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Beloved, are you in the fire?

(James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")

"Glorify the Lord in the fires!" Isaiah 24:15

The fires are afflictions. These are intended . . .
  to try us,
  to purify us, and
  to endear the Lord Jesus to us.

Every saint must pass through the fire, and our only concern should be to pass through honorably and usefully.

Beloved, are you in the fire?
Is the fire in your business?
Is the fire in your family?
Is the fire in your body?
Is the fire in your soul?

Wherever it is--let it be your one desire to glorify God in it. You may do so . . .
  by patiently enduring,
  by trusting the Lord's Word,
  by speaking of His character and love,
  by expecting His support and supplies,
  by holding fast your integrity.

Beware that you do not lose the benefit of the affliction--but cry mightily to God that it may be sanctified.

Have you never been in the fire? If you belong to Christ, you will be! "He will sit as a Refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver!" Malachi 3:3

They who are not purified in the furnace of affliction on earth--will be cast as reprobate silver into the fire of hell forever!

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More than being our friend, helper, or benefactor!

(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")

"I will be to them a God!" Hebrews 8:10

That is, to all His redeemed people.

I will be . . .
  the object of their adoration and trust,
  the subject of their meditation,
  and the source of all their happiness.

To be our GOD--is more than being our friend, helper, or benefactor (creatures may be so to us). He engages to do us good according to His all-sufficiency; to bestow upon us blessings which none else can!

He will pardon us--and pardon like a God!

He will sanctify us--and sanctify us like a God!

He will comfort us--and comfort us like a God!

He will glorify us--and glorify us like a God!

If He is our God--He is our All.

And all that He has is ours! He is our inheritance, and a glorious inheritance He is.

Consider, when . . .
  in danger,
  in darkness,
  in distress,
  in temptation,
  in duty, or
  in affliction--
God will be to you a God . . .
  delivering you,
  enlightening you,
  comforting you,
  strengthening you,
  sanctifying you.

Make a God of Him! Look to Him for all that He has promised--which is all that you need! Adore His Divine perfections, and rejoice that they are all engaged to make you eternally blessed.

Live to His glory, walk by His Word--and He will glorify Himself in your present and everlasting welfare. He rejoices to do good unto His people, He delights to bless them!

"I will be to them a God!" Hebrews 8:10

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Sudden destruction, and that without remedy!

(Thomas Vincent, "God's Terrible Voice in the City". This book was written shortly after "The Great Fire of London" of 1666, which turned the once renowned city of London, into a ruinous heap!)

We read in Psalm 75:8, "The Lord holds a cup in His hand, which is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs!" He may allow His people to drink the top of it; but the most bitter and dreggish part, which is at the bottom - the wicked shall drink and drain in Hell! If God whips His children with rods - He will scourge His enemies with scorpions!

The wicked will feel what an evil and a bitter thing it is, so audaciously to fly in the face of the great God, by their hideous oaths and blasphemies, by their horrid wickedness and abominations, whereby they do, as it were, challenge God to do His worst against them!

Surely the judgments intended purposely for the ungodly - are yet to come! And they will be exceeding great, because of the more pure and unmixed wrath which will accompany them!

When God draws forth His glittering sword, and makes ready His sharp arrow upon the string; when God clothes Himself with fury as with a garment, and His hand takes hold on vengeance; when their iniquities are grown fully ripe, and the day of their visitation and recompense has come - how then will the wicked be terrified! What amazing horror will then surprise this vile generation! "Can their hearts endure, or their hands be strong - in the day that the Lord shall deal with them?" Ezekiel 22:14

Then the Lord will roar from His holy habitation with such a terrible voice, as shall make their ears to tingle, their hearts to quake and tremble! He will roar like a lion, and tear them in pieces - and there shall be none to deliver!

