INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
"DANIEL WEBSTER"
"He began his career in law & then served his country as a statesman." "Perhaps best know for his oratory skills, Webster had a knack for stirring the hearts of an audience." "Jeremiah Mason... Mason taught Webster that it wasn't the use of fancy words that affected the listener; but rather the striking of the listener's heart through emotion." "He... ran for president every 4 years between 1836 & 1848." "Webster said: '...In the sight of our law the African slave-trader is a pirate & a felon; & in the sight of Heaven, an offender far beyond the ordinary depth of human guilt.'" "'...let civilized man henceforth have no communion with it.'" "One... critic of Webster was Ralph Waldo Emerson." "Webster said: 'From my earliest youth I have regarded slavery as a great moral & political evil. I think it unjust, repugnant to the natural equality of mankind, founded only in superior power, a standing & permanent conquest of the stronger over the weaker.'" "Reading Webster's letters & speeches through a spiritual lens reveals a man who had a great respect for the Word of God & the tenets of Christianity." "Webster once said: '...If clergymen in our day would return to the simplicity of the Gospel, & preach more to individuals & less to the crowd, there would not be so much complaint of the decline of true religion.'" "'Let us feel our personal responsibility, to the full extent of our power & influence, for the preservation of the principles of civil & religious liberty.'" "After several decades of service to his country, Webster's health began to deteriorate, & in 1852 he passed away at the age of 70." "...remembered as one of the greatest defenders of freedom & liberty." "'...my heart has always assured & reassured me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be Divine Reality.'"
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"NOAH WEBSTER"
"NOAH WEBSTER WAS NOT a Founding Father in the classical sense of the term. He was not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, nor was he a framer of the U.S. Constitution. He was, however, an American patriot." "He was a writer & an educator at heart." "In the fall of 1778... Webster graduated from Yale. "Webster's initial desire had been to study law, but the wartime environment & an impoverished economy required little use for lawyers. He went back to his first love: education." "The speller used in the schools of that day, Dilworth's New Guide to the English Tongue, was old-fashioned & distinctly British in grammar, composition, & bias. Webster decided that he would create a new - distinctly American - speller. In American Magazine, he wrote, 'The education of youth [is] an employment of more consequence than making laws & preaching the gospel, because it lays the foundation on which both law & gospel rest for success.'" "He... wanted textbooks that embraced American beliefs & convictions." "'...in civil society, political liberty consists in acting comformably to a sense of a majority of the society.'" "'...the whole society engages to protect each individual. In such a government a man is free & safe." "Tyranny is the exercise of some power over man, which is not warranted by law, or necessary for the public safety.'" "'Americans must cease to contend, to fear, & to hate, before they can realize the benefits of independence & government, or enjoy the blessings, which heaven has lavished, in rich profusion, upon this western world.'" "In 1806, he published his first dictionary entitled A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language." "In 1807, a large revival erupted at the Congregational Church of New Haven, Connecticut. Webster's wife & daughter attended one of the meetings & were so moved by it, they convinced Webster to join them the following night. He have his heart to the Lord." "Now reborn, Webster became vocal about his newfound faith." "'I closed my books, yielded to the influence, which could not be resisted or mistaken & was led by a spontaneous impulse to repentance, prayer, & entire submission & surrender of myself to my maker & redeemer. My submission appeared to be cheerful & was soon followed by that peace of mind which the world can neither give nor take away.'" "'I now began to understand & relish many parts of the scriptures, which before appeared mysterious & unintelligible, or repugnant to my natural pride.'" "'...in short my view of the scriptures, of religion, of the whole christian scheme of salvation, & of God's moral government, are very much changed, & my heart yields with delight & confidence to whatever appears to be the divine will.'" "'I now see in full evidence, the enormous crime, the greatest, man can commit against his God, of resisting the influence of his holy Spirit. Every sting of conscience must be considered as a direct call from God to obey his commands; how much more then ought man to yield to those pungent & powerful convictions of sin which are unequivocally sent to chastize his disobedience & compel him to return to his Heavenly Father.'" "Over the next 20 years, Webster learned more than 20 languages in an effort to authenticate each definition in his dictionary, including its etymology & root language. He also secured the finances necessary & traveled to Europe in order to gain access to books not available to him in America." "In 1825, after nearly 2 decades of work, Webster completed his dictionary." "After Webster's dictionary was published, he wrote The Value of the Bible & Excellence of the Christian Religion, a book written to highlight the connection between education & Christianity." "'When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, just men who will rule in the fear of God.'" "'...if the citizens neglect their duty, & place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good, so much as for selfish or local purposes;'" "'...the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; & the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded.'" "'...the religion which has introduced civil liberty, is the religion of Christ & his apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, & benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother, or a sister, & a citizen with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, & to this we owe our free constitutions of government.'" "Webster cherished his faith & understood the impact it could have on America. In the preface of his 1828 Dictionary, Webster wrote, 'In my view, the Christian religion is the most important & one of the 1st things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed.' He continued, 'No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights & privileges of a free people.'" "He came to Christ at a pivotal moment in American history, & his writings exemplified the Savior who lived within him. Thanks to Webster, new generations of Americans were not only becoming educated, but also becoming educated through the Word of God. A true Christian education was no longer for a select few; it was now freely available to all." Leaders Of Liberty, by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 69 - 87. "VERS. 1, 2. Master, see what manner of stones & what buildings are here. - Men admiring doomed things."
