Wisdom Of Life

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "   John 6:37 No limit is set to the duration of this promise. It does not merely say, "I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming," but, "I will in no wise cast out." The original reads, "I will not, not cast out," or "I will never, never cast out." The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as he will not do it at first, so he will not to the last.  But suppose the believer sins after coming? " If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."  (1 John 2:1)   But suppose that believers backslide? "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely : for mine anger is turned away from him." (Hosea 14:4)    But believers may fall under temptation! " God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will w

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:23 (KJV)  If such be the union which subsists between our souls and the person of our Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion! This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, it is a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whose glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods. Behold he hath set before us an open door, let us not be slow to enter. This city of communion hath many pearly gates, every several gate is of one pearl, and each gate is thrown open to the uttermost that we may enter, assured of welcome. If there were but one small loophole through which to talk with Jesus, it would be a high privilege to thrust a word of fellowship through the narrow door; how much we are blessed in having so large an entrance! Had the Lord Je

" And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. "   Mark 14:72 It has been thought by some that as long as Peter lived, the fountain of his tears began to flow whenever he remembered his denying his Lord. It is not unlikely that it was so, for his sin was very great, and grace in him had afterwards a perfect work. This same experience is common to all the redeemed family according to the degree in which the Spirit of God has removed the natural heart of stone. We, like Peter, remember our boastful promise: "Though all men shall forsake thee, yet will not I." We eat our own words with the bitter herbs of repentance. When we think of what we vowed we would be, and of what we have been, we may weep whole showers of grief. He thought on his denying his Lord. The place in which he did it, the little cause which led him into such h

" Do not be a terror to me; You are my hope in the day of doom. " Jeremiah 17:17 (NKJV)  The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;"   (Proverbs 3:17)   and it is a great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above; but experience tells us that if the course of the just be "is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day," (Proverbs 4:18) yet sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light. There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian career; they have walked along the "green pastures" by the side of the "still waters," bu

" How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. " Acts 10:38 Few words, but yet an exquisite miniature of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are not many touches, but they are the strokes of a master's pencil. Of the Saviour and only of the Saviour is it true in the fullest, broadest, and most unqualified sense. "He went about doing good." From this description it is evident that he did good personally. The evangelists constantly tell us that he touched the leper with his own finger, that he anointed the eyes of the blind, and that in cases where he was asked to speak the word only at a distance, he did not usually comply, but went himself to the sick bed, and there personally wrought the cure. A lesson to us, if we would do good, to do it ourselves. Give alms with your own hand; a kind look, or word, will enhance the value of the

" When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant ; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand."  ~Psalm 73:21-23 NIV Remember this is the confession of the man after God's own heart; and in telling us his inner life, he writes, " I was senseless and ignorant " The word " senseless " here, means more than it signifies in ordinary language. David, in a former verse of the Psalm, writes, " For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. "   (Psalm 73:3) which shows that the arrogant he intended had sin in it. He puts himself down as being thus "senseless," and adds a word which is to give intensity to it; "I was senseless ." How foolish he could not tell. It was a sinful folly, a folly which was not to be excused by frailty, but to be condemned because of its perverseness and wilful ignorance, for he had been envious of the

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen ? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:33 Most blessed challenge! How unanswerable it is! Every sin of the elect was laid upon the great Champion of our salvation, and by the atonement carried away. There is no sin in God's book against his people: he sees no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel; they are justified in Christ forever. When the guilt of sin was taken away, the punishment of sin was removed. For the Christian there is no stroke from God's angry hand; no, not so much as a single frown of punitive justice. The believer may be chastised by his Father, but God the Judge has nothing to say to the Christian, except "I have absolved you: you are acquitted." For the Christian there is no penal death in this world, much less any second death. He is completely freed from all the punishment as well as the guilt of sin, and the power of sin is removed too. It may stand in our way, and agitate us with per

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  2 Peter 1:4 NIV If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfilment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.  But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in your soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to your soul thus

" But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness." 2 Peter 1:5-6 If you would enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith, under the blessed Spirit's influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture tells you, "Give diligence." Take care that your faith is of the right kind--that it is not a mere belief of doctrine, but a simple faith, depending on Christ, and on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to thy courage. Plead with God that he would give you the face of a lion, that your mayest, with a consciousness of right, go on boldly. Study well the Scriptures, and get knowledge; for a knowledge of doctrine will tend very much to confirm faith. Try to understand God's Word; let it dwell in your heart richly.  When your hast done this, "Add to your knowledge temperance." Take heed to your body: be temperate

