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“And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said … help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go” (2 Chronicles 14:11).

Yesterday we spoke about doing little things for the Lord, in preparation for bigger things, if the Lord decides to use us in this way. In our verse today, we see King Asa of Judah having to deal with a big problem. We looked at this same verse back in February, and pointed out how Asa had had ten years of peace, and had used that time well. He had built fortifications and increased his army, for he knew that sooner or later, an enemy would attack him. Asa had a large army, but the Ethiopians who came against him had almost twice as many men. Asa knew that despite all his good preparation, only the Lord could give him the victory.

The words Asa used — “We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go” inspired the writing of a hymn. Back about 1895, a woman named Edith Cherry wrote the hymn, and several verses go like this:

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender! We go not forth alone against the foe; Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender, We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling, And needing more each day Thy grace to know: Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing, We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender! Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise; When passing through the gates of pearly splendor, Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

When I was young, back in 1956, five young men went to Ecuador in South America, to take the gospel to the Auca Indians there. At first they were well received, for the aboriginal people there seemed friendly to them. But then some time later, when they went back a second time, all five of them were killed by those people, who evidently did not trust them. One of them was named Jim Elliot, and all of them were still young. Yet their sacrifice has been an inspiration to many other Christians. One quotation of Jim Elliot’s is worth repeating here — “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

On the very day that they suffered martyrdom for Christ, those five young men sang that hymn, written by Edith Cherry. We might ask the question, Why did the Lord deliver King Asa, and allow him to win a great victory, and yet allowed those five young missionaries to be killed? We can only say that God has His different ways with all of us, and His name is glorified sometimes by giving His people great victories, while at other times He is glorified by their submission to His will in giving up their lives for Him. (If you are interested in reading the story of these five young men, try and get a book called, “Through Gates of Splendor,” by Elisabeth Elliot, Jim Elliot’s widow.)

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“And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him … and this uncircumcised Philistine [Goliath] shall be as one of them” (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

We all know the story of David and Goliath, and how David, who was only a young man, went out and killed Goliath, when none of the other soldiers were willing to go out and fight with him. At that time David used his sling and a stone, but we see from our verses that David was used to fighting in various ways.

When David was keeping his father’s sheep, he killed both a lion and a bear, and we know that he did not have a gun. He probably did not have even a sword or a spear, although the Bible does not say what weapon he used. It was quite an unusual thing for a young man to kill both a lion and a bear single-handed, without anyone else to help. Surely the Lord must have been with him, to enable him to do this.

This story teaches us an important lesson. We would all like to be like David, who became a real hero when he went out and killed Goliath. But David had learned to trust the Lord when he was only keeping sheep, and where he killed a lion and a bear when no one else knew about it. Then, when Goliath appeared, David was ready to go out and fight with him, because he had proved the Lord at home.

It should be the same in our lives. We would all like to do great things for the Lord, and perhaps we have read stories about others whom the Lord has used to do some great work for Him. But those people had to learn first of all to trust the Lord at home, and in places where they did things that no one else knew about.

If you want to do something for the Lord, start with things that are simple, and things that you can do without going anywhere. We learn the Lord’s power in doing simple things for Him, and then, if we are faithful in doing little things, the Lord may give us bigger things to do. David never asked to be a hero; he was content to keep his father’s sheep. But when the chance came to do something big, he was ready. It should be the same with us.

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“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened [listened], and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name” (Malachi 3:16).

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened … and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12).

“And there shall in no wise enter into it [the holy city] anything that defileth [sinful] … but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

Earlier this year we spoke about the book of remembrance mentioned in the book of Malachi, but in our verses today we see that there are other books that God keeps. We do not usually think of God’s keeping books, and maybe they are not actual books as we know them. However, God does keep records of a number of things. Many years ago, before the days of computers, people used to question how God could possibly keep track of everything that we say, do, or think. Of course God can do anything, but since the invention of computers, we see how easily vast amounts of information can be stored on a very small computer chip.

First of all, we are reminded again that the Lord values it very much when we think about Him, and speak about Him. Back in the days when Malachi lived, about 400 B.C., there were only a few people in Israel who thought about the Lord, and spoke to one another about Him. He was so pleased with them that he kept a careful record of what they did. Today, when the world is tending to give up the Bible, the Lord still really appreciates it when we think of Him, and speak about Him.

