“I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”—John 10:9 There is a finding pasture in providence. A sweet and healthy pasture indeed this is to watch the Lord’s providential dealings with us spread through a long series of years. … Read more
“Watch and pray.”—Mark 13:33 There is no keeping up faith except by prayer and watchfulness. As prayer declines in the bosom, so does the strength of faith. You may go on neglecting prayer and supplication until every grain of faith seems lost out of your bosom, and may come at last to think you never … Read more
“We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”—1 John 2:1 This advocacy is here called, as elsewhere, “pleading the cause” of the believer, and is connected with deliverance, for such an advocate can never fail: “O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life” (Lam. 3:58). … Read more
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”—John 8:31, 32 The truth is not known at first in all its sweetness, liberty, and power. We have “to continue … Read more
“I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.”—Psalm 119:146 If you know anything for yourself inwardly and experimentally of the evils of your heart, the power of sin, the strength of temptation, the subtlety of your unwearied foe, and that daily conflict betwixt nature and grace, the flesh and the spirit, … Read more
“To be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.”—Romans 8:6 Just in proportion as our heart and affections are engaged on heavenly objects, shall we feel a sweet savour of heaven resting upon our spirit; and as we can only give back what we receive, every going forth of divine life … Read more
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”—Hebrews 6:12 Patience is necessary in order to prove the genuineness and reality of faith. The Lord generally—I may say invariably—does not accomplish his purposes at once. He usually—I might say almost invariably—works by gradations. Is not this the … Read more
“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.”—Proverbs 31:6 The wise mother of king Lemuel gave her son gracious directions when she spake these words. It is when we begin to feel the misery into which we have been cast by sin, and thus … Read more
“Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction?”—Psalm 88:10, 11 This is not the language of a soul dead in trespasses and sins, but it is the breathing of a living soul struggling and grappling with … Read more
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”—John 12:32 Wherever Jesus is graciously and experimentally manifested to the soul, and made known by any sweet revelation of his glorious Person, atoning blood, and finished work, a secret yet sacred power is put forth, whereby we are drawn … Read more
“Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps; set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest.”—Jeremiah 31:21 To look at the past is often a blessed encouragement for the future. If we are travellers in the way Zionward, we shall have our various waymarks. A conspicuous call, or a signal deliverance, … Read more
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12 Casting our eyes back upon the year now past and gone, are there no mercies which claim a note of thankful praise? It is sweet to see the Lord’s kind hand in providence, but sweeter far to view his … Read more