Desires Regarded # 2
The Lord's Loving-kindness. "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him." His Spirit kindled it, and His grace will fulfill it. This led the Psalmist to exclaim, "How excellent is your loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of your house; and You shall make them drink of the river of Your pleasures." Not only satisfied - but filled with pleasure - drinking, as the thirsty traveler, of the river of pleasure.
O the sweet satisfaction felt, the intense pleasure experienced, when the Spirit seals home a sense of our saving interest in Jesus, unfolds the glory of His person and work, sheds abroad His love in our hearts, and seals us to the day of redemption! He gives freely, without any inducement on our parts, as it is written, "He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away." There was nothing in the party but hunger, poverty, and helplessness - and the Lord filled the soul, satisfying it fully. "He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness."
Poor tired soul, the Lord will fulfill your desires, He may delay to do so for a time - but He will make good His word, and you shall rejoice in Him, and bless His name.
"He also will hear their cry, and will save them." Pray they cannot, according to their own apprehension - but cry they do, they must. As Peter, when sinking in the water, cried, "Lord, save me!" And the poor woman, overwhelmed with distress about her daughter, cried, "Lord, help me!"
So this poor soul cries, and cries often, and from the depths of the soul, "Lord, save me!" They cry - as the young ravens for food, or the young lions for prey. Their brief prayers are the language of the new nature - the cry of the regenerated soul.
They cry, because burdened with sin, and terrified with a sense of wrath.
They cry for deliverance from their fetters, and the bondage in which they are held.
They cry against temptations, especially temptations to sin and despair.
They cry because of enemies, especially the enemy which would condemn their souls.
They cry for help in troubles, and deliverance from sin and hell.
They cry for strength and direction, under a sense of weakness and perplexity.
They cry, and as the mother hears the infant, and flies to its relief; as the father hears his son, and runs to meet and forgive him, so the Lord hears the cry of a quickened soul, and saves it.
God-fearing souls are blessed. They hunger and thirst after righteousness, and they shall be filled. They want to be right, internally and externally, before God and before man, in state and in experience; for this they hunger and thirst - and with this they shall be blessed. They desire - for what God intends to bestow; they cry - for what God delights to give. He therefore will fulfill their desire, He also will hear their cry and will save them.
Is my reader, a poor, doubting, fearing soul? If so, let me say for your encouragement, that if you can trace out within your heart - a desire for Christ and His salvation, and if that desire is the abiding, ruling desire of your soul - it is a proof of the work of the Holy Spirit of God in your heart; it is the smoking flax which Jesus will never quench - but will raise it to aflame. If you have a cry put into your heart for deliverance from sin, satan, and hell - then God has put it there, and He who put it there, intends to answer it. It may be a feeble cry, a pitiful cry, a painful cry - but the Lord will hear and answer it. Cry on then as the woman of Canaan did - cry so much the more, as discouragements increase, as the poor blind man in the gospel did - and Jesus will soon hear you, and answer you to the joy and rejoicing of your soul.
God notices desires and looks. He hears the desires of the humble, and satisfies the desire of every living soul - that is, of every one made alive by the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit, comfort the heart of the poor, depressed, and sorrowful soul, whose desire is toward You, and who longs to enjoy the salvation of God!
~James Smith~
(The End)
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Desires Regarded # 1
Desires Regarded # 1
Our religion is sometimes at a very low ebb. What with trials without, stirring up corruption within, and the temptations of satan taking advantage of our various defects - we can scarcely tell whether we have the root of the matter in us or not! At such times, we are led to look back, and to take hold afresh of those portions of God's word, which cheered and comforted us when we first began our pilgrimage. On one such sweet portion my eye is now fixed, may the Lord help me to write a few lines on it, which may do those good who are weak in faith, and weary in the way. "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them." (Psalm 145:19).
The Characteristics. Fearing. Our fear is often of a very mixed character, partly legal and partly evangelical. Our fears are often very painful; and seldom are they beneficial.
When first awakened by the Holy Spirit, and led to see our lost state and condition - the principal object of our fear is the wrath of God. We know we deserve it, the guilt of sin in the conscience, fills us with alarm respecting it - and we fear that it will suddenly fall upon us. The eye of the mind is fixed on the threatenings of the word, and in them appears the holiness, justice, and majesty of and offended God. Our fears now gain strength, and terrible alarms often agitate the soul. We need the promises and the invitations of the word, and long to appropriate them - but dare not so much as touch one of them. They are for the Lord's people - and we cannot believe that we are such; or they are for particular characters - and we dare not conclude that we are among them. O if we could but escape the dreadful wrath of God, if we were but delivered from His awful threatenings, if we had but a saving interest in His promises, or if we could but even claim His invitations - our fears would not be so strong, or so painful - but we cannot!
