Sound Words for Pilgrims

We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.    Psalm 66:12

Fire and water are extremes and often typify acute trials and chronic sufferings. Many of the Lord’s people are suffering today and feel cornered or overwhelmed, whether by health problems, people problems, or attacks by Satan. But the important words of this experience are “we went through!” There is a way through and we will be brought out--not just to where we were before, but to a better place and into a greater experience and appreciation of the Lord, Who brought us through. Look forward to and enjoy the higher ground, the Beulah land, that wealthy place!   
--Roy Hill

I have climbed the rugged mountain, on its summit now I stand,
Hallelujah! Halleluljah! I have entered Beulah Land. --Fanny Crosby

Postings may be more sporadic during the month of August.  Please use http://www.choicegleanings.com/home.php for Choice Gleanings or else use http://www.backtothebible.org/devotions/devotion.php/streams for Streams in the Desert daily entries.

They returned again to Lystra.    Acts 14:21

Paul had been stoned at Lystra and left for dead! But in that city were young believers needing much encouragement. Would he and Barnabas return to the place of stoning to help them? Yes! The criterion for their course of action was not, whether they would again face hardship, but whether there was still work to be done for God in that city. Fellow believer, have you abandoned some service for your Lord because it meant a little inconvenience or hardship? Return again to your Lystra!    --David Croudace

Nought reserving, on the altar all I lay, and wait the hour,
When the fire from heaven descending shall attest His glorious pow’r.
Taking up the cross of Jesus, glad for Him to suffer shame,
All my gain I count but loss for the glory of His name.      -- I. Budd

The works of the LORD are great…He will ever be mindful of His covenant.    Psalm 111:2, 5

How we need to be mindful of those who are bound in heathen strongholds! In many countries the process of changing from an empty religion to Christianity is a drastic move. Someone described it this way: “Changing religions means breaking the family tradition, family ties, and family honour. A Christian is no longer a member of the family and suffers mental and physical cruelty from his own kinsmen.” Only the Lord’s power can bring one from such a background and make them a faithful follower of Christ. Have we prayed for the steadfastness of persecuted Christians today?   
--E. Dyck

Trust in Him, ye saints forever; He is faithful changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever those He loves from Him. --Thomas Kelly

And the LORD took me as I followed the flock.    Amos 7:15

God’s call is an inner conviction given by the Holy Spirit that is confirmed by the Word of God. Amos was stirred to the depths of his soul by God’s hatred of empty ritual, cleresy, and professionalism (5:21). Have we no place for an Amos today? Arise servants of the Lord, and speak fearlessly and faithfully now. As a frontier preacher it mattered little to Amos the opinion of the chapel clergy or vested priests. His challenge is with us and still rings out. “Prepare to meet thy God” (4:12).    --Les Rainey

Stand upright, speak thy thought, declare
The truth thou hast that all may share;
Be bold, proclaim it everywhere;
They only live who dare.  --Lewis Morris

That in all things He might have the preeminence.   Colossians 1:18

Yes, we desire that Christ have preeminence in the church. But He should have first place in all things. That means in my life, too. Start at the heart, what I love. My mind, what I think. My body, how I dress. My home, what I do. My family, how I treat others. My friendships, who I’m with. My conversations, what I say. Now you’ve got it--in all things He should have the preeminence. Is it so?           
--Rex Trogdon

O grant that nothing in my soul,
May dwell but Thy pure love alone!
Oh may Thy love possess me whole,
My joy, my treasure and my crown!
--P. Gerhardt

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?   1 Cor. 15:55

On driving through the town of Dumfries in Scotland my attention was attracted to a sign in the window of a shop. It said, “Discounted Life Policies.” In these days of so much life insurance, this did not seem too unusual until I noticed the significance of where the shop was located. It was in the grounds of a cemetery. Whilst it seemed a little odd to mix life with death, it none the less is a stark reminder to us that the grave holds no fear for the believer. We have the promise of heaven through believing in Christ; death has no sting and life can truly be found in the midst of death.    --Brian Powlesland

Clouds and darkness round us press; would we have one sorrow less?
All the sharpness of the cross, all that tells the world is loss,
Death and darkness and the tomb, pain us only til He come!
--Bickersteth

Remembering without ceasing your (1) work of faith, and (2) labour of love, and (3) patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father…ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.    1 Thessalonians 1: 3,7

What a thrilling testimony and encouragement the Thessalonian believers were to the Apostle Paul and the believers in the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia. Their model of trusting in Christ, serving Him in love and steadfastly waiting for His return should be a pattern for each of us. Think of the joy and comfort we could be to others if we would emulate their splendid attitude and actions.
--Bob Cretney

All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Let my life speak forth His praise. --Mary D. James

I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.    Philippians 4:18

Paul, a prisoner in Rome for the cause of the gospel, had a visitor from Philippi, bringing with him some “things” from the saints there to help meet Paul’s present need. They were unsolicited. It was a gift of love to the Lord and also to His servant. The people gave willingly and at cost to themselves. Paul sends his appreciation and thanks, but at the same time raised their gift to a high elevation in the _expression he uses. There are still so many needs. Raise a sweet incense to the Lord today with your generosity.    --Reg. L. Jordan

