His Plan For Me

 His Plan For Me

When I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ

And He shows His plan for me,

The plan of my life as it might have been

Had He had His way - and I see

How I blocked Him here, and checked Him there,

And I would not yield my will,

Will there be grief in my Saviour's eyes,

Grief though He loves me still?

Would He have me rich and I stand there poor,

Stripped of all but His grace,

While memory runs like a hunted thing,

Down the paths I cannot retrace.

Lord, of the years that are left to me

I give them to Thy hand

Take me and break me and mold me,

To the pattern that Thou hast planned!

~Author Unknown~

The Panacea For All The Ills Of Life!

 The Panacea For All The Ills Of Life!

"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Holy Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6).

Spirituality flows from the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit in the soul, who kindles spiritual love, awakens spiritual desires, and produces spiritual devotion.

The Holy Spirit's work in the believer consists: 

1. In convincing us of sin, when we go astray from the right ways of the Lord.

2. In working repentance within us, and leading us to confess and mourn over our sins before God.

3. In opening up, and applying the Word of God, so that it meets our case, feeds our faith, fires our love, and deepens our humility.

4. In exciting and drawing forth the soul in prayer, praise, and adoration at the throne of God - so that we sometimes melt in contrition, are crumbled down in humiliation, and are almost dissolved in love.

5. In giving us soul-refreshing glimpses of the glorious person of Jesus, of the everlasting covenant, and of eternal glory.

6. In melting us down in sincere gratitude before God, under a sense of His undeserved favor.

7. In removing all legal fears, and causing holy peace to flow through the soul like a river.

8. In melting us in meekness, and producing sweet submission to the sovereign will of God.

9. In sweetly soothing and consoling under trials and bereavements; and enabling us to look heavenward with hope and joy.

10. In giving us sweet intimations of the love of God to us, by holy discoveries of His grace.

11. In witnessing to our adoption, awakening the cry of "Abba, Father!" in our hearts.

12. In quickening us to rejoice in the Lord, when all things around are calculated to fill us with despondency and gloom.

The Spirit works within the Christian, teaching him daily to make use of Christ as the panacea for all the ills of life!

In all these things, and many more - the work of the Spirit in the experience of the believer appears.

Reader, do you know anything of these things in your own experience? Is the Spirit daily working in your heart, and do you pay attention to the lessons He teaches, the impressions He makes, and the direction in which He points?

O for more of the Spirit's work within us - that we may live to the praise and glory of Him who loved us, and died to redeem us!

Holy Spirit, work in us more and more - teaching us Your truth, and conforming us to Christ! O for more of Your power, love, and holiness!

~James Smith~

Holiness

 Holiness

"You ought to live holy and godly lives." (2 Peter 3:11).

Holiness is a very comprehensive word, and expresses a state of mind and conduct that includes many things.

Holiness is the work of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification.

Holiness is the fruit of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Holiness is the operation of the new nature, which we receive in regeneration.

Holiness may be viewed in various aspects, according to the different objects to which it relates.

Toward God, holiness is supreme love; delight in His moral character; submission to His will; obedience to His commands; zeal for His cause; seeking of His glory.

Toward Christ, holiness is a conformity to His example, imbibing His spirit.

Toward man, holiness is charity, integrity, truth, mercy.

Toward sin, holiness is a hatred of all iniquity, a tender conscience easily wounded by little sins, and scrupulously avoiding them; together with a laborious, painful, self-denying, mortification of all the known corruptions of our heart.

Toward self, holiness is the control of our fleshly appetites; the eradication of our pride; the mortification of our selfishness.

Toward divine things in general, holiness is spirituality of mind, the habitual current of godly thought, godly affections flowing through the soul.

And, toward the objects of the unseen world, holiness is heavenly-mindedness, a turning away from things seen and temporal, to things unseen and eternal.

Oh, what a word is holiness! How much does it comprehend! How little is it understood, and how much less is it practiced!

~J. A. James~ 

Without The Holy Spirit (and others)

 Without The Holy Spirit (and others)

When the Spirit of God is gone, even truth itself becomes an iceberg. How wretched is religion when it becomes frozen and lifeless! The Holy Spirit is gone, and all energy and enthusiasm have gone with Him.

