try to hide behind the insignificance of trifling opportunities. Our littleness will not excuse us in the reckoning day.

Talk not of talents; what hast thou to do?

Thou hast sufficient, whether five or two.

Talk not of talents; is thy duty done?

This brings the blessing whether ten or one.

Scripture
Faithful in that which is least—Luke 16:10

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, February 06, 2013

What a priceless bit of counsel! Stop praying so much for yourself; begin to ask unselfish things, and see if God will not give you faith. See how much easier it will be to believe for another than for your own concerns.

Try the effect of praying for the world, for definite things, for difficult things, for glorious things, for things that will honor Christ and save mankind. After you have received a few wonderful answers to prayer in this direction, see if you will not feel stronger to touch your own little burden with a divine faith and then go back again to the high place of unselfish prayer for others.

Have you ever learned the beautiful art of letting God take care of you and giving all your thought and strength to pray for others and for the kingdom of God? It will relieve you of a thousand cares. It will lift you up into a noble and lofty sphere and teach you to live and love like God. Lord, save us from our selfish prayers; give us the faith that works through love and the heart of Christ for a perishing world.

Scripture
Praying always . . . for all saints—Ephesians 6:18

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BIBLE GEMS


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PETITIONS AND INFORMATION
HONEST REPORTING
One Day, Three Major Successes for HR

We'd like to share the successes of the past 24 hours with you, our subscribers, who have played such a key role in helping us to achieve the following:

Financial Times Middle East Editor Apologizes
Within only a couple of hours from the release of our condemnation of a tweet from the Financial Times’s Middle East and North Africa correspondent Borzou Daragahi, he has apologized.
Darahagi had tweeted the heinous conspiracy theory that Israel had bribed Bulgaria to blame Hezbollah for a bus bombing at Burgas airport that had killed five Israeli tourists. Thanks to our exposure and your complaints, Daragahi has repented. See the update at the beginning of our original communique...

UN Cuts Ties With False Photo Tweeter
In March 2012, HonestReporting exposed Khulood Badawi as an employee of the United Nations following her tweet of a photo falsely claiming to depict a Palestinian child victim of an Israeli airstrike.
We launched a petition signed by thousands of our readers and Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, publicly demanded Badawi's firing.
It's taken some time but finally the UN, following an investigation, has taken the appropriate action. Read more...

HR Stars in Jerusalem Report Feature Article
The latest print edition of the Jerusalem Report runs a feature article “Watchdogs on the Media Battlefield” with substantial input from and focus on the work of HonestReporting.
The article interviews HR Managing Editor Simon Plosker, whose photo working at his desk in HR’s International HQ in Jerusalem takes up a two-page spread.

It is gratifying that the Jerusalem Report has chosen to highlight the important work of media monitoring organizations such as HonestReporting. Beyond that, the article expands on the context behind our work. Read more...

Thanks to all of our subscribers for helping to make this success happen!

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, February 04, 2013

This living Christ is not the person who was, but the person who still is your living Lord.

At Preston Pans, near Edinburgh, I looked on the field where, long ago, armies had been engaged in contest. In the crisis of the battle the chieftain fell wounded. When they saw their leader's form go down, his men were about to shrink away from the field. Their strong hands held the claymore with trembling grip, and they faltered for a moment. Then the old chieftain rallied strength enough to rise on his elbow and cry: "I am not dead, my children, I am only watching you-to see my clansmen do their duty."

And so from the other side of Calvary our Savior is speaking. We cannot see Him, but He says, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). Notice how He puts it: "I am"-an uninterrupted and continuous presence. Not "I will be," but the guarantee of an unbroken presence to remain with us forever.

Soon the conflict shall be done,

Soon the battle shall be won;

Soon shall wave the victor's palm,

Soon shall sing the eternal psalm.

Then our joyful song shall be,

I have overcome through Thee.

Scripture
Lo, I am with you always—Matthew 28:20