SERVICE AND MEEKNESS
\n
\n-Spurgeon, “Rest, Rest”
\n
\n“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
\nfor I am meek and lowly in heart…” Matthew 11:29
\n
\nIf I actively labor for Christ I can only find rest in the labor,
\nby possessing the meek spirit of my Lord.
\n
\nFor if I go forth to labor for Christ without a meek spirit,
\nI shall very soon find that there is no rest in it, for the yoke
\nwill gall my shoulder.
\n
\nSomebody will begin objecting that I do not perform my
\nwork according to his liking.
\nIf I am not meek I shall find my proud spirit rising at once,
\nand shall be for defending myself; I shall be irritated,
\nor I shall be discouraged and inclined to do no more,
\nbecause I am not appreciated as I should be.
\n
\nA meek spirit is not apt to be angry, and does not soon take
\noffence. Therefore if others find fault, the meek spirit goes
\nworking on, and is not offended– it will not hear the sharp
\nword, nor reply to the severe criticism.
\n
\nIf the meek spirit be grieved by some cutting censure and
\nsuffers for a moment, it is always ready to forgive and blot
\nout the past, and go on again.
\n
\nThe meek spirit, in working, only seeks to do good to others;
\nit denies itself; it never expected to be well treated; it did not
\naim at being honored; it never sought itself, but purposed only
\nto do good to others.
\n
\nThe meek spirit does not look to be exalted–
\nit is fully contented if it can exalt Christ and do
\ngood to his chosen ones.
\n
\nYour labor will become very easy if your spirits
\nare very meek. It is the proud spirit that gets tired
\nof doing good if it finds its labors not appreciated.
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n“Make me not the reproach of the foolish.” Psalm 39:8
\nJ.C.Philpot
\nWho are these “foolish?” I think the best answer to this question is
\ngiven by our Lord himself, in the parable of the wise and foolish
\nvirgins. “The foolish” were those who had oil in their lamps, but\nnone
\nin their vessels. By “the foolish” in the text, therefore, we may
\nunderstand those who have the light of knowledge in their heads, and the
\nlamp of profession in their hands, but no oil of grace in their hearts.
\nThey are “foolish,” because they know neither God nor themselves,
\nneither sin nor salvation, neither the depth of the fall nor the
\ngreatness of the remedy. They are “foolish,” as regards themselves,\nin
\nthinking that light and knowledge will save them, without life and
\ngrace; and they are “foolish,” as regards others, for lack of an
\nexperimental acquaintance with the heart. They know nothing, therefore,
\nof the temptations of a child of God; how he is beset on every hand; how
\nSatan is ever thrusting at or enticing him; how his own heart is
\ncontinually prompting him to evil; and how snares are in every direction
\nlaid for his feet. “The foolish” know nothing of these trials; they\nare
\nPharisees, who “make clean the outside of the cup and platter,” who
\nwhitewash and adorn the sepulcher outside, while within it is “full of
\ndead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”
\nDavid knew well, and every child of God knows well, that if he were
\nallowed to slip, if he were allowed to say or do anything unbecoming,
\nthese would be the very first to make him an open reproach. “The
\nfoolish” can, and will, make no allowances for the least slip of tongue
\nor foot, for they themselves are ignorant of the weakness of the flesh,
\nthe subtlety of Satan, the strength of sin, and the power of temptation.
\nWere he to stumble and fall, “the foolish” would be sure to point the\n
\nfinger of scorn at him. In breathing forth, then, this petition, we may
\nwell suppose him to say, “Lord, whatever temptations I may be called
\nupon to endure, whatever snares of Satan or lusts of the flesh may beset
\nmy path behind and before, O keep me, keep me that I may not be ‘the
\nreproach of the foolish;’ that they may have nothing to take hold of, to
\nmake me a bye-word, and through me to reproach your name, cause, and\ntruth.”
\n
\n
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\n
\n
\nWe dwell in the palm of God’s hand!
\n
\n(Don Fortner)
\n
\n“My times are in Your hand.” Psalm 31:15
\n
\n“My times”. They change and vary from day to day, but they change\nonly
\nin accordance with His unchanging love. They vary, but only according to
\nthe purpose of Him in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.
\n
\n“My times”. That is to say . . .
\nmy ups and my downs,
\nmy health and my sickness,
\nmy prosperity and my adversity,
\nmy wealth and my poverty,
\nmy happiness and my sorrow
\n\u2014all of these are in the hands of my Lord and Redeemer, who arranges and
\nappoints the length of my days and the darkness of my nights according
\nto His wise and holy will.
\n
\n“My times”. All of them, in the beginning of life, in the course of\nlife
\nand in the end of life, “are in Your hand”\u2014and I am glad that it is\nso.
\n
\nThe close of my life is no more at the disposal of fate, or chance, or
\nSatan than the beginning of my life. My life will not close until the
\nhand of my Father’s love closes it. I shall not die before my time, and
\nI shall not be forgotten and left on the stage of time too long.
\n
\nNot only are we in the hand of the Lord, but everything that surrounds
\nus is in His hand. All the people, things and events which make up the
\nenvironment of our existence are in the hand of our God.
\n
\nChild of God, this should bring comfort and joy to your heart.
\n
\nWe dwell in the palm of God’s hand!
\n
\nWe are absolutely at His disposal.
\n
\nEverything that concerns us is arranged by His hand.
\n
\nMay the Lord graciously enable us to enter into the peaceful realization
\nof His good providence!
\n
\n“Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
\n
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\nWalk in the Spirit!
