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What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
"Then only may we expect, and crave help from God, when we find our need. Superfluous [unnecessary] aid can neither be heartily desired, nor earnestly looked for, nor thankfully received from the hands of mercy. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." If it be not a burden, it is no casting it upon God" -Joseph Hall
"Nothing can please God more than our importunity in seeking Him; when He withdraws Himself, it is so that He may be more earnestly inquired for." -Joseph Hall
"It is nothing—only a woman drowning," is a wicked and spiteful old saying, which, like the bridle, came out of the common notion that women do a world of mischief with their tongues. Is it so or not? John Ploughman will leave somebody else to answer, for he admits hat he cannot keep a secret himself and likes a dish of chat as well as anybody; only John does not care for cracking people's characters and hates the slander which is so sweet to some people's teeth. John puts the question to wiser men than himself: Are women much worse than men in this business? They say that silence is a fine jewel for a woman, but it is very little worn. Is it so? Is it true that a woman only conceals what she does not know? Are women's tongues like lambs' tails, always wagging? They say foxes are all tail, and women all tongue. Is this false or not? Was that old prayer a needful one "From big guns and women's tongues deliver us?" John has a right good and quiet wife of his own, whose voice is so sweet that he cannot hear it too often, and, therefore, is not a fair judge. But he is half afraid that some other women would sooner preach than pray and would not require strong tea to set their clappers going. Still what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and some men are quite as bad blabs as the women.What a pity that there is not a tax upon words: what an income the Queen would get from it. But, alas, talking pays no toll; and lies paid double, the government might pay off the National Debt, but who could collect the money? Common fame is a common liar. Hear-say is half lies. A tale never loses in the telling. As a snowball grows by rolling, so does a story. They who talk much lie much. If men only said what was true, what a peaceable world we should see. Silence seldom makes mischief; but talking is a plague to the parish. Silence is wisdom; by this rule, wise men and wise women are scarce. Still waters are the deepest, but the shallowest brooks brawl the most. This shows how plentiful fools must be. An open mouth shows an empty head. If the chest had gold or silver in it, it would not always stand wide open. Talking comes by nature, but it needs a good deal of training to learn to be quiet; yet regard for truth should put a bit into every honest man's mouth and a bridle upon every good woman's tongue.If we must talk, at least let us be free from slander, but let us not blister our tongues with backbiting. Slander may be sport to tale-bearers, but it is death to those whom they abuse. We can commit murder with the tongue as well as with the hand. The worst evil you can do a man is to injure his character, as the Quaker said to his dog, "I'll not beat thee, nor abuse thee, but I'll give thee an ill name." All are not thieves that dogs bark at, but they are generally treated as if they were. The world for the most part believe that where there is smoke there is fire, and what everybody says must be true. Let us then be careful that we do not hurt our neighbor in so tender a point as his character, for it is hard to get dirt off if it is once thrown on; and when a man is once in people's bad books, he is hardly ever quite out of them. If we would be sure not to speak amiss, it might be as well to speak as little as possible; for if all men's sins were divided into two bundles, half of them would be sins of the tongue. "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."Gossips of both genders, give up the shameful trade of talebearing; don't be the devil's bellows any longer to blow up the fire of strife. Quit setting people by the ears. If you do not cut a bit off your tongues, at least season them with the salt of grace. Praise God more, and blame neighbors less. Any goose can cackle, any fly can find out a sore place, any empty barrel can give forth sound, and briar can tear a man's flesh. The flies will not go down your throat if you keep your mouth shut, and no evil speaking will come out either. Think much, but say little; be quick at work and slow at talk; and, above all, ask the great Lord to set a watch over your lips."
Psalm 119:18 +var - How To Study & Interpret The Bible #1 by Kevin Williams -61 min
"Dear children, remember all this and do not forget it. You are never too young or too little for God to take notice of you. You are never too young or too little to begin thinking of God. Are you old enough to be naughty? Then be sure that you are old enough to be good. Are you old enough to talk? Then be sure that you are old enough to say your prayers. Are you old enough to learn bad words? Then be sure that you are old enough to learn texts. Are you old enough to know and love your mother? Then be sure that you are old enough to know and love Jesus who died to save your souls.
Boys and girls, remember this first great lesson: God takes notice of you. Mind that you take notice of God." -J. C. Ryle from Boys and Girls Playing.