"They did not view the temple in the light in which Christ viewed it." "SECULAR INTERESTS... ARE DOOMED THINGS." "...ARTISTIC PRODUCTIONS ...ARE DOOMED THINGS." "...SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS ...ARE DOOMED THINGS." "...RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS ...ARE DOOMED THINGS." "...THE WORLD ITSELF ...IS A DOOMED THING. Why set your hearts on doomed things? (D. Thomas, D. D.)" "It is well to remember that there is something more enduring than the stones of the temple." "The splendid fabric of a fortune, which a man has toiled a life through to give as an inheritance to his family, crumbles in a night, & the millionaire's children are beggars, or worse." "There is only one thing that can give endurance - righteousness. Where it is absent, nothing can secure man, city or institution from a grave fate." "We are not told that all the nations are to be converted by the gospel before the true Christ shall come again, but that they are all to hear it." "There is but one refuge for any human soul: Christ is our 'hiding-place;' He will 'preserve us from trouble' (Psalms 32:7). If we believe in Him, we are safe." "Ver. 4. Tell us, when shall these things be?" "We know not what we ask, when we crave an insight into the future." "Ver. 7. And when ye shall hear of wars." "War is one of God's sore judgments, with which He corrects the people of His wrath (Ezekiel 14:17, 21)." "...the faithful disciples of Jesus Christ ought not to be inordinately troubled, when there are wars & rumours of wars." "When you hear of wars be ye troubled after a godly sort." "(1) Sympathy with the sufferers. (2) Sorrow for sin. It is sin that makes all the mischief. Mourn for the sin that is the cause of the war, & the sin that is the effect of it. (3) Solicitude for the ark of God." "Be not affrighted, but hope the best from it." "God is King of nations, & presides in the affairs of nations." "Christ is His people's peace, therefore be not troubled." "The power & providence of God are fortifications which cannot be scaled, nor battered, nor undermined." "Let rumours of wars drive us to our knees." "Ver. 8. These are the beginnings of sorrows." "Whatever happens, we must calm ourselves by remembering that the great Christ is still in heaven, ruling by the changeless laws of righteousness." "Ver. 10. And the gospel must 1st be published among all nations." "Ver. 11. But when they shall lead you, & deliver you up." "Self-thought, self-prepared plans of defence would... Disturb & disorder their minds." "Deny & neutralize the proper office & power of the Holy Spirit." "...we shall find the Holy Spirit Sufficiently enlighten our minds. To be timely & powerful in the exercise of His help. Either the help of deliverance, or that of loyal resignation; complete escape, or patient endurance." "To Him who directs & speaks belongs the glory. 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.' Thine, therefore is the victory, & the power, & the glory for ever. Amen. (Thomas Colclough.)" "Ver. 12. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death." "Ver. 13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." "LET US GET CHEER FOR OURSELVES BY REMEMBERING THAT THE WORLD'S BEST WORK HAS BEEN DONE & THE NOBLEST LIVES HAVE BEEN LIVED BY MEN & WOMEN WHO, LIKE OURSELVES, HAVE SOMETIMES FELT LIKE LETTING GO & GIVING UP." "...we cannot live upon the Past." "The Past is useful only as a preparation for the Present; & if in the Present we will not steadily push on toward the finishing, we lose the value & meaning of the Past. Resist, therefore, the temptation of letting go & giving up." "LET US REMEMBER THAT REFUSING TO YIELD TO THE TEMPTATION OF LETTING GO & GIVING UP IS THE CONSTANT FIXING OURSELVES BUT THE MORE FIRMLY IN THE HABIT OF GOING ON IN RIGHTEOUSNESS." "Let us remember that for us, keeping hold & refusing to let go, THERE IS THE CONSTANT HELP OF CHRIST TOWARD TRIUMPHING." "So let us, every one, see to it that we cheer on all we can who, like ourselves, are struggling upward toward any nobleness. (W. Hoyt, D. D.)" "Nothing will endure but vital, scriptural Christianity." "The graces of a true Christian hold out in all sorts of weather, in winter & summer, prosperity & adversity, when superficial counterfeit holiness will give out. (R. Sibbes.)" "Consider the great & excellent reward promised to those who endure for Christ's sake. (George Petter.)" "Do not turn back. Do you not yield to tempting solicitations to return to former habits. Be faithful to your convictions." "Enduring to the end: - To hold on, but that a man should hold on in spite of, & in the face of discouragements, & difficulties, & disappointments." "It will not avail to be constant & enduring in the outset, but we must endure to the end." "How many things lead a man to come short of eternal life!" "Job was able to say, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.'" "Ver. 14. Let him that readeth understand." "Consider how much spiritual fruit & profit is to be reaped by the diligent reading of the Scripture" "Vers. 15, 16. Not go down into the house." "Danger of delay" "Even so must we press along the narrow way that leads to eternal life; for who knows how soon that narrow way may be closed against him." "Ver. 18. That your flight be not in the winter. - The difficulty of conversion in old age." "It is the testimony of experiences that men are seldom converted in old age. Who, then, would defer flight, when the Almighty is inviting him to join the ranks of the redeemed?" "...the time for repentance may soon be at an end. (H. Melvill, B. D.)" "Ver. 19. For in those days shall be affliction." "Trouble is often the lever in God's hand to raise us up to heaven." "Has it never occurred to us when surrounded by sorrows, that they may be sent to us only for our instruction, as we darken the eyes of birds when we wish to teach them to sing? (Jean Paul.)" "Tears often prove the telescope by which men see far into heaven. (H. W. Beecher.)" "Ver. 20. Shortened those days." "Ver. 22. For false Christs." "Wonder-working impostors: - 'Lying wonders' II Thessalonians 2:9" "Ver. 26. The Son of Man coming in the clouds." "Does your heart leap when you think that Christ, who is ever present, is drawing near to us?" "Ver. 28. That summer is near." "Ver. 31. But My words shall not pass away. - The perpetuity of Christ's words" "Ver. 32, 33. But of that day & that hour knoweth no man." "Were the day & the hour of the Saviour's advent specifically & unmistakably stated, it would contradict constantly those passages scattered throughout the whole Word of God which say He shall come as a thief in the night." "...IT IS MOST PROFITABLE & MOST IMPROVING THAT WE SHOULD STUDY THE PREDICTED SIGNS" "The very glory of the gospel is its simplicity: 'Look & live;' 'Believe & thou shalt be saved.' (J. Cumming, D. D.)" "Uncertainty as to the time demands constant watchfulness" "It is because we do not know the time, that we must watch for the time." "We should resolve, without delay, to put ourselves into that state & condition, in which we may not be afraid judgment should find us." "'...to break off our sins by repentance,' that we may be capable of the mercy of God, & at peace with Him, before He comes to execute judgment upon the world. After this great work of repentance is over, we should be very careful how we contract any new guilt, by returning to our former sins, or by the gross neglect of any part of our duty. Let us neglect no opportunity of doing good, but always be employing ourselves" "We should often review our lives & call ourselves to a strict account of our actions, that, judging ourselves, we may not be judged & condemned by the Lord. Another part of our preparation for the coming of our Lord is a humble trust & confidence in the virtue of His death & passion (the Cross), as the only meritorious cause of the remission of our sins, & the reward of eternal life." "THE FACT OF LIFE'S UNCERTAINTY." "Death is an ambush. Hence the force of 'Take ye heed, watch & pray.'" "Many are heedless & unprepared to die." "Living without conscious preparation for death is a risk which neither prudence nor self-respect should allow." "Watching & praying: - He that prays & watcheth not, is like him that sows a field with precious seed, but leaves the gate open for hogs to come & root it up; or him that takes great pains to get money, but no care to lay it up safely when he hath it." "Keep an anchor watch, lest before you are aware you may be upon the rocks." "Vers. 34-36. And to every man his work, & commanded the porter to watch." "'What can I do to-day to prepare the way for my Saviour.'" "The Master cometh..." "Our souls are to be sanctified wholly (I Thessalonians 5:23)." "'Man's chief end is to glorify God & to enjoy Him for ever.'" "When Christ comes, foolish virgins will have no time to run for oil to pour into their lightless lamps." "He desires - I. WORK. 1. Work of mercy. 2. Work of uprightness. 3. Work of struggling against evil within us. 4. Work of witnessing for Christ. 5. Work of helping others in various ways. 6. Work of comforting the sad, of supporting the weak. 7. Work of reclaiming the erring. 8. Work of saving the lost." "Instead of praying that God would grant us less work, our request should be that he would give us a greater heart & growing strength to meet all its claims." "ALEXANDER HAMILTON"
