Jun 24
27
What Is Your Comfort?
by Henry Mahan
Are you happy? Yes! but I am not without times of sorrow and depression. Like any human, I weep over loved ones, friends, sickness, death, and disappointment.
But I sorrow not as those who have no hope.
CHRIST IS MY HOPE! He loved me, gave Himself for me, and will make ALL THESE THINGS work together for my eternal good.
Are you at rest in your soul? Yes! but I am not free from concern and conviction over my sins and my infirmities. I love Christ but not as I should or as I desire. I am satisfied with Him, His mercy, His grace, and His love; but I will never be totally satisfied until I wake with His likeness.
Do you have peace? Yes! but that peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace in any situation or condition is NOT based on my merit, feelings, nor religious duties.
CHRIST IS MY PEACE! He said, “In ME ye have peace. In the world ye shall have trouble.”
Any man or woman who claims continual, uninterrupted joy, rest, and peace in this world is either not telling the truth or has no connection with reality!
True joy, rest, and peace are things we enjoy in Christ IN THE MIDST of troubles, afflictions, and infirmities.
Paul’s exhortation was “rejoice in the Lord.”
When I am conscious of my weakness, failures, and sins, I rejoice in Christ, my righteousness.
When I am concerned about food, clothing, and shelter, I rejoice in Christ, my provider.
When I am sick, Christ is my healer.
When I am grieved, Christ is my comfort.
When I am faced with death, Christ is my life!
So it is not necessary to put on a false face and deceive others. We are still human; but our peace, rest, and joy is Christ!
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
—–
Four times it was said of Abraham that he, “Builded an altar and called upon the Name of the Lord.” The altar speaks of the sacrifice of Christ, which reveals the attributes, or the Name of the God on whom we call!
Todd Nibert
NO TURNING BACK!
THE LATE South Carolina preacher B. B. Caldwell (1899-1976) tells an interesting story. It seems that once in the midst of study and sermon preparation at home in Greenville SC, he felt a strong need to leave the house and go uptown. As he reached for his hat, Mrs. Caldwell asked him, “Where are you going?” “I don’t know. The Holy Ghost said for me to walk up main street, and I am going!” “Oh!” she replied.
As he walked uptown, he saw a black lady sitting in the sun with her grandchildren. As was his custom he would stop and greet such humble souls. “Good morning, good lady, how are you doing?” “Oh, I is doin’ fine!” said she with a big smile. “Well, are you a Christian, are you saved? Do you know the Lord?” Caldwell asked her.
“Yes I is, and yes I do,” was her dialect reply. “Then, Granny, how long have you been in the way?” “Oh, I guess it’s been 40 years or more since de Lord saved me!”
“Good,” said Mr. Caldwell. “Now may I ask you another question?” “Oh, yes!” “Have you ever thought of going back to the world?” She very strongly replied: “Well, sir, the flesh in me might think it, but that is not the true me—I didn’t leave nothin’ back there to go back for!” She reflected a few minutes and added, “And besides all dat, son, I done passed the ‘turn-back station.’ Redeemed by His blood and Heaven bound, and no turning back!”
Then the preacher realized the reason why he felt prompted to go uptown. He had been given blessed truth and an illustration he needed for his sermon. Thanking the good lady and giving a little treat to each of her grandchildren, Brother Caldwell walked on back home to his study! As he recounted the incident to his wife, he felt such consolation in knowing that God leads His dear children along the way and gives them the encouragement they need. May He encourage our readers today!
The way to happiness!
“Blessed (Happy) is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed (Happy) is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.” Psalm 32:1-2
Our happiness depends in a very small degree upon what is external to
us. The springs of happiness lie deep within. Yet, how common it is
to think otherwise! Hence . . .the keen pursuit of pleasure, lovers’
sighs, war’s fierce ambition, the student’s patient labor as he feeds his
midnight lamp with the oil of life, the panting race for fleeting riches, the
desperate struggles some make to keep themselves from sinking into poverty, and
the toil and trouble others endure.
