Grace Gems for APRIL, 2024
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What a cluster of sweet hopes!
(Octavius Winslow, "Evening Thoughts") LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain." Revelation 21:4
What a cluster of sweet hopes is here! What a collection of bright beams throwing their splendor over that cloudless day! Heaven will be a state of perfect freedom from all SORROW!
"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes!"
Child of sorrow.
Sick ones dear to Christ.
Bereaved mourners.
Hear these precious words, and let music break from your lips! God will wipe away your tears! As the mother comforts her sorrowing child, so God will comfort His. Yes, child of grief, there will be no more weeping then. Oh, ecstatic thought!
"And there shall be no more death."
No more rending asunder of affection's close and tender ties!
No more separations from the hearts we love.
Mourners no more go about the streets.
For death is now swallowed up in victory!
"Neither sorrow, nor crying."
Grief cannot find existence or place in an atmosphere of such bliss.
No frustrated plans,
no bitter disappointments,
no withered hopes,
no corroding cares,
mingle with that deep sea of bliss, now pouring its tide of joyfulness over the soul!
"Neither shall there be any more pain."
Children of suffering, hear this! There will be no more pain racking the frame, torturing the limbs, and sending its influence through the system until every nerve and fiber quivers with an indescribable agony.
Heaven will be a state of perfect freedom from all SINS! Ah! this will be the brightest and sweetest of all the joys of Heaven!
The Canaanite will no more dwell in the land.
Inbred corruption will be done away.
The conflict within us will have ceased!
No evil heart will betray us into inconsistencies and sorrows.
Not a cloud of guilt will tarnish the unsullied purity of the soul.
You holy hearts, mourning over indwelling and outbreaking sin, soon you will be free from sin completely and forever!
Psalm 17:15, "I will see Your face in righteousness. When I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence!" This is Heaven indeed!~ ~ ~ ~
An ocean of consolation!(James Smith, "Gleams of Grace" 1860) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also abounds through Christ!"
2 Corinthians 1:5
There is great consolation in Christ's unvarying love. The love of Jesus is always the same. It never ebbs, but flows on in one continuous stream. His love is . . .
as ancient as eternity,
as strong as omnipotence, and
as unchangeable as His nature.
Creature love may fail; and creatures who love us today, may hate us tomorrow—but as Jesus ever lives, so Jesus ever loves. In His . . .
covenant engagements,
perfect sin-atoning work,
tender sympathy,
constant care,
prevalent intercession,
precious Word, and
unvarying love
—there is an ocean of consolation!
Jesus is . . .
our Substitute, restoring that which sin took away;
our Surety, paying all the debts we would contract;
our Shepherd, taking charge of our persons . . .
to nourish them,
to preserve them, and
to set them before His Father's face forever!
His obedience, is our righteousness.
His blood, is our ransom price.
His death, is our life.
There is consolation in Christ's tender and constant care, which extends . . .
to all our circumstances,
to all that concerns us,
even to the very hairs of our heads!
He cares for . . .
our needs, to supply them;
our holy desires, to grant them;
our eternal salvation, to secure it.
There is always consolation in Christ. Whatever may be our outward circumstances, and they may be very trying . . .
in poverty and pain,
under losses and crosses,
however tempted or tried
—there is still consolation in Christ!
Creatures may prove crosses,
ordinances may be like wells without water,
providence may frown,
the meal barrel may be empty,
and the brook may dry up
—but there is still consolation in Christ.
Though . . .
harassed with doubts,
tormented with fears,
tortured with temptations,
shrouded in darkness, and
drinking the wine of astonishment
—there is still consolation in Christ.
All within may be discouraging, disheartening, and depressing:
our evidences may be lost,
our fears may be great,
our convictions may be painful,
and our terrors may be dreadful
—but there is still consolation in Christ.
Our immediate prospects may be dark . . .
all going out, and nothing coming in;
all losses, and no gains;
disease may be working in our body;
old age may be creeping upon us;
our business may be failing;
claims upon us may be increasing;
our families may be increasingly trying
—but there is still consolation in Christ!
Yes, though the crops fail,
though provisions give out,
though resources are cut off, and
poverty stares us in the face,
let things be as bad as they may, and threaten to be ever so much worse—there is still consolation in Christ!
Yes, when all without us is dark, and all within us dreary;
when friends are removed, and enemies increase;
when with Jacob we are ready to look around and before us, and say, "All these things are against me!" There is still consolation in Christ!
As there is always consolation in Christ, we should learn . . .
to know and love Christ,
to know and love Him well,
to know and love Him experimentally,
to know and love Him in His person, offices, and work,
to know and love Him in His relations, characters, and love,
to know and love Him as our unchanging source of supply, comfort, and peace!
We should trust Christ at all times and in all circumstances.
However our experiences may vary—He is ever the same!
His Word is like the great mountains!
His heart is an ocean of love!
His faithfulness reaches to the very Heavens!
He is our strength, and we must look to Him to strengthen us.
He is our wisdom, and we must look to Him to counsel us.
He is our righteousness, and we must look to Him to justify us.
He is all in all to us, and therefore we must . . .
look to Him for all,
go to Him with all, and
expect Him to bring us through all.~ ~ ~ ~
Living for Christ!(anonymous) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"For me, to live is Christ—and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21
As we journey through this fleeting life, let us never forget the purpose for which we were created. The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever!
But how do we fulfill this noble purpose?The answer is simple—by living for Christ!
To live for Christ is to surrender all that we are and have, to His lordship. It is to . . .
deny ourselves,
take up our cross,
and follow Him.
It is to seek His glory in all we do, and to find our joy in Him alone. As the apostle Paul so boldly declared, "For me, to live is Christ"—not my own desires, not my own ambitions, but Christ!
Let us not be deceived by the seductive pleasures of this poor world. Let us not be swayed by the whispers of the enemy, who would have us believe that our lives are our own to live as we please. No, dear friends, our lives are not our own. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, and we belong to Him!
