For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks He brake it, and said, Take, eat: This is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. 1 Corinthians11:23-24
The Lord Jesus cannot bear to be forgotten by those He loves to the end. Worthless hearts, some may say truly. Yes, but Jesus cares for them: He has died to make them His, and counts on remembrance of Him—giving us only that which may be the sweet expression of Him and His death for us.
If the supper of the Lord means anything then, it meant this, that we love Him and miss Him in the world that cast Him out. He invests it with just this character Himself. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” (v.26).
It is in a scene that has been desolated for her by the death of Christ, and in which the Christ’s assembly finds no rest for her heart, only lingering around the spot where His cross and grave express the heart of the world towards Him. We know Him by faith in the glory, and have rest in communion with Him there. This only make us feel the world’s rejection of Him more keenly as we walk our path through it. It makes the cross that by which the world is crucified to us and we to the world.
We recoil in our hearts from this blighted scene, and get away in spirit as far as possible from it, for we are only seeking more complete identification with Him in His rejection, as the best and brightest portion He can give us in such a world.
This is not the attainment of an advanced Christian, but what Christ looks for from every heart that loves Him. Hear Him say “This do in remembrance of Me,“ and again,”Ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” It is not as though He were saying, “Do they miss Me? Do they long for Me to come again? What answer do lour hearts give to these challenges of His Love? J. A. Trench
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Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. 1 Peter 1:23
An old professor of Biology used to hold a little brown seed in his hand and say, “I know just exactly the composition of this seed.
It has in it nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon. I know the exact proportions. I can make a seed that will look exactly like it. But if I plant my seed it will come to nought: its elements will be absorbed in the soil.
If I plant the seed that God made, it will become a plant, because it contains the mysterious principle which we call “the life principle”.
The Bible looks like other books. We cannot understand altogether its marvellous power. Planted in good ground it shows that it has the life principle in itself; it brings forth spiritual fruit.”
Each page of thine hath true life in it,
And God’s bright mind expressed in print.
Christain Calendar
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But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. John 19:34
QUESTION: Please explain why it was necessary that the spear should be thrust into the side of Christ, seeing He was already dead. Was His death not full payment to God for sin? Why is it said, "It is the blood [not the death] that maketh an atonement for the soul?" (Leviticus 17:11) .
ANSWER:The spear thrust into the side (the heart) of Christ showed to all that His death was real, and moreover drew out those tokens of atonement and purification (blood and water) on which we rest, and by which we are cleansed.
The death of Christ was a full atonement for sin, but blood out of the body, apart from it, is a proof of death (in the body, it is the life of it); and hence the blood is every where used for the atoning value of the death of Christ; not that blood is different from death, but because it is a proof of it.
The blood "making atonement" is a more beautiful thought than the death, because it means the perfect life given up in death. The blood which was the life, now poured forth in death, is that which is so precious in God's sight.
You will observe that when the death is spoken of, it is more often in connection with resurrection, presenting the truth of deliverance from sin (Romans 6), rather than atonement for sins (Romans 3) The Young Christian, 1932
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Giving things always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20
1 Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy spring-time,
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!
2 Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!
3 Thanks for roses by the way-side,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fire-side,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heavenly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!
August Ludvig Storm -1891
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Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6
To give us Christ is more than if God had given us all the world. He can make more worlds, but He has no more Christs to bestow. If you have but daily bread enough to suffice, be content. Consider it is not having abundance that always makes life comfortable. A staff may help the traveler, but a bundle of staves will be a burden to him.
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” (Pslam 56:3) Faith cures the trembling in heart; it gets above fear as oil swims above the water. To trust in God makes Him to be a God to us. God will turn all evils to our good (Romans 8:28). Joseph’s imprisonment was a means for his advancement.
Out of the bitterest drug He will distil His glory and our salvation. In short, He will be our guide to death, our comfort in death, and our reward after death. “Happy is that people, whose . . . God is the LORD”
(Psalm 144:15).
