Keep your heart!

Keep your heart!

(Arthur Pink)

"Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

The 'heart' is here put for our whole inner being. It is that which controls and gives character to all that we do.

To 'keep' — garrison or guard — the heart is the great work which God has assigned us. The enablement is His — but the duty is ours. We are to keep . . .
  the imagination from vanity,
  the understanding from error,
  the will from perverseness,
  the conscience clear of guilt,
  the affections from being set on inordinate or evil objects,
  the mind from being employed on worthless or vile subjects.
This, this is the work to which God has called us!

"The keeping and right managing of the heart in every condition, is the great business of a Christian's life!" John Flavel

This is too hard for me!

This is too hard for me!

(Alexander Smellie, "The Hour of Silence" 1899)

"Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place: Jehovah-Jireh — the Lord will provide!" Genesis 22:13-14

And what does He provide?

The Lord will provide BREAD when I am hungry. It seems natural to begin there. He has a care for my body as well as for my soul. 

He is certainly not desirous that I should.have wealth or distinction or the means of indulgence and display. But, if I trust Him, I shall get enough for comfort — if not enough for plenty; enough to rid me from unworthy worry — if not enough to free me from wholesome dependence and continuous faith. Every modest and present need, He is sure to satisfy.

The Lord will provide HELP when I am helpless. 

Is it the discipline of my own inner life? Is it to escape this enticing world? I am sufficient for none of these things.
Sometimes my road is rough,
sometimes it is steep,
sometimes it is dark,
sometimes it is slippery.
My heart whispers discouragement, and says, "This is too hard for me!" But, when I come to the place, I find that God Himself has solved my difficulties, and puts to flight my fears!

Best of all, my Lord will provide SALVATION when I am burdened with sin. It was a lamb for sacrifice which Jehovah-Jireh prepared on the bare summit of Moriah. And in fullness of time, on the green hill of Calvary, close beside mount Moriah — a better Lamb died by divine appointment and made reconciliation for my iniquity! In the presence of such a sacrifice, how full my joy should be! Jesus, the precious Lamb of God . . .
  breaks every fetter,
  unbars every door,
  forgives every debt!

How can so many people read the Bible but still die unbelieving?

Dead and dark seasons

Dead and dark seasons

(J. C. Philpot, "REVIEWS")

All Christians, even the most eminent servants of God, have their dead and dark seasons—when the life of God seems sunk to so low an ebb as to be hardly visible—so hidden is the stream by the mud-banks of their fallen nature.

By these very dark and dead seasons, the people of God are instructed. They see and feel what 'the flesh' really is—how alienated from the life of God;
they learn in whom all their strength and sufficiency lie; they are taught that in them, that is, in their flesh, dwells no good thing; that no exertions of their own can maintain in strength and vigor the life of God; and that all they are, and have—all they believe, know, feel,
and enjoy—with all their ability, usefulness, gifts, and grace—flow from the pure, sovereign grace—the rich, free, undeserved, yet unceasing goodness and mercy of God!

They learn in this hard school of painful experience, their
emptiness and nothingness—and that without Christ they
can do nothing. 

They thus become clothed with humility, that rare, yet lovely garb; cease from their own strength and wisdom; and learn experimentally that Christ is, and
ever must be, all in all to them, and all in all in them.

When You shall enlarge my heart.

When You shall enlarge my heart.

(Philpot, "Divine Enlargement and Spiritual Obedience")

"I will run the way of Your commandments, when
 You shall enlarge my heart." Psalm 119:32

The Word of God is full of precepts, but we are totally
unable to perform them in our own strength. We cannot,
without divine assistance, perform the precept . . .
  with a single eye to the glory of God, from heavenly motives, and
  in a way acceptable to the Lord,
without special power from on high.

We need a extraordinary power to be put forth in our hearts, a special work of the Spirit upon the conscience, in order to spiritually fulfill in the slightest degree, the least of God's commandments.

None but the Lord Himself can enlarge the heart of His people. None but the Lord can expand their hearts Godwards, and remove that narrowedness
and contractedness in divine things, which is thenplague and burden of a God fearing soul.

