Do you believe that the man of God (the preacher) is the misunderstood person in church? Why is it so? Could it be because the people that he preaches and teaches God's Word to don't always like to hear the message he brings? Don't kill the messenger! The message that a preacher brings to his congregation isn't that of his choosing - if he is obedient to God. God leads a preacher in what He wants to be brought forth for His people. If you have a problem with a message you've heard in church then don't get mad at the messenger - search yourself, and ask God why it bothered you. There could be a issue in your life that God is trying to get you to address. So, if a message that your preacher has given and it stepped on your toes be thankful because God is dealing with you.
Even Paul the apostle in the Book of Galatians had to deal with this problem. In Galatians 4:13-16 he writes:
Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angle of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Our church and friends are planning on meeting at the big rock in Veterans Park - in front of the Rutland Fire Dept. on Thursdays at 7:00 PM; to have prayer for each other, Rutland, Vermont, and our Nation. Please join us if you can. If you cannot be there in flesh, be with us in spirit; by praying. This land of ours needs to be healed, the only way to get that done is to pray for God's hand to move.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
He never lacks an apple
for an Eve
("The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod" or, "The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes" by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London.)
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8
The devil is . . .
not a lamb — but a lion;
not a sleeping lion — but a roaring lion;
not a lion standing still — but a lion prowling around to devour!
He is not satisfied with the prey he has already gotten, but is restless in his designs to fill Hell with damned souls.
("The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod" or, "The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes" by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London.)
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8
The devil is . . .
not a lamb — but a lion;
not a sleeping lion — but a roaring lion;
not a lion standing still — but a lion prowling around to devour!
He is not satisfied with the prey he has already gotten, but is restless in his designs to fill Hell with damned souls.
He never lacks . . .
an apple for an Eve,
nor a grape for a Noah,
nor a change of clothing for a Gehazi,
nor a wedge of gold for an Achan,
nor a crown for an Absalom,
nor a bag of silver for a Judas,
nor a world for a Demas!
If you look into . . .
one company — you shall find Satan a-dishing out his dainties to every palate.
another company — you shall find him fitting a lace to every shoe.
a third company — you shall find him suiting a garment to every back.
Here, with Jael, he allures poor souls in with milk — and murders them with a nail!
There, with Joab, he embraces with one hand — and stabs with another!
Here with Judas, he kisses — and betrays!
And there, with the whore of Babylon, he presents a golden cup — with poison in it!
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
an apple for an Eve,
nor a grape for a Noah,
nor a change of clothing for a Gehazi,
nor a wedge of gold for an Achan,
nor a crown for an Absalom,
nor a bag of silver for a Judas,
nor a world for a Demas!
If you look into . . .
one company — you shall find Satan a-dishing out his dainties to every palate.
another company — you shall find him fitting a lace to every shoe.
a third company — you shall find him suiting a garment to every back.
Here, with Jael, he allures poor souls in with milk — and murders them with a nail!
There, with Joab, he embraces with one hand — and stabs with another!
Here with Judas, he kisses — and betrays!
And there, with the whore of Babylon, he presents a golden cup — with poison in it!
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Mercy swims to us through Christ's blood!
(Thomas Watson, "The Ten Commandments")
Every link in the golden chain of salvation,
is wrought and interwoven with free grace!
God's love is free. "I will love them freely." Hosea 14:4
Election is free. "He has chosen us in Him according
to the good pleasure of His will." Ephesians 1:5
Justification is free. "Being justified freely by His
grace." Romans 3:24
God's saving MERCY is free and spontaneous. To
set up merit—is to destroy mercy. We do not deserve
mercy, because of our enmity. We may force God to
punish us—but not to love us! If God would show
mercy only to such as deserve it—He would show
mercy to none!
Mercy is an innate propensity in God to do good
to distressed sinners. Mercy proceeds primarily,
and originally from God. He is called the "Father
of mercies." 2 Corinthians 1:3
God's saving mercy is powerful. How powerful is that
mercy—which softens a heart of stone! Mercy changed
Mary Magdalen's heart, out of whom seven devils were
cast. She who was an inflexible adamant—was made a
weeping penitent!
