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Expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules
(Letters of John Newton)
It seems to me, that no one person can adjust the standard, and draw the line exactly for another. There are so many particulars in every situation, of which a stranger cannot be a competent judge; and the best human advices and models are mixed with such defects--that it is not right to expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules. Nor is it safe for us--to implicitly adopt the decisions or practices of others.
But the Scripture undoubtedly furnishes sufficient and infallible rules for every person, however circumstanced; and the throne of grace is appointed for us to wait upon the Lord for the best exposition of His precepts. Thus David often prays to be led in the right way.
By frequent prayer, and close acquaintance with the Scripture, and a habitual attention to the frame of our hearts--there is a certain delicacy of spiritual taste and discernment to be acquired. Yet love is the clearest and most persuasive indicator: and when our love to the Lord is in lively exercise, and the rule of His Word is in our eye--we seldom make great mistakes.
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By the fire which burnt down our city!
(Thomas Vincent, "God's Terrible Voice in the City!" written shortly after the "Great Plague of London" and the "Great Fire of London")
By the fire which burnt down our city--God calls upon London to secure themselves against the fire of Hell!
London's fire was dreadful--but the fire of Hell will be a thousand-fold more dreadful!
The fire of London was kindled by man--but the fire of Hell will be kindled by God Himself! "The breath of the Lord, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze!" Isaiah 30:33
The fire of London burnt the houses of the city, and consumed much of the goods; but the fire of Hell will burn the wicked themselves, "Depart, you cursed ones, into everlasting fire!" Matthew 25:41
The fire of London burned most--but not all of the houses in the city; some are yet remaining--but the fire of Hell will burn all of the wicked, not one of them shall escape and remain!
The fire of London was extinguished, and lasted but four days--but the fire of Hell will be inextinguishable, it will burn forever! It is called everlasting fire, in which the damned must lie and burn eternally, without any possibility of ever leaving.
If you had known before of London's fire, where it would begin, and how it would spread and seize upon your houses--surely you would have taken some course for the prevention of it. You surely know now of the fire of Hell--the Word of God has revealed it. O take some course for preventing of it, at least for securing of yourselves against it.
When the fire was burning in London you fled from it, lest it should have consumed your body as well as houses. O fly from the fire of Hell, into which you will be thrown, if you go on in sin! Flee from the wrath which is to come! Flee unto Jesus Christ, who alone can deliver you!
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God's children run home when the storm comes on!
(Charles Spurgeon)
"O that I knew where I might find Him!" Job 23:3
In Job's uttermost extremity--he cried after the Lord. Just so, the longing desire of an afflicted child of God--is once more to see his Father's face! His first prayer is not, "O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!" Nor even, "O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!" But the first and uppermost cry is, "O that I knew where I might find HIM who is my God! O that I might come even to His presence!"
God's children run home when the storm comes on! It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul--to seek shelter from all troubles, beneath the wings of Jehovah. "He who has made God his refuge," might serve as the title of a true believer.
A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction and, like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him! But not so with the true heir of heaven--he kisses the hand which smote him--and seeks shelter from the rod, in the bosom of the God who frowned upon him!
Job's desire to commune with God was intensified, by the failure of all other sources of consolation. The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends, and looked up to the celestial throne--just as a traveler turns from his empty water bottle, and betakes himself with all speed to the well. He bids farewell to earth-born hopes, and cries, "O that I knew where I might find my God!"
Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator--as when we learn the emptiness of all created things. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey--but many sharp stings; we rejoice to turn to Him whose faithful Word is sweeter than honey from the honeycomb.
In every trouble, we should first seek God's presence with us. Only let us enjoy His smile--and we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart, for His dear sake!
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We are all born proud!
(J. C. Ryle)
Humility is one of the strongest evidences of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. We know nothing of humility by nature--for we are all born proud.
To convince us of sin,
to show us our own vileness and corruption,
to put us in our right place,
to make us humble and self-abased
--these are among the principal works which the Holy Spirit works in the soul of man.
Few of our Lord's sayings are so often repeated as the one which closes the parable of the Pharisee and Tax-collector, "Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled--and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14) To have great gifts, and do great works for God, is not given to all believers. But all believers ought to strive to be clothed with humility.
