A RINGLEADER FOR CHRIST

"A ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes." -Acts 24:5 [KJV]

My soul! hast thou arrived at that station of dignity, to be reproached for Christ's sake? If so, thou wilt enter into a proper sense and enjoyment of the title Paul was branded with; a ringleader, or a standardbearer of the cross. One who, not content with receiving Christ into his own heart, determines, let the cost be what it may, the loss of reputation or of life, to proclaim Jesus upon the house-top. This is to be a ring-leader! An honourable station! and one that Jesus loves! Jesus Himself was Jehovah's ringleader, for He saith, "In that day, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the gentiles seek, and His rest shall be glorious," Isaiah 11:10. And elsewhere, Jehovah saith, "Behold, I have given Him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people," Isaiah 55:4.  

My soul, hast thou taken part in the reproaches of God's choicest servants? It is impossible to be a true follower of the despised Nazarene, unless thou hast followed Him "without the camp, bearing His reproach." The world, from the days of Cain, in his persecution of Abel, hath, in all ages, branded the ringleaders of the Lord's cause. The servants were treated as the master. His prophets, "troublers of the land," Amos 7:10. His city, always "a rebellious city," Ezra 4:15. Yea, Jesus Himself, as "one perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar," Luke 23:2.  

Precious Lord! could not Thy meek, harmless, and inoffensive conduct pass on without this censure; then who can hope to escape? I know, Lord, that to hold Thee up, and proclaim Thee as Jehovah's ensign to the nation, is to be indeed a ringleader of the cross, against which all hell must wage war, and all the powers of this world's customs will declare enmity. But be Thou my standard, and I shall be more than conqueror, through Thy grace helping me. Oh! let me unceasingly speak Thy praise, and let the fathers to the children make known Thy truth. 

-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s
Read more

Incoming GOOD NEWS!

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands   (17-19SEP21) Heads-Up   ---   Please find enclosed encouragement in   SO GREAT SALVATION   by the perfect and finished work of   our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor to save us  from our sins and from Hell: HOW GOD SAVES SINNERS In Genesis chapter six and seven we have the story of the flood and how God  saved Noah and his family from the horrendous destruction by putting them  into an Ark. We see the righteous judgment of God against sin and the mercy  of God revealed through Christ. The Ark of God is a worthy picture and  pattern of how the Lord is pleased to save sinners and justify them in Jesus  Christ. Here are five things to remember about how God saves sinners. 1). The grace of God , "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8) .  Noah did not earn, merit or deserve grace, he found God to be gracious. It  was the sovereign
Read more

3 LIES ABOUT GOD & 3 TRUTHS ABOUT GOD

 I want to share three lies about God I’ve recently seen tossed about on social media as truth by professed believers: (1) God can move in your life.......if you permit Him. (2) Christ can be Lord.......if you confess Him. (3) God can do anything ........except overcome a man’s will. Friends, if God doesn’t even have sovereignty over the human heart (without being granted permission, of course) who is serving who? Who really has all power in this universe? Many of you reading this post pray to God for the salvation of your loved ones. Yet you believe it is your loved one who has to grant God permission to save! God is left only to making their life miserable in the hopes they come to Him. Such foolishness! Such powerlessness! Truth #1 : God moves in the lives of His children without human permission . Truth #2 : Men do not make Christ Lord. He IS Lord. Your current opinion of Him no more changes His Lordship over you than if you declared a boiling lava pit to be a s
Read more