Take Courage

Our Victory through His

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 NIV)

My wife and I are going through a lot of changes right now. Some of these changes are good and challenging and exciting. Some of the changes are difficult, discouraging and life changing in a bad way. But God is in control and is leading and guiding us. He owns us because He purchased us, or redeemed us through the blood the Jesus shed on Calvary. He does know the plan He has for us. We know we can pray and trust Him. He not only expects us to rejoice in Him, we know He will help us rejoice in Him. In light of all of this, part of my devotional reading this morning spoke to me and I wanted to share it with you. It reminded me of a song that I really like too. It is a good old hand clapper, raise your voice in praise and move like you have some rhythm song!

The devotional is found in Still Higher For His Highest by Oswald Chambers for February 20. I hope it encourages you like it did me.

Much GRACE and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

(Romans 15:13; Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Our Victory through His

I am only healthy according to the fighting corpuscles in my blood, when the fighting millions inside get low, I become diseased and after a while I shall be snuffed out. Morally it is the same, we are not born moral, we are born innocent and ignorant; morality is the outcome of fight. Immediately I am lazy in moral matters, I become immoral. Spiritually it is the same. “In the world ye shall have tribulation,” i.e. everything that is not spiritual makes for our undoing; but, “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Why did our Lord say that He would help us to overcome? Because we have to imitate Him through the power He has put in us. Think of sitting in a corner before the Almighty and saying, “But my difficulties are so enormous.” Thank God they are! The bigger the difficulty, the more amazing is your profit to Jesus Christ as you draw on His supernatural grace.

Victory in Jesus

(Eugene M. Bartlett, 1855-1941)

1.      I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me.

I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning.

Then I repented of my sin and won the victory.

 (Refrain) Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever! He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood. He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.

 2.      I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing,

How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see.

And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit”;

And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.

 (Refrain)

 3.      I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,

And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea,

About the angels singing, and the old redemption story;

And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.

(Refrain)