Day: December 22, 2011

The Unseen Captain

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Vance Havner 90x115by Vance Havner

“As captain of the host of the Lord am I now come” Joshua 5:14

With Jordan behind him and Jericho before him, Joshua was no doubt pondering the seriousness of his situation when he met his heavenly ally against the host of his adversaries. I remember a great sermon by Dr. Paul Rees based on this meeting and it had three points: There was a heritage to be received, and a hindrance to be removed, and a Helper to be recognized. We tend to count our adversaries and forget our unseen allies. Remember the horses and chariots around Elisha, and our Lord in the Garden saying to Peter, “I could call down more than twelve legions of angels” (see Matthew 26:53). We are before Jericho today and we need a fresh meeting with the Captain of the Lord of Hosts. There be many adversaries but there are more that be with us than they that be with them.

by Vance Havner

Moment by Moment

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A.B. Simpson 90 x115by A.B. Simpson 

Give us day by day our daily bread—Luke 11:3

It is impossible to live a lifetime all at once, or even in a year, but it is delightfully easy to live it a day at a time. Day by day the manna fell; so day by day we may live upon the heavenly bread and live out our lives for God. Let us, breath by breath, moment by moment, step by step, abide in Him. As we take care of the days, He will take care of the years.

God has given us two precious promises for the days. As thy days, so shall thy strength be (Deuteronomy 33:25) is His ancient covenant, and the literal translation of our Master’s parting words to His disciples is Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Observe the little water spider. Enclosed in a bubble of air it goes down beneath the surface of the pool and there builds its nest, rears its young and lives its little life in that bright sphere beneath the slimy pool. So let us in this dark world shut ourselves in with Christ in the small circle of each returning day and abide in Him, breathing the air of heaven and living in His love.

by A.B. Simpson