Oh stand and wonder!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity")

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon
 us—that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1

It is an infinite condescension in God, to honor us with the
title of sons, and therefore we should never think of it, nor
ever speak of it—but with much admiration. O sirs! what
matter of admiration is this—that the great and glorious
God, who has many millions of glorious angels attending
Him—that He should . . .
  look upon all holy people as His sons, 
  and love them as His sons,
  and delight in them as His sons,
  and clothe them as His sons,
  and feed them as His sons,
  and protect them as His sons,
  and stand by them as His sons,
  and lay up for them as His sons,
  and lay out Himself for them as His sons;
that those who have not deserved . . .
  a smile from God,
  a good word from God,
  a bit of bread from God,
  or a good look from God,
should be made the sons of God!

What manner of love is this—that those who have . . .
  so highly provoked God,
  walked so cross and contrary to God,
  were so exceeding unlike God,
  preferred every lust, and every toy and vanity before God,
  fought many years under Satan's banner against God,
  refused all the offers of mercy that have been made by God,
—that those who have deserved to be reprobated by God,
damned by God, and to be thrown to hell by God—that
these should be made the sons of God!

Oh stand and wonder! Oh stand and admire the
freeness of His grace, and at the riches of His grace!

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It has slain its thousands!

(John Mason's Spiritual Sayings)

"Do not love the world or anything in the
 world. If anyone loves the world, the love
 of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15

If the world is our portion here,
hell will be our portion hereafter.

Be not proud of riches but afraid of
them, lest they be as silver bars to
barricade the way to heaven!
 
As you love your souls, beware of the
world! It has slain its thousands and
tens of thousands!

What ruined Lot's wife? The world!

What ruined Judas? The world!

What ruined Simon Magus? The world!

What ruined Demas? The world!
 
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An elastic promise!

(George Everard, "Help on the Way to the Better Land!" 1873)

Very rich and full is the promise, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

It has been spoken of as an elastic promise. The word "sufficient" may not sound very great, but it stretchesaccording to a man's necessity.
A Christian's need may be great today — and the word "sufficient" reaches it.
It may be ten times as great tomorrow — but the word "sufficient" reaches it still.
The grace is still sufficient for the greater need — as for the lesser.

The promise shows also that not until we are weak — does the Lord bestow His strength. We may be too strong for the Lord to help us. Gideon's army must be brought almost to nothing, before the Lord will use it to overthrow the Midianites. And until we are brought low in our own thoughts, until the discipline employed has thoroughly emptied us of all high imaginings as to what we can do, or we can effect, or we can bear — we cannot be strong in the Lord.

"When I am weak," and not before, "then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10.
When I have learned experimentally . . .
  that I am a bruised reed,
  that I have in myself no power to endure affliction,
  that left to myself I shall assuredly rebel against the rod, and murmur against the gracious Hand that holds it
 — then the Lord draws near by the Spirit, and gives a joy and a peace that nothing can destroy!

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King Alphonso's folly!

(Letters of John Newton)

It is reported of King Alphonso of Portugal, that he presumed to say that if God had consulted him at thecreation about the dispositions and motions of the planets — he would have contrived them better than they are. I suppose the poor man took the schemes and dreams of the astronomers of his day to be an accurate representation of the solar system. It sounds, however, like a blasphemous speech in our ears.

We take it for granted that the Sun, the Moon, planets, and the stars are exactly where they should be — and move just as they ought. But if we are content that the Lord should manage the heavenly bodies without our assistance — we are ready enough to advise Him how He should dispose of our insignificant selves! We think we could point at twenty things in our situation which might be mended; and that we would serve Him much better than we do — if we were but at liberty to choose where and how we would be thus placed.

Thus we rightly censure King Alphonso's folly — without being aware that the thoughts that we sometimes indulge, are no less vain and arrogant than his! We might with as much reason, offer to assist God in the government of the universe — as in the direction of our own paltry concerns!

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

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A story is told of an old man who lived long ago!

(George Everard, "Daily Warfare!" 1866)

A story is told of an old man who lived long ago. A friend asked him the cause of his struggles, since in the evening he so often had great weariness. "Alas," answered he, "I have so much to do every day; I have . . .
  two falcons to tame,
  two hares to keep from running away,
  two hawks to manage,
  a serpent to confine,
  a lion to chain, and
  a sick man to tend and wait upon."

"Why, this is only folly," said the friend, "no man has all these things to do at once."

"Yet indeed," he answered, "it is with me just as I have said.

The two falcons are my two eyes, which I must diligently guard, lest something should please them which may be hurtful to my soul.

