Milo

January 14

“He putteth forth his own sheep.” (John 10:4.)

OH, this is bitter work for Him and us—bitter for us to go, but equally bitter for Him to cause us pain; yet it must be done. It would not be conducive to our true welfare to stay always in one happy and comfortable lot. He therefore puts us forth. The fold is deserted, that the sheep may wander over the bracing mountain slope. The laborers must be thrust out into the harvest, else the golden grain would spoil.
Take heart! it could not be better to stay when He determines otherwise; and if the loving hand of our Lord puts us forth, it must be well. On, in His name, to green pastures and still waters and mountain heights! He goeth before thee. Whatever awaits us is encountered first by Him. Faith’s eye can always discern His majestic presence in front; and when that cannot be seen, it is dangerous to move forward. Bind this comfort to your heart, that the Savior has tried for Himself all the experiences through which He asks you to pass; and He would not ask you to pass through them unless He was sure that they were not too difficult for your feet, or too trying for your strength.
This is the Blessed Life—not anxious to see far in front, nor careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, nor weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time.

Dark is the sky! and veiled the unknown morrow!
Dark is life’s way, for night is not yet o’er;
The longed-for glimpse I may not meanwhile borrow;
But, this I know, HE GOETH ON BEFORE.

Dangers are nigh! and fears my mind are shaking;
Heart seems to dread what life may hold in store;
But I am His—He knows the way I’m taking,
More blessed still—HE GOETH ON BEFORE.

Doubts cast their weird, unwelcome shadows o’er me,
Doubts that life’s best—life’s choicest things are o’er;
What but His Word can strengthen, can restore me,
And this blest fact; that still HE GOES BEFORE.

HE GOES BEFORE! Be this my consolation!
He goes before! On this my heart would dwell!
He goes before! This guarantees salvation!
HE GOES BEFORE! And therefore all is well.
—J. Danson Smith.
The Oriental shepherd was always ahead of his sheep. He was down in front. Any attack upon them had to take him into account. Now God is down in front. He is in the tomorrows. It is tomorrow that fills men with dread. God is there already. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass Him before they can get to us.—F. B. M.

“God is in every tomorrow,
  Therefore I live for today,
Certain of finding at sunrise,
  Guidance and strength for the way;
Power for each moment of weakness,
  Hope for each moment of pain,
Comfort for every sorrow,
  Sunshine and joy after rain.”

Cowman, L. B. (1925). Streams in the Desert (pp. 15–16). Los Angeles, CA: The Oriental Missionary Society.

January 13

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37.)

THIS is more than victory. This is a triumph so complete that we have not only escaped defeat and destruction, but we have destroyed our enemies and won a spoil so rich and valuable that we can thank God that the battle ever came. How can we be “more than conquerors”? We can get out of the conflict a spiritual discipline that will greatly strengthen our faith and establish our spiritual character. Temptation is necessary to settle and confirm us in the spiritual life. It is like the fire which burns in the colors of mineral painting, or like winds that cause the mighty cedars of the mountain to strike more deeply into the soil. Our spiritual conflicts are among our choicest blessings, and our great adversary is used to train us for his ultimate defeat. The ancient Phrygians had a legend that every time they conquered an enemy the victor absorbed the physical strength of his victim and added so much more to his own strength and valor. So temptation victoriously met doubles our spiritual strength and equipment. It is possible thus not only to defeat our enemy, but to capture him and make him fight in our ranks. The prophet Isaiah speaks of flying on the shoulders of the Philistines (Isa. 11:14). These Philistines were their deadly foes, but the figure suggested that they would be enabled not only to conquer the Philistines, but to use them to carry the victors on their shoulders for further triumphs. Just as the wise sailor can \use a head wind to carry him forward by tacking and taking advantage of its impelling force; so it is possible for us in our spiritual life through the victorious grace of God to turn to account the things that seem most unfriendly and unfavorable, and to be able to say continually, “The things that were against me have happened to the furtherance of the Gospel.”—Life More Abundantly.

A noted scientist observing that “early voyagers fancied that the coral-building animals instinctively built up the great circles of the Atoll Islands to afford themselves protection in the inner parts” has disproved this fancy by showing that the insect builders can only live and thrive fronting the open ocean, and in the highly aerated foam of its resistless billows. So it has been commonly thought that protected ease is the most favorable condition of life, whereas all the noblest and strongest lives prove on the contrary that the endurance of hardship is the making of the men, and the factor that distinguishes between existence and vigorous vitality. Hardship makes character.—Selected.

“Now thanks be unto God Who always leads us forth to triumph with the Anointed One, and Who diffuses by us the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (2 Cor. 2:14, literal translation.)