I suppose they may not now expect judgment, nor fear it - any more than the whole world did their drowning in Noah's day; or Sodom and Gomorrah did their burning - because deceitful sin has hardened their hearts! Long continuance in sin, with impunity - has seared their consciences as with a hot iron! But they are in the greatest danger - when they sleep with the greatest security! When men grow desperately hardened against often and all reproofs - what follows, but sudden destruction, and that without remedy! "When men cry 'peace and safety' - then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child - and they shall not escape!" 1 Thessalonians 5:3

And if some of this perverse and wicked generation drop away without a remarkable temporal destruction, God will make His righteousness evident to them in the eternal world - when He claps up their souls as prisoners in the lowest dungeon of hell, appointing . . .
  horrid devils to be their jailors;
  flames of fire to be their clothing;
  hideous terrors and woe to be their food;
  other damned tormented spirits to be their companions;
  where they must lie bound in the chains of darkness, until the judgment of the great day!

And when that fearful day has finally come, and the angels have blown the last trumpet, and gathered the elect to the right hand of Christ - then one will be sent with the keys of the bottomless pit, and the infernal prison will be opened for a while; and like so many rogues in chains - they shall, together with all their fellow sinners, be brought forth, and be joined to the dirty flesh of their bodies, which, like a nasty rag, they shall then put on; and with most rueful looks, and trembling joints, and horrible shrieks, and inexpressible confusion and terror - they shall behold the Lord Jesus Christ, whom in their life-time they despised and affronted - come down from heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon them! He Himself will sentence them to the flames of eternal fire, and drive them away from His throne and presence - into the utter darkness of Hell, where they must take up their lodging for evermore!

"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:31

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EARTHQUAKE!

(Charles Wesley, "The Cause and Cure of Earthquakes" 1750)

"Come and see the works of the Lord - the desolations He has brought on the earth!" Psalm 46:8

Of all the judgments which the righteous God inflicts on sinners here in this world - the most dreadful and destructive is an earthquake. This He has lately brought on our part of the earth, and thereby alarmed our fears, and bid us to "prepare to meet our God!"

Earthquakes are the works of the Lord, and He alone brings this destruction upon the earth. That God is Himself the Author of earthquakes, and sin the moral cause of earthquakes, (whatever the natural cause may be,) cannot be denied by any who believe the Scriptures. Earthquakes are set forth by the inspired writers - as God's proper judicial act for the punishment of sin.

"He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in His anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble!" Job 9:5-6

"He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they pour out smoke!" Psalm 104:32

"Then the earth shook and quaked - the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because He burned with anger!" Psalm 18:7

"In His presence the mountains quake, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles, and its people are destroyed. Who can stand before His fierce anger? Who can survive His burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains crumble to dust in His presence!" Nahum 1:5-6

Sin is the cause of God's anger - earthquakes the effect of His anger!

"I will bring disaster on the world, and their own iniquity, on the wicked. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of His burning anger." Isaiah 13:11, 13

"See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; He will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants! The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken!" Isaiah 24:1, 19

And again, "The Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire!" Isaiah 29:6

Nothing can be more express than these Scripture testimonies, which determine both the cause and author of this terrible calamity. We cannot conceive that the universe would have been disturbed by these furious disasters, before sin entered. Therefore reason, as well as Scripture, sufficiently assure us that earthquakes are God's works of judgment - the proper effect and punishment of sin.

Nothing can be so affecting as this judgment of an earthquake, when it comes unexpectedly as a thief in the night, when there is no time to flee, or method to escape, or possibility to resist; when no sanctuary or refuge remains; when the earth opens suddenly, and becomes the grave of whole families, towns, and cities - either sending out a flood of waters to drown them, or vomiting out flames of fire to consume them, or closing over them; when parents and children, husbands and wives, and all people, without distinction, in the midst of health, and peace, and business - are buried in a common ruin, and pass all together into the eternal world; and there is only the difference of a few hours or minutes between a famous city - and none at all!

Now, if war is a terrible evil - then how much more an earthquake, which, in the midst of peace, brings a worse evil than the extremity of war!