We lose what on ourselves we spend; we have as treasures without end,
Whatever Lord, to Thee we lend, who givest all.    --Chs. Wordsworth

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1

Blessed be God, our God, who gave for us His well-beloved Son,

The gift of gifts, all other gifts in one; blessed be God, our God! --H. Bonar

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.    1 Jn. 2:15

Some feel that by abusing the body, they can gain victory over the lusts that torment them. They may fast, go without sleep, or even punish themselves physically through an arduous pilgrimage. But if one could drive out these lusts in this way, their heart would still be empty. Satan would return with a vengeance. John says that the way to drive out these enslaving lusts is to let the love of God fill your heart. Open your heart to the Lord; receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour. God’s love for you will enrapture your heart and these other besetting burdens will be driven out.   
--D. Norbie

O God, renew us in Thy love today, for our tomorrow we have not a care,
Who blessed us yesterday will meet us there.              --Amy Carmichael

The heavens opened .    Mark 1:10
The veil of the temple was rent in twain.    Mark 15:38

Mark’s Gospel opens with rent heavens and closes with a rent veil. It was God who spread the curtain of the heavens (Ps. 104:2; Is. 40:22) and God who gave command concerning the making of the tabernacle’s veil (Ex. 26:31). Now the hand of God rends them both. Human rending usually denotes imperfection, but these Divine rendings are linked with perfection--the perfection of Jehovah’s Servant, in life and in death.  
--J. Strahan

The Father only comprehends the Son, or rightly can appraise
The moral glory that attends, from first to last, His perfect ways.
--W. Kirkpatrick

Ye have not passed this way heretofore.    Joshua 3:4

There are times in life when the mundane pattern of everyday routine is interrupted by unexpected and changeful events--times when we face the unknown, and challenges to our faith that we have never experienced before. In this verse, Israel was facing such days, but the Ark, which normally would have been in the midst, moved to the front of the camp and opened the way before them. How comforting to know that not only is the Lord in our midst, but that He has trod the path before us, and we can safely follow where He may lead.
--W. H. Burnett

Fear no evil, fear no evil, only all my counsel take,
For I’ll never, never leave thee, I will never thee forsake.

But speaking the truth in love.    Ephesians 4:15
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt.   
Colossians 4:6

John informs us that the Lord Jesus was full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14). His speech never lacked either quality, but in fact was full of both. But what if our words lack these? Warren Wiersbe writes, “Love without truth is hypocrisy, truth without love is brutality.” Another has said, “If you have love, you are not only going to think no evil, you’re going to take your tongue and have it nailed to the cross so that you bless instead of curse.” Let both grace and truth govern our speech.    --Warren Henderson

May the mind of Christ my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and power, controlling all I do and say.
--K. Wilkinson

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.    Job 1:1

If the Lord talked about us, what would He say? He spoke about Job repeatedly and mentioned with pleasure his character and behavior. We live in times when results are measured and the emphasis is on doing. However, we often overlook or neglect the ministry of being. Most Christian ministry takes place outside of the pulpit, and is carried on every day by simply living a godly life. By living in the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7) and turning from evil, we are serving God, pleasing Him by perfecting our character.  
--Carl Knott

O, blessed is that man of whom some soul can say,
He was an inspiration along life’s toiling way.
--Unknown

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to (1) do justly, and to (2) love mercy, and to (3) walk humbly with thy God?    Micah 6:8

When God reveals His will, our responsibility is increased. If He “shows what is good,” He requires a response! Our text points to three areas of responsibility. In personal conduct, we are to “do justly;” in relationships with others, we are to “love mercy;” in our relationship with God, we are to “walk humbly.” Let us face up to these challenges!  
--G. Hall

Like Thee in faith, in meekness, love,
In every heavenly grace,
More of Thine image daily gain,
Till we behold Thy face. --Joseph Stennett

I go to prepare a place for you.    John 14:2
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.   
Isaiah 40:1

Grief therapist, Robert Gordon, was awed by the devastation of the World Trade Center. Many were the comments made to him as he counselled victims of that atrocity. One little fellow wanted to know if his daddy’s cell phone worked in heaven. A little girl wished to give her pillow to her Mommy, who she felt would need it in heaven. Thank God every comfort will be provided by our beloved Lord when we reach that glorious place.   
--Arnot P. McIntee

We’ll know why clouds instead of sun,
Were over many a cherished plan;
Why song has ceased when scarce begun;
‘Tis there some time we’ll understand.
--M. Cornelius

When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred.    Matthew 4:2
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.    John 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.    John 6:35

The Lord Jesus started His work hungry and finished it thirsty. He would never provide for Himself first, but always for others. On the cross He died in order to satisfy the spiritual hunger of our hearts and the spiritual thirst of our souls.     --Tom Steere

Crowned with thorns upon the tree, silent in Thine agony;
Dying, crushed beneath the load of the wrath and curse of God.