Christ's sympathy He is the infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, gracious, just, holy, and unchangeable I AM! The last day of the year This is the last evening of the year! Mary might well complain of Martha! The carrion which professors can now feed upon! The funeral of all your sorrows! Grace Gems for MAY 2007 The presence of a loving God! Orthodox in creed--but heterodox in life! My politics! Three golden balls! Spoiled children! He was infinitely happy and glorious without us! Yes, He is altogether lovely! A far-off Hell is the dread of no man! A Bag, a Book, and a Bottle! The Infinite has become an infant! Short pithy quotes from the Puritan Thomas Brooks! Grace Gems for MAY 2007 The presence of a loving God! The hen which does not sit on her eggs! The bags will come to an end, long before the treasure is exhausted! Who cares for pebbles--when jewels glitter before him? A golden master-key! Today's Puritan AUDIO Devotional:
Thomas Brooks, "The devil's tennis ball!" On the sin of sloth.
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You will find it helpful to READ the text--as you listen to the audio.
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Oh! that I could behold my bleeding Lord with a weeping eye!
(Thomas Doolittle, "Love to Christ Necessary to Escape the Curse at His Coming!" 1693)
True hatred to sin must be mortal and destructive to sin. Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand--then will I slay my brother Jacob!" Genesis 27:41
Just so, the lover of Christ, who hates sin, is resolved to the destruction of it.
Shall not I aim at the death of that cursed sin--which was the death of my blessed Lord?
Shall I allow that sin to live in my heart--which would not allow Christ to live in the world?
Did sin shed my Savior's blood--and shall not I be avenged on my sin?
Did sin make my Savior groan, and sweat in a bloody agony--and shall I take delight therein?
My sins were . . .
the nails that fastened Him to the cross,
the spear that pierced His blessed side, and
the thorns that crowned His sacred head!
And shall I lodge sin in my bosom? Did Christ in love unto my soul--die for my sin; and shall not I, in love unto my Lord--put my sin to death?
Reader! Can you indulge in sin--and your soul not sigh, nor sob, nor grieve, nor groan? Can you sin--and make a sport at it, like a fool? "Fools make a mock at sin!" Proverbs 14:9. Oh loveless sinner! Did Christ bleed for sin--and do you laugh at it? Was Christ serious, and His soul sorrowful even to the death for sin--and do you make a sport of it?
If the fire of love to Christ were kindled in your bosom--would not the waters of sorrow run down your cheeks, and make you say: "Oh! What have I done--that I so long have slighted my loving Lord? Oh! What did I mean--to stop my ears against His calls of love and mercy; that I let Him stand outside my heart--when the world and Satan were admitted in? Did my Lord Jesus suffer for my sins--should I then continue sinning against my suffering Lord? Was He nailed to the tree for my sake--and must I yet wound Him more? Oh! that I could behold my bleeding Lord with a weeping eye! I am grieved, dear Savior, I am grieved--to remember how I slighted You, and trampled Your royal commands under my feet. O Lord, I blush and am ashamed, that I spurned Your tender compassion, that I undervalued Your invaluable love--and preferred the rubbish of this poor world, before such an incomparable Savior!"
Have you a sea of sin--and not a drop of sorrow for it? Surely you are the man who has not one ounce of sincere love to Jesus Christ!
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If you desire additional reading, we have posted Arthur Pink's very helpful two page article, "Take Heed What You Read".
