In spite of his failures and falls, I believe David's secret lay in the fact that he understood God, who "searcheth all hearts" and his heart's cry was, 'My heart is fixed. Oh! God, my heart is fixed.' In an old phrase David "knew his heart's home."
There is a difference between losing ones way and losing ones destination. One may find himself temporarily thwarted by the enemy for one reason or another but God's faithfulness will bring the soul which longs for Him to ultimate triumph - that which is His will not be taken from His hands.
We live in a day of 'positive teaching;' of emphasis on the mechanics of faith and of following God. Sometimes it can be devastating to realize that with all our understanding we are so exposed to failure when we try to do it together and make it all work.
Paul's cry, "when I am weak then am I strong," will be our cry also when we realize that God takes full responsibility for the hearts and lives which are given Him. - And HE, not our wishful dreaming - will give us the desires of our hearts.
-Leonard Ravenhill
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Pour Thyself through Me
Spirit of the living God, pray Thy mind through me;
Nothing less than Spirit-power do I ask of Thee.
Purge me, urge me, guide me, hide me-
Spirit of the living God, pray Thy mind through me.
Power of the eternal God, flow Thy power through me;
Holy, Pentecostal power do I ask of Thee.
Lowly, holy, for Thy glory-
Power of the eternal God, flow Thy power through me.
Mercy of the living God, channel love through me;
Nothing less than Calvary love meets the need for me.
Love that's burning, love that's yearning-
Mercy of the living God, channel love through me.
Grace of God, eternal grace, reach the lost through me;
Tenderness for every race do I ask of Thee.
Love them, lift them, reach them, teach them-
Grace of God, eternal grace, reach the lost through me.
Life of God, eternal life, pour Thyself through me;
Nothing less than Thine own life do I ask of Thee.
Life compelling, life that's telling-
Life of God, eternal life, pour Thyself through me.
-Leonard Ravenhill
Monday, December 10, 2007
Spurgeon on Acts 18:10
Acts 18:10
I have much people in this city.
This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are Christ's property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them He will have them. God is not unfaithful to forget the price which His Son has paid. He will not suffer His substitution to be in any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet, but regenerated they must be; and this is our comfort when we go forth to them with the quickening Word of God. Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne. "Neither pray I for these alone," saith the great Intercessor, "but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word." Poor, ignorant souls, they know nothing about prayer for themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their names are on His breastplate, and ere long they must bow their stubborn knee, breathing the penitential sigh before the throne of grace. "The time of figs is not yet." The predestinated moment has not struck; but, when it comes, they shall obey, for God will have His own; they must, for the Spirit is not to be withstood when He cometh forth with fulness of power-they must become the willing servants of the living God. "My people shall be willing in the day of my power." "He shall justify many." "He shall see of the travail of His soul." "I will divide him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong."
I have much people in this city.
This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are Christ's property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them He will have them. God is not unfaithful to forget the price which His Son has paid. He will not suffer His substitution to be in any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet, but regenerated they must be; and this is our comfort when we go forth to them with the quickening Word of God. Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne. "Neither pray I for these alone," saith the great Intercessor, "but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word." Poor, ignorant souls, they know nothing about prayer for themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their names are on His breastplate, and ere long they must bow their stubborn knee, breathing the penitential sigh before the throne of grace. "The time of figs is not yet." The predestinated moment has not struck; but, when it comes, they shall obey, for God will have His own; they must, for the Spirit is not to be withstood when He cometh forth with fulness of power-they must become the willing servants of the living God. "My people shall be willing in the day of my power." "He shall justify many." "He shall see of the travail of His soul." "I will divide him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong."
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Proverb 28:13 "Forsake sin"
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Repent! It is the message that has been spoken throughout the Bible from beginning to end. It was the message of the prophets, John the Baptist, and especially Jesus Christ. Repent, turn away from sin, look unto God and His mercies. We are born again and live a regenerated life. This life cannot live in sin. It is repulsive and vile to the regenerated soul. A child of God can no longer digest and live on sin as without pain, conviction, and the discipline of God. We may believe the lies of this world enough to bite down into sin, we may even chew on it for a while, but those who are truly saved will vomit up sin and be broken in repentance.
Forsake sin. The Old Testament gives us a picture of what we must do with regards to sin and all that is sinful, the law stated that any people with leprosy were to be cast out no matter who they are. Whether family or friends, the least or the greatest, those who are unclean were to be put out from among the people. This is the same way we must treat our own sin. We repent of and forsake sin. In other words, we turn from our sin and confess it to God, and then we cast it, and all that would cause us to sin, completely out of our presence.
Repent! It is the message that has been spoken throughout the Bible from beginning to end. It was the message of the prophets, John the Baptist, and especially Jesus Christ. Repent, turn away from sin, look unto God and His mercies. We are born again and live a regenerated life. This life cannot live in sin. It is repulsive and vile to the regenerated soul. A child of God can no longer digest and live on sin as without pain, conviction, and the discipline of God. We may believe the lies of this world enough to bite down into sin, we may even chew on it for a while, but those who are truly saved will vomit up sin and be broken in repentance.
Forsake sin. The Old Testament gives us a picture of what we must do with regards to sin and all that is sinful, the law stated that any people with leprosy were to be cast out no matter who they are. Whether family or friends, the least or the greatest, those who are unclean were to be put out from among the people. This is the same way we must treat our own sin. We repent of and forsake sin. In other words, we turn from our sin and confess it to God, and then we cast it, and all that would cause us to sin, completely out of our presence.
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