The Story Of An Old Blacksmith
And His Chain For An Anchor
From Gerhard BF Hallock's 1899 Book Upward Steps
Brother Bob highly recommends this book that is found at
GBF Hallock Open Library In A Google Search
An old blacksmith lived in a large city where all day long people could hear the clanging of his hammer upon the anvil, and everyone knew that the old blacksmith was forging a chain for an anchor. Many people saw him work every day noticing how faithful and patient he was and how he would never pass over one link of the chain until it was absolutely perfect. Most people would laugh at the old man and tell him he would get more accomplished if he didn't work so long on each little link.
The old blacksmith would just shake his head and keep on doing his best on each link of the chain, ignoring the daily mockery. After the old blacksmith died, he was laid away in the churchyard and the great chain which lay in his shop was put on board a ship and connected to an anchor. The chain and anchor were coiled up out of the way where no one noticed them for a long time.
But one day when the ship was sailing on the ocean with one thousand passengers, a fierce wind began to blow while rain dashed down on the deck of the ship in torrents as the sky flashed with vivid flashes of lightning. The ship toiled through the waves and strained and groaned as she obeyed her helm. It took three men at the wheel to guide her. Then they let go her anchor and the great chain made by the old blacksmith went rattling over the deck into the gloomy waves. At last the anchor touched the bottom of the ocean and the chain made by the old blacksmith grew as taut and stiff as a bar of iron.
As the gale increased, everyone on the ship asked will the anchor and chain hold? If one link of the chain, just one link was imperfect and weak, the ship would be lost and one thousand people would die and perish. But the faithful old smith had done his best in each and every link. And the chain held and one thousand people's lives were saved because of one old faithful blacksmith's chain.
Like this old blacksmith, we all need to realize how much of our own future destiny and the welfare of others is bound up in our present actions. In Jesus name, I pray that this story encourages saints everywhere to keep working for Jesus and ignore the persecutions around us. Deny your flesh and worldly pleasures and live for Jesus daily. Be determined to finish your goals for Jesus by constantly denying sin. Tell everyone to get saved repent and confess Jesus to be God believing Jesus died for them on the cross, was buried, and rose again. Like the old blacksmith, instead of being discouraged and quitting because of trials and persecutions for Jesus, rejoice and keep working for Jesus and your faithfulness will bless and save thousands all over this earth, while our Lord Jesus is exalted and glorified.
Failure Is Not Final Unless You Quit
Now let's learn the secret for success by reading Galatians 6:9 that says And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Notice that we will reap and become successful if we don't faint or quit. Right now say and tell multitudes everywhere "A failure is not someone who fails but someone who quits."
Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit
Albert Gray said "The secret of success for everyone who has been successful lies in the fact of doing things that failures don't like to do." The bible says at Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again; but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Let's all practice the wise advice of Paul Harvey who said "If you fall seven times and get up eight times, you will never fail."
And to learn the true meaning of Galatians 6:9 for success and how to faint not, connect Luke 18:1 to complete the bible jigsaw puzzle pictured above, understanding that if you always pray you will faint not and succeed with many blessings. Luke 18:1 tells us how to faint not to reap our blessings saying Men ought always to pray and not to faint. Keep praying for your goals for Jesus; Don't quit and the bible promises that you will be successful and achieve all your plans for Jesus.
Let's join two more bible scriptures together to again complete the bible jigsaw puzzle and discover how to freeze, still, and defeat the devil. Notice that Psalm 8:2 says Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Now let's see how to still the enemy devil by connecting Matthew 21:16 that says Yea have ye never read Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? If we connect the scriptures we discover that praise to Jesus will freeze, still, and defeat the devil. Isaiah 59:19 promises When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard (defined as make the devil flee quickly and disappear) against him.
What Think Ye Of Christ?
T. DeWittt Talmage (a great preacher from the 1800's) in reply to this question calls upon the following witnesses to give their testimonies.
First the great hymnwriters give their testimonies
1) Isaac Watts who lived from 1674 to 1748 sings his blessed hymn I'm not ashamed to own my Lord or to defend his cause.
2) John Newton who lived from 1725-1807 sings his blessed hymn Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
3) Charles Wesley who lived from 1707-1788 sings his blessed hymn Jesus lover of my soul let me to thy bosom fly.
4) Ray Palmer who lived from 1808-1887 sings his famed hymn My faith looks up to thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary.
5) Fanny Crosby who lived from 1820-1915 sings her memorable hymn Blessed assurance Jesus is mine; O what a foretaste of glory divine.
But let us take a higher testimony
6) David answers The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
7) John answers The root and offspring of David and the Bright and the Morning Star.
8) Paul proclaims even from the Roman prison Christ is all, and in all.
Life's Views
A great philosopher said
"I have spent my life laboriously doing nothing"
A great emperor said
"I have tried everything and nothing is of any profit"
Goethe, the great German poet said
"My life has been a continual rolling of a stone uphill
which has continuously rolled back"
But remember the words of Paul the great missionary who said
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness
Which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day
And not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing
More Blessed Quotes
1) A hypocrite is a fellow who isn't himself on Sundays.
2) Truth has only to exchange hands a few times to become fiction.
3) Faith will not always get for us what we want, but it will get what God wants us to have. Like Jesus we need to say Not my will but thy will be done Father God.
4) John Jay the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court said "The bible is the best of all books for it is the Word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts." Wouldn't it be a blessing if our current US Supreme Court justices in 2019 could agree with John Jay's beliefs.
5) Robert E. Lee General for the Confederate army said "The bible is a book in comparison with which all others in my eyes are of minor importance and which, in all my perplexities and distresses has never failed to give me light and strength."
I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes all over this earth with great peace and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
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