Illustrations
Sabbath Gen 2 v 1-3 Sir James - Crinchton-Browne
A distinguised physician once wrote
We doctors are now constantly compelled in the treatment of nervous diseases to prescribe long periods of absolute rest and complete secluson.Such periods are, I think, only Sundays in arrears. Such discipline is only necessary because the weekly rest has been neglected"
Sir Cecil Wakeley a former Queen's physician wrote in a similar vein-
"purely from a physical point of view it is essential that everybody should get one days rest a week and this has been proved over the years"
The Sabbath then began at creation.It was part of the moral law originally written on the hearts of our first parents and as such was to be a universal institution for the whole of the human race.
(predates the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai by hundreds of years)
Revival Ulster Christian
It is significant that in 1859 the year of the great spiritual revival in Ireland, the Twelfth passed over quietly and peacefully and instead of processions, there were great meetings for prayer and praise.
Good works Jn 3 Bernard Langer
No-one is so good that they can save themselves and no-one is so bad that God can't save them.
Tongue John Mathews
Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can live with what you have left.
Seed Mr K Percival
Don't just say--"the seed is sown, it's over to God" but pray on believing.
Obedience Gareth Hewitt
What have we done to You,I bow my head in shame,we've sold you so far short,misused your precious Name,took away the holiness,took away the fear,watered down your words of truth,tried to twist your arm in prayer,to obey is so much better every time.
Provision
If I am so close to God that He will use me to save others I can be assured of provision and money.
Marriage Calendar
Every man who is happily married is a successfull man even if he has failed in everything else.
Tongue calendar
If you say nothing,nobody will repeat it.
Work Mk 6 Feeding 5,000 H Lategan
Don't do nothing because you can't do everything
Little is much in the hand of Jesus
Lame man at gate Gypsy Smith
If you want to lift anybody you must stand on solid ground yourself.
Open air preaching ET Feb98 Andy Banton OAM
It may be generalizing but it seems to me that by and large Reformed people love preaching but not in the open air,and the Charismatics love the open air but not preaching
Bitterness Ruth 4 v 14,15 wft
When Naomi's husband and son's died,she changed her name to Mara meaning 'bitter'.
Child of God,don't give in to bitterness,for God is not finished with you yet.Remember how her story ends,"And the women said to Naomi,'blessed be the Lord...He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age'.
Forgive Mark 11v25 wft
When you forgive ,you'break the link' between you and your past.
It's impossible to inhale new air untill you have exhaled the old.I pray that God gives you the grace to release what you've been through and to receive what He has for you now.Exhale then inhale!
Jesus said,"If you hold anything against anyone,forgive him".The opposite of holding is letting go!
Tithing Gen28 v 22
But we are no longer under law but under grace!
Before the law was given,we find in the book of Genesis that Jacob promised that he would give a tenth of all his goods to God.Even before this we find Abraham giving a tenth of his goods to Melchizedek Gen 14 v 20
Tithing
Many Christians have found that God's real blessing is evident in their lives when they allow God to put His hand in their pocket and take control of their chequebook.
Tithing Mal 3 v 10
Failure to tithe is described as "robbing God".
Edwards Jonathon Dr Haag
Said of Jonathon Edwards-
"His voice was not commanding,his gestures were few,and his sermons were overwhelming."
Blame
Radio & Marconi--if you wreck it,do you blame Marconi?
The world & God--if you wreck it ,do you blame God?
Grace
God,grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.
Life Daily Bread
Many people living in their twilight years suddenly realize how empty and pointless their lives have been.They've made some deals and had some fun,but in terms of satisfying friendships or lasting accomplishments,their lives have been zero.They have climbed the ladder of success,only to discover that all along it has been leaning against the wrong wall.
Criticism Proverbs 13 v 10 Daily Bread
If criticism comes your way,
Welcome it's intent;
It may be that some truth from God
Through it is being sent.
A teachable attitude and an eagerness to learn is a mark of true wisdom.
Room for improvement is the biggest room in the world.
Soul
Value of a soul=Christ paid the full price,He paid the ransom price
Behind the filth of sin,there is something valuable to God=a soul.
Criticism Mr D Chambers
When we criticise the F.M,we criticise ourselves,because we are the F.M.
Time
Time dosn't heal,it's what you do with the time that heals.
Death Ps 23 Dr Barnhouse
Q-Tell me sweetheart,would you rather be run over by that truck or it's shadow?
