Bulletin Edition #344 April 2017

This sacred anointing

J.C.Philpot

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One.”

1 John 2:20

Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches

a man’s heart it spreads itself, widening and

extending its operations. It thus communicates

divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It . . .

bestows and draws out faith,

gives repentance and godly sorrow,

causes secret self-loathing, and

separation from the world,

draws the affections upwards,

makes sin hated, and

Jesus and His salvation loved.

Wherever the anointing of the Holy Spirit touches

a man’s heart it diffuses itself through his whole

soul, and makes him wholly a new creature. It . . .

gives new motives,

communicates new feelings,

enlarges and melts the heart, and

spiritualizes and draws the affections upwards.

Without this sacred anointing . . .

all our religion is a bubble,

all our profession a lie, and

all our hopes will end in despair.

O what a mercy to have one drop of this heavenly

anointing! To enjoy one heavenly feeling! To taste

the least measure of Christ’s love shed abroad in the

heart! What an unspeakable mercy to have one touch,

one glimpse, one glance, one communication out of

the fullness of Him who fills all in all!

By this anointing from the Holy One, the

children of God are supported under . . .

afflictions,

perplexities,

and sorrows.

By this anointing from the Holy One,

they see the hand of God . . .

in every chastisement,

in every providence,

in every trial,

in every grief, and

in every burden.

By this anointing from the Holy One they can

bear chastisement with meekness; and put

their mouth in the dust, humbling themselves

under the mighty hand of God.

Every good word,

every good work,

every gracious thought,

every holy desire,

every spiritual feeling

do we owe to this one thing:

the anointing of the Holy One.

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One.”

1 John 2:20

THOUGHT UPON THOUGHT

John Mac Duff

“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”

But now thus says the Lord that created you, O Jacob, and He that formed

you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by

your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be

with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you

walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame

kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,

your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3

What a library of “precious thoughts!” What an unlocking of the full

heart of God do these verses contain! In reading them, we may say indeed

with the Psalmist, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your thoughts which are to

us.” Each clause is in itself a volume. Well may the Divine speaker

begin with the words, “Do not be afraid!” These tender thoughts and

tender assertions remind us of the gush of parental affection when a

child is in danger or is afraid, and when its most loving earthly friend

heaps assurance on assurance to quiet and lull its misgivings.

“I have redeemed you,” seems to be the foundation-thought of comfort in

this cluster of exceeding great and precious promises. No other blessing

could have been ours but for “Redeeming love.” And as Christ is the

Alpha, so is He the Omega of all consolation. Hence this inspired

register of spiritual privileges is terminated by the assurance, “I am

your Savior.” The pendant chain of “precious thoughts” has these two

words for its support, “Redeemer,” “Savior;” and each separate link in

the intermediate line of blessings is connected with Him who is

the”Beginner” and “Finisher” of our faith.

God, indeed, forewarns us in the diversified symbols here employed, that

the trials of His people are to be varied in kind, as well as severe in

degree; “waters,” “rivers,” “fires,” “flames.” Yet we may well rise

above them all, under the sublime consciousness, that the chain from

first to last is in the hands of Him who died for us.

We are here further assured, not only that God is the Author of our

troubles, but that He himself is in them all; that His ‘thoughts’ are

upon us as we “pass” through the waters, and “walk” through the fires.

He is minutely cognizant of all that befalls us; and is alike able and

willing to grant us assistance and support. Others cannot do so. It is

in their case like watching the bursting of the distant thunderstorm, or

the vessel plunging in the distant sea, without the ability to render

assistance. But “You know my thoughts afar off.” God is not only our

“refuge and strength,” but “a present help in trouble.” “We went through

the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in Him.”

More than this—He has set bounds to our trials. The rivers and streams

will purify, but not overflow or overwhelm. The fires will refine, but

not scorch or burn. He has too deep an interest in those of whom He

says, “I have called you by your name, you are Mine,” to allow our

afflictions to go further than He sees to be absolutely needful. Never

are His “thoughts” more fondly centered upon us than in a time of

trouble. His loving presence tempers the fury of the fiercest

furnace-flames—His everlasting arms are underneath the deepest and

darkest waves.

O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as You, Lord?

Faithfulness is Your very character. You are the one who rules the

oceans. When their waves rise in fearful storms, You subdue them. Psalm

89:8-9

THE FLAMING SWORD OF JUSTICE QUENCHED IN THE HOLY, LOVING BOSOM OF JESUS!

Octavius Winslow

The most significant and appalling demonstration of God’s holiness that

the universe ever beheld, infinitely distancing and transcending every

other, is the sufferings and death of His only and beloved Son! The

cross of Calvary exhibits God’s hatred and punishment of sin in a way

and to an extent which the annihilation of millions of worlds, swept

from the face of the universe by the broom of His wrath, could never

have done! “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”

Behold the most awful display of God’s hatred of sin! Finding the sins

of the Church upon Christ as its Surety, Substitute, and Savior, the

wrath of God was poured out upon Him without measure! God finding the

sins of His people laid upon His Son, emptied upon His holy soul all the

vials of His wrath due to their transgressions! Go, my soul, to Calvary,

and learn how holy God is, and what a monstrous thing sin is, and how

imperiously, solemnly, and holily bound Jehovah is to punish it, either

in the person of the sinner, or in the person of a Surety. Never was the

Son of God dearer to the Father than at the very moment that the sword

of divine justice, flaming and flashing, pierced to its hilt His holy heart!

But it was the wrath of God, not against His beloved Son, but against

the sins which met on Him when presenting Himself on the cross as the

substitutionary sacrifice and offering for His Church—He gave Himself

for us. What a new conception must angels have formed of the exceeding

sinfulness of sin, when they beheld the flaming sword of justice

quenched in the holy, loving bosom of Jesus! And in what a dazzling

light does this fact place the marvelous love of God to sinners! Man’s

sin and God’s love; the indescribable enormity of the one, and the

immeasurable greatness of the other; are exhibited in the cross of

Christ as nowhere else. Oh, to learn experimentally these two great

facts—sin’s infinite hatefulness, and love’s infinite holiness! The love

of God in giving His Son to die; the love of Christ in dying; the

essential turpitude and unmitigated enormity of sin, which demanded a

sacrifice so Divine, so holy, and so precious!

Such As Should Be Saved

Acts 2: 47

God only adds to his church those who should be saved. Who are these

people of whom He speaks? These are all those that the Father determined

to save for the glory of his name. “God hath saved us, and called us

with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his

own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the

world began.” ( II Timothy 1: 9) I challenge you to find any reason for

God to save any man apart from his purpose of grace. You cannot plead

reform, willingness, or determination because “there is none righteous,

none that understandeth, and none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:

9-19) You cannot plead Gods’ attributes. Our generation pleads Gods’

love attempting to make it universal. But you cannot find in the

scriptures even a hint of universal love. In Psalms 5: 5 it says the

“Lord hatest all workers of iniquity.” But in Romans 5: 8 he tells us

that he commendeth his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners

Christ died for us. You can not plead Gods will as though it could be

resisted. “He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

(Ephesians 1:11). You cannot plead any change in God because in him

there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. (James 1: 17) God is

not attempting to save every man that will let him, but is effectually

saving all that he purposed to save by his sovereign irresistible

purpose and grace. — Darvin Pruitt

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