If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
I wrote out the above text maybe 2 weeks ago meaning to write upon it, however other things have gotten in the way….the world, my sin………..
Some time ago now I remembered this text and was pondering upon it, maybe around the time of the 30th December entry……I couldn’t do anything remotely spiritual, holding onto hope and faith only.
I remembered the text as; if in my life, I only had hope in Christ, then I was of all men most miserable.
I pondered upon it and found it to be true.
The unconverted person has their own pleasures and their own ways to stay from misery. The joys of this world.
The converted person has their joy in Christ, in prayer, in fellowship, in inner peace, all in an exercise of active faith.
Let that active faith slip though, as it does when we get caught up all too easily in the cares and pleasures of this world, and we are left holding only onto hope, then we are of all men most miserable. We have experienced joy in an active faith, but no longer, we find it difficult to pray, no comfort do we find in the scriptures, we find no joy in the world if we cannot get near to Jesus.
Hope – one word, if that is all we are left with, we may be most miserable, but still let your mind think upon hope. We hope in Christ…. How can we have hope in someone unless we believe in that someone? Believe and be saved.
28 January, 2008
06 January, 2008
Sabbath 6th January
Have picked up and read my bible for the first time in 2 or 3 weeks. Feel a bit of inner peace and a new resolve to serve God. Listened to a sermon by Angus Smith which I found linked to from the Free Presbyterian website on Job 23, verses 8-10.
I was actually at this communion service in 2004 when he preached it and it was good to hear it again. “He knoweth the way that I take”.
I know that there are seasons for the christian in his walk, and that lately I have been experiencing darkness, my soul has been downcast, but this sermon has reminded me that I am not alone in this, and that my thoughts are known.
I was actually at this communion service in 2004 when he preached it and it was good to hear it again. “He knoweth the way that I take”.
I know that there are seasons for the christian in his walk, and that lately I have been experiencing darkness, my soul has been downcast, but this sermon has reminded me that I am not alone in this, and that my thoughts are known.
Sat night 5th Jan 08
"And God saw the light." --Genesis 1:4
“This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord's dividing it from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the light. "God saw the light"--He looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it with pleasure, saw that it "was good." If the Lord has given you light, dear reader, He looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear to Him as His own handiwork, but because it is like Himself, for "He is light." Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God's eye is thus tenderly observant of that work of grace which He has begun. He never loses sight of the treasure which He has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God's people--but whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the foundation, "The Lord knoweth them that are His." You may be sighing and groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord sees "light" in your heart, for He has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from His gracious eye. You may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in His finished work, God sees the "light." He not only sees it, but He also preserves it in you. "I, the Lord, do keep it." This is a precious thought to those who, after anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to do so. The light thus preserved by His grace, He will one day develop into the splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn of the eternal day”.
So much comfort from Mr Spurgeon's evening portion (above) tonight. Have been much in darkness lately… saw the children tonight. Was wonderful just being with them. On the way home stopped at fain for thought, looking at the stars and prayed for the first time in a wee while - sighing and groaning because of inbred sin.
This has helped much.
“This morning we noticed the goodness of the light, and the Lord's dividing it from the darkness, we now note the special eye which the Lord had for the light. "God saw the light"--He looked at it with complacency, gazed upon it with pleasure, saw that it "was good." If the Lord has given you light, dear reader, He looks on that light with peculiar interest; for not only is it dear to Him as His own handiwork, but because it is like Himself, for "He is light." Pleasant it is to the believer to know that God's eye is thus tenderly observant of that work of grace which He has begun. He never loses sight of the treasure which He has placed in our earthen vessels. Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than for me to think I see it. It is very comfortable for me to know that I am one of God's people--but whether I know it or not, if the Lord knows it, I am still safe. This is the foundation, "The Lord knoweth them that are His." You may be sighing and groaning because of inbred sin, and mourning over your darkness, yet the Lord sees "light" in your heart, for He has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from His gracious eye. You may have sunk low in despondency, and even despair; but if your soul has any longing towards Christ, and if you are seeking to rest in His finished work, God sees the "light." He not only sees it, but He also preserves it in you. "I, the Lord, do keep it." This is a precious thought to those who, after anxious watching and guarding of themselves, feel their own powerlessness to do so. The light thus preserved by His grace, He will one day develop into the splendour of noonday, and the fulness of glory. The light within is the dawn of the eternal day”.
So much comfort from Mr Spurgeon's evening portion (above) tonight. Have been much in darkness lately… saw the children tonight. Was wonderful just being with them. On the way home stopped at fain for thought, looking at the stars and prayed for the first time in a wee while - sighing and groaning because of inbred sin.
This has helped much.
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