Oct 10
27
Unwilling to Do something
The problem with sinners is not that we are unwilling to do
something to save ourselves but that we are unwilling to do
nothing that we might be saved by another. (John 3: 19, 20.)
Faith takes nothing from you, faith takes nothing done by you,
faith demands you add nothing, only believe and continue
believing, not in anything you have done or not done. Faith is
casting your care, your whole self, your whole eternal salvation
into the hands of Jesus Christ.
Clay Curtis
Recognizing Leprosy
Drew Dietz
“And there came a leper to Him…(Mark 1:40).”
As I looked at this passage of scripture I thought to myself, ‘not many people in this
country think too much or even know very much about this disease of leprosy’. I
wondered and noted that this is exactly what people think about sin in our day…that
is they DON’T THINK ABOUT IT. It is in some one else, it is in a far away country
and does not apply directly to me…it’s a third world country problem; so they say
about leprosy, so I say about you who know nothing of the blackness and corruption
within our own hearts! Oh may the blessed Holy Spirit cause us to be made aware of
the iniquity within and the vileness that permeates all that we do! Then and only
then will we react the same way this poor leper did…’came to Him, beseeching Him
and kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean’! Clean, whole, forgiven and this done so ‘immediately; that’s what I want,
that’s what I need. Have you been made to see this is you, this is what God sees’
when He looks at you and I without the blood of Christ over us, in us and for us?
Just because sin is something we may think is small or insignificant doesn’t mean it
won’t throw you head long into Hell itself! Come to Him my friend, Come to Him
bowing and owning His sovereign right to damn you or cleanse you; may He ‘will’
your cleansing today for His great name’s sake.
Mark of Covenant Grace
“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and
the heart of thy seed, to the LORD thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul that thou mayest live”
(Deuteronomy 30:6).
!
ere we read of the true circumcision. Note the author of it
“The LORD thy God.” He alone can deal effectually with our
heart and take away its carnality and pollution. To make us love
God with all our heart and soul is a miracle of grace which only
the Holy Ghost can work. We must look to the LORD alone for
this and never be satisfied with anything short of it.
Note where this circumcision is wrought. It is not of the flesh
but of the Spirit. It is the essential mark of the covenant of grace.
Love to God is the indelible token of the chosen seed; by this
secret seal the election of grace is certified to the believer. We
must see to it that we trust in no outward ritual but are sealed in
heart by the operation of the Holy Ghost.
Note what the result is-“that thou mayest live.” To be carnally
minded is death. In the overcoming of the flesh, we find life and
peace. If we mind the things of the Spirit, we shall live. Oh, that
Jehovah, our God, may complete His gracious work upon our
inner natures, that in the fullest and highest sense we may live
unto the LORD. Charles Spurgeon (Faith’s check book)
“God has given no pledge which He will not redeem,
and encouraged no hope which He will not fulfil.”
‐ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
GOD’S WOUNDING AND HEALING
“I wound and I heal.”–Deut. 32:39
It is no little comfort to the afflicted child of God to be thus
divinely assured that both the wounding and the healing flow
from one Hand–that Hand a Father’s. The sword that
wounds–“bathed in heaven”–bears upon its point the balm that
heals. Meditate awhile, my soul, upon this wondrous truth; and
should you, like the stricken deer, endure your wound in solitude,
the assurance that He who smites is He who heals, may rouse you
from your lonely sorrow, and draw you closer to the heart of Him
“by whose stripes we are healed.”
“I wound.” What majesty in these words! How worthy of Him
who is the sovereign disposer of sickness and health, of life and
death, from whose belt hang the keys of the grave and of Hades.
To His Hand, O my soul, trace the wound which now fills you
with sore pain and grief. What is the sword? Is it the visitation of
bereavement–the decay of health–the loss of wealth–the
fickleness of friends–the unkindness of other believers–or the
taunt and cruel slanders and reproaches of the world? Rise above
the sword that has pierced you, and see only the Hand that holds
and controls it. “I wound.” It is a loving Father’s voice. O Lord, I
lose more than half my sorrow when I hear Your voice, “It is I,”
and when faith responds–“He Himself has done it.”
And whose Hand inflicts the spiritual wound? Who convinces of
sin–gives the broken heart–imparts the humble, contrite spirit–
and brings the soul to His feet with the prayer, “God be merciful to
me the sinner.” Still the language is–“I wound.” Then, Lord, let the
“sword of the Spirit” pierce me through and through, might it but
penetrate the deep-seated evil of my heart, revealing to me more
of my sinfulness, thus preparing me for the touch of that Hand
that heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.
“And I heal.” Blessed Lord! Who can heal the wounded spirit–
who can bind up the broken heart but Yourself? My wound is too fresh, my sore too tender, my sorrow too deep, for any hand
but Yours to touch. Lord, Your wounds are my healing–Your
blood my balm–Your soul-sorrow my heart’s joy. Keep me from a
false healing. Let Your blood be the only balsam of my wounded
conscience; let Your love be the only solace of my troubled spirit.
Precious Jesus! smite and bruise me as You will, may but the
hand that bears in its palm the scar of the nail pour the wine and
the oil of Your love into my bleeding, sorrowing heart. “Heal me,
O Lord, and I shall be healed.”
But, perhaps, your wound is self-inflicted, and the consciousness
of this keeps you back from Christ. Your own hand has pierced
you! You have sadly departed from God, have wilfully sinned
against conviction, against your own conscience; against so much
divine love experienced, so much covenant mercy received, so
many rich blessings given, so many sins pardoned and
backslidings healed, and wanderings restored. Be it so. Still the
language of God is–“And I said after she had done all these things, Turn
unto Me.” “I will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely–for my
anger is turned away from him.” Bring, then, these wounds to Jesus
which your own or another’s hand has inflicted; and with the
balm that flows from His own pierced heart, He will heal you. “O
Israel, you have destroyed yourself, but in Me is your help found.” Oh,
remember that there can be no wound too deep or too desperate
for Christ’s healing, loving touch.
Octavius Winslow
“I will love them freely.” – Hosea 14:4
This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. He who
understands its meaning is a theologian, and he who can dive
into its fullness is a true master in Israel. It is a condensation
of the glorious message of salvation, which was delivered to
us in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. The sense hinges upon the
word “freely.” This is the glorious, the suitable, the divine way
by which love streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous
love flowing forth to those who neither deserved it, purchased
it, nor sought after it. It is, indeed, the only way in which God
can love such as we are. The text is a deathblow to all sorts of
fitness: “I will love them freely.” Now, if there were any
fitness necessary in us, then he would not love us freely; at
least, this would be a mitigation and a drawback to the
freeness of it. But it stands, “I will love you freely.” We
complain, “Lord, my heart is so hard.” “I will love you freely.”
“But I do not feel my need of Christ as I could wish.” “I will
not love you because you feel your need; I will love you
freely.” “But I do not feel that softening of spirit which I could
desire.” Remember, the softening of spirit is not a condition,
for there are no conditions; the covenant of grace has no
conditionality whatever; so that we without any fitness may
venture upon the promise of God which was made to us in
Christ Jesus, when he said, “He that believeth on him is not
condemned.” It is blessed to know that the grace of God is
free to us at all times, without preparation, without fitness,
without money, and without price! “I will love them freely.”
These words invite backsliders to return: indeed, the text was
specially written for such–“I will heal their backsliding; I will
love them freely.” Backslider! Surely the generosity of the
promise will at once break your heart, and you will return,
and seek your injured Father’s face.