“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Upon some points, a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that an invisible hand is always on the world’s rudder. He also knows that wherever providence may drift — Jehovah steers it. That reassuring knowledge prepares him for everything.

He knows that God is always wise, and knowing this he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes — that nothing can occur which ought not to occur.

He can say, “If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose it, than have it — if God so wills. The worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing which could befall me — if God ordains it!”

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God — to those who are called according to His purpose.” The Christian does not merely hold this as a mere theory, but he knows it as a certain fact. Everything has worked for good as yet. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results.

So believing that God rules all things, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil — the believer’s heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes.

The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, “Send me what You will, my God — as long as it comes from You. There has never come a bad portion from Your table to any of Your children!”

C.H Spurgeon

Fellowship with God is the highest, purest, sweetest mercy a saint of God can have on earth. Yes, it is the highest, purest, sweetest bliss the saints of God can have in heaven. What is the enjoyment of heaven? Not merely exemption from trial, and freedom from sorrow, rest from toil, and release from conflict. Oh no! it is the presence – the full unclouded presence of our Father there. To be with Christ – to behold His glory – to gaze upon His face – to hear His voice – to feel the throbbings of His bosom – to bask in the effulgence of God’s presence – oh, this is heaven, the heaven of heaven!

-Octavius Winslow

Our Lord has many weak children in his family, many dull pupils in his school, many raw soldiers in his army, many lame sheep in his flock. Yet he bears with them all, and casts none away. Happy is that Christian who has learned to do likewise with his brethren.

– J. C. Ryle

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

What a mercy it is naturally to have a sound mind! It is one of the greatest temporal blessings that God can bestow upon a man. It is far better than intellect, imagination, poetical gift, or reasoning power. And how wretched it is to have an unsound mind! A mind in the least degree diseased, eccentric, or in any way tainted with those delusive fancies which mar all comfort and often lead to the worst of consequences. But however great be the blessing of a healthy body, a healthy mind as much exceeds it in value as it is superior to it in nature. How you see men ruining themselves every day for lack of a sound mind! What disorder they bring upon their families, upon their property, and upon others also. What havoc and ruin from being crazed with some fancy or wild delusion!

To possess, then, the spirit of a sound mind is to have a sound judgment in the things of God—not to be drawn aside by every passing opinion—not to be allured by every novel doctrine—not to be charmed by every fresh device of the wicked one—not to be caught by every one of his flesh-pleasing snares—but to have that sobriety of judgment and holy wisdom in the things of God, with that fixedness of heart upon the Lord Jesus, and that solid experience of His Spirit and grace, as shall keep us from errors and delusions on the right hand and on the left.

Unless we have this spiritual sobriety—this ripe and matured judgment—and this firm establishment in the truth of God—we are almost sure to be drawn aside into some error or other. Satan will entangle us in a maze of confusion and error—he will beguile our minds with some of his subtle deceits.

But where there is a sound mind, there will be a sound faith—a sound hope—a sound love—a sound repentance—and a sound work of grace upon the heart from first to last. To have a sound mind is to have a mind deeply imbued and vitally impregnated with the truth of God. And [those who know the Truth] are the only people really possessed of soundness of mind—for they only take right and sound views of all things and all events, natural and spiritual, and have, as the apostle says, “the mind of Christ.”

-J.C Philpot

A true recognition of God’s sovereignty will avow God’s perfect right to do with us as He wills. The one who bows to the pleasure of the Almighty will acknowledge His absolute right to do with us as seemeth Him good.  If He chooses to send poverty, sickness, domestic bereavements, even while the heart is bleeding at every pore, it will say, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right! Often there will be a struggle, for the carnal mind remains in the believer to the end of his earthly pilgrimage.  But though there may be a conflict within his breast, nevertheless, to the one who has really yielded himself to this blessed truth, there will presently be heard that Voice saying, as of old it said to the turbulent Gennesareth, “Peace be still”; and the tempestuous flood within will be quieted and the subdued soul will lift a tearful but confident eye to heaven and say, “Thy will be done.”

-Arthur W. Pink

True religion is a serious and personal concern. It arises from a right knowledge of God and ourselves; a sense of the great things He has done for fallen man; a persuasion, or at least a well-grounded hope, of our own interest in His favor; and a principle of unbounded love to Him who first loved us. 

True religion consists in an entire surrender of ourselves, and our all, to God; in setting Him continually before us, as the object of our desires, the scope and inspector of our actions, and our only refuge and hope in every trouble.  It also consists in making the goodness of God to us — the motive and model of our behavior to our fellow-creatures: to love, pity, relieve, instruct, forbear, and forgive them, as occasions offer, because we ourselves both need and experience these things at the hand of our heavenly Father.

The two great points to which true religion tends, and which it urges the soul, where it has taken place, incessantly to press after, are: communion with God, and conformity to Him. And as neither of these can be fully attained in this life, it teaches us to pant after eternal glory; to withdraw our thoughts and affections from temporal things, and fix them on that eternal state, where our desires shall be abundantly satisfied; and that work begun by grace — shall be crowned with glory!

-John Newton

Godly sorrow springs from a view of a suffering
Savior, and manifests itself by . . .
hatred of self,
abhorrence of sin,
groaning over our backslidings,
grief of soul for being so often entangled by our lusts and passions,
and is accompanied by . . .
softness,
meltings of heart,
flowings of love to the Redeemer,
indignation against ourselves,
and earnest desires never to sin more.

-J.C Philpot

“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