When the mind has been led to see something of the graciousness of the Divine character, and the nature and design of the great atonement - hope springs up, and our fear is somewhat changed in its character. We now fear sinning against God. If we could but abstain from sin! If we could but live a holy life! If our hearts were but clean! But when we turn the eye within, and see what a horrid pit of pollution the heart is, and mark the working of corruption there - we fear that we are too vile to be noticed, or regarded with pity or compassion, by a holy God. O what painful fears we feel working within us now - we fear that we must be banished from God, that we shall never see His face, or feel His forgiving love! We see not how a just God, can ever forgive or justify such sinners as we are! If we could but pray, or repent, or believe, we might hope; but when we try to pray - we are all confusion; when we would repent - our hearts are as cold as ice, and harder than the millstone; and when we would believe - we feel as if we we could believe anything but the gospel, and every one but God. Yet under all this, there is the fear of God - for conscience is tender, the soul is set against sin, and the walk is in accordance with God's precepts. Of such, though they have not peace, though they do not enjoy rest, though they are not happy - we must say that they "fear God."
They have had many and painful desires working within them, which desires indicate the bent of the mind, and the working of the Spirit of God. The principal, the ruling desire, is for a saving interest in Christ. This appears to the soul, as the one thing needful. If soul had this - it could endure any privations, suffer any pains, and do anything God requires; but without this - every duty is a task, and every privilege a burden. It cannot rest on general principles, saying, "Christ died for sinners, and therefore He died for me; or He is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and therefore for my sins." It wants something more satisfactory. It wants to see that Christ was its personal substitute, and its all meritorious sacrifice; doing all that the law required of it, and suffering all that the law threatened to inflict upon it. Or to realize that it is savingly interested in the person, work, and death of Jesus - being identified with Jesus, represented by Jesus, and doing and suffering in Jesus.
With such a sense of a saving interest in Christ is obtained, then the desire of the soul is to know Christ, to know all about Christ. To know Christ thoroughly, scripturally, and experimentally; so to know Him, as to commit all to Him, and leave all with Him. Then the soul desires to hold near, dear, and close communion with Him; often to hear from Him, having His word applied to the conscience and the heart. The soul also longs to love Him, trust Him, obey Him, enjoy Him, and praise Him; to share with His people in all their joys and sorrows, griefs and gladness, to be one with them on earth, preparatory to being one with them in Heaven forever. Such are some of the desires of those who fear Him.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
Our religion is sometimes at a very low ebb. What with trials without, stirring up corruption within, and the temptations of satan taking advantage of our various defects - we can scarcely tell whether we have the root of the matter in us or not! At such times, we are led to look back, and to take hold afresh of those portions of God's word, which cheered and comforted us when we first began our pilgrimage. On one such sweet portion my eye is now fixed, may the Lord help me to write a few lines on it, which may do those good who are weak in faith, and weary in the way. "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them." (Psalm 145:19).
The Characteristics. Fearing. Our fear is often of a very mixed character, partly legal and partly evangelical. Our fears are often very painful; and seldom are they beneficial.
When first awakened by the Holy Spirit, and led to see our lost state and condition - the principal object of our fear is the wrath of God. We know we deserve it, the guilt of sin in the conscience, fills us with alarm respecting it - and we fear that it will suddenly fall upon us. The eye of the mind is fixed on the threatenings of the word, and in them appears the holiness, justice, and majesty of and offended God. Our fears now gain strength, and terrible alarms often agitate the soul. We need the promises and the invitations of the word, and long to appropriate them - but dare not so much as touch one of them. They are for the Lord's people - and we cannot believe that we are such; or they are for particular characters - and we dare not conclude that we are among them. O if we could but escape the dreadful wrath of God, if we were but delivered from His awful threatenings, if we had but a saving interest in His promises, or if we could but even claim His invitations - our fears would not be so strong, or so painful - but we cannot!