"All of you--clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5
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"That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way." Colossians 1:10
Thief 1. One of the greatest time-wasting sins, consists of idleness or sloth.
Thief 2. The next thief or time-waster, is excess of sleep.
Thief 3. Another time-waster, is an inordinate adorning of the body.
Thief 4. Another time-wasting thief, is unnecessary pomp and extravagance in household furniture and domestic entertainments.
Thief 5. Another time-wasting sin, is needless feastings, gluttony, and drinking.
Thief 6. Another time-waster, is idle talk.
Thief 7. Another thief which would steal your time, is vain and sinful company.
Thief 8. Another notorious time-wasting thief, is needless, inordinate sports and games--which are masked with the deceitful title of recreations.
Thief 9. Another time-wasting thief, is excess of worldly cares and business.
Thief 10. Another time-waster, is vain, ungoverned and sinful thoughts.
Thief 11. Another dangerous time-wasting sin, is the reading of worthless books, plays, romances, and novels. And also unprofitable studies, undertaken but for pride and vain-glory, or the pleasing of a carnal or curious mind.
Thief 12. But the master-thief that robs men of their time, is an unsanctified, ungodly heart; for this loses time, whatever men are doing--because they never intend to do anything for the glory of God.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do it all for the glory of God!" 1 Corinthians 10:31
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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
He smote her with a disease which deprived her of strength, destroyed her beauty, and left her deformed!
by James Smith, Play Audio!Download Audio
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I will look up!
(James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")
"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You--and I will look up!" Psalm 5:3
This was the Psalmist's determination in the morning--and it should be ours.
Preserved and protected through the night--we should look up with gratitude, and praise our God for His goodness.
Aware of our dependence and needs--we should look up and beg mercies of our Almighty God for the new-born day.
Sensible of our foes and dangers--we should look up and pray to be kept, guided, and sanctified by our ever-present God.
If we look within--it will dispirit us;
if we look around--it may distract us;
if we look back--it may awaken fears;
if we look forward--it may arouse foreboding!
But if we look UP to God--it will preserve . . .
the head from swimming,
the heart from sinking,
the feet from slipping, and
the hands from hanging down!
Beloved, let us look up!
There our loving Father is!
There our interceding Savior is!
There all our supplies are!
There our everlasting home is!
Let others look where they will, "I will look up!"
If we look up to God in faith--then He will look down upon us in mercy; and looking, He will supply all our needs!
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"Your sorrow shall be turned into joy!" John 16:20
The sorrow of the Christian must be transient. It is like the passing cloud on the summer's day; or the chill of winter which must give place to the genial warmth of spring.
Beloved, if you now have sorrow--then your sorrow also shall soon be turned into joy; for joy is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Heaviness may endure for the night--but joy comes in the morning.
The SIN that causes your sorrow--shall be pardoned and subdued.
The FOES that disturb your peace--shall be converted or destroyed.
The CLOUDS that obscure your sun--shall soon dissolve in showers of blessing on your favored head.
The hard and weary road between you and your eternal home--will soon be passed! The days of your mourning will be ended, and those who now go forth weeping, bearing precious seed--shall soon return with songs of everlasting joy!
"Your sorrow shall be turned into joy!" John 16:20
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What are the evidences of having received the Holy Spirit?
If we have received the Holy Spirit--the Lord Jesus stands high in our estimation--and our views of ourselves are very humbling. And just in proportion to the power and depth of the Spirit's work--will be our conceptions of the glory, grandeur, and excellency of the Savior; and our discoveries of the depravity, pollution, weakness, and misery of our own hearts.
If, therefore, we have heart affecting views of the glory of Christ and His finished work--and if we lie low in the dust under a sense of our weakness and worthlessness, so that we are brought to depend wholly on Christ, and on Christ alone--we have surely received the Holy Spirit.
Also, if we have received the Holy Spirit--there is in us a deep-rooted, abiding hatred to sin--all sin, especially sin in ourselves. What was once our darling sin, has become the object of our hatred--and against that sin we set a double guard. For nothing do we sigh so often, for nothing do we desire so ardently--as holiness. The Holy Spirit always sets the whole soul against sin--and longing for perfect holiness.
