My only causes of complaint (Letters of John Newton) I am blessed with perfect health, and all things have been well with us abroad and at home. My only causes of complaint arise from my depraved nature and the workings of indwelling sin. I wish I was more humbled for them, and watchful against them. I […]
I remember a saying from my youth: I know not what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow. This saying becomes more meaningful the less “tomorrows” one sees in his future. Time and experience are great teachers; some say they are the ONLY teachers. But if a man is taught well by these Professors […]
If my pocket was full of stones! (Letters of John Newton) John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? If my pocket was full of stones, I have […]
Poor, naked, penniless, worthless? (Octavius Winslow, “Morning Thoughts”) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, a time is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those that hear will live.” John 5:25 There is the special, direct, and effectual call ofthe Spirit, in the elect of God, without which allother calling is in vain. The Spirit effectuallyworks in […]
Who shall have the glory—the worm or Jesus? (Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795) I received your letter, and think you overlook our ever adorable Jesus, in setting any value upon a poor, dirty worm such as myself. If His grace raised this poor, dirty worm from a dunghill and set it upon a throne with His […]
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Ps 119:37 Dear friends, do not gaze upon any sin . . . for looking breeds longing, and longing begets lusting, and lusting brings sinning! Keep your eyes right — and you may keep your heart right. If that first woman had not looked upon the forbidden tree and seen “that the tree was good for food, and that […]
WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1). This scripture recognises our frail, sinful, human nature. A believer does not love sin, does not excuse nor justify sin, but grieves over sin and desires to be without sin. Yet he owns […]
The believer’s eternal confession! (John MacDuff, “The Night Watches“) “By the grace of God—I am what I am!” 1 Corinthians 15:10 This is the believer’s eternal confession! Grace found him a rebel against God—it leaves him a son of God! Grace found him wandering at the gates of Hell—it leaves him at the gates of Heaven! Grace devised the scheme of Redemption.Justice never would; reason never could.And it is grace […]
Monsters of iniquity!Spurgeon’s, “Spots in Our Feasts of Charity” Oh, the depths of human sin! Sin is an incomprehensible thing! There is no water so deep but fish will swim in it;no pond so foul but frogs will live in it;no mire so filthy but swine will wallow in it, andno sin so damnable but […]
Brazen Hypocrisy John 13:2 Nothing in all the world is more corrupt or more callous than the heart of a hypocrite. There sat Judas at the table with the Son of God and his disciples. But he had already struck his deal with the Jews’ priests to betray the Saviour. — What brazen hypocrisy! Judas […]