So let us live for Him, and Him alone. Let us seek His glory in every aspect of our lives, and let us find our joy in His presence. Only as we live for Christ, can we . . .
find genuine felicity in this life,
glorify God in all that we do,
and enjoy Him forever in glory!
Only those who sincerely live for Christ, will find that to die is gain!
"If we live, we live to the Lord—and if we die, we die to the Lord.
So then, whether we live or we die—we belong to the Lord!" Romans 14:8~ ~ ~ ~
Do any startle at this plain assertion?(Thomas Reade, "Christian Experience") LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
In the early Christian Church religion did not consist in talking finely, but in living well.
We, alas! are not now what these primitive Christians were—burning and shining lights.
The lamentation of the prophet is sadly too descriptive of our state: "Our silver has become dross, and our wine is mixed with water." Isaiah 1:22
The world has tainted the Church by its unhallowed admixture.
Where is . . .
the simplicity,
the self-denial,
the zeal,
the entire devotedness,
of these first Christians to be found?
Certainly not among the great mass of religious professors!
Long continued prosperity has induced a spirit of slumber.
Without any breach of that charity which hopes all things, we are compelled to declare this painful truth: that thousands who are moral, and regular in all the outward duties and decencies of religion—are still as far distant from the spirit and practice, the principles and feelings, of the true believer, as the East is from the West!
Do any startle at this plain assertion?
Where, we would ask, is . . .
their deep contrition,
their sincere repentance,
their hatred of sin,
their application to the Savior,
their love to His name,
their delight in His service,
their attachment to Him,
their self-denying obedience,
their renunciation of the world,
their patience under suffering for the Gospel's sake?
Where, in short, is the new creature in Christ Jesus to be seen in them? It has no existence!
They have a name to live, being called Christians, and professing to believe in Jesus—but they are dead!
The general truths of the Gospel may dwell in their understandings, but they have no abiding place in their hearts.
The Apostle has well described the character of these nominal Christians:
"They profess that they know God, but in works deny Him." Titus 1:16
"They have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof." 2 Timothy 3:4-5
These are the people who, frequenting the house of God, sneer at 'conscientious piety'. Yet, they have full confidence in the mercy of God, and deem it most uncharitable, even to breathe a hint that they are in danger of eternal perdition.~ ~ ~ ~
The Holy Spirit(David Harsha, "The Savior's Ascension") LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
The Spirit is given to supply the Savior's absence, and to apply to our souls the redemption finished on Calvary. It is His blessed work to glorify Jesus—to testify of Him.
Through His power we are:
renewed and sanctified,
filled 'with all joy and peace in believing,'
and 'abound in hope' of a blissful immortality.
The Spirit reveals the Savior to our souls in a manner that renders Him exceedingly precious in our estimation. He shows us . . .
His excellence,
the perfections of His divine nature, as the brightness of the Father's glory
His power, as the Creator of all things,
His wisdom,
His immutability,
His eternity!
The Spirit exhibits to us . . .
the amazing love of Jesus to sinners,
the wonders of His incarnation,
the amiableness of His life on earth,
the spotless purity of His character,
the unparalleled sufferings of His life,
the fruits of His death, resurrection, ascension and intercession!
The Spirit shows us His suitableness to our needs as sinners. He points us to Calvary, and whispers in our ears the cheering truth that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins!
The Spirit comforts us amid all the tribulations of earth:
by assuring us that our trials are but light and momentary,
by perfecting His strength in our weakness,
by bringing to our remembrance the many precious words of the Lord Jesus,
by communicating to us the things of God,
by lifting our hearts above the world, and
by pointing us to a home of rest and glory beyond the skies—where tribulation, and anguish, and death, never come!
Yes, by His divine power thus operating on our minds, He enables us to look far beyond the present. He direct faith's far reaching eye to our Father's house, and the fountains of immortal life, flowing through those sweet fields beyond the swelling flood—the sight of which makes us long to be there, that we may see Jesus as He is, and taste His goodness on the shores of the promised land!~ ~ ~ ~
It is certain that no one is saved, who habitually practices any known sin!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Since we presently have no access to the 'Book of Life,' we cannot judge of any particular person's salvation, except by his works. Hence it is clear that "whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil" and "whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God!"
Therefore, if we are living in the willful commission of any one sin, or habitual neglect of any one duty—then we have no ground whatever to imagine that we are of the number of God's elect. To suppose therefore that a work of grace has been begun in us, while our daily experience proves that we are the willing slaves of sin and Satan—is only to deceive our own souls, and to surrender up ourselves as an easy prey into the hands of the devil, our great adversary!
1 John 3:7-10, "Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared, was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."
It is certain that no one is saved, who habitually practices any known sin!~ ~ ~ ~
Happy sickness!(David Harsha, "Thoughts on the Love of Christ") LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows!" John 16:33
Affliction comes upon all!
None are exempt from the sufferings incident to our fallen nature. The young, the old, the rich and the poor alike—feel the withering touch of affliction and of sorrow. Disease invades the strongest constitution, and affliction prostrates the mightiest energy. Often those in the prime and vigor of life are laid down on the bed of sickness, and made to feel that they are dying creatures. How true it is, that "How frail is humanity! How short is life, and how full of trouble!" Job 14:1
The children of God are not exempted from the afflictions of this life, but it is their blessed consolation to know that in all their sorrows and sufferings, they have a caring and divine Friend to sympathize with them!
Oh! How often does the blessed Jesus wonderfully manifest His love to His afflicted ones! How often does He whisper words of peace and love and consolation in their ears! How often, in the manifestation of His love, do their souls overflow with joy, even when their bodies are racked with severe pain!
All the afflictions of the children of God are designed for their good. They come from a kind and wise heavenly Father—from a God of love; and one of their designs is their purification and sanctification.
