Do not give up those prayers which God's Spirit has put into your hearts, for remember, the things you have asked for are worth waiting for. Besides, you are a beggar when you are in prayer, therefore you must not be a chooser as to the time when God shall hear you. If you had right ideas about yourself, you would say, " it is a wonder that He ever listens to me at all, so unworthy as I am. Does the Infinite indeed bow His ear to me? may I hope He will at last listen to me? Then I may well continue with my prayers."
And recollect, it is your only hope, there is no other Saviour. This or none, Christ's blood or else eternal wrath. None ever yet perished pleading for mercy, therefore keep on.
Besides, better men than you have had to wait. Kings, patriachs and prophets have waited, therefore you can afford to sit in the King's ante-chamber a little while. It is an honour to sit as Mordecai did at the gate. Pray on-wait on!
"Ah!" says one " that is just what I have been doing, a long time." Yes, yes, there are different kinds of waiting. A man says " I have been waiting," but he has his arms folded and is gone to sleep. You may wait in that way till you are lost. The waiting I mean is " getting all things ready " the waiting for the physician by the poor sufferer, who cries out in pain, " is the doctor coming?" I will be a surety for my Master when I say that none such as that will be sent away empty. He will never break His promise. TRY HIM, TRY HIM!
Showing posts with label jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jesus. Show all posts
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Friday, 19 October 2007
FATHER FORGIVE THEM.
And when they were come to the place, which is
called calvary, there they crucified Him,
and the malefactors, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left. Then said Jesus,
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.
And the people stood beholding. Luke 23vs33-35.
They gave Jesus the place of dishonour. Reckoning Him to be the worst criminal of the three, they put Him between the other two. They heaped upon Him the utmost scorn which they could give to a malefactor, and in so doing they unconsciously honoured Him. Jesus always deserves the chief place wherever He is. In all things He must have the pre-eminence. He is King of sufferers as well as King of saints.
How startled they must have been to hear such words from one who was about to be put to death for a supposed crime! The men that drove the nails, the men that lifted up the tree, must have started back in amazement when they heard Jesus talk to God as His Father, and pray for them, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Did ever Roman legionary hear such words before? I should say not. They were so distinctly and diametrically opposed to the whole spirit of Rome. There it was blow for blow, only in the case of Jesus they gave blows where none had been recieved. The crushing cruelty of the Roman must have been startled indeed at such words as these, " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
The gambling soldiers little dreamed that they were fulfilling the scriptures while they were raffling for the raiment of the illustrious Sufferer on the cross, yet it was so. In the 22nd psalm, which so fully sets forth our Saviour's suffering while He hung on the tree, David wrote, " they parted My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture."
"And the people stood beholding," gazing, looking on at the cruel spectacle. You and I would not have done that, there is a public sentiment that has trained us to hate the sight of cruelty, especially deadly cruelty to one of our own race, but these people thought that they did no harm when they "stood beholding." They also were thus fulfilling the scriptures, for the 17th verse of the 22nd psalm says, " they look and stare upon me."
Thursday, 18 October 2007
ALL THINGS WORKING FOR GOOD.
Christ is the arbiter of all events, in everything His sway is supreme, and He exercises His power for the good of His church. He spins the thread of events and acts from the distaff of destiny and does not suffer those threads to be woven otherwise than to the pattern of His loving wisdom. He will not allow the mysterious wheel to revolve in any way which shall not bring good unto His chosen. He makes their worse things blessings to them, and their best things He sanctifies. In times of plenty, He blesses their increase, in times of famine, He supplies all their needs.
As all things are working for His glory, so all things are working for their good.
As all things are working for His glory, so all things are working for their good.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
SPURGEONIC TONICS
GOOD BOY!....There is a story about a doctor at one of our hospitals, a year or two ago, he healed a dogs' broken leg and the grateful animal brought other dogs to have their broken legs healed, that was a good dog you say, but some of you are not half so good! You believe that Christ is blessing you, yet you never bring others to Him to be saved.
MEDITATE...."My meditation of Him will be sweet" of HIM that is, of the Well-beloved of the Father, of the Well- beloved of the church, of the Well-beloved of my own soul, of Him who loved me, in whose blood I have washed my robes and made them white. It is meditation of HIM that is sweet, not merely doctrines about Him, but of Him. Not merely of His work or His offices, but His own dear Self! there lies the sweetness of it. And the closer we come to His blessed Person, the more truly we have approached the very center of bliss.
THE GOSPEL....It is the word of God which saves souls, not our comment upon it, howsoever correct that comment may be, let us then be scrupulously careful to honour The Holy Ghost by taking the weapon which He has prepared for us, and believing fully in the divine inspiration of the sacred scriptures and expecting that God will prove their inspiration by their effect on the minds and hearts of men.
GREAT SINNER-GREAT SAVIOUR....Do not think of the sinner, or the greatness of his sin, but think of the greatness of The Saviour.
