Dear friends, I am a great believer in this: That there are no coincidences in the life of a believer who has given his or her life to the Lord for His use. "No coincidences, only GODincidences," as a wise saint once phrased it. As an example of one such Godincidence, I'd like to share the following reading from Charles Spurgeon which came to my attention when I was storm-stayed at work one night a while ago. The Lord had prompted me to take my laptop with me that morning, praise Him, so I had a copy of the AGES Christian Library (http://www.ageslibrary.com/) with me. After enjoying a leisurely supper in the motel dining room, I retired to my room and started scanning the various options in AGES... and "Godincidentally" came upon this magnificent reading. I really, really needed to ponder this lesson at that point in my Christian walk - probably still do, if the truth were known (blush!) - and found it such a blessing that I just *had* to share it with you. Please forgive my delay in doing just that...
but perhaps with the increase in world tensions over the intervening weeks, Spurgeon's wisdom is even more timely than it was when I copied excerpts of it a month ago. :-) The Lord does all things well, and He wouldn't have allowed me to forget I hadn't passed this along, if there hadn't been a more appropriate time for doing so in the not-too-far-distant future.
May you be abundantly blessed as you read on!
THE WORDS OF CHARLES H. SPURGEON:
It would be very difficult to say how far a man may go in religion, and yet
die in his sins; how much he may look like an heir of heaven, and yet be a
child of wrath. Many unconverted men have a belief which is similar to
faith, and yet it is not true faith. Certain persons exhibit pious affections
which have the warmth of spiritual love, but are quite destitute of gracious
life. Every grace can be counterfeited, even as jewels can be imitated. As
paste gems are wonderfully like the real stones, so sham graces are
marvelously like the work of the Spirit of God. In soul matters a man will
need to have all his wits about him, or he will soon deceive his own heart.
It is to be feared that many are already mistaken, and will never discover
their delusion till they lift up their eyes in the world of woe, where their
disappointment will be terrible indeed.
...
...The secret hope of a man is a truer test of his condition
before God than the acts of any one day, or even the public devotions of a
year. Isaac pursues his quiet holy way till he grows old and blind, and
gently falls asleep trusting in his God, who had revealed himself to him,
and had called him to be his friend, and had said, "Sojourn in this land, and
I will be with thee and bless thee, and in thy seed shall all the nations of
the earth be blessed."
As a man's hopes are, such is he. If his hope is in the promise of God, it
is, it must be, well with him.
Reader, what are your hopes? "Why," says one, "I am waiting till a
relative dies, and then I shall be rich. I have great expectations." Another
hopes in his steadily growing trade; and a third expects much from a
promising speculation. Hopes which can be realized in a dying world are
mere mockeries. Hopes which have no outlook beyond the grave are dim
windows for a soul to look through. Happy he who believes the promise,
and feels assured of its fulfillment to himself in due time, and leaves all else
in the hands of infinite wisdom and love. Such hope will endure trials,
conquer temptations, and enjoy heaven below.
...
Frequently the sport is raised by the believer's pretensions. Isaac was
called "the heir," and Ishmael could not bear to hear it. "Look," says the
legalist, "yonder man was not long ago a known sinner; now he says he has
believed in Jesus Christ, and therefore he declares that he knows himself to
be saved and accepted, and sure of heaven. Did you ever hear of such
presumption?" He who hugs his chains hates the presence of a free man.
He who refuses the mercy of God because he proudly trusts his own
merits, is angry with the man who rejoices to be saved by grace.
Perhaps the little Isaac, the child of such aged parents, seemed odd and
strange to the young half-bred Egyptian. No person is so much a foreigner
to his fellow-men as a man born from above. To live by faith upon the
promise of God ought to seem the most proper and natural thing in the
world; but it is not so esteemed: on the contrary, men count those to be
strange beings who believe in God, and act upon such a belief. Wretched boys in the streets still hoot at foreigners, and men of the world still jest at
true believers, because of their unworldly spirit and conduct. To us this is
a testimony for good, for our Lord said, "If ye were of the world, the
world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
...
... It is by no
means shameful to trust God: on the contrary it is a point of honor with
good men to trust in Him who is faithful and true; and if they have to
suffer for it they do so joyfully. Gird yourselves, therefore, with a holy
courage, you who are learning through grace to live upon the promise of
God by faith. ...
...
...Our religion must be all of a
piece. To sow with mingled seed, or to wear a garment of linen and woolen
mixed, was forbidden to the Lord's ancient people; and to us it is unlawful
to mingle mercy and merit, grace and debt. Whenever the notion of
salvation by merit, or feeling, or ceremonies comes in, we must cast it out
without delay, though it be as dear to us as Ishmael was to Abraham. Faith
is not sight; the spirit is not the flesh; grace is not merit; and we must
never forget the distinction, lest we fall into grievous error and miss the
heritage which belongs only to the heirs according to promise.
Here is our confession of faith: —
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified." — Galatians, 2:16.
Here also is the clear line of distinction as to the method of our salvation,
and we desire to keep it plain and manifest: —
"Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according
to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of work:
otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no
more grace: otherwise work is no more work." — Romans 11:5, 6.
...
When we believe God as he is revealed in Christ Jesus, we believe all his
promises. Confidence in the Person involves confidence in all that he
speaks: hence we accept all the promises of God as being sure and certain.
We do not trust one promise and doubt another, but we rely upon each
one as true, and we believe it to be true to us so far as it has respect to our
condition and circumstances. We argue from general statements to
particular applications. He who has said that he will save those who
believe in him will save me since I believe in him; and every blessing which
he has engaged to bestow upon believers he will bestow upon me as a
believer. This is sound reasoning, and by it we justify the faith by which
we live and are comforted. Not because I deserve anything, but because
God has freely promised it to me in Christ Jesus, therefore I shall receive
it: this is the reason and ground of our hope.
One wonders at first sight that all men do not believe God. It would seem
as if this mark of divine election would be universally present; for God
cannot lie, and there is no reason to suspect him of change, or failure of
ability to keep his word. Yet, so false is the heart of man, that man doubts
his Maker. He hates his God, and therefore disbelieves him. It is the surest
proof of man's natural enmity against God that he dares to impute
falsehood to one who is truth itself.
"He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of his Son" (1 John 5:10).
...
God loves faith because it honors him, and also because it leads to acts of
obedience to him, which obedience includes love to our fellow-men. There
is more in faith than meets the eye. It is in one aspect the greatest of all
good works, even as our Lord Jesus teaches us. The Jews said to him
(John 6:28, 29), "What shall we do, that we might work the works of
God?" They would fain perform godlike works, works above all others
approved of the Lord. Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God,
that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." As much as to say — the most
divinely approved work possible to you, is to believe in the Messiah. To
trust in the Lord Jesus is the climax of virtue. Proud men may sneer, but
this statement is true. "Without faith it is impossible to please God;" but
"he that believeth in him is not condemned." The promise is made to him
that believes the promise, and to him it shall be fulfilled. He who embraces
the promise is embraced by the promise. He who accepts Christ is
accepted in Christ. He who truly believes is surely saved.
READER, DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR GOD?
- C. H. SPURGEON
in According to Promise
Keep on raining --- I won't drown;
My feet are planted on higher ground.
Keep on reigning; You're my Lord!
Sharpen my mind by Your Spirit's sword.
Compliments of NicksHumor.net
That's about it for now, folks. God bless you and keep you, one and all!
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