Gems worth pondering
February 14
"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." (Psalm 4:4)
There are three kinds of silence. Silence from words is good, because inordinate speaking tends to evil. Silence, or rest from desires and passions, is still better, because it promotes quietness of spirit. But the best of all is silence from unnecessary and wandering thoughts, because that is essential to internal recollection, and because it lays a foundation for a proper regulation and silence in other respects. (Madam Guyon)
N.J. Hiebert # 3615
February 15
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)
From man's side, the whole secret of answered prayer is in theses words. "If ye abide in Me," instinctively, habitually; "and My words abide in you" - not by rapturous experiences, but by practical and daily obedience to them; our desires will harmonize with His, and our prayers will be moulded along lines that will bring inevitable response from heaven. Stated in other words, the secrets of effectual prayer are mainly four in number:
- Unbroken fellowship (Psalm 66:18).."If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."
- A forgiving spirit (Mark 11:25)........ "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any."
- Confident faith (James 1:5-7).........."Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. . . For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."
- Loving obedience. (John 14:15)........"If ye love Me, keep my commandments."
Given fulfillment of these conditions, prayer is encouraged by promises more numerous and more absolute, than attach to any other one act and privilege of the believer's life. God's universal terms are peculiarly associated with it - "all", "any", "every", "whosoever", "whatsoever", and other such words, make clear His purpose to answer true prayer. (His Last Words - Henry Durbanville)
N.J. Hiebert # 3616
