"For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." Yes, God knows who we are. He remembers what He made us out of, our frailness. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him." How pitiful are we? This is our nature. Fear Him, and His grace will be strong in us. Humble is our estate, but not our heart. He remembers who we are. We forget, and few have ever come to some kind of understanding of ourselves, for we neglect/refuse to fear God. "Lord I surrender!" is the cry of many, but beneath the cry is contentedness, though often painful, with an imagination of personal strenth and orderliness. "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him." Return unto the Lord thy God, O man; fear Him and prostrate yourself before Him, being expendable.

Hear the decree and purpose: "And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD." and again, "Recompense her [Babylon] according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel." How have we lifted up ourselves before our God? How easily are we deceived! O, to see His face! Only then will I give Him pure, unadulturated glory and fellowship. Pride. The most self-emptying prayer and fellowship that man can offer to the Lord still has a measure of pride intertwined within it, for until we see the face of the Christ and be like Him, this flesh deceives us. Free me from this bond of death! May I be mad over You, as Babylon was with it's idols, and more so, for in You is Truth and Life! Then will You be pleased. It's amazing how much grace we a dependant on. Can I love, serve, enjoy God without His grace? I believe the answer is obvious. He supplies for His own, ultimately for His own glory. He wants fellowship with us more than we want it with Him. He is more fervent about getting it; He deserves it. Therefore, if we will, He will, and it will happen. Where is the sweet fellowship? God is ready to have it. We deprive Him of it, if God can be deprived of any thing. What is pride? I gather that it is a lack of understanding of Who God is and who we are. God, give me understanding.

Read a tragic display of the human heart today in Jeremiah 44. Verse 16-17 says, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth." Hear the words of these men before judgement is foretold: "Pray for us unto the Lord. . .that the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do."(42:2-3) From what did such scorning and hate arise? The rebellious spirit overwhelmed them even in their statement of submission. I believe the answer is found in 45:5: "And seekest thou great things for thyself?" Why did Israel only turn to the Lord during trajedy? they sought great things for themselves. At this point (they knew their past) they expected God to "return" as He did in the past. But Jeremiah prophecied that they would be captives even if they turned back now. God knew they would only continue in the cycle, never taking thought for God's pleasure, but rather for their inhabiting a peaceful and prosperous land. Are we willing to live unto the pleasure of the Lord and still go to hell for it? God will not suffer that to happen, but would we be so overtaken by Him that we would suffer hell that He might have pleasure? Why do we exist, but for His pleasure? Is there any other Infinite? Behold, all things are His dominion; He is Ulitimate. Our pleasure and good matter not. He searches the hearts for one to please Him, to show HIMSELF strong. He is jealous. He deserves to be. "And seeketh thou great things for thyself? seek them not." "I am the Lord. There is none beside Me."

"Is the distinction between living for Christ and dying for Him, after all so great? Is not the second a logical conclusion of the first?" - Elizabeth Elliott
This quote I acquired by my brother A. T. Pierson. If I do not desire to die a Christ-like death, do I really want to live a Christ-like life? I find it easy at times to admit that I would be willing to do anything, even die a miserable death, in and for the Name of the Beloved. But saying something, though one be convinced in his mind, is not proof of truth. Words are backed by actions. Without actions, assertions are vain. Would I give my life up to Death for Christ? I will know when I come to that bridge, whether I be willing to cross it. Today, I will give to Him all that He has given into my hands, for they be His anyway. I will plan to do so tomorrow. When the day of testing is come, by His grace - for I am lean, His great Name will be uplifted. Lord, will you privilege me so, that I should have opportunity to give my life in death for my Saviour? O, the unseen privilege it is to live in Christ unto His praise and maginification. Your Covenant and your cross, O Christ, are blessed, though brought because of our curse. I will die today as by Your strength, Your right hand, I walk.

The Lord reveived a sinner into His fold today at Ethan Allen. Praise be to God, He has chosen these stones to tell of His glory: the Lord Jesus. A soul, so deeply stained, cannot resist the saving power of the Majesty. What is sin but offence against the Holy One? if that Holy One will wash a soul, it is washed through faith according to the Word of God. If God will keep a soul, what can make it flee? This newborn is eternally Thine, O Lord, for you have saved his soul according to your hearts yearning. How is it that you groan in your spirit for such a soul as mine? have I attained your favour? No, you have freely given it. How, Lord God? I don't understand your heart, the depths of it, nor will I until I see your Express Image. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Rid me, for your pleasure's sake, of this body of death, of iniquity. I will be caught up to YOURSELF: I am yours and always will be, no matter how decieved I may be. You have glorified Yourself; I know you will do it again. Do it in me, for you are worthy to recieve of your own.

Read in Jeremiah today of the yoke of Babylon on the shoulders of Judah. This yoke, the chastisement of sin, was to be their cursed slavery. But my God gives me a yoke as well. This yoke is a slavery as well, but not cursed in any sense, for it sets me free from bondage from my Lord. I am free to commune with my God according to His lovingkindness. What sweet communion, for God is with me in this yoke, beside me, yet with His hands on the reigns. But how often do I kick against the pricks. Foolishness, for I know not the destruction into which I will lead myself. Who am I to direct my steps? He is infinite; in Him do I have my very being. My Lord will not suffer me, chosen in Christ, to lose His fellowship, for He wants the same. Only as I choose another god on which I will lay my passion will my Lord, for His eternal pleasure, strip me of His nearness. Thy Word, O Lord, and the promises thereof, shall be my guide. I can not stray when the eyes of my heart follow hard after Thee, for you have promised "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. You shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Amen, Lord God. I will rest in your promises.

Been having a dry spell lately concerning fellowship with my Lord. Feel that I'm becoming one of the dry-rot Christians that can sure keep the outward commandments, but the internal commandment of loving Him with all of the heart, soul and mind gets neglected. What is the purpose of man? Do we exist to experience joy, peace, love, and fellowship? All these things are products of fulfilling our true purpose: Giving God Glory in that He enjoys sweet fellowship with us. Lord, may I not fall into Israelite pride that claims your blessings as its own, lest you be compelled to turn against me, a stone chosen to praise Your name, the dearly beloved of Your Soul, for this is unpleasing to you. It greaves Your heart, your soul. This person that speaks to you is not who You meant him to be, and in that your soul is grieved, though perfect, just, loving, and righteous. You have given grace and strength to change and to do your bidding. I want to grasp you. Here am I.