When the Lord is absent,
when He hides His lovely face,
when He does not draw near to visit and bless, the heart contracts in its own narrow compass.

But when the Lord is pleased to favor the soul with His
own gracious presence, and bring Himself near to the
heart, His felt presence opens, enlarges, and expands
the soul, so as to receive Him in all His love and grace.

The old man

The old man

The following is from Spurgeon's sermon,
   "INWARD CONFLICTS"

Why does God not remove the old sinful nature out of the Christian?

SIN REMAINING IN THE BELIEVER--
drives him humbly to confess his own nothingness, excludes all boasting from his tongue,
compels him to trust in his God,
takes away from him his propensity to trust in himself,
leads him to value the precious blood which cleanses him,
to prize the Holy Spirit who sanctifies him, to rejoice in the faithfulness, and patience, of God who still continues to be gracious to him.

And oh! what songs will the man of God sing when he gets to heaven!

How much sweeter will be the music, because of the conflict!
How much more glorious the victory, because of the warfare!

If I could be totally delivered from sin, root and branch, I
certainly would; but yet am I conscious that no Christian would glorify God so much in heaven as he now does, if there were not sin to be contended with. 

A creature that could not sin, could scarcely show forth much of the praise of God by its holiness;
but that the creature can sin, nay, that there is a strong
drawing towards sin, and yet the divine grace keeps a man from
it, and sanctifies him even to perfection, why this will make
the song come swelling up of "Hallelujah! hallelujah! hallelujah!"

If no adversaries had been fought, then no victories could have been won; if there were no temptations for us to struggle with, then there would have been no elbow-room for our faith, and no power for the display of the bare arm of God.

Many believers would have grown too proud to be borne with, if some infirmity had not plucked the plume from their helmets and made them mourn with brokenness of heart before God.

God can bring good out of evil by his overruling grace,
while on the other hand our good works have often been
the greatest curse we have ever had!

Good works have puffed us up, and so have led us into pride;
while our sins, though pulling us
 down, have, through almighty
grace, led us to work for eternity.

Gaze Upon That Face!

Gaze Upon That Face!

The following is from Spurgeon's sermon,
    "FRAGRANT GRACES"

I fear we do not enough Gaze Upon That Face covered with the
bloody sweat, for if we did, we would be more like him, we
would love him better; we would live more passionately for him,
and would spend and be spent, that we might promote his glory.

A sweet power

A sweet power
(Cudworth, 1647)

"Speaking the truth in love." Ephes. 4:15

When we would convince men of any error by the strength of truth, let us additionally pour
the sweet balm of love upon their heads. Truth and love are two of the most powerful things
in the world; and when they both go together, they cannot easily be withstood. 

The golden beams of truth, and the silken cords of love,
twisted together, will draw men on with a sweet power, whether they will or not.

Let us take heed we do not sometimes call that
'zeal for God and His gospel' which is nothing else but our own tempestuous and stormy passion.
True zeal is a sweet, heavenly, and gentle flame, which makes us active for God—but always within the sphere of love. It never calls for fire from heaven
to consume those who differ a little from us. It strives to save the soul—but hurts not the body. True zeal is a loving thing, and makes us always active to edification, and not to destruction.

The divine Craftsman

The divine Craftsman

(James, "The Widow Directed to the Widow's God" 1841)

"God disciplines us for our good, that we may
 share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10

God does not afflict His children willingly. He takes
no delight in seeing our tears—or hearing our groans.
But He does take delight in . . .
  doing us good,
  making us holy,
  conforming us to His own image, and
  fitting us to dwell in His own presence.

He treats us as the sculptor does the marble under
his hand, which from a rough unsightly mass, he
intends to carve into a splendid statue—a glorious
work of art. Every application of the chisel, every
blow of the mallet, is to strike off some bit of the
stone, which must be removed to bring out the
figure in perfection, which he designs to form.

