The Word of God # 1

The Word of God # 1

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible is God's book, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from error; Holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

It contains God's law, the church's history, and Christ's gospel.

It reveals God, opens heaven, and directs man.

It makes known God's thoughts, the world's doom, and the church's blessedness.

It unfolds eternity to time, brings heaven to earth, and makes invisible realities known. 

It was written for sinners, has been preserved by a special providence, and is the godly man's treasure.

Infidels scorn it, angels study it with wonder, and the saints delight in it.

It is a token of God's love, a proof of His regard, and a display of His concern for our welfare.

This Word of God contains the Law - commanding, condemning,and cursing; the Psalms - disclosing, elevating, and praising; the Gospel - unfolding, inviting, and directing; the Prophets - predicting, exhorting, and denouncing.

It contains a rich variety, a divine fullness, and is exactly adapted to meet the case and condition of sinners.

Its histories are true, instructive, and impartial. Its precepts are just, holy, and good. Its cautions are beneficial, wise, and useful. Its exhortations are judicious, adapted, and profitable. Its reproofs are kind, solemn, and suitable. Its directions are merciful, practical, and plain. Its instructions are deep, spiritual and extensive. Its corrections are loving, just, and glorious. Its doctrines are divine, sublime, and glorious. Its descriptions are vivid, correct, and impartial. Its invitations are general, attractive, and gracious. Its promises are great, numerous, and invaluable. Its warnings are solemn, preventing, and tender. Its threatenings are dreadful, alarming, and just. Its parable are simple, instructive, and edifying. Its types are significant, impressive, and suitable. Its examples are bright, winning, and worthy. It is in every part, and every way, worthy of a God!

We have this blessed book as God's free gift, procured for us by our adorable Redeemer, and bestowed upon us through the Holy Spirit. Its revelations were delivered, first orally, then written, then printed: first given to a few, then written for many, then printed for all: first freely bestowed, then hard to be obtained and now easily to be gotten. Given by God, opposed by the devil, blasphemed by many, rejected by more, unknown to thousands - but highly prized by a few. Many study it, all Christians believe it - but none fully comprehend it.

This divine testimony is exceedingly useful; for it produces morality in the world, spiritually in the church, and good in all who believe it. It enlightens the dark, instructs the ignorant, comforts the desponding, directs the lost, encourages the seeking, assures the waiting soul, warns the wayward, threatens theunruly, condemns the impenitent, invites the weary, strengthens the weak, consoles the dejected, alarms the careless, accuses the indifferent, confounds the worldly-wise, cautions the venturesome, reproves the heedless, gives promises to thediligent, frowns on the thoughtless, curses the profane, damns the hypocrite, urges the halting, exhorts the obedient, rewards the persevering, debases man, exalts the Saviour, glorifies God, astonishes angels, confounds infidels, delights perishing sinners.

The Bible is God's will, the saints treasure and the devil's eye-sore!

~James Smith~

(continued with # 2)

Don't Be A Fool!

Don't Be A Fool!

The difference between the wise person and the fool is a major theme in the book of Proverbs. Solomon picked up on it some in Ecclesiastes as well. He, the wisest person ever to live, also made a list of foolish choices in his life. Thus, he wanted those who were naive and who lacked knowledge to hear godly instruction and receive it from an early age on. He knew from his errors that he did wrong, and there is much that we can learn from the truth that God shares through him in the Scriptures. In the context, the term "fool" is not a personally insulting or derogatory term as people might use if they hate somebody. But it is a factual description of the spiritual reality of a person who lacks wisdom. We would be wise to learn from Scripture so that we can put aside folly and grow in wisdom. The following gives 15 characteristics of foolishness.

