Trusting in and Waiting on the LORD

January 1st - after hanging out with Tifiny, Nana, and Pops playing cards and then watching the ball drop in NYC, we all went to sleep in the expectation of rising only a few hours later to head to the airport to catch a midmorning flight back to CA. Tif and I watched "Everybody Loves Raymond" until about 1:30 am or so, and then I put on my ipod and listened to Brian Brodersen teach about trusting the Lord. The teaching is so very personal to me, its one of those teachings that you hear and it is SO FOR YOU that it blows your mind! Waiting on God is difficult. Over the course of many months, God has REPEATEDLY and clearly brought up particular Scripture to me, through many different teachers. Although there is no denying it, I continue to have those moments where I think "is God really speaking that to me?" There are times when I am leaning on these portions of Scripture like my life depends on it, and there are other times when I think I am an absolute NUT to even think that I should even believe these promises. Its tough. Brian's message covers all this and more in a short 25 minutes. When I was listening to it (for the 20th time at least), it was like it was sinking in like never before.

Around 2:30ish, I woke up to the house SHAKING! It was a thunderstorm passing by. I tried to go back to sleep, to no avail. I laid there until about 4 am, when I got up and went to the living room to jump on my computer and get some things ready for the day, and read some. (Pops was sleeping in the living room, so i was trying to be as quiet as possible, even though I was lighting up the night with my bright computer screen!)

I checked my email, and read an email stating that I was getting some money deposited in my account. I thought that was pretty cool, and knew that I could count on those funds to be there soon.

And THEEEEN, I stumbled on to the following...how IRONIC! It is the preface for C.H. Spurgeon's book "The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith." Its LONG, but sooooo very worth the time and effort to read!

Trusting in God, and waiting on Him can be one of the most challenging things a person will ever go through, especially in difficult circumstances. Yet at the same time, I know this is part of His so very perfect will for my life, and is likely to be one of the most fruitful seasons of my life....once on the other side of this valley.

The God of the Bible is a very personal God. And He makes very personal promises to His children. If you have the time, you should read this. Even if you dont have the time, YOU SHOULD READ THIS!

THE CHEQUE BOOK
OF
THE BANK OF FAITH
BEING PRECIOUS PROMISES ARRANGED FOR DAILY USE WITH BRIEF COMMENTS
BY
C. H. SPURGEON


