Word of the Day - Palace

PA'LACE. n.s.  ...A royal house; an house eminently splendid.

- Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

1 Kings 16:18-19 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. [Somehow, it is interesting to me that the first mention of a palace in the Bible, as far as I could tell, is in the context of defeat and suicide. Palaces in history are not known for their pristine and lovely histories. They tend to have ugly stories attached to them. This is curious.]

1 Chronicles 29:1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.

Esther 1:5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

Psalm 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

My Lord has garments so wondrous fine,

And myrrh their texture fills;

Its fragrance reached to this heart of mine

With joy my being thrills.

Out of the ivory palaces,

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

In garments glorious He will come,

To open wide the door;

And I shall enter my heav’nly home,

To dwell forevermore.

Henry Barraclough

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Word of the Day - Ship

Mark 6:47-51 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

There is many a storm on the Jesus-way,
Many a storm I see,
When black is the cloud and the wind is loud
And the waves go over me.
But the Lord Himself is in my little ship
And the storm obeys His will;
At the word He hath said - "Be not afraid"
My heart and the sea grow still.

- Annie Johnson Flint -

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We Have An Anchor

"In order to realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm."
Corrie Ten Boom

We Have An Anchor

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

Refrain:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,

For ’tis well secured by the Savior’s hand;

And the cables, passed from His heart to mine,

Can defy that blast, thro’ strength divine.

It will surely hold in the Straits of Fear—

When the breakers have told that the reef is near;

Though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,

Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.

It will firmly hold in the Floods of Death—

When the waters cold chill our latest breath,

On the rising tide it can never fail,

While our hopes abide within the veil.

When our eyes behold through the gath’ring night

The city of gold, our harbor bright,

We shall anchor fast by the heav’nly shore,

With the storms all past forevermore.

Refrain:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Priscilla J. Owens

Hebrews 6:17-20 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Eternity by Martha Snell Nicholson and A Short Thought

 

"Nothing short of God can satisfy your soul."  - John Wesley

ETERNITY 

I stood with God on the edge of the world, and my hand was in His hand. 

I looked down the road of the past, as it stretched away in the dim distance, till it was shrouded in the mists of time. 

And I knew it had no beginning, and a little chill wind of fear blew about my head. 

God asked, "Are you afraid?"
And I said, "Yes, because I cannot understand how there can be no beginning." 

So God said, "Let us turn and face the other way." 

And I looked into glory, and my heart rejoiced with joy unspeakable. 

And then my mind went ahead, a billion, billion years, and I knew there would be no end, and again that little chill wind of fear began to blow. 

And God asked me again, "Are you afraid?"
And I answered, "A little, because I cannot understand how there can be no end." 

So God asked me tenderly, "Are you afraid now, today, with your hand in Mine?"
And I looked up at Him and smiled and replied, "O my Father, No!" 

And God said, "Every day in eternity will be today."

by Martha Snell Nicholson

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Did you ever stop to think that eternity without God would be scary? What good hope would we have, what righteous expectations, what peace without His presence? None, really. Man fantasizes about living forever in this present wicked world, but what comfort or joy is there in that? No, the familiar of this life only seems better because of the limitations of our imaginations. But, when we believe the promises of God and rest in His loving kindness, we can KNOW that eternity, in all its vastness, will be both good and beautiful, both righteous and peaceful. And, in that we can trust that our souls will be completely satisfied, because God is already there, and He is good and gracious and kind to us today.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. 

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

1 John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. 

Short Thoughts - Envy and False Humility

 

If I cannot in happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.  - Amy Carmichael

Being offended when you aren't given a position you think you should have is something a lot of Christians would recognize as lacking humility. It is common for people to imagine they deserve a more important position or role in a given situation, from family occasions to church events. Most people will try to hide their envy or unhappiness in these situations simply to look "godly," even if they are furious inside. But, we probably all have seen it show through at some point, either in ourselves or others.

I would guess that more people don't recognize the false humility of making a fuss about one's unworthiness when asked to take first place. 

I remember a story my dad told us. Many years ago a position of leadership came open on a certain mission field. A man was asked to step in and take over that role. He knew he was able to do the job and so he quietly, and without fanfare, stepped into the role and began to do it well. There were other missionaries who were offended that he hadn't made a big deal about not being worthy. They considered him proud because he didn't pour on a bunch of fake humility before accepting the role. They didn't know it, but this said a whole lot more about them than it did about him. Eventually he left that role, and I think it was partly because of all the jealous people who thought they should have been asked instead of him. They couldn't stand to see him succeed when he hadn't made sure to declare they were all so much more worthy than he was. Yes, they were full of envy.

