Tennessee Memories - Frosting

From Mom’s Collection – God’s Plan for Your Life

 

This selection comes from part of a page my mom cut from an unknown Christian publication that is dated August 30, 1964.  This poem and devotional thought were placed together on the page by the publisher, and I don’t think it was by accident.

God’s Key

Is there some problem in your life to solve,
Some passage seeming full of mystery?
God knows, who brings the hidden thing to light.
He keeps the key.

Is there some door closed by the Father’s hand
Which widely opened you had hoped to see?
Trust God and wait—for when He shuts the door
He keeps the key.

Is there some earnest prayer unanswered yet,
Or answered not as you had thought ‘twould be?
God will make clear His purpose by-and-by.
He keeps the key.

Unfailing comfort, sweet and blessed rest,
To know of every door He keeps the key.
That He at last when just He sees ‘tis best
Will give it thee.

[Author unknown.]

(Key photo from Wikimedia Commons, source unknown.)
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Contentment

Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

When a Christian manifests a restless, dissatisfied spirit, it is because he does not realize the manifold opportunities which God has set before him. The apostle says, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content…” [Philipians 4:11] and he states as the mind of the Spirit, “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” [1 Corinthians 7:20]  What peace of mind this truth would foster if we gave it full place in our thoughts; and what joy and courage would be ours if we always realized the blessed fact that “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…” [2 Peter 1:3].

A. S. Loizeaux
(edited)

Read More from Mom's Collection

Evening Song - The Blessed Book

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 

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Texas Memories - Bright Berries

 

China Berry

Nandina
(Heavenly Bamboo)

Sometimes You Get What You Want

 

Psalm 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Sometimes we want things that are not good for us. One of the sad, strange things of this life is to see someone who is so desperate for something that they cannot take "no" for an answer, and so God allows them to have the thing they think they must have. But, it turns out to be something troubling or disappointing. 

A lot of us have learned this general fact of life the hard way, perhaps even when we were children. One of my earliest memories of this happening to me is from when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I went to TG&Y dime store with my grandparents to get ice cream. As I recall, I told them that I could eat an ice cream cone with two scoops of ice cream on it (I think they were generous scoops), and they ordered me one against their better judgment. I know something went wrong. I don't remember if I dropped it or made myself sick or had to give it to my grandpa to finish, but my grandparents gave me my coveted ice cream "double dip" cone and it didn't turn out the way I expected. I guarantee you that they pointed this fact of life out to me, because they were good that way.

The world is full of voices telling us we need this or that to be happy, content, fulfilled, etc. It is easy to fall into this way of thinking about things that we especially desire. But, it becomes more dangerous when we convince ourselves, for whatever reason, that something is "God's will" for us.

Continue Reading.

Evening Song - The Mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 2:9-16 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

Matthew 8:8-10 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 

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Isaiah 55:8-11 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Thousand Word Project - The End of Autumn

The last bright colors are here,
Lending a bit of cheer
To the darkest days of the year.

MES