True, our old desires toward sin will sometimes revive--but then we loath ourselves on account of it, mourn over it, and confess it before God. The cry of the soul is, "Holiness, Lord, more holiness! Deep, penetrating, all-pervading holiness!"
Now, if we hate sin everywhere, all sin, and especially the sin that dwells in us; and if we love holiness, admire holiness, pray for holiness, pant for holiness, and strive for holiness--then there is no doubt that we have received the Holy Spirit.
Once more, if we have received the Holy Spirit--then we are ruled by God's Word; we do not follow custom, or allow our desires or prejudices to dictate our course. In all times of difficulty, when in any perplexity, something seems to say within us, "To the law and to the testimony," and to the precepts of the New Testament, we turn.
The Word of Christ is the law of the true believer. Everything short of it, or beyond it, or beside it, or contrary to it--is sin! "Only what Jesus commands, all that Jesus commands, and because Jesus commands," is the language of the soul.
And while we thus make the Word of Jesus our rule--we deny ourselves. We deny our own wills, our own passions, our own desires, our likes and dislikes. We are before Him, as He was before His Father, when He cried out, "Not My will--but may Your will be done." If, then, we make the Word of God our guide, and habitually deny ourselves for Christ's sake--we may rest assured, that we have received the Holy Spirit.
Reader, "Have you received the Holy Spirit?" Remember, "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ--he does not belong to Him!" Romans 8:9
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(Ruth Bryan, "The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ!")
"But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, to remove sin by the sacrifice of Himself!" Hebrews 9:26
These rich words still amaze me.
That word "sin" feels weighty to a sensible sinner.
But oh! that word "Himself!" seems a million times more weighty!
"Himself!" the mighty God, the precious Man Christ Jesus!
"Himself!" by whom all things were created, and for whom they exist!
"Himself!" whose smile is heaven, whose frown is hell!
"Himself!" whom all angels worship, and all devils obey!
"Himself!" the sacrifice!
Another such sacrifice could not be found! Sins as deep as hell and as high as heaven cannot overmatch it--for it is infinite! Sins of scarlet and crimson dye cannot resist its power--for it makes them whiter than snow!
See as as much as you can of the vileness of self, and the demerit of sin--yet "Himself" a bleeding sacrifice, exceeds it all! Here is the sweet-smelling savor, both to the Lawgiver and the lawbreaker. The Lawgiver is honored--the lawbreaker is saved!
See how He stands most lovingly, as with open arms, saying to every laboring, weary, heavy-laden sinner, "Come! Come unto Me, and I will give you rest! I still receive sinners, to the uttermost I save them, and never am weary of healing their backslidings, forgiving all their iniquities, and multiplying pardons--as they multiply transgressions against Me. I blot all out with My blood, and love them freely and forever!"
Sinner, will not this suffice? It will, if the Spirit applies it--and opens in a little measure, Himself and His sacrifice--in contrast to yourself and your sins. It will take eternity to know it fully; but that your heart may find rest and refreshing in it now, is my affectionate prayer.
"But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, to remove sin by the sacrifice of Himself!"
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The Judge!
(by James Smith, 1856)
"God is the Judge!" Psalm 75:7
There is one supreme judge of what is right and wrong--and that judge is Jesus. He is qualified to judge, and He is appointed to sit in judgment on all the actions of men, and to reward every one according to his works.
But it is not to God's final judgment we are about to refer--but to the present. Many professors talk, or seem to feel, as if great mistakes were made, and therefore they justify themselves in complaining. But Jesus is Judge of what is right, and what is best.
His wisdom is infinite;
His knowledge comprehends the past, the present, and the future;
His power is omnipotent;
His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting, and is over all His works;
His love to His people surpasses knowledge.
This being the case, there can be no question that Jesus is the best Judge of what is right, and of what should be.
God is the Judge--as to our PERSONS. Some wish they had more strength, some that they had more health, some that they had more beauty, some one thing, some another thing. Some imagine that they are too tall--and some not tall enough. Some are crooked, or otherwise deformed--and are grieved that they are not straight or well formed.
But God is the Judge, and our formation, size, shape, appearance, etc, are all according to His will; and if according to His will--it must be best. Beware of how you sit in judgment on the wisdom of God, or think yourself capable of improving His plans.
