Grace to the Humble

“ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

The proud resist God: in their understanding they resist the truths of God; in their will they resist the laws of God; in their passions they resist the providence of God; therefore, no wonder that God resists the proud. How wretched the state of those who make God their enemy! God will give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, pray for it are thankful for it, and such shall have it. Submit your understanding to the truth of God; submit your wills to the will of his precept, the will of his providence. Submit yourselves to God, for he is ready to do you good. If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armor of God, and stand out against him, he will leave us. Let sinners then submit to God, and seek his grace and favor; resisting the devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or, hereafter, in eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before him.

- Matthew Henry

Choice

“Every time you make a choice you are turning into the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state of the other.”

 
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Pray for Persecuted Christians

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Corinthians 4: 8-10

I Will Do You No Hurt

The Believer's Daily Remembrancer by James Smith

I will do you no hurt. - Jeremiah 25:6

How is it possible that a God of love, who is full of compassion, plenteous in mercy, ready to forgive, waiting to be gracious, should do His children hurt? It cannot be. His dealings may cause us pain, but nothing shall by any means harm us.

We ought rather to argue with Paul, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" He sent His ancient people as captives to Babylon, but it was for their good; He allowed His children to be cast into the fiery furnace, into the lion's den, to be driven out to wander in sheep-skins and goat-skins, but He did not allow them to be hurt; all was sanctified to them, and the curse was turned into a blessing.

If He scourge us with one hand, He will support us with the other, and at last we shall come up before His throne, out of great tribulation, having washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Not one who has arrived safe in heaven will say that his God allowed him to be hurt, notwithstanding the trials endured by the way. Nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Lord, I would my all resign,
Gladly lose my will in Thine,
Careless be of things below,
Thee alone content to know;
Simple, innocent, and free,
Seeking all my bliss in Thee.

A Stone of Stumbling

 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore?: Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone, As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:30-33


Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road too Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. 
But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way.
~ The Message.

More Than Conquerors

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-38

Well Diggers and Rope Holders

That was the title of our sermon this evening. It was an exhortation to us regarding missions. The people in the ministry, pastors and missionaries, are the well diggers. We can pray for more of them, but in the meantime we can certainly serve them and the Lord as rope holders. This is the quote by William Carey that inspired the sermon:

After hearing an account of the spiritual needs of India, the secretary of the meeting remarked: "There is a gold mine in India, but it seems almost as deep as the center of the earth. Who will venture to explore it?" "I will venture to go down," said Carey, "but remember that you must hold the ropes."

And there are many ways we can participate in rope holding. Pray the Lord to show us each how we can do this.

Nothing Between

This wonderful hymn was spoken of in our sermon today. I just had to post this lovely rendition. Please turn off the music on the sidebar first.

My Grace Is Sufficient

The Believer's Daily Remembrancer by James Smith
"My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor 12:9

YOU need look to no other quarter for help, relief, or comfort. Jesus assures you that His grace is sufficient. You are welcome to it. You are exhorted to have it. To be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. It is sufficient to support you under every privation, to help you over every difficulty, to strengthen you for every duty, to mortify every lust, and to fill you with all joy and peace in believing. His grace is almighty, it is free, it is durable, it brings salvation. Look not at difficulties, dangers, or thy own weakness; but look to the free, powerful, and promised grace of Jesus. Go to His throne of grace this morning, on purpose to receive grace for this day; go every day, and whenever you feel weak, timid, or cast down. His grace was found sufficient for Paul, for the martyrs and saints, in the deepest trials, and it will be found sufficient for thee. He says, "I am the Lord thy God; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Come boldly to the throne of grace, that ye may obtain mercy and find grace to help you in time of need. Every one that asketh receiveth." O Jesus, make good Thy word in me!

Thy strength in weakness is display'd;
My soul this truth can relish now:
A worm upon Thy power is stay'd;
The weaker he, the stronger Thou:
My hope, my joy, is this alone -
My strength is Christ, THE MIGHTY ONE

Count the Cost

So the title of this post is the subject of this morning's sermon. Indeed, we must count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. There are many Scriptures which teach us that we must confess Him, follow Him, deny ourselves, take up our cross, and definitely not be ashamed to own Him. The following words from a hymn come to mind:

Jesus, and shall it ever be, a mortal man ashamed of thee?

Ashamed of thee whom angels praise, Whose glories shine through endless days!

Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend On whom my hopes of heav'n depend!

No; when I blush, be this my shame, That I no more revere His Name.

Ashamed of Jesus! yes, I may When I've no guilt to wash away,

No tear to wipe, no good to crave, No fears to quell, no soul to save.

~ Joseph Grigg, 1765

Beautiful Savior

Remember to turn off the music on the sidebar. Be blessed and give praise to our beautiful Savior.

Almost Gone

"But as for me--my feet were almost gone! My steps had well near slipped!" Psalm 73:2

Ah, how frequently have I been almost gone! I can call to mind places and times, when I have been in the very mouth of danger, on the brink of a fearful fall--and yet the Lord has held me up! But for 'special keeping'--where would I have been this morning? Andwhat would I have been? Blessed be God, though it was almost--it was not quite. This word, almost, has been sweet to my soul. Almost gone!--but altogether saved, through God's most free, and all-glorious grace!

- James Smith

The Shallowness of Worldly Possessions

The possession of the whole world, and all that it contains, will never make a person happy. Its pleasures are false and deceptive. Its riches, rank, and honors, have no power to satisfy the heart. So long as we have not got them they glitter, sparkle, and seem desirable. The moment we have them we find that they are empty bubbles, and cannot make us feel content. And, worst of all, when we possess this world’s good things, to the utmost bound of our desire, we cannot keep them. Death comes in and separates us from all our property forever. Naked we came upon earth, and naked we go forth, and of all our possessions we can carry nothing with us. Such is the world, which occupies the whole attention of thousands! Such is the world, for the sake of which millions are every year destroying their souls!

