Quotes from David Brainerd

I am currently reading "The Life and Diary of David Brainerd," which was edited by Jonathan Edwards after Brainerd's death. The following are quotes taken from the pages of Brainerd's diary that I found very compelling and convicting.

"I felt my ingratitude, because I was not wholly swallowed up in God." pg 52

"Longed with intense desire after God; my whole soul seemed impatient to be conformed to him, and to become "holy, as he is holy." pg 55

"My soul seemed so to reach and stretch towards the mark of perfect sanctity, that it was ready to break with longings." pg 57

"My soul delighted to be a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; I felt a disposition in me never to have anything to do with this world." pg 58

"My soul felt a pleasing, yet painful concern, lest I should spend some moments without God. O may I always live to God!" pg 59

"But of late, God has been pleased to keep my soul hungry, almost continually, so that I have been filled with a kind of pleasing pain. When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirstings after holiness the more unquenchable, and the Lord will not allow me to feel as though I were fully supplied and satisfied, but keeps me still reaching forward. I feel barren and empty, as though I could not live without more of God." pg 60

Isaiah 43:2

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." From what I have heard, the first portion of this verse is intended to relate to Israel being led out of Egypt across the red sea and the last half is referring to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the furnace. However, I think this verse could have a broader application in addition to the traditional interpretation.

Trials come at any time, with any severity, and in any number. The flames of my trial may be hotter than yours; the waters of your trial may be deeper than mine. But God has promised to keep us through them all. Read the verse again the see how many promises you can find. 1) He will be with us through the waters, 2) the rivers will not sweep over us, 3) we will not be burned in the fire, and 4) the flames will not set us ablaze. But this raises a few questions: how literally can we take this verse and when we say that God will keep us, what does that really mean?

Roman Emperor Diocletian appeared on the scene in AD 303 and conducted one of the most bloody persecutions in Christian history. The Reformation, which began in 1517 sparked a new wave of persecution in Europe. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were martyred in 1847 while endeavoring to reach the Indians of the Oregon Territory. Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and their fellow missionaries died on the beaches of Ecuador on January 8, 1956. Graham Staines, a missionary to India and his two sons were burned to death in their Jeep, 1999. Did God keep all of these people? At first, it may not seem like it; these Christians were brutally killed for their faith. But what about their souls? The Christian's soul is not affected by what is done to his body. I think this is what is meant when we say that God "keeps us." He does not promise that we will never face trials; that life will not be hard; that we will not be persecuted or killed for the sake of Christ. But he does promise that no matter what trials he has for us, our soul is eternally secured. This is far more reassuring than a promise of a life without difficulty. Some of the most precious lessons are learned through trials. Along that same note, The Voice of the Martyrs has written a book called Hearts of Fire that I would highly recommend. It is about eight Christian women who were persecuted for their faith and about the lessons that they learned through trials. One of the women is Sabina Wurmbrand, another is Gladys Staines, wife of the formerly mentioned Graham Staines. This book was a real blessing to me in putting trials in perspective.

Hezekiah's Prayer

The other day I was reading a passage in Isaiah about King Hezekiah. At that particular time in history Sennacherib was breathing out threats and was assembling the Assyrian army to take over Jerusalem. This was a very frightening time for Israel no doubt, but probably much more frightening for King Hezekiah, who was responsible for the people of Israel. What I was really impressed with was Hezekiah's reaction to the seemingly impending doom. Isaiah 37:14-15 says this: "Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord..." Directly following is one of the most beautiful prayers in all the Bible. The attitude that King Hezekiah assumes is one of total humility and dependence upon God. And you will notice that he did not turn to the prophets, or to his military officials, or to the opinions of other political powers that surrounded him-he turned to his God. When we are faced with hard times, difficult decisions, and pressing issues who do we turn to? What do we do? I hope that this passage will encourage us not to run first to other sources and save God for last, but to immediately turn to the one who holds our lives in his hands. I hope that we will learn to "spread it out before the Lord" in prayer and wait in humility and complete reliance for His sovereign answer.

The Blood of Christ

Today I was thinking about the blood of Christ and all that it represents. What do we know about his blood? We know that the blood he shed on the cross was symbolized in the Old Testament account of the Passover (Exodus chapter 12). "...and when I see the blood, I will pass over you." Exodus 12:13 We know that the wine given at the Lord's Supper was a symbol of the blood that he was about to shed on the cross. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:28 We know that his blood atoned for our sins and also justified us. "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood..." Romans 3:25 "Since we have now been justified by his blood..." Romans 5:9 We know that his blood has redeemed us. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace..." Ephesians 1:7 We know that his blood reconciled us and brought us peace with God. "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Colossians 1:19 We know that the book of Hebrews deals extensively with all of the ways that blood mentioned in the Old Testament rituals symbolizes New Covenant fulfillment. We know that Peter speaks of how precious that blood is and how, since we are redeemed by that blood, we ought to be spurred on to a greater level of holiness and obedience. 1st Peter 1:13-25 We know that the book of Revelation, however mysterious it may be, mentions the blood of Christ several times. But I think that the verse I have gained the most encouragement from is found in Ephesians 2:13. It says this: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." This sums it all up. All of the previously mentioned verses talk about the characteristics of the blood and what it accomplishes for the Christian, but this verse is so straightforward. It is by the blood of Christ that we are brought near. And what a marvelous thing it is!

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains
~There is a Fountain, by William Cowper

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned he stood
Sealed my pardon with his blood
Hallelujah, what a Savior
~Man of Sorrows, by Philip Bliss

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in my Savior's blood
Died He for me who caused His pain
For me who Him to death pursued
~And Can it Be, by Charles Wesley

Nothing of merit possessing
All helpless before Him I lay
But in the precious blood flowing
He washed all my sin stains away
~His Grace Aboundeth More, by Kate Ulmer

Lord Jesus for this I most humbly entreat
I wait blessed Lord at thy crucified feet
By faith for my cleansing I see thy blood flow
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow
~Whiter Than Snow, by James Nicholson

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured
There were the blood of the Lamb was spilt
~Grace Greater Than Our Sin, by Julia Johnston

For nothing good have I
Whereby His grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary's Lamb
~Jesus Paid it All, by Elvina Hall