God is the Judge as to who should be born--their size, shape, appearance, and every other particular. Therefore be silent before Him; be satisfied with your lot, and believe that by and bye you will see a reason for what tries or troubles you at present. If you were humble, you would not be much affected by what man may think, or what man may say--but would bow before God, and say, "If I can honor You by being deformed, or destitute of beauty, or weak, or diseased--it is enough. May Your will be done, Your name be hallowed, Your glory be advanced--and I am content; more--I am well-pleased!"
God is the Judge--as to our CIRCUMSTANCES.
Whether I am to be rich, or to be poor;
whether I am employer, or employed;
whether I am healthy, or sick;
whether I thrive, or go to wreck--
God is the Judge as to which is best. He is Judge as to the nature or number of my mercies, trials, troubles, comforts, crosses, losses, bereavements and varied changes.
I cannot tell what would be best--what would really do me good. I must . . .
bow to the wisdom of the All-wise God,
accept the appointments of His Grace, and
be satisfied with the arrangements of Infinite Love.
If there was anything like 'chance' in the world--I might complain, or wish for an alteration. But since God exercises His judgment, and has ordained my lot--it is for me to approve of it, and seek grace that I may honor Him in it.
God is the Judge--as to our EVENTS. Many things are sent to try us; and they try our thoughts, our faith, our fortitude, our patience, our humility, and our perseverance. How things may end--we do not know. What certain providences are intended to produce--we are not informed. But we may rest assured of this--that . . .
God's ends will be accomplished,
His purposes will be performed, and
the predictions of His Word will be fulfilled.
We may, therefore, very safely leave all results to God. The path of duty is plainly marked out. We should walk in that path, taking no thought for the morrow. We should . . .
trust God's promises,
walk by God's precepts,
observe God's providences;
and then we may say, "I have nothing to do with the future, for God is the Judge! He puts down one--and sets up another."
Christian, are you tempted to complain of your lot? Or, do you wish to choose for yourself? It is better to leave it with God--and try to believe that it is best to be as you are, and where you are. There is no doubt that you can glorify God exactly where you are, more than anywhere else.
You can do all that God wishes you to do--right where you are. It is not a change of circumstances--so much as a change of heart that you need. You need more grace and contentment--rather than more health, or wealth, or beauty. Depend upon it, God has made no mistake! And if your body is not so finely formed, or you are not so indulged with health, or so favored with gifts as some are--it is all right, for God is the Judge! It is HIS doing, and "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Defer to God's judgment,
lie low before God's throne,
seek to be filled with God's Spirit--
and so you will be satisfied to have all things ruled by God's will.
He does according to His will in heaven--and there is no complaint or repining there. And he does according to His will on earth--and there should be no dissatisfaction with God's allotments.
We have too high an opinion of ourselves, and of our own judgments; and while this is the case, we shall attempt to invade the rights of the Most High God, or to dictate to the Supreme Ruler! Man--poor, vain man--would gladly be judge! He would take the throne of his Maker! He would . . .
snatch the rule from His hand,
judge His justice,
be the God of God!
But who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say unto Him that formed it, "Why have you made me thus?"
God is the Judge! Therefore be silent all the earth, before the Lord!
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"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say: Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons!"
"And they will go away into eternal punishment!" Matthew 25:41, 46
Lost sinner, your case is sad--very sad! You are an enemy to God, in open and avowed rebellion against Him! You are forcing your passage to blackness, darkness, and eternal woe, through a thousand obstacles which are thrown in your way! And, O how fearful will your end be! What, O what a dreadful end, must yours be!
In Hell, you will be forever deprived of the glorious presence of God!
You will never see light--but be in perpetual darkness!
Your abode will be a prison, where there is . . .
no comfort--but horror;
no voice--but of blasphemers cursing God;
no sounds--but the howling of the tortured;
no society--but devils and damned people. And these being tormented themselves, will eternally torment you!
You must experience . . .
punishment, without pity;
misery, without mercy;
sorrow, without support;
crying, without comfort;
mischief, without measure;
torment, without ease;
where the worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched!
The wrath of God will seize upon your soul and body, like fire! And in the flame, you will be . . .
forever burning--but never consumed;
ever dying--but never dead;
ever roaring with pain--but know no end of these pains.
