.....and tell of all thy wondrous works. Ps 26:7
When we have received any special good thing from the Lord, it is well, according as we have opportunities, to tell others of it. When the woman who had lost one of her ten pieces of silver, found the missing portion of her money, she gathered her neighbours and her friends together, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost." We may do the same; we may tell friends and relations that we have received such and such a blessing, and that we trace it directly to the hand of God. Why have we not already done this? Is there a lurking unbelief as to whether it really came from God; or are we ashamed to own it before those who are perhaps accustomed to laugh at such things? Who knows so much of the marvellous works of God as his own people; if they be silent, how can we expect the world to see what he has done? Let us not be ashamed to glorify God, by telling what we know and feel he has done; let us watch our opportunity to bring out distinctly the fact of his acting; let us feel delighted at having an opportunity, from our own experience, of telling what must turn to his praise; and them that honour God, God will honour in turn; if we be willing to talk of his deeds, he will give us enough to talk about.
P. B. Power, in "I Wills" of the Psalms
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
The Savior calls His people sheep,
And bids them on His love rely;
For He alone their souls can keep,
And He alone their wants supply.
The bull can fight, the hare can flee,
The ant in summer food prepare;
But helpless sheep, and such are we,
Depend upon the shepherd's care.
Jehovah is our Shepherd's name,
Then what have we, though weak, to fear?
Our sin and folly we proclaim,
If we despond while He is near.
When Satan threatens to devour,
When troubles press on every side,
Think on our Shepherd's care and power,
He can defend, He will provide.
See the rich pastures of His grace,
Where in full streams salvation flows!
There He appoints our resting-place,
And we may feel secure from foes.
There, 'midst the flock the Shepherd dwells,
The sheep around in safety lie;
The wolf, in vain, with malice swells,
For He protects them with His eye.
Dear Lord, if I am one of Thine,
From anxious thoughts I would be free;
To trust, and love, and praise, is mine,
The care of all belongs to Thee.
John Newton
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isa 40:8
“The Lord is my shepherd.” Little words are sometimes very important. Suppose you read it thus, “The Lord is a shepherd;” would it mean just the same to you? The name shepherd carries in itself all its wondrous revealing of love, tenderness, care, safety, providence, as a picture of God; but what comfort is all this to you, so long as you cannot say, “The Lord is my shepherd”? Some poor children, passing a beautiful home, with its wealth and luxury, may admire it, and say, “What a lovely home!” But how much more it means to the children who dwell inside, who say, as they enjoy the good things in the house, “This is our home!” It makes a great difference to me whether a good man is a worthy friend, or is my friend; whether God is a Father, or is my Father; whether Jesus is a wonderful Saviour, or is my Saviour; whether the Lord is a Shepherd, or is my Shepherd.....
We must notice here, too, the grounds of David’s confidence. He was very rich in his old age, when he wrote this psalm; but he does not say, “I have much goods laid up, vast sums of gold, and therefore I shall not want.” He was a great king and a mighty conqueror, nation after nation had submitted to him, and now the whole Eastern country was at his feet, with its power and wealth; but he does not say, “I am king of vast realms; many peoples own my sway; the resources of great countries are at my disposal, and therefore shall not want.” To have God is better than to have all the world without God. “The world passeth away,” “but the word of God abideth forever.” When we can say, “God is mine,” we have all the wealth of the universe for ours; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” and what is God’s is ours. “All things are yours, and ye are Christ’s.” Blessed are all who can say,“The Lord is my shepherd.” They can sing then with confidence, “Therefore I shall not want.”
J. R. Miller, D.D.
And bids them on His love rely;
For He alone their souls can keep,
And He alone their wants supply.
The bull can fight, the hare can flee,
The ant in summer food prepare;
But helpless sheep, and such are we,
Depend upon the shepherd's care.
Jehovah is our Shepherd's name,
Then what have we, though weak, to fear?
Our sin and folly we proclaim,
If we despond while He is near.
When Satan threatens to devour,
When troubles press on every side,
Think on our Shepherd's care and power,
He can defend, He will provide.
See the rich pastures of His grace,
Where in full streams salvation flows!
There He appoints our resting-place,
And we may feel secure from foes.
There, 'midst the flock the Shepherd dwells,
The sheep around in safety lie;
The wolf, in vain, with malice swells,
For He protects them with His eye.
Dear Lord, if I am one of Thine,
From anxious thoughts I would be free;
To trust, and love, and praise, is mine,
The care of all belongs to Thee.
