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

We are taught to glory and rejoice in God as our Father and in the blessed joys to which at length we shall come. Heaven is our home, though for a time we are on earth and in misery. We should not jud...  Read More

You, dear Lord, that have made heaven and earth, of your own good will towards me before I existed, yes, before the world was, have chosen me in Christ to be your child. You have become my most loving...  Read More

How do the holy angels do the will of God in heaven? First, their obedience is absolutely perfect; they do all that God asks and do not fail in the least obedience. They are never remiss in their serv...  Read More

The devil is a very subtle enemy. He knows the season he is most likely to succeed and displays his hellish skill of seduction in that season. As in Egypt, he seeks the child upon the birth stool, whe...  Read More

Faith may act with great advantage upon the promises of God and gain encouragement from them. There are promises suitable for every condition. Not only are there express promises, there are also promi...  Read More

In a word, whatever affliction we bear shall be for our soul's gain. God's rod and love go together. This is a sweet and blessed lesson indeed; it quietens the heart and supports the soul under its bu...  Read More

In our sufferings, we need to be more concerned about our duty than our deliverance. We should seriously consider what it is that God desires in our present dispensation. There is no condition or tria...  Read More

The clearest manifestation of God to us is revealed in Jesus Christ (John 1:18). His eternal Godhead is also manifest in the works of creation (Rom. 1:20). The knowledge of God in creation, however, i...  Read More

Among the faculties of the soul, much of our unnecessary trouble arises from the imagination. Its perception is a shallow understanding of good or bad taken from the senses. The delights of sense high...  Read More

God is the happiness of man because of his suitableness to the soul. A hungry man finds his stomach craving. Give him music or honour and he is hungry still. These are not suitable to his appetite. Gi...  Read More

According to the excellence of the object that we embrace in our hearts is the degree of our happiness. Saints have chosen to rest in God. Let a sinner have what he considers his treasure, and even un...  Read More

In affliction, God makes himself known to his people. In the Word we hear of God, but in affliction we see him. Prosperity is the nurse of atheism. When we are prosperous the sense of God is little by...  Read More

The life of faith is the only safe life. Its fortifications are impregnable. Trust in the Lord forever, for in him is everlasting strength. Ages pass away but the Lord our Rock abides forever. He that...  Read More

In affliction we learn the lesson of the necessity of living by faith and not feeling or perception. God teaches this by the uncertainty of life’s changes: hope today, and tomorrow at the point of dea...  Read More

Affliction makes the Word of God sweet. In prosperity, many times we cannot see its sweetness. When God keeps his children fasting from the world's dainties, how sweet are his words to our taste! Affl...  Read More

There is a divine supernatural principle wrought in us in regeneration that enables the soul to perform duties of holiness. We cannot learn it; it can only be taught by God. The beauty and glory of it...  Read More

Afflictions are ascribed in the Scriptures to purge our sin. In them God purges the dross and filth of the vessels of his house. The 'fire' tries the ways and works of men, and consumes the hay and st...  Read More

The blood of Christ purges us from our sin, and no truth belonging to the mystery of the gospel is more plainly asserted: 'He has freed us from our sins by his blood' (Rev. 1:5). And, everyone who has...  Read More

The spring and fountain of all the pollutions of sin flow from the depraved nature of man's faculties. This should fill us with shame. Consider rightly the vanity, darkness, and ignorance of the mind,...  Read More

God in an extraordinary manner fed his people in the wilderness. They gathered manna day by day. Christ taught us to pray 'Give us this day our daily bread', not this month or year. God would like to ...  Read More

Let us be content with the portion God has given us of earthly things. God stands upon his sovereignty, and we must be content with God's allowance, though he gives others more. The good man pleaded: ...  Read More

In the experience of God's people, it is often found that when their outward condition is troubled, their inward state is full of perplexities and fears. In affliction Satan seeks to make a breach bet...  Read More

Many mercies and deliverances have fallen upon the people of God that are far beyond the course of natural causes. When fire seeks to burn, waters seek to drown, and lions seek to devour, God can susp...  Read More

It is a great support and solace to the saints in all their distresses, that there is a wise Spirit setting all the wheels of providence in motion. He governs the most irregular creatures and their mo...  Read More

Many say they can trust God for eternal life, but cannot trust him for daily bread. This is an utter mistake. There are more difficulties and natural prejudices against pardon and eternal life than th...  Read More

Paul writes to weak saints, strong saints, rich saints, and to poor saints, because every saint has something that is lovely in them. The least grace deserves respect from the greatest apostle. All ha...  Read More

The little spark of conscience left after the sin of Adam is suffocated through a daily custom of sinning; its eyes are pecked out, its mouth stopped, and the very heart of it wounded and quenched. Th...  Read More

The Hebrew of Lamentations 3:33 has it, ‘from the heart’. God takes no delight to afflict his children; it goes against the grain of his heart. It grieves him to be grievous to them; it pains him to p...  Read More

Hallowed be your name. Christ has taught us to make this the first petition in our prayers. We must learn that the glory of God is to be preferred before all other things. It should be the highest of ...  Read More

God has engaged himself, having chosen a people for himself, and secured them from all that any can do against them. Election is as eternal as God is, without variableness or shadow of change, and thu...  Read More

Christ stands as our advocate alone before God's bar and pleads before the Father. Whatever can rightly be charged upon us, he accepts the whole charge upon himself, acknowledging the crimes to be his...  Read More

In the office of advocate, one man is empowered to plead for another before a judicial court when he has been accused by an enemy. Christ exercises the office of advocate when his child is found guilt...  Read More

In affliction God reveals the unknown corruptions in the hearts of his people: what pride, impatience, unbelief, idolatry, distrust of God, murmuring, and unthankfulness. Sin lies very close and deep ...  Read More

We are great strangers to the cross. When it comes to pass we either despise the discipline of the Lord, or else we faint by it. If affliction is moderate we are apt to despise it, but if the rod fetc...  Read More

A gracious prudent silence under the afflicting hand of God includes a holy quietness and calmness of mind and spirit. It shuts out all inward murmurings of the heart. Such a soul is submissive to God...  Read More

David looked through secondary causes to the first cause, and was silent. The sight of God in an affliction is irresistibly effective to silence the heart, and to stop the mouth of a gracious man. It ...  Read More

Zeal is like fire, ever climbing and aspiring higher; aiming beyond that which was before and aiming on toward perfection. Zeal desires more. It advances and grows from strength to strength, in and ou...  Read More

The heavenly fire of zeal has ever been a stranger upon earth. Few have felt the heat of it, and few have known the nature of it. It puts vigour and agility in the soul. Zeal is to the soul as wings t...  Read More

The most powerful means that have been employed to destroy God’s people have been rendered ineffective. Providence crosses its hands as Jacob did in blessing the sons of Joseph, and orders quite a con...  Read More

When death and hell are viewed in their darkest colours, if we have faith enough to see souls in heaven wearing their white robes, this is comfort enough, to know our souls do not die with the body. T...  Read More