Jan 13
5
1. Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
and did my Sovereign die!
Would he devote that sacred head
for sinners such as I?
2. Was it for crimes that I have done,
he groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
3. Well might the sun in darkness hide,
and shut its glories in,
when God, the mighty maker, died
for his own creature’s sin.
4. Thus might I hide my blushing face
while his dear cross appears;
dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
and melt mine eyes to tears.
5. But drops of tears can ne’er repay
the debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
’tis all that I can do.
ISAAC WATTS
Hebrews 10:14
“For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”—Heb. x. 14.
I hope, my soul, thou hast still upon thee the sweet savour of his name, whom in the morning portion thou didst contemplate as wonderful. And if so, here is another view of Jesus, presented to thine evening meditation, to keep alive the blessed fragrancy, and under the Spirit’s influence, to preserve both, not only through the night, but to the morning; and every night, and every morning that follows, until the night of death be passed, and that everlasting morning break in upon thee, in which thy sun shall no more go down, but Jesus himself be thine everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Look, my soul, this evening, at thy Jesus, as this sweet scripture sets him forth, and behold him, in his high priestly office, at once the sacrifice, the sacrificer, and the altar, on which he hath offered up that one offering, by which he “hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” And mark both the preciousness of thy Jesus, and the preciousness of his work. It is but one offering, and that one but once offered. For, from its eternal value and efficacy, an everlasting perfection is given to all them that are sanctified, and set apart for himself. “For Christ (as the apostle in his delightful manner expresseth it) being raised from the dead, dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God,” Rom. vi. 9, 10. And what abundant precious things are contained in this view of the one offering of the Lord Jesus, which the Holy Ghost is continually holding forth to the church! It is blessed to behold them, blessed to believe them, and doubly blessed to be living in the constant enjoyment of them. So vast and comprehensive is this one offering of Jesus, that it hath not merely procured the hopes of pardon, but the certainty of it; not only brought poor sinners into a capability of being saved, but absolutely saved them; and not only saved them, but qualified them for happiness: yea,” hath perfected, and that for ever, them that are sanctified.” And who are they? Surely all are sanctified who were set apart from everlasting, in the council of peace, between the persons of the Godhead, and given unto the Son, in an everlasting covenant, that cannot be broken: for to this purport are those blessed words of Jesus himself, in his prayer to his Father, John xvii. 2. “That I should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me.” And, my soul, take one observation more, from this sweet scripture; this perfection, given to his people, by his one offering, is for ever; “he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” So that the blessing runs through all eternity. The efficacy of Jesus’s blood and righteousness is eternally the same. In point of merit, it blows as fresh and pure, and sovereign, in its pleadings now, as ever. Hallelujah! Fold up, my soul, this blessed verse, in thy bosom, and carry it about with thee in thine heart. Let it be among the first and last of thy thoughts, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Jesus will own it, and prove it to the full, when thou bringest it before his throne. Robert Hawker
“He shewed unto them his hands and his side”,—John xx. 20.