When the mind has been led to see something of the graciousness of the Divine character, and the nature and design of the great atonement - hope springs up, and our fear is somewhat changed in its character. We now fear sinning against God. If we could but abstain from sin! If we could but live a holy life! If our hearts were but clean! But when we turn the eye within, and see what a horrid pit of pollution the heart is, and mark the working of corruption there - we fear that we are too vile to be noticed, or regarded with pity or compassion, by a holy God. O what painful fears we feel working within us now - we fear that we must be banished from God, that we shall never see His face, or feel His forgiving love! We see not how a just God, can ever forgive or justify such sinners as we are! If we could but pray, or repent, or believe, we might hope; but when we try to pray - we are all confusion; when we would repent - our hearts are as cold as ice, and harder than the millstone; and when we would believe - we feel as if we we could believe anything but the gospel, and every one but God. Yet under all this, there is the fear of God - for conscience is tender, the soul is set against sin, and the walk is in accordance with God's precepts. Of such, though they have not peace, though they do not enjoy rest, though they are not happy - we must say that they "fear God."
They have had many and painful desires working within them, which desires indicate the bent of the mind, and the working of the Spirit of God. The principal, the ruling desire, is for a saving interest in Christ. This appears to the soul, as the one thing needful. If soul had this - it could endure any privations, suffer any pains, and do anything God requires; but without this - every duty is a task, and every privilege a burden. It cannot rest on general principles, saying, "Christ died for sinners, and therefore He died for me; or He is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and therefore for my sins." It wants something more satisfactory. It wants to see that Christ was its personal substitute, and its all meritorious sacrifice; doing all that the law required of it, and suffering all that the law threatened to inflict upon it. Or to realize that it is savingly interested in the person, work, and death of Jesus - being identified with Jesus, represented by Jesus, and doing and suffering in Jesus.
With such a sense of a saving interest in Christ is obtained, then the desire of the soul is to know Christ, to know all about Christ. To know Christ thoroughly, scripturally, and experimentally; so to know Him, as to commit all to Him, and leave all with Him. Then the soul desires to hold near, dear, and close communion with Him; often to hear from Him, having His word applied to the conscience and the heart. The soul also longs to love Him, trust Him, obey Him, enjoy Him, and praise Him; to share with His people in all their joys and sorrows, griefs and gladness, to be one with them on earth, preparatory to being one with them in Heaven forever. Such are some of the desires of those who fear Him.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Brought Low - But Helped
Brought Low - But Helped
"I was brought low - and He helped me!" (Psalm 116:6).
The circumstances of the Christian often vary - and it is no uncommon thing for his frames and feelings to vary with his circumstances. On this account, many of the Lord's people ae either elevated - or depressed, but seldom enjoy a calm, peaceful, and settled state of mind. Their depression is great - or their joys are high. But even this is overruled for their good, and is sanctified to the humbling of the soul, and the preserving it from self-importance and pride. What a mercy it is to have a God to go to - let our frames and feelings be what they may. What a mercy to have One who will sympathize with us, and of whom it is said, "Like as a father pities his children - so the Lord pities those who fear Him." This was David's encouragement, and lay at the root of much of his experience, and led him to say, "I was brought low - and He helped me."
His Painful Condition. "I was brought low." O how low the believer is brought sometimes - into what straits and trials, into what troubles and distresses!
Sometimes in his outward circumstances, by the loss of property, or friends, or situation; all seems against him, everything seems to conspire together to bring him low.
Sometimes in body, by strong pain, extreme weakness, or nervous disorders; so that everything loses its relish, and he can enjoy nothing earthly.
At other times it is distress in the soul, by violent temptations, by distressing bereavements, by the hidings of the Lord's face, or His withholding divine communications. Now everything appears to be covered with a pall - and gloom and darkness spreads over the soul.
But at times the Lord so sanctifies the circumstances, as painful as they are, that they become real blessings; pride is humbled, false confidence is destroyed, and the man walks softly before the Lord!
Yet at other times - faith is shaken, the heart is straitened, doubts spring up, fears are strong, the evidences are beclouded, prayer becomes a task - and we think that God must be angry with us. This brings us low, lays us prostrate, and we cry plaintively unto God. Then in answer to the cry of faith, the Lord sends help, or appears for our relief, and soon we are able to say, "I was brought low - and He helped me!"