A-Shadow,it cannot hurt you,your Mother has not been overun by death but by the shadow of death.That is nothing to fear.
Pain Ps 41 v 3
God dosn't free us from the pain,but from it's power.
"The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed".
Fruit Jn 15 Rev Howson
The best fruit is nearest to the vine.
Crucified life A.B.Simpson
Man on the cross=
1.Facing one direction
2.No turning back
3.No future plans
Farther,going a little Matt 26 v 39 WfT,Florence Chadwick
He left the crowd,He left the twelve disciples,including the three closest to Him and went "a little farther"
If we would just go a little farther,rise a little earlier,stay in His presence a little longer,dig a little deeper-if you only knew how close you were to the answer.
Florence Chadwick failed in her first attempt to swim the English Channel because of fog.She couldn't see,yet she was less than half-a-mile from the shore.When they told her how close she had been,she broke down and wept.But she went back again and broke the world record because she understood that everything she had lived and worked for could be hers if she would "only go a little farther".
Tongue William Penn
Believe nothing against another but upon good authority;nor report what may hurt another,unless it be a greater hurt to others to conceal it.
Purity Phil 1 v 10
To be "pure"
"eilikrines"=combines the words for sunshine and testing.
ie-washing glass and holding it up to the sun
Do you pass the sunlight test?
New birth B Smith
Communist preaching-join our party and we will put a new suit on every man
Gospel preacher-come to Jesus and He will put a new man in every suit.
World
Believers are set free from-
the prince of this world
the principles of this world
Revival Luke 3v1-6 Wallis
"Our hearts are either a highway or a hindrance to God's Spirit moving"
What are you doing about "building a highway for God"
Bible reading Rev A Hardy
I read untill God has come and I hear His voice.
Victory Napoleon
If we have a good base and a clear line of supply then the battle is ours.
Remembrance Sunday
They shall not grow old as we which remain grow old.Age shall not weary them,nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,we will remember them.
Victory King George VI
"we give thanks to Almighty God for the victory He has granted us in Europe"
Unity Puritans
For the wolves to worry the lambs is no wonder, but when the lambs tear the other lambs,it is disastrous.
Unity McCheyne
The Christ in me won't fight with the Christ in you.
Quiet time
It's a lot easier to do things for Him than to spend time with Him.
Hardness
Many older people feel they have survived this far in life that they can make it the rest without God.
Temptation
The first look may be an accident,but the second look is a choice.
Crucified life
Christians that have come to the cross but have never got on it
Prayer Acts 2v37-47 A Passmore
Instead of fasting and praying the Church is feasting and playing
Prayer
As soon as we cease to bleed, we cease to bless
Prayer
There is a cross in the closet
Seeking soul Woman touched the hem Gypsy Smith
A lady once said to Gypsy Smith-
"I wish to speak to you about my soul.I am very anxious.I have been seeking Christ for ten years".
"Well,"I said"there is something surely wrong.It does not take a seeking Saviour and a seeking sinner ten years to find one another if the sinner is in earnest"
She had gone to hear the best preachers and read all the best books she could get hold of but still she had not found it yet!
I showed her where she had failed.
"Were I you,I would refuse to hear another sermon or read another book,or even another chapter.I would go home now and shut myself up with God and settle the matter there,for it is not men nor meetings nor methods that you need,but an interview with the Son of God.And like the woman who touched the hem of His garmet,when you pass through the crowds and get to Jesus your present troubles will be all over,and rest and peace will come".
She did as advised and the following day with face beaming replied-
I struggled and wrestled to win it
The blessing that setteth me free
But when I had ceased from my struggles
His peace Jesus gave unto me.
Faithfullness Hudson Taylor
Little things are little things, but faithfullness in little things is a big thing
Christ in us & we in Christ Gypsy Smith's father
Some people may think it is impossible;but it is not.The other day I was walking by the sea and I picked up a bottle with a cork in it.I filled the bottle with the salt water, and driving in the cork,I threw the bottle out into the sea as far as I could throw it.
Turning to my wife,I said,"Look,the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea.So if we are Christ's,we are in Him and He is in us".
Word (personal) J Shearer
Your word--the one thing you can give yet still keep
Tongues Sidlow Baxter
When a man is converted the first thing he does is not to speak in tongues but to learn to control his tongue