Part 7
We speak of Christ showing His love by the death of the Cross; let us also evermore consider the Father's love, in whose hand was the sword. Oh, the yearnings of His heart, when He was bruising the Son of His love!
The children of God ought to count it their chief joy, in drawing nigh to God, that they have His ear and heart. Great is the difference between a child of God confiding in Him, and a child of God full of petitions and burdens, but doubting God until some outward deliverance be granted. The character of God and His love demand our perfect trust at all times.
The love of God is not purchased for us by the blood of Christ. That love springs up out of God's own heart and nature. Self-moved, He sent His Son.
We could not be the object of the Father's love, which is from everlasting to everlasting, but as chosen in Christ. He loves us with love perfect and unchangeable.
The Heart and its Deceitfulness
David would never have fallen into gross outward sin, had he not been too familiar with it in his heart; there had the evil been oft-times committed before it broke out in the wicked deed. Nor would he have numbered the people, had he not first strayed from the presence of God, and so become puffed up with pride. (2 Sam. 11; 1 Chron. 21)
Saints rarely see the guilt of a murmuring, unbelieving spirit, while they do feel the discomfort and weakness it brings with it. How great the deceitfulness of sin that can hide such guilt from the conscience of a child of God.
The Lord would have us all deal truly with our state, and with our hearts. We cannot otherwise deal truly with Him.
When we desire any special guidance, let us look first at the state of our heart: we have natural reason; let us take heed that we put it not into the hands of the devil by self-will, but into the hands of God.
The mistake of ignorance is one thing; the darkness of self-will is another. There may be the former though the eye be single, but not the latter.
It is good for a child of God to search his heart, that he may know whether it is by nature or by grace that he is kept from outward evil. Fear of shame, love of reputation, power of conscience, natural affection, self-interest, greatly preserve the unregenerate from the commission of sin; and may in part also keep the children of God from defiling their garments; but it is only by the power of grace, and when the heart keeps the life, that our "good conversation" is a sweet savour to God.
The great outlet of sin is the tongue; the great inlets of temptation are the ear and eye; but of the whole body the heart is mistress. Therefore let grace rule the heart, and the whole man shall be subject.
The Form of Godliness
The enmity of the carnal mind is wont to hide itself by imitating the outward forms of the kingdom of God. The grace of God subduing the heart to Christ is the sign of the birth from above.
The drunkard and the thief are evidently in the broad road that leadeth to destruction. The Pharisee seems to tread the narrow way, yet does but keep the clean side of the broad road.
All who build their hope of eternal life on their prayers, reading the Scriptures, and other outward works of righteousness, come short of the rest that is in Christ, and the salvation that is in Him. The sinner's hands must be emptied of all such recommendations: it is with his poverty, and his poverty only, that he must come to the crucified Son of God.
The sinner that comes with his own good works to God for eternal life, is a debtor who brings a bag of base coin of his own forging, to pay his creditor withal.
The good works of the flesh, though so well-pleasing to the carnal mind, tested by God's justice, are at the King's mint adjudged base coin.
Salvation, Justification, Pardon
The salvation of God delivers a man, not only from the guilt, but the dominion of sin, and brings him into fellowship with God. This salvation is preached to "every creature" under heaven; and it leaves without excuse every one who does not receive it.
"What shall I do?" says the sinner. Alas! man _has done_ his work completely—the work of self-destruction. Christ has wrought a perfect work—the work of redemption for the salvation of the inexcusably guilty, the utterly lost.
God justifies the sinner believing. When God pardons, He justifies. Man may pardon; he cannot blot out. God alone can justify; and He justifies by Christ, who was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Had the Lord waited ere He came into this world till men knew their own sickness, then would pride and ignorance have shut Him out for ever.
God, in self-moved love, sent His own Son to save the lost.
The poor sinner, fleeing to Christ for salvation, cannot possibly be overtaken by the sword of the avenger, because that poor sinner is taught by the Spirit of God, and is drawn by God's loving kindness to the Saviour Christ. Great may be his fear and perplexity; but he is safe from curse in Christ the City of Refuge. God sees him already there, while he himself doubts of reaching it.
"How can I be pardoned?" says the poor self-condemned sinner. "How can I not pardon?" says God. The sinner looks at his sins; but God looks at His Son's atoning blood. Sinner, do thou likewise.
