Milo

June 5

“Make thy petition deep.” (Isa. 7:11, margin.)
Make thy petition deep, O heart of mine,
Thy God can do much more
Than thou canst ask;
Launch out on the Divine,
Draw from His love-filled store.
Trust Him with everything;
Begin today,
And find the joy that comes
When Jesus has His way!
—Selected.

WE must keep on praying and waiting upon the Lord, until the sound of a mighty rain is heard. There is no reason why we should not ask for large things: and without doubt we shall get large things if we ask in faith, and have the courage to wait with patient perservance upon Him, meantime doing those things which lie within our power to do.
We cannot create the wind or set it in motion, but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes; we cannot make the electricity, but we can stretch the wire along upon which it is to run and do its work; we cannot, in a word, control the Spirit, but we can so place ourselves before the Lord, and so do the things He has bidden us do, that we will come under the influence and power of His mighty breath.—Selected.
“Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Where is the God of Elijah. He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him.”
The greatest saints who ever lived, whether under the Old or New Dispensation, are on a level which is quite within our reach. The same forces of the spiritual world which were at their command, and the exertion of which made them such spiritual heroes, are open to us also. If we had the same faith, the same hope, the same love which they exhibited, we would achieve marvels as great as those which they achieved. A word of prayer in our mouths would be as potent to call down the gracious dews and melting fires of God’s Spirit, as it was in Elijah’s mouth to call down literal rain and fire, if we could only speak the word with that full assurance of faith wherewith he said it.—Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich.

5 JUNE (PREACHED 2 JUNE 1771)

Guidelines for choosing

‘Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.’ Genesis 13:12–13
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Proverbs 24:1–27

This affords a lesson to us, especially to people that are newly setting out in the world. Look not at outward advantages only. Prize the people and ordinances of God, and pray that your lot may not be cast at a distance from them. If you know the Lord, you will meet many trials by living in a dark place where there are no means of grace to help you forward, but, on the contrary, continual hindrances to strive against. You will hardly meet anything can make you amends for the loss it will prove to your souls. If your lot is already fixed like Lot in Sodom, yet may you at least imitate him in being a witness for his truth and in grieving for the abounding of sin around you. Then you shall find the Lord whom you serve is able to deliver and protect you [Daniel 3:17]. The land of Sodom was well watered for a season, but sin brought upon it a storm of fire. So sinners may be favoured a while with outward prosperity, but judgement is at the door. Remember what our Lord said of Sodom: it was a wicked place, but it had not the gospel. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for many called Christians in the great day [Luke 10:12].
FOR MEDITATION:
In vain his sons-in-law he warned,
Yea; Lot himself could lingering stand,
They thought he told his dreams;
Though vengeance was in view;
His daughters too, of them had learned,
’Twas mercy plucked him by the hand,
And perished in the flames.
Or he had perished too.

His wife escaped a little way,
The doom of Sodom will be ours
But died for looking back:
If to the earth we cleave;
Does not her case to pilgrims say,
LORD quicken all our drowsy powers,
‘Beware of growing slack’?
To flee to thee and live.

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 25 [4/4], GENESIS 13:12–13

Lyrics
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today
I’d rather have Jesus than worldly applause
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
Yes, I’d rather be true to His holy name
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today

Context
Better is One Day in Your Courts
…Take notice of our shield, O God, and look with favor on the face of Your anointed. For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.…Psalm 84:10

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
84:8-12 In all our addresses to God, we must desire that he would look on Christ, his Anointed One, and accept us for his sake: we must look to Him with faith, and then God will with favour look upon the face of the Anointed: we, without him, dare not show our faces. The psalmist pleads love to God’s ordinances. Let us account one day in God’s courts better than a thousand spent elsewhere; and deem the meanest place in his service preferable to the highest earthly preferment. We are here in darkness, but if God be our God, he will be to us a Sun, to enlighten and enliven us, to guide and direct us. We are here in danger, but he will be to us a Shield, to secure us from the fiery darts that fly thick about us. Through he has not promised to give riches and dignities, he has promised to give grace and glory to all that seek them in his appointed way. And what is grace, but heaven begun below, in the knowledge, love, and service of God? What is glory, but the completion of this happiness, in being made like to him, and in fully enjoying him for ever? Let it be our care to walk uprightly, and then let us trust God to give us every thing that is good for us. If we cannot go to the house of the Lord, we may go by faith to the Lord of the house; in him we shall be happy, and may be easy. That man is really happy, whatever his outward circumstances may be, who trusts in the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob.

By

F. B. Meyer

F. B. Meyer’s examination of the Prophet Elijah is counted among the most spiritually intensive and detailed ever to be written.

The author first places the subject in its historical context – Elijah lived at a time when Israel was divided. Formerly a cohesive society under the able guidance of King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel and Judah were at odds. The Book of Kings recounts Elijah’s ascendance, wherein he became one of the greatest holy men ever seen.

Meyer examines the life of the great prophet with a close examination of the scriptures. The various interactions between Elijah and Ahab for example are closely narrated, with their rivalry and conflict over the worship of other Gods analyzed. Meyer discusses the emotional states of Elijah and others, how life’s trials presented challenge after challenge, with the gradual, transforming effect of making Elijah one of God’s greatest prophets.

The various prophesies of Elijah, and the miraculous deeds which he carried out across the lands of Israel, are related. F. B. Meyer imbues his discussion of nature of Elijah’s spirit, and how he put his devotion to God into action with beneficent deeds, with a human essence. We are encouraged to visualize the ancient landscape, to vividly imagine the episodes of the prophet’s life.

In authoring biographies of several of the Bible’s most important figures, Meyer took care to be evocative while shining light upon their essential humanity. That Elijah was able to go from shepherding to national prominence is an inspiring story in itself; his power to inspire and call upon God for guidance and wisdom all the more so.

F. B. Meyer’s books have lost none of their vital essence, their contents being for all-time.