"We were troubled on every side" (II. Cor. vii. 5).

Why should God have to lead us thus, and allow the pressure to be so hard
and constant?

Well, in the first place, it shows His all-sufficient strength and grace
much better than if we were exempt from pressure and trial. "The treasure
is in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us."

It make us more conscious of our dependence upon Him. God is constantly
trying to teach us our dependence, and to hold us absolutely in His hand
and hanging upon His care.

This was the place where Jesus Himself stood and where He wants us to
stand, not with a self-constituted strength, but with a hand ever leaning
upon His, and a trust that dare not take one step alone.

It teaches us trust. There is no way of learning faith except by trial. It
is God's school of faith, and it is far better for us to learn to trust
God than to enjoy life.

The lesson of faith, once learned, is an everlasting acquisition and an
eternal fortune made; and without trust even riches will leave us poor.

AUGUST 1.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done"
(II Cor. v. 10).

It will not always be the day of toil and trial. Some day, we shall hear
our names announced before the universe, and the record read of things
that we had long forgotten. How our hearts will thrill, and our heads will
bow, as we shall hear our own names called, and then the Master shall
recount the triumph and the services which we had ourselves forgotten!
And, perhaps, from the ranks of the saved He shall call forward the souls
that we have won for Christ and the souls that they in turn had won, and
as we see the issue of things that have, perhaps, seemed but trifling at
the time, we shall fall before the throne, and say, "Not unto us, O Lord,
not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory!"

Beloved, the pages are going up every day, for the record of our life. We
are setting the type ourselves, by every moment's action. Hands unseen are
stereotyping the plates, and soon the record will be registered, and read
before the audience of the universe. and amid the issues of eternity.

AUGUST 2.

"Thy gentleness hath made me great" (Ps. xviii. 35).

The blessed Comforter is gentle, tender, and full of patience and love.
How gentle are God's dealings even with sinners