GUIDANCE....Is there anybody here who is going out of this tabernacle to a place where he ought not go? Will he pray first? he knows he cannot ask a blessing on it and therefore he ought not to go there. Go nowhere where you cannot go after prayer, this is the best guide in your choice of where you should go.
PRAYER....No man has so great need to pray as the man who does no care to pray. When you can pray and long to pray, why then you will pray. But when you cannot pray and do not wish to pray, then you must pray, or evil will come of it. He is on the verge of ruin who forgets the mercy-seat.
IN THE GREATNESS....of our trouble there may often be room for the greater display of the goodness of God.
MEDITATE...."My meditation of Him will be sweet" of HIM that is, of the Well-beloved of the Father, of the Well- beloved of the church, of the Well-beloved of my own soul, of Him who loved me, in whose blood I have washed my robes and made them white. It is meditation of HIM that is sweet, not merely doctrines about Him, but of Him. Not merely of His work or His offices, but His own dear Self! there lies the sweetness of it. And the closer we come to His blessed Person, the more truly we have approached the very center of bliss.
THE GOSPEL....It is the word of God which saves souls, not our comment upon it, howsoever correct that comment may be, let us then be scrupulously careful to honour The Holy Ghost by taking the weapon which He has prepared for us, and believing fully in the divine inspiration of the sacred scriptures and expecting that God will prove their inspiration by their effect on the minds and hearts of men.
GREAT SINNER-GREAT SAVIOUR....Do not think of the sinner, or the greatness of his sin, but think of the greatness of The Saviour.
GUIDANCE....Is there anybody here who is going out of this tabernacle to a place where he ought not go? Will he pray first? he knows he cannot ask a blessing on it and therefore he ought not to go there. Go nowhere where you cannot go after prayer, this is the best guide in your choice of where you should go.
PRAYER....No man has so great need to pray as the man who does no care to pray. When you can pray and long to pray, why then you will pray. But when you cannot pray and do not wish to pray, then you must pray, or evil will come of it. He is on the verge of ruin who forgets the mercy-seat.
IN THE GREATNESS....of our trouble there may often be room for the greater display of the goodness of God.
GOD'S PROMISES
Holy scripture is wonderfully full and abiding in it's inner sense. It is a springing well, whereat you may draw and draw again, for as you draw it springs up forever new and fresh. It is a well of water springing up everlastingly. The fulfillment of a divine promise is not the exhaustion of it. When a man gives you a promise, and he keeps it, there is the end of the matter, but it is not so with God. When He keeps His word to the full He has but begun, He is prepared to keep it, and keep it, and keep it for ever and ever. What would you say of a man who had wheat upon his barn floor, and threshed it until he had beaten out the last golden grain, but the next day he went and threshed again and brought back as much as the day before, and the day after, again taking his flail, he went to the same threshing, and again brought back his measure as full as at the first, and so on for all the days of the year? Would it not seem to you as a fairy tale? It would certainly be a surprising miracle. But what should we say if throughout a long life, this miracle could be prolonged? Yet we have continued to thresh God's promises ever since faith was first given us, and we have carried away our full portion every day. What shall we say of the glorious fact that the saints of all the ages, from the first day until now have done the very same, or of that equal truth, that as long as there is a needy soul upon earth, there will be upon the threshing floor of the promises of God the same abundance of the finest of the wheat as when the first man filled his measure and returned rejoicing?
The children of God have used His promises under all sorts of circumstances, and have derived the utmost comfort from them. As God rests in His love, so may we rest in it, and as He joys over us with singing, so may we break forth into joyous psalms to the God of our salvation.
The children of God have used His promises under all sorts of circumstances, and have derived the utmost comfort from them. As God rests in His love, so may we rest in it, and as He joys over us with singing, so may we break forth into joyous psalms to the God of our salvation.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE?
I pray you to remember that it is yours to will, for Christ said to the impotent man "wilt thou be made whole?" Thou canst not make thyself whole, but thou canst will and wish to be made whole. God's Holy Spirit has given to many of you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. We do not get saved against our will, God drags nobody to heaven by the ears. There must be in you a willing mind consenting to the work of sovereign grace, and if it be there I want you to exercise it straight away, as Christ wished this man to exercise it, "wilt thou be made whole?" hast thou any wish that way? any desire or longing for healing? I want to stir this fire and make it burn, and if there be only a spark of desire I would breathe on it to make it into a great flame. Paul said "to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not." I believe that there are many who have the will to be saved, God be thanked for that.