If a raging pestilence is dreadful, which sweeps away thousands in a day, and ten thousands in a night; if a consuming fire is an amazing judgment - then how much more astonishing is an earthquake, whereby houses, and inhabitants, towns, and cities, and countries, are all destroyed at one stroke in a few minutes!

For a man to feel the earth, which hangs upon nothing, (as some vast ball in the midst of a thin air,) totter under him - must fill him with astonishing fright and confusion!

History informs us of the fearful effects of earthquakes in all ages; where you may see . . .
  rocks torn in pieces;
  mountains not cast down only, but removed;
  hills raised, not out of valleys only, but out of seas;
  fires breaking out of waters;
  stones and cinders belched up;
  rivers changed;
  seas dislodged;
  earth opening;
  towns swallowed up; and
  many such-like hideous events!

Of all divine judgments, there is none more horrid, more inescapable, than an earthquake! For where can we think to escape danger, if the most solid thing in all the world shakes!

With what horror are men struck when they hear the earth groan, and feel it trembling beneath them; when houses are loosened from their foundations; when the roofs fall upon their heads, and the pavement sinks under their feet!

In other evils there is some way to escape; but an earthquake encloses what it overthrows, and wages war with whole provinces; and sometimes leaves nothing behind it to inform posterity of its outrages.
More insolent than the fire - which spares rocks;
more cruel than the conqueror - who leaves walls;
more greedy than the sea - which vomits up shipwrecks
 - the earthquake swallows and devours whatever it overturns!

Therefore, fear God - even that God who can in a moment cast both body and soul into hell!

When God makes the mountains tremble, and the earth shake - shall not our hearts be moved? "Should you not fear Me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in My presence?" Jeremiah 5:22

Will you not fear Him - who can open the windows of heaven above, or break up the fountains of the deep below, and pour forth whole floods of vengeance when He pleases!

Will you not fear Him - who can "rain upon the wicked - snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest!" Psalm 11:6

Will you not fear Him - who can kindle those earthquakes in the caverns of the earth, and make them force their way to the destruction of towns, cities, and countries!

Will you not fear Him - who can thus suddenly turn a fruitful land into a barren wilderness - an amazing spectacle of desolation and ruin!

O that His fear might this moment fall upon all you who read these words; constraining every one of you to cry out, "My flesh trembles in fear of You - and I am afraid of Your judgments!" Psalm 119:120

O that all might see that His hand is now lifted up, as in act to strike! It is stretched out still - and He shakes His rod over a guilty land, a people fitted for destruction!

God will never lack ways and means to punish impenitent sinners. He has a thousand other judgments in reserve; and if the earth should not open its mouth - yet you shall surely at last be swallowed up in the bottomless pit of Hell! Truly, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:31

If the earth just now were to open its mouth and swallow you up - what would become of you? Where would you be?

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The Divine eye!

(J. R. Miller, "Come with Me" Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ, 1890)

"Zechariah and Elizabeth were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." Luke 1:6

This is a beautiful thing to have said of them. Yet, after all, that is the test which every life must endure. It is not enough to have human commendation. The question is--how do we stand before God? How does our life appear--to Him?

It does not matter how men praise and commend us--if God sees that we are living wrong. The Pharisees were righteous before men; but if you would see how they stood in God's eye, read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew.

We are in reality--just what we are before God--nothing less, nothing more. The question we should always ask ourselves is, "What does God think of me?" If we would meet His approval, we must first have our hearts right, and then we must be blameless and true in every part of our life.

We should live just as purely and beautifully in secret--as in the glare of the world's gaze.

There really is no such thing as secrecy in this world. We imagine that no eye is looking--when we are not in the presence of men. But really, we always have a spectator; we are living all our life in the presence God Himself! We should train ourselves, therefore, to work for the Divine eye in all that we do, that our work may stand the Divine inspection, and that we may have the approval and commendation of God Himself.