And to say nothing of the sins which these may alike
commit, simply . . .to rise in the world, as it is called, to keep a better
table, to wear a better dress, to live in a better house than satisfied their
humble, but happier parents.
These paths, crowded and beaten down though they are by the feet of thousands
who are treading on each other’s heels–never yet conducted any man to
happiness. Never! It lies in another direction. Whatever his condition is . . .
poor, or rich; pining on a sick bed, or with health glowing on his cheek; to be
married tomorrow, or to be hanged tomorrow. “Blessed,” or, as we
would say, Happy, “is he whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sin is covered!”
The way to happiness does not lie in attempting to bring our
circumstances up to our desires–but our desires down
to our circumstances.
To indulge an unsanctified and insatiable ambition, to attempt to bring
our circumstances up to our desires–is to attempt to fill a sieve with
water. The passions that in such a case seek gratification, are like that
wretched drunkard’s thirst–they burn the fiercer for
indulgence, and crave for more the more they get. It is often difficult, I
grant, to bring our desires down to our circumstances. On the other hand, he
does not attempt a difficult thing, but an impossible thing–who
attempts to bring his circumstances up to the height of his ambition.
As the old adage says:
“Nature is content with little,
grace is content with less,
lust is content with nothing!”
May ours be the happiness of one who is . . .content with less than little, pleased with whatever pleases his Father, anxious for nothing, thankful for anything, prayerful in everything; and can say with Paul, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in poverty.” (Philip. 4:11-12). Oh, to be found in Christ….(Phil.3:9).** Thomas Guthrie
“The gospel has something for everyone.”
Some say well, it’s not for those who won’t believe.. Yes,it is.. it is a display of God’s grace to sinners and a record of what it took to save them, whether they believe or not.. It has condemnation for those who won’t believe. God will judge people for what they knew and didn’t act upon..
The gospel has a full record of the prophecies that predicted Christ’s coming, what he would perform and the results of His actions while he was here.. It’s a record of what He accomplished..
For a believer it’s a statement of comfort. it’s also a record of who God is and what he finished on the cross.. No matter what people say about the Bible it is the perfect book in telling the story..
But it has even more than that.. It has instructions to those that believe, in what is expected of them while they are here on this earth.. The epistles are literally a gold mine in precepts, commands and admonishments.. They show the relationship between Christ, His church and His commandments..
There is nothing lacking in the wisdom of God’s word.. There is no greater book ever written on this earth nor has there ever been.
Henry Mahan
HEAVEN – Pastor David Eddmenson
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” – John 14:3
Heaven is only heaven because that is where Christ will be. Eternal life is only wonderful because eternity will be spent with Christ our God. To be a child of God is to be an heir of all that is God’s, but the amazing thing about being an heir is being a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ. To live eternally without sin is a glorious and wonderful thought, but to live forever with Him who was made to be sin for us, is beyond my comprehension. Christ is heaven to the child of God.
Abel’s offering
Genesis 4:1-15
By Henry Mahan 1926-2019
v. 1.We have been bound in our thinking by pictures and stories in children’s Bible story books that present a totally unrealistic view of the first family. Adam and Eve are pictured with only two sons, one of which killed the other and left them with only Cain, the fugitive, until Seth was born when Adam was 130 years old. There were no children born to Adam and Eve before the fall, but you can be certain that there were many born to them after the fall (Gen. 5:4). Cain was the first man-child. It is not certain that he was the first child or that Abel was the second. One commentary suggests that by the time Seth was born, Adam probably had as many as 32,000 descendants. As you will note in reading the Scriptures, the birth of a female was not usually even mentioned, only the male, and not all of them by any means. It is believed that when Cain was born to Eve, she thought he was the promised Messiah; ‘I have gotten the man from the Lord.’
v. 2. God has singled out these sons of Adam to teach to all redemption by blood (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22) and to condemn salvation by works (1 Peter 1: 18-20). The way of Abel is the way of grace, and the way of Cain is the way of works. Here is the crossroads, and all who attempt to come to God must choose one or the other. There are only two religions in the world—grace and works (Rom. 11:6). Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd.
v. 3. Cain and Abel were not young boys at this time, but they were evidently heads of households with wives and children and occupations. Nor were these the first sacrifices offered to God for sin, for it is certain that God had instructed Adam as to how he was to worship and approach the living God. Adam, in turn, had taught his sons and daughters as Abraham taught Isaac (Gen. 22:6-7). As their father had done before them, Cain and Abel, as heads of families, brought their sacrifices and offerings to God. Cain brought the fruit of the ground, which he had raised, and Abel brought a lamb.
vv. 4-5.
