“Yet now be strong, alert, and courageous … all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work …” Haggai 2:4
… at everything we do and always good and true, especially when bridging something that stands between the builders – when the old span wasn’t quite strong enough. You can trust me on that, I’ve given it a good try a time or two and how about you? But here is the good news, the really good and true bridging news. As long as the abutments on both sides of the issue are anchored well to the bedrock, the bridge will always be stronger than the one we built before it, so long as we learn from our mistakes, try hard not to repeat them (although we are far from perfect builders), have faith, and employ the single best help there ever was and ever will be – our really Good and True Helper.
| “If we stand on the bedrock of God’s truth, we will not bend …” A. W. Tozer |
From “A Message For the Day” (1895) by James Russell Miller
“We, that means you and I, are called to do some work for God, and our resources of strength, patience and commitment appear to be altogether inadequate. Truth is, that is exactly what they are when God is not fully employed. We look at the small beginning or the unpromising condition, and say we never can do the work when we’ve barely just begun, or give up when we haven’t given our all, or we expect from others more than we expect from ourselves, and we never achieveour, or for that matter, God’s expectedresult. Nearly all beginnings of good and true things are small. Buildings, businesses, bridges, and blessed relationships in the family of God always begin individually with an effort that often calls for sacrifice, and sometimes more than we expect. Doing what needs to be done for the glory of God, for each other, and for those our effort is intended to serve is rarely simply for ourselves. So build on.”
“Then I told them of the hand of God which was upon me for good … and so they strengthened their hands for the good work.” Nehemiah 2:17-19
“It does not seem to us that we can ever accomplish anything worthy with our feeble strength and, more deeply, with weak hearts suffered by the world. But the word of God rings out: “Be strong, and work; for I am with you.” God never gives us a duty without meaning to help us with His presence and strength so that we need not fail in it. If we lose heart and let our hands hang down in idleness or frustratiion, nothing will come of the little beginning, and God’s purpose will fail through our own lack of earnestness, commitment, and faith. But if we do our whole duty, the end will be blessings and success.”
” Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as something done for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:10
From “Life’s Golden Lamp” (1889) Compiled by Rev. Robert M. Offord
“Never think that our service in rebuilding something valuable is insignificant, nor the contribution of another rebuilder. Christ values our service, not its intrinsic merit, but by what our faithful effort costs us. It shows that Christ sees and appreciates our service, though He may speak to us no word of commendation. It has for us a lesson of faithfulness in things secret, that which we do unto him first, and then unto others. ‘God sees it,’ said the Greek sculptor as he carved the part of the statue that would be hidden from men’s eyes. It teaches the duty of giving with each gift – ourselves. It proves that God is the supreme being to whom all service is to be given. The divine and not the human represents the ideal of humanity. It is why we give to each other without any right or expectation of return. So trust Him and obey not yourself.”
“Trust is sweetest and faith is best, when having done our share,
As human life demands, we leave the rest to our dear Father’s care.”
“Faith becomes a bridge between where I am or where you are and whatever we are building together.” T.D. Jakes (paraphrased)
When Faith Runs Dry…