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“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9    

Surely the most devastating blow that the devil can hurl at a believer and the darkest gloom that can overtake a soul cannot prevail against this joyous declaration. If no other banner serves to revive or inspire, I hoist this one and turn my face unflinching toward the battle.

“Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart” (Psalm 10:17). “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19). “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: I go to prepare a place for you.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (August 17 reading).]

Pouring can either empty or fill.

The clouds must drain for the earth to drink.

How encouraged I am by the verses below to see the link between Christ’s death and the gift of His Holy Spirit.

Concerning Messiah: “Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever” (Psalm 45:2). “Pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8). God says, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring” (Isaiah 44:3). “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (August 10 reading).]

The mantra of stressed-out souls in the twenty-first century has become “I’m going to my happy place.” It refers, of course, to the practice of mentally escaping into an imaginary scene of tranquility and pleasure. Because it is not real and a dream that can be easily interrupted, going to one’s “happy place” is extremely limited. How far superior was Paul’s encouragement to the Ephesian Christians when he reminded them that they had been made to sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus! (Ephesians 2:6)

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3). “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:6). “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27). “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).

Golden thought: Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (August 3 reading).]

“If all else fails—read the directions.”

Without directions, Noah and his company would have faced the 40-day flood in a vessel built from his own devices; Moses would have watched the Hebrew people sink further into lawlessness; the walls of Jericho would not have fallen; and Solomon’s temple would have been comprised of his own ideas. Our Lord has hidden nothing from us that we need to know for our good and His glory. What rich advice to us Christians, to look into God’s Word BEFORE we follow our own notions and fail.

“According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle . . . even so shall ye make it” (Exodus 25:9). “I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:16). “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works” (Titus 2:7). “As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount” (Hebrews 8:5). “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these” (Hebrews 9:23).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: In all things, showing yourself a pattern of good works.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 27 reading).]

“. . . who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 9:5

Here we see the simple declaration that Christ is over all. However, we may feel at times that He is neither engaged nor in charge─we must take His word on faith. Were He to suspend His rule for a moment, the Universe would completely disintegrate. Its existence is abiding proof to us of His uninterrupted oversight. We need only to look around us to be reminded that no matter what comes into our lives, He has it covered.

“There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). At the crucifixion “there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour” (Luke 23:44). Paul wrote of the Israelites, “Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 9:5). “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we” (Hebrews 3:6). “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12). Jesus said, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Revelation 2:26–27).

GOLDEN THOUGHT: The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous.

[Excerpt adapted from Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer (July 20 reading).]