The two hares are my feet, which I must hold back, lest they should run after evil objects, and walk in the ways of sin.

The two hawks are my two hands, which I must train and keep to work, in order that I may be able to provide for myself and for my brethren who are in need.

The serpent is my tongue, which I must always keep in with a bridle, lest it should speak anything unfitting.

The lion is my heart, with which I have to maintain a continual fight, in order that vanity and pride may not fill it, but that the grace of God may dwell and work there.

The sick man is my own body, which is ever needing my watchfulness and care. All this daily wears out my strength!"

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him!" James 1:12 

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Samson's riddle unriddled!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward Samson. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. Some time later, he turned aside to look at the lion's carcass. In it was a swarm of bees and some honey, which he scooped out with his hands and ate as he went along." Judges 14

Conflicts come to us when we are least prepared for them. Samson was walking in the vineyards of Timnath, thinking of anything but lions, and "Suddenly," says the Scripture, "a young lion came roaring toward him!" Fresh and furious, a young lion is the worst kind of beast that a man can meet with. Let us expect, as followers of Christ, to meet with strong temptations, fierce persecutions, and severe trials, which will lead to stern conflicts.

What a type we have here of our Divine Lord and Master, Jesus, the conqueror of death and Hell. He has destroyed the lion that roared upon us and upon Him. To me, the comparison seems wonderfully apt and suggestive. I see our triumphant Lord laden with sweetness, holding it forth to all His brethren — that we may have our lives sweetened and our hearts filled with joy.

All this is clear to the eye of faith, which unriddles the riddle. Alas, when under deep depression, the mind forgets all this, and is only conscious of its unutterable misery — the man sees the lion, but not the honey in its carcass. But faith finds honey in the lion!

"This riddle may be an emblem of those sweet blessings of grace which come to the people of Christ through His having destroyed Satan the roaring lion, and all his works." (John Gill)


"This riddle may be viewed as referring to the blessed results of affliction to the Lord's children." (Arthur Pink)


"Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that roared upon Samson. But if we overcome them, the next time we see them, we shall find a nest of honey within them!" (John Bunyan)

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Not all we wish, not all that we may thinkpleasant or desirable

(George Everard, "Follow the Leader!" 1882)

"My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!" Philippians 4:19

We have here the promise that every possible need will be provided for. The Lord of earth and Heaven has such boundless treasures at His command, that it is impossible that we can expect too much. Not all we wish, not all that we may think pleasant or desirable--but all that the only-wise God discerns to be truly needful and profitable for us--that will He give.

The supply assured to the believer, comprises that which is needful for all that concerns our present life--and all that is essential for the support and growth of spiritual life in the soul.

As to this present life, God supplies our needs. And yet by withholding much that is for our comfort, He humbles and proves His children. He often keeps them on very slender fare!

What then have the people of God a right to expect?

Sometimes He may bestow a rich abundance of temporal blessings. He did so in the case of Job, and Abraham, and Joseph, and Solomon, and many others.

Still more frequently He will give His children amply enough for their daily need. He blesses their basket and their store. He gives a sufficiency, so that they can live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.

Yet sometimes it is otherwise. He is training His children, and He puts them in the school of affliction. He sends them thorns and briars, and sharp trials. And this often in the shape of need, or insufficient means for meeting the requirements of themselves or their families.

Ah, do not repine if this is so! There is a purpose beneath it. There is divine love, though there is the lack of food or money.

"Behind a frowning Providence
 He hides a smiling face!"

A soldier in a foreign campaign does not murmur because he has to rough it, and perhaps for many a week has coarse and insufficient fare. Nor should you be surprised if this is your case. Now is the conflict; by-and-by the crown will be won, and you will be at rest in your Father's house!

"My God shall supply all your needs." This goes far beyondtemporal blessings. It opens wide to us the treasury of divine grace--it tells me to go in and take all that my soul desires.

You may imagine a cabinet with fifty or a hundred drawers and each of these labeled with some valuable article--and you are permitted to go in and open each drawer and take out what you will. It is so in God's house. Christ is the Treasury of all spiritual gifts and graces. In Him are found wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, peace, power, preserving grace, restoring grace, consolation in sorrow, and effectual help and support in every season of adversity. And by faith and prayer, we are to go continually, and ask and receive abundantly, according to our need.

Do not limit God's free and rich supply of grace in Christ by the thought of your own demerits. It is not on account of any works or worthiness of yours--but for the sake of Christ's work and Christ's worthiness, that God is ever willing to bestow on you all needful grace.

"The LORD gives grace and glory. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly!" Psalm 84:11 
"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8
 

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