“God made Him [ who had no sin] to be sin for us” (2 Cor 5:21 NIV) goes much deeper than that. I can only understand by it that, as to His own consciousness, Christ on the cross was as sin in the holy presence of God. I do not think anything short of this gives an adequate idea of the forsaking of God, or of the dealing with sin so as to remove it from before God.
(F E Raven, Letters, p218)
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On the burden, so to call it, of Psalm 80 (see verses 3, 7, 19)*, it may be observed that we get the person of the Lord strikingly revealed through Scripture. Thus, regarded in different lights, He is both the answerer of prayer and the suppliant. He receives the Spirit, and pours out the Spirit. (Zech. 12:10; Acts 2:33). He is the Rock (Matt. 16:18), and yet He looks to God as the Rock (Psalm 62). He is one of the flock (Psalm 23) and yet the Shepherd of the flock (John 10). He is on the throne praised, and yet the leader of the people’s praise (Psalm 116; Rev. 5). He is a Priest, and yet the redeemed are priests to Him (Rev. 20:6). In one respect He is a Jew, desiring the divine favour for His nation, and waiting for the face of Jehovah to be turned again to His people (Isa. 8:17). In another respect He is as Jehovah Himself, the God of Israel, with His face turned away from His people (Matt. 23:39), thus strikingly revealed in both His divine and human place, both as the expectant head of Israel, and yet as Israel’s God. All this can be understood when the great mystery of “God manifest in flesh” and its glorious results are understood. But who can utter it all?
John Gifford Bellett, Short Meditations on the Psalms.
*Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.Psalm 80:17 v 3 and 7 similar
Golden Nugget Number 327
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I assume that as believers in we are definitely devoted to service the Lord Jesus Christ, and I make an appeal…to all here as to whether that is so. I do not presume to define what the service is. Probably that is a matter that lies between the Lord Jesus and your own souls; but that every one that belongs to Him is devoted to service, and that for ever, must go without saying; for the immensity of what Christ has done lays us under eternal obligation. Our lives, our abilities, all that we possess, must be at His feet for service…
I ask you, in regard to your service, have you waited in the presence of God? Have you a sense that He has taken you up? There are two dangers: one is to serve unintelligently, and the other is to not serve at all. There should be a sense in our hearts that God has definitely taken us up for service. It was so with Christ…there abode in His heart the secret that He was God’s Servant.
(R Besley)
Golden Nugget Number 328
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It is most touching to see that it is “the bride, the Lamb’s wife”; she is seen in suitability to the One who suffered here. He has traversed the path of suffering love even into death, for it was as the Lamb He died; He brought in divine love in the way of redemption, and to do so He suffered and died. The saints acquire suitability to the Lamb by being found in the path of suffering here. They “follow the Lamb wheresoever it goes.”
( C A Coates, Paignton, 1926. Extracted from The Believer’s Friend Volume 18 )
Golden Nugget Number 326
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We are to “walk humbly with thy God, (Micah 6: 8)”. Never was the word more needed than today, when pride and ambition are even exalted as virtues. We are to bind on humility, and, again, we are reminded of Him–our Lord and Teacher–who humbled Himself as no other ever did or could, and presents Himself as our glorious Model. He ever glorified God in His lowly pathway here, and His word to us is, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls.” There is truly rest and joy in following Him.
(W M Brown, Words of Grace and Comfort 1951)
Golden Nugget Number 318
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Were we lying in death? He puts himself into it. Did we deserve the cup of wrath? He takes and drinks it. Was all the power of Satan against us? He goes into it and breaks i
I find then the perfectness of the love of the Saviour. His rejection only served as a means of expressing His love still further. Mark the reality of this expression as meeting all our case. Were we lying in death? He puts himself into it. Did we deserve the cup of wrath? He takes and drinks it. Was all the power of Satan against us? He goes into it and breaks it. Christ does not say, You come to Me properly, and then I will help you. No; He comes down into it all; He does not seek to escape; He does not turn away from the insults and violence of men, but, through them all, He offers Himself without spot to God.
(J N Darby, CW vol. 31 p148-9)
Golden Nugget Number 315
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Chapters 3 and 4 (of Acts) show us the character of the apostles’ testimony; that is, that they were not engaged with their own reputations, but with Christ’s name. What marked the Christian unity was that His name was to be great instead of our name. Wherever you find a man, be he Christian or not, who has his own name before him, he is Babylonish; he is virtually a Babel-builder. But
James Taylor Sr (1870-1953)
what marks the apostles is Christ’s name- “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Peter said he had neither gold nor silver, and he had no reputation, but Jesus of Nazareth had a name of renown. Peter boldly states in chapter 4 that there is none other “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” That is what marked Peter and John in their testimony. Now, Satan was against that name. The injunction of the religious leaders in chapter 4 was not simply that they should not hold certain doctrines, but that they should not teach or preach in that name. But the divine intention is to maintain that name.
(J Taylor NS vol. 3 page 171. Suggested by an English subscriber)
Golden Nugget Number 314
Comment:
A few years ago, my wife and I were on vacation in Quebec City and took the boat over the St Lawrence. We got talking to a fellow Christian who told us how well his church was doing and what he was doing to improve it, then gave us his business card – it said ‘John Smith* – Professional Church Planter’. That made me think of his priorities
Himself
His church – whatever sect it was
Jesus
If ‘me’ or ‘my church’ means more to me than Jesus, I think there is a problem.
* Not his real name
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Pray more about souls than about sermons, and always be more concerned to get a message from the Lord than to have a subject. Since my health precluded me from preaching, I have listened to many preachers; I have heard many subjects, well prepared, ably-handled and quite scriptural, but I have often listened in vain for the message. It is that which is used of God. Therefore, wait much on God for the message!
Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold I have put my words in thy mouth. Jeremiah 1: 9.
George Cutting (1843-1934)
George Cutting (1843-1934) – well known for his tracts including Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment
Golden Nugget Number 312
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