"She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. "  Genesis 39:12 NIV As our efforts, in addressing certain sins action, there remains scope of a particular mode in an attempt to achieve victory, but tends to be a struggle. Ancient naturalist wrote many basilisk, which describes a self-satisfaction that emanated from the gleaming eyes, amazed at their victim and assume ease of subjecting their victims; giving the impression of wildness in his eyes, a serious danger plastered. He will be safe from crime must haste away from that opportunity. An agreement must be made with our eyes even irrespective of the cause of temptation, because of these sins just need a little spark and flame to start the following in an instant. Who will go to jail careless leprosy and sleeping in the middle of a horrible corruption? He just wants to be leprosy himself would thus court contagion. If sailors knew how to avoid the

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious . But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, ” 1 Peter 2:7 As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights centre in our Beloved. The glances of his eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of his face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance is like the breath of his mouth. Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea, are worthless things when measured by his preciousness. Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to his people, nor fully tell how essential he is to their satisfaction and happiness. Believer, have you not found in the midst of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent? The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden himself, and all the world was black to you; or it was night, and since

" Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits." Song of Solomon 4:16 Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Our souls may wisely desire the north wind of trouble if that alone can be sanctified to the drawing forth of the perfume of our graces. So long as it cannot be said, "The Lord was not in the wind," we will not shrink from the most wintry blast that ever blew upon plants of grace. Did not the spouse in this verse humbly submit herself to the reproofs of her Beloved; only entreating him to send forth his grace in some form, and making no stipulation as to the peculiar manner in which it should come? Did she not, like ourselves, become so utterly weary of deadness and unholy calm that she sighed for any visitation which would brace her to action? Yet she desires the warm south wind of comfort, too, the smiles of divine love,

" Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 NIV Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said,   We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t even keep them from family values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience in Christ.  If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ.  This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day.  How shall we do this?  shouted the evil angels.  Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds,  he answered.  Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow,

When I lost my footing as a little boy in the undertow at the beach, I felt as if I were going to be dragged to the middle of the ocean in an instant.  It was a terrifying thing. I tried to get my bearings and figure out which way was up. But I couldn’t get my feet on the ground and the current was too strong to swim. I wasn’t a good swimmer anyway.  In my panic I thought of only one thing: Could someone help me? But I couldn’t even call out from under the water.  When I felt my father’s hand take hold of my upper arm like a mighty vice grip, it was the sweetest feeling in the world. I yielded entirely to being overpowered by his strength. I reveled in being picked up at his will. I did not resist.  The thought did not enter my mind that I should try to show that things aren’t so bad; or that I should add my strength to my dad’s arm. All I thought was, Yes! I need you! I thank you! I love your strength! I love your initiative! I love your grip! You are great!  In that spirit of yielded

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”  Matthew 5:14-15 Jesus is also the great light of the world ( John 8:12 ). Those who believe in Him are brought out of darkness into His light ( Colossians1:12-13 ) and in turn become lights also. In essence, they live the Beatitudes. What does light do? A.  It exposes dirt -  If Christians live holy and righteous lives, it will show up the unrighteous deeds of others ( Ephesians 5:8-14 ). An example is that people who take bribes feel very vulnerable if there are others that don't. Christians who work in government offices can, by their uprightness and integrity, diminish the amount of corruption just by their very presence and principles. B.  It lights up the way so that we do not stumble -  If Christians walk by the principles of the Word of God, their lives take on a h

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  Colossians 4:6 At the end of His Beatitudes, Jesus stated that His followers were to be salt and light in the world. Salt was highly valued in the ancient world for four special qualities : Its Purity  - glistening white and coming from the sun and the sea, it was the most primitive of all offerings to the gods. If we are to be salt, we must be an example of purity. In the world, efforts to lower standards of honesty, diligence in work, conscientiousness and morality are going on all the time. The Christian must be the person who holds aloft the standard for purity of speech, conduct and thought. Words cannot be effective unless backed up by pure living. It Was Inexpensive But Precious  - Christians may seem few, insignificant and of no consequence to society. In  1 Corinthians 1:26-31 , Paul addressed the early church with the concept that though few in numbe