Afflictions make us fit for glory. They enable us to obtain a correct view of the emptiness of all worldly vanities. They tend, through grace, to fix our souls on Jesus, in whom alone we can find true happiness and immortal joys.
Happy sickness, that leads the soul to Jesus—the only source of blessedness! Afflictions, then, promote our spiritual welfare, and are ordered for our good.
Psalm 119:67, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word!"
Psalm 119:71, "It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your decrees!"
Psalm 119:75, "I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me!"~ ~ ~ ~
Never did God appear more glorious!(Thomas Charles, "Conformity to the Image of God" 1838)
LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.
He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities.
The punishment that brought us peace, was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5
God is as glorious in punishing sin—as He is in pardoning sin.
Never did God appear more glorious, than when He was pouring out His wrath on the Son of His love, for our sins. Justice and mercy, holiness and love—shone there with united and transcendent splendor.
The same glory of God which shines in punishing sin in Hell—appeared in His punishing it on the cross!
Does not God deserve to be loved for the one, as well as for the other? Does He not deserve to be loved wherever and in whatever manner He causes His glorious justice to appear?
That man never had true grace—who does not love God for punishing sin, as well as for pardoning it.
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree!" 1 Peter 2:24~ ~ ~ ~
What a superlatively grand and consoling idea!(John Foster, 1888) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Job 16:22, "Only a few years will pass, before I go on the journey of no return."
Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ—and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21
What a superlatively grand and consoling idea, is that of DEATH! Without this wondrous hope of death—life would darken into midnight melancholy! Oh! the expectation of living always on this sin-cursed earth, would be indeed a prospect of overwhelming despair!
But thanks to God for that fatal decree which dooms us to die!
Thanks to that gospel which opens up the vista of a glorious and endless life!
And thanks, above all, to that Savior-Friend who has promised to conduct all the godly through the sacred trance of death—into scenes of Paradise and everlasting delight!William Mason:
"Christian! Death cannot hurt you! Death is your best friend, who is commissioned by Christ to summon you from this poor world of vanity and woe, to the blissful regions of glory and immortality, to meet your precious Lord Jesus, and to be forever with Him!"
Philippians 1:23, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!"
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord!" Revelation 14:13
"You will fill me with joy in Your presence—with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!" Psalm 16:11~ ~ ~ ~
Why me, Lord?
(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20
Well may every child of God exclaim with wonder, "What astonishing love is this,
that You have loved me from eternity past,
that You should give Your precious Son to redeem me,
and Your eternal Spirit to sanctify me by His grace?"
In the review of his own life, he may well add, "Why me, Lord?" Why have You,
chosen me,
and redeemed me,
and snatched me as a burning brand out of the fire!
Yes truly, in the review of all these mercies, I must of necessity exclaim: I praise You Lord, with all my soul! May I never forget the wondrous things which You have done for me! You have . . .
forgiven all my sins,
and redeemed me from damnation,
and will crown me with Your love and tender mercies forever!"
Ephesians 1:3-6, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ! For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves!"~ ~ ~ ~
Every saint will be a monument to God's glory!
(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
2 Thessalonians 1:10, "When He comes on that day, He will receive glory from His holy people, and be marveled at among all those who have believed!"
It is not in this world only, that God is glorified by His redeemed people. At the day of judgment, every saint will be a monument to God's glory!
How God's sovereign grace will appear to every one among them, when each sees himself as a brand plucked out of the fire!
What stupendous wisdom will then be manifested in the wondrous plan whereby God has saved such undeserving, ill-deserving, Hell-deserving sinners!
What marvelous patience will God be seen to have exercised towards them, under all their manifold failings and backslidings!
What unbounded mercy will be seen in His pardoning their multiplied transgressions, and saving them from eternal Hell!
Nor will His omnipotence be less an object of admiration, when it is seen how wonderfully it has been exerted in converting their souls, and in preserving them unto His heavenly kingdom!
Yes, as long as there shall exist one glorified saint in Heaven—so long shall the perfections of the Godhead be most eminently displayed in the salvation of sinful man!
"All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen." Revelation 1:5-6~ ~ ~ ~
Do not covet!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Ephesians 5:3, "But sexual immorality and all impurity and covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints!"
Colossians 3:5, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you . . . and covetousness, which is idolatry!"
1 Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows!"
2 Timothy 3:1-2, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous . . . "
Iniquity, however secret the commission, or subtle in its appearance—is hateful and abominable in the sight of God!
Covetousness is a sin of which scarcely any people acknowledge themselves to be guilty of. However much they are under the power of covetousness, they do not see any occasion for repentance before God, provided they are free from gross and scandalous sins.
There is no sin more frequently concealed from the view of those who harbor it, than covetousness! It assumes the names of prudence and economy; and, under the semblance of care for one's family—is too generally regarded as a virtue!
If it does not incite us to the violation of common honesty, or totally deaden all the feelings of humanity—then covetousness is applauded by others, and serves as a foundation for self-approval and self-delight.
But the love of money is the root of all evil!
It is a base lust!
It is the vilest idolatry!
Covetousness serves mammon, in preference to God. It must therefore of necessity provoke the Lord to jealousy. In fact, God views covetousness with abhorrence and indignation! "Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry!" Isaiah 57:17
Luke 12:15, "And He said to them: Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions!"
Hebrews 13:5, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said: I will never leave you—nor ever forsake you."
Exodus 20:17, "Do not covet!"
Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
[Editor's note: Though Christians are not to covet worldly vanities—we are to "Covet earnestly the best gifts" 1 Corinthians 12:31. We are to covet such things as close communion to God, heavenly-mindedness, greater dependence upon God, greater love to Jesus, greater humility, an increase in every grace and in the fruit of the Spirit.]~ ~ ~ ~
What is Christianity?(George Everard, "Guidance and Help" 1874) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"Christ is all!" Colossians 3:11
What is Christianity?
Christianity centers in the glorious Person of Christ!
The aim and purpose of every Scripture truth, is to fix the eye on Christ Himself!
