'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 16

Live by faith. Rejoice through faith in the Lord. It is the neglect of this exercise that will allow discouragement to erupt, and Satan to interrupt your happiness and spiritual cheerfulness. It will cast you into the dumps and into mourning. What good is faith if it is not used? It is like a soldier's sword unused in battle. If a discouragement overtakes you, cannot your faith say, 'Why are you disturbed?' The Master can rebuke this wind and the storm immediately. Do not most men have temporal weapons they use? As David's harp, some seek refreshment in company, or wine, or tobacco. They would not think of going far without a supply of these. Is not faith far better? Would not the wise Christian take in sweet air from the precious promises of God? Keep your faith, and it will keep your joy. It keeps you even without ebb and flow, turning ever upon the hinges of heavenly joys. How unattractive it is to go about drooping and hanging the head! Is it not fitting for the righteous to rejoice? What is a Christian but one who is joyful? Does not the kingdom of heaven consist in joy? Does not heaviness drive people away, while joy draws and wins? Men wonder to see a rich man with all of his heart's desire in a fit of heaviness, but much more if one knows that all will work for his good, and if Christ is his friend, and God his shepherd. For Nabal to be as dead as a stone is no surprise, but to see Nehemiah's countenance changed, there must be some extraordinary cause. Can you be sad when you have all the treasures in heavenly places? Our treasures are out of the devil's reach forever and ever. O vain man! Show me your faith by your joy. Use your faith, and have joy; increase your faith and increase your joy.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Samuel Ward, Sermons, pp. 25-27
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