Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Absolute Assurance

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Several times in the Scriptures the LORD hath said this. 

He has often repeated it to make our assurance doubly sure.

Let us never harbor a doubt about it. 

In itself the promise is specially emphatic. 

In the Greek it has five negatives, each one definitely shutting out the possibility of the LORD's ever leaving one of His people so that he can justly feel forsaken of his God. 

This priceless Scripture does not promise us exemption from trouble, but it does secure us against desertion.

We may be called to traverse strange ways, but we shall always have our LORD's company, assistance, and provision. 

We need not covet money, for we shall always have our God, and God is better than gold; His favor is better than fortune.

We ought surely to be content with such things as we have, for he who has God has more than all the world besides. 

What can we have beyond the Infinite? 

What more can we desire than almighty Goodness. 

Come, my heart; if God says He will never leave thee nor forsake thee, be thou much in prayer for grace that thou mayest never leave thy LORD, nor even for a moment forsake His ways. 

~Charles Spurgeon~

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Stand Still

Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. 

He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut upon the right hand and on the left. 

What is he now to do?

The Master's word to him is "stand still."

It will be well for him if, at such times, he listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions.

Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." 

But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness.

Cowardice says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of action; you cannot play the Christian's part; it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles."

But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it, if you are a child of God. 

His Divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. 

What if for a while thou art called to stand still; yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time.

Precipitancy cries, "Do something; stir yourself; to stand still and wait is sheer idleness." 

We must be doing something at once--we must do it, so we think-instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something, but will do everything.

Presumption boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it, and expect a miracle." 

But faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands.

Stand still...keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice...

And it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, Go forward.

~Charles Spurgeon~
     
 Be quiet! why this anxious heed About thy tangled ways?
 

God knows them all. He giveth speed And He allows delays.

Tis good for thee to walk by faith And not by sight.

Take it on trust a little while. 

Soon shalt thou read the mystery aright In the full sunshine of His smile.

In times of uncertainty, wait. 

Always, if you have any doubt, wait. 

Do not force yourself to any action. 

If you have a restraint in your spirit, wait until all is clear, and do not go against it.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Christmas Is Coming!


Jer 10:1  Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

Christmas is coming! Quite so-but what is "Christmas?"

Does not the very term itself denote it's source, "Christ-mass." 

It is of Roman origin, brought over from paganism.

But, says someone, "Christmas is the time when we commemorate the Savior's birth."


It is?

And who authorized such commemoration?

Certainly God did not.

The Redeemer bade His disciples to "remember" Him in His death...

But there is not a word in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, which tells us to celebrate His birth

Moreover, who knows when, in what month, He was born?

The Bible is silent thereon.

And WHO is it that celebrates "Christmas?" 


The whole "civilized world." 

Millions who make no profession of faith in the blood of the Lamb, who "despise and reject Him". 

We would ask: Is it fitting that Christ's friends should unite with His enemies in a worldly round of fleshly gratification? 

Does any true believer really think that He whom the world cast out, is either pleased or glorified by such participation in the world's joys?

Truly, the customs of the people are vain! It is written, "You shall not follow a multitude to do evil." Exodus 23:2

Some will argue for the "keeping of Christmas" on the ground of "giving the kiddies a good time." 


But why do this under the cloak of honoring the Savior's birth?

Why is it necessary to drag in His holy name in connection with what takes place at that season of carnal jollification?

There are those who do abstain from some of the grosser carnalities of the "festive season"--yet are they nevertheless in cruel bondage to the prevailing custom of "Christmas".

In the sight of God, the circus and the theater are far less obnoxious than the "Christmas celebration" of Romish and Protestant "churches."


Why? Because the latter are done under the cover of the holy name of Christ-the former are not.

You shall not follow a multitude to do evil.


Ah, it is an easy thing to float with the tide of popular opinion...

But it takes much grace, diligently sought from God, to swim against it. 

Yet that is what the heir of Heaven is called on to do: "Do not be conformed to this world"...to deny self, take up the cross, and follow a rejected Christ.

Our final word is to the pastors...


To you the Word of the Lord is, "You should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). 

Is it not true, that the most corrupt "churches" you know of, where almost every fundamental of the faith is denied--will have their "Christmas celebrations?"

Will you imitate them?

Seek grace to firmly but lovingly set God's truth on this subject before your people, and announce that you can have no part in following Pagan, Romish, and worldly customs!

~Arthur Pink~

Monday, December 18, 2017

And Then He TurnsThe Picture!

He told them this parable: The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.

He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops!' 

Then he said, This is what I will do.

I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

And I will say to myself: You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. 

Take life easy-eat, drink and be merry!
 

But God said to him, You fool!

This very night your life will be demanded from you. 

Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
 

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up treasure for himself-but is not rich toward God. Luke 12:16-21

Let us mark in these verses-what a withering exposure our Lord makes of the folly of worldly-mindedness.


He draws the picture of a rich man of the world, whose mind is wholly set on earthly things. 

He paints him scheming and planning about his property, as if he was master of his own life, and had but to say, "I will do a thing"-and it would be done.

And then He turns the picture
-and shows us God requiring the worldling's soul, and asking the heart-searching question, "You fool!...


This very night your life will be demanded from you. 

Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?

Folly, he bids us to learn-nothing less than folly, is the right word by which to describe the conduct of the man who thinks of nothing but his money. 


The man who "stores up treasure for himself-but is not rich toward God"...is the man whom God declares to be a fool!

It is a solemn thought, that the character which Jesus brings before us in this parable, is far from being uncommon. 