"TO MOST, ALEXANDER HAMILTON was merely America's 1st secretary of the treasury made famous by his duel with Aaron Burr." "The growth of New York City, & the growth of America itself, lay in the hands of this brilliant, combative immigrant from the West Indies." "...he believed that anybody with an ounce of intelligence had the ability to rise." "Hamilton... 'He who gave the winds to blow, & the lightnings to rage - even him have I always loved & served. His precepts have I observed. His commandments have I obeyed - & his perfections have I adored. He will snatch me from ruin. He will exalt me to the fellowship of Angels & Seraphs, & to the fullness of never ending joys.'" "'...Oh Lord help. Jesus be merciful!'" "'Our distressed, helpless condition taught us humility & contempt of ourselves. The horrors of the night, the prospect of an immediate, cruel death - or, as one may say, of being crushed by the Almighty in his anger - filled us with terror.'" "'...the Lord relents. He hears our prayer. The Lightning ceases. The winds are appeased. The warring elements are reconciled & all things promise peace. The darkness is dispell'd & drooping nature revives at the approaching dawn. Look back Oh! my soul, look back & tremble. Rejoice at thy deliverance, & humble thyself in the presence of thy deliverer.'" "'Act wisely. Succour the miserable & lay up a treasure in Heaven.'" "'Contests for liberty have ever been found the most bloody, implacable & obstinate.'" "He organized New York City's first militia company, training students & dockworkers alike in the art of gunnery." "He became Washington's right-hand man." "At the Battle of Yorktown, however, Washington made Hamilton commander of a light infantry corps. America's victory at Yorktown led to the surrender of British forces on October 19, 1781." "As a member of Congress, Hamilton was selected as a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia." "...he became the architect & author of a majority of what became known as The Federalist Papers - a collection of 85 essays that were published in newspapers throughout the nation. These essays were designed to promote the ratification of the new U.S. Constitution." "Hamilton quickly established a national banking system." "Almost single-handedly, Hamilton had breathed life into the most powerful economic engine on earth." "It is uncertain if Hamilton died as a Christian. After all, no man can judge the heart of another; however, there is evidence that a spiritual faith emerged in the final chapter of his dramatic life." "Hamilton wrote, 'Let an Association be formed to be denominated, 'The Christian Constitutional Society.' It's objects to be 1st The support of the Christian Religion. 2nd The support of the Constitution of the United States.'" "Hamilton hoped that this Christian Constitutional Society would connect American's defense of the Constitution with their defense of Christianity." "French efforts to overthrow Christianity had prompted Hamilton to write a series of essays on the matter entitled The Stand." "'The attempt by the rulers of a nation to destroy all religious opinion, & to pervert a whole people to Atheism, is a phenomenon of profligacy reserved to consummate the infamy of the unprincipled reformers of France.'" "Although Hamilton's proposal of a Christian Constitutional Society didn't gain any traction, he was still willing to reveal a common concern among many Americans, & that was a shared goal of defending both Christianity & the Constitution." "'Fly to the bosom of your God & be comforted. With my last idea; I shall cherish the sweet hope of meeting you in a better world. Adieu best of wives & best of Women. Embrace all my darling Children for me. Ever yours, A.H.'" Leaders Of Liberty by Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 49 - 66. "THOMAS JEFFERSON"
II Corinthians 3:17 says, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." "He (the Spirit) is with all who preach the cross" "...liberty to live a holy life by placing one's faith in the cross, which gives the Holy Spirit the latitude to work mightily in our hearts & lives." "Unfortunately, not everyone will experience the miraculous gift of liberty, at least in the context of this Scripture. If you don't know the Lord, you will never know the true meaning of liberty." "...in Christ Jesus. The gift of liberty is found only in Him." "We are still able to enjoy the gift of liberty today thanks to our Founding Fathers." "...Jefferson heard the celebrated speech of Patrick Henry against the Stamp Act. He was so inspired by Henry's words & fervor that he avowed his devotion to the cause of American freedom." "...he pursued reforms to slavery." "...Jefferson took several cases for freedom seeking slaves." "'Under the law of nature, all men are born free, every one comes into the world with a right to his own person, which includes the liberty of moving & using it at his own will. This is what is called personal liberty, & is given him by the author of nature, because necessary for for his own sustenance.'" "...the Bible is the cornerstone of liberty." "The Declaration of Independence became the living version of liberty that God had in mind for His children, & it was Jefferson's pen that branded the document, forever etching its place into American history." "...president George Washington brought Jefferson into his cabinet to serve as secretary of state. He held that position for the entirety of Washington's presidency." "In 1800, perseverance & fortitude finally paid off when Thomas Jefferson became the 3rd president of the United States" "Influenced by the intellectuals of the Age of Enlightenment, Jefferson scoffed at biblical stories of the miracles of Jesus, yet he believed that the study of nature proved the existence of God, the Creator." "...he believed that government had no right to impose religion on individuals." "Uphold your own beliefs while respecting that your neighbor may not have the same beliefs." "...the Danbury Baptists ...wrote: '...may the Lord preserve you safe from every evil & bring you at last to his Heavenly Kingdom throug Jesus Christ our Glorious Mediator.'" "Jefferson responded to the Danbury Baptists: '...I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father & creator of man, & tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.'" "Although Jefferson's religious beliefs were constructed in a scholarly manner, he attended church regularly & studied the teachings of Jesus. Jefferson once told a friend, 'Of all the system of morality, ancient or modern, which have come under my observation, none appear to me so pure as that of Jesus.'" "He searched for the truth." "God used Jefferson as a guiding light for America to emphasize freedom in a new land" "With the addition of the Louisiana Purchase & the unveiling of uncharted land, Jefferson stretched the borders of America." "Many historians commend Jefferson for shining a spotlight on the teachings of Jesus & his diligence to discover the truth." "Jefferson respected the teachings of Jesus." "'[T]he doctrines which flowed from the lips of Jesus Himself are within the comprehensions of a child.'" "...Jefferson spoke of Jesus' teachings as 'the most sublime & benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.'" "To Jefferson, Jesus was real, & He was a great human being; however, in regard to The Jefferson Bible, it's clear that he didn't grasp the entirety of who Jesus was." "Jefferson was a lot like Thomas, or, as he is referred to in the gospel of John, doubting Thomas. Both men were very stubborn." "Thomas Jefferson... probably didn't believe in the miracles of Jesus because he was not a witness to them. With that lack of faith, Jefferson remained uncertain of the divinity of Jesus." John 20:25-28 "In these verses, we can see that Thomas truly believed. In contrast, there is no definitive proof that Jefferson reached the same conclusion." "In a letter to Timothy Pickering in 1821, Jefferson said, 'I have little doubt that the whole of our country will soon be rallied to the Unity of the Creator, &, I hope, to the pure doctrines of Jesus also.'" "...he must have known that a higher power was guiding his persistence to secure liberty for the American people." "...the mass of mankind has not been born, with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted & spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of god." "Jefferson's legacy lives on." "Specifically, we should never forget his zealous championing for religious liberty." "Today, in the United States of America, individuals have the freedom to believe & worship whatever they want, whenever they want, & however they want. That's what Jefferson wanted." "As Christians, we should never take that liberty for granted. This nation was founded on Christian principles, & we have the opportunity to spread that message." "To have the daily ability to encounter those with different beliefs from our own is a wonderful thing. It gives us a chance to witness to others, & that's what liberty allows us to do." Leaders Of Liberty, Donnie Swaggart, pgs. 29 - 46. "The principle concerning anger (21-26)."
