Aug 23
7
*To be saved from sins is to be saved from ignoring and despising the authority of God. It is to abandon the course of self will and self pleasing. It is to forsake our way; it is to surrender to God’s authority; it is to yield to his dominion and it is to give ourselves over to be ruled by Him. One who has never taken Christ’s yoke upon him and:who is not truly seeking to please him in all details of life and yet supposing he is resting in Christ is deceived.
*Twas Grace that
Taught My Heart to Fear:
1. It was covenant grace that chose us.
(Timothy 1:9) If he had not chosen us, we would never have chosen Him.
2. It was invincible grace that persuaded us.
(Galatians 1:15) He will fetch you if you are one of his own.
3. It was redeeming grace that saved us.
(Ephesians 2:8) All that the law required, all that holiness demanded, all that
justice expected was supplied in and by the Lord Jesus.
4. It is preserving grace that keeps us.
(Philippians 1:6) “I will not forsake them, and they will not depart from
me” (Jeremiah 32:40).
*Obedience is the safeguard against the snare of the enemy. We cannot reason on what we see; we must obey what we hear. Reason is no guide for the people of God. We must be absolutely and completely guided and governed by the word of God.
*There are reasons why righteousness is required—God is the Creator, the law giver, the Governor, the Judge, God’s character is holy, blessed, just and perfect.
God’s law has an obligation upon all men and demands proper satisfaction. The righteousness God requires is one suitable to his nature and one that entitles one for a place in glory. This righteousness provided by the Lord Jesus is where God’s justice is satisfied, sin is punished, God’s holiness demonstrated, God’s truth manifested, God’s law honored, God’s authority upheld, and God’s lovely attributes displayed. This righteousness is perfect, complete, full, victorious, permanent, and free to those who believe.
*Most people believe that it is more important to escape cancer and heart failure than it is to escape hell.
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That secret loveliness (Philpot, “The Sacrifice Bound to the Horns of the Altar“) “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” Hosea 11:4 Where Christ is made in any measure experimentally known, He has gained the affections of the heart. He has, more or less, taken possession of the soul. He has, in some degree, endeared Himself as a bleeding, agonizing Savior to every one to whom He has in any way revealed Himself. And, thus, the strong cord of love and affection is powerfully wreathed around the tender spirit and broken heart. Therefore . . . His name becomes as ‘ointment poured forth’, there is a preciousness in His blood, there is a beauty in His Person, there is that secret loveliness in Him, which wins and attracts and draws out the tender affections of the soul. And thus this cord of love entwined round the heart, binds it fast and firm to the cross of the Lord Jesus. “I drew them with cords of man, with bands of love.” Hosea 11:4 |
*To be saved from sins is to be saved from ignoring and despising the authority of God. It is to abandon the course of self will and self pleasing. It is to forsake our way; it is to surrender to God’s authority; it is to yield to his dominion and it is to give ourselves over to be ruled by Him. One who has never taken Christ’s yoke upon him and:who is not truly seeking to please him in all details of life and yet supposing he is resting in Christ is deceived.
*Twas Grace that Taught My Heart to Fear:
1. It was covenant grace that chose us.
(Timothy 1:9) If he had not chosen us, we would never have chosen Him.
2. It was invincible grace that persuaded us.
(Galatians 1:15) He will fetch you if you are one of his own.
3. It was redeeming grace that saved us.
(Ephesians 2:8) All that the law required, all that holiness demanded, all that justice expected was supplied in and by the Lord Jesus.
4. It is preserving grace that keeps us.
(Philippians 1:6) “I will not forsake them, and they will not depart from me” (Jeremiah 32:40).
*Obedience is the safeguard against the snare of the enemy. We cannot reason on what we see; we must obey what we hear. Reason is no guide for the people of God. We must be absolutely and completely guided and governed by the word of God.
*There are reasons why righteousness is required—God is the Creator, the law giver, the Governor, the Judge, God’s character is holy, blessed, just and perfect.
God’s law has an obligation upon all men and demands proper satisfaction. The righteousness God requires is one suitable to his nature and one that entitles one for a place in glory. This righteousness provided by the Lord Jesus is where God’s justice is satisfied, sin is punished, God’s holiness demonstrated, God’s truth manifested, God’s law honoured, God’s authority upheld, and God’s lovely attributes displayed. This righteousness is perfect, complete, full, victorious, permanent, and free to those who believe.
