Milo

8 JULY

The blood of a martyr

‘And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.’ Genesis 4:8
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Matthew 23:27–39

Think it not strange that the Lord did not protect Abel. By death he entered into life and had the honour to be the first martyr of the truth. Thus God confirmed the belief of a future state, otherwise it would appear a dangerous thing to please God. But it was not overlooked—his blood cried for vengeance [verse 10]. What a dreadful account will the wicked world have to make for the blood of believers they have shed. Yea, all their sufferings and all their tears shall be had in remembrance. When he maketh inquisition he will not forget. The Lord’s people are now, to an eye of sense, left destitute and exposed, as if everyone was at liberty to use them ill with impunity, but a change will soon take place. But there is blood that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel [Hebrews 12:24]. Jesus was slain like Abel, but his blood calls for pardon and mercy upon the poor sinners who spilt it, and upon those who by their wicked deeds have crucified him afresh. Only believe and you shall be saved [Luke 8:12].
FOR MEDITATION:
By Cain’s own hand, good Abel died,
Like him the way of grace we slight,
Because the LORD approved his faith;
And in our own devices trust;
And, when his blood for vengeance cried,
Call evil good, and darkness light,
He vainly thought to hide his death.
And hate and persecute the just.

Such was the wicked murderer Cain,
The saints, in every age and place,
And such by nature still are we,
Have found this history fulfilled;
Until by grace we’re born again,
The numbers all our thoughts surpass
Malicious, blind and proud, as he.
Of Abels, whom the Cains have killed.

Thus JESUS fell—but oh! his blood
Far better things than Abel’s cries:
Obtains his murderers’ peace with GOD,
And gains them mansions in the skies.

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 12 [3/4], GENESIS 4:8

July 7th

All noble things are difficult

Enter ye in at the strait gate … because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way … Matthew 7:13–14 .

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvellous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?
God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus; He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practised. The crisis will reveal whether we have been practising or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practise in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.
Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also a heroic, holy thing. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is bringing many “sons unto glory,” and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. God’s grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milksops. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.

July 7

“He hath made me a polished shaft.” (Isa. 49:2.)

THERE is a very famous “Pebble Beach” at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting roar, and rattles and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on—never any rest. And the result?
Tourists from all the world flock thither to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament the parlor mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles that have never been chosen by the traveler.
Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.
Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.

“O blows that smite! O hurts that pierce
  This shrinking heart of mine!
What are ye but the Master’s tools
  Forming a work Divine?”

“Nearly all God’s jewels are crystallized tears.”

7 JULY

‘Consequences’

‘And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.’ Genesis 4:8
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 1 Samuel 18:1–30

Observe the progress of sin: Cain first indulged anger and then proceeded to murder. One is the seed, the other the fruit. Therefore, whoever hateth his brother is a murderer in the sight of God [Matthew 5:21–22]—if he was not restrained by his providence he would proceed to the outward act. Take heed of indulging dislike and ill will—it may lead you farther than you are aware, to do injury, if not to touch the life. However, the law of God will condemn you, even for evil thoughts.
Note the nature of a religious profession and what it will expose you to: look through the whole Bible—you may trace the same spirit. Isaac, the child of the promise, was mocked by Ishmael. This the Apostle calls persecution [Galatians 4:29]. The life of Jacob was sought by Esau because God gave him the blessing. So David was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains. Christ and his apostles were despised and opposed even to the death. Marvel not if the world hate you. And see the necessity of a continual dependence upon grace, that you may not fear them who can kill the body but can do no more. For if you are strengthened by faith in him who is invisible, you will dare to obey God rather than man.
What we owe to the providence and goodness of God in restraining the wrath of man! The same spirit is always awake, but he who rules the stormy wind and the raging waves of the sea, keeps it within bounds. Especially in our land and day, we have reason to be thankful.

FOR MEDITATION: If therefore you meet with some unkind reflections and misrepresentations from men of unfeeling and mercenary spirits, you will bear it patiently when you think of him who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself.
John Newton to William Wilberforce, 4 August [1793]

[during the struggle to abolish the slave trade]

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 12 [2/4], GENESIS 4:8

John Newton and Marylynn Rouse, 365 Days with Newton (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2006), 198.

July 6th

Vision and reality

And the parched ground shall become a pool. Isaiah 35:7.

We always have visions before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation.

‘Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And batter’d by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.’

God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in such a frantic hurry. In the light of the glory of the vision we go forth to do things, but the vision is not real in us yet; and God has to take us into the valley, and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the place where He can trust us with the veritable reality. Ever since we had the vision God has been at work, getting us into the shape of the ideal, and over and over again we escape from His hand and try to batter ourselves into our own shape.
The vision is not a castle in the air, but a vision of what God wants you to be. Let Him put you on His wheel and whirl you as He likes, and as sure as God is God and you are you, you will turn out exactly in accordance with the vision. Don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had the vision of God, you may try as you like to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you.