But then the second verse for today is very serious, for someday the Lord is going to judge those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior. In order to make everything perfectly clear, the Lord will open his records, where everything that those people have done is recorded. They will not be able to argue, or get a smart lawyer to get them released. Everything will be perfectly just. How very solemn it will be to have to stand before a holy God, who knows all about them!

Finally, we read about the book of life, and in our third verse it is called the “Lamb’s book of life.” The Bible uses this name because the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb of God, suffered for us so that our names could be written in that book of life. The book of life is mentioned a number of times in the Bible, and it has the name of every believer in it. Is your name written in the book of life?

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“And the men said unto her … Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window … and she bound the scarlet line in the window” (Joshua 2:17-18, 21).

Perhaps you are all familiar with the story of Rahab, who lived in the city of Jericho thousands of years ago. She was not a very good woman, and had led a sinful life. But then the men from the children of Israel came to the city, and Rahab knew that they were spies. They had come to find out about the city of Jericho, and she invited them to stay at her house. The Lord had worked in her heart, and she knew that the Lord was going to give the land of Canaan to the children of Israel. She was friendly to the two spies, and helped them escape from the city. In return she asked that she and her family not be killed, when the Israelites came and took the city.

The men told her plainly that they would not kill anyone that was in her house, but that she must put the scarlet line in her window so that everyone would know which house was hers. But why was it a scarlet line? Scarlet is a very deep color of red, and reminds us of the blood of Christ. Just as that scarlet line protected Rahab and her family from the children of Israel, so the blood of Christ protects us from the judgment of God. If our sins are covered by the blood of Christ, we are not in danger of any judgment from God for our sins.

There is something else we notice here too. The men told Rahab to put the scarlet line in the window when they came into the land. But Rahab did not wait that long. As soon as the men were gone, Rahab bound that scarlet line in the window. She wanted to be sure that she and her family were safe! It is the same for you and me. God’s time to be saved is now, not later when judgment is about to come. We never know what may happen during our life down here; it is good to be ready to meet God.

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“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

“Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23).

Isaac Watts lived a long time ago, back in the 17th and 18th centuries. He was born in 1674, and died in 1748. He lived all of his life in England, and if you ever get a chance to go to London, England, the cemetery where he is buried is worth a visit. His grave is in Bunhill Fields cemetery, where many good Christian hymn-writers are buried.

He was a very clever boy, and was able to write decent poetry by the time he was seven years old. As a teenager, his spiritual and poetical mind was upset by the poor quality of the hymns that they had in those days. One day he complained to his father about those hymns, and his father’s reaction was, “Then give us something better!” Isaac took up the challenge, and the next Sunday he presented his father with a good hymn, which they proceeded to learn. He went on to write many hymns throughout his lifetime, and today he is known as the father of English hymns. It was his example that provided the leadership and encouraged others also to start writing good hymns. As a result, there are probably more good Christian hymns in the English language than in any other single language in the world. You probably know some of his hymns, such as, “When we survey the wondrous cross,” “Alas! And did my Saviour bleed,” and “O God our help in ages past.”

You might wonder why I am telling you the story of Isaac Watts, but here was a boy who did what the Lord had given him to do, and he did it “with his might.” He used the ability that the Lord gave him, and used it in the right way. He brought blessing to countless numbers of people, and we are still singing his hymns today.

The Lord has something for each of us to do, and He wants us to do it well. Today there are some young people who do not take the trouble to do things well, and sad to say, there are older ones who do their work in a sloppy way too. Let us remember to do everything as if we were doing it for the Lord. He is the One we should really want to please.

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“And he [Elisha] went up, and lay upon ?the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed [became] warm” (2 Kings 4:34).

“Meditate upon these things” (1 Timothy 4:15).

In this story, Elisha the prophet has a call for his help, and performs a miracle. If you read the whole of the 4th chapter of 2 Kings, you will find a very touching story. This lady, called the Shunamite woman, so very badly had wanted a son. Elisha heard about this wish, and in return for all the kindnesses she had shown to him as he traveled, Elisha told her that the Lord would give her a child. How very happy she must have been!