In our case, how much is necessary to be struck off
from our corrupt nature, before we can be brought
into that form and beauty which it is the intention of
the divine Craftsman that we should bear. How much . . .
  pride,
  vanity,
  carnality,
  worldly-mindedness,
  self-sufficiency,
  independence,
  creature-love,
  earthly dependence;
must be removed by each blow of the mallet, and
each cut of the chisel, before the beauties of . . .
  holiness,
  humility,
  meekness,
  heavenly-mindedness;
and all the graceful proportions and features
of His own image, can be exhibited in us.

They shall not swoon, nor halt, nor turn back

They shall not swoon, nor halt, nor turn back

(John Angell James)

How full of encouragement is the language of the
prophet Isaiah, "But those who hope in the Lord will
find new strength. They will fly high on wings like
eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will
walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

This beautiful passage contains a promise of continued
supplies of grace and strength to all who really desire to
serve the Lord with integrity and simplicity. In the image
of the eagle, the prophet alludes to the strength of wing
and of vision possessed by this noble bird—whereby it
ascends to a lofty height, untired and undazzled—soaring
even above the fogs and mists of the lower regions of the
air, mounting above the very clouds, undeterred by the
lightning, and floating in the pure azure above!

Thus shall all who hope in the Lord rise higher and higher,
upon the mighty wings of strong devotion, and with the
unblinking eye of faith—into the regions of heavenly
mindedness; and shall approach nearer and nearer to
God—the sun of our spiritual day.

"They will run" in the heavenly race, for the crown of
immortal glory, "and not grow weary." Their strength,
instead of being exhausted, shall, contrary to what
occurs in bodily effort—be increased by exertion. No
length nor greatness of labor shall be too much for
them. God shall pour into their souls, fresh energy
for every fresh effort.

"They will walk and not be faint." Their pilgrimage
may be arduous; the road may be long and rugged;
often up steep ascents, and down into deep and rocky
crags, where every step is a labor—but they shall not
lose heart or hope; they shall not swoon, nor halt,
nor turn back—but go forwards, sustained by a
power greater than their own!

That hand can never smite you

That hand can never smite you

(J. C. Ryle, "Do You Believe?")

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." John 3:16

Reader, if God has given you His only begotten Son, beware of doubting His kindness and love, in any painful providence of your daily life! 

Never allow yourself to think hard thoughts of God. Never suppose that He can give you anything which is not really for your good. Remember the words of Paul: "He who spared not His own Son—but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things" (Romans 8:32)

See in every sorrow and trouble of your earthly pilgrimage—the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for your sins! That hand can never smite you—except in love! He who gave His only begotten Son for you, will never withhold anything from you which is really for your good. 

Lean back on this thought and be content. Say to yourself in the darkest hour of trial, "This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well."

What man needs

What man needs

(Horatius Bonar)

It is not 'opinions' which man needs—it is TRUTH!

It is not 'theology' which man needs—it is GOD!

It is not 'religion' which man needs—it is CHRIST!

Humbling, cheering, sanctifying, restraining

Humbling, cheering, sanctifying, restraining

(J. C. Ryle, "The Lord's Supper")

(1) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "humbling"
effect on the soul. The sight of the bread and wine as
emblems of Christ's body and blood, reminds us how
sinful sin must be—if nothing less than the death of God's
own Son could make satisfaction for it, or redeem us from
its guilt! Never should we be so "clothed with humility,"
as when we receive the Lord's Supper.

(2) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "cheering"
effect on the soul. The sight of the bread broken, and the
wine poured out—reminds us how full, perfect, and
complete is our salvation! Those vivid emblems remind us
what an enormous price has been paid for our redemption.
They press on us the mighty truth—that believing on Christ,
we have nothing to fear, because a sufficient payment has
been made for our sin debt. The "precious blood of Christ"
answers every charge that can be brought against us. God
can be "just and the one who justifies, those who have
faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).

(3) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "sanctifying"
effect on the soul. The bread and wine remind us how great
is our debt of gratitude to our Lord, and how thoroughly we
are bound to live for Him who died for our sins. They seem
to say to us, "Remember what Christ has done for you—and
ask yourself whether there is anything too great to do for Him!"

