“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10

Trials, sufferings, afflictions, vexations, and disappointments are our appointed lot. And though grievous to the flesh, yet when they are sanctified to the soul’s good—are made to be some of our choicest blessings! Levity, carelessness, and indifference, with a general hardness and deadness in the things of God, soon creep over the mind—unless it be well weighted with trials and afflictions.

But when we are in the furnace, we rarely see what benefit it is producing—or what profit is likely to arise to ourselves or to others out of it. Our coward flesh shrinks from the cross, and until submission and resignation are wrought in us by a divine power, and the peaceable fruits of the Spirit begin to show themselves, we cannot bless the Lord for the trial and affliction. Our trials vary as much as our outward circumstances or inward feelings, and each person perhaps thinks his own trial the heaviest. But no doubt infinite wisdom appoints to each vessel of mercy, those peculiar trials in nature, or degree, which are required to work out God’s hidden purposes.

-J.C Philpot

“I will be their God — and they shall be My people!” Hebrews 8:10

So has Jehovah purposed in reference to those whom He has eternally loved and chosen. All of our present and future blessedness is wrapped up in this holy and gracious purpose.

If Jehovah is your God — then all of His glorious attributes and perfections are engaged and employed for your eternal welfare!
His mercy will supply all of your needs.
His power will conquer all of your foes.
His wisdom will direct all of your ways.
His faithfulness will answer all of your prayers.
His justice will maintain your cause.
His infinite love and mercy will be displayed in all of His gracious dealings with you!

If Jehovah is your God — then all things are yours — things present and to come; life, death, the world, Heaven — all are yours!

If Jehovah is your God — then He will consider nothing too great to do for you — and nothing too glorious to give to you! All the treasures of time, and all the resources of eternity — will, if necessary, be employed for your spiritual and eternal benefit! You can lack nothing which is really for your good.

To have Jehovah for your God is the highest blessedness and honor in the universe!

How blessed is the man — who has Jehovah as his God!

-James Smith

“They crucified Him” (John 19:18)

Men did by their wicked hands crucify Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, and they did so by God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). They brought guilt upon themselves in crucifying Him, but here are five things that He did in His crucifixion.

(1)     In His crucifixion, He crushed the head of Satan. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil and He did so in His crucifixion.

(2)     In his crucifixion, He opened the fountain for sin and uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1). Men open fountains to be admired, but He opened this fountain to be used. Come and wash for His blood “cleanseth from all sin.” “The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day, and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.”

(3)     In His crucifixion, He “blotted out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Col 2:14). The holy Law of God was contrary to us for it demanded perfect obedience in thought, word and deed; and cursed us for our disobedience.

(4)     In His crucifixion, He ratified the New and everlasting covenant. “This is my blood in the new covenant”. Now the Testator has died, the will or testament cannot be changed, and besides, He lives to disperse the benefits of the testament to those He named as His heirs.

(5)     In His crucifixion, He opened heaven’s door to all “who come unto God by Him”. We don’t know how many will enter heaven’s door. We know it will be a great number, but we do know that all who do will enter through Jesus Christ.

– David Pledger, Pastor of Lincoln Wood Baptist Church, Houston, Texas USA

Therefore whenever thou who believest in Jesus, dost hear the law in its thundering and lightening fits, as if it would burn up heaven and earth; then say thou, I am freed from this law, these thunderings have nothing to do with my soul; nay even this law, while it thus thunders and roareth, it doth allow and approve of my righteousness. I know that Hagar would sometimes be domineering and high, even in Sarah’s house and against her; but this she must not be suffered to do, nay though Sarah herself be barren; wherefore serve it [the law] also as Sarah served her, and expel her from thy house. My meaning is this, when this law with its thundering threatenings doth attempt to lay hold on thy conscience, shut it out with a promise of grace; cry, the inn is took up already, the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and there is no room for the law. Indeed if it will be content with being my informer, and so lovingly leave off to judge me; I will be content, it shall be in my sight, I will also delight therein; but otherwise, I being now upright without it, and that too with that righteousness, with which this law speaks well of and approveth; I may not, will not, cannot, dare not, make it my Saviour and Judge, nor suffer it to set up its government in my conscience; for so doing I fall from grace, and Christ doth profit me nothing.

-John Bunyan

I know whom I have believed. . . (2 Timothy 1:12)

Many people struggle with what they believe. They spend much time trying to believe in some system or some cause. They are searching for something to fill the empty void deep inside their heart. But the truth is that peace is only found in a person.

Peace will not be found in the things of the world because they are fleeting away (1 John 2:17). Peace of the soul cannot be found in other men because all flesh is as grass and the life of man is as a vapor (Psalm 144:4). Peace cannot be found in us because we are all born dead in sins and we cannot by any works of the flesh please a holy God (Romans 5:12; 8:8). God is just and will by no means clear the guilty. Therefore peace is only found in the person and word of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20).

“But I know whom I have believed.” Peace with God can only be found in one person and that is the God-man Jesus Christ the Lord (1 Timothy 3:16). He is the only Savior and mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). Therefore, all who know him by faith are persuaded like Paul, “that he is able to keep that which I have committed on to him against that day.” We are persuaded of his perfect ability to save us because he has given us a new heart by which we believe (John 6:44; Psalm 110:3). We are persuaded of his righteousness to clothe us and his blood to cleanse us from all our sins (Isaiah 61:10; 1 John 1:7).

Therefore, we who know Jesus Christ by faith have peace with God, and nothing can sever our soul from His love (Romans 8:31-39). And we know that Jesus alone is able and willing to keep us in the faith firm to the end (1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:1; 24; John 14:3).

