Morning and Evening
- Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity—a godly fear lest they should sin against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world—and the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow—too pliant, too easily yielding.
- By degrees—men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming—will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, “Is it not a little one?” Then there comes another, larger, and then another—until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a minor thing.
- Christian, beware how you think of sin. Take heed lest you fall little by little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison?
- Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer’s head with thorns, and pierced His heart! It made Him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity—you would fly from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil.
- Look upon all sin as that which crucified your Savior—and you will see it to be “exceeding sinful.”
- The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly, in that we were not only sought—but sought out. Men seek for a thing which is lost upon the floor of the house—but in such a case there is only seeking, not seeking out. The loss is more perplexing and the search more persevering, when a thing is sought out.
- Have you been “born again”? If you have, you belong to Christ—but without the new birth, you cannot be His. In whom do you trust? For those who believe in Jesus, are the sons of God. Whose work are you doing? You are sure to serve your master, for he whom you serve is thereby owned to be your Lord.
- If you are Christ’s let me advise you to do four things. You belong to Jesus — obey him; let his Word be your law; let His wish be your will. You belong to the Beloved, then love Him; let your heart embrace Him; let your whole soul be filled with Him. You belong to the Son of God, then trust him; rest nowhere but on him. You belong to the King of kings, then be decided for Him. Thus, without your being branded upon the brow—all will know to whom you belong.
- Open your Bible, and read the story of the lepers, and mark their position, which was much the same as yours. If you remain where you are—you must perish; if you go to Jesus—you can but die.
- It is a curious fact, that there is such a thing as being proud of grace.
- Take heed that you don’t boast in your graces—but let all your glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for only so can you be kept from falling. Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be redolent of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you—that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him.
- No man ever fell into sin through being too watchful. May the Holy Spirit guide us in all our ways—so shall they always please the Lord.
- “I am a stranger with you.” — Psalm 39:12 Yes, O Lord, with You—but not to You. All my natural alienation from You—Your grace has effectually removed; and now, in fellowship with Yourself, I walk through this sinful world as a pilgrim in a foreign country.
- May infinite wisdom cure us of the madness of self-confidence!
We live in an age when there is a false glare on the things of time, and a great mist over the things of eternity.
The death which each of us has one day to die does not make an end of the man. All is not over when the last breath is drawn, and the doctor’s last visit has been paid,--when the coffin is screwed down, and the funeral preparations are made,--when “ashes to ashes and dust to dust” has been pronounced over the grave, when our place in the world is filled up, and the gap made by our absence from society is no longer noticed.
You may be poor in this world; but you have a soul You may be sickly and weak in body; but you have a soul. You may not be a king, or a queen, or a duke, or an earl; yet you have a soul. The soul is the part of us which God chiefly regards The soul is “the man.”
I do not stop to prove that men have souls, but I do ask all men to live as if they believed it. Live as if you really believed that we were not sent into the world merely to spin cotton, and grow corn, and hoard up gold, but to “glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever.”
Read your Bible, and become acquainted with its contents. Seek the Lord in prayer, and pour out your heart before Him. Go to a place of worship regularly, and hear the Gospel preached. Keep the Sabbath holy, and give God His day. And if any ask you the reason why: if wife, or child, or companion say, “What are you about?”--answer them boldly, like a man, and say. “I do these things because I have a soul.”
I am one of those old-fashioned ministers who believe the whole Bible,--and everything that it contains. I can find no Scriptural foundation for that smooth-spoken theology, which pleases so many in these days, and according to which every body will get to heaven at last.
I believe that there is a real devil. I believe that there is a real hell. I believe that it is not charity to keep back from men that they may be lost. Charity! shall I call it? If you saw a brother drinking poison, would you hold your peace?--Charity I shall I call it? If you saw a blind man tottering towards a precipice, would you not cry out “Stop”? Away with such false notions of charity!
It is the highest charity to bring the whole truth before men. It is real charity to warn them plainly when they are in danger. It is charity to impress upon them, that they may lose their own souls for ever in hell.
Any man’s soul may be saved. I bless God that the Gospel of Christ enables me to proclaim these glad tidings, and to proclaim them freely and unconditionally to every one who reads these pages.
Look forward, look onward and forward to the end! Your best things are yet to come. Time is short. The end is drawing near.
Do something, by God’s help, to make heaven more full and hell more empty.
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
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