"Faith isn't believing God can, everybody knows that. Faith is believing He will." -Vance Havner
Meditation: Psalm 119:96 I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
The Christian has seen some things. He has had his eyes opened because of the new birth. He sees a world of reality, spiritual and eternal reality, especially the risen Christ enthroned in glory, that the masses of humanity do not see or know, as it is written, “Once I was blind, but now I see.”
The Christian sees a limit to all perfection, that is, all that the world has or does is limited. They call it perfection, but the Christian sees through it. He sees it is limited; it is short; it is flawed; it is rotten at the root. The believers no doubt saw that the marvelous Tower of Babel would come down one day. Likewise, the Lord saw the beautiful temple would be disassembled – “not one stone left upon anther” (Matthew 24.2). Solomon had it all – women, wine, wealth – but saw it “all was vanity.” Under God, David could see that the mighty warrior Goliath was fallible. Sure, Frazier beat Ali but death beat Frazier. All flesh is grass. David saw Asahel, the swiftest, overtaken, Ahithophel, the wisest, befooled, Absalom, the fairest, deformed (M.Henry). Paul saw the wisdom of the world set forth by the great orators was foolishness. John saw the world was passing away.
The Christian sees the commandment of God is broad, yes, exceedingly broad. There are no limits there.
Why would a young man take a job with “no future” rather than one that has “opportunity”? So also why would anyone specialize in self or in the world – in that which is inferior and limited? Let us invest our all in that which is big, great, glorious, and exceedingly broad, that is, in the living God Himself and His business – the glory of His Son and seeing folks reconciled to God through faith in the work of Christ on the cross as a payment for sin.
"You must forgive repeated offences. You say 'that's hard', no my friend, that's Christ!" -Don Currin
"We are most like God when we forgive and most unlike God when we do not forgive" -Author Unknown
"When you see a Christian who stubbornly refuses to relinquish a grudge there is good reason to question the genuineness of that persons faith" -John MacArthur
"There will be no forgiveness in that day for unforgiving people. Such people would be unfit for heaven. They would not be able to value a dwelling-place to which "mercy" is the only title, and in which "mercy" is the eternal subject of song. Surely if we intend to stand at the right hand, when Jesus sits on the throne of His glory, we must learn, while we are on earth, to forgive." -J. C. Ryle
"When I see the blood I will pass over you." (Exodus 12:13)
Song of Sol - A Banquet Of Heavenly Love by Kevin Williams -64 min
HT: thoughtsontheway.org
April 1, 1742. - "I seem to be declining, with respect to my life and warmth in divine things; have not had so free access to God in prayer to-day as usual of late. Oh that God would humble me deeply in the dust before him! I deserve hell every day, for not loving my Lord more, who has, I trust, "loved me and given himself for me;" and every time I am enabled to exercise any grace renewedly, I am renewedly indebted to the God of all grace for special assistance. "Where then is boasting?" Surely "it is excluded," when we think how we are dependent on God for the existence and every act of grace. Oh! if ever I get to heaven, it will be because God pleases, and nothing else; for I never did any thing of myself but get away from God! My soul will be astonished at the unsearchable riches of divine grace when I arrive at the mansions which the blessed Savior is gone before to prepare."
Lord's day, April 25. "This morning I spent about two hours in secret duties, and was enabled, more than ordinarily, to agonize for immortal souls. At night I was exceedingly melted with divine love, and had some feeling sense of the blessedness of the upper world. Those words hung upon me with much divine sweetness. Psa. 84:7. "They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. " Oh! the near access that God sometimes gives us in our addresses to him! This may well be termed "appearing before God:" it is so indeed, in the true spiritual sense, and in the sweetest sense. I think that I have not had such power of intercession these many months, both for God's children, and for dead sinners, as I have had this evening. I wished and longed for the coming of my dear Lord: I longed to join the angelic hosts in praises, wholly free from imperfection. Oh!, the blessed moment hastens! All I want is to be more holy, more like my dear Lord. Oh for sanctification! My very soul pants for the complete restoration of the blessed image of my Savior; that I may be fit for the blessed enjoyments and employments of the heavenly world. So much of heaven before; it was the most refined and most spiritual season of communion with God I ever yet felt."
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