'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart.—Proverbs 3:5
If Satan fails in his fiery darts of temptation, he will seek to dismay and discourage the Christian with the spirit of fear. Faith alone can quench these fiery darts. These darts are held in the enemy's reserve. When temptations prove unsuccessful, he opens this quiver and sends a shower of these arrows to set the soul on fire. If he cannot carry a soul laughing to hell, he will endeavour to make him go mourning to heaven. We can be greatly encouraged when we see Satan hard put to use these arrows. The darts of Job were of this sort. When God gave Satan leave to practise his skill, Satan did not use the golden apple of profit or pleasure, but sought to stir up unholy thoughts to defame God: 'Curse God and die', his wife said. This is a great disturbance in the imagination of a saint. Faith will not harbour unworthy thoughts of God in the heart. If your view of God is shaped by Scripture, it is impossible to have anything but holy and loyal thoughts of God. Satan seeks to encourage hard thoughts of God when his providence is hard to understand. Some have questioned God's justice because he does not judge speedily. Others have questioned his care and faithfulness in not providing better for his servants or in allowing their afflictions. Satan seeks for us to view God through these broken glasses. Job quenched this dart: 'You speak as a foolish woman.' What God takes from me is less than I owe him, and what he leaves me is more than I deserve. Unbecoming thoughts or words about God are the product of a rash and hasty spirit. It is fitting for Christians to bless God in the saddest condition that can befall them. Faith finds mercy in the greatest affliction and in the saddest mixture of providence. Praise God for past mercies and it will not be long before you have a new song in your mouth for the present mercy.
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
William Gurnall, The Christian In Complete Armour, 11:91-97
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
William Gurnall, The Christian In Complete Armour, 11:91-97
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
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January
One Thing (1)One Thing (2)Our Thoughts and Desires Reveal Who We AreThe Christian's Desire for God's House (1)The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)What the Soul Was Made ForGod Makes the Heart TenderMaintaining a Tender Heart (1)Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)Maintaining a Tender Heart (3)Maintaining a Tender Heart (4)Test to See if Your Heart is TenderHow to Recover a Tender HeartBenefits of a Tender HeartKings Must Humble Themselves Before GodHow to Humble Ourselves (1)How to Humble Ourselves (2)How to Humble Ourselves (3)Proneness to PrideHumilityTrue versus False Humility (1)True versus False Humility (2)True versus False Humility (3)Both Outward Devotion and Inward AffectionWeeping for the ChurchWeeping and Rejoicing Mixed (1)Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)God Hears Our Prayers--His PartWhen It Seems God Doesn't HearThe Privilege of PrayerGod Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
February
Death Is a Gathering (1)Death Is a Gathering (2)The Righteous Preserve their NationGod's Righteous JudgmentThe Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (1)The Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (2)Abundance Is Not an Accurate Sign of God's LoveRun to GodChristian UnityChrist In Us (1)Christ In Us (2)Christ In Us (3)Christ In Us (4)Christ In Us (5)Christ the Servant: the MediatorThe Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (1)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (2)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (3)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (4)God Knows Our FrameLittle at First (1)Little at First (2)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (1)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (2)Avoiding Unnecessary RulesThe Weaker BrotherExtend Grace to One AnotherThe Covenant of GraceThe Light of God Compared to Fire (1)
March
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