John Newton
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isa 40:8
“The Lord is my shepherd.” Little words are sometimes very important. Suppose you read it thus, “The Lord is a shepherd;” would it mean just the same to you? The name shepherd carries in itself all its wondrous revealing of love, tenderness, care, safety, providence, as a picture of God; but what comfort is all this to you, so long as you cannot say, “The Lord is my shepherd”? Some poor children, passing a beautiful home, with its wealth and luxury, may admire it, and say, “What a lovely home!” But how much more it means to the children who dwell inside, who say, as they enjoy the good things in the house, “This is our home!” It makes a great difference to me whether a good man is a worthy friend, or is my friend; whether God is a Father, or is my Father; whether Jesus is a wonderful Saviour, or is my Saviour; whether the Lord is a Shepherd, or is my Shepherd.....
We must notice here, too, the grounds of David’s confidence. He was very rich in his old age, when he wrote this psalm; but he does not say, “I have much goods laid up, vast sums of gold, and therefore I shall not want.” He was a great king and a mighty conqueror, nation after nation had submitted to him, and now the whole Eastern country was at his feet, with its power and wealth; but he does not say, “I am king of vast realms; many peoples own my sway; the resources of great countries are at my disposal, and therefore shall not want.” To have God is better than to have all the world without God. “The world passeth away,” “but the word of God abideth forever.” When we can say, “God is mine,” we have all the wealth of the universe for ours; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” and what is God’s is ours. “All things are yours, and ye are Christ’s.” Blessed are all who can say,“The Lord is my shepherd.” They can sing then with confidence, “Therefore I shall not want.”
J. R. Miller, D.D.
Monday, February 1, 2016
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? Psalms 118:6
1. He that can apply one promise to himself, may confidently apply another also.
2. The weakest true Believer, hath as good ground of confidence in GOD, for every good, needful for Soul or body, as the LORD'S chief Prophets, and as good Warrant to apply the Scriptures, to their own use, which speak of them.
3. He who believeth in GOD, needeth not to fear what flesh can do unto him.
4. Faith, then, doeth its part duly when it glorieth in the LORD, against all opposition.
David Dickson
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? Psalms 118:6
1. He that can apply one promise to himself, may confidently apply another also.
2. The weakest true Believer, hath as good ground of confidence in GOD, for every good, needful for Soul or body, as the LORD'S chief Prophets, and as good Warrant to apply the Scriptures, to their own use, which speak of them.
3. He who believeth in GOD, needeth not to fear what flesh can do unto him.
4. Faith, then, doeth its part duly when it glorieth in the LORD, against all opposition.
David Dickson
Sunday, January 31, 2016
They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. Psalms 125:1
.....the greatest service that we can do unto God is to trust him. For this is the nature of God to create all things of nothing. Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death, life; in darkness, light. Now to believe this is the essential nature and most special property of faith. When God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his own nature, that is, which believeth to find in danger help, in poverty riches, in sin righteousness, and that for God’s own mercy’s sake in Christ alone, him can God neither hate nor forsake.
Martin Luther
.....the greatest service that we can do unto God is to trust him. For this is the nature of God to create all things of nothing. Therefore he createth and bringeth forth in death, life; in darkness, light. Now to believe this is the essential nature and most special property of faith. When God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his own nature, that is, which believeth to find in danger help, in poverty riches, in sin righteousness, and that for God’s own mercy’s sake in Christ alone, him can God neither hate nor forsake.
Martin Luther
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Most of us know what it is to be overwhelmed in heart; emptied as when a man wipeth a dish and turneth it up-side down; submerged and thrown on our beam ends like a vessel mastered by the storm. Discoveries of inward corruption will do this, if the Lord permits the great deep of our depravity to become troubled and cast up mire and dirt. Disappointments and heart-breaks will do this when billow after billow rolls over us, and we are like a broken shell hurled to and fro by the surf. Blessed be God, at such seasons we are not without an all-sufficient solace; our God is the harbor of weather-beaten sails, the hospice of forlorn pilgrims. Higher than we are is He, His mercy higher than our sins, His love higher than our thoughts. It is pitiful to see men putting their trust in something lower than themselves; but our confidence is fixed upon an exceeding high and glorious Lord. A Rock He is since He changes not, and a high Rock, because the tempests which overwhelm us roll far beneath at His feet; He is not disturbed by them, but rules them at His will. If we get under the shelter of this lofty Rock, we may defy the hurricane; all is calm under the lee of that towering cliff. Alas! such is the confusion in which the troubled mind is often cast, that we need piloting to this divine shelter. Hence the prayer of the text. Lord, our God, by Thy Holy Spirit, teach us the way of faith, lead us into Thy rest. The wind blows us out to sea, the helm answers not to our puny hand; Thou, Thou alone canst steer us over the bar between yon sunken rocks, safe into the fair haven. How dependent we are upon Thee! We need Thee to bring us to Thee. To be wisely directed and steered into safety and peace, is Thy gift, and Thine alone. This night be pleased to deal well with Thy servant.