He is the Alpha and Omega of Christianity.
From Him proceeds every ray of spiritual light.
To Him all believing hearts are drawn.
The Christian finds consolation and strength only in Him.
Every motive for Christian living is from Him.
The glorious privileges which Christians possess, can only be enjoyed from union and communion with Him.
Their highest standard of duty is to follow His footsteps, and to walk even as He walked.
Christianity, in fact, is Christ! It is . . .
Christ in the Scriptures,
Christ in the Manger,
Christ on the Cross,
Christ, the Risen One,
Christ, the Ascended One,
Christ, the Prophet, the Priest, the King,
Christ in His Glorious appearing, to be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels!
All our trust, all our love, all our obedience, is due to Him!
The more the eye and the heart is turned fully towards Him—the more true and genuine is our Christianity.
Do not I love You, Oh my Lord?
Behold my heart and see,
And turn each cursed idol out,
That dares to rival Thee!
You know I love You, dearest Lord,
But oh, I long to soar,
Far from the sphere of mortal joys,
And learn to love You more!
Philip Doddridge~ ~ ~ ~
No one who walks in them will know peace!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it!"
"The way of peace they do not know;
there is no justice in their paths.
They have made crooked paths;
no one who walks in them will know peace!" Isaiah 59:8
Truly, there is no peace for the wicked, in the eternal world!
At the instant of the departure of the soul from the body, all delusions vanish, and everything which God has spoken is fulfilled. Then how glad would the lost sinner be, if rocks or hills could fall upon him, and hide him from the face of his offended God!
But that cannot be! Into the presence of his righteous Judge he must go; and from Him he must receive his eternal doom—even in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, prepared for the devil and his angels!
Let the "rich man" inform you what peace can be possessed there. In vain he begged for a single drop of water to cool his tongue!
Alas! "they rest not day nor night," but drink incessantly of the cup of God's wrath and indignation! To all eternity will they be occupied in "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing their teeth!"
Such will be the outcome of all who are walking in the broad road which leads to destruction. Nor will any ever escape it, but those who "enter in at the narrow gate, and walk in the narrow way that leads unto life."
Isaiah 57:21, "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked!"
Isaiah 55:6-7, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon!"~ ~ ~ ~
Not our home!(David Harsha, Immanuel's Land") Play Audio Download Audio
"This world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in Heaven, which is yet to come!" Hebrews 13:14
We are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
This present world is not our home.
We are coming up from the wilderness with our faces Zion-ward; we are traveling to the celestial city!
Our path is rough, but the Savior sustains us.
Our pilgrimage lies through a wilderness, but faith cheers us with a view of the glorious rest of the redeemed in our Father's house—in mansions of blessedness.
Let this consideration animate us amid the conflicts of life. In a little while we shall obtain a joyous entrance into the rest above. The storms of life's ocean will soon carry us into the haven of peace, where there is no trouble.
The language of inspiration is, "Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled—it is ruined, beyond all remedy."
Your Savior, pilgrim Christian, has prepared for you a nobler rest than this polluted world!
In his Father's house are many spacious mansions, where your happy spirit, after tasting the bitter cup of life's sorrow, shall rest in eternal blessedness!
"For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in Heaven, which is yet to come!" Hebrews 13:14~ ~ ~ ~
Your weeping, aching, languid head!(Octavius Winslow, "Evening Thoughts") LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine!" Song of Solomon 6:3
O yes dear believer. You have but one Beloved of your heart—He is all the universe to you; Heaven would not be Heaven without Him!
He loved you,
He labored for you,
He died for you,
He rose for you,
He lives and intercedes for you in glory!
All that is lovely is in Him!
And where would you lean in sorrow, but upon the bosom of your Beloved? Christ's heart is a human heart, a divine heart, a sinless heart, a tender heart! It is a heart which was . . .
once the home of sorrow,
once stricken with grief,
once an aching, bleeding, mournful heart!
Jesus knows how to pity and to support those who are sorrowful and solitary. He loves . . .
to chase anguish from the mind,
to bind up the broken heart,
to staunch the bleeding wound,
to dry the weeping eye,
to comfort His mourning people.
It is His delight to visit you in the dark night-season of your sorrow, and to come to you walking upon the tempestuous billows of your grief—diffusing serenity over your scene of sadness and gloom.
When other bosoms are closed to your sorrow,
when the fiery darts of Satan fly thick around you,
and the world frowns,
and the saints are cold,
and your path is sad and desolate—then . . .
lean upon the love of Jesus,
lean upon the grace of Jesus,
lean upon the faithfulness of Jesus,
lean upon the tender sympathy of Jesus.
That bosom will always open to welcome you! It will ever be a refuge to receive you, and a home to shelter you. Never . . .
will its love cool,
nor its tenderness lessen,
nor its sympathy be exhausted,
nor its pulse of affection cease to beat.You may have grieved His affectionate heart a thousand times over; you may have pierced it through and through, again and again. Yet returning to its undying love—penitent and lowly, sorrowful and humble—you may lay within it your weeping, aching, languid head . . .
depositing every burden,
reposing every sorrow, and
breathing every sigh into the merciful heart of Jesus!
Hebrews 4:15, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every way, just as we are . . ."~ ~ ~ ~
Say, is not this lovely?(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
James 1:9-10,
"The poor brother ought to glory in his high position.
But the one who is rich should glory in his low position . . ."
Great and rich believers, along with lowly and poor believers—are all one in Christ, and are equal with each other!
Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female—for you are all one in Christ Jesus!"
Colossians 3:11, "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free—but Christ is all, and is in all!"
The same confessions of sin, however humiliating they may be—proceed equally from the hearts of all.The same petitions for grace, for mercy, for strength—are asked by all.
The same devout gratitude for spiritual blessings—is poured forth by all.
The Word is pronounced with the same authority to all, and entire submission to it is required from them all.
The same exceedingly great and precious promises—are guaranteed to them all.