His Encouraging Testimony. "He helped me." Blessed be His holy name, He never allows us to sink - but He comes to our help! He helps us in trouble: by rendering His assistance, by sending us supplies, by raising us up friends, by restoring us to health and strength, by reviving our graces and raising our spirits; or by imparting a little scriptural light, a little holy love, a little heavenly dew, or a little spiritual unction.
Thus He draws out our souls in prayer, excites hope in His mercy, awakens confidence in His Word - and we sink in deep humility at His footstool.
Now we can bear trouble with patience, and look for deliverance with courage. He helps us out of trouble, by turning our captivity as He did Job's. Now providence smiles, health returns, promises are applied, comfort is imparted, the Spirit bears His inward witness, the heart is enlarged, confidence is produced, and sweet communion with Himself is granted.
This is sending and taking us out of the deep waters. This is bringing us up out of the horrible pit - and setting our feet upon a solid rock. This is like returning to the days of our youth. Now we can sing in the ways of the Lord, because great is the glory of the Lord. Now we can say with the prophet, "O Lord, I will praise You, though You were angry with me - Your anger is turned away, and you comfort me."
We must sink -before we rise. This is always true in grace, for before honor - is humility. We must pace the valley of humiliation, before we ascend the mount of high and holy communion with God. And very frequently is it is the case, that the lower we sink - the higher we rise. If the Lord is stripping us, emptying us, pruning us, and bringing us low; so that we feel weak, empty and void of good - it is in order that He may strengthen us with His might, bring us to rest on His Word, fill us with His own love, and lead us to look for everything in Jesus.
When brought low - hope should be encouraged. The Lord will help us. We ought not then to encourage fears, or yield to despondency - but should rather chide ourselves for yielding to such feelings. He who brings us down by His providence - He will support and raise us up by His grace.
The church of old testified, "We went through fire and through water - but You brought us out into a wealthy place." Just so shall we shortly be delivered, and when we stand on the borders of the promised land, when we are about to cross the river that separates time from eternity -we shall then with our dying breath for the comfort of those we leave behind us say, "I was brought low - and He helped me!"
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you go through deep waters - I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty - you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression - you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour!" (Isaiah 43:1-3).
~James Smith~
(The End)
"I was brought low - and He helped me!" (Psalm 116:6).
The circumstances of the Christian often vary - and it is no uncommon thing for his frames and feelings to vary with his circumstances. On this account, many of the Lord's people ae either elevated - or depressed, but seldom enjoy a calm, peaceful, and settled state of mind. Their depression is great - or their joys are high. But even this is overruled for their good, and is sanctified to the humbling of the soul, and the preserving it from self-importance and pride. What a mercy it is to have a God to go to - let our frames and feelings be what they may. What a mercy to have One who will sympathize with us, and of whom it is said, "Like as a father pities his children - so the Lord pities those who fear Him." This was David's encouragement, and lay at the root of much of his experience, and led him to say, "I was brought low - and He helped me."
His Painful Condition. "I was brought low." O how low the believer is brought sometimes - into what straits and trials, into what troubles and distresses!
Sometimes in his outward circumstances, by the loss of property, or friends, or situation; all seems against him, everything seems to conspire together to bring him low.
Sometimes in body, by strong pain, extreme weakness, or nervous disorders; so that everything loses its relish, and he can enjoy nothing earthly.
At other times it is distress in the soul, by violent temptations, by distressing bereavements, by the hidings of the Lord's face, or His withholding divine communications. Now everything appears to be covered with a pall - and gloom and darkness spreads over the soul.
But at times the Lord so sanctifies the circumstances, as painful as they are, that they become real blessings; pride is humbled, false confidence is destroyed, and the man walks softly before the Lord!
Yet at other times - faith is shaken, the heart is straitened, doubts spring up, fears are strong, the evidences are beclouded, prayer becomes a task - and we think that God must be angry with us. This brings us low, lays us prostrate, and we cry plaintively unto God. Then in answer to the cry of faith, the Lord sends help, or appears for our relief, and soon we are able to say, "I was brought low - and He helped me!"
His Encouraging Testimony. "He helped me." Blessed be His holy name, He never allows us to sink - but He comes to our help! He helps us in trouble: by rendering His assistance, by sending us supplies, by raising us up friends, by restoring us to health and strength, by reviving our graces and raising our spirits; or by imparting a little scriptural light, a little holy love, a little heavenly dew, or a little spiritual unction.
Thus He draws out our souls in prayer, excites hope in His mercy, awakens confidence in His Word - and we sink in deep humility at His footstool.
