Timing

John 7:2-10
(2) Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
(3) His brothers therefore said unto him, Depart from here, and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see the works that you do.
(4) For there is no man that does anything in secret, when he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.
(5) For neither did his brothers believe in him.
(6) Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.
(7) The world cannot hate you; but me it hates, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
(8) Go you up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet fully come.
(9) When he had said these words unto them, he remained still in Galilee.
(10) But when his brothers were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.


So many Christians seek magic instead of faith. They want a god they can command, one that will perform tricks at their whim, rather than the Living God.

The brothers here are like that.

They presume upon their family relationship. Since they are kinsmen, they assume Jesus has to take their advice.

They are looking for Jesus to become a "circus lion" - a famous performer of miracles, a tame lion at their command.

Why? Because they don't really believe. "Show us another trick" has been the cry of the unbeliever since the time of Moses.

Christ's gentle reply

Jesus could have sharply rebuked them, but he did not. He enlightens them instead.

By saying it is not the right time—the Greek might also be translated as saying it is not the proper occasion—Christ honors God. He waits for his time and occasion. Passover, not Tabernacles, is the right time.

The world cannot hate them. They belong to the world's system. They imagine Jesus does too. They cannot understand, therefore, why he won't just "get along and go along."

The reason is simple: when the light goes on, the cockroaches run. When righteousness appears, evil responds with hatred.

Secretly

Christ waits some time and then goes up, after they have gone. It is a lesson for us:

First, that we must learn to await God's timing—his appointed occasions in our lives. And then to be content with them.

Next, to remember that the purposes of God are not brought about by magnificent show, but in humility.

And that we need not take our direction from the world at large, but from God the Father. Our "brothers" may think they have a better idea; we should be listening to God.

Good timing is essential in comedy, car engines and football. God's timing is essential in Christian life. Learn from your Lord to live on God's time.

　

Forgiveness

Mat 18:21-35
(21) Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
(22) Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
(23) Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would take account of his servants.
(24) And when he had begun the reckoning, one was brought unto him, who owed him ten thousand talents.
(25) But since he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
(26) The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.
(27) Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and released him, and forgave him the debt.
(28) But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe.
(29) And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.
(30) And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
(31) So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
(32) Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you desired me:
(33) Should not you also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?
(34) And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
(35) So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

There is a background to this question. Among the debates of the time was the question of how often to forgive. Many prominent rabbis said three times was the limit—an early version of our three strikes laws. Peter no doubt thought himself generous by saying seven. Our Lord, in hyperbole, sets no limit.

To make the point clear, he tells him a story. It's a familiar one to most Christians, but read it again. There are perhaps some points in here that you missed.

Do you see that the king "began" to settle his accounts? He did what we would do. He started with the biggest debt first. So indeed the servant represents the very worst of sinners.

See the difference: the servant asks only a little more time to make the payment. The king grants him forgiveness of his debt. We as sinners dare not ask for more than a little respite, but the mercy of God is greater than our courage.

"But when the servant went out" - in other words, on his way out the door he finds the second servant. There has been no time to forget the mercy shown. Is this not the hardness of the human heart?

"Fellow servants" - the passage is set in the context of a discussion of church discipline. Perhaps this might even be applied for refusing to forgive!

The king calls him "wicked" - but only after his refusal to forgive. Not his debts, but his heart is shown.

The king has tried kindness; now he must resort to punishment. God wills that we learn forgiveness from his example to us. But if we will not, then comes punishment.

That punishment is eternal; for how is this debtor to pay when he is in jail being tortured? So one may see a picture of hell.

We are to show our brothers mercy "from the heart." This is not a command to forgive a certain number of times, keeping careful record. Nor is it a ritual of forgiveness, but the pure mercy of God flowing through the human heart. The primary duty of man is the imitation of God, whose mercy endures forever.

Is there one this day for whom you have no forgiveness? Read this again. The words are plain, the truth simple. If you will not forgive, you will not be forgiven—forever.

　

Remind God of His Promise

"And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good" (Gen_32:12)

This is the sure way of prevailing with the LORD in prayer. We may humbly remind Him of what He has said. Our faithful God will never run back from His word, nor will He leave it unfulfilled; yet He loves to be enquired of by His people and put in mind of His promise. This is refreshing to their memories, reviving to their faith, and renewing to their hope. God's Word is given, not for His sake, but for ours. His purposes are settled, and He needs nothing to bind Him to His design of doing His people good; but He gives the promise for our strengthening and comfort. Hence He wishes us to plead it and say to Him, "Thou saidst."

