Christ's sympathy He is the infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, gracious, just, holy, and unchangeable I AM! The last day of the year This is the last evening of the year! Mary might well complain of Martha! The carrion which professors can now feed upon! The funeral of all your sorrows! Grace Gems for MAY 2007 The presence of a loving God! Orthodox in creed--but heterodox in life! My politics! Three golden balls! Spoiled children! He was infinitely happy and glorious without us! Yes, He is altogether lovely! A far-off Hell is the dread of no man! A Bag, a Book, and a Bottle! The Infinite has become an infant! Short pithy quotes from the Puritan Thomas Brooks! Grace Gems for MAY 2007 The presence of a loving God! The hen which does not sit on her eggs! The bags will come to an end, long before the treasure is exhausted! Who cares for pebbles--when jewels glitter before him? A golden master-key! Today's Puritan AUDIO Devotional:
J.C. Ryle's Devotional Commentary, Mark chapter 5
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The predestined moment has not yet struck!
(Charles Spurgeon)
"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." Acts 18:9-10
This should be a great encouragement to evangelize, since God has . . .
among the vilest of the vile,
among the most reprobate,
among the most debauched and drunken
--an elect people who must be saved!
When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive it--for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by Christ's blood, as the saints before the eternal throne! They are Christ's property--yet perhaps they are at present, lovers of the ale-house and haters of holiness. But if Jesus Christ has purchased them--He will have them.
God is not unfaithful to forget the price which His Son has paid. He will not allow His substitutionary sacrifice to be in any case--an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet--but regenerated they must be! This is our comfort when we go forth to them with the quickening Word of God.
Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne. "My prayer is not for them alone," says the great Intercessor, "I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message." Poor, ignorant souls, they do not pray for themselves--but Jesus prays for them! Their names are on His breastplate, and before long they must bow their stubborn knee, breathing the penitential sigh before the throne of grace.
The predestined moment has not yet struck! But when it comes, they shall obey--for God will have His own redeemed people! They must obey--for the Spirit is not to be withstood when He comes forth with fullness of His saving power. They must become the willing servants of the living God.
"My people shall be willing in the day of My power."
"He shall see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied."
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If you are not attending a Sunday evening service today,
we encourage you to listen to this insightful sermon:
"Guarding the Gospel!" Steve Lawson
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