"Wilt thou be made whole?" The question is not, "wilt thou be put into yonder pool?" but "wilt thou be made whole?" the question is not "wilt thou take this medicine? wilt thou that I should do this or that for thee?" but "wilt thou be made whole?" Have you come to this, that you are willing to be saved in God's way, in Christ's way? One says " I want to have a dream " dear soul, do not want any dreams, they are only dreams, another says "I want to see a vision." my dear friend, there is nothing in the plan of salvation about seeing visions. "I want to hear a voice," says one, well, hear my voice then, and may God The Holy Ghost make you to hear the voice of His Word through me!-"but I want"- oh! yes, you want, you know not what you want, like many a silly child that has it's fads and it's fancies, and it's whims and wishes. Oh that all were willing to be saved by the simple plan of believe and live! If this be God's way, who art thou that He should make a new way for thee? But dear friends do not set up your own notion about how you ought to be saved. Can you find any two people who were saved in the same way? God does not make converts as men make steel pens, a gross in a box all the same. Nay, nay, but in each case there is a living man created, and every living man, and every living animal, every living plant is somewhat different from every other of it's kind and you must not look for unifomity in the work of regeneration. "Wilt thou be made whole?" Come dost thou desire pardon for sin? Dost thou long for a new heart, and a right spirit? If so, leave off disputing as to how thou art to get them, and do what Christ tells thee to do.
"Wilt thou be made whole?" The question is not, "wilt thou be put into yonder pool?" but "wilt thou be made whole?" the question is not "wilt thou take this medicine? wilt thou that I should do this or that for thee?" but "wilt thou be made whole?" Have you come to this, that you are willing to be saved in God's way, in Christ's way? One says " I want to have a dream " dear soul, do not want any dreams, they are only dreams, another says "I want to see a vision." my dear friend, there is nothing in the plan of salvation about seeing visions. "I want to hear a voice," says one, well, hear my voice then, and may God The Holy Ghost make you to hear the voice of His Word through me!-"but I want"- oh! yes, you want, you know not what you want, like many a silly child that has it's fads and it's fancies, and it's whims and wishes. Oh that all were willing to be saved by the simple plan of believe and live! If this be God's way, who art thou that He should make a new way for thee? But dear friends do not set up your own notion about how you ought to be saved. Can you find any two people who were saved in the same way? God does not make converts as men make steel pens, a gross in a box all the same. Nay, nay, but in each case there is a living man created, and every living man, and every living animal, every living plant is somewhat different from every other of it's kind and you must not look for unifomity in the work of regeneration. "Wilt thou be made whole?" Come dost thou desire pardon for sin? Dost thou long for a new heart, and a right spirit? If so, leave off disputing as to how thou art to get them, and do what Christ tells thee to do.
Monday, 8 October 2007
SEASONS
The things which are seen are types of the things which are not seen. The works of creation are pictures to the children of God of the secret mysteries of grace. God's truths are the apples of gold, and the visible creatures are the baskets of silver. The seasons of the year find their parallel in the little world of the man within. We have our winter-dreary, howling winter-when the north wind of the law rushes against us, when every hope is nipped, when all the seeds of hope lie buried beneath the dark clods of despair, when our soul is fast fettered like a river bound with ice, no waves of joy or flowings of thanksgiving. Then thanks be unto God, the soft south wind breathes upon our soul, and at once the waters of desire are set free, the spring of love comes on, flowers of hope appear in our hearts, the trees of faith put forth their young shoots, the time of the singing birds come in our hearts and we have joy and peace in believing through our Lord Jesus Christ. That happy springtime is followed in the believer by a rich summer when his graces, like fragrant flowers, are in full bloom, loading the air with sweet perfume, and fruits of The Spirit, like citrons and pomegranates swell into their full proportion in the genial warmth of the Sun of Righteousness. Then comes the believer's autumn, when his fruits ripen and his fields are ready for the harvest, the time has come when The Lord shall gather together His "pleasant fruits," and store them in heaven. The feast of ingathering is at hand, the time when the year shall begin anew, an unchanging cycle, like the years of the right hand of The Most High.
Saturday, 6 October 2007
"SO"
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD. That love of God is a very wonderful thing, especially when we see it set upon a lost, ruined, guilty world. What was there that God should love it? no fragrant flower grew in that arid desert, enmity towards Him, hatred of His truth, disregard for His word, unthankfulness, these were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land, no desirable thing blossomed there. Yet, God loved the world says the text so loved it that even the writer of the book of John could not tell us how much, but so greatly, so divinely did He love it that He gave His Son, His only Son to redeem the world and to gather out from it a people to His praise.
Whence came that love? Not from anything outside of God Himself, He loves because it is His nature to do so. God is Love. As I have already said nothing upon the face of the earth could have merited His love, though there was much to merit His displeasure. This stream of love flows from it's own secret source in the eternal Deity and it owes nothing at all to any earth-born rain or rivulet, it springs from beneath the everlasting throne. God loved because He would love. He has so much love that He must needs let it flow forth to a world perishing by it's own wilful sin. And when it flowed forth it was so deep, so wide, so strong, that even inspiration could not compute it's measure and therefore The Holy Spirit gave us that great little word SO and left us to attempt it's measurement, according as we perceive the love of God more and more.
Whence came that love? Not from anything outside of God Himself, He loves because it is His nature to do so. God is Love. As I have already said nothing upon the face of the earth could have merited His love, though there was much to merit His displeasure. This stream of love flows from it's own secret source in the eternal Deity and it owes nothing at all to any earth-born rain or rivulet, it springs from beneath the everlasting throne. God loved because He would love. He has so much love that He must needs let it flow forth to a world perishing by it's own wilful sin. And when it flowed forth it was so deep, so wide, so strong, that even inspiration could not compute it's measure and therefore The Holy Spirit gave us that great little word SO and left us to attempt it's measurement, according as we perceive the love of God more and more.
