Aug 25
31
There are three classes of servants: the slave who serves through fear, the hireling who serves for wages, and the son who serves for love.
Donnie Bell
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27
Christian, your whole life is to be one continuous following of
the Lord.
You began with turning your back upon the world, and ‘looking to Jesus’; keep
ever thus. Looking to Him brought rest to you at first, and healed your soul;
so, looking to Him daily will maintain your rest and perfect your spiritual
health.
Christian, should your eye ever be withdrawn from the cross, you will be sure to go backwards, to grow cold, and to forget that you were purged from your old sins (2 Peter 1:9). That cross is life, health, holiness, consolation, strength, joy; let nothing come between it and you.
Christian, your life is a book; it may be a volume of larger or smaller size. Conversion is but the title-page or the preface. The book itself remains to be written; and your years and weeks and days are its chapters and pages and lines. It is a book written for eternity; see that it be written well. It is a book for the inspection of enemies as well as friends; be careful of every word. It is a book written under the eye of God; let it be done reverently; without levity, yet without constraint or terror.
The grace of God is your strength, as it is your joy; and it is only by abiding in it that you can really live the life of the redeemed. Be strong, then, in this grace; draw your joy out of it; and beware how you turn to anything else for refreshment, or comfort, or holiness. Though a believing man, you are still a sinner; a sinner to the last; and, as such, nothing can suit you but the free love of God. Draw continually on Christ and His fullness for this grace. This abounding grace, rightly understood, will not make you sin; it will not relax morality or make inconsistency a trifle. It will magnify sin and enhance its evil in your eyes.
Horatius Bonar
ISAIAH bemoaned the fact that “even our righteousnesses are filthy rags.” GEORGE WHITEFIELD said, “A man hasn’t truly repented until he can repent even of his best deeds, which are all imperfect.” BISHOP BEVERIDGE wrote: “Because of the evil root in our hearts, there is evil fruit in our nature. The root poisons even our so-called righteousness. We cannot pray without sin; we do not hear nor preach a sermon without sin; we do not give alms without sin; we cannot even confess our sins but that our very confession is an aggravation of sin. Our repentance needs to be repented of, and our tears need to be washed in His blood. Not only the worst behaviour, but OFTEN THE BEST DUTIES of our lives prove us to be sons of Adam. Oh, the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Henry Mahan
BETRAYED WITH KISS
Judas betrayed his master with A KISS! He came to the Lord with evil in his heart, the price of compromise in his hand, religious devils at his side, and said, “Hail Master” as he planted A KISS on the Lord’s cheek!
This is how most apostates and compromisers operate, they betray the Son of God and the gospel of grace WITH A KISS. They talk of love, humility, morality, and sugar and spice while they sell out to religious world and betray the sovereign Son of God. And men watch their pretended affection and hear their words, “Hail Master”, spoken so softly, smoothly, humbly, and sweetly, and they say, “can such devout people be ENEMIES of the Lord?”
Do not be deceived; sometimes the most devout looking, religious people can be the most hypocritical in the world. Do not be deceived by their kisses. LISTEN TO THEIR GOSPEL! Peter bearing the sword, had more grace than Judas, who came with a Kiss.
Henry Mahan
The road to Heaven
(Horatius Bonar, “The Surety’s Cross”)
“Then Jesus said unto His disciples, If any man will
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
“Follow Me,” Jesus says; and we cannot but yield to
His almighty voice. He draws us out of the world—and
we follow Him. He leads us in at the strait gate—and
we follow Him. He guides us along the narrow way—
and we follow Him—our cross upon our shoulder and
the crown before our eye!
Smoothness, and brightness, and greenness—are not
the features of the narrow way; but rather thorns and
briars, darkness and dust, and ruggedness, all along;
fightings without, and fears within.
The road to Heaven is not so pleasant, and comfortable,
and easy, and flowery—as many dream. It is not a bright,
sunny, flowery path. It is not paved with triumph—though
it is to end in victory. The termination is glory, honour, and
immortality; but on the way—there is the thorn in the flesh,
the sackcloth, and the cross. Recompense yonder—but labor
here! Rest yonder—but weariness here! Joy and
security
yonder—but here endurance and watchfulness, the race,
the battle, the burden, and ofttimes the heavy heart.
