“This man receiveth sinners.” Luke 15:2Observe the condescension of this fact. This Man, who towers above all other men, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners-this Man receiveth sinners. This Man, who is no other than the eternal God, before whom angels veil their faces-this Man recei
“Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, the rain also filleth the pools.” Psalm 84:6This teaches us that the comfort obtained by a one may often prove serviceable to another; just as wells would be used by the company who came after. We read some book full of consolation, which is li
“I will sing of mercy and judgment.” Psalm 101:1Faith triumphs in trial. When reason is thrust into the inner prison, with her feet made fast in the stocks, faith makes the dungeon walls ring with her merry notes as she cries, “I will sing of mercy and of judgment. Unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.” F
“God is jealous.” Nahum 1:2Your Lord is very jealous of your love, O believer. Did he choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did he buy you with his own blood? He cannot endure that you should think that you are your own, or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a
“Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies.” Psalm 5:8Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, le
“Be ye separate.” 2 Corinthians 6:17The Christian, while in the world, is not to be of the world. He should be distinguished from it in the great object of his life. To him, “to live,” should be “Christ.” Whether he eats, or drinks, or whatever he does, he should do all to God’s glory. You may lay u
“Evening wolves.” Habakkuk 1:8While preparing the present volume, this particular expression recurred to me so frequently, that in order to be rid of its constant importunity I determined to give a page to it. The evening wolf, infuriated by a day of hunger, was fiercer and more ravenous than he wou
“And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.” Mark 3:13Here was sovereignty. Impatient spirits may fret and fume, because they are not called to the highest places in the ministry; but reader be it thine to rejoice that Jesus calleth whom he wills. If
“And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment.” Revelation 4:4These representatives of the saints in heaven are said to be around the throne. In the passage in Canticles, where Solomon sings of the King sitti
“I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3There are different translations of these words. One version renders it, “I will shew thee great and fortified things.” Another, “Great and reserved things.” Now, there are reserved and special things in
“The exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.” Ephesians 1:19,20In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth nothing short of a divine power. What sha
“From me is thy fruit found.” Hosea 14:8Our fruit is found from our God as to union. The fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the root. Sever the connection, the branch dies, and no fruit is produced. By virtue of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit. Every bunch of grapes have been fi
“There is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.” Jeremiah 49:23Little know we what sorrow may be upon the sea at this moment. We are safe in our quiet chamber, but far away on the salt sea the hurricane may be cruelly seeking for the lives of men. Hear how the death fiends howl among the cordage; h
“And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.” Mark 2:4Faith is full of inventions. The house was full, a crowd blocked up the door, but faith found a way of ge
“If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Galatians 5:18We who looks at his own character and position from a legal point of view, will not only despair when he comes to the end of his reckoning, but if he be a wise man he will despair at the beginning; for if we are to be judged on th