C. H. Spurgeon
C. H. Spurgeon
Friday, January 29, 2016
.....We sadly neglect the assembling of ourselves together for the simple reading of the holy Scriptures. There does not seem to be sufficient attraction in the Word of God itself to bring us together. There is an unhealthy craving for other things; human oratory, music, religious excitement of some kind or other seems needful to bring people together,—anything and everything but the precious Word of God.
It will perhaps be said that people have the Word of God in their houses, that it is quite different now from what it was with Israel; every one can read the Scriptures at home, and there is not the same necessity for the public reading. Such a plea will not stand the test of truth for a moment. We may rest assured, if the Word of God were loved and prized and studied in private and in the family, it would be loved and prized and studied in public. We should delight to gather together around the fountain of holy Scripture, to drink, in happy fellowship, of the living water, for our common refreshment and blessing.
But it is not so. The Word of God is not loved and studied, either privately or publicly. Trashy literature is devoured in private, and music, ritualistic services, and imposing ceremonies are eagerly sought after in public. Thousands will flock to hear music, and pay for admission, but how few care for a meeting to read the holy Scriptures! These are facts, and facts are powerful arguments. We cannot get over them. There is a growing thirst for religious excitement, and a growing distaste for the calm study of holy Scripture and the spiritual exercises of the Christian assembly. It is perfectly useless to deny it. We cannot shut our eyes to it. The evidence of it meets us on every hand.
Thank God, there are a few, here and there, who really love the Word of God, and delight to meet, in holy fellowship, for the study of its precious truths. May the Lord increase the number of such, and bless them abundantly. May our lot be cast with them, “till traveling days are done.”
C. H. Mackintosh
It will perhaps be said that people have the Word of God in their houses, that it is quite different now from what it was with Israel; every one can read the Scriptures at home, and there is not the same necessity for the public reading. Such a plea will not stand the test of truth for a moment. We may rest assured, if the Word of God were loved and prized and studied in private and in the family, it would be loved and prized and studied in public. We should delight to gather together around the fountain of holy Scripture, to drink, in happy fellowship, of the living water, for our common refreshment and blessing.
But it is not so. The Word of God is not loved and studied, either privately or publicly. Trashy literature is devoured in private, and music, ritualistic services, and imposing ceremonies are eagerly sought after in public. Thousands will flock to hear music, and pay for admission, but how few care for a meeting to read the holy Scriptures! These are facts, and facts are powerful arguments. We cannot get over them. There is a growing thirst for religious excitement, and a growing distaste for the calm study of holy Scripture and the spiritual exercises of the Christian assembly. It is perfectly useless to deny it. We cannot shut our eyes to it. The evidence of it meets us on every hand.
Thank God, there are a few, here and there, who really love the Word of God, and delight to meet, in holy fellowship, for the study of its precious truths. May the Lord increase the number of such, and bless them abundantly. May our lot be cast with them, “till traveling days are done.”
C. H. Mackintosh
Thursday, January 28, 2016
From a Letter by John Newton dated June, 1773
My Lord,
.....The hour is coming when all impediments shall be removed. All distinctions shall cease that are founded upon sublunary things, and the earth and all its works shall be burnt up. Glorious day! May our souls be filled with the thought, and learn to estimate all things around us now, by the view in which they will appear to us then! Then it will be of small moment who was the prince, and who was the beggar, in this life; but who in their several situations sought, and loved, and feared, and honoured the Lord. Alas! how many of the kings of the earth, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, will then say (in vain) to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us! In this world they are for the most part too busy to regard the commands of God, or too happy to seek his favour; they have their good things here; they please themselves for a while, and in a moment they go down to the grave: in that moment their thoughts perish, their schemes are left unfinished, they are torn from their possessions, and enter upon a new, an untried, an unchangeable, a never-ending state of existence. Alas! is this all the world can afford!.......
