“Ah. Lord God! Behold you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you”.   “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?”  Jeremiah 32:17,27.

Growing worse?

by John Angell James

 One of the last lessons we effectually learn, is

 that true godliness is a constant conflict in a

 believer's heart—between sin and holiness.

 Some sincere believers mistake a clearer view, and

 deeper sense of their depravity, for an actual increase

 of sin. The Christian seems sometimes to himself, to

 be growing worse, when actually it is only that he

 sees more clearly what in fact he really is!

 In the early stages of our Christian life, we have

 usually but a slender acquaintance with the evil

 of our sinfulness, and the depravity of our heart.

 The mind is so much taken up with pardon and

 eternal life, that it is but imperfectly acquainted

 with those depths of deceit and wickedness,

 which lie hidden in itself.

 At first we seem to feel as if the serpent were killed.

 But we soon find that he was only asleep—for by the

 warmth of some fiery temptation, he is revived and

 hisses at us again!

 Nothing astonishes an inexperienced believer more

 than the discoveries he is continually making of the

 evils of his heart. Corruptions which he never dreamt to

 be in him, are brought out by some new circumstances.

 It is like turning up the soil, which brings out worms

 and insects, which did not appear upon the surface.

 Or to vary the illustration, his increasing knowledge

 of God's holy nature, of the perfect law, and the

 example of Christ—is like opening the shutters, and

letting light into a dark room, the filth of which,

 the inhabitant did not see until the sunbeams

 disclosed it to him.

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In what do you boast?

(from Grace Gems.) 
Looking firmly at the cross of Christ!

(J.C. Ryle, "The Cross of Christ!")

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world!" Galatians 6:14

Look at the cross, think of the cross, meditate on the cross--and then go and set your affections on the world if you can!

I believe that holiness is nowhere learned so well as on Calvary.

I believe you cannot look much at the cross--without feeling your will sanctified, and your tastes made more spiritual.

As the sun gazed upon makes everything else look dark and dim--so does the cross darken the false splendor of this world. As the taste of honey makes all other things seem to have no taste at all--so does the cross seen by faith, take all the sweetness out of the pleasures of the world.

Keep on, everyday, looking firmly at the cross of Christ!
 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Robinson Crusoe's text:

Psalm 50: 15 ...call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Often let out of the modern version of this book these days but Spurgeon called it the 'Robinson Crusoe text' as it was in the original book. It has been a great encouragement to me recently. 

When Children Suffer

I have been deeply effected by children's suffering of late. Tonight I saw a photo of a big Australian Aid Worker stooping beside a tiny child with kwashiorkor - the contrast was horrifically startling. As I stared at this photo I realised that this child was on the way to recovery and not the worst I have seen, yet what a contrast!

As a mother I wish I could take all the pain away and make it all better - I would give my life to help a precious dear one to suffer less. My heart breaks inside, in agony I pour out my soul to my Lord for those who suffer. When I suffer I ask that it will give me understanding for those little ones who suffer more, that I might encourage and help them with more gentleness and Christ-like tenderness.

It suddenly struck me tonight that this is how much (and more) our Lord Jesus loves us....in fact He did actually give His life for us, that we may have life in all it's fullness. His heart breaks when we suffer in this sinful world, He longs to bring us home to an eternity of pain free, tear free, joyous living. He uses our suffering to bring us closer to Him in love, closer to experiencing heaven. We are told that Jesus intercedes for us at the right hand of God, that the Spirit groans for us, where there are no words to express... (Romans 8). Just as I beg for help for children so my Lord and my Counsellor beg/intercede on my behalf to my Abba Father.

Oh, what gloriously secure love I have....for a moment we suffer in this world but we have an eternity of comfort and joy to look forward to. We need so much more to better love those who suffer, better protect, better care for them - may the Lord give His church many little ones to care for in such a manner! May we pour out our love on them and bring healing. May we ache to help them and show them our Saviour's love and His hope. How I love the pictures in the Gospels of Jesus tenderly picking up a child as in (Mark 9: 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them....)

2 Corinthians 4: 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Philippians 4:

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Limitless access to God...

William Hendriksen, Eph.3:12.

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“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”  Eph.3:12

We can and should approach Him without restraint telling Him all our troubles, asking Him to help us in all our needs.  We know that He will welcome us most heartily.  Particularly, we should ask Him to enable us so to live that the fruits of His grace may be exhibited in us, and the wisdom of God reflected in us, so that the angels may see us as the mirror of God’s virtues (v.10).  Such courage of confident access is possible only ‘through faith in Him,’ namely, in ‘Christ Jesus our Lord,’ the very One ‘in whom’ we were chosen from eternity.  God’s eternal purpose which cannot fail and the redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus our Lord make such fearless access possible.