© 1994-2017, Scott Sperling
Made with Xara
    God’s Ways   “God employs such instruments as greatly confound us. Our ignorance and unbelief would choose those whom God rejects, and reject those whom He selects. Will He cure Naaman's leprosy? A little captive maid shall tell him of the prophet of the Lord. Will He lead forth Israel from Egyptian bondage? That little infant in a basket among the rushes, by edict doomed to death as soon as born, shall be the deliverer. Will He make Joseph premier of Egypt? His brethren envy and sell Him, the Ishmaelites carry Him far from all loved ones, Potiphar imprisons Him, the iron enters into His flesh; yet in God's providence every step is onward. How often are those whom we never befriended made to minister to our aid and comfort! Must God's people be brought out of Babylon? Cyrus shall send forth the binding decree. This worshipper of the sun deals as tenderly with God's people as a nurse with her child.  It would not have been more wonderful to see the wolf nourishing and protecting the lamb and the kid. Who would have supposed that God would choose a raven to feed Elijah, the boy Samuel to bear heavy tidings to Eli, or the youth Jeremiah to pull down destroy and build up kingdoms? God would exalt His Son and give Him a name, which is above every name. He is made flesh, born in a manger, is subject to His parents, is tempted, mocked, spit upon, betrayed, denied, condemned, crucified, died, and buried, yet all ends in His exaltation. He, who made swaddling bands for the sea, was laid in swaddling clothes, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. By falling He arose above all His enemies, above all the creatures of God.”     -- William Plumer (1802-1880)   A Hundred Noble Wishes   A hundred noble wishes fill my heart: I long to help each soul in need of aid: In all good works my zeal would have a part, Before no weight of toil it stands afraid.   But noble wishes are not noble deeds, And he does least who seeks to do the whole: Who works the best, his simplest duties heeds; Who moves the world, first moves a single soul.   -- Charles F. Robinson (1815-1913)   Trials “There is no greater misery in this life, than not to be in misery; no greater affliction, than not to be afflicted.  Woe, woe to that soul that God will not spend a rod upon!  This is the saddest stroke of all, when God refuses to strike at all.”   -- Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)  
    God’s Ways   “God employs such instruments as greatly confound us. Our ignorance and unbelief would choose those whom God rejects, and reject those whom He selects. Will He cure Naaman's leprosy? A little captive maid shall tell him of the prophet of the Lord. Will He lead forth Israel from Egyptian bondage? That little infant in a basket among the rushes, by edict doomed to death as soon as born, shall be the deliverer. Will He make Joseph premier of Egypt? His brethren envy and sell Him, the Ishmaelites carry Him far from all loved ones, Potiphar imprisons Him, the iron enters into His flesh; yet in God's providence every step is onward. How often are those whom we never befriended made to minister to our aid and comfort! Must God's people be brought out of Babylon? Cyrus shall send forth the binding decree. This worshipper of the sun deals as tenderly with God's people as a nurse with her child.  It would not have been more wonderful to see the wolf nourishing and protecting the lamb and the kid. Who would have supposed that God would choose a raven to feed Elijah, the boy Samuel to bear heavy tidings to Eli, or the youth Jeremiah to pull down destroy and build up kingdoms? God would exalt His Son and give Him a name, which is above every name. He is made flesh, born in a manger, is subject to His parents, is tempted, mocked, spit upon, betrayed, denied, condemned, crucified, died, and buried, yet all ends in His exaltation. He, who made swaddling bands for the sea, was laid in swaddling clothes, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. By falling He arose above all His enemies, above all the creatures of God.”     -- William Plumer (1802-1880)   A Hundred Noble Wishes   A hundred noble wishes fill my heart: I long to help each soul in need of aid: In all good works my zeal would have a part, Before no weight of toil it stands afraid.   But noble wishes are not noble deeds, And he does least who seeks to do the whole: Who works the best, his simplest duties heeds; Who moves the world, first moves a single soul.   -- Charles F. Robinson (1815-1913)   Trials “There is no greater misery in this life, than not to be in misery; no greater affliction, than not to be afflicted.  Woe, woe to that soul that God will not spend a rod upon!  This is the saddest stroke of all, when God refuses to strike at all.”   -- Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)