"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."Proverbs 1:7 *****
A Man of Sorrows Words: Thomas Kelly Tune: "Doxology"
1. The Lord of glory, moved by love, Descends, in mercy, from above; And He, before whom angels bow, Is found a man of grief below.
2. Such love is great, too great for thought, Its length and breadth in vain are sought; No tongue can tell its depth and height; The love of Christ is infinite.
3. But though His love no measure knows, The Savior to His people shows Enough to give them joy, when known, Enough to make their hearts His own.
4. Constrained by this, they walk with Him, His love their most delightful theme; To glorify Him here, their aim, Their hope, in Heaven to praise His name. *****
The Mercy of God "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever!" Psalm 52:8 Meditate a little on the mercy of God. It is tender mercy. With gentle, loving touch, He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy - as in the matter of it. It is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself - infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great - that it forgives great sins of great sinners, after great lengths of time; and then gives great favors and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great Heaven of the great God! It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner's part, to the saving mercy of the Most High God. Had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire - he would have justly merited the doom; and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself. It is rich mercy. Some things are large - but have little efficacy in them - but this mercy is: a cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart! It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, "All the flowers in God's garden are double." There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy - but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies. It is abounding mercy. Millions have received it - yet far from its being exhausted, it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever! It is unfailing mercy. It will never leave you. If saved by sovereign mercy - mercy will be . . . with you in temptation - to keep you from yielding; with you in trouble - to prevent you from sinking; with you in living - to be the light and life of your countenance; and with you in dying - to be the joy of your soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast! "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever:.." Psalm 89:1 --Charles Spurgeon ***** This article, which was written by A.W. Pink, was written over 60 years ago, but is very relevant today.
The god of this generation!
"But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased!" Psalm 115:3 How different is the God of the Bible from the god of modern Christendom! The conception of Deity which prevails most widely today, even among those who profess to give heed to the Scriptures, is a miserable caricature, a blasphemous travesty of the Truth. Ah, my reader, the God of Scripture is no make-believe monarch, no mere imaginary sovereign; but King of kings, and Lord of lords! To countless thousands, even among those professing to be Christians, the God of the Scriptures is quite unknown. The god of this generation is a helpless, effeminate being who commands the respect of no really thoughtful man. He no more resembles the Supreme Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a candle resemble the glory of the midday sun! The god who is now talked about in the average pulpit, spoken of in the ordinary Sunday School, mentioned in much of the religious literature of the day, and preached in most of the so-called Bible Conferences is the figment of human imagination, an invention of mushy sentimentality! The heathen outside of the pale of Christendom form gods out of wood and stone - while the millions of heathen inside Christendom manufacture a god out of their own carnal mind! In reality, they are but atheists, for there is no other possible alternative between an absolutely supreme God - and no God at all. A god whose will is resisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to Deity - and so far from being a fit object of worship, merits nothing but contempt! "I know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee. " Job 42:2 "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places." Psalm 135:6 "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" Revelation 19:6 ***** Daily Readings -April 9-15, 2017 Sunday - 1 Sam. 28-31 Monday - 2 Sam. 1-2 Tuesday - 2 Sam. 3-5 Wednesday- 2 Sam. 6-9 Thursday - 2 Sam. 10-12 Friday - 2 Sam. 13-14 Saturday - 2 Sam. 15-16