 

"I will surely do thee good" is just the essence of all the LORD's gracious sayings. Lay a special stress on the word surely. He will do us good, real good, lasting good, only good, every good. He will make us good, and this is to do us good in the very highest degree. He will treat us as He does his saints while we are here, and that is good. He will soon take us to be with Jesus and all His chosen, and that is supremely good. With this promise in our hearts we need not fear angry Esau nor anyone else. If the LORD will do us good, who can do us hurt?

Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a tax collector. (Mat 18:15-17)

In the context of not allowing his little ones to be led into sin, Jesus now gives us instructions for church discipline. First, he says, we should go privately:

If for no other reason that this: if we're wrong, we won't be nearly so embarrassed.

By the same token, if he's wrong, we will not have stirred up his pride, and made things worse.

Consider too: if you have been wounded by him, and he doesn't know it, should you not prevent the next shot?

Why don't we do this?

Because we are afraid that our brother will be mad at us. But recall that perfect love casts out fear.

It may also be that our own sins are sufficient to haunt us. We do not go as judges, but as physicians—and the greater our sins, the more sincere our warning.

Is there any real harm in just letting it alone?
 

If we do, do we not condone the sin implicitly?

And do we not allow a bad situation to become worse?

Is it not possible that we are not the only victims—just the only known victims? Would you not have mercy on those unknown brothers?

If we fail to do this, does this not show a lack of love for our Christian brother—and thus for our Lord?

Warning: we are not to

Start by telling others. It says "just between the two.."

Criticize. We are here to heal, not destroy.

Go in self-love ("I'm so hurt") but in love of our brother.

You are to show your brother his fault . Not his sinfulness; his fault. The sin is to be exposed, the sinner to be loved. Does this sound fishy? How would you like it done if you were on the receiving end? Then go and do likewise.

Even if we need to escalate to other brothers, or even the whole church, the object is the same: the repentance (and forgiveness) of our Christian brother. Jesus did not say this was easy. He did say it is required. Better sooner than later, better one than a crowd, better a sinner restored than an outcast.

Commonest Things Blessed

"Ye shall serve the LORD your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water" (Exo_23:25)

What a promise is this! To serve God is in itself a high delight. But what an added privilege to have the blessing of the LORD resting upon us in all things! Our commonest things become blessed when we ourselves are consecrated to the LORD. Our LORD Jesus took bread and blessed it; behold, we also eat of blessed bread. Jesus blessed water and made it wine: the water which we drink is far better to us than any of the wine with which men make merry; every drop has a benediction in it. The divine blessing is on the man of God in everything, and it shall abide with him at every time.

What if we have only bread and water! Yet it is blessed bread and water. Bread and water we shall have. That is implied, for it must be there for God to bless it. "Thy bread shall be given thee, and thy waters shall be sure." With God at our table, we not only ask a blessing, but we have one. It is not only at the altar but at the table that He blesses us. He serves those well who serve Him well. This table blessing is not of debt but of grace. Indeed, there is a trebled grace; He grants us grace to serve Him, by His grace feeds us with bread, and then in His grace blesses it.

God's Treasury

The LORD shall open unto thee His good treasure" (Deu_28:12)

This refers first to the rain. The LORD will give this in its season. Rain is the emblem of all those celestial refreshings which the LORD is ready to bestow upon His people. Oh, for a copious shower to refresh the LORD's heritage!

We seem to think that God's treasury can only be opened by a great prophet like Elijah, but it is not so, for this promise is to all the faithful in Israel, and, indeed, to each one of them. O believing friend, "the LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure." Thou, too, mayest see heaven opened and thrust in thy hand and take out thy portion, yea, and a portion for all thy brethren round about thee. Ask what thou wilt, and thou shalt not be denied if thou abidest in Christ and His words abide in thee.

As yet thou has not known all thy LORD's treasures, but He shall open them up to thine understanding. Certainly thou hast not yet enjoyed the fullness of His covenant riches, but He will direct thine heart into His love and reveal Jesus in thee. Only the LORD Himself can do this for thee; but here is His promise, and if thou wilt hearken diligently unto His voice and obey His will, His riches in glory by Christ Jesus shall be thine.

