“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”James 4:6–8

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater
He sendeth more strength as the labors increase
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

Annie Johnson Flint was crippled by arthritis and unable to hold a job, so she supported herself by writing poems, many of which were set to music and became beautiful hymns. The words to her song “He Giveth More Grace” are taken from Scripture, but they are also drawn from her painful experiences.

The story is told that a friend in the United States sent a record of this song to a missionary serving in India who had grown tired and discouraged. She put the record on her record player and began to listen. When the song reached the chorus, the needle stuck on the line: “He giveth and giveth and giveth.” Over and over she heard these words of encouragement. Her hope renewed, she went back to her work with a joyful heart, knowing that God’s grace was sufficient.

While we know that our salvation is all because of God’s grace, there are times when we lose sight of the vital role that grace plays in our daily lives. We are not able to face the challenges and overcome the obstacles in our own strength. We need a fresh measure of God’s grace day by day—and He provides it to us, just as He provided manna day after day to the Children of Israel while they were in the wilderness. Each need for greater grace is met as we rely on God’s strength rather than our own.– Daily in the Word

“… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

On many occasions our greatest enemy is that which is “good” rather than what is “bad”. Sinless things can become sinful. It happens when we are so occupied with the good that we have no time for the best. We don’t have the right to do something just because it isn’t wrong. To major on minors is a mistake. We are to “lay aside every” (any and all, no exceptions) “weight”, encumbrance, that impedes our progress.

Adrian Rogers said,”There’s a certain discipline that belongs to the child of God. He does not have time to participate in good things because there are too many best things.

People sometimes ask me, “Oh, have you read thus and such a book? It’s so good.” I say, “No, I haven’t.” And I think, “Where on earth did you ever get time to read that? I haven’t even read the best books yet. How am I going to have time to read good books?”

I’m amazed at how many people spend so much time doing good things. But good things are bad things when they keep you from best things. Life would be simple if it were a choice between good and bad. But it’s a choice between good and best.”

We would do well to remember what Paul wrote in 2 Tim. 2:4 “ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

“- – -I will deal well with thee.” Genesis 32:9

There’s nothing like a precious promise from the One who cannot lie to brighten a dreary day. And it must have been a delightful day for Jacob when God gave him these words of assurance.Even so dear friends,we too can find great peace in God’s promises— but we must make certain that we don’t misunderstand what God has said. As James Smith wrote,

“- – the promises made unto our fathers, He will fulfill unto us their children. But such a promise does not exclude great trials, sore temptations, deep personal afflictions, fiery persecutions, poverty, disappointments, and perplexity; all these things may happen unto us, and yet the Lord deal well with us. The promise secures the sanctification of our troubles, the communication of grace, deliverance from all real evils, the supply of all wants, and the satisfying of our best desires. Is not this enough, to know that Jehovah will deal well with us in sickness and health; in life and in death; in time and through eternity? This promise is Jehovah’s bond, the believer’s plea, the ground of the Christian’s confidence, a reason for contentment and gratitude, and the cause of our enemies’ confusion. Jacob, though tried, found the Lord faithful, and so shall we. Let us therefore rejoice that our God has said, ” I will deal well with thee. I will make all my goodness pass before thee. I will save thee with an everlasting salvation. I will be thy God and thy glory.” Gracious Lord, do as Thou hast said!”

Jesus! in whom but Thee above,
Can I repose my trust, my love?
Thy counsels and upholding care.
My safety and my comfort are,
And Thou shalt guide me all my days,
Till glory crown the work of grace.

“The Lord our righteousness” Jeremiah 23:6

JESUS is Jehovah, the self-existent, eternal, and immutable God. He is our righteousness. To this end He assumed our nature; came into our place; laboured, suffered, bled, and died in our stead. We have no righteousness by nature, but we have the righteousness of God by grace. “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Jesus completed for us all that was necessary to justify us; He made an end of sin; He magnified the law and made it honourable; He brought in everlasting righteousness; and now He clothes us with the garments of salvation, and covers us with the robe of righteousness. In Him we possess all justice can demand or God require, for our full and eternal justification. This portion is not necessary merely for one day, but every day; it silences an accusing conscience, confounds Satan, strengthens the soul, and glorifies God. Let us look to day, all the day, and every day to Jesus, as “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Let us go to duty, to conflict, to trials, in the strength of the Lord; making mention of His righteousness, even of His only. This is our plea at the throne of grace, our song in the house of our pilgrimage, and our confidence in the prospect of death.

Saviour divine, we know Thy name,
And in that name we trust;
Thou art the Lord our Righteousness,
Thou art our joy and boast.— James Smith

“What is your life? You are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away!” (James 4:14)

What is all this struggle in the world for? Why so many attempts to be something, and have something—in the sphere of nothing? This struggle for passing vanities, is as if the foam and bubbles should contend for station on the rapid stream—but in a moment they are are gone!

We forget that we are but of yesterday—and tomorrow we are no more. It is a shame to think so much about these few fleeting days—and so little of endless ages.- – –

How frail is our life! a pile of grass, a withered leaf, dry stubble, a flower, a breath, brittle clay, fading flesh! How swift is our life! a weaver’s shuttle, an eagle, a ship, a wind that passes away, and comes not again. How short is our life! a moment, a breathing. While I bewail a departed friend, death, suddenly seizing me, translates the lamentation to another tongue that is most nearly concerned in me, who also in a little time must follow me into the silent grave, and leave the protracted elegy to be continued by their nearest relations. Thus mourning is continued, though the mourners themselves are hurried away to death in a short time!

Surely I need not be so anxious about a life so short, a state so uncertain, and a world so vain—where I am only a stranger, a pilgrim, a sojourner, and shortly leaving everything below. Let the world, then, go with me as it will, this shall not trouble me, who am daily going through the world, and shall in a little while—go entirely out of the world, to return no more. How, then, shall I spend this short life, my few winged moments, which are all appointed to me? Surely, in nothing better, than in looking out, and laying up for eternity!–James Meikle