He is altogether lovely!

“He is altogether lovely.”

2Cor_3:7-18
The apostle Paul gathers instruction from the veiled face of Moses, and presents it to us in 2 Cor_3:7-8.

1Cor_3:8
Moses taught the letter—the outward signs and details of rule and order—but the gospel reveals the inner secret, the essence, the spirit of truth; surely this is more glorious than forms. Babes in knowledge may be most impressed with the glory which blazes before the eye, but men esteem most that inner light of spiritual beauty which irradiates the soul.
1Cor_3:9
The law only reveals condemnation and death, how much more glorious is the gospel, which reveals righteousness and life! If the halberts and trumpets of a judge, when he opens an assize, are held in esteem, how much more the chariots of love and the banners of grace which adorn the procession of a beloved Prince!
1Cor_3:10
As the moon’s light is no more bright when the sun appears, so is Moses eclipsed by our Lord.
1Cor_3:11
Transient things can never, to the eyes of wisdom, shine with the same lustre as eternal realities. Sparks can never rival stars. It is the crowning excellence of the gospel that it shall never pass away. It is “the everlasting gospel”. Blessed be God for this.
Our Lord’s transfiguration was a visible token of the superior glory of the gospel, for not His face alone but His whole body glowed with a light excessive, which quite overpowered the three disciples. The glory of the gospel of grace astounds the angels, delights the perfect spirits, and deserves to be the constant theme of our reverent wonder. God in the gospel has laid open more of the glory of His nature and character than in all the world besides.
1Cor_3:12-14
The glory of the gospel, in the types, was too great for the Jews, and a veil was needed; and now, alas, the glory of the unveiled truth has quite confounded them; but it is not so with us, we delight in a plain, unveiled gospel.
1Cor_3:15
Or else they would clearly see Jesus revealed in their law, and would at once accept Him as Messiah. A veil over the intellect is bad, but a veil upon the heart is worst of all.
1Cor_3:16
Poor Israel shall yet see her Messiah. The heart-veil shall be removed by His Spirit.
1Cor_3:17
The Spirit of God forbids our standing afar off because of the terrible presence of the Lord, and gives us in lieu thereof liberty to draw near to our heavenly Father in the sweet familiarity of reverent love.
1Cor_3:18
Ours it is to possess a spiritual faith which looks into the inner truth, whose brightness is too great for unregenerate eyes. The Spirit of the Lord has brought us near to God, opened our purblind eyes, and given us to see the character of the Invisible God, and to become partakers of it.

Thou glorious Bridegroom of our hearts,
Thy radiant smile a heaven imparts;
Oh lift the veil, if veil there be.
Let thy redeem’d thy beauties see.

Then on our faces shall the sight
Kindle a blaze of holy light,
And men with awe-struck wonder see
The glory we derive from thee.

You are Christ’s!

“You are Christ’s.”
Exo_35:4-5; Exo_35:20-29
Exo_35:4-5
The Lord loves a cheerful giver. His revenues are His due, yet they are not levied as a tax, but given spontaneously by willing minds. Every Israelite should be a giver, for he is a receiver.
Exo_35:20
They went off at once to fetch their offering; promptness is a sign of willingness.
Exo_35:21
Some there were who loved their gold better than their God, but the majority were free hearted, and gave not of constraint but joyfully.
Exo_35:22
This is a good example. If Christian women would cast their ornaments into God’s treasury, and if godly men would present their superfluity of gold, there would be enough and to spare.
Exo_35:23
The gifts varied in value but not in acceptance; where they were willingly given they were graciously accepted.
Exo_35:25-26
Work is as good as material. The women worked with their best skill. When the needle is used for the Lord it ought to be the best needlework in the world.
Exo_35:29
Shall we allow those who were under the law to outstrip us who are under the gospel? Nay, rather let us far exceed them in gifts unto the Lord our God.
Paul gives admirable directions for contributing to the cause of God in
2Co_9:6-8
2Co_9:6
Both in temporals and spirituals men will find that this rule holds good. Those who stint the Lord stint themselves. Little give, little have.
2Co_9:8
Notice the many “alls” here, may we have them all, and then abound in giving.
1Co_16:2
1Co_16:2
This is the true Christian custom to lay by the Lord’s portion weekly and then give from the Lord’s purse to the various works which need our help. From the oldest to the youngest let us all be cheerful givers.

The mite my willing hands can give,
At Jesus’ feet I lay;
Grace shall the humble gift receive,
And heaven at last repay.

Ne’er shall thy service stand in need
While substance, Lord, is mine;
To give to thee is bliss indeed,
For all I have is thine.