*Most people believe that it is more important to escape cancer and heart failure than it is to escape hell.
The Great Attraction!
The following is from Spurgeon’s sermon,
“The Great Attraction” No. 775. John 12:32.
Christ dying for sinners is the
great attraction of Christianity!
Since men will not come to him, the crucified
Saviour becomes himself the attraction to men.
He casts out from himself bands of love and
cords of gracious constraint, and binding these
around human hearts, he draws them to himself
by an invincible constraint of grace.
Sinners by nature will not come to Jesus, though
his charms might even attract the blind, and
arouse the dead. They will not melt, though
surely such beauties might dissolve the adamant,
and kindle affection in rock of ice.
But Jesus has a wondrous power about him
to woo and win the sons of men. Out of his
heart proceed chains of gold by which he binds
thousands of willing captives to himself.
Many a heart has been so charmed with his
love, that it has run to Christ, drawn by the
silken bonds of love.
Jesus is the universal attraction, the attraction
to which all hearts must yield when he draws
effectually by his grace.
The attraction of the Crucified One
has bound them to the cross forever!
The gracious Spirit has moved many tender
hearts first to pity, and afterwards to love
the bleeding Lamb.
What a melting power there is in Gethsemane!
Can you view the bloody sweat drops, as they
fall upon the frozen soil, and not feel that, in
some degree, invisible but irresistible cords
are drawing you to Jesus?
Can you see him flagellated in Pilate’s hall, every
thong of the scourge tearing the flesh from his
shoulders? Can you see him as they spit into his
lovely face, and mar his blessed visage, and not
feel as if you could fain fall down and kiss his feet,
and make yourself forever his servant?
And, lastly, can you behold him hanging upon the
hill of Golgotha to die- can you mark him as his
soul is there overwhelmed with the wrath of God,
with the bitterness of sin, and with a sense of
utter desertion- can you sit down and watch him
there and not be attracted to him?
What a boundless, fathomless ocean!
Eternal love moved the heart of Jesus to relinquish . . .
heaven for earth;
a diadem for a cross;
the robe of divine majesty for the garment of our nature;
by taking upon Himself the leprosy of our sin.
Oh, the infinite love of Christ!
What a boundless, fathomless ocean!
Ask the ransomed of the Lord, whose chains He has dissolved, whose dungeon He has opened, whose liberty He has conferred — if there ever was love like His!
What shall we say of the ransom price? It was the richest, the costliest, that Heaven could give! He gave Himself for us! What more could He do? He gave Himself; body, soul and spirit. He gave His time, His labor, His blood, His life, His ALL — as the price for our ransom, the cost of our redemption. He carried the wood and reared the altar. Then, bearing His bosom to the stroke of the uplifted and descending arm of the Father — He paid the price of our salvation in the warm lifeblood of His heart!
What a boundless, fathomless ocean! How is it that we feel the force and exemplify the practical influence of this amazing, all commanding truth so faintly? Oh, the desperate depravity of our nature! Oh, the deep iniquity of our iniquitous hearts! Will not the blood-drops of Jesus move us? Will not the agonies of the cross influence us? Will not His dying love constrain us to a more heavenly life?
Octavius Winslow
For you!
“The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself
for me!” Galatians 2:20
Is Jesus precious to your heart?
Is He the object of your supreme admiration and delight?
Does He have your warmest affection?
Do you love Jesus?
You must light your torch of affection for Christ — at the altar of Calvary.
You must go there, and learn and believe what the love of Jesus is to you: the
vastness of that love; the self-sacrifice of that love; how that love of Christ
laboured and wept, bled, suffered, and died for you!
Can you stand before this love — this love so precious, so great, so enduring,
so self-consuming, so changeless; and know that. . .
for you was this offering,
for you this cross,
for you this agony,
for you this scorn and insult,
for you this death —
and feel no sensibility, no emotion, no love to Jesus? Impossible!
Do not be cast down, then, in vain regrets that your love to Christ is so frigid, so fickle, so dubious. Go and muse upon the reality and the greatness of the Saviour’s love to you — and if love can inspire love, while you muse, the fire will burn, and your soul shall be all in flame with love to Jesus!
