In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is on its beam-ends, and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone! There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father's arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time. Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father! Now that thou hast only thy God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in Him. Dishonour not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee. Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper. Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness when underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye. May the Holy Spirit give you to rest in Jesus this closing day of the month.
Moses is another example of those who lived by grace in the Old Testament. He knew the necessity of relying upon the sufficiency of God, instead of upon the inadequate resources of man. One illustration of this is seen when he pointed Israel to the Lord for battle.
When the children of Israel would enter into the Promised Land, innumerable battles would lie before them. These battles were inevitable, since godless nations had entrenched themselves in the land: "because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you" (Deuteronomy 9:5). Thus, the history of Israel documents one battle after another.
Moses announced the truth that the people of the Lord need to hear as the battle draws near. "Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies; do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them." So often, when the warfare appears, the foe seems invincible: "When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you" (Deuteronomy 20:1). The natural temptation is to "faint …be afraid…tremble or be terrified.." Another temptation is to try to match the enemy horse for horse and chariot for chariot. The Scriptures warn of the futility of turning to worldly resources. "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 31:1).
Moses knew that God's people need a reminder that the Lord wants to be our hope. When we must go into the battles of life, the Lord accompanies us. "For the LORD your God is He who goes with you." He is with us not only to comfort us, but also to battle on our behalf: "to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." The Lord can fight for His people in an unlimited variety of ways. He can change the hearts of those who oppose us. He can bring their plans to naught. He can trap them in their own evil plans. He can cause our enemies to turn and devour one another. He can effectively save us in any manner that He chooses.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(James Smith)
"For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you: Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 41:13-14
Wherever the Lord leads us--He will support us; nor shall the difficulties of the way, or the weakness we feel--be too much for us. His hand is stretched out to us, and it is for faith to lay hold of it and proceed, confident of divine assistance.
His omnipotent arm is the protection of His people in danger--and the strength of His people in weakness. He is "an ever-present help in times of trouble". He is a God at hand. Are you weak, or in difficulty? Plead His Word; it is plain, positive, and sure. He cannot lie. He will not deceive. His strength is made perfect, and is glorified in your weakness. Fear not, underneath you are His everlasting arms!
He CAN help--for He is omnipotent. He WILL help--for He has given you His Word. "Trust in the Lord at all times; yes, trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength!" That strength is promised to you, and will be employed for you in answer to prayer.
Why then are you so fearful? Why cast down? He says, "I myself will help you!"
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (II Tim. 4:6-7)
I can remember a time when folks were committed to something; right or wrong, but they were committed to stand and strive for the fulfillment of something. I am utterly embarrassed with this generation of so-called Christians! The only thing they agree upon is to not stand for anything that may be construed as to having any relationship to the truth of God’s Holy Word. As a matter of fact, the only thing they will stand for is to not stand for anything that may require something of them. A toad frog has more commitment in a wart on the end of his nose than most so-called “Christians” can muster up in a life time. Now, I am being as polite as I can possibly can be; but it is high time, yea, past time for somebody to stand and cry out! Is it not written: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, …” (Is. 58:1) If the watchmen sleep and will not sound the alarm, who will? The time for patty-caking and lullaby singing desperately needs to end. The enemy is breaking through the gate and breaching the walls. Let the trumpets sound and see who will stand with the Everlasting God!!! Are the sugar plums dancing to the slumbering chords of pathetic excuses for “soldiers”? Are there none awake to sound the alarm? Or, are the consequences of awakening the poor dear little religious powder-puffs too much to endure? Well, so much for the good fight of the faith once delivered unto the saints of old!
The great Apostle Paul challenged: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) The other side of the coin is if you are not being a living sacrifice, you are being unreasonable. Most folk hiding under the umbrella of “Christianity” are some of the most unreasonable folk you will ever encounter. Generally, there is not enough backbone in a thousand of them to equip one soldier for the battle at hand. How rare a treasure it is to find a heart of valor!
