Welcome to "Quaint Words!”
These posts will contain thoughts, poems, and prayers from old books that I have found at antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales (with an occasional treasure from a bookstore).
I love the rhythm and sound of the older English language, and am blessed by other believers who have gone before me!
"How shall we know whether our faith is good or not? We often pray, 'Lord, give us Abraham's faith,' but never pray, 'give us Abraham's trial' at the same time.
I was once in Scotland, at a great man's house, where...I was desired by the noblemen to pray; and I remember, I prayed that the Lord would give us great faith and patience - 'O,' said Satan, as strong as if he had spoken to me, 'do not pray for that, for you shall have great trials.'
'O,' said I, 'if that is the case, I will turn the devil's prayer against himself;' and so I prayed, 'O Lord, give us great grace, and never mind what trials.'
...fire, my brethren, not only burns and purges, but you know it separates one thing from another...What could we do without fire? It tries metal, to purge it.
God knows that we are often purged more in one hour by a good sound trial than by a thousand manifestations of his love. It is a fine thing to come purified, to come pardoned, out of the furnace of affliction..."
(From "Daily Readings By George Whitefield" by George Whitefield, c. 1714-1770)
(A listing of books and authors, and also dates of individual postings from those books, will be found on my "QUAINT WORDS" page)
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
I have been getting on my knees a lot more these days then normal myself!
ReplyDeleteHope all is going great for you.
Sandie
I love the old writers, too. The first quote (We don't ask for Abraham's trials) is so true. I never thought of it that way before.
ReplyDeleteHope you Sabbath is worshipful.
Pamela
I am SO GLAD that I took a minute this morning to go back to the post I had missed yesterday. (Garage sale... ugh... that'll have to be a whole yakabout.)
ReplyDeleteI love this one so much. I love the prayer to pray back in Satan's face. Give me the grace for the trial. I love George Whitefield, anyway. He's a part of Georgia's spiritual history ya know.
"God knows that we are often purged more in one hour by a good sound trial than by a thousand manifestations of his love. It is a fine thing to come purified, to come pardoned, out of the furnace of affliction..."
ReplyDeleteLove it! Let me get that on a bumper sticker. No wait, that's definitely a bad idea. Too wordy. ;)
A friend of a friend was just diagnosed with a statistically un-treatable cancer, and his testimony is very much about this. He married his wife of amazing faith and prayed to God that some day he would have a faith as strong as her - even if had to endure suffering. Suffering he got, but MAN, his faith is solid as a rock now.
Sandie - I've also been spending time on my knees more than ever lately. Thinking about getting some spiritual kneepads! Things are OK with me - I'll catch you up soon.
ReplyDeletePamela - That was a new thought to me, too. And I liked it. I am beginning to realize that many of my prayers for faith and peace are really being answered - just not in ways that I expected them to be. God refines us in the fire - I must learn to yield to the refining...
Debbie - YES! Take that, devil! There's that quote that says not to ask for smaller burdens, but for bigger shoulders. I guess that's probably what I'm learning right now. Lord, give me the strength to bear what will bring me closer to You.
Jennie - Yeah, a little long for a bumper sticker - unless you've got one of those Humvee limos. Maybe we could just make one that says, instead of "Fireproof" - says, "Fire-Proven!" Oh, what a testimony this man is - I am always so inspired by this kind of faith.
My friends and I often joke that following hard after God places a target on your back. And lately, we've been pincushions for the arrows of the enemy. However, if we get to know God better through the pain - oh, that is a glorious gift indeed!
GOD BLESS!