A PROMISE from God may very instructively be compared to a cheque payable to order. It is given to the believer with the view of bestowing upon him some good thing. It is not meant that he should read it over comfortably, and then have done with it. No, he is to treat the promise as a reality, as a man treats a cheque.
He is to take the promise, and endorse it with his own name by personally receiving it as true. He is by faith to accept it as his own. He sets to his seal that God is true, and true as to this particular word of promise. He goes further, and believes that he has the blessing in having the sure promise of it, and therefore he puts his name to it to testify to the receipt of the blessing.
This done, he must believingly present the promise to the Lord, as a man presents a cheque at the counter of the Bank. He must plead it by prayer, expecting to have it fulfilled. If he has come to heaven’s bank at the right date, he will receive the promised amount at once. If the date should happen to be further on, he must patiently wait till its arrival; but meanwhile he may count the promise as money, for the Bank is sure to pay when the due time arrives.
Some fail to place the endorsement of faith upon the cheque, and so they get nothing; and others are slack in presenting it, and these also receive nothing. This is not the fault of the promise, but of those who do not act with it in a common-sense, business-like manner.
God has given no pledge which he will not redeem, and encouraged no hope which he will not fulfil. To help my brethren to believe this, I have prepared this little volume. The sight of the promises themselves is good for the eyes of faith: the more we study the words of grace, the more grace shall we derive from the words. To the cheering Scriptures I have added testimonies of my own, the fruit of trial and experience. I believe all the promises of God, but many of them I have personally tried and proved. I have seen that they are true, for they have been fulfilled to me. This, I trust, may be cheering to the young; and not without solace to the older sort. One man’s experience may be of the utmost use to another; and this is why the man of God of old wrote, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me;” and again, “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.”
I commenced these daily portions when I was wading in the surf of controversy. Since then I have been cast into “waters to swim in,” which, but for God’s upholding hand, would have proved waters to drown in. I have endured tribulation from many flails. Sharp, bodily pain succeeded mental depression, and this was accompanied both by bereavement, and affliction in the person of one dear as life. The waters rolled in continually, wave upon wave. I do not mention this to exact sympathy, but simply to let the reader see that I am no dry-land sailor. I have traversed those oceans which are not Pacific full many a time: I know the roll of the billows, and the rush of the winds. Never were the promises of Jehovah so precious to me as at this hour. Some of them I never understood till now; I had not reached the date at which they matured, for I was not myself mature enough to perceive their meaning.
How much more wonderful is the Bible to me now than it was a few months ago! In obeying the Lord, and bearing his reproach outside the camp, I have not received new promises; but the result to me is much the same as if I had done so, for the old ones have opened up to me with richer stores. Specially has the Word of the Lord to his servant Jeremiah sounded exceedingly sweet in mine ears. His lot it was to speak to those who would not hear, or hearing, would not believe. His was the sorrow which comes of disappointed love, and resolute loyalty; he would have turned his people from their errors, but he would not himself quit the way of the Lord. For him there were words of deep sustaining power, which kept his mind from failing where nature unaided must have sunk. These and such like golden sentences of grace I have loved more than my necessary food, and with them I have enriched these pages.
Oh, that I might comfort some of my Master’s servants! I have written out of my own heart with the view of comforting their hearts. I would say to them in their trials—My brethren, God is good. He will not forsake you: he will bear you through. There is a promise prepared for your present emergencies; and if you will believe and plead it at the mercy-seat through Jesus Christ, you shall see the hand of the Lord stretched out to help you. Everything else will fail, but his word never will. He has been to me so faithful in countless instances that I must encourage you to trust him. I should be ungrateful to God and unkind to you if I did not do so.
May the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, inspire the people of the Lord with fresh faith! I know that, without his divine power, all that I can say will be of no avail; but, under his quickening influence, even the humblest testimony will confirm feeble knees, and strengthen weak hands. God is glorified when his servants trust him implicitly. We cannot be too much of children with our heavenly Father. Our young ones ask no question about our will or our power, but having once received a promise from father, they rejoice in the prospect of its fulfilment, never doubting that it is sure as the sun. May many readers, whom I may never see, discover the duty and delight of such child-like trust in God while they are reading the little bit which I have prepared for each day in the year.
For long years several thousands of God’s people have read my MORNING BY MORNING and EVENING BY EVENING, and many of them have been good enough to write me, and acknowledge the benefit of such a perusal. I hope this little book will not interfere with those volumes. These daily portions are gathered from a more varied range of topics, and are all the more profitable because they deal with doctrine, experience, practice, and everything else. This is a sweetmeat of promise only, and it must not interfere with the fuller meals: nay, rather, I hope it will excite a desire for them.
May our Lord Jesus accept this my service for his sheep and lambs, from
His unworthy Servant,
C. H. SPURGEON.

A personal record

The road is difficult. Some days are better than others, while there are some moments when I feel like I cant survive another second - Yet time will always show how amazing God's grace is, that it is sufficient for every believer, and for every son or daughter born again of Jesus Christ grace will not only get us through the storms of life....but will lead and guide us to our ultimate destination. Grace.

Another couple of short devotions taken from Spurgeon's "The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith." Once again I feel as if the verses and the writings of Spurgeon were written just for me. Im determined to make note of these things as often as possible. Marching on the path I go, continuing to move forward...my only true source of nourishment being the Word of God...I need it...I long for it...its the only way I can take another step...

