The Tears of Jesus! # 2
Remember, too, that with the tears of Jesus at Bethany there was spoken a promise of immortality. It is one of the most glorious of the "I Am's" of John's gospel. It meets us at the solemn hour when we carry our beloved ones to the silent grave. "I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he dies ... yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me, shall never die!" (John 11:25, 26).
But there was more than this. At the grave of Bethany, there was the manifestation of resurrection power. By His word, He called him that had been four days dead. Put these together. Think of the heart that "is touched with all our woes." Think of the voice that promises a glorious and unending life. Think of the power that can summon back the dead from the grave. And all are yours - if you receive Christ by faith and rely upon Him. A sympathy beyond all thought, a blessed life of immortality, a mighty power that can reach beyond the utmost limit of your necessities an griefs - on these may you rely all through your earthly pilgrimage.
2. But we read that Jesus wept on Mount Olivet. He reaches the spot where He can see the beautiful city. The multitude around are singing their hallelujahs, and rejoicing in the coming of their King. But Jesus weeps. Not for His own sufferings, now close at hand; not for the shame and contempt and cruel death which He was about to endure - but for the beloved city. He foresaw the doom which was so fast approaching. The wolf would come down on the fold, and the children of Zion would be a prey and spoil to the destroyer. The Roman eagles would be planted in the city, and her temple and her palaces and her people would perish.
And beneath and beyond all this, the eye of Jesus could discern a still more terrible woe. Those whom had refused His mercy, now they must bear the guilt and punishment of their iniquity. No more invitations, no more offers of life and salvation, but the dreaded prison-house of the lost - and, whatever the awful words may mean, "The worm that never dies, and the fire that is never quenched!" For all this Jesus wept; for He is patient and long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And may not these tears be for the encouragement of those who grieve over surrounding evil, and who often sow the good seed of eternal life in tears?
How confident may you be, that you are not alone in your work or in your sorrow! He who wept on Olivet, knows well this burden that lies on your heart, and stands by you in every effort you make, to save the souls of the perishing.
And let those tears teach you another lesson. Be very compassionate for those who go astray. Nourish the gentleness of Christ. In meekness instruct those who oppose themselves. When M'Cheyne preached on the terrors of hell, it was with tears in his eyes as he thought on the misery coming on those who continued in unbelief. In all faithfulness, tell such as continue in their unbelief of the bitter fruits of sin and impenitence - but let love be manifested in all you say. Let no harsh or angry word mar the good you may do. Speak gently to young and old, to the anxious seeking one and to the hardened and impenitent sinner. There is no better way to win them than thus to show the tender love of Christ.
3. Once more we read that Jesus wept. It was in the lonely garden of Gethsemane, in that terrible agony which preceded His death. Paul tells us that "He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him who was able to save Him from death - and was heard in that He feared."
And were not those tears a part of that great atonement, the foretaste of that bitter cup He tasted on Calvary? And if so, may not the penitent see in them a ground for hope, an assurance that his tears shed in the remembrance of his sin, shall not be in vain? Yes, those tears of Jesus pointed to that healing flood of mercy and grace which flowed from the wounds of Jesus, and which brings pardon, life, and salvation, to all who flee to it.
Thrice Jesus wept. Thrice He fulfilled His own title, "The Man of Sorrows." Thrice He thus bids us bring every tear and grief to Him, and rely on His sympathy, and faithfulness, and love.
Thrice Jesus wept, and thrice it is promised in Holy Scriptures that "God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes "of His people" (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17, 21:4). He wept - that we might never weep. Though for a season tears and troubles may be our lot, yet believing in Christ, and following His footsteps - a Father's hand shall remove every sorrow and give everlasting gladness.
The Tears of Jesus
Tears of love! behold them flowing,
From the Elder Brother's eye;
See Him as a mourner going
To the grave at Bethany.
He, who through the shadowy portal
Summoned the gloomy victor's sword,
There, where buried friendship sleeps,
He, our own Immanuel, weeps.
Tears of pity! see them gushing
From their pure and sacred fount;
Angels, your hosannas hushing,
Bend you from the holy mount;
Stoop to read the wondrous story,
How the Father's "brightest glory"
At a sinner's grave can stand,
Mourner 'mid a mourning band,
With the heart, the voice, the eye,
Of a perfect sympathy.
Tears of Jesus! while I ponder,
Blessed comfort let me reap:
"That same Jesus" lives yonder,
Who on earth was used to weep.
Though His brow the rainbow wears,
Yet my thorny crown He shares,
Yet that loving heart divine
Throbs responsively to mine;
Not a struggling sigh can rise,
But 'tis echoed in the skies.
Blessed Jesus, in Thy sorrow
Friends and kindred passed You by;
You alone could never borrow
The support of sympathy.
When Your human heart was bursting,
When Your parched lip was thirsting,
When encompassed by the foe,
Mocking at Your bitter woe,
You, who had a heart for all,
Drank alone Your cup of gall.
Now in glory, where You dwell,
All unknown is sorrow's look;
Yet Your people's tears You count,
"Are they not within Your book?"
While my "night of weeping" lasts,
Before the morn its brightness casts,
My blessed portion may it be,
That You weep, Lord, with me;
And one day, with heart and voice,
In Your joy, may I rejoice!
~Ellen H. Willis~
~George Everard~
(The End)
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Friday, March 24, 2017
The Tears of Jesus! # 1
The Tears of Jesus! # 1
Thrice Jesus wept.