The same priceless inheritance is reserved in Heaven for all—who by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, receive and obey the Gospel.
View both rich and poor believers, sitting down together at the table of the Lord—as guests equally invited, and equally accepted by the great Master of the feast!
All eating of the same bread;
all drinking of the same cup;
all receiving into their souls, the same divine blessings.
Say, is not this lovely? Is it not a true picture of Heaven itself, where the poor beggar Lazarus, whose sores the dogs once licked, because he had not a friend to bind them up—now sits down with all the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord at the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Yes! Thus it is in the Church below. The rich and the poor meet together, for the Lord is . . .
the Redeemer of them all,
the Father of them all,
the Friend of them all,
the portion of them all!
In Christ's church on earth, both poor and rich—are all in a measure . . .
poor in spirit,
mournful over their sinfulness,
meek and humble,
hungering and thirsting for righteousness,
merciful,
pure in heart,
holy and Christly!
In the body of Christ, there is no place for despising the poor, or envying the rich—as the same honor and blessedness belong to all!
Romans 12:5 "So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others!"~ ~ ~ ~
Blessed is the man! Not so the wicked!
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Ephesians 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ!"
Christian! These are some of your choice spiritual blessings:
Election by the Father.
Redemption by the Son.
Regeneration by the Spirit.
Justification by faith.
Forgiveness of every sin.
Reconciliation with God.
Adoption into God's family.
Glorification and eternal life in Heaven!
Ponder the 'names' given to believers in the Scriptures:
"sons of God,"
"children of light,"
"children of obedience,"
"children of promise,"
"children of the living God,"
"children of the resurrection,"
"children of their Father in Heaven!"
While the whole world besides are:
"children of the devil,"
"children of darkness,"
"children of disobedience,"
"children of the wicked one,"
"children of Hell,"
"children of wrath!"
Consider some of the believer's prospects in the eternal world:
"Now the dwelling of God is with men,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them and be their God!
He shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain." Revelation 21:3-4
While to all others, there is nothing but "a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries!"
Consider the unbeliever's prospects in the eternal world:
in outer darkness,
in the lake of fire,
where their worm does not die,
and the fire is never quenched,
where the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever,
where there is no rest day or night,
with Satan and his demons,
in the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Psalm 1:1-6
"Blessed is the man . . .
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
or stand in the way of sinners,
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers!Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous!For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish!"
~ ~ ~ ~
This humiliating doctrine!(Thomas Reade) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Romans 9:13-16,
"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What then shall we say? Is God unjust?
Not at all! For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort—but on God's mercy!"
Are any saved? It is only through . . .
the sovereign grace of God,
the sovereign love of the sin-atoning Savior,
the sovereign operation of the Holy Spirit, producing faith in their hearts to lay hold of, and delight in—the ever precious Jesus!
Have you received this gift of salvation?Why should the Sovereign of the universe condescend to save you?
Why should God pour this oil of grace, this unction from the Holy One, on you?
Why should He convert you into a vessel of mercy fitted for the Master's use—while thousands around you are vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction?
O why is this?Because God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy!
I must resolve all into . . .
the sovereign will,
the electing love, and
the free grace of the Great Jehovah!
"I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love!
With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself." Jeremiah 31:3Amazement seizes on my mind!
Love and praise should fill my heart!
Then cease not, O my soul, to extol the Giver of such sovereign mercy!
Many professors reject this blessed truth. The pride of man cannot bear this humiliating doctrine, which is so subversive to "human boasting".
But what are its genuine effects? It . . .
humbles the sinner,
exalts the Savior, and
promotes holiness of heart and life.
Any teaching . . .
which places Christ on His throne, and the creature in the dust;
which opposes the evil of sin, and delights in holiness—must be true!
"Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden!" Romans 9:18
"What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make His power known—bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath prepared for destruction?
What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory?" Romans 9:22-23~ ~ ~ ~
Your priceless inheritance!(Octavius Winslow) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God and he will be My son!" Revelation 21:7
"Inherit all things!" This is an astonishing aspect of Heaven. How vast, how unfathomable—is the inheritance of the saints! It is a lovely picture, on which the eye of faith delights to dwell.
The earthly heir looks at his inheritance, surveys it, walks through it, luxuriates amidst its beauties, and anticipates its full possession.
In the same way, the heir of glory has his inheritance also—it is Heaven in all it's splendor! He looks to it, and he longs for it. Soon his Savior will come in glory, and usher him into its full and eternal possession!
"We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is reserved in Heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!" 1 Peter 1:4
"Then the King will say to those on His right: Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world!" Matthew 25:34~ ~ ~ ~
A reality we must not ignore!(anonymous) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
The puritan John Shower once said, "O my soul, descend into Hell by meditation while I live—that I may not descend there when I die, and be shut up forever in God's prison, the place of endless torment!"
In the depths of our souls, there lies a fear that transcends our conception—the terror of Hell. It is a concept that evokes discomfort, yet it is a reality we must not ignore!
The Scriptures speak of Hell as a place of divine punishment for our sins—where the wicked will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10
The thought of Hell may seem terrifying, but it serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness of God, and the just consequences of our sin.
Hell compels us to examine our short lives, and eternal realities—with honesty and humility before the heart-searching God.
Amidst the darkness of Hell, there shines a glimmer of hope—the promise of salvation from sin and Hell, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, the Son of God endured the agony of His Father's wrath, so that sinners like us might be spared from the horrors of Hell. To all who sincerely trust Him, He grants . . .
perfect redemption,
full forgiveness, and
the assurance of eternal life.
Let us not shy away from the reality of Hell, but let it spur us on to live the rest of our lives in the light of eternity. Let us . . .
embrace the truths of Scripture,
repent of our sins,
and turn wholeheartedly to Christ.