-Fred Evans

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. (Ezekiel 18:32)

The Lord in this chapter declares that all souls are his and that He will judge all men with righteous judgment. The just man shall live, but the sinner shall die.

This surely leaves all men by nature without hope because we are all sinners by birth and by choice (Romans 3:10-11; Isaiah 64:6). But God declares hope for the wicked and vile sinner who deserves only eternal damnation. The Lord says, “if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die” (v.21).

Behold what grace and mercy the Lord has shown by giving such a word of hope, that if the sinners will turn from his sin and turn to Jesus Christ he will “SURELY LIVE.”

Look and see that Jesus has accomplished all that the sinner will need to be justified. He wrought righteousness by his obedience, and by His one offering on the cross he has satisfied the justice of God for sin. And God has manifested his pleasure in his perfect work by raising him from the dead.

So then, sinner, hear the Lord! Why will you die? Why will you refuse to turn from your self-righteousness and your vain and foolish religion of salvation by the will and works of your flesh? Your nature is corrupt and ruined. Your works are filthy rags, but the work of Jesus is finished. Therefore sinner turn NOW and LIVE!

-Fred Evans

“He opened their minds—so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

When God opens the eyes of our understanding, we begin to see everything around us to be just as the Scripture has described them. Then, and not until then, we perceive, that what we read in the Bible concerning the horrid evil of sin, the vileness of our fallen nature, the darkness and ignorance of those who know not God, our own emptiness, and the impossibility of finding relief and comfort from creatures—is exactly true.

And as we find our disease precisely described—so we perceive a suitableness in the proposed remedy.

We need a SAVIOR, and He must be a mighty one. And though our needs and sins, our fears and enemies, are great and numerous—we are convinced that the character of Jesus is sufficient to answer them all.

We need a REST, a rest which the world cannot give. Inquire where we will among the creatures, experience brings in the same answer from all, “It is not in me!” This again confirms the Word of God, which has forewarned us that we shall meet nothing but disappointment in such worldly pursuits. But there is a spiritual rest spoken of, which we know to be the very thing we need, and all our remaining solicitude is how to attain it.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and heavy burdened—and I will give you rest!” Matthew 11:28

-John Newton

All of God’s saints have need of comfort. This is because we are born again of the Spirit, and have a righteous nature that hates sin. Yet in each of us still dwells that old man of sin which Paul calls “the body of this death.” Thus we are very troubled by our sin. We are at constant warfare with our own flesh, Satan and this present evil world.

And though we are the children of God we must also suffer the common troubles and afflictions of men (1 Cor. 10:13).

How evil are those false religionist and liars who say that God only wants us to be happy, healthy and wealthy in this world (John 16:33)! They are no comfort to the true saints of God. They rather cause them to doubt and question their salvation because our experience in this life is full of trouble, sorrow, sickness, and poverty.  Therefore, we are often like Rebekah, when the twins struggled in her womb, and she inquired of the Lord, “If it be so, why am I thus?” (Gen. 25:22)

The Holy Spirit, knowing our need of such comfort, has called his preachers and given us a simple command:  Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people saith the Lord.

And this is the comfort we are to give you. That Jesus Christ has accomplished all your warfare. He has taken all the sin of our souls and by His one offering to God has forever purchased our pardon (Heb.9:12; 10:14). So great was His offering that God has counted it as double for all our sins!  Therefore, rejoice in your suffering and sorrow because God’s Justice is satisfied and you are accepted of Him in Jesus Christ!  This will not comfort the world, but it does settle the heart of God’s people.

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (Ephesians 3:18)

His Love for us is so broad that is supports all the elect of all time (Matt.16:18). The length of His love stretches from eternity to eternity and there are no gaps of love in time (Jeremiah 31:3). The Love of God is so Deep that Jesus our beloved condescended to be made flesh. He as our substitute was plunged into the depths of God’s Justice as He was made sin for us. And by His one offering, He hath perfected all His people (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 10:14). The Height of God’s love is as High as He is.  For God, having raised up Christ to the throne of Glory, has also raised us up with him in love (Ephesians 2:4-7).

The Gospel is sent from Heaven, proclaimed on earth, heard by sinners, and gladly embraced by those who are ordained to eternal life.

The Gospel informs us that eternal redemption is obtained, a way into the holiest opened, and all condemnation removed from those who believe in Jesus.

The gospel reveals . . .
a Savior, in whom we must trust;
a Sovereign, whom we must obey;
a Priest, on whose atonement we must rest;
a Mediator, through whom we must apply for every blessing which we need;
a Prophet, from whom we must learn;
a friend, in whose love we must confide;
a brother, from whom we may expect;
a father, whose authority we must revere;
an apostle, whose mission we must study; and
an advocate, to whom we must commit our cause.

The gospel . . . flows from the free love, rich grace, and abundant mercy of our God; is founded in the Savior’s person, mediation, and death; becomes efficacious through the revelation, operation, and application of the Holy Spirit. By it, he begets faith, imparts love, and excites hope; and when accompanied by his blessing — it is received in demonstration and power.

The gospel is an everlasting monument of God’s wisdom, grace, and love. O may I feel more of the power, receive more of the light, and manifest more of the spirit of the gospel! O may I find it as sweet as honey, yes sweeter than the honeycomb to my taste! May I be taught to despise everything in compare with it, and say —

Should all the forms that men devise,
Assault my faith with treacherous art;
I’d call them vanity and lies,
And bind the gospel to my heart!

-James Smith