"We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!" 2 Corinthians 4:18
In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown and onward is the goal. Whether it is for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith!
Looking into the future, the Christian sees sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of eternal glory. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river passed. He sees himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with Him, and
made to sit together with Him on His throne!
Contemplation of my glorious future may well relieve the darkness of the past and the gloom of the present! The joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows of earth!
Hush, hush, my fears! Death is but a narrow stream and you shall soon have forded it! Death--how brief! Immortality--how endless! Time--how short! Eternity--how long! The road is so, so short! I shall soon be there!
"In the future, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing!"
2 Timothy 4:8
- C. H. Spurgeon
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Life of a Christian
O soul, consider this deeply: it is the life of a Christian that carries more conviction and persuasion than his words. Even if you, like an angel, talk of Christ, of the gospel, of the doctrines of grace, and of heaven, yet if you indulge devilish tempers, and live under the power of any sinful lusts and passions, you will hereby harden others against the things of God and prevent their setting out in the ways of God. Study and pray to be a consistent walker in the ways of holiness; otherwise, all is but windy profession and airy talk. O, how much harm is done to Christ's cause by the unholy walk of many professors!
- John Bunyan
- John Bunyan
Monday, March 23, 2009
Love?
Few words have been used more inaccurately and loosely in recent years than has "love." With a great many people, it is but a synonym for moral laxity, weakness of character, a taking the line of least resistance, a quiet tolerating of what is felt to be wrong.
Multitudes of parents have supposed they were treating their children "lovingly" when they overlooked their folly, made excuses for their wildness, and refused to discipline them for disobedience. They have prided themselves on being "kinder" toward their children than the "stern measures" which were meted out to themselves in their own youth. But it is laxity--not love--which allows a child to have its own way. "He who spares his rod hates his son; but he who loves him, chastens him early" (Proverbs 13:14). Let those of our readers who have young children ponder Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13, 14; 29:15, 17, and remember, that those are the words of Him who is Love!
This same evil has held sway in the churches. Leniency and weakness have overridden righteousness and faithfulness. Instead of maintaining and enforcing the discipline which God's Word enjoins, the great majority of the churches have winked at even glaring sins, refusing to deal with those who walk disorderly. This laxity is misnamed love. A mushy sentimentality which shrank from "hurting the feelings" of others has ousted all concern for the glory of Christ and the honor of His house.
This is one of the inevitable effects of the lopsided preaching of the pulpit, where the 'love' and 'grace' of God were constantly proclaimed, while His 'justice' and 'wrath' were studiously ignored. God is 'light' (1 John 1:5) as well as 'love' (1 John 4:8); 'holy' as well as 'merciful'; 'severe' as well as 'good' (Romans 11:22). Unless the balance is preserved between those two sides of the Divine character, not only will He be grievously misrepresented, but the most serious results will follow!
- A. W. Pink
Multitudes of parents have supposed they were treating their children "lovingly" when they overlooked their folly, made excuses for their wildness, and refused to discipline them for disobedience. They have prided themselves on being "kinder" toward their children than the "stern measures" which were meted out to themselves in their own youth. But it is laxity--not love--which allows a child to have its own way. "He who spares his rod hates his son; but he who loves him, chastens him early" (Proverbs 13:14). Let those of our readers who have young children ponder Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13, 14; 29:15, 17, and remember, that those are the words of Him who is Love!
This same evil has held sway in the churches. Leniency and weakness have overridden righteousness and faithfulness. Instead of maintaining and enforcing the discipline which God's Word enjoins, the great majority of the churches have winked at even glaring sins, refusing to deal with those who walk disorderly. This laxity is misnamed love. A mushy sentimentality which shrank from "hurting the feelings" of others has ousted all concern for the glory of Christ and the honor of His house.
This is one of the inevitable effects of the lopsided preaching of the pulpit, where the 'love' and 'grace' of God were constantly proclaimed, while His 'justice' and 'wrath' were studiously ignored. God is 'light' (1 John 1:5) as well as 'love' (1 John 4:8); 'holy' as well as 'merciful'; 'severe' as well as 'good' (Romans 11:22). Unless the balance is preserved between those two sides of the Divine character, not only will He be grievously misrepresented, but the most serious results will follow!
- A. W. Pink
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Acts 17
24. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man 25. nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
Chief Dangers
"I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, Forgiveness without Repentance, Salvation without Regeneration, politics without God, and Heaven without Hell."--
William Booth
William Booth
Monday, March 9, 2009
Christ's Coming
His [Christ’s] first coming was long looked for; yet the day not precisely known. He promised to send the Holy Ghost; yet his Apostles knew not the day when; but were commanded to abide at Jerusalem, till they were endued with power from on high; they must tarry the good hour.
Much less is the term of His last coming notified to any son of man. Let all our care be to find Christ in our hearts, before we seek Him in the clouds!
Thomas Adams, 1633
Amen!
Much less is the term of His last coming notified to any son of man. Let all our care be to find Christ in our hearts, before we seek Him in the clouds!
Thomas Adams, 1633
Amen!
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