1. Fools despise wisdom. There is a clear dichotomy in the Bible between right and wrong and between fools and those who love wisdom. Those who fear God learn wisdom, but fools hate understanding. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

2. The fool hates God. He has rejected God and His Son Jesus Christ, and he has great anger in his heart toward God. Proverbs 19:3 says, "The foolishness of man ruins his way, And his heart rages against the LORD." He will go so far as to even convince himself that God doesn't exist because, in his foolish mind, this gives him freedom to live as he wants. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good."

3. Fools cause needless strife and adversity for themselves and others. Ecclesiastes 7:17 says, "Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?" Sin is inherently destructive, leading people to do dumb things and to put themselves in dangerous situations. Proverbs 13:21 says, "Adversity pursues sinners, but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity." The righteous will suffer trouble and hardship in this life (Matthew 5:45), but they will avoid the needless trouble that fools create for themselves and others. The righteous will manifest the fruit of the Spirit, and their lives will bless others by pointing them to Christ.

4. Fools have a spiritual complacency about them. Proverbs 1:32 says, "For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them." Having rejected the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, they think not of the coming judgment or of matters of eternal significance. They have been spiritually lulled to sleep. Ecclesiastes 4:5 says, "The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh." His complacency and lack of zeal for God, for truth, and for good works is his own undoing. The fool does not fix his hope on heaven, but upon futility, vanity, useless tasks, nothing, or on every worldly thing satan has to offer!

5. Fools do a lot of worthless talking. Proverbs 10:8 says, "The wise of heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be ruined." What this is saying that the words that fools speak are nonsensical, irrational, unedifying, of trivial matters, formulated without thinking, and based not on absolute truth but in opinion, feeling and emotion. A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind." The fool is more interested in running his mouth according to his own views even if they are not in accordance to reality or truth. The fool's speech begins with idiocy in that he rejects the Scriptures and doesn't think rationally. The result is increased wickedness, stupid choices, and madness, that is, the inability to properly evaluate decisions and life directions based on truth. Yet the fool likes to hear himself talk and keeps the babbling and jabbering going on and on. Proverbs 15:2 says, The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable. But the mouth of fools spouts folly!

6. Fools like being argumentative and stirring up strife. Any fool likes to fight, and they will do what they can to stir up trouble and provoke anger in others. Fools like to stir up controversy rather than resolving it.

7. Fools tend to have an anger issue. Proverbs 29:11.

8. For fools, doing evil is fun like a sport or hobby. Proverbs 10:23.

9. A fool follows the deceptive leading of his heart in the wrong spiritual direction. Proverbs 12:15.

10. Fools don't take sin seriously. Proverbs 14:9.

11. The ultimate form of foolishness is a person who thinks that he is smarter and wiser than God. Proverbs 26:12.

In conclusion. There will be no fools in heaven! 

~Relevant Bible Teaching~

Many Mansions # 3

Many Mansions # 3

And now, in conclusion, some will say that such a subject as this is not practical. Well, in one sense, it is not and yet I think it has a very practical tendency. Is it not practical to show you something of the attractions of Heaven so that you may desire it very powerfully; so that you may daily live in cultivating a fitness for its enjoyment; so that you may seek to lay up for yourselves a treasure there?

Surely that is practical enough. I tell you what I think: anything is practical which will make you think of  this poor world, make you think more of the world which is to come, wean your affections from earth, lead you to long after Heaven.

At all events this is practical; that Heaven, as vast as it is, will not receive you should you knock at its door, and it be found that you have come there with an unholy heart. In it "nothing shall enter which defiles, neither whatever works abomination or makes a lie, but those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Let me say to those who have good reason to think that their names are there: Oh! look upon that Heaven as your home; try to get your affections weaned from earth, and set them on things that are above. Remember, this is not your rest; your rest is there!

Habitually, think of Heaven as your home, and when you contemplate death, it will have no terrors for you, and when you die you will be able to look upon your death as a going home, and to rejoice with one who said, as she lay in her dying bed: "I'm going home! I'm going home!"

