“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

September 1, 2012

“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Ps 73:24

The Psalmist felt his need of divine guidance. He had just been discovering the foolishness of his own heart, and lest he should be constantly led astray by it, he resolved that God’s counsel should henceforth guide him. A sense of our own folly is a great step towards being wise, when it leads us to rely on the wisdom of the Lord. The blind man leans on his friends arm and reaches home in safety, and so would we give ourselves up implicitly to divine guidance, nothing doubting; assured that though we cannot see, it is always safe to trust the all seeing God. “Thou shalt”, is a blessed expression of confidence. He was sure that the Lord would not decline the condescending task. There is a word for thee, O believer; rest thou in it. Be assured that thy God will be thy counsellor and friend; he shall guide thee; he will direct all thy ways. In his written Word thou hast this assurance in part fulfilled, for holy Scripture is his counsel to thee. Happy are we to have God’s Word always to guide us! What were the mariner without his compass? And what were the Christian without the Bible? This is the unerring chart, the map in which every shoal is described, and all the channels from the quicksands of destruction to the haven of salvation mapped and marked by one who knows all the way. Blessed be thou, O God, that we may trust thee to guide us now, and guide us even to the end! After this guidance through life, the Psalmist anticipates a divine reception at last “and afterward receive me to glory.” What a thought for thee, believer! God himself will receive thee to glory. Thee! Wandering, erring, straying, yet he will bring thee safe at last to glory! This is thy portion; live on it this day, and if perplexities should surround thee, go in the strength of this text straight to the throne.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

Click here to see the story behind an interesting Bible.

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U.S. Debt and its Cause

August 30, 2012

I want to thank Barbara Anable for sending this to me.  Her comment was:  “As clear as it gets.  Please watch.  Non-partisan!  Truthfully frightening!”

I agree with Barbara’s assessment.  I have watched our national debt problem for  some time.  You may be asking, “How is Chris going to connect this to something Biblical?”  To this question, I would answer that: “You are quite perceptive.”

I will choose one verse:

“And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.”

You can see the verse in context here.  God is speaking to Abram (“exalted father”) before he is named Abraham (“father of many”).  It is interesting that he had both of these names before he ever had children.

God has always blessed those who have blessed the Jews.  America was instrumental in Israel’s recent return as a nation.  We now have a government that supports Israel less than ever.  We are in trouble, as is the rest of the world.  There are two reasons for this.  We have not believed in the God of heaven and earth and we have not supported the Jews.  It is not surprising to me that we find ourselves in this situation.  Most don’t know the basic teachings in the Bible these days.

I have hope in spite of the situation.  I have read the end of the story (Rev. 20-22).

I don’t see America in Bible prophecy.  The prophecies are about Israel. What is happening today was explained long ago by the Hebrew prophets.  I am watching Bible prophecy unfold before my eyes. I know that the above verse is as true today as it was the day God spoke it to Abram.

I don’t think our debt problem will be solved.  I think we are living in the days that Jesus spoke of when He mentioned “birth pangs (NASB).”  This verse is Matthew 24:8.  The King James version calls it “the beginning of sorrows.”

No matter how it plays out, my hope is in Jesus.  Ephesians 2:8-9 states:

8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Like the great Apostle:

38  “…I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38,39

Chris Reimers

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“Have mercy upon me, O God.”

August 29, 2012

I know that these words were written by David after the prophet Nathan had given him the bad news that God was quite aware of his great sins.  I can relate to the quote given by Dr. Carey below.  I only wish I understood it as well as Dr. Carey did.  He must have been a very humble and godly man.  He was called the “father of modern missions” and you can read more about him here.

CR

“Have mercy upon me, O God.”  Ps 51:1

When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, “If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?” He replied, “Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:

“WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17th, 1761:

DIED”

“A wretched, poor, and helpless worm

On thy kind arms I fall.”

