"It is appointed unto all once to die — and after death, the judgment!" Hebrews 9:27
O my Father, You are daily loading me with Your benefits — giving me unnumbered causes for gratitude and thankfulness. No earthly friend could have loved and cared for me like You. Oh may the life You are thus preserving by Your unceasing bounty — be unreservedly dedicated to Your praise.
O my Father, keep me mindful that I am soon to be done with this fleeting world — that I am fast borne along the 'stream of time' — to the ocean of endless futurity!
May I be living in a constant state of preparedness for that solemn hour when small and great shall stand before You, and the books shall be opened. Train me foreternity! Let me not be frittering away these fleeting, but precious moments. Impress on me the solemn conviction that "as men live — so do men die;" that as deathleaves me — so judgment will find me; and as judgment finds me — so eternity will keep me.
Oh let death leave me falling asleep in Jesus, united to Him by a living faith — so that judgment may find me seated at His right hand, listening to the joyous welcome,"Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!"
Blessed Jesus, all my hope of a glorious resurrection centers in You. I look to You as the strong tower which cannot be shaken. I flee anew to the holy sanctuary of Your covenant love. Sheltered there, amid a dissolving earth, and burning worlds — I shall be able joyfully to utter the challenge, "Who shall separate me from the love of Christ?"
Keep me from all negligence and unwatchfulness. Trim my flickeringlamp. Let me live with Your Judgment-throne in view. May I ever remember — that I must soon give an account of myself to You, the infallible searcher of all hearts. May I feel that all the talents and means which You have given me — are trusts to be laid out for You. When you come to demand a reckoning, may I not be among the number of those who have hidden their talent in the earth, and have the cheerless retrospect of a misspent life.
May every providential voice sound loud in my ears, "Arise and depart — for this is not your rest, because it is defiled — it is ruined, beyond all remedy!"
Make me more heavenly-minded. Give me more of a pilgrim attitude — and a pilgrim spirit. May I ever feel that my true home is above — and that I am here on earth, but a wayfarer and sojourner, as all my fathers were. May I attain, as I advance nearer to Heaven, the blessed habit of a holy life, declaring plainly that I am seeking "a better country."
I delight often to anticipate that happy time, when I shall suffer no more — and sin no more!
We may learn the folly and madness of the greater part of mankind in that for the sake of present, momentary gratification, they run the venture of enduring all these eternal torments. They prefer a small pleasure, a little wealth, or a little earthly honor and greatness that can last but for a moment to an escape from this punishment. If it be true that the torments of hell are eternal, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mar 8:37)…Eternal misery, though they lie every day exposed to it, is a thing neglected…And if they do take pains for a little while, they soon leave off: somethingelse takes up their thoughts and concern.
Thus you see it among young and old. Multitudes of youth lead a careless life, taking little care about their salvation. So you may see it among persons of middle age and with many advanced in years, when they certainly draw near to the grave…How strange is it that men can enjoy themselves and be at rest when they are thus hanging over eternal burnings. At the same time…not knowing how soon the thread by which they hang will break, nor indeed do they pretend to know. And if it breaks, they are gone, they are lost forever, and there is no remedy!...
I shall improve this subject in a use of exhortation to sinners to take care to escape these eternal torments. If they be eternal, one would think that would be enough to awaken your concern and excite your diligence. If the punishment be eternal, it is infinite, as we said before. Therefore, no other evil, no death, no temporary torment that you ever heard of or that you can imagine is anything in comparison with it…Therefore here,
(1) Be entreated to consider attentively how great and awful a thing eternity is…Do but consider what it is to suffer extreme torment forever and ever; to suffer it day and night, from one year to another, from one age to another, from one thousand ages to another, and so adding age to age and thousands to thousands, in pain, in wailing and lamenting, groaning and shrieking, and gnashing your teeth; with your souls full of dreadful grief and amazement, with your bodies and every member full of racking [pain] without any possibility of getting ease; without any possibility of moving God to pity by your cries; without any possibility of hiding yourselves from Him; without any possibility of diverting your thoughts from your pain; without any possibility of obtaining any manner of mitigation, help, or change for the better.
