http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions Portions from God's Word, various hymns, and some quotations from godly Christians from the 19th century such as John Darby and Edward Dennett and others. From September 2005 to March 2006, postings are almost exclusively from "Footprints for Pilgrims"; since April 2006 postings include primarily selections from "Choice Gleanings" and "Streams in the Desert". en soundwords soundwords Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:52:46 +0100 daily 1 Looking Forward "The things which are not seen." --2 Corinthians 4:18 In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with Him, and made to sit together with Him on His throne, even as He has overcome and has sat down with the Father on His... Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:52:46 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Looking-Forward/5424/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Looking-Forward/5424/   After deep exercise of soul I was brought by grace to feel I could entirely. John Nelson Darby Among the children of God, it was they who were most able to rightly divide the word of truth. John Nelson Darby But the more we search the Scriptures, the more we perceive, in this doctrine, the fundamental truth of the gospel - that truth which gives to redemption its character, and to all other truths their real power. John Nelson Darby Christ preferred the poor; ever since I have been converted so have I. John Nelson Darby During my solitude, conflicting thoughts increased; but much exercise of soul had the effect of causing the scriptures to gain complete ascendancy over me. John Nelson Darby Every Christian will allow that sin is an evil, and that it is our duty not to commit sin. John Nelson Darby God is sufficient in all ages for His church. ... Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:41:55 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Quotes-from-John-Nelson-Darby/5423/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Quotes-from-John-Nelson-Darby/5423/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Deuteronomy 1:36-36   The Path to Blessing "To him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon because he hath wholly followed the Lord" (Deut. 1:36). Every hard duty that lies in your path, that you would rather not do, that it will cost you pain and struggle or sore effort to do, has a blessing in it. Not to do it, at whatever cost, is to miss the blessing. Every hard piece of road on which you see the Master's shoe-prints and along which He bids you follow Him, surely leads to blessing, which you cannot get if you cannot go over the steep, thorny path. Every point of battle to which you come, where you must draw your sword and fight the enemy, has a possible victory which will prove a rich blessing to your life. Every heavy load that you are called to lift hides in itself some strange secret of strength. --J. R. Miller "I cannot do it alone; ... Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:44:32 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Path-to-Blessing/5422/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Path-to-Blessing/5422/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: 1 Chronicles 29:13   Psalm 97:12   Praise and Thanksgiving to God Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. 1 CHRONICLES 29:13 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. PSALMS 97:12 AND now the wants are told, that brought Thy children to Thy knee; Here, lingering still, we ask for nought, But simply worship Thee. The hope of heaven's eternal days Absorbs not all the heart That gives Thee glory, love, and praise For being what Thou art. WILLIAM BRIGHT LET praise--I say not merely thanksgiving, but praise--always form an ingredient of thy prayers. We thank God for what He is to us; for the benefits which He confers, and the blessings with which He visits us. But we praise Him for what He is in Himself,--for His glorious excellences and perfections, independently of their... Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:03:07 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Praise-and-Thanksgiving/5421/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Praise-and-Thanksgiving/5421/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Luke 2:36-37   Continue in Prayer "And there was Anna, a prophetess . . . which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:36, 37). No doubt by praying we learn to pray, and the more we pray the oftener we can pray, and the better we can pray. He who prays in fits and starts is never likely to attain to that effectual, fervent prayer which availeth much. Great power in prayer is within our reach, but we must go to work to obtain it. Let us never imagine that Abraham could have interceded so successfully for Sodom if he had not been all his lifetime in the practice of communion with God. Jacob's all-night at Peniel was not the first occasion upon which he had met his God. We may even look upon our Lord's most choice and wonderful prayer with his disciples before His Passion as the flower and fruit of His many nights... Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:46:49 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Power-of-Prayer/5420/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Power-of-Prayer/5420/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 6:17   Isaiah 65:14   Psalm 25:9   Rejoicing in God's Love My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. PSALMS 25:9 The living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 1 TIMOTHY 6:17 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart. ISAIAH 65:14 GIVE me, O Lord, a heart of grace, A voice of joy, a shining face, That I may show where'er I turn Thy love within my soul doth burn! A tenderness for all that stray, With strength to help them on the way A cheerfulness, a heavenly mirth, Brightening my steps along the earth! LADY GILBERT THOSE who love God are encompassed with gladness on every side, because in every passing moment they see and feel a Father's love, and nothing of this world can take it away or lessen it. H. L. SIDNEY LEAR To be happy is properly... Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:11:12 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Rejoicing-in-God/5419/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Rejoicing-in-God/5419/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 4:17   Achieving the Victory "For this our light and transitory burden of suffering is achieving for us a weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17). (Weymouth) "Is achieving for us," mark. The question is repeatedly asked--Why is the life of man drenched with so much blood, and blistered with so many tears? The answer is to be found in the word "achieving"; these things are achieving for us something precious. They are teaching us not only the way to victory, but better still the laws of victory. There is a compensation in every sorrow, and the sorrow is working out the compensation. It is the cry of the dear old hymn: "Nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee, E'en tho' it be a cross that raiseth me." Joy sometimes needs pain to give it birth. Fanny Crosby could never have written her beautiful hymn, "I shall... Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:58:26 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Way-to-Victory/5418/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Way-to-Victory/5418/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: Isaiah 26:12   Ready to do His Will Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou hast also wrought all our works for us. ISAIAH 26:12 (R. V.) WITH that deep hush subduing all Our words and works that drown The tender whisper of Thy call, As noiseless let Thy blessing fall As fell the manna down. JOHN G. WHITTIER PRAY to be calm and quiet and hushed, and that He will vouchsafe you the sense of His blessed presence; that you may do all things beneath His eye; to sit with Mary calmly at His feet and hear His voice, and then calmly rise and minister to Him. EDWARD BOUVERIE PUSEY Try so to live in the light of God's love that it becomes a second nature to you, tolerate nothing adverse to it, be continually striving to please Him in all things, take all that He sends patiently; resolve firmly never to commit the smallest deliberate fault, and if, unhappily you are overtaken by any... Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:07:44 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Ready-to-do-His-Will/5417/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Ready-to-do-His-Will/5417/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Psalm 27:14   Who is Leading? "O Lord , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). "Lead me in a plain path" (Ps. 27:14). Many people want to direct God, instead of resigning themselves to be directed by Him; to show Him a way, instead of passively following where He leads. --Madame Guyon I said: "Let me walk in the field"; God said: 'Nay, walk in the town"; I said: "There are no flowers there"; He said: "No flowers, but a crown." I said: "But the sky is black, There is nothing but noise and din"; But He wept as He sent me back, "There is more," He said, "there is sin I said: "But the air is thick, And fogs are veiling the sun"; He answered: "Yet souls are sick, ... Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:22:01 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/God-s-Leading/5416/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/God-s-Leading/5416/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: Psalm 63:7   The Right to Joy Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice. PSALMS 63:7 ON our way rejoicing gladly let us go; Conquered hath our Leader, vanquished is our foe! Christ without, our safety! Christ within, our joy! Who, if we be faithful, can our hope destroy? On our way rejoicing as we homeward move, Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love! J. B. S. MONSELL I CANNOT understand why those who have given themselves up to God and His goodness are not always cheerful, for what possible happiness can be equal to that? No accidents or imperfections which may happen ought to have power to trouble them, or to hinder their looking upward. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES Why should we go to heaven weeping, as if we were like to fall down through the earth for sorrow? If God were dead (if I may speak so, with reverence of Him who liveth for ever and... Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:20:46 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Joy-in-God/5415/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Joy-in-God/5415/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: Genesis 4:19-20   Doing His Will He saith unto them, Follow me . . . and they straightway left their nets, and followed Him. MATTHEW 4:19,20 JESUS calls us; o'er the tumult Of our life's wild, restless sea, Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, Saying, "Christian, follow me." As of old St. Andrew heard it By the Galilean lake, Turned from home, and toil, and kindred, Leaving all for His dear sake. CECIL F. ALEXANDER THE will of God will be done; but, oh, the unspeakable loss for us if we have missed our opportunity of doing it! BROOKE FOSS WESTCOTT God, who calleth us, Himself gives us the strength to obey His call. He who is with us now to call us, will be ever present with us, in all whereto He calleth us. All in His purpose and love, every degree of grace and glory, lies wrapped up in His next call. All eternity of bliss and the love of God will,... Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:57:42 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Doing-His-Will/5414/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Doing-His-Will/5414/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: John 15:15   1 John 2:5   Be His Friend Whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in Him. 2 John 5 I have called you friends. JOHN 15:15 THE hands that tend the sick tend Christ; the willing feet that go on errands of love, work for Christ; the words of comfort to the sorrowful, and of sympathy to the mourner, are spoken in the name of Christ--Christ comforts the world through His friends. How much have you done for Him? What sort of a friend have you been to Him? God is working through His people; Christ is succoring through His friends--it is the vacancies in the ranks of His friends wherein the mischief lies: come and fill one gap. ARTHUR F. WINNINGTON INGRAM IT is true that love cannot be forced, that it cannot be made to order, that we cannot love because we ought, or even because we want. But we can bring ourselves into the... Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:25:47 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Keeping-His-Word/5413/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Keeping-His-Word/5413/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Psalm 65:8   The Lord's Times "Thou makest the outgoing of the morning and evening to rejoice" (Ps. 65:8). Get up early and go to the mountain and watch God make a morning. The dull gray will give way as God pushes the sun towards the horizon, and there will be tints and hues of every shade, that will blend into one perfect light as the full-orbed sun bursts into view. As the King of day moves forth majestically, flooding the earth and every lowly vale, listen to the music of heaven's choir as it sings of the majesty of God and the glory of the morning." In the holy hush of the early dawn I hear a Voice "I am with you all the day, Rejoice! Rejoice!" The clear, pure light of the morning made me long for the truth in my heart, which alone could make me pure and clear as the morning, tune me up to the concert-pitch of the nature around me.... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:25:40 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Beginning-of-the-Day/5412/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Beginning-of-the-Day/5412/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Psalm 46:10   The Power of Silence "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there any word in all the Psalter more eloquent than that one word, Selah (Pause)? Is there anything more thrilling and awful than the hush that comes before the bursting of the tempest and the strange quiet that seems to fall upon all nature before some preternatural phenomenon or convulsion? Is there anything that can touch our hearts as the power of stillness? There is for the heart that will cease from itself, "the peace of God that passeth all understanding," a "quietness and confidence" which is the source of all strength, a sweet peace "which nothing can offend," a deep rest which the world can neither give nor take away. There is in the deepest center of the soul a chamber of... Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:38:35 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Power-of-Stillness/5411/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Power-of-Stillness/5411/ Source: Joy and Strength Scripture Reference: 2 Thessalonians 3:12   Live in Peace We command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work. 2 THESSALONIANS 3:12 THERE is an order in our daily life, Like that the holy angels constant keep; And though its outward show seems but a strife, There dwells within a peace like oceans deep. JONES VERY THE enemy of that grand central habit of interior patience is haste: haste of thought, haste of judgment, haste of manner, haste of speech. Even natural powers of every kind become true strength, when they work submissively and harmoniously under the direction of Divine light and the movement of Divine grace; and this disciplined subjection at every point under the dominion of Christ our Lord, ruling us by His grace, makes the soul the serene organ of the Holy Spirit, for the animating, controlling, and guiding of our souls. WILLIAM BERNARD ULLATHORNE ... Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:44:11 +0100 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Quietness/5410/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Quietness/5410/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Romans 4:18-19   Greatest Gifts Come Through Travail "For Abraham, when hope was gone, hoped on in faith. His faith never quailed" (Rom. 4:18-19). We shall never forget a remark that George Mueller once made to a gentleman who had asked him the best way to have strong faith. "The only way," replied the patriarch of faith, "to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings." This is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails. Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know. "Be not afraid, only believe." And if you are... Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:21:04 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Gifts-thru-Travail/5409/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Gifts-thru-Travail/5409/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: 2 Timothy 2:10   Eternal Glory Struggles "I endure all things for the sake of God's own people; so that they also may obtain salvation...and with it eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10, Weymouth). If Job could have known as he sat there in the ashes, bruising his heart on this problem of Providence--that in the trouble that had come upon him he was doing what one man may do to work out the problem for the world, he might again have taken courage. No man lives to himself. Job's life is but your life and mine written in larger text....So, then, though we may not know what trials wait on any of us, we can believe that, as the days in which Job wrestled with his dark maladies are the only days that make him worth remembrance, and but for which his name had never been written in the book of life, so the days through which we struggle, finding no way, but never losing the light, will be the most... Tue, 26 May 2009 17:01:39 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Struggles-in-view-of-Eternal-Glory/5408/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Struggles-in-view-of-Eternal-Glory/5408/ " Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines . . .and the fields shall yield no food. . . and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation ." (Habakkuk 3:17-18) In our language today we would say: "There is nothing in the refrigerator, the cupboards are bare, the grocery stores have all been closed up, and I have no money." Could we then say with Habakkuk: "I will rejoice in the Lord?" What can we do when we are not experiencing the joy of the Lord in our lives? We can do the following: 1. Confess the sins we are aware of, so that we might be restored to fellowship with the Lord`(compare 1 John 1:9). David confessed his sin and prayed: "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation" (Psalm 51:12) and God did as he asked! 2. Take time to sit at Jesus' feet and hear Him speak from His Word. The morning is the best time to do this. If we wait until... Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:20:54 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/True-Joy/5407/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/True-Joy/5407/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 3:22   Waiting and Working "And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth unto the plain, and I will there talk with thee" (Ezek. 3:22). Did you ever hear of any one being much used for Christ who did not have some special waiting time, some complete upset of all his or her plans first; from St. Paul's being sent off into the desert of Arabia for three years, when he must have been boiling over with the glad tidings, down to the present day? You were looking forward to telling about trusting Jesus in Syria; now He says, "I want you to show what it is to trust Me, without waiting for Syria." My own case is far less severe, but the same in principle, that when I thought the door was flung open for me to go with a bound into literary work, it is opposed, and doctor steps in and says, simply, "Never! She must... Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:11:38 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Waiting-and-Working/5406/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Waiting-and-Working/5406/ Source: Streams in the Desert Scripture Reference: Romans 8:28   Spiritual Force "All these things are against me" (Gen. 42:36). "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). Many people are wanting power. Now how is power produced? The other day we passed the great works where the trolley engines are supplied with electricity. We heard the hum and roar of the countless wheels, and we asked our friend, "How do they make the power?" "Why," he said, "just by the revolution of those wheels and the friction they produce. The rubbing creates the electric current." And so, when God wants to bring more power into your life, He brings more pressure. He is generating spiritual force by hard rubbing. Some do not like it and try to run away from the pressure, instead of getting the power and using it to rise above the painful causes. ... Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:41:07 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Spiritual-Force/5405/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/portions/Spiritual-Force/5405/