(4) Right reception of the Lord's Supper into hearts, has
a "restraining" effect on the soul. Every time a believer
receives the bread and the wine, he is reminded what a
serious thing it is to be a Christian, and what an obligation
is laid on him to lead a consistent life. Bought with such a
great price, as that which the bread and wine call to his
recollection, ought he not to glorify Christ in body and spirit,
which are His? The man who goes regularly and intelligently
to the Lord's Table finds it increasingly hard to yield to sin
and conform to the world.

Such is a brief account of the benefits which a right-hearted
Christian may expect to receive from the Lord's Supper. In
eating that bread and drinking that cup, such a man will have . . .
  his repentance deepened,
  his faith increased,
  his knowledge enlarged,
  his habit of holy living strengthened.
He will see more clearly what Christ is to him—and what
he is to Christ. He will feel the roots of his soul's spiritual
life watered, and the work of grace in his heart established,
built up, and carried forward. No wonder that a true
Christian finds the Lord's Supper a source of blessing!

Pithy gems from Charles Hodge!

Pithy gems from Hodge!

  ~ ~ ~ ~

To be in Christ — is the source of the Christian's life.
To be like Christ — is the sum of the Christian's excellence.
To be with Christ — is the fullness of the Christian's joy.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

The grace of God exalts a man without inflating him — and humbles a man without debasing him.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

"The gospel is so simple, that small children can understand it — and it is so profound, that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches!

  ~ ~ ~ ~

Christian humility does not consist in denying what there is of good in us — but in an abiding sense of ill-desert, and in the consciousness that what we have of good is due to the grace of God.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

This is true religion:
  to approve what God approves,
  to hate what God hates, and
  to delight in what God delights.

Turn the flame of envy—into a tear of pity!

Choice excerpts from Thomas Sherman

Turn the flame of envy—into a tear of pity!

"But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits!" Psalm 73:2-7

Why should I murmur at the prosperity of the wicked? Indeed when I viewed their wealth, and forgot their curse—my feet had almost slipped. But by entering the sanctuary of God, I perceived that all the blossoms of their glory must wither under the blastings of God's wrath! And all their external felicity only hastens the judgments of the Lord, and fills up the measure of their misery!

For what are their pleasures—but like the deceitful greeting of Joab to Amasa? (See 2 Samuel 20:9-10) What are their riches—but like Jael's present in a majestic bowl? (See Judges 5:24-27) It only makes way for the fatal nail—for their dreadful account at the day of judgment. Their prosperity slays them!

Now, who reckons that ox happy, which has a goodly pasture to feed himself—but only for the slaughter? Who envies that malefactor who has a sunny day—to ride to execution on? And why is it that the workers of iniquity flourish? Is it not that they may be destroyed forever? And the larger their pasture—the sooner they are fitted for their destruction!

Therefore, for my part, when I see a wicked man prosper in his wickedness, I will turn the flame of envy—into a tear of pity!

William Carey Biography - Missionary to India (1761-1834)

The Sin of Unbelief by C.H. Spurgeon Sermon

Anointing - Leonard Ravenhill

Audio of Leonard Ravenhill telling a story of someone who was converted, and then the measure they went to seek the anointing of God to preach.

Rich to all eternity!

           Rich to all eternity!

            (Charles Spurgeon)


No matter what your wealth, if you have not Christ — you are miserably poor.

 "The rich man also died and was buried. In Hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him: Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire!" Luke 16:22-24
But with Christ — you are rich to all eternity! "We have a priceless inheritance — an inheritance that is kept in Heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!" 1 Peter 1:4

Restoration of Joy (David Wilkerson)

Building For Eternity

Building For Eternity

By Oswald Chambers

      'For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?'
      Luke 14:28

      

Our Lord refers not to a cost we have to count, but to a cost which He has counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal and hatred, the deep unfathomable agony in Gethsemane, and the onslaught at Calvary - the pivot upon which the whole of Time and Eternity turns. 

Jesus Christ has counted the cost. Men are not going to laugh at Him at last and say - "This man began to build, and was not able to finish."

      

The conditions of discipleship laid down by Our Lord in vv. 26, 27 and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. 

9"If any man come to Me, and hate not...he cannot be My disciple." Our Lord implies that the only men and women He will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately and devotedly beyond any of the closest ties on earth. The conditions are stern, but they are glorious.

