The mouse.
LEVITICUS 11:29
So wrote Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785 when, with his plough, he disturbed a mouses nest. Moses mentions the mouse as an unclean animal. God decreed certain animals to be clean and others to be unclean, to give the Israelites continual reminders of the difference between holiness and sin. Every time they saw an unclean animal, they were reminded of their own sinful nature.
The mouse, mentioned only six times in Scripture, is a powerful picture of sin. It is unclean, and sin is moral uncleanness. While certain animals are found only in some parts of the world, the mouse is to be found everywhere. Sin is universal, for all have sinned.
Burns described the mouse as sleekit, an old Scottish word for sneaky. It darts quickly here and there and can get into a house through the tiniest of openings. How like sin! Give the devil the tiniest opening, and he will invade your life with the mice of sin.
Mice breed rapidly. One undisturbed pair in a house, with sufficient food and water, can multiply to three or four hundred in a year! Sin breeds rapidly, as David discovered when he sinned with Bathsheba. One look multiplied into adultery, lying, murder, and trouble in his own home that lasted for the rest of his life.
Mice are destructive and do great damage. Sin is always destructive and will adversely affect your life. Mice are attractive to some peoplethey keep little white mice. Sin can be attractive, and people talk of little white lies. Always remember, Sin fascinates, but then assassinates.
Mice must be dealt with, or they will overrun the home and destroy the quality of life. Likewise sin must be dealt with. Only Jesus Christ can effectively eradicate sin. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (I John 1:7). Be watchful today! Do not allow the devils mice in to ruin your day, or your life.
(Eagles Wings)
24 May, 2011
20 May, 2011
Mercy and Grace
Mercy - God does not give to us what we deserve.
Grace - God gives to us what we do not deserve.
Grace - God gives to us what we do not deserve.
16 May, 2011
Beloved Children, Pleasing to God
Our calling as Christians is to imitate Jesus Christ, but what big footsteps He left! The heavenly Father attested several times in the Scriptures, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:17). How can we possibly live up to that?
Thankfully, the Lord does not expect us to be perfect like Jesus. Knowing that we are encumbered by the weaknesses of our flesh, He sees us as children who are still learning. Just like a mother who rejoices over the her baby’s first steps, so our heavenly Father delights in our early faltering steps of obedience as we seek to walk with Him.
The goal is growth. Once a toddler masters walking, his parents’ delight shifts to more mature achievements like running. As long as we keep growing in our faith, we will never cease learning new ways to please our Father. He loves us and patiently cheers us on at each new level of maturity.
What’s important to the Lord is the bent of our hearts. Amidst all our frailties, failures, and temptations, He sees the desires of our hearts and knows how much we love Him and want to be obedient. Even in our stumbling, He helps us up and encourages us with His Word.
Many of you are far more pleasing to the Lord than you think. If you’re prone to perfectionism, give yourself time to grow. The Father does; so learn to see yourself through His eyes. He’s waiting—not to berate your efforts but to help you develop into the person He designed you to be.
In Touch Ministries
Thankfully, the Lord does not expect us to be perfect like Jesus. Knowing that we are encumbered by the weaknesses of our flesh, He sees us as children who are still learning. Just like a mother who rejoices over the her baby’s first steps, so our heavenly Father delights in our early faltering steps of obedience as we seek to walk with Him.
The goal is growth. Once a toddler masters walking, his parents’ delight shifts to more mature achievements like running. As long as we keep growing in our faith, we will never cease learning new ways to please our Father. He loves us and patiently cheers us on at each new level of maturity.
What’s important to the Lord is the bent of our hearts. Amidst all our frailties, failures, and temptations, He sees the desires of our hearts and knows how much we love Him and want to be obedient. Even in our stumbling, He helps us up and encourages us with His Word.
Many of you are far more pleasing to the Lord than you think. If you’re prone to perfectionism, give yourself time to grow. The Father does; so learn to see yourself through His eyes. He’s waiting—not to berate your efforts but to help you develop into the person He designed you to be.