"Even Now"
We will never excercise faith concerning those for whose salvation we have no care about. I trust we are diligent in looking after individuals, especially those who are amongst our own family and friends. This is what Martha did, her whole care was for her brother. It is often easier to have faith that Christ can save sinners generally than to believe that He can come into our own homes and save some particuar one of our household. But oh what joy when He does, when we are able to pray with our own loved ones and rejoice with them at their being made alive by the power of The Holy Ghost. We cannot expect to have this privilege however unless like Martha we send our prayer to Jesus, and go to meet Him, and tell Him of our need.
In Jesu's presence it seems natural to trust Him, even at the worst extremity. It is when we are at our wits end that He delights to help us. When our hopes seem to be buried, then it is that God gives us a resurrection. When our Issac is on the altar, then the heavens are opened and the word of God comes to us.
Art thou beginning to doubt thy Saviour and to complain of His delay? Have faith that He will come at just the right time, though He must be the Judge of when the time will be best for Him to appear.
Martha had a fine faith, her faith had to do with a dreadful case, her brother was dead and had been buried, but her faith still lived hallelujah, and in spite of everything that went against her she believed in Jesus and looked to Him to help her in her extremity. Her faith went to the very edge of the gulf and she said "but I know that even now, whatso-ever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." Still Martha had not so much faith as she thought she had for soon after her wonderful confession of confidence in the power of the Lord Jesus she stood at the grave of her brother and evidently doubted the wisdom of He whom she professed to trust, she objected to the stone being removed and strong in the admitted facts of the case she urged her reason "Lord by this time he stinketh." Well but Martha you said but not long ago "even now" yes, she said it and she believed it, in the same way that most of us believe, but when her faith was sharply tried by the facts of the matter, she did not have all the faith she had professed to have. I have a suspicion that this is true of most of us. We often fancy that our confidence in Christ is much stronger than it actually is. When we are not called upon to bear the trouble we feel wonderfully strong, but when the trial comes, very much of our boasted faith ebbs away and disappearss like smoke in the wind. Take heed now to examine well your faith, let it be true and real, for you will have need of it all.
Praise God, Jesus did not take Martha at her worst but at her best. When Our Lord says "according to your faith be it unto you" He does not mean your faith at it's ebb but in it's flood. He reads the thermometer at it's highest point not at it's lowest, He doesn't even take the mean reading of our trust, He gives us credit for our quickest pace not counting our slowest or seeking to discover our average speed in this matter of faith. He did for Martha all she could have dared hoped for and much, much more. Her brother did arise and was restored to her and Mary and their friends. In thy case too, oh thou trembling timorous one, The Lord will take thee at thy best and He will do for thee great and wonderful things, seeing that thou desirest to believe greatly and that thy prayer is "Lord I believe, help Thou mine unbelief."
In Jesu's presence it seems natural to trust Him, even at the worst extremity. It is when we are at our wits end that He delights to help us. When our hopes seem to be buried, then it is that God gives us a resurrection. When our Issac is on the altar, then the heavens are opened and the word of God comes to us.
Art thou beginning to doubt thy Saviour and to complain of His delay? Have faith that He will come at just the right time, though He must be the Judge of when the time will be best for Him to appear.
Martha had a fine faith, her faith had to do with a dreadful case, her brother was dead and had been buried, but her faith still lived hallelujah, and in spite of everything that went against her she believed in Jesus and looked to Him to help her in her extremity. Her faith went to the very edge of the gulf and she said "but I know that even now, whatso-ever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." Still Martha had not so much faith as she thought she had for soon after her wonderful confession of confidence in the power of the Lord Jesus she stood at the grave of her brother and evidently doubted the wisdom of He whom she professed to trust, she objected to the stone being removed and strong in the admitted facts of the case she urged her reason "Lord by this time he stinketh." Well but Martha you said but not long ago "even now" yes, she said it and she believed it, in the same way that most of us believe, but when her faith was sharply tried by the facts of the matter, she did not have all the faith she had professed to have. I have a suspicion that this is true of most of us. We often fancy that our confidence in Christ is much stronger than it actually is. When we are not called upon to bear the trouble we feel wonderfully strong, but when the trial comes, very much of our boasted faith ebbs away and disappearss like smoke in the wind. Take heed now to examine well your faith, let it be true and real, for you will have need of it all.
Praise God, Jesus did not take Martha at her worst but at her best. When Our Lord says "according to your faith be it unto you" He does not mean your faith at it's ebb but in it's flood. He reads the thermometer at it's highest point not at it's lowest, He doesn't even take the mean reading of our trust, He gives us credit for our quickest pace not counting our slowest or seeking to discover our average speed in this matter of faith. He did for Martha all she could have dared hoped for and much, much more. Her brother did arise and was restored to her and Mary and their friends. In thy case too, oh thou trembling timorous one, The Lord will take thee at thy best and He will do for thee great and wonderful things, seeing that thou desirest to believe greatly and that thy prayer is "Lord I believe, help Thou mine unbelief."
