Comments Off

By jeff, August 30, 2009 7:11 pm

-A.W. Pink

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction–and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life–and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Walking along the Narrow Way, means for the heart and life to be constantly regulated by Christ’s holy teaching. It denotes a steady perseverance in faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus; overcoming all opposition, rejecting every temptation to forsake the path of fidelity to Him. It is called the “Narrow Way” because all self-pleasing and self-seeking is shut out.

It is right here that the testing point is reached. Unto the natural man, it is much easier and far more pleasant–to indulge the flesh and follow our worldly propensities. The Broad Road, where the flesh is indulged–is easy, smooth, and attractive! But it ends in “destruction!” Though the “Narrow Way” leads to eternal life–but only FEW tread it.

Multitudes make a profession and claim to be saved–but their lives give no evidence that they are “strangers and pilgrims” here on earth, and that their “treasure” is in heaven. They are afraid of being thought narrow and strict. Satan has deceived them–they imagine that they can get to heaven by an easier route, than by . . .
denying self,
taking up their cross daily,
and following Christ!

There are multitudes of ‘religionists’ who are attempting to combine the two “ways,” making the best of both worlds and serving two masters. They wish to gratify self in time–and enjoy the happiness of Heaven in eternity. Crowds of nominal Christians are deluding themselves into believing that they can do so–but they are terribly deceived!

The reason why so few will enter Eternal Life–is because the multitudes are not seeking it in the way of God’s appointing! None seek it aright–but those who pass through the Narrow Gate–and who, despite many discouragements and falls, continue to press forward along the Narrow Way.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction–and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life–and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Comments Off

By jeff, August 29, 2009 9:34 am

-A.W. Pink

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” Luke 13:24

Entering the Narrow Gate signifies the heart’s acceptance of Christ’s holy teaching. Ah, my friend, to really and actually enter this “Narrow Gate” is no easy matter! These words do not picture salvation as a thing of simple and easy attainment. That Jesus should utter such a statement, clearly implies that there are formidable difficulties and obstacles to be overcome, and that slothful nominal professors will surely not enter in.

Why is such striving necessary to “enter” the narrow gate?

First, because SATAN is striving to destroy your soul. “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour!” 1 Peter 5:8

Second, because natural appetites of the FLESH are striving to destroy you: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims–abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1 Peter 2:11

Third, because the whole WORLD is arrayed against you. It will seek to draw you by its alluring promises, its Delilah-like deceits, and fatal enticements. Unless you overcome the world, the world will overcome you to the eternal destruction of your soul.

From what has been before us, we may plainly discover why it is that the vast majority of our fellow-men, yes, and of professing Christians also, will fail to reach Heaven–it is because they prefer . . .
sin, to holiness;
indulging the lusts of the flesh, to walking according to the Scriptures;
self, to Christ;
the world, to God.

Men refuse to . . .
deny self,
abandon their idols, and
submit to Christ as Lord
–and without this, none can take the first step toward Heaven and enter through the narrow gate!

Comments Off

By jeff, August 22, 2009 9:29 pm

-Thomas Boston “Human Nature in its Fourfold State”

“He who overcomes will inherit all things!” Revelation 21:7

He shall have peace and plenty, profit and pleasure, everything desirable–full satisfaction of his most enlarged desires! Let the expectants of heaven, then, lift up their heads with joy. Let them gird up their loins, and so run that they may obtain; trampling on everything that may hinder them in their way to the kingdom. Let them never account any duty too hard, nor any cross too heavy, nor any pains too great–so that they may attain the unfading crown of glory.

Christians should behave suitably to their character and dignity–as heirs of the eternal glorious kingdom. Let your heart be in heaven. Let your souls delight in communion with God while you are on earth, since you look for your happiness in communion with Him in heaven. Let your speech and actions savor of heaven; and in your manner of life, look towards the heavenly country to which you are going.

Maintain a holy contempt of the world, and of the things of the world. Although others, whose earthly things are their best things, set their hearts upon them; yet it befits you to set your feet on them, since your best things are above. This world is but the alien country through which you must pass through, on your journey to Immanuel’s land. Therefore, pass through it as pilgrims and strangers; and do not immerse yourself in its encumbrances, so as to retard you in your journey.

It is unworthy of one born to a palace–to set his heart to dwell in a poor hovel. It is unworthy of one running for a prize of gold–to depart from his path to gather pebbles and sticks. How much more is it unworthy of an heir of the kingdom of heaven–to be groveling among the baubles of this world, when he should be traveling on to receive his eternal inheritance!

Comments Off

By jeff, August 12, 2009 8:58 pm

-Charles Spurgeon

“The Lord is my shepherd–I have everything I need.” Psalm 23:1

“The Lord is my shepherd!” What condescension is this–that the Infinite Lord assumes the office and character of a Shepherd towards His people! It should be the subject of grateful admiration, that the great God allows Himself to be compared to anything which will set forth His great love and care for His own people!

David had himself been a keeper of sheep, and understood both the needs of the sheep, and the many cares of a shepherd. He compares himself to a weak, defenseless and foolish creature–and he takes God to be his Provider, Preserver, Director, and, indeed, his everything!

No man has a right to consider himself the Lord’s sheep–unless his nature has been renewed; for the Scriptural description of unconverted men does not picture them as sheep–but as wolves or goats! A sheep is personal property–not a wild animal. Its owner sets great value on it, and frequently it is bought with a great price. It is well to know, as certainly as David did–that we belong to the Lord!

