Holy, Holy, Holy!
"Who is like You, glorious in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11).
God is infinitely holy, transcendently holy, superlatively holy, constantly holy, unchangeably holy, exemplary holy, gloriously holy.
All the holiness that is in the best and choicest Christian is but a mixed holiness, a weak and imperfect holiness. Their unholiness is always more than their holiness.
Ah, what a great deal of pride is mixed with a little humility, of unbelief is mixed with a little faith, of peevishness is mixed with a little meekness, of earthliness is mixed with a little heavenliness, of carnality is mixed with a little spirituality, of harshness is mixed with a little tenderness!
Oh, but the holiness of God is pure holiness, it is a holiness without mixture; there is not the least drop or the least dreg of unholiness in God! "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).
In God there is all wisdom without folly, all truth without any falsehood, all light without any darkness, and all holiness without any sinfulness.
God is universally holy. He is holy in all His ways, and holy in all His works. His precepts are holy precepts, His promises are holy promises, His threatenings are holy threatenings, His love is a holy love, His anger is a holy anger, His hatred is a holy hatred.
His nature is holy, His attributes are holy, His actions are all holy.
He is holy in sparing - and holy in punishing. He is holy in justifying of some - and holy in condemning of others. He is holy in bringing some to Heaven - and holy in throwing others to hell.
God is holy in all His sayings, in all His doings, in whatever He puts His hand to, in whatever He sets His heart to. His frowns are holy, His smiles are holy. When He gives, His givings are holy giving; when He takes, His takings are holy takings.
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty!" (Isaiah 6:3).
God is eminently holy, He is transcendently holy, He is superlatively holy, He is glorious in holiness.
There is no fathoming, there is no measuring, there is no comprehending, there is no searching, of that infinite sea of holiness, which is in God.
O sirs! you shall as soon stop the sun in its course, and change the day into night, and raise the dead, and make a world, and count the stars of heaven, and empty the sea with a cockle shell, as you shall be able either to conceive or express that transcendent holiness which is in God!
God's holiness is infinite. It can neither be limited, nor lessened, nor increased.
God is the spring of all holiness and purity. All that holiness which is in angels and men flows from God, as the streams from the fountain, as the beams from the sun, as the branches from the root, as the effect from the cause.
Ministers may pray that their people may be holy, parents may pray that their children may be holy; but they cannot give holiness, nor communicate holiness to their nearest and dearest relations. God alone is the giver and the author of all holiness. It is only the Holy One who can cause holiness to flow into sinner's hearts; it is only He who can form, and frame, and infuse holiness into the souls of men. A man shall sooner make a world - than he shall make another holy. It is only God, who can enlighten the mind, and bow the will, and melt the heart, and raise the affections, and purge the conscience, and reform the life, and put the whole man into a holy gracious temper.
God is exemplary holy. He is the rule, example, and pattern of holiness. "Be holy, as I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15). God's holiness is the copy of which we must always have in our eye, and endeavor most exactly to write after.
~Thomas Brooks~
(The End)
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Purifying
Purifying
"I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your tin." (Isaiah 1:25).
In the dealings of the Lord with Israel, we have a pretty clear representation of His dealings with His people in general. All was based on mercy, and was intended to display the holiness, justice, and grace of the Divine nature. If they sinned - He corrected them; if they repented and returned to Him - He pardoned them. While they continued obstinate - He continued to strike them; until at length, He is determined to overcome, and special mercy steps in. Thus it was in Isaiah's times, and the Lord said, "I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your tin." Thus the Lord, at times, speaks to us.
The Work to be effected. PURIFICATION.
"I will thoroughly purge away your dross," which may represent our worldliness, formality, and unbelief; which like dross, mixes with the pure metal and debases it.
"I will remove all your tin," or self-righteousness, which like tin is light, glittering, and base - not to be compared with pure silver. When the ore is put into the fire - the dross rises, spreads over the metal, obscures it, and causes disturbance. Just so, when the Lord puts His people into the furnace: the hidden corruptions of the heart rise, they spread over the whole soul, they obscure all our evidences, they burden and deject the spirit, they disturb and distress the mind, they afford matter for satan to work upon, and awaken fears and inquiries.
