The End of All Things...

"The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." —I Peter 4:7 [KJV]

The word of grace and truth, like a judicious physician for the body, prescribes different recipes for the soul. Sometimes the bitter draught of affliction; at others the strengthening, comforting balsam of faith, with the restorative mixture of love; but at all times a necessary regimen, whereby to rule and govern our lives, so that our souls may prosper and be in good health.

To use means in faith is our bounden duty: to neglect them is a contempt of the wise Prescriber; whereby we suffer loss and receive hurt to our souls. As faith binds the soul to Jesus in the sweet bands of love, so it produces a conformity to Him in heart and life. As the Spirit enriches the soul with precious graces, so they are accompanied with His transforming influence. He ever directs to the word He has inspired, that we may be taught to avoid those things contrary thereto; and also to practise those duties, which have a native tendency to strengthen the soul in persevering in holiness and truth.

An intemperate thirst after, and inordinate indulging ourselves in the enjoyment of any of the good creatures of this life, sadly indispose the mind to spiritual concerns. This is contrary to the life of faith; interrupts sweet communion with the Father of spirits, deadens the heart to holy fellowship with Jesus, and opposeth the comforting consolations of the blessed Spirit. Hence the soul finds great languor, deadness, and formality in its addresses at the throne of grace. Thy soul and mine is therefore called upon to consider, time, how short! eternity, how near! The Judge is at the door. All things are on the point of dissolution. I am expecting the Messenger to call me hence.

Since continuance here is so uncertain, all worldly enjoyments so precarious, and all certainly perish in the using, what temperance, what sobriety of conduct becomes one? And this is certain, Jesus, with His much incense, is ever before the throne. It is a mercy-seat, sprinkled with His precious blood. From hence all grace is bestowed; all power given. O may we be concerned to watch continually against the motions of the enemy, the stirrings of pride and lust! watching in prayer for the power of the Spirit; watching after prayer for an answer of peace. And when, disciple, is the time that this exercise may be omitted? Verily, not till faith is lost in sight, hope is turned into enjoyment, and prayer is lost in praise. O what a precious word is this from our Jesus: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do."—John 14:13.

And shall I then neglect to pray, When Jesus thus declares? Despise His word, refuse His aid, Amidst ten thousand snares? Forbid it, Lord! Thy Spirit send. To quicken ev'ry thought; To soar above this trifling world, Till I to Thee am brought.

-William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us, ...
Read more

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

GLORY ALONE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

" Lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord . Thou art gloryi...
Read more