This cheating and deluding scene!
(Henry Law, “The Song of Solomon” 1879)
Song of Solomon 8:5, “Who is this that cometh up from the
wilderness, leaning on her Beloved?”
A form is seen coming up from the wilderness; but not alone, not unsupported.
There is another form near the first, and on Him all weight is laid.
The truth is clear. We see the Christian deriving support from his Lord.
They proceed together along a path leading up from the wilderness.
The believer is called . . .
to leave all for Christ;
to come out from a fallen and polluted world;
to shun its pleasures;
to turn from its smiles;
to disregard its frowns;
to close its ear to its enticing voice;
to reject its fascinating cup;
to trample on its principles and maxims;
to feel that the world in its every aspect is opposed to Christ.
Such views are the true teachings of the Spirit.
The believer, a pupil in this school, arises and departs.
But there is no profit in what he abandons.
The world, when truly seen, is a waste wilderness.
It is no fair garden of Eden, fragrant with beauteous flowers.
It is no vineyard, in which grapes hang down in luxuriant clusters.
It is no peaceful meadow, free from incursions of devouring beasts.
It is no lovely grove, in which the melody of cheerful birds delights the
ear.
It is no pleasant path, in which surrounding prospects give enchanting
views.
It is a desert—wild, dismal, and unsatisfying!
Here no manna falls, and no refreshing streams trickle by the side.
Its food is poison. To taste is to imbibe death.
What is its produce? Thorns! Thistles! Briers!
It yields no nurture—but disappointment, misery and woe.
It is an enemy’s land, beset with perils and encompassed with
malignant foes.
The believer is called to come up from this cheating and deluding
scene!
But how can the Christian obey? He is weak and powerless in himself.
But a mighty arm is near! Jesus says:
“Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand!”
He extends the arm of His omnipotence and cries, “Come, lean on Me!“
As without Jesus the first step cannot be taken, so without
Him advancecannot be made. But He is ever near,
willing, and able.
The heavenward path is a steepascent. It requires strong
limbs to climb.
But leaning on Jesus, the upward race may be run without loitering.
The path also, through life’s course, is slippery. Our
feet are liable to slip.Snares and pitfalls are before us. Our feet
are liable to stumble.
But leaning on Him we are upheld, and safely guided.
Thus let us pass through life leaning on our Beloved.
Let us lean on Him as we pass through the valley of the shadow of death.
His rod and staff will surely comfort us.
Let us enter Heaven leaning on the same arm.
“Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her Beloved?”
Lord, I am a poor, blind child!
By Octavius Winslow
“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:
he shall gather the lambs with his arm,
and carry them in his bosom,
and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
Isaiah 40:11
Jesus leads those who are burdened, and need a skilful, sure and gentle
shepherd.
Our journey to Heaven is across a waste howling wilderness, through an
enemy’s country—all armed and combined to resist, dispute, and oppose our every
step.
It is a road, also, all untraveled and unknown. Over the entrance of every new
path is written, “You have not passed this way before!” A
new bend in our life transpires, a new path in our pilgrimage is
presented—involving new duties and responsibilities, new cares and trials. And
with fear and trembling we gird ourselves for the new cloud-veiled pilgrimage
which God in His goodness has appointed us.
But why thesedoubts, these tremblings, these fears? Jesus
is our Leader!
He knows all the way we take—has mapped every road, and has appointed every
path.
As a Teacher, He leads us into all truth.
As a Captain, He leads us from victory to victory.
As a Shepherd, He leads us into green pastures.
As a Guide, He leads us along our difficult path—skilfully,
gently, and safely.
How does Jesus lead us? He leads us graciously. He leads us
along all the stages, and through all the exercises of our Christian
experience—not leaving us when our frames are low, and our faith is assailed,
and darkness, often thick darkness, covers our soul.
Who could skilfully, patiently, and faithfully lead us along all the mazes, intricacies,
and perils of our Christian course, safely to glory—but Christ
our Leader?
Commit yourself, O my soul, confidently to the Lord’s leading.
The way may appear all wrong to you, but it is the right way.
Mystery may enshroud it,
trials may pave it,
sorrows may darken it,
tears may bedew it—
nevertheless He is leading you by the right way home.