~W. Landells~

(The End)
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Never Separated from God

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believeth thou this?"   (John 11:26).
Yes, LORD, we believe it; we shall never die. Our soul may be separated from our body, and this is death of a kind; but our soul shall never be separated from God, which is the true death -- the death which was threatened to sin -- the death penalty which is the worst that can happen. We believe this most assuredly, for who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our LORD? We are members of the Body of Christ; will Christ lose parts of His Body? We are married to Jesus; will He be bereaved and widowed? It is not possible. There is a life within us which is not capable of being divided from God: yea, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and how then can we die? Jesus, Himself, is our life, and therefore there is no dying for us, for He cannot die again, In Him we died unto sin once, and the capital sentence cannot a second time be executed. Now we live, and live forever. The reward of righteousness is life everlasting, and we have nothingless than the righteousness of God, and therefore can claim the very highest reward.

Living and believing, we believe that we shall live and enjoy. Wherefore we press forward with full assurance that our life is secure in our living Head.

~Charles Spurgeon~

Poor Jack!

Poor Jack!

A few years ago it pleased the Holy Spirit to work a saving change in the heart of a poor sailor, while out at sea. Jack knew nothing of real religion, nor had he one on board with him to whom he could open his mind. Convinced of sin, afraid of hell - he was terrified and alarmed, and knew not what to do. He prayed, obtained a Bible, read it, and sunk still deeper into distress of soul. At length all hope that he could be saved was taken away, and self-despair seized him. He considered his case to be singular, and was now tempted to drown his convictions in the intoxicating cup, and then to end his miserable life by suicide.

At length, when he had done business in these deep waters of despair for a time, the Holy Spirit revealed Jesus to his soul as an able and willing Saviour; and, committing himself entirely to Jesus, to be saved wholly by Him - he found peace, and was filled with unspeakable joy.

In this state of mind he reached the port, and soon inquired where he could hear the Gospel. He was directed to a place of worship, where a friend of mine was preaching. When Jack entered, he was all eyes and ears. The first hymn was full of Christ, and poor Jack felt his heart swell. In the prayer, the minister appeared to speak the very feelings of his soul. As sweet as the first hymn was - the second appeared to be sweeter, and the tears flowed down poor Jack's cheeks!

At length the minister arose to announce his text, which was Colossians 3:11, and fixing his eyes on the poor sailor, he emphatically pronounced the words, "Christ is all!" When the minister once more said, "Christ is all!" Jack could contain himself no longer, and at the top of his voice, Jack shouted - "And poor Jack is nothing at all!"

This was just the poor sailor's religion - "Jesus Christ all in all - and poor Jack is nothing at all!" And this is the religion of every one who is taught of God!!

The work of the Holy Spirit has a twofold tendency - to humble the sinner, and exalt the Saviour! And just in proportion as we are taught by the Spirit of God, shall we have low views of ourselves - and high thoughts of Christ. As the sinner sinks - the Saviour rises in his estimation.

Christ is all that the sinner needs - and all that the saint desires! He is a perfect Saviour - and in infinite portion. Christ has all, and gives all we can need: His blood procures our pardon, His righteousness secures our justification, His Spirit sanctifies our nature, and His fullness supplies all our needs! He is just suited to the sinner - and the sinner is just suited to Him. He loves to save, to save freely, to save perfectly, and to save forever, and the sinner who is taught of God, feels that he needs just such a Saviour. And this makes the Gospel so sweet and precious to every truly convinced sinner, because it proclaims as from the mouth of God, that the Lord Jesus is a perfect Saviour - a present Saviour - a willing Saviour - who never did, and never will, cast out one that comes to Him.

Reader, are you truly saved? If so, is your religion the same as poor Jack's? Can you say, "I am a poor sinner and nothing at all, And Jesus Christ is all in all!"