Thomas Watson
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For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
My host asked if I liked the painting on his wall. I stammered something polite. Amused, he suggested I step back a few feet. To my amazement, what was once blurry and nondescript, suddenly became clear and beautiful!
Perhaps there is something in your life that seems hard to decipher and difficult to understand. God sees the bigger picture. From His point of view, the seemingly mismatched colours and randomly drawn shapes all are at work to create a beautiful masterpiece.
Allow the Lord to have His way, and trust the final product to Him.
Lynn Shatford
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain;
God is His Own interpreter, and He will make it plain.
William Cowper
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And we know that all things work together for good to them that love of God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Years ago, before the advent of chemistry, a science called alchemy existed, and alchemist had a passion: finding a way to transform worthless metals into gold. Of course, they never succeeded. But God is the master alchemist. He has a passion for taking all things and working them for good.
Charles Spurgeon tells about one man who had complete faith that God would work everything for his good. During the reign of Queen Mary 1 of England, this man was captured for preaching the Gospel. He received the sentence of being burned alive at the stake in London.
When he heard the sentence, he said, “Well, never mind. God will work all things together for my good. I don’t know how, but He will.” On his way to London, the guards treated the man roughly. In fact they they even threw him down to the ground, and broke his leg. Then they mocked the man, saying, "well, tell us how this will work together for your good." He said, "I don't know,
but it will."
Before they could continue their trip, the guards had to take time to put the man’s leg into a splint. Because of this delay, the group arrived in London a day later than the guards had planned.
But the night before they arrived, Queen Mary died, and Elizabeth had taken the throne. Instead of burning the man at the stake, Elizabeth pardoned him. So, although his broken leg was a bad thing, God used it for his good, saving his life through the delay it caused.
Remember that God is in charge. He sees the big picture; He knows the future. He controls all things, and He loves you more than you can imagine. Trust Him and even thank Him for situations that seem bad, because He works all things together for your good. With thanks, F. Charters
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But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12
The cross was the manifestation of goodness, in the midst of the wickedness of the world, in a way never to be found anywhere else.
During Christ’s lifetime the heavens would open upon Him, and testify to His perfection and the Father’s delight in Him; and thus I learn the terrible evil of the heart that could resist such goodness.
When I come to the cross, what a wretched creature I see myself to be; I have hated this blessed One, and, more than that, my sins brought Him there.
But He is not there now! I come to the cross, and there is no Christ on it. Where is He? He is sitting at the right hand of God. But my sins brought Him to the cross; they were on Him there. Has He gone to God’s right hand in glory with them upon Him? No!
What has become of them? I find in the cross that God has dealt with my sins when they were upon Christ. It was when He had by Himself purged our sins that He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
The Jewish priests were standing daily, offering oftentimes the same sacrifices but this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down. J. N. Darby
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His delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth He meditate day and night. Psalm 1:2
Meditation is the soul’s retiring of itself, that by a serious and solemn thinking upon God, the heart may be raised up to heavenly affections.
Meditation OPPOSED BY THE DEVIL
The devil is an enemy to meditation; he cares not how much people read and hear, nor how little they meditate; he knows that meditation is a means to compose the heart, and to bring it into a gracious frame; now the devil is against that; Satan is content that you should be hearing and praying Christians, so that you be not meditating Christians, he can stand your small shot, provided that you do not put in this bullet.
Meditation HINDERED BY THE WORLD
A Christian when he goes to meditate, must lock up himself from the world. The world spoils meditation; Christ went "apart" into the mount to pray, so go apart when you are to meditate; "Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Genesis 24:63). He sequestered and retired himself that he might take a walk with God by meditation. The world's music will either play us asleep, or distract us in our meditations.
When a mote is gotten into the eye, it hinders the sight; when worldly thoughts, as motes, are gotten into the mind, which is the eye of the soul, it cannot look up so steadfastly to heaven by contemplation.