He wept at Bethany.
He wept on Olivet.
He wept in Gethsemane.
What lessons may we learn from these tears of Jesus?
We shall see. But first let us turn to another thought. Let us think of the tears of "others."
When was the first tear shed, and by whom? Was it beneath the trees of Paradise, when our first parents began to learn the misery to which disobedience had brought them?
Was it when God pronounced the curse, "Dust you are, and unto dust shall you return?"
Was it when they were driven out from the pleasant garden in which they had been placed?
Was it when Eve beheld Abel lying in his blood, and she had learned that her first-born was the murderer?
I know not when it was. But one thing I know, that ever since the day that sin entered, the tears of the children of men have been as plentiful as rain in the showery days of April. Yes, and, thank God, not seldom, like those showers, they have been fertilizing also - softening hard hearts, and preparing the way for the good seed of the kingdom.
"Behold, the babe wept," is written of the infant Moses. "The babe wept" - and still, right on through each age, infants and young men and strong men, and maidens and wives and widows, have wept too. The whole world is watered with tears! There is, perhaps, not a single dwelling or a single chamber where a tear has not fallen.
These human tears - what do they mean? They mean "sorrow" and "suffering", "pain" and "disease," "care and trouble" of every kind. For a time we goon our way, and do our work with pleasure, and enjoy God's good gifts, and escape the enemy.
But the evil day comes at last. The agony scarcely to be endured, the heart-breaking loss or disappointment, the burden of anxiety, the desolation of a bereaved home - something of this sort comes, and then the fountain of tears is opened, and we cannot but weep.
Human tears - what do they mean? They mean repentance and humiliation. They mean sorrow for sins that are past. They mean earnestness in prayer, reality and fervency in seeking help from above. The woman who was a sinner bathed the feet of Jesus with her tears as she remembered her old ways. Jacob wept and made supplication to the angel as he sought a blessing. Hannah, too, and Hezekiah both wept in prayer, and God marked their tears, and their petitions were granted.
Human tears - what do they mean? They mean zeal for God, a holy hatred of evil, a tender compassion for the perishing. Of all tears, none so blessed as these. David could say, "Rivers of waters run down my eyes, because men keep not Your law." Jeremiah could speak of his "eye trickling down" without intermission, because of the miseries of the beloved city. Ezekiel tells of God's favor towards the remnant that "wept and sighed" for the evil around (Ezekiel 9). The Apostle Paul drops a tear on his letter to the Philippians, as he refers to those who were the enemies of the Cross of Christ and whose end was destruction (Philippians 3).
And all these tears are noted by our merciful Father above!
On opening ancient tombs in Palestine, many a tear-bottle has been found, which was supposed to be a repository for the tears of the mourners, and was then placed in the tomb beside the one who was laid there. In many cases this may have been but a mere mockery of woe - but our heavenly Father does gather all the tears of His redeemed children. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book!" (Psalm 56:8).
Not one tear is lost. Not one sorrow is unheeded. Not one grief is left unbefriended.
And in the tears of Jesus, has not our Father provided the antidote we need? Without Christ, without a sorrowing, suffering Redeemer - our woes would indeed be hopeless.
We cannot, and we will not believe the cruel, gloomy creed of the secularist and infidel, who would rob us of all the consolation we possess, that would make the Heaven above us as iron and brass, and only leave to us cold, frozen, despairing hearts.
Nay, we have a Saviour who has known our sorrows, and by His tears can heal every wound that sin has made. "In all their afflictions He was afflicted." He has wept with those who wept, as He rejoiced with those that did rejoice. And He is still the same. We can think of the ears He shed more than eighteen centuries ago, and know that at this hour He is the same loving and sympathizing Friend.
I have said that thrice Jesus wept. Let us consider each occasion,and learn from each to find a remedy and a consolation for the tears we shed.
1. We go to BETHANY. We find weepers there, the sisters and the friends alike in grief, for the loss of Lazarus. But another mourner comes, even Jesus. The shortest verse in Holy Scripture tells of His marvelous love, "Jesus wept."
What a wonderful revelation of Christ's heart! It is a ladder that reaches down to every child of sorrow on earth:
"Jesus wept! That tear of sorrow
Is a legacy of love:
Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
He the same does ever prove.
Lord, when sorrows deepest lie,
Let me think of Bethany."
There is no sympathy like that of Jesus! It flows in full flood toward His believing children. Just as the rising tide rushes in and pours through every cranny and nook on the shore where admittance can be gained - so does Christ's tender loving-kindness enter the hearts of His people.
If only you desire it and humbly seek it then it is for you. Your sorrow may go deeper than that of most, there may be a specialty about it that others cannot comprehend. But Jesus knows and Jesus feels for you, and the assurance of His care and His presence will be more to you than any other source of comfort.
~George Everard~
(continued with # 2)
Thrice Jesus wept.
He wept at Bethany.
He wept on Olivet.
He wept in Gethsemane.
What lessons may we learn from these tears of Jesus?
We shall see. But first let us turn to another thought. Let us think of the tears of "others."
When was the first tear shed, and by whom? Was it beneath the trees of Paradise, when our first parents began to learn the misery to which disobedience had brought them?
Was it when God pronounced the curse, "Dust you are, and unto dust shall you return?"
Was it when they were driven out from the pleasant garden in which they had been placed?
Was it when Eve beheld Abel lying in his blood, and she had learned that her first-born was the murderer?