(2) Do but consider how dreadful despair will be in such torment. How dismal will it be, when you are under these racking torments, to know assuredly that you never, never shall be delivered from them; to have no hope. When you shall wish that you might be turned into nothing, but shall have no hope of it; when you shall wish that you might be turned into…a serpent, but shall have no hope of it; when you would rejoice, if you might but have any relief, after you shall have endured these torments millions of ages, but shall have no hope of it. After you shall have worn out the age of the sun, moon, and stars in your dolorous[67] groans and lamentations, without rest day and night or one minute’s ease, yet you shall have no hope of ever being delivered. After you shall have worn a thousand more such ages, you shall have no hope, but shall know that you are not one whit nearer to the end of your torments—but that still there are the same groans, the same shrieks, the same doleful cries, incessantly to be made by you and that the smoke of your torment shall still ascend up forever and ever. Your souls, which shall have been agitated with the wrath of God all this while, will still exist to bear more wrath. Your bodies, which shall have been burning all this while in these glowing flames, shall not have been consumed but will remain to [burn] through eternity, which will not have been at all shortened by what shall have been past…The more the damned in hell think of the eternity of their torments, the more amazing will it appear to them. Alas! They will not be able to keep it out of their minds. Their tortures will not divert them from it but will fix their attention to it. O how dreadful will eternity appear to them after they shall have been thinking on it for ages together and shall have so long an experience of their torments! The damned in hell will have two infinites perpetually to amaze them and swallow them up: One is an infinite God, Whose wrath they will bear and in Whom they will behold their perfect and irreconcilable enemy. The other is the infinite duration of their torment.
A man in his present state, without any enlargement of his capacity, would have a vastly more lively impression of eternity than he has, if he were only under some pretty sharp pain in some member of his body and were at the same time assured that he must endure that pain forever. His pain would give him a greater sense of eternity than other men have. How much more will those excruciating torments that the damned will suffer have this effect!...O be entreated, ye that are in a Christless state and are going on in a way to hell, that are daily exposed to damnation, to consider these things. If you do not, it will surely be but a little while before you will experience them, and then you will know how dreadful it is to despair in hell. It may be before this year, this month, or this week is at an end, before another Sabbath or ever you shall have opportunity to hear another sermon.
(3) That you may effectually escape these dreadful and eternal torments, be entreated to flee and embrace Him Who came into the world for the very end of saving sinners from these torments. [Jesus Christ] has paid the whole debt due to the divine Law and exhausted eternal [sufferings] in temporal sufferings. What great encouragement it is—to those of you who are sensible that you are exposed to eternal punishment—that there is a Savior provided, Who is able and Who freely [saves sinners] from that punishment in a way that is perfectly consistent with the glory of God—yea, [in a way] that is more to the glory of God than it would be if you should suffer the eternal punishment of hell. For if you should suffer that punishment, you would never pay the whole of the debt. Those who are sent to hell never will have paid the whole of the debt that they owe to God, nor indeed a part that bears any proportion to the whole…Justice therefore never can be actually satisfied in your damnation, but it is actually satisfied in Christ. Therefore, He is accepted of the Father, and all who believe are accepted and justified in Him. Therefore, believe in Him, come to Him, commit your souls to Him to be saved by Him. In Him, you shall be safe from the eternal torments of hell. Nor is that all: but through Him, you shall inherit inconceivable blessedness and glory that will be of equal duration with the torments of hell. For as at the Last Day the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, so shall the righteous, or those who trust in Christ, go into life eternal.
From “The Eternity of Hell Torments” in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2, reprinted by The Banner of Truth Trust, www.banneroftruth.org.
"Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able!" Luke 13:24
I do not wonder that so many are deceived, when I see the careless way in which they deal with their souls. When men have to do with their estates, they are very careful; they pay a lawyer to go back over the title-deeds perhaps for two or three hundred years. Intrade they will hurry hither and thither to attend to their commercial engagements; they would not launch into speculations, nor would they run great risks.
But the soul, the poor soul — how men play with it as a toy, and despise it as if it were worthless! Two or three minutes in the morning when they first roll out of bed, two or three odd minutes in the evening, when they are nearly asleep — the fag-ends of the day given to their souls, and all the best part given to the body!
And then, with what indifference do you lend your ears too often to the preaching of the Word! It is an old song; you have heard it so many times; Heaven has become a trifle to you, Hell is almost a jest, eternity an empty notion, and death but a bugbear!