"Sin, Jesus is saying, is not merely in the overt act, but resides in the heart, &, therefore, one can become guilty of the violation of God's standard of righteousness in thought as well as in deed (Mathew 15:17-20)" "Legally, one may have certain rights & his adversary be the one at fault, but love, Paul reminds us, will forego one's rights & privileges, for 'love seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil... beareth all things... endureth all things.'" "The principle concerning lust (27-30)." "Lust is not in the eye, but in the heart, & we must, therefore, deal with the heart. One could pluck out his eye & still lust in his heart. He could sever his right hand, or both hands for that matter in order to overcome the temptation to steal, but still covet the possessions of another in his heart. The tongue, eyes, hands, & other members of the body are only instruments which express the desires & attitudes of the heart." "Sin acted out is but an expression of what one has already conceived & committed in his heart (James 1:13-15)." "The principle regarding the permanency of marriage (31-32)." "The only basis God allows for severance of the marriage bond is fornication (sexual uncleanness (which may be of various natures, including adultery." "...simply because one feels that he or she has scriptural grounds for divorce, this does not mean that permission implies necessity" Ephesians 4:32 "The principle concerning the oath & swearing (33-37)." "An oath tells the world that without it the believer may not tell the truth, which is a contradiction to the meaning of the term 'Christian.'" "I must obey God rather than men; therefore, my answer when it is 'yes' will mean 'yes' & when it is 'no' it will mean 'no.'" "Those disciples who overcome in all things will be those who demonstrate to the world & the Church their obedience to their Master in all things regardless of the cost." "...the disciple is (a) to love his enemy, & (b) is also required to give humble obedience to all authority" "The State acts as God's minister to maintain law & order, peace, & justice, & punish wrongdoers (Romans 13:3-4; Genesis 9:6). Therefore, the Christian is to be in subjection to it (Romans 13:5), & render to it tribute, taxes, fear, & honor (Romans 13:6-7)." "The Christian's responsibility to the State is (1) to be in subjection, giving honor & respect to its leaders, speaking evil of no man, especially dignitaries, & (2) to pray for all who are in authority (I Timothy 2:1-2)." "The world seeks peace by its own methods & on its own terms - without Christ! The Church's task is not to seek to make the world better, but to warn men that it cannot get better, & of the certain judgment which is to befall it." "Those who war after the flesh reveal either that they do not have the Spirit of Christ, or are ignorant of the nature of the Spirit that indwells them" "'From whence come wars & fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts...' (James 4:1-2)." "It is the duty of the Christian to obey the government in all things except that which is contrary to the revealed will of God (Romans 12:2, 17-21; 13:9-10; Acts 4:19-20; 5:29)" "Christians, by practicing their Christianity, can make a far better contribution spiritually to the nation through prayer on behalf of their leaders (I Timothy 2:1-8; Jeremiah 29:7), & by their moral, ethical, & spiritual influence as the 'salt of the earth' & 'light of the world' which is the real strength of any nation (Matthew 5:13-14), than by killing & violence" "As God has thus dealt with us in mercy & grace, we are not called to hate, maim, & kill, but to deal like God with men in love & mercy" Matthew 5:7 Romans 11:30-31 "The Christian is called to a life of meekness (Mathew 5:5), peace (Matthew 5:9), nonresistance (Matthew 5:38-41), & love of one's enemies (Matthew 5:43-48), being forbidden to use force, violence or vengeance." "Alms (Matthew 6:1-4)." "One is not to give to the needs of others or to the Lord with any expectation of praise or recognition." "Prayer (6:5-15)." "...avoid prayer designed just to be heard & admired (6:5-6)." "Fasting (6:16-18)." "Jesus teaches that we are to avoid fasting & self-denial to gain attention." "...a true fast comes from the heart." "We must remember that in all our worship & religious activity God judges us on the basis of motives." "We will avoid covetousness only if we are willing to give up all affection for the things of the world & commit all possessions unto Him as Lord, while we act merely as stewards of these things. Only in this way can we possess those goods which He entrusts to us without allowing them to possess us." "'Do not weep for your own body; weep for my Body (the Church), filled with the cancer of sin!'" "...unless there is total trust in God for all our needs & in every circumstance of life, then our lives will continue to be largely occupied with ministering to the cancer of 'self,' trying to keep it alive, clothed, fed, warmed, & nurtured." "The work of the kingdom will be hindered to the degree that self remains uncrucified." "...we are to use spiritual discernment & 'judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.'" "Do you expect special consideration when you need an extension of time to pay a debt, or meet a deadline, & then become impatient with others who ask this consideration from you? Do you criticize the faults & weakness of others, but take offense when you are admonished or corrected by another, even when done in a spirit of love? Do you ask God to forgive your trespasses, but manifest an unforgiving spirit by continuing to hold some resentment, grudge, or animosity toward others?" "The message of the deeper life in the Spirit is, as we have shown, the message of the Cross - the crucifixion of the self-life. It is Jesus' call to total commitment & to the crucified life; it means to walk in the Spirit along a 5-fold pathway involving: yielding... self-emptying... dying... overcoming... full commitment" "Those who accept the message of the crucified life & submit themselves fully to Him are to be brought by the Spirit to the fulness of God Himself - 'unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians 3:19; 4:13)." Deeper Life In The Spirit, Hobart E. Freeman, pgs. 170 - 199. "VERS. 1 - 12. A certain man planted a vineyard, & set an hedge about it."