I know not when it was. But one thing I know, that ever since the day that sin entered, the tears of the children of men have been as plentiful as rain in the showery days of April. Yes, and, thank God, not seldom, like those showers, they have been fertilizing also - softening hard hearts, and preparing the way for the good seed of the kingdom.
"Behold, the babe wept," is written of the infant Moses. "The babe wept" - and still, right on through each age, infants and young men and strong men, and maidens and wives and widows, have wept too. The whole world is watered with tears! There is, perhaps, not a single dwelling or a single chamber where a tear has not fallen.
These human tears - what do they mean? They mean "sorrow" and "suffering", "pain" and "disease," "care and trouble" of every kind. For a time we goon our way, and do our work with pleasure, and enjoy God's good gifts, and escape the enemy.
But the evil day comes at last. The agony scarcely to be endured, the heart-breaking loss or disappointment, the burden of anxiety, the desolation of a bereaved home - something of this sort comes, and then the fountain of tears is opened, and we cannot but weep.
Human tears - what do they mean? They mean repentance and humiliation. They mean sorrow for sins that are past. They mean earnestness in prayer, reality and fervency in seeking help from above. The woman who was a sinner bathed the feet of Jesus with her tears as she remembered her old ways. Jacob wept and made supplication to the angel as he sought a blessing. Hannah, too, and Hezekiah both wept in prayer, and God marked their tears, and their petitions were granted.
Human tears - what do they mean? They mean zeal for God, a holy hatred of evil, a tender compassion for the perishing. Of all tears, none so blessed as these. David could say, "Rivers of waters run down my eyes, because men keep not Your law." Jeremiah could speak of his "eye trickling down" without intermission, because of the miseries of the beloved city. Ezekiel tells of God's favor towards the remnant that "wept and sighed" for the evil around (Ezekiel 9). The Apostle Paul drops a tear on his letter to the Philippians, as he refers to those who were the enemies of the Cross of Christ and whose end was destruction (Philippians 3).
And all these tears are noted by our merciful Father above!
On opening ancient tombs in Palestine, many a tear-bottle has been found, which was supposed to be a repository for the tears of the mourners, and was then placed in the tomb beside the one who was laid there. In many cases this may have been but a mere mockery of woe - but our heavenly Father does gather all the tears of His redeemed children. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book!" (Psalm 56:8).
Not one tear is lost. Not one sorrow is unheeded. Not one grief is left unbefriended.
And in the tears of Jesus, has not our Father provided the antidote we need? Without Christ, without a sorrowing, suffering Redeemer - our woes would indeed be hopeless.
We cannot, and we will not believe the cruel, gloomy creed of the secularist and infidel, who would rob us of all the consolation we possess, that would make the Heaven above us as iron and brass, and only leave to us cold, frozen, despairing hearts.
Nay, we have a Saviour who has known our sorrows, and by His tears can heal every wound that sin has made. "In all their afflictions He was afflicted." He has wept with those who wept, as He rejoiced with those that did rejoice. And He is still the same. We can think of the ears He shed more than eighteen centuries ago, and know that at this hour He is the same loving and sympathizing Friend.
I have said that thrice Jesus wept. Let us consider each occasion,and learn from each to find a remedy and a consolation for the tears we shed.
1. We go to BETHANY. We find weepers there, the sisters and the friends alike in grief, for the loss of Lazarus. But another mourner comes, even Jesus. The shortest verse in Holy Scripture tells of His marvelous love, "Jesus wept."
What a wonderful revelation of Christ's heart! It is a ladder that reaches down to every child of sorrow on earth:
"Jesus wept! That tear of sorrow
Is a legacy of love:
Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
He the same does ever prove.
Lord, when sorrows deepest lie,
Let me think of Bethany."
There is no sympathy like that of Jesus! It flows in full flood toward His believing children. Just as the rising tide rushes in and pours through every cranny and nook on the shore where admittance can be gained - so does Christ's tender loving-kindness enter the hearts of His people.
If only you desire it and humbly seek it then it is for you. Your sorrow may go deeper than that of most, there may be a specialty about it that others cannot comprehend. But Jesus knows and Jesus feels for you, and the assurance of His care and His presence will be more to you than any other source of comfort.
~George Everard~
(continued with # 2)
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Hymns of Praise and Worship
Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
__________________________
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name
All hail the power of Jesus' Name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all
Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel's might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel's might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Ye seed of Israel's chosen race, ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him, ye heirs of David's line, Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all.
Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget the wormwood and the gall
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all.
____________________________
Ave Maria
Ave Maria! Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild,
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem this down of elder piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!
__________________________
O Holy Night
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
__________________________
All Hail the Power of Jesus Name
All hail the power of Jesus' Name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all
Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel's might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel's might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Ye seed of Israel's chosen race, ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all
Hail Him, ye heirs of David's line, Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all.
Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget the wormwood and the gall
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crowned Lord of all.
____________________________
Ave Maria
Ave Maria! Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild,
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem this down of elder piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!
__________________________
O Holy Night
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Classic Christian Quotes
Classic Christian Quotes
(Horatius Bonar)
"Do not love the world or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15
WHY?
My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
~T. Austin-Sparks~
On the last day of this year, I wrote in my diary as follows:
"Through the richest mercy, I am now brought to the close of another year, let me therefore ask you,my soul--What are your improvements this past year?
Is Christ more precious?
Do His work, righteousness, and blood, appear inestimable?
Do you see more of His suitability, and feel a stronger attachment to Him?