What would We Have Been?
I mean of course without The Holy Ghost. You that are believers have the most forcible reasons to hold Him in the highst esteem, for what are you now without Him? What were you, and what would you have still been if it had not been for His gracious work upon you? He quickened you, else you had not been in the living family of the Living God today. He gave you understanding that you might know the truth, else you would be just as ignorant of the things of God as the carnal world is at this hour. It was He that awakened your conscience convincing you of sin, it was He that gave you an abhorrance of it and the earnest desire to be rid of it, it was He who taught thee to believe and to see the altogether lovely One who is to be believed in, even Jesus the Son of God. The Spirit has wrought in you your faith and love and hope and every other grace, there is not a jewel that adorns the neck of your soul which He with great love has not placed there.
Notwithstanding all that The Spirit of God has already done in us it is very possible that we have missed a large part of the blessing which He is willing to give, for "He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think." We have already come to Jesus and we have drunk of the life-giving sream, our thirst was quenched and we are made to live in Him. Is this all? now that we are living in Him and rejoicing to do so have we come to the end of the matter? Assuredly not. We have only reached as far as the first exhortation of The Master "if any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink" but do you think the generality of the church has advanced to the next? "he that believeth in Me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow streams of living waters" I think not, I think I am not going beyond the grievious truth if I say that only here and there will you find men and women who have believed up to that point.
Their thirst is quenched and they live, and because Jesus lives they shall live also, but health and vigour they have not, they have life but they have not life more abundantly. They have little life with which to act upon others, they have no energy welling up and overflowing to go streaming out of them like rivers to the needy world around them. Perhaps they have not thought it possible, or thinking it possible they have not imagined it possible to themselves, or believing it possible to themselves they have not aspired to it. They have stopped short of the fullest blessing. May God The Holy Ghost create in each heart the earnest desire to attain to it.
Notwithstanding all that The Spirit of God has already done in us it is very possible that we have missed a large part of the blessing which He is willing to give, for "He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think." We have already come to Jesus and we have drunk of the life-giving sream, our thirst was quenched and we are made to live in Him. Is this all? now that we are living in Him and rejoicing to do so have we come to the end of the matter? Assuredly not. We have only reached as far as the first exhortation of The Master "if any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink" but do you think the generality of the church has advanced to the next? "he that believeth in Me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow streams of living waters" I think not, I think I am not going beyond the grievious truth if I say that only here and there will you find men and women who have believed up to that point.
Their thirst is quenched and they live, and because Jesus lives they shall live also, but health and vigour they have not, they have life but they have not life more abundantly. They have little life with which to act upon others, they have no energy welling up and overflowing to go streaming out of them like rivers to the needy world around them. Perhaps they have not thought it possible, or thinking it possible they have not imagined it possible to themselves, or believing it possible to themselves they have not aspired to it. They have stopped short of the fullest blessing. May God The Holy Ghost create in each heart the earnest desire to attain to it.
Friday, 5 October 2007
What The Holy Spirit Does.
"He shall recieve what is Mine and He will shew it unto you"
The Holy Ghost then deals with the things of Christ. How I wish that all Christ's ministers would imitate The Holy Ghost in this respect! When you deal with the things that are of Christ you are on Holy Ghost ground and following in His tracks. Does The Holy Ghost deal with science? science is just another name for the ignorance of men. Does The Holy Ghost deal with politics? politics is just another name for every man getting as much as he can from the nation. The Holy Ghost will leave you if you go gadding about after these insignificant trifles! He will leave you if you aim at magnifying yourself and your wisdom and your plans because He is taken up with the things of Christ. I like what Mr Wesley said to his preachers "leave other things alone, you are called to win souls." The Holy Ghost who is our teacher will own and bless us if we keep to His line of things. Oh beloved what canst thou recieve so precious as the things of Christ? therefore follow ye The Holy Ghost and deal in the things that are of Christ.
Next The Holy Ghost deals with feeble men. "He shall recieve what is Mine and shew it unto you." He is not above dealing with simple minds. He comes to those who have no training, no education and He takes the things of Christ and shows it unto them. The greatest mind of man that was ever created was a puny thing compared with the infinite wisdom and knowledge of God Most High, so for The Holy Ghost to come and teach the little mind of man is a great condescension, we see this even more when we read "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" and when we hear The Saviour say "I thank Thee o Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes" The Lord Jesus might have selected princes to be His apostles, He might have gathered 12 of the greatest kings who ever lived, or at least 12 senators of Rome, He did not do so. He took fishermen and men and women from that class to be pioneers of His kingdom. And God The Holy Ghost takes the things of Christ, high and sublime though they are and shows them unto such as these were, people ready to follow where He would lead them and to learn the things He that taught them.
