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My Soul Is Cast Down Within Me
In times of dejection and distress, the thoughts of a dear friend, who has comforted us in times past, tend to alleviate the mind. If we are assured of his love to us, we question not his readiness to assist us. So under the affecting loss of a dear brother, Martha addresses the Saviour, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” John 11:21 Inexpressible blessedness, to live in a holy familiarity with the God of love! How simple are David’s words, how freely doth he pour out his complaints, and tell God of his sorrows! Though his soul was bowed down within him, heaviness of mind beset him, the sweet sunshine of joy was overcast by the dark cloud of sorrow,…
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God Disciplines By Affliction For Our Profit And His Glory
Sin, though atoned for by the blood of Jesus, and through the faith of this the soul be made holy and happy, yet it still dwells in us. Hence all our griefs, our sufferings, our wretchedness. God’s judgments are sometimes secret, always just, ever in love to his own. Misery would never afflict us, if sin did not infect us. A good instrument may be out of tune; the hand of a skilful musician is necessary to set it, and display its harmony and sound. God disciplines by afflictions for our profit and his glory. The faith, patience, and valour of God’s soldiers are best known in times of exercise: then how animating to view the love, and trust to the faithfulness of a covenant…
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The Lord God Is My Strength
‘The righteous are as bold as a lion.’ The words of wisdom are not like the pithy sayings of the heathen, which merely describe states and things to which men never arrive nor enjoy; but they assure us, such and such has been, and still is the knowledge and experience of God’s saints. So children of wisdom are taught their privileges, and their souls are drawn out in prayer and diligence, that they may also partake of the fulness of the blessings described. Whence is the boldness and courage of the righteous derived? See the young stripling David, how boldly he advances to the mighty giant Goliath, with an insignificant weapon in his hand, yet assured of success. For the faith of Omnipotence was in…
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Going In The Strength Of The Lord God
Wise travelers provide things needful for their journey, and guard against such as lie in wait, by the way, to rob them. Our gracious God calls not his dear children to forsake their native country, to travel to the heavenly city, without furnishing them with a rich supply of all things necessary for their comfort, and also strength to protect them from the power of every enemy. No soldier of his goeth a warfare at his own charge; Christ being both their righteousness and strength, they can want nothing; neither riches nor power. Hence they go on from day to day, glorying in him as their richest treasure, and trusting in him as their almighty strength; and this is their constant song in the house…
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Cheering Words For Anxious Enquirers
My DEAR FRIEND,—It is with mingled feelings of pleasure, regret, and shame I take my pen in hand to address you. I.—Pleasure in again perusing your letter of solemn, holy, pleasurable solemn tidings. If the dear lady of whose sudden decease you wrote me was prepared, as you have reason to believe, was it not pleasure to her to be beckoned to those "eternal mansions," to be "Free from the approaches of decay, Or the least shadow of a spot"? Yet it is solemn to those left behind. The voice seems to say, "Be ye also ready." I was pleased with your epistle on her account, and I trust thankful for the grace displayed in her; but I was also pleased in seeing that Satan…
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Though He Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust In Him
These may seem extreme words from the mouth and the lips of God’s servant Job, yet they are very true words. As the Lord may give grace so to do, our text may be looked at in many ways to prove that, in one way and another, this is the experience of all God’s children in the way of faith. To understand Job’s path, we have to understand that Job had a great privilege. I am not speaking about the days of prosperity that preceded his troubles, nor even perhaps the prosperity that succeeded them, but the fact that he was appointed by God to be on the front line of the battleground between Christ and Satan. Job’s heart and Job’s life was to be…
