“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20)

When Noah and his family were in that ark during the flood (though probably fearful), not one drop of water fell on them, for CHRIST WAS in THE MIDST OF THEM. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in that fiery furnace, things looked hopeless; but the flames could not touch them neither could the smell of smoke enter their clothing, for CHRIST WAS IN THE Midst OF THEM. When the disciples were in the ship at sea and the winds and waves began to be contrary to them, they were afraid; but neither hell nor high water could sink that ship, for CHRIST WAS IN THE MIDST OF THEM. And as for you, dear church of God, City OF GOD the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. GOD IS IN THE MIDST OF HER, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, and that right early.

– Pastor Paul Mahan

-J.C Philpot

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (Ephesians 2:8)

We must not make a Saviour out of faith.  Christ is the Saviour.  Faith is not the Saviour.  Faith didn’t die for us, faith doesn’t intercede for us, faith doesn’t pardon us; we’re saved by the grace of God.

It is because Christ our
Lord as our substitute took our sins in His body and died on the
cross that we have eternal life.  Peter said that in 1 Peter
1:18; “You know you’re not redeemed with corruptible things such
as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of
Christ.”

Christ is the Saviour.  It is Christ’s work that redeems us, pardons us, and gives us eternal life.  That needs to be clearly understood.  Faith is not the Saviour.  Christ is the Saviour.  And we’re saved by His grace.

But now watch this; faith is the channel; faith is the means through which we receive these spiritual blessings.  If they come from God; He’s the source of grace.  He’s the source of mercy.  He’s the source of forgiveness. 

So, Christ is our peace.  He is our peace but we receive Him by faith.  Christ is our righteousness.  The Bible tells us that.  “He of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.”  He is our righteousness but we receive Him by faith.

Christ is our atonement but it’s faith that looks to Him and receives that atonement.  So, this clear note must be emphasized and I believe it’s a missing note today.  I believe it’s a missing note in present day preaching and it must be sounded loud and clear.

-Henry Mahan

This is true sympathy, “weeping with those who weep,” making their sorrow our own. How really our Lord does this with His people. So completely is He our Surety—that He takes our sins and infirmities, our trials and sorrows upon Himself as if they were all and entirely His own. Our sins were so completely laid upon Him—that not one remains charged to the account of those who believe in Jesus.

Our present griefs are so entirely absorbed in Him, that,softened by His love, soothed by His sympathy, supported by His grace— the trial is welcome, the affliction is sweet, and the rod of a Father’s chastening, buds and blossoms into delectable fruit.

Bereaved mourner, the sympathy of Christ is yours! The same Savior who wept at the grave of Bethany now shares your grief. Do not imagine that your sorrow is isolated, or that your tears are forbidden or unseen. You have a merciful and faithful High Priest who is touched with your present calamity.

There exists no sympathy so real, so perceptive, so deep, so tender, so sanctifying as Christ’s sympathy.

If your heavenly Father has seen it wise and good to remove from you the spring of human pity—it is but that He may draw you closer beneath the wing of Jesus’ compassion, presence, and love.

O child of sorrow, will not this suffice, that you possess Christ’s sympathy—as immeasurable and exhaustless as the ocean—as exquisite and changeless as His being! Yield your heart to His rich compassion!

-Octavius Winslow

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20, 21)

Paul desired to exhibit and exalt Christ!

If he wrote — he
wrote of Christ.

If he spoke — he
spoke of Christ.

If he suffered — he
suffered for Christ.

If he sorrowed — it
was because professors dishonored Christ.

Christ was to him dearer than the apple of his eye — and more precious than all things in earth or Heaven! He would live — if he could honor Jesus; or he would die for him — if that would honor him more. He felt his obligation. He was inflamed with his love. He was a sacrifice on his altar. He was a vessel for his honor. He would go anywhere, he would do anything — if he might but honor Christ. Heartily he would say, “Let the name of Paul perish, if the name of Christ can be magnified thereby!”

To him Christ was, in fact, all and all. He died for Christ; the honor of Christ was the end for which he laid down his life.

My brother, how is
it with you?

Does your heart cry,
“Oh, that I could honor Christ!”

Does your life make this impression on others, “That man aims to honor Christ!”

Is it your daily cry and prayer, “Let Christ be magnified in me, by me, and through me — in life, in death, in time, and forever!”

Oh my soul, let it be my constant desire and prayer — that Jesus, my Jesus, may be magnified by me!

-James Smith

He can tell you that he was so blind—but now God has given him eyes to see sin to be the greatest evil, and Christ to be the choicest good.

He can tell you that once he was so deaf—that though God called very often and very loudly to him—yet he could not hear! But now God has given him a hearing ear so that now he can with delight hear the sweet music of the promises on the one hand; and with a holy trembling listen to the voice of divine threatening son the other hand. 

He can tell you that once he was so dumb—that he could not have spoken a good word for God, His ways, His people, nor for any of His concernments. Oh!  but now his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer. Now he can contend for the faith, and speak for saints.

He can tell you that once he was so lame—that he was not able to move one foot heaven-wards, nor Christ-wards.  But now his feet delight, not only to go—but to run in all the ways of God’s commands!

