Aug 26
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“Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Ps 31: 18- 20).
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God’s Goodness Often Misunderstood
Many times, God’s goodness is mistaken for His displeasure. But the truth is this: everything the Lord does for His people is good. He can do nothing but good, it is His nature. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” But how often do we doubt this when hardship comes?
Here are a few examples of True Goodness A child given bitter medicine will cry and resist—but the parent knows the medicine is what brings healing. Is that not good?
If an arm must be amputated to save a life, the loss is painful—but the life is spared. Is that not good? Matthew 18:8-9.
If the Lord strips away my self-righteousness, lays me low, and brings deep conviction of sin and causes me to look to Christ alone.
Is that not good?
If He removes every earthly support, that I may learn to depend fully on Him—He is teaching me to rest in Christ, the only secure foundation. Is that not good?
Let us never forget: “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” – Psalm 34:8
Even when His hand feels heavy, His heart is Love. Even when His ways are hard, His purposes are good. God’s goodness doesn’t always feel pleasant, but it is always perfect.
Let us trust Him—not only when the path is smooth, but especially when it’s rough. For our God is good, and He does good. Always. John Chapman
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The more a man sees, by faith, of the sovereign power, mercy, and gracious goodness of God toward him, the more he wants to leave matters with the Lord, close his mouth and patiently wait, beholding the salvation of God…. Lord, increase our faith. Marvin Stalnaker
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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!
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“Awake, O North Wind; and Come, Thou South; Blow Upon My Garden” – Song of Solomon 5:1
The people of God are called the temple of God, the city of God, the garden of the Lord where the Lord dwells and walks among them. Just as the Lord first put man in a garden and walked with him there, the Lord Jesus often resorted to a garden with His disciples, and here in Solomon’s Song of Christ and His church, the beloved people of Christ are called His garden.
It is the heart’s cry and desire of every child of God that the Lord send His Holy Spirit, Who is the Wind or Breath of God, which blows from the North (Heaven)and south (in the earth below). It is the prayer of every true child of God that the Holy Spirit of God will blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. The spices, being the fruit of the Spirit, “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal.5:22), which we see and admire in our Beloved, and makes Him so appealing to us, and makes us long to be filled with those same spices that we might be a sweet smelling savour of Christ to our God. Call upon Him this day, that He would come and blow upon this garden, this church, this gathering, your own soul . . . that the glorious gospel perfume of Christ would fill this place and fill our hearts and lives. Paul Mahan
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THE GLORY OF GOD’S GRACE
Ephesians 2: 8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Salvation—beginning to end—is by God’s grace. God elected a people unto salvation by grace, the very opposite of works. (Rom 11: 5-6) It was grace that abounded over sin and reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5: 20-21) The stewardship of every God-sent preacher is a “dispensation of the grace of God.” (Eph 3: 2-8) The gospel we preach is “the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20: 24) We are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3: 24) We are called by God’s grace. (Gal 1: 15) It is “grace wherein we stand” (Rom 5: 2) Believers are what we are by the grace of God. (I Cor 15: 10)
So what is grace? Let me have your undivided attention. Grace is God’s glory! When Moses asked to see God’s glory, first, God said, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee”—God’s goodness is his glory. Then, God said, “I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee;”—God’s name is his glory.Lastly, God said, “and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”—God’s grace is his glory. (Ex 33: 19)
All who add their wisdom, will or works attempt to rob God of his glory. God says, “My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Is 42: 8) But those saved apart from any merit in us glory that salvation is of the Lord, “to the praise of the glory of his grace,…” (Eph 1: 6)
Clay Curtis
“Believe Ye That I Am Able to Do This?” (Matthew 9: 28)
This was a question the Lord asked two blind men regarding His ability to give them sight. Their answer was, “Yea, Lord.” Here we are given an illustration of what faith really is. Faith is not believing you are saved or believing that God loves you and Christ died for you, or believing all of your sins are forgiven, or believing you are perfect in God’s sight. These things belong to the realm of assurance.
Faith is neither more nor less than believing that He is able to save you. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I am persuaded that He is able….” Assurance that you are saved and all of your sins are forgiven will come out of that, but the actual act of faith is believing He is able. If you lack assurance, perhaps you have never really believed that “He is able.” Believing He is able will lead to the assurance of these things, because you are relying upon His ability, and not your own. ~
Todd Nibert
Every discontented heart is a proud heart. Instead of being angry with Providence for not making us greater than we are; the meanest (lowest) person of us all, if he rightly knew himself and God, would fall low at His footstool and adore Him for condescending to bestow ANY thought upon us, or take ANY care of us whatever. As I once heard a valuable person remark, “God is often better to us than our fears; and always better to us than we deserve.” We should be perfectly at ease, under every possible combination of circumstances, if we could but give credit to Infinite Wisdom for doing all things well.
~Augustus Toplady (1740-1778)