There is a noble tone of confidence in this sentence. There is no “if”, nor “but”, nor even an “I hope so”. David says, “The Lord IS my shepherd.” We must cultivate the spirit of assured dependence upon our heavenly Father.

The sweetest word of the whole verse, is that monosyllable, “MY”. He does not say, “The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large,” but “The Lord is MY shepherd!” He is a MY Shepherd to no one else–He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me! The words are in the present tense. Whatever the believer’s situation–he is constantly under the pastoral care of Jehovah Himself!

The next words are an encouraging inference from the first statement, “I have everything I need.” I might lack otherwise–but when the Lord is my Shepherd–He is able to supply my needs–and He is certainly willing to do so, for His heart is full of love towards His people!

I shall not lack for temporal things. Does He not feed the ravens, and cause the lilies to grow? How, then, can He leave His children to starve?

I shall not lack for spiritual things, I know that His grace will be sufficient for all my needs. Resting in Him–He will say to me, “As your days–so shall your strength be!”

I may not possess all that I wish for–but “I have everything I need.” Others, far wealthier and wiser than I, may lack–but “I have everything I need.” “The young lions may lack, and suffer hunger–but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”

Come what may, if famine should devastate the land, or calamity destroy the city, “I have everything I need!” Old age with its feebleness shall not bring me any lack; and even death with its gloom–shall not find me destitute. I shall have all good things and abound; not because I have a large store of money in the bank, nor because I have skill and wit to sustain myself–but because “The Lord is my shepherd!”

The wicked always lack–but the righteous never! An unsaved person’s heart is far from satisfaction–but a gracious heart dwells in the “palace of contentment!”

Comments Off

By jeff, August 8, 2009 11:37 am

Parents! Your children are as surely as grown-up people, “dead in trespasses and sins!” May no parent fail fully to realize the spiritual state in which all human beings are naturally found. Unless you have a very clear sense of the utter ruin and spiritual death of your children, you will be incapable of being made a blessing to them. Go to them, I beg you, not as to ‘sleepers’ whom you can by your own power awaken from their slumber–but as to ‘spiritual corpses’ who can only be quickened by a divine power!

If you think that your child is ‘not really depraved’, if you indulge foolish notions about the ‘innocence of childhood’, it should not surprise you if you remain barren and unfruitful.

If you would bring spiritual life to your child–you must most vividly realize that child’s state. It is dead, dead! God will have you feel that your child is dead in trespasses and sins–as you once were. God would have you come into contact with that death by painful, crushing, humbling sympathy. If you would raise your dead child to spiritual life–you must feel the chill and horror of your child’s death yourself. You must have, more or less, a distinct sense of the dreadful wrath of God, and of the terrors of the judgment to come. Depend upon it, when the spiritual death of your children alarms and overwhelms you–then it is that God is about to bless you!

-Charles Spurgeon

Comments Off

By jeff, August 6, 2009 6:18 pm

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6

Without saving faith, all moral virtues are but splendid sins!

Unbelief nullifies everything!
It is the dead fly in the ointment!
It is the poison in the pot!

All the moral virtues,
all the benevolence of philanthropy,
all the kindness of unselfish sympathy,
all the talents of genius,
all the bravery of patriotism
–give no title to Divine acceptance, for
“without faith it is impossible to please God.”

-Charles Spurgeon

Comments Off

By jeff, August 2, 2009 9:35 pm

It is clear to every one who is willing to see it that laxity of doctrine is either the parent of worldliness, or is in some other way very near akin to it. The men who give up the old faith are the same persons who plead for latitude as to general conduct. The Puritan is not more notorious for his orthodoxy than for his separateness from the world.

Liberal divines do not always command the respect of the public, but they gain a certain popularity by pandering to prevailing tastes. The ungodly world is so far on their side that it commends them for their liberality, and rails at the orthodox as bigots and kill-joys.

It is a very suspicious circumstance that very often the less a man knows of the inner life, and the less he even cares to speak of it, the more heartily he is for the new theology, the theory of evolution, and the condemnation of all settled doctrine.

Those who would have a blessing from the Lord must avoid all this, and determine to follow the Lord fully. Not only must they quit false doctrine, but they must receive the gospel, not as dogma, but as vital truth. Only as the truth is attended with living faith will it prove its own royal power.

Believers must also sweep the house of the leaven of worldliness, and the frivolities of a giddy generation. The evil which is now current eats as doth a canker, and there is no hope for healthy godliness until it is cut out of the body of the church by her again repenting, and doing her first works.

Those who through divine grace have not defiled their garments must not content themselves with censuring others, but must arouse themselves to seek a fuller baptism of the Spirit of God. Perhaps these evils are permitted that they may act as a sieve upon the heap gathered on the Lord’s threshing-floor. Possibly they are allowed that our apathetic churches may be aroused. We know already of several cases in which true ministers have gone over the foundation truths again with their people, and have preached the saving Word with clearer emphasis. In other cases churches have been summoned to special prayer about this matter.

This is a good beginning: let it be carried out on the widest scale. As one man let us cry mightily unto the Lord our God, that he would arise and plead his own cause. Now, if never before, let those who are loyal to Jesus and his Word be up and doing. A boundless blessing is waiting for the asking. We believe in prayer. LET US PRAY LIKE ELIJAHS.

-Charles Spurgeon