Psalm 136-138;
1 Corinthians 9;
The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our
God day and night.
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God
that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us.
Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them
openly. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. In all these things we are more than conquerors,
through him that loved us. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And take the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
REV. 12:10. Rev.
12:11. ;Rom. 8:33,34. Col. 2:15. ;Heb.
2:14,15. ;Rom. 8:37. ;Eph. 6:11,17. ;I Cor.
15:57.
Author: Samuel Bagster
"Oil for the light."Exodus 25:6My soul, how much thou needest this, for thy lamp will not long continue to burn without it. Thy snuff will smoke and become an offence if light be gone, and gone it will be if oil be absent. Thou hast no oil well springing up in thy human nature, and therefore thou must go to them that sell and buy for thyself, or like the foolish virgins, thou wilt have to cry, "My lamp is gone out." Even the consecrated lamps could not give light without oil; though they shone in the tabernacle they needed to be fed, though no rough winds blew upon them they required to be trimmed, and thy need is equally as great. Under the most happy circumstances thou canst not give light for another hour unless fresh oil of grace be given thee.It was not every oil that might be used in the Lord"s service; neither the petroleum which exudes so plentifully from the earth, nor the produce of fishes, nor that extracted from nuts would be accepted; one oil only was selected, and that the best olive oil. Pretended grace from natural goodness, fancied grace from priestly hands, or imaginary grace from outward ceremonies will never serve the true saint of God; he knows that the Lord would not be pleased with rivers of such oil. He goes to the olive-press of Gethsemane, and draws his supplies from him who was crushed therein. The oil of gospel grace is pure and free from lees and dregs, and hence the light which is fed thereon is clear and bright. Our churches are the Saviour's golden candelabra, and if they are to be lights in this dark world, they must have much holy oil. Let us pray for ourselves, our ministers, and our churches, that they may never lack oil for the light. Truth, holiness, joy, knowledge, love, these are all beams of the sacred light, but we cannot give them forth unless in private we receive oil from God the Holy Ghost.
Author: Charles H.
Spurgeon
Now mine eye seeth Thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job xiii. 5, 6. THIS is the clue to the entire book. Here is a man, who was universally known as perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil; who abounded in beneficent and loving ministries to all who were in need; to whom respect and love flowed in a full tide. He was not conscious of any failure in perfect obedience, or of secret sin; indeed, when his friends endeavoured to account for his unparalleled calamities by suggesting that there was some discrepancy between his outward reputation and inward consistency, he indignantly repelled the charge, and repudiated the impeachment.
Author: F.B. Meyer