Blog Archives - WELCOME TO THE JOY OF TROY

December 11, 2019

12/11/2019

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished (Isa. 51:6).

    During the French Revolution the Vendean revolutionist Jeanbon St. Andre said to a Vendean peasant, "I will have all your churches pulled down, so that you will no longer have anything to remind you of your old superstition."

    "But," said the peasant, "you will leave us the stars."

    Even the constellations of the heavens, which seem to us so fixed, will change in the course of ages. The atmospheric heavens will "pass away with a great noise" (2 Peter 3:10), the earth shall wax old and be changed; but God's salvation is forever. His righteousness will never be abolished. He is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Heb. 13:8). We can depend upon His Word, too, for we read in Psalm 119:89, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." The universe itself may change its form and pass away, but God will not change. Because "I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mal. 3:6).

                                The stars shine over the ocean,
                                        The stars shine over the lea,
                                The stars look up at the mighty God,
                                        The stars look down on me.

                                The stars will shine a million years,
                                        For a million years and a day,
                                But God and I will live and love
                                        When the stars are passed away.

MEDITATION PRAYER: "They [the heavens] shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed" (Ps. 102:26).

December 10, 2019

12/10/2019

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (2 Tim. 4:8).

    On one occasion when Father Taylor, the evangelical preacher, was preaching from this text, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," he suddenly stopped, and looking up to heaven, cried out with a loud voice, "Paul, are there any more crowns there?" Then, turning to the congregation, he said, "Yes, friends, there are many more crowns left. They have not all been taken. Blessed be God, there is one for me, and one for all of you who love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."

    The apostle in chains had appeared before an unrighteous judge who had condemned him unjustly, but he knew that someday the righteous judge, even the Lord Jesus Christ, would give him his true reward--a crown of righteousness, and not to him only, but to all those who love our Lord's appearing.

    The Mamertine Prison, in which the apostle may have written this last letter of his, is still damp. cold, and dreary; but the light of this wonderful promise has lit the hearts of millions through the darkest valleys of life, and will continue to illuminate the world to the end of time.

                                The Lord is my light, my all and in all;
                                There is in His sight no darkness at all;
                                He is my redeemer, my Savior and King;
                                With saints and with angels His praises I sing.
                                                                                    __James Nicholson

MEDITATION PRAYER: "And as for me, thou upholdest me in thine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever" (Ps. 41:12).

December 9, 2019

12/9/2019

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness (Isa. 41:10).

    God commands us not to fear and reminds us that He is with us. We are not to be dismayed, for He is our God. This should really be enough, but there follows the beautiful threefold promise: "I will strengthen thee;...help thee;...uphold thee."

    Our strength may be nothing, but God's strength is omnipotent. "Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isa. 26:4). And the promise is "I will help thee." His strength within us is supplemented by His help without, for He is "a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). We may say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb. 13:6), for day by day our "help cometh from the Lord, which maketh heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:2). And then, beyond all that, we have God's hand to lean upon--yes, His right hand.

    A minister tells of his little girl's coming to his study and finding the door closed. With her tiny hand she could not grasp the doorknob firmly enough to open it. But suddenly the door opened from the inside, and she ran in crying, "Oh, Daddy, I opened the door all by myself." Of course, it was her father's hand that had done it. So God helps us when we do our best, and in His strength we are strong.

                                Like a father, constant is He,
                                God in compassion regardeth our plea;
                                In need He cometh, precious His promise:
                                Father in heaven forever to be.
                                                                        __F. E. Belden

MEDITATION PRAYER: "Blessed be the Lord my strength,...my goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer: my shield, and he in whom I trust" (Ps. 144:1, 2).

December 8, 2019

12/8/2019

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Rom. 10:9).

    Have I avowed the belief of my heart with the words of my mouth? At the beginning of the Reformation, Martin of Basel was afraid to confess Christ openly, so he wrote on a leaf of parchment: "O most merciful Christ, I know that I can be saved only by the merit of Thy blood. Holy Jesus, I acknowledge Thy sufferings for me. I love Thee! I love Thee!" Then he removed a stone from the wall of his room and hid it there. It was not discovered for more than 100 years.

    About the same time Martin Luther found the truth in Christ and said, "My Lord has confessed me before men; I will not shrink from confessing Him before kings." And the mighty Reformation followed. The whole world knows of Martin Luther, but who has ever heard of Martin of Basel? Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32).

