HOW FAITH IS STRENGTHENED

August 4, 2012

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.” Da 11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One”, and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

I particularly like this statement: ” Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith.” How can we know about God unless we know what the Bible says?  We must be continually learning.  The older I get, the more I feel I have only scratched the surface of the deepness of the scriptures.  We must continue to learn.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

CR

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ISRAEL WILL SURVIVE

July 21, 2012

I rarely add to the words of Mr. Spurgeon.  Usually, I can add nothing more.  However, I live in a different time. Israel became a nation long after Mr. Spurgeon passed.  And I have studied the Assyrians and their king, Sennacherib.  You see, I did a report in college on the Old Testament book of Nahum.  Most of you know the story of Jonah and how he eventually got around to telling the Assyrians to repent.   AND THEY ACTUALLY REPENTED.  Sadly, Nahum came a bit later and recorded 4 major prophecies that had to do with the destruction of the Assyrian Empire.

So what does this have to do with the following piece by Mr. Spurgeon?  Israel was in trouble when Isaiah wrote the following verse inspired by God’s Holy Spirit.  Israel is in trouble today.  What did Israel do then?  Eventually, they trusted that God would save them.  What will happen to today’s Israel.  Read your Bible.  God will save them.  They will not be exterminated like so many wish.

A popular, current Christian best seller calls the Assyrians the “first terrorists.”  I don’t know if this is true, but I know that their armies were terrorists.  I can’t relate the details here as I’m eating my breakfast.

What does Mr. Spurgeon do with the words of Isaiah?  He does what he always does.  He attempts to relate it to our personal lives and our relationship with God.  I think he does an admirable work here.

Those who have read much of the Bible at all know that there are layers.  It is why we can read the same verse many times and get something new.  The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Bible.  What a wonderful privilege it is to have God’s Word in my hands.

Chris Reimers

“The daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.” Isa 37:22

Reassured by the Word of the Lord, the poor trembling citizens of Zion grew bold, and shook their heads at Sennacherib’s boastful threats. Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes. We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities. They seek to destroy the eternal life, which cannot die while Jesus lives; to overthrow the citadel, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. They kick against the pricks to their own wounding, and rush upon the bosses of Jehovah’s buckler to their own hurt.

We know their weakness. What are they but men? And what is man but a worm? They roar and swell like waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. When the Lord ariseth, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns. Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and his truth, may make the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn.

Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when he dresses himself in arms, where are his enemies? If he cometh forth from his place, the potsherds of the earth will not long contend with their Maker. His rod of iron shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel, and their very remembrance shall perish from the earth. Away, then, all fears, the kingdom is safe in the King’s hands. Let us shout for joy, for the Lord reigneth, and his foes shall be as straw for the dunghill.

“As true as God’s own word is true;

Nor earth, nor hell, with all their crew,

Against us shall prevail.

A jest, and byword, are they grown;

God is with us, we are his own,

Our victory cannot fail.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

CR

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AND THE GLORY…

June 30, 2012

“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them.” -John 17:22

Behold the superlative liberality of the Lord Jesus, for he hath given us his all. Although a tithe of his possessions would have made a universe of angels rich beyond all thought, yet was he not content until he had given us all that he had. It would have been surprising grace if he had allowed us to eat the crumbs of his bounty beneath the table of his mercy; but he will do nothing by halves, he makes us sit with him and share the feast. Had he given us some small pension from his royal coffers, we should have had cause to love him eternally; but no, he will have his bride as rich as himself, and he will not have a glory or a grace in which she shall not share. He has not been content with less than making us joint heirs with himself, so that we might have equal possessions. He has emptied all his estate into the coffers of the Church, and hath all things common with his redeemed. There is not one room in his house the key of which he will withhold from his people. He gives them full liberty to take all that he hath to be their own; he loves them to make free with his treasure, and appropriate as much as they can possibly carry. The boundless fulness of his all sufficiency is as free to the believer as the air he breathes. Christ hath put the flagon of his love and grace to the believer’s lip, and bidden him drink on for ever; for could he drain it, he is welcome to do so, and as he cannot exhaust it, he is bidden to drink abundantly, for it is all his own. What truer proof of fellowship can heaven or earth afford?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)

I have the hard copy of Mr. Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening,” which gives a devotional for each morning and evening. It is my favorite.

(It is listed in my links.)

CR

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AMAZING GRACE ON THE BLACK NOTES

November 30, 2011

Amazing Grace

“At Carnegie Hall, gospel singer Wintley Phipps delivers perhaps the most powerful rendition of Amazing Grace ever recorded.  He says, ‘A lot of people don’t realize that just about all Negro spirituals are written on the black notes of the piano.  Probably the most famous on this slave scale was written by John Newton, who used to be the captain of a slave ship, and many believe he heard this melody that sounds very much like a West African sorrow chant.'”

