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

By faith you can extract the comfort of a promise from most scriptures. There are innumerable types and implied promises that we can apply. A life of faith lives in the strength of a promise. Faith re...  Read More

How shall we remedy our wandering thoughts in prayer? (1.) We must wait upon him for the power of his grace. As long as his love and grace are powerful in us, we are kept in a lively, heavenly frame. ...  Read More

Distractions of thought haunt us in prayer. We are set to seek God, but it is impossible to shut the windows to keep out all of the wind. If distractions are resisted, God will gather up the broken fr...  Read More

Affliction teaches us to prize and long for heaven. In our prosperity we are content with the present world and say with the disciples, 'It is good that we are here.' While life is sweet, death is bit...  Read More

Our own sufferings give us a partial insight into the sufferings of Christ Jesus. In our prosperity we pass by the cross. The story of Christ's passion stirs our hearts for him, but the pity and passi...  Read More

In affliction God teaches us to redeem the time. When life is tranquil, how many golden hours we throw down the stream that we shall never see again. Who is there that knows how to value time at its t...  Read More

There are rocks and quicksands that faith must take the utmost care to avoid. (1.) Watch for distracting cares (Phil. 4:6). God who feeds the sparrow will provide. (2.) Watch carnal counsel, and do no...  Read More

Times of adversity are seasonable times to trust in God. When we have no bread to eat, or water to drink, but only afflictions and astonishments, this is a time not for over-grieving, murmuring, sinki...  Read More

We should carefully trust God in times of prosperity. When we sit under the warm beams of a meridian sun, wash our steps in butter, and our feet in oil, when the candle of the Lord shines on our taber...  Read More

We may build our trust in God through the consideration of his precious promises. This is the bottle that faith keeps by her side to revive her in a day of swooning. The Greek in the above passage has...  Read More

God’s almighty arm is stable ground upon which saints may securely build their trust. His omnipotent hand spans the heavens (Isa. 40:12). He is strong and mighty (Psa. 24:8) and created the world with...  Read More

The Lord Jehovah should be the sole object of a believer's trust. In stormy and tempestuous seas we must come to this rock for a refuge (Isa. 26:4). When the sun burns hot, Jonah's gourd will prove in...  Read More

It is the indispensable duty of believers at all times to trust in the Lord alone. This holy confidence can be tuned to the highest notes of the musical scale. A confident soul moves in a higher orbit...  Read More

After we have prayed for the glory of God, we also make mention of our temporal needs. Spiritual things are our greatest need, but God also allows us temporal blessings. We enjoy them as we might enjo...  Read More

We are taught to glory and rejoice in God as our Father and in the blessed joys to which at length we shall come. Heaven is our home, though for a time we are on earth and in misery. We should not jud...  Read More

You, dear Lord, that have made heaven and earth, of your own good will towards me before I existed, yes, before the world was, have chosen me in Christ to be your child. You have become my most loving...  Read More

How do the holy angels do the will of God in heaven? First, their obedience is absolutely perfect; they do all that God asks and do not fail in the least obedience. They are never remiss in their serv...  Read More

The devil is a very subtle enemy. He knows the season he is most likely to succeed and displays his hellish skill of seduction in that season. As in Egypt, he seeks the child upon the birth stool, whe...  Read More

Faith may act with great advantage upon the promises of God and gain encouragement from them. There are promises suitable for every condition. Not only are there express promises, there are also promi...  Read More

In a word, whatever affliction we bear shall be for our soul's gain. God's rod and love go together. This is a sweet and blessed lesson indeed; it quietens the heart and supports the soul under its bu...  Read More

In our sufferings, we need to be more concerned about our duty than our deliverance. We should seriously consider what it is that God desires in our present dispensation. There is no condition or tria...  Read More

The clearest manifestation of God to us is revealed in Jesus Christ (John 1:18). His eternal Godhead is also manifest in the works of creation (Rom. 1:20). The knowledge of God in creation, however, i...  Read More

Among the faculties of the soul, much of our unnecessary trouble arises from the imagination. Its perception is a shallow understanding of good or bad taken from the senses. The delights of sense high...  Read More

God is the happiness of man because of his suitableness to the soul. A hungry man finds his stomach craving. Give him music or honour and he is hungry still. These are not suitable to his appetite. Gi...  Read More

According to the excellence of the object that we embrace in our hearts is the degree of our happiness. Saints have chosen to rest in God. Let a sinner have what he considers his treasure, and even un...  Read More

In affliction, God makes himself known to his people. In the Word we hear of God, but in affliction we see him. Prosperity is the nurse of atheism. When we are prosperous the sense of God is little by...  Read More

The life of faith is the only safe life. Its fortifications are impregnable. Trust in the Lord forever, for in him is everlasting strength. Ages pass away but the Lord our Rock abides forever. He that...  Read More

In affliction we learn the lesson of the necessity of living by faith and not feeling or perception. God teaches this by the uncertainty of life’s changes: hope today, and tomorrow at the point of dea...  Read More

Affliction makes the Word of God sweet. In prosperity, many times we cannot see its sweetness. When God keeps his children fasting from the world's dainties, how sweet are his words to our taste! Affl...  Read More

There is a divine supernatural principle wrought in us in regeneration that enables the soul to perform duties of holiness. We cannot learn it; it can only be taught by God. The beauty and glory of it...  Read More

Afflictions are ascribed in the Scriptures to purge our sin. In them God purges the dross and filth of the vessels of his house. The 'fire' tries the ways and works of men, and consumes the hay and st...  Read More

The blood of Christ purges us from our sin, and no truth belonging to the mystery of the gospel is more plainly asserted: 'He has freed us from our sins by his blood' (Rev. 1:5). And, everyone who has...  Read More

The spring and fountain of all the pollutions of sin flow from the depraved nature of man's faculties. This should fill us with shame. Consider rightly the vanity, darkness, and ignorance of the mind,...  Read More

God in an extraordinary manner fed his people in the wilderness. They gathered manna day by day. Christ taught us to pray 'Give us this day our daily bread', not this month or year. God would like to ...  Read More

Let us be content with the portion God has given us of earthly things. God stands upon his sovereignty, and we must be content with God's allowance, though he gives others more. The good man pleaded: ...  Read More

In the experience of God's people, it is often found that when their outward condition is troubled, their inward state is full of perplexities and fears. In affliction Satan seeks to make a breach bet...  Read More

Many mercies and deliverances have fallen upon the people of God that are far beyond the course of natural causes. When fire seeks to burn, waters seek to drown, and lions seek to devour, God can susp...  Read More

It is a great support and solace to the saints in all their distresses, that there is a wise Spirit setting all the wheels of providence in motion. He governs the most irregular creatures and their mo...  Read More

Many say they can trust God for eternal life, but cannot trust him for daily bread. This is an utter mistake. There are more difficulties and natural prejudices against pardon and eternal life than th...  Read More

Paul writes to weak saints, strong saints, rich saints, and to poor saints, because every saint has something that is lovely in them. The least grace deserves respect from the greatest apostle. All ha...  Read More