Posts with the category “voices-from-the-past-vol-1”

There are three kinds of spiritual sloth. (1.) Resolving sloth: some have determined to remain unconcerned about their eternal salvation. They never stir from their bed of security, come life or death...  Read More

In conversion the poor convinced sinner ventures on Christ and resolves to hold on to him: 'Here, I stand; and if I perish, I perish; if I die, I will die here, I will not go from your door.’ Before c...  Read More

A true saint ambitiously endeavours to advance the name of God. In everything he asks, ‘Will this tend to the honour of God's name?' This was Paul's chief design (Phil. 1:20). A godly man thinks it sc...  Read More

In this petition we pray that God's name may shine forth and be honoured in the whole course and tenor of our lives. Honouring his name is preferred before all things, before life. This is the first a...  Read More

When we pray to our Father, heaven cannot be blocked up. In faith, though we may not yet have the thing we pray for, we believe God will grant it, and are willing to wait for his leisure. If we have n...  Read More

If God is our heavenly Father, let us behave ourselves as children of such a Father. Let us depend upon him in all our straits and difficulties. Let us believe he will provide for our wants, as childr...  Read More

If we believe in the final perseverance of the saints, and the certainty of our heavenly inheritance, can this lead to carnal security and unholy living? Corrupt nature may suck poison from this flowe...  Read More

Our heavenly Father will never disinherit us. He may for a time desert his children, but will not disinherit them. This is evident by virtue of the eternal decree of heaven. God's decree is the basis ...  Read More

Nothing comes to pass without our heavenly Father's permission or ordination. By this almighty providence, God overrules and sways all things to his own glory. There is nothing that comes to pass but ...  Read More

Providence is an act of God, whereby, according to his eternal and most wise counsel, he preserves and governs all things, and directs them all to their ends, but chiefly to his own glory. It is neces...  Read More

What are some of the blessings in having God for our heavenly Father? (1.) All of the promises of the Bible belong to us. A wicked man may lay claim only to the curses, but the promises are God's chil...  Read More

If God is our heavenly Father the evil one shall not prevail. God will make all Satan's temptations promote the good of his children. Testing sets them praying and becomes a medicine for security (2 C...  Read More

Our heavenly Father has deep affections for us. The affection of parents is just a spark from his flame. His love passes knowledge and exceeds all dimensions; it is higher than heaven and broader than...  Read More

Consider who is knocking at the door of hearts: he who is the mighty God, Lord of lords, and King of kings (Rev. 3:20). There is not the least merit in us to engage him to knock. Here is an amazement,...  Read More

Consider the amazing goodness that God is pleased to be a Father to us. While our hearts stood as garrisons against him, he conquered our stubbornness, and turned us from enemies to children. He wrote...  Read More

If God is our heavenly Father we will have a peaceful spirit. Grace infuses a sweet and pleasant disposition and files off the ruggedness of men's spirits. It turns the lion-like fierceness into a lam...  Read More

God represents himself as a Father to encourage us to pray. Father speaks of love and condescension. The name Jehovah is majestic; the name Father shows mercy. Our Father is the only wise God, and kno...  Read More

The mystery of God's providence is a most sublime consideration. It is easy to let our reason run away with itself. It is at a loss when it attempts to search into the eternal decrees of election or t...  Read More

One of Satan's devices to draw you into sin is to get you to consider the sins of the best men, and hide their virtues. He shows the adultery of David, the pride of Hezekiah, the impatience of Job, th...  Read More

The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Love is the queen of graces. It shines and sparkles in God's eyes. The nature of love consi...  Read More

It is not enough just to hear God's voice, but we must obey it. Obedience is part of the honour we owe God. It is the beauty of a Christian, makes us precious to God, and makes us one of his favourite...  Read More

One of Satan's devices is to present sin as less than it is. 'Ah', says Satan, ‘it is but a little pride, a little worldliness, a little uncleanness, a little drunkenness!' As Lot said of Zoar, 'It is...  Read More

Satan has several devices to deceive, entangle, and undo the souls of men. He knows that if he presents sin in its true nature and dress, the soul would fly from it rather than yield. He presents it t...  Read More

Dear friends, we must buy truth even if the price is ever so dear. Every parcel of truth is precious, as the filings of gold. We must either live with it, or die for it. As Ruth said to Naomi, may gra...  Read More

It is a very high privilege to be conformed to Christ. What can make us conform more to Christ than a cross? 'Provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him' (Rom. 8:17). ...  Read More

It is peculiar to Christians to give thanks in adversity. To praise God for blessings, others can do, but to give thanks in danger is the highest pitch of virtue: ‘I do not see why I should suffer les...  Read More

Can a child of God in any sense give thanks for sin? No, not properly, because (1.) Sin is detestable (Ezek. 5:11) and accursed (Gal. 3:10). (2.) Since we may not 'sin that grace may abound', nor ‘do ...  Read More

The Spirit of God teaches the souls of believers this lesson of thankfulness. David's heart was tuned to the praises of God, and it is important that thankfulness is encouraged and practised under the...  Read More

Is Christ your advocate? Are you aware that an action has been recorded against you from above and what the nature of the crime is with which you stand charged at the bar of God? Have you considered t...  Read More

Christ Jesus is the advocate for all true children by adoption. Are you born of God by his Word? Have you the Spirit of adoption? Can you in faith call God—Father? Then, Christ is your advocate to app...  Read More

Christ pleads as an advocate for his people. He pleads the very weaknesses for which Satan would have them damned. 'Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?' The reason we are not totally extinct is...  Read More

Whenever you feel the least motion toward disobedience, meet it with an army of holy graces—zeal, courage, and love to God. Quench every spark that falls upon your hearts before it breaks into fame. W...  Read More

The greatest and hardest work of a Christian is the well ordering of his heart, which is unseen. A good Christian begins his repentance where his sin begins, in his thoughts. God has sovereignty over ...  Read More

We need to labour to bring our imagination unto the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). The imagination, if ungoverned, is a wild and raging thing. Even when we are devising good things, there is still...  Read More

You need to be very suspicious about that which your flesh finds its greatest pleasure in. Not that you should deny your body all delights in the mercies of God. Pleasing the senses is neither good or...  Read More

Avoid tempting and deceiving objects, which entice your hearts away from obedience. Avoid company or worldly business that drowns out the voice of God's commands. If God calls you into a life of great...  Read More

Consider how weak you are in yourselves, and how great a need to watch, lest you disobey your heavenly pilot before you are even aware of it. O what a heart we have to watch! It is a lazy heart that w...  Read More

To increase your obedience to the Lord, keep your eye upon his greatness and continual presence and providence. This will keep you in an obedient frame of mind. So great a God cannot be disobeyed with...  Read More

In our prosperity we love earthly blessings and dote upon things in this world as if our happiness and comfort were bound up in them. In the day of adversity God convinces us of our mistake, and cause...  Read More

Sin is always very sinful, but in our prosperity we are not so aware of it. The dust of the world fills our eyes that we cannot see it clearly. God frequently uses affliction to teach his children the...  Read More