Thou shall guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Psalm 73:24.

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Hebrews 4:9.

Guide us through life; and when at last

We enter into rest,

Thy tender arms around us cast,

And fold us to Thy breast.

H. F. LYTE.

Go forth to meet the solemnities and to conquer the trials of existence, believing in a Shepherd of your souls. Then faith in Him will support you in duty, and duty firmly done will strengthen faith; till at last, when all is over here, and the noise and strife of the earthly battle fades upon your dying ear, and you hear, instead thereof, the deep and musical sound of the ocean of eternity, and see the lights of heaven shining on its waters still and fair in their radiant rest, your faith will raise the song of conquest, and in its retrospect of the life which has ended, and its forward glance upon the life to come, take up the poetic inspiration of the Hebrew king, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

STOPFORD A. BROOKE.

There shall no evil befall thee

Psalm 91:10.

Whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Proverbs 1:33.

I ask not, "Take away this weight of care;"

No, for that love I pray that all can bear,

And for the faith that whatsoe'er befall

Must needs be good, and for my profit prove,

Since from my Father's heart most rich in love,

And from His bounteous hands it cometh all.

C. J. P. SPITTA.

Be like the promontory, against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm, and tames the fury of the water around it. Unhappy am I, because this has happened to me? Not so, but happy am I, though this has happened to me, because I continue free from pain, neither crushed by the present, nor fearing the future. Will then this which has happened prevent thee from being just, magnanimous, temperate, prudent, secure against inconsiderate opinions and falsehood? Remember, too, on every occasion which leads thee to vexation to apply this principle: that this is not a misfortune, but that to bear it nobly is good fortune.

MARCUS ANTONINUS

God is faithful.

1 Corinthians 10:1

God is not a man that he should lie; neither the Son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? — The Lord sware and will not repent.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. — Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day — Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. — All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Numbers 23:19. Hebrews 7:21. Hebrews 6:17,18. 1 Peter 4:19. 2 Timothy 1:12. 1 Thessalonians 5:24. 2 Corinthians 1:20.

It All Starts Out So Innocently

---

• An intriguing plot
• A hilariously funny comedy
• A human interest story

So you settle back after a demanding day to take in a delicious experience in entertainment.

And then, almost imperceptibly, the off-color jokes emerge, seductive dress appears; questionable comments began sprinkling the dialogue. Four-letter words surface. Traditional or Biblical values are preempted, ignored, or mocked.

But you're into the story now, and so you rationalize:

• "The plot is so good… "
• "I've got to find out what happens… "
• "It's only a small part of the movie… just one or two brief scenes… "

As one whose life bears the stamp of Christ, how should you handle these situations?

Certainly in our battle for spiritual integrity we must consider such truths as:

"I will set no worthless thing before my eyes." (Psalm 101:3a)

"The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." (1 John 2:6)

We are compelled to ask, "Is this something in which Jesus would engage?"

So… if you tend to waffle when it comes to maintaining Biblical standards in the area of entertainment, why not carefully consider Philippians 4:8 and decide now just where you plan to draw the line the next time you are drawn into a compromising situation

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

The person who has determined to apply Biblically-based values to entertainment, should be prepared to incur the wrath or rejection of friends… especially from some who are professing Christians.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people

Psalm 85:8.

There is a voice, "a still, small voice" of love,

Heard from above;

But not amidst the din of earthly sounds,

Which here confounds;

By those withdrawn apart it best is heard,

And peace, sweet peace, breathes in each gentle word.

ANONYMOUS.

He speaketh, but it is with us to hearken or no. It is much, yea, it is everything, not to turn away the ear, to be willing to hearken, not to drown His voice. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." It is a secret, hushed voice, a gentle intercourse of heart to heart, a still, small voice, whispering to the inner ear. How should we hear it, if we fill our ears and our hearts with the din of this world, its empty tumult, its excitement, its fretting vanities, or cares, or passions, or anxieties, or show, or rivalries, and its whirl of emptinesses?

God hath called you unto his kingdom and glory

1 Thessalonians 2:12

My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, ... but now is my kingdom not from hence. — Expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. — Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. — I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; ... and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. — Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. — Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Thy kingdom come.

