Treasure Chest

LOOK UP!

“Look unto me, and be ye saved… for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

In whatever state, in whatever place, into whatever condition we may be brought this year – let us seek grace to follow our Lord’s loving advice and look up.

Don’t look back – as Lot’s wife did.

Don’t look within – as too many do.

Don’t look around – as David did. But “look up!” to God – He is your father, your Friend, your Saviour. He can help you. He will help you.

Look up for light to guide you – and He will direct your path. Look up for grace to sanctify you – and the grace of Jesus will be found sufficient for you. 

Look up for strength to enable you to do and suffer God’s will – and His strength will be made perfect in your weakness.

Look up for comfort to cheer you – and as one whom his mother comforts, so will the Lord comfort you.

Look up for courage to embolden you – and the Lord will give courage to the faint; and to those who have no might – He will increase strength.

Look up for endurance to keep you – and the God who preserves you will enable you quietly to bear the heaviest burden, and silently to endure the most painful affliction. 

Look up for providence to supply you – and the jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry; but God shall supply all your needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Look up in faith – exercising confidence in the word of a faithful God.

Look up in prayer – asking for what God has graciously promised.

Look up in hope – expecting what you ask in the name of Jesus.

Look up with adoration – and adore the sovereignty, righteousness, and wisdom of God. 

Look up constantly – let nothing daunt or discourage you! Rather say, “Our eyes are on the Lord our God – until He shows us mercy.”

James Smith

With doubt and dismay you are smitten you think there’s no chance for you, son? Why, the best books haven’t been written the best race hasn’t been run.

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The best score hasn’t been made yet, The best song hasn’t been sung, The best tune hasn’t been played yet, Cheer up, for the world is young!

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No chance? Why the world is just eager for things that you ought to create. It’s store of true wealth is still meager it’s needs are incessant and great.

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It yearns for more power and beauty more laughter and love and romance, more loyalty, labor and duty, no chance – why there’s nothing but chance!

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For the best verse hasn’t been rhymed yet, The best house hasn’t been planned, the highest peak hasn’t been climbed yet, The mightiest rivers aren’t spanned.

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Don’t worry and fret, faint hearted, the chances have just begun, for the best jobs haven’t been started, the best work hasn’t been done.

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By Berton Braley
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TREASURE CHEST:

Working our way to Heaven-

Three men were being chased. Suddenly, they came to a cliff top with the ocean. The last man, the strongest of the three, decided he should take an extra-long run-up to reach the moon. So, at great speed he leapt from the cliff. He soared through the air with outstretched arms in order to reach the moon, but he, too, fell short and plummeted screaming to the jagged rocks below. He had leapt an impressive eight metres; however, he didn’t realize that the distance to the moon was 221463 miles. 

The distance between our righteousness and God’s righteousness is greater than the distance between the earth and the moon. It is the distance between imperfection and perfection; the finite and the infinite; the east and the west. It would be easier for us to jump to the moon than work our way into Heaven. No matter how moral or how many good deeds we have done, we will always fall short. 

If we could earn our own salvation, Christ died needlessly on the cross. We are only saved through faith in Christ not by our meager good deeds as Ephesians 2:8-9 states. “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast’. The big question now is do we accept God’s gift or try to leap into Heaven by our own merit?” (Romans 3:23).

Anonymous