The Highest Grace

Let us mark Mary's deep humility in this hymn of praise.  She who was chosen of God to the high honor of being Messiah's mother speaks of her own "humble estate," and acknowledges her need of a "Savior." She uses the language of one who has been taught by the grace of God to feel her own sins, and need a Savior for her own soul.

Let us copy this holy humility of our Lord's mother.  Like her, let us be lowly in our own eyes, and think little of ourselves. Humility is the highest grace that can adorn the Christian character. It is a true saying of an old divine, "A man has just so much Christianity as he has humility." This is the grace which is most suitable to sinful human nature.

Above all, humility is the grace which is within the reach of every converted person! All are not rich. All are not learned. All are not highly gifted. All are not preachers. But all children of God may be clothed with humility!

[J. C. Ryle]

Luke 1:46-55 ... And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.   He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.   He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.  He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;  As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.❤

Freedom From The Dominion of Sin

There is no more galling yoke to be found, than the thraldom of evil passions, tyrant lusts and sinful habits, uncontrolled tempers which burst forth like a hurricane,  temptations which hurry a man onward toward the precipice of utter ruin, the dark trinity of "the world, the flesh, and the devil" all drawing a man along the pathway that leads to eternal damnation! Here is a foe that is terrible indeed!

Yet in Christ, there is freedom from the dominion of sin, and from all the power of the enemy. Satan is strong, for he is a roaring lion. But Christ is stronger, for He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Yes, He is the almighty Shepherd, who can guard the weakest of His flock from the treachery and deceit of the evil one.

Sin is strong, and it has conquered and destroyed its myriads in every age. But Christ is stronger, for He is our Joshua, and can put every enemy beneath our feet. If united to Christ by true faith, "sin shall not have dominion over you." Being no longer under the law, but under grace.  Christ reigns in you by His Holy Spirit, and by the same Spirit can make you more than conqueror over every snare of the tempter.

Christian, always remember the secret of success in the sore conflict you have to wage. Let "the joy of the Lord" be "your strength." Apart from Christ, there is nothing but defeat. You may resolve to do better, you may strive against your besetting sin but if it is in your own might, you will fail. But draw near to Christ, and keep Him in view continually. Hide deep in your heart His own word of promise, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Fly to Him as your stronghold, whenever danger is at hand. Make Him your shield, when the shafts of the wicked one are aimed for your destruction.

I often think of a lesson I learned one snowy day in Birmingham. A big bully was unmercifully snow-balling a smaller boy. But when the little fellow saw me coming, he ran behind me and kept me between himself and his enemy, until he was able to escape from him.

Ah, here is a lesson for me, thought I. Let me ever make Christ my shield. Let me ever put Him between me and my temptations; between me and my cares, and fears, and perils and He will answer for them. No evil can overcome His power and when I thus trust in Him, no sin or evil can overcome me.

Thus will you find strength for victory. You will be delivered from the sin which was once too strong for you. More and more the Spirit of Christ shall fashion you in His image and likeness. More and more shall the evil nature be mortified and kept under control, and Christ Himself make your heart His dwelling-place.

[George Everard]

✞✞✞

John 8:36 ... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Romans 8:2 ... For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:1 ... Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.❤

Substantial Happiness

O what a mercy to be persuaded that whatever may be our circumstances, God is with us, directing and overruling the whole for our good and for His own glory. To know that He is ours and that we are His. To draw near in faith, telling Him all that is in our hearts, conscious of having the ear and heart of Jehovah towards us. Is not this true, substantial happiness?

[Mary Winslow]

Hebrews 10:22 ... Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.



Romans 8:28 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Song of Solomon 2:16 ... My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.❤

When Will It Be My Time

All men persist in thinking all men mortal, but themselves.  If there were a great monster in our city, which ate ten of the inhabitants alive every day we would be dreadfully miserable, especially if we never knew when it would be our turn to be devoured!

If we were certain that it would eat all in our city by-and-bye, but would only eat ten in a day we would all tremble as we passed by the huge monster's den, and say, "When will it be my time to be eaten?" This would cast a dark cloud over the whole metropolis, blacker than its usual fog.

But here is a monster, DEATH, which devours its hundreds at its meal. With its iron tongue, the funeral knell keeps crying out for more! Its greedy and insatiable throat is never filled, its teeth are never blunted and its ravenous hunger is never satisfied.

And though it will be our turn by-and-bye to be devoured of this great monster yet how little do we think about it!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

✞✞✞

Ecclesiastes 3:2 ... A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;


Hebrews 9:27 ... And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:❤

Many Storms and Billows

My Very Dear Friends,

We wished that Mr. Andrews might remain much longer in this world of sin and sorrow but the Lord had much better things for him. The time was come when He would have him near His throne, to behold His glory and therefore our prayers were overruled.

I hope dear Mrs. Andrews can say from her heart, "The Lord does all things well."

The time is short, and those who weep should be, if believers as though they wept not. Many whom we loved best while here, and who are gone a little before us, are waiting for us. The joy of meeting where there will be no parting will make abundant amends for the pain of a temporary separation.

Mr. Andrews met with many storms and billows during his voyage on the sea of life but we trust he is now in that peaceful haven, where the winds of trouble never blow.

What a wonderful transition to pass, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye from pain and sickness and weeping friends to join in the songs of the innumerable company of the redeemed before the throne of God and the Lamb!

[John Newton]

✞✞✞

John 17:24 ... Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

1 Corinthians 15:52 ... In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Revelation 21:4 ... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.❤

He Found Me in a Waste Howling Wilderness

He has led me about into a variety of situations, and in them all He watched over me, and kept me as the apple of His eye. When I was blind, He led me in ways which I knew not, and which no mortal could have supposed were likely to bring me where I now am.

I was once an utter stranger to the paths of truth and righteousness but in a wonderful manner He drew and guided me into those holy paths which I had not known. And though my heart is prone to wander, He has kept me with a mighty hand, so that I have not wholly declined from them.

How often has He made darkness light before me, and crooked things straight! These things has He done for me, as I am encouraged to hope He will continue to do them, for His promise is, "I will never forsake them!"

[John Newton]

Deuteronomy 32:10 ... He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Isaiah 42:16 ... And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Psalm 34:6 ... This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.❤

Right To Life

Two years ago in South Carolina, a pregnant woman who was doing crack cocaine miscarried.  She was eventually convicted of murder for killing her baby and is currently doing time.  Just think, if she had taken RU-486, the results would have been the same, except that no charges would have been brought against her and she’d be a free woman.  Let me see if I understand this: If you kill your baby by accident using an illegal drug, it’s murder.  But, if you kill the same baby on purpose using a legal drug, it's called an abortion, so it’s OK.

[An anonymous professor at the University of South Carolina]

In Illinois a pregnant woman who takes an illegal drug can be prosecuted for 'delivering a controlled substance to a minor.' This is an explicit recognition that the unborn is a person with rights of her own.  But that same woman who is prosecuted and jailed for endangering her child is perfectly free to abort her child.  In America today, it is illegal to harm your preborn child, but it is perfectly legal to kill him.

[Randy Alcorn, Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments]

Just because something happens to be legal does not make it moral, ethical or right.  Abortion is perhaps one of the most dramatic examples of a situation where something is legal, but is very much a sin against God.

[A.L. Barry, The Lutheran Church, President of the Missouri Synod]

I believe that life is valuable, even when it is unwanted, even when it is physically imperfect.  I believe our society has a responsibility to defend the vulnerable and the weak.  And I believe our nation should set a goal that unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected in law.

[Governor George W. Bush, at the signing ceremony for Texas' Parental Notification Law]

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

I Bequeath ...

Covetousness is explicit idolatry.  Covetousness is the darling sin of our nation.  Covetousness being idolatry and is highly provoking to God.  This leprosy has infected all sorts and ranks of men.

Whatever a man loves most and best that is his god. The covetous man looks upon the riches of the world as his Heaven, his happiness, his great ALL.   His heart is most upon the world,  his thoughts are most upon the world,  his affections are most upon the world,  his discourse is most about the world.

He who has his mind taken up with the world, and chiefly delighted with the world's music, he has also his tongue tuned to the same key, and takes his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else but the world and worldly things. If the world is in the heart, it will break out at the lips. A worldly-minded man speaks mostly of worldly things.  The love of this world oils the tongue for worldly discourses, and makes men forget God,  neglect Christ,  despise holiness,  forfeit Heaven.

Ah! the time, the thoughts, the strength, the efforts, which are spent upon the world, and the things of the world while sinners' souls lie a-bleeding, and eternity is hastening upon them!

I have read of a greedy banker, who was always best when he was most in talking of money and the world. Being near his death, he was much pressed to make his WILL. Finally he dictates:

First, I bequeath my own soul to the devil for being so greedy for the muck of this world!

Secondly, I bequeath my wife's soul to the devil for persuading me to this worldly course of life.

Thirdly, I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil because he did not show me the danger I lived in, nor reprove me for it!

[Thomas Brooks]

✞✞✞

1 John 4:5 ... They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

Colossians 3:5 ... Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

1 Timothy 6:9 ... But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.❤

All ~

How shall I not give You all that I have, When You, in Your great goodness, Give me all that You are?"

[Unknown]

Matthew 22:37 ... Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.❤

They Were Once Like Us

We have nothing that we can properly call our own but sin and misery!  I wish to be more thankful for what the Lord has been to me but I long to rise a step higher still, to be enabled to contemplate His character, as displayed by the cross of Christ, so that I may continually admire and adore Him for what He is in Himself. He would have been great and glorious, wise, powerful, holy, and gracious though I had never been brought into existence, or had been left to eternally perish in my sin as I deserved.

The redeemed before the throne, look how they shine! Hark how they sing! They were not always as they are now. They were once like us, sorrowing, suffering, sinning!  But He has washed them from their sins in His own blood and wiped away their tears with His own nail-pierced hands!

[John Newton]

Psalm 34:3-4 ... O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.  I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.


Colossian 1:13-14 ... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Revelation 1:5-6 ... And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.❤

To The Utmost

Think little of yourselves, but do not think little of your callings.  Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with the most daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious for holiness.  Therefore be not discontented with your calling.  Whatever God has made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that He calls you to something else. Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are.

[Charles Spurgeon]

John 3:30 ... He must increase, but I must decrease.


Colossians 3:17 ... And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.


Galatians 5:13 ... For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.❤