“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 *************************************************************** A Riddle in Providence! “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” Ecclesiastes 10:7 Upstarts frequently usurp the highest places, while the truly great pine in obscurity. This is a riddle in providence whose solution will one day gladden the hearts of the upright; but it is so common a fact, that none of us should murmur if it should fall to our own lot. When our Lord was upon earth, although He is the King of the kings of the earth-yet He walked the footpath of weariness and service as the Servant of servants. What wonder is it if His followers, who are princes of royal blood, should also be looked down upon as inferior and contemptible people? The world is upside down, and therefore, the first are often last, and the last are often first. See how the servile sons of Satan rule in the earth! What a high horse they ride! How they lift up their horn on high! Haman is in the court, while Mordecai sits in the gate. David wanders on the mountains, while Saul reigns in state. Elijah is complaining in the cave, while Jezebel is boasting in the palace. Yet who would wish to take the places of the proud rebels? And who, on the other hand, might not envy the despised saints? When the wheel turns, those who are lowest rise, and the highest sink. Patience, then, believer, eternity will right the wrongs of time! “So the last shall be first, and the first last:” Matthew 20:16 --Charles Spurgeon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ His Father's Hand (Some words on Divine Providence by Arthur Pink) “O LORD, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches! So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.” Psalm 104:24-25 “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:27-29 The providence of God is His care of and provision which He makes for His creatures; with His supervision and superintendence of them. The providence of God in His government of the world is a subject of deep importance to the Christian, for by proper views thereof, he will learn to see God’s activities in the daily works of His hands. Yet, though Christians assent to this truth, nevertheless they are prone to overlook it in exercise, and thereby to be deprived in great measure of that poise of mind and comfort of heart, which a deep and constant improvement of this doctrine is calculated to impart. Nothing is more strengthening to faith, stabilizing to the mind, and tranquilizing to the heart of a Christian than for him to be enabled to discern his Father’s hand guiding, shaping, and controlling everything which enters his life; and not only so, but that He is also governing this world, and all people and events in it. Alas, we are living in an age of terrible skepticism, when most of what happens is attributed to natural causes, while God is more and more banished from the world, in the consideration of His creatures. It is not only a fact that God governs the world in a general sense, but He also regulates all its affairs, and controls all creatures in it, “working all things after the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11). God is not troubled by anything that is now taking place in His world - either in its political, social, or religious sphere; nor should we be troubled. The helm is still in His hand; and Satan himself cannot so much as touch a hair of our heads, without His direct permission. We ought to see the hand of God in the most trifling things. Nothing is so small as to be below His attention! Nothing is too great for His Providence to effect! ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Psalm 29 Author: Thomas Sternhold Tune: Amazing Grace * 1. Ascribe to God, ye sons of men, Ascribe with one accord, All praise and honor, might and strength To Him the living Lord! * 2. Give glory to His holy name, And honor Him alone; Give worship to His majesty, And bow before His throne. * 3. The Lord doth sit upon the floods, Their fury to restrain; He reigns above, both Lord and King, And evermore shall reign. * 4. The Lord shall give His people strength, And bid their sorrows cease; The Lord shall bless His chosen race With everlasting peace.
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