“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). These are the recorded words that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to this dying thief moments before He died. The Lord assured him and every believer who dies in faith – they will be with the Lord forever in paradise. Where is…

Until we are really humbled and brought down before God, with a view of His mercy and grace in Christ Jesus, we cannot bear to deal honestly with ourselves, or for others to deal honestly with us. It is our pride, our self-righteousness, our presumption, and our hypocrisy, our double dealing with God and our own consciences, which make us shrink from…

“So do not be afraid for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!” Isaiah 41:10 God has arranged all our concerns with consummate wisdom, in the very best possible manner.  He overrules all events by His omnipotent power.He directs all things by His paternal love. If infinite wisdom, omnipotent power, and paternal love, are…

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. (Proverbs 12:1)  When we begin to know ourselves, and to feel the uncertainty and darkness which are inseparable from our fallen nature, how comfortable and encouraging is it to reflect, that God has given us his infallible Word, and promised us his infallible Spirit, to guide us into all necessary truth;…

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6 There is no promise made that we shall be set free in this life from the in-being and the in-working of sin. Many think that they are to become progressively holier and holier, that sin after sin is to be removed…

Jesus is . . . our sun, and without Him all is darkness; our life, and without Him all is death; the beginner and finisher of our faith; the substance of our hope; the object of our love. It is the Spirit who quickens us . . . to feel our need of Christ; to seek all our supplies in Him and…

“Better is the day of death, than the day of one’s  birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1 “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is  better by far.” Philippians 1:23 The Greek is very significant—”far, far the better!” A saint’s dying day is the daybreak of eternal glory! In respect of pleasure, peace, safety, company, and glory—a believer’s dying day is his best day. Look upon death as a remedy, as…

“Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!” Luke 21:28 We are entering upon a new year, we shall have new toils, new trials, new temptations, and new troubles; but whenever they come — let us “look up!” There may be national calamities — such as pestilence, famine, or war. . . There may be persecution — laborers may lose their jobs,…

That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Gen 18:25) The why of suffering, has ever been among the most serious problems of life. Before we can do anything that is really worthwhile…

Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18) Every trial, temptation, affliction, sorrow, are but the result of a definite plan in His eternal mind! Yet to us how often all seems confusion! This confusion is not so much in the things themselves — as in our mind. Job, when surrounded by trouble, cried out, “I am full of confusion!” Yet we can see…