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  Psalm 73:26 Literally the verb is simply fail: “My flesh and my heart may fail!” I am despondent! I am discouraged! But then immediately he fires a broadside against his despondency: “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  The psalmist does not yield. He battles unbelief with counterattack.  In essence, he says, “In myself I feel very weak and helpless and unable to cope. My body is shot and my heart is almost dead. But whatever the reason for this despondency, I will not yield. I will trust God and not myself. He is my strength and my portion.”  The Bible is replete with instances of saints struggling with sunken spirits. Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.” This is a clear admission that the soul of the saint sometimes needs to be revived. And if it needs to be revived, in a sense it was “dead.”  David says the same thin

" I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? "   Psalm 42:9 Canst thou answer this, believer? Canst thou find any reason why thou art so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy anticipations? Who told thee that the night would never end in day? Who told thee that the sea of circumstances would ebb out till there should be nothing left but long leagues of the mud of horrible poverty? Who told thee that the winter of thy discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow, and ice, and hail, to deeper snow, and yet more heavy tempest of despair? Knowest thou not that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope thou then! Hope thou ever! For God fails thee not. Dost thou not know that thy God loves thee in the midst of all this? Mountains, when in darkness hidden, are as real as in day, and God's love is as true to thee now as it was i

"This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee."   Isaiah 37:22 Reassured by the Word of the Lord, the poor trembling citizens of Zion grew bold, and shook their heads at Sennacherib's boastful threats. Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes. We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities. They seek to destroy the eternal life, which cannot die while Jesus lives; to overthrow the citadel, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. They kick against the pricks to their own wounding, and rush upon the bosses of Jehovah's buckler to their own hurt. We know their weakness. What are they but men? And what is man but a worm? They roar and swell like waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. When the Lord ariseth, they shall fly as chaff before the

" Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant."  (Psalm 86:16) Future grace is the constant plea of the praying psalmists. They pray for it again and again to meet every need. They leave every saint a model of daily dependence on future grace for every exigency.  They cry out for grace when they need help: “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my helper!” (Psalm 30:10).  When they are weak: “Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant” (Psalm 86:16). When they need healing: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord” (Psalm 6:2). When they are afflicted by enemies: “Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me” (Psalm 9:13). When they are lonely: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). When they are grieving: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief” (Psalm 31:9).  When they have sinned: “O Lo

I hate having to scold my children repeatedly for the same acts of disobedience. Why do they still track mud through the house? Why do they still throw their clothes all over, "forget" to make their beds, and expect the maid to do all their dishes? I get so frustrated when I have to correct them over and over and over. And then it dawns on me, Lord, that you might be letting me experience how you feel about the way I treat you. Do I seem like a slow learner to you? Stubborn? Empty-headed? You have been so patient with me in the past, you keep blessing me even when I clearly don’t deserve it. I need even more patience from you than my children need of me,   " Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord ; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me."    Psalm 40:11-12 Help me throw out the idols in my life, th

" Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may find grace for a well-timed help."   (Hebrews 4:16) All ministry is in the future; a moment away, or a month, or a year, or a decade, have ample time to fret about our inadequacy. When this happens, we must turn to prayer, as the form of faith that connects us today with the grace, then that will make us adequate for tomorrow’s ministry. Timing is everything. What if grace comes too early or comes too late? The traditional translation of Hebrews 4:16 hides from us a very precious promise in this regard. We need a more literal rendering to see it. The more traditional wording goes like this: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The Greek original behind the phrase “grace to help in time of need” would be translated literally, “grace for a well-timed help.”  The point is that prayer is the way to find future g

" Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart." Psalm 119:97;111 You know, Lord, I have done enough complaining about the aches and pains of aging. But there are some terrific advantages to getting older. I am far more patient than I used to be. I enjoy people more and accept them as they are. And I have grown to appreciate regular quiet time with your Word. I used to be too busy--or thought I was too busy--to read my chapter a day. Now it’s the best time of my day. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart” (Psalm 119:97,111) . My joys are now twice as big because I know that you sent them. My troubles are only half as big because I know you are carrying them with me.   Your Word explains the riddle of human existence. Your Word tells me the truth, comforts my heart, and gives me hope. Your Word reveals that yo