Now we can bear trouble with patience, and look for deliverance with courage. He helps us out of trouble, by turning our captivity as He did Job's. Now providence smiles, health returns, promises are applied, comfort is imparted, the Spirit bears His inward witness, the heart is enlarged, confidence is produced, and sweet communion with Himself is granted.
This is sending and taking us out of the deep waters. This is bringing us up out of the horrible pit - and setting our feet upon a solid rock. This is like returning to the days of our youth. Now we can sing in the ways of the Lord, because great is the glory of the Lord. Now we can say with the prophet, "O Lord, I will praise You, though You were angry with me - Your anger is turned away, and you comfort me."
We must sink -before we rise. This is always true in grace, for before honor - is humility. We must pace the valley of humiliation, before we ascend the mount of high and holy communion with God. And very frequently is it is the case, that the lower we sink - the higher we rise. If the Lord is stripping us, emptying us, pruning us, and bringing us low; so that we feel weak, empty and void of good - it is in order that He may strengthen us with His might, bring us to rest on His Word, fill us with His own love, and lead us to look for everything in Jesus.
When brought low - hope should be encouraged. The Lord will help us. We ought not then to encourage fears, or yield to despondency - but should rather chide ourselves for yielding to such feelings. He who brings us down by His providence - He will support and raise us up by His grace.
The church of old testified, "We went through fire and through water - but You brought us out into a wealthy place." Just so shall we shortly be delivered, and when we stand on the borders of the promised land, when we are about to cross the river that separates time from eternity -we shall then with our dying breath for the comfort of those we leave behind us say, "I was brought low - and He helped me!"
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you go through deep waters - I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty - you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression - you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour!" (Isaiah 43:1-3).
~James Smith~
(The End)
Saturday, February 8, 2020
The Wheat and the Chaff # 2 (and others)
The Wheat and the Chaff # 2 (and others)
"He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!"
The fire is His just, holy, and eternal wrath, kindled by sin, and preying upon sinners.
The place where this fire will burn is hell, some place in God's universe, unknown to us at present - but which was originally prepared for the punishment of the devil and his angels.
Those who are condemned to suffer this terrible doom, are all who die in their natural states, all who live in sin, all who refused to believe in Christ, and all who are satisfied with the mere externals of religion.
The doom is dreadful, it is eternal punishment.
The fire is unquenchable, the sufferer is immortal, and sin, the cause of the suffering remains and augments!
The wrath of God, is the wrath of an unchangeable being.
Oh, the dreadful doom of a lost soul!
Each one of us is either wheat or chaff! We are either believer or unbelievers. We are either saved saints or lost sinners.
Let us not rest without scriptural proof that we are God's wheat. Are you a light-hearted, talking, trifling professor? Take heed, you are very much like the chaff, and perhaps are chaff!
A separation will be effected. The angels shall gather the wicked from among the just. Every grain of wheat will be collected, and gathered into the barn; and every husk, every morsel of chaff, will be cast into the furnace of fire!
The separation will be eternal. Once separated, they can never be united again. And what a separation that will be! The parent separated from the child - and the child from the parent; the husband separated from the wife - and the wife from the husband. Those who have sat together in the same pew, read out of the same bible, and sang together out of the same hymn book for years - will be separated, and separated forever!
Of the one it will be said, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment!" and of the other, "but the righteous shall go away into life eternal!"
The consequences will be momentous. What pen can describe, what heart can conceive, the momentous consequences of this separation?
To the one, how unspeakably dreadful!
To the other, how unutterably glorious!
The heights of Heaven - or the depths of hell!
The perfection of happiness - or the extreme of torment!
The shouts of triumph - or the groans of despair!
Lord, give us grace that we may be found among your wheat, and so be gathered into your barn at the last day! Holy Spirit, bear your witness in our hearts, that we are indeed the wheat, and that soon, very soon, we shall be forever with the Lord!
~James Smith~
(The End)
_____________________
"He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!"
The fire is His just, holy, and eternal wrath, kindled by sin, and preying upon sinners.
The place where this fire will burn is hell, some place in God's universe, unknown to us at present - but which was originally prepared for the punishment of the devil and his angels.
Those who are condemned to suffer this terrible doom, are all who die in their natural states, all who live in sin, all who refused to believe in Christ, and all who are satisfied with the mere externals of religion.