When Abraham went to sacrifice he left his servant and the donkey at the bottom of the hill (Genesis 22:5), so, when a Christian is going up the hill of meditation, he should leave all secular cares at the bottom of the hill, that he may be alone, and take a turn in heaven. This is the first thing, lock and bolt the door against the world. Meditation - Thomas Watson
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The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
Warning shots (Part 1)
The warship fires its guns pointing its turrets to the sea. This signals that should the pursed ship or shore facility not respond immediately and adequately, the next shots will be on target.
The policeman fires his gun into the air warning the fleeing criminal that the next shots will wound or even be fatal should he not stop and surrender.
Have you noticed the warning shots lately? Forest fires across Europe and North America even lately Hawaii, the paradise island? Flooding here and there! Excessive heat, record-breaking in many places. All this is attributed in the media to climate change. This could very well be the means God is using but, make no mistake, He is behind these warning shots.
We need to stop and surrender to God. He is warning us of much more severe judgments now appearing clearly on the horizon. Do not be negligent of His patience. He is not willing that any should perish but some will and we pray you would not be part of those. (2 Peter 3:9)
The moral and political atmosphere of this world has never been more opposed to the God now revealed from heaven. Take notice of the warning shots; stop and listen to the instructions following these. God has manifested Himself in the blessed person of the Lord Jesus Christ Who came into the world to save sinners.
He saves them by paying for their sins on the cross by the sacrifice of Himself. This has been done, completed, accepted, never to be repeated, and has been preached all over the world. (1 Timothy 1:15). Michel for Vision 2020 in 2023
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Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31
Warning Shots - Part 2
You already have heard the message of God’s love? Or you may be hearing it for the first time? No matter!
He is calling you to repentance and acceptance of His undertaking for your salvation by delivering His own Son to the torments of the cross to spare you from His judgments: the soon coming ones and the eternal one. This earth is soon to experience the judgments described in the book of Revelation and elsewhere in the Bible.
And after God’s final plans for the earth come to pass, there will be eternal judgment for those who will not have believed in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Warning shots are loud. They are meant to be heard and affect those being warned; that is the intent.Are you listening? Have you heard them?
There have been many since the beginning of this new decade: a world wide pandemic, major catastrophes in many places, even reminding us again across the world of the sad fate of any pretension linked to the Titanic.
We pray you will have taken notice and act accordingly, that is, repent from your sins and accept the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life God graciously offers and gives to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”. (Acts 16:31). Jesus alone can deliver us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10) . Michel for Vision 2020 in 2023
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Peter said, “Man, I know not what though sayest.” And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, “Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” and Peter went out, and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62
THE RESTORING LOOK OF CHRIST
What kind of a look do you think the Lord gave Peter? Was it a withering look of scorn and contempt? Did it say, “Evil doer, liar!” In its glance?Peter deserved that it should; but oh, no, it was a look of broken-hearted love, of love so tender and strong. A look that said, "I love you still, Peter; if you do not know Me, I know I love you." And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
I am not surprised that he wept bitterly. The grace of the heart that he had wounded broke him down. Then afterwards we are told of the Lord's meeting and restoring this backsliding one. He appeared to Peter after His resurrection. The fact is recorded, but did you ever wonder how He restored him? Did you ever wonder what passed between the Lord and Peter that day? He does not tell us. We only know the fact. The Lord does not tell out all that goes on between a soul and Himself.
He not only restores Peter, but He brings him to judge the thing that led him away, and them He trusts him again. The backslider never gets right with God till he has it all out with Him. When you get back and judge the point of departure, then He restores the soul.
The Lord does what we never do. We say, “I could never trust so-and-so again after what has happened.” The Lord shows out to all how He can trust Peter after He has made him to judge himself. W. T. P. Wolston
My soul He doth restore again: and me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness, e’en for His own Name’s sake. F. Rous
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