Thursday, October 22, 2009

Spurgeon: The Gospel Invitation Is To All (Even Dynamite-Men)

The gospel is that you believe in Christ Jesus; that you get right out of yourself, and depend alone in him. Do you say, 'I feel so guilty'? You are certainly guilty, whether you feel it or not; you are far more guilty than you have any idea of. Come to Christ because you are guilty, not because you have been prepared to come by looking at your guilt. Trust nothing of your own, not even your sense of need.

Sinners, let me address you with words of life; Jesus wants nothing from you, nothing whatsoever, nothing done, nothing felt; he gives both work and feeling. Ragged, penniless, just as you are, lost forsaken, desolate, with no good feelings and no good hopes, still Jesus comes to you, and in these words of pity he addresses you, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'

'Him that cometh to me:...' the man may have been guilty of an atrocious sin, too black for mention; but if he comes to Christ he shall not be cast out. He may have made himself as black as night- as black as hell... I cannot tell what kinds of persons may have come into this Hall tonight; but if burglars, murderers and dynamite-men were here, I would still bid them come to Christ, for he will not cast them out. No limit is set to the extent of sin: any "him" in all the world- any blaspheming, devilish "him" that comes to Christ shall be welcomed. I use strong words that I may open the gate of mercy. Any "him" that comes to Christ--though he come from slum or taproom, betting-ring or gambling-hell, prison or brothel--Jesus will in no wise cast out.

from Spurgeon V. Hyper-Calvinism by Iain H. Murray

Friday, October 9, 2009

He Himself Will Wipe Every Tear

Isaiah 25:8a--"He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away every tear from all faces."

"The exalted title of Sovereign Lord calls attention to the fact that in all the dignity of his divine Sovereignty, it is the Lord himself who will attend to our tears, moving from person to person until each eye has been dried." (Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah)

Friday, October 2, 2009

Whatever My God Ordains is Right

Whatever my God ordains is right: His holy will abides;
I will be still whatever He does, and follow where He guides.

He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall;
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whatever my God ordains is right: He never will deceive me.
He leads me by the proper path; I know He will not leave me.

I take, content, what He has sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whatever my God ordains is right: His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup that my Physician sends me.

My God is true; each morning new
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

Whatever my God ordains is right: He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm, though many storms may gather.

Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He has loved me dearly.

Whatever my God ordains is right: though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart, I take it, all unshrinking.

My God is true; each morning new
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whatever my God ordains is right: here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, yet I am not forsaken.

My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.