Hymn of the Month

This was our hymn of the month for April.

I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES — BRADFORD

I know that my Redeemer lives,
And ever prays for me;
A token of his love he gives,
A pledge of liberty.

I find him lifting up my head;
He brings salvation near;
His presence makes me free indeed
And he will soon appear.

He wills that I should holy be:
Who can withstand his will?
The counsel of his grace in me
He surely shall fulfil.

Jesus, I hang upon thy Word:
I steadfastly believe
Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord,
And to thyself receive.

Thoughts

A Thought or Two for Today

In a letter to a pastor friend the 17th century pastor Samuel Rutherford wrote;
"Tribulation and temptations will almost loosen us to the root; and yet, without tribulations and temptations, we can now no more grow than herbs or corn without rain."


This quote generates a couple of thoughts from the scriptures.

The first from Hebrews 12: 5-11

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
 
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
 
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
 
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians; " In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."


So, in light of our national Thanksgiving holiday and in the spirit of thanksgiving (daily), the scriptures are clear, believers are to give thanks for every thing, including our tribulations and temptations. This sounds good in theory and on paper, but go now and put it into practice!


Go now and partake of the divine nature (2 Pet 2), press on in your tribulations and temptations and enjoy the peaceable fruit of righteousness and be conformed to the image of His dear Son! And finally, if I may close with this thought from the apostle John, "beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 


May the Lord bless His word this day and may He bless you too!

The Life of God in the Soul

The Life of God in the Soul

by James Smith, 1860

True religion is not a religious form — but a LIFE. It is the life which God imparts — the life which God communicates in regeneration, and nourishes by his word, ordinances, and communion with himself. This inward principle of life develops itself in:
a life of faith in the Son of God;
a life of love, so that we love God, and everything that is godlike;
a life of holiness, so that we obey God — and in all we do, we seek to please him.

Not only so — but it constantly aspires to God as its author and source. It makes us devout, and the life we live is a life of devotion. In all that we do — we consult the will of God, we seek grace for its performance from God, and we desire most heartily to honor God. Originating as it does in God's sovereign will, flowing as it does from God's loving heart, and ascending as it does in devout exercises to God's gracious throne — it makes us godly, or godlike! It is this one thing which distinguishes God's family from the rest of mankind, and proves their election of God.

This life of God in the soul, is SPIRITUAL, manifesting itself in spiritual desires, and spiritual exercises. It gives us a taste for spiritual things, and requires to be sustained by spiritual provision — Christ, the bread of life — and the living water which He gives. It is energetic, and therefore it urges, and impels us — to perform spiritual duties, overcome all carnal customs and habits, and to seek conformity to Christ in all things.

This life of God in the soul, is USEFUL, not only to its possessor, as qualifying him for spiritual duties and privileges, and making him fit for heaven; but it always makes those in whom it dwells — useful to others, both saints and sinners. A useless man cannot have the life of God within him, for wherever it is, it makes him feel that he must be useful, must do good to others to some extent.

This life of God in the soul, is ETERNAL, it can never die — and never be destroyed. The soul is not more immortal, than is this life which God gives. Yes, outside of God himself, we know of nothing that is more certain of endless duration, than this life of God in the soul. It is the source of all that is holy, useful, happy, and glorious. He who has this life — can never perish, nor can anyone wrest him from the Savior's omnipotent hands!

This life of God in the soul, is for GOD'S GLORY. As it originated in his sovereign good pleasure — so it is communicated and is maintained for his honor. And as it is maintained for his honor — so it is designed and intended to advance his glory.

This life of God in the soul, will ultimately be therefore a life WITH GOD. We believe that we shall live with him. It brings us into his spiritual presence now — and gives us the enjoyment of his love. And it introduces us into his glorious presence at death — and then we shall have a life of perfect enjoyment, and purest pleasure forever! We will be as holy — as God is holy; as happy — as God is happy; as immortal — as God is immortal.

O what a prospect! What glory, what grandeur, what blessedness awaits us! The life of God, which now pants within us, and has to strive and do battle with the direful corruptions of the heart — the life which generates every good desire and every holy aspiration — the life which will not let us rest in forms, or live in sin — that life will soon burst forth in power, splendor, and immortal glory — and then we shall be satisfied, for we shall awake in our Savior's likeness!

Ephesians 5:1-21

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;  and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;  neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
 
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
 
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
 
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Self-Examination

This brief excerpt comes from a tract written by Jonathan Edwards titled Christian Cautions or The Necessity for Self-Examination.

His text came from Psalm 139:23-24; Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I am not trying to be morbid but as I was reading his tract this one point caught my attention. Take a look at it and see what you think.

Here is Mr. Edwards:

Examine yourselves, whether all the ways in which you live, are likely to be pleasant to think of upon a death-bed. Persons often in health allow and plead for those things, which they would not dare to do, if they looked upon themselves as shortly about to go out of the world. They in a great measure still their consciences as to ways in which they walk, and keep them pretty easy, while death is thought of as at a distance: yet reflections on these same ways are very uncomfortable when they are going out of the world. Conscience is not so easily blinded and muffled then as at other times.

Consider therefore, and inquire diligently, whether or no you do not live in some practice or other, as to the lawfulness of which, when it shall come into your minds upon your death-bed, you will choose to have some further satisfaction, and some better argument than you now have, to prove that it is not sinful, in order to your being easy about it. Think over your particular ways, and try yourselves, with the awful expectation of soon going out of the world into eternity, and earnestly endeavor impartially to judge what ways you will on a death-bed approve of and rejoice in, and what you will disapprove of, and wish you had let alone.

a thought for Monday, 12/7/09

Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. Isa. 8:13

Why are you still standing?