God's mercy works sweetly—yet irresistibly. It allures
—yet conquers! The law may terrify—but mercy mollifies.
Of what sovereign power and efficacy is that mercy, which
subdues the pride and enmity of the heart, and beats off
those chains of sin, in which the soul is held!
God's mercy is superabundant. The Lord has treasures of
mercy in store, and therefore is said to be "plenteous in mercy"
(Psalm 86:5), and "rich in mercy" (Eph 2:4). The vial of God's
wrath, only drops—but the fountain of His mercy, runs. The
sun is not so full of light—as God is of mercy. His mercy is
over-flowing and ever-flowing. His mercy is infinite—without
bounds, and without end. "His mercy endures forever." Psalm
136. Every time we draw our breath—we suck in mercy!
We are all living monuments of God's mercy! He shows
mercy to us in daily supplying us. He supplies us with health.
Health is the sauce which makes life sweeter. How those who
are chained to a sick-bed, would prize this mercy! God supplies
us with provisions. "God who fed me all my life long." Gen 48:15.
Mercy spreads our tables, and carves for us every bit of bread
we eat! We never drink, but in the golden cup of mercy!
God shows mercy in restraining us from sin. Lusts within—
are worse than lions without! The greatest sign of God's anger,
is to give men up to their sins. "So I gave them up to their own
hearts' lust." Psalm 81:12. While the ungodly sin themselves to
hell, God has laid the bridle of restraining grace upon us! As God
said to Abimelech, "I withheld you from sinning against Me." Gen
20:6. Just so, God has withheld us from those sins which might
have made us a prey to Satan, and a terror to ourselves!
God shows mercy in guiding and directing us. He guides our
affairs for us; and chalks out the way He would have us to walk.
"You shall guide me with Your counsel." Psalm 73:24. God leads
us with the oracles of His Word, and the guidance of His Spirit.
He guides our heads to keep us from error; and He guides our
feet to keep us from scandal. Oh, what mercy it is—to have God
to be our guide and pilot!
God shows mercy in correcting us. He is angry—in love.
He smites—that He may save. His rod is not a rod of iron
to break us—but a fatherly rod to humble us. "God disciplines
us for our good—that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews
12:10. In our afflictions—God will mortify some corruption, or
exercise some grace.
God shows mercy in saving us. "According to His mercy,
He saved us." Titus 3:5. This is the top-stone of mercy!
Here mercy displays itself in all its orient colors. Mercy is
mercy indeed, when God perfectly refines us from all the
lees and dregs of corruption; when our bodies are made
like Christ's glorious body, and our souls like the angels.
Saving mercy is crowning mercy. It is not merely to be
freed from hell—but enthroned in a kingdom! What rich
mercy will it be—to fully possess God, to see His smiling
face, and to lay in His bosom forever! This will fill us
with "a glorious, inexpressible joy!" 1 Peter 1:8. God's
saving mercy, is the diamond in the ring!
Mercy more overflows in God—than sin in us. His mercy
can drown great sins—as the sea covers great rocks!
Christ's blood is "a fountain to cleanse them from all
their sins and defilement." Zech 13:1. Some of the Jews
who had their hands imbrued in Christ's blood—were
saved by that blood! God loves to magnify His mercy,
and display the trophies of free grace!
How may I know that my sins are pardoned? Whenever
God removes the guilt of sin—He breaks the power of sin.
"He will have compassion; he will subdue our iniquities."
Mic 7:19. With pardoning love—God gives subduing grace.
If we would have saving mercy, it must be through Christ.
Outside of Christ, there is no saving mercy. We read in the
old law, that none might come into the holy of holies, where
the mercy-seat stood—but the high-priest. This signifies that
we have nothing to do with mercy—but through Christ our
High-priest. That the high-priest might not come near the
mercy-seat without blood, is to show that we have no right
to mercy—but through the expiatory sacrifice of Christ's
blood, Lev 16:14. If we would have mercy, we must be in
Christ. Mercy swims to us through Christ's blood!