Is His glory dearer to you, and His honor more precious in your sight?
Do you feel more devoted to Him, and find greater pleasure in His service?
Do you lie lower at the foot of the cross, and is Jesus more lovely in your eyes?
Are you more humbled before God under a sight and sense of your sinfulness?
Is your temper, disposition, and will--more subdued by grace?
Does grace reign, and sway its scepter over all your powers?
Is sin more hateful, death less fearful, and Heaven more desirable?
Is the Bible more prized, and are you better acquainted with its contents, living under the influence of its holy precepts?
Is holiness and entire devotedness to God more sought after?
Are you seeking to live nearer to Jesus, to trust more unreservedly to Him, and to leave all your concerns in His hands?
Are you more earnest in your desires to be made useful to His flock and family?
Are you more prayerful, more given to meditation?
Is it your one grand desire and aim, to crown Jesus Lord of all?
Speak, my soul--what answer can you give to these very important questions? Speak as in the sight of God, as though you were placed before the tribunal of the Most High God! Let the Holy Spirit, who searches all things, be your witness that you speak the truth, and nothing but the truth!"
(Horatius Bonar)
"Do not love the world or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15
WHY?
_______________________________________1. Because the gain of it, is the loss of the soul--Matthew 16:25-26.
2. Because its friendship is enmity to God--James 4:4.
3. Because it did not know Christ--John 1:10; 17:25.
4. Because it hates Christ--John 7:7; 15:18.
5. Because the Holy Spirit has forbidden us--1 John 2:15.
6. Because Christ did not pray for it--John 17:9.
7. Because Christ's people do not belong to it--John 17:16.
8. Because its Prince is Satan--John 13:31; 16:11.
9. Because Christ's kingdom is not of it--John 18:36.
10. Because its wisdom is foolishness--1 Corinthians 1:20.
11. Because Christ does not belong to it--John 8:23.
12. Because it is condemned--1 Corinthians 11:32.
13. Because it is passing away--1 Corinthians 7:31.
14. Because it slew Christ--James 5:6; Matthew 21:39.
15. Because it is crucified to us--Galatians 6:14.
16. Because we are crucified to it--Galatians 6:14.
17. Because it is the seat of wickedness--2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:19.
18. Because its god is the evil one--2 Corinthians 4:4.
My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
Dear friends, if any truth has the effect of turning you in upon yourself, making you introspective, self-occupied in a spiritual way, that truth has been wrongly apprehended. You may assume the position of the most spiritual, but you are all wrong in your apprehension. This great work which Christ did in His Cross was never intended to make anybody miserable. Of course, that goes without saying; yet there are multitudes who are miserable after trusting the Lord, miserable over the sin question in their lives; and the number, I am afraid, is increasing. Always keep a very distinct and broad line between fuller revelation, deeper truth (whatever you may term it – all that going-on-to-full-growth realm of things) and this whole matter of introspection.
Some people seem to think that to become more spiritual we must become more intense and tied-up and occupied with this whole matter of the spiritual life, and really they are the most unbearable people, the joy has gone out of them. I am certain of this, that nothing will ever come to you, however deep, however mighty, however tremendous, by revelation of the Holy Spirit, that will make you miserable. The revelation of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit – and there is no other revelation – will never make a soul miserable. There is something wrong if a Christian is miserable on spiritual matters, and it is either failure to apprehend the one great, absolute reality that the victory was God’s and that He won it in Christ, fully and finally, and we are not called to share at all in that battle; or the truth which has come subsequently has been misapprehended and has become something that is a burden grievous to be borne. The Lord Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:30).
~T. Austin-Sparks~
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Many Christians are so materialistic that they never look past the physical world to the transcendent Christ above. They only experience what their five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing) bring to them.
When a problem arises, it blows out every candle in their souls, knocks the sun out of their sky, and they can’t enjoy the daily bread of life that Jesus promises.
ACTION POINT:
For some reading this, you have a gigantic problem that to the world has “disaster” written all over it. If you are seeking first His righteousness, God will give you all that you need. You have God on your side—the King of kings, the Lord of lords. And don’t you forget it.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Many Christians are so materialistic that they never look past the physical world to the transcendent Christ above. They only experience what their five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing) bring to them.
When a problem arises, it blows out every candle in their souls, knocks the sun out of their sky, and they can’t enjoy the daily bread of life that Jesus promises.
ACTION POINT:
For some reading this, you have a gigantic problem that to the world has “disaster” written all over it. If you are seeking first His righteousness, God will give you all that you need. You have God on your side—the King of kings, the Lord of lords. And don’t you forget it.
~Adrian Rogers~
Love Worth Finding Ministries
_________________________________________
With perfect wisdom, at the right time, in the right way!
"He has done all things well!" Mark 7:37
The truth of these words is full of deep and unspeakable comfort, and ought to be daily remembered by all true Christians.
Let us remember it as we look back over the days past of our lives, from the hour of our conversion. In the first bringing us out of darkness into marvelous light--in humbling us and teaching us our weakness, guilt, and folly--in stripping us of our idols, and choosing all our portions--in placing us where we are, and giving us what we have--how well everything has been done! How great is the mercy that we have not had our own way! "He has done all things well!"
Let us remember it as we look forward to the days yet to come. We know not what they may be--bright or dark, many or few. But we know that we are in the hands of Him who does all things well. He will not err in any of His dealings with us. He will take away and give--He will afflict and bereave--He will move and He will settle--with perfect wisdom, at the right time, in the right way! The great Shepherd of the sheep makes no mistakes! He leads every lamb of His flock by the right way to the city of habitation. "He has done all things well!"