The purifying process is at times very severe, and we require to be kept long in the furnace. While passing through it, we often draw wrong conclusions, we write bitter things against ourselves, and are tempted to give all up for lost. The is so much dross, that we conclude there is nothing else, and corruption rises so think and fast, that we doubt whether we have the grace of God at all. But as painful as is the experience - it is necessary, it is beneficial, and will glorify the great Purifier at length.
The AGENCY Employed. "I will turn MY HAND upon you." The Lord purifies us with His own hand. By His hand, we understand His wisdom and power combined - or His special and particular providence. His hand sustains, carries, supplies, and blesses His people. It produces, directs, and uses afflictions, trials, and sufferings for our good. As His grace is set upon sanctifying us - His providence kindles the fire, and then comes trouble, trial, and affliction; these act on the soul as fire on the ore - and separate the precious from the vile!
The Object in View. He intends to make us PURE, like pure gold or choice silver - free from all dross. Valuable and useful - answering to the requirement of His law, and honorably maintaining our profession. In a word, He intends to make us pure and holy, like His own beloved Son.
Beloved, let us expect trials and afflictions. They are appointed for us. The hand of God will bring them upon us. Let us therefore be prepared for them, that they may not come upon us unawares.
See the cause of many of our trials: there is dross and tin which needs removing. God does not afflict willingly - but only when circumstances call for it.
Observe the design He has in view - to purify and thereby render us more valuable, bright, and beautiful. It is His will that we should be sanctified - therefore it is His will that we should be afflicted and tried.
As soon as the metal is refined - the fire will be drawn. As soon as we are purified and made white - our afflictions will terminate. Let us not then despise the Lord's chastening - as though it was not necessary; for let us faint - as if it was unnecessarily severe. For whom the Lord loves - he chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. Hear God's purpose, and mark His end, "I will bring the third part through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name and I will answer them; I will say, "They are My people," and they will say, "The Lord is our God" (Zech. 13:9).
~James Smith~
(The End)
"I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your tin." (Isaiah 1:25).
In the dealings of the Lord with Israel, we have a pretty clear representation of His dealings with His people in general. All was based on mercy, and was intended to display the holiness, justice, and grace of the Divine nature. If they sinned - He corrected them; if they repented and returned to Him - He pardoned them. While they continued obstinate - He continued to strike them; until at length, He is determined to overcome, and special mercy steps in. Thus it was in Isaiah's times, and the Lord said, "I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your tin." Thus the Lord, at times, speaks to us.
The Work to be effected. PURIFICATION.
"I will thoroughly purge away your dross," which may represent our worldliness, formality, and unbelief; which like dross, mixes with the pure metal and debases it.
"I will remove all your tin," or self-righteousness, which like tin is light, glittering, and base - not to be compared with pure silver. When the ore is put into the fire - the dross rises, spreads over the metal, obscures it, and causes disturbance. Just so, when the Lord puts His people into the furnace: the hidden corruptions of the heart rise, they spread over the whole soul, they obscure all our evidences, they burden and deject the spirit, they disturb and distress the mind, they afford matter for satan to work upon, and awaken fears and inquiries.
The purifying process is at times very severe, and we require to be kept long in the furnace. While passing through it, we often draw wrong conclusions, we write bitter things against ourselves, and are tempted to give all up for lost. The is so much dross, that we conclude there is nothing else, and corruption rises so think and fast, that we doubt whether we have the grace of God at all. But as painful as is the experience - it is necessary, it is beneficial, and will glorify the great Purifier at length.
The AGENCY Employed. "I will turn MY HAND upon you." The Lord purifies us with His own hand. By His hand, we understand His wisdom and power combined - or His special and particular providence. His hand sustains, carries, supplies, and blesses His people. It produces, directs, and uses afflictions, trials, and sufferings for our good. As His grace is set upon sanctifying us - His providence kindles the fire, and then comes trouble, trial, and affliction; these act on the soul as fire on the ore - and separate the precious from the vile!
The Object in View. He intends to make us PURE, like pure gold or choice silver - free from all dross. Valuable and useful - answering to the requirement of His law, and honorably maintaining our profession. In a word, He intends to make us pure and holy, like His own beloved Son.
Beloved, let us expect trials and afflictions. They are appointed for us. The hand of God will bring them upon us. Let us therefore be prepared for them, that they may not come upon us unawares.
See the cause of many of our trials: there is dross and tin which needs removing. God does not afflict willingly - but only when circumstances call for it.
