The Alarm and Inquiry # 2
My reader, are you a mere professor? Are you surrounded by such? God directs you to put the question to your own conscience, and to your fellows, "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings? Ah! What if you should! What if your profession should end in this doom? What if your hope should prove like the spider's web? What if while you cry, "Peace and safety!" - that sudden destruction should come upon you? It may! It is possible. Is it probable? Search and look. Examine your heart. Examine impartially. Examine thoroughly. A mistake here is fearful, it is fatal, it may be irremediable.
Deceitful and deceiving professor - ponder these solemn questions. They are especially addressed to you. Every false covering will soon be stripped off. Your heart and your life will be laid bare - by the holy, sin-hating, sin-punishing God! We must sound the alarm! We would alarm you to prevent your ruin! We would be faithful - that you may be saved. Take heed that you do not eternally perish! Take heed that you do not persevere in hypocrisy - until it is too late. Do not even dream of redemption from the devouring fire, when once in it - or the everlasting burnings being quenched! That is the greatest folly. It is an invention of the father of lies, to deceive your souls, and secure your damnation!
Now, you are under the reign of mercy; now, you are within sight of the Cross; now, while the gospel invites you - confess your folly, deplore your criminality, sue for pardon, seek for sanctifying grace, and escape, escape, escape from the devouring fire! Flee, flee, flee from the everlasting burnings!!! But if you persevere in sin, if you continue to practice hypocrisy, I solemnly warn you, that you shall surely perish! Hell will be opened to meet you at your death, the fierce flames of damnation will curl around you, the doors of the horrid prison of despair will close upon you - and you will be lost, lost, lost forever!
Your destruction will be your own act and deed - the effect of the course you have chosen, of the line of conduct you have pursued. Repent then and turn to God, so your iniquity shall not be your ruin. For, if you do not repent - it surely will. It deserves hell. It demands punishment. It appeals to the justice of God, and its appeal will be regarded. A just God must punish the impenitent sinner. Hear then, the warning voice! Flee from the wrath to come. Hasten and escape from the consuming fire - from the everlasting burnings! Flee, flee, for refuge, and lay hole of the hope set before you in the gospel. Life and death are set before you, therefore choose life that you may live - live and be happy forever!
Now hear the words of God, O man,
"Sinners among you all who can
With everlasting burnings dwell?
The wicked shall be cast to hell!"
Hell is that woeful, dreadful place,
Where Jesus never shows His face;
Where sinners with devils must remain,
In hopeless horrors, endless pain!
God's wrath, without His mercy's there,
Wrath with mercy, who can bear?
How hot the fire, how huge the load,
Your sufferings show, O Son of God.
O man, let goodness make you melt.
Consider what the Lord has felt;
Repent, and to your Saviour turn,
Who died that you may never burn!
But if the Saviour you despise,
And trust in vanity and lies;
Your doom is fixed - that doom is hell,
You must with endless burnings dwell!
Tempests of angry fire will roll,
And beat upon your naked soul!
Then fly, at once, to Jesus fly,
And on His perfect work rely.
His arms are open to receive,
All who in His dear name believe;
He loves to pardon, waits to bless
With all the riches of His grace!
~James Smith~
(The End)
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Eight Myths About Hell
Eight Myths About Hell
The reality of hell and eternal punishment is not a popular topic, even among Christians. Part of the problem is that the nature of hell has been horribly distorted in our culture and portrayed as an experience that is far from what we read in the New Testament. When I'm asked why I believe in hell, my response is three-fold.
First, I have such unshakable and robust confidence in the inerrant truth of every word in the Bible that the matter is already settled before I even read the text. I believe, as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16, that "all Scripture (even texts such as Revelation 14:9-11) is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
Second, by God's grace I have come to understand, at least to some degree, the immeasurable magnitude and majesty of God's holiness and beauty and authority and the honor that is due to Him from all of His creatures, including you and me!
Third, again by God's grace I have come to understand the immeasurable horror and ugliness and self-centeredness of humanity's sin and depravity and wickedness.
So I can honestly say that to the degree that you and I struggle with the concept of hell and eternal punishment, is the degree to which we don't understand God's holiness and honor, on the one hand, or the horror and depravity of mankind's sin, on the other. In other words, if hell strikes you as unreasonable or unfair or disproportionate, it can only be due to the fact that either you don't believe the Bible is inspired and true, or you don't believe that God is infinitely holy and just, or you don't believe that mankind is morally depraved and has committed cosmic treason and is thus deserving of eternal condemnation.
As noted, contributing to the problem of hell are the numerous myths or false beliefs that surround it. Here are eight of them:
Myth # 1. There is widespread belief among non-Christians that hell is a place where they will be united with their unbelieving friends and drink beer all the time in an endless party. The fact is that hell is a place of utter isolation, loneliness, and deprivation.
Myth # 2. Another false belief is that hell is the place where satan and his demons exercise their authority to rule and reign. The fact is that hell is the place where satan and his demons suffer eternal punishment. satan and his demons are inhabitants in hell, not its warden or guards. See Matthew 25:41 for one clear statement to that effect.
Myth # 3. Directly related to the previous myth, there is the notion among many that in hell satan and his demons torment human beings who also are there. No. There is not one text in the Bible that suggests satan and his demons afflict or torment human beings. They themselves, instead, are the object of God's punishment. There have been numerous books written by people who claim to have visited hell in which they describe a scene where demons are tormenting humans who have been consigned there. This should be the first indication to all careful, Bible-believing readers that such an experience is fabricated.
Myth # 4. Yet another misconception is that there are people in hell crying out for mercy who want to reconcile with God. Nothing in Scripture indicates this is so. Instead, those in hell are eternally defiant of God and hate Him all the more with each passing moment.