Alas! it is a marvel that there are not more deceived. The wonder is that any find the gate, that any discover eternal life, when we are so, so mad, so foolish, so insane — as to trifle where we ought to be solemnly in earnest; and to play and toy — where the whole heart should be given to a work of such everlasting importance. God help us, since it is so easy to be deceived — to search, and watch, and look, and test, and try, that we be not found castaways at the last!
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it!" Matthew 7:13-14
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3
Blessed is the man who has such a promise as this! But we must not always estimate the fulfillment of a promise — by our own eye sight. How often, my brethren, if we judge by feeble sense, may we come to the mournful conclusion of Jacob, "All these things are against me!" For though we know our interest in the promise, yet we are so tried and troubled — that sight sees the very reverse of what that promise foretells. But to the 'eye of faith' this word is sure, and by it we perceive that we are prospered, even when everything seems to go against us.
It is not outward prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is soul prosperity which he longs for. Even in adversity, there is a true prospering, for it is often for the soul's health — that we would be poor, afflicted and tried. Our worst things — are often our best things! As there is a curse wrapped up in the wicked man's mercies — so there is a blessing concealed in the godly man's crosses, losses and sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit.
"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 notdepend 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!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9P5QH5On3I
http://www.gracegems.org/2011/02/precious.html
Thursday, December 17, 2015
The most generally prevailing and ensnaring sin
"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person,
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Ephesians 5:5
(Letters of John Newton)
"For of this you can be sure: that no sexually immoral or impurenor covetousness person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of God." Ephesians 5:5
What is covetousness?
Covetousness is a sin from which few people are entirely free. It is eminently a deceitful sin! It is decried and condemned inothers--by multitudes who live in the habit of it themselves! It is very difficult to fix a conviction of this sin--upon those who are guilty of it!
Whether drunkards or profligates regard the warnings of the preacher or not, when he declares that those who persist in those evil practices, shall not inherit the kingdom of God--they at least know their own characters, and are sensible that they are the people intended.
But if the preacher adds, "nor the covetousness person--such a man is an idolater" --the covetous man usually sits unmoved, and is more ready to apply the threatening to his neighbor--than to himself! If he now and then gives a few dollars to some charity--he does not suspect that he is liable to the charge of covetousness!
I consider covetousness as the most generally prevailing and ensnaring sin, by which professors of the gospel, in our materialistic society, are hindered in their spiritual progress. A disposition deeply rooted in our fallen nature, strengthened by thecustom of all around us, the power of habit, and the fascinating charm of wealth--is not easily counteracted.
If we are, indeed, genuine believers in Christ--we are bound by obligation, and required by our Scriptural rule--to set our affections on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. Christ has called us out of the world, and cautioned us against conformity to its spirit. While we are in the world--it is our duty, privilege, and honor--to manifest that grace which has delivered us from the love of the world. Christians must indeed eat and drink, and may buy and sell, as other people do. But the principles, motives, and ends of their conduct, are entirely different--they are to adorn the doctrine of God their Savior, and to do all for His glory!
The Christian knows that it is not necessary to be rich, or to be admired or envied by the vain unthinking world--and that it is absolutely necessary for him to maintain peace of conscience, and communion with God. In these respects, all God's people, however differently situated--are exactly upon a par.
But, alas! how many who profess to know and value the gospel--are far otherwise minded! The chief mark of their profession, is their attendance on Sunday services! At other times, and in other respects--they are not easily distinguished from the ungodly world! Their houses, furniture, tables, and other belongings; and the manner in which they seek worldly things--sufficiently proves them to be covetous! Their love of money, and the desire of more--are always in exercise. They attempt to look two ways at once--and to reconcile the incompatible claims of God--and mammon! They rise early, go to bed late, and eat the bread of worry--that they may be able to vie with the world in their possessions; and to lay up snares, and thorns, and encumbrances for their children!
Often, they already have a lawful employment, which affords a competence for a comfortable support. But if opportunity offers, they eagerly catch at some other prospect of gain, though they thereby double their anxieties, and encroach still more upon thattime (too little before) which they should allot to the concerns of their souls!
Such opportunities they call providential openings, and perhaps say they are thankful for them; not considering that suchopenings of Providence are frequently temptations or tests, which the Lord permits a man to meet with--to prove what is in his heart, and to try him, whether his affections are indeed set on the things above--or still cleave to the earth!