Observe the design He has in view - to purify and thereby render us more valuable, bright, and beautiful. It is His will that we should be sanctified - therefore it is His will that we should be afflicted and tried.
As soon as the metal is refined - the fire will be drawn. As soon as we are purified and made white - our afflictions will terminate. Let us not then despise the Lord's chastening - as though it was not necessary; for let us faint - as if it was unnecessarily severe. For whom the Lord loves - he chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. Hear God's purpose, and mark His end, "I will bring the third part through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name and I will answer them; I will say, "They are My people," and they will say, "The Lord is our God" (Zech. 13:9).
~James Smith~
(The End)
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Christ's Estimate of His Church # 2
Christ's Estimate of His Church # 2
"There is no spot in you." His perfect righteousness covers her - and hides every spot! Looking upon herself, she exclaims, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags!" Very unfit to be the bride of Him who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person. But, looking upon herself in Jesus, she says, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness; as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels!"
Precious Saviour! You not only worked out this magnificent garment - but You put it upon our souls with Your own hands! He has clothed me; He has covered me. Yes! Jesus makes us lovely - and then calls us so. His own graces adorn His beloved, His blood-bought bride, until, as it is said by the prophet, "Your renown went forth for your beauty; for it was perfect through My loveliness which I put upon you, says the Lord God."
Her perfect image was before Him - when He thus commended her, "You are absolutely beautiful, My love; there is no spot in you!" He saw the purpose of His Father fulfilled; the end of His word accomplished; as it is written, "For those God foreknew - He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. And those He predestined - He also called; those He called - He also justified; those He justified - He also glorified!"
The Title by which Jesus calls His Church is, "My love." This expresses His choice of us, for He has chosen us to be His, from all around us. This expresses His preference of us, for He prefers His people to all the universe besides. This expresses His strong attachment to us, for His love is as strong as death, and stronger too. This expresses His high esteem of us, for He esteems His people even above angels. He saw the angels fall - and He did not take their nature to redeem them. But when His people fell - He assumed their nature, took their place, became their Substitute, died in their stead, went into heaven to plead their cause, and will soon come again to receive them to Himself! Well may He exclaim, "You have not chosen Me - but I have chosen you." "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you." O wondrous love! O more wondrous Lover!
Believer, Christ's views of you - are not like your own. He speaks of you in very different language - from what you would speak of yourself. He says, you are "absolutely beautiful; there is no spot in you;" and what He calls you - He will make you! He calls things that are not, as though they were - to express the certainty of their being so; because He is determined and engaged to make them so.
We shall soon be all that Christ says that we are! All His purposes towards us - are love. All His thoughts of us - are thoughts of love. If Christ thinks thus of us - never mind what others thing; His thoughts are right - theirs are wrong; His are wise - theirs are foolish; His shall be realized - theirs disappointed. Christ often commends - when man condemns. His apostles, the first believers, and the holy martyrs were condemned by man, and considered unfit to live! But Jesus commended, sustained, and will reward them.
As Christ speaks to us on earth, so He speaks of us to His Father in heaven. There He pleads our cause - because He loves us; there He will carry our cause - for He has wisdom, weight, and worth enough to do it. He opens His heart, expresses His desire, utters His will; saying "Father, I will that those whom You have given Me, shall be with Me where I am - that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You have loved Me before the foundation of the world." Blessed be Jesus for His love, His love to us; for the revelation of His love in the Word; especially by His Spirit in the heart!
Let us therefore close our meditation in the language of Jude, "Now unto Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Savour - be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever! Amen."
~James Smith~
(The End)
"There is no spot in you." His perfect righteousness covers her - and hides every spot! Looking upon herself, she exclaims, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags!" Very unfit to be the bride of Him who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person. But, looking upon herself in Jesus, she says, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness; as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels!"
Precious Saviour! You not only worked out this magnificent garment - but You put it upon our souls with Your own hands! He has clothed me; He has covered me. Yes! Jesus makes us lovely - and then calls us so. His own graces adorn His beloved, His blood-bought bride, until, as it is said by the prophet, "Your renown went forth for your beauty; for it was perfect through My loveliness which I put upon you, says the Lord God."
Her perfect image was before Him - when He thus commended her, "You are absolutely beautiful, My love; there is no spot in you!" He saw the purpose of His Father fulfilled; the end of His word accomplished; as it is written, "For those God foreknew - He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. And those He predestined - He also called; those He called - He also justified; those He justified - He also glorified!"
