Think Victory! TALK WITH THE SHEPHERD

TALK WITH THE SHEPHERD

"In vain you rise early, and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves." Psalm 127:2

"One morning when I woke trying to solve a chess problem that had filled my mind as I had put my head upon my pillow the night before I determined that, henceforth, I should go to sleep thinking of Christ.

As the months past, I discovered that there was much more than a habit involved in this. Here was a proof of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in my heart and mind, controlling even the subconscious element of my life.

Then I learned that I must not merely go to sleep thinking about Christ, but that I must go to sleep in COMMUNION with Him. I began memorizing verses of Scriptures at night and reciting them as I fell asleep. At first these truths were merely objective. 'His Name shall be called wonderful,' might be my verse on a certain night. At first I would meditate on this in terms somewhat like think in which I might expound them to an audience - 'His name is full of wonders', 'His name is the name of Jesus, that of the Savior'; 'He shall save His people from their sins.'

Then there came a change that He brought in my procedure. Those same sentences were altered to the person, number, and tense of fellowship: "Your name is full of wonders"; "Your name is Jesus", "You are MY Savior", "You shall continually save me from MY sins."

Soon He became more real than the inside of my eyelids. I could not see them though they were close to my eyes. Him I learned to know in everything but the touch. And closing one's eyes with Christ takes away all fear of sleepless nights.

Let others count sheep jumping over a wall; I shall talk with the Shepherd. - Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse - from HIS GLORIOUS INDWELLING (Zondervan)

Good word for this Saturday! Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse was the pastor for many years at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

Great quote: The Shepherd does not ask of thee, faith in thy faith, but only faith in Him: and this He meant in saying, 'Come unto me'. In light or darkness seek to do His will, and leave the work of faith to Jesus still. Anonymous