These Inward Trials- John Newton

I asked the Lord, that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request,
and by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
the hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,
`Wilt thou pursue Thy worm to death?’
`This in this way,’ the Lord replied,
`I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou mayst seek thy all in Me.’

By John Newton

Unsearchable Riches!!

The following post is a devotion by Charles Spurgeon. Read and be blessed.

"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8

My Master has riches beyond the count of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable! You may look, and study, and weigh, but Jesus is a greater Saviour than you think him to be when your thoughts are at the
greatest.

My Lord is more ready to pardon than you to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress. My Master is more willing to supply your wants than you are to confess them. Never tolerate low thoughts of my Lord Jesus. When you put the crown on his head, you will only crown
him with silver when he deserves gold.

My Master has riches of happiness to bestow upon you now. He can make you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside still waters. There is no music like the music of his pipe, when he is the Shepherd and you are the sheep, and you lie down at his feet. There is no love like his, neither earth nor heaven can match it.

To know Christ and to be found in him-oh! this is life, this is joy, this is marrow and fatness, wine on the lees well refined. My Master does not treat His servants churlishly; He gives to them as a king giveth to a king; He gives them two heavens-a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him for ever.

His unsearchable riches will be best known in eternity. He will give you on the way to heaven all you need; your place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks, your bread shall be given you, and your waters shall be sure; but it is there, THERE, where you shall hear the song of them that triumph, the shout of them that feast, and shall have a face-to-face view of the glorious and beloved One.

The unsearchable riches of Christ! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth, and the song for the harpers of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will tell out the good news to others.

On the discipline of commitment

While reading the book on 'The Discipline of Grace' by Jerry Bridges, there were certain things that deeply convicted me. It was on the discipline of commitment. The following sentences are taken from this book.

The Discipline of Commitment:
'I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.' Psalm 119:106

"When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a holy lifestyle or a set of moral values."
'Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship'. Romans 12:1

"When we sin we are more vexed at the lowering of our self-esteem than we are grieved at God's dishonor. We are surprised and irritated at our own lack of self-control in subjecting ourselves to unworthy habits.....The first cause is self-love, which is unable to stand the disappointment of not seeing ourselves in time of trial come out beautiful, erect and admirable."

William Law in his classic, 'A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, said, "And if you will here stop, and ask yourself, why you are not as [holy] as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance, nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

This doctrine does not suppose, that we have no need of divine grace, or that it is in our power to make ourselves perfect. It only supposes, that through the [lack] of a sincere intention of pleasing God in all our actions, we fall into such irregularities of life, as by the ordinary means of grace, we should have power to avoid."

Being gracious!

"Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends." Proverbs 17:9

This verse took me by surprise. So much wisdom hidden in God's word. Truly, "The unfolding of Your word gives light." As sinners, we are bound to hurt/get hurt and offend/get offended by our fellow believers on various occasions. It takes much grace and humility not to hold it against the one who has sinned against us.

When we deliberately 'choose' to conceal another person's sinful act committed against us, we seek love in the truest sense. We need to be wise in order to estimate whether the offense against us need to be considered.

I think, this offers a great opportunity for the believer(sinned against) to exercise forgiveness and emulate Christ Jesus our Lord! Whereas the sinning believer learns how to receive mercy and helps him/her to reconsider his/her sinful ways.

There is power, tremendous power in forgiveness. It gives a chance for the person to change. Grace is magnetic in its influence! But, if we repeat that particular matter and make it a point of discussion, it brings about separation. Maybe, one might get the desired justice, but a friend is lost in the process.

What a heavy price to pay!!
"A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city." Proverbs 18:19a