      All that we build is going to be inspected by God. Is God going to detect in His searching fire that we have built on the foundation of Jesus some enterprise of our own?

 These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein is the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. 

Jesus takes us over for His enterprises, His building schemes entirely, and no soul has any right to claim where he shall be put.

I want God, thats all! (L. Ravenhill)

 I want God thats all... My goal is God himself!

 Lets go back to Him! "If He is gonna come in, other things have to go out. Every area of you which is unclean He will purge!" (L Ravenhill)

 "And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. " (Jeremiah.24:7)

 "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:25-27) 

"Repent!" (Jesus)

 Full version of this sermon: Moved by the Holy Ghost (In 1991 by Leonard Ravenhill) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=564Xc...

Anointed for Battle by T. Austin-Sparks

Anointed for Battle
by T. Austin-Sparks


A brief word at the close of the Whitsun Conference.

We have been occupied in these days with the nature and effect of the fulfilment of the Promise of the Father. A promise made to the Son,

and then fulfilled through the Son to the Church, which is His Body. Thus the promise was ultimately revealed to be a corporate and not only a personal one as such. We have before pointed out that after His Baptism it is expressly and immediately affirmed that "He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." The Baptism was in type His acceptance at the very commencement of His ministry of the Cross — death, burial, resurrection — and all His teaching and working from thenceforward was on that ground and in that light. 

It is most significant and suggestive that the first activity under the anointing should be a deliberate encounter with the "Prince of this World." The battle of the ages is joined, the Eternal issue as the ultimate purpose of "The Promise" is taken up at once. The point with which we want to stay is this, that the express purpose and outworking of the anointing with the Holy Spirit is conflict — warfare.

What was true in His personal case has to be made true in His corporate case — that is, in the experience of the Body-instrument of His abiding outworking of victory. No one can ever come into a living spiritual experience and knowledge of the Cross without being immediately precipitated into this conflict. The essential issue of Calvary is the anointing with the Holy Spirit. The primary purpose of the anointing with the Spirit is the establishment of the sovereignty of Christ through His Church over the entire system of spiritual rebellion, revolt, anarchy, and hostility. Let it be a settled thing that identification with Christ implies and involves a warfare of increasing tensity from which there is no discharge in this life. So many there are who think that if only they can receive the Divine anointing they are going to have such a wonderful time; how rich and beautiful their lives will be; what power will be at their command, and what an end of all spiritual trouble.

Truly there is a blessed side to it and with all the conflict it is well worth while. But it will be as well to settle it at the outset that there is a sterner side where personal blessing, enjoyment and comfort become secondary to the great interests of the Body of Christ.

John Bunyan was given wisdom to put Hill Difficulty not far from the Cross. Pilgrim didn't get very far beyond the Cross when he met Hill Difficulty, and there is a suggestiveness to one in that which is full of rich and valuable significance, for it says in effect that the very nature of our Christian life is one of conflict, of battle, of warfare, and that our life absolutely depends upon it.

You take our physical organism and you discover that the whole organism of our bodies is planned and arranged and constituted upon a basis of warfare, and real health and real life in our physical being is simply on the basis of triumphant warfare — a battle going on all the time. Our organism creates its own difficulties which in their overcoming constitute real health and real life. There are those difficulties in our organism which are pathological — that is, disorder — and they work death. Now you take that into the realm of the Body of Christ, and you find it is very like this.

 Its very health depends upon its conflicts, and the organism of the Body of Christ is designedly constituted by the Lord Himself upon a basis of conflict, and the Church is never vigorous without warfare.

Plato's wish!

Plato's wish!

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Life" 1911)

"You are absolutely beautiful, my Beloved; there is no flaw in You!" Song of Songs 4:7

Plato expressed a desire that the moral law might become a living personage — that men seeing it thus incarnate, might be charmed by its beauty.

Plato's wish was fulfilled in Jesus Christ! The holiness and the beauty of the divine law were revealed in Him. The Beatitudes contain an outline of the ideal life — but the Beatitudes are only a transcript of the life of Christ Himself! What He taught about love — was but His own love stated in a course of living lessons for His friends to learn. When He said that we should be patient, gentle, thoughtful, forgiving, and kind — He was only saying, "Follow Me!"