Several years pass by and the little boy is old enough to go out into the fields to help his father. He becomes sick in the heat, and dies shortly after, cuddled on his mother’s knees. Devastated, she rushes off to the place where the prophet is and asks him to come to help. Elisha sends his servant on ahead and tells him to lay his staff (walking stick) on the child. Elisha and the mother hurry up behind. No, sadly, the staff has done nothing to bring the little boy back to life.

Elisha goes into the room, closes the door and prays. Then he stretches himself on the little boy as in our verse today. The child becomes warm. Elisha pauses and goes for a walk around the house and then returns and does the same thing again. This time the child sneezes seven times, and opens his eyes. He is alive and is handed back to an overjoyed mother! That is the end of the account, but it sure has given us some things to “meditate” about.

Why did the staff laid on him do no good? Why ever did Elisha, a grown man, have to make himself fit to the little boy’s size? And why the sneezing?

I would encourage you to think about the stories and verses that you read in your daily Bible readings. Think, What is the Lord saying to me in this? This is what is meant by “meditating,” as we are told to do in our 2nd verse today. When you have the Holy Spirit living in you, once you are saved, He is able to interpret and make what we read become a blessing to us in a practical way.

Perhaps we can think of this story as someone being “restored” to the Lord after getting away from Him. When the servant lays his staff on him, it did no good. If we have lost our joy in the Lord, it rarely is helpful if someone confronts us with a stick (or in a harsh way)! But Elisha got right down to where the boy was … right to his size! It was as though he was trying to understand where the boy was in his life. He was listening for signs of life. With prayer, it produced results. The boy sneezed. A sure sign of life! He did not immediately sit up smiling, but you have to have life to sneeze. So, even in some of these wonderful Old Testament stories we can find help and encouragement for every day in this century. Develop the habit of meditating.

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“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

I am sure that you have all seen a relay race, where several people participate. As they run around the track, they carry a baton which they have to pass on to the next runner, who in turn passes it on to another one. Often there are four different runners, and each must do his or her part well. When the baton is passed from one runner to another, the first runner does not pass it to someone who is sitting beside the track, or even someone who is just standing there. No, the second, third, and fourth runners are already running alongside the one with the baton, so that no time is lost.

If you look carefully at our verse for today, you will see that four generations are involved. First there is the Apostle Paul, then Timothy, then “faithful men” to whom he would pass on the truth, and finally others who would be taught by those faithful men. It was in this way that the Lord intended that the truth of God should be passed on. Sadly, this did not always happen. After some time, when all the apostles were with the Lord, and men like Timothy had gone to be with the Lord too, the truth of God was corrupted. All those who heard it were not faithful in walking in it and passing it on.

However, when Paul was speaking to the older ones in Ephesus, we find that he did not depend even on faithful men. Rather he said, “I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up” (Acts 20:32). Even if others are not faithful, we always have God and His Word, and these never change. We can always go to God’s Word, and to the Lord Himself, to learn the precious truth He has given us.

Most of you who read this are young people, and if the Lord does not come, you will someday have the responsibility of walking in the truth you have received, and passing it on to others. Are you ready to do that?

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“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land … a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey” (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).

“We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick” (Numbers 11:5).

We all like to eat unless we are sick, and we all have our favorite foods. We know too that other countries and different parts of the world like different foods. Sometimes we like food from foreign countries, but perhaps there are some things we do not like. I occasionally visit countries where they eat hot, spicy food, with lots of chili peppers in it. Since I have a sensitive throat, that hot spicy food makes me cough, so I sometimes ask them to put fewer chili peppers in it. But most of the time I like to try something new.

In our verses today, we find two different kinds of food. Some of it was the food of the land of Canaan — the promised land where the Lord wanted to bring the children of Israel. The second verse describes the food of Egypt — the country where the children of Israel had been slaves, and from which God had delivered them. Can you notice a difference between the food of Canaan and the food of Egypt?