    When Victorinus was asked to join the church, he said, "What? Do walls make a Christian?"

    "No" was the reply. "But he who is ashamed of Me, of him too will I be ashamed before My Father."

    The apostle Paul insists upon a lip confession of the Lord. And notice, his words are very plain as to the result: "Thou shalt be saved." But to experience the beatitude of heaven, we must be saved from the guilt of sin, from the power of sin, from the punishment of sin, and finally from the very presence of sin.

    Our Savior Himself "before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession" (1 Tim. 6:13). So it is our privilege to witness for Him at every suitable opportunity.

MEDITATION PRAYER:  "I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed" (Ps. 119:46).

December 7, 2019

12/7/2019

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17).

    The way to increase faith is to feed upon the Word of God. The Holy Scripture received into the heart actually becomes faith. In one of Martin Luther's spiritual conflicts he seemed to hear the devil ask him if he felt that his sins were forgiven. "No," said the great Reformer, "but I know that they are forgiven, because God says so in His Word."

    The apostle Paul did not say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt feel saved," but "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). The Philippian jailer heard the word of God and believed; so did the Ethiopian chancellor. The father of the afflicted boy heard the word and cried, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24). On the day of Pentecost 3,000 sinners heard the word and believed; and millions since that day have heard and believed. Yes, "faith cometh by hearing."

    The captain of the old ironclad Merrimac was a skeptic. One day in the Pennsylvania Soldiers' Home, where he was staying, the chaplain challenged him to read the Bible and mark in red anything that he didn't believe, and to begin with the Gospel of John. With a glitter in his eye the old captain accepted the challenge. Whenever the chaplain would ask him if he had marked anything yet, he would only smile. Several days later the chaplain stepped into his room and found him dead. The Bible lay open on his bed, and the chaplain began looking for red marks. He found nothing until he came to John 3:16. Beside that verse he found these words written in red: "I have cast my anchor in a safe harbor, thank God!"

    If we will but honestly hear the Word of God, faith will come. It will grow, and it will lead us into this safe harbor too.

MEDITATION PRAYER: "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil" (Ps. 119:162)

December 6, 2019

12/6/2019

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28).

    Reading beyond our promise text, we find the prophecy of great signs and wonders in heaven and earth, the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord, and the promise of final deliverance to all who call upon the name of the Lord.

    The prophecy of the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit was not completely fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, but continues through the gospel dispensation and will have its final climax just before the coming of Christ. It is fulfilled, not only in the gift of prophecy and the other gifts that Jesus promised to the church, but also in a great baptism of the Holy Spirit to empower God's people for their final work on earth in preparation for their Lord's return.

    Dr. Fisher once wrote to his friend, Lord Eldon, then in government service, asking a special favor. The answer was: "Dear Fisher: I cannot today give you the preferment for which you asked. I remain, Your sincere friend, Eldon. (Turn over.)" Then on the other side were these words: "I gave it to you yesterday."

    So God answers the prayer of His children for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

    "From the day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service." "But near the close of earth's harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the church for the coming of the Son of man....It is for this added power that Christians are to send their petitions to the Lord of the harvest" (The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 49, 55). For this power let us daily pray.

MEDITATION PRAYER: "In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul" (Ps. 138:3).

December 5, 2019

12/5/2019

        Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones (Zech. 13:7).

    Our Savior declared that this prophecy referred to Himself (Matt. 26:31, 32). In the determinate council of God, Jesus was smitten for our sins. He who came to be a blessing to the world received a sword stroke of death, even while bestowing that blessing upon humanity. Sin is so terrible in God's sight that He "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all" (Rom. 8:32).

    The wicked of this earth are often unconsciously made to be the sword of God's will (Ps. 17:13). Jesus was put to death by wicked people, who unconsciously fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy.

    The sword was to awake "against the man that is my fellow," my equal, or my nearest kin. In John 10:30 we find the words of Jesus, "I and my Father are one." Our promise text declares that He who should die on the cross as a man was also divine. And the Father Himself addressed Jesus as "God" (Heb. 1:8).