Hear the alarm; shake off your sleep; put on the whole armor of God; raise up your sword; and be ready NOW as living sacrifices!!!
| Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor Bro. Ronnie Henderson, Song Director "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Are Still Taught" |
| You Were Asked To Pray For: All of Our Military, Their Family’s & All the Civilian Workers in The Middle East, Zee Mink Fuller and Family, Her son’s Bryan Armstrong and Hunter Hackie, Daughter Shannon, and Brother Philip & Sondra Thornsberry, Virgil & Alice Hoskins, Grandchildren, and his daughters Liz Janis and Debbie Gray, Derrick & Alecia and sons Coty & Carson Clements, Bryndon Thomas, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Helen Maggard, Renee Jackson, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kirby Mollette, Kerry Pennington, Kim Butler, Danny & Nita Mollette, Verna Mae Allen, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Kevin Henderson, Ronnie Henderson Jr., Vickie Sims, Debbie Farmer, Morgan Murchison, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don & Neil Hammond, Charles Hammond, Eric Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Kathy Rosinbaum, Brenda Galusha and Jewel, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Luann Reynolds, Bro. & Sis. Curtis Pugh, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother Manuel Seymour & Family, Doris Hammock, Letha Langford, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Billy and Jo Hobbs, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout and her Niece, Roger Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Betty, Janie Capps, Scott and Gina Sillivan, Katie Norton, Sadie a child, Imajo Tracy, Sister Jean Dodson and Family, Helen Rowe, Linda Hughes, Michael Helm, Roy Lemmon, Kenny Johnson, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia. |
| A Thought From Pastor Johnson: The Sovereignty of God Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" - 2 Timothy 4:18 "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." We now bring to an end our five articles on TULIP with the Perseverance of the Saints. If we understand that God has before the world predestinated all things to be and that God chose His beloved sheep before the world began, and with the understanding that salvation is of God then we must also believe that none can be lost. Paul said "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" how can one have confidence without assurance, and how can one have assurance without Perseverance of the Saints. If we sin or if we trip in life then doesn’t that cause one to fall from grace, and if we fall can we not be renewed? The writer of Hebrews said "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5.) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (6.) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Hebrews 6:4 – 6 if it is "impossible… If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance" then without Perseverance of the Saints we will all go to hell because we are all going to sin after we are saved. The central thought here is "…seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Because Christ died once for sin and if it wasn’t for all of our sins then He must be crucified again and that is impossible. A repeat of salvation is not scriptural neither can be because it is simply a lie. Paul said Perseverance of the Saints is our confidence in God that since He has saved us then we will never loose that salvation, Paul went on to say in the last part of Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, not even ourselves. We had nothing to do with our salvation and we do not have the ability to cast our salvation asunder. |
| I am not what I once was!! By John Newton In his old age, when he could no longer see to read, John Newton heard someone recite this text, "By the grace of God—I am what I am." |
Throughout the Old Testament, we can find examples of people living by the grace of God. They may not have been able to describe their experience in terms of grace. Yet, their reliance upon God to work on their behalf was just as valid as ours. Living by grace is about God at work in people's lives. Even though they may have been born under the law, they could not live by means of the law. The law supplied no resource for life. Without God at work, the only resource is from the flesh, from natural human sufficiency. This has always been inadequate for living as God intended. Joshua and Caleb realized that God's sufficiency (His grace) was the only reliable hope.
Twelve Israelites had just returned from spying out the Promised Land. Ten of them had a similar perspective. "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey…Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large…We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we" (Numbers 13:27-28, 31). Their bad report was based upon what they saw, measured against their own resources. By this evaluation, they concluded: "We are not able to go up against the people." They were comparing two sets of human resources. "They are stronger than we."
Joshua and Caleb were deeply distressed by this inappropriate evaluation. "And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes." They knew that this outlook ignored what God had promised and what God could do. "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us." They realized that this majority report, which was based on human sight and human capabilities, was actually a form of rebellion against the Lord. "Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land." Their rebellion was in fearing man and not trusting God. All the children of Israel needed to do was remember the Lord was committed to them. "The LORD is with us." The Lord was willing and able to give them the land.
When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, "If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?" He replied, "Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.'" In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:—
WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17th, 1761:
DIED - -
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm
On Thy kind arms I fall."
