“The entrance of your words gives\nlight; it gives understanding unto the simple.” \u2013Psalm 119:130<\/p>\n\n\n\n
J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word “simple” means literally something which is\nnot folded or twisted together. But owing to the treacherous and desperately\ndeceitful heart of man, all, without exception, in a state of nature are the\nreverse of this. All their plots and contrivances for worldly profit or fleshly\npleasure are tangled and complicated; and they are continually twisting\ntogether some thread or other of carnal policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But when God the Holy Spirit begins the work of grace upon the\nsouls of the elect, he proceeds (if I may use the expression) to untwist them.\nHe takes hold of that rope which Satan and their own hearts have been twisting\ntogether for years, and he untwists it throughout its whole length, so as to\nleave the strands not intertwined as before, but sifted, separated, and isolated\nfrom each other. The light that shines into the soul out of the fullness of\nJesus discovers to a man the tortuousness, the crookedness, the complicated\ndeceit and hypocrisy of which he is guilty. A man then is made\n“simple,” when the folds and rumples of his heart are shaken out, and\nhe is brought to see and feel that God looks into him; that his eye penetrates\ninto every recess of his bosom; and that there is not a thought in his heart,\nnor “a word in his tongue, but the Lord knows it altogether” (Psalm 139:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This character is aptly represented by Nathaniel. He had gone\nthrough this untwisting work in his soul. He had been under the fig-tree, and\nwhile kneeling and praying there, the eye of God looked into him, and just as a\nflash of lightning runs, in a moment, through a coil of wire, so, when the eye\nof God looked into Nathaniel’s soul, that instantaneous flash unraveled and\nuntwisted the devices of his heart, and made him a simple man before\nhim–“an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no deceit” (John 1:47).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit\nagainst the flesh.” Galatians 5:17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n C.H.Spurgeon<\/p>\n\n\n\n In every believer’s heart there is a constant struggle between\nthe old nature and the new. The old nature is very active, and loses no opportunity\nof plying all the weapons of its deadly armory against newborn grace; while on\nthe other hand, the new nature is ever on the watch to resist and destroy its\nenemy. Grace within us will employ prayer, and faith, and hope, and love\u2014to\ncast out the evil; it takes unto it the “whole armor of God,” and\nwrestles earnestly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These two opposing natures will never cease to struggle so long\nas we are in this world. The battle of “Christian” with\n“Apollyon” lasted three hours\u2014but Christian’s battle with himself\nlasted all the way from the Wicket Gate in the river Jordan. The enemy is so\nsecurely entrenched within us that he can never be driven out while we are in\nthis body\u2014but although we are often in sore conflict, we have an Almighty\nhelper, even Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, who is ever with us, and who\nassures us that we shall eventually come off more than conquerors through Him.\nWith such assistance, the new-born nature is more than a match for its foes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you fighting with the adversary today? Are Satan, the world,\nand the flesh, all against you? Do not be discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on!\nFor God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is\nthe healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat\nOmnipotence? Fight on, “looking unto Jesus”; and though long and\nstern is the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised\nreward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “From strength to strength go on;<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wrestle, and fight, and pray,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tread all the powers of darkness down,<\/p>\n\n\n\n And win the well-fought day.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phil.\n3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and\nrejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Musing upon the thought of\nthe impartation of a new nature, I was struck with what the Bible says about\nthe evidence of that new nature. First,\nthere\u2019s a new attitude toward God, \u201cFor we are the circumcision, which\nworship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus.\u201d <\/em>Secondly, there\u2019s a new attitude toward ourselves, \u201cand\nhave no confidence in the flesh.\u201d <\/em>And lastly,\nthere\u2019s a new attitude toward others, \u201cBy this shall all men know that\nye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.