"Christ ungratefully treated..." "God's care of His church: - Where God plants a true church, He does not so leave it, but is further careful to furnish it with all things needful for a church; & not only for the being, but also for the well-being of it; that it may not only be a church, but a happy & prosperous church, growing & flourishing in grace, & bringing forth plentiful fruits of grace, such as God requires & are acceptable to him by Jesus Christ." "Nothing remains when Christ is refused. Heaven contains no further Messenger. Rejecting Christ you reject all, & shut against yourself the only possible door of hope." "There is no sin more common or more pernicious in the Christian world than an unsuitable reception of Jesus Christ & the gospel." "(1) He came to destroy the works of the devil & set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. (2) He was sent to illumine a dark world by the doctrines of the gospel. (3) To recover an alienated world by His power & grace. (4) To redeem an accursed world by His death upon the cross. (5) To purify a polluted world by His spirit & blood." "Rejection of Christ will involve you in endless wrath & ruin." "Let us beware of self-deception, of blinding ourselves." "They knew that He had spoken." "Vers. 13, 14. Catch Him in His words." "We know that Thou art true." "Ver. 15. But He knowing their hypocrisy." "Bring me a penny." "Jesus Christ has promised to all who trust Him a crown of glory that fadeth not away." "Of all things it is best to be a Christian." "The true Christian... only lays hold of the one true cross - that of Jesus Christ - & finds, resting upon that, a peace that passeth all understanding." "Ver. 17. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, & to God the things that are God's. - Our obligations to God & man" "WHAT IS DUE TO GOD? ...1. Our souls with all their faculties. 2. Our bodies. 3. Our time. 4. All our knowledge & literary acquisitions. 5. Our temporal possessions. 6. Our influence." "WHAT THINGS ARE DUE FROM US TO MEN? 1. All men have a right to our love. 2. To all whom God has made our superiors we owe obedience, submission & respect. 3. To our inferiors we owe kindness, gentleness & condescension. 4. Those of us who are members of Christ's visible church, we owe to each other the performance of all the duties which result from our connection. 5. There are some things which we owe our families & connexions." "Ver. 18, 27. In the resurrection." "As the angels." "There has been only One who went perfect into heaven. That perfect being was Jesus, & He has promised that His Spirit shall be with every one who desires to follow Him." "Ver. 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." "The nature of our love to Christ: - I. It must be sincere, with all the heart. II. Intelligent, with all the mind. III. Emotional, with all the soul. IV. Intense & energetic, with all the strength. (C. H. Spurgeon.)" "THE OBJECT OF THIS LOVE. 1. God is the first & supreme object. 2. True love of God begets love to man. The latter, resulting from the former, must needs occupy a subordinate position." "THIS LOVE IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH CHRIST." "...the love of God will lead us to delight in Him." "He does not love God in the Scripture sense who obeys Him in some instances only & not in all." "Our obedience to God ought to be willing & cheerful: we must love Him with all our mind." "...love quickens our endeavours, & emboldens our resolutions to please the object beloved; & the more amiable ideas we entertain of our Master, the more cheerful, liberal, & animated the service that we render Him will consequently be." "The love of God is a settled, well-grounded, rational delight in Him, founded upon conviction & knowledge." "The more we have an affection for Him, the more we shall dread a separation from Him." "Love comes from God on me; then it shines back again on Him. I must put myself where God can shine upon me; then His love shining upon me will make a reflection go back again to Him." "Can the love of God in us be subordinated to the love of any sin? Certainly not" "Can the love of God in us be subordinated to the love of fame? Certainly not" "Can the love of God be subordinated in us to the love of the world? Most certainly it cannot." "Can the love of God be subordinated in us to the love of creatures? Can it be subordinated to the love of the various comforts & enjoyments of this life? Most certainly it cannot" "'If any man love his own life more than Me, he is not worthy of Me.'" "HOW MAY THIS LOVE BE INJURED?" "1. It may lose the 'heart' out of it." "2. This love may lose the 'soul' out of it." "3. ...this love may be injured by losing the 'mind' out of it." "4. This love may lose all the 'strength' out of it." "...the love of God can never have too much room in the heart, nor too powerful an influence on our conduct; but ought to rule most extensively, & to govern & direct in all our purposes & practices." "1. Love to God will produce obedience, voluntary, cheerful obedience. 2. Love to God will beget in us a sincere affection for the people of God... 3. Love to God will moderate your affections towards worldly enjoyments" "4. It will qualify you for dutiful submission to God under temporal evils, & bodily afflictions, & prevent complaints against God. 5. Love to God will prepare you for communion with God" "6. It fits the soul for delightful meditation upon God. 7. If you truly love God, you will delight in His worship, you will love the house of God. 8. Love to God will furnish you with a lively hope of glory." "Ver. 31. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." "The love required in this precept will prevent us from voluntarily injuring others." "Love to our neighbour is especially directed to the good of his soul." "'As we have opportunity, do good unto all men.'" "We are parts of one & the same body, & each is expected to contribute to the general good." "The love our our neighbour originates in, & is always connected with, the love of God." "The word neighbour primarily & properly signifies one that is situated near unto us, or one that dwelleth nigh us." "...one that we are any way allied to, however distant in place, or however removed from the sphere of our conversation or acquaintance." "Should not brotherly love springing from Christ, & making its appearance as an unexpected refreshing stream in us, flow constantly, swiftly, & strongly, refreshing & strengthening, & preparing for new efforts, all with whom we come in contact, & such, that no matter what trouble or annoyance may come in the way, the love of Christ flowing through us may be strong enough to sweep them all away & leave us as clear & calm as ever - loving & kindly affectionate one towards another as ever. (Forbes.)" "Ver. 32. Well, Master, Thou has said the truth." "Ver. 34. Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." "There is great cause for every one of us diligently to try & examine our knowledge & faith in Christ, whether it be true, sound & sincere; or whether it be an hypocritical & counterfeit faith, seeing one may be 'not far from the kingdom,' & yet not in it." "THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM. 1. They may possess considerable knowledge of Scripture. 2. They may make a candid confession of their belief. 3. They may have strong convictions of sin. 4. They may have a desire to amend their lives. 5. They may have partially reformed. They only need repentance & faith." "While you continue without the boundary of the kingdom of God, at whatever point of nearness, is not your state A STATE OF AWFUL DANGER?" "1. You must press into the kingdom by casting off every incumbrance, & by forsaking every prejudice & passion which has a tendency to entangle & obstruct your progress. 