Nazarites had taken, among other vows, one which debarred them from the use of wine.. In order that they might not violate the obligation, they were forbidden to drink the vinegar of wine or strong liquors, and to make the rule still more clear, they were not to touch the unfermented juice of grapes, nor even to eat the fruit either fresh or dried. In order, altogether, to secure the integrity of the vow, they were not even allowed anything that had to do with the vine; they were, in fact, to avoid the appearance of evil. Surely this is a lesson to the Lord's separated ones, teaching them to come away from sin in every form, to avoid not merely its grosser shapes, but even its spirit and similitude. Strict walking is much despised in these days, but rest assured, dear reader, it is both the safest and the happiest. He who yields a point or two to the world is in fearful peril; he who eats the grapes of Sodom will soon drink the wine of Gomorrah. A little crevice in the sea-bank in Holland lets in the sea, and the gap speedily swells till a province is drowned. Worldly conformity, in any degree, is a snare to the soul, and makes it more and more liable to presumptuous sins. Moreover, as the Nazarite who drank grape juice could not be quite sure whether it might not have endured a degree of fermentation, and consequently could not be clear in heart that his vow was intact, so the yielding, temporizing Christian cannot wear a conscience void of offence, but must feel that the inward monitor is in doubt of him. Things doubtful we need not doubt about; they are wrong to us. Things tempting we must not dally with, but flee from them with speed. Better be sneered at as a Puritan than be despised as a hypocrite. Careful walking may involve much self-denial, but it has pleasures of its own which are more than a sufficient recompense.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(James Smith, "The Believer's Triumph" 1862)
Glory be to God, for making us, who were once
children of wrath--and consequently heirs of hell--
children of grace--and consequently heirs of heaven!
We owe everything to grace--free grace, sovereign grace!
Our heavenly heavenly Father requires us . . .
to believe Him without questioning,
to obey Him without objecting,
to follow Him without hesitating, and
to submit to Him without murmuring or complaining.
As God's chosen, adopted, and redeemed children
--filial love, filial confidence, and filial obedience,
should characterize our lives.
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has
appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No'
to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this
present age, while we wait for the blessed hope
--the glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to
redeem us from all wickedness, and to purify for
Himself a people that are His very own, eager
to do good works." Titus 2:11-14
Hope is for all that God has promised, whether temporal or spiritual, in this world or the next.
Hope should be encouraged--as it brings . . .
glory to God,
comfort to our souls,
credit to our religion, and
honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Spirit, fill us with a lively hope, and teach us to expect . . .
all that God has promised,
all that Christ has procured, and
all that You have revealed in Your most holy Word.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Be sure to read James Smith's encouraging short article, "Salvation by Hope"
As we have seen, some of the promises of God are "exceedingly great and precious." Others are very "unpopular." The former category of promises brings encouragement, strength, hope, comfort. For example,"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me" (Psalm 138:8). The latter category warns, awakens, humbles, prepares. For example, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Yet, whether we gladly embrace a "precious" promise or struggle with an "unpopular" promise, there is the absolute certainty of all the promises of God being fulfilled. Our present verses explain the basis of this certainty. The assurance is related to the very nature of Jesus Christ.
When Paul and his missionary team preached about the Lord Jesus, it was not a "yes-and-no" message. "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us…was not Yes and No." The attributes and the message of Jesus are not characterized by uncertainty. He is faithful and sure. The message concerning Him, as well as the messages He proclaimed, are "Yes." They are all guaranteed realities. It is not that Jesus could be the Son of God. He is certainly such. It is not that Jesus might save all who call upon Him. Such is totally assured. It is not that some of His promises could possibly be fulfilled. Rather, all of them will absolutely be fulfilled. Ezekiel declared this truth concerning all of the Godhead. "For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass…the word which I speak will be done" (Ezekiel 12:25, 28). Later, John added a particular word concerning our reliable Savior: "Jesus Christ, the faithful witness" (Revelation 1:5). No wonder then that "all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." Our God is going to faithfully do everything that He has ever stated in every one of His promises. The result will be great glory to Him, as He fulfills His promises in and through our lives.
Day by day throughout the family of God, some Christians live in the blessed certainty of God's promises, while others do not. The determining difference is faith versus unbelief. Joshua and Caleb of old entered into the promised land.. The rest of that generation "could not enter in because of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:19).
My soul, how much thou needest this, for thy lamp will not long continue to burn without it. Thy snuff will smoke and become an offence if light be gone, and gone it will be if oil be absent. Thou hast no oil well springing up in thy human nature, and therefore thou must go to them that sell and buy for thyself, or like the foolish virgins, thou wilt have to cry, "My lamp is gone out." Even the consecrated lamps could not give light without oil; though they shone in the tabernacle they needed to be fed, though no rough winds blew upon them they required to be trimmed, and thy need is equally as great. Under the most happy circumstances thou canst not give light for another hour unless fresh oil of grace be given thee.