You must be brought to this - before you can be saved, for salvation is entirely of grace, and grace only saves the unworthy. Grace will save you - if you feel you are lost, and unable to do anything toward your own salvation, and are willing to be saved gratuitously through simple faith in Christ. Anyone may be saved in this way - but there is no possibility of being saved in any other way; for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - and you shall be saved!" For, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him!"

~James Smith~

(The End)

Many Mansions! # 2

Many Mansions! # 2

I find it difficult, yes, I may say impossible, to entertain such a thought as that, and accordingly, I must either conclude, contrary to all presumptive evidence, that they have been, and are still, under the dominion of sin, or that they are designed to form so many provinces of that Heaven which God's holy creatures shall inherit, so many separate "mansions" in the house of my Father. I prefer the latter conclusion it is a more glorious one, and commands itself more to the instincts of my heart.

But, further than this; I am confirmed and strengthened in this conclusion when I consider that in so far as we can form a conception of the scenery and appearance of other worlds, some of them at least are not unworthy of such a destiny. We see one planet, for example, attended by seven moons, and surrounded with two rings of great magnificence. Now, what variety of agreeable lights and shades may these occasion, and how gloriously must they diversify the scenery of its sky! Then there are stars of various colors, which are suns to different worlds, every object in which is bathed in their glorious light. But these things only serve to suggest the thought of other aspects of magnificence, and other places of glory which may fairly be supposed to distinguish more distant worlds, rendering them fit to be the habitation of those whom God delights to honor, and justifying the splendid imagery which the Bible employs to describe our heavenly home.

As I said before, I do not contend that these considerations give certainty to my conjecture; but even as a probability, I think it deserves to be entertained. To every large-hearted and thoughtful man it must be a grateful supposition, that the worlds are "mansions" in his Father's house, to no one of which he will be confined exclusively, to any and to every one of which he will be welcomed, and in all of them be at home; from one to another of which he is to pass, levying glory from them all, making them all contribute to his stores of knowledge, finding in them all new accessions to his joy, receiving from them all new illustrations of divine perfections.

As we indulge the supposition, we feel as if standing on the summit of a great rock which lifts us above ourselves, and above this little ball of earth, and raises us into a higher region, where we breath a new atmosphere; floods of new life come pulsing through our veins, the breath of Heaven fans our face, new vigor is imparted to our frame, new light comes to clarify our mental vision, so that we form a more definite conception of the destiny which awaits us, while it kindles within us a more intense longing for its enjoyment.

Whatever you may think, however, of all that has been said of the many mansions in our Father's house, there is this thought that must appear clear enough to you all that Heaven is something vast. They are altogether mistaken in their conception of it, and have no sympathy with its spirit, with what the Bible says of it, who look upon it as the meeting place of a sect, a sort of little room where a small party are to be gathered together. Oh no! There is a "great multitude" there, "which no man can number," and they come from no land in particular, but from every nation, and kindred, and people, and tribe, and tongue, "a great multitude which no man can number."

It has nothing in harmony with those little feelings which we are sometimes apt to have. I am grieved when I hear men quote the passage, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" quoting it, not because it contains a blessed promise for those to whom it applies, not rejoicing in the promise, but rejoicing because God's flock is a "little flock." I hold that it is a spirit altogether unchristian. God has His own people in the earth that is true; but let us rather cherish that expansive benevolence which will rejoice in the thought that there may be many more who are His people than we are prone to suppose; that in that better land we shall find many whom we did not expect to see; that from various nations they will come and will form a great multitude.

That is the feeling we ought to cherish. If it be the case that few get to Heaven, that many perish, it is not a thing to be rejoiced in, but a thing to be mourned over; and instead of contending with a paltry pettiness for the littleness of the number who shall appear there, let us rather labor that we may be among the great number, and labor to bring many more with us, who, in the day of the Saviour's coming, will hail us as those to whose instrumentality they have been indebted for their salvation, through whom they have been brought to swell the ranks of the redeemed.

`W. Landells~

(continued with # 3)