" A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench , till he send forth judgment unto victory."   Matthew 12:20 What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that groweth in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and it snaps; let but the foot of man brush against it, and it is bruised and broken; every wind that flits across the river moves it to and fro. You can conceive of nothing more frail or brittle, or whose existence is more in jeopardy, than a bruised reed. Then look at the smoking flax--what is it? It has a spark within it, it is true, but it is almost smothered; an infant's breath might blow it out; nothing has a more precarious existence than its flame. Weak things are here described, yet Jesus says of them, " The smoking flax I will not quench; the bruised reed I will not break ." Some of God's children are made strong to do mighty works for him; God has his Samsons here and there who ca

" And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. "   Deuteronomy 5:24 God's great design in all his works is the manifestation of his own glory. Any aim less than this were unworthy of himself. But how shall the glory of God be manifested to such fallen creatures as we are? Man's eye is not single, he has ever a side glance towards his own honour, has too high an estimate of his own powers, and so is not qualified to behold the glory of the Lord. It is clear, then, that self must stand out of the way, that there may be room for God to be exalted; and this is the reason why he bringeth his people ofttimes into straits and difficulties, that, being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when he comes forth to work their deliverance. He whose life is one eve

" Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. " Joel 2:8 (KJV)  Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion, they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into confusion. This remarkable fact in natural history shows how thoroughly the Lord has infused the spirit of order into his universe, since the smallest animate creatures are as much controlled by it as are the rolling spheres or the seraphic messengers. It would be wise for believers to be ruled by the same influence in all their spiritual life. In their Christian graces no one virtue should usurp the sphere of another, or eat out the vitals of the rest for its own support. Affection must not smother honesty, courage must not elbow weakness out of the field, modesty must not jostle energy, and patience must not slaughter resolution. So also with our duties, one must not interfere with a

" Children are a heritage from the Lord , offspring a reward from him." Psalm 127:3 Lord, how can I thank you enough for my children? I know, I know--I complain enough about them and scold them too much, but I am really and truly grateful that you honored us by giving them to our home.  When I was single, I guess I knew in theory that “ Children are a heritage from the Lord." (Psalm 127:3)   But the reality is far more amazing. The nine months of wonder as a new life grew . . . the incredible process of childbirth . . . the first cries and first cuddles--Lord, how can anyone who has seen the drama in a birthing room stay an atheist?  My children are a heritage. They are a reward from you--help me always see them in that way. Thank you for their laughter, their foolishness, their innocence, their questions, their energy, and the amazing things that come out of their mouths.  Today I rededicate them to you. You designed and fashioned them, Father. Lord Jesus, you redeem

" And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. " 1 Kings 18:40 (KJV)  When the prophet Elijah had received the answer to his prayer, and the fire from heaven had consumed the sacrifice in the presence of all the people, he called upon the assembled Israelites to take the priests of Baal, and sternly cried, " Let not one of them escape." He took them all down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. So must it be with our sins--they are all doomed, not one must be preserved. Our darling sin must die. Spare it not for its much crying. Strike, though it be as dear as an Isaac. Strike, for God struck at sin when it was laid upon his own Son. With stern unflinching purpose must you condemn to death that sin which was once the idol of your heart. Do you ask how you are to accomplish this? Jesus will be your power. You have grace to overcome s

" knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God." 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Many persons want to know their election before they look to Christ, but they cannot learn it thus, it is only to be discovered p " looking unto Jesus." (see  Hebrews 12:2)  If you desire to ascertain your own election;--after the following manner, shall you assure your heart before God. Do you feel yourself to be a lost, guilty sinner? go straightway to the cross of Christ, and tell Jesus so, and tell him that you have read in the Bible, " Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." (see John 6:37)  Tell him that he has said, " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1Timothy 1:15)  Look to Jesus and believe on him, and you shall make proof of your election directly, for so surely as thou believest, thou art elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust him, then you are

I don’t mean to do it. Really, I don’t. Lord, I know what you say in your Word:  "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--it only causes harm." Psalm 37:8 .  But I have a boiling point, and it seems as if the people in my life just keep provoking me.  Don’t they see how hard I’m trying to keep everything together? Can’t they see the points I’m trying to make? Don’t they realize I can’t stand being laughed at?  I guess I’m just making excuses. I know I hurt people when I get angry. I feel so righteous at first. I love the surge of adrenaline, the wildness of letting go. I think that if I let the anger come out of me, then it won’t stay bottled up inside. But I hurt people, and I know I hurt you too.  I’m sorry, Lord; please forgive me. Help me have the humbleness and grace also to ask for forgiveness from the people who had to bear the brunt of my tirade. Please send a special measure of your Spirit and replace my anger with inner peace. Help me listen more and sh