We Dare Not Doubt

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron" (Isa_45:2)

This was for Cyrus; but it is evermore the heritage of all the LORD's own spiritual servants. Only let us go forward by faith, and our way will be cleared for us. Crooks and turns of human craft and satanic subtlety shall be straightened for us; we shall not need to track their devious windings. The gates of brass shall be broken, and the iron bars which fastened them shall be cut asunder. We shall not need the battering ram nor the crowbar: the LORD Himself will do the impossible for us, and the unexpected shall be a fact.

Let us not sit down in coward fear. Let us press onward in the path of duty, for the LORD hath said it: "I will go before thee." Ours not to reason why; ours but to dare and dash forward. It is the LORD's work, and He will enable us to do it: all impediments must yield before Him. Hath He not said, "I will break in pieces the gates of brass"? What can hinder His purpose or balk His decrees? Those who serve God have infinite resources. The way is clear to faith though barred to human strength. When Jehovah says, "I will," as He does twice in this promise, we dare not doubt.

Elijah

 

And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist.

(Mat 17:10-13)
   

The disciples, having had a little time to think over the Transfiguration, are now confused.

The matter is relatively simple in their minds. The very last words of the Old Testament, the last two verses in Malachi, tell that before the Messiah comes, Elijah will come first. They have just seen Elijah. So the question is not, "Who is this Elijah?" but "Why didn't he come first?"

Jesus explains it quite simply. At this time, the reference is to John the Baptist. This is not a tacked-on identification. John's father, Zechariah, had a visit from Gabriel before John was born. Gabriel told him that John would work in the spirit and power of Elijah. So while John himself explicitly disclaimed being Elijah—he said instead he was "the voice crying in the wilderness" as prophesied by Isaiah—he was doing the work of Elijah in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Hidden in this meaning is the question of Christ's second coming. We know that he came in meekness the first time, and will come in power and glory the second. So the question arises: has Malachi's prophecy about Elijah been fulfilled, or not?

Perhaps we can say both yes and no. Yes, it has been fulfilled for the first advent, but no, not for the second. At least not as of this writing, for no man knows the hour of Christ's coming. It is interesting, however, to note that the early church fathers (Chrysostom and Jerome, explicitly) held that Elijah would come in the flesh—the very self same Elijah who was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Some say this cannot be; others say it must.

But one thing is certain: the signs of the times will be clear to those who have eyes to see. His return will come as no surprise to the faithful.

Meanwhile, we have the matter of suffering. As John suffered and died at the hands of Herod, so Jesus will suffer and die as well. Our Lord points this out to his disciples by way of warning, so that they will not be surprised by his death. But this works both ways: as John and Jesus suffered before, so shall Elijah and Christ be triumphant later. Suffering is still the lot of the Christian—the servant is not above the master—for our Lord has not yet begun his return. We should therefore not be surprised if things turn even worse than they are today. But let us not lose sight of what is to come: the return in glory of our Lord. Does the literal Elijah precede him? Who can say? But our Lord's return is certain.

Paradox

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mat 16:24)
 

Peter has just been rebuked for telling his Lord to take the easy way out. His Lord will now give him the right way.

The saying seems hard; but note that our Lord uses no compulsion—"if anyone." If you can't see the blessing, why would you do this? So let us consider first the price.

Deny himself

The phrase might best be turned around to "self-denial." But that really doesn't capture the meaning. Consider what it is to deny someone else. Suppose your child is arrested, again, for drunk driving. He appeals to you to bail him out of jail. You refuse; in so doing, you deny him. The test here is the same: will you refuse to take the easy way out of suffering for the cause of Christ?

It may also mean to push down your pride; to be humiliated for the cause. It is essentially a negative thing: a "don't."

Take up his cross

If "deny" is negative, "take" is positive. It means that you will do more than "put up with." You will actively do things which are painful, even to death.

To "take up" the cross starts with carrying it to the place of execution. By this Christ means that we are actively to work for his kingdom, at our own expense, life long.

But the cross ends in death, and if need be, we should be willing to die for the kingdom of God.

The Greek word used here carries with it the idea of take up the cross "at once, immediately." We are not to delay.