In Him alone, we find a refuge from the terror of Hell. In His sin-atoning death, we find reconciliation with the thrice-holy God. May we cling to Jesus with all our hearts, knowing that He can "rescue us from the coming wrath!" 1 Thessalonians 1:10
"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins!" Colossians 1:13-14~ ~ ~ ~
The Preciousness of Jesus!(anonymous) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"Unto you who believe, He is precious!" 1 Peter 2:7
In the bustling noise of our daily lives, amidst the clamor of distractions, there exists a priceless and sacred truth—the preciousness of Jesus! He is . . .
the cornerstone of our faith,
the embodiment of divine love,
and the source of eternal hope!
In the moments of doubt and despair, when the shadows of affliction loom large—it is in Jesus that we find solace and strength! His presence is a beacon of light in the darkness, guiding us through life's tumultuous seas.
Think of the moments when you felt broken-hearted, when the weight of your troubles seemed too heavy to bear. It is Jesus who gently lifts us up, wrapping us in His comforting embrace, whispering words of hope and grace.
His preciousness is not measured in gold or silver, but in . . .
the depth of His compassion,
the boundlessness of His mercy,
and the unfailing constancy of His love.
In Him, we find . . .
forgiveness for our failings,
redemption for our sins,
and the promise of eternal life!
As we journey through this wilderness world, let us treasure Jesus above all else! Let . . .
His teachings be our guide,
His example be our inspiration,
and His presence be our greatest joy!
For in Him, we find the fulfillment of our deepest longings and the purpose of our existence.
May we never lose sight of the preciousness of Jesus, for in Him we find . . .
true significance,
lasting peace,
and everlasting life!
"Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16~ ~ ~ ~
The best of us are but a mixture of dirt and sin!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Isaiah 64:6, "We are all infected and impure with sin. Our righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags!"
Job 40:4, "Behold, I am vile!"
Humility is that grace which is most suited to our condition as sinful creatures. Yet we are quite hesitant to acknowledge ourselves to be so depraved as we in fact are. But the declarations of God are sufficient to humble the proudest heart. It is not only atrocious sinners who are thus vile, but "all"—all without exception! Nor are our worst actions only thus defiled—but all, even our "righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags!"
Let all then, without exception, humble themselves as impure and vile sinners, who are altogether destitute of anything that is good!
Our own righteousness must be wholly renounced, as the best of us are but a mixture of dirt and sin! ("The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground!" Genesis 2:7) We must enter into the kingdom of Heaven, on the very same footing as harlots and scandalous sinners! This is humiliating to our proud nature, but it must be done!
It would be unfitting to an earthly monarch, to present his bride clothed in filthy rags! In the same way, it would be improper to present our sinful souls to the heavenly Bridegroom, clad in such polluted garments as ours!
Paul himself felt the necessity of having a better righteousness than his own, and to be "found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith!" Philippians 3:9
Just so, if ever we would find acceptance with God, we must seek it altogether through the righteousness of Christ!
All who are conscious of their own depravity and sinfulness, should rejoice that God has, "made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!" 2 Corinthians 5:21~ ~ ~ ~
God is altogether sovereign in the distribution of His saving grace!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
The sovereignty of God's bestowal of saving grace is that which constitutes its first and most distinguishing feature. Without understanding this, we can never have any just conception of God's grace at all.
If we suppose God to bestow His saving grace on account of men's merits—then we undermine the principal foundation of our gratitude, and take honor to ourselves, in exact proportion as we ought to give glory unto Him!
A very little reflection will suffice to show us that God is altogether sovereign in the distribution of His saving grace!
Who made the difference between the apostate angels and fallen man?
What was there in us, rather than in them—that induced God to provide a Savior for us,
when no such mercy was given to them?
Who has made the difference between the benighted heathen, and ourselves?
How have we merited that God should send the light of the gospel to us,
when they are left in spiritual darkness, and given up to follow their own delusions?
Every Christian is constrained to conclude, "By the grace of God, I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10
"For who makes you different from anyone else?
What do you have, that you did not receive?"We must confess that it is God, and God alone—who has made any of us to differ!
Matthew 11:25-27, "I praise You Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure. All things have been committed to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him!"~ ~ ~ ~
But the choice is in better hands!
(John MacDuff) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14
Moses asked to be shown the way.
The way is not shown.But better than this, God says, "Trust Me, I will go with you!"
Afflicted one! Hear this wilderness promise which God speaks to His spiritual Israel still. He who led His people of old "like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron," will manifest towards you the same Shepherd love.
The way may be very different from what we would have wished; and what we would have chosen. But the choice is in better hands! God had His own wise and righteous ends, in every erratic turning in the wilderness wanderings.
Just so, who can look back on the past leadings of God, without gratitude and thankfulness? When His sheep have been conducted to the rougher parts of the wilderness—He, their Shepherd, has been with them. When their fleece was torn, and they were footsore and weary, He has borne them in His arms. His presence has lightened every cross, and sweetened every care.
Let us trust Him for an unknown and checkered future!
With Him for our portion, take what He will away—we must be happy. We can rise above the loss of the earthly gift, in the consciousness of the nobler possession which we enjoy in the Great Bestower.
He may have seen fit to level 'clay idols'—that He, the "All Satisfying One" might reign paramount and supreme.
He will not allow us to raise havens on earth, and to write upon them: "This is my rest."
But "Fear not," He seems to say, "You are not left without a friend or without solace on the way home. Pilgrim in a pilgrim land! My presence shall go with you . . .
in all your dark and cloudy days,
in your hours of faintness and depression,
in all your sickness and sadness,
in life and in death!
And when the journey is ended, I will give you eternal rest with Me!"
The pledge of Grace will be followed with the fruition of Glory!
"My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14~ ~ ~ ~
One more step, and his icy hand may lay hold of us!(David Harsha) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"Generations come and generations go . . . " Ecclesiastes 1:4
We are all standing on the shores of time, and before us stretches the unfathomable ocean of eternity!
To this vast abyss, the millions of earth's inhabitants are fast hastening.