The doom is dreadful, it is eternal punishment.
The fire is unquenchable, the sufferer is immortal, and sin, the cause of the suffering remains and augments!
The wrath of God, is the wrath of an unchangeable being.
Oh, the dreadful doom of a lost soul!
Each one of us is either wheat or chaff! We are either believer or unbelievers. We are either saved saints or lost sinners.
Let us not rest without scriptural proof that we are God's wheat. Are you a light-hearted, talking, trifling professor? Take heed, you are very much like the chaff, and perhaps are chaff!
A separation will be effected. The angels shall gather the wicked from among the just. Every grain of wheat will be collected, and gathered into the barn; and every husk, every morsel of chaff, will be cast into the furnace of fire!
The separation will be eternal. Once separated, they can never be united again. And what a separation that will be! The parent separated from the child - and the child from the parent; the husband separated from the wife - and the wife from the husband. Those who have sat together in the same pew, read out of the same bible, and sang together out of the same hymn book for years - will be separated, and separated forever!
Of the one it will be said, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment!" and of the other, "but the righteous shall go away into life eternal!"
The consequences will be momentous. What pen can describe, what heart can conceive, the momentous consequences of this separation?
To the one, how unspeakably dreadful!
To the other, how unutterably glorious!
The heights of Heaven - or the depths of hell!
The perfection of happiness - or the extreme of torment!
The shouts of triumph - or the groans of despair!
Lord, give us grace that we may be found among your wheat, and so be gathered into your barn at the last day! Holy Spirit, bear your witness in our hearts, that we are indeed the wheat, and that soon, very soon, we shall be forever with the Lord!
~James Smith~
(The End)
_____________________
The Heart of Spiritual Maturity
People will ask, “What can I do to really grow as a Christian?” Often they are looking for a secret path to maturity—some action they can perform. But the true key to growing in your relationship with Christ isn’t based on service or knowledge or any other outward accomplishment the world tends to admire.
Genuine maturity and effectiveness hinge upon your heart relationship with the Lord, rather than something you can do for Him. When you understand this truth, your whole paradigm shifts. It puts all Christians on the same level, from the high-profile preacher to the quietest member of the church. The believer’s talents, accomplishments, and personality are far less important than the commitment to simply know God.
The Lord called David “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22 NIV). What was it about him that God valued so highly? He certainly had his share of mistakes, sins, and character flaws. Yet more than anything else, what characterized his life was that he sought to know the Lord. Whether he was a shepherd, fugitive, warrior, or powerful king, the time he spent with his heavenly Father was his lifeline. In psalm after psalm, David laid everything before the Lord—and wholeheartedly longed to do His will. This was his greatest strength.
Do you want to grow spiritually and be transformed in your everyday faith walk? Take a step beyond asking, “What can I do for God so that I can be a better Christian?” Instead, come before the Lord and say, “Here I am. You have full access to my heart.”
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
Saturday, February 1, 2020
The Wheat and the Chaff! # 1
The Wheat and the Chaff! # 1
There are but two classes in the world, and there are two classes in the church. But the time is coming when there will be but only one class in the church. A separation must take place. The wheat and the tares may grow together in the field, the wheat and the chaff may for a time be together on the threshing floor - but there is a cleansing time coming. At the first coming of Jesus something was done in this way - but at His second coming He will make thorough work of it. Alluding to His appearing in His public ministry, John said of Him, "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn - but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!" (Matt. 3:12).
The Instructive Figures Employed.
1. A threshing floor. Here the grain is brought from the field where it grew. Here an attempt at separation is made. Here for a time the wheat and the chaff are together in one heap. The wind brought into contact with them to separate them. Laborers are employed about them.
In the same manner, into the church souls are gathered from the field of the world. We attempt to separate between the truly converted and unconverted - but still, however careful and prudent we may be, there are both converted and unconverted in the church. The Lord brings the dispensations of His providence, or the power of His word, or the influences of His Holy Spirit like the wind to bear upon them - and He employs His ministering servants about them.
2. The contents of the floor. Wheat or choice grain, in-closed in a husk, threshed in order to separate, and fanned to cleanse it. In the church there are true believers - but they have much husk about them, and unbelievers cleave to them. These true believers have to pass through many painful dispensations to separate, and cleanse them.
Chaff, or mere professors, who like chaff, grow up with the wheat .... are difficult to separate from the wheat, are light and of little worth, are easily blown away when detected, and often fly in the face of the thresher!