THE REFINER'S FIRE

THE REFINER'S FIRE

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver" Mal_3:3.
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."1Pe_1:7.

NOTHING IS harder to bear than the apparent aimlessness of suffering.
They say that what breaks a convict's heart in jail is to set him to say carry stones from one side of the prison to the other, and then back again! But we must never look upon the trials of life as punishments, because all penalty was borne by our Lord Himself. They are intended to destroy the weeds and rubbish of our natures, as the bonfires do in the gardens. Christ regards us in the light of our eternal interests, of which He alone can judge. If you and I knew what sphere we were to fullfil in the other world, we should understand the significance of His dealings with us, as now we cannot do. The Refiner has a purpose in view, of which those who stand beside Him are ignorant, and, therefore, they are unable to judge the process which He is employing.

Dare to believe that Christ is working to a plan in your life. He loves you, so be patient! He would not take so much trouble unless He knew that it was worth while. "We do not prune brambles, or cast common stones into the crucible or plough sea-sands!" You must be capable of some special service, which can only be done by a carefully-prepared instrument, and so Christ sits beside you as the 
Refiner, year after year, that you may miss nothing.
Whilst the Fire is hot keep conversing with the Refiner. Ponder these words: "He shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of silver." The thought is specially suitable for those who cannot make long prayers, but they can talk to Christ as He sits beside them. Nicholas Hermann tells us that, as he could not concentrate his mind on prolonged prayer, he gave up set times of prayer and sought constant conversations with Christ. Speak to Him, then, in the midst of your daily toil. He hears the unspoken prayer, and catches your whispers. Talk to Christ about your trials, sorrows, and anxieties! Make Him your Confidant in your joy and happiness! Nothing makes Him so real as to talk to Him aloud about everything!

PRAYER
Let the Fire of Thy Love consume in me all sinful desires of the flesh and of the mind, that I may henceforth continually abide in Jesus Christ my Lord, and seek the things where He sits at Thy right hand. AMEN.

The New Covenant of Grace: A Holy Spirit Covenant

The New Covenant of Grace: A Holy Spirit Covenant

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgement's and do them.  (Eze_36:26-27)
As noted earlier, the new covenant is about grace, as contrasted with the old covenant, which is about law. "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John_1:17). The connection between grace and the Holy Spirit can be seen in various scripture passages on the new covenant, including this glorious prophecy. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." 

The first verse in this prophetic promise concerns regeneration, spiritual new birth. Through faith in the Lord, our original, hard, lifeless heart is removed, and a new, pliable, living spirit is given to us. 
The second verse pertains to transformation, the ongoing development of this new life. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes." The developing of a life that increasingly complies with the will of God depends upon the work of the Holy Spirit within us. We know that un-redeemed humanity has no hope of living a life that is pleasing to God. Yet, many Christians could be unaware that even the new creature in Christ cannot please God on his own resources. The Spirit of God must be the heavenly cause that produces a heavenly lifestyle in believers. 
What is promised here is not an automatic experience. The life of many Christians does not consistently match what is described here in Eze_36:27. The reason is that they are not relating properly to the Lord in humble dependence. Yes, these two relational realities (humility and faith) also determine whether or not the Spirit of God is our resource, just as they were determinative concerning grace. 
Two statements by Jesus expound upon this fact. "You have no life in you . . . It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing". We do not innately possess life as God intends it to be lived. Natural human resources are of no benefit in developing a godly life. Such revelation is very humbling. If we embrace Jesus' evaluation of our personal inadequacy, then we are willing to relate to God in humility. Further, there is truth in which we are to place our trust. "It is the Spirit who gives life."  As we count on this truth, we are relating to the Lord in faith. The result of such humble reliance is God's Spirit becomes our vitality for living godly.

O Lord, the source of true life, thank You for establishing such a gracious arrangement as the new covenant. I praise You that Your Holy Spirit is my heavenly dynamic for godliness. I confess that my fleshly attempts to please You are so inadequate. I humbly ask You to cause me to walk in Your good will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Promise of Another Helper!

John 14:17  This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! 
John 14:18  "I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. 
John 14:19  In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you're going to see me because I am alive and you're about to come alive. 
John 14:20  At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in my Father, and you're in me, and I'm in you. 
John 14:21  "The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that's who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him." 

John 14:15-26

The Promise of Another Helper (14:15-26)

14:15   The Lord Jesus was about to leave His disciples, and they would be filled with sorrow. How would they be able to express their love to Him? The answer was by keeping His commandments. Not by tears, but by obedience. The commandments of the Lord are the instructions which He has given us in the Gospels, as well as the rest of the NT.

