“But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” – Psalms 102:27

Everything below is liable to change; health may give place to sickness, pleasure to pain, plenty to poverty, love to enmity, honour to disgrace, strength to weakness, and life to death.

Remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. But though all our circumstances and friends should change, there is One who never changes. He is in one mind, and none can turn Him. With Him is no variableness. He is the same yesterday, today, and for ever; and He is our best Friend, our nearest relation, our gracious Saviour.

Yesterday, His name was Jesus; His nature was love; His purpose was to do us good with His whole heart and soul: today, He is the same; we cannot expect too much from Him, or be too confident in Him, if we are walking humbly with Him. He will be our God, and we shall be His people.

Let us cultivate intimacy with Him, dependance upon Him, concern to please Him, fear to offend Him, zeal to glorify Him; and it must be well with us in health and sickness, plenty and poverty, life and death; for He is the same, and will never turn away from doing us good, but remain the Fountain of love and holiness for ever. Praise ye the Lord.–James Smith, 1840

This God is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
Whose love is as great as His power,
And neither knows measure nor end.

We could spend hours talking about the cause and consequences of backsliding, but for now I just want you to focus on whether you are or are not growing in the Lord. If the answer is “no” please realize that there are no excuses. If your growth has stopped, rather than give up, you need to get up, get going and get growing. Growth affects every area of your life– your joy, peace, ability to love, strength to resist temptation, power to endure trials, and effectiveness to minister to others. We neglect it to our own peril. While God alone can enable us to grow it isn’t automatic. We must make use of the means God has given for it to happen. Because Christ gives us spiritual life we have the potential to grow, but to make it possible we must feed upon His Word, pray, and obey His precepts. So–let’s get growing!

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42

Dallas Seminary professor J. Dwight Pentecost said that “to be occupied with Christ is more important than to be occupied for Christ.” We see both of these in the story of Martha and Mary, and it was Mary who chose “the good part”. What about you?

James Smith wrote, “The things of time are transient, the things of eternity are permanent. The world passeth away. The body must die; earthly connexions must be dissolved; but the soul must live for ever. The welfare of the soul is the one thing needful. If the soul is in a sanctified and healthy state, it will be found at the feet of Jesus; it will relish His words; and enjoy His communications more than the riches feast. We shall be seeking to know Him, love Him, believe Him, obey Him, and enjoy Him. Fellowship with Jesus is needful as an evidence of interest in Him, and as a source of satisfaction and comfort. He that finds a home at the feet of Jesus, will enjoy an eternal heaven in the presence of Jesus. Let not then the many trifles of time affect, distract, and bewilder you; but let the one thing needful be the constant object of pursuit and desire. Live at the feet of Jesus, and you are safe. Seek, above all things, to enjoy Jesus, and you will be happy. Aim in all things to glorify Jesus, and you will be holy. Look daily for the coming of Jesus, and you will be consistent. O Jesus! manifest Thyself to me; draw me to Thy feet, and keep me there!”

Engage this roving, treacherous heart
To fix on Mary’s better part;
To scorn the trifles of a day,
For joys that none can take away.

“….in my flesh shall I see God.” — Job 19:26

Mark the subject of Job’s devout anticipation “I shall see God.” He does not say, “I shall see the saints”—though doubtless that will be untold felicity—but, “I shall see God.” It is not—“I shall see the pearly gates, I shall behold the walls of jasper, I shall gaze upon the crowns of gold,” but “I shall see God.” This is the sum and substance of heaven, this is the joyful hope of all believers. It is their delight to see him now in the ordinances by faith. They love to behold him in communion and in prayer; but there in heaven they shall have an open and unclouded vision, and thus seeing “him as he is,” shall be made completely like him. Likeness to God—what can we wish for more? And a sight of God—what can we desire better? Some read the passage, “Yet, I shall see God in my flesh,” and find here an allusion to Christ, as the “Word made flesh,” and that glorious beholding of him which shall be the splendour of the latter days. Whether so or not it is certain that Christ shall be the object of our eternal vision; nor shall we ever want any joy beyond that of seeing him. Think not that this will be a narrow sphere for the mind to dwell in. It is but one source of delight, but that source is infinite. All his attributes shall be subjects for contemplation, and as he is infinite under each aspect, there is no fear of exhaustion. His works, his gifts, his love to us, and his glory in all his purposes, and in all his actions, these shall make a theme which will be ever new. The patriarch looked forward to this sight of God as a personal enjoyment. “Whom mine eye shall behold, and not another.” Take realizing views of heaven’s bliss; think what it will be to you. “Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty.” All earthly brightness fades and darkens as we gaze upon it, but here is a brightness which can never dim, a glory which can never fade—“I shall see God.” ( Morning and Evening)