I was slain and hanged on the cross eighteen hundred years ago with Christ. (Gal. 2:20.) Did He rise? Yes. Therefore I am risen. The Christian is a dead and buried man, and also risen. As a child of Adam, dead and buried; as a child of God, risen with Christ: the world is crucified to him, and he is crucified to the world. Satan ever aims to raise the dead, and bury the living.
God's Wise and Gracious Dealings
If we have especially trusted God in any matter, He will "after these things" (Gen. 22) prove our faith: and though He may seem not to regard us, and that for a long time; yet, in the end, He will show that His way of performing His promise is worthy of Him—good for us.
God's discipline of His children always bears the mark of long-suffering.
When the Lord is about to give great blessings, He commonly begins with great trials. He writes death upon the purposed mercy, that when life springs out of death, we may know from whom that life proceeds—even Jesus, the "I am that I am."
Our peculiar corruptions are often brought out by the peculiarities of others.
If God in His kindness make manifest to ourselves the evil that is in us, it is in order that we may be driven to Christ, and that we may know the subduing power of His blood.
The Lord has bound up the rod of correction in our bundle of blessings.
We have not wisdom to judge of God's ways, unless we have patience to wait their issue.
God is wont to frustrate our devices in order to execute His own purposes, and thereby to do us good to the utmost.
Elisha was singularly honoured after going down to the grave: a dead body touching the prophet's bones came to life again. Elijah was honoured by translation: like Enoch, he did not see death. God will, in manifold wisdom, honour each and every one of them that honour Him.
When God is about to do the very best for us, His discipline is often such that at first our flesh rebels: but let us leave God to bless us in His own way; only let our hearts be set upon Himself, and on pleasing Him. He will be ever true to Himself.
Obedience
"Vain man would be wise, though he be born like a wild ass's colt" (Job 11:12). But God demands it of man that he become a fool, that he may be wise. (1 Cor. 3:18.)
God honoured the obedience of His saints in time of the old covenant with the abundance of earthly things: if at any time He dealt otherwise, as in Job's case, He departed from His ordinary course. _Now_ the obedience of faith brings with it tribulation, more or less. If we bear not this in mind, trials will often take us by surprise.
The state of the heart of God's children is not to be judged by what they call "comfort," or the lack of it; by strong words or lively feelings; but by steady obedience to His Word—not obedience on great occasions only: it is easier to do great things for Christ than to hold on our way, keeping heart and lips in our every-day walk.
The only path of safety and happiness is prompt, unquestioning, obedience to the commandments of the Lord.
If we would be led into God's truth, we must put our neck into Christ's yoke, and in such subjection of spirit as not to be galled thereby.
If you compare a path of obedience with one of disobedience, the great difference may not immediately appear; but years will speak, and show things in their true light.
It is good to bear in mind that whatever our circumstances, it cannot be necessary to disobey God. Let us not wish for anything unless the means to obtain it be as much approved of by God as the _end_.
The "perfect man" is he who has a deliberate purpose to do the will of God in all things, under all circumstances, and at all times; never resting in this or that measure of obedience, but still running the race, his eye fixed on the goal.
Being delivered from the law, we are under obligation to try all our ways, past and present, by the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Watchfulness and Self-denial
"Make no thought for the morrow" (Matt. 6:34)—that is, no _anxious thought_—for this comes of distrust of God. But there is a thought for the morrow which is a holy carefulness: "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself" (Prov. 22:3). Gathering clouds bespeak a coming storm. Watch and be ready for every storm: be it in your own heart, in the church, or in the world, provide against it by abiding in Christ; He is our hiding-place, our high tower into which the righteous runneth and is safe. "Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation."
Even when we have most of the consolations of Christ, and most of His approval, let us be on the watch, lest like the spouse in the Song, through the deceitfulness of the flesh, we leave the blessedness of tender communion and put ourselves to shame by "I sleep, but my heart waketh" (S. Sol. 5:2).
What love to the Thessalonians must Paul have had, who, though he so greatly delighted in his brethren's fellowship, sent Timothy from Athens to Thessalonica, and was content to be left alone!
If a child of God pleases the flesh under colour of liberty, mistaking carnal liberty for spiritual, who can say how far he may go wrong? It is the self-denial of grace that is true liberty.
Christ measures our kindness to others, especially toward His members, not by the greatness of our gifts, but by our faith and self-denial.