2. You must press into the kingdom through all possible resistance. (J. Thornton.)" "We must not flatter so as to make beginners satisfied with less grace, but urge them forward." "There is no greater hindrance to improvement than a conceit of perfection: when men think they are at their journey's end, they will not step any further: but when they are persuaded that they are not at home, they will set them upon going (Philippians 3:12, 13)." "Nearness not possession: - A man may be almost in possession of a fortune; but that adds not to his credit at the bank. A man may be almost honest, or almost sober; but that will be no recommendation to a position of trust & responsibility." "(1) A man is not necessarily in the kingdom of God because an intelligent inquirer." "(2) A man is not necessarily in the kingdom of God because he knows truth when he hears it.." "(3) A man is not necessarily in the kingdom because he can answer questions on Christianity. You may know the creed without knowing the Christ. Mere knowledge is not enough. You must repent, confess, believe, serve. (J. S. Swan.)" "He (the rich, young ruler) lacked (1) the new birth. (2) The new life. (John Ker, D. D.)" "Ver. 37. And the common people heard Him gladly." "Some like to hear of the privileges of the gospel; but they do not like to hear of the precepts of the gospel, & that the soul in whom Christ is formed the hope of glory, will purify itself even as Christ is pure." "Preaching so as to be understood by the common people" "'Study the people;' or that which Cromwell gave to his soldiers, 'Fire low.' Had his men fired high they would have done no more execution than some of our preachers, who shoot over their hearers' heads. (Rowland Hill.)" "Vers. 38 - 40. Beware of the Scribes which love to go in long clothing." "Yielding the pre-eminence" "When a servant of Christ is willing to take a back seat, or to yield the pre-eminence to others, he is making a surrender which is well pleasing to his meek & lowly Master." "Vers. 41 - 44. And Jesus sat over against the treasury." "JESUS ESTIMATES GIFTS CHIEFLY BY WHAT IS RETAINED." "Christ has died to redeem & win you back to Him. Will you give yourself to Him now just as you are, that He may make you all that He can delight in, that you may find Him all that your soul can desire?" "If Christ is Lord of your mind, & heart, & life, let Him be also of your silver & gold. (John Ross.)" "The widow's 2 mites were welcome into His treasury, because her heart was full, though her purse was empty. (Dr. Donne.)" "Little did this woman imagine she was doing an act that would be handed down, for the admiration of mankind, to the end of time." "Christ views it not relatively to what it will buy, but to the love that gave it." "Great gifts are just as capable of illustrating pure motives as small ones." "...it is our duty to devote our property to God. We received it from Him; we are stewards" "...God does not despise the humblest offering, if made in sincerity. He loves a cheerful giver." "Let us learn to act as under our Great Master's eye. He sees us. He speaks of you, it may be to His angels & glorified saints. And what can He say of You? (S. Martin.)" "They gave of their fulness, she of her emptiness; they of the ever-springing fountain, she, the last drop in her cup. It was not the sum, but the sacrifice that made the deed sublime." "The things in this world that are accomplishing great deeds are silent things, & hidden things." "Take your own skill & your own experience, & make the most of them." "A man that will not work just where he is, with what he has, & for the love of God, & for the love of man, will not work anywhere, in such a way as to make his work valuable." "If you have a heart to work, it is better than if you had great riches." "(6) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (5:8)."
"If the deeper life is anything it is purity of heart, holiness & godliness. The term 'purity' means 'to be clean.'" "...clean desires, affections, thoughts, & motives." Matthew 15:19 "The promised reward is that 'they shall see God.'" Psalms 24:3-4 I Peter 1:15-16 "(7) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (5:9)." "In a world filled with hate, riots, social unrest, strife & war, the spirit-led disciple is characterized as a man of peace, as well as one who seeks to make peace with all with whom he comes in contact. The New Testament clearly teaches nonresistance as the passive side of Christian character (Matthew 5:38-39) & peacemaking as the active side (5:9; I Peter 3:8-11)." "The promise is that 'they shall be called the sons of God.' By virtue of this characteristic, they shall be like God's Son, Who is the Prince of Peace." "(8) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven (5:10)." "The righteousness of the deeper life draws down upon one the world's indignation & persecution, as well as that of nominal, professing Christianity; for no one can make such total commitment to Jesus & not be persecuted for it just as He was." "...we must be sure that our trials & persecution are for 'righteousness' sake,' & are not chastisement or misfortune because of our shortcomings or sins." "...righteousness is the acceptance of & obedience to Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:20, 48; 7:21-29). The promise to those who give such obedience to Christ that they suffer persecution because of it is the same as in the first beatitude, 'for their's is the kingdom of heaven.'" "(9) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, & persecute you, & shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, & be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven (5:11-12)." "There are personal trials of our faith (James 1:2f) & trials & persecutions which result from our godly & righteous life & conduct (II Timothy 3:12; I Peter 2:19-23; 3:8-17)." "...3 forms of persecution ...(a) men shall revile you. This is suffering personal reproach, hate & malice, or being assailed with contemptuous or vile denunciations & abuse (I Peter 2:22-23; 3:9-10; 4:14); (b) they shall persecute you." "...physical harassment or oppression, in the form of imprisonment, punishment, beatings, attacks from Satan (Job), loss of employment or other forms of discrimination, or religious excommunication, & so on;" "(c) they shall say all manner of evil against you falsely." "...slanderous abuse, such as malicious gossip, false reports, misrepresentation, lies, defamation of character, misquotations, & derogatory insinuations, & innuendoes, all for His Name's sake." "...when undergoing such trials Jesus encourages us to 'rejoice & be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.'" "2. Principle of Influence. Matthew 5:13-16" "...salt has the chemical nature whereby it purifies, preserves, & seasons, so the influence of the Christian is to have the same effect upon society." "...the disciple's purity of mind, conduct & motive will act as a purifying influence in a world corrupted by sin (I Corinthians 7:12-14)." "The disciple's influence, prayers, & intercessions, his love & unselfish concern for the welfare of others, helps to preserve a measure of order, decency, & sanity in a corrupt & chaotic world, as well as postpone God's inevitable judgment upon the wicked (Genesis 18:20f; Acts 27:20-24)." "It is as the believer ministers life, healing, deliverance & help to others, radiating joy, peace, faith & love in the Holy Spirit, that the Christian message is made appetizing, as it were, & is embraced by others." "There is nothing more useless than salt that has lost its savor." "The Church today, as a result of its doctrinal divisions, its compromise with the world, & its lack of the power of the Holy Spirit, has little cleansing, preserving & seasoning influence remaining, & its witness has lost its effectiveness upon the world." II Timothy 3:5 "...'having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.'" "Too often it appears that many professing Christians are, because of worldliness & spiritual shallowness, reflecting the light of the world, instead of being a light to the world." "...3 characteristics ...the light's position, nature, & purpose." "(a) Its position: It is set upon a hill or upon a lampstand for all to see." "(b) ...its nature. Its purpose is to banish darkness (Genesis 1:2-5). Light by its very nature will always penetrate the darkness & reveal what there is to see; darkness, on the other hand, can never dispel the light when it shines (John 1:5). The disciple, as light, helps to dispel the spiritual darkness in the world; for wherever he goes, wherever he works, or wherever he lives, the light of his life will penetrate the darkness & glorify God (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 5:8)." "(c) the light's purpose." "Our lights are to shine in order that the world may, by our righteous works, love & devotion to Him, glorify God." "3. Principles of Conduct. Matthew 5:17 - 7:29" "(1) Attitude & conduct toward others (5:17-48)." "How did Jesus fulfill the Law? (a) By His personal obedience (Matthew 3:15); (b) by His teaching, whereby He set aside the traditions & errors of the religious leaders & unveiled its inner meaning & the original divine intention; & (c) by His death (Hebrews 10:12; Colossians 2:13-16), so that by faith in Him the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled is us (Romans 3:19f; 8:4)." "The Christian is not under law for justification, grace sets him free, but grace does not set him free to give less obedience unto God & do as he pleases (Romans 6:1f). On the contrary, it sets him free to give obedience to God & His Word from the heart (Romans 6:16-17; I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23)." Deeper Life In The Spirit, Hobart E. Freeman, pgs. 162 - 170. "VERS. 1 - 11. - And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage & Bethany, at the Mount of Olives. - The triumphal entry"