In Touch Ministries
11 May, 2011
2 Timothy 1:12
"for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, "I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee." And am persuaded, &c. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep.
There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: "Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom was it offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?"
There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luke xvi. 2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.
Matthew Henry
Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, "I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee." And am persuaded, &c. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep.
There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: "Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom was it offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?"
There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luke xvi. 2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.
Matthew Henry
07 May, 2011
"WHAT THEN?"
When the great factory-plants of our cities
Have turned-out their last finished works,
When our merchants have sold their last products,
And sent home the last of the Clerks;
When our banks have transacted their business,
And paid out the last dividend;
When the Judge of the Earth calls a reckoning,
And asks for a balance - WHAT THEN?
When the Church choir has sung its last anthem,
And the preacher has made his last prayer;
When the people have heard their last sermon,
And the sound has died out on the air;
When the Bible lies closed on the pulpit,
And the pews are all empty of men,
When each one stands facing his record,
And the Great Book is opened - WHAT THEN?
When the actors have played their last drama.
And the mimic has made his last fun,
When the film has flashed its last picture,
And the billboard displayed its last run;
When the crowds seeking pleasure have vanished,
And gone out in the darkness again,
When the trumpet of ages is sounded,
And we all stand before Him - WHAT THEN?
When the bugle-call sinks into silence,
And the long marching columns stand still;
When the captain repeats his last orders,
And they've captured the last fort and hill;
When the flag has been hauled from the mast-head,
And peace seems to reign among men,
When those who rejected the Saviour
Are asked for a reason - WHAT THEN?
Anon.
Have turned-out their last finished works,
When our merchants have sold their last products,
And sent home the last of the Clerks;
When our banks have transacted their business,
And paid out the last dividend;
When the Judge of the Earth calls a reckoning,
And asks for a balance - WHAT THEN?
When the Church choir has sung its last anthem,
And the preacher has made his last prayer;
When the people have heard their last sermon,
And the sound has died out on the air;
When the Bible lies closed on the pulpit,
And the pews are all empty of men,
When each one stands facing his record,
And the Great Book is opened - WHAT THEN?
When the actors have played their last drama.
And the mimic has made his last fun,
When the film has flashed its last picture,
And the billboard displayed its last run;
When the crowds seeking pleasure have vanished,
And gone out in the darkness again,
When the trumpet of ages is sounded,
And we all stand before Him - WHAT THEN?
When the bugle-call sinks into silence,
And the long marching columns stand still;
When the captain repeats his last orders,
And they've captured the last fort and hill;
When the flag has been hauled from the mast-head,
And peace seems to reign among men,
When those who rejected the Saviour
Are asked for a reason - WHAT THEN?
Anon.
03 May, 2011
What must I do to be saved?
"Lastly, you ask me what you must do to be saved. And I will never let a congregation go, I hope, till I have told them that. Hear, then, in a few words, the way of salvation. It is this.
Christ said to the Apostles, “Preach the Gospel to every creature—he that believes and is baptized shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned.” Or, to give you Paul’s version, when he spoke to the jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” You ask what you are to believe. Why, this — that Christ died and rose again! That by His death He did bear the punishment of all Believers. And that by His Resurrection He did wipe out the faults of all His children! And if God gives you faith, you will believe that Christ died for you. And you will be washed in His blood and you will trust His mercy and His love to be your everlasting redemption when the world shall end!"
Rev C. H. Spurgeon
Christ said to the Apostles, “Preach the Gospel to every creature—he that believes and is baptized shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned.” Or, to give you Paul’s version, when he spoke to the jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” You ask what you are to believe. Why, this — that Christ died and rose again! That by His death He did bear the punishment of all Believers. And that by His Resurrection He did wipe out the faults of all His children! And if God gives you faith, you will believe that Christ died for you. And you will be washed in His blood and you will trust His mercy and His love to be your everlasting redemption when the world shall end!"
Rev C. H. Spurgeon
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