Milo

August 31

“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29.)

HOW strong is the snare of the things that are seen, and how necessary for God to keep us in the things that are unseen! If Peter is to walk on the water he must walk; if he is going to swim, he must swim, but he cannot do both. If the bird is going to fly it must keep away from fences and the trees, and trust to its buoyant wings. But if it tries to keep within easy reach of the ground, it will make poor work of flying.
God had to bring Abraham to the end of his own strength, and to let him see that in his own body he could do nothing. He had to consider his own body as good as dead, and then take God for the whole work; and when he looked away from himself, and trusted God alone, then he became fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able to perform. That is what God is teaching us, and He has to keep away encouraging results until we learn to trust without them, and then He loves to make His Word real in fact as well as faith.—A. B. Simpson.

I do not ask that He must prove
  His Word is true to me,
And that before I can believe
  He first must let me see.
It is enough for me to know
  ’Tis true because He says ’tis so;
On His unchanging Word I’ll stand
  And trust till I can understand.

—E. M. Winter.

31 AUGUST (PREACHED 30 AUGUST 1767)

Meekness towards others

‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ Matthew 5:5
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Samuel 16:5–14

Meekness is daily exercised in our conversation with men:
(i) in lowliness of mind, if the providence of God has favoured us with any outward distinction. The meek person is not lifted up, but knows that he is unworthy of bread and water, much more of so many comforts. Hence he knows how to condescend to men of low estate.
(ii) the meek are not stiff and stubborn in their temper and manners. They speak with diffidence of themselves, are sensible that they are fallible and prone to mistake, therefore will hear reason. A want of this is often observable in religious disputes.
(iii) the meek are not easily angry. They remember that the Lord is concerned, let who will be the instrument, so David in the affair of Shimei [2 Samuel 16:11].
(iv) the meek are easily reconciled. They owe 10,000 talents and therefore dare not stand out for a few pence.
(v) the meek, as they are not hasty in taking offence, so they are desirous to avoid giving offence. What they feel in their own hearts makes them unwilling to lay provocations in the way of others, or to do anything which they themselves would dislike from others in their own case.
How is the promise to be understood, when in fact we see little of the earth comes to the share of such? They shall have as much as the Lord sees good; and meekness, as I have hinted, cuts short the desire of more. What they have, they have with the Lord’s blessing, and this makes a little go a great way, and every sweet sweeter. They are freed from those hurrying passions which, when unrestricted, spoil the relish of every situation in life. They have an inheritance on high, of which every good here is an earnest. Here is a ground of examination for all, of humiliation for the best, yet, I hope, of comfort to many. If these things are begun, you are blessed of the Lord, and you shall be blessed.

FOR MEDITATION: Thou wert meek and lowly; O let this mind be also in me.
Miscellaneous Thoughts, Monday 3 July 1758

SERMON: MATTHEW 5:5 [2/2]

August 30th

Am I convinced by Christ?

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not …, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:19, 20.

Jesus Christ says, in effect, Don’t rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring rivers of living water through you, and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it. When once you are rightly related to God by salvation and sanctification, remember that wherever you are, you are put there by God; and by the reaction of your life on the circumstances around you, you will fulfil God’s purpose, as long as you keep in the light as God is in the light.
The tendency to-day is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure that ever lived. The lodestar of the saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that Our Lord heeds in a man’s life is the relationship of worth to His Father. Jesus is bringing many sons to glory.

August 30

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.” (Psalm 107:23, 24.)

HE is but an apprentice and no master in the art, who has not learned that every wind that blows is fair for Heaven. The only thing that helps nobody, is a dead calm. North or south, east or west, it matters not, every wind may help towards that blessed port. Seek one thing only: keep well out to sea, and then have no fear of stormy winds. Let our prayer be that of an old Cornishman: “O Lord, send us out to sea—out in the deep water. Here we are so close to the rocks that the first bit of breeze with the devil, we are all knocked to pieces. Lord, send us out to sea—out in the deep water, where we shall have room enough to get a glorious victory.”—Mark Guy Pearse.
Remember that we have no more faith at any time than we have in the hour of trial. All that will not bear to be tested is mere carnal confidence. Fair-weather faith is no faith.

30 AUGUST (PREACHED 30 AUGUST 1767)

Growing in meekness

‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ Matthew 5:5
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Micah 7:7–10

Meekness arises from the poverty of spirit mentioned in verse 3. It is the temper of a soul convinced of the guilt and misery of sin, and seeking salvation by the blood of Jesus. Hence it is wholly a grace of the gospel, and accordingly the heathen philosophers, who said many fine things of their moral virtues, never once thought of putting meekness into their catalogues. It stands opposed to pride, self-will, impatience and resentment, and its trial and exercise lies both towards God and man. Where there is true humiliation begun in the heart, the Lord’s dealings are often suited to try and exercise this grace:
(i) in spirituals. In waiting for manifestation of pardon. This is wearisome work to the flesh, when the arrows of the Almighty stick fast and one or another obtains or seems to obtain pace before us. The meek soul, amidst a thousand fears and discouragements, sees it has no right to complain (reasons as in Lamentations 3:26, Micah 7:9), and is grieved at every rising of a contrary spirit. And so under all backslidings and desertions.
(ii) in temporals. In a time of affliction. See it in Job 1, in Hezekiah (Isaiah 38), acknowledging that all is less than he has deserved. Contentment with the situation of life. It is this temper makes the precept practicable—in everything give thanks—and checks our spirits when they would repine and be seeking great things for ourselves. While in all these things, the carnal unrenewed heart is impatient and tosses like a wild bull in a net.
FOR MEDITATION:
I asked the Lord that I might grow
Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
In faith and love and every grace;
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
Might more of his salvation know,
‘’Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied,
And seek, more earnestly, his face.
‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.

’Twas he who taught me thus to pray,
These inward trials I employ,
And he, I trust, has answered prayer;
From self and pride to set thee free;
But it has been in such a way,
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
As almost drove me to despair.
That thou may’st find thy all in me.’

SERMON: MATTHEW 5:5 [1/2]