Thousands in every age of the world have lived continually doing the very things which are here condemned! 

Thousands are doing them at this very day! 

They are laying up treasure upon earth-and thinking of nothing but how to increase it.

They are continually adding to their hoards, as if they were to enjoy them forever-and as if there was no death, no judgment, and no world to come!

And yet these are the men who are called clever, and prudent and wise!


These are the men who are commended, and flattered and held up to admiration!

Truly the Lord does not see, as man sees! 

The Lord declares that rich men who live only for this world, are utter fools!

Let us pray for rich men. Their souls are in great danger!

Heaven, said a great man on his death-bed, "is a place to which few kings and rich men come."

Even when converted, the rich carry a great weight, and run the race to Heaven under great disadvantages. 


The possession of money has a most hardening effect upon the conscience. 

We never know what we may do-if we were to become rich. 

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Poverty has many disadvantages-but riches destroy far more souls than poverty!

~J. C. Ryle~

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Do Men Make Their Own Gods?

One great besetting sin of ancient Israel was idolatry...

And we who are the spiritual Israel are vexed with a tendency to the same folly! 

We no longer bow down to sticks and stones but Mammon still intrudes his golden calf...

And the shrines of pride are not forsaken.  

SELF in various forms, struggles to subdue the chosen ones under its dominion...

And the flesh sets up its altars wherever it can find space for them.

Children are often the cause of much sin in believers.

The Lord is grieved when He sees us doting upon them above measure...

They will live to be as great a curse to us as Absalom was to David, or they will be taken from us to leave our homes desolate.

If Christians desire to grow thorns to stuff their sleepless pillows...let them dote on their children! 

It is truly said that "they are not gods," for the objects of our foolish devotion are very doubtful blessings...

The solace which they yield us now is dangerous...

And the help which they can give us in the hour of trouble is little indeed.

Why, then, are we so bewitched with vanities?

We pity the poor heathen who adore a god of stone and yet worship a god of gold! 

Where is the vast superiority between a god of wood and one of flesh? 

The principle, the sin, the folly is the same in either case...

Only that in our case the crime is more aggravated because we have more light...

And sin in the face of it.

The heathen bows to a false deity but he has never known the true God.

But we commit two evils, inasmuch as we forsake the living God and turn unto idols!

May the Lord purge us all from this grievous iniquity!

The dearest idol I have known, Whatever that idol be; Help me to tear it from Thy throne, And worship only Thee!

~Charles Spurgeon~

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Have You Got A Heart For The LORD?


Mat 13:51  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
 
Mat 13:52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Have you got a heart for the Lord?

Have you got a heart for the Kingdom of God?

Really, is this a heart matter?

The Lord says that if you really have a heart, that is going to mean spiritual understanding.... 

There are people whose good hearts are not rebellious to the Lord. 

They are not the people who say, "I will not have the Lord's Words." 

They make a response to the Lord, and it comes from their hearts. 

But some good people have reservations. 

Some very good people say, "Now if I go all out for the Lord, you know what my friends will think of me? 

Do you know what the people in my church would say about me?

And you know, perhaps my position in business will be interfered with. 

I must be very careful. 

I must not lose my influence with others. 

I must think about what other people will think and say. 

Now, my committee expects this of me. 

If I really go all out for the Lord, my committee will be very angry.

Perhaps they will ask me to resign.

Do you see what I mean?

Very good people, but they are influenced by policy. 

I was talking to a man once, and as I talked to him, he saw what I was meaning. 

And when I was finished, this is what he said...

Yes, Mr. Sparks, you are quite right. I quite agree with you...

But if I was to go the way that you are going, I should offend all my friends. 

And in my work for the Lord, people would begin to withdraw their support with money. 

So I must think about my people and about the Lord's work.

Very good people, very devoted to the Lord. 

There is no doubt about it that they love the Lord, but you see these reservations. 

It says about Caleb of the Old Testament, that he had another spirit, and he wholly followed the Lord....

I say to you: have you understood all these things? 

I have much more to say to you about spiritual understanding. 

But, oh, how important it is that I should have eyes to see, to see behind the things that are said and done, and see the meaning of the Lord. 

These people only heard His Words, and saw His works, but they did not understand the meaning. 

And they lost so much. 

Ask the Lord to give you spiritual understanding.

And if you don't understand, don't say, I don't understand....

Go to the Lord and say, "Lord, make me understand. Open the eyes of my heart."

That will show that you mean business with the Lord...

And if you mean business with the Lord...

The Lord will mean business with you.

~T. Austin Sparks~

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Peace Whatever Exposure

It is the height of grace that Jehovah should be in covenant with man, a feeble, sinful, and dying creature. 

Yet the LORD has solemnly entered into a faithful compact with us...

And from that covenant He will never turn aside. 

In virtue of this covenant we are safe. 

As lions and wolves are driven off by shepherds, so shall all noxious influences be chased away. 

The LORD will give us rest from disturbers and destroyers.

The evil beasts shall cease out of the land. 

O LORD, make this Thy promise good even now!

The LORD's people are to enjoy security in places of the greatest exposure...

Wilderness and woods are to be as pastures and folds to the flock of Christ.

If the LORD does not change the place for the better, He will make us the better in the place.

The wilderness is not a place to dwell in, but the LORD can make it so...

In the woods one feels bound to watch rather than to sleep, and yet the LORD giveth His beloved sleep even there.

Nothing without or within should cause any fear to the child of God. 

By faith the wilderness can become the suburbs of heaven and the woods the vestibule of glory.

~Charles Spurgeon~