Jehovah Incomparable # 2 (and others)

Jehovah Incomparable # 2 (and others)

He kindly visits them, as though they had never carried themselves unkindly toward Him; and constantly blesses them with spiritual, holy, and eternal blessings. He clothes them with the garments of His righteousness, beautifies them with the graces of His Spirit, comforts them with the promises of His love, acknowledges them at His throne of grace when they call upon His name, defends them against their cruel and malicious foes, tenderly expostulates with them when they wander from Him, mercifully warns them to cleave close to Himself, wisely corrects them when they wickedly stray, and will crown them with glory at the end of their race!

And what returns does He frequently get for His kindness and love? Alas! alas! Too often, ingratitude, rebellion, hardness of heart, alienation of affection, forgetfulness of His mercies, and following after other lovers rather than Himself!

"O Lord, there is none like You!"

Lord, one thing I want - more holiness grant,
For more of Your mind and Your image I pant;
While onward I move, to Canaan above,
Come fill me with holiness, fill me with love.

Oh give me to know more of You below;
Thus fit me for Heaven, and glory bestow;
My harp shall be tuned, the Lamb shall be crowned
Salvation to Jesus! through Heaven shall resound!

~James Smith~

(The End)
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Sin's Presence

There are two sides to a Christian's life: a light side - and a dark side; an elevating side - and a depressing one. His experience is neither all joy - nor all grief; but a combining of both. It was so with the apostle Paul: "As sorrowful - yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor. 6:10). When a person is regenerated, he is not there and then taken to heaven - but he is given both a pledge and a foretaste of it. Nor is sin then eradicated from his being, though its dominion over him is broken. It is indwelling corruption which casts its dark shadow over his joy!

The varied experiences of the believer are occasioned by Christ's presence - and sin's presence. If, on the one hand, it be blessedly true that Christ is with him all the days, even unto the end; on the other hand, it is solemnly true that sin indwells him all his days, even unto the end of his earthly history! Said Paul, "evil is present with me"; and that, not only occasionally - but sin "dwells in me" (Romans 7:20-21). Thus, as God's people feed upon the Lamb, it is "with bitter herbs they shall eat it" (Exodus 12:8).

The Christian's consciousness of indwelling sin, his mourning over its defiling influence, his sincere efforts to strive against its solicitations, his penitent confessions to God of his failure to master this inveterate foe - are among the unmistakable evidences that he is a regenerate person. For certain it is, that none who id dead in trespasses and sins realizes there is a sea of iniquity within his heart, defiling his very thoughts and imagination; still less does he make conscience of the same and lament it.

Let the believer recall his own case: in the days of his unregeneracy, he was not cast down by what now distresses! We are bidden to "remember" what we were "in time past", and then contrast the "But now" (Eph. 2:11-13), that we may be shamed over the former - and rejoice and give thanks for the latter.

It is cause for fervent praise if your eyes have been opened to see "the sinfulness of sin," and your heart to feel its obnoxiousness. Since it was not always thus, a great change has taken place - you have been made the subject of a miracle of grace. But the continuance of indwelling sin presents a sore and perplexing problem to the Christian. That nothing is too hard for the Lord - he is full assured. Why then is evil allowed to remain present with him? Why is he not rid of this hideous thing - which he so much loathes and hates? Why should this horrible depravity be allowed to disturb his peace and mar his joy? Why does not the God of all grace rid him of this harassing tyrant?

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)