Myth # 5. One of the more blasphemous notions about hell is that there are people in hell who don't deserve to be there. Nothing could be further from the truth. God's justice is impeccable and He never consigns anyone to punishment in hell who does not fully deserve to suffer there.
Myth # 6. A related myth is the notion that there are people in hell who wanted to go to heaven while they were still alive, but God wouldn't let them. That is utterly false! Jesus Himself made this clear when He said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst...whoever comes to Me I will never cast out...For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:35, 37, 40).
Myth # 7. A seventh myth is that there are people in hell who will eventually be released and granted entrance into Heaven. As much as we might wish this were true, it isn't! The Bible does not teach the doctrine of universalism, that is, the idea that everyone will eventually be saved and given eternal life in the new Heaven and new earth.
Myth # 8. Finally, there is the myth that in hell people will be rid of God and have no experience of Him. That is not true. It is true they will have no experience of God's loving and gracious presence, but they will most assuredly experience His presence in justice and wrath. In fact, we read in Revelation 14:10 that they will be tormented "in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb," that is, in the presence of Jesus Christ.
I'll conclude with two brief observations:
First, I can't read biblical portrayals of hell and eternal punishment or think about it without feeling a deep and unrelenting agony in my heart. We should never talk about hell without weeping, for it is real and people are going there. This is not a subject for joking or lighthearted banter. It is an issue that should provoke within us both anguish and an urgent commitment to share the gospel with those who remain in unbelief.
My second reaction is one of unfathomable gratitude. When I read about hell in a passage like Revelation 14:9-11 I'm reading about what I deserve. God would have been perfectly just and righteous had He chosen to consign me to eternal torment. But in mercy He has drawn me to faith in His Son. In mercy He has poured out His wrath on Jesus in my place, a wrath and judgment that Jesus lovingly and willingly embraced and endured. Every single one of us deserves damnation. God owes us nothing but justice. The fact that He has given us mercy instead, and forgiveness instead of condemnation, ought to awaken in us the most heartfelt and passionate gratitude and praise!
~Same Storms~
(The End)
The reality of hell and eternal punishment is not a popular topic, even among Christians. Part of the problem is that the nature of hell has been horribly distorted in our culture and portrayed as an experience that is far from what we read in the New Testament. When I'm asked why I believe in hell, my response is three-fold.
First, I have such unshakable and robust confidence in the inerrant truth of every word in the Bible that the matter is already settled before I even read the text. I believe, as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16, that "all Scripture (even texts such as Revelation 14:9-11) is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
Second, by God's grace I have come to understand, at least to some degree, the immeasurable magnitude and majesty of God's holiness and beauty and authority and the honor that is due to Him from all of His creatures, including you and me!
Third, again by God's grace I have come to understand the immeasurable horror and ugliness and self-centeredness of humanity's sin and depravity and wickedness.
So I can honestly say that to the degree that you and I struggle with the concept of hell and eternal punishment, is the degree to which we don't understand God's holiness and honor, on the one hand, or the horror and depravity of mankind's sin, on the other. In other words, if hell strikes you as unreasonable or unfair or disproportionate, it can only be due to the fact that either you don't believe the Bible is inspired and true, or you don't believe that God is infinitely holy and just, or you don't believe that mankind is morally depraved and has committed cosmic treason and is thus deserving of eternal condemnation.
As noted, contributing to the problem of hell are the numerous myths or false beliefs that surround it. Here are eight of them:
Myth # 1. There is widespread belief among non-Christians that hell is a place where they will be united with their unbelieving friends and drink beer all the time in an endless party. The fact is that hell is a place of utter isolation, loneliness, and deprivation.
Myth # 2. Another false belief is that hell is the place where satan and his demons exercise their authority to rule and reign. The fact is that hell is the place where satan and his demons suffer eternal punishment. satan and his demons are inhabitants in hell, not its warden or guards. See Matthew 25:41 for one clear statement to that effect.
Myth # 3. Directly related to the previous myth, there is the notion among many that in hell satan and his demons torment human beings who also are there. No. There is not one text in the Bible that suggests satan and his demons afflict or torment human beings. They themselves, instead, are the object of God's punishment. There have been numerous books written by people who claim to have visited hell in which they describe a scene where demons are tormenting humans who have been consigned there. This should be the first indication to all careful, Bible-believing readers that such an experience is fabricated.
Myth # 4. Yet another misconception is that there are people in hell crying out for mercy who want to reconcile with God. Nothing in Scripture indicates this is so. Instead, those in hell are eternally defiant of God and hate Him all the more with each passing moment.
Myth # 5. One of the more blasphemous notions about hell is that there are people in hell who don't deserve to be there. Nothing could be further from the truth. God's justice is impeccable and He never consigns anyone to punishment in hell who does not fully deserve to suffer there.
Myth # 6. A related myth is the notion that there are people in hell who wanted to go to heaven while they were still alive, but God wouldn't let them. That is utterly false! Jesus Himself made this clear when He said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst...whoever comes to Me I will never cast out...For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:35, 37, 40).
Myth # 7. A seventh myth is that there are people in hell who will eventually be released and granted entrance into Heaven. As much as we might wish this were true, it isn't! The Bible does not teach the doctrine of universalism, that is, the idea that everyone will eventually be saved and given eternal life in the new Heaven and new earth.
Myth # 8. Finally, there is the myth that in hell people will be rid of God and have no experience of Him. That is not true. It is true they will have no experience of God's loving and gracious presence, but they will most assuredly experience His presence in justice and wrath. In fact, we read in Revelation 14:10 that they will be tormented "in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb," that is, in the presence of Jesus Christ.