The Holy Ghost then deals with the things of Christ. How I wish that all Christ's ministers would imitate The Holy Ghost in this respect! When you deal with the things that are of Christ you are on Holy Ghost ground and following in His tracks. Does The Holy Ghost deal with science? science is just another name for the ignorance of men. Does The Holy Ghost deal with politics? politics is just another name for every man getting as much as he can from the nation. The Holy Ghost will leave you if you go gadding about after these insignificant trifles! He will leave you if you aim at magnifying yourself and your wisdom and your plans because He is taken up with the things of Christ. I like what Mr Wesley said to his preachers "leave other things alone, you are called to win souls." The Holy Ghost who is our teacher will own and bless us if we keep to His line of things. Oh beloved what canst thou recieve so precious as the things of Christ? therefore follow ye The Holy Ghost and deal in the things that are of Christ.
Next The Holy Ghost deals with feeble men. "He shall recieve what is Mine and shew it unto you." He is not above dealing with simple minds. He comes to those who have no training, no education and He takes the things of Christ and shows it unto them. The greatest mind of man that was ever created was a puny thing compared with the infinite wisdom and knowledge of God Most High, so for The Holy Ghost to come and teach the little mind of man is a great condescension, we see this even more when we read "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" and when we hear The Saviour say "I thank Thee o Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes" The Lord Jesus might have selected princes to be His apostles, He might have gathered 12 of the greatest kings who ever lived, or at least 12 senators of Rome, He did not do so. He took fishermen and men and women from that class to be pioneers of His kingdom. And God The Holy Ghost takes the things of Christ, high and sublime though they are and shows them unto such as these were, people ready to follow where He would lead them and to learn the things He that taught them.
Rivers Of Life
"He that believeth on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Note the plentitude of it, the figure would have been a surprising one if it had said"a river" but it is not so; it says "rivers." Ah you say "I have not reached to that."A point has been reached when you know and regret and confess failure. If you had said "I have all things and abound" I would have had reason to suppose that you will never obtain the fulness of the blessing.
But if you know something of your failure, then the Lord can lead you forward. It may be that the spirit of life that comes forth of you is but a trickling brooklet, or even just a few tiny drops; be sure to confess that and you will be on the way to a fuller blessing.
What a word this is "rivers of living waters"! and see how spontaneous it is "out of the midst of him shall flow."no pumping is required, nothing is said about machinery and hydraulics, the man does not need exciting and stirring up, but just as he is, influence of the best kind just flows out of him.
Did you ever hear a great hubbub in the morning, a great outcry, with trumpets and drums? and you ask "what is it?" and a voice replied "the sun is about to rise, and he is making a great noise about it so that we will be aware of it" no, no, he just shines.
Even so the genuine christian just goes about flooding the world with blessing, and far from claiming attention for himself it may be that he is unconscious of what he is effecting. God so blesses him that his leaf does not wither and whatsoever he doeth it prospers, for he is like a tree planted planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth it's fruit in it's season.His verdure and his fruit are the natural outcome of his vigorous spiritual life. Oh the blessed spontaneity of the work of grace when a man or a woman gets into the fulness of it, they seem to eat and drink and sleep eternal life, and they spread the savour of salvation all around. And this is to be perpetual, not intermittent springs which burst forth and flow in torrents then cease,
every day, in summer in winter by day by night, wherever they are they are a blessing.
I hope I hear many sighs, I hope I hear friends saying "oh I wish that I could get to that."
I want you to attain the fulness of the favour. I pray that we may all get it.
Note the plentitude of it, the figure would have been a surprising one if it had said"a river" but it is not so; it says "rivers." Ah you say "I have not reached to that."A point has been reached when you know and regret and confess failure. If you had said "I have all things and abound" I would have had reason to suppose that you will never obtain the fulness of the blessing.
But if you know something of your failure, then the Lord can lead you forward. It may be that the spirit of life that comes forth of you is but a trickling brooklet, or even just a few tiny drops; be sure to confess that and you will be on the way to a fuller blessing.
What a word this is "rivers of living waters"! and see how spontaneous it is "out of the midst of him shall flow."no pumping is required, nothing is said about machinery and hydraulics, the man does not need exciting and stirring up, but just as he is, influence of the best kind just flows out of him.
Did you ever hear a great hubbub in the morning, a great outcry, with trumpets and drums? and you ask "what is it?" and a voice replied "the sun is about to rise, and he is making a great noise about it so that we will be aware of it" no, no, he just shines.
Even so the genuine christian just goes about flooding the world with blessing, and far from claiming attention for himself it may be that he is unconscious of what he is effecting. God so blesses him that his leaf does not wither and whatsoever he doeth it prospers, for he is like a tree planted planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth it's fruit in it's season.His verdure and his fruit are the natural outcome of his vigorous spiritual life. Oh the blessed spontaneity of the work of grace when a man or a woman gets into the fulness of it, they seem to eat and drink and sleep eternal life, and they spread the savour of salvation all around. And this is to be perpetual, not intermittent springs which burst forth and flow in torrents then cease,
every day, in summer in winter by day by night, wherever they are they are a blessing.