31 JANUARY

An angel of light

‘… Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.’ 2 Corinthians 11:14
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 2 Kings 10:15–31

Sometimes Satan transforms himself into an angel of light:
(i) by abuse of gospel principles. He will, upon some occasions, bear a testimony to the truth—but always to serve a wicked end. He will allow and plead for the atonement and righteousness of Jesus Christ—does he not look like an angel of light? But his end is to depreciate holiness. He will at other times preach up duties and good works, sanctification; this looks well, but O he is only transformed. His design is to set forwards such things in opposition to the blood of Christ, and the work of the Spirit. He will cry up free grace and prove from God’s word that we can do nothing. This is a truth even in Satan’s mouth, but his conclusions from it show who he is. He means to make sinners [feel] secure and careless and negligent of the means.
(ii) by a false humility. He is very troublesome to sincere souls this way, persuading them that such great sinners as they ought not to believe.
(iii) by a false zeal—that makes a show and sets up self, under a pretence of God’s glory, as in the case of Jehu [2 Kings 10:31].
(iv) by false comforts—working upon their passions and imaginations, while their own hearts are yet buried in the love of sin and the world.
What need to pray to be kept! What good news that Jesus is revealed to destroy the works of the devil!

FOR MEDITATION: I now see more clearly than ever the reason of my former small proficiency, and of my frequent relapses into folly: I see that I had not that perfect dependence on Jesus my Saviour and him only for justification and acceptance, as I thought I had. I see that I was inclined insensibly to exalt my own wretched self, to the prejudice of his honour and grace, and was in some things under the influence of a legal spirit; and that was sufficient cause for my Lord to keep back his influence, and to leave me to weave my spider’s webs to my own shame and confusion. Yet he was determined not to forsake me wholly, for his love is everlasting and unchangeable, and blessed be his name, I trust he has shown me my error, and will by his grace prevent me falling grossly into it again.
Diary, 5 July 1754 [after meeting Capt. Alexander Clunie in St Kitts]

SERMON: 2 CORINTHIANS 11:14 [2/2]

30 JANUARY

Satan as himself

‘And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.’ 2 Corinthians 11:14
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Revelation 12:7–12

False teachers are Satan’s instruments: he works in and by them, and can work without them. We may observe from this text that Satan has two general methods: open and like himself, or under a borrowed garb as an angel of light. Consider the first: he uses no disguise upon some occasions to multitudes of sinners, who are so bent upon sinning that they do not put him to the trouble of transforming himself. They are as ready to sin as he to tempt. Shall we say he uses any art or pains with swearers, drunkards, Sabbath-breakers? These are his willing servants that commit uncleanness with greediness. Alas, how many will not have the poor excuse to plead that they were deceived. They know in their consciences that those who do such things are worthy of death. He often acts like himself to poor convinced sinners, inflaming their wounds with his poisoned darts and labouring to persuade them that their sin is too great to be forgiven. He likewise often visits believers with temptations of a dark and black nature, horrid blasphemies, etc., which leave no room to doubt who is their proper author.
FOR MEDITATION:
Forest beasts, that live by prey,
Then, my soul with terror hears
Seldom show themselves by day;
Worse than lions, wolves, or bears,
But when daylight is withdrawn,
Roaring loud in every part,
Then they rove and roar till dawn.
Through the forest of my heart.

Thus when JESUS is in view,
Wrath, impatience, envy, pride,
Cheerful I my way pursue;
Satan and his host beside,
Walking by my Saviour’s light,
Press around me to devour;
Nothing can my soul affright.
How can I escape their power?

But when He forbears to shine,
Gracious LORD afford me light,
Soon the traveller’s case is mine;
Put these beasts of prey to flight;
Lost, benighted, struck with dread,
Let thy power and love be shown,
What a painful path I tread!
Save me, for I am thine own.

SERMON: 2 CORINTHIANS 11:14 [1/2]

29 JANUARY

Learning to walk worthy

‘But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.’ 1 Timothy 1:8
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Matthew 5:17–30

The law is lawfully used as a rule of life. The grace of God, received by faith, disposes us to obedience in general, but, through remaining darkness and ignorance, we are much at a loss as to particulars. We are therefore sent to the law to learn how to walk worthy of God and every precept has its place and use. It is lawfully used as a test whereby to judge of the exercise of grace. Believers differ so much from what they once were and from what others yet are, that without this right use of the law, comparing themselves with themselves, or with others, they would be prone to think much more highly of their attainments than they ought. But when they try themselves by the standard, they sink into the dust and cry with Job, I cannot answer thee one of a thousand [Job 9:3]. From hence you may see how the law is good to him who uses it lawfully. It furnishes them with a comprehensive view of the will of God and the path of duty. By the study of it they acquire an habitual spiritual taste of what is right or wrong. The exercised believer, like a skilful workman, has a rule in his hand whereby he can measure and determine with certainty, whereas others judge, as it were, by the eye—can only make a random guess, in which they are generally mistaken. The law makes or keeps them humble. It endears Christ the law-filler [Matthew 5:17] to their hearts and puts them in mind of their obligations to him and dependence upon him every moment.

FOR MEDITATION: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success’ (Joshua 1:8).

SERMON SERIES: 1 TIMOTHY 1:8, NO. 3 [1/1]