\u201d <\/em>Thank the Lord\nfor His marvelous grace. Marvin Stalnaker<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Seek The Lord<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are under the load\nof sin, burdened down by your guilt and troubled over your relation with the\nHoly God of Heaven, may I give you this advice: Seek the Lord! He has promised\nthat if you seek Him with all your heart, He will be found (Jer. 29:13). Seek\nChrist believingly, seek Him earnestly, seek Him sincerely, seek Him only, seek\nHim early, Seek Him\nNow! Pastor\nScott Richardson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Religion and Attitude<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If my religion does not\nmake me gracious, forgiving, peaceable, submissive, loving, and easy to get\nalong with, I am sure that my religion has made me miss\nChrist. Pastor\nFrank Tate<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When I become judgmental\nand critical I have set myself up as a judge and a critic. The reason\nbehind that is always self-righteousness. Always tied to\nself-righteousness is a failure to assume personal responsibility for my own\nsin. Eve blamed Satan and Adam blamed Eve. I fail to see my sin as\nbeing my fault. I am a victim! I see myself in a better light than I\nreally am. I am now competent to be the judge and critic of others. \nHowever, if all my sin is seen as all my fault I see myself as unable to be\nanyone\u2019s judge or critic. And that is a good place to be! \u201cTherefore\nthou art inexcusable O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou\njudgest another, thou condemnest thyself: for thou that judgest doest the same\nthings.\u201d \nPastor Todd Nibert <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is good for me that I\nhave been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes… I know, O LORD, that\nthy judgments are right, and that<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.\u201d <\/em>(Psalm\n119:71, 75).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many years ago, Martin\nLuther was going through a great and heavy trial for the sake of the Gospel of\nChrist. He read these verses and cried out, \u201cStrike on Oh Lord, strike on! For\nI know, now, that thou lovest me!\u201d What a terrible thing to miss the\nfaithfulness of our Lord by shunning and murmuring at the afflictions He has\nsent – in His infinite Love and Grace to His child! In doing so, we avoid the\nblessing. Lord, give us the faith to trust and believe you! To cry out, \u201cStrike\non Lord, Strike on!\u201d That we might see your love, faithfulness, and\nrighteousness once more! \n Pastor\nKevin Thacker<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ~~~~~~~O~~~~~~~<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n LOVE BEARETH ALL THINGS (I\nCorinthians 13:7)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/em>The\nword bear<\/em> is the verb form of the word roof. It roofs\nover all things. It covers with silence all things. \u201cLove\ncovereth all transgressions\u201d (Proverbs 10:12). \u201cHe that covereth a\ntransgression seeketh love\u201d (Proverbs 17:9). <\/em> The Lord covers\nwith silence all things of those He loves. His blood covers our sins so\nthere is nothing to expose. Our sins are non-existent! He would\nnever expose sin because He loves us and because of the covering of His blood,\nthere is nothing to expose. When one person wishes to expose another person so\nthat others will see their sins, faults, and flaws, there is only one reason –\nthe absence of love for that person. Love covers with silence all\nthings. It builds a roof so the sins of the object of its love cannot be\nseen. Pastor\nTodd Nibert <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Solving the great problem of fretful,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n careworn, restless, suffering humanity?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (MacDuff, “Memories of Gennesaret” 1887)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The world resorts to many expedients for<\/p>\n\n\n\n the improvement of man, solving the great<\/p>\n\n\n\n problem of fretful, careworn, restless,<\/p>\n\n\n\n suffering humanity apart from the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The philosopher may dream of visionary<\/p>\n\n\n\n earthly antidotes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The politician may see in some cold, frigid,<\/p>\n\n\n\n intellectual training a panacea for human wrongs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The moralist may discourse on human virtue,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and the self rectifying power of human goodness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The socialist may dare to propound his damning<\/p>\n\n\n\n theories as the pioneers of the halcyon reign of<\/p>\n\n\n\n unbounded liberty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But we have boldness and confidence that Christ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and Him crucified, and the new life which this<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord of life has to impart, are the true and only<\/p>\n\n\n\n secrets of peace on earth and good will to men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The one who does not love\u2014does not know God, because God\nis love.” 1 John 4:8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n C.H.Spurgeon<\/p>\n\n\n\n The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the\nlove of Christ\u2014and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return. First,\nfaith sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle,\n“Christ loved me\u2014and gave Himself for me!” Then love gives the\ncountersign, and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return.