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A pound of grace

(Letters of John Newton)

Though the end we propose is simple and sincere--SELF, unless watched as narrowly as a cat watches a mouse, will interpose.

If an ounce of grace, so to speak--will suffice to uphold us on in public life; it may require a pound of grace--to keep us quiet and sweet in the home life!

We can only be happy and holy--provided we . . .
  give themselves up to Him without reserve,
  depend upon Him, and
  lie low in the dust before Him.

The Lord abhors pride and self-importance. The seeds of these evils are in the hearts of His own children; but rather than allow that which He hates to remain in those He loves--He will in mercy, pound them as in a mortar, to beat it out of them, or to prevent its growth.

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Expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules

(Letters of John Newton)

It seems to me, that no one person can adjust the standard, and draw the line exactly for another. There are so many particulars in every situation, of which a stranger cannot be a competent judge; and the best human advices and models are mixed with such defects--that it is not right to expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules. Nor is it safe for us--to implicitly adopt the decisions or practices of others.

But the Scripture undoubtedly furnishes sufficient and infallible rules for every person, however circumstanced; and the throne of grace is appointed for us to wait upon the Lord for the best exposition of His precepts. Thus David often prays to be led in the right way.

By frequent prayer, and close acquaintance with the Scripture, and a habitual attention to the frame of our hearts--there is a certain delicacy of spiritual taste and discernment to be acquired. Yet love is the clearest and most persuasive indicator: and when our love to the Lord is in lively exercise, and the rule of His Word is in our eye--we seldom make great mistakes.

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By the fire which burnt down our city!

(Thomas Vincent, "God's Terrible Voice in the City!" written shortly after the "Great Plague of London" and the "Great Fire of London")

By the fire which burnt down our city--God calls upon London to secure themselves against the fire of Hell!

London's fire was dreadful--but the fire of Hell will be a thousand-fold more dreadful!

The fire of London was kindled by man--but the fire of Hell will be kindled by God Himself! "The breath of the Lord, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze!" Isaiah 30:33

The fire of London burnt the houses of the city, and consumed much of the goods; but the fire of Hell will burn the wicked themselves, "Depart, you cursed ones, into everlasting fire!" Matthew 25:41

The fire of London burned most--but not all of the houses in the city; some are yet remaining--but the fire of Hell will burn all of the wicked, not one of them shall escape and remain!

The fire of London was extinguished, and lasted but four days--but the fire of Hell will be inextinguishable, it will burn forever! It is called everlasting fire, in which the damned must lie and burn eternally, without any possibility of ever leaving.

If you had known before of London's fire, where it would begin, and how it would spread and seize upon your houses--surely you would have taken some course for the prevention of it. You surely know now of the fire of Hell--the Word of God has revealed it. O take some course for preventing of it, at least for securing of yourselves against it.

When the fire was burning in London you fled from it, lest it should have consumed your body as well as houses. O fly from the fire of Hell, into which you will be thrown, if you go on in sin! Flee from the wrath which is to come! Flee unto Jesus Christ, who alone can deliver you!

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God's children run home when the storm comes on!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"O that I knew where I might find Him!" Job 23:3

In Job's uttermost extremity--he cried after the Lord. Just so, the longing desire of an afflicted child of God--is once more to see his Father's face! His first prayer is not, "O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!" Nor even, "O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!" But the first and uppermost cry is, "O that I knew where I might find HIM who is my God! O that I might come even to His presence!"

God's children run home when the storm comes on! It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul--to seek shelter from all troubles, beneath the wings of Jehovah. "He who has made God his refuge," might serve as the title of a true believer.

A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction and, like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him! But not so with the true heir of heaven--he kisses the hand which smote him--and seeks shelter from the rod, in the bosom of the God who frowned upon him!

Job's desire to commune with God was intensified, by the failure of all other sources of consolation. The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends, and looked up to the celestial throne--just as a traveler turns from his empty water bottle, and betakes himself with all speed to the well. He bids farewell to earth-born hopes, and cries, "O that I knew where I might find my God!"

Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator--as when we learn the emptiness of all created things. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey--but many sharp stings; we rejoice to turn to Him whose faithful Word is sweeter than honey from the honeycomb.

In every trouble, we should first seek God's presence with us. Only let us enjoy His smile--and we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart, for His dear sake!

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We are all born proud!

(J. C. Ryle)

Humility is one of the strongest evidences of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. We know nothing of humility by nature--for we are all born proud.

To convince us of sin,
to show us our own vileness and corruption,
to put us in our right place,
to make us humble and self-abased
--these are among the principal works which the Holy Spirit works in the soul of man.

Few of our Lord's sayings are so often repeated as the one which closes the parable of the Pharisee and Tax-collector, "Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled--and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14) To have great gifts, and do great works for God, is not given to all believers. But all believers ought to strive to be clothed with humility.

"All of you--clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Most probably, I would have been in Hell!
by James Smith, Play Audio! Download Audio

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

12 Time-wasting thieves!

(Richard Baxter)

"Redeeming the time." Colossians 4:5

"That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way." Colossians 1:10

Thief 1. One of the greatest time-wasting sins, consists of idleness or sloth.

Thief 2. The next thief or time-waster, is excess of sleep.

Thief 3. Another time-waster, is an inordinate adorning of the body.

Thief 4. Another time-wasting thief, is unnecessary pomp and extravagance in household furniture and domestic entertainments.

Thief 5. Another time-wasting sin, is needless feastings, gluttony, and drinking.

Thief 6. Another time-waster, is idle talk.

Thief 7. Another thief which would steal your time, is vain and sinful company.

Thief 8. Another notorious time-wasting thief, is needless, inordinate sports and games--which are masked with the deceitful title of recreations.

Thief 9. Another time-wasting thief, is excess of worldly cares and business.

Thief 10. Another time-waster, is vain, ungoverned and sinful thoughts.

Thief 11. Another dangerous time-wasting sin, is the reading of worthless books, plays, romances, and novels. And also unprofitable studies, undertaken but for pride and vain-glory, or the pleasing of a carnal or curious mind.

Thief 12. But the master-thief that robs men of their time, is an unsanctified, ungodly heart; for this loses time, whatever men are doing--because they never intend to do anything for the glory of God.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do it all for the glory of God!" 1 Corinthians 10:31

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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

He smote her with a disease which deprived her of strength, destroyed her beauty, and left her deformed!
by James Smith, Play Audio! Download Audio

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

I will look up!

(James Smith, "Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")

"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You--and I will look up!" Psalm 5:3

This was the Psalmist's determination in the morning--and it should be ours.

Preserved and protected through the night--we should look up with gratitude, and praise our God for His goodness.

Aware of our dependence and needs--we should look up and beg mercies of our Almighty God for the new-born day.

Sensible of our foes and dangers--we should look up and pray to be kept, guided, and sanctified by our ever-present God.

If we look within--it will dispirit us;
if we look around--it may distract us;
if we look back--it may awaken fears;
if we look forward--it may arouse foreboding!
But if we look UP to God--it will preserve . . .
  the head from swimming,
  the heart from sinking,
  the feet from slipping, and
  the hands from hanging down!

Beloved, let us look up!
There our loving Father is!
There our interceding Savior is!
There all our supplies are!
There our everlasting home is!

Let others look where they will, "I will look up!"

If we look up to God in faith--then He will look down upon us in mercy; and looking, He will supply all our needs!

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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Twenty-four hours in Hell!
by James Smith
Play Audio! Download Audio

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

It is like the passing cloud on the summer's day!

(James Smith, "The Pastor's Evening Visit")

"Your sorrow shall be turned into joy!" John 16:20

The sorrow of the Christian must be transient. It is like the passing cloud on the summer's day; or the chill of winter which must give place to the genial warmth of spring.

