Sunday, June 7, 2015

His Grace Supplies My Faith

It is His grace that supplies and sustains my faith, not my faith that supplies and sustains His grace. God supplies the grace and His grace supplies the faith.

SANK IN THE MUD

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

FORMS

(Arthur Pink, "An Exposition of the Gospel of John")

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you!" John 15:18-19 

"Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you!" 1 John 3:13 

The professing Church has boasted that it would convert the world. To accomplish this aim, it has sought to "popularize" religion. Innumerable devices have been employed to attract the ungodly--many of which even a sense of propriety should have suppressed! 

The result has been that the world has converted the professing Church! 
But notwithstanding this, it still remains true that the world hates the true followers of the Lamb. And nowhere is this more plainly evident, than in those who belong to what we may term the religious world!

If you resolve that by Divine grace you will live godly in Christ Jesus--then know you that persecution must be your portion. And that persecution will come upon you not from atheists and infidels--but from those bearing the name of Christians. It will issue from those who still keep up a form (or semblance) of godliness, but who are strangers to its living power. It will come to you from empty professors whose compromising ways are condemned by your refusal to conform thereto; whose worldliness and carnality is rebuked by your spirituality. 

Remember, it was the religious leaders who hounded the Savior to His death!

STEERED BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE

(Charles Spurgeon, "Esther Defeats her Enemies")

"In his heart a man plans his course--but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 
"Many are the plans in a man's heart--but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21 
"A man's steps are directed by the LORDHow then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24 
Do not judge divine providence in little pieces--it is a grand mosaic, and must be seen as a whole

The Lord's wisdom is seen in arranging the smallest events so as to produce great results. We frequently hear people say of a pleasant or a great event, "What a providence! This is the finger of God!"--while they are silent as to anything which appears less important, or has an unpleasant savor.

But the place of the flower upon the hillside--is as fixed as the station of a king! And the dust which is raised by a cart-wheel--is as surely steered by divine providence as the planet in its orbit! 

There is as much providence in the creeping of an insect upon a rose leaf--as in the marching of an army to ravage a continent!

Everything, the most minute, as well as the most magnificent--is ordered by the Lord who has prepared His throne in the heavens, whose kingdom rules over all. 

Whatever the event may be, the attentive eye will as clearly see the Lord's providential hand. 

I am sure that God is in the world, yes, and is at my own fireside, and in my chamber--and manages my affairs, and orders all things for me, and for each one of His redeemed children. We need no miracles to convince us of His working,the wonders of His providence are as great marvels as miracles themselves.

"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