The Title by which Jesus calls His Church is, "My love." This expresses His choice of us, for He has chosen us to be His, from all around us. This expresses His preference of us, for He prefers His people to all the universe besides. This expresses His strong attachment to us, for His love is as strong as death, and stronger too. This expresses His high esteem of us, for He esteems His people even above angels. He saw the angels fall - and He did not take their nature to redeem them. But when His people fell - He assumed their nature, took their place, became their Substitute, died in their stead, went into heaven to plead their cause, and will soon come again to receive them to Himself! Well may He exclaim, "You have not chosen Me - but I have chosen you." "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you." O wondrous love! O more wondrous Lover!
Believer, Christ's views of you - are not like your own. He speaks of you in very different language - from what you would speak of yourself. He says, you are "absolutely beautiful; there is no spot in you;" and what He calls you - He will make you! He calls things that are not, as though they were - to express the certainty of their being so; because He is determined and engaged to make them so.
We shall soon be all that Christ says that we are! All His purposes towards us - are love. All His thoughts of us - are thoughts of love. If Christ thinks thus of us - never mind what others thing; His thoughts are right - theirs are wrong; His are wise - theirs are foolish; His shall be realized - theirs disappointed. Christ often commends - when man condemns. His apostles, the first believers, and the holy martyrs were condemned by man, and considered unfit to live! But Jesus commended, sustained, and will reward them.
As Christ speaks to us on earth, so He speaks of us to His Father in heaven. There He pleads our cause - because He loves us; there He will carry our cause - for He has wisdom, weight, and worth enough to do it. He opens His heart, expresses His desire, utters His will; saying "Father, I will that those whom You have given Me, shall be with Me where I am - that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You have loved Me before the foundation of the world." Blessed be Jesus for His love, His love to us; for the revelation of His love in the Word; especially by His Spirit in the heart!
Let us therefore close our meditation in the language of Jude, "Now unto Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Savour - be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever! Amen."
~James Smith~
(The End)
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Christ's Estimate of His Church # 1
Christ's Estimate of His Church # 1
"You are absolutely beautiful, My love; there is no spot in you!" (Song of Solomon 4:7).
Solomon's Song represents the love of Christ to His people, His admiration of them, and communion with them. Every spiritual person more or less understands it; but it requires deep spirituality, much intimacy with Jesus, and some knowledge of the manners and customs of the East - to fully enter into it. It is a most precious part of God's inspired Word. In the Old Testament, it is like Paradise among the gardens, or the tree of life among the trees of that garden. May the Holy Spirit lead us into it, and favor us with the rich enjoyment of the fellowship represented by it.
The OBJECT of Christ's love, is His Church.
All that were given to Him by His Father.
All that are redeemed by His most precious blood.
All that are quickened and sanctified by His Holy Spirit.
Such He calls "My love." He compares them to a lovely and delicate woman.
In His view - she is incomparably beautiful; but in her own eyes - she is black, unsightly as the tents of Kedar. She sees so much of her own inward depravity, and feels so much of the working of the law of sin in the members - that she often loathes herself, and lying low at His feet, exclaims, "Behold, I am vile!"
In her conduct, she is represented as at times unstable and unkind; refusing to rise from the pillow of ease to admit her Beloved, though He was saturated with the dews, and called to her, saying, "Open to me, my love!" She was drowsy and cold, so that He had to call to her, invite her, and exhort her to rise up and accompany Him to enjoy the pleasures He had provided for her.
She was as timid as the dove, without heart or courage; which led Him to say, "My dove, who is in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me hear your voice, let me see your countenance; for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is lovely."
She was too pleased, intimate, and affected with the company of others; in consequence of which, he calls to her, saying, "You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let ME hear your voice!"
How exactly like us - so unstable, so unkind to Jesus, so dull and drowsy, so timid and fearful, so much taken up with the things of time. Yet her love to Him was sincere - and so is ours. We do love Him - though not so ardently as we wish. We are sincere - and we can often say, "You know all things - You know that I love You!" Even at the lowest, we can say, "You know that I desire to love You."