14:16   The word translated pray that is used here of our Lord is not the same word used to describe an inferior praying to a superior, but of one making request of his equal. The Lord would pray the Father to send another Helper. The word Helper (Paraclete) means one called to the side of another to help. It is also translated Advocate (1Jo_2:1). The Lord Jesus is our Advocate or Helper, and the Holy Spirit is another Helper—not another of a different kind, but another of similar nature. The Holy Spirit would abide with believers forever. In the OT, the Holy Spirit came upon men at various times, but often left them. Now He would come to remain forever.

14:17   The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth because His teaching is true and He glorifies Christ who is the truth. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit because it cannot see Him. Unbelievers want to see before they will believe—although they believe in wind and electricity, and yet they cannot see them. The unsaved do not know or understand the Holy Spirit. He may convict them of sin, and yet they do not know that it is He. The disciples knew the Holy Spirit. They had known Him to work in their own lives and had seen Him working through the Lord Jesus.

“He dwells with you, and will be in you.” Before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon men and dwelt with them. But since Pentecost, when a man believes on the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up His abode in that man's life forever. The prayer of David, “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me,” would not be suitable today. The Holy Spirit is never taken from a believer, although He may be grieved, or quenched, or hindered.

14:18   The Lord would not leave His disciples as orphans, or desolate. He would come to them again. In one sense, He came to them after His resurrection, but it is doubtful if that is what is meant. In another sense, He came to them in the Person of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. This spiritual coming is the true meaning here. “There was something about Pentecost which made it a coming of Jesus.” In a third sense, He will literally come to them again at the end of this age, when He will take His chosen ones home to heaven.

14:19   No unbeliever saw the Lord Jesus after His burial. After He was raised, He was seen only by those who loved Him. But even after His Ascension, His disciples continued to see Him by faith. This is doubtless meant by the words “but you will see Me.” After the world could no longer see Him, His disciples would continue to see Him. “Because I live, you will live also.” Here He was looking forward to His resurrection life. It would be the pledge of life for all who trusted Him. Even if they should die, they would be raised again to die no more.

14:20   “At that day” probably refers again to the descent of the Holy Spirit. He would instruct believers in the truth that just as there was a vital link between the Son and the Father, so there would be a marvelous union of life and interests between Christ and His saints. It is difficult to explain how Christ is in the believer, and the believer is in Christ at the same time. The usual illustration is of a poker in the fire. Not only is the poker in the fire, but the fire is in the poker. But this does not tell the full story. Christ is in the believer in the sense that His life is communicated to him. He actually dwells in the believer through the Holy Spirit. The believer is in Christ in the sense that he stands before God in all the merit of the Person and work of Christ.

14:21   The real proof of one's love to the Lord is obedience to His commandments. It is useless to talk about loving Him if we do not want to obey Him. In one sense, the Father loves all the world. But He has a special love for those who love His Son. Those are also loved by Christ, and He makes Himself known to them in a special way. The more we love the Savior, the better we shall know Him.

14:22   The Judas mentioned here had the misfortune to have the same name as the traitor. But the Spirit of God kindly distinguished him from Iscariot. He could not understand how the Lord could appear to the disciples without also being seen by the world. Doubtless He thought of the Savior's coming as that of a conquering King or popular Hero. He did not understand that the Lord would manifest Himself to His own in a spiritual manner. They would see Him by faith through the Word of God.

By the Spirit of God, we can actually know Christ better today than the disciples knew Him when He was on earth. When He was here, those in the front of the crowd were closer to Him than those in the rear. But today, by faith, each of us can enjoy the closest of fellowship with Him. Christ's answer to Judas' question shows that the promised manifestations to His individual followers is connected with the Word of God. Obedience to the Word will result in the coming and abiding of the Father and the Son.

14:23   If a person truly loves the Lord, he will want to keep all of His teachings, not just isolated commandments. The Father loves those who are willing to obey His Son without questions or reservations. Both Father and Son are especially near to such loving and obedient hearts.

14:24   On the other hand, those who do not love Him do not keep His sayings. And they are not only refusing the words of Christ, but those of the Father as well.

14:25   While He was with them, our Lord taught His disciples up to a certain point. He could not reveal more truth to them because they could not have taken it in.

14:26   But the Holy Spirit would reveal more. He was sent by the Father in the name of Christ on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit came in Christ's name in the sense that He came to represent Christ's interests on earth. He did not come to glorify Himself but to draw men and women to the Savior. “He will teach you all things,” said the Lord. He did this first of all through the spoken ministry of the apostles; then through the written Word of God which we have today. The Holy Spirit brings to remembrance all the things which the Savior had taught. Actually, the Lord Jesus seems to have presented in germ form all the teaching which is developed by the Holy Spirit in the rest of the New Testament.

