Another Lily Gathered

Another Lily Gathered by Robert Murray M’Cheyne:

“My beloved is gone down into His garden to gather lilies.”—SONG vi. 2.

GOD loves His mighty works to be remembered. We easily forget the most amazing displays of His love and power, and therefore it is right often to set up a stone of remembrance. When Israel passed over Jordan on dry land, God commanded Joshua to take twelve stones out of the dry bed of the river, and to set them up at Gilgal, for a memorial, “that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty” (Josh. iv. 24). Whenever the children of Israel looked upon these massy stones, they would remember how God brought their fathers through the swellings of Jordan.

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerSeptember 7, 2020

A Letter to a New Christian

In Stepping Heavenward, Katy visits with her pastor, Dr. Cabot:

“You would not speak so kindly,” I got out at last, “if you knew what a dreadful creature I am. I am angry with myself and angry with everybody and angry with God. I can’t be good two minutes at a time. I do everything I do not want to do and do nothing I try and pray to do. Everybody plagues and tempts me. And God does not answer any of my prayers, and I am just desperate.”an work in our deceitful hearts, I scarcely remember a season wherein I have been more averse to these duties. I try to ‘build myself up in my most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keeping myself in the love of God and looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life.’

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerSeptember 1, 2020

The Holy of Holies

In a letter to Andrew Bonar, Robert Murray M’Cheyne writes:

“I feel distinctly that the whole of my labor during this season of sickness and pain, should be in the way of prayer and intercession. And yet, so strongly does Satan work in our deceitful hearts, I scarcely remember a season wherein I have been more averse to these duties. I try to ‘build myself up in my most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keeping myself in the love of God and looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life.’

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerAugust 25, 2020

Looking Unto Jesus

In Looking Unto Jesus, Monod writes:

"Looking unto Jesus!" Hebrews 12:2
Only three words, but in these three words is the whole secret of spiritual life.

Look unto Jesus in the Scriptures—to learn there . . .
what He is,
what He has done,
what He gives,
what He desires.

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerAugust 18, 2020

How to Keep Close to the Lord

John Newton instructs us how to keep close to God in one of his pastoral letters.

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerAugust 11, 2020

What Do You Think of Christ?

William Mason writes, “You once stout-hearted rebels against his crown and government! But, O the love of his royal heart! Instead of executing fierce vengeance upon us, for our sins, lo, he came from heaven to earth, with a flame of love in his heart, and matchless grace on his lips, on purpose to die for us, to wash us from our sins in his own blood, to conquer the rebellion of our hearts against him, and to win our affections to him. Has he saved us by his precious blood? Has he made us his willing, loving disciples, by his powerful grace? Surely, it is that we should live in the sweet enjoyment of all the rich blessings of his kingdom, and be holy and happy every day, yes, every hour, in him. In life and love be wholly devoted to him.”

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerAugust 4, 2020

The Lost Art of Worship

A. W. Tozer writes, “Sound Bible exposition is a must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.”

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerJuly 28, 2020

The Giver of the Invitation

Frances Ridley Havergal writes, “Come unto Me. This is the Royal Invitation. For it is given by the King of kings. We are so familiar with the words that we fail to realize them. May the Holy Spirit open our ear that we may hear the voice of our King in them, and that they may reach our souls with imperative power. Then ‘they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak.’”

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerJuly 21, 2020

The Nature of True Repentance

John Calvin writes, “The very best Christians, when all is calm, fondly think of themselves as steadfast and solid. But once trouble overtakes them, they discover it was all a sham. That, then, is how believers are alerted to their frailties, so that they might be helped to grow in humility, to abandon all sinful confidence in the flesh, and to submit wholly to God’s grace. With submission comes the discovery that God’s power is now available to them: there they have a fortress sufficient for their needs.”

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerJuly 13, 2020

My Day is Drawing to an End

Written after spending time talking with a saint who is nearly home.

UPDATE: I wrote this after making my visit on Tuesday 30 June 2020. It reflects some of what we spoke about, but I never read these words to her. The lady with whom I spoke went to be with Christ on the evening of Wednesday 01 July 2020. It makes these truths all the sweeter. She knows most of this now by experience, and is awaiting the dawn.

Christian LifeCourtney BrewerJuly 7, 2020