It was not every oil that might be used in the Lord's service; neither the petroleum which exudes so plentifully from the earth, nor the produce of fishes, nor that extracted from nuts would be accepted; one oil only was selected, and that the best olive oil. Pretended grace from natural goodness, fancied grace from priestly hands, or imaginary grace from outward ceremonies will never serve the true saint of God; he knows that the Lord would not be pleased with rivers of such oil. He goes to the olive-press of Gethsemane, and draws his supplies from Him who was crushed therein. The oil of gospel grace is pure and free from lees and dregs, and hence the light which is fed thereon is clear and bright. Our churches are the Saviour's golden candelabra, and if they are to be lights in this dark world, they must have much holy oil. Let us pray for ourselves, our ministers, and our churches, that they may never lack oil for the light. Truth, holiness, joy, knowledge, love, these are all beams of the sacred light, but we cannot give them forth unless in private we receive oil from God the Holy Ghost.
Though we have brought forth some fruit unto Christ, and have a joyful hope that we are "plants of His own right hand planting," yet there are times when we feel very barren. Prayer is lifeless, love is cold, faith is weak, each grace in the garden of our heart languishes and droops. We are like flowers in the hot sun, requiring the refreshing shower. In such a condition what are we to do? The text is addressed to us in just such a state. "Sing, O barren, break forth and cry aloud." But what can I sing about? I cannot talk about the present, and even the past looks full of barrenness. Ah! I can sing of Jesus Christ. I can talk of visits which the Redeemer has aforetimes paid to me; or if not of these, I can magnify the great love wherewith He loved His people when He came from the heights of heaven for their redemption.. I will go to the cross again. Come, my soul, heavy laden thou wast once, and thou didst lose thy burden there. Go to Calvary again. Perhaps that very cross which gave thee life may give thee fruitfulness. What is my barrenness? It is the platform for His fruit-creating power. What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire of His everlasting love. I will go in poverty, I will go in helplessness, I will go in all my shame and backsliding, I will tell Him that I am still His child, and in confidence in His faithful heart, even I, the barren one, will sing and cry aloud.
Sing, believer, for it will cheer thine own heart, and the hearts of other desolate ones. Sing on, for now that thou art really ashamed of being barren, thou wilt be fruitful soon; now that God makes thee loath to be without fruit He will soon cover thee with clusters. The experience of our barrenness is painful, but the Lord's visitations are delightful. A sense of our own poverty drives us to Christ, and that is where we need to be, for in Him is our fruit found.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands” (Eccl. 5:4-6)
The text is not referring to the everyday general or specific promises we make with man; it has isolated the “vows” or promises made to the Eternal Living God, the Creator of all that is in the heavens and the earth, the Supreme Sovereign over everyone and everything – GOD! So, let us get fixed in our minds that the reference is to what promises we make to GOD. Have we all not made various promises to God, though we may deem them vague, half-hearted, “maybe I can take these back later if I don’t need them” thoughts? In short, “they are promises but only if we do not change our minds later.” BUT, OH NO!!! Before God, a promise is indeed a promise and has no windows for future changes at the whim of the one promising. They are permanently inscribed in the heavenly books of accountings. They must be paid promptly!
Definitions: 1. “defer”: procrastinate, delay, be late. 2. “pay”: complete, make good. 3. “fool”: stupid, foolish. 4. “flesh”: person, body. 5. “before”: in the face of. 6. “angel”: messenger, one who is God’s representative. 7. “error”: mistake. 8. “angry”: to crack off, to bust out in a rage. 9. “work”: activities, actions.
Remember Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11? Please, now would be a good moment to do so. You will find a perfect example of what these passages in Ecclesiastes are warning every individual.
If you have made a promise, any kind of promise, to God, do not procrastinate in completing or making good on that promise. If you do not quickly strive to make full payment of your account, you are playing the part of a stupid, foolish person. This is especially true if that promise has been made in the face of God’s messenger, that is, preacher or pastor. Do not try to pass it off as a mistake; if you made it, you had better make good on it! Not to do so is to provoke the anger of God, and your end may be as Ananias and Sapphira. God expects payment in full in every promise. Balance the books!!!