Your torments will be always, beginning.
Your reflections will be, "All this, I procured by my sin! This I chose--in preference to Heaven! I myself am to blame for my destruction--and God is just!"
Great God, awaken, awaken the sinner! Open, O open his eyes! Snatch, O snatch him as a brand from the burning--and save him through Jesus' blood!! If this is not the case, lost sinner, you may look forward, and exclaim:
Infinite years in torments shall I spend,
And never, never, never end!
Ah! I must live in torturing despair,
As many years--as atoms in the air!
When all these doleful years are spent in pain,
And multiplied by myriads again,
Til numbers drown thought; could I suppose
That then my wretched years were at a close.
This would afford some ease; but, ah, I shiver--
To think upon the dreadful word, FOREVER!
The burning gulf, where I blaspheming lie,
Is time no more--but vast eternity!
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"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world, becomes an enemy of God." James 4:4
"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world--but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:15
Happy, indeed, is that Christian who can be in the world--and yet not of the world; who can do his duty in it--and yet not be conformed to it; who can pass through it unmoved by . . .
its smiles or its frowns,
its flattery or its enmity,
its open opposition or its hurtful ridicule,
its sweets or its bitters,
its gold or its sword!
When I think what the world is, and see what harm it has done and is doing to souls, I do not wonder that Scripture warns against loving it. Resolve to be very thorough, very decided, very watchful, very careful about the state of your soul.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:15-16
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Ah! Poor soul--it is the rich man who goes to hell!
("A Few Sighs From Hell" or "The Groans of the Damned Soul" by that poor and contemptible servant of Jesus Christ, John Bunyan, 1658. Being an exposition of Luke 16:19-31, concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar, wherein is revealed the lamentable state of the Damned--their cries, and their desires in their distresses, with the determined judgment of God upon them. A good warning word to sinners, both old and young, to seek salvation by faith in Jesus Christ--lest they come into the same place of torment.)
"There was a certain rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a certain beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores!" Luke 16:19-21
If we would judge men according to outward appearances, we shall oftentimes judge amiss. Here is a rich man who, to outward appearances, appears as the blessed man--better by far than the beggar, inasmuch as . . .
he is rich--and the beggar poor;
he is well-clothed--but the beggar is nearly naked;
he feasts sumptuously--but the beggar would be glad for dog's food.
Oh, who would not rather be in the rich man's state!
A wealthy man, with all sorts of new suits and dainty dishes every day, has enough to make one who minds nothing but his belly, his back, and his lusts to say, "Oh, that I were in that man's condition! Oh, that I had as much as that man has! Then I would live indeed; then I would live pleasantly, and would say to my soul: Soul, be of good cheer--you have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy--eat, drink and be merry! You are in a most blessed condition!"
This is the conclusion with those who judge according to outward appearances. But if the whole parable is well considered, you will see that that which is held in high estimation with men--is an abomination in the sight of God.
We see that the saddest condition, according to outward appearances, is oftentimes the most excellent one; for the beggar had ten thousand times the best of it, though, to outward appearances, his state was the saddest.
Those who judge according to outward appearances, for the most part, judge amiss. For here in the parable--a man of wealth, and a child of the devil--may be the same person! A man may have an abundance of outward enjoyments--and yet be carried by the devils into eternal burnings!
This is the trap in which the devil has caught many thousands of poor souls, namely--by getting them to judge according to God's outward blessings. Ask a poor, carnal, covetous wretch, how we would know a man to be in a happy state, and he will answer, "Those whom God blesses and gives an abundance of this world to."
Yet, for the most part, these are the cursed men. Alas! Poor men, they are so ignorant as to think that because a man is increased in outward things--therefore God loves that man with a special love. Ah! Poor soul--it is the rich man who goes to hell! "The rich man died, and in hell (mark it, "in hell") he lifted up his eyes, being in torment!"
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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
The theaters are fountains of vice!
by John Newton, challenging & insightful Play Audio!Download Audio
One day when the tide was out, a man went out to gather sea plants on the rocks, and in stepping from ledge to ledge--his foot slipped down and became jammed in a crevice. He attempted to pull it out--but could not. He cried aloud, he shrieked, he prayed--but all in vain--no one heard him! So the tide came rolling in, and rose up higher and higher until it rolled over him and drowned his last gurgling cry in its remorseless waters.
