"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works."  - Psalm 73:28

THE NEARNESS OF GOD 

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) the famed 17th century astronomer, once told a group of his friends, “I can take my telescope and look millions of miles into space, but I can lay it aside and go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer, and see more of heaven and get closer to God, than I can assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth.” 

REMINDED OF THE NEARNESS OF GOD

On this day I am again reminded of the nearness of God through the birth of my new daughter. There are times when I am only eighteen inches away from her three-month-old perceptions, yet she has no idea that I am so close to her. I sit and watch with amazement this beauty that God has given me and quietly wonder to myself, is God this close to me right now, just outside of my perception, looking at me the way I am looking at my daughter? I wonder what life will bring her. Will she marry and have her own children? What will be God’s plan for her life? Then, I privately wonder to myself, how long will I be in her life? 

In the midst of these thoughts, I catch myself wondering what kind of questions does He ask Himself, as my Father, about me when He is this close to me? Is He thinking about the blessings that He has lain before me this day, wondering if I will catch every nuance that He has planned along with it? Or, is He praying that I will endure that trial I am in right now, and watch expectantly for His answer in the wing? Maybe He just gazes at me, as I do my little girl, in wonder and delight. 

Scientists tell us that we can now measure our universe in eleven different dimensions. If man can define eleven, this must mean that God operates in at least twelve dimensions. Can God be nearer to me in one of these other dimensions, than I can be to my baby daughter when I hold her tight and rock her to sleep in my arms? These are interesting questions. 

The Bible says, Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” – Joshua 1:9. The Bible is full of stories where God has intervened into the lives of individual men and women at times when they felt He was nowhere to be found. How close is God to you right now? Take a moment now to ponder this question. He may be closer to you this very second than your very next breath. 

WHEN IT SEEMS AS IF GOD IS FAR AWAY

"When it seems as if God is far away, remind yourself that He is near. Nearness is not a matter of geography. God is everywhere. Nearness is likeness. The more we become like the Lord, the nearer He is to us."  

- Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) American Christian Clergyman

LOOKING INTO A TELESCOPE  

“I can take my telescope and look millions of miles into space, but I can lay it aside and go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer, and see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth.”   

- Isaac Newton (1642-1726) English Physicist, Astronomer

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"Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” - Matthew 14:31

ASK IN FAITH WITHOUT DOUBTING  

"But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."  

- James 1:6

THE SERPANT SOWS SEEDS OF DOUBT  

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”  

- Genesis 3:1

IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT DOUBT  

And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."  

- Matthew 21:21-22

THERE WAS A CASTLE CALLED DOUBTING CASTLE  

"There was a castle called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair."  

- John Bunyan (1628-1688) English Minister and Preacher

DEPEND UPON GOD AND DO NOT DOUBT  

"When we dare to depend entirely upon God and do not doubt, the humblest and feeblest agencies will become mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds."  

-  A.B. Simpson (1843-1919) Founder Christian Missionary Alliance

 DO NOT BE UNBELIEVING, BUT BELIEVING 

"Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  

- John 20:27

IF A MAN FIGHTS THROUGH HIS DOUBTS  

"If a man fights his way through his doubts to the conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord, he has attained to a certainty that the man who unthinkingly accepts things can never reach."  

- William Barclay (1907-1978) Church of Scotland Minister, Author

BEING A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN  

"For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."  

- James 1:8

WITHOUT DOUBT THE MIGHTIEST THOUGHT  

"Without doubt the mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God."  

- A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) American Pastor and Teacher

TRIALS CAUSE US TO DOUBT GOD'S FAITHFULNESS  

"Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to doubt God's faithfulness. Rather, we should actually be glad for them. God sends trials to strengthen our trust in him so that our faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting; they burn away our self-confidence and drive us to." 

- Edmund Clowney (1917–2005) Theologian, Educator, and Pastor

DOES NOT DOUBT IN THE HEART   

"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him."  

- Mark 11:23

MOSES SPOKE BEFORE THE LORD   

"But Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?”  

- Exodus 6:12 

CONVINCED BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT  

"True godliness leaves the world convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the only explanation for you, is Jesus Christ to whose eternally unchanging and altogether adequate "I AM!" your heart has learned to say with unshatterable faith, "Thou art!" 

- Major Ian Thomas (1914-2007) British War Hero, Christian Writer 

DOUBTING DOE NOT PROVE  

"Doubting does not prove that a man has no faith, but only that his faith is small. And even when our faith is small, the Lord is ready to help us."  

- J. C. Ryle (1816-1900) English Anglican Bishop 

WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?  

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”  

- 2 Peter 3:3-4

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"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD."  - Proverbs 18:22 

AN EXCELLENT WIFE 

"An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones."  