Every day that closes,
every hour that passes,
every moment that flies,
is bringing us nearer to it.
On its mighty surface, every human being must soon embark.
This great and mighty river, for ages and centuries, has been rolling on and sweeping away all who ever lived—into the vast abyss of eternity!
From that unknown country, none return.
On that devouring ocean, which has swallowed up everything, no vestige appears of the things that were.
Death is the messenger that conducts us into the invisible world; and this messenger may be very near to us. One more step, and his icy hand may lay hold of us . . .
to remove us from our dearest friends on earth,
to dissolve all the attachments of life,
to hide from us all earthly scenes, and
to open to our view the solemn realities of the eternal world!
Standing on the Rock of Ages, the believer can look down into the 'gloomy mansion of the grave' with composure, and even with triumph.
How blessed then to have the arms of Jesus, the Conqueror of Death . . .
upholding our shrinking souls,
shielding us from all alarm,
sweetening our passage through the dark valley,
conducting us safely through every tempest,
into the glorious abode beyond!
To the Christian, death is an unspeakable advantage—as it is the passage from the wilderness of this world, to the heavenly Canaan!
Death delivers the genuine believer from all the evils incident to humanity.
Death terminates his earthly pilgrimage of discipline, toil, trial and conflict.
Death brings him into a state of perfect holiness and happiness before the throne of God in the highest heavens.
Death is numbered among the treasures of a Christian.
Death is his great gain. The last day of his life is to him the opening of immortality.
As soon as death terminates the believer's existence on earth, he enters upon the inheritance of all those exceeding great and precious promises, which the Word of God holds forth to him.
He passes at once from the darkness of earth, to the light and glory of the celestial world.
He is released from the shackles of sin—and enters the home of God—that house made without hands, eternal in the heavens!
He exchanges this valley of groans and tears—for a world from whose blissful mansions, all sorrow flees away.
He departs to be with Christ; and oh, what sincere follower of the adorable Redeemer, who is now enthroned amid Heaven's ineffable glories—would not rather be absent from the body, to be present with Him!
In the hour of death Christ will be your refuge.
His everlasting arms will be underneath you.
His rod and staff will comfort you.
He will be with you until the last; and you shall awake amid the unutterable splendors of Heaven, to be forever with the Savior in mansions of light and felicity.
It is the glory of the Christian religion, thus to raise the soul above the fear of death. With him all is calm and serene—for his sins are forgiven. He has peace within; joy beams in his countenance. His soul is delighted with joyful prospects beyond the grave. He is filled with strong consolation.
The sweet thought of going to his heavenly home now occupies his mind, elevating his views, and cheering his spirit. He thinks of . . .
the glories of his eternal home,
its fullness of joy,
its blessed inhabitants,
its delightful employments,
and its never-ending pleasures!
While earth is passing from his view, the portals of those blessed mansions of the redeemed are opening for his entrance, where he will be forever with his precious Savior!~ ~ ~ ~
We do not relinquish the vain pursuit!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Jeremiah 2:11-13, "Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged Me, their glorious God, for worthless idols! Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror!" declares the Lord.
"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water; and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water!"
Grievous, indeed, had been the departure of God's ancient people from Him, and their obstinate attachment to idols. But if God utters this complaint against them, then how much more justly may He urge it against professing Christians today!
What has been the uniform tenor of our lives, but one constant state of departure from God, and a preferring of every worldly vanity before Him! True, we have not bowed down to idols of wood and stone; but we have cared for nothing, and thought of nothing—but the pleasures, or riches, or honors of this vain world!
Look at most of the people who are filling our churches—what are they seeking after?
It is this poor world, in some shape or other!
Though they have found worldly pleasures to be, in fact, nothing but "vanity and vexation of spirit"—yet they go on in the same infatuated course from year to year, setting their affections upon worthless vanities which never did, nor ever can—give them lasting satisfaction and felicity!
We do not mean to condemn all pleasure, honor, wealth, or learning—as evil in themselves. These all have their legitimate and appropriate use, and all may be pursued and enjoyed in perfect consistency with a good conscience before God. But the evil which usually accompanies these things, consists . . .
in making them the great end of our life;
in allowing them to draw away our hearts from God;
or to occupy that place in our affections which is due to God alone!
The creature which is allowed to rival God in our affections, whatever it may be, is only "a broken cistern."
Who will dare to say that he has ever found solid and permanent satisfaction in the creature?
Who has lived any considerable time in the world without learning by his own experience, the truth of Solomon's observation, that all earthly vanities are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!
Yet, whatever our experience has been, we still follow our own delusions, and run after a phantom, which, while we attempt to apprehend it, eludes our grasp!
We suppose that the pleasures of the world will make us happy. We follow them, and for a moment imagine that we are happy. But we awake, and find that it was but a dream!
We next try wealth or honor. We run the race and we attain the prize. But we find at last that we have been following a shadow, and are as far off from solid happiness as ever!
Notwithstanding our daily experience of the insufficiency of all earthly good to make us truly happy, we do not relinquish the vain pursuit!
We have hewn out one cistern, and found it incapable of retaining any water. We have then renewed our labor, and hewed out another cistern—which we have found as unproductive of solid benefit as the former. We have worn ourselves out with the pursuit of various and successive vanities—yet we have persisted in our error, untaught by experience, and unwearied by continual disappointments!
What amazing folly, then, have we been guilty of!
"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" Isaiah 55:2
How long will you go on withholding your affections from God, who alone can make you happy—in a determined pursuit after earthly vanities? I do hope that you will see how foolish such pursuits are, and will from this time turn unto God with your whole hearts!~ ~ ~ ~
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen!(Charles Simeon) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Jeremiah 2:27-28,
"They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'
Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!"
God warns His people of old, that if they persisted in looking to their false gods in the time of prosperity—that they would have none but their idols to assist them in the season of adversity.