Follow me

The Greek in this case does not carry the idea of "immediately" but of "continuously." Anyone can suffer for their own sins and stupidity; we are to face suffering and death for the cause of Christ.

Why?

If you've ever been in the army, you know that the training is tough—because in combat, you will need that training. It is no kindness to train combat soldiers to be soft and lazy. Our Lord tells us the same here: to live in pride and ease—in what Paul calls the "carnal nature" - is not wisdom, but foolishness. The choice is our pride and comfort versus his kingdom; that same choice is life in this world alone versus life eternal. The choice is entirely voluntary. The choice is yours.

No Need to Stint

"The upright shall have good things in possession" (Pro_28:10)

The book of Proverbs is also a book of promises. Promises ought to be proverbs among the people of God. This is a very remarkable one. We are accustomed to think of our good things as in reversion, but here we are told that we shall have them in possession. Not all the malice and cunning of our enemies can work our destruction: they shall fall into the pit which they have digged. Our inheritance is so entailed upon us that we shall not be kept out of it, nor so turned out of the way as to miss it. But what have we now? We have a quiet conscience through the precious blood of Jesus.

We have the love of God set upon us beyond all change. We have power with God in prayer in all time of need. We have the providence of God to watch over us, the angels of God to minister to us, and, above all, the Spirit of God to dwell in us. In fact, all things are ours. "Whether things present or things to come: all are yours." Jesus is ours. Yea, the divine Trinity in unity is ours. Hallelujah. Let us not pine and whine and stint and slave, since we have good things in possession. Let us live on our God and rejoice in Him all the day. Help us, 0 Holy Ghost!

We Receive as We Give

 "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy" (Mat_5:7)

It is not meet that the man who will not forgive should be forgiven, nor shall he who will not give to the poor have his own wants relieved. God will measure to us with our own bushels, and those who have been hard masters and hard creditors will find that the LORD will deal hardly with them. "He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy."

This day let us try to give and to forgive. Let us mind the two bears - bear and forbear. Let us be kind, gentle, and tender. Let us not put harsh constructions upon men's conduct, nor drive hard bargains, nor pick foolish quarrels, nor be difficult to please. Surely we wish to be blessed, and we also want to obtain mercy: let us be merciful, that we may have mercy. Let us fulfill the condition, that we may earn the beatitude. Is it not a pleasant duty to be kind? Is there not much more sweetness in it than in being angry and ungenerous? Why, there is a blessedness in the thing itself! Moreover, the obtaining of mercy is a rich reward. What but sovereign grace could suggest such a promise as this. We are merciful to our fellow mortal in pence, and the LORD forgives us "all the debt."

God's High Places

"I will set him on high, because he hath known My Name" (Psa_91:14)

Does the LORD say this to me? Yes, if I have known His name. Blessed be the LORD, I am no stranger to Him. I have tried Him, proved Him, and known Him, and therefore do I trust Him. I know His name as a sin-hating God, for by His Spirit's convincing power I have been taught that He will never wink at evil. But I also know Him as the sin-pardoning God in Christ Jesus, for He has forgiven me all trespasses. His name is faithfulness, and I know it, for He has never forsaken me though my troubles have multiplied upon me.

This knowledge is a gift of grace, and the LORD makes it to be the reason why He grants another grace-gift, namely, setting on high. This is grace upon grace. Observe that if we climb on high, the position may be dangerous; but if the LORD sets us there it is safe. He may raise us to great usefulness, to eminent experience, to success in service, to leadership among workers, to a father's place among the little ones. If He does not do this, He may set us on high by near fellowship, clear insight, holy triumph, and gracious anticipation of eternal glory. When God sets us on high, Satan himself cannot pull us down. Oh, that this may be our case all through this day!

Surgery for Healing

"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up" (Hos_6:1)

It is the LORD's way to tear before He heals. This is the honest love of His heart and the sure surgery of His hand. He also bruises before He binds up, or else it would be uncertain work. The law comes before the gospel, the sense of need before the supply of it. Is the reader now under the convincing, crushing hand of the Spirit? Has he received the spirit of bondage again to fear? This is a salutary preliminary to real gospel healing and binding up.