Amazing Grace

I would like to thank Madge Franks for this very inspirational and instructive video.

cr

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HOPE

June 4, 2011

 7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You. “

This verse is taken from Psalm 39.  In a world where there is so much strife, it is comforting to know that hope is a Psalm away.

-CR

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THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING

March 7, 2011

“I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” —Ezekiel 34:26

Here is sovereign mercy– “I will give them the shower in its season.” Is it not sovereign, divine mercy? –for who can say, “I will give them showers”, except God? There is only one voice which can speak to the clouds, and bid them beget the rain. Who sendeth down the rain upon the earth? Who scattereth the showers upon the green herb? Do not I, the Lord? So grace is the gift of God, and is not to be created by man. It is also needed grace. What would the ground do without showers? You may break the clods, you may sow your seeds, but what can you do without the rain? As absolutely needful is the divine blessing. In vain you labour, until God the plenteous shower bestows, and sends salvation down. Then, it is plenteous grace. “I will send them showers.” It does not say, “I will send them drops”, but “showers.” So it is with grace. If God gives a blessing, he usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. Plenteous grace! Ah! we want plenteous grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful, to make us holy; plenteous grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We cannot do without saturating showers of grace. Again, it is seasonable grace. “I will cause the shower to come down in his season.” What is thy season this morning? Is it the season of drought? Then that is the season for showers. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then that is the season for showers. “As thy days so shall thy strength be.” And here is a varied blessing. “I will give thee showers of blessing.” The word is in the plural. All kinds of blessings God will send. All God’s blessings go together, like links in a golden chain. If he gives converting grace, he will also give comforting grace. He will send “showers of blessing.” Look up today, O parched plant, and open thy leaves and flowers for a heavenly watering.

Charles Spurgeon

“As thy days so shall thy strength be.”

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THOU CONTENDEST WITH ME

February 19, 2011

“Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.” —Job 10:2

Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a glow worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star–not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials? –for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?

Charles Spurgeon

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BEGINNING TO SINK

February 11, 2011

I recently heard a wonderful message given by Mr. Alan Redpath.  The title of this post is the title of his sermon.  A friend of mine, Pearl, posted it on her blog, Be Thus Minded.  Unfortunately, Pearl’s wonderful blog no longer exists but I was able to find this video on YouTube recently.

The message was a great encouragement to me.  I hope you take a listen.  I think it will have the same effect on you.

Chris Reimers

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THE LOVE OF THE LORD

February 6, 2011

“The love of the Lord.” —Hosea 3:1

Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day–how he hath borne with thine ill manners–how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh pots of Egypt–how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles–how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins–how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ’s covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, “For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on “the love of the Lord”, our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.

Charles Spurgeon

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GOING ON WITH CHRIST IN 2011

February 3, 2011

I went to Kari’s blog, “Let Him Hear,” yesterday and found that she had posted a sermon from one of my favorite sections of scripture.  As I do so often, I got sidetracked.

I wanted to know about the preacher.   His name is Rev. John Greer.  I don’t remember how it happened but I stumbled on a list of his sermons, found that he is alive, and that he had given a sermon after the recent New Year entitled:

Going On With Christ in 2011

Even if you don’t read the following statements about Rev. Greer’s denomination from his church’s webpage, you really should hear this sermon.   You can watch it by clicking here.

In an era when the majority of church websites say little about beliefs, I found this one refreshing.  Here are a few samples of what can be found on a webpage from Rev. Greer’s church:

Contending that God’s people are “separated unto the gospel” of Christ (Romans 1:1), we are free from all association with liberalism or ecumenism. Specifically, we are separated from the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, and every other form of theological compromise that would undermine the truth of Scripture.

Fundamental in Doctrine, believing in the divine authority and verbal inspiration of the Bible and the great fundamental doctrines of grace it contains. The Scriptures alone are the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice.

Evangelical in Outreach, in obedience to the great commission of Christ to “go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel”. A virile program of Gospel preaching, missionary endeavour and radio ministry is actively pursued with the great objective of leading people of every class, colour and creed to an experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Presbyterian in Government, being ruled by elders and deacons chosen from the people, by the people, to serve the people. The Free Presbyterian Church stands for a born-again membership and the ministers, elders and deacons are men genuinely born-again by the Spirit of God, and dedicated to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ.

Protestant in Conviction, gladly taking its stand alongside the great Christian leaders of the Protestant Reformation. The twin pillars of Protestantism, namely a positive witness for Christ, and a protest against error, are cherished and defended.

These folks seem serious about God’s Word.

It is a wonderful thing.

Chris Reimers

Here is the church webpage describing where it “stands.”

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