I hope I hear many sighs, I hope I hear friends saying "oh I wish that I could get to that."
I want you to attain the fulness of the favour. I pray that we may all get it.
Thursday, 4 October 2007
DO AS THOU HAST SAID
God's promises were never meant to be tossed aside like waste paper, He intended that they be used. God's gold is not miser's money it is minted to be traded with.
Nothing pleases Our Lord better than to see His promises being put into circulation, He loves to see His children bringing them up to Him and saying "Lord do as Thou hast said."
We glorify God when we plead His promises.
Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that His holiness will be any the less for sharing it with you? will He be any less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said come now and let us reason together saith The Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Faith lays hold of the promise of pardon, it goes straight to the throne of grace and pleads "Lord here is the promise, do as Thou has said." He will reply "be it unto thee even as thou wilt."
When the child of God grasps the promise and hastens to the throne of grace with it and cries
"Lord I have nothing to recommend me but this " Thou hast said it" his desire shall be granted.
Our heavenly Banker delights to cash His own notes.
Never let the promise rust. Draw the sword of promise out of its scabbard and use it with holy violence.
Don't think that God will be troubled by your importunity in reminding Him of His promises, He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls, it is His delight to bestow favors He is more ready to hear than you are to ask.
The sun is not weary with shining, nor the fountain with flowing. It is God's nature to give,
He will keep His promise. Therefore go at once to Him with this petition "Do as thou hast said."
Nothing pleases Our Lord better than to see His promises being put into circulation, He loves to see His children bringing them up to Him and saying "Lord do as Thou hast said."
We glorify God when we plead His promises.
Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that His holiness will be any the less for sharing it with you? will He be any less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said come now and let us reason together saith The Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Faith lays hold of the promise of pardon, it goes straight to the throne of grace and pleads "Lord here is the promise, do as Thou has said." He will reply "be it unto thee even as thou wilt."
When the child of God grasps the promise and hastens to the throne of grace with it and cries
"Lord I have nothing to recommend me but this " Thou hast said it" his desire shall be granted.
Our heavenly Banker delights to cash His own notes.
Never let the promise rust. Draw the sword of promise out of its scabbard and use it with holy violence.
Don't think that God will be troubled by your importunity in reminding Him of His promises, He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls, it is His delight to bestow favors He is more ready to hear than you are to ask.
The sun is not weary with shining, nor the fountain with flowing. It is God's nature to give,
He will keep His promise. Therefore go at once to Him with this petition "Do as thou hast said."
STRONG IN FAITH
Christian, take good care of your faith for remember faith is the only way whereby thou canst obtain blessings. If we want blessings from God, nothing can fetch them down but faith.
Prayer cannot draw down answers from God's throne except it be the earnest prayer of the man who believes.
Faith is the angelic messenger between the soul and The Lord Christ in glory, if that angel be withdrawn we can neither send up prayer nor recieve the answers.
Faith is the invisible telegraph wire which links earth and heaven on which God's messages fly so fast that before we call, He answers, and while we are yet speaking He hears us. But if that telegraph wire is cut, how can we recieve the promise? Am I in trouble? I can get help for trouble by faith, Am I beaten about by the enemy? I can find refuge beneath the wings of faith, but take faith away and in vain do I call to God, for there is no path betwixt my soul and heaven.
Faith links me to the great King and clothes me with the power of God. Faith engages on my side the all-powerful Jehovah, it ensures every attribute of God most high in my defence and enables me to defy the host of hell. Faith makes me to march triumphantly over the necks of my enemies. But without faith I can recieve nothing from my Lord. Let not him that wavereth-who is like a wave of the sea-expect that he will recieve anything from The Lord.
So then beloved watch well thy faith for with it thou canst win all things, however poor you are,
but without it, though thou be the wealthiest man in England, thou canst obtain nothing.
If thou canst only believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Prayer cannot draw down answers from God's throne except it be the earnest prayer of the man who believes.
Faith is the angelic messenger between the soul and The Lord Christ in glory, if that angel be withdrawn we can neither send up prayer nor recieve the answers.
Faith is the invisible telegraph wire which links earth and heaven on which God's messages fly so fast that before we call, He answers, and while we are yet speaking He hears us. But if that telegraph wire is cut, how can we recieve the promise? Am I in trouble? I can get help for trouble by faith, Am I beaten about by the enemy? I can find refuge beneath the wings of faith, but take faith away and in vain do I call to God, for there is no path betwixt my soul and heaven.
Faith links me to the great King and clothes me with the power of God. Faith engages on my side the all-powerful Jehovah, it ensures every attribute of God most high in my defence and enables me to defy the host of hell. Faith makes me to march triumphantly over the necks of my enemies. But without faith I can recieve nothing from my Lord. Let not him that wavereth-who is like a wave of the sea-expect that he will recieve anything from The Lord.