We shall never see the full beauty of these words until the resurrection morning. We shall then look back over our lives, and know the meaning of everything that happened from first to last. We shall remember all the way by which we were led, and confess that all was "well done." The why and thewherefore, the causes and the reasons of everything which now perplexes us--will then be as clear and plain as the sun at noon-day. We shall wonder at our own past blindness, and marvel that we could ever have doubted our Lord's love. Truly, "He has done all things well!"
"Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know in part, but then shall we know even as we are known." 1 Corinthians 13:12
________________________________________
What answer can you give to these very important questions?
(James Smith
(James Smith
On the last day of this year, I wrote in my diary as follows:
"Through the richest mercy, I am now brought to the close of another year, let me therefore ask you,my soul--What are your improvements this past year?
Is Christ more precious?
Do His work, righteousness, and blood, appear inestimable?
Do you see more of His suitability, and feel a stronger attachment to Him?
Is His glory dearer to you, and His honor more precious in your sight?
Do you feel more devoted to Him, and find greater pleasure in His service?
Do you lie lower at the foot of the cross, and is Jesus more lovely in your eyes?
Are you more humbled before God under a sight and sense of your sinfulness?
Is your temper, disposition, and will--more subdued by grace?
Does grace reign, and sway its scepter over all your powers?
Is sin more hateful, death less fearful, and Heaven more desirable?
Is the Bible more prized, and are you better acquainted with its contents, living under the influence of its holy precepts?
Is holiness and entire devotedness to God more sought after?
Are you seeking to live nearer to Jesus, to trust more unreservedly to Him, and to leave all your concerns in His hands?
Are you more earnest in your desires to be made useful to His flock and family?
Are you more prayerful, more given to meditation?
Is it your one grand desire and aim, to crown Jesus Lord of all?
Speak, my soul--what answer can you give to these very important questions? Speak as in the sight of God, as though you were placed before the tribunal of the Most High God! Let the Holy Spirit, who searches all things, be your witness that you speak the truth, and nothing but the truth!"
Monday, March 13, 2017
Quotes
God's Choice Shaping Tools
God's kindness to us is demonstrated by the fact that He doesn't leave us in the condition we were in before coming to faith. How tragic it would be if we still thought, felt, and acted the same way we did before receiving Christ as our Savior. Throughout our lives, the Lord uses His choice tools to shape us into the image of His Son.
Prayer. By talking to the Lord in open dialogue, we develop a relationship with Him. He becomes not just our Savior, but our friend, and as the intimacy grows, so will our passion to be with Him. Setting aside time for prayer each day will become a delight, not a duty.
God's Word. You can't grow in your Christian life if you keep the Bible closed all week long. No one lives on one meal a week, yet many Christians try to get by with just a Sunday dinner of the Word served up by their pastor. How can we expect God's truth to do its transforming work if we never let it into our minds and hearts?
The Church. Christ uses His body of believers as a place for transformation. That's where we rub against each other and have the rough edges of our character smoothed. It is a place of instruction, accountability, and encouragement.
Are you letting the Lord use His character-shaping tools in your life? Our culture has no shortage of worldly voices and pressures that fill minds and influence behavior. Only when we intentionally schedule time for God, His Word, and His people can Christ do His transforming work in our lives.
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
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God's Grand Plan
It's amazing but true that God's grand plan for your life is far greater than you can imagine. In fact, this earth-bound existence has us so preoccupied with the demands of life that most of us give little thought to what it will mean to be completely sanctified.
In the Christian life, sanctification is a three-stage process. At the moment of salvation, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our earthly life, He works to transform us into the image of His Son. One day, however, there will be a glorious culmination to our sanctification. Presently, we all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits and souls will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we'll see our Savior face to face and experience unimaginable joy. No longer will we struggle with the pride of life or the lusts of the flesh and the eyes (1 John 2:16).
However, as great as this will be, it's not yet the final step. Some day in the future, Jesus will descend from heaven, bringing with Him the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete--spirit, soul, and body.
This is not a fairy tale, but the believer appointed destiny. God Himself promises to bring it to pass. We'll walk in His presence, spotless and without blame, for all eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn’t meant just to give hope, but to spur us on to holy living.
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
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Sanctification Isn't Passive
Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"
When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.
But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godliness.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn’t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
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Serving Christ
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.
All of these aims--even the last one, which sounds so selfless--are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” We honor Him by doing likewise.
Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excuses for not trying--such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God’s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we’re blessed to be used by Him.
EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, “Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.”
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
__________________________
In Step With God
People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth.
One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation--a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker.
Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things--past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches.
Provision is yet another blessing guaranteed for believers. There will be hard times, but God gives Christians everything necessary for following Him (Phil. 4:19). And His grace will always prove more than sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).
How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them.
The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you’re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him?
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
______________________________
Sowing Spiritual Seeds
Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seed into your life knew what the outcome would be.
We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seed or "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do?
Conversely, you might focus on providing your kids with plenty of material security and send them to the best schools and colleges--and yet it would count nothing for eternity. But when you sow into their lives the things of God and the qualities of Jesus, you're feeding their spirits. The seeds that affect their hearts, view of God, and desire to make a difference for Him in the world are what will produce genuine, lasting fruit and a great harvest in their lives. Whether or not you ever see the results, the Lord is using you profoundly when you sow this kind of crop.
