성령 안에 있는 의와 평강과 희락(롬14:17)

THE PASSION OF PATIENCE “Though it tarry, wait for it.” Habakkuk 2:3 Patience is not indifference; patience conveys the idea of an immensely strong rock withstanding all onslaughts. The vision of God is the source of patience, because it imparts a moral inspiration. Moses endured, not because he had an ideal of right and duty, but because he had a vision of God. He “endu..

INSIGHT NOT EMOTION “I have to lead my life in faith, without seeing Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:7, MOFFATT For a time we are conscious of God’s attentions, then, when God begins to use us in His enterprises, we take on a pathetic look and talk of the trials and the difficulties, and all the time God is trying to make us do our duty as obscure people. None of us would be obscu..

THE SPONTANEITY OF LOVE “Love suffereth long, and is kind ....” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways. There is nothing of mathematical certainty in Paul’s category of love. We cannot say—“Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things.” The characteristic of love is spontan..

THE GRACIOUSNESS OF UNCERTAINTY “It doth not yet appear what we shall be.” 1 John 3:2 Naturally, we are inclined to be so mathematical and calculating that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We imagine that we have to reach some end, but that is not the nature of spiritual life. The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty, consequently we d..

WHAT YOU WILL GET “Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.” Jeremiah 45:5 This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him —‘I will give thee thy life.’ What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. ‘Thy life for a prey’ means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come ..

WHAT DO YOU WANT? “Seekest thou great things for thyself?” Jeremiah 45:5 Are you seeking great things for yourself? Not seeking to be a great one, but seeking great things from God for yourself. God wants you in a closer relationship to Himself than receiving His gifts, He wants you to get to know Him. A great thing is accidental, it comes and goes. God never gives us anyt..

THE SUPREME CLIMB “Take now thy son... and offer him there for a burnt-offer- ing upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.“ Genesis 22:2 Character determines how a man interprets God’s will (cf. Psalm 18:25-26). Abraham interpreted God’s command to mean that he had to kill his son, and he could only leave this tradition behind by the pain of a tremendous or..

INSTANT IN SEASON "Be instant in season, out of season." 2 Timothy 4:2 Many of us suffer from the morbid tendency to be instant “out of season.” The season does not refer to time, but to us. “Be instant in season, out of season,” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would do nothing for ever and ever. There are unemploya..

THE WARNING AGAINST WANTONING "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you." Luke 10:20 As Christian workers, worldliness is not our snare, sin is not our snare, but spiritual wantoning is, viz.: taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in, making eyes at spiritual success. Never court anything other than the approval of God, go ..

THE WORSHIP OF THE WORK “Labourers together with God." 1 Corinthians 3:9 Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a ch..