Proverbs 27:4  Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Calvary love - the kind of love that took Jesus to the Cross for our salvation - doesn't stand around being resentful that it didn't get the job, nor does it hesitate when asked to do something where it is fully capable. 

Envy and false humility are two sides of the same coin. Neither one is "legal tender" in the economy of God. He doesn't trade on pettiness nor the pride of man. 

1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Hebrews 13:15-16 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

The Thousand Word Project - Rust Ruffles

I know that He provides the lilies,

His eye each falling sparrow sees;

And so my soul will fear no evil,

For I am more to Him than these.

Ina D. Ogdon

Word of the Day - Trouble

Word of the Day - 

Trouble

Job 34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him?...

Job 38:22-23 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Though troubles assail us

And dangers affright,

Though close friends should fail us

And foes all unite,

Yet one thing secures us,

Whatever betide,

The promise assures us,

"The Lord will provide."

John Newton

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Word of the Day - Delight - Part 2

 

Delight

Part 2

 

Psalm 68:30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

Psalm 109:16-17 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

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Word of the Day - Delight (Part 1)

 

Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 16:2-3 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Psalm 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Thou lovely source of true delight,

Whom I unseen adore;

Unveil Thy beauties to my sight,

That I may love Thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines;

But in Thy sacred Word,

I read in fairer, brighter lines,

My bleeding, dying Lord.

’Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop,

And sins and sorrows rise,

Thy love with cheerful beams of hope,

My fainting heart supplies.

Anne Steele

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Creatures Great and Small - Love that Yarrow

 

Yarrow. Tennessee

So Many Hurting People

Sometimes it feels like every time we go to church meeting or answer the phone or look at a text message or read an email, there is some pain or suffering or burden. Whether it's the sorrow of seeing people we know and love walking away from the truth or someone we care about who is dealing with health or personal difficulties or tragedy. The adversary is very busy these days making conflict and trouble for anyone who is even trying at little to follow Jesus Christ.

Some days it's hard to keep lifting when we are so often in the midst of our own struggles. Yet this is the very thing that we should do in obedience to the Lord and because we are His disciples.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

This song reminded me of why we need to keep helping one another and those who need redemption through Christ.

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The Voice of One Who Wept

Today I heard the voice of one who wept
In far off lands
Because of sin and misery,
And begged with outstretched hands
For one small lamp to light his dark.
Now fain I would have slept,
So - stopped my ears, but in my heart
That sobbing voice still wept.

And then I heard the voice of one who
Counted not the cost,
But left His ivory palaces to seek and
Save the lost.
He said, "The sound of one who weeps
Is coming up to Me.
Dost thou forget that last command
Which I gave unto Thee,
To preach my Word to all the world?"

O, bitter be our shame!
Still hopeless millions walk the earth
Who never heard His Name,
And still the world spends lavishly
In every crowded mart,
And still the voice of Him who wept
Is sobbing in my heart!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Through good report and evil, Lord,
Still guided by Thy faithful Word,
Our staff, our buckler and our sword,
We follow Thee.

In silence of the lonely night,
In the full glow of day's clear light,
Through life's strange windings, dark or bright,
We follow Thee.

Horatius Bonar

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

Tempted and tried, I need a great Savior;

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Elisha Hoffman

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Word of the Day - Weakness - Part 2

Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength.

- Dwight L. Moody -

God does not need your strength: he has more than enough of power of his own. He asks your weakness: he has none of that himself, and he is longing, therefore, to take your weakness, and use it as the instrument in his own mighty hand. Will you not yield your weakness to him, and receive his strength? 

- Charles Spurgeon -

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Word of the Day - Ask

John 16:23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom.
If you may have everything by asking in His Name, and nothing
without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is.

Charles Spurgeon

Our Lord never referred to unanswered prayer. He taught that prayers are always answered: “Everyone who asks receives.” And He implied that prayers are answered rightly because of the heavenly Father's wisdom: “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Oswald Chambers

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Word of the Day - Success

To be able to carry money without spending it;
To be able to bear an injustice without retaliating;
To be able to do one's duty when critical eyes watch;
To be able to keep at the job until it is finished when some would brush you aside;
To be able to do the work and let others receive the recognition;
To be able to accept criticism without letting it whip you;
To lift those who push you down;
To love when hate is all about you;
To follow God when others put detour signs in your path;
To have the peace of heart and mind because you have given God your best -- this is the true measure of success.

