An horror of great darkness fell upon him.

— Genesis 15:1

Whenever God gives a vision to a saint, He puts him, as it were, in
the shadow of His hand, and the saint’s duty is to be still and
listen. There is a darkness which comes from excess of light, and
then is the time to listen. Genesis 16 is an illustration of
listening to good advice when it is dark instead of waiting for God
to send the light. When God gives a vision and darkness follows,
wait. God will make you in accordance with the vision He has given if
you will wait His time. Never try and help God fulfil His word.
Abraham went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years
all self-sufficiency was destroyed; there was no possibility left of
relying on common-sense ways. Those years of silence were a time of
discipline, not of displeasure. Never pump up joy and confidence, but
stay upon God (cf. Isaiah 1:10,11).

Have I any confidence in the flesh? Or have I got beyond all
confidence in myself and in men and women of God; in books and
prayers and ecstasies; and is my confidence placed now in God
Himself, not in His blessings? “I am the Almighty God” – El-Shaddai,
the All-Powerful God. The one thing for which we are all being
disciplined is to know that God is real. As soon as God becomes real,
other people become shadows. Nothing that other saints do or say can
ever perturb the one who is built on God.

On this day...

• The Names of God Study - 2024
• The Names of God - 2024
• A useless Christianity without a crown - 2012
• The strength of soul and mind we use for sin, we borrow from the Lord - 2012
• Your attitude is your thought life turned inside out - 2012
• What the human soul desires is to rest securely in eternity - 2012
• Spending adequate time with the Lord - 2012
• Regular, daily, attentive reading of Scripture - 2012
• The more grace a man has... - 2012
• Isaiah 43:6 - 2009