~ J.C. Ryle

A Lesson on Contentment

A bishop of the early church who was a remarkable example of contentment was asked his secret. The old man replied, " It consists in nothing more than making a right use of my eyes. In whatever circumstance I am, I first of all look up to heaven and remember that my principal business here is to get there. I then look down upon the earth, and remember how small a place I shall occupy in it when I die and am buried. I then look abroad in the world and observe what multitudes there are who are in all respects more unhappy than myself. Thus I learn where true happiness is placed, where all our cares must end, and what little reason I have to complain."

~Author Unknown, Borrowed from 15 Minutes with God for Grandma, by Emilie Barnes

Walking With God

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

They that would maintain a holy walk with God, must walk with him in ordinances as well as providences, etc. It is therefore recorded of Zachary and Elizabeth, that `they walked in all God's ordinances, as well as commandments, blameless'. And all rightly informed Christians, will look upon ordinances, not as beggarly elements, but as so many conduit-pipes, whereby the infinitely condescending Jehovah conveys his grace to their souls. They will look upon them as children's bread, and as their highest privileges. Consequently they will be glad when they hear others say, `Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord'. They will delight to visit the place where God's honor dwelleth, and be very eager to embrace all opportunities to show forth the Lord Christ's death till he come.

If you would walk with God, you will associate and keep company with those that do walk with him. `My delight', says holy David, `is in them that do excel' in virtue. They were, in his sight, the excellent ones of the earth. And the primitive Christians, no doubt, kept up their vigor and first love, by continuing in fellowship one with another. The apostle Paul knew this full well, and therefore exhorts the Christians to see to it, that they did not forsake the assembling of themselves together. For how can one be warm alone? And has not the wisest of men told us, that `As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend?' If we look, therefore, into church history, or make a just observation of our own times, I believe we shall find, that as the power of God prevails, Christian societies, and fellowship meetings prevail proportionably. And as one decays, the other has insensibly decayed and dwindled away at the same time. So necessary is it for those that would walk with God, and keep up the life of religion, to meet together as they have opportunity, in order to provoke one another to love and good works.

George Whitefield

Charity Never Fails

1 Corinthians 13:8, "Charity never faileth."

Nothing is more valuable and commendable, and yet, not one duty is less practiced, than that of charity. We often pretend concern and pity for the misery and distress of our fellow-creatures, but yet we seldom commiserate their condition so much as to relieve them according to our abilities; but unless we assist them with what they may stand in need of, for the body, as well as for the soul, all our wishes are no more than words of no value or regard, and are not to be esteemed or regarded: for when we hear of any deplorable circumstance, in which our fellow-creatures are involved, be they friends or enemies; it is our duty, as Christians, to assist them to the utmost of our power.

Geroge Whitefield
from the sermon "The great duty of charity recommeded"

True Worship

It is not your worshipping God by words in hymns and prayers, or sitting in a certain place, or covering your faces at certain times that is acceptable to him; true worship lies in your heart paying reverence to him, your soul obeying him, and your inner nature coming into conformity to his own nature, by the work of his Spirit in your soul; and because men can scarcely get the idea of this till the Holy Spirit gives it to them, this is a reason why it is so rare, so exceedingly rare.

Charles Spurgeon

God is God

Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying ' My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,' calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed it; I will also do it. ~ Isaiah 46:9-11

Oh how I've loved this passage for a long time, because it explains to us our God. How pleasantly surprised I was to find out it would be the sermon text for yesterday. How wonderful it was to reflect on:

The Person of God. God is God. What else can you say? There is no other God.

It is very necessary and important that we believe the truth that He is holy and high above all else in the universe.

If we are to live our lives as we should, we have to remember the amazing fact that God is sovereign and we are subject to His will.

What is better than that? God is God.

Complete in Christ

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10

Complete in Him! Oh, Lord, I flee,
Laden with this great thought, to Thee
With tears and smiles contending, cry,
Are words like these for such as I?

Complete in Him! No word of mine
is needed, Lord, to perfect Thine;
Wise Master-Builder, Let Thy hand
Fashion the fabric Thou hast planned.

Complete in Him! I nothing bring,
Am an imperfect, useless thing;
But human eyes shall joy to see
What God's dear hand shall add to me.

Complete in Him! Oh, longed-for-day,
When my poor, sinful heart can say,
Naught in myself, for ruin meet,
In Jesus Christ I stand complete!

~ From Golden Hours: Hymns and Songs of the Christian Life by Elizabeth Prentiss

Gratitude

The man believes that he is forgiven. What then? He feels gratitude to him who has pardoned him. Feeling gratitude, it is but natural that he should hate that which displeases his Saviour, and should love intensely that which is pleasing to him who saved him, so that faith operates upon the entire nature, and becomes the instrument in the hand of the regenerating Spirit by which all the faculties of the soul are put into the right condition. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he, but his thinkings come out of his believings; if he be put right in his believings, then his understanding will operate upon his affections, and all the other powers of his manhood, and old things will pass away, all things will become new through the wonderful effect of the faith, which is of the operation of God. Faith works by love, and through love it purifies the soul, and the man becomes a new creature. See ye then the wisdom of God? He may choose what way he will, but he chooses a way which at once guards his grace from our felonious boastings, and on the other hand produces in us a holiness which other wise never would have been there.

- Charles Spurgeon