Apr 24
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When all of the redeemed of the Lord are assembled in glory with their great Redeemer, perfected and glorified forever, the only visible evidence of the consequences of sin will be seen on the Redeemer Himself. The wounds inflicted upon Him when He delivered Himself to be crucified as the Substitute for sinners to suffer, “The Just One for the unjust,” that He might bring them to God. What an eternal reminder that it is, “By His stripes they are healed!” What amazing love and grace! What an amazing Redeemer – God! ~Maurice Montgomery
Religion Without Love
“Beloved, let us love, for love is of God. In God alone love has its true abode. Beloved, let us love, for those who love are truly His sons born from above. Beloved, let us love, for love is rest, and he who loveth not remains unblessed!”
Religion without love is like a body without life; it is offensive and needs to be buried from sight. Religion without love is like a contaminated well which should bear the sign, “Do not drink.” Religion without love is a house built on sand, a branch which bears no fruit, a cloak of hypocrisy covering an unregenerate heart, and a form of godliness which denies the power!
Henry Mahan
Can any man perish more justly than they who refuse to be saved?
John Calvin
After some years’ experience, the Christian comes to know, better than he did at first, how much the gospel suits him. He finds that its simplicity suits his bewilderment; its grace suits his sinfulness; its power is suitable to his weakness; its comfort to his despondence; and the more he grows, the more he loves the gospel of the grace of God.
C.H. Spurgeon
If our dependence were upon Jesus in a measure, and our own works in some degree, our foundation would be partly on the rock and partly on the sand, and the whole structure would fall. O to know the full meaning of the words, “Salvation is of the Lord.”
CH Spurgeon
“Accepted in the Beloved”
As one with Him in covenant before all worlds, He owns and acknowledges me as His own gift to the Son. This is clearly set forth in that glorious hymn of dear old John Kent a hymn which I would sing every moment of the day but for the weakness of the flesh:
“Twas with an everlasting love
That God His own elect embrac’d
Before He made the worlds above,
Or earth on her huge columns plac’d.
Long ere the sun’s refulgent ray
Primeval shades of darkness drove,
They on His sacred bosom lay,
Lov’d with an everlasting love.
Then, in the glass of His decrees,
Christ and His bride appear’d as one;
Her sin, by imputation, His,
While she in spotless splendour shone.”
No sin there! No wrath there! No condemnation there! No misery there! No. Christ and His bride in the embraces of everlasting love. Look at that picture of the Lamb and His redeemed company on Mount Zion given in Rev. 14:1-5: “These are they which were not defiled with women.” The words, “defiled with women,” denote spiritual adultery. “For they are virgins.” Who are virgins? Listen!
“There David shines without a stain;
Uriah’s blood can ne’er be known;
For like a millstone in the main
Are all his black transgressions thrown.
“Rahab, the harlot, loved by Thee,
Shall never sink to Tophet’s flame;
When Jesus suffered on the tree,
The Book of Life contained her name.”
Oh! Look at that glorious, uninterrupted, unintercepted union existing between Christ and His members, the Redeemer and the redeemed. In time they appear on this wretched earth, and in the midst of the ruins of the Adam-fall they are found in their sin, filthy and corrupt. Yes, they are found, saved, cleansed, clothed, and crowned by a precious Christ, and brought by Him up to the very heights of glory, where they ever stand in His adorable person, and are seen as though they had never sinned. And, blessed be the name of our covenant God and Father, from eternity they stood uninterruptedly in the Son of His love; they stand, and ever will stand, before Him without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” Does He go into the furnace? Does He enter the flood-gates of sorrow and suffering? They follow Him. Is He led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil? They follow Him. It matters not where He goes as the Forerunner of the whole election of grace, all the elect must follow Him; “and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them,” for nothing can hurt or destroy in all this holy mountain, this Mount Zion which God eternally loves. “These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” GOD LOOKS, AND IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY HE SEES ALL THOSE WHO ARE ONE WITH CHRIST AS HE SEES CHRIST, “PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS. COMPLETE IN HIM. (Col. 2:10) ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.” (Eph. 1:6)
Thomas Bradbury
OUR LORD’S PRAYER FOR US
“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou has given me; for they are Thine” – John 17:9
The prayer of the believer’s High Priest is like all His redeeming work, effectual, particular and satisfying to God. The intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of His people is always according to the perfect will of God (John 4:34). Therefore, everything that He prays for shall be accomplished (Isa.46:9-12). Here are at least six things that He prays for every believer. This ought to encourage us greatly.
1) He prays for our preservation: “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (v.11). There is absolutely no possibility that one of His elect will ever perish (John 6:37-39; John 10:27-30). His covenant (2 Sam.23:5), His word (Jas.1:18) and His atonement (Heb.9:12, 26) are certain guarantees to our complete and everlasting salvation (1 Pet 1:5).