Beloved, if you now have sorrow--then your sorrow also shall soon be turned into joy; for joy is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Heaviness may endure for the night--but joy comes in the morning.

The SIN that causes your sorrow--shall be pardoned and subdued.

The FOES that disturb your peace--shall be converted or destroyed.

The CLOUDS that obscure your sun--shall soon dissolve in showers of blessing on your favored head.

The hard and weary road between you and your eternal home--will soon be passed! The days of your mourning will be ended, and those who now go forth weeping, bearing precious seed--shall soon return with songs of everlasting joy!

"Your sorrow shall be turned into joy!" John 16:20

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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Poor Jack! by James Smith
Play Audio! Download Audio

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Have you received the Holy Spirit?

(James Smith, "A Momentous Question" 1860)

"Have you received the Holy Spirit?" Acts 19:2

What are the evidences of having received the Holy Spirit?

If we have received the Holy Spirit--the Lord Jesus stands high in our estimation--and our views of ourselves are very humbling. And just in proportion to the power and depth of the Spirit's work--will be our conceptions of the glory, grandeur, and excellency of the Savior; and our discoveries of the depravity, pollution, weakness, and misery of our own hearts.

If, therefore, we have heart affecting views of the glory of Christ and His finished work--and if we lie low in the dust under a sense of our weakness and worthlessness, so that we are brought to depend wholly on Christ, and on Christ alone--we have surely received the Holy Spirit.

Also, if we have received the Holy Spirit--there is in us a deep-rooted, abiding hatred to sin--all sin, especially sin in ourselves. What was once our darling sin, has become the object of our hatred--and against that sin we set a double guard. For nothing do we sigh so often, for nothing do we desire so ardently--as holiness. The Holy Spirit always sets the whole soul against sin--and longing for perfect holiness.

True, our old desires toward sin will sometimes revive--but then we loath ourselves on account of it, mourn over it, and confess it before God. The cry of the soul is, "Holiness, Lord, more holiness! Deep, penetrating, all-pervading holiness!"

Now, if we hate sin everywhere, all sin, and especially the sin that dwells in us; and if we love holiness, admire holiness, pray for holiness, pant for holiness, and strive for holiness--then there is no doubt that we have received the Holy Spirit.

Once more, if we have received the Holy Spirit--then we are ruled by God's Word; we do not follow custom, or allow our desires or prejudices to dictate our course. In all times of difficulty, when in any perplexity, something seems to say within us, "To the law and to the testimony," and to the precepts of the New Testament, we turn.

The Word of Christ is the law of the true believer. Everything short of it, or beyond it, or beside it, or contrary to it--is sin! "Only what Jesus commands, all that Jesus commands, and because Jesus commands," is the language of the soul.

And while we thus make the Word of Jesus our rule--we deny ourselves. We deny our own wills, our own passions, our own desires, our likes and dislikes. We are before Him, as He was before His Father, when He cried out, "Not My will--but may Your will be done." If, then, we make the Word of God our guide, and habitually deny ourselves for Christ's sake--we may rest assured, that we have received the Holy Spirit.

Reader, "Have you received the Holy Spirit?" Remember, "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ--he does not belong to Him!" Romans 8:9

[nChrist]

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Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

High, supercilious thoughts of yourselves!
Thomas Watson, Play Audio! Download Audio

  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

He cannot say no more!

(Thomas Watson, "The Christian's Charter")

"All things are yours!" 1 Corinthians 3:21

All things are a believer's, because God is his.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever!" Psalm 48:14

"I am God--your God!" Psalm 50:7

God says to the believer, as the king of Israel said to
the king of Syria, "I am yours--and all that I have!"

This is a hive of divine comfort!

All that is in God--is ours!

His wisdom is ours to teach us!

His love is ours to pity us!

His Spirit is ours to comfort us!

His mercy is ours to save us!

When God says to the soul, "I am yours,"
He cannot say no more!

"For this God is our God for ever and ever!"