"Christ was revealed as a king, but not of this world." "We should, therefore, consider the grounds & motives from which we honour Christ. He demands more than our fickle, transient homage. He is not truly honoured by mere emotions." "We have to honour Him by our perfect self-surrender & trust; & by our actions amid the mire, & toil, & dust of daily traffic." "The true heart's sacrifice more than the hosannas of the thoughtless hollow crowd." "Obedient, submissive, self-sacrificing love is in our appointed path to the upward heights of glory. You may share Christ's victory." "My Lord & my God! Let every heart honour Him!" "Vers. 3 - 6. Say ye that the Lord hath need of him." "I. HE WANTS YOU FOR HIMSELF... II. HE WANTS YOU FOR HIS CHURCH... III. HE WANTS YOU FOR HIS WORK... IV. HE WANTS YOU FOR HIS GLORY" "Vers. 8 - 10. And they spread their garments in the way." "Vers. 13 - 14. And seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves." "Our Lord hungers for fruit." "'Ye must bring forth fruits meet for repentance.'" "Profession without possession" "...GOD CHERISHES A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF FRUITFULNESS FROM ALL HIS CREATURES." John 15:16 "...GOD IS SOMETIMES MOCKED BY THE PROFFER OF MERE PROFESSIONS INSTEAD OF FRUITFULNESS. He comes for figs, but He finds 'leaves only.'" "...GOD WILL IN THE END ASSERT HIMSELF, & VISIT ON ALL FALSE PROFESSORS A FITTING RETRIBUTION" "This tree had been refreshed by the dews of heaven; the sunshine had warmed it with genial rays; the sheltering hill, perhaps, had warded off the chilling blasts, & all the seasonable influence of Providence had ministered to its growth, but only to bring forth an ostentatious show of unproductive leaves." "Christ places before every one's eyes the penalty of barrenness, especially of barrenness concealed by hypocritical profession. He pronounces a curse on the tree" "Sins of commission slay their thousands, but sins of omission their tens of thousands." "THE SIN OF BARRENNESS IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED & GREATLY AGGRAVATED BY GREAT PROFESSIONS." "Unused faculties decay; & unemployed opportunities are withdrawn." "THE PENALTY OF WILFUL BARRENNESS IS JUDICIAL BARRENNES. The punishment of uselessness which is voluntary, is such a withdrawal of grace as makes it fixed & absolute." "A LESSON FOR THE JEWS. They were full of the leaves of profession: proud of their religious ordinances, frequent fasts, long prayers, sacrifices; but they bore no fruit of holiness, meekness, gentleness, love. Nothing but leaves." "Our talents - how are we employing them? Our time, intellect, bodily strength, wealth, influence? (H. J. Wilmot Buxton, M. A.)" "Vers. 15 - 18. And Jesus went into the Temple, & began to cast out them that sold." "The highest view to take of sin is always that it dishonours God; the man who dishonours God also dishonours himself." "The cleansing of the heart is not complete till God is supreme in its affections. It is not enough to mortify corrupt passions, & resist imperious lusts: this is but expelling the sheep & the oxen. We must give God the heart, delighting in Him as the 'chief good.'" "There was nothing wrong in selling outside the temple, or any other church, things which were necessary for the temple service." "Wherever or whenever God's church & service is made the pretext first & foremost for getting money, then & there the spiritual outrage chastised by Christ with whip & expulsion is committed afresh: the house of prayer has been made a den of thieves; & at such an hour as they wot not of, the Lord will suddenly come to His temple & purify it. (H. R. Haweis, M.A.)" "Ver. 22. Have faith in God." "1. Taking God at His word, about things unknown (Hebrews 11:7), unlikely (Hebrews 11:17-19), untried (Hebrews 11:28). 2. Trusting Jesus at His invitation. Trust your soul to His care; your sins to His cleansing; your life to His keeping." "WHENCE FAITH COMES. 1. From God's grace (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 12:3). 2. From God's Word (Romans 10:17; II Timothy 3:15). 3. From God's working (I John 5:1; Colossians 2:12). 4. Out of the heart (Romans 10:10)." "HOW FAITH WORKS. 1. It overcomes the world (I John 5:4). 2. It purifies the heart (Acts 15:8, 9). 3. It works by love (Galatians 5:6). (J. Richardson, M.A.)" "Have faith in God - Wonder-working faith: - It is not only to faith, as a general spiritual force of boundless potency & value, that our Lord here directs our thoughts; but also, & more particularly, to the faith which sees what things are useless & ready to die, & puts them out of the way; the faith which confronts obstacles as big as solid mountains, & yet is sure that it can remove or surmount them; the faith which faints at no difficulty, no apparent impossibility even, but attacks even the greatest of them with courage & good hope." "It is the faith which believes truth to be stronger than error, righteousness than unrighteousness, good than evil, even though all the world should have espoused the losing cause." "Unbelief profits nothing." "Faith has done wonders in time past, & it can do wonders still. (H. Bonar, D.D.)" "Ver. 23. That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed." "This mountain - Difficulties in the Christian's path" "...a Christian is called to deny himself, & to take up his cross & follow Christ; which are most difficult works, impossible to nature & contrary to it. A Christian is also called to the practice of repentance, i.e., to die unto sin, to mortify his sinful lusts, etc., a most hard, difficult, & painful work." "We are called to despise the world, & to use it as if we used it not; yea, be crucified & dead to it; & to forsake all we have for Christ & the gospel." "If we wish to be good Christians indeed, we must not promise ourselves a life of ease; we must think seriously & often what we are called to; & we must daily pray & labour for supernatural strength & grace. Not of ourselves can we accomplish this arduous task; but God, who calls us to it, will enable us to perform it, if we seek from Him that which we have not in ourselves. (G. Petter.)" "Ver. 24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray. - Combined action of prayer & faith" "True prayer is sure power." "...THE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES NECESSARY TO ANY GREAT SUCCESS IN PRAYER. There must be - 1. Definite things prayed for. No rambling" "Be simple & direct in your pleadings. Speak plainly, & make a straight aim at the object of your supplications. 2. Earnest desire. Plead as for your life." "We must have such a desire for the thing we want that we will not rise until we have it, - but in submission to His Divine will, nevertheless. 