The adult coral invertebrates, known as polyps, work underwater constructing coral reefs. They do so never even imagining they are building the foundation of a new island, which will someday support plants and animals and will be a home where the children of God will be born and equipped for eternal glory as “co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

Beloved, if your place in God’s army is hidden and secluded, do not grumble and complain. Do not seek to run from His will and the circumstances in which He has placed you. Remember, without the polyps, the coral reefs would never be built, and God calls some people to be spiritual polyps. He is looking for those who are willing to serve in places hidden from the sight of others, yet in full view of heaven, and who are sustained by the Holy Spirit.

A day is coming when Jesus will bestow His rewards. On that day some people may wonder how you came to merit a certain reward, since they have never heard of you. But remember, He makes no mistakes.

Just where you stand in the conflict, There is your place. Just where you think you are useless, Hide not your face. God placed you there for a purpose, Whate’er it be; Think He has chosen you for it; Work loyally. Put on your armor! Be faithful At toil or rest! Whate’er it be, never doubting God’s way is best. Out in the fight or on lookout, Stand firm and true; This is the work that your Master Gives you to do.

With freedom from danger, we can leave a crowded meeting of believers, an inspiring mountain top experience, or a helpful fellowship with “righteous [men] made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23), in order to return to our modest and simple Emmaus, to the dreaded home of the Colossians, or even to the mission field of distant Macedonia. We can do so with the calm assurance that wherever God has placed us, and in every detail of our daily lives, He has ordained the land we are to possess to its very borders and has ordained the victory to be won. NORTHCOTE DECK

Did you ever come to a time of the most awful famine—spiritual famine—in your life, when there was no pasture upon which to feed? At such a time Christ Himself takes the matter for us to the throne of God. He tells God we are His own brothers. And what is the answer? “The kingdom of heaven is before you; settle your brothers in the best part of the kingdom.” Do you realize what it means to have Jesus Christ intercede for you—the Christ whom you repudiated by your own sin? Pharaoh knew not these men; but he knew Joseph, and nothing was too good for Joseph and every relative of Joseph.

We are “co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Because of Christ, God flings wide open the whole kingdom, and simply asks that we take its best. Out of famine—into the best that the kingdom affords! Not only that, but rulers of the King’s own property! Oh, Lord Jesus, forgive my unfaith! Open my sin-bound, self-centered eyes to the wonders of Thy love. Teach me how to receive more. The best of the kingdom: that means Thee. I take Thee, Lord, as my feast of Eternal Life.

MESSAGES FOR THE MORNING WATCH

I am not the brood of the dust and sod, Nor a shuttled thread in the loom of fate; But the child Divine of the living God, With eternity for my life’s estate.

I am not a sport of a cosmic night, Nor a thing of chance that has grown to man; But a deathless soul on my upward flight, And my Father’s heir in His wondrous plan.

ALVA ROMANES

We are His only heirs.

The fellowship of his sufferings.—Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.—For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.—If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.—Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.—All things are yours.—My beloved is mine.—The Son of God . . . loved me, and gave himself for me.

The Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thy inheritance among the children of Israel.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.—I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.

He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him I will give power over the nations.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Be ye . . . followers of God, as dear children.

If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.

The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.

These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.—Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

His Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things.—If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I and my Father are one. The Father is in me, and I in him.—My Father, and your Father; and . . . my God, and your God.—I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.

The Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Having . . . these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.—We suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.