“And I will bring the blind by a way that they
knew not;
I will lead them in paths that they have not known:
I will make darkness light before them,
and crooked things straight.
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
Isaiah 42:16
“Lord, I am a poor, blind child—not knowing my way. And when I do
see it, I am often so burdened that I cannot walk. Take me by the hand,
and gently, skilfully lead me until traveling days are over, and I am at
home with You forever! You have promised gently to lead the burdened and feeble
who cannot keep up with the flock. Lord, lead ME!
Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty!
C.H.Spurgeon
Philippians 1:23, “Having a desire to depart,
and to be with Christ; which is far better.”
The life of a believer is a journey through time, toward eternity. Each day
that passes, each trial endured, each breath drawn in this fallen world–moves
the child of God one step nearer to the full enjoyment of what has been secured
by sovereign grace–eternal life in the presence of Christ. For the person
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb–the end is not loss, but gain. The grave is
not a prison, but a passage. Death is not a defeat, but the
door into everlasting joy–when faith gives way to sight, and hope blossoms
into eternal delight! The Christian looks forward to this not with fear, but
with longing. For to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord.
The anticipation of Heaven is not centred on what will be
enjoyed there, but Who will be seen there. The glory of Heaven
is not in its beauty only, but mainly in its King!
The true believer understands that Heaven is glorious, because Christ is there.
Heaven is not merely rest, but fellowship–the unhindered communion of the
saved sinner with his Saviour. That which is begun now by faith, will be
perfected in that day when we behold His face. The Christian’s joy is not
ultimately in a crown, but in the pierced hand that places it
upon the brow. It is not the throne that satisfies, but the One who sits upon
it.
The pathway to that glory is often darksome. God, in
His wisdom and mercy, weaves sorrow and affliction into the lives of His people.
Yet even the midnight of suffering, is governed by the hand of a
loving Father–and every moment of pain has a divine purpose. The believer,
upheld by the Spirit, walks through the valley with a steady
gaze, trusting the One who leads. Every storm, every tear, every hardship–is
part of the journey toward the city that has foundations, whose Builder and
Maker is God.
This world will never satisfy the heart that has been awakened to the beauty of
Christ. Earthly comforts, though sometimes enjoyed, cannot rival the riches of
eternal life. The believer presses on–not because the path is easy, but
because the destination is sure. He is going to a kingdom prepared from the
foundation of the world, a place where righteousness dwells, a land where sin
and sorrow are no more.
The nearer we come to the end of our pilgrimage, the more clearly we see what
truly matters. Not reputation. Not possessions. Not pleasure. Not earthly
success. But Christ. Only Christ. In Him is all our righteousness, all our
hope, all our joy. In Him we live, and in Him we shall rise. And in Him, we
shall dwell forever!
“The sight of Christ is the very heaven of Heaven. To behold Him is the
longing of every sanctified soul.”
“Not merely shall we see His glory–we shall see Him.
His person, His face, His smile–that is our portion forever.”
“The King in His beauty! No veil, no cloud, no distance–only the unveiled
splendour of incarnate Deity!”
“A sight of Christ now, is Heaven begun below.
A sight of Him above, is Heaven perfected.”
“They shall see His face!” Revelation 22:4
“Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty!” Isaiah 33:17
This most precious and
suitable Saviour!
(J.C.Philpot)
”For we have not an high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”. Hebrews
4:15
What a mercy it is to have a faithful and gracious
compassionate High Priest who can sympathise with
His poor, tried, tempted family–so that however
low they may sink . . .
His pitiful eye can see them in their low estate,
His gracious ear hear their cries,
His loving heart melt over them, and
His strong arm pluck them from their destructions!
Oh what would we do without such a gracious and
most suitable Saviour as the blessed Jesus! How He
seems to rise more and more
. . .
in our estimation,
in our thoughts,
in our desires,
in our affections,
as we see and feel what a wreck and ruin we are,
what dreadful havoc sin has made with both body
and soul, what miserable outcasts we are by nature.
But oh how needful it is, dear friend, to be brought
down in our soul to be the chief of sinners, viler than
the vilest, and worse than the worst–that we may
really and truly believe in, and cleave unto, this
most precious and suitable Saviour!