Yes, he can tell you that once he was so dead—as to all his soul-concerns. But now he is alive, and the life that he leads in the flesh, is by faith in the Son of God, who has loved him and given Himself for him, Gal. 2:20. 

That the tide of sin, which before did run so strong —should be so easily turned; that the sinner who, a little before was sailing hell-ward, and lacked neither wind nor tide to carry him there—should now suddenly alter his course, and tack about for heaven—what a miracle is this!

To see an earthly man become heavenly, a carnal man become spiritual, a loose man become precise, a proud man becomes humble, a covetous man become liberal, and a harsh man become meek, is to behold the greatest of miracles!

-Thomas Brooks

“I am married unto you.” Jeremiah 3:14

Christ Jesus is joined unto His people in marriage-union. In love He espoused His Church as a chaste virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of sin. Full of burning affection He toiled, like Jacob for Rachel, until the whole of her purchase-money had been paid; and now, having sought her by His Spirit, and brought her to know and love Him, He awaits the glorious hour when their mutual bliss shall be consummated at the marriage-supper of the Lamb!”

Not yet, has the glorious Bridegroom presented His betrothed — perfected and complete, before the Majesty of Heaven. Not yet, has she actually entered upon the enjoyment of her dignities as His wife and queen. She is as yet – a wanderer in a world of woe, a dweller in the tents of Kedar; but she is even now . . .

 the bride of Jesus,
 His beloved spouse,
 dear to His heart,
 precious in His sight,
 written on His hands,
 and united with His person!

On earth He exercises towards her, all the affectionate offices of Husband. He makes rich provision for her spiritual needs, pays all her debts, allows her to assume His name and to share in all His wealth. Nor will He ever act otherwise to her. The word divorce He will never mention, for “He hates divorce.” 

Death must sever the marital tie between the most loving mortals — but it cannot divide the union of this immortal marriage.

“Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9)

– C.H Spurgeon

When I was young, I was sure of many things. But now that I am old, there are only two things which I am sure of:

One is that I am a miserable sinner! Secondly, that Christ is an all-sufficient Savior!

He is well taught who learns these two lessons.

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

-John Newton

“He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

The Lord works in us unto the very last.  After conversion, he continues his grace to help us do his will.  All we have is by his gracious gift.  What can we be proud of?  All of the excellencies that we might have, alas! they are borrowed.  Those most enlarged are also the most assisted, for all come from God.  We would laugh if the stableman is proud of his master’s horse; shall we then usurp the honor that is due solely to God?  ‘What do you have that you did not receive?’ (1 Corinthians 4:7). 

We receive grace from hand to mouth.  That which we have received will not continue to maintain us unless God supplies new influences of grace.  If we labored purely in our own strength, we would soon grow proud.  We must have renewed evidences of his love day after day.   If God gave us all spiritual blessings at once, we would soon fail to acknowledge our heavenly benefactor.  He weakens our corruptions by degrees, and by the renewing influences of his grace. 

God left Hezekiah, ‘to test him and to know all that was in his heart’ (2 Chronicles 32:31).  God so dispenses grace that he will be going and coming as to his actual influence upon us.  He sometimes will leave us to ourselves to reveal the weakness of our own hearts.  Though we have grace in our hearts, if God leaves us, how weak and foolish we are!  Though we are renewed, we have not fully recovered from the injury we received by the fall of Adam.  If God withdraws his life-giving strength, our secret corruptions will break forth and our interest in holy things will soon disappear. 

O, the glory of God’s grace!  From the first to the last we are indebted to it (Galatians 2:20).  We can do nothing without him.  When we come to heaven, how will our souls admire the riches of his glorious grace. (Works, 1:145-147)

-Thomas Manton (1620-1677)

We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. (Psalm 48:9)

Every soul that is born again of the Holy Spirit sets his thoughts on the lovingkindness of God in the trinity of His persons. We think on God the Father who chose us in sovereign election. We think on God the Son who redeemed us by the blood of His cross. And we think on God the Holy Spirit who quickened us to spiritual life and faith in Jesus Christ.  And consider that even now we are kept in the faith by the power, grace, and love of God until we receive the kingdom He has prepared for us (1 Peter 1:5; Matthew 25:34). Now, where are the believer’s best thoughts of God’s lovingkindness experienced?  The Holy Spirit by the prophet here gives us the answer – “in the midst of thy temple.”  The temple was at this time the only place God met with Israel and manifested his abiding presence. It was there that the thoughts of Israel were fixed on the sacrifices which pictured Jesus Christ. Even so, now it is the church where God’s saints gather to worship and praise God through the preaching of the Gospel.  Wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, the minds and hearts of the saints are fixed on the lovingkindness of God.  It is here our affections are set on Christ because where two or three gather together in his name, Jesus is in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).

Therefore, it is no wonder the Apostle Paul exhorts the saints to not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together. Because when we assemble to worship Christ, He meets with us. And as we hear his word, our thoughts are fixed on His lovingkindness. As the saints of God meet to think of God’s lovingkindness, we find great joy and peace for our
souls.

-F.E