May the cheering contemplation of the hope set before us support and animate us to improve the interval, and fill us with an holy ambition of shining as lights in the world, to the praise and glory of his grace, who has called us out of darkness! Encompassed as we are with snares, temptations, and infirmities, it is possible (by his promised assistance) to live in some good measure above the world while we are in it; above the influence of its cares, its smiles, or its frowns. Our conversation, our citizenship, is in heaven. We are not at home, but only resident here for a season, to fulfil an appointed service; and the Lord, whom we serve, has encouraged us to hope that he will guide us by his wisdom, strengthen us by his power, and comfort us with the light of his countenance, which is better than life. Every blessing we receive from him is a token of his favour, and a pledge of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which he has reserved for us. O! to hear him say at last, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!" will be a rich amends for all that we can lose, suffer, or forbear, for his sake.
John Newton
From a Letter by John Newton to a Mr. B.--May 19, 1775
My Dear Sir,
I hope you will find the Lord present at all times, and in all places. When it is so, we are at home everywhere; when it is otherwise, home is a prison, and abroad a wilderness. I know what I ought to desire, and what I do desire. I point him out to others as the all in all; I esteem him as such in my own judgment; but, alas! my experience abounds with complaints. He is my sun; but clouds, and sometimes walls, intercept him from my view. He is my strength; yet I am prone to lean upon reeds. He is my friend; but on my part there is such coldness and ingratitude, as no other friend could bear. But still he is gracious, and shames me with his repeated multiplied goodness. O for a warmer heart, a more simple dependence, a more active zeal, a more sensible deliverance from the effects of this body of sin and death! He helps me in my endeavours to keep the vine-yards of others; but, alas! my own does not seem to flourish as some do around me. However, though I cannot say I labour more abundantly than they all, I have reason to say with thankfulness, by the grace of God, I am what I am. My poor story would soon be much worse, did not he support, restrain, and watch me every minute. Let me entreat your praises and prayers on the behalf of me and mine; and may the Lord bless you and yours with an increase in every good.
John Newton
My Lord,
.....The hour is coming when all impediments shall be removed. All distinctions shall cease that are founded upon sublunary things, and the earth and all its works shall be burnt up. Glorious day! May our souls be filled with the thought, and learn to estimate all things around us now, by the view in which they will appear to us then! Then it will be of small moment who was the prince, and who was the beggar, in this life; but who in their several situations sought, and loved, and feared, and honoured the Lord. Alas! how many of the kings of the earth, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, will then say (in vain) to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us! In this world they are for the most part too busy to regard the commands of God, or too happy to seek his favour; they have their good things here; they please themselves for a while, and in a moment they go down to the grave: in that moment their thoughts perish, their schemes are left unfinished, they are torn from their possessions, and enter upon a new, an untried, an unchangeable, a never-ending state of existence. Alas! is this all the world can afford!.......
May the cheering contemplation of the hope set before us support and animate us to improve the interval, and fill us with an holy ambition of shining as lights in the world, to the praise and glory of his grace, who has called us out of darkness! Encompassed as we are with snares, temptations, and infirmities, it is possible (by his promised assistance) to live in some good measure above the world while we are in it; above the influence of its cares, its smiles, or its frowns. Our conversation, our citizenship, is in heaven. We are not at home, but only resident here for a season, to fulfil an appointed service; and the Lord, whom we serve, has encouraged us to hope that he will guide us by his wisdom, strengthen us by his power, and comfort us with the light of his countenance, which is better than life. Every blessing we receive from him is a token of his favour, and a pledge of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which he has reserved for us. O! to hear him say at last, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!" will be a rich amends for all that we can lose, suffer, or forbear, for his sake.
John Newton
****************************************
From a Letter by John Newton to a Mr. B.--May 19, 1775
My Dear Sir,
I hope you will find the Lord present at all times, and in all places. When it is so, we are at home everywhere; when it is otherwise, home is a prison, and abroad a wilderness. I know what I ought to desire, and what I do desire. I point him out to others as the all in all; I esteem him as such in my own judgment; but, alas! my experience abounds with complaints. He is my sun; but clouds, and sometimes walls, intercept him from my view. He is my strength; yet I am prone to lean upon reeds. He is my friend; but on my part there is such coldness and ingratitude, as no other friend could bear. But still he is gracious, and shames me with his repeated multiplied goodness. O for a warmer heart, a more simple dependence, a more active zeal, a more sensible deliverance from the effects of this body of sin and death! He helps me in my endeavours to keep the vine-yards of others; but, alas! my own does not seem to flourish as some do around me. However, though I cannot say I labour more abundantly than they all, I have reason to say with thankfulness, by the grace of God, I am what I am. My poor story would soon be much worse, did not he support, restrain, and watch me every minute. Let me entreat your praises and prayers on the behalf of me and mine; and may the Lord bless you and yours with an increase in every good.
John Newton
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