In the same way, in times of prosperity, the unsaved not only neglect God but despise Him as well! They cast off all fear of God and serve their idols, to the utter neglect of God.
When reminded of their duty to God, they think:"Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him?"
"I will have nothing to do with Him!"
"Leave us alone! We have no desire to know Your ways!"
"Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?"
"Stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!"
(Jeremiah 2:31-2, Exodus 5:2, Psalm 12:4, Psalm 81:11, Job 21:14-15, Isaiah 30:11)
Yet few are so hardened in iniquity, that they will not reflect on their ways when they come into troublous times. Even atheists and heathen, when reduced to great extremities—may force up a prayer to God for help:"They sought You in distress, when Your chastening was upon them!"
"Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him!"
"In their misery, they will earnestly seek Me!"
(Psalm 78:34-37, Isaiah 26:16, Jonah 1:5, Hosea 5:15)
But as soon as their troubles are over, they return to their sinful ways without a second thought—just like a dog returns to its vomit, or like a swine that is washed goes back to wallowing in the mire!
So it is with the unsaved—they are bent upon the gratification of their sensual desires. They pursue their sins without restraint, mock God, and laugh at all our efforts to turn them to Him.
Still, they never think of the folly and danger of their conduct, which God has repeatedly forewarned them of in His blessed Word: "Do not let him who is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his recompense!" Job 15:31. Now they obstinately withstand all the overtures of God's love and mercy—but it will not always be so!
In the hour of death, will their pleasures, or their riches, or their honors, which they once sought with such avidity—then comfort them? Alas! These lying vanities can do nothing to assuage the pains of a diseased body—and much less are they able to pacify a guilty conscience, and to compose the bewildered mind, in the prospect of death and judgment! Truly, "miserable comforters are they all!"
God will mock them in that solemn time: "Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!"
"Those who cling to worthless idols, forsake their own mercies!" Jonah 2:8. These scoffers of God, will then curse themselves for their folly in seeking such delusions. They will then feel those truths, which they obstinately refused to believe on earth!
How will the ungodly man reproach himself when in Hell:
"While on earth, I only loved worldly vanities. Like Esau, I sold Heaven itself for poor worthless momentary enjoyments. Now, like Esau, God has rejected me! I now beg God to send me only a drop of water to cool my agonized tongue; but He bids me to go for relief to the gods which I served when on earth!
"Now I find that God's Word was true: 'Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction!' I now reap nothing but damnation, because I once sowed only to the flesh!"
Judges 10:13-14,
"You have forsaken Me and served other gods—so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!"
Proverbs 1:24-31,
"Since you rejected Me when I called, and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand; since you ignored all My advice, and would not accept My rebuke:
I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
when calamity overtakes you like a storm;
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind;
when distress and trouble overwhelm you!
Then they will call to Me, but I will not answer; they will look for Me, but will not find Me.
Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept My advice, and spurned My rebuke—they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes!"~ ~ ~ ~
Broken, humbled and destitute!(anonymous) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart, and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin, and are humbly and thoroughly penitent!" (Amplified Bible)
Psalm 51:4, "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight!"
Psalm 51:17, "My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent. Such, O God, You will not despise." (Amplified Bible)
Oh, how tender is the forgiving love of our merciful Father! It is a love that transcends human understanding, reaching out to the depths of our sin and brokenness, with compassion and forgiveness.
In our brokenness, we often feel unworthy, ashamed and lost. Yet, it is precisely in these moments that God's loving-kindness shines brightest.
Consider the story of the prodigal son. Despite squandering his inheritance in wicked living, the son found himself broken, humbled, and destitute. Yet, when he returned to his father, his father did not cast him away in anger or judgment. Instead, the father ran to embrace him, showering him with love and forgiveness! (Luke 18:9-14)
Such is the boundless love of our heavenly Father towards each of His redeemed children!
God's love for us is not dependent on our merits or accomplishments. It flows freely from His nature as a compassionate and merciful Father. He sees beyond our faults and failures, extending His hand to lift us from the depths of sin, despair and shame.
Christian! Remember that God's love for you knows no bounds. No matter how broken or unworthy you may feel, He is ever your merciful and forgiving Father. May His boundless love be your refuge and strength, guiding you through the darkest valleys of sin and sorrow—until you reach the Celestial City!
Psalm 32:5, "I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord', and You forgave the guilt of my sin!"
Ephesians 3:19, "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully!"~ ~ ~ ~
God's view of pride and humility(anonymous) LISTEN to Audio! Download Audio
"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13
"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished!" Proverbs 16:5
Scripture warns us of the destructive power of pride, which precedes downfall; while humility is the virtue that leads to exaltation. As we journey through life, we find ourselves engaged in a constant battle between these two forces, wrestling with our own desires for recognition—and the call to walk humbly before our Creator.
Pride, the oldest of sins, whispers seductively in our ears, urging us to exalt ourselves before others, and to seek our own glory rather than God's.
Pride blinds us to our own faults, and inflates our sense of self-importance.
Pride is the root of conflicts, the cause of strifes, and the barrier to true communion with God and our fellow man. Pride erects walls where there should be bridges—fostering division, rather than unity.
Yet, in the midst of this spiritual warfare, there shines the beacon of humility!
Humility is not weakness, but strength under control. It is the recognition of our true place before God, acknowledging His sovereignty, and our utter dependence upon Him. It is the willingness . . .
to esteem others above ourselves,
to serve rather than to be served,
to love sacrificially as Christ loved us.
Jesus, the embodiment of humility, demonstrated this virtue in His earthly ministry. Though He was the Son of God—He humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant, and obediently endured the cross for our sake. His example calls us . . .
to follow in His footsteps,
to clothe ourselves with humility,
and to walk humbly before our God.
In the battle against pride, let us arm ourselves with the weapons of humility:
a contrite heart,
a willingness to submit to God's will,
and a posture of servanthood towards others.
Let us daily crucify our prideful inclinations, and instead cultivate a spirit of humility—knowing that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5