The Wise Men and the Star

The Wise Men and the Star

There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him— Mat_2:1-2

God Speaks Our Language
One of the first lessons of this passage is that God speaks to men in ways they can understand. These Chaldeans had been stargazers from childhood; the study of the nightly heavens was their passion. They had watched the stars with a patience and an accuracy such as are never suffered to go unrewarded. And now by the aid of the stars they loved so well and on which they had meditated with such unwearied devotion, they are brought to the feet of the Infant in the manger. The shepherds were not Chaldeans, they were Jews. They had been trained in the doctrines of the angels. I dare say they never went out to the pasture at night without hoping to see some shimmer of angel's wings. So it was by the long expected voice of angels that the shepherds received the tidings of the Christ. But the Chaldeans had not learned the lore of angels; it was the lore of stars they were familiar with; God spake to the separate companies in separate voices, but the voices were those that each could understand. That is always true. His voice is as the sound of many waters. He is a Father, and you never heard of a father who took his children on his knee and answered their questions in Latin or in Greek. We shall never understand the Bible truly, nor shall we ever value aright all that we learned in childhood, until we have grasped this simple yet profound truth, that God speaks to men in ways they can understand.
People Led to Christ in Unlikely Ways
Another lesson of this passage is the unlikely ways in which men may be led to Jesus. We know that the prophets pointed to Jesus; so did the law—Christ was the end of the law. So did the sacrifices on the Jewish altars, and the stern summons to repentance of the Baptist. All these things were intended and adapted to guide men into the presence of Messiah, and multitudes journeyed to His presence so. But a star—do you think that was a likely leader? Is that the duty and the function of a star? Yet by a star, as surely as by the angels, were men conducted to Bethlehem. Let us be taught, then, that by unlooked-for ways men may be led to light and love and liberty. Let us never limit the power of the Almighty in opening up avenues to Jesus' feet. There are men who have heard a thousand sermons, and been deaf to the whole range of evangelical appeal, who have yet been won for Christ by a stray word in passing, or by some act of self-sacrificing kindness. There are women whom all the praise of the sanctuary has not moved, but who have been turned to God by the ceasing of childish laughter. The star is a type of the strange and unlooked-for ways in which men are led to the feet of Jesus Christ.
The Intense Curiosity of the Wise Men
A third lesson of this passage is the intense curiosity of these men about the King. Nothing would satisfy them but that they must leave home and kindred, and set out on a long and toilsome journey, and brave a hundred dangers on the road, all for the sake of worshiping Christ. Had it been a king of the whole East who had been promised them, I could have better understood their curiosity. For there is a strong desire in the heart of a loyal subject to get a glimpse of his own future sovereign. But it was not a king of Chaldea they were seeking—"Where is He that is called King of the Jews?" And when I think of that passionate inquiry for the unknown monarch of an alien race, and how they traveled hundreds of miles to see Him—and how they troubled Jerusalem about Him, and would not be baffled nor beaten in the search, I am amazed at the mysterious interest excited by the new-born Savior. The strange thing is that from that hour to this, that curiosity has never died away. In the whole of history Jesus is the supremely fascinating figure. More thoughts are directed to Jesus in one day than to Caesar or Napoleon in ten years. More books are written about Jesus now than about any hundred of earth's greatest men. There is an inexplicable mystery and charm about that simple Galilean figure; and the world is still as curious about Him as were the wise men when they saw His star.
Anxious Inquiries by Those Far Away
Again, the most anxious inquirers about Jesus were men who were very far away from Him. I wish you to compare these pilgrims from the East with the men gathered in the inn at Bethlehem. The Chaldeans were many a long mile away, and the company in the inn were at the manger. Yet it was not the latter band, it was the former, who were eager about the newborn Savior.
There were ninety-and-nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold,
But some were out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold.
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender shepherd's care—
yet who were the nearest to Jesus Christ that night—was it not those who were so far away? That is a parable of what often happens. At home, in the bosom of a Christian country, we are always in danger of careless unconcern. We are exposed to that worst indifference that springs from the dying of the sense of wonder. Meantime, from distant countries like Chaldea, come tidings of the kingdom being taken by violence. Once again the most anxious seekers are men whom we should say were far away.
The Apparent Insignificance of What They Found
Lastly, let us not fail to observe the apparent insignificance of what they found. When the Queen of Sheba set out from Arabia, and entered with her fine retinue into Jerusalem, she saw such lavish glory there that her heart sank under the wonder of it. But when the wise men from the East came to the inn, expecting perhaps some sight of royal majesty, they found in happy innocence—a Child. I wonder if they felt a touch of disappointment? Was it worthwhile to make that tedious journey, and this—this little Babe—the end of it? We know now that it was well worthwhile; that Infant of days was the eternal Lord. So there come times to everyone of us when we are tempted to ask, "Is all our effort worthwhile?" We pray and serve and struggle through the darkness, and the end of it all seems (as it were) a manger. But for us, too, the eternal dawn is coming when the King in His beauty shall meet us with a welcome; and I think we shall find then, like the wise men from the East, that the journey to Bethlehem was well worthwhile. morrison

