“God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?” Jonah 4:9Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, “Doest thou well to be angry?” It may be that we can answer,
“His heavenly kingdom.” 2 Timothy 4:18Yonder city of the great King is a place of active service. Ransomed spirits serve him day and night in his temple. They never cease to fulfil the good pleasure of their King. They always “rest,” so far as ease and freedom from care is concerned; and never “rest
“Sanctified by God the Father.” Jude 1:1“Sanctified in Christ Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 1:2“Through sanctification of the Spirit.” 1 Peter 1:2Mark the union of the Three Divine Persons in all their gracious acts. How unwisely do those believers talk who make preferences in the Persons of the Trinity; wh
“Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” Joel 1:3In this simple way, by God’s grace, a living testimony for truth is always to be kept alive in the land-the beloved of the Lord are to hand down their witness for the gospel, and
“After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the f
“And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5The evening was “darkness” and the morning was “light,” and yet the two together are called by the name that is given to the light alone! This is somewhat remarkable, but it has an exact analogy in spiritual experience. In every believ
“Fellow citizens with the saints.” Ephesians 2:19What is meant by our being citizens in heaven? It means that we are under heaven’s government. Christ the king of heaven reigns in our hearts; our daily prayer is, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The proclamations issued from the thron
“And God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:4A believer has two principles at work within him. In his natural estate he was subject to one principle only, which was darkness; now light has entered, and the two principles disagree. Mark the apostle Paul’s words in the seventh chapter of
“Forget not all His benefits.” Psalm 103:2It is a delightful and profitable occupation to mark the hand of God in the lives of ancient saints, and to observe his goodness in delivering them, his mercy in pardoning them, and his faithfulness in keeping his covenant with them. But would it not be even
“Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:5When the believer has begun with trembling feet to walk in the way of the Lord, he asks to be still led onward like a little child upheld by its parent’s helping hand, and he craves t
“Tell me I pray thee wherein thy great strength lieth.” Judges 16:6Where lies the secret strength of faith? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is-an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God; and faith says, “My God could not have given this
“When I passed by thee, I said unto thee, Live.” Ezekiel 16:6Saved one, consider gratefully this mandate of mercy. Note that this fiat of God is majestic. In our text, we perceive a sinner with nothing in him but sin, expecting nothing but wrath; but the eternal Lord passes by in his glory; he looks
“Brethren, pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader’s memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repea
“How many are mine iniquities and sins?” Job 13:23Have you ever really weighed and considered how great the sin of God’s people is? Think how heinous is your own transgression, and you will find that not only does a sin here and there tower up like an alp, but that your iniquities are heaped upon ea
“Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33Divine love is rendered conspicuous when it shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which blooms in the wildern
