Apr 17
10
This sacred anointing
J.C.Philpot
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One.”
1 John 2:20
Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches
a man’s heart it spreads itself, widening and
extending its operations. It thus communicates
divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It . . .
bestows and draws out faith,
gives repentance and godly sorrow,
causes secret self-loathing, and
separation from the world,
draws the affections upwards,
makes sin hated, and
Jesus and His salvation loved.
Wherever the anointing of the Holy Spirit touches
a man’s heart it diffuses itself through his whole
soul, and makes him wholly a new creature. It . . .
gives new motives,
communicates new feelings,
enlarges and melts the heart, and
spiritualizes and draws the affections upwards.
Without this sacred anointing . . .
all our religion is a bubble,
all our profession a lie, and
all our hopes will end in despair.
O what a mercy to have one drop of this heavenly
anointing! To enjoy one heavenly feeling! To taste
the least measure of Christ’s love shed abroad in the
heart! What an unspeakable mercy to have one touch,
one glimpse, one glance, one communication out of
the fullness of Him who fills all in all!
By this anointing from the Holy One, the
children of God are supported under . . .
afflictions,
perplexities,
and sorrows.
By this anointing from the Holy One,
they see the hand of God . . .
in every chastisement,
in every providence,
in every trial,
in every grief, and
in every burden.
By this anointing from the Holy One they can
bear chastisement with meekness; and put
their mouth in the dust, humbling themselves
under the mighty hand of God.
Every good word,
every good work,
every gracious thought,
every holy desire,
every spiritual feeling
do we owe to this one thing:
the anointing of the Holy One.
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One.”
1 John 2:20
THOUGHT UPON THOUGHT
John Mac Duff
“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”
But now thus says the Lord that created you, O Jacob, and He that formed
you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by
your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be
with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you
walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame
kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3
What a library of “precious thoughts!” What an unlocking of the full
heart of God do these verses contain! In reading them, we may say indeed
with the Psalmist, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your thoughts which are to
us.” Each clause is in itself a volume. Well may the Divine speaker
begin with the words, “Do not be afraid!” These tender thoughts and
tender assertions remind us of the gush of parental affection when a
child is in danger or is afraid, and when its most loving earthly friend
heaps assurance on assurance to quiet and lull its misgivings.
“I have redeemed you,” seems to be the foundation-thought of comfort in
this cluster of exceeding great and precious promises. No other blessing
could have been ours but for “Redeeming love.” And as Christ is the
Alpha, so is He the Omega of all consolation. Hence this inspired
register of spiritual privileges is terminated by the assurance, “I am
your Savior.” The pendant chain of “precious thoughts” has these two
words for its support, “Redeemer,” “Savior;” and each separate link in
the intermediate line of blessings is connected with Him who is
the”Beginner” and “Finisher” of our faith.
God, indeed, forewarns us in the diversified symbols here employed, that
the trials of His people are to be varied in kind, as well as severe in
degree; “waters,” “rivers,” “fires,” “flames.” Yet we may well rise
above them all, under the sublime consciousness, that the chain from
first to last is in the hands of Him who died for us.
We are here further assured, not only that God is the Author of our
troubles, but that He himself is in them all; that His ‘thoughts’ are
upon us as we “pass” through the waters, and “walk” through the fires.
He is minutely cognizant of all that befalls us; and is alike able and
willing to grant us assistance and support. Others cannot do so. It is
in their case like watching the bursting of the distant thunderstorm, or
the vessel plunging in the distant sea, without the ability to render
assistance. But “You know my thoughts afar off.” God is not only our
“refuge and strength,” but “a present help in trouble.” “We went through
the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in Him.”
More than this—He has set bounds to our trials. The rivers and streams
will purify, but not overflow or overwhelm. The fires will refine, but
not scorch or burn. He has too deep an interest in those of whom He
says, “I have called you by your name, you are Mine,” to allow our
afflictions to go further than He sees to be absolutely needful. Never
are His “thoughts” more fondly centered upon us than in a time of
trouble. His loving presence tempers the fury of the fiercest
furnace-flames—His everlasting arms are underneath the deepest and
darkest waves.
O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as You, Lord?
Faithfulness is Your very character. You are the one who rules the
oceans. When their waves rise in fearful storms, You subdue them. Psalm
89:8-9
THE FLAMING SWORD OF JUSTICE QUENCHED IN THE HOLY, LOVING BOSOM OF JESUS!
Octavius Winslow
The most significant and appalling demonstration of God’s holiness that
the universe ever beheld, infinitely distancing and transcending every
other, is the sufferings and death of His only and beloved Son! The
cross of Calvary exhibits God’s hatred and punishment of sin in a way
and to an extent which the annihilation of millions of worlds, swept
from the face of the universe by the broom of His wrath, could never
have done! “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”
Behold the most awful display of God’s hatred of sin! Finding the sins
of the Church upon Christ as its Surety, Substitute, and Savior, the
wrath of God was poured out upon Him without measure! God finding the
sins of His people laid upon His Son, emptied upon His holy soul all the
vials of His wrath due to their transgressions! Go, my soul, to Calvary,
and learn how holy God is, and what a monstrous thing sin is, and how
imperiously, solemnly, and holily bound Jehovah is to punish it, either
in the person of the sinner, or in the person of a Surety. Never was the
Son of God dearer to the Father than at the very moment that the sword
of divine justice, flaming and flashing, pierced to its hilt His holy heart!
But it was the wrath of God, not against His beloved Son, but against
the sins which met on Him when presenting Himself on the cross as the
substitutionary sacrifice and offering for His Church—He gave Himself
for us. What a new conception must angels have formed of the exceeding
sinfulness of sin, when they beheld the flaming sword of justice
quenched in the holy, loving bosom of Jesus! And in what a dazzling
light does this fact place the marvelous love of God to sinners! Man’s
sin and God’s love; the indescribable enormity of the one, and the
immeasurable greatness of the other; are exhibited in the cross of
Christ as nowhere else. Oh, to learn experimentally these two great
facts—sin’s infinite hatefulness, and love’s infinite holiness! The love
of God in giving His Son to die; the love of Christ in dying; the
essential turpitude and unmitigated enormity of sin, which demanded a
sacrifice so Divine, so holy, and so precious!
Such As Should Be Saved
Acts 2: 47
God only adds to his church those who should be saved. Who are these
people of whom He speaks? These are all those that the Father determined
to save for the glory of his name. “God hath saved us, and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his
own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began.” ( II Timothy 1: 9) I challenge you to find any reason for
God to save any man apart from his purpose of grace. You cannot plead
reform, willingness, or determination because “there is none righteous,
none that understandeth, and none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:
9-19) You cannot plead Gods’ attributes. Our generation pleads Gods’
love attempting to make it universal. But you cannot find in the
scriptures even a hint of universal love. In Psalms 5: 5 it says the
“Lord hatest all workers of iniquity.” But in Romans 5: 8 he tells us
that he commendeth his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us. You can not plead Gods will as though it could be
resisted. “He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”
(Ephesians 1:11). You cannot plead any change in God because in him
there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. (James 1: 17) God is
not attempting to save every man that will let him, but is effectually
saving all that he purposed to save by his sovereign irresistible
purpose and grace. — Darvin Pruitt