"With Thee is the fountain of life."—Psalm 36:9.
THERE are times in our spiritual experience when human counsel or sympathy, or religious ordinances, fail to comfort or help us. Why does our gracious God permit this? Perhaps it is because we have been living too much without Him, and He therefore takes away everything upon which we have been in the habit of depending, that He may drive us to Himself.
We are like the prodigal, we love the swine-troughs and forget our Father's house. Our Lord favors us with a famine in the land that it may make us seek after Himself the more. The best position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God's grace- “Having nothing, and yet possessing all things." Having nothing of our own to trust to, but resting upon the merits of Jesus. When we are brought to a thirsting condition, we are sure to turn to the fountain of life with eagerness.
Morning and Evening, Spurgeon. 16 October.
Thought: Have we stray away from God so much that he needs to chasten us in this manner? God, please have mercy on your people! Call us back, for we are as lost sheep, searching desperately for our shepherd!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Resurrection from the Dead
At a memorial service, after delivering a message based on the miracle performed by Jesus on Lazarus' resurrection from the dead...
Bereaved wife: Pastor, can Jesus raise my husband from the dead now?
Pastor: Yes, He can, but He will not do this now.
Long pause, and then the bereaved wife walked away. The Pastor was puzzled at this question, but did not pursue it. After a few weeks, at another occasion...
Bereaved wife: Pastor, do you recall I asked you the question, whether Jesus can raise my husband from the dead?
Pastor: Yes I did.
Bereaved wife: Pastor, I am glad that Jesus will not raise my husband from the dead now.
Pastor: ...why?
Bereaved wife: My husband accepted the Lord shortly before he was called Home. Prior to that, he has led a very sinful life. If he is raised from the dead, he could have gone back to his old ways and sin again. It is better now that he is with Him in the Heavenly Home, and sin no more.
What matters is not how long you live your life, it is how you live your life that matters. If you continue to live in sin, then it is already one life too many!
Bereaved wife: Pastor, can Jesus raise my husband from the dead now?
Pastor: Yes, He can, but He will not do this now.
Long pause, and then the bereaved wife walked away. The Pastor was puzzled at this question, but did not pursue it. After a few weeks, at another occasion...
Bereaved wife: Pastor, do you recall I asked you the question, whether Jesus can raise my husband from the dead?
Pastor: Yes I did.
Bereaved wife: Pastor, I am glad that Jesus will not raise my husband from the dead now.
Pastor: ...why?
Bereaved wife: My husband accepted the Lord shortly before he was called Home. Prior to that, he has led a very sinful life. If he is raised from the dead, he could have gone back to his old ways and sin again. It is better now that he is with Him in the Heavenly Home, and sin no more.
What matters is not how long you live your life, it is how you live your life that matters. If you continue to live in sin, then it is already one life too many!
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