    At our Savior's crucifixion His disciples were scattered, and then in A.D. 70 the Jewish nation was scattered at the destruction of their city. The promise comes, "I will turn mine hand upon the little ones"--that is, I will intervene in their favor. The humble followers of Christ to the end of time are sustained, comforted, and delivered. After His crucifixion His followers were comforted by His resurrection, and at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem they were delivered. As someone has said: "The hand of Jehovah was turned in wrath upon the Shepherd, that His hand might be turned in grace on the little ones."

MEDITATION PRAYER: "My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me" (Ps. 63:8).

December 4, 2019

12/4/2019

        He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).

    With this we should read the preceding verse: "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage" he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Then follows our promise text.

    Notice that these two verses form a prayer and meditation combined. Frist the prophet prays to God, then seems to meditate in his own heart concerning God's mercy and compassion and forgiveness. Then again he prays, "And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." It would be well to memorize both these verses--a wonderful prayer, a wonderful meditation.

    To while away a few minutes in a physician's waiting room, an earnest Christian man picked up a scientific volume and began to read. Suddenly he cried out, "Praise the Lord!"

    The doctor, who was nearby, said, "What have you found now to praise God about?"

    "It says here that a scientific expedition has just discovered a spot in the Pacific Ocean more than 35,000 feet deep. Why shouldn't I praise the Lord" Thirty-five thousand feet of water over my sins! For He shall 'cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.' "

    But, after all, this is only a beautiful figure to describe the eternal separation of sin from the repentant soul, for there is something more effective than 35,000 feet of water over our sins. Our Savior's blood has covered them. He "died for our sins according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3).

MEDITATION PRAYER: "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord" (Ps. 25:7).

December 3, 2019

12/3/2019

        Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all (Ps. 34:19).

    God does not promise that His people will not have trouble. He does not say that they will never be afflicted, but He promises to bring them out of all their afflictions. In some cases this deliverance may not be completed in this life. God did not keep the worthies out of the fire, but "the form of the fourth" was with them. He did not keep Daniel out of the lions' den, but His angel delivered him there. He did not keep the apostle Paul out of the storm, but His angel was with him in the storm. Of the apostle Peter, bound with two chains in the innermost prison, it is written: "Behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison" (Acts 12:7).

    It is indeed true that "many are the afflictions of the righteous," but "the righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (Ps. 34:17). The Scripture declares that "man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7). But there is something more to it than this. As Edward Judson, son of Adoniram Judson, has said: "Suffering and success go together. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered. If you are suffering without succeeding, it is that others after you may succeed."

    It was in the very midst of the storm when, to the disciples in the little boat, everything seemed lost, that Jesus appeared walking on the water and said, "It is I; be not afraid" (Matt. 14:27).

                                When waves of trouble round me swell,
                                        My soul is not dismayed;
                                I hear a voice I know well--
                                        " 'Tis I; be not afraid."
                                                                    __C. Elliott

MEDITATION PRAYER: "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: Lord, make haste to help me" (Ps. 40:13).

December 2, 2019

12/2/2019

        But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

    There are two handles by which we may take hold of our tomorrows: anxiety and faith. Which shall it be? Here is God's promise, Heaven's checkbook--all our needs are to be supplied, according to His riches. Not necessarily our wants and desires, but our needs.

    Think of Pastor Harms with his little church of poor peasants at Hermannsburg supporting 357 missionaries in 30 years. When asked how they did it, his reply was that they depended upon the divine draft, "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory."

    Frank Lloyd Wright undertook the "impossible" task of building the immense Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, a land of terrible earthquakes. Eight feet below the surface of the earth he found a 60-foot bed of soft mud. After four years of work amid ridicule and jeers, he was successful in floating his great structure upon this strange foundation. There it was, perfectly balanced. Soon the worst earthquake in 52 years shook down many houses and buildings nearby, but amid the ruins the Imperial Hotel stood. It could adjust itself to the tremors of the earth.

    When we place ourselves in the hands of God, we are safe in all life's crises and storms. God specializes in crises. The apostle Paul was sure that the Lord would supply all the needs of the Philippians, and we can be sure that He will supply ours, too. The God of the early church is our God today. His riches of grace are large, but what shall we say of His riches in glory?

    "I believe in faith as much as anyone," says one, "but you must have the money in the bank." We agree, if it is God's bank, supplying God's people by Christ Jesus.

MEDITATION PRAYER: "O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee: and thy righteousness to the upright in heart" (Ps. 36:10).