<style type="text/css">
<!--
@page { margin: 0.79in }
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in }
A:link { so-language: zxx }
-->
</style>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">April 19, 2013</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<style type="text/css">
<!--
@page { margin: 0.79in }
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in }
-->
</style>
</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>OCT
30 - SONG OF SOLOMON 1:1-2:7 - SPIRITUAL COMMUNION: INITIAL LOVE</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>1.
1:4 (1:1-8, ESV) SHULAMITE WITH VIRGINS, COURT LADIES AND LOVER.
<font size="3">“Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought
me into his chambers. OTHERS - We will exult and rejoice in you; we
will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Lord Jesus, </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">You</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
are our King and our Lover. Father You have given Jesus unto us as
King of Your Kingdom of love. We submit to You. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Hallowed
be your :name.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">2.
1:9 (1:9-11) SOLOMON: EXPRESSES WHAT HE SEES IN HER. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">I
compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Not
yet Father, not yet are we broken, molded and disciplined. The
champing horse nature must give way to the lowly, serving donkey
nature. We submit. Change us. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:kingdom come!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">3.
1:12 (1:12-14) SHULAMITE: EXPRESSES HER LOVE FOR HIM. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“While
the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.”
</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Incense
and praise and worship begins to ascend unto You and Your Son, O
Father! All that we have, all that we are, all we shall ever be;
Cannot repay the love-debt we owe: We surrender to Thee! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">4.
1:15. SOLOMON: BEAUTIFUL AND GENTLE HE SEES HER. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Behold,
you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are
doves.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">You
Father, are the One Who call the things that are not as though they
were! You see us justified, sanctified and </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">already</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
glorified! This is what You tell us in Messiah! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
1:16-17 (1:16-2:1) SHULAMITE: COMMENDS THEIR LOVE. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Behold,
you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful. Our couch is green;
</span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">17
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">the
beams of our house are cedar; our rafters are pine.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
You have given us seven things that are </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">ours</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">:
and here are the first three! We are </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Your
habitation</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">,
</span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Your dwelling
place</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
Make us more like Yourself. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
2:2. SOLOMON: ELEVATES HER ABOVE ALL OTHERS. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">As
a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">We
bless You for seeing us as Your Father and our Father sees us!
Father, we bless You for giving us Jesus, the Lover of our souls! We
choose to abide in Him, and share His rest! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
2:4 (2:3-7) SHULAMITE: EXULTS IN HIS LOVE. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">He
brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.”
</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Ah
Father! there is </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">nothing</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
too difficult for You! You have given us Jesus, our Kinsman-Redeemer!
There is </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">none</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
like unto Him! He has made us a New Creation, a Lover Creation! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><u><b>NONE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
1:6 (1:1-8) SHE: HER LACK. </b></span><b><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Do
not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has looked upon me
My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the
vineyards, </span></font><u><font size="3">but my own vineyard I have
not kept</font></u><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">!”
</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
deliver us from the striving vanity of man’s religious systems, and
bring us into Your vineyard of rest!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Quote
from C.H. Spurgeon - “He Never Violates the Human Will” - </span></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">For
it is not God’s way to make men His servants, except so far as they
willingly yield themselves to Him. He never violates the human will,
though He constantly and effectually influences it.”</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
Psalm for the Day: 12</span><span style="text-decoration:none">0</span><span style="text-decoration:none">:1-2
(120) DELIVER ME, O LORD. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“In
my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">2
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Deliver
me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Hidden
in You Father, we become like Stephen before his persecutors. We too
can say, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Suddenly
we have left the continent of the vast Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm
for the islands and islets of the Songs of Degrees. It may be w</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">e</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">ll
to engage in protracted devotion upon a special occasion, but this
must cast no slur upon the sacred brevities which sanctify the godly
life day by day. He Who inspired the longest Psalm was equally the
Author of the short compositions which follow it. Subject: A certain
author supposes that this hymn was sung by an Israelite upon leaving
his house to go up to Jerusalem. He thinks that the good man had
suffered from </span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">the
slander of his neighbors and was glad to get away from their gossip
and spend his time in the happier engagements of the holy feasts. It
may be so, but we hope that pious people were not so foolish as to
sing about their bad neighbors when they were leaving them for a few
days.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">120:1.
</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><b> </b></span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>In
my distress</b></span></i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>. </b></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
Slander occasions distress of the most grievous kind. Those who have
felt the edge of a cruel tongue know assuredly that it is sharper
than the sword. Calumny rouses our indignation by a sense of
injustice, and yet we find ourselves helpless to fight with the evil
or to act in our own defense. </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>I
cried unto the Lord (or Jehovah</b></span></i><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>).
</b></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
</span></span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">The
wisest course that he could follow. It is of little use to appeal to
our fellows on the matter of slander, for the more we stir in it the
more it spreads. As well plead with panthers and wolves as with
black-hearted traducers. However, when criest to man would be our
weakness, cries to God will be our strength. To Whom should children
cry but to their Father?</span></span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">120:2.
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>Deliver
my soul, O Lord, from lying lips.</b></span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
It will need divine power to save a man from these deadly
instruments. Lips are soft; but when they are lying lips, they suck
away the life of character and are as murderous as razors. </span></span></span></font></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">120:3.
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>Or
what shall be done unto you, you false tongue? </b></span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">How
shall you be visited? The law of retaliation can hardly meet the
case, since none can slander the slanderer; he is too black to be
blackened; </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">n</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">either
would any of us blacken him if we could. Wretched being! He fights
with weapons which true men cannot touch. Like the cuttlefish, he
surrounds himself with an inky blackness into which honest men cannot
penetrate. Like the foul skunk, he emits an odor of falsehood
which cannot be endured by the true; and therefore he often escapes,
unchastized by those whom he has most injured. </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">His
crime, in a certain sense, becomes his shield; men do not care to
encounter so base a foe. But what will God do with lying tongues? He
has uttered His most terrible threats against them, and He will
terribly execute them in due time.</span></span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">120:4.
</span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><i><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>Sharp
arrows of the mighty. </b></span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">What
a crime is this to which the All-merciful allots a doom so dreadful!
Let us hate it with perfect hatred. It is better to be the victim of
slander than to be the author of it. The shafts of calumny will miss
the mark, but not so the arrows of God: the coals of malice will
cool, but not the fire of justice. Shun slander as you would avoid
hell. </span></span></span></font><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>(From
“The Treasury of David” by C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O.
Fuller)</b></span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-weight:normal" align="CENTER">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-weight:normal" align="CENTER">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<font size="3"><b>TO
SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>FOR
ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:<a href="http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/" target="_blank">http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/</a></b></font></p>