What was wrong with Cain’s sacrifice?
It was a bloodless sacrifice, thereby denying his need of the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Cain would be his own priest, his own mediator, and his own intercessor.
It denied that he was a sinner before God, who deserved condemnation and death. He approached God on the grounds of his own merit and works. He was proud of the fruit of his fields (Rom. 6:23).
He refused God’s revealed way of worship and acceptance (Luke 24: 44-47; Eph. 1:6-7).
Why did God have respect to Abel’s offering?
It was an offering of faith (Heb. 11:4). Like Abraham, Abel believed God. He came to God as he was told to come.
It was an offering typifying Christ—the lamb of God—as we see in the Passover lamb (Exo. 12:5-6). Alamb, the innocent dying for the guilty. A male of the first year, in the prime of life.Without spot or blemish; Christ was without sin.Slay it, shed its blood, and roast it with fire; Christ suffered and shed his blood for our sins.
It was an offering confessing his sins and owning that they deserve death. Our sins deserve the wrath of God; and in order to justify us, the Lord Jesus must die before the Justice of God (Rom. 3:23-26). Christ, our substitute, made full satisfaction before the law of God and the justice of God, thereby enabling God to be just and the justifier of those who believe in Christ.
v. 6-8.Cain was angry and became depressed. The religion of works yields no comfort and no communion with God. Men go about their ceremonies but find no peace; they make professions and act religious but find no rest nor assurance because God is not reconciled (2 Cor. 5:19).
Cain was not angry with himself as he should have been, but he was angry with God and with his brother who believed God. Instead of looking into his own heart and finding the reason for his troubles, he turned on Abel.
Cain, rather than repenting and coming to God by faith in Christ Jesus, rose up against his brother and killed him. The first human blood shed on earth was over salvation by grace or salvation by works. Cain would come to God not by grace through faith in Christ, but by his own works and merit (Eph.2:8-9). This battle still rages and the results are the same. God is the same, sin is the same, men are the same, the way of life through the blood of Christ is the same, and ‘the way of Cain’ still persecutes the way of faith.
What Is Your Comfort?
by Henry Mahan
Are you happy? Yes! but I am not without times of sorrow and depression. Like any human, I weep over loved ones, friends, sickness, death, and disappointment.
But I sorrow not as those who have no hope.
CHRIST IS MY HOPE! He loved me, gave Himself for me, and will make ALL THESE THINGS work together for my eternal good.
Are you at rest in your soul? Yes! but I am not free from concern and conviction over my sins and my infirmities. I love Christ but not as I should or as I desire. I am satisfied with Him, His mercy, His grace, and His love; but I will never be totally satisfied until I wake with His likeness.
Do you have peace? Yes! but that peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace in any situation or condition is NOT based on my merit, feelings, nor religious duties.
CHRIST IS MY PEACE! He said, “In ME ye have peace. In the world ye shall have trouble.”
Any man or woman who claims continual, uninterrupted joy, rest, and peace in this world is either not telling the truth or has no connection with reality!
True joy, rest, and peace are things we enjoy in Christ IN THE MIDST of troubles, afflictions, and infirmities.
Paul’s exhortation was “rejoice in the Lord.”
When I am conscious of my weakness, failures, and sins, I rejoice in Christ, my righteousness.
When I am concerned about food, clothing, and shelter, I rejoice in Christ, my provider.
When I am sick, Christ is my healer.
When I am grieved, Christ is my comfort.
When I am faced with death, Christ is my life!
So it is not necessary to put on a false face and deceive others. We are still human; but our peace, rest, and joy is Christ!
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on Thee.”