So then beloved watch well thy faith for with it thou canst win all things, however poor you are,
but without it, though thou be the wealthiest man in England, thou canst obtain nothing.
If thou canst only believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION.
The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly sweet and precious, it is the corner-stone of the entire building that is the church, it is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation.
It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water that flow from this one sacred source. Jesus a-risen from the dead and alive forever more. But to know that He is risen, and to have fellowship with Him as Risen Lord, communing with Him by possessing a risen life ourselves, seeing Him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness, this is sweeter and more precious still. The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is lovelier than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you to believe that Christ arose from the dead and sing about it, and get all the joy and comfort that the well attested and witnessed to fact affords, but I beseech you rest not contented even there. Though you cannot see Him as the disciples did, yet I bid you aspire to see Him by the eye of faith; And though like Mary Magdalene you may not touch Him you can talk with Him and walk with Him in newness of life.
To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified with Him all my sins, this is high knowledge, but to know a risen Lord as having justified me, as having bestowed upon me new life making me a new creation through His own life, this is a grand style of experience, short of that ought none to be satisfied.
May you both "know Him" and know "the power of His resurrection."
Why should newly alive souls in Jesus wear the grave clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Arise for He is risen.
It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water that flow from this one sacred source. Jesus a-risen from the dead and alive forever more. But to know that He is risen, and to have fellowship with Him as Risen Lord, communing with Him by possessing a risen life ourselves, seeing Him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness, this is sweeter and more precious still. The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is lovelier than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you to believe that Christ arose from the dead and sing about it, and get all the joy and comfort that the well attested and witnessed to fact affords, but I beseech you rest not contented even there. Though you cannot see Him as the disciples did, yet I bid you aspire to see Him by the eye of faith; And though like Mary Magdalene you may not touch Him you can talk with Him and walk with Him in newness of life.
To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified with Him all my sins, this is high knowledge, but to know a risen Lord as having justified me, as having bestowed upon me new life making me a new creation through His own life, this is a grand style of experience, short of that ought none to be satisfied.
May you both "know Him" and know "the power of His resurrection."
Why should newly alive souls in Jesus wear the grave clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Arise for He is risen.
BROAD RIVERS AND STREAMS
Broad rivers and streams produce fertility and abundace in the land. Places near broad rivers are remarkable for the variety of their plants and their plentiful harvests.
God is all this to His church, having God she has abundance what will He not give her or what will He not provide that she may ask of Him? "In this mountain shall The Lord of hosts make unto all the people a feast of fat things."
Do you want the Bread of life? it falls like manna from the sky, do you want refreshing streams? The Rock follows you where-ever you go, and that Rock is Christ. If you suffer want it is your own fault; if you are straitened you are not straitened in Him but in your own bowels.
Broad rivers and streams also point to commerce, our wonderful Lord
is to us a place of heavenly merchandise. Through the Redeemer we have commerce with the past, the wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches of the Ancient of days and election, the stores of eternity past all come to us down the broad stream of our gracious Lord.
We have commerce with the future too. What treasure ships laden with booty come to us from the millennium! what visions of heaven on earth during our Lord's reign in that day.
Through Jesus we have commerce with angels, with blood-bought saints who have gone before us to see The King in His beauty and to worship Him hallelujah, better still we have Him whom our souls love even Jesus our Lord. Broad rivers and streams are especially intended to set forth the idea of security. Rivers were in olden times a defence. Oh beloved what a defence is God to His people! The devil cannot cross the broad river of God, how he wishes he could turn the current but God abideth unchanging and unchangable forever. Satan may fret us but he cannot destroy us. No galley with oars shall invade our river, neither shall warship pass there-by.
God is all this to His church, having God she has abundance what will He not give her or what will He not provide that she may ask of Him? "In this mountain shall The Lord of hosts make unto all the people a feast of fat things."
Do you want the Bread of life? it falls like manna from the sky, do you want refreshing streams? The Rock follows you where-ever you go, and that Rock is Christ. If you suffer want it is your own fault; if you are straitened you are not straitened in Him but in your own bowels.
Broad rivers and streams also point to commerce, our wonderful Lord
is to us a place of heavenly merchandise. Through the Redeemer we have commerce with the past, the wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches of the Ancient of days and election, the stores of eternity past all come to us down the broad stream of our gracious Lord.
We have commerce with the future too. What treasure ships laden with booty come to us from the millennium! what visions of heaven on earth during our Lord's reign in that day.
Through Jesus we have commerce with angels, with blood-bought saints who have gone before us to see The King in His beauty and to worship Him hallelujah, better still we have Him whom our souls love even Jesus our Lord. Broad rivers and streams are especially intended to set forth the idea of security. Rivers were in olden times a defence. Oh beloved what a defence is God to His people! The devil cannot cross the broad river of God, how he wishes he could turn the current but God abideth unchanging and unchangable forever. Satan may fret us but he cannot destroy us. No galley with oars shall invade our river, neither shall warship pass there-by.
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