When God laughs

When  God laughs

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David")

"The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them!" Psalm 2:4

Note God's derision of the rebellious! What will the King do unto those who reject Him? 

Mark the quiet dignity of the Omnipotent One, and the contempt which He pours upon His raging enemies. He has not taken the trouble to rise up and do battle with them—He despises them, He knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against Him. He therefore laughs at them! (Charles Spurgeon)

"The One enthroned in heaven . . ." Hereby it is clearly intimated,
(1) that the Lord is far above all their malice and power;

(2) that He sees all their plots, looking down on all;

(3) that He is of omnipotent power, and so can do with His enemies just as He desires. "Our God is in the heavens! He has done whatever He has pleased." (Arthur Jackson)

Sinners' follies are the righteous sport of God's infinite wisdom and power. 

Those attempts of the kingdom of Satan, which in our eyes are formidable, in God's eyes are despicable. (Matthew Henry)

"The One enthroned in heaven laughs". They scoff at us—but God laughs at them! Laugh? This seems like a harsh word at first view. But are the derision, the persecution and the injuries of his saints; and the cruelties of their enemies—a matter of laughter? God laughs—but it is in scorn; He scorns—but it is with vengeance. Short is the joy of the wicked! Oh, what are God's frowns—if His smiles are so terrible! (Thomas Adams)

The expression, "The One enthroned in heaven", at once fixes our thoughts on a being infinitely exalted above impotent man. And when it is said, "HE laughs," this is designed to convey to our minds the idea, that the greatest confederacies among kings and peoples, and their most extensive and vigorous preparations to defeat HIS purposes—are in HIS sight altogether insignificant and worthless! HE looks upon their poor and puny efforts, not only without uneasiness or fear—but HE laughs at their folly! HE treats their impotency with derision. He knows how HE can crush them like a moth when HE pleases—or consume them in a moment with the breath of HIS mouth! How profitable it is for us to be reminded of truths such as these! Ah! it is indeed a vain thing for the potsherds of the earth to strive with the glorious Majesty of Heaven! (David Pitcairn)

As well might a babe step between the railroad tracks!

As well might a babe step between the railroad tracks!

(Arthur Pink, "The Godhood of God")

"All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of Heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: What have you done?" Daniel 4:35

As well might a worm seek to resist the tread of an elephant;
as well might a babe step between the railroad tracks and attempt to push back the on-rushing train;
as well might a child seek to prevent the ocean from rolling —
as for a creature to try and resist the outworking of the purpose of the Lord God!

Ah, my reader, this is the first great lesson we have to learn:
  that God is the Creator — and we are the creature;
  that He is the Potter — and we are the clay!

"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in Heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you!" 2 Chronicles 20:6

The Waters Of Satisfaction Scattered

The Waters Of Satisfaction Scattered

By Oswald Chambers


'Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.' 2 Samuel 23:16       

What has been like water from the well of Bethlehem to you recently - love, friendship, spiritual blessing? Then at the peril of your soul, you take it to satisfy yourself. If you do, you cannot pour it out before the Lord. 

You can never sanctify to God that with which you long to satisfy yourself. If you satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you; you must sacrifice it, pour it out, do with it what common sense says is an absurd waste.       
How am I to pour out unto the Lord natural love or spiritual blessing? In one way only - in the determination of my mind. 

There are certain acts of other people which one could never accept if one did not know God, because it is not within human power to repay them. But immediately I say - This is too great and worthy for me, it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out unto the Lord, then these things pour out in rivers of living water all around.

 Until I do pour these things out before the Lord, they endanger those I love as well as myself because they will turn to lust. We can be lustful in things which are not sordid and vile. Love has to get to its transfiguration point of being poured out unto the Lord.      

 If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you clutched it for yourself; whereas if you had poured it out unto the Lord, you would have been the sweetest person out of heaven. 

If you are always taking blessings to yourself and never learn to pour out anything unto the Lord, other people do not get their horizon enlarged through you.

God's most comforting attribute!

God's most comforting attribute!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

There is no attribute of God more comforting to His children than that of God's sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe . . .
  that Sovereignty has ordained their afflictions,
  that Sovereignty overrules them, and
  that Sovereignty will sanctify them all.

There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend, than . . .
  the doctrine of their Master ruling over all creation,
  the kingship of God over all the works of His own hand,
  the throne of God, and His right to reign upon that throne.

"Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases!" Psalm 115:3

"All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth." Daniel 4:35

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!" Revelation 19:6


"To be God and sovereign are inseparable!" (Stephen Charnock)

"Sovereignty characterizes the whole being of God. He is sovereign in all His attributes!" (Arthur Pink)

"God has sovereign right to dispose of us as He pleases. We ought to acquiesce in all that God does with us and to us." (William Carey)

The Power of the Secret Closet (David Wilkerson)

How To Wait

Streams in the Desert

 How To Wait
     
      "Blessed is he that waiteth" (Dan. 12:12).
     
      It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.
     
      There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?
     
      No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.
     
      Wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.
     
      Wait in quiet patience. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities; but I will wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for Thee in full conviction that Thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower." --Morning by Morning
     
      Wait patiently wait,
      God never is late;
      Thy budding plans are in Thy Father's holding,
      And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
      Then wait, wait,
      Patiently wait.
      Trust, hopefully trust,
      That God will adjust
      Thy tangled life; and from its dark concealings,
     
      Will bring His will, in all its bright revealings.
      Then trust, trust,
      Hopefully trust.
      Rest, peacefully rest
      On thy Saviour's breast;
      Breathe in His ear thy sacred high ambition,
      And He will bring it forth in blest fruition.
      Then rest, rest,
      Peacefully rest!
      --Mercy A. Gladwin

Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth!

Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth!

(James Smith, "The Love of Christ! The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Savior's Grace Displayed!")

"I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love!
 With unfailing love, I have drawn you to Myself!" Jeremiah 31:3

The love of Christ is unending; it is not a passion of His humanity—but a perfection of His divinity. He has always existed—and He has always loved His people. His people . . .
  always had a place in His thoughts,
  have ever been before His eye, and have always been loved by Him!

He has loved them ever since He knew them—and He knew them from eternity! 
His love ran through the boundless ages of eternity past—and fixed upon poor sinners who were to appear during the existence of time; and having fixed upon them—His love maintains its unfailing hold!

When He created the earth, spread abroad the Heavens, and gave His decree to the sea—His love was fixed upon His people! 
Their welfare, in connection with His Father's glory—was the object which He sought in all things.

Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth! That Jesus should have fixed His love upon such poor, depraved, insignificant creatures—and that from eternity past!

When we meditate upon eternity past—we can say in reference to the most distant periods, "My Savior loved me then! He loved me from all eternity!" Glorious truth! He always has loved me—and He always will love me! He loved me . . .
  before angels existed,
  before devils appeared,
  before sin was committed!

He loved me—when the Godhead dwelt all alone! O the depths! Astonishing mystery! It seems too good to be true! But God has said it, and my soul shall rejoice in it and praise Him for it!

His love to me is as eternal as His nature—without beginning of days, or end of years.
From His love, as from a mighty ocean, flows . . .
  all the acts of His power,
  all the displays of His benevolence,
  all the manifestations of His grace, 9and all the provisions of His gospel.

It is sweet to silently meditate upon the thought, of such a vile and insignificant creature as I am—that Jehovah-Jesus not only thought of me—but eternally loved me with all the strength of His Deity! 

He so loved me, as to be willing, when it became necessary—to take my nature, and to save me by His humiliation, sufferings, and death!

A. W. Tozer Sermon - Jude