I'll conclude with two brief observations:
First, I can't read biblical portrayals of hell and eternal punishment or think about it without feeling a deep and unrelenting agony in my heart. We should never talk about hell without weeping, for it is real and people are going there. This is not a subject for joking or lighthearted banter. It is an issue that should provoke within us both anguish and an urgent commitment to share the gospel with those who remain in unbelief.
My second reaction is one of unfathomable gratitude. When I read about hell in a passage like Revelation 14:9-11 I'm reading about what I deserve. God would have been perfectly just and righteous had He chosen to consign me to eternal torment. But in mercy He has drawn me to faith in His Son. In mercy He has poured out His wrath on Jesus in my place, a wrath and judgment that Jesus lovingly and willingly embraced and endured. Every single one of us deserves damnation. God owes us nothing but justice. The fact that He has given us mercy instead, and forgiveness instead of condemnation, ought to awaken in us the most heartfelt and passionate gratitude and praise!
~Same Storms~
(The End)
The Alarm and Inquiry! # 1
The Alarm and Inquiry # 1
"The sinners of Zion are terrified! Trembling grips the godless! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33:14).
These "sinners in Zion" represent the Church of God. The inhabitants of Zion were professors of religion. Likewise, many profess the Christian religion - who are not really Christians. They are strangers to the new birth. They have never passed from death unto life. Their opinions perhaps are changed - but their hearts remain just as they were. Their lives may be moral - but their hearts are not spiritual. They are enemies to God - though they profess to be His friends. They are rebels against the government of Jesus - while they profess to be His loyal subjects.
They are sinners in the most solemn place - and under peculiarly aggravating circumstances! Surrounded with gospel light - they go on in darkness. Commending the Saviour with their lips - they withhold from Him the heart. By professing Christ - they cry, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" But by living in sin - they cry, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" They are not struggling with sin - but sternly attached to sin! It is not weakness which is the cause of their conduct - but wickedness. They are hypocrites - that is, they wear a mask. They pretend to be what they well know they are not. With their mouths they show much love to Christ - but their hearts go after their lusts!
Reader, it is a dreadful thing to be a hypocrite; to be found among the Lord's people, while not really of them; to profess Christ, and not to possess Christ!
You may deceive men - but you cannot deceive God. A mere profession may do when in health and strength - but it will not do for sickness and death. You may be bold and fearless now - but when God shall unmask you, and expose the nakedness of your soul - then you will be afraid, fearfulness and trembling will seize upon you suddenly. If you are indulging in any known sin, under a profession of religion - you are a "sinner in Zion" - and your state is most dangerous!
The time is coming, when the "sinners in Zion" shall be afraid. God has threatened them. He has threatened them with His sorest judgments. He is true and faithful to His Word. His nature is unchangeable. You may change - but He cannot. His wrath is eternal - for it is His just displeasure against sin, it is His righteous opposition to the sinner. He hates all sin. But He especially hates deception. Hypocrisy is Odious in His sight. He has pronounced the most dreadful woes against all such. They will not find any mercy at His hands - if they persevere in their hypocrisy.
They are generally afraid of trials - but how will they meet death? And if they are afraid of death, how will they stand in the judgment? How will they be able to lift up their faces before Him, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, who has been witness to all their hypocrisy, and who hates all the workers of iniquity!
Hypocrites are generally bold, conceited, confident, and daring - while things go smooth with them; but fearfulness will surprise them - when death seizes upon them, or God calls them to appear before Him in judgment. The Lord Jesus is coming. He is coming in power and great glory. He is coming to judge the world in righteousness. He is coming to render to every man according to his works. In the prospect of that day he proposes the most solemn QUESTIONS:
"Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?" The element of fire is opposed to our nature It inflicts the most dreadful pains. It is used by the Lord to represent the punishment that is to be inflicted upon all ungodly people. It is not merely fire - but consuming fire. Fire in its strength. Fire raging as it does when well fed with fuel! O how dreadful to be tormented in that flame! To be surrounded by that fierce, scorching, destructive element! Sinner! think of devouring fire, a lake of devouring fire - it is the due desert of your sins!
"Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Then, there are everlasting burnings! There is a fire that never shall be quenched! There are torments that shall never, never, never end! Yes, while God lives to punish, while the cause of punishment remains - the sinner must be punished! The torments of hell will not purify. The lost are never sanctified by their sufferings in hell. They will sin yet more and more - and justice requires that punishment should continue to be inflicted.
Impenitent sinners are to dwell with everlasting burnings. Hell is to be their unchangeable residence, their eternal portion. O what a dwelling! What a doom! What a destiny! And yet it is just - strictly just!
Let us them press home the question upon our consciences: "Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Can a question be more solemn? Is it not necessary? Ought it not to alarm us? Can we be justified in postponing the consideration of it, even for one hour? For one moment?
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
"The sinners of Zion are terrified! Trembling grips the godless! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33:14).
These "sinners in Zion" represent the Church of God. The inhabitants of Zion were professors of religion. Likewise, many profess the Christian religion - who are not really Christians. They are strangers to the new birth. They have never passed from death unto life. Their opinions perhaps are changed - but their hearts remain just as they were. Their lives may be moral - but their hearts are not spiritual. They are enemies to God - though they profess to be His friends. They are rebels against the government of Jesus - while they profess to be His loyal subjects.
They are sinners in the most solemn place - and under peculiarly aggravating circumstances! Surrounded with gospel light - they go on in darkness. Commending the Saviour with their lips - they withhold from Him the heart. By professing Christ - they cry, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" But by living in sin - they cry, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" They are not struggling with sin - but sternly attached to sin! It is not weakness which is the cause of their conduct - but wickedness. They are hypocrites - that is, they wear a mask. They pretend to be what they well know they are not. With their mouths they show much love to Christ - but their hearts go after their lusts!
Reader, it is a dreadful thing to be a hypocrite; to be found among the Lord's people, while not really of them; to profess Christ, and not to possess Christ!