What the valleys would be without their brooks, or the cities without their wells; what the corn fields would be without the sun, or the vintage without the summer - what would our churches be without the Holy Spirit. As well think of day without light, or life without breath, or heaven without God, as of Christian service without the Holy Spirit.

Nothing can supply His place if He is absent; the pastures are a desert, the fruitful fields are a wilderness, Sharon languishes, and Carmel is burned with fire.

Blessed Spirit of the Lord, forgive us that we have done such despite to You, by our forgetfulness of You, by our proud self-sufficiency, by resisting Your influences, and quenching Your fire! Henceforth work tenderly impressible, and then turn us as wax to the seal, and stamp upon us the image of the Son of God.

~Charles Spurgeon~

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The Holy Spirit Is The Comforter - But Jesus Is The Comfort!

"The Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit." (John 14:26).

This age is especially the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus cheers us, not by His personal presence, as He shall do in glory - but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Spirit, who is evermore the Comforter of His people. It is His office to console the hearts of God's people. He convinces of sin; He illuminates and instructs - but still the main par of His work lies in comforting the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those who are bowed down.

He does this - by revealing Jesus to them! The Holy Spirit consoles - but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician - but Jesus is the medicine. The Holy Spirit heals the wound - but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ's grace. Thh Holy Spirit is the comforter - but Jesus is the Comfort!

Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit as graciously engaged to be your Comforter. Do you imagine, O weak and trembling believer, that He will be negligent of His sacred trust? Can you suppose that He has undertaken what He cannot or will not perform? If it is His special work to strengthen you, and to comfort you - do you suppose He has forgotten His business, or that He will fail in the loving office which He sustains towards you? No! Do not think so harshly of the tender and blessed Spirit, whose name is "the Comforter." He delights to give beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Trust in Him, and He will surely comfort you - until the house of mourning is closed forever - and the marriage feast has begun!

~Charles Spurgeon~

The Spirit's Leading!

 The Spirit's Leading!

"As many as are led by the Spirit of God - they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14).

Here is a mark of divine sonship: All who follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit - they are children of God.

The Spirit leads His followers to the looking-glass of Divine truth. Here they discover their spiritual deformity and impurity. Here they see what they are - and what they need.

The Spirit leads them to the throne of grace - and there He helps their infirmities, and makes intercession for them according to the will of God.

The Spirit leads them to the Cross! When they see Jesus dying for their sins, atoning for their transgressions - they lose the burden of guilt.

The Spirit leads them in the path of loving obedience - and they experience the blessedness of keeping Christ's commands.

The Spirit leads them in the track of the Good Shepherd - and enables them to hear His voice and to follow Him.'

As many as are led by the Spirit of God - they are the sons of God."

Many, alas! are following the leadings of a very different spirit - "the spirit that works in the children of disobedience!" He leads, by paths of unbelief and sin - to endless misery and ruin! Beloved reader, beware of following his leadings - and prayerfully yield your self to the guidance of the Spirit of truth and love.

"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Saviour, and my hope is in You all day long." (Psalm 25:4:5).

Spirit of Truth, my Leader be,

And seal adoption mine; 

Impress Christ's image on my heart,

The pledge of bliss divine!

~Author Unknown~

I Met The Master

 I Met The Master

I had walked life's way with an easy tread,

Had followed where comforts and pleasures led;

And then one day in a quiet place,

I met the Master, face to face.

With station and rank and wealth for a goal;

Much thought for the body, but none for the soul

I had thought to win in life's mad race,

When I met the Master, face to face.

I met Him and knew Him and blushed to see

Those eyes full of sorrow were turned on me;

And I faltered and fell at His feet that day,

While all my castles melted away.

Melted and vanished, and in their place

I saw nought else, but the Master's face;

And I cried aloud, "Oh, make me meet

To follow the steps of the wounded feet.

And now my thoughts are for the souls of men;

I've lost my life, to find it again,

E'er since that day in a quiet place

I met the Master, face to face.

~Author Unknown~

The Cross

 The Cross

A symbol of my faith

That strengthens me each day

As I by God's grace

Walk the narrow way.

You see God's own Son

He gave His life for me

And took my debt of sin

To a place of Calvary.

I owe Him my life

And all I'll ever be

All He asks is that 

I'll let Him live through me.

So I run the race

Empowered by His grace

And give Him all the glory

As I look into His face.

Jesus is Lord!