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Let the hearing of Your Word, be mixed with faith always...



NOVEMBER 26

“Your sorrow shall be turned into joy.”
John 16:20.




THEIR particular sorrow was the death and absence of their Lord, and it was turned into joy when he rose from the dead and showed himself in their midst. All the sorrows of saints shall be thus transmuted; even the worst of them, which look as if they must for ever remain fountains of bitterness.
Then the more sorrow the more joy. If we have loads of sorrow, then the Lord’s power will turn them into tons of joy. Then the bitterer the trouble the sweeter the pleasure: the swinging of the pendulum far to the left will cause it to go all the farther to the right. The remembrance of the grief shall heighten the flavour of the delight: we shall set the one in contrast with the other, and the brilliance of the diamond shall be the more clearly seen because of the black foil behind it.
Come, my heart, cheer up! In a little while I shall be as glad as I am now gloomy. Jesus tells me that by a heavenly alchemy my sorrow shall be turned into joy. I do not see how it is to be, but I believe it, and I begin to sing by way of anticipation. This depression of spirit is not for long; I shall soon be up among the happy ones who praise the Lord day and night, and there I shall sing of the mercy which delivered me out of great afflictions.



NOVEMBER 27

“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”
Ex. 33:14.




PRECIOUS promise! Lord, enable me to appropriate it as all my own.
We must go at certain times from our abode, for here we have no continuing city. It often happens that when we feel most at home in a place, we are suddenly called away from it. Here is the antidote for this ill. The Lord himself will keep us company. His presence, which includes his favour, his fellowship, his care, and his power, shall be ever with us in every one of our marchings. This means far more than it says; for, in fact, it means all things. If we have God present with us, we have possession of heaven and earth. Go with me, Lord, and then command me where thou wilt!
But we hope to find a place of rest. The text promises it. We are to have rest of God’s own giving, making, and preserving. His presence will cause us to rest even when we are on the march, yea, even in the midst of battle. Rest! Thrice blessed word. Can it ever be enjoyed by mortals? Yes, there is the promise, and by faith we plead it. Rest comes from the Comforter, from the Prince of Peace, and from the glorious Father who rested on the seventh day from all his works. To be with God is to rest in the most emphatic sense.

Happy Thanksgiving

If I sat here and thought and pondered on the things I am thankful for, I could probably compile a decent size list. The things that I take for granted would likely add up to a similar sized list, if not larger. Im so thankful for my God, and the redeeming, perfect, and complete work He has accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection. Thankful for my wife, and the fruitful vine she is, in the very heart of my home. I am thankful for a beautiful, healthy baby girl. I am also very thankful for my beautiful family. So thankful for an amazing church family, and a church to call home. Thankful for difficult, faith testing times....that I might see more clearly on this side of eternity, how personal, loving, and faithful the God of Holy Scripture truly is....and that I might be more conformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

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Another Spurgeon Devo


NOVEMBER 25

“Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
Zech. 4:7.


AT this hour a mountain of difficulty, distress, or necessity may be in our way, and natural reason sees no path over it, or through it, or round it. Let faith come in, and straightway the mountain disappears and becomes a plain. But faith must first hear the word of the Lord—“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” This grand truth is a prime necessity for meeting the insurmountable trials of life.
I see that I can do nothing, and that all reliance on man is vanity. “Not by might.” I see that no visible means can be relied on, but the force is in the invisible Spirit. God alone must work, and men and means must be nothing accounted of. If it be so, that the Almighty God takes up the concerns of his people, then great mountains are nothing. He can remove worlds as boys toss balls about, or drive them with their foot. This power he can lend to me. If the Lord bids me move an Alp I can do it through his name. It may be a great mountain, but even before my feebleness it shall become a plain; for the Lord hath said it. What can I be afraid of with God on my side?

The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith - Spurgeon

NOVEMBER 16

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.”—Isa. 54:17.