You may deceive men - but you cannot deceive God. A mere profession may do when in health and strength - but it will not do for sickness and death. You may be bold and fearless now - but when God shall unmask you, and expose the nakedness of your soul - then you will be afraid, fearfulness and trembling will seize upon you suddenly. If you are indulging in any known sin, under a profession of religion - you are a "sinner in Zion" - and your state is most dangerous!
The time is coming, when the "sinners in Zion" shall be afraid. God has threatened them. He has threatened them with His sorest judgments. He is true and faithful to His Word. His nature is unchangeable. You may change - but He cannot. His wrath is eternal - for it is His just displeasure against sin, it is His righteous opposition to the sinner. He hates all sin. But He especially hates deception. Hypocrisy is Odious in His sight. He has pronounced the most dreadful woes against all such. They will not find any mercy at His hands - if they persevere in their hypocrisy.
They are generally afraid of trials - but how will they meet death? And if they are afraid of death, how will they stand in the judgment? How will they be able to lift up their faces before Him, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, who has been witness to all their hypocrisy, and who hates all the workers of iniquity!
Hypocrites are generally bold, conceited, confident, and daring - while things go smooth with them; but fearfulness will surprise them - when death seizes upon them, or God calls them to appear before Him in judgment. The Lord Jesus is coming. He is coming in power and great glory. He is coming to judge the world in righteousness. He is coming to render to every man according to his works. In the prospect of that day he proposes the most solemn QUESTIONS:
"Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?" The element of fire is opposed to our nature It inflicts the most dreadful pains. It is used by the Lord to represent the punishment that is to be inflicted upon all ungodly people. It is not merely fire - but consuming fire. Fire in its strength. Fire raging as it does when well fed with fuel! O how dreadful to be tormented in that flame! To be surrounded by that fierce, scorching, destructive element! Sinner! think of devouring fire, a lake of devouring fire - it is the due desert of your sins!
"Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Then, there are everlasting burnings! There is a fire that never shall be quenched! There are torments that shall never, never, never end! Yes, while God lives to punish, while the cause of punishment remains - the sinner must be punished! The torments of hell will not purify. The lost are never sanctified by their sufferings in hell. They will sin yet more and more - and justice requires that punishment should continue to be inflicted.
Impenitent sinners are to dwell with everlasting burnings. Hell is to be their unchangeable residence, their eternal portion. O what a dwelling! What a doom! What a destiny! And yet it is just - strictly just!
Let us them press home the question upon our consciences: "Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Can a question be more solemn? Is it not necessary? Ought it not to alarm us? Can we be justified in postponing the consideration of it, even for one hour? For one moment?
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Hidden Sin # 2 (and others)
Hidden Sin # 2 (and others)
The subtlety of satan is great. He is said to deceive the whole world (Rev. 12:9). Suppose he should have deceived you! If you are acting under his influence - you have deceived yourself! Your sin may be hidden from men, it may be hidden from yourself - but it is not hidden from God! His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. He searches the heart and tries the thoughts! He knows exactly what is your state - and it would be well for you to know it; for if it is bad - it may now be changed; or if it is good - you may rejoice and blessed God for it.
The revealing day is coming; then if wrong, God will set our iniquities before His face, and our secret sins in the light of His countenance. He will expose every secret sinner. He will show to the whole world what you have been doing in the dark! Hear His own word, "For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil!" (Ecc.es. 12:14). The sins that are hidden now - will be hidden no longer! But then shall be brought to pass the fearful prediction written, "The sinners in Zion (God's professing people) shake with fear! Terror seizes the godless! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" (Isaiah 33:14).
Fear now may drive us to the Saviour - but there will then be no Saviour to flee to! The Judge on the throne will act justly and impartially, and will render to every man according to his deeds. Many will be condemned - who expected to be acquitted! many will be driven to hell - who were sure of being invited to Heaven! Every false covering will then be stripped off, every deceitful heart will be laid bare - and no longer will anyone say, "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
But there is another and better sense in which our sins may be hidden, and that is, by obtaining the pardon of them. If we detect our sins, if we confess them before God, if we plead the blood and obedience of Jesus for their pardon - God will blot them out! He will cover them, so as to cancel them forever. Then we shall know what the Psalmist meant when he exclaimed, "Oh, the blessedness of the man whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Oh, the blessedness of the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit!" (Psalm 32:1, 2).
When God forgives the penitent sinner, who stands before the throne of His grace, pleading the merits of His Son - He casts all his sins behind his back - or he throws them into the depths of the sea! They are thus covered, hidden, and concealed forever!
Let us, therefore, conceal our sins no longer; let us confess them before God, and obtain the pardon of them. Let us never profess before our fellow men - what we do not really possess. Let us make our lives - the index of our hearts!
~James Smith~
(The End)
______________________
A Showy and Expensive Style of Living
"Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them" (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
It is the incumbent duty of rich Christians, to consecrate a large portion of their affluence, to upholding the cause of truth. Let them, in order to abound more and more in such undefiled religion, avoid all unnecessary worldly conformity, and all expensive modes of living.
There is, in the present age, a disposition, even in professing Christian, to a showy and expensive style of living, which cannot be more effectually repressed, than by the plain and simple habits of those who are known to have an easy access to all the elegancies and splendors of life.
Rich Christians ought to be far more anxious to give - then to hoard their fortunes. When we enter their mansions and see magnificence in every room, luxury on every table; when we see their extravagant dress and decor, we cannot help saying, "How much ought a disciple of Jesus, who lives in this manner, to give away to the cause of Christ, before he is justified in such an expenditure!"
Vices to which rich Christians are more exposed, and against which they should vigilantly guard, are pride, haughtiness, love of money, idleness, self-indulgence, luxury, extravagance, and worldly conformity.