God's sweetest
attribute!
(James Smith, "The Book That Will Suit You!")
Men are deficient in mercy — but God, our God in Jesus, will display the greatest kindness and compassion to His children. This renders Him so amiable, suitable, and glorious in the estimation of His people. Mercy is God's sweetest attribute . . .
as beautiful as the morning light,
as measureless as the waters of the ocean,
as boundless as illimitable space,
as refreshing as the early dew,
as glorious as the noon-day sun!
God's mercy is like His nature — pure, lovely, and eternal. His mercy is suited to all the needs of His children — it is free, full, and meets every case! Christian, the Lord assures you that He has mercy for you!
He has pardoning mercy — which will suit your sinfulness; mercy which will blot out your sins, and remove them from you as far as the east is from the west!
He has delivering mercy — which will meet your misery; mercy which will deliver you from . . .
the power of sin,
the bondage of Satan,
the curse of the law,
the fear of death,
the terrors of judgment, and
all the soul-troubles which may fall upon you on earth!
His mercy is tender mercy — which will suit the sickness of your soul. He will sympathize with you, pity you, and manifest the greatest forbearance and love. His mercy is so tender, that it will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax. It will . . .
encourage the weak desire,
fan the feeble spark into a flame,
and take the will for the deed.
His mercy is supplying mercy — to meet your needs and defects. It will supply all your needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Whether your needs are temporal or spiritual — He will supply you. He will give you both grace and glory; and no good thing will He withhold from you, if you walk uprightly.
It is also sanctifying mercy — to suit your impurity. It will wash you in the laver of the Word, and in the fountain of a Savior's blood. It will teach you to wash your robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It will sanctify your troubles, and make all things work together for your good.
It is rescuing mercy, which will appear for you, and deliver you from all the dangers which may line your way — and at last present you faultless before the throne of God!
In a word — God's mercy will meet every case, circumstance, and condition in which it is possible for you to be placed!
Reader, let me exhort you to dwell much on this excellent attribute of your God. Meditate on God as all-merciful and all-sufficient for our every state!
(James Smith, "The Book That Will Suit You!")
Men are deficient in mercy — but God, our God in Jesus, will display the greatest kindness and compassion to His children. This renders Him so amiable, suitable, and glorious in the estimation of His people. Mercy is God's sweetest attribute . . .
as beautiful as the morning light,
as measureless as the waters of the ocean,
as boundless as illimitable space,
as refreshing as the early dew,
as glorious as the noon-day sun!
God's mercy is like His nature — pure, lovely, and eternal. His mercy is suited to all the needs of His children — it is free, full, and meets every case! Christian, the Lord assures you that He has mercy for you!
He has pardoning mercy — which will suit your sinfulness; mercy which will blot out your sins, and remove them from you as far as the east is from the west!
He has delivering mercy — which will meet your misery; mercy which will deliver you from . . .
the power of sin,
the bondage of Satan,
the curse of the law,
the fear of death,
the terrors of judgment, and
all the soul-troubles which may fall upon you on earth!
His mercy is tender mercy — which will suit the sickness of your soul. He will sympathize with you, pity you, and manifest the greatest forbearance and love. His mercy is so tender, that it will not break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax. It will . . .
encourage the weak desire,
fan the feeble spark into a flame,
and take the will for the deed.
His mercy is supplying mercy — to meet your needs and defects. It will supply all your needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Whether your needs are temporal or spiritual — He will supply you. He will give you both grace and glory; and no good thing will He withhold from you, if you walk uprightly.
It is also sanctifying mercy — to suit your impurity. It will wash you in the laver of the Word, and in the fountain of a Savior's blood. It will teach you to wash your robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It will sanctify your troubles, and make all things work together for your good.
It is rescuing mercy, which will appear for you, and deliver you from all the dangers which may line your way — and at last present you faultless before the throne of God!
In a word — God's mercy will meet every case, circumstance, and condition in which it is possible for you to be placed!
Reader, let me exhort you to dwell much on this excellent attribute of your God. Meditate on God as all-merciful and all-sufficient for our every state!
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