#1944 Words of Encouragement and Promise

#1944

Words of Encouragement and Promise

Prologue/Addition Dr. Morris:

A thousand times, as a totally blind man, I have asked the question, "Why me?" 

Raised in impoverished Eastern North Carolina, having seen needs which the modern day social worker could not even imagine, I ask the question, many times, "Why do people who have done nothing but live on this Earth go through the trials and destitution that they must endure...why them?" 

Then, God in his power-grace-mercy wanted me to see what life is really all about.  He, and He alone, made all the arrangements for me to travel the world and I really saw poverty and destitution.  If I were to describe these things as I have as I have attempted to do so in other articles like modern day "insane lies" by talking heads in the talking box, you would not believe me. 

I don't understand why the first two boys born on Earth-Cain and Abel, one killed the other.  I don't understand why Herod, attempting to kill the Christ child, murdered all those small boys around that little town of Bethlehem.  There are so many things I don't understand BUT almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Jehovah God knows all.  It is just up to me to trust Him, in my not understanding-my blindness-my disappointments in life and everything else, all He asks is trust.  We take all our sins-problems-sicknesses to the cross and leave them there.

Today's Puritan AUDIO Devotional:

Spurgeon's 'Morning by Morning' for March 3
Play Audio! Download Audio

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This city was a moral cesspool, a sink of pollution, filled with all corruption, and reeking with vileness!

(Charles Naylor, "In Christ, and in Ephesus" 1920)

"To the saints in Ephesus--the faithful in Christ Jesus" Ephesians 1:1 

Ephesus was one of the great centers of paganism. It was adorned with costly and magnificent heathen temples. It was rich and voluptuous. Both private and public life were utterly corrupt. Even the religious practices of the Ephesians were unspeakably vile. This city was a moral cesspool, a sink of pollution, filled with all corruption, and reeking with vileness! It was a second Sodom. Vice stalked abroad everywhere--and was honored and worshiped.

We might therefore well say, "Can any good thing come out of Ephesus? Can Christianity flourish in such surroundings?" 

Yes! There were saints in Ephesus--and faithful ones, too. They were such in their lives and characters as to win the commendation of that great apostle to the Gentiles. Out of that obnoxious cesspool of iniquity, were growing the pure white lilies of Christian character! That is the glory of Christianity and of Christ. Those who were now Christians were not superior to the other Ephesians--they were not by nature different. In fact, Paul tells them that they had been the children of wrath, even as the others--and that they had been such by nature. What a triumph of divine grace, which raised these people up out of such unspeakable filth--and made them faithful saints! And yet that is the power of our great Christ!

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord." Ephesians 5:8

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You may want to read the whole of Charles Naylor's practical one page article, "In Christ, and in Ephesus".

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We have published Grace Gems for FEBRUARY in one file!

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