The virtues to which they are called are gratitude to God; humility and meekness to men; frugality and temperance towards themselves; liberality, together
with tender sympathy to their poorer brethren; and a generous regard to the support of the cause of pure religion and general benevolence.
~John Angell James~
The subtlety of satan is great. He is said to deceive the whole world (Rev. 12:9). Suppose he should have deceived you! If you are acting under his influence - you have deceived yourself! Your sin may be hidden from men, it may be hidden from yourself - but it is not hidden from God! His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. He searches the heart and tries the thoughts! He knows exactly what is your state - and it would be well for you to know it; for if it is bad - it may now be changed; or if it is good - you may rejoice and blessed God for it.
The revealing day is coming; then if wrong, God will set our iniquities before His face, and our secret sins in the light of His countenance. He will expose every secret sinner. He will show to the whole world what you have been doing in the dark! Hear His own word, "For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil!" (Ecc.es. 12:14). The sins that are hidden now - will be hidden no longer! But then shall be brought to pass the fearful prediction written, "The sinners in Zion (God's professing people) shake with fear! Terror seizes the godless! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" (Isaiah 33:14).
Fear now may drive us to the Saviour - but there will then be no Saviour to flee to! The Judge on the throne will act justly and impartially, and will render to every man according to his deeds. Many will be condemned - who expected to be acquitted! many will be driven to hell - who were sure of being invited to Heaven! Every false covering will then be stripped off, every deceitful heart will be laid bare - and no longer will anyone say, "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
But there is another and better sense in which our sins may be hidden, and that is, by obtaining the pardon of them. If we detect our sins, if we confess them before God, if we plead the blood and obedience of Jesus for their pardon - God will blot them out! He will cover them, so as to cancel them forever. Then we shall know what the Psalmist meant when he exclaimed, "Oh, the blessedness of the man whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Oh, the blessedness of the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit!" (Psalm 32:1, 2).
When God forgives the penitent sinner, who stands before the throne of His grace, pleading the merits of His Son - He casts all his sins behind his back - or he throws them into the depths of the sea! They are thus covered, hidden, and concealed forever!
Let us, therefore, conceal our sins no longer; let us confess them before God, and obtain the pardon of them. Let us never profess before our fellow men - what we do not really possess. Let us make our lives - the index of our hearts!
~James Smith~
(The End)
______________________
A Showy and Expensive Style of Living
"Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them" (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
It is the incumbent duty of rich Christians, to consecrate a large portion of their affluence, to upholding the cause of truth. Let them, in order to abound more and more in such undefiled religion, avoid all unnecessary worldly conformity, and all expensive modes of living.
There is, in the present age, a disposition, even in professing Christian, to a showy and expensive style of living, which cannot be more effectually repressed, than by the plain and simple habits of those who are known to have an easy access to all the elegancies and splendors of life.
Rich Christians ought to be far more anxious to give - then to hoard their fortunes. When we enter their mansions and see magnificence in every room, luxury on every table; when we see their extravagant dress and decor, we cannot help saying, "How much ought a disciple of Jesus, who lives in this manner, to give away to the cause of Christ, before he is justified in such an expenditure!"
Vices to which rich Christians are more exposed, and against which they should vigilantly guard, are pride, haughtiness, love of money, idleness, self-indulgence, luxury, extravagance, and worldly conformity.
The virtues to which they are called are gratitude to God; humility and meekness to men; frugality and temperance towards themselves; liberality, together
with tender sympathy to their poorer brethren; and a generous regard to the support of the cause of pure religion and general benevolence.
~John Angell James~
God's Personal Message to America # 3
God's Personal Message to America # 3
3. Sin is Ungrateful Actions. The final meaning of "sin" is "an outright transgression, rebellion." Daniel (9:11) "Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us...because we have sinned against Him." (1 John 3:4) "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law."
IV. The Reproach of a Nation "...as a reproach..."
The first mention of the word "reproach" in our English Bible can be found in Genesis 30:23: "And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach." Eve had borne a son whom she expected to be the promised Messiah. Her "reproach" was the curse that God placed on her because of Adam's sin. Sin brings a reproach, whether it is in the life of the individual or in the timeline of a nation. Again we examine the different meanings of our text.
1. Disgraced. One definition of reproach is "to be brought low, to go from the heights to the depths." In Nehemiah 1:3, Nehemiah reported, "The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burned with fire." Israel's sin had caused them to go into captivity and now their capital city stood in ruins. The remnant was brought low by their sin. We too, have been brought from the heights to the depths by the sins of our people. God is bound to judge sin. He will not turn a blind eye to America's folly. As He judged Israel and the heathen nations, He will also judge us.
2. Dishonored. Another definition of "reproach" is "to be ridiculed, to rail on, to revile." In 1 Samuel 17:26 young David said, "...What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" Israel was powerless in the face of Goliath and the Philistines. Certainly they were ridiculed and reviled by their inability. Goliath mocked the army of Israel and the whole nation. America knows something about such disgrace. We are the richest and most developed nation in the world, but we are reviled by much of the world. The Muslim nations and Communist China have little respect for our system of government or our culture. We were reviled and ridiculed by the former Soviet Union until God brought them low. Don't think that the same thing cannot happen to us.
3. Defeated. The final definition of "reproach" means "to pluck or strip away all that is good." Our culture is in the process of doing just that. Our defeat has not come at the hands of a foreign invader. It has come at our own hands. The "silent majority" that Richard Nixon spoke of years ago has been splintered into competing special interests. Politicians pit one group against another to keep us divided. Ai was a little speck on the map of the Israelite army. After the great victory at Jerhrico, Ai would be a simple campaign, a "mopping up" exercise. But the sin of one man brought defeat. I believe that the sin that is defeating America is found in the church rather than the culture. Yes, our culture is rotten; our society is eaten up with evil. But the Christian Achans are hoarding up the world's gold and garments and allowing the gospel witness to fall silent.