In the same ruthless way--sin clutches men! Even one sin, one secret sin, one evil habit--may hold the soul that indulges it--until the floods of judgment come and roll over it, engulfing it in eternal damnation!
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We ought to seek to gather in this world--treasure that we can carry with us through death's gates, and into the eternal world. We should strive to build into our lives--qualities that shall endure. Men slave and work to get a little money, or to obtain honor, or power, or to win an earthly crown--but when they pass into the great vast forever, they take nothing of all this with them!
Yet there are things--virtues, fruits of character, graces--which men do carry with them out of this world. What a man IS--he carries with him into the eternal world. Money and rank and pleasures and earthly gains--he leaves behind him; but his character, he takes with him into eternity!
This suggests at once, the importance of character and character-building.
Character is not what a man professes to be--but what he really IS, as God sees him.
A man may not be as good as his reputation. A good reputation may hide an evil heart and life. Reputation is not character. Reputation is what a man's neighbors and friends think of him; character is what the man IS.
Christ's character is the model, the ideal, for every Christian life. We are to be altogether like Him; therefore all of life's aiming and striving should be towards Christ's blessed beauty. His image we find in the Gospels. We can look at it every day. We can study it in its details, as we follow our Lord in His life among men, in all the variations of experience through which He passed.
A little Christian girl was asked the question, "What is it for you to be a Christian?"
She answered, "It is to do as Jesus would do, and behave as He would behave--if He were a little girl and lived at our house."
No better answer could have been given. And there is scarcely any experience of life--for which we cannot find something in Christ's life to instruct us. We can find the traits and qualities of His life, as they shine out in His contact . . .
with temptation,
with enmity,
with wrong,
with pain,
with sorrow.
The next thing, when we have the vision of Christ before us, is to get it implanted into our own life. We cannot merely dream ourselves into godly manhood or womanhood; we must forge for ourselves, with sweat and anguish, the beautiful visions of Christ-likeness which we find on the Gospel pages! It will cost us self-discipline, oftentimes anguish, as we must deny ourselves, and cut off the things we love. SELF must be crucified.
It is not easy to become a godly man, a Christlike man.
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(James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")
"I have laid help upon One who is mighty!" Psalm 89:19
And who is this mighty One--but Jesus?
He alone can help us . . .
in all our struggles with sin,
in all our conflicts with Satan,
in all our trials in the world,
in all our domestic troubles, and
in encountering the last enemy, death.
Jesus is our almighty helper! We must . . .
look to Him,
expect from Him, and
conquer by the help received from Him.
His grace is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Every trouble cries, "Go to Jesus for help!"
Every affliction exhorts, "Look to Jesus for help!"
Without His help--we must fail!
With His help--we can never fail!
"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you: Do not fear--I will help you!" Isaiah 41:13
"Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I Myself will help you!" Isaiah 41:14
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From Grace Gems:
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(James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")
"I am troubled!" Psalm 38:6
This is very often the case with the believer, he is seldom long without something to trouble him. He has . . .
so much sin within him,
so many foes without him, and
such unexpected and difficult things in his path
--that he is often agitated and distressed.
Where he looked for comfort--he finds sorrow;
where he expected help--he finds hindrance;
where he promised himself pleasure--he experiences pain.
He is wearied--
weary of himself,
weary of sin,
weary of the world,
weary of the carnal state of the church.
But what a mercy it is for the troubled Christian, that his Lord has experienced trouble as well as himself; so that He can sympathize with him. Jesus once said, "Now My soul is deeply troubled!" He has a fellow-feeling with us in all our troubles, and will first sanctify them, and then safely bring us out of them.
Beloved, are you troubled today?
Carry your troubled heart to Jesus, pour it out before Him. He can calm it, soothe it, and give it cheering repose. Take it to Jesus--to sanctify it for you.