If we could gather from the most godly people who ever have lived, the little fragments of lovely character which have blossomed out in each, and bring all these fragments into one personality — we would have the beauty of Jesus Christ!

In one person you find gentleness, in another meekness, in another purity of heart, in another humility, in another kindness, in another patience. But in the holiest of men, there are only two or three qualities of ideal beauty — along with much that is stained and blemished, mingled with these qualities.

In Christ, however, all that is excellent is found, with no flaw!

"You are absolutely beautiful, my Beloved; there is no flaw in You!" Song of Songs 4:7

Jesus is only precious to believers

 Jesus is only precious to believers

(James Smith, "Christ Precious!" 1861)

"Unto you therefore who believe — He is precious!" 1 Peter 2:7

Every believer VALUES Christ. Let others think of Him as they may — all who are taught of God, think highly of Him. They can never honor Him as they wish, or enjoy Him to their full satisfaction.

Every believer feels their NEED of him.
No weary traveler ever felt his need of rest,
no hungry laborer ever felt his need of food,
no drowning mariner ever felt his need of a life-boat
 — as the believer has felt his need of Christ!

They need to be saved — and only Christ can save them.

They need to be happy — and only Jesus can make them happy.

They need His blood to cleanse them from sin, and procure their pardon.

They need His righteousness to clothe their souls, and justify them before God.

They need His Spirit to sanctify their nature, and make them fit for Heaven.

They need His intercession to secure them from evil, and procure for them good things.
They need His fullness of grace to supply all their needs, from earth to Heaven.

Every believer discovers the exact SUITABILITY of Christ to them.

He is just what they need — He has all that they need!

They are foolish — and He has wisdom.

They are unrighteous — and He has righteousness.

They are unholy — and He has holiness.

They are weak — and He has strength.

They are in bondage — and He has redemption.

They are lost — and He has salvation.

In a word, they are led to see that God has stored up everything in Jesus — and that possessing Him, they have all things!

Every Christian believes on Him to the saving of the soul. They trust Him to procure their pardon, peace with God, and everlasting life.

Their heart goes out to Him,
they repose confidence in Him,
they commit their souls to Him,
they build on Him — as God's foundation;
they hide in Him — as the sinner's refuge; and
they trust themselves with Him — as the almighty Savior.

"Unto you therefore who believe — He is precious!"

But Jesus is only precious to believers. Others do not feel their need of Him, do not see His adaptation to them, and do not depend on Him for pardon, peace with God, and everlasting life.

Beloved, do you have this saving faith — which renders Christ so precious?

If so, admire the sovereign and distinguishing grace of God, which has conferred so great a blessing upon you — for not all are given saving faith.

If so, realize the importance of this faith — which renders Christ so precious.

It is the eye — which sees the beauty of Christ.
It is the foot — which travels to Christ.
It is the hand — which lays hold of Christ.
It is the mouth — which tastes the sweetness of Christ.
It is the inward principle — which clings and cleaves to Christ.

Avoid therefore whatever weakens faith, or interrupts its exercise; and prize whatever strengthens it, and makes it vigorous!

In one vast blaze of unobscured glory!

In one vast blaze of unobscured glory!

(John MacDuff, "The Promised Land" 1859)

"Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty!" Isaiah 33:17

To see the Savior as He is, in the splendors of His glorified humanity — is the highest and most attractive view which is given of the Heavenly world.

To see Him as He was, when He tabernacled here below — was a high privilege, one which prophets, and kings, and righteous men of old, ardently desired. But to behold Him . . .

  clothed with majesty divine,
  exalted above all blessing and praise,
  the object of celestial adoration,
  with all the heavenly hosts prostrate before His throne
 — that will be a blessed sight indeed!

Between the view that is enjoyed of the Redeemer's glory on earth, and that which is realized by the redeemed in Heaven — there is a threefold distinction:

In the first place, His glory, as seen here, is dark and obscure — but in Heaven it is clear and unclouded. The apostle speaks of our beholding Him now imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror. It is by means of certain indistinct mediums, such as the representations of His word and ordinances; but He will be seen above, face to face!