When we see any servant of Christ lowly and self-denying, such we must esteem and revere. To great gifts of knowledge and utterance unaccompanied with lowliness, we pay the tax of admiration; but our esteem and reverence they cannot command.
The habit of denying self in little things will give us a vigour of spiritual life.
In looking out for opportunities of doing great things in the Lord's cause, we lose the daily, hourly opportunities for little acts of self-denial which especially require the grace of Christ. To be crucifying self when no eye but that of God sees us, this is the most acceptable service to our Lord and Master.
That is the best watching and waiting which puts the keeping of our souls into the hands of God; for, "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." (Psalm 127:1.)
__1__ (A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Temptations and Falls
When mercy comes in the form of affliction, we often need time and grace to call it a mercy: happy they who need not time to do so.
The letter from Hezekiah's enemy drave him to God; whilst that from the flattering king ensnared his feet. (2 Kings 19; 20)
Some Temptations are best withstood by fleeing from them.
We should distinguish between a dead state of soul and a tempted state. Job, in his trouble, was in a tempted state: he says in his sorrow, "Oh that I were as in months past" (Job 29:2). David was in a dead state of soul when he rose from his bed to walk upon the house-top. (2 Sam. 11:2.) Job felt his temptation: David was not awake to danger.
The devil is often like the practised sharper, who allows his dupes a little success that he may strip them of their all at the last. Thus can Satan suffer his slaves to break off grosser sins, that he may hold them fast bound in the chains of self-righteousness and false peace.
If through confidence in the flesh we take not counsel of God, He is wont to leave us to ourselves, that we may prove our wisdom to be folly. Had Joshua sought counsel of God, he would not have been deceived by the Gibeonites, and their tokens of a long journey. (Josh. 9)
The evil of the heart is best revealed to God's people by their abiding at the Mercy-seat: if they will not learn there, God may leave them to learn by some gross outbreak. Paul exercised himself to keep always a conscience void of offence, and by constant communion with God well-knew the deceitfulness of the flesh.
If we are found mourning within the vail over inward evil, we shall be preserved from outwardly dishonouring the Lord.
No child of God ever falls at once into the mire of sin. All declension begins in unwatchfulness and neglect of secret dealing with God, whereby Satan finds a door of entrance into the heart, and we are taken in his snares.
Prayer
A child knocks at the father's door with boldness and perseverance, and, knowing the rights of a child, takes no denial. Thus should it be with the children of God, who, through Christ's atonement, have liberty of access to the Father.
Every child of God prays, but not all know what it is to _labour_ in prayer. (Col. 4:12.)
Much prayer for the ungodly is a sign of a thriving soul. Christ prayed for His enemies, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Paul prayed for the Jews; his "heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved" (Rom. 10:1). God's precepts (not His decrees) are the rule for our prayers. He would have us pray for all men. (1 Tim. 2:1.)
To be sustained in faith under long delay of the answer to prayer, is itself an answer to prayer beyond price. (Matt. 15:22-28.)
When we cannot pray at all, then is it high time to pray. We honour God by fighting with inward difficulties, and show our faith in the intercession of the Lord Jesus by bringing our coldness of spirit to the great High Priest.
True boldness in prayer is not to be judged by good words, but by this test: How far is the will of the flesh trodden under foot, and God's will the guide of the soul?
If the ear of sinners be shut to our words, let our mouth be opened at the Mercy-seat in their behalf.
The children of God are apt to think meanly of their prayers and holy things, and to doubt the acceptance of their offerings because of imperfections. It is well indeed to have the humble mind; but unbelief is not pleasing to God. The prattlings of a child are sweeter in the Father's ear than all the best spoken words of a bond-servant.
Elisha asked for "a hard thing" (2 Kings 2:10). So with many of our requests; they are not things too hard for the Lord, who delights to give liberally, and with whom nothing is impossible: but a prepared heart is needed to receive a great spiritual blessing; and it is by much self-denial the heart is prepared.
Christ's intercession is grounded on His atonement; and so is the prayer of faith.
When we ask for conformity to Christ, and are not content to be stripped and emptied, it is prayer going out of feigned lips. (Ps. 15:1.)
God our Father can refuse His children nothing that is for their good. Those who have acquaintance with God desire only what is according to His will—they know their happiness lies in having no will but His. Thus they have everything their own way: it is their delight to please God, and what pleases God pleases them.