2) He prays for our jubilation; “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (v.13). Every believer has abundant reasons to always rejoice in the Lord (Phil.3:3). But mainly it is in this, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is made unto us all that we need to stand before God accepted (Eph.1:6; 1 Cor.1:30).
3) He prays for our emancipation: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (v.15). Our Lord has set the believer free from the bondage of sin, the curse of the law, the grasp of the devil and the power of death (Gal.5:1).
4) He prays for our sanctification: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (v.17, 19). Our Lord has set Himself apart in the covenant of grace to be the believer’s sanctification, through His sacrifices (Eph.5:25-27; Heb.10:14).
5) He prays for our unification: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (v.21). No question that our sin has separated us from God (Isa.59:2). However, because of the substitutionary work the Lord did for His elect, we shall be reconciled unto God forever (2 Cor.5:17-21).
6) He prays for our glorification: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory” (v.24). Every time a believer is taken home this prayer is answered (Ps.116; Rom.8:28-30; Rev.5:9-12). Tom Harding
You will have a much lower
opinion of yourself!
(John Newton)
Depend upon it—if you walk closely with God for forty years, at the end of that
time you will have a much lower opinion of yourself than you
have now!
You will understand something of . . .
Abraham’s feeling when he says, “I am dust and ashes!”
Jacob’s feeling when he says, “I am unworthy of the least
of all Your mercies!”
Job’s feeling when he says, “Behold! I am vile!”
Paul’s feeling when he says, “I am the chief of
sinners!”
“LOVE…REJOICETH IN THE TRUTH”
I Corinthians 13:6
As believers, we are bound to love our neighbours and even our enemies. But the special bond of brotherly love which we hold for our fellow-believers is the truth. The truth of the gospel is the foundation of reciprocal Christian love. We do not love each other because we are temperamentally compatible, or because we are naturally drawn to each other, but because of the truth we hold in common. So long as the truth endures, in us and with us, so shall our love endure.
We desire greater unity in the church at large. We want all true believers to be one in heart and purpose. But unity can be purchased at too high a price. We cannot deny that truth which is essential to the gospel for the sake of unity. We can never increase brotherly love by diminishing the truth of the gospel. In seeking unity with other believers, we cannot compromise the very truth on which alone true love and unity depend.
Don Fortner
On whom do you trust?
(Charles Spurgeon)
“On whom dost thou trust?” Isaiah 36:5
Reader, this is an important question. Listen to the Christian’s answer, and
see if it is yours.
“On whom do you trust?”
“I trust,” says the Christian, “in the triune God of
Scripture!”
I trust the Father, believing that He has chosen me
from before the foundation of the world. I trust Him to provide for
me in His providence, to teach me, to guide me,
to correct me if need be, and to bring me home to His own
house where the many mansions are!
I trust the Son. The man Christ Jesus—is also the
true God. I trust in Him as my Redeemer—to take away
all my sins by His atoning sacrifice, and to adorn me with His perfect
righteousness. I trust Him to be my Intercessor, to present my
prayers and desires before His Father’s throne. I trust Him to be my Advocate at
the last great day, to plead my cause, and to justify me. I trust Him . . .
for what He is,
for what He has done, and
for what He has promised yet to do!
I trust the Holy Spirit. He has begun to save me from my inbred
sins; I trust Him to finally drive them all out. I trust Him . . .
to curb my debased temperament,
to subdue my stubborn will,
to enlighten my darkened understanding,
to check my evil passions,
to comfort my despondency,
to help my spiritual weakness,
to provide my spiritual nourishment,
to reign in me as my loving King,
to sanctify me wholly, and then
to take me up to dwell forever in glory!
Oh, blessed trust! To trust Him . . .
whose power will never be exhausted,
whose love will never wane,
whose kindness will never change,
whose faithfulness will never fail,
whose wisdom will never be confounded, and
whose perfect goodness can never know a
diminution!
Happy are you, reader, if this trust is yours! So trusting, you shall enjoy
sweet peace now, and glory hereafter! The foundation of your trust shall never
be removed!
A golden master-key!
(Charles Spurgeon)
“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of
Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of
Paul.” Acts 16:14
God’s saving grace will not be baffled.
He frequently begins with the silver key of a mother’s tearful
prayers and a father’s tender counsels.
In turn, He uses the church-keys of His ordinances and His
ministers, and these are often found to move the bolt.
But if they fail, He thrusts in the iron key of trouble and
affliction which has been known to succeed after all others have failed.
He has, however, a golden master-key, which excels all others. It
is the operation of His own most gracious Spirit, by which entrance is effected
into hearts which seemed shut up forever.
Wonderful is the patience and long-suffering of the Lord, or He would long
since have left hardened and careless sinners to themselves. He is importunate,
whether we are so or not. We take pains to resist His heavenly grace, but He
abides faithful to His own name of love.
O Lord, we bless You that You have opened our hearts, and we ask You now that
You have entered, to abide in our souls forever, as a king in his own palace!