3. Faith. No questioning whether God can or will grant the prayer." "4. A realizing expectation." "God hears prayers of any magnitude; much wrong might have been prevented or cured, much good done, if only we had prayed." "If our doubts do not prevail so far as to make us leave off praying, our prayers will prevail so far as to make us leave off doubting. (H. Hickman.)" "Our will is not naturally in harmony with God's." "The Father's will is best; the child must know no will but His." "'Father, not my will, but Thine, be done!'" "Faith & prayer: - Faith is to prayer as the feather is to the arrow; faith feathers the arrow of prayer, & makes it fly swifter & pierce the throne of grace. Prayer that is faithless is fruitless. (T. Watson.)" "Vers. 25, 26. But if ye do not forgive." "God's full & free forgiveness is to be the rule of ours with men." "Forgiving foes: - I. WE SHOULD FORGIVE OUR ENEMIES & ALL WHO HAVE INJURED US, BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE EXAMPLE." "Forgive: - He that cannot forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every one has need to be forgiven." "...we cannot even pray without the spirit of forgiveness" "Vers. 28 - 33. By what authority doest Thou these things? - Christ's authority & the way to discern it" "We must choose between the pharisaical spirit that says to Christ, 'By what authority doest thou these things?' & the spirit of truth which, when it sees the light, comes to the light, & says, 'God is here.' (E Bersier, D. D.)" "Authority & presumption: - I. Where the action is unquestionably right, some will censure the agent. II. They who require reasons should be ready to give reasons. III. Truth should be the first question with men, not consequences. IV. Incompetency may be exposed, & assumption resisted, for the sake of truth. (J. H. Godwin.)" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 446 - 465. "Principles & Practice of the Deeper Life"
"The deeper life in the Spirit, as the Scriptures have shown us, is living & walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25); it is total commitment to discipleship (Luke 14:25f); & it is crucifixion with Christ (Galatians 2:20)." "...the Spirit-led life is the application of Christianity to our conduct." "The deeper life is the total application of the total Word to the total life." "...each of us is confronted with moral & ethical decisions of one degree or another almost continually. The deeper life is the practical application of the teachings & principles of the New Testament, especially Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, to our daily conduct. It is the total application of the total Word to our total life." "THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" "(1) Jesus taught that discipleship is positive in its emphasis" Matthew 7:12 "(2) Discipleship is placing one's affections on the right values" Matthew 6:33 "(3) totality of faith & absolute trust in God (Matthew 6:19-34)" "(4) Jesus taught that discipleship to Him is uncompromising, requiring total commitment (Matthew 7:13-14; 21-29). (5) Total commitment to Him would be necessary, for discipleship as He taught it is revolutionary in its demands (Matthew 5:10-21; 21-24, 27-30, 34f.). (6) Sincerity of motive will characterize the life of the true disciple (Matthew 6:1-18), & (7) the deeper meaning of discipleship indicates that it is a life based not upon rules & precepts, but upon principles (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 43-44; 7:12). (8) Lastly, Jesus announced that discipleship is a call to perfection (Matthew 5:48), & to perfection of a higher degree than that required by institutional religion (5:20)." "The Sermon on the Mount teaches the deeper meaning of discipleship to Jesus & is to be in effect from the time Jesus taught these spiritual principles until His return." "The reason that Jesus' requirements in the Sermon on the Mount seem impossible of fulfillment... is because the Church has for centuries lacked the one spiritual experience which can make such obedience possible - the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Without the spiritual enduement of power from on high, the deeper life principles of the Sermon on the Mount are impossible of obedience." "The Sermon is an exposition of the deeper meaning of discipleship. It is the Spirit-filled life after Pentecost which Jesus anticipates here." "THE DEEPER-LIFE PRINCIPLES & PRACTICE TAUGHT IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" "1. Principles of Character. Matthew 5:1-12" "(1) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven (5:3)." "...we recognize our spiritual poverty in regard to our lost & undone condition without Christ, which is in contrast to the proud, indifferent spirit of the world." "Blessed... are those who recognize & acknowledge their lack in order that they might be filled with the Spirit (Luke 11:13). ...The 'poor in spirit' are the spiritually humble who feel no self-esteem, self-importance, or pride, & who have no confidence in the flesh (I Corinthians 1:26-29). This principle is the foundation of the deeper life, for until we have experienced it the deeper life is impossible (Revelation 3:17)." "(2) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted (5:4)." "This is the consequence of the Spirit's revelation of our spiritual poverty - mourning." "...the promise to those who lament & mourn because of the present spiritual state of humanity & the Church is that 'they shall be comforted,' for there is yet to come a great latter-rain outpouring upon the world & Church, unlike anything seen heretofore, resulting in a great end-time harvest for the glory of God." "(3) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (5:5)." "Jesus' promises of blessedness to the meek indicate, moreover, the importance of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, inasmuch as meekness is set forth in Galatians 5:22-23 as one of the fruits of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is a basic characteristic of the deeper-life experience, producing in us the character of Christ (Matthew 11:29), making us teachable, humble in spirit, gentle & kind, slow to take or give offense, self-controlled, & lowly of mind (Proverbs 15:1; 16:32; Ephesians 5:21-31; Philippians 2:3; I Peter 2:19f.)." "The promised reward to the meek is that 'they shall inherit the earth.'" "Until one has allowed the Holy Spirit to produce in him an attitude of meekness & humility, having his own disposition & spirit under control, he is in no position to inherit the dominion of the earth" "(4) Blessed are they which do hunger & thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (5:6)." "The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit in unveiling the message of the deeper life to a generation of Christians... is to produce in us a sincere longing for righteousness & holiness." "Anyone can read the Bible, or study it academically in some Bible class or religious institution, but only those who experience this deeper hunger & thirst after righteousness will truly delight in the Word of the Lord." "The promise to the spiritually hungry & thirsty is... 'they shall be filled.' They shall not hunger & thirst in vain - they shall be filled with the Spirit, filled with His fruits, & filled with righteousness." "...before God can fill one with Himself & His righteousness, one must first realize that he is empty." "If one is starving, he will not be satisfied with merely looking at pictures of food; nor if he is thirsty will he be satisfied with listening to a lecture on the chemistry of water." "God does not promise to attempt to satisfy our hunger & thirst for righteousness with any religious substitutes as the contemporary Church has done" "(5) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (5:7)." Titus 3:5 "The exercise of mercy on our part is not merely treating others fairly or doing our duty toward them." "The wonderful promise to those who show mercy is that 'they shall obtain mercy' (Proverbs 18:24; Matthew 7:2)." "Do you, for example, ask God to forgive you your trespasses, while at the same time you have resentment or an unforgiving spirit toward others? Mark 11:25-26 Matthew 6:12 "To whom is the disciple to show mercy? Only to his friends? To his fellow-Christians? To those who will appreciate it & be thankful? No. The Scriptures say, to all - to the helpless, the undeserving, or even to our enemies" Luke 6:35-36 Deeper Life In The Spirit, Hobart E. Freeman, pgs. 154 - 162. |
AuthorCross Preaching Pentecostal Pastor. Husband to Tonia, Father to 3 beautiful girls, Monica, Zoe & Briana, & Grandfather to Wesley & Elliott Archives
June 2024
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