Like the rapid summer stream,
Like the fleeting meteor’s ray,
Like the shortest winter’s day,
Like the fitful breeze that sighs,
Like the waning flame that dies,
Darting, dazzling on the eye,
Fading in eternity.
A rope of sand, a spider’s web, a silken thread, a passing shadow, an ebbing wave, are the most fitting and expressive emblems of all things belonging to this present earthly state.
- Homes that sheltered us in childhood we leave,
- Land which gave us birth we leave,
- Loved ones who encircled our hearths pass away, and
- Friends of early years depart.
And the world that was so sunny, and life that was so sweet, is all beclouded and embittered . The whole scenery of existence changed into wintry gloom. Such are the saddening, depressing effects of life’s vicissitudes.
But in the midst of all, “this God is our God for ever and ever!”
All beings change, but God. All things change, but heaven. The evolutions of time revolve, the events of earth go onward, but He upon whom all things hang, and by whom all events are shaped and controlled, moves not.
Mal 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not.”
- Affairs may alter.
- Circumstances may change.
- Relations and friends may depart one by one.
- Souls in a single day pass through many fluctuations of spiritual feeling.
But He who chose us to be His own, and who has kept us to the present moment, is our covenant God and Father forever and ever, and will never throw us off and cast us away. (Heb 13:5)
Psa 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
Octavius Winslow (1808 – 1878) was a prominent 19th-century evangelical preacher in England and America. Known as “The Pilgrim’s Companion,” he was Baptist minister until 1870 when he was ordained an Anglican deacon and priest. He was a contemporary of Charles Spurgeon and J. C. Ryle and a prolific writer. His Christ-centered, richly devotional writings offer inspiration and encouragement.
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Do You Know Jesus?
The Bible clearly states that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). It also emphasizes that while the wages of sin is death, God offers us the incredible gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, know that today is the day of salvation (Acts 28). Turn away from your sinful past and turn to Jesus. Remember, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Don’t wait—find hope and redemption!
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***A Hidden Message in Psalm 23?***
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There is much to be learned from those who have gone before us in the faith. Check out our Cloud of Witnesses category that features the words of departed saints who are now with the Lord in glory. Their words equip and encourage us even to this day. Take a few minutes to hear...
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