– – –the just shall come out of trouble. Proverbs 12:13

THE Lord’s people are justified by grace, through faith, in the righteousness of Jesus; and all who are thus justified and created anew, have immortal principles of holiness and justice implanted in their hearts, so that they hate sin, follow holiness, and walk uprightly. Sin has not dominion over them, nor will they be slaves to lust. They meet with many troubles, they have to pass through fire and water, but they shall come out into a wealthy place. They shall not perish in their affliction, for the Lord upholdeth them with His hand. Beloved, look beyond your present trials; remember if you suffer as a Christian, you suffer with Christ; and if you suffer, you shall also reign with Him. Your God is able to deliver; He has promised to do so; trust in Him without wavering; yield not to temptation; avoid the appearance of evil; and your God will bring you out of trouble. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. You shall also forget your misery, or remember it as waters that pass away. Present troubles will end in everlasting peace.

Millions who now His throne surround,
Here sought relief, here mercy found;
The Lord dispell’d their gloomy fears,
Heal’d all their wounds, and dried their tears;
And thou shalt also mercy find,
For God is faithful, just, and kind.–James Smith

“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31

In this day of sinful selfishness and shameful self-promotion we would do well to remember this verse, and to say with Paul, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ—“. Gal. 6:14. James Smith left us this reminder:

“It is unlawful to glory in ourselves, our descent, our possessions, our connections, or doings; if we glory it must be in the Lord. We must glory in Him as gracious and merciful, exercising loving-kindness and tender mercies in the earth; in what He is to His people, their God, their portion, and their Friend; in what He has for us, has already given to us, and will without doubt bestow upon us. In Christ, as crucified for our sins, raised for our justification, and ascended to heaven in order to plead our cause, and take possession of the kingdom in our names. In our relation to Him, interest in Him, and oneness with Him, this is our glory, that we are one with Christ, and one with the Father through Him. That we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ; that all things are for our sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God. Beloved, let us glory in the Lord, in His free grace, eternal love, well-ordered covenant, precious promises, splendid mansions, and glorious name.”

In Christ my full salvation stands,
In Him alone my glorying be;
Nothing shall pluck me from His hands,
From condemnation I am free:
Be holiness my costly dress,
And my best robe His righteousness.

“And be ye kind one to another—“Eph. 4:32

Kindness has been called the small coin of love. The word is generally used to designate the little deeds of thoughtfulness and gentleness which make no noise in the world — rather than the large heroic acts which all men note and applaud. One may live many years and never have the opportunity of doing any great thing — but one may always be kind, filling all one’s day with gentle attentions, helpful ministries, little services of interest and sympathy, and small courtesies. Wordsworth speaks of “That best portion of a godly man’s life — his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”

Kindness is beautiful in its spirit and motive. It usually springs out of the heart spontaneously. The greater things men do are prepared for, planned for, and are done consciously, with intention and purpose. Kindness as a rule, is done unconsciously without preparation, without thought. This enhances its beauty.

There is no self-seeking in it, no thought of reward of any kind. It is done in simplicity, prompted by love, and is most pleasing to Christ.

The things we do consciously, with thought and intention, oft-times have much of self in them. The things we do without purpose or plan, are the truest indexes of the heart and mean most in God’s sight.

The world does not know how much it owes to the common kindnesses which so abound everywhere.—-Copied

Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?– John 11:26

The everlasting, ever-living Christ entered the realm of death in order to spoil death of all its strength. Death and the devil had no more power over Jesus than a fortress that is being ransacked has over its invaders!

Christ bowed His head and entered the doorway of death, not out of defeat, but “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus Christ raided death and brought all of His children out of its dungeons and into the light of His own eternal and glorious heaven.

It is no wonder, therefore, that Jesus would admonish us to “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). There is an end worse than death, Jesus reminds us: death will be defeated one of these days, but hell is forever.

John gives us this graphic description of the end times: “in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them” (Revelation 9:6). What a contrast between this awful scene and the gracious words of Jesus, that those who trust in Him will never die.

For each child of God, it will one day become a reality that “death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54), that our Savior Jesus Christ “hath abolished death” (2 Timothy 1:10), and that God will wipe away every tear and “there shall be no more death” (Revelation 21:4). No more death. Can you believe it? Do you believe Him?–Baptist Bible Hour

How much time have you spent in your Christian life meditating on the plain instruction from our Savior?-“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The God who has revealed Himself to needy men and women wants us to know that when we have Him, we have everything – we have all the rest! Any of us who have experienced a life and ministry of faith can tell how the Lord has met our need even for food and the essentials of life. Brethren, we ought to learn, and learn it soon, that it is much better to have God first and have God Himself, even if we have only a thin dime, than to have all the riches and all the influence in this world and not have God with it! Let us go on to know Him and to love Him more dearly; not for His gifts and benefits but for the pure joy of His presence. Thus we will fulfill the purpose for which He created us and redeemed us!–A. W. Tozer