Posts with the category “voices-from-the-past-vol-1”

The hand of providence preserves the saints from the snares and temptations of sin. That providence wards off many a dreadful stroke of temptation and puts away mortal thrusts of the enemy, is a trut...  Read More

The love of Christ and the love of the world cannot lodge together in one heart. These are two masters, ruling by contrary laws. When the love of the world entered into Judas, it is said that the dev...  Read More

Blessed Paul, now an old man, was ready to sacrifice his blood for the truth of the gospel. Here we see that hod allows his dearest children to be forsaken by those close to them. In this we are conf...  Read More

Regeneration does not consist in a mere moral reformation of life. It requires the infusion of a new, real, spiritual principle into the soul and its faculties. It brings spiritual life, light, holin...  Read More

In the beginning there was nothing in the earth that had life or any disposition towards it. The Holy Spirit moved upon the prepared matter and communicated unto it the principle of life. Since Adam ...  Read More

We need to stand in the way God has directed us to walk. We are so prone to desire another's work than our own. That which is the Commander's business is not the Private's. The service you do out of ...  Read More

While man was a lovely and happy creature, by sin he cast himself into a sinful and miserable state. Every imagination of his heart was evil continually. His mind and will were defiled. There was not...  Read More

As we consider man in the state of innocence, we can lament the greatness of Adam's fall. Here is a stately building lying in ashes. Could we avoid weeping if we saw our house on fire and our propert...  Read More

God created man in the state of innocence, agreeable to his nature, without any imperfection, corruption, or any principle of corruption in his body or soul. When God breathed into him a living soul,...  Read More

When any soul is converted, there is the concurrence of all three persons in the Trinity. This is a subject of great moment. At the drawing of the heart to close with Christ, there is a special couns...  Read More

Satan always seeks to usurp our territory. By yielding in one temptation we let the devil into our trench and give him a fair advantage to do us more mischief. An angry man, while he is raging and ra...  Read More

We obey God's will, as the angels in heaven, when we do it willingly and without complaint. The angels love to be employed in God's service. It is their heaven to serve God. Heaven is such a happy pl...  Read More

The manner in which we do God's will is as important as the thing itself. We obey acceptably when we obey from the heart. We do God's will acceptably when we do his will as it is done in heaven, that...  Read More

The great design of God in his Word is to make us doers of his will. Doing the will of God is evidence of sincerity and our love for Christ. Failure to do God's will is foolish, because in denying Go...  Read More

This describes the Christians posture in his fight against Satan. It is a military expression, a word of command that a captain would use to his soldiers. A coward does not stand, but Christ directs ...  Read More

The providence of God often goes beyond our imagination and often crosses our desires and designs to our great advantage. He does not give what we fancy, but what his infinite wisdom judges best and ...  Read More

The ways of God's providence direct us into the calling and employment that is ordered for us in this world. To have an honest, lawful employment in which you do not dishonour God is no small mercy. ...  Read More

A remarkable performance of providence for the people of God is the ordering of the occasion, instrument, and means of their conversion. In nothing does providence shine forth more gloriously. You ar...  Read More

How many families are there, though not profane, who yet train up their children vainly and sensually, and take no care for their souls? It is no matter to them that the devil seeks their souls. If t...  Read More

The providence of God designates the family out of which we should rise. This affects both our temporal and eternal good. If your family feared God, and took care to train you up in the nurture of the...  Read More

Do not leave your Bible as some do, at church, and hear nothing of it all week long. Bring it home and let it dwell with you. Do not let the Word be as a wayfaring man that tarries with you for a nig...  Read More

The Word of God is a spring of living water, a deep mine of costly treasure, a table with all sorts of food, and a garden with a variety of pleasant fruits. It contains the church's charter with all ...  Read More

God’s children are swimming upstream and live contrary to the course of the world. They are living among men, and live as men do, but are moving in a different direction than the world, and are carri...  Read More

God's dearest children are exercised with sharp spiritual conflicts. God sometimes allows their faith to be shaken or to doubt the principles in God's Word, but it is very clear that God is working a...  Read More

When we pray, we must be wary that our misunderstanding of providence does not make us faint. God cannot answer our prayers if they cross his revealed will or secret providence. Since God makes all t...  Read More

In the things we ask for in prayer, God knows the proper time so the answers are good for us. God gives us his cheque, but he will pay at his pleasure. The time is concealed and hidden to us, though ...  Read More

This duty suggests diligence in prayer. Every Christian who seeks to be a true one in deed and not name only must be a man of prayer. Prayer is like an investment in bonds that give a future return f...  Read More

The answers to your prayers are of infinite concern. You should watch for the answers with holy impatience and desire. Like an archer, take careful aim that you may hit the mark. Send your requests t...  Read More

Why does God keep some of his people so long under the discipline of the rod? Truly, God does not only bring his children into the school of affliction, but many times he keeps them there a long time...  Read More

We can admire the wisdom and power of God, who can make his people better by their sufferings. Behold, I show you a mystery: sin brought affliction into the world, and God makes affliction carry sin ...  Read More

When the Word of God and the rod meet together, they are the fruit of a father's affection. Affliction is sanctified through its instruction, and is a seal of God's lovingkindness. Chastisement consi...  Read More

Someone might ask if God can teach his people by sin. He might, and does (Rom. 8:28). All things do work, but all things do not work alike. Sin works for good, but it is by absolute omnipotence, by p...  Read More

Prayer brings those who have the spirit of supplication into great familiarity with God. Those who pray receive great things for themselves and for those they pray for. Prayer opens the heart of God ...  Read More

These words express the glorious power of the Spirit in a mature Christian, and serve as our pattern. 'I have learned', said Paul. This is very significant. It is not the learning of education, but o...  Read More

God's mercies over his people are exceedingly great and tender. He does not delight in afflicting and grieving them. He delays as long as the honour of his name and the safety of his people will perm...  Read More

Epaphroditus met with a long and dangerous sickness. This is our nature; let us not dream of any immunity. God's children are subject to sickness while they live. Daily experience proves it, for our ...  Read More

God's providence extends to the smallest things, to the sparrow and to the hairs of our heads. He governs every particular passage in our lives. This should teach us to look up to heaven for permissi...  Read More

Prayer should be constant. It is your duty to give yourself to prayer. It is like the fire on the altar—it must never go out day or night. It is like a saint's breathing. A Christian's prayer may hav...  Read More

God's will and Word must be the rule of our prayers. Our prayers are bound by divine precepts, promises, and prophecies. To wander beyond these leads to our loss. The Christian may have anything from...  Read More

Sin is an hindrance to prayer. When dust clogs the wheels of a watch, it cannot strike true. When the sin of the petitioner is before God's eyes, his petitions cannot enter his ears. Sin shouts loude...  Read More