Heavenly Springs

Holding Fast The Doctrines of Grace

People with Sore and Bruised Hearts

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“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house — she brought an alabaster jar of perfume” Luke 7:37 

“It is wonderful how genuine goodness draws to itself the unfortunate, the troubled, the friendless, the outcast, the fallen. Wherever Jesus went — these classes always found Him out and gathered about Him. It was because He was the true, unselfish friend of all men. They found sympathy in Him. He would listen to their story. Though He was the sinless One, there was yet no air of “I am holier than you” about Him. He was just as gentle to an outcast sinner — as to a religious Nicodemus. No matter who reached out a hand for help — He was ready to grasp it. One of the truest things ever said of Jesus, was the prophetic word concerning him, “He shall not break a bruised reed!” He always dealt most gently with sore spirits and with bruised hearts!

Those who want to be useful in this world — must have the same qualities as Jesus. There is a kind of false “holiness” which draws nobody to itself — but rather repels. Genuine holiness, however, wins its way everywhere into men’s hearts. The secret of it all, is in living “not to be served — but to serve;” in considering one’s self not too good to serve the unworthiest of God’s creatures. If we live in this world to be served — we shall be of no use to anyone. But if we live to minister to others, yearning to be of service to everyone we meet — then our life will be of great worth. The hungry-hearted and the soul-needy will be drawn to us — and God will love to put work into our hands.

We need, too, to train ourselves to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual crises. Many earnest people, in the excess of their zeal — do incalculable harm to those whom they greatly desire to help. People with sore and bruised hearts — usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship — much more than they need a lecture in theology.” – J.R. Miller, 1890

Source: Grace Gems!

Finding Safety in the Church

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Finding Safety in the Church

And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God. Ezekiel 13:9

Suggested further reading: Hebrews 10:19–25

“The Holy Spirit admonishes us not to conclude that people are true members of the church because most of them seem to excel other people. For just as the chaff lies above the wheat and suffocates it, thus hypocrites bury the sons of God, whose number is small. Hypocrites also shine forth in their own splendor, and great numbers of them seem to make them exclusively worthy of the title of the church.

Hence let us examine ourselves, searching whether we have the living root of piety and faith, which are those interior marks by which God distinguishes his children from strangers, or hypocrites.

This passage also teaches that nothing is more formidable than to be separated from God’s flock. We cannot hope for safety unless God collects us into one body under one head. When we safely reside in Christ alone, we cannot be separated from Christ without falling away from all hope of safety. Christ will not and cannot be torn from his church that he is joined to by an indissoluble knot, as the head is to the body. Hence, unless we cultivate unity with the faithful, we are also cut off from Christ. Nothing, then, is more fearful than to be separated from God’s people, and therefore from Christ.

Psalm 106:4 says, “Remember me, O God, in thy good will towards thy people: visit me with thy salvation.” When the author of the psalm prays this way, he acknowledges that we will have true and solid happiness when the Lord embraces us along with the rest of the faithful. For God’s good will toward his people is that fatherly kindness by which he embraces his elect.

If God thinks us worthy of his fatherly favor, then we may be truly confident of safety.

For meditation: In a day when many Christians are focused only on their own individual relationship with God, this passage reminds us of the importance of the church. The church is not just a means to advance our own walk with God, but a divinely appointed institution. Connecting with the church is therefore not an option, but a requirement for true believers.”

 John Calvin and Joel R. Beeke, 365 Days with Calvin (Leominster; Grand Rapids, MI: Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books, 2008), 142.

My Times

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“Why then, need I worry or tremble? That great, loving, powerful hand keeps all the events of my life sealed and secure within its almighty clasp! If we fully believed this, we would be absolutely devoid of the worry which corrodes and chafes the daily life of so many professing Christians.

“My times.” Not one or two important epochs of my history only, but everything that concerns me–all these lay in that mighty hand–as the purposes of God’s eternal will for me.

You agree with me in all this, do you not, dear reader? Then, I beg you, apply it to your present circumstances, however dark or difficult they may be. They have come directly from your Father’s hand to you, and they are His dear will for you!” – Susannah Spurgeon

Should Everyone Be Equal in Wealth?

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Thanks to a kind brother who shared this excerpt from a commentary on Ruth.   

“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.” Ruth 2:1

“Some allege that all men ought to be equal in wealth; but God maketh rich, and maketh poor. He gives to some men power to get wealth, and withholds that power from others. He enables some to leave wealth to their families, whilst the families of other men are left to struggle with all the inconveniences of poverty. “Who shall say to God, What dost thou?” or, Why disposest thou so unequally of thy benefits? “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.” He hath given the earth indeed to the children of men, but he was not bound to give to every one of them equal portions of it. If he has given us any portion of it for our necessary subsistence, we ought to be content and thankful. Still more, if he hath given us an ordinary portion of the comforts of life. If we are displeased because he has not given us so much as he has given to some of our neighbours, “our eye is evil because he is good.” What hast thou given to God? Verify thy claim, and thou shalt be recompensed. God will be in no man’s debt . . .

Our happiness is very precarious if it is placed either in our wealth or in our children. What multitudes of Abraham’s posterity are now in a wretched condition, although he abounded in wealth whilst he lived in this world! But he sought his happiness in God, and in the better country . . . 

Yet let us not envy the rich. They have power to do hurt as well as good; and they can do themselves much more hurt than they can do to any one else. We trust too much to ourselves, if we think that we would certainly make a good use of riches if we possessed them. Even Solomon, with all his wisdom, found that his wealth was, in many instances, a snare. He did much good, but he also did much evil which would not have been in his power if he had been a poor man.”

Lectures on the Whole Book of Ruth to Which Are Added, Discourses on the Condition and Duty of Unconverted Sinners on the Sovereignty of Grace in the Conversion of Sinners, And on the Means to be Used in the Conversion of Our Neighbors.  By the Rev. George Lawson, Minister of the Associate Congregation in Selkirk. 1805.

HT:  D. Elmore