Having shared some thoughts of heaven and of earth over the last two days, it might be expected that today I would share thoughts of hell. And what heavy and sad thoughts they are… Hell is not a pleasant thing to think about; but we can’t escape the fact that our Saviour and His Holy Scripture put it before our minds repeatedly and honestly in an effort to strike the conscience with the truth and fearfulness of it. We must, therefore, think of hell. But alas! there’s nothing good that can be said about it. Continue reading “Thoughts of hell”
Thoughts of earth
My thoughts soared high yesterday as I dwelt upon the joys, the happiness, and the eternal fullness of living in the presence of God and growing in the knowledge of God forever. Today my thoughts are sobered by the present realities of dwelling upon this earth. Life, as the poets say, is a vale of tears. Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation (Jn 16.33), and Paul said, we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations (Acts 14.22). Why, then, should we expect comfort in this world? Continue reading “Thoughts of earth”
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Thoughts of heaven
This morning I spent some time meditating upon heaven. It is such a vast subject that I found myself lost in the thoughts of it! The joys that await us cannot be less infinite than the God in whom we’ll find those joys and from whom we’ll receive them. And though our souls shall be perfect in comparison to what they are now, and delighted and ravished with the presence of God Most High, yet they shall ever be on the increase, growing wiser and wiser in God as the ages roll on eternally. Let me share some of my thoughts with you. Continue reading “Thoughts of heaven”
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Are you unhappy?
I had a conversation yesterday with a friend regarding the perpetual unhappiness of everyone. He spoke of his children and how they want one more dress, one more pair of shoes, just one more. He even spoke of his millionaire friend who wants just one more million. Why is it that we’re never happy with what we have? Why is it that we always place happiness, not in what we have, but in the very thing we still lack? Continue reading “Are you unhappy?”
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Are you forgiven?
I’ve long enjoyed the Private Thoughts on Religion by Thomas Adam. It is arguably the most heart-piercing and soul-humbling book in print. His words reach the depths of the soul in a way that other writers do not. In fact, I don’t know of any other book that puts words in my soul’s mouth like his. Consisting of private reflections from his notes and diaries (published after his death), it’s a window into my soul’s wrestlings to confront my own sin, to live honestly before God, to live by faith in a sense-driven body and world, and to walk holily before God in all I do. I’d like to share with you what I read today. Continue reading “Are you forgiven?”
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Do you complain?
Why do we always complain when things don’t go the way we want them to or think they should? Is it because we infallibly know that something is wrong and God should fix it, or is it because we simply don’t believe that the way things fell out is the way they’re supposed to be, or is it because we simply don’t like the way things are? Continue reading “Do you complain?”
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Soul-sickness
We’ve got pills for everything! There’s a pill for every sickness, a dose of something or another for every discomfort. Given what stocks the shelves in your local pharmacy, there’s practically no reason to be sick today, no reason to be uncomfortable. Just to go the pharmacy, get what you need, and in no time you’ll be right as rain. And that’s just what we do. The minute we feel a sickness coming on, we’re off to the pharmacy for Vitamin C, Zinc, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, &c. No time to waste; no time to be sick; we can’t afford to be down. I’ve often wondered why we don’t treat soul-sickness the same way. Continue reading “Soul-sickness”
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Living under God’s eye
The motto of R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries has become famous: Coram Deo. It’s a Latin phrase that means before the face of God. The idea is that we’re to live and carry ourselves as before His face or under His eye. Our lives are to be lived as those who know that He looks on. Well enough. But is this not doing one’s work by way of eye-service, which Paul condemns in Col 3.22? Continue reading “Living under God’s eye”
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How to live in light of the truth of God
Over the last two posts I’ve explained that the Christian is a man with the saving knowledge of God and, further, that he applies that knowledge. Are you such a man as that? Here are some helps to being such a man, helps to living in the light of the knowledge of God. Continue reading “How to live in light of the truth of God”
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Being zealous for God
There have always been those who object to zeal, calling it a rash and heady temper that hurts more than it helps, and a harsh and fiery spirit that blindly burns up everything in its path. It’s strange, however, that those who argue against zeal are themselves zealous. It could be their political persuasion, favorite sports team, reputation as the one who ‘never loses,’ pursuit of riches, or being ‘the best dressed’ among their peers, whatever it is, it’s safe to say that we’re all zealous about something. We all love something enough to make considerable, if not foolish, sacrifices for it. So it’s not really zeal itself which is opposed, is it? Continue reading “Being zealous for God”
