by A.B. Simpson
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God—Isaiah 41:10
How tenderly God soothes our fears! How sweetly He says in the introductory verse,
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: . . . I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
And yet again, still with tender thoughtfulness,
I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee (Isaiah 41:13).
He does not say it only once, but He keeps holding our right hand and repeating such promises.
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by Martyn Lloyd Jones
It is a rule of the Scriptures, and a rule which is confirmed by and exemplified in the long history of the Church and her saints, that when God has a particularly great task for a man to perform, He generally does try him. I care not which biography you pick up, you may take the life of any man who has been signally used by God, and you will find that there has been a severe time of testing and of trial in his experience. … So one may have to pass through this kind of experience because of some great task ahead. Look at Joseph. … Can you imagine a more dismal kind of life? Everybody seemed to be against him. … But in all this God was only preparing the man for the great position that He had in store for him. And it is the same with all the great men of the Bible. Look at the suffering of a man like David. … The Apostle Paul was no exception (2 Corinthians, 11 and 12). …
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by James Smith
"The Believer’s Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble" 1842
"With God all things are possible!" Matthew 19:26
The omnipotence of Jehovah is ruled by His wisdom and holiness, His justice and love. He can do everything consistent with those attributes–but nothing contrary to them.
God’s omnipotence is altogether on the believer’s side. All that God consistently can do–He will do for His people. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.
He can make us contented in the most trying circumstances–and happy in the deepest affliction. He can so bring down our minds to our condition–that we shall glory in tribulation. He can turn darkness into light, and bitter into sweet; and bring the richest joy out of the deepest sorrow.
The omnipotent God is your God! His omnipotence is engaged for you!
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by James Smith
"The Believer’s Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble" 1842
"I will be their God–and they will be My people!" Hebrews 8:10
So has Jehovah purposed in reference to all the chosen of His love! In this gracious and holy purpose, is wrapped up all present and future blessedness. He who has God to be his God–cannot lack any good thing; but he who has not God for his God–lacks everything really and truly good.
If Jehovah is your God–then all His glorious perfections are engaged and employed for your welfare: His mercy will supply all your needs; His power will conquer all your foes; His wisdom will direct your way; His faithfulness will answer your prayers; His justice will maintain your cause; and His infinite love and grace will be displayed in all His dealings with you!
If God is your God, then . . . His promises–are your heritage, His precepts–are your rule, His doctrines–are your present paradise, His Son–is your Savior and King, His Spirit–is your Sanctifier and Tutor, and He Himself–is your everlasting portion!
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by James Smith
"Our Father and Comforter"
"I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:18
Tried Christian, you are not an orphan! You have a Father! God, in all the glory of His nature and perfections, is your Father! He has adopted you for his own. He has regenerated you by his Spirit. He has called you out of the world, and has promised to do a father’s part unto you. He says,
"I will be a Father unto you!"
Do you need advice? Consult your Father. Do you need supplies? Ask them of your Father.
Are you tormented with cares? Cast them on your Father. Are you alarmed at foes? Cry unto your Father.
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by Vance Havner
“By him all things consist.” Colossians 1:17.
The supreme experience is to get past all lesser experiences to Christ Himself. Most of us stop short of the Giver because we are forever seeking this or that gift. Many a saint can testify to years of being occupied with this doctrine and that, this blessing and that, but coming one day into the larger place of resting in the Lord Himself, finding in Him their reward, their portion. Anything short of that is fractional, immature, incomplete. We are complete in Him, not in any experience or favorite doctrine. Here is the experience that excels all experiences because it includes them all. The whole is greater than any of the parts.
“Getting through to God” is not a strange emotional experience-although it may indeed move the emotions—but simply arriving at the blessed point where we rest in the Blesser and not in a lesser “blessing.” Then, whatever we may lose, we have Him, and in Him we have everything. All things are ours, and we are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.
by Vance Havner
by Answers In Genesis
Answers in Genesis, along with its founder and president, Ken Ham, has been the target of many recent attacks from within the church and without. We have received a great deal of criticism because Ken has spoken and written against the teachings of Dr. Peter Enns, who recently worked as Senior Fellow of Biblical Studies with BioLogos.
We have frequently warned about the dangers of forcing man’s fallible ideas into the text of Scripture because it unlocks a door of compromise that will inevitably be pushed open further by the next generation. This can be traced throughout church history in many areas. When it comes to the age-of-the-earth controversy, the various harmonistic views developed from a quasi-literal interpretation of much of Genesis 1 (the gap theory) to modern views which have completely reclassified the text (the framework hypothesis) so that people can believe whatever they want about origins while claiming they are being “faithful” to the Bible.
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by A.B. Simpson