Conclusion: America has been great because of God. If we fall, it will be because of our failure to honor God as our Sovereign Authority and Lord. Must we watch our beloved land become mired in the slough of compromise and fearfulness? It is the Christian that must stand up for what is right! We must not fear the wrath of man or the condemnation of sinners. They hated Jesus, so if we are the light which exposes their evil, they will hate us as well. What would God's personal message to America be if He spoke to us audibly in this day? I believe He would say, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Let us pray for our land and resolve to do our best to make America great again. If we achieve anything, it is God which must accomplish it!
~Robert L. Cobb~
(The End)
3. Sin is Ungrateful Actions. The final meaning of "sin" is "an outright transgression, rebellion." Daniel (9:11) "Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us...because we have sinned against Him." (1 John 3:4) "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law."
IV. The Reproach of a Nation "...as a reproach..."
The first mention of the word "reproach" in our English Bible can be found in Genesis 30:23: "And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach." Eve had borne a son whom she expected to be the promised Messiah. Her "reproach" was the curse that God placed on her because of Adam's sin. Sin brings a reproach, whether it is in the life of the individual or in the timeline of a nation. Again we examine the different meanings of our text.
1. Disgraced. One definition of reproach is "to be brought low, to go from the heights to the depths." In Nehemiah 1:3, Nehemiah reported, "The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burned with fire." Israel's sin had caused them to go into captivity and now their capital city stood in ruins. The remnant was brought low by their sin. We too, have been brought from the heights to the depths by the sins of our people. God is bound to judge sin. He will not turn a blind eye to America's folly. As He judged Israel and the heathen nations, He will also judge us.
2. Dishonored. Another definition of "reproach" is "to be ridiculed, to rail on, to revile." In 1 Samuel 17:26 young David said, "...What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" Israel was powerless in the face of Goliath and the Philistines. Certainly they were ridiculed and reviled by their inability. Goliath mocked the army of Israel and the whole nation. America knows something about such disgrace. We are the richest and most developed nation in the world, but we are reviled by much of the world. The Muslim nations and Communist China have little respect for our system of government or our culture. We were reviled and ridiculed by the former Soviet Union until God brought them low. Don't think that the same thing cannot happen to us.
3. Defeated. The final definition of "reproach" means "to pluck or strip away all that is good." Our culture is in the process of doing just that. Our defeat has not come at the hands of a foreign invader. It has come at our own hands. The "silent majority" that Richard Nixon spoke of years ago has been splintered into competing special interests. Politicians pit one group against another to keep us divided. Ai was a little speck on the map of the Israelite army. After the great victory at Jerhrico, Ai would be a simple campaign, a "mopping up" exercise. But the sin of one man brought defeat. I believe that the sin that is defeating America is found in the church rather than the culture. Yes, our culture is rotten; our society is eaten up with evil. But the Christian Achans are hoarding up the world's gold and garments and allowing the gospel witness to fall silent.
Conclusion: America has been great because of God. If we fall, it will be because of our failure to honor God as our Sovereign Authority and Lord. Must we watch our beloved land become mired in the slough of compromise and fearfulness? It is the Christian that must stand up for what is right! We must not fear the wrath of man or the condemnation of sinners. They hated Jesus, so if we are the light which exposes their evil, they will hate us as well. What would God's personal message to America be if He spoke to us audibly in this day? I believe He would say, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Let us pray for our land and resolve to do our best to make America great again. If we achieve anything, it is God which must accomplish it!
~Robert L. Cobb~
(The End)
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Hidden Sin
Hidden Sin
"The Lord does not see it!" (Ezekiel 9:9)
"My way is hidden from the Lord!" (Isaiah 40:27).
"The guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record!" (Hosea 13:12).
The only thing some fear is exposure. They would not be exhibited in their true colors before their fellow-men - for all the world! They wish to live and act in the dark. They do not fear the eye of God - but they dread the eye of man! In public they are one thing - and in private just the opposite! No one really knows them.
There is a vast amount of hypocrisy in the world. Multitudes wear a mask. They are not at all - what they seem to be. This is sad. The consequences will be fearful by and bye.
Open sinners offend God and men - secret sinners offend God only! But God is the principal party. Better offend the world world - than offend God. But who are these secret sinners?
There is the sly drunkard. The man who only gets intoxicated at home, or who manages to drink much, and yet never reel in the street. He robs his family. He introduces disease into his body. He squanders his property. He becomes selfish. He neglects his duties; moral, entirely; domestic, in part. Few, if any suspect him, until at length His bloated countenance begins to tell tales. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There is the crafty deceiver. He practises deception upon the ignorant and unwary. He talks like an honest man - but he acts like a rogue. Believe his plausible pretensions - and he will be sure to pick your pocket. His words are smooth; his tongue is oily; his professions are fair; his offers appear to be generous - but his aim is to make you his dupe! Few detect him - until they are caught in his net! "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There are the self-righteous. They appear very devout. They perform many duties. Their views of truth are, perhaps, tolerably sound. Their external deportment is correct. They are sure they are safe for heaven; they wish everyone to think that they are right. They talk of Christ - but they do not rest alone on His finished work. They speak of the Holy Spirit - but they have never felt His regenerating and renewing operations. They boast of free grace - but in heart they think much more of their own performances. They imagine God must love them - because they love themselves! They conclude they must be saved - because if they have not made God their debtor - they have done much that on account, of which He cannot reject them.
