Our Portion

The Believer's Daily Remembrancer by James Smith
"The Lord is my portion." Lam 3:24

HOW poor is the worldling's possession, if compared with the Christian's portion; it is but for a few days; it cannot satisfy, it cannot bless. But, beloved, Jehovah hath given up Himself; He say, "I AM YOUR INHERITANCE." We are ever with Him, and all He has is ours. His power is ours to support us, His wisdom to guide us, His love to comfort us, His mercy to relieve us, His goodness to supply us, His justice to defend us, His covenant to secure us, and His heaven to receive us. He is a suitable, sufficient, and immutable portion. We are to live upon Him, draw from Him, rejoice in Him, and look to Him for all we need. For Him we renounce all other; to His glory all our efforts must be directed, and with Him we must daily walk. Men cannot deprive us of our portion, fire cannot consume it, nor rust corrupt it; let us not therefore be much affected by any thing that occurs below: if the streams are dried, the fountain remains; if creatures fail or deceive us, our God is the portion of our inheritance and of our cup; He maintains our lot, He is our strength, and OUR PORTION FOR EVER.

Begone, ye gilded vanities,
I seek the only GOOD;
To real bliss my wishes rise,
The FAVOUR OF MY GOD:
Thy love, my God, my portion be,
And let me find my all in Thee

O Sacred Head

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

(Please turn off music on sidebar, even though this precious hymn is there too. God bless each and every one of you as we remember His Passion and resurrection.)

He Set His Face

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

Oh how I love these words in the precious Word of God. They were read tonight as a part of the text for the sermon, which was primarily about God's plowmen. It was a good sermon on that topic, but for some reason my eyes kept fixing on the above verse. Since it's the beginning of Passion Week, as it's called, I wanted to reflect on the thought of my Savior doggedly determined to go to Jerusalem, knowing full well what awaited Him there. He unwaveringly "set his face" to go, not for Himself, but for others. I hope if you're reading this that you are included as one of the many who have benefited from what happened over two thousand years ago, in Jerusalem.

Bishop Ryle can say it so much better than I can:

". . . The betrayal, the unjust trial, the mockery, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the spitting, the nails, the spear, the agony of the cross--all were doubtless spread before His mind's eye, like a picture. But He never flinched for a moment from the work that He had undertaken. His heart was set on paying the price of our redemption, and going even to the prison of the grave, as our surety. He was full of tender love towards sinners. It was the desire of His whole soul to procure for them salvation. And so, 'for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame.' (Heb. xii.2)"

Who Chose Whom?

". . . I mention these cases in particular, because I think they are remarkable proofs of the doctrine of God's eternal election and everlasting love. Whatever men's reasoning may suggest, if the children of God fairly examine their own experiences--if they do God justice, they must acknowledge that they did not choose God, but that God chose them." ~ George Whitefield

Be Still

(Don't forget to turn off the music on the sidebar. I promise you'll be blessed by this, especially the beautiful nature images.)

It's Not About Me

Charity . . . seeketh not her own. I Cor. 13:5

". . . a spirit of charity, or Christian love, as exercised toward our fellow-creatures, is opposite to a selfish spirit, as it is a sympathizing and merciful spirit. It disposes persons to consider not only their own difficulties, but also the burdens and afflictions of others, and the difficulties of their circumstances, and to esteem the case of those who are in straits and necessities as their own. . . a man of charitable spirit is apt to see the afflictions of others, and to take notice of their aggravation, and to be filled with concern for them, as he would be for himself if under difficulties. And he is ready, also, to help them, and take delight in supplying their necessities, and relieving their difficulties. He rejoices to obey that injunction of the apostle (Col. 3:12), "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness;" and to cherish the spirit of "wisdom (James 3:17) that is from above," which is "full of mercy;" and, like the good man spoken of by the Psalmist (Ps. 37:26) to be "merciful," that is, full of mercy." ~ Jonathan Edwards (From Charity and Its Fruits)