The disappointments of life are simply the hidden appointments of love. C. A. FOX

My child, I have a message for you today. Let me whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise will shine with glory, and the rough places you may have to walk will be made smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head. “This is my doing.”

Have you ever realized that whatever concerns you concerns Me too? “For whoever touches you touches the apple of [my] eye” (Zechariah 2:8). “You are precious and honored in my sight” (Isaiah 43:4). Therefore it is My special delight to teach you.

I want you to learn when temptations attack you, and the enemy comes in “like a pent-up flood” (Isaiah 59:19), that “this is my doing” and that your weakness needs My strength, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, never ask your opinion, and always push you aside? “This is my doing.” I am the God of circumstances. You did not come to this place by accident—you are exactly where I meant for you to be.

Have you not asked Me to make you humble? Then see that I have placed you in the perfect school where this lesson is taught. Your circumstances and the people around you are only being used to accomplish My will.

Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? “This is my doing,” for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend upon Me. My supply is limitless and I “will meet all your needs” (Philippians 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say, “You did not trust in the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 1:32).

Are you experiencing a time of sorrow? “This is my doing.” I am “a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” (Isaiah 53:3). I have allowed your earthly comforters to fail you, so that by turning to Me you may receive “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set aside on a bed of sickness and pain? “This is my doing.” You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted to teach you some of My deepest truths. “They also serve who only stand and wait.” In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer.

Today I place a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things. LAURA A. BARTER SNOW

“This is from Me,” the Savior said, As bending low He kissed my brow, “For One who loves you thus has led. Just rest in Me, be patient now, Your Father knows you have need of this, Though, why perhaps you cannot see— Grieve not for things you’ve seemed to miss. The thing I send is best for thee.”

Then, looking through my tears, I plead, “Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know, It will not be hard since You do tread, Each path before me here below.” And for my good this thing must be, His grace sufficient for each test. So still I’ll sing, “Whatever be God’s way for me is always best.”

Do you find yourself at this very moment surrounded with needs, and nearly overwhelmed with difficulties, trials, and emergencies? Each of these is God’s way of providing vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill. If you correctly understand their meaning, you will see them as opportunities for receiving new blessings and deliverance you can receive in no other way.

The Lord is saying to you, “Bring them here to me.” Firmly hold the vessels before Him, in faith and in prayer. Remain still before Him, and stop your own restless working until He begins to work. Do nothing that He Himself has not commanded you to do. Allow God time to work and He surely will. Then the very trials that threatened to overcome you with discouragement and disaster will become God’s opportunity to reveal His grace and glory in your life, in ways you have never known before.

“Bring [your needs] here to me.” A. B. SIMPSON

“My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

What a source—“God!” What a supply—“his glorious riches!” What a channel—“Christ Jesus!” It is your heavenly privilege to trust “all your needs” to his glorious riches, and to forget your needs in the presence of his . . . riches. In His great love, He has thrown open to you His exhaustive treasury. Go in and draw upon Him in simple childlike faith, and you will never again have the need to rely on anything else. C. H. M.

MY CUP OVERFLOWS

There is always something “over,” When we trust our gracious Lord; Every cup is overflowing, His great rivers all are broad.

Nothing narrow, nothing sparing, Ever springing from His store; To His own He gives full measure, Overflowing, evermore.

There is always something “over,” When we, from the Father’s hand, Take our portion with thanksgiving, Praising for the path He planned.

Satisfaction, full and deepening, Fills the soul, and lights the eye, When the heart has trusted Jesus All its needs to satisfy.

There is always something “over,” When we tell of all His love; Unreached depths still lie beneath us, Unscaled heights rise far above:

Human lips can never utter All His wondrous tenderness, We can only praise and wonder, And His name forever bless.

MARGARET E. BARBER

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Paul's God is our God and will supply all our need. Paul felt sure of this in reference to the Philippians, and we feel sure of it as to ourselves. God will do it, for it is like Him: He loves us, He delights to bless us, and it will glorify Him to do so. His pity, His power, His love, His faithfulness, all work together that we be not famished.

What a measure doth the Lord go by: "According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The riches of His grace are large, but what shall we say of the riches of His glory? His "riches of glory by Christ Jesus"-who shall form an estimate of this? According to this immeasurable measure will God fill up the immense abyss of our necessities. He makes the Lord Jesus the receptacle and the channel of His fullness, and then He imparts to us His wealth of love in its highest form. Hallelujah!

The writer knows what it is to be tried in the work of the Lord. Fidelity has been recompensed with anger, and liberal givers have stopped their subscriptions; but he whom they sought to oppress has not been one penny the poorer, nay, rather he has been the richer; for this promise has been true, "My God shall supply all your need." God's supplies are surer than any bank.

Being not weak in faith, [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb; he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?—If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.—Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?—Behold the fowls of the air; . . . your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?—Why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not . . . remember the five loaves of the five thousand?

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.—There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.—Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death.

My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.—He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.—The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusteth in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth: and with my song will I praise him.

She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold.

Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and I will recover my wool and my flax.

All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

O Lord our God, all this store . . . cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.—Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The living God . . . giveth us richly all things to enjoy.—Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.—His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.—Whether . . . the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's.—Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.—Godliness with contentment is great gain.—My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.—Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.—My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.—God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?—Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.—His bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.—The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.—Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, . . . that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.—Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all … things shall be added unto you.—He that spared not his Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?

All things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.—As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.—The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will be withheld from them that walk uprightly.—The living God, … giveth us richly all things to enjoy.—God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.