God Is in the Front Line (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
God Is in the Front Line
November 30
The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

In the presence of a great work or a great warfare, here is a text which should help us to buckle on our harness. If Jehovah Himself goes before us, it must be safe to follow. Who can obstruct our progress if the Lord Himself is in the van? Come, brother soldiers, let us make a prompt advance! Why do we hesitate to pass on to victory?
Nor is the Lord before us only; He is with us. Above, beneath, around, within is the omnipotent, omnipresent One. In all time, even to eternity, He will be with us even as He has been. How this should nerve our arm! Dash at it boldly, ye soldiers of the cross, for the Lord of hosts is with us!
Being before us and with us, He will never withdraw His help. He cannot fail in Himself, and He will not fail toward us. He will continue to help us according to our need, even to the end. As He cannot fail us, so He will not forsake us. He will always be both able and willing to grant us strength and succor till fighting days are gone.
Let us not fear nor be dismayed; for the Lord of hosts will go down to the battle with us, will bear the brunt of the fight, and give us the victory.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Heavy-Duty Shoes (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Heavy-Duty Shoes
July 19
Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy 33:25)

Here are two things provided for the pilgrim: shoes and strength.
As for the shoes: they are very needful for traveling along rough ways and for trampling upon deadly foes. We shall not go barefoot — this would not be suitable for princes of the blood royal. Our shoes shall not be at all of the common sort, for they shall have soles of durable metal, which will not wear out even if the journey be long and difficult. We shall have protection proportionate to the necessities of the road and the battle. Wherefore let us march boldly on, fearing no harm even though we tread on serpents or set our foot upon the dragon himself.
As for the strength: it shall be continued as long as our days shall continue, and it shall be proportioned to the stress and burden of those days. The words are few, “as thy days thy strength,” but the meaning is full. This day we may look for trial, and for work which will require energy, but we may just as confidently look for equal strength. This word given to Asher is given to us also who have faith wherewith to appropriate it. Let us rise to the holy boldness which it is calculated to create within the believing heart.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

Forget and Forgive (Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook)

From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Forget and Forgive
April 29
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. (Proverbs 20:22)

Be not in haste. Let anger cool down. Say nothing and do nothing to avenge yourself. You will be sure to act unwisely if you take up the cudgels and fight your own battles; and, certainly, you will not show the spirit of the Lord Jesus, It is nobler to forgive and let the offense pass. To let an injury rankle in your bosom and to meditate revenge is to keep old wounds open and to make new ones. Better forget and forgive.
Peradventure, you say that you must do something or be a great loser; then do what this morning’s promise advises: “Wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.” This advice will not cost you money but is worth far more, Be calm and quiet. Wait upon the Lord; tell Him your grievance; spread Rabshakeh’s letter before the Lord, and this of itself will be an ease to your burdened mind. Besides, there is the promise “He shall save thee.” God will find a way of deliverance for you. How He will do it neither you nor I can guess, but do it He will, If the Lord saves you, this will be a deal better than getting into petty quarrels and covering yourself with filth by wrestling with the unclean, Be no more angry. Leave your suit with the Judge of all.

From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb

 

25 years later, bullies make amends with classmate

Twenty-five years after being bullied in High School, Lynda, posted a poem about herself and how it felt to be bullied in school.  Her former schoolmates, including the bullies saw the poem and decide to make amends.  They did not know what here life was back then, nor that her family was poor.  The truth is that being poor should not have been an excuse to bully her.  There is no reason good enough to bully someone.  These bullies just as most bullies, will live with a lifetime of guilt, or they will one day bully someone who can defend themselves…or will find the person they are bullying has friends who will stand up to them.  Here is the link to the video of Lynda’s story, and of the forgiveness that God gave her that allowed her to forgive those who had bullied her.

msnbc video: 25 years later, bullies make amends with classmate.

I remember in Junior High having a bully, in fact a girl named Debbie, who thought she had the right to taunt me because I didn’t pluck my eyebrows, nor did I wear makeup.  You see it is a tradition in my family that you don’t wear makeup or any other girly thing until you reach the age of 13, and you don’t date until you are 16.  She didn’t ask why I didn’t, just harangued me every day in class and the hallway between classes about it.  Until one day, my bestfriend had enough of it and took this girl on right by the door to English class.  Whenever Debbie harrassed me I just answered…”So?”, and walked off.  I had confidence that I could handle myself if I needed to so I just didn’t let it get to me.  The main reason I remember it all is because of my bestfriend  Linda.  She was the tallest girl in the school, and I was one of the shortest.  She was calm, friendly, and sweet, and I was like dynamite ready  to explode on anyone who gave me trouble.  Having been friends since 5th grade I can truly say I had never seen Linda angry, nor had I ever seen her in a fight. That day when she went off on my bully, was the day I found out how much of a friend she was, because she wasn’t going to let someone bully me or any of her friends.  When I think of best friends…Linda is the top and always will be, because she proved that like the Bible says…”Greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for a friend.”   Linda knew what my home life was like and she encouraged me when it was the toughest.  It was because of Linda’s influence that I made a point of not letting my anger make me a bully, but instead to become one who would stand up for those I saw being bullied.  I wish more kids would be Lindas in this world, both like my friend, and like the Lynda in the story, and be forgiving when they are bullied, or be the friend that will stand up against bullies for their friends and even for those who aren’t their friends.  If you know someone who is being bullied, step up and be Jesus to that person.  Protect them, stand with them, encourage them, and show them that someone cares for them.  Who knows this may be the one who becomes your best friend for life.