For those who, as the apostle expresses it, "long to be rich," who will strain every nerve to be found in the list of the wealthy--may, and often do, obtain the poor reward they seek. As in the case of Israel, when, not satisfied with bread from heaven, they clamored for meat. God gives them their desire--but with it, sends leanness into their souls. They expose themselves to temptations and snares, to foolish passions and pursuits; and thus too many, who promised fair at the first setting out, aredrowned in destruction and perdition! For it is written in the Scripture, "For of this you can be sure: that no covetousness person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of God." Ephesians 5:5 And the Scriptures cannot be broken!
"For the love of money is the root of all evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows!" 1 Timothy 6:10. Who can enumerate the many sorrows with which the covetous and worldly-minded professor is pierced! Sooner or later, his schemes are broken; losses and crosses, disappointments and and anxieties, wear down his spirit. Improper connections, which he formed, because he longed to be rich, become thorns in his sides and in his eyes! He trusted in men--and men deceive him! He leaned upon a weak reed--which breaks, and he falls! Thus he finds that the way of transgressors and backsliders is hard!
If therefore, my dear reader, you wish to avoid trouble, and to pass through life as smoothly as possible, take heed and beware of covetousness! John Newton http://www.gracegems.org/
Theodore Cuyler, "Wayside Springs from the Fountain of Life" 1883)
The richest blessing that prayer can bring--is to bring us into closer communion and agreement with the all-holy and the all-loving God. The very first essential to all right prayer--is unconditional submissiveness to God's will. "Find your happiness in God--and He will give you the askings of your heart." This is the exact rendering of Psalm 37:4, and it throws a flood of light upon the important question of--what is right prayer--and what is wrong prayer. A great deal of prayer is born of selfishness, and takes on the airs of dictating to our Heavenly Father. It is not humble supplication, born of a devout, submissive spirit; but it amounts to a demand. God's promises to His children are not unconditional; and we may presume to dictate to the God of wisdom and of love.
What is laid down distinctly, as the indispensable quality of right asking in the above quoted verse? It is a right feeling towards God. When a soul comes into such an entire submissiveness towards God that it can honestly say, "Nevertheless, not as I will--but as You will;" when that soul delights in seeing God reign, and in seeing His glory advanced--then its desires will be so purified from the dregs of selfishness, that they may be fearlessly poured out before God. In this frame of unselfish submissiveness, the soul may indeed come boldly to the throne of grace, and ask for grace suited to its every need. The desires of God--and the desires of a sincere Christly soul, will then agree. God loves to give to those--who love to be submissive to Him. They are as willing to accept His "no" as His "yes," for they are seeking not their own desires and glory--but His! As a kind father loves to grant the reasonable requests of a dutiful son, so does our Heavenly Father love to grant righteous and reasonable requests of His children!
A man stands in a row-boat out on a lake, and pulls upon a line attached to the shore. His pull does not move the solid ground one hair's breadth--but it does move his boat towards the land. In like manner, when I attach the line of my desire, fast to the everlasting throne, my faith does not expect to move the throne--but to draw me closer to it. When I get more and more into harmony with God--I receive all that my heart most desires. Finding my happiness in Christ--I am satisfied. Money, health, promotion, ease, and all kindred worldly cravings, are only lawful--when they are subordinated to God's higher desires for me.
The question now arises, What are right desires? As far as my ignorance has been enlightened by the Word, I would reply that every desire is a right one--which aims only to please God--and not SELF. Grace does not forbid desires--but it purifies and directs our desires. Nay, the Bible exhorts us to "eagerly desire the greater gifts." 1 Corinthians 12:28. Wisdom from above, strength for the hour of need, faith, grace, love and kindred blessings, are in harmony with God's promises. These are the very things which God has told us to covet!
Our Heavenly Father does not hand the reins over to us--when our selfishness grasps after them. Nor does He allow our ignorance to be the judge of what is best for us. He often surprises us by sending something better than what we petitioned for. But infinitely the best thing which He can give us--is His favor and grace. If we find our supreme happiness in these--oh, how our souls are purified from all base, selfish, wayward, and wicked desires! And with what banqueting on His love, and with what foretastes of heaven--are our best askings answered!
