Daily Strength for Daily Needs Part 57

THOMAS KEN.

The essence of lying is in deception, not in words; a lie may be told by silence, by equivocation, by the accent on a syllable, by a glance of the eye attaching a peculiar significance to a sentence; and all these kinds of lies are worse and baser by many degrees than a lie plainly worded; so that no form of blinded conscience is so far sunk as that which comforts itself for having deceived because the deception was by gesture or silence, instead of utterance.

J. RUSKIN.

He that is habituated to deceptions and artificialities in trifles, will try in vain to be true in matters of importance; for truth is a thing of habit rather than of will. You cannot in any given case by any sudden and single effort will to be true, if the habit of your life has been insincerity.

F. W. ROBERTSON.

November 4

_A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger_.--PROV. xv. i,

_Doest thou well to be angry_?--JONAH iv. 4.

Renew Thine image, Lord, in me, Lowly and gentle may I be; No charms but these to Thee are dear; No anger mayst Thou ever find, No pride in my unruffled mind, But faith, and heaven-born peace be there.

P. GERHARDT.

Neither say nor do aught displeasing to thy neighbor; and if thou hast been wanting in charity, seek his forgiveness, or speak to him with gentleness.

Speak always with mildness and in a low tone of voice.

L. SCUPOLI.

Injuries hurt not more in the receiving than in the remembrance. A small injury shall go as it comes; a great injury may dine or sup with me; but none at all shall lodge with me. Why should I vex myself because another hath vexed me? Grief for things past that cannot be remedied, and care for things to come that cannot be prevented, may easily hurt, can never benefit me. I will therefore commit myself to G.o.d in both, and enjoy the present.

JOSEPH HALL.

November 5

_The temple of G.o.d is holy, which temple ye are_.--I COR. iii. 17.

Now shed Thy mighty influence abroad On souls that would their Father's image bear; Make us as holy temples of our G.o.d, Where dwells forever calm, adoring prayer.

C. J. P. SPITTA.

This pearl of eternity is the church or temple of G.o.d within thee, the consecrated place of divine wors.h.i.+p, where alone thou canst wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in spirit and in truth. When once thou art well grounded in this inward wors.h.i.+p, thou wilt have learned to live unto G.o.d above time and place. For every day will be Sunday to thee, and, wherever thou goest, thou wilt have a priest, a church, and an altar along with thee. For when G.o.d has all that He should have of thy heart, when thou art wholly given up to the obedience of the light and spirit of G.o.d within thee, to will only in His will, to love only in His love, to be wise only in His wisdom, then it is that everything thou dost is as a song of praise, and the common business of thy life is a conforming to G.o.d's will on earth as angels do in heaven.

WM. LAW.

November 6

_He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them_;--PS. cxlv. 19.

_Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart_.--PS. x.x.xvii. 4.

Though to-day may not fulfil All thy hopes, have patience still; For perchance to-morrow's sun Sees thy happier days begun.

P. GERHARDT.

His great desire and delight is G.o.d; and by desiring and delighting, he hath Him. _Delight thou in the Lord, and He shall give thee thy heart's desire,_--HIMSELF; and then surely thou shall have all. Any other thing _commit it to Him_, and He shall bring it to pa.s.s.

R. LEIGHTON.

All who call on G.o.d in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very thing which they ask; yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask.

MARTIN LUTHER.

November 7

_I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision_.--ACTS xxvi. 19.

_The Lord our G.o.d will we serve, and His voice will we obey_.--JOSH. xxiv.

24.

I will shun no toil or woe, Where Thou leadest I will go, Be my pathway plain or rough; If but every hour may be Spent in work that pleases Thee, Ah, dear Lord, it is enough!

G. TERSTEEGEN.

All these longings and doubts, and this inward distress, are the voice of the Good Shepherd in your heart, seeking to call you out of all that is contrary to His will. Oh, let me entreat of you not to turn away from His gentle pleadings.

H. W. SMITH.

The fear of man brings a snare. By halting in our duty and giving back in the time of trial, our hands grow weaker, our ears grow dull as to hearing the language of the true Shepherd; so that when we look at the way of the righteous, it seems as though it was not for us to follow them.

J. WOOLMAN.

November 8

_Lo, I come to do Thy will, O G.o.d_.--HEB. x. 9.

_Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my G.o.d_.--PS. cxliii. 10.