Yes, Jesus has our hearts; if we love anyone - we love Him. If we desire union with anyone - it is with Him. If we enjoy the company of anyone - it is His company. We have loved Him ever since He was made known to us by His Holy Spirit, and we love Him still. There have been interruptions in the exercises of our love - but it is still embedded in our hearts. We can find no substitute for Jesus, nor do we desire to find any. He is all our salvation - and all our desire. if we could love Him as we wish - our souls would be all on flame, and always on flame, with love to Him!
The ESTIMATE Jesus has of His Church is, that she is absolutely beautiful, and without spot. "You are absolutely beautiful, my love." He views her now as she will be by-and-bye. She will be absolutely beautiful and faultless; as it is written, "Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish - but holy and blameless!"
He looked upon her with a lover's eyes - which overlooked all her defects, and fixed only on her excellencies. He admired the work of His own SPIRIT in her. That work is a holy work; a beautiful work; a work of the highest excellence. It produces love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and faith - all of which are lovely in the eyes of Jesus.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
"You are absolutely beautiful, My love; there is no spot in you!" (Song of Solomon 4:7).
Solomon's Song represents the love of Christ to His people, His admiration of them, and communion with them. Every spiritual person more or less understands it; but it requires deep spirituality, much intimacy with Jesus, and some knowledge of the manners and customs of the East - to fully enter into it. It is a most precious part of God's inspired Word. In the Old Testament, it is like Paradise among the gardens, or the tree of life among the trees of that garden. May the Holy Spirit lead us into it, and favor us with the rich enjoyment of the fellowship represented by it.
The OBJECT of Christ's love, is His Church.
All that were given to Him by His Father.
All that are redeemed by His most precious blood.
All that are quickened and sanctified by His Holy Spirit.
Such He calls "My love." He compares them to a lovely and delicate woman.
In His view - she is incomparably beautiful; but in her own eyes - she is black, unsightly as the tents of Kedar. She sees so much of her own inward depravity, and feels so much of the working of the law of sin in the members - that she often loathes herself, and lying low at His feet, exclaims, "Behold, I am vile!"
In her conduct, she is represented as at times unstable and unkind; refusing to rise from the pillow of ease to admit her Beloved, though He was saturated with the dews, and called to her, saying, "Open to me, my love!" She was drowsy and cold, so that He had to call to her, invite her, and exhort her to rise up and accompany Him to enjoy the pleasures He had provided for her.
She was as timid as the dove, without heart or courage; which led Him to say, "My dove, who is in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me hear your voice, let me see your countenance; for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is lovely."
She was too pleased, intimate, and affected with the company of others; in consequence of which, he calls to her, saying, "You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let ME hear your voice!"
How exactly like us - so unstable, so unkind to Jesus, so dull and drowsy, so timid and fearful, so much taken up with the things of time. Yet her love to Him was sincere - and so is ours. We do love Him - though not so ardently as we wish. We are sincere - and we can often say, "You know all things - You know that I love You!" Even at the lowest, we can say, "You know that I desire to love You."
Yes, Jesus has our hearts; if we love anyone - we love Him. If we desire union with anyone - it is with Him. If we enjoy the company of anyone - it is His company. We have loved Him ever since He was made known to us by His Holy Spirit, and we love Him still. There have been interruptions in the exercises of our love - but it is still embedded in our hearts. We can find no substitute for Jesus, nor do we desire to find any. He is all our salvation - and all our desire. if we could love Him as we wish - our souls would be all on flame, and always on flame, with love to Him!
The ESTIMATE Jesus has of His Church is, that she is absolutely beautiful, and without spot. "You are absolutely beautiful, my love." He views her now as she will be by-and-bye. She will be absolutely beautiful and faultless; as it is written, "Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish - but holy and blameless!"
He looked upon her with a lover's eyes - which overlooked all her defects, and fixed only on her excellencies. He admired the work of His own SPIRIT in her. That work is a holy work; a beautiful work; a work of the highest excellence. It produces love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and faith - all of which are lovely in the eyes of Jesus.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
Saturday, April 4, 2020
God's Knowledge Of Us # 3 (and others)
God's Knowledge of Us # 3 (and others)
"O Lord, You know" my FRAME. You know what it was - when I lay dead in trespasses and sins! You know what it is - in my present transitory state. You know the diseases and disorders, from which the body suffers. You know the imperfect organization and depraved principles, by which the soul is fettered, troubled, and hindered. You know the weakness of the memory, the smallness of the mental capacity, the trembling state of the nerves, and the weak condition of the muscles. Yes, my Father knows it all!