Self-love is the root of their profession. Self-esteem is the ground of their confidence. They work for life, not from life. They are under the legal covenant, not the evangelical. They have never been stripped before God's throne. The law has never come home, in its convincing and condemning power, to their consciences. They have never had their mouths stopped, or been brought in guilty before God. Therefore they prefer their own sandy foundation - to the Rock of Ages! And they stumble at the stumbling stone, even Christ, who is the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption of His people. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There are the self-deceivers. These imagine that they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. They have elected themselves to everlasting life - and conclude, without any just grounds, that God has done so too. Because they have never thoroughly examined their hearts in the light of God's Law, or carefully compared what they call their experience, with the Biblical evidences of a new birth - they conclude that they are Christians - though they are still in their natural sinful condition.
They take home all the promises - and put from them all the threatenings. They make use of evidences for others - but see not the need of doing so for themselves. They take it for granted that they are right - but in laboring under a most fearful deception. They are in a state which Solomon refers to when he said, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness!" (Prov. 30:12). "These are those who make themselves rich - yet have nothing!" (Prov. 13:7). The blood of Christ is not at the root of their profession; the life of God is not in their souls; the power of the Holy Spirit has never been experienced in their hearts; they deceive themselves - and they deceive others. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
Reader, are you either of these characters? Are you sure that you are not? Search and look. Self-examination never injures a real Christian!
The power of SIN is great. And one of the most fearful things in sin is its power of self-concealment. It hides its own deformity from many - who are actually under its influence.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
"The Lord does not see it!" (Ezekiel 9:9)
"My way is hidden from the Lord!" (Isaiah 40:27).
"The guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record!" (Hosea 13:12).
The only thing some fear is exposure. They would not be exhibited in their true colors before their fellow-men - for all the world! They wish to live and act in the dark. They do not fear the eye of God - but they dread the eye of man! In public they are one thing - and in private just the opposite! No one really knows them.
There is a vast amount of hypocrisy in the world. Multitudes wear a mask. They are not at all - what they seem to be. This is sad. The consequences will be fearful by and bye.
Open sinners offend God and men - secret sinners offend God only! But God is the principal party. Better offend the world world - than offend God. But who are these secret sinners?
There is the sly drunkard. The man who only gets intoxicated at home, or who manages to drink much, and yet never reel in the street. He robs his family. He introduces disease into his body. He squanders his property. He becomes selfish. He neglects his duties; moral, entirely; domestic, in part. Few, if any suspect him, until at length His bloated countenance begins to tell tales. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There is the crafty deceiver. He practises deception upon the ignorant and unwary. He talks like an honest man - but he acts like a rogue. Believe his plausible pretensions - and he will be sure to pick your pocket. His words are smooth; his tongue is oily; his professions are fair; his offers appear to be generous - but his aim is to make you his dupe! Few detect him - until they are caught in his net! "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There are the self-righteous. They appear very devout. They perform many duties. Their views of truth are, perhaps, tolerably sound. Their external deportment is correct. They are sure they are safe for heaven; they wish everyone to think that they are right. They talk of Christ - but they do not rest alone on His finished work. They speak of the Holy Spirit - but they have never felt His regenerating and renewing operations. They boast of free grace - but in heart they think much more of their own performances. They imagine God must love them - because they love themselves! They conclude they must be saved - because if they have not made God their debtor - they have done much that on account, of which He cannot reject them.
Self-love is the root of their profession. Self-esteem is the ground of their confidence. They work for life, not from life. They are under the legal covenant, not the evangelical. They have never been stripped before God's throne. The law has never come home, in its convincing and condemning power, to their consciences. They have never had their mouths stopped, or been brought in guilty before God. Therefore they prefer their own sandy foundation - to the Rock of Ages! And they stumble at the stumbling stone, even Christ, who is the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption of His people. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
There are the self-deceivers. These imagine that they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. They have elected themselves to everlasting life - and conclude, without any just grounds, that God has done so too. Because they have never thoroughly examined their hearts in the light of God's Law, or carefully compared what they call their experience, with the Biblical evidences of a new birth - they conclude that they are Christians - though they are still in their natural sinful condition.
They take home all the promises - and put from them all the threatenings. They make use of evidences for others - but see not the need of doing so for themselves. They take it for granted that they are right - but in laboring under a most fearful deception. They are in a state which Solomon refers to when he said, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness!" (Prov. 30:12). "These are those who make themselves rich - yet have nothing!" (Prov. 13:7). The blood of Christ is not at the root of their profession; the life of God is not in their souls; the power of the Holy Spirit has never been experienced in their hearts; they deceive themselves - and they deceive others. "My way is hidden from the Lord!"
Reader, are you either of these characters? Are you sure that you are not? Search and look. Self-examination never injures a real Christian!
The power of SIN is great. And one of the most fearful things in sin is its power of self-concealment. It hides its own deformity from many - who are actually under its influence.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
God's Personal Message to America # 2
God's Personal Message to America # 2
2. The Exalted Nation is Safe. Another sub-meaning of the word "exalt" is "to raise high as an inaccessible fortress, out of the reach of danger." Psalm 32:7 "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble, thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Psalm 119:114 "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word." Many nations have been destroyed by their enemies or by God Himself through natural disasters. Plagues, pestilence, war, and unbelief have destroyed many countries. But America celebrates her 225th birthday this July 4th. What a testament to God's protection and preservation!
