Sound Words for Pilgrims

"Master ... at Thy word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5)

Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,

Just as Thou wilt, and how, and where,

Until Thy blessed face I see,

Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

(pp. 57-60, Footprints for Pilgrims)

"And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God." (Luke 9:43)  It is very humbling to see how amazed they were about this power.  They did not wonder at the power of evil.  But they ought so to have counted on His power as to have been amazed if the power were not exerted.

The faith of the labourer is the means of blessing to souls.

(Luke 10:38-42)  Martha, though preparing for the Lord, which was right surely, yet shows how much self is inherent in this kind of care, for she did not like to have all the trouble of it.

What perseverance there is on the part of God !  and we are called to go on in the same spirit.  It does cost a great deal to go on and on, in spite of everybody and everything; and for us to do so marks the presence of divine power in us, for God's grace is unwearied.

When no circumstances lead you to have any hope, is your hope then in Him ?

My service will be rewarded whatever may have been produced by the Holy Ghost answering the desire of Christ in working in me, for it is service of which I could not do an atom without His power.

Our place is to meet everything in service in the patience and power of Christ.

I always dread my work not being solid.

We should pray for more of the working of the Spirit in us and desire to be filled with the Spirit -- poor little hearts indeed, but they may be filled.

(Luke 14:10) When God gives me a place it is one of power and nighness to Himself; but when a man takes a place for himself it is one of weakness and alienation from God, because self is the object.

"Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." You cannot turn a lamb into a wolf to defend itself. ... The testimony is brighter ... when I take things quietly and submit, not desiring to be a wolf among wolves.  It is exceedingly difficult for one's heart to bow and say, "I will be nothing but a lamb," but that is our place, for the Lord says, "Vengeance is mine".

John said, "We forbad him, because he followeth not with us."  That tells the whole tale.  They were thinking of themselves, not of Christ; of their own importance, and not His honour.  If it had been His importance they would have thought how blessed it was to find the effect of His name and rejoiced to know His power was being exercised by man.  But no; they were looking at themselves as well as at the Messiah.  ...  And is there not something in us of the same thing -- a satisfaction at that which aggrandizes self as well as Christ, instead of seeking the honour of Christ alone.

--- J.N.D.

"Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." (Hebrews 10:37)

"A little while" -- 'twill soon be past,

Why should we shun the promised cross ?

O let us in His footsteps haste.

Counting for Him all else but loss !

For how will recompense His smile,

The sufferings of this "little while".

(pp. 13-16, Footprints for Pilgrims)

The bitter waters of Marah must be tasted when the salt waters of the Red Sea have delivered us from Egypt for ever and ever.  Put the wood of the tree, the cross of Christ, into our cross and all will be sweet.  "Crucified" is terrible work -- crucified with Christ, joy and deliverance; reproach is cruel, the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Eqypt.

If we have once really tasted the loving-kindness of God we never enjoy it so much as when we have nothing else to enjoy.

We must all learn God ... in the midst of His blessings ... perhaps first, and some time or other have our hearts settled by being cast over on Himself and nothing else; being brought into a position where nothing helps God to make us happy ... and where we must find in Him alone our all.

(Luke 9:28-43) Jesus was as much with His disciples when they came down as while they were on the mount, and that is our comfort.  Do not let us suppose we have lost Christ ... The Lord give us to know, while passing through this world, what a Christ we have, taking our hearts clean out of the defiling circumstances around, so that whether we get a taste of the glory or are passing through the crowd of this world.  He may be everything to us, as He is everything for us.

It is wonderfully sweet to feel that we near home; long often difficult and painful work (although it is a wonderful privilege to do it), and then eternal rest with the Lord.

As long as Christ's grace is at work, if there is only one saint on the earth and everything else failed around, he would find the power of Christ ready to be exercised on his behalf ... However dark the dispensation may be, there is exactly the grace that is needed for the position.

Never fear persecution; it will make your face shine like an angel's.

Self-sacrifice is always joy where there is grace in it.  There is no such joy as self-devotedness.

The soul is tested by afflictions as to how far self-will is active. ... God searches us.  By this means we learn on the one hand what we are, and on the other what God is for us in His faithfulness and daily care.  We are weaned from the world, and our eyes become better able to discern and appreciate what is heavenly.

All that makes heaven a home to Christ will make it a home to me.  O come, Lord Jesus !

Christ's perfection was not to act, but to suffer; in suffering there was a more entire surrender of Himself.

In His eternal presence, how shall we feel that all our little sorrows and separations were but little drops by the way, to make us feel that we were not with Him, and when with Him what it is to be there.

--- J.N.D.