If you look at them carefully, all the food of Canaan grows above the ground, and it requires effort to get it. Wheat and barley must be threshed, then ground into flour, before it can be used to make bread. Grapes must be picked and crushed, in order to make grape juice and wine. Figs must be picked, and also pomegranates. Olives must be picked and then crushed to make olive oil. Honey is perhaps the hardest to get, for you must dress up very carefully so that the bees do not sting you when you come and take the honey they have made. The food of Canaan is a picture of heavenly things, and teaches us that the things of Christ often require some effort to enjoy. They are above the ground; they are not connected with this world.

But the food of Egypt grows either on the ground, or in the ground, except for the fish. They are of course in the water. This food speaks of the things of this world. They are relatively easy to enjoy, for it does not take much effort to pick a melon and eat it, or to enjoy a cucumber. Also some of the things of Egypt, like onions and garlic, leave a taste in your mouth, and have an odor to them. That odor tells other people what you have been eating! My wife tells me that after I eat garlic, she can smell it on my breath for two days! It is like that with the things of this world; other Christians can soon tell that we have been feeding on those things.

It is important to feed on the things of Christ, and not on the things of this world. It may take more effort, but it is well worth it!

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“God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men … Then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction” (Job 33:14-16).

All of us have dreams at some time or other, and most of the time they do not mean anything. Often they are ridiculous, and although they usually involve people and places that we know, yet they are obviously just disordered thinking in our minds when we are asleep. Sometimes of course a dream can be very frightening, and we are glad when we wake up and realize that it is only a dream.

However, God has used dreams to speak to people for thousands of years, and some of those dreams are recorded in the Bible. God has a way of making a person realize that sometimes a dream is more than just something silly, and that it is directly sent to them from God for a purpose. You will remember that Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob, had dreams, but when he told them to his brothers, they were angry with him, and even his father did not understand. Later, when he was in prison in Egypt, the chief butler and the chief baker each had a dream, and Joseph was able to interpret the dreams for them. Later still, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had dreams, and he too realized that those dreams meant something. Joseph was able to interpret those dreams too.

In the New Testament the Lord spoke to the wise men, warning them not to go back and speak to King Herod again. He also spoke to Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was the mother of the Lord Jesus, warning him to flee into Egypt until Herod was dead. Later still, the Apostle Paul had a number of visions during his life, when the Lord spoke directly to him. The Lord also spoke to the Apostle Peter in a vision.

Now that we have the complete Word of God, and are indwelt with the Spirit of God, the Lord does not usually speak to us in dreams and visions. However, in places in the world where they do not have the Bible, and perhaps cannot get one, the Lord still speaks in dreams, in order to draw them to the Lord Jesus, and make them realize that they need to be saved.

As we see in our verses today, sometimes people do not pay enough attention when the Lord is speaking to them, but they will be held responsible if the Lord allows a dream in order to warn them. When God speaks, He always wants our blessing through it all, and it is important to listen.

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“Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven” (Judges 16:22).

“And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God … strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16:28).

“So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life” (Judges 16:30).

When Samson was in prison, his hair began to grow again. This is a picture of restoration in his soul, for it appears that Samson realized that he had failed in being a true Nazarite. If you and I fail in being totally devoted to the Lord, we may suffer for it, as Samson did. But the Lord is gracious, and Samson begins to recover some of his strength.

Sometime later the Philistines held a big party, and sacrificed to their false god Dagon. There were thousands of them, all gathered together to honor their god. They praised him, for they said that it was Dagon who had allowed them to capture Samson, and humiliate him. Then they called for Samson to be brought into the big arena where they were gathered, so that they could make fun of him. Apparently they put Samson between two of the big pillars that supported the arena.

The Lord was going to show those Philistines who the true God was. It was the Lord who had allowed poor Samson to be captured, but He would not allow the Philistines to say that it was the power of their false god that had done this for them. When Samson prayed to the Lord, He strengthened Samson so that he broke the two main pillars of the place, and of course it fell down, killing thousands of people. But Samson died too.

Again, all this is a lesson to us. The Lord proved that He was the true God, but Samson died too, and he was probably still a young man. However, it is interesting to notice that he killed more Philistines when he died, than in the whole of his life before. His end was better than his whole life, for the Lord was gracious to him. But it was a sad way to end up. He could have led a far more victorious life if he had been obedient.

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