John 18:36. Hebrews 10:13. Revelation 11:15. Revelation 5:10. Revelation 20:4. Matthew 13:43. Luke 12:32. Luke 22:29,30. Matthew 6:10.

He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little

Ecclesiasticus 19:1.

One finger's-breadth at hand will mar

A world of light in heaven afar,

A mote eclipse a glorious star,

An eyelid hide the sky.

J. KEBLE.

A single sin, however apparently trifling, however hidden in some obscure corner of our consciousness,—a sin which we do not intend to renounce,—is enough to render real prayer impracticable. A course of action not wholly upright and honorable, feelings not entirely kind and loving, habits not spotlessly chaste and temperate,—any of these are impassable obstacles. If we know of a kind act which we might, but do not intend to, perform,—if we be aware that our moral health requires the abandonment of some pleasure which yet we do not intend to abandon, here is cause enough for the loss of all spiritual power. F. P. COBBE.

It is astonishing how soon the whole conscience begins to unravel, if a single stitch drops; one little sin indulged makes a hole you could put your head through.CHARLES BUXTON

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die

Revelation 3:2

The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. — Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. — Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. — The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand.

Blessed are they that keep His testimonies

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.—Matthew 4:10.

Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.—Psalm 119:2.

The comfort of a mind at rest

From every care Thou hast not blest;

A heart from all the world set free,

To worship and to wait on Thee.

A. L. WARING.

Resign every forbidden joy; restrain every wish that is not referred to His will; banish all eager desires, all anxiety. Desire only the will of God; seek Him alone, and you will find peace.

FRANCOIS DE LA MOTHE FENELON.

"I've been a great deal happier since I have given up thinking about what is easy and pleasant, and being discontented because I couldn't have my own will. Our life is determined for us; and it makes the mind very free when we give up wishing, and only think of bearing what is laid upon us, and doing what is given us to do."

GEORGE ELIOT.

The entrance of thy words giveth light

Psalm 119:130

This ... is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. — God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. — The Word was God. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. — If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. — Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. — Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

If you want an antidote for loneliness, here it is

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV).

There is no place that you can go where God’s love isn’t. You’ll never be separated from God’s love.

Nothing — no circumstance, no situation — can separate you, because God’s love is everywhere: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39 NIV).

If you want an antidote for loneliness, here it is: You will never be separated from God’s love. The fact is, we do lose loved ones. Even if you’re married, one of you is going to die first, and you will grieve over that.

But if you’re a Christian, God is with you always and forever. You can look to his love for you whenever you feel lonely.  I’m not talking about religion. I’m talking about a relationship with Jesus Christ. His love lasts forever, and his love is everywhere.

Every day you need to give yourself entirely to God.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

— Jeremiah 1:5

Every day you need to give yourself entirely to God. Say, "Lord, I am Yours. I want to be a vessel fit for Your use. I dedicate myself to You: I give You my hands, my mouth, my mind, my body, my money, and my time. Father, here I am. I am Yours; do with me whatever You want to do today."

Once you dedicate yourself to God, then go on about your business. But expect His leading all day long. Listen for His voice to direct you in the way you should go. Accept the challenge to be an instrument for the Lord's use today.

What is your life?

What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

James 4:14

My days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. — Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep ... in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up: in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. — Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down.

The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. — They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. — Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Job 9:25,26. Psalm 90:5,6. Job 14:2. 1 John 2:17. Psalm 102:26,27. Hebrews 13:8.

The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is

Exodus 20:11

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. — By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. — Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 19:1. Psalm 33:6,9. Isaiah 40:15. Hebrews 11:3. Psalm 8:3,4.

Perfect through sufferings

Hebrews 2:10

My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. — And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. — Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. — I looked on my right hand, and behold, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and a acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Matthew 26:38,39. Luke 22:44. Psalm 116:3. Psalm 69:20. Psalm 142:4. Isaiah 53:3.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:5

Forasmuch ... as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. — In Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace. — By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. — He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 2:14. Isaiah 45:22. 1 John 2:1. Ephesians 2:13,14. Hebrews 9:12,15. Hebrews 7:25.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.—Numbers 6:24-26.

O Love, how cheering is Thy ray!

All pain before Thy presence flies;

Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away,

Where'er Thy healing beams arise.

