"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:16  

WHO CAN ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO HIS LIFE

"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"

- Matthew 6:27

WHEN THEN IS TIME?

"What then is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know."

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

THAT WHICH DOES NOT COME IN YOUR TIME

"Cast not away your confidence because God defers his performances. That which does not come in your time, will be hastened in his time, which is always the more convenient season. God will work when he pleases, how he pleases, and by what means he pleases. He is not bound to keep our time, but he will perform his word, honour our faith, and reward them that diligently seek him."

- Matthew Henry (1662-1714) Nonconformist Minister, Writer

FIND TIME OR FORFEIT BLESSING

"Closet communion needs time for the revelation of God's presence. It is vain to say, "I have too much work to do to find time." You must find time or forfeit blessing. God knows how to save for you the time you sacredly keep for communion with Him."

- A. T. Pierson (1837-1911) American Pastor and Missionary

THE CREATOR OF TIME

"Set no time to the Lord the creator of time, for His time is always best."

- Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) Scottish Presbyterian Pastor, Theologian and Author

CANNOT BE SATISFIED WITH THE THINGS OF TIME

"God has set Eternity in our heart, and man's infinite capacity cannot be filled or satisfied with the things of time and sense."

- F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) Baptist Pastor and Evangelist

YOUR TIME TO NO BETTER ADVANTAGE 

"You can use your time to no better advantage than to pray whenever you have a moment, either alone, or with others, while at work, at rest, or walking down the street! Anywhere!"

- Ole Hallesby (1879-1961) Norwegian Lutheran Theologian

UPON THIS SHORT TIME ETERNITY DEPENDS

"God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends."

- Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) Church of England Cleric

NOT CICUMSCRIBED BY TIME

"Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth, in want, in freedom, or in chains, in dungeons or on thrones, the faithful find thee."

- Hannah More (1745-1833) English Religious Writer

WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DIE

"When the time comes for you to die, you need not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from God's love."

- Charles H. Spurgeon. (1834-1892) English Pastor Clergyman

GOD HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME

"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end."

- Ecclesiastes 3:11 

MY TIMES ARE IN YOUR HAND

"My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!"

- Psalm 31:15

MAKE IMPROVEMENT OF PRECIOUS TIME 

"Be careful to make a good improvement of precious time."

- David Brainard (1718-1747) American Missionary to Native Indians 

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

- Esther 4:14 

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Peter Denies The Lord 3 Times

“When you lie down, you will not be afraid, when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” - Proverbs 3:24 

FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS SLEEPING PAGE

Frederick, King of Prussia, one day rung his bell, and nobody answering, he opened his door, and found his page fast asleep in an elbow-chair. He advanced towards him, and was going to awaken him, when he perceived part of a letter hanging out of his pocket.  His curiosity prompting him to know what it was, he took it out and read it.  

It was a letter from this young man's mother, in which she thanked him for having sent her a part of his wages to relieve her misery; and finished by telling him, that God would reward him for his dutiful affection. 

The king after reading it, went back softly to his chamber, too a bag full of ducats (money) and slipped it with the letter into the page's pocket.  Returning to the chamber, he rang the bell so loudly, that it awakened the page, who instantly made his appearance.

"You have had a sound sleep," said the king.  The page was at a loss how to excuse himself; and putting his hand in his pocket by chance, to his utter astonishment he found there a purse of ducats.  He took it out, turned pale, and looking at the king, shed a torrent of tears without being able to utter a single word. "What is that?" said the king. "What is the matter?"

"Ah! sire," said the young man, throwing himself on his knees, "somebody seeks my ruin! I know nothing of this money found in my pocket!" 

"My young friend," replied Frederick, "God often does great things for us, even in our sleep. Send that to your mother; salute her on my part, and assure her that I will take care of both her and you."

- Moral and Religious Anecdotes by Norman Islay Macleod C. 1870s 

Losing sleep over what happened yesterday, what you cannot change today, or what may happen in the tomorrow will not change things. Just because you don't see God working on your behalf, even when you are sleeping, doesn't mean that He is not working out the crook in your lot.

TO THIS END WE TOIL AND STRIVE    

"For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."   

 - 1 Timothy 4:10

WHICH YOU TOIL UNDER THE SUN  

"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

GOD CAUSES EVERYTHING TO WORK TOGETHER

"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." 

- Romans 8:28 NLT

WE SLEEP IN PEACE IN THE ARMS OF GOD  

"We sleep in peace in the arms of God, when we yield ourselves up to His providence, in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties, no more anxious desires, no more impatience at the place we are in; for it is God who has put us there, and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us?"  

- Francois Fenelon (1651-1715) French Catholic Archbishop 

MEN TOIL FOR THEM DAY AND NIGHT  

"Riches are the pettiest and least worthy gifts which God can give a man. What are they to God's Word, to bodily gifts, such as beauty and health; or to the gifts of the mind, such as understanding, skill, wisdom! Yet men toil for them day and night, and take no rest. Therefore God commonly gives riches to foolish people to whom he gives nothing else."  

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

ALL TOIL AND ALL ACHIEVEMENT 

"And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."  