- Author unknown

(This came from my Mom's Collection.)

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

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Word of the Day - Alive

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Psalm 22:28-29 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

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Wonderful Story - A Poem by Martha Snell Nicholson

 

Wonderful Story

Wonderful story of infinite grace!

Story of One crucified in my place,

Hanging forsaken between earth and sky,

Shamed and tormented and left there to die,

His kingly head bowed with the weight of my sin.

(Foul was I, Lord, without and within.)

Angels still carol the story through space,

Wonderful story of infinite grace!

Wonderful story of infinite love,

Wanting me there in heaven above;

Seeing me, blood-washed, as spotless as He,

Building a home for a sinner like me;

Oh, how it eases the pain I must bear,

Only to dream of that home waiting there,

Its windows aglow with the light from His face!

Wonderful story of love and of grace!

Martha Snell Nicholson

Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Word of the Day: Study

 

Some quotes and scriptures on the subject of study.

Word of the Day - Study

A Good Reminder – Faith Is Rest

"Faith is rest, not toil. It is the giving up all the former weary efforts to do or feel something good, in order to induce God to love and pardon; and the calm reception of the truth so long rejected, that God is not waiting for any such inducements, but loves and pardons of His own goodwill, and is showing that goodwill to any sinner who will come to Him on such a footing, casting away his own poor performances or goodnesses, and relying implicitly upon the free love of Him who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." Horatius Bonar

Galatians 3:11-14 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

"This is such a good reminder that faith is resting in what God has given us through Jesus Christ in His death on the cross." - Elizabeth Van Nattan (my mom)

(First published here Oct. 2011)

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I was having a conversation with my brother this past week and was reminded of this quote by Horatius Bonar. It is so easy to fall into the way of thinking that faith is work or that somehow our works add to our faith. True faith does produce good works, as we read in James, but faith itself is rest, not work. It is resting in Christ's finished work and knowing that He is sufficient, He finished to work of salvation on Calvaty, and we are complete in Him.

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

Are you having trouble having faith? Get into God's word. Notice it doesn't say that faith cometh by preaching. Not by theology, not Christian fiction, not philosophy, not following a Christian personality, not watching cheesy (or even good) Christian videos on YouTube. Hearing the word of God. Read it out loud. Listen to it online or recordings. Read it. Read it. :-) 

Thoughts from Hymns - Sweet Rest

Graphic property of Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him...

Here is a good thought from a hymn. It was posted last year by Stephanie at the Enchanting Rose. I hope you will be encouraged and learn some useful things, as well as enjoying her lovely photographs. :-)

Sweetly Resting

This post also reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

"Faith is rest, not toil. It is the giving up all the former weary efforts to do or feel something good, in order to induce God to love and pardon; and the calm reception of the truth so long rejected, that God is not waiting for any such inducements, but loves and pardons of His own goodwill, and is showing that goodwill to any sinner who will come to Him on such a footing, casting away his own poor performances or goodnesses, and relying implicitly upon the free love of Him who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." Horatius Bonar

Also a quote from another hymn:

Jesus, I am resting, resting,

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

Jean S. Pigot

Worth Repeating - A Bit of Humor

Here are some fun food related quotes I posted in 2010. I added the images from my collection. :-)
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"The thought of two thousand people crunching celery at the same time horrified me." - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950). Explaining why he had turned down an invitation to a vegetarian gala dinner.

Have you heard of the garlic diet?
You don't lose much weight, but from a distance your friends think you look thinner.

Vegetables are interesting but lack a sense of purpose when unaccompanied by a good cut of meat. – Fran L.

The West wasn’t won on salad.
- North Dakota Beef Council advertisement, 1990

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~Jim Davis
“I would like to find a stew that will give me heartburn immediately, instead of at three o'clock in the morning.” ~John B.

“It would be nice if the Food and Drug Administration stopped issuing warnings about toxic substances and just gave me the names of one or two things still safe to eat.” Robert Fuoss
My favorite animal is steak. ~Fran L.

The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found. ~Calvin Trillin

A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat. ~Old New York Proverb

And I find chopsticks frankly distressing. Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven't yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food? ~Bill B.