In the second place, His glory is beheld here, only in separate parts and portions. The things recorded of Him in the sacred writings are studied one by one, and, by comparing them together, we form a general estimate of His character. In some passages, we have an account of His person; in others, of His offices; in others, of His love or mercy. And it is by collecting these scattered fragments together, that our knowledge of Him is now obtained.

So it was with the spouse in the book of Canticles. She examined every part of His person by itself:

 His head was as fine gold;
 His cheeks were as a bed of spices;
 His lips were like lilies dropping sweet-smelling myrrh;
 His countenance was as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

And after having glanced at these several particulars — she comes to the conclusion that, "He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely!"

It is thus that the Savior is seen here on earth; but how will it be in Heaven? We shall see Him all at once — complete and entire, in one vast blaze of unobscured glory!

And, in the third place, the view we have of Christ on earth is only in occasional glances. There are seasons in the experience of every believer when he has to say with Job, "Behold I go forward — but He is not there; and backward — but I cannot perceive Him!" Or in the language of the prophet, "Truly, you are a God who hides Yourself!"

But, precious truth! the vision in Heaven will be perpetual; it will be altogether unbroken and undisturbed. "Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended!"

Blessed Jesus! reveal Yourself even now, according to Your promise, to my waiting soul; be it mine to enter in some feeble measure, into the feelings of Your disciples of old, when they said, "We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!" 

And, refreshed, quickened, transformed by the sight — may I be daily looking for, and hastening unto, the coming of that day when Your own prayer, offered on the night of Your great agony, shall be fully answered: "Father, I want those You have given Me — to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory — the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world!" Then shall I know how great Your beauty is — and what it is to be eternally enraptured with Your charms!

This is the God whom we adore!

This is the God whom we adore!

(Letters of John Newton)

"I know that the Lord is great — that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases Him — in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths!" Psalm 135:5-6

God rules all! And though He is concealed by a veil of second causes from common eyes, so that they can perceive only the means, instruments, and contingencies by which He works, and therefore think He does nothing; yet, in reality, He does all according to His own counsel and pleasure, in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.

Who can enumerate all the beings and events which are . . .
  incessantly before His eye,
  adjusted by His wisdom,
  dependent on His will,
  and regulated by His power!

If we consider the heavens, the work of His fingers, the moon and the stars which He has ordained; if we call in the assistance of astronomers to help us in forming a conception of the number, distances, magnitudes, and motions of the heavenly bodies — the more we search, the more we shall be confirmed that these are but a small portion of His ways! Without His continual energy upholding them — they would rush into confusion, or sink into nothing! They are all dependent upon His power, and obedient to His command.

To come nearer home, and to speak of what seems more suited to our scanty apprehensions — still we may be lost in wonder. With respect to mankind, He reigns with uncontrolled dominion over every kingdom, family and individual. Before this blessed and only Potentate, all the nations of the earth are but as the dust upon the balance, and the small drop of a bucket — and might be thought (if compared with the immensity of His works) scarcely worthy of His notice! Yet here He presides, pervades, provides, protects, and rules! All changes, successes, and disappointments — all that is memorable in the annals of history, all the risings and falls of empires, all the turns in human life — take place according to His sovereign plan!

In Him His creatures live, move, and have their being. From Him, is their food and preservation. The eyes of all are upon Him; what He gives, they gather — and can gather no more! And at His word they sink into the dust!

There is not . . .
  a worm which crawls upon the ground,
   or a flower which grows in the pathless wilderness,
   or a shell upon the sea-shore —
but bears the impress of His wisdom, power, and goodness!

He preserves man and beast, sustains the young lion in the forest, feeds the birds of the air, which have neither storehouse or barn, and adorns the insects and the flowers of the field with a beauty and elegance beyond all that can be found in the courts of kings!

All things serve Him, and are in His hands — as clay in the hands of the potter. Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints!

This is the God whom we adore! This is He who invites us to lean upon His almighty arm, and promises to guide us with His unerring eye!