Strive with all diligence to keep out that monster unbelief. It so dishonours Christ, that He will withdraw His visible presence if we insult Him by indulging it. It is true it is a weed, the seeds of which we can never entirely extract from the soil, but we must aim at its root with zeal and perseverance. Among hateful things it is the most to be abhorred. Its injurious nature is so venomous that he that exerciseth it and he upon whom it is exercised are both hurt thereby. In thy case, O believer! it is most wicked, for the mercies of thy Lord in the past, increase thy guilt in doubting Him now. When thou dost distrust the Lord Jesus, He may well cry out, "Behold I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." This is crowning His head with thorns of the sharpest kind. It is very cruel for a well-beloved wife to mistrust a kind and faithful husband. The sin is needless, foolish, and unwarranted. Jesus has never given the slightest ground for suspicion, and it is hard to be doubted by those to whom our conduct is uniformly affectionate and true. Jesus is the Son of the Highest, and has unbounded wealth; it is shameful to doubt Omnipotence and distrust all-sufficiency. The cattle on a thousand hills will suffice for our most hungry feeding, and the granaries of heaven are not likely to be emptied by our eating. If Christ were only a cistern, we might soon exhaust His fulness, but who can drain a fountain? Myriads of spirits have drawn their supplies from Him, and not one of them has murmured at the scantiness of His resources. Away, then, with this lying traitor unbelief, for his only errand is to cut the bonds of communion and make us mourn an absent Saviour. Bunyan tells us that unbelief has "as many lives as a cat:" if so, let us kill one life now, and continue the work till the whole nine are gone. Down with thee, thou traitor, my heart abhors thee.
These words have been frequently used by holy men in their hour of departure. We may profitably consider them this evening. The object of the faithful man's solicitude in life and death is not his body or his estate, but his spirit; this is his choice treasure—if this be safe, all is well. What is this mortal state compared with the soul? The believer commits his soul to the hand of his God; it came from Him, it is His own, He has aforetime sustained it, He is able to keep it, and it is most fit that He should receive it. All things are safe in Jehovah's hands; what we entrust to the Lord will be secure, both now and in that day of days towards which we are hastening. It is peaceful living, and glorious dying, to repose in the care of heaven. At all times we should commit our all to Jesus' faithful hand; then, though life may hang on a thread, and adversities may multiply as the sands of the sea, our soul shall dwell at ease, and delight itself in quiet resting places.
"Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." Redemption is a solid basis for confidence. David had not known Calvary as we have done, but temporal redemption cheered him; and shall not eternal redemption yet more sweetly console us? Past deliverances are strong pleas for present assistance. What the Lord has done He will do again, for He changes not. He is faithful to His promises, and gracious to His saints; He will not turn away from His people.
"Though Thou slay me I will trust,
Praise Thee even from the dust,
Prove, and tell it as I prove,
Thine unutterable love.
Thou mayst chasten and correct,
But Thou never canst neglect;
Since the ransom price is paid,
On Thy love my hope is stay'd."
For a final visit, we return to the category of "unpopular" promises. This promise guarantees persecution for serious believers in Jesus Christ. In a church world where many treasure comfort and popularity, this promise is not well-received.
This promise is given to those who want to live a life of godliness: "who desire to live godly." Godliness is the will of the Lord for His people. "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11). Our Lord Himself declared that there is great blessing in having a passion for righteous living. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6a). The blessing is God's pledge to satisfy that heart which yearns for righteousness: "for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6b).
Yet, we have seen that fullness of righteousness is not all that is promised to those who want to walk in godliness. Persecution is also promised. "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Notice the comprehensive, inescapable dimension of this promise. "All who desire to live godly… will suffer persecution." There are no exceptions. There are no exemptions.
All who sincerely desire to follow the Lord Jesus Christ will experience the consequences that He met as He walked in righteousness. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Jesus was not universally hailed for His righteous path. He was opposed, mocked, conspired against, and betrayed. We need not be startled when measures of similar persecutions befall us.
Of course, this promise of persecution is not given to discourage us from pressing on down the path of godliness. Rather, it is offered to prepare us for the difficulties that are guaranteed as we seek to grow in Christlikeness. The Lord even adds gracious encouragements to righteousness, so we will be strengthened to pursue His holy will in this matter. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). Persecutions can remind us that we are headed for heaven. Persecutions can bring us heavenly measures of sustaining grace along the way.