Octavius Winslow
“God is the Lord, which hath showed us light.” –Psalm 118:27
J.C.Philpot
If God the Lord has showed us light, he has showed us light both with respect to himself and with respect to ourselves. He has showed us with respect to himself who he is; he has stamped something of himself upon our consciences; he has discovered something of his glorious character to our souls; and brought us, under the operation of the Holy Spirit, into his presence, there to receive communications of life out of Christ’s inexhaustible fullness. Thus in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a heart-searching God; in this light we see and feel that we have to do with a sin-hating God; with a God who will not be mocked nor trifled with.
In this light we see and feel that every secret of our heart, every working of our mind is open before him; and in this light, so far as he is pleased to manifest it, we see what we are in his holy and pure eyes–a mass of sin, filth, and corruption, without help, without strength, wisdom, or righteousness, without creature loveliness, without anything of which we can say that it is spiritually good.
Again, God the Lord, showing us light, has showed us more or less of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. He has not only showed us what we are by nature, but he has in a measure condescended to show us what we are by grace; not merely brought into our hearts some acquaintance with himself as a God of perfect justice, but he has also brought, more or less, into our souls some acquaintance with him as a God of mercy; and has thus brought us, in some solemn measure, to know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent; and, thus, to have the springing up of spiritual life more or less, each according to his measure, in our souls.
The Unconquerable King! (part 2)
Spurgeon “The Unconquerable King” Daniel 4:34,35
Events appear to fly at random like the
dust in the whirlwind; but it is not so.
The rule of the Omnipotent God extends
over all things at all times!
Nothing is left to its own chance, but
in wisdom all things are governed.
He is reigning amid all the calamities
which sweep the globe, as much as He
shall be in the halcyon days of peace.
Never is His throne vacant!
Never is His scepter laid aside!
Jehovah is always King, and shall be King forever and forever!
This unconquerable King sits securely on His throne!
There is no doctrine to the advanced Christian
which contains such a deep sea of delight as this.
The Lord reigns!
The Lord is King forever and ever!
Why, then all is well.
Oh, happy subjects, who have such a throne to look lo!
Oh, blessed children, who have such a King to be your Father!
“whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Daniel 4:34-35
Hallelujah!
(Letters of John Newton)
“The Lord reigneth; Let the earth rejoice” Psalm 97:1
1776.
My dear madam,
He who once bore our sins, and carried our sorrows—is seated upon a throne of
glory, and exercises all power in heaven and on earth! Thrones, principalities,
and powers, bow before Him! His providence pervades and manages the whole
universe, and is as minutely attentive to every part—as if there were only a
single object in His view! From the tallest archangel—to the smallest ant or
fly—all depend on Him for their being, their preservation, and their powers. He
directs the sparrows where to build their nests, and where to
find their food. He over-rules the rise and fall of nations; and
bends, with an invincible power, and unerring wisdom—all events to His
sovereign will! So that while many intend other outcomes—their designs all
concur and coincide in the accomplishment of His holy will.
Jesus restrains with an almighty hand—the still more formidable efforts of
the powers of darkness. Satan with all his hosts cannot exert their
malice a hair’s-breadth beyond the limits of His permission!
This omnipotent Savior is the head and husband of His
believing people. How happy are those whom it is His good
pleasure to bless! How safe are those whom He has engaged to
protect! How honored and privileged are those
to whom He is pleased to manifest Himself, and whom He enables and warrants to
claim Him as their Friend and eternal portion!
Having redeemed them by His own blood—He esteems them as His treasure,
His jewels; and protects them as the pupil of His eye! They
shall not lack any good thing. They need not fear. His unerring eye is
upon them in every situation; His ear is always open to their
prayers; and His everlasting arms are under them for their
sure support! On earth He guides their steps, controls their
enemies, and directs all His dispensations for their spiritual good. While
in heaven He is pleading their cause, preparing a glorious
home for them, and communicating down to them reviving foretastes of the glory
which they shall shortly enter into!
We sinful worms were once blind to His beauty, and insensible to His love, and
would have remained so to the last—had He not revealed His goodness and grace
to us!
“Alleluiah: For the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth!” Revelation 19:6
Jesus is . . .
the infinity of all excellence,
the vast treasure-house of all we can desire,
the perfection of all perfection,
the beauty of all beauty,
the glory of all glory.
(Horatius Bonar,
“The Divine Banquet”)