The Shout of Grace!

The Shout of Grace!

“The glory of the latter house shall be greater than that of the former.” (Hag_2:9).

Apollos had captured our imaginations as he described the Rubble of Zerubbabel in great eloquence. And he stirred our hearts with faith and hope when he then made application of his message to our lives.

“In the old days great stories were written about the lives and lore of an ancient people who were chosen by God to bear His presence and message to the whole world,” Apollos said. “We see and learn in them many great truths for ourselves.

“They were not chosen because they were worthy; neither are we. They had no merits that qualified them to serve and represent God to the world; neither do we. They were stubborn and stiff-necked, disobedient and slow to understand; and so are we.

“But God loved them; and He loves us. He blessed them, and redeemed them. At times He humbled them, and then heard their cries and turned again to save them.

“The one epic story that illustrates this perhaps better than any other is The Return From Captivity, and the Rebuilding of the Temple.

“Seventy long years had passed slowly as the children of the Lord languished in Babylonian Captivity. The last sight they had of the City of the Great King was a fading memory of horror and shame. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar had invaded, ravaged, desecrated, destroyed, and burned much of the Holy City. Billowing plumes of blacken smoke rose high into the hot sky as the oil-coated rocks burned until nothing was left but charred stones covered in greasy dirt.

“The Temple of the Lord had now become the habitation of jackals, snakes, and assorted desert wildlife. And when things looked the most hopeless, God stepped in and wrought a miracle of resurrection.

“The king of the pagan nation in which God’s people were held captive had a change of heart toward God and let His people go. Moreover, he charged them in the name of the Lord to rebuild the Temple and the Holy City, raising it up out of the burnt ruins. And, get this – he provided them all the resources they would need out of his own royal treasury! It was miraculous indeed.

“The people rallied with a renewed faith and set out for the Holy City. They talked excitedly all along the way of their return; each day growing more and more enthusiastic about the job that lay before them.

“But then they saw The City. It was worse than they had imagined; far worse. In fact, it no longer even looked like a city at all. Rather, its appearance was that of a huge pile of disjointed rocks; burnt and covered with years of untouched dirt. The only signs of life were peasants who had established makeshift tent cities, strewn about the colossal debris. And there were the wild animals roaming freely amid the ruins.

 The challenge they faced in rebuilding a holy temple from the ruins of toppled debris is not at all different from what we face in seeing our own ruined and ravaged lives redeemed and set right before the Lord today.
we not lived in a long captivity to Confusion? Has not the Temple of the Lord been desecrated in our hearts and lives. Haven’t fires burned, and windstorms blown, and dust accumulated on the altars of our devotions to God? And does not a dark and intimidating presence taunt us with our powerlessness to do anything about it?

The word which God gave to Zerubbabel is now given to us. “It’s not by might, it’s not by power; but it is by My Spirit,” says the Lord.

And like those faithful re-builders of old, we too will lift The Shout of Grace up to heaven. Yes, we will boldly bear witness to the power of Christ at work in our lives, enabling us to be who God created us to be and to do what He has called us to do – right where we are.

“So, my dear friends and fellow-builders, take heart. Whatever obstacle it is that you face, stare it down and shout, “Grace! Grace!” For when you do so, you are actually releasing God’s empowering presence into the circumstance and He will work His wonders of love – redeeming your lives from the rubble of Zerubbabel!”

Then Apollos lifted his hand and spoke this blessing over us, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. (2Co_13:14).

When Apollos concluded he was joined on stage by all the other speakers. And we all stood and honored them for their faithful service and inspiring words.

Once the series of stimulating Lectures concluded and we all tarried in the lobby, interacting with the speakers and other groups who had also journeyed to this place called Grace. There was a deep sense of privilege in all our hearts for being in this place of Grace together.

“Across the Way from the Great Hall of Truth is Monumental Park,” Paul said. “Let’s all meet there tomorrow. There is going to be a concert you will not want to miss!”