God sees all the little things you do; He's interested in more than just "big" things. The fruit of His Spirit--such as kindness, patience, and self-control--often manifests itself in quiet ways that others may never give you credit for. But such spiritual seeds accomplish powerful work in His kingdom.
~Charles Stanley~
In Touch Ministries
Bread From Heaven # 2
Bread From Heaven # 2
Christ is also the satisfaction of the human intellect.
"In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Is not the knowledge of the High and Holy One, who inhabits eternity - the very highest that can be attained? It may be interesting to find history in the earth's strata, or in the changes that take place in a language, or to discover the laws that regulate mind or matter - but is it not something far beyond this to learn, though it can be but a little, of the ways and works of the Creator, of the mind of Him in whom we live and move and have our being?
And where can we gain this but in Christ, in His Person as the Incarnate Son, in His holy and loving character, in the salvation which He accomplished and in which all the Divine perfections were so marvelously exhibited? Where can we gain it but in that revelation made through Him, as the Great Prophet of His Church, and which points to Him as the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End of all! All this cannot fail to impart, the more it is studied, the truest satisfaction to the believing soul.
"This is what the LORD says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD!" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Jesus Christ is the truest satisfaction of the deepest affection of which the heart of man is capable. Every person needs a heart on which he can repose. Yet where on earth can be found one upon which it is wise or safe to lean all our weight? The warmest human love has its limit, however sweet the consolation it may afford. It may fail us through the instability that is inherent in man, or it may fail through the separation that one day must take place. Even on the morning when the dream of years may be fulfilled, one sentence, "until death us do part," comes in to tell of a parting at last.
But who can trust too implicitly to the love and faithfulness of Christ? Where is the "limit" to that love which many waters cannot quench, which has a height and depth and breadth and length that none can scan or comprehend? What circumstances shall arise that will lead Him to forsake His own redeemed people? Infinite in its measure, eternal in its duration, the love of Christ never fails!
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:38-39).
I need You, precious Jesus! I need a friend like Thee;
A Friend to soothe and sympathize, a Friend to care for me:
I need the heart of Jesus, to feel each anxious care,
To tell my every need, and all my sorrow share!
Is any reader looking hither and thither for that which will still the restless desires of the soul? If you will ...
seek it in a round of gaiety and dissipation;
seek it in the accumulation of wealth;
seek it in anything that is of wealth;
seek it in anything that is of earth -
then soul-famine, soul-starvation will be the sure result. There will be within a fearful void, a deep of wretchedness that no words will be able to express.
But on the other hand there is that peace, that hidden manna of heavenly consolation in the Friend of sinners, that can satisfy to the very utmost. Only ponder that which is revealed of Him, only by faith take hold of His promise, and cleave fast to Him - and your confidence will not be disappointed.
A young Brahmin, a teacher of English in a school at Santipore in India, became very restless and uneasy in mind. He scarcely knew why it was, but he felt something was lacking, and something was wrong. For many months he wandered from shrine to shrine, seeking peace but finding it not. He came back to Santipore, but soon again left it on the same errand. To him it was not Santipore, the city of peace, as the word expresses, but the city of untold distress.
He came one day upon a strange missionary, who was preaching Christ to a crowd of hearers. Rammoy longed for peace, but he hated the Prince of peace, so he stood up and opposed the missionary. The servant of Christ bore with him with all meekness, reasoned with him, and finally lent him a copy of the New Testament. The entrance of the Word gave light. He read, pondered, wondered, believed. Thus he expressed the consolation that it brought to him. "I gazed upon the Cross of Christ, and as I gazed, the ponderous load fell off my heart!" At Calcutta a few months afterward, together with his young wife, he was admitted into the Church of Christ.
Such is the peace, the heart-satisfying rest, which the anxious soul may find in Jesus. And it is the Holy Spirit working faith in Christ, leading the inquirer to take His promises and confide in them, by which the blessing is brought near.
It has been already implied, but it needs to be plainly stated, that only by faith can anyone feed on the Bread of Life. Again and again does our Lord repeat it, that to come to Him and believe in Him is the means whereby the soul is satisfied, and whereby eternal life is obtained. Since then He tells us in another verse that unless we eat His flesh, and drink His blood, we have no life in us, He must still refer to faith in Himself as the means of doing this.
Hence the great importance of the Holy Communion. Christ has appointed it for this very purpose, that by the remembrance of His dying love our faith in Him may be quickened. It is a time when we may look for the Holy Spirit to draw our thoughts and desires heavenward, and kindle a flame of hope and love.
Look down in love, and from above
With Your Spirit satisfy
You have sought me, You have bought me,
And Your purchase, Lord, am I.
Let me find Thee - let me find Thee
Here on earth, and there on high.
No other prayer to You I bear,
O my Lord, but only this,
To show Your grace, to see Your face,
And to know Your people's bliss.
Let me find Thee - let me find Thee,
Thee to find is blessedness!
~George Everard~
(The End)
Christ is also the satisfaction of the human intellect.
"In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Is not the knowledge of the High and Holy One, who inhabits eternity - the very highest that can be attained? It may be interesting to find history in the earth's strata, or in the changes that take place in a language, or to discover the laws that regulate mind or matter - but is it not something far beyond this to learn, though it can be but a little, of the ways and works of the Creator, of the mind of Him in whom we live and move and have our being?