- Proverbs 12:4  

AN EXCELLENT WIFE WHO CAN FIND  

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels."  

- Proverbs 31:10

SEE THAT THE WIFE RESPECTS HER HUSBAND  

"However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." 

- Ephesians 5:33

A PRUDENT WIFE IS FROM THE LORD 

"House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD."  

- Proverbs 19:14

REJOICE IN THE WIFE OF YOUR YOUTH 

"Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth."  

- Proverbs 5:18   

LET THE WIFE MAKE THE HUSBAND GLAD TO COME HOME

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave." 

- Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Priest, Theologian

ENJOY LIFE WITH WIFE WHOM YOU LOVE  

"Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun." 

- Ecclesiastes 9:9

YOUR WIFE WILL BE LIKE A FRUITFUL VINE

"Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table." 

- Psalm 128:3 

WIVES, SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO YOUR HUSBAND

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

- Ephesians 5:22-24

HER CHILDREN CALL HER BLESSED   

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."  

- Proverbs 31:28

ABRAHAM WAS BURIED WITH SARAH HIS WIFE 

"The field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife."  

- Genesis 25:10 

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"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:21

ORIGIN OF EVIL

"Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil. I am content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end."

- John Newton (1724-1807) Slave Trader Turned Preacher

ADMONISH EVIL-DOERS

"At times one hesitates to reprove or admonish evil-doers, either because one seeks a more favorable moment or fears his rebuke might make them worse, and further, discourage weak brethren from seeking to lead a good and holy life, or turn them aside from the faith. In such circumstances forebearance is not prompted by selfish considerations but by well advised charity. What is reprehensible, however, is that while leading good lives themselves and abhorring those of wicked men, some, fearing to offend, shut their eyes to evil deeds instead of condemning them and pointing out their malice. To be sure, the motive behind their malice is that they may suffer no hurt in the possession of those temporal goods which virtuous and blameless men may lawfully enjoy; still there is more self-seeking here than becomes men who are mere sojourners in this world and who profess the hope of a home in heaven." 

- St. Augustine (354-430) Theologian and Philosopher

A CHINESE EMPEROR

A Chinese Emperor being told that his enemies had raised an insurrection in one of the distant provinces said, -- "Come, then, my friends," said he, "follow me, and I promise you that we shall quickly destroy them."  He marched forward, and the rebels submitted upon his approach.  All now thought that he would take the most signal revenge; but were surprised to see the captives treated with mildness and humanity. "How!" cried the first minister, "is this the way in which you fulfill your promise? Your royal word was given, that your enemies should be destroyed; and behold you have pardoned them all!"  "I promised," replied the Emperor, with a generous air, "to destroy my enemies. I have fulfilled every word; for see, they are my enemies no longer; I have made friends of them."

FROM THE HEART COME EVIL THOUGHTS"

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander."

- Matthew 15:19  

OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD

"Let every Christian intimate so noble an example, and learn to overcome evil with good." 

- Romans 12:21

WORLD UNDER CONTROL OF THE EVIL ONE

"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."

- 1 John 5:19

RESCUE ME FROM EVERY EVIL ATTACK

"The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

- 2 Timothy 4:18

PROTECT THEM FROM THE EVIL ONE

"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

- John 17:15

ALL OF THESE EVILS

"He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

- Mark 7:20-23

DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

- Matthew 6:13

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"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" - Philippians 4:4

REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN  

"However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  

- Luke 10:20

REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." 

- Romans 12:15

I WILL BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN YOU  

"I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High."  

- Psalm 9:2

LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT  

"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

- Psalm 118:24

WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING  

"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." 

- Zephaniah 3:17

BEGIN TO REJOICE IN THE LORD 

"Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power."  

- A. B. Simpson (1843-1919) Canadian Preacher, Theologian

A MAN WHO FATHERS A WISE SON REJOICES IN HIM  

"The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him." 

- Proverbs 23:24

YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD  

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."  

- Habakkuk 3:17-18

MY HEART REJOICES IN YOUR SALVATION  

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me."  

- Psalm 13:5-6

BOTH PRIVILGE AND DUTY TO REJOICE  

"Though poor in this world's goods, though grieving the loss of loved ones, though suffering pain of body, though harassed by sin and Satan, though hated and persecuted by worldlings, whatever be the case and lot of the Christian, it is both his privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord."  

- A. W. Pink (1886-1952) English Bible Teacher 

THIS IS THE HAPPY LIFE, TO REJOICE IN THEE  

"There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love Thee for Thine own sake, whose joy Thou Thyself art. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to Thee, of Thee, for Thee; this it is, and there is no other."      

- St. Augustine (354-430) Theologian and Philosopher

THEY REJOICE WITH A JOY THAT RADIATES  

"Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God."  

- Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932) Wesleyan Methodist Minister 

WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS   

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance."  

- Romans 5:3

THAT WE MAY REJOICE AND BE GLAD  

"Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." 

- Psalm 90:14

REJOICE IN THAT DAY, AND LEAP FOR JOY  

"Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets."  

- Luke 6:23

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"Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons." - Ruth 1:12
 

OUR HOPE DEPENDS ON HIM

"Our righteousness is in Him, and our hope depends, not upon the exercise of grace in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in Him, and upon His obedience unto death."

- John Newton (1725-1790) Slave Trader Captain Turned Christian

HOPE OF PARDON

"The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory--because at the Father's will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross."

- J. I. Packer (1926-2020) Canadian Evangelical Theologian

HOPE IS AN ANCHOR TO THE SOUL

"Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19), because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a 'wish' (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made."

- R. C. Sproul (1939-2017) American Reformed Theologian

THEREFORE, I WILL HOPE IN HIM

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore, will I hope in him."

 - Lamentations 3:24

HOPE DOES NOT PUT US TO SHAME  

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." 

- Romans 5:5

IF I DO NOT LOOK WITH EYES OF HOPE

"If I do not look with eyes of hope on all in whom there is even a faint beginning, as our Lord did when, just after His disciples has wrangled about which of them should be accounted the greatest, He softened His rebuke with those heart-melting words, 'Ye are they which continue with Me in my temptations,' then I know nothing of Calvary love."

- Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) Irish Christian Missionary in India 

REJOICING IN HOPE, PATIENT IN TRIBULATION

“Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.”

- Romans 12:12

THIS HOPE WILL NOT LEAD TO DISSAPOINTMENT

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

- Romans 5:3-5

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The phrase "And it came to pass" occurs 1244 times in the King James Bible. It's a good thing that it did not say, "And it came to stay!" No matter what your present circumstance, it too, will come to pass.  Have faith, pray, endure, be patient, stand steadfast, make your prayer known to the Lord and you will be able to experience what it is like to be able to say this about long enduring hardships in this life; "And it came to pass!" 

THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

 - 2 Corinthians 5:17

AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

- Joel 2:28 

LIVING WITH YOUR PROBLEMS

"What then are we to do about our problems? We must learn to live with them until such time as God delivers us from them. We must pray for grace to endure them without murmuring. Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting. They harm us only when we resist them or endure them unwillingly."

- A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) American Pastor and Teacher

PATIENCE IN HEAVEN

"Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now."

- A. B. Simpson (1843-1919) Canadian Preacher and Theologian

THE BELOVED WHO WILL NEVER PASS AWAY  

"Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose... only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away."  

- C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish Writer and Scholar

HIS PURPOSES TO PASS IN THE WORLD  

“If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart.”  

- Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) Scottish Evangelist and Teacher

WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS  

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you."  

– Isaiah 43:2 

THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A ROAR

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up."  

- Matthew 5:35

THE BRIDGE HE MUST PASS HIMSELF  

"He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven"  

- George Herbert (1592-1633) Church of England Priest

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“If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul. But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be! You cannot serve two masters: God and money. For you will hate one and love the other, or else the other way around." - Matthew 6:22-24

BEING A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN   

"For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."    

- James 1:8 

SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART 

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, to keep His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  

- Joshua 22:5

WORK AT IT WHOLEHEARTILY  

"Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people."  

- Colossians 3:23

HE INDEED IS OUR MASTER  

"I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master."  

- John Newton (1725-1790) Slave Trader Captain Turned Christian 

HIS MASTER SAID TO HIM   

"His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."  

- Matthew 25:21

IF THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE HAD KNOWN  

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into."  

- Luke 12:39

A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS MASTER    

"Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."  

- John 15:20

NO LONGER DO I CALL YOU SERVANTS 

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." 

 - John 15:15

BLESSED IS THE SERVANT WHOM HIS MASTER FINDS  

"Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes." 

- Luke 12:43     

WHO THEN IS A FAITHFUL AND WISE STEWARD?

"And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?"

- Luke 12:42

BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT WHOM HIS MASTER FINDS  

"Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes."  

- Matthew 24:46

A SERVANT OF GOD HAS BUT ONE MASTER  

"A servant of God has but one Master. It ill becomes the servant to seek to be rich, and great, and honored in that world where his Lord was poor, and mean, and despised."  

- George Mueller 1805-1898) English Evangelist and Helper of Orphans

THE MASTER'S WORK  

"If the Lord sets you to guard a lonely post in perfect stillness from all active work, you ought to be just as content as to be in the midst of the active warfare. It is no virtue to love the Master's work better than the Master's will." 

- Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911) American Evangelist and Reformer   

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