\n
\n(Charles Spurgeon)
\n
\n“Be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18
\n
\n“Walk in the Spirit (let your steps be guided by the Spirit,) and you
\nwill not gratify the evil desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
\n
\nRich would the blessings of this day be, if we were filled with the Holy
\nSpirit. The consequences of this sacred filling of the soul, would be
\nimpossible to overestimate. Life, comfort, light, purity, power, peace;
\nand many other precious blessings are inseparable from the Spirit’s
\ngracious presence.
\n
\nAs sacred oil\u2014He anoints the head of the believer, sets him apart to the
\npriesthood of saints, and gives him grace to execute his duties aright.
\n
\nAs the only truly purifying water\u2014He cleanses us from the power of sin
\nand sanctifies us unto holiness, working in us to will and to do of the
\nLord’s good pleasure.
\n
\nAs the holy light\u2014He reveals the Lord Jesus to us, and guides us in the
\nway of righteousness. Enlightened by His pure celestial ray, we are no
\nlonger walk in darkness\u2014but in the light of Scripture truth.
\n
\nAs purifying fire\u2014He both purges us from dross, and sets our consecrated
\nnature ablaze. He is the sacrificial flame by which we are enabled to
\noffer our whole souls as a living sacrifice unto God.
\n
\nAs heavenly dew\u2014He removes our barrenness and nourishes our lives. O
\nthat He would drop from above upon us at this early hour! Such morning
\ndew would be a sweet commencement for the day.
\n
\nAs the heavenly Dove, with wings of peaceful love\u2014He broods over the
\nsouls of believers; and as a Comforter He dispels the cares and doubts
\nwhich mar the peace of His beloved ones. He descends upon His chosen
\npeople, and bears witness to their sonship by working in them a filial
\nspirit by which they cry Abba, Father!
\n
\nAs the wind\u2014He brings the breath of spiritual life to men. He performs
\nthe quickening operations by which the spiritual creation is animated
\nand sustained.
\n
\nO that we might feel the Spirit’s presence and influence this day and
\nevery day!
\n
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\n
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\n
\nDon Fortner: “God does not permit things to happen. He purposed all that
\ncomes to pass in time, before time began (Romans 11:36; Isaiah 45:7).
\nAnd all that He ordained from eternity and performs in time, is good.”
\n
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\n“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
\nmercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
\nHoly Spirit; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
\nSavior.” Titus 3:5, 6
\nOctavious Winslow
\nThe conversion of a sinner to God is a convincing and precious evidence
\nthat Jesus is alive. In the regeneration wrought in the soul by the Holy
\nSpirit, the life of Jesus is imparted. He breathes into the soul morally
\ndead the breath of life, and it becomes a living soul. Until, in the
\nexercise of His distinct office, this Divine Person of the adorable
\nTrinity convinces of sin, quickens and brings the soul to Christ for
\nacceptance, risen with Christ though that soul mystically is, it yet
\nremains totally dead to, and insensible of, its great privilege\u2014an utter
\nstranger to that new life which springs from oneness with the “second
\nAdam.” The new nature which the Eternal Spirit now imparts is nothing
\nless than the creation of the life of Christ in the soul; yes, even more
\nthan this, it is the bringing of Christ Himself into the soul to dwell
\nthere the “hope of glory” through time, and glory itself, through\neternity.
\n
\nHere, then, is an evidence that Jesus is alive, to a renewed mind the
\nmost convincing and precious. Thus quickened by the Eternal Spirit,
\nbelievers become temples of Christ. Jesus lives in them. “I in them.”\n
\n“Know you not that Christ is in you?” “Christ lives in me.”\n“Christ in
\nyou the hope of glory.” Thus every believer is a living witness that
\nJesus is alive, because he bears about with him the very life of Jesus.
\nBy the indwelling of the Spirit, and realized by faith, Christ abides in
\nthe believer, and the believer abides in Christ. “I in them, and you in
\nme, that they may be made perfect in one; that they also may be one in\nus.”
\n
\nWe have already stated that this glorious entrance of Christ within the
\nsoul transpires at the period of the new birth. What, then, is every new
\nconversion, every fresh trophy of redeeming grace, but a new
\nmanifestation to the universe of the life of Jesus? I see the sinner
\npursuing his mad career of folly, rebellion, and guilt. Suddenly he is
\narrested, I see him bowed to the earth, his heart broken with sorrow,
\nhis spirit crushed beneath the burden of sin. He smites upon his breast;
\nacknowledges his transgression, confesses his iniquity, deplores it in
\nthe dust. Presently I see him lift his eye, and rest it upon a bleeding
\nSavior; he gazes, wonders, believes, adores\u2014is saved! By whom is this
\nmiracle of grace wrought?\u2014The Spirit has descended to testify that Jesus
\nis alive. That newly-converted soul, so lately dead in sins, but now
\nquickened with Christ\u2014that sinner but recently dwelling among the tombs,
\nwhom no human power could tame, now sitting at the feet of Jesus,
\nclothed and in his right mind\u2014demonstrates that Christ is in heaven, and
\nis alive, for evermore. Oh, it is the heaven-descending life of Jesus.
\nShow me, then, a soul just passed from death unto life, and I will show
\nyou an evidence that Jesus is alive at the right hand of God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SERVICE AND MEEKNESS -Spurgeon, “Rest, Rest” “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart…” Matthew 11:29 If I actively labor for Christ I can only find rest in the labor, by possessing the meek spirit of my Lord. For if I go forth to labor for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5533,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532\/revisions\/5533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}