My Lord and my God I would say, while thou openest to me such a view, and while I would look into and read thine heart in it. And what was such a display designed for, dearest Lord? I think thou hast taught me to discover. Was it not as if Jesus had said, See here the marks of your sure redemption. From hence issued the blood that hath cleansed you from all sin. And this blood hath a voice. It is a speaking blood, which speaketh better things than that of Abel. For his blood cried for vengeance, mine for pardon. It speaketh for thee to my Father of his covenant promises. And it speaketh to thee from my Father of thy sure acceptance in my salvation.’- Neither was this all. For surely, dearest Jesus, when thou shewedst thine hands and thy side, it was also as if thou hadst said, I see here an opening to my heart. Here put in all you wish to tell my Father, and I will bear it to him with all my warmest affections. And let all my disciples, in every age of my church do this. I will be the bearer of all their suits. And sure they may be both of my love and of my success for them; for I will carry all that concerns them in this opening to my heart.’ Precious Lord! cause me often to view with the eye of faith this gracious interview of thine with thy disciples. And as in the evening of the day the disciples were thus favoured with thy presence, and so rich a manifestation of thy love; so, Lord, make me to realize the scene afresh, and very often in the silence of the night may my soul be going forth in the full enjoyment of this spiritual blessing! Yea, Jesus! let me behold thine hands and thy side, and learn day by day to put therein all I would tell my God and Father of thy great salvation, and my firm reliance upon it; until from a life of faith I come to enter upon a life of absolute enjoyment, and behold thee still as the Lamb that hath been slain for the redemption of thy people, in the midst of the throne, leading the church to the living fountains of waters, where all tears are wiped away from all eyes.- Hawker
O blessed hurricane! (Charles Spurgeon) ”On My arm, they shall trust.” Isaiah 51:5
In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is quickly sinking, and no human deliverance can avail—he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm—that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane—that drives the soul to God and God alone! When a man is so burdened with troubles, so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn—he flies into his Father’s arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! Oh, tempest-tossed believer—it is a happy trouble which drives you to your Father!
In affliction look to Jesus
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token
There is one greater than my heart
Whose word cannot be broken M. Luther
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A Pure Mind |
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“To Stir up your pure minds . . .” (2 Peter 3:1). The dictionary defines “pure” as: “free from mixture, clear.” What a good description of the mind which God hath given to His people “let this mind be in you.” By the grace and regenerating power of God every child of God has been given a new mind that is “free from mixture and clear.” There is no mixing of law and grace in a believer’s mind. There is no mixing of God’s work and man’s works. There is no mixing of God’s will and man’s will. The unbelieving religious world is all mixed up when it comes to what they think about God and salvation. Not God’s people. Their minds are made up (by God Himself). Their minds are clear. Their minds are made up (and nothing and no one can change them). For they have all been “taught of God.” They ALL know that salvation is pure grace . . . “not of works lest any man should boast.” They ALL know that “God worketh ALL THINGS after the counsel of HIS WILL.” They ALL know that God alone has free will and man’s will is only sinful. They ALL know that “salvation is of the Lord;” that He thought it, bought it, and brought it; that He purposed it, purchased it, and applies it. They all know that their salvation is completely in and of the Lord Jesus Christ; that He is their righteousness before a Holy God, that He is their sin-sacrifice, that He is their High Priest, Mediator, Covenant Head, Redeemer, Law-Keeper, Lord and King. The faith, the heart, the mind of every believer is purely of Christ. His mind is made up, settled and clear, Christ is all! |
Paul Mahan
God is true. His Word of Promise is sure. In all His relations with His people God is faithful. He may be safely relied upon. No one ever yet really trusted Him in vain. We find this precious truth expressed almost everywhere in the Scriptures, for His people need to know that faithfulness is an essential part of the Divine character. This is the basis of our confidence in Him.
A.W. Pink
“God has given no pledge which He will not redeem, and encouraged no hope which He will not fulfill.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Joyful Security
I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)
Fear of falling is wholesome. To be venturesome is no sign of wisdom. Times come to us when we feel that we must go down unless we have a very special support. Here we have it. God’s right hand is a grand thing to lean upon. Mind, it is not only His hand, though it keepeth heaven and earth in their places, but His right hand: His power united with skill, His power where it is most dexterous. Nay, this is not all; it is written, “I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” That hand which He uses to maintain His holiness and to execute His royal sentences — this shall be stretched out to hold up His trusting ones. Fearful is our danger, but joyful is our security. The man whom God upholds, devils cannot throw down.
Weak may be our feet, but almighty is God’s right hand. Rough may be the road, but Omnipotence is our upholding. We may boldly go forward. We shall not fall. Let us lean continually where all things lean. God will not withdraw His strength, for His righteousness is there as well. He will be faithful to His promise, and faithful to His Son, and therefore faithful to us. How happy we ought to be! Are we not so? – Charles Spurgeon