"He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." The entire whole of us - is perfectly known to our Heavenly Father! He can fully understand us. He can sympathize with us. He can make all things work together for our good. All that in us is good - He has produced by His own Spirit and Word. All that is evil, He has permitted in His wisdom and holiness.
He knew us from eternity. When He chose us to eternal life - He knew all about us. When He called us by His sovereign and distinguishing grace - He was well aware of what we were, and what we would be. God has never been disappointed in us, whoever else may be.
O to know Him! To know Him fully, to know Him experimentally, to know Him so as to love Him with all our powers, to serve Him every moment of our lives, and to seek to promote His glory in every action we perform. O to know Him as revealed in Jesus, as seated on a throne of grace, as working all things after the counsel of His own will! O to know Him in His own glorious world, where all His attributes are manifested, and all His gracious relations are enjoyed. O for the time, when we shall know Him - even as also we are known by Him!
"O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue - You know it completely, O Lord. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens - You are there; if I make my bed in the depths - You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You!"
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139).
~James Smith~
(The End)
______________________
Extremely derogatory to human pride!
(Stephen Tyng, "Christ is All")
"In his pride, the wicked does not seek God; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God!" Psalm 10:4
Sin has entirely perverted the nature of man.
The carnal mind is opposed to God in its . . .
judgments,
tastes,
desires,
pursuits.
God demands that guilty man . . .
sacrifice his own imaginary independence,
renounce his own fancied excellence, and
acknowledge his personal unworthiness,
before he can be received into the family of God.
Such demands seem extremely derogatory to human pride. For this reason, multitudes reject all the offers of the Gospel, and treat with contempt those who yield to the invitations which they themselves despise, and submit to the motives which they renounce, as deluded and degraded people.
"The day is coming when your pride will be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted." Isaiah 2:11
"The Lord Almighty has done it to destroy your pride and show His contempt for all human greatness." Isaiah 23:9
"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Proverbs 16:5
"O Lord, You know" my FRAME. You know what it was - when I lay dead in trespasses and sins! You know what it is - in my present transitory state. You know the diseases and disorders, from which the body suffers. You know the imperfect organization and depraved principles, by which the soul is fettered, troubled, and hindered. You know the weakness of the memory, the smallness of the mental capacity, the trembling state of the nerves, and the weak condition of the muscles. Yes, my Father knows it all!
"He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." The entire whole of us - is perfectly known to our Heavenly Father! He can fully understand us. He can sympathize with us. He can make all things work together for our good. All that in us is good - He has produced by His own Spirit and Word. All that is evil, He has permitted in His wisdom and holiness.
He knew us from eternity. When He chose us to eternal life - He knew all about us. When He called us by His sovereign and distinguishing grace - He was well aware of what we were, and what we would be. God has never been disappointed in us, whoever else may be.
O to know Him! To know Him fully, to know Him experimentally, to know Him so as to love Him with all our powers, to serve Him every moment of our lives, and to seek to promote His glory in every action we perform. O to know Him as revealed in Jesus, as seated on a throne of grace, as working all things after the counsel of His own will! O to know Him in His own glorious world, where all His attributes are manifested, and all His gracious relations are enjoyed. O for the time, when we shall know Him - even as also we are known by Him!
"O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue - You know it completely, O Lord. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens - You are there; if I make my bed in the depths - You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You!"
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139).
~James Smith~
(The End)
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Extremely derogatory to human pride!
(Stephen Tyng, "Christ is All")
"In his pride, the wicked does not seek God; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God!" Psalm 10:4
Sin has entirely perverted the nature of man.
The carnal mind is opposed to God in its . . .
judgments,
tastes,
desires,
pursuits.
God demands that guilty man . . .
sacrifice his own imaginary independence,
renounce his own fancied excellence, and
acknowledge his personal unworthiness,
before he can be received into the family of God.
Such demands seem extremely derogatory to human pride. For this reason, multitudes reject all the offers of the Gospel, and treat with contempt those who yield to the invitations which they themselves despise, and submit to the motives which they renounce, as deluded and degraded people.
"The day is coming when your pride will be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted." Isaiah 2:11
"The Lord Almighty has done it to destroy your pride and show His contempt for all human greatness." Isaiah 23:9
"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Proverbs 16:5
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