\n“We love Him\u2014because He first loved us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the\nChristian religion, this double mark was clearly to be seen in all believers in\nJesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ, and rested upon it as a man\nleans upon a staff whose trustiness he has tried. The love which they felt\ntowards the Lord was not a quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in\nthe secret chamber of their souls, and which they only spoke of in their\nprivate assemblies when they met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns\nin honor of Christ Jesus the crucified\u2014but it was a passion with them of such a\nvehement and all-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions,\nspoke in their common talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their\ncommonest glances. Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart\nof their being; and, therefore, from its own force\u2014it burned its way into the\nouter man, and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus\u2014was the seal and\nmark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ’s\nlove\u2014they dared much; and because of their love to Christ\u2014they did much, and it\nis the same now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love\u2014the\nlove of Christ constrains them; they rejoice that divine love is set upon them,\nthey feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given unto\nthem, and then by force of gratitude they love the Savior with a pure heart,\nfervently. My reader, do you love Him? Before you sleep\u2014give an honest answer\nto a weighty question!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Almighty is a weak babe!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Henry Law, “Christ is All” 1854)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Unto you is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wonder of wonders! The mighty God, without<\/p>\n\n\n\n ceasing to be God, becomes man to redeem us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let the greatest king become the lowest beggar;<\/p>\n\n\n\n let the richest prince leave his palace for the vilest<\/p>\n\n\n\n cell of a loathsome prison; it is as nothing compared<\/p>\n\n\n\n to the act of Jesus, when He left heaven to put on<\/p>\n\n\n\n the rags of our mortality!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Creator of all things becomes a creature!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Almighty is a weak babe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eternal is a child of time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Infinite is contracted into the limits of poor flesh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is not this the wonder of wonders?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is not this grace which has no bounds?<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We love Him\u2014because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n C.H.Spurgeon<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no light in the planet\u2014but that which proceeds from the\nsun; and there is no true love to Jesus in the heart\u2014but that which comes from\nthe Lord Jesus himself. From this overflowing fountain of the infinite love of\nGod\u2014all our love to God must spring. This must ever be a great and certain\ntruth\u2014that we love Him for no other reason than because He first loved us. Our\nlove to Him is the lovely offspring of His love to us. Cold admiration, when\nstudying the works of God, anyone may have\u2014but the warmth of love can only be\nkindled in the heart by God’s Spirit. How great the wonder\u2014that such as we\nshould ever have been brought to love Jesus at all! How marvelous that when we\nhad rebelled against Him\u2014He should, by a display of such amazing love, seek to\ndraw us back. No! never would we have had a grain of love towards God\u2014unless it\nhad been sown in us by the sweet seed of His love to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Love to Jesus, then, has for its parent\u2014the love of God shed\nabroad in the heart\u2014but after it is thus divinely born, it must be divinely\nnourished. Love is an exotic; it is not a plant which will flourish naturally\nin human soil, it must be watered from above. Love to Jesus is a flower of a\ndelicate nature, and if it received no nourishment but that which could be\ndrawn from the rock of our hearts\u2014it would soon wither. As love comes from\nheaven\u2014so it must feed on heavenly bread. It cannot exist in the wilderness,\nunless it be fed by manna from on high. Love must feed on love. The very soul\nand life of our love to God\u2014is His love to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WHICH IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT?<\/p>\n\n\n\n There has never been a single moment in my life\nthat I have loved the Lord, as He ought to be loved. However, at the same time,\nthere has never been a single moment in time when Christ did not love the Lord\nHis God, His Father, with all His heart, soul, mind and strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Christ, and with Him as my Substitute, I have\nkept the greatest commandment of all. Matter of fact, in Christ, I have kept\n\u201cevery commandment of God\u201d perfectly and completely. My salvation has nothing\nto do with my works, my faithfulness, or my righteousness. My salvation has\neverything to do with His! \n David Eddmenson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple.” \u2013Psalm 119:130 J.C.Philpot The word “simple” means literally something which is not folded or twisted together. But owing to the treacherous and desperately deceitful heart of man, all, without exception, in a state of nature are the reverse of this. 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