Only on the footing of free grace can the most experienced and most honoured of the saints approach their God. The best of men are conscious above all others that they are men at the best. Empty boats float high, but heavily laden vessels are low in the water; mere professors can boast, but true children of God cry for mercy upon their unprofitableness. We have need that the Lord should have mercy upon our good works, our prayers, our preachings, our alms givings, and our holiest things. The blood was not only sprinkled upon the doorposts of Israel’s dwelling houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy be needed to be exercised towards our duties, what shall be said of our sins? How sweet the remembrance that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore our backslidings, and make our broken bones rejoice!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

I have the hard copy of Mr. Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening,” which gives a devotional for each morning and evening. It is my favorite.

It may be found online HERE.

CR

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ABORTION AND MR. OBAMA

August 29, 2012

I would like to thank Phil Cleary for sharing this with me.

cr

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DREAMS FROM MY FATHER

August 23, 2012

I would like to thank Barbara Anable for sending me an email with this YouTube video.  In her email, Barbara writes:

“Joel Gilbert has guts made of steel to make this speech to the National Press Club in Washington.
You will cheer, you will shudder, and you will pray for his safety.”

I did and will do all the above.

As a former journalist, I share Mr. Gilbert’s frustration with the press.  My frustration starts at the local level and goes all the way to the big guys.

Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.”  May we only have the truth?

CR

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BUTTERFLY KISSES

August 20, 2012

I would like to thank Arion for sharing this song with me.  My daughter hasn’t walked down a church isle yet, but the song speaks to me on many levels.

CR

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The Hunger Games

August 20, 2012

My daughter thought I should watch the hunger games.  She wasn’t sure how I would react.  There was a bit of curiosity in me. When she bought the video, we sat down as a family to watch it.  My wife and I hadn’t seen it.

I understand that on Amazon Books The Hunger Games books have already outsold the spell-ridden Harry Potter series.  As there are more Harry Potter books, a statement can be made about the popularity of The Hunger Games.

One thing is obvious.  It is evident that the author knows about Agenda 21.  Agenda 21 is real. It is a United Nations’ plan that would set up the real world to look similar to the “world” in The Hunger Games.

It would be quite a surprise if the author didn’t know about Agenda 21.

The author’s intent is unclear.  I checked her background and there doesn’t appear to be any support of a one world government.  I must say the bios I’ve read are limited.

Either way the movie is a fable and I think the real Agenda 21 will never happen.

Those who are planning such a world don’t mind a movie like this.  Although the message of the movie seems to “speak” against crowding humans into cities separated by natural zones, the idea is there.

I think those in power love movies like this.  They love to think the world will be like “The Hunger Games” world some day.

The author depicts the cruelty of such an arrangement.

Is there hope for the future in the movie?  I would say not.  To be fair to the author, I have not read any of the books.  I have only seen the movie.

Our only hope is in Jesus Christ.  I don’t think Agenda 21 will ever happen because I think the second coming of our Lord will happen first.

Those who don’t believe in Him see a world like the one in The Hunger Games coming.  And if Jesus doesn’t come for quite awhile, Agenda 21 will be implemented.  It must give the unbeliever a hopeless feeling.

I do not think the real near future looks rosy.  We have gotten away from our Bibles and it has been and will be costly.  The Bible speaks about days of hunger.

I don’t know exactly how it will all pan out.  But Bible prophecy is the only place where real answers may be found.

I enjoyed spending the time with my family watching the movie.  Afterward, I enjoyed our conversation.

As I have stated, I don’t know the motivation of the author.  I think the movie makes some people very happy and others very sad.

In my case, it is evidence that we are living near the time of His advent.  But, I knew this before I watched the movie.

I am filled with hope.

Chris Reimers

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2012 Olympic Ceremonies Occultic?

August 14, 2012

Do you think that the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies were strange?  Well, I do.  I had to shut off the closing ceremonies because it was so strange.  For those who think some sort of statement was made, I would say that I have to agree.  Whatever was being communicated was certainly not Christian.

