The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7
Are you struggling today? Overwhelmed by circumstances? Do you feel as if no one cares? Take heart child of God—your heavenly Father has not forgotten you! Note first His character. He can’t help but be good to you! Then mark His comfort. He is our place of refuge, a fortress able to withstand anything and everything. Finally remember His care. He knows both you and your present situation. He is well aware of what you need and is able to help you—right now! The secret is to trust Him. —Pete Smith
‘Til the storm passes over, ’til the thunder sounds no more; Hold me fast, let me stand, in the hollow of Thy hand; Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by. —Mosie Lister
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:7
It seems that much of my work in recent years has been to take funerals. Most of them are for people who lived in our town and who I may not have known and certainly have no idea whether they were saved. At such times, we cannot give false hope, for ultimately the eternal destination of each one rests in the Lord’s hands. Yet so often when I meet families they show no concern for their own mortality or the judgement of God, even in the face of losing a loved one. Sadly the focus is upon the monetary and material instead of the spiritual and eternal which is found in Christ. —Paul Young
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation; And take me home—what joy shall fill my heart! —Stuart K. Hine
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal…And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me…And he offered the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:8-9
As soon as Saul had wrongly offered the burnt offering, Samuel arrived within the prescribed seven day period. Saul was not willing to wait on God’s time. One of the hardest things to do sometimes is to wait on the Lord. Have events not happened as quickly as you wanted? Be patient. God’s timings are always perfect. —Brian Russell
Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee; In closer, dearer company. In work that keeps faith sweet and strong, In trust that triumphs over wrong. —W. Gladden
Thomas Newberry translates 1 Timothy 1:11 in his marginal notes this way “according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God…” The character of the gospel and the character of God cannot be separated. What is true of one is true of the other. It is precisely this theme that David Dunlap takes up with clarity and fullness.
There has been sloppy and dangerous thinking among popular evangelicals when it comes to the truth of the gospel and the character of our God. Relying heavily on some of the thinking of spiritual giants of the past, there has been a failure to compare what they said and what God said. The result has been we have moved to “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6). This “other” gospel has weakened our witness and robbed us of power.
We have lost the vision of the limitless nature of God’s grace and mercy, the boundless character of His love, the wideness of His invitation, His generosity, His unrestrained, even prodigal heart that throws open the doors of heaven to, as the old hymn put it, “that grand word ‘whosoever.’”
Quotations of popular modern day evangelicals together with worthies of the past are faithful. That is they are fair representations of what the author intended to say and no open-minded reader will be able to charge the writer with taking these out of context. David also freely acknowledges that many other things said and written by these well known men are faithful to the Scriptures. It is their errors and its implications he takes issue with.
Everyone interested in communicating the gospel will benefit from reading this book. Each chapter will require thinking. This is not a work for the careless. The abundance of Scripture references enables all of us to be “Bereans” in our reading. The author welcomes that. This will cure us from Limiting Omnipotence.
~ From the Forward by Brian Gunning (Pg. 11-12, Limiting Omnipotence)
“Egypt to Canaan is sub-titled “A Comprehensive Study” of the 40-year journey that took Israel from slavery in Egypt to the land of milk and honey God graciously gave them. The Study is comprehensive in that it deals with the books of Exodus and Numbers and the early chapters of Joshua. The author states clearly in his Preface that his intention is to deal with the journey from Egypt to Canaan “more thoroughly than other books dealing with the same subject” and to avoid “intellectual coldness”. He adds that his approach is “warm, personal and faithful”.
Robert Surgenor’s looks to find applications to the issues of today’s assemblies and the saints who fellowship there, often illustrated by interesting personal experiences. He keeps the Lord Jesus before the reader’s eye, not only as he deals with the Passover or the manna or the red heifer offering, but as he applies the lessons arising from the eventful journey to Canaan.
The author’s approach is further evidenced in how he treats the Tabernacle. He does not deal with the curtains and their dimensions, or the various pieces of furniture, but concentrates on willing hearts, their liberal giving, and the gifted individuals whose labours produced the Sanctuary in which God was pleased to dwell. His particular focus is the role of women in the context of making that Sanctuary (Ex 25.8), whose example leads him to other godly women and their role in their day.
Egypt to Canaan is written in very accessible English. Its sections are relatively brief, enabling even a busy person to read its 754 pages in a relatively short time. Younger readers would find it helpful and the author’s experiences encouraging and challenging. They will not be stumbled by a level of detail provided, although occasionally they may ask for a little more information, for example when Robert Surgenor speaks of Moses’ sister as a fifteen-year-old when “the babe wept” at the edge of the Nile.”
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1
Abram was exhausted after his conflict with five kings. Following that great battle, Melchizedek appeared to him and refreshed him with bread and wine. After these events, the Lord came to Abram and told him not to be afraid for He was his shield and exceeding great reward. In the battles and struggles of life, we have One who is our shield, preserving and protecting us day by day. At the end of life’s journey, He will be our exceeding great reward! What a promise! —Jim Comte
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. —Esther Rusthoi
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice… Leviticus 1:3
The burnt offering was the best sacrifice a worshipper could offer. It was to be a bullock or a lamb without blemish and offered voluntarily. It was the one sacrifice which was wholly consumed of God; no one was to share it. It typified the Lord Jesus, who of His own free will (Heb. 10:7), offered Himself completely. Only God could fully appreciate this offering. With His one offering the Lord Jesus satisfied God and perfected that which was required for our redemption. There is now no need for anything else! Hallelujah! —K. C. Ung
No blood, no altar now, The sacrifice is o’er! No flame, no smoke ascends on high, The lamb is slain no more. —Horatius Bonar
And they shall see his face…Even so, come, Lord Jesus. -Revelation 22:4, 20
The harried, young mother was waiting for her meal at a local restaurant. Her soldier husband had been deployed overseas for months and she didn’t know when he would return. Imagine her shock when her food was delivered not by her waiter, but by her husband! He had arranged the dinner to surprise her! The array of emotions on her face was incredible: amazement, joy, relief, peace. Beloved, what will it be like for us, in the middle of an ordinary day, to come face to face with the Lord Jesus? Maybe today! —Lynn Shatford
Face to face with Christ my Saviour, face to face what will it be, When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me?—C. Breck
…for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood… Revelation 5:9
This is the theme of the new song sung by the redeemed throng in heaven, as they gaze upon the Lamb in the midst of the throne. Yet even in His glory, He is seen to be as “a Lamb as it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6). Throughout eternal ages the Lamb will continue to display to wondering saints, the marks that He received at Calvary. They will remind us of the terrible price He paid to redeem our souls and as ages roll their course, fresh paeans of praise to the Lamb that was slain will fill the vault of heaven. May we join with them in that song of thanksgiving and praise whilst here below. —W. H. Burnett
Power and dominion to Him that shall reign, Glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain. —Flora F. Best
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? Joshua 5:14
Joshua was engaged in both worship and warfare. At the age of 13 a Jewish boy is considered to be of age and to have the privileges and responsibilities of adulthood. To celebrate, the family holds a bar mitzvah. In Israel, there are two popular venues for that celebration. The first, the western wall close to the Temple mount, represents worship. The second, Masada, the final hold out of the Israelites under Roman siege, represents warfare. As men of God do we take our privileges and responsibilities to heart? —Rex Trogdon
Look ye saints! The sight is glorious: see the Man of sorrows now; From the fight returned victorious, ev’ry knee to Him shall bow. —T. Kelly