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"In a desert land He found him--in a barren and howling wilderness. He shielded him and cared for him. He guarded him as the apple of His eye--like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions." Deuteronomy 32:10-11
This picture is full of life and truth and beauty. Have you ever seen an eagle stir up her nest? You know what happens. There in the nest, right on the rocky heights, are the eaglets. The mother eagle comes and, taking hold of them, flings them out of the nest! They were so comfortable there--but she flings them right out of the nest, high above the ground. They begin to fall straightway. They never have been in air before; they have always been in the nest.
Is that mother bird cruel? Why does she disturb the eaglets?
Watch her and you will understand. As long as you look upon the struggling eaglets in the air--you miss the point. Watch the eagle herself. Having stirred up her nest, "she spreads her wings to catch them." Where are the eaglets? Struggling, falling! Then what does she do? "She carries them on her pinions." She swoops beneath them, catches them on her wings, and bears them up.
What is she doing? Teaching them to fly. She drops them again--and again they struggle in the air--but this time not so helplessly. They are finding out what she means. She spreads her wings to show them how to fly, and as they fall again--she catches them again.
That is just how God often deals with you and I!
Has He been stirring up your nest? Has He flung you out until you feel lost in an element that is new and strange? Look at Him! He is not lost in that element. He spreads out the wings of omnipotence to teach us how to soar. What then? He comes beneath us and catches us on His wings. We thought when He flung us out of the nest--that it was unkind. No! He was teaching us to fly, that we might enter into the spirit of the promise, "They shall mount up with wings as eagles." He would teach us how to use the gifts which He has bestowed on us, and which we cannot use--as long as we are in the nest.
Imagine keeping eaglets in the nest! It is contrary to their nature, contrary to the purposes for which they are framed and fitted. There is a purpose in the eagle. What is it? Flight upward! Just so, there is a purpose in your life, new-born child of God! What is it? Flight Godward, sunward, heavenward! If you stay in the nest--you will never get there!
God often comes into your life and disturbs you. He breaks up your plans, extinguishes your hopes, and dashes the vanities that have lured you on. He spoils everything! What for? That He may get you on His wings and lead you to higher Christian development and higher spiritual purposes!
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It is true--I do love my sins, my lusts and pleasures
("A Few Sighs From Hell" or "The Groans of the Damned Soul" by that poor and contemptible servant of Jesus Christ, John Bunyan, 1658. Being an exposition of Luke 16:19-31, concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar, wherein is revealed the lamentable state of the Damned--their cries, and their desires in their distresses, with the determined judgment of God upon them. A good warning word to sinners, both old and young, to seek salvation by faith in Jesus Christ--lest they come into the same place of torment.)
Lost sinner, I beg you to consider the state of those who die outside of Christ Jesus. Yes, I say, consider their miserable state, and think thus with yourself: "What, shall I lose an eternal Heaven--for short pleasure? Shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate--as to lose my soul to obtain them? What advantage will these be to me--when the Lord shall separate soul and body asunder, and send one to the grave, and the other to Hell; and at the judgment-day, the final sentence of eternal ruin must be passed upon me?"
Consider, that the profits, pleasures, and vanities of this world will not last forever--but the time is coming, yes, just at the door, when they will give you the slip, and leave you in such a dreadful condition.
And therefore to prevent this, consider your dismal state, think thus with yourself: It is true--I do love my sins, my lusts and pleasures; but what good will they do me at the day of death and of judgment? Will my sins do me good then? Will they be able to help me when I come to fetch my last breath? What good will my money then do for me? And what good will my vanities then do, when death drags me away? What good will all my companions, fellow-jesters, jeerers, liars, drunkards, and all my harlots do for me? Will they help to ease the pains of Hell? Will these help to turn the hand of God from inflicting His fierce anger upon me? Nay, they will rather cause God to show me no mercy, to give me no comfort; and to thrust me down into the hottest place of Hell, where I will swim in fire and brimstone!
O consider, that your doom is forever, forever! It is unto . . .
everlasting damnation,
eternal destruction,
eternal wrath and displeasure from God,
eternal gnawings of conscience,
eternal continuance with devils.
O consider, that just the thought of now seeing the devil, makes your hair to stand straight up on your head. O but this--to be damned, to dwell among all the devils, and that not only for a short time--but forever, to all eternity! This is so astonishingly miserable--that no tongue of man, no, nor of angels, is able to express it!
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