The article I linked to in my previous post about the opening ceremonies was thought provoking.  I have found another article.  To be honest, I don’t know if the article is really critical of the closing ceremonies or attempting to promote what it pretends to unmask.  In either case, it is interesting.

We live in very strange times.  They are Godless times.  Read your Bibles.  Know His Word.  And the peace that passes all understanding will rule in your hearts today.

Chris Reimers

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THEY WEAVE A SPIDER’S WEB

August 8, 2012

“They weave the spider’s web.” Isa 59:5

See the spider’s web, and behold in it a most suggestive picture of the hypocrite’s religion. It is meant to catch his prey: the spider fattens himself on flies, and the Pharisee has his reward. Foolish persons are easily entrapped by the loud professions of pretenders, and even the more judicious cannot always escape. Philip baptized Simon Magus, whose guileful declaration of faith was so soon exploded by the stern rebuke of Peter. Custom, reputation, praise, advancement, and other flies, are the small game which hypocrites take in their nets. A spider’s web is a marvel of skill: look at it and admire the cunning hunter’s wiles. Is not a deceiver’s religion equally wonderful? How does he make so barefaced a lie appear to be a truth? How can he make his tinsel answer so well the purpose of gold? A spider’s web comes all from the creature’s own bowels. The bee gathers her wax from flowers, the spider sucks no flowers, and yet she spins out her material to any length. Even so hypocrites find their trust and hope within themselves; their anchor was forged on their own anvil, and their cable twisted by their own hands. They lay their own foundation, and hew out the pillars of their own house, disdaining to be debtors to the sovereign grace of God. But a spider’s web is very frail. It is curiously wrought, but not enduringly manufactured. It is no match for the servant’s broom, or the traveller’s staff. The hypocrite needs no battery of Armstrongs to blow his hope to pieces, a mere puff of wind will do it. Hypocritical cobwebs will soon come down when the besom of destruction begins its purifying work. Which reminds us of one more thought, viz., that such cobwebs are not to be endured in the Lord’s house: he will see to it that they and those who spin them shall be destroyed for ever. O my soul, be thou resting on something better than a spider’s web. Be the Lord Jesus thine eternal hiding place.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

I have the hard copy of Mr. Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening,” which gives a devotional for each morning and evening. It is my favorite.

You can read it daily HERE.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

CR

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HOW RIGHT THEY ARE TO ADORE YOU!

August 7, 2012

Song of Songs 1:4

Believers love Jesus with a deeper affection then they dare to give to any other being. They would sooner lose father and mother then part with Christ. They hold all earthly comforts with a loose hand, but they carry him fast locked in their bosoms. They voluntarily deny themselves for his sake, but they are not to be driven to deny him. It is scant love which the fire of persecution can dry up; the true believer’s love is a deeper stream than this. Men have laboured to divide the faithful from their Master, but their attempts have been fruitless in every age. Neither crowns of honour, nor frowns of anger, have untied this more than Gordian knot. This is no everyday attachment which the world’s power may at length dissolve. Neither man nor devil have found a key which opens this lock. Never has the craft of Satan been more at fault than when he has exercised it in seeking to rend in sunder this union of two divinely welded hearts. It is written, and nothing can blot out the sentence, “The upright love thee.” The intensity of the love of the upright, however, is not so much to be judged by what it appears as by what the upright long for. It is our daily lament that we cannot love enough. Would that our hearts were capable of holding more, and reaching further. Like Samuel Rutherford, we sigh and cry, “Oh, for as much love as would go round about the earth, and over heaven yea, the heaven of heavens, and ten thousand worlds that I might let all out upon fair, fair, only fair Christ.” Alas! our longest reach is but a span of love, and our affection is but as a drop of a bucket compared with his deserts. Measure our love by our intentions, and it is high indeed; tis thus, we trust, our Lord doth judge of it. Oh, that we could give all the love in all hearts in one great mass, a gathering together of all loves to him who is altogether lovely!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

I have the hard copy of Mr. Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening,” which gives a devotional for each morning and evening. It is my favorite.

It may also be found online HERE.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

CR

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