Month: June 2021

1. Happy is the man whose sins are forgiven.

“…Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:7-8).

2. Happy is the man who delights in God’s Word.

“I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word” (Psalm 119:14-16).

3. Happy is the man who keeps God’s commandments.

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him … “ (1 John 3:22-24).

4. Happy is the man who dwells in the house of the Lord.

“Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee” (Psalm 84:4).

5. Happy is the man who waits on the Lord.

“…blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30: 18); “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength …” (Isaiah 40:31).

6. Happy is the man who puts his trust in the Lord.

“O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee” (Psalm 84:12).

7. Happy is the man who has grace to endure.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).

A man was visiting a lighthouse, and he said to the keeper, “Are you not afraid to live here? It is a dreadful place to be in constantly.”

“No,” replied the man, “I am not afraid; we never think of ourselves here.”

“Never think of yourselves! How is that?”

The reply was a good one, “We know that we are perfectly safe, and we only think of having our lamps brightly burning and keeping the reflectors clear, so that those in danger may be saved.”

This is what Christians ought to do. They are safe in a house built on a Rock which cannot be moved by the wildest storm; and in a spirit of holy unselfishness they should let their light gleam across the dark waters of sin, that they who are imperiled may be guided into the harbors of eternal safety.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

When it is hard to tell a Christian from a man of the world, something is wrong with the Christian. Too often in our day the line between the two is indistinct.

A high standard for believers was set forth in one of the famous letters of Samuel Rutherford. Writing to his friend, John Clark, he said, “Ye may put a difference betwixt you and reprobates, if ye have these marks:

1. If ye prize Christ and His truth so as ye will sell all and by Him and suffer for it.

2. If the love of Christ keeps you back from sinning more than the law or fear of Hell.

3. If ye be humble and deny your own will, wit, credit, ease, honour, and the world, and the vanity and glory of it.

4. Your profession must not be barren and void of good works.

5. Ye must in all things aim at God’s honor; ye must eat, drink, sleep, buy, sell, sit, stand, speak, pray, read, and hear the Word with a heart purpose that God may be honoured.

6. Ye must shew yourself an enemy to sin and reprove the works of darkness, such as drunkenness, swearing, and lying, albeit the company should hate you for so doing.

7. Keep in mind the truth of God, that ye heard me teach, and have nothing to do with the corruptions and new guises entered into the house of God.

8. Make conscience of your calling, in covenants, in buying and selling.

9. Acquaint yourself with daily praying; commit all your ways and actions to God, by prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving; and count not much of being mocked, for Christ Jesus was mocked before you.”

If this standard seems too high, it may be because we have fallen into the easygoing ways of the world; nor is it unscriptural, for the New Testament passages can be found to sustain all the nine points. They are unattainable in our own strength, but not in His, for “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). Moreover, they are quite in accord with Paul’s admonition to “…do all to the glory of God”(I Corinthians 10:31).

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). It is said that George Muller kept on his desk a motto bearing the central words of our text, “AND TODAY.” Well might he do so, for surely few men have demonstrated better the truth of it. It is not difficult to believe in Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and He will prove one day that He is the same forever. But “Jesus Christ the same “… to day …” – what a time we have with that middle span! Amid the dull monotony of things as they are, when the skies seem leaden and nothing breaks on the uninteresting scene, it is easier to visualize the Christ of the Galilean past or the Christ of the glorious future than to expect great things from the Christ of the glamour less now.

But our text stoutly insists “…and to day …” We may not see Him in the flesh as they saw Him yesterday, and we see not yet all things put under Him as one day we shall, but He said He would be with us “all the days,” and that includes today. Is not many a Christian experience like this verse with “…and to day…” in very fine type- strong in faith in the Christ of yesterday and forever, but very weak in faith in His presence and power today?

One day during his great mission in London, Mr. Moody was holding a meeting in a theater packed with a most select audience. Noblemen and noblewomen were there in large numbers, and a prominent member of the royal family was in the royal box.

Mr. Moody rose to read the Scripture lesson. He attempted to read Luke 4:27, “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet…” When he came to the name of Eliseus, he stammered and stuttered over it. He went back to the beginning of the verse and began to read again, but when he reached the word Eliseus, he could not get over it. He went back the third time, but again the word was too much for him.

He closed the Bible with deep emotion and looked up and said, “Oh, God, use this stammering tongue to preach Christ crucified to these people.” The power of God came upon him, and one who heard him then and had heard him other times said that he had never heard Mr. Moody pour out his soul in such a torrent of eloquence as he did then, and the whole audience was melted by the power of God.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).