“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
“In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:15We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all
“Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?” Job 38:16Some things in nature must remain a mystery to the most intelligent and enterprising investigators. Human knowledge has bounds beyond which it cannot pass. Universal knowledge is for God alone. If this be so in the things which are seen and t
“Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.” Psalm 120:5As a Christian you have to live in the midst of an ungodly world, and it is of little use for you to cry “Woe is me.” Jesus did not pray that you should be taken out of the world, and what he did not pray for, you
“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.” Leviticus 19:36Weights, and scales, and measures were to be all according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian man will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the
“I will; be thou clean.” Mark 1:41Primeval darkness heard the Almighty fiat, “light be,” and straightway light was, and the word of the Lord Jesus is equal in majesty to that ancient word of power. Redemption like Creation has its word of might. Jesus speaks and it is done. Leprosy yielded to no hum
“The Lord trieth the righteous.” Psalm 11:5All events are under the control of Providence; consequently all the trials of our outward life are traceable at once to the great First Cause. Out of the golden gate of God’s ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad in their iron armour, an