How many there are in the church, who have grown up with God's people, whom we find it very difficult to distinguish or separate from the saints; but they are light, trifling and of little worth; once detached from the church, they are easily carried away by any novelty, and very frequently they fly in the face of, and annoy the honest ministers of Christ.
3. God's winnowing fan. The gardener's instrument for separating the wheat from the chaff. God's fan is sometimes His Word, sometimes His providence, sometimes church discipline, and sometimes the Holy Spirit.
The Solemn Fact Stated, "He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor!" The time is coming when He will divide between the precious and the vile, the wheat and the chaff, true believers and the mere professors.
He will purify His church, gathering out of it all things that offend, and those who do iniquity. He will remove the one from the other, severing their connection forever. "He will gather the wheat into His barn." A place prepared for its reception, where it will be housed in safety, and be forever separated from the chaff.
Such will be Christ's glorious kingdom, and such is Heaven. The place prepared for the people to meet their needs, gratify their wishes, and satisfy their desires. All they can need, and all they can enjoy - they will find there.
For that glorious barn, they are being now prepared on the threshing floor, and every stroke of the flail, every action of the fan, is to make them fit to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light. There they will be in safety - no floods, nor storms, nor devouring foes can come near them there. Forever with the Lord, they will be forever safe! They will be in a state of eternal separation from mere professors and wicked men - the great, the terrible gulf, which no man can pass, will be fixed between them, and they will rest in glory forever.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
There are but two classes in the world, and there are two classes in the church. But the time is coming when there will be but only one class in the church. A separation must take place. The wheat and the tares may grow together in the field, the wheat and the chaff may for a time be together on the threshing floor - but there is a cleansing time coming. At the first coming of Jesus something was done in this way - but at His second coming He will make thorough work of it. Alluding to His appearing in His public ministry, John said of Him, "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn - but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!" (Matt. 3:12).
The Instructive Figures Employed.
1. A threshing floor. Here the grain is brought from the field where it grew. Here an attempt at separation is made. Here for a time the wheat and the chaff are together in one heap. The wind brought into contact with them to separate them. Laborers are employed about them.
In the same manner, into the church souls are gathered from the field of the world. We attempt to separate between the truly converted and unconverted - but still, however careful and prudent we may be, there are both converted and unconverted in the church. The Lord brings the dispensations of His providence, or the power of His word, or the influences of His Holy Spirit like the wind to bear upon them - and He employs His ministering servants about them.
2. The contents of the floor. Wheat or choice grain, in-closed in a husk, threshed in order to separate, and fanned to cleanse it. In the church there are true believers - but they have much husk about them, and unbelievers cleave to them. These true believers have to pass through many painful dispensations to separate, and cleanse them.
Chaff, or mere professors, who like chaff, grow up with the wheat .... are difficult to separate from the wheat, are light and of little worth, are easily blown away when detected, and often fly in the face of the thresher!
How many there are in the church, who have grown up with God's people, whom we find it very difficult to distinguish or separate from the saints; but they are light, trifling and of little worth; once detached from the church, they are easily carried away by any novelty, and very frequently they fly in the face of, and annoy the honest ministers of Christ.
3. God's winnowing fan. The gardener's instrument for separating the wheat from the chaff. God's fan is sometimes His Word, sometimes His providence, sometimes church discipline, and sometimes the Holy Spirit.
The Solemn Fact Stated, "He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor!" The time is coming when He will divide between the precious and the vile, the wheat and the chaff, true believers and the mere professors.
He will purify His church, gathering out of it all things that offend, and those who do iniquity. He will remove the one from the other, severing their connection forever. "He will gather the wheat into His barn." A place prepared for its reception, where it will be housed in safety, and be forever separated from the chaff.
Such will be Christ's glorious kingdom, and such is Heaven. The place prepared for the people to meet their needs, gratify their wishes, and satisfy their desires. All they can need, and all they can enjoy - they will find there.
For that glorious barn, they are being now prepared on the threshing floor, and every stroke of the flail, every action of the fan, is to make them fit to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light. There they will be in safety - no floods, nor storms, nor devouring foes can come near them there. Forever with the Lord, they will be forever safe! They will be in a state of eternal separation from mere professors and wicked men - the great, the terrible gulf, which no man can pass, will be fixed between them, and they will rest in glory forever.
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
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