Quote of the Day

The Pruned Branch

It is the branch that bears the fruit,

That feels the knife;

To prune it for a larger growth,

A fuller life,

Though every budding twig be lopped,

And every grace

Of swaying tendril, springing leaf

Be lost a space.

O thou, whose life of joy seems reft,

Of beauty shorn,

Whose aspirations lie in dust,

All bruised and torn,

Rejoice, though each desire, each dream,

Each hope of thine,

Shall fall and fade; it is the hand

Of love divine

That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks

With tenderest touch,

That thou, whose life has borne some fruit

May now bear much.

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

So many burdened lives along the way!

My load seems lighter than the most I see,

And oft I wonder if I could be brave,

Patient and sweet if they were laid on me.

But God has never said that He would give

Another's grace without another's thorn;

What matter, since for every day of mine

Sufficient grace for me comes with the morn?

And though the future brings some heavier cross

I need not cloud the present with my fears;

I know the grace that is enough today

Will be sufficient still through all the years.

 

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

He's helping me now--this moment,

Though I may not see it or hear,

Perhaps by a friend far distant,

Perhaps by a stranger near,

Perhaps by a spoken message

Perhaps by the printed word;

In ways that I know and know not

I have the help of the Lord.

He's keeping me now--this moment,

However I need it most,

Perhaps by a single angel,

Perhaps by a mighty host,

Perhaps by the chain that frets me,

Or the walls that shut me in;

In ways that I know or know not

He keeps me from harm and sin.

He's guiding me now--this moment,

In pathways easy or hard,

Perhaps by a door wide open,

Perhaps by a door fast barred,

Perhaps by a joy withholden

Perhaps by a gladness given;

In ways that I know and know not,

He's leading me up to heaven.

He's using me now--this moment,

And whether I go or stand,

Perhaps by a plan accomplished

Perhaps when he stays my hand,

Perhaps by a word in season

Perhaps by a silent prayer;

In ways that I know and know not,

His labor of love I share.

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." - Mt6:34

"My grace is sufficient for thee. "- 2Co12:9

Evil shall pass with the day that brought it,

As the sea is stayed by the barrier land;

When the Giver of Good shall say, "No farther,"

And bid the foeman restrain his hand;

But the grace of the Lord outstays the evil,

Outlasts the darkness, outruns the morn,

Outwatches the stars in their nightly vigil,

And the foe that returns with the day re-born,

As he left it unwearied, shall find it unworn.

 

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

The Empty Tomb

A Mohommedan once said to a missionary:

"We have our Prophet's tomb to show,

but you have nothing."

Earth's Meccas and the faiths of men

Hold but a corpse within a tomb;

Each weary pilgrim's journey ends

At some sad shrine of grief and gloom.

Earth's prophets rest, in silence wrapped,

Dust in the dust from whence they came;

By Death's chill wind their torches quenched,

No more to kindle into flame.

Earth's priests in solemn splendour sleep,

Ashes to ashes, robed and stoled;

Their chanted prayers forever hushed,

Their altar fires forever cold.

Earth's kings in state and glory lie,

In crypts of porphyry encased;

Their names and deeds, in marble carved,

Time's blurring touch has half erased.

No mausoleum built by man

Entombs our Prophet, Priest and King;

Our love no pilgrimage need make,

No fading votive garlands bring.

No death could kill, no gaurd could keep,

No seal could stay, no grave could hold

Immortal Life in mortal clay;

No darkness could the Light enfold.

Our Prophet's word shall come to pass,

Our Priest is interceding still;

Our King shall reign forevermore,

While heaven and earth shall do his will.

"No grave to show"? This is the stone

On which the temples of our faith

Rise higher than the mosques of Ind;

Our Living Lord has counquered Death!

 

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

From Macarthur's book, The Master's Plan For the Church:  In Luke 6:46 Jesus says, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?'  Reminiscent of that verse is a painting in the cathedral of Lubeck Germany, entitled 'The Lament of Jesus Christ against the Ungrateful World.'  The corresponding poetic text for the painting reads,

You call Me master, and obey Me not;

You call Me light, and see Me not;

You call Me the way, and walk Me not;

You call Me life, and live Me not;

You call Me wise, and follow Me not;

You call Me fair, and love Me not;

You call Me rich, and ask Me not;

You call Me eternal, and seek Me not.

I condemn thee; blame Me not.

Quote of the Day

I asked the Lord that I might grow

In faith and love and every grace;

Might more of His salvation know

And seek more earnestly His face.

T'was He who taught me thus to pray,

And He I know has answered prayer;

But it has been in such a way

As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,

At once He'd answer my request;

And by His love's constraining power

Subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel

The hidden evils of my heart;

And let the angry powers of Hell

Assault my soul in every part.

Yes! More! With His own hand it seemed

Intent to aggravate my woe;

Crossed all the fair designs I'd schemed,

Blasted my gourds, and made me low.

"Lord! Why is this?" I trembling cried;

"Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?"

"Tis this way" The Lord replied

"I answer for grace and faith."

"These inward trials I employ

From self and pride to see thee free

And break thy schemes of earthly joy

That thou mayest seek thy ALL IN ME."

John Newton

Quote of the Day

One day at a time, with its failures and fears,

With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears,

With its portion of pain and its burden of care;

One day at a time we must meet and must bear.

One day at a time to be patient and strong,

To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong;

Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrow shall cease;

It shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace.

One day at a time - but the day is so long,

And the heart is not brave, and the soul is not strong,

0 Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way;

Give courage and patience and strength for the day.

Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet;

"Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;

I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;

I will not forsake thee; I never will leave."

Not yesterday's load we are called on to bear,

Nor the morrow's uncertain and shadowy care;

Why should we look forward or back with dismay?

Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day.

One day at a time, and the day is His day;

He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay.

His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone;

As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own.

Annie Johnson Flint

 

Quote of the Day

Yea, "new every morning," though we may awake,

Our hearts with old sorrow beginning to ache;

With old work unfinished when night stayed our hand,

With new duties waiting, unknown and unplanned;

With old care still pressing, to fret and to vex,

With new problems rising, ours minds to perplex;

In ways long familiar, in paths yet untrod,

Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!

His faithfulness fails not; it meets each new day

With guidance for every new step of the way;

New grace for new trials, new trust for old fears,

New patience for bearing the wrongs of the years,

New strength for new burdens, new courage for old,

New faith for whatever the day may unfold;

As fresh for each need as the dew on the sod;

Oh, new every morning the mercies of God!

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

I know not, but God knows;

Oh, blessed rest from fear!

All my unfolding days

To Him are plain and clear.

Each anxious, puzzled "Why?"

From doubt or dread that grows,

Finds answer in this thought;

I know not, but He knows.

I cannot, but God can;

Oh, balm for all my care!

The burden that I drop

His hand will lift and bear,

Though eagle pinions tire --

I walk where once I ran --

This is my strength, to know

I cannot, but God can.

I see not, but God sees;

Oh, all-sufficient light!

My dark and hidden way

To Him is always bright.

My strained and peering eyes

May close in restful ease,

And I in peace may sleep;

I see not, but He sees. 

  

Annie Johnson Flint