3. The Exalted Nation is Strong. Another shade of meaning of the word "exalt" is "to triumph over enemies." A mere glance at the history of America will reveal the hand of God's protection watching over us in war and in peace. Think of the odds of the colonies defeating the most powerful nation in the 18th century world, the British Empire. Yet, it happened. We take for granted our victory in the Revolutionary War. We assume that our power then resembled our power today. Not true! It was a miracle from God that America gained her freedom from England. Why did the Civil War not tear this nation apart? Could it have been the protection of God? In World War II, America took on much of the world essentially single handedly and assured freedom throughout the globe. There was a time when our citizens proudly said, "America has never lost a war!" We must give God the glory for past victories for He has protected us. Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
III. The Revolt of a Nation "...but sin..."
We now come to the depressing aspects of God's promise to "any nation." As surely as righteousness exalts a nation, sin destroys it. God says so in the very same verse! Today, many people want a "buffet-style" religion. They want a God who is mericiful, loving and kind. The God of Christianity fulfills that desire. But the God of mercy and love is also the God of judgment and damnation. People turn away from such a God. But here is the problem. This verse is a couplet, having two parts. The parts are opposite and contrasting. But one cannot be accepted without the other. They stand together as a testimony of God's unapproachable holiness. The truth is that God WILL judge sin! He will not wink at it, forget it, or misplace His records. To understand this truth, let us examine the meaning of the word "sin."
1. Sin is an Undisciplined Aim. To sin is "to miss the mark, as an archer misses his target." Psalm 2:1 "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." Mankind is bound to fail, seeing we are only flesh. But our sinful nature is not an excuse. Missing God's mark is the result of an undisciplined aim, a careless shot at God's perfection. America does not demand greatness of itself anymore. We do not honor what is good and right. Contrariwise, we honor and reward the evil and the froward. Look at our culture. The "bad guy" is now the norm; the "good guy" is the potential hypocrite who bears watching. A fitting illustration can be found in the sporting world. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker made international headlines when he spoke out against homosexuals and other perverted lifestyles in a magazine. He was assailed as intolerant and a bigot. His teammate, Chipper Jones, was engaged to be married, but impregnated a Hooter's waitress and reportedly tried to talk her into an abortion. She refused, had the baby, and Jones' fiance called off the marriage. Yet Chipper Jones was sought out by the media to comment on Rocker's verbal transgressions. The "bad guy" has been turned into the "good guy". Such is society's undisciplined aim at righteousness.
2. Sin is an Unwise Assurance. Another meaning of "sin" is "to stumble, to err from the path." Again, it seems that we have a built in excuse. Which of us has not stumbled from the path through no fault of our own? It is human nature to fail, to stumble. Our stumbling and erring from the path comes from a false assurance, a careless attitude. America has taken for granted the blessings of God, assuming that he will continue to bless and protect us in spite of our sin. Psalm 59:12 "For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride."
~Robert L. Cobb~
(continued with # 3)
2. The Exalted Nation is Safe. Another sub-meaning of the word "exalt" is "to raise high as an inaccessible fortress, out of the reach of danger." Psalm 32:7 "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble, thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Psalm 119:114 "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word." Many nations have been destroyed by their enemies or by God Himself through natural disasters. Plagues, pestilence, war, and unbelief have destroyed many countries. But America celebrates her 225th birthday this July 4th. What a testament to God's protection and preservation!
3. The Exalted Nation is Strong. Another shade of meaning of the word "exalt" is "to triumph over enemies." A mere glance at the history of America will reveal the hand of God's protection watching over us in war and in peace. Think of the odds of the colonies defeating the most powerful nation in the 18th century world, the British Empire. Yet, it happened. We take for granted our victory in the Revolutionary War. We assume that our power then resembled our power today. Not true! It was a miracle from God that America gained her freedom from England. Why did the Civil War not tear this nation apart? Could it have been the protection of God? In World War II, America took on much of the world essentially single handedly and assured freedom throughout the globe. There was a time when our citizens proudly said, "America has never lost a war!" We must give God the glory for past victories for He has protected us. Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
III. The Revolt of a Nation "...but sin..."
We now come to the depressing aspects of God's promise to "any nation." As surely as righteousness exalts a nation, sin destroys it. God says so in the very same verse! Today, many people want a "buffet-style" religion. They want a God who is mericiful, loving and kind. The God of Christianity fulfills that desire. But the God of mercy and love is also the God of judgment and damnation. People turn away from such a God. But here is the problem. This verse is a couplet, having two parts. The parts are opposite and contrasting. But one cannot be accepted without the other. They stand together as a testimony of God's unapproachable holiness. The truth is that God WILL judge sin! He will not wink at it, forget it, or misplace His records. To understand this truth, let us examine the meaning of the word "sin."
1. Sin is an Undisciplined Aim. To sin is "to miss the mark, as an archer misses his target." Psalm 2:1 "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." Mankind is bound to fail, seeing we are only flesh. But our sinful nature is not an excuse. Missing God's mark is the result of an undisciplined aim, a careless shot at God's perfection. America does not demand greatness of itself anymore. We do not honor what is good and right. Contrariwise, we honor and reward the evil and the froward. Look at our culture. The "bad guy" is now the norm; the "good guy" is the potential hypocrite who bears watching. A fitting illustration can be found in the sporting world. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker made international headlines when he spoke out against homosexuals and other perverted lifestyles in a magazine. He was assailed as intolerant and a bigot. His teammate, Chipper Jones, was engaged to be married, but impregnated a Hooter's waitress and reportedly tried to talk her into an abortion. She refused, had the baby, and Jones' fiance called off the marriage. Yet Chipper Jones was sought out by the media to comment on Rocker's verbal transgressions. The "bad guy" has been turned into the "good guy". Such is society's undisciplined aim at righteousness.
2. Sin is an Unwise Assurance. Another meaning of "sin" is "to stumble, to err from the path." Again, it seems that we have a built in excuse. Which of us has not stumbled from the path through no fault of our own? It is human nature to fail, to stumble. Our stumbling and erring from the path comes from a false assurance, a careless attitude. America has taken for granted the blessings of God, assuming that he will continue to bless and protect us in spite of our sin. Psalm 59:12 "For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride."
~Robert L. Cobb~
(continued with # 3)
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