- Ecclesiastes 4:4

THEREFORE, LET US NOT SLEEP
"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:6 

HAPPY IN THEIR TOIL

"Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God." 

- Ecclesiastes 5:19

Photo Source: patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/01/bible-ghosts-messages-god-dreams.html

Throughout the Bible we see where God has communicated with people in dreams. Dreams have been used to warn us, make our paths clear, bless us and show us things that are coming upon the earth. The Bible tells us in the last days that young and old men will dream dreams.

IN THE LAST DAYS  

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams."  

- Acts 2:17

YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS

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

- Joel 2:28 

DO NOT INTERPRETATIONS BELONG TO GOD?

“We both had dreams, they answered, but there is no one to interpret them. Then Joseph said to them, do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

- Genesis 40:8

YOU SHALL NOT LISTEN TO THE WORDS  

"You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him."  

- Deuteronomy 13:3-4

TELL ME THE VISIONS OF MY DREAM 

“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation."  

- Daniel 4:9

HE NO LONGER ANSWERS ME BY DREAMS  

"Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So, I have called on you to tell me what to do.”  

- 1 Samuel 28:15

UNDERSTAND VISIONS AND DREAMS OF ALL KINDS

"To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds."

- Daniel 1:17

FOR ONE WHO FORETELLS DREAMS

"1f a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, let us follow other gods (gods you have not known) and let us worship them, you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul."

- Deuteronomy 13:1-3 

IN A DREAM, IN A VISION OF THE NIGHT

"For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword."  

- Job 33:14-18 

DREAMS CARRIED AROUND IN ONE'S HEART 

 
"Dreams carried around in one’s heart for years, if they are dreams that have God’s approval, have a way of suddenly materializing."  

- Catherine Marshall (1914-1983) American Christian Author 

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED  

"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)."  

- Matthew 1:20-23

Photo Source: thetorah.com/article/joseph-and-the-dreams-of-many-colors - Joseph’s Dream (adapted). Illustrators of the 1890 Holman Bible

"So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

- Revelation 12:9

THE DEVIL HAS PRETTY APPLES

"I do not deny that the Devil has some pretty apples; I just say that all of them are fakes and that after you bite into them, you will find they have worms. All Satan's apples have worms."

- John R Rice (1895-1980) Baptist Minister

EVE'S SINLESS HEART

"Eve's heart was sinless and yet she received Satan's suggested thoughts. She was thus beguiled through his deception into forfeiting her reasoning and tumbling into the snare of the enemy."  

- Watchman Nee (1903-1972) Chinese Church leader

SATAN DISGUISES HIMSELF AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT  

"And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."  

- 2 Corinthians 11:14

AND THEN SHE UNDERSTOOD

"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."

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

IF YOU YIELD TO SATAN

"If you yield to Satan in the least, he will carry you further and further, till he has left you under a stupefied or terrified conscience: stupefied, till thou hast lost all thy tenderness. A stone at the top of a hill, when it begins to roll down, ceases not till it comes to the bottom. Thou thinkest it is but yielding a little, and so by degrees are carried on, till thou hast sinned away all thy profession, and all principles of conscience, by the secret witchery of his temptations."

- Thomas Manton (1620-1677) Puritan Clergyman

SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS

"Satan tempts to sin gradually. As the husbandman digs about the root of a tree, and by degrees loosens it, and at last it falls. Satan steals by degrees into the heart: he is at first more modest."

- Thomas Watson (1620–1686) English Puritan Minister

SATAN IS TOO SUBTLE  

"Let our hearts admit, "I am poor and weak. Satan is too subtle, too cunning, too powerful; he watches constantly for advantages over my soul. The world presses in upon me with all sorts of pressures, pleas, and pretenses. My own corruption is violent, tumultuous, enticing, and entangling. As it conceives sin, it wars within me and against me. Occasions and opportunities for temptation are innumerable. No wonder I do not know how deeply involved I have been with sin. Therefore, on God alone will I rely for my keeping. I will continually look to Him."   

- John Owen (1616-1683) English Nonconformist Church Leader

IS A TERROR TO SATAN  

"The prayer of the feeblest saint who lives in the Spirit and keeps right with God is a terror to Satan. The very powers of darkness are paralyzed by prayer; no spiritualistic seance can succeed in the presence of a humble praying saint. No wonder Satan tries to keep our minds fussy in active work till we cannot think in prayer." 

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

SATAN WITH ALL POWER AND FALSE SIGNS  

"The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders."  

- 2 Thessalonians 2:9

Photo Source: npr.org/2018/12/08/674772332/opinion-satanic-display-shows-power-of-the-bible

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27

FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for him."

- Colossians 1:16

BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

- Genesis 1:28

WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

- Ephesians 2:10

 I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

- Jeremiah 29:11

WHOM I CREATED FOR MY GLORY

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

- Isaiah 43:7

YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS  

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  

- Psalm 139:13 

FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

- Psalm 139:14

FIND OUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE LIVING FOR  

"It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone."  