And where can we gain this but in Christ, in His Person as the Incarnate Son, in His holy and loving character, in the salvation which He accomplished and in which all the Divine perfections were so marvelously exhibited? Where can we gain it but in that revelation made through Him, as the Great Prophet of His Church, and which points to Him as the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End of all! All this cannot fail to impart, the more it is studied, the truest satisfaction to the believing soul.
"This is what the LORD says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD!" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Jesus Christ is the truest satisfaction of the deepest affection of which the heart of man is capable. Every person needs a heart on which he can repose. Yet where on earth can be found one upon which it is wise or safe to lean all our weight? The warmest human love has its limit, however sweet the consolation it may afford. It may fail us through the instability that is inherent in man, or it may fail through the separation that one day must take place. Even on the morning when the dream of years may be fulfilled, one sentence, "until death us do part," comes in to tell of a parting at last.
But who can trust too implicitly to the love and faithfulness of Christ? Where is the "limit" to that love which many waters cannot quench, which has a height and depth and breadth and length that none can scan or comprehend? What circumstances shall arise that will lead Him to forsake His own redeemed people? Infinite in its measure, eternal in its duration, the love of Christ never fails!
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:38-39).
I need You, precious Jesus! I need a friend like Thee;
A Friend to soothe and sympathize, a Friend to care for me:
I need the heart of Jesus, to feel each anxious care,
To tell my every need, and all my sorrow share!
Is any reader looking hither and thither for that which will still the restless desires of the soul? If you will ...
seek it in a round of gaiety and dissipation;
seek it in the accumulation of wealth;
seek it in anything that is of wealth;
seek it in anything that is of earth -
then soul-famine, soul-starvation will be the sure result. There will be within a fearful void, a deep of wretchedness that no words will be able to express.
But on the other hand there is that peace, that hidden manna of heavenly consolation in the Friend of sinners, that can satisfy to the very utmost. Only ponder that which is revealed of Him, only by faith take hold of His promise, and cleave fast to Him - and your confidence will not be disappointed.
A young Brahmin, a teacher of English in a school at Santipore in India, became very restless and uneasy in mind. He scarcely knew why it was, but he felt something was lacking, and something was wrong. For many months he wandered from shrine to shrine, seeking peace but finding it not. He came back to Santipore, but soon again left it on the same errand. To him it was not Santipore, the city of peace, as the word expresses, but the city of untold distress.
He came one day upon a strange missionary, who was preaching Christ to a crowd of hearers. Rammoy longed for peace, but he hated the Prince of peace, so he stood up and opposed the missionary. The servant of Christ bore with him with all meekness, reasoned with him, and finally lent him a copy of the New Testament. The entrance of the Word gave light. He read, pondered, wondered, believed. Thus he expressed the consolation that it brought to him. "I gazed upon the Cross of Christ, and as I gazed, the ponderous load fell off my heart!" At Calcutta a few months afterward, together with his young wife, he was admitted into the Church of Christ.
Such is the peace, the heart-satisfying rest, which the anxious soul may find in Jesus. And it is the Holy Spirit working faith in Christ, leading the inquirer to take His promises and confide in them, by which the blessing is brought near.
It has been already implied, but it needs to be plainly stated, that only by faith can anyone feed on the Bread of Life. Again and again does our Lord repeat it, that to come to Him and believe in Him is the means whereby the soul is satisfied, and whereby eternal life is obtained. Since then He tells us in another verse that unless we eat His flesh, and drink His blood, we have no life in us, He must still refer to faith in Himself as the means of doing this.
Hence the great importance of the Holy Communion. Christ has appointed it for this very purpose, that by the remembrance of His dying love our faith in Him may be quickened. It is a time when we may look for the Holy Spirit to draw our thoughts and desires heavenward, and kindle a flame of hope and love.
Look down in love, and from above
With Your Spirit satisfy
You have sought me, You have bought me,
And Your purchase, Lord, am I.
Let me find Thee - let me find Thee
Here on earth, and there on high.
No other prayer to You I bear,
O my Lord, but only this,
To show Your grace, to see Your face,
And to know Your people's bliss.
Let me find Thee - let me find Thee,
Thee to find is blessedness!
~George Everard~
(The End)
Friday, March 10, 2017
Bread From Heaven! # 1
Bread From Heaven! # 1
"Jesus said unto them: I am the Bread of life; he who comes to Me shall never hunger; and he who believes on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
Jesus was ever as faithful in His rebukes - as He was gracious and tender in His consolations. A crowd flock around Him. They do not come with a desire to hear His words, or to follow Him as their Master. They come only in hopes of temporal advantage. Nor does this escape His observation. "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (John 6:26-27).
He then, in answer to their inquiry, bids them believe on Him, as that which above all things the Father requires.
In their unbelief, they ask a sign. Forgetful of that marvelous exhibition of Divine power which they had of late witnessed in the feeding of the five thousand, they speak of Moses giving them manna in the desert, and would have Christ manifest some similar proof of His power. Jesus does not grant their request, but reminds them of that other bread which the Father was now giving, and that of which all other was but the type and shadow: "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (John 6:32-33).
Taking the words in a mere natural sense, they ask that they may receive this: "Lord, evermore give us this bread." Then Jesus points to Himself: "Earthly bread I have already given you; but for the nourishing of your souls you must feed on Me. I am the Bread of Life; I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven - if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever."
