Annual Bible Conference

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises–“. I could talk about that one short phrase for hours. You need to spend some time thinking about italso.

One of the first songs I learned when I became a Christian was “Standing on the Promises”. I have lived my life since that time doing just that, and His promises have never failed me. They won’t let you down either. You can trust God! This story by Pastor Stephen Davey illustrates this fact:

The devil is a liar! Satan wants us to believe that our fall is fatal–that we will never recover. Those who embrace this idea are never able to get past the past. The Bible, however, assures us that we can recover from our sinful ways. Not only do we see this in the Bible, we see examples of this in everyday life. The following story, told by Pastor Stephen Davey, is an example of what I’m talking about:

Maria and her daughter Christina lived in a small hut in a Brazilian village. Christina’s father had died when she was just an infant, and her courageous mother had done her best for the child. Maria made her living by cleaning houses, though it provided very little income.  The day came when Christina was finally old enough to earn her own way.

Instead of finding a small job in the village where she had grown up, she dreamed of going to the great city, Rio de Janeiro, and seeking an opportunity there. But when she told  her mother of her desires to leave the village, a look of fear came into Maria’s eyes and she said, “The streets are cruel, Christina. There’s nothing for you there.”

Maria knew that if her daughter went to the city, the only work she would find at her age would lead to prostitution. That’s the reason Maria’s heart was broken the morning she found her daughter’s pallet empty. She knew where Christina had gone, and she feared she may never see her again.

Maria immediately gathered some clothing and boarded a bus for the city. When she arrived in Rio De Janeiro, she went to a small drug store, stepped into a photography booth, and made as many pictures of herself as she could afford. Armed with her bag of clothing and a purse full of little black and white photographs, she headed for the back streets, entering bars, hotels, and nightclubs—anywhere prostitutes gathered.  She taped her picture to walls, mirrors, bulletin boards, and bathroom stalls, in hopes that her daughter may see one of them and read the message written on the back.

Tired and broken hearted, out of money and photos, Maria gave up the search and rode the rickety bus back to her village without ever finding Christina.  The mother wept for her lost daughter.

Months later, Christina glanced across the lobby of a hotel to see a familiar face taped to a mirror.  Recognizing it, she quickly ran to the mirror and pulled the picture off. It was indeed her mother. With trembling hands she held it, staring at her mother’s face.  Turning the photo over, she noticed the writing on the back. When she read the words, her throat burned and tears began to stream down her face. The note said, “Wherever you are, whatever you have become, I will forgive you. Please come home.”

So… Christina did.

What a beautiful picture of true mercy; yet this is merely a glimpse of the mercy which God shows to us. Regardless of all the thousands of times we sin, the thousands of choices we make which are contrary to His Word—He continually pursues us and loves us.

Even when we run away, He searches for us, leaving a message that never changes:  “Wherever you are, whatever you have become, I will forgive you.” And you can count on it… He will!

— Thank the Lord that no matter how many times you have failed—and will fail—Him, He never stops forgiving and loving you. Pray that He will help you to love others with that same kind of love. ( From “A Wisdom Retreat”, by Stephen Davey)

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! Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s dealings are very mysterious. His way is in the sea, and His path in the mighty waters, and His footsteps are not known.
We looked for light–but behold darkness.
We expected success–but we meet with failure.
We anticipated prosperity–but we are plunged in adversity.
Our purposes are broken off.
Our plans are frustrated.
Our skies are clothed with clouds.
Beloved, such is the case with us sometimes! Our circumstances are so painful, so different from what we anticipated, that in bewilderment we exclaim, “Truly, You are a God who hides Yourself!”

God will do just as He pleases with His own children. He has the right–and He will exercise it. He will often . . .
cross our wills,
hedge up our paths,
cut off our expectations, and
give us wormwood and gall to drink!

And why? Because He loves to cause us pain–or takes pleasure in our sighs and sorrows? No! Oh, no! But because He consults our welfare. Because He is wiser than we are!

Why am I poor–and my brother rich?
Why am I sick–and my sister healthy?
Why are my efforts crossed–and my neighbor’s crowned with success?
This is often deeply trying. But our Father refuses to answer such questions! He asks, “May I not do as I will–with My own?” He kindly quiets us by the assurance, “You don’t understand now what I am doing–but someday you will.” Well did the patriarch exclaim, “He gives no account of any of His matters.”

How difficult to say sometimes, “Though He slays me–yet will I trust in Him!” How difficult to believe that this rough road is the right road—-

Our Father wisely appoints the circumstances and lot of every one of His children. He has mapped out the path in which they are to travel. He has appointed their bounds, which they cannot pass. Then with Job we say, “He is in one mind–and who can oppose him? He does whatever He pleases. He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me.”

We must not murmur, we must not complain–but patiently follow wherever the Lord leads, and quietly bear whatever He lays on us. Patience must calm the spirit, quiet the heart, and close the mouth. Then shall we say with the Psalmist, “I was silent, I opened not my mouth, because You are the One who has done this!”
Had it been man–it might have been wrong.
Had it been chance–it might have been injurious.
But it was You–and, therefore, it must be wise, holy, and kind.

We are required quietly to persevere–though the way is rugged, though the thorns pierce our feet, though we cannot see one step before us! We must walk by faith, not by sight, believing . . .
that we are safe–in the midst of danger;
that we are right–though everything is perplexing;
and that all will end well–for “–we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose!” Romans 8:28  (By James Smith, 1865)

We generally stress our need of God most when things are at the worst and as we think about the future it is usually with the the prospect of problems in view. However, we need to consider the other side of the coin. Life isn’t all bad. I’ve noticed over the years that prosperity has spoiled more people than problems ever did. We need to see our need of God at all times in our life. The following words by J.R. Miller helps us put things in their proper perspective:

“We need Christ just as much in our bright, prosperous, exalted hours as in the days of darkness, adversity, and depression. We are quite in danger of thinking that religion is only for sickrooms and funerals, and for times of great sorrow and trial—a lamp to shine at night, a staff to help when the road is rough, a friendly hand to hold us up when we are stumbling. This is not true. Jesus went to the marriage-feast as well as to the home of sorrow. His religion is just as much for our hours of joy as for our days of grief. There are just as many stars in the sky at noon as at midnight, although we cannot see them in the sun’s glare. And there are just as many comforts, promises, divine encouragements, and blessings above us when we are in the noons of our human gladness and earthly success, as when we are in our nights of pain and shadow. We may not see them in the brightness about us, but they are there, and their benedictions fall upon us as perpetually, in a gentle rain of grace.”