O Father, nothing may I see,

Nothing desire, or seek, but Thee.

P. GERHARDT.

There is a faith in God, and a clear perception of His will and designs, and providence, and glory, which gives to its possessor a confidence and patience and sweet composure, under every varied and troubling aspect of events, such as no man can realize who has not felt its influences in his own heart. There is a communion with God, in which the soul feels the presence of the unseen One, in the profound depths of its being, with a vivid distinctness and a holy reverence, such as no words can describe. There is a state of union with God, I do not say often reached, yet it has been attained in this world, in which all the past and present and future seem reconciled, and eternity is won and enjoyed; and God and man, earth and heaven, with all their mysteries, are apprehended in truth as they lie in the mind of the Infinite.

SAMUEL D. ROBBINS.

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:25,26

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. — The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. — The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee. — Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. — Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

John 1:18. Hebrews 1:3 2 Corinthians 4:4. Psalm 31:16,17. Psalm 30:7. Psalm 89:15. Psalm 29:11. Matthew 14:27.

The living God giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

1 Timothy 6:17

Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; ... then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God: ... for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. — They got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them — There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Deuteronomy 8:11,12,14,18. Psalm 127:1,2. Psalm 44:3. Psalm 4:6.

Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back

Isaiah 38:17

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for- ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with ever-lasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. — I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. — The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Micah 7:18,19. Isaiah 54:7,8. Jeremiah 31:34. Psalm 32:1,2. 1 John 1:7.

My times are in thy hand

Psalm 31:15 

All his saints are in thy hand. — The word of the Lord came unto Elijah, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before JorDaniel And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. And the word of the Lord can unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. — Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.

Deuteronomy 33:3. 1 Kings 17:24,8,9. Matthew 6:25,32. Proverbs 3:5,6. 1 Peter 5:7. —Daily Light on the Daily Path

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:46

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; ... the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all ... For the transgression of my people was he stricken ... It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.

Jesus our Lord ... was delivered for our offences. — Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

Isaiah 53:5,6,8,10. Romans 4:24,25. 1 Peter 3:18. 1 Peter 2:24. 2 Corinthians 5:21. Galatians 3:13.

He preserveth the way of his saints.

He preserveth the way of his saints.

Proverbs 2:8

The Lord your God ... went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day. — As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him. — The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. — Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. — For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish. — We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. — With us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy.

Deuteronomy 1:32,33. Deuteronomy 32:11,12. Psalm 37:23,24. Psalm 34:19. Psalm 1:6. Romans 8:28. 2 Chronicles 32:8. Zephaniah 3:17.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.

1 John 3:3.

Now, Lord, what wait I for?

On Thee alone

My hope is all rested,—

Lord, seal me Thine own!

Only Thine own to be,

Only to live to Thee.

Thine, with each day begun,

Thine, with each set of sun,

Thine, till my work is done.

ANNA WARNER.

Now, believe me, God hides some ideal in every human soul. At some time in our life we feel a trembling, fearful longing to do some good thing. Life finds its noblest spring of excellence in this hidden impulse to do our best. There is a time when we are not content to be such merchants or doctors or lawyers as we see on the dead level or below it. The woman longs to glorify her womanhood as sister, wife, or mother…Here is God,—God standing silently at the door all day long,—God whispering to the soul, that to be pure and true is to succeed in life, and whatever we get short of that will burn up like stubble, though the whole world try to save it.

ROBERT COLLYER.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.—Hebrews 13:16.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.—1 John 3:11.

Be useful where thou livest, that they may

Both want and wish thy pleasing presence still.

…Find out men's wants and will,

And meet them there. All worldly joys go less

To the one joy of doing kindnesses.

G. HERBERT.

Let the weakest, let the humblest remember, that in his daily course he can, if he will, shed around him almost a heaven. Kindly words, sympathizing attentions, watchfulness against wounding men's sensitiveness,—these cost very little, but they are priceless in their value. Are they not almost the staple of our daily happiness? From hour to hour, from moment to moment, we are supported, blest, by small kindnesses.

F. W. ROBERTSON.

Small kindnesses, small courtesies, small considerations, habitually practised in our social intercourse, give a greater charm to the character than the display of great talents and accomplishments.

M. A. KELTY.

—Daily Strength for Daily Needs