THERE is great clatter in the forges and smithies of the enemy. They are making weapons wherewith to smite the saints. They could not even do as much as this if the Lord of saints did not allow them; for he has created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire. But see how busily they labour! How many swords and spears they fashion! It matters nothing, for on the blade of every weapon you may read this inscription: It shall not prosper.
But now listen to another noise: it is the strife of tongues. Tongues are more terrible instruments than can be made with hammers and anvils, and the evil which they inflict cuts deeper and spreads wider. What will become of us now? Slander, falsehood, insinuation, ridicule—these are poisoned arrows; how can we meet them? The Lord God promises us that, if we cannot silence them, we shall, at least, escape from being ruined by them. They condemn us for the moment, but we shall condemn them at last, and for ever. The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped, and their falsehoods shall be turned to the honour of those good men who suffered by them.

Lamentations 3:22-34

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
For He does not afflict willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
To crush under one’s feet

A personal record

In so many ways, through so many people and so many different avenues God has encouraged me...encouraged me when I was feeling weak and tired....encouraged me when I felt I could not take another step...so many things I hope to write down. Surely there are some things I have already forgotten. God is too good! And His lovingkindess to His children is beyond complete comprehension and measure!!! Hopefully God will help me to remember the times of encouragement in the past, but for now I press on - to embrace His Word and every milestone along the way which builds me up, strengthens my faith, stirs up hope...to document and record all of the tangible ways by which God shows His mercy, love, and grace to me...all the while being assured deep down that my AWESOME GOD is also showing me these things, and working in ways I cannot begin to see or even imagine!



Morning, November 12 - SPURGEON (Again)

“The trial of your faith.”
— 1 Peter 1:7

Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators. When a calm reigns on the sea, spread the sails as you will, the ship moves not to its harbour; for on a slumbering ocean the keel sleeps too. Let the winds rush howling forth, and let the waters lift up themselves, then, though the vessel may rock, and her deck may be washed with waves, and her mast may creak under the pressure of the full and swelling sail, it is then that she makes headway towards her desired haven. No flowers wear so lovely a blue as those which grow at the foot of the frozen glacier; no stars gleam so brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky; no water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand; and no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers; and you would never have known God’s strength had you not been supported amid the water-floods. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too.

Let not this, however, discourage those who are young in faith. You will have trials enough without seeking them: the full portion will be measured out to you in due season. Meanwhile, if you cannot yet claim the result of long experience, thank God for what grace you have; praise him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.

Ubelievably Personal

Oh my goodness...its as if God actually knows EVERYTHING that is going on in my life, and in my thoughts.. =) Pslam 121 in its entirety has been a real encouragement in the recent past...one of those Chapters in the Bible that I have referred to over and over in my heart...with hope. But there are so many times when I have thought, "is that REALLY GOD's word to meeeee?" Well....


Spurgeon - The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith

NOVEMBER 10

“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.”
Ps. 121:3.


IF the Lord will not suffer it, neither men nor devils can do it. How greatly would they rejoice if they could give us a disgraceful fall, drive us from our position, and bury us out of memory! They could do this to their hearts’ content were it not for one hindrance, and only one: the Lord will not suffer it; and if he does not suffer it, we shall not suffer it.
The way of life is like travelling among the Alps. Along mountain paths one is constantly exposed to the slipping of the foot. Where the way is high the head is apt to swim, and then the feet soon slide: there are spots which are smooth as glass, and others that are rough with loose stones, and in either of these a fall is hard to avoid. He who throughout life is enabled to keep himself upright and to walk without stumbling has the best of reasons for gratitude. What with pitfalls and snares, weak knees, weary feet, and subtle enemies, no child of God would stand fast for an hour were it not for the faithful love which will not suffer his foot to be moved.

“Amidst a thousand snares I stand
Upheld and guarded by thy hand;
That hand unseen shall hold me still,
And lead me to thy holy hill.”