" And they gathered it every morning , every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted."   Exodus 16:21 Labour to maintain a sense of thine entire dependence upon the Lord's good will and pleasure for the continuance of thy richest enjoyments. Never try to live on the old manna, nor seek to find help in Egypt. All must come from Jesus, or thou art undone forever. Old anointings will not suffice to impart unction to thy spirit; thine head must have fresh oil poured upon it from the golden horn of the sanctuary, or it will cease from its glory. To-day thou mayest be upon the summit of the mount of God, but he who has put thee there must keep thee there, or thou wilt sink far more speedily than thou dreamest. Thy mountain only stands firm when he settles it in its place; if he hide his face, thou wilt soon be troubled. If the Saviour should see fit, there is not a window through which thou seest the light of heaven which he could not darken in an i

" Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons."  Mark 16:9 Jesus "appeared first to Mary Magdalene," probably not only on account of her great love and persevering seeking, but because, as the context intimates,she had been a special trophy of Christ's delivering power. Learn from this, that the greatness of our sin before conversion should not make us imagine that we may not be specially favoured with the very highest grade of fellowship. She was one who had left all to become a constant attendant on the Saviour. He was her first, her chief object. Many who were on Christ's side did not take up Christ's cross; she did. She spent her substance in relieving his wants. If we would see much of Christ, let us serve him. Tell me who they are that sit oftenest under the banner of his love, and drink deepest draughts from the cup of communion, and I am sure they will be those w

"When I am afraid I will trust in You.  In God I will praise His word; in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me."   Psalms 56:3-4 At the root of worry, we find fear. In an effort to overcome that fear, we try to be brave, thinking that if we are brave, we can defeat it. Bravery doesn’t replace or take away the fear in our lives; it just masks and gives us enough strength to act. If we want to stop living with fear, we have to replace it with something else: safety. The opposite of being scared is being secure. We need to stop trying to be brave and start being secure in our Creator.  Being secure means we have the assurance and knowledge of being safe in Jesus’ arms. This assurance allows us to overcome fear. We gain this assurance as we grow in our relationship with Christ. As God becomes bigger in our lives, worry becomes smaller. The elevation of God in our lives helps us line up our values and put all other fears in their place. Jesus is the on

" A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out." Leviticus 6:13 (NKJV)  Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, therefore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion.  Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Sp

" Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb."   Matthew 28:1   Let us learn from Mary Magdalene how to obtain fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Notice how she sought. She sought the Saviour very early in the morning. If thou canst wait for Christ, and be patient in the hope of having fellowship with him at some distant season, thou wilt never have fellowship at all; for the heart that is fitted for communion is a hungering and a thirsting heart. She sought him also with very great boldness. Other disciples fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed; but Mary, it is said, "stood" at the sepulchre. If you would have Christ with you, seek him boldly. Let nothing hold you back. Defy the world. Press on where others flee. She sought Christ faithfully--she stood at the sepulchre. Some find it hard to stand by a living Saviour, but she stood by a dead one. Let us seek Christ afte

"And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it."   Exodus 20:25 (NKJV)  God's altar was to be built of unhewn stones, that no trace of human skill or labour might be seen upon it. Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and more congenial with the depraved tastes of fallen nature; instead, however, of improving the gospel carnal wisdom pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel, and not the truth of God at all. All alterations and amendments of the Lord's own Word are defilements and pollutions. The proud heart of man is very anxious to have a hand in the justification of the soul before God; preparations for Christ are dreamed of, humblings and repentings are trusted in, good works are cried up, natural ability is much vaunted, and by all means the attempt is made to lift up human tools upon the divine altar. It were well if

" Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;" Matthew 6:25-32 There are plenty of things that we can choose to worry about. Some of us worry about handling the responsibilities given to us: Where will the money come from for all the bills? What if I fail? Do I have what it takes?  Others worry about outcomes: How will the kids turn out? What if our loved ones get sick? What if I get sick? Some of us worry about what we will wear and eat.  Whatever the cause, we all can become consumed by the circumstances that we can’t predict or control. Webster’s dictionary defines worry this way: “to think about problems or fears; to feel or show fear and concern because you think that something bad has happened or could happen”. We worry, hoping that worry will somehow change the situation, solve problems, or bring peace in its place. Instead, worry brings sleepless nights, a heaviness that weighs down our hearts, anxiety, and a bad attitude. It leaves