- Ephesians 1:11-12

THE PEOPLE WHOM I FORMED 

 
"The people whom I formed for Myself that they might declare My praise."  

- Isaiah 43:21 

FOR I DESIRE STEADFAST LOVE

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."

- Hosea 6:6  

BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD

"According as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:"

- Ephesians 1:4 

Photo Source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Creation-Luther-Bible-1534.jpg

“If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes." - Job 14:14

IN YOUR STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN   

"In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."  

- Hebrews 12:4

OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." 

- Ephesians 6:12

CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE   

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”  

- Psalm 50:15

WHICH HAS COST ME TEARS AND STRUGGLES  

"I long to put the experience of fifty years at once into your young lives, to give you at once the key to that treasure chamber every gem of which has cost me tears and struggles and prayers, but you must work for these inward treasures yourselves."   

- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) American Christian Writer

A HARD STRUGGLE WITH SUFFERINGS   

"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings." 

 - Hebrews 10:32

GIVE UP THE STRUGGLE AND FIGHT  

"Give up the struggle and the fight; relax in the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus; look up into His lovely face and as you behold Him, He will transform you into His likeness. You do the beholding--He does the transforming. There is no short-cut to holiness."   

- Alan Redpath (1907–1989), American Evangelist, Pastor, Author

THESE ARE OPPOSITION TO ONE ANOTHER   

"For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."  

- Galatians 5:1

FOR THIS I TOIL, STRUGGLING WITH ALL HIS ENERGY

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me."

- Colossians 1:28-29

ONE OF THE HARDEST STRUGGLES OF THE CHRISTAIN LIFE  

"It is, perhaps, one of the hardest struggles of the Christian life to learn this sentence - "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto Thy name be glory."  

- Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) English Baptist Preacher 

HOW GREAT A STRUGGLE I HAVE   

"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face." 

- Colossians 2:1

WHERE THERE IS NO STRUGGLE 

   
"Do not fear the conflict, and do not flee from it; where there is no struggle, there is no virtue."    

- John of Kronstadt (1829–1909) Russian Archpriest  

STRIVE TO ENTER THE NARROW GATE   

“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."  

- Luke 13:24

Photo Source: christianity.com/wiki/people/who-was-jacob-in-the-bible-why-did-jacob-wrestle-with-god.html

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:1-4  

YOUR PEOPLE ARE THE SHEEP OF YOUR PASTURE  

"So, we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture will give thanks to You forever; to all generations we will tell of Your praise."  

- Psalm 79:13

YOU WERE LIKE STRAYING SHEEP    

"For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."  

- 1 Peter 2:25

BE THEIR SHEPHERD AND CARRY THEM FOREVER  

"Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever."  

- Psalm 28:9

ALL OF US LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY  

"All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."  

- Isaiah 53:6

LIKE A SHEPHERD HE WILL TEND HIS FLOCK  

"Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes."  

- Isaiah 40:11

THE SHEPHERD IS FAR MORE WILLING  

"Experience has taught me that the Shepherd is far more willing to show His sheep the path than the sheep are to follow. He is endlessly merciful, patient, tender, and loving. If we, His stupid and wayward sheep, really want to be led, we will without fail be led. Of that, I am sure."  

- Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) Christian Missionary and Writer

DO NOT BE AFRAID, LITTLE FLOCK 

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom."  

- Luke 12:32

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD   

"A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."  

- Psalm 23:1

LOST SHEEP SO DEAR TO THE SHEPHERD 

 
"I want no Christmas without a burden for lost souls, a message for sinners, a heart to bring in the lost sheep so dear to the Shepherd, the sinning souls for whom Christ died." 

  
- John R. Rice (1895– 1980) Baptist Evangelist and Pastor 

GOD WHO HAS BEEN MY SHEPHERD ALL MY LIFE   

He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my father's Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day." 

- Genesis 48:15

A TRUE SHEPHERD LEADS THE WAY   

"A true shepherd leads the way. He does not merely point the way."  

- Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) English Christian Evangelist 

I HAVE GONE ASTRAY LIKE LOST SHEEP  

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments."  

- Psalm 119:176

Photo Source: catholicsaints.info/mother-stories-from-the-bible-the-good-shepherd/

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." - Matthew 24:13 

IT IS WHEN A MAN HAS NO ONE TO LOVE HIM

"It is when a man has no one to love him that he commits suicide. So long as he has friends, those who love him and whom he loves, he will live, because to live is to love. Be it but the love of a dog, it will keep him in life; but let that go and he has no contact with life, no reason to live. He dies by his own hand." 

- Henry Drummond (1851-1897) Scottish Evangelist

I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

- John 10:10

THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION 

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

- Romans 8:1-2

THE CHOICE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.”

- Deuteronomy 30:19-20

ANGUISH IN MY SOUL

"How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die."

- Psalm 13:2-3 

THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US THE BEST WAY OF LIVING

"The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering and the most comfortable way of dying."

- John Flavel (1628-1691) Puritan Preacher 

THE LORD WILL ANSWER MY PRAYER 

"All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies. Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer."

- Psalm 6:6-9 

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