This is an excerpt from a message preached by Augustus Toplady in May 1774. While we know him today for his hymn Rock of Ages there is so much more to the man who died at the age of 38 years old. He wrote many, many hymns, served as a pastor, and was a very able writer of the truths of grace. He did, by the grace of God "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints".



This excerpt comes from a message titled, Men Not Their Own Saviors, on this occasion he was speaking from Psalm 115:1 which reads,

"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake".

We will break into the middle of his sixth point where he asked the question; Whom are we to thank for perseverance in holiness and good works, to the end?



Let me address myself to the true believer in Christ. You were called, it may be ten or twenty years ago, or longer, to the knowledge of God; and you still are found dwelling under the droppings of the sanctuary, and walking in Him you have received; following on, to know more of the Lord; sometimes faint, yet always wishing to pursue; tossed, but not lost; occasionally cast down, but not destroyed. How comes all this? How is that many flaming professors, who blazed out for a while, like luminaries of the first lustre, are quenched, extinguished, vanished; while your smoking flax(Isa. 42:3 & Mat. 12:20), and feeble spark of grace, continue to survive, and sometimes afford both light and heat? While more than a few, who perhaps once seemed to be rooted as rocks, and stable as pillars in the house of God, are become as water that runneth apace; why are you standing, though in yourself as weak, if not weaker, than they? A child of God can soon answer it thus: Having obtained help of God, I continue to this day(Acts 26:22). Not by my own might and power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts (Zec 4:6).

Questions and answers from Psalm 24

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He ........ who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.

If I may paraphrase here; Who may approach the holy presence of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy presence? He who has not set his heart on things of the earth. He who has not given his soul (the real you) to the vain, empty, worthless things of this world.

The soul, that part of you that is you, the real you. The soul is that part of you that will live from now on. When your brain quits sending impulses, when your heart quits beating, when your blood quits flowing, hardens, and grows cold, when your body dies, your soul will continue on. It shall live from now on. The real you will never die.

With that thought in mind, what have you lifted your soul up to? what have you given yourself to in this life? When all is quiet and you have free time on your hands and free time to let your mind wander, where do you go? in your mind? what does your soul crave? what does your heart desire?

Do you desire God? do you crave after the Son of God? or do you desire vain things? worthless things? Be honest with yourself. Do not measure yourself with yourself? Do not compare yourself to others? What does the word of God say? What does the Holy Spirit say to your soul?

Some of you have written off the the Bible. You have come to think of it as just a book of men's writings, just a book of men's opinions. But, what do you say now? What do you say when Psalm 24 speaks to your heart? When it penetrates to your very soul? When it divides the spirit from the soul? When it discerns the thoughts and intents of your heart? Read it again, look at it. Think on it. Go ahead and try to run from it. Where will you go? You cannot hide from God, you cannot escape His holy word. Go ahead and try, go to the farthest point away, climb the highest mountain, take a submarine to the lowest depths of the sea. It's all His, "the earth is the Lord's"!

Others of you put great stock in your own keeping of religion. You credit yourself with some measure of righteousness. After all, you do believe there is one God. The problem with that belief, as James points out in the new testament: "thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble". You take pride in your religion, you've established your own form of righteousness. You think you will stand in the holy presence of God because you attend church regularly, you read your bible occasionally, you pray before you eat, you put money in the offering plate, you go through certain ceremonies at church and on and on. You have submitted yourselves to cold, empty, phrases and rituals. You lifted your soul to these things, you gave your heart to vanity, to empty meaningless rituals. Have you not read what the Lord Jesus says: "But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

So, who will ascend to the holy hill of the Lord? Who will stand in His holy place? The psalmist tells us: there is One, the Man Christ Jesus! The King of Glory! "Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." Jeremiah called Him the "Righteous Branch": "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

Have you lifted your soul unto vanity? Have you fallen short of the glory of God? Have you trusted in your own righteousnesses, which are nothing but filthy rags? Are you guilty? Then look to this King! Look to the Righteous branch! Isaiah quoted this King; "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." God the Father said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him."

He, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has clean hands and a pure heart, He is the only one who has not lifted His soul to vanity. He is the only one who has kept His word, he never swore deceitfully to God or man. He met the holy requirements of a thrice holy God. In that holy innocence He then submitted Himself to the worst death of His day, a public execution. He was hung on a cross. It was on the cross that He poured His life's blood out, He the guiltless One bore the sin of the guilty. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of all His sheep, He bore the wrath of a holy God. But death could not hold Him, God raised Him from the dead, the chains of death were broken, the gates of hell shall not prevail against Him!

The King of Glory Himself says, even now; "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Oh, praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above you heavenly host, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

May God give you grace to see Him!

without reproach

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him." James 1:5

These are sweet words and instructive words for believers, for those washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are sweet food for my soul. They are sweet in that they speak of the kindness and compassion of my heavenly Father. They are instructive in that I should seek to be like Him in the way that I treat others who might come to me for advice or "wisdom".

When I lack wisdom I can freely go to my Father through His Son and seek it without fear of reproach. He will not say 'I told you so'. He will not find fault with me for my lack of wisdom. There is no doubt that God can and does rebuke us and convict us for our sins. But here James tells us when we are in the middle of great trials and difficulties, when we are struggling, confused, and do not know where to turn. We can call upon our Father in heaven and He will hear us and he will not upbraid us, it will be without reproach! Sweet, sweet words for my soul.

These words; "upbraideth not" also instruct me! He who is perfect, He who is holy has commanded me to be like Him. (Mat. 5:48) So I should seek to be like Him in kindness and compassion. If and when someone comes to me for advice and wisdom I should freely give it to them without upbraiding them, that is without reproach, without fault finding, without criticizing. May the Lord help me to do just that.

Thought for the evening

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:8