It is evident that human hearts are tormented by unsatisfied longings, and cravings after a good which they never find. If the most excellent creatures that God has made were all combined, they could never make the boast, "I have satisfied one soul." One height gained, is but to open out the vision to one still higher. One blessing granted, only makes it plain that something still better must be given before Paradise be regained. Hence the confession of the one who above all had made the experiment: "Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity! Hence the sorrowful complaint of the Prophet: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?"
Wisdom''s children have discovered the secret: there is satisfaction but it is only in God.
"As the deer paints after the water-brooks - so pants my soul after You, O God."
"My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water."
"O satisfy us early with Your mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."
"He satisfied the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness."
"My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips; when I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches."
It has pleased the Father that in Jesus should be laid up the fullness which can meet all our desires. For this reason does He speak of Himself as the Bread of Life, and gives the assurance that whoever comes to Him shall never hunger; and he who believes on Him shall never thirst.
In His atoning death, is the satisfaction of the sin-defiled conscience. The conscience enlightened to discern anything of the true character of sin is evermore oppressed by a sense of wrong doing, and this before God. It accuses the soul perpetually of transgression against a holy law, and wearies the soul perpetually of transgression against a holy law, and wearies itself to find means of pacifying the just displeasure of the Almighty.
But when the Spirit reveals Christ, the conscience finds rest. The one sacrifice perfected by Him on Calvary becomes the ground of hope. The self-condemned transgressor, owning his exceeding guiltiness, ceasing any longer to seek for peace in his worthiness, his best doings, his most religious feelings or dispositions - draws near to the Mercy-seat with this alone as his all-sufficient plea: "I merit everlasting exclusion from the presence of Jehovah; my iniquities have shut the door of the kingdom against me - but Jesus, by His crucified body, by His riven side, by His most precious blood, has made for me a new and living way, by which with boldness I can approach the throne." My sins deserve eternal damnation - but Jesus died for me.
The fearful spirit now receives a joyful liberty; the trembling soul comes back, like Noah's dove, to the ark of rest - a Father's bosom, and a Father's love.
Thus does the soul by faith eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. The crucified body of the Redeemer becomes the nourishment and satisfaction of the inner man.
~George Everard~
(continued with # 2)
"Jesus said unto them: I am the Bread of life; he who comes to Me shall never hunger; and he who believes on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
Jesus was ever as faithful in His rebukes - as He was gracious and tender in His consolations. A crowd flock around Him. They do not come with a desire to hear His words, or to follow Him as their Master. They come only in hopes of temporal advantage. Nor does this escape His observation. "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (John 6:26-27).
He then, in answer to their inquiry, bids them believe on Him, as that which above all things the Father requires.
In their unbelief, they ask a sign. Forgetful of that marvelous exhibition of Divine power which they had of late witnessed in the feeding of the five thousand, they speak of Moses giving them manna in the desert, and would have Christ manifest some similar proof of His power. Jesus does not grant their request, but reminds them of that other bread which the Father was now giving, and that of which all other was but the type and shadow: "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (John 6:32-33).
Taking the words in a mere natural sense, they ask that they may receive this: "Lord, evermore give us this bread." Then Jesus points to Himself: "Earthly bread I have already given you; but for the nourishing of your souls you must feed on Me. I am the Bread of Life; I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven - if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever."
It is evident that human hearts are tormented by unsatisfied longings, and cravings after a good which they never find. If the most excellent creatures that God has made were all combined, they could never make the boast, "I have satisfied one soul." One height gained, is but to open out the vision to one still higher. One blessing granted, only makes it plain that something still better must be given before Paradise be regained. Hence the confession of the one who above all had made the experiment: "Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity! Hence the sorrowful complaint of the Prophet: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?"
Wisdom''s children have discovered the secret: there is satisfaction but it is only in God.
"As the deer paints after the water-brooks - so pants my soul after You, O God."
"My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water."
"O satisfy us early with Your mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."
"He satisfied the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness."
"My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips; when I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches."
It has pleased the Father that in Jesus should be laid up the fullness which can meet all our desires. For this reason does He speak of Himself as the Bread of Life, and gives the assurance that whoever comes to Him shall never hunger; and he who believes on Him shall never thirst.
In His atoning death, is the satisfaction of the sin-defiled conscience. The conscience enlightened to discern anything of the true character of sin is evermore oppressed by a sense of wrong doing, and this before God. It accuses the soul perpetually of transgression against a holy law, and wearies the soul perpetually of transgression against a holy law, and wearies itself to find means of pacifying the just displeasure of the Almighty.
But when the Spirit reveals Christ, the conscience finds rest. The one sacrifice perfected by Him on Calvary becomes the ground of hope. The self-condemned transgressor, owning his exceeding guiltiness, ceasing any longer to seek for peace in his worthiness, his best doings, his most religious feelings or dispositions - draws near to the Mercy-seat with this alone as his all-sufficient plea: "I merit everlasting exclusion from the presence of Jehovah; my iniquities have shut the door of the kingdom against me - but Jesus, by His crucified body, by His riven side, by His most precious blood, has made for me a new and living way, by which with boldness I can approach the throne." My sins deserve eternal damnation - but Jesus died for me.
The fearful spirit now receives a joyful liberty; the trembling soul comes back, like Noah's dove, to the ark of rest - a Father's bosom, and a Father's love.
Thus does the soul by faith eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. The crucified body of the Redeemer becomes the nourishment and satisfaction of the inner man.
~George Everard~
(continued with # 2)
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