The prayers recorded in Scripture say much in few words; and the soul persuaded that "God is" cannot be wordy—takes hold of God, and prevails.
Few are strangers to _making_ prayers, but how many, alas, are strangers to prayer! The soul in true prayer looks at the Cross, and says, Were it not for that Cross I should never have prayed at all.
The prayer of the psalmist is often no more than a cry, a sigh, a desire of the poor, the contrite soul.
It is not by our much outward work that the value of our service will be judged in the day of the Lord. Many of the church's best helpers are intercessors confined to their beds.
The importunate widow (Luke 18) represents the whole of God's elect. They are a praying people and the parable teaches them that God will prove their faith; will seem to the flesh to favour their adversary; but that perseverance in prayer will surely prevail.
The circumstances of every hour furnish us with errands to the throne of grace; and we ought, in the secret of our hearts, to be communing with God our Father all the day long, hearing His voice, asking His guidance, or making confession, if in any of these things we fail. As we advance in acquaintance with God and with ourselves, we shall have more and more of the spirit of _little children_, distrusting ourselves, and putting all our trust in Him.
__1__ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
__1__ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 (A Psalm of David.) LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
Answers to Prayer
The best answers to prayer are those we have to wait and trust for. If we are answered quickly, let us be thankful; but let us be assured that by-and-by God will change His method with us, and that we shall be often made to wait.
"I will cry unto God... that performeth all things for me" (Psalm 62:2). Every such prayer must be answered; but we must wait God's time and way. The finest fruit of the Spirit ripens the latest; the longer we have to wait for answers to our prayers, the richer the blessing we are blessed while we continue to pray; faith grows by waiting; the blessing is full when it comes, and the time of the answer is seen to be the right time.
Asking of God what is most precious in His sight, we surely obtain all inferior good. Thus did Solomon. (1 Kings 3:6-14.) All mercies are bound up with God's gift of Christ.
It is not good for us to obtain deliverance and gifts from God, until we fully justify Him in His way of dealing with us. (Psalm 22) The answer to prayer will sometimes come when our patience is spent. "Let patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), that such rebukes of God's love may not be needful.
Many of God's people pray without waiting for God to work in His own time and manner. Let us not quiet conscience by praying, and then, in fleshly haste, take our own way.
The way wherein it pleases God to answer our prayer, if we have a right mind, will always please us well.
Holiness
As is our faith in Jesus, so will be the holiness of our walk. Where there is much dealing by faith with the blood of atonement, there will be sure and even walking in the path of obedience to the precepts of Christ.
How careful should we be to keep clean the house that is the dwelling of the King of Glory!
Holiness first and pardon after, says the blind Pharisee; but God's way is, Pardon and peace with God first: holiness the fruit of pardon.
The deep engraving of "Thou art holy" (Psalm 22:3), on the heart of a believer, is necessary to his wise and prudent walk.
Neglected hearts become like dwellings with slovenly occupants -- void of comfort.
Every saint is a vessel of mercy, but not every saint a vessel unto honour: yet it is his obligation to be such; lack of obedience gains nothing but harm and loss.
The Secret Life and the Daily Path
The soul that aims high, in point of obedience to God, will account that a transgression, which may not seem to be a fault to the eyes of others.
So soon as we behave and quiet ourselves, and become as a weaned child, our troubles vanish: take away self-will, and the sorrows that remain in our cup are made sweet.
Be much with God in secret, so will you bring profit into the saints' assemblies, and bring profit away from them.
God makes more of the dedication of the heart, than of any outward service we can render.
Would you grow up into Christ, make a conscience of obedience to Him in the smallest matters.
Believers should so live and commune in secret with Christ, that all around may see Christ in them.
If we would deal wisely with our daily matters, we must bring God's eternal counsels into them, and consider their eternal issues; holding ourselves God's servants, doing each his part in preparing the way for the Lord's appearing in glory.
The path for a believer to walk in without stumbling is that of God's precepts; in treading which he keeps his conscience purged by the blood of Christ, takes up his cross daily, and denies himself. This path, alas, is not much trodden by the saints -- to the unregenerate utterly unknown.
Do you dread to grieve the heart of Christ, as you once dreaded wrath and condemnation?
The Day of Small Things
God never blames us for our slow progress and small attainments in holiness, but for our sluggish coldhearted submitting to evil, and allowing it dominion over us.