Do not despair, dear heart, but come to the LORD with all thy jagged wounds, black bruises, and running sores. He alone can heal, and He delights to do it. It is our LORD's office to bind up the brokenhearted, and He is gloriously at home at it. Let us not linger but at once return unto the LORD from whom we have gone astray. Let us show Him our gaping wounds and beseech him to know His own work and complete it. Will a surgeon make an incision and then leave his patient to bleed to death? Will the LORD pull down our old house and then refuse to build us a better one? Dost Thou ever wantonly increase the misery of poor anxious souls? That be far from Thee, O LORD.

Day Is at Hand

"And I will give him the Morning Star" (Rev_2:28)

Until the day break and the shadows flee away, what a blessing it is to see in Jesus "the morning star"! I remember when we read in the newspapers the idle tale that the star of Bethlehem had again appeared. On inquiry we found that it was only "the morning star"; but no great mistake had been made after all.

It is best to see Jesus as the sun; but when we cannot do so, the next best thing is to see Him as that star which prophesies the day and shows that the eternal light is near at hand. If I am not today all that I hope to be, yet I see Jesus, and that assures me that I shall one day be like Him. A sight of Jesus by faith is the pledge of beholding Him in His glory and being transformed into His image. If I have not at this hour all the light and joy I could desire, yet I shall have it; for as surely as I see the morning star I shall see the day. The morning star is never far from the sun.

Come, my soul, has the LORD given thee the morning star? Dost thou hold fast that truth, grace, hope, and love which the LORD has given thee? Then in this thou hast the dawn of coming glory. He that makes thee overcome evil, and persevere in righteousness, has therein given thee the morning star.

Servants Honored

 "Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof; so he that waiteth on his master shall be honored" (Pro_27:18)

He who tends the fig tree has figs for his pains, and he who waits on a good master has honor as his reward. Truly the LORD Jesus is the very best of masters, and it is an honor to be allowed to do the least act for His sake. To serve some lords is to watch over a crab tree and eat the crabs as one's wages; but to serve the LORD Jesus is to keep a fig tree of the sweetest figs. His service is in itself delight, continuance in it is promotion, success in it is blessedness below, and the reward for it is glory above.

Our greatest honors will be gathered in that season when the figs will be ripe, even in the next world. Angels who are now our servitors will bear us home when our day's work is done. Heaven, where Jesus is, will be our honorable mansion, eternal bliss our honorable portion, and the LORD Himself our honorable companion. Who can imagine the full meaning of this promise: "He that waiteth on his master shall be honored"?

LORD, help me to wait upon my Master. Let me leave all idea of honor to the hour when Thou Thyself shalt honor me. May the Holy Spirit make me a lowly, patient worker and waiter!

Wait for the Finals

 "Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last" (Gen_49:19)

Some of us have been like the tribe of Gad. Our adversaries for a while were too many for us; they came upon us like a troop. Yes, and for the moment they overcame us; and they exulted greatly because of their temporary victory. Thus they only proved the first part of the family heritage to be really ours, for Christ's people, like Dan, shall have a troop overcoming them. This being overcome is very painful, and we should have despaired if we had not by faith believed the second line of our father's benediction, "He shall overcome at the last." "All's well that ends well," said the world's poet; and he spoke the truth. A war is to be judged, not by first success or defeats, but by that which happens "at the last." The LORD will give to truth and righteousness victory "at the last"; and, as Mr. Bunyan says, that means forever, for nothing can come after the last.

What we need is patient perseverance in well-doing, calm confidence in our glorious Captain. Christ, our LORD Jesus, would teach us His holy art of setting the face like a flint to go through with work or suffering till we can say, "It is finished." Hallelujah. Victory! Victory! We believe the promise. "He shall overcome at the last."

Fear Only God

"So that we may boldly say, The LORD is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb_13:6)

Because God will never leave nor forsake us, we may well be content with such things as we have. Since the LORD is ours, we cannot be left without a friend, a treasure, and a dwelling place. This assurance may make us feel quite independent of men. Under such high patronage we do not feel tempted to cringe before our fellowmen and ask of them permission to call our lives our own; but what we say we boldly say and defy contradiction.

He who fears God has nothing else to fear. We should stand in such awe of the living LORD that all the threats that can be used by the proudest persecutor should have no more effect upon us than the whistling of the wind. Man in these days cannot do so much against us as he could when the apostle wrote the verse at the head of this page. Racks and stakes are out of fashion. Giant evil cannot burn the pilgrims now. If the followers of false teachers try cruel mockery and scorn, we do not wonder at it, for the men of this world cannot love the heavenly seed. What then? We must bear the world's scorn. It breaks no bones. God helping us, let us be bold; and when the world rages, let it rage, but let us not fear it.

Trust Means Joy

 "For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His Holy Name" (Psalm 33:21)


The root of faith produces the flower of heart-joy. We may not at the first rejoice, but it comes in due time. We trust the LORD when we are sad, and in due season He so answers our confidence that our faith turns to fruition, and we rejoice in the LORD. Doubt breeds distress, but trust means joy in the long run.

The assurance expressed by the psalmist in this verse is really a promise held out in the hands of holy confidence. Oh, for grace to appropriate it. If we do not rejoice at this moment, yet we shall do so, as surely as David's God is our God.

Let us meditate upon the LORD's holy name that we may trust Him the better and rejoice the more readily. He is in character holy, just, true, gracious, faithful, and unchanging. Is not such a God to be trusted? He is all wise, almighty, and everywhere present; can we not cheerfully rely upon Him? Yes, we will do so at once and do so without reserve. Jehovah-Jireh will provide; Jehovah-Shalom will send peace; Jehovah-Tsidkenu will justify; Jehovah-Shammah will be forever near; and in Jehovah-Nissi we will conquer every foe. They that know Thy name will trust Thee; and they that trust Thee will rejoice in Thee, O LORD.

Help Wanted

"Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive" (Mat_20:7)

Yes, there is work in Christ's vineyard for old bodies. It is the eleventh hour, and yet He will let us work. What grace is this! Surely every old man ought to jump at this invitation! After men are advanced in years nobody wants them as servants; they go from shop to shop, and employers look at their gray hairs and shake their heads. But Jesus will engage old people and give them good wages, too! This is mercy indeed. LORD, help the aged to enlist in Thy service without an hour's delay.

But will the LORD pay wages to worn-out old men? Do not doubt it. He says He will give you what is right if you will work in His field. He will surely give you grace here and glory hereafter. He will grant present comfort and future rest; strength equal to your day and a vision of glory when the night of death comes on. All these the LORD Jesus will as freely give to the aged convert as to one who enters His service in his youth.

Let me tell this to some unsaved old man or old woman and pray the LORD to bless it for Jesus' sake. Where can I find such persons? I will be on the lookout for them and kindly tell them the news.

Let No Evil Remain

"And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers" (Deu_13:17)

Israel must conquer idolatrous cities and destroy all the spoil, regarding all that had been polluted by idolatry as an accursed thing to be burned with fire. Now, sin of all sorts must be treated by Christians in the same manner. We must not allow a single evil habit to remain. It is now war to the knife with sins of all sorts and sizes, whether of the body, the mind, or the spirit. We do not look upon this giving up of evil as deserving mercy, but we regard it as a fruit of the grace of God, which we would on no account miss.

When God causes us to have no mercy on our sins, then He has great mercy on us. When we are angry with evil, God is no more angry with us. When we multiply our efforts against iniquity, the LORD multiplies our blessings. The way of peace, of growth, of safety, of joy in Christ Jesus will be found by following out these words: "There shall nought of the cursed thing cleave to thine hand." LORD, purify me this day. Compassion, prosperity, increase, and joy will surely be given to those who put away sin with solemn resolution.

Cure for Envy

"Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cast off" (Pro. 23:17-18)

When we see the wicked prosper we are apt to envy them. When we hear the noise of their mirth and our own spirit is heavy, we half think that they have the best of it. This is foolish and sinful. If we knew them better, and specially if we remembered their end, we should pity them.

The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the divine presence, worshiping God and communing with Him all the day long, however long the day may seem. True religion lifts the soul into a higher region, where the judgment becomes more clear and the desires are more elevated. The more of heaven there is in our lives, the less of earth we shall covet. The fear of God casts out envy of men.

The deathblow of envy is a calm consideration of the future. The wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous appearance flashes out for an hour and then is extinguished. What is the prosperous sinner the better for his prosperity when judgment overtakes him? As for the godly man, his end is peace and blessedness, and none can rob him of his joy; wherefore, let him forgo envy and be filled with sweet content.