Days of Heaven on Earth

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, March 28, 2011

Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. Goodness is just "Godness." it is being like God. And godlike goodness has special reference to the active benevolence of God. The apostle Paul gave us the difference between goodness and righteousness in Romans 5:7: Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. The righteous man is the man of stiff, inflexible uprightness, but he may be as hard as a granite mountainside. The good man is that mountainside covered with velvet moss and flowers and flowing with cascades and springs. Goodness respects "whatsoever things are lovely." It is kindness, affection, benevolence, sympathy, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and weeping with those who weep.

Lord, fill us with Thyself, and let us be God-persons and good persons and so represent Thy goodness.

There are lonely hearts to cherish,

While the days are going by;

There are weary souls who perish,

While the days are going by.

Scripture
The fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness—Galatians 5:22

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 27, 2011

I shall never forget a remark George Mueller once made in answer to a gentleman who asked him the best way to have strong faith. "The only way to learn strong faith," replied the patriarch of faith, 16 is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm in severe testing. What Mr. Mueller said is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails. If we could only realize the value of our present opportunity. Even while we are passing through these great afflictions, we are being held in the very soul of the strongest faith. If we will only let go, He will teach us in these hours the mightiest hold upon this throne which we can ever know. Be not afraid, only believe. If you are afraid, just look up and say, What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, and you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith.

0 brother, give heed to the warning,

And obey His voice today.

The Spirit to thee is calling,

Oh, do not grieve Him away.

Scripture
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee—Psalm 56.3

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 26, 2011

Add to your faith, do not add to yourself. This is where we make the mistake. We must not only enter the Christian life by faith, but we must advance by faith each step of the way. At every new stage we shall find ourselves as incompetent and unequal for the pressure as before, and we must take the grace and the victory simply by faith.

Is it courage you need? You must claim it by faith. Is it love? You must seek to possess His love, and He will give it. Is it faith itself? You must have the faith of God, and Christ in you will be the spirit of faith as well as the blessing that faith claims.

So your whole life, from beginning to end, is but Christ in you-in the exceeding riches of His grace. Thus your everlasting song will be: not 1; but Christ who liveth in me.

'Tis so sweet to walk with Jesus,

Step by step and day by day;

Stepping in His very footprints,

Walking with Him all the way.

Scripture
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith—Hebrews 12:2

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 25, 2011

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
Thursday, March 24, 2011

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

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Resurrected, not raised. There is so much in this distinction. The teaching of human philosophy is that we are to raise humanity to a higher plane. But this is not the gospel. On the contrary, the teaching of the cross is that humanity must die and sink out of sight and then be resurrected, not raised.

Resurrection is not an improvement, not elevation; it is a new supernatural life lifting us from nothingness into God and making us partakers of the divine nature. It is a new creation. It is an infinite elevation above the highest plane. Let us refuse anything less than resurrection life.

I am crucified with Jesus,

And the cross has set me free;

I have ris'n again with Jesus,

And He lives and reigns in me.

This the story of the Master,

Through the cross He reached the throne,

And like Him our path to glory,

Ever leads through death alone,

Scripture
He is a new creature—2 Corinthians 5:17

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

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桯ebrews 3:6

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, March 21, 2011

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
Sunday, March 20, 2011

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
Saturday, March 19, 2011

Many difficulties and perplexities in connection with our Christian lives might best be settled by a simple and bold decision of our will to go forward with the light we have, leaving the speculations and theories that we cannot decide for further settlement. What we need is to act, and to act with the best light we have. As we step out into the present duty and full obedience, many things will be made plain which it is no use waiting to decide.

Launch out into the deep with a bold plunge, and Christ will settle for you all the questions that you are now debating. More probably, He will show you their insignificance and let you see that the only way to settle them is to leap over them. They are Satan's petty snares to waste your time and keep you halting when you should be marching on.

The mercy of God is an ocean divine,

A boundless and fathomless flood;

Launch out in the deep, cut away the shoreline,

And be lost in the fullness of God.

Scripture
Launch out into the deep—Luke 5:4

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 18, 2011

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

Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, March 17, 2011

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
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

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

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

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
Monday, March 14, 2011

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

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 13, 2011

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

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 12, 2011

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
Friday, March 11, 2011

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

Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, March 10, 2011

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
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

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
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Prayer is the mighty force that will move missionary work. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38).
We are asking God to touch the hearts of men every day by the Holy Spirit, so that they shall be compelled to go abroad and preach the gospel. We are asking Him to awaken them at night with the solemn conviction that the heathen are perishing and that their blood will be upon their souls. God is answering that prayer by sending persons to us every day who feel that the king's business [requires] haste (1 Samuel 21:8).
Beloved, pray, pray, pray. And as petitions rise to the heavens there will be a period of silence in heaven, and the coals of fire will be emptied out upon the earth, and the coming of the Lord will begin to draw nearer. Pray until the Lord of the harvest shall thrust forth laborers into His harvest.

Send the coals of heavenly fire,
From the altar of the skies;
Fill our hearts with strong desire,
Till our prayers like incense rise.
Scripture
Pray ye therefore—Luke 10:2

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, March 07, 2011

How shall we know the difference between earthly and heavenly love? The one centers on ourselves and is partly our ego seeking its own gratification. The other reaches out to God and to people and finds its Joy in glorifying Him and blessing them. Love is unselfishness, and the love that is not unselfish is not divine. How much do we give to others, and how much do we take for ourselves? What is the center of our being-ourselves, or our Lord and His people and work?

May the Lord help us to know more fully the meaning of that great truth, It is more blessed to give than to receive. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).

Have you found some precious treasure?

Pass it on.

Have you found some holy pleasure?

Pass it on.

Giving out is twice possessing,

Love will double every blessing,

On to higher service pressing,

Pass it on.

Scripture
It is more blessed to give than to receive—Acts 20:35

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, March 06, 2011

Faith is hindered by reliance upon human wisdom, whether our own or the wisdom of others. The devil's first bait to Eve was an offer of wisdom, and for this she sold her faith. Ye shall be as gods, he said, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5); and from that hour she began to know and she ceased to trust. It was the spies who postponed the Land of Promise to Israel. It was their "evil report" after searching out the land that led to the awful outbreak of unbelief and effectively shut the doors of Canaan to a whole generation. It is very significant that the names of those spies are nearly all suggestive of human wisdom, greatness and fame.

So in the days of Christ, it was the bondage of the Jews to the traditions of their fathers and the opinions of men that kept them back from receiving Him. How can ye believe, He asked, which receive honour one of another; and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44).

Let us trust Him with all our hearts and not lean upon our own understanding.

Scripture
Lean not unto thine own understanding— Proverbs 3:5

Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, March 05, 2011

Christ has overcome for us every one of our four terrible foes: Sin, Sickness, Sorrow, Satan. He has borne our sin, and we may lay all, even including our sinfulness itself, on Him. He has borne our sickness, and we may detach ourselves from our old infirmities and rise into His glorious life and strength. He has borne our sorrows, and we should not even carry a care, but rejoice evermore and even glory in tribulations. And He has conquered Satan for us, too, and left him nailed to the cross, spoiled and dishonored, a shadow of himself. And now we need only claim His full atonement and assert our victory, and so [overcome] him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11).

Beloved, are we overcoming sin? Are we overcoming sickness? Are we overcoming sorrow? Are we overcoming Satan?

Fear not, though the strife be long;

Faint not, though the foe be strong;

Trust thy glorious Captain's power;

Watch with Him one little hour,

Hear Him calling, "Follow Me,

I have overcome for thee."

Scripture
I have overcome the world—John 16:33

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, March 04, 2011

Blessed secret of spiritual purity, victory and joy, of physical life and healing and all power for service! Filled with the Spirit there is no room for self or sin, for fret or care. Filled with the Spirit we repel the elements of disease that are in the air as the red-hot iron repels the water that touches it. Filled with the Spirit we are always ready for service, and Satan turns away when he finds the Holy Spirit enrobing us in His garments of holy flame. Not half-filled, but filled with the Spirit-this is the place of victory and power!

It is not only a privilege; it is a command. And He who gave it will enable us to fulfill it if we bring it to Him with an empty, honest, trusting heart and claim our privilege in the name of Jesus and for the Glory of God.

Holy Ghost, I bid Thee welcome;

Come and be my Holy Guest;

Heavenly Dove within my bosom,

Make Thy home and build Thy nest;

Lead me on to all Thy fullness,

Bring me to